Blackbird Pie Christmas 2020

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We have added some pages of Lockdown ideas: Please click 'Read on' (Image from - The Mousehole Cat by Antonia Barber, adapted by Alan M Kent)

Covid-19 Lockdown January 2021 Resources available to families: Bored in lockdown?

features exclusive footage from Funky Llama artists, a virtual DJ Disco room, cocktail and mocktail making masterclasses, a glitter bar, crafts and a photo booth area. Until 31 January you can party on and all for FREE! Link

Cornwall Wildlife Trust have lots of lovely ideas for looking after yourself and nature during the latest national lockdown CWT

Theatre Royal Plymouth’s Funky Llama Club Night at Home is really joyful interactive website experience. This funky, futuristic event is not specifically for children but is billed ‘for all ages’ and will blow away those January blues! Club Night

across the curriculum link.

Watch some of Newquay Zoo’s charming animals eat, sleep and play. Click here

Over the last three years we have reviewed two brilliant Kids Cornwall Yoga magical yoga story parties. You can join in wonderful story sessions for younger children and sessions for ages 8+ on link Make your own mini-Grayson Perry creations! Perry’s series of six brightly coloured tapestries 'The Vanity of Small Differences' explores his fascination with taste and class. When The Exchange in Penzance reopens you can go and see them, but in the meantime enjoy making fabulous paper sculptures; just download from Newlyn Art Gallery then print onto white paper or card and build key figures from each tapestry. Print off the complete tapestries to use as a backdrop, see link.

Newquay Zoo have developed some really good educational resources to download and inspire and educate children at home. Wild at Home covers activities for any age, for key stage one, lower & upper KS2 and for KS2 & 3 and cover subjects

Cornwall Libraries always have something to read or listen to for FREE from a massive library of eBooks and eAudiobooks with BorrowBox. Try my all-time favourite The House at Pooh Corner read

by Bernard Cribbens or maybe the children's classic

Charlotte's Web, read by E.B. White himself.

More information on BorrowBox

arts and craft ideas to enjoy as a family link.

Science Museum Online science games link

Create Eden wherever you are with the Eden Project’s free resources and ideas for everyone at home link.

Creative ways to play outside this winter

Tate Kids – a great selection of Arty games and makes on link ________________________________________ As you battle through home schooling, in true wartime spirit Bodmin Keep will help you get to brighter times! 'Keep Kids’ is a free learning resource of 8 issues around topics like Dunkirk, Rationing, The Battle of Britain and The Blitz and stuffed with interesting facts, activities and links to historic link.

Cornwall’s amazing Little Story Seekers is a weekly story, song, movement & craft session for very young children and their grown-ups, created

by The Writers' Block link.

Book Trust have lots of lovely FREE interactive books to read along with a narrator online or watch with signing. There are classic stories including Hairy Maclary from Donaldson's Dairy by Lynley Dodd. You can also watch the storytime playlist on YouTube read by Ore Oduba, Adam Buxton, Fearne Cotton and many more. Plus, free, fun kids' games to enjoy online link

Too cold to go out or a bit bored of the same walks?

Some of these ideas could make things more energetic and entertaining. Covid restrictions probably mean that stopping and doing things like making beach art is a no, but hopefully scavenging for sticks & stones and playing hide & seek should be okay. Some ideas might need to be done in your garden, if you have one.

Audible has loads of free children’s and teens’ audio stories to download from link

Go on a sensory walk. What can you see, hear, smell, or feel? Does all bark feel rough? What is really green and what is greenish brown or greenish grey? Do all birds sound the same?

Yesterday we found where we think wild pigs have rootled – can you find signs of animals? Newquay Zoo signs

BBC Bitesize has lots of educational activities and games for children aged 3-11 link. There are also

Have a nature scavenger hunt. Look for pinecones, acorns, and other common outdoor items. Who found the most pieces? Take some home and make

a mandala or a Barbara Hepworth-inspired sculpture .

Playing with hoops can be SO varied and lots of them are great for keeping warm and having fun outdoors. If you don’t have a hoop, then be imaginative and make an alternative e.g. reshaped wire coat hangers (you might need adult assistance), old plastic piping, twisted grasses and long thin twigs. link

Make mud pies and stick creatures in your garden.

Rubber gloves on top of woolly gloves will keep hands a bit warmer and are easy to wash. Who can make the fanciest creation?

Sing as loudly then as quietly as you can (not near other people).

Play Follow the Leader with toddlers link Draw a hopscotch board with chalk.

How far you can walk in 5, 10, 15 mins? How far can you hop?

Make and fly your own kites Instructables Kite Set up a canvas and let your little ones paint. (less mess to clean up outside but would need to be in your own garden).

Dark outside? Play hide and seek with flashlights (little ones will need an adult partner). Alternatively make your own light show – uplight your face, highlight branches from below, use your beams for ‘laser’ swords, make silhouette stories. The Spruce light games

Build paper airplanes. Who can make theirs fly the farthest?

Collect seaweed and press it to make cards, bookmarks and pictures

Make homemade bird feeders out of pinecones, peanut butter, and seeds to hang in your garden or leave in the park. C Beebies Bird-feeder and Instructables Bird-Feeder

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Editors' letter BlackbirdPie contents and information

:

Contents: (click 'Contents' (top left) for the drop-down menu):

See next page for school places information

Special Offers: The Museum of Global Communications, PK Porthcurno reopens with FREE entry FREE ticket to visit The Box

Get your £5 Annual Locals' Pass!! £5 gets you unlimited year-round entry to both Tate St Ives and the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden.

Merry Christmas Despite everything there are festive things to see and do this year, from glittering gardens lit with myriad lights to light-hearted theatre shows.

Everyone has gone to great lengths to make things as Covid-safe as possible.

We have searched out quite a lot of free activities and events too including sparkling yuletide markets with entertainers, free entry at PK Porthcurno and The Box Plymouth, stories, videos and art activities to download, interesting winter walks and historic sites to explore.

As well as the new online format we will be doing more on facebook and Instagram, so please seek us out for regular activities, ideas and updates in between issues.

Vanessa, Simon and the Blackbird 01326 314242

post@blackbirdpie.co.uk

Quick guide to finding your way around the magazine

To view previous issues of BlackbirdPie click on the cover

Disclaimer, Privacy etc.

Were you prompted to visit this issue of BlackbirdPie by: School newsletter Email Social media Word of mouth Your amazing sense of timing?

See results

School places:

At St. Mary’s we are proud to serve our school community and strive for every child to achieve their full potential from Nursery to Year 6.

St.Mary’s is a school where we truly live out our Mission Statement: ‘Growing together in Knowledge, Faith and Love.’

All faiths are welcome to apply. If you would like any information, then please call the school office on 01736 330005.

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Christmas at Eden

Join us for our all new festive experience for 2020.

During the day, enjoy seasonal walks and trails through our Outdoor Gardens, take a whirl on the ice-rink*, and warm up with a hot chocolate or festive treat. * Additional tickets required for ice-skating (pre-book online).

