The (St Minver) Link, Issue 227, Winter 2020

The Link Local News & Information

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Polzeath-Rock-St Polzea th-Rock-St Minver-Trebetherick-Wadebridge

Photo: Sarah Morgan Photo: Martin Broadfoot

Issue 227 Winter

2020

All proceeds to local good causes www.stminverlink.org - info@stminverlink.org - 01208 880714

M O R E B E AC H , L E S S K I TC H E N .

D E L I | C O F F E E S H O P | C AT E R I N G R O C K C O R N WA L L - F E E S F O O D .C O . U K | 0 1 2 0 8 8 6 9 2 2 2

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Photography: David Curran for Unique Home Stays

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Call us for a free consultation on 01208 72200

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My little piece of Cornwall

Letting & managing holiday houses in North Cornwall since 1971 01208 863206 www.johnbraycornishholidays.co.uk

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A Splash of Colour Quality Painting and Decorating Services Russell Combellack

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Independent Family Funeral Directors

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E. J. & N. J. R.

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Try our homemade sausages (including gluten free), burgers and hogs pudding.

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07913 113 767 13

First published in 1981, St Minver Link is an independent community magazine produced by volunteers with all profits donated to local good causes.

Who to contact at Link

Editor & Chair. . . . . . Morwenna Vernon. . . . . . . . . morwenna@stminverlink.org. . . . . . . . . . 01208 880714 Editorial . . . . . . . . . . . Barbara Le Main . . . . . . . . . . . barbara@stminverlink.org Distribution. . . . . . . . George Morris. . . . . . . . . . . . . george@stminverlink.org. . . . . . . . . . . . . .01208 862827 Junior Link. . . . . . . . . Nici Couch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . nici@stminverlink.org Photography. . . . . . . Martin Broadfoot . . . . . . . . . . martin@stminverlink.org. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01208 863705 Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . Jo Broadfoot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jo@stminverlink.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01208 863705 Advertising & Editorial Ann Jones . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . stminverlink@gmail.com. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 01208 869312 Website. . . . . . . . . . . . Helena Arnold. . . . . . . . . . . . . stminverlink@gmail.com Art Editor. . . . . . . . . . Jacqueline Fleming. . . . . . . . jacqueline@stminverlink.org . . . . . . . . . . . 07970319798 Secretary . . . . . . . . . . Nicki Reader. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nicki@stminverlink.org Adviser. . . . . . . . . . . . Ann Jeal It’s so easy to contribute editorial, book an advertisement or order Link by post.

Our website has full details www.stminverlink.org Editorial can be sent by email to the editor: morwenna@ stminverlink.org or by post to the address below.We welcome articles and photos of local interest.

To book an advertisment visit: www.stminverlink.org/advertising or Email : stminverlink@gmail.com or Telephone: Ann on 01208 869312.

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To Order Link by Post It’s only £10 per year including postage. Order via our website: www.stminverlink.org/how-to-buy or by post at the address below Postal address : St Minver Link, Trevigo Farm, St Minver, Wadebridge PL27 6RB Please note that the St Minver Link Committee reserves the right to alter, edit or reject contributions and do not necessarily agree with opinions expressed by contributors.

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We welcome your stories and photographs

Issue 227 - Winter 2020

Link

Like links in a fence we will unite To create a fine community With willing hearts, with hands held tight.

Neither keeping in nor shutting out But holding fast a fellowship A refuge from adversity.

Anna Alexander

Contents

Events in the Area .

Area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

St Minver Pre School .

School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

St Minver Silver Band Update .

Update . . . . . . . 18

Junior Link .

Link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36

We Will Remember Them .

Them . . . . . . . . . . 18

Interior Design .

Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38

Pause for Thought .

Thought . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Rosie’s Recipe .

Recipe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Endelienta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Endelienta Roaring Twenties .

Twenties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Help the Homeless . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 The People of St Minver . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Wadebridge Tennis Club .

Club . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Malnutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Business Spotlight .

Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Thanks from Lord Lieutenant . . . . . . . 26

Painting with Coffee .

Coffee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Featured Artist - Penny McBreen . . . . 41 Cobb cottage . cottage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 Wildlife with Adrian Langdon .

Langdon . . . . . . . . 46 SeaGirls WI .

WI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Tractor Run .

Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 St Minver School .

School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Stargazing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 Stargazing RNLI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Tribute to Audrey .

Audrey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 Padstow to Rock Swim .

Swim . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Concern Wadebridge .

Wadebridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Book Review .

Review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

St Minver Community Hub . . . . . . . . . 28

Fitness with Julia .

Julia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Blue Christmas Service .

Service . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Gardening made Easy .

Easy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Masked Worship .

Worship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Coivd Lockdown Poem .

Poem . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Polzeath Coastguard .

Coastguard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Parliamentary Update - Scott Mann . . 68

Wadebridge Memory Cafe .

Cafe . . . . . . . . . . 33

Hospital Transport Service . . . . . . . . . 69

St Minver Guides .

Guides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Local Telephone Numbers .

Numbers . . . . . . . . . . 70

Visit our website - www.stminverlink.org

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Events in the Area There is always something happening in the area so have a look and make sure you don’t miss out.

Keep Britain Tidy & Polzeath Marine Conservation Group

Beachcare Polzeath Beachclean dates:

Wadebridge Parish During December the Parish of Wadebridge will be taking part with other churches in the town to present the story of Christmas and on Christmas Eve we plan to light up Egloshayle Church and the grounds to celebrate the season. Watch

Saturday, Dec 19th 9.30am Monday, Jan 11th 9.30am Friday,February 19th 9.30am Wednesday, March10th 9.30am meet at Beach Car Park

out for further details of this and Christmas

Just turn up to join in - social distancing measures will be in place All equipment is provided Under 18s to be accompanied by an adult Wear suitable clothing and footwear for the weather conditions

Rock Gardening Club

Church Services Link is not including times of services in this edition as this is still changing due to Covid 19 restrictions.

Up to date information can be found on the relevant websites: North Cornwall Cluster: northcornwallclusterofchurches.org.uk Wadebridge: wadebridgeparish.org.uk Or by phoning: 07758 407 661( St Minver) 01208 813580 ( Wadebridge)

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services on our Social Media accounts. www.wadebridgeparish.org.uk www.facebook.com/WadebridgeParish www.twitter.com/POSBEW www.instagram.com/info.wadebridgeparish

Rock Gardening Club held its socially distanced inaugural meeting at the St Enodoc Hotel on September 15th at 11am.

The club is the brainchild of Pauline Jeffery and her collaboration with Carol Barkwell has resulted in the framework being set up for the Club to go forward. So far 24 like minded people have signed up to the Club with a whole host of future activities to look forward to.

Pauline Jeffery said “All are welcome. We have a Facebook Page and a WhatsApp group to cover all eventualities. Come and join us. If you can’t find either then please just email me and I’ll be happy to help pauline.pitstop@gmail.com”

We welcome your stories and photographs

North Cornwall Cluster of Churches

Christmas Services 29 November St Minver 4pm Christingle (online) 6 December St Kew 6pm Carol Service St Peter’s 4pm Carols by candlelight 13 December St Minver 6pm Carol Service 20 December St Endellion 6pm Carol Service 21 December St Minver 4pm Crib Service 22 December St Peter’s 4pm Christingle 23 December St Kew 4pm Christingle 24 December Christmas Eve

For Sale Classic Car and Motorbike Memorabilia Including spotlights, Lucas, etc horns, ‘marked’ British spanners, tools, clocks, leather coats and gloves.

Some A10 bits.

Outboard engine Also X-Sail Sand Yacht, s/s rolling stock, travel bag.

It will blow you away! £700 ono Ring Pete 01208 863590 for details

St Kew 11.30pm Holy Communion St Peters 10pm Holy Communion St Endellion 11.30pm Midnight Mass 25 December Christmas Day St Kew 9.30am Holy Communion St Endellion 11 Eucharist St Minver 9.30pm Holy Communion Services may have to be ‘virtual’ depending on local Covid 19 guidelines, please see

Kiln Dried Logs and Firewood

Supplied by the cubic metre in Nets, Dumpy Bags or in Bulk.

You collect or we Deliver

website for up to date information:

Trevanger Kiln Dried Logs

www.northcornwallclusterofchurches.org.uk

01208 869092

Trevanger Farm, St Minver, PL27 6QR

Visit our website - www.stminverlink.org

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We Will Remember Them

ANDREWS Mary Keziah, Of Wadebridge AYTON Dorothy Joan,Of St Minver BALL Victor William, Of Wadebridge BECKER Paul Kevin, Of Wadebridge BLOOR Michael John,Of Rock BRISTOW Sharon Lorraine, Of Wadebridge BROWN Janet Patricia Eileen, Of Wadebridge BROWN Joanna Elizabeth, Of St Minver BUTLING Gweneth Bertha, Of Wadebridge CHAPMAN Valerie Beatrix, Of Wadebridge CLARE Ruth Gwendoline, Of Wadebridge COTTON Barbara, Of Wadebridge COWLING Margaret, Of Wadebridge COYNE Janet Christine,Of Polzeath CRASKE David,Of Rock GIBBINS Angela Christine, Of Wadebridge

HEBBURN Diane Patricia,Of Wadebridge JARMAN Edward Gordon,Of Wadebridge LAY Enid Kathleen, Of St Minver MANSFIELD Ronnie, Of Wadebridge NELSON John Campbell, Of Wadebridge PARSONS Selina May, Wadebridge PHILIP Francis Hugh Andrew, of St Minver ROWELL Joan Winifred, of Rock SLEEP Thomas Arthur, of Wadebridge TRUDGEON Joyce Prudence, of Wadebridge WALTON Janet Anne, of Rock WHITE Margaret Sylvia,of Wadebridge WHITE Pauline, of Polzeath YOUNG Norma Kathleen,of Wadebridge

St Minver Silver Band

These notes are being written on the first day of the new nation-wide lockdown that will be in place until December 2nd. During this period amateur music group rehearsals of any size will not be permitted, either indoors or outdoors. In mid-September, following relaxation of the rules for sport and leisure organisations, we had been able to resume limited-number rehearsals in the band room. This was a welcome step for most of us and the new ban, although understandable, is a considerable disappointment.

The band has been unable to undertake any public engagements this year. We are told that the lockdown will end on December 2nd. If the rules are sufficiently relaxed after that date we are hoping that it might be possible for small groups to play Christmas carols outdoors around the parish in the period leading up to Christmas.

However, at the time of writing this is no more than a hope. In the meantime, Kevin Ackford, our

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Musical Director will continue to offer us one-toone online lessons via Zoom.

Updates on band news can be found on our Facebook page. This also has information on how to make donations to the band, either directly or through easyfundraising.org. uk which, with many retailers, will divert a small percentage of any online purchases to a nominated organisation, at no cost to the purchaser.

When we are able to return to the band room, anyone who would like to learn to play a brass or percussion instrument, or any player who would like to join us, should contact Kevin Ackford on 07866510297 or Garry Gauss on 01208 814170.

All ages are welcome. Our normal rehearsal nights are Tuesdays 7 till 9 pm and Thursday 7 till 8.30 pm for the Senior Band, and Thursdays 6 till 7 pm for the Training Band.

Garry Gauss

We welcome your stories and photographs

Pause for Thought From the Reverend Rose Jones North Cornwall Cluster of Churches In the beginning was a song.

Not just any song.

The song of God. A song sung from the dawn of time, a melody woven through stars and atoms, microbes and moondust, riverbeds and tree trunks. A melody which called the whole symphony of creation into being.

The song was with God in the beginning, and through the song all things were made. Until one day, this song was planted secretly, like a seed, into a woman. And the song became a baby.

Not the most familiar version of the Christmas story, perhaps, but a very traditional one; we hear it almost every year in our carol services and Christmas communions when the first chapter of John’s gospel is read.

You see, when God made our world, he made it ringing with the joyful sound of heaven.

Every monkey, bird and infant called and caterwauled in glorious harmony with our Creator. But over time, human choices turned us away from God, and our ears became stuffed up, clogged, and we forgot the tune.

When Jesus was born, he was God’s way of singing the melody over again into the world.

Jesus’ life, death and resurrection showed us that we are not alone, that we are held by a Creator who loves us, and that darkness never has the final word.

This year feels more than any other as if the grit and grime of life has clogged up our airwaves. Uncertainty makes Christmas planning, always a struggle, almost impossible.

Parties sit in pencil on the calendar. Family traditions are suspended. Zoom get-togethers give us all headaches. How can we hear the song of heaven through all this white noise?

Thankfully, the song isn’t just an abstract concept. He is a Person, someone we can still turn to and ask for help and healing, hope and reassurance, on the darkest of days. This year, when the clouds fog up your vision and your ears are full of the miserable churn of the news cycle, take a minute. Turn off the radio. Step outside under the night sky. Gaze up at the stars which still ring with the music of creation, and ask God to open up your ears.

Zephaniah 3:17 says ‘The Lord takes great delight in you; he rejoices over you with singing.’

Take some time this Christmas to listen to God singing over you.

