A Truro charity campaigner has been invited to a Local Charity Champions Reception at Number 10 Downing Street. 

Paul Caruana is one of several hundred volunteers from across the UK to have their work recognised by the government. 

The event on Monday, April 24 will be hosted by the Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP, parliamentary under-secretary of state for the department of Culture, Sport and Media. 

The invitation came out of the blue for Mr Caruana, who was nominated by someone who prefers to remain anonymous. “It was a total surprise,” he said. “My missus knew but wasn’t allowed to tell me. I’ll actually be on holiday in Portugal that week, but will fly back to London for the day.” 

Truro born and bred, Paul is well known for leading the volunteer group that keeps Sunny Corner, on the banks of the Truro River near Boscawen Park, spick and span. He also runs twice-yearly litter picks across the city, and organises the children’s fireworks display on New Year’s Eve. 

His fundraising abilities know no bounds; grateful recipients include charities such as ShelterBox; community groups such as the youth football club on Tremorvah recreation field, whose funds paid for storage and new goalposts; Tregolls School, for families without means at Christmas; and individuals in need. 

In the past, he was part of the voluntary covid vaccination team, organised Truro Day for six years, and raised over £2,000 in memory of homeless man Bryan Pesce, who lived in the soccer dug-out in Boscawen Park. In 2018, he was among those who successfully campaigned for a memorial to 13 victims who lost their lives during World War II, when two fighter bombers approached the city and launching a bomb which landed on the Royal Cornwall Infirmary. 

Asked why he does it, he replies: “It isn’t for reward or recognition. I simply enjoy helping people, and bringing pleasure to their lives. That’s a good enough reason for me.”

As a former logistics officer in the RAF, Mr Caruana possesses a natural aptitude for organisation. “I like crossing i’s and dotting t’s, and bringing together volunteers. A lot of people want to do things but not everyone likes to lead – I like to lead rather than follow. 

“If you have a good relationship with people, it gets results – in this case, I know who to go to for money, and people are willing to give it because they know it will be used in the right way, for the right reasons.”