Name

Volunteer Cornwall

Legal name

Volunteer Cornwall

Website

https://volunteercornwall.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Community Volunteering Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Volunteerism, Service-Learning & Community Service (EDALAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC), Volunteer & Companion Support Services (Hospice Volunteer Programs) (HSABAFAO)

Keywords

• Volunteer management services
• Community health programmes
• Social prescribing
• Accredited training courses
• Community transport services

Headquarters

HQ city

Truro

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Public Sector Funding: Core funding from NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care Board and Cornwall Council Public Health to deliver health, wellbeing, and community support services including Community Health and Wellbeing Workers, Community Hubs Network, and Community Gateway.
2. Training Course Fees: Revenue from accredited training courses including safeguarding, leadership and management, mental health first aid, and coaching qualifications. Courses range from £125 to £650 per person with funding options available through VSF Learning Academy.
3. Transport Services: Community transport services using volunteer drivers to help people attend medical appointments, community activities, and essential services. Expenses such as mileage are reimbursed.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Volunteer Cornwall is a registered charity that recruits, trains and deploys volunteers across Cornwall and delivers community-based health, wellbeing and transport services. Its core offering combines a centralised online volunteering opportunities directory with the Community Hubs Network (59 hubs), the Community Gateway helpline, Community Health and Wellbeing Workers, befriending and volunteer driving services, accredited training courses, and targeted programmes such as HOPE and WellFed Cornwall.

Product overview

Volunteer Cornwall is a charity that operates as a platform of interconnected volunteering services and community support programmes, rather than a single unified software product. The core offering centres on a Volunteering Opportunities Platform that connects individuals with local charities and organisations across Cornwall. This platform is complemented by the Community Hubs Network and Community Gateway service, which together form a neighbourhood health and wellbeing infrastructure supporting 59+ community hubs county-wide. Additional services include volunteer driving and transport, telephone and stroke befriending, Lifeline Response volunteers, and the HOPE Programme for health and wellbeing. Volunteer Cornwall also delivers training and development programmes, manages Community Health and Wellbeing Workers, and runs the WellFed Cornwall food support pilot. All services work together to enable meaningful action for individual and community wellbeing.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Volunteering Opportunities Platform Online platform where local charities, community groups and non-profits across Cornwall publish volunteering opportunities; individuals can filter by location, activity type and days of the week.
• Community Hubs Network A network of 59 physical and virtual community spaces across Cornwall providing local support, resources and activities as part of the Gateway and Hub Network.
• Community Gateway Helpline service open 7 days a week, 8am–8pm, providing non-urgent mental health support and connections to local services across Cornwall.
• Community Health and Wellbeing Workers (CHWW) Programme modelled on Brazil's Family Health Strategy in which workers provide regular, ongoing health and social care support to households in small neighbourhoods of approximately 120 households each.
• Stroke Befriending Service Peer-to-peer support from volunteers with lived stroke experience, helping individuals in their rehabilitation journey through 1-1 sessions, hospital ward visits, or peer support groups.
• Telephone Befriending Volunteer service providing regular friendly phone calls (up to 30 minutes weekly) to housebound and isolated individuals, offering conversation, reassurance and a listening ear.
• Lifeline Response Volunteers County-wide volunteer service acting as emergency contacts for Lifeline system users, including Lifeline Response Volunteers (named contacts) and Lifeline Responder Plus (area-wide responders).
• Community Transport Service County-wide volunteer driver service helping people attend medical appointments, community activities and essential services across Cornwall; drivers hold continuous training and enhanced DBS checks.
• HOPE Programme Health and wellbeing intervention based on positive psychology, mindfulness and cognitive behavioural therapy, delivered as six-week self-management courses for adults living with long-term conditions.
• Volunteering for Health Support for people during hospital stays and as they return home, including companionship, gentle social activities, practical recovery support and signposting over a 6-8 week period.
• WellFed Cornwall Pilot research partnership providing weekly boxes of locally grown vegetables and tailored food support to people living with type 2 diabetes or pre-diabetes, alongside cooking skills and community food activities.
• Climate Resilience Programme Environmental volunteering and climate resilience work including emergency preparedness, connecting health systems with community climate action.
• Training and Development Cost-effective training services for individuals and organisations including leadership and management, safeguarding, coaching, and accredited qualifications through ILM, NOCN, FAA, and NUCO.

Quantifiable outcome

• £2.33 social value generated for every £1 invested in Community Health and Wellbeing Workers
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