As darkness falls, the Biomes shine out with a festive welcome. Follow a route around the Rainforest Biome, where the tropical landscape is transformed into a magical world of shadows and light. Cross over to the Mediterranean Biome, where thousands of dancing, twinkling lights create a beautiful backdrop to a joyful celebration of Christmas music**, performed live by musicians positioned amongst the gardens and exhibits. ** Selected dates, full timetable on the website.

Please note that all visitors to Eden now have to pre-book a timed entry slot online at edenproject.com. See online to find out about other ways we’ll be keeping you and your family safe this Christmas.

For a lightning tour of Eden or ice-skating tips see the next page

>>>

Eden in under a minute

Ice-skating tips from ice steward Emilie

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Newquay Zoo Christmas Cheer...

The most wonderful time of the year…

The festive season is on its way and Newquay Zoo is a fantastic place to pay a visit to this winter.

Just a short walk from Newquay town centre, the zoo is home to many amazing animals – lemurs, lions, tapirs, zebras, pelicans, penguins, marmosets and more - many of which can be more active during the cooler months.

So grab your coats, boots and woolly hats for some treasured time with loved ones this December.

Meerkats

Christmas cheer…

Visayan warty pig In December, there will also be a free festive-themed trail for young adventurers to enjoy during their zoo adventure, sponsored by PLAYinCHOC. Further details can be found on the zoo’s website later this Autumn.

Philippine spotted deer Guests should also keep their eyes peeled to see if any of the animal residents receive some early merry enrichment gifts when they are visiting.

Animal adoption pack gift idea…

Do you have a wildlife lover in your life? Are you looking for a unique gift this Christmas? The zoo offers a range of animal adoption packs, where you can adopt an animal for a friend or family member from as little as just £35 for 12 months.

There are ten different animal species to choose from too! Order online in plenty of time to receive the pack before the big day. /adopt-an-animal

Hoffman's sloth

Red panda

Carpathian lynx

See next page for videos >>>

Coronavirus information…

Click here for a video link

Baby Red Panda

Newquay Zoo has worked hard to ensure that it is a safe place to visit.

Please note that some parts of the zoo may be closed for guest safety.

Guests are advised to visit the website before they visit to see all of the safety measures in place at the time.

Updates

Currently all guests, including Annual Pass holders, must pre-book an entry day and time slot online in advance of their visit.

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Tate St Ives Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden

Chapter cover photo - Tate St Ives © Kirstin Prisk

Get your £5 Locals' Pass!!

Art challenges and trails

Cornwall resident? Don't forget our £5 Annual Locals' Pass gets you unlimited yearround entry to both Tate St Ives and the Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden.

Explore the magical Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden with our family trail, write a postcard to Barbara and make your own mini sculpture with our hands-on Tate Shapes activity pack.

18s and under get free entry!

New!

Book your tickets

Click here

Locals' pass - click here

All visits need to be booked in advance Tate.org.uk/stives © Rikard Österlund

© Bowness. Image © Rikard Österlund

Art challenges and trails Take part in our new Art Challenges at Tate St Ives.

Pick up a Challenge Postcard and get creative with your family.

Find the windows set within the gallery, seek out Patrick Heron's huge stained-glass window and delight in windows within the paintings on display.

Feeling inspired? Draw your favourite views...

© Kirstin Prisk

Sir Terry Frost was an artist who worked in Cornwall.

He is best known for his abstract paintings. Abstract art is created by using colours, shapes and textures.

We think that his shapes and colours would look great on wrapping paper!

Take a look at some of Frost's artworks ... which colours are your favourite? Want to design your

© Rikard Österlund Windows create natural frames for what we see.

There are various windows at Tate St Ives that frame the outside view like moving pictures.

Make your own wrapping paper...

Get creative at home and make your own wrapping paper just in time for Christmas... inspired by the art of one of St Ives most famous artists.

own pattern?

wrapping-paper

�� More arty projects online For visiting read on

>>>

Tate Kids

Café and Shop

Plan and book your visit: Tate.org.uk/visit/tate-st-ives

© Rikard Österlund

© Rikard Österlund

Café Take time out for a little refreshment in our café and enjoy the spectacular views. They’re the best in St Ives!! The gallery rooftop café looks out over Porthmeor Beach and the Atlantic Ocean. We offer younger visitors an activity sheet with crayons, and highchairs are available on request.

Shop Artists and the local landscape are the focus of the shop at Tate St Ives, with its wide range of books, gifts, postcards and greeting cards. We also stock jewellery, our own collectable Tate St Ives mugs, and a wide range of children’s books and gifts.

Baby change facilities and accessible toilets.

New Changing Places facility.

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What's on for families Christmas 2020

To skip to our What's On sections please click on one of the boxes below:

Also visit our special features on:

Theatre

Indoor play

Newquay Zoo

Outdoor Fun

Barbara Hepworth Museum / Tate St Ives

Attractions

During the current Covid-19 pandemic we will try to keep up with changes as they are announced.

The contents of our What's On section may need to change from day to day.

If you are organising an event which we have mentioned in BlackbirdPie and the details have changed please email us with the information so we can update these pages.

We will put any recent news on this page first, as soon as we can.

We suggest that you check with any destination that they are still able to provide the visit they have planned shortly before you go.

Museums

Eden Project

Christmas in Truro

NMMC

See this magical video from the Eden Project - it's really funny!

Christmas in Truro After the first Virtual Christmas Lights Switch-on there is time to enjoy visiting glittering Truro this December.

Look out for the additional Angel Christmas lights in the City Centre thanks to the kind donation from Truro’s Town Crier Lionel Knight.

Trafalgar Roundabout has also been transformed with a spectacular lit-up model of Truro Cathedral.

Late night shopping is on the 9th, 16th and 23rd of December and the main shopping streets will be traffic-free until 9pm giving space to shop, eat and drink.

Look out for some magical street entertainment - on Wednesdays Swamp Circus will be all dressed up as winter festive characters for walkabout performances.

This year the Truro Farmers Market is an open-air market on Lemon Quay from Thursday 3rd December with a variety of charming stalls. There will be a oneway Covid system and plenty of space to browse the stalls to help you find the perfect gift.

Families can book Coppice Theatre who are back in Truro with their enchanting winter storytelling, walkabout show Jack’s Frosty Stories 4: Adventures around the World from 5th December. Get tickets from www.crbo.co.uk and from the Visitor Information Centre on Boscawen St, Truro.

Coppice Theatre

2020 will be different but there is still lots to enjoy in our great little festive city.

Roundabout as they received an Accelerated Fund award from the government’s Towns Fund.

The Coppice Theatre and Swamp Circus performances have been made possible by support from Truro BID, who also install and fund Truro’s Christmas Lights. Truro BID purchased the Cathedral Christmas light on Trafalgar

Note: All activity is subject to government lockdown restrictions being lifted. Please refer to www.visittruro.org.uk for the latest information.

Museums: Penlee House Penlee House Gallery & Museum will be open for visitors as soon as possible, but if you prefer to get creative at home, head on over to their website: (link) where there are plenty of ideas to help you get creative!

(video)

Videos for under-5s (link) include even more ideas for fun on a rainy day, or imagine yourself having tea with Aunt Lilla, from one of the Penlee House paintings.

The Arty Afternoons (videos) are perfect for families to get together to make fabulous 3D scenes, use your imagination to create a railway poster or a rainy day window scene!

