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Camelford’s Visions of the Tory Mini Budget

I haven’t had my flowing locks trimmed by a professional since before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Earlier today I corrected that oversight at Visions Unisex Hair Salon in the centre of Camelford:

My by now somewhat unruly coiffure was professionally tamed by Jess. Then as I was paying I couldn’t help but notice this picture of Jess, Tracey and Visions’ proprietor Kerrie:

More about the Visions’ team’s charitable activities in due course, but having pledged myself to support their current fund raising effort on behalf of the Marie Curie cancer charity we had an animated discussion about the difficulties of running a small business in rural North Cornwall in the current economic climate. By way of example Kerrie told me that it’s hard to keep your head above water in the current climate, and two other hairdressers in Camelford have closed in the last six months. Which no doubt explains why the first number I called this morning is now unobtainable.

After leaving Visions I crossed the road to record this video, which is now available on Twitter:

If I’d had more time I would have popped into the Camelford Conservative Club to ask them what their energy bills were last winter, what those bills are now, and what budget they have allocated for the purchase of energy over the coming winter.

Watch this space!

See also: “The Mini Budget’s Assault on Nature“



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The August Heatwave(s) in Cornwall

For the previous article in this series (which is becoming overly lengthy!) please see:

“Drought for Cornwall later in 2022?“

As the weeks have passed the answer to that question seems increasingly likely to be “Yes”. Hence we’ll begin August 2022 with the current water levels of Cornish reservoirs provided by the South West Lakes Trust:

South West Water also provide graphs for the largest two:

As you can see the water levels in both Colliford and Stithians reservoirs are already below their lowest levels last year. Colliford is also well below its level at the beginning of August 1995, a particularly dry year for Cornwall and other parts of the United Kingdom.

Continue reading “The August Heatwave(s) in Cornwall”
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Autumn Coping With Covid-19 in Cornwall

For the previous episode in the ongoing saga of the Covid-19 pandemic here in Cornwall please see:

“The Covid-19 Holiday Season in Cornwall“

Schools have gone back and the clocks change in a couple of weeks, but Covid-19 is still with us. In actual fact it’s on the increase again. Both nationally:

and here in the Camelford MSOA, where we now find ourselves in the top DHSC category with a case rate of 889.8 per 100,000 people per week:

Just down the A39 “Atlantic Highway” in Wadebridge the rate is now over 1,000.

Further west the top spot goes to Camborne West, with a case rate of 946.4:

As you can see from the maps there are several other area across Cornwall in the 800+ category, whilst across Cornwall as a whole the average case rate is 539.5, an increase of 15.6% compared to a week ago:

[Edit – October 22nd]

Further to the BBC report in the comments below, the The Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust is “tweeting” much the same story:

They are also providing their current Covid-19 statistics:

https://twitter.com/RCHTWeCare/status/1451572071834734595

The UK Government statistics show Covid-19 cases still rising quickly across the nation as a whole:

Across Cornwall as a whole the rolling weekly case rate is still almost unchanged at 546.8 per 100,000 population:

Here in the Camelford area the case rate has fallen to 528.3. However the rate in Bude has risen to 924.6, whilst Bodmin West has fallen slightly to 954.1:

Further south Par is now home to an outbreak with a case rate over 1,000:

The BBC reports today that:

MPs are asking for help from the government to deal with a “perfect storm” in the health system.

There have been more than 100 patients waiting to be seen in an emergency department designed for 40, and 25 ambulances waiting outside.

The hospital trust’s medical director said the situation was improving slowly.

Steve Double, MP for Newquay and St Austell, said: “It is regrettably a sort of perfect storm of a number of factors coming together that is creating this unprecedented level of demand on our system.”

Mr Double said he had spoken with health minister Ed Argar who was “asking for further details to see exactly what is going on and what further help could be made available”.

Cherilyn Mackrory, MP for Truro and Falmouth, said she was “acutely aware of the current situation”.

She added: “Whatever the hospital need to alleviate this pressure, I will do to try and help them.



