Drift Volume 04

Volume No4

£10.00

Forward

MARCH

n the fi ht to se ure a ri hter future for our o eans orn a stands ith the an uard

THE

PIN NAC LE

DRIFT(Gold) design Volume4 COVER FINAL2.indd 1

OF

L U X U RY

L I FE STY L E

I N

C O R NWA L L

12/02/2020 15:55

COASTAL | COUNTRY | TOWN | MODERN | PERIOD

in association with

2017-2018

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12/02/2020 16:03

T HE

PINNACLE

OF

L U X U RY

L I F E STY L E

I N

C O R N WA L L

rift /drift/

noun 1. the act of driving something along 2. the flow or the velocity of the current of a river or ocean stream

verb 1. to become driven or carried along, as by a current of water, wind, or air 2. to move or float smoothly and effortlessly

3

DRIFT--04--ED--Defintion--1.00.indd 1

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On the cover Prussia Cove

by Tom Young tomyoungphotography.co.uk

CEO & Founder

Production & Project Manager

Andy Forster – 07711 160590

Hannah Tapping

Miguel Belert

andy@levenmediagroup.co.uk

hannah.tapping@enginehousemedia.co.uk

miguel.belert@enginehousemedia.co.uk

Operations Manager

Design Manager Chloe Searle Managing Director

chloe.searle@enginehousemedia.co.uk

Finance & HR Manager

Creative Designers

charlotte.forster@enginehousemedia.co.uk

Ben Pratchett – 01326 574842

Charlotte Forster

ben.pratchett@enginehousemedia.co.uk

Spencer Hawes Jamie Crocker Commercial Director

Digital Content Creative

Credit Control

Jonathan Perkins – 07587 072706

Megan Searle

Tracy Dart – 01326 574842

jonathan.perkins@enginehousemedia.co.uk

megan.searle@enginehousemedia.co.uk

tracy.dart@enginehousemedia.co.uk

PROUD TO BE PART OF

Drift is published by: Engine House Media LTD Holbrook, The Moors, Porthleven, ornwall 1 www.enginehousemedia.co.uk www.levenmediagroup.co.uk

ISSN 2632-9891 © All rights reserved. Material may not be re-produced without the permission of Engine House Media Ltd. While Drift will take every care to help readers with reports on properties and features, neither Engine House Media Ltd nor its contributors can accept any liability for reader dissatisfaction arising from editorial features, editorial or advertising featured in these pages. Engine House Media Ltd strongly advises viewing any property prior to urchasing or considerations over any nancial decisions. ngine House Media reserves the right to accept or reject any article or material supplied for publication or to edit such material prior to publication. Engine House Media Ltd cannot take responsibility for loss or damage of supplied materials. The opinions expressed or advice given in the publication are the views of the individual authors and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of

DRIFT--04--ED--INTRO and CONTRIBUTORS-FINAL-1.00.indd 1

Engine House Media Ltd. It is suggested that further advice is taken over any actions resulting from reading any part of this magazine.

Engine House Media Ltd is a multi-platform media business with a passion for everything Cornish. Visit www.enginehousemedia. co.u to nd out more. ur mission is to create media o ortunities marrying together consumers with the fabulous businesses across ornwall. ur ublishing and marketing teams are specialists in creating print and online communications, devised to achieve a range of marketing objectives. With over 20 years of marketing, brand management and maga ine e erience we develo effective communications that deliver your message in a credible and creative way. We operate across all media channels, including: print, online and video.

12/02/2020 17:24

T E A M

Foreword Sharing with you the stories of Cornwall’s most influential and forward thin ing brands and personalities, is precisely why we produce Drift. ur fourth volume starts by stealing the show with the works of Cornish painter, Luke Knight (18), winner of Europe’s prestigious Barcelona International Gallery Awards. We then peer into the portfolio of wildlife photographer and e military urvival ecialist, ichard irchett (29), before delving into the mysterious world of ne fragrance with enhaligons erfumer, Alienor Massenet (38). We hear the story of iconic pen and watch maker, Montblanc (46), before weighing anchor with Cornish teacher, Louise Tremewan (54), who recently crossed an ocean in her bid to champion a brighter future for our seas.

As we look forward to the next series of Channel

4’s Escape to the Chateau, we meet entrepreneur and son of Dick Strawbridge, James (65), whose aspiration towards a sustainable lifestyle feeds into everything he does today. Colin Bradbury continues to talk food with legendary cream roducer, icholas odda , before iona McGowan discusses the circular economy with Dan Dicker, creator of the sustainably produced rCUP (134). Finally, Suzie Inman takes a tour behind the scenes of the Museum of Cornish Life with Museum Director, Annette MacTavish (152), who explains what brought her from her wild west Scottish roots all the way down to Cornwall. So, join us on our next voyage through the pinnacle of Cornwall’s luxury lifestyle, and become part of an exclusive readership whose aspirations know no bounds.

Our writers

Fiona McGowan

Mercedes Smith

Chris Tuff

Colin Bradbury

Dan Warden

Bethany Allen

Proud to sponsor

Join our team We have an exceptional and loyal team here at Leven Media Group but as a fast growth business we’re always interested in talking to outstanding individuals. If you’re a superstar of extraordinary talent then we would love to hear from you.

Call Andy Forster on 07711 160590 or email andy@levenmediagroup.co.uk

Visit drift-cornwall.co.uk to read more about our writers 5

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12/02/2020 17:24

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Polruan, South Cornwall Guide £980,000 Polruan, South Cornwall Brand-new contemporary three storey house enjoying superb views, featuring Guide £980,000 ‘smart home’ technology, beautifully appointed, 5 en suite double bedrooms, open plan living, cinema room, parking & garage, 3251 sq ft. EPC = Cviews, featuring Brand-new contemporary three storey house enjoying superb ‘smart home’ technology, beautifully appointed, 5 en suite double bedrooms, open plan living, cinema room, parking & garage, 3251 sq ft. EPC = C

Mousehole, West Cornwall Guide £695,000 Mousehole, West Cornwall An iconic, prominent apartment commanding the most sensational harbour side loGuide £695,000 cation, beautifully refurbished, mesmerising harbour views, 3 bedrooms, 3 en suites, study, idealprominent home or investment, 1249 sq ft. Grade II listed.

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Porthcurno, West Cornwall Guide £510,000 Porthcurno, West Cornwall Elevated position in the sought after village of Porthcurno with superb views to Guide Rock, £510,000 Logans Sea views, 2 bedrooms, ground source heating, balcony, designated

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Padstow, North Cornwall Guide £895,000 Padstow,refurbished, North Cornwall Beautifully bright and spacious detached house, offering far reaching Guide £895,000 panoramic views over the Camel Estuary, generous gardens, parking and garage, 4

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This highly contemporary & super stylish five bedroom detached residence of individual design occupies an immensely desirable location within a quiet cul-de-sac just moments from Trevose Golf Club & the magnificent sandy beach at Constantine Bay. EPC C

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With far reaching views across St Mawgan towards the ocean at Mawgan Porth sits this enchanting two bedroom thatched roof cottage with one bedroom annexe situated within approximately 3 acres of glorious gardens & paddock with equestrian stables & double garage. EPC E

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96

18

73

124

46

89

a. DRIFT--04--Contents.indd 16

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C O N T E N T S

At a glance 18 29 38 46 52

Meet Cornish painter, Luke Knight

LIFE IN THE LENS Stunning wildlife photography

UN MONDE ABSTRAIT De e i to the

or

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e ra ra ce

WRITTEN IN TIME he stor o

o t a c

CRAFTED BY GENIUS E perie ce a ri cess acht

54

A L OV E F O R T H E S E A

65

T H E A RT O F A RT I S A N

73

D E L I C I O U S LY S I M P L E

81

BETWEEN THE VINES

89

96

STEALING THE SHOW

co

e

ersatio

eet a es tra

ecipes ro

a i

ith ouise re e a

i e

ri

a es tra

ith o

ri

e

east

CREAM OF THE CROP Co i ta s to

icho as o

104

P R O P E RT Y

122

F U N C T I O NA L LY C H I C

124

SHAPED BY THE WIND

127

WAT C H T H I S S PA C E

134

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

143

e

a

E V E RY O N E W E L C O M E A National Trust ‘slogan’

t the top e

o the Cor ish

terior i spiratio

he e

a uar

eet e er i

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E

artist

eets rC

as i e

ou

i s

er Da Dic er

AC RO S S T H E C AU S E WAY E p ori

a Cor ish ico

152

BEHIND THE SCENES

160

REACH NEW HEIGHTS

162

EVENTIDE

t

e sto s

upporti

pro isi

useu

Cor

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out oo

o Cor ish i e

ir

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or

17

a. DRIFT--04--Contents.indd 17

12/02/2020 17:14

Mollie Clothier DRIFT--04--ED--Fine Art Comms--Luke Knight--6.00.indd 18

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C R E AT E

Stealing

THE SHOW WO R D S B Y M E RC E D E S S M I T H

In the last year, Cornish painter Luke Knight has gone from relative unknown, to winner of Europe’s prestigious Barcelona International Gallery Awards. We meet him at his Truro studio.

F

that opportunity allowed me to travel round uro e and see historic aintings rst hand.

I spent time in Italy, Paris, and Holland at Den Bosch, the Hague and Amsterdam. I spent time in the Rijksmuseum, marvelling at Rembrandt’s mastery of paint, at his ability to create illusion with such simplicity. I was able to see itian s enus of rbino at the i Gallery in Florence, and then a few days later compare it to Manet’s ‘Olympia’ at the Musee d’Orsay in Paris. Studying in Europe was such an enriching e erience so different but so complementary to my experience of studying in the UK. I loved being able to just get on a train and go and see paintings I had only ever read about in books. What stayed in my memory more than anything else were paintings that had the quality of quietness, of a captured moment in time - a cinematic feel perhaps, that had something to do with composition and quality of light. Those are the wor s that have influenced my ainting ever since.

rom hundreds of submissions, and just 30 works shortlisted for exhibition in Spain last autumn, Luke Knight’s Cornish landscape painting ‘Wish You Were Here’ scooped the com etition s substantial rst ri e, which includes European gallery representation and a coveted summer 2020 solo exhibition at CAGE Gallery, Barcelona. Were Luke an established name on the European art scene, this would be impressive, but as a totally new name in contemporary art, it hints at a talent altogether more special.

Luke, tell us how you came to be a painter.

As a child I used to paint a lot, and I later went on to study at ardiff chool of rt and Design. That’s where I started to develop a real passion, not just for oil painting, but for the paintings of Europe’s great masters.

My degree included a four-month Erasmus Exchange at L’Ecole De Beaux-Art in France, and as well as developing my studio practise,

LEFT Luke Knight at his Truro studio

19

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C R E AT E

Cornwall - the sea, and the coast, and my experiences of being in these places - but as with all artworks my relationship with a ainting may be different to that of the viewer s.

Exhibiting a work completes the creative process in a way, because viewers develop their own relationship with a work of art. Shown in a context outside Cornwall, my paintings could be of anywhere, but what is important is that they convey the feeling, and emotion, and experience of a place, of its ‘psychogeography’.

That, perhaps, is why my painting travelled so successfully.

For me though, my work is about being in Cornwall.

My paintings are a memory of the feeling of a particular time and place. A huge part of living in Cornwall, for me, is being able to s end time sur ng and swimming in the sea. That’s where a large part of my inspiration comes from, and what necessitates my use of memory in the studio, because it is di cult to carry a s etch boo into the ocean. Cornwall is such a rugged place, and much of its beauty derives from its ruggedness, from its eroded cliffs and windswept beaches. The sea plays a huge part in Cornwall’s beauty, and in nearly all my paintings there is an element of water. Time in the sea is time when I can be in the moment and e erience things in a different way

What inspired you to enter your painting for a European art prize? rst entered a uro ean art com etition while was studying in ardiff. too art in the an rin er ainting ri e in msterdam, which is the largest student ne art ri e in Europe, and I was shortlisted but didn’t win. It was a great experience of course, and a chance to meet lots of other young painters. When I came across the Barcelona International Gallery Awards it looked equally inspiring, but I didn’t think past entering really.

I went ahead and packed up the painting and sent it to Spain, worrying and hoping that the work would arrive safely, and was very e cited to nd that I was one of 30 artists shortlisted for exhibition.

Actually winning the ri e was totally unexpected. Being able to show my painting to any audience feels like a privilege, so the thought that there is such a high ro le place for my work in Europe, or elsewhere for that matter, is so exciting. It is thrilling to think that contemporary work made here in Cornwall, inspired by the landscape of Cornwall, has an appreciative audience on the international art scene.

What most inspires your work? andsca e is my ins iration, s eci cally

A B OV E Paddle Out Summer

20

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TOP Dream Big Sky LEFT Last Night

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RIGHT Last Summer

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A B OV E Rain in July Blue Sky

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C R E AT E

last piece of the puzzle that brings a painting together. any great ainters have influenced my work, in particular [Pierre] Bonnard, who also painted from memory, and used colour and changes in the temperature of a colour - to describe space. I have been looking at works by Julius Olsson lately, at his nocturne paintings of the sea, the moon and clouds, and Fred Cuming RA is a contemporary artist I look at a lot. His paintings are of seascapes and light through clouds, and there is a space and simplicity to his paintings that I really admire.

Space and simplicity in my work is what I aspire to. Alison Bevan [Director of the Royal West of England Academy] said recently about my work that my “delicious little paintings c o m mu n i c a t e with deceptive simplicity – the kind that masks painstaking sophistication – all that is wonderful about the Cornish landscape”. That’s really the very best compliment I could wish for.

experience the feel of the ocean, the wind, and the sunlight diffused through cloud or sea spray. I hope to express the beauty of space, and emotion and light. That’s what drives my work.

