Surviving Winter

We are calling on anyone who receives the Winter Fuel Payment but does not need some or all of it, to donate it to us and help people stay warm and well this winter.

19,1% of households in Cornwall are in fuel poverty (23% in the Isles of Scilly), rising to 40% in parts of the Duchy. This winter-centric issue causes serious health problems including heart attacks and strokes, about 300 people die unnecessarily each year in Cornwall from the cold. Poor health from a lack of warmth affects another 50,000 people.

The Surviving Winter Appeal is country wide initiative run by community foundations like ourselves in each county. Since the launch in 2011 a total of £4.7 million raised helping 65,000 older people.

Donations can be made in the following ways:

• Sending a cheque made payable to The Cornwall Community Foundation, Suite 1, Sheers Barton, Lawhitton, Launceston, Cornwall PL15 9NJ

• You can donate online here 

For further information, contact a member of staff on 01566 779333 or office@cornwallfoundation.com

Dame Helen Mirren is a supporter of the campaign (picture credit: Giles Keyte)

Funds raised will be used to:

• Offer small grants to organisations operating in Cornwall working with people who may be most affected by cold weather. These grants are for additional work over and above normal activities and must be in response to the impact of cold weather on your members or beneficiaries.

• Provide financial support to the most vulnerable people in Cornwall, helping them to stay warm, active and healthy. These small grants can be accessed through a wide range of sponsor agencies throughout the county and are to help vulnerable people on low incomes who struggle to heat their home and maintain a reasonable quality of life during the winter.

Any monies unspent at the end of this year’s appeal will be rolled over to help people in future years or address underlying causes of fuel poverty.

Apply for support:

Please click on the following link to find out the criteria and how to apply Surviving Winter grants.