Front cover: Jenson celebrated his 5th birthday the day he started at Probus Primary School, while big sister Lilly started in Year 8 at The Roseland Academy. See page 20.
Submission deadlines for articles, adverts, alterations and other items for the magazine is the 10th of every month.
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February 2025 Friday 24th January 2025
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May Friday 2nd May
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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.
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EDITOR: John Denyer 07824 555519 editorprobusnews@gmail.com
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Bonnie
Hilary Keam
HILARY
was born in St Austell and married Dennis (a woodwork teacher) in 1963 at Mount Charles Methodist Chapel. She was educated in Mount Charles Junior School and St Austell Grammar School. She started her two-year teacher training in 1958 in Southlands Methodist College, Wimbledon.
After teaching for two years in Hackney, East London, she returned to her native Cornwall to teach junior school children at Stithians and Chacewater. After raising three children, Jonathan, Deborah and Peter, she returned to teaching at St. Michael Penkivel, St Erme with Trispen and finally Probus. Hilary and Dennis also ran a successful fruit farm growing a variety of fruit – mainly strawberries – and they supplied the fruit shops in Truro long before the supermarkets appeared, as well as running ‘pick-yourown’.
At home, in 1981, a newly installed Rayburn leaked and this led to Hilary composing her first Cornish dialect humorous poem.
In all, she had over 120 dialect poems, usually based on disasters around the house and garden - quite easy with five Jack Russells and a DIY husband.
She was also quick to write about topical events such as Cornwall winning at Twickenham. If asked which area of Cornwall her dialect is based on it is definitely mid Cornwall, china clay area.
She very often used props to illustrate her poems including colourful and unusual umbrellas collected from all over the world. She often received phone calls asking, "Are you the Cornish lady with the umbrellas?”
Hilary had performed all over the country from St. Ives to Torpoint, Wadebridge to Helston and averaged well over 20 performances a year. She charged a small amount to cover travelling costs and a donation in lieu of a fee to go to her chosen Cornish charity, usually the Merlin Project. She raised over £3,000.
Her poem 'Some thoughts on our Cornish chough' was published in the Western Morning News on 26 June 2013. She wrote a letter to the West Briton 14th January 2016 entitled 'Distinctive Cornish tartan should be worn with pride'.
For many years Hilary sang with Tresillian Singers and Kescan Lowen (Happy Chorus) and also recited her poems at their popular concerts around the country. Kescan Lowen were awarded the Bournemouth Cornish Association cup in 1998.
She was also a bell ringer at Ladock Church, church organist at St Michael Penkivel, Tresillian and Ladock, and
when times allowed, a member of Probus Parish Church Choir.
In March 2008 she made her debut as an adjudicator for the Cornish Dialect class at the Cornwall Music Festival having previously been a volunteer steward. She donated her fee for a new festival trophy.
Because of her excellent and helpful adjudication, she was appointed again for 2009 and the centenary year 2010 when, at her suggestion, there was an extra class to encourage original scripts.
Hilary loved music and taught herself to play the piano and to read music. She was also a talented artist and painted beautiful scenes which included Probus Church, the roundhouses at Veryan, and the Cheesewring, to name a few.
Hilary was so proud and honoured to be initiated as a Cornish Bard in St Ives in 2010 for services to Cornish dialect. Her bardic name was Degor Hwarth which meant ‘Bringer of laughter’ in Cornish.
In 2017 she received an honorary degree for her services to teaching.
Hilary was extremely proud of her eight grandchildren Katherine, Cara, Oliver, Samuel, Jacob, William, Sowenna and Hattie. With Cara and William living in Australia, thanks to modern technology Hilary was able to talk to them often.
Cash draw 2024
PROBUS
News magazine is a nonprofit organisation that aims to publish a high-quality village magazine full of local news, events, photographs and articles of interest. It is delivered free to each household in Probus 11 times a year.
Produced and delivered entirely by volunteers, our only income is from advertising, a grant from the parish council and the annual cash draw. The cash draw is a vital part of our yearly revenue and goes some way towards covering our printing costs (about £1,200 per edition).
