Plus: Council parking, Luncheon club update, PEAT update, Book Club, u3A events and more. Front cover: The Hawkins Arms on Halloween by Jon Hibberd.
Submission deadlines for articles, adverts, alterations and other items for the magazine is the 10th of every month.
Publication dates
February 2025 Friday 24th January 2025
March Friday 28th February
April Friday 4th April
May Friday 2nd May
June Friday 30th May
July Friday 27th June
Available online: www.issuu.com/ probusnews/
Probus News is a non-profit making, independent voluntary organisation. Your donations are always welcome.
Public notice
The inclusion of any article or advertisement in this magazine does not constitute any form of accreditation by the Editor or management committee. They are unable to vouch for the professional qualifications, etc, of any advertiser. It is the advertiser’s responsibility to ensure conformity with the Trades Descriptions Act 1975, Business Advertisements Disclosure Order 1977 and the Consumer Credit Act 1974. Readers must satisfy themselves that an advertiser meets all their necessary requirements. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of their authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Editor or management committee. Our privacy and safeguarding policies are available on request to the Secretary.
By email: editorprobusnews@gmail.com
By hand: Articles for Probus News can be left at Trudgian Farm Shop in Probus Square. Management Team
EDITOR: John Denyer 07824 555519 editorprobusnews@gmail.com
DELIVERY MANAGER: Tim Joyce 01726 884574 timstravels01@hotmail.com
EDITORIAL: David Meggs 07850 945626 minesaredwine@hotmail.com Sarah Hoggett 07931 502 939 sarah.hoggett@btopenworld.com
PHOTOGRAPHER: Jon Hibberd 07931 502921 jonyhibs58@gmail.com
SOCIAL MEDIA: Vanessa McGill
PROOFREADERS: Marilyn Joyce, Tania Williams and Teresa Hayhoe
Community News
Cornwall Councillor Update
Waste collections
ASyou may be aware there are due to be changes to waste collections, which have come to a small part of the village already but will be finalised over the next couple of months. I am happy to take any questions so please do call me if you want to know more.
Also there will be changes to the Christmas collections this year and the dates are listed below:
The scheme manager has replied to say:
“I’m keen to have before and after speed data shared for all new 20mphs, to hopefully demonstrate it’s working. I’ve just asked for Probus to come through a little quicker, so I’ll have a look through and will share with you.”
I will, of course, share this as soon as available but if you have any concerns please do let me know.
Pension Credit
Many people eligible for Pension Credit do not claim. As we enter the winter months with bills higher than normal it is really important to claim. If you are unsure whether you, or a family member is eligible I would be happy to check for you so please do not hesitate to call me anytime.
20mph scheme
I have asked Cornwall Council to review concerns of residents regarding the 20mph and that this may have increased speeds in some areas and its overall effectiveness in keeping speed down.
As ever, if there is anything I can do to help, please do let me know.
Cllr Karen Glasson
under 18s to take on Northern Ireland in the new Truro stadium.
Truro City Football Club will host a thrilling Schools’ Association Football International Board Centenary Shield fixture between England Under-18 schoolboys and Northern Ireland on Friday 14th March 2025. The match kicks off at 7:30 pm. Tickets: https://trurocity.wax.events/ Credit: www.cornishstuff.com
Community News
PROBUS PARISH COUNCIL (OFF STREET PARKING PLACES) ORDER 2024
Notice is hereby given that Probus Parish Council proposes to make the above Order under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, in accordance with Schedule 9 of the Act.
This Notice is intended to provide an indication of the order’s provisions, as outlined below. A copy of the draft order may be inspected by prior appointment. Please call 07749 626021 to arrange an appointment.
The Probus Parish Council (Off Street Parking Places) Order 2024 will introduce conditions of use including operational hours, tariffs and the structure for permits in the following car parks: Village Hall car park, car park by the MUGA, located off Tregony Road, including reserved spaces for Probus Surgery.
Representations to the proposed Order should be in writing and received by 25th January 2025 addressed to: The Parish Clerk, at Probus Parish Council, Lee Ho, Ashdown Close, Sticker, PL26 7EU or by email: clerk@probusparishcouncil.gov.uk
Key:
A - Annual residents permit holders
B - Reserved spaces for Probus Surgery C1, C2, C3 - Free parking
Christmas activities for children aged 5 to 16.
take place across Cornwall during the Christmas holidays and they're FREE to children who are eligible for free school meals.
News Magazine is seeking someone to join our small friendly editorial team and help with some of the technical aspects of the magazine production.
We use Adobe software, primarily InDesign to lay out the magazine as well as Photoshop to make all images used ready for print, and we need another person to support this area. You’ll need reasonable IT literacy and a good eye for detail, and we would welcome you to join the team and learn on the job.