Tell us about your studio practise and the artists that ha e in uen ed you My paintings take time - sometimes months, if not years in the studio, to reach the point where I consider them nished. wor in layers, and I want my oil paint to saturate the board before I sand the surface and strip it back to discover what’s underneath. I create texture by distressing the surface, by adding scrapes or cuts. I want my paintings to be polished and eroded by process, like the landsca e here, to nd mar s that add tension, that ri u the surface. y aintings often have to sit, to be looked at, before the process of adding and subtracting goes on. Some paintings are started in the winter and might be nished in the summer, or vice versa. might be struggling with a work during the day, then be in the sea that evening and experience something about the light that I want to capture. I will hold it in my memory, and when come bac to the studio it can often be the

See Luke Knight’s work on show from 1st to 29th April at Whitewater Gallery, Polzeath. Head to whitewatergallery.co.uk or visit Luke’s website. lukeknightpaintings.com

A B OV E Wish You Were Here

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12/02/2020 12:02

R E T R E AT

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ornwall has been a destination of choice for generations, and it only continues to gain popularity as more and more people choose ‘staycations’ over travelling abroad. Each year, holidaymakers make their way to Cornwall, ready to revel in our crystal clear waters, vast sandy beaches and mesmerising coastline.

From the crashing surf of the north coast to the tranquil and still waters of the south, Cornwall has accommodation that allows you to access it all. The self-catering offering of luxurious homes is diverse, allowing you to enjoy coastal living at its finest. A property we’ve selected that emphasises the standard of holiday homes available in Cornwall is Samphire Beach House in Holywell Bay.

Holywell Bay is one of north Cornwall’s most beautiful beaches – a vast sweep of golden sand and a towering sand dune system. The beach is almost a mile long and is loved by surfers, walkers and families at play, making it a stellar location from which to enjoy a quintessentially Cornish holiday.

The calibre of self-catering accommodation in Cornwall is extremely high; Samphire is just one example of the many properties you’ll find ideally located throughout the county. From beach retreats to country manors, the self-catering market allows you to access incredibly unique properties in highly coveted locations, so that you can escape from it all and fully immerse yourself in the Cornish way of life.

Featured with holiday property agency, Forever Cornwall, Samphire Beach House provides an indication of the high standard of self-catering accommodation that can be found throughout the Duchy.

Sleeping up to eight guests in four spacious and beautifully styled bedrooms, Samphire House is located on Cornwall’s north coast, a short stroll from the golden sands and rolling dunes of Holywell Bay, allowing you

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TOP The minimalist design evokes a sense of openness

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A B OV E A short stroll from the golden sands and rolling dunes of Holywell Bay

10/02/2020 16:13

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F O C U S

Life in

THE LENS WO R D S B Y DA N WA R D E N

fter ears ser i i the i itar as a ur i a pecia ist ichar irchett has a apte his path i s i s usi the to trac sta a photo raph e e the re otest i i e species

A

s a wildlife hotogra her, for ichard irchett, the welfare of the sub ect is aramount. o disturb it from its natural behaviour, in order to get the icture, goes against everything believe in. would much rather en oy the e erience than get the shot, although if ractical and morally safe to do so, a icture is a massive bonus. ithout a doubt, ichard s favourite lace to hotogra h in ornwall is the oonhilly owns. e describes the sheer diversity of nature over the hectares as ama ing, e laining that one day it can be deathly uiet, but the ne t it can be full of life and sometimes ut on a s ectacular show of birds of rey.

rofessional or not, through his e eriences and images, ichard has the uncanny ability to highlight the many bene ts that the natural world has to offer, drawing on his s ills as a military urvival ecialist and his ability with a camera to re engage his audience with it.

ichard s goal, in time, is to become a rofessional hotogra her, and it seems that he s well on his way early last year, he resented a short lm for the s WinterWatch 2019, then later in the year he was shortlisted for the 2 1 ritish hotogra hy wards.

richardbirchettphotography.co.uk

A B OV E ichard at roft ascoe ool, oonhilly

29

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12/02/2020 12:01

TOP uthatch,

wee

BELOW reat s otted wood ec er,

wee woods

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RIGHT eregrine falcon at ynance ove

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A B OV E ed billed ornish choughs at go our ove, ullion

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TOP rey seal u at oa y ove, the i ard LEFT uthatch, ehidy

oods

DRIFT--04--ED--Photostory--Richard Birchett--8.00 ***VIDEO LINK INCLUDED***.indd 35

obby,

BELOW oonhilly owns

12/02/2020 12:01

JEWELLERY BOUTIQUES ST IVES | MARAZION

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29/01/2020 11/02/2020 11:36 17:48

TOP ing sher at remayne uay,

elford river

BELOW ornish badger at indmill arm eserve, on the i ard

ature

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richardbirchettphotography.co.uk

12/02/2020 12:01

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12/02/2020 16:30

D I A LO G U E

Un monde ABSTRAIT WO R D S B Y H A N N A H TA P P I N G

The world of Alienor Massenet – perfumer of The Favourite for Penhaligon’s, the renowned British perfume house with a Cornish beginning.

I

Court Barber and Perfumer to Queen Victoria.

t was the late 1860s, and a Cornish barber, born in Philby, Penzance by the name of William Penhaligon, travelled to London with his wife and children. His founding principles were to create products of the highest quality, combined with a sense of elegance, and he too influence from Picadilly’s Turkish Baths to create his rst fragrance, ‘Hamman Bouquet’, in 1872. He opened a shop in the same year at the back of Picadilly, on ermyn treet, ne t to the city s nest tailors and the Turkish Bath Houses that had so inspired him. He went on to become

The original 1870s bottle design and iconic bows are still used today, as are William’s recipe books, consulted by Penhaligon’s perfumers for inspiration and authenticity. A century and a half on, and in celebration of an illustrious history, Penhaligon’s has created a new fragrance, ‘The Favourite’. In conversation with Alienor, she reveals the mystery, creativity and abstraction that surround the world of ne fragrance, and her ins iration for creating The Favourite.

LEFT Penhaligon’s on 41 Wellington Street

A B OV E Alienor Massenet

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D I A LO G U E

Was being a perfumer something you always knew you wanted to be?

The world of perfumery is an abstract one, and one that has always fascinated me.

I found out about the profession from a friend of my mother but at the time, dared not even think about becoming a part of it. I began a laboratory internship at the Swiss fragrance company, Firmenich, when I was 16 years old and by the age of 17, the age when people are beginning to wonder about their career choice, I decided to become a perfumer.

only for me and for my own my feelings, but also for the feelings of others. Knowing that my creations bring happiness and a sense of wellbeing lls me with oy. ometimes, even receive messages of thanks – it’s magical.

How and when did you train to be a perfumer?

Unlike many perfumers, I didn’t train at a erfume school. learned in the eld from some big names. I started at 19 at Cinquième Sens with Monique Schlinger, then with ertrand uchaufour. ubse uently, oined the ew or erfumer team as a unior was trained by o hia ro sman, arlos Benaim and Pierre Wargny who all taught me a lot, it was amazing. I was really lucky to have had that chance.

Why did you choose to be a perfumer?

I need to be able to feel and it is important for me to express those feelings through a perfume, a smell. When an emotion comes to me after an event or a tri for e am le, I like to be able to translate it into a smell to immortalise the moment. I compose a perfume as some might write or others play music. Creating a perfume is essential not

Do you have you a particular style or approach to creating fragrances?

I do indeed have a particular style. Most of the time I sign my perfumes with Myrrh or

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D I A LO G U E

landscape... I don’t really have a process, because each creation is so different, each has its own story. When I create, I’m very spontaneous; I work a lot with my instincts rather than trends because I prefer to work ‘outside the box’. The fragrance will therefore differ de ending on how feel about its history.

Labdanum [a gum resin obtained from the twigs of a southern European rock rose]. I like to play with green notes and create contrast in my perfumes. When I start to develop a perfume, I think in three dimensions, in the same way as one would the construction of a building. I work a little like the painter, onet have themes that develo in different ways. or e am le, created several perfumes around the theme of amber, which subsequently gave ‘Clandestine Clara’ by Penhaligon’s, ‘Intuition For Man’ by Estée Lauder, and ‘Night’ by Emporio Armani.

Do you work from a brief ? How much latitude are you given in each fragrance’s creation?

Most of the time we have a brief to follow. ur creative freedom differs according to the briefs and by brands. For Penhaligon’s The Favourite, the marketing team explained its concept to me and I had to interpret it in my own way. I love this way of working because I can bring my own creativity to the perfume.

Where do you seek and find inspiration for your perfumes? And once inspired, what is your creative process?

Inspiration can be found everywhere; watching a ballet, painting, hearing people’s discussions, reading a book, observing a

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A flooring to suit every interior

With functionality for everyday life and an extensive range of patterns and colours.

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D I A LO G U E

Whi h o es first in de e opin a perfu e the sense of o ation of p a e or an idea To answer that question, I’m going to talk about The Favourite again. Firstly, I read a lot of articles about the Duchess of Marlborough and imagined myself being in her castle at Blenheim alace. watched the 2 1 lm The Favourite

by Yargos Lunhimos, which also inspired me a great deal. So, I set out on a creation around mimosa and ris because these flowers symboli e magni cence and elegance. hey also have a powdery note that refers to the favourite cosmetics of the time. o do you reate the of a perfu e It’s just an intuition, a taste.

an you te e a itt e a out the s ien e of ho a perfu e is ade To make a perfume, we combine natural raw materials and synthetic ingredients. In order to know the correct dosage of each ingredient you need to know how long each smell will last. For example, for the absolute of mimosa, or the concrete of Iris, we will put less in the formula because these materials last for four hours. On the other hand, a mandarin essence lasts only up to an hour and a half, and so we can add more of this. There is a real technical side to the raw ingredients, and natural or synthetic, they still act as living materials.

arious

notes

o you re e er the first fra ran e you reated es, my rst erfume was a candle that created myself to sell rather than earn money from babysitting y rst rofessional success was Estée Lauder’s ‘Intuition for Men’. o you ha e any fa ourite s e s or perfu es Labdanum and Myrrh: I use them in each of my creations, with different doses. or me, these materials give a perfume a touch of spirituality as well as a sensuality. I also like the smell of vanilla as it reminds me of my childhood and brings me comfort. I love discovering new raw materials: right now I’m having fun interpreting the absolute Fucus [seaweed].

Whi h fra ran e do you ish you had reated I would have liked to create ‘Shalimar de Guerlain, Angel’ by Thierry Mugler, ‘Treasure’

by Lancôme, and ‘CK one’ by Calvin Klein. s there a spe ia o a u ary for perfu es ome words are indeed s eci c to the erfume industry, but most are also found in the lexicon of art and especially music. We talk about a ‘perfume organ’, ‘head, heart and bottom notes’, ‘the composition’ of a perfume, and its ‘chords’.

When not orkin hat do you en oy I love cooking, practising yoga and being surrounded by my children, nieces and nephews.

I love enjoying life! penhaligons.com

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Written in

TIME WO R D S B Y H A N N A H TA P P I N G

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T I M E L E S S

This is the story of a banker, a stationer and an engineer who joined forces in a bid for simplicity, founding one of the world’s most iconic pen and watch brands.

T

he tale begins in Hamburg in 1906.

In a country that was embracing new ventures and ingenuity, banker Alfred Nehemias, stationer ClausJohannes Voss, and a Berlin engineer called August Eberstein joined forces to create a new type of fountain pen. Their aim was to create a writing tool that embodied ‘simplicity’ and have its own ink reservoir. Just one year later, the Rouge et Noir was born. It was the rst safety fountain pen and included the name Montblanc.

This trio of inventors laid the foundation for the internationally successful Montblanc company that we know today, always manufacturing to the highest standards. he name ontblanc was o cially registered in 1 1 when the rst en was roduced with the unmistakable Montblanc rounded star logo and white cap, representing the snowy peak of Mont Blanc – the highest mountain in Europe.

to quality saw the company expand into 60 countries in that year alone. Five years later, the nib of the Montblanc was engraved for the rst time with the numbers 1 , re resenting the height of Mont Blanc, and has continued to be a signature feature of the pen. In 1934, the company introduced lifetime guarantees for its Meisterstück pens, and this encouraged the reputation that customers would reap the highest bene ts from investing in an expensive writing instrument.

1924 saw the birth of the iconic Meisterstück fountain en, a tly named after the erman term for masterpiece, and continuing attention

Fast forward to 1997 and watch lovers are treated to the rst eisterst c time iece. he watch reflected the same artisanal

Sadly, Montblanc’s facilities were destroyed during World War II but, undeterred, production was moved to enmar . fter the war, in 1952, the 149 Meisterstück fountain pen was introduced.

With nibs made of gold, ensuring a lifetime of writing, this legendary pen became the symbol of writing culture – a perfect fusion of style and function.

Images: Montblanc.com

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TOP Montblanc, Le Locle

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A B OV E Villeret workshop

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T I M E L E S S

rowess and traditional craftsmanshi that Montblanc had become synonymous with and by 2006 Montblanc had joined the ranks of haute horlogerie, becoming a fully fledged manufacture. A year later, and in a bid to preserve 150 years of conventional Swiss watchmaking, Montblanc joined hands with Minerva – a Swiss watchmaking company established in 1 .

Montblanc’s watchmaking facilities are located about 40 minutes from one another in the Jura ountains, about two hours outside eneva. he rst of ontblanc s two buildings is the e Locle facility which was built as a family home in 1906. The company built a state-of-the-art facility beneath the main building for assembly of the Heritage watch line. As the former home of Minerva, the second of the buildings in Villeret upholds the manufacturer’s legacy of expertise.

across each of its product categories: the pinnacle of luxury writing instruments, timepieces, leather goods, accessories, fragrances and eyewear. With every innovation, ontblanc offers new functionalities and ground-breaking designs imbued with the aison s heritage of so histication and crafted to some of the highest standards through the skills of its artisans in each of its manufactures, whether amburg, ermany for its writing instruments, the Swiss Jura in Le Locle and Villeret for its timepieces, or Florence, Italy for its leather goods.

uided by ioneering s irit since 1 , Montblanc revolutionized the culture of writing with breakthrough innovations. Today, the Maison continues to push boundaries and evolve the e ression of ne craftsmanshi

eflecting its ongoing mission to create ne lifetime companions born from some of the most pioneering ideas, the iconic Montblanc Emblem has become one of the ultimate seals of performance, innovation, quality and expression of style. With its origins deeply rooted in the culture of handwriting, Montblanc continues to assert its cultural commitment around the world with the creation of wideranging initiatives to promote arts and culture in many forms, while honouring the modern day patrons who support the advancement of the arts.

