Cornish welcome for Maggie at Marazion

There was no doubting the Prime Minister's pride and pleasure at the success of the Marazion community centre, which was her first call during her Saturday stay in the sunshine.

She declared: “I have never seen such value for £170,000 that they have in that building” . As a person interested in “value for money” there was value for each and every pound that had been spent, Mrs. Thatcher told the local people.

She showed great interest in all she saw there, enjoyed a Cornish pasty and some local songs, and thrilled the centre workers with her own enthusiasm. It was a surprise visit—the leaders knew less than a week before—which wrote a new chapter in the town's long history.

There to welcome her were civic leaders, the Mayor and Mayoress, Mr. and Mrs. Rex Laity, who gave her a silver brooch, a replica of the town seal, that had been made by 24-year-old Joanna Barnes of Tidewater, Higher Fore Street, Marazion.

She is a designer jeweller who started on the “enterprise” scheme in October after training at Plymouth. Mrs. Thatcher, clearly delighted at her work, made a point of having a long talk with her.

“Have you anything else you can show me?” asked the Prime Minister, and Joanna quickly took the hint. “I ran home and ran back” , she said, and handed her sample box of silver jewellery.

The Prime Minister, who said she was getting some items for her daughter Carol, bought a silver pendant from the case, as well as two pairs of earrings, and ordered a Celtic Cross which Joanna is to make and send on to her.

Lord and Lady St Levan, and the Dowager Lady Levan were presented to her, as were Mr. David Harris M.P. and Mrs. Harris, and Mr. David Sutherland, the area manager of the Cornwall and Plymouth MSC employment division.

He said the MSC had put in £100,000 towards the centre, mostly in wages. “Since November 1982 a total of 50 people have been employed here, with about 25 at any particular time. In Cornwall 934 people have been employed on the community programme, on 95 different projects” , he said.

She spoke to waiting children and said they must be looking forward to using it. “It is marvellous how did you do it” , she remarked, and Mrs. Susan Williams told her about the fund-raising from bring and-buy sales, and coffee mornings.

Mrs Francis Richards, vicechairman, presented her with a bouquet and Mrs. Thatcher was surprised at the wide range of colours in the anemones. The bouquet also included violets, white heather and freesias. The flowers in the hall were arranged by Mrs. Gwen Woolcock, president of the Women's Institute.

She spoke to the workers on the site, including hedger Mr Linden Jones, and had a close look at his work. “You must be proud of your achievements” , she said to a group which included the site clerk. Mrs Mary Basher.

Mrs. Thatcher signed a commemmorative card, and then it was time for a cup of tea and a Cornish pasty, as she said, “locally made” , by Mr. Don Job of the Oven Door.

She turned around so that the photographers could not watch her taking a bite, and then had another so she could get into the meat! Then it was passed on to put in a doggy bag to take home for supper” .

She had great pleasure from the music making of the Perran Harmony Singers, and thanked them.

Mr. John Arthur, the association secretary was presented, and so were Mr Terry Pryor, the Cornish community programme manager, and Prof. Bob Leaper chairman of the Cornwall and Devon area manpower board. So were labourers Messrs. Denis Meager, William Renfrey, Graham Drew, Robert Hopkins, Trevor Lawrence, John Storer (carpenter), Chris Bragg (mason), John Thompson (electrician), and the foreman, Mr. Bert Thurban.

Just as she was leaving, three little girls, Catherine Collins, Clare Sharp and Kirsty Dickery presented her with a posy of primroses, and she told them it was her favourite flower.

Perhaps the mood was best summed up when she went to speak to Mrs. Kathleen Shore of Marazion who had waited an hour to see her. She told Mrs. Thatcher she was doing “a wonderful job” , and the Prime Minister replied “I have such a lot to worry about, that it is nice to see something like this it is a great joy to me.”