Pay peanuts...You get monkey's

Well not all good spirit was lost today in County Hall as the last Cornwall County Council meeting was heard, I mean at least Truro Park and Ride won the British Parking Award!

Five days and counting, and Cornwall County Council will be changing to a Unitary Authority from a two tier system of local government. With a 454 page agenda it was going to be a meeting nobody would forget, unless of course they fell asleep. However, as I sat in the public gallery it was quite disheartening to see such a poor turn out for the last ever full Cornwall County Council meeting. I mean with almost 100 years of history and with the first ever female chairperson, Lib Dem, Doris Ansari, where was all the community support? These 82 strong, 50 something, golf enthusiasts, could be voting on matters of which we, the public are ignorant, but inevitably affected by!

Madam Chair, took (a lot) of time to appreciate all the hard work done by various departments over the years with the aid of councillors. Future budgets were put it place in a desperate bid to ensure the new Cornwall Council has adequate guidelines in place after its election in June this year. Amongst all the bits of paper, hairy ears and blue rinses, there was a certain 'end of term' feel to the proceedings. I was a tad surprised at the ribald behaviour, particularly as the majority appear to be of pensionable age.

How can the local government be representative of the area when not a single member is under 50 years of age. Who will speak for youth matters, or unemployment in youths, when most cant remember that far back! But in all fairness, if you are not of independent wealth or are drawing your pension, you could not possibly afford to be a part of the new Cornwall Council. With no salary, and only expenses to claim I couldn't afford to do it.

So as Cornwall says goodbye to 100 years of tradition and hello to a one tier local government, will anyone actually be interested this time? Well we should really, they will be saving are money by paying less councillors.

Magnificent Sevens Rugby returns to Newquay

Newquay Surf 7s International Rugby 2009 will again bring exciting top class Seven-a-side Rugby to Cornwall this July.

More than a thousand rugby players, plus their friends and supporters, will enjoy three days of Sun, Sea, Sand, Surf and Sizzling Sevens Rugby in Newquay.

“The magnificent sporting weekend which was first introduced last year, and was the biggest Rugby event in Newquays history, is definitely returning. It promises to be bigger and better with more teams and more spectators expected.”

“This year, we are planning to widen the appeal of the event by introducing a Charity Fun Run on the Sunday morning.” said Tournament Director Andy Hawken.

“Cornish comedian Jethro has also generously offered to do a charity event supporting Newquay 7s, as long as the money raised goes to the Precious Lives Appeal. It’s now just a matter of finding a venue in Newquay large enough to cope with a thousand or more people on the Saturday night.”

“Newquay Surf 7s International Rugby 2009 will be held from Friday 17th July until Sunday 19th July.”

“The inaugural Charity Fun Run, ‘Run for Cornwall’, will take place on Sunday 19th July starting at 10am. We are hoping to attract 2,000 runners, with all runners being asked to raise funds for one of the Newquay Surf 7s four selected Charities, or for a Charity or Not-for-profit organisation of their own choice.”

“This year our four chosen Charities are CLIC Sargent, Precious Lives, Cornwall Hospice Care and Cornwall Air Ambulance,” continued Andy Hawken.

“Our target for 2009 is to improve on the £15,000, delivered to Cornish Charities last year. The sum will hopefully be raised between the Newquay Surf 7s Rugby festival and the Surf 7s 20K Charity Fun Run through Newquay. Hopefully, this wonderful sum of money will certainly make a lot of difference to the lives of many people in Cornwall.”

Last year in 2008, the Acorn sponsored Newquay International Rugby 7’s was the first ever seven-a-side Rugby Tournament to be held in Newquay. It lived up to its promise and provided a weekend full of great festival rugby, when internationally-renowned professional seven-a-side rugby teams competed for over £10,000 worth of prize money, with £15,000 being raised and presented to key Cornish charities.

“This year the Saturday and Sunday will once again be full of fast and exciting seven-a-side rugby. But, lovers of Rugby will also enjoy a great Friday as the weekend will be heralded with a full fifteen-a-side evening rugby match between a Classic Lions Team and a Newquay Hornets Presidents Invitation Team. Both teams will be full of quality players with many from the world of international rugby.”

“The interest and desire from teams across the UK to once again be involved, after the success of 2008, is terrific. In fact, many top rugby teams unable to be involved last year have now signed up early to ensure inclusion. These include Graham Dawes Plymouth Albion, the Cornish Pirates, Mounts Bay and others. In fact, even at this very early stage there is only one place left in the top Invitational competition.”

The Friday evening Classic Lions match, as last year, will be followed by a Grand Presentation Dinner for players, sponsors and guests. It will also include an auction in aid of our chosen Cornish charities. Last year the Auction alone raised a wonderful £4,725.”

The main Invitational 7-a-side rugby competition for top teams will take place on the Saturday. The Men’s Open and Women’s Open competitions will also be played on the Saturday.

“Some of the best sevens rugby teams in Europe played in last year’s Invitational Competition on the Saturday. The British Army team, stocked full of fast and brilliant Fijians, eventually won a great final against the famous Marauders team from Hampshire.”

“Equally important was the Women’s Open Competition with the incredibly impressive Wooden Spoon Ladies team demonstrating brilliant skills and talent when they beat a very impressive Pink BaBas in their final,”

As well as the 20K Fun Run, the Sunday will also be a fun day of rugby as visiting Rugby Clubs from all over the UK will have their own competition. Last year wonderful games of flowing sevens rugby were enjoyed by all, but the outstanding final between two Devon rugby clubs was eventually won by an impressive Kingsbridge Young Guns when they beat a very good Collumpton side.

“But to kick-start the whole weekend, 400 boys and girls from schools throughout Cornwall will once again come together, playing Tag-Rugby on the Friday afternoon, to contest the Rugby Newquay Surf 7s Schools Trophy, all in partnership with NTS Sport (Newquay Tretherras Sport) and Cornwall Active Sport.”

In conclusion Andy Hawken said; “2008 saw 92 seven-a-side teams competing in a festival of rugby in five separate tournaments and without exception they all wanted to come back in 2009 to do it all again. This year it appears most of them are!”

Photo: The British Army team, winners of Newquay Surf 7s in 2008

Row Across Cornwall

On Friday 27th March 2009 at Belushi's, Newquay, the Rona Sailing Trust are attempting to reach a £5000 target by challenging four teams of locals, to row the length of Cornwall.

The Rona Sailing Project is one of the oldest Sail Training organisations in the UK, established for almost 50 years. They have taken over 30,000 young people to sea and given them the experience of a lifetime, greater self-confidence and a new perspective on the world.

Local volunteer for the charity Dan Kewley has given up his valuable spare time to raise funds for the Charity. Through local community spirit and word of mouth, he has rustled up four teams to compete, head to head, in a gruelling four hour row. With teams competing from Chy Bar, Belushi's, Cornwall College Student Union, and Rona Sailing Trust. Sweat, blood, and tears? We hope so.

From 5pm onwards on Friday 27 March, Belushi's has kindly offered the venue for the fundraiser, there will be face painting, live music, and even waxing. An evening not to missed!

The Rona Sailing Trust is a fantastic charity offering opportunities not possible without the help of volunteers like Dan. This is the first year for the Row Across Cornwall fundraiser, lets get together and make it a success.

http://www.ronasailingproject.org/