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Urgent appeal: Cornwall's Housing Action Fund
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Our staff & leadership team

We are lucky to have an experienced and passionate team dedicated to making Cornwall a better place for everyone. So whether you want to donate to the foundation, or you’re applying for a grant, our team are here to help.

Tamas Haydu

Chief Executive

Tamas has been Chief Executive of the CCF since March 2017. He joined CCF as Development Director in 2013 following […]
Tamas has been Chief Executive of the CCF since March 2017. He joined CCF as Development Director in 2013 following a career of 15 years in sales, marketing and business development. Tamas spent four years with regional charity South West Lakes Trust before joining CCF, where he was responsible for marketing, publicity and managed successful development projects. He holds an MBA, a Masters in Education and a BA (Hons) in Geography and Art. Tamas lives in Launceston with his family and enjoys travelling and kayaking.

Amy Buzza-Blackwell

Philanthropy Director

(She / Her) – Amy joined the Foundation as Philanthropy Director in January 2021. Born near Redruth, she went away […]
(She / Her) - Amy joined the Foundation as Philanthropy Director in January 2021. Born near Redruth, she went away to university and then spent several years living in Oxford, but was soon drawn back to her home county. She has worked as a fundraiser for a variety of charities ranging from the National Trust to Cornwall Air Ambulance, and has specialised in campaign management, the organisation of major events, and working with charities’ largest supporters. When not working she enjoys climbing, baking and walking the Cornish coast path.

Tamara Sherston-Baker

Development Director

(She / Her) – Tamara joined the Foundation as maternity cover for the Philanthropy Director position since she has thankfully […]
(She / Her) - Tamara joined the Foundation as maternity cover for the Philanthropy Director position since she has thankfully decided to stay with the Foundation as Development Director. Although new to the charity sector Tamara brings over 15 years of experience in events, marketing and client management, most recently heading up sponsorship, events and corporate social responsibility for Royal Bank of Canda Wealth Management. After growing up on the south coast and spending many years visiting Cornwall, Tamara and her family made the move to the county permanently in summer 2019 and now live in Newquay. When not working Tamara likes to explore the beaches and countryside of Cornwall with her two young boys.

Sophie Griffiths

Director of Programmes

Sophie (she/they) has 12 years’ experience in philanthropy, specialising in working with Trust and Statutory funders to tackle social and […]
Sophie (she/they) has 12 years’ experience in philanthropy, specialising in working with Trust and Statutory funders to tackle social and environmental justice issues. Before joining us, Sophie was Head of Grants at Stonewall, Europe’s largest LGBTQ+ rights charity, where she led on national and international human rights and humanitarian funding programmes. Sophie first moved to Kernow to study at Falmouth University in 2009, and was elated to move back down in 2020. They love exploring the SW coast path, bellyboarding tiny waves, foraging wild foods and singing with a local indie folk group. Sophie is deeply passionate about the role of nature connection in fuelling our work and activism for a fairer and kinder world.

Rachel Mill

Administrative Officer

Rachel has lived on a Cornish farm all her life. Having studied Art and Design at Falmouth Art College and […]
Rachel has lived on a Cornish farm all her life. Having studied Art and Design at Falmouth Art College and Art Metalwork and Jewellery at Plymouth Art College, she carried on her passion for jewellery making later in life and sold to local Craft Fayres in and around Cornwall. Married a Cornishman, Rachel brought up three children. Whilst their children were at nursery she volunteered as the Nursery Secretary eventually finding an opportunity to work as an Accountants Receptionist/Secretary and continued this path for 15 years until making a change to join the Foundation in November 2021.

Francis Baring

Grants Officer

(He / Him) – Francis’s career has ranged from working in charity management to teaching. Before joining the Foundation in […]
(He / Him) - Francis’s career has ranged from working in charity management to teaching. Before joining the Foundation in November 2022, he ran a forest school social enterprise for children across mid-Cornwall. The experience gave him a flavour of the challenges facing community business, as well as the huge positive impacts for the users (and himself!) Francis came to Cornwall in 2017, lives near Falmouth and has grown to love the county. Never happier than exploring woody corners, or the exhilarating coastlands, a pair of wellies is a fixture in the back of his car! He also enjoys the rich cultural heritage of the area and enjoys singing in various community choirs.

