THE Cornwall Community Foundation (CCF), based at Lawhitton, is grateful to everybody who has supported the 2017/18 Cornwall Surviving Winter appeal.

CCF has collected more than £17,000 so far thanks to donations from the Friends of the Foundation and other supporters.

As a result, CCF welcomes applications from organisations helping elderly and vulnerable people stay warm, healthy and well this winter.

Kirsty Philpott, CCF grants manager, said: “We are keen to receive applications from local community groups who support people who will find winter challenging due to fuel poverty, lack of access to hot food or energy efficiency issues. Groups who would like to apply can find details on our website or call our grants team.”

Last year’s Surviving Winter Campaign enabled the foundation to award grants to 11 community groups, benefitting more than 630 people. Groups supported, enabling them to address specifically winter-related issues, included Concern Wadebridge, Inclusion Cornwall, Cornwall Refuge Trust, Action for Children and Age UK.

Concern Wadebridge, for example, received funding towards providing a daily kitchen providing light warm snacks for elderly and vulnerable people during the winter months. Manager, Andy Lyle, said: “For some who use the centre it is the only warm meal they will have that day.”