Last week I attended the Camborne Town Council Annual meeting which included a fantastic awards ceremony for outstanding achievements from local residents during the year which proved that community spirit is alive and kicking in Camborne.
Among those honoured were Roy Kelynack who has served Camborne Town Band and the local Scouts for decades; Tom and Jackie Gray for their working with the local judo club; Debbie Stokes for her outstanding work with the girls at the T14ers dance group (and she received very audible support from the T14ers present at the meeting as she collected her award!) and Lani Anthoney, aged six, who had helped rescue a friend from a swimming pool.
After the awards we were given an inspiring presentation from Tim and Dillon from the Phoenix project being run by Cornwall Fire Brigade in conjunction with local schools. Phoenix is a fantastic project that aims to instill discipline, team work and confidence in boys from local schools.
Tim relayed a touching anecdote about a boy who was mute and had been sent on the course in the hope it might build his confidence and get him talking again. At the start of the week he would say nothing at all. By the end of the week, he was ready to give a small public speech to the parents gathered at the awards ceremony. What an achievement. I spoke to Tim aftwerwards and said I would love to come along to see their work.
I had been told to make sure I wasn't late. I remembered it was 2 O'clock today and so arrived at Redruth Fire Station 5 minutes early - but I must have got my timings wrong because most of the parents were already there. Tim was talking about how they were also running courses for parents and other people who would benefit from a bit of hose drill (he looked my way at this point - yes, I was defintely late after all!).
However, I was in good time for the main demonstration from the team at Camborne school. Tim takes no prisoners and expects parents to set a good example too - we were all told to get our hands out our pockets before the demonstration started. Quite right too.
It was really impressive. Today the exercise was to put out three fires: one in a car and to rescue a casualty from it, second to put out a fire in a building and thirdly, to rescue and provide first aid to another casualty inside the building (wearing respiratory gear).
The aim behind the project is simple: to offer routine, structure and discipline and, in the process, develop confidence and a sense of responsibility. The boys from Camborne school clearly benefited from it and were given awards at the end. So congratulations to Tommy, Darren, Liam, Jack, Jordan, Michael, Joseph, Jamie, Scott and Thomas.
Friday, 22 May 2009
Sunday, 17 May 2009
Time for signs...
It is never easy finding the time to fit everything in. But I really wanted to make sure that we got up some signs in these local elections. I benefit from the fact that my father knows just about every farmer who owns any stretch of land along any road - and he has worked incredibly hard this week to phone around dozens of people and ask them to agree to help.
It was a stormy day yesterday. I arrived at Ernie Boden's late yesterday morning to pick up some of the equipment I would need. He had some really good self tapping screws which could be driven home with an electric drill. It made the execise much easier.
We made steady progress. About 40 signs up in total around Redruth, Hayle, Camborne and Helston. And some very good coverage in and around Wendron - an area where we are getting quite a lot of support.
But there is still much more to do in the weeks ahead.
It was a stormy day yesterday. I arrived at Ernie Boden's late yesterday morning to pick up some of the equipment I would need. He had some really good self tapping screws which could be driven home with an electric drill. It made the execise much easier.
We made steady progress. About 40 signs up in total around Redruth, Hayle, Camborne and Helston. And some very good coverage in and around Wendron - an area where we are getting quite a lot of support.
But there is still much more to do in the weeks ahead.
Saturday, 16 May 2009
Steep hills in Hayle North
I promised Jeremy Joslin I would give him a helping hand in Hayle North. Jeremy is the Chairman of Hayle Chamber of Commerce and is a great candidate to represent the people in this area.
He is a supporter of the Hayle harbour project but wants to stand up for local people to make sure that local concerns are heard by both the planners and developers and that we end up achieving the best possible outcome which could transform the future prospects of Hayle.
I first met Jeremy Joslin about 15 years ago when he used to do some design work for Trevaskis Farm. He has since become a leading figure in Hayle and has championed change. The sitting candidate, someone called Rob Lello, is widely seen by local people as having failed Hayle and only gets in by default. That is why he must be challenged properly.
In the morning we focus on Phillack - where there are a lot of steep hills. And in the afternoon we switch to the Copperhouse area and Ventonleague Road. There are a lot of hills in Hayle! But we were getting a good reception too.
He is a supporter of the Hayle harbour project but wants to stand up for local people to make sure that local concerns are heard by both the planners and developers and that we end up achieving the best possible outcome which could transform the future prospects of Hayle.
I first met Jeremy Joslin about 15 years ago when he used to do some design work for Trevaskis Farm. He has since become a leading figure in Hayle and has championed change. The sitting candidate, someone called Rob Lello, is widely seen by local people as having failed Hayle and only gets in by default. That is why he must be challenged properly.
In the morning we focus on Phillack - where there are a lot of steep hills. And in the afternoon we switch to the Copperhouse area and Ventonleague Road. There are a lot of hills in Hayle! But we were getting a good reception too.
Friday, 15 May 2009
Campaigning in Illogan
After David left, I headed back down to Illogan to lend a hand to our candidate there, Terry Wilkins.
Illogan is the type of place where we could do better than in the past and Terry is the right candidate for the job. Paul Holmes, the Liberal candidate, is not rated very highly by local people. There were lots of comments on the doorstep about how he has been there too long and become complacent and doesn't bother to help anyone locally.
I always remember Kevin Keen who lived at Illogan Churchtown. I used to work with him on the family farm and we spent many days working together weathering hail storms out in the cabbage fields during the winter or the dust in the summer on the cauliflower planter machine. I remember that he was a big Jaguar car enthusiast. When I was old enough to drive, I would sometimes drop him home but he would never let anyone near his Jaguar.
I was wondering whether he was still there when, as I came back down to a garden gate I caught him walking along the pavement. We had a good chat about the old times and I was able to update him on the whereabouts of Alan Cook and John Eddy - both also formerly part of the team at Trevaskis Farm and who I bumped into recently.
Terry Wilkins, our candidate, used to be a policeman and has a no nonsense approach. I first came across him as the row over centralised housing targets started to gather pace. Although retired, he decided to take a stand personally and mobilise oppostition to the crackpot targets that were being imposed by the Labour Government on Illogan. He is the sort of person who takes his responsibilities seriously and would be a real trooper for Illogan, but we have a lot of work to do.
