The heart of South Brent
South Brent Old School Community Centre (SBOSCC) Policies and Procedures are available to download here:
South Brent Storytellers and Archive are a not-for-profit volunteer-led community group who rely on funding to maintain our collections and create new opportunities for the public to view them.
SUPPORT OUR CROWDFUNDER: Help us create a searchable, online Archive for South Brent and surrounding villages. We want to put South Brent Archive’s fabulous collections online and make them more accessible.
DONATIONS are very welcome, to enable us to keep our annual software licences up-to-date, for the on-going purchase of archival quality materials in which to store our collections safely, and to go towards our fund to create a searchable database of all our images on a purpose-built website.
Sort code: 30-98-69
Account No: 44397468
We donate a proportion of all donations to the Old School Community Centre’s Raise the Roof Fund.
Please use your surname and first initial, if not obvious, GIFT, and where you heard about us, as the reference so that we can acknowledge your donation, e.g. FBpage, Old School Community Centre website, etc.
Saturdays (2-4pm): January 27th, February 24th, March 23rd, April 27th,
June 15th (Special event to share World War memories)
Saturday 8th March 2025 – Repeat of: Greg Wall Growing Up in Brent
Saturday 5th April 2025 – Red Earth – How Local Farming was affected by D-Day with Steph Bradley of South Brent Archive & excerpts from the BBC Radio play Red Earth and local voices.
Saturday 26th October 2024 – Local Stories about World War 1 & 2 with Tony Rea, author of South Devon in the Great War
Saturday 30th November 2024 – Louise Spencer – The Redworth Landgirls – A talk on the WW2 landgirls who worked on local farms
1st – 28th June 2024 – Corridor Gallery Exhibition: Brent During the War Years
South Brent Storytellers and Archive are participating in the South Hams D-Day Heritage Trail, a collaboration of local history groups, archives and museums all commemorating the 80th anniversary of D-Day. Click on the images below to see a map of the area, and an events calendar of what to visit. The Archive are grateful to Guy Pannell of South Hams District Council for supporting this project.
We are currently seeking more volunteers, so that we can open very week, so if you love local history and like talking to people, we’d love to hear from you!
We’d also like to hear from people who might like to get involved with the on-going work of helping us to catalogue existing and new collections, as well as someone who could help us to create an online database so that our collections can also be viewed from the comfort of home.
If you are interested, simply come along to one of our open sessions and let us know.
South Brent Archive would like to express our thanks to all those parishioners of South Brent and Rattery, as well as those from further afield and on our facebook group, who have communicated with us over the past year, telling us stories, recounting memories and/or, who have either donated, or lent images to be scanned and held digitally by us. As of the end of December 2023, we have 57 Collections. Particular thanks to Inez and Graham Jordan (who we were privileged to interview in March, before Graham’s sad demise), Sue Lethaby, Robert Rowland, Tony Coaker, Joy, Peter and Angela Smerdon, Alison Samuel, David Yabsley, George Beable, John Rawlinson, Joddy Chapman, Joy Hanson, Mandy Haley, Jamie Webber, Jan and Mike Goss, Lily Style, Jean Sabine and Patsy Tidball, Anthony Kingdom, Jon King, Richard Cleave, Jenny Coaker, Ruth Peard, Richard Grills, Jackie Pearce, the executors of the Gilly Hawes estate, Paul Edgington, Greg Wall, Robert March, Paul Heatley, and Jamie Scott. Highlights are old farming photos, an 18th Century advowson, and a full collection of files of local news items from the 1970s.
The Archive summer exhibition will be on display as usual along the corridor gallery throughout June. The 2024 theme will be a focus on The Great War and World War 2 as they affected local people, places and events. This is to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Operation Tiger and D Day, and forms part of a trail that can be followed at various archives and museums throughout the South Hams from Salcombe to Ivybridge this summer.
This year’s autumn talks will be on Local Farming – Oral Histories, Brent’s Many Mills (with Joddy Chapman) and The Impact of War – a mini-series of local military history talks by local authors.
The April talk by Peter Taylor on St Petroc’s Church raised £145 towards the Archive online catalogue project – thank you to everyone who came, and thank you to Peter for his talk.
The Archive team for 2024 are: Sue and Phil Dean, Jim Thompson, Jo Fowler, John Hawkins, Ben Chadwick, Steph Bradley, and Greg Wall.