Link

For older children and adults, have a look at the Invitations to Create videos, filled with brilliant ideas to help you get acquainted with the Penlee House paintings and get inspired to make your own fabulous creations.

Link

Penlee House would love to see what you’ve been making, share it with them on their social media platforms. The Gallery's Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are full of facts and creative challenges too LINK

National Maritime Museum Cornwall

Shipwreck Treasure Museum

The Box, Plymouth

Discovery Quay, Falmouth

Porthcurno Museum of Global Communications reopens with FREE entry from 28 to 31 Dec (then closed till 13 Feb).

Discover the amazing story of our interconnected world, and how a tranquil valley in Cornwall became host to the past, present and future of worldwide communications. Go underground and explore the topsecret bunker that hid the Porthcurno Telegraph Station in World War II. It is dog friendly too!

19 Dec to 3 Jan: from merry ‘Take and Makes’ to starry trails, Christmas at the Museum takes on the theme of Lanterns and Lights with a magical nautical twist. The halls will be decked in festive lights, sparkly stars and displays of real nautical lamps and navigation aids where sailors used the stars to guide them home. All free with admission. Pay once and get in free for a whole year. Link www.nmmc.co.uk

pkporthcurno.com

Charlestown, Tunnel of Lights is returning in a socially distanced format from 3 Dec to 10 Jan. Along the UK’s longest underground tunnel of festive light five kilometres of cable and over 50,000 lights will transform subterranean passageways into a festive wonderland of magical realms, from Narnia to the North Pole, through a frozen forest to a neon wood. Book in advance via -limited availability. or call 01726 69897. Link

You can book your FREE ticket to visit The Box between 2 to 31 December. If you want to visit Mayflower 400: Legend and Legacy exhibition the first visit is free for under 18s and companions, other adults are £5. www.theboxplymouth.com

Attractions

members - £14.95 entry, Christmas experience + free gift for children.

Paradise Park in Hayle

Bodmin Jail Attraction

plans to reopen on Thursday 3 December. There are amazing new species to see plus all your favourites to visit. The outdoor ‘Paradise Island’ play area will be open; for reopening news for the indoor JungleBarn play centre see Link 5 Dec to 3 Jan: Learn about the wonderful world of Penguins with a fun Christmas quiz.

It costs over £46,000 a month for animal care at the Park including food and vet bills, staff wages, habitat enrichment, water and electricity.

Want to help? Enough enriched bamboo panda cake for Suri, this red panda costs, over £6 a day.

Donations

Studiocanal (the producers of the Harry Potter and Paddington films) filmed in the Gunnera, around the ponds and in the tree fern dell. You can recognise it even in this short teaser trailer,

Visit in December for a Dickensian Christmas with the Ghosts of Christmas Past and a little Christmas twist to the Dark Walk, Heritage Tours and Paranormal After Dark Experiences. Book now for December

Camel Creek

Link

Outdoor fun Trebah Garden are taking bookings online for All Wrapped Up! Christmas. Adult members – free entry, child members £7 Christmas experience + gift; non-

Explore in the footsteps of filmmakers!

Trebah Garden starred in the very recently released film The Secret Garden. Over many days in July 2018,

On filming days there were around 130 technicians and crew members in the garden, with a fleet of 10 articulated trucks – extraordinary to think of now, but you can visit Trebah and imagine you are in the Secret Garden.

Lost Gardens of Heligan

Mount Edgecumbe

Dec to 3 Jan, 8 to 10 Jan. Adults £8.95, age 4 to 15 £6.95, under 3s £1.

Please mention BlackbirdPie.

Winter walks

walking routes

NT

Heritage’s South West Coast Path walking trail, mysterious stone circles and burial chambers of ancient Britons at Chysauster and Carn Euny, Iron Age settlements, Norman castles and wild moorlands

Wonder Nights The Heligan Night Garden: the atmospheric Lost Gardens will be illuminated by hundreds of traditional lanterns and lanterns shaped like wildlife - frogs, foxes, badgers, squirrels, hedgehogs and a joyful burst of snowdrops. Explore at your own pace, take in the smells of fire pits and toast marshmallows and chestnuts.

The route is suitable for wheelchair users and pushchairs. 4 to 23, 27 to 30 Dec, 2 & 3 Jan. Limited pre-booked time slots available on

Link

, and English

EH

at Mount

Edgecumbe, Torpoint presents The World of Make Believe Michael Weedon has spent 5 years making a myriad of fairy folk and intricate homes for a story-based adventure set in Mount Edgecumbe’s grade-one listed formal garden. An explosive entrance of smoke, wind, flashing lights and laser effects leads to 12 magical realms including the Earl’s secret garden, pixie world, fairy kingdom, a dragon’s lair with real flame effects, a firefly grove and elf wonderland. 10 to 13, 17 to 24, 26 Dec to 3 Jan, 8 to 10 Jan. Adults

Dramatic coastal scenes are spectacular in winter as wind and waves crash against the rocks (be careful). Along the coastal paths views are revealed now the trees have shed their leaves. If children get tired, imagine you are travallers in the past or on a magical quest searching for natural treasures, and play games along the way. Wrap up warm and enjoy for free the National Trust’s

Picture - by Ruth Williams CWT Cornwall Wildlife Trust own / manage over 57 nature reserves across Cornwall which are free for you to explore. There are many wonderful rambles from the amazing wetlands

of Windmill Farm to the varied natural splendour of Helman Tor. Check out ideas for appreciating natural winter wonders on

CWT

Indoor Play Heartlands, Pool (pictured below)The Red River Cafe is open during lockdown for takeaway, and the outdoor children's adventure playpark, gardens and green space remain open. Wheal Play soft play centre should be reopening after lockdown.

Link

Jungle Jack's

Raze the Roof

Newquay, plan to reopen post

Family Play and Party World, Penryn.

Very spacious indoor play area with soft play, laser tag and other activities, all perfect for a fun day out. plan to reopen post lockdown. See

lockdown. See

Link

for updates.

There is plenty of space with 1,700 square feet of climbs, rope bridge, astra-glide & super-fast racing slides crafty crawl tubes and peekaboo bubble windows and a baby and toddler area. 01637 852890

Link

Other indoor play centres: Indoor Active soft play & Clip‘n Climb Centre, (Cornwall Services off the A30 at Roche) and iBounce & iPlay, dinosaur- themed soft play for toddlers in Bodmin, are all taking bookings from 3 December and KidzWorld, in St Austell, are taking bookings for weekends from 19 Dec and for the Christmas holidays.

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Outset Cornwall Do you have what it takes to be your own boss?

Do you have what it takes to be your own boss?

Spending months in lockdown and returning to some kind of “new normal” has certainly made many people in the UK start thinking differently about their working lives.

From being furloughed to working longer hours, or even facing redundancy, there’s no doubt many of us have had cause to give serious thought to where our careers are headed recently.

While many people are keen to get back to work and how things were, there are also a fair number eager to embrace change, leave behind the 9-to-5 and start something amazing of their own.

So where do you start?

Well, first you need a brilliant idea that you can turn into a profitable business.

