The Plaza’s 5th Screen

The Plaza Cinema in Truro is a unique asset to our great little city.  This year the Plaza are celebrating their 80th anniversary and to mark this special birthday they have launched the 5th screen called ‘The Lemon Suite’.  The management welcomed the guests and the new screen was warmly received.

The 5th screen was constructed in just 29.5 working days and the project originally started in 1996.  The screen is fitted with a Barco DP2K-6E projector, Datasat AP-20 cinema processor handling sound and automation.  Dolby 5.1 Dirac theatre optimisation surround sound.  DVD & bluray playback including DTS surround sound.

Blend 71 provided the delicious canapés and we were welcomed with drinks from the fresh and well lit bar.  The seats were comfortable and the air conditioning perfect to enjoy our experience of the new screen.  Brett Harvey had compiled a clip for The Plaza and this was great to see the history and the images.  We then saw the latest previews (Bridgette Jones’s Baby, Finding Dory and  Jason Bourne) and I felt compelled that I needed to come back soon and watch a full movie.  Going to the cinema is a great way of relaxing and escaping to immerse yourself into the world of cinema.

Rob Nolan, Truro Mayor had the honour of launching the 5th screen.  He enjoyed the occasion thoroughly!

The Lemon Suite also caters for small conferences and can accommodate 55 seats.  If you would like to book this venue for a special occasion or for a conference, then please email the Plaza, Truro at plaza.truro@wtwcinemas.co.uk

Roarrrrrr – Dinosaur Zoo came to Truro!

The Hall for Cornwall offers visitors an opportunity to come into Truro and enjoy a fabulous performance.  I took my five year old to see the dinosaurs that ‘live’ at the Hall for Cornwall…….  We also made sure we had a quick ice cream from Angelato on Pydar street too!

What a delight to inspire youngsters to be passionate and interested in dinosaurs and perhaps become a Paleontologist!  Or encourage a child to find out something new and try exploring a past era.

We saw a baby Triceratops, Tyrannosaurus Rex, a Diplodocus, several huge dragonflies called Meganeuropsis permiana, an Australovenator  (a recent discovery in Australia) and a few others that I cannot remember their names!  Dinosaur Zoo brought these awesome prehistoric creatures to the stage and allowed the children to engage and interact with the Zoo Dinosaur keeper!

The children really did marvel and interact with these extraordinary life-like dinosaurs in this imaginative live show.  The stage was set with some dinosaur plants that looked like gigantic asparagus.  Some of the hungry reptiles did seem quite hungry and there were some very brave children indeed!

Children watched wide-eyed from a safe distance and some did get right up close to the creatures in the danger zone.  The sound effects and the mastery of the puppeteers, as well as how real they look – is a true credit to the show.  Afterwards, the dinosaurs were brought outside onto Lemon Quay, where the children got to see them.

 

 

 

Get Active Truro – warm up!

On Wednesday the 1st of  June during the half term week we headed into Truro.  Get Active Truro held a short two day event – a burst of activity in Truro for you to discover something active and fun.

Get Active Truro is part of the wider initiative – Get Active Cornwall, organised through Cornwall Sports Partnership and supported by Totally Truro, the Truro Business Improvement District.  The event linked into the national campaign ‘This Girl Can‘ developed by Sport England and a wide range of partnership organisations. A celebration of active women up and down the country who are doing their thing no matter how well they do it, how they look or even how red their face gets.  Its aimed at us all and encourages us to do fitness and the benefits we feel from it.  Get Active Truro is for everyone.

Whirlwind Sports did a great campaign offering 20% off during the two day event.  It was great to see them on board getting behind the #thisgirlcancampaign.  Whirlwind Sport have the latest clothing, shoes and equipment to choose from.

There were a host of different organisations and businesses giving out advice, demos and having fun, including : West Coast Clear, Belly Bolly Dance, Golf England, 4funxsake Youth Dance, Children’s Hospice, Cornwall Outdoors, Why Dance, Footsteps of Discovery, Truro Canoe Club, Cornwall BMX, Cornwall Womens and Girls Rugby, National Trust, Anytime Fitness, Koncept Gym, Stringers Gym, Intelligent Fitness, Bodeeworx, Heart FM, Tempus, Race for Life and Cornwall Yoga Centre.

