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Miles, mates and memories for every age of bloke

It’s a 7.5 mile walk that ends with a pasty, a pint and a rugby match, but there’s more to it than that.

Men’s Day Out in Plymouth is a chance for a bit of male bonding (video), remembering loved ones, opening up about mental health and feelings, and raising money for charity.

If you’re free on Saturday 6th April, £35 buys you all the above plus a T-shirt and helps with the organising costs.

For St Luke’s Hospice, it’s the sponsorship you raise (£100 is suggested) and donations that make a difference to free end of life care in the community.

Starting at Plymouth Albion RFC at 10am, the route takes in the waterfront and Mutley Plain, before returning to the rugby ground, where the local boys take on the Reading Rams. Registration

Enjoy some “shake your ass” music with Plymouth’s Mad Dog Mcrea

Best known as a festival band, Mad Dog Mcrea are playing to wider audiences in Plymouth in March and Exeter in May.

Led by founder Micheal Mathieson their unique mixture (video) of folk rock, Celtic, gypsy jazz and bluegrass music has built a big fan base over more than 20 years.

From self-penned songs of adventure, drinking, love and life, to traditional ballads of gypsies, fairies, legless pirates and black flies, there’s probably something for everyone.

• 6pm, Friday 16th March. Plymouth Pavilions, Millbay Road PL1 3LF. Tickets £23.90

• 6pm, Friday to Sunday 3rd-5th May. Exeter Phoenix, Gandy St EX4 3LS. Tickets from £18

One man’s mission to explain how the mind heals the body

Chemist Dr David Hamilton once helped create drugs to battle heart disease and cancer.

But he was inspired by experiments showing some people's conditions also improved when they took a placebo (a fake drug for testing purposes).

He left the industry to write and educate people on how to best harness their mind and emotions (video) to improve their health, and is now a best selling author.

In his talk How the Mind Heals the Body you’ll hear fascinating examples of how belief can shift biology in the brain, even changing our immune system.

Dr Hamilton will teach simple processes you can try to use these techniques and share them with others. The talk is followed by questions.

7pm to 9.30pm. Tuesday March 19th, Exeter Phoenix, Gandy Street EX4 3LS

Tickets from £12.69

“Adventures, expeditions, and journeys have helped shape and mould me”

Ben Fogle has travelled the world making TV programmes and shares his stories of adventure in a new stage show.

Hear of his encounters with the human and natural world from the wilderness of Northern Sweden to the jungles of Honduras, the hostile extreme environments of Chernobyl and the mountains of Nepal.

Travels can be exciting and inspiring for their own sake but can also be a journey of self-discovery.

“They have strengthened me emotionally, physically, and mentally and armed me with the skills for life,” says Ben.

He promises uplifting tales of self-awareness, leaving you enlightened, and entertained.

7.30pm. Tuesday 12th March. The Great Hall, Exeter University, Stocker Road EX4 4PY

Tickets £36.50

Stitching needlelaces with Liz and Helen

Learn about a variety of needlework stitches including some traditional patterns like these at Exeter Community Centre.

A workshop day will explore the variety of needlelaces, starting with some basic patterns and moving on to more complicated options including needlelace bars, couronnes and picots.

By the end of the day participants will have a sampler of stitches and a good knowledge of techniques for future reference. No previous experience is required.

10.30am to 4pm, Saturday 16th March. 17 Saint David's Hill EX4 3RG.

Tickets. £90 including materials

It’s Bhangra party time in Lynton

You might not connect Indian dancing with a north Devon coastal town but the RSVP Bhangra band are back for another show in Lynton.

Bhanga is a traditional folk dance performed by Punjabi farmers to celebrate the harvest. RSVP fuses authentic original music with dance beats and mainstream pop that seems to get even the most reluctant participant on to the dance floor.

Every show comes with an introduction to Bhangra dance and everyone's included. If you want to know how to do it look here.

RSVP have played at Glastonbury and WOMAD and should provide a striking presence in Lynton Town Hall with their ultimate celebratory Indian music.

Saturday 16th March. 7.30pm -11.30pm. Lee Road EX35 6HT. Tickets £22.38

Listings

🌊 North Devon 

MARCH

Sun 10th

GARDEN | 🌼 Daffodil Day on Mothers Day | Hartland Abbey, Stoke, Bideford EX39 6DT | Adult £9, Child (5-15) £1, U5 free

Wed 13th to Thu 14th

FILM | 🎥 Poor Things | Oscar nominated movie with Emma Stone | The Plough Arts Centre, Torrington EX38 8HQ | Tickets £7.50

Sat 23rd

WILDLIFE | 🪴 The Alpine Garden Society Show | RHS Garden Rosemoor, Torrington EX38 8PH | General admission fee for non members, free entry to members

