Hello! Something rather fulfilling has happened in the last few months – our team of writers has begun to widen even more than hitherto. As regular readers will know, we pride ourselves on our writing team, which is made up of people writing about things which are their passion and, in many cases, their professional field of interest. It is great to have working artists writing about art, farmers writing about farming and so on – as well as that equally precious skill, the writer who can somehow write about everything and anything they put their pen to (a rare and special skill)!

This issue we are delighted to welcome John Richards and Jen Warwick to our team of writers (see Farming II and Farming III) and also, for this issue, we welcome a guest writer in the form of Kim Dart (see Farming I). One reader recently queried whether our writers are properly local. The answer is ‘yes!’ As most of you hopefully know, our writers are all from the Greater Exmoor area and all except one live here full time.

On which note, the eagle-eyed among you may have noticed a growing trend in the magazine to have two or even three articles on a given topic, instead of only one; I am keen to continue the process of deepening our core areas of interest – and these include our landscapes and the people who make Exmoor what it is.

I hope that whatever your wellies are worn for, you enjoy this development and take pleasure from our many other diverse articles in this issue, focusing on the arts, flora and fauna, creative Exmoor, walking, sport, four-legged friends, charities, buildings, history, memories and more.

Wishing you a very lovely, cosy winter, a fabulous Christmas and a great New Year! And, of course, happy reading!

Naomi, Hurley and all the team.

PS: On the day before this magazine went to first proof, I heard the sad news that Neville Stanikk had died. Regular readers will know his work and I have added a late-addition tribute to Nev which you will find on page 78.