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Sports & Leisure Facilities
Most of us think that outdoor sports facilities for the under-60s in the parish are reasonable or good (47-53%).
Only half gave an opinion on youth activities, and of those that did, 49% said they were inadequate.
Suggestions for improvement were for more music, theatre and a Youth Club in Widecombe. However, 28 would use a covered meeting place for young people, 19 people would help organise it, 27 would donate funds to it, and 23 people would help fundraise.
‘An organised youth club (Widecombe) for teenagers holding frequent activities (discos)’
‘Youth club with input from young people as to how they would like it to work’
Recommendation:
This looks like something we could all put energy into and make happen.
We had significant interest in other activities, and there were plenty of us willing to organise and donate funds: 
| Organise | Donate Funds | Fundraise | |
| Dancing | 79 | 7 | 9 |
| Aerobics | 76 | 4 | 4 |
| Gardening | 68 | 9 | 11 |
| Disco | 58 | 13 | 11 |
| Yoga | 55 | 6 | 4 |
| Martial Arts | 49 | 5 | 9 |
| Darts * | 45 | 2 | 7 |
| Billards/Snooker * | 46 | 3 | 8 |
| Trampolining | 37 | 8 | 10 |
| Hockey | 32 | 4 | 8 |
| Volleyball | 30 | 4 | 9 |
| Soft Ball | 26 | 6 | 11 |
| Cricket | 23 | 11 | 27 |
| * Note: Both these are already available in the Inns. |
Among the other 28 suggestions was a plant-exchange
Recommendation:
That small groups be set up at the Public Meeting to take some of this enthusiasm forward, develop action plans, and explore funding opportunities.
83% of us said Leusdon Hall was adequate for the needs of the parish, and just over half of us (57%) said Widecombe Church House was adequate (although a quarter of us said it wasn’t); comments included more indoor sports in Widecombe, and more mod.cons. for that hall. A few would like to see a new hall in Widecombe (no more than 5%).
Action:
This information will be passed to the hall committees
201 people (68% of us who answered this question) want a Neighbourhood/Farm Watch (For information: there is already a Farm Watch Scheme operating in the area); over half of us (53%) want more police coverage, although one-third thought it was sufficient.
‘Garage, repairs and petrol station, local shop compulsory funding by DCC, DNP and Teignbridge’
129 (43%) of us want a doctors surgery, 109 of us (39%) supported the need for Home Help and 103 (37%) the need for Meals on Wheels.
Only 18% (51 of us) wanted a Citizens Advice Bureau in the area.
‘Maybe VILLAGE HELP SERVICE, during illness or housebound, shopping, cleaning, working or just visits’
12 of us use the mobile library every visit (which is fortnightly) and 18 every 2 - 3 visits; 45 use it less frequently.
79 people experience difficulties with radio reception and 109 with TV reception. This, no doubt, depends on which part of the area we live.
Action & Recommendation
:The above information will be passed to the relevant organisations, and the possibility of a Village Help Service be explored at the Public Meeting.
Although this survey covered the 3 shops in the area, since it went out the local shop at Ponsworthy has closed.
Apparently 98 of us shop in the parish daily, 135 weekly and 86 monthly or less often; only 13 of us never shop in the village.
To support our shops, 137 (49% of us) were in favour of placing orders in advance, 124 (44%) were in favour of some kind of loyalty scheme and 55 (20%) were in favour of payment in advance. 205 people (67%) were in favour of backing applications for grant aid.
Action
:This information will be passed on to the shops.
The footpaths and bridleways are well used by the parish. 62% of the parish use them at least monthly and 44% use them at least weekly. In terms of environmental enhancements, many of us (197 respondents, 65%) requested more tree planting. Footpath/bridleway networks were seen to be sufficient by over 65% of survey, though comments recommended that the current new network be cleared of overgrown trees, etc.
Overall, we thought the management of the moor was good or reasonable (70%), although a quarter of us thought it was poor.
‘We need native people looking after the moors, not town people’
‘Overstocking in certain areas’
‘Should be a close season for letter boxing - to allow birds to breed, too many boxes in a small area’
‘Parts of the moor should be swaled every year on rotation to help with control of disease and large fires’
Over half of the parish did not respond to the question regarding ‘Tourist Encouragements’. Of those that did, opinion suggests more toilets (42%) more camping barns (42%) and more tourist attractions (37%).
We think control over canoeists, and mountain bikers, is poor (43%, and 40%) of respondents respectively), although letter boxers are seen as better controlled - 43% of us responded as ‘good’ or ‘reasonable’ control.
63% of us are in favour of ice cream vans on the moor.
Action:
This information will be passed to the Parish Council.
‘The National Park doesn’t really understand the needs of local people. It forgets that the moor is a working environment and not just a tourist place’
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Page Created: June 2000
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