A YOUNG mum from Gunnislake is now the inspirational organiser of the village’s first-ever St Piran’s Day celebrations.

Carrie-Ann Bailey wants to bring the national day of Cornwall celebrations alive in the border village — and is inviting everyone to take part.

St Piran’s Day is named after one of the patron saints of Cornwall, Saint Piran, who is also the patron saint of tin miners.

Carrie-Ann moved to Gunnislake with her husband Stuart in 2010 and their two children, Arthur, six, and Alyssa, five, have been brought up in the village. She had never heard of St Piran until her son Arthur was around a year old and made a Cornish flag at the mother-and-toddler group in Gunnislake Pre-School.

She said: “I love celebrating different traditions and learning the stories behind them, to share with Arthur and Alyssa. But this year, with Gunnislake Village Hall coming back to life, I thought it would be a good venue to celebrate all things Cornish.”

Once Carrie-Ann fixed the date, time and venue, she started her search for participants ‘and they came flowing in,’ said Carrie-Ann.

For entertainment there’s a storyteller with a piano-playing poodle, local shanty group The Last Watch, the Rubber Band with dance teacher Rosie Fierek plus teachers of the Cornish language. For food and drink, there are pasties, (local to the village), a new vegan Calstock business and honey. Teas and coffees will be laid on by local residents.

“The response has been immediate and over-whelming,” said Carrie-Ann. “Lots of villagers are proud to be Cornish or proud to be living in Cornwall, especially the beautiful Tamar Valley. So, I am sure St Piran’s Day will be celebrated in style in Gunnislake — and all monies raised will go towards village hall improvements.”

The celebrations will be held this Saturday, March 3, from 11am to 3pm at the village hall on Fore Street, Gunnislake.