THE number of people seeking support from Ryedale Food Bank is continuing to grow.

More than 700 people have used the foodbank in the past eight months, including 20 over the Christmas and New Year period.

Co-ordinator Lesley Hurley said the service continued to see a demand and had recently expanded to a open a new warehouse and distribution centre in Norton.

“We held foodbank sessions over the festive period at Hope Central in Malton and I am so glad we did as we were busy on both Christmas and New Year’s Eve,” she said.

“We were able to help feed more than 20 people who would have otherwise had a much worse Christmas and we would like to thank the volunteers who gave up their time to come in and serve – I’m sure everyone we helped appreciated it too.”

Lesley said that over the past year they had seen an increase in use at the foodbank.

“There is still a pocket of our community who are finding things very difficult economically,” she said.

“Increasingly, these are people in work on minimum wage who cannot withstand a crisis such as an unexpected bill, an unforeseen expense like a broken washing machine or flat tyre on their car.”

Lesley said that living in a rural area added its own pressures of travel costs and living expenses, which are 25 per cent higher than urban living.

“I would love to put up a sign saying, ‘Do come in, it’s not your fault’, firstly for the critics who are quick to judge others and show no compassion and secondly for our guests who feel ashamed and embarrassed at having to come to a foodbank,” she said.

“We give food, that’s all, freely given by people of Ryedale to other people of Ryedale.”

Lesley said the foodbank was just a mechanism for what many years ago was being neighbourly, showing support or community spirit.

“Fifty years ago someone in crisis would probably find a rabbit stew on the doorstep or a bag of groceries in the porch,” she said.

“Now we don’t know our neighbours ‘business’ and we have foodbanks instead – nevertheless the result is the same.”

If after a series of unfortunate events you find yourself in a “bad situation”.

Lesley said: “A little care and kindness, and some store cupboard staples, could give you the breathing space you need to get your life back on track.

“So instead of ‘come in, it’s not your fault’ we say Restoring Dignity, Reviving Hope, and remember there but for the Grace of God goes any one of us.”

Lesley said she would like to thank all the faithful supporters who gave food donations regularly and those who give financial donations, large and small.

They also now had a 200 club where a direct debit can be set up for regular monthly giving.

“These help with our running costs and overheads and we couldn’t manage without them as we are self funding and although run by volunteers, we don’t get free electricity, telephones or furniture.”

The Ryedale Foodbank has recently opened a new warehouse and distribution centre in Howe Road, Norton, to receive clients with vouchers.

Lesley said: “A massive thank you to everyone who helped us, from cleaning to painting, mostly people from Elim Church, they know who they are, and to Jack Woolgar Joinery Ltd who gave their services for free.

“As well as seeing clients, it will also give us a dual purpose building and somewhere we can hold other events like coffee mornings or drop-in information sessions.”

The foodbank sessions take place on Tuesdays, from 2pm to 4pm, as well as at Hope Central, Castlegate, Malton, on Wednesdays, from 10am and noon, and Fridays, from 1.30pm to 3.30pm, and at Potter Hill Methodists, Pickering, on Thursdays, from 4pm to 6pm.

An open day will be held at the Howe Road distribution on Saturday, January 31, from 10am to noon.

Phone 01653 697796 or go to ryedale.foodbank.org.uk

 

New donation point set up at funeral directors

A MALTON funeral director is the latest place to set up a collection point for Ryedale Foodbank.

SC Bainbridge, in Princess Road, will collect donations of food to be distributed to people in need.

Manager Lindsay Dade said they had been looking to support a local project and had been impressed by the work of the foodbank. “In the job we do we see a lot of elderly people who are living by themselves following a bereavement and are often faced with the choice of heating their home of buying food,” she said.

More than 10 tonnes of food has been donated by people across the area since the foodbank opened in July 2013.

Collection points are available at a number of shops, businesses, churches and schools, including the Gazette & Herald office in Yorkersgate, Malton.

Suitable food items for donation include UHT or powdered milk, fruit juice, soup, pasta sauces, tinned sponge pudding, tinned tomatoes, cereals, tinned rice pudding, tea bags, instant coffee, instant mashed potato, rice, pasta, tinned meat and fish, tinned vegetables and fruit, jam, biscuits or snack bars.