Esmée Fairbairn Foundation awards £200,000 grant to support Cornwall’s Black community.

Cornwall’s leading charity for Black and ethnic minority people has been awarded a £200,000 grant to support the Black community in Cornwall.

The funding was awarded by Esmée Fairbairn Foundation to Black Voices Cornwall CIO, to empower the Black community in Cornwall to improve social and economic outcomes.

Based on extensive community research, the charity plans to use some of the fund to create a new Black-led volunteer network around Cornwall, helping Black people to be less isolated and have better support networks.

This will be led by 12 volunteers who are People of Colour known as Community Leaders, based in localities across Cornwall.

Their role will be to support the ethnically diverse population locally, signposting to services and encouraging community events and cohesion.

Black Voices Cornwall CEO Joyte Brown said:

“Our approach and planned activities are the result of five years of working with and listening to the Black community in Cornwall.

“Since our foundation as a charity in August 2020, we have worked closely with and for the Black community in Cornwall. In 2024, Black Voices Cornwall embarked on a deep-dive consultation with this community to understand what they wanted from us as a charity.

“Following months of consultation, the clear message was the community wanted more equitable access to economic success and more say and input into their local communities. They looked to BVC to provide a trusted forum for listening and facilitating the change they wanted to see.

“That is why we are now embarking on creating Cornwall’s first Black-led community network, which enables Black people to support each other socially and economically, giving us the resilience and support we need to thrive.

“We are extremely grateful to Esmée Fairbairn Foundation for supporting this work, and enabling the Black Community in

Cornwall to thrive and succeed.”

Matthew Kenworthy-Gomez, Chair of Trustees at Black Voices Cornwall, said:

“This funding represents a real moment of trust in the Black community here in Cornwall. It’s about putting resources and decision-making directly into the hands of those who live the experience, and backing that leadership fully.

“As Chair, I’m proud to see this investment supporting a Black-led volunteer network that will strengthen connection, confidence, and opportunity across the county. It’s a step towards lasting inclusion, one that recognises the value, contribution, and voice of Cornwall’s Black community in shaping the future of this place we all call home.”

Black Voices Cornwall was formed in August 2020 in response to the murder of George Floyd, the organisation started as a group of volunteers who wanted to raise visibility and fight racism at a local level.

Today, the charity is widely-regarded as the leading anti-racist organisation in Cornwall, delivering a broad range of projects and services, including community building projects, cultural events, tackling systemic racism and supporting people experiencing racism through non-legal advocacy.

To find out how you can become a Community Leader or volunteer with us, get in touch:

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