This information guide lets you know about food banks, food aid and community dinners in Bradford and Craven this Christmas. It also lists places where you can get discounted food.
Food banks in Bradford and Craven
The Bradford Food Banks website has a list of food banks open across the Bradford district. It lists when they are open, where to find them and how to make a referral.
Food banks listed are in Bradford, Keighley, Shipley, Baildon, Ilkley, Thornton and Queensbury. To see them, please visit the Food Banks page. Some of the food banks listed there serve parts of Craven, including Cross Hills, Sutton-in-Craven and Glusburn.
There is further information on food banks and other types of food aid in Bradford available by clicking on these links:
Here are some links to food banks in the Craven area:
Food Aid in Bradford and Craven
The Bradford Foodbanks website has information on who can help if you need an emergency meal and are homeless here: Free meal provision.
Inn Churches run a food hub that tackles waste and provides food aid and discounted food. More information about what they do is here: Inn Churches Food Hub.
Settle has a Community Fridge offering food aid. It is normally open on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, though this may vary during Christmas. To contact them, please email hub@settlecommunityandbusinesshub.org.uk.
Community Dinners
A community dinner for older people living in Bradford is happening on Christmas Day. It’s being organised by Dynamic Social Care, costs £5 per head, starts at 1:30pm and is at the Shearbridge Wedding Hall on Shearbridge Road. To book, please call 01274 728 323 or 07599 674 634.
A list of free and low-cost dinners for people who are struggling from the Bradford Food Banks website is available here: https://bradfordfoodbanks.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Christmas-and-New-Year-Provision-2025-6-v2.pdf
Discounted food
In the run-up to Christmas, many supermarket chains will be selling vegetables for discounted prices – in some instances, for less than 20p. They include potatoes, parsnips, carrots and brussels sprouts.
Supermarkets doing this include Tesco, Morrisons, Asda, Sainsbury’s, Aldi and Lidl. To be sure, please check your local supermarket’s website.
Community Shop in the Tong Street area is for people living nearby who are on means-tested benefits. More information on membership and how to join is here: Community Shop.
Company Shop, which is part of the same organisation, is also open for people working in specific sectors including emergency services, the NHS, social care and for registered charities. They sell surplus food from supermarkets for discounted prices. Their Bradford branch is on Canal Road – find out more on their website.
Surplus To Purpose, who are based in Bradford, also sell surplus food at discounted prices to people in need. More information about them and how to shop there is on their website.