HQ move 'better suits' charity ShelterBox

An international disaster relief charity is set to relocate its headquarters to a new location in "an exciting new phase".

ShelterBox has operated out of Falcon House, in Truro city centre, for a decade, but will relocate to Osprey House, on Malpas Road, Truro, later in July.

The organisation, which began in a warehouse in Helston in 2000, said it had supported more than three million people across about 100 countries, with shelter and essential items like water filters, solar lights, blankets, and mosquito nets.

Chief executive Sanj Srikanthan said the new facility "better suits how we work today and means we can focus more of our resources on supporting families after disaster".

The charity said the move marked "an exciting new phase" as it shifted how it delivered and approached aid to better meet the needs of those who had lost their homes due to conflict or disaster.

Srikanthan said: "Cornwall has always been our home, and that's not changing, but the way we work continues to evolve.

"We've adapted to staff preferences for greater work–life balance with more staff working remotely than ever before."

The charity said rather than packing supplies in a warehouse in Helston, the charity has started pre‑positioning aid around the world and increasing its database of approved suppliers and pipelines.

It added: "By storing aid closer to the communities that need it and working with local partners, ShelterBox can operate more efficiently and support more people."

The organisation is currently supporting people affected by conflict and disaster across the globe including those impacted by the earthquakes in Venezuela, as well as in the Philippines, Lebanon, Syria, and Sudan.

Follow BBC Cornwall on X, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to spotlight@bbc.co.uk.