As we host Padstow Rotary Club’s weekly meetings I am included in their regular news updates.  There was a little traffic over the week end regarding the dreadful situation in Burma following the cyclone and how the Shelter Box charity has been one of the few aid organisations that has been able to get people in on the ground and delivering aid where it is needed.  I was also pleasantly surprised to see that there is an Australian shelter box scheme too and they have been able to send in over 1000 units.

Having read this I was moved to help in some way so decided to hand back the money they all paid for their dinner last night.  While this wasn’t a huge amount it went towards the cash Padstow had already raised and was enough then to buy another box to send out.

This was great news to hear as all the news coverage seems to be on how intractible the Burmese government is and not enough aid is getting through.  While lots more certainly does need to happen it is good to be able to share something positive.

Do please follow these lilnks to see what is happening:

 The main shelterbox site:  http://www.shelterbox.org/

Padstow rotary: http://www.rotary-ribi.org/clubs/homepage.asp?ClubID=1049

An Observer article published just before the cyclone hit on the new constitution which seems to have been of more concern to the junta than the disaster:  http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/may/04/burma.humanrights  There are many more related stories on the pages around this link.

Latest news on shelter box in Burma: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cornwall/7404994.stm 

Today we hosted our first coffee morning in aid of the town’s lifeboat for a very long time.  The local fundraisers, headed up by Margaret, did all the organising for the stalls and the publicity so all we had to do was provide the room and the coffee.

When we started to put the tables in the Met Lounge yesterday I was a bit concerned about how much space they would have left but after a bit of juggling around this morning I managed to find a bit more room for them all.  As with previous events we have held for Save the Children we served the coffee and homemade biscuits in the main lounge and the CafeBar to give everyone a bit more room and also a chance to enjoy our fabulous view over the estuary.

The entrance fee was just £1 which included the coffee and then there was a myriad of stalls from the expected cake stall (lovely chocolate cake) to a raffle and a wide range of Padstow Lifeboat clothing.  I have my tickets from the national fundraising draw  stuck up on my office wall waiting for the end of June.  Mary, who was selling these tickets, is a real character and has an amazing technique for getting her cash - it is a long while since I have been threatened with physical violence….!

All in all the team raised over £400 from this morning’s work which is all very useful in keeping our lifeboat afloat.  A big thank you to all of those who came to support this cause and to all my staff who worked hard to make it a success.

The whole of Padstow is a bit quiet today, lots of people are still here but after all the May Day celebrations there is more than one sore head around town!

Visitors pour into Padstow for the day, many staying over for the event as there is so much to see:  the night singing is when everything starts as groups of “Mayers” go around and sing the night song under the windows of the older, established families.  Around 5.00 am more people go and collect green branches to decorate the town to go with all the bunting, flags and the May Pole, the town looks really great then, all fresh and clean in the morning sunlight. 

There are two or three kids osses who come out early and dance their way around the town, we were lucky enough to have two come in yesterday to dance for the residents during breakfast.  This starts things off in a great way for us.  As the parents and friends are with them we make sure the outside bar is open by 7.30 so they can all get a drink while they are here.

Once they have moved on there is a bit of a lull here until around 10.15 / 10.30 when the Blue Oss comes through on its way around Padstow.  As there is a whole army of followers the bar really gets hit so it is a case of head down and get on with serving the people in front of us.  I have to admit I’ve never seen much of the Oss itself while it is here as we are so busy.  Many people stay around after that, we have a BBQ going too and sell burgers, pasties and jacket potatoes, which makes a real change for the chefs who are out front with us, I think they enjoy the change and actually meeting some customers.

This year Ginty who works 2 nights a week and 3 days was the Master of Ceremonies for the Blue Oss, this is a real honour for him and he was really looking forward to leading the procession around Padstow.  We will be keeping a copy of today’s Western Morning News for him as he has a great picture on page 8.  The story may come up later on www.westernmorningnews.co.uk .

While we are now tidying up and putting things back to normal the committees for the 2 parties are already planning next year’s event.  If I can find some links to stories about it I’ll post them here later.

Here’s the article from the WMN with the picture of our Ginty looking very smart:

http://www.westernmorningnews.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=248235&command=displayContent&sourceNode=248201&contentPK=20527708&folderPk=115131&pNodeId=249131

Well, OK it’s blood donor day today not a Bramstoker Appreciation Society event.  Mel, Laura and I went along around 2pm, Cath and Tracey are going to go nearer tea time and I am hoping Joyce will be able to go today too.

That was the good start, I am now sitting here wearing my sticker but both Mel and Laura were sent on their way!  Not sure why, hope to find out when Laura comes back to work later on today.  I will update on the others when I find out but so far our average donation rate isn’t very good.

