Buckfastleigh Community News

There’s a simple way to access hundreds of useful things without the cost or clutter of owning them. The Share Shed is South Devon’s travelling Library of Things, offering members affordable access to over 350 practical items — from power tools and gardening gear to camping kit, party supplies and household essentials. Borrowing saves money, reduces waste and keeps cupboards clear. Come and give it a try — we’d love to help with your next project.

Joining is easy: become a member, reserve what you need online, and collect from the van. A donation of £5–£50 towards your annual membership is encouraged, and free memberships are available for low-income households.

Two spring events:

• ShareFest Totnes — Saturday 18 April 2026, 10am–4pm, Civic Hall, Totnes. A free, family-friendly celebration of sharing, repairing, swapping and making, with hands-on activities, inspiring local groups and plenty of ways to get involved in building a more connected, sustainable community.
• WoolFest Buckfastleigh — Sunday 24 May 2026, 2pm–5pm, Orchard Millennium Green, Buckfastleigh. We’re delighted to be collaborating with the Wool Hub to bring another WoolFest to Buckfastleigh — a joyful celebration of wool, creativity and community. More details coming soon, but expect workshops, stalls and plenty of woolly inspiration!

The Share Shed is part of a growing movement showing that we don’t all need to own everything individually. By sharing resources, we strengthen community connections and make everyday life more affordable and sustainable.

If you’re in Buckfastleigh, do pop by — you’ll find our van every Saturday, 10am–12.30pm at the Globe Inn car park. Borrow what you need. Share what you can. Be part of something bigger.

Find out more and browse the catalogue: https://www.shareshed.org.uk

Local comedian and poet Jackie Juno brings her latest show, Bonkers!, to the Moor Imagination Centre, Chapel Street on Friday 3 April. Expect a riotous night on the theme of love and sex, with stand-up poetry, warped Tarot and crystal-ball readings, plus a tongue-in-cheek visit from a convincing (but not bona fide) Irish Catholic nun. We’d love to see you there.

Using her custom Tarot cards, singles can finally discover why they’re single, how to attract a partner, and who that partner might be. Couples can find out who they were in a past life as Jackie slips into an altered state to glean visions from her crystal ball. There’ll also be silly games with prizes.

About Jackie: A multiple Poetry Slam champion and the only person to have won the Glastonbury Festival Poetry Slam twice (2018 and 2025). Her acclaimed one-woman show Cancer Dancer (2024) explored her cancer journey.

• Date: Friday 3 April
• Venue: Moor Imagination Centre, Chapel Street, Buckfastleigh
• Audience: Adults 18+

Tickets: Varying prices via Dandelion Events: https://dandelion.events/e/k5ila

Janet Harris would like to say a big THANK YOU to all her wonderful friends and neighbours who have supported her over the past months prior to her operation. Their generosity and kindness have been overwhelming, and she is very grateful. Thank you so much.

Join us for a special day of talks, walks and workshops on the beautiful Parke Estate to hear more about Skylark FM, a unique radio station for Dartmoor based in Buckfastleigh.

Skylark is a community radio station that gives voice to the Dartmoor landscape. An ever-changing and continuous broadcast weaves together oral histories, new music, and live audio streams from people, animals, plants and weather, into an endless and evolving song.

As our National Park turns 75 this year, the Skylark team welcomes you for the Spring Equinox, hosted by Dartmoor National Park Authority. Presentations, workshops and panel discussions will invite you to listen, write and record your own contributions for the airwaves — asking, ‘What kinds of stories do we want to tell about Dartmoor?’ Come and join us — we’d love to see you there.

• Saturday 21 March, 11am–4pm
• The National Trust’s Parke Estate, Bovey Tracey, Devon, TQ13 9JQ

Guidance: A vegetarian lunch will be provided, but a contribution towards costs is welcome. All ages are welcome, though indoor and outdoor activities are aimed at adults.

Book a free ticket at https://skylark.fm/ or email lucinda@skylark.fm.

Here are a couple of our upcoming films – come and join us for a good evening out. Tickets on sale now for both films:

• Roofman – Saturday 28 March, 7.00pm (doors 6.15pm). Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1983949573581?aff=oddtdtcreator
• Hamnet – Saturday 27 June 2026, 7.00pm (doors 6.15pm). Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1984037496561?aff=oddtdtcreator

Tickets can also be purchased in advance from the Town Hall Office (Monday to Friday 9-1pm). We’d love to see you there.

