Dear Hometown: I have questions

Raised in Redruth, DARCEY TRELOAR had begun to tire of it. But when she had to make a documentary for her degree, she realised the subject was right there on her doorstep

Redruth is my home. I’ve lived here my entire life. My happiest childhood memories consist of walking our dogs with my dad along the mining trails and scaling Carn Brea on a pink trike. Or going to watch rugby with my great-grandad and skipping through the town on Murdoch Day.  

But as I grew older, I started to dislike living in Redruth.  

I felt tired of seeing the same old sights on every walk. The derelict mines I had once found so exciting began to feel mundane. Rugby no longer held my interest, and my great-grandad wasn’t well enough to take me anymore. The festivals I once looked forward to became a chore, and I stopped attending them. The high street began to feel small. The same shops, the lack of places to go with my friends – I was bored with it all, and I found myself longing for more. 

It was then that I heard Redruth was going to be running for Town of Culture. 

Clouded by my own state of mind, I remember thinking: “What culture?” 

This also came at a time when I was looking for a topic to be the focus for my final university project – a video documentary.  

It suddenly clicked. I had a question which I wanted to answer. After all, I truly wanted to know if my home, a place I once loved but gradually grew weary of, actually had a culture worth celebrating. Could the town I so easily dismissed be holding stories, creativity and community which I’d overlooked? Not only was this an interesting documentary topic, but also a chance to rediscover Redruth and reconnect with my roots. 

And that I did.  

My research led me to people who were passionate about the town – Felix, one of the founders of The Ladder, who spoke about Redruth with an abundance of energy. His work was evidence that a once-neglected space could be transformed into a force of togetherness. Jasper, the 18-year-old town crier, who enthusiastically described Redruth as “sick” while wearing a vibrant coat designed by local fabricators, embroiderers and dyers. Hedluv and Passman, who kindly allowed me to use their iconic comedic rap song about living in Redruth, Dreckly. It was hard not to be inspired by everyone’s excitement. 

Walking through the high street again, I began to see it differently. The colourful murals, the intimate cafés, the chatter spilling from The Buttermarket – signs of life! 

Attending St Piran’s Day brought it all together for me. The streets were the most packed I’d seen them in years, full of laughter, music and dance. People young and old, from Redruth and further afield, all moving as one, celebrating Cornish heritage. For the first time since I was a child, I felt a sense of pride. It was comforting to be part of something unique.  

I’ve now come to realise that the culture I doubted has always been here. I just didn’t see it. You can find it amongst the people of Redruth – the artists, the musicians, the youth, the councillors, the everyday working locals. You can see it in their pride, their resilience, their passion.  

Whether Redruth wins Town of Culture or not, at the end of the day it’s my town of culture, and nothing can change that.