Cornwall’s Lord Lieutenant celebrates outstanding young talent
An exceptional breadth of young Cornish talent was recognised at St Austell Brewery, as The Lord Lieutenant of Cornwall, Colonel Sir Edward Bolitho KCVO OBE, presented certificates to the latest cohort of Young & Talented Cornwall grant recipientsThe projects or organisations that are receiving funding..
A total of 46 young people were awarded grants worth over £58,000, representing a remarkable spectrum of disciplines. Recipients included rising stars in sailing, netball, fashion design, karate, surfing, majorette performance and Olympic archery, alongside achievements in music, dance, mining engineering, marine biology, aviation science and photography.
Awards were made across the All Talent and Spirit of Trevithick (STEM) categories, with Spirit of Trevithick recipients also benefiting from invaluable mentoring opportunities provided by some of Cornwall’s most innovative and forward-thinking businesses.
Young & Talented Cornwall, The Lord Lieutenant’s Fund supports exceptional individuals aged 14–23, ensuring that financial, social or geographical barriers do not stand in the way of potential. Over the past 21 years, the fundA sum of money made available for grant making, often with specific criteria/conditions. has awarded more than £650,000 to over 500 young people, helping to unlock opportunities and enable them to pursue their ambitions.
Colonel Sir Edward Bolitho commented: “Following a landmark year in 2025, when we celebrated 20 years of Young & Talented Cornwall, we have been truly encouraged by both the volume and calibre of applications in this latest round. Our standards remain deliberately high, recognising exceptional talent while taking into account the challenges many applicants face.
“The results over the past two decades speak for themselves, with many former recipients progressing to compete and perform at national and international level. This fund demonstrates the transformative power of support — and the importance of believing in young people.”
Kevin Georgel, Chief Executive of St Austell Brewery, a long-standing supporter of the fund and host of the presentation evening, added: “Investing in young people across Cornwall is not just a responsibility; it is a privilege. As we mark 175 years of St Austell Brewery, supporting the next generation of talent feels especially meaningful. These young people represent the future of our communities and our economy, and by backing their ambitions we are helping to ensure Cornwall’s talent has the opportunity to thrive – both here at home and on the global stage.”
Applications for the next round of Young & Talented Cornwall grants are now open across the All Talent, Spirit of Trevithick and Creative Writing categories. For further information, visit: www.youngandtalentedcornwall.org
Young & Talented Cornwall is supported by Seasalt Cornwall, Cornish Lithium, Watson-Marlow, Wildanet, Cornish Metals, Rodda’s, St Austell Brewery, Falmouth University, University of Exeter, Pendennis Shipyard, Impress51, St Austell Printing and Toby Weller.
