THIS month, memberships were due and everyone was busy renewing for the busy year ahead as well as enrolling new members. We also welcomed Jane Edwards - a trustee for CFWI – to the meeting as she is visiting many WIs.

Paul Ford, one of the 318 Volunteers (ground crew) with Cornwall Air Ambulance gave us a fascinating insight into all aspects of this amazing local resource. Being the first in the UK – it will celebrate its 40th birthday next year. From just one leased craft in 1987, there are now two fully owned helicopters housed at the state-of-the-art base at Newquay airport.

The helicopter can fly patients easily to Bristol, Wales or Southampton for specialist care as well as to local hospitals. Film clips were shown of grateful patients who had survived thanks to this service.

There were many questions including some from Ian Varndell who had been observing as a trainee speaker (we wish him well). Many Pensilva WI members knew of someone who had been helped by the Air Ambulance and are proud that we have this in Cornwall.

Birthday posies for those with an April birthday were given to - Trish Thomas, Sue Turpin, Sue Hill, Hilary Clatworthy and Pauline Caffery.

Competition winners: Flower of the month — 1st Ann Houlston; 2nd Jill Pascoe; 3rd Irene Elliott.

A Helicopter in any medium: 1st Mary Yates; 2nd Jenny Rendle; 3rd Rosie Drake.

Next meeting: Wednesday, May 13, 7.15pm. Pensilva WI AGM and speaker Helen Searle (former WI member) on ‘Setting up a School of Nursing in St Helena’.

Contact us with any enquiries at [email protected]

NORTH Hill Parish Council held their annual parish meeting (APM) at 7pm, their annual general meeting (AGM) at 7.15pm and finally their monthly meeting on Monday, April 8, at North Hill village Hall.

At the APM the chairman shared a report thanking all councillors including ward councillor Adrian Parsons for their contributions over the past twelve months helping to run a smooth and productive parish council. Also raised in her report was the challenge of reporting pot holes in the parish which the clerk and councillors do on a regular basis. St Torney’s Church forwarded a report which was read to the meeting, detailing several events due to take place in the near future and looking at the potential for a public convenience to be installed. Councillor Adrian Parsons forwarded a report which gave details regarding Cornwall Council election figures, budget figures and how these were to be distributed, also National Highways information and maintenance. Recycling, and new homes were among other topics he gave details about. Members of the public will be able to view the minutes in full on North Hill Parish Council website in the near future. At the AGM it was unanimously agreed that the chairman and vice chairman would remain in role for a further twelve months and the financial end of year accounts were shared and agreed.

The monthly parish meeting then took place, several planning notifications and recommendations were detailed which had been forwarded by Cornwall Council.

Other matters considered included general repairs in the play area at North Hill, also the lack of progress in relation to the two parked vehicles in North Hill Village Hall car park which use valuable space when the village hall is busy, thus preventing less able bodied members of the parish from being able to park in the car park. The clerk was asked to look at alternative methods of attempting to secure the removal of these vehicles following a response from Cornwall Council to state that they are unable to act at this time.

An update of the latest cemetery meeting was given and the successful tender has now been informed, however without securing additional funding North Hill Parish Council are unable to proceed with the road to the cemetery at this time. Finally, the findings of the internal audit report and figures for the Annual Governance Statement were considered and agreed with a date for commencement of the period of exercise of public rights for June 2, 2026.

The next monthly meeting is due to take place on Tuesday, May 5, at North Hill Village Hall. Members of the public are always welcome to attend, your thoughts and comments are always welcome.

THE Holsworthy History Society met on Thursday, April 9, and was enthralled by the talk about the sinking of the HMHS Glenart Castle during WWI. This talk was given by Keith Denby who has dived the wreck.

The Glenart Castle, a Hospital Ship, was on its way from Newport in Wales to Brest in France to pick up wounded soldiers from Flanders. It was just North West of Lundy Island when it was hit by a torpedo fired from a German submarine. The ship went down in just eight minutes with the loss of over 150 lives. Those who died were not soldiers but nurses, doctors, clergy and crew. The Glenart Castle was showing all its lights and was clearly marked as a hospital ship so should never have been fired upon. After the war, although there was an enquiry, the German Submarine Captain was not held accountable for his actions.

This was a most fascinating talk which was greatly enjoyed by the Society’s members.

The society will next meet at 7pm on Thursday, May 14, in the Manor Suite of the Holsworthy Memorial Hall when there will be a visit to the Holsworthy Museum which is situated just across the car park.

All are welcome to join us.

THE chapel recently held a Soup & Sweet Lunch instead of their usual Thursday coffee morning.

Tables were laid up in the chapel space with the lunch attracting not just those from the community, but also those from further afield. After Grace was said by Sue Martyn, diners were given the choice of leek and potato soup or vegetable, with plenty of soup available for a second helping.

A vast array of desserts had people coming back for more and this was followed by tea/coffee and homemade biscuits.

The ticket price had included a strip of raffle tickets, of which there were plenty of prizes, together with a ‘lucky number’ for an Easter hamper which was won by Mrs Doris Daniel.

Grateful thanks were extended to all who had helped or given to the lunch in any way, with special thanks to Lesley Martyn-Uglow who helped to direct the proceedings in the kitchen with her catering knowledge.

