With charitable giving being a key element of our Giving Back programme, and with our commitment to supporting our communities as a B Corp Certified business, we were delighted to make a difference with some Festive giving in 2025.
In the last financial year (2024-25), Stephens Scown was proud to have donated an impressive total of £27,356.30 to support charitable events or organisations, with donations made to support our own colleagues’ fundraising efforts as well as monies raised by our Charity Committee going to last year’s firm and office charities of Dementia UK, Children’s Hospice South West and Balloons.
As a result of some colleagues being unable to attend our recent Truro office Christmas party at The Alverton Hotel, there was a substantial amount of food which the firm had already paid for, but which would no longer be consumed. It was an opportunity to share the food with those in need, so Stephens Scown contacted local homeless charity, St Petrocs, to donate this.
Verity Slater, Giving Back Partner at the firm said: “We put The Alverton and St Petrocs in contact and they agreed that rather than receive boxed up Christmas dinners (which they could not re-heat), they would rather receive a cold food delivery to the same value.
“The Alverton arranged for their suppliers to drop this to St Petrocs, the items including 10 cheesy bubble and squeak paninis, 25 turkey stuffing sandwiches, 40 brownies and caramel desserts and sparkling apple juice.”
Verity Slater and Tegan Forward (Volunteering lead) from Stephens Scown’s Giving Back team also then spent time with the charity to deliver four boxes of chocolates for the staff and service users.
It was great to hear from the St Petrocs team that the food donation was gratefully received and much enjoyed. They have also sent a card to all staff at Stephens Scown saying, “Wishing you all a Christmas full of the same warmth and kindness you have shown to others”.
Working to end homelessness, St Petrocs has resource centres in Truro and Penzance and numerous houses throughout Cornwall. They offer advice, clothes and sleeping bags, showers and laundry, GP and health services, charging and Wi-Fi, and a safe space during ‘drop-in’ times, including a ‘coffee corner’.
Unfortunately, the number of walk-ins increased by around 30% in summer 2025 and it is expected that the need for St Petrocs’ services will increase again over this winter and across the Christmas period. Homelessness can arise for many reasons including relationship breakdowns, job loss and difficulty finding new accommodation due to the growing increase in rent and lack of affordable housing.
For anyone interested in volunteering to support the work of St Petrocs, please reach out by email to sophie.setter@stpetrocs.org.uk or call their fundraising team on 01872 260948 to enquire about fundraising for the charity.