St Austell Brewery Donates £25,000 To Mentor Programme Transforming Young Men’s Lives
St Austell Brewery has announced a £25,000 donation to A Band of Brothers (ABOB) Cornwall, a charity transforming the lives of young men through mentorship and long term community support.
Founded nationally in 2006 and active in Cornwall for over a decade, ABOB works specifically with men aged 18-25 who are facing significant challenges, often including trauma, addiction, offending, or social isolation. Its Cornwall branches in Penzance, Falmouth and St Austell, run entirely by trained male volunteers, deliver a powerful 12 week mentoring journey culminating in a ‘homecoming’ graduation ceremony that celebrates each young man’s progress.
Young men – often referred to the organisation by the judicial system to prevent them from ending up in prison – are supported by one-to-one mentors through their journey.
Not only is St Austell Brewery helping to fund the vital group, but some of its staff are also training to become mentors.
Piers Thompson, Head of External Affairs for St Austell Brewery presented the donation cheque from St Austell Brewery’s Charitable Trust to the group last month.
Piers said: “A Band of Brothers is doing extraordinary, life changing work with young men across Cornwall, and we’re proud to support a programme making such a tangible difference in our communities. Our donation will help ABOB train more local mentors, expand the 12 week mentoring scheme, and provide ongoing community support for young men in Cornwall.”
Mentor and local businessman Sam Galsworthy first discovered ABOB around five years ago through the Cornwall Community Foundation. After attending a graduation ceremony, he says he was “so moved” by what he witnessed that he knew he had to be involved.
Later, as High Sheriff of Cornwall, Sam made ABOB his chosen charity after a moment he describes as “a lightning strike.” While with the Devon & Cornwall Police forensics team in the emergency call room, he experienced a deeply affecting time.
Sam said: “Whilst working with Devon and Cornwall Police one evening, a hotline went off: a death – a young male, no suspicious circumstances. Half an hour later, another, the same again. Then another. Four calls in three hours. All young men and all from Cornwall. That moment crystallised for me just how urgent the situation was.”
Recognising the crisis facing young men in the county, he joined ABOB as a mentor. He described the experience as transformative. “The most profound thing happens when you mentor, you get just as much back as the young men. At the passing-out ceremonies, the bravery of these young men – sharing their stories, often for the first time – is extraordinary.”
Four years ago, James was in a dark place. Drinking heavily, struggling with drugs, and not coping with the pressures of fatherhood, he said his life was “basically going downhill.”
He was introduced to ABOB through the Wild Young Parents Project. After completing the rites of passage weekend and 12 weeks of mentoring, James turned his life around, eventually starting his own business. He has since referred four young men to the charity and even mentored two others.
“It’s a place for men to find community, role models, to learn and grow. It helped me accept parts of myself I never could before.”
One of the men James encouraged to join the programme was his colleague Seb.
Seb, 20, was struggling with alcohol when he started working for James. Seeing the signs he once recognised in himself, James encouraged Seb to connect with ABOB.
“Taking that step was huge,” Seb said. I’d struggled with drinking for a while. But I’ve just graduated the homecoming and I’m proud of myself. I dropped out of school and college – I never had that end of year certificate. Seeing all those people there to support me was eye opening.”