Charity 'blown away' by support for new flats

A charity has hit hit its fundraising target to build four new flats for young people who have had difficulties finding housing.

YMCA Cornwall has raised £250,000 to the flats in an underused dance studio at their base in Penzance.

The site currently provides housing for 51 young people aged between 16 and 25 who have nowhere else to go, and gives them a chance to live independently.

The Duke of Gloucester and other local dignitaries unveiled a plaque to mark the fundraising milestone on Wednesday.

Dan Brown has experienced challenges with homelessness and is now an ambassador with YMCA.

He said: "I'm just a young lad who fell through the cracks , when I first got here I was baffled when people showed compassion and care because no one had done that before... coming here I felt safe from the start."

Helen Wilson-Prowse, head of operations, said: "We are blown away by the speed and scale of the support we've received. On behalf of the whole team at YMCA Cornwall, we want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has backed the campaign."

She said the successful fundraising was "a testament to how much our community cares about the future of our young people, as well as the dedication of the team here".

"Having a royal visit today is the icing on the cake , it's made me feel a bit emotional but it doesn't stop here, we'll keep supporting young people as much as we can," she added.

Prince William's charitable foundation gave the project £70,000 when it was launched in June 2025.

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