The Link Local News & Information
£1
Polzeath-Rock-St Polzea th-Rock-St Minver-Trebetherick-Wadebridge
Photo: John Beckett
Issue 228 Spring
2021
All proceeds to local good causes www.stminverlink.org - info@stminverlink.org - 01208 880714
BESPOKE HANDMADE KITCHENS & FURNITURE B E S P O K E H A N D M AEDS ET . K1I T9 C7 H 4ENS & FURNITURE E S T. 1 9 7 4
b r o a d a n d t u r n e r. co. uk 01 20 8 75 69 6 www.linteriordesign.com Open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm Unit 1 Gluvian House, Bridgend, Wadebridge, PL27 6FT
Working with our sister company...
Bespoke Home Furnishings
Interiors
Interior Design & Project Management
Quality made to measure curtains & blinds - Made in our own workroom Free measure & fitting service included Curtains & Roman Blinds Roller, Vertical, Venetian Blinds Poles & Tracks Fabrics, Wallpapers & Paint Bespoke Shutters Furniture & Cushions Home accessories & Gifts Lighting Stockists of over 100 fabric brands, including Sanderson, Colefax & Fowler , Romo, Jane Churchill, Designers Guild, Clarke & Clarke, Ian Mankin - to name a few....
RESTAURANT & BAR GOLF & DRIVING RANGE
POOL & GYM 01208 863000 - PL27 6QT www.thepointatpolzeath.co.uk 1
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Camel GROUP
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ARCHITECTURAL GLASS TIMBER ARCHITECTURAL ALUMINIUM CONSERVATORIES WINDOWS & DOORS 31, 66, 101
Trenant Industrial Estate, Wadebridge. Tel: (01208) 814581 Email : sales@camelglass.co.uk camelglass.co.uk
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SPROULL SOLICITORS
Seeing the bigger picture
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Disputes | Family
01208 72328
Property | Wills
Offices at Bodmin, Camelford and Wadebridge
www.sproullllp.co.uk
Trudgeon Halling Chartered Accountants Free Initial Consultation Business Setup and Growth Business Support - Bookkeeping, VAT, Payroll and Making Tax Digital Sole Traders, Partnerships and Limited Companies Property Letting Tax Advice Self-Assessment Tax Returns Capital Gains Tax Inheritance Tax Corporation Tax
Telephone: 01208 814681 Email: solutions@t-h.co.uk www.t-h.co.uk Joseph Tamblyn ACA BSc (Hons) John Anderson-Riley FCA Trudgeon Halling, The Platt, Wadebridge, PL27 7AE Emial
Farm Shop & Restaurant Open Daily from 9 am
Pick Your Own Or Ready Picked Home Grown Strawberries, Raspberries, Gooseberries, Black currants and Red currants Home produced beef, lamb and free-range eggs and Seasonal Vegetables. Homemade jams, pickles and marmalades. Local produce, cheeses, country crafts, gifts, country wines and ciders. Breakfast, Lunches, Delicious Homemade Cakes and Cream Teas Children's Play Area & Pets Corner. Find us at St Endellion Near Port Isaac on the B3314 Book for a traditional Sunday roast!
Tel 01208 880164
www.trevathanfarm.com
symons@trevathanfarm.com 5
A Splash of Colour Quality Painting and Decorating Services Russell Combellack
07800 855 605 01208 815 872 Local Wadebridge Firm
OLD FORGE GARAGE
Vehicle Repairs - Advanced Diagnostics - Electric & Hybrid Vehicles
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- Class 4 MOTs - Air Conditioning - Servicing
Menefreda Way 01208 863323 St Minver, Wadebridge oldforge.stminver@googlemail.com Cornwall PL27 6QJ approvedgarages co.uk
My little piece of Cornwall
Letting & managing holiday houses in North Cornwall since 1971 01208 863206 www.johnbraycornishholidays.co.uk
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Nicola O’Mara interior design
Creating wonderful coastal homes throughout Cornwall and beyond. 8
w w w.nicolaomara.com
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Polmorla Road - Wadebridge - Cornwall - PL27 7NB 01208 813231 sales@wadebridgekitchens.co.uk
www.wadebridgekitchens.co.uk
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EST. 1953
E. J. & N. J. R.
Watts Family Butchers Rock (est. 1923)
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
TO BOOK AN APPOINTMENT www.mrsmettersandsons.com 12
Your traditional butcher supplying local quality meat
Try our homemade sausages (including gluten free), burgers and hogs pudding. Also eggs, cooked meats, ice cream and smoked fish.
Rock Road Tel: 01208 862239
C. L. TOBIN M.P.T.A., H.N.D. Piano Tuner / Technician
07799 263380 clare_tobin@hotmail.com
North Cornwall Pest Solutions BPCA Level 2 in Pest Management
~Ants ~ Cockroaches ~ ~ Fleas ~ Flies ~ Moths ~ ~ Moles ~ Rabbits ~ Rodents ~ ~ Wasps ~ Hornets ~
24 hour Call Out - Fully Insured
0777 067 7029
northcornwallpestsolutions@gmail.com
Don’t forget Link has an award scheme which donates money to local good causes. Details can be found on our website www.stminverlink.org
Local businesses support Link. Support them by shopping locally 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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Publication Date st 1 March 1st June 1st Sept 1st Dec
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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2 1 Issues Issue
We welcome your stories and photographs
Issue 228 - Spring 2021
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
Message from the editor . editor . . . . . . . . . . . 16
St Minver School News . News . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Events in the area . area . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
The Sunbeam RYS . RYS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Pause for thought . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Wadebridge Primary Academy . . . . . 36
Lingham Hall Update . Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Country Diary from Cobb Cottage . Cottage . . . . 38
St Minver Silver Band . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
St Minver Pre School . School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
We Will Remember Them . Them . . . . . . . . . . 19
Featured Artist - Susannah Mitchell . . 41
St Minver Community Hub . . . . . . . . . 20
Seasonal Fashion Tips . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
St Minver Cancer Research . . . . . . . . 21
Wildlife in Spring . Spring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
SeaGirls Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Aren’t We Lucky! . Lucky! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Message from Nursery Stores . Stores . . . . . . . 22
Stargazing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 Stargazing
Vitamin D - Faith Toogood . Toogood . . . . . . . . . . 23
Move it or lose it . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Crunchy Courgettes recipe . recipe . . . . . . . . . 24
Polzeath Coastguard Update . . . . . . . 54
Wadebridge Tennis Club . Club . . . . . . . . . . . 24
It’s a Vet’s Life! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Pityme Inn . Inn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Hospital Transport Service . . . . . . . . . 61
Classic Tractor Run . Run . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Gardening Made Easy . Easy . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Can You Help? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Book Review by John Baxter . . . . . . . 64
Maureen remains at her post . . . . . . . 28
Local Telephone Numbers . Numbers . . . . . . . . . . 66
Polzeath Together . Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
People of St Minver 1841-1911 . 1841-1911 . . . . . . 67
St Minver School PTA . PTA . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Parliamentary Update-Scott Mann MP 68
Concern Wadebridge . Wadebridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
£75,000 needed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Visit our website - www.stminverlink.org
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Hello from the editor Welcome to the spring issue of the Link, the first one of 2021 which looks like being another ‘different’ year. We are delighted that so many of our advertisers have chosen to retain their adverts for the whole of 2021, in what is an uncertain time for businesses. Some have opted to advertise in our later issues, when more is known about the environment in which they can operate. We are delighted a couple of businesses have chosen to advertise with us for the first time. If you enjoy Link, please support our local businessses, and use this magazine as your first point of reference when looking for a local service or retail outlet. Using local businesses benefits us all. The wonderful photo on the front cover for this issue was taken by John Beckett, who has contributed photographs for Link many times over the years. We are always looking for seasonal photos for the cover so please send your contributions to morwenna@stminverlink.org. This is a special year for Link as it will be our fortieth anniversary in November. We’d love to do a feature on what our readers were doing in November 1981 so please send in your photos, stories and recollections for a special issue in November/ December 2021. Were you born in St Minver in November 1981? We’d like to hear from you. St Austell Print Company currently print around 1700 copies per issue and of those, over 50 are posted to Link readers who have paid for a subscription. Link is posted all over the country but did you know that Link is also available on our website? As soon as it is published, the entire copy is also uploaded on to the website so if you have relatives abroad who’d like to take a look, direct them to www.stminverlink.org. Thanks for supporting Link and we hope you enjoy this issue, please get in touch with any feedback, contributions or ideas for future issues. Best wishes, Morwenna Link Editor
Statement from Padstow Harbour Commissioners 12th February 2021. The Padstow Harbour Commissioners have received concerns from members of the public with regard to the recent dune erosion at Brea Hill. PHC share the same concerns. The area of erosion is creating a narrowing of the channel, causing a hazard to navigation and increased speeds of tide. We have been monitoring the area for some time and the recent, relentless inclement weather has caused further deterioration. Some concerns have enquired into the effects of the navigable dredging and is this the cause of the dune erosion. Last year, PHC employed Ecospan, an external hydrographic survey company, to conduct a thorough and extensive survey of the estuary at great expense. The survey was conducted to understand the possible effects of dredging on the estuary and the findings are to be publicised and promulgated amongst our stake holders and port users. As with most, Covid-19 has delayed the process, however we hope to receive the finalised document very soon and will provide information on our website for the release of the survey results. In the meantime, we have contacted the Duchy who are the landowner of the dunes and have asked for an inspection of the area to identify the cause of the erosion and to provide solutions to implement mitigation to reduce and/or stop further deterioration. Whilst we continue to investigate the area of contention, we thank you in advance for your patience. Padstow Harbour Commissioners 16
We welcome your stories and photographs
Events in the Area There is always something happening in the area so have a look and make sure you don’t miss out.
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)
If you have an event coming up, don’t forget to let Link know! morwenna@stminverlink.org
Keep Britain Tidy & Polzeath Marine Conservation Group
Beachcare Polzeath Beachclean dates: Wednesday, March 10th 9.30am Saturday, April 10th 3pm Friday,May 7th 9.30am meet at Beach Car Park 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
North Cornwall Book Festival 2021- New Dates Discussions and planning have started for the annual North Cornwall Book Festival, to be held at St Endellion near Port Isaac. It has been decided that this year the event will be held from 23rd – 26th September 2021. The School Days are scheduled for 23rd and 24th ; the Adult programmed days with visiting authors, workshops and the café will be held on 25th and 26thand music evenings on 24th and 25th. Please note that these dates replace those previously issued which were in October.
