Provision of food and essential supplies is the catalyst for bringing people in a rural Cornish community together.
Bugle Library of Things stocks enough food for some 200 residents each week, sharing good quality surplus produce from us here at FareShare South West.
In 2025, they launched a ‘village hall on wheels’ to tackle the barriers to access for many people and now provide a whole range of services to meet local need and tackle isolation.
“For some people coming to us is too hard – whether it’s alcohol abuse, mental health, the stigma that goes with it that stops someone coming through the door to collect a bag of food,” says Jo, who runs the charity in Bugle.
“Now we can go out to places like Minorca Lane, housing estates and reach the elderly. People will be able to stop for a cup of tea, a chat and get access to hub support like help with completing forms.”
Jo continues: “It’s just sort of branched out and we provide services that are needed. Public transport down here is pretty poor so we can bring the services to the people.”
Making nutritious food available for all
Jo says the food provided by FareShare South West plays a key role in bringing people together and enabling them to access additional services.
“It means lots to people, because obviously the cost of living is going up. So, we try and think outside the box all the time when we get this food,” she says.
“There’s a suggested donation of £3, but the shop is available for everybody and anybody to access because I am passionate about people who work being able to access it as well.”
The Bugle Library of Things van is now a familiar sight in the village. At Christmas, it can be transformed into Santa’s grotto, and on any one day it could host tea and chat sessions, baby weight clinics, vaccination clinics and much more.
Jo is keen to do even more with the van, from sewing and cooking workshops, to providing internet and a space for people to fill out forms or job applications. And, of course, she will continue making good food accessible to all.
Interested in finding out more about how we work with our member charities and food clubs? Read our 2026 Impact Report here.
