Foresters Hall

nearly completed

WORK on Foresters Hall, which is being renovated into a museum and tourist information centre through a town council project, is nearing completion.

A lobby being built on to the Hall, planning permission for this being obtained last month. At the recent museum management committee (at which no decisions could be taken because of a lack of quorum of town councillors) members heard that wood floors were to be laid in the lobby, and local granite was being used for the Hall steps.

Advisory curator, Jo Mattingly, said the showcases for exhibits were being finalised, and everything was working towards an exhibition in September. She described Liskeard as being one of five key Cornish towns with a rich collection of artefacts from trade, mining and shopping.

She added that the Royal Cornwall Museum was offering Liskeard a collection of excavated medieval pottery from a site at Lanrest House, St Keyne Station. The plasterwork was of top quality for Cornwall and had the potential for a fine display in the museum.

Mike Gillbard told Tuesday night's town council meeting, however, that the Hall was not drying out as quickly as had been hoped because Lottery money stipulations had been to replicate the materials of the day as much as possible. This may delay the opening process.

St Martin's new roof

is almost complete

THE parish church of Liskeard, St Martin's, is putting on a festival from July 18-21 to raise money to help pay for the re-roofing of the church - this task almost now being completed.

Messrs J D C of Ermington are putting the last few slates in place over the chancel, having totally re-roofed and re-leaded the main roof at a cost of £215,000. Grants totalling £120,000 have been received from English Heritage, the County Environmental Trust, Cornish Historic Churches Trust, the Historic Churches Preservation Trust and Caradon council. An initial bequest of £20,000 has been added to by local contributions to make a total of over £75,000, which leaves a gap of nearly £20,000 to fill to avoid draining the reserves to the dregs.

Festival organiser, Tony Wood, said: 'The aim is to involve the town and not just the church, and to that end a number of local groups have agreed to help.'

The pageant will be a dramatic representation of scenes from Liskeard's history, and will be performed in the Old Hall at Liskeard school and community college at 7.30pm each evening. Tickets, priced £3 with concessions £2, are available from Occasions and the Bookshop on the Parade, and at the door.

Apart from church members scenes will be performed by groups from Liskeard junior school, St Martin's school, Liskeard drama group, Liskeard Musical Theatre club and Liskeard school and community college.

A floral display and historic costume display will be held in the church from l0am to 4.30pm daily. Admission will be by programme at £2. The flowers are being arranged by the Liskeard flower arrangers club.

A craft fair and lunches etc will be held in the church hall (old church school) from 10am to 4.30pm and the overall event will also take in an exhibition of historic documents in Stuart House from l0am daily, and a guided walk around town in association with this (details available at the exhibition). This is being organised by George Vaughan Ellis, John Rapson and members of the town's Old Cornwall Society.

Stuart House Trust is holding a medieval banquet in association with the Festival, and teenagers from the church are doing the washing up for it as their contribution to the funds.

Sisterhood joined

by Brotherhood

MRS Maisie Simpson presided on Tuesday June 26, at Liskeard Sisterhood meeting. Members gave a warm welcome to Liskeard Brotherhood members, Mr Arundle, Mr Wilton and Mr Bennett.

Mr Wilton sang two solos, Mr Bennett preached on Phil ch 2 'What's in a Name' saying Jesus is the name above all names and Mr Arundle said the prayers.

Mrs Hambly was the pianist and Mrs Clue and members provided refreshments.

Tokens appeal

from the school

LISKEARD Infants school are extending their appeal to the general public in Liskeard to help them collect 'Music 4 You' tokens in a bid to boost the number of musical instruments their pupils will be able to play.

Pupils, staff, friends - and everyone who can - are being urged to collect the tokens from The Sun and The News of the World newspapers, and from Coca Cola cans and bottles. The school's PTA has arranged for bins for the tokens to be placed in the Liskeard News and Alldays shops in the town, as well as the Safeway and Somerfield stores.