Councillor Sylvia Russell's Personal Blog
Welcome to my blog†
My name is Sylvia Russell, Teignbridge District Councillor and Conservative Member for Teignmouth East Ward - part of Teignbridge District Council, in South Devon.
The purpose of this site is to try and keep you informed about my role and provide you with information about developments in Teignbridge District Council and our local Ward of Teignmouth East.
My committee responsibilities with the Council include Overview & Scrutiny, Development Control and Regulatory & Appeals committees.
Chairman of the Council 2009-2010
An intriguing evening was promised when I attended the Carlton Theatre for an evening billed as the Wearable Art Show. I had no idea what this was all about but as I was to present the prizes to the winners I was ready for anything! What a show it was! Fabulous garments worn on stage by enthusiastic models but these garments would cause a sensation on any professional catwalk! No high value couture here - low production costs and nil costs for fabric and materials. The Show was the highlight of the TRAIL 2009 season
http://www.trail.org.uk/ The TRAIL organisation was started in a small way by Liz Lockyer and like minded friends to demonstrate that recycling can be glamorous. The gorgeous outfits and dramatic themes certainly proved the wisdom of never throwing anything away! Pictured the show stopping "
Bubblewrap, the next generation" with the futuristic model dressed entirely in bubblewrap plastic! Beats the black rubbish sack anyday!
S.E.N.S.E. Devon, my Chairman's Charity for the deaf/blind is a well respected Charity and enjoys the support of New Devon Opera who describe themselves as "a small scale opera company but one worthy of international standing" www.newdevonopera.co.uk On a rare rainfree summer evening we gathered in the Courtyard at the home of Lord and Lady Clifford of Ugbrook House, Chudleigh for a performance of La Boheme. The setting was simple, the time the 60's hippy scene, but the superb performances of the opera stars Michaela Bloom (Mimi) Arthur Swan (Rodolfo) plus a lively supporting cast and the orchestra led by Conductor and Director Dr. Paul Foster all combined to produce a magical evening of music and atmosphere in the historic surroundings of Ugbrook.
It was a pleasure to be a guest at a Reception hosted by Devon County Council in honour of Exeter City Football Club's promotion to Division One of the Football League. Exeter City enjoys good support not only from fans in Exeter, but also from the wider Devon and we all toasted their well deserved success. Another good reason to celebrate was the launch of a new partnership between the County Council and The Grecians to promote sport and Devon as a tourist destination.
A new use for a neglected Pavilion in Forde Park was the order of the day when I was invited to open the newly refurbished venue to provide a wider community use in this lovely area of Newton Abbot. Teignbridge Council and the Police have joined forces to increase the use and range of activities available for young people. Combined with this initiative is the refurbishment of the tennis courts to create a top class all weather area for groups such as the Police Cadets to use for organised sporting activities. Regular use of the Pavilion and outdoor facilities by local organisations and young people will improve the quality of life of residents and young people in the park.
An invitation from the Queen! I was privileged to represent the Council at a Garden Party hosted by Her Majesty at Buckingham Palace. A colleague Cllr. Mary Mugford and our respective husbands enjoyed a perfect afternoon joining 8000 guests at the Palace soaking up the atmosphere. We were greatly impressed by the superb organisation ensuring that everyone had an opportunity to see the Queen at close hand, working her way through specially invited guests to be presented, supported by the Duke of Edinburgh and other members of the Royal Family. Strolling through the vast grounds, past the lake and the Rose Garden and seeing behind the familiar front of Buckingham Palace was really special.
The Really Big Chorus of 2009 saw singers from all over the UK and as far afield as The Balearic Islands, Spain, Ireland and even Bahrain gathered at the Royal Albert Hall for the yearly
Singday to support The Alzheimer's Society. What an experience this is - the atmosphere, the sense of occasion and the sheer joy of joining 2000 singers brings enthusiasts back year after year. This year we sang Vaughan Williams O BE JOYFUL IN THE LORD and John Rutter's REQUIEM with the composer himself conducting. The soloist was soprano Mary Bevan. A real treat was Vaughan Williams THE LARK ASCENDING with Violin soloist Thomas Gould. You could not hear a pin drop during his exquisite performance. Want to know more? Check the website
http://www.trbc.co.uk/ or write to Concerts from Scratch Ltd. PO Box 4211, Bath BA1 0H, England. Hope to see you next year, especially tenors and bass!
