Blackbird Pie 2023 February

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February half-term holiday & early spring 30,000 copies across Cornwall and on-line

BlackbirdPie Cornwall’s what’s-on for families Calendar February & March 2023 What’s on at half-term Science workshops Indoor fun Free workshops & events Kernow Health scarlet fever Tate St Ives Art Explorers Theatre shows & pantomimes Nourysh: eat well, live happy Explorer books review Vouchers & offers: Cornwall Heritage Trust, page 4 Jungle Jack’s, page 5 Tate St Ives, page 6 Bodmin Keep, page 8 Molly Music, page 13

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Pages: 4 to 7

8&9 10 & 11 12 13 14 15

Content: What’s on this February and March including Tate St Ives Art Explorers, science workshops, tree-hugging & indoor play February and March calendar 2023 Theatre shows & pantomimes Forbidden Artefacts & Pirate Weapons of the Seven Seas – workshops at the Poly Eat well, live happy with new enterprise Nourysh Kernow Health: scarlet fever advice Explorer-themed books The Writers’ Block opens in Redruth with free workshops

Dear Readers, Blackbird Pie is 20 this year and we are really proud of each and every issue. There are extraordinary things to do, often managed on a shoestring, but with such imagination and vibrancy. We are so lucky there are so many clever, creative people in Cornwall, crafting amazing theatre shows for families and a plethora of art and literature workshops.

Delve into science this half-term - at the NMMC with exciting activities & demos by Bristol Explorer Dome’s live, expert-led science shows; explore quirky science at Discovering42 in Bodmin with free makers workshops; and communicate with light at PK Porthcurno (see calendar).

The Blackbird has rootled out a fair few free activities and events and special offers too, including free entry & activities at Bodmin Keep, free workshops at KEAP, ‘pay once get in for a year’ at NMMC, and £5 locals’ annual pass at Tate St Ives.

Have a great half-term, Vanessa, Simon and the Blackbird

We believe that all details are correct at the time of going to print but cannot accept any responsibility for mistakes or omissions. We try to ensure all events featured will be enjoyed by younger children but in some instances we cannot test this and have to rely on the opinions of the organisers.

Please mention us to advertisers

Contact us at: “Blackbird Pie”, Flying Pig Publishing, 3 Basset Place, Falmouth, Cornwall. TR11 2SS  post@blackbirdpie.co.uk  01326 314242 www.blackbirdpie.co.uk

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What’s on in February & March

See pages 10 & 11 for theatre shows. Amazing hands-on science workshops * interactive exhibition at Discovering 42 in Bodmin (pic above), see page 2 (seriously worth a visit). Page 15 – free events to celebrate The Writers’ Block opening in Redruth. The Poly, Falmouth 17 Feb: fabulous forbidden artifacts & piratical weapons of the Seven Seas workshops, details page 12.

The Box, Plymouth’s award-winning museum & art gallery (free admission) – 13 Jan to 31 Mar: Friday mornings underneath the figureheads: half an hour story time sessions for under 5s. 11 & 14 to 18 Feb: Family Fun: Everyone Can Draw, free creative workshops inspired by the Making a Mark: Dazzling Drawings from the Cottonian Collection and Hannah Quinlan & Rosie Hastings: Portraits exhibitions; no drawing experience necessary. www.theboxplymouth.com novelEnglish is a unique, wonderfully different, educational enterprise in the heart of the Lizard (below). This Feb half-term, 13 to 16 Feb, discover Fantastic Worlds: Worldbuilding - and create your own magical kingdom! Revel in some of the most exciting fantasy worlds ever imagined (Mortal Engines, A Wizard of Earthsea, Orphans of the Tide and The Encyclopaedia of Early Earth); then conjure your own map, legends, history and magic. Four-night residential course for ages 8 to 12 (non-residential options available), email enquiries@novelenglish.co.uk www.novelenglish.co.uk

The Lost Gardens of Heligan, 11 to 19 Feb: Love Heligan presents…Sweet Dreams and Hibernation. Get into bed with nature this half term. Follow the ‘Who sleeps in a bed like this?’ trail, enjoy crafts and games in the ‘Counting Sheep’ tent and learn more about the regenerative power of slumber. www.heligan.com under 5s go free. (Heligan Local’s Pass - pay once get in free for a year) Bodmin Keep, 14 to 16 Feb: Join in hands-on half-term activities, 10am to 4pm, with FREE MUSEUM ENTRY on Tues 14 Feb! From craft sessions and artefact handling to learning military skills of navigation and communication. All activities free with entry (annual pass £7 adult, £3 child, under 5s free) See www.bodminkeep.org.uk for what’s on each day and to book.

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National Maritime Museum, Falmouth, Happy 20th! The museum’s birthday exhibition looks at the highs and lows of its 20-year history. Oooh Arrr! from 31 March: PIRATES major exhibition and new Skull Island Play Zone; explore how popular culture has shaped how we think of pirates, and dive beneath the surface to unearth the harsh and terrifying truth.

Minnows Tales storytelling and sing-a-long for under 5s, Mondays in term time, drop-in 11 to 11.30am; free with annual admission.

13 to 17 Feb half term: Science of the Sea shows – family fun with a BANG! Bristol Explorer Dome science shows (age 5+), 11am, 12noon, 2 & 3pm, explore the science of water, and how atoms & molecules can be solid, liquid or gas. Investigate weird and wonderful seas of fire and ice on other worlds, split H2O into an explosive mixture, and consider hydrogen as a fuel of the future. Expect audience interaction, freezing fog, fire, and BANGS!

