Skipton MP Julian Smith has paid tribute to the work of town’s foodbank.

He visited the service – based at Skipton Baptist Church – and met with the team and heard about their work.

He said afterwards: “Foodbanks provide a valuable service, beyond the support provided by Government and I would like to pay tribute to the hard-working volunteers involved.

“Many people give food and many people volunteer at the church, and I will continue to support them in any way I can.”

Meanwhile a Cross Hills mother who was helped by the foodbank is appealing to others to support the charity. The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, says she was referred to the service at a particularly low point in her life.

“My husband had just lost his job, there was a gap before we were able to get benefits and I was desperate. My children had nothing to eat, it was a dreadful time,” she said.

She received just one food parcel from the Skipton based charity, but it was all the family needed to get them through a difficult time. Now, as a way of thanking the charity, she has been delivering posters to banks and shops in Cross Hills appealing for donations of food.

“I want to get across to people that all they need to give is just one small item out of their shopping and it will make such a big difference to people who are desperate,” she said.

One of the items so badly needed she said was children’s nappies.

“I’ve spoken to people who have told me they are so desperate they’ve considered stealing nappies from shops,” she said.

“I want to do this for the foodbank as a thank you, they do such good work.”

Skipton foodbank was set up three years ago and runs throughout the year.

Last year, it handed out 320 food parcels to people referred by various agencies, in addition to 85 Christmas parcels.

A shopping list of most urgent items can be found at skiptonfoodbank.org.