Dementia Awareness Week – Truro

Did you know that about 1,000 people live with dementia in Truro and around 5,000 people in Truro are affected by dementia every day?

To raise awareness about Dementia, the steering group of Dementia Friendly Truro, received some training from Truro College and we all became a Dementia Friend.   We were fortunate to have the delightful Anne-Marie come into Truro HQ on Fairmantle Street and spend time with us!

Dementia Friendly Truro aims to ensure that Truro is accessible, inclusive, welcoming, aware of and responsive to people living with dementia and their carers.  The group aims to establish links with businesses, service providers and people living with dementia in order to develop greater awareness and understanding of dementia issues in our community.  Together we want to make Truro a Dementia Friendly City.  This is one of the Business Improvement Development objectives, to make Truro accessible and appreciate our demographics in our great little City.

5 Key Messages from the training: –

• Dementia is not a natural part of aging
• There’s more to the person than the dementia
• It is possible to live well with dementia
• Dementia is caused by diseases of the brain
• Dementia is not just about losing your memory

The Alzheimer’s Society’s has rolled out the Dementia Friends programme and it is their largest ever initiative to change people’s perceptions of dementia.   A Dementia Friend learns a little bit more about what it’s like to live with dementia and then turns that understanding into action, it’s about the small ways you can help.  At the end of the session we agreed to do become a Dementia Friend.

Clare Hall-Davies (L), Sian Knights, Neil Scott, Mark O’Brian

I plan to wear the badge and hopefully have the opportunity to tell businesses about the Dementia Friends initiative.  So when I deliver the quarterly newsletters and the guides around our city, I will try to encourage businesses and organisations to join our Alliance and to take action to improve and increase awareness of dementia.

I found the training interesting in appreciating the layout and ambiance of a business and how this can impact on those with dementia.  For example if a customer, who has dementia comes into the restaurant it is about the service they receive; such as the waiter/waitress being patient, giving eye contact and listening.  Perhaps turn the music down or off so that the customer can concentrate.  Try and make the options clear and not too many choices.  If the customer who suffers from dementia has a good experience, they will leave with a good feeling, even though the next day they may not have remembered what they had eaten.  Dementia can affect vision and space perception, so therefore a black mat can be perceived as a black hole and a rippled swirl in the carpet could look like snakes or water.

At the moment my Forget-me-not flower symbol is in the washing machine tube and I have yet to retrieve it!  However I will find another one shortly and will wear it when I deliver the June quarterly newsletter. #DAW2016

If you would like your business to receive training and become a Dementia Friend, Anne-Marie Young is the Curriculum Lead Social Care & Health at Cornwall College and can be contacted. (See details below). It is for free and great to get your employees to know a little bit more.  There are Social Care & Health Courses which have funding at the moment, such as Dementia Care Level II or Autism, Care Planning and Team Leading (see below).

 

 

 

 

#shoparttrail – Collaboration with Truro Businesses and the Truro Festival

Last month we had some tremendous support from the Truro businesses who hosted a group of artists’ work in prominent locations of their shop windows.  You can maybe appreciate how precious your shop window is.  It is about what you sell, who you are and entices those from the outside to look in and perhaps go inside and make a purchase.

The Truro Festival organised the #shopArtTrail which allowed visitors to explore Truro further and discover eleven artists’ work displayed in the city.  A great way to be in the fresh air, follow the map and to learn something new.  Visitors picked up the trail checklist from the festival marquee on Lemon Quay and went on their way to enjoy art and to explore Truro deeper.

At the top of Pydar Street the artist Laura Wray was able to display several pieces of art, complimenting the art gallery café of InnerTide on Pydar Street perfectly with its nooks and reclaimed shelves.

 

Laura Wray’s art

Laura Wray at InnerTide Cafe

Pennyworths displayed Felicity Tattersall’s amazing Samuel Footes tea party scene.  Felicity took time to write a piece on Mr. Samuel Foote, who was the theme of the Truro Festival and decorated the delightful window display on High Cross.  I do believe the sweets were a slight distraction for her and she enjoyed the colours of the shop with glee!  This is a great example where the shop and the art worked together to create a display.