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The Covid-19 Holiday Season in Cornwall

The school summer holiday season is drawing to a close, and August Bank Holiday is almost upon us. Matt Hancock was one of many hundreds of thousands to travel down here from up country earlier this month:

The effect on Covid-19 cases here in North Cornwall is all too evident. The Camelford and Davidstow area is now in the top category for cases:

However we are still a long way behind Newquay East, which today broke the 2,000 cases per 100,000 people per week barrier:

Here once again is the “heat map” showing the age distribution of cases across Cornwall as a whole for the current wave of Covid-19:

The upper limit on the 7 day “rolling rate” legend really requires updating. In the 15-19 age group the rate has now reached 5,080.6. For 20-24 year olds it is 2,419.4.

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The Post G7 Covid-19 Outbreak in Cornwall

We commented yesterday on the current outbreak of Covid-19 cases further west in Cornwall than Davidstow, and suggested that the cause may be the recent G7 Summit in St. Ives, which finished on Sunday.

Here is yesterday’s map:

Together with a “heatmap” showing the age distribution of cases across Cornwall as a whole:

The far right of the image suggests that during this so called “third wave” of Covid-19 cases, the 15 to 24 age range has been the hardest hit. Possibly that’s because this section of the population has yet to be vaccinated?

The official data for June 10th have also just been released, and this is how the latest map looks:

Truro, Redruth and Mevagissey are no longer pure white, as they were on June 9th. A total of 27 cases in St. Ives doesn’t sound like a lot, but it’s an enormous percentage increase on the previous 7 days.

Watch this space!

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Kasia Turajczyk’s Camelford Art Exhibits

According to a new article on her web site Tremail based artist Kasia Turajczyk is currently exhibiting some of her paintings at The Camelford Gallery:

I am back to the active and creative part of myself. I am back at my studio. The weather is getting better, warmer. I am back in front of the easel and back at my drawing desk.

I have delivered a few old and new paintings to The Camelford Gallery, in the centre of Camelford at 23 Market Place.

The gallery is full of exciting paintings in oil, acrylics, watercolours, drawings, graphics and prints. If you are in Cornwall at the moment or planning a holiday this year, you should try hard to visit the gallery.

Kasia concludes by saying:

It doesn’t have the usual holiday-like-boats-trashy-images. If you seriously appreciate quality art, The Camelford Gallery is the perfect place for you.

I’ll try to translate that for you. If you’re visiting Cornwall and you want to buy pictures of fishing boats bobbing up and down on a cerulean blue ocean then go to St. Ives, preferably before or after the forthcoming G7 Summit at Carbis Bay. However if you fancy some more substantial artistic fare then come to Camelford instead!

By way of example, here is one of Kasia’s water colours with a bit of blue in the background:

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What Constitutes a “Reasonable Excuse”?

This article is reproduced by kind permission of our sister website CoV-eHealth.org, for the benefit of surfers, coast path walkers and moor hikers resident in and around Camelford, North Cornwall. And elsewhere I suppose.

The United Kingdom’s National Police Chief’s Council has published new guidance on what constitutes a “reasonable excuse” to leave your residence during the current novel coronavirus lockdown. You can download a copy from:

https://www.college.police.uk/What-we-do/COVID-19/Documents/What-constitutes-a-reasonable-excuse.pdf

Of particular interest to me as a “silver surfer” is the part that states:

Exercise can come in many forms, including walks.

Exercise must involve some movement, but it is acceptable for a person to stop for a break in exercise.

It is lawful to drive for exercise.

Whilst surfing is not explicitly mentioned in the new document the current Police Commander for Cornwall has previously issued guidance on that form of exercise for the county:

According to “Cornwall’s top cop” before the new guidance was published:

Police BCU Commander for Cornwall, Temporary Chief Superintendant Ian Drummond-Smith said the recent guidance from the London-based National Police Chiefs Council was consistent with what his officers were doing on the ground but he reiterated that the public should not try and take advantage of the guidance.

He said: “Surfing has not been banned. It’s exercise and in Cornwall we know it’s a popular exercise. People can still surf. The question of driving a reasonable distance as per the NPCC guidelines, is ‘how far is reasonable’.

