THE FIRST recepient of the Cornwall Shared Prosperity Fund has been announced today.

IntoBodmin CIC has been announced as the first project in Cornwall and Isles of Scilly to receive a share of the region’s £132m Shared Prosperity Fund.

The community and arts organisation, formed in 2017, has been awarded £180,000 to refurbish “The Old Library” which serves as a cultural and community hub for the town, including co-working and business workspace, performance area, café and community room.

They will also use the funds to launch a new Community Skills Development programme to provide the opportunity for six volunteers to receive training and establish place-based groups to develop community opportunities.

Councillor Louis Gardner, Cornwall’s portfolio holder for economy, said: "This is a great example of a project that can deliver on our good growth ambitions and make a difference at the heart of the community where it’s needed most.

"IntoBodmin is the first of many fantastic projects in line to receive shared prosperity funding, which will give residents access to new jobs and training and see investments made to improve local communities across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly."

Fin Irwin, Director at IntoBodmin says: "We are so excited to finally transform The Old Library building, that has been at the heart of the Bodmin community for the last 125 years.

"Accessing the Shared Prosperity Fund will allow us to safeguard it for the next 125 years!"

Levelling Up Minister, Dehenna Davison said: "It is great to see Cornwall and Isles of Scilly take full advantage of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, by refurbishing of the library located in the heart of Bodmin.

"I know the Bodmin Library plays such an important role for the community - offering a gateway to knowledge and providing a community space for youth groups and local families."

Scott Mann MP for North Cornwall said: "North Cornwall didn’t get as much EU investment as other parts of Cornwall so it is great news that the first Cornish recipients of the government’s flagship replacement programme, the Shared Prosperity Fund, are an organisation in Bodmin.

"The £180,000 funding awarded to intoBodmin CIC will go towards refurbishing the Old Library in Bodmin and setting up a new skills development programme.

"This will significantly boost the availability of training in the town and restore one of the town’s most iconic buildings.

"I will follow this project closely and look forward to seeing the results."

IntoBodmin CIC received £180,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund as part of the UK Government’s levelling up agenda.

Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly have been allocated a total £132m to spend on local investments over three years until March 2025.

Applications for the first round of funding opened in August 2022.

IntoBodmin were successful in the “Culture and Heritage-Led Regenerations and Skills” open invitation.

All investments fall into three priorities of business, community and skills with an overarching objective to achieve “Good Growth” for the region while tackling inequalities in deprived areas.

Funding is being delivered through a combination of open invitations to bid and initiatives delivered in-house by Cornwall Council.

All current opportunities for funding are available on the Good Growth website, with more opportunities ready to be launched in 2023.