FOOD banks across Bradford saw thousands more people come through the doors in the past 12 months compared to the year before, the Trussell Trust has revealed. Latest figures from the charity show almost 9,000 more parcels were distributed in Bradford in the 2020/21 financial year, compared with the same period in 2019/20. The Trussell Trust, which supports a network of more than one thousand food banks across the UK and campaigns to end the need for the food banks, found the more than half a million more food parcels were given out in the last 12 months compared to the previous year. In Bradford, 21,699 parcels were distributed in the year 2020/21, including 9,051 given to children.
More than 200 gifts were donated by suppliers and contractors of the Shipley-based housing group. Every year, staff with the Asset Management Service organise a prize draw in support of a different charity and this time they raised the highest amount they’ve ever done. The money will go towards the Cellar Trust’s mental health services which support people across Bradford, Airedale, Wharfedale and Craven. The charity provides tailored support to help local people move forward in their lives and unfortunately, they have seen the pandemic bring extra pressures on their vital services. Incommunities’ support for the Cellar Trust comes on top of donations made by the housing group to three local charities helping families urgently needing food and other daily essential items.
Twinkl is working with Bradford Central Foodbank to distribute 500 books to families across the region. Bradford Central provides support to around 50 families each week and will be distributing the story books alongside their food parcels. Alison Turner, a volunteer at Bradford Central Foodbank, said: ‘We are so blessed to have these books donated so that we can give them out to our families. “I feel absolutely blessed to be a part of bringing joy to our clients at this time. Seeing their children’s smiling faces and giving them the gift of reading this Christmas is an absolute privilege.” The support in Bradford is part of Twinkl’s wider ‘Gift of Reading’ campaign, which will see the company distribute over 10,000 books to families across the UK. Suitable for all ages, the books are from Twinkl’s collection of educational stories and have all been created by current and former teachers.