Team Cornwall in training for 2012 International Mining Games

Students from the Camborne School of Mines (CSM) are in preparation for the International Mining Games, which will be hosted by CSM at King Edward Mine Museum, near Camborne from 31st March to 1st April 2012.

While many of us are trying to get into shape by sweating it out in the gym or pounding the pavements, they are heaving mine wagons, laying rail tracks and chiselling through granite.

Now in its 34th year, this is the first time the competition will be held outside the US or Australia. 40 teams from all over the world will compete in physical challenges based on traditional mining techniques, many of which were originally developed in Cornwall in the 1700s and 1800s. The event will be free and open to spectators.

The primary aim of the competition is to celebrate traditional mining techniques, many of which were originally developed in Cornwall. Events such as ‘jackleg drilling’, ‘mucking’ and ‘track stand’ test the competitors’ physical strength, speed and endurance, while challenges like surveying depend more on knowledge and quick thinking. All rely on preparation and excellent teamwork. CSM is entering three teams and the students have put together a busy training schedule, around their studies.

CSM student Oakley Turner is leading on the organisation of the games. He said: “The skills required for these traditional techniques are now extremely rare, but an understanding of them is still vital to the mining industry. CSM students are among the few people with this expertise, which puts our graduates in very high demand among employers.

“Hosting the International Mining Games is a wonderful way for us to celebrate our skills and bring a really exciting event to Cornwall. It will be a great opportunity for local people to see these techniques being carried out in the same part of the world as they were originally developed.”

The International Mining Games started in 1978 in honour of the 91 miners who died in the Sunshine Mine disaster, USA in 1972, as well as miners that have since died in the line of duty. Since then, it has grown and evolved and also provides a talent scouting opportunity for mining companies and companies in related sectors, as well as bringing together mining students from all over the world.

Head of Camborne School of Mines Professor Frances Wall said: “We are very proud that our students are bringing this prestigious competition to Cornwall. Representatives from some of the world’s biggest mining companies will be attending, so this will be an excellent opportunity for our students to network and potentially secure future employment.

“It will also be great fun for our students and for local people, who we hope will come to cheer along the CSM teams.”

King Edward Mine, known to generations of students as KEM, was for over a century CSM's field station for practical mining and surveying. Now open as a museum, the mine is owned by Cornwall Council and is managed by a team of volunteers who stated restoration work on the site 25 years ago.

Mining Engineer Tony Brooks, former CSM student and director of King Edward Mine Museum, said: "We are delighted to be able to help host the Mining Games at KEM. There could be nowhere more appropriate for this event. This will be good for CSM, Camborne and Cornwall"

Listen now to our latest podcasts!

This month we're looking inside Heartlands with two delicious podcasts from our exhibition planner, Andrew Leitch. As well as restoring the former mine buildings at Robinson's Shaft and preserving many of the artefact's that were found there, the World Heritage Site exhibition within Heartlands will bring to life the history of Cornish mining in an innovative and interactive way. In the podcasts, Andrew Leitch gives an exclusive glimpse inside the exhibitions revealing the captivating human story as well as the challenges involved in interpreting the Cornish Mining story.

The exhibitions will be delivered within the restored Robinson's Shaft mine buildings over the next couple of months.

For more information and a Guided Tour, please contact the Heartlands Team on 01209 722320.

Applications now open for studio space

There are 15 studios at Heartlands which are located at the centre of the exciting development incorporating culture, history and play.

Studios are for the use of artists, makers and crafts people and with lots of natural light and views over the market square and World Heritage Site of Robinson's Shaft it certainly is an inspiring place to work.

For further information on how to apply for a studio, along with costs and floor plans visit the Business section of our website.

More balloons found!

Two more reported balloon sightings have come in. One was found in a gentleman's garden in Saint Pierre du Chemin and another in Le Relais Pouzauges, both south of the town Nantes, France.

Balloons found!