Hilary was married to Dennis for 61 years. Dennis cared for her after her cancer diagnosis in 2019. She fought a valiant battle and at the age of 84 passed away at home on 25th August 2024.
A thanksgiving service for Hilary was held at Ladock Parish Church with donations to Cornwall Hospice Care –Mount Edgcumbe.
Hilary Keam 19th April 1940–25th August 2024. Rest in Peace.
Since lockdown we have included a book of tickets in the November edition, asking those who wanted to support us to do so. You supported us magnificently, for which we thank you. This year, we will do the same again, but with much increased cash prizes, so look out for your tickets in the November edition. The draw itself will be held on Friday 6th December at Probus Comrades Club and the results announced in the December magazine. We sincerely hope that, once again, you will support your village magazine.
of Probus clubs, societies, organisations and some
Acoustics Night (Comrades Club) Tim Joyce 07412 126774 timstravels01@hotmail.com
Badminton Club
Bees (swarms/issues/questions)
Bookworms
Bowling Club
Breakfast Club
Church Bell Ringers
Churchwarden
Comrades Club
Cornwall Councillor
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 News Magazine Annual General Meeting
Probus Comrades Club
WEDNESDAY 2nd OCTOBER 2024 AT 7:45 PM
Everyone welcome - come along and find out about your village magazine.
Are you curious, or perhaps interested in getting involved in the production or management of the magazine? We are currently seeking someone to be backup to our Treasurer, and we also seek one or more to join the Editorial team (helping with interviewing, reporting/story gathering, or copy editing). No experience necessary, support and training provided. The AGM is an opportunity to meet with the committee, without obligation, to find out what we do. You’ll find us welcoming, open to new ideas and very keen to get younger age groups involved - vital for protecting the long-term future of our village magazine.
Do you have a problem?
Why not contact one of your local parish councillors for advice?
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
Neil Glasson Ladock Road 07709 286850 neilglasson@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 three 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 for advice.
David Wellington WITH
heavy heart, we report that Dave Wellington passed away on 16th August, aged 77.
Dave was very creative and could turn his hand to almost anything. He was well known for his model–making skills which ranged from carpentry and metalwork to electronics. Over many years, he built an impressive range of models – everything from mechanical diggers and lorries to boats, submarines and helicopters. Each of his models worked perfectly: one of his submarines could not only navigate under water but even had a tiny and fully functioning waterproof video camera. The police boat shown below even featured a police siren and a recorded ‘about to board’ message.
missed
his
Church update
LASTmonth we formally said goodbye to our curate Paul and family and we look forward to welcoming our new minister Caroline and her husband Cliff next month. Her service of welcome will be on 5th of November so she can arrive with a bang (but maybe not fireworks from the church tower!). We are so thankful that Reverend Linda is our anchor during this period of change. Linda tirelessly works across our whole benefice, often unseen but valued by the ministry team in Probus and beyond.
But it is not only our church that is undergoing a transformation. Autumn is a season of change and October is a month when nature decides to have one final burst of glory before winter arrives. As the days shorten and the night temperatures fall, the trees and shrubs that have been green all summer burst into flamboyant shades of yellow, orange and red.
At this time of year I love scuffing through rustling heaps of leaves. I catch my breath gazing at the stars decorating the night sky. I delight in finding a shiny conker that has just been released from its prickly case. And if I’m lucky I’ll see the delicate gossamer shimmering with dew in the early morning sunlight.
But as we get further through the month, I am not a fan of nights drawing in and clocks changing. The darker evenings seem to amplify the dark news presented in the media and my own mood is impacted by the lack of daylight.
There is darkness in the world and in our own lives. We all have to confront fear and grief. But faith in the person of Jesus Christ gives me hope for the future. Hope because Jesus overcame death and darkness by dying on the cross and rising again. He said, ‘I am the light of
Sadly
by
wife Dee, children Donna, Jane, Paul and his five grandsons.
the world, whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’.
