HEALTH SAFETY ENVIRONMENT
IN ALL EMERGENCIES DIAL: 999
POLICE AMBULANCE FIRE SERVICE COAST GUARD RNLI
YOU WILL BE ASKED:
Location where you are, including the area or postcode. Describe as best as you can using any visible/known landmarks.
Phone number you are calling from.
Describe exactly what has happened.
SAFETY
The Appledore & Instow Regatta has been held on the River Torridge for well over 130 Years with events between Appledore and Instow Villages. Health & Safety of everyone near water is paramount to ensure the Health & Safety of Spectators and Competitors wherever possible.
The River Torridge is a tidal river, with strong currents and undercurrents, all year round, even at low tide.
Everyone knows how dangerous water can be even if you are a strong swimmer. The Committee with local knowledge and experience with the support of the RNLI ensure that appropriate consideration is taken when Risk Assessing and planning Regatta Events.
The Committee annually conducts a review of the up and coming Regatta Events annually which includes a Risk Assessment where risks are apparent across all events programmed to ensure Spectators, Competitors and Regatta Staff can enjoy the events without incident or injury.
During the Regatta the Committee designated Health & Safety Officer will continue to monitor events and the assessed risks to ensure appropriate action is taken. If the assessed risk(s) for any event change and deemed unacceptable or an incident occurs, immediate action will be taken which could include delaying or stopping an event.
Some Regatta events are very strenuous and require considerable effort such as Gig Rowing, Rowing or Sailing please ensure you are suitably qualified and healthy to participate. Immersion in cold water can also present cramp, hypothermia and body shock please consider the risks of being in cold water if participating in for example the Greasy Pole or other events where entry into the water is required.
The RNLI provide usual information as part of their national drowning prevention campaign, further details can be found here.
The Regatta Committee does not accept any risk or liability if it is identified that the actions of an individual or group of Spectator/s, Competitor/s or Regatta Staff or Volunteers have/has contributed to their own loss, incident or demise. All individuals or group of Spectator/s, Competitor/s or Regatta Staff or Volunteers must ensure they are appropriately competent and healthy and take appropriate precautions when participating in events or spectating. Competitors take part at their own risk.
The Regatta Committee prior to the Regatta event liaises with all Emergency Services including the RNLI and the Local Authorities of both Appledore and Instow Villages to ensure that the programme of events are appropriately reviewed and supported.
The Regatta Committee takes the Health & Safety of all who visiting Appledore & Instow for the Regatta very seriously knowing how dangerous tidal waters with undercurrents can be, even to those who are strong swimmers. The Regatta Committee is made up of local people who take a great pride in their Villages and very much enjoy sharing these waters and surrounding environment with others safely.
Having fun is the fundamental basis of the Regatta.
ENVIRONMENT
Appledore & Instow Villages share a very unique surrounding beautiful environment which has been recognised and registered as a 'UNESCO Biosphere Reserve' that is centered on the six square miles of ecologically rich beach and dunes that make up Braunton Burrows (the 'core'), and has the Taw-Torridge estuary itself a 'Site of special Scientific Interest' (Natural England, SSSI ) as its ‘buffer zone’. The Reserve extends up the Taw and Torridge watersheds as far as Exmoor in the north and Dartmoor in the south, involving the towns and villages in between (the ‘transitional zone’).
Appledore Village itself also has a designated Conservation Protection Area which was initially designated in 1971 and split into two areas. The initial conservation area centred around The Quay & included narrow streets running inland and the second area included Irsha Street a lineal conservation area following both sides of the road which in turn follow the shore line of the estuary to the north of the Village.
These areas were amalgamated in 1984 as shown in plan on the right, by the inclusion of an area of land centred around St Mary's Church. A further designation at this time included the largely 19th century housing in New Quay Street and New Street.
There is little of architectural character in the individual buildings in Appledore reflected by an almost distinct lack of Statutorily Listed Buildings with exception of Richmond Dock with a Heritage Category: Listed Building grade II.
However Appledore is not without its own interest, particularly its historic setting, narrow streets and a continuing tradition and heritage with shipbuilding.
Equally, Instow with its beautiful long stretches of sandy beach and dunes, has a long list of Historic England listings and also sites in a designated conservation area uniquely spanning the whole village as shown in the plan to the right.
The Conservation Designation on the left is the pre-1974 Plan which has remained largely unchanged to this day.
With its shallow shandy beaches Instow Beach makes an ideal setting off location for the WEARA Rowing Crews in readiness for races and for coming ashore.
The Residents of Appledore & Instow are very proud of our heritage both man made and natural. So when planning the annual Regatta specific consideration is given to the impact events have on the local environment, which are held on the Torridge River, between Appledore & Instow.
Whilst many of the events have a negligible impact on the environment the Regatta Committee are actively engaged in ensuring, that were practicably, measures are taken to minimise if not mitigate the impact the Regatta has on the Environment.
To this end there are plenty of bins along both Appledore Quay and Marine Parade Instow and all visitors are encourage to take their rubbish home if they are unable to locate a bin. The Regatta Committee dispose of all recyclable and non-recyclable materials generated responsibly as a result of the Regatta in concert with the local authority.
The Environmental Heritage is their for all of us to enjoy and maintain for future generations to come.