At the recent 51st ‘Charter Anniversary Lunch’ of the Lions Club of Launceston, two members were honoured for their long service and commitment to attending club fundraising activities, as well as social events.

There were each awarded with a Melvin Jones Fellowship, by district governor 105SW, Richard Allen.

This is the highest award that a club can present to its members.

They were Lion president Graham Chester and vice-chairperson Lion Shirley Perryman.

Melvin Jones was a dreamer, a doer and a pragmatist. He was an energetic, extroverted salesman who in private hours would reread Shakespeare.

From the formation of a group of businessmen he felt that there was more that they could do, and founded the world’s largest association of service clubs, which was Lions Clubs International.

Launceston Stamp Club recently held their monthly meeting when the chairman Barrie Mudie welcomed the trader for the evening Mr and Mrs John Brown and reminded members of the ‘Cornex Stamp Fair’ being held at Pensilva on November 1 .

After the period for trading the Annual General Meeting was held at which all members of the committee and officers were re-elected for another year.

The chairman then presented his display for the evening – ‘Liberation of the Channel Islands May 8, 1945’.

Launceston Stamp Club meets on the first Thursday of each month at the Yeolmbridge Methodist Chapel Hall, Ladycross, PL158TN at 2.30pm (November to April) or 6.30pm (May to October). Visitors and prospective members always welcome.For further information phone 01566 786826.

The Werrington Ladies Circle started their new calendar year with a talk from the very talented Liz Shakespeare, British author based in Devon. She writes historical fiction and non-fiction, often drawing on social history and “real stories”.

When Liz was 17 she moved to London, worked in bookshops, earned an honours degree in English, then trained and worked as a primary school teacher. After some years, she returned to Devon.

Much of her inspiration comes from the Devon countryside: the landscapes, historical identity, old parish records, gravestones, local newspapers, and stories of people with less privilege. She is particularly interested in capturing the lives of the less advantaged in previous centuries.

The ladies were treated to the delights behind the inspiration for The song of the Skylark, based on a true story set in North Devon, in an agricultural rural community.

Liz’s voice was enchanting and she read a few passages from the book within her talk to enforce the pertinent moments captured by her script...Just magical.

If you would like to join us for our next talk on “Walking to Everest” by Peter McAughey, the next gathering is on October 28, 2025 at 2.30pm Yeolmbridge Methodist Community Hall, Lady Cross, PL15 8TN. For further information, please contact Susan Desmond (President) tel.01566 773768. Annual subscription is £20’, one and all very welcome'

Harvest Thanksgiving was celebrated on Sunday, October 5 and the chapel had been beautifully decorated for the occasion.

Angela Noakes read out the notices and welcomed our new Minister Rev Oseias Da Silva and his wife Jane. The lessons were read by Tony Stephens and the organist was Mary Stoneman. Traditional harvest hymns were sung including; Come Ye thankful people come and We plough the fields and scatter.

The theme of the service was based on “We celebrate the achievements, challenges and hopes for tomorrow and the congregation were invited to take part in the responses throughout the service including a prayer of praise, ‘Grain swelling, swaying gently in the breeze, the combine harvester working by floodlight, the golden harvest brought safely in’ God of the abundant harvest, we give you thanks. Roger Parsons a member of our farming community gave an insight into the daily life of a farmer. A commitment based on hard work to provide our daily food of which some items were shown on the table at the front which was laden with non perishable goods and donated through the generosity of the congregation and friends. This was delivered to the Launceston Food Bank the next day and weighed in at 63.90kg.

The service concluded with the hymn; Sing to the Great Jehovah’s praise and was followed with the Blessing given by the Rev Da Silva, ‘Go in the knowledge that you have been created by a loving god, Go aware of the potential God has given you and others, Go to serve the world with acts of justice and love for the sake of God’s kingdom, Go in the name of Christ. Amen.’

Harvest Thanksgiving at Boyton Methodist Chapel commenced on the evening of Friday, October 3 with a sit-down Harvest Tea in the Sunday School Room, with such a large attendance, extra tables had to be laid up.

After the Tea, the service in the Chapel was held. Rev David Miller welcomed everyone and handed over to David Ley from Langtree who took the service, with his wife Cathy playing the organ. Rev David and his wife Liz rendered two beautiful musical items and at the close of the service, Rev David thanked everyone who had taken part. On the morning of Sunday, October 5, Rev Paul Benney of St Austell led the service which included a sketch which he acted out with his wife Esther entitled 'Would you Adam and Bel-Eve' it?'. Organ duties for the service were shared between Lorraine Sluggett and Pat Perkin. There was a beautiful Harvest display of flowers on the communion table which was arranged by Ruth Allin. Gifts of tinned and packeted goods displayed all over the Chapel were given to Launceston Food Bank. The collection on the Sunday was taken up by Sam and Ella Strout. Rev Paul Benney had spent many Summer Sundays in his youth at Boyton Chapel being a member of the Martyn family.

Coffee Mornings continue to be hosted in the Village on the first and third Thursday of each month at the Methodist Chapel and on the second and fourth Thursday of each month in the Church Hall. Should there be a fifth Thursday in a month an extra Coffee Morning is hosted at the Methodist Chapel.

We are looking forward to our evening of 'Shanty Shenanigans' featuring 'The Pirates of St Piran' and 'Mariners Away', which is being held at Launceston Central Methodist Church on Saturday, October 25, at 7pm and will be in aid of Boyton Chapel Ceiling Repair Fund and the RNLI. Tickets are available from all Boyton Chapel members and are priced £12 to include pasties and drinks.

With cotoneaster decorating the church, carrying its plentiful berries this year, Trebullett chapel was decorated for Harvest celebrations.

After the hot dry summer seasonal flowers were in short supply but there were plenty of flowers in the chapel along with packaged items making up a stall where the goods will be given to the Foodbank and perishable produce for sale. The proceeds for this and the collection are to be given to WaterAid. Harvest hymns and bible readings reminded us that the first harvest celebrations were many years ago in the Bible when God commanded the people to celebrate harvest. The celebrations then lasted for seven days!! Wouldn't we like that. Farmer, Jeremy Stephens spoke on his experiences farming in the past year. This time included a period of change within the farm which meant a change of routine-getting up earlier was one change-to then enjoying the early mornings and seeing wild life. He spoke of the friendships among farmers and appreciated a time when whilst on holiday abroad, following a frantic phone call from home, he contacted local farmers who rounded up the loose cattle and put them back in their field. Challenges this year were the weather when the harvest looked poor and then came the rains which means that hopefully there will be enough animal feed for the winter. He spoke of the preciousness of water in trying to keep the cattle troughs filled."Growing food is so important" Rev Oseias Da Silva led the service and spoke on the gift we give to each other is a harvest-our sharing whether it is practical or a smile. In the same way we receive the same from others so harvest is always happening and always sharing.

Farmers don't know where their produce goes-who receives it and in the same way we don't know where our giving will go.

People then shared in a Bring and Share lunch where there was plenty of chatter on the table as they felt the sun pouring in through the window.The chapels annual support coffee morning for the homeless with St Petrocs Society is planned for November 1 — a change from other years so as not to clash with another group. Change happens all the time. With other events planned for November and December let's hope that sharing flows!