Visit our website - www.stminverlink.org

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Rosie’s Recipes

Orange Pastry Mince Pies Ingredients 450g plain flour Finely grated rind and juice of one large orange 175g icing sugar 325g butter 1 jar of good quality mincemeat Method Sift flour and sugar into a mixing bowl. Cut butter into small pieces and rub in. Add grated orange rind and stir in the juice until the dough begins to stick together.

Gather up the dough and pat into a ball, wrap in greaseproof paper and place in fridge for at least 30 mins.

Roll out and cut pastry into rounds to line tartlet tins.

Place a teaspoonful of mincemeat into each pastry case and top with another round as a

Winter Warmers at St Endellion

This winter Endelienta welcomes a variety of musicians to provide socially distanced concerts to get you through the cold months.

On the 6th December we welcome back Blackweir Brass from South Wales to perform a range of classical pieces with some Christmas favourites sprinkled in. Later in the month on the 12th December award-winning Paddleboat Theatre will bring their family show ‘Dream Makers’ to St Endellion. ‘Dream Makers’ allows families to discover the mysteries of dream making and share in the secrets of mixing the perfect dreams.

January 15th see us host Resonance, led by Katy Thomson co-chair of the St Endellion Easter Festival with a classical quartet performing a range of chamber music for Oboe, Piano, Viola and Voice including works 20

lid.

Make an incision in the top of each lid and bake in the oven at 190’ C, Gas mark 5, until golden.

by Brahms, Bridge, Klughardt and Thea Musgrave.

February will see two wonderful performances, firstly on the 5th February Jazz musician Helen Porter returns with her new show, The Unexpected Song. Following this on the 27th February we welcome Endelienta Baroque as they return to their birthplace to explore works by Rameau, Couperin, Marais and de la Guerre amongst others.

All concerts are held in St Endellion Church and due to coronavirus restrictions only 40 audience members are permitted in each concert (less for Paddleboat Theatre), so we recommend booking in advance. Social distancing is in place between different households and all attendees are required to wear masks. Book tickets online at www. endelienta.org.uk; by phone 07787 944935; accompanied under 16s free to most concerts – please check the website.

We welcome your stories and photographs

The Roaring Twenties Country Style

The Link was delighted to receive correspondence from Miss Anne Collins of Plymouth who sent some recollections from her mother who came from St Minver.

Miss Collins’ grandfather, Charles Keat, built Highcroft on the St Minver to Port Quin Cross road in the 1920s. Her mother, who was born in 1908, married a Londoner but, with her husband in the army, returned to Cornwall and spent World War Two in Port Isaac with her daughter. She ran George Ellis’ photographic business and studio in Bodmin for the duration of the war.

A Social Gathering and Whist Drive would be announced in church during Sunday morning service. They were held about every six weeks either at the local Rectory or any farm in the area that could accommodate about sixty persons. About fifteen tables would be set up. There would be tables everywhere- sitting rooms, dining rooms, big farm kitchens, halls and landings. If there was a couple with no table, they would have to sit at what was known as the Flirtation Table.

Tables were numbered and the two winners at each table moved to tables in opposite directions to vary partners. Attendance covered all age groups from 18 to 80, and from the local vicar to the local ploughman; mostly they were farmers and their wives and older children of the family.

The shindig started at 7pm prompt, with a break for refreshments at around 8.30pm. The food was all brought by the participants - the hosts would supply tea and milk (no coffee). So there would be pasties, egg and bacon pies, saffron buns, boiled cake, ginger cake, jam and cream sponges, maids- of-honour and anything else a Cornish kitchen could supply.

People paid for the food they consumed and the money collected was for the Church Fund, which was a general fund used not only for ongoing repairs to the church but also say, for new cassocks.

About 9.30pm the Whist Drive resumed until around 10.30 or 11pm. People mostly walked - they nearly all went the same way home - to nearby farms and villages.

Help The Homeless

He added: “We will be exploring digital routes to generate revenue for this wonderful St Petroc’s is the charity dedicated to ending charity.” And here is just such a route. Peter homelessness in Cornwall. Until this ultimate Crisp and Kevin Dempsey have written and goal is achieved, St Petroc’s people are recorded a song called Lamorna Morning, doing their best to look after those men and women who, for whatever reason, have which they offer in support of St Petroc’s work. All you have to do is go online and visit found themselves without a home. www.petercrisp.bandcamp.com You can buy In recognition of their dedication and the song for £1 or more and the proceeds will hard work, St Petroc’s has been chosen as go to the charity.

Cornwall’s Charity Of The Year 2020. “We have been so impressed,” said Kim Conchie, CEO of Peter says: “We had a wonderful response the Cornwall Chamber of Commerce, “with St from as far away as Australia, Canada and the USA, many people paying much more than Petroc’s activity to help homeless people in the asking price. We’re hoping the people of Cornwall, they became a runaway favourite Cornwall will be equally generous.” for the accolade this year.”

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The People of St Minver 1841- 1911

Richard Jackson, the brother of a St Minver resident,lives and works in Manila and has been using the 10 months of Lockdown to research the census data from1851 As I said in previous articles, St Minver’s population in the middle of the nineteenth century were poor and, once the mining industry disappeared by the mid 1860s, that poverty increased.

Apart from mining, which flourished for a couple of decades (1845-65) in the north of the parish, everything depended upon agriculture. And agriculture depended very heavily on a poorly paid labour force of servants and labourers. The table shows the individuals in certain occupations. If we examine the numbers of people of all ages in households dependent on the incomes earned by these individuals then, in 1851, ten per cent of the population was composed of farm servants, who were accommodated on a farm (and in most cases single people without or separated from any family they had). But 32% of the population lived in households whose main (and often sole) wage-earner was an agricultural labourer who was not provided with accommodation by his employer and was only employed as and when work was available. While farm servants often remained with a particular farmer for many years, agricultural labourers had, on the whole, a really very hard and almost totally insecure existence and some were seminomadic as they moved from one parish to another in search of work. It is therefore not difficult to understand why, for many people, opportunities for self-improvement in places like St. Minver were extremely limited and migration appeared to be an attractive option.

In 1834 one of the earliest Cornish railways was built between Bodmin and Wadebridge and was bought by the London and South Western Railway company in 1847. This had little if any impact on St. Minver. But the 1861 Census suggests quite strongly that, at the time, some of the people of St. Minver may 22

have been anticipating that the arrival of the GWR would have major impacts.

For example, by April 1861, two lodging houses had appeared in St. Minver, one at Tredrizzick and the other at Polzeath. The former was the brainchild of the four Grose sisters (from Egloshayle and St. Breock), all of whom were over 60 in 1861. Phillippa (77) and Frances (65) never married and were joined in this venture by their sisters Petronella Buller (76), the widow of a butcher, and Rebecca Burt (63), the widow of a shoemaker.

Perhaps they were encouraged to enter the hospitality business by the fact that Henry Blake at nearby Keiro Farm had just recently invested in a (horse-drawn) omnibus, which might bring their guests to and from Bodmin station? Unfortunately, at the time of the census their Lodging House had no guests and, since three of the sisters died before 1871, their establishment unsurprisingly is not mentioned in any later census.

The second tourist venture, a ‘publick lodging house’ in Polzeath had four guests in 1861, the two sons of the Vicar of Wadebridge, the Rev. E. Shuttleworth, Henry (10) and Edward (7) accompanied by their tutor, William Wilson of Penzance and a housekeeper, Elizabeth Menhinnick of Egloshayle. It is by no means clear who owned this facility as no other names are to be found in the census entry.

But the building in which they lodged was immediately adjacent to the house of Mary Mably. This business is not recorded in later censuses. But it is tempting to suppose whoever the owner was had decided, like the Grose sisters, that the opening of the Bodmin station might bring in visitors.

And that temptation is increased by another feature of the 1861 census. In all the censuses of St. Minver it was common enough for individuals to list their occupation as

We welcome your stories and photographs

Occupation

Males

Females

Landed property owner 1

6

‘Independent’/ annuitant/private means

6

7

Farmer

43

1

Miner

43

0

Tradespeople

60

16

Services

21

17

Agricultural/Farm labourer

146

Servant

66

44

Pauper

8

14

TOTAL

414

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Occupations of people aged 15 or over in St Minver 1851 ‘landowner’ or ‘proprietor of land’. It was uncommon, however, and had not been the case in any previous censuses of St. Minver, for people to register under occupation, and thereby imply that they obtained or hoped to obtain and income from, ‘house ownership’.

Eight households in Lowland Minver listed this as their ‘occupation’ in 1861; they were in Penmain, Pittamy (Pityme) and Rock. No such entries were made elsewhere in the parish.

Were houses being rented out to visitors by 1861 or did the owners anticipate such a source of income?

They do not appear to have been rented out at the time of the census itself (in April) and certainly not to anyone from far away.

There is no evidence in the census of any independent person or annuitant from outside of Cornwall having enquired about housing rental as of April 1861. And, of the 36 lodgers and visitors listed in 1861 (other than the previously mentioned Shuttleworth party

in lodgings in Polzeath), 25 were local people and the remaining eleven from other parts of Cornwall. Virtually all of them were working people, not leisure seekers.

So, it seems that the coming of the GWR to Bodmin may have raised people’s hopes in St. Minver, but at this stage, it had no evident impact on St. Minver’s demography or, by means of tourism, its economy: the population of the lowlands had grown a little in the preceding decade, but the parish’s overall population had declined as the lead miners left and that decline was to continue for the next thirty years or so.

Richard is hoping to publish this research in the future but in the meantime has kindly offered Link readers the opportunity to have a PDF copy of his full report if a small donation is made to the St Minver Community Hub Please contact the editor if you are interested. morwenna@stminverlink.org

Wadebridge Tennis Club

Wadebridge Tennis Club is open ( Covid permitting)and membership is looking good across the minis, juniors and adult categories.

As we enter the autumn we are lucky that great facilities including floodlights allow play to continue all year round.

The coaching sessions are running for all ages and stages and the club is buzzing.

Many competitions were cancelled this year but the club did run its annual club championship and I am pleased to say that it all concluded with a finals day in September that was well supported from start to finish.

Sport has never been as important as it is now as physical and mental health is paramount to a healthy human being.

If you are reading this article and would like to find out more about Wadebridge tennis club and what we have to offer please contact me on:brobinjames@gmail.com / 07881 583 971 James Brobin

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Malnutrition

What can we do in our community?

by Faith Toogood As I write this, we are entering lockdown number 2.0. When you read this, we will hopefully be emerging from this Lockdown.

It somehow felt right to focus these words on something which has been a theme in our local community since the initial lockdown in March of this year: looking out for others. This time however, through identifying and tackling malnutrition. Most crucially in the older and more vulnerable group within our community.

Malnutrition costs the NHS £20 billion pounds per year, a staggering amount for something that perhaps doesn’t sound hugely serious but yet I see severe cases in the hospital on a daily basis. It is an enormous problem for society.

Malnutrition can be defined as imbalances, deficiencies or excesses in the diet of an individual, affected by not only quantity but also quality of the diet consumed.

Malnutrition affects every system in our bodies.

It is a problem because it leads to an increased vulnerability to illness/ability to fight infection, fatigue and lethargy, increased risk of falls, anxiety and depression, heart failure, difficulty in coughing which in turn increases the risk of chest infections. In short, it is bad news but more crucially and hence why I decided to write this article, it is largely preventable.

In light of the current covid pandemic, social isolation has become increasingly more prevalent amongst the older generation, especially amongst those who were previously advised to shield. The impact of this is huge because it can become extremely easy to fall into a negative cycle where reduced food

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intake becomes a dangerous part of the problem. Depression and anxiety, although a symptom of malnutrition, can also be a causative factor. When struggling with mental health, loneliness, isolation or grief, (all of which have increased massively throughout society in general during recent months), can all impact on appetite and our levels of motivation to cook and eat. Additionally, for those living alone, the impact is even greater and these individuals are at highest risk of developing malnutrition through eating poor quality food, low in essential micronutrients or just simply not eating enough to sustain health.

Food First What can we do if we identify someone who we feel could be at risk of malnutrition?

Historically, as dietitians, we used to rely heavily on nutritional supplements but now a food first approach is the preferred way and, for the purposes of this article is perfect to focus on because it is practically very achievable for anyone to do. First and foremost the idea is to make each mouthful count for these individuals. Focus on small volume, high energy foods by fortifying favourite meals/ drinks with high energy foods so that in a similar sized serving, the individual is getting more protein and more calories. This will help to prevent weight loss and, importantly, loss of muscle mass too.

Here are a few ideas : •Adding extra skimmed milk powder to drinks to boost protein content. Skimmed milk >continued on page 65 powder is so easy

We welcome your stories and photographs

Business Spotlight Helen Morton had the business plan for Kilncraft written for 5 years, ‘Kilncraft has evolved from 5 years as The Handy Store and 10 years as Evans. With our 30 years of retailing experience, we wanted to bring something fresh to the high street, reflecting a shift in trends and a move from shopping to personal experience.

I was also becoming increasingly aware that the type of items we were selling at the Handy Store, were ending up broken on the beach (cheap plastics, tennis balls and buckets and spades)and although we changed many of our products to environmentally friendlier items in the past year or so, it was a driving factor in the rebrand to Kilncraft; to have a business which was more environmentally responsible.’