Visit our website - www.stminverlink.org
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Pause for Thought
by Marcus Jones, North Cornwall Cluster of Churches
Pancake Tuesday is on the 16th of February; its traditional name is Shrove Tuesday and is a mini-celebration before Lent starts the following day on what is known as Ash Wednesday. In church, Lent is a time for followers to prepare themselves to be personally involved in the Easter story, the mystery of Jesus dying on the cross and resurrected to new life on Easter Sunday. During Lent, many followers will give up something they consider to be an everyday luxury and others will take up virtuous habits; this helps to set the time aside as something special, helps to focus the mind on what’s important and ultimately can lead to a humble and yet hopeful spirit. Pancake Tuesday will be one month from the anniversary of the first lock down in March last year and it feels as if we have already served much greater than 40 days and 6 Sundays of Lent. We have given up liberties and much loved activities, and for many the loss of the past year has been so much more costly and painful, that the idea of suggesting one could piously give up chocolate sounds derisible. If the past months have been our Lent, and the Loss and Pain is our Good Friday, then the hope we have in the vaccines is our Easter day including the day when we return to doing the activities and see the people that we have missed so much. It’s not Easter yet though and time will tell when this Covid business is all over; what remains is how we prepare ourselves for the Easter promise of new life. The practice of Lent can still have a place to play in our journey to readiness and I suppose the first question to behold is to ponder on what might New Life look like to you and in what ways can you prepare for it. May you know the one who walks with you this Lent. Marcus Jones Lingham Hall Update After over 25 years of overseeing the hiring of the Lingham Hall, within St Minver School, the community trust has handed over responsibility for this to the school. Much of the requirements (from a school regulations perspective) have changed and it was decided that the time was right for the school to have complete responsibility for running the hall for community use. Any surplus funds will go towards the building of the community hub at Trewint playing fields. The hall will remain available to the community to hire and as before, when we are able to offer the hall for bookings again, please contact the school office on 01208 862496 between 8.30 and 3.30pm during term time or email hello@ stminver.org. The trust would like to thank all members past and present for their time and commitment on the committee, some of whom are original members who have been attending termly meetings for the last 25 years! 18
We welcome your stories and photographs
St Minver Silver Band
It is getting increasingly difficult to report the same news in in the Link in different ways! As readers will have guessed, Band activities, apart from some online tuition from our Musical Director, Kevin Ackford, continue to be shut down. Restrictions on social and sporting activities appear to be more strict at present, with little change in prospect until at least early springtime. We are all focussing on that ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ – The Vaccine. Along with everyone else, we optimistically look forward to the resumption of some sort of normality in early summer, including banding in some form. A few committed optimists have already been in touch with us – we have taken one wedding reception and two local fete bookings for middle to late summer, restrictions permitting. If there are other optimists out there wanting to book similar band engagements later this year please get in touch via the contact details given below. Updates on band news can be found on our Facebook page. You can also message us via Facebook. Donations to the band can be made either directly on Facebook or through easyfundraising.org.uk. This site lists the many retailers who will divert a small percentage of any online purchases to St Minver Silver Band as purchaser’s 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 Will Remember Them ARMSTRONG MARGARET ELLEN, ROCK
ESME BROADHURST, WADEBRIDGE
BOWMAN OLIVIA MARY, WADEBRIDGE
MARTYN MARGARET BEATRICE, WADEBRIDGE
BRENTON ANN DENISE, ST MINVER
MCCOLL JAMES DONALD, POLZEATH
BRENTON GWENDOLINE JEAN, WADEBRIDGE
MUNDY ANTHONY DAVID, WADEBRIDGE
BREWERTON ANGELA, WADEBRIDGE
NUTTALL GWYNETH, NEW POLZEATH
CHAMPION ALAN, WADEBRIDGE
PARKER REGINALD ALAN, WADEBRIDGE
CHAPMAN MICHAEL GODFREY, WADEBRIDGE
PHILP ANTONIA CHALLEN, ST MINVER
COOK STEPHEN ROBERT, WADEBRIDGE
PLOWMAN ROY GORDON, WADEBRIDGE
COOPER GARRY JAMES, ROCK
POOLEY MARGARET IRENE, WADEBRIDGE
DINGLE DAVID JOHN, ST MINVER
PRATT BRIAN ALBERT, WADEBRIDGE
ELLERY CONSTANCE JOAN, ST MINVER
ROOKE JILL RIDGWAY, WADEBRIDGE
GILLMORE JANETTE PAULINE, WADEBRIDGE
SCOTT DOROTHY VIOLET, WADEBRIDGE
HAMPTON OLIVE MAY, ST MINVER
SMITH MICHAEL HARRY, WADEBRIDGE
HARTNELL PETER GEOFFREY, WADEBRIDGE
STEELE FREDERICK WALTER, WADEBRIDGE
HORNBROOK BRENT, WADEBRIDGE
THOMAS BRONWEN MARTHA, WADEBRIDGE
HULME BARBARA ANNE, ST MINVER
THOMSON WILLIAM JOHN. WADEBRIDGE
JULIAN EILEEN MARION, WADEBRIDGE
THRIFT JOAN ISOBEL, ST MINVER
KINGSNORTH PATRICK KEVIN, ST BREOCK
WINDELER JANE, PORTHILLY
MARION CECILLA SUTER, WADEBRIDGE
YATES DAVID HERBERT, WADEBRIDGE
Visit our website - www.stminverlink.org
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St Minver Community Hub New Podiatry Service Arrives
We are really pleased to announce the opening of a Podiatry Service, that will be available at the Health Hub and commence on Friday the 5th March 2021. We would like to introduce you to Vicki Gill who will be providing the service. Vicki Gill BSc (Hons) Podiatry MCPOD As an experienced podiatrist, and active member of the local community, I am delighted to announce that I will be moving my private podiatry/chiropody clinic Victoria Gill Podiatry to St Minver Health Hub this spring. I will be offering a range of foot care solutions including, but not limited to, general nail care, treatment for ingrowing or problematic nails, skin problems, treatment of calluses and corns as well as providing assessments for muscular foot pain, exercise prescription and ,where necessary, insoles. I am an accomplished podiatrist with over 15 years’ experience within the NHS. I graduated from the University of Plymouth with a degree in Podiatric medicine in 2005, before starting my career with the NHS, working as a senior Podiatrist in clinics all over Cornwall. I have spent the last few years establishing a successful podiatry business to compliment my continued part-time work for the NHS. I already see a number of patients in the St Minver and Rock area and the chance to use the excellent facilities at St Minver Health Hub will allow me an exciting opportunity to expand the range of foot care treatments I can offer to people in the local community.
I am regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and I am a member of the College of Podiatry. If you are suffering with painful feet or would like help managing your foot care, please do get in touch to schedule an initial consultation. For appointment availability please contact Vicki Gill: M: 07930 125425 Email:VictoriaGillPodiatry@gmail.com. www.VictoriaGillPodiatry.co.uk
1st St Minver Scouts continue with Scouting throughout lockdown!
We were delighted to have started back at Scouts after the last Lockdown – albeit under very strict conditions and following a whole host of new risk assessments and procedures. We based ourselves entirely outside in the fresh air, even though at the time it was very wet and cold, and at a time we might usually carry out activities in the warmth and relative comfort of our Scout Hut. The Scouts came along each week well prepared, dressed warmly and with waterproofs and good boots in order that we could all enjoy Scouting outside on dark, cold, damp nights! Sadly, of course, following the Christmas break we were unable to meet again, but immediately started the new term via ‘Zoom’ – something we’ve all become accustomed to in the past year. Each week, our Leaders become more and more inventive in the way we deliver Scouting and engage our fantastic, resilient young people!
For further information please see our website: www.stminvercommunityhub.org.uk If you would like to become involved in the project or have any ideas to help us raise funds, please contact us via: www.stminvercommunityhub.org.uk/contact To make a donation: Please contact Carol Mould or visit the donation page on the website:•Carol Mould M: 07870 118 001
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We welcome your stories and photographs
St Minver Cancer Research UK ‘Popped–Up’ in October and ‘Quizzed’ in December On a sunny day in September it seemed a good idea for the St Minver Fund Raising Committee to organise a Pop-Up Stall to sell homemade goodies and Christmas cards to raise money for Cancer Research UK. It had to be held outdoors with social distancing rules to be followed and we needed to attract as many people as possible. Rock Sailing and Water Ski Club kindly agreed to let us hold it on their quay and the date of Saturday 24th October was agreed. The date was advertised and the committee noted the date so as to plan their baking and make preparations. It was very obvious on the Saturday morning that it was not going to be possible to keep dry or to keep everything on the tables, so postponement notices were put up and the sale moved to the next day, Sunday. We were not deterred by the forecast and went ahead. Christmas cards proved popular, we sold out of cakes, scones, biscuits, shortbread, jams, chutneys, and apple crumbles; even plants sold well, but the most popular item were Christmas face masks made by the Rock based Quay Quilters. Not only did we sell all that had been made orders for another twelve were taken. We were very happy at the end of the day to discover that we had raised £800. We must thank everyone who supported us. Locals and holiday people for stopping by and buying something, but most importantly those who helped by baking, cooking, making a face mask and organising the cards for without their support our stall would not have had the appeal it certainly had. December meant just one thing: Rock’s Famous Quiz. This year the answers were all herbs, spices or flavourings. We had entries from all over the UK - Dorset to Yorkshire! Many said they had been sent it via family or friends who had visited Rock over the festive period. Altogether one hundred and forty quizzes were sold and six fully correct answers received. The overall winner’s name was pulled from a hat and it was Pauline Meredith. Thank you to everyone who took part and well done to those who submitted a correct set of answers. Anyone who is still dying to know the answers, can email me on ginaskl@aol.com A big thank you must go to Malcolm in the Spar who very kindly supports us every year by having the quiz for sale on his shop counter. Many people made an extra donation and £200 has been sent to Cancer Research UK as a result. Gina Snelling, Chair St Minver Cancer Research UK Fund Raising Committee Visit our website - www.stminverlink.org
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SeaGirls Update As CV19 continues to disrupt and cause us all to live a different lifestyle, it still did not stop the SeaGirls jumping to action in the winter months! Our wonderful army of ladies created the most delicious array of festive treats, from St Enodoc Sloe Gin to Crumbly Vanilla Fudge and Biscotti. Whilst the crafters made silk lined eye masks, oyster candles, reusable face wipes and Christmas decorations, to name but a few. Following CV compliant guidelines, SeaGirls’ temporary HQ turned into a grotto full of incredible produce. At a time when the usual festivities went by the by, the community welcomed the idea of wonderfully crafted hampers full of locally sourced and produced goods. Hamper sales in the run up to Christmas rocketed, and ,amazingly, we generated an incredible profit from hamper sales and raffle ticket sales, combined with pop up markets at both the Porthilly Spirit Christmas Event and The Pityme Pub. As 'normal' WI life is yet to resume, as a WI we decided it would be wonderful to donate as
much as possible to charity, after covering costs for our festive ventures. We are delighted that at the beginning of the year we were able to support a variety of charities by donating the following; £1,000 to Cornwall Air Ambulance to assist with training for female crew members; £600 to the Bodmin Branch of the Women Refuge; £600 to the St Minver Community Hub; £100 to the Wadebridge Food Bank for female sanitary items. January saw us return to Zoom meetings with a talk from Matt Marshall of Porthilly Shellfish. As lockdown continues with no idea when a more normal way of life may resume, the SeaGirls continue to hold monthly meetings online via Zoom, every second Thursday of the month at 7:30pm. We are forever hopeful to return to meetings at the Rock Institute, and look forward to holding some of our community events towards the end of the year, CV permitting! Nici Hewitt
Message from Nursery Stores, Rock Malcolm from the Nursery Stores would on behalf of all of his staff like to thank the person or persons for the substantial gift that was left to them. Many thanks and thank you all for your continued support. 22
We welcome your stories and photographs
Vitamin D by Faith Toogood Fully into lockdown 3, I thought about what my nutritional priorities would be to pass on to everyone and decided that although I have touched on vitamin D before, it is such an important topic that it warrants a refresher for those who remember the last article and a call to action for those who don’t. Vitamin D isn’t actually a vitamin, it is a hormone, largely manufactured within the body through the action of sunlight on skin. It is from the sunshine that we obtain most of our vitamin D and not food, like other vitamins and minerals. Often referred to as the Sunshine Vitamin, our bodies make vitamin D when we have sunlight on our skin. Vitamin D works together with calcium and phosphorus to keep our teeth and bones healthy and also plays a crucial role in maintaining our muscle strength and preventing rickets and osteomalacia. No matter how rich your diet is in calcium, without enough vitamin D, you simply cannot absorb the calcium into your bones and cells. The two go together.
vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteomalacia. This is where our bones become softer because the lack of vitamin D means that the bone strengthening minerals including calcium and phosphorus cannot get into the bones. This can lead to muscle pain and weakness.
to be sufficient to maintain healthy vitamin D levels and to prevent deficiency.
Who needs a supplement?
