HAYLE PUMP
For previous issues, including Issue #01, visit the Archive. |
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| Issue #98: August/September 2011 | |
| Out August 1st. Print run: 2,500. | |
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| Download a copy in PDF format. (6.8Mb) | |
| Extras for Issue #98 | |
| Extras are items that were late, not included, or that were trimmed due to space constraints in the printed version. The articles are included here. | |
Jump directly to an article by clicking below: |
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| Could you be a Friend of Children’s Hospice South West? | |
| World Friendship Day Sunday 7thAugust
Friendship is important to us all and, around the world, many people will be celebrating this on Sunday 7thAugust as part of World Friendship Day. Locally ‘Friends’ make a huge difference to the work of Children’s Hospice South West. The charity has over eighty Friends’ Groups across the region who support the work of the charity in a variety of different ways. Mary Murfin, local Community Fundraiser for Children’s Hospice South West, explains: “As a charity we rely heavily on the kindness, generosity and support of local people. The aim of our Friends’ Groups is to raise awareness of our cause in their communities and help raise vital funds. “From organising your own events to helping out at some of our bigger events, attending cheque presentations or giving talks, making store collections or running your own stall, there are many different ways in which you can get involved as a member of a Friends’ Group; all of which can be extremely rewarding.” Children’s Hospice South West is the onlyorganisationin the region providing respite care in a hospice environment for families with life-limited children. Its homely hospices – Little Bridge House in North Devon, Charlton Farm in North Somerset, and eventually Little Harbour in Cornwall which is due to open by the end of the year – provide families with a much needed break and precious time together. The charity aims to make the most of short and precious lives and as a result the hospices are often filled with the sound of laughter and joy. Highly trained staff help make families’ stays as special as possible and support them through the sad and difficult times too. Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, three hundred and sixty-five days a year, they are always there at the end of the phone and that support remains throughout bereavement and beyond – for as long as it is needed. “We could not maintain the special service we provide without the support of people in the community, and joining a local Friends’ Group is a great way to help. If you are passionate about our cause, have some great fundraising ideas, and are keen to get involved by donating some of your time, we’d love to hear from you.” says Mary. Help raise a smile: If you are interested in joining a Children’s Hospice South West Friends’ Group, or setting up one of your own, please contact your local Community Fundraiser Mary Murfin: mary.murfin@chsw.org.uk or 01872 261166 |
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| Photograph shows: Friends lend a helping hand– some of the members of the Truro Friends’ Group helping out by running a stall in High Cross, Truro (from left to right): Mary Lindsey, Keith Hill, Pauline Sluggett, Ken Bone, and Dorothy Cook | |
Children's Hospice South West operate the only two children's hospices in the South West, Little Bridge House in North Devon, and Charlton Farm, near Bristol. CHSW is also building a third hospice, Little Harbour due to open in Cornwall by the end of 2011. For more information, visit our website at: www.chsw.org.uk |
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The Hayle Family Group continue to fund raise for the Precious Lives. The great news is that the building at Little Harbour Porthpean will be handed over in August.Completion and ground work etc. will take place and it is hoped to welcome the first children and their families in December 2011. £4.6 million pounds has been raised to achieve this and it is hoped that pre booked visits will take place in the Autumn this year. Anyone wishing to visit can contact Jill from the Hayle Friends Group on 01736 756896. The groups activities have included a Childrens Fun Day at St. Erth which raised over £700; A Cream Tea at the home of Ann and Tony Donaldson raising £135; A Concert at St. Anta Church with the Godrevy Singers and the Mathews Sisters raising £200 and the generosity of the Hayle people is evident when on average £150 is raised every couple of months when the various collecting boxes are emptied. Progress on Little Harbour can still be viewed on www.chsw.org.uk or phone 01872261166 |
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| Cornwall's Got Talent | |
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| MILLPOND UPDATE: “The Return of the Scruffs" | |
| On Saturday, 4th June, the Millpond Action Group spent the morning doing much-needed maintenance around the pond. Thank you to everyone who came for their time and effort, especially the model boat Club for bringing their dinghy and clearing rubbish out of the ponds. Even the Mayor donned his waders to cut back the overhanging willows. Weeds and blockages were also taken away from the river. There is still work to do, but at least we have made a creditable start. We did not cut the waterweed this time because it is the breeding season for fish and other amphibians, but next time there will be a blitz on this alien invader. The boys are back! Breeding season appears to have ended earlier this year and the drakes have made their way back home to go through their annual eclipse, or moult. For the next few weeks they will not look their best. In fact, they will look decidedly scruffy while they drop their old feathers, but by the end of August they will be back to their former glory again, to court the ladies once more. Seven of the eight ducklings hatched in April have survived. Miranda's “Little Miracles" and two broods of moorhens seem to have benefitted from a definite lack of Herring Gulls predating on newly-hatched birds. Herring Gull numbers have been dropping over the past decade and this year they are noticeable by their absence especially on Copperhouse Pool. Many of the gulls on the pond have been 'vagrants' such as the very rare Bonaparte's Gull, which we have been sharing with Ryan's Field. less than fifty of these handsome American gulls have visited our shores, so we feel kind of privileged to have