11 to 19 Feb: Chromatography Creatures workshops, 12.30 to 3.30pm, arty science experiments using colour and water to create colourful sea creatures. 11 to 19 Feb: Museum trail - find out about sea creatures which use bubbles to survive & collect a prize. The activities are FREE with admission fee - pay once and get in free for a year.

Royal Cornwall Museum, Truro. 11 Feb to 31 Mar: Montgomery Bonbon: Museum Mystery Trail, test your detective skills, solve puzzles and have fun with Walker Books & Kids in Museums amazing trail (free with entry). Adult annual pass £7.50, under 18s free entry www.royalcornwallmuseum.org.uk 01872 272205 Swamp Circus: 6 to 12 Apr: Circus Camp! Chyan Cultural Centre, near Penryn. Enjoy a full weekend with camping or purchase day passes 10.30 to 3.30pm. Learn circus skills, from high wire to trapeze, unicycle to acrobatics, and more. Great for beginners as well as circus fanatics. Be entertained in the big top & relax and unwind in the spa.

Suitable for adults with children or drop children off for full/half days (age 8yrs+). Free for benefits/low incomes, book on www.ticketsource.co.uk/swamp-circus Swamp also run regular weekly classes for children and families see www.circokernow.co.uk 07775 857677 MagiKats Tuition centres in Newquay & Truro offer English and Maths small group tuition for children from year 1 to GCSEs. The multi-sensory approach includes a combination of teaching, discussion, hands-on activities and written work. www.magikats.co.uk 01637 873862 Eden Project February half-term, free admission for children aged 16 or under, every adult visitor can bring a child for free, must pre-book. 11 to 19 Feb: Doodletastic adventures with Tom Gates, epic art activities and fun things to make and do, plus wonderful workshops & funky food sculptures.

Penlee House Gallery & Museum, Penzance. Free half-term workshop 16 Feb 1.30 to 3.30pm. Forthcoming free family activities on Saturdays 2.30 to 3.30pm - dancing with finger puppets, create portraits, stormy scenes, air-dough buttons, and small sketchbooks.

31 Jan, 28 Feb & 21 Mar: Little Penlee Explorers free sessions for children aged 2 ½+; enjoy stories, rhymes, making and doing, drop-in 1 to 2.30pm. 6 & 20 Feb, 6 & 20 Mar: Baby & Parent, free sessions exploring amazing artworks & enjoying sensory play in the gallery. penleehouse.org.uk or 01736 363625.

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What's on - continues on page 6 >>>>

£1

OFF: book on-line & use code

BBP01OFF

Photo © Tate (Sam Day)

What's on - continued from page 5 Wow! Mark’s Ark Wildlife parties provide a brilliant, entertaining, interactive, hands-on animal show for children of all ages. Get close to invertebrates, reptiles, birds and mammals in this fact-filled show.

With 25 years experience, Mark provides a fantastic opportunity to hold tarantulas, snakes, lizards and owls, in a safe, controlled manner.

Fully insured, risk assessed, and brilliant value! 07761 810900, email: markwiles3@aol.com. Available for parties, school visits, weddings and events.

Barbara Hepworth: Art & Life

Until 1 May 2023 Free with admission, under 18s free

Discover the life and work of Barbara Hepworth, one of the greatest sculptors of the twentieth century. Explore the exhibition as a family with our Hepworth explorer cards, containing fun art challenges to do along the way. www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-st-ives/barbara-hepworth-art-and-life

Half Term! Art Explorers Daily 11-26 February (closed on 20 Feb) 10.00 - 16.00 Have fun with the family this February half term with our new Art Explorer cards. Try out our Explorer Backpacks and Tate Shapes activities and get creative with our sketchbook. https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-st-ives/art-explorers-hepworth

Photo © Tate (Sam Day)

The National Lobster Hatchery, South Quay, Padstow 01841 533877. 11 to 18 Feb: You’re my Lobster! (Included with entry and annual passes). Experience closeup the fascinating progression of a lobster from egg to adult; a great way for children to learn about why we should protect the wider marine environment and the amazing role the Hatchery plays.

The Museum of Cornish Life, 11 to 19 Feb: ‘Animate Helston’ Festival; free bookable family workshops 10.30-12noon & 1.30-3pm storyboarding, clay model making & shadow lanterns; FREE Pop-Up cinemas and an Exhibition of Automata. Details on museumofcornishlife.co.uk Trebah Garden, Mawnan Smith. Free garden entry for under 5yrs.

From 11 Feb to 31 Mar: Play the new Trebah Tree Hugging Trail Game and discover Trebah’s tree-mendous trees. Just purchase a game board when you arrive £2.50 includes a prize and a 50p donation to www.plantonecornwall.com Each trail will help Cornish communities plant more trees. Free trails (without prizes) for families struggling with the cost-of-living crisis are available from the shop, ask for a Community Trail or email guy@trebah-garden.co.uk. The game board is based on Trebah’s Champion Laureliopsis Philippiana Tree. Using the map on the reverse of the game board locate game markers hidden across the garden, guess the answer to 10 questions and mark your board. Each game marker shows the correct answer, an ex-tree-mendous fact and an instruction e.g. “move up two spaces”. Can you move further up the tree than your friends, reach the very top, and become Trebah’s ultimate tree-hugger?