So I am thankful that we end this month with All Hallows Eve, or Halloween as we now know it. Halloween has become a multi-million pound commercial success. The shops are full of merchandise, from dressing-up costumes to mountains of pumpkins. But in the Christian calendar All Hallows Eve and the two days that follow are a time to celebrate the light that shines in the darkness of the world. We remember the Christian heroes and heroines, along with those who gave us life and those who nurtured our faith.
With this time of celebration and remembering approaching, on Saturday 2nd November there will be a special service at 4 pm in Probus church. Anyone who wants to remember someone who has died is invited to come and light a candle – a light to shine in the darkness bringing comfort and hope. If you are unable to attend but would like a loved one to be remembered, please add their name to the list in church or send an email to sara.layreader@probus.church.
October church services
Sunday 6th 09:30 am Connect. 11 am Holy Communion. Sunday 13th 9:30 am Connect. 7 pm Kosoleth.
Sunday 20th 9:30 am Connect. Sunday 27th 9:30 am Holy Communion. 4pm Café church.
Other regular events
Coffee mornings: Tuesdays 10:30–12 noon. Fridays 8:45–10 am. Little Lights: Every Thursday 9:30–11 am.
Update on Bonnie
ATthe start of the new term, Bonnie was desperate to get in and meet her new teachers and see friends. Although it was more of a social visit for her, she has managed to get a few hours in before the next few rounds of chemotherapy. It’s been heartwarming to see how wonderful and kind her school friends have been. They were just as happy to see her, as she was to see them.
A few rounds of chemotherapy remain and hopefully by the time this edition of Probus News is published she will be nearing the end, if not already finished. Other treatments will continue and her hard work recovering will carry into 2025 and beyond. Physiotherapy and further scans will be needed throughout her life but Bonnie’s determination and bravery just shines through. In her own words, ‘I won’t give up and will carry on fighting with everything I’ve got’.
First day at school
EARLYSeptember is that joyous period when children in the village start school for the very first time. It’s also time when others start a new year, move up to secondary school, or even start at college. As we’ve done in previous years, we posted on social media asking proud parents to share their images. Thanks to everyone who sent them in.
Above: Jenson celebrated his 5th birthday the day he started at Probus Primary School, while big sister Lilly started in Year 8 at The Roseland Academy. Above right, Harriet starts in Year 1. Bottom right: Wilfred walking to his first day in Reception Class at Probus Primary School.
Above: Jenson is starting in Year 2 and younger brother Archie starting his second year in Nursery. Top right: Oscar also starting Year 2. Below: Skye starting her first day in Reception Class. Below right: Amelie starts in Year 2 and Leo moves up to Year 5.
Above: Lexi ready to start Year 3. Right top: Ruby-Mae starting in Reception Class while (bottom) sister Lilly starts Year 5. Below: Arthur is going into Year 3 and Rosie into Year 1.
Above: Eight year old Grace starting year 4. Above right: Andrew’s first day back in Year 5. Bottom right: Jensen’s first day in Reception Class and Mia starts Year 8. Below: Louie, aged 4 starts in Reception Class.
Above: Lilia starts in Year 10 and Abigail Year 6. Top right: Bethan, Fergus and Ruairí back to school to Year 2 for Beth and nursery for the boys. Below: Evie, age four starts in Reception Class. Below right: Kaiden starts Year 9 with Scarlett who also starts in Reception Class.
Above left: Arthur starts in Year 1. Above: Rose, age 12, and below sister Alice. Below left: Casey starts Year 3 (with pet hen ‘Big Hengine’).
Above left: Stanley’s first day in Year 1 and Dilys’ first day in nursery. Above right: Jasmine starts Year 2 and her younger sister Skylar starts Reception Class Below: Charlie, James, Theodore and Tobias. Theodore is going into Year 4 at Probus Primary School and the older three start in Year 7 at The Roseland Academy.
Above: Josh who is starting Year 8 at Penair School and below, sister Daisy starts in Year 5 at Probus Primary School.