Pottery is completely new to me! I attended a course on ‘how to set up your pottery painting business’ and started from there!

I also wanted to do something new for me; pottery painting is therapeutic, fun and a positive thing to do. I love watching people

Kilncraft

getting lost in their creativity, and the joy on their faces when they see their creations out of the kiln for the first time, whether it be a gift or a keepsake or a piece of dinnerware.

Helen, who is also the leader of St Minver Guides, wants to extend the business into the community. ‘ We can offer baby hand and footprints, doggie prints, toddler sessions, after school activities, staff parties or party packages as well as activities for fundraising and community groups, and to those with disabilities or impairments.’

Obviously plans for the development of Kilncraft have been limited due to Covid , but Helen’s daughters are very enthusiastic about how the business should go. ‘My daughters are keen to develop workshops at Kilncraft as there is nowhere locally for children to learn pottery skills. This new business has been a sharp learning curve for us all, particularly this year, but we are very positive about the future!’ www.kilncraft.org

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Thanks from Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall Several local organisations and businesses were delighted recently to receive a letter from Colonel Edward Bolitho OBE, thanking them for their volunteering during the first lockdown.

‘The letter was unexpected,’ one community leader said, ‘We all just got on with a job that needed to be done and were so happy to be able to support the community during such unprecedented times. Receiving recognition for all the volunteers who stepped up to the task, without hesitation, has been a wonderful surprise.’

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We welcome your stories and photographs

Rainbow Book Tells of a Caring Town Volunteers at Concern Wadebridge, decided to put a book together featuring work from the wonderful people of Wadebridge and how they had coped during life in lockdown. I had the idea when I was sorting out the hundreds of books for our book service as a volunteer at Concern Wadebridge and as I had previously put a book of poetry together for a hospice where I worked.

We had the idea to include some pictures from the children at Wadebridge Primary School and held a competition to design the front cover! We were amazed at the fantastic artwork from the children and the ways that they depicted their life in lockdown. This led to some exceptional poems being included by children too future Poet Laureates in the making!

We also had material submitted from volunteers, users of the centre and local people who heard about the book. Truly a book for the whole community to share, inspire and uplift during these changing and difficult times.

The Rainbow Book is available postage. After lockdown it can be picked up from the centre by post from Concern at the directly.

John Betjeman Centre in Bridget Prusik Wadebridge for ÂŁ3.50 plus

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St Minver Community Hub Creating a more sustainable Community Hub

In these strange times we all find ourselves, in creating a sustainable asset for our community is crucial. We have taken the opportunity to step back and review our requirements with a focus on keeping the cost down as much as feasibly possible, providing the most benefit to the community within the Hub we are creating and, importantly, ensuring what we produce is sustainable and cost effective for years to come.

With all the above in mind, we have looked closely at the design and rationalised what we are providing and moved the location of the Hub within the site. To support this we have made a new planning application, revised our costings to reduce the build cost by £100,000 and completely updated our website, @ www. stminvercommunityhub.org.uk , to reflect the improvements in the project.

We are currently awaiting the planning application to be approved and then we have the task of working with the local community in raising the remaining required funds.

The challenge for us all, is to

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raise the remaining 90% of the funds required to enable us to build this brilliant asset for the community. Can you help us. or do you know someone who can?

Financing the Community Hub Project

The first visible phase of the project is the Interim Health Hub that is now open at a total cost of just under £24,000. The various fundraising appeals, including the very successful sponsorship of John Baxter’s beard, have now raised this sum. The Doctors’ Practice is paying for the use of the Health Hub and this will cover the ongoing running costs.

The revised plans for the Community Hub building not only provide for better facilities and improved location but are more cost-effective. As a result, the estimated cost for completing all phases of the project, including the Interim Health Hub, moving the football pitch, building of the Community Hub, provision of a stand-alone storage and public toilet block, removal of redundant buildings, revamping the car park and general landscaping is now £750,000. Fund raising to date has reached £74,000. Once the

revised plans achieve planning approval and the legal issues around use of the playing field have been finalised, the comprehensive project fund raising plan can be launched. It is expected that this will result in sufficient funds being raised through 2021 to commence the Community Hub build phase.

Please visit: www.stminvercommunityhub. org.uk /donate to make any welcomed donations: Dave Witts Director Social Media and Football Club Representative and Trustee Keith Snelling Finance Director and Trustee

Rock Health Hub Now Fully Open

It is good to know that the hub is now fully open twice a week with a nurse led service as well as prescription collection. The lockdown has proven what a great community we have and how everyone pulls together in a time of crisis. The community hub committee saw the loss of the doctors’ surgery as a crisis and were not surprised when so many generous donations were made to provide the new clinically equipped building.

We are hoping that over time we can attract other services to operate from the hub so that it can be used to its full potential.

Although the hub is a great

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success, it did take the focus slightly off the main objective to deliver a new community hub building. We can now concentrate fully on the fundraising but, given the difficult times we are living in, holding events is of course not possible. Please help us to keep the project moving. If you have any ideas for grant funding that we may not be aware of or if indeed you would like to make a donation, we would be hugely grateful. I cannot stress enough that this new building is aimed at our local residents and young people for their use all year round, making a new home for the Scout and Guide groups,and football club, together with creating new facilities for other user groups. It will not only secure their future within the village, but hopefully make their running costs less onerous. We are working with South West Community Builds to bring the project together at the best possible price, and we have the enthusiasm and drive as was proven by the clinical hub, all we need is the funding!

Consulting Room, Carol Mould, Cornwall Councillor for St Minver and St Endellion.

Chair of the St Minver Community Hub Group.

Scouting During Lockdown

At 1st St. Minver Scout Group, we are delighted that Scouting continued during Lockdown, albeit in a very different format.

We were pleased to be able to meet as a Scout Troop using a special very secure version of ‘Zoom’. Each week, our Scouts

met together on the screen with the Leaders, where they were able to share what they had been doing since our last meeting. After hearing any news or activities – and it was clear that they were all in good spirits, we discussed what Badgework they might attempt whilst at home. Fortunately, these days, the requirements for each of the many proficiency badges obtainable for Scouts are all visible on the Scout website.

Our Scouts were very inventive and imaginative with what they might achieve. Many creative projects were undertaken, artwork and craft, cooking and baking as well as gardening and growing vegetables! Scouts were pleased to illustrate their efforts with photographs and videos, during our ‘Zoom’ meetings.

We also managed to take part in some games and receive some instruction on a wide range of activities including knotting and even origami. At the time of writing, we had, as a Group, hoped to return now to ‘Face to Face’ Scouting, just

as we have now entered the second lockdown. So, our Zoom meetings will continue for the time being.

Meanwhile, when we were permitted to, our Leadership team completely repainted our aging Scout Hut inside and out, so that when we might be able to use it again, it will look bright and fresh.

Whilst we have all made the best of the situation with which we are all faced, we should remember that the pandemic affects everyone in different ways. Our young people in Scouts are no different, and it is clear to me how much they have missed their proper interaction with others at Scouts. We had planned a fantastic Scout Camp this past summer, and our usual Winter Camp would have taken place in October. These young people and their Leaders have missed camping, and all that can be learnt and experienced on a fun packed and structured camp.

Our founder, Robert Baden Powell famously said: ‘A week on camp is worth six months teaching in the Troop room’.

He was right, but I am sure he would be proud of the resilience and good spirit of those in Scouting at St. Minver!

Stuart Robertson 1st St. Minver Scout Group.

St Minver Football Club Update

Since Lockdown 1, the Club have made a successful start to the season with the 1st team winning 3 of their 6 games, drawing 1 and losing 2. Their final game before lockdown

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29

resulted in an impressive 6-0 victory away at Padstow in the Camel Estuary Derby.

The young 2nd team under the stewardship of local St Minver legend Dan Haynes have only played 3 league games, winning 1 and losing 2. Unfortunately, now with

Lockdown 2, there will be no more action seen at Trewint Lane until early December.

In preparation for the building of the Community Hub, the football pitch will be moving further up the site and the land behind the top goal and the top hedge is being prepared.

The project has started, and the land is to be rotavated next. As soon as the land has settled, we will then be able to move the pitch up the site.

Dave Witts Director Social Media and Football Club Representative and Trustee

This year our ‘Blue Christmas’ service will be online. It is a contemplative service for those of us who enjoy a time of quiet reflection in the middle of the busyness of the Christmas preparations. It is also a service to acknowledge and comfort the bereaved at a time when perhaps Christmas is not going to be a jolly affair but a time of loneliness and loss. This year more than most many of us may have experienced loss of one kind or another. Grief following the loss of a loved one or living through the Covid 19 pandemic where some have faced job and financial loss, not to mention the loss of freedom through lockdown.

However, I am reminded that whatever kind of year we have

had that Christmas is a time of hope and helps us to focus afresh on the light that Jesus Christ brings into our lives and sustains us through our dark times and places. Isaiah chapter 9 comforts us with these words, “There will be no gloom for those who were in distress. The people in darkness have seen a great light, on those living in the shadow of death a light has dawned.” This prophecy was fulfilled in the incarnation, the birth of Jesus and St. John says, “In him (Jesus) was life and that life was the light of people, the light shines in the darkness.” As I write this we still do not know if we will be locked down for Christmas or if the rule of 6 will affect our Christmas celebrations. I for one

will be happy to say goodbye to this year and welcome in 2021 with renewed hope. Hope and faith in the realisation that we are not alone, God is with us, and whatever the future holds we can face it with God. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9). May our God of hope, comfort, encourage and strengthen you as we remember him this Christmas. Please do join us for our ‘Blue Christmas’ Service which will be available online from Tuesday 15th December at northcornwallclusterofchurches org.uk Rev’d Geraldine.

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We welcome your stories and photographs

Masked Worship

Rock Methodist Church opened its doors for worship on August 23rd for the first time since the Covid19 restrictions were imposed.

Following an in-depth Risk Assessment carried out by our worship leader John Tilling, we were able to rearrange our seating to accommodate up to 30 worshippers observing the 2m distancing with the wearing of masks.

Some 20 people attended that first service and It was fascinating to see our ageing congregation, difficult to recognise behind face covering and changes of hairstyle, carefully registering their attendance, follow the signed pathways and restraining the traditional urge to stop and chat to friends not seen for months.

Renewed Feel to Church

Ann Boulton and Margaret Marshall join our cleaner Ruth Clarke each week to completely clean and sanitize the building which, with the fresh floral displays have created a renewed feel to the Church.

The reopening of Services coincided with the season of Harvest Festivals and this year it seemed more appropriate if we thought of those locally who may well be finding it hard to feed their families.

With this in mind gifts of ‘Dry Goods’ and cleaning materials were brought to the Special

Service of Thanksgiving for our food and then taken to The Wadebridge Food Bank and St Petrocs for the homeless who perform such a great service at this time of hardship for many.

Singing of Hymns

The original ruling on restrictions excluded the singing of hymns which would have caused the Wesleys some concern with Methodism known to have been born in song. Subsequently these guidelines were relaxed allowing the spoken word and then the humming of hymns.

Fortunately, scientists were able to establish that sung quietly and restrained behind masks would present no greater chance of contagion than speaking, so to the instruction ‘you may sing very quietly provided you do not disturb the organist’ was carefully followed -however, Cwm Rhondda proved a challenge under

these conditions! As the first Methodist Church in the area to open since March it has been a pleasure to welcome worshippers from other Churches who were seeking the opportunity to worship and explore ways in which one can practically and correctly conduct this important hour of the week under the restrictions imposed by the pandemic.

Update

Following the Full Lockdown news 11 masked members enjoyed their last Sunday Service led by Rev Alistair Sharp on November 1st when the final gifts of ‘Dry Goods' were prepared for the Food Bank.

For the next month they will again be relying on the Alistair's Youtube sermons and John Tilling's newsletter and meditations and prepare remotely for Christmas Celebrations in whatever form they may take.

John Godwin

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Polzeath Coastguard Update

by Matt Sutherland Sorry for the gap in update reports but as you all know, it’s been a rather strange year and that applies to the HM Coastguard too.

Following a reasonably quiet start to the year, Covid hit and all training was cancelled – we have only recently been allowed to train but under strict conditions. But about two weeks after lockdown, HM Coastguard joined a ‘Mutual Aid’ system designed in times of emergency to assist other Emergency Services on a continued basis ; in this case we were asked by the Police to help observe any lockdown breaches and report them to our HQ – fortunately most people behaved, but we clocked up a lot of hours doing twice daily patrols from Rock to Port Isaac so you probably saw us driving around at some stage!

Following these patrols a ‘gap’ in the beach rescue service from the RNLI was identified and we carried out numerous beach safety patrols to try and ensure that any obvious

Shaun Hawkey , Polzeath Coastguard DSO receiving the binoculars 32

dangers could be prevented such as inflatables in a strong offshore wind (yes it did happen!). I also carried out several Lifeguard patrols as part of a voluntary beach watch team set up after an extremely busy and sadly tragic May 25th where two fatalities and dozens of call outs were recorded on the North Coast of Cornwall. Thankfully no other serious incidents followed and we were extremely relieved to see the return of the RNLI Lifeguards shortly afterwards. We were also extremely grateful to the SeaGirls WI who organised a fundraiser for the coastal emergency teams and enabled us to buy some much needed binoculars for our truck; the ones we had been using were in a pretty poor state!

