STATEMENT REGARDING FUTURE OPERATIONS OF EAST CORNWALL CVS

After discussions with staff and partners, ECCVS is currently planning to cease operations on 31st October 2011.

Community Projects Trust was originally a link agency of the Community Development Foundation, a Home Office funded national organisation. The agency became independent in 1991 and was established as a company limited by guarantee, charitable status was granted in 1998. Community Projects Trust was originally supported by the Community Development Foundation, the Lankelly Trust, the Gulbenkian Foundation, the John Paul Getty Trust and Cornwall County Council. In December 2004 we converted to the East Cornwall Council for Voluntary Service. In recent years we have successfully managed grants from the Big Lottery, central
government, Government Office for the South West, the local authorities and various Charitable Trusts.

The Agency has undertaken an extensive range of community development work across Cornwall for the past 23 years. Our field work has included: community development work on a wide range of issues with groups in the rural areas and small towns; housing management projects; town development projects; rural strategic development work; work with the elderly and with young people; and with schools and groups of young people to develop young people volunteering projects and peer support schemes. We have worked extensively with the local authorities and with numerous town and parish councils. We have established operating partnerships
with several voluntary sector agencies.

ECCVS has developed a strong track record in working with groups in rural communities and has acquired an excellent reputation locally as being an approachable source of
constructive advice and support. We have made several contributions to national and local organisations who are  interested in this type of work.

ECCVS has firmly established itself as a source of help in matters of funding, governance, community development, and training for voluntary and community groups in East Cornwall. Recently some ECCVS work has been extended Countywide, such as the “Signpost” newsletter and governance training. Also through the Cornwall Infrastructure Partnership, ECCVS runs the North Cornwall and Caradon Inter-link development projects which are part of Inter-link Cornwall.

We would hope that the obvious needs of community groups in East Cornwall will continued to be serviced by some of our partner agencies.

We would like to recognise the support of our major funders over the years : Big Lottery, Esmee Fairbairn, Rowntree Trust, european, national and local government.

If you have any queries please contact ECCVS on 01208 832763 / 832765 or email admin@eccvs.org.uk

Mark Richardson, Chief Executive of Cornwall Voluntary Sector Forum said,

‘This is a very sad time for this organisation and for those who have worked closely with East Cornwall CVS over the years. In light of this news, we are keen to see what can be done to provide coverage for community groups needing support in the east of the county’