Right now, during lockdown in winter I would recommend that all adults and children over the age of 1 consider taking a daily supplement containing 10 Who is at risk of low vitamin D micrograms of vitamin D. levels? If you fall into the high risk In lockdown, during winter, categories (see the NHS most of us are at risk. website on vitamin D ‘at risk’ During the summer months groups) then you should when the sun is strongest, consider taking a 10 microgram we are able to manufacture supplement of vitamin D all sufficient vitamin D from year round. a modest amount of time All babies under the age of 1 outdoors with face hands and should take a supplement of arms exposed for approximately 8.5 – 10 micrograms of vitamin 15-20 minutes. Wintertime is D unless they are drinking more a different story as although than 500mls formula feed as we can store a certain this is already fortified with amount of vitamin D from vitamin D. the sunny summer months, Before starting any supplement, these stores are insufficient It is worth doing a check on to see us through the winter other supplements you are time when opportunities to currently taking to ensure that obtain sufficient sunlight and sufficiently strong sunlight are you don’t end up taking too greatly reduced. The only way much vitamin D. In short, get outside as and therefore to ensure a healthy when you are able and allowed, vitamin D status is to take a include some healthy oily fish supplement. What happens when we don’t in your diet but by way of a Can I get it from food? get enough Vitamin D? nutritional safely net during You can certainly help your In children, a deficiency of these dark winter lockdown body to top up its vitamin D vitamin D can result in Rickets which although now thankfully stores by including foods such days, do consider taking a vitamin D supplement. Take as oily fish, eggs and fortified rare, is a serious condition care everyone and keep margarines and cereals, that can cause permanent however these are unlikely healthy. bone deformities. In adults, a
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Crunchy Courgettes
Recently we ended up with too many courgettes and while it is possible to ‘lose’ this vegetable in soups, stews and casseroles, there is a limit to how far you can go with this. So we tried something different and found that it worked really well. Cut the courgette(s) into four lengthwise and then into cubes of about 1 - 1½ cm. Peel first if you prefer – I usually remove about half of the skin with a vegetable peeler to leave attractive stripes. Put the cubes into a large bowl or plastic bag and add a handful or two of semolina and give it a good stir or shake. You need enough semolina to thoroughly coat each cube. Leave for a while so that moisture from the courgette combines with the semolina and ‘glues’ it in place. Fry in oil in small batches over a medium heat until golden brown – take care as they brown quite quickly and become too dark. Season with salt and pepper and serve quickly. This simple dish is delicious – crisp and crunchy on the outside and soft in the middle. Brian Crank
Wadebridge Tennis Club At Wadebridge Tennis Club we are currently stuck on pause, but looking forward to welcoming back members, non members to enjoy the physical and mental benefits of the sport. One of my weekly highlights was Saturday mornings where coaches, children of all ages and stages come together and put a real buzz in to Egloshayle Road. Come rain or shine myself and fellow coaches are there to share the passion and education with children of all ages and abilities. It is a feel good factor to observe the friendships, rivalries and progress with juniors and adults alike. If you wish to make enquiries on how to get into tennis please do not hesitate to contact me. We are very fortunate to have an award winning club with award winning coaches and superb facilities in a truly picturesque location. The committee is committed to welcoming new players and retaining existing players by offering a wide range of sessions. Looking forward with hope. James Brobin brobinjames@gmail.com
The Pityme Inn History Request
Calling all budding historians and locals! We are currently searching for information about the history of our pub, The Pityme Inn on Rock Road (PL27 6PQ). We know some history about the previous owners, & that the site was once part of a farm, but if you know any more information, have any pictures of the pub, remember the area when you were growing up or have any stories, please get in touch. All information gathered will form part of a display we are building in the pub & will feature the names of all those who have contributed (with your consent). If you have any information please get in touch, our email address is contact@pitymeinn. co.uk or give us a call 01208 862228 & leave a message. Thanks in advance Chris & Jason Black 24
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Classic Tractor Run
On Saturday the 5th of December a classic tractor road run in aid of Children's Hospice South West took place, starting at St Minver Cricket Club car park, we managed to raise the sum of £965.47. I would like to thank everyone at Terry Harris and Sons for the considerable contribution, also the firm of Ron Greet who also were extremely generous and Tesco Wadebridge who contributed 20 children’s chocolate boxes. Last, but not least, everybody who took part and supported us on the day. Next tractor run will be in aid of St Minver Cricket Club, date to be announced. Gilbert Dingle
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Can you help? Local historian ( and old friend of the editor!) Malcolm McCarthy, has sent these photos ( which are allegedly of Trebetherick) to Link to try and find out more about them- can any of our readers provide any information? Email on morwenna@stminverlink.org or contact us via our Facebook Page. Malcolm bought these pictures as a bundle marked ‘Trebetherick’. I have shared them with a few local farmers who haven’t been able identify anyone. I thought the hardcore picture could have been Porthilly, but i have consulted with the Marshall family and they don’t recognise it.The photos all have captions which don’t give many clues I’m afraid, so it’s over to Link readers to help solve the puzzle!
Above: Collecting hardcore, Trebetheric Left: Farming Trebetheric 1897 Below left: Trebetheric 1899 Below right: Tealing garden Trebetheric 1897
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The top four pictures just have the captions: Trebetheric hay waggon Bottom left: Trebetheric group Bottom right: Trebetheric cottages 1898 We have put all these pictures on our website,so you can have a closer look www.stminverlink.org ( the Trebetheric spelling is from the photos) Visit our website - www.stminverlink.org
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Maureen Remains ‘at her post’ for Fifty Years
A chance question asked while Andrew Millington was in St Minver Post Office revealed a significant anniversary. “How long have you been here at the post office?” he asked subpostmistress Maureen Rickard. “It will be 50 years exactly on Monday,” she replied. Maureen took over from Mrs Carhart on 1st February 1971. “Mrs Carhart had poor sight,” said Maureen, “so she would feel the edges of the coins to identify them, but when decimalisation arrived on the 15th of February, she could no longer do it.” Maureen has worked in three premises in her fifty years of service, first in the ‘old’ post office at the bottom of the hill,
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then opposite the Fourways Inn, and now in the current premises in the Perceval Institute. “I brought up three children as well,” she said, “I had a playpen to keep them in behind the
counter.” The Perceval Institute management committee presented Maureen with a bouquet to mark her fifty years of service to our community.
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New Organisation Aims to Safeguard Polzeath
PolzeathTogether is a multiagency group consisting of representatives from Cornwall County Council, Highlands and Lowlands Parish Councils, Devon and Cornwall Police and The Polzeath Beach Management Group. The group has been formed to set about tackling the increasing problem of anti-social behaviour at Polzeath Beach, mainly during late evening and into the night, during the summer months. Summer 2020 saw a huge increase in visitors to the village compared with previous years and with that increasing numbers of youths and young adults gathering on the beach for BBQs, beach fires and parties. Whilst a large number of these behaved responsibly, there was, nevertheless, a distinct problem stemming from drunken behaviour with vandalism (mainly as a means of gathering stuff to burn), littering (not clearing up from the gatherings, broken glass, beer cans, cigarette butts and so on). Fires were not put out and were still smouldering the next day as daytime beach users arrived for the day, disposable BBQs were left in the sand, there was fighting and ,sad to say, evidence left of the public toilets not being used (we’ll leave that to the imagination). All agencies involved as well as Visit Cornwall believe that visitor
numbers will be even higher in 2021, so we must prepare ourselves for more of the same. Shortage of resources and the timing of legislative changes mean it is not viable to effectively enforce bans on beach fires and alcohol this year, so short term measures are to be employed. This will include a Pub Watch Scheme, as well as a campaign of engagement and education. To begin with social media is being used. We have a presence on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ pztogether/\ , Facebook https:// www.facebook.com/pztogether and Twitter https://twitter. com/PzTogether . It would be marvellous if readers could follow and share our posts - we will need thousands of followers if word is to get out. Nearer the summer we will be aiming to get a PR campaign
going by engaging national and local media outlets as well as printing posters for local businesses to display and flyers to distribute around the letting agencies, hotels and campsites educating all beach visitors and users of the importance of keeping the village and beach environment safe and enjoyable for all. Polzeath Together really does need the support of everyone that loves Polzeath and the surrounding area. For all of us who want to see the charm and beauty of the village and beach maintained, action must be taken before a serious accident or injury occurs and before Polzeath’s reputation is sullied. So please, engage with our social media, spread the word and support what we are doing. Karensa Beer-Robson Polzeath Together
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St Minver School PTA From very early in November the St Minver School PTA knew that we would have to pull something special out of the bag for the children this Christmas as they have had the most turbulent year. Christmas was going to happen at St Minver School! Each year a wonderful tree is in the school hall for all to see during the Christmas shows, but this year with no shows and limited use in the hall we thought why not have a gorgeous tree right outside the front door of school for all the children to see everyday. The Link came to us with a generous donation for the tree, decorations and lights! The tree was very quickly ordered, decorations bought and an undercover team of Santa’s helpers were assembled and a date was set for the tree to go up in TOTAL SECRECY!
30th, the children came to school and the festive season officially started! The Christmas tree was up and looking beautiful! So many happy smiley faces were seen and the festive cheer was in full force. Thank you so much
to the Link for donating this fabulous festive gift to us all at St Minver School. Lots of Love from St Minver PTA xx
On Monday, November
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New Project for 2021 Wheels on Water!
Concern Wadebridge, in partnership with The Wheelyboat Trust, are raising funds to place a wheelchair accessible boat on the River Camel. The aim is to provide accessible sailing to disabled individuals and those with mobility problems; people of all ages. Andy Lyle Manager of Concern Wadebridge said “Our objective is to enable disabled and those with mobility problems to become physically active, improve their wellbeing and create new social opportunities in targeting inequalities in allowing disabled people access to the beauty of the River Camel. This boat will allow pleasure and fishing trips; it will also empower wheelchair users to qualify as Powerboat drivers and instructors. The boat will be managed by Rock Marine in partnership with Concern Wadebridge.” We have already raised £20,000 of the £47,000 price tag, thanks to the generosity of local businessess and Trust Funds and we plan to have the boat on the water in Spring 2022. To find out more either contact the centre on 01208 812392 or visit www.wheelyboats.org. Thank you. Andy Lyle, Manager, Concern Wadebridge
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St Minver School News As I write, St Minver School is currently closed to all but a small proportion of children and the country is in lockdown. Following the Prime Minister’s announcement on January 4th that all schools were to immediately close, our school community was ,again, plunged into a term very different from the one we had all hoped and planned for.
struggling to get online amongst our families, thanks to an anonymous donation from a member of our community, as well as from an allocation from the Department for Education. This new way of learning has been a huge learning curve for everyone involved and the
Online Learning However, despite its many challenges, learning has continued for all children via our online learning platforms of Google Classroom and Tapestry. Each day and each week, teachers are either working alongside children at school or from home, and providing daily welcome videos, instruction and feedback to their lessons posted online for the children. Teacher videos are occasionally accidentally hilarious – but we hope this simply adds to the sense of connection between the children and the people they know best at school while we can’t be together! The school has been able to give out some laptops for home schooling to those
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staff have been enormously impressed with how families have got to grips with juggling the needs of their children, getting into good learning routines from the kitchen table, often working from home too, while trying to keep spirits high and to remain active during this challenging time too! At the end of each school day, our online ‘classrooms’ are awash with uploaded work from home for the teachers to look at and to draw on for the next day’s planning and activities.
