Be happy today as March 20 is officially known as International Day of Happiness.
Here in Cornwall, we are surrounded by people making a difference in all aspects of life.
Some devote themselves tirelessly through voluntary or charitable work while others campaign passionately to make Cornwall a better place for us all. Others bring joy to our lives through music, food or the inspirational way they live their lives.
While we can’t possibly mention everyone, here we look at 60 people who, in no particular order, who we think are making Cornwall a better place to live.
1. Pat Smith
A gran who made a New Year's Resolution to clean up Cornwall's beaches remarkably achieved her goal of picking up litter once every week for a whole year.
Anti-plastics campaigner and business owner Pat Smith, 70, took to a different beach every week throughout 2018.
Now she has shared her remarkable achievement and all the experiences she had picking up litter alone, with others or on trips with her grandchildren.
Pat, founder of the environmental campaign group Final Straw Cornwall, said: "Doing 52 beach cleans in 2018 was my New Year’s Resolution and it’s finally done. I won’t stop as our beaches need me.”
Over the year Pat has cleaned beaches from Coverack on the Lizard peninsula to Blackpool Sands in Devon. Often volunteers have joined her in her efforts to keep beaches cleaner while she raises awareness about how everyone can help to reduce plastic waste.
2. Margaret Louise Frost
This Bude community stalwart was given a BEM in the New Year’s Honours list 2018.
Margaret Foot, 78, was given the award for her services to charity and the community in Bude.
Ms Foot has spent more than 50 years dedicating her time to the town and local charities.
Over the years she has been involved in everything from the town band to helping organise music events, charity auctions and even local jumble sales.
She has also been recognised for her work with the Royal British Legion, which she has been collecting for at her Rustic Tea Gardens since 1963.
3. Benji Matthews
Benji Matthews from Truro has been sharing his love of music ever since he shot to fame on X-Factor in 2017. He got as far as the six seat challenge before being sent home.
Since then, Benji’s career has flourished playing at festivals around the country. He is also writing his own material and will be playing in schools around Cornwall.
The Cornish teen is very grateful for the X Factor helping his career saying: “Being a part of X factor has been the biggest blessing ever and I’m so grateful to them. You expect people to be bitter when they get booted off but I loved watching it and listening to all the contestants.”
4. Monique Collins
When it comes to helping people, Monique Collins is to be applauded for his work with the homeless in Newquay.
She is the lead volunteer for Newquay DISC (drop in and share centre), and last year made it her mission to ensure no person was sleeping rough in Newquay over the winter.
Working in conjunction with homeless charity St Petroc's and drug and alcohol charity Addaction, she succeeded.
“We’ve worked very hard over the winter period, I wanted to make it my mission that we have nobody on the streets,” Monique said. “And we successfully did that this winter, we had nobody on the streets.”
5 and 6. Elaine Poole and Heather Papworth
Praise for the success of the DISC Newquay project (see above) must also go to Elaine Poole and Heather Papworth, who co-founded the charity.
The initiative runs twice a week out of St Michael’s Church in Newquay, alongside the foodbank. It is an emergency service which offers hot food, clothing and advice on issues such as finances, housing, training, employment, health, legal problems and relationship breakdowns. People can even use the charity as an address for their mail.
“We do really enjoy what we do, we’ve done this for nearly seven years now," said Elaine.
7. Fiona Richardson
Founder of the Big Dance Company in Penzance, Fiona has taught hundreds of children to dance since she first created the school in 2000.
With her dance group Flava making it to the finals of Britain's Got Talent and others competing all over the world, she shows youngsters that anything is possible.
The dance company is a place for young people to congregate and is plastered with inspirational quotes all over the walls.
8. Steve Ellis
Steve Ellis is the founder of Truro-based homelessness charity the St Petroc’s Society.
He has worked hard behind the scenes for years to help those in need across the county.
This year the charity launched its Let’s End Street Homelessness in Cornwall campaign, pulling everyone together to work in unison to end a county-wide crisis.
Thanks to the effort of homelessness services across Cornwall, including St Petroc’s the rough sleeper count has reduced by one third in just one year.
Steve said: “Nationally, many other areas have gone up, so Cornwall really has bucked the trend by seeing that decline.
