'Life-changing' Cornwall café receives police funding seized from criminals
The funding will help to combat loneliness in the local area
A Cornwall café has received police funding in order to look after the local community and combat loneliness and isolation.
Nancegollan Community Café opens once a week and runs in the local village hall. Based in the far south of Cornwall, the village has limited transport links, making it hard for residents to connect with each other.
The café is fully staffed by six volunteers, providing a warm space for people to eat, drink and socialise with each other.
Now, the café has received vital funding from Devon and Cornwall Police that was previously seized by criminals in the county.
In total, £500 that was taken from criminals in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has been donated to the café, as part of the Proceeds of Crime Act. The aim of the act is to stop criminals benefitting financially from the crimes they have committed.
As many as sixty people attend the café and use its services every Thursday, with the café serving as an opportunity to help those who are struggling with loneliness and the cost of living crisis.
Sonja Bright, Trustee and Events organiser of Nancegollan Village Hall said that the café provides a lifeline to those in the local community.
“We started as a warm hub, but it has grown to be an all-year-round social gathering. Visitors are interacting and happy to chat away in a relaxed environment. It’s some people’s highlight of the week, they tell me they live for Thursdays," she said
"Funding from Devon & Cornwall Police will help us improve the food we offer to give hot food to help keep people warm and will include a professional sandwich press and basic kitchen equipment such as big pans which we have been borrowing.”
Speaking on the funding, Police Community Support Office Julia Berry said that her suggestion to donate the money will help those who need support.
“We’ve donated £500 to the community hall because of the amazing work they are doing for their community," she said.
"I visited the community café to share advice and meet people and I was inspired by what they were doing. I’m thrilled the funding application was approved and delighted that I have been able to make a difference to the community café.
"Since the pandemic many community groups in rural areas have struggled to reform but the volunteers at this café have been amazing getting it off the ground and open to all members of the community especially in this time of austerity where many people are finding it difficult to make ends meet.”