Skipton Food Bank has received its first-ever grant of £19,000 from Craven District Council.

The Baptist Church-run charity will receive the money over two years as part of the council’s final £138,000 core funding grants to community groups and organisations.

Ella Smith, food bank co-ordinator, said the funding was great news for the charity and the people and agencies they worked with.

“It will enable us not only to formalise the current food bank service delivery, but also to further develop our partnerships with the many agencies working on the front line throughout Craven to make it easier for them to access food parcels outside Skipton.”

Craven Citizens Advice will receive £34,704 between now and 2016, and Settle Swimming Pool will see a slight increase in its previous council funding to £32,000 over the next two years.

Trevor Graveson, chairman of Settle Swimming Pool committee, thanked all those, including Townhead Surgery, for supporting the application and said it would give vital assistance to the pool over the next couple of years.

He added: “We still need to continue with our fundraising, and it is pleasing to note that the council has given a commitment to offer advice as we move forward to look at other issues such as energy saving.”

The grants were agreed at a meeting of the council’s policy committee, to which the press and public were excluded.

Handouts will also be given to the Independent Domestic Advice Service, Glusburn Community and Arts Centre and Ingleton and District Tradespeoples Association.

Age UK North Craven’s new village agent scheme, due to be launched this month, will receive £8,000 over the next two years. It will be the first point of contact for older people with health needs and will promote activities, including lunch clubs.

Council leader Coun Chris Knowles-Fitton (Cons) said deciding which groups to allocate funding to had been very difficult and that around half of all applications to the council had been turned down.

He said: “This is in no way a reflection of the excellent work being carried out by these groups, who with the help of dedicated volunteers provide a range of services which are important to the quality of life of many people.

“Although we are not in a position to provide funding for their running costs, we have offered to work with the groups to see how the council can be of help in other ways.”

Groups and organisations to receive core funding grants were: l Craven Volunteer Centre: £5,900 (2014/15); £5,000 (2015/16).

l Craven Citizens Advice: £17,704 (2014/15); £17,000 (2015/16).

l Independent Domestic Abuse Service: £4,000 (2014/15); £4,000 (2015/16).

l Settle Swimming Pool: £18,000 (2014/15); £16,000 (2015/16).

l Glusburn Community and Arts Centre: £5,900 (2014/15); £5,000 (2015/16).

v Age UK North Craven - village agent scheme. £4,000 (2014/15); £4,000 (2015/16).

l Ingleton and District Tradespeoples’ Association – Overground Underground Festival: £4,500 (2014/15); £3,500 (2015/16).

l Skipton Baptist Church Food Bank: £10,000 (2014/15); £9,000 (2015/16).