Toddle Tate 28 Feb & 21 March 10.30 - 12.30 Free for children. Adults £1 admission or free with Locals’ Pass.

Come and play at our monthly multi-sensory sessions for under 5’s and their grown-ups. Find paint splats around the galleries and enjoy our Foyle studio - a space for families to play, make and create together. https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-st-ives/toddler-tate

Super Sunday Family Festival 12 March 11.00 - 15.00 It’s gallery takeover time for families.

Join in with a day of hands-on art and get creative as we explore the Barbara Hepworth: Art & Life exhibition and get inspired by her wonderful work.

Get your £5 Locals’ Pass!

Cornwall residents get unlimited year-round entry to Tate St Ives and the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden for just £5. https://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-st-ives/tate-st-ives-locals-pass

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Cornwall Heritage Trust. Looking for great family days out for 2023? Cornwall Heritage Trust protects 13 of Cornwall’s most iconic historic sites, which are all open to the general public and free to enter for everyone!

Thanks to members Cornwall Heritage Trust can offer universal access to these special places and members receive a wealth of benefits as a thank you, including free entry to English Heritage sites in Cornwall, free entry to Geevor Tin Mine Museum, discounted entry to heritage partner organisations, guided walks, special events and more. Membership is from just £15 a year plus free Cornish fudge for Blackbird Pie readers! www.cornwallheritagetrust.org

Indoor Fun! Molly Music high-quality music & movement classes for little ones in St Austell & Truro. Enjoy singing, playing instruments, dancing, movement – with colourful props, proper musical instruments, puppets and bubble time! Details page 13.

At The Seahorse, Pentewan Sands, St Austell (above), enjoy two 18-metre indoor swimming pools, a lap pool for adults, a play pool with a water flume, a whirlpool bath to relax in and a shallow ‘beach’ for toddlers; adult £6, child £5, under 3s free. Then relax with delicious locally-sourced food at the coffee shop or restaurant and soak in the sweeping sea views. seahorsecornwall.co.uk 01726 845208 Jungle Jack’s, Newquay let your little monkeys run wild on 1,700 square feet of challenging climbs, rope bridge, astra-glide slide, crafty crawl tubes and a baby and toddler area. Book online & use discount code BBP01OFF for £1 off, www.junglejacks.co.uk. Free play & entry for under 1s, adult entry just £1.50. 01637 852890 or reception or email info@junglejacks.co.uk You’ll find ample seating, a well-stocked café and free WiFi Raze the Roof soft play, virtual reality & laser tag arena, Penryn. Huge, well-designed indoor play area including a vertical drop slide, four lane astro-slide, bash bags, rollers and rope walks, plus loads for toddlers. Zumbini with Chelsea Tuesdays 9.30am, kids boxing Thursdays 5pm and NEW Phonics Fox fun interactive literary classes for 2 to 4 yrs on Mondays 1pm. There are also crafts sessions, guitar lessons, monthly kids’ discos and more! RazeVR has virtual reality games for all ages, and great for parties.

Wheal Play, Heartlands, Pool. Bright and colourful mining-themed soft play centre with a cheery team. Open Monday to Sunday, call 01209 707308 for times. Child £4.95 adults £1, local’s discount available for TR postcodes.

Their range of fun parties is a stress-free solution to organising a party with no mess for you to clear up. Choose from soft play, bouncy castles, disco & archery. Party enquires 01209 707308 E: whealplay@heartlandscornwall.com Indoor Base Camp, Gwel an Mor, Portreath. Lots of exhilarating soft play: zip lines, ball pools, slides and a toddler play area. Choose from 10 themed Clip’n’Climb climbing walls using ‘Auto-belay’ technology, book on 01209 844164.

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Indoor Play - Parties - Virtual Reality - Laser Tag razetheroof.co.uk

Penryn

Mondays Minnows Tales, NMMC, Falmouth, term time, drop-in 11 to 11.30am, stories, songs, and rhymes for under 5s, free, adults free with annual pass Fridays Storytelling, The Box, Plymouth, every Friday 10.30am, free admission Saturdays Free Arty Afternoons, Penlee House, Penzance, 2.30 to 3.30pm, dancing with finger puppets, create portraits, stormy scenes, air-dough buttons, & small sketch books. ..to 28 Jan Cinderella, Keay Theatre, St Austell, St Blazey Amateur Operatic Society’s annual pantomime www.ticketsource.co.uk / 0333 666 3366 Until 1 Barbara Hepworth: Art & Life exhibition, Tate St Ives, with Hepworth explorer cards & fun art May challenges, free with admission, under 18s free entry, locals’ offer page 6.

