Again we find ourselves congratulating and thanking young Chloe Boyle for fantastic fundraising efforts for Devizes homeless charity OpenDoors….
With friends and family she spent Saturday morning selling teddies and soft toys outside Morrisons in Devizes, this time raising £61.40. But if we’ve featured Chloe before they are usually for her individual fundraising efforts. However, it is in her and her family’s continued efforts in which Chloe has been a hero and an inspiration, raising a grand total of £1372.95 so far.
What began as a stall selling her own cuddly toys, has amounted to collecting donations from others, and continuing this amazing work. Mum, Julie proudly told me how the community has got behind this, and led her stall to be found regularly around the area, at our many great events like FullTone, and special occasions at Hillworth Park. If you see Chloe’s stall around and about, do take a look and buy a bear or two! Congratulations Chloe, you are a star!
I dropped into the new(ish) home of Devizes Opendoors today to meet Mitch, poke my nose in, chat about the work they do and how they need more volunteers. Based at the Southbroom Centre on Victoria Road now, it’s a huge improvement from the last time I visited them at the St John’s Parish Room some years ago…
Supporting anyone with homelessness, in sheltered accommodation, or dealing with vulnerability issues, Opendoors is as the name suggests, open for drop-ins and providing cooked meals and food bank vouchers, offering a laundry and showers, and helpful advice when dealing with support agencies. It is, in short, an invaluable asset to anyone who falls upon challenging times in our town. And face it, no one knows what’s around the next corner, it could happen to any of us.
Whenever I spark up a conversation with someone that I see in town who appears to be on the road, I ask them if they’re aware of the facility, and I guess through word-of-mouth, all seem to know of it. Mitch spoke positively about changes to government policies regarding homelessness, such as the proactive Homelessness Reduction Act, and Trowbridge’s mental health, drug and alcohol support service Turning Point. Angie added how they provided breakfast before they got the bus to Turning Point, ‘cos they’re nice like that!
And that’s what we need to focus on, the local, day-to-day aspect of Opendoors, and quash preconceptions if you were to volunteer, you’d be slaving away in a Victorian workhouse or dingy inner-city soup kitchen. The team were finishing up when I rocked up, Thursday the session runs from 11am-1pm, same on a Monday, and Wednesday it’s open for breakfast at 9.30am, running until 11:30. Friday is an afternoon session from 1-3pm, a roast dinner I believe. The cook was busy cleaning the kitchen, others gathered to collapse the tables down because the centre is hired out, and a kid’s karate club is tonight.
Everyone mucked in, and I sensed a real community spirit about the place. Mitch suggested very rarely was their aggravation with users of the facilities. As you’d imagine, most are too appreciative of it to bring any grievance with them, despite the understandable frustration of their individual situations. In fact, one fellow strode in too late, but they accommodated him, nonetheless, chatted with him, and gave him a bag of food to take away, he was grateful and passive; we are not beyond Thunderdome, just beyond the bridge by the sports club!
Support accommodation is the most common situation in Devizes, and a recently opened Wiltshire Council seven-bedroom property, though this is for those with priority needs, like disabilities or children. Mitch estimated only three people are currently sleeping rough here, “but a lot of the people we support are either sofa surfing, or boaters.” The latter can vasty range in needs, some were “simply living a tin can,” whereas others were self-sufficient yet came in to use the showers. While everyone is an individual case, all needs are catered for and welcomed here without discrimination; the centre refer to them as “guests.” It’s this, which despite any presumptions you may have, makes it congenial, seemingly a happy place. There’s even nice sofas and a bookcase, I could’ve made myself quite at home!
Opendoors operates with around fifty to sixty volunteers, there are many varied roles you could help with, managing food or the clothes bank, helping guests with problems, cooking or serving meals. Mitch stressed the flexibility of both the roles available, and the rota, which she draws up weekly on a spreadsheet. You would be free to decide what shifts you can do, and the minimum, Mitch said, was an hour a month, which is dandy for the busiest of us to accommodate into our schedule, surely?
Guided tour was brief but effective, showers, then an office where guests can get online, and further on, a room where dried or tinned food bags are prepared, working in coordination with the Devizes Food Bank, and a surplus of donated goods from Morrisons and Marks & Spencer. So, a guest at Opendoors can expect four meals a week, and a food bag on Thursdays, as well as use of the facilities, access to warm clothes and donated food. I’d imagine the kettle is always on, and there’s other factors I admit I didn’t consider, things like toiletries.