We’d like to extend a special thank you to our collaborators in 2023: These include James Wren for this year’s event graphics, Richard Cleave of Moortek for wonderful IT support, Greg Wall and Peter Taylor for super talks, Abi Grey (who has now stepped down as archivist at the Devon Rural Archive to take up a position at Salcombe Museum), Anne Smyth, (retired Mother Superior of Syon Abbey) for making images available to us for our Farming exhibition and Annie Price of Exeter University Archive for permission to show copies of images from their special collections. We’d particularly like to appreciate independent researcher and local author Lily Style for tireless contributions that have made such a difference to the Archive’s work, from publicity, stupendous graphics, delightful articles and blogs, and a searchable tithe map tool, to in-depth research on the historic buildings between Totnes and Plymouth Road which culminate in Bowling House. We very much hope that this collaboration will continue in 2024.
To all the inhabitants of the dwellings which are believed to have once been part of a Barracks between Totnes Road & Plymouth Road, many thanks for the visits you allowed members of the Archive to make during 2023. We will be in touch with more information in due course.
You might like to follow our very popular Facebook page. We currently have over 1200 members with almost daily posts. https://www.facebook.com/groups/sbstorytellersandarchive
If you do not follow social media but want to keep up with our activities please email info@southbrentarchive.org.uk SUBSCRIBE ME to be added to our events mailing list.
Please note that we will only be accepting donations of new physical collections on Open Afternoons between 4-5pm. Contact us in advance to arrange this. info@southbrentarchive.org.uk
Finally, a huge thank you to all of those who have already donated to our Crowd Funder or attended one of our Fundraising events. We are now 1/3 of the way towards our target to create an online searchable catalogue and website. If you would like to donate too please follow the link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/south-brent-archive-create-an-online-catalogue?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer
Whilst we are open to receiving new items for the Archive, in fact, we love receiving new items and collections, and spend many happy hours perusing them, we would ask that they have a connection to South Brent parish and its outlying villages and farms, including our side of Dartmoor, as we are very much a local archive and do not have the space to house items relating to further away places.
If you have items of wider Devon interest, the place to take your memorabilia is:
Devon Rural Archive http://www.devonruralarchive.com/
The Devon Heritage Centre, https://swheritage.org.uk/devon-archives/visit/devon-heritage-centre/ or, if they are photographs, to Totnes Image Bank.
Items of regional or national interest can be offered to the new archive and museum in Plymouth, The Box, https://www.theboxplymouth.com/contact-us
Please note that there is also an Archive in Modbury: contact: monicayunnie@btinternet.com
In this month’s blog, we explore Brentmoor – its house, the Avon dam and the people associated with it. This could not have been written without the help of several local people; Greg Wall, Janet Bomback, Roy Hughes, Derek Lewis and Margaret Southcott, and John Cranch.
Updated Family History Guide, including all the local sources of local history info (October 2024)
BrentMoor House Information Sheet updated 22 April 2024
Revised Story of William Crossing, famous local Victorian (March 2024)
More South Brent Ghost Stories (June 2023)
Place Names: A snapshot of 1841 South Brent (May 2023)
William Crossing Article (April 2023)
South-Brent’s Fort (March 2023)
South Dartmoor’s Haunted Bridge (February 2023)
Arthur Manning: The Blind Pianist (January 2023)
Nelson’s Descendants in Brent – Lily Style (November 2022)
Gill and Gay: Pioneering Postcard-makers of Brent (June 2022)
When Brent had Three Halls. (April 2022)
Sources For Local and Family History Research Projects. (April 2022)
The History of the South Brent Nursing Association. (February 2022)
The story behind South Brent’s forgotten “new” bridge – Lily Style. (October 2021)
Useful Sources of Information For Local History. Part 2. (Aug 2021)
South Brent Old School Community Centre (SBOSCC) is a charity actively managed by local Trustees and is run for community benefit on a not for profit basis. It is also a Company Limited by Guarantee.
The charitable objective of the Charity is (as set out in the Articles of Association) :
“to undertake common effort … for the inhabitants of South Brent and neighbourhood … to advance education and to provide facilities in the interests of social welfare for recreation and leisure time occupation with the object of improving the conditions of life for the said inhabitants”
The Articles of Association can be seen HERE.
Our latest Annual Report (year end 31st August 2023) can be seen HERE.
The Old School Community Centre provides an ever-increasing range of community activities and facilities, but in a building that is nearly 150 years old, and which is showing its age.