‘In This Together’ During this time of isolation and separation, we have been lucky enough to have benefited from a Western Power ‘In this Together’ Community Grant. Applied for by our PTA, these grants seek to offer additional support to families affected by lockdown and Covid 19 restrictions. This grant allowed the PTA to fully fund a cooking activity for all St Minver School families who wished to take part, with everything needed in one carrier bag. Bags were collected, of course, using covid-safe procedures. We were fortunate to have Joe Rozier, Head Chef at Paul Ainsworth’s Mariners Pub and Restaurant in Rock, who provided video and menu card support for the children and their families to cook a delicious pasta dish with either meatballs or chickpeas. The grant was used to purchase ingredients from local suppliers and the results, with over one hundred and forty St Minver children participating, were outstanding. What an amazing way to boost our school community during this time of lockdown! Thank you, on behalf of all the children, to everyone who made this possible. Here’s hoping that in the next edition of The Link, we will be telling you all about the learning adventures we are having with the children here AT school. But in the meantime, please remember to Be Brave, Be Kind, Belong! Mrs J Rodwell Visit our website - www.stminverlink.org
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The Sunbeam RYS was a three-masted topsail auxiliary schooner. She was the last word in Victorian luxury. Her name came from the nickname for his daughter, Constance Alberta who had died of scarlet fever, aged four. Family legend has it that Lady Brassey dropped in on the schoolroom of their house (Bulkeley Grange in Cheshire) one morning, and was appalled at the woeful ignorance of her children. She then sought out her husband I am a great believer in he turned the page to reveal crying: ‘Thomas- prepare the chance. While researching this remarkable image of the yacht. We are going round the world on an extended my biography of Admiral Camel Estuary. ( above) geography lesson’! The Beaufort, he of the Wind Scale, Of course I recognized the at the Huntington Library, locale as it is the reverse view Sunbeam duly left on 1 July 1876 with a compliment of San Marino in California, I from our house, Tristan, in forty three that included the arrived late one morning. As Trebetherick. The yacht, I four children, friends, servants I walked through the room learned, was the Sunbeam. and a crew of twenty seven. reserved for large folios, a Built in Seacombe on the The Brasseys (with a new fellow researcher had an Wirral for Lord Brassey, one governess) set off from enormous photograph album of the richest men in the open on the desk. As I passed, country, the 531-ton Sunbeam Chatham for Rio de Janeiro via Madeira, Tenerife and The Sunbeam anchored off the pilots’ cottages, Camel Estuary. 1880.
Above: The figurehead of a gilded angel on the prow of the Sunbeam was based on Constance Alberta Right:The ‘schoolroom’ 34
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in 1885 having stepped down as Prime Minister. The cruise of 1888 saw the Sunbeam in our home waters. During her lifetime, the Sunbeam travelled over 500,000 miles. When Brassey (by now an Earl) was appointed Governor of Victoria in 1895, he naturally sailed her to Australia to take up his appointment. At the start of WWI she was converted to a hospital ship, and Brassey accompanied her to Mudros Bay to support the troops fighting in the Lord and Lady Brassey Dardanelles. When he died in last to India and Australia in the Cape Verde Islands. 1887, where she died and was 1919, Sunbeam was left to his The Sunbeam then headed buried at sea. to the Straits of Magellan son, who handed her over to calling at the capital cities of After the death of Lady the Royal Navy as a training Montevideo and Buenos Aires Brassey, her husband ship. She was later sold and continued to sail and race on the way. She crossed the broken up in Morecambe. in his beloved Sunbeam, Pacific stopping at several Nicholas Courtney Ph.D. generally with less islands, including Tahiti and Gale Force 10, the Life and Legacy adventurous cruises in home Hawaii, before reaching of Admiral Beaufort (Review) was Japan. She then headed south waters. William Gladstone sailed with him to Scandinavia published in 2002. to Hong Kong, Canton and Sunbeam moored in the Brisbane Singapore followed by the River off Government House. 1895 Seychelles, India, Sri Lanka and the Suez Canal. She arrived home in Hastings on 26 May 1877, having travelled 35,300 miles. Some geography lesson! Lady Brassey wrote about their experiences in A Voyage in the Sunbeam, our Home on the Ocean for Eleven Months, which became a best seller. Further voyages followed to the Mediterranean, with the Visit our website - www.stminverlink.org
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Latest News from Wadebridge Primary Academy So here we are in Lockdown again! We thought for this edition we would send a general update on some of the projects our children have been working on recently.
National Trust Partnership
orienteering courses and has been placing QR codes around the local area for pupils to follow. Successful participants collect all the The winners will take part letters which spell out a secret in a special tree-planting phrase. Families from a range experience with the of year groups have really Lanhydrock staff, when lockdown restrictions permit. enjoyed the orienteering Wadebridge Primary Academy courses. One of our Year 3 pupils has written about the would like to thank the experience. National Trust team for ‘What is Orienteering? It working with us to inspire is an outdoor sport which our pupils during these involves following a map to challenging times. find checkpoints as fast as you What’s happening now? Finding ourselves in lockdown can. It’s a great way to exercise and have fun. This lockdown again, our staff have been I’ve tried orienteering locally working hard to organise for my daily exercise. I’ve motivating activities that learnt how to read a map! It will engage pupils in their learning, whether they are at was really fun and I would definitely do it again. My home or in school. whole family enjoyed it!’ presentation. It was a lovely example of cross-curricular work- English, Science, Art and IT!
Bridge Schools worked with the National Trust during the first lockdown and ran a competition called ‘Nature in My Neighbourhood’. Pupils were asked to observe the wildlife around them at home: on their doorstep; in their garden; in their village, town and countryside and then produce a written or digital information booklet with photos or illustrations after researching more facts about each bird, plant, flower or tree. The entries were judged in December Year 3 Orienteering and judges included rangers One of our Year 3 teachers, Mr from Lanhydrock House. Langton, has been designing Wadebridge Primary Academy sent in many entries and we were delighted that two pupils from our Year 4 were chosen as winners, alongside a winner from St Cleer Primary School. The judges commented on how impressed they were with the high standards of writing and 36
Nursery Big Bird Watch As this week is the RSPB The Big Bird Watch, the Nursery children at WPA have been using a variety of books to
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beautiful works of art inspired by their learning about this endangered habitat.
Year 5 Greek Myths Year 5 pupils have been writing their own Greek Myths and illustrating them with wonderful results.
Year 4 Vicious Vikings Year 4 have been learning about the 'Vicious Vikings'. Pupils have been really busy help them identify some both in school and at home of the birds coming to the making Viking shields. We nursery garden. The children are so proud of how creative have been busy making bird they've been! Last week, we feeders to encourage more also made 'Viking' butter birds to the garden. They have using double cream. It took also been creating their own about thirty minutes of nests with twigs, leaves and continuous shaking to turn it clay.
Year 2 Rainforests In one hundred years all the rainforest will be gone, who cares? The WPA Year 2 pupils care! They have been working together to create these
penguin cookies! They’ve also written some excellent nonfiction books.
Year 6 Anderson Shelters Year 6 pupils have been thoroughly enjoying their latest Topic about World War 2. Pupils at home and school have been making some amazingly life-like Anderson shelters and writing diary entries from the view point of an evacuee.
into butter, but it worked and tasted marvellous on a slice of toast.
Year 1 Penguin Biscuits Year 1 have been learning about penguins and decided to get creating with their baking! Look at their yummy Visit our website - www.stminverlink.org
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Country Diary from Cobb Cottage Written and Illustrated by Joan Cockett Lockdown III and the Sketchbook Christmas 2020
here in Cornwall was quite alarming- mainly amongst young people. I was amazed to get a phone call from Port A fire pit in the garden, Isaac Surgery inviting me warmth radiating, chairs wellfor a Covid Vaccination on spaced, a table awaiting food, December 15th at the Bodmin appetising smells wafting Treatment Centre. (I must be from the kitchen, appetites keen. As dusk fell, fairy lights in the trees, multicoloured and illuminating a variety of evergreen leaves, some looking exotic. Food arrives and is served from the table in large soup bowls, for easy handling. Tender chicken, bacon, sausages, roast potatoes, cauliflower cheese, parsnips, all tasting particularly good in the fresh, dry air ; the fire’s warmth circulating, glow on our faces, warm feet and then some memorable puddings – pineapple upside down pudding, with cherries. What more could we ask? Well, Sparklers! We sat and lit them from the fire, faces illuminated and a peaceful silence reigned, as we all, I suspect, thought of past times with fireworks, but nothing quite like this – Covid Christmas 2020; we will not forget it. Lockdown III was mostly accepted as inevitable, and the substantial rise in cases 38
almost the oldest patient on their books!) with a follow up jab on January 5th. Arriving at Bodmin, there was great activity and signs guiding you, where we queued (spaced out of course). There was almost a festive air, and we
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smiled at one another with our eyes over our masks; we knew we were so lucky. After our health checks, we then went individually into adjoining rooms where we had the vaccination (virtually painless). We were then given an egg shaped timer, set for fifteen minutes, and taken to a waiting room, where, wellspaced out, we waited for our ’ping!’ Once fifteen minutes was up, we were allowed to leave, if we were quite well. I left with gratitude and noticed as I looked up that it was a sunny day, and on the journey back to Trebetherick we saw some beautiful rainbows and dramatic skies. I wondered how they had managed to organise the whole procedure so quickly, and not least, where did they manage to get all those egg timers?
I was lucky to get my second jab on the 5th January 2021, and feel very privileged; I’m so glad that all front line workers are now being vaccinated, as they seem to be the most vulnerable, and many so young. The illustrations from my Lockdown Sketchbook are evidence of the importance to me of my immediate surroundings. A watery winter sun, bare trees, tracery of branches, and near at hand, on the kitchen windowsill, a jar of flowers. Everything takes on significance; this can be quite rewarding, as I get
to look at things with more intensity, but like everybody else at the present time, I am looking forward to normality. Walks on the beach are great, but it would then be even better to meet up with friends for coffee or a meal at The Mowhay; but it’s always good to have something to look forward to! Here’s to a safe, happy new year for 2021! The snowdrops are coming into flower, and all the bulbs planted in pots in the autumn are well up. Suddenly it’s spring, and hope springs eternal……
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News from St Minver Pre School A new year brings new faces at St. Minver Pre-school as we welcome Claire- Manager & Rebecca-Deputy Manager to the team. Much fun has been had getting to know new faces, settling back into routines and best of all- exploring ice! We have been enjoying the varying weather and getting outside to talk about it where we can. We soon hope to look for signs of spring and enjoy some activities around spring and Easter, including art, planting bulbs and baking too. We love to be creative at pre-school so messy hands are a must!! As always, we thank the local community for all of their support and very much look forward to meeting you soon. We also wish to take this opportunity to thank Morwenna Hawtin and Sharron Dingle, former Manager and Deputy Manager, for all of their hard work at the preschool over many years and we thank them for their continued support. For any enquiries, please call St. Minver Pre-School on tel: 01208 869511 or e-mail stminverpreschool@gmail. com 40
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Featured Artist
Susannah Mitchell by Jacqueline Fleming, Art Editor A pair of socks naturally dyed with pigments from plants grown in a garden near Padstow has recently been posted to California. This is one of the many and varied stages of the development of a North Cornish natural textile studio. The beginnings of a life-long project focussed on the sustainably sourced, small batch and low impact, the plant dyed and handmade, being undertaken by Susannah Mitchell. Susannah was born and brought up in Tregonce. She studied for A-Levels at Wadebridge where she had petitioned for a textile course, such was her interest at this early age. She took an Art Foundation at the
Carnon Downs based Tregye campus of Truro College, which led to her achieving her then goal of studying textile design at Central Saint Martins in London. After graduating she worked at the college. Later, as a studio assistant for an interior design studio, for clients such as Tracey Emin and Anish Kapoor. However, having applied to art college with a portfolio of print designs her direction had changed. Susannah felt little connection with much of the digitally based work; she missed being hands on; she returned home. From childhood she has been a maker, engrossed in craft-based activities, sewing and embroidery, taught to knit at an early age by grandmothers on both sides of her family. Susannah is someone who needs an emotional connection to their work. She roots what she does in something physical with a link to the past, to pre-industry. Her natural dyeing practice is exactly this, revisiting lost arts. In spring 2020 Susannah started planning and planting her dye garden. By mid-summer she had already tested out different ways of extracting indigo from Woad whilst the Japanese Indigo was almost ready for harvesting for the dye pot and her Dyer’s Chamomile was just about to bloom. Also the Madder was thriving, although it takes a couple of years until the Madder roots from which the dye is taken will be mature enough to use. The garden enables Susannah to go
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you must be able to run a small business to make a living. However what is crucial to Susannah , is selling her ‘everyday’ crafts at affordable prices directly to people within her community who will make good use of them. This is as important as an online sale to the other side of the globe. Back to those socks. This particular pair was knitted in Ireland from organically grown wool (she also stocks organic cotton socks) with Susannah then naturally hand dyeing. She also offers a box containing four different coloured balls of Yorkshire spun wool from Blue Faced Leicester sheep - enough for a small ‘knit it yourself’ sock or hat project – each colour again having been dyed in the studio. One version of the fourball box contains bright shades – red from Madder Root, citron yellow from Weld, pop pink from Brazilwood and indigo blue from Indian Indigo. Another, autumnal shades: two tones of pink - a light pink and a pink/ purple - from Madder Root, a chartreuse ‘from seed to sock’ in twenty three weeks and green from Weld and a saxon grey/green from is an ongoing project which she will upscale in due course. Alongside making, communication is an essential part of her personal practice. Susannah enjoys teaching what she knows: introducing others to the experience of these centuries old, almost forgotten but now revived, processes for themselves. She has a program of workshops planned for summer 2021 and also teaches online. Indeed her social media feeds, Instagram and TikTok, are small lessons in themselves and well worth an investment of time to read through her recipes and watch her instructions for the natural dyeing. She also covers educational and historic reviews on her subject. Susannah finds the fact that a short video of her working in a shed in Cornwall garnered twenty thousand views rather amusing. But this is another of her skills, reaching people and engaging with them. Early on Susannah recognised that it is not enough to know how to make something, 42
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fresh nettles. In development are Susannah’s plans to prepare yarn for bigger projects from raw fleece. She has already perfected the threehour process for this. She starts with a drum carder, in which the fleece is gently teased across the teeth of the drum by hand to spread out the fibres evenly; the resulting ‘batt’ is then rolled to make spinning easier. After spinning, two bobbins of this single ply yarn are spun in reverse directions to ply them together; then the yarn is skeined, washed and dried under tension to set the
twist. Her aim for a rug project, for example, is to create shade gradients by plying dark and light wools together before dyeing, the latter achieving a tonal effect. With every single step of the process under her own control, Susannah can create exactly what she wants. Or, as she undertakes commissions, what you want. www.susannah-mitchell.com Instagram susannahmitchell.studio TikTok @nothinbutflowers
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Seasonal Fashion Tips from Fusion’s Rhowen Yoki Spring/Summer Trends of 2021 It feels like a very strange time to talk about ‘trends’ at the moment with many of us working from home, caring for others or shielding. At this time of uncertainty and distance, looking forward to the warmer months and freshening our wardrobes can provide a sense of normality and positivity. Many designers have taken on board the change in our work/social lives, and have therefore opted for comfort and bright colours. Resourcefulness and up cycling have also taken precedent on the runway, allowing for the restyling of our very own wardrobes. This year, experiment and have fun with your style – we have the time.
