Award to Brighouse Central Foodbank for help during crisis

Brighouse volunteers have received a Community Hero Award after the distribution of essential meals to families in need, rising to the challenge of the pandemic over the last year.
Brighouse Central Foodbank has been helping to provide more meals for families every year since it was set up in 2015.Brighouse Central Foodbank has been helping to provide more meals for families every year since it was set up in 2015.
Brighouse Central Foodbank has been helping to provide more meals for families every year since it was set up in 2015.

The Brighouse Central Foodbank has been helping to provide more meals for families every year since it was set up in 2015, but during the last twelve months this has increased to over 23,000 meals during the Covid-19 crisis.

“The award is a great boost for the amazing team here who give so much of their time and to all our partners in the community who help us to help those less fortunate,” said Rebecca Snow who runs the Brighouse Central Foodbank, a registered charity based the Central Methodist Church.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“These are unprecedented times and many have been overtaken by food poverty through no fault of their own,” says Rebecca. “In a crisis, it’s not always easy to find ways to to help others but everyone who is supporting the foodbank – the volunteers, our partners and the generosity of the public who donate food – is making a real difference to the health and wellbeing of thousands in our community.”

The Foodbank works closely with Calderdale Council and has set up donation points with the help of the Co-op at Lightcliffe and Tesco and Sainsbury’s in Brighouse. Tesco also supports the foodbank with fresh produce every week.

Other supermarkets including Morrison’s at Elland have also been very generous with donations, along with three local churches. Additional funding to cover running costs comes from community grants.

In 2019/2020 (May to April) the Foodbank provided over 13,000 meals to the local community and in 2020/2021 Brighouse Central Foodbank will have provided over 23,000 meals which includes helping families, three local schools and a hospice.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Community Hero Award was awarded by Calder Valley MP Craig Whittaker who set up the scheme to recognise unsung heroes who are playing their part to help each other and strengthen the sense of community in the area.

“I am extremely proud of our community's response to this virus, and so many people’s selfless desire to help those in need,” said Mr Whittaker. “Community Heroes is a great way for us all to recognise those in our part of the world who have gone above and beyond to help others.”