See the Buckfastleigh Town Council entry on our website for contact details.

Ever thought of giving bowls a try? Buckfastleigh Bowls Club is a very friendly club with a licensed bar on the edge of Dartmoor National Park in the picturesque town of Buckfastleigh. Come and join us — we’d love to see you.

• Come and make new friends.
• Fun for all the family.
• Excellent form of exercise.

Forthcoming dates:

• Green opens: Saturday 18 April, 2pm.
• Roll-ups: Monday evenings, 5pm (starting 20 April).
• First friendly: Saturday 25 April, 2pm.

All ages and abilities welcome, with all equipment provided. Please wear flat-soled shoes. We look forward to welcoming you to our friendly club.

For more info please contact Tom on 07577 219962, or Deni on 07501 363937.

Bring ancient stories to life through movement in this playful workshop for children. Each session invites youngsters to explore the emotional and physical sides of myth through dance, building imagination, cultural awareness, embodied learning, and creativity. Come and join us – we’d love to see your young dancers there.

• Date: 14 March
• Time: 1.00pm to 2.10pm
• Venue: Moor Imagination Centre
• Ages: 5 to 10
• Price: £10/£8

Booking and enquiries: Email lernab@yahoo.com or book at https://dandelion.events/e/u8vfp

Come and join us for a magical dance workshop for toddlers and their parents with Lerna Babikyan & Mudita Moves. We’ll move, imagine and connect together in a friendly, playful session.

What’s included:

• BrainDance warm-up to get bodies and minds buzzing.
• Dance with stories – bring books to life through movement.
• Parent & child dancing for unforgettable bonding moments.

• Date & time: Saturday 11 April, 11am
• Venue: Dean Prior Parish Hall, Higher Dean, Buckfastleigh
• Ages: 2½–4½ with parents
• Places: Limited to 6
• Fee: £10/£8

We’d love to see you there – little ones and grown-ups alike!

Booking and enquiries: https://dandelion.events/e/u31h2 or lernab@yahoo.com

Buckfastleigh History Society invites you to an evening talk, "The Fall and Rise of English Cheese" with speaker Ian Wellens. There will be samples!

Please note this talk will be held in the Town Hall.

• Date & time: Thursday 23 April, 7.30pm
• Venue: Buckfastleigh Town Hall, Bossell Road, TQ11 0DD

Come and join us — we’d love to see you there.

See the Buckfastleigh History Society entry on our website for contact details.

Built in 1887 by the Hamlyn Brothers as a “Town Hall, Institute, Technical School, Free Library and other like purposes” for the people of Buckfastleigh, the Town Hall is still at the heart of our community today. It is run as a charity, the Buckfastleigh Town Hall and Institute.

Who manages it? Since 1952, Buckfastleigh Town Council has been the trustee of the charity, so Town Councillors are responsible for managing the Town Hall. The charity operates as a separate organisation to the Town Council.

Who pays for it? In 2024/25, it cost £49,125.00 to run the Town Hall. Income came from:

• Library rent: £4,452.00
• Town Council Offices: £8,000.00
• Letting out rooms to the public: £18,000.00
• Total rental income: £30,000.00

Alongside this, a £18,000 grant from the Town Council (from your Council Tax) helps meet the remaining running costs.

Who uses the Town Hall? All sorts of groups and residents. We’re home to Buckfastleigh Library and the Town Council Office, with regular weekly yoga and fitness classes. The Social Supermarket runs here every Tuesday, and Hello Summer activities take place throughout the year. Over the past year we’ve welcomed the amazing Wintertide, and Hot Rock Productions brought their pantomime performance of Robin Hood to our stage.

We’re also home to the Cosy Cinema, showing films monthly. We transform the Hall with brand new equipment funded by the second round of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. You can hire the cinema experience too—just get in touch.

Our spaces: a wonderful, spacious Main Hall upstairs, complete with a stage.

Hire the Hall for classes, meetings, parties, wedding receptions and—new this year—funeral services. We’d love to help you make your event run smoothly.

Looking ahead: There’s always plenty to do to care for a big old building like ours. If you’d like to get involved or lend a hand, please do get in touch.

Contact: Clair — admin@buckfastleigh.gov.uk, 01364 338017

St Benedict’s Catholic Church in Chapel Street, Buckfastleigh, is a friendly Catholic worshipping community served by our Parish Priest, Fr Francis Straw, from Buckfast Abbey.

We warmly invite you to join with us on Saturdays at 5pm for Mass, followed by tea and coffee. Children are very welcome to enjoy our quiet activity area during the service.

Easter visitors from home and away: Are you reading this whilst on holiday? Perhaps you are local and wondering about coming to church. The congregation at St Benedict’s is always pleased to welcome visitors to our Saturday 5pm Mass. Whether you are on holiday, a newcomer to the Catholic Church or you have just lost the habit of going to church and want to find your way back home, come along to our regular Mass on Saturdays where you will be most welcome. What better way to celebrate the Easter season?

Easter: Please note that there will not be a service at St Benedict’s Buckfastleigh on Saturday April 4th. We will be joining with the congregation of Buckfast Abbey for all Holy Week services, which are held in Buckfast Abbey.

• Maundy Thursday, April 2nd: Mass of the Lord’s Supper, 6pm
• Good Friday, April 3rd: Celebration of the Lord’s Passion, 3pm
• Easter Saturday, April 4th: Solemn Easter Vigil Mass, 8pm (not 9pm as previously advertised)
• Easter Sunday, April 5th: Mass celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus, 9am and 11am

We resume our services at St Benedict’s on Saturday April 11th at 5pm.

Buckfastleigh Foodbank: There is a donation point for the Foodbank in St Benedict’s and we thank parishioners for their continuing generosity, especially through Lent, when a special effort has been made to contribute to the local Foodbanks. A list of items particularly needed is available in the church or on the Buckfastleigh Foodbank website.

Contact details: parish@buckfast.org.uk

Telephone Fr Francis Straw: 01364 645526

The songs of Taizé are easy to learn and uplifting to sing. Taizé is a Christian monastery in the South of France, famous for its beautiful, meditative music.

We’ll sing in three- or four-part harmony, in Latin and other European languages, with a short time for silent prayer. We’ll keep teaching to a minimum and sing for the pure enjoyment of the devotional atmosphere these songs evoke. The Dragon Sanctuary Choir will support the evening so everyone can easily hear and learn their part. These gatherings are open to people of all faiths and none, and no prior experience is necessary. Leo and Sundara began leading Taizé singing in 2003 at the Findhorn Community in Scotland. Come and add your voice—we’d love to see you.

Practical details:

• Doors open at 7pm – come a little early for a cup of tea and a chat.
• No booking needed – Cost is £7 pay by cash or card on the night.

More information: https://www.dragonsanctuary.co.uk

Dartmoor National Park Authority is changing how it shares news of newly registered planning applications and notifications.

• What’s new: A weekly planning alerts subscription service so consultees and members of the public can sign up to receive a parish-by-parish list of new planning applications and notifications.
• When: The subscription will go live as soon as possible; details will be published on their website once it is live.
• For now: Neighbourhood notification emails will continue as normal until 1 May 2026.
• Afterwards: From 1 May 2026, the new subscription will be the primary way to receive regular updates.
• More information: A notice is on the Planning home page: https://www.dartmoor.gov.uk/living-and-working/planning

If you wish to keep receiving planning updates, please subscribe once the new service becomes available. We’d love residents to stay in the loop.

See the Buckfastleigh Town Council entry on our website for contact details.

Come and join the Brent Singers for Rossini’s Petite Messe solennelle on Saturday 25 April at 19:00 in St George’s Church, Modbury. We’d love to see you there for an evening of glorious music.

Bursting with all the drama of the theatrical stage, Rossini’s Petite Messe solennelle is where church meets opera house, evoking the lavish salons of nineteenth‑century Paris. The last of his serious works, from the collection Péchés de vieillesse (“Sins of Old Age”), it was intended as a kind of passport to what lies beyond earthly life. Though it sets the solemn text of the Ordinary of the Mass, the music ranges from the desolation of the ‘Crucifixus’ to the ecstasy of the ‘Et resurrexit’, with amorous duets, mischievous trios and thrilling fugues. Your support makes a real difference and helps keep live music thriving in our community.

Performers:

• Director: Matthew Searles
• Piano: Ben Horden
• Harmonium: Edward Dean

Soloists:

• Soprano: Rebecca Hardwick
• Alto: Sophie‑Dominique Waddie
• Tenor: Michael Graham
• Bass: Julian Rippon

Tickets: £15 (under‑12s free).

Tickets and information: https://www.brentsingers.org.uk/

Plenty to keep your hands busy with Woolly Nanas this April. Drop in for a cuppa and a craft, or book onto a workshop — we’d love to see you.