Montblanc is available in Cornwall from michaelspiers.com

A B OV E Montblanc, Villeret

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Losing sight of THE SHORE

Sophie Dingwall

WO R D S B Y DA N WA R D E N

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SU STA I N

There are few individuals who will literally cross an ocean in a bid to fight for the future, but Louise Tremewan is one of them.

“

comes to tackling the growing issue of marine pollution, but it’s something that Louise has personally pursued for a number of years. “I became especially interested about five years ago. I was walking along a beach at Praa Sands and I became very aware of the amount of plastic and ghost fishing gear that had been washed up on the shoreline.”

From that point on, Louise explains: “I would always do a beach clean-up whenever I visited the ocean.

Even if it was just for two minutes!”

Erica Cirino

The ocean means everything to me.

It’s the place I go to when I’m happy, it’s also the place I go to when I need time to think and reflect. Being close to the ocean has such a positive impact on my mental health and growing up, I had so many wonderful experiences by the ocean. It’s a place that holds very special memories of good times with family and friends.”

Louise Tremewan is a primary school teacher from Helston.

She’s also a standup paddleboard instructor, working with Ocean High SUP in Marazion during her spare time, and in fact there are very few times of the year when she can’t be found in, on, or at least by, the water. It’s a passion that, in recent months, has literally taken her around the world. But more on that later.

As she continued on her personal campaign, Louise’s efforts found a point of focus in her classroom at Marazion School. “As a result, we carried out many beach-cleans with the pupils and local community, as well as engaging with Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) and their education programme.” In fact, Louise explains that Marazion became the third SAS ‘Plastic Free School’ in the whole of the UK. And she didn’t stop there.

I think we can all agree that, on a global scale, progress has been relatively slow when it

INSET Louise Tremewan

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Lawrence Smith/Ocean High SUP Sophie Dingwall

Peter Cook/Ocean High Sup

A B OV E The ‘Azores to Antigua’ guest crew

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A B OV E Louise is never far from the water

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SU STA I N

to be involved, before being interviewed via Skype by eXXpedition Mission Leader, Sally Earthrowl, Louise finally received an email asking if she’d like to accept a place on board.

“I was over the moon!”

“Working with my colleagues at Ocean High SUP, we developed a summer camp for kids, which involved learning to paddleboard, as well as covering the basics of beach safety and marine pollution. The children then joined our weekly club, Ocean Tribe, for regular club paddles, skill development and beach clean-ups.”

Setting sail from Ponta Delgarda in the Azores on Friday 1st November last year, Louise and the rest of the crew covered some 2,274 miles, arriving – incidentally – in Falmouth Harbour, Antigua, on Saturday 16th.

In December 2018, Louise saw an advert on Facebook for an organisation called ‘eXXpedition Round the World’. “I had some knowledge of the organisation, and had been to a talk by the founder, Emily Penn. I actually dismissed the adverts the first two or three times that I saw them, thinking that it would be cool but I had no chance of being selected,” explains Louise, modestly true to form.

“However, the adverts kept coming and it got me thinking that maybe it was possible. They stated that no sailing experience was necessary – which was great, as I had none!”

Interested to know more about the voyage, I ask Louise about the role she played. Having read through the blog entries – and caught a few of Louise’s Facebook posts during the course of the trip – I got the impression that there was more to eXXpedition than just the research. “We had three professional sailors with us: Anna, our Skipper; Maggie, our First Mate; and Sophie, our Deckhand. Dr Winnie Courtene Jones, from the University of Plymouth, is the Science Lead for eXXpedition and was our Mission Leader for the voyage.”

Along with the rest of what she calls the ‘guest crew’ – of which there were ten – Louise was assigned to one of three ‘watch teams’.

Circumnavigating the globe via four ocean gyres and the Arctic, eXXpedition Round the World is a first-of-its-kind, all-female sailing voyage and scientific research mission.

Founded by Emily Penn in 2014, the latest voyage started last year and is set to drop anchor for the last time in 2021, covering a total of 38,000 nautical miles, across 30 voyage legs, with a crew of 300 women aboard the S.V. Travel Edge. The course has been plotted to sail through some of the planet’s densest marine plastic accumulation zones, to study the true extent of plastic pollution and the effects it’s having on our oceans, tying together nicely Louise’s love for the water and her interest in marine pollution. As you can guess, Louise inevitably applied, requesting to be part of the Atlantic crossing stage. “It involved sailing through the North Atlantic gyre, an area that I’d covered with the pupils in my class. I also thought it would be an amazing opportunity to sail across an ocean!” After submitting a 60-second video explaining why she’d like

There were specific duties to be completed during each watch, Louise elaborates. “Sailing the boat was obviously a part of it! We each also had a part in preparing meals and keeping the boat clean and organised. Whilst on watch, we had to ensure the log was completed every hour, on the hour. This included information on our location and speed, as well as the weather conditions and anything else that was happening. We all took it in turns at the helm; the professional sailing crew were fantastic teachers, so the novice sailors among us were given plenty of guidance and support.

“Research was a big part of each day,” Louise continues, “consuming a significant amount of time. We collected samples from the surface

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Sophie Dingwall Erica Cirino Erica Cirino

Erica Cirino

Sophie Dingwall

Erica Cirino

A B OV E Examining the findings

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Sophie Dingwall

Sophie Dingwall

A B OV E Visited by dolphins

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SUSTA I N The other low-point for Louise was witnessing the vast amount of plastic in the ocean, firsthand. “It’s something I’m still struggling to comprehend. Obviously, I already know that we have a significant problem with plastic in our oceans; I see it almost daily on our beautiful Cornish beaches, and we witnessed it in large quantities during the outreach work we did in the Azores before we began sailing. However, once we got out on the ocean, it all looked so clear and beautiful. It was unreal – the most incredible blue I have ever seen – and it actually looked as though our research was going to be in vain as there were no obvious signs of plastic.” But on starting their research, Louise assures me that such speculation was quickly

of the ocean using a piece of equipment known as a ‘manta trawl’ – thrown over the side of the boat and trawled alongside us for 30 minutes, allowing any microplastics at surface level to be collected.” The crew then used a series of sieves to differentiate between the sizes of plastic they found. “Some of these samples were then further tested to determine the type of plastic they were made from. This was done using a Fourier-transform infrared spectrometer,” or, as the crew called it, a ‘magic plastic machine’.

“We also collected samples from 25 metres below the surface, using a Niskin bottle.

Everything we collected was saved and stored, before being sent to a number of different universities around the globe to be analysed.”

Erica Cirino

Her journey wasn’t all about the research, however, and when I ask Louise to tell us about her highlights, she reveals how she hadn’t expected to form such amazing bonds with the other women on board. “People said it would happen, but I was a little dubious – it often takes me a while to form significant connections with new people. But I was proved wrong. I feel like I now have 13 new family members!”

As they ploughed through the North Atlantic gyre, the crew also had visits from pods of dolphins, and Louise fondly remembers “the two hours we spent with a minke whale.”

She also tells me about the night sky: “We were fortunate enough to have a full moon during our transatlantic crossing, which was incredible. The night sky before the moon rose each night was amazing – the stars were unlike anything I’d ever seen before, even compared to Gunwalloe beach on a clear night!”

Erica Cirino

But it wasn’t all plain sailing (you’ll have to excuse me for that one), and during the first 36 hours, Louise tells me: “I was so seasick. It completely knocked me out, and all I could do was sit in a corner of the deck feeling rather sorry for myself. Fortunately, I had some very understanding crew mates, who patiently looked after me and promised it would get better. They were right!”

A B OV E Moody skies reflect the reality of their findings

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S U S TA I N A B L E A R C H I T EC T U R E SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION

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SU STA I N

Looking to the future and as an eXXpedition Ambassador, Louise will continue to spread the word about the project and the wider issue of marine pollution. Engaging with as many people as possible, she will also be talking about the important part eXXpedition is playing in promoting the role of women in STEM. “Despite significant progress, women are still underrepresented in the science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) sectors.

Globally,” Louise continues, “women occupy only 13% of the STEM workforce, including health professionals.

quashed. The samples taken by the manta trawl revealed significant quantities of microplastics, which are less than five millimetres in size and therefore impossible to see from the deck. On one particular trawl in the North Atlantic gyre, in fact, she explains how their research revealed “seven times more plastic than fish larvae.” Take a moment to let that sink in.

Other stark revelations included a plastic fork drifting 1,000 miles from the nearest landmass, and large expanses of disused fishing nets. All of these findings are logged along with their locations – information that is then sent onto NASA for a marine litter tracking project.

As eXXpedition Round the World continues and more data is processed, more conclusive information will become available, but even on first glance, it’s fair to say that the fight against plastic pollution – which, really, is still finding its feet around the world – is one we are already sorely losing.

“I want to inspire and educate individuals,” says Louise, summarising her role and goals for the future, “so that they can begin to make informed choices to reduce their plastic footprint.” And as well as visiting local schools and organisations to deliver talks and workshops about her experience, Louise hopes to continue to develop her work with children and young people through her role with Ocean High SUP, “to continue to share with them the physical and mental health benefits of being on or by the ocean, and the things we can do to protect the blue space that so many of us love so much.”

The outlook, however, is not entirely bleak, and that organisations such as eXXpedition are out there working towards change; that individuals like Louise are picking up the baton and engaging with the community to champion a brighter future, is a reassuring thought indeed.

eXXpedition

Sophie Dingwall

exxpedition.com

LEFT Louise on watch

RIGHT The S.V. Traveledge

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• The Customs House Gallery • Porthleven A light and airy space on Porthleven’s historic harbour side showcasing the very best of Cornish art

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D I A LO G U E

THE ART of

artisan

WORDS BY BETHANY ALLEN

John Hersey

James Strawbridge strives to incorporate sustainable food practices into all elements of his life alongside supporting local artisan businesses.

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John Hersey

A B OV E James and his Dad at the chateau

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D I A LO G U E

J

chateau s renewable technology and beautiful kitchen garden.

ames has published numerous books to promote artisan kitchen skills and has had TV appearances on shows with an environmental outlook throughout his career.

James also presented with his Dad on the popular ITV series he u r ai ors in 2 12 and 2 1 , which saw the duo set sail aboard a wooden pilot cutter to explore the food of Britain’s coastal towns. Mooring in tiny harbours and busy orts they met farmers, shermen, roducers and foragers, gathering fantastic local produce and heading bac to the galley to coo u a storm.

In regards to how his TV appearances have influenced him, ames e lains hen we sailed around Cornwall, The Channel Islands and the south coast for he u r Sailors show, every single wee was fun and ositive. he ust do it attitude that comes across in the show is something that I don’t ever want to forget.” Heading to the source of some of ornwall s best roduce also left its mark on James and he makes sure to incor orate locally sourced food and drin in his approach, both in terms of business and on a personal level too.

He has featured in a number of BBC television series, including his debut on It’s Not Easy Being Green in 2006, when he returned home after com leting his istory degree. he rogramme followed his family as they attem ted to lead a more sustainable lifestyle, during which time James learnt green engineering conce ts, animal husbandry, land management and a very hands on a roach to environmental living.

This experience inspired James and his Dad, ic trawbridge, to co write and ublish ractica e u cie c he Co p ete Guide to Sustainable Living, which was initially released in 2 1 but has recently been u dated and re released for 2 2 . e had to re write vast amounts of Practical e u cie c because times have changed and there has been a bigger appetite from readers regarding artisan kitchen activities,” says ames. he new version incor orates things that eo le can do even if they only have a small plot or garden and focuses on how to live 'zero waste' and plastic free.”

James has written and published various books since the launch of Practical Self u cie c in 2 1 . ost recently, in s ring 2 1 he ublished o e oo a ua or o e o i and he is currently working on another book called he rtisa itche , which will be released in September 2020.

ic is currently en oying television fame than s to his documentary series on hannel 4, Escape to the Chateau, which James has made appearances on too. The series follows Dick and his partner Angel Adoree as they trade in their two bed a artment in sse for a dila idated 1 th century French chateau and begin a restoration ro ect. hroughout the restoration ic has incorporated sustainable practises however, this hasn t been covered in detail by the show yet. o, this year, ic and ames will be revealing the chateau’s sustainable elements on the programme, covering the

n an era where eo le are uite short on time, the motivation behind he rtisa itche is to show how you can easily t s ills into your itchen life that end u reducing the amount of rocessed foods that you buy, says ames. t also rovides ins iration on how to minimise waste in the itchen. ne way to do this is to ta e your leftovers and give them a new lease of life. At the moment I’m sat down writing about otted meats, con t and ways of reserving food using clari ed butter

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D I A LO G U E

so it can sit for three or four months rather than being ut in the bin because you thin that it s ust a leftover. here are a lot of eco aspects to the new book, but it’s also about not denying yourself things that you en oy. he boo touches on how your health can bene t if you re ma ing your own bread and e r and drin ing ombucha.

ll of these ractises tend to come across as a bit hi ster and modern, says ames, but my ers ective is that none of it is actually that modern or trendy because they are practises that have been around for hundreds of years and it ust ha ens to be fashionable again now.”

