HARVEST GENEROSITY

We are incredibly grateful for all the on-going Harvest festival support for our Foodbank. One example of this generosity has come from the Tadcaster Methodist Church Circuit who have chosen us as their main beneficiary for the next twelve months, strengthening a partnership that goes right back to the Foodbank’s beginnings in 2014.

The announcement cames as Foodbank representatives joined Harvest Festival services at Wetherby Methodist Church and Boston Spa Methodist Church on Sunday 27 September, celebrating community, generosity and the importance of supporting local people facing hardship.

The Methodist Church has played a hugely important role in the story of Wetherby & District Foodbank. Members of the Methodist Church were instrumental in establishing the Foodbank in 2014, and the churches have continued to be strong advocates and supporters of its work ever since.

Now, the Tadcaster Methodist Circuit has chosen Wetherby & District Foodbank as its main beneficiary until August 2027, bringing together congregations from eight local Methodist churches that are based in our area including Appleton Roebuck, Boston Spa, Church Fenton, Clifford, Collingham, East Keswick, Tadcaster and Wetherby.

The Foodbank would like to express its heartfelt thanks to the Methodist Church, its ministers, members and congregations for their support, advocacy and service to the Foodbank and the wider local community over the past 12 years. Their commitment has helped the Foodbank grow from a community response to hardship into an established service supporting people across Wetherby, Tadcaster, Boston Spa and surrounding villages.

David Bowen, Trustee and long standing volunteer, at Wetherby & District Foodbank, said:

“Harvest is traditionally a busy time in our Foodbank when we stockpile food and essentials for the winter season. We expect to see a 25% increase in foodbank usage in the next 3 months due to higher food, fuel and electricity prices, and so we are incredibly grateful to the Tadcaster Methodist Circuit for choosing Wetherby & District Foodbank as its main beneficiary for the coming year.

The Methodist Church has been part of our story from the very beginning. David Bowen and his wife Gail, were amongst the church members who were instrumental in setting up the Foodbank in 2014 and, for the past 12 years, have continued to volunteer, standing alongside people in our local communities. The Foodbank has evolved over that time to respond to need, particularly during the pandemic, supporting people through crisis, with 3 days essential food and supplies, until they can get back on their feet. 

Harvest is such a fitting time to celebrate the generosity of our communities and to recognise the importance of looking after one another. We are hugely grateful for everything the Methodist Church has done for the Foodbank and the local community, and we look forward to continuing that partnership over the next 12 months.

There has been a longstanding commitment from the Methodist Churches and the wider church community, including Wetherby Churches Together, Church of England, Catholic Church Wetherby Methodist Church, Wetherby Baptist Church, St James’ Parish Church, St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, St Oswald’s Collingham, Collingham Methodist Church, Wetherby Salvation Army Community Church, Spofforth with Kirk Deighton, (including Follifoot and Little Ribston). This means a great deal to us.”

The Foodbank’s vision is ‘a community where no one is hungry’, with its work increasingly focused, not only on providing emergency food and essentials, but also on connecting people with advice and support to address the causes of hardship and build resilience further upstream, before crisis point is reached.

The Foodbank currently supports communities across Wetherby, Boston Spa, Tadcaster and surrounding villages. Its Community Café and Advice Hubs also provide opportunities for people to access refreshments, professional advice including Citizen’s Advice, and wider support alongside foodbank services.

Revd Ann Fox, Superintendent Minister of the Tadcaster Methodist Circuit, said, “We are excited and delighted to launch our support for the Wetherby & District Foodbank as our Circuit Charity of the Year for 2026/27. Our mission is to develop the continuing fundraising, volunteering and prayer ministry that our churches have with the Foodbank and the relationships that have been formed. We give thanks for the great work that the Foodbank does and pray for God’s blessing on those who receive their assistance, and on the year ahead.”

How you can help

During the coming year, local people can support Wetherby & District Foodbank by donating food, money or their time.

If you would like to get involved, please contact:

Wetherby & District Foodbank
Email: [email protected]

Every donation, volunteer hour and act of support helps the Wetherby and District Foodbank continue to provide practical help while connecting people with the advice and services they need to move towards a more secure future.

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