We’ll provide close support and encouragement as well as the software licences and also sponsor you to join the 10-week Digital Arts course at Truro College. In return, we’d just ask for a commitment of a few volunteer hours a month helping to produce the magazine.
Do you have a problem?
Why not contact one of your local parish councillors for advice?
Interested? Call John on 07824 555519. The next courses start on 14th January, and 29th April.
Luncheon club
Fortnightly on Wednesdays commencing 5 February 12 - 2pm
Come and join us
We invite you to come and enjoy a home-cooked meal with us, in a welcoming space with like-minded people.
Contact Tracy on 07720 680 989 for more information
Chris Dutton Carne View Road 07969 451207 chrisdutton@probusparishcouncil.gov.uk
James Faull Tresowgar Cottage 07494 756249 jamesfaull@probusparishcouncil.gov.uk
Nick Gillard (chair) Fore Street 01726 883926 nicholasgillard@probusparishcouncil.gov.uk
Ross Goldworthy Gwell an Nans 07967 125526 rossgoldsworthy@probusparishcouncil.gov.uk
Ivan Myles Kew Wav 07815 944752 ivanmyles@probusparishcouncil.gov.uk
Ian Peters Carne View Road 07825 889067 ianpeters@probusparishcouncil.gov.uk
There are currently four parish councillor vacancies. Please contact the clerk or any of the above for details.
If you are not able to contact a particular councillor, then contact the Parish Council Clerk Maria Roper 07749 626021 clerk@probusparishcouncil.gov.uk - Cornwall Councillor Karen Glasson can also be contacted on 07980 975527 or cllr.karen.glasson@cornwall.gov.uk.
Probus Village Hall, Amelia Close, Probus, Truro TR2 4NB
MHA Communities Cornwall
of Probus clubs, societies, organisations and some
Acoustics Night (Comrades Club)
Badminton Club
Bees (swarms/issues/questions)
Bookworms
Bowling Club
Breakfast Club
Church Bell Ringers
Churchwarden
Comrades Club
Cornwall Councillor
Cycling – Probus Pedallers
Football - Saturday Club
Probus Youth FC - Juniors
Probus FC - Seniors (First Team)
Friends of Probus Church
Grampound Road Cricket Club
Hawkins Arms
Tim Joyce 07412 126774 timstravels01@hotmail.com
Nicky Plant 07771 726118
Tony Paddock 07486 295414
Gaynor O’Kane okanegaynor@gmail.com
David Meggs 07850 945626
John Denyer 07824 555519
Liza Deards 07888 684425
Please send updates to editorprobusnews@gmail.com
Steve Dalton 07813 995206 churchwarden@probus.church
Terry Neil 01872 530196 u3aroselandanddistrict.weebly.com
Village Hall Letting Secretary 07749 368162 lettings@probusvillagehall.co.uk
Walking Group - Wednesdays
Young Farmers
- Fridays
Peter Clarke 01726 884177
Teresa Hayhoe or Kaye Ludlow 07720 393754 or 07968 722430
Joey Wagstaff 07443 514854
Other village pages: Probus Cornwall, Probus Super Mums!, Probus News Magazine, Probus Fun Week
Probus Play Area
Vandalism and anti-social behaviours
PROBUS Parish Council recently invested in renewing and adding the protective ground surfacing to the roundabout in the play area. The surface had worn and was made larger to enhance safety for young children playing in the park. The new surface was carefully chosen to provide a safe and durable play environment, ensuring that children can enjoy the playground with added protection against falls and injuries. The work was completed and fenced off on 11th Oct to allow the surface to set.
Sadly, we have asked Probus News to include in this issue our report of an incident of vandalism on the newly installed rubber mulch surface.
Probus Parish Council discovered that on 12th October the new surface had been damaged overnight.
A review of the Play Area CCTV footage showed it had captured a group of seven youths – six young males and one female – in the area of the newly laid surface.
Having removed the area’s protective fencing, one individual, illuminated by the torch from a mobile phone, and wearing a light-coloured hoodie with a distinct logo on the front, and a set of headphones around the neck, was recorded using one of the metal stakes to dig into the new rubber surface, causing significant damage. Two others from the group were on the newly laid surface whilst the rest looked on at the attempt to dig out parts of the rubber material.
This incident, an offence of criminal damage, was reported to the police, and the CCTV images have been handed
over for investigation. Criminal damage is a triable offence and offenders can be, with clear evidence (e.g. CCTV footage), convicted without having to attend court. Fines range from £200 to £2,500 and beyond, in addition to, a custodial sentence.
The senseless actions of a few individuals have compromised this valuable community resource, undermining efforts to make our public spaces safe and enjoyable for everyone. The necessary repairs have been costed at £600.
Further reports have been made of antisocial behaviour by young people in the community. Incidents which took place on and around the playing field & Play Area at the end of October and early November were reported and the police attended on site to investigate. CCTV footage from 31st October recorded a large group of approximately 20 youths in the play area until 11:45 pm.