As lockdown forced people to spend more time at home, and therefore online, many new entrepreneurs seized the opportunity to develop existing hobbies and explore using online platforms to sell their products, achieving amazing success in a short space of time.

Some even managed to turn their side-hustles into six-figure turnover businesses during lockdown, by cleverly adapting their products or selling model to suit such uncertain times.

One thing today’s entrepreneurs would all agree on is they couldn’t have achieved their success without having the right support behind them.

With an award-winning programme that’s helped over 1,000 individuals start successful businesses across the county in the last 10 years, the right support is something Outset Cornwall has in spades.

So if you dream of being your own boss and have the seed of an idea, contact Outset and start turning your dream into a reality.

For more information or to get in touch, visit www.outset.org/cornwall or call the team on 01209 311063.

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Theatre Shows Picture - Coppice Theatre's Jack's Frosty Stories

New Shows:

Laurence Pears, Darren Seed and Ellie Leah. Three performers with an impressive range of West End, Broadway and TV shows between them. looks very smart and Covid-aware.

accessible. Food and drink is available at the Theatre Cafe Video

Popp Theatre Brand new, Cornish-based theatre company Popp Theatre have been awarded funding for a new, innovative theatre space at Truro’s ‘Pydar Pop

Elf...ish Jam First Theatre's New Christmas Cracker Elf..ish from 18 to 31 December.

Need of a healthy dollop of silliness & magic? Jam First Theatre is a brand-new Cornish company and judging by the video clips their original family Christmas show. So wrap up warm and head over to the stylish ventilated theatre tent at Pinetum Gardens in St. Austell. Settle back (adults with a mulled wine in hand) and enjoy 45 minutes of fun; for ages 4 to 104. Created by West End actors

Tickets are all £10. Children aged 1 to 3 years have free entry but will not be allocated seats, so will need to sit on your lap during the show. Advance booking is essential. Elf and Safety: Socially distanced in your own 2 metre "Bauble", the Theatre Tent has open panelling to insure ventilation. Seating for groups of 2 to 6 people. Wheelchair

up’ space. The portable, physical structure contains 16 clear pods taking up to 4 people in each pod, cocooning the audience around the stage, providing safety for the audience and performers in a fully Covid-safe & compliant ‘theatre-in-the-round’ experience. The season kicks off on 23 & 24 December with Circus Berzercus’ hilarious family friendly Christmas show, full of splendid panto-style slapstick

A jam-packed January season includes John Brolly’s ‘Amazing Travelling Show, a re-telling of Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Pods will be sold as a whole, costing £30.

To buy tickets visit www.popptheatre.co.uk

Roll Up! Roll Up!

family performed in a sensational heated barn at Via Ferrata, Halvasso, near Penryn, TR10 9BX. This daring and hilarious circus pantomime inspired by an old classic, full of phenomenal circus, gravity defying aerial and Christmas comedy.

Refreshments -coffee, hot chocolate, cake, a bar and candy floss - will be available. Tickets £10 per person, bought in blocks of 2 to 6.

Video

On 22 to 24, 26 to 28 December at 4 & 6pm, Pokya Entertainment presents The Grunch, a festive treat for the whole

Pantomimes, Puppets & Film Booking is essential. We have tried to check all performances will go ahead, but circumstances are changing fast and its difficult to contact organisers in lockdown.

The enchanting Jack’s Frosty Stories 4: Adventures around the World is walkabout storytelling show with lots of wonderful wintery new tales as you journey ‘round the world’ to help Jack’s friends search for his mischievous cat.

Coppice Theatre use puppetry, storytelling and music to delight audiences of all ages. Dress warmly as you will be walking around the city.

Dressing up as your favourite winter character is encouraged.

Coppice Theatre are back with an exclusive magical Christmas show live in the heart of Truro!

photo - Neal Megaw

Show times: 11am, 12noon, 1, 2 & 3pm.

On the 5 & 12 December the Snow Queen’s elf friends will be waiting for you outside Truro library. On 19, 21 & 22 December the elves will be in Boscawen Street. On 20 December, the fully accessible shows will be inside the Pydar Pop-Up and are suitable for wheelchair users and those with mobility issues. Please email coppicetheatre@gmail.com to discuss your needs before booking.

Tickets from www.crbo.co.uk 01726 879500

Click

Jack Frost’s Storytime: Join Jack Frost and The Snow Queen for a delightful collection of festive stories at The Old Library, Bodmin on 23 December at 1.30 or 4.30pm. Jack and Snow have been traveling across the world to find the most Christmassy, Snowy and Adventurous stories and now they are in Bodmin to share them!

The family friendly show combines much-loved stories from Coppice's previous winter shows with specially commissioned music, projected animation, and lots of sparkle! £8 includes juice and festive treats for children. Ages 5+

Link

During lockdown Coppice recorded some of their stories. Click this video for The Story of Jim's Christmas Wish

photos - Neal Megaw

Cousins Jack's The Mousehole Cat will be returning this Christmas. The play is based on Antonia Barber’s version of a Cornish legend of desperate famine averted by the brave actions of Tom Bawcock, and his faithful cat, Mowzer.

In order to keep everyone safe showings will be rather different this year but there are plenty of opportunities to watch the show. We have further details in the special Mousehole Cat section of BlackbirdPie click here

Minack Theatre, outdoors at Porthcurno (dress warmly, take cushions & rugs).

19 to 22 Dec 12.30 & 3pm: A Christmas Carol. David Mynne’s mesmerising one-man performance see above.

28 & 30 Dec 10.30am: Squashbox Theatre’s The Sea Show. Puppets, songs and crazy characters like Morwenna the ‘beautiful’ mermaid, Ruan the reformed seagull and salty seadog Captain Pemburthy.

The Old Library, Bodmin 10 Dec at 6pm, 11 & 12 Dec at 3 & 6pm: A Christmas Carol. Celebrate the festive season with David Mynne’s mesmerising one-man performance of Charles Dickens’ timeless, transformative story. Bah! Now with extra Humbug! For adults and age 9+. £15 (6 tables available) includes mulled wine and mince pie.

Link

For age 4+.

Link

1 Jan 10.30am: The Last Droll Teller.

John Brolly weaves the tale of the hapless Tom Trevorrow and his attempts to outwit the magical creatures of Cornwall. You will never look at a pasty the same way again!

For age 5+.

Near-ta Theatre Sadly, the live tour of Near-ta Theatre’s festive comedy, Christmas. Time.! has

been cancelled but a special COVID edition of the show will be available for people to download in early December.

It is a fantastically funny, festive, musical comedy for all the family.

Charlie and Toby are serving time at Her Majesty’s pleasure, but they can still have a Merry Christmas despite their incarceration. Join them on a fantastical adventure through Dickens, pantomime, musical, Christmas dinner and Christmas films! Updates email facebook

Sterts Theatre, Upton Cross, 01579 362382 stertsarts.org 11 Dec at 7pm & 12 Dec at 2pm & 7 pm. Caradon Youth Theatre’s latest production of the superb Broadway smash ‘Seussical the Musical’, based on the works of Dr Seuss.

A brilliant family show with an amazing up-beat score and a heartwarming story.

