NOVEMBERBirdsRobin, Herring Gull, Mistle Thrush, Pied Wagtail, Blue Tit, Long-tailed Tit, Chaffinch, Wren, Fieldfare, Redwing, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Jay, Magpie, Wood Pigeon, Skylark, Green Woodpecker, Grey Heron, Buzzard, StarlingPlants continuing to flowerCommon Dog-violet, Atlantic Ivy, Red Campion, RagwortInsectsRed Admiral, Yellow Meadow Ant (disturbed) (3rd)Other creepy-crawliesEarthwormFungiButter Waxcap, Scarlet Hygrocybe, Snowy Waxcap, Meadow Waxcap, Sulphur Tuft.DECEMBERBirdsGreen Woodpecker, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Wren, Robin, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw, Chaffinch, Redwing, Song Thrush, Fieldfare, Magpie, Black-headed Gull, Wood Pigeon, Jay, Raven.Plants coming into flowerHazel catkins, Primrose (22nd)Plants continuing to flowerCommon Dog-violet, Atlantic Ivy, Red Campion, Ragwort.MammalsGrey SquirrelImage credit: https://unsplash.com/@ameefairbankbrown
A moving and insightful exhibition giving voice to people in Cornwall who have struggled with housing insecurity or homelessness since the start of the pandemic is now open across Cornwall – and St Laudus is hosting one of the powerful portraits being displayed at around 40 outdoor locations across Cornwall. People. Project Cornwall - led by St Petrocs, a charity supporting adults in Cornwall struggling with housing, facing or experiencing homelessness - shares the experiences of 70 people interviewed living in Cornwall through indoor and outdoor photographic portrait exhibitions, a website and book, and challenges negative societal stigma and stereotypes by stating that all people deserve homes. The first location of the multi-site pan-Cornwall outdoor exhibition was unveiled at the Eden Project Sleep Out on 10 November and it is now rolling out at nearly 40 locations across Cornwall, each displaying a part of the exhibition. A number of high-profile partners have signed up to host one of the outdoor portraits including our church, Eden Project, the Minack Theatre, Rick Stein Restaurants, BBC Radio Cornwall, Truro Cathedral and Jubilee Pool alongside smaller organisations and members of the public who’ve volunteered to display a portrait outside their business or home. One portrait is also being hosted by Centrepoint in London, a charity working with young people facing homelessness. This innovative and ambitious St Petrocs project is a collaboration with social documentary photographer Gavan Goulder and community arts organisation StreetDraw24 – who are all working together to shine a light on an issue that increasingly affects the whole of the UK. The team heard many heart-breaking stories of living on the streets or in cars or vans, of facing eviction, sofa-surfing or living with extended family in cramped conditions and more, as well as practical and uplifting advice on how to survive tough times. Helen Trevaskis, project lead for People. and Founder and Director of StreetDraw24, said: “When we decided to invite organisations and individuals to help us stage this unique multi-site exhibition we didn’t know if anyone would say “Yes”! It felt risky. It’s been overwhelming to see so many step forward to support those who shared their stories and had their portraits taken during the project.” Henry Meacock, Chief Executive Officer of St Petrocs, said: ““The People. Project Cornwall is a wonderful demonstration of how we are all individuals but that we are part of the collective. “Through the combination of portrait photography and the careful curation of personal stories, the project has created a legacy of a point in time that I hope will inspire change. We must listen to the voices of our community.” A St Petrocs client featured in the People. exhibition, who has asked to remain anonymous, said: “Why do people have this stigma around homelessness that says people that ended up homeless are worthless? Something needs to be done to highlight this because there are some intelligent and useful people to society who end up homeless. You’d like people to treat you with a bit of dignity if you found yourself in that position.” Rebecca Ryder, from St Day, is one of the members of the public who has volunteered to host one of the portraits. She said: “'I think it’s a beautiful idea, very clever and of great value. There is a hidden aspect to homelessness across the country, not just Cornwall, and this project offers the opportunity for a wider discussion instead of the usual stereotyping.' Architect Charles Green said of his business taking part, "Life can change in an instant for anyone. As designers of new homes throughout Cornwall, we are able to help focus attention on the plight of