A typical shift operates with a team of six. They run with two cooks, level two trained, and Mitch suggested they could put anyone interested on the necessary courses, which included things like first aid too, and there was scope for progressing with a scheme called “befriending,” individual case support training. They usually have a receptionist, someone to coordinate the provisions, and someone floating between needed tasks. With holidays and illnesses, Mitch explained how sadly they were forced to close some sessions, and a lack of volunteers meant the teams were feeling pushed to take on more than they wanted to. She felt sorrowful about the situation and often has to step in herself.
“Four sessions a week,” Mitch emphasised, “but people are more than welcome to do one a week, one a month, whatever they’re comfortable with.” She continued to say she was sure there were people willing to help but might not know about them.
That’s why I was there, to let people know about it, encourage people to help in any way they can. Because I’ve been that sofa-surfer, I’ve camped in the forest, slept on the wheelarch of a van. And, you know, you can raise funds and even self-awareness doing a big sleep out, and that’s all good, but remain safe in the knowledge you’ll be returning home as soon as it’s done. You cannot fully extract from this the daily psychological disinclination and stress of being unsettled, wondering where the next meal is coming from, and the humiliation for some, of having to endure this with no silver lining in sight.
Opendoors is invaluable. Like many similar organisations across the world, it offers local folk in need, valuable help and advice, and of course, food, clothes, and hope of shelter, those simple things we all need, and often take for granted. I was honoured to meet up with them once more, to see their new premises and how the organisation has progressed, and I remain grateful and astounded by the challenging work put into it from volunteers, staff and trustees. And hope some reading this will say, you know what, Worrow is right for once in his silly life, I can spare some time to help!
Chippenham folk singer-songwriter, M3G (because she likes a backward “E”) has a new single out tomorrow, Friday 19th December. Put your jingly bell cheesy tunes…
Wiltshire Music Centre Unveils Star-Studded New Season with BBC Big Band, Ute Lemper, Sir Willard White and comedians Chris Addison and Alistair McGowan revealing their…
Daphne’s Family & Childhood Connection to Devizes Celebrations of Daphne Oram have been building in London since the beginning of December, for those in the…
Part 1: An Introduction March 1936: newlywed French telecommunications engineer Pierre Schaeffer relocates to Paris from Strasbourg and finds work in radio broadcasting. He embarks…
Yesterday Wiltshire Council published an “update” on the lane closure on Northgate Street in Devizes as the fire which caused it reaches its first anniversary.…
Join the St John’s Choir and talented soloists for a heart-warming evening of festive favourites, carols, and candlelit Christmas atmosphere this Friday 12 th December…
This afternoon I find myself contemplating what the future holds for historical discovery and learning for all ages, fun and educational exhibits and events in…
Featured Image: Barbora Mrazkova My apologies, for Marlborough’s singer-songwriter Gus White’s debut album For Now, Anyway has been sitting on the backburner, and it’s more…
Brave young fundraiser, Chloe Boyle did it! Just as she promised, Chloe slept outside in her garden Friday night, and raised an amazing £600 for homeless charity Devizes Opendoors; fantastic Chloe, congratulations! You are a trooper!
£57 of it Chloe raised herself, running a cuddly toy stall at school. But this amazing effort is only part of the continued fundraising Chloe has done for Opendoors and other charities.
If cities host Big Sleepouts, this was surely Devizes’ Little Sleepout, and brave Chloe managed the whole night outside. Mum, Julie said, “I have to say I wasn’t as prepared as I thought, for the amount of noise that happens all through the night.”
“I am so incredibly proud of Chloe for sticking out what was a really tough night in the end. It is not like being at a campsite where everyone around you is there for a holiday too, and the noise is a minimum. She has definitely taught me something through this fundraiser too. She really is a beautiful soul.”
We agree, well done, Chloe, and keep up the awesome fundraising. You are an inspiration to us all. Seems the Mayor thinks so too, and this week, Chloe received a young person’s civic award from the Mayor. A very busy Easter holiday!
Julie said, “all of her efforts are only possible because of the amazing people in our community.” Thanks to everyone for their support, homelessness is increasing locally, and Opendoors is there to help.
