It is not often that PPV has a bit of a moan, particularly about one of its favourite days of the year, Flora Day. However, it is this love for Helston's annual feast day that is prompting PPV to speak out with a plea to the current generation of schoolgirls - please wear your gloves.

This column was slightly shocked by the amount of girls who were dancing barehanded, and it must be said that a large amount of these, although not exclusively, were the older students.

Yes fashions change. Over the years skirt lengths have risen and shoulders have been uncovered, but the key elements of the outfit remain: flowers of the school in the hair, lily of the valley proudly pinned to the chest - and gloves.

By all means call this column a fuddy duddy, but it is the maintaining of centuries old tradition that has made Flora Day one of the few events of its kind in the country to still be preserved today.

PPV is aware that for many families times are hard - a pair of white gloves used once a year is not a priority when it comes to choosing between that or dinner on the table.

However, once standards start to slip beyond a point we are in danger of losing all that has made Flora Day so enduringly popular.

Imagine a Midday dancer not wearing a hat, or one of the men forgetting his tie - the overall effect is marred.

So come on girls, from one former school dancer to another, forget your fashion ideals for the day and help make sure the event is still here in another 100 years - its future is quite literally in, or rather on, your hands.

*Anyone else think that the Midday dancers are getting younger each year?
Ok, so this little chap may not be dancing - yet - but it just goes to show you're never too young to be prepared.

Falmouth Packet:

At 15 months, Thomas Haycock is already showing his Helstonian blood by looking fully at home in a top hat, and judging by the smile on his face it's not hard to imagine what his future Flora Days hold.
Start'em young, that's what we say.