Pennyworths Coffee House with Samuel Foote

(You may be wondering who Samuel Foote is, well  for the next three-years the Truro Festival will focus on a forgotten Truronian from the 18^th century. In his day, Samuel Foote was the first stand-up comedian and known as the funniest man in London. He was a Cornishman with a larger-than-life personality, who wowed audiences at his tea parties in the fashionable coffee houses of Covent Garden.)

 

Samuel Foote

Midtown Deli & Cafe on King’s Street, was host to Leonardo Santolamazza’s work.  Leonardo has worked with Totally Truro the Business Improvement District on many previous projects, including BIG ART.  The Italian born artist is passionate about his work and his style is distinctive.

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Malletts Home Hardware situated on Victoria Square, hosted Beano cartoonist, Nick Brennan.  Nick is a cartoonist and illustrator and is a great inspiration.  During the festival he hosted a cartoon workshop, which the children really enjoyed.

Magpie & Fox held two vibrant pieces of art in their window from Tom Sutcliffe and Mat McIvor.  The art suited the fashion boutique on River Street to the ‘T’.

Truro Fabrics hosted Sam Bradbury’s newly created puppets.  Manager of Truro Fabrics commented that they noticed people looking into the widow and checking it on their maps.  Sam’s work was most at home at Truro Fabrics and again was well suited to this creative business on Calenick Street.

Archie Browns had an amazing window display with the silhouette of Truro Cathedral, the city penned in Silver and the Truro Festival Guides clearly celebrating the arrival of the Truro Festival .  Emeilia Wharfe is a freelance, illustrator and writer who displayed interesting and delicate pieces of work hung in Archie Brown’s window.  Emeilia aslo created the enlightening Truro Festival display and information board about Samuel Foote.  This specially commissioned installation is to reintroduce the extraordinary life of Foote to Truro and many of the festivals events are aimed at celebrating and educating audiences about the first ever stand up comedian!

Vertigo is a fun, vibrant bar and restaurant.  One of the best places for a night out in Truro.  It has funky lines and patterns as its décor and Charlotte Davis displayed one of her drawings within their window.  Charlotte loves lines and precision and this piece of art hung in their window with ease.

Vertigo in the sunshine

Charlotte Davis artwork

Sam’s in the City held sketches from Rowena Siorvanes.  The work, created specifically to be shown at Sam’s was beautifully hung and displayed in this smart and stylish eatery in the entrance.  So whilst waiting to be seated, the arts location within the restaurant, allowed customers to view and enjoy the work.  Rowena’s art of simple pen and ink, displayed people enjoyed eating seafood and Sam’s in the City sell’s similar types of dishes.  Rowena is inspired by people in everyday life that she observes – all their characteristics with simple line drawing.

Finally talented artist, Keith Sparrow displayed his work in Waterstones, Boscawen Street with some manga style creativity!  In fact, he took this to a new level by creating artwork live in the window.  This similar concept was taken by Uneeka Life, just a few doors down, who had artists working in their window each day, pop up – during the festival. It is these collaborations that we like to celebrate!

Keith Sparrow manga workshop on Lemon Quay

Uneeka’s window on Boscawen Street is their pride and joy – the store relishes in being creative with their window and it was wonderful to have them on board with the Truro Festival.

Visit Truro decorated their window beautifully during the festival.  Thank you to all those businesses who participated and joined in the #trurofestival in any way they could.  Visitors were able to spot eleven artists’ work in the shop windows around Truro with ease.

 

Ian Kelly

Following on from the Truro Festival, there is an evening with actor and director Ian Kelly fresh from the West End production of the hit play ‘Mr Foote’s Other Leg‘. Ian will give a talk about his research into the life of the enigmatic Truro-born Samuel Foote.7.30pm on Thursday 26 May in the Lander Gallery Cafe.  Tickets are £10.00 and available from www.crbo.co.uk

Ladies night out at The Truro Festival

Truro Festival began with a jam packed Saturday full of events and activities to pick and choose from.  Instead of being involved with this particular Festival event, this time, I organised two of my friends to join me in attending this woman only occasion – ‘Salon du Chocolat’ performed by Rebecca Mordan and Sharon Andrew.  The duo are talented in their ability to convey literature that captivates and entertains.  I had indicated to my friends that Salon du Chocolat was performed by Scary Little Girls Theatre company.

