Staff at Barclays Bank branches throughout Cornwall have raised more than £5,000 for West Cornwall Youth Trust in 2013.

The bank chose the trust as its charity of the year and fundraising activities included holding a Cornish Day in each branch in April and a community Christmas party day in the week before Christmas. 

“Barclays encourages all its staff to get involved with the local community as much as possible – both in terms of volunteering and helping develop life and money skills,” said Truro branch manager Sonia Bass.

“As well as raising money for West Cornwall Youth Trust, we have also helped out at some of the events the charities they support organise – like Playfest, for example.

“The work that is going on to give our young people as good a start in life as possible is remarkable and we’ve been very proud to make our own contribution.”

West Cornwall Youth Trust was set up in 2009 to help charitable organisations from St Austell westwards that are working with young people, aged approximately between 10 and 21, who are underprivileged, seriously financially constrained, socially disadvantaged or who have specific disabilities.

Trustee Nick Fletcher said: “Working with Barclays last year enabled the bank to offer practical help to some of the organisations that we’ve supported previously and also allowed us to offer donations to several more that applied to us during the year.

 “Our work, which is focused on charitable organisations that work with young people rather than individuals, will continue in 2014 and we are most grateful to Barclays for their help during 2013.”

For more information about West Cornwall Youth Trust, visit www.westcornwallyouthtrust.org, email info@westcornwallyouthtrust.org or call 07837 067585.