A HUGE community effort will bring cheer to families who really need it this Christmas.

Volunteers, businesses, schools, churches and the council have joined together to deliver over 180 food parcels to Ilkley families. In a year that has been tough on many people, this community effort will make Christmas a little better. Led by the Ilkley Great Get Together, a number of separate initiatives came together to support the families in need.

A baking competition at All Saints school, local cafes collected coffee vouchers, supermarket vouchers were donated and food was collected to be delivered to homes in time for Christmas. 200 Christmas cakes have been made or bought by Ilkley residents and have gone to families using free school meals and to young carers. The food parcels were packed and delivered by an army of 200 volunteers but it was an even bigger team effort than that, says Becky Malby, of Ilkley Great Get Together: “It has been heart-warning to see how the whole community has come together to make this possible. Sarita at Tesco has been a total star providing vegetables and boxes. Marks and Spencer have been wonderful, also providing the vegetables, Whittaker’s gave chocolates, Co-op Menston provided the many bags that we have needed.

“Beyond the wonderful commercial support we have received, we have been amazed at the number of groups that have come together. The people at the Food Bank have been incredible, All Saints Church and Ilkley Grammar School have let us use their spaces for COVID-safe packing and the cafes - La Stazione, Commute, Loafer Bakery, Cafe J, Cafe 39 - have pitched in by helping with vouchers for a cuppa and a sandwich. The people of Ilkley have donated £4,000 and made it possible to through hard work and the use of their vans, cars and campervans to collect the food for the food parcels. The schools have delivered the parcels to the families who need them.

“The inspiration for this effort originally came from Marcus Rashford and the people of Ilkley have stepped up to support parents who are in the awful position of struggling to feed their children. The recent effort built on the work of many others through the year: when the team first met they discovered that Ilkley Grammar School teachers had been supporting families through the summer. IGS has continued to support the program in the run up to Christmas.

“At the heart of this success is the good people of Ilkley. It has been wonderful to bring some Christmas cheer to people in need after what has been a very challenging year for them.”