25 to 29 Jack and the Beanstalk, Epworth Hall, Helston Theatre Company’s traditional pantomime filled Jan with music, merriment and magic beans. CRBO 01726 63513 28 Jan to New Redruth site celebrations with FREE activities, The Writers’ Block, Clinton Road, Open Day: 6 Feb 28 Jan 10am to 3pm, storytelling, bookmaking & performances. 30 Jan: 11am Little Story Seekers for toddlers & 4pm after school drop-in; 3 Feb 4 to 5.30pm meet writer Anna Wilson, see page 15 29 Jan Kowetha event, Eden Project, email kowetha@live.co.uk for details. (Kowetha is a parent-led organisation for families of colour in Cornwall) 31 Jan Little Penlee Explorers, Penlee House, Penzance, free session for ages 2 ½+, enjoy stories, rhymes & making inspired by amazing artwork, drop-in 1 to 2.30pm. Also on 28 Feb and 21 Mar 4 to 26 Little Gardener’s trail, NT Cotehele, the gardeners need your help sowing seeds, smelling herbs, Feb watching birds & finding nature treasures, free with entry, 01579 351346 press 0, mention BBP 5 to 8 Feb Room on the Broom, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Tall Stories’ adaptation of Julia Donaldson & Axel Scheffler’s book (8 Feb 11am Relaxed) 01752 267222 5 to 28 February feelgood trail, NT Trengwainton, 5 ways to wellbeing - Connect, Be active, Learn, Give, 6 - 12 April 2023 Feb and Take Notice in a garden bursting back to life, free with entry, 01736 363148 mention BBP 6 & 20 Baby & Parent free sessions, Penlee House, Penzance, explore amazing artworks & enjoy sensory Feb play, and on 6 & 20 Mar, book on penleehouse.org.uk or 01736 363625 8 to 10 The Snow Beast, Theatre Royal Plymouth, storytelling, music, puppets & interactive science Feb experiments 01752 267222 10 & 11 Hey Duggee! Live Theatre Show, Theatre Royal Plymouth, interactive production with CBeebies’ Feb Duggee, music & puppets 01752 267222 11 to 18 You’re my Lobster! National Lobster Hatchery, Padstow, included with entry and annual passes.

Feb 01841 533877 11 & 14 Family Fun: Everyone Can Draw workshops, The Box, Plymouth, free admission, inspired by to 18 Feb Making a Mark: Dazzling Drawings & Hannah Quinlan & Rosie Hastings: Portraits exhibitions; www.theboxplymouth.com at Chyan 11 to 19 Love Heligan: Sweet Dreams and Hibernation, ‘Who sleeps in a bed like this?’ trail, crafts and TR10 9BT Feb games, Counting Sheep tent, under 5s free, Heligan Local’s Pass - pay once get in free for a year Museum Trail & Chromatography Creatures workshops, NMMC, Falmouth, 12.30 to 3.30pm, arty science experiments with colour & water, 13 to 17 Feb: Science of the Sea shows, see below; all FREE with entry - pay once and get in free for a year Day pass 10.30-3.30pm Free half-term admission for under 17s & Doodletastic adventures with Tom Gates, Eden Free for benefits/low incomes Project, details www.edenproject.com/kids-go-free, epic art activities & wonderful workshops Book: www.ticketsource.co.uk/ Animation Helston Festival, The Museum of Cornish Life, with Mor Media & Falmouth University. swamp-circus Games cabs, young animators competition, automata exhibition, free bookable family workshops (make storyboards, clay models & shadow lanterns), FREE Pop-Up cinemas around Helston, book on museumofcornishlife.co.uk 9 April 2023 Signs of Spring Nature Trail, NT Glendurgan, nature quiz, spotter sheet, apple shed activities & Chyan Wellbeing Fair plant sunflower seeds, free with entry, 01326 252020 mention BBP 12 noon to 6pm 11 to 26 Half-term Art Explorers, Tate St Ives, daily (not 20 Feb) 10am to 4pm, new Art Explorer cards & Feb backpacks; Tate Shapes activities & creative sketchbooks, locals’ offer page 6 Details: see web-sites below 11 Feb to Tree Hugging Trail Game, Trebah Garden, Mawnan Smith, tree-mendous trees game see page 7, 31 Mar free entry for under 5s Montgomery Bonbon: Museum Mystery Trail, Royal Cornwall Museum, Truro, test your detective skills, solve puzzles and have fun with Walker Books & Kids in Museums. Adult annual pass £7.50, under 18s free entry 13 Feb Mini PK Tours, PK Porthcurno, 12 noon to 2pm, with the Learning Facilitator, find out how telegraphy impacted our environment, free with entry, 01736 810966 13 to 16 Fantastic Worlds: Worldbuilding, novelEnglish, revel in exciting fantasy worlds then conjure your Feb magical kingdom with maps, legends, history & magic. 4-night residential course, Ruan Minor, age Tickets: 8 to 12 (non-residential options too), email enquiries@novelenglish.co.uk www.novelenglish.co.uk office@swampcircus.co.uk 13 to 17 Science of the Sea shows, NMMC, Falmouth, with Bristol Explorer Dome, expect audience 01326 377008 07775 857677 Feb interaction, freezing fog, fire and BANGS! 11 to 19 Feb: Museum Trail, Chromatography Creatures workshops, details in What’s On article, all FREE with entry - pay once and get in free for a year www.circokernow.co.uk 13 to 18 Pinocchio, Roche Victory Hall, 7.30pm, Roche Pantomime Players, www.crbo.co.uk 01726 63513

CIRCUS CAMP BIG FUN

www.chyan.org

HAVE A REALLY WILD TIME

Brilliant for kids’ Look who’s over there? parties, play groups, schools, fun days!