UPDATE
I stand corrected.
A leading Labour Party activist in Camborne has been in touch to point out a mistake in my original post which might offend both the Liberal Party and the Lib Dem Party. To his credit it doesn't bother the Labour Party either way but in the interests of fairness he is right to raise it and so I have corrected it.
Paul Holmes is, of course, a Liberal Party candidate, not a Lib Dem. I should have remembered this because I once shared a platform with him in the late 90's during a euro debate.
For those who don't know the history, during the 80's there was the "SDP Liberal Alliance" which was a joint ticket of the Liberal Party under David Steel and the SDP under David Owen. After the 1987 General Election when the Alliance performed badly, they fractured into three separate pieces. Some merged under the cumbersome "Liberal Democrat" banner, some went off with David Owen and continued as the SDP for a few years - and in some cases went back to support New Labour after that. And the third faction kept the original Liberal Party going and decided against a merger with some of the old SDP people.
So while Paul Holmes might not have made much impression on the people of Illogan as a councillor, it does show some tenacity that the original Liberal Party is still going after all these years and they are fielding quite a few candidates in these elections against the other surviving faction of the old SDP Liberal Alliance, the "Lib Dems".
Illogan is the type of place where we could do better than in the past and Terry is the right candidate for the job. Paul Holmes, the Liberal candidate, is not rated very highly by local people. There were lots of comments on the doorstep about how he has been there too long and become complacent and doesn't bother to help anyone locally.
I always remember Kevin Keen who lived at Illogan Churchtown. I used to work with him on the family farm and we spent many days working together weathering hail storms out in the cabbage fields during the winter or the dust in the summer on the cauliflower planter machine. I remember that he was a big Jaguar car enthusiast. When I was old enough to drive, I would sometimes drop him home but he would never let anyone near his Jaguar.
I was wondering whether he was still there when, as I came back down to a garden gate I caught him walking along the pavement. We had a good chat about the old times and I was able to update him on the whereabouts of Alan Cook and John Eddy - both also formerly part of the team at Trevaskis Farm and who I bumped into recently.
Terry Wilkins, our candidate, used to be a policeman and has a no nonsense approach. I first came across him as the row over centralised housing targets started to gather pace. Although retired, he decided to take a stand personally and mobilise oppostition to the crackpot targets that were being imposed by the Labour Government on Illogan. He is the sort of person who takes his responsibilities seriously and would be a real trooper for Illogan, but we have a lot of work to do.
UPDATE
I stand corrected.
A leading Labour Party activist in Camborne has been in touch to point out a mistake in my original post which might offend both the Liberal Party and the Lib Dem Party. To his credit it doesn't bother the Labour Party either way but in the interests of fairness he is right to raise it and so I have corrected it.
Paul Holmes is, of course, a Liberal Party candidate, not a Lib Dem. I should have remembered this because I once shared a platform with him in the late 90's during a euro debate.
For those who don't know the history, during the 80's there was the "SDP Liberal Alliance" which was a joint ticket of the Liberal Party under David Steel and the SDP under David Owen. After the 1987 General Election when the Alliance performed badly, they fractured into three separate pieces. Some merged under the cumbersome "Liberal Democrat" banner, some went off with David Owen and continued as the SDP for a few years - and in some cases went back to support New Labour after that. And the third faction kept the original Liberal Party going and decided against a merger with some of the old SDP people.
So while Paul Holmes might not have made much impression on the people of Illogan as a councillor, it does show some tenacity that the original Liberal Party is still going after all these years and they are fielding quite a few candidates in these elections against the other surviving faction of the old SDP Liberal Alliance, the "Lib Dems".
Thursday, 14 May 2009
David Cameron visits Cornwall
David Cameron was in Cornwall today to make an announcement about geothermal energy and how we need to encourage its development. But, of course, the continuing row over MPs expenses was inevitably going to be the only thing people would be interested in.
Like everyone else, I have been shocked by the claims that some MPs have made and urgent action is needed to restore confidence. I think David Cameron was absolutely right earlier this week to grab the bull by the horns and set out some concrete steps he was taking - right now. These include requiring MPs who have made excessive claims to repay them, making clear that, in future, items like furniture and food should not be claimed for and setting up a new scrutiny process within the party to assess claims submitted.
There has been a sense of drift from the government. People don't want to hear any more that something was "within the rules" or that there is going to be some new comittee to "look" at how things are done. You need some firm leadership instead and it is good to see David Cameron rising to the meet the challenge and leading the way again.
But back to geothermal energy. This part of Cornwall was famous for the Hot Rocks project in the 80's which developed much of the international expertise in the field. I remember hearing about their work as a teenager. Although that project was discontinued, many of the scientists who worked on it are still around.
Richard Freeborn is one of them. He has developed a very successful business, Kensa Heat Pumps, at the site of the old mine in Mount Wellington near St Day to set up a new business which manufactures ground source heat pumps - essentially pumping water deep into the rocks below and bringing it back up at temperatures sufficient for heating properties.
Also about to set up at the site on Mount Wellington is a new venture to test model versions of wave power devices - which, if successful, could then go on to be tested on a commercial scale at the new Wave Hub facility in Hayle. Finally we had a revolutionary manufacturer of LED lighting technology who gave a presentation on their new energy saving light bulbs.
It is great that David Cameron decided to make another visit to Cornwall. I have argued from the start that technologies such as this, not only provide the answer to our energy needs, but can also lead to a prosperous future for Camborne, Redruth and Hayle.
Like everyone else, I have been shocked by the claims that some MPs have made and urgent action is needed to restore confidence. I think David Cameron was absolutely right earlier this week to grab the bull by the horns and set out some concrete steps he was taking - right now. These include requiring MPs who have made excessive claims to repay them, making clear that, in future, items like furniture and food should not be claimed for and setting up a new scrutiny process within the party to assess claims submitted.
There has been a sense of drift from the government. People don't want to hear any more that something was "within the rules" or that there is going to be some new comittee to "look" at how things are done. You need some firm leadership instead and it is good to see David Cameron rising to the meet the challenge and leading the way again.
But back to geothermal energy. This part of Cornwall was famous for the Hot Rocks project in the 80's which developed much of the international expertise in the field. I remember hearing about their work as a teenager. Although that project was discontinued, many of the scientists who worked on it are still around.