Above: Arwen who starts in Reception Class. Below: last but certainly not least is Bonnie, who’s been very poorly (see page 11). Bonnie has now started Year 3 and is returning to school for a few hours when she can, in between treatments.
Archie’s three-peak challenge
by John Denyer
INJuly, 15-year-old Archie completed the National Three-Peaks Challenge. The challenge is to climb the three highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales within a 24-hour period. Archie, along with his uncle Mark, took on the challenge in memory of Archie's father Nathan who passed away last year, and while doing so raising money for Cornwall Hospice Care.
The three peaks are Ben Nevis at 1,345m (4,413 feet), Scafell Pike at 978 meters (3,209 feet) and Snowdon at 1,084m (3,558 feet). In addition to the physical (and mental) challenge, add unpredictable weather and the logistics of travelling between all three mountains - it's a serious and arduous challenge that requires preparation, teamwork and organisation. Probus News met up with Archie and his mum Sarah to chat about the experience.
PN: So where did the idea of this challenge come from, and how did you prepare?
Archie: My mum’s brother, my uncle Mark got approached to do it. He asked if I wanted to do it as well. I really liked the idea of raising money for Cornwall Hospice Care. And I thought paying back a little for how they cared for my dad, and I thought it would be a great experience to do it as well, and something not many people at my age can do or have done.
Sarah: It was also to help Archie with his mental health. Archie was struggling a bit [since the loss of his dad], and my brother wanted to give his nephew something to focus on after school and the rugby season finished. Another reason was for Archie to have some time with his uncle too.
Archie: We started off by doing a walk from Perranporth to Newquay following the coastpath. A few weeks later, we did another around Portreath. We then left it for a bit, and did a trek around Dartmoor. I found Dartmoor the hardest, it was the longest one - maybe 14 or 15 miles carrying the backpack containing everything we were going to climb the mountains with. We had to get used to carrying everything we were going to take.
Sarah: Lester, who put the team together, is ex-army, and many of the others in the team regularly did cross-fit training. The team was a mix of men and women from 15 years to late 40s, and Archie was the youngest of the group. The others had all done more physical stuff than Archie before and some had already climbed the mountains.
The group left on Friday 12th July and travelled north in a minibus, stopping in a hostel overnight. They then drove the final few hours to the bottom of Ben Nevis. The plan was to summit Ben Nevis
in the evening, drive through the night to the Lake District to summit Scafell Pike, and then drive to North Wales to attempt Snowdon.
PN: Were there other teams attempting the challenge at the same time?
Archie: We were the only team that I knew of, but we saw lots of other people around, and I did see some other Three Peaks t-shirts. We started to walk up Ben Nevis at 5 pm, so still in the daylight. It took us four hours to get to the top.
Going up, I thought it was quite easy, We followed a footpath all the way to the top and I listened to music on my headphones. At the top, it was very cold, and the wind was blowing a lot. We didn't get to see the view because of mist. We took a team photo and I had carried a photo of my dad with me, so we had a photo taken of me along with my uncle and the photo of dad.
Coming down was much quicker, even though it was getting dark. We got back to the minibus around 11 pm where we all had a bit of food and started the long drive south to Scafell Pike in the Lake District. We had a dedicated driver, so had the opportunity to sleep, but the seats in the minibus were really uncomfortable! We arrived at 4 am, and had to get ourselves ready and start walking straight away. The weather was alright at first, but then it started raining and the rocks became really slippery. After about 20 minutes, we realised we had taken the wrong path in the darkness, so we had to run back down until we found the right path.
PN: How long did it take you to get to the top of Scafell Pike?
Archie: About three hours. That was like the most mentally challenging climb for me. I didn't like that one at all, but I don't really know why. I phoned my mum saying 'I can't do this, I can't do this'. I also started getting pains in my feet and legs too.
PN: How did you get through that difficult period?
Archie: My uncle walked alongside to support me, Lester too and then I put on my music again, that helped me a bit. It was still raining heavily but after a while we got to the peak. It was still dark, and only had time for a quick photo as everyone was freezing. We used hand warmers, and I took my boots off, put on a pair of dry socks and foot warmers. The going down was the easiest bit and we got down really fast, at around 7:30 am. We had gained time on Scafell Pike and that gave us a little time to relax in the minibus, eat and warm up and then we were back on the road for the drive to North Wales.
