After 28 years of supporting Macmillan Cancer Support, this year's Cornwall Christmas Fair has changed the charity that it supports.

This year's fair will be supporting Cornwall Community Foundation in its work to help those suffering from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Last year a record breaking £68,500 was raised for Cornwall’s cancer patients, bringing the total raised for Macmillan in Cornwall to more than £730,000 over the years.

“As an independent group with no official affiliation to any charity, we are acutely aware of the many worthy causes that need urgent funds in Cornwall,” explains Kate Holborow, co-chair of the Cornwall Christmas Fair.

“This has been brought even more starkly to the fore by what we are seeing our Cornish communities going through at the moment, with the forecast for the county looking pretty bleak.

"So we have made the difficult decision to move away from Macmillan and are giving a three year commitment to a different but equally important cause.”

The Cornwall Community Foundation has been at the forefront in supporting vulnerable Cornish communities since Covid hit.

Read more: Extraordinary generosity as Cornwall Emergency Appeal tops £1million

In the last ten weeks the Cornwall Community Foundation Emergency Fund has handed out 198 grants totalling just under £440,000 to more than 119 organisations, ranging from local food banks, to family support groups and those providing care to vulnerable individuals.

The fund will be in even more demand as the rebuild process starts, with so many across Cornwall facing a challenging future.

The fair will take place at the Eden Project on Thursday, November 12, with a preview and shopping evening on Wednesday, November 11.

The Eden Project is again hosting the fair and sponsors including Lillicrap Chilcott, Ginsters of Cornwall, Coodes, Walker Crips, Nixon Design, Jarrang, VoiceGroup Wild West, Dales and The Old Ship Hotel have already confirmed their support.

“We are hugely grateful to the Eden Project and to our generous sponsors for their continued support,” said Kate.

“The Cornwall Christmas Fair is a stalwart on the seasonal calendar and we are delighted to be able to announce our 2020 dates.

"There is no doubt that the fair will need to look a little different this year and we will obviously be working closely with the Eden team to ensure that all required distancing is in place.”

Tickets will be available from www.cornwallchristmasfair.com from Monday, September 7.