Evidence of alcohol consumption in the playing field area was clear to be seen and evidenced by two black bags full of empty cans and bottles that were strewn around and left to be cleared up by the dedicated volunteers that look after these facilities.
The play area is expected to be vacated from 21:30 and the signs clearly state that it is a facility intended for young people up to the age of 14yrs. Along with the playing field it is clearly signed as a ‘no alcohol’ area. This is a public spaces protection order (PSPO) and enforceable by law. The penalty fine for breaching this regulation is up to £1000. Access to these areas cannot be physically restricted but it can and is being monitored for inappropriate use, anti-social behaviour.
The members of community groups and Probus Parish Council volunteer their time and work diligently to look after local facilities, often with little or no
resources to hand. They put time, effort and considerable thought into projects that can enhance the community’s environment and safety. Additional measures to monitor and prevent future incidents of this kind will need to be considered.
We thank the community for its continued support and encourage everyone to look out for our shared spaces and to report any incidents of ant-social behaviour to the police using the following link https://www.devoncornwall.police.uk/ro/report/asb/ asb-v3/report-antisocial-behaviour/
Reports can also be made to Cornwall Council https://www.cornwall.gov. uk/fire-and-rescue-service/keepingsafe/community-safety/anti-socialbehaviour-and-nuisance/report-antisocial-behaviour/
Please also let the parish council know of any anti-social behaviours at the play area and/or playing field: report incidents to the Parish Clerk on 07749626021 or email: clerk@ probusparishcouncil.gov.uk
Church update
Do not be afraid! I bring you good news!
ANGELS
are fearsome beings, we like to pretty them up and make them look more presentable, but they have a nasty habit of surprising the unsuspecting person and then delivering hard news! It takes a bit of time to work out whether or not it is good!
It is easy to categorise the birth of God’s son as a children’s story, or a fairytale, however, the birth of Jesus was just as real as both yours and my birth. The census of those times has not withstood the test of time, however there are documented records that talk about “Jesus called the Messiah” and the incredible things that he taught and did. He was a real and live person, just as we each are.
The story of Jesus’s birth has been romanticised, we conveniently ‘forget’ the gruesome and jealous acts of Herod the then King. We forget the hardship of walking great distances when heavily pregnant, the stress of finding nowhere to sleep, the worry about finances and being out of work -these are all very real difficulties that were experienced by Jesus’ family and by us today. We know about stress and travelling to our families for Christmas, the stress of making sure everything is ready. Jesus’s family would have experienced the same stress, but their family did not have room to put them up, and so they found themselves with no place to stay.
Different parts of the Christmas story will resonate with different people and possibly at different stages of life as well. As we contemplate the true meaning of Christmas, let us consider those who are around us and seek to be good news to them helping to ease a little bit of stress and worry that they carry. Please do pop into your local church or attend one of the services. We will be pleased to see you, we will make you welcome, and if we can ease some of your worry, even if just for a short time, we will try.
Friday 13th December 7 pm Lanner Silver Band Concert
Friday 10th January 7:30 pm Will Keating (Winter Tour)
Come and sing Messiah!
STAustell Choral Society is delighted to be bringing Handel’s Messiah to the lovely St John’s Methodist Church in St Austell on Saturday 19th May 2025 and would love to more keen singers to join us for this special event.
We are therefore holding an open rehearsal on Friday 10th January 7:30 pm at Mount Charles Methodist Church, and invite you to come along and join in – no commitment, just a chance to see if you would enjoy singing with us.
We would particularly welcome tenors and basses, as our men feel a little outnumbered at the moment, but all voices are welcome. The ability to read music helps but is not vital, as long as you are prepared to put in the practice. After all, nothing sounds better in the shower than a good Hallelujah!
Why not have a look at our website www.staustellchoralsociety.co.uk and get in touch using the contacts page?
Robin McCarthy
Cash draw 2024
THANKyou to everyone who bought Probus News Cash Draw tickets or gave a donation to our funds – and a special thank you to Probus School Filling Station, the Spar shop and Trudgian Farm Shop for collecting counterfoils and money.
This year’s draw was made at Probus Comrades Club on Friday 6th December. Janice Lee picked the winning tickets that belong to:
2997 £400 Ginnie Cluett
1185 £200 Beryl Packer
6179 £100 Clive Butler
5771 £50 John Warton
4830 £25 Mark Phillips
4668 £25 Donna Morgan
This year, after deducting the prize money, licence, ticket and envelope printing costs, we raised over £1,200, which all goes towards the running costs of the magazine (around £1,280 for each 52-page edition).
This income helps ensure that we can continue to deliver a magazine to all households in the village, free of charge, eleven months of the year, and also leave further copies in the shops, church, club and pub for others from outside of the village boundary.
Congratulations to the winners and, once again, many thanks to everyone who helped, in whatever capacity, and to all our advertisers who support us throughout the year.
