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Apr 2021

Community

Ripon food poverty group sees rise in demand

Published: 6 Apr 2021, 09:00 BST

Updated: 6 Apr 2021, 20:09 BST

by Tim Flanagan

A year before Marcus Rashford used his footballing fame to highlight the need to feed children properly, two Ripon food poverty pioneers launched Back to Basics to tackle the issue.

ripon-1st-april-2021-helen-mackenzie-and-sarita-mcdermott

The Back to Basics food organisation in Ripon says it is seeing a rise in demand for its help.

Currently, more than 40 adults and children, are benefiting from the Back to Basics venture. Each week, it provides, free of charge, the ingredients and guidance for a cheap, but nutritious meal to be prepared.

Food poverty pioneers Helen Mackenzie and Sarita McDermott set up Back to Basics in 2019. Helen, who teaches at Ripon Grammar School, told the Stray Ferret:

"We call it thriving on a budget."

Sarita, who owns the Realitea Tea Room in North Street, added:

"Some of the most delicious meals can be produced with inexpensive ingredients such as carrots, potatoes, peas and pasta."

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The guiding principle of Back to Basics is to be both educational and nutritional.

Helen, pointed out:

“We provide families who are struggling — usually those with kids on free school meals — with the ingredients for a meal and a recipe card. We are not a soup kitchen so we don’t make the meal for them — we expect them to get ‘back to basics’ and cook with their family.”

The venture is supported in both cash and kind by businesses and individuals in Ripon and collection boxes can be seen at various locations across the city.

The number of foodbanks in the Harrogate district is increasing -- with a new one recently opened in Starbeck to meet demand.

Helen, said:

"I'm sure from what we have seen, that the families we are helping represent the tip of an iceberg. There are people paralysed by debt, who have maxed out on their credit and debit cards. Others are just a pay day away from financial meltdown.

"No matter how desperate their circumstances may be, we will help and they should not feel embarrassed about asking for our assistance."

Anybody wanting to support the work of Back to Basics, is asked to contact Helen Mackenzie on 07896 534539.

Regular updates can be seen on Facebook.

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Ripon food poverty group sees rise in demand

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