Bradford Metropolitan Food Bank suffers devastating flood

Bradford Metropolitan Food Bank suffered a major flood when a pipe burst in the loft of the building overnight between Saturday and Sunday.

Water gushed out and rushed down three floors to the basement and was only noticed early because some volunteers went in on Sunday for an extra food packing day to meet demand during one of the foodbank’s busiest periods.

Foodbank chair Graham Walker, said: “It would have been cascading down like Niagara Falls for another 24 hours.”

Water leaked through the whole building and ruined thousands of pounds worth food (Image: UGC)

As well as leaving around one foot of water in the basement, the falling liquid tarnished food stock on the ground floor and left pools on each level.

There is some produce that has remained dry, but Mr Walker revealed they were forced to scrap skips full of food.

He added: “This is an absolute tragedy.

“This is one of our busiest weeks of the year, but instead of giving food out we’re throwing it out.

“The extent of the damage is still being assessed, but despite water lying in pools our amazing volunteers have been doing what they can to ensure people in need don’t go without this Christmas.”

Bradford Metropolitan Food Bank has been helping people in the city since 2004, is non-denominational - meaning it does not follow any particular or specific religious denomination - and is the city's oldest foodbank.

There has been a huge increase in demand for its food bags since the small registered charity first began operating.

It handed out 11,000 bags via its network of support organisations in 2017 but the total is likely to exceed 19,000 for 2022, with the Food Bank's team of volunteers giving out an average of 370 bags per week.

Mr Walker revealed the organisation has had one or two offers from other foodbanks to help out.

He said: "One of two people have said they are willing to support us, which is nice."

The foodbank is based in an old building and Mr Walker said they were planning on bringing in a plumber to check all the premise’s pipes.

That has now come to fruition.

Mr Walker said: "At the moment we're looking at an estimate, a plumber is in at the moment making estimates.

"It will take a long time to make it tidy but we're beginning to recover."

Part of that process will be arranging for professionals to come in to pump out the standing water.

Mr Walker said: “We need to dispose of damaged floor coverings, sort out plumbing and electricals, get water pumped out and get hold of dehumidifiers, not to mention replacing the ruined food, all of which cost money.

“This couldn’t have come at a worse time as we enter one of the toughest winters many of us will have faced, with prices rising and incomes falling in real terms and demand for our services greater than ever”.

Graham Walker, Chair of Bradford Metropolitan Food Bank, in the building which was flooded after a water pipe burst over the weekend (Image: Telegraph & Argus)

But the foodbank are "cautiously optimistic" about moving forward from the unforeseen disaster.

Mr Walker said: "We're optimistic it won't cost an enormous amount of money to make it health and safety ready."

While the food bank is working hard to rectify the situation, donations are more crucial than ever to help recover the lost stock.

Mr Walker said: “Over the coming week, we will get people in as much as we can, pack bags to meet demand and also we are collecting outside Morrisons in Girlington on Friday, from 8am until 6pm, asking people to donate whatever – money or preferably food.”

He hopes people will turn up in their droves on Friday, given the troubles they went through at the weekend.

Mr Walker said: "People in the past at Morrisons have been very generous and because it's Christmas."

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