On Sunday 25th July we received 2 emails telling us that 2 of our biodegradable balloons from our balloon race had been found in France. It took the balloons just 2 days to travel to Brittany and the other in Carquefou, near Nantes.

We are eagerly waiting to hear where else the balloons have got to on their travels!

Heartlands launch goes with a bang

On Friday 23rd July Heartlands held its countdown to opening event, marking the start of major construction on site.

Local schools and community groups who have been involved in Heartlands were invited to witness the launch of the countdown to opening which was marked by a biodegradable balloon release. Students from local schools that have worked with Heartlands each had their own tag attached to a balloon with their 'Hope for Heartlands'. From the 800 balloons released there will be one lucky winner. The owner of the balloon that travels the furthest will be the proud winner of a new bike. Watch this space to find out where our balloons land.........

Opportunity to learn more about Heartlands

Guided tours around Heartlands in Pool will give people living in the local community the opportunity to learn first hand, how the £29.5 million project is progressing.

The tours, which will take place on Friday October 2 at 2pm and Wednesday October 7 at 6pm, will guide people around the perimeters of the site. Kirsty Davies, Heartlands Community Project Manager will lead the tour and also be on hand to answer any questions people may have about the Project.

Heartlands is planned to transform Cornwall’s most derelict urban area into a truly inspirational cultural landscape. Heartlands became a reality in 2007 after receiving a £22.3 million grant from the Big Lottery Fund’s Living Landmarks programme, the only project in England to be awarded this funding. Additional funding has been provided by the Homes and Communities Agency, the national housing and regeneration agency for England and Cornwall Council. All funding for the project is secure and major works are planned to start early 2010.

Kirsty Davies, Heartlands Community Project Manager, said: “The Heartlands tours are a great way for members of the community to come on to the site and see for themselves the plans for the development of the site. We’ve run a number of tours already and the feedback is always that people really enjoy learning first hand how the Project is progressing and having the opportunity to ask any questions as they walk around.”

The tours will be limited to 10 people. Anyone interested in taking part in the site tour should contact Kirsty Davies, Heartlands Community Project Manager on 01209 722323.

BIG Lottery Fund Chief Executive visits Heartlands

The Chief Executive of the BIG Lottery Fund, Peter Wanless, paid a visit to Heartlands in Pool on Friday (July 10) as part of his tour of the South West.

Peter spent time meeting members of Heartlands team and later took a tour of the 18 acre site to see the essential site preparation work that has taken place before work officially gets underway.

Heartlands became a reality in 2007 after receiving a £22.3 million grant from the Big Lottery Fund’s Living Landmarks programme, the only project in England to be awarded this funding.

Peter Wanless, Chief Executive of BIG Lottery Fund, said: “Heartlands is a truly transformational project and it was great to visit the site and see the steps that are being taken towards getting work officially underway.

”This is a hugely important project for BIG Lottery Fund as it incorporates so many key elements of sustainable community and environmental development all in one place. We are very proud to have been able to award the grant to Heartlands and look forward to seeing the project take shape.”

The £29.5 million Heartlands in Pool is planned to transform Cornwall’s most derelict urban area into a truly inspirational cultural landscape. Additional funding has been provided by the Homes and Communities Agency, the national housing and regeneration agency for England and Cornwall Council.

Scott James, Heartlands Programme Director, said: “Without the investment from the BIG Lottery Fund The Heartlands Project would never have made it from its design plan stage to reality.

“We were delighted to welcome Peter onto the site and show him all the preparation work that has been undertaken as we work towards the official start on site.”

Pathway re-opens in Pool

A public walkway linking two of the main roads in Pool has been re-opened by Heartlands.

Access through the Heartlands site between Dudnance Lane and Station road was temporarily closed while site preparation work took place near the sites parameters. Sections of the former path have been replaced by Midas Construction, and a new gravelled walkway now runs parallel to the site, linking up the existing pathways and providing an access route for the public.