The idea of an ‘artisan’ approach to food has cropped up numerous times during our discussion. But what does artisan mean? rtisan is about develo ing a itchen craft, ames tells me. ery often we might be used to the convenience of supermarkets and processed foods but artisan champions making food from scratch using traditional nowledge and techni ues. here s also a tendency to use wild yeasts and natural bacteria over commercially roduced substances meaning that there are often health bene ts to artisan foods as well. esterday was ma ing a load of butter with my three young ids something that generationally was standard ractise or years ago. thin there are uite a lot of eo le who, li e me, en oy re discovering these artisan itchen s ills and nding ways to t them into a modern lifestyle.

Another aspect of choosing artisan foods is that you re often su orting local e erts. ou ll nd certain things that you ll en oy doing yourself and if you don t, there s the o ortunity to loo down the road and see someone who’s making an exceptional local beer, or a local cheese made by someone with their own goats, and then you have the chance to su ort those eo le. lot of artisan food brands start off as hobbies until they turn into big cottage industry businesses and thin that by choosing to use artisan food, you re saying to that erson go for it , if that s your dream we ll su ort you. s ecially when it bene ts the environment and your health too, so it s genuinely a win win for everyone.

Images: John Hersey

A B OV E mbrace the artisan way of life

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A B OV E Recipes that focus on fresh local produce

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Images: John Hersey

A B OV E Exploring Cornwall

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D I A LO G U E

y home develo ment itchen and o ce is a lace that my children are able to be a art of, they can see me e erimenting and ma ing food feel li e it s art of their education having me around which is amazing.”

ames currently lives in ornwall with his wife and three young children. s well as wor ing on his books and television career, he is also a business development chef, the skills for which he learnt when he set u his own com any he osh asty om any. his e erience allowed him to understand what it’s like to launch a start u food brand in ornwall and make a success of it within the national and international mar et. ubse uently ames has decided to take this knowledge and use it to help local food and drink businesses to develop their brand. t the moment m wor ing with various Cornish food and drink businesses, helping them to develop new products for retail but also showing consumers how they can en oy their products. For example, with Cornish Sea alt, roduce a uarterly maga ine called Seasons where we feature recipes for curing, seasoning and salt baking, showing consumers how to incorporate that ingredient into food and drink. I get a real buzz when I’m working with manufacturers and producers and the thing I love the most is to show people at home how to im rove their coo ing by understanding ingredients better.”

In terms of what the future holds for James, he has a busy year ahead wor ing with his ad on Escape to the Chateau as well as releasing he rtisa itche and another book. Not to mention his new business consultancy rm. hat s really e citing for the ne t year is starting the ons of hunder gency. yself and food hotogra her, ohn ersey, are develo ing reci es and roducing really exciting content for lots of food and drink brands in Cornwall. Sons of Thunder will continue to work with Cornish food brands and help them tell their story to the and international food mar et. also wor uite closely with retailers such as aitrose and esco, so m looking forward to approaching food and drink businesses and artisan producers to help them scale up into larger sales.” he food and drin industry in ornwall is going from strength to strength and the exceptional local produce that’s available is revered throughout the . o have someone like James working to market the artisan food and drink businesses here will help to romote the bene ts of choosing artisan products over processed foods and encourage consumers to invest in a healthier and more environmentally friendly lifestyle. e loo forward to seeing what the future will hold for this eco conscious and entre reneurial young chef and how his a roach will hel to romote the artisan way of life.

hen he s not writing boo s and hel ing Cornish businesses to market their products, ames en oys s ending his s are time with his family e loring south ornwall s hidden beaches and secret coves as well as heading on to the river with owey gig rowing club and setting out to sea a few times a week. a ing the transition from a business owner to a business development chef has allowed me to s end more time with my family. art of the reason I chose to become a business development chef is because the working hours mean m around in the evenings more, says ames. nd my children are all useful young chefs so we en oy coo ing together at home.

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C U I SI N E

Deliciously SIMPLE

John Hersey

These recipes from Business Development Chef, James Strawbridge, reveal how you can strip back your cooking to natural ingredients without compromising on taste.

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Starter: Mediterranean Labneh SERVES 2

To Serve: 1 tbs

INGREDIENTS:

omegranate seeds

1 tbs cho

ed mint

1 litre yogurt

1 ri e g, halved

1 ts

1 ts olive oil

ne sea salt

heesecloth/muslin

inch of sumac and a atar

Method tir 1 teas oon of salt into 1 litre 1 yogurt either natural goat s mil or full fat cow s mil yogurt .

ints uality

tore labneh in a sealed container in the fridge and use as a s read, li e cream cheese. t will ee for u to 2 wee s.

hen our the yogurt into a elly bag or several layers of muslin/cheesecloth, tie the edges and hang, allowing to strain over a bowl for 12 hours.

arnish with olive oil, cho ed mint, gs and omegranate seeds. erve with grilled flatbreads.

he longer you leave the yogurt, the heavier the labneh s te ture will be.

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John Hersey DRIFT--04--ED--James Strawbridge --STARTER--2.00.indd 69

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C U I SI N E

Main: Dirty Beets SERVES 4 INGREDIENTS: 4 beetroot

1 tsp chopped dill

2 red onions

Drizzle of olive oil

To Serve:

inch of ornish ea alt fla es

2 tbsp walnuts 100g feta cheese, crumbled

To dip:

4 caper berries

2 tbsp yogurt

1 orange, zest and segmented

1 tsp Harissa

Method Quarter the beets and slice the caramelised red onions into segments.

Roast the beetroot and onion in their skins on a bed of hot charcoal. Cook for 45 minutes turning periodically with some tongs until blackened on all sides and tender in the middle.

Toss in a salad with orange, walnut, feta, walnut and capers and garnish with chopped dill and orange zest. Season with Cornish Sea Salt.

Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes and then carefully remove the onion skin and beetroot peel.

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C U I SI N E

Dessert: Salted Caramel Brownie SERVES 12

100g caramel sauce

INGREDIENTS:

4 medium St Ewe eggs,

200g unsalted butter

2 ripe bananas

200g golden caster sugar

50g peanut butter

12 g lain flour

50g cocoa powder

100g dark chocolate, 70% cocoa

1 ts

ornish ea alt fla es

Method Next add in the mashed banana and peanut butter. Finish by whisking in the melted chocolate and butter.

Grease a 25cm baking tray and line with parchment. Preheat the oven to 180 oC. Melt the butter and chocolate in a bain marie and remove from the heat to cool slightly.

In another bowl combine the dry ingredients of flour, cocoa and a inch of salt. ift this into the beaten eggs and sugar. Mix until smooth.

Mix the caramel sauce with Cornish Sea Salt and then combine with the sugar and eggs using a whisk.

Pour into your lined baking tray and bake for 25 minutes. Let it cool and then cut into squares.

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Reading between THE VINES WORDS BY LUCY CORNES

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QU E N C H

Jon Keast, the vintner who has been blazing a trail in the world of wine for a decade, wants you to buy less wine.

I

we love. nd love is certainly the word for it. on s a roach to wine is assionate, and anything but retentious. ine snobbishness has no lace amongst the shelves at carlet ines, where instead you ll encounter infectious enthusiasm and a maveric s thirst for individuality. here is that old fashioned image of the stuffy, bes ectacled wine merchant re ared to glare down their noses at mere mortals who can t tell their auillac from their omerol, says on. e recalls hen was in my thirties, was starting to get interested in actually learning about wine rather than ust drin ing a lot of it. was browsing the shelves of a well nown, ancient merchant house in ondon and said was interested to try a ote otie, and the cha as ed me su erciliously and how does ir li e his ote otie f course, had no idea how to answer this, and the sole ur ose of the uestion was to ma e me feel inferior. don t thin there s a lace for that ind of thing in any service industry, least of all one as fun and interesting as wine.

s wine nally shedding its elite image ow are health and environmental concerns changing what and how much we drin went to meet on east, creator of a ornish neighbourhood wine store of national re ute, to nd out how a traditional industry is utting down new roots. carlet ines, based at he ld orge, elant, has been enticing locals and visitors with the romise of interesting wine for over 1 years now. o ular caf and deli also ran alongside the wine retail and wholesale business, but that has now been transferred to other hands to ta e to the ne t level. t the start of a new decade we decided we wanted to refocus on our original vision and core s ills selling su erb wine, s irits and beers, e lains on. e have been fortunate enough to grow our caf , deli, retail and trade business over the last ten years to such an e tent that the business now warrants se arating into its constituent arts. hilst others ta e on the running of the caf and deli, we can dedicate ourselves to sourcing and sharing the wines

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TOP ornish neighbourhood wine store of national re ute

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on s a

A B OV E roach to wine is anything but retentious

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QU E N C H

on believes that wine doesn t need to be com licated it s not an e clusive club for those who get it. o us, wine is a sim le, convivial leasure, he e lains. couldn t care less if you can recite all the a ellations of the hone alley, ust want you to nd something you will en oy drin ing and sharing around the table with your friends. ere at carlet we get e ually as e cited by a whac y hilean natural wine as we are by a classically so histicated urgundy, and you ll nd wines selected with love and care at all rice oints. f on is reacting against the image of wine as u mar et and inaccessible, he s also flying in the face of the homogenisation of wine on an industrial scale, where often more money is s ent on branding than the li uid in the bottle. lthough those su ermar et aisles loo li e they offer great choice, challenge you to nd many bottles there that aren t one of the big international gra e varieties, or a sub brand of a huge global conglomerate. or e am le, with whites, unless you want hardonnay, auvignon or inot rigio, there is ne t to nothing to choose from.

on curates his selection of wines from uro e s aleidosco e of terroirs, su lemented with the most interesting and idiosyncratic nds from the ew orld. ocusing on indigenous gra e varieties and regional character means he is naturally drawn to smaller wine roducers, some of whom are young retenders and others whose families have been tending the same rows of vines for generations. he nature of these bouti ue o erations means they are li ely to em loy organic rinci les in their vineyards something on rmly believes bene ts both the wine and the environment. ines which are roduced in organic vineyards, where the soil is free from chemicals and the natural biodiversity of the land is encouraged, have greater nuance of flavour and te ture, on e lains. s well as healthier soil, this a roach hel s reserve habitats for local flora and fauna, for e am le encouraging bees and butterflies.

A B OV E rom gra e to glass, wine should be a convivial leasure

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A B OV E sim le, convivial leasure

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QU E N C H

only wholesaler in the south west with a fully electric van, contributing to the gradual greening of his su ly chain. t s sometimes hard to now where to start with sustainability im rovements, but thin the ey thing is to do ust that start e all have a res onsibility to reduce our carbon out ut as much as ossible.

he category of natural wines is a ste further and involves ta ing gra es grown organically, usually hand harvested, and treating them as naturally as ossible during the winema ing rocess. here isn t an e act de nition of what constitutes a natural wine, but generally they are fermented using only naturally occurring yeasts, are free from additives and contain only natural sugars and acids. hey have no or very little sul hites added to stabilise them, and are bottled without harsh ltration methods. atural wines have an immediacy, an un redictability and a certain volatility which generally love, says on. owever, he adds hey can sometimes be a little too fun y, even for my taste atural winema ing is a s ectrum and wine drin ers will nd the oint along that line where it becomes more effort than en oyment.

s environmental considerations and healthier lifestyles ta e centre stage, on is acce ting even encouraging of the fact that eo le will robably drin less wine in the future. e need to thin more carefully about all inds of consum tion, and that includes wine. s a wine merchant it s my ob to create a ortfolio with a green conscience, and to share as much information and nowledge as ossible to hel individuals and businesses ma e informed decisions. e also thin s there is a shift away from homogenisation and the thirst for chea alcohol. s the younger generation become adults we re dealing with a more health conscious mar et who may drin less often and loo for lower alcohol roducts, favouring smaller roducers and organic or vegan wines and erha s don t mind aying a bit more for wines as a result of all that. n short, it s e citing times for small inde endent merchants li e us

on is an active cam aigner for action on climate change, and environmental concerns are having a growing im act on his ortfolio. ncreasingly am dro ing non uro ean wines which obviously have to be trans orted further unless they have a really strong case to be included. o, a cool climate iesling from asmania has to have a discernible character and uality which can t be found in an ustrian or erman counter art to ma e it onto the list. on will soon be the

scarlet-wines.co.uk TOP ow is an e citing time for merchants li e carlet ines

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The cream

OF THE CROP W O R D S B Y C O L I N B R A D B U RY

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C U I SI N E

Colin Bradbury talks to Nicholas Rodda, Managing Director of one of Cornwall’s largest family-owned businesses.

A

The company celebrates its 130th year in 2020, and with turnover of £37m last year and 180 employees, Rodda’s has grown to become one of Cornwall’s largest businesses. Its products – primarily Cornish clotted cream, but also including pouring cream, milk and butter – are sold in supermarkets across the UK and exported to several other countries, including the UAE, Hong Kong and Japan.

t the Royal Cornwall Show a few years ago, a lady stopped by the odda s stand for a chat. s she left she turned back to the Managing Director, Nicholas (Nick) Rodda, and said sternly: “Remember, you can never sell Rodda’s because it’s not yours to sell. It belongs to us, to Cornwall.”

Proof, if any were needed, that the legendary clotted cream producer has a special place in Cornish hearts. The cream tea is a globally recognised symbol of the Duchy, and for most people it’s only a real Cornish cream tea if the name on the pot is ‘Rodda’s’.

Rodda’s is a rarity amongst large businesses in still being 100% family owned. Nick recognises that being born into the family behind such a well-regarded local business is a privilege.

But he emphasises that joining the rm was a ositive decision, there was no assumption that he would make his career in Rodda’s. “There was never a sense that I would be letting the family down if chose a different path,” he recalls.

“It was really quite humbling,” Nick says of the lady at the show. As a member of the fth generation of the family to oversee the Scorrier based business, he marvels at people’s eagerness to report on where in the world they have been served Rodda’s clotted cream. “They write in to tell us that they were served with our cream on an aeroplane in the Far East or at a stately home in Scotland. For them to take the time to do that, Rodda’s must mean something to them.”

