Did you know...?

In this section we feature items of interest about Shaldon village - its history,community,features and landmarks.

If you would like to share some information or a story about Shaldon village, please get in touch via the Contact Us page or call Shaldon Tourism Centre.

The birds are singing...!

Here is some advice from the RSPB on how you can help the birdlife in Shaldon, Devon
Thousands of birds are migrating from the continent into the UK searching for food after what looks like a general shortage of berries, nuts and insects. The appaling weather during the summer has left the winter food supply greatly depleted both in our country and in parts of the continent and the huge additional number of birds flooding the country will put extra pressure on the birds already here. This winter, more than ever, birds are going to rely on us to help them through so with cold weather approaching please keep your feeders well stocked throughout. With bird food, as with many things in life, you get what you pay for and much of the bird food sold is of poor quality. The secret is in good quality seeds and fat balls which have a high nutritional content. I use Sunflower hearts and good quality fatballs which are rapidly eaten by finches, tits and birds of the woods surrounding my home but nyjer seed will normally attract Goldfinches, Siskins and even Redpolls. Water is also vital for drinking and keeping feathers in tip top condition but do clean your feeders and water bowls fortnightly with a mild detergent to prevent the spread of disease.

Rosa, the White-faced Saki monkey-Shaldon Zoo-September 22 2012

Hi from Shaldon Zoo..my name is Rosa and here is my new baby.

Where do we come from? - The tropical rainforest of South America
Why are we called White-faced Saki monkeys? – because males have a white ring around their faces (females only have a white stripe either side of their nose
What are our names? - Dad is Desmond, Mum is Rosa and baby is yet to be named
How far can we jump? – we move mainly in leaps and can jump up to 10 metres
Who do we share our enclosure with? – we live with Quimili and Ria the Golden-headed lion tamarins
Who are our neighbours? – we can see the Meerkats and Tamiop squirrels
What do we eat in the zoo? – a variety of fruit, vegetables, sunflower seeds, nuts and insects
How warm do we like our enclosure? – Our enclosure is 22°c
What do we like doing? – We love to be groomed by each other
How would we scare away a predator? - We would growl, shake our shaggy fur and use our body to shake branches
How many babies do you have? – We have one baby at a time. This is our first baby
When was the baby born? – 3rd July this year
Is the baby a boy or a girl? – We should know soon as if it’s a boy a white ring around the face will appear

Sally Brewer who is one of the zoo’s volunteers answered the following questions:

How long have you been a volunteer at the zoo? – 5 years
Why volunteer at the zoo? – It’s good fun and the zoo is part of the Shaldon community
Which is your favourite animal? – the White-faced Saki monkey
Why? – they have lovely faces and the male and female look different

Sam Taylor - Shaldon Water Carnival Queen - Monday June 4 2012

Standing there waiting for the 73 year old car to pick us up, I had gymnasts' butterflies doing somersaults inside of me. It was my crowning and I was ready!

After ten minutes of standing in the bus stop, the black Austin 8 car pulled up and we hopped in, anxiously sitting there waiting for the right moment to start honking the horn and chant away.
One of my favourite things was sitting in the really comfy car! Jan (our chauffeur for the day) was mesmerising us with his little tricks to the car.

Suddenly a rosy red faced woman started running up the street, it was my Mum and she was telling us we were ready to go!
Going round the corner hearing the cheers made me feel good because all these people had come to see me, Sam Taylor (Queen), Sophie Gregory (Princess) and Eloise Lockyer (Princess).
We sat in the car for five minutes because everyone wanted to take photos.
Finally when we got out we walked to our beautiful thrones and sat down. Emily Stoyle (previous Queen) crowned me and yes, I did have to say something! "Ummm...Thank you everyone for coming, and I'll see you all at the Water Carnival!"

We walked around the stalls for a while and I got a candy floss which was nearly as big as me! Furthermore we all had our picture taken with the Olympic Torch.

I will remember this day for the rest of my life.

Thank you to Sarah - hairdresser: Sally, Holly and all the Water Carnival team: Princesses Mums family. THANK YOU!

Sam Taylor - Aged 11yrs

Alec Collyer - Olympic Torch Bearer - Sunday 20 May 2012

It all seemed so long in coming, and then went in a flash!!

I'd known that I'd be carrying the torch since before Christmas, when I was sworn to secrecy not to reveal the fact to anyone other than trusted family. Then March came with the formal announcements of names, the actual routes still unclear. Even when the route became available online I still wasn't sure exactly where I'd run.

When I submitted my security documents I had written "If my bit was in Shaldon, my home village, that would be great", I guess someone saw that.

About two weeks before, we got our packs with the very fetching "Elvis's Pyjamas" running suit, and instructions to be at Torre Abbey at 2.15pm latest on the day, and actual route details of starting at the top of Commons Old Road. That spot is so meaningful, just above "Whitstone", now James and Emma's "River House" where I was for 50 years, and just below "Fonthill, where Mum's family have been since the 1840s and now sold for a new beginning we hope.

I had previously met Lee Manning who was next on to me, and we met to discuss the route on Bridge Road and then in the ferryboat garden, beer in hand.

There was an announcement that the MUSE boys were joining us, and in came Matt, Chris and Dom, all in their white suits! We had a briefing on the bus about the sequence of the relay, how we passed the flame across by "kissing" the torches. Then suddenly the Police escort motorbikes started and we were off, as soon as we pulled out of Torre Abbey we were confronted by a wall of cheers and flags....amazing...!!

All along Torquay seafront, up into St Marychurch and Babbacombe, it was unbelievable, thousands and thousands of waving cheering people as we stopped every 300 metres to let the next Torchbearer out. Then we left Babbacombe and headed along the coast road, still people in driveways waving.

Suddenly we were in Shaldon, "OK Alec, you're number 104" and I jumped out into a small crowd around the top of Commons Old Road / Oak Tree Grove. Lots of familiar faces, Tony Graeme, Paul and Molly Cayless, Eileen Pile, Fi from work, loads of cheering and photos needed with the still cold torch.

Another few convoy vehicles arrived and then the torch runner's escort with the flame in the Davey lamp, my torch was turned on and off we went, to many cheers. I walked the first bit at a brisk pace, until I was asked to speed up a bit! all down the Torquay Road, faces I recognised, shouts from friends and strangers alike, down the road, past Queen Victoria's memorial, around the bend, and there was Lee Manning, a quick handshake and the flame was transferred....it was over....all in a flash!

Pete from BBC Spotlight was there, a quick gasped chat, a quick kiss for Angie, Poppy and Verity, and then back in the bus. The crowds on both sides along Bridge road amazing! Loads of boats in the river below, we looked behind the bus out along the Bridge, thousands and thousands there, we all said "We'll never see anything like this again".

Picking Paul Ruff up on the Bishopsteignton Road we headed back to Torre Abbey through Newton Abbot, not so quiet and nervous now, jokes, smiles and promises to meet up again for a beer sometime.

Alec Collyer 22 May 2012