Plan to improve Sparrow Park

PLANS are being drawn up to improve Sparrow Park in Torpoint town centre.

The small area at the northern end of Fore Street is to be enhanced as part of the regeneration of the town.

Alan Brimacombe, company secretary of the Torpoint Community Development Trust, said the opportunity had arisen for work to be carried out on Sparrow Park.

"Caradon District Council has some money for environmental enhancements available, while Cornwall Highways are providing another road crossing near the park and have money to carry out some alterations in the area," explained Alan. "The Groundwork Trust is being asked to come up with plans to landscape and enhance the park to make it more of a focal point and a nicer place to sit.

"The monument there, which is in memory of a man who drowned while saving two children in Victorian times and was put up by public subscription, is to be refurbished and illuminated.

"The development trust is supporting the project which ties in with the regeneration of the town. We are hoping the work will be carried out within the next six months."

Idea for parents council

PARENTS of pupils at Torpoint School are being invited to put forward their comments on whether the school should set up a parents council or similar body.

The subject was raised at a meeting of the Torpoint School Association and sparked an interesting debate.

No final conclusions were reached but a number of issues were identified.

Among the points were:

Should governors, especially parent governors, be more accessible to parents?

Are there some issues that parents would prefer to raise with other parents or governors rather than teachers?

Could the school association be a forum for raising these educational issues?

Would it be a good idea to run meetings for Year 7 parents when they are all new parents to the school?

Does a new organisation need to be set up in which parents could discuss and raise issues of interest and importance to them?

The association would welcome comments from parents.

Headteacher Roy Bright emphasised that any way in which parents can be involved more as partners in their children's education would be supported.

However, he said if there is a matter that concerns or worries parents about their children's education they should not hesitate to contact the school.

"If it is important to a parent, it is important to us," he said.

Making pupils

more visible

STAFF at Torpoint Infant School are promoting ideas to make pupils more visible to motorists during the dark days of winter.

Special reflectors from the Nationwide Building Society were given out to all the children last term and are being well used on the journeys to and from the school in Albion Road.

The school has also highlighted the fact that book bags now on sale feature small reflectors and that many parents choose outer clothing for their children that incorporate reflective strips.

"Anything which helps children to be seen easily on Torpoint roads is good," said teacher Jean Miller.

Camellia days at

Mount Edgcumbe

EXPERTS from the National Camellia collection at Mount Edgcumbe will be sharing tips on horticultural care at two study days to be held in March. The study days will include a tour of the l,000 varieties of camellia kept at Mount Edgcumbe.

Congratulations

to students

A LETTER has been sent by Torpoint Town Council to two Torpoint School pupils, Ian Brownhill and Martina Thompson, congratulating them on their contribution to a teenage pregnancy strategy meeting. Both addressed the meeting.