CHAT update

CHAT (Community Health Around Torpoint) members at their monthly meeting were pleased to learn that the town council will give £800 towards the CHATlink project in Macey Street provided other funding is obtained as well.

Meanwhile, members agreed that CHAT should know more about the plans for dentistry in the area. It has been suggested that an NHS dentist could use council premises in the town.

The meeting heard that it was mistakenly reported last month that local women would be able to attend Derriford Hospital in Plymouth for a follow-up appointment after mammography. CHAT is asking for this to become available. At present women have to travel to Truro for an appointment.

The meeting was also told that a credit union is hoping to open in the CHATlink building, that there will be further meetings about the future of the Torpoint Ferries in the New Year and that the

town council is continuing to campaign for a sports hall.

CHAT agreed to write in support of the plan for small business units at the site of the former Caradon District Council depot in Marine Drive. The plan has been put forward by the town council.

CHAT's Christmas Celebration will be on Wednesday, December 6, at 7pm in the Tamara Day Room.

*CHAT welcomes everyone to its meetings which are held on the first Wednesday of each month at the Torpoint Health Clinic in Hooper Street at 7.30pm. There is also a lunch held on the last Friday of the month at 12.30pm. This aims to bring together members of all the statutory and voluntary organisations working in the area. Lunch is £2.50 and can be ordered by ringing Lyn on 01752 812850 by the

Wednesday before. Or you can take your own lunch.

Concern over Nuclear discharges

MEMBERS of CHAT (Community Health Around Torpoint) have been attending meetings to discover more about the proposed changes to the levels of radioactive emissions from Devonport Dockyard.

The dockyard wants to increase its discharges of tritium, a radioactive form of hydrogen, into the River Tamar and decrease the amount of cobalt 60 discharges.

The Environment Agency has also said that the dockyard hopes to release argon 41 and carbon 14, both radioactive gases into the air. The discharges are linked with work on nuclear submarines.

CHAT has agreed to send a letter to Torpoint Town Council voicing concerns over the proposed changes.

Infants School

support appeal

PUPILS at Torpoint Infants School are supporting an appeal to help give refugee children in Eastern Europe a happier Christmas.

The school is backing the "Love in a Box" campaign run by the Mustard Seed Relief Missions.

Last year the school had a tremendous response to the appeal from pupils and parents and it is hoping for similar generosity this year.

The appeal involves obtaining a shoebox and filling it with small new and nearly new items that will brighten the life of a young child this Christmas.

The gifts will be sent to refugees in Eastern Europe, many of whom are orphans.

Representatives from the mission will be collecting the shoeboxes from the school on November 14 following a special assembly.

Christmas Lights

MONEY for the Christmas lights in the centre of Torpoint is being raised by the town's chamber of commerce.

"We are approaching all traders in Torpoint for support," said chamber secretary Mike Briggs.

"The atmosphere generated by the lights is wonderful. It benefits the whole of the town and helps with trade."

Around £2,500 needs to be raised to fund the lights this year. The switching on ceremony will take place on November 25.

Fascinating evening

at the Library

FASCINATING memories from the world of television and the movies were shared by Bryan Forbes and his wife Nanette Newman at a special evening in Torpoint Library.

The actor and actress appeared at the library to talk about their careers as part of the Wonderful Words Book Festival in Cornwall and the Caradon Festival of Arts & Culture.

Bryan, who is well-known for projects with his friend Richard Attenborough, highlighted some of the humorous incidents in a long career which has seen him work closely with many of the greats of the silver screen.

"It was a fascinating evening," said library manager Kate Wilton.

"Bryan, who was once head of the Ealing Studios, did most of the talking and Nanette added in anecdotes.

"It was very interesting and at the end we didn't want them to stop.

"They live in Virginia Water in Surrey and travelled down to stay with the author John Le Carre and his wife in Cornwall before giving the talk.

"They arrived early, while we were still getting ready for the evening. They came in and sat down and were just like family, they we so nice.

"Bryan checked his e-mails on the library's computers and we had a chat and a cup of tea before the audience began to arrive.

"Around 70 people came along including television scriptwriter Roy York, who is a friend of the library.

"Bryan and Nanette signed books after the talk, including Bryan's biography, A Divided Life, and his latest book, The Memory of All That, which is a novel based in Hollywood.

"Then they had to travel home because they had been working on a documentary about Ted Heath and that day he announced he was to retire from the House of Commons."

Books written by Bryan are available to loan from the library.