Richard Freeborn is one of them. He has developed a very successful business, Kensa Heat Pumps, at the site of the old mine in Mount Wellington near St Day to set up a new business which manufactures ground source heat pumps - essentially pumping water deep into the rocks below and bringing it back up at temperatures sufficient for heating properties.
Also about to set up at the site on Mount Wellington is a new venture to test model versions of wave power devices - which, if successful, could then go on to be tested on a commercial scale at the new Wave Hub facility in Hayle. Finally we had a revolutionary manufacturer of LED lighting technology who gave a presentation on their new energy saving light bulbs.
It is great that David Cameron decided to make another visit to Cornwall. I have argued from the start that technologies such as this, not only provide the answer to our energy needs, but can also lead to a prosperous future for Camborne, Redruth and Hayle.
Sunday, 10 May 2009
Jean's last fling
I finish the weekend at the charity bash being held by Jean Charman, the outgoing Mayor of Camborne.
I used to go to school with Jean's son. She has been a very energetic and committed Mayor. Last Thursday she was still working hard for the local community by holding a public meeting to air local concerns over the New Connection project in Bassett Street and also to deal with anti-social behaviour in Pengegon. I went along and learnt a lot.
Tonight she was raising money for local charities. We were treated to some fantastic Jazz by the John Austin Big Band. The event was held at the Corn Exchange in the centre of Camborne. The building that is now the Corn Exchange has always been a central feauture of the town. I remember going there roller skating in the late seventies. By the early eighties, roller skates were out and it was converted into an artificial ice skating rink. By the late eighties it had become a night club, the Berkeley centre, and I spent many a night there. And a few years ago it was revamnped into the Corn Exchange.
Unfortunately, I had to rush off at 9.30 in order to catch the sleeper train back to London for a meeting first thing tomorrow morning, just as the party was getting going. I hadn't booked a bed in advance and so must take pot luck. The sleeper service is by far the best way to travel between Cornwall and London - but only if you have a bed...last week I was out of luck - but I am in luck tonight.
I used to go to school with Jean's son. She has been a very energetic and committed Mayor. Last Thursday she was still working hard for the local community by holding a public meeting to air local concerns over the New Connection project in Bassett Street and also to deal with anti-social behaviour in Pengegon. I went along and learnt a lot.
Tonight she was raising money for local charities. We were treated to some fantastic Jazz by the John Austin Big Band. The event was held at the Corn Exchange in the centre of Camborne. The building that is now the Corn Exchange has always been a central feauture of the town. I remember going there roller skating in the late seventies. By the early eighties, roller skates were out and it was converted into an artificial ice skating rink. By the late eighties it had become a night club, the Berkeley centre, and I spent many a night there. And a few years ago it was revamnped into the Corn Exchange.
Unfortunately, I had to rush off at 9.30 in order to catch the sleeper train back to London for a meeting first thing tomorrow morning, just as the party was getting going. I hadn't booked a bed in advance and so must take pot luck. The sleeper service is by far the best way to travel between Cornwall and London - but only if you have a bed...last week I was out of luck - but I am in luck tonight.
An ice cream in Porthtowan
Have just got back from Porthtowan with Katy. The sun was out early this afternoon and a lot of people were heading down to the beach. We had delicious ice creams from the shop down by the sea front.
I used to have cousins who lived in Porthtowan and, when I was growing up, would sometimes visit and spend the day on the beach with one of those old polystyrene surf boards you used to see a lot of in those days. I remember it was a long walk back up Rose Hill at the end of the day with the surf boards in tow.
But our main task in Porthtowan today was delivering leaflets for the local election campaign. Yesterday we had our second campaign day. It is a busier time of year for most people and I had expected us to be down on the 63 who turned out at the end of February. But there were a lot of new faces this time and we had well over 70 people out in total. By the end of the day we had got out some 19,000 pieces of literature in many different parts of constituency including major progress in the three towns of Camborne, Redruth and Hayle but also significant inroads in other areas like Portreath, Stithians, Gwinear and Illogan.
We have a very strong set of candidates this time and we are the only party in Cornwall fielding candidates in every ward. We are picking up support from former independent councillors too, most notably Barbara Ellenbroek, the Mayor of Redruth and Mike Eddowes, the former Chairman of Kerrier District Council. Many independents feel that the formation of a large, centralised council covering the whole of Cornwall has changed things and that a strong Conservative group is essential to restore some accountability.
Morale is very high among the local team here and our candidates are getting a good reception on the doorstep. There is a feeling out there that the Lib Dems have just been in power in Cornwall for far too long and have become tired, complacent and out of touch.
But we have a lot of work to do in the weeks ahead.
I used to have cousins who lived in Porthtowan and, when I was growing up, would sometimes visit and spend the day on the beach with one of those old polystyrene surf boards you used to see a lot of in those days. I remember it was a long walk back up Rose Hill at the end of the day with the surf boards in tow.
But our main task in Porthtowan today was delivering leaflets for the local election campaign. Yesterday we had our second campaign day. It is a busier time of year for most people and I had expected us to be down on the 63 who turned out at the end of February. But there were a lot of new faces this time and we had well over 70 people out in total. By the end of the day we had got out some 19,000 pieces of literature in many different parts of constituency including major progress in the three towns of Camborne, Redruth and Hayle but also significant inroads in other areas like Portreath, Stithians, Gwinear and Illogan.
We have a very strong set of candidates this time and we are the only party in Cornwall fielding candidates in every ward. We are picking up support from former independent councillors too, most notably Barbara Ellenbroek, the Mayor of Redruth and Mike Eddowes, the former Chairman of Kerrier District Council. Many independents feel that the formation of a large, centralised council covering the whole of Cornwall has changed things and that a strong Conservative group is essential to restore some accountability.
Morale is very high among the local team here and our candidates are getting a good reception on the doorstep. There is a feeling out there that the Lib Dems have just been in power in Cornwall for far too long and have become tired, complacent and out of touch.
But we have a lot of work to do in the weeks ahead.
Sunday, 3 May 2009
Gwinear Show still going strong
Gwinear Show was an important date when I was growing up. We used to attend every year. My father was on the show committee and was President of the show for a few years.
The first one I remember was held in the field at the top of Station Road just outside Carnhell Green. That must have been in about 1979 or 1980. It was in the same field again yesterday.
