REDRUTH CHARITY TRUST CHAIR’S REPORT MAY 2021

Last year’s AGM was just seven days before the first lockdown and what a 14 months we have had to endure since. No presentation events, school visits or Chairman’s BBQ. We have missed seeing our loved ones and our clubs ground to slow or stop.

While I reflect on what was a very different year, I am proud to say that Redruth Charity Trust succeeded in delivering all three of its annual award schemes.

I thank Andy and Barny at Carters Packaging Ltd for the surplus furniture that was gifted to the Trust to sell, some funds of which went into the Rainbow Project. More support came from Tesco Redruth, Bookers Redruth, Park Bottom Stores, Truro Co-Op, Holt Lloyd International, Townsend Farm Shop and Cornish Granite Sports.

We also assisted Redruth School to source supplies to make face shields for care workers, with thanks to Nathan at SJ Andrew and Sons.

Next up, in June, we shone a light on the individual winners of the 2020 Youth Sports Awards in our first ever Virtual Presentation, delivered via Facebook. Our posts reached over 12,000 people in one evening. Our plan for distributing the clubs’ kit and equipment worked well too, with every club collecting from my garage, with distancing in place, over 2 weekends. The individual winners also collected their trophies and prizes in this safe manner.

In July we deployed the same virtual presentation format to deliver our 2020 Fred Harris Education Awards. The selected students were highlighted on our Facebook page on one evening, which reached over 4,000 people. The award fund, distributed among the district’s ten schools, was enhanced by an additional £500 from new sponsors.

It was clear that our 2020 Community Awards would have fewer applicants than usual, due to the clubs and organisations not meeting, so the Trustees resolved to make a £1,000 special award, having become aware of the additional demand on the CPR Foodbank during the pandemic. We visited their warehouse and were taken aback by the scale of their vital service and the difference it was making to local lives.

I decided to help wrap Foodbank Christmas presents for needy families in December which was a humbling day but so good to see how much was donated and all the volunteers giving up their time; community spirit at its best and a rare day in Camborne (Mum’s the word).

I did see some familiar faces of sponsors and supporters when delivering our RCT Christmas cards, which was as good as it could have been that Christmas.

Throughout the varying restrictions placed on us all, the Trustees have remained committed to doing as much as we could and embraced Zoom for our meetings, some of which inevitably involved IT equipment failure or operator error! However, we have been busy since January behind the scenes with our ROAD TO RECOVERY plan.

I am in regular contact with The Lions Club, Rotary, Redruth Revival and our schools to make this happen.

Our Youth Sports Award for 2021 has received 18 club applications, including one from a new club. We are behind our normal timetable by 8 weeks but we are open for business.

We are about to talk with the schools about our Fred Harris Awards, and our Community Awards will take place in the Autumn as usual, to be presented at a new venue.

NEW FOR 2021:  The Trust plans a Great Flat Lode Ramble and Charity Golf Day, dates to be announced soon.

The Chair’s BBQ is planned for the Summer and Sponsors Reward Day in the Autumn.

I want to offer thanks to all our wonderful sponsors. 13 of the Youth Sports Award sponsors have been with us over 10 years and four remain from the original line-up.

My leadership team has a new Treasurer in Malcolm Peters and Secretary in Rachael Wilkins. Jamie Tresidder, who works in helping disadvantaged communities through sport, has also joined us. Anna Oliver has made a positive contribution over the last three years with her Marketing and IT skills which we needed and will continue to need going forward. My ‘Old Faithfuls’ of Nigel Pearce, Alan Jewell and Jennifer Jelbert make up our new team of eight ready to MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN REDRUTH.

If you want to know more about Redruth Charity Trust please look at our website and social media channels.