Sunday, December 15, 9.30am Dressing up Service.

Tuesday, December 17 11.00am Warm Space

Get Ready for a Wonderful Christmas Fayre. Visit Father Christmas in Santas Grotto, browse the stalls, Refreshments available, Chocolate Tombola and the Lanreath Choir will be entertaining .

Live music from Push Through starting at 4pm in the Tipsy Cow Bar.

Saturday, December 14 from 12 noon.

Wednesday, December 11 at Lanreath Village Hall.

Doors open 6.30pm, eyes down 7.30pm.

All lines are double prizes for a special Christmas bingo. Full House prizes include Baskets of fruit/chicken/meat dinners, also first and second line prizes, money game, raffle.

Tea and coffee interval or bar facilities available.

Do come and join us all monies raised goes back into the community.

1st Prize Paul Tambling £30

2nd Prize Maurice Gatfield £20

3rd Prize Owen Jackson £10

December 16 Carol Service with Rev. Robert and Marian Saunders at 3pm followed by festive tea. All welcome. (Note no morning service)

Saltash stood on the front line during the English Civil War, changing hands eight times, and a century later was still described as ‘a poor shattered town’. Saltash Old Cornwall Society members were especially interested to hear a talk on the Civil War in the South West by published historian Philip Photiou whose power point presentation outlined the various campaigns and changes of fortune as Royalist and Parliamentary armies surged across Devon, which was largely for Parliament, and Cornwall which stood mainly for the King.

Mr Photiou told of the many places across the two counties where fortifications, earthworks and burial mounds can still be identified and where local names are still redolent of those troubled times. He concentrated particularly on the siege of Plymouth in which the batteries at Saltash played a role, and on the Battle of Freedom Fields, still ere enacted by local youths into the nineteenth century.

In his vote of thanks society secretary Martin Lister emphasised the speaker’s clarity in telling a complicated tale of towns changing hands and commandeers changing sides, and thanked Mr Photiou for bringing local history so vividly to life.

Cleerway Community Church is meeting on Sunday morning at The Memorial Hall, Well Lane, St. Cleer PL14 5EA at 9.45am for breakfast. The morning service starts at 10.30am. All are welcome, irrespective of background or belief.

‘Tis the season to be jolly’ along with Tamar Valley Male Voice Choir on Friday, December 13 at the United Reformed Church, 1 Russell Street, Tavistock PL19 8BD, at 7.30 p.m. The evening will be filled with festive songs, carols and the spirit of Christmas. It will also be a special occasion for the Choir members as they bid a fond farewell to Rosemary Cole, their Director of Music, who is retiring after 18 years at the helm. From its inception in 2006 with just nine men, Rosemary has brought TVMVC to the exciting choir it is today. “We love to bring the joy of Christmas to our audiences,” said Charles Westlake, Chairman. “It seems fitting that it’s also a time to celebrate all that Rosemary has done for us.” Come with your Christmas hats and be prepared to join in with the carols and the fun. ‘Yule’ be glad you did!

Tickets, including refreshments, £7.50 for adults (under 14s free) can be purchased at the United Reformed Church Friday morning Café; from Maureen Tulloch 01579 208519, or from Book Stop at 3 Market Street, Tavistock; from Tavistock Information Centre at the Guildhall; on-line at www.tamarvalleymvc.com or at the door by cash or card.

The Guild meeting held on December 2 was a very enjoyable evening of Christmas miscellany of quiz's, to challenge the grey cells. Singing some carols. Lots of laughter and some yummy nibbles.

There will be no Guild meeting held on Monday, December 16, at Callington. As there will be a Christmas Concert, held at Saltash Wesley Church on that evening, given by An Augmented Choir, including Burraton Primary school choir, starting at 7pm.

Carols Service by Candlelight, with Valley Voices, held on Thursday, December 12, starting at 7pm.

Sunday, December 15, morning service held at 11.15am.

Johnny Cowling will be leading a Christmas Special to be held at St Ive Parish Church on Friday, December 20, starting 7.30pm.

Tickets £15, Includes a pasty supper.

Christmas Eve Eucharist, to start at 9pm.

Unity Methodist of St Ive, held at the Village Hall. Change to previously advertised.

On Sunday, December 22, The Carol service will now be held at Blunts Methodist Chapel, starting at 11am. Led by Rev Jonathan Budd. All are welcome to join is in this time of Carols. Also, we are holding a Christmas Day Service at St Ive Village Hall, starting at 10am. Come and share in this special service. To be led by Rev Stuart Reed.

St Ive Village Hall will be holding a Carol evening on Friday, December 13, at the hall. Starting at 7pm. Mince pies for refreshments.

On Saturday, November 30, the community came together to celebrate one of the most beautiful times of the year around the Downderry Christmas Tree!

The preparations for this much anticipated event started for the children when Beth Worth, Whitsand Harmony accompanist, visited St Nicholas School to help them with the carols they would be singing. Then, with help from the Deviock Activities Group they met at the school to make their lanterns for the parade.

While the children gathered in St Nicholas Church on Saturday afternoon to collect their lanterns and their parents to enjoy a glass of mulled wine and mince pies, Whitsand Harmony started their Carol Concert by the village Christmas Tree at Bewshea's By The Beach.

People lined the route to see the children carrying their lanterns and everyone was so excited to see the Christmas Tractor leading the parade, driven by Jonathan from Trewall Farm Campsite.

At the end of the Lantern Parade the children gathered in front of the village Christmas Tree and sang the carols they had rehearsed.

Cllr Armond Toms then did the countdown to the Lighting up of Downderry with lights on the Christmas Trees at Bewshea's, Inn on the Shore and the Village Hall.

As the children started to sing White Christmas, their smiles were a joy to see as snow fell on them. And their smiles were even bigger when the tractor arrived with a special passenger, Santa (Keith Smith) and his two Elves (Niamh Edwards and Ileana Lee) who handed out a little gift to the children.

All agreed it was a lovely event full of Christmas ambiance with many memories made.

The organisers would like to thank the Parish Council and DaSRA Community Fund for their contributions towards the new Downderry Christmas Lights. Also a huge thank you to everyone who helped with and attended this event. The Trustees of the Downderry and Seaton Village Hall, some of whom are on the organising group, would also like to thank everyone who contributed to the 'Save our Village Hall' appeal by purchasing the Christmas Tree Baubles, donated by Bewshea's and items at the Christmas Craft Fair as 10 per cent of all sales went to the appeal.