All Creatures Great and Small donates food to Knaresborough charity

The producers of All Creatures Great and Small have donated fresh fruit and vegetables to a Knaresborough community grocery.

Playground, which produces the hit Channel 5 television series, got in touch with Resurrected Bites to offer the food from its set at Grassington.

The production company sought out the community grocery to offer the fruit and vegetables instead of letting them go to waste.

Resurrected Bites, which is a charity, collects surplus food and distributes it to people in need.

Michelle Hayes, chief executive of the organisation, said:

“We have had donations from food photographers before, but this is our first donation from a film set.

“We love that Playground sought us out to donate the fruit and veg used in the filming of All Creatures Great and Small rather than just binning it at the end of the day.

“We hope that other businesses with food surplus will be inspired to offer us their food rather than binning it as we are struggling to meet the demand for food via our community groceries and ‘give as you can’ cafes and shops.”

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Resurrected Bites currently runs community groceries at Gracious Street Methodist Church in Knaresborough and New Park Community Hub on Skipton Road in Harrogate.

All Creatures Great and Small was commissioned for a fourth and fifth series back in January. Filming began on the new series last month.

Based on James Herriot’s books about life as a vet in the Yorkshire Dales in the 1930s, the programme has proved a success and attracted millions of viewers.

Vulnerable people in Harrogate district having sleepless nights over rising bills

Fears are growing amongst some of the Harrogate district’s most vulnerable people ahead of a record increase in gas and electricity bills in April.

Customers at community grocery shop Resurrected Bites and people who use the Harrogate District Foodbank, say they have been “having sleepless nights”  over the price hike.

One man, whose food budget for the entire month is £30, said he had just received his renewal quote for energy and it was up to triple the original amount.

Another woman, who uses a pre-pay metre, said she was preparing to cut back and put on some extra clothing to keep warm if necessary.

Resurrected Bites is a Harrogate and Knaresborough-based community organisation aiming to reduce food waste and food poverty.

One of the customers at the organisation’s grocery shop at New Park Primary Academy, told the Stray Ferret about the impact it would have.

The man, from Harrogate, who works full time and has a six-year-old daughter, said:

“I have had to take advantage of the Citizen’s Advice Warm and Well scheme, which has tided me over, hopefully until the minimum pay rise in April.

But I’ve just had my renewable quote for energy and the variable rate is double what I’m paying now and for fixed, it’s triple. So the extra money I will receive will just be swallowed up.

“I don’t know what is going to go on. I think I’m just going to have to wait until April when it actually happens and just take a view on it or hope that the politicians do something more, because at the moment it’s just not a viable option for many people.

“My food budget for the month is £30, including coming here, and that’s for me and my daughter. That will just be gone with any kind of increase. What do you do? Luckily it’s coming into summer.”

Resurrected Bites provides a ‘lifeline’

The customer, who did not wish to be named, said organisations like Resurrected Bites, which also runs ‘pay-as-you-feel’ cafes in Harrogate and Knaresborough, were a lifeline to those in need.

The community grocery store sells good quality donated food to people on a low income for a small cost, that would otherwise end up in landfill. It often sees between 30 and 40 customers coming through its doors in one day.

The man began using the service after separating from his daughter’s mother, who receives all the available benefits due to being listed as the main residence.

Resurrected Bites’ community grocery store at New Park is a lifeline to those in need.

He said:

“It’s brilliant. I can work out what my meals are going to be. So for example, last week I got some sausages and a turnip and then I’ve cooked them all yesterday and that’s my next three or four meals. I usually make my meals in advance. That way if there are a couple of days where you run short, there’s always something in the back like the odd Pot Noodle.

“You come here on a weekly basis to stock up. The fruit and veg is brilliant, as not a lot of people eat as much as they should do and it fills a gap.”

The price hike comes after the energy regulator, Ofgem, lifted the maximum rate that suppliers can charge for an average duel-fuel energy tariff by £693 — an increase of 54 per cent.