Join Devizes Opendoors for a sponsored walk, at 9.30 am on Sunday 12 May 2024, (registration from 9am) to support the work of Opendoors, which helps local homeless and vulnerable people. They ensure that they have a hot meal, clean clothes and bedding, help to tackle problems like finding a home, getting medical assistance, or sorting out financial difficulties….
It’s an eight mile circular walk to the south of Devizes, from the Guide Hall on Coate Road. The route is mainly flat and easy terrain but with a few small hills on the way. The route passes through Nursteed Village, Sleight, and Stert, then returns to the Guide Hall via the Wessex Ridgeway.
The walk organised by the Devizes Lions gives the opportunity to all the local groups and charities to raise funds for their particular good causes.
There is a shorter walk for young children. Dogs are welcome!
The walk is suitable for all ages and abilities. There will be marshals and safety vehicles at strategic points along the route should anyone require assistance. There will be a drink station on route and at the Guide Hall at the end of the walk.
If of recent I’ve been critical about counterproductive steps taken to solve the rise in youth crime, favouring encouraging events designed for our youngest, it doesn’t mean any age demographic should miss out on live entertainment. Therefore, it was a blessing last night to see the Corn Exchange jam-packed, predominately with middle-aged and elders, enjoying a cracking musical variety concert in aid of Devizes Opendoors.…
A massive congratulations goes to the organisers, especially Dora Kan, who slaved to create an amazing rosta of entertainment and sizable raffle. Acts were tried and tested; Dora is an active member of the humongous PSG Choir, who shone for the finale with zest, ardour, and a selection of pop classics; my favourite? Well, no child of the eighties can argue with such a wonderful rendition of Cyndi Lauper’s True Colours, now, can they?
One personal particular highlight of the event was to witness PSG members’ bubbling smiles of enthusiasm as they lined the doors awaiting their turn to shine. At one point I was nearly encased within them, praying I wouldn’t be dragged in by the crowd and expected to sing too, for this could’ve been the disastrous consequence which spoiled an otherwise unspoiled evening!
The pop gospel choir is a local amateur community-driven choir, which doubles as social group, with Will Blake as the mentor and conductor. But if the concert acted as both showcase and advertisement for this open choir, prior to this, Will was given the opportunity to also showcase himself and his trio.
Covering an era-spanning range of sing-a-long pop classics merged into a non-stop medley, The Will Blake Trio enthuses any audience with a showy display of accomplished precision. Will himself takes to a grand piano, carrying off the act in true Jerry Lee Lewis standing position. He even has the tendency to kick the stool away. To begin with The Jungle Book’s King of the Swingers is bold, to infuse it with the Jackson’s I Want YouBack is surely just showing off, isn’t it?!
Will Blake Opendoors Concert 2023
It was the most amazing burst of energy to rouse the crowd after the interval, but if Will has class and style, and the choir can hold the audience in a certain awe, with the sheer number in the choir one could argue it’s not so tricky as doing this solo. This is where I came in, apologies to the amazing multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and music teacher Andrew Hurst, who I unfortunately missed.
Andrew Hurst Opendoors Concert 2023
I’d rushed home after a Devizes hockey 1sts away game in Portishead, and by the time dinner was finished I checked the listing on my own event guide to see it started ten minutes ago, an hour ealier than I’d imagined. Fancy that, I run the blasted event guide and still messed up! I heard a great response to Andrew’s set, knowing him, it’s hardly unexpected. Pre-lockdown Andrew was teaching my son piano, and his perfected work method engaged him throughly, and he’s no easy kid to engage. Dora is also tutored by Andrew. As I said, the entertainment has personal connections to Dora, which gave the evening this wonderful community ambience.
Anyway, I disgress, you don’t need to hear of my first jog up Dunkirk Hill since turning fifty, and how I suspect someone extends that hill a few extra yards everytime I scale the mountain, you need to hear, everyone needs to hear, what greeted me at the summit. As I say, a choir, yes, solo to hold a crowd spellbound, that’s another thing entirely.
Chloe Jordan was already on stage, perfectly accompanied by Susan Braunton on keys, but my inexperience in wording a critique on opera, on classical singing will show through here, in only being able to compare it to the very best of rock, blues, indie and folk singers of our usual haunts. However amazing they might be, this is way beyond. The pitch and note changes, the enriching power of this soprano holds you, encases you in the same awe as an entire orchestra.
