On 21st August 1863 Falmouth lost its collective mind in a day of anticipatory glee. Finally, after decades of waiting, the railway had arrived in town. Steam! Modernity! Possibility! It was all so very exciting and thus deserved a massive celebration. Long before the Shanty Festival, Falmouth was planning on letting its hair down.

Cornwall’s landscapes have inspired artists from all over the world. In this case, Alexander Paul Burton - born and raised in Falmouth, and now living in Toronto, Canada - has drawn inspiration from his upbringing in Cornwall and created new music that is captivating listeners on both sides of the pond.

Sandy Cooper has come a long way since the days of sitting out on her parents’ porch in a never-ending Texan summer, clipping the hair around her dad’s head from the age of 12.

Phil World explores the history of Launceston's shops and business community in his new book...

Falmouth is known for its robust art community. With galleries dotted all over the town, and even a dedicated art festival every September, it’s hard not to notice the inspiration that the town, its beaches, forests and surrounding area provides.

Find the best way to recycle your real Christmas tree after the festive season…

Talking fruit, grumpy aunts and illusive space monsters? This is just a normal day for The Squirrels of Settledown Forest. 

Sarah Bradley, owner of The Byre, has delved into the bookshelves of her beautiful shop to recommend a book you won’t be able to put down...

SkillSHARE Bodmin hosted its first art exhibition featuring the work of local artists in early October. Words and photos by Barbara Brittain.

As the days draw in, many of us look for comfort in the home-like cafes and the dimly lit restaurants that dapple the streets of Falmouth, writes Barney Farnworth.

Having restarted Launceston Folk Dance Group following the summer break, members have been enjoying the fun and exercise that Tuesday nights provide.

The Cornwall Christmas Fair, held at the Eden Project recently, raised £68,000 for charities across Cornwall.

The organisers of St Mary Magdalene Church's annual Christmas tree festival have extended grateful thanks to the community for their generosity.

If you’re a Cornish history fanatic with a love of all things beautiful, Pencarrow House and Gardens, located in between Wadebridge and Bodmin, is the perfect place to explore.

A quarter of 3 and 4 year olds now own their own Smartphone, according to data from Ofcom, and by the age of 12 it rises to 95% of children, according to Smartphone Free Childhood.

Simon, owner of the Crates Is High Record Shop in Northgate St, Launceston, has hand picked three contemporary releases that he feels will become classics in their genre. They are available in store.

A volunteer group known as the Wildflower Warriors, and the Eden Project’s National Wildflower Centre (NWC) have been bringing colour and life to a major new link road being built in Cornwall with a wildflower planting scheme.

We can’t believe we’re here again, getting ready to decorate our homes with twinkling lights and obscene amounts of tinsel, but Christmas is approaching, and there is plenty to do in and around Wadebridge this festive season.

The Bodmin branch of the Royal British Legion has raised a whopping £17,818.93 during this year’s Poppy Appeal.

As the annual St Piran’s Day celebrations get ready to roll out once again this year, we take a look at the man in question, and how we came to celebrate his legacy every 5th March.

Many of you reading this - and certainly those whose businesses advertise in Launceston Life magazine - will know of Claire Pearce: Supermum, adventure-seeker, and an absolute whizz when it comes to advertising and working with the community.

We explored the ancient Kelly House, near Lifton, to discover the family’s traditions of Christmas past, and how they have been brought into the 21st century.

For many the countdown to Christmas is a happy and exciting time; but for some it’s a time of year they dread. Money worries, large heating bills and illness, to name a few, can cause tremendous feelings of failure, despair and anger of not being able to provide the extra food and gifts for your family, especially your children, writes Yvonne King, Launceston Foodbank Project Manager.

A new Community Interest Company focusing on community, heritage and creativity has started in Launceston.

Nature friendly farming and encouraging wild species...

With the Annual Wine Tasting at the Royal Cornwall Showground and the Christmas season upon us, Wadebridge Wines next year celebrates 50 years’ service and feels proud to be a member of Wadebridge’s busy business community.

Maya’s is the latest business to join Falmouth’s high street and, as 2024 comes to a close, owner Maya Jonah is excited to get stuck in with the community and provide a vibrant space for people to explore their own creativity.

Many may not realise the magic that can take place when a few individuals come together to make a difference. In the tranquil and ancient Egloshayle Church, a group of volunteers gather to sort, fold, hang and pack never-ending piles of children’s clothing to provide, free of charge, to local families every week.

If, like many in Wadebridge, you take the walk to get onto the Camel Trail, have you ever stopped to notice a very special stone, overlooking the river?

The Charles Causley Trust has announced the winners of its Young Person's Poetry Competition, with a runner-up coming from Launceston...

St Torney’s Church, a Grade I listed Cornish church in North Hill, threw open its doors to the public for the first time in five years recently, with the view of creating a wonderful new community space to find peace, explore local history and delve into the arts.

From quirky stocking fillers and thoughtful gifts to place around the tree, to the wine you should have on your Christmas table, everything you will need for the Christmas season can be found right here in Falmouth. Here’s some inspiration...

Hold your horses - before you crack open the Christmas bubbles or tuck into those chocolates you’ve been eyeing up on the side, why not head into the great outdoors for a chilly winter dip in the sea? If this sounds like your idea of a good time, stick around! We’ve put together a list of beaches in Cornwall that are known for hosting festive swims.

After a turbulent but exciting few years, the Stones Bakery team is expanding, with bakeries in both Falmouth and Penryn offering a little slice of heaven to devoted sourdough lovers, pastry fanatics and coffee enthusiasts alike.