Tel: 07761 810900 www.marks-ark.co.uk

Hands-on half-term activities at Bodmin Keep & free museum entry on 14 Feb, 10am to 4pm, craft sessions, artefact handling, navigation & communication skills, all free with entry (annual pass £7 adult, £3 child, under 5s free), details & book on www.bodminkeep.org.uk 14 to 18 Red Riding Hood, St Austell Arts Theatre, 7.30pm, Trewoon Pantomime, Feb www.crbo.co.uk 01726 63513 15 to 18 Sleeping Beauty, Hayle Academy, Hayle, 7.30pm, traditional pantomime www.ticketsource.co.uk Feb 07487 542654 Matilda JR, Wadebridge School, 7.30pm, Avalon Youth Theatre www.crbo.co.uk 01726 63513 16 Feb Free half-term art workshop, Penlee House, Penzance, drop-in 1.30 to 3.30pm 16 to 18 Aladdin, Probus Village Hall, 7.30pm, Probus Parish Players www.crbo.co.uk 01726 63513 17 Feb Forbidden Artefacts & Piratical Weapons of the Seven Seas workshops, The Poly, Falmouth, 11am: ‘Captain Killigrew’ demonstrates piratical weapons. 2 & 3.30pm: Forbidden Artefacts with award-winning, real-life explorer Charlotte Austwick, details page 12 19 to 25 Jack and The Beanstalk, Fraddon Village Hall, St Columb, 2.15pm, St Enoder Pantomime Feb www.crbo.co.uk 01726 63513 23 to 26 Aladdin, Perranporth Memorial Hall, 7pm, PIPS, www.crbo.co.uk 01726 63513 24 Feb Let Me Entertain You, Regal Theatre, Redruth, Robbie Williams tribute JK, huge stage sets, talented musicians, & state of the art video, for age 8+, 01209 216278 25 Feb Fireman Sam Live! Hall for Cornwall, Truro, 12 noon & 3.30pm, singing, dancing, action-packed show. 01872 262466 Vinland, Shire House Suite, Bodmin, 4pm, lyrical storytelling, animation & live music, about the Vikings’ journey to North America, age 8+. intobodmin.co.uk 01208 811185 ‘Communicating with light’ workshop, Planet PK Champions, PK Porthcurno, free monthly club, 10.30am to 12 noon, explore light sensors using solar cells & build circuits, age 7+, 01736 810966 25 & 26 The Vikings, Soapbox Children’s Theatre, Plymouth, 1.30 and 3.30pm, fantastical storytelling of Feb, 3, 4 & Valhalla, Valkyries, & Vikings in the West Country, for 5yrs+ 07449 724261 5 Mar 26 Feb Hair Care Day, Kowetha event, learn tricks and tips for caring for black and mixed heritage hair with professionals, details - email kowetha@live.co.uk 28 Feb Little Penlee Explorers, Penlee House, Penzance, free session for ages 2 ½+, see 31 Jan & 21 Mar Toddle Tate, Tate St Ives, monthly multi-sensory sessions for under 5s, free for children, adults £1 admission or free with Locals’ Pass see page 6. Also on 21 March 6 & 20 Baby & Parent free sessions, Penlee House, Penzance, explore amazing artworks & enjoy sensory Mar play, book on penleehouse.org.uk or 01736 363625 9 & 11 Bash Street Theatre’s The Battling Butlers, the tale of a real father-and-son double act, with Mar fabulous physical theatre, circus skills, original songs & live music, age 7+. 9 Mar 7.30pm: Acorn, Penzance, www.theacornpenzance.com. 11 Mar 7pm: Nancegollan Village Hall, www.ticketsource.co.uk 12 Mar Super Sunday Family Festival, Tate St Ives, 11am to 3pm, gallery takeover time for families, hands-on art, Barbara Hepworth: Art & Life exhibition, Locals’ offer page 6 18 Mar Kowetha event, PK Porthcurno, guided museum tour & tailored workshop for families of colour, details - email kowetha@live.co.uk Ocean depths workshop, Planet PK Champions, PK Porthcurno, free monthly club, 10.30am to 12 noon, ocean-bed facts & make deep sea prints, age 7+, 01736 810966 21 Mar Little Penlee Explorers, Penlee House, Penzance, free session for ages 2 ½+, see 31 Jan 25 Mar to The Magic Box, Soapbox Children’s Theatre, Plymouth, immersive theatre experience for little 22 Apr ones. 07449 724261 31 Mar & Bash Street Theatre’s The Battling Butlers, the tale of real father-and-son double act with 1 Apr fabulous blend of physical theatre, circus skills, original songs & live music, 7.30pm, age 7+.

31 Mar: St Austell Arts Centre, www.crbo.co.uk 1 Apr: Maker with Rame Community Hall www.ticketsource.co.uk From 31 PIRATES! major exhibition & new Skull Island Play Zone, NMMC, Falmouth 1 to 16 Percy Pengelly and the Wibble-wobble, Percy’s Big Top, Tremenheere Sculpture Garden, Apr Marazion, Cousin Jack’s BRAND-NEW, high-energy theatre show, 2 & 6pm, see page 10, book on www.minack.com 01736 810181 4 Apr Pop Princesses, Hall for Cornwall, Truro, musical spectacular, 6pm 01872 262466 6 to 12 Swamp Circus Camp! Chyan Cultural Centre, near Penryn, weekend camping or day passes 10.30 Apr to 3.30pm,full range of circus skills, for beginners & circus fanatics. age 8yrs+, Free for benefits/low incomes, book www.ticketsource.co.uk/swamp-circus 07775857677 9 to 11 Dinosaur World Live, Theatre Royal Plymouth, a roarsome interactive show for age 3+, special Apr ‘meet & greet’ dinosaurs after the show. 01752 267222 15 & 16 The Tiger Who Came to Tea, Regal Theatre, Redruth, Olivier Award-nominated, smash hit, Apr delightful family show with sing-a-long songs, for age 3+. 01209 216278 25 Apr Dreamcoat Stars, Regal Theatre, Redruth, West End & Broadway classics with stars from Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, 01209 216278 14 to 16 Feb