When chocolate was first brought to England in the 1600s, it was considered a taboo substance, enjoyed only by the scandalous and elite in private salons.  Some of our finest literature was also once considered too provocative for public consumption and was heard in similar salon environments by only the boldest of ears!

Scary Little Girls invited a female-only audience to join them for a stimulating and intimate evening of storytelling celebrating the relationship between salons, chocolate and forbidden literature!  We heard of tales which explored female desires from authors such as Edna St Vincent Millay, Stella Duffy, John Keats and Daphne du Maurier – and of course enjoyed chocolate treats too!

I met the delightful performers at last year’s Truro Festival in our cosy yurt on Lemon Quay during howling gales.  It was a fabulous evening full of laughter and decadent literature.

As this was our rare ‘girls night out’ in Truro we organised, to try the new bar and wine merchant ‘The Art of Wine’  situated in Nalders Court before heading to the show.  Home to some fabulous independent fashion boutiques such as Melange, Plum and Benetton, as well as The Original Art Shop.  Nalders Court leads off Pydar Street, just at the entrance to Laura Ashley.

The Art of Wine has a unique and chic interior where we could sample wines from a smart gadget dispenser called WineEmotion.  The dispenser keeps the wine at a perfect temperature and we were able to sample the wine at a reasonable price per glass, small, medium or large.  We managed to sample two, with guidance from the knowledgeable Roland.  I preferred the fruity South African Sauvignon Blanc, Ataraxia by Kevin Grant. I ended up buying a bottle for a special occasion.

We then, raced off for the performance at 7pm on Lemon Quay.  The marquee was decorated in the theme of Samuel Foote.  (Truro’s long lost Truronian from the 18^th century, he was the first stand-up comedian and known as the funniest man in London.)  The lights were dimmed and the lectern was poised for the drama to unfold.  We had exerts from ‘A Letter to my Love’ by Nicholas Stuart Gray, to ‘In Praise of Older Women’ by Frank Kaiser.  During the interval we were served rich hot chocolate from Oscars Coffee Shop and Deli (from Samuel Foote’s Coffee house), as well as delicious homemade brownies with flickers of ginger.

The evening continued with highlights from ‘Mistress of the Art of Death’ by Ariana Franklin and ended on a high with ‘The Ballad of Freda and Barry’ by Victoria Wood.  In a flash of the eye, the evening was over and you could tell that the audience thoroughly enjoyed it – wonderful to hear good hearty laughter from all the women.

Truro Map & Guide – Our Great Little City!

We now have a new map for Truro.  The Truro Guide (spring edition) provides the first outing for the newly produced map of the city centre, which replaces the much loved but outdated previous map.

It was commissioned by us, Totally Truro (The Truro Business Improvement District) and meticulously drawn by local designer Graeme Rust.  It is beautiful and took sometime, with incredible detail, including the opes and alley ways.

The second iteration of the map is also in circulation – an A3 two colour ‘tear-off’ version for use at hotel and visitor reception desks. The map will also be used in display boards across the city centre and as a fold-out version.

We are thinking about having it printed for the public to use.  If you are keen to advertise to get the map out there.  Please email me sian.knights@totallytruro.co.uk

The Truro Guide is now out and is the brand new ‘Official guide to the city and rural district of Truro’. The guide is produced in collaboration between Truro City Council, Visit Truro Tourist Information and Totally Truro Business Improvement District and is designed and produced by Truro-based company, Wolf Rock Marketing. This is the first (twenty thousand were produced) of three editions that will be published each year to coincide with the seasons.  The summer and winter edition there will be fourty thousand copies produced) Copies of the guide can be picked up from Visit Truro Tourist Information on Boscawen Street or downloaded from www.enjoytruro.co.uk .

