Families struggling to send their children to school in clean uniform is the focus for a charity hoping the whole of Cornwall will get behind it and support.

Last week the Packet revealed that the Cornwall Independent Poverty Forum had been chosen as the Cornish entry in the Cash for Charities 2022 competition in association with the Packet.

Up against nine other charities in the south coast region, it can win a share of £16,000 – with the higher percentage of tokens collected the higher the money received.

You can read more about the competition and the other charities in the running here: Help Cornish charity supporting people in poverty win share of £16,000

Cornwall Independent Poverty Forum is registered to Truro but the money it hopes to raise will be focused on a project in Falmouth.

Ben Hudd, who is the lead at the charity's Fairwinds site in Falmouth, said: "We are looking to use the space to help in any way with the cost of living crisis. Ten or 15 years ago, when I started the work, it was quite easy to find distinct groups of people that needed help – what we have found recently is everybody needs help. It's everywhere."

He said there were a variety of projects ongoing at the moment but the latest one, which the cash from Cash for Charities would go towards, is adding a community washing machine – in particular to help families who may be struggling to wash school uniforms for their children.

"Low income families are having to make decisions as to whether they put food on the table or electricity in the meter. Putting a cycle of clothes through the washing machine is, ridiculously, becoming outside people's budgets.

"The idea is we fit a washing machine and dryer in to the space, then as part of our Tuesday – and Thursday from next week – sessions we're just open for people to come in and have a chat, and put a wash on.

"We're starting to see more children in schools who are basically going to school without clean clothes every day," explained Ben.

He said increasingly it was becoming harder to know what to focus on, as "there is so much need."

 

Fairwinds in Falmouth offers an open door and a listening ear to anyone

Fairwinds in Falmouth offers an open door and a listening ear to anyone

 

The washing facilities, when fitted, will be available at the Tuesday 'Listening Post' sessions between 10am and 2pm, and from next Thursday, November 10, there will also be a drop-in on Thursdays at the same times.

And while the impetus behind the new project was low income families, the washing facilities will be available to anyone to use if they need them.

Fairwinds is a registered 'Warm Welcome Space' and the charity works with local churches and the council, as well as other charities such as Georgia's Voice and Quiet Connections.

"As a Church of England organisation our strapline is 'justice and compassion'," said Ben.

Fairwinds is based in the converted basement area of King Charles the Martyr Church, in what used to the Huddle Cafe. It has its own entrance from the street and is open to all.

See more details on how to collect competition tokens in this week's editions of the Packets.