FREE drop-in

family art & craft activities in the Gallery every Saturday 2.30-3.30pm

Half-term workshop Thursday 16 February 1.30-3.30pm

Little Penlee Explorers creative sessions for pre-school children Tuesday 31 January Tuesday 28 February Tuesday 21 March www.penleehouse.org.uk

and social media

Theatre Shows and Pantomimes in February and early Spring

Percy’s Big Top, Tremenheere Sculpture Garden, Marazion https://www.minack.com/whats-on/percy-Wibble 01736 810181 1 to 16 Apr at 2 & 6pm & relaxed performances weekends at 11.30am: Percy Pengelly and the Wibble-wobble. Roll up! Roll up!

Roll up… ladies and gentlemen it’s time to join the fantastical Percy Pengelly in his more than marvellous Cornish big top for Cousin Jack’s BRAND-NEW, high-energy theatre show! Wibble wobble with Percy as he searches for a new job - from world famous tightrope walker…super dooper pooper scooper…to the giddy heights of rooftops.

The show is based on the wonderful book by Cornish author Jenny Steele Scolding, illustrated by Andy McPherson (pictures above). It will feature many of the Cousin Jack’s team from their much-loved stage adaptation of The Mousehole Cat, including director, Guy Watson. Guy promises: ‘Family theatre shows should be high quality performances that can be enjoyed by absolutely everyone; you are never too old to lose yourself in new and imaginative worlds.’

You can pre-book delicious food from the Tremenheere Kitchen for before or after the show. Garden entry is discounted with your Percy ticket. Parking is free.

Theatre Royal Plymouth, 01752 267222 www.theatreroyal.com 5 to 8 Feb (+Relaxed BSL & AD 8 Feb at 11am): Jump on board the broom with the witch and her cat in Tall Stories’ fun adaptation of Room on the Broom, by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.

8 to 10 Feb: The Snow Beast, Scratchworks and award-winning writer Jack Dean’s captivating collision of storytelling, music, puppetry and interactive science experiments; inspiring budding scientists of all ages. 6+ 10 to 11 Feb: Hey Duggee! The Live Theatre Show - join CBeebies’ Duggee and the Squirrels for a vibrant interactive production with music & puppets.

9 to 11 Apr: Dinosaur World Live, a roarsome interactive show for age 3+. Join an intrepid explorer across uncharted territories to discover a pre-historic world of astonishing (and remarkably life-like) dinosaurs including flesh-eating giant, the Tyrannosaurus Rex! There is a special ‘meet & greet’ dinosaurs after the show.

Hall for Cornwall, Truro. hallforcornwall.co.uk 01872 262466 25 Feb 12 noon & 3.30pm: Fireman Sam Live! Can Fireman Sam come to the rescue and save the circus? All singing, dancing, action-packed show.

04 Apr 6pm: Pop Princesses. A musical spectacular starring four fabulous fairy tale princesses who just love to sing! Featuring top pop hits & hit songs from films & musicals.

Soapbox Children’s Theatre, Devonport Park, Plymouth stiltskin.org.uk 07449 724261 25 & 26 Feb, 3, 4 & 5 Mar 1.30 and 3.30pm: The Vikings. Storytellers Turf and Clod weave the tales of Valhalla and Valkyries, Vikings invading Plymouth in 997 and battles fought over Lydford’s Royal Mint; fantastical storytelling for 5yrs+ 25 Mar to 22 Apr: The Magic Box - an immersive theatre experience for little ones.

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Shire House Suite, Bodmin https://intobodmin.co.uk/ 01208 811185 Sat 25 Feb 4pm: Vinland – with lyrical storytelling, animation & live music, Jack Dean & Company retell the incredible true(ish) tale of the Vikings’ last journey to North America, based on Viking sagas of Erik the Red. For ages 8+.

Regal Theatre, Redruth. 01209 216278 All tickets at www.regaltheatre-redruth.co.uk 24 Feb Let Me Entertain You. This show celebrates the music of mega pop star Robbie Williams with huge stage sets, a host of talented musicians and state of the art video. JK is a world-famous tribute to Robbie Williams, touring 22 countries to over 3 million people. Suitable for 8+ 15 & 16 Apr: The Tiger Who Came To Tea. Direct from the West End, the Olivier Award-nominated, smash hit, delightful family show.

Don’t miss this stunning stage adaptation of Judith Kerr’s classic tale of teatime mayhem...the tea-guzzling tiger, oodles of magic, sing-a-long songs and clumsy chaos! for age 3+.

25 Apr: Dreamcoat Stars, featuring stars from the hit production Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, in a musical evening of West End and Broadway classics - Joseph, Jesus Christ Superstar, SIX, Wicked, Phantom of the Opera, Mamma Mia, Les Misérables, Moulin Rouge and more. Sing along and relive all your favourite musicals in one epic show.