Lisa Dymond

Grants Officer

(She / Her) – Lisa has lived in North Cornwall all her life and joined the Foundation in March 2024. […]
(She / Her) - Lisa has lived in North Cornwall all her life and joined the Foundation in March 2024. Her early career took her through a management development programme in Retail and this is where her passion for helping and supporting people began and she spent 35 years in Human Resources and Leadership roles throughout the Southwest. Beyond her professional life, Lisa is deeply committed to her community. She serves as a volunteer, chairman and trustee for a local charity, channelling her passion into supporting others. In her spare time, Lisa relishes the great outdoors. Whether tending to her allotment or exploring country and coastal walks.

Amy Fairman

Marketing Officer

(She / Her) – Amy joined the Foundation in March 2023. Before joining us, Amy studied  Marketing at Southampton Solent […]
(She / Her) - Amy joined the Foundation in March 2023. Before joining us, Amy studied  Marketing at Southampton Solent University before heading back home to North Cornwall to settle down where she gained a broad knowledge of Digital Marketing through various roles including Financial Services. Outside of work, Amy enjoys exploring the Cornish countryside with her Husband, young son and Labrador, as well as helping to run their organic farm and campsite on Bodmin Moor.

Becky Denton

Events Officer

(She / Her) – Before moving to Cornwall, Becky grew up in Guildford and studied at Southampton University. Her career […]
(She / Her) - Before moving to Cornwall, Becky grew up in Guildford and studied at Southampton University. Her career has always focused on Event Management in a variety of sectors, Charity sector, Corporate events, Agricultural and Financial sectors and more recently incentive events in the automotive sector. When not working she enjoys spending time at the beach with her family, baking and walks with the dog. Becky is looking forward to being a small part of making a real difference to those in need across Cornwall.

Lucy DeGlanville

Grants Officer

Lucy has always lived in Cornwall. She spent 25 years working in the NHS as a secretary and has also […]
Lucy has always lived in Cornwall. She spent 25 years working in the NHS as a secretary and has also worked for several local businesses. Lucy has two adult children and a whippet. She likes to walk the beautiful countryside and costal paths of Cornwall and Devon with her partner over the weekends. She also enjoys swimming, cooking, visiting new places, catching up with friends and family and the occasional theatre trip. Lucy started working with the Cornwall Community Foundation in May 2024.

Lucy Sherburn

Marketing Officer

(She / Her) – Lucy began her career working part-time for Transformation Cornwall while studying English in Penryn. There, she […]
(She / Her) - Lucy began her career working part-time for Transformation Cornwall while studying English in Penryn. There, she discovered a passion for both marketing and the charity sector which moulded her career moving forward. A year after graduating, Lucy moved back to Cornwall where she's taken on marketing roles for Royal Cornwall Museum, intoBodmin, and now the Foundation. Having moved to Cornwall relatively recently, Lucy spends her time outside of work exploring the region, finding new spots to walk, swim, and read in.

Shannon Lenton

Outreach Officer

(She / Her) – Shannon’s career has taken her from performing onstage internationally, teaching and now community outreach. Growing up […]
(She / Her) - Shannon's career has taken her from performing onstage internationally, teaching and now community outreach. Growing up in the midlands, Shannon returned from teaching English through Theatre in Spain to move to Cornwall permanently in 2020. Here, she became a primary school teacher before joining the Foundation in September 2024. Allowing her to utilise her experiences in communicating and educating to support a community so close to her heart. Outside of work, Shannon performs in local productions and enjoys exploring the many 'hidden gems' Cornwall has to offer.

Susie Croft

Philanthropy Director

(She / Her) – Susie joined the Foundation as a Philanthropy Director maternity cover in March 2025. Susie has 16 […]
(She / Her) – Susie joined the Foundation as a Philanthropy Director maternity cover in March 2025. Susie has 16 years of fundraising experience with her most recent positions including Head of Income Generation at Cornwall Air Ambulance, Regional Fundraising Manager at Save The Children and Head of Fundraising/Interim CEO at The Wave Project. Susie has a strong track record of introducing numerous new income streams and significantly developing existing ones including philanthropy, gifts in Wills, corporate fundraising, trusts and grants and fundraising campaigns.  She is a proud member of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising and until recently volunteered on the South West Committee leading on the mentoring programme. She has lived in St Agnes for 12 years and has two young children.  When she isn’t working she enjoys spending time with her family (taxi-ing the children here there and everywhere!), cooking, travelling, walking, festivals and playing squash.