The Centre is owned by the South Brent Old School Community Centre charity and managed by a group of trustees. The trustees are charged with managing the building and, under its charitable powers, providing facilities and services for everyone in South Brent and the surrounding area. The need is great, and ever growing, and we want to ensure we can continue to support the local community for the next 150 years.
The fabric of the Old School building has reached a stage whereby the trustees consider it necessary to embark on a major renovation initiative, focusing mainly on the roof but considering other potential improvements such as solar panels on the roof and energy efficiency measures within the building. We are also exploring options to improve the access to the Centre, the internal layout and the option to create rooms and offices in the roof space.
Throughout 2023 we have been conducting a range of technical surveys and assessments, and in Autumn 2024 we are consulting with our partners and the community about our proposed plans and ideas. These plans and ideas are detailed on our Rejuvenating the Centre page.
We are looking forward to working with the Community, local partners and stakeholders, and other South Brent organisations to secure the future of South Brent Old School Community Centre for another 150 years.
The Charity and Centre are the responsibility of the Trustees. These are volunteers who are chosen from the membership to guide and oversee the running of the charity.
Any Member can be considered to become a Trustee (either by a vote at the AGM or by co-option). The Trustees must work together responsibly and jointly solely for the benefit of the Charity. Trustees form a board that
♦ Cannot be less than 5 or more than 18 of which
♦ Up to 13 can be elected from the membership
♦ Up to 2 can be nominated by User Groups
♦ Up to 3 can be co-opted (asked to join without election)
New Trustees need to be registered with the Charity Commission and at Companies House.
If you are interested in becoming a Trustee please contact info@theoldschool.org.uk
Chair: Vacant
Vice Chair: Dave MacDiarmid
Company Secretary: Ross Kennerley
Mike Baines
Sally Fairman
David Kinross
Martin Sibley
Jane Wellens
Sheila Alexander
Minutes Secretary: Christine Morgan
Membership is open to individuals, or other organisations, who support the aims of the charity. They need to pay a subscription that is set by the membership and the Annual General Meeting. Members can attend, and vote at, the Annual General Meeting. Members hold a maximum liability of £1 should the charity be wound up.
Individuals who don’t wish to hold voting rights or liability can become “Friends” for the same subscription as Members.
You can find more information about becoming a Member or a Friend on our Get Involved page.
The Old School Community Centre supports a wide range of facilities including:
♦ South Brent Community Library
♦ South Brent Corridor Gallery
♦ South Brent Archive
♦ Community Resource Centre (photocopier, computer, laminator etc)
♦ Three bookable Community Rooms
♦ Six rentable start up offices
♦ Community servery
♦ Information Point
Find out more about our Facilities.
Find out more about hiring a room.
The Charity hosts and supports the following organisations at the Centre:
We also provide the Registered Address for South Brent Community Land Trust and South Brent Community Energy Society
As a charity we receive no regular financial support from statutory bodies. The income to maintain the building and continually improve the facilities we offer comes from fundraising efforts by Trustees and others, grant funding, income from renting the six offices in the School House and room hire in the Centre itself. This income also enables the Trustees to employ a part-time manager for the Centre.
Since opening in 1997 the following organisations have provided grant funding support to the Charity for projects:
Beatrice Laing Trust
Co-op Local Community Fund
Dartmoor National Park Authority
Dartmoor Trust
Devon County Council
Foyles Foundation
Garfield Weston
Lloyds Bank Foundation
Luscombe and Maye
National Grid
National Lottery Community Fund
Rank Foundation
South Brent Community Energy Society
South Brent Feoffees
South Brent Parish Council
South Brent Traders
South Brent Traders Calendar
South Hams District Council
Tudor Trust
Viscount Amory’s Charitable Trust
And last but not least thanks go to any other local organisations and the numerous individuals that have supported the Centre with donations over the years !!
In 1996 there was a community consultation (Village Voice – Community Study) which underpinned the purchase of the Centre, and which identified 6 key facilities the community wanted to see implemented – Library, Fitness Centre, Adult Education facilities, Meeting Place, Computer and IT training, provision for Youth and Under 5’s.
The Old School Centre began life in 1996 when a new Primary School was built on land nearby. Through a sustained community campaign the funds were raised to purchase the building, the adjacent School House and the playground – and then to undertake a first phase of refurbishment to open it as a community centre.
