When we talk about raising money for charity – £63,000 in just 24 hours at the 2025 Cornwall Christmas Fair – it can be hard to picture what that means in practice. In fact, the total raised is handed over to the Cornwall Community Foundation (CCF), which turns donations into grants for grassroots causes, all based in the county.
The fair is organised by volunteers and made possible by generous sponsorship, ticket sales and a percentage of takings from more than 50 stallholders. In winter 2025, funds went to SIX different charities and community initiatives supporting people facing tough challenges.
Last year’s charities supported through CCF were:
- St Petrocs, whose winter services provide emergency accommodation for people facing homelessness
- Wadebridge Foodbank, which provides food but also vital services such as help with electricity or heating and a listening ear
- The Women’s Centre Cornwall, which aids women at risk of abuse and exploitation
- Young & Talented Cornwall, which helps young people overcome financial and geographical barriers
- White Gold Cornwall, a charity that provides one-to-one mentoring for children, young people, and young adults up to the age of 30 across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
- Cornwall Community Foundation’s Surviving Winter Appeal – providing vital support to people facing hardship during the coldest months of the year
The timing of the Fair matters, as Tamas Haydu, chief executive of CCF says, the winter months are when demand for support is highest, although the impact of funding can last well beyond the season.
Helping women and girls:
The Women’s Centre Cornwall used its donation from the 2025 Cornwall Christmas Fair to fund an International Women’s Group working with refugee, asylum seeking and migrant women in the county.
“The course provided a safe, confidential and supportive space where women came together with differences in language, culture and country of origin around common experiences as women. This helped create a sense of solidarity, connection and support,” said Jackie May, Chief Executive of The Women’s Centre Cornwall.
Helping young people:
The £5,000 donation to White Gold Cornwall was ringfenced specifically for children and young people without statutory support available to them, helping the charity continue delivering vital one-to-one mentoring across Cornwall.
“The needs of the children and young people are often complex and challenging, and our team are committed to providing the best 1 to 1 mentoring to break the cycle and improve their lives,” said Alan Milliner, CEO of White Gold Cornwall.
The impact for families:
A donation to Wadebridge Foodbank helped families and individuals struggling with the rising costs of living.
“At a time when many households are making impossible choices between heating and eating, this funding provides more than practical support. It offers reassurance, dignity and the reminder that no one in the community has to face difficult times alone,” said Jacqui White from Wadebridge Foodbank.
