Had fun this morning at the Thelma Hulbert gallery in Honiton making festive wreaths. The gallery puts on these fantastic craft activities for children nearly every school holiday, well worth a visit. They are free events but donations help them to keep going so don’t forget the donation box next to the front door.

I recently had my second contraceptive implant fitted (three years on from the first) which will now take me to the ripe old age of 41 without having any more offspring. This made me think of a blog I wrote in December 2009 which I’ve recycled for you below the picture of my two angels Natasha & Alexander.

My mother had five children and my father had five children. I am the only child, from their marriage 39 years ago. They separated when I was very very small and my mother remarried having four more children. My father had several relationships also having a further four children. I have 5 half sisters – Samantha, Susan, Lorraine, Marie and Keelie. I have 3 half brothers – Thomas, Richard and Craig. We all share one parent in common!

I have two very beautiful much wanted and very planned for children but unlike my prolific parents, I will not be giving birth to any more babies (unless my contraceptive implant fails!) I may foster or adopt one day but will not be pregnant again. This makes me a little sad especially as I grew up thinking I too wanted a large family, but there are three very good reasons why I have made this decision not to have any more kids (a decision I share with my husband I hasten to add).

1. There are too many people in the world – see my previous blog post on the Optimum Population Trust’s Stop At Two Pledge http://www.tishtashtoys.com/blog/2009/08/i-love-my-kids/

2. I now feel a bit sorry for the two children I have, having to deal with the effects of a soaring world population and the predicted catastrophic results of increased greenhouse gases – so maybe it’s best not to inflict such an ordeal on any more human beings from my loins!

3. I grew up with 4 younger siblings and not much attention from my mother (who was single for part of my childhood). I don’t think my mother intentionally ignored me, she just seemed to be either pregnant or looking after a small (noisy!) baby for most of my childhood. I love all my siblings but I don’t think most of us were planned and really thought through. My own mother recently said as much as she loves all her children, if she did it again she would only have two children, and advised me to do the same.

In my family now, there are two parents and two children so there’s always a knee to sit on or a cuddle to be had. Put even one more child in the equation and I’m not sure how we’d share ourselves and I’d be heartbroken to watch either one of my two ‘pushed out’. If you are a parent reading this, you will understand how there never seems to be enough hours in the day, especially if you also work like I do.

Can I just add – if you do have more than two children, this is not a personal gripe against you in any way, shape or form. We all make our own decisions in life and this is just mine. I would love to hear your comments. Please post below.

Honiton Green Candidate Sharon Pavey is demanding that the town makes it’s roads safer for children and other pedestrians.

The East Devon Green Party recently surveyed 200 people in Honiton and 70% said they think cars drive too fast in Honiton. A substantial 67% of Honitonians were in favour of introducing some 20 mph zones in town. The Greens think that 20 mph zones should be in place outside our schools and parks including the Brand Meadow park on Battishorne Way.

Currently families are unable to cross Battishorne Way safely to get the new Brand Meadow nature reserve and play park. Sharon uses the park regularly with her two children aged nine and five and also crosses there to walk her dog on Roundball Hill.

Sharon says “It’s such a wonderful children’s park but such a shame you have to cross a dangerous road to get to it. I believe a crossing has been looked into for the past couple of years and that now recent cuts mean a delay in getting anything done about it. Surely safe access should have been in place when the park was opened!”

“Drivers regularly speed along Battishorne Way at much more than the 30mph speed limit and with so many people crossing at Honiton Bottom Road to use the park, the nature reserve or Roundball Hill, there may well be an accident there sooner or later. It would be sensible to have a crossing there or speed cameras and traffic calming measures”

Results of the resident’s surveys also highlighted the need for a safe crossing on New Street, and a 20mph zone outside Littletown and Millwater Schools. Residents also commented that the Exeter Road roundabout near Sidmouth Road was a dangerous place to cross as cars exceeded the 30mph speed limit on the Exeter Road.

The Honiton Greens are happy to take up these issues at council level if elected in May. Sharon adds “With 42 children killed or injured on our UK roads every single day, road safety is a top priority for the Honiton Greens.”

