It’s been a busy few months in Kings Ash as we get Pride in Place for Paignton Community Engagement underway. We have enjoyed two free family fundays. One was held at Great Parks Community Centre in QED, with the Paignton Fire Engine and our local PCSO in attendance. The other took place at Foxhole Community Centre, where, amongst other fun things, was the biggest inflatable bouncy tractor I have ever seen. Both events were organised by teams of volunteers at each centre, who continually give their time and effort to support our local community.

Torbay Communities’ Annual Report for 2025-2026 is now available online. Printed copies will be available for those attending our Annual General Meeting/the Torbay Community Champion Awards 2026, on Friday 2nd October 2026. Download the Annual Report

AN exciting week here at Torbay Communities as we make the final preparations for the Torbay Community Champion Awards This is the third year we have organised the awards in conjunction with the Torbay Weekly, and thus far we have received in the region of 400 nominations – that is 400 volunteers, community workers and organisations whose work has been publicly recognised. We know there are probably hundreds, if not thousands, more out there awaiting their turn, and while it is too late for this year, there is always next year.

Help Shape the Future of Torquay Town Centre Torquay is a town with huge potential, and we’re looking for someone who wants to help unlock it. This is an exciting new full-time role for someone who doesn’t just want to talk about improving the town centre, but wants to make things happen. As Torquay Town Centre Facilitator, you’ll be at the heart of efforts to revitalise our town centre – bringing people together, turning ideas into action and helping create a town centre that local people are proud of, businesses want to invest in, and visitors want to return to time and time again.

As Community Builder Lead Coordinator, I support a team of Community Builders working across Torbay's neighbourhoods, meeting regularly with them to hear about local issues, projects and opportunities that can bring people together. Over the past month alone, the team has been asked to promote and support a wide range of community initiatives. One project seeking local involvement is ARE YOU ALRIGHT MATE?, a public art installation from Devon-based Alright Mate? CIC. The project is looking for 15 men from Newton Abbot, Paignton and Torquay to share their experiences of mental health and wellbeing through interviews and photography sessions in October.

We knew it would be tough judging the 2026 Torbay Community Champion, but this has been the toughest year yet. We had to whittle down around 100 nominations into shortlists of between two and three across nine categories before deciding on the worthy winners. Scratch that. They are all worthy winners, and the difficult part of judging was not so much picking the top nominations as deciding which ones didn't make the final cut. Many thanks go to my fellow judges – Ellie Mason and Lisa Roden from Cavanna Homes, Paul James from Greendale Group, Jim Parker from the Torbay Weekly, Tracey Cabache from Torbay Communities, Michelle Pugh from Wollens and Ben Woolvin from the Police Commissioner’s Office and Lincoln Sargeant from Torbay Council, who gathered last Friday afternoon to draw up the final shortlists.

Free tickets are now available to book online for this event, taking place on Friday, 2nd October, at Bay Church, Sands Road, Paignton, 2:30-5:30pm. To book your tickets, visit our Eventbrite page. Or, if you're struggling to book via Eventbrite, please email info@torbaycdt.org.uk or call us on 01803 212638, and we'll help you from there. Please note, if you're a nominee: We will be inviting finalists separately next week (who will also be announced next week), as we've reserved tickets especially for you and your guests. Stallholders…

Winter is coming…and so too are all things Christmassy. Already appearing in shops and inboxes, it’s scary how quickly it’ll soon be upon us, so that begs the question: what are you doing in the lead-up to the festivities? With friends, family and/or colleagues? If you don’t mind, I have an event coming up on 21st November to suggest that happens to be dedicated to a good cause… Taking place at the Imperial Hotel in Torquay, on Saturday 21st November, 7pm-midnight, will be The Snow Ball – our now third fundraising ball, offering a night of fine dining, fun, and, well, as it’ll be (still too early to say “t’is…”) the season, festivities, complete with Christmas decorations our very kind venue hosts will be putting up a week early, with us in mind!