We got to Snowdon around midday, but it was very busy with tourists and we couldn't find any parking at first. That
Above: Archie and his uncle Mark at the top of Ben Nevis. The photo is of Archie’s Dad on top of a mountain in New Zealand.
was stressful, but the weather was nice, quite hot. There was also an organised mountain race going on, all the paths were busy with people either running or walking up the mountain. There's quite a few paths and we went up on the Pyg route, took a team photo at the top and came down on the Miners route. I thought that was a bit easy doing that one. We finished the challenge with 20 minutes to spare within the 24-hours.
PN: How did you feel after climbing that mountain?
Archie: I was quite relieved because it was the last mountain and we'd already done the other two. I believed I could get through it as it wasn't as big as Ben Nevis. I was getting pains in my ankles and knees, but I just had to persevere and I did get through it. I also enjoyed the views from the top. It felt unreal, being so high up, really cool, and amazing at the top.
PN: Were those three mountains the highest you've ever been up?
Sarah: Archie's never been abroad, so he’s never seen any other mountains up close.
Archie: Oh right. Yeah. I've never been on a holiday abroad.
Sarah: We've never been able to do it. He's got all that to come later.
Sarah: Lester said, “What an achievement it was for you Archie, while you are doing this in memory of your dad, you're also doing it for yourself. You've never even seen a mountain before, and now you've climbed three within 24 hours!" The other members of the team had so much respect for him as well.
PN: So how do you feel now Archie?
Archie: Relieved that it's all over.
PN: How much did you raise for Cornwall Hospice Care?
Archie: Together with my uncle we raised £2,680. That amount pays for 140 hours of nursing pay and we were really happy with that. We went to the hospice to donate the cheque.
PN: Looking back Archie, what did you learn from the whole experience?
Archie: Never to give up.
Below: Archie with his Three Peaks team.
PN: You learned something about yourself then?
Archie: Yeah, definitely. I remember when dad got first diagnosed with cancer, we were sitting in my room, both upset. And I remember him telling me, “No matter how hard things get in life, you never give up on yourself or the family", and I just kept repeating that to myself throughout the difficult moments.
PN: Okay. So that's a good learning point then. Never give up.
Archie: Yeah, definitely. I am thinking about doing another charity event. When I'm old enough, I’d like to do seven marathons on seven continents. Hopefully do an ultra-marathon too.
PN: There's no shortage of challenges Archie. Where do you think the future is going to take you?
Archie: I hope to join the Royal Navy when I turn 18. I haven't really thought too much about it, but I just like the idea of going into the forces and travelling the world.
PN: If you're a team player Archie, the Navy will love you. Thank you very much for telling the Probus News about your adventure. Congratulations on what you've achieved this summer and what you raised for such a good cause. Please keep us posted wherever you go next.
Archie: I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who made a donation towards my challenge and all the great messages of support.
Emily’s big heart
ANOTHER
Probus youngster Emily, proved she has a big heart when she set up a pop-up lemonade and cupcake stall to raise money for Children’s Hospice South West.
Emily’s mum Katy told Probus News that it was completely Emily’s idea.
‘She said she wanted to raise some money for a good cause, and wanted it to benefit children, so they chose Children’s Hospice South West’.
So they set about getting some promotional material from the charity and decorated a table. Emily, who’s just started Year 3 at Probus Primary School, and her sister decorated cup cakes (made by mum) and during the afternoon they sold the cakes and icecold lemonade to passers-by. In total Emily raised £71.60 for the charity. Well done Emily.
Church Path
OVER recent years the main path at the south entrance to the church became overgrown with grass and became very muddy after rain. Earlier this year, the parish council kindly provided the funding for the church to buy six tons of gravel to improve it.
