SIR Ray Tindle, the owner of Tindle Newspapers, has nominated the Prince's Countryside Fund as the group's charity of the year for 2014.

The Cornish Times, as part of Tindle Newspapers – Britain's largest privately-owned local weekly newspaper group – will be supporting the Prince's Countryside Fund during the year.

The Cornish Times has also committed to raising awareness about the Prince's Countryside Fund and will carry the fund's logo on the masthead of all its editions during 2014. The Prince's Countryside Fund was set up in July 2010 by Business in the Community and the Prince of Wales, who has a long-held commitment to supporting Britain's hardpressed rural areas.

The fund has given £3m in grants in three years to rural communities, directly benefiting more than 52,000 people.

The charity also operates an emergency fund for times of need.

Tindle Newspapers has been providing vital community news to rural areas for decades, with its oldest newspaper being published for more than 200 years. The newspaper group is also a generous supporter of the Prince's Countryside Fund and has given £100,000 to help support people who care for the countryside.

Victoria Elms, manager of the Prince's Countryside Fund, said: 'Tindle's newspapers are a great source of local knowledge and a vital information source in rural areas.

'We're delighted to receive such a generous donation, which will go towards projects that are working to protect, improve and sustain rural life.'

The newspaper group was started by Sir Ray with £300 of demob money at the close of World War II.

For more information on the Prince's Countryside Fund, including how to make a donation and how to apply for funding, visit http://www.princescountry">www.princescountry sidefund.org.uk