Regular drop-ins (no booking needed — see website for details):

• Opening times: Monday 10.30am–12.30pm; Tuesday–Friday 10.30am–3pm
• Tue 7 April, 5–7pm: Bring Your Own Craft project
• Sat 11 April, 10am–3pm: Weaving and Natural Dyeing Drop-in with Noni
• Thu 16 & Thu 30 April, 1–3pm: SORT-IT with Jackie

Booking required:

• Tue 7 & Wed 8 April: Textile Club for Children. Cost £90; concessions possible
• Tue 14 April, 3.30–5.30pm: NEW Macrame workshop (ages 8+). Cost £15
• Sat 18 April: Wet felting a Sauna Hat. Cost £55
• From Wed 22 April, 3.30–5pm (5 weeks): Yarn Craft (ages 8+). Cost £15 per session
• Sat 25 April, 10.30am–3.30pm: Wet & Needle Felt an Egg Basket with Rita and Coral  Cost £45, in The Wool Hub

Please book to secure your place — everyone is welcome, whether you’re a beginner or an old hand.

See the Woolly Nanas entry on our website for contact details.

This Easter we’ll be thinking about “Who’s in that Egg?” Come and join us for some hands-on animal encounters and crafty makes for all ages.

• Date: Friday 10 April
• Time: 2pm
• At: Buckfastleigh Library
• With: Kat's Kreatures – meet a blue-tongued skink, a leopard gecko, hog-nosed snakes, a giant African land snail and a baby orchid praying mantis; you might even get to feed a bearded dragon.
• Tickets: £2 per child
• Booking: Spaces are limited, so please book in advance.

We’ll also have egg-themed crafts whenever the library is open. We’ll be making pop-up paper eggs with all sorts of creatures that might come out of them – from chicks and snakes to crocodiles, echidnas and even dragons. Crafts are free, but donations are always welcome. We’d love to see you there.

See the Buckfastleigh Library entry on our website for contact details.

We’re off again for the summer! The memory café will now run between Buckfastleigh and Totnes every month until November. Anyone living with dementia or other memory problems is welcome to come and join us for an afternoon of smiles, shifting scenery and plenty of steam. Special guests this month include Rachel Bastyan from Moorland Community Caring and South Brent Caring. We’d love to see you there.

• Date: Tuesday 21 April 2026
• Time: 3.30pm – 5pm
• Location: On the platform at the South Devon Railway, Buckfastleigh
• Suggested donation: £3

Contact: For more information, please contact Kathrine on 07899 993134 or email kathrine@conversationworks.co.uk.

In the March draw, the following names were drawn.

• 1st. Jane Pridham
• 2nd. Angus Caan
• 3rd. Joanne Bailey

Thank you for all your support; there are still empty tickets waiting for your name.

To join or find out more information, contact Lynda Grieveson on 07933 112271 or write to Moorshead Cottage, Dean Prior, Buckfastleigh TQ11 0NA.

Did you know you can borrow a carpet cleaner, drill, reusable party kit, sewing machine or even a guitar instead of buying one? That’s exactly what the Share Shed – A Library of Things offers.

Run by the Network of Wellbeing (NOW), the Share Shed is a mobile library of useful household, gardening and DIY items that people can borrow for a small fee. Travelling to towns across South Devon, it helps people save money, reduce waste and connect with their communities. From pressure washers and hedge trimmers to camping gear and party equipment, it makes it easier to own less and share more.

The Share Shed visits Buckfastleigh every Saturday, 10am to 12.30pm, at the Globe Inn car park. Pop along to browse and borrow directly from the distinctive shed on wheels — it’s a friendly, welcoming service and a great way to chat about living more resourcefully together.

ShareFest Totnes: Saturday 18 April, Totnes Civic Hall, 10am to 4pm. This free, family-friendly celebration of sharing, repairing, swapping and making has previously welcomed over 800 visitors and brought together a wide range of local groups and projects. Come and join in — we’d love to see you there.

Activities include:

• A Repair Café, where volunteers help fix broken items
• Bike repair and maintenance support
• Skillshares and practical workshops
• Community singing
• Clothes Swap
• Children’s activities
• Plant and Seed Swap
• A Pay What You Feel café
• Stalls from local organisations and community groups

ShareFest is part of a global movement, with more than 50 similar events taking place around the world to celebrate the power of sharing.