A Charity Golf Evening was recently held at the superb Adventure Golf Park on the sea front at Teignmouth to raise funds for my Charity SENSE Devon, for the deaf/blind. What a turnout we had with 70 friends and colleagues turning out to compete against the challenges of a course full of hidden bear traps for the unwary putter. Tunnels, pools, unexpected slopes and diversions but everyone had a great time, a lot of fun and lots of money was raised.
The Queen's Award for Enterprise-Innovation was presented on behalf of Her Majesty by the Lord-Lieutenant of Devon, Mr. Eric Dancer to two successful local companies who have achieved the highest standards in manufacturing. Centek Ltd. of Newton Abbot produce casing centralisers and stop collars, used to position casing when drilling oil and gas wells and SRA Developments Ltd. based in Ashburton, leading innovators of ultrasonic products for medical applications. Devon is home to many innovative and world beating companies seeking to relocate away from the major cities bringing skilled job opportunities adding to those in our traditional industries of tourism and agriculture.
It's that time of the year again and so far I have attended two Speech Days. Stover School, Newton Abbot and Trinity School, Teignmouth. Both schools are highly regarded Independent Schools attracting pupils from across the world to join students from this country. Teignbridge is very fortunate to have a wide choice of good schools whether in the Independent or State sector and our children are very well served by dedicated teachers who ensure that the objectives of the national curriculum are achieved and students reach their personal goals by winning places at University or choosing much needed skills training at local Further Education Colleges. Congratulations to all our students and enjoy a well earned holiday.
Great excitement in Dawlish when the first dig was made in land donated by Teignbridge District Council to build a brand new flagship youth resource centre. The new centre should be ready by next spring and will be a place of leisure yes, but also reaching young people who lack the necessary skills to meet the challenges of working life. Computer skills, hairdressing, basic building techniques and additional educational opportunities will be provided alongside social skills.
Devon Games to Inspire: The first large scale Games event was held in Barnstaple on 5th July and teams of young people from every corner of Devon competed in front of an enthusiastic crowd all hoping to catch some of the excitement and opportunities building up to the Olympics. The Games are part of a wider vision to engage the people of Devon in the Olympic spirit under the Banner TEAM DEVON www.teamsouthwest.co.uk/devon Taking Part is the key to opening the door to new opportunities and young people of all abilities are encouraged to participate.
Twenty five years of persuasion, cajoling and nagging by a determined group of Volunteers in Teignmouth came to a triumphant conclusion on Independence Day, 4th July 2009 when the historic Orangery building in the grounds of Bitton House was re-opened after a major restoration. Local Authorities have a responsibility to ensure that historic buildings in public ownership are maintained to at least minimum standards but sadly funding is not always forthcoming. Persistence paid off for the Friends of Teignmouth Orangery when Teignbridge District Council agreed to pay for a major overhaul of the building which is used as originally intended nurturing plants from all over the world. Built in 1842 the Orangery is a rare example of it's type still in use in the country and yes, it does house an orange tree whose fruit is made into marmalade and sold to raise funds for the upkeep of the plants!
To be invited to the Bishops Palace Gardens behind the Cathedral is quite an honour and on a lovely warm June summer evening, we went along with many other Civic heads and representatives from business and voluntary organisations to the first Awards event held by the Devon Community Foundation. The Bishop of Exeter graciously presented the Awards to individuals who give their time freely to help others less fortunate in our communities. There were four Categories involved: helping people with special needs: helping young people: helping older people and a Young Volunteer Award. As the Bishop so rightly said, it should never be thought that because volunteering is free, that does not mean "cheap". These Volunteers are unsung heroes and without them local groups helping local people simply would not exist.
The Royal British Legion in Teignmouth work hard to raise funds for the welfare and support of veterans of past and present conflicts. Armed Forces Day in Teignmouth was a day when the town turned out in force to celebrate and commemorate shared memories of personal bravery and sad loss when parts of the town received a direct hit from enemy aircraft. Two special presentations were made. One to a member of the French Resistance, Ferndnand Davoult, whose couragous actions saved the lives of many servicemen trapped in occupied France. The other was to our own local hero Piper Bill Millin, who on D-Day, armed with nothing but a set of bagpipes and Scots determination, marched along the beach in Normandy playing his pipes encouraging our troops forward in the face of ferocious enemy firepower. The German forces manning the guns thought he was raving mad but respected his courage. Bill's actions on that day are immortalised in the film Saving Private Ryan. The picture shows Bill receiving his Town Plaque from Lord Clifford of Chudleigh in his capacity as Honorary Colonel, Royal Devon Yeomanry.
