A STREET party has been held to remember a popular Calstock landlady who sadly passed away earlier this month.

The event raised more than £4,360 for St Luke’s Hospice, Plymouth in memory of Kim McColgan O'Reilly, the cherished landlady of The Boot Inn, who died on June 4. She was in her late fifties and had been ill. The hospice cared for her before she died.

Friends, neighbours and pub customers gathered outside the pub in Calstock to share fond memories of Kim, listen to live music and take part in fundraising activities, including a charity auction, a raffle, a street party, a sweet stall and a barbecue.

Kim’s eight-year-old grandson, George, began the family’s fundraising selling sweets around the village and at his school’s summer fair.

He said: “St Luke’s is a really special hospital who cared for my granny, so we really wanted to raise as much money as possible for such a special place.”

Kim’s husband Shaun O’Reilly said: “Thank you all for your massive support during Kim’s illness. There is no village quite like Calstock. With everyone’s help and generosity, we have raised £4,360 for St Luke’s.”

All funds raised have been donated to the hospice, which provides specialist end of life care to those who need it in the wider Plymouth area.

A family spokesman said: “Kim’s family wished to express their thanks to all of the staff at St Luke’s for providing their mum with the utmost care and respect during her stay at the hospice and for going above and beyond for the entire family.”

Kim leaves three sons, three stepsons, and three grandchildren. She and Shaun have been licensees at The Boot for 13 years after running pubs in Exeter.

Kim moved around a lot as a youngster. She studied and worked in Exeter which was where she met Shaun and they spent most of their adult lives living and running pubs in the city, where they also started a family.

Kim was well-known for collecting various teddy bears, trinkets and musical instruments which are on display in The Boot.

Morning prayer will be held on Monday and Wednesday at 10am.

On Sunday, July 7, there will be Evensong at 6.30pm.

There will be an All Age and pet service at 10am on Sunday, July 7, at St Paul’s Church, Upton Cross.

Small pets in cages and larger pets on leads please. If you cannot bring them, please bring a photograph of them instead.

Just a reminder for those of you who would like to enter any of the sections of flowers, vegetables, photographs or cookery, plus a novice section at the 113th Open Show which will take place in the Parish Hall at Upton Cross on Saturday, August 3.

It will be opened at 2pm by a previous Vicar of Linkinhorne, the Rev Marilyn Elliott. The schedule is just £1 and can be obtained from the Caradon Inn and shop, or the Manor House and Village Hall in Rilla Mill.

Time to getting snapping with your cameras - the adult sections are: Wildlife, Urban Landscape, Mono, Still Life or Blooming Marvellous.

The children’s sections for the under 11’s are Water or Pets. There are 13 other classes to enter too including cookery.

Don’t forget the Hanging Baskets, Tallest Sunflower, Fruit, Gardens and Allotments as well as the Scarecrow Competition.

Anyone is welcome to join the committee or join the “friends” group who are kept informed about up and coming events by email [email protected]

This group will be working again in Stara Woods meeting at 10am at the entrance on Saturday, July 6 and on July 24, 6pm to 8pm-ish.

Anyone is welcome to join this group, please contact Piers Freeman on 01579 363748.

The Upton Cross Ace Academy Summer Fayre will take place on Saturday, July 6, in the Jubilee Field and Parish Hall at Upton Cross from 11am to 2pm and will include a BBQ, tea and scones, bouncy castle, craft stalls, games and much more!

The members of Granville Lodge No.3405 were delighted to welcome the Provincial Grand Master of Cornwall, David Maskell, to their meeting in Bude on Tuesday, June 18.

The purpose of his visit was to present a 'Grand Patron Certificate' to the lodge as an acknowledgment for their fund raising efforts for the Masonic Charitable Foundation.

The lodge is the first in the Masonic Province of Cornwall, which has eighty lodges, to attain the status of Grand Patron with their fund raising achieving the magnificent sum of £30,000. Such was the importance of the occasion in the province David Maskell was accompanied by the Deputy Provincial Master and his three Assistant Provincial Grand Masters.

Altogether there were nineteen members of the Cornwall team present which was a great honour for the lodge.

The Master of the lodge, Jeff Green, offered David the gavel which he accepted and he proceeded to conduct the business of the evening. He thanked the lodge members for their efforts and stated that the target of raising £1,000,000 in Cornwall was in sight. He then presented the certificate to Jeff who was accompanied by Peter Reeve the Charity Steward.

Jeff then returned to the Masters Chair and reports were received from the Secretary, Almoner and Charity Steward. The lodge was closed and the members and their guests dined together in the refectory where the traditional toasts and speeches were honoured.

A raffle raised £200 for the Masonic Charitable Foundation.