It is, in a word, breathtaking. If the phrase using ones voice as a musical instrument is cliché, there’s no better way to describe Chloe Jordan in full flight. It’s something amazing, a something to summon angels down from the heavens to listen, I kid you not!
Chloe Jordan Opendoors Concert 2023
Though we’ve not touched base on the overall joy this evening will bring, as the sellout crowd donated to the local homeless charity Devizes Opendoors; such a worthy cause. We’ve heard a staggering sum has been gratefully received, and this is the cherry on top of a wonderful evening and a testament to what can be achieved.
Chole, though, with her entertaining covers of sing-a-long classics from musicals and films, my personal highlight of which being Doris Day’s Deadwood Stage, which wowzers, if I’ve not heard for an age, I’ve never heard it performed so absolutely sublimely, I thank you, you are staggeringly amazing!
Good to hear homeless and sheltered charity Devizes Opendoors is planning to open a new session every other Tuesday, for women only.
Promising coffee, crafts and pamper sessions, as well as health and wellbeing awareness, it will be the safe space for women in the community to find clothes, common ground, and oh yes, cake! It begins on 8th November from 10am at the Southbroom Centre on Victoria Road.
Sunday saw Ian Diddams reading his Christmassy self-penned yarn at The Vaults, which over the past few years has become something of a decidedly anticipated yuletide tradition among Devizes socialites, not to mention raising wonga for local charities.
Directed downwards to, what is fittingly described as a vault, within the Vaults, a communal gathering amassed. With the ethos of a “quiet bar,” the welcoming and cosy Vaults is the perfect place for the art of conversation, and in turn, the superlative place for an event of the spoken word in town. It has hosted sporadic poetry slams, including Devizes Arts Festival ones with poet, Josephine Corcoran.
Previous readings from the amusing and talented writer Ian Diddams have mostly been parody, usually taking a recognised fictional serial, such as last year’s Sherlock Holmes, and placing it within an unsubtle comparison to Devizes, sprinkled with characters suspiciously resembling a variety of known locals. Combined with a truckload of locally-related gags, the effect is laugh-out-loud funny for its audience. This time, while still lampooning, the signage underneath his microphone resembling the florescent warning logos of the government’s national TV pandemic announcements, but reading “Taking the Piss,” gave a clue this one would be somewhat different.
Ideal to prevent things from getting samey, Ian took an alternative angle; a satirical stab at national politics, this time, sardonically capturing the current mood of the country and distaste for the cabinet. This was convenient for me, I pondered during the first interval, being I was subject to one his character assassinations in last year’s online version, and didn’t see how references to a toothless Cockney milkman would quite fit in with this synopsis. Ian, however saw opportunity to sprinkle the tale with a few local caricatures, and did so; I was not left out, something one should see as an honour, I guess!
Taking the viral Handforth Parish Council Zoom meetings, where the toxic Jackie Weaver became the unlikeliest of reality tv stars, as a base, Ian worked a story read through a year’s worth of minutes taken of meetings by an imaginary village, Little Twittington’s Christmas Club. Deliberately badly disguised characters bore remarkable resemblances to MPs, the most obvious and well-placed being a Pritti Patel-a-like, taking the role of Weaver, with her conceited habit of banning and blocking anyone who disagreed with her.
Chaos ensued, gradually building from the bureaucratic nonsense and general pomposity of village or small-town politics, thus partially retaining Ian’s trademark reflection on local affairs, but soaked in an undercurrent of Brexit, handling of the pandemic, perpetual scandals, mishandling and unashamedly backhanding of government.
Taking a subject out of its usual context to display how utterly preposterous it is, is possibly the hardest form of satire to perfect and convey convincingly to an audience, and Sir Ian of the Diddams knocked it out of the park. It must be noted, to mock something so meticulously is partly to recreate the style of it, so if the performance felt drawn-out, it only was so as it reflected the subject it was ridiculing; ever been exhilarated by a village parish council meeting? I rest my case.
Though this meant belly-laughs from the crowd were perhaps lesser than his previous stories, the overall impact was greater. I’ve no doubt this was both the trickiest one to pen, and in so much, the finest one to date; a stroke of genius.
