COMMUNITY hubs will continue to be delivered through the Sunshine Café model for a further 12 months, according to Truro City Council.

The council’s community development service delivers a wide range of activities and support for local residents and communities. The team helps local groups to organise community events and activities.

These include litter picks and city clean-ups, estate walkabouts, community gardening sessions, fitness classes, arts and craft sessions, support for carers and over 50s groups, and a youth project delivering free professional football coaching in the housing estates to reduce anti-social behaviour.

The flagship Sunshine Café project is delivered through the community hubs at Malabar Community Centre and the Moresk Centre. Open on Wednesdays at Malabar and Fridays at Moresk, the cafes provide a safe, warm space where people can get together to socialise, enjoy freshly cooked local food and free drinks, and access information, advice and guidance to support and improve their lives. 

First launched in October 2022 with funding from NHS Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, the aim of the original scheme was to support people through the cost-of-living crisis during the winter. It was extended to the end of March 2024 after research showed that engaging with others was helping to tackle loneliness and reduce mental health issues. The project will now run until the end of March 2025.  

Community Development Officer Damien Richards said there were 1,516 visits to the Malabar and Moresk community hubs over the past 12 months.

“We recognise the impact that the ongoing cost-of-living crisis and the challenges being faced by the NHS are having on many of our residents,” he said. “We want to ensure we continue to provide support to residents who are struggling, and extending this much-needed project will help us to achieve this.” 

The community hub at Malabar runs weekly food clubs, partnering up with New Beginning Community Association and CHAOS. Free surplus goods from supermarkets are distributed along with freshly-picked vegetables from Glean Cornwall.

The hubs also host visits from community health and wellbeing workers, who deliver arts and crafts activities, and provide professionally instructed strength and coordination training to help to prevent people from having falls at home.

From Friday, The Moresk Centre will host monthly Truro Nourish Hub cookery workshop sessions in conjunction with Truro Foodbank. From 10.30am to 2.30pm, chef Kevin Anstis will demonstrate how to cook tasty, healthy food on a budget. This is a free event, with lunch and refreshments provided.

The support has been praised by many of those attending the activities. “This group gets me out of the house and enable me to chat with people - I’ve made new friends and I smile lots,” said one participant.