homelessness within the County by hosting a portrait at our business - we hope it will help to open up a wider conversation about homelessness and the individuals that are affected by it." The indoor exhibition at the Royal Cornwall Museum in Truro – running until 23 December - sees 26 portraits are on display alongside excerpts from accounts of the housing struggles of individuals, couples, parents and families. Workshops exploring portraiture, power and identity will run at Royal Cornwall Museum in December for project participants and interested members of the public. A book has been published, with a copy due to be archived at Kresen Kernow - Cornwall’s historical archive and the National Library, to mark the severity of the situation so many people in Cornwall find themselves caught up in right now. Find out more about where you can see the exhibition at: www.PeopleProjectCornwall.co.uk
Work has begun on removing and relaying slates on two parts of the church roof. The main area on which work is in progress is the entire southern slope of the main roof. This is the slope which is most exposed to the prevailing wind and which has most often had to be repaired by the replacement of slipped or fallen slates (usually after storms). The existing slates have been removed but will mostly be reused. A permeable membrane is being installed underneath them. The other repair currently in progress is to a section of the bell tower roof which has been responsible for water ingress into the bell tower below.<br><br>These works are being carried out by Roger Searle of Falmouth, who has for many years patched the roof quickly and very reasonable rates when we have suffered storm damage. The cost has been borne entirely out of the Roof Fund, which is a separate account containing restricted funds donated specifically for this purpose. The cost of this work willbe £10,500 which will exhaust most of the money currently in the Roof Fund. The main roof is in three sections with valleys in between; so relaying this slope will leave five more slopes to be re-laid when funds permit. Further donations to the Roof Fund would therefore be more than welcome. <br><br>A good deal of the money donated has been from the “Donate a Slate” initiative which has been less active in recent years; so a new round of donations, large or small, would be very much appreciated. Help of a different kind would also be welcome. Applying for grants towards the cost of relaying the rest of the roof might well be fruitful but is likely to be very time-consuming. The guidance which we have received is that it is very unlikely that massive grants will beobtainable for the entire project of bringing the roof up to scratch. <br><br>A more realistic target is that a number of smaller grants might be available to do the rest of the roof, either in phases or (if we are extremely successful in our fund-raising) in one go. We would love to hear from a volunteer or volunteers willing to assist. Previous experience in grant applications is desirable but not essential, since guidance in the form of transcripts of training webinars and the names of possible grant-making bodies can be made available. If willing to donate or volunteer for grant applications, please contact honorary treasurer Greg Adams on 07770 638443.
BirdsChiffchaff, House Martin, Robin, Magpie, Jackdaw, Buzzard, Goldfinch, Rook, Herring Gull, Wood Pigeon, Jay, Mistle Thrush (up to 5), Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blackbird, Wren, Raven, Black-headed Gull, Greenshank, Swallow, Canada Goose.Plants coming into flowerDovesfoot Cranesbill (8th), Atlantic Ivy (15th), Hazel catkins (24th)Plants continuing to flowerNarrow-leaved Hawkweed, Red Campion, Ivy-leaved Toadflax, Ribwort Plantain, Creeping Cinquefoil, Creeping Thistle, Tutsan, Ragwort, Dog Violet, Scentless Mayweed, Meadow Vetchling.InsectsRed Admiral (1st); Large White, Honey Bee, Leatherjacket, Devil’s Coach-horse, Large Yellow Underwing, Field Grasshopper (15th); Common Carder Bee, Speckled Wood, Hoverflies Episyrphus balteatus (“Marmalade fly”) and Meliscaeva auricollis or M. cinctella (18th); Small White, Comma, Bluebottle, Greenbottle, Flesh Fly (19th); Yellow Meadow Ant (nest disturbed 29th but present throughout); Common Wainscot (disturbed during most mowing or strimming sessions this month).Other creepy-crawliesHarvestman, Earthworm, Woodlice, CentipedeFungiPuffball (Calvatia sp), Field Mushroom, Boletus sp (large, reddish cap), another Boletus sp (brown cap showing yellow where damaged or eaten away, possibly Yellow-cracking Bolete; small, slender, white conical fungus possibly Ivory Slime Cap.MammalsField Vole (disturbed on 29th)
