‘Our biggest ever crisis’: Wakefield's largest food pantry service faces closure by Christmas due to rising energy costs

Hundreds of elderly and vulnerable residents could lose a vital lifeline if St Catherine’s Church and Centre is forced to close is doors.

St Catherine’s has been at the heart of Wakefield’s Belle Vue community for more than 20 years.

But centre manager Lisa Grant has warned the service is facing its biggest ever threat.

She said: “This is by far the worst situation we have ever been in.

“We have had occasional troubles over the years, but this is not a question of cutting some costs by saving on photocopier paper.

“This is a massive funding crisis for us.”

Staff and volunteers currently deliver 500 hot meals a month to people in the community.

A food bank was set up in 2010. Since then, more than 30,000 food packages have been delivered from the centre on Doncaster Road.

Other services under jeopardy are day care for the elderly, school holiday clubs and recovery groups.

Lisa added: “It has been a perfect storm where everything seems to be going against us all at once.

“During Covid there was lots of funding around but it is getting harder and harder to get that now.

“We have suffered with vandalism and lead has been stolen from the roof.

“Now fuel, energy, heating and food costs have gone through the roof.

“I am so worried for my team of staff if redundancies have to be made.

“But what really terrifies is what will happen to the people who rely on us if we are not here any more.”

St Catherine’s also provides support to other food banks across Wakefield and Five Towns area.

The centre runs a food pantry pilot, with people using the service paying a £5 membership.

Lisa said: “The food pantry model provides users with the most dignified experience.

“People think they are making a contribution by becoming a member rather than feeling like they are just coming to us cap-in-hand.

“We have been in this community for over 20 years and people know they can trust us.

“They know when they come here there is no judgement whatsoever.

“We recognise that anyone can get in a position of needing emergency food support.”

St Catherine’s is also home to Thinking Forward 4 Mental Health.

The group was set up 15 years ago by Anthony and Christine Bethel.

The mental health support group provides activities including arts and crafts, guitar lessons, singing and activity days.

Christine said: “The church has been so good to us for many, many years.

“We are a self-funded voluntary group and pay a peppercorn rent. We would have nowhere else to go.

“The centre is a lifeline for so many people.”

Anthony said: “For some people it is a comfort zone. It’s a safe place.”

“The support we provide gives people a purpose in life.

“When we learned of the scenario we are facing, we were devastated.

“When groups like this have to close down it’s not often they come back.

“It’s frightening, because there just aren’t any other support services out there for the people we help.

“We are based in a church, and the the only hope we feel we have left is that Him upstairs will come to help us.”

Kay Thornton has been a volunteer since she was introduced to the group six years ago after suffering with her mental health.

She said: “I just wanted to be heard, and I felt heard when I came here.

“This group gave me my life back. My husband always says it gave him his wife back.

“The work that goes on here is vital to the community.”

Antony Sadler, Wakefield Council’s Service Director for Communities, said: “The Council and its partners are committed to supporting the district’s food banks and are currently coordinating the response to the cost-of-living crisis through the Resident Recovery Board, with a range of support provided, which includes the provision of food bank grants.

“We also continue to support the Food Bank Network, which encourages food banks across the district to work together and collaborate.

“We’ll reach out to St Catherine’s to make sure they are aware of the support available.

“We very much value the role they and other food banks play in supporting our residents.”

Anyone who is able to help the centre should contact [email protected].