Nevertheless, it was perhaps inevitable that he would be drawn into the business given how closely his life has been intertwined with Rodda’s. He grew up 100 yards from the creamery, which has stood on the same site

RIGHT Nicholas Rodda

A B OV E Nicholas Rodda with son Alex Rodda

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drivers said: “Look Nick, you really don’t know what it’s like out on the road.” Another driver who’s been at Rodda’s for 25 years, admonished his colleague, saying: “Actually, that’s not true he used to do your job!”

since 1890, and summer holidays as a teenager were spent working on machines in that building. The turning point came one of those summers when, aged 19 and contemplating going away to study accounting or business, one of the delivery drivers was taken sick. Nick was dropped in at the deep end, taking over the route at the busiest time of the year despite never having done the job before. But he liked it and stayed working on the vans for another year, still intending to go off to university.

fter more than years in the com any, nobody questions Nick’s credentials these days. He has steered Rodda’s through some critical times, and while the business has been going for 130 years, the pace of change has accelerated dramatically in the last 25.

“Businesses evolve and mature just like people,” he points out. “In the early days, we didn’t really have growth aspirations and we just reacted to opportunities. Now we’re more strategic, more focused.” Naturally, as family members retire from the business, they are succeeded with equally passionate and committed individuals with valuable expertise, weaving modern business practises into the traditional fabric of the creamery.

That was when his father gave him the option to stay with Rodda’s and start learning the different areas of the business. he ne t few years were spent working everywhere from production to deliveries, from the lab to the o ces, laying the foundations for his career.

“It’s not as simple as just walking in and getting a management job right away because your name’s over the door,” he says. “You come in at factory floor level and you have to learn every job.” That not only allowed him to understand how the overall business ticked, it also gave him a layer of credibility. He recalls a meeting a couple of years ago when one of the company’s

For all that it has adapted to the changing business landscape, Rodda’s remains a family owned business. That means they can do things a bit differently, the most obvious manifestation of which is the ability to take a longer-term view. Many businesses operate with a time horizon of perhaps three years, but with no outside shareholders to answer to, odda s can ta e a ve to ten year ers ective. ro tability still matters of course, but ic says it’s not the be all and end all. “We have a ‘quadruple bottom line’, which includes people, charity and the environment, as well as ro tability.

Its people are clearly very important to Rodda’s.

“We have values, we want people to be honest and straightforward, to care about each other in the business.” In practical terms that means providing healthy options in the canteen free fruit and milk, for example - as well as

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as bringing eo le together over annual staff barbeques, to say thank you for a job well done.

As for charity, Rodda’s works with a range of non ro t organisations, often donating the ingredients for charity cream teas. They also had a keen eye on environmental issues long before it became fashionable. Nick says: cient use of energy and water has always been a priority. We want to be good custodians of resources.” hat gives odda s a slightly different view of the world. Nick sums it up thus: “When the board sit down it s not always about how ro table we’re are going to be next year. We also look at how our values are reflected in the business.

How are we doing with charitable giving? What about our environmental agenda?” A few years ago, some of this would have been seen as a bit eccentric in the hard-nosed world of business.

But now, recognising the value of your people (‘human resources’), engaging with charitable organisations (rebranded as ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’) and environmental awareness have become hot topics at even the largest global corporations. Yet a business in Cornwall has been doing this for years. ‘Doing well by doing good’, you might say.

and the ‘like it or lump it’ approach to farmers.

Similarly, Rodda’s sources as many of its other raw materials from Cornwall as possible, even if it involves a bit more effort than buying outside the county. odda s also flies the flag for ornish business nationally, and Nick is a strong proponent of rand ornwall. e rmly believes that the regional identity is a vital branding tool, especially in the area of food and drink with its emphasis on provenance, but recalls that it wasn’t always the case. “Back in the early 1990s when you told people in London that you were from Cornwall, the joke was ‘So what do you do all day – lean on a gate chewing straw and looking at cows?’ They were very dismissive. t s very different now. e s eenly aware of the risk that the new positive perception of Cornwall could lead to complacency though.

“People always have choices so we have to make sure we’re always benchmarking Cornwall against others. We have to back up the brand with the reality.” Nick also has an interesting perspective on one of the key stumbling blocks for Cornwall as a business destination – its perceived isolation from the

At its heart though, Rodda’s remains a thoroughly Cornish business, manifested through the company’s concern for other local enterprises. Its most important relationship is with the farmers that supply the main raw material – milk.

Several years ago, Rodda’s cut out the middleman and started buying directly from local farmers. They now have 47 milk suppliers within a 30 mile radius of the factory, with a commitment to taking all their output.

Meetings are held throughout the year so both sides get to know each other – light years away from the traditional commercial relationship

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A B OV E eft to right lfred odda, illiam Rodda, Nicholas Rodda, Alex Rodda and Edward Rodda

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rest of the country. “Yes, we are a long way from a lot of places but people’s perception of that is greater than the geographic reality.

We need to break down those barriers to let people know that we are open for business.”

Rodda’s did just that was when they won the contract to supply cream to British Airways back in the 1980s. BA loved the product, but worried about the practicalities of getting the necessary three deliveries a week from Cornwall. They were assured it would not be an issue, and after 2 years without missing a single delivery to Heathrow, Rodda’s received BA’s ‘Supplier of the Year’ award. “We need more of a can-do attitude within the county,” says Nick.

So with everything going well, what does MD Nick actually do all day? He laughs and says; sometimes as myself the same thing after a busy 12 hour day!” He is clearly still very hands-on, but his key task is to ensure that the business is going in the right direction strategically. In the last 12 months, Rodda’s has strengthened the executive team as part of the ongoing transition of the traditional family business. “The old idea was that the boss should be able to do everything. Now people like me have to identify what they are best suited to doing and what needs to be delegated,” he explains. He is particularly focused in the sales side and customer relations, with a strong interest in how the brand is perceived.

Of course, the cream tea will always be at the heart of what Rodda’s do and Nick is happy with that. “Whenever you talk about them, it transports people back to their time in Cornwall. A cream tea is a special moment – we’ll never move away from that.” Indeed, as part of the company’s 130-year celebrations in 2020, Rodda’s is sponsoring the Biggest Cream Tea in the World event at the Royal Cornwall Showground in June. This attempt to bring the record home to Cornwall by serving 1,200 cream teas in one go is a huge challenge but all in a good cause.

What of the future? Well Nick will ultimately pass on the stewardship of the business to the 6th generation of Rodda’s, ready for the next 1 years. t s tting that from the window of the boardroom we are sitting in, Nick can see the site of the original farmhouse. It’s a reminder of where it all began and of the need to sustain Rodda’s rich heritage. “We have to be respectful of the past but look to the future,” he says. Which, when you think about it, wouldn’t be a bad motto for the company.

His team is also constantly looking for new ways of promoting clotted cream, away from the traditional cream tea, to take advantage of Britain’s growing culinary curiosity. Whether it’s adding a dollop of cream to a homemade curry or to a chocolate pudding, these secondary uses are a real growth area. And of course, nobody would deny that including a generous spoonful of clotted cream to a dish makes it all just a bit more special.

Roddas.co.uk

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D I A LO G U E

Everyone WELCOME WO R D S B Y DA N WA R D E N

We talk conservation, community and what life is like for a National Trust ranger with Mike Simmonds, Lead Ranger on the north Cornwall coast.

E

veryone welcome – this has become something of a motto for the National Trust, and when you consider the thousands of volunteers it works with, and its 5.6 million members (as of last year), it certainly seems to ring true. But it doesn’t just refer to people; much of the work with which the National Trust is involved cham ions the rotection and future roo ng of some of our most beloved flora and fauna, something I think it’s fair to say has never been higher on the global agenda.

did he think to himself: “I want some of that!” The rest, as they say, is history; in 1994 he undertook a High National Diploma in Countryside Management and during his middle year, got to know the National Trust by taking a work placement here in Cornwall. A few years later he returned to the Duchy and became an Assistant Warden in Boscastle and has been with the Trust ever since. “In 2010, there was a bit of a rebranding of the roles, so we got called rangers instead of wardens.” At the same time, Mike tells us, he was appointed to his current role.

National Trust Images - Ross Hoddinott

Mike Simmonds is a National Trust Lead Ranger for North Cornwall, responsible for Trust-owned land along the 35 mile stretch of coast from Tintagel to Holywell Bay. His ‘patch’ also includes Rough Tor on Bodmin Moor. “It’s a dead man’s shoes sort of job,” he laughs when I ask what he enjoys about the role, “because once you’re in, you kind of stick with it. You get passionate about it and you don’t want anyone else to have your job!”

Mike “started life”, as he puts it, by “going to art college and becoming a graphic designer.”

Only six or seven years later did he start doing voluntary work in the Chilterns, where, working with other volunteers and rangers,

LEFT Trevose Head

A B OV E Mike Simmonds

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National Trust Images - Nick Upton

MIDDLE Gazing across to Trevose from Constantine Bay

Mike Simmonds

National Trust Images - Nick Upton

John Miller

Mike Simmonds

BOTTOM LEFT Peregrine falcon at Trevose Head

TOP old nches at entire

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National Trust Images - Ross Hoddinott Mike Simmonds

TOP The Rumps at Pentire, Mike’s favourite spot

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A B OV E ainted lady butterfly

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D I A LO G U E

A lot of these schemes are worked on in partnership with other organisations, including the RSPB and Natural England, and aim to sustain the biodiversity that, in recent years, has been in decline throughout the UK. For instance, Mike elaborates: “We have a long history of working with the RSPB on management for species like chough and corn buntings.” A ground-nester that relies on s ring cereals and grassland left to grow into late summer, in the last 50 years, corn buntings have seen a decline in numbers of around 86%.

“There is a small Cornish stronghold in north Cornwall,” Mike tells us, namely the Newquay to Padstow area, however “despite everyone’s best efforts, the s ecies is still struggling. nd when you consider that 41% of all British species are in decline since 1970, the vitality of such partnerships between organisations like the RSPB and the National Trust becomes all the more clear.

One project that is just getting off the ground is a collaboration between local farmers, Natural England, FWAG South West (Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group) and other organisations including the Trust and the RSPB. North Cornwall is host to one of the government’s trial ELM schemes (Environmental Land Management). This is the proposed new, post-Brexit, agri-environment support set to be happening across the UK, but which is rst being iloted in a few select areas. t s a really big push to get everyone working together,” Mike explains, “bringing on board all the interested farmers, encouraging them to adopt more wildlife friendly farming, and trying to establish a nature recovery network.”

Thankfully, Mike tells us that there is a large community of farmers who are already up for the task, and who have already been helping with these kinds of projects for many years.

National Trust Images - Ross Hoddinott

So what does Mike’s day to day look like? “I head up a small team of rangers based at Polzeath,” which lies roughly in the middle of the patch.

“It’s an extremely varied job, literally every day is different. i e s team s end most days doing what he calls “practical estate management”, which encapsulates anything from managing the land for wildlife and the natural habitats there, to loo ing after and maintaining the South West Coast Path. I ask Mike if he spends much time out and about.

“I still keep my hand in,” he assures me, “but I’m more of a facilitator these days.” He admits: “I do get bogged down in emails and admin a little bit,” but it’s no surprise, really. Mike spends a lot of his time administrating agri-environment schemes on the land he’s responsible for.

“Sometimes that’s securing grant money for projects; I also do a lot of work with farm tenants, liaising with them on a regular basis and steering them in the right direction in terms of what we’d like to see happen on the land.”

The Trust have their own wider strategy, called ‘Land, Outdoors and Nature’. “We have set ourselves ambitious nationwide targets to restore natural ecosystems and wildlife on our properties,”Mike reveals. “We are all

LEFT Barra Nose Tintagel

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But it isn’t just the local farmers who continue to lend a helping hand towards these ambitious goals, and in fact, it’s something you too can easily contribute towards. As you will already know, volunteers are the lifeblood of organisations like the National Trust, and Mike explains how “we regularly get asked by people ‘how can we come and get involved?’”

There are all sorts of things you can do as a volunteer and at other times to help, from oneoff surveying and beach cleans, to ta ing art in ‘scrub bashing’ days. There’s also a packed calendar of events taking place throughout the year for those hoping to experience Cornwall in a different light. hese include at ights at Pentire Head, where you’ll see and hear greater horseshoe bats emerge from the old mine wor ings there butterfly wal s at undy Bay; even stargazing at Bedruthan, which the National Trust hosts alongside Kernow Astronomers. Simply by attending one of these events and absorbing the information presented to you, you’re helping the National Trust in its mission to raise awareness, and that in itself is an invaluable contribution.

For those hoping to become more regularly involved, Mike tells us: “Volunteers from the community are so important to our cause, some of whom help us week in, week out with a wide variety of estate and habitat management tasks.” He tells us about the ground-nesting skylarks, which are a highlight of spring and summer at places such as Cubert Common

and lebe liff with their aerial singing displays. With the help of voluntary dogwalking rangers, Mike and his team are able pass that information onto the general public, raising awareness of the skylarks’ presence and thereby minimising the risks of disturbance.

And this is precisely what the National Trust stands for. It’s not about the work of one organisation; it’s about the awareness that organisation can raise in the community, by engaging everyone.

The National Trust stands for collaboration – between those in the know, and those who wish to know more – and at present, one of its fundamental goals is to secure a future, by collaboration, for our precious landscapes and the biodiversity they support.

If you would like to know more, enquiries about events and volunteering in north Cornwall can be sent to northcornwall@nationaltrust.org.uk nationaltrust.org.uk

Mike Simmonds

playing our part in this by working to create more priority habitats and encourage more sustainable and more wildlife friendly farming and land management.” This is referred to as ‘High Nature Status’, something the Trust is aiming to achieve on exactly half of all its land by 2025.

A B OV E A microcosm of Cornish bio-diversity

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Creating unforgettable holidays on the north Cornish coast ROCK I DAYMER BAY I POLZEATH I PORT ISAAC www.latitude50.co.uk

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P RO P E RT Y

SEEING is believing

Aptly named for its incredible location above Towan beach, Newquay, how else to describe

By The Sea than exceptional?

