Newquay Foodbank to extend opening hours thanks to festive event

Newquay Foodbank will open two extra days a week for the first four months of 2025, following a donation from the Cornwall Christmas Fair.

Funds raised at the event, held at the Eden Project in November, will allow the foodbank to increase its service from three days a week to five, offering additional support during the challenging winter months.

The Cornwall Christmas Fair, which describes itself as a “festive market with a doing-good difference,” raised £68,000 for charities across the county. Funds were distributed through Cornwall Community Foundation, supporting initiatives such as the Surviving Winter Fund, which helps some of Cornwall’s most vulnerable residents stay warm.

Other organisations to benefit include WILD Young Parents Project, St Petrocs, The Women’s Centre Cornwall, Young & Talented Cornwall and WithYou drug and alcohol support. The money was raised through sponsorship, ticket sales, and a share of stallholders’ takings.

Committee Co-Chair Kate Holborow said: “This year’s Cornwall Christmas Fair was a wonderfully sparkly event with over 60 market stalls, food and drink, and festivities. Thank you to everyone who came, shopped and helped make such a difference to communities across Cornwall. Winter is an especially difficult time so this money will make a direct and instant impact on people’s lives.”

The annual event is organised entirely by volunteers and was supported by sponsors including Lillicrap Chilcott, Wildanet, Rodda’s, Evelyn Partners, The Cornwall Bakery, Eden Project, and several other local businesses.