Dartmouth's Floral Salute

"... to its proud links with the Britannia Royal Naval College."

This model, in Dartmouth, Devon, was commissioned by South Hams Council "to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Royal Navy establishing Officer training here on the River Dart."

The accompanying plaque explains:

"On 30 September 1863, HMS Britannia, a wooden hulled former ship of the line, entered the Dart to be moored just above where the Higher Ferry now runs. It was joined a year later by HMS Hindostan, and both these ships housed the Officers and cadets until the opening of the Britannia Royal Naval College in 1905."

There are repeated threats and rumours of the college's closing and, with cuts to the armed forces, I fear it's only a matter of time.

After shopping in Dartmouth town, I drove up the hill to Lidl and Sainsbury's. The latter supermarket was selling boxes of tissues at £1 a box, or two for £2.65! One of the reasons I prefer shopping at Lidl. And Lidl keep their prices down instead of handing you a handful of slips of paper at the till, giving you 42p off your shopping the next time you visit Sainsbury's. (If you remember to redeem it. If you haven't mislaid it. And if you're there before they expire.)