I am sure I speak for all my colleagues at Liskeard Country Market in saying how upset we were to learn that the Caradon Housing Youth Project (CHYP) has once more run out of funding and is being forced to close. We started donating some of our unsold bakery to CHYP when the staff were our close neighbours in the basement of Parade House. Since moving to the Liskerret Centre, one of CHYP's volunteers has walked up at 11.30 every Friday morning to collect our donations from the Long Room. We have built up very friendly relations with them and know how hard they have worked to help Caradon's young people find some stability at a time when family relations can often be difficult. Project co-ordinator Kate McGovern is surely right in saying that this will have repercussions on the mental and psychological health of these young people. With all that implies for the well being of our communities, particularly our town centres, surely it would be in the interests of local businesses to raise the £60,000 shortfall – not a huge sum – and give CHYP secure funding to continue its valuable work. It shouldn't be down to some charity up country to rescue CHYP as happened last time. We are the beneficiaries of what the organisation does – it's up to us to support it. Cornish people are brilliant at raising money for charities – isn't it time to remember that charity begins at home. These young people are our future.
JANET STANTON Liskeard