East Yorkshire Foodbank helps people in need claim more than half a million pounds in benefits

The food bank has been inviting staff from Citizens Advice to help their clients navigate the benefits system, which can often be challenging.

The food bank, which operates at six locations in the area including at the Community Hub on Marshall Avenue in Bridlington, helps people facing food poverty across the county through the provision of three-day emergency food parcels.

In the year to March 31, food was distributed to make 98,000 meals. April to June 2023 figures show the need is growing further, by another 10%.

David Bird, chair of East Yorkshire Foodbank, an independent registered charity, said “This is making a huge difference to people’s lives.

"We are delighted so many clients have been helped to claim these benefits to which they are entitled.

"We want to see people have the money to feed their families.”

Citizens Advice manager Stacey Ullyott thanked the advisors, saying that they had reached people who did not know they were eligible for certain benefits or didn’t know how to make a successful claim.

The success of the project means that it will now be funded for a further two years by the Trussell Trust.

Currently donations of food received are only half of what is needed each month.

To make a donation to keep the food bank running visit: https://eastyorkshire.foodbank.org.uk/give-help/donate-money/