Leeds Food Aid Network, FoodWise Leeds and the West Yorkshire Food Poverty Network
Leeds Food Aid Network (FAN) exists to help bring different people, food providers, initiatives, and institutions together who are involved in tackling food poverty in the city of Leeds. Leeds FAN is part of FoodWise Leeds, which is connected to a national organisation called Food Power and the West Yorkshire Food Poverty Network, which is connected to the national initiative Feeding Britain.
FoodWise Leeds
FoodWise Leeds is a city-wide campaign managed by Leeds Food Partnership. It aims to unify, promote, and celebrate the people, projects, organisations, and businesses that deliver good food work across Leeds. The campaign also encourages broader discussions and action on all aspects of food. Leeds FAN is the Food Poverty arm of FoodWise.
West Yorkshire Food Poverty Network
The West Yorkshire Food Poverty Network brings together representatives from Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds, Wakefield District, and Bradford/Keighley to tackle food insecurity more effectively in the region. Key priorities include:
- Building local networks that connect food aid providers, agency workers, and local authorities to enable practical collaboration.
- Collaborating with groups like Leeds FAN, Feeding Bradford and Keighley, Kirklees Emergency Food Providers, Wakefield Food Aid Network, and Calderdale Food Poverty Forum to respond to needs such as the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Tackling the root causes of food poverty through effective signposting and on-location support including advice on debt, welfare, and healthcare, while also contributing insights to national policy via Feeding Britain.
- Creating accessible signposting tools—both online and offline—to help people locate emergency food support easily.
- Ensuring food is effectively distributed regionally by working with distributors such as FareShare Yorkshire and Rethink Food.
- Supporting the development of healthy holiday provision with help from local authorities and the Department for Education.
- Promoting Healthy Start Vouchers, which have recently increased in value to assist families in need.