With an unprecedented number of visitors flocking to Cornwall this year on a ‘staycation’ in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic and an equally high demand for property in the county, the south west of England has never been busier.
Cornwall is undoubtedly a fantastic place to live, work and visit, but while tourism has been booming, it is easy to forget that it is also one of the poorest counties in England. Emergency and crisis services like those provided by the Wadebridge Food Bank and Storehouse, and grant funding from the Cornwall Community Foundation (CCF), will still be needed long after the current Covid crisis abates.
This year, we marked our 50th birthday at John Bray & Partners by organising an art auction, raising much-needed funds for the CCF and Food Bank in addition to our usual fund giving. The generosity of the north Cornwall artists, galleries and individuals who donated artworks, has enabled us to raise over £15,000 – topped up by John Bray to a more easily shareable £20,000 – and whilst the money will undoubtedly be put to good use, an equal focus of the event was to raise awareness of the poverty that lies so close to home, and to recruit much-needed support from the very people that wish to invest in the area.
The Wadebridge Foodbank, which also covers Padstow, Bodmin, Camelford and surrounding areas, is a lifeline for the people who approach them for help, who literally have nowhere else to turn. Project Manager Jacqui White, MBE, tells me that they are expecting demand for their services to increase further still, so the additional funds raised through the recent auction will be used to supply food, hygiene and household goods to those in need. It will also help with the Foodbank’s work signposting and supporting clients towards long-term solutions to their present circumstances.
The CCF is an independent charity that invests in communities to improve the lives of those living in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. The charity raises funds from individuals and businesses like ours for distribution to community and grassroot non-profit organisations that are working hard to change lives across the county. Since 2003 the charity has awarded more than £11million in grants, supporting more than 5,000 local organisations including the Wadebridge Food Bank and Storehouse.
A vibrant, supportive community has perhaps never been a more desirable asset when it comes to choosing a property, and as our Managing Partner at John Bray & Partners, Josephine Ashby says: “We’re so fortunate to live in an area where businesses and individuals help to support those who are struggling. We’re enormously grateful to the wonderful artists who helped us with this auction; the proceeds will provide much-needed support for these two fantastic charities.”