June July Edition 2 EDITORIAL How are all of you, I wonder? I This year has seen celebrations of many important anniversaries: the bicentenary of the birth of Florence hope you have been keeping th safe and well during this time of Nightingale, the 250 anniversary of William Wordsworth’s birth, the 150 th of the death of Charles pandemic and lockdown, and th that you have been as fortunate Dickens and the 75 anniversary recently celebrated, as I have, with family, of VE Day, to mention a few. However, we had our – th neighbours and friends all own amazing anniversary closer to home the 100 – phoning, emailing and delivering birthday in April of Luxulyan resident Verna Higman supplies (at safe distances). I so we are proud and delighted to say to her, th have been greatly touched by “Congratulations and Happy 100 Birthday”. people’s kindness and feel lucky to live in the wonderful community of which our two parishes are Sadly, because of COVID19 we were unable to composed. I know that the amazing ‘Village Shop and deliver this magazine by hand, so it went online. The Post Office’ in Luxulyan has been a lifeline to so committee and I would like to thank our excellent many, including people from Lanlivery, and you can compiler Robin Burley for his technical prowess in read their saga on page 9. The pop -up shop and achieving this. Some people have kindly printed off Dustow’s farm shop have also proved vital for copies for those without computers. You can access it supplies, and a great boon, as has Lanlivery’s Crown on the Lanlivery Parish Council website, or the – Inn, selling delicious homemade frozen meals, and Lanlivery Parish Church website there is a link to The King’s Arms, with their extremely popular fresh that from the St. Brevita Facebook page. This edition fish and chips on a Friday. We are all incredibly will also have to go online in view of the health risks of grateful to all our local shops and suppliers who distribution by hand, while we try to ascertain future stayed open and also been making deliveries. distribution. We would welcome your opinions. Anyone who is a member of the congregation of our Meanwhile, look after yourselves and each other churches has been able to stay connected via live - With every good wish streamed services, also available online if missed in real time, thanks to our vicars, who have battled so Verna valiantly with the technology. Even this magazine has not escaped virtual reality, the committee having met via Zoom. I must admit it was all quite thrilling, because initially, I thought it would be incredibly Luxulyan Parish Council would like to difficult and complicated. It was fun being hauled into commend all key workers and volunteers this new world of seeing each other on screens, and during the Covid -19 crisis. feeling we were defying distance – which we were! . They are bravely and unselfishly And all this while spring has been quietly budding and keeping the country running and putting blooming around us in glorious sunshine. The themselves at risk to help others. swallows have returned, bringing great joy; they remind us how exhilarating it is to be free – Thanks to their efforts something we are all yearning for after our we are all safer, healthier and less isolated . confinement. And I wonder how everyone has been spending this time – as a rare opportunity to spend quality time with family, to catch up on reading, music, hobbies, make masks and scrubs for health and care workers and of course DIY and gardening, amongst many others? Many are trying to home - school children too, many while simultaneously Please send copy for working from home! Amongst many things, I have the next edition of been reading stories over the telephone to my “THE GRANITE TOWERS” granddaughters in the day and often at bedtime, and enjoying the deeper peace brought about by the drop AUGUST SEPTEMBER 2020 EDITION to the editor, Verna Roberts, by in air and road traffic. JULY 10 2020 This has benefitted the environment too, by lowering pollution. People are reporting that they are EMAIL ADDRESS for Granite Towers copy: experiencing nature more vividly. Let’s hope we learn [email protected] many valuable lessons from this pandemic Photos for front or back page to experience and emerge with greater awareness of Ellen McConnell [email protected] health and social needs, indeed, into a more humane world. See page 29 for all deadline dates. The views of the editor are always personal and not necessarily those of the Granite Towers and committee. 3 VIEW FROM THE SURGERY I am writing this on the day the government has eased some of the restriction with COVID 19. Like several of you, I have been at home since March, and getting frustrated about it. I am lucky to have a garden to look at over the computer screen. I will confess to the occasional walk outside into our lovely area, but I do rarely meet anyone when I escape. Working from home sounds great, but for me it has meant either being on the phone or doing administration paperwork - so sitting in front of a computer screen all day and not with superfast broadband. Very quickly I realised that a lot of the pleasure of my work is working with the team at the surgery as well as seeing people about their problems. Video conference calls don’t replace the jokes and quick advice chats when you sneak into the office to grab a biscuit. I feel less guilty about asking someone to do a task if I ask them face to face rather than via a message. The staff has responded fantastically to the situation; some are working from home supporting those in the surgery. They are all working hard and extra hours, including over the bank holidays to ensure our patients continue to receive the best care we can offer. There have been lighter moments with TikTok dances and cakes. Our patients also have been superb, accepting telephone and video calls rather than being seen in the surgery, and us not being able to do our full range of investigations. We have had lots of rainbow pictures for our windows to brighten the view. We are not out of the danger zone yet, with ongoing infections being reported, so despite the government easing the restrictions, please stay safe and keep your distances. As always, wash your hands frequently. The surgery is open for all medical problems, so don’t ignore your health, and now we are allowed to exercise more, please take the opportunity, as a walk or two a day can help lots of conditions. Keep safe and protect the NHS. Dr. Andy Hayward * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * LUXULYAN PARISH COMMUNITY FUND Due to the Covid 19 restrictions the Grants Panel did not meet in April. Fortunately we had not received any applications recently. However, we were able to donate £2000 towards the CCF Emergency Appeal. At the time of writing the Cornwall Community Foundation had collected £380,000 to be distributed among causes in need of their help at this desperate time. A typical case is Truro Foodbank which is feeding more children than ever before If you know of an organisation that would benefit from a grant, please visit our website for an application form, or ring our Chairman Dave Bunt on 01726 852554. www.cornwall foundation .com/ luxulyan -community -fund or the Parish Council website www. luxulyan pc.co.uk Other Grant Panel members are: - Kay Baker, Francis Payne, Nick Legard, Chris Austin, Bridget Hall and Jim Cleare. Dates for future grant panels are as follows: - Deadline for applications Grant Panel Meeting 29 th July 2020 12 th August 2020 28 th November 2020 9th December 2020 Jim Cleare ADVERTISING Please note that due to increased costs, we have had to raise the prices for advertising; when you renew, large adverts will cost £40 and small adverts £25 for six issues per year. Please see contact details at the bottom of page 13. 4 HOW THE VIRUS STOLE EASTER May the world see hope when it looks at God’s people. ‘Twas late in ‘19 when the virus began May the world see the church is not a building or steeple. Bringing chaos and fear to all people, each land. May the world find Faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection, People were sick, hospitals full, May the world find Joy in a time of dejection. Doctors overwhelmed, no one in school. May 2020 be known as the year of survival, But not only that —Let it start a revival. As winter gave way to the promise of spring, The virus raged on, touching peasant and king. Submitted from the other side of the pond People hid in their homes from the enemy unseen. They YouTubed and Zoomed, social -distanced, and OF BUTTERFLIES AND BEES cleaned. Everywhere I’ve lived has its own array of characters of April approached and churches were closed. the bug or animal form. My current abode is no different, “There won’t be an Easter,” the world supposed. and with the enforced time at home it encourages “There won’t be church services, and egg hunts are out. awareness of what’s actually happening in your own back No reason for new dresses when we can’t go about.” yard. Holy Week started, as bleak as the rest. With the beautiful warm spring and early summer days The world was focused on masks and on tests.