We’ve had a reasonable number of shouts since then but luckily nothing too serious and it’s great to see so few for dogs falling off cliffs – a very preventable incident.

We are also back to training and have a series of tests to ensure that we are back up to full speed on all our competencies of Rope, Water, Search and Rescue and First Aid. We hope you all stay safe over the wilder winter months and don’t forget, if you see an incident in or near the coast dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.

We welcome your stories and photographs

Wadebridge Memory Cafe thrives during lockdown and at 3pm we all had tea together. It was great. We also had a cocktail afternoon, again provided by the Café. They were nonalcoholic of course!

The Wadebridge Memory Café has continued to meet during lockdown via Zoom. We were a little apprehensive at first but by utilising the Café’s supply of tablet computers, our experienced volunteers and our guests being willing to give new things a try, the Virtual Memory Café has proved very successful.

We continue to meet twice a month and on average 20 people join the Café, and, on occasions, there have been more. It is lovely that friends from the St. Minver Café and those now living at St. Breock Care Home are able to join us.

During lockdown we have been very busy.

For the Café’s 12th birthday we had a virtual cream tea. The Betjeman Centre provided the scones, cream and jam and the Café volunteers took the teas to all our guests

We still continue with the usual activities of the Café, together with quizzes, making of collages and Julia has given us chair exercises to music. Live classical music performances have been given by family members.

An advantage of holding Cafés online is that

friends and family from outside Cornwall can join in with the activities and chat to loved ones. The leaf art featured here was produced by 3 generations of the same family; granny living at St. Breock care home, daughters and grandchildren in Cornwall and Wiltshire.

Granny was heard saying, “this is doing me the world of good”, with a wonderful smile on her face.

Thanks must go to all our volunteers who make these meetings possible.

We are looking forward to meeting again at the Betjeman Centre before too long.

To find out more, please phone Margaret on 07917 195372 or email the facilitator tjwadebridge@gmail.com Tim Jones

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St Minver Guides St Minver Guides are meeting once a month currently. We have about 10 members aged 10-14 and although this year has been difficult with changing rules and guidance, we met up in August for a fun pizza and paddle night at Daymer.

As a unit we try to get outdoors as much as possible with our activities and had a ‘cook out’ planned for October, but we were unable to go ahead, following advice from GIrlguiding. We have had a Festive Pottery Painting evening at KIlncraft and in December a Christmas movie evening is planned, if guidelines allow. Earlier in the year we sent teddies to the teddy trust, made and hid our own geocache, worked on our conscious consumer badge,

which involved shopping and We have spaces for girls ages 10-14. Contact Helen Morton cooking making ethical and 07796173960. sustainable choices. We also visited the Maritime museum Above: Festive Pottery Painting in Falmouth for a South West with waffles - of course!

Girlguiding Roadshow where Below left: Guides enjoy ‘Pizza we made junk boats and raced them! and Paddle night’ at Daymer.

Below right: a brand-new badge to recognise and thank all key workers and volunteers for the amazing work they are doing during the current Covid-19 pandemic.

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We welcome your stories and photographs

News from St Minver Pre School

Autumn term at St. Minver Pre-School has been very busy as we welcomed the children returning after the summer holidays as well as 17 new children to our preschool!

We have focused on helping the children settle in, helping them to manage feelings and behaviour, and to build and develop relationships.

The children have grown in self-confidence and have fun learning and playing together during a term packed full of activities, from baking bread and finger painting to exploring our nature area and enabled us to do this. making a (very creative) mess This is a very valuable outdoor in our mud kitchen! area where the children can We have been very fortunate have extra space to play, no to have received a great deal matter the weather! We have of support from the local also received funding from community. We needed a St. Minver Parish Council new roof on our outdoor shelter and funding from The which has helped towards the roof as well as enabling us to Link and The Pityme Inn has

increase security by installing CCTV. We are very grateful to each organisation and would like to take this opportunity to say thank you!

For any enquiries, please call St Minver Pre-School on tel: 01208 869511 or e-mail stminverpreschool@gmail.com

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Junior Link

Compiled by Nici Couch

Thank you to all the children who took part in our December competition: make a Christmas decoration from recycled materials. We have seen some fantastic initiative in the entries, making the most out of recycled materials from Coke cans to drinks bottles, toilet rolls to light bulbs!!! Allan Caswell was delighted to judge the competition, and thought that everyone had done a superb job. It was so difficult to choose a winner, we have 1st, 2nd and 3rd place prize winners!

1st prize is awarded to Zellie Essex for her Rudolf and Santa sleigh. Zellie wins an after school club session at Kilncraft in Wadebridge with 5 friends 2nd prize is awarded to Olly Brown for his Father Christmas. Olly wins a ÂŁ15 voucher for Kilncraft 3rd prize is awarded to Noah Campbell for his light bulb snowman. Noah wins a ÂŁ10 voucher for Kilncraft Thank you to Zellie, Olly, Noah, Reuben, Nessa, Poppy, Honey, Izzy and Lexi for sending in your wonderful decorations - they will be on display in the windows of the Rock Institute during December.

Nici

1st

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We welcome your stories and photographs

2nd

3rd

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Interior Design

Tips to Refresh Your Home

Our Home Our Refuge Nicola O’Mara - www.nicolaomara.com Our needs are tied to our emotions, which are themselves influenced by our surroundings. The pandemic we are living through has intensified certain emotions and shaken up our priorities. Emotional needs are translating into new demands on our interiors and how good design can help address these new challenges.

A modular home

Home is not just home any more. With the pandemic and lockdown, it has turned into an office, a school, a gym, a play area, a restaurant, a place to retreat and relax. Today we therefore need more flexibility in our interiors. We are starting to look for furniture and accessories that allow us to work and play in the same space. Hybrid designs, detachable units or convertible pieces are the key to creating a home suited to the ‘new normal’.

A restful interior

In times of pandemic, our homes have also become our refuges. And what would a refuge be if not a place to rest and recharge your batteries? Priority can be given to sleep and therefore to bedroom decor. Responding to 38

this need are products that ensure high quality sleep, helping us process our daily emotions and protecting our immune systems.

An interior for wellness

Beyond rest, it is wellness more generally that prevails in this time of anxiety.

This search for wellbeing also includes physical activity at home. And here as well, equipment and furniture needs to be resilient enough to survive daily use. This is helped by stainresistant, waterproof, warming or anti-odour products and furniture that can be used for doing push-ups, yoga or other exercises.

A mood-boosting interior

The months of lockdown have really affected our collective morale. Working from home

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has, likewise, created stress for many people, blurring boundaries between work and private life, and sometimes pushing us to work nonstop. This has resulted in a new need for slivers of good humour or uplifting elements in our homes, which help us escape the new daily reality.

People will therefore be on the lookout for stimulating purchases that improve our mood or provide instant gratification – fun, colourful products that boost morale.

Of course, on top of the pandemic we are also witnessing an environmental crisis. What we should seek out more than anything are solutions that save the planet and have little or no impact on the environment, notably by placing new value on the local.

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Painting with Coffee

In late September, SeaGirls WI members were lucky enough to be invited to join the Bodmin Gaolbirds WI for their October meeting (by Zoom of course!), which included a painting with coffee session.

We were advised to gather the required materials beforehand; some thick paper, brushes, small cups, boiling water and instant coffee. Coffee 'paint' is created by adding varying amounts of coffee to the water to create different strengths of colour.

The session was hosted by Karen Bessell, a Brisbane based demonstrator /artist who was a founder member of the Gaolbirds and daughter of one of the current members.

Karen had kindly set her alarm to the early hours of the morning to attend the evening meeting from the other side of the world.

Karen showed us an example of the finished painting, then talked us through the painting process from sketch, to layering on the Left: The early stages of Rosie’s picture with the coffee 'paint', using the depth of colour to colour being built up Above: Lynsey’s finished ‘Coffee Painting’ help create a sense of distance, to adding the finishing touches. The subject of the painting, 'a walk through Lanhydrock', was inspired by Karen's childhood walks to work through the beauitful woodland in the area. In less than an hour each participant had their own painting, and we were amazed and inspired at how something we all have at home could be used to create something beautiful.

It was a great evening, learning a new skill as well as meeting another cracking local WI group.

Karen runs a facebook page under the name Ucreateartathome, in which there are over 300 FREE classes to try. Why not give it a go while we’re unable to attend group classes and the winter evenings draw in?

Lynsey Hewitt 40

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Featured Artist

Penny McBreen

by Jacqueline Fleming, Art Editor Penny McBreen has been potting for fifty years, more than half of that time at Clapper Yard just outside Wadebridge. It was from Clapper Farm, originally her parent’s home, that as a fifteen year old Penny set off to train at Camborne College’s Art Department in Redruth. At that time there was no Sixth Form at Wadebridge. Penny was artistic, her mother had gone to art school; education and training were very vocational; so art college it was. There was a ‘general year’ which included typography, window dressing, life drawing and screen printing. Coming from farming stock, Penny liked building things, ceramics appealed to her and she studied it for the next two years. She recalls tutors and day visits from potters who taught and gave critiques.

Michael Cardew was a purist and forceful, Dennis Mitchell at the time was working with Barbara Hepworth, Janet Leach, Lesley Ilsley of the Troika Pottery.

As soon as she left college, at the age of eighteen, Penny purchased a wheel for £65 and a ton of clay for £30. She set up in her parent’s cellar at Clapper Farmhouse along with an electric kiln, her first showroom being in the garden. In the early 80s, married with a young family, Penny was based a stone’s throw away at Above Town, Egloshayle.

Customers had to walk through the workshop to her showroom space. In the 90s she relocated her studio and family home back to Clapper Yard.

Penny loves the initial ‘wet work’ of ceramics.

For her this is when the clay is alive – being shaped. She finds the intermediate biscuit stage to be a necessary process; then her interest is piqued again, by decoration and glaze. Penny does not just stay with one form or style of ceramics, she moves from one to another; it is this variety which keeps her interest. She has many tools:the potter’s wheel is used in throwing sessions when she

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larger work, one year exhibiting big sculptural garden pieces at Chelsea Flower Show.

Visitors to her gallery now will see elegant swans, patient sheep with cavorting lambs, sleepy owls perched on blocks, lamp bases of different sizes and shapes.

For hand building the larger pieces she uses slabs and coils and often creates the form – which she loves - before deciding on the external decoration. Whilst many potters sketch their ideas, Penny tends not to use paper and pencil as for her the twodimensional does not necessarily translate well to the three-dimensional. She only very quickly jots an idea down if she needs to.

A conversation with Penny about her work

makes functional objects – mugs, jugs and bowls. The slab roller and clay extruder in preparation for hand building larger pieces, a slower creative process.

Those familiar with Penny’s work will recall her ‘fishy’ pieces. Inspired by the nearby coast’s abundance of sea creatures, hand painted shoals of fish, octopus, sea horses and shells decorated her pots. Penny produced these popular functional pieces for many years, working with a combination of two glazes and various decorative techniques – for example, painting the designs then using sgraffito for detailing. By the early 2000s, Penny moved to is peppered with professional potter’s terminology which illustrates the range of her experience and skills. For example, ‘raku’.

She puts one item at a time into her raku kiln which uses a gas burner to gradually increase the internal temperature to one thousand degrees centigrade. At this point the glazes will melt and Penny looks through a spy hole to see if the piece is ready for her to remove the top of the kiln. If so, off comes the top 42

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at a thousand degrees. The ensuing rush of cold air hits the glaze – one hears a ‘ping’ akin to rustling paper as this happens - creating the sought after crazing. The piece is then covered with a bottomless dustbin which is also cold, so more crazing occurs. Penny then adds dampened sawdust, creating an oxygen reducing atmosphere. Placement of a lid on to the still really hot piece helps the pot absorb carbon, causing the exposed clay body to become charcoal grey. Oxides within the glaze, particularly copper, can change from greens to turquoises to reds in a manner beyond the control of the potter. The resulting piece may have colours reminiscent

of the iridescent sheen on the feathers of a kingfisher or magpie, made all the more vivid by being set against the matt grey of the unglazed areas.

Penny has travelled widely in China, Nepal, Mexico, Italy and Morocco bringing home experiences and inspiration, to add to the creative opportunities she finds on her doorstep near the Camel Estuary. We are fortunate in that we only need journey a moment from Wadebridge to see her work.

Penny McBreen, Clapper Yard, PL27 6HZ. Parking available in the yard.

Instagram: pennymcbreen, Facebook: Penny McBreen

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Country Diary from Cobb Cottage Written and Illustrated by Joan Cockett The Lockdown Sketchbook The Year of the Tomato

against a sunny wall produced over 95 Gardener’s Delight.

Except for those who forget to water them, success is All those seeds sown during guaranteed; even the green lockdown resulted in a superb ones left over when the plant crop of tomatoes this summer, collapsed exhausted, ripened a bonus for many first-time on the kitchen windowsill. growers; my single plant A universally used fruit, it

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seems strange today that it was originally grown here as an ornamental plant, as seen in medieval manuscripts.

