Coffee

evenings

THERE were two coffee evenings for local churches in Saltash on Friday evening, one at the home of Mr and Mrs S Harley for St Stephen's church organ fund and the other for St Nicholas and St Faith church funds at the home of Mr and Mrs B Evans.

St Stephen's church choir sang carols, and guests enjoyed mulled wine and mince pies. A total of £178 was raised and the raffle winners were: F Dobbs, D Bevan, B Parker, M Stewart and A Miller.

Hospice

funds

AN all day coffee session and bring and buy event at Dunheaved Road, Saltash, organised by Miss U Davey, raised £400 for Mount Edgcumbe Hospice.

Brownie

party

ALL the Brownie units combined on Saturday for a party at Saltash guide headquarters, when games and refreshments were enjoyed. There was also a competition of making and decorating masks, for parties.

Library

concert

SALTASH library held one of its monthly concerts on Saturday when guest artists were Susan King (soprano), accompanied on the lute by Ben Salfield.

Susan spent her early days as a folk musician and later teamed up with Ben to sing music by John Dowland and Thomas Campion.

The concert, which lasted an hour, included music and songs by these two composers, with Ben playing solos on the lute. Susan sang a selection including 'I saw my lady weep'.

The afternoon ended with the celebration of Ben's birthday with a cake presented by library staff, decorated with music and a lute in marzipan. Concerts will continue in the New Year starting on January 6 with Jon Salfield, brother of Ben, on flamenco guitar.

In February, Denys Stephens will give a concert on the lute and in March Muzika Muzikantov will be on balalaika and guitar.

All concerts start at 2 pm and tickets are available from Saltash library.

Ambulance

cheque

TERRY Stevens, of Essa Freemasons lodge, presented a cheque to members of Saltash St John Brigade on Tuesday evening towards their ambulance fund.

Val Sambles, divisional superintendent, on receiving the cheque thanked the Lodge and said the appeal had now reached £27,000. They need £40,000 for the new vehicle.

Saltash Leos have given £640 from their 60s night and the Buffalos a further £300.

Awards for

students

STUDENTS from Saltash college attended a University of Plymouth awards ceremony at Plymouth Pavilions on December 12.

The eight students, mostly from Saltash, gained a Higher National certificate in health and social care. They attended the course for one day a week, over two years, and studied subjects such as the management of care, and legal issues relating to care.

The HNC course is the equivalent of studying the first year of a degree course at the University of Plymouth.

Mince pies

morning

A COFFEE and mince pie morning was held on December 1 at the home of Mr and Mrs Bert, and Liz Bolt, in aid of St Luke's and Mount Edgcumbe Hospices, when £240 was raised.

Prizewinners in the raffle were Mesdames E Beer, Raymond, S Nightingale, McPherson and Phare.

Rachael's

scholarship

RACHAEL Waters, daughter of Mr and Mrs G R Waters of Saltash, has gained a musical scholarship for Wells Cathedral School, which she started this term.

Rachael plays the violin and viola and has entered Saltash music festival on many occasions. She was a pupil of Burraton primary school and later Plymouth High School for Girls. She has also been a member of the national children's youth orchestra for four years, and at 14 gained a place in the National Chamber Orchestra for children. She has reached grade eight in the Royal Schools of Music examinations.

Promise auction

THERE was a good attendance at the second Saltash Guides promise auction at the Guide headquarters

Eric Distin was the auctioneer and the money raised went towards funds and a trip to Austria next summer for the guides. A total of 125 items were auctioned, and those attending enjoyed a pasty supper.

Unveiling of plans

for waterside balcony

PLANS of proposed alterations at the Ashtorre Centre on the Waterside, Saltash, have been unveiled.

The scheme includes an extension of the balcony to make it more accessible for wheelchairs, and an upstairs extension. Among those at the unveiling were town councillors and Saltash mayor, Bryan Preston, together with the president of the Ashtorre community association, Christopher Nicholls. Mr Nicholls introduced Gill Gorbutt of Help the Aged who spoke on plans for the centre's future.

The centre, run by volunteers, caters for senior citizens, but is also used by many others. It is open daily from Monday to Saturday from l0am to 4pm, and on Sundays from lpm until 4pm, with teas and coffees available. Events organised there include bingo, social and musical evenings, concerts, darts, crabbing competitions and harvest and Christmas and other festivals.

Other people use the centre for art exhibitions and a quilting group etc. The facilities include only one room which seats 50 people, or 120 standing, which means that more space is required, especially for storage purposes.

Work on the balcony, to cost around £53,000, is expected to take four months to complete. Planning permission has been granted and the site for the terrace balcony has been purchased. So far members have raised £11,359, and have spent £4,791, which means the amount still to be raised is around £42,000.

Saltash Waterside community association was formed in l985 as the result of two reunions of the Watersiders - retired ferryman Gerald Truscott, the other Brenda Wootton, who have both since died. The centre, built when it was felt the heart of the community needed a revival, is under the Royal Albert bridge, next to the old ferry slipway.