Marc Astley

Coffins crafted from willow on the East Devon border have earned their creator a top award.

Now that the Tar Barrels have been rolled it means the other most wonderful time of the year is just around the corner. And the Ottery Larder is already in preparation for the festive season with plans to help bring some Christmas cheer to everyone. Members are working with the Ottery Community Volunteers, Ottery Help Scheme, Ottery St Mary Town Council, Business Forum and others to try and identify those who need the most support. Sainsbury's and Otter Garden Centre have already pledged to support the project but the Business Forum is appealing for all of the town’s businesses to play their part. Ottery Community Volunteers opened The Ottery Larder a year ago, and in that time have served more than 500 Ottery families in excess of £50,000 worth of free food and other family essentials. This year they plan to expand on last Christmas’s offering and will be delivering a range of food parcels, gift baskets and full Christmas dinners to those who are lonely, vulnerable or in need of a lift this festive season. Businesses, organisations and individuals could help out in a variety of ways to ensure that people do not go hungry at Christmas including:

Members of a popular dance group hot-stepped their way onto the shortlist of a prestigious worldwide competition. Newly formed JW Dance delivers classes for children in Honiton and Ottery. And the youngsters recently reached the Dance School of The Year Awards finals in the 100-150 students category. JW founder Jo Wilson said she was incredibly proud of her talented young team. She added: “I am so happy to have the work of the school recognised when JW Dance was just getting established.” The school started at Honiton Gymnastics Club in September 2020, before continuing classes online during lockdown. In April 2021, it was able to open its doors once again and additional classes were launched in Ottery at the primary school, LED and The Station. Jo, who has 20 years experience in the dance world, said: “It was a risk to launch classes during the pandemic, but the parents, children and local community have been so supportive.

It was an innocent moment caught on camera in Sidmouth and turned into a seaside postcard. And now, 50 years later, the two brothers who were snapped on Jacob’s Ladder have recreated the scene for posterity.

Ottery is blooming great - and that’s official! Proof, if proof was needed, came in the form of a silver award for the town’s green-fingered champions.

Ottery is blooming great - and that’s official! Proof, if proof was needed, came in the form of a silver award for the town’s green-fingered champions.

Less than four months after opening her new Ottery shop, entrepreneur Nicci Simpson has been nominated for a national trophy.

Sidmouth pensioner Tom Prowse’s neighbours became good friends in a desperate hour of need.

It was time for celebration when a new rugby-inspired Swiss heritage watch made by an East Devon business was unveiled in front of a VIP crowd. Among the guests at the star-studded event were England players Jack Nowell, Luke Cowan-Dickie and Henry Slade along with British drum and bass band Rudimental and top DJ Nathan Dawe. The new Olivier Meylan watch celebrates the achievements of four players who have spent more than a decade in the top flight as well as the company’s first anniversary. Jack, Henry and Luke have helped to design the new timepiece along with their Exeter Chiefs teammate Dave Ewers.

A litter picking initiative launched by the 1st Sid Vale Scout Group has been hailed a huge success. The eco-friendly youngsters, led by nine-year-old Thomas Franklin, are pioneering two new badges called the ‘Ocean Helper’ and ‘Ocean Hero’ and began their efforts with a litter pick on their group site. Adventurer Bear Grylls, who is also Chief Scout, has thrown his weight behind the idea describing Thomas as 'a great ambassador for the scouting movement' and 'one of our true shining lights'.