South Hams Journal

In moves designed to encourage people in the South Hams to recycle as much as possible, SHDC is gearing up to the launch of their 'Super Recycler Service'.  Delivery of new containers - credit SHDC Today, Monday, 22 February, South Hams District Council is launching its 'Ready-Set-Go campaign', to ensure that everyone is ready and set for the launch of the new Super Recycler service. A spokesperson for SHDC said: "Many local residents are already great recyclers, and South Hams currently recycles more than the English average.  Now, the council has made a commitment to do everything it can to help residents recycle even more." In 2019 the Council declared a Climate Change and Biodiversity Emergency, showing its "commitment to the Devon-wide plan of being zero carbon by 2030". Under the new service residents will have a weekly recycling collection and, for the first time ever, will be able to put glass and plastic pots, tubs and trays out for recyclin

Firefighters were forced to walk to a fire after badly parked cars blocked their vehicle.  A fire fighter on scene in Slapton - credit Kingsbridge Fire Station  Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service crews from Kingsbridge, Dartmouth and Salcombe were called to a kitchen fire in Slapton just before 8.30pm.  But when they arrived at the scene they found that the fire engine was blocked from accessing the address by badly parked cars.  A spokesperson for Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service said: "Unfortunately an all too familiar problem of parked vehicles not leaving sufficient room for emergency services access within the towns and villages of our station area meant our crew initially having to proceed on foot to the incident." An all too familiar problem of parked vehicles not leaving sufficient room for emergency services When the crew made it to the address they found "a commercial kitchen well alight with fire". The spokesperson continued: "The k

A local environmental engineering company worked into the early hours to protect the road at Slapton Line as high winds and tides threatened to undermine it.  Landmarc working late into the night to protect Slapton Line - credit Cllr Julian Brazil Landmarc Environmental Engineering were called to inspect the middle car park on the line by South Hams District Council on Monday but they decided to check on it on Saturday and while they were doing that they spotted a gap between the road and the rock armour protecting it.  Marcus Evans, owner of Landmarc, said: "We're currently working at Beesands and we know how reactive that bit of coastline is.  "While we were driving back along the road, about 500m from Torcross, I saw that the protection had been eaten away to within two foot of the road. I called SHDC and told them they might lose the road tonight." I told them they might lose the road tonight But roads are under the umbrella of Devon County Council, not SHDC, so

The road at Slapton Line has been closed due to predicted high tides over the weekend and large amounts of sand and shingle being dumped by the weather.  Slapton Line - credit Cllr Julian Brazil South Hams District Councillor Julian Brazil said: "The line is closed due to flying sand and stones and will probably remain so until Monday. The sweeper is down there at the moment." Cllr Brazil said that there had currently been no damage to the line, but Sunday morning is a "big worry" due to big tides and strong winds.  It is unlikely that the line will be replaced again if it washes away or sustains serious damage, leaving Torcross cut off from Dartmouth, Slapton and Strete, and putting the Slapton Ley nature reserve in peril.  It is unlikely that the line will be replaced again if it washes away or sustains serious damage, leaving Torcross cut off from Dartmouth, Slapton and Strete, and putting the Slapton Ley nature reserve in peril.  South Hams District Council said

Becoming a new parent is a terrifying, rewarding, baffling, heart-swelling, all-encompassing experience and the pandemic has heaped on more and more pressure.  Kingsbridge Nurslings group (pre-Covid) at the Family Church in Kingsbridge But there is a local group out there that are committed to supporting new mums in a non-judgemental space where you can draw on the combined knowledge of other women who have been there and done that.  Nurslings used to run in-person baby and toddler groups (remember people being in the same room as each other?) and since lockdown they have moved online with video calls and 1-2-1 support sessions.  Steph Pope, one of the breastfeeding peer-supporters in the Kingsbridge branch of Nurslings (there are also branches in Totnes and Dartmouth) explained: "We provide evidence based information and resources regarding breastfeeding, chestfeeding, combi-feeding and normal infant behaviour plus signposting where necessary - from friendly, non-judgemental fell

 Kingsbridge and Salcombe fire crews were mobilised this morning to a hedge on fire on the Bantham road.  The scorched hedge - credit Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service When they arrived on scene, close to the Bantham roundabout, they found a "small fire" in the hedge, caused by "fallen 11,000 volt overhead electrical cables".   The road was closed and livestock removed from nearby while Western Power Distribution isolated the power to the cables. The crew are currently remaining on scene "until power has been isolated and the fire can be fully extinguished".