Charities in St Ives and Hayle have received a cash boost as part of celebrations to mark a milestone anniversary.

Yorkshire Building Society’s agency at Lanhams joined celebrations to mark 150 years of the Society helping people save for their futures and buy their first homes, by calling on members of the public to nominate charities to receive donations of £100.

The Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation marked the occasion by giving away £150,000 as part of its annual Make a Difference Week, and five charities in St Ives have received a share of the anniversary donation.

The charities benefitting, thanks to nominations from local residents received at the agencies are:

St Ives Town FC

Hayle Day Care Centre

The Cinnamon Trust

St Ives Archive Centre

St Ives Rugby Club Junior Section

Derek Hall, proprietor of Lanhams, said: “Our annual Make a Difference campaign is always very popular, but this year we’ve been able to support more charities than ever before thanks to the Charitable Foundation’s generous donation to mark the Society’s 150th anniversary.

“I’m delighted that five worthwhile causes in our area are part of the hundreds of local charities the Society is supporting throughout the UK and I’m sure the money will be used to make a positive difference in our community.”

Make a Difference Week is only possible thanks to Yorkshire Building Society’s innovative Small Change, Big Difference scheme, which enables members to donate the pennies from their annual interest on their savings and mortgages accounts each year to the Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation.