A lovely afternoon at Tremaine Church on Sunday with the orchids starting to flower in the churchyard as a concert was held on the eve of St Winwaloe’s Day, our patron saint. The Sidwell Handbells ringers played two sets led by Barbara Griggs, with well known tunes such as Greensleeves, the ‘Hovis’ tune.

Barbara started by having the audience sing along with the bells as they played Amazing Grace and rounded off the concert with the old favourite Trelawney – again so the audience could sing along. In between the two sets from the handbell ringers, Sebastian Parsons, a local 12 year old, played harmonica accompanied by his father Robin on ukulele. Seb is very talented and combines it with a cheerful, engaging approach and the audience loved his performance. Caroline Stone, the churchwarden, put him on the spot by asking for an encore at the end of the concert, which he delivered with aplomb.

There was a retiring collection and a sale of cards with images of the church for the church roof fund. St Winwaloe’s Church is the smallest parish church in Cornwall and much loved. Last year two sets of roof repairs were needed and it has become obvious that the church cannot afford to keep repairing it. The slates are crumbling and the nails failing.

The roof appeal has got off to a very good start and the concert added £185 to it. On June 22 there will be an afternoon concert at North Petherwin Church in aid of Tremaine’s roof fund. Tremaine being so small cannot seat more than 50 people so North Petherwin PCC have kindly agreed to host the concert. Port Isaac Chorale will be performing. This will be a real treat; the prize-winning choir is of very high standard and it will be a perfect concert for a summer afternoon. Tremaine Church will also have a stall at the Egloskerry Gardening Club plant sale at Tresmeer Village Hall on May 10. We will be inside the hall – do come and look at what we have for sale, there will be an eclectic mix of plants.

A good number of members of the Launceston Old Cornwall Society for their April meeting visited Boyton and to Silverlands, the home of Andrew and Coral Dinner, where to many there was quite a surprise.

It is at Silverlands where the Bude to Launceston Canal passed and with the Boyton Wharf. Andrew and Coral have worked extremely hard to maintain this part of the Canal which contains a vast amount of water with its inlets and out lets.

Andrew gave a brief history on the Canal from its inception at Bude and about the bringing of the canal across to North Tamerton, through Boyton and Werrington to Dutson and on to Ridgegrove Mill. He also gave a history of the Dinner family and its connection to Silverlands which spans four generations.

John Ellacott, chairman gave the vote of thanks. Information about the Old Cornwall Society 01566 776142.

The ringing of the church bells on Easter Sunday drew a large attendance of regulars and visitors who received a warm welcome from Judy Longman assisted by two of the grandchildren of the organist, Dr Sean Sweeney.

Rev Dr Michael Dobson was celebrant. The first part of the service the choir and congregation gathered around the font to renew their Baptismal vows, with Rev Michael sprinkling everyone with water blessed in the font. Lessons were read by Rob Tremain and the prayers of intercession by Don Sharpe.

For the administering of communion Rev Michael was assisted by Rob Tremain, who also was crucifer. The choir was in splendid form and following the communion sang the ‘Hallelujah Chorus’ and with the final ‘Hallelujah,’ party poppers were let off by everyone.

Rev Michael said this was Launceston St Mary celebrating the ‘Risen Lord.’ The church was decorated with lilies, with donations given in memory of various relatives and friends. Coffee was served at the close.

To mark Christ's Resurrection, the wooden Cross at Holsworthy Methodist Church was decorated with colourful spring flowers on Easter Sunday morning. Members and friends brought posies and processed to the front of the church to have their flowers placed on the Cross.

The service was led by Mrs Liz Squire, with readings by members of the congregation, who enjoyed singing the joyous Easter hymns.

Rev Meg Slingo led the 'Service of Shadows' at the Methodist Chapel on Maunday Thursday. In the evening light, Ruth Bealing placed the bread and wine beneath the Lenten Cross. The singing was led by Christine Tratt and Sandra Shepherd, with the singing of: ‘As your family Lord, see us here’, ‘Were you there when they crucified my Lord’, ‘Stay with me’, ‘When I survey the wondrous Cross’ and ‘Such love’.