Black and White:
pleated skirts (not to mention practical rucksacks) were Starting nice and easy with frequent pairings at Prada, staple colours that are in while luscious leather bomber everyone’s wardrobe. In a world with no simple answers jackets and smart skirts made appearances at Max Mara. or even straightforward questions, designers showed a predilection for black and white – most often, together. At Dolce & Gabbana, chequerboard patchwork dresses utilised archive rolls of fabrics from previous collections. While at Gabriela Hearst, black and white dresses looked just the kind of elegant, no-fuss eveningwear we’ve been longing for.
Creature Comforts: If you’ve fallen in love with hoodies, and can’t see how you will ever transition out of their marshmallowy cotton embraces, look to the catwalks of Prada, Hermès, Chanel and Celine for pointers on how to keep things lowkey but nonetheless luxe when we emerge from this pandemic. Hoodies and 44
Wide-leg Trousers: Skinny jeans and cigarette pant lovers: hear us out. Baggy trousers may not have the streamlining effect of your favoured slim-line silhouettes,but, they’re a bona fide trend for spring, and they’re showing their elegant side this season, taking over
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is a mojito in a tin enjoyed in a paddling pool.
as your everyday trouser shape of choice.
Sitting Room Sequins:
Fittingly, given that none of us have worn sequins for what feels like aeons, and most probably aren’t about to start wearing them any time soon, the new season’s crop of sparkly numbers semaphore relaxed glamour. Celine summed up the new, laidback, mood with a red-carpet appropriate gown worn on an athletics track-catwalk with sneakers and a baseball cap. Meanwhile, at Balmain, slit-to-the-thigh sequin gowns
came down the catwalk on barefoot models; at Louis Vuitton, sequins were paired with simple T-shirts and flats. Let the living room disco commence!
For the Guys:
Maxi Dresses: Here’s one trend that has come to save those of us trapped in micro-apartments without so much as a resistance band for company: floaty maxi dresses. The most romantic idea to appear on catwalks, seen at Dior, Alberta Ferretti, Valentino, Erdem and Michael Kors, floor-sweeping and sheer styles will confer on their wearer a glamorous cocktails-on-the-Rivieraterrace status – even if the only foreseeable sundowner
There are a range of men’s trends for 2021, including an incredible array of groovy ’70s florals paired with modern iPhone lanyards, male models rocking handbags, tech slings and bumbags, and fabrics such as leather and snakeskin. Other key pieces making waves for 2021 include sweater vests with a modern twist and formal sandals paired with sleek suiting. Whatever 2021 brings, Fusion is looking forward to helping you find what makes you feel comfortable and showcase the amazing person you are!
You can visit Rhowen, or one of the Fusion staff, for more style advice at one of her shops in Wadebridge, Padstow or Polzeath Visit our website - www.stminverlink.org
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Wildlife in Spring by Adrian Langdon
Here at The Link we are delighted that local wildlife photographer Adrian Langdon is now 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.imagesnaturally.co.uk/ Adrian has lived in Wadebridge all his life and there’s not much he doesn’t know about local wildlife.
As the days lengthen it not only makes us feel better but it acts as a trigger for many changes in nature. Many of the birds that have been with us all winter get ready to migrate to the north and east, some to parts of the world that will have virtually 24 hours of daylight by the time that they’ve mated and laid eggs. This will enable their young to get the maximum available amount of food for rapid growth. Most of our wildfowl & waders will leave and be replaced by an incoming tide of spring migrants. One of the first to arrive is the Sand Martin and as they breed locally at Rock , St.Enodoc and farther inland in
Sand Martin colony at Rock
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Sand Martin
the china clay district, we get to see them first as they fly in off the sea. I usually expect to see them in the second week of March. although there will always be early birds and
indeed late ones. Sand Martins are in the group known as Hirundines and after their influx normally follows the Swallows, then the House Martins and finally the Swifts. Of course nature is never that simple and often small groups of any of these species get caught up with others and all arrive together! Another early migrant that we can see along the clifftops is the Northern Wheatear, they start to arrive in midmarch with many just “passing through” and others moving on up onto Bodmin Moor to nest in the old stone walls and rocky outcrops. Of course, some species are year round residents and the Raven is an early nester on our cliffs and also inland in quarries and on electricity pylons. They will be on eggs by the end of February with their young ready to fly in late April. One of our favourite residents is the Mute Swan and they will be going through their elaborate courtship display where they form a very romantic heart shape with their necks. I’ve seen this a few times now and it’s always something I try to capture on my camera. They will have cygnets around
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Male Northern Wheatear
the first or second week of May. In the ponds our frogs will be well advanced with frog spawn or even tadpoles and toads will be preparing to cast their long strings of eggs over any vegetation that the pond holds. Spring is the start of the year for most insects and some early butterflies we can hope to see from March onwards will include the Brimstone, OrangeTip, Speckled Wood & the Holly Blue. Adrian Langdon
Mute Swan Courtship Heart
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Common Frog & Spawn
Raven
Orange Tip Butterfly
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Aren’t we lucky! Local walks
by Morwenna Vernon
Lanhydrock Trails
sections which would not be suitable for a wheelchair. I’ve They say we never take never encountered a stile on advantage of the things the walks and although they the tourists enjoy, but I beg are very popular, particularly to differ when it comes to with dog walkers, there is Lanhydrock, the National Trust plenty of space so you can property on the outskirts of keep your distance. Bodmin. I love the variety of The main car park is £1 per walks on offer around the estate and prior to the fifteen hour, £5 per day or free for minute travelling rules, used to regularly meet my sister for a walk, a chat and a coffee (well that’s what sisters do!) As she often has her two collies and her grandson in a pram with her, these walks provide a great environment for the whole party to enjoy.
National Trust members and it has plenty of toilets, a café, a plant centre and a great children’s play area. This is also the start of the cycle trails, and bikes can be hired here too. From the car park, you are free to enter the park and walk down the main drive where you will walk past the house with its formal gardens.
The walks are generally suitable for a ‘robust’ pram, but some of them have 48
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There is a charge to enter this late Victorian country house, which is certainly worth a visit, but all the parkland and network of footpaths is free for all.
There are a few places to stop and have a picnic here. Like all river walks, it never seems to look the same; every season brings a different energy and light to this spot.
The Lanhydrock website has details of many of the more popular trails, with information about length and accessibility. My favourite is the Parkland Trail which takes about one and a half hours and is about three miles. The route goes past the house and then through the woods, skirting the valley and then dropping down to Respryn where you walk alongside the river.
After Respryn, the path heads up to the lodge gate and then heads along the road towards the main house. At this point, I always imagine what it must have been like, travelling along in a horse and carriage, looking across the parkland and looking forward to a welcome at the big house. At this point you can continue on towards the house and head back to the car park, or head
right at the gate, towards the swimming pool, which is definitely worth a visit, but the path can get rather muddy in winter months. Either route leads back to the car park and a welcome cup of coffee. The trees and plants in this estate are spectacular at any time of year, but the springtime is my favourite, particularly as you can see the formal gardens from the main path and the flowers are breathtaking. It may be just on our doorstep, but I always find a visit to Lanhydrock lifts my spirits, so give it a try.
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Stargazing
by Patrick Cronin-Coltsmann Astronomy and Astrophysics PhD Student University of Warwick
Night Sky in Spring - March/April/May Nights are getting shorter, indeed we’ll hit the equinox, the ‘equal night’, when day and night have the same duration on March 20th. If you are still figuring out your cardinal directions, then the equinox is the perfect time to get your bearings. On March 20th the Sun will rise due east and set due west. kyklos’, ‘cycle of little animals’, and the term has a specific When you hear the word meaning in modern astronomy. ‘Zodiac’, two things might In astronomy the ‘Zodiac’ is a come to mind: the animals of small band of the sky close to the Chinese Zodiac and their years - come Chinese New Year the plane of the ecliptic. That is to say, the Zodiac is the area on February 12th we’ll leave of the sky that the Sun appears the current year of the Rat to travel through over the year, for the year of the Ox; or the ‘star-signs’ of western astrology, with a bit of wiggle room on either side. The ‘plane of the like Pisces, Aries and Taurus. ecliptic’ is the plane that the Our word ‘Zodiac’ comes from Earth orbits the Sun on. As all the Ancient Greek ‘zoidiaklos
The Zodiacal Light
the planets orbit on roughly the same plane, they will also never stray from the Zodiac in the sky. There is a special phenomenon associated with the Zodiac called the ‘Zodiacal Light’, sometimes known as the ‘False Dawn’. On a clear night just after the Sun sets or just before the Sun rises, look towards the Zodiac above the horizon (where the Sun was/will be) and you may see a faint triangular
Above: The Zodiac and the Ecliptic: the twelve constellations of the Zodiac all inhabit a single band in the sky, it is this band that the Sun moves across throughout the year as Earth orbits in the plane of the ecliptic. At different times of year the Sun and the Planets will appear in front of different Zodiac constellations.
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We welcome your stories and photographs
glow. This is sunlight bouncing off a cloud of interplanetary dust, the tiny fragments of thousands of asteroids and comets. Moonlight and light pollution will drown it out, so turn off your lights, get away from street lamps and wait for a moonless night.