Coming originally from an area between the Peruvian Andes and the Pacific, it spread freely across Europe, and it is amusing to read the opinions of herbalists. John Gerard writes in 1597, ‘Of very little nourishment to the body and the same naught and corrupt’, and there were many other reports of ‘colic, apoplexy and faintness’, so it’s not surprising that even in the 18th and 19th centuries, it was still grown as an ornamental.

However, I digress; we’ve all enjoyed the glut, (raw, baked, fried, pureed….) thanks to the courageous people in the past who found they were edible.

As for courgettes, you nearly cannot fail; keeping up with them is the only problem!

Their beautiful yellow flowers give an exotic touch to any garden.

Lockdown brought out the grower in many of us, and I suspect many people will be hooked, and continue to ‘grow their own’, an echo of Dig for Victory during the Second World War. My father grew lettuces, tomatoes and spinach for evermore. I

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haven’t even mentioned the glut of apples and pears…..

An illustration here shows a vista through foliage from my garden, which was revealed one day in lockdown when a high wind brought down a small tree next door. It made such a perfect subject to draw, and made me think of all those times we drove back from Truro and somewhere near the Halfway House area you have a clear view down to Daymer Bay, where invariably the sun would be shining, and we would say ‘That’s our Daymer’. Well this vista shows the brow of that hill from Cobb’s garden, which makes it intriguing.

A view through can make a garden more interesting, and an unexpected glimpse can lift the spirits. A gateway in a wall, or a glimpse of a pear tree next door in blossom in the spring, all add to our experience – and of course, some tall tress where the blackbird can sing its heart out; leave some fallen apples

for them.

We are living through very uncertain times at the moment – being creative is a help to see us through. There’s nothing like wrestling with a painting that won’t go well and working to resolve it. You turn off the radio (relentless news) and maybe listen to Classic FM. Call it escapism, but our sanity can depend on it. Cooking is a great escape, and the smell of baking and a warm kitchen is a

positive experience, and with something good to eat as well!

If all else fails, we are so fortunate here that we can simply go for a walk on the beach, come rain or shinethat mixture describes the weather here at the end of October very accurately!

Enjoy the last days of autumn – the sun on golden leaves brings a wistfulness, but there will be lovely winter days too.

Plant the rest of the bulbs and look forward to spring.

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Wildlife in Winter

by Adrian Langdon

Golden Plover Here at The Link we are delighted that local wildlife photographer Adrian Langdon has agreed to become one of our regular contributors. Anyone who is unfamiliar with Adrian’s work can take a look at his website:www.adrianlangdon.com, follow him on Facebook or visit his blog: http://www. images-naturally.co.uk/ Adrian has lived in Wadebridge all his life and there’s not much he doesn’t know about local wildlife.

One of the great things about watching wildlife is that there is always something of interest whatever the time of the year.

When I think of winter in this area of the country I think of the huge flocks of birds that arrive here from Northern Europe. We are fortunate that we rarely suffer hard winters therefore many birds spend their time in Cornwall rather than carrying on their migration towards Africa and

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beyond.

Waders and wildfowl are the ones most associated with the Camel estuary although many of us will venture up to Roughtor on the moors to witness the starling flocks arriving at dusk to roost in the conifers in the nearby forest.

Those birds will have migrated from places like Norway, Finland, Poland and Northern Germany so when you pass remarks about a starling on

your garden feeders remember the vast distance it may have travelled to arrive here and then think about how many times it will have made that voyage since birth.

The Camel estuary is an internationally important wintering site for the beautiful Golden Plover and they are best watched at low tide in their thousands from the Camel trail, looking towards the Dinham mudflats. They can

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Whooper Swan

Grey Seal at Polzeath

Roe Deer

be most spectacular in good sunlight especially if a predator such as a Peregrine falcon is near enough to cause panic amongst them.

The area is well known for its swans and in Wadebridge everyone seems to take a keen interest in the nests and the cygnets but how many people check them out in the winter to see if they’re all the traditional Mute swan. We regularly get Whooper swans and occasionally Tundra swans mixing with our residents. So it’s always worth spending a few minutes looking for a swan with a yellow bill rather than the usual red/orange. If you’re on the trail then look toward Burniere Point or Dinham for the best chances.

Mammals are still active both on land and in the water and we live in the perfect place to be able to see both. From the outer estuary and the coast around toward Port Quin you can usually see grey seals close to shore and if you have binoculars then Common Dolphins and Harbour Porpoise also frequent this patch.

In the fields Roe deer are becoming quite common and when I put out a camera trap last winter I had 2 that liked to lick the camera! Fox, badger, otter, rabbit and rat also showed regularly.

There are some super Apps that we can put on our phones now that help identify and record our sightings so we can now travel light!

Adrian.

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Nothing can stop the SeaGirls!!

As we move into the winter season, the SeaGirls have done their best to keep WI life as normal as can be in these very unusual times. Our October meeting welcomed a talk via Zoom from Caroline Birkby, one of the many volunteers at the Cornwall Air Ambulance. The talk was very well received, highlighting the fact of how important it is to support the CAA, as they provide such a vital service here in Cornwall and rely solely on donations and fundraising.

As we continue to go about life during this difficult time, the SeaGirls have been determined not to let Covid 19 spoil the festive cheer. By holding committee meetings in reduced numbers of 6 or under, we managed to organise the SeaGirls virtual Christmas Fayre. Everyone has been working tirelessly on producing the most incredible homemade produce and crafts to form an array of hampers, following the initial idea sparked by one of our members. What's not to love about a reusable SeaGirls jute bag, filled with homemade treats to enjoy during the festive season!?

Alongside our festive efforts, our talented sewing team has created the most incredible 48

banner to mark the formation Above: the new SeaGirls banner of the SeaGirls WI, following in centre) the footsteps of the Polzeath Below: Christmas Hampers and Trebetherick WIs. It was so important for us to have a banner representing our wonderfully diverse group, and we feel the elegant simplicity of the finished piece has captured the SeaGirls perfectly.

Alongside our virtual Fayre, following our communtiy effort in lockdown, the SeaGirls have produced a range of delicious treats to fill goodie bags to be distributed to the ‘FINs’ (friends in need) in December.

“We think it is important to recognise that within our community there are vulnerable and elderly residents who may well have been in self isolation for a large proportion of the year.

We hope our SeaGirls’ goodie bags will bring some festive cheer to those who need it most!” commented Gemma Webster, secretary.

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Tractor Run Raises Funds

A Charity tractor run in aid of Cornwall Prostate Care took place on Sunday the 13th of September.

The photo shows Mr Dally presenting the cup for most original tractor to Mr B Simmons.

16 tractors took part, some came from Fraddon, St Columb, and Delabole, we managed to raise £320.00.

There will be another Charity Tractor Road Run in aid of ‘Children’s Hospice South West’, at 3pm on Saturday, 5th December. ( Covid guidelines

permitting) the run starts at St Minver Cricket Club car park. If the weather is too inclement then we will try for Sunday the 6th of December.

Anyone wishing to participate should try to keep either day free. For details please contact Gilbert on : 07519018043.

Gilbert Dingle

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News from St Minver School

As we enter the second half of this Autumn Term, we have much to celebrate and reflect upon here at St Minver School.

It was wonderful to welcome back all classes in September.

Children are fantastically robust creatures and to see them enjoying the company of their friends after months of being apart due to coronavirus restrictions was heartwarming for staff and parents alike. As a community, we are getting used to new ways of working and the school has consistently risen to this challenge, from our virtual assemblies, to one-way systems around the school grounds, to ‘fallow’ storage for reading books in order to minimise risks from crosscontamination. At every turn, we have been impressed by pupils’ flexibility and positive response to change.

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Of course, now we are also working hard to ensure we do all we can to promote accelerated progress where this has proven necessary and to fill gaps where they exist and to re-establish Team St Minver as a close-knit community of learners.

We kick-started this at the beginning of term with Friendship Fortnight; a chance to revisit how good friends behave, for the children to ‘interview’ their classmates, to reflect on what is uniquely different and comfortingly similar about each of us and to consider our responsibilities in relation to our own and others’ learning.

We got news of a lovely example of a St Minver pupil’sexcellence in October when Esme scooped second place, from a field of over 500 entries in the KS2 category, at this year’s Fowey Festival of

This year’s Reception class Literature and the Arts. Esme’s evocative poem ‘The Storm’ uses personification to great effect and reminds us, in no uncertain terms, of the sea’s potential to wreak havoc. Well done, Esme!

We are similarly proud of the achievements of our thirty youngest children. St Minver’s new Class R are already a vital

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The Storm

In the unknown seas, the storm laughed at what it had done.

As the sea hit the breakwater it launched over the It pounded and punched the crying crumbling cliffs. houses.The boats shivered and huddled together like The ocean charged towards the shore as the wind penguins in fear. screamed above the raging sea.

The breakwater was as brave as a solider as it stood The sea twisted and churned while the gloomy clouds there as Þerce as it could be. loomed over the angry ocean.

The birds ßew for their lives as the Þsh sheltered But one little lonely boat huddled to the harbour in seaweed that got swept away. wall as the storm grabbed and chucked the other The storm was going to win.It was a boat breaker shivering boats. house drencher Þsh hater.

Bulging and brave in power the storm rages on.

Bulging and brave in power the storm rages on, The storm had won.

part of our team and have made an excellent start on their learning journey with their ‘Nice to Meet You’ topic.

Reception class children spend a lot of time talking about what is means to be an effective learner. Only when

children understand and can apply these dispositions are they able to demonstrate their readiness for new knowledge, concepts and skills.

This year, metacognition or ‘learning to be a learner’ is something we are working on

as a whole school; drawing on the expertise of our KS1 pupils to ensure every single child is accountable for developing their own concentration, resilience, perseverance or independence, for example.

We enjoyed looking at Austin’s butterfly, as a fantastic example of what is means to be a ‘persevering parrot!’ You can find out about this for yourselves on YouTube. And we at St Minver encourage you, too, to be brave in your approach to learning and to give as well as accept feedback with positivity and enthusiasm too!

Be brave, be kind, belong!

Mrs J Rodwell. Head of School

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Stargazing

by Patrick Cronin-Coltsmann Astronomy and Astrophysics PhD Student University of Warwick

The Night Sky This Winter The Sun sets early and rises late; the nights are long and dark. Naturally, winter is the very best time for stargazing, and this winter there are some very special sights to see!

Planets

I’ve included an image of the orbits of all the planets around the Sun, not to scale and timed to Christmas Day, and there are a couple of things I want to talk about: The Great Conjunction: The first thing you might have noticed is that Jupiter and Saturn are right next to each other in their orbits. As they

both take so long to orbit the Sun this is both a very rare event and one that will last all winter. On the night of the 21st December, the two planets will be closer than have ever been since the year 1623! And the next time they get this close will be 2080! This is very much a Once-In-A-Lifetime opportunity to catch the two side by side in the night sky,

just 0.1 degrees apart. For reference, the Moon has a diameter about 0.5 degrees on the sky and if you hold your arm outstretched your pinky finger will have a width of 1 degree. The pair will be blazing in the South-West sky, but be warned: on the night of the Great Conjunction itself, they will have set by 6:30 pm and they’ll only set earlier as the months progress. So catch them while you can, just after the Sun sets this December.

The view through a telescope or a pair of binoculars will be something you’ll never forget!

Red Mars: Although it was at its closest in October, Mars is still quite close to Earth and burning red in the sky. Mars will be high in the SouthSouth-Western sky all-night all-winter. Prime for viewing.

Mars’ red iron oxide colour has been noted by astronomers all around the globe for millenia, and it’s apparent by its names. In East Asian cultures it is known as the fire star, for example: ‘Kasei’ in Japanese and ‘Huo Hsing’ in Chinese.

Meteor Showers 52

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Last season, I told you about two meteor showers, the Orionids and Leonids, both had a shooting star about every five minutes at their peak. This winter the Geminds will have two shooting stars every minute at their peak on December 14th and will be active all through the preceding week. The peak even lines up with the New Moon, ideal! If you want the meteor shower experience, this will be your best bet for a few years, so sit yourself outside, get comfy, let your eyes adjust to the dark and watch the show with a nice warm cuppa by your side. The shower will last all night, beginning in the East and radiating from the constellation Gemini - the Twins, but the height of the shower will occur when the Twins Castor and Pollux are highest in the sky around 12-2 am. Unlike other meteor showers, like the Orionids, Leonids and Perseids, the meteors in the Geminids originate from an asteroid and not a comet. This asteroid, 3200 Phaethon, crosses Earth’s orbits and plunges closer to the Sun than any other named asteroid, hence it was named for Phaethon, the son of the Greek Sun god Apollo.

The Pleiades: Sometimes known as the Seven Sisters, this ‘Open’ star cluster is visible all winter and all night long, very high in the Eastern sky and North-West of Taurus the Bull. They appear to be a tight bundle of six or seven bright stars, but when viewed through with a telescope/ binoculars dozens more suddenly reveal themselves, as well as a foggy nebula background. These bright blue stars are very young and were all born from the same parent gas cloud. In Japan, this cluster is known as Subaru, for which the car brand is named and their logo designed. I’ve drawn up a figure to recognise them by and circled the Seven Sisters.