In those days we had a pet donkey on the farm called Prince and I entered him in the donkey section that year. He won. The next year we were in a different field with a different judge who obviously had different views and poor old Prince, much to my disappointment, was relegated to fourth place.
When I got older I used to help my father and the many other local volunteers take everything down the Sunday after. Shows like this rely on local volunteers to make them happen and it is a great reminder that villages around here are close knit communities and know how to get things done.
This year there were concerns about the weather - particularly at Gwinear School who were demonstrating art work from the children. We had some rain on Friday so it was a little wet under foot. One or two cars got stuck. But the weather on Saturday was fine. Attendance was good and higher than previous years although the number of entrants in the gymkhana was down slightly.
It was good to catch up with so many old friends. Gwinear Farmers had a stand this year for the first time and inside was a section devoted to old photos from Praze Young Farmers Club - including one of me from 21 years ago selling the benefits of South Devon cattle during a marketing competition.
Gwinear Show is the first of the local shows. We have more to follow. Camborne Show had even been discussing the idea of doing a 'Question Time' style debate at the show for all the candidates in the Camborne and Redruth constituency. I thought it was a great idea and would have helped engage people in politics again. But the news came back today that Julia Goldsworthy has refused to take part.
The first one I remember was held in the field at the top of Station Road just outside Carnhell Green. That must have been in about 1979 or 1980. It was in the same field again yesterday.
In those days we had a pet donkey on the farm called Prince and I entered him in the donkey section that year. He won. The next year we were in a different field with a different judge who obviously had different views and poor old Prince, much to my disappointment, was relegated to fourth place.
When I got older I used to help my father and the many other local volunteers take everything down the Sunday after. Shows like this rely on local volunteers to make them happen and it is a great reminder that villages around here are close knit communities and know how to get things done.
This year there were concerns about the weather - particularly at Gwinear School who were demonstrating art work from the children. We had some rain on Friday so it was a little wet under foot. One or two cars got stuck. But the weather on Saturday was fine. Attendance was good and higher than previous years although the number of entrants in the gymkhana was down slightly.
It was good to catch up with so many old friends. Gwinear Farmers had a stand this year for the first time and inside was a section devoted to old photos from Praze Young Farmers Club - including one of me from 21 years ago selling the benefits of South Devon cattle during a marketing competition.
Gwinear Show is the first of the local shows. We have more to follow. Camborne Show had even been discussing the idea of doing a 'Question Time' style debate at the show for all the candidates in the Camborne and Redruth constituency. I thought it was a great idea and would have helped engage people in politics again. But the news came back today that Julia Goldsworthy has refused to take part.
Saturday, 2 May 2009
Just because I say I don't want to dance....
Last night I had a clash. I had committed to going along to Camborne Rugby Club's end of season dinner at the Lowenac Hotel in Camborne, but also the next meeting of the Trelawney Alliance which was scheduled for the same day and time. Luckily the Trelawney Alliance were just down Basset Road road at the Town Council offices so I could do both - just.
Jean Charman, our energetic Town Mayor, and the committee at the Trelawney Alliance have made some fantastic progress over the last few months and managed to get a new cross party campaign up in the news and recognised. But they are not complacent. The next step is to improve coordination between other groups campaiging against the centralised government targets and they are working hard.
I had told Camborne RFC I would be there by 8.30 but a speech at the end of the meeting by our local MP went on a little longer than expected. Still, I made it there by 8.45 which was in time for the main course and speeches.
My father used to play rugby for Camborne and the family business at Trevaskis Farm sponsor the club today. As an amateur club, they are really able to develop talent and give younger players a chance to play in big matches where they learn fast. There is a strong team spirit because the players quickly progress through the Colts and into the Chiefs and get used to playing rugby together. They also have a really important commitment to junior and mini rugby teams.
I think amateur clubs like this have a crucial role to play in our society. I also think we could see a revival of amateur sport as the commerical clubs which rely on lucrative media contracts find that they have less clout than they once did.
My first memory of the Lowenac Hotel is attending a Young Farmers disco there in the late eighties. I have never been a great dancer but last night, as the disco was about to pack up, a couple of the Camborne team members decided to drag me and my brother, Giles, onto the dance floor to sit down in a line and 'row' away to "Oops up side your head" by The Gap Band. It could have been 1988 all over again.
Jean Charman, our energetic Town Mayor, and the committee at the Trelawney Alliance have made some fantastic progress over the last few months and managed to get a new cross party campaign up in the news and recognised. But they are not complacent. The next step is to improve coordination between other groups campaiging against the centralised government targets and they are working hard.
I had told Camborne RFC I would be there by 8.30 but a speech at the end of the meeting by our local MP went on a little longer than expected. Still, I made it there by 8.45 which was in time for the main course and speeches.
My father used to play rugby for Camborne and the family business at Trevaskis Farm sponsor the club today. As an amateur club, they are really able to develop talent and give younger players a chance to play in big matches where they learn fast. There is a strong team spirit because the players quickly progress through the Colts and into the Chiefs and get used to playing rugby together. They also have a really important commitment to junior and mini rugby teams.
I think amateur clubs like this have a crucial role to play in our society. I also think we could see a revival of amateur sport as the commerical clubs which rely on lucrative media contracts find that they have less clout than they once did.
My first memory of the Lowenac Hotel is attending a Young Farmers disco there in the late eighties. I have never been a great dancer but last night, as the disco was about to pack up, a couple of the Camborne team members decided to drag me and my brother, Giles, onto the dance floor to sit down in a line and 'row' away to "Oops up side your head" by The Gap Band. It could have been 1988 all over again.
Saturday, 25 April 2009
Camborne defies the weather to celebrate Trevithick
Today was Trevithick day in Camborne and it was an early start to set up our stand on time. Exhibitors are expected to be in place by 8 am.
For many years the sun has shone on Trevithick Day but this year they predicted bad weather. Late last night the rough weather arrived early had caused a false burglar alarm at Trevaskis Farm. As I went out at 1 am to check all the doors on the restaurant, I hoped it might at least mean that the storm would clear by morning. But it was not to be. We had blustery weather with showers throughout the day and it was all we could do to keep our stand from taking off!
But the turnout was still impressive. The people of Camborne were not going to let a bit of rain get in the way of their day. The dance processions went ahead as planned. The streets were buzzing.
