Four very different but equally important community groups have been nominated for the BBC Radio Cornwall Make a Difference Awards.
The shortlist includes groups focusing on LGBT history, disability rights campaigning, memory loss support, and cancer support. The topics may be serious, but the staff, volunteers and clients of these Cornish collectives wanted to talk about the fun, companionship, togetherness and love they felt in every session.
The winner of the Community Group category will be announced at a ceremony in Truro in September.
Francesca, from the Cornwall Down Syndrome Advisory Group, clearly takes pride and passion in the work the group does. Francesca has the lifelong genetic condition herself and said: "The advisory group is helping people with Down Syndrome all around Cornwall, we help them to find out about the law, we also find out what the rights are for people with Down Syndrome and how our lives can change."
This community group has been honoured for its tireless efforts to help shape local and national policy and improve the lives of people with the condition, including publishing books, guides and taking a trip to Westminster. Francesca explained why the nomination for the BBC Radio Cornwall Make a Difference Award mattered to her, saying: "It's really important and we were so, so happy. I was really, really happy because me, Chloe and Ted have been working so, so hard under the Down Syndrome group to work for them to get this award, to make a difference."
Monday afternoons are never quiet at the Carnon Downs Village Hall, when the WI Knit and Stitch group meet. The friendly group focuses all its efforts on charity, such as knitting support cushions for breast cancer patients and items for the premature baby unit at the Royal Cornwall Hospital and other local charities.
Heart-shaped pillows are a speciality of Maureen Stones, and she has made 4,045 of them in nearly 17 years. She laughed: "When I was given them at first, I thought 'Easy, two heart-shaped pieces of material, stuff it, and you're done' but no, there are seven pieces to the cushion, but I enjoy it. We always put ribbons and lace on because we decided right at the start these cushions needed to be pretty, because when you think what the ladies have been through, they need a bit of a boost."
The knitters get their own entertainment out of their efforts. One of the organisers Diana Cooch said: "I don't think anybody here goes home without having had a giggle."
Sophie Meyer is on a mission to look into what she calls "the queer history of Cornwall" and to share that with the wider community. "My background is in museums and archaeology and from working within the sector I realised that actually we were not reaching my community," Meyer said.
Four Cornish Groups Shortlisted for BBC Make a Difference Award