TO celebrate popular English composer, John Rutter’s 80th birthday and the his long overdue knighthood, Launceston Choral Society’s recently performed his exciting “Magnificat” and his suite of arrangements of African-American spirituals known as “Feel the Spirit” at Central Methodist Church.

The choir welcomed back local mezzo soprano, Shelley Coulter-Smith as the soloist in both works and her sparkling singing matched the challenges of two very different but inspired pieces. Mary Mazur-Park brought her usual brilliance to her accompaniment, providing a spectrum of effects on the organ from stirring brass to gentle pipes for “Magnificat” and had the “joint jumpin’” with jazz piano walking bass accompaniment for “Ev’ry time I feel the spirit” and well as the restraint called for in accompanying, for example, “Deep River”. Mary is also the choir’s rehearsal pianist and stepped in to take rehearsals for musical director, Jonathan Mann, when he was unable to come early in the new year for which the choir was most grateful.

An appreciative audience, several of whom said they had not been to a Launceston Choral society concert before, donated £367 to the retiring collection in aid of Cornwall Hospice (formerly Cornwall Hospice Care)

The choir is now rehearsing for its summer concert to be given on Saturday, July 11, and after a brief summer break will start practising for its concert on November 14 where the main work will be Brahms’ “German Requiem”.

THE chairman of Launceston Probus Club Jim Watling opened the second Probus March meeting.

Guests included partners and members of Ladies’ Probus.

Jim then had the pleasure of inducting Mohammed as a new member of the club. Mohammed had previously attended the club as a guest. He commented that he liked the relaxed atmosphere of Probus and the variety of interesting speakers.

Our speakers for the meeting introduced us to the work of iSightCornwall, a local charity which supports people who are visually impaired. The organisation was set up in the mid 1800s specifically to help miners who had been injured in accidents. At the time there was virtually no support for people who could not work, and it was the first charity of its type in the country.

The club was told how the charity at one time gave residential care, but now focused on covering more people by having centres around the county. The services provided were outlined, and it was explained how the organisation worked in conjunction with the local health professionals and individuals who contacted them.

An interesting fact not known to members was that if a visually impaired person had a white stick with a red band, this was to indicate that they also had hearing issues.

A number of technological aids were demonstrated, including a device which read text and spoke word for word. It was pointed out that these devices could be obtained through the charity.

At the end of the talk there were a number of questions from members, after which member Christopher led a vote of thanks. More information on iSight Cornwall and its services can be found on their website at www.isightcornwall.org.uk

The next meeting of Men’s Probus is on April 13. Club member David will be giving a surprise talk and refused attempts to divulge the subject.

Mens’ Probus meet on the second and fourth. Monday of each month and Ladies’ Probus on the third Monday of each month, with a speaker followed by an optional lunch.The clubs are primarily for retired or semi-retired people, providing a relaxed atmosphere with a focus on entertainment.

For further information on past and future activities of Probus, including talks and visits, please visit our website at probusclub.net/launcestoncornwalluk or our Facebook page ’Probus Club of Launceston - Cornwall’.

ST Melor's, Linkinhorne — morning prayer, Mondays weekly at 10am. April 3, Good Friday — Reflections at 10am. April 5, Easter Day — Communion at 6.30pm.

St Paul's, Upton Cross: April 3, Good Friday — join St Melor's at 10am. April 5, Easter Day — All Age Service at 10am.

Shelterbox — Simon Parker has reported a successful evening quiz held at Sterts, Upton Cross, recently resulted in a £170 donation to Shelterbox.

More than 70 people attended the sold-out Cornish Pub Quiz in the Sturrock Studio, which saw 12 teams compete in rounds ranging from Cornish food and drink, and Cornish inventions to Cornish sport and of course pasties.

Quizzers were treated to platters and bottles provided by the Cornish Cheese Company and Cornwall Wine Company, while raffle prizes included an off-road adventure courtesy of Roger Young Land-Rovers and tickets for forthcoming Sterts Shows.

The organisers wish to thank all those who took part and made the event such a success. Look out for future quiz nights at Sterts.

Stara Woods — Don’t forget that anyone is very welcome to join the Working Bees on Saturday, April 4, at the entrance at Stara Bridge at 10am for continuation of the work that is always needed there.

1st Linkinhorne Scouts — Many various activities in a short half term. The most exciting is that we have a scout selected for the 2027 global Jamboree in Poland - well done Holly. Now to help her raise £3,500 for the event.

Two evenings were cancelled due to the weather conditions. Throughout the group there have been projects started - animal carer, staffs for everyone, a Lego challenge and a themed few weeks for the Beavers of fun, friendship and love.

LAUNCHED on March 28, ‘The Art of Place’ is a free online exhibition featuring artwork by 20 encaustic wax artists, including Bude artist, Julie Wrathall.

From the furthest south coast of England all the way up to Scotland, artists were prompted to use this ancient technique to paint their personal responses to the places in the UK that they call home. The art of encaustic painting is famous for producing some of the longest surviving and best preserved portraits known to the world - the ‘Fayum mummy portraits’, so it is appropriate that the artists have used encaustic wax to capture their own legacies, preserve their memories of home, creating a collective map of belonging across Britain.

‘The Art of Place' has been funded by ‘International Encaustic Artists’ (IEA) based in the USA. This exhibition is the culmination of the ‘Encaustic Hive UK’ project which was set up by encaustic artists and instructors Julie Wrathall and Lyn Kirkland with support from encaustic artists Mitch Schofield, Mel Williams and Gill Barrett. The project supports and connects experienced encaustic artists in the UK with new artists interested in learning this ancient technique. Unlike more popular and well-known painting mediums, encaustic has no established society or educational body in the UK or Europe. Many UK encaustic artists operate in isolation and are self-taught relying on knowledge from American artists on YouTube. Encaustic is well known in the USA but less so in Europe and the UK - something this group hopes to change.

Taken from the Greek word enkaustikos, meaning “to burn in,” encaustic painting first appeared in the 4th century BCE. It was used to waterproof ships by the ancient Greeks until artists combined it with pigment and used it as paint. Contemporary encaustic artists mix molten beeswax with a tree resin called damar, and pigments. They paint this in layers onto rigid surfaces to create smooth or textured semi-transparent artwork. Heat is applied after each layer to fuse (bond) it to the surface below. Traditional encaustic art can last for thousands of years. The encaustic Fayum mummy portraits are in pristine condition despite being over 2000 years old. In February 2026, a Fayum portrait sold at Sotheby’s for $889,000, showing encaustic is as relevant today as it has ever been. Cornwall based Encaustic Hive UK and ‘The Art of Place ‘co-ordinator Julie Wrathall, teaches encaustic workshops. She loves it when students tell her they are inspired and love this new found medium. Julie says “creating and teaching encaustic art lights me up like no other art form. When Lyn Kirkland and I received a grant from ‘International Encaustic Artists’ in the USA, we knew we wanted to use it to bring together the encaustic community in the UK and try to increase awareness of encaustic here.”

Established encaustic painter and coordinator of ‘Encaustic Hive UK’ and ‘The Art of Place ‘Lyn Kirkland, is based on the Isle of Portland. She is the face of encaustic on Jacksons Art website where she talks about encaustic. Lyn describes how this tactile and mesmerising medium healed her.

She said: “In 2009 my young son was diagnosed with Leukaemia. Art became a way of coping and when I discovered encaustic later on, it gave me what I was searching for with my art - a warm, skin-like surface that spoke to me of regeneration and life. I hadn’t realised that encaustic wax existed or the catharsis that my art would give me.”