We sat in a circle, with a table in the centre, laid with the bread and wine and seven burning candles.

We shared the Holy Communion with Rev Meg administering the Communion with Mary Care acting as Communion Steward.

Lessons were read by: Ruth Bealing, Mark Banks, Maxine Whenmouth, Chris Smith, Mary Care, Lesley Coxon, Ros Watson and Mark Shepherd.

The candles were gradually extinguished as the service progressed and the congregation left the Chapel in complete silence.

The Easter Egg Hunt for children and young families was held on Easter Saturday. Eggs were found in the Chapel and the Chapel Meadow. Refreshments and various activities were shared.

On Easter Sunday a large crowd gathered at the Methodist Car park at 5.15am, setting off on the Dawn Walk to Chilsworthy Woods. We saw the sun rise and proclaimed 'Alleluia, He is risen indeed'. After a short service we made our way back to the Stable where a full English Breakfast was served, with others joining us later who had been unable to take part in the Dawn Walk. The service at 10am was led by Mark Shepherd with Karen Shepherd leading the opening devotions. The service included Holy Communion with Mary Care acting as Communion Steward. The Chapel was adorned with flowers which many had brought for the service, with all windows, arches and areas filled with spring flowers. The Lenten Cross had been stripped of all the symbols which had been added each Sunday in Lent and had been decorated beautifully by Marlene Heard.

We worshipped the Lord by singing: ‘Forever’, ‘All Heaven Declares’, ‘Low in the Grave He Lay’, ‘O to see the Dawn’ and ‘I Cast My Mind to Calvary’.

The worship singing was led by Christine Tratt and Sandra Shepherd on keyboards and with Avril Glessing, Maxine Whenmouth and John Cleave as vocalists.

After the service, the Lenten Cross was moved outside where further flowers were added, to completely cover it. It could then be seen by all travelling up and down Chapel Hill and from the road at Chapel Cross Corner.

Coffee and biscuits were served.

The monthly Village Coffee Morning was held in the Millard Room of the Social Club of the Village Hall on Thursday, May 1.

Voting was in progress in the Cornish Room, so voters could pop in for refreshments throughout the morning. Thank you to Joan Sussex and Christine Tratt for hosting this month.

This month’s meeting was held on a miserably wet and windy Tuesday when our demonstrator, Margaret Heard, drove all the way from Taunton to delight us with her theme of ’More Inspirations’.

For her first arrangement, Margaret used a black rattan container with a tray of black oasis on top into which she put Rubus, Bear Grass and orange Gerberas. Finally, orange Midelino sticks were added to create a simple but effective design.

Her second was another simple design using white bloom Chrysanthemums arranged in a vertical line with Fatsia as foliage. Mairs Tails were then bent into geometric shapes to frame the design.

For her next design, Margaret used small, plastic, asymmetric dessert bowls from a supermarket filled with florist foam into which she put pink Anthuriums in a spiral and then placed Fatshedera around the bottom to hide the foam. This arrangement was inspired by a Japanese water feature.

For her fourth design, she used a black plaster urn. Beautiful green Orchids were placed in the middle surrounded by Hebe Silver Dollar. Dogwood was then bent into arched shaped and gathered together at the top to frame the orchid

A copper milk can with a tray of oasis on top was the base for her next design. Here she used Bergenia leaves, tall Phormium leaves and shorter Cordyline leaves which she knotted to form shapes like Birds of Paradice. Orange Proteas were then arranged in a spiral to complete the arrangement

Her final arrangement was arranged in an oblong container filled with blocks of Oasis Rows of pale green Ornithogalum were arranged in a tall row with a second line of them below followed by a row of white Chrysanthemum blooms. A final layer of Cryptomeria, a soft conifer, variegated Griselinia and large Fatsia leaves was added before a sprinkling of Lilly of the Valley .