This is to reflect the fourfold increase in energy market prices over the last year.

Volunteers at Resurrected Bites’ New Park Community Grocery Store.

New Park community grocery manager Sophia Clarke said customers, who come from a variety of different backgrounds, were worried about the impact it would have.

She said:

“There are a lot of people who are coming in to sign-up in preparation for the fact that once the energy bills rise they are not going to be able to feed themselves.

“One lady I spoke to said she was going to lose her house because she couldn’t keep up with mortgage payments and the bills rising.

“I don’t think anyone knows the full extent yet, but we are here to help people and offer advice and support.

“People are just getting back on track after covid and are now being faced with this. When you’re struggling to feed yourself and your children, this is not good news for the many.”

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Foodbank fears

Over at a very busy Harrogate District Foodbank, at Mowbray Community Church, on Westmoreland Street, one woman said she used a pre-pay meter to avoid getting into trouble with her bills.

She said:

“If I can’t afford heating, I don’t have it on. If the bills get too much in April, I’ll just have to put a woolly jumper on or wrap a duvet around me.

“I’m topping the meter up as much as possible in preparation. I’m okay at the moment but when it goes up, I don’t know what will happen. Luckily warmer weather is coming. I don’t know what I would have done if it had happened in the middle of winter.”

Harrogate District Foodbank at Mowbray Community Church, Westmoreland Street.

Another man, who suffered with mental health problems, said he was worried that his landlord would put his rent up as a result of the price hike.

He said:

“I’m worried about it. If it goes up, I’m going to struggle financially again. That makes me anxious. I suffer with my mental health and I’m on benefits and this just plays on my mind. You’re always thinking about it.”

Dawn Pearson, project manager at Harrogate District Foodbank.

Dawn Pearson, project manager at the foodbank, which also provides help and support for people in Knaresborough and Starbeck, said more support from the government was needed.

She said:

“We find with clients coming in that they tend to get some help, for example Universal Credit, but it’s not enough to cover their bills. Or if it is just enough and something unforeseen goes wrong, then they are in debt again. It’s a vicious circle, they never seem to get above where they should be and it’s sad.

“A lot of people are saying they can’t have the heating on or they are only having it on a couple of times a week, or a couple of hours a day. That’s why people are here because they don’t have enough money for food.”

Knaresborough to be backdrop of this Sunday’s Songs of Praise

The town of Knaresborough and one of its charities are set to feature in this weekend’s Songs of Praise programme.

A few weeks ago Katherine Jenkins caused excitement around the town when she was spotted filming at Knaresborough Castle and down by St Robert’s Cave.

As it is the weekend before Valentine’s Day, the theme for the show is love and kindness and showcases the work of Resurrected Bites which is based in Gracious Street Methodist Church.

The charity runs a community grocery store out of the church where people who are struggling to make ends meet pay a small sum to become members and can then shop at the grocery.

Ms Jenkins visited the church to speak to charity volunteers and director, Michelle Hayes, who said:

“It was great for them to recognise the work we do and we’re always grateful for the chance to show people the help we offer. There are still people struggling locally who don’t know what we do, so this programme might help us reach them.”

Filming also took place down by the River Nidd. The Welsh mezzo soprano visited St Robert’s Cave to hear the story of the 12th century hermit who is celebrated locally for his work to support the poor in his community.

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It will be broadcast Sunday morning at 11.25am on BBC One.

During Sunday’s programme, John Sentamu, the former archbishop of York, remembers his friend archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Community grocery opens in Knaresborough to help people in need

A community grocery has opened in Knaresborough today to help people in need put food on the table.

Resurrected Bites, an organisation which battles food waste, is behind the new shop at Gracious Street Methodist Church.

It will be open on Tuesdays and Fridays between 9.30am and 3.30pm. The last people will be let in at 3pm.

It is the second community grocery set up by Resurrected Bites, which opened its first at New Park Community Hub in October.