There’s still time to nominate an amazing child or young person making a difference in Torbay — with the deadline now extended to Tuesday 22 September. The Children & Young People Awards are returning as part of this year’s Powered by Youth event on Saturday 26 September, celebrating the brilliant children and young people who live, learn, create and contribute across Torbay. Nominations are open to recognise young people who are making a difference in their communities, supporting others, achieving something special, showing creativity, overcoming challenges, or simply being someone who deserves a bit of recognition.

Since last writing on here, Brixham has held many brilliant events all in just 3 months and all only happened due to incredible volunteers giving up their time so freely, so huge thanks to them! In June was the fantastic Trawler Event for Fishermen’s Mission. In July was our fantastic Ceilidh fundraiser event for our charity ‘Torbay Communities’ at the Scala Hall – huge thanks to everyone who came and to Stargazy Pie and Caller for putting on such great entertainment, Blue Bossa live music on Sax, guitar and mic played in the beautiful Battery Gardens – think deckchairs, blankets and sea views amongst the trees, while being musically entertained by the lovely Paul and Phil, 2 of the many wonderful volunteers doing amazing work keeping the Battery Gardens looking so stunning all year round.

It is a busy old time at Torbay Communities (when isn’t it?) We have just closed the nominations for the Torbay Community Champion Awards, and the judges are whittling down the entries before making their final decisions on Friday, September 18th. And thanks to you, the judges once again have their work cut out for them, with around 100 entries across nine categories and as in previous years, the standard is high. But whilst there will be overall winners, each and every one of those nominations represents recognition, and all should be proud of having made the list.

I want to tell you a story and what a long saga it has been, but it proves that people should never give up! Back in 2019 Torbay Council put the monastery at the top of Berry Drive up for sale, so I contacted the local Clifton & Maidenway Community Partnership about saving it for the community.  We had a small local community picnic in the woods by the monastery and initially had interest from an Arts charity in the South-East. Then Covid hit in early 2020 and everything stopped. Finding out anything about the monastery from then on was impossible.

And just like that, it’s now Autumn. A particularly warm, sunny Summer has been and gone, and now the final stretch of the year is within sight. With that in mind, here’s something for you to mull over – do you know anyone in Torbay, who has gone above and beyond to help other people out? There are nomination deadlines for not one, but two awards coming up very soon, recognising efforts of anyone who gives their time to support fellow…Bayians? Bayites?...Bayples? Whatever you wish to call anyone who lives in the Bay or is a regular presence, and for that matter, whatever the role, be it a volunteer, a kind neighbour, an unpaid carer, a team or group, there’s plenty of categories in either of these two awards you can nominate them for.

“Where are we going next, Jo?” I’m not sure when we began, but I know who started me on this winding path; the incorrigible Eve, who loves an adventure. We started with a day trip to Exmouth by train and discovered the joy that it brought to the lives of those who came. A beautiful train trip is one thing, but add a bunch of friends old and new, lunch out and laughing together, and the magic happens naturally. This year we have branched into coach trips, and today we’ve had a day out at Buckfast Abbey and Widecombe-in-the-Moor, and I am still buzzing with delight.

When did children stop playing out? It is a date that is difficult to pinpoint but appears to have been a gradual decline that began back in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s and now decades later the far-reaching effects are manifesting themselves in young people’s lives. Until the 1980’s children regularly played in the streets and fields around their homes, often disappearing for the whole day only venturing back when the light began to fail or hunger pangs struck. Only now are experts beginning to recognise the far-reaching effects of a lack of play on a child’s development, something I had not personally thought about until…

"Feeling hot, hot, hot…", as well as being a line from a song by The Merrymen, (and one that most of you of a certain age are now singing in your head), it is also how most of us are feeling right now. At least this was true at time of writing, by the time this gets printed next week, we will probably be shivering in our jumpers looking out at torrential rain… We love to complain about the weather though, don’t we? We are either tired of being too hot or too cold, it either never stops raining or we desperately need it to rain more.

Another week, and hundreds more reasons to celebrate volunteers and volunteering. A quick look back at the events that took place across the Bay in the first ten days of August a back-of-the-envelope calculation suggests that hundreds of people volunteered to help deliver them. Take the Babbacombe Fayre, which featured more than 120 stalls, all staffed by people from the Rotary, Lions, and various representative charities. Let’s assume that each had a minimum of two people and you already have 240 volunteers...add to that number the marshals, organisers and other essential volunteers and you will be pushing more than 300.

What a wonderful summer we've been enjoying here in Torbay! We've been incredibly lucky with the sunshine, and it's a great reminder of how fortunate we are to live in such a beautiful coastal community. From our stunning beaches and scenic walks to the funfair, sailing events, the circus and ice creams, alongside the buzz of holidaymakers making happy memories… But summer isn't just for visitors—it's for us locals too. It's the perfect time to reconnect with neighbours, enjoy a picnic, fire up the barbecue and build the friendships that make our communities stronger.

Alan Milburn’s interim report, Young People and Work, is not a comfortable read. It paints a stark picture of the growing number of 16–24-year-olds in England who are NEET (Not in Education, Employment or Training), highlighting complex social challenges and the systemic failures of successive governments that have led us here. It is sobering; it is overwhelming. But the report also offers hope. Milburn writes: “the reason to be optimistic is young people themselves”. If you’re willing to look, there are plenty of examples of that here in Torbay.

Torbay Communities works across Torbay to reduce isolation and loneliness. Sadly, thousands of people in Torbay become isolated. Torbay Communities aim is to make loneliness a thing of the past. We couldn’t achieve positive change without Good Neighbours. These are people that gift their time and skills to help others. There are so many ways to help. This could be shopping, picking up prescriptions, telephone befriending or visiting lonely people at home. And goodness it makes a difference. Ann is in her nineties. She seldom leaves her house. Her daughter lives abroad and her remaining friends also struggle to visit her.

As I sit and reflect about the journey of life and people who have been, and are precious to me, I can’t help but be deeply stirred emotionally by the loss of those who are no longer with us, others who are fighting a courageous battle against cancer, and those in remission and doing well in their recovery. As a Peer Development Coordinator with Torbay Communities, it feels like a privilege to be part of the Torbay Open Door – MacMillan Cancer Support Project. In the first phase of this project, we learned that people found it challenging to find the support they needed at the time in their life when they needed it most.

I was 9 years old, in the heat wave of 1976 and remember it well for the community spirit, for those who lived through it, the great heat wave of 1976 was about far more than soaring temperatures and endless sunshine. It was a summer that seemed to slow time itself, bringing people out from behind their front doors and reminding communities of the simple value of friendship, kindness and neighbourliness. Weeks passed without meaningful rain, lawns turned golden brown, rivers shrank, and gardens struggled beneath cloudless skies.  Yet amid the drought and discomfort, something rather wonderful happened.

Regular listeners to the weekly Community Champions Show on Torbay Radio* will know that prostate cancer and testing for it are causes that are close to my heart. Despite mounting pressure for testing over several decades, it remains something of a lottery around the country, with doctors able to refuse a test, despite a law that says you can ask for one. Only two weeks ago, Radio Four broadcaster Ed Stourton died from it and a few weeks before, another broadcaster, Dermot Monaghan. Both had been diagnosed with stage four prostate cancer, meaning it had spread.

Call Handler 12hrs per week Primarily home based, but must be within 30 miles radius of Torbay The Torbay Community Helpline was established to respond to the Covid pandemic. In recent years the Helpline has provided help and support to over 20,000 vulnerable individuals in the Bay with the support of 1,700 volunteers in the community and over 60 voluntary sector organisations. The Helpline has become a ‘front door’ to the support services that are available in Torbay. Following consultation, the Torbay Health and Wellbeing Voluntary Sector Network decided to retain the Helpline to provide Covid-related, cost of living crisis and wider support.

Many of you will remember the Baton of Hope, which visited Torbay last September. It was a powerful and moving day, giving people who had been bereaved by suicide the opportunity to carry the baton and share their stories. The event brought people together, encouraged open conversations about mental health, and highlighted the importance of hope and support.  The legacy of the Baton of Hope will continue in many ways, helping to strengthen suicide prevention across our local community. A number of initiatives are already in progress, a peer support group will begin meeting at Oldway School, Paignton, from September, with the exact date to be confirmed. 

We live in a world riven by ‘isms’ and social media appears to be exacerbating them all. Hiding behind freedom of speech, there are those who seek to stir up hatred where there is none and create factions and tribes that seem hellbent on ruining our communities. We are all familiar with chauvinism, racism, sexism, antisemitism, ableism, to name but a few and the steps being taken to eradicate them altogether, but the most pernicious of them all is ageism that trickles down all levels of society, and yet it remains the least challenged form of discrimination.

Today, in this super-hot weather, I spent some time with Chris Smith who is the new Chairperson of the Hele, Barton, Watcombe and the Willows Community Partnership. We were at the Yellow Frog café at Combe Pafford School. The café is fantastic and students are supported by a great staff team to serve delicious food. The skills the young people learn will become an amazing springboard for communication, confidence and employment that transforms lives. Across Torbay people regularly get together for Community Partnership meetings. They are a great opportunity for people to come together in their locality and raise issues affecting us.

Staying active is key to living a longer, healthier independent life. Full stop. And yet the myth continues that you should do less as you get older. For years we were led to believe that retirement was a time to put your feet up, kick back and enjoy a well-earned and much-deserved rest, but that would be advice you follow at your peril. Instead of doing less as you get older, you should aim to do more; you just have to adapt to ensure you remain physically active in ways appropriate to your level of fitness and general health.

Summer has officially arrived across Chelston, Cockington and Livermead, and the next couple of months are packed with events, activities and community happenings for all ages. From outdoor theatre to family fun days and creative meet‑ups, there’s no shortage of ways to make the most of the season right on our doorstep. The Grand Hotel is kicking things off in style with A Night at the Oscars Murder Mystery on Saturday 11 July, promising glamour, intrigue and plenty of laughs. The hotel will also host a feel‑good favourite later in the season, with the…

Within hours of launching the 2026 Community Champion Awards, we had our first nomination for an unsung hero. Result. Over the next few weeks, we expect many more, each celebrating the efforts of someone who has gone the extra mile for their community, adding to the more than 300 we have already celebrated and thanked over the last two years. The Community Champion Awards are now in their third year and every nomination, every name put forward, is a winner in someone’s eyes; otherwise, they wouldn’t bother filling in the form.

Hello everyone. As summer arrives earlier each year, temperature records of 35.1°C were broken again in May and we’re experiencing a red health heat alert as I write this, I wonder what the rest of this summer will bring? Climate change and the threat to biodiversity are huge challenges facing us all, in Torbay, across our country and around the world.  Everyone has a part to play, however influential or modest.  It starts with appreciating the amazing environment we have here in South Devon.  We are privileged to live in a wonderful marine area, a naturally inspiring Bay, with rivers and waterways. 

The prestigious Torbay Community Champion Awards are returning for their third year. We have already celebrated around 300 volunteers and workers from the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise Sector, but we know there are thousands more in Torbay who deserve praise and thanks. We are seeking volunteers and charity workers who go the extra mile to make a significant impact in their communities. Whether it is a kind neighbour, someone who tirelessly dedicates their time or a professional making a significant impact, we want to hear about them. The Awards organised by Torbay Communities in conjunction with the Torbay Weekly are formally launched this week, with submissions invited throughout the summer across nine categories, culminating in a glittering award ceremony at Bay Church in Paignton on Friday, October 2nd.

