If you find yourself in a position where you are worried about how you can provide your family with food, please know you are not alone. Particularly the school holidays and following a really tough few months I think lots of people have been impacted financially by the pandemic but there is help available if you are struggling.
As always, you can contact us, in confidence, at Ripon and Nidderdale Mumbler if you need help and you are not sure where to get it. There are also a number of offers for help on other local social media pages and groups, so please reach out.
Here are details of some local foodbanks, where you can find help on a regular basis, and other organisations who are kindly offering free children’s meals for those in need during October half term. We are incredibly lucky to have so many wonderful local people and places who are willing to offer their help.
Food Support – Ripon and Boroughbridge
Based at Ripon Community House and covering Ripon and Boroughbridge. Email foodsupport@riponcommunityhouse.co.uk or contact the page on Facebook.
Pateley Bridge Food bank
Based at St Cuthbert’s Church contact Darryl Hall for support.
Bedale and surrounding Villages
Organised by Hambleton Food Share. Fill in the form online at www.hambletonfoodshare.org.uk or call 07930988360 or 07514244158.
The following organisations are offering free packed lunches or meals for children during October half term. Please contact them directly to prebook the meals you require.
Holy Trinity Church – Meals for children and parents – Please email Matt.davies@holytrinityripon.org.uk or call 07934191337 to book a meal before 7pm for collection the following day between 12-1pm.
Café Tempo, The Arcade in Ripon – contact them via Facebook
The Forge, The Canal Basin in Ripon – contact them via Facebook
Hazel House Guide Headquarters (Behind the Workhouse Museum) between 12-2pm – please call 07855802373 or message April Martin on Facebook.
If you would like to support the independent organisations offering free meals this October please consider asking whether you can ‘paying a meal forward’ when visiting them or make a donation to ‘Back to Basics’ – (a Ripon based charity started by two lovely ladies) by dropping a donation into Realitea on North Street.