Truro Day 14
September 2014
We went to Cornwall especially for this event. My wife,
Hilary, comes from Truro and has been following websites about Truro and out of
them heard about Truro Day which was conceived about six months ago, so 14 September went into
the diary. A committee of ten organised every aspect and it all happened
at Boscawen Park about a mile out of the city. Altogether it was a very impressive
occasion. After attending Truro Methodist Church and stopping for a sandwich and
tea in the city centre we headed off on foot along the riverside to the Park.
It was a lovely sunny day and lots of other people were going the same way and
shuttle buses were travelling forth and back too.
There was a bandstand/stage which was occupied by a variety
of performers; groups, choirs and bands all compèred by Hilary’s brother,
Justin, in his Roy Orbison outfit. Around the nearby field there were stands
occupied by various local organisations and charities. There were bouncy
castles and pony rides and the Truro history theme was followed in a tent which
housed a large collection of photos. Hilary was signing the visitors’ book when
a lady recognised her name and they got talking and during the afternoon she came
across several other friends and acquaintances so the time passed quickly.
After
buying pastys and tea we listened to the rugby club choir, world champions no
less, who concluded their hearty session with ‘Trelawney’, words printed in the
programme for all to join in. This piece, ‘The song of the Western Men’, was written
by Robert Hawker of Morwenstow who reinvented the Harvest Festival in the
nineteenth century and his poem has become a national anthem for Cornwall.
There were tributes to the Truro Day committee and that made it clear what a
lot of work and skill had gone into putting it together and raising the £8500
needed to stage the event. And 13 September 2015 was publicised for the second ‘Truro
Day’.
We, and the 1000s of people who went there, had a wonderful
time and as we left the Park we were grateful for the shuttle bus that took us
the last mile or so into a quiet city centre.