If you missed our cash draw, donations to the magazine will be gratefully received and may be passed to me, or given to any committee member.
Eddie Bokas, Treasurer and Draw Promoter
Probus Reading Group
By Liz Horder
LOVE
and Summer by William Trevor was our book for last month. Quite a short story but so well written. It is a book in which nothing very dramatic happens - a very touching story of an orphan girl, Ellie, bought up by nuns in Ireland and
as she gets too old for them to keep her, they are approached by sisters of farmer Dillahan, who is a widower, and requires someone to take care of him and help him run the farm. She is taken to Dillahan on the farm, where after a time he marries her. She then leads a contented life until she meets Florian Kilderry who leads her on. You sympathise with Ellie as she has had no real experience of life, no teenage
romances and no feelings like these she has for Florian.
Dillahan also has his problematic history along with other characters in the book. The writing is so good that we feel we knew the various characters in the village without lengthy descriptions. As one of our members said ‘It is as though he has stripped all his words back to the bare minimum’.
A few thought the book boring and one thought it sad.
Most of us agreed that it is a book that should be read slowly and enjoyed at a leisurely pace, so as not to miss the snippets of very important information that run through the book and could be easily glossed over.
Probus Young Farmers fireworks
CONGRATULATIONS
to Probus Young Farmers for putting on another wonderful bonfire and firework display on Saturday 2nd November. Image by Jon Hibberd.
PEAT – 2024 churchyard team update
THEyear started off badly for us; the mild and wet winter had allowed a large number of slugs to survive which led to many of the daffodil flowers being eaten before they could open. The team had planted several sacks of bulbs in the autumn and this was disappointing for them. However we have seen hedgehogs in the church grounds and hopefully these will reduce the number of slugs there.
The trees that border Wagg Lane have grown very tall since they were last cut about eight years ago. Leaving them to continue growing would have increased the shade over the church grounds and their height would potentially cause a risk to those using the road. We obtained planning permission from Cornwall Council to have the trees reduced to hedge height but this was granted too late for us to have the work done before they would have started growing again in the spring. The pollarding will now be done over the winter period and is being funded by the PEAT group themselves.
Each time the grass is cut, funded by Cornwall Council, the team rake it into piles to allow it to compost down. When this has happened an area underneath the heap becomes grass and weed-free which enables us to sow wildflower seeds there. We are gradually increasing these areas to create zones of flowers which we expect will then naturally seed the surrounding area. We are very grateful for the donations of seeds and plants which are used in these areas.
The parish council kindly paid for the gravel which has now been spread over the pathways by our volunteers and
which will reduce the risk of people slipping in muddy areas after rain.
The team, and the parochial church council, were hoping that sufficient funds would be available to renovate the dilapidated sexton's hut this year which continues to be an eyesore. The church council has worked hard to secure funds and we have high hopes that the renovation will be done before the middle of next year.
The PEAT team is independent of the church but work very closely with them and have their full support. To ensure compliance with the church's safeguarding rules, the PEAT team leaders have undergone DBS checks and appropriate training to ensure a safe environment for all our volunteers.
The PEAT team wish to thank everyone who has supported them with financial donations which enable the work to continue, and wish all Probus residents a very happy Christmas and New Year.
Above: Some of the PEAT team back in August this year.
The year in photos
By the Probus News editorial team
AS2024 draws to a close, here’s a quick look back at some of the highlights of the year.
JANUARY
The year began quite literally with a bang, with a fine display of fireworks at the Hawkins Arms.
FEBRUARY
Probus Parish Players (PPP) staged five sell-out performances of the pantomime, The Little Mermaid. With a massive cast of 53 (plus the many unsung heroes working backstage), the show was a spectacular extravaganza with an excellent song list, terrific dance routines, and truly amazing costumes. Rehearsals are already well under way for next year’s pantomime, Rapunzel, which will be the first opportunity for many people to experience the new lighting and sound systems in action.
MARCH
One of several events held to raise money to support young Bonnie and her family in her recovery from an aggressive cancer, Caz’s Diner raised more than £10,000 with drag act ‘The House of Damnation CIC’ providing plenty of glamour and sass.
MAY
The 20 mph scheme and traffic calming measures began. It’s probably fair to say the jury is still out on how successful or popular they’ve been.
Probus Youth FC went international! Two coachloads of young players from across Cornwall took part in a 3-day international tournament in Bad Bentheim, Germany. Three of the squad (Sam, Gerran and Riley) were selected from Probus Youth FC, along with Holly, who plays for St Agnes and St Blazey but trains with Probus Youth FC.
Also in May, local youngster Maisy took part in the Tournoi Internationale de Football, Dirinon, in Brittany.
The Aurora Borealis, or Northern Lights, were seen over Probus in May and again in October (shown overleaf).
