A “PROPER Cornish evening of entertainment” has been held as a Methodist church continues its year-long celebrations to mark its 200th anniversary.

Members of Leek Seed Methodist Church at St Blazey Gate were joined by friends and music fans from across Cornwall to enjoy the bumper concert.

Entertainment came in the form of poetry from Dew Varth (Pol Hodge and Bert Biscoe), and songs from Molly Biscoe, Bert Biscoe, Raymond Trethewey (accompanied by Rosemary Heard), Richard Trethewey and Jamie Sterritt.

Richard said: “It was a proper Cornish evening of entertainment, a bit of a throwback to the wonderful days of chapel concerts and chapel teas organised by the community to mark special occasions.

“What could be better than an evening of music and song accompanied by pasties, saffron buns and proper Cornish splits!”

The evening also saw the preview of Richard’s new song and film written to commemorate how the chapel got its unusual name. Whilst many chapels are named after the community and place they serve, Leek Seed gained its name in a most dramatic fashion.

Richard explained: “Around the end of the 1700s, local preacher William Stephens had realised his community needed a proper chapel built as their numbers far outstretched the humble barn they were meeting in.

“However, not impressed by the growing popularity of Methodism, two Oxford scholars set out to rob William of the funds he had been collecting to start building works.

“What they hadn’t planned for was William’s steely character. When they entered into William’s house, they found him sat up waiting for them in his dressing gown and night cap! At his side was a huge pile of black powder and in William’s hands, a flint and steel.

“William assured the robbers he would not hesitate to create a spark and blow the entire house up if they came any closer. He went on to relieve them of their own money and to make them sing the 100th Psalm whilst they were there for good measure.

“William now had the funds to start work on the new chapel. What the robbers didn’t know was that keen gardener William’s black powder was, in fact, his year’s supply of leek seed! Who says history is boring?!”

Richard’s song and film, “The Old Gardner”, launches on Sunday, October 20, at the Plaza Cinema in Truro.

Ticketholders will be treated to the new film as well as Richard’s other films, a live performance of the new song and a free glass of fizz.

Richard points out that Screen 5 at the Plaza is only accessible via stairs.

He said: “There are very limited tickets left which must be booked in advance from www.richardtrethewey.org”.