Set against the tranquil countryside on the edge of Bodmin, Bodmin Moorland Pony Rehabilitation is a charity that rescues, rehabilitates and - in most cases - rehomes native ponies who have come from dire circumstances.

From a handful of girls who gatecrashed the first ever Scout rally, demanding ‘something for the girls’, Girlguiding has grown into a vast and vibrant network.

Six Cornish voluntary groups have been awarded the King's Award for Voluntary Service - announced today for the king's birthday - including Young Generation Theatre in Falmouth.

The magical world of Charlie Bears is on our doorstep, and the team are inviting the community to join them at The Bearhouse for a very special festive weekend this December.

When we spend so much time walking around town, scurrying to and from the office or dipping in and out of the local shops to grab what we need, it’s easy to overlook the stories each old, wonky but charming building has to tell.

Cornish bikers are gearing up to take part in a memorial ride to remember local boy Jozef Stasiak this December, while raising money for two organisations: Jozef ’s Dream CIC and Children’s Hospice South West’s Little Harbour.

A parent pact launched in Cornwall in September 2024, which allows parents to pledge to delay smartphone ownership for children, has seen a strong take up from families in Falmouth and Penryn.

There are over two hundred Holy Wells situated in Cornwall, all named after the different Celtic saints, except for one; Jesus Well.

A receptionist from Wadebridge has been doing her bit for charity this festive season, creating a ‘living Christmas tree’ and inviting locals to get involved.

Concern Wadebridge at The John Betjeman Centre hosted is annual Christmas Craft Fair on Saturday 2nd November – with a very special guest!

St Petroc’s annual Christmas tree festival is wowing crowds again this year, as numerous trees decorated by community businesses and organisations light up the church.

The sight of a robin on a winter walk would not usually come as a surprise. However, on a walk back in November, seeing a group of four or five robins in a blackthorn hedgerow near Pendennis Point was quite unexpected.

Hold your horses - before you crack open the Christmas bubbles or tuck into those chocolates you’ve been eyeing up on the side, why not head into the great outdoors for a chilly winter dip in the sea? If this sounds like your idea of a good time, stick around! Not only do these events get you up and moving during the season famous for chocolates, Baileys and mince pies, it also brings the community together, and allows everyone to share in the Christmas spirit.

A couple of years ago, we ran a story about Charles Dickens and his trip to Cornwall in 1842. Did he take inspiration from the places and people he met before writing A Christmas Carol? One hundred and eighty-two years on from Dickens's trip to Cornwall, and just in time for Christmas, we take a look back at the story. Let us know your thoughts!

We can’t believe we’re here again, getting ready to decorate our homes with twinkling lights and obscene amounts of tinsel, but Christmas is approaching, and there is plenty to do in and around Launceston this festive season.

We can’t believe we’re here again, getting ready to decorate our homes with twinkling lights and obscene amounts of tinsel, but Christmas is approaching, and there is plenty to do in and around Bodmin this festive season.

A team of volunteers are inviting people who may be struggling to their free community Christmas lunch on Christmas Day.

A talented group of fashion students from Falmouth University got a career boost recently when they teamed up with Hall for Cornwall’s giant Christmas show for a piece of career-defining work.

Vicki Glaister is a local jewellery designer and creative soul, whose business Inspire Makers has helped put countless Cornish artists and creatives in the spotlight of the community. With 75% of retail and hospitality outlets in Falmouth being independently run Cornish businesses, Falmouth is making waves with its independent, eclectic, and diverse shops, galleries, and eateries.

In March 1894, a father captured this photograph of his daughter in a boat somewhere in Cornwall, while on holiday. More than a hundred years later, the location of the photograph has finally been uncovered, revealing an insight into the holiday of a woman who would go on to become one of the world’s best loved children’s authors and illustrators.

We can’t believe we’re here again, getting ready to decorate our homes with twinkling lights and obscene amounts of tinsel, but Christmas is approaching, and there is plenty to do in and around Falmouth this festive season.

In an aim to address social isolation during the festive season, Emily, owner of Castle Beach Cafe, is inviting people who may find themselves on their own to keep her company at the cafe on Christmas Day.

You may have noticed that a woodland of trees and native shrubs have appeared at Bodmin Beacon...

We explore some of the local stories from the war years...

Art enthusiasts will flock to Falmouth every September to attend Cornwall’s latest and most exciting new festival on the arts scene - FORM.

Rock and Port Isaac based holiday letting agency John Bray Cornish Holidays has once again run its Christmas card designing competition, inviting students from primary schools across North Cornwall to get creative in preparation for the festive period.

Tony Winning opened his gallery on Westgate Street two years ago...

For most, Christmas is a time of happiness and joy, but for others this may not be the case. Cornwall is known for its beautiful landscapes and stunning coastline, but it is also an area of deprivation, where many families struggle to make ends meet. Nobody wants to think of a child going without for Christmas, which is why several charities and businesses run toy appeals each Christmas to provide gifts for children in Cornwall, who may otherwise not receive anything on Christmas morning.

Sat nestled in the countryside just a stone’s throw from Wadebridge, you’ll find Treraven Farm, the home of Camel Community Supported Agriculture (Camel CSA).

Colwith Farm Distillery, based in Lanlivery, has some suitably festive events planned this December. Whether you’re looking for the perfect place to host a much-needed catch-up with your friends, something a little different for the work Christmas do, or fancy treating a loved one to a distillery tour, Colwith has something for everyone this Christmas.