Soaring fuel prices are putting extra pressure on efforts to get food to thousands of people in need across Devon and Cornwall, the South West’s largest food redistribution charity has warned.

FareShare South West said demand for food support had risen by 45% since the Covid-19 pandemic, while the cost of collecting and delivering surplus food had increased sharply.

The charity, which redistributes surplus food to about 70 organisations across the region, said it was facing the challenge of meeting growing demand while absorbing higher operating costs.

Bosses added they were also concerned about the impact on volunteers and staff, many of whom were paying more to travel to their shifts.

FareShare South West is an independent charity that obtains surplus food from food producers, farmers, supermarkets and other businesses before it goes to waste.

It relies on a mix of government, corporate and independent funding.

Recent increases in wholesale oil prices have contributed to higher fuel costs, making travelling and transporting goods more expensive for charities, businesses and households.