Steve Luck, Operations Manager, Midas Construction, said: “In order to ensure the health and safety of the public we temporarily closed off access through the site whilst essential site preparation work took place. We have now reopened the pathway, and levelled the path with gravel to provide easy access to the public.”

Kirsty Davies, Heartlands Community Project Manager, said: “It’s great the pathway is now open again for full public use. The walkway is already attracting dog walkers and cyclists out and about in Pool and we wanted to let everyone else know that path access between two of Pool’s main routes is open again. The new section of the pathway runs directly alongside the Heartlands site and provides the perfect view of the site for the public to watch the area develop.”

Heartlands tours on offer to the local community

Local people are being reminded that guided tours are taking place on a monthly basis around Heartlands in Pool.

The next monthly tour will leave Pool Health Centre on Friday 6th March at 2pm and the group will have the opportunity to learn first hand how the site will be transformed into an inspirational cultural landscape.

The group tours will be an opportunity for people to see how work on the site is progressing. The tours are being conducted by Heartlands Community Project Manager, Kirsty Davies.

Kirsty will be able to answer any questions people may have about the project and give commentary about key milestones whilst leading the group around perimeters of the 7.5 hectare site.

Kirsty said: “The feedback we’ve had from the tours I’ve already done has been really positive. The tours are another opportunity for local people to hear first hand from a member of the project team about what’s going on at the site and stay up to date with the project before work officially gets underway.”

Local people invited on a tour of Heartlands

Local people are being given an opportunity to have a guided tour around the site of Heartlands in Pool.

The first tour will leave Pool Health Centre on Friday 5th December at 1pm and the group will have the opportunity to learn first hand how the currently derelict land will be transformed into an inspirational cultural landscape.

The tour, which is set to be the first of many, will be guided by Heartlands Community Project Manager, Kirsty Davies. Kirsty will lead the group around the perimeters of the site and will give people a commentary about what’s planned on the 7.5 hectare site and also answer any questions people may have about Heartlands.

Kirsty said: “We’re keen to get as many local people as possible involved with the tours. As a community led project the guided tours will be another opportunity for local people to stay up to date with the project in the lead up to the official start on site early next year and thereafter.”

The tours will be limited to 10 people and anybody interested should contact Kirsty Davies, Heartlands Community Project Manager on 01209 722323.

Heartlands welcomes Mexican officials

Mexican delegates have made a visit to Heartlands in Pool as part of their tour of Cornwall.

As part of the weeklong trip to explore links between the two lands, Mexican state and government officials have learnt about how the Heartlands Project will transform 7.5 hectares of former mining land into a truly inspirational cultural landscape with World Heritage Site status.

The Heartlands team gave the officials a tour of the Heartlands site and talked them through the key areas of the project. Among the visitors were Omar Fayad Meneses, Mayor of Pachuca and Jessica Blancas, economic development minister.

The links between Mexico and Cornwall date back to the early 1820s when local mineworkers were recruited to help reopen redundant silver mines in and around a small town in Northern Mexico. The visit by the Mexican officials follows a visit to the country by a delegation from Redruth and Camborne in the summer this year.

Cllr Loveday Jenkin, Kerrier Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Arts and Culture, who also joined in the tour, said: “The visit has been a fantastic opportunity to bring together Cornish and Mexican cultures and demonstrates the close links our communities still have. It is essential we keep these relationships strong and the visit to Heartlands clearly illustrated to the Mexican delegates how elements in the project will celebrate the links our two regions have.”

Scott James, Heartlands programme director, said: “We were delighted to welcome our visitors from Mexico and were grateful for the opportunity to give them a taste of what we’re aiming to create at Heartlands.

“We know our local communities share close cultural links with Mexico and it was fascinating to hear about this. The Mexican officials were really interested to learn about how elements of the Heartlands project will celebrate both Cornish culture and the links with Diaspora countries such as Mexico.”