The churchyard restoration team worked over several weeks to clear the vegetation and soil from it, after which a great team of volunteers spent an August Saturday morning spreading the gravel over the path. At last visitors to the churchyard can walk along the path after rain without dodging the puddles.
Roseland and District U3A
Patchwork and Craft Group: Friday 4th and 18th October 9:30–12 noon in Probus Village Hall (PVH).
Local History Group: Tuesday 8th October 10:15–12 noon Cornwall before the Black Death at Tregony Church Hall.
Classic Film: Thursday 10th October 10 am to 12 noon. The Crowded Day (1954) at PVH.
Art and Drawing Group: Monday 14th October and 28th October 10 am - 12 noon Tregony Village Hall. Cost £10.
Book Club: Wed 16th October 2–4 pm at Roseland Parc Tregony.
Scrabble group: Thursday 17th October 2–4pm at The Bible Christian Fellowship Hall (BCFH), Tregony.
French Conversation: Tuesday 22nd October 2–4pm at BCFH, Tregony
Luncheon Club: Thursday 31st October 12pm for 12:30, venue to be arranged.
For more information about the Roseland u3a visit: u3aroselandanddistrict.weebly. com
‘Crying the Neck’ –a Cornish harvest tradition
INSeptember’s edition of Probus News, Anthony White mentioned the ancient harvest tradition of ‘Crying the Neck’. As the last sheaf of corn was cut, a farmer worker would lift it high above his head and call out, ‘I ‘ave ‘un! I ‘ave ‘un! I ‘ave ‘un!’ The onlookers would respond, ‘What ‘ave ‘ee?’ The reply would be, ‘A neck! A neck! A neck!’ Everyone would then shout, ‘Hurrah! Hurrah for the neck!’ This was repeated twice more as the neck was raised towards the north, east and south – but never towards the west, as this could result in a poor harvest the following year.
The ceremony was revived almost 100 years ago in West Cornwall by members of the Old Cornwall Society and now takes place at a number of locations
across the Duchy. On Friday 23rd August, members and visitors of Probus Historic Cornwall Society were pleased to be invited to join Redruth Old Cornwall Society for the ceremony, conducted in both Cornish and English.
After the roll call of Old Cornwall Societies, the hymn ‘We Plough the Fields and Scatter’ was sung, then the last stand of the corn was cut with a traditional scythe, to cheers from the onlookers. All then repaired to Gwennap Church Hall for pasties and saffron buns, damp but undaunted by the mizzle!
Photo credits: Laura Van KempenWilson (below); Greg Martin (bottom)
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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 6.
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 the next breakfast on Monday 7th October 9 am 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: Fridays 4th October, 1st November, 29th November and 27th December. PVH car park between 11:30 am and 12:20 pm.
Over 60s Luncheon Club: Next lunches
are on Wednesdays 2nd, 16th and 30th. October. All at PVH with 12 noon start.
Probus Club of Probus: 10th October visit and tour of Skinner’s Brewery in Truro. 17th October luncheon with speaker at The Falmouth Hotel.
Probus Fun Week 2025: 9–16th August.
Probus Historic Cornwall Society: Monday 14th October, PVH 7:30 pm. Henrietta Boex talks about The Falmouth Jewish Cemetery and Dissenters Graveyard. Members free, Visitors £2.50 (includes refreshments). Monday 11th November, Barry West talks about Charles Dickens in Cornwall.
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 16th October. Full details at www. probusparishcouncil.gov.uk.
Probus Parish Players: Family Haloween Silent Disco at PVH on Friday 25th October. See page 36 for details.
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.
Probus Church
Christmas Fayre: Saturday 16th November 2–4 pm.
As usual Dave Meggs will be collecting bottles for the bottle stall from 2nd November. These can be dropped off at the church coffee mornings on Tuesdays or at 53 Carne View Road.
PEAT
By Steve Dalton
THEalarm bell rang at PEAT headquarters at the beginning of August when we were informed by concerned residents of a planning application to be discussed by the parish council. It was an application for permission in principle for a house to be built opposite Treviglas Lane and to relocate the Darley oak tree and the bench. No mention was made of where the tree was to be relocated to, or when or how.
