St Martin-By- News Published and funded by St Martin-By-Looe Parish Council Sept/Oct 2009 Parish Council Update B3253 Speed Limit Despite the best efforts of both the Parish Council and the local community, Council will not reconsider lowering the speed limit from 50mph to 40mph as requested. A representative from the Highways Department did attend a meeting with members of the Parish Council and agreed to carry out some improvements to try to encourage drivers to slow down; however, once again, we were told that funding is currently not available. It would appear that the substantial savings claimed by the new Unitary Authority are simply being made by spending no money! Nearly everything the Parish Council has asked for has been met with the same reply ‘NO FUNDS AVAILABLE’. Planning Applications The following have come before the Parish Council for consideration: Pethick Farm, No Mans Land, replacement of existing agricultural building. Island View, St Martins, construction of a porch. Bay View Farm, variation of condition 1 (occupation of caravan/siting of tents on site between 31st October and 1st March). Cliff Valley Farm, St Martins, certificate of lawful- ness for the continuation of occupancy of dwelling without compliance with agricultural occupancy condition number 2. Longcoe Farm, St Martins, construction of farm access track. Tregoad Park, St Martins, construction of pool hall with conservatory to existing swimming pool. Ellie’s Haven As you all are probably aware, the Ellie’s Haven project will not now be constructed at No Mans Land, The Parish Council wish the team every success with finding a new site where they will be welcomed by the local community. Meeting Dates You are always welcome to attend the Parish Council Meetings. The next meetings are September 3rd and October 8th 2009. Public participation is welcome before the meeting starts. (Please note, during September ONLY if you need to contact the Parish Council please contact your Councillor direct).

1 Tredinnick Farm Shop & Tea Rooms

Widegates, Near Looe, Cornwall Local Fruit and Vegetables Fresh meat Farm scrumpy, beers and wines Home made preserves and local honey Fresh bread, cakes, pasties and pies Organic Cornish Ice Creams Now under new management, Tea Rooms Now Open. Open 7 days per week 9am - 6pm Monday - Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday Tel: 01503 240992 Signposted on the A387 between and Looe

2 Proposal for a very worthwhile cause!

The Lin Berwick Trust, a small charity based in Suffolk, builds exclusive holiday cottages for severely disabled people to holiday with their families. These spacious three bedroomed cottages are for a maximum family of six people of which normally only one would be disabled. The buildings are specially designed to fit in with the local style of architecture and are usually located behind hedges or a belt of trees. For people with severe physical disabilities the opportunities for holidays are very limited because disability accommodation caters for the vast majority of the disabled but rarely if ever for the profoundly disabled who are sidelined by the absence of sufficient facilities to make a stay away from home practical. The Trust has filled this gap with its first two cottages – in Norfolk and in Scotland and has been recognised by Visit Britain and Tourism for All for its exceptionally high standards both of facilities and quality of accommo- dation and in both cases are considered an asset to the community. The Trust has been offered a lovely site at Higher Treveria and hopes to build one single story cottage in stone, wood and slate behind a high hedge and away from the village itself and well hidden from the road. If they are successful in this project it will fill an enormous gap in the market in the South West as well as providing employment locally. Visitors to The Trust cottages tend to either stay on the premises or go out in their car and tend to prefer privacy - like us all! To learn more about the Lin Berwick Trust do visit their website www.thelinberwicktrust.org.uk. or contact the Trust via the “contact us” details. C J BUILDERS GENERAL BUILDING