JUNE
June was a busy month! Various events were held in the village to commemorate the 80th anniversary of D-Day, including the lighting of the beacon.
The Village Hall committee received the news that they had been successful in obtaining grand funding for £125,000 worth of improvements to the hall. The work, which began in August, is now almost complete (see page 28).
The annual Ale Festival in the Comrades Club was as popular as ever.
JULY
The red carpet was rolled out as Y11 leavers from The Roseland Academy gathered to attend their prom. Even the appalling weather did nothing to dampen spirits.
AUGUST
Probus Fun Week, revived in 2023 after a gap of many years, featured a wide range of events, including the openingnight ceilidh, a quiz night, adults’ and children’s ‘It’s a Knockout’ competitions, and a Probus Got Talent competition. It ended with the carnival procession, which featured 20 floats and perhaps 150 participants, with hundreds of villagers lining the route to cheer everyone on.
Following generous funding from Probus Parish Council, the churchyard restoration team gravelled the main path at the south entrance to the church.
OCTOBER
There were some spooky sightings around the village at the end of the month, particularly on Fore Street.
The Northern Lights made another appearance in the night skies.
NOVEMBER
Many villagers turned out for the annual Remembrance Day commemorations (see page 36–37).
And that’s about it for another year, folks! Please get in touch with any feature ideas or events you’d like us to cover in 2025. Thanks for reading –and on behalf of all the editorial and management team of Probus News, have a very merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Probus Village Hall
By Sarah Hoggett; photos by Jon Hibberd
AFTERseveral months of hard work by a whole host of volunteers and specialist tradespeople, the village hall refurbishments are nearing completion.
The kitchen, which had been looking rather the worse for wear, has now been brought well and truly into the 21st century. The old cupboards have been replaced and taller wall cupboards put up to provide additional storage, all with thicker-than-normal carcasses and doors to make them more robust. The walls have been re-tiled and, to comply with current hygiene regulations, the hand washing sink has been moved well away from the food preparation areas. The cooker and dishwasher have been deep cleaned and serviced and should continue to provide service for years to come. Brand new stone surfaces that are both easy to clean and highly durable have been fitted throughout.
Behind the scenes, work is being done to reconfigure and maximize storage space, so that groups that use the hall on a regular basis have better facilities to store tools and equipment. The backstage area now opens directly onto the new ramp at the back of the hall, so in the event of an emergency this area can be evacuated quickly and safely, rather than people having to exit via the narrow steps at the front of the
stage. A video and sound link has also been installed in the backstage area, so performers can see and hear when to make their entrance.
In addition to the improvements covered in last month’s Probus News, the electrics in both the hall and stage area have had a major re-vamp –although they’re largely hidden from view, with cables for video and lighting tucked away above the new suspended ceiling in the hall. A new steel grid supporting the lighting bars and curtain tracks has been installed above the stage, replacing the structure that had been there for several years, and a new mains distribution board now controls the stage lighting. So next February’s pantomime (indeed, any concerts or theatrical events in the hall) will benefit from state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems that would be the envy of some professional venues!
The Village Hall committee is planning to hold an open evening on Friday 17th January so that anyone who’s interested can come along and see the improvements for themselves.
Your Village Hall needs you!
WE’RE still looking for more committee members to help spread the workload of running and maintaining the hall, as well as volunteers to help out on an ad hoc basis with things like decorating and general maintenance. If you’d like to find out more, please email chairman@probusvillagehall.co.uk.
Representatives of groups and societies that use the hall on a regular basis are reminded about the regular meetings (once every two months) to which they’re all invited, where they can find out about what’s planned for the hall and raise any issues that they feel need to be addressed.
Cornwall Housekeeping & Support Solu4ons Ltd
Providing a comprehensive range of domes2c, respite and support services for those seeking assistance with certain aspects of daily life.
Allowing families to be families whilst we take care of the rest!
www.ch-ss.co.uk / info@ch-ss.co.uk 07538511558
Coming from a range of backgrounds we are commi=ed to offering the best support possible to those who ask for help in our community.
All our experienced team are DBS checked, fully insured and have completed relevant training to ensure the highest quality standards.
Open Wednesday to Sunday 5 - 9 pm
(last orders by 9pm)
To make a table reservation please call 01726 883269
Fore Street, Probus, TR2 4JL 01726 883269
Remembrance Sunday in Probus
By Ryan Davies; photos by Jon Hibberd
ONthe morning of Sunday 10th November, a small crowd gathered at the WW1 memorial on Fore Street to commemorate and honour the sacrifices made by so many in conflicts past and present. This year, our theme was courage – both physical and moral. Tim Joyce read Kipling’s poem For All We Have and Are, and Karen Glasson read an account by Pat Beauchamp, a driver in the First Aid Nursing Yeomanry, of the work undertaken in the trenches. Nicola Hughes and Roman Drzymala then told the story of how Thomas Rendle became the DCLI’s only Victoria
Cross recipient of the First World War, and Susie Calvert read out an account of Sgt Ben Wallis and the British 1st Division’s story of moral courage during an attack at Anzio in January 1944.
