A DAY of celebration for the recipients of this year's Cross of St Piran awards will take place at St Piran's Church, Perranzabuloe this Sunday, — and four of them are from North Cornwall.

People from across the county will gather at a service to recognise the significant contributions of the recipients to their local communities and churches — each of whom has been nominated by their communities and selected by the Bishop of Truro.

Mary Judson from Bude, Sandra Huffer from Poughill, James Gynn from Launceston and Malcolm Warman from Newhall Green,?Delabole have all been nominated to receive an award.

Mary and Sandra were both nominated for their work in the Deanery of Stratton and their commitment to community projects, including an organisation that provides support to those who have been bereaved — Solace was started two and a half years ago by the Rev Rob Yeomans.

Sandra said: "One of our local funeral directors pointed out that while they supported people during the initial period following bereavement there was nothing else available once the funeral was over.

"Rev Rob Yeomans, who had been a chaplain in a hospice and had experience in training bereavement volunteers, said he was prepared to set up and train a group to do that."

Sandra, one of the first volunteers to join, said: "We are not counsellors, we are support volunteers. We meet once a month and there are two teams. There are usually four or five of us on duty to meet people on a one-to-one basis over a cup of tea or coffee; it is very informal — we are there to listen.

"There aren't really any other services providing this type of support for the bereaved in Bude."

For the full report, and a round-up of the area news and sport, see this week's edition of the Post.