Easter Sunday was celebrated with a service led by Mrs Shelia Burt; Steward for the morning, Sue Martyn, welcomed Shelia together with the congregation including visitors. Pat Perkin accompanied the hymns on the organ and readings were given by Sue, Agnes Colwill and Lorraine Sluggett, with the collection taken by Ella Strout and Sybil Martyn-Uglow. Fellowship continued after the service with tea/coffee and hot cross buns. A beautiful arrangement by Ruth Allin adorned the communion table. Prior to Good Friday a cross had been placed on the green opposite the Chapel – on Good Friday it was dressed with a crown of thorns, but on Easter Sunday this was removed and it was decorated with flowers and ribbons - as people arrived at Chapel they placed flowers at the foot of the cross – a symbol to remind people what Jesus had done for us.

The chapel anniversary will be celebrated on the afternoon of Sunday, April 26, at 3pm with a Concert by the ‘Side by Side’ Singers led by Mrs Sandra Shepherd, followed by a tea.

Coffee mornings continue in the village on each Thursday of the month – first and third Thursday at the Chapel and second and fourth at the Church Hall. At the end of April the Primary School PTFA will be holding a coffee morning with plant sale at the Chapel on the fifth Thursday.

Muddy Church — On Easter Saturday the Muddy Church team hosted an Easter Activities morning in The Stable which also included an Easter Egg Hunt in the Chapel Meadow. The morning was for children and young families.

Easter Sunday — Despite the bitterly cold wind and a few showers, on Easter Sunday over thirty people left the Methodist Chapel Car Park on the Easter Morning Dawn Walk, walking through the Village to Tim and Ros Watson's field for an open air service. Here, we saw the sun rise and proclaimed He is Risen, He is risen indeed, Alleluia! Mark Shepherd led the service and Sue Banks spoke on the road to Emmaus. We shared the Holy Communion and unaccompanied we sang 'Low in the grave He lay' and 'God sent His son, they called Him Jesus'. We then walked back through the Village to the Stable, where a full English cooked breakfast was shared.

At 10am, the Easter Sunday Chapel service was led by Mark Shepherd.

We worshipped the Lord by singing: 'Thine be the glory', 'Living hope', 'Jesus paid it all', 'O to see the dawn' and 'I cannot tell why He whom Angels worship'.

The singing was accompanied by Sandra Shepherd and Christine Tratt playing the keyboards, Mark Shepherd playing guitar and with Marlene Heard, Maxine Whenmouth and Avril Glessing as vocalists.

The prayers were led by Maxine Whenmouth and the reading was given by Mark Banks.

The Lenten Tree which we've used through Lent to tell the story of the cross - was decorated with flowers by the congregation during the service. A simple, but clear way of showing how that story ends: new life! After the service, the cross was placed outside the Chapel for passers-by to admire.

Refreshments were served after the service.

On the morning of Good Friday, a good number gathered at the Parish Church of St James the Great for a service focussing on the 'Stations of the Cross'. The service was led by our worship leaders Ian Mason and Hilbre Watts and the organist was Luke Francis.

A bitterly cold, but bright start to Easter Sunday commenced with the choir of St James walking to Rosecott Park to the home of Rev Richard Ward-Smith to sing 'Happy 80th Birthday' to him.

The Easter Bunnies had been busy hiding Easter Eggs in the churchyard and at 10.30am, over sixty children with parents, grandparents and family members enjoyed an Easter Egg Hunt. Thank you so much to Sue, Pete and Sarah for organising a really great event.

The Church Bells rang out and the sun shone as the congregation gathered in a beautifully decorated church. The Easter Lilies and palm branches were just beautiful and looked stunning. The Lenten Cross was adorned in white cloth replacing the black cloth from Good Friday together with a crown of thorns and the stone had been rolled away from the tomb. Thank you to Jeannette Norman and Jennie Siddalls for a wonderful display as always.

The lilies had been sponsored by a large number of people, with donations given to the memory of many loved ones helping to fund such beautiful flowers to the joy of Easter Day and a list of those who were being remembered was on display at the rear of the Church.

The Rector, Churchwardens and choir processed in with the Cross of Jesus being carried by Graham Harris and the first hymn was sung in complete celebration “Jesus Christ is Risen today".

Rev Teresa Folland invited the children up to the High Altar to receive one more egg and to have the rest of their eggs blessed reminding us of new life and Jesus's Resurrection. Rev Teresa gave the children a well thought out message on what occurred on Easter Morning - the stone had been rolled away and He was risen! Alleluia!

Rev Amanda and Hilbre shared the task of entertaining the children in the Grenville Chapel with crafts, sweet making, colouring and cutting out butterflies.

Rousing hymns were sung throughout the service with many joyous Alleluias, led by organist Luke Francis and the choir of St James the Great and the hymns were: ‘Christ the Lord is risen again’, ‘We have a gospel to proclaim’, ‘Thine be the glory’, ‘Alleluia, sing to Jesus!’ and ‘Crown Him with many crowns’.

The prayers of intercession were led by Rev Amanda.

The Holy communion was administered by Rev Teresa and Kevin McGrath, during which the choir rendered: ‘O Voice of the Beloved’, ‘Ye choirs of new Jerusalem’ and ‘Light's glittering morn bedecks the sky’.

Coffee and biscuits were served after the service by Jenny Reed.

It was a truly joyful Easter Sunday at St James the Great with a large attendance and it was a joy to see families with young children filling the Church of St James the Great.