THE cost of living crisis has seen an increase in the number of people seeking help from Ilkley Foodbank.

In response the charity says it desperately needs the continued support of the local community.

Ilkley Foodbank was first set up back in 2013 by Churches Together in Ilkley, who identified a need within the local community. Since then, the need for support with essentials has only increased and the foodbank has sought to meet those needs by re-locating its storage facility, collecting from additional sites, recruiting more volunteers and setting itself up as a registered charity.

At the present time, Ilkley Foodbank has 63 registered clients (some individuals, some whole families), meaning that it is supporting 77 adults and 51 children in total.

Co-ordinator of Ilkley Foodbank, Jane Wearing said: “With the cost of living crisis starting to bite, these numbers have been on the increase for some time and we anticipate things will only get worse for struggling families, with the demand for our services likely to increase further.

“We desperately need the support of our local community to keep donating food and essential supplies to our collection points at Booths, Tesco and Co-Op supermarkets.”

Items that are in high demand at present are as follows: cooking oil, flour, salt and other condiments, cooking sauces inc curry and Chinese sauces as well as pasta sauces, tinned meats such as spam and corned beef, herbs and spices, stock cubes and gravy granules, honey, UHT milk, shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, cleaning and laundry products, crisps and snacks, chocolate and sweets.

Jane added: “We would be so grateful if those donating could focus on these items which are currently in very short supply. We have more than enough pasta, tinned soup, baked beans and cereals, so they are best avoided if at all possible. We cannot thank the local community enough for all the support they have given to Ilkley Foodbank over the years and we feel confident of their continued support over these very challenging times to come.”

Further information regarding Ilkley Foodbank is available on the website: www.ilkleyfoodbank.org.uk and via the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ilkleyfoodparcels