“BEFORE half term, as a school we raised money for Ely Foodbank. Fortunately for most of us, the reality of a foodbank is hard to imagine. I was therefore struck this week by Simon Reeve’s latest documentary, ‘Cornwall with Simon Reeve’.

“He meets some incredible Cornish characters to understand the precarious nature of people’s livelihoods, as he explores a side of Cornwall which tourists rarely glimpse.

“One such character was Don Gardner, an ex-mining engineer who, with his wife Jen, set up the first independent foodbank in Cornwall. Twelve years ago it provided 72 meals a month; it now provides 14,000 meals and supports up to 500 families.

“In conversation with Simon Reeve, the day before the funeral of his wife, Don commented that each morning he wakes up and prays “Please Lord, help me to make a difference to somebody today.”

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