CHAIR of Launceston Cafe Scientifique, Steven Rowland, Professor emeritus at the University of Plymouth, has been named as the recipient of the 2026 Alfred Treibs Award of the Geochemical Society.

The award is made for outstanding contributions to organic geochemistry over many years and consists of a silver medal and cash gift. Professor Rowland will receive the award at the international Goldschmidt Conference in Montreal, Canada in July, where he will also be made a Geochemistry Fellow of the Geochemical Society and the European Association of Geochemistry.

Professor Rowland recently presented the first of the 2026 series of CaféScientifique Launceston lectures which take place in the Eagle House Hotel on the second Tuesday of every month at 7pm.

All with an interest in scientific topics are very welcome. Entrance is free for everyone and students are positively encouraged to come. However, a donation of £5 per person from adults is always gratefully received towards the costs of room hire, non-local speakers’ expenses and prizes for the annual Young Scientists Competition held in July which has also been generously supported by Launceston Town Council and The Rotary Club. The next lecture is to be given by Professor emeritus Karl Ritz, Professor of Soil Science, University of Nottingham on Tuesday, March 10, and is entitled “Branches everywhere: the remarkable kingdom of fungi”.

THE choir of St Mary Magdalene, under the direction of its director of music, Dr Sean Sweeney, sang a service of choral evensong for the first Sunday in March. James Wonnacott led the service and acted as cantor in the ferial Responses.

The canticles were sung to an arrangement in G minor by Henry Purcell and the choir sang as an anthem the Offertorium from Fauré’s Requiem, both conducted by Bernard Pink with Dr Sweeney at the organ.

Sharron Wormald read the lessons and the service concluded with Dr Sweeney playing J S Bach’s Prelude in B minor. The previous day assistant organist, Josh Hughes, had given an organ recital.

On Sunday, March 29, there will be no service at St Mary’s but there will be a united benefice service at Boyton at 10.30am. The next choral evensong will be on Sunday, April 12, at the usual time of 5.30pm. As the previous Sunday, April 5, is Easter Day there will be a communion service in the morning at 10.30am instead of choral evensong. On Good Friday, April 3, the choir will be singing a service of “The Cross In Music” at 11am before services at St Thomas and St Stephen’s.

THE annual Boyton Marie Curie Coffee Morning will be held on Saturday, March 7, from 10am to noon in Boyton Church Hall.

There will be the popular cake and savouries stall, bric-a-brac, books and crafts for sale. There will also be a raffle and auction of items generously provided by local businesses and competitions such as ‘Guess the weight of the cake’ and ‘How many sweets in the jar’ to entertain people while they chat and have coffee.

THE Worshipful Master, Jeff Green, and the Charity Steward, John Weller, from Bude's Granville Lodge of Freemasons presented a cheque for £250 to Margaret Wilsher, at Bude & District Age Concern.

This was raised from Granville Lodge's recent charity events. The next planned event is a charity quiz night on Saturday, April 18.

Bude & District Age Concern serve the welfare needs of our 50-plus community, covering Bude area, bounded by Morwenstow, Kilkhampton, Whitstone, Week St Mary, Jacobstow and St Gennys. They provide subsidised transport to hospital appointments as far as Exeter and local GP surgeries. They also offer subsidised transport to local supermarkets from addresses within Bude and local villages. They are entirely financed by the proceeds from their shop in Bude, donations and legacies.

They are always looking for volunteers to help with driving, in the shop or in the office. Even if you only have half a day a week you will be very welcome.

For information about Bude Freemasons, including the upcoming charity quiz night, contact Andy Bain, the secretary, at [email protected]

THANKS went to all those who made suggestions for donations to charity. The chapel has decided that from the breakfast fund we will donate a sum of £500.

Members have decided to give £100 to five charities. They are: The Children's Hospice, Bude Cancer Care, North Devon Hospice, Devon Air Ambulance, and The Forget Me Not Friends.

