FIVE charities in Cornwall have been nominated to receive a share of more than £30,000. 

NFU Mutual's agent offices in the area picked charities to benefit from a national £1.92million Agency Giving Fund, launched by NFU Mutual. Each charity will receive a share of £32,215.

One charity to benefit from the donation is Cornwall Air Ambulance, nominated by the Launceston Agency.

Upon receiving the donation, Julia Jeffery from Cornwall Air Ambulance, said: “Every year, we are called out to over 1,000 trauma and medical related incidents, providing critical care to the most seriously sick and injured people.

“This donation will help people like sheep farmer Derek Colton, who was working alone in a remote field on the south Cornish coast when he found himself suffering a sudden cardiac arrest. Derek said: 'You don’t think about having a heart attack, it never, ever crossed my mind. If it wasn’t for Cornwall Air Ambulance I probably would have died'."

Another charity is St Petrocs, nominated by the central Cornwall agency. 

Louise Reid, support care manager at St Petrocs, added: “St Petrocs is facing one of their busiest winters. Last month they worked with over 330 people across all their services and have opened their winter services emergency accommodation for the winter months. Here they were able to access their basic needs including support into a home, showers, toilet, clothing, food, GP drop-in appointments and a place to shelter.

“The donation from the NFU Mutual Agency Giving Fund has been used towards the provision of our resource centres which rely on donations to be able to operate and provide this vital support to people experiencing homelessness.”

NFU Mutual’s agency offices and branches, with over 280 locations nationwide, were given the opportunity to nominate local charities to receive a share of the fund.

Regional manager for the south west, Roz Hills, said: “Charities like St Petrocs and Cornwall Air Ambulance are making a wonderful difference to our communities and we are proud that our agents have nominated a wide range of local causes to benefit from NFU Mutual’s national fund.”