Both operate in the same way. People who are struggling to make ends meet pay a small sum to become members an can then shop at the grocery.

It costs £5 a year to sign up as a member. You then pay £3, £6 or £9, depending on the size of your family, to shop for goods that would usually cost about £30 in supermarkets.

The majority of the food available would have gone to landfill but is too good to be wasted.

The stores have a wide range of tinned, fresh food and frozen food. They also stock toiletries, sanitary products and nappies in various sizes.

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Carolyn Aitken, the grocery manager, said

“So many people are struggling with rising food and fuel prices on top of all of the cuts to people’s income.

“We want to ensure that everyone can afford to eat a healthy diet so please let people know about our service if you know they are struggling.”

Michelle Hayes, the founder of Resurrected Bites, said:

“We are really grateful to Gracious St Methodist Church for giving us this dedicated room in the church for us to run the grocery from.

“We partnered with the church initially in January 2020 when we started a pay as you feel community café there.

“This means that people who become members of the grocery, can also come in for a drink and something to eat when they come to do their shopping.”

Resurrected Bites will continue to run its café in the Bridge cafe at the centre on Gracious Street from 10 am until 2pm every Tuesday and Friday.

Harrogate mum who struggled to feed kids wants to break stigma

A single mum with four children from Harrogate has opened up about her experience of struggling to pay the bills to try and break the stigma around poverty.

Kayleigh Cooper lost her job manning the phones in the evenings at a taxi company early in the coronavirus pandemic.

So overnight, after never worrying about money, she started to wonder how she could afford her rising living costs while also feeding her children.

She gets Universal Credit and food vouchers but they have not been able to cover her costs.

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Ms Cooper felt ashamed about her situation at first. But after reaching out for support, she now wants to let others know that they do not need to “suffer in silence” like she did. She said:

“I was really struggling to feed my children on a daily basis. A lot of people pretend they are doing alright, I have done it myself. But we need to talk about the issue otherwise it gets swept under the rug.

“For me I never had to worry about money before this. Since losing my job I have had to make those choices between paying the utility bills and buying food.

“It’s not just those without a job though, there are plenty of people with jobs who do not have enough money to live off too. Sometimes they struggle even more.

“My anxiety has been a lot worse. It really has had an impact on my mental health. However since reaching out for support I feel like I have had a weight taken off my shoulders.”

Reaching out for support at the new community grocery

A neighbour told Ms Cooper about the community grocery run by the Resurrected Bites team, which opened last month at New Park Primary Academy Community Hub.

She was hesitant at first but broke down in tears when she finally decided to go and ask for help.

People pay £5 a year to sign up as members and are then entitled to pay £3, £6 or £9 depending on the size of their family. The value of the items for the £3 shop would usually cost around £30.

She posted this picture online of a shop that cost her £9 to try and break the stigma.

It has a wide range of tinned, fresh food and frozen food. The shop also stocks toiletries, sanitary products and nappies in various sizes.

The shop, which can be found in one of the school’s separate buildings on West Street, just off Skipton Road, is open daily every Tuesday and Thursday between 9.30am and 3.30pm. Ms Cooper added:

“It has lightened me because I know even if I have £10 or £15 that week that I can go down to the community grocery and get meals for my children.

“I have used food banks in the past but I have had to pass things on because I won’t use it.

“So the beauty of it is that you get to choose what you take. They have everything you could need and the people there were so lovely.

“I wanted to post pictures so other people could see what they could get. I didn’t expect it but my post got a really positive response.”

Local Fund for the Harrogate District awards £85,000 to 29 community groups

Representatives of about 30 voluntary organisations joined councillors and civic dignitaries this week to celebrate the Local Fund for the Harrogate District, which awarded £85,000 to 29 community groups this year.

The fund, which will be issuing more grants in the new year, awards up to £3,000 to small voluntary organisations that have a positive impact on the wellbeing of people in the Harrogate district.