S.E.N.S.E. in Devon supports and campaigns for children and adults who are deaf/blind. My Blog so far has recorded the many occasions I have attended which have been full of colourful spectacle, wonderful music and singing, the sound of children laughing and playing - everyday events taken for granted by the majority but cruelly denied to children who grow up isolated by this double sensory loss. 2009 is the 25th Anniversay of the Devon Branch of S.E.N.S.E. started by Peter and Mary Holman, whose son was born deaf/blind and who now enjoys independence and purpose through the help of the inspirational work of this Charity.
S.E.N.S.E. provide specialist information, advice and services to deaf/blind people, their families, carers and the professional staff who work with them. A new facility in Exeter, Providence Court, provides an Outreach base, services and activities to people living at home. Working with the deaf/blind requires particular and specific skills which although rewarding and fulfilling is very expensive to provide, particularly keeping up with specialist technology.
I hope the work of S.E.N.S.E. touches you and maybe you would like to help. There are two links on my web-page with more information and contacts or you can send a donation direct to The Chairman's Charity, Teignbridge District Council, Forde House, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 4XX. Thank you for reading this
Armed Forces Week: The start of this week was marked with the raising of the Armed Forces Flag at Forde House. Members and veterans from the Royal British Legion joined myself and Cllrs. Mike Walters and Joan Lambert to honour the flag which will fly over Forde House during the week. Major events to mark the week were also taking place in Exeter and Plymouth.
Garden Party at Ugbrook House: Bill and I attended Ugbrook House and gardens where theProvincial Grand Lodge of Devonshire held a garden party by invitation of Lord an
d Lady Clifford of Chudleigh. The Royal Masonic Trust raise many thousands of pounds for charity and one of the charities to benefit from this wonderful event is my own Chairman's Charity S.E.N.S.E. for the deaf/blind. A full programme of events included concerts in the Chapel, a Marine Cadet display and the Soundhouse Brass Band were followed by a scrumptious Devon tea
Exeter has seen nothing like this: a crowd of 5000 gathered on the Cathedral Green to commemorate the sending of Bishop Eadwulf to Crediton in 909. His Grace the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams led the Celebration Eucharist in a joyous ceremony of renewal with songs, hymns and drama and the Bells of the Cathedral's South Tower rang out to mark the occasion. The welcome was given by Bishop Michael of Exeter who was joined by the present Bishop of Crediton, Bishop Bob and Bishop John of Plymouth plus a whole army o
f clergy drawn from Devon parishes who helped disribute the bread and wine to what can only be described as a biblical multitude!
A significant tradition in Exeter Cathedral Church is the choral tradition which has provided music at the daily services for over 800 years. The singing and music was specially composed to mark the occasion by the Cathedral Director of Music. Everyone was entranced by the skill of the puppet operators bringing the giant ecclesiastical puppets to life . Formalities over, the day continued with lots of entertainment to suit all ages. Evening saw some rousing songs of praise from a crowd still wanting more, ending with the ever popular swing music of A.J.'s Big Band. Truly an Amazing Day and I was privileged to be there.
Songs of Praise: "Bishop Bob" comes to Town! Sunday, 14th July continued the Exeter Diocese 1100 year Anniversary celebrations with a programme of hymns and songs on the Den, Teignmouth. The weather was glorious and a good crowd sang along with Bishop Bob and the Rev. Graham Stones of Teignmouth
"Heaven in Devon": This month sees the celebration of 1100 years of Christianity in Devon with the arrival of Eadwulf, first Bishop of Crediton in the year 909. To commemorate this significant event a full programme of visits was arranged throughout the Exeter Diocese which includes a large area of the Teignbridge District. I represented the Council at Bitton House, Teignmouth for a discussion afternoon with the current Bishop of Crediton "Bishop Bob". All sections of the community were present including our Member of Parliament, Councillors, voluntary and uniformed organisations, Youth Forums and the Senior Council. The theme of the afternoon was how to engage and interact with all sections of the community in a rapidly changing world
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