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3 History Snippet

The plight of the honeybee has made headlines of late. We are being urged to monitor and nurture them; plant bee-friendly flowers: take on a hive; acknowledge their essential function in pollinating our crops. Before sugar arrived in our larders in the C17th all our sweetness came from honey which flavoured both food and drink. Its beneficial properties must have sustained communities in lean times (when obesity was only observed in the rich!). Honey-production used to be part and parcel of land management, probably practised and understood by most country folk. The surname Beeman is quite rare so we can assume that the job of beekeeping ran alongside other duties on the manor. In our parish special areas were set aside for bees. In the Tithe Map of 1841 these are still remembered as field names, Bee Park, Queen Park and Bramble Park which can still be found in Bucklawren and . The brambles had to be encouraged to grow as long as possible by early July to get the best material for making the skeps or bee-baskets. I can find no reference to how this was done, but brambles do seem to reach for the light, and the Bramble Parks are on north-facing slopes. The bramble was skinned and processed to make a binding for straw and the lengths were coiled and sewn into baskets. In winter the baskets were kept in the Queen Park near the settlement for protection and the resident queens could be fed with rosemary, water and honey. A south-facing structure in wood or stone kept the baskets dry. In spring the operation moved to the Bee Park from where the baskets were taken to the fields and orchards as necessary to pollinate the seasonal crops in their turn. The crucks on donkeys were adapted to house the skeps which were left by the beans, flax, apples, broom and gorse for as long as necessary. Yellow Pages gives the nearest Bee Suppliers as Terry’s on 363135. Why not get involved? Our parish could be a hive of activity once again! Jenny Wallis

4 No Mans Land Annual Show

This year's show was very successful, entries were up on recent years. All the judges agreed that the standard was very high and that judging was difficult because of this. The afternoon was not that well attended and it was disappointing to see so few people from the village. The Mayor and Mayoress of Looe, Councillor and Mrs Joy opened the show, the Mayor said how important these events are in maintaining village life, and how impressed he is with the hall at No Mans Land. Sophie and Sasha Kennard presented the mayor and his wife with gifts. Huge thanks go to all the exhibitors, judges, stewards and the Hall committee for helping make this year's show so successful. Trophy winners were; Peter Powley Andrew Chudleigh Barbara Reynolds Tracy Chudleigh Ronald Matthews Jane Smith Beverly Madley Keith Madley Sasha kennard William Stacey Sophie Kennard Morwenna Chudleigh Iris Marriott Sharon Kennard

5 Set in the rolling Cornish countryside just 2 miles east of Looe, the Bucklawren Granary Restaurant offers a superb setting to hold any occasion, from dining out, special occasions, private functions, business meetings & weddings. All our meals are freshly prepared to order using the finest local produce! Our renowned Sunday Carvery is open from 11.30- 4pm with 1-course for only £6.95, 2-courses £9.95, 3-courses £11.95, with children’s options starting from £3.95. We are open for evening meals from 6pm onward Monday – Saturday & 7pm onward on Sundays. Why not our try our new Steakhouse menu, where you can enjoy a wide variety of the finest produce in our season changing menus, prepared to order by our established chefs, with a selection of home-made desserts readily available. Tel; 01503 240778 or Email; [email protected] www.granaryrestaurant.co.uk

6 Lots of lovely sunshine!

Oh what a wonderful summer! I know we must encourage our visitors to return year after year but after this summer what hope do we have? Still we 'locals' are allowed to escape to the sun, and am I glad my wife and I did so in early June. We returned to our favourite retreat in the unspoiled hills of the Algarve in Portugal, to a beautiful, peaceful bed and breakfast run by a retired English couple, Teresa and Andy Ralph; for us going to Quinta Familia near Loule is like visiting close family, we are always made to feel so welcome and nothing is too much trouble, and the breakfasts are superb. New this year is the ‘Summer Kitchen’, this has been thoughtfully built at the rear of the property giving some welcome shade from the hot sun, we used the kitchen on the days we just wanted to laze by the private pool; having only two letting bedrooms the pool was nearly always exclusively ours. The property is remote, and you do need a car to explore, but the comforta- ble bedrooms all with private bathrooms and spectacular terraces are worth the drive. Both rooms ‘The Sunset Room’ and ‘The Sunrise Room’ are furnished to a high standard with ‘The Sunset Room’ having a TV and DVD. The Algarve is only a two hour flight away, with regular flights from Exeter to Faro; there is always plenty to do and see, and the beaches are to die for. B&B starts at £52 per day (per room), contact Teresa or Andy on 00 351 289 415545 or visit the website www.quintafamilia.com Charles General enquiries (and all services) 0300 1234 100 Children, schools and families 0300 1234 101 Libraries 0300 1234 111 Benefits 0300 1234 121 Adult care and support 0300 1234 131 Refuse and recycling 0300 1234 141 Planning 0300 1234 151 Housing 0300 1234 161 Council tax and business rates 0300 1234 171 Registration services 0300 1234 181 Getting Trading standards 0300 1234 191 Environmental management 0300 1234 202 in touch Environmental health & licensing 0300 1234 212 Roads, transport and parking 0300 1234 222 Fire and community safety 0300 1234 232

