Music, light and fun fills the seasonal air

By Cornish Guardian | Wednesday, December 07, 2011, 08:00

IT MAY only be the beginning of December but Christmas is already in full swing in South East Cornwall.

Ben Hobbs, 10, admires a ShelterBox tree at St Nicholas & St Faith's Christmas Tree Festival.
Milly Edwards, 7, with the tree children, from Bishop Cornish School, decorated for the St Nicholas and St Faith's Christmas tree festival.
Darite Primary School carol singing at Trago Mills.
Darite Primary School carol singing at Trago Mills.
Members of Liskeard's Royal Naval Association and Royal British Legion teamed up to host a Christmas bazaar.
Mervin the Moose, Santa and Liskeard Carnival Queens and attendants Charlotte, Zoe and Ellen turn the Christmas lights on at Liskeard Lights Up and Lantern Parade.
Joely Thomas and her dad John with their lion at Liskeard Lights Up and Lantern Parade.
Liskeard Lights Up and Lantern Parade.
Having fun in the Liskeard Lights Up and Lantern Parade.
An elephant at Liskeard Lights Up and Lantern Parade.
Pensilva Primary School children at Liskeard Lights Up and Lantern Parade.
Liskeard Lights Up and Lantern Parade saw local people march through the streets.
A lady on stilts at Liskeard Lights Up and Lantern Parade.
Sophie-Emma Worth, 4, at Saltash's candlelight carol service.
Mayoress Marilyn Oakes and Mayor Colin Oakes turn on Saltash's Christmas lights with Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall Edward Bolitho.
Saltash schoolchildren join in the town's lantern parade.
Children enjoy Saltash's lantern parade.
Ella Carpenter, 6, joins in Saltash's lantern parade.
Francisco Olney, 5, and Ella Carpenter, 6, won Saltash's Victorian fancy dress competition.
Saltash Mayor Colin Oakes and Mayoress Marilyn Oakes with Victorian fancy dress competition winners Ella Carpenter, 6, and Francisco Olney, 5.
Kim Ogilvie and Paula Bettey, of Acorn Florist, in Saltash, dressed up for the town's Victorian fair.
Children designed stars for West Looe's Christmas tree contest. From left, Izzy Manning, 8, who came second, winner Morgan Bain, 7, and Zak Blewett, 4, third.
Councillor Edwina Hannaford and mayor David Bryan with children who entered West Looe's Christmas tree competition.
Jackie Edwards and Betsy Bragger with Bargains Galore at Sclerder Abbey's Christmas Bazaar at the Riverside United Reformed and Methodist Church in Looe.
Moreen Rogers with her knitware at Sclerder Abbey's Christmas bazaar in Looe.
Maria Andrews helps Samuel and Phoebe make cake mix at the Christmas market at Callington Methodist Church.
Molly, Hannah and Kirstie making cakes and boxes at the Christmas market at Callington Methodist Church.
Lily, 7, and Emily, 8, with their lanterns at the Callington Christmas lights switch-on and Victorian fair.
Children waiting for the lights and Santa at the Callington Christmas lights switch on and Victorian fair.
James and Donna Simpson with dogs Bracken and Bramble dressed in their Santa costumes at the Callington Christmas lights switch-on.
Rotarians Steve Pridham, Nick Ford and Roy Barraclough at the Callington Christmas lights switch on and Victorian fair.
Joanna Humphrey, from Kelly Bray, with her rag dolls and felt mice at the Callington Christmas lights switch-on and fair.
Hazel Francey with her Christmas baskets at the Callington Christmas lights switch on and Victorian fair.
Phoebe, Natasha, Kane, Cameron and Blake at the Callington Christmas lights switch on and Victorian fair.
Organisers and helpers at the Landulph Christmas Fair and Big Breakfast.
Olivia and Felicity Wyman with Tony and Jenny Rayment at the Landulph Christmas Fair and Big Breakfast.
Cargreen postlady Carole Screech with her handmade Christmas decorations at the Landulph Christmas Fair and Big Breakfast.
Chrissy Wallis, from Calstock, with Christmas wreaths at the Landulph Christmas fair.
Joe Saunders and Roisin Ferrier at the Landulph Christmas Fair and Big Breakfast.
3rd Saltash Rainbows Casey Rust, Izzy Hobbs, Freya Drake, Isabella Hall and Millie Frost visit the Christmas tree festival in the church of St Nicholas and St Faith.

Saltash's streets were packed with traders in Victorian costumes as the town held a lantern parade to coincide with its lights switch-on.

Deputy mayor Martin Gee said the event was fabulous.

"I've never seen so many people in Fore Street," he said.

"It was wonderful; absolutely brilliant."

Liskeard Lights Up and Lantern Parade, organised by John Lennon, took a circus theme and saw the town's streets bustling with people, despite the poor weather.

Sue Field, Carol Whibley and Lee Hemming ran workshops to help the townspeople make lanterns with artists Andy Bilewycz, Eva Coomber and Paula Charman.

Children from Hillfort, St Martins, Pensilva, St Cleer, Darite, Trewidland, Dobwalls and Liskeard schools all created artworks to carry round the streets.

In West Looe, the newly formed traders' group organised a series of Christmas events including carol singing and a shop window competition.

Local children designed stars and entered the Christmas tree competition, with seven-year-old Morgan Bain taking first prize. Izzy Manning, 8, came second and Zak Blewett, 4, was third.

Music

Sclerder Abbey held its charity Christmas bazaar at the Riverside United Reformed and Methodist Church and the Lions hosted music by the Lostwithiel Town Band and the Looe Valley Singers on West Looe Quay.

Santa joined the procession from West to East Looe and took residence in his grotto at the Guildhall.

Callington Methodist Church's Christmas market offered stalls and refreshments, while the Just4Kidz Christmas Craft Arcade helped children learn new crafts.

A Victorian fair sold gifts as excited children counted down to the Christmas lights switch-on.

Landulph's Christmas Fair and Big Breakfast provided a chance for local people to sell their home-made crafts, while pupils from Darite Primary School got into the festive spirit with carol singing at Trago Mills.

Handbells

Governor Lisa Townsend said the singers were accompanied by the beautiful sound of handbells thanks to an after-school club where pupils could learn popular carols and tunes. Senior teacher Sarah Hawker said: "The children had a fantastic time and the staff at Trago really looked after us all, with even a visit to Santa's Grotto.

"The children received lovely compliments from customers and staff and we wanted to give our thanks to them and to the parents and grandparents who showed their support by coming to watch us."

Darite's festivities continue with a Christmas fair on Friday and the handbells will make another appearance at the Nativity play on Thursday, December 15.

St Nicholas and St Faith's fifth annual Christmas tree festival proved popular, with dozens of local organisations and youth groups decorating 50 trees.

Liskeard's Royal Naval Association and Royal British Legion teamed up to host a Christmas bazaar.

Lee Hayward, honorary secretary of the RNA branch, said: "There was a good turnout with approximately £100 raised.

"Thank you to all those people who attended and helped us raise this amount."