You may already know that Cornwall Community Foundation (CCF) is one of four charities that we support, along with Miracle Theatre, Cornwall Wildlife Trust and Children’s Sailing Trust.

Over the years we’ve raised money for CCF via events and auctions and via you, our guests, with an optional £1 donation. All the money raised for the Foundation stays in Cornwall and supports volunteer-led community projects addressing the effects of hardship and poverty across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, (you may be surprised to learn that Cornwall is the poorest county in England and that child poverty rates are as high as 40% in some towns). A huge thank you to everyone who had added the donation. Last year we were able to donate close to £4,000 which goes straight in the pot for project allocation.

This June we sent two of our BV team to visit a local project to see the impact that some of your money has made. The Falmouth Food Co-Op is a community project with three elements; an online grocery store, giving local families access to locally grown and fairly priced fresh food; a kitchen where volunteers cook meals for those people in the community who need extra support; and a community field where food is grown and where people are supported and encouraged to come along and get involved.

“It really was so good to see first hand the impact that some of our fundraising has had. The community field at the Falmouth Food Co-op is thriving and bursting with all sorts of growing activity. We felt very lucky to be there and be welcomed by the volunteers, many of whom turn up each week to get stuck in. There was a true sense of camaraderie and a satisfying sense of achievement from turning up, rolling our sleeves up and getting our hands dirty. We planted some 16 squash plants then turned our attention to weeding and watering – great to get dirt under our nails and see what the project is all about. ” Sarah

For further information about the Foundation visit Cornwall Community Foundation and for Falmouth Food Co-op Loveland (falmouthfood.coop)