The Darley oak was planted in 2022 as part of the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Probus was one of the few villages chosen to receive the oak sapling which was grown from an acorn produced by the oldest tree in Cornwall, the Darley Oak. This tree in Bodmin is over 1,000 years old, and we were delighted to be joined by the Cornwall Deputy Lieutenant
Daphne Skinnard who helped to plant the sapling. Despite suffering from an infestation of caterpillars last year, our tree has developed well and is now about six feet tall.
We may not have expected our tree to remain in its spot for a thousand years, but we were shocked to learn of a proposal to “relocate” it after only two. PEAT members and other residents attended the parish council meeting to voice their concern and were pleased to hear that the application would not be supported by the parish council.
However, on 2nd September, Cornwall Council granted permission for the application to proceed. We will continue to monitor this worrying situation. Details of the application can be found online on the Cornwall Council planning portal.
According to the Woodland Trust, oak trees can live for more than 1,500 years and support 2,300 different species of wildlife. The UK boasts more ancient oaks than the rest of Western Europe combined. We need to support those trees we have now and plant many more in our county.
Probus Book Club
WEhad another factual book to read this month, I’ll be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara.
The book is based on real life rapes and murders that took place all across California during the 1970s and 80s. The author follows many of these crimes, she appears completely obsessed with them and cannot understand how the perpetrator cannot be caught.
At first the book caught my interest as I followed the different crimes committed. Shamefully in this era the
different police departments involved refused to share their information with each other, and this did not help in finding the criminal.
Unfortunately, as the book went on, there were so many people involved over the years, and so many facts, figures and new technologies, it was difficult to keep track.
Sadly Michelle died before she could finish her book. Therefore other people contributed at the end of the book and repeated facts that had already been mentioned.
Although she did not live to see the perpetrator caught it is in no doubt that by keeping these crimes in the forefront of people’s minds, it helped to keep these cases open,and eventually after her death the murderer and rapist was arrested and convicted.
Liz Horder
Blood pressure monitors available to borrow
BLOOD
pressure monitors are now available to borrow free of charge from all libraries across the county.
Anyone with a library card can borrow a monitor in the same way you would borrow a book. They can be obtained from Truro Library as well as the mobile library that visits Probus once a month (see page 42 for the schedule). [Ed: I’m advised that you should call or reserve one online to be sure].
Probus Club of Probus
Annual Sausage Sizzle
WELLit was worth the wait! Rained off a few times, the event was delivered in glorious sunshine on 29th August. The customary sausages were the usual haute cuisine and added to the menu were venison burgers, which went down a treat.
After catching up with friends over a glass of wine and sampling the culinary delights produced by Nick and Ray on the BBQ, many tried their hand at welly whanging in the vain hope they could out-pitch Dave Meggs, last year’s record holder. But it wasn’t to be and Dave retained the trophy.
It might not sound much, but believe me great enjoyment was had by all who shared an afternoon of innocent, old -fashioned fun.
Richard Ludlow
Wednesday Walkers
Text and photos by Jon
Hibberd
THEREare two walking groups in Probus, meeting on Wednesday and Friday mornings. The Wednesday walks are slightly longer (5–6 miles on average and sometimes involving a short drive to the starting point), while the Friday walks tend to be around 2–3 miles, starting and finishing in Probus itself. New members are always welcome – along with their canine companions! If you’d like more information, you can find the contact details for both groups on page 6.
To whet your appetites, here’s a brief report of the walk on Wednesday 4th September, along with some photos taken en route.
Fifteen of us and three dogs made this particular walk. Starting at Gerrans car park, we walked down to Porthscatho, then turned left along the coastal path towards Pendower. The path hugs the coastline and goes down to Porthbean beach, a lovely secluded beach. From
here the path climbs upwards along the top of the cliffs, offering stunning views of the coastline over to Nare Head. At Pendower, we stopped for a cooling drink and cake at the beach café.
