We couldn’t manage without a van.
As a foodbank, we operate on two levels. Firstly, we provide food to local people in crisis. Secondly, we work as a foodbank hub, distributing food and essentials to a whole network of other local agents, charities and organisations. Our semi-rural location and the fact that we serve communities in West and North Yorkshire, means we’re just as likely to find ourselves delivering food to a rural village community larder as dropping off essentials to a charity in the heart of Leeds.
Then there’s the collection of donations. We’re incredibly lucky to receive on-going support from Tesco at Clifton Moor in York, as well as Morrison’s and Sainsbury’s in Wetherby and we have regular trips to collect substantial supplies. Local schools, churches and businesses across the area also collect donations for us and while these are often brought to our Warehouse by the organisations themselves, we also regularly head out to collect them.
Whilst we’re not lucky enough to own our own van, we are lucky enough to have the continued support of local family-run business, Sykes House Farm. Not only do they provide a taxed, insured and fully maintained van for us to use whenever we need it, but they also provide the fuel which keeps us on the road and keeps the supplies going to where they’re needed most.
“We are extremely proud to support Wetherby Foodbank” says Rachael Hirst, Sales Director at Sykes House Farm Ltd. “We have a fleet of vehicles that are not always on the road so it makes complete sense that we’re able to support to the Foodbank in this way and assist them in their mission to provide emergency food and support to people in need. Our business is based in Wetherby and it is important to us to support the local community. No family should be without food or essentials in today’s society.”
Rachael added: “We support a few other local charities throughout the year including The Salvation Army, St Leonards Hospice and the Archbishop of York Youth Trust to name a few. If everyone contributes a little, it has real impact on the lives of those on our doorstep.”
If you follow us on social media, you may well see regular photos of the van out and about. Just this week, it has made a trip to Tesco at Clifton Moor; ferried supplies between our Warehouse in Thorp Arch and our Distribution Centre at Barleyfields in Wetherby; and made a run into Leeds with much-needed supplies for St Aiden’s Church and Leeds Baby Bank. Every single donation, be it from an individual member of the public, a group, club or local business, makes a difference. The help we get from companies like Sykes House Farm and Tesco ensures we can join the dots and connect every single packet, tin, box or bottle with a person experiencing real need.
