New food warehouse opens in Leeds to help feed struggling families

Two food charities have moved to a new, larger warehouse to help them help feed an additional 3,200 people in need each week.

It's almost twice the size of what Fareshare Yorkshire and Leeds South and East Foodbank were using before.

The new 5,279 sq ft premises will afford FareShare Yorkshire the capacity to recruit over 27 new local charities in the next year.

This will help to feed a further 2,889 vulnerable people across Yorkshire each week.

Leeds South & East Foodbank also expect to be able to boost the number of people they help by 45 percent within the next year.

Preparing for the future

Gareth Batty, Chief Executive of FareShare Yorkshire, said: “FareShare Yorkshire currently helps to feed around 16,000 vulnerable people by saving almost 13 tonnes of food from waste each week – astonishing figures which are testament to our tireless commitment to fighting hunger and reducing food waste.

“We do a great job of helping those experiencing food insecurity in our communities but we know there is a demand for more support, which is why we are grateful to Asda for its incredible generosity and the support of our partners in the city. The funding will vastly increase our impact, enabling us to provide meals to thousands more at risk of hunger each week – a service we know is vitally needed and valued in the region.”

John Casey, Chair of Leeds South & East Foodbank, said: “We have barely been able to keep pace with the increase in the take-up at foodbanks in the south and east of Leeds. At our busiest outlets we see up to 30 clients in two hours – equivalent to over half a tonne of food provided in one session.

“On our evidence, poverty in the city is getting worse. The trend since we opened in 2013 has been constantly upwards but has ramped up in the last 18 months, especially during the school holidays. For many it is a choice between putting food on the table and keeping a roof over their heads."