Winsford Hospital was a hive of activity on Saturday for the first time since it closed 16 months ago. Volunteers gathered to celebrate the new ownership of the building and begin the clean-up operation to prepare Winsford for its new role in the community. The sale of the £168,000 building was finalised at the end of December.

Residents in Holsworthy are angry that darkness has swept their streets for ‘three weeks’ — due to unresolved problems with street lights.

Bude Library’s Christmas afternoon went with a bang! Children were treated to a story acted out by the library staff based on the re-telling of Charles Dickens’ Christmas Carol, The Christmas Mouse.

New Year’s Eve revellers enjoying a drink in the Masons Arms, in Camelford, were plunged into darkness at about 11.25pm, when the pub lost its electricity supply. It was later restored.

Plans are well advanced for the visit to Bude of the International Celtic Congress in April. Funding for the congress is well in hand, says Ann Trevennen Jenkin, for the organisers, including £5,000 through a Millennium Festival Award.

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Enterprising youngsters from Budehaven School Sixth Form took part in a 24-hour basket ball marathon in the school gym. Their efforts raised nearly £400 for the Ethiopian Famine Relief Fund.

Trebarwith’s Mill House — the Inn of the Year. Seen with the award were the Inn’s hosts, Angela and Harry Thomas.

A dinner was held at the Tree Inn, Stratton, to celebrate the completion of 50 years’ service with Peter, Peter and Wright (formerly Peter, Peter and Sons), Solicitors of Holsworthy, by Mr Herbert Hamley, the firm’s chief accountant.

The winner of a free Christmas draw, in which the prize was a portable colour television set, was Nigel Warwick, a policeman stationed at Launceston. The draw, promoted locally by Hockridge and Stacey TV and Video Shop, in Madford Lane, Launceston, was made by poet Dr Charles Causley, who watched while the set was presented to Nigel by Edna Hockridge and Gwen Stacey.

Launceston police are to make spot-checks on pubs, hotels and clubs in the town following a “disgraceful” case of under-age drinking which went before magistrates on Monday.

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To mark Mr Sam Williams retirement after 50 years’ service with the Ambrosia Creamery at Lifton, he was presented with a gold watch by Mr M H Morris, director of production.

Hilary Thomas took the lead role in Delabole Church Youth Group’s pantomime, Aladdin, staged in the Wesley Chapel schoolroom.

When Dr David Giles was invited to make an after-dinner speech at Bude Death Club he dressed for the occasion — in formal undertaker’s attire.

A new extension to Holsworthy Social Club was opened by the Portreeve, Mr F Kellaway. Mr Max Piper provided the entertainment.

Tom Johnson, 72, notched up his first hole-in-one after 47 years golfing while competing in the Launceston Club’s turkey trot. He achieved his master stroke on the 150 yard 15th hole.

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Cornwall Education Committee has been discussing the future of Lewannick Primary School, which on previous occasions they have sought to close, only to find out the Ministry of Education did not approve. At yesterday’s meeting of the Education Committee at Truro, it was reported that the cost of putting the present building into a reasonable state of repair was estimated at £5,000. This included stripping and re-slating the roof, renewing floors, replacing defective ceiling, improving the kitchen, providing new toilets in the existing rear cloakroom, resurfacing the playground, and redecorating externally and internally.

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Miss Josephine Neal, of Launceston, picked a nice bunch of primroses on New Year’s Eve on the main road while Sydenham to Portgate while spending her holiday at Sydenham.

Acting on medical advice Mr Gerald Whitmarsh, prospective Liberal candidate for the Tavistock Division, has tendered his resignation. The new prospective candidate is Mr Richard Moore, aged 24, who is in his last year at Trinity College, Cambridge.

The vicar of Lamerton-with-Sydenham Damerel, Rev A G Chappell, said this week that the parishioners intended “getting a move on” in rebuilding a new church to replace the one at Sydenham Damerel, which was practically destroyed by lightning last week.

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Mr and Mrs T J Hooper, of Lords Waste, Bolventor, have received news that their only son, Jack, who was reported missing some time ago, is a prisoner-of-war in Germany.

Fusilier J B May, only surviving son of Mr and Mrs W B May, of Pretoria House, Holsworthy, has been awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous gallantry on the field of battle in Italy, in rescuing comrades under heavy mortar fire. He was wounded in the arm and head.

Rev David Bertram Proudlove, superintendent minister of the Bude Methodist Circuit, was taken suddenly ill after conducting a funeral and subsequently removed to Stratton Hospital, where he died on Friday. He was 62 and leaves a widow, two sons, a daughter and an aged mother.

A modified form of street lighting in accordance with the relaxed blackout regulations has been introduced at Callington, with the number of lamps increasing nightly as gas lanterns and standards are put in order after the long lay-off.

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Lewannick’s new village hall brought about mainly through the efforts of Mr and Mrs Wrangham, was officially opened on Friday, the doors being unlocked by Mr J Treleaven, of Launceston. It was built at a cost of £655. Among others present was Sir Francis Acland, MP for North Cornwall.

After 25 years’ service as Chief Constable of Cornwall, Lt Col Sir Hugh Protheroe-Smith has retired. The appointment will be advertised at the salary of £750.

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Mr Mark Hewett, of St Tudy, who died last week, recently posed for a photograph with his eldest son. Their combined ages totalled 168, being 96 and 72 respectively. For 45 years Mr Mark Hewitt has served the owners of Hengar, and for many years he was clerk to the parish council. He was the last in the parish who could remember seeing women reaping in the harvest fields.

Amid great enthusiasm North Cornwall Liberals at Wadebridge Town Hall on Monday presented their late Member, Sir George Croydon Marks, with an illuminated address, a silver inkstand and a cheque for £385 1s and there was tremendous applause when Sir George announced that he had arranged for the money to be held in trust and used among the secondary schools of the division.