played host to one of them. Another pair of very special birds paid a fleeting visit in June. This year's migration of Red Kites saw two of these magnificent birds of prey soaring over the neighbouring fields, riding the thermal currents. This is the first time we have recorded them since they started to visit Cornwall about five years ago. Over sixty were counted this year nationwide. I have had a number of enquiries about our turtles. The babes appear to be thriving and have found themselves a place to haul out and bask on the wall behind the water lilies. These fascinating amphibians have long been favourites with visitors, but some of the fish are also getting in on the act. The larger specimens of carp, black tench and golden orfe have been much in evidence dose to the surface catching flies and are attracting their own Fan Club. Freya, our young swan, is on Copperhouse Pool at present as part of a juvenile group, roughly around the same age as herself. I see her fairly regularly and she appears to be happy and well. We have a fledgling heron visiting the Lower Pool. He is a bit of a learner when it comes to flying, but practise will make perfect and Harley will soon be as adept as Hector at take-offs and landings. Finally, can I ask that potential vandals think twice before damaging the woodland and gardens. Anything destroyed now will not be replaced and fly tipping carries quite a substantial fine. We want the Millponds to be enjoyed by everyone who visits them. Thank you! Georgina Schofield Volunteer Wildlife Warden |
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| What can be done to save Hayle Beach? | |
| In my previous article I stated that Hayle Beach and the dunes of Harvey’s Towans hadn’t stabilized yet. In fact, over the next few months we will see spring tides reach up to 7.3m above chart datum. These tides will unfortunately cause more erosion of the dunes. So what can be done to stop it? In the short-term, there are a number of options to prevent anymore erosion. Rock armour emplaced at the toe of the dunes would prevent waves reaching them and undermining them. A small section of Hayle Beach has seen this type of scheme being used to provide a footing for a beach access slope. These rocks wouldn’t look pretty but they would prevent the dunes retreating further inland and would offer protection to the chalets built on the Towans. This option only addresses the dune erosion. Another option would be to replenish Hayle Beach with sand and install groynes which would prevent sand from being lost. This scheme would also dissipate wave energy helping to reduce the strong flood tide flows in the area, and also offer some protection to the dunes. This option would also prevent the Wave Hub cable from being re-exposed. In the long-term Hayle Beach has to be sustainable. At present no sediment is being supplied to the beach except from the dunes. There are a number of reasons for this. Firstly, sediment transport (littoral drift) directions diverge at Black Cliff. Sand on Hayle Beach is transported in a westerly direction, straight into the harbour. From Black Cliff to Godrevy Point the direction is to the east. Secondly, the channel has curved to the east. The strong flows that constantly run through the channel act as a physical barrier to any sand being brought from offshore, in longshore currents and from Porth Kidney Sands. This effectively puts Hayle Beach in a shadow zone. Any sediment that reaches the channel is quickly sent to the area of beach in front of Cove Cafe, where a marked difference in beach height is seen. Sand is being constantly lost from the beach to the harbour on the flood tides and to the Black Cliff area and offshore on the ebb tide. The key to making Hayle Beach sustainable is to have a straight channel which is orientated in a northwards direction from Chapel Anjou Point. This reduces the shadow zone dramatically and allows sand to be brought to the beach. In essence it allows the source and terminal areas of sediment transport to be connected again. Traditionally a straight navigable channel was achieved by regular sluicing, with a very occasional maintenance dredge. This regime sustained a straight northwards channel for over 100 years from 1840 onwards. Dredging alone can’t maintain a straight channel for a sustained period and would have to be repeated on a regular basis. This would be a very costly exercise and would result in more erosion if the sand was removed and sold. Harbour owners, ING, state that they are committed to the reinstatement of the Carnsew sluices as part of their proposals for South Quay. Just this sluice would keep the channel clear as beach levels are really low, (there is less sand to move), and the types of boats using the harbour are much smaller. This would mean that once more, environmental and economic sustainability would go hand in hand. |
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| Hayle-Pordic Twinning Association | |
| A group of 40 French visitors from Hayle’s twin town of Pordic in Brittany
visited Hayle from June 2nd -5th.
We had hoped to hold a buffet reception for them at the ideally positioned and newly refurbished Passmore Edwards Institute but as food was not allowed and we might have been too large a group, we re-located to St Erth Church Hall. The buffet was organised by twinning members and John Bennett gave a speech of welcome. Many of the guests took the opportunity to look around the Church before the visitors dispersed with their hosts. Some of the group visited Porthcurno Telegraph Museum on the Friday morning
finding he history intriguing and interesting and then down to the beach to
make the most of the glorious weather- we were told many a time how the stretch
of coast was as pretty if not more so than the Cote d'Azure. The whole group
went to a matinee production of "Guys and Dolls" at the Minack theatre - the
Americanisms in the dialogue provided a challenge to translation but the
scenery was more than adequate compensation. The action packed day was The guests spent Saturday with their host families and departed early Sunday morning for their return home. There were a number of new members participating in the exchange which was enjoyed by all and now we're looking forward to our visit to them in Pordic during August. Mike Stuckey |
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| Hayle Beach Run, Wednesday 24 August, 7pm | |
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| Download the application form here. | |
| For previous versions, including Issue #01, visit the Archive. | |