Nesfield Lodge Care Home in Leeds has set up a foodbank collection and is encouraging members of the public to drop off donations.

Nesfield Lodge home administrator Tania Holness volunteers at Leeds Homeless Street Aid, a voluntary organisation dedicated to feeding those who are homeless across the region. For the last two weeks staff, residents, families and friends at the care home have been donating food items and the home has now opened up donations to the public.

Leeds Homeless Street Aid provides hot food every Monday and Thursday, ranging from stews and hotpots to burgers, pizzas and puddings, to more than 200 homeless people. The organisation also aims to ensure every visitor can take a sandwich as a packed lunch and has toiletries for the next day, as well as essentials such as socks, gloves, hats and sleeping bags.

“We appreciate any food items that people can spare, as we make meals rather than handing food items out where possible, to make sure people get something hot to eat,” said Holness.

She added: “The support of my employer has been invaluable and I am so proud that the caring ethos shown within the home is being extended to the community in this way. Everybody at Orchard Care Homes has encouraged my voluntary work, ever since I began my role. When I applied for the job, I explained at the interview what I do in my spare time and my manager offered me tweaked hours so that I could keep volunteering from day one.”