Festive shoppers at the Cornwall Christmas Fair set to make a difference to local communities
The countdown is on for this year’s Cornwall Christmas Fair; the county’s ultimate festive shopping event with a doing-good difference.
Taking place in the Link Building at the Eden Project on Thursday 23rd November with a Preview & Shopping Evening the night before, there will be over 60 stalls laden with artisan and homemade gifts. It’s the perfect Christmas shopping experience and with a percentage of all profits going to the Cornwall Community Foundation, shoppers can get a seasonal glow knowing they are helping local communities too.
Last year £74,000 was raised across two days, making the Fair one of Cornwall’s biggest and most vibrant fundraising events. Cornwall Community Foundation shared the money across local charities – St Petrocs, Wild Young Parents, Young & Talented Cornwall and Cornwall’s Foodbanks – making a positive difference to thousands of lives across Cornwall.
On a mission to end street homelessness in Cornwall by providing accommodation, support and advice, St Petrocs used the money donated to them through the Fair to support their Vocational Development Programme. Shaped by the needs and interests of each participant, the programme addresses the root causes of homelessness and supports clients towards employment by providing training opportunities and links to employers around Cornwall. Since launching in 2021, the project has supported 178 people who were experiencing homelessness.
Cornwall Foodbank’s meanwhile split their donation across the county’s 19 foodbanks, supporting individuals and families experiencing food poverty.
This year the Cornwall Christmas Fair has an ambitious target to break through the £1 million fundraising total since the Fair first began and once again the Cornwall Community Foundation will share the funds across a range of deserving charities.
“The Cornwall Christmas Fair is always a fun and uplifting event, offering a fantastic breadth of gift options and prizes,” says Co-Chair Kate Holborow. “This is made all the more special by the charitable cause at the Fair’s heart. Christmas shopping while doing good, it’s a brilliant combination!”
The Fair is organised completely by volunteers and is made possible by a generous collection of sponsors, including Wildanet, Whyfield, Seasalt Cornwall and Lillicrap Chilcott.
Tickets to the Fair (Thursday 23rd November, 10am – 4pm) are £18 and include lunch, wine and free admission to the Eden Project on the day.
Tickets to the Preview & Shopping Evening (Wednesday 22nd November, 5pm – 9pm) are £32 and include supper and a drink on arrival.
Last year tickets ran out and only a limited number are available, be quick. Visit www.cornwallchristmasfair.com
Images: Toby Weller.