All of the arrangements were won in our raffle as well as additional arrangements and bunches of flowers.

We usually meet on the third Tuesday of every month at the Parkhouse Centre in Bude at 2.30pm but there is no meeting in May as we go on our outing to Cotehele on May 20. We have our usual meeting in June and on July 15 we have a fund- raising coffee morning to which everyone is welcome from 10am until 12pm.

Bude and District U3A open monthly meeting was held at the Parkhouse Centre, Bude on April 17.

The chairman, Jim Buck, welcomed everyone and made a few general announcements. Nick Faulks, deputy chairman, then introduced the visiting speaker for the afternoon, Matthew Thomas, whose talk was entitled “The Castle Heritage Centre Bude”.

Matthew works at the Castle as the outreach officer. His talk spans a period from around 300-million years ago, the Carboniferous Period, up to today. He began by explaining that during medieval times, ‘Hundreds’ were the main administrative subdivisions of a county, Cornwall had nine Hundreds. At the time of the Doomsday survey (1085-86), ‘Stratone’, was the largest and most important place in the Hundred to which it gave its name.

Stratton Town has existed as a settlement from around AD880, then in 1184 it was divided in two Manors: Ebbingford Manor which is the oldest inhabited house in Bude. First mentioned in 1183, Among the first tenants were the Heriz family, tenants of the Earl of Cornwall. St Leonards is possibly one of the oldest private chapels in the world. A small building attached to Ebbingford Manor. Later the manor house was owned by the Arundell Family who built the Tide Mill, Bridge & Causeway. (Leven Cottages). Binhamy Castle was built by Sir Ralph de Blanchminster. The Blanchminster Charity was set up from the 1300s to provide welfare and education for local people. The Grenvilles bought Binhamy and later (around 14th Century) the Grenvilles bought the Manor of Stratton from the Blanchminsters but by 1600’s Binhamy Castle was showing as ruins on local maps.

Matthew went on the talk about Breakwater End - Chapel Rock In Medieval times a small chapel sat on the rocks that are at the end of Breakwater. This was looked after by a Holy Man known as a Bede. It was surrounded by water at high tide and named in St Michaels Honour (like St Michaels Mount). St Michael is the Patron Saint and protector of Mariners.

The Bede used to light a warning fire at night to warn ships of the rocks.

On early maps the bay is marked as ‘Bedes’ Haven’, later becoming Bude Haven and then just Bude. There is evidence of settlements at Maer since the Iron Age, first recorded as La Mere in 1284. Maer Monastery with a Holy Well on site – Donkey lane or Monks lane running to Poughill to Access St Olafs Church. Maer Lake was tidal from Maer (Crooklets) beach. In the Tudor Period the Grenvilles owned lands North of the river and built Grenville Quay and Cottage c.1485.

The Arundells owned lands south of the River and built the Tide Mill, Causeway and Bude old Bridge c.1589. Sir Bevil Grenville was a leading commander of the Royalist Cornish Army in the civil war and won a famous victory at the battle of Stratton. He took part in Battles at Braddock Down, Lostwithiel & Stamford Hill, Stratton. Sir Ralph Hopton, the leading Commander of the Royalists, overcame the Parliamentarians.

Sir Goldsworthy Gurney was responsible for innovations: including the first on road Steam Carriage in 1828, the Gurney Stove, Bude Castle built on sand, Bude Lights in 1845, Bude Railway in 1880. During the build up to the D-Day landings the American forces trained on the beaches in Bude. Also the first Radio Controlled Tigermoth (drone) was launched via a steam powered catapult in this area. Finally, the first Surf Life Saving Club was set up in Bude in 1953. Matthew concluded his talk by asking if anyone had any questions or would like any more information. There were a few questions put to Matthew which he duly answered. The afternoon concluded with the usual tea and biscuits.