Planets in the Morning
Astronomy and stargazing isn’t all about staying up as late as you can, if getting up early is easier for you, you don’t have to miss out. This March’s mornings, Jupiter will be heralding the dawn in the south-east at around 6.15 am, accompanied by a dimmer Saturn throughout. Similarly in April: Jupiter and Saturn will be in the sky by 5.30 am and a spectacularly crescent Moon will give them a fly-by on the 6th and 7th. By May the Sun will be rising earlier and earlier, with dawn just after 5am, but each time Jupiter and Saturn will race out first to beat it, and remain visible a little while after sunrise.
Planets at Night
All through spring, Mars is hanging in the sky. It rests close to the Pleiades near the beginning of March, it dances with the Moon in mid-April on the 17th and the two give a repeat performance the following month on May 14th. By late April, Venus has sprung into the evening to dazzle the low, western sky. For now, Mercury is its companion, and the two are closest on the 25th.
horizon and at around 10pm, close to sunset. By the end of May, fleet-footed Mercury has sped along in its orbit and is already 200 times fainter than Venus as it travels further and further from Earth.
Meteor Showers This spring there are two meteor showers to check out: The April Lyrids peak on the The Waxing Cloud Deck of Venus: 22nd but are visible for several Venus is covered in thick reflective clouds. As it travels around the Sun days either side and radiate from the constellation Lyra. and its position changes relative to the Earth, Venus appears to wax They have been observed since and wane just like the moon. 700 BC and are the longest running meteor shower to be But Mercury is ten times watched by humans. There’ll fainter than Venus, why is only be about ten shooting that? Mercury is smaller than stars per hour, but your Venus, but it is also closer to patience will be rewarded as the Sun, together those mean you might get to see a famous it ends up catching about half ‘Lyrid Fireball’, bright enough to the sunlight that Venus does. leave a visible trail for several What makes the rest of the minutes. difference? Mercury is much peak but centring less reflective than Venus, much With no true on May 5th and visible for less of the light it receives weeks on either side, are bounces off towards the Earth. the Eta Aquariids. Formed The term we use in astronomy from hundreds of years old for reflectiveness is ‘albedo’, fragments of the famous the word comes from latin and Halley’s Comet, these radiate means ‘whiteness’; something from the constellation Aquarius perfectly white would reflect and its bright star Eta Aquarii all light and have an albedo of in the early morning hours at a 1. Mercury’s albedo is 0.14 and rate of a meteor every couple of Venus’ is 0.7! For comparison, minutes. the Earth’s albedo is 0.43. Venus is so reflective because it is Constellations entirely swathed in thick clouds Can you recognise the twelve that are highly reflective. constellations of the Zodiac? On the 3rd and 4th of May, See how many you can spot Mercury is hand in hand with throughout the spring and try the Pleiades and by the 9th to figure out just where the Venus is passing by the open band of the Zodiac occupies cluster. All this is low in the the sky!
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Fitness With Julia
Walking
Hello everyone ! During this lockdown I’ve probably walked more than I ever have and I want to share with you the benefits. Even walking for 5-10 minutes can have a powerful effect and it’s such a therapeutic activity to pursue , especially at this time. What is PowerWalking ? Power walking is an aerobic walking exercise that focuses on speed and arm action. You need to walk at a brisk pace about 4mph or if a beginner at a slower pace . Although it is a gentler form of exercise it gets your blood pumping and will burn calories. It places
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3. Take normal strides - with each step, land on your heel and roll your foot towards your toes to propel you forwards. Squeeze the muscles in your bottom as you walk to put a spring in your step and tone the butt . 4. Relax the hips - move the hips forwards rather than side to side as this improves flexibility and will not strain the lower back. 5. Active arms - swing the arms gently as this activates the muscles and propels you along. Bend each arm at 90 degrees and make relaxed fists with the hands. As you progress you can hold small less pressure on the joints and hand weights . can be enjoyed with a friend 6. Exertion- a good way to see (socially distanced of course!) if you’re working at the right So if you want to get fit, intensity is to gauge how easy lower your risk of disease, talking is for you. You should strengthen muscles and be able to talk but singing improve your mood, power -maybe not ! walking could be for you. How Often and How Long ? Techniques to Remember: If you’re a beginner start off 1. Warm up-walking at a slowly and increase your normal pace for 10 minutes distance over time. is an ideal way to warm up Week 1 - walk 15 mins , 5 the muscles beforehand and times a week . Aim for 60-75 reduce injury. mins a week . 2. Posture- keep tall and don’t Week 2 - walk 20 mins , 5 slump as this will slow you times a week . Aim for 70- 100 down and affect breathing. mins a week . Engage your tummy muscles, Week 3 - walk 25 mins , 5 relax the shoulders and keep times a week . Aim for 100-125 your head up. mins a week .
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Week 4- walk 30 mins , 5 times a week . The beauty of increasing the time is that it allows you to open up new and different walking routes to try. How hard should it be? Everyone has different fitness levels, so take it at a pace that suits you. If you are physically fit , walk for longer to start with and if it’s too challenging take it slower. Repeat a week again until you’re ready to move on. Challenge yourself by adding some light weights and introducing other exercises and intervals into the walk. These are great for endurance and weight loss. Try walking faster for a minute every 3/5 minutes during the walk. Maybe halfway through stop and do some jumping jacks, squats or dips off a bench. Remember walking on grass, sand and uphill is challenging and will strengthen your legs. Cool down after your walk and stretch out your hamstrings, calves, chest, shoulders and back. Walking poles can be a good addition to your walking programme especially if you have problems with balance and posture. They will also alleviate stress on the joints and therefore give you more confidence and support. Final important tips: 1. Wear comfortable clothing and invest in a walking trainer which provides good arch support and has a flat sole.
2. Make yourself visible to others. 3. Explore ways to make power walking fun. 4. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself when you’re ready. The versatility of low impact power walking is great, so if you’re already doing this or preparing to give it a go, you’ll no doubt experience the improvement in your well-being and hopefully find
it’s a form of exercise you’ll keep up. Watch out Julia Bradbury! For any information on power walking, exercises you can incorporate, stretching etc please contact me on 07815987172 / juliatreglown@hotmail. com ( fully qualified fitness professional ) I’d love to hear how you’re getting on.
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Polzeath Coastguard Update by Matt Sutherland Half a Century of Service What an end to the year!
The team here at Polzeath Coastguard is absolutely delighted to announce that our Station Officer Rob Harris was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list 2021. This year saw Rob complete fifty years of selfless commitment to search and rescue within the HM Coastguard in North Cornwall. Rob started volunteering for the Coastguard back as a young 21 year old surfer wanting to put something back and help his community. In the early years, he was a Coastguard Rescue Officer for the Trebetherick Coastguard team and then the Port Isaac team and finally when a new team at Polzeath Coastguard was required, he was appointed Station Officer. He has now served over 20 years on the Polzeath team. Alongside his dedication to the Coastguard Rescue Service, Rob continues to support local charities including the Cornwall Air Ambulance, an important charity serving Cornwall and the South West. Rob's commitment goes above and beyond what is asked of him and on many occasions, has come before his family. We would like to say massive congratulations to Rob for his continued hard work and commitment towards the team and the community; a fantastic achievement. “I feel so honoured and humbled to receive this award of
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an MBE and grateful to those who nominated me. Whilst this might be my award, it’s important to remember that I am one of a team, both past and present, who dedicate their lives to serving in search and rescue. I am immensely proud to be part of Her Majesty’s Coastguard and that in my 50 years service, many hundreds of lives have been saved by these dedicated teams of volunteers. But I am also mindful of those whose lives who have been lost, and in these turbulent times, a heartfelt message to those families who have been bereft – we do not forget and it’s that also which enables us to continue through sun or storm to save the lives that we do.” Rob Harris, HM Coastguard, for services to Voluntary Search and Rescue. 50 Years of dedicated service. Please don’t forget that if you see anyone in trouble by the sea, please dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard; they will then task the appropriate response teams.
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cornw ll Thinking of letting your holiday home? We know that your holiday home is just that – a home. That’s why our local team is dedicated to managing your property with the same care and attention you would, to ensure it fulfils its full potential. With tailored services to suit your needs, you can be as involved as you like, knowing that you and your guests are well looked after. We are always looking to expand our portfolio, so why not get in touch today?
Call us on 01841 508 207 Visit cornwallhideaways.co.uk Cornwall Hideaways, Trebetherick House, Polzeath, Wadebridge, Cornwall PL27 6SB
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It’s a Vet’s Life! Dr Nicky Hallows BVMS MRCVS, Clinical Director at Nute Veterinary Surgery in Wadebridge.
What We Get Up To Behind Closed Doors!
Anyone who has been to Nute’s in the last nine months will know that, like many places, we are working rather differently. We come out to you and discuss your pet’s problem in the car park and then we take them inside…… We know that for some people this is an added stress not being able to be with their beloved pet during the vet consult and treatment process, so I thought I’d try and give you an insight into what’s going on behind closed doors!
Getting Your Pet Into The Building
Whilst most dogs will trot into the surgery with the vet quite happily there are a few that need a bit of coaxing; this is actually often the hardest bit of the process but once mum and/or dad are out of sight dogs will usually immediately switch their focus to who they are with and things become easier. Meet Wellington, an adorable micro pig that came to see us. He had a skin condition but he is Working In Bubbles now doing well and oinking away happily!” We have detailed rotas running a month in advance. I have Jade, one of our nurses reminded me what an animal crazy bunch to thank for a lot of this. She seems to be we are. You can’t walk past a consult room a natural at rota planning, though I do without hearing vets or nurses cooing, sometimes wonder if she regrets letting her marvelling, loving, soothing and treating your rota skills show through! furry friends. It’s a role we’ve all been happy to A nurse and a vet are paired off with each step up to the plate for. We’ve all got our own other all day and for as many days in a row animals. Cats, dogs, rabbits, horses, tortoises. as possible. The nurse does all the things she You name it we’ve got one. Vet Andrew is would usually do such as helping with blood the only one not to have a pet because he is samples, anaesthetics, placing intravenous allergic. He loves animals so much though catheters, helping with bandaging (actually that he didn’t let that put him off becoming a the list is endless), but she is now also chief vet. So the long and the short of it is, we know cuddler, tummy tickler and treat feeder. how it feels. I don’t think there’s any of us who It’s funny how not having you guys in the haven’t had our pets poorly at some point. So building and realising that we have an extra we know how it feels for you. special responsibility with your pets has So please rest assured, when the door of 56
We welcome your stories and photographs
the practice shuts, your pets are not just in professional hands, but they are in loving hands. So the vets and nurses form their little twosomes. Sometimes we need another pair of hands so the bubble gets extended. Animal welfare comes first and if a job needs three people to be done properly then getting it done properly is the most important thing.
can find a staff member hiding away pretty much anywhere during lunchtime. The days of competitions over who has the best packed lunch are on hold at the moment.
At The End Of The Day
All the points that regularly get touched are wiped down with disinfectant at the beginning, middle and end of the day. We all either change gloves or sterilise/wash hands Reception between each client. Our pagers are wiped Reception are in a separate team now. Whilst down between each client, as are the card vets and nurses can’t socially distance whilst machines. We have a spreadsheet that we fill working together reception can. They also in at the end of the day showing who we’ve keep distanced from all clinical staff. This is a had contact with. Our own internal track and shame as one of the things I’ve always liked trace system should we need it. about Nutes is that everyone mixes with There’s not much gossip to be had at the everyone else. There’s no hierarchy. We’re all in moment but we do all still keep in touch with it together. But like many things that has had our very busy facebook group where we share to be put on hold. We have a tannoy system our stories from the day and daft videos etc in the building so reception can get messages and that is pinging away half the evening. across easily and we have learned to use the So we do miss not having you in with us, but we think we’ve got a pretty smooth system diary on our computer system for lots more running now and we know it’s the right thing things. And you can still hear Julia’s laugh to do. We know of practices where they’ve had wherever you are in the building! one or two cases and three quarters of the Lunch We have started staggering our lunches more staff have had to self isolate for several weeks. and we don’t have more than three people in We don’t know what is round the corner and the office at any one time. So we’ve had to be I’m touching wood as I type this, but at least I know we are doing everything we can to keep a bit more creative in finding places to have you safe and to keep us safe so that we can our lunch. A couple of people may go in the continue to look after your animals when they waiting room, upstairs in the store room, up need us. Nicky & the team at Nute’s in the library, in the car. You name it and you
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.
