We are supporting the work of Seacroft Parish which has an outlet for Leeds (East) Foodbank based in St Richard’s Crypt. 

​

​

​

Every Tuesday, a team at St Richard’s co-ordinates two sources of food support:

​

1. Trussell Trust food bank distribution – clients come with a foodbank voucher, and this allows them to receive emergency food parcels from items specifically delivered weekly from the Trussell Trust. Clients may have only three referrals every six months. These clients make up about one-third of the foodbank work.

​

2. The remainder of clients tend to come from the local community and their food parcels come from what is referred to as St Richard’s ‘Parish Larder’. Supplies are made up entirely from donations; all three benefice churches make weekly deliveries, as do several other churches in the vicinity.

​

The foodbank workload at St Richard's continues to increase. This reflects not only its geographical location in one of the most socially deprived areas in the north of England but also the increasingly dire financial situation nationally, which impacts not only on food but also sources of energy. A year ago, around 50–60 people a week were supported; this has now risen to be consistently nearer 300.

​

Donations remain as generous as ever, with our local community being very responsive to appeals. Weekly donations easily fill at least one large car and they come from not only the churches but also other sources. All this is embedded in prayer and your continued prayers alongside donations are needed over the coming months.

 

With increasing numbers, demand is rapidly overtaking supply and hard decisions are having to be faced, including whether to reduce the size of the bags given out and potentially placing a limit on the frequency that people may receive help. Also, with the school holidays fast approaching demand will increase significantly, as during the school holidays children won’t have access to free school meals, breakfast clubs, etc.

 

​

Thank you for your continued generosity to those in our city who are struggling to feed themselves and their families.

​

 

Donations can be left at: 

• St Philip's Church Building

• Our local shop, Scholes Super Store on Station Road. The third aisle has lots of items that would be ideal, and there is a box in the shop you can leave your purchase in!

• There are also collection points at All Saints, Barwick, and St Peter's, Thorner.

​

What can we give?

Simple foods, easy to cook or heat. Putting the oven on costs money, if it can be warmed by pouring boiling water over or quickly in a pan that is good!

​

• tinned goods – especially meat and fish (in sauces, or ‘solid’, e.g. sausages, ham, spam, etc), potatoes, rice pudding, custard

• pasta & pasta sauces

• rice

• food that can be reconstituted with hot water, e.g. pasta/noodles in sauces, mashed potatoes (especially useful for those with limited cooking facilities and to save on energy)

• toilet rolls

• toiletries – shower gel, deodorant (especially for men), shampoo (combined with conditioner is more useful), toothpaste

• wipes for adults (especially useful for those with no washing facilities)

• sanitaryware – tampons, incontinence pads

• nappies (sizes 3, 4, 5), baby wipes

• breakfast cereals

• long-life milk

• biscuits

• fruit squash

• sources of protein, such as tinned meat and fish, etc

 

And there is always a need for plastic carrier bags, so it’s great if people bring their donations in one and don’t unpack it at the collection point!

​

For more information about the work of the Foodbank, visit the Seacroft Parish website