This month we celebrated another very different Easter for the second time. And even though the past twelve months have been challenging, busy, and turbulent, the news that we celebrated remains the same as it did 2000 years ago. The resurrection of Jesus is a resounding affirmation of God’s desire that we should have life in all its abundance. We are so grateful for all the groups in Cornwall working to make that a reality, and we continue in our efforts to support that work.
In this month’s newsletter we feature updates from our Meet the Funders programme, our Tools for Change toolkits, and much more. We hope you find this newsletter informative and helpful.
Blessings,
The Transformation Cornwall Team
What do we do at Transformation Cornwall?
At Transformation Cornwall, we work to strengthen faith based social action by providing capacity building support. Our vision is to see faith in action at the heart of flourishing communities.
We work in three main ways:
Providing conferences and workshops giving networking, support and information through our 'Meet the Funders' programme.
Supporting individual groups and organisations through our 1:1 work to inspire, inform, and signpost.
Strengthening links between faith based and mainstream organisations.
Meet the Funders is an innovative year-long programme that strengthens community work in Cornwall. The programme is run as a partnership between Transformation Cornwall and the Diocese of Truro and runs throughout the year. It begins with a large Spring event and continues with a series of six smaller community workshops supporting people and projects that are working to address poverty, exclusion, isolation, and rurality.
Bookings for our 2021 Meet the Funders Spring event have now opened!
The event is an opportunity for Cornish projects seeking funding to meet and network with a large number of local and national funders. The day will feature presentations, workshops, and ample time for Q&A.
The event will be held online and spread over two consecutive mornings (25th & 26th May 2021 from 10:00am-1:00pm).
By booking on to this event, you will also receive a ‘Meet the Funders Toolbox’ - a pre-posted, hard copy, of key documents to accompany the event and make it more interactive.
The days will be hosted by the Bishop of St Germans, the Rt Revd Hugh Nelson, and Donna Birrell, Vice-Chair of Churches Together in Cornwall.
Confirmed funders include: Allchurches Trust Ltd; Cornwall Historic Churches Trust; Groundwork SW; The National Lottery Community Fund; The Joseph Rank Trust; Cornwall Community Foundation; and National Churches Trust.
In partnership with Clewer Initiative, New Street Church (Falmouth) and Falmouth and Penryn Churches Together and Transformation Cornwall, Churches Together in Cornwall, helped to shape and deliver a 5 week Modern Slavery in Cornwall Training course. The ecumenical training was delivered throughout February/March to a dedicated core team of over 20 people who are committed to sharing their learning across the county.
The core team are now working on a shared project plan to communicate their learning, explore opportunities and develop awareness of modern slavery in Cornwall. Churches Together in Cornwalls role is to help make that happen and for a taste of just some of the things we are currently working on:
Developing a mobile art exhibition on modern slavery with students from Falmouth and Penryn University,
Developing some awareness sessions for foodbanks across the South West with Clewer, IFAN and Trussell Trust.
Picking up ways to work with Cornish businesses to develop their own modern slavery policies.
There is much, much more happening with the core group, so please keep this work in your prayers.
Save the Date! The Big Lunch 2021 : 5-6 Jun
The Big Lunch is your chance to celebrate community connections and get to know one another a little better. The big date is 5-6 June – join in online, on your doorstep, or over the fence.
It might be a little different again, but this year there are more reasons than ever to get together for community, friendship and fun.
Transformation Cornwall are working with friends and partners on a number of creative ways that Churches can get involved. Watch this space, it's coming soon!
Weekly Cornish Foodbank Update
Our weekly update on Cornish food banks (linked below) lists details for the 19 major Cornish food banks, including opening times and procedures for getting food. In the midst of the third national lockdown, dedicated Foodbank volunteers and staff across Cornwall are ensuring that those most affected by Covid-19 continue to have access to food.
Owing to extra complications brought on by Covid-19, many food banks would also appreciate financial donations instead of or in addition to food donations. You can find details for making financial donations in the update linked below. For most food banks you can either make a single donation or donate regularly by Direct Debit or Standing Order.
If you or someone you know could benefit from this information please send them the link. Our Weekly Foodbank Update automatically updates to the latest version each week. This means that the web link will always click through to the most recent edition (uploaded each Friday at 6pm).
Weekly updated grants lists for groups and individuals in Cornwall
Every week Transformation Cornwall continue to compile and update two grants lists which detail the latest available grants currently open to applications. Our current lists detail well over 100 grants.
Our first grants list details possible funders that might support the work of Foodbanks, grass-root groups, and faith based social action projects in Cornwall.
Of particular note at the moment is the South West Water: Neighbourhood Fund. The Neighbourhood Fund is all about supporting our local community. There is £100,000-a-year funding available for neighbourhood community groups which inspire physical activities, education, health and wellbeing and deliver positive environmental outcomes. Our second list details hardship grants for individuals in need. This has a huge range of grants for those who have worked in certain professions (including retail, construction, fishing, farming etc), support for disabled people, grants for education and retraining, young people, and so much more.
Of particular note at the moment is the The Printing Charity. The Printing Charity help people at any stage of their career in the print, paper, packaging, publishing, and graphic arts sectors with practical, emotional, and financial support. Typically, you’ll have worked in the above sectors or the allied trades for at least 3 years or be a dependant of someone who has. Emergency support may be available for those with less service.
As with our foodbank update, the URL for the grants list stays the same. You can find the latest version at the same URL link every Friday at around 6 pm.
Now, maybe more than ever, we know that people like to talk with organisations who offer advice and support.
We have recently released our updated Telephone Signposting Information List and a new A3 Poster. These resources are for people, Foodbanks, and grassroot organisations in Cornwall.
The list contains the telephone numbers for a range of support groups, locally and nationally, that will offer help to people in Cornwall. We have tried to make it as useful as possible and covered key topics that you and your customers might need help with.
Father, you have given all peoples one common origin. It is your will that they be gathered together as one family in yourself. Fill the hearts of humankind with the fire of your love and with the desire to ensure justice for all. By sharing the good things you give us, may we secure an equality for all our siblings throughout the world. May there be an end to division, strife, and war. May there be a dawning of a truly human society built on love and peace. We ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord.
