Team members from all Courts in the Devon and Cornwall Area recently converged at the Eagle House Hotel in Launceston for the much-anticipated Annual Foresters Area Quiz, an event that has become a highlight of the year.

Upon arrival, participants were greeted with a warm welcome and refreshments.

Mike, the area chief ranger from Court Pendennis in West Cornwall, set the stage, introducing the event’s format, which featured six rounds and a total of 64 challenging questions.

As the competition heated up, a delicious buffet spread provided a welcome break and fuelled everyone for the final round, all about the iconic 1960s.

When the dust settled, it was Court Semper Fidelis from Exeter that emerged victorious with an impressive score of 54 points. Hot on their heels were Court Pride of the Plym from Plymouth with 51 points, followed by Court Pendennis from West Cornwall at 46 points, and Court Goodwill from East Cornwall at 33 points.

But the fun didn’t end there. The raffle, organised by the ever-dedicated Ken, saw attendees snapping up an array of fantastic prizes.

The raffle raised a fantastic £80, which will be donated to this year’s chosen charity, Cornwall Hospice Care, a cause close to the hearts of many, following Joan’s incredible fundraising efforts last year.

In his closing remarks, Mike expressed his gratitude to all those who took part: “I would like to thank all those who have come along today and we have all greatly enjoyed ourselves. It’s not winning that’s important but participation, and it has been grand to see the fun we have all had. I pay tribute to our hardworking secretary, Gary, for co-ordinating the event and making it happen, to Ken and Joan for organising the raffle, which has raised no less than £80 for Cornwall Hospice Care — thank you both so much, and to the Eagle House Hotel for the facilities and the truly magnificent buffet. With this, it was good to see that the jam went on the scones first, with the clotted cream on top! Devon members, take note! Finally, thank you again to all those who have come along to support the day, and I look forward to seeing you all soon at the Area Chief Ranger’s Lunch or the upcoming meeting.”

With that, the quiz wrapped up on a high note, leaving everyone excited for the next gathering, whether at the area chief ranger’s lunch or the upcoming meeting.

Dr Sean Sweeney gave an excellent organ recital at St Mary Magdalene recently with a theme of Remembrance.

He opened his programme with a fanfare by Percy Whitlock which was written in 1940 for the band of the Bournemouth Home Guard followed by three movements of music by William Walton for the film of Richard III with Laurence Olivier including the beautiful Elegy and the well known Scherzetto.

He then played a Prelude and Fugue in D major by Dietrich Buxtehude whom J S Bach is reputed to have walked from Lower Saxony to Hamburg to hear play the organ and then Handel’s Bourrée from his Music for the Royal Fireworks.

A lighter note was then struck with a Popular Song from Façade by William Walton before J S Bach’s St Anne Fugue in Eb major which includes variations on the hymn tune usually sung to “O God, our help in ages past”.

The Elegy by Sir George-Thalben-Ball started as an improvisation by Sir George to fill time on a live third programme concert which he later wrote down and expanded to satisfy listeners who wanted to know what the lovely piece was.

Dr Sweeney finished his programme with Noel Rawsthorne’s Hornpipe Humoresque which had always brought the house down when he was organist at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, containing not only the Sailors’ Hornpipe but also snatches of a Brandenburg Concerto, Rule Britannia and the Widor Toccata.

The choir is now looking forward to singing carols at 7pm on Friday, November 28, after the official opening of the Christmas Tree Festival organised by choir members Sharron Wormald and Sue Tierney and then the Advent Carol Service on Sunday, November 30, at 5.30pm after a combined benefice Eucharist at St Mary’s with the Tamar group of churches in the morning.

Then on Sunday, December 7, the last choral evensong for the year will take place followed by the traditional service of nine lessons and carols on Christmas Eve at the earlier time than usual of 5.30pm.

On Saturday, November 29, a ‘Gift Day and Craft Fayre’ will be held from 10am to 4pm at St Andrew's Church, Stratton.

