If you are struggling to feed yourself and/or are lonely on Christmas Day, it can be hard to know where to turn to. In this guide, we have information on where to go for food aid and community Christmas dinners in the Bradford and Craven area.
Food banks in Bradford
- Bradford Food Banks – a one-stop website to find food banks, low-cost food, emergency meals, warm spaces and more in the district
All the links below have information on referrals, what support they can offer, the foodbanks’ contact details and addresses.
- Bingley Community Kitchen
- Bingley Foodbank
- Bradford Central Foodbank
- Bradford Community Kitchen
- Bradford East Foodbank @ WomenZone
- Bradford Metropolitan Foodbank
- Bradford North Foodbank
- Clayton Community Grub at The Hub and Foodbank
- Denholme Assist
- Feedo Needo – covers BD1, BD2, BD3, BD4, BD5, BD6 and BD7
- Ilkley Foodbank
- In Touch Foundation – covers Bradford, Keighley, Shipley, Bingley, Baildon, Worth Valley and South Craven (Cross Hills and Glusburn)
- Keighley Foodbank Partnership
- Living Lights Foodbank Keighley
- Lower Grange Community Centre
- Ravenscliffe Community Association (The Gateway)
- Salvation Army Foodbank Wibsey
- Salvation Army Holmewood
- Sandale Trust – covering BD6 (Wibsey, Buttershaw)
- Save the Mothers Trust – for Bradford, Shipley, Bingley and Baildon
- St Paul’s Wibsey
- Thornton Foodbank
- We Are Queensbury
- Wyke Foodbank
Food banks in Craven
- Craven Food Partnership has useful info on food banks and food aid across the Craven area of North Yorkshire
- Website: Craven Food Partnership
All the links below have information on referrals, what support they can offer, the foodbanks’ contact details and addresses.
- Skipton Foodbank
- Settle Pop-Up Pantry
- Church of the Ascension Settle, BD24 9JA
- Contact Rev Julie Clarkson on 01729 825955 for information
- Open: Friday 11.00 am-12.00 Noon
- Bentham Community Pantry (and Community Fridge)
- The Methodist Chapel, Station Road, High Bentham, LA2 7LF
- For information, contact Marcie Potts on MarciePotts@hotmail.com
- Open: Wednesday 11.00am-12.00 Noon and 4.00pm-6.00pm
- Ingleton Community Pantry (and Community Fridge)
- St Mary’s Church, Main Street, Ingleton, LA6 3EB
- Contact Nick Trenholme nick.trenholme@gmail.com
- Open: Saturday 10.00am-12.00 Noon
- Hellifield Community Pantry (and Community Fridge)
- Methodist Church, Haw Grove, Hellifield, BD23 4JA
- Contact Mrs P Wright on 07931 511652 for information
- Open: Friday 2.00pm–3.00pm
Discounted food
- Community Shop provides discounted food for people who are on means-tested benefits and live locally. More information on joining is here: Community Shop
- Address: Avenue Retail Park, Tong Street, Bradford BD4 9RQ
- Company Shop also provides discounted food, but is also open to people working in the NHS, Care and Emergency Services, prison services, the British Armed Forces, FMCG supply chain and for registered charities.
Membership is free, but you need to go to the shop itself to get your membership card. More information on Company Shop is here: About Company Shop- Address The Peel Centre, Canal Road, Bradford BD1 4RB
- The Bradford Food Banks website also has information on where to get discounted food from a number of locations in the Bradford area
Community and emergency Christmas food provision
On the Bradford Food Banks website, there is a list of places and services offering free meal provision during Christmas. You can see the list of places here: Christmas food provision
On Christmas Day, there are community dinners for people who are either alone and isolated or cannot afford Christmas dinner at the following places:
- Salvation Army Day Centre
- Time: To be confirmed, any time between 10am and 3pm
- Address: 371 Leeds Road, Bradford BD3 9NG
- Contact: Email theorchard@salvationarmy.org.uk
- Khidmat Centre
- Time: To be confirmed
- Missing Peace Wellbeing + Support
- Time: 11am-2pm
- Address: AES Orchard, Sunderland St, Worth Way, Keighley BD21 5LE
- Referrals/booking: Self-refer on 07711 271596 or email missingpeacews@gmail.com
- Shipley Baptist Church
- Time: 12:30pm
- Address: New Kirkgate, Shipley BD18 3QY
- Referrals/booking: Booking only by texting Julie on 07703 518768 or emailing juliewright80@yahoo.co.uk
- Meals can also be delivered in BD9, BD10, BD17 and BD18 areas – please email or text Julie at the details above
- United Together at The Deaf Centre
- Time: 6pm
- Address: 25 Hallfield Road, Bradford BD1 3RP
- Booking: TBC – contact dawn.aveyard@gmail.com
Bradford City Council have details of emergency food providers on their website – click on this link for details: Emergency food providers in Bradford
In the Skipton area, Skipton Food Bank will be providing emergency Christmas food parcels. To enquire about them, please contact them by calling 07856080194. Elsewhere in the Craven area, please refer to the contact details on this link for food banks in Settle, Bentham, Ingleton and Hellifield: Craven Food Partnership Directory
Useful tips for accessing food aid
Please note that food banks, pantries and other sources of food aid are usually very busy at this time of year. To ensure you get what you need, it’s worth visiting or referring in advance.
If you are attending a community Christmas dinner and want to make sure you get the same seat, it is worth contacting the venue in advance when booking and asking for that. While booking, it is possible to ask for any other reasonable adjustments you need.