22 Dec at 12noon & 2pm: Squashbox’s Christmassy Christmas Show 17 to 20 Feb Dick Whittington. A magical family Sterts Pantomime.

Link

Theatre Royal Plymouth boxoffice@theatreroyal.com The annual Priority Membership (£15) gives access to instant booking, discounts and year-round benefits.

8 Dec to 9 Jan: The Gingerbread Man. Imagine being born in an oven and the first person you meet wants to dunk you in his tea! Stuff and Nonsense apply their usual brilliance with a mix of puppetry, live action, music and humour in this pacey retelling of this well-loved classic tale.

For all ages.

9 to 27 Dec Gonzo Moose: The Thing That Came From Over There.

The critically acclaimed trio are back

in another rip-roaring comedy adventure inspired by the Horror movies of the 1950’s. This will be a fast-paced rollicking ride, mixing

paranoia, suspense, and hilariously gruesome deaths - an alternative Christmas comedy filled with visual gags, verbal wit, giant puppetry, and live music. For age 8+ Robinson Crusoe 12 Dec to 3 Jan: a swashbuckling adventure full of buried treasure, dangerous buccaneers, and a magical journey across the ocean. The all-new pantomime will be performed in one act to minimise the need for audiences to move around the building, but will still be packed full of comedy routines, audience-safe participation, and all the unmissable magic that audiences have come to expect from the TRP annual pantomime. The all-star cast includes Les Dennis, Connor McIntyre, Simon Webbe, Andy Ford, Jennie Dale, and the Timbuktu Tumblers. Age 5+

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe 22 to 26 Feb: Direct from London, the smash-hit production of C.S. Lewis’ classic The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is coming to Plymouth! This critically acclaimed production of the nations’ favourite book (2019) is pure theatrical magic. Step through the wardrobe into the enchanted kingdom of Narnia. Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter wave goodbye to wartime Britain and embark on magical adventures in a frozen, faraway land where they meet a Faun, talking Beavers, the noble lion Aslan, and the evil The White Witch.

Virtual Shows:

Miracle Theatre

Link to Cinderella

Blystra Arts will be releasing 'Cinderella' and 'Bah Humbug! A Christmas Carol' on their YouTube channel in December

Link to Bah! Humbug!

Click

The Grand Old Oak is an online lighthearted family storytelling show being released on Blystra Arts’ YouTube FREE to enjoy on 18 December on https://www.facebook.com/BlystraArts/.

This piece has been created for Cornwall Space with the purpose of spreading a bit of fun and laughter across Cornwall at the end of a long and uncertain year. It will be available from 18 to 31 Dec. The Grand Old Oak has been standing tall

and strong at the edge Trelowen Wood since anyone could remember, but the old tree has a hidden secret which only Mrs Miller knows. Once the magical power of the oak is revealed, the village and the lives of the villagers could be changed forever…

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The Mousehole Cat

by Antonia Barber - on a screen near you!

Cousins Jack's

This Christmas experience the festive magic of The Mousehole Cat on screen!

The Mousehole Cat

The much-loved stage adaptation has been professionally filmed and will be accompanied by a live folk-driven soundtrack at an open-air seated event at The Minack, at five drive-in screenings across Cornwall and a bookable stream-at-home screening on Christmas Eve.

It wouldn't be Christmas without Mowzer...

After 4 sold-out years performing in Mousehole and a US tour, Cornish theatre company Cousin Jack’s wanted to share The Mousehole Cat with as many people as possible in this glum year, but how? After a lot of planning and re-planning, budgeting and re-budgeting, thinking and rethinking they have finally made an exciting big announcement…

folk music and songs. Far out at sea, the lights of Mousehole light the way home for Tom. To make the events extra special ticket bookers will be posted their own Mowzer Mini Lantern kit to make and use to join in.

The play is based on Antonia Barber’s heartwarming version of a Cornish legend, of desperate famine averted by the brave actions of fisherman, Tom Bawcock, and his faithful cat, Mowzer. This transfixing performance with actors and an utterly convincing life-size cat puppet is accompanied by Drive-in screenings between 21 to 23 December Live music, “car-participation” & your own Mowzer Mini Lantern will warm your spirits like a ‘efty piece of star gazy pie! The film will be accompanied by live music played by musicians positioned near the screen. Both the recorded sound from the film and the live music will be transmitted to your bluetooth speaker.

Book

Screening at The Minack - currently SOLD OUT Other venues are available and more tickets may be released. Extra special, one-off screening at the Minack at 4.30pm on 18 December. Wrap up warm and share this heart-warming story about a fearless fisherman and his devoted cat. Tickets are £12, including a Mowzer Mini Lantern Kit. Screening in your home Mowzer will be beamed into homes across the globe on 24 December at 6pm. Tickets are a suggested donation of £12 per screen (so you only need one ticket for one family watching one TV).

Screenings in schools Schools can buy a license to the production between 1 to 18 December and to purchase Mowzer Lantern Kits to accompany the filmed stage production. These locally made lanterns arrive flat-packed and can be easily assembled and customised in class by children aged 5-11. Just contact Schools Coordinator Sarah by email or call 01872 384 448 (2).

For details and to book visit

cousinjacks.org

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Calendar Christmas & New Year

Photo (above) shows Alison Gardiner's Country House Christmas advent calendar

In December: Newquay Zoo Christmas cheer… festive-themed trail for young adventurers to enjoy during their zoo adventure, (free with entry) sponsored

by PLAYinCHOC. Details on newquayzoo.org Until January 2022: Monsters of the Deep exhibition, National Maritime Museum Cornwall and see 3 Dec to 10 Jan for Tunnel of Lights In December Miracle Theatre will be releasing 'Cinderella' and 'Bah Humbug! A Christmas Carol' on either Vimeo or youtube Tate St Ives and Barbara Hepworth

Tate St Ives and Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden Get your £5 Locals Pass for unlimited year-round entry tate.org New! At the magical Barbara Hepworth Museum and Sculpture Garden - a family trail, write a postcard to Barbara and make mini sculptures, and Art Challenge postcards at Tate St Ives.

Until 21 February 2021: The Eden Project: Enjoy a spin on the magical ice-rink. Online booking essential; additional tickets needed for ice-skating, pre-book link 2 to 31 December: A Dickensian Christmas with the Ghosts of Christmas Past at The Bodmin Jail Attraction with a little Christmas twist to the Dark Walk, Heritage Tours and Paranormal After Dark Experiences. bodminjail.org 2 to 31 December: book your FREE ticket to visit The Box, Plymouth. To visit Mayflower 400: Legend and Legacy exhibition the first visit is free for under 18s and

visit is free for under 18s and companions, other adults are £5. book 3 to 24 December: Truro Farmers Market on Lemon Quay A variety of open-air charming stalls. There will be a one-way Covid system and plenty of space to browse the stalls to help you find the perfect gift. www.visittruro.org.uk 3 December to 10 January: Tunnel of Lights, Shipwreck Treasure Museum, Charlestown, subterranean passageways transformed into a festive wonderland of magical realms, from Narnia to the North Pole, through a frozen forest to a neon wood. Book in advance via shipwreckcharlestown.co.uk 4 to 30 December: Christmas at Eden During the day, enjoy seasonal walks and trails through the Outdoor Gardens, As darkness falls, the Biomes shine out a festive welcome and the tropical landscape is transformed into a magical world of shadows and light.

