Archive for category: News

Looe Library & Community Hub have released the February 2025 Wasson. Scroll to see what Looe has on offer this month- link below!

https://www.looetowncouncil.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Wasson-February-2025-1.pdf

On Monday 3^rd February 2025 , Cornwall Council will begin their street light initiative programme, in which streetlights will be switched off from 12pm to 5am in the following locations:

• Looe, St Martins
• Morval (whole parish)
• Downderry & Seaton

This supports Cornwall Council’s goal of becoming Carbon Neutral by 2030. The initiative will also reduce light pollution and energy costs.

Cornwall Council explained the initiative further:

“To help reduce light pollution some of our lights are turned off part of the night, usually between midnight and 5am. This will help meet the Council’s ambition to become Carbon Neutral by 2030. For the benefits of reduced light pollution, please see Light Pollution – Buglife.

We are rolling this out in batches of approximately 1000 lights at a time and currently have 11,000 switched off. Based on the current approved policy there are 36,000 lights (of 56,000) that will be switched off by the end of the project. The streetlighting energy cost per night in 2021 was £5,274 and in 2023 had increased to £9,445 per night. Energy prices remain at the increased rate. The Council must continue to implement changes to make savings both for the environment to meet our carbon commitments and manage budgets. Once the switch-off project is complete the annual saving, based on current energy rates, will be £680,000 per year. This equates to a saving of £1,863 per night.”

It is important to note that, the main road A387 will remain illuminated, as will the Town Centre area (mainly Fore Street and the quay). Other more residential areas may remain illuminated but further dimmed, these are areas where there are speed humps in a 30mph limit (20mph zones will be switched off). There is an interactive map that show which lights are switched off, this is due to be updated over the weekend and should be available via: Street lights switched off after Sunday 2^nd February.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please contact Cornwall Council Roads, Traffic & Parking directly via: 0300 1234 222 or via the Streetlighting webpage

The Guildhall Toilets will be closed from Monday to Friday during the week commencing 27th January 2025. This closure is due to a scheduled deep clean.

To accommodate during this period, the Seafront Toilets will be open from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM during this time.

We apologise for any inconvenience caused and appreciate your understanding.

It’s a new year, is it time for a new you? Perhaps time for a new skill? The team at Looe library and Community Hub have you covered.

We have recruited the super talented Jackie Taylor to fulfil the role of our writer in residence! Jackie will be running a selection of FREE sessions starting 25^th February – perfect for anyone looking to spark their creativity, learn new skills, or just have fun!

Upcoming Sessions with Jackie include:

Meet the Writer 14^th Jan 11.45 – 2pm (drop-in)

Meet the Writer 4th Feb 11.45 – 2pm (drop-in)

Tuesday 25^th February 2025, 10.30am – noon
Workshop 1: Sparks! Getting Started: building blocks and where to find ideas

Tuesday 4^th March 2025, 10.30am – noon
Workshop 2: It’s All in the Detail:  how to create convincing characters and settings

Tuesday 11^th March 2025, 10.30am – noon
Workshop 3: Next Steps: pulling it all together and developing your work

Eager for more? We had a chat with Jackie highlighting her background & plans for the new year.

Q1: Tell us about yourself!

I’m originally from London, but I’ve lived in the Looe Valley since 1997. Just over a year ago, we moved into Looe itself, and I have to say how much I love being so close to the sea. I’ve been writing forever; it’s how I make sense of the world (or try to!). My short fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction has appeared in many online and print literary journals, and my collection of interlinked short stories, Strange Waters, was published by Arachne Press in 2021. I was a member of the steering group who organised Looe Festival of Words in 2024.

I graduated from the University of Glasgow with a Master of Letters in Creative Writing (with Distinction) in 2023 as a very mature student, thus proving that you’re never too old to learn!

Q2: Can you discuss a personal career highlight/ achievement for you as a writer?

Receiving my first ever acceptance of an article for publication back in 1997 – that will always be very special. My husband took me out for a celebration meal, which cost far, far more than the fee I received for the piece!

Q3: Do you have any goals/resolutions for 2025 (in your writing or otherwise)?

My main resolution for 2025 is to enjoy the process of writing. It’s easy to get tied up in the business of getting your work published, to the extent that you lose sight of what matters – which is the pleasure that comes from engaging in a creative activity that you love. That doesn’t mean that I don’t have some more pragmatic goals too. I have two works in progress that I’m determined to finish in the first half of 2025: botánica, a long form eco-poem, and Pimp My Viz, a hybrid work on the theme of seeing and being seen. There: I’ve committed, so I’ll have to get on with them now!

Q4: What inspired you to become our writer in residence?

I’m a firm believer in lifelong learning, and in the benefits we can all gain by engaging in creative activities. As part of this residency, I’ll be facilitating sessions that will help people – I hope – to think about how to approach writing and perhaps even discover talents they didn’t know they had! Writing can be a very personal experience, but it’s also something that can bring people together, and where better than a Library for that to happen?

Q4: Who would you encourage to visit your upcoming workshop sessions?

I’d encourage anyone who is interested in doing some creative writing to book into the workshops and give it a go – just bring a notebook, a pen, and an open mind. I’m very excited to see what magic we can create together! The workshops start on February 25^th, but I’ll be available in the Library on Tuesday 14^th January and Tuesday 4^th February from 11.45am to 2pm to chat to anyone who wants to meet me or find out a bit more about the workshops before they make up their minds.

To book a workshop with Jackie contact Looe Library & Community Hub on: 01503 262390