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Newton Abbot Town Council News

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Outgoing Newton Abbot Mayor presents £2,000 cheque to youth charity

THE outgoing Mayor of Newton Abbot, Cllr Alex Hall, has presented a cheque for £2,143 to the youth charity Life Chance Trust.

The handover took place at the council’s Annual Meeting, held at Newton’s Place on Wednesday May 14.

The cash had been raised during Cllr Hall’s term of office which was memorable for the fact that, aged 22, he had been the town’s youngest ever Mayor.

Receiving the cheque, the charity’s Head Hannah Moon said she was ‘gobsmacked’ by the sum and thanked Cllr Hall for choosing her organisation as his mayoral charity and then following its activities so closely throughout the past year.

‘Everyone one involved at Life Chance Trust are so grateful to Alex and everyone at the Newton Abbot Town Council for their support,’ she told the meeting.

Paying tribute to Cllr Hall was Freeman Mike Hocking, himself a former Mayor.

He said: ‘I can remember when Alex first came onto this council, a young and very insecure new councillor, but he was not afraid to ask questions or take advice from those of us who had been here some time.

‘Alex became Mayor in 2024 and, with a few pointers from us… stepped right into the role with a sureness and dedication that was to see him through the next 12 months.

‘Alex has conducted council meetings in his own way but with a growing professionalism.

‘He has been a great advocate for this town and this town council and I think we can all agree he has done so much to improve the dialogue between my generation and his.

‘I know we all thank him for a job well done.’

Members went on to elect Cllr Colin Parker as Mayor for 2025/206.

It is the second time he has held the office, the last being in 2011/2012.

He told the meeting that he hoped to ‘grasp the potential’ offered by the likely devolution of powers expected as part of the ongoing local government review and praised the ‘warm and welcoming’ community of Newton Abbot for its efforts to keep the town vibrant.

His adopted charity is Citizens Advice Teignbridge.

Cllr Parker’s wife Jean, who has battled ongoing health challenges, will serve as Mayoress.

Cllr Louise Cooke, who served as Mayor in 2013/2014, was elected Deputy Mayor.

The above image shows Cllr Hall and Cllr Parker at the meeting.

Tributes paid to former Newton Abbot Mayor and Town Crier

TRIBUTES have been paid to former Newton Abbot Mayor and Town Crier, Ken Purchase, who has died at the age of 87.

Born in Tiverton, Ken was adopted at an early age by the Purchase family of Newton Abbot.

On leaving home at 16 he began his working life as a painter and decorator, later moving to the turbine manufacturers Centrax and then taking up a long-standing role as caretaker at the Adult Education Centre in the Passmore Edwards Building.

Always a practical and sociable man who liked to keep busy, Ken was a keen gardener who provided his family and friends with bountiful home-grown produce.

He also volunteered with the Scouts and was an active churchman and bellringer.

Ken was equally supportive of amateur dramatics, mostly behind the scenes but occasionally on stage too.

A tall man, he once emerged comedically from a panto set oven dressed as a baby complete with nappy.

When time permitted, family travel was something Ken enjoyed with Spain being a favourite destination.

It was his wife Dulcie who spotted an advertisement for the role of Newton Abbot Town Crier and Ken agreed it might be an interesting challenge.

Having secured the position, he and Dulcie would go as far afield as Australia, taking part in competitions and acting as ambassadors for the town.

Ken’s contact with the Town Council led to him becoming a member, impressing his colleagues sufficiently to be appointed Mayor in 2018.

After stepping back from much of his public life a few years ago, Ken, together with Dulcie, turned to volunteering at Newton Abbot Town and GWR Museum.

As part of their commitment, the couple could often be seen greeting visitors to St Leonard’s Tower during its summer opening season.

In recent months, Ken’s health began to fail, leaving him frustrated that he could no longer tend to his beloved garden or take part in his social and civic activities.

He died in Torbay Hospital on Friday May 9 with family at his bedside.

Mayor at the time of his passing, Cllr Alex Hall, said: ‘Ken was a man who led by example, always looking to see how he could contribute to the wellbeing of others.