WoolFest Buckfastleigh: Advance notice, further details to follow:

• Sunday 24 May 2026, 2pm to 5pm
• Orchard Millennium Green
• Gather at the Globe Inn car park at 1.30pm for a unique and entertaining event: Sheep Driving!

Together, small actions like borrowing, repairing and sharing make a big difference — for our wallets, our communities and the planet.

Website: https://www.shareshed.org.uk

The Soup and Pudding Lunch held in Dean Prior Village Hall on Saturday 28th February was a great success and raised £385.00 towards the upkeep of our lovely Church.

Thank you to all who came and made it such a special occasion.

Our next fundraiser is the traditional Coffee morning with LOTS OF PLANTS in the Village Hall on Saturday 25th April from 10am to 12 noon.

Come and enjoy coffee, cake, raffle and good company.

Do put the date in your diaries – see you there!

Thank you to everyone who came to our March meeting. We enjoyed an engaging talk by Annie Jefferies on the Anna Chaplaincy—how it was formed and the valuable work it does with older people.

Next meeting (Maundy Thursday):

• Date: Thursday 2 April, Time: 2.30pm
• Venue: Lounge, St Luke’s Church, Buckfastleigh
• Speaker: Revd Marisa Cockfield
• Topic: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you.”

We’re preparing for Easter, and it will be lovely to welcome Marisa back—she is well known to us, having served here as our curate a few years ago. Many will also remember that she returned to lead the parish Remembrance service, appreciated by our Royal British Legion friends.

Please join us—everyone is very welcome—and stay for refreshments afterwards. We’d love to see you.

Janet Jones

See the Buckfastleigh Mothers’ Union entry on our website for contact details.

As we move into April this year, we find ourselves in the middle of the drama of Holy Week. It’s a time in the church’s year when things become darker as we approach Good Friday and we remember Jesus’ death on the cross. But Holy Week ends with the celebration of Easter and an explosion of new life as Jesus is raised from the dead. And his resurrection still offers us all the opportunity to share in this new life today. For me, ministering in the Church of England, the fact that Easter is celebrated in springtime is a real help when we can use all sorts of symbols to talk about new life: buds on trees, spring flowers, lambs, eggs… So perhaps, as you walk around the beautiful countryside here and notice the spring flowers or lambs, you can pause for a moment and be grateful for the signs of new life that are all around us.

If you’d like to join us for the special period of Holy Week and Easter services, you will be very welcome. We begin with a Mission Community Maundy Thursday service at 6.30pm on 2nd April at St Petroc’s, South Brent. In St Luke’s we then have a reflective service on Good Friday at 11am, and a joyful celebration of Easter at 11am on Sunday 5th.

You are, of course, equally welcome at our services for the rest of the month. At 11am on 12th and 26th we have services of Holy Communion, and on 19th we have a service of Morning Worship.

Help from the Foodbank

Food or other support is available for those in need. Also, advice is available from our CAB worker, who can often help in finding financial assistance. The Foodbank and the accompanying café run on Friday mornings at St Luke’s from 10am.

If you need help, call in on a Friday morning, or ring 01364 644485 (messages can be left at any time).

For further information

See our website https://www.stlukeschurchbuckfastleigh.org.uk or contact Rev Alex Holmes on 07576 193701.

Yoga for Children and Teenagers welcomes young people for friendly, engaging classes that build confidence, focus and calm. Come and join us — we’d love to see you.

• Yoga for children (6–11), 3.45-4.45: Fun, playful yoga through story, movement and breath. Encourages creativity, regulation, focus and body awareness.
• Yoga for teens (12–18), 4.45-5.45: A more traditional class with poses, breathwork and mindfulness — still playful and engaging — to support body awareness, emotional regulation and a stronger sense of self.

Ages are guidelines; adventurous 11-year-olds may join.

Free taster: 2nd April. Regular weekly classes begin 23rd April on a sliding scale of £8/£10/£12.

If your child has any special needs or is neurodivergent, yoga can be incredibly supportive — please chat with Lizzy beforehand to make sure the environment will help your child thrive.

Led by Lizzy, a qualified secondary science teacher and qualified children’s yoga teacher with 10 years’ classroom teaching experience and 5 years’ yoga teaching. Enhanced DBS checked.

Booking and enquiries: Message Lizzy on 07594 004599 or email lizzy@bedderwellness.com.

March has been a busy month at Buckfastleigh Primary School, and we’d love to share two highlights.

