I live in the village of St Germans. We are lucky to have may highlights throughout the year. One is undoubtedly the St Germans May Tree Fair weekend. It’s a time when the community gets together to enjoy live music, tug-of-war, stalls and more. The weekend is full of fun; there’s a mock mayor election on Saturday night, a procession of the May Tree from the recreation ground to the pub on Sunday afternoon and this year musical entertainment on Sunday afternoon and evening included Jono, musicians from Livewire, The Tyrns, Bagas Crowd, Landrake Brass Band and Black Friday.
Another highlight of the St Germans holiday calendar is the annual Christmas market in St Germans Priory. This year we have an additional treat; there’s a summer market to compliment the Christmas market on Friday 2nd August. There will be music (I will be there with the piano and recorder and friends are playing jazz).
The village also enjoys a number of live events. There’s an open mic every other Wednesday, music on Sundays at the Eliot Arms from 5-7pm, regular Wednesday and weekend sessions in The Elephant, a newly opened bar in the stable yard, plus festivals from the Tunes in the Park team. We also have a series of one off music events in the priory from Grace Notes, including Nick Mulvey, The Tyrnes and Haunt the Woods.
A friend commented recently that now is the season of festivals, and there are a plethora. We’ve just had a run of wonderful summer festivals in our towns: LostFest, Callington May Fair, Saltash May Fair, Saltash Songs and Shanties Festival, Saltash Regatta, Millbrook’s Black Prince Flower Boat Festival and many more. Cornwall is certainly the happening place to be at this time of year.
We wouldn’t have these wonderful community events if it wasn’t for the dedication of the committee and volunteers that help make them happen, to whom we are very grateful.
Celebrating as a community is enormously important. Self-sufficiency is a much touted word when it comes to climate resilience. But I think there is one phrase that is more important, and that’s community-sufficiency. As individuals we can only do so much, but our collective skills together give us far greater agency.
In St Germans it was this spirit of community-sufficiency that created our excellent community shop, and continues to operate it (thank you shop volunteers!). It was the same spirit that developed the recreation ground as a sports field and amenity area for our young people, and that started up a public transport group to fight for a better timetable when our rail service was threatened.
Strength within a community makes everything better for everyone, not just those who give their time. It is easy to take the core of volunteers who will always step forward to help for granted. The danger is that this core can become burned out.
In Cornwall most villages are lucky to have a plethora of community groups in the area, from gardening clubs, twinning associations, sports groups, hash harriers, WIs and U3As. Each of these groups relies on the generous donation of time by key members. The more people who are prepared to volunteer, the lighter the load becomes. If you belong to such a group, do think about whether you could help more.
Volunteering can be for just a few hours once in a while; for example stewarding at a local festival, or it can be more onerous. Volunteering should be fun and life enhancing, and worked around your strengths; I’m a musician, so love my voluntary teaching shift at Livewire, but would never have the patience to be a treasurer or secretary. Each person has a different gift to offer and every voluntary hour will be gratefully received. You’ll find it a great way to make new friends. And together we can work towards community-sufficiency.
Do come and join us in St Germans on Sunday 26th for the May Tree Fair. Make sure you wear an oak leaf on your hat (traditionally anyone without one would be dunked in the fountain) and do please bring cash for stalls and to throw into the bucket.
The May Tree Fair starts with stalls and games at the recreation ground just below the station on Sunday 26th May from noon. A procession of the decorated May Tree at 3pm will lead revellers to music and dancing at the Eliot Arms into the evening.