“It goes to show that if your community gets behind you and wants to help you, then that makes all the difference.
“If you put in the work, you can make the difference.”
9. Jessica Hodges
Jessica Hodges has played a lead role in the St Petrocs’ Let’s End Street Homelessness in Cornwall campaign.
She was recognised as one of Cornwall Chamber of Commerce's 30 Under 30 this year.
10. Liam Jolly
When it comes to bringing happiness, Liam Jolly has brought joy to many with his work at major music festivals in Cornwall such as Boardmasters. Also a talented drummer (currently in Wolf Note) he works with his SW1 Productions team.
Liam featured in the national Indie50 list of the most important people working in the independent music scene in the UK. It's fair to say Cornwall's arts scene wouldn't be the same without Liam.
11. Robin Markland
Robin is the founder of Cornwall’s Warmth for the Homeless, a campaign based in Falmouth that aims to help those sleeping on the streets to stay safe and warm and break down the barriers between rough sleepers and the community.
The 38-year-old father from Falmouth experienced homelessness himself, when he was put into sheltered accommodation with his mum at just 13-years-old.
He wants to help make a positive impact to rough sleepers and those living in emergency accommodation “the hidden homeless”.
He said: “It’s not just physical warmth, it’s about emotional warmth as well. It’s the difference between helping someone stay warm and dry and helping someone feel cared about.
“People are resilient but it’s the little things that really make a difference.”
12. Bimini Love
The Newquay teenager hit headlines when she launched a campaign to help provide sanitary products to homeless women in Cornwall.
Bimini was just 15 when she launched ‘Street Cramps’ at the start of 2017.
She worked tirelessly to raise awareness of period poverty, fitting in fundraising and campaigning around studying for her GCSEs.
Bimini was also invited to speak at the TEDXTruro event last year to talk about her campaign.
At the time she said: "It would be incredible if I could inspire others to start tackling period poverty in their own communities.”
13. Perranporth’s ‘Bob’
A mystery pensioner has been giving up his time to do a good deed for his community – all in the name of love.
The retiree, known only as ‘Bob’, spent the last few weeks armed with gardening tools, cutting back overgrown weeds and undergrowth that had taken over a pavement in Perranporth.
When he started the pathway had been reduced to less than half-a-metre wide.
When another Perranporth resident stopped to offer a hand, ‘Bob’ told him that he had started to clear the path when he discovered that it had become so overgrown he could no longer walk down it whilst holding hands with his wife.
A beautiful demonstration of love that has made a lot of people happy, even though we don’t know his full name, ‘Bob’ just had to make our list!
14. Rob Love
Rob is the chairman of CrowdFunder, which still has its headquarters in Newquay.
He has been the driving force of the company, helping to inspire others to follow their dreams, championing social enterprises and helping to launch thousands of campaigns both in Cornwall and the rest of the UK.
Rob has helped so many people to follow their own dreams, while many of them using the platform to help their own communities – the amount of happiness he has created certainly secured his place on our list.
15. Dawn French
I don’t think we need much explanation as to why French has made our list.
The Cornwall-based comedian spreads happiness and joy wherever she goes.
16. Steve Heller
We have all cried with laughter watching one of the Camborne comic’s music videos and sung along to his songs with a smile on our faces.
Not only does Steve help to make Cornwall itself a happier place to be, but sharing his videos on his incredibly popular Youtube account, brings happiness across the UK – and helps to put Cornwall on the map.
17. Sarah Turner
Sarah Turner’s honest, often startling, blog about raising her two sons has resulted in a generation of parents religiously following her glamour-free escapades.
Sarah, 29, who grew up in Launceston and moved to Exeter for university, said she became frustrated by the unrealistic stories of parenting online, so she created the Unmumsy Mum, which has now become a bible to mums everywhere.
18. Suzanna Hext
Suzanna has helped to make Cornwall a happier place by proving an inspiration, never giving up on her dreams.
The 30-year-old para-dressage rider from Truro was paralysed in a serious horse riding accident in 2012.
She broke multiple bones in the accident including her back and pelvis and ending up in a wheelchair for almost 18 months.
But despite the set backs, two years after the accident, she got back on a horse and has since competed at the top of her game.