Nick Gillard laid a wreath on behalf of Probus Parish Council before lighting the Lamplight of Peace, which was
passed to Roman and hung up by Cadan. We then played Isaac Salaman’s recording of Let There Be Morning. The event concluded with Cadan reading the Kohima Epitaph.
Most of the attendees then went on to the memorial outside the church where Rev. Linda Whetter began the service of commemoration by reading from the Psalms. Dave Juleff then read out a list of Probus soldiers who had died in the First and Second World Wars and the Korean War. At 11 am, Peter Keam played the Last Post to mark the start of the two-minute silence. This was followed by wreath laying by representatives of Probus Parish Council and other village groups. The minister and congregation then returned to the church, where the service continued.
Thanks to everyone who attended and all those who contributed, including Neil Glasson and Nicola Hughes for providing PA systems and Nick Gillard for organising the lamplight for us.
Roseland and District u3a
Events during December
WEhave moved the Scrabble and French conversation groups to a new venue at Roseland Parc. They have agreed to let us use the Pavilion which is within the parkland and those groups will now meet twice a month starting fully in the New Year.
French Conversation: Tuesday 3rd and 17th December 2 pm–4 pm at Roseland Parc Pavilion
Patchwork and Craft Group: Friday 6th December 9:30 am–noon at Probus Village Hall (PVH).
Local History Group: Tuesday 10th December 10:15 am–noon at Tregony Church Hall The Historic Boundary of Cornwall.
Scrabble: Tuesday 10th December 2 pm–4 pm at Roseland Parc Pavilion.
Classic Film: Thursday 12th Dec 10 am–noon at PVH. The Great Game (1953)
Book Club: Wednesday 18th December 2 pm–4 pm Roseland Parc.
For more information about the Roseland u3a visit: u3aroselandanddistrict.weebly. com
Over 60s Lunch Club
WEare happy to report that MHA Communities Cornwall have agreed to take over the luncheon club from early February. We would like to thank all our regular members for their support and regret having to call time, but are delighted that someone else is able to take it over.
Zena and Janet
John Laurie and Diana Dors (above) star along with James Hayter and Thora Hird in the 1953 classic comedy The Great Game.
Above: Some of the hard working luncheon club volunteers preparing dessert in 2017.
More stick insects
THANKS to Penny Rowe and Mike Cluett who sent in these images of stick insects in their gardens in Hicks Close. Mike’s image (bottom) was taken on 28th September and the insect was at least 4 inches (10 cm) long.
Suzy Monty emailed to say that stick insects have been kept as pets since the time of the Han dynasty. They were kept inside birdcages and people in the Far East believe they bring good luck and fortune, just like crickets. Thanks to Dr Sally Luker from The Budding Nature
Team (www.buddingnature.co.uk) who kindly allowed us to reproduce her image of a stick insect Acanthoxyla inermis seen in a hedge in Luxulyan last year, while they were delivering a workshop on ferns.
Demonstration
Gardens
JOHNHickman emailed to say ‘Having just read the interesting article on stick insects [PN:November], I thought you might like some information about the County Demonstration Garden. The gardens were opened in 1971 by Lord Aberconway after their conception in 1968, on seven acres of land acquired from Trewithen on a thirty year lease by Cornwall County Council.
The gardens were laid out by Peter Blake, who was county horticultural advisor, and run by the Local Education Authority. Eric Trevan was the Garden Superintendent and over the years a large number of students passed through there as a first step in a career in horticulture.
It sadly only lasted thirty years and closed in 1998. It did keep going for a couple of years, run by volunteers but no longer as a training establishment’.
Trudgian Farm Shop
Central Heating Systems, Bathroom Design and Tiling, Leadwork, Boiler Servicing and Commissioning, Solar Hot Water Systems, Unvented Pressure Systems, Repairs and Maintenance
OFTEC Registered Unvented Registered Water Authority Approved
6 Larkfield Rise, St. Mawes
Truro, Cornwall TR2 5DF
Phone: 01326 270217
Mobile: 07792 406673
Email: crplumbingandheating@gmail com
WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE HAWKINS?
MUSIC FROM TRUE FOXES FRIDAY 13TH DECEMBER
24TH OF DECEMBER TALEN POORE WILL BE BACK! COME DOWN AND CELEBRATE WITH US!
MERRY CHRISTMAS
WISHING YOU ALL A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS SUPPORTED THE PUB THIS YEAR, WE APPRECIATE YOU ALL.
PROBUS
EVENTS DIARY 2024
Secretaries: To publicise your meetings or events, let us know well in advance and we will include details here. Contact details for all groups/clubs/ societies can be found on page 7.
