Dave Meneer’s further thoughts on 8 Cathedral Lane in Truro
“We opened our doors at No 8 Cathedral Lane in Truro in October 2023. Like all charities we are struggling to make ends meet and every little helps us keep the doors open. And every transaction in our little shop helps that.
“CLEAR is the Cornish charity with a vision for a community safe and free from abuse with opportunities to flourish after trauma. Our therapists and counsellors are trained, qualified and registered with all the appropriate governing bodies to carry out the work that we do, day in day out.
“So, if you’re a customer of ours at No 8 – THANK YOU! And if you’re a donor of the lovely stuff we sell thank you for that too. No donations – nothing to sell – no customers…no shop and no bigger impact by CLEAR. In fact if you have anything to do with us in our little world at no 8 on Cathedral Lane THANK YOU.
“We’ve already had plenty of thank-you’s and kind words from our customers like ‘excuse me, are you a charity shop or a boutique?’…followed by ‘great vibe and good prices’ and how about ‘the most beautiful charity shop I’ve ever been in’.
“One recent comment briefly started badly but finished well – ‘oh, this is a bad shop…a VERY bad shop…everything is so nice!’. Bad is good.
“Along the way we’ve had some great customers, some great donors and some great transactions…some great stories and some great comments. Please allow us to share a few…you might even find your own voice in there….
Boots, binoculars and something that irritatingly doesn’t begin with a ‘B”….
Boots?…the lady who loved them never bought them…but she nearly did. (And she got ‘em anyway.)
“She was looking for a present for a friend and we couldn’t quite deliver. But she noticed those fine brown boots. Tried them on. Fitted perfectly but buying that present had to take priority and we’re not pushy salesmen! So back on the shelf they went and she left empty handed – city centre retail failure, right there. A couple of days later a middle - aged gent walked purposefully in and went straight for the boots. Not really his style. ‘Ah, you’re lucky’ Mark said ‘they nearly had a buyer two days ago - a young woman seemed very keen’’.
‘I know’ he said…’that’s my daughter…and she can be very persistent -she sent me in with strict instructions. This isn’t the first time.’ Off he went. Job done. She got her present; I wonder whether her deserving pal ever got hers?
Binoculars?… They were given to us by a splendid chap who was doing some midlife laundering – a bit of a clear out.
“A couple of days later another chap comes in, let’s call him Mr Seymour and the bins caught his eye. Much taken he was; even stood in the door for a test drive…eyeing up the upper reaches of our friendly cathedral at the end of the lane. Focussing on those spires…they’re called Victoria, Edward and Alexandra you know. Though not many people DO know that. The big one is also too stubby to our liking but you’re not allowed to say that. 20 feet too short. But it is. Take a critical look.
“Anyway the deal was done. A couple of months later he reappears; sharply in focus. The ‘bins’ had been used – a safari in Africa and then another family member went checking out the beaches in the Caribbean – versatile things binoculars. From giraffes to palm trees. I wonder where they are now? Part of the family still we hope.
“Stop press: we soon found out! Our purchaser returned, Again. It had been Tanzania this time! Have ‘bins’ – will travel!
“And while we’re on BBBs, don’t forget B is for Books…we shift loads – watch out Waterstones! One regular lured in by the books simply said ‘I DO love this shop’. She’ll be back…why not join her?”
And one last little snippet…
“As part of the closure of a residential care home in west Cornwall the shop at No 8 received a whole host of donations - glasses, books, toast racks, tea pots, pictures and tablecloths. The tablecloths were of differing sizes and colours all sold as material either for their original use or for sewing projects. One such was a fabulous shade of orange. The lady who bought it said 'this is the perfect colour for a project I have - I will show you when I have finished it!’
“And true to her word a couple of months later she returned with photos on her 'phone of a stunning tapestry she had made incorporating part of the orange material in to a sunrise as part of a picture for a friend who was recovering from serious illness.
Dave Meneer, March 2025
The development of 8 Cathedral Lane is being supported through £37,120 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. In Cornwall it is administered through Cornwall Council. For more information visit
An Evening with Harry Glasson and the Maids of Melody
Come join us for a magical night of music at REVIVE in Camborne. Cornwall's own Harry Glasson and west Cornwall choir the Maids of Melody who will be joined by very special guest Pam Rudge for this charity concert raising money for CLEAR. This exclusive evening of stories and song will be compered by BBC Radio's Mel Osborne.
Don't miss out on an unforgettable evening! Help Harry, Pam, Mel and the Maids to raise funds to support children and adults across Cornwall to flourish after trauma. Ticket price includes light refreshments. With opportunities to win some very special prizes. Doors open at 7pm
The venue is fully accessible and has free onsite parking.
Book here on Eventbrite
When it’s CLEAR …it’s not.
Dave Meneer visits 8 Cathedral Lane in Truro
“Oh, I can go all cryptic on the headline front after a journey in the pouring rain into an oasis of positivity and joy down a back alley in our Great Little City - Truro. 8 Cathedral Lane actually - slap dab in the centre of Truro . And I felt bathed in sunshine when I walked through the door from the rain.