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Gardening Made Easy by Nick Bacon
Did You Know? and The Secrets of Success Happy New Year to you all. In these troubled times I thought I would cheer you all up with a bit of a light hearted look at some gardening history and the secrets to improve your gardening. Well let’s start with a Did You Know?
Cauliflowers The Cauliflower is thought to have come from Cyprus in the 16th Century and was considered as exotic as the melon. Then Josiah Wedgewood made a Cauliflower tea pot in 1760, one of the first novelty tea pots to be ever made. My secret of success for cauliflowers is a dose of soot around each plant which will help the cauliflower to absorb more heat from the sun while providing a little nitrogen to boost growth. A word of caution, never use fresh soot for this purpose as it is caustic and will burn the roots and stems. Store it undercover for at least 6 months before use.
Potatoes Let’s look at potatoes. Late June, July and August are the months when potato blight can take hold, encouraged by warm humid summer weather, technically known as a Smith period. Did you know a Smith period is a 48 hour period in which the minimum temperature is 10’ C (50’F ) or more and the relative humidity exceeds 90% for a least eleven hours on each day. So what are the secrets of success? Stick to early or blight 58
resistant varieties; don’t water the foliage after the middle of July, water around with a leaky hose instead so that foliage stays dry; remove all potatoes on harvest; dig up any sleepers that pop up next year, they could be harbouring the disease;if you get blight cut off the tops immediately.
Snails Let’s look at something all gardeners loath with a passion- snails. Did you know that teeth like projections on rasping tongues make slugs and snails excellent at plant devastation ? Belly footed creatures are able to generate new rudimentary teeth like projections on their tongues immediately after losing older teeth, while feeding on plants, which is partly why so much damage is done so quickly. Well what about secrets to controlling these creatures. I have so many ways apart from natural predators such as frogs, toads, hedgehogs, chickens, ducks etc. One of the most valuable things to do now is a go on a snail hunt for hibernating clusters. You’ll find them against sheltered walls and behind plants having sealed up their shells they hug together in clusters that can be as large as a football. Snails are not slimy to handle at the moment; so they can be fed to birds such as thrushes and blackbirds. The common garden snail is the fastest species of snail it can move 55 meters /60 yds in one hour.
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Leeks
Asia? Dutch plant breeders chose to cultivate orange carrots from the sixteenth century Let’s now look at something you can sow onwards to honour the house of orange. now- leeks. Did you know the ancient The secret of success is to avoid the dreaded Egyptians grew leeks in the time of the carrot fly and here is how I do just that: I stand Pharaohs? The Greeks and the Romans also upright a small compact mirror at each end loved them; Nero was said to eat them with olive oil to preserve his voice. Leeks were of a carrot row. Female carrot files don’t like often thought to have magical properties to feel invaded when they see their reflection if you wore one it would protect you from in the mirrors they go into panic mode and battle wounds, stop you from being struck by perish; sow carrot fly resistant varieties such as lighting and keep away evil spirits. Secrets flyaway, resistafly maestro parano, Ibiza, sytan. of success: seeds prefer to germinate in cool All the above have the RHS garden societies conditions; once the seedlings are up you AGM Award Garden Merit. don’t need to worry about cold nights. After Other ways to deter carrot fly: sow seeds about ten weeks, once young plants are pencil thinly to avoid thinning out, grow in raised beds 60cm high; use companion plants alongside carrots such as garlic, chives, and other alliums. Other Did You Knows; • The wheelbarrow is believed to have been invented by the Chinese general Chuko Liang (AD 181-234). He used the wheelbarrow to transport supplies and to pick up injured soldiers. thick, they are ready to plant. Make deep holes with a dibber, drop one leek plant into • It was illegal to collect rainwater in the US the hole and fill the hole up with Murphy’s State of Colorado until 2009. Stout. Tops and roots do not need trimming. • Organic tip for you - if 2.5cm (1 inch) of rain Rows of leeks should be 12-15 inches apart, falls on 1,000 square feet of roof it will yield wider spacings aid air flow helping to prevent 623 gallons of water that will fill over 300 diseases like rust. Using Murphy’s may be watering cans. a waste of good stout but it sure helps to Finally, a snail story….. A snail is crawling up an produce quality leeks. apple tree. A blackbird says what are you doing? It’s February, there aren’t any apples on the tree A vegetable that nearly everybody likes is yet. I know says the snail but by the time I get up the carrot. Sweet and nutty, home grown there, there will be. is poles apart from shop bought ones. So Well everybody, keep well, stay safe, coming did you know carrots grow on poor sandy in the next issue: Tips for growing runner soils in temperate zones all over Europe and beans.
Carrots
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A Book Review by John Baxter
John Le Carré
A Tribute
It was while looking through the Link archive, that we noticed that John had done an awful lot of reviews. In fact, when listed, we realised that this review is his 103rd. The first review he wrote for the Link was in March 2002, for Edition 123 and it was A Commonplace Book by Alec Guiness. John’s reviews are a very popular feature with Link readers and you can find a list of all the books he has reviewed so far on our website: www.stminverlink.org. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank him for all that he has done so far ( no thoughts of retirement please John!) Scoring a century in any form of cricket is an ambition even for the less talented of batsmen. Sadly, your reviewer will no longer have an opportunity to add the 20 odd accumulated in a long career, including a few for St. Minver CC. To have written over 100 Book Reviews for ‘Link’, and to remain not out, is both a privilege and a surprise. To choose one book from such a long list which your reviewer has most enjoyed is as difficult as recalling one particular shot in the amassing of 100 runs. It is easier to select one author from the tally; your Editor has kindly indicated that only two authors have had more than one of their books reviewed, and both have strong connections with West Cornwall. Patrick Gale will be well-known to many and it has been heartening to see how much his reputation has flourished during my ‘innings’: his time will come again. Not so John le Carré. His death before Christmas was a shock, and a loss of a peerless writer who had occupied a place of eminence in English Literature for over 60 years. The shock had a personal tinge as I had known him for over two-thirds of that time, first as a teacher of one of his sons at Westminster School in London, then more closely through mutual friends in Wells, Somerset, and subsequently as residents in Cornwall. It was a huge pleasure to have been invited to visit him in his cliff-top house near St. Buryan, and to have 60
entertained him, and his delightful wife, Jane, in our home in Trebetherick. When asked by Mark Lawson in a 2008 interview, recently re-broadcast, to list his favourite Le Carré books the author chose 4 before being guided to another topic. First came the book by which his reputation was established...’ The Spy who came in from the Cold’. Published in 1962 when he was still a ‘diplomat’ in the Foreign Office, it was he said, ‘an anarchist flame burning in the idiocy of the Cold War’. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy followed four books later in 1970. George Smiley has become an iconic character now and he returns here, memorably played by Alec Guiness in a film version. Le Carré had written an article about Kim Philby, the notorious double-agent, and had always intended to re-create him in one of his plots. The Tailor of Panama comes next, published in 1996, an obvious tribute to one of Le Carré’s heroes, Graham Greene, who had created ‘Our Man in Havana’. The last of the four is ‘The Constant Gardener’, one of many of the contrasting later books reflecting Le Carré’s growing need to expose his anger at global issues unconnected with ‘spooks’. ‘I performed a social duty at the time,’ he averred in the Lawson interview. I have read all of Le Carré’s books and many of them are proudly displayed in my ‘library’. As a tribute to the greatest English novelist of my
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and this tortuous story displays his disillusionment with the Secret Services. It is, perhaps, surprising that the pre-publication draft satisfied the Foreign Office ‘censors’; banishment to Hamburg was the only punishment! The book quickly became an international best-seller and is now the title that most readily springs to mind when’ John le Carré’ is mentioned.
lifetime, I have selected, with great difficulty, my four favourite Le Carré novels, justifying my preferences with a brief paragraph about each. Top of the list is The Constant Gardener. It is perhaps surprising that a ‘spook’ novel has not been selected, but this masterpiece characterises the very best of Le Carré: a fizzing plot, a penetrating analysis of the global pharmaceutical industry set amidst the culture of overseas aid workers and black African refugee camps. Particularly striking is a dialogue between mandarins in Whitehall which demonstrates the consummate skill of a master exercising his sublime craft. The Spy who came in from the Cold comes next. Le Carré had been posted to Berlin and the plot reflects the impression made on him by the erection of the notorious wall where escapees were dying every night. A constant characteristic of his writing is his sharp observation of moral ambiguities
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy follows. Published in 1974 the revelations of the treachery of Burgess, Mclean, Cairncross and Philby were relatively recent, and Le Carré re-introduces George Smiley to root out a KGB agent in the heart of the Secret Service. Critics of the book when it was published, including many with ‘spook’ connections, praised the vivid sketches of secret agents and bureaucrats from all levels of British society, and found the novel’s realism convincing. The complex plot is brilliantly held together and it is easy to see why so many feel it is the greatest spy story ever told. The final selection is A Legacy of Spies, Le Carré’s penultimate novel, containing a brief reference to an elderly George Smiley, This is chosen partly for sentimental reasons as it exudes an unmistakeable timbre of valediction. To understand the intricacies of the plot it helps to have read The Spy who came in from the Cold. Familiar characters flit in and out of the story, and the picture of George Smiley in the final pages, ‘in red pullover and bright yellow corduroys’ reads like a poignant farewell to Le Carré’s alter ego. There can be no greater tribute than to assert that Le Carré’s work will live for generations. His contribution to English Literature is incomparable. All his books are available from Wadebridge Bookshop, where the late- Anna and Rob generously supplied many of the books making up the ‘century’. Continued support of this local literary lifeblood by readers of ‘Link will be another cause for celebration.
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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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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 Lockdown to research the census data from1851
The 1891 Census:
While just down the coast thousands of visitors each summer were by 1891 flocking to Newquay, the northern shores of the Camel estuary remained quiet. Nevertheless, in the year preceding the 1891 Census, the St. Enodoc Golf Club had been established which was both indicative of the growth of Rock and its surrounds as a residential haven for the well-to-do, rather than short-term holidaymakers, and, simultaneously acted as a stimulus for more retirees to move to Rock. It also generated a small amount of employment for the local population. The Emery sisters appeared to have been having difficulty with their investment in the Rock Hotel over the preceding decade. They were now recorded in the census to be its managers rather than its owners. Its proprietorship, it appears, had been taken over by a Mr. Robert England . The hotel had a single guest in April 1891, the Rev. Charles Baker of Derby. However, a few doors down from the Rock Hotel (which, later became the Mariners), Catherine Rowe had opened her lodging house. Catherine was born in St. Minver and married a miner, Thomas, from Roche. Thomas proved adaptable, for when the mining boom ended he stayed on in St. Minver, moved (from Stoptide) down to Rock and became the first person in that hamlet to be registered in the census (of 1871) as a fisherman – the Camel Estuary fishermen were all in Padstow. Meanwhile, Catherine was kept busy bearing and raising five sons and three daughters. But by now, in 1891, Thomas had died and all the children were grown up and had their own families. So what else is Catherine to do with a large house and a suddenly enormous amount of time on her hands, but to open a lodging
house? Alas, she too, at this time of year had no guests. Instead she had hired a carpenter to make modifications to the house. Catherine Rowe is the first person registered in the pages of the Census to open a lodging house in Rock. Elsewhere the New Inn at Church Town, empty of guests, was now run by an outsider – James Rowse from Devon. As for those of independent means, they continued to grow in numbers: • Highlands North: 3, Highlands South:6, Lowlands: 26 (21 in Rock) • Local:14, other Cornwall: 6, Others: 15 • Males 11, females 24, total 35. Among the more notable, of these persons of independent means were William Paton and Wilfred Plevins. Both were among the first wealthy outsiders, as recorded in the censuses at least, to bring their families to Rock. Paton and his wife Agnes, lived in Birkenhead where he was a crew member of the S. S. Cephalonia, which was based in Liverpool. During that time he had worked his way up from fourth to first officer under the same captain, William Seccombe, a Cornishman. Perhaps this was one reason why he had come to Rock? In 1883 Wilfred Plevins inherited a fortune from his aunt, so he and his wife, Minnie and young son either rented or bought, probably the former, the house immediately next to the Rock Hotel and spent several months in Rock. He later became an important stockbroker in London and travelled the world. Neither Paton nor Plevins stayed in Rock for long but they may have been among the earliest of the second home owners in St. Minver (along with Theophilus Hoskin, of whom more later). 63
Parliamentary Update from Scott Mann MP Captain Tom Moore The very sad news that Captain Tom Moore has passed away has led to many tributes from around the country. Our constituency has a close link with Captain Tom as he was stationed in Wadebridge at the start of the war, so on behalf of North Cornwall, I would personally like to express my condolences to the family. Captain Tom became a beacon of hope in a very difficult time and will be remembered for his outstanding contribution to the country. The famous ‘100 laps’ for the NHS generated £33m in donations, and the Queen honoured the Captain with a Knighthood for his services to the country. Captain Tom represented the best of British, a member of a generation which fought in World War Two and built the foundation for the prosperous and free society we enjoy today. He will not be forgotten.