World Book Day – Thursday 5 March

We embraced a ‘get cosy’ theme, coming to school in pyjamas or comfy clothes. A book exchange let children swap much‑loved books for another good read, and at the sound of a bell everyone joined in ‘drop it and read’—pausing what they were doing to read purely for pleasure. Classes ran extra reading activities throughout the day; it’s always a joy to put reading centre‑stage.

Primary Body Language

Our Year 6 pupils joined with other local primaries—eight schools altogether—for a dance show themed around ‘inspirational quotes’. Our quotes came from three incredible sports stars: Pele, Muhammad Ali and Serena Williams, so the routine included links to football, tennis and boxing. This year felt extra special as we linked with the Nayamba School in Zambia to help raise money for this wonderful charity. The Year 6 children were absolutely fabulous—overcoming jitters and going for it. We could not be more proud of them. Well done, Year 6!

See the Buckfastleigh Primary School entry on our website for contact details.

Genre: Fantasy adventure

Recommended ages: 9–12 (in my opinion)

• Book 1: Skandar and the Unicorn Thief
• Book 2: Skandar and the Phantom Rider
• Book 3: Skandar and the Chaos Trials
• Book 4: Skandar and the Skeleton Curse
• Book 5: Skandar and the Spirit War

Read them in order!

This is one of the best book series I have read for children. It follows the adventures of Skandar Smith, a boy who has grown up watching the unicorn riders fight in the Chaos Trials. He has diligently collected all the cards for them. His own aspiration is to go to the Island and become a unicorn rider.

There are so many twists and turns throughout the series and the story-telling is excellent. If your child enjoys fantasy adventure, this really is a great series. It’s suitable for both boys and girls because the unicorns are not cute and fluffy – at all. Both boys and girls have read them in my Year 6 class. Come and give them a try – we’d love to hear what your young readers think.

By Tamsyn Smith, Year 6 teacher, Buckfastleigh Primary School.

See the Buckfastleigh Primary School entry on our website for contact details.

End of life isn’t often talked about, yet it touches us all. There’s a friendly monthly meeting at the Moor Imagination Centre (MIC) in Buckfastleigh for anyone who’d like to explore the subject, ask questions, and share how it feels. We meet informally over a cuppa; it’s facilitated, but there’s generally no fixed agenda. Come and join us — you’re very welcome.

Topics may include:

• Bereavement and coping with grief
• Preparing for dying
• Living with someone who is dying
• Fears and anxieties about dying
• What happens after we die
• Funerals and funeral costs
• Advanced decisions and living wills
• Wills
• Palliative care, etc.

"I felt we were all really respectful and interested in what others said, and all shared openly. I feel so grateful for the opportunity to talk about these profound issues."

"I found the conversations interesting and relevant and I'm glad I stayed. I'd like to come along to more of these groups and I feel comfortable mentioning it to friends."

• When: Last Thursday of each month, 6.30–8.00pm
• Next dates: Thursday 26 March and Thursday 30 April
• Where: In the café at Moor Imagination Centre, Chapel Street, Buckfastleigh TQ11 0AB (the old Methodist Church)
• Format: Open drop-in — come as you are
• Cost: No charge; donations for tea, coffee and biscuits

We’d love to see you there — your presence and perspective will be warmly appreciated.

Enquiries: Simon Smith, Heart and Soul Funerals, Buckfastleigh. 01364 643522 | hello@heartandsoulfunerals.co.uk

Moor Imagination Centre, Chapel Street, Buckfastleigh TQ11 0AB, hosts a friendly film club on the third Sunday of each month — arrive from 6.00pm for a 6.30pm showing. The next screening is on Sunday 19 April. Come and join us — we’d love to see you.

We’re choosing films that entertain, inspire and give something to think about. Our first two screenings were "I Swear" and "Conclave". Under the terms of our film licensing we’re not allowed to publicise titles widely in advance; if you’d like to know what’s coming up, please pop into MIC or join the mailing list.

• Café and bar: open beforehand for drinks and eats, with time to chat.
• After the film: stay on for a friendly discussion, if you wish.
• Entry: free; donations welcome.

With thanks to Heart And Soul Funerals for sponsoring the Film Club.

Contact: To receive film titles and newsletter updates, email moorimaginationcollective@gmail.com.

Holy Trinity Graveyard Project is working to survey all graves pre-1992 and record their exact locations. The aim is to create a clear, reliable database with Ordnance Survey co-ordinates and What3Words references so local people and visitors can find the resting places of loved ones with confidence.