The triple gold medallist at the Para-dressage European Championships in Sweden now has her sights set on the Tokyo Olympics 2020.
19. Melissa Reid
Inspirational athlete Melissa competed in 2016's Rio Paralympics.
Being blind in one eye and partially sighted in the other has not been a bar to Melissa's incredible success.
She is an elite paratriathlete who competed in Rio in 2016, has the 2013 World Championship under her belt and has her sights set on taking even more title’s this year.
20. Rachel George – Alfie the Elf
Redruth mum Rachel has helped to put a smile on thousands of people’s faces over the last few months.
Rachel, whose 11-year-old son is disabled, used the Elf on the Shelf trend to help raise awareness of the day to day problems that people in wheelchairs face.
From issues with access to a lack of Changing Places toilets, Rachel and Alfie have gained worldwide recognition for their work and have already helped to make Cornwall a better place for people in wheelchairs.
Although Christmas might be over, Rachel and Alfie the Elf have no plans to stop anytime soon.
Their tireless campaigning is helping to make Cornwall a more accessible, accepting and happier place to be!
21. Five-year-old Ava James
Ava is by far the youngest person on our list, but she has certainly earned her place.
She might be young, but she has already made a name as an environmental campaigner when she hit headlines after setting Pizza Express a letter asking them to ban plastic straws from all of their restaurants – and it worked.
Ava doesn’t live in Cornwall herself, but her mum is from Saltash and her grandma does still live there. She begged the restaurant chain to stop giving straws to customers, because it will make animals “sick”.
22. Hayley Emery
Last year Hayley launched a modelling agency with a difference in Cornwall.
The agency has clients of all shapes, sizes and ages and aims to advocate diversity.
Hayley said: “To be a model you’re told you have to be tall and very thin, unless you’re a plus size model, but then there are different agencies for you – I don’t see why you should have to have different agencies when everyone is equal, everyone is beautiful.
“I want to show the world that Cornwall has talent, that you can use us, that we are here and different and diverse.”
23. Emily Stevenson aka the 'Beach Guardian'
Emily is a 21 from Trevone Bay, who launched a project to stop plastic from ending up on beaches across the world.
Aptly nicknamed the ‘Beach Guardian’ she has reached thousands with a video she posted to her Youtube channel calling for an end to single use plastics.
A photo of Emily was even featured on the front page of The Telegraph and her video was played on Al Jazeera news.
24. Zoey Wright
Zoey, from Penryn, was diagnosed with a debilitating bowel condition at the age of 20 and eventually chose to undergo surgery and have a colostomy bag fitted.
She's overcome all that to train to be a champion bodybuilder and uses her experience to inspire others.
25. Donovan John Gardner
Donovan has been helping to make Cornwall a happier place for more than seven years, after setting up the Camborne Foodbank to help people in need across the county.
He was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) in the New Year’s Honours List earlier this year, recognising the contribution he has made to the county.
26. Will Coleman
Man Engine creator spread joy across the county when the Cornish Giant first stood in Cornwall.
People were moved to tears seeing the creation walk through the streets.
Speaking to Cornwall Live earlier this year, Will said: “In 2016 the Man Engine brought alive the epic spirit of Cornish miners and had a whole new generation asking questions about what our Industrial Heritage means.”
27. Pegleg Bennett
Pegleg is an inspiration to many, the one legged surfer is at the top of his game and is one of the best surfers in the world.
He had his leg amputated at just 13 months old, but has never let it get in his way.
He has a wicked sense of humour, encourages others to take up the life-changing sport and helping to put Cornwall on the map by proving his skills across the world. Last year he cycled with his friend from John O'Groats to Land's End for charity.
28. Matthew Thomson
Matthew is chief executive of the Cornwall Food Foundation and Fifteen Cornwall. He is passionate about food and sustainability and uses food to inspire people and to help the environment, economy and health of Cornwall.
29. Julie Stoddern
For 20 years, Julie Stoddern has been taking addicts and convicts into her home and helping them find purpose and structure to their lives. Often with no help from authorities and, most recently, at the cost of being brutally attacked, she refuses to give up and will always take young people off the streets and do her best to put them on the right path.
30. Hugo Tagholm
Hugo is one of the longest serving members of Surfers Against Sewage.
