More than 20 charities from across Cornwall came together for a special event to celebrate how people have been supporting communities through challenging times.
The event near Truro was part of the Reconnection Tour, a UK-wide roadshow run by national charity Engage Britain in partnership with community partners all over the UK, to gather examples of the incredible work people have been engaged with at grass roots level.
Hosted by Cornwall Rural Community Charity (CRCC) at St Erme Community Centre, the Cornwall leg of the tour enabled 25 charities to showcase their work, network, and share good practice.
For many attendees, it was the first chance in two years to get out from behind Zoom and Teams calls and meet up in person.
Katherine Nissen, CEO of CRCC, said: “During the pandemic, working with Engage Britain was a ray of hope to me during a time of challenge. I was able to find out what else was going on around the country to keep communities connected and supported.
“It’s been amazing to represent Cornwall as part of the Reconnection Tour. We’ve been able to network, talk, be creative and build stronger relationships across the charity sector. I’m looking forward to keeping these discussions going and make plans for the future, both across Cornwall and nationally.”
Truro was one of 14 locations around Britain to be visited by Engage Britain through the Reconnection Tour.
Julian McCrae, director of Engage Britain, said: “Whilst Cornwall has its unique challenges, I’ve seen many similarities with our other Reconnection Tour locations – how local communities have stepped up through Covid and the cost of living crisis to change people’s lives.
“I was blown away by the passion, enthusiasm and commitment of the people here today. These incredible stories will help show how local communities, not just the government, have the power to transform lives. And that real change in this country can and should happen from the grassroots up.”
