Holsworthy successfully opens its community food hub

Holsworthy Food Hub celebrates the official opening of the project on Friday by inviting local dignitaries to visit the project and see how it works.

Families or individuals living in Holsworthy will now have access to their own food hub which has just been launched and celebrated by the cutting of ribbon and sharing cake with guests, volunteers, and customers.

The hub is an affordable food club that is free to join, aimed at people on low incomes or struggling financially. Customers could get for their five-pound bag including many household staples including meat, fresh fruit and veg. I would definitely recommend this project to people who are struggling with the rising cost of food.”

The scheme aims to provide £15 worth of food for £5. Individuals in households of up to three people can buy one bag, households with four people or more can buy two bags for £10 providing up to £30 worth of food. And households with seven or more people can buy three bags for £15 providing up to £45 worth of food.

The project received start-up funding of £2,990 from LiveWest and Melissa Trudgill< Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust successfully obtained a Growing Communities Grant of £730 from Devon County Council. LiveWest developed and funded Holsworthy Food Hub to help LiveWest and other residents stretch their budgets during the cost-of-living crisis.

LiveWest has worked in partnership with a number of different organisations to bring this to the community.  These include Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust, TTVS, Holsworthy Food Bank, Northern Devon Food bank, Trussell Trust, Holsworthy Methodist Church, FareShare and One Small Step.

Melissa Trudgill Community Engagement Manager from Dartmoor Academy Multi Trust said ‘it’s been a real pleasure to work with Alison Knight from Live West in setting up the Hub. Dartmoor Multi Academy Trust is always committed to caring not only for the children in our schools but the families and communities around them. This project provides a much-needed service for the local community and offers not only good value food but also an inviting friendly space for a cup of tea and cake, support and social time.’

So far, nearly 50 homes have signed up to the scheme representing more than 165 people of which over 40 are LiveWest residents. The project is currently providing over 25 to 30 bags a week.

Rev Simon Leigh said: “Following the work of the Redeeming Our Communities (ROC) project initiated by the Bude and Holsworthy Methodist Circuit, it is good news for all concerned that the Food hub have found a base at the Methodist Church in Bodmin Street, Holsworthy.

Ali Knight, Community Connector for LiveWest, said: “We are listening to our customers who would like help where possible with the cost-of-living crisis. In Holsworthy, a food project makes complete sense in this rurally isolated town where there are less options to purchase food.”

“We would like to thank our amazing volunteer team including community partners; DMAT, TTVS, One Small Step and the Methodist Church who enabled this project to be able to happen.”