RYDA Newsletter 07/2023
The month of July, unlike June, is named for a mortal, albeit one who devised and ruled an empire. Julius Caesar was a Roman general, statesman, and historian who conquered Gaul (what is now part of Italy, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands), changed the structure of the Roman government into a dictatorship, was assassinated in legendary fashion, and most importantly for our purposes, helped make the calendar what it is today.
Quintilis, which was his birth month, was renamed July when he died. Quintilis means “fifth month” in Latin, which represents where this month originally fell in the Roman calendar.
Caesar is responsible for the year as we know it having 365 days, and for the existence of a leap year every four years. The early Roman calendar had an intercalary month called Intercalans (or Mercedonius) that was 27 or 28 days long, added once every two years after February 23. For the years that included Intercalans, the remaining five days of February were omitted.
Our contemporary calendar is still pretty much the same system Caesar instituted more than 2000 years ago.
July is on average the warmest month in most of the Northern Hemisphere.
"Dog days" are considered to begin in early July; & dog days or dog days of summer are the hot, sultry days of summer. They were historically the period following the heliacal rising of the star system Sirius (known colloquially as the "Dog Star"), which Hellenistic astrology connected with heat, drought, sudden thunderstorms, lethargy, fever, mad dogs, and bad luck.
They are now taken to be the hottest, most uncomfortable part of summer in the Northern Hemisphere.
Which leads us to -
Sunscreen and sun safety
After a long winter, it can be tempting to get outside and make the most of the sunshine when it does finally appear, but it's important to strike a balance between getting enough vitamin D from sunlight and protecting yourself from the sun's harmful rays.
Spend time in the shade when the sun is strongest, which here in England is between 11am and 3pm from March to October. And if you are out in the sun, cover up with suitable clothing, a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses, and regularly apply sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 30 to protect against UVB and at least 4-star UVA protection. Make sure you never burn, as this can increase your risk of skin cancer. Remember, sunburn doesn't just happen on holiday, you can burn in the UK, even when it's cloudy.
We sweat more in hot weather, so it's really important to drink plenty of water to replace what our bodies have lost. Dehydration means your body loses more fluids than you take in, and if it's not treated, it can get worse and become a serious problem, so make sure you know how to spot the signs and reduce the risk.
Heatwaves, heatstroke and heat exhaustion
A heatwave is when the daily maximum temperature meets or exceeds the threshold for the area. In Devon, the heatwave temperature threshold is 25ºC.
When it's too hot, there are risks to our health, particularly the elderly or people with underlying conditions, and during heatwaves, more people than usual get seriously ill or die.
So if very hot weather hits this summer, make sure it does not harm you or anyone you know. If you or someone else feels unwell with a high temperature, headache, loss of appetite, dizziness or shortness of breath during hot weather, you should consider the possibility of heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion or heatstroke.
If someone is showing signs of heat exhaustion:
- move them to a cool place
- get them to lie down and raise their feet slightly
- get them to drink plenty of water
- cool their skin – spray or sponge them with cool water and fan them
Heat exhaustion doesn't usually need emergency medical help if you can cool the person down within 30 minutes. However, if they're still unwell after half an hour, and have a very high temperature, fast heartbeat, shortness of breath and are confused or lack coordination, call 999.
Be tick aware
With many of us making the most of the warm weather and spending longer outside, it’s important to be aware of ticks as they increase at this time of year. Ticks are small, spider-like creatures that feed on the blood of animals and people. They can vary in size, from as small as a tiny freckle to a similar size to a baked bean!
They live in many different outdoor environments, but they are particularly common in grassy and wooded areas where they wait on vegetation for an animal or person to pass by, and then climb on, bite and attach to the skin and feed on blood for several days before dropping off.
You can try and prevent being bitten by ticks by keeping to clearly defined paths, using insect repellent (make sure that it says it repels ticks) and wearing light colour clothing, so ticks are easier to spot on you. After spending time outside, check yourself, your clothing, your pets and others for ticks. Remove any attached tick as soon as you find it, using a tick-removal tool or fine-tipped tweezers, and a twisting motion to avoid leaving the head still attached.