Notes

ROSPA (The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents) 42 children are killed or injured on the road every day in Britain http://bit.ly/ePEKrT

Photo above – Sharon Pavey. Photo at the top is Natasha and Aleck Pavey waiting to cross a very busy Battishorne Road next to the park

With the current popularity of television shows like The X Factor and Don’t Stop Believing and films like High School Musical, the new  East Devon singing club is sure to be a hit, especially as children will get to sing the popular songs from these shows and tracks from the Top 40.

Sharon says “It will very much be a community run group, with interested parents forming a committee so we can look at funding and possible charitable status in the long term. Once we get up and running, we can then give back to the community and start performing in public at local events. Children will get to choose the songs they sing and be asked to come up with a name for their group”.

Businesses in and around Honiton are being given the opportunity to sponsor the new singing club, which will mean the cost to parents can be subsidised and the choir will be open to all the children in our community. The sponsors will be featured on the posters and leaflets which will be going out to all the local schools in and around Honiton in the next few weeks. Sponsors will also be featured on this blog, and on a new Facebook page being set up for the group. Any businesses wishing to support this exciting new community venture or parents with interested children should contact Sharon Pavey on 07740973990 or email sdpavey@gmail.com

The singing club starts on Thursday 14th October in the ballroom at the Turk’s Head in Honiton (EX14 1BQ). It is for all children in the area aged 5-10 years and will run every Thursday 4.30 – 5.30pm. All abilities welcome. The cost is £3.50 per week per child but there is a discount if you book ahead for the whole term. Any interested parents are asked to call Sharon on 07740973990 to see if there is a space available before coming along. The Turk’s Head venue has a large ballroom with a stage and a seating area for parents. Or you can use the newly refurbished cafe area, and relax with a coffee/tea while your child has fun next door in the ballroom. Both Sharon & Michelle are fully CRB checked.

The East Devon Green Party have written to all 20 councillors on the health scrutiny committee to object to the proposals to close the Maternity Unit:

Dear Councillor

I am writing representing the East Devon Green Party and would like to raise our objections to the proposed changes to the services at Honiton Maternity Hospital.

The East Devon Green Party objects to the closure of the unit and the changes to the way mothers and expectant mothers/parents will been cared for in the East Devon area. After attending several meetings, both at The Knowle and public consultation meetings and reading the literature involved, we do not feel that the proposed changes offer any improvement in services in our community. Quite the opposite in fact, we feel that moving the care from the unit to home based/midwife care will be extremely detrimental to the service. This is not offering women more choice, again quite the opposite. It limits choice and for many women. 24 – 48 care within the unit is what they need to establish breastfeeding and simply recover from an exhausting physical experience.

The East Devon Green Party are an active part of the Honiton Maternity Matters group which involves representatives from four political parties (Green, Labour, Conservative and LibDems) as well as many councillors, medical professionals and parents. There is a huge amount of upset and outrage about this proposal within this community and we are hoping that the scrutiny committee, of which you are a member is listening to all of the objections and will do the decent thing and not allow these unworkable and unfair proposals to go any further.

I look forward to hearing from you & hope to attend the meeting in the morning.

Kind Regards

Sharon Pavey (resident in Honiton)

Coordinator East Devon Green Party

www.sharonpavey.org

Photo above – Sharon Pavey on the right & Sharon Howe demonstrating at the East Devon District Council offices at the Knowle in Sidmouth.

]]> http://www.sharonpavey.org/east-devon-green-party-opposes-maternity-cuts-at-honiton-hospital/feed/ 0 http://www.sharonpavey.org/east-devon-green-party-farm-visit-tractor-trailer-ride-and-barbecue/ http://www.sharonpavey.org/east-devon-green-party-farm-visit-tractor-trailer-ride-and-barbecue/#comments Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:27:18 +0000 sharon http://www.sharonpavey.org/?p=924

East Devon Green Party invite Green Party members, friends, and supporters to a fun farm visit, and barbecue, at Mosshayne Farm, just east of Exeter, (directions below), on Sunday 26th September, starting at 3 p.m.

There will be a tour of the farm by tractor and trailer, lasting about 2 hours, suitable for families. Mosshayne Farm is an organic farm producing milk and chickens. After the tour there will be a barbecue for those who wish to stay.

