Coodes partner chairs Cornwall Community Foundation’s Business Club
Kirsty Davey, a partner at Coodes Solicitors, has taken over as chair of the Cornwall Community Foundation’s Business Club grant panelA group of people who review grant applications and decide which will receive funding., overseeing its first funding round of the year from the firm’s Truro office.
The CCF Business Club brings together like-minded businesses committed to making a positive difference across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. By pooling their annual membership fees, Business Club members help fundA sum of money made available for grant making, often with specific criteria/conditions. grassroots community projectsA piece of work that delivers an output. while sharing ideas and demonstrating a collective commitment to social responsibility.
Business Club members vote annually on the causes that grant funding will focus on for the calendar year. Twice a year they are invited to sit on the grants panel to decide on the projects which will be funded.
Coodes has been a member since 2008, and hosted the panel meeting that decided how the latest round of funding would be allocated.
In this, her first round as chair, the panel awarded £30,895 to fifteen organisations, chosen from twenty-one applications. The grants covered a wide range of community work, from youth sport and outdoor education to food security and support for isolated rural communities.
Among the projects funded was Gleaning Cornwall, which received £3,000 towards the running costsThe running costs of your organisation. This is the money you need to make your work happen. These are also called overheads, running costs or operating costs. of its produce rescue network. The charity redirects surplus vegetables, eggs and other farm produce to food banks and community kitchens across the county, reaching an estimated 11,000 people each week.
The Mabyn an Gwella Explorer Scout Unit was awarded £3,000 for new expedition tents to replace kit the group had borrowed for years, ahead of an international camp in Switzerland this summer and future Duke of Edinburgh and Ten Tors challenges.
Exploding Words Festival received £1,500 towards audio-visual equipment, helping the literary charity run its programme of writing and illustration workshops for primary school children independently. The festival expects to reach 750 children in 2026.
Davey commented: “This round of funding shows the significant difference that comes from businesses across Cornwall working together with a single focus.
“Reading through the applications was a reminder of just what important work these voluntary organisations undertake, often with limited resources and a huge amount of dedication from staff and volunteers alike.
“It’s clear how much difference this funding makes when it goes directly to the organisations who need it most. I was pleased to chair such a positive panel meeting and look forward to continuing this work with the Business Club.”
The Business Club’s next panel meeting will take place in the autumn. Coodes Solicitors has offices across Cornwall & Devon, advising individuals, families and businesses on a wide range of legal matters.
You can find out more about joining the CCF Business Club here: The Business Club: Join Today | Cornwall Community Foundation
