Foodbank Partners’ Event: Tadcaster

Working in partnership with other organisations is incredibly important for our Foodbank. The circumstances that bring a person to look for help with affording food are often complex and multi-layered. Building stronger relationships with partner organisations helps all of us deliver a better, more integrated service while expanding our understanding of the problems facing people in our community.

Our Tadcaster Partner Event took place on June 10th and saw multiple community and organisation representatives meet at The Barn to explore how we can improve access to the support we offer, reduce barriers and create a more joined-up experience for those seeking help.

We heard first-hand from a foodbank client who generously agreed to share their lived experience, explaining the many contributing factors that led to them needing and ultimately asking for help. This gave invaluable insight into the complex nature of people’s lives and the kinds of support they need, highlighting the importance of creating a network of organisations who are able to help.

The client described the welcome they received on entering one of the local Community Cafe and Advice Hubs set up by the foodbank:

“It was like going to your favourite Grandma’s house when you were a kid.”

These words beautifully reflected the warmth and welcome they received from the volunteers. They explained how difficult it can be to ask for help, but how, on entering the Café, they were immediately made to feel at ease, offered a cup of tea, given time and space to talk, and listened to by volunteers who reassured them that partners present would do their best to help. To address immediate needs, the client was supported with a food parcel tailored to the family’s specific requirements.

They shared how their circumstances had changed rapidly, from a stable relationship and relative financial stability running a small business, to becoming a single parent caring for children of different ages and needs. They described the challenges of balancing caring responsibilities, job seeking and financial pressure, adding how difficult it felt to find stability when facing multiple overlapping barriers.

Through support at the Community Café, the family received help from several partners:

Money Buddies (now changed to NY Citizens Advice and Law), who supported with debt and benefits advice
Smart Works, who provided clothing, job application support, and encouragement into volunteering, which later led to paid work
EPOSS (Elmet Partnership of Schools and Services), who supported with education-related challenges for their child and helped to work through school placement options

This journey highlighted the importance and impact of joined-up, person-centred support delivered through trusted community spaces.

Introductions from organisations were presented, before an open discussion on the key barriers faced by people in our community when trying to access support for example:

Access: Rural geography, limited public transport, digital exclusion, and additional barriers for people with disabilities

Trust: Challenges in rebuilding trust with individuals who may have had negative past experiences with services

Visibility: Lack of awareness of available services and confusion around “who does what”

Complexity: Many individuals do not fit neatly into existing systems due to multiple, overlapping needs or have longer time situations which may take multiple meetings and collaboration across organisations or escalation.

The event provided a unique opportunity to better understanding the varied services on offer across our community. Open discussion and the sharing of ideas and solutions led to a strong collective commitment to improving referral pathways, improving understanding of the processes that can present barriers and how we can reduce these to enable more people to access the help they need when they need it.

Thank you to everyone who attended.

Organisations represented at the event included (among others):
Wetherby and District Foodbank, Stepping Stone, Sherburn and Villages Community Trust; North Yorkshire Council (Housing, Homelessness & Prevention, Community Development, Children & Families, and Rough Sleeper Coordination); North Yorkshire Citizens Advice and Law Centre; IDAS; Living Well; Tadcaster & Rural; Selby Carers Resource; Horton Housing; Selby Stay Well & Wellbeing Cafés; Tadcaster Leisure Centre (Active North Yorkshire); Tadcaster Primary Academy; local churches including St Joseph’s Church Tadcaster and St Mary’s Church, Church Fenton; elected representatives including Norma Harrington (LCC) and Andy Paraskos (NYCC); and wider community development and locality leads across North Yorkshire.

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