A creative project involving a double-decker bus, a citizenship quiz and a passport resulted in more than 1,650 people supporting Cornish distinctiveness at ten recent events across Cornwall, Devon and Somerset

Funding from Cornwall Council saw Golden Tree Productions develop the experience, encouraging members of the public to engage with the campaign for Cornish to be recognised with a tick box on the UK Census.

So far the bus, which has been part of the Man Engine Resurrection Tour 2018, has been to Geevor, Heartlands, Wadebridge, Tavistock and Radstock as well as Camborne for Trevithick Day. 

Cornwall Councillor and chairman of the council’s Cornish Minority Working Group, Jesse Foot, said the bus showed there was strong support for a tick box to be included on the Census.

‘There was very clear and strong support for a ‘Cornish’ tick box to be included on the Census. We saw an overwhelmingly positive response to the question ‘Would you support the inclusion of a Cornish tick box at the next Census’ with 96% of responses saying yes. This included both people who do and who do not themselves identify as Cornish.’