Rowan Maidment-Windsor with Caitlin Fava, doing Judo at the 2016 Get Active Truro event on Lemon Quay.

Dancers from 4FS performing at the 2016 Get Active Truro event on Lemon Quay.

My children particularly enjoyed the Footsteps of Discovery team who taught them how to make a fire.  These survival skills give us a sense of confidence, respect of nature, discipline and enjoyment.  We hope to visit them  in Grampound Road woods soon.

Karl Hammond lighting a fire by frction with a bow drill at the 2016 Get Active Truro event on Lemon Quay.

My eldest loved the music and dance fitness routines with pom poms!  It was great to see the quay buzzing, alongside the Truro Farmers Market.  People were shooting some hoops and trying out the inflatable kayaks.  Koncept Gym was there from Newquay and did you know that during the week day they offer free childcare for an hour while you do your workout at the gym or do a class.

After our visit on Lemon Quay and play with some of the hula hoops and weights, we had the essential merry go round ride, followed by lunch at Sonder Cafe Bar.  Mocktails all round, bunny chow with an assortment of ‘lite bites’ for the girls.

Sonder Cafe Bar

Raymonds Merry go Round

The next Get Active Truro is from the 15-19th August.  This will be the 6th year on Lemon Quay with plenty of FREE activities on offer!   ‘Get Active Truro’ promises something for everyone and you don’t need to be super sporty to join in; it is about getting active but also having fun… and all the events are free! Make sure to use the hashtag #getactivetruro

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.

????????????????????????????????????

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

 

Cognac and Armagnac with Old Chapel Cellars

On Friday the 5^th of February on a cold winter’s night I hastily rushed to Old Chapel Cellars in St. Clement Street, Truro for an evening of tasting Cognac and Armagnac. I was greeted by a warm welcome and a glass of champagne. Neil Monyard is one of the country’s leading experts when it comes to Cognac and Armagnac and a great raconteur! He has a wealth of knowledge and a passion for the drinks distinctive tastes and their history.

Iain and Charlotte made us all feel most welcome and cooked a delicious rich stew. It was a relaxed evening on the prized Old Chapel Cellar couch and all six bottles were laid out ready, with glasses for us to begin our tasting. I am a novice when it comes to alcohol and I found the talk most interesting. I have always heard of cooking with Cognac or Armagnac in puddings, biscuits, stews and cocktails. I feel that I walked away with great knowledge about the drinks and that I had learned something that evening.

First of all, Armagnac, this is a type of brandy produced in the Armagnac area of France. Anything outside of this region is known as a French grape brandy. Armagnac is distilled using column stills (large container that holds the liquid) and made from a variety of grapes, which is aged in oak barrels. Armagnac is made on a far smaller scale than Cognac, which is dominated by big name global brands. The area where the grapes are grown to produce Armagnac is split into three, Bas-Armagnac, Armagnac-Tenareze and Haut-Armagnac. (Armagnac is has two distillations, however only one movement through the still. ) Once distilled it is then aged in the oak barrels (which gives flavour) and impacts on the colour of the beverage – as does where the barrels are stored, with regards to temperature and climate.

The Cognac is produced around the town of Cognac, from where its name derives.  Cognac has to be made from certain grapes, such as Ugni blanc (known as a high yielding grape and not prone to rotting easily) and is grown in a chalky soil. It is distilled twice in copper pot stills and also aged in oak barrels.

The difference in the taste of the two drinks is mainly down to their geographic areas in France, with their soils which defines Cognac (chalk) and Armagnac (clay, sand, closer to the ocean). We tasted the Cognac and Armagnac against each other. The alcohol in both is 40%. The grades on the bottles are the same for both Cognac and Armagnac. We tasted the (Prunier) Cognac, which has been the leader in the Chinese market for 30 years. Whilst we sampled the Armagnac (Domaine De Papolle).