He joined the charity in 1991 and was an activist, regional rep and trustee before becoming the chief executive in 2008.
He has tirelessly campaigned for cleaner coasts for years and has helped to secure a number of serious successes in his time – and has no plans to stop any time soon.
31. Phil Barnett
In the 20 years since Phil gave up his job as a hairdresser to set up youth theatre company Kidz R Us, it has gone from amateur dramatics to astonishing force for good in the St Ives community. The group has raised more than £2million and helped more than 2,000 children, half of them from disadvantaged backgrounds. Phil appeared on The People’s Strictly last year with Janette Manrara.
32. Nour Chakroun
A woman who celebrates other inspirational women, she deserves an accolade herself.
Nour runs the Inspiring Women's Network in Cornwall, bringing together women who go above and beyond.
They award an Inspirational Woman of the Year to "recognise and celebrate the amazing achievements of local women in their everyday life".
33. Joe Taylor
Joe is the founder of The Wave Project in Cornwall a surfing-based charity that launched in 2010.
The charity gives one-to-one lessons to young people with mental health problems to help them to enjoy the outdoors and boost their confidence.
Since launching the charity, Joe has helped to bring happiness to numerous young people across the county.
34. Simon Allison
Simon is the founder of Drama Express, a Cornish based group for young people with disabilities.
The group is an all-inclusive group for youngsters with any disabilities, and aims to use the theatre to increase their confidence and provide them with new social experiences.
In the last year the group has grown, now with two branches, one in Cornwall and one in the Isles of Scilly and two celebrity patrons backing the group, June Brown (who plays Eastenders’ Dot Cotton) and Morwenna Banks.
Mr Allison said: “I founded the group in response to requests from young people with disabilities. A lot really wanted to do drama but had been to other drama groups and struggled to keep up."
35 and 36. Kris and Maren Hellenga
Twin sisters from Cornwall, Kris and Maren Hellenga set up the charity Coppafeel, raising awareness of breast cancer in 2009.
The brave sisters launched the charity after Kris was diagnosed with incurable breast cancer herself at just 23 years old.
Instead of letting the news get her down, she has used her experiences to campaign to raise awareness for young people, provide information about the disease and give guidance on how people can check themselves.
37. Georgina Maxwell
Falmouth-based artist Georgina not only inspires people with her creations, but uses items that she finds cleaning the Cornish coast of plastic rubbish, to make them.
She has spent the last two decades transforming her findings into works of art.
38. Emma Wright
Emma made our list for a number of reasons. The mum works for a cancer charity, helping to raise awareness of the deadly disease.
She also suffers from depression. Emma has been fighting the mental illness for a number of years, and while her battle is very much still real, she has found a number of things that have helped her along the way.
Last year she took part in the TEDXTruro talk to speak out about depression, talk about her experiences and encourage others to get help.
39. Oliver Dismore
Oliver is another who has ticked a number of boxes to make it onto our list of people that make Cornwall a happier place.
He is a cancer survivor, a fundraiser and works with the police helicopter department helping to save lives every single day.
40. Nick Carr
Nick was told that he would never walk. The Truro man was just three years old when he was struck down by encephalitis, a rare and potentially deadly disease that affects the brain.
Although the toddler managed to fight off the illness, he was left with life-long problems – and his devastated family were even told that he would never walk.
Nick spent 23 years of his life wheelchair bound until he managed to take his first agonising steps in 2014.
He has proved an inspiration to so many, managing to tackle flights of stairs and even setting his sights on completing the London Marathon.
41. Jess Ratty
Jess and her partner Ben Ford started out with two beat-up camper vans which they renovated to the highest standards but The Cornwall Camper Company now employs a third person and has a fleet of six VW camper vans.
Business has boomed over the past five years, but it has taken a lot of hard work and effort, especially for Jess, also previously worked full-time at Newquay-based Crowdfunder.
She's well-known across Cornwall for her positive attitude and ability to lead people, gathering hoardes of supporters for every project she puts her mind to.
42. Leanne Grose
Leanne became a disability rights campaigner after having her leg amputated.
She's written a book, filmed a fitness DVD and launched a successful media career and has been praised for her courage, determination, strength of character and positive mindset.