“Now that happens most days in this unique place but today (27th November) and indeed until Saturday (30th November) it’s giving just a little of its selling space to its own wonderful contribution to “16 days of Activism” – an international campaign and call to end gender – based violence.
With the hashtag “no excuses’ – because there are none.
“They call it CLEAR VOICES - an exhibition of creativity and positive thought and energy, all produced by the people that CLEAR sets out to help every day. It’s unusual, assured, highly creative and unique because the people who have put this together are just that too. There is art, literature, poetry, jewellery - a rather unique, heartfelt and uplifting blend of ‘this is who we are’ and this is what CLEAR is. And how it’s helped us.
“CLEAR which runs this place thrives and runs on putting things right rather than dwelling on, and getting bogged down by, the wrongs. It is a charity dedicated to bringing highly trained skills and expertise to the troubled world of handling trauma and everything that causes and follows that.
“And this exhibition was put together by its ‘clients’ – the adults and children and those in between who have suffered trauma but are bouncing back on a CLEAR day to get their lives back and back on track.
“The art – paintings and prints and photography is what first grabs you and a vibrant calendar for 2025 too of course featuring many of these graphics. “ CLEAR voices through pictures” – every month a new even clearer voice from someone (typically young) with talent and courage on a difficult journey that CLEAR has made easier. And, yes, most of it is for sale; of course it is! No point having a shop without (modest…very) price tags.
“The photographs by Eiran Lapham have already appeared to wide acclaim in the book “ODES OF GROWTH” but here they are again, on the wall, big, where they belong. At the end of the book I stumbled upon a joy of a poem; just 11 lines, just 25 words, called “Ode to a Counsellor”. You don’t stumble upon titles like that every day but it fits right in here. And there’s prints by Victora Amy and yet more vibrant artwork by Nikita Midgley – a wall of it. Price tags too.
“Tiny but eye-catching and also by Victora Amy are bracelets hand-made of clay and wonderfully, uniquely hand-coloured and quietly adorned with symbols designed to support people experiencing distressing flashbacks and to help ground them, self sooth them and empower them. (Yes, no ‘e’ on the end of sooth and who am I to argu with an artiste!?) they’re lovely and yes, they will all be snapped up.
“There are Christmas Care packages full of all sorts of goodies and there are three truly excellent books – CLEAR CONVERSATIONS edited by Sarah Perry in which therapists who work with young people talk about their practice. Sounds dull, isn’t.
“Two other quite beautifully presented diary type handbooks are the SELF CARE PLAYBOOK to help you ‘feel peaceful, empowered and free’ and GRATITUDE – full of optimism and designed to move the reader gently from judgement to gratitude and to “blitz negativity’.
I rather liked that and the section on “Three parts of my body I’m grateful for’. I finally got to three on the half hour drive home and I suspect there may be even more! These two real goodies by Frances Verbeek; she’s big in yoga too if that’s your thing.
“I could go on. And I didn’t expect that I would. Get in there off the alley…sorry, Cathedral Lane…and check it all out for yourself – there’s lots of other stuff too. And lots of modest little price tags. Go on!”
Dave Meneer, November 2024
The development of 8 Cathedral Lane is being supported through £37,120 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. In Cornwall it is administered through Cornwall Council. For more information visit
8 Cathedral Lane in Truro will be regularly open between 10am and 4 pm Monday to Saturday in the run up to Christmas with a great collection of bespoke handmade Christmas gifts and decorations alongside a wide selection of preloved clothes, homeware and donated crafts.!
And
27th November – open until 9pm for Wednesday Late Night Shopping
As part of 16 Days of Activism 8 Cathedral Lane will be hosting a CLEAR Voices art exhibition. Having a voice and being heard is important in a journey of recovery - sometimes that voice is expressed creatively, through play, music, art or poetry. The CLEAR Voices exhibition is provided through the art and words of children and adults supported by CLEAR. We are hugely grateful to all contributors for their courage, talent and for the journey they have been on.
Catch the exhibition
4th December – open until 9pm for Wednesday Late Night Shopping
5th December – Truro Childrens Clothes Bank 9-30am to 3-30pm
11th December – open until 9pm for Wednesday Late Night Shopping
18th December – open until 9pm for Wednesday Late Night Shopping
21st December – last day of opening until 2025!
The development of 8 Cathedral Lane is being supported through £37,120 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund aims to improve pride in place and increase life chances across the UK investing in communities and place, supporting local business, and people and skills. In Cornwall it is administered through Cornwall Council. For more information visit
Planning for the New Year? Why not pop in and pick up one of our great calendars for £7
They say a picture paints a thousand words and we are both proud and delighted to share these pictures with you in our CLEAR 2025 Calendar. This beautiful collaboration is now available to purchase at 8 Cathedral lane in Truro. Our wonderful calendar is brought to you through the voices of children and adults supported by CLEAR and expressed through art.
We are hugely grateful to all contributors for their courage and talent and for sharing their images with us.
Pop in to purchase your 2025 calendar - £5 each; or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. call 01872 261147 to order your copy.
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