This ancient medieval Strip Fields (one of the last remaining) was gifted to Week St Mary in 1710 by John Clark. It is a quillet of land, just under half an acre it was conveyed in trust for the “poor, decayed, lame, impotent and decrepid” (this is the old spelling in the will) of the parish.

Any small amount of money raised was shared among the above of the parish.

It has taken much work and change of use with the Charity Commission to rewrite the wording to allow Public Access.

We thank, Josh Fry, the Snellgrove Family, David and Jean Martin and Paul Sachs for their donations of time and gifts of seats. There are bird, bee, bat and hedgehog boxes and at the bottom a wetland area. There will be a mown path for people to walk around and the rest will remain wild with an annual scythe cut.

To get this off the ground we set up crowdfunding as we need to buy annual Insurance and maintain the site for all to enjoy. We are allowing dogs to this ancient site on leads.

If anyone wishes to donate to this ancient site email. [email protected]

Launceston Choral Society has started rehearsing for its concert on Saturday 15 November when it will be performing Mozart’s wonderful “Requiem”. New singers are always welcome and an ability to read music is helpful but not essential.

We rehearse on Monday evenings in Central Methodist Sunday School Hall at 7.30pm. Come and try us out. For more information see our website or facebook page or telephone 01566 772701.

On Saturday, August 16, Launceston & District Cats Protection held their Summer Bazaar at Lifton Community Centre.

On a sunny summer’s day, crowds of people turned up in anticipation of another fabulous jumble sale and they were not disappointed in the least.

As ever, the hall was filled with tables holding a range of bargain-priced items that were eagerly being snapped up left, right and centre.

A huge thank you to all of the lovely people who came to support us and to help raise an incredible £1,090.41 (including pre-sales). We really couldn't do it without you!

Thanks also must go to the dedicated team of volunteers who worked tirelessly beforehand, as well as on the day, to make the event such a success.

All the money raised will go to our local branch of Cats Protection to continue our work helping numerous cats and kittens while in our care.

Future events for 2025 can be found listed on our website www.cats.org.uk/launceston or on Facebook Launceston-District-Cats-Protection-Branch

We look forward to seeing you next time.

Rev Tina Parry has been licenced as Priest in Charge of the Benefice of Moorland, Egloskerry and Lanstephan by the Bishop of Truro, the Rt Rev David Williams.

The service at St Paternus’ Church North Petherwin was a joyous occasion with many people having travelled from Rev Tina’s former parishes in Wales to support her. Canon John Connell, from Newport Cathedral, who had been involved with Rev Tina’s training, expressed regret that she had chosen to leave Wales and said that Cornwall was gaining an outstanding priest and person.

The service was full of symbolism and the churchwardens of the eight parishes in the Benefice, carrying their wands of office, escorted the Bishop as Rev Tina was presented with a Bible by our Reader, James Wonnacott, and then moved to the font where Bill Willis presented water from the Holy Well in the meadow below the church that still supplies water for Baptisms. Then the procession returned to the front of the church and Dorothy Banks of Trewen presented a prayer book. The Archdeacon of Bodmin, the Ven. Kelly Betteridge, and the Rural Dean, Rev. Canon. Lynda Barley installed Rev. Parry after she had been formal licensed by the Bishop.

The Bishop put aside the sermon he had prepared and talked about the links between Wales and Cornwall stretching back to the early saints, many of whom came from Wales to establish churches in Cornwall. And he entreated the congregation to go away and read the New Testament reading chosen for the service, Philippians 4:4-9, saying that reveals what Rev. Tina offers the parishes. The Old Testament lesson was read by the Rev. Canon James Henley, leader of the East Cardiff ministry area and the New Testament lesson was read by Miss Caroline Stone, the Benefice Administrator.

With such a large Welsh contingent in the church the final hymn ‘Guide me O thou great Redeemer’ was sung with particular gusto. The organist was Mrs Sarah Vinson, Lay Chair to Trigg Major Deanery and in that capacity she presented Rev. Tina with flowers and the Mayor of Launceston, Cllr Nicola Gilbert and representatives of local schools also welcomed Rev. Tina.

After the service refreshments were served in the Parish Hall with the Welsh visitors especially enjoying the pasties that made up part of the generous spread of food.

Mondays weekly — morning prayer at 10am.

Sunday, September 7 — Evensong at 6.30pm.

Sunday, September 7 — All Age Service at 10am.

At the July meeting Graham Parker and Jamie from “Owl Show and Tell” came to tell members about the seven species of owls seen in the British Isles, and brought with them Nina a beautiful Barn owl.

A slide show of all seen varieties showed how different they are. Eye colour indicates when they are awake and hunting, black for those active at night, yellow for day and a black centre with orange surround means evening and morning.

Tawny owls are the most common. They are the ones with the well-known cry, toowittowhoo. If you hear that it means there are two owls talking to each other. Barn owls are the second most common, their cry is an eerie scream, like a banshee. There are the Little owls, Long-eared owls (although the tuffs which you see on their heads are not actually the ears), Short-eared owls, the European Eagle owl, which is huge, the Snowy owls, very pretty but not native to the British Isles.

We were given the opportunity to stoke Nina and some of us volunteered to hold her, which was an amazing experience. Marion Turner gave a well deserved vote of thanks.

In the business section of the meting, forthcoming events were discussed including Viv’s Garden Party in aid of Alzheimer’s disease. More details next month.

The competition (A mouse in any medium) was won jointly by Marion Turner, Avril Hall and Sue Batkin. The Posy competition was also won jointly by Avril, Marion, Sue Morton and Margaret Lock. Mavis MacLeod won the raffle.

For more information contact the president [email protected]

A very successful evening was held in Parson’s Meadow, Rilla Mill on Saturday, August 23, when the weather was just perfect to sit by the riverside to enjoy the music from the “Equalisers.” Their enthusiastic singer entertainment about 80 people with a variety of songs while members of the village hall committee were kept busy serving the food and drinks that were available.

The next event will be the Annual Bonfire and Grand Firework Display there on Saturday, October 25, gates open at 6.30pm. Please arrive early to park cars either in the village hall car park or sensibly by the roadside in the village. Please do not block access to properties.

The next committee meeting will take place on Thursday, September 11, at 7pm.

On Saturday, September 6, for those who are willing to help the work in the woods please assemble at 10am by the entrance. Anyone is very welcome to join the band of helpers.

If interested contact Simon Humphreys on [email protected] 01579 348464 or 07977 206777.

The funeral was held at the Methodist Chapel on Friday, August 22, of Anthony North Rich, who recently passed away at his home, Orchard Lea, aged 82 years.

Tony was the only child of the late Harold and Carrie Rich and he married Dorothy Harris in 1976 at Kilkhampton St James. Mark Shepherd officiated and a poem was read by Jennifer Humphreys. The organists were Sandra Shepherd and Christine Tratt.

After the service and the burial which took place in the Methodist Burial Ground, friends gathered in The Stable for refreshments and to share further memories of Tony's life.

Donations to the memory of Tony were for Tarka Valley Railway. We convey our sympathy to Dorothy and James during their time of sadness.

Mark Shepherd led the Holy Communion service at the chapel on Sunday, August 24.

Sue Banks read the lesson and Ruth Bealing led the prayers of intercession.

Mary Care acted as Communion Steward. Refreshments were served after the service.