Bash Street Theatre on tour with The Battling Butlers https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/ (except Acorn and St Austell Arts) A fabulous blend of physical theatre, circus skills, original songs and live music. Juggling babies, toddlers on stilts and teaching your kid to ride a unicycle… everyday life for showman, Joe Butler! This family love story relishes the ever-changing relationship of a real father-and-son double act. For age 7+ 9 Mar 7.30pm: Acorn, Penzance, https://www.theacornpenzance.com/ 11 Mar 7pm: Nancegollan Village Hall 31 Mar 7.30pm: St Austell Arts Centre (crbo) 1 Apr 7.30pm: Maker with Rame Comm. Hall 22 Apr 7.30pm: Praa Sands Community Centre 28 Apr 7.30pm: CaVE, Callington Town Hall

Pantomimes www.crbo.co.uk

or 01726 63513, except Keay Theatre & Hayle Academy

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Epworth Hall, Helston, 25 to 29 Jan: Jack and the Beanstalk, Helston Theatre Company’s traditional pantomime filled with music, merriment and magic beans. Laugh with the Dame, boo at the Baddie, and cheer as Jack finds his true love.

Keay Theatre, St Austell, www.ticketsource.co.uk / 0333 666 3366 until 28 Jan: Cinderella, St Blazey Amateur Operatic Society’s panto

Could you be a Volunteer Advocate?

Are you an approachable, confident, encouraging communicator?

Would you listen to children and make sure their voices are heard?

Could you empower young people experiencing the care system or involved in child protection proceedings so their rights are respected?

If you have time during school hours, we’d love to hear from you on 07517 830 730 or email allison.piggott@barnardos.org.uk Registered Charity Nos. 216250 and SC037605

INCREDIBLE things happen when we believe in children

Roche Victory Hall, 13 to 18 Feb 7.30pm: Roche Pantomime Players’ Pinocchio.

St Austell Arts Theatre, 14 to 18 Feb 7.30pm: Trewoon Pantomime’s Red Riding Hood Hayle Academy, Hayle, www.ticketsource.co.uk 07487 542654 15 to 18 Feb 7.30pm: The Sleeping Beauty.

Wadebridge School, 15 to 18 Feb 7.30pm: Avalon Youth Theatre’s Matilda JR Probus Village Hall, 16 to 18 Feb 7.30pm: Probus Parish Players’ Aladdin Fraddon Village Hall, St Columb, 19 to 25 Feb 2.15pm: St Enoder Pantomime’s Jack and The Beanstalk.

Perranporth Memorial Hall, 23 to 26 Feb 7pm: Aladdin (PIPS) ‘New lamps for old’…What could possibly go wrong?!

Forbidden Artefacts & Piratical Weapons at The Poly, Falmouth on Friday 17 Feb! Introduce your daughter to a magical world of learning Truro High Pre-Prep is a place of awe and wonder where our littlest learners build a lifelong love of learning and a thirst for enquiry.

At Truro High, our girls’ only environment ensures your daughter will experience unparalleled opportunities with the support and nurture she needs to grow in confidence and thrive.

Our broad holistic curriculum is bursting with rich and inspiring lessons with girls using role-playing and hands-on play to develop oracy skills and become leaders in their learning.

11am: Piratical Weapons of the Seven Seas Being a pirate can be a dangerous job, sea monsters, the navy… other pirates! All pose a threat to honest pirates, and they need to defend themselves…

Join Captain Killigrew as he shows off and demonstrates some of the most piratical weapons there have ever been and shares tales of his adventures using them on the Seven Seas. From the far-flung Arctic to the Gulf of Mexico! Melons will be smashed, and pineapples diced in this fun-filled piratical adventure.

After the show take a closer look at weapons and pose for pictures.

Suitable for ages 4+ £6 https://thepoly.org/whats-on/event/2159/piratical-weapons-of-the-7-seas

Girls discover new passions, trying everything from languages and music to outdoor learning, relaxercise yoga classes, science, swimming and dance.

To discover the difference for your daughter, call us on 01872 242902 or visit our website www.trurohigh.co.uk

2 & 3.30pm: Forbidden Artefacts Touch, draw and get lost in your imagination as you get up close and personal with usually forbidden objects!

Join award-winning, real-life explorer and anthropologist Charlotte Austwick as she shares some of her favourite artefacts (original and replica) from across the globe and from her expeditions in Egypt and Central America.

Workshop at 2 to 3pm is for 5 to 7-year-olds, and 3.30 to 4.30pm for 8 to 12-year-olds. £5 + £1 Poly Fund (per child) from: https://thepoly.org/whats-on/workshops www.museumonwheels.co.uk www.charlotteaustwick. co.uk

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12 Children must bring an adult. Book online: THEPOLY.ORG The Poly, 24 Church Street, Falmouth. 01326 319461

Eat well, live happy

Keen to improve the wellness of your family? There really isn’t a better place to start than in the kitchen. We’re here to make a healthy, balanced diet straightforward and stress-free.

NOURYSH is a start-up born out of Falmouth University aiming to bring meal kit convenience to busy working families at supermarket prices. Cooking is one of the most accessible and fun family activities out there, AND it passes on essential life skills! Fed up with tiny plastic sachets filling up your bins? We are sick of the mass industrialisation of the food industry and our mission is to make cooking from scratch simple.

How?

We’re building a portal for meal planning, free cooking activities, and educational resources designed for parents to have quality time at home with the kids.

