2010 Overview

Fishstock Brixham 2010

The rain stopped, the skies cleared, the sun shone and Fishstock Brixham 2010 opened its gates on Saturday 11^th September to an appreciative crowd of several thousand seafood and music lovers. They were all showing their support for the fishing and seafood community of Brixham, the jewel in the crown of Torbay. They were celebrating the International Year of the Seafarer and 150 years of British Fish & Chips. Most importantly, they were contributing to the magnificent works of the Fishermen’s Mission, (Reg Charity 232822) which cares so much for all our fishing communities and where in Brixham the Mission Centre overlooks the fish market from Overgang Hill.

Highlights of the second Fishstock Festival were:

• The Association of Brixham Chefs, who manned a fabulous Brixham Piazza in which they cooked seafood Paella, Risotto and Chowders of many types for customers who crowded their covers. They raised a magnificent £1,000 for the Mission.

• Duncan and Sue Lucas, who together are “Passionate about Fish”, provided a magnificent display of fish at their area where they demonstrate fish filleting and preparation all day. They expressed delight at being able to support the Mission in such a wonderful atmosphere of joy.

• Ian Perkes’ family put on the usual fantastic display of fresh local fish that was on-sale all day to the public who were eager to take home to try new recipes. Robert’s Fisheries also had a marvellous display of fresh fish and a seafood bar-b-q that sold a range of fish fillets in-a-bap.

• The Yeovil College Feast-Bus in which Primary School children from the 5 Brixham Schools learned about fish as nutritious food as they made fishcakes, prawn cocktails and seafood kebabs. The chefs leading these classes included David Galpin and his team from S D College and Dave & Holly Jones from Manna from Devon.

• The Intoto Kitchens and Castles Kitchens live-theatre stages on which fishmongers and chefs performed their craft to large crowds. Duncan and Sue Lucas amazed on-lookers as they filleted, first slowly to demonstrate, then at high speed to cheers of encouragement, such local species as Plaice, Mackerel, Turbot, Cod, Gurnard and many more. Moshi Moshi Sushi’s Japanese chef amazed all with his skills, not only with raw fish, but also with radish carving. Mitch Tonks and Richard Hunt together worked the audience to good effect, serving delicious scallops and Channel crab. Dave and Holly Jones, Andy Sewell and David Galpin also performed seafood master classes during the day.

• Brixham Beam trawler, Christina, was kindly opened to the public by owner Peter Boyce. Local industry representative and skipper, Nick Prust was on hand to answer the visitors’ questions. Other local boat owners and crew had donated boxes of fresh Seafish of many varieties and what was not used by the chefs was later auctioned off by BTA’s Barry Young, who helped raise nearly £300 to swell the Mission coffers.

• The Royal Navy very kindly provided Southampton and Portsmouth University P2000 Patrol vessel, HMS Blazer. She too was opened to the public. Also alongside was the Torbay lifeboat, with thanks to RNLI Coxswain Mark Criddle and his crew. The RNLI also had a static display demonstrating in a water tank the danger of capsize in small fishing vessels.

• Melody the Mystic Mermaid, the Pesky Pirate Pod Puppets, Wizzbang Balloon sculptures & Plate Spinners, and Funtasia Bouncy-Galleon enthralled the children, who also had face-painting, arts and craft workshops with the Creation Station, MSC Fish & Kids with Murdock the Cat and much more.

• Brixham artists were in abundance with Nicky Stevenson and Jenny Harriman amongst their number. The maritime themes were popular with many securing sales of which 10% was donated to the Mission.

• Seafood Devon & Dorset were one of the key sponsors of the event and their manager, Phil Palfrey manned a stall that combined with Fishing for Litter’s Sarah Henshall to provide a stunningly colourful display of flotsam and jetsam that has been retrieved by fishermen during fishing operations.

• Skipper John Lovell demonstrated net-making and mending, retired skipper Alan Lander made a lobster pot from Willow Withies that he kindly donated sale proceeds to the Mission and Mike Cornish Crab Pots were on display. John Lovell also provided the colourful display of Brixham sailing Smack Burgees that adorned the ceiling of the BTA market hall that had been converted into an exhibition hall with the kind help of fishing vessel owner and Mission Committee member, Simon Jones.

• A cabaret marquee and stage was set-up next to the Bay’s Brewery Bar and the audience enjoyed the sounds of, amongst others, Southern Comfort, Dave Johnson, Crowley’s Tears, Once Again, Dave Johnson and, of course, Brixham’s very own Maggie Duffy who was joined by Mike Weed on Whistle. Dave Styles from Castles Kitchens and Ian Hunt from Dartington also performed stunning guitar work.

• Under a 60 foot marquee the team from Sound Events set up the main music stage on which the crowds heard such local bands as Bremen, MIU, RJQ, and LIAVS. Headline acts were Mad Dog McCrea in the afternoon and Jiggerypipery, who rounded-off a truly wonderful day. Also very popular performers were the Kalash ATS Bellydancers and Kate Jackson’s Brixham Bollywood Belles.

Jim Portus, who led a team from the Mission and volunteers to organise this magnificent event, said afterwards:

''This was a truly amazing day. It had rained overnight and when I met up with Chris Checker of BBC Radio Devon on the quayside at 6am we splashed through puddles. By 7am the skies were clearing and the site grew ever busier. The buzz of the build-up caught the mood and we grew excited as 10am approached. Technical hitches with the power supply were overcome thanks to local electrician Richard Barnes and Leo at Sound Events. The trickle of early customers grew steadily through the morning and we soon had over 1,000 enjoying the show.

By the end of the chef demonstrations at 6pm we had welcomed well over 3,000 adults and young people on-site. A good crowd stayed with us through the evening for a packed line-up on the sound stages and the final act, Jiggerypipery, enthralled all with their strings and pipes band playing Laments, Jigs and Reels.

I was in tears as my whole family and I danced happily as midnight approached. We were all sad when the show ended, but through the rest of the weekend and the long clear-up we all have been endlessly talking about the improvements that can be made to make the next Fishstock Brixham even more exciting and exhilarating for the Brixham and Torbay audience.

The townspeople of Brixham have a wonderful fishing and seafood heritage and they now have an established Fishstock Brixham Festival with which they can share their celebrations with those members of the public who also want to become, in the words of one of our special performers, passionate about fish''.

Contact Jim Portus on 07860542071 John Anderson, Brixham Mission 01803859123