Among the other performances were the Carnkie Cloggers, whose dance routine was probably the best way to stay warm on such a day; the Holman Climax Choir were also singing perfectly in the Town Square, albeit under umbrellas. Meanwhile, towards the other end of Trelowarren Street we were entertained by the Golowan Band and an energetic performance by Drumba with their drum routine.
I had a few goes at a 'lucky key' game being run for local charity by the local Lion's Club and a Tombola being run for CD Kids, a Camborne based dance and theatre group. However, today was not my lucky day.
The star turn was provided by the replica 'Puffing Devil' steam carriage - famously invented by Richard Trevithick. It led the procession of steam engines down Basset Road and Church Street and then up Camborne Hill. Once they got going the Puffing Devil would move along at quite a pace and leave the rest standing. But this year there was a mishap on Camborne Hill. Another steam engine had stalled in the road ahead and, much to their frustration, the driving team were forced to grind to a halt...but it wasn't long before the pressure had built back up and they were able to zoom off again.
For many years the sun has shone on Trevithick Day but this year they predicted bad weather. Late last night the rough weather arrived early had caused a false burglar alarm at Trevaskis Farm. As I went out at 1 am to check all the doors on the restaurant, I hoped it might at least mean that the storm would clear by morning. But it was not to be. We had blustery weather with showers throughout the day and it was all we could do to keep our stand from taking off!
But the turnout was still impressive. The people of Camborne were not going to let a bit of rain get in the way of their day. The dance processions went ahead as planned. The streets were buzzing.
Among the other performances were the Carnkie Cloggers, whose dance routine was probably the best way to stay warm on such a day; the Holman Climax Choir were also singing perfectly in the Town Square, albeit under umbrellas. Meanwhile, towards the other end of Trelowarren Street we were entertained by the Golowan Band and an energetic performance by Drumba with their drum routine.
I had a few goes at a 'lucky key' game being run for local charity by the local Lion's Club and a Tombola being run for CD Kids, a Camborne based dance and theatre group. However, today was not my lucky day.
The star turn was provided by the replica 'Puffing Devil' steam carriage - famously invented by Richard Trevithick. It led the procession of steam engines down Basset Road and Church Street and then up Camborne Hill. Once they got going the Puffing Devil would move along at quite a pace and leave the rest standing. But this year there was a mishap on Camborne Hill. Another steam engine had stalled in the road ahead and, much to their frustration, the driving team were forced to grind to a halt...but it wasn't long before the pressure had built back up and they were able to zoom off again.
Sunday, 12 April 2009
A Sunday morning run
What better way to spend a bright Easter Sunday morning than on a long run. I am now about 7 weeks into my training and today ran for an hour and a half non-stop. Not bad. I reckon it was about twelve miles in total.
But I have a nagging ankle problem and I am going to need to be careful in the weeks ahead. Last year I had a problem with a mild achilles heel injury. I need to make sure it doesn't return so it will have to be a few days off now.
I have an old friend from my Cornwall AC days who has said he will sponsor me - but only if I break 3 hours 15 minutes. A second one said that if I break 3.30 then he will vote for me....but no promise of sponsorship. You can always rely on old team mates in the running club to turn the screw and make things harder!
But I have a nagging ankle problem and I am going to need to be careful in the weeks ahead. Last year I had a problem with a mild achilles heel injury. I need to make sure it doesn't return so it will have to be a few days off now.
I have an old friend from my Cornwall AC days who has said he will sponsor me - but only if I break 3 hours 15 minutes. A second one said that if I break 3.30 then he will vote for me....but no promise of sponsorship. You can always rely on old team mates in the running club to turn the screw and make things harder!
Tuesday, 7 April 2009
Visit Cornwall
Today, we held a county wide summit on tourism at Kingsley Village. Tobias Ellwood, the Conservative Shadow Minister for Tourism was in Cornwall. It was a good opportunity to get a group of leading Cornish businesses from the sector together to share their concerns and discuss policy ideas for the future.
There are many leading tourist attractions in Camborne, Redruth and Hayle. Hayle is second only to Newquay in terms of total visitor numbers in the summer. We also have the National Seal Sanctuary, Paradise Park, Poldark Mine and some famous old gardens including Trebah and Glendurgan.
There was a strong view at the summit that we needed to do more to promote Cornwall as a destination. At the moment, much of the funding is allocated along the lines arbitrary regional quangos rather than being allocated to genuine tourist destinations that people recognise. So money is spent promoting "the South West of England" rather than Cornwall. Meanwhile overseas, rather than having a single organisation promoting Britain, there are sometimes 10 regional offices competing with one another. It doesn't take much nous to work out the shortcomings of such an approach. Administrative 'regions' simply don't have an identity that can be marketed. We should reform the way tourism is promoted so that there is more emphasis on genuine destinations like Cornwall.
There are many leading tourist attractions in Camborne, Redruth and Hayle. Hayle is second only to Newquay in terms of total visitor numbers in the summer. We also have the National Seal Sanctuary, Paradise Park, Poldark Mine and some famous old gardens including Trebah and Glendurgan.
There was a strong view at the summit that we needed to do more to promote Cornwall as a destination. At the moment, much of the funding is allocated along the lines arbitrary regional quangos rather than being allocated to genuine tourist destinations that people recognise. So money is spent promoting "the South West of England" rather than Cornwall. Meanwhile overseas, rather than having a single organisation promoting Britain, there are sometimes 10 regional offices competing with one another. It doesn't take much nous to work out the shortcomings of such an approach. Administrative 'regions' simply don't have an identity that can be marketed. We should reform the way tourism is promoted so that there is more emphasis on genuine destinations like Cornwall.
Sunday, 5 April 2009
Ever thought of sport?
About twenty years ago there was a very successful campaign that encouraged people to take up sport to keep fit. I think its message is as important today as it was then.
Yesterday was sponsors' day at Camborne Rugby Club. They had a big match against Tiverton which they won 21-14 but it was a tense game. This weekend also saw Hayle RFC host a mini-Rugby tournament for the South West.
My family's business, Trevaskis Farm at Connor Downs, sponsor Camborne Rugby Club. My father played rugby for Camborne, Redruth and Hayle but regards Camborne as his home club. So I was delighted to have the chance join them on a day when they did so well.
