AN INDEPENDENT Cornish book shop is raising funds for local homeless charity Harbour Housing through sales of a new book.

The Book Shop Liskeard has pledged to donate a portion of sales from new release The Wild Silence by Raynor Winn to the Cornish homeless charity.

Owners Bob and Jackie Skillicorn explained why they wanted to reach out and support those experiencing homelessness.

“We took over the bookshop in the early summer of 2018. At the time The Salt Path written by Raynor Winn was a big seller in the shop,” said Bob.

“The book highlighted many issues affecting our society but particularly the impact of homelessness and how it can devastate people’s lives.

“We feel that The Book Shop should be at the heart of the community. It should be available to everyone. Homeless people are often invisible but are still very much part of the community.

“Raynor brought the issue to the fore in The Salt Path and helped raise awareness. In her new book The Wild Silence Raynor writes of the difficulty of coming to terms with losing everything including their home, but also how they kept their belief in rebuilding their lives.

“Harbour Housing plays a very important role in helping homeless people to regain their confidence and to take steps to improve and rebuild their lives.”

Harbour Housing manages several supported accommodation facilities across Cornwall and also provides outreach services to those in insecure housing to prevent them from becoming homeless.

It provides a holistic package of support to its beneficiaries including training opportunities, an activities programme and on-site wellbeing team, as well as referrals to treatment services for a range of needs including mental health and struggles with addiction.

Emily Hill from the charity said: “It was wonderful to hear from Bob and Jackie about how they were planning to support us with this promotion and we are thankful for their generosity.

“It is especially touching for us to be benefitting from the sale of Raynor Winn’s new book as the exploration of home, loss and hope in her writing is something we feel a close affinity with.”

The Wild Silence is available to buy in store, with limited copies signed by the author, or online.