 Well I’m pleased to say that Tracey and Cath have done their bit and we now have a positive donation ratio.  The girls are both OK but Tracey did have a problem stopping bleeding - it is a long time since she’s given blood so I guess a bit more wanted to escape.  They assure me they haven’t gone to the pub to replace their lost fluid but…

Last night I was invited to the re-opening party at Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant following its £2.5M redevelopment, the reason for my near guilt was that I was leaving a full hotel and a very busy restaurant behind.  I didn’t worry about the team here as I’d seen the planning and organisation they’d put in and they had a really good night.  Not as good as mine though! 

The new Seafood Restaurant is stunning and the work Rick, Jill and Rupert have done with the design team is fantastic.  I was expecting a glass of fizz and some canapes but found out during the week that we were being treated to dinner from the full menu, guinea pigs Rick Stein said when he welcomed us!  The new set up works really well and I would wholeheartedly recommend anyone go and have a look when in Padstow, I guess Rick would prefer it if you ate as well as just looking!

I am sure there will be some new photos on their web site soon but as the builders only finished yesterday afternoon it has been a bit too quick for them to get the pictures done yet - look out for the statue of Chalky!

Here’s a link to Rick’s website:

http://www.rickstein.com/

If your thinking of visiting Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant or visiting Padstow, why not stay at the Metropole Hotel.

http://the-metropole.co.uk/

No, not a strange amateur weather forecast but an exclamation of pleasant surprise from one of Padstow’s Rotarians. 

Many of the members of the Padstow club which meets in the hotel each week are involved in hospitality businesses and so have to take their holidays in November, much like I did.  This has meant that we have struggled for numbers for the last couple of weeks so it was a great pleasure to have to bring some extra seats and place settings up to their room this evening.  The numbers tonight are up to 20, which bodes well for the rest of the winter, we are happy to welcome them all back from their various holidays refreshed for their winter work getting ready for next season.

While I can understand the benefits of disappearing over the horizon for some winter sun to the south of Spain or the Canaries the winter sun here today is fantastic.  One of our guests had gone out for an early morning walk and he was really amazed at how stunning Padstow and the estuary looked, bathed in the early morning sunlight.  While it may not be quite as warm as the costas you don’t have the aggravation and waiting around at airports to get here!

Amy did have to scrape her windscreen before coming in for her early reception shift and I was a bit cold on my bike 1st thing but you don’t have to get up that early!  Just pull back the curtains and let the sunlight flood in and enjoy it from inside.  After breakfast the chill will have gone, our forecast today is for 10 degrees C so wrap up warm and go for a good walk up the coast path or hire a bike from Chris and peddle off to Wadebridge for a pasty.

Being more of a hotelier I don’t usually look out this guide but one of our regular guests who owns his own pub / restaurant in Usk (The Nags Head - do call in if you’re there) has just told me we’re in it.  I’ve just looked it up online and it is a good little review - I think it helps us having the famous Sharps Doom Bar in there.

We’ve had a beautiful late summer here in Padstow but Autumn has definitely arrived.  While riding home last night I was thinking I would be able to carry on cycling in my shorts for another couple of weeks, despite having put on long sleeves for that morning.  I must admit I had a big re-think this morning - the house felt quite chilly when I got up so out came another jumper and my long trousers, I had another think and left them in the wardrobe.  Just before I left I had a quick glance at the outside thermometer and saw only 8 degrees - straight back upstairs for the leggings and a pair of gloves just in case.

The ride in was lovely because it was so sunny and more enjoyable as I was wrapped up well.  Adam and I were laughing at Jackie in reception the other day (cruel I know but..) because she was telling a guest it is as nice here in the winter as it is in the summer.  We found it funny because it sounded so incongruous but really Jackie is right - it is a great place to be with the crisp, very fresh air and the walks and rides are very refreshing and the other people you meet on the Camel Trail or South West Coast Path always have time for at least a quick hello. 

October is a great time to have a look at out of season Cornwall if you’ve only come in the summer before, there’s loads to do as most of the attractions stay open till after half term and if your interest is more wildlife the estuary is teeming with migrating birds having a stopover on their way south - we are quite famous for our Whooper swans amongst many others.

This is a common call from rugby referees when the ball is stuck in a mall and nothing is happening but it is equally appropriate for Padstow’s Cinema.  This is a magical old building, created as a music hall in 1919 and converted to a cinema a few years later.  Unfortunately it has limited opening hours and I have heard a rumour which I’ve yet to follow up that it is for sale.

It would be a real shame for Padstow to lose its cinema, The Cinedrome as it is called was fully refurbished in 1997 so it should have a lot of life left in it, we just need to encourage some more people to use it.

Have a look at the site and call in if you have a chance: http://www.wtwcinemas.co.uk/