Three Cornwall groups shortlisted for housebuilder's £1 million pirze fund

Regional housebuilder Persimmon Homes Cornwall has shortlisted three groups supporting under-18s to go forward for a chance to win up to £100,000 through its Building Futures campaign.
The groups have been selected from three categories targeting grassroots sports groups, health organisations and arts & education projects.
WKUK (Plymouth) will represent the arts & education category at the national final, Newquay Surf Life Saving Club has been selected to represent sport and The Zone Plymouth health.
WKUK (Plymouth) is a not for profit company run by volunteers to provide careers guidance, employability and training for children and young people. It runs children’s workshops and events as well as out of school clubs and trains unemployed volunteers to assist, giving them training support and opportunities to enhance their CVs and their employment opportunities.
Newquay Surf Life Saving Club promotes water safety, develops beach lifesaving techniques and encourages active participation in SLS competitions and SLSGB awards. It is committed to producing and developing the next beach lifeguards for the RNLI: seven youth members were employed this year.
The Zone is a charity providing services for vulnerable young people and offers information, advice, counselling and specialist support and works closely with its NHS partners. Trained volunteers supported over 6,000 young people last year, and most were seen via the daily drop-in. The Zone is exploring an accredited role for volunteers to be trained as specialist workers for supporting young peoples’ care pathways linked to sexual health and mental health.
Building Futures is being delivered through the Persimmon Charitable Foundation, which last year donated £620,000 to support children’s sport.
Through Building Futures, a total of 128 grants of £1,000 have been awarded across Persimmon’s 31 regional businesses and its head office this year.
Persimmon Homes is an official partner of Team GB and the Persimmon Charitable Commission enlisted the help of medallists Kat Copeland and Callum Skinner to help determine the three regional finalists for each business division.
One initiative from each category will go on to win £100,000 each through a national award scheme to be decided by a public vote.
As well as the £100,000 first prize, there will be a £50,000 second prize and a £20,000 third prize in each sector, while a further 87 shortlisted projects will each receive £5,000.
Online voting will open on July 23 and run until midnight on September 27. The winners will be announced at a gala dinner at York Racecourse on Tuesday, October 8.
Simon Perks, managing director of Persimmon Homes Cornwall, said: “Building Futures aims to create a lasting legacy for young people and the groups that support them.
“We have been overwhelmed by the response and it is clear there are a lot of very worthy causes supporting the younger generation and a lot of people working exceptionally hard to help them.
“We wish all three of our regional finalists the very best of luck and would urge people to show their support by voting for them at www.persimmonhomes.com/building-futures/.”