For further information about freemasonry in Cornwall phone 01872 276191 or go to [email protected]

The next meeting of Granville Lodge will be in Bude on Tuesday, September 17.

Some 17 members attended the June meeting of the Launceston Stamp Club. The dealer for the evening was Kevin Webb and after the formalities the chairman introduced the speaker for the evening Terry Mounce who presented his display in two parts – ‘British Revenue Stamps’ and ‘Kernow Stamps’.

In the first part Terry showed a range of documents with revenue stamps appropriate to the subject. Amongst the documents displayed were ones relating to the registration of patents, the importation of goods and their detention in bondage until the payment of the necessary duty and a copy of a document conferring the freedom of the City of London upon someone. These were followed by more including a writ issued for the arrest of a person, a document drawn up for the purpose of committing an individual to a lunatic asylum and a document relating to Launceston with well known local names mentioned. But perhaps the most spectacular document shown by Terry was a large nuptial agreement extending over several large pages from the late 1700’s with a settlement amount of £13,000 mentioned.

The second part of Terry’s display was about the Kernow stamps which were issued and promoted by local Cornish loyalists during the postal strike of 1971. The stamps portrayed various subjects including St Pirans Flag, Cornish Engine House, a Cornish Chough, Richard Trevithick and a Cornish Cross. There were further examples showing Tomas Flamank and Myghal Angof commemorating the revolt of 1497, triangular stamps and another showing the Cornish Cross, a Cornish Engine House and a Cornish Chough all on the one stamp with the inscription ‘Why not a postage stamp for Cornwall’. Terry showed these stamps on cover as well one having been posted underground at the Poldark Mine.

An unusual and very interesting display supplemented by Terry’s wide knowledge on his subject. A vote of thanks was given by Rex Eccott who presented Terry with the Club’s certificate of appreciation.

The next meeting will take place at Yeolmbridge Methodist Church at Ladycross on July 11, 2024 at 6.30pm. New members and visitors welcome.

Members of the Foresters Friendly Society from across Devon and Cornwall have gathered for a successful Annual General Meeting which was held at Trethorne Hotel and Golf Club near Launceston.

Chaired by Area Chief Ranger Jenny Furzeland, members of the Area Committee presented reports covering a wide range of issues ranging from the financial accounts through to grants made to members in need, those requiring convalescence support, educational grants made to younger members as well as charitable giving and a range of social events.

Special guest at the AGM, Glyn Carpenter, Immediate Past High Chief Ranger of the Foresters Friendly Society overall updated delegates on national events.

Representatives from individual branches across Devon and Cornwall known as Courts then presented reports on activities which had been held and on those planned for the year ahead.

The meeting closed with a unanimous vote of thanks being given to Jenny Furzeland for her work including charitable fundraising followed by a ceremony which saw chairmanship pass to Stuart Hampe who now takes up the role of area chief ranger.

Stuart is a member of Court 4087 Pride of Plym and was joined by his wife Janet who serves as Court Chief Ranger – in effect chair – of Pride of Plym.

At the conclusion of the proceedings, a buffet lunch was enjoyed by all.

The Foresters Friendly Society was founded in 1834 and offers the many benefits of a long established Friendly Society with a warm welcome assured for new members of all genders and ages.

All enquiries should be directed to the Devon and Cornwall area secretary, Gary Webber via email: [email protected] or telephone 01326 315055

Nationally, the Foresters website is www.forestersfriendlysociety.co.uk

The St Giles Womens Guild recently held its Summer Fete in aid of The Merlin Centre. The Merlin Centre, Cornwalls Neurotherapy centre near St Austell helps those with neurological conditions such as Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinsons and their familes to manage their challenges. It provides a range of therapies and neuro diversities. Therapies include Physio, exercise classes, hydrotherapy and oxygen therapy. They also have a wonderful sensory therapy garden, a small shop and a volunteer run cafe. The fete was opened by the guilds president and senior member Rosemary Wonnacott.

There were many different stalls selling home-made cakes, plants, bric a brac, books and groceries. There was also a Dundee cake made by a member, which people had to guess the weight of. Also how many sweets in a jar. The cake was won by 10 year old Holly Cooper and the sweets by Penny Martin-Smith. Afternoon tea was also served with savouries and cakes.

The fete raised £402.85 from all the stalls. We also had several donations of £165.00 from some people who weren't able to attend and one couple who gave a very generous donation as their son used the Merlin centre. So in total we raised on the day £567.85 for the Merlin Centre.

Guild secretary Trish Shanks said: "It is a fantastic amount of money going to a wonderful local charity. A big thank you to all the members, helpers and everyone who came along and supported us."