Community news from Axminster, Exmouth, Lympstone, Ottery St Mary and Budleigh Salterton. Email your community news, photos and what's on to [email protected].
Auctioneers in Axminster are preparing to appear on BBC1's The Travelling Auctioneers when the crew visits on Tuesday (August 25). Presenter JJ Chalmers and professional auctioneer Izzie Balmer will be at Atkins Auctions in Axminster for a sale that will be filmed and later broadcast over three episodes. The guest auction will take place alongside a general auction planned in Axminster the same week.
A spokesperson for Atkins Auctions said: "Izzie Balmer, known for both The Travelling Auctioneers and Antiques Road Trip, will bring her auctioneer experience to the rostrum. Also, welcoming JJ Chalmers, who will have sympathetically restored some items for the auction. They will be auctioning an eclectic mix of items, including jewellery and watches, militaria and other miscellaneous pieces. We will be open to the public for both viewing and bidding, and hope for a lively and full room to support the filming."
A new booklet celebrating renowned Budleigh Salterton architect William Hatchard-Smith has been launched and is available to buy for £5 from the town's Fairlynch Museum. Hatchard-Smith, who had an architect's office in Fore Street and died aged 100 in 1987, designed and built more than 50 homes in Budleigh Salterton between the First and Second World Wars, plus the town's croquet club and the Public Hall. The 52-page booklet highlights the homes and looks in detail at 14 of the builds, including some of the watercolour architect drawings.
Trevor Waddington, museum chairman who wrote the booklet, said: "He had a profound effect on the look of our town. Not only were his designs fine examples of the late arts and crafts period but they were built well with great attention to detail."
The first-ever Salt Fest in Exmouth celebrated community connections to the sea when it was held last month. A fancy dress raft race, sea swim awards, swimming competitions and a dawn sea dip were among the activities over the two-day event, organised by Sideshore Community CIC. The event aimed to connect people with the sea, celebrate its benefits, and promote looking after the environment.
Bernie Rhodes, event organiser, said: "The festival brought water loving people together to celebrate the sea in their own way, and the feedback was phenomenal. The most important thing was introducing people to the water and connecting them more to the sea, and the community. We hope by creating a sense of belonging people will want to care for the sea more."
Exmouth Community College students took around eight hours to walk the 36-kilometre route from Seaton back to school.
East Devon Community News: Auctioneers, Architect Booklet, Salt Fest