TANYA'S Courage Trust in Penryn is more than a charity shop, it brings the community together and has the great memories of Sasha Watson at its heart.

The trust was an idea of Tanya Billing’s, an inspiring young woman who lost her battle with an acute form of leukaemia.

Tanya had the goal of setting up a charity to help young people in her position when she got better, but due to her illness she wouldn’t be able to.

Her family took it upon themselves to fulfil her wish and started Tanya’s Courage Trust in 2005 and more than 14 years later, the charity is going from strength to strength.

The trust reached out to Michelle Bray, mother of Sasha who tragically lost her battle with liver cancer in 2015.

They saw how passionate Michelle was about helping people like Sasha, whose story brought everyone from Falmouth together to help and celebrate her life.

The trust wanted Michelle to join them and she has been making a huge difference ever since.

“At first it was about making money for the charity so they can help young people,” Michelle said.

“But straight away you notice that this is more, there’s a huge community side to running this place.

“People pop in for a chat, to make donations or just somewhere to go.”

Michelle and her team have opened another shop for the trust in Falmouth.

“We had to, there’s too many donations for one shop!”

In the three years that Michelle has been running the shop, there has never been a quiet period.

“It’s good that we get so many donations really, it means we can keep everything cheap and sell it quickly, with more stuff already lined up to go on sale.

“We get daily donations, tonnes of it.”

She has a team of more than 20 volunteers helping her in Penryn, all of whom are welcoming to every customer, making it a sociable and homely place.

The trust in Penryn take part in the town carnivals every year, winning first prize last year, as well as town fairs.

“We try and create a good community feeling, bringing everyone together to be positive.”

Michelle has had a tough time, but has always had a positive outlook.

“It makes me so happy knowing were having such a big impact and helping so many people, be that through selling cheap clothes to people who may struggle, offering lonely people a place to come and chat or raising money for the charity.

“I couldn’t have wished for this to have gone any better.”

Despite some shops seeming to struggle, there are no signs Tanya’s Trust easing up anytime soon.

Tanya’s Courage Trust in Penryn is located on Lower Market Street and the Falmouth shop is in St George's Arcade.

Both shops are open Monday to Saturday from 9.30am to 5pm.