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s you enter the property you’re greeted by a splendid, spacious entrance hall, and just a glimpse through to the living room is enough to draw you in.

Floor-to-ceiling windows capitalise on the property’s exceptional frontline position, ga ing out across the tlantic and flooding the space with sunlight. The kitchen is equally as impressive, and with adjoining doors leading onto to a sea-view decking, you can cook up a storm before taking your supper al fresco. n all, the accommodation com rises ve bedrooms, including a gorgeous master suite with unrivalled oceanic views. And when it comes to hosting – in what can be a tough town to nd s ace rivate off road ar ing for four really comes into its own.

Exceptional in every way and commanding an unrivalled frontline position on Cornwall’s north coast, By The Sea really needs seeing to be believed.

BY THE SEA Guide Price: £1.65M ROHRS & ROWE 01872 306360 info@rohrsandrowe.co.uk

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P RO P E RT Y

FARMHOUSE charm

An elegant and beautifully restored mid-19th century farmhouse, surrounded by 18 acres of its own land with extensive stone outbuildings.

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et on the Cornwall/Devon border, Jays is a supremely private property, set in the centre of its own land, enjoying wonderful views in all directions. With easy access to the A30, the property is only a short drive from the Dartmoor National Park and Bodmin Moor AONB. The wild and beautiful north Cornwall coast is also close at hand, offering many miles of clifftop walks along the South West Coast Path and also some of the UK’s best surfing beaches.

Originally the homestead to a much larger farm, Jays Farm provides a wonderful rural property, in a tranquil setting enjoying wonderful views, wildflower meadows, an orchard, woodland and a selection of ponds.

In the spring, the woods are filled with daffodils and primroses, followed by wild garlic and bluebells amongst many other flowers. Within the grounds, there are many mature trees, including beech, pine, alder, elder, white and blackthorn, chestnut, cherry and many oaks. There is also an ancient orchard with a variety of traditional apple trees. The property is a haven for wildlife too, not least with the river Carey, which borders the property’s eastern boundary

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before joining the river Tamar. Teeming with brown trout and grayling, evidence of otters can often be seen along its banks.

Grade II listed, the farmhouse dates from 1850 and has been beautifully restored, retaining many original features including slate flagstone floors, sash windows and stripped floorboards in the drawing room.

On the ground floor there is a reception hall with staircase rising to the first floor, a sitting room, dining room, farmhouse kitchen and traditional dairy. On the first floor, there are five double bedrooms, a shower room and family bathroom.

There is an extensive selection of outbuildings providing endless potential, including a main barn, which has a restored Delabole slate roof and, although now lapsed, has had planning permission to be converted into additional accommodation and exhibition space. The stable barn has been extensively restored, including a Douglas fir floor and new shutters, and there is a much older cob barn too, which has been sympathetically restored by a cob restoration specialist. As if this wasn’t enough, there is also a large studio/workshop with further conversion potential for a variety of different uses.

With so much to offer plus the potential for further development, Jays Farm is a property that really needs seeing to be believed.

JAYS FARM Guide price: ÂŁ1.2M SAVILLS CORNWALL 73 Lemon Street, Truro TR1 2PN 01872 243200 cornwall@savills.com

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P RO P E RT Y

SPLENDOUR in seclusion

Nestled just a short walk from the Helford passage and its innumerable creeks and waterways.

W

ith countryside views and glimpses of the Helford river, Tangies offers a light, contem orary, and surprisingly spacious family home, having been updated and extended in recent years. ts ve bedrooms are arranged along the eastern wing, allowing the living spaces to bene t from a seamless sense of flow.

From the generous reception hall you’re led into a spacious living room, complete with woodburner and floor to ceiling windows that flood the s ace with light. he o en lan layout leads through to a gorgeous Winfrey itchen, before swee ing around to a light lled conservatory and dining area. utside, a idney sha ed heated ool and summer house make for dreamy afternoons spent lazing in the sun, and at the foot of the garden you’ll find the tempting prospect of a hot tub – perfect for wintry evenings spent stargazing.

Located just minutes from the Helford passage and surrounded by countryside, for a discerning buyer hoping to relocate to the coast, this is an exciting opportunity indeed.

TANGIES Guide Price: £1.25M JONATHAN CUNLIFFE 01326 617447 office@jonathancunliffe.co.uk

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P RO P E RT Y

BEST OF both worlds

Surrounded by countryside on the unspoiled Roseland peninsula, opportunities i e this rare their a to market.

S

et at the end of a long driveway within six acres of grounds, just two miles from the magni cent beaches of Caerhays and Portholland, Higher Polmenna lies at the heart of the highly coveted Roseland peninsula.

The accommodation comprises six bedrooms in total, ve of which have en suite bathrooms, meaning there s am le room for a family and guests to spread out. Those who like to curl up next to the re can do so in the drawing room, while the s acious conservatory boasts wonderful countryside views, perfect for anyone who prefers to sit and watch the world go by. here s also a gorgeous, well appointed kitchen, where a traditional range coo er and tongue and groove, sha er style detailing de ne the room s farmhouse feel. igher olmennas grounds have been beautifully maintained. f you re interested in equestrian pursuits, then the recently refurbished barn and outbuilding are erfect for stabling horses and storing your gear.

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During the warmer months – when all you want to do is bas in the sun the heated outdoor pool is just the ticket.

With sensational views across miles upon miles of countryside, plus room aplenty for sun loungers and a dining table, it s the perfect spot for whiling away your summer afternoons. nto the location and it s fair to say that the Roseland peninsula is up there as one of ornwall s most highly coveted destinations. t feels untouched uns oilt by time and because it s flan ed by the magni cent arric oads sailing waters, with miles of rolling countryside in between, it offers anyone fortunate enough to own a home there the very best of both worlds. end your afternoons messing about on the water, or e loring the outh est oast ath en oy ne dining in one of the oseland s many incredible restaurants, or ta e the ferry from t awes across to almouth and e erience the bohemian bustle that this o ular harbour town is loved for. ith so much to offer, it s easy to see why opportunities on the Roseland – articularly of igher olmenna s calibre almost never nd their way to mar et.

HIGHER POLMENNA FARMHOUSE Guide Price: £1.75M ROHRS & ROWE 01872 306360 info@rohrsandrowe.co.uk

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SEASIDE ambience

A characterful and spacious Victorian cottage overlooking Summerleaze beach.

E

ast Cottage occupies a spectacular coastal position, overlooking and directly accessing Bude’s magnificent Summerleaze beach. After a morning stroll, sit and enjoy the panoramic views across the Bude Canal to the east and the breakwater and headland to the west, all the while sipping on your morning coffee. The property dates from the late 1800s and offers spacious and characterful accommodation over three floors, to include a one bedroom self-contained flat on the lower ground floor. There are four bedrooms in the main house and a dining room and living room, which combine to create an attractive and open space, with gorgeous bay windows flooding the room with light and views of Summerleaze beach.

Bude is renowned as a coastal resort, boasting expansive beaches, a wild coastline, excellent surf breaks and a nearby golf course, as well as a wealth of independent restaurants and shops, all on the doorstep of East Cottage’s truly stunning locale.

EAST COTTAGE Guide price: £1.3M SAVILLS CORNWALL 73 Lemon Street, Truro TR1 2PN 01872 243200 cornwall@savills.com

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VICTORIAN grandeur

Carmino occupies an exceptionally private setting amidst glorious gardens and grounds with glimpses of the ocean beyond.

S

ome towns or cities are famed for their universities, some for their beaches, and some for their history.

Falmouth may have a claim to more than most. However, what defines Falmouth more than anything else is the deep ocean waters surrounding the town. On one side there is Pendennis – the third largest natural harbour in the world – and on the other, long beaches with rockpools and sand, all within walking distance of the town itself.

Carmino sits just metres from Gyllyngvase beach and offers that increasingly rare opportunity to live in a mature, detached house, with unspoilt views over its own grounds to the sea. As well as the convenience of living in a Cornish town regularly voted as one of the finest places to live anywhere in the UK, the house provides spacious six-bedroom accommodation that’s been comprehensively modernised by the present owner to an exceptional standard, with much care and consideration to its original beauty.

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The versatile, naturally light accommodation provides four reception rooms, a kitchen with a four-oven electric Aga and a separate utility room with Miele appliances. An elegant turning staircase leads to the part galleried first-floor landing, where there are three bedrooms, one with a dressing room, a sumptuous main bathroom with an elegant brass bath, a family shower room and a second study. On the top floor there are three further bedrooms, a small kitchen and another bathroom, ideal for visitors or teenage children.

Carmino translates as ‘place of safety’ and this is the feeling you get as you walk through the gardens and grounds. The beautiful sheltered lawn is surrounded by mature trees through which you can catch glimpses of the ocean. There are also heritage apple trees to the side of the garden, the branches of which groan with fruit in the autumn.

It truly is a wonderful pocket of nature to enjoy and although Carmino sits in a central location within the town, when you relax in the garden, it feels as if you’re in the middle of the countryside with only the stirrings of the sea air belying your true location in a buzzing coastal town.

CARMINO Price on application JONATHAN CUNLIFFE 01326 617447 office@jonathancunliffe.co.uk

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I N SPI R AT I O N

Functionally I

CHIC

nterior design is the art of blending style and function in order to make your scheme wor , and one detail that s often overlooked is how to dress your windows.

According to Ali, interior designer and founder of the otton ills esign ouse on n rmary Hill, Truro, shutters have been very fashionable in recent years, and for good reason. The bene ts of incor orating shutters into your interior are many; besides being stylish and offering a streamlined loo , they also offer

insulation ro erties and a real sense of rivacy, at the same time allowing natural light to flood in. hey can also bloc the light out a real lus in the bedroom and ictured here, Cotton Mills have just launched a new style of shutter with dim-out blinds. With unrivalled versatility and bringing a contem orary edge to any interior scheme, it’s really no wonder that shutters continue to rove so o ular. cotton-mills.co.uk

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TO RQU E

Shaped by the

WIND

It’s bold, exciting, and passionately individual. Introducing the new Jaguar F-TYPE.

I

f you’re concerned about the F-TYPE’s ‘nought-to-sixty’, don’t be; if you’re wondering about its top speed, well, you’ll never need to drive that fast. Heralded as ‘the definitive Jaguar sports car’, the new F-TYPE has been reimagined to make every journey extraordinary, gaining intelligent all-wheel drive and a gutsy 450PS V8 engine.

When it comes to driver experience, nothing has been overlooked. As well as the sumptuous interiors and adaptable seating that F-TYPE die-hards have come to expect, the new model has also been fitted with a 12.3” Interactive Driver Display, which combines with luxurious materials and gorgeous detailing to define the F-TYPE’s driver-focused cockpit.

“Design the most beautiful sports car, with purity, proportion and presence that’s unmistakably Jaguar: that was the challenge we set ourselves,” explains Jaguar Design Director, Julian Thomson.

“The new F-TYPE is more dramatic than ever, with even greater clarity of purpose in every line, surface and feature, and embodies true Jaguar design DNA.”

jaguar.co.uk

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We are the cornish experts

Britannia Lanes of Cornwall have a dedicated team to assist you in planning and moving your personal eects from one home to another.

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Watch

THIS SPACE WO R D S B Y M E RC E D E S S M I T H

Jasmine Mills is an emerging young artist whose focus goes beyond her work to the creation of a powerfully independent community of inspirational talent.

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C R E AT E

L

ast year at Penryn’s Enys House I attended what turned out, unexpectedly, to be the best art show of the year. I attend a lot of shows - a lot of big name, big venue events but this was different, and fran ly, so much better. Curated by recent Falmouth graduates Jasmine Mills, Lillian Thomson and Eleanor Lee, ‘Island’ demonstrated a totally new approach to selecting artists for exhibition, and wo e me u to the startling ‘new order’ of emerging arts management.

When I meet Jasmine Mills at her Krowji studio she is relaxed, con dent, and already planning to curate her second multiartist show, all at only 23 years old.

While hundreds of artists graduate each year from Falmouth and other universities, only a few will go on to commit to the full-time career of a painter, and fewer still will hit the scene with the ability to ull off a highly successful twenty artist e hibition featuring artists from as far a eld as London, Scotland, Cypress and Barcelona. he traditional hierarchy of ne art has always been artist at the bottom, with gallery and curator at the to , selecting artwor according

to their own criteria and giving it legitimized ‘space’, both literally, and metaphorically in the contem orary art mar et. ut now that space is changing. Serious art shows are popping up in all sorts of non-gallery spaces, and the artist/curator is now the recognised authority in their eld. his brings with it all sorts of freedoms for new artists, who no longer have to wait to be selected by galleries, and it is fostering a strong community of creatives intent on helping, informing and supporting each other. Jasmine is one such example, a new graduate who recognises the importance of an interconnected art community and has begun her career on that basis. “When you start ma ing wor outside of education,” says Jasmine of life after graduation, you are almost starting again. You suddenly have no restrictions after having a fairly structured e erience at university. nitially it was a bit of a shoc , because at Falmouth I had a great studio space, amazing people around me, and a lot of su ortive conversation and feedbac .