It helped Resurrected Bites launch a community grocery store for low income people and enabled Wellspring Therapy and Training to offer reduced costs on counselling.

Other successful applicants this year included Harrogate Clothes Bank, Artizan International, the Wesley Centre, Masham Town Hall Community Charity, Harrogate Bowling Club, Chain Lane Community Centre and Harrogate & Knaresborough Toy Library, Nidderdale & Pateley Bridge Men’s Shed and Boroughbridge and District Community Care.

The fund is a three-way partnership between Harrogate Borough Council, Harrogate & District Community Action and Two Ridings Community Foundation.

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At least 60% from each ticket sold on the Local Lotto, which has a weekly £25,000 jackpot, goes towards the fund.

Harrogate Borough Council has made a £200,000 endowment donation, which will help the fund provide sustainable long-term funding.

Local Fund

This week’s celebratory event at West Park Hotel.

Jan Garrill , chief executive of Two Ridings Community Foundation, told the gathering at Harrogate’s West Park Hotel that it would match fund any donations to the Local Fund by individuals or businesses.

Karen Weaver, strategic lead at HADCA, which supports charities in the district, said:

“The Local Fund is all about addressing the hidden needs in our district, like loneliness and mental health.

“It’s so important that there is a dependable fund for small groups that make such a massive impact in the district.”

Further details of the fund are available here.

 

Two Harrogate charities move in together on Hornbeam Park

Two local voluntary organisations have moved into Disability Action Yorkshire’s Hornbeam Park headquarters and learning centre

Resurrected Bites and Canaan Warehouse, which also includes Harrogate Clothes Bank, will occupy the space previously used as a second-hand furniture shop by Disability Action Yorkshire.

Resurrected Bites was established in 2018 to reduce food waste and food poverty. Canaan Warehouse redistributes donated household items and clothing for free to those in need in the Harrogate area and in eastern Europe.

The unit at Hornbeam Park gives the charities have more space and will reduce their overheads as well as provide employment opportunities for Disability Action Yorkshire’s disabled adults.

Disability Action Yorkshire’s chief executive Jackie Snape said:

“We are delighted that Resurrected Bites and Canaan Warehouse are now utilising our warehouse space, in a partnership that benefits them, us and our learners.

“One of our aims is to assist disabled people in leading independent lives wherever possible, and a key part of this is gaining employment.

“Our learners used to get valuable retail, warehouse and customer service training from our furniture enterprise, and this hands-on experience will continue under this new arrangement.”

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Dr Michelle Hayes, Resurrected Bites and Harrogate Clothes Bank founder, said moving to a unit together will mean the charities can work alongside each other to stop good quality items going to landfill and help those in need:

“When we realised that Resurrected Bites was intercepting so much food that we needed to find a warehouse, we wanted to think outside the box rather than just renting a commercial space.

“Resurrected Bites are always in need of volunteers for our cafes, groceries and warehouse and likewise the Harrogate Clothes Bank and Canaan Warehouse are both keen to invite the learners to volunteer with the sorting and distribution of clothes and furniture.”

Between March 2020 and July 2021, Resurrected Bites has helped feed more than 15,800 people with around a week’s worth of food. Each week, it diverts around three tonnes of food waste from landfill sites.

Image caption: Dr Michelle Hayes, second left, and Jackie Snape, second right, are pictured with a Resurrected Bites volunteer and two disabled learners

Harry Kane’s World Cup shirt auction to fund community groceries

Harry Kane has donated his signed shirt from the England v Poland World Cup qualifier to Resurrected Bites for an auction to raise money for a community grocery project.

The Tottenham striker and England captain scored in the fixture which ended 1-1 on September 8.

Kane’s shirt was signed by all of the players and also comes with a letter of authenticity.

Resurrected Bites usually takes in surplus food but this special donation was thanks to the team’s relationship with Gareth Southgate’s assistant manager Steve Holland.

