Book provides a unique taste of what St Just and its café bookshop have to offer
Phillipa and David James, owners of St Just's unusual two-in-one café and bookshop, "The Cook Book", have launched another atypical concoction - a distinctive spiral-bound volume entitled "An Uncommon Place". Published by Bosorne Publications, it is the couple's first book and is available from The Cook Book at 4 Cape Cornwall Street, St Just at £8.50 (plus £2.50 post and packing).

Combining information about The Cook Book with recipes, poems, sketches, photographs, paintings, drawings, maps and walks, the new book reflects the unique style and character of both The Cook Book and St Just itself. It came about because so many customers were curious about the origins of The Cook Book, requested recipes for the delicious home-cooked meals sold there, and for directions to places like Cot Valley.

This first publishing venture for David and Phillipa was also inspired when they were awakened to the artistic talents of some of their young staff. "In October last year, Daisy Gibbs and Stella Billingham-Henderson gave me hand-made, brilliantly designed cards for my 60th birthday," explains David. A few months later, with the help of staff and contributions donated by talented local artists and photographers including Ken Symonds, Neil Pinkett, Tom Henderson Smith and more, they had completed the book, and the result is a remarkable collection of words and images reflecting the mixture of loving care and refreshing informality with which they run their Café Bookshop.

As explained in their introduction to "An Uncommon Place," in it David and Philippa (whose family has lived and worked in St Just for generations): "Take recipes, notes, anecdotes, images and information. Add poetry, sketches, print and photographs. Harness youthful talent, gifted artists and enthusiasm. Stir well and serve fresh to feed body and mind."

To order copies of "An Uncommon Place" contact David or Phillipa on 01736 787266 (day time).

Making the most of the plen an gwary
The St Just & District Trust, St Just and Area Traders' Association and others are proposing and undertaking new projects to make the most of St Just's remarkable plen an gwary, one of only two surviving outdoor medieval amphitheatres in Cornwall and allegedly the oldest working theatre in Britain.

But in order to realise the optimum heritage, creative and economic potential of the plen, the Trust first needs to purchase the adjacent former telephone exchange building, currently owned by the British Legion used by the Just Youth & Community and occasionally by the Ordinalia company as a dressing room. The purchase will secure the building from private development and enable on-going and increased performances by professional companies and community groups. By purchasing the site, the Trust will safeguard future usage of the plen by groups like the Ordinalia and ensure that the ancient scheduled monument continues to work as it has done for hundreds of years.

A further aim is to develop a modest yet modern, purpose-built facility comprising of basic services: dressing rooms; toilets; storage to suit all users /festivals associated with the neighbouring plen.

The Trust and plen working group are trying hard to raise funds to buy the building in the first instance and it needs all the help it can get to raise at least £70,000. Please send letters of support and/or donations to:
Bernard Rees, St Just & District Trust, Greystones, Carn Bosavern, St Just, Penzance TR19 7QX

Lafrowda Youth Arts Project
The aims of this project are:

• To engage young people in a year round programme of arts/ theatre activities and related events.
• To develop awareness of the links between local heritage, economic regeneration, and the creative industries - the impact these have on the local community and the opportunities available to it.

Grant funding will be used to employ a project co-ordinator who will devise and deliver a diverse, needs-based high quality programme (and its related 'costs' ) and ' train up' 1-2 young people (16+) as apprentices in this area of growth.

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