Everyone understands what you are doing, then all of a sudden you completely lose that

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A B OV E Hibernate

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support. Conversations from that point on are only with yourself. That was the hardest thing for me. he is s ea ing, of course, of being thrown into the career wilderness, an experience we all felt at the end of our art training, myself included. It is one of the reasons so many people quit the arts early in their career, because they uic ly realise that, to succeed, they will have to sustain their self-belief for all eternity - without help or encouragement from anyone else. Some however, cannot quit, not when it “comes down to how much your art is a part of you,” says Jasmine. “For me, I felt I couldn’t exist without painting.” Of course, being selected by a gallery is the encouragement and validation most artists see , but newcomers can wait a long time for that brea . o, what if there were an opportunity for support, encouragement and validation, and an early opportunity to exhibit outside the traditional parameters? This is the concept that Jasmine and others are running with. “Our priority for the Enys House exhibition was inviting artists at a similar stage in their career to us,” says Jasmine. “We wanted to create a show around newly graduated and early career artists, in the ho e that we could translate that rst show into long term, mutually supportive relationships, not just for now but into the future. t can be tough being an artist wor ing alone in the studio each day, and we need to su ort each other and build strong networ s. ccordingly, the criteria for selecting wor s for the exhibition was not by theme, but by selecting artists we felt would bene t most from inclusion in the show, and artists whose contacts and experience would enrich the networ . t felt so ositive to select eo le that

way, and it gave us a hugely diverse collection of wor to e hibit, including ainting, drawing, installation, video art and so much more”. Pop-up shows in extraordinary spaces li e nys ouse, a crumbling mansion with “an amazing aesthetic, an amazing history, and lots of hidden rooms” are now not the only curated s ace in which to see new wor in this newly democrati ed art scene as we tal , Jasmine tells me about her involvement with ‘Circle Triangle Square’, a new web venture set up by friend Edward May which exhibits her wor , and that of many others, and rovides long-term engagement and support for artists and collectors within the eld of emerging contemporary art.”

“I guess the art world, the art ‘business’ and all those scary de nitions, is changing drastically, says asmine, and thin it has to. here is so much art online now that dependence on galleries will eventually become a thing of the past. There are all these platforms where artists can be part of a community. It’s really

TOP LEFT Midsummer’s Eve

BOTTOM LEFT Hunter’s Moon

A B OV E Followed by my Shadow

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C R E AT E

exciting to see artists working to help each other, and to build independent networks that didn’t exist before. I want to bring people together. That’s just something that’s really important to me. I want to be able to do things for other artists, and also for myself - to just go for it and put on a big art show in a great space. Otherwise my career will simply be a process of waiting for a gallery to be interested in my work”.

Her own fascinating and deeply enigmatic work is all around us we talk, and has a scale and con dence to match her curatorial ambition. Jasmine refers to it as “abstract landsca e, with lost or anonymous gures.

I paint about a sense of place, somewhere with some sort of historical link to me, where I have memories, like my childhood home in Norfolk, or Cornwall [where she now lives and works], but in my paintings they become unknown or even fantastical places.

My work is about storytelling, about people leaving their mark on the landscape through time, and nature’s endless ability to take back.

I think there is something very important about reflecting on memory, and on the ast.

Further proving her point about the value of artistic support and encouragement, she tells me that both her paintings and her career choice go bac to the influence of a strong cultural background at home. “My mum loves 18th and 19th century art. We spent a lot of time in museums and looking through art books, so I was raised on art. My dad is a restorer and antique dealer with a real appreciation of cultural things, and of stories in particular. He taught me that there is not enough reflection on the things that have

been left behind, or on eo le s stories and the way they have impacted on ‘place’. As an artist, that’s an idea I always come back to.”

Her paintings strike me as psychologically profound, I tell her, and have something of Edvard Munch to them in their brooding palette and twisting lines. “Munch is one of my favourite artists,” she tells me, “and my wor is often de ned by my emotional out ut, which I think keeps it moving forward. I hope I will always be in the process of developing my work, but just as important is simply sharing my art with people, and communicating with other artists, and encouraging conversation and allowing people to look at art and be freed by it in whatever way works for them.”

See Jasmine’s work at Open Studios or by appointment at Krowji Studios, Redruth jasminemills.co.uk circletrianglesquare.co.uk

A B OV E Translucent Gods

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Making a

DIFFERENCE WO R D S B Y F I O N A M C G OWA N

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SU STA I N

Fiona McGowan meets Dan Dicker, founder of ashortwalk, a Cornish company embracing the circular economy.

T

he idea of a circular economy – making high-value products from waste – may just be one of the solutions to our climate crisis.

We’re entering a new decade, and unless you have been asleep or wilfully ignorant, you will feel some level of anxiety about the state of our planet. Remember the holes in the ozone layer and the terrifying prospect that we would lose the protective shield of atmosphere around the Earth?

Back then, quietly, in laboratories and on policy panels around the world, something happened. Our governments listened to the solutions given by scientists. The hole was caused by chemicals including a propellant used in aerosols chloro fluoro carbons or CFCs) and refrigeration chemicals. Within a handful of years, those chemicals were all but banned from products. We screwed up. ig time. nd then we ed it. here were protests and there was plenty of negative media and fear-mongering – but mainly, there were people providing solutions.

Fast forward 40 years. We are facing another global crisis. It is bigger and more visible than any we have faced before. The fallout of our entire post-industrial consumption and dependence on fossil fuels is damaging the

environment and heating up our planet at unprecedented rates. The throwaway plastics made from oil are polluting our oceans and destroying our ecosystems. The fumes are creating global warming. Our kids are railing against the environmental crisis while having no idea how to control their own addiction to consumption and technology. And we know it’s not fear-mongering, because David Attenborough says it’s true.

It may all seem insurmountable, but if nothing else, humans are adaptable and nature is resilient. The ozone holes not only stopped growing, they actually began to shrink. Without the pollutant, the atmosphere regenerated all on its own.

We’ve been told that in order to reverse the effects of carbon ollution and global warming, all we have to do is plant millions of trees.

There are solutions to plastic waste – plastic bag tax turned around the consumption in this country almost overnight. China has vowed to reduce plastic waste. Carbon neutral plans are afoot all over the world. While oil is still the godfather of greed, war and power, the smart money is going on alternative energy. It’s hard to turn away from the rainforest devastation and the wild res in ustralia, and it s hard to imagine that a company based in a series of

LEFT Dan Dicker

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SUSTA I N

low, ‘bungaloid’ buildings on a tiny, scrubby bit of Cornish coastland could be having any impact at all. ut come with me for a moment. osta coffee.

Starbucks. McDonalds. Names synonymous with success and mass consumption. But they are all engaged in the circular economy. a e your a er coffee cu s which are plastic coated) and plastic cups. We throw away about 10 billion of them every year. Until fairly recently, they were so hard to recycle that waste companies didn’t bother collecting them.

“Recycling companies could make about £50 a tonne if they collected paper cups,” explains Dan Dicker, product designer, inventor and founder of ashortwalk. “So, no-one was doing it.” Dan, however, had an idea. If he could create a high-value product from those cups, he could approach the waste companies and give them a better offer.

His background in industrial engineering and as a product designer for maverick vacuumcleaner brand Dyson, Dan knew exactly how to design for and assess the potential outcomes.

His business has been running for 17 years, and he’s seen some comfortable success since he and his wife set up their home on the Cornish coast in 2003. In the early days, he was making ‘tide clocks’ (which tell you the high and low tide times all year round) out of recycled materials and sustainable cork. He sells gorgeous plant pots made from recycled plastic milk bottles (mixed with stone dust to give them an authentic ceramic look). And he created house name plaques made from old black plastic plant pots (they look exactly like slate, but are ten times more durable).

made from waste. Dan formed a partnership with polymer experts Nextek, and found a recycling company in north Wales that could turn shredded cups into plastic pellets. He collaborated with a cup collection company called Simply Cups, and then convinced international waste company Veolia to pick up cu s from coffee outlets all over the country, clean and sort them before shi ing them off to north Wales.

And of course, he designed an iconic product. The rCUP is simple, functional and aesthetically pleasing. The large disc on top of the lid pops up to enable you to drink from it without removing the lid – way better than those sloppy little holes on the top of your takeaway lids. And – get this – you depress the disc and the cup is entirely leak-proof. I don’t need to tell you quite how remarkable that is.

What is particularly fascinating about the process is the economics of it. “Before we got involved, cups weren’t being recycled.

Although they technically could be,” Dan explains. “But when we said ‘we can take those cups and process them into a high-value product’, the intrinsic value of that waste goes from £50 a tonne to £1,200 a tonne.”

It was when he discovered that plastic and paper cups can be recycled that he hit on the idea of a durable plastic cup entirely

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SU STA I N

reating a 12 coffee cu ma es the business model wor , he says. bout si a er or lastic cu s go into one 12 r . he value of those dis osable cu s is ence. ut they are going into a high value roduct. nitially, the recycled ellets were being sent to hina, where the cu s were manufactured artly to reduce costs and artly because one of the rst big mar ets for r was ustralia. his year, however, r is closing the circle of the circular economy. he cu s are being made in a factory in t ustell which is diversifying from ma ing s ecialist medical roducts. n a globalised mar et lace, the circular economy buc s the trend. cademics at the eter niversity based entre for ircular conomy have shown that the most e cient way to ma e money within a circular economy is to ee the roduction regional. regional su ort organisation called evi su orts ornish businesses to get involved. he message is sim le collect waste locally, rocess it locally and manufacture new roducts locally. f course, the mar et can be as broad as you li e. an s ashortwal com any sells , cu s a year globally. t 12 a cu , that s big business. e ve got two missions as a com any, says an. t s really uite sim le. ne is to ma e a living. wo is to ma e a difference. he best way to ma e a difference is not ust ado ting the circular economy rinci les, but showcasing them. o romote them to as many eo le as ossible. overnment, industry, consumers and the general ublic. oday, ashortwal em loys 12 eo le, consults for the government and wor s with academics at eter niversity to advocate the circular economy in the south west. he com any has been invited to international conferences

to demonstrate the economic success of a regional circular economy. shortwal is still coming u with new ideas. he latest is a beverage bin. f you drin out of it, says an, it s high value recyclable material. lass, cans, lastic bottles, a er cu s he idea is being trialled on eter niversity cam us, and ornwall ouncil is een to ut them on high streets throughout the county. nd then there s recycled lastic trays for c onalds, and lay e ui ment made from old lastic toys. h, and a durable water bottle made entirely from single use lastic water bottles. he list is endless. hich is a good thing the world needs more solutions and less doom and gloom. s an says thin we re in really e citing times. lthough it s full of negativity, it s actually really ins iring. e re living in a eriod where suddenly we wo e u and actually started to do something. is enthusiasm is al able and infectious s a com any, we re never going to be negative. e won t highlight all the things going wrong. e will only ever tal about solutions and ositivity. veryone ust needs it. rcup.co.uk ashortwalk.com

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Across the Mike Newman

CAUSEWAY

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I C O N

Encircled by a rich history of magic, myth and mystery, St Michael’s Mount’s modern identity is a living, breathing community, castle and garden.

Fast forward through the annals of time to the English Civil War and we meet the t ubyn family for the rst time, who are now in the fourth-generation custodianship of the Mount. Colonel John St Aubyn was a Parliamentarian who, in 1647, was appointed Captain of St Michael’s Mount with a remit to secure the peace in the neighbouring area. Twelve years later he bought the Mount from the Bassett family,

who had been temporarily impoverished by erecting extensive defences on the island for the Royalist cause. His son – also John - was made a baronet, and was the rst of ve successive Sir John St Aubyns.

It wasn’t until Victorian times that the 5th ir ohn su ciently revived family fortunes to build a wing onto the castle, and on his retirement in 1887 he was made Lord St Levan. It was his grandson, the third Lord St Levan, who gave St Michael’s Mount to the National Trust, under a unique arrangement whereby the family have a 999 year lease to live in the castle and a licence to operate the visitor business.

Claire Braithwaite

A

n important landmark for those spiritual seekers, who say its unique energy is thanks to age-old ley lines which course under the sea and cross at its heart, St Michael’s Mount has featured in seafaring tales from as far back as 495AD. From mermaids and apparitions of St Michael to tales of giants and Bronze Age settlers, the Mount has inspired storytellers through the ages. By the time of the Norman conquest in 1066, St Michael’s Mount had come into the possession of the monks of its sister isle, Mont St Michel in Normandy, and in the 12th century it was their hands that built the church and priory that lie at the heart of the castle today.

St Michael’s Mount is unique in that the castle itself is not only the family home of the St Levan’s, but that the island is also a thriving community. Long before the visitors make their way across the cobbled causeway or journey by boat at high tide, the island’s families are beginning daily life. Children ready themselves to make their journey across to the mainland to school, while their parents help to unload goods

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Mike Newman

Claire Braithwaite

Claire Braithwaite

Claire Braithwaite

Claire Braithwaite

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I C O N

The north side of the Mount, with its snaking causeway and picture-perfect harbour is familiar to most but it’s the southern side, away from public gaze, that is perhaps most fascinating. Beyond the castle walls exists a stunning terraced garden, tumbling down towards the sea. You would be forgiven for thinking that this would be too harsh and hostile an environment for plants to survive.

In fact, the granite rock on which the castle stands sentinel acts a giant radiator, absorbing heat by day and releasing it by night. The micro climate it creates nurtures Puya, Agave and Aloe’s that grow out of the very bedrock itself. he blue flower heads of the ga anthus nod in the bree e, flourishing amongst a car et of rosemary, lavender and Coronilla that tumble down the terraces lling the air with their glorious scent.

Mike Newman

onto the quayside, preparing for the day ahead.

The 30 islanders that live and work together on the Mount are a close-knit community who embrace its remote beauty while tackling the challenges that island life can throw at them.

The islanders very much see themselves as stewards of the Mount’s traditions, preserving its past, present and future.

much erosion, open days are restricted, but worthy of noting in order to experience this bold combination of colour and form with many of the Mount’s collection originating from far flung climes such as e ico and South Africa.

A series of walled gardens protect the more vulnerable plants, including the yellow blooms of the Medicago arborea that can be found in the Middle Walled Garden that were plucked and placed into the wedding bouquet of the rst ady t evan its cuttings have been used in family bouquets ever since. The West Terrace is one of the hottest places in the garden, with temperatures reaching up to 35 degrees centigrade.

Earlier this year, the vacancy for the role of St Michael’s Mount’s Head Gardener went viral.

Hopeful candidates applied from across the world, all yearning for a life on the Mount. It went, appropriately, to Darren Little, whose formative years were spent on the island.