The Centre has proved financially sustainable since it’s opening and has been able to repay over £140,000 borrowed from local residents towards the purchase.
The Centre has developed since 1996 responding to the needs of the South Brent Community. When the doors first opened the focus was largely on adult education and support. This is still a core part of the work but the capacity of the centre has expanded over the years to serve a broad range of ages, groups and abilities.
In April 2012 we supported a new service ‘South Brent and District Caring’ to provide trained volunteers to help elderly, isolated and vulnerable local residents by offering befriending, practical support and affordable transport.
In recent years the car park, formerly the school playground, was given a much needed resurfacing to make it safe and accessible for all. External signage was updated to improve the awareness of the Centre within the community and make it easier for first time users to find their way into the building.
In partnership with South Dartmoor Academy a fully equipped and very affordable Fitness Centre was opened in 2015 in the former craft room of the old school. The development of the Fitness Centre, a key element of the Fit for the Future project, enabled a comprehensive internal refurbishment of the Centre.
The opening of the Fitness Centre marked the completion of providing the six facilities identified in the 1996 community consultation; a significant event in the Charity’s history. At this point, the Trustees decided to undertake a fundamental review of the Charity’s activity and use of resources, take stock and identify a positive way forward that would support and enthuse all residents of South Brent and the surrounding area. To do this we asked the community for their views in developing a Community Development Plan for at least the following 5 years, which resulted in the “Reaching out to Everyone” plan which informed the Trustees’ focus for several years.
When the Fitness Centre became no longer viable, the room was repurposed as a Community Hub, shared between South Brent & District Caring and Sustainable South Brent. Since 2022, this drop-in community space has brought new life to the Centre as it provides a permanent warm and welcoming space for people to drop in for coffee, cake, advice, support, to play games, hotdesk, and much more.
In 2024 the Centre entered a new phase as the Trustees began consulting with the Community about plans for the future rejuvenation of the Centre, as described above.
South Brent Old School Community Centre
Totnes Road, South Brent, Devon TQ10 9BP
What 3 words location – graver.corkscrew.universes
South Brent Old School Community Centre is situated very close to the heart of the village, just a short walk from all the shops and amenities in the village centre.
The Community Centre has a small car park for approximately 20 vehicles. Two spaces are dedicated for people with disabilities. As the parking at the Centre is limited, and shared by all the facilities housed on the site, we cannot guarantee spaces will be available when you visit. On-street parking may be available at Chapel Fields (the road opposite the main entrance to the Centre), further up Totnes Road, or in the village centre. There are also two other car parks in South Brent, each a few minutes walk from the Old School Centre: the Station car park off Station Road, and the Co-op car park behind the Co-op. Please check the parking limitations, as some of these spaces are max. 1 hour.
PLEASE NOTE: Our car park is ONLY for the use of visitors and users of the Community Centre and associated School House offices. It is private car park, NOT a public car park. Parking here when not using the Centre stops people from being able to use the Community Centre and means charity funds may need to be used to pay for parking enforcement.
There are also two cycle stands in the car park that can accommodate up to 4 bicycles. Please use this facility as cycles parked near the entrance door to the Centre inconvenience other users of the Centre, particularly the less mobile.
The main entrance has a level wheelchair accessible threshold and a powered door opener. All rooms are on the ground floor, with wide doorways suitable for wheelchairs, pushchairs or prams.
The centre has three unisex toilet cubicles, one of which is equipped for people with disabilities.
From the A38 take the A385 Marley Head exit toward Paignton/South Brent/Avonwick/B3210. At the roundabout take the 1st exit onto A385 heading Exeter/A38/South Brent/Avonwick/B3372. At the second roundabout, take the 1st exit onto B3372 Exeter Road heading to South Brent/Avonwick. At the small roundabout in the village, take the 3rd exit onto Totnes Road. The Community Centre is 250m on the left, behind the School House.
From the A38 take the Woodpecker exit (at the Shell Garage) toward South Brent. Bear left onto B3372 Exeter Road. At the small roundabout in the village, take 1st exit onto Totnes Road. The Community Centre is 250m on the left, behind the School House.
Two public bus services pass through South Brent, both operated by Stagecoach South West. The Gold service goes between Paignton and Plymouth, and the 38 service goes between Exeter and Plymouth. If visiting the Centre by either of these services, alight at Pool Park
(by the roundabout) and the Centre is a 3 minute walk – follow signs for Village Centre.