Michelle Hayes, the founder of Resurrected Bites, said:

“Steve is the nephew of my step-dad Tony. Tony is one of our volunteers and washes up at one of the Resurrected Bites cafés every week.

“When he told Steve about Resurrected Bites, Steve offered to help us with our fundraising. We were over the moon to receive Harry Kane’s shirt which has been signed by all of the England players.

“We think this shirt could really make an exceptional Christmas present for someone. That is in addition to raising much needed funds for our organisation.”

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The auction is being held on the Resurrected Bites Facebook page, where people are invited to share their bids by commenting below the post.

Bidding will end at 8pm on Sunday, November 7. The auction started off at £100 and has already reached £340.

Steve Holland with Gareth Southgate.

All of the money raised will go towards the community grocery project.

Resurrected Bites set up its first grocery at New Park Academy Community Hub but plans to open a second in Knaresborough in December.

At the community grocery people pay £5 a year to sign up as members. They are then entitled to pay £3, £5 or £9 depending on the size of their family, for items that would typically cost £30.

It stocks a wide range of tinned, fresh food and frozen food as well as toiletries, sanitary products and nappies in various sizes.

Community grocery for people in need opens in Harrogate

Food waste organisation Resurrected Bites has opened a community grocery shop in Harrogate to help people who struggle to afford food.

The voluntary group, which turns food destined for bins into meals, launched the concept store at New Park Primary Academy today.

People pay £5 a year to sign up as members and are then entitled to pay £3, £5 or £9 depending on the size of their family, for items that would typically cost £30.

The shop, which can be found in one of the school’s separate buildings on West Street, just off Skipton Road, will be open daily every Tuesday and Thursday between 9.30am and 3.30pm.

Look for the blue gates to find the community grocery.

The new shop has a wide range of tinned, fresh food and frozen food. It also stocks toiletries, sanitary products and nappies in various sizes.

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Community groceries have been popping up all over the UK. They provide a similar service to food banks but because of the small charge they don’t have the same stigma attached to them.

Supporters donated nearly £1,800 to help get the new project off the ground.

If the new shop goes well, Resurrected Bites plans to open another in central Knaresborough in a location to be confirmed.

Grocery manager Sophia Clark told the Stray Ferret:

“We are aiming to support anybody who is in financial difficulty. There’s no stigma, anybody can end up in food poverty. That is myself included, I needed help during the first lockdown.

“The shop is here so people can save money on food and continue to pay their utility bills over winter. With the £20 universal credit uplift people are really going to struggle.

“It is just to help people get back on their feet. We are going to be running courses in the community hub in the same building on subjects such as debt management and budgeting as well.”

More pictures from inside the shop:

The shelves are stacked.

There are plenty of fresh vegetables.

A fundraiser paid for the new fridge and freezer.

Prize-winning vegetables and cakes to be sold in Harrogate’s Valley Gardens

Visitors to Harrogate’s Valley Gardens on Sunday will be able to view and buy produce grown in allotments across the Harrogate district.

The Harrogate and District Allotment Federation is holding its 60th annual allotment show in the Sun Pavilion from 11am until 4pm.

Stalls displaying produce will also be open on the nearby Sun Colonnade. Entrance to all areas is free.

Harrogate district mayor Trevor Chapman will formally open what will be the federation’s 60th show at noon.

The federation, which brings together members of 16 allotment sites in Harrogate, Ripon and Knaresborough, was due to celebrate its diamond jubilee show last year until covid forced its cancellation.

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Vegetables, plants and cakes will be judged and sold and any outstanding items donated to Resurrected Bites, the Harrogate and Knaresborough community organisation that gives food that would have been thrown out to the needy.

The event will also include a miniature bug hotel, a raffle and stalls by Harrogate Civic Society and The Woodland Trust as well as craft and coffee stalls. Musicians will play in the bandstand between 2pm and 3.30pm.

Profits from this year’s event will be donated to Ripon Museum Trust, which owns the Workhouse Museum, Prison and Police Museum and Courthouse Museum in Ripon.