As usual, the reading was separated by poetry, read by our own man in the field, Andy Fawthrop, who also manned the bar, and Devizes own poet Laurette, or laundrette at least, the absolutely brilliant Gail Foster. The multi-skilled master, Andy, gave us some particularly adroit and amusing poems with thoughtful seasonal prose, as is his style. The apex of which was a hilarious recollection of appearing in a school nativity.
Meanwhile Gail gave us a partial seasonal selection, with an amusing personification of the fairy at the top of the Christmas tree, a sombre and powerful pagan reflection of yule, and then she preceded to bring the house down by airing her dirty washing in public, the one of which if you’ve not heard, and are not an unsuspecting and lesser-endowed pipe-fitter from Grimsby, I’ll leave no spoiler.
All this spoken word madness made for my most entertaining Sunday for the longest, which might not be the most fitting accolade it deserves, being I spend most Sunday afternoon’s snoozing on the sofa in front of a Disney-Pixar classic not of my choosing, yet it is doubly satisfying to note a substantial contribution to local homeless charity, Devizes OpenDoors was raised. And if you missed it, I believe photographer Stephen McGrath captured it on film, which will be available to view soon, for a small contribution to OpenDoors. Send us the link, Steve, and we’ll share it here, as this was something you’d be sorry you missed, if you did, bookmark the occasion for a possible next year’s must-do.
A Right Christmas Carry-Con The Movie!
And here it is. Thanks to Steve McGrath for video production. All we ask is that you please donate to Devizes OpenDoors after viewing; there’s a link on the YouTube page, or donate directly HERE, thank you.
Having to unfortunately miss Devizes’ blues extravaganza on Friday, I crossed the borderline on Saturday to get my prescribed dosage of Talk in Code…with a…
No, I didn’t imagine for a second they would, but upcoming Take the Stage winners, alt-rock emo four-piece, Butane Skies have released their second song,…
Featured Image by Giulia Spadafora Ooo, a handclap uncomplicated chorus is the hook in Lady Lade’s latest offering of soulful pop. It’s timelessly cool and…
Words by Ollie MacKenzie. Featured Image by Barbora Mrazkova. The creative process can be a winding, long, and often confusing journey. Seeing a project come…
Who’s ready for walking in the winter wonderland?! Devizes sets to magically transform into a winter wonderland this Friday when The Winter Festival and Lantern…
One part of Swindon was in perfect harmony last night, and I don’t mean the traffic circumnavigating the Magic Roundabout. Rather The Lost Trades were…
Images nicked from Nick Padmore, cos we love him, and his new lens!
Local musicians, George Wilding, Vince Bell and the Celtic Roots Collective united for a Devizes Open Doors Christmas fundraiser down in that Cellar Bar on Friday night, dragging me kicking and screaming from my outings on Friday nights embargo; least I still made it to work notwithstanding the inclination to slip away quietly before Mr Wilding done his thang! Trust in me then, to produce half-a-review, yet despite what they say about assumption, given the high standard of every past appearance of George I’ve witnessed, I know a supposition of the finale is justified.
Upon my arrival Mirko and Pete were bearing the cobblestone dais, since a split between the four-piece 10p Mixup, the duo now forms The Celtic Roots Collective to deliver what it says on the tin; a jubilant, toe-tapping assortment of Irish folk. And a grand job they make of it. If you missed this, bookmark Feb 23rd, aptly at the Southgate.
Under the impression sixteen-year-old environmental campaigner, Joe Brindle was to make a quick speech, again an assumption he kicked the evening affair off while I still had my hands in the kitchen sink! But before I’d made it to the bar, our often-underrated singer-songwriter Vince Bell tuned. I believe Vince favours it this way, there’s no pretence in his performance, yet his songs hold you spellbound by their accomplished guitar melodies, intelligent lyrics and unbridled delivery of them. Often emotionally poignant subjects, some locally witty, you can never tire of either; let’s hope he really is never leaving Devizes!
And that’s me done, over and out. Guessing if George Wilding gave a bad performance, I’m the Queen of Sheba. Safe in knowledge, I had to slip out through fear of the fury of old ladies when they didn’t receive their pint of semi-skimmed. A massive well done to the organisers, Mirko and the Devizes Labour Party, including Steve Osborne manning the door. I believe between £200 and £240 was raised for homeless charity Devizes Open Door, with the promise of more such gigs in the pipeline.