If you’re lucky, you might even end up with a teenager who cooks dinner for you!* *Disclaimer: no guarantees.

Scan the QR code to visit www.nourysh.co.uk and sign up to a free newsletter stuffed with goodies

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Our reporter - Andrew Tobin

Hi! I’m Andrew, an Advanced Paramedic working with Kernow Health. If you need support, you may find me in the ARI clinic. My favourite place to chill - Mount Hawke Skatepark!!

Should we be concerned about Strep-A? You may have noticed over the recent winter our beloved media has stirred up quite the fuss about Strep-A. So… should we be concerned?

Well, Public Health England (PHE) data shows that the highest number of reported cases of Strep-A were in 2018; however, this season has seen an increase in cases reported to PHE by medical practitioners. PHE responded: ‘Medical practitioners have been alerted to this early increase in incidence and elevated Group-A Streptococcus infection in children. Given the potential for severe presentations, scarlet fever cases should be treated promptly with antibiotics to limit further spread.’

– PHE (2023)

Are worried that your child might have Strep-A? Signs & symptoms 1. The first signs of scarlet fever can be flu-like symptoms - a high temperature, a sore throat and swollen neck glands (a large lump on the side of your neck).

2. A rash appears 12 to 48 hours later, starting on the chest and tummy, then spreading. The small, raised bumps are rough, like sandpaper.

3. On white skin the rash looks pink or red. On brown or black skin it might be harder to see, but you can feel the rash and see the raised bumps.

4. A white coating appears on the tongue. This peels, leaving the tongue red, swollen and covered in little bumps.

Photo credit - Don’t Forget the Bubbles

Kernow Health: Scarlet Fever (Strep-A)

5. The rash doesn’t appear on the face, but the cheeks can look red. The redness may be harder to see on brown or black skin.

What we’re doing to help 111 and the urgent care service in Truro have been commissioned to support our community and General Practice colleagues in managing increased cases of viral illness and Strep-A concerns.

There is a new Acute Respiratory Illness clinic (ARI) to help at Cudmore House, Oak Lane, Treliske, Truro.

You can access clinics either via your GP or by calling 111.

Useful links: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/scarlet-fever/ https://www.what0-18.nhs.uk https://111.nhs.uk

6. The symptoms are the same, but scarlet fever is less common in adults.

Concerned that you or your child may be showing any of the above signs or symptoms?

Be reassured, 111 or your GP will be able to recognise and treat accordingly.

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Photo credit Steve Tanner

Blackbird Reads Explorers by Deborah Wright

The Search for the Giant Arctic Jellyfish written and illustrated by Chloe Savage published by Walker Dr Morley is obsessed with jellyfish, and she’s determined to find the elusive giant Arctic jellyfish. She and her crew search desperately round the Arctic and seem tantalizingly close. Wonderful illustrations, mainly in red and blue, capture life on board and in the deep – where a shadowy form can just be seen, if you look hard enough. For 3+ Darwin’s Super-Pooping Worm Spectacular

by Polly Owen, illustrated by Gwen Millward published by Wide Eyed Charles Darwin explored the world looking for exotic animals, but close to home he discovered the miraculous earthworm and studied it in great detail for 40 years. He called worms ‘nature’s plough’ and recognized their vital importance to the world – especially their poo! Science comes alive through the illustrations in this entertaining and informative book. For 5+ A Treasury of Mayan Tales edited by Charlotte Austwick published by Voices of the Maya This book is the result of a research project by a young Cornish anthropologist studying the jungles of central America (see page 12). The children of the Mayan village of Aquacate told these stories – which are written in English, Q’eqchi and Mopan Maya, and illustrated by them. A unique and exciting glimpse into an untouched but fragile world. For 6+

Come and celebrate The Writers’ Block opening in Redruth!

Cornwall’s creative writing centre has a new home in The Ladder, Clinton Road, Redruth (formerly Redruth Library). The team has created an amazing, funky, immersive space to tickle the curiosity of children and adults, and is inviting EVERYONE to join in a celebratory week of FREE activities.

Open Day is on 28 January, 10am to 3pm, for storytelling, bookmaking and performances. 30 January: Little Story Seekers for toddlers at 11am and after-school drop-in from 4pm.

3 February, meet children’s writer Anna Wilson, 4 to 5.30pm.

Look out for details of the full Spring programme and how to book on www.thewritersblock.org.uk/events

Deadly Jungle

by Emily Hawkins, illustrated by R. Fresson published by Wide Eyed A Spin-to-Survive book, this is a game in a book, where the pop up fortune spinner decides where the jungle survival adventure will take you. Multiple outcomes give hours of fun – and lots of facts too. Hergé’s illustrations for Tintin inspired the illustrations. For 7+

The Explorer

by Katherine Rundell published by Bloomsbury Four children are stranded with Fred, an explorer, in the Amazon jungle after a plane crash, and somehow they need to find their way home. Wonderful descriptions of the rainforest, and an exciting action-packed story which won the Costa Children’s Award. For 9+

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Photo credit Steve Tanner

Alastair Humphreys’ Great Adventurers illustrated by Kevin Ward published by Big Picture Press The heroic stories of 20 explorers each with a double-page spread featuring maps, recipes, kit lists, diary entries and comic strips. Exciting and inspiring, we can all be explorers, even if we only have a bicycle to travel with. For 7+