A COMMUNITY stalwart who has led several groups is to reduce his responsibilities due to health concerns.

Paul Caruana, who heads up the Friends of Sunny Corner and the Truro Volunteers graffiti removal group, cited a recent health scare as the catalyst for his decision to retire from both groups and had the reins over to the next generation of leaders.

He will remain at the organisational helm of Volunteers Day, Truro Civic Awards and the New Year’s Eve fireworks on Lemon Quay.

Mr Caruana, 73, explained how he was diagnosed with a mini-stroke shortly before the tenth anniversary of the Friends of Sunny Corner in MONTH. “It was a wake up call,” he said.

“My family had been telling me for some time that I put everyone else first and needed to step back. Now a surgeon was saying, ‘if you have another one of these and survive, you’ll regret it’. So I gave myself a good talking-to.

“The best-established groups have people who can replace me, and I will step back completely – I’m all or nothing.”

The Friends of Sunny Corner will choose a new chairman during their Annual General Meeting (AGM) on September 3, shortly after their annual crabbing contest which takes place on Sunday, August 30 (registration from 4pm).

“I’m proud of how it’s grown in the past 10 years, but it isn’t a one-day-a-week job,” said Mr Caruana. “It takes time and effort. It’s cutting the grass, recycling, fundraising, and making difficult decisions that might upset people – you have to take the rough with the smooth.”

Mr Caruana estimates he has been volunteering for 33 years since leaving the RAF, and insists he will keep busy: “I won’t do nothing – that would kill me off. I’m hoping to go back to doing more coastal walks and spending more time with the grandchildren.”