A FOOD hub serving Tavistock residents is pulling out all the stops this Christmas to prevent people having to choose between heating and eating.

Tavistock Food Hub has seen demand increase over the past 12 months as the cost of living has forced many to make the dfficult choice of whether to switch off their heating to save energy costs, which have sometimes doubled, and spend it instead on food which has risen in cost by about 30 per cent at the same time.

Feeding Devon, the organiser of several food hubs in South and West Devon, has promised that anyone short of food for their Christmas meals can ask for a free donation of food. Normally the hub is used by members who make £5 donations, entitling them to attend the weekly Wednesday hub and to choose from a wide selection of fresh and nutritous tinned and dried food to fill a bag, saving up to 60 per cent on supermarket-quality food. Rachel Harrison-French organises Feeding Devon food hubs, which include Princetown, Tavistock (at the King’s Church, Pixon lane, from 11.30am to 12.30pm on Wednesdays) and a Saturday version at the Red and Black Club (at Tavistock FC 11am to 12 noon), Ivybridge and Horrabridge. Rachel said: “I am pleased to be able to announce, that in conjunction with our partners we can offer a good choice of fresh and nutritious food to anyone who finds themselves without enough food to feed themselves and their families at Christmas through no fault of their own, but due to the rising cost of living over the past 12 months or so, free food. We never turn people away if they don’t have a fiver to pay for a bag of food and the approach for Christmas is in the same spirit and follows the same philosophy. We have noticed a widening of the net which people are being caught up in whe making the awful choice of deciding whether to heat or eat. There are many more people in work, wth homes and cars, who are struggling with the bills and coming to us to help spread the load. That’s why we opened the hub at the Red and Black Club on Saturdays, so working people and those with small children at home who have to work or with partners at work, can more easily come to us at the weekend.”

The Tavistock hub has an average 30-35 visiting weekly. The £5 donation does not meet the costs, so Rachel would welcome any businesses who can help donate food to the hub. Volunteer Kathy Palmer said: “I get a sense of fulfilment helping people who are struggling with the cost of living rising and at the same time reducing food waste.” Sarah Cruise has two children aged two and four,: “I cometo make my money go further and have some hot food, meet and socialise.” The Tavistock Saturday Food Hub opens tomorrow (Friday) 1pm to 1.45; December 30 and January 6, 11am to 12noon. Tavistock Wednesday hub closes on December 27 and open on January 3. 11.30am to 12.30pm. Those in food need can email [email protected]