Falmouth based superyacht specialist Pendennis Shipyard was able to donate over £15,000 to local charities and community projects over the course of 2019, through a variety of company fundraising initiatives. 

With over 50 recipients benefitting from financial contributions throughout the year, causes included St Petrocs, Cornwall Air Ambulance, Penhaligon's Friends, Falmouth Dementia Café, Perranporth Surf Life Saving Club, Surfers Against Sewage, Cornwall Care, iSight Cornwall, and several local schools. The funds came from activities such as staff raffles and fundraising at the annual summer fete, as well as 100% of the proceeds from a small monthly charge for use of the staff car park which was recently built on newly acquired land within the docks.

In addition to these initiatives, 30 of the Pendennis workforce participated in the National Movember campaign and managed to raise a fantastic total of £4,228.88. This was donated to The Chestnut Appeal, which aims to raise awareness and support the very latest in treatments and technology for men's cancers in the South West.

Director of the appeal Lesley-Ann Simpson said:

"Pendennis' support really does help our local community. As you may know, raising awareness is at the heart of everything we do, as well as this, with the funds raised, we support our hospitals by purchasing the very latest equipment, funding nurses and bringing new and innovative treatments to the area. 

To help more men than ever before, we're also looking at building an online community, to reach those who need help and support during and after their cancer treatments. We want men and their families to know that we're here to offer support and guidance for as long as they need us!"

Each year one local charity is chosen to be the main focus of the company's yearly fundraising, dubbed the 'Charity of the Year'. Pendennis' charity committee elected for the 2019 Charity of the Year to be The Dracaena Centre, a local charity and facility who promote sports, health, training, and restorative and social justice, and support young people, early years, families, older people and the wider community. Their goal is to fill gaps in the provision of services to the community by securing much-needed funding and resources.

Last month the Pendennis charity committee presented The Dracaena Centre with a cheque for £3000, the total of their various fundraising efforts throughout 2019.

Kate Springfield, The Dracaena Centre's Youth Work & Education Coordinator, commented:

"We are very grateful to all of the Pendennis team for this generous donation. We are excited to be putting some of the donations towards our Youth Project to provide weekly fresh fruit for young people, a fridge freezer and equipment for our cooking activities and a football table. We will also be buying spring and sensory plants for our community members to enjoy in our community garden"

This year Pendennis' Charity of the Year was chosen via a companywide voting system, with Cornish healthcare charity Cornwall Hospice Care receiving the most votes.

Throughout the coming year, an array of activities will be organised within the company to raise money for Cornwall Hospice Care, who in 2020 celebrate their 40th year of providing adult hospice care in Cornwall. Pendennis will also be supporting the charity as they attempt to break the Guinness World Record for hosting the largest cream tea party, in a 1940's themed gathering at the Exhibition Hall at The Royal Cornwall Showground on Saturday 20th June.

Judy Lawton is Cornwall Hospice Care's 40th Anniversary Project Coordinator:

"We're delighted and honoured to have been chosen as Charity of the Year at Pendennis Shipyard and to be working closely with the team there during our 40th anniversary year. As a Cornish charity, we aim to support our local communities and to work in collaboration with others across Cornwall. We work to benefit those with terminal illnesses and their families and carers and this we can achieve with friends like the Pendennis Shipyard team."

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