So what happens at a Foodbank?
President Val with Club members Hilary and Elsie found out when they went to give a cheque for £250 raised from the stall at Wetherby Christmas Market and met with Trustee and Volunteer Jim Tinsley and Manager Debbie Marriott. Wetherby District Foodbank covers a large rural area in North Yorkshire as well as parts of North Leeds and Wetherby. The food comes from individual food donations and supermarkets as well as money donations. There is a list of items to choose from to ensure a balanced diet as well as toiletries and pet food. The listed items are in English and Ukrainian.
Who is using the Foodbanks?
There is an increasing demand for Foodbank parcels with a 48 percentage increase in use over the year in some areas. The Wetherby District Foodbank is now opening on Saturday mornings as some of the users are working and can only get to the Foodbank then. The cost of living crisis and rising food prices is impacting on many who work or have fixed incomes. Find out how to access a Food Bank here
Wetherby is also the temporary home to a number of Ukrainian families displaced to the U.K. due to the war.
The Wetherby District Food Bank also delivers food parcels to those in need who cannot get to the Food Bank. The rural area and poor public transport systems account for some of this. While we were there a parcel was being prepared for a homeless man in Ripon.
What can we do?
In the last year the Club has donated more than £2000 to Food Banks in our area. This is equivalent 80 food parcels to an average family of four. It sounds a lot but recently the Wetherby District Food Bank gave out 80 parcels of food in one day! Members also donate individually to collection points and we have delivered specific items requested by the Salvation Army Food Bank in Ripon, the Trussell Trust Food Bank in Harrogate and Resurrected Bites in Knaresborough.
Get involved
If you are interestd in donating or volunteering contact the Trussell Trust
Citizens Advice Bureau or Social Services to find out if there is a Food Bank near you.
