From all of us at START 

We would like to wish you a 

merry Christmas and a peaceful New Year

For your Information:
RHSS Drop-In: 

Tuesday 10.00 am-1.00 pm at Path, Harwell Centre 

The drop-in will take place on the following Tuesdays:

December 16th and 23rd, and January 6th 

START Soft Creations: 

Tuesday 1.00 pm - 3.00 pm at Sherwell Church Hall

The group will meet on Tuesday 16th December and Tuesday 6th January

START Job Club: 

Wednesday 10.30 am - 2.30 pm at START Unit 3 HQ Building

The job club is not open on Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve

The Cultural Kitchen: 

Every other Friday 4.00 pm - 8.30 pm at Sherwell Unit Church Hall

Join us for the last Kitchen of the 2014 on Friday 19th December

in the new year the kitchen will be held on Friday 16th and 30th January

The START allotment project is now closed for the winter and will reopen in the spring

Please note:

The START office will be closed from
Wednesday 24th December 

and reopens on Monday 5th January 2015  

27th June 2013

Walk 9 - City Waterfront Walk

 

This walk aimed to show how easy it is to get fresh air and sea views right in the heart of the city! 17 walkers met outside the main post office. From there, we headed down to the Barbican.

 

Our walk took us along the sea front. From here you could see out to sea...the weather was sunny and warm. We passed the Hoe, Tinside Lido and Millbay docks. We walked all the way to Stonehouse creek.

 

We then caught the ferry across the Tamar river and had our packed lunch in the gardens around Mount Edgecumbe.

 

 

 

 

After lunch, we caught the boat back to Plymouth and walked to the Royal William Yard. To get back to the Barbican we caught another ferry across the Sound. This was the last planned STARTwalk.

6th June 2013

Walk 8 - The Barbican to Bovisand along the coastal footpath

Summer had arrived! It was a hot sunny day, good for walking to the beach. 25 people met outside the central post office. Packed lunches were handed out, and we walked through town to the Barbican.

We caught the ferry to Mount Batten. We started walking along the South West Coastal footpath. The path was narrow and steep. You could look back to Plymouth across the water.

The walk took us along the cliffs to Bovisand bay. The views were stunning.

 

We stopped and had our lunch on the beach. It would be a good place to bring children in the summer.

To get back to Plymouth, we followed a shady footpath inland, across fields and through some woods. We finally reached the main road...right next to a bus stop! We caught the number 2 bus back to the city.

28th May 2013

Walk 7 - Bere Ferrers to Lopwell Dam

Although it was a damp grey day, 34 people met at 10am to go on the walk. We caught the Tamar valley train from Plymouth to Bere Ferrers station. Bere Ferrers is a small village on the river Tavy. It was very pretty and quiet.

We walked along the river and up the lanes - it was steep and muddy!

The path took us through some woods that were full of bluebells.

We arrived at Lopwell dam and crossed the river using a narrow stone foot bridge, and had lunch at the old pump house café. It was delicious.The weather turned out to be sunny!

We walked about 5 miles and caught the train back to Plymouth.

Cultural Kitchen

Every other Friday 4pm-8.30pm

Sherwell United Church Hall, North Hill, Plymouth

£1 donation per person attending

 

Dates for Spring/Summer 2013:

 

May 3rd, 17th and 31st

June 14th and 28th

July 12th and 26th

 

There are no Kitchens during August

 

We need your help...

Our allotment plot needs a good digging!!!

 

 

If you can help, join us on:

 

Thursday 2nd May

 

START BIG DIG DAY

 

11am - 3pm

 at central park allotments - behind the railway station

(Wellies, Tools and Lunch provided)

 

Call 01752 255200 for more information.

25th April 2013

 

Walk 6 - Antony House

We met outside devon and cornwall refugee support (DCRS). We caught the 81a bus to Antony House. Antony House is in Cornwall and you have get the Torpoint car ferry to get there.

