March 21 2026
8.00am – 4.00pm

A day of free events and activities in four different venues in Lympstone to inspire and surprise you about shellfish, shellfishing and shellfish farming and their relationship to the communities of the Exe With Ingham Fisheries,Tidelines, Wild About Lympstone, Lympstone History Society, Friends of the Rive Exe, Emma Welton, Anne-Marie Culhane, Sarah Owen & Louise Banks You are welcome to move between the venues.

8.00 Coming up for Air, Equinox High Tide
A moment of quiet soundmaking with the estuary inspired by the estuary and Ama, female oyster divers from Japan. This event is for participants only so please contact emma@emmawelton.net 07791161050 if you would like to take part. You will need to attend a rehearsal in Lympstone on Tuesday 17 March, 5.45-7.15pm.

11-2 The Shucking Shed
Location: what3words:harshest.parties.tell
Find out more about farming oysters and mussels in the Exe estuary with fisher and shellfish farmer Jason Ingham and aquaculturalist Martin Syvret . Oysters will be available for sampling between 12-2pm

11-2 Debbie’s workshop/Brook End
Location: what3words: mistaking.sunk.crumples
Learn about some of the many things you can do with oyster shells, from making pigment for painting to food for chickens! Try your hand at painting or drawing local shells. Find out about filter feeding and why oysters and mussels are so important for keeping our rivers and estuaries clean. Learn more about how you can become a citizen science testing water on the Exe with Friends of the River Exe (FORE).

11-2 The Boat Shed, Parsonage Stile
Location: what3words: purifier.represent.rust
Visit the Boat Shed to learn more about the long and changing history of shellfishing and shellfish farming on the Exe with Lympstone History Society and see a display of vibrant sketches by artist Louise Banks from out and about on the estuary with the shellfishers. Take part in a drop-in, hands-on workshop with Emma Welton creating musical instruments from locally sourced mussel and oyster shells. Learn about the carbon footprint of shellfish farming. Listen to sounds of mussels and oysters recorded in the River Exe estuary. Please note there are no toilet facilities at the Boat Shed and access involves steps.

11-2 The Scout Hut, Cliff Field
Location: what3words: crackles.blissful.stocks
A short and intimate film installation of oysters from the Exe estuary by Anne-Marie Culhane

2.30-4.00 The Boat Shed, Parsonage Stile
Balance is Constant Adjustment
Oysters and mussels are gregarious: like us, they like to gather. They have existed for over 200 million years and humans have been eating them since the earliest chapters of our history. Starting with a series of short provocations by people involved in this project, this event is a time to share our different perspectives on the value of shellfish in the ecosystem and in our culture and to offer ideas and possibilities for the future of shellfishing and shellfish farming as a circular, regenerative economy at a time of climate and nature emergency. Places for this part are limited so please book a place for this event: https://tinyurl.com/f2xts66a. You can book a place on the day at Debbies workshop/Brook End if there are spaces. Please note there are no toilet facilities at the Boat Shed and access involves steps.

This event is free but please donate £5 or £10 if you can. For further info and if you have any questions about access call 07849073394