7 Reflections of Busy Bee

Not because of, but despite of, for me it’s a successful year in both the flower and vegetable garden. At this time it’s the reward for all the work that’s gone before. The deep freeze is at bursting point with broad and runner beans, also peas and a large shelf of jam, jelly, picked cabbage, onions and beetroot. Parsnip, swede, turnip, leeks, beetroot can all be left in the ground until needed. Onions, Shallots are dried on skeins. Still more beans and peas remain on the vine, like potatoes they will be harvested when ready, carrots are lifted, dried and stored in the earth, sand or compost. Dahlias seem to be a bit late, otherwise all other flowers, shrubs and trees have done well, with great success in local flower shows. If you see what appears to be a mad ‘Devilish’ charging about with a butterfly net, it’s me after those cabbage white butterflies. Best wishes if your crops are as mine, you will be well satisfied. Total area of my garden....just less that ’12 rod’. Busy Bee.

No Mans Land Memorial Hall Jumble Sale and Cream Tea (in aid of Children’s Hospice South West) Sat 26th Septem- ber at 2.30pm. Please support this charity. Good items needed, can collect, Tel: 01503 240650.

8 Pentillie Castle 'Revealed' Ramble

There is a unique opportunity for walkers to explore the private and hidden treasures of one of Cornwall's best kept secrets, with a choice of no less than three guided walks around Pentillie Castle's grounds and gardens. With some of the most stunning vistas and views hidden from prying eyes for more than sixty years, the Coryton family have kindly agreed to guide walkers on a choice of either short, medium or longer walks around Pentillie's gardens and estate for the very modest sum of £5.00 (payable in advance) and includes a specially prepared walkers lunch in Pentillie's dining room. Each of the choice rambles will commence from the car park adjacent to the front of Pentillie Castle at 10.30 for 11am, Wednesday 21st October 2009. These wonderful walks will be led by an expert member of the estate's staff along with regular walk leader and botanist Martin Summers and guest leader Barry Brooking who knows something of the history surrounding the estate, with each route revealing the fascinating story behind Pentillie's past with visits to the Kitchen Garden, American Gardens, Floral Sundial, the Ice House Walk, Mausoleum and the stunning Lime Avenue. Note: Places must be booked and paid for in advance, with cheques made payable to Pentillie Castle & Estate and addressed to: The Special Projects Office, Luxstowe House, Liskeard, Cornwall, PL14 3DZ. Total Distance: Approximating between 2 - 4.5 miles. Additional information: Contact Pat Gormley 01579 348749. Sat Nav & O.S. PL12 6QD - Explorer Map 108 SX 410 645 Meeting Place: The car park in front of Pentillie Castle Cost/Lunch: £5 entry fee that includes lunch Clothing Required: Dress for the weather, suitable footwear for walking along muddy tracks and rough terrain. GUIDE DOGS ONLY

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9 A LOW ENERGY LIGHTING SYSTEM POWERED BY SOLAR CELLS FOR A HOME FOR DISABLED CHILDREN IN NEPAL