 

We walked from the bus stop (Great Park) to Antony House. The path took us along a tree lined lane. At Antony House we were met by Brian. He works for the National Trust and was our guide for the day.

 

The house was very grand and is 300 years old. The gardens were lovely. We walked through formal gardens onto a woodland garden. Brian showed us many interesting trees and plants...from a Gingko Bilabo (good for the mind) to a giant Redwood. We tasted wild garlic.

 

We had lunch in the education centre before leaving to catch the bus back to Plymouth.

 

A big thank you to Brian and Antony House for making this walk really interesting and enjoyable.

19th April 2013

 

Walk 5 - Mount Edgecumbe to Kingsand/Cawsand

A group of 16 people finally managed to walk from Mount Edgecumbe gardens to the small Cornish fishing villages of Kingsand and Cawsand. It has taken three attempts to walk this walk! The weather in Plymouth has been very cold and wet during March and early April. This walk needed a good bright sunny day as the views out to sea are magnificent. On the 19th April - the weather was just right.

 

 We walked from START to the Cremyll Ferry. We took the ferry over to Cornwall to the Mount Edgecumbe estate.

 

The gardens were lovely. Magnolias, Camellias and Rhododendrons were in flower. We saw some very old cork trees with soft spongy bark. The ground was covered in wild leek - the smell of garlic was everywhere.

 

 

Our path took us up, over and through the deer park. You could look back and see the whole of Plymouth in front of you. We walked along the coastal path and had lunch just outside Kingsand. The sun was shining all the time

 

 

We caught the bus back to the ferry, and the ferry back to Plymouth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

28th February 2013

 

Walk 4 - Calstock to Cotehele Quay

 

Yesterday, we took the train from Plymouth to the small Cornish village of Calstock and walked along the river Tamar to Cotehele Quay. The group was a good mix of refugee learners and volunteers, writers, illustrators and support workers. we numbered 29 in total! which allowed lots of conversation to happen.

 

The walk was in two parts:

 

The first part, before lunch, was a gentle amble though the village and out to point upstream where we could join a raised footpath by the river that would take us back to the centre of the village. We passed lime kilns and found wild garlic or 'ramson' leaves to smell.

 

After a good lunch of 'fish and Chips', we walked the second part. This took us downstream to Cotehele Quay. The path was quite steep in places as it went through the woods. The views of Calstock were fantastic.

 

 

We then returned to Calstock to catch the train back to Plymouth.

 

  

 STARTwalking Community Event 

February 8th 2013

The community event was held at the Cultural Kitchen on 8th February.

We displayed information including maps and photographs of the three walks already walked, and details of the next walk planned for 28th February.

 

The following photgraphs are from the event:

 

It was informal and enjoyable with lots of talk about the countryside and the weather.

About 45 people looked at the display with many keen to come on walks in the summer...

The next walk:

Thursday 28th February

 

Calstock to Cotehele Quay

for a walk along the river

 

If you are interested in coming along and joining us

call START 01752 255200 by 27/02/13.

 Isaac, Susie and Janet

12th January 2013

 

Walk 3 - Burrator Reservoir

 

For this walk we joined our partner agency 'SW Lakes Trust' 

who took us on a walk around Burrator reservoir.

 

Their volunteers knew a lot of information about the area which added to the walk.

 

 

Unfortunately the weather was not very good and the paths were muddy.  We were, however, able to have lunch at Burrator Lodge so at least we were dry.

 

10th November 2012

 

Walk 2 - Yelverton to Tavistock

 

This time, our plan was to catch the bus to Yelverton

and walk along the new path to Tavistock. 

 

 

10 of us braved the cold to go on this journey.

The route was very interesting; from moorland, to woods,

over bridges and through an old railway tunnel!

 

 

This could be a good walk to do again in the summer...

 

 

20th October 2012

Walk 1 - Saltram House

 

 

I met START at the post office

and we all caught the bus out of the city centre.

 

 

 We went to Saltram and walked next to the river.

 

The weather was good...