Darren spent his childhood roaming the Mount and making most of the available space around him, from water activities to climbing trees. On leaving school, he moved away to further his career in horticulture, working at local gardens and nurseries to gain further e erience and uali cations in horticulture.

In 2000, he was approached by St Michael’s Mount to return as a gardener and to live on the island; the rest, as they say, is history.

Originally designed for domestic enjoyment, the garden attracts nearly 80,000 visitors from April to September. To safeguard the delicate tapestry of paths, terraces and steps from too

Now responsible for managing both the gardens and grounds, Darren and his team carry out a range of skilled horticulture work: “Being Head Gardener on the Mount has

LEFT The Western Terrace

A B OV E Head Gardener, Darren Little

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Claire Braithwaite

I C O N

always been my ultimate goal and to have the honour of loo ing after such an ama ing and original garden is incredible. I enjoy every aspect of the tasks that are required to maintain the gardens but my most favourite has to be the amazing views,” says Darren.

His favourite being “from the eastern pillbox looking up to the castle with the gardens in the foreground. Every time I walk around the island, I always stop and look up through the gardens to the castle. very day is different, whether it be the weather, flowering lants or the cloud formation above the castle.”

Darren explains that St Michael’s Mount’s unique climate comes in part from the mild Gulf Stream that brings warmth to the gardens, making frosts a rarity. They also face the sun throughout the day with the addition of reflected light from the sea hat s how we as gardeners can push our boundaries and grow some incredible plants. It’s amazing that these lush gardens prosper, given the sea conditions in the winter pounding the shores and the salty winds which blow in across the gardens.”

For Darren, life on the island couldn’t be bettered, but he admits: “It does take a little bit of time to get used to. You have to take into account the tides and weather conditions, especially if you are heading out for the day.

During the day it can get very busy, but you know that later at the end of the day you will get the island back to yourself. This is when you can enjoy and make most of it.”

Darren and his team work in all weathers to care for the garden and surrounding landscape. With skills ranging from propagation to pruning, to abseiling down the rockface, the team enhance the garden’s unique atmosphere and beauty. This May will see a unique opportunity for visitors to discover the Mount’s sub-tropical garden for themselves. Darren and his team will be conducting tours around the garden, imparting their unique knowledge and sharing this very special place. stmichaelsmount.co.uk staubynestates.com

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12/02/2020 09:41

D I A LO G U E

Annette MacTavish takes us behind the scenes at the Museum of Cornish Life.

A

heady mix of local love and the prospect of additional summertime visitors makes Cornwall the perfect place to set up the fond showcases of ephemera that are museums. There are 70 of them here in the Duchy – and none is as homely and welcoming as Helston’s Museum of Cornish Life.

When I arrive to chat with Director Annette MacTavish, I’m welcomed at the entrance by one of the hundred-or-so volunteers who love spending time here. I’m asked if I’ve visited before and invited into a remarkable Aladdin’s cave parading the best of yesterday.

I have, of course, visited before (I live just down the road). In fact, I’ve whiled away many an hour here and nd there s always something new to uncover, discover or experience. The eclectic collections include domestic items and machinery, objects from lost Helston buildings li e the re station and the railway station, and stories of forgotten local heroes like Henry Trengrouse who designed a rocket-based apparatus that saved thousands of sailors from shipwrecks. Far from being a musty, dusty space dedicated to chronicling the lives of entitled people with money, this museum is a refreshing journey through the ordinary and everyday lives of typical and not-so-typical Cornish people.

The Museum of Cornish Life has been here and growing ever-better since 1949, and for the past three years it’s been under the stewardship of Director Annette MacTavish. m een to nd out what brought nnette from her wild west Scottish roots all the way down to this Cornish corner — and what keeps her coming back for more every day.

“I was born in Argyll in Scotland, so it’s literally just up the coast and really similar because it’s the west coast,” she says with a delicious Scottish accent and a wry smile. “You just have to keep going up a way!”

Annette studied archaeology at Edinburgh University before moving to London where she started working in museums and completed her postgraduate Museum Studies degree.

A B OV E Museum Director, Annette MacTavish

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D I A LO G U E

new from nishing university that wanted to work in museums because I wanted to work in something where the past wasn’t just stuck in boxes – where there was a relevancy to it,” she says. wor ed in some di cult areas of London and saw what an absolute impact museums could have on a local community – providing opportunities in places where there weren’t a lot. Just having the arts within a community really does ma e a difference.

Knowing the place, I can see that’s an early ethos to which nnette still holds rm, realising it here in Helston by making the space as welcoming and approachable as possible – but more on that later. fter her foray into the world of the ca ital, Annette returned to her roots in Scotland and worked for a range of places including the National Museums of Scotland. “Because my interests are so varied I try and get experience in everything. So I’ve worked with very mixed collections and I’ve done a lot of projects with contemporary artists, dance companies, theatre companies, scientists. I think it’s really good as a person to expand yourself.”

And that’s an approach that has carried Annette through a remarkably eclectic career wor ing with all different sorts of collections, from mining and railways to costumes and contemporary artists. “There’s not much I haven’t worked with so I’m not scared of any type of collection,” she laughs, “and that’s a erfect t for this museum fter her time in cotland, nnette s otted an advert for a role at the new ate t ves that tted perfectly with her background working with contemporary artists and historic collections.

She moved down to Hayle with her husband and two daughters and took on the part-time role at Tate alongside another at Cornwall Museums Partnership – an organisation she’s still very involved with now. “We have more museums in Cornwall than most places in the UK,” she says, “and we’re really lucky because as a group they were really pro-active in thinking about the future landscape of funding and support and what was needed to keep that really vibrant museum community here going. Cornwall Museums Partnership allows smaller museums to operate in the same way that national museums do because we pool our thinking, we pool our resources, we work collaboratively and learn from each other so we can think bigger — and aim a lot higher.”

So what does a typical working day look like for Annette now? That amused smile appears again, accompanied by a glint in the eye that indicates there is no such thing. “In my role you really have to be good at being able to keep in your mind what the end goals are, while keeping on top of all the small and varied things that need to be done within each day. You need to stay uite fle ible and ada table. he goes on to explain that the museum operates on an average of two to four staff at any one time, depending on current projects and funding, and that means it’s all hands to the pump. From simple things like making sure there’s enough tea, coffee and mil for everyone who s coming in to help, to visitor and volunteer safety and

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A B OV E Championing the every day

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D I A LO G U E

comfort, to funding bids and promotion of the museum, it’s a wide-ranging role that she clearly nds invigorating and rewarding.

“We think we’re the best museum in Britain,” Annette tells me, without a hint of irony; I simply have to delve deeper into why. “I think there’s a couple of things. Firstly I think the architecture of places really informs how they feel and the museum was formerly a market building and that gives a generosity and a lovely feel to it. And then secondly within the collection we really embrace the idea of championing the everyday. People come from around the world and they see themselves in the collection. Then I think also we’re not about the grand and the good. It’s domestic and it feels quite homely so I think it extends that feeling of being a place where you can feel like you belong – and I think that’s at the heart of it. And then there’s just lots of really lovely things to look at.” Whilst we’re on lovely things, I want to know if Annette has a favourite item

within the collection here. “One of the things I adore is the circus poster,” she says. “When I look at that poster it reminds me of being little. t reminds us all that at different oints in everyone’s life unusual and fantastic things happen, that everyone has those moments that add sparkle to our lives. I love the vibrant colours and the fact that there was a ballerina called Madame Spanglettie. We all remember those thrilling moments and we all hope that we’re going to have some more! I think it gives you absolute optimism.”

And that absolute optimism absolutely comes across in the way Annette works. It lters through the useum shining from the volunteers I meet and gleaming out from the programme of events. Decisions like creating an honesty café, being generous in sharing the space and keeping the museum free to enter so everyone can enjoy it (including the local teens, who m told often o in after school stem from that ositivity, too. onfession time

A B OV E At the heart of the community

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D I A LO G U E

it’s an enthusiasm that recently also inspired yours truly to get more involved in the museum.

As a writer and storyteller I helped revamp the Helston Heritage Trail in 2018 and, during the process of researching it using the museum’s collection of local books, I became fascinated with the history and stories of this remarkably charming and unsung town. As a result of that, and Annette’s encouragement, I found myself volunteering to join the Citizen Curators programme.

Currently in its second of three years, the programme, supported by Cornwall Museums Partnership and using funding from the Museum Association’s Esmée Fairbairn Collections Fund, provides an educational grounding in museum and curatorial skills. As a participant, I’m being taught new skills as well as being actively encouraged to get handson with historic collections and look at creating and testing new and different in museum and digital experiences.

Amongst other tasks, our cohort have been briefed with coming up with the criteria for selecting art, artefacts and other items for the Cornish National Collection, a selection of around 70 things that will represent Cornish identity and explore the diversity of Cornish society past and present.

Practically, this means I get to spend a lot of time at the museum, delving into the history of objects and uncovering hidden stories. I’ve become one of the many people in the local community who have found direct relevance and support here. Annette is very aware of the importance of that working across the board and wants the museum to be a beacon within the community that welcomes everyone from near and far: “We always try to look for new ways, new themes, new ideas to work with different eo le because sometimes eo le think museums are not for them or they’re not going to nd a relevancy, she says. t s our ob to give eo le different ways in. ou have to be generous with your spaces because if it doesn’t feel li e it s generous why would you come museumofcornishlife.co.uk cornwallmuseumspartnership.org.uk

TOP isitors of all ages can nd relevance in the displays

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TOP Flying to more than 800 emergencies every year

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A B OV E Take on a personal challenge and fundraise for the Cornwall Air Ambulance

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Reach new HEIGHTS C H A R I T Y

Help support Cornwall Air Ambulance by fundraising and participating in exhilarating events this year.

C

ornwall Air Ambulance flies to more than 800 emergencies every year, but to continue its life-saving work, the charity relies on ongoing support through fundraising and donations to continuously maintain and improve the service that it provides.

If you want to help support the Cornwall Air Ambulance and take on a new challenge this year, there are a variety of fundraising events to get involved with. 2020 will see Cornwall Air Ambulance supporters taking on ‘Snowdon by Night’, trekking through the Alps, bungee jumping and sky diving, all to raise funds for the charity.

‘Snowdon by Night’ will involve climbing the mountain in the dark with the moon as your backdrop. Summiting in the dark brings an even deeper sense of achievement to an already recognised charity trek, not to mention that seeing the sunrise across Snowdonia National Park will be a memory you will never forget, with the breathtaking mountain range opening up beneath you.

Or, if you want to experience a more advanced level of hiking, the 2020 Alps Trek will pass through the Mont Blanc region of the Alps, covering a distance of 46km over five days.

Allowing you to walk across three countries in three days – France, Italy and Switzerland

– this promises to be test of your endurance, alongside spectacular mountain views and beautiful glacier waterfalls.

If you want to experience an adrenaline rush that will make you feel more alive than ever, there’s also the option to fundraise for a 120ft bungee jump. Located on Cornwall’s north coast, the jump is situated at Porth Beach Caravan Park in Newquay, with jumps taking place on 4th and 5th July.

Alternatively, if a 120ft drop isn’t enough, maybe a 10,000ft skydive from a plane will be more your style? The Cornish Parachute Club is located in Perranporth and introduces people to the thrills of skydiving over Cornwall’s stunning coastline.

From running to cycling, skydiving to trekking, there is a challenge out there for you.

However, if you have your own challenge in mind – whether it’s walking the entire South West Coast Path or scuba diving with sharks to confront your biggest fear – simply get in touch with the fundraising team and they will provide you with the tools and support you need to make it happen. In short, you can contribute towards Cornwall Air Ambulance’s mission to save more time and more lives in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, whilst at the same time conquering your own personal challenge. cornwallairambulancetrust.org

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C O M M E N T

Eventide

BY AMY BREACH

T

here’s no doubt that last year’s olitical uncertainty has had an effect on many of Cornwall’s businesses, but luckily here at Callestick we only import a small quantity of raw materials from Europe so we have been able to minimise the im act. n the fli side, the historical wea ness of the pound saw more people holidaying in Cornwall than ever before, making last summer a very successful one for us. In fact 2019, our 30th anniversary year, was our best business year to date!

Not only did we achieve a 24.8% increase in turnover, we also secured a ma or ve year export contract to China, agreed a collaboration with celebrity culinary entrepreneur Levi Roots, launched a new ice cream in artnershi with the aint iran ro cycling team, and won a raft of awards. These included prestigious product accolades in the Great Taste, Great British Food, Chef ’s Choice and Taste of the West awards and being named ‘Family Business of the Year’ in the Western Morning News Business Awards.

Owners Angela and Sebastian Parker started ma ing ice cream on the farm in 1 as a way of counteracting the negative commercial effects brought about by the introduction of milk quotas. Thirty years later, the Callestick brand has established a reputation that has seen a continual and signi cant growth in its market share. As part of our expansion plans,

highly e erienced ales irector, avid effs, oined the com any board as its rst non family member in 2018. In 2020, we are looking to expand our Callestick brand to more customers, creating more flavours and develo ing roduct in the dairy free/vegan market. We are looking to e and our co ac roduction which has been really successful in the latter part of 2019, with 2020 looking really positive.

Our provenance, our foresight in new product and flavour develo ment, fle ibility and long term sustainable partnerships have helped us to keep ahead of the game. We also like to keep things as local as possible, our sorbet is created using water from our farm’s own natural spring and we source ingredients from local suppliers, sea salt from the Cornish Sea Salt Co. and clotted cream from Roddas. And we only use milk from our own herd of grass fed cows that graze on our farm here in the heart of Cornwall.

As we always say, we have 400 employees at Callestick, 380 of them with four legs and the key to our success! Our herd’s welfare and happiness is paramount to us and this translates into award winning roducts. he combination of this, the way our team approach life with a wor hard, can do attitude, and the fact that we are proactive rather than reactive, has helped to build the Callestick brand year on year. callestickfarm.co.uk

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