43. Helen Glover
Helen Glover, MBE, is a professional rower from Penzance and a member of the Great Britain Rowing Team. She is married to TV adventurer and author Steve Backshall.
Ranked the number one female rower in the world since 2015, she is a two-time Olympic champion, triple World champion, quintuple World Cup champion and triple European champion.
As of June 2016, she and her rowing partner Heather Stanning are the World, Olympic, World Cup and European record holders, plus the reigning Olympic, World and European champions in the women's coxless pairs.
Helen has also been a British champion in both women's fours and quad sculls.
44. Morwenna Banks
Cornish comedienne Morwenna is a well-known actress, writer and producer. She is most famously the voice of Mummy Pig in Peppa Pig and is one of the co-writers of the fantastic British comedy Damned.
She was born in Cornwall and has a house at Cadgwith with her husband, comic David Baddiel.
She has recently become a patron of the Drama Express group (mentioned above) and visited the youngster earlier this month to help inspire them.
45. Kernow King
He’s one of Cornwall’s most loved comedians and actors.
His humour has brought happiness to Cornwall for years, whether it is with the sharp-wit in his stand-up or his hilarious pantomime performances.
46. Sir Tim Smit
Sir Tim is executive chairman of Eden Regeneration and co-founder of the iconic Eden Project near St Austell, which opened to the public in 2001 and which has since contributed more than £1bn to the Cornish economy.
Sir Tim, who recently acquired the Charlestown Shipwreck and Heritage Centre, was knighted in 2012 in recognition of his services to public engagement with science.
47. Tracey Parry
Tracey works at Mamouchi hair salon in Truro, she is larger than life, has a positive attitude and is always smiling.
But as well as spreading the joy with her personality, she is also an active fundraiser.
She has organised a fun ‘Bush Tucker Trial’ themed charity challenge in Truro for the last three years and has taken part in a number of treks, walks and marathons to help raise funds.
Tracey will be hosting another ‘Bush Tucker Trial’ this year, she will take part in the challenge herself and will also be undertaking a trek at Machu Picchu, 2,430m above sea level.
This year’s event is to raise funds for cancer support charities Larf Cornwall and Walk the Walk.
48. Roger Ryman
The head brewer at St Austell Brewery is responsible for Tribute, which has gained a reputation across the UK and beyond. He arguably has one of the best jobs in Cornwall, but he's also leading the way in brewing and has helped inspire a new generation of small batch brewers.
49. Andy Rance
Andy uses music to inspire young people and has received several accolades in the past for his work Livewire in Saltash. Every week hundreds of youngsters gather to create music and chat and Andy is the driving force behind it all.
50. Merv Davey
Affectionately known as Dr Folk, Merv is a Cornish scholar and musician who was made Grand Bard of the Cornish Gorsedh in 2015. A passionate campaigner on Cornish issues as well as an inspiration in the language, tradition and music of Cornwall.
51. Louise Gabbitas
Royal Cornwall Hospital midwife Louise Gabbitas, did Cornwall proud earlier this year, making it to the final of Channel 4's SAS: Who Dares Wins.
The 29-year-old, who was one of the first women to appear on the show in which contestants are given training in the style of the Special Forces, said that "gender didn't matter" to her throughout the competition.
She also spoke out to reveal that she turned to drink and drugs as a teenager to escape from having to watch her brother, who suffered from cerebral palsy, slowly deteriorate until he died at the age of 19.
Louise said: "When Scott was ill I hid from it. I’d skip school, disappear and get drunk. It was escapism.
"I smoked drugs and did other things, like cocaine and ecstasy. Then I came home one day and my mother told me he’d suffered a heart attack and was in hospital.
"Scott passed away and I was overwhelmed."
52 and 53. Steve and Sharon Cowburn
Steve and Sharon suffered a devastating tragedy when their son Ben took his own life, while under mental health care at Longreach in Redruth. He was only a teenager at the time.
Since his death, Steve and Sharon launched the Invictus Trust and have been campaigning tirelessly to have a mental health unit for children and young people built in Cornwall.
Their efforts have not been in vain as it has now been confirmed that the unit will be built.
Not only has their campaign helped many young people already, but it will leave a legacy that could help thousands in the future.