The Mediterranean Biome will be

The Mediterranean Biome will be twinkling with thousands of dancing, lights and on selected dates, filled with Christmas music, performed live by musicians (see edenproject.com) Father Christmas experience is booking very fast, limited availability on 4, 11, 16 and 17 December.

4 to 23, 27 to 30 Dec, 2 & 3 Jan: The Heligan Night Garden: the atmospheric Lost Gardens will be illuminated by hundreds of traditional lanterns and lanterns shaped like wildlife. Limited pre-booked time slots link 5 & 12 December: Coppice Theatre are back with an exclusive magical Christmas show live in the heart of Truro! The enchanting Jack’s Frosty Stories 4: Adventures around the World is walk-about show with lots of wonderful wintery tales, actors, puppetry, storytelling and music. Dress warmly. 11am, 12noon, 1, 2 & 3pm from Truro library.

01726 879500 crbo 5 & 6, 12 & 13, 19 to 23 December:

5 & 6, 12 & 13, 19 to 23 December: Meet Santa at Camel Creek - book online for All Wrapped Up! Christmas.

Members – adults free, child £7 for Christmas experience + gift; nonmembers - £14.95 entry, Christmas experience + gift for children. camelcreek.co.uk 5 December to 3 January: Paradise Park, Hayle. Learn about the wonderful world of penguins with a fun Christmas quiz. paradisepark.org.uk 8 December to 9 Jan: The Gingerbread Man. Stuff and Nonsense’s mix of puppetry, live action, music and humour in this pacey retelling of the classic tale. For all ages. Theatre Royal Plymouth boxoffice 9, 16 & 23 December: Late night shopping in Truro glittering with beautiful lights, the main shopping streets will be trafficfree until 9pm and there will be magical street entertainment with Swamp Circus winter festive

Swamp Circus winter festive walkabout performances.

9 to 27 December: Gonzo Moose: The Thing That Came From Over There. TRP see above. Riproaring adventure inspired by the Horror movies of the 1950’s. an alternative Christmas comedy filled with visual gags, verbal wit, giant puppetry, and live music. For age 8+ 10 December at 6pm, 11 & 12 Dec at 3 & 6pm: David Mynne’s mesmerising one-man performance of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, The Old Library, Bodmin Bah! Humbug! For adults and age 9+. £15 includes mulled wine and mince pie link

10 to 13, 17 to 24, 26 December to 3 Jan, 8 to 10 Jan: Wonder Nights at Mount Edgecumbe, Torpoint presents The World of Make Believe with 12 magical realms including the Earl’s secret garden, pixie world, fairy kingdom, a dragon’s lair with real flame effects, a firefly grove and elf wonderland. Adults £8.95, age 4 to 15 £6.95, under 3s £1 11 December at 7pm & 12 Dec at 2pm & 7 pm: ‘Seussical the Musical’, Sterts Theatre, Upton Cross. Caradon Youth Theatre’s production of the superb Broadway smash based on the works of Dr Seuss. A brilliant family show with an amazing up-beat score.

01579 362382 sterts 12 December: Coppice Theatre are back with an exclusive magical Christmas show live in the heart of Truro! The enchanting Jack’s Frosty Stories 4: Adventures around the World is walk-about show with lots of wonderful wintery tales,

actors, puppetry, storytelling and music.

Dress warmly. 11am, 12noon, 1, 2 & 3pm from Truro library. 01726 879500 crbo 12 December to 3 January: Robinson Crusoe, Theatre Royal Plymouth, swashbuckling adventure full of buried treasure & dangerous buccaneers, performed in one act.

Expect comedy routines, audience-safe participation, and the unmissable magic of TRP pantomime. The all-star cast includes Les Dennis, Connor McIntyre, Simon Webbe, Andy Ford, Jennie Dale, and the Timbuktu Tumblers. Age 5+ boxoffice 16 & 23 December: Late night shopping in Truro glittering with beautiful lights, the main shopping streets will be traffic-free until 9pm and there will be magical street entertainment with Swamp Circus winter festive walkabout performances.

17 - 19 December:

Release on 18 Dec, available to 31 December: The Grand Old Oak storytelling show on YouTube FREE to enjoy on link 18 December at 4.30pm: extra special, one-off screening of

Cousin Jack's performance of The Mousehole Cat at The Minack Theatre.

Wrap up warm, bring rugs and share the heart-warming story about a fearless fisherman and his devoted cat whilst you brave the elements at Cornwall’s most-loved theatre. link 19 to 22 December 12.30 & 3pm: A Christmas Carol. David Mynne’s mesmerising one-man performance.

Minack Theatre, outdoors at Porthcurno (dress warmly, take cushions & rugs). minack.com 19 to 22 December: Coppice Theatre’s The enchanting Jack’s Frosty Stories 4: Adventures around the World is walk-about live show through the heart of Truro!

Wonderful wintery tales, actors, puppetry, storytelling and music. Dress warmly. 11am, 12noon, 1, 2 & 3pm. On 19, 21 & 22 Dec: from Boscawen Street.

On 20 Dec: fully accessible shows inside the Pydar Pop-Up, suitable for wheelchair users and those with mobility issues. Please email to discuss

your needs before booking. 01726 879500. Tickets from crbo.co.uk 19 December to 3 January: Lanterns and Lights at the National Maritime Museum Cornwall, Falmouth; a magical nautical twist with merry ‘Take & Makes’, starry trails, the halls decked in festive lights, sparkly stars and displays of real nautical lamps and navigation aids where sailors used the stars to guide them home. All free with admission. Pay once and get in free for a whole year. nmmc.co.uk 21 to 23 December: Drive-in screenings of The Mousehole Cat. Cousin Jack’s much-loved stage adaptation has been professionally filmed and will be accompanied by a live folk-driven soundtrack at open-air seated event and five drive-in locations across Cornwall. Live music, ‘carparticipation’ & your Mowzer Mini Lantern will warm your spirits like a ‘efty piece of star gazy pie! Venues, prices and other details on cousinjacks.org 22 December at 12noon & 2pm:

Squashbox’s Christmassy Christmas Show, Sterts Theatre, Upton Cross, 01579 362382 sterts 23 December at 1.30 or 4.30pm: Jack Frost’s Storytime, Coppice Theatre at The Old Library, Bodmin. Join Jack Frost and The Snow Queen for the most Christmassy, Snowy and Adventurous stories with music, projected animation, and lots of sparkle! £8 includes juice and festive treats. Ages 5+ Tickets from intobodmin 23 December: Late night shopping in Truro glittering with beautiful lights, the main shopping streets will be traffic-free until 9pm and there will be magical street entertainment with Swamp Circus winter festive walkabout performances.

24 December at 6pm: The Mousehole Cat screened in your home… professionally filmed adaptation of the full-length Cousin Jack’s stage production will be beamed into homes across the globe!

Tickets are a suggested donation of £12 per screen (so you only need one ticket for one family watching one TV). cousinjacks.org 25 December

Merry Christmas 28 & 30 December 10.30am: Squashbox Theatre’s The Sea Show.

