Friends of Cornwall Community Foundation event & new grant milestone

Cornwall Community Foundation welcomed over one hundred ‘Friends’ to its annual members event at The Big Beautiful Beach House, in Porthpean recently; a venue which is known from the film 'About Time'.

Kim Conchie, Chair of Trustees, Cornwall Community Foundation hosted the event with CCF Trustees attending alongside him, to acknowledge and thank CCF Friends for their donations and support during a year which the Foundation has reached significant new milestones.

In 2023, CCF donated £2,965,294 in 686 grants across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.  In the 1st quarter of 2024, Cornwall Community Foundation distributed a record amount of £1,035,246 to 185 community groups, social enterprises and individuals. This figure is notably higher than the figure in the first quarter of 2023 when Cornwall Community Foundation distributed £935,184 to 175 community groups.

Kim Conchie said: “Many of you have been a CCF Friend since the membership started. Over the past four years so many of our supporters have given generously in response to our appeals, from the Covid Emergency FundA sum of money made available for grant making, often with specific criteria/conditions. to the Cost of Living Crisis Fund. We know the need hasn’t lessened on the ground. Your donations are critical to help fund services and organisations, such as Community Enterprises PL12, who are making a significant difference to real lives here in Cornwall.”

Guests were visibly moved by speeches which included Cathy Jane, one of 9 volunteer Directors of Community Enterprises PL12 (CEPL12), joined by Community Kitchen Manager Chris Cook, who talked about the impact of funding they’ve received, distributed by CCF.

CEPL12 in Saltash provide a community fridge, shop, transport, kitchen, hub premises and run a Dementia group and choir, for those living with or affected by dementia. CEP12 has also provided support their Community Kitchen over the last two years with a designated Warmth Bank, providing access to a local social prescriber, a hot drink and food from some of the 5 tonnes of food which is rescued each year from local retailers.

Cathy Jane said:  “We feel privileged and pleased to have been invited to speak at this event, because without the support of the Cornwall Community Foundation, our own community organisation would not be so strongly positioned to continue to help the people in our area.”

“The Foundation has been absolutely instrumental in the funding of the salary of our Community Kitchen Manager, Chris Cook.  Without their support in doing this, there was a very real possibility that the beautifully renovated Community Kitchen projectA piece of work that delivers an output. would never have achieved any of its potential.”

Tamas Haydu, Chief Executive, Cornwall Community Foundation added: “I would like to extend a huge thanks to our Friends members and our entire team at CCF along with our Grants Committee for their fantastic work in making these milestone grants distributions happen.”

“Thank you to Cornwall Community Foundation’s Friends and Events Committee for organizing this special event which was supported by donations from Healey’s, St Austell Brewery and Toby Ashworth. We very much appreciated being in such an iconic location on the south coast for this memorable event, thanks to the kind owners of the Big Beautiful House, Porthpean who opened up their stunning home to us.”

To find out more about becoming a Friend of the Cornwall Community Foundation, click here.