News

This summer I'm delighted to be working with the innovative community projects team at Theatre Royal Plymouth as they prepare for the Funky Llama Festival on Plymouth Hoe and launch the Gig Buddies scheme in the city.

Funky Llama celebrates the creative talents of adults with different abilities - and the annual festival, this year on the Hoe on Saturday 13 June - is the showcase event.

As part of Funky Llama, Theatre Royal Plymouth has become the first organisation in the region to launch the Gig Buddies scheme. Set up by Brighton-based charity Stay Up Late, Gig Buddies aims to enable more adults with learning disabilities to go to concerts and events by pairing them up with ‘Gig Buddies’.

Here are some links to the media coverage secured about the 2015 Funky Llama Festival and the theatre's launch of Gig Buddies.

And here's an email I received from the theatre's head of PR: "A big thank you for all your help with the Funky Llama Festival. The coverage you got was AMAZING!!"

BBC Spotlight TV: Gig Buddies out to share good times

Western Morning News: Theatre Royal Plymouth launches Gig Buddies

Plymouth Herald: Funky Llama Festival set to hit the Hoe!

Plymouth Magazine: Preview of Funky Llama Festival

Western Morning News: Profile of Funky Llama team

Plymouth Herald: Funky Fest challenges stereotypes

Plymouth Herald: Funky Llama & Gig Buddies feature

Plymouth Heald: Festival photo gallery

TV adventurer Simon Reeve has described our impact on the planet as a “tragedy and an immorality” and says that travel has a major role to play in helping to protect the earth’s most important eco-systems.

Simon, presenter of several BBC series including the acclaimed ‘Caribbean’ which aired in March and April, was speaking to Plymouth Magazine ahead of an event for invited guests organised by Peter Goord Travel.

Simon, who lives on Dartmoor, has visited over 110 countries and says that in recent years he has noticed damaging changes: “We are destroying our world and I think that’s a tragedy and an immorality,” he said.

“I worry on a daily basis about what will be left for my son let alone my grandchildren. In the time I have been travelling I’ve seen the world changing. I’ve seen the seas emptying a bit; I’ve seen coral reef dying off; I’ve witnessed massive pollution and overpopulation on land. I have seen the great issues that we are facing.”

Simon says that tourism is helping in many parts of the world: “I think that in a lot of places around the world now, travellers are the only thing keeping some precious eco-systems alive".

Read my exclusive interview in Plymouth Magazine >>>

All roads lead to Torquay United with a new history of the club being released this month – in the form of a map.

Torquay United FC – Their History Mapped Out is written by lifelong Gulls fan Laura Joint, who previously wrote a book on the history of the club in the 1990-91 season.

The 2015 history – which contains some photos fans will never have seen before – is presented in a unique ‘Memory Map’ format developed by Laura, a freelance writer based in Devon. The map has a glossy cover and opens up to reveal the club’s potted history with 40 archive photos.

It coincides with an exhibition about the history of Torquay United at Torquay Museum, which gets under way on 16 February and carries on until the end of this summer. Laura will be at the 11am launch of the exhibition, which will also be attended by United manager Chris Hargreaves and some of the players. Chris will be signing copies of the map.

The map, published by Laura’s own business, Brilliant Autobiographies, and produced by specialist map printers, will be on sale at the museum for the duration of the exhibition.

Torquay-born Laura is hoping that history will repeat itself: “In the year the book came out, Torquay won promotion in the play-off final against Blackpool at Wembley.”

That amazing game – which United won on penalties – is one of the memories recalled in the map, which has 20 panels and opens out to measure 62cm x 89cm. Another Wembley win is featured on the front cover, which shows Tim Sills heading home in the 2-0 play-off win against Cambridge United in 2009.

Laura said: “Doing this has brought back lots of memories for me. I remember going up to that game against Cambridge with my family including my dad, who has since passed away – although he gets to see every home game from his spot on the Yellow Brick Wall! In the acknowledgements, I describe Torquay United as ‘Creators of Memories’ – which I know is true for many families in South Devon.

“The map isn’t intended as an in-depth history. It’s a tour of the club’s big stories since 1899, picking out the key moments and characters in a way that families and friends can pore over together and reminisce. It’s also a fun way for younger fans to learn about United.”

Some of the photos have never been published before and Laura said: “I’ve had a lot of help with the sourcing of the photos especially from the Herald Express, photographer Paul Levie and United historian John Lovis. Some of the photos are quite well known but others will be new to supporters.”

Laura, who was Torquay United correspondent for the Western Morning News from 1989-1997 and worked for BBC Devon for 13 years, set up Brilliant Autobiographies in 2011.

People can buy the map from the museum for £8.99 or direct from Laura from 9 February for £6.99 plus £2 p&p – visit www.laurajoint.co.uk. Telephone 01752 295944 or email Laura at writers@brilliantautobiographies.co.uk

It is also available at other outlets including Amazon (ISBN: 978-0-9931883-0-5).