It’s a big task and we’d really appreciate a few more hands. If you can spare a couple of hours on one day each week to help identify and record graves, please come and join us — your support will make a real difference. Thank you.

Contact: HTGP0200@gmail.com

We’re a friendly knit-and-natter group meeting on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 7.30–9.30pm in The Kings Arms, Buckfastleigh. Bring your own project—knitting, crochet or another craft. There’s no pressure; often it’s more chat and relaxation than anything else. We have a range of skills between us and are happy to help anyone get started. We also sometimes knit for charity or community events.

Upcoming dates:

• 8 April 2026
• 22 April 2026

Dates are advertised here and on posters in the Saturday Shop and The Kings Arms. Come and join us for a relaxed evening—we’d love to see you there.

See the Purl and a Pint entry on our website for contact details.

We welcomed Dr Peter Moore to our March meeting. He gave a fascinating insight into working as a ‘police surgeon’ alongside his GP career — independent of the police, providing unbiased professional opinions to safeguard detainees’ health and support criminal proceedings. He outlined how the role has changed with new laws and advances in forensics, and how specially trained nurses and paramedics now often take on this multifaceted work. Dr Moore stayed for questions and kindly judged our competition, “A photo of a sunrise or sunset”, won by Pat, with Sylvee second and Liz third.

Recently, members enjoyed a meal at the Singing Kettle for International Women’s Day. We’re finalising plans to host a meeting for local WIs, and we’re looking forward to celebrating our 80th Anniversary in April and planning events for the year ahead.

Annual Meeting: Tuesday 14 April, 7pm–9pm, lounge at St Luke’s Church, Buckfastleigh. No speaker — we’ll be making decisions for the year ahead. Local ladies are warmly invited; your first visit is free. Come and join us — the WI is a friendly way to make new friends and get involved locally and nationally.

For more information: buckfastleigh@devonwi.org.uk or message us via our Facebook page.

Now open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am–3.30pm (last entry 3pm) until the end of October. There will be extra openings in the summer and on Bank Holiday weekends.

Easter Saturday, 4 April: The Valiant Bar opens for a special evening, 6–10pm, with cocktails, beers and wine. Best Easter bonnet/outfit wins a chocolate egg – come and join the fun!

New exhibition: Opening at Easter, the first part explores wool and textiles before the Industrial Revolution, highlighting the role of Buckfast Abbey and Ashburton wool merchants, and early ‘machines’ such as spinning wheels, looms and tucking mills. With thanks to the Wool Hub for their help.

Gift shop: An extended range now in the Visitor Centre – locally made arts and crafts, puzzles, games, tea towels, maps, greetings cards, souvenirs and pre‑loved books.

Support us for just £1 a week: You could win £25,000 with the Teignbridge Lottery for Communities, and 50p from every ticket helps the Valiant Soldier. Play here: https://www.teignbridgelotteryforcommunities.co.uk/support/the-valiant-soldier-museum-and-heritage-centre. Your support makes a real difference.

Volunteering: If you can spare a few hours, we’d love to welcome you to our friendly team. It’s a great way to meet people, learn new skills and feel part of the community. Pop in for a chat about volunteering, our unique museum, using our space or hiring a room.

We’re looking forward to welcoming visitors in 2026.

Contact: 01364 644522; info@valiantsoldier.org.uk; https://valiantsoldier.org.uk

Services were due to recommence on Sundays from late March, but to celebrate the completion of our new accessible access to the Chapel we will be holding a:

Re-dedication Service on Sunday 19 April

We will gather at 2:45pm outside Buckfast Chapel to officially open the new ramped access, then move inside for the Service, which will begin at 3:00pm and will be led by Rev. Kevin Hooke.

Look at our Facebook page for details of our other services during April.

Our weekly Wednesday coffee mornings, run under the Warm Spaces scheme, will continue through April at the Valiant Soldier from 10:00am until midday. Everyone welcome. Free tea/coffee and biscuits!

Got a wobbly lamp, a bike that needs a tweak, or a jumper with a tear? Bring it along to the Buckfastleigh Repair Café and our friendly volunteers will help you give it a second life. Come and join us — we’d love to see you.