Minack Theatre, Porthcurno (dress warmly, take cushions & rugs). minack.com Puppets, songs and crazy characters. For age 4+

28 to 31 December: Free Entry at The Museum of Global Communications, Porthcurno, (then closed till 13 Feb) Discover the amazing story of our interconnected world, go underground and explore the top-secret bunker. It is dog-friendly too. pkporthcurno.com

From 1st February:

1 January

Little Story Seekers - Story, song and movement YouTube sessions for ages 2 to 5. FREE fun and interactive online video sessions based on story books and well-known songs. No need to book, just tune in! To view the videos visit. New stories will be posted once a month and will include new Cornish tales from Cornish writers and performers. Details from helen.reynolds@keap.org.uk

Happy New Year 1 January 10.30am: The Last Droll Teller. Minack Theatre, Porthcurno (dress warmly, take cushions & rugs). minack.com. John Brolly weaves the tale of the hapless Tom Trevorrow and his attempts to outwit the magical creatures of Cornwall. For age 5+

17 to 20 Febuary: Dick Whittington. A magical family Sterts Pantomime. Sterts Theatre, Upton Cross, 01579 362382 sterts 22 to 26 Febuary: Direct from London, the smash-hit production of C.S. Lewis’ classic The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Theatre Royal Plymouth boxoffice

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Bridging the Gap Helping Cornish Care Leavers

Bridging the accommodation gap to independence for Cornish care leavers.

Could you provide accommodation and support for a young Cornish care leaver? Right now, the Cornwall Council 16+ Team is looking to recruit at least 15 new supported lodgings landlords to provide support to 16/17 year old young people leaving the care of the Local Authority during their transition to adulthood and independence. As a 16+ Supported Lodgings provider you would be helping all of these young people prepare for the transition to full independent living.

All Local Authorities have a duty of care to 16/17 year old care leavers and Cornwall Council is committed to supporting all Cornish care leavers to live in safe and suitable accommodation. The 16+ Supported Lodgings Scheme is a fundamental aspect of this commitment so that young people leaving care have the opportunity to develop their self-care and independence skills with the support of a caring landlord.

A 16+ Supported Lodgings provider is expected to offer the young person their own bedroom, 12 hours a week of support and one main meal a day. Supported Lodgings providers need to be young person friendly, be able to work in partnership with the Local Authority, be caring, have a sense of humour and be

prepared to have a listening ear. In return you would receive free training, support from the 16+ Supported Lodgings team and a weekly payment for each young person lodging with you.

One care leaver living in lodgings commented that he ‘gets a lot of support, like with cooking, I have learnt how to not burn eggs and beans’ also that the provider is ‘there if you need to talk to them’. He felt lodgings was different to foster care ‘Yes, it’s a lot more independent with more responsibility…I have to do things for myself…I have become more confident’.

The Cornwall Council 16+ Team work in partnership with Carefree, an independent Cornish charity to improve the life chances of young people living in and leaving Local Authority care in Cornwall. Nicola Penfold, Cornwall Council’s 16 Plus Supported Lodgings Manager, said: “Supported Lodgings are a fantastic way of offering young people that bridge between being in care and going on to live independently. The team that surrounds them can offer help and advice on a number of vital issues, such as employment, education, relationships, health and practical skills as needed by each particular individual.

Our landlords offer advice and guidance too but it’s a much lighter touch than foster care and the young person is very much in control of the support they access.”

If you think you could support young people leaving care in Cornwall, contact the 16+ Supported Lodgings Scheme by phoning 01872 326700 or emailing 16+SLSenquiries@cornwall.gov.uk

Link

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Kernow Health Think 111 First

Think 111 First Since the 4th July, the health and care system in Cornwall has been trialing a new way to provide key services to patients who are over 4 years old. The idea of ‘Think 111 First’ is that anyone requiring urgent / on-the-day care (ie who would normally attend MIU, urgent care centres or A&E) will call 111 first (or, for people aged 5 and over, go online at www.111.nhs.uk ).

First provide your details to a Call Handler, then answer an important set of questions to see if you require an emergency response. The Call Handler

will pass your information to a Clinical Team based in Truro, who will call you back. These experienced senior clinicians will know what resources are nearest to you and will either offer you robust clinical advice or make an appointment for you at an appropriate clinic.

- The nearest Emergency Department This applies to Cornwall residents and to visitors to the area.

If people go direct to urgent and emergency care units without an appointment, they will not be turned away but may have to wait longer than someone who has booked through 111.

The benefits:

This new approach allows appointments to be booked for you, at a wider range of services providing high quality urgent care including: - Local Urgent Treatment Centres - Local Minor Injury Units - Local Out-of-Hours GP Treatment Centres - Pharmacies

1) You can speak to a senior clinician earlier, sometimes via a video consultation 2) If you need an urgent face-to-face appointment, this can be arranged without any further delay. You will know exactly where to go, and when.

3) It reduces waiting times for all patients 4) It avoids queues and significantly reduces the risk of coronavirus transmission 5) people are more likely to get the right treatment, first time

Arrangements will not change for people with serious or life-threatening illnesses or injuries.

Please continue to dial 999.

Keep Safe!

Mark Woolcock, Chief Executive, NHS Cornwall 111

The new system reflects the reduced capacity for seeing patients in A&E and other treatment centres.

The pandemic means we need to preserve socialdistancing, segregate people with and without Covid infection, and decontaminate premises. For example, now only seven people can wait at A&E at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, where normally up to 40 people could wait.

Keep safe and well!

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Blackbird Reads Christmas Books by Deborah Wright

BlackbirdReads: Christmas Books

Ludo's Book Club:

by Deborah Wright

Audio book choice: When Scratchworks Theatre Company’s Christmas tour of The Snow Beast was cancelled due to Covid-19, they decided to turn it into an audio adventure. The new audio book Faina & the Snow Beast blends action-packed storytelling with an original soundtrack and over 15 interactive science experiments for ages 6 to 11.

As the Science Academy’s Final Exams test tubes bubble, experiments explode and new inventions whirr Faina’s project bursts into flames! She sets off into the wilderness for aid from the legendary Snow Beast. Help Faina overcome scientific puzzles as she battles through the wild, wintry wilderness. £6.99 from

Link

A Thing Called Snow

Why Do Dogs Sniff Bottoms

See Best of 2020 for a review of Why Do Dogs Sniff Bottoms?

Silent Night

A Thing Called Snow

Dogger’s Christmas

by Lara Hawthorne, published by Frances Lincoln

by Yuval Zommer, published by Oxford

by Shirley Hughes, published by Bodley Head

Snowflakes begin to fall all over the pages of this picture book as Fox and Hare, born in the spring, search for something called snow. Maybe we won’t see snow this winter in Cornwall, but Yuval Zommer’s atmospheric depictions could be the next best thing. For 3+

It is over forty years since Shirley Hughes wrote Dogger, voted the best ever children’s book recipient of the Kate Greenaway award. Dave is now a little older, but when Dogger goes missing, he realizes he still needs him, especially at Christmas.

Shirley Hughes’ Christmas books are read in our house every year, Lucy and Tom’s Christmas being our favourite, closely followed by Alfie’s Christmas.