From here, we retraced our steps for a short distance before heading inland on higher ground, eventually ending up on the lane that leads down to Porthcurnick beach, just below the Hidden Hut. On reaching Porthscatho again on the coastal path, a short climb out of the village brought us back to Gerrans – a lovely, varied walk with good weather and the usual great company!
Parish Council Grants Available
THEParish Council is committed to enhancing the quality of life for the Probus community. As part of this commitment, the council offers grants to support local non-profit and charitable organisations that contribute to the well-being of the parish.
Last year, Probus Parish Council supported several organisations, including Probus Fun Week, Probus News Magazine, Probus Playing Field, and Probus Village Hall. Additionally, contributions were made towards the purchase of defibrillators, improvements to pathways in the closed churchyard through CIL funding and providing match funding for the ongoing improvement works at the village Hall.
We are now accepting expressions of interest for this year’s grants. To qualify, applicants must demonstrate a clear need for financial support that benefits the parish by:
• Providing a service
• Enhancing the quality of life
• Improving the environment
• Promoting the parish of Probus in a positive way
Please submit your expression of interest by 31st October 2024. For application form and details go to: https://www. probusparishcouncil.gov.uk/_UserFiles/ Files/Grant%20policy%202024.pdf
Fun Week thanks
inadvertently omitted Joe Durston from the list of volunteers last month. Thanks Joe.
Grampound Road Cricket Club
THEOver 45s Hundred Tournament returned to the club on 1st September and was hotly contested by the Northern Nightriders, Eastern Eagles, Western Warriors and Southern Sharks. The Western Warriors came out the victors. Thanks to Martin Orpe for organising this popular event.
The race for the Cornwall County League 1 title came down to the last match on Saturday 7th September. Grampound Road needed to better Beacon CC by 1 point on the day to win the title. However, Beacon had an easy win over Falmouth, gaining an unassailable 20 points. Grampound Road did beat Roche, but were unable to overtake Beacon. A season of so very nearly but not quite, after losing their National Village Knockout semi-final match by just 8 runs to miss out on a Lord’s Final. The 2nd team’s final match at Liskeard was abandoned due to rain, but enough points were gained to keep their place in Division 3 East for next season.
Our traditional season closer on Sunday 8th September was the annual Jago Memorial Match - always a fun day where we remember Clive and Jenny Jago, raise money for the British Heart Foundation and enjoy a friendly game of cricket. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t play ball and there was no cricket, but a good number of players, past and present and old friends enjoyed a good chat, a few drinks and live music from Steve Panter, the Human Jukebox. £400 was raised for the BHF. Thanks to the Jago family for organising the day.
Probus Reserves rise again!
WITH the new football season underway Probus FC have restarted their reserve team who will play in St Pirans Division 4 West. Managed by Graham Smith and Chris Davey (both out of retirement again!) the team is filled with youngsters from the village and surrounding areas. It is a much needed addition to the club, providing a pathway for the youth teams as they enter adult football. Pictured is the squad for their first home game of the season versus Speak Out United in the Percy Stephens Cup, which they narrowly lost 4-2. We are extremely grateful for our new kit sponsored and supplied 4Real Dance and Fitness, who has premises on Holmbush Industrial Estate. They cover all aspects of
dance and fitness for children right through to adults. Their website is: 4realdancefitness.co.uk.
Graham commented, 'we have a great bunch of boys, some of whom haven't played for a couple of years, so it's work in progress but once up to speed, it will complement our very successful Probus FC First Team. We've had a good preseason and I'm confident we will have a very enjoyable season ahead. It's also great to be working with Chris again. His encouragement and knowledge is a huge benefit to the boys and he's even dusted his boots off to play a few games'. Anyone interested in playing can contact Graham on 07968 478970.
Pictured L-R Back Row: Chris Davey, Ollie Ionescu, Harrison Smith, Ellis Buckley, Calum Turner, Ben Way, Ollie Poulter. L-R Front Row: Harvey Hoole, Reece Avery, Luke Gay, Lewis Hawkins, Olly Davey, Ryan Steed, Harvey Smith.
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