And if you do get bitten, look out for early signs of Lyme Disease, which include mild-flu like symptoms (such as a fever, headache and fatigue) and a bulls-eye rash. If you feel unwell after being bitten by a tick, even when you don’t have a rash, contact your GP or NHS 111 and remember to tell them you were bitten by a tick or have recently spent time outdoors.
Water safety
Whether swimming, paddling or playing in and around our rivers or venturing out to the coast, make sure you do it safely.
Although it might be hot outside, please remember that water temperatures remain dangerously cold. As inviting as it looks, don't just jump straight in, as cold water shock could make you gasp uncontrollably, and you could breathe in water and drown.
Wearing a wetsuit will help increase your buoyancy and reduce the chances of suffering cold water shock, and remember to take plenty of warm clothes for before and after your dip, along with a hot drink to help you warm up again when you come out of the water.
Keep a close eye on friends and family around water, especially children, and don't let anyone swim alone.
If you're visiting the beach, try to choose one with a lifeguard and only swim between the red and yellow flags. Check the weather forecast, tide times and read local hazard signage to understand local risks and if in doubt, stay out. There is always another day to go for a swim!
If you get into trouble in the water, the RNLI urge you to remember 'Float to Live' - resist the urge to thrash about, instead lean back, extend your arms and legs and gently move them around to stay afloat, once you can control your breathing, call for help or swim to safety.
One of the UK’s most threatened bumble bees, the Brown-banded Carder Bee has been rediscovered at Prawle Point. It was once thought to be extinct in Devon.
The Brown-banded Carder Bee is an all-ginger bumble bee species, that requires open flower-rich grasslands where wild flowers such as clovers, Birds-foot Trefoil and Knapweeds are plentiful. It has declined due to loss of this habitat, which Life on the Edge aim to reverse. The project is currently in its development phase, and has been funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. If successful in securing its 2nd round of funding, the project will run from April 2024 to 2029.
In the June newsletter I reported that the WI had been doing projects with “Life on the Edge”.
The “Life on the Edge Project” is a partnership project led by the S Devon AONB that aims to restore populations of some of the UK’s rarest invertebrates and plants living along the South Devon between Berry Head and Wembury, giving them a safer long-term future by expanding and reconnecting the traditional coastal landscapes on which they depend. Restoring wildflower-rich cliff tops and highway verges, carefully managing scrub mosaics, strategic hedgerow connections, and more wildlife-friendly parks, churchyards, school grounds and even private gardens.
On 2nd June, 4 members of Newton & Noss WI, joined forces with the Dementia Friendly Parishes along the Yealm, and attended an afternoon tea at Mothercombe stables, hosted by Life on the Edge. We saw our “works of art” on display, at the Stables, and the bees looked lovely with their tissue paper wings fluttering & dancing in the breeze.
We all enjoyed a lovely cream tea on the terrace in the sunshine. Then a group of us went on an escorted walk, to see the bugs that frequent the wild flowers in the gardens, meadow and along the stream.
It was a beautiful afternoon spent in delightful company. I learnt a lot too. My bee box (which is uninhabited) is facing the wrong direction- they need the warmth of the sun, - preferably south facing; That wild flower seeds sometimes take 5 years to bloom ( there is hope for mine yet), and that sowing Yellow rattle, will help clear the ground to make way for the wild flowers; and that yellow Rattle is in fact a semi-parasitic and lives by feeding off the nutrients in the roots of nearby grasses.
For this reason, it was once seen as an indicator of poor grassland by farmers, but is now often used to turn improved grassland back to meadow - by feeding off the vigorous grasses, it eventually allows more delicate, traditional species to push their way through. Brush through a meadow at the height of summer and you'll hear the tiny seeds of yellow-rattling.in their brown pods, hence its name.
All in all, it was an afternoon well spent, supporting the Dementia Friendly Parishes along the Yealm; and The Life on the Edge Project.
