Community Matters: How Brixham’s residents are uniting to support each other in 2026

As I write this, I am full of joy for the incredible Afternoon Tea Dance I have just attended at Brixham Scala Hall, along with 70 other Brixham folk! 

Huge thanks go to Blue Bossa (Paul on Saxophone, Phil on Guitar), for supporting the wonderful Brixham Does Care, by donating their time to organise and carry out a fantastic fundraiser for them, raising over £300 for them in the process!

This is a prime example of community coming together for a local cause that is so close to so many people’s hearts. Seeing lots of the Battery Gardens volunteers take time out of tending to the beautiful gardens by helping set up and serve refreshments and bringing cakes along they have baked out of the goodness of their hearts, to listening to Blue Bossa, to watching 70 people turn out in the wind and rain to enjoy themselves and then to watch many of them get up and dance together, was just a delight!   

It was a huge success, and the feedback was just brilliant with everyone asking when the next one is and can we have one weekly!  So, if anyone would like to take on the mantle for this to make it a regular feature in people’s calendars, please do let me know, it would be amazing and I don’t think you would struggle for numbers!  Well done to all involved and watch this space for more events like this.   

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This event comes off the back of a very lovely ‘Wellness Coffee Morning’ fundraiser that took place at The Front Room cafe on Saturday, organised by Natalie from Middle Street Walkers and Healthy Minds, who wanted to offer a safe space for people to come along to on a weekend because so many people are incredibly lonely and isolated on weekends. 

20 people attended which was fantastic for the first one and nearly £50 was raised for The Baton of Hope Torbay, which is great timing as The Baton of Hope Torbay legacy is taking shape nicely right now, with the baton bearers very much at the forefront to bring HOPE to the Bay and tackle how people talk about mental health and suicide. 

Watch this space for more to come on this and in the meantime, please do come along to the Middle Street Walkers on the 2nd Friday of each month for a leisurely well-being stroll around Brixham Harbour with a chat over tea and coffee at the end.  Meet at Flour Flower café at 2pm.  It is very timely to be writing this on National ‘Time to Talk Day’ – please do keep talking.

2026 has been an incredibly busy year so far in the Brixham Community and is set to get even busier.

The Brixham Community Partnership hosted a public meeting at Brixham Rugby Club, with speakers Steph from the Neighbourhood Watch giving advice on how communities can work together to make better places to live, and Mick from the Cyber Protect Unit of Devon and Cornwall Police, giving information and advice about Cyber Crime. 

Both were extremely interesting and eye-opening presentations.  Join the BCP mailing list at bcpchair@gmail.com to find out more.  It has also been great to see PCSO Karl Copik having an excellent presence out and about in the community and people chatting to him and passing on valuable information all goes towards continuing to keep Brixham a safe place to live.

It’s great to see The Edge CIC on Bolton Street is going from strength to strength with volunteers hosting so many clubs again now including an IT club, Drum Circle, Art Club, Form filling, Yoga, Make do and Mend, a Textiles group, Community Band, Rock Band, and a Folk Club.  Open Mon to Thurs each week – contact 01803 658672 or theedgebrixhamcic@gmail.com for more information.  Please do book their fundraiser coming up on Friday 27th March at Brixham Theatre showing Torbay’s Music Legacy 50 Decades of Sound feature film and live music produced by Emberlense.  Check out www.brixhamtheatre.co.uk.

We have a new FREE community newspaper in Brixham called the Brixham Beacon being produced by a lovely couple, Simon and Samantha Dowdeswell.  This compliments The Brixham Signal nicely and is one to keep an eye out for as it’s a great read shedding light on local news.  Check it out online at www.brixhambeacon.com.

As I have said many a time, I am proud to say there is so much going on in Brixham due to the fantastic community spirit, enthusiasm and drive that exists and thrives here!  Collaboration, networking and working together is a recipe for making incredible things happen.  It is very special to witness and be a part of.

Like and follow my Facebook page ‘Helen Ambler, Community Builder for Brixham’ to keep up to date with what’s happening.  Email me on: helenambler@torbaycdt.org.uk to receive my what’s on guide or call me on 07469660873 for a chat.