Support in your local area over winter

Take a look through the list below to find support in your local area over winter:

Leeds District

Financial support

• Money Information Centre - free, confidential advice about money and help with the cost of living
• Local Welfare Support Scheme - help towards the cost of food and fuel, appliances and furniture, carpets. Eligibility criteria applies

Food 

• Food Aid map - a map showing where to get emergency food in Leeds
• Community Kitchen - free meals cooked by volunteers using surplus food
• Food drop ins and soup kitchens - providing free meals without a referral

Warm spaces

• Welcome Spaces - a list of places in Leeds where you can warm up, have a free drink and a chat
• Warm Spaces - a map showing more places in Leeds where you can warm up, have a free drink and a chat

 Activities and events for families

• Healthy Holidays - free activities for children over school holidays
• Leeds Inspired - general events in Leeds
• Days out - free and low cost activities for children
• Activities - directory of activities across the Leeds District

General

• General directory of support in Leeds over Winter

_________________

Kirklees District

Financial support

• Local Welfare Provision Scheme - helps people in short term crisis with their food and energy costs

Food

• Kirklees Citizens Advice and Law Centre - they can make a referral for you to a foodbank. At Leeds Federated, we can also issue you with a foodbank voucher
• The Bread and Butter Thing - free lunches cooked by volunteers using surplus food. Available daily at different venues. Check the directory for details of the times and venues  
• Food Projects - a map showing free and low cost community food projects

Warm spaces

• Warm spaces - a list of places you can keep warm and meet other people
• Warmer winter drop ins - weekly drop ins where you can get a free drink, keep warm and meet other people. The drop ins also include a uniform exchange and free coats for children

 Activities and events for families

• Activities over school holidays - low cost and free activities for children

Mental health

• Directory of mental health support across Kirklees

​_________________

Wakefield District

Financial support

• Directory of cost of living support across the Wakefield District
• Local Welfare Provision - a fund to help people in short term financial crisis 

Food

• Wakefield Street Kitchen - offer food to people who are struggling financially
• St Catherine's Wakefield - offer a membership to their Emergency Food Store
• Directory for foodbanks in the Wakefield District - you need a food voucher to use a foodbank. At Leeds Federated, we can issue you with a foodbank voucher

Warm spaces

• Welcome spaces - a list of places in Wakefield where you can warm up, have a free drink and a chat
• Hepworth warm space - details of the warm space at the Hepworth gallery where you can sit, read, play and draw. You'll find books, newspapers, magazines, comfortable seating, drawing materials and play activities, all for free. 

Activities and events for families

• Healthy Happy Holidays - free activities for children over school holidays
• Directory of days out and events for families over school holidays

Clothes

• Small Steps - school uniform bank

Furniture

• Wakefield Furniture and Electrical Store - low cost furniture and appliances

General

• General directory of community groups across the Wakefield District

_________________

North Yorkshire County

Financial support

• Directory of cost of living support across North Yorkshire
• Access to emergency funds to help you heat your home

Food

• Pay as you can cafes -  a list of venues hosting pay as you can cafes in North Yorkshire
• Low cost groceries - community groceries sharing food at low prices
• Harrogate District Foodbank - you need a referral to access the foodbank - see the website for more details. At Leeds Federated, we can also issue you with a foodbank voucher
• Selby and District Foodbank - you need a referral to access the foodbank - see the website for more details. At Leeds Federated, we can also issue you with a foodbank voucher
• Free meals - details of free breakfasts and mini-supermarkets at St Peter's Church, Harrogate
• Cheap food packages - Each Wednesday Ripon Community House hosts a Waste Not Wednesday, sharing surplus supermarket food at low prices
• Food support from Ripon Salvation Army - if you need help with food you will need to visit the Salvation Army between 9am-12noon on Tuesdays. No booking is necessary
• Boroughbridge Community Larder - local food retailers, households and allotment holders donate their surplus food to the Community Larder. The food is available for free to local community
• Cuth Caff - a free light lunch available at Pateley Bridge Community Cafe every Thursday
• Selby Community Fridge - you can donate, collect or exchange surplus perishable food at the Fridge

Clothes

• Harrogate Clothes Bank - free pre-loved clothes and shoes
• The Village - baby bank and uniform swap shop. You can self-refer to use this service or we can refer you from Leeds Federated

 Furniture

• Essential Needs - Low income families can register for up to 35% off the usual cost. We can also refer you from Leeds Federated

 General

• General directory of community groups and support across the Harrogate District 
• Selby Free - free items in Selby

_________________

All areas

Financial support

• If you're a Leeds Federated customer and are worried about money, rent, benefits or debt, our Money Matters team can offer support and help to keep more money in your pocket. You can contact the team by calling 0113 386 1000 or emailing moneymatters@lfha.co.uk. We'll be closed from 3pm on 24th December but will re-open again at 9am on 2nd January
• Get help to buy food and milk - you need to be receiving Universal Credit to apply for this support

Food

• Community Fridge Network - a map of places where local residents can share and access surplus food, including donations from local food businesses
• Find a foodbank - a directory showing where foodbanks are. At Leeds Federated, we can issue you with a foodbank voucher

Warm spaces

• Warm spaces across the region - a map showing where you can warm up, have a free drink and a chat

Mental health

• Call 116 123 to talk to Samaritans 24/7 (you don't need credit on your phone to call). Or email jo@samaritans.org for a reply within 24 hours
• Call 111 and select option 2 to speak to the Mental Health Crisis Response Service 24/7
• Call Mind's Mental Health Helpline 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday on 0300 102 1234
• Text "SHOUT" to 85258 to contact the Shout Crisis Text Line, or text "YM" if you're under 19
• If you're under 35 years old, call PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide on 0800 068 4141, text 88247 or email pat@papyrus-uk.org 24/7
• If you're male, call or WhatsApp 0800 585858 for the Calm Mental Health Forum and Chat from 5pm-midnight every day