Emma Gooding

Fundraising Manager

(She / Her) – Emma joined CCF in February 2025. Originally from the East Coast, she reached Cornwall via London, […]
(She / Her) – Emma joined CCF in February 2025. Originally from the East Coast, she reached Cornwall via London, after 20 years in advertising and marketing as an account manager and TV producer. Captivated by Cornwall’s coastline, she settled here in 2012 with her family. In her rural community, Emma served as a school governor for five schools and as a parish councillor. Passionate about supporting grassroots initiatives, she used her skills to raise funds through grant applications, leading to a role with a local charity. Now in Penzance, Emma has been successfully fundraising for Cornish groups for eight years. Outside work, she enjoys photography and gardening.
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Our Patron & Trustees

We couldn’t do what we do with the support and generosity of our Patron and Trustees. Our Trustees all bring unique experiences to our board and share in a passion to make Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly a better place for everyone.

Her Majesty The Queen – Patron

Cornwall Community Foundation is honoured that Her Majesty The Queen (formerly HRH The Duchess of Cornwall) will continue the royal […]
Cornwall Community Foundation is honoured that Her Majesty The Queen (formerly HRH The Duchess of Cornwall) will continue the royal patronage after an announcement from Buckingham Palace in May 2024. Her Majesty The Queen has been Patron of CCF since 2005 supporting key causes across Cornwall. CCF awards grants to young carers and people in crisis on behalf of the Duke of Cornwall’s Benevolent Fund in Cornwall.

Kim Conchie DL FRSA – Chair

Kim graduated from University College, Cardiff with joint honours in English and Economics. After travelling, he developed a career in […]
Kim graduated from University College, Cardiff with joint honours in English and Economics. After travelling, he developed a career in publishing. In 1986 he co-founded Brass Tacks Publishing which, under his stewardship, became one of the top ten UK customer magazine and website publishers. He sold the business to Chime Communications in 2000. Returning to live in his native Cornwall in 2002, Kim was CEO of Cornwall Chamber of Commerce from April 2012-July 2024 and is now a NED of Cornwall Chamber with responsibility for organising and chairing the Chamber’s Large Enterprise Group. Kim is also a Cornish Bard  (bardic name: Kannas Kann – Bright Messenger), co-founder of Navas Drinks Ltd, a member of Truro & Penwith College Employment & Business Board.. He was Chair of Governors of Truro School 2014-21 and has been a trustee of Creative Kernow, Kneehigh Theatre, serving on the FEAST steering group and as an advisory board member of Golden Tree Productions. Outside of work his family, his garden, sport and walking the Coast Path are sources of great enjoyment. Kim currently sits as Chair of Trustees for Cornwall Community Foundation.

Sam Galsworthy – Vice Chair

A 9th Generation Cornishman now returned to the county he is so passionate about. Having founded Sipsmith Gin Distillery in […]
A 9th Generation Cornishman now returned to the county he is so passionate about. Having founded Sipsmith Gin Distillery in London in 2009, he is now Chairman of the brand that spearheaded the rebirth of gin in the UK. Married father of 3, whose passions include the great outdoors, regenerative forms of agriculture, sustainable development and food & drink. Sam has great enthusiasm for closing the socio-economic divides and environmental sustainability; a topic of which he applies with great enthusiasm to the Cornwall Community Foundation Board.

Josephine Ashby

Josephine is managing partner of John Bray Estates, a niche estate agency in North Cornwall. With 30 years’ experience in […]
Josephine is managing partner of John Bray Estates, a niche estate agency in North Cornwall. With 30 years’ experience in property, Josephine began working with John Bray & Partners in 2005. Having begun her agency life in the central London market, she soon moved to Knight Frank's International team. In 2003 Josephine returned to the West Country as Partner, to head up Knight Frank’s Southwest Residential Development Team. It was here that she came to meet the team at John Bray and returned to her Cornish roots. Josephine and her husband James live on a farm in North Cornwall and have three teenage children, a feral lurcher and too many horses. Josephine’s involvement within the Foundation focuses on raising awareness of the CCF amongst the second home community and how they can get involved, striving to find a better balance of the wealth disparity across the county. Josephine chairs the Friends and Events Committee.

Daiman Baker

Although Daiman is originally from the U.S, he lived in London for the better part of a decade before moving […]
Although Daiman is originally from the U.S, he lived in London for the better part of a decade before moving to Hayle in 2012 and becoming a British citizen in 2017. He began his Cornish adventure with his two young children and ex-wife and knows they did the right thing by relocating here, loving surfing, walking and running through the dunes near Hayle. Daiman was a lawyer in his native California and has an MBA. He currently works in fintech and, luckily, mostly from home. Daiman served on the board of Cornwall Housing Ltd., the board of Krowji in Redruth for three years and supports CCF because of its essential contribution to our friends and neighbours in need. Daiman chairs our Impact Committee and is a member of our Investment Committee. He learned from an early age that when folks need help, we each must act, and we must act with purpose and focus.

