Boardmasters Foundation donates to 2022 Newquay Mayor's charities
£20,000 has been donated this year to the Newquay RNLI and Children’s Hospice South West - as well as Newquay Town Council's train station toilets project
Organisers of the Boardmasters festival have donated over £20,000 to the Newquay RNLI and Children's Hospice South West - this year alone.
The cash has been handed to the 2022 Newquay Mayor's Charities set to directly benefit the people of the town, with a further £20,000 to help with the rejuvenation of the Newquay Train Station toilets.
Last month, it was revealed 38 local Cornish charities, beach clean groups, businesses, children’s hospices, schools, surfing and sporting organisations and community groups are set to benefit from £105,000 which was raised last year by the Boardmasters Foundation in 2022.
Cllr Louis Gardner served as the Newquay Mayor last year, and each of his chosen charities have received £1,500 each from the Boardmasters Foundation.
Cllr Gardner said: “For many years the Boardmasters Foundation has supported the Mayor’s Charities. Each year the serving Mayor picks one or more charities to benefit from their civic fundraising which takes place throughout the year. These charities always directly benefit the residents of Newquay.”
“For my final year as Mayor I was delighted to choose Newquay RNLI, where the Boardmasters Foundation donation will go to directly fund the running of the Newquay Lifeboats which are so vital to keeping people safe on Newquay’s beaches every year.
"In addition, a further donation from the foundation will support Children’s Hospice South West who do so much incredible work to help sick and terminally ill children and their families right here in Cornwall.”
Andy Bramwell, RNLI Community Manager for Cornwall said: “As a charity, the RNLI relies on the generosity of our supporters and we’re extremely grateful to The Boardmasters Foundation for their donation.
"It will help fund the essential training and equipment needed by our volunteer lifeboat crews and lifeguards to do their lifesaving work around the coast in Cornwall.”
Alice Merrett, Area Fundraiser for Children’s Hospice South West, said: “We are extremely thankful for this generous donation from The Boardmasters Foundation. Our hospice Little Harbour costs around £3 million to run each year, so donations like these are vital to ensure we can keep supporting children and young people with life-limiting conditions, and their families. Thank you so much for thinking of us, and the work you do.”
"Providing a lasting legacy"
Over the past there years, Boardmasters Foundation has committed to giving £45,000 to go towards the required £50,000 for full delivery of the project to rejuvenate the toilets at Newquay Train Station.
Cllr Andy Hannan said: “As Chair of the Environment and Facilities committee I must thank and congratulate The Boardmasters Foundation and Andrew Topham, for responding to our request for funding to provide sustainable toilet facilities at Newquay Railway Station.
"This is yet another example of Andrew Topham and his team’s commitment to improving the infrastructure, services and community in our town, whilst providing a lasting legacy that benefits both our visitors and residents.”
Mayor of Newquay Cllr Margaret North accepted the donation alongside Deputy Mayor Cllr Drew Creek.
Cllr Creek said: “As Deputy mayor and Vice Chair of Environment and Facilities committee who are responsible for toilets in Newquay, I would like to take this opportunity to thank Andrew Topham and The Boardmasters Foundation for the generous donation of £45,000 which will facilitate the town council providing free toilets at the station at no cost to Newquay tax payers.
"For far too long the train station has gone without toilet facilities which impacts all those travelling via the station but also the thousands of festival goers in the summer months that come to Newquay to attend Boardmasters.”
Other 2022 Boardmasters Foundation recipients include the Schools Consent Project, Wave Women, Black Voices Cornwall, Cornwall Food Action, Watergate Bay Lifesaving Club, Newquay Boardriders and Concrete Waves. Many more recipients will be announced in the coming weeks and months.
Boardmasters founder, Andrew Topham, said: “We’re really proud of the £105,000 we’ve been able to raise across 2022 and hugely grateful to everyone who has contributed to the Foundation as a supporter of Boardmasters itself. It’s heart-warming to visit each of the recipients and see and hear the great work that they’re doing.
"It’s an honour for myself and my team to be able to support the Newquay Mayor and their charities, and to provide year-on-year funding for the longer-term local developmental projects that Newquay Town Council is committed to fulfilling.
"We’re obviously encouraging as much public transport usage for both weekend and day visitors in and out of Newquay, so our ongoing support for the much-needed new toilets at Newquay Train Station makes perfect sense.
"And we’re all well aware of the vital, daily work that both the Newquay RNLI and Children’s Hospice South West do, so we’re delighted to support Cllr Gardner’s commitment to both those organisations, and to everyone who works there.”
Established in 2017, the Boardmasters Foundation was born out of the festival team’s desire to give back and support the culture and surrounding communities that are at the heart of the festival which takes place at Fistral Beach and Watergate Bay each year.
Funds for the Boardmasters Foundation are raised each year at Boardmasters festival, with applications reviewed against the Foundation’s key pillars of focus - Community, Force for Good and Culture.
Groups and organisations who are interested in applying to The Boardmasters Foundation should visit this website when applications for the 2023 round of funding open.