We love the new design and hope that you find it a useful and attractive asset to promote both Truro and your business. The contents include a listing of all Truro’s food and drink businesses – if you would like any of your content or images changed for the summer edition please email sian.knights@totallytruro.co.uk

If you would like to advertise in the Truro guide then please contact: –
truroguide@wolfrockmarketing.co.uk or call 01872 262698

 

Santa Night Run in Truro

This year I decided to take part in the Cornwall Hospice Care, Santa Night Run in Truro during the first late night of shopping in Truro on the 25th of November – for fun!  Cornwall Hospice is a Cornish charity who offers hospice care to patients and their families.  These patients are very sick and often terminally ill.

The weather was perfect, no howling wind or lashing rain – only a moon and a few clouds.  I had only decided to sign up for the event the day before it started.  Registration was simple and easy and was open from 5.30pm in Boscawen Street, at the back of the Hall for Cornwall.  I received my Santa outfit, with rather large red trousers.  I arrived early and put my outfit on over my shorts.  Shorts seemed to make sense, as the website did indicate that the outfit did make you get very hot!  I decided to enjoy Truro and went to the Scentstore in Cathedral Lane to find a gift.  I kept on wondering, why people were looking at me and children pointing saying ‘There is Santa’. (I forgot I was wearing the Santa outfit!)

All one hundred and twenty of us started warming up outside the Market Inn Bar on Lemon Quay, next to the inflatable and extremely large Santa, as well as Ruan the Reindeer.

By 8pm we were off at quite a speed and the crowds stepped back, as bells rung out through the streets of Truro.  It was not easy running with my handbag – note to self (must leave behind next time). A short one mile circuit round Green Street, Princes Street, Boscawen Street, St Nicholas Street, River Street, Little Castle Street, Kenwyn Street and passed the gentle grazing reindeer (Sponsored by Malletts Home Hardware) on Victoria Square before returning on Lower Lemon Street.

On approaching the finishing line, I tripped in my Santa trousers and had to think…… was that due to the mulled wine drunk before the event or my large trousers!

After the run Cornwall Hospice generously gave us a medal, banana, water and a mince pie!  The evening rose £2’700 for Cornwall Hospice.  It is a great family event and I witnessed several families all jogging together for an amazing organisation that cares.

iOrchestra is back in Truro!

That’s right – the iOrchestra is back on Lemon Quay, housed in an amazing white marquee.  It is the home of a deconstructed digital orchestra, in which 103 musicians from the Philharmonia Orchestra, and Principal Conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen take you through the amazing music of Gustav Holst’s The Planets from every perspective imaginable.  The iOrchestra drew in more than 50’000 people in 2014 and this year it drew in more than 75’000!

As you enter the tent you are greeted by the ‘Universe of Sound, The Planets by Gustav Holst’ – as well as a warm welcome from the team of volunteers who steer you around the black velvet maze.  The movements featured in the Universe of Sound are Mars (The Bringer of War), Venus (The Bringer of Peace), Mercury (The Winged Messenger), Jupiter (The Bringer of Jollity), Saturn (The Bringer of Old Age), Uranus (The Magician) and Neptune (The Mystic).  Almost every instrument imaginable has been used in this spectacular piece of music.

I recognised the well-known world cup rugby anthem from the section called Jupiter, The Bringer of Jollity.  What struck me was the intimacy of the cameras watching every member of the orchestra in minute detail and the concentration on their faces, watching and counting the music – dare they loose their place during the piece.  The Philharmonia has some of the best musicians in the world and its incredible to see them play their instruments from harp to double bass bassoon!

At the end of June I discovered that there was a spectacular show in the night sky when the actual planets Jupiter and Venus crossed paths, which is a rare occurrence – happening only every few years.  These are two of the brightest planets in the sky and have been slowly coming together every week since last winter.  Therefore I find it quite fitting that the iOrchestra have brought ‘The Planets’ to Truro during the last week of June and first week of July.