In some ways they have lost out to other clubs as a result of the commercialisation of rugby but they are an absolute rock when it comes to their work in the community. They have teams for every year age group from the youngest mini rugby right up to colts and still play three senior teams. They have also been fantastic at playing younger players in their main team so that they get some experience.
I think that amateur sports clubs like this have a crucial role to play in our community. We need to have the club structures there to support and encourage children into the sport they love. As a boy, I was a runner and will always remember the time that volunteers gave up to coach me and drive the mini bus away to races at the weekend.
Groups like this are the bedrock of our society and we need to help them more.
Yesterday was sponsors' day at Camborne Rugby Club. They had a big match against Tiverton which they won 21-14 but it was a tense game. This weekend also saw Hayle RFC host a mini-Rugby tournament for the South West.
My family's business, Trevaskis Farm at Connor Downs, sponsor Camborne Rugby Club. My father played rugby for Camborne, Redruth and Hayle but regards Camborne as his home club. So I was delighted to have the chance join them on a day when they did so well.
In some ways they have lost out to other clubs as a result of the commercialisation of rugby but they are an absolute rock when it comes to their work in the community. They have teams for every year age group from the youngest mini rugby right up to colts and still play three senior teams. They have also been fantastic at playing younger players in their main team so that they get some experience.
I think that amateur sports clubs like this have a crucial role to play in our community. We need to have the club structures there to support and encourage children into the sport they love. As a boy, I was a runner and will always remember the time that volunteers gave up to coach me and drive the mini bus away to races at the weekend.
Groups like this are the bedrock of our society and we need to help them more.
Saturday, 4 April 2009
People power
Today I joined a march with several hundred other local people from the Camborne area to protest against plans to impose crackpot house building targets from central government on our community.
The event was organised by Jean Charman, the energetic town mayor for Camborne, and the non-party Trelawney Alliance group.
On Friday evening we had a bit of rain and I worried that this might carry over to the following day and affect the march. But all was fine. It was breezy but we had a strong turnout and made our point well. Three political parties supported the event: the Conservatives, Mebyon Kernow and the UK Independence Party. But more important than that were the hundreds of local people who wanted to make their views known.
There are currently around 18,000 homes in the Camborne, Pool and Redruth area. Some studies suggest that there is a need for around 2,000 new homes to be built to satisfy local need. But these crazy targets have nothing to do with local need and would force the building of some 11,000 new homes - a two thirds increase in housing stock which is simply unsustainable.
There are some important plans to regenerate Camborne Pool and Redruth. But when it comes to the number of new houses that should be built,I believe this should be determined by what is needed locally to go alongside that economic regeneration. It should not be based on some crackpot policy from central government.
The political parties supporting the protest had a chance to set out their views. I wanted to get across the importance of the cross party nature of campaigns like this and why the Trelawney Alliance was doing so well. But I also wanted people to realise that things can change if they are willing to take a stand. A future Conservative government would abolish these housing targets and give local councils the chance to revise their local area plan. There are elections coming up for Cornwall Council this June and it matters who is in charge. Everyone should challenge the candidates seeking their vote on their views.
Mebyon Kernow and UKIP also expressed their views. There were a couple of Lib Dem activists skulking in the background as observers who declined the opportunity to explain their position when offered the chance to speak. I hope they work out what they stand for before the elections this June.
The event was organised by Jean Charman, the energetic town mayor for Camborne, and the non-party Trelawney Alliance group.
On Friday evening we had a bit of rain and I worried that this might carry over to the following day and affect the march. But all was fine. It was breezy but we had a strong turnout and made our point well. Three political parties supported the event: the Conservatives, Mebyon Kernow and the UK Independence Party. But more important than that were the hundreds of local people who wanted to make their views known.
There are currently around 18,000 homes in the Camborne, Pool and Redruth area. Some studies suggest that there is a need for around 2,000 new homes to be built to satisfy local need. But these crazy targets have nothing to do with local need and would force the building of some 11,000 new homes - a two thirds increase in housing stock which is simply unsustainable.
There are some important plans to regenerate Camborne Pool and Redruth. But when it comes to the number of new houses that should be built,I believe this should be determined by what is needed locally to go alongside that economic regeneration. It should not be based on some crackpot policy from central government.
The political parties supporting the protest had a chance to set out their views. I wanted to get across the importance of the cross party nature of campaigns like this and why the Trelawney Alliance was doing so well. But I also wanted people to realise that things can change if they are willing to take a stand. A future Conservative government would abolish these housing targets and give local councils the chance to revise their local area plan. There are elections coming up for Cornwall Council this June and it matters who is in charge. Everyone should challenge the candidates seeking their vote on their views.
Mebyon Kernow and UKIP also expressed their views. There were a couple of Lib Dem activists skulking in the background as observers who declined the opportunity to explain their position when offered the chance to speak. I hope they work out what they stand for before the elections this June.
Friday, 3 April 2009
The future of farming
This morning we had a breakfast meeting at Trevaskis Farm for a group of 20 farmers in the constituency. Richard Benyon, a member of our DEFRA team, is in Cornwall and it was a good opportunity for him to hear some of the challenges facing the farming industry down here so that he can go back with ideas for change. Our discussion covered everything from the Agicultural Wages Board to TB, supermarkets, labour availability and the bureaucracy of DEFRA.
It was good to see so many old friends again. Until nine years ago, I was a farmer in this part of Cornwall. Some of the challenges farmers face are the same now as they were then. But there have been major changes too.
Dairy farming here has contracted sharply over the last decade or so with a handful of large producers left where once there would have been dozens of family farms. The veg industry has been transformed too. Ten years ago a farmer with 100 acres of winter cauliflowers (or broccoli as we call them down here)would have been considered a large player. Now most of the industry is controlled by two big producers each growing 3000-4000 acres.
Camborne, Redruth and Hayle is the home of much of Cornwall's field scale horticultural industry: vegetables, daffodils and potatoes. The first two are very labour intensive and rely heavily on student Labour from Eastern Europe.
There is a real need to reform the benefits system in this country so that the long term unemployed who are currently trapped on benefits can be helped back into work. It has to start somewhere. Doing part time work or taking short term jobs is the first step back in to working life. And getting people off benefits and into work is crucial, not only for our economy, but for our society which benefits from an ethos of endeavor. Children do better when they have parents who are working role models. As we head into another recession with rising unemployment, helping people back into work will be more important than ever.
