The author, Thomas Hall, describes: “Complete with historical pictures from both sides of the Atlantic, the ?TW Lawson? covers the building, operation, wreck, and rescue of local financier Thomas Lawson?s world famous seven-masted schooner. This one-of-a-kind schooner was built in 1902, operated up and down the coast for five years then wrecked on the Isles of Scilly on Friday the Thirteenth 1907. The brave lifeboatmen from St Agnes on the Isle of Scilly heroically rescued three of the 19 men onboard.”

Mr Hall grew up in Scituate, home of Thomas Lawson and have researched the seven masted schooner thoroughly including diving numerous times on the wreck, interviewing relatives of the survivors and lifeboatmen on Scilly, and digging through the archives of the leading maritime museums from Mystic Seaport to Greenwich. He has presented his findings at lectures in New England and on the Islands.

The book is only available from the USA, but you can order through Amazon USA (separate ordering system to Amazon UK). Link to Amazon USA on right-hand menu.

A playgroup on the Isles of Scilly has received a cash boost from the Co-op.

St Mary’s Pre-School Playgroup, which caters for youngsters aged between two-and-a-half and four, has been awarded ?300 to buy new toys, games and books.

Playgroup supervisor Sally Humphreys said: “As funding is so tight, it is brilliant that the Co-op has given us this award to fund lots of new items for the children to play with; we are very pleased.”

The award comes from the Co-operative Group’s Community Dividend fund, part of the Dividend customer loyalty card scheme which allows shoppers to donate the extra pence in their twice-yearly Dividend payouts to worthy causes.*

Co-operative Group regional secretary Andrew North said: “We are delighted to make this award to St Mary’s Pre-School Playgroup. The Community Dividend fund can make a real and lasting contribution to organisations like this.

“Many community groups share our co-operative values and could benefit from an award, and we would certainly like to hear from them.”

Leaflets on the scheme are available in Co-operative Group stores throughout the region.

? Press release, Co-operative Group.

A book has been published on the Isles of Scilly which aims to put something of the holy back into holiday. The book, The Isles of Scilly and Beyond, is a series of pictures of Scilly with Christian reflections on the landscape and island life.

The book has been written by Mary Ratcliffe, a local resident who has conducted many people on prayer walks around the islands. She says: ?When I was just a holidaymaker on Scilly I created a scrapbook of photographs with texts from the Good News Bible. I wanted to show my friends back home in Cambridgeshire that I regarded the islands as a place where body, mind and spirit could be renewed.?

Mary, who worships at the St Mary?s Methodist Church, came to live on the islands in 1998. With her husband Guy she began ?Walkabout? which took visitors on quiet walks in different parts of the islands. On these walks there was time for contemplation and reflection.

Having settled in to island life, Mary took a course in bookbinding. She says; ?This led to a desire to produce books for her friends, along the lines of the original scrapbook. These books contained added reflections which I had gleaned from many years of pastoral care. It soon became obvious that many copies would be needed and I was encouraged to have the book printed. The book will appeal to visitors past and present, and also to those who, because of distance are unable to visit.?

The book contains more than thirty photographs taken by Mary herself, her son Sam and Jon Kersey. They reveal the islands at different times of the day and the year, including familiar sights such as the bulbfields and the Tresco Abbey Gardens. Also shown is the Old Town church, whose graveyard tells many stories of shipwreck and sickness. The ruins of Tresco Abbey reveal that the islands have a Christian heritage back as far as 550AD. Also pictured is the annual pilgrimage to St Helen?s, where there was a thriving church in the 11th and 12th centuries. The pilgrimage honours St Elidius, a bishop and confessor. According to the records of the Abbey of Tavistock, St Elidius? day is August 8th.

Available at http://www.scillyshop.com/ or from the author at
Seagull Cottage
Hospital Lane
St Mary?s
Isles of Scilly

Specialist Practitioners teaching the world renowned Buteyko Institute Method of Breathing Retraining will return to Scilly this April, in association with Drs Hessing and Dalton. Nikki Jewell and Simon Paddon are just two of only sixty-five practitioners in the world who are qualified to teaching the Russian breathing technique that is currently being trialled by West Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly Primary Care Trust. BBC1?s Inside Out programme reported on the economic benefits of Buteyko when they filmed one of Ms Jewell and Mr Paddon?s Breathing Retraining Courses in the Isles of Scilly last year, ?The programme created a lot of interest from doctors who are wishing find a way to reduce their drugs budget? said Ms Jewell.

WARM WELCOME FROM FROM HESSING AND DALTON

Ms Jewell and Mr Paddon say they are thrilled that Doctors in Scilly have welcomed them to teach patients and only wish that medics from other areas were as open minded, ?Patients in the Isles of Scilly are very fortunate to have doctors who are genuinely interested in exploring new ideas and we feel Drs Hessing and Dalton should be credited for their positive attitude towards patient health.? said Mr Paddon.

