The number of organisations providing food aid in Cornwall has jumped from 20 to 180 in just seven years. The startling figure has been released as Cornwall Council assesses the impact of the cost of living crisis in Cornwall.

There has been an explosion in the number of community groups which are helping people access food alongside foodbanks. Since 2015 the number of foodbanks operating in Cornwall has also risen sharply going from 15 to 28.

In July 2021 Cornwall Council found that there were 180 groups registered on its Help with Food map and a briefing prepared by the council indicated that many of these are clustered around the main towns in Cornwall and a significant number in the west of the Duchy.

It added: "Camborne, Redruth and Pool have known areas of deprivation, and are also currently reporting high universal credit claimant numbers, suggesting residents may require greater financial (and food) support.

"Newquay is also currently highlighted as having high numbers of residents on Universal Credit and unemployment claimants, as well as lower levels of pay."

The Help with Food map shows where food aid is being provided in Cornwall. These range from foodbanks and community pantry groups to youth groups which are offering meals to children and young people during school holidays.

In Penzance there are nine groups registered and in St Ives there are eight. In Truro there are 10 registered groups, there are another nine in Newquay and 13 in the St Austell area.

The Trussell Trust, which operates a number of foodbanks in Cornwall, has said that there has been a 19 per cent increase in food parcel distribution in Cornwall between 2019 and 2021. In January 2019 5,051 foodbank parcels were distributed and by 2021 that had increased to 5,681.

Families with children are identified as the most in need with the number of children being supported by foodbanks in Cornwall rising by 30 per cent compared to pre-pandemic figures. In January 2019 2,881 foodbank parcels went to children and in 2021 that had risen to 3,750.

Data from Truro foodbank shows why people are seeking help – between October 2011 and September 2012 21 per cent of people said it was due to "low income," but by August 2021 that had increased to 66 per cent.