“The NPCC guidelines does not say whether you can or cannot drive to do your exercise. I am telling my officers people can surf and some may well drive to surf.”

Now all we denizens of the North Coast need to do is wait for the swell to be onshore and the wind to be offshore once again.

And to stay well over 2 meters away from anybody else with the same idea at the same time at the same beach!

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February Parish Council Meeting

Following the cancellation of January’s meeting of Davidstow Parish Council the agenda for the meeting at the Tremail Methodist Hall at 19:00 on February 3rd has been posted on the Parish Council web site.

It’s not very long, but it is very interesting. To yours truly at least!

1.  Planning

PA20/00526 | Extension to the existing housing development providing continuation and completion with a detached three bedroom dwelling. | Plot 9, Kittows View, Hallworthy, Camelford, Cornwall PL32 9SH

2. Cornwall Governance Review

a) To decide on consultation arrangements for the proposed transfer of the remaining parts of Hallworthy into the Parish of Davidstow.
b) To review the decision to request an increase in the number of Parish Councillors.

3. Saputo Update

4. Feedback from the Camelford Network meeting

All Welcome

 

I discovered about this week’s Camelford Community Network meeting just too late:

Maybe I’ll be able to discover what was said last Monday in the Methodist Hall next Monday?

Maybe I’ll also be able to discover why there was still a powerful pong when I cycled past Inny Vale earlier in the week, after Saputo (nee Dairy Crest) had allegedly already installed their new aeration system?

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Davidstow Electric Car Hire

At Monday’s meeting of Davidstow Parish Council the chair asked if there was any other business to be added to the agenda. I raised my hand to announce the birth of Davidstow Electric Car Hire, which was duly discussed towards the end of the meeting.

As a pilot for the Camelford Electric Car Club project V2G EVSE Limited are making two of their research and development electric vehicles available for hire by residents of and visitors to the Davidstow area.

Lisa the Nissan LEAF and Zoe the Renault ZOE are now available for hire by the hour, day or week via HiyaCar.co.uk:

If you have never experienced the joys of driving a 100% electric powered vehicle now is your chance to do so at remarkably little cost.

Here’s an extract from a recent Top Gear review of the Nissan LEAF:

The real joy of the Leaf isn’t the money, it’s the motor, and its charming grace. For the way most people drive (if not, literally, for petrolheads), it’s simply a better source of motion.

and here is Top Gear’s opinion of the Renault ZOE:

It’s not for everyone – power can be a little bit reserved, something you’ll notice more if your range-anxiety is under control and you’re brave enough to tackle motorway stints – but for more regular urban use this is more than good enough as an entry to the EV world.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask, using the space provided for that purpose below.

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October Parish Council Meeting

Davidstow Parish Council is back to its regular schedule of meeting on the first Monday of each month.

As far as I can tell the agenda for the meeting on October 7th 2019 is still not available on the Parish Council web site, so I cycled to the noticeboard in Tremail and took this picture:

I shall certainly endeavour to attend the meeting, since I represented Tremail on the meeting between the Parish Council and Saputo (as Dairy Crest is now called) up at the “cheese factory” last week. Here’s a photographic record of my visit:

Earlier in the summer I also attended a meeting where Cornwall Council’s “Climate Change Action Plan” was discussed:

That plan has now been published. According to the County Council web site:

As a Council we have a leading role to play in the climate emergency, but we cannot deliver these ambitious outcomes alone, we will need support from all of our residents – from our communities, businesses, schools, public sector partners, the voluntary sector and many more. You have an important role to play in making change happen, not just as residents but in your working lives too. This is just the start of the journey; please join us in tackling the climate emergency.

On Monday evening it will be interesting to discover what the Camelford area equivalent contains. At the very least I know that Claire Hewlett, the mayor of Camelford, is interested in what the Cornwall Council’s report refers to as “mak[ing] electric vehicles a viable option for many drivers”. She recently visited our courtyard here in Tremail to examine our fleet of electric vehicles and associated charging infrastructure. In the pouring rain!