54. Amber Cowburn
Amber Cowburn is the sister of Ben Cowburn (see above). Along with her parents and sisters, she helped set up the Invictus Trust charity to help support young people in the county suffering with their mental health.
And Amber has herself been presented with a national award for her "life-changing volunteering" work.
The Rotary Club in Lostwithiel has now honoured Amber's achievements by presenting her with the national Community Champion award which is presented annually to recognise the outstanding and inspirational humanitarian and community service of volunteers from around the country.
55. Matt Timms
Matt Timms is a Perranporth stalwart who can always be found at the centre of the community.
He is part of the New Wave Church, helps to organise events and campaigns in the village and is not setting on a huge project to bring joy to the area.
Along with others at New Wave Church, he has helped to secure a double decker bus, which the group are in the process of turning into a community asset to be used to hold everything from youth groups, to community talks.
56. Rachel Yates
Last year Rachel Yates' work to protect her local coastline from plastic pollution was officially recognised by Prime Minister Theresa May.
Rachel, the woman behind Plastic Free Penzance, became a recipient of the Points of Light award in August 2018, which recognises outstanding volunteers who are making a change in their community and inspiring others.
Taken aback by the amount of plastic washed onto the shores after winter storms in 2014, Rachel decided to act and began joining beach cleans run by Surfers Against Sewage based in St Agnes.
Passionate to do more she then took part in the charity’s Plastic Free Communities campaign and began working with local businesses to find plastic alternatives.
Rachel runs regular plastic-free clinics to provide guidance to businesses on giving up plastic and has persuaded more than 60 of them to ditch single use plastics for good, making Penzance the UK’s first plastic free town.
57. Phillippa Giles
You wouldn't necessarily expect one of the most powerful women in British TV to be based in a sleepy Cornish village, but Phillippa Giles - who brought the world such hits as Luther, Delicious, Rillington Place and Jane Eyre - runs her production company from Delabole.
Phillippa is not one of those creatives who treats Cornwall as a second home bolthole.
She is very much at the forefront of a bid to make the county a focus for film and television, and to help create jobs in the county and stop young people having to move away to find work in the arts.
It's fitting that as the executive producer of Delicious - a series predicated on 'girl power' starring Dawn French - that Phillippa's pretty outspoken too.
She made headlines a couple of years ago when, having left the BBC after 25 years, she accused the corporation's drama department of being dominated by a 'cartel' of old, white men.
Phillippa also spoke openly about being sacked from Luther, the Idris Elba-starring Golden Globe-winning drama she helped create.
58. Kay Harvey
Kay Harvey from Mullion on the Lizard peninsula has had a tough time yet remains one of the most happy and positive people you could ever wish to meet.
Despite suffering five heart attacks and three strokes, she has battled on to raise much-needed cash for charity with her Heart Beats music festivals held in Helston. She said this year's festival at the Blue Anchor pub on Sunday, May 5, will be her last though. She has organised three other similar festivals since 2014.
59. Nicola Smith
Local beauty Nicola Smith could soon be heading to the semi finals of a huge UK beauty pageant.
Nicola applied for the Miss England contest without expecting to get through - but her photo was chosen by the pageant team to become one of the shortlisted candidates in the third photo heat.
If she gets through this round, she'll be competing in either the Miss England semi final or will have the opportunity to participate in her nearest live heat.
The carer, who lives in Millbrook on the Rame Peninsula, admitted she initially signed up for a 'bit of a laugh' when her friends encouraged her to do so.
But the prospect of raising money for charity - which will be in aid of cervical cancer - is the main reason Nicola hopes she will now get through.
60. Ann Muller
What a thing of joy is a beautifully crafted Cornish pasty - and one who knows plenty about the finer points of Cornwall's famous export is Ann Muller, business owner and founder of the famous Ann's Pasties shop in The Lizard village.
Ms Muller never expected to become a Cornish pasty maker. Her only previous catering experience was waitressing in a vegetarian restaurant in Notting Hill, West London, more than 30 years ago, to help her through art school.
Having never made a pasty till about 20 years ago, she found herself crimping and selling pasties with her mother. Demand grew and she started selling her wares from a shop in Helston then Lizard where her company has continued to flourish to the point now her own son is part of the business.