33 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• NHS Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Integrated Care BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary funder and strategic partner for Community Health and Wellbeing Workers, Community Hubs Network, and Community Gateway. Jointly shortlisted for HSJ Awards 2026. Commissioning partner for health inequalities programmes.
• HelpforcecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational healthcare volunteering charity that developed, evaluated, and promoted the Community Gateway and Hub Network model. Conducted independent evaluation showing £11.6m avoided NHS costs.
• Age UK Cornwall and the Isles of ScillycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey partner in Community Gateway and Hub Network, contributing to county-wide model for neighbourhood health and wellbeing.
• Cornwall Voluntary Sector Forum (VSF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Community Gateway and Hub Network. VSF Learning Academy provides funding for training for VCSE staff and volunteers. Manages WorkWell service referrals.
• Cornwall CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublic sector partner funding Community Hubs Network and climate resilience work. Provides strategic alignment with local authority priorities.
• Pentreath LtdmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health and employment support organization. Partner in Community Gateway and Hub Network. Co-delivers Hope Programme facilitator training.
• Cornwall Neighbourhoods for ChangemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization in Redruth. West ICA partner for Community Health and Wellbeing Workers. Partner in Hub Network.
• Cornwall Rural Community CharitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRural charity partner in Community Gateway and Hub Network supporting access to services in rural Cornwall communities.
• CHAOS GroupmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization in Truro. Central ICA partner for Community Health and Wellbeing Workers covering Truro area.
• First Aid Awards (FAA)supportingTechnology or IntegrationAwarding body for safeguarding qualifications. FAA Level 3 Awards delivered through Volunteer Cornwall training.
• NOCNsupportingTechnology or IntegrationAwarding organization for Information, Advice or Guidance qualifications delivered through Volunteer Cornwall.
• Institute of Leadership and Management (ILM)supportingTechnology or IntegrationAwarding body for Leadership & Management qualifications (Level 3 and Level 4) delivered through Volunteer Cornwall.
• NUCOsupportingTechnology or IntegrationAwarding organization for Mental Health First Aid qualifications delivered through Volunteer Cornwall.
• City and GuildssupportingTechnology or IntegrationAwarding organization partnered with Volunteer Cornwall for vocational qualifications.
• St Austell HealthcaremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGP practice in St Austell. Central ICA partner providing Community Health and Wellbeing Workers coverage in St Austell area.
• Dracaena CentremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity centre in Falmouth. Central ICA partner for Community Health and Wellbeing Workers in Falmouth area.
• Newquay Orchard & The StorehousemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization in Newquay. Central ICA partner for Community Health and Wellbeing Workers in Newquay area.
• Transformation CPRmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization in Camborne. West ICA partner for Community Health and Wellbeing Workers in Camborne area.
• Growing LinksmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization in Penzance. West ICA partner for Community Health and Wellbeing Workers in Penzance area.
• The Centre NewlynmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity centre in Newlyn. West ICA partner for Community Health and Wellbeing Workers in West Cornwall.
• TrelyamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization in West Cornwall. West ICA partner for Community Health and Wellbeing Workers.
• Bodmin WaymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization. East ICA partner for Community Health and Wellbeing Workers in East Cornwall.
• KBSKmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity organization. East ICA partner for Community Health and Wellbeing Workers in East Cornwall.
• Lighthouse Community CentremajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCommunity centre. East ICA partner for Community Health and Wellbeing Workers in East Cornwall.
• Imperial College LondonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner supporting evaluation and national expansion of Community Health and Wellbeing Worker model. Dr Matthew Harris leads research.
• National Association of Primary Care (NAPC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational body working with Imperial College London to implement CHWW model across England and Wales. Featured Volunteer Cornwall programme in newsletter and podcast.
• Sustainable Food CornwallmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in WellFed Cornwall programme delivering local food-based health interventions for people with type 2 diabetes.
• Active CornwallmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in WellFed Cornwall programme supporting physical activity and community engagement.
• HOPE for the Community CICsupportingTechnology or IntegrationLicensor of Hope Programme. Volunteer Cornwall is certified provider of Hope Programme in Cornwall.
• Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation TrustsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNHS Trust partner in health and care system collaboration.
• Mind CornwallsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMental health charity partner in VCSE health and wellbeing network.
• Citizens Advice CornwallsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdvice organization partner in referral and support network.
• Eden ProjectsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Cornwall attraction partner in community and wellbeing initiatives.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• NCVO: National Council for Voluntary Organisations is the UK-wide umbrella body for the voluntary sector. NCVO operates broader policy, research, and infrastructure services that overlap with Volunteer Cornwall's VCSE development work, but at a national rather than regional level.
• Age UK: National charity for older people. Age UK Cornwall and Isles of Scilly is a direct partner of Volunteer Cornwall on the Community Gateway and Hub Network; comparable befriending, health, and wellbeing service offerings.

Direct peers

• Volunteer Scotland: Scotland's national centre for volunteering, delivering volunteer development, training, and infrastructure analogous to Volunteer Cornwall's Cornish model. Closely comparable mission and operating model in a different UK nation.
• Helpforce: UK healthcare volunteering charity that develops, evaluates, and promotes volunteering in health settings. Helpforce is a direct strategic partner of Volunteer Cornwall on the Community Gateway and Hub Network, operates a similar mission, and is a primary competitor for NHS health-volunteering commissioning.
• Reach Volunteering: Tech-enabled volunteer matching charity focused on skilled professional volunteering. Comparable to Volunteer Cornwall's online volunteering directory but with a more specialist, professional-skills orientation.
• Do-it.org: UK-wide online volunteer matching platform operated by NCVO. Directly comparable to Volunteer Cornwall's online volunteering directory functionality, but at significantly larger national scale.
• Volunteer Wales: Wales' national volunteer infrastructure body delivering volunteer recruitment, training, and sector support. Operates a near-identical model to Volunteer Cornwall in a different UK nation.

Regional players

• Pentreath: Cornwall-based mental health and employment support charity that is a current strategic partner of Volunteer Cornwall on the Community Gateway and Hub Network and Hope Programme facilitator training.
• Community First Yorkshire: Regional VCSE infrastructure body supporting community organisations and volunteer groups across Yorkshire. Closely comparable operating model to Volunteer Cornwall's county-level VCSE development role, in a different English region.

Emerging players

• TimeBank: UK charity focused on time-banking and volunteering through community-led models. Comparable volunteer-infrastructure mission with a national rather than regional focus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xfacebook.com/VolunteerCornwall
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@Volunteer.Cornwall
• Facebookfacebook.com/VolunteerCornwall
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/volunteer-cornwall
• Instagraminstagram.com/VolunteerCornwall

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Volunteer Cornwall