Acoustic Night Upstairs (at Probus Comrades Club). Last Monday of the month, starting at 7:30 pm.
Badminton Club: Meets at 8 pm every Monday at PVH.
Breakfast Club: Everyone welcome to meet for breakfast and chat on Monday 6th January at Griggs Restaurant, Sticker. Contact John on 07824 555519.
Coffee ‘n’ Chat: Every Tuesday morning 10:30 am to 12 noon at Probus Church. Open to everyone, young and old, church-goer or not.
Friendship Club: MHA Communities Cornwall is a national charity that runs a friendship club for folk 60+, at PVH on the first Thursday of each month from 10 am to 12 noon. Tracy Beavill 07720 680989 cornwall@mha.org.uk.
Mobile library: Friday 27th December. PVH car park between 11:30 am and 12:20 pm.
Over 60s Lunch Club: Next lunch is on Wednesday 22nd January 2025 at PVH.
Probus Club of Probus: Thursday 19 December - Christmas Luncheon with quiz and carols at The Falmouth Hotel, 12 for 12:30.
Probus Fun Week: 9–16th August 2025.
Probus Historic Cornwall Society: Monday 13th January 2025, usual time and place so 7.30pm at the village hall. The subject is: Life as High Sheriff of Cornwall and Trewithen with Sam Goldsworthy.
Probus Knit and Natter Group: Every Wednesday 10 am at PCC.
Probus Litter Pickers: First Saturday of each month at 10 am. Meet at PVH.
Probus Parish Council: Meet on the 3rd Thursday of every month. Next meeting on 18th December. Full details at www. probusparishcouncil.gov.uk.
Probus Pedallers: Leave from the surgery every Sunday at 9 am. The more leisurely group leaves at 10 am.
Probus Walking Group: Every Wednesday 9 am or 9:30 am start. Every Friday for shorter walks 10 am. New members always welcome.
Church fayre
THANKS
to everyone who supported Probus Church Christmas Fayre on Saturday 17th November. It raised a fantastic £1,877 towards the building fund.
Changes to sofas and armchairs being accepted at HWRCs
SOME
of Cornwall’s Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCs) can no longer accept sofas, armchairs and other upholstered furniture, due to new regulations imposed by the Environment Agency.
From 1st December, all upholstered furniture must be stored and transported separately from other non-recyclable waste. This applies to all seating that contains leather, synthetic leather, other fabric, or foam. Examples include sofas, sofa beds, armchairs, recliner chairs (electrical or mechanical), dining chairs, padded stools and foot stools, office chairs, futons, bean bags, floor and sofa cushions.
Due to a lack of space at some of Cornwall’s HWRCs, Truro, Newquay and some other nearby sites will not be able to accept these items.
If you'd like to book a bulky waste collection instead, please book a slot via https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/rubbishrecycling-and-waste/recycling-andrubbish-collections/
Courses for parents of children aged 0-11
YOUcan now access free parenting support - a space to think about your child’s development, their behaviour, and how they are communicating.
Our course 'understanding your child' looks at behaviour problems, mental health and relationship issues.
BELATED congratulations to Marjorie (Marge) and Glen Hocking who celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in August.
They met in The Star Inn in Penzance in August 1963. Marge had recently emigrated to London from Bombay (now Mumbai) and was on holiday, staying with an aunt in Marazion. Glen had recently left the Royal Navy after serving nine years, and was working
as a trawlerman out of Newlyn. Not enjoying life as a fisherman, the day before he met Marge, Glen had signed on once again in the Royal Navy! They exchanged addresses started writing to each other (no email or text in 1964!). When he could, Glen came to visit Marge from Plymouth where he was initially based. Their long’ish distance relationship clearly blossomed as they were engaged on Christmas Day 1963 and married in Southall, London on 8th August 1964, a year after they first met.
There is an old Navy saying that if you can’t take a joke you shouldn’t have joined. That was soon put to the test, as in typical Navy fashion, Glen was posted overseas for 18 months, the first of several long term postings abroad.
Marge was left back in Cornwall, but somehow, over the next few years they found the time to bring three children into the world: Andrew (1965), Sharon (1966), and Shaun (1969), who have themselves since blessed Glen and Marge with six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
Glen went on to serve another 13 years in the navy, and Marge had to quickly get used to being a navy wife, with separation being the constant challenge while raising a young family.
When Glen was away for extended periods Marge used to go back to London to stay with family and with childcare in place, over the years worked a series of jobs. Glen eventually left the Navy as a Chief Petty Officer and he and Marge made a home in Porthleven, before moving to Probus 25 years ago.
Asked what was the secret of success for such a long marriage, Glen was quick to say - just keep quiet. Marge said no marriage is perfect, you just need to work at it. Glen said that newlyweds often have arguments, but after a while it’s just disagreements.
