Santa made his annual pre-Christmas visit to Torrington on Saturday, with a "Snow White and the Eleven Dwarfs" themed grotto courtesy of the Cavaliers! Over 300 local families came to the event, with free goodie bags handed out for the kids, and hot mince pies and mulled cider for the adults. If you came to see Santa and his Cavalier (dwarf!) helpers, we hope you enjoyed it!

I am having problems uploading pictures, Sorry.

Visitors to Torrington Common will now have somewhere to sit, thanks to a donation from The Great Torrington Cavaliers.

The Commons Conservators, who look after the common, have just received four brand new picnic benches from the Torrington Cavaliers. The benches, made by local craftsman Mark Hooper of Torridge gates www.torridgegates.co.uk, will be put to good use on the Old Bowling Green, a popular recreational spot with both visitors and locals.

Cavalier chairman Chris Stacey said: "We wanted to say thank you to the Conservators for all their help with our castle bonfire, so this was a practical and useful way of doing that."

"Our friend Mark Hooper who made them for us did a great job. We hope they'll be enjoyed by the visitors for years to come."

The Cavaliers (Daren Nudds) had an idea to revive the Old Revels that finished many years ago.

We secured the use of a field next to St Mary`s close, Taddiport and staged a FREE event for the children and their families. We even ordered the weather!

We had traditional entertainment in the form of:

Tossing the bale.
The greasy pole
Tight rope walking.
Tossing the Horseshoe.
A "Clowns Bike" where turning the handlebars right turned the wheel left!
A penalty shoot out.
A bouncy Castle.
Cream Teas.
The Fire engine was in attendance for the kids have a look at.

One of the highlights of the event was a box cart race down the hill near the field. It was great fun and the imagination that went into the carts was fantastic.

There was also a BAR (for the adults of course and in true cavalier fashion). These events were followed by live music which took the event into the night.

The other highlight had to be the "FAT BOYS" weigh in where a draw was run to guess the combined weight of the Cavaliers fattest boys: Chris Stacey, Chris Tattersall and Shaun Mitchell. (I was one of the Original FAT BOYS but have been demoted, you will see why in the photos! Chris Stacey is still a member of this club). The combined weight was 51st 7lb (Chris Stacey 16st, Chris Tattersall 17st and Shaun Mitchell 18st 7lb), not as much as I would have thought!!!

There was obviously some scrutinising on this to ensure that their weights were not fixed by items put where they shouldn't, this ably carried out by Dr Cockwill.

It was an absolutely fabulous day and great to see so many children (and adults) enjoying themselves. This is what the Cavaliers are about.

Thank you to everyone who attended.

View Photos-Some courtesy of Gina west

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DOLTON Village Hall has undergone a £60,000 refurbishment.

The committee behind the hall has been working on the project for two years.

CELEBRATING: Committee members in the newly-refurbished village hall at Dolton.

The work has seen the community space get a new roof, ceiling, rewiring and a revamp.

Sue Jury from the committee said more than 30 volunteers from the village came forward to offer their help in the project.

She said: "The hall is very important to the community and it has been more appreciated since it closed for the renovation.

"It looks beautiful and the project has really brought the villagers together – so many people gave up their time."

The 45-year-old hall is used for coffee mornings, bingo, parish council meetings, the pre-school, fitness classes and by many other

Shirley Watts, a breeder of Arabian horses and the wife of the Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, will reopen the village hall on Saturday, August 20.

The committee raised £25,000 for the work itself by holding fundraising events every six weeks. Grants were also secured from Devon Waste Management, Big Lottery, Devon County Council, Community Council of Devon, Torridge District Council, Dolton Parish Council, Leonard Laity Stoate Charity, Norman Family Charity Trust and the Torrington Cavaliers.

At the Mayor making ceremony last night Tuesday 17th May Councillor Richard Rumbold was sworn in as Mayor of Torrington for the next year. Pictured are Richard and his wife Helen.

He is now a member of the cavaliers for his term. I am sure he will help us wherever and whenever he can especially as he does not drink and has car!!!!

Welcome back to the Cavaliers Richard.