A special word from the editor

It’s a particular privilege to produce this month’s Ilfracombe Magazine. Never have I been prouder to be born and live in this town. We’re living through the most unusual times, which have brought hardship and loss to so many, but it’s also seen Ilfracombe demonstrate incredible spirit in such adversity. Like hundreds of others, I signed up to be a Community Volunteer Co-ordinator when the call came out from Ilfracombe Town Council in March. Our fantastic scheme to make sure no resident felt iso- lated during lockdown was then heralded on a national level and adopted by other communities. We’ve seen phenomenal acts of kind- ness, but most impressive has been the general spirit of togetherness. Whether it’s Paul ‘The Wedding Spinner’ Barrington holding an impromptu disco for the people of Chambercombe, or St James Dairy’s dancing cow spreading a little joy during grocery deliveries, people have been going

the extra mile to spread joy to their fellow citizens. We have also unearthed a will- ingness to shop local and support local businesses, which I hope will continue long after we can safely

emerge from our homes. In this month’s edition of The Ilfracombe Magazine, all the advertisers are featured completely free of charge. It is a small gesture of gratitude and a way of helping to support them during these uncertain times. As

a reader, I really hope you are able to support the local businesses within these pages, because they rely on you, now and in the future. On a wider scale, the country’s economic recovery will also rely on thriving small businesses. So, please enjoy the stories in this month’s magazine of

how Ilfracombe has shone even in the darkest times. And please pay particular attention to the businesses included, who are here and ready to provide you with a fantastic local service. This crisis has affected us all in different ways. We are not all in the same boat, but we are all sailing in the same storm. So together let’s help each other to navigate through as best we can, and find safe harbour on the other side. Ilfracombe, we love you.

Leo

The Ilfracombe Magazine