‘He was admired and respected, indeed loved by most people who knew him.

‘He and his family are in our thoughts.’

Museum Curator Dr Charlotte Dixon said: ‘Ken was a long-standing volunteer at Newton Abbot Museum and for many years welcomed thousands of visitors to the medieval Clock Tower.

‘Ken always raised a smile and was a much-loved member of the museum team.

He will be greatly missed by us all.’

Ken is survived by his wife, two daughters, three grandchildren and a great granddaughter.

The Town Flag will be hung at half-mast on the day of his funeral, the date of which has yet to be confirmed.

The above image shows Ken as Mayor.

Below Ken and Dulcie Purchase

Please address any queries to Newton Abbot Town Clerk Phil Rowe.

Email [email protected] or call 01626 201120.å

CROWDS gathered in Newton Abbot on Tuesday May 6 to witness the official unveiling of the town’s restored British Railway Western Region signal gantry.

The 70-year-old historic structure originally stood at the station but was moved in the 1980s by David St John Thomas to the nearby site of his then David and Charles publishing firm, now a supermarket.

Age had caught up with the landmark gantry so in 2023, owners Newton Abbot Town Council decided a refurbishment was in order.

Staff at the town’s museum teamed up with volunteers from South Devon Railway and on Tuesday the fruits of their labours were celebrated by enthusiasts and dignitaries.

Curator Dr Charlotte Dixon thanked all those who had been involved with the project, naming in particular the late Denis A Lewis of Kingsteignton, a former train driver whose generous legacy in his will kickstarted the refurbishment.

Thanks also went to donors from the Friends of the Railway Studies Collection, volunteers and visitors to the museum.

A plaque commemorating its completion was unveiled by Mayor Cllr Alex Hall, assisted by Dr Dixon and Trevor Hodgson, Chairman of South Devon Railway Association who received a cheque for £2,000 from Newton Abbot Museum in gratitude for his volunteers’ efforts.

‘A huge thank you to all our kind funders,’ said Dr Dixon.

‘Particular thanks go to Trevor Hodgson and his team of volunteers at South Devon Railway who contributed their time to carry out the work required.

‘Every week the expert team worked relentlessly hard to rub down the corroded metal work, repaint the structure, replace signal arms that were missing, replace the railings and glass work.

‘I’m sure you all agree the final result is fantastic and means we’re able to preserve this important heritage and landmark for the town.’

Permission to access the site was given by supermarket operator Aldi.

Area Manager Holly Flory said: ‘It has been a pleasure for ALDI to support a project held in such high regard by the local town. ‘We would like to personally thank all of those involved in the restoration project.’

The above image shows the plaque being unveiled

Above crowds gathered at the gantry.

For more information please email [email protected] or call 01626 201121

Double rail heritage celebration in Newton Abbot

REVISED INFORMATION

A PLANNED double celebration of railway heritage, set to take place in Newton Abbot on Tuesday May 6, has been revised.

The first event at 11am to mark the official unveiling of the All Aboard art installation in Keyberry Road has been postponed.

This is due to key personnel now being unavailable.

The project, which features a 30m-long depiction of a locomotive and railway carriages carrying items from the museum’s GWR collection, has breathed new life into a grim pedestrian underpass below the mainline railway.

The work was coordinated by Community Outreach Worker Kate Green and made possible by an £8,500 grant from the Teignbridge Arts Project.

Some elements of the installation are printed on large aluminium panels with the mural painted by local artist Caroline Brady.

The whole piece was influenced by extensive public workshops in which residents pored over museum artefacts and highlighted those which resonated most with them.

The installation also features QR codes linking to oral archives in the museum’s rail collection.

The official unveiling will be confirmed in due course.

The day’s second event at 12pm will still take place however at the nearby British Rail Western Region signal gantry on Torquay Road.

One of Newton Abbot’s best loved landmarks, the 70-year-old structure was showing its age but has been renovated by volunteers from South Devon Railway in a project led by the museum and Newton Abbot Town Council.

It was supported by donations to the museum, in particular from the late Denis Lewis of the Railway Studies Group.

