A Great Day on the Dunes

St Piran must have put in a good word - the rain cleared away and left the sun to shine on the annual St Piran play and the four to five hundred people that attended the event.

Today I am very tired - while working in the props team I had to make the journey from the Haven car park out to the old church on the dunes no less than six times. An immense pleasure each time but my legs are complaining this morning!

Many thanks to:

All the cast members
Perran Penrose - Director
Colin Retallick - Producer (& St Piran)
Eileen Carter - St Piran Trust
Haven Leisure
Perranporth Surf & Lifeguards Club
Fentongollen Farm
The Samba Drummers
Kowethas

Daffodils for St Piran

Last year a mysterious benefactor came forward and provided daffodils for the St Piran play. The organisers never had a chance to thank him propoerly as he arrived just as the play started and then vanished as quickly as he came when the play had completed.

This year we are again short of a supply of daffodils for the traditional pilgrimmage across the dunes and would appeal for a flower producer, or anyone that could help to, let us have a couple of boxes of daffodils for the pilgrims as they watch the play and make the journey to the church and ancient Celtic cross.

If the benefactor from last year is reading this - please make yourself known so that we can thank you properly for your help last year - it really was much appreciated!

St Piran Play 2012 - Update

Rehearsals for this year's St Pran Play are underway and being held at The Seiners, Perranporth on Mondays at 7.30 p.m. Anyone who is interested in taking part is welcome to come along to a rehearsal.

The Play istself will take place on Sunday 4th March. Anyone who wants to come and watch should arrive at 1.30 p.m. for 2 p.m. start at Gear Sands. There is free parking at Perran Sands Holiday Centre and the car park and play will be signposted from the entrance on Perranporth to Goonhavern road.

A well as the Play, pilgrims can look forward to seeing various Cornish bands/groups - Kowethas, White Noise, Perraners, Robin Holmes (piper).

Haven have kindly agreed to open one of their leisure bars will be open for refreshments, entertainment and film show.

The Mysterious Benefactor

Last Sunday (6th March) the St Piran Trust produced the St Piran play. If you have read previous blog posts you will know that the Trust needed a benefactor to come forward and donate some daffodils in order to keep a tradition alive.

Fifteen minutes before the play started a gentleman came out of the crowd with four boxes of bunched daffodils and the play began with people carrying their daffodils to the Norman church.

The thing is, the St Piran Trust are unaware of who this very kind person was. The Trust would like to thank him and let him know how much they value his wonderful and warm-hearted gesture.

If the anonymous benefactor could make himself known then the St Piran Trust would like to thank him properly.

It is generosity like this that shows that there is no need for Mr Cameron to try to take advantage of people's goodwill and call it a 'Big Society'. The caring society is alive and well in Cornwall.

St Piran Play

Today the St Piran play was performed accross the sand dunes at Perranporth. There were hundreds of people there to see the story of St Piran unfold at various places of special significance to the life and history of St Piran.

This year the St Piran Trust had taken over the production of the play and it looks like the tradition is in good hands. As well as the scenes that we have come to enjoy each year there were new surprises and added touches designed to enhance the atmosphere and overall effect of the production.

St Piran's Oratory is currently buried under tons of sand. Given the significance of the site and its antiquity, this is something of a travesty. You can find out more about the Oratory and the work of the St Piran Trust here .

I am a volunteer with the St Piran Trust.

St Piran’s day is the 5^th of March and this year the St Piran Trust is responsible for producing the St Piran Play. This is the annual play staged on the sand dunes at Perranporth which attracts hundreds of ‘pilgrims’ who celebrate the life of St Piran. The play will be held on Sunday 6^th March commencing at 2:00pm.

Over the years a tradition has grown that, at the start of the play, the members of the audience are each given a small bunch of daffodils. These flowers add a welcome splash of colour to the event and are often left at the granite Celtic Cross close to the Norman church which provides the backdrop to the final scenes of the play.

Unfortunately, due to the poor weather this year, our normal supplier is unable to donate the daffodils for the pilgrims.

Does anyone know of a local daffodil producer who might donate approx. 300 small bunches of daffodils so that we can keep this tradition going? Plese get in touch if anyone can help.

More information on the St Piran Trust is here .