As crazy as it sounds upon sharing news of this event, I was subject to one of those pathetic Facebook mini witch-hunts, as if the mere utter of Labour is a swear word in Tory Town; get over yourselves! Devizine, I should point out, is here to promote all events regardless of the political viewpoint of the organisers, and I will not adhere to insular remarks against this ethos. It came to ahead when I was asked why similar Conservative Party events have not been promoted. Upon my response, to notify me of any such events as I was unaware any existed, being left unanswered, I think proves my point at how pitiable this outcry was.
Ironically, I suspect there are no such events, in fact, seems to me the current Government have done nothing to reduce poverty and any of us are at real risk of losing our homes; put that in your pipe when considering this forthcoming election. In which case, we must and will uphold the brilliant work of Angie Carpenter and all the volunteers at Devizes Open Door. I’ve seen first-hand how worthy this charity is, and we’ve raised funds from events at the Cellar Bar ourselves earlier this year.
All fair in love and war; while local candidate Rachael Schneider Ross and members of Devizes Labour organised and attended, nothing politically motivated took shape throughout the evening, save Rachael’s reminder to me that this gig was organised before this badly-timed election was called. I’d like to remind people, Open Doors is a worthy charity, and aside national affairs, one which known local Conservatives also take an active role and support. If anyone plans to hold a local fundraising event, it is valid (unless it’s for Boris Johnson’s Dom Perignon fund,) welcomed and promoted freely here, but if I’m not made aware of them do not tighten your collar at me! It’s all getting really rather silly now, the premise of the review should be the music, perhaps the venue, a few excuses as to why I couldn’t stay, and that should be it, so let’s keep it that way, please; negative political responses will be deleted, don’t waste your time.
Here’s looking forward then, to a possible series of such events, in which I encourage them to consider holding on Saturday, that is, if they want to see me up dancing! I cut a rug like a carpet layer on a four-day week; just saying!
Hey there, just a quick one from me today, mind, I say that then I start waffling, you know how it is!
Delighted to announce that I handed a cheque for the total sum of £225 to Devizes Opendoors today, from our fundraising events at the Bear Hotel’s Cellar Bar in Devizes last month.
It was good to see the homeless charity still thriving, offering takeaway food after their cooked breakfast. Books and clothes are also available to takers; people in sheltered accommodation or sleeping rough in our neighbourhood. It has been over a year since I paid them a visit to highlight the good work they do, see the article here. It was great to know the followers of Devizine has contributed, even just this small amount to this often-overlooked charity.
With Devizes Opendoors saddened by the recent passing of one of their regular guests, Richard Manning early in May, the organisation could do some better news. They’ve raised funds from their recent Quiz Night, and The Sing Alive Choir’s event on the 11th May. You can find out from their exhibit at Devizes Health and Wellbeing event, and from the website, here.
It was even better to acknowledge that we had fun doing it! Reminders of our two events can be read here, and here. Again, a massive thanks for all who attended, to Luke and the Cellar Bar staff for putting up with us. To Harvey and Finely Trusler of the lively Truzzy Boys, Jordan Whatley aka The Hound on the Mountain for that fantastic and expressive set, Gail Foster for brill photographs which just seem to get better with every snap, and her witty and poignant poetry interludes, and the gents of those brilliant Roughcut Rebels; Jamie Elly, Doug Wilcox, Mark Slade, and John Burns.
Of course, that was just the first night, an assortment of live music. For our second, all-reggae night the following Saturday we have Nick Newman, aka Razah, and Knati P, aka Clifton Powell to massively thank. Alongside their dedicated team who carried the equipment down those wonky steps to build the loudest sound system the Cellar Bar has ever witnessed, and stayed to party with us! Particularly Sam Chaloner for assisting the door and encouraging punters to come party.
What comes next? Thanks for asking, but I’ve no idea. I’d like to get summer over and done with, so full of great events already. Then I’d like to do some more Devizine Presents gigs, using our many venues in town and highlighting the best of our local talent. There are many other charities I’d like to include and so, watch this space until the leaves fall from the trees (let’s not think about that yet though, eh?!)
devizine.com 