The world premiere of "'Q;'- A Great Cornishman , a new DVD about the life and works of Sir Arthur Quiller Couch (Q') , one of Cornwall's greatest ever sons, will take place at a very special reception at County Hall in Truro between 7pm and 9pm on October 16.

The reception is being hosted by the chairman of Cornwall county council Doris Ansari, and the trustees of the Sir Arthur Quiller Couch Memorial Fund, will include the first public showing of excerpts from the DVD together with a dramatised reading from Charlotte Fyffe's book "The Tears of War" by sixth formers from Truro School. The book tells the love story of Q's son Bevil Quiller Couch and the poet May Cannan, and Charlotte Fyffe will be speaking after the reading.

There will be a presentation from David Fryer, a Trustee of the Sir Arthur Quiller Couch Memorial Fund, outlining the background to the creation of the DVD before the screening of selected excerpts and the dramatised reading of "Tears of War".

"The suggestion to produce a resource followed the realisation that there was a wealth of information, photographs, cine film, radio broadcasts and personal reminisces concerning Q' which complement the Q' archives at the Cornwall Record Office, Trinity College Oxford and Jesus College Cambridge" . said David Roberts, OBE, Chairman of the Sir Arthur Quiller Couch Memorial Fund Committee.

"It was decided to bring this information together on a DVD, which has the advantage that it can be added to as new material comes to light, to create a virtual Q' Centre and members of the Sir Arthur Quiller Couch Memorial Fund set up a working group to see how this could be taken forward. A number of grant giving bodies have helped fund the project, which is still ongoing."

The resource. which will include a catalogue of Q' archives, a bibliography of his work, and a wide range of audio and visual material, including photos and films of Q', readings from his works, reminiscences from people who remember him and material from the BBC archives, will be used at fund raising events and to raise the profile of Q' and the Memorial Fund. It will also be an information tool for researchers, and for anyone interested in Q' and his life and work in Cornwall and beyond.

Tickets for the event are available in advance from the Secretary, Sir Arthur Quiller Couch Memorial Fund Committee, Cornwall County Council.