Cornwall Make A Difference 2026 nominees revealed

The nominations for the BBC Cornwall Make A Difference Awards 2026 have been announced.

The awards, which are in their fifth year, recognise and celebrate people and groups who make a difference in their communities across Cornwall.

There are eight categories and the winners will be announced at a ceremony in Truro, in September.

Emma Clements, BBC Radio Cornwall managing editor, said: "With a record number of nominations this year we are privileged to share the stories of community spirit and selflessness, where we live."

The Young Hero category recognises an individual or group of young people who have made a positive impact in their community or achieved something exceptional. The nominees are:

• Albany, 8, from St Austell - for kindness and compassion for others through friendship and volunteering for foodbank and Christmas box fundraisers
• Ellawyn, 12, from Hayle - for an epic three-day coastal paddle to fundraise for a friend undergoing cancer treatment
• Harriet, 15, from St Austell - for raising awareness of autism and boosting mental health through running and sport fundraisers
• Orkney, 10, from the Isles of Scilly - for island and coastal endurance challenges that support wildlife charities and Cornwall Air Ambulance

The four finalists in the Community Group category are:

• Queer Kernow - a non-profit community group which aims to act as a conduit for LGBT history in Cornwall
• Carnon Downs Knit and Stitch - this group has made more than 4,000 lavender-scented heart cushions to provide comfort for breast cancer patients
• Hayle Memory Cafe - meets twice a month to offer friendship and support to people with memory difficulties and their carers
• The Cornwall Down Sydrome Advisory Group - empowers adults and families with Down syndrome to share their voices and directly influence government

There were hundreds of entries in the Animal category. The 2026 nominees are:

• Dude the Dartmoor Pony from Bodmin who visits care homes and schools and comforts other animal rescues.
• Jane and Hector - bringing comfort to the classroom through the pet therapy dog service for Cornwall
• Prickles and Paws - Katy and Diane, the mother and daughter who built a hospital for hedgehogs
• RCHT pets as therapy - the dogs on 'paw patrol' for patients on hospital wards

The Environmental Award celebrates an individual or group of people who help to make where we live more environmentally-friendly and better for nature, the nominees are:

• Rowena Castillo-Nicholls, Truro - for her dedication to chough-watching, butterfly surveys and being an advocate for women's health
• Karen Balsdon-Johnson, St Teath - for her work with the Bodmin Horizon Club and supporting adults with learning disabilities at the Lanhydrock allotments
• Lanjeth Water Gardens and Nursery CIC - for creating a plant-filled space supporting mental health and forest schools
• St Agnes National Trust Ranger team - for their dedication to conserving the coastline

The volunteer category is for those individuals who makes a notable difference to their community by giving their time voluntarily to help others, nominated are:

• Cathy Carter, St Austell - volunteers at a women's counselling service supporting women who have experienced abuse
• Hilary Tyreman, Penzance - the volunteer manager of the Rainbow Project in Penzance which supports local families offering practical and emotional help
• Emma Pearce, St Austell - an ambassador for a national charity supporting women and their partners following baby loss. She delivers bags containing essential toiletries to the hospital as part of the Comfort Bag project

The Active category is for an individual or group of people who have used physical activity or sport as a way of improving the lives of those in their community. Nominated are:

• Asgard Martial Arts Gym - a martial arts gym where people of all ages and abilities can improve their fitness, build confidence and learn valuable life skills
• Men Walking and Talking Falmouth - a cross-generational walking group that supports men's physical and mental health and wellbeing
• Newquay Boxing Academy - uses sport to create an inclusive and supportive community, offering programmes to young people at risk of exclusion from school, veterans and people living with Parkinsons disease
• Wes Swain - Founder of the Scilly 60 and organiser of numerous swimming and running events on the Isles of Scilly

The nominees for the Great Neighbour Award are:

• Gavin Hosking, Pendeen - the fun-loving bingo organiser and community entertainer, raising laughs and funds
• Dave Corrigan, St Erth - for leading one village's response to Storm Gorretti
• Penny Platts, Portreath - for being a 'pocket rocket' in her community lending a hand every day of the week
• Sue Kneebone, Perranwell Station - for sharing her garden and chalets with people of all ages seeking space to relax, play and connect with others

The nominees for the Fundraiser Award are:

• Kev Riddle - has led a RAF St Mawgan campaign to tackle food insecurity by completing two three-day walks covering 140 miles dressed as food items and pushing a modified shopping trolley. He has raised more than £5,000 and delivered more than 700 kilos of food to foodbanks in Cornwall
• The Dreckly Boys, St Austell - a singing group for a wide variety of men aged 40+ in Cornwall offering friendship and support and performing to raise money for local charities
• The Noah Jordan Foundation, Tywardreath - a children's charity established in memory of Noah Jordan who died in 2024, aged nine months, from a rare paediatric mitochondrial disease for which there is currently no treatment or cure. It has raised £450,000 in two years to fund medical research and to support families and children
• Sophie Always, Georgia's Voice - Sophie set it up in memory of her daughter who took her own life in 2020. It supports young women with mental health concerns aged 18-25 living in Cornwall.

Emma Clements said: "Every year the nominations for the BBC Cornwall Make a Difference Awards are a powerful reminder of the kindness and generosity that exists in every community across Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

"With a record number of nominations this year we are privileged to share the stories of community spirit and selflessness, where we live."

The winners of the BBC Radio Cornwall Make A Difference Awards 2026 will be revealed at a special ceremony in Truro in September.

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