Curator Dr Charlotte Dixon said: ‘It’s wonderful to see these two projects coming to fruition, something only made possible by the many volunteers who willingly contributed their time, creativity, effort and donations, we’re very grateful indeed.

‘Newton Abbot’s rail heritage runs deep with the town once referred to as “the Swindon of the west”.

‘The gantry is one of the first things people see as they enter the town from the A380 and the underpass is used by hundreds of pedestrians every day.

‘Both sites were a bit sad and neglected, now they are treasured assets and we know from the public’s feedback that they’re delighted with the results.’

The two events will be led by Mayor Cllr Alex Hall and involve many of the volunteers who took part including pupils from local primary schools.

The below images show both the gantry and some of the All Aboard artwork

A NEW mural has received its official unveiling in Newton Abbot.

The Community Tree is the work of landscape graffiti artist Joe Webster who collaborated with fellow artist Catherine West, residents, charities and schools to draw out people’s connections with nature.

The image, which covers the entire gable end of a building in Bank Street owned by landlord Philip Ord, depicts a tree that was felled in April 1922 to allow construction of the town’s war memorial.

It is made up of more than 600 words highlighting the community’s ‘memories and feelings towards trees and nature’ that were submitted in a series of face-to-face workshops and online consultations.

On Tuesday April 15, many of those associated with the project gathered to witness its official handover with Rotarian Jeremy Newcombe leading the proceedings.

His charity, together with Newton Abbot Town Council, Teignbridge District Council and the Government’s Levelling Up Fund, had been the main sponsors of the £30,000 installation that required the wall to be re-rendered prior to painting.

He said: ‘The mural conveys a celebration of nature alongside grief for its destruction.

‘The image of the tree you see is strewn with graffiti symbolising our human presence and impact, both beautiful and ugly.

‘The graffiti in Joe’s painting is intended to represent our humanity, our language and creations, as well as our pollution and the excess in our lives.’

Describing the mural as ‘a wonderful addition to our town’, Mr Newcombe ended his speech by saying: ‘Joe, we are in awe of your talents and so appreciative of your work and creativity.’

Deputy Mayor Cllr Colin Parker echoed the sentiments and added: ‘It is my great honour to and pleasure to dedicate this and open this as The Community Tree.’

Newton Abbot MP Martin Wrigley said: ‘Thank you everyone who is involved, this is brilliant.’

Other recent artworks in the town include the Tunnels of Love installations at Penn Inn and the soon to be revealed All Aboard railway mural in Keyberry Road.

The below images show the ceremony taking place.

Artist Joe Webster is front and centre wearing a grey jacket and stood next to Newton Abbot MP Martin Wrigley.

For more information email [email protected] or call 07711595023.

300 free Easter eggs to be given away in Newton Abbot

THREE hundred chocolate Easter eggs will be given away in Newton Abbot on Saturday April 19 as part of a four-hour package of free family fun.

Events get under way in the town centre at 10am and are set to feature crafts with Creative Newton Abbot, balloon modelling, face painting and friendly walkabout characters.

Live music will be provided by The Hot House Combo and Spectrum Orchestra with shoppers encouraged to dance their way through the streets.

The Easter eggs will be given away on a first come first served basis with a strict one-per-child rule.

The 10am – 2pm Easter Saturday programme has been arranged by Newton Abbot Town Council. Events Organiser Natalie Hicks said: ‘We love to offer these free family-friendly activities, not only are they good for businesses in the town with extra people coming in but great too for households looking for fun that doesn’t cost a fortune.

‘Hopefully the weather will be kind and we’ll have plenty of people enjoying a lively spring Saturday in the town centre.

‘Although we’ll have our stalls in Courtenay Street there are plenty more places to explore, be that Queen Street and Union Street, or our fantastic free museum which will be open until 1.30pm.

‘Newton Abbot Library will be holding its Story Time between 10.30am – 11am and the Lego Club between 1pm and 3pm.

‘Both of those activities are free too, although donations are welcomed, and no booking is required, just turn up and enjoy.

‘Wonderful Bakers Park and Bradley Wood with their acres of open space and the River Lemon are just a short walk away as is Courtenay Park, so why not come into town, enjoy some free fun with us and then grab something for a picnic?

‘We’ve got loads of great places to eat and drink in as well so whatever you want, Newton Abbot has it covered.

‘We’ll see you there!’

The below image shows Natalie and young friend Ruby at last year’s Easter fun.

Organisers will use their discretion when offering Easter eggs with primary school children taking priority.

The event is subject to weather conditions and could be cancelled at short notice.

For more information email [email protected] or call 01626 201120.

Volunteer opportunities as visitor numbers grow at Newton Abbot Museum

AS visitor numbers continue to grow at Newton Abbot Museum a call has gone out for extra volunteers.

Help is needed both at the welcome desk and nearby St Leonard’s Tower which opens for the 2025 season in May.

The opportunities come with full training and only a modest time-commitment, with perks of being a volunteer including meeting new people, CV boosting, being part of the museum community, attending Friends of the Museum talks for free and volunteer socials.

Curatorial Assistant Katie Petley-Jones said: ‘The museum’s continued success means we always need fresh faces and we’d really appreciate an extra couple of people for our front of house team.

‘Ideally that would be every week or on an ad hoc basis and it involves welcoming visitors, helping with sales in the shop and handing out activity trails.

‘They can explain how our Pastport scheme works, also the Curio app which allows people to scan QR codes for more information about objects within the museum collection.

‘Of course, we don’t expect new volunteers to come equipped with all the knowledge they’ll need so we’ll make sure they are fully trained and feel supported in the role.

‘We’re also a very friendly bunch and enjoy our work together.’

Nearby St Leonard’s Tower is due to open for the summer in May.

The historic structure is all that remains of a 13th century church and is the town’s best-known landmark.

It was built by the wealthy Abbots of Torre and stood at the heart of old Newton Abbot

‘In the Tower our volunteers welcome visitors and offer them a bit of information about its history,’ said Katie.

‘They keep a tally of how many people come in, they go through the risk assessment and have the option to show visitors the upper floor.

‘If they’re more comfortable staying on the ground floor there’s still plenty to talk about both inside and out.

‘I’m confident that our volunteering opportunities both in the tower and the museum are truly fulfilling and we look forward to making the new recruits really welcome.’

For more information call 01626 201121 or email [email protected].

Report those abandoned trolleys!

Newton Abbot Town Council

FOLLOWING complaints about abandoned shopping trolleys in the River Lemon and elsewhere, Newton Abbot Town Council has called on supermarket giant Asda to honour its pledge to round up the rogue items.

The matter was raised at a meeting of the Full Council in January when members heard from resident Tom Pearce.

In a letter to the Clerk Phil Rowe he wrote: ‘In light of the continuous issue of abandoned trolleys in the River Lemon and hedgerows around the town, will Newton Abbot Town Council formally request Asda Supermarkets add a coin return mechanism and connecting chains to their trolleys?

‘A similar system is used at the Lidl store in Kingsteignton and prevents this antisocial behaviour issue.’

After debating the matter it was agreed that a letter be sent to the firm, insisting that it tidy up its act.

Within days a response was received and although Asda has ruled out a coin-return scheme it has provided information about the measures it has in place, including the magnetic wheel lock that should operate when a trolley is taken off site.

A spokesman said: ‘We have a trolley retention system in place on the car park of our Newton Abbot store, as well as a service agreement with Collex who collect any abandoned trolleys free of charge.

‘While we know that the majority of our customers take care of our trolleys, if anyone spots one where it shouldn’t be, they can let us know by calling 0800 1860 600, emailing [email protected], or by downloading the Collex App, so the trolley can be collected as soon as possible.’

Mr Rowe was not hugely impressed with the statement.

‘The firm claims it has a system in place but clearly it hasn’t been working as well as it could.

‘It’s a shame that it has to be the public that picks up the baton on this but at least we now know how to get abandoned trolleys removed.

‘So jot down that number, put the email address in your contacts list and download the app.

‘Perhaps together we can rid the town of this annoying problem, and thanks to Tom Pearce for asking the question.’

The below images show an abandoned trolleys.

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