Preview: MyCornwall April/May •

In light of recent circumstances, we've decided to release our April/May issue of myCornwall for free online, for the very first time!

As daily announcements were released whilst this issue went to print, some of what you may read will have undoubtedly changed since then. This may be that events have been postponed or rescheduled, cafes, restaurants, bars and attraction sites may have changed opening hours or have temporarily shut their doors and exhibitions and galleries will also be altering their opening times or rescheduling events. It’s an uncertain and difficult time for many of us small businesses, but despite the hardship we’re faced with, there has also been an incredible amount of support and versatility shown by so many of Cornwall’s creative communities over the past week alone.

So, with that being said, there is still an abundance of Cornish goodness to discover in this issue and enjoy. Plenty to plan for, plenty to explore for yourself online and still plenty of businesses who are open in one way or another. Now is the time to support locality more than ever, whether it’s a small purchase or a social media shout out, and in this issue of myCornwall you will find hundreds of talented makers, artists, small business owners, designers, chefs and more.

Plan a warm summer’s afternoon exploring the grand gardens of Cornwall and delve into the rich history of Porthcurno’s Telegraph Museum as it celebrates its 150th anniversary. Read all about the brave ‘knights of the sky’ who work with Cornwall Air Ambulance to save thousands of lives every year and meet Cornwall’s pioneering chocolate creators, one of a select handful of real chocolate makers in the country, to discover why Chocolarder needs to be your go to sweet treat from now on.

Together, we can get through this. As well as our stylish magazines as guides, you’ll be able to find masses of cheerful Cornish content on our website online, with stories and updates from local businesses who are adapting to still offer you delicious food, art, drink and more. Champion what’s close to you, admire the blossoming of spring and relish in every ounce of warm weather that passes across our wild and windy county. Keep safe, keep healthy and we’ll come out of this stronger than ever.

Below, you can check out what we've got going on in this bright and feel-good issue!

30 Years of Heligan

On Sunday 16th February the The Lost Gardens of Heligan marked the 30th anniversary since Tim Smit and John Willis first pushed open the creaky door to the then bramble covered Flower Garden.

What followed is a restoration project that captivated the hearts of garden lovers, celebrated the lives of the working men and women of the Heligan Estate and became pioneering in the horticultural world.

Throughout the last three decades, Heligan has continued an organic evolution by preserving traditional gardening and farming methods, whilst combining them with modern techniques to transform the 200-acre estate back to good heart. Native and rare breed livestock has been returned to Heligan’s pasture, inviting visitors to connect further to our cherished countryside, whilst being able to make the links between sustainable quality food production and the journey from soil to plate.

To celebrate their landmark anniversary, Heligan is offering a series of unique events throughout the year, designed to bring a community together to celebrate, contemplate and appreciate everything The Lost Gardens have achieved over the past 30 years and anticipate for the future.

To mark each season, there will also be four exclusive tours of The Lost Gardens with Tim Smit himself guiding the tours. Hear about the tales and secrets of the restoration in the most authentic way possible.

The story of continued restoration has respectively inspired Heligan’s whole narrative for the year. An increasing body of scientific evidence supporting the idea that immersing yourself in nature improves mental and physical wellbeing has lent itself perfectly to Heligan’s principles for the year. In 2020, Heligan looks to restore the public’s connection to the natural world and embark on restoring human health through the power of nature.

Driven by the beauty the different seasons offer, Heligan are working alongside Dr Lucy Loveday to provide seasonal wellbeing walks. Each walk will be full of sensory and interactive moments, encouraging you to smell, listen and feel as you explore the Gardens.

The whole balance of the natural world is considered and protected as Heligan strives to create not only a quality and fun visitor experience, but also a meaningful and uplifting one, that reconnects us to our food, horticulture and nature. As Heligan continues to thrive in its restoration, this year, they encourage you to explore a sense of restoration in your own lives and rediscover a love of the outdoors and the benefits it can bring to your life.

Dreamy Designs

No stranger to the need for individuality, Wendron Stoves have an exciting range that allows customers to really put their own stamp on their own stove. Featured in this issue’s Design Hub is Wendron’s range of Hase stoves, an effortless balance of form and function that allows for originality and customisation. Creating atmosphere, complementing architectural designs and acting as a central focus point of a room has resulted in wood burning stoves advancing into the realms of contemporary style as well as flexible efficiency.

The New Generation of Cornwall Air Ambulance

Living in a beautiful rural region such as Cornwall is a blessing but it also comes with its own unique challenges, especially for our emergency services. Our topography and geography can mean that if the worst should happen getting help can be a struggle. Elizabeth Dale takes a look back at the history of the Cornwall Air Ambulance and the exciting new developments taking to the Cornish skies.

Cornwall Air Ambulance has truly become an indispensable service and a reassuring presence in the skies above Cornwall since it was first introduced in 1987. Our narrow roads, isolated communities and far-flung beaches, not to mention those summertime traffic jams, can mean that getting a casualty the medical support they need by road can be a challenge.

For the past 33 years Cornwall has been lucky to have our own air ambulance which has flown an amazing 28,000 missions across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, 1,144 in 2019 alone, saving countless lives. When every moment counts, this vital service can shave critical minutes off the journey times to hospitals across the region. Amazingly the helicopters can reach the accident scene on mainland Cornwall in an average of just 12 minutes. Saving time literally means saving lives.

From road traffic accidents to trauma injuries and inter-hospital transfers, the helicopter and its team are there 365 days of the year.

Gardens and Grandeur

Whether you want to wander through rose bushes like Mary Lennox or soak in historical grounds like Elizabeth Bennet, Cornwall caters to every fancy when it comes to gardens. The diverse terrain, everchanging weather and renowned micro-climates give Cornwall a variety of sub-tropical jungles and glorious curated estates that allow all manner of flora and fauna to flourish. Here, we explore some of the very best and most enchanting…

Art, Craft and Creative Communities

This issue's Artist Profile: Roger Curtis

When it comes to capturing Cornish spirit, Roger Curtis has a knack for bringing the vibrancy of west Cornwall’s land and seascapes to life on canvas.

“Above all it is the light that inspires me,” explains Roger, “surrounded as we are by the Atlantic, it often acts as a mirror, reflecting light up into the salt laden atmosphere. It is both intense yet soft and enveloping, I love it.”

Now in his seventies, Roger is still just as fascinated by the magic of painting,

“Here I am, 70 odd years later, still captivated and spending hours happily making marks with a paint brush!

Cornish Chocolate with a Conscience

That’s the phrase that seems to stick when it comes to talking about Falmouth based chocolate makers, Chocolarder. The award winning small batch bean-to-bar artisan maker is the creation of Mike Longman, who launched the brand in 2012, and loves nothing more than to take today’s foodie norms and turn them completely upside down. Here, myCornwall meets Mike and steps into one of the country’s most innovative and feel-good chocolate factories to discover what makes Chocolarder so special.

Discover the beauty of real Cornwall at www.issue.com/mycornwall/docs/mc59lr

Finally, a big thank you to the talented Matt Johnson, designer at Seasalt Clothing, for letting us use this gorgeous illustration for our front cover.

Gans Kerensa (With Love), the MyCornwall Team.