It was good to see so many old friends again. Until nine years ago, I was a farmer in this part of Cornwall. Some of the challenges farmers face are the same now as they were then. But there have been major changes too.
Dairy farming here has contracted sharply over the last decade or so with a handful of large producers left where once there would have been dozens of family farms. The veg industry has been transformed too. Ten years ago a farmer with 100 acres of winter cauliflowers (or broccoli as we call them down here)would have been considered a large player. Now most of the industry is controlled by two big producers each growing 3000-4000 acres.
Camborne, Redruth and Hayle is the home of much of Cornwall's field scale horticultural industry: vegetables, daffodils and potatoes. The first two are very labour intensive and rely heavily on student Labour from Eastern Europe.
There is a real need to reform the benefits system in this country so that the long term unemployed who are currently trapped on benefits can be helped back into work. It has to start somewhere. Doing part time work or taking short term jobs is the first step back in to working life. And getting people off benefits and into work is crucial, not only for our economy, but for our society which benefits from an ethos of endeavor. Children do better when they have parents who are working role models. As we head into another recession with rising unemployment, helping people back into work will be more important than ever.
Saturday, 28 March 2009
Liam Fox visits Cornwall
Yesterday we had a visit from Liam Fox. I have known Liam for many years. He has extensive knowledge on defence and foreign policy issues so I was pleased when he confirmed he would be able to pay us a visit this week.
RNAS Culdrose, which is in the St Ives constituency, is of huge importance to the whole of West Cornwall and is an important defence facility for the country - contributing to efforts in Afghanistan and the Gulf. The visit was confirmed at short notice but Captain Graeme Mackay and his team at Culdrose pulled out the stops and provided Liam with a very impressive programme and comprehensive briefing on their work.
But we started the day in Truro with a meeting at Cornwall and Devon Media. This is the home of many familiar newspaper titles in the westcountry including, of course, the Cornishman and West Briton. Across the country, local newspapers are suffering from a sharp fall in advertising revenue which has put the whole industry under pressure and forced many to close. The West Briton and Cornishman are faring better than most but no one is escaping the trend.
I think independent local papers have a crucial role to play within our communities and also in making local democracy work but they face a changing environment. We need to look at how they can be helped and that is why the Conservatives have outlined ideas this week to relax some of the outdated laws that are preventing local papers from consolidating and diversifying into new media platforms such as local TV.
At a recent debate I attended at Tremough, Terrye Teverson, the Lib Dem candidate in Truro and Falmouth, was fiercely critical of Cornwall's local papers and argued that the County Council's promotional leaflet, Your Cornwall, was better for local people. But I totally disagree with her. We need an independent local media that is free of political influence, not partisan publications paid for at council tax payers' expense.
We finished the day with our annual constituency dinner. Liam is a strong speaker and attracted a lot of interest with around 120 guests joining us at the Penventon Hotel.
RNAS Culdrose, which is in the St Ives constituency, is of huge importance to the whole of West Cornwall and is an important defence facility for the country - contributing to efforts in Afghanistan and the Gulf. The visit was confirmed at short notice but Captain Graeme Mackay and his team at Culdrose pulled out the stops and provided Liam with a very impressive programme and comprehensive briefing on their work.
But we started the day in Truro with a meeting at Cornwall and Devon Media. This is the home of many familiar newspaper titles in the westcountry including, of course, the Cornishman and West Briton. Across the country, local newspapers are suffering from a sharp fall in advertising revenue which has put the whole industry under pressure and forced many to close. The West Briton and Cornishman are faring better than most but no one is escaping the trend.
I think independent local papers have a crucial role to play within our communities and also in making local democracy work but they face a changing environment. We need to look at how they can be helped and that is why the Conservatives have outlined ideas this week to relax some of the outdated laws that are preventing local papers from consolidating and diversifying into new media platforms such as local TV.
At a recent debate I attended at Tremough, Terrye Teverson, the Lib Dem candidate in Truro and Falmouth, was fiercely critical of Cornwall's local papers and argued that the County Council's promotional leaflet, Your Cornwall, was better for local people. But I totally disagree with her. We need an independent local media that is free of political influence, not partisan publications paid for at council tax payers' expense.
We finished the day with our annual constituency dinner. Liam is a strong speaker and attracted a lot of interest with around 120 guests joining us at the Penventon Hotel.
Saturday, 21 March 2009
Local accountability
It has been a busy few weeks. The remainder of our last batch of leaflets have now been delivered and it is also the time of year for AGMs.
The local branches in the constituency are really starting to gear up for the unitary elections on the 4th of June. In the last couple of weeks I have been to meet party members in Hayle, Mawnan Smith, Constantine, Stithians, Redruth, Budoch Water and Camborne. Morale is good and we have just about indentified candidates for every ward in the new unitary election in the Camborne and Redruth constituency.
We all know that we have a lot of hard work ahead of us. But accountability in politics is important and is only made possible with the help of volunteers.
The track record of the Lib Dem dominated council at County Hall is not a pretty sight. The independent Audit Commission rates it as one of the worst performing councils in the country and there have been some breathtaking examples of incompetence such as the failure to keep Newquay Airport open. It remains to be seen whether this failure will translate into a mood for change. As Conservatives, we can only play our part by holding them to account and putting up candidates to provide local people with an alternative.
The local branches in the constituency are really starting to gear up for the unitary elections on the 4th of June. In the last couple of weeks I have been to meet party members in Hayle, Mawnan Smith, Constantine, Stithians, Redruth, Budoch Water and Camborne. Morale is good and we have just about indentified candidates for every ward in the new unitary election in the Camborne and Redruth constituency.
We all know that we have a lot of hard work ahead of us. But accountability in politics is important and is only made possible with the help of volunteers.
The track record of the Lib Dem dominated council at County Hall is not a pretty sight. The independent Audit Commission rates it as one of the worst performing councils in the country and there have been some breathtaking examples of incompetence such as the failure to keep Newquay Airport open. It remains to be seen whether this failure will translate into a mood for change. As Conservatives, we can only play our part by holding them to account and putting up candidates to provide local people with an alternative.
Sunday, 8 March 2009
World records set at Duchy marathon
Today was the Duchy marathon at Redruth. As someone who is running a marathon myself later this year I was delighted to be asked along to watch the finish and help with the presentation of prizes.
This morning I went for my own training run on Hayle beach. Just before 10.30, when the Duchy marathon was about to start and I was about to start my training run, we had an icy shower of rain. As I waited in the car for the shower to clear, I spared a thought for those who were about to get on the start line for a full 26 miles.
When the shower passed I made a start and was about two thirds of the way through, on the open beach, when we had one of Cornwall's finest hail storms. Those who know Hayle beach will also know that it is not the best place to be in a hail storm. The marathon runners too, by this point, were half an hour into their marathon and just starting the leg of the race along the north cliffs so it would have been hard work for them too!
The Duchy marathon is one of the oldest marathons in the country. Today they had a very strong turnout with some 450 runners. Despite the inclement weather, two new world records were set - both by students at Exeter University's officer training corps. The first was a student who, in his first ever marathon, smashed more than an hour of the world record for running a marathon in full army gear - crossing the line in 4.04. The second was the record for the largest number of runners to complete a marathon while attached together. 28 runners, all tied together as a single block crossed the line in just under 4.29 - that takes some team work.
This morning I went for my own training run on Hayle beach. Just before 10.30, when the Duchy marathon was about to start and I was about to start my training run, we had an icy shower of rain. As I waited in the car for the shower to clear, I spared a thought for those who were about to get on the start line for a full 26 miles.
When the shower passed I made a start and was about two thirds of the way through, on the open beach, when we had one of Cornwall's finest hail storms. Those who know Hayle beach will also know that it is not the best place to be in a hail storm. The marathon runners too, by this point, were half an hour into their marathon and just starting the leg of the race along the north cliffs so it would have been hard work for them too!
The Duchy marathon is one of the oldest marathons in the country. Today they had a very strong turnout with some 450 runners. Despite the inclement weather, two new world records were set - both by students at Exeter University's officer training corps. The first was a student who, in his first ever marathon, smashed more than an hour of the world record for running a marathon in full army gear - crossing the line in 4.04. The second was the record for the largest number of runners to complete a marathon while attached together. 28 runners, all tied together as a single block crossed the line in just under 4.29 - that takes some team work.
Saturday, 7 March 2009
People power
Last night I attended a second public meeting for people in Camborne and Illogan who are concerned about government plans to force the building of some 11,000 new homes in the area. The meeting took place at Camborne Town Hall and it was standing room only with over 150 in attendance.
The crackpot scheme to undermine local democracy and impose house building "targets" from central government via unelected regional planning bodies epitomises much of what has gone wrong with our politics over the last ten years or so.
If we want people to take an interest in their community and get involved in local government then they need to know that their efforts will make a difference. If they feel that all the decisions are being taken somewhere else anyway and that so called "consultations" are nothing more than a sham to tick a box at some bureaucracy or other, then they soon become very disillusioned.
Both at the meeting last night and the earlier one last month, there was dismay from local people that something so obviously badly thought through and unpopular appeared to be rolling ahead anyway regardless of the views of local people. But the fact that they turned out in such large numbers was also proof that people around here are not prepared to be pushed about any longer.
So I think these plans will end up being being overturned. If we are successful at the next election, then a future Conservative government would abolish regional planning bodies and give local councils the opportunity to revise any "local area plan" forced on Camborne and Redruth in the meantime. And public pressure will see to it that those seeking office in the forthcoming local elections will need to make their position on this issue clear.
The crackpot scheme to undermine local democracy and impose house building "targets" from central government via unelected regional planning bodies epitomises much of what has gone wrong with our politics over the last ten years or so.
If we want people to take an interest in their community and get involved in local government then they need to know that their efforts will make a difference. If they feel that all the decisions are being taken somewhere else anyway and that so called "consultations" are nothing more than a sham to tick a box at some bureaucracy or other, then they soon become very disillusioned.
Both at the meeting last night and the earlier one last month, there was dismay from local people that something so obviously badly thought through and unpopular appeared to be rolling ahead anyway regardless of the views of local people. But the fact that they turned out in such large numbers was also proof that people around here are not prepared to be pushed about any longer.
So I think these plans will end up being being overturned. If we are successful at the next election, then a future Conservative government would abolish regional planning bodies and give local councils the opportunity to revise any "local area plan" forced on Camborne and Redruth in the meantime. And public pressure will see to it that those seeking office in the forthcoming local elections will need to make their position on this issue clear.
Sunday, 1 March 2009
Many hands make light work
Yesterday we had our first "campaign day" of the year. The plan was to get out our second piece of literature. You always feel a bit apprehensive in the days before such big projects. They rely entirely on the generous donation of time by volunteers and supporters. And everyone has a lot of competiton for their time: family, work and their other commitments in the community.
People often have a cynical view of political parties but it is important to remember that, fundamentally, they are voluntary organisations and they rely on hundreds of thousands of ordinary people across the country giving up their time for free and paying their membership subscriptions to make democracy in this country possible.
As a candidate, if you don't persuade volunteers to lend a hand, you don't get your message across. But yesterday was an extraordinary start that surpassed all my expectations. Sixty three people turned up in a single day of action and between them got out almost 25,000 pieces of literature. And there were other volunteers who couldn't make it on Saturday but wanted to play their part and have offered to pick up some of the remaining delivery rounds to do in their own time over the next couple of weeks. When it is all done we will have delivered more than 90 percent of the homes in the constituency.
So a huge thank you to all those volunteers who were willing to lend a hand this weekend - and play their part in making our democracy work.
People often have a cynical view of political parties but it is important to remember that, fundamentally, they are voluntary organisations and they rely on hundreds of thousands of ordinary people across the country giving up their time for free and paying their membership subscriptions to make democracy in this country possible.
As a candidate, if you don't persuade volunteers to lend a hand, you don't get your message across. But yesterday was an extraordinary start that surpassed all my expectations. Sixty three people turned up in a single day of action and between them got out almost 25,000 pieces of literature. And there were other volunteers who couldn't make it on Saturday but wanted to play their part and have offered to pick up some of the remaining delivery rounds to do in their own time over the next couple of weeks. When it is all done we will have delivered more than 90 percent of the homes in the constituency.
So a huge thank you to all those volunteers who were willing to lend a hand this weekend - and play their part in making our democracy work.
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