About 5 years ago one of my wife's cousin's Frances McGowan after a serious illness went to Nepal for a quiet retreat. Whilst there she visited an orphanage for disabled children, and was so appalled with their conditions that she returned after her initial visit to spend a considerable time in Nepal helping to improve their conditions. She has raised funds with the help of her family and friends have helped to transform the orphanage and improve conditions enor- mously. We have assisted with contributions over the years and have received a regular blog telling us what is happening in the orphanage. You can see a short video of the orphanage and the children on www.nepalichildrenstrust.com. There was one comment in her blog that attracted my attention in that the main power supply was off 16 hours a day, and that the children were having great difficulty in studying with just candles for lighting. I have been a power systems engineer all my working life and have been involved with the World Bank in trying to restore power in third world countries so I am very familiar with the conditions that exist in those countries. Thinking about the problem I thought I could do something about it, given that Nepal has a lot more sunshine then us then if this could be used the solution would be to use solar cells as the primary power source. My design calcula- tions showed that using a standard 12v car battery as a storage medi- um and making use of the new low powered LED lights it would be possible to use only two 12 volt 15 watt solar cells to supply 30 of the new lights. These would have the equivalent light output of 600 watts of the older type of Quartz halogen lights. The lighting system consists of 2 solar cells approximately 12 inches by 18 inches supplying a maximum power of 15 watts, each fitted with blocking diodes to prevent back feed which could damage the cells. A control box with 3 inputs (the additional input is for a battery charger) and a feed to the battery via a regulator to ensure the battery is not overcharged. The output from the battery is fed to a 4-way distribution board in the control box. All circuits are controlled by a switch and a thermal circuit breaker, which will automatically reset after a fault. In addition there are 30 lamp units holding the 1.2 watt 12 volt lamps each having an on/off switch. A search of the Internet did not find

10 Continued from page 10. any cheap lamp units and a decision was made to build the units from scrap aluminium. Dennis Udy of Looe Rotary club carried out the majority of this work. He set up a small production line to produce an article of very high quality painted in dark blue, which could be sold on the open market. Dennis has also helped with the design to ensure that it is as robust and fault free as possible, and should work with minimum of maintenance. Commercially available lamp units were considered but were too expensive. All of the equipment weighs about 12 kilograms and will fit inside a standard suitcase so that it can be carried on a plane. A trial run has been carried out in this country and appears to work satisfactorily. The total cost of the equipment is about £450 but there has been a lot of labour involved in building the lamp units. The kit was flown out to Nepal in June and has been installed and is working as designed. The design should work well in any country with good amount of sunshine. If anyone would like information on the design contact me by e-mail on [email protected]. David Rees

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11 A NEW CONCEPT for electrical storage heating. Many homeowners living in rural areas are only too aware of the problems with night storage heating. Although the electricity used for night storage is at cheap tariff Economy 7, the heat generated is often insufficient to provide enough heat in the evenings. One also needs to guess what the weather will be like the following day – not an easy task even for the Met Office! Night storage heating gives out its heat during the day, whether it is required or not! So homeowners out all day come home to a house which is just cooling down and so extra heat at peak tariff is then required for the evening. If it is cold outside but sunny then rooms warm up from the sun in winter, but the night storage cannot be turned off. What an ineffective system this then is! But do not despair….Ecowarmth is here with its New Concept for electrical storage heating. The Ecowarmth system uses standard tariff electricity, gives you all the warmth you need when you need it……AND, is much cheaper to run than night storage heating as well as much easier to control. The Ecowarmth system is based on established German Technology from 1973 and “fine tuned” with an Intelligent Thermostat, developed and manu- factured in Cornwall specifically to deal with the many power surges experi- enced in the UK due to fluctuations in the electricity supply. The unique Intelligent Thermostat is now available with Wireless capability for a central- ised, programmable timing control. So check out Ecowarmth on 0800 027 3799 or visit the revamped website at www.ecowarmth-sw.com to see how Ecowarmth can help you have more affordable and more controllable warmth this coming winter. 5 Minute Chocolate Mug Cake Recipe by: Kairockz