A Christmas Tree Festival is then scheduled for Friday, December 12, to Sunday, December 14, between 10am and 4pm (11am onwards Sunday).

Refreshments all day - Tea, coffee, cake and light lunches available.

The Annual General Meeting of the Camelford Branch of The Royal British Legion will be held at 7.30pm on Thursday, November 27, in The Conservative Club, Camelford.

All are welcome to attend.

Bude Choral Society are delighted to be singing 3 works on Saturday 29th November at 7.00p.m. in the Methodist Church in Bude (EX23 8LA).

Charpentier - Te Deum; Handel - O Praise The Lord with One Consent; Gounod -St. Cecilia Mass.

Conductor – John Hobbs; Organist Stephen Tyrrell; Soprano Elinor Chapman; Contralto Rebecca Squire; Tenor Mark Hounsell; Bass Julian Rippon.

Tickets are available in advance for £20 or £22 on the door.

Paper tickets from Ark Angel bookshop, Bude and Bude Tourist Information Centre or email at [email protected]

Online tickets £22 at Bude Tourist Information/Visit Bude site.

Bude’s Women’s Institute held its meeting in the evening of November 11, Armistice Day.

The guest speaker was Mr Paul Martin, who was accompanied by his wife. Paul was the body double for Martin Clines in the hit series, Doc Martin.

It was a very interesting night whereby the group was shown photographs of the various location shoots across Cornwall, actors who played various parts, and of course, Port Wenn (Port Issac).

Thank you Paul for charing your experiences with us all.

Ruth Bealing welcomed all to Chilsworthy Methodist Chapel for the Remembrance Sunday service, which was led by Rev Graham Slingo, commencing with the worship singing at 10am, which was led by Dionne Bere playing the keyboard, Mark Shepherd playing guitar and with Geoff Broome and Marlene Heard as vocalists.

The lessons were read by Karen Shepherd and Mark Banks and the prayers of intercession were led by Geoff Broome. The tech desk was operated by Tim and Ros Watson. The Holy Communion was administered by Mark Shepherd and Karen Shepherd with Mary Care acting as Communion Steward.

Two minutes silence was observed. At the close of the service the congregation made their way to the Burial Ground, where Ruth Bealing led the Act of Remembrance. Rev Graham laid a wreath on the grave of the Father of the Hayman brothers of Ugworthy Moor, who lost their lives in World War I and Christopher Smith laid a wreath on the grave of Corporal Richard Sillifant of Redlees House, who died from injuries sustained in World War II.

Everyone made their way back inside the chapel, where coffee, tea and biscuits were served. Thankfully, the weather was reasonable for the proceedings after rain earlier in the morning and later in the day. The chapel had been suitably decorated with poppies and corn for the occasion.

Thanks to the sterling work of Luke Francis, with the organisation of the Festival of Remembrance, which was performed twice in the Parish Church of St James the Great on November 1.

With the sale of poppies in boxes and the sale of the metal poppies, which decorated either side of the church path, Kilkhampton Parish has raised the grand sum of £7,300 for the RBL Poppy Appeal.

Thanks were expressed to everyone for their generosity and help with the effort.

The Rehoboth Singalong on November 8 took the form of a service of remembrance of the fallen.

The meeting began with a cutting of the ribbon by Miss Amy Cobbledick, the youngest member of the Rehoboth congregation, signalling the re-commissioning of the chapel organ following its extensive refurbishment. Large pictures adorned the walls of the chapel, of the Tresmeer Home Guard, and of the Tresmeer and North Petherwin telephonist and dispatch riders.

An obituary of the sacrifice of a Tresmeer resident was also on display.

Peter Parsons recounted many memories of the war years especially the memory of one person who, standing outside the chapel, read a newspaper by the light of the fires at Devonport, Plymouth.

Barbara Uglow played the organ. The meeting concluded with supper. The charity box continues at the back of the chapel.