Opinion
Actively connecting with the outdoors for Naturally Healthy May
The Seachange stand in Manor Gardens encouraging people to get into cycling - Credit: Marc Jobson
Marc Jobson, manager of Seachange in Budleigh, writes for the Journal.
Marc Jobson - Credit: Archant
With thanks to our friends at Active Devon we have been organising a number of events for ‘Naturally Healthy May’. These events aim to help you actively connect with nature to improve your health and wellbeing.
On Monday (May 16) we held open event at Manor Gardens to promote our new cycling groups in Exmouth.
Staff and volunteers spent time and effort erecting our Seachange branded gazebo, banners, flags, posters and leaflets.
The stall looked great and then the rain fell! Despite the intermittent rain we had a good turn out and ran two taster cycle rides for both pedal and electric bikes overseen by cycling volunteers John Costello and Simon Tutty.
Even our tandem bike got to roll its wheels in anger for the first time in a while. We have two for those who need a confidence boost by riding with someone else.
We were delighted that Chaz Curry from Roots Cycleworks also attended offering free bike checks for participants.
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Our next cycle rides in Exmouth was on Thursday (May 26) for those with some experience who can go on longer rides and on Monday, May 30, there will be one for those just getting back into cycling or needing encouragement.
We also had a taster bike ride for a new E-bike group starting in Budleigh Salterton on Thursday.
We recently opened the Seachange Budleigh Community allotment to the public to come and find out what we are doing and try some activities.
It was a beautiful day and our volunteers had made allotment themed cakes for visitors to enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee on our allotment patio.
Taking a break at the community allotments - Credit: Marc Jobson
Carrot cake, apple cake and courgette and lemon cake alongside rosemary scones and chutney! Visitors helped with planting tomato plants, courgette plants and salad in our raised beds, weeding the plot and digging a hole for a new pond area to encourage wildlife.
It was a fabulous day enjoyed by all and new volunteers have signed up to get involved.
If you would like to come and join us we are at the allotment every Tuesday morning from 10am – no 82 at Greenway Gardens.
Fourteen walkers took part in our nature Walk last Saturday.
Seachange's nature walk - Credit: Marc Jobson
They walked from Seachange to Otterton Mill. Sylvie Meller, our local nature expert, gave a fascinating and informative talk about the variety of wildlife we discovered enroute from beetles to birds to the abundant plant life along the riverbank.
She also told us all about Mrs Bob the beaver and how to spot her and her family in the evenings.
We enjoyed a relaxing coffee at Otterton Mill before walking back on the upper path appreciating the view above the river.
Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the combination of walking in nature and information, one participant commented on how “it was most informative and really enjoyable too…
"I will look at my surroundings very differently next time I go for a walk.”
Thank you to Sylvie and David, our walk leaders. David will be leading new five mile Health and Nature walk starting with a taster at 10am on Tuesday (May 31).
To find out more contact Katheryn Hope at Seachange.