ISLANDERS HAVE ALREADY BENEFITED

Two Scilly natives who have already reaped the rewards of the last Buteyko course are St Mary?s own Steve Douglas and Jean Johnson. Steve comments, ?My breathing is better than ever. Since attending the course, I?ve reduced my medication intake and am able to take control of my breathing for myself?. Jean?s progress was remarkable, ?I haven?t taken any Ventolin at all, or used my nebuliser. I used to have to stop twice in order to walk to my car just so I could get my breath back, now I can go right up the hill to my car without having to stop. So it?s lovely; absolutely wonderful!? explains Jean. Practitioners of Buteyko say the amazing results achieved by Mr Douglas and Mrs Johnson are typical of all who attend their courses, ?We guarantee results. Over 90% of asthmatics who embark on our Buteyko Breathing Retraining Course are able to give up all of their symptomatic reliever medications, such as Ventolin etc, within the first five days of the programme!?. Ms Jewell continues, ?Clinical trials have proven that all asthmatics over-breathe. We teach a series of techniques and breathing exercises all designed to correct dysfunctional breathing. As breathing patterns are normalised, sufferers very quickly find they can control their asthma and dysfunctional breathing without relying on medications. We have already held some very successful Breathing Retraining Courses throughout the Isles of Scilly and Cornwall. Many sufferers want to take control of their breathing problem for themselves, without relying on medications to help them breathe.?

SCILLY - FREE SEMINARS FOLLOW BY A BREATHING RETRAINING COURSE

Ms Jewell and Mr Paddon will be conducting two FREE Introductory seminars at St Mary?s Health Centre on Wednesday 13th April 2005. The first FREE Seminar will be at 1:30pm and a second will be at 6:00pm. Those attending these FREE Seminars can expect to learn some simple practical breathing exercises including a special technique to help unblock the nose, detailed information about correct medication usage in line with Asthma UK, an explanation of why and how the Buteyko Institute Method works and an overview of the Buteyko Breathing Retraining Course. Just by attending a FREE Seminar, sufferers can expect to gain up to 30% improvement. The method can also be very effective for various other breathing disorders such as COPD, emphysema, sleep apnoea, chronic fatigue, panic attacks, anxiety, sinusitis and has also been used to enhance sports performance in athletes. In order to book a free placement, please call Buteyko Breathing & Health Practice on 0845 456 4533 or visit http://www.asthma999.com

For those wishing to enrol on a full Buteyko course, Ms Jewell & Mr Paddon will be conducting a 4-day Buteyko Institute Breathing Retraining Course at St Mary?s Health Centre, commencing Tuesday 19th April 2005, finishing on Friday 22nd April 2005.

? Press Release, Buteyko Asthma Practice

A Frenchman was airlifted from his fishing vessel, the Vivaldi, by an RAF Helicopter and taken to RCH Treliske for treatment after seriously cutting his arm.

A cargo vessel, the Corner Brook, was left drifting 700 miles off the Islands on 20 March. A salvage tug from Cornwall went to assist the vessel.

The Corner Brook is registered in Bermuda.

This week the XCV Cornwall County Music Festival is being held this week. Taking part are several artists and pupils from schools in west Cornwall and from the Islands.

IOS Council are to broadcast their Council meetings on a dedicated website, so that the public are able to view the meetings. It is a ‘drive towards open government.’

The funding for the webcast comes from the Implementing Electronic Government grant.

Meetings will be broadcast and archived online, at http://www.islesofscilly.ukcouncil.net/.

Best selling travel writer, Bill Bryson and star of Channel 4?s ?Return of the Chef?, John Burton-Race will be cheering along the 125 participants running the race of their lives in one of the most unique marathons in the world, the Tresco Marathon. Tresco provides a very special alternative to the famous London marathon. The entire event is run in aid of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust with each runner pledging to raise a minimum of ?300.

The Tresco marathon, now in its sixth year, began when Pete Hingston, head chef at the Island Hotel, was unable to take the time off to compete in the London Marathon. He had intended to run to raise money for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust as his daughter Jade, aged five suffers from this heart breaking disease, which affects more than 7,500 people in the UK. He decided to set up a marathon on the island and the Tresco marathon was born.

All 160 islanders are involved in the preparations and organisation of the marathon. Since the first race in 2000, the island?s efforts have raised over ?250,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Trust. All the money raised goes towards funding the ground breaking gene therapy research towards a cure for CF.

The 26.2 mile course is made up of seven and a half laps run in a figure of eight around a three and a half mile circuit. The runners, who come back year after year, say that although the harsh inclines en route are a gruelling test of stamina, the breath-taking landscapes and silver sanded beaches sloping into crystal clear water, make it an idyllic setting for such a demanding pursuit, providing an entirely unique experience.

Rosie Barnes, Chief Executive of Cystic Fibrosis Trust, said: ?We are delighted to welcome Bill Bryson and John Burton-Race to be part of this amazing event. The money raised will fund potentially life saving research into gene therapy giving thousands of families living with the day to day reality of CF real hope. With current life expectancy at 31 years, every penny counts and we couldn?t do it without events like these and the efforts of all our supporters. The Tresco marathon is more than a marathon; it is a weekend experience that greatly helps to support our fundraising and raise awareness Cystic Fibrosis.?

— Press release, IncrediBull Ideas