The much-loved Kelliwik Golowi celebration is set to return to Callington on Saturday, November 15 – and organisers are calling on the community to get involved and help bring the festival’s colourful magic to life.

Preparations for the vibrant event begin this Saturday (October 11) with craft workshops taking place at The Vault Youth Centre, running from 10.30am to 12.30pm. Other workshops run on October 18 and 25, as well as November 1.

This year’s creative theme focuses on masks and headdresses, encouraging bold designs featuring bright colours, metallics and lights. Organisers hope as many local children as possible will take part, helping to create a spectacular visual display for the festival.

To make it easier for residents to contribute, drop-off points have been set up at the newsagents and the Pre-Loved charity shop in Callington’s Pannier Market.

Generous donations have already begun to arrive, including black and gold metallic paint from Trewarthas, and a box of paints, shiny papers, and stickers from Framin Crafty. Other supporters have provided pre-loved hair bands and sequins, but there’s still a need for more items to help complete the creative kits.

Organisers are currently appealing for glow-in-the-dark paint or material, feathers, black or gold netting, black marker pens, plain face masks or headbands and battery-powered lights

Kelliwik Golowi has become a cherished highlight in Callington’s community calendar, celebrating creativity, local pride and togetherness – and organisers say with the help of local residents, 2025 promises to be one of the most dazzling celebrations yet.

For more information or to get involved, visit The Vault Youth Centre or drop off materials at a collection points in town.

At our second September meeting Launceston Probus members were given an illustrated talk by member Ian on the maiden trip of the cruise ship Queen Anne through the Panama Canal.

Ian commenced by saying that the passage through the Panama Canal was part of a world cruise by the ship.

Whilst giving a slide show on the canal he outlined the history and structure of the canal. A canal was proposed as long ago as 1513 by the Spanish, followed by a survey in 1534. The next step was not until 1598, when it was considered as a new trade route to the East Indies. This was the so called Darien Scheme, which was proposed by the Kingdom of Scotland, in order to trade independently of England, but which never materialised in practice. In 1811 the German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt proposed five possible routes through Panama, Mexico and Nicaragua.

In 1879 a French company established by Eiffel (of tower fame) and Ferdinand de Lesseps (who had already built the Suez Canal) to build a canal following the path of the railway. The company started work but went bankrupt after spending $287-million - equivalent to $10-billion today. In 1894 a new French company finished the job, but again ran into financial difficulty and the canal was sold to the USA.

After some debate as to whether to build a sea level or a high level canal, a high level canal was built as the cheapest alternative. However this involved building three sets of locks.

The job was completed and the canal was formally opened in 1914 and the US Canal Zone was established. The completed canal is 82km (51 miles) long linking Colon on the Caribbean coast to Panama City on the Pacific coast. This saved a trip of 8000 nautical miles around South America.

The canal requires constant dredging, and work is ongoing to increase its capacity. It now has two channels and can handle large vessels such as container ships and liners. The canal can take ships up to 1200ft nine inches long.

Ian completed his presentation by running a video of the Queen Anne going through the canal, showing the lock systems and bridges.

This was followed by questions from members, during which Ian commented that the canal was used significantly by the Chinese, who owned land at both ends. The canal is currently owned by Panama, but the present USA administration has shown an interest in taking it back.

Chairman Christopher then thanked Ian for his presentation, which was followed by lunch.

Mens’ Probus meet on the second and fourth. Monday of each month and Ladies’ Probus on the third Monday of each month, with a speaker followed by an optional lunch.The clubs are primarily for retired or semi-retired people, providing a relaxed atmosphere with a focus on entertainment.

For further information on past and future activities of Probus, including talks and visits, visit the website at probusclub.net/launcestoncornwalluk/ or our Facebook page ’Probus Club of Launceston - Cornwall’ .

With no planning applications to deal with the Altarnun Parish Council meeting held on October 1, was a brief affair. Decisions from prior applications on which the council was invited to comment upon were reported. Those approved were for a replacement bedroom window at Jamaica Inn, the replacement of a conservatory at Carne Manor. The alternative development will be a sun room to be more in keeping with the character of the historic manor house. Also reported, planners agreed a new tarmac driveway at Higher Tredaule Cottage. However they did not look favourable upon a retrospective application at Poldhu Stables, where an office building had been converted to a dwelling and issued a refusal notice.

There were no community based actions or decisions taken in October, but at the last meeting it was reported that the impending 20mph urban speed limit consultation will invite responses from you.So please take a look at the proposals which, whilst at the time of writing have not yet been posted around Altarnun and Five Lanes, are expected in the not too distant future and can be recognised as yellow laminated notices placed at the sites in view. Cornwall Council are keen to hear from you to ensure they are acting in the best possible interest of the community.

Last month we also reported Altarnun Parish Council has now completed the purchase of the red telephone box situated at Tregunnon Cross. The council would love to receive viable suggestions for its use, especially from residents living in and around Tregunnon, Treween, Trenarrett and Trethinna. Please feel free to speak to any of the councillors or contact the clerk via our website or on the phone (web: altarnunpc.co.uk tel: 07841780397), because the residents at Bolventor have their eye on it to provide a library facility akin to that at Mill Green in Altarnun.

Our next meeting will be held on Wednesday, November 12, and will start at 7.30pm in Altarnun Village Hall. All are welcome.

Morning prayer - Mondays weekly at 10am.

Sunday, October 12 - Holy Communion at 11am.

Sunday, October 12 - Informal worship at 10am.

On October 1, this event took place in the Retreat Centre at Rilla Mill when church members had prepared a tasty selection of savoury and sweet meals.

It was greatly enjoyed by everyone and thanks were given to all who were involved and to all who attended.

More than £100 was raised for the local Food Bank.

‘Let’s Celebrate Linkinhorne’ will take place at Sterts, Upton Cross on Sunday, October 12, when there will be a variety of workshops and classes from 10am to 4pm. Organised by the History Group. It will be a day of “celebration of all things Linkinhorne.” Refreshments will also be available.

The South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SWASFT) is inviting people across the South West to take part in free community events this October to learn lifesaving CPR, as part of the annual Restart a Heart (RSAH) initiative.

Led by Resuscitation Council UK, the initiative raises awareness of cardiac arrests and equips people with the confidence and skills to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and use a defibrillator. By learning these simple techniques, members of the public can play a vital role in improving survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.

From Monday, October 13, to Sunday, October 19, paramedics, emergency care assistants, volunteer community first responders, and colleagues from the Volunteering & Community Services team at SWASFT will deliver free, hands-on training sessions at venues across the region. Participants will have the chance to watch CPR demonstrations, practise on manikins, and learn how to locate and use a defibrillator in an emergency.

Everyone who completes a 15-minute CPR session will receive a certificate, but even a few minutes spent learning from the team will help towards increasing survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests across the South West.

Each year, around 100,000 people in the UK suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest – that’s approximately 250 people every day. Sadly, fewer than one in ten survive. Immediate CPR and defibrillation are critical, as for every minute without intervention reduces the chance of survival by 10 per cent.

Visit ASDA Superstore, Bodmin, on October 16, from 10am to 3pm for the next local session.