Fitz in the Community

Fitz in the Community is a podcast attached to this paper and basically does what it ‘says on the tin’. I wander around the county talking to anyone about anything which encapsulates the community in which we live. Launched every Monday on the website of this paper, we have already taken in celebrities and sausages, birdwatching, and beer. You can listen back to all the podcasts at your leisure and of thank you for listening as we know so many of you do.  

This week we travel outside of the county to The Tower of London for a conference called Enliven which looks at those who are living with dementia but would like access to the countryside and tourism in general. While at the tower I ran into a Beefeater from Devon who is about to jump into a rowing boat and cross the Atlantic with rowing marine Lee Spencer. Andy Merry has his own medical issues to deal with and this challenge will push him to the absolute limit. We will track the progress of this former marine and his teammates in a later podcast as they set out on this 3000 mile watery trek, but for now we will find out what a day is like for a Yeoman of The Guard, the proper name for a Beefeater.

(Devon Beefeater Andy Merry)

Tip Cullen is also a former marine but has decided to take a very different path and become an actor. He takes us on an incredible journey via the real battlefields of the last 30 years to the Hollywood interpretations of conflict. A natural storyteller, he explains why he took the decision to study acting, creative writing and performance. Chances are you have already seen him on the silver screen but we will find out what he is up to over the coming months which includes appearing in the new production of The Count of Monte Cristo.

Professor Stephen Page was the man behind the Enliven conference who invited tourist organisations from all over the country, which of course included Devon attractions.  Based within the county himself, he brings to the fore the issues of inclusion and equality when it comes to understanding the needs of those who have dementia and their carers. Everyone has the right to access leisure facilities and this gathering was there to break down barriers and to explain that small changes can make big differences to peoples lives. 

I asked him if there was one thing that he would like to see change to make life just that little bit better, what would it be?

‘It doesn’t take a lot to make things easier,’ he told me. ‘How we welcome visitors and look after people is vital. If you don’t hit the right note on that welcome, then we have failure on our hands. A little understand can go a long way.’                    

Fitz in the Community, a podcast coming to your community … why not get in touch?