The Exhibition, the Performance of the Wind Thing,

and the Debate

Comment from Henry Lewis

"Thursday, the 8th of June, was a hive of activity in Great Torrington, Devon.  Street Theatre’s early start to promote the ‘Wind Thing’ had attracted quite a crowd to Torrington Square.
Christine Lovelock arrived at 11 am to a heroine’s welcome at The Plough on completion of her marathon walk of 180 miles to highlight the sites in Devon under threat of a wind farm.
Her arrival was covered by local newspapers and the local ITV news.
In the evening 117 playgoers very nearly filled the raked auditorium of the Plough Arts Centre, as the ‘Wind Thing’ took its audience swiftly through the folly of the wind policy in a spirited revue of sketches and songs. It received curtain calls and an encore.  
The performance was followed by a debate on the issues between Dr. John Constable of the Renewable Energy Foundation and Ricky Knight of the Green Party. Constable’s disciplined arguments, tethered to the facts, won much praise. All the day’s events were filmed by Seven Stones Media for a forthcoming BBC2 programme about a particular Devon wind farm proposal.
It was a good day!"   H.L.   

Exhibition
This is the small Artists Against Wind Farms that we put up in the Meeting Room..The photo shows a part of the Exhibition, including some scale models of modern turbines (because the scale is accurate you can barely make out themodels of houses and trees at their bases). Paintings on display are by Reg Gale and Brian Bale.

 .Exhibition
Another view of the Exhibition, showing the Display about the Fullabrook Down Wind Farm Proposal.
Thanks also to Tricia Martin for all her help on the Wednesday night, hanging paintings on the screens. I  don`t know how I would have managed it without her, since it was far more difficult than I had expected, and practical skills are not my strong point.
Campaigner with wine
A campaigner enjoys a glass of wine in front
 of our Big Batsworthy Cross Painting
I had organised a little preview with wine for those who had given me support during the walk,  and not longer after the first two or three people arrived,  the room suddenly filled up with lots of
people wearing Yes2Wind T shirts and in came Simon Holt from Npower, appearing yet again.( I presume he had taken  the "No to Wind Turbines at Batsworthy Cross" sticker off his car).

Where were our supporters? It suddenly felt a little worrying, until we discovered that they were all out at the front of the foyer, not realising where we were. The Green Party had also put up a display in the foyer and they didn`t realise we were beyond it. Once that was put right,  everything became very jolly, and the room was crowded with friends. I was too busy saying hello and offering drinks to remember to take any more photos
.
John Wray
Above, John Wray, with a glass of wine, looking at a Display.  I don`t know if anyone was able to take photos as the show was on: I didn`t like to in case the flash disturbed the actors.

The TV crew were there filming, and a school near Tiverton had also been given premission to do the same, so some record has been made, but it would be good to have some more photos as well, if anyone can send the to me
 the debate

The photo above shows John Constable, Richard Wolfenden-Brown and Ricky Knight, during the debate. Apologies for the quality but it is the only photo I have.

They each had five minutes to speak, and then they answered questions from the audience. We were all very interested to hear Keith Howes, speak. He is a chimney sweep, and he and his wife Jennifer live up on hills above Croyde, without any connection to the electrical grid. He has a wind turbine, and at first we all presumed he would be for the larger ones, but he wasn`t  at all, and he later spoke at the Fullabrook Down Public Inquiry against the proposal for 22 turbines.
 
Emotions ran high at times, and arguments became a little heated, but Richard was a brilliant and even-handed Chairman. We had decided beforehand that it would not productive to have a vote afterwards, because that would be down to who could pack the theatre best. He did ask if anyone had changed their minds on the subject, and I think some people had.

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