For 4+

What a simple idea, to take the words of perhaps the most famous carol of all and illustrate them.

Lara Hawthorne’s simple, colourful but very beautiful illustrations are a delight and make this a perfect introduction to the Christmas story.

Hawthorne has also just published 12 Days of Christmas. For 3+ Video

Where Snow Angels Go

by Maggie O’Farrell, illustrated by Daniela Jaglenka Terrazzini, published by Walker

children. It was inspired by her own child’s lifethreatening illness when O’Farrell imagined a guardian angel for her. Sylvie discovers she has a snow angel who watches over her, but she is hard work to protect as she is always getting into scrapes. There are beautiful illustrations by Daniela Terrazzini, and though a picture book, it’s intended for older children of 6+ Maggie O’Farrell’s daughter’s battle with anaphylaxis is movingly described in her autobiographical book I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death which I highly recommend.

The Ice Bear Miracle

by Cerrie Burnell, illustrated by Sandra Dieckmann, published by Oxford

Maggie O’Farrell is one of my favourite adult writers (she won the Women’s Prize for Fiction this year for Hamnet) but this is her first book for

When Marv was five, he fought a polar bear, and won. So begins the story of a boy hero, set in the cold, frozen north of Canada. Except Marv knows he isn’t really a hero at all. An exciting story for older children, inspired by ice skating and polar bears and lots of snow. For 8+

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Trewirge Infants' and Nursery School

Starting school is a big step for your child to take and we hope to make the transition as smooth as possible. From the moment your child arrives at our school, they become part of our family. We learn together and care for each other.

What children experience and learn in reception can create strong and lasting foundations on which to build in later life, so we believe it is essential that the experiences are of the highest quality.

Getting your child into a local school means enrolling as soon as possible or they could miss out on a place and building those all important early friendships from the outset of their educational journey.

Apply today and make Trewirgie your first preference!

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BlackbirdReads Best Books of 2020 by Deborah Wright

The Jackie Morris Book of Classic Nursery Rhymes

If You See a Lion

by Karl Newson, illustrated by Andrea Stegmaier, published by Words and Pictures

published by Otter-Barry

In her introduction, Jackie Morris says that nursery rhymes are our first introduction to poetry, and she worries that they are being lost in the business of our world. Don’t let this happen! Every child in the land should have a copy of this jewel of a book and learn by gentle repetition the rhymes and lullabies passed down through the generations. Magenta and azure dominate the pages and I’ve never seen such an exotic baa baa black sheep, bedecked in paniers and bells – as are Little Bo Peep’s sheep. I can still visualise my own nursery rhyme book, and it was rather more down-to-earth, but why not let a child’s imagination soar with this fabulous interpretation.

For any age.

There’s a lion hiding in this book (he’s already chomped a piece out of the cover), and he eats his way through forests and a river and a unicorn and dragon’s gold and even a sprout. Everything that is in his way. But brave little rabbit stops him in his tracks. A hugely fun book to read aloud with lots of blerghs and oohs and aahs and of course ROARS! For 2+

The Tempest

Why do Dogs Sniff Bottoms?

by William Shakespeare, retold by Georghia Ellinas, illustrated by Jane Ray, published by Walker

by Nick Crumpton, illustrated by Lily Snowden-Fine, published by Thames and Hudson

This is another exquisitely illustrated book, where every page is an absolute delight. Shakespeare’s wonderful tale is retold for young children, and is full of magic and his strange, exotic characters. I only wish I could afford an original Jane Ray (are you listening Father Christmas?) For 4+

course, why they sniff bottoms. In fact, everything about dogs, including what they get up to when they’re home alone… There are some pretty whacky dogs on the pages, but Ludo and I want to give them all a home. For 5+

Pippi Longstocking Goes Abroad

by Astrid Lindgren, illustrated by Lauren Child, published by Oxford

My baby grandson is already obsessed with dogs, and I can see that it won’t be long before he wants to know everything about them. This book will tell him how to speak dog - through the signs their tails make (Fast wag=I’m happy to see you. Tail tucked between the legs=I’m scared) - and why they howl and dig and chase cats and want to be your best friend and of

Fun-loving, naughty Pippi is every child’s hero, with her bright orange plaits and falling-down socks. If you don’t know her, I urge you to buy this new version, brilliantly illustrated by Lauren Child, with her trademark collage characters with their wonky faces (remember Charlie and Lola?). Lots of great stories and mischief on every page. For 6+

I am always fascinated by the skill of paper engineers. This concertina book has text on the back and incredibly detailed pop-ups of four of the world’s trains, from Stephenson’s Rocket to the Shinkansen bullet train. Perfect for young train fanatics (but not for sticky little fingers as it’s quite fragile). 6+

Squishy Human Body published by SmartLabToys

A Train Journey

by Gérard Lo Monaco, published by Thames and Hudson

Part toy, part anatomy book, this will inspire any budding doctor. An amazing plastic skeleton comes with squishy innards, of course, (there are 21 removable body bits), plus forceps, tweezers, and an instruction sheet for putting all the bits back. And an accompanying book which follows a slice of pizza as it travels through the body. For 8+

The Sleeping Garden

by Sarah Hewitt, published by Mabecron Books

BlackbirdReads

Have you met Percy Pengelly?

The sub-title is ‘a true fairy tale for young and old’ and tells the story of the lost gardens of Heligan.

Sarah Hewitt’s charming, gentle illustrations conjure up the garden that slept for so many years. Squire Jack Tremayne’s young gardeners went off to fight in the Great War and never came home and it wasn’t until the 1980s that the overgrown wilderness was gradually brought back to life, just like a fairy tale.

Though it looks like a young child’s book it truly is a book for any age.

Read on for more information

>>>

It’s a sad day when Percy Pengelly, the daring tightrope walker, has to say goodbye to the circus. He looks for a job where he can use his special skills, and eventually discovers a new life full of excitement and surprises.

And now Percy is back, reprinted in a larger edition, packed with Andy’s beautiful illustrations of familiar Cornish scenes and characters. Available from Amazon and local shops for £7.99, the book is guaranteed to become a firm family favourite.

Percy Pengelly and the Wibble-Wobble, by Jenny Steele Scolding and Andy McPherson, is a bestselling and much-loved Cornish tale for 3 to 7 yearolds. Children gasp at Percy’s circus acts, follow his giddy rooftop adventures, and witness an exciting lifeboat rescue at sea.

Look out too for the live-action production of Percy Pengelly and the Wibble-Wobble, performed in Percy’s Big Top by Cousin Jack’s theatre company, the creators of The Mousehole Cat stage show. Postponed from 2020, performances are planned to take place in spring, 2021.

Further information from Serpentine Design, email: bill@serpentine-design.com

But that’s not all… keep your eyes peeled for Percy’s latest adventures in Percy Pengelly and Tumbili the Monkey, coming soon in 2021. Another beautifullyillustrated tale by the same team, this sequel features Percy and his friends – old and new – together with a tall ship, an escaped monkey and more jaw-dropping acrobatics.

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Please revisit for updated information

BlackbirdPie Cornwall's What's On for families post@blackbirdpie.co.uk

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