What have you, or a group you attend been up to – let us know.
Planning
The RYDA have attended ameeting with Akzo Nobel and their consultants regarding the remediation plansfor the pollution around the Paint Laboratories. We are awaiting the formalnotes and presentation from the meeting which will share with residents when wereceive it.
Akzo Nobel intend tohave a public meeting in September where residents will be invited to attend
This month a modest house in a significant riverside location is being proposed.
The Planning Application Reference: 1250/23/FUL (click on the link for further detail) is for a new dwelling with associated car parking and landscaping. The development site is at the west end of Riverside Road West.
You may remember a planning application to build a substantial new house on this relatively small plot of land adjacent to the new “Poppy Cottage”.
The application was refused in February 2021 on grounds of an increase in the density and subsequent overdevelopment, detrimental impact on landscape setting, and impact on the Conservation Area and nearby Listed Buildings.
The revised proposal, of a traditional design, will now have two bedrooms rather than three, contained in a single storey and be subservient to the larger Poppy Cottage.
The new building is shown to the left of Poppy Cottage below in the illustration borrowed from the Planning Application.
Parking for two cars will be provided in an under-croft area.
The revised proposal is less obtrusive than the earlier, refused design, but does its proximity to “Tafferal” and “Baring House” (aka Kiln Quay) unacceptably increase the density of housing in what is a low-density area?
A further consideration is that in November 2022, an application for this site, to erect a large outbuilding for Poppy Cottage, was approved as Permitted Development and this potential remains as a fallback position.
Apparently, the applicant is willing for both a primary residence and strong local connection occupancy restriction to be agreed, but these must be legally enforceable. Further Permitted Development Rights should also be restricted.
Please let us know your views on this proposal, do you feel that it would be detrimental to the riverside location or a good design which would blend in without problem?
Whats On?
N& N WI craft group has finished until September.
First Tuesday Lunch Club 4th July 12.00 noon £6 for 2 courses plus tea/coffee New members of any age welcome. Please contact either Jeanne (872442) or Jane (872627) Allergies can be catered for. Lunch in the Venning’s garden if nice weather.
N&N WI meet at 7pm on 18th July. New members welcome, pop in for a chat and coffee (or tea).
Holbeton Film Club. 7pm 8th July.
The film is “Empire of Light”.
Empire of Light is a 2022 romantic drama film directed, written, and co-produced by Sam Mendes. Set in an English coastal town in the early 1980s, the film is about the power of human connection during turbulent times.
SATURDAY, 8 JULY 2023 FROM 13:00-15:30 Snorkel Safari Wembury Marine Centre £30
Yealm Parchment group meet on Friday 21st July @ 14.00 in the WI Community Hall.
This month we will be painting with ink with guest tutor Pat Murphy, who is the Principle of the Academy of Independent Parchment Tutors.
This is a new subject to the group, so please come and join us.
Full instruction will be given, and equipment may be supplied if needed. £8 New members welcome.
Tel Lesley 07838375449 for information
4th Thursday Lunch Club 27th July @ 12.15 £6.00 for 2 courses plus tea/coffee New members of any age welcome. Please contact mrandmrsbarnett@gmail.com Allergies can be catered for. The tide will be going out.
SAT, 29 JUL AT 10:30 Coastal Wildlife Walk Wembury Marine Centre
Sat 29th July Regatta Fireworks
MON, 31 JUL AT 22:00 National Marine Week Night-Time Rockpool Safari Wembury Marine Centre Event by Wembury Marine Centre
Save the Date
TUES, 1 AUG at 11:30 National Marine Week Rockpool Safari Wembury Marine Centre
FRIDAY, 4 AUGUST 2023 from 13:30-15:30 Extreme Rockpool & Shoresearch Survey
Wembury Marine Centre
Kris Harris – Magician:
Kris has been booked for 18th November 2023, in the WIC hall.
There will also be a Cabaret.
This is a WI fund raising event open to all.
More details nearer the time