The Sowenna mental health unit at Bodmin Community Hospital has been handed a cheque for £8,000 thanks to the hard work of a fundraiser from Par. 

Billy Dormand, 24, wanted to give something back to the trust by way of thanks for the care he received. He has raised over £20,000 for the Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and other organisations since 2020. 

Billy’s passion for fundraising began over three years ago when he was admitted to the hospital’s Fletcher Ward, an acute psychiatric admissions unit offering assessment and treatment for people aged 18 or older.  

Billy spent 14 weeks there, and in his first year since leaving hospital raised £10,000 for the ward after organising a number of fundraising events, followed by £3,300 for men’s mental health support group Man Down. 

He presented this latest cheque to Sowenna in Bodmin after a number of fundraising events, including a pool competition and auction at St Blazey Football Club, which raised more than £5,000. 

A donation of £1,500 from Lloyds Bank and a further anonymous donation brought the total to £8,000. 

Billy said: “Towards the end of the stay in Fletcher Ward when I was a little bit more mobile, my brain was more active and I just figured I wanted to give something back, which I did. From then on, I have supported local charities. With Sowenna, I wanted to support the children as much as the adults. 

“My motto is ‘It’s ok not to be ok’. It can affect anybody, from any age. People can hide behind a smile and not be ok. 

“There has been a lot of hard work. Hopefully, the money which was raised will go towards a silent disco, or some new pool cues, or activity sets.” 

Sowenna business support manager Laura Patrick said: “Billy has shown such determination. He’s a credit to his family and himself.  It’s no mean feat to fundraise in the current climate, so to raise £8,000 is absolutely amazing. It really will make a huge difference to our young people here. 

“We use the funds raised for us for everything from clothes for the young people - some unfortunately do not come to us with anything, so we will go out and get them clothes if they need them – to the things we take for granted, like toothbrushes. 

“We also do events such as trips, and things which will help our young people recover and move forward.”