Weekday service Monday’s only for morning prayer at 10am.

Sunday, February 23, morning prayer at 11am.

On Sunday, February 2, the Candlemass service took place at 6pm with Acolytes Judy Cooper and Buzzy Howat. The service was led by Licensed Lay Minister Andrew Doney and the Eucharist was given by the Rev Andy Atkins. The first lesson was read by Licensed Lay Minister Roy Cooper and the gospel was paraded by Andrew and read by the Rev Atkins. The collection was taken by Kim Howat and the organist was Roger Webster.

The Feast of Candlemass which the church celebrates on February 2, is entitled ‘The Presentation of Christ in the Temple’.

We are reminded how Joseph and Mary brought the baby Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem, in accordance with the law that every first-born son had to be offered to God. The child could be redeemed by the offering of an animal for sacrifice.

For the very poor, this meant the minimum of a pair of pigeons or turtle doves. Joseph and Mary came into this category and made their simple offering.

Candlemass was a popular service in mediaeval times and the custom of putting up lighted candles in churches and homes long survived.

Snowdrops, the first flowers of Spring, appear by the beginning of February. In some parts of the country as “Candlemas Bells” — the whiteness of the flower reflecting the purity of Mary and the bell-shape heralding the ringing-in of better weather to come.

Snowdrops were placed on the altar at St Melor’s too for this service.

Today Candlemass is seen as the climax of the Christmas cycle and a pointing forward to Lent and Easter. It is if we say, “One last look back to Christmas then turn towards the Cross!”

Linkinhorne History & Community Archive Group will relaunch once again on Thursday, February 20, at 7.30pm.

There will be a few archives books to browse and anyone is welcome to attend to hear the plans for the year ahead. Also to find out about an exciting new project.

Information was given for upcoming events and Posies handed out to members with a February Birthday– Rosemary Farley, Margaret Hanger, Lynette Pook, Anne Deegan and Tilly Whittle.

Postponed from January, we were finally able to welcome well over 50 members and visitors to an open event, with engaging speaker and Bude postman, Tony Rea who was a finalist on Series 9 of the Great British Sewing Bee.

Explaining that he got into stitch-crafts when he started to crochet on long haul flights to pass the time, he then branched out into cross stitch and eventually made a bag using his wife’s long forgotten sewing machine. He just couldn’t stop and eventually was convinced to apply for ‘that busy bee show’ by fellow posties. The application process involved interviews and an actual test day in Leeds (where all filming is done for the show). He was successful and spoke about the creations with passion which were displayed as a colourful rail. Challenges included: made to measure (with an amazing model called Tiger), the transformation (using materials such as a wind break to make a coat), a dress for a child, and culminated in the beautiful two in one dress which his daughter proudly modelled in the final. He spoke of the tight team of people behind the scenes and even made shirts for all of the crew. He wore his ‘Esme’ shirt at the event which she has approved! Since the show, he has attended awards, been a judge, engaged in podcasts and radio shows and displayed at exhibitions. As Tony is an advocate for sewing for mental health, Pensilva WI were happy that this event raised over £200 for Tony’s chosen charities including CALM and Mind.

Pensilva WI are still collecting used stamps for CFWI.

Marie Curie afternoon tea on Saturday, March 15, from 2.30pm to 4pm at Pensilva Village hall — everybody most welcome for delicious refreshments, raffle and bring and buy.

Next meeting Wednesday, March 12, at 7.15pm titled ‘First Aid’ with Dave Thompson.

The history and the projected future of one of Saltash’s lesser known gems was the subject of James Jenkins’ illustrated talk to Saltash Old Cornwall Society.

The open space known as Tincombe is named for a family who farmed thereabouts and Mr Jenkins had researched into them. Her displayed a copy of the will of Thomas Tincombe, yeoman, dated 1747 referring also to land at Burraton and Warraton.

However its history could be traced far further back. The old quarry there was one of a number along the ‘elvan line’ from which blue elvan stone could be taken to Forder and shipped out for roadstone. Above this stone was a layer of tuff, a sometimes yellow volcanic rock after which Yellowtor is probably named.

By the nineteenth century the area around Tincombe was market garden and orchards and when the town expanded around it Tincombe was left as a somewhat barren park.

Mr Jenkins outlined how, since then, the Friends of Tincombe have worked hard to create an accessible wild space with a ‘no mow’ policy and to create many features encouraging a widely diverse range of flora and fauna.

In his vote of thanks society secretary Martin Lister commented on how the Friends of Tincombe were seeking to ensure through their series of open events that all, especially children, could benefit from their work and discover the amazingly diverse world of nature that be encouraged into an urban parkland.

February 21 — Food for Thought with Rev Robert Saunders at 9.30am.

February 23 — Sunday service with Anita Nicholson at 10am.

The next united morning service to be held at St Ive Village Hall, will take place on Sunday, February 23, at 10.30am.

This will be led by Julian Langston.

Light refreshments to follow the service. All are welcome.

Thursday, February 20 — 2pm, Knit & Knatter.

Sunday, February 23 — 9.30am, Holy Communion.

Tuesday, March 4 — 11am, Warm Space.

The next meeting will take place on Monday, March 3, 7.30pm.

The speaker will be Re Li Selman, Curate of Tribute Cluster (includes St Ive Church) who will lead a devotional evening. Held at Callington Methodist Church, in the Guild Room.

Light refreshments at the close. All welcome.

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 belief or church background.

For more information visit www.cleerway.org.uk

Bodmin’s community litter picking team of volunteers, known as the Bodmin Tidy It Team or BlueTiTs have once again been out in their community keeping it as free of litter as it is possible to be.

Their latest pick saw them collect litter from the area surrounding the town’s Asda supermarket on Launceston Road, with 18 bags of rubbish and eight bags of recycling collected by the tidy it team.

The group hold accessible litter picking sessions each Wednesday with their location announced on their Facebook page with all welcome to join.

Gilly Arnold, from the Bodmin Tidy It Team said: “Bodmin Tidy it Team were out and about the Asda area collecting 18 bags of rubbish and eight bags of recycling with five other bags added by Claire, Ros and Gilly. Our running total for 2025 so far is 203.

“We were joined on this pick by Shadow and Corrin. Thanks for joining us, we hope you enjoyed yourselves and come along again.

“Fantastic team work all round, thank you to Linda, Roger, Gary, Trish, Steve, Max, Tom, Ros, Nigel, Sue, Richard, Andy, Jeremy, Debs and Andy, Biffa and Clean Cornwall.

“Asda treated us to a drink and cake which was just what we needed. Thank you Asda”.