Dartmoor Magazine is 30 years old!

I don’t usually write about social events in this blog – and I really don’t like ‘social pages’ in any magazine – but I need to make an exception on this occasion. Yesterday David and I hosted Dartmoor Magazine’s 30th birthday cream tea party at the White Hart Hotel, Moretonhampstead.

We were overwhelmed and extremely gratified by the number of acceptances we received. Karen Kitshoff and her team at the White Hart rose to the occasion and provided around 65 guests with the most fabulous scones, jam and cream which were enjoyed by all, as was the celebratory fruit cake (above).

There was a constant loud buzz of conversation throughout the afternoon as Dartmoor people – and some contributors who travelled to the event from outside the county – enjoyed putting names to faces and/or catching up with each other. It really did feel like a meaningful reunion of people who love and work for Dartmoor in a myriad of different ways and areas. I wish we could have asked more people, but there had to be a cut-off point somewhere.

Owner David Viccars enjoys a joke with DNPA’s Mike Nendick

Pamela and Ian Mercer (retired DNPA) with Sue Viccars

Magazine designer Emily Kingston with Grant Harrison and Susie Walker (retired) of Zara Media

Catherine Parsons and Adrian Colston from the National Trust

John Diplock (Spirit of Adventure) and Simon Dell (Moorland Guides)

The event was held in the spacious dining room at the White Hart Hotel: the perfect venue

‘Unaccustomed as I am’ to public speaking, I gave a brief history of the magazine and thanked everyone who works so hard to make it happen. It’s a very big job but I get a huge amount of support from a number of people for which I am extremely grateful.

Finally Elisabeth Stanbrook (founder and original editor of Dartmoor Magazine) and I cut the cake. Several people were sent home with ‘doggy bags’ for the family!

A huge thank you to everyone involved with Dartmoor Magazine, to the White Hart, and to Julia Wherrell for taking the photos.