Community Story: Camborne Cluster of Churches

For our second feature on an awardee of a grant from the Community Matters Fund (Green Spaces 2026) from National Grid we switch our attention to the Cornwall and a fantastic group of community churches as Luke Upton chats to Nanette Newton-Hinge, Project Manager for Camborne Cluster of Churches in the Diocese of Truro.

Luke Upton (LU): Thanks for speaking to me today, to open up, could you tell our readers a little about the origins of the Camborne Cluster and how the organisation has evolved over the years?

Nanette Newton-Hinge (NN-H): The Camborne cluster is a group of five Anglican churches set in and around the Camborne area, it includes St John the Evangelist in Treslothan, St Crewenna in Crowan, Holy Trinity in Penponds, All Saints in Tuckingmill and St Martin & Meriadoc in Camborne.  We are part of the Diocese of Truro, which is part of the Church of England.  The communities in these areas are in the 10-40% most deprived in the UK and through our ministry team, PCCs, staff members and networks, we work to serve and support our communities.

LU:  And what are you currently focusing on, and what are the main priorities for the organisation at the moment?

NN-H:  As churches our focus is always towards loving God, loving our neighbours and caring for creation. This goes alongside practical, social outreach with a community focus and covers a wide range of activities which reflect the needs of the community:

In Camborne this is offering 150+ children a free hot meal each Tuesday after school, or a multi- generational club to overcome loneliness. In Praze it is a Wednesday youth club. In Trelsothan and Troon it is a weekly youth and toddler groups and Wild Mondays at the Church. Our priority is to help and support our community, through simple acts of kindness or by signposting people to the support they need.

LU: Brilliant, you’ve recently received funding through National Grid and Localgiving’s Community Matters Fund (Green Spaces) 2026. Could you tell us more about the project, what the funding will support and what you hope to achieve?

NN-H:  This funding is to develop a nature-based project in the Churchyard of St John the Evangelist Church in Treslothan which is just on the outskirts of Troon village.  This beautiful grade II listed Church, fondly referred to as the Church in the Woods, is set in temperate Atlantic rain forest and home to an abundance of wildlife and nature.  Our project will remove invasive species from the space and provide homes and protection for wildlife and eventually encourage greater biodiversity in the churchyard.  This will include bat & bird boxes, insect hotels and hedgehog homes.  It also provided outdoor play equipment to allow toddler and after school clubs to take place (this summer we had a butterfly ball), and some kitchen equipment to allow a lunch club to be established.  Our community will be enriched by the use of the churchyard and in turn this will encourage the users to become custodians of nature.

LU: Sounds fantastic, so how important is grant funding like this to the Camborne Cluster and what difference does it make to the work you’re able to deliver in the community?

NN-H: This grant allowed us to purchase equipment that we would not have been able to afford without these grants so a big thank you to National Grid and Localgiving for the Community Matters Fund. It makes a big difference to the events and support we can offer our community, and the wildlife and nature within the churchyard.  Securing funding like this from National Grid and also Groundworks (Postcode Lottery Grassroot Grants) shows other funders that the project is worth supporting so able to encourage additional funding.  

LU: As we always like to ask, beyond financial support, what do you think would make the biggest difference to your organisation and the communities you support?

NN-H:  Volunteers are essential and we could not deliver a third of what we do without them, their skill set, kindness and hard work make our community outreach possible.  We are blessed to be part of a large network and to partner with lots of great organisations such as community centres, schools, other charities.  This support system means we can signpost people to the help they need and help each other serve our community.

LU: And finally, is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers — perhaps upcoming projects, events, achievements or other ways people can get involved?

NN-H:  If you live in the Camborne area and would like to join in with our work then we would love to hear from you, we run groups of all ages, indoor and outdoor.    If you can manage a couple of hours a month or even better a week, then drop us a line we would love to hear from you admin@cambornecluster.org.uk or to find out more visit our website www.cambornecluster.org.uk

LU: Brilliant, thanks Nina, keep up the fantastic work.

You may also be interested in: 

• Community Story: In the Mix Project
• Are you ready for the Christmas fundraising rush?
• Community Story: Carefree Cornwall

Localgiving is a leading online fundraising platform and grant delivery partner, focused on supporting small charities, CICs and community organisations. Since 2010, we've helped thousands of groups across the UK raise tens of millions of pounds and make a meaningful impact in their local communities. 

Our platform offers an easy-to-use suite of powerful fundraising tools alongside AI-powered support for finding and applying for grants—equipping organisations with everything they need to grow and succeed.

We also collaborate with major partners, including National Grid and Scottish Power, to deliver corporate grant programmes and connect funding with the communities that need it most.

Join Localgiving today and unlock new opportunities to supercharge your fundraising.

---> Get started with Localgiving with our free 14-day trial