Posts

Jamie Cooks Graduation Lunch at Fifteen Cornwall

Image
Reservations are now being taken for a special fundraising lunch at Fifteen Cornwall, Watergate Bay, on Thursday 11th June, when Jamie Oliver will be donning his chef whites and getting back in the kitchen. Returning to Fifteen Cornwall for the graduation of the latest apprentices, and to welcome in the new cohort, Jamie will accompany Executive Chef Neil Haydock and the team of professional chefs to create a sublime three course lunch using the finest local seasonal ingredients. Fifteen Cornwall proudly aims to use a minimum of 80% local Cornish produce. In what promises to be a fun and relaxed occasion, Jamie will be chatting to guests to take them through the menu. Dave Meneer, Fifteen Cornwall’s CEO, will be on hand to give guests a chance to put some questions to Jamie over the course of the lunch. Later in the day Jamie will attend a private graduation ceremony for this year’s White Hats (Fifteen Cornwall’s apprentice chefs) after a year of training and experience in the kitche

Fire Fears Disrupt Truro Concert

Image
Fire fears disrupted a Truro concert held to mark 30 years of the city being twinned with Morlaix in France. Organised by the Truro Morlaix Twinning Associaton, the concert was due to start at 3pm on April 18 in the Mayor's Parlour at Truro City Hall. However, just as the conductor stood with baton poised for the music to begin, the hall’s fire alarm sounded. The audience, along with musicians from France and Cornwall, hastily evacuated the building. The concerned crowd then waited for half an hour in Boscawen Street whilst the fire brigade searched the building. Finally the all clear was given and the rest of the concert passed off without a hitch, except for local cellist David Hoskin being temporarily stuck in a lift with one of the more mature French female musicians. The orchestra – composed of members of renowned string group the St Mewan Sinfonia and Morlaix’s L’Orchestre de Patio – played a well received programme of works by Bach, Grieg, Vivaldi and Brahms. The concert, wh

New Birding Scope

Image
If you are fortunate enough to live near the Camel Trail in Cornwall, no doubt you have had a stroll or bike ride somewhere between Padstow and Bodmin, maybe even ventured the full length. Whatever the case I am sure you would have delighted in the bird life found all along this trail. I wrote previously regarding bird watching on the Camel Estuary, and recently I took the plunge and purchased a scope to enhance my birding. It took me hours of research, visits to optic demonstrations in the field, and advice from other users before I finally made up my mind on which scope to go for. My decision?…Swarovski ATS 80HD with a 20 - 60 Zoom lens (pictured above). No, it was not cheap, but I had been saving for some time and reasoned that I only want to buy once, and so in my research decided to get one of the best on the market. It hasn't let me down. In my opinion the optimum Zoom for clarity is around 35 - 40 times. I am not a Swarovski salesman, nor am I suggesting you go out and buy o

New eco-business bucks the trend

Image
(L to R) Ecoco owner Abigail Billinge and Cornish Mutual Inspector Roger Hawkings viewing some of the products on sale at the new shop in Penryn. An eco-friendly start-up business in Cornwall is set to beat the credit crunch by opening a brand new shop selling organic and fair trade jewellery and clothing supported by South West insurance firm Cornish Mutual. Ecoco, based at Jubilee Wharf in Penryn, is the brainchild of 30 year old Abi Billinge who already runs her own on-line company, Absolution Saves. The shop, which opened earlier this month, is billed as a ‘showcase’ for a number of small, ethical Cornish businesses and products, including clothing made out of recycled plastic bottles from Penzance and recycled copper jewellery. Abi, Ecoco’s Creative Director, says: “Everything we do is about Cornwall and supporting local designer makers and retailers – I’m keen to champion new, different and interesting things happening on our doorstep. I wanted to show everything in one pla

St Petroc’s Bistro Introduces ‘From The Grill’ Menu

Image
Rick and Jill Stein announce an exciting new grill menu at St Petroc’s Bistro in Padstow. Rick Stein’s Mediterranean-style bistro is now expanding its menu to incorporate three new grill dishes, including an 8oz sirloin steak with pommes coq d’or, 12oz rump steak with tomato, mushrooms and thin cut chips and a special 16oz Chateau-briand for two to share. St Petroc’s Bistro has always served simple, classic bistro dishes, offering a mixture of both seafood and meat options. In addition to the new grill menu, signature dishes such as the Parmigiana di melanzana, whole grilled lemon sole with mushrooms and brown shrimps, and escalopes of salmon with sorrel sauce will still be available. Head chef at St Petroc’s Bistro, Paul Harwood, comments: “We’re really happy with the new steak dishes. We’ve sourced a really high quality Aberdeen-Angus with Charolais cross for the new grill menu, well-known for being tender, succulent and full of flavour. “Our rib-eye steak proved so popular

Film Premiere of "Stepping Into Shoes"

Image
Teenage Correspondents Report from the Healthcare Frontline In a ground-breaking new film project, Stepping into Shoes, seven Cornish teenagers have been recounting their first hand experience of receiving medical treatment within the NHS. The first film tells the story of three young people with long-term illness, exploring what impact managing their condition has on their lives. Seen entirely through the eyes of these adolescents, it reveals ‘matter of fact’ insights into the daily care regime for three teenagers with Muscular Dystrophy, Cystic Fibrosis and Diabetes. Working with Cornish film-maker Hana Backland, the documentary uses video diary and interviews to explore the issues, challenges and good practice which inform their encounters with the health service. The second film follows the journey of four healthy teenagers, recruited from Youth Cornwall, who report on their experience of hospital treatment. It examines the hospital environment from the viewpoint of teenag

Business booming for St Austell’s cinema

Image
Cornwall’s first new cinema complex for over 70 years – White River Cinema in St Austell is gearing up for a busy Easter and will be preparing to welcome its 50,000th customer since opening. Owners WTW Cinemas is reporting ‘consistently strong’ business with ‘record’ admissions during the first quarter of this year (January-March 09) and over the Christmas and New Year period. The two most popular films to date have been Academy award winning ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ and children’s feature ‘Bolt’. White River Cinema has been a huge success with local people and visitors to St Austell since the £3.5 million building on Trinity Street was officially opened on Friday 19 December last year. Mark Williams, General Manager of White River Cinema said: “Our initial forecasts for business have been more than exceeded. We are absolutely delighted with the first few months of trading and have been overwhelmed by the support, both locally and regionally and from customers who have visited our