Ready in: 13 mins (10 mins Prep - 3 mins Cook) This is the treat my children love to make themselves after a good term at school or when they have a friend staying. One cake is big enough to share between 2 children if you can convince them of it!!! Ingredients 4 tablespoons flour 2 tablespoons sugar 2 tablespoons cocoa 1 egg 3 tablespoons milk 3 tablespoons butter or oil ¼ teaspoon vanilla (or peppermint) extract 1 tablespoon choc chips 1 large mug Preparation method Add dry ingredients to the mug, and mix well. Crack an egg and add it to your mug. Be sure to mix it well to avoid any pockets of flour in the corners. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the vanilla extract. Pop your mug into the microwave & zap for 3 minutes on maximum power (1000watt). Wait until the cake stops rising, and sets in the mug. If necessary, run a knife around the sides of the mug, and tip the still warm cake out of the mug and onto a saucer. 12 PLUG IN AND WARM UP

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13 Parish Councillors contact details: Chairman Robert Henly 01503 240738 Vice-Chair Kim Smith 01503 262269 Councillors: Roberta Powley 01503 240650 Barbara Reynolds 01503 240520 Ron Matthews 01503 262845 Lynne Burt 01503 240383 Mike Elford 01503 265922 Clerk: Charles Hyde 01579 340905 [email protected]

Fully Stocked for all your grocery requirements at sensible prices

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OPENING HOURS Monday to Saturday, 7am - 6pm Sunday 8am - 2pm Elaine & Martin look forward to seeing you soon. Tel: 01503 240840

14 Kims Quiz (is back!)

QUESTIONS 1 What name is given to any animal without a backbone? 2 Which churchman appeared before the Diet of Worms in 1521? 3 In which county is Luton in? 4 What is the capital of Finland? 5 How many players are there in a netball team? 6 In which sport is the term ‘Eskimo Roll’ used? 7 Whose band was called ‘The Mothers of Invention’? 8 Which band had a hit with the record ‘Cool for Cats’? 9 Which King of England married Catherine of Valois? 10 What sort of creature is a pochard?

Answers in page 16

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15 Events Diary

Regular events in the Memorial Hall

Every Every Every Monday Tuesday Wednesday Mother & Toddler Line Dancing Stretch & Tone for Group 7.30pm - 9.30pm the over 50’s 9.30am - 12 noon 10am - 11am Whist Club 7.30pm

Other Events September Looe Walking Festival, various dates, 01503 273060 Sept 3rd Parish Council Meeting, Memorial Hall Sept 4th Looe Talent Evening, St Martins Church, Looe. £4 Sept 5th Gathering of Cornish Bands, , 01752 844846 Sept 5th & 6th NAVY DAYS, Plymouth. Sept 10th Oxfam Book Evening, 6-8pm, Oxfam Shop, Liskeard. Sept 9th 2nd STAGE DIGITAL SWITCHOVER, retune required. Sept 12th & 13th FujiFilm Compact Camera. Underwater photo competition, Looe Divers, Looe. 01503 262727. Sept 13th Woodland Walk 7 litter pick, Kilminorth Woods, W Looe 10.30am - 1pm 01503 265590. Sept 26th Jumble Sale & Cream Tea, Memorial Hall Sept 27th Sponsored Walk, Looe - Polperro, for British Heart Foundation. 01579 340041. Oct 8th Parish Council Meeting, Memorial Hall Oct 21st Pentille Ramble SEE INSIDE Oct 31st Jumble Sale, Memorial Hall Oct 31st HALLOWEEN Quiz Answers Good quality jumble and bric- a-brac always required, 1 Invertebrate 2 Martin Luther 3 Bedfordshire 4 Helsinki collection can be arranged. 5 7 6 Canoeing Call Roberta on 01503 240650 7 Frank Zappa 8 Squeeze 9 Henry V 10 A Duck

Disclaimer: St Martin-By-Looe Parish Council and the editors will try to report accurately at the time of publication and require similar factual accuracy from contributors. We accept no responsibility for any views expressed by contributors or advertisers in this publication. Editor Charles Hyde 01579 340905.

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