New foodbank planned for Jennyfields

A charity battling against food poverty is planning to set up a new foodbank in the Jennyfields area of Harrogate. 

Harrogate District Foodbank already runs foodbanks in Harrogate, Starbeck and Knaresborough and is now looking to open a fourth in response to an upsurge of demand. 

Alastair Pollard, trustee and warehouse volunteer at the charity, said:

“When people are referred to us by their doctor, church or Citizens Advice we hold minimal information about them, but one thing we do have is their postcode. That gives us an indication of where there is greatest need, and we’ve seen a lot of new referrals coming from the Jennyfields area.

“We’re currently looking for suitable premises and aim to open there sometime in the new year.”

He added:

“The cost-of-living crisis is a major problem for some people, with the price of food and utilities going through the roof. People are living week to week. They have to pay for electricity and gas, but then there’s sometimes no money left for food.

“At the start of 2022 we were feeding an average of 63 people per week, but in October 2022 we fed up to 93 people per week – about a 50% increase.”

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Research by Save the Children has found that more than one in three (37%) families on Universal Credit and Child Tax Credit will rely on charity food parcels this Christmas. 

Much of the food distributed by Harrogate District Foodbank comes from donations made by shoppers at supermarkets in the town. Each week the charity collects and distributes over 800 kilograms of food. So far this year, it has distributed 37 tonnes of food to people in need. Mr Pollard said:

“We are so grateful for those that help us. Some people simply purchase an extra tin of vegetables or custard on the supermarket run; others donate at harvest festival. One 60-year-old graciously asked his birthday party guests to donate money instead of buying presents and brought us several hundred pounds’ worth of food. 

“Last week, a young dad was touched by a report on the TV news showing a little girl whose family couldn’t afford food. He said, ‘I can afford to help. I wouldn’t want someone like my daughter to suffer’.” 

Harrogate District Foodbank’s existing foodbanks are at Mowbray Community Church in Harrogate, Holy Trinity Church in Knaresborough, and Life Destiny Church on Starbeck High Street.  

The organisation is part of the Trussell Trust, which supports over 1,200 foodbank centres across the UK and has a mission to eradicate the need for foodbanks altogether. 

Readers wishing to support the work of Harrogate District Foodbank can donate money via its website, or food and non-food items, such as toiletries, at any one of the supermarket collection points, which include Waitrose, Morrisons, the Co-op and Sainsbury’s.

‘Nobody need go hungry’ in lockdown, say Nidderdale churches

A helping hand is being extended to people struggling to make ends meet in Nidderdale.

The cumulative financial impact of the Covid-19 lockdowns is taking its toll on families and individuals.

The Vicar of St Cuthbert’s, the Rev Darryl Hall, is involved with the informal foodbank service based in Pateley Bridge.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“We are currently very well-placed to assist anybody who is in need of help.

“We receive incredible support from the local community – churchgoers and non-churchgoers alike.

“The shops in Pateley Bridge  have been brilliant in supporting a food voucher scheme we introduced. Morrisons Supermarket in Ripon regularly gives us food and other essential items – such as cleaning products.”

He added:

“Our aim is to ensure that people do not go without food. Nobody in Nidderdale need go hungry.”

Photo of Sarah Jones collecting items from Morrisons Supermarket Ripon

Foodbank supporter Sarah Jones collecting items donated by Morrisons in Ripon (Photograph: Morrisons Supermarkets)

Rev Hall has charge of six parishes in a 100-square mile area stretching from Low Laithe to Middlesmoor.

He pointed out:

“The need is clearly there, as families and individuals find themselves having to make difficult financial decisions.

“We are here and able to help, thanks to the tremendous assistance from Bewerley Park outdoor learning centre and its staff.

“They have provided a much-valued storage facility that enables us to have plenty of food items available.”

The service is confidential, discreet and available to anybody – believers and non-believers alike.

The foodbank service has been extended to the neighbouring parish of Dacre with Hartwith and Darley with Thornthwaite.

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Alastair Ferneley, the vicar of Holy Trinity Church, Dacre Banks, told his parishioners:

“As the pandemic continues, we are aware that some people will not getting an income and may need some short-term support.

“Please do use this service to avoid getting into debt, or to lessen debt problems.”

Anybody requiring assistance can call Rev Hall on 01423 711414, Rev Ferneley on 01423 780262, or Nidderdale Plus on 01423 714953.

Harrogate shops raise money with ‘Giraffle’ for food bank

A group of independent Harrogate shops have joined forces to raise money for the town’s Trussell Trust food bank by organising a “Giraffle” .

Watermark Gallery, on Royal Parade, came up with the idea and worked with children’s illustrator Jane Ray to get it up and running.

Jane created a five-feet tall paper mache giraffe based on the main character of a book called “Zeraffa Girraffa” in 2014.

Just as the character of that book travelled far to her new home in Paris, Zeraffa is travelling around the Harrogate district in October and November.

So far she has been seen in the windows of Catherine Smith Vintage, Bespoke Eyewear and Westmorland Sheepskins.

The next stop will be the Little Ripon Bookshop. When her tour comes to an end, Zeraffa will be raffled off to one lucky winner. The tickets will be drawn on December 18.

Tickets to enter the raffle are £5 and are available from Watermark Gallery. A total of 100 tickets have been sold so far and another 100 are on sale.

Liz Hawkes, owner of the Watermark Gallery, hopes that the “Giraffle” will raise £1,000 for charity. She said:

“Zeraffa was a real talking point in the window of our gallery, and we had countless enquiries about buying her. I think people saw her as a ray of sunshine during a somewhat challenging time.

“This gave us the idea of creating an ongoing artwork initiative to unite local independent retailers as well as raising money for a great local cause.”