Climate Change During the last election I was asked many times what I thought about climate change and the environment. It is clear that more needs to be done and it has always been my philosophy to deal with climate change in a responsible way, protecting the environment while ensuring that our switch to renewables and new technology happens in a steady but gradual way. I was reassured last week when the government announced a £20 million cash injection to boost the number of electric vehicle chargepoints in towns and cities across the UK, helping to create healthier neighbourhoods and clean up our air. Many constituents have concerns about the change over to electric vehicles that will occur in the coming years, unlike the major cities, North Cornwall will need a very different type of infrastructure to support electric vehicles. The message I am taking back to Westminster is that, while we are positive about the changes that will come in the next few years, we need a bespoke solution for rural and coastal communities like ours, rather than a one size fits all approach. The Prime Minister is turbo charging the green agenda. His Ten Point Plan sets out the need to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles, ending the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030. This may sound daunting, but we should also remember that 40,000 extra jobs could be created by 2030 in industries working to transform our national infrastructure to better support electric vehicles. Companies in North Cornwall can be at the forefront of the electric vehicle technologies and I have already spoken to a number of local companies who are exploring this growing market.
On-Street residential Chargepoint Scheme To support this transition, we have also confirmed an additional £20 million funding for the On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme in 2021-22, to allow people without private parking to also make the switch to electric vehicles. This funding could add nearly 4,000 more chargepoints in our towns and cities. Our electric vehicle revolution will help in tackling poor air quality and supporting economic growth as we build back greener from the pandemic. 64
We welcome your stories and photographs
£75,000 needed to buy new laptops for schools Children across the country are struggling to access their online education at home. In Cornwall there are approximately 2,000 children without access to a computer or affordable data; even after the Department for Education provided over 500 laptops to local schools, delivered in January 2021, the need is still large. This means that many children can't access the online learning set by their school. Given the increasing reliance on online learning, there is a risk that the attainment gap for our young people will grow. That’s why we're determined to do everything we can to get as many laptops as possible to the children who need them. Let's step up and show the rest of the country what we can do to support our young people get the laptops and data dongles they need. To support our young people, the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has recognised the need to support National and Local Government schemes by seeking additional funding to help plug the gap. “Digital inclusion is vital to give our young people the opportunities they deserve which is why we have asked our Digital Skills Partnership to lead this campaign and have pledged enough funding to buy 100 laptops. This equipment will help deal with immediate home schooling issues, and create a legacy by bridging the digital divide for hundreds of children and their families long after the pandemic is over. Now more than ever we need to support families to have full access to online learning and they shouldn’t have to choose between food, heating or educating their children." Frances Brennen, Chair of the Cornwall
and Isles of Scilly Employment and Skills Board said, “At the Digital Skills partnership we understand that access to computers isn’t just about learning technical skills for digital jobs, it’s about learning how to use the tools all people will need to do any job in the future. With the Pandemic, we also learned that for children, digital skills and digital access can be a barrier to even the basic levels of education and engagement with their classmates and teachers. Laptops went from being a way to help teach ICT to a critical piece of equipment for learning. The ability for families to have laptops and access to the internet in their home will help ensure all students across Cornwall aren’t left behind." Caitlin Gould, Chair of the Digital Skills Partnership commented, “We are asking as many businesses, community organisations and people as possible to support us to raise £75,000 to buy a combination of new laptops and data dongles for schools. The schools will then loan the necessary equipment to their pupils as and when needed. We are thinking BIG; if we achieve our initial target of £75,000 we want to go even further and aim for a total sum raised of £200,000 which would allow us to support up to 1,000 young people. All funds raised will be paid to Cornwall Council, so that they can work with schools to purchase the laptops and data required. Every £200 raised is enough to buy a laptop for a school to loan to a pupil in CIoS. If you have a laptop that you no longer require we can also link you up with a school in need for you to hand to them direct, please contact :TogetherforFamilies.COVID19@ cornwall.gov.uk 65
Vivienne Fabrics
Wadebridge
We stock Uniforms: St Minver School jumpers. Wadebridge Primary Academy jumpers.
01208 813145
Beaver/Cub jumpers.Scout/Explorer shirts. Rainbows, Brownies and Guide uniforms. Viviennes Fashion Fabrics, 32 Molesworth Street, Wadebridge PL27 7DP
GROUP TRAVEL COACH EXCURSIONS Enterprise Park, Midway Road, Bodmin, PL31 2FQ. 01208 77989/72669
GARAGE OPEN
Coach Excursions & Tours We will advertise our coach trips at a later date when the situation regarding the Covid pandemic is more certain.
MOT TESTING CLASS 4, 5 & 7 SERVICES, REPAIRS & HEALTH CHECKS LIGHT / HEAVY COMMERCIAL INTERIM INSPECTIONS / MINISTRY STANDARD BRAKE LIGHT & EMISSION TESTS REPAIRS UNDERTAKEN
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. 66
We offer a professional and friendly service and we pride ourselves on our attention to detail. We can manage your project, including ancillary trades, from start to finish.
New Builds - traditional and timber frame Garages Roofing Extensions Barn and Loft conversions Rendering and plastering Conservatories
Call: 07949858742
to arrange a free consultation and estimate rjconstructioncornwall@gmail.com
or email on stevecarnacan@tiscali.co.uk 67
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Cornwall Kitchen Refurbishments
A highly cost-effective alternative to a new kitchen We are a local company specialising in the refurbishment of domestic kitchens.
Design: An extensive range of styles, finishes and colours to choose from Manufacture: All new doors and drawer fronts are made to measure by our professional and fully qualified tradesmen Installation: A single point of contact ensuring efficiency and minimal disruption. Your kitchen will be installed by our local professionals. We can refit existing appliances or new ones supplied by us
Contact Neil Cook to find out more
07713 494691
neil@cornwallkitchenrefurbishments.co.uk www.cornwallkitchenrefurbishments.co.uk
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
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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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Independent Family Funeral Directors
R. J. Bray & Son Lywydhyon Ynkleudhyas Teylu Anserghek
Egloshayle Road, Wadebridge, Cornwall PL27 6AD (01208) 812626. david@rjbray.co.uk www.rjbray.co.uk
Got Waste? We’ll collect it! Our convenient service guarantees your arriving guests are not greeted with someone else’s rubbish bags. We clear the bins for your guests, on their week of arrival, so no one is left to put out other people’s rubbish for collection. Not only do we offer holiday home waste collection, we collect all waste from weddings and private parties, whenever needed.
We do the hard work for you! RECYCLING FOR CORNWALL:
FREE clear recycling bags are given to encourage more people to recycle. We recycle glass to produce NEW LIGHT BULBS. Our recycling services include a number of recycling options, from paper waste and cardboard to metals, plastics and glass; allowing you to choose your service that suits your business requirements.
****We can combine our General Waste & recycling collections all on the same day.
WE’RE OPEN... Collections 7 days a week - 9am until 5pm. Office open 5 days a week
T: 01208 815060 OUT OF HOURS: 07814 934978 TRERICE ORCHARD, BURLAWN, WADEBRIDGE. PL27 7LE
info@holidayhomewastecollection.co.uk
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2 The Terrace, Port Isaac, PL29 3SG 01208 880988 www.cliffsidegallery.com
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
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
Your feet are your connection with the earth. Be kind to them. Foot Health Check Nail Care & Cutting Corns & Calluses Cracked Heels Ingrown Toenails Fungal Infections Verrucas Diabetic Foot Check Toenail Reconstruction Toenail Paint Warm Wax Therapy Alison Mattinson Dip.FH MCFHP MAFHP Foot Health Practitioner
07736 679 310
alison@atlanticfootcare.co.uk
Rock Road, St Minver, PL27 6PQ - (01208) 862228
Award wiiing, dog friendly pub, B&B, takeaway & viiage shop with bbr gardens, heated seated pods & outside kitchen
sw.pitymeii.co.uk to bbk a table or rrm with us sw.pitymeviiageshop.co.uk for our online grocery shop with frr local delivery 73
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 74
Sales Sales Support Support Servicing Servicing Hot Tub & Swim Spa Showroom Chemicals, Filters & Accessories Hot Tub Valet Service inc holiday homes Servicing & Repairs
Need a plumber or gas engineer? The Reliable Plumber is a small, fully qualified & fully insured, local family run plumbing business.
Tel: 07534 311 366 contact.reliableplumber@gmail.com
5 Dunveth Business Park, Wadebridge, PL27 7FE (by Tesco) www.spyrys.co.uk enquiries@spyrys.co.uk Tel: (01208) 813760
Bathroom installations including tiling Boiler servicing, maintenance and repairs General plumbing and breakdowns Work done correctly and explained No call out charge (diagnostic charge may apply) Local, friendly, knowledgeable engineer Your house treated with respect All work carries 6 month warranty
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Homeowners, make yourself at home with our holiday property experts cornishhorizons.co.uk Tel: 0800 3689358
114% increase in bookings*
*July 2020 to October 2020 versus the same period during 2019
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Maxine at Cornish Horizons
Enjoy national reach and expertise with our local, personal, Cornish service
DUCHY LOCKSMITHS 01208 623617/07773847963 rhoschapman@hotmail.com
Local businesses support Link- show your support by shopping locally
• Mobile Locksmith • Domestic, Commercial & Auto • Insurance Rated Locks • On Site Key Cutting • uPVC Mechanisms, Patio, Garage, Digital, Keysafes
• Remote & Chipped Keys Supplied • High Security Key Cutting • Keys Cut To Code • Online Shop
www.duchylocks.co.uk Tel: 0800 97 888 37 Mob: 07966 654267
ROBERTSON’S JEWELLERS LTD. Visit your local qualified jeweller for jewellery, giftware and the widest selection of watches around We offer a full workshop repair service for Jewellery & Watches Commissions & Insurance Valuations
Come and enjoy shopping at a real jewellers! Offering excellent prices for your Gold and Silver in any condition
Where friendly helpful service is our pleasure Wadebridge
01208 812291
Two new shops now open at
The Company of Master Jewellers
Launceston
01566 773135 & 01566 773043 77
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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 80
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
01208 8 62299 w w w . c r w h o l i d a y s . c o. 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
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Nursery Stores Rock Ltd
01208863328 nurserystores@live.co.uk www.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 Blake’s 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. 82
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