New Food Bank For Struggling Devon Families

A new roving food bank scheme is being set up in Ivybridge.

It'll provide emergency food parcels to local people in crisis.

The new scheme comes after a rise in the numbers of individuals and families accessing a similar Plymouth-based food bank service. 

The Ivybridge Food Bank which plans to launch before Christmas will also help people living in  the outlying villages of Yealmpton, Bittaford, Modbury, Cornwood, Brixton, Ugborough, Sparkwell, Shaugh Prior, Lee Moor and Wotter.

 Anyone facing crisis can be referred to the Ivybridge Food Bank by health visitors, the Children's Centre, doctors' surgeries, churches and the Social Services. 

Each person or family referred is able to access the Food Bank on a maximum of four occasions within one year and will receive three days worth of food per occasion.

 The service is entirely staffed by volunteers and food is provided by donations from the public and local supermarkets and the food parcels are put together following nutritional guidelines put in place by Salisbury-based charity, The Trussell Trust. 

South Hams councillors have put over a thousand pounds of their allocations into the scheme.

 Cllr Kathy Cuthbert, is a member of the Ivybridge Food Bank steering group. She said: "We are happy to put money towards such a worthwhile project and offer the council's full support. We praise the initiative of the group of women organising the Food Bank and it will be an invaluable service for families and individuals in crisis. The support of the whole community will be essential for the success of this scheme so we do encourage volunteers to get involved."

Anyone interested in helping with the Ivybridge Food Bank is invited to an Open Meeting at The Evangelical Church on the Exeter Road at 7.30pm on November 21.