Do you want to make new friends? Do you have time to spare? Then joining the Timebank may be for you. Timebanking is a way of using your time and skills to benefit others. You can earn a Timebank credit for every hour you give which you can then spend with others on the Timebank. Joining the Timebank is easy and free, no money changes hands. All skills have the same worth, a befriender earns the same number of credits as a gardener or a handyman. Alongside offering your skills you can make new friends, people you perhaps would not have met otherwise.

Volunteers Week has come and gone and all eyes are now turning toward the next big celebration – the Torbay Community Champion Awards. We will be formally launching the awards next week (tune in to Torbay Radio, Tuesday 30th June, 9-11am), but in the meantime here is a date for your diary – Friday, October 2nd at Bay Church in Paignton where the awards will take place. Now in its third year, we have already celebrated receiving more than 300 nominations, but we are aware there are thousands of deserving volunteers working away across the Bay day in, day out.

Whatever the weather, there is always something happening right on your doorstep. Our Community Builders regularly update a comprehensive list of what's on and publish it on our website, so you never need to feel lonely at home and never be bored. There is something for everyone, no matter your age or ability, and if it is not in your neighbourhood, you can check out things happening in other areas right across the Bay. All the major events are covered from the Airshow to next week’s World Stand Up Paddling Championships, but it is the smaller community listings that we specialise in, and there are literally hundreds of them.

As I write this, we’ve just come out of a wonderful weekend of the airshow and school holidays, blessed with the greatest weather. Getting together with friends, neighbours, and our families has been a welcome break — a reminder of how good it feels simply to be with one another. As Community Builders, we meet people from every walk of life, and it is a privilege to do this work. It can also be hard. We are a team that does not judge, does not limit people to a set number of sessions, and does not focus on what is “wrong”.

Every day, across the Bay, events take place that bring people together. Our Community Builders help set up gatherings to ensure that no one is left lonely or at risk of becoming isolated, and to do so, we cover a wide variety of interests. First of all, we look at existing events – there are plenty of coffee mornings, lots of walking groups, a few afternoon dances, and a whole host of special-interest hobby groups, but if there is a gap, we help others fill it. We encourage people to tell us what their passions used to be, what made them tick when they were younger and urge them to have another go.

It’s been a busy couple of months in Kings Ash, with lots of wonderful things going on for the community. The Community noticeboards in Lutyens Drive and in front of Foxhole Shops have now been refurbished and are looking good.  Look out for any events happening in the area or if you wish to put anything on the boards, let me know. We’re getting excited for the Pride of Place Government funding for Kings Ash and Collaton St Mary.  My Facebook page (Sarah King Ash CB) and the notice boards will be used to communicate any updates. 

Welcome to Volunteers’ Week. A time to celebrate, heap praise and give thanks. Volunteers come in all shapes and sizes and bring with them an incredible range of skills and knowledge. Some do a lot, some do a little, and some dedicate their lives to it. All are invaluable. This week (1st-7th of June), we take time out to recognise the efforts of those who give up their time and contribute their skills to organisations and events across the country. The world would be a much poorer place without volunteers, and as we have written so many times before in this column, many groups would not exist, and events would simply not take place.

Wow! The last three months since writing here has been a rollercoaster, as always in Brixham! So much is happening from Coffee mornings to music and dancing, to community breakfasts, to art and crafting. And if we don’t have it, we make it happen. The community speak to me regularly, asking if we have a certain group and if we don’t, they would like to volunteer their time to start the group up and run with it. We have recently set up a new Photography group at The Edge CIC on Bolton Street.

We are incredibly proud of what we do at Torbay Communities - the clue is in the name. At the heart of everything we do is the word community, and that comes in many forms and in a huge variety of sizes, from neighbourhoods to villages, to towns to special interest groups - whatever brings people together, because we believe that people are stronger together. Achieving what we do is as simple as ABC (not forgetting the D), or as we call it, Asset-Based Community Development. Let me explain: ABCD is an approach to strengthening communities which focuses on the skills, talents, knowledge, relationships, and resources that already exist within a community, rather than concentrating only on problems or needs.