• When: Every 3rd Saturday of the month, 10:00am - 12:30pm
• Where: The MIC Project (The Old Methodist Church), Chapel Street, Buckfastleigh, TQ110AB
• Upcoming dates: Saturday 21 March; Saturday 18 April

Skilled volunteers offer repairs for:

• Electrical Items
• Bicycles
• Textiles
• Tool Sharpening

This is a free event; donations are warmly welcomed to help cover running costs. It’s a great chance to learn simple repair tips and meet others in the community while keeping useful things out of the bin.

Volunteers needed: We’re looking for more volunteer repairers and people to assist with the event. If you have repairing skills or would like to help out on the day, please get in touch.

Contact: bfastleighrepaircafe@gmail.com

Thank you to everyone who came to support Orchard Millennium Green at our AGM on 18 March. Following a request at the meeting, please keep dogs on leads while on the Green so everyone can enjoy the space safely.

• Funday & Duck Race — June. Bookings are now open. Forms are available from The Valiant Soldier or by email (see below). We’d love you to join in.
• The Wool Hub: Wool Fest — 24 April on the Orchard Millennium Green. Come along and enjoy a friendly afternoon on the Green.

If you’d like to help in any way, we’d be delighted to hear from you.

Contact: Email buckfastleighomg@gmail.com

Spring is with us, despite the persistent grey, and we’re looking forward to lots of wildlife activity over the coming months. We’re delighted to have received funding from the Dart Valley Fund and we’ll be hosting some summer and autumn events — more on those soon.

Meanwhile, last year’s pollinator project is still going strong, with lovely bright displays in front of several shop fronts and private houses. Thank you to everyone involved — please do keep up the good work.

It’s also not too late to join in this year’s Open Wildlife Gardens, running 22–25 May 2026. Whether you’ve a large or small patch, formal or a bit messy, if you tend a space that supports wildlife, we’d love to include you.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Sign up: http://bit.ly/4cdvU7M — or email Charlie: theclockworkmoth@hotmail.com

Moorland Community Caring runs a friendly Moor Social in Buckfastleigh on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month. If you’re 50+, come along to meet people, enjoy a piece of cake and a cuppa, join in with talks and activities, or simply relax in good company. We’d love to see you there.

April dates and details:

• Wednesday 1 April, & Wednesday 15 April 12–2 at The Globe, 123 Plymouth Road, Buckfastleigh, TQ11 0DA

For a suggested donation of £4 you can enjoy homemade sandwiches, a yummy pudding and hot drinks.

We do our best to help with transport to and from the Moor Socials (suggested donation £1). If you’d like to come along and need a lift, details are below.

Contact: For transport help, please call Sophia on 07572 024636. For general information, email info@moorlandcommunitycaring.org.uk.

Everyone in the Buckfastleigh community is warmly invited to Moorland Community Caring's Annual General Meeting. We’re a small local charity supporting over-50s who may be experiencing social isolation or living with one or more chronic conditions. Come along to meet our trustees, hear what we’ve achieved over the past year, and find out how you can get involved.

• Date: Monday 30 March
• Time: 11:00–13:00
• Venue: The Valiant Soldier, 79/80 Fore Street, Buckfastleigh, TQ11 0BS

We’d love to see familiar and new faces — your support makes a real difference.

See the Moorland Community Caring entry on our website for contact details.

All welcome at our free early years group for babies and under 5s and their parents and carers. Come and join us to play, meet and make friends big and small.

• Day & time: Thursdays, 10am–12 noon
• Venue: St. Luke's Church Hall
• Cost: Free

Have a cuppa, a treat and a chat while the little ones enjoy snack time, seasonal activities and songs. We also invite visitors with useful information from time to time. This is a volunteer‑led group and we always welcome a helping hand. We would especially welcome volunteers without little ones — do get in touch if you’d like to support this warm space for the youngest in our community and their carers. We’d love to see you there.

Contact: hello@bebuckfastleigh.co.uk

Run by our lovely volunteers, with a free warm space café and always a friendly welcome.

• When: Tuesdays, 2.30–4.30pm (shopping from 3pm).
• Where: Buckfastleigh Town Hall.
• Who: Open to everyone with a TQ11 postcode and the surrounding area. No referral needed.
• Cost: Suggested donation £4.50.
• What’s on offer: A changing selection of fruit, vegetables and groceries, plus the warm space café.
• Why: Help household budgets go further and reduce food waste. Affordable food for all.

Come and join us—pop in, say hello, and see what’s on offer!

See the Better Places (Be Buckfastleigh) entry on our website for contact details.