Orion: The Greeks saw this Constellations constellation as a mighty It’s not just December that is hunter holding up a shield in exciting though, the winter front of him and raising a club is the best time for general behind him. Three bright stars stargazing too! Here are a form a belt across his waist. couple of the great sights available if you went outside at Look out for the red giant star Betelgeuse in his shoulder; it’s just 7pm.

one of the brightest stars in the sky and its red colour is plain to see! If you have a telescope or a pair of strong binoculars, you might also be able to see the wispy Orion Nebula in the centre of his sword. Orion will start in the Southern sky and move Eastwards and upwards as the winter progresses.

There are dozens of constellations up there, try looking up and hunting down some others.

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53

RNLI lifeguards finish patrols for 2020, after ‘a summer like no other’ Photos: Sam Chamberlain

RNLI lifeguards have hung up their wetsuits as they finished their safety patrols on all beaches across the South West for 2020. With unpredictable weather conditions at this time of year, the charity is reminding people using the coast over the winter to take extra care and to heed safety advice.

After what has been called ‘a summer like no other’, the charity has released photos taken

by RNLI lifeguard Sam Chamberlain which capture lifeguarding in 2020. Changes due to the Covid-19 pandemic saw lifeguards adopting socially distanced patrols and PPE for casualty care. On top of this, lifeguards dealt with record numbers on the region’s beaches and summer storms that saw lifeguards save 15 lives in just one week.

Sam Chamberlain, senior RNLI lifeguard at Perranporth, describes the inspiration behind capturing the 2020 lifeguard season on camera: ‘I hadn’t really picked up a camera since I studied media at college around 12 years ago but living in this new world of lifeguarding seemed so surreal that I thought I needed to capture some

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moments from the season, so I kept the camera close.

‘A pandemic is something that none of us has experienced before and having to keep your distance and wear masks around people that you’ve known and worked with for years felt very strange.

‘This summer has by far been the busiest that I have experienced during my 10 seasons as a lifeguard.

Tom Mansell, RNLI Regional Lifesaving Lead says: ‘It has been an extraordinary season in so many ways. Our lifeguards have continuously gone the extra mile day in and day out to keep

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people safe on the region’s beaches. While some years they may have had respite from the crowds on a rainy day, the sheer volume of people in the west country and the need to pre-book other attractions has meant people have flocked to the beaches day after day from May all the way through to this October half term.

‘During one week alone in August, lifeguards saved 15 lives on our beaches. I am extremely proud of the resilience and professionalism these teams have shown; they have proved to be integral to our beach communities and while our figures show the rescues and lives saved, we know the conversations and advice they have given while on duty will have helped save many, many more lives this summer.’

Although the lifeguards have packed up until spring, RNLI volunteer lifeboat crews continue to be on call 365 days a year ready to respond to emergencies when their pager goes off. But to avoid putting yourself and our volunteers at risk, please heed the following safety advice this winter: • Check tides, weather and sea conditions and be realistic about your level of ability. Winter is not the time to push your limits • Avoid going in the water alone. If you are

planning to go for a kayak, surf or swim, always go with someone, have someone on the shore or at least let somebody know where you will be and what time you expect to be back • If you are an inexperienced water user, avoid isolated beaches that have a reduced footfall so that if you do get into difficulty, there is a chance someone will see you and raise the alarm • Take note of the signage at the entrance to the beach which will indicate any localised hazards.

If in doubt, ask a local for advice • Always wear appropriate equipment, this includes a winter wetsuit, wetsuit hood, boots and gloves – the colder you get, the weaker your body will become, increasing your risk of getting into difficulty. We’d also suggest having warm clothing, a hot drink and a woolly hat for afterwards • If you find yourself in trouble, never abandon your craft, it will keep you afloat until help arrives • If you see somebody in difficulty, dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard. Stay on scene until they arrive as this will aid the rescue, but please do not attempt to rescue them yourself.

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Tindle House, 2 Trevanson St Wadebridge, PL27 7AW 01208 815415 susankendall1952@gmail.com

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01208 623617/07773847963 rhoschapman@hotmail.com

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The Story of Footpath 17, a Tribute to Audrey

It is 10 years since a challenge was addressed in Rock.

My parents John and Anne Folley bought Whistlers, Brea Road in 1976 as their retirement home. The Cul de Sac of 12 bungalows was linked to Rock Road along the lane opposite The Dining Room . The lane was known by North Cornwall District Council as Footpath 17.

As years went by the lane and immediate road outside Brea Road, which is unnamed, deteriorated very much with potholes that would become flooded when it rained heavily and sometimes froze in cold winters. The potholes were sometimes filled but the drainage was always a problem.

In January 2009 I spent several weeks at Whistlers. The weather was bad and wet and the condition of the road and drainage worsening.

My neighbour Audrey Canning said people would not visit or come for tea anymore because of the state of the road and we had both fallen & been injured on the ice as we tried to avoid the hazards walking the lane, to the newsagents.

I felt upset about the isolation Audrey was experiencing and also felt the problem needed some action.

We discussed the possibilities and had a meeting with some local residents in the immediate area.

We were very fortunate to have the support of 2 generous local residents to fund investigation and start the project.

Audrey and I took on the responsibility of organising, planning & overseeing. After investigation, work was started to dig and prepare to get a proper drainage system in

place. We worked out the pricing and 28 houses contributed £2,000 each .

Audrey, who had in her earlier life, worked as a Secretary/ PA in a top London firm was well qualified to keep accounts, lists and notes with rigour and over the months of work, Audrey oversaw the work on a daily basis. If the workmen weren’t there at the right time, she would be on the phone, chasing them up.

They were more scared of Audrey than anyone!

We worked closely together, it was very time consuming and at times very tense, but we stuck with it and stood up to some tricky workmen.

At last the drainage was put in place effectively and then the road covering was started. We had to replace the sleeping policemen that were already in place and to keep the speed in check.

Eventually, the project was completed and we were able to give one of our initial sponsors some of his contribution back, which had been used to start the project. This sponsor praised Audrey and I for our ‘Churchillian Endurance’ to achieve and complete our goal to make the area safer for everyone .

I wanted to record and write this in memory of our dear neighbour Audrey who sadly passed away in March 2020. She has left a lasting impression on the Brea Road area and its success is a tribute to her tenacity.

I know people, locals, residents and holidaymakers enjoy walking along our lane and I hope this story and piece of history will help to keep it in the minds of all who enjoy this lovely part of Rock and leading through the Golf Course.

Rosie Needham Harbour Commissioners, for allowing the Swim to take place in August. Again for 2021 Swim, entry will be through application and a ballot, with details and the appropriate documentation, This year the Swim had to be cancelled due to the corona virus pandemic, but due to the available in due course on the Marie Curie and amazing generosity of the registered swimmers Padstow Swim web sites. Our plans are well who donated their registration fees, and that of underway, so for new swimmers, now is the time our sponsors, Marie Curie will still benefit to the to start your training. We look forward to seeing amazing sum of £15, 911. The date for the 2021 you all, both familiar and new faces, on August 7th th Swim has been set for August 7 on the afternoon Peter Tamblin 2021. tide, and I would like to say a special thankyou to the Padstow Harbour Master and the Padstow www.mariecurie.org.uk/padstowswim

Padstow to Rock Swim 2020 and 2021

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A Book Review by John Baxter

American Uprising, Mutiny in the Duchy

by Kate Werran Published by Pen and Sword £25 hardback: available from Wadebridge Bookshop It is appropriate that this remarkable story should be brought to the attention of your reviewer at a time when the acronym, BLM, Black Lives Matter, reverberates in many countries throughout the world. Sportsmen and women are urged to ‘take the knee’ in recognition of the death of a black suspect forcibly detained by white police in Minneapolis, and violent demonstrations still persist in many precincts in the United States.

It is likely that very few Cornish citizens outside Launceston (and not many within the town), will be aware of the incident that took place on the evening of Sunday, 26th September, 1943, which led to a 3-day court martial in Paignton and which briefly threatened the AngloAmerican ‘special relationship’.

Churchill expressed ‘grave anxiety’ about the front-page publicity on both sides of the Atlantic, but the drama was quickly hushed up by the authorities amid the everescalating preparations for D-Day. Kate Werran, Oxfordeducated historian and now TV documentary maker, has 62

painstakingly researched archives, and has both told a tale of a briefly dramatic incident, and has also drawn a picture of how British citizens reacted to soldiers of the ‘Jim Crow Army’.

The narrative opens, frustratingly, with detailed extracts from the opening day of a trial. There is no background information about the presence of US soldiers in England, about the reasons why troops of colour seem to have been segregated in Pennygillam Farm outside Launceston, and only hints about possible grounds for grievance among the Afro-American soldiers on trial. The following chapter remedies this omission and Werran provides excellent historical evidence about US intervention in the war in Europe. Most telling are the references to existing tensions and appalling prejudices within the US Army. The 14 accused at Paignton were all members of the 581st Ordnance Ammunitions Company, based in Fort Sill in preparation for deployment to England, from where Werran has unearthed copious

evidence of existing racism in the US Army, particularly, but not exclusively, in the Southern States. By September, 1943, nearly 3 million GIs were based in the UK, of whom 130,000 were African Americans.

Throughout the war, the latter were posted to rural towns and villages from the Yorkshire Moors to Cornwall; it was here they were preparing for D-Day landings. Men of the 581st OAC spent their first day in Cornwall on 22nd September at Pennygillam Farm. Immediately they were banned from venturing into town as access passes for

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them were blocked. When a few finally secured passes white military policemen persistently harassed them and bitter resentment grew.

The trial began on Friday,15th October, and the narrative of Day 1, and the description of the firing of guns by a group of soldiers from Pennygillam Farm, has already been covered in Chapter 1. It is at this point that Werran draws attention to the ‘Visiting Forces Act’, passed by the UK Government in 1942, which made US soldiers subject to American Military Law.This meant that they could be executed on British soil for crimes which did not carry capital punishment in Britain.

Fourteen African-American soldiers were accused of crimes from attempted murder, to mutiny. Werran reflects on the disparity between the experience and organisation of the prosecution team, and the self-evident rawness of the defence. What is heartening is

that it is clear that white Brits were largely horrified at the behaviour of white Americans towards their black comradesin-arms, and that the British Press was solidly on the side of the oppressed.

Unbelievably, the verdict of the 10-man Army panel was never delivered. After a 3-day trial and a 10-hour deliberation, the Trial President declared that,’ the court had directed that the findings and sentence be not announced’. A summary of the verdict and sentence is revealed at the opening of the penultimate chapter, ‘Lambs to the Slaughter’, but there is no indication if there was ever any official publication.

Werran has discovered the handwritten decisions of the trial judge alongside each of the 14 defendants; all were found guilty and dishonourably discharged: 11 were to serve 15 years, and 3, 20 years, hard labour.

The book concludes with a thoughtful analysis of the

impact of the trial on racial tension on both sides of the Atlantic, on the attitude of the British Government towards the trial, and on Anglo-US relations at a time when crucial discussions were being held with Russia.

The ‘Epilogue’ contains pen-portraits of many of the significant figures in the trial: disappointingly nothing is available relating to the President of the Court-Martial, Raymond E Zickel, but Werran has unearthed fascinating snippets about 13 of the 14 accused. The book contains a number of contemporary photographs, the most interesting of which being the shot of the 14 soldiers leaving the Police Court, totally unaware of their fate: there are also some fairly helpful sketch-maps at the beginning. Kate Werran has taken meticulous care in researching the material for this fascinating story.

on Bodmin Moor, the book has much to interest fellow Cornish citizens. The bulk of the book covers an eclectic career which includes important postings in many countries and a variety of domestic adventures. A limited number of copies of this fascinating memoir

will be available in Newslines, Rock, and can be acquired for a donation of no less than £5, which will immediately be added to the St Minver Community Hub Fund. A PDF and Kindle version of the book is available, please contact the editor for details. morwenna@stminverlink.org

Master of None by Jeremy Varcoe

Cornishman Jeremy Varcoe, a former British Ambassador and Immigrations Tribunal Judge, has written a colourful memoir largely for the benefit of his family. Tracing his ancestry from among the pillars of the china-clay industry around St. Austell, and concluding with his inheritance of Dozmary Pool

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Fitness With Julia

Functional Feet

I want to share with you some really important info which I often use to encourage participants in my exercise classes to try. It is the importance of exercising our feet. Our feet are really the foundation of our health. Keeping them in good shape will improve posture, prevent injuries and falls and ward off aches and pains.

Great posture starts with your feet. Each foot should function like a tripod with the big toe, little toe and heel forming the three points that hold the ankles, knees and hips in good alignment above the foot when it is flat on the floor with the outside edge in contact with the floor. When that tripod is not perfectly balanced because the foot arch is naturally too high or low or through ill fitting shoes, injury or muscle weakness, it affects our joints. It creates dysfunctional movements which can lead to further pain. An example of this is if you hurt your big toe, you will alter the way you walk, so it is less uncomfortable but this can result in extra pressure on the calf muscles which can then have an effect on the knee joint.

