A new two-year project which aims to ease food insecurity in Devon has been launched.

The Community Food Hubs Programme is funded by a £200,000 grant from Devon County Council (DCC) Public Health and Communities and is being led by Devon Community Foundation (DCF).

It follows the publication of The Face of Food Insecurity in Devon, commissioned by DCC’s Public Health Team.

The report found 29 per cent of those surveyed admitting that they felt ‘food insecure.’

Now grants have been awarded to five projects to enable them kick-start projects in their local communities.

This includes Stepping Stones Totnes.

The projects will deliver a variety of initiatives to help alleviate food insecurity, increase positive eating practices and build skills.

These include the provision of food boxes, frozen meals, affordable food clubs, social supermarkets and community larders, cafés and allotments.

Other projects that will be supported include ‘cook along’ events, swap shops, foraging walks, breakfast clubs for school children, cooking lessons and online cookery content.

Councillor Simon Clist DCC cabinet member responsible for communities, said: “It’s nothing short of a scandal that so many of our residents are unable to afford the food that they need to ensure that their families stay healthy.

“And It’s not just affecting one group of people; with food prices steadily rising over the past few years and incomes stagnating, given a particular set of circumstances anyone can find themselves in a position where they are unable to access nutritious food.

Nicola Frost, head of Impact, Insight and Learning at Devon Community Foundation, said: “This programme is an important opportunity to support an evidence-based approach to investment in our voluntary, community and social enterprise sector’s response to the challenge of household food insecurity in our communities.

“But we are also keen to understand how the funding and support of community hubs might provide a blueprint for future collaborative work with public sector agencies more generally.”