Food bank returns to town with 'big need'

A charity has opened a new food bank in a coastal town where people "struggle" to pay high rents and energy bills.

The Rainbow Centre already operates a service in Scarborough and has now set up a branch in Filey.

The town lost its food bank when the Filey Community Fridge closed in April, when an agreement to use its premises ended.

The organisation said there was a "big need" to tackle food poverty and that many people had been travelling from Filey to use the Scarborough distribution point.

North Yorkshire Council approached The Rainbow Centre, which has run Scarborough's food bank for 27 years, to provide the service.

Jo Laking, the charity's chief executive, said: "There is a big need for it because there are many families and pensioners living in food poverty in Filey."

Filey Community Fridge, which was volunteer-run for five years, donated their equipment to the project and Filey Lions supplied a fridge and freezer.

"On the first day we had people queuing to get in and six volunteers also turned up, which really felt like the whole community rallying round to help us," said Ms Laking.

The food bank will be based at Filey Methodist Church and users will be means-tested by need before they can receive items.

Ms Laking said: "We're getting busier than ever as the prices in the supermarkets continue to soar, and we know that demand for our service will go up once we go into autumn and energy bills go up again."

She said that the high cost of living in Filey, a popular tourist destination, created additional pressures in the town.

"Rents are very high in Filey and we know if you're paying high rents you don't always have the money left to pay for food to feed your family."

The Community Fridge project closed after funding ran out and the volunteers were told they could no longer use their base at the Co-op Funeralcare building, which was being turned into a chapel.

Ms Laking added: "It was bittersweet opening the food bank as it was wonderful to celebrate The Rainbow Centre growing as an organisation, but it was also tinged with sadness that we even need food banks in this day and age.

"For me, we're not just helping people with food, we are supporting and listening to them too. They leave here fed, welcomed and knowing that there is help out there."

Filey Food Bank is open every Tuesday and Friday at Filey Methodist Church on Union Street from 10:00 BST to 13:00 BST.

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