When we talk about core fitness we think of the muscles in our pelvis and abdomen but the feet have core muscles too- in the sole of the foot. A stronger foot is a healthier foot and strengthening these muscles can help with ankle stability and balance. Like any muscles, the ones in your feet need exercising and especially as we age because we naturally lose strength . A good amount of flexion and mobility in your ankle is important to keep the supporting structures such as the ligaments functioning well.

Having a good body awareness of where parts of your body are in time and space, even when you can’t see them is important. This awareness is called proprioception and we need it in our feet as it will improve balance and reduce the risk of a fall.

Here are some exercises you can do at home: Invest in a small spikey ball or a tennis ball .

1. Place the ball under you foot and roll it around on the ball of your foot 8 times and then on the inside and outside of your foot 8 times. Roll it

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side to side and forwards and back and circle it around. Don’t forget to change direction.

2. Stand behind a chair and place a ball between your ankle bones. Hold onto the chair and rise up on your toes without dropping the ball. Return the heels gently down with the ball still in place.

This works the ligament on the inside of the ankle and is good for the calves and ankle stability.

3. Balance on one leg (near a chair/ wall for safety). This encourages the muscles of your feet to send messages to the brain to work hard to keep you balanced. Try it for 30 secs on each leg, 2-4 times a day and to progress, try it with your eyes closed. This will test what your feet can feel.

4. Put a thick book on the floor and put the front of your feet on the edge of it, keeping the heels on the ground. Tilt your feet outwards towards the little toe. Tuck your bottom in and stand up straight. Feel a stretch in your calf. Hold for 1- 2mins twice a day. This will stretch the calf so when you’re walking your heel will strike the ground first and propel you forwards.

5. Find a time when you’re sitting and try these: Rotate your foot 8 times to the right and then the left. Imagine a big blob of red paint on your toe and you’re drawing a circle. Then point your toes to the floor and point them to the ceiling 8 times.

Keeping heels down at all times, open your feet out to the side and bring them back to the centre 8 times ( think Charlie Chaplin! ) Finally, when you have no shoes on, place a scarf or light cloth on the floor and try picking it up with your toes and lifting it upwards. Great fun!

These exercises are fun to do and will certainly help with mobility and circulation.

I hope this has been helpful. It certainly has helped me. Keeping our feet in tip top condition and training them is what they deserve. If you’d like more info on functional feet and exercises don’t hesitate to get in touch .

Julia Treglown - Fitness Professional juliatreglown@hotmail.com

We welcome your stories and photographs

>continued from page 24

to use and even just 1tbsp will boost intake.

•Using full fat milk •Stirring cream cheese into soups to increase calories and protein •Using full fat Greek yoghurts •Having plenty of easy to reach high energy snacks in the cupboards and fridge •Cheese and biscuits can be an option when appetite is poor and energy levels are low.

Also figuring out whether there are other factors at play; •How well do their dentures (if applicable) fit?

•Are their teeth painful?

•Do they appear to be having

swallowing issues with certain textures?

•Do they have anything else going on in their mouth that is impacting on their ability to swallow food / drink?

Any physical concerns then do encourage them to contact their GP or do it on their behalf.

•Is loneliness an issue? If so could they be invited to share a meal with others (lockdown rules allowing) on a weekly basis?

•Could you cook a little extra and portion up a meal or even just a small fruit crumble and some clotted cream to take round to them?

Malnutrition can be a hidden and often overlooked killer and it is worth remembering that weight loss is not an inevitable part of ageing so if you are concerned that someone you know is losing weight unintentionally then why not ask them about their eating habits of late. Sharing their concerns can be so significant for these individuals so however strange it seems to ask what might feel like probing questions about their diet and weight, you could make all the difference.

Stay well Faith x

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Gardening Made Easy by Nick Bacon

The Right Tool For The Job

All gardeners have their own favourite tools which perfectly fit the hand. It always pays to buy the best and maintain it with care so it works well and will last for years.

The fork, spade, trowel, hoe, rake, shears are the essentials of the gardener’s tool shed and are tools that have evolved over the years from farming implements.

For instance, the original shears were used for removing wool from sheep, but with advances in technology and the increasing interest in gardening specific gardening tools were developed.

Did you know? Secateurs with curved blades specifically used for pruning roses, were first made in France in 1818.

In 1687 a certain English landowner called John Evelyn compiled a list of 100 tools and instruments essential for gardening. These ranged from three spades of different sizes and three rakes of different sizes and finesse to one bird clapper, one turf beater and beehives of various sizes the list also included a sickle, a dibber, a sieve and a pruning knife.

Garden Rake; For seed bed preparations and levelling.

Fork; Multipurpose tool used for aerating lawns, breaking up clods of earth.

Manual Cultivator; Long handled tool for loosening compacted soil and breaking up clods.

Trowel; Essential tool for planting and lifting small plants.

Daisy Grubber; Two-pronged gouge like blades used to dig out weeds and their roots.

Rubber Rake; Much better and friendlier than a noisy leaf vacuum, this wide rake has rubber tines that can be dragged through plants without damaging them. It is a wizard at collecting leaves from the soil.

Swoe; A stainless-steel blade with a double 66

edge that cuts as you go backwards and forwards. This is a great tool for weeding bare plots where you can push it up and down without fear of damaging plants.

Wheelbarrow; Did you know? The wheelbarrow is believed to have been invented by the Chinese general Chuko Liang (AD 181 – 234) who used wooden barrows to transport supplies and collect injured soldiers.

His barrow had two wheels and required two men to propel and steer it.

My advice is to choose something light, durable and not too garish with a strong pneumatic tyre and good handles. As with gloves and hats you have to try them out.

The Garden Spade; Museums up and down the country exhibit heavy iron models left by the Romans. In the mediaeval garden, wooden spades edged with iron were used and a variety of regional types developed over the centuries. By Victorian times there was a clear-cut pattern in D gripped handles in the South. T gripped handles in the North and long handled West Country spades with triangular shovel like blades. Although the point shovel is no longer used a spade, but the pattern persists in the United States.

Nowadays the garden spade is an indispensable tool for breaking up or removing soil and for digging planting holes for trees and shrubs.

My Top Tips

On Your Knees, avoid gardener’s backache by making your own kneeling pad. Fold an old hessian bag into a pad and cover it with polythene to keep it dry. Stuff a strong plastic bag with rags or fill a water bottle with saw dust – do not over fill as it will be uncomfortable to kneel on. You could even glue a piece of carpet to your pad for extra comfort.

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Bright Beacon: Losing small tools among plants and in undergrowth is a frequent annoyance for gardeners. Make the tools more easily seen by painting the handles in bright colours.

Clean Up After Use: Get into the habit of cleaning your tools after use they will be easier to use and last longer. Remove traces of soil with newspaper and a brush, apply oil to all metal parts with a paint brush or soft rag. Wooden handles are treated with linseed oil.

Brush A Saw’s Teeth: If your saw’s teeth are dirty after cutting a branch full of sap. Spray it with oven cleaner, leave for a few minutes and remove the dirt with an old toothbrush. When

not in use wrap in oil coated newspaper.

A New Broom: You can make a useful besom for sweeping the lawn by simply tying some birch twigs around an old broom handle.

How do gardeners learn their craft?................

By trowel and error.

I used to get paid £70 an hour just to clean up leaves from people’s gardens…… I was raking it in.

I know it’s slightly early but I would like to take this opportunity to wish all you seasoned gardeners a Very Merry Christmas and let’s hope 2021 will be Happy and Healthy.

Coming in the next issue – Did you know and secrets of success.

A Covid Lockdown Poem This poem appeared on the Rock Sailing and Waterski Club website

I won't arise and go now, and go to Innisfree I'll sanitise the doorknob and make a cup of tea.

I won't go down to the sea again; I won't go out at all, I'll wander lonely as a cloud from the kitchen to the hall.

There's a green-eyed yellow monster to the North of Kathmandu But I shan't be seeing him just yet, and nor, I think will you.

While the dawn comes up like thunder on the road to Mandalay I'll make my bit of supper and eat it off a tray.

I shall not speed my bonnie boat across the sea to Skye, Or take the rolling English road from Birmingham to Rye. About the woodland, just right now, I am not free to go To see the Keep Out posters or the cherry hung with snow.

And no, I won't be travelling much, within the realms of gold, Or get me to Milford Haven. All that's been put on hold.

Give me your hands, I shan't request, albeit we are friends Nor come within a mile of you, until this virus ends.

Anon Visit our website - www.stminverlink.org

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Parliamentary Update from Scott Mann MP Fisheries

Fisheries was front and centre in Parliament recently as I welcomed the package of three fisheries consultations launched by DEFRA. The first is on strengthening the economic link for English licensed fishing vessels, to help ensure economic benefits for many of our coastal communities, including plans for an increased landing requirement of up to 70% into UK ports; this is great news for many people in North Cornwall. The second consultation is on proposals for how the new fishing opportunities that the UK secures in negotiations will be split between Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and England in a way that is fairer and much more profitable for fishing communities across our four nations. Finally, I congratulated the Department on its proposals for how England’s share of those new opportunities will be distributed across communities. I hope that we will see greater benefits for many of our coastal communities and our hard-working fishermen and fisherwomen.

Concerns have been raised over the past few weeks that the ‘scallop wars’ we saw a couple of years back in the English Channel seem to be restarting, with many of our boats being targeted by the French. There is concern in the fishing community in Cornwall that, as we get to the crunch point in negotiations, much of their gear might be towed off and dragged due to the realisation that, if we do not reach a deal, there might be challenges for some continental fishermen.

I also want to talk about recreational angling. I am hopeful that we might reach a point where we have a catch-and-release bluefin tuna fishery around the coast of the country. I am grateful for the work that DEFRA is doing with the Angling Trust on developing a vision statement for recreational angling in the UK. The Government know that I have an ambition to create a worldclass fishery and wide recreational opportunity for fishing off the North Cornwall coast.

I have heard on many doorsteps in North

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Cornwall that we need to repatriate our territorial fishing waters, which were sacrificed on the altar of the Common Fisheries Polices as we entered the European Union. The Government must continue to be robust in the trade negotiations, and they will continue to have my full support.

Productivity

Cornwall is recognised as having the lowest productivity rate in the UK. According to Office for National Statistics figures released in February 2019, it was 32% below the national average. Let’s be very clear, the rural productivity gap is in no way the fault of hardworking people in all our communities, but the result of a combination of geographical and historical factors. I am committed to addressing that long-standing injustice.

First, it is worth examining some of the reasons the productivity gap exists and what we can do to address it. In terms of local government and national Government, local government officers and UK civil servants are bound to a funding formula for infrastructure projects that means they must seek best value for money.

That has led to money being funnelled into already affluent areas, and, on paper, they see a greater return on that investment. However, that compounds and further widens the productivity gap we are here to discuss today.

The first step on the road to levelling up the United Kingdom would be to change that model, recognise the potential value of investment for a specific area and establish how much improved value there would be over the baseline. For example, to get a 1% improvement in London’s economy, we would have to invest tens of billions of pounds, but a 1% investment in the Cornish economy would exponentially increase productivity in the area.

On education, for far too long, young people in North Cornwall have accessed higher education outside the county. Once they have qualified, the majority never return home. Many are old school friends of mine, who sought better paid

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work in other places around the country.

I am pleased the Government are offering more vocation-based skills learning and degree-level apprenticeships. I hope we can do more to improve the life chances of young people in and around the country. In North Cornwall, our offer for young people has drastically improved.

Callywith College in Bodmin was recently rated outstanding in six areas by Ofsted. I look forward to working with the college and expanding its future offer.

Moving on to health outcomes, the physical distance that some people must travel to visit GPs and cottage and general hospitals often means that more people live with conditions and must undergo lengthy surgery for treatment. They often rely on family members for that travel. For example, someone living in Bude in my constituency who has an

appointment in nearby Barnstaple’s hospital might have to take half a day’s holiday from work just to run their relative to an appointment. That obviously has a negative impact on workplace productivity, but also on quality of life. The pandemic has proved that digital appointments with GPs can work, and some consulting can work. Further digitalisation of the NHS could mean rural and coastal communities accessing some of the best medical expertise in the country over Zoom or Skype without the need to travel vast distances.

During this difficult time my team and I are working hard to support constituents. If there is anything I can do to help you, do not hesitate to get in touch via Scott@ScottMann.org.uk. I am also running virtual surgeries, please email me for a Zoom meeting, or if you would like to talk over the phone via 01208 74337.

Polzeath Area Residents’ Association

Hospital Car Transport Service If you need transport to hospital or your doctor’s surgery, please ring one of our volunteer drivers: David Pullen 01208 881148 Bridget Pullen 01208 881148 Elizabeth Dorich 01840 770225 Ricardo Dorich 01840 770225 Andrew Holmes 01208 840028 Peter Watson 01208 862452 Jacqui Watson 01208 862452 Susan Andrews 01208 880816

Graham Andrews 01208 880816 Julien Wenger 01208 863569 Anne Wenger 01208 863569 David Hall 01208 862710 Jacky Hall 01208 862710 Charges are 45p per mile measured from the drivers’ home and back. Charges exclude bridge toll and hospital parking charges.