The first sipping we tasted was the three star VS (very special), where it has been stored in a cask for a minimum of two years. I preferred the Cognac. The Cognac seemed to show a bit more development of the grape.

With the second pair of bottles, we tried the VSOP (very superior old pale), which means it has been stored for at least four years. I noticed the incredible honey brown colour. I preferred the Armagnac this time, which seemed to show more complexity and little less ‘polish’.

Then, finally onto the more expensive bottles, we compared the XO (extra old), which is stored for at least eight years. With the Cognac, we drank from the Cognac Prunier family. This time, I preferred the taste of the Chateau de Lacaze Bas Armagnac, which was smoother and noticeably different to the first bottles that we tasted.

Neil advised that if you do have to mix your drink, then only use Ginger Ale (and not American Dry)! Overall, Neil surmised that Cognac and Armagnac have their ups and downs in popularity in the global market and he believes it will become increasingly more popular, just as Gin, Vodka and Whisky. He made the evening, fun and lively with Charlotte and Iain hosting us with pleasure.

Old Chapel Cellars holds regular wine tastings, as well as the first Friday of the month, where a guest speaker comes in and they cover a certain geographic area of wine, food is included and this is a ticketed event.

The next event is based on Southern Italy, Scilly and the Sardinia area, which is an up and coming area in the wine world. This area that use to produce delectable wine for the locals, has now been ‘discovered’. It costs £15pp and starts at 6.30pm on Friday the 4^th of March at Old Chapel Cellars. Email wine@oldchapelcellars.co.uk or call 01872 270 545 to book your place.

Late Night Shopping with the family in Truro!

Off we headed after school into Truro. I was aiming to be in the city for 4pm to take advantage of the car park fee of £1.50 in most of the car parks, however, I opted for the sheltered NCP and their large child friendly red parking bays.  This meant, we were able to assemble the push chair, change and have a quick drink and a snack.  I think I was more excited than the girls about late night shopping in Truro!  I couldn’t wait to show them the sparkly lights in Truro and how festive it feels.

First stop was the Truro library to change our library books and then onto High Cross.  The children raced to the ‘snow’ covered tree and we grabbed the opportunity for a photograph.

Then we went into the Cathedral and admired the nativity scene and incredible Christmas tree which had been adorned with a plethora of decorations.  We looked in the gift shop for an angel on top of our Christmas tree at home, however opted for a star. The girls were allowed to choose a decoration each. This was not as easy as I had imagined it to be.  My two year old wished to pick up all breakable objects and it was it challenging to stay focused, whilst my eldest one was just as curious!  Thankfully my toddler chose a safe pink sparkle bauble that was for sale under the table – perfect for her height and non breakable.  My eldest chose a large twinkly snow flake, which looks quite striking on  our Christmas tree.

We decided to go to ‘Sam’s in the City‘ in New Bridge Street for food and opted to sit down to eat, which meant my toddler could sit in a high chair.   (Its not so easy to eat street food with a toddler).  The children had fish and chips and small strawberry milkshakes….  Whilst I enjoyed a crisp white wine spritzer with calamari and chips.  The service was excellent, toilets immaculate and the staff friendly.  The children enjoyed colouring in their Sam’s in City pictures whilst waiting for supper to arrive.  My five year old did ask, ‘why is the mannequin wearing pants!’ (You know the one…..) I explained they were very short shorts!

We then headed off to see Father Christmas at Truro Library in his extraordinary grotto. The girls were extremely keen to see him and his elf helpers!  They were able to ‘write’ to him before going to see him and enjoyed the festive music and the present from his sack.

Walking to Boscawen Street, under the strings of stars in Cathedral Lane and beautifully lit trees at High Cross, with the hustle and bustle of the people in Truro – made it feel like a magical night.  On Boscawen Street , we admired the stalls and found the Raymonds swing chair carousal ride.  The girls adored this and wanted to go again, however bed time was beckoning. Finally we headed home after a special evening in ‘Our great little city’.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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.