The Philharmonia Orchestra is one of the busiest in the UK, performing more than 160 concerts a year throughout the world.  About 60 concerts are played in London, 50 internationally and 70 around the rest of the country.  It is a self-governing orchestra and therefore the musicians ‘own’ the orchestra and have a say in running it.

On Monday the 29^th of June I had the opportunity to speak with Edward Mackay who is the Project Manager for the iOrchestra.

I asked Edward, what happens after the iOrchestra leaves the South West and what are their ultimate objectives.

He went onto explain about the enormous value of music and how their objective is to connect and fully engage with people and to introduce them to music.  Organisations like the Cornwall Music Education Hub, which plays a vital role in introducing youngsters to music in Cornwall.  To link up musicians and get the Cornish brass band culture to explore the orchestral world further.  A genuine catalyst for cultural change in the enjoyment, appreciation and aspiration to play classical music.

Edward hopes that the iOrchestra, the touring music lab and the concerts will be able to touch all musicians and encourage them to keep going with their training and further their development.  The Philharmonia’s wish is to encourage children into the world of classical music and to dream big, to keep meeting, working and playing together.  To grow talent in the South West and to reap the reward that music brings.

As I walked through the tent, I pondered what life is like for these incredibly talented world class musicians who are at the top of their game.  The travelling involved, the fulfilment in their lives and what their family lives are like.  Edward explained that they have a pool of musicians to call upon and have 80 core members, with others pulled in to play at certain performances and pieces that need a greater ensemble.

Art and cultural experiences enrich people’s lives, strengthen communities and contribute to the development and well-being of young people. In addition, artistic and cultural industries contribute to economic growth both directly and indirectly, so events such as the iOrchestra make Cornwall and Truro more attractive as a tourist destination.

If you would like to listen to the whole of The Planets by Gustav Holst performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra, go to the Spotify play list here: www.spoti.fi/1DPcaiW

Roc-ing around Truro!

I decided to run the ROC 5km race a few months ago, when I found out about all the good work that Robert Owen Communities (ROC) do in Truro.

     

ROC is a charity that supports people with learning disabilities and similar conditions and assists those individuals in doing what they would like to do.  About thirty people with a learning disability took part in the run.

The funds raised through this event support local people with learning disabilities who take part in the charity’s vibrant social club based at Truro & Penwith College. This club relies on these donations.  The event raised more than £12’000 and was the best turnout ever, reaching its maximum potential of 400 runners.

This year’s 25^th anniversary fun run race took place on Thursday the 11^th of June.  It had been raining all day, but luckily, it had cleared by late afternoon.  I arrived on the Quay to a sea of yellow jerseys and headed straight to the Truro Lions tent, who were helping by registering runners with their numbers.

Thirty five organisations got behind the event and many were Truro businesses, such as Francis Clark, Cornish Mutual, Santander and Truro & Penwith College.  Sam’s in the City provided a light buffet for the main sponsors.

We all did our warm up together, led by Truro & Penwith College.  Daphne Skinnard from BBC Radio Cornwall and John Harvey compered.

Then we were off! We ran via Lower Lemon Street, through Boscawen, Princess Street and then under the pass on towards Malpas, around the cricket club and back along, ending on the quay.

I did glimpse the lead runner who completed the course in seventeen minutes and eight seconds.  I came in number 208 out of 400 (my husband was kindly number 209).  I could then tuck into the free goodies – a fantastic Warrens pasty and bottles of Skinners Betty Stogs and cloudy apply juice from Cornish Orchards!

What a great evening and a well-organized event, with fifty marshals present from Truro Rotary Club, Truro Lions Club and Cornish Mutual. Keith Wotton and Truro Running Club were the ‘brains’ behind the event, along with Gary Perkin from Zamu who managed Lemon Quay.  Trophies were awarded to the fastest individuals and teams – plus spot prizes which went to anyone!

All the event pics can be found at www.roc-uk.org/ROC5K2015

It was wonderful to see the Truro business community out to support ROC 5k fun race!