GROUP TRAVEL COACH EXCURSIONS Enterprise Park, Midway Road, Bodmin, PL31 2FQ. 01208 77989/72669

GARAGE OPEN

PROVISIONAL 2021 DATES for Coach Excursions: 18th– 23rd April Chester Tour (6 DAYS & 5 NIGHTS) Toby’s Garden Festival 1st May

MOT TESTING CLASS 4, 5 & 7 Badminton Horse Trials 8th May SERVICES, REPAIRS & HEALTH CHECKS Falmouth Regatta / Sea Shanty 12th June LIGHT / HEAVY COMMERCIAL INTERIM 9th-10th July Hampton Court & Kew Gardens INSPECTIONS / MINISTRY STANDARD Gatcombe Horse Trials 8th Aug BRAKE LIGHT & EMISSION TESTS 28th-29th Aug Dorset Steam Fair REPAIRS UNDERTAKEN Burghley Horse Trials weekend 3rd-4th Sep 19th-24th Sept Yorkshire Tour (6 DAYS & 5 NIGHTS) 01208 77989/72669

Prices and Booking Forms available on our website: www.grouptravelcoachhire.co.uk

16-70 Seaters available for private hire. email: grouptravelcornwall@btconnect.com.

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Local Telephone Numbers

------------------- 01208 77099/0808 8029999 Rock Sailing & Water Ski Club Churches Water Helpline-------------------- 0800 1691144 (John Wade)---------------------- 01208 862709 Catholic (Bodmin & Wadebridge) -----------01208 72833 Rock Water Taxi Veterinary and RSPCA (Tintagel)------------------------- 01840 770663 Wadebridge: (G & P J Nute)------- 01208 813258 (Boat -during operating hours)--- 07778 105297 Methodist Bodmin: (Harleigh Vets)------------01208 76403 (offices)-------------------------- 01208 862815 (Rock, Steward Mr F L Cope)------ 01208 863481 SeaGirls WI (Nici Couch)----------- 07970674535 (Wadebridge)--------------------- 01208 812887 Bodmin ( Penmellyn)---------------01208 76789 --------------------------- seagirlswi@gmail.com RSPCA Animal Centre ------------- 01637 881455 Multi-denominational St Minver Brownies (Tubestation Polzeath)------------ 01208 869200 RSPCA Animal Centre 24 hour----- 0300 1234999 (Kathy Hore)---------------------- 01208 862340 St Minver (Warden Mrs Ruth Varcoe)-------------- Strandings Hotline----------------0345 201 2626 St Minver Cemetery Committee 01208 862954 General Numbers (Gillian Thompson)--------------- 01726 884024 (Warden Mick Sumra)------------- 01208 862550 Bridge Club (Robert Mabley)------ 01208 814564 St Minver Cricket Club------------- 07950 862506 Wadebridge Parish Administrator----------------- British Legion-St Minver St Minver Cubs (Nigel)------------ 01208 815102 info.wadebridgeparish@gmail.com (Fred Prior)----------------------- 01208 862543 St Minver Football Club Cancer Research Doctor / Medical (Gina Snelling)------------------- 01208 862820 (Roy Birchwood)------------------ 01208 880459 Bridge Medical Centre Wadebridge-01208 812342 St Minver Post Office-------------- 01208 869426 Citizens Advice Bureau Bodmin Hospital------------------ 01208 251300 (Advice Line) ---------------------08444 99 4188 St Minver Pre-School-------------- 01208 869511 Frank About Drugs------------------0800 776600 St Minver School------------------ 01208 862496 Drinkline-------------------------- 0800 9178282 Cornwall Council------------------- 0300 1234100 St Minver Scouts Port Isaac Surgery----------------- 01208 880222 CRUSE Bereavement Care Cornwall----------------------------01726 76100 (Robert Watson)------------------01637 889 190 Royal Cornwall Hospital Animal Welfare & Veterinary St Minver Senior Circle (Treliske)------------------------ 01872 250000 Laboratory---------------------01872 265500 (Alec Chambers)------------------ 01208 592956 Wadebridge Health Centre-------- 01208 812222 John Betjeman Centre------------- 01208 812392 St Minver Short Mat Bowls Libraries North Cornwall Cluster of Churches (Rev’d Dr (Pat Crank)----------------------- 01208 869120 Cornwall Library Renewals-------- 0845 6076119 Elizabeth Wild)--------------------- 07758407661 St Minver Silver Band All Libraries----------------------- 0300 1234111 Old Cornwall Society (Gary Gauss)---------------------- 01208 814170 Reference Library------------------ 0800 0322345 (Margaret Bartlett) --------------- 01208 816307 Tubestation Polzeath-------------- 01208 869200 Police Padstow Harbour Master---------- 01841 532239 University of Third Age-------(Joan Proctor) 01208 Devon & Cornwall Police (non-urgent)---------101 Parish Council: Highlands Clerk Crimestoppers-----------------------0800 555111 Amanda Lash-------------------------------------- 814416 Wadebridge & District Angling Association clerk@stminverhighlands-pc.gov.uk Emergency / Helplines (Dave Churcher)------------------ 01208 812748 Age UK---------------------------- 0800 1696565 Parish Council Lowlands Clerk Wadebridge & District Camera Club Concern (Wadebridge)------------ 01208 812392 (Gillian Thompson)--------------- 01726 884024 (Stewart Privett)------------------ 01208 869435 Perceval Institute Electricity Wadebridge Bowls Club----------- 07531 175044 (Western Power Distribution)------ 08006783105 (Maureen Rickard)---------------- 01208 869426 Wadebridge Choral Society EDF Energy -------------------------0800 365000 Polzeath Area Residents Association (David Short)--------------------- 01208 623526 (Annabelle Woolcott)------------- 01208 815322 National Domestic Violence Helpline--------------------------0808 800 5000 Polzeath Marine Conservation Group--------------- Wadebridge Sports Centre--------- 01208 814980 Wadebridge Tennis Club National Gas Emergency Service----0800 111999 07779896650 NHS Direct HelpLine -------------------------- 111 Polzeath Post office---------------- 01208 863430 Howard Gunn--------------------- 01208 815975 Parentline Plus (24 hour)--------- 0808 8002222 Polzeath Surf Life-Saving Club----- 07971447584 Wadebridge Male Voice Choir Samaritans------------------------ 08457 909090 Rock Institute (Allan Caswell)----- 01208 869420 (Mick Stone)---------------------- 01208 812912 Women’s rape/abuse centre Rock Lifeboat Station ------------- 01208 863033 Wadebridge Post Office ----------- 01208 812813

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E.B Window Cleaning Services ◊ Residential and Commercial Window Cleaning ◊ Solar Panel Cleaning ◊ Conservatory Cleaning ◊ Pressure Washing Call Ed for a free quote on 07535 938140

Vivienne Fabrics

Wadebridge

We stock Uniforms: St Minver School jumpers .

Wadebridge Primary Academy jumpers .

Beaver/Cub jumpers .Scout/Explorer shirts .

01208 813145

Rainbows, Brownies and Guide uniforms.

Viviennes Fashion Fabrics, 32 Molesworth Street, Wadebridge PL27 7DP 71

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The Dining Room

family finein dining restaurant A family run,Afine dining run, restaurant the beautiful coastal villageinofthe Rock, Cornwall beautiful coastal village of Rock, Cornwall Opening Times: Opening Times: Currently open Wednesday to Saturday

Wednesday to Sunday 7-9pm for all reservations Between 1st and 23rd 7-December 9pm we will be serving three courses for just ÂŁ36.50

Telephone 01208 862622 We will be open over the new year period for all reservations and enquiries Pavillion Buildings, Rock Road, Rock PL27 6JS

Call to reserve: 01208 862622

info@thediningroomrock.co.uk

info@thediningroomrock.co.uk

www.thediningroomrock.co.uk www.thediningroomrock.co.uk

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Rock Bakery

Barista Style Coffee, Salad Bar Ready - Made Meals, Milk, Cream & Eggs 01208 862236 Www.barnecutt.co.uk

Free Initial Consultation Business Start Up Property Letting Advice General Business Advice Accountancy Personal & Business Tax Advice Bookkeeping, VAT and Payroll Business Forecasts and Plans Company Formation Company Secretarial Services Brooks & Jeal Eddystone Road Wadebridge Cornwall PL27 7AL www.brooksandjeal.co.uk Email: mail@brooksandjeal.co.uk Tel: (01208) 812129

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MEMBER FIRM

For Freshly Baked Bread, Pasties ,Confectionery,

Last year, our advertising generated 17,000 holiday home bookings Sophie Holiday Letting Expert

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   

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

Stylishly simple blind & shutter solutions...

VERTICAL . ROLLER . VENETIAN WOOD WEAVE . PLEATED . ROMAN VELUX . INTU . PANEL . INTERNAL SHUTTERS

Tel: 07754 489102 www.theblindco.info N1118/36586

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SPROULL SOLICITORS

Seeing the bigger picture

Disputes | Family

01208 72328

Property | Wills

Offices at Bodmin, Camelford and Wadebridge

www.sproullllp.co.uk 79

EST. 1953

Mrs

METTERS & SONS

The Vac Sweeps

Comprehensive and expert chimney sweep service using vacuum with brush for NO MESS!

Call 01840 211089 or email metters119@btinternet.com

2 The Terrace, Port Isaac, PL29 3SG 01208 880988 www.cliffsidegallery.com

Sales Sales Support Support Servicing Servicing Hot Tub & Swim Spa Showroom Chemicals, Filters & Accessories Hot Tub Valet Service inc holiday homes Servicing & Repairs

TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT www.mrsmettersandsons.com

5 Dunveth Business Park, Wadebridge, PL27 7FE (by Tesco) www.spyrys.co.uk enquiries@spyrys.co.uk Tel: (01208) 813760

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Consultation by Appointment Weekdays 9 am - 6 pm Saturdays 9 am - 12 noon

Our team provides 24 hour emergency cover.

01208 813 258

The Veterinary Surgery, Higher Trenant, Wadebridge PL27 6HB 81

Y

XXX DBNFMHSPVQ DP VL

Wadebridge (01208) 814 581 82

Opening Times: Mon - Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 10am-3pm Showroom: Trevanson St, Wadebridge opposite Lidl’s Tel: 01208 368643 Flooring Outlet*: Unit 4, Dunveth Business Park next to Screwfix Tel: 01208 368121 (*Weds by appointment only)

www.thecarpettrader.com

A FEAST FOR YOUR EYES AND

A TREAT FOR YOUR FEET!

Unit 3 Trevanson Street Wadebridge PL27 7AW • 01208 812 333 • cornwallrugcompany.com

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   



Contact us for a free quotation

 We are a family business who have operated in the area since 1970.  Our Worcester Bosch approved engineers are qualified in the installation, service and repair of oil and gas boilers.  As a MCS registered company we also specialise in ground or air source heat pumps installation, service and repair.  We offer a design installation service for new builds and existing properties.

JM Brewer Ltd, Trenant Vale, Wadebridge, Cornwall PL27 6AJ

01208 814838 Email: info@jmbrewer.co.uk Website: www.jmbrewer.co.uk 84

DO YOU OWN A HOLIDAY HOME IN NORTH CORNWALL? We are an award winning estate agent offering: Managed Maintenance and Payment Service Winter Checks Available for Insurance Regular Owner Payments Friendly Knowledgeable Staff Regulated by RICS

0 1 20 8 8 6 2 2 9 9 ww w . c r w h o l id a y s .co.u k

R Mears & Sons Chimney Sweeps & Stove Instalations Established over 30 years Vac Brush.

Full CCTV investigations.

Pots, Cowlings & Bird Protection fitted.

Chimneys Lined.

Solid Fuel Appliances, Rayburns, Woodburners, Stoves, etc serviced.

Fully Insured.

Tel: 01840 261221 Tavistock: 01822 664554

Mob: 07737 533 392

www.sweepcornwall.co.uk 85

Nursery Stores Rock Ltd 01208863328

nurserystores@live.co.ukwww. nurserystores.co.uk

Nursery Stores Rock Ltd the local grocery store in Rock.

There’s an excellent off licence and a great range of groceries supporting many local producers and growers. Seasonal products are sourced throughout the year so come and take a look. Check us out for fresh local, UK and international fruit and vegetables. A wide range of local and continental cheeses, local sausages and bacon, local cream and yogurts and Finlater’s Pate. A good selection of meats and free-range chickens. Fresh bread, rolls, scones and cakes from Chough Bakery, Vicky’s bread and Blakes bakery. Stocking a range of Froggy’s quiches also treacle, chocolate, lemon and fruit tarts. We also stock Fee's Foods frozen fish pies, lasagne, curries and many more. We are also stocking more vegetarian, vegan and gluten free products.

An excellent range of Cornish treats including Kernow chocolate, Buttermilk fudge and Furniss biscuits. A fine selection of International and Cornish Trevibban Mill & Camel Valley sparkling and still wines. Many local and international beers and ciders including Sharp’s Brewery and Padstow Brewery ales, Cornish Orchards and Haywood Farm ciders plus many more. We also have a good selection of Forthglade and Lily’s Kitchen dog food, lots of treats and toys. We have highlighted just a few items from the wide variety of everyday essentials and treats to enjoy in Cornwall or take home.

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