AN INITIATIVE that grew out of a simple desire to help families in need is set to become an official “meals on wheels” service for the next year thanks to grant funding.

Since July of this year, the team of staff at the Golden Guinea in Looe have been cooking and delivering two hot meals each week to people in the town and in Polperro.

It started with just two families and has grown to 17 – and other businesses including Quayside Fresh, Cornish Tea and Sarah’s Pasties have contributed.

Now Cornwall Councillor Edwina Hannaford has successfully applied for a grant of £14,000 from Defra’s Food Resilience Fund to keep the project going and widen its reach.

“The recipients of the meals have either limited cooking facilities to produce a hot, nutritious healthy meal, have limited income because of COVID-19 redundancy, they might be at the end of seasonal employment or find cooking difficult because of disability or infirmity,” said Cllr Hannaford.

Looe Development Trust will administer the finances of the project, and Looe Town Council will co-ordinate volunteers and maintain the database of users ensuring data protection.

The scheme will accept referrals from local agencies such as the Rusty Bucket, local councillors and schools.

“Some areas of Looe are in the worst 20% for child poverty, and Looe and Polperro are heavily dependent on the tourism sector,” said Cllr Hannaford.

“Tourism is one sector most affected by the pandemic with some businesses facing total lockdown twice, laying off staff, or putting them on short time. There is also a high proportion of self employed in Looe adversely affected by the loss of trade from the tourism sector supply chain.

“Some people in Looe and Polperro, even in a good year, face hardship with a seasonal economy and low paid service industry jobs, so this money will make a real difference.”

The Meals on Wheels scheme will complement others like the Looe Town Council Hardship Fund.

This pool of money is contributed to by Cornwall Councillors’ community chest funding, the Cornwall Community Foundation, the Looe Lions and Looe Rotary. The hardship fund provides essential white goods such as fridges or microwaves, will contribute to essential utility bills or items such as school uniforms, and occasionally food.

Looe Town Council has also set up the Looe Community Cupboard to encourage residents to give essential items like nappies, wipes and female sanitary items on a give and take basis.

Edwina said: “There are no other food projects in the area other than the Foodbank, so the extended meals on wheels project will really make a difference. The scheme will be launched in the new year, with a co-ordinator appointed to identify people in need.

“I would like to thank Emma Crossley in particular for her commitment and all the local businesses who have contributed.”