The provision of food and essential supplies has been the catalyst for bringing people in a rural Cornish community together.

The Bugle Library of Things stocks enough food for about 200 residents each week, sharing good-quality surplus produce from FareShare South West.

The initiative has quietly become a weekly lifeline and social meeting point for many residents in the area.

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 Rusbridge, 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.”

FareShare South West rescues good-quality, nutritious food and shares it with schools, food clubs and charities such as the Bugle Library of Things.

Jo says the food 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 can 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 was transformed into a Santa’s grotto, and on any one day it could host tea and chat sessions, baby weight clinics, vaccination clinics and much more.

Speaking about the fitting out of the van, Jo adds: “The beauty of it was, it was all done in Bugle. The sign writing was done by the sign writer here. A child at Bugle School designed the logo, which was tweaked slightly.

“There's a production place at the top of Bugle and they've done the interior fitting and electrics.

“The beautiful flooring was done in Bugle. And Michelle, who drives the vans, is from Bugle. So, it's keeping the money local. That's what I'm passionate about.”

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.