North Devon SkillShare – Learning, Creativity, and Cake
What a day we had in September at our North Devon SkillShare, held in partnership with North Devon Voluntary Services. We couldn’t have asked for better weather and great company. It made for an inspiring day of learning, connection, and creativity. We hope to run more similar events in other Devon districts, so here are our SkillShare highlights to get a flavour of the day.
Our day kicked off with a stunning wellbeing walk through the fields, grasslands, and woodland trails of Arlington Court. Surrounded by nature’s beauty. We hosted this event at Arlington Courts ‘Home Farm’, which plans to be a community hub for groups in North Devon. After the walk, we had some insightful talks from local projects and organisations. North Devon Voluntary Services, 361 Energy, North Devon Biosphere, and Torridge Growing Together all shared their invaluable work, sparking meaningful conversations around community, sustainability, and wellbeing.
The afternoon was full of hands-on workshops, which really brought everyone together. Shan Keary and Tanya Matthews from The Gardeners Co. led a wonderful session on connecting with nature through gardening and growing community skills. They guided us on making seed bombs and shared ways to get artistic with flowers and plants.
Another highlight was learning about tree planting projects in the Mazzard Orchard from National Trust Ranger Josse Tuffnell. It was fascinating to hear about these conservation efforts, and many of us left feeling inspired to contribute to local tree-planting initiatives. Meanwhile, Anne-Marie Eveleigh from Plastic Free North Devon hosted a session on setting up a Repair Café. We even got hands-on with sashiko sewing, learning new skills that promote sustainability and reduce waste.
Ella McCann from One Barnstaple Community Food Network also shared brilliant insights into community food initiatives, encouraging us to think deeper about how we can foster meaningful conversations around food in our local areas. Anna Grey from Destination Organised offered some fantastic tips on decluttering, helping us simplify our spaces, whilst upcycling and repurposing items. Louise Flagg rounded out the day with practical advice on working towards the Devon Voluntary Action Quality Mark.
It was a wonderful day, filled with learning, and new connections. And, of course, we can’t forget the amazing cake that kept us going throughout the day! Thank you to everyone who attended, and to our inspiring speakers and workshop leaders.
Don’t forget to mark your calendars for our annual SkillShare24 event in Exeter on Saturday, 9th November. Sign up here.
