A SCHEME launched to help Teesside's needy has achieved half of its target in just two weeks.

Teesside University’s ‘Yule Help’ campaign was launched to provide food and support to Middlesbrough Food Bank and has raised £507 via its Just Giving website in two weeks, as well as receiving hundreds in cash contributions.

The movement, created by second year journalism students in collaboration with Middlesbrough Food Bank, aims to bring Christmas cheer to families in Teesside who access emergency support.

A variety of events and fundraisers have helped raise the funds, including social media campaigns, an event hosted by students at Teesside University’s Student Union, and raffle ticket sales.

Yule Help’s Events team have organised a fundraiser at TSOne, Middlesbrough, on December 7, with live entertainment and prize draws.

People who go to the event can buy raffle tickets which could win them a myriad of generously-donated prizes, including gift sets and vouchers for other local businesses and restaurants in Teesside.

Middlesbrough Food Bank, which opened in 2012, is used by over 3,500 people and relies entirely on donations.

To see how Middlesbrough Food Bank works to provide people with care packages, a group of students who are involved in the campaign went to visit its warehouse. Lucy Tyreman, one of the students that made the trip, said: “It was a great experience to visit the warehouse, it gave us a great insight of all the time, effort and work that is put into distributing the food.”