A WORLD beating Devon cyclist showed off his skills to Tavistock College students as part of a sustainability day – encouraging them to live an active lifestyle and pursue their dreams.

Andrei Burton, a stunt rider and world top ten cycle trials champion, visited the college to inspire students to bike to school and put in the work needed to make the most of their talents.

The 23-year-old told the students: “I’ve ridden round the edges of buildings hundreds of feet high on walls a brick wide. I’ve ridden over the tors of Dartmoor with 60 to 70 foot drops. It’s all stuff I’ve built up to.

“I ride for the Great Britain cycling team and get to travel all around the world. It’s a pretty cool job.”

Mr Burton demonstrated his talent by riding and jumping over platforms and scaffolding erected in the college hall, before instructing geography teacher Paul Maddaford to lie on the floor. To cheers from the students, Mr Burton launched himself from the highest platform, landing inches from Mr Maddaford, and proceeded to flip his bike from side to side and between the terrified teacher’s legs.

Mr Maddaford said: “I was not sure what to expect but started to get nervous when he went up to the top platform.

“I tried not to think about it too much but could not look when he jumped off the top and landed between my legs. All I could feel was the air blowing as he jumped over my body.”

Mr Burton works in conjunction with Devon County Council to get young people thinking about cycling. He has been riding since 2000 after meeting bikers on his way home from school and being impressed by the tricks they were pulling.

He explained the importance of wearing a helmet while cycling, whether or not the students intended to try stunts.

He said: “I never used to wear helmets but a really good friend of mine started getting some good sponsors and was on the verge of going full time. He hit his head on the floor and later passed out and had 17 hours of surgery.

“He couldn’t ride for two-and-a-half years and he’s now working in a pub, so I started wearing a helmet.”

Rosie Agnew, Devon County Council’s sustainable schools travel adviser, told students the college was trying to reduce its emissions as part of its ‘Carbon Challenge’ and trying to cycle and walk to school more would help. She said there were some really good routes to follow for walking and cycling and the college had great bike storage.

She continued: “I started riding when I was very young and by sticking at it you get more and more confident and cycling does not have to be costly. It’s always possible to make a change.”

Mr Burton has featured on Children in Need and broke the record for the most 180 degree jumps on a bicycle on ****ss World Records Smashed, performing 34 in one minute.

He rides for the British Team for the International Cycling Union Trials World Cup, World Championship and European Championship, and is spearheading the bid to make trials riding an Olympic demonstration sport for London 2012.

http://www.tavistockpeople.co.uk/news/Tavistock-College-students-inspired-cycle-Devon-biker/article-1592172-detail/article.html

Congratulations and thanks were offered at St Eustachius Church, Tavistock, on Sunday as one of the choristers was presented with an award from the Devon Area of the Royal School of Church Music.
The Mike Ball Shield is awarded annually in memory of a former organist at Dartmouth Church to a young musician under the age of 18, who has given exemplary service to church music in Devon.
This year, Christian Stuart of Tavistock was judged the most meritorious.
Christian has sung in three choirs — first at Mount House Chapel Choir as a treble, then at St Eustachius Church, where he sang treble and then bass. He was also selected for the National Youth Training Choir of Great Britain.
In addition to singing, Christian also plays the church organ, initially taught by Dr Sean Sweeney at St Eustachius, before being awarded an organ scholarship to the sixth form at Marlborough College in Wiltshire.
The shield is normally presented at Exeter Cathedral in November at the Royal School of Church Music Annual Festival, but Christian was unable to attend that event due to school commitments.
However, on a weekend visit home to Tavistock, he was presented with the shield during the morning service by his choir master and former organ tutor, Dr Sweeney, and priest-in-charge the Rev Michael Brierley.

http://www.princetown-today.co.uk/tn/news.cfm?id=47091

AN ‘Anniversary Booklet’ is being produced to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Ten Tors Challenge.
The organisers are inviting writers to submit poems on the theme Dartmoor and the Ten Tors to win the opportunity of seeing their poem published in the booklet.
The prizewinner will be announced on January 15 during Tavistock Library’s Showtime event at 7.30pm.
The three runners-up will also have their poems read aloud at this event.
The competition winner will also receive a copy of the booklet in which their poem appears.
Rules:
l The theme is a celebration of Dartmoor and the Ten Tors competition
l The competition is open to anyone over the age of 13
l The poems should be typed, or clearly handwritten on one side of an A4 sheet of paper
l The entrant’s name. address and telephone number should appear on the reverse side of the sheet
l The poem is to be no more than 16 lines in length, including the title, and a maximum of 100 words
l You may submit a maximum of three poems
l Entry is free
l Entries are to be sent, or handed in to Tavistock Library, The Quay, Plymouth Road, Tavistock, PL19 8AB
lThe poems will be judged by the librarians at Tavistock library in consultation with the booklet co-ordinator
l No poems will be returned, so please do keep a copy.
The closing date is Thursday, December 24.

http://www.okehampton-today.co.uk/tn/news.cfm?id=47086

An important part of Tavistock Community Football Club’s redevelopment at Crowndale took place last week when 21 deciduous trees were planted by volunteers to spruce up the area.
Seven oaks were planted, mostly along the riverbank. Seven birch trees and seven mountain ash took root outside the new building and around the new parking area — thanks to the ‘Buy a Tree for Crowndale’ scheme.
The work is all part of the continual improvement at TCFC which, thanks to a £1-million grant from the Football Foundation and £300,000 from West Devon Borough Council, has seen the area transformed with new changing rooms and stands at Tavistock AFC, offices, floodlights and eight mini pitches for youth football.
Last Tuesday Dick Eberlie of the ‘Buy a Tree’ scheme, was joined by the mayor of Tavistock, Cllr Mandy Govier, members of the Tavistock Tree Preservation Society, and students from Tavistock College for the tree planting.
Mr Eberlie told the Times: ‘Unfortunately, the grants do not run to the purchase and planting of trees which are required to enhance the appearance of the area.’
The basic cost of the tree is £50, which includes the planting, and Mr Eberlie said that a tree was an ideal memorial for a departed friend or relative, particularly those who were connected with sport, as Crowndale would be a fitting site.
One donation was even given to celebrate the birth of a child.
He said: ‘We had a good response to our appeal to donating a tree but are still looking for more.’
If you would like to donate a tree, please send your cheque to the Tavistock Community Football Club, whose treasurer is Mrs Mhairi McCall at Penlee, 11 Glanville Road, Tavistock, PL 19 0EB. Telephone 01822 610835.

http://www.okehampton-today.co.uk/tn/news.cfm?id=47128

Fire crews were sent to a chimney blaze at a pub in Tavistock.

Two appliances from Tavistock were sent to tackle a chimney fire involving an open fireplace in the Market Inn at around 2.45pm on Wednesday.

Landlady Sally Perkins said the road outside the pub had been closed while firefighters accessed the chimney from above.

The pub reopened for business the same evening.

http://www.thisisplymouth.co.uk/news/Pub-chimney-cathces/article-1591725-detail/article.html