The tour will cost £5 per adult, and £3 per child (under 18), proceeds going to East Devon Green Party. For the barbecue, if you wish to take part, please bring your own food to be barbecued (veggie BBQ area provided) and perhaps something to share such as a salad, and your own drink. Bread rolls, potatoes, non-alcoholic drinks, plates, etc will be provided.

The host Henry Gent is an East Devon Green Party member & press officer for the local branch. As a farmer, Henry will be giving an informative tour with information about organic farming techniques etc.You will be getting out into the fields and seeing chickens and baby calves plus milking cows!

You will have a chance to talk to Henry and ask any questions whatsoever. We may have a chance to discuss Green Party policies for agriculture, perhaps after the tour (whilst any children have a chance to eat & play etc).

We are inviting Green Party members, friends, and supporters, from East Devon and elsewhere in the area. Numbers are limited to thirty so please book your place asap to avoid disappointment. Advance payment please with cheques made payable to “East Devon Green Party”. Please post cheques or contact:

Henry Gent, Mosshayne Farm, Westclyst, Exeter, EX1 3TR.

Email: henry.gent@btinternet.com

Tel: 01392 469334 or 07974 373554

Directions: Either:

From Junction 29 of the M5 take the A30 towards Honiton but get in the left hand lane of the A30 as soon as possible then exit signposted Rockbeare. Go past the “Blackhorse Inn” and another 2-300 metres, then turn sharp left into Blackhorse Lane. Go about 150 metres then turn right into Mosshayne Lane. Go about 400 metres, to the T junction, and turn right into Mosshayne Lane private section. Go about 1 kilometre on the private lane and park at the courtyard.

Or (if approaching from the northern side of Exeter):Take the B3181 from Pinhoe towards Broadclyst, and go past Animal Kingdom on the left. Go another 4-500 metres and turn right into Mosshayne lane (about 200 metres after the speed camera). Go about 1 kilometre (passing straight past Westclyst Farm and Westclyst Barnyard). Park at the courtyard.

]]> http://www.sharonpavey.org/east-devon-green-party-farm-visit-tractor-trailer-ride-and-barbecue/feed/ 0 http://www.sharonpavey.org/listen-to-honiton-parents/ http://www.sharonpavey.org/listen-to-honiton-parents/#comments Sun, 27 Jun 2010 09:25:21 +0000 sharon http://www.sharonpavey.org/?p=862 There was a public meeting in Honiton on Saturday (26th June 2010) at the Royal British Legion and I managed to pop along for part of it. It is part of a series of consultation exercises so the NHS (Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust) can listen to the views of people in the area – concerning the proposed changes to maternity provision at Honiton, Okehampton and Tiverton.

Unfortunately – I don’t think anyone attending the meeting really felt that the panel of three NHS representatives were really listening to anyone, except themselves! Their initial presentation was supposed to take just 5 – 10 minutes and went on for about 20 mins, with the women trying to justify cutting the excellent maternity services at Honiton with stories of their own difficult childbirth experiences!!

Vernon Whitlock (town councillor for Honiton) was a great chairperson and supported the many mothers in the room, most with their own little ones playing at their feet, with their comments and questions about the cutbacks being proposed. The Save Honiton Maternity Unit group handed in their petition (photo at the top). We collected quite a few sheets of names on our own Green Party Stalls over the past few months, which contributed to the 1500 signatures handed in (with another thousand or two to be handed in at a later date). New MP for Tiverton & Honiton Neil Parish stood up to support the parents asking for these changes to be reconsidered. See Midweek Herald article here.

I came away from the meeting quite angry and disillusioned at the NHS not seeming to listen, but just going through the motions of showing that they are consulting the public. I would be interested in all the groups and individuals who are opposed to these changes getting together to work out how this can be fought as a collective. The East Devon Green Party is against cuts to NHS services and we are prepared to work with other groups and individuals in the area to oppose these changes. Contact me (Sharon) sdpavey@googlemail.com

For more info on Beech Hayes Farm see www.freddiesfarm.co.uk/beechhayesfarm