A CHARITY in Bude is celebrating five years of providing safety and support for the area’s young people.

In 2020, The Pearl Exchange opened its doors in the North Cornwall town, providing dedicated support for young adults aged 18 to 35 through art, creativity, and human connection.

Following the death of their daughter Pearl in 2019, Rose and Johnny Bamford felt compelled to assist the younger generation of North Cornwall and Devon and help them build more positive futures. Having helped Pearl through her struggles Johnny and Rose experienced first-hand the lack of support, direction and hope for her generation. Her death highlighted for them a need for positive, creative activities and community involvement so people could come together and support each other.

A year later, The Pearl Exchange was born.

Since then, young people have been benefitting from the extensive work the charity does.

One participant said: “[The Pearl Exchange] shaped my life in so many aspects. I feel more confident and happy within myself as a person and the things that I have learnt. TPE gives me more faith in humanity.”

Another added: “It’s improved my mental health because attending such a welcoming space has made me feel like there are good people out there who are caring and kind, and that I can show up just as I am and be accepted in the world. It’s given me hope for the future.”

Now, the organisation is marking five years of support as it prepares to open its doors to the wider community as part of a special celebration - ‘Showtime’.

Since opening in 2020, The Pearl Exchange has been an ever growing beacon for young adults across Cornwall and Devon, offering a home for artistic expression, wellbeing, and personal growth. Showtime is going to be a showcase of everything the organisation has achieved and a celebration of the vibrant community that makes The Pearl Exchange what it is today.

On November 8, everyone is being invited to join in with some of the group’s signature activities, including: yoga, screen printing and DJ exchange during the day and a special evening of film screenings and live music performance in the evening.

Commenting on the anniversary, a spokesperson from the charity said: “In the past five years, The Pearl Exchange has grown from an idea into a thriving creative hub, offering workshops, talks, events, counselling, and opportunities for young adults to express themselves, learn new skills and build brighter futures.

“In the last year alone, The Pearl Exchange has delivered 262 free workshops, engaging 396 young people, and has provided free one-to-one counselling for 165 vulnerable young adults. Showtime is both a thank you to our incredible community and an invitation for anyone to discover what we do for the first time.

“While our activities are usually free of charge for 18 to 35 year olds, Showtime allows us to open the doors to the whole community and give everyone a chance to experience The Pearl Exchange.”