STAFF at a North Yorkshire housing association have made a donation to a food bank scheme aimed at helping local people in need.

The idea to provide food - rather than spending money on Christmas cards - for the Richmond-based StoreHouse initially came from the finance team at Broadacres Housing Association.

But when other staff, customers and the Asda supermarket in Northallerton heard about the initiative they also donated food, meaning Broadacres has now been able to present StoreHouse with several large hampers of food.

StoreHouse was set up in November by the Influence Church, in Victoria Road, Richmond, and it has already been able to provide food for more than 130 people.

Karen King, Broadacres’ Debt and Welfare Benefits Adviser, said: “When we heard about the StoreHouse we all agreed that rather than sending Christmas cards this year, the money would be better spent buying food for people in need.

“We know only too well how much of a struggle it can be for people, especially at this time of year, so we are pleased to have been able to make a donation to help people in one of the communities where we have homes.

“We would also like to thank our customers and Asda Northallerton for helping us to provide even more hampers through their kind donations.”

Paige Rutherford, StoreHouse Coordinator, said: “We are very grateful for this donation of food, which will make a real difference to so many people this year.

“We aim to give people basic emergency food supplies over an eight-week period, but this initiative is also about looking into why they need it and to see if we can work with agencies in the area to help them combat debt or unemployment.”

For more information or to donate visit www.influencechurch.co.uk/storehouse or call 01748-823161.