They both said that moving to Probus was the best thing. Their house and the
village felt like home straight away. Glen and Marge celebrated their anniversary with a lovely meal with Glen’s 94-yearold sister in Exmouth before more celebrations at their daughter Sharon’s pub (also The Star Inn) in Whipton, Exeter.
Congratulations again to Marjorie and Glen.
What else happened in 1964?
AFEW
highlights from the summer of 1964: Winston Churchill retired from the Houses of Commons having been an MP for 63 of the previous 65 years. The first portable TVs went on sale in the UK and The Kinks released their hit song You Really Got Me and reached number one a
few weeks later, replacing The Beatles’ single A Hard Day’s Night. In Liverpool a crowd of 150,000 people welcomed The Beatles back to their home city.
On BBC2, Match of the Day aired for the very first time with Kenneth Wolstenholme as the presenter. The Disney musical Mary Poppins, premiered in LA. The following month the Forth Road Bridge opened in Scotland linking Edinburgh and Fife. Geoffrey Boycott scored his 1st Test cricket century, 113 vs Australia at The Oval. The Sun newspaper was published for the first time, and Prime Minister Sir Alec Douglas-Home called a general election for 15 October.
PHCS ON
Monday 14th October, Probus Historic Cornwall Society was treated to an unusual illustrated talk by Henrietta Boex on the subject of the rare Jewish Cemetery and Dissenters Graveyard at Falmouth. There are only 25 surviving early Jewish burial grounds in the UK. The site of the Falmouth Jewish Cemetery and the Dissenters Graveyard, which are situated adjoining each other, is at Ponsharden and many of you will have passed them without realising that they are there.
The land was given by Sir Frances Basset and the first burials in the Jewish Cemetery took place in the 1750s in unmarked graves. All but one of the headstones are of slate and the engravings are in Hebrew. The last burial was of Nathan Vos, who died in 1913.
The first Jews settled in Falmouth in the 1740s and were from Germany and the Netherlands. Falmouth was a commercially successful trading port and there were good prospects
for jewellers and tailors. The Jewish community in Falmouth was small but in 1808 a synagogue was opened on Smithick Hill. This closed in 1880, although the building still exists.
The Dissenters (also known as Nonconformists) were Church of England Christians who wanted to worship in their own way. Congregationalist, Baptists, Methodists, Quakers and Presbyterians were also included. Until the Dissenters were given the land at Ponsharden, Nonconformists had often been buried in unconsecrated ground. The first burial here was of Abia, daughter of John and Dolly Nicholls of Gwennap. The last person to be buried was Sophia Gardiner Newcombe in 1930.
After the last burials, the grounds fell into deep decline. Nature took over and, eventually, they became subject to severe vandalism and other forms of anti-social behaviour. Thankfully, they were saved by two men with vision and determination, Tom Weller and Rob Nunn. Ater many years of fundraising and hard work, the burial grounds are restored.
Local sport
Probus FC
KERNOW
Stone St Piran League, Division 2 West is proving to be a highly competitive league this season. Probus FC 1st team continue to do well and as of 2nd December are in 4th place with 24 points after 12 games8 wins and four losses.
home to Constantine on 18th January. Constantine are bottom of the league having played 12 with a single draw to their name. They’ve scored 4 goals so far all season, but conceded 63. So if you prefer cricket to football, then maybe this is a fixture not to miss, as if Probus are on top form, you could well witness a cricket score - but the beauty of football is that you never can be 100% sure!
All home games kick off at 2:30 pm at the St Georges Playing Field. Come along and support your local team.
Probus Reserves
YOU’LL
find Probus Reserves two divisions below in Kernow Stone St Piran League Division 4 West, but are also doing well. They currently sit in 5th place, having played 13 with 5 wins, 3 draws and 5 losses accumulating 18 points.
Recent results have been a 0-5 away win against Perranwell on 9th November, a 4-0 home win against Stithians on 16th November and a 1-5 away win against St Agnes on 30th November. A combined 14 goals scored with one against in 270 minutes of football! That said, in the previous two games they were beaten by 2-3 at home to Newlyn on 2nd November and 0-5 at home to Holman in late October., but we won’t talk about that.
The next few fixtures are: home to Dropship on 7th December, away to Lizard Argyle on 14th December, away to St Buryan on 21st December, home to Perranwell on 4th January, away to Mornan on 11th January and
The Reserves have also had some impressive recent results, notably a 8-1 home win against Storm FC on 30th November with Lewis Hawkins, Oliver Ionascu, William Paterson, Ryan Steed, Calum Turner (2), James Holmes and Travis Martin all getting on the score sheet. Their next fixtures are away to Storm FC on 7th December, home to Holman on 14th December, home to Goonhaven on 21st December. Kick off is at 2:30 pm for all games.
VEHICLE TESTING STATION
S. J. GRIGG
PROBUS, TRURO 01726 882330
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