For many people, isolation can happen gradually. A change in routine, the loss of companionship, or fewer opportunities to socialise can quietly leave someone feeling disconnected from the world around them. For Joy, that turning point came after the loss of her beloved dog, who had been central to her daily life. Without regular walks and everyday conversations, her social world slowly began to shrink, and she became increasingly withdrawn. Everything started to change when Joy attended a local coffee morning with the Community Builder. Through the friendships she formed there, Joy helped launch the Evening Stroll group in 2017 alongside another member.

BRAVO! The walkers trekking 200 kilometres in just five days to mark law firm Kitson Boyce’s bicentennial. Forty kilometres is no mean feat and is impressive even for one day, but as the week wears on, it becomes ever harder to attain. The early start at 7am takes its toll on the body, adding to aches and strains in the calves, feet, lungs, and back. As if that was not enough, choose to walk the ups, downs, and uneven terrain of the Southwest Coast Path as it wends its way through South Devon from Exeter to Mountbatten breakwater, and you have a heady mix worthy of a charity fundraiser.

Marvellous May! At last, we can see and feel that summer is on its way. The Devon hedgerows are full to bursting with the most beautiful wildflowers and, of course, all the trees have come into leaf, and the whole of the county is the most glorious, lush green.    It’s also the time of year that the events calendar really starts to fill up.  If some things are beyond your financial reach, then there are lots of things to do for no more than the price of a cup of coffee, if not completely free.

Walkers from leading law firm Kitson Boyce are tackling 200 kilometres of South Devon in five days to raise money for Torbay Communities to mark the company’s 200th anniversary. This Saturday (May 16th), 48 members of the KB team will set out on a trek spanning the firm’s three office locations in Exeter, Torquay and Plymouth, ending on Wednesday (May 20th) at Mount Batten Breakwater in Plymouth. It’s a huge challenge, but one that the team are confident will be a success, with all staff members encouraged to get involved, whether that's signing up for a whole 40km day or pledging their own distance, ranging from 2-40km.

“This is what communities should be like”, said Rachel, as we packed up after the Community Sing. She’s right. If this group were a representation of society, the world would be a better place.  It is a joyous group that welcomes everyone who walks or wheels through the door (it has excellent disabled access). A lady who came this week for the first time was told as a child that she should mime rather than sing. It was a delight to see her join in and sing her heart out.  

I often sit and stare at a black screen, not knowing where to start when it comes to time to write this article. Then I will just start typing pretty much anything, which gives me a place to start. Do you struggle to know where to begin sometimes? Maybe you have an idea for a big project, maybe you have a small task to do; often, knowing where to start is key. As the weather gets better, I think most of us would like to be outside more, to go out, meet people, and enjoy the sunshine together.

Looking at the news these days, it isn’t hard to see why so many can become so easily demotivated. With the prevalence of modern technology, of social media, algorithms and non-stop content being so readily available, it can be harder to escape, especially if you have little in the way of alternatives. But if we can peel ourselves away from the drip-feed of doom and gloom, even for a short while, some may be surprised to find out how easy it is to make a difference for the better, especially in your own neighbourhood. 

Torbay Council has unveiled updated Conservation Area Appraisals for Torquay Harbour, Old Paignton and Brixham Town - capturing the unique charm, history and character that make these places so special, and setting the stage for their future protection. Now, the next exciting chapter begins: creating a Conservation Area Management Plan, and the community is at the heart of it.  This plan is more than policy—it’s a dynamic, practical guide to celebrating and safeguarding the best of our local heritage. From historic buildings and picturesque streets to coastal views and distinctive details, it will define what truly matters and how these treasured areas can be preserved and enhanced for generations to come.

For the most part, we are spoiled living in this part of the world – sun, sea and sand to one side and the rugged majesty of the moors on the other. It is easy to forget just what we are looking at and enjoying every day, but every now and again it is right that we stop and take stock, look around us and see it for what it really is. We should ask ourselves, if we were given sweeping mythical powers, what would we improve and why? How can we build on the heritage we have inherited?