In between monthly meetings Bude U3A members enjoy pursuing a wide variety of interests. If anyone would like to find out more they will be very welcome to drop in on a coffee mornings held on the first Friday of the month at The Weir, or the third Friday of the month at the Falcon Hotel from 10:30am, or visit our website at www.budeu3a.co.uk

On Good Friday worshippers on this solemn day visited various Stations in and outside the Church, the service being led by Hilbre Watts and Ian Mason.

On Easter Sunday, the union flag flew proudly over the 90 foot Church Tower and the parishioners of Kilkhampton as the Church Bells rang out at 10am with captain of the tower Tony Davis leading eight ringers to mark the beginning of the Easter Egg Hunt.

Over seventy children searched around St James Churchyard and inside the Church to find Easter Eggs and were rewards to mark the beginning of new life and Easter celebrations.

Parents, carers, children, mothers and fathers all were welcomed by church-warden Kevin McGrath and the Easter Bunny, assisted by Bethany Francis and Tracey Hockin hid the eggs!

Thank you to David Colwill of Burridge Farm, Morwenstow for bringing Sally the ewe for a second year with her new lamb for the children to see and give some nuts to.

The service commenced with the singing of the hymn "Jesus Christ is risen today" with a full robed choir procession led by Graham Harris carrying the Cross of Jesus.

The Rector, Rev Teresa Folland led the service and the children presented their Easter Eggs in a procession and they were blessed by Rev Teresa at St James the Great High Altar with a beautiful short talk to the children about the resurrection of Jesus our Lord.

The Church had been beautifully decorated for the joy of Easter Day by the talented Church flower arrangers which included a beautiful display, of lilies, palms the tomb and other sacred figures.

Children then were taken care of by our wonderful Worship Leader Hilbre Watts and Susie Cox who led the children's activities in the Grenville Chapel with crafts, making, sugar candy ducks and were well looked after for the duration of the service .

Holy communion was taken and blessed as the choir rendered "Ye Choirs of new Jerusalem" and “Crown him With many crowns". Rev Teresa and Kevin McGrath administered the Bread and Wine.

Prayers of intercession were led by the Rev Teresa and Jeannette Norman then read the list of the Easter Lilies, dedicated in memory of loved ones, sadly no longer with us, which people had purchased in remembrance. A lovely touch to Easter Sunday and a tradition held each year at St James the Great.

After Holy Communion, the final blessing was observed and the recessional hymn "Alleluia sing to Jesus" was sung out thanks to being led by our organist Luke Francis and the wonderful choir of St James the Great.

A final blessing was said and the organist played "The arrival of the Queen of Sheba".

Over a hundred adults and sixty children made the morning complete. Steeped in tradition, family, children, new life, Jesus and warmth.

To end a wonderful “Alleluia" Easter Day morning Holy Communion service, coffee and biscuits were served by Joyce Davis and Myra Thomas.

Morning prayer on Mondays at 10am.

Sunday, May 11 - morning prayer at 11am.

Sunday, May 11 - informal worship at 10am.

Peter Sharp will give a talk on the men who appear on the war memorial at Upton Cross on Thursday, May 8, at 7.30pm in Rilla Mill village Hall.

A very successful evening of bingo organised by committee member Julia Bath took place on Saturday, April 12, when over 70 people attended to help raise £500 for the hall funds. Thanks were expressed by chairman, Andrew Davy to committee member, Julia Bath for organising another very successful event, presenting her with a bouquet of flowers.

He also thanked everyone who had helped in any way, especially Sue Davies for her wonderful variety of delicious cakes for the refreshments, to Sandy in the kitchen, to everyone who had donated raffle prizes and everyone for attending once again.

Saturday, May 10, VE Day celebrations and hall Silver Jubilee.

Afternoon Tea in the hall from 2pm to 4.30pm £5/£7 (with Prosecco).

Parson’s Meadow at 8.30pm Music from COMPANY B (gates open at 7.30pm)

Bar and hot food available. Tickets £12.50 at the gate or email [email protected]