ROTARY Club of Northallerton Mowbray members have made their first purchase of supplies for the local foodbank to help it cope with demand.

The club set aside up to £1,000 of its funds for Hambleton Foodshare, the food bank covering Northallerton and Bedale, early in the pandemic.

But because the foodbank’s stocks have remained good, the money was not called upon until now.

Club president Anne Wall, who also volunteers at the foodbank, heard food stock levels were dropping and decided to head for the supermarket.

She spent £157 and together with husband Geoff, a fellow club member, they delivered the foodstuffs to the charity.

Mrs Wall said: “We pledged the £1,000 for Hambleton Foodshare to draw on as and when the need arose.

“Thankfully stocks have remained at a good level throughout the crisis so far.

“But we were very pleased to answer the call when it came and we have reminded Hambleton Foodshare that we still have more than £800 to benefit their clients.”

Mrs Wall’s “supermarket sweep” was one of her final acts as club president for the year before handing over to Malcolm Warne.