Graham Clarke

Graham and his wife yearned to return to the south west after their careers took them upcountry. Graham worked in […]
Graham and his wife yearned to return to the south west after their careers took them upcountry. Graham worked in healthcare R&D, including CEO of a Cambridge University spin-out. He also qualified in finance at Deloitte, while working in their healthcare consulting business. He is the Senior Independent Director of NHS Devon and chairs its Audit & Risk Committee, which he justifies because his wife is a senior manager in NHS Cornwall, avoiding their paths crossing too much! Prior charitable work includes trustee of MIND; trustee & treasurer of Young Lives vs Cancer (CLIC Sargent as was); and the Cranfield Trust, where he was both a volunteer supporting a number of small people-focused charities and then Trustee & Treasurer. With two boys and four grandchildren living in Cornwall, only a modest amount of time is left for interests of walking as much of the coastal path as possible, always with a camera.

Jane Hartley DL

Jane has lived in Holywell Bay, Cornwall for over 35 years, where her and her husband Robert have a family […]
Jane has lived in Holywell Bay, Cornwall for over 35 years, where her and her husband Robert have a family business, Trevornick Holiday Park. While living in Cornwall and bringing up her 3 children here she has fallen in love with Cornwall. She has dedicated much of her time trying to help the communities. In this time she has been High Sherriff, with a focus on raising awareness and funds for the community and especially young people and trying to improve their mental health and wellbeing. Beyond having been Chair of CCF for 6 years and still being a Trustee, Jane also chairs the Cornwall Christmas Fair, which raises money for community projects in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly through CCF. She chairs her family trust- The Albert Van den Bergh Charitable Trust, which has donated a fund to CCF supporting her local area, Newquay. She also loves to ski and spend lots of time swimming, surfing and running around the coast.

Sophie Hosking

Sophie has over 30 years’ experience working in the public sector, 25 of those in Cornwall. She is an experienced […]
Sophie has over 30 years’ experience working in the public sector, 25 of those in Cornwall. She is an experienced senior leader in local government. Currently she is a Strategic Director at Cornwall Council having returned to the Council in 2020 after 5 years in Devon as the Chief Executive of two District Councils. Both at work and outside it, Sophie has a keen interest in promoting the sustainability of our communities, addressing inequalities and looking after our environment. Her previous Board experience includes being a trustee for the Cornwall Food Foundation (Fifteen Cornwall) and as Chair of Governors at Penair School. She gained an MSc in Leadership and Organisation of Public Services from Bristol Business School, UWE, in 2008. Sophie is well connected to the farming community through her husband Jeremy. They live on the farm at St Michael Penkivel where the Hosking family have farmed since the 1890s. They have 3 grown up daughters and a lot of dogs.

Rt Revd Hugh Nelson

Bishop Hugh is Bishop of St Germans in the Diocese of Truro, which covers the masterpiece of God’s creation that […]
Bishop Hugh is Bishop of St Germans in the Diocese of Truro, which covers the masterpiece of God’s creation that is Cornwall. He is married to Lizzie, who works for an international peace building organisation. They have 4 children, aged from 15 to 23. Hugh spent 13 years living and working in L’Arche, Christian communities for people with and without learning disabilities. Ordained deacon in 2008, he was a parish priest in Kent for 8 wonderfully happy years before starting as Bishop of St Germans between lockdowns in 2020. In September 2021 he also became Bishop to the Armed Forces.

Gill Pipkin

Despite a Cornish mining ancestry, Gill was born in Hampshire and grew up in Devon. Following her parents’ move to […]
Despite a Cornish mining ancestry, Gill was born in Hampshire and grew up in Devon. Following her parents' move to Trebah Gardens in the early 1980’s, Gill spent many happy holidays in Cornwall. Gill eventually moved to Looe with a young family in 1998 to run a hotel. After 10 busy years, Gill left hospitality to work firstly in the NHS and then in the charity sector as Director of Cornwall Samaritans and CEO of Citizens Advice Cornwall. Gill now uses her knowledge and experience to support other charities in Cornwall through consultancy and mentoring support. Her work ensures Gill is acutely aware of the disparity between the picture postcard beauty of the county, its pockets of wealth and the areas of real poverty.