A big thank you to all who come to share breakfast with us each month.

Our next scheduled breakfast was March 21. This, however, clashes with a charity breakfast being organised by Chilsworthy Village Hall. We hope you will be able to support them this month. Our next community breakfast will be on April 18. There will also be a breakfast on Easter Sunday morning from 7.30am. Further notice to follow.

Methodist Chapel - Rev Joy Wilson led the Holy Communion service on the first Sunday in Lent (February 22). The welcome and notices were given by Lesley Coxon.

Karen Shepherd placed a jar of myrrh at the Lenten Cross.

The Worship singing was led by Sandra Shepherd and Christine Tratt on keyboards, Mark Shepherd on guitar and with Geoff Broome and Pamela Newton as vocalists.

Rev Joy administered the Holy Communion with Mary Care acting as Communion Steward.

Refreshments were served after the service.

THE Parish Church of St James the Great is pleased to announce that after expenses, a clear profit of £1,366 was raised at the Johnny Cowling Live Concert which was recently held in the church.

Of which, the Parochial Church Council have agreed that £650 will be given to Cornwall Air Ambulance and £716 will be retained for Church Funds.

Thanks went to those who organised the event, sold tickets, prepared and served refreshments and to all who attended. We look forward to Johnny making a return visit to Kilkhampton in the future!

CHURCH services — St Melor's, Linkinhorne, Mondays weekly, morning prayer at 10am. On Sunday, March 8, Holy Communion at 11am, with Rev Steve Payne. St Pauls, Upton Cross, Sunday, March 8, informal worship at 10am.

Recycling for Charities — Ursula Crouch, Ali Humphreys & Norma Draper report that thankfully the Blue Bins at Upton Cross survived the storms, most probably in their more sheltered position behind the Parish Hall.

On December, December 12, they were very busy with the massive toy giveaway of donated items at Tesco in Callington. Children and adults were persuaded children and their adults to take as many as they could in return for a donation. £183 was given between Kicks /count (who aim to reduce still births, East Cornwall Search and Rescue, Hill Ponies and local schools.

Please continue to give cans, flattened if possible, from beer, cider and soft drinks. Also tin foil balled up. Please go to www.south-hill.co.uk/charity-recycling to find out what can and cannot be accepted or telephone Ursula on 07969 780358.

March 18, is Global Recycling Day which is celebrated every year and is dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of recycling and its role in protecting the environment. The day was designed to highlight the importance of recycling in preserving primary sources and to encourage individuals, organisations and governments to view waster as an opportunity rather than mere refuse. Many thanks for all those who contribute to the Blue Bins and that we all continue to do so.

Working Bees at Stara Woods — Anyone willing to help please meet at 10am at the entrance to the woods. Anyone very welcome to join the team to help keep the woods in a good safe place for everyone to enjoy.

Women’s Institute — The next meeting will take place in the Rilla Mill Retreat Centre at 2pm on Monday, March 9.

Parish council — The next meeting will be held in the Cross Link Centre (next to St Paul's Church) at Upton Cross on Monday, March 9, at 7.30pm

MEMBERS of South Hill WI enjoyed a practical and engaging demonstration at their recent meeting, when local willow weaver Carol Horsington showed how to create a traditional wigwam plant support for the garden.

Carol began by explaining how willow is grown and harvested before demonstrating how to select suitable rods for strength and flexibility.

Following the demonstration, Carol generously raffled the completed willow support among members.

The evening also provided an opportunity for hands-on creativity. Several members tried their hand at shaping willow into heart-shaped frames, bending and securing the supple rods under Carol’s guidance, and there was much laughter as confidence grew and designs took shape.

A vote of thanks was given by Christine Fazackerley and president Janet Corrigan for an inspiring and thoroughly enjoyable demonstration.

South Hill WI meets on the first Wednesday of the month at the parish hall in Golberdon at 7.15pm. New members and visitors are always welcome.