TALK | 🎤 Spend an evening with Spurs legends Steve Perryman and Ossie Ardiles | The Cedars Inn Hotel, Bickington, Barnstaple EX31 2HE | Tickets £20-£35

Mon 25th

ENVIRONMENT | 🐟 Saving Our Wild Isles | A film highlighting the work being done to protect the planet | Barnstaple Library EX31 1EL | Free

Wed 27th

CHALLENGE | 🔥 Fire Walk for Amber | Challenge yourself and help young people experiencing homelessness and unemployment | Ashley Court, Chawleigh EX18 7EX | Entry £33.22

Fri 29th

SURFING | 🎬 Groundswell: The Other Side of Fear | Inide the world of top surfers. Scott Cinemas, Boutport Street, Barnstaple EX31 1SR | Tickets £9

APRIL

Mon 1st to Sun 7th

FAMILY | 🐣 Meet the Easter Bunny | The Milky Way Adventure Park, Bideford EX39 5RY | Regular park entry fees apply, with an £2.95 per child to visit the Easter Grotto

Fri 26th

MUSIC | 🎙️ The Sensational 60s Experience | Music nostalgia | Queens Theatre, Barnstaple EX31 1SY | Tickets from £33

Tue 30th

WILDLIFE | 🌸 Grow your own cut flowers workshop | Quince Honey Farm, South Molton EX36 3RD | Tickets £50

🐬 South Devon

MARCH

Sat 2nd to Sun 3rd

CRAFT | 👛 Make a bag with Dartmoor Leather | Dartmoor Leather studio, Moretonhampstead TQ13 8QA | Tickets £245

Sun 3rd

DAY OUT | ⛴️ Explore the lifeboats of the RNLI in honour of their 200 year anniversary | Royal William Yard, Plymouth PL1 3RP

Sat 9th

VINTAGE | 🍽️ Antiques and Collectables Fair | Newton Abbot Race Course, TQ12 3AF

Sun 10th

ENTERTAINMENT | 💃 Andalucia | A night of flamenco dancing alongside a chamber orchestra | Exeter Corn Exchange, Market Street, Exeter, EX1 1BW | Tickets £32

Sat 23rd

CHALLENGE | 🏃‍♀️ Race With No Name | 50km run across Dartmoor | Trenchford Reservoir TQ13 9NZ | Entry £49

Fri 29th to Mon 1st Apr

ECO GETAWAY | 🧘‍♀️ Ecstatic Dance Easter Retreat | Embercombe, Higher Ashton, Exeter EX6 7QQ | Tickets £425

Sat 30th

SPORT | 🥊 RWS Wrestling | Axminster Guildhall, 5 West Street, Axminster EX13 5NX | Adult tickets £10, concessions £8

APRIL

Mon 1st to Wed 17th

FAMILY | 🐣 Easter Egglow at Kents Cavern | How many illuminating eggs can you spot throughout your tour of the caves? | Torquay TQ1 2JF | Adult tickets £16, U16s £14

Sun 14th

CHALLENGE | 🚴‍♀️ Haldon Heroic Gravel Races | Exeter Race Course, Kennford EX6 7XS | Entry from £33

Sun 21st

OUTDOORS | 🐕 The Great British Dog Walk | Canonteign Falls, Christow EX6 7RH | Tickets £12

🏆️ Win Devon prizes

We find free to enter Devon prize competitions so you don’t have to.

Closing dates in brackets. Terms and conditions apply, see individual websites for details.

You could win:

🥐 A one-night stay and breakfast for 2 at the Bedford Hotel, Tavistock (Today)

🍷 A mid-week lunch including wine for 2 at a classy Honiton restaurant (Today)

🏨 A 2-night luxury stay at boutique hotel Gara Rock, near Salcombe (7 Mar)

💕 A romantic stay for 2 with dinner, bed and breakfast in Lynmouth, worth £250 (10 Mar)

🌊 A 3-night weekend stay for 4 in a cabin on The Flete Estate and paddleboarding on a private beach, plus 2 other holidays. (11 Mar)

A 3-three-night stay in an eco-conscious luxury lodge, with up to 6 guests, and a welcome hamper on arrival, worth £800. (27 Mar)

New!  🍺 A fabulous Salcombe Brewery Company. “Pub in a Box” (31 Mar)

🪙 £250 worth of vouchers towards a Devon break (31 Mar)

👪️ 1 of 4 amazing 2024 family park holidays (30 April)

🥐 A 3-night getaway for a family of four in a cozy 2-bedroom lodge and a free food hamper at The Mole Resort. (no closing date given)

Got a competition? Let us know.

That’s all for this week, but…

Can we ask a favour? Please forward this email to ONE friend today and please tell them to subscribe here to keep up with Devon events.

With Devon love,

Andy, Esme, Lara and the Go Devon! team