Shaun Sawyer QPM Hon. LLB

Shaun was Chief Constable for Cornwall and Devon from 2012–2022 and was the senior accountable officer for the 2021 G7 […]
Shaun was Chief Constable for Cornwall and Devon from 2012–2022 and was the senior accountable officer for the 2021 G7 Conference in Cornwall. He led several National Policing portfolios including, combatting Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking and developing the National Volunteer Police Cadets. He is a member of the Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner’s Expert Advisory Panel and visiting Chair and Speaker at the Windsor Leadership Trust, which provides leadership development programmes for senior leaders of private, public and charitable sector organisations. Shaun is determined to celebrate and communicate Cornish successes and work in partnership, to resolve the immediate and systemic challenges affecting Cornwall, its people, communities and environment.

Verity Slater

Verity is a Falmouth girl born and bred, now living over the water in Flushing with her husband, 2 children […]
Verity is a Falmouth girl born and bred, now living over the water in Flushing with her husband, 2 children and much loved dog. When not sailing and surfing, she works as a Partner and Board member of South West heavyweight law firm Stephens Scown LLP. As an experienced employment solicitor (qualifying in 2002) her day job involves resolving disputes between businesses and employees, whether before or through employment tribunal cases. She also works in partnership with businesses to proactively improve their HR practices, with a particular emphasis on ethical people management – to create happy and engaged workforces. She also is an expert on employment issues arising in commercial transactions. As a committed Christian, Verity is passionate about fairness, sustainability and giving back – making our communities and planet a better place to be for all.

Jeremy Sharp

Having moved to a North Cornwall dairy farm when a teenager, Jeremy has spent most of his life in the […]
Having moved to a North Cornwall dairy farm when a teenager, Jeremy has spent most of his life in the county. After a spell as an investment manager in the City following university, he returned to Cornwall to take up a post as a stockbroker in Truro, developing the business to the extent that he and his team were able to establish their own firm. He now helps support several trusts and charities on investment matters. He is also a Churchwarden and trustee of the Cornwall Historic Churches Trust. He is married with three adult children, all of whom have moved away, for the time being at least. He has high hopes that at least one will return before too long.

Daphne Skinnard DL

Executive Producer at BBC Radio Cornwall, she is the link between the community and the radio station. Daphne enjoys many […]
Executive Producer at BBC Radio Cornwall, she is the link between the community and the radio station. Daphne enjoys many aspects of Cornish life, including being a governor of Truro and Penwith College, the President of the Friends of the Royal Cornwall Hospital and Chapter Canon at Truro Cathedral. She was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant in July 2012. She is passionate about the Cornish coast and countryside. Free time is spent sharing her enthusiasm of the local area and what it has to offer with family and friends.

Jane Trahair

Jane was born and brought up in West Devon and moved to Cornwall in 1983 after starting married life in […]
Jane was born and brought up in West Devon and moved to Cornwall in 1983 after starting married life in London. Over the years she has been involved in various volunteer roles from organising activities for children with Young NADFAS, raising money for the Primrose Appeal for the breast cancer unit at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth and being treasurer of the Saltash Tennis Centre. More recently she was a volunteer adviser at Citizens Advice in Saltash. She had her own interior design business for 10 years after which she did estate agency work. In 2017 Jane was invited to join the Friends Committee of CCF and became Chair two years later. She stood down from this role in 2024 but remains on what is now the Friends and Events committee. She also Chairs three grant panels for the Foundation. Jane loves living in Cornwall, enjoying all it has to offer from both land and sea.

Joe Turnbull

Joe graduated from the University of Bath in Politics with Economics, with a spell as a management consultant followed by […]
Joe graduated from the University of Bath in Politics with Economics, with a spell as a management consultant followed by a stint working in TV production before starting video agency Bull & Wolf here in Cornwall in 2018. Since then Joe has built Bull & Wolf into one of the fastest-growing video agencies in the South West with a team of young creatives putting Cornwall on the map. All of this is done while trying to give back to the community and planet, with Bull & Wolf being a member of a number of organisations who seek to prove businesses can contribute positively to the world. Joe is acutely aware of the challenges facing Cornwall and hopes to bring his expertise to the Foundation.

Tom Van Oss

Tom Van Oss is based in London but lives in Cornwall, near Helford, for as much of the year as […]
Tom Van Oss is based in London but lives in Cornwall, near Helford, for as much of the year as possible. He chairs CCF’s Cornwall Club. Tom is a trustee and a vice chair of UK Community Foundations and chair of its investment committee. He is particularly interested in contemporary art and education. He was a member of council and chair of the audit and risk committee at the Royal College of Art (2016-2022), on the audit committee of The Courtauld Institute (2015-2022) and a governor of Falmouth University (2007-2015). From 1998 to 2020 he had his own practice as a corporate finance adviser on mergers and acquisitions in the investment management sector. Tom and his wife Sarah have three grown up daughters.