By Ruth Tshoukas, Paignton Timebank Broker Have time on your hands? Do you enjoy meeting people? Then the Timebank is for you. There are groups of people all over Torbay who want to give their time to benefit others. The Timebank has been going for a number of years and gradually more and more people are signing up. It works like this: you give an … Continue reading Sharing your time is a treasured gift – Community Matters

By Nina Cooper, Community Builder for Kings Ash and Collaton St. Mary Torbay knitters are at it again – and dozens are preparing to decorate the streets. Look out for the yarn bombing around Torbay for the Platinum Jubilee celebrations from May 12 to 15. Robbie Lynch and her friends long since came up with a creative solution to the Bay’s scruffy buildings – yarn … Continue reading Knitters aiming to yarn bomb Queen’s Jubilee – Community Matters

By Jennie Langridge & Amanda Lynn, Community Builders for St. Marychurch, Babbacombe & Maidencombe As we go into spring, we are really looking forward to better weather, when we can all start to venture out more and enjoy the outdoors, maybe in gardens or just out for a walk. We have some good news, the new Babbacombe Memory Café for people with Dementia and Memory Loss … Continue reading Volunteer opportunities for the Good Neighbour Network – Community Matters

By Victoria Campbell, Community Builder for Brixham About five years ago, a group of people in Brixham with a passion for wellbeing and good mental health decided to do something to help others in the community who were struggling. They set out to create ‘safe spaces’ for anyone feeling sad, lonely or isolated or having thoughts of suicide. It provides a security net for the … Continue reading Making Brixham a place where people can talk openly about mental health – Community Matters

By Joey Damiral, Community Builder for Chelston, Cockington & Livermead Torbay is an amazing place, full of remarkable people. My role, as the community builder for Chelston, Cockington and Livermead has enabled me to witness this first-hand. We have been through such difficult times over the past two years and despite this, have pulled together and supported one another as best we can. The community … Continue reading Support your locals – Community Matters

By Ceri Silk, Community Builder for Torquay Town Centre Since the 1400s, February 14 is traditionally the day to say ‘I love you’ to that special person with a card, meal or bunch of flowers. However, it can also be a great opportunity to start sharing your passion with others in our community. Living in this beautiful Bay, there is so much to be grateful … Continue reading Valentine’s Day… let’s share love of community! – Community Matters

By Gill Knight, Community Builder for Paignton South – Goodrington, Roselands, White Rock, Hookhills, Broadsands, Galmpton and Churston I always find that January hits me with a blast of the blues, and the need to prepare for and look forward to gets many of us through these cold winter months. It is not always easy to find that something, but maybe we can all get … Continue reading Need for a party is perhaps bigger than ever – Community Matters

By Marianne Parker, Creative Community Builder for Wellswood Community Building – Blue Sky Thinking What if… What if, we could build our community from our street up, And sing and dance and laugh and cry and live and die together? What if… We could bring together All ages, colours, shapes and sizes, Rich and poor, With or without a front door… To celebrate ourselves To … Continue reading Torbay community building… blue sky thinking – Communtiy Matters

By Christine Durrant, Community Builder for Preston As community builders, we are privileged to meet and work with many creative and talented people. People who catch the vision effortlessly and help us to run with it. One such person was Mandy Amos. I met Mandy when I was starting out back in 2015. On reading about our work at Ageing Well, she generously offered me … Continue reading Tribute to talented artist and craftswoman Mandy, who brought out the best in those she taught – Community Matters