Rainbow Junktion - Leeds, UK (CDD)
Founded in 2017, Rainbow Junktion is a food bank operating from a church located in Hyde Park, an inner-city area of Leeds. Not far from the University, it serves the immediate locality but also those who are able to get here from across Leeds. Those who receive its services include a diverse array of people, from all kinds of faiths, cultures and socio-economic groups, including those in receipt of benefits, asylum seekers and refugees, disabled people and some who are homeless or have just fallen on hard times. There are no questions asked, no referrals needed and everyone who comes receives the same warm welcome and is offered as much food as they ask for, when donations allow.
Last February, before the current cost of living crisis, attendance at Rainbow Junktion’s Friday Food Share was 75 on average per week, but the most recent statistics for March 23 showed that this figure had risen to 168, with this accounting only for households, not the number of people in them, needing to be fed. Not surprisingly, RJ struggles to meet this need and has to rely on the generosity of local residents, supermarkets and other donors to try to meet the need.
In addition to the Friday food share, RJ runs a ‘Pay as You Feel’ cafe on Mondays and Thursdays. These sessions are also very well-attended by customers of a similar profile to those coming to the food share, and again, there are no questions asked and no expectation of any payment. Again, food is provided from local sources including waste from local supermarkets and veg box schemes with the aim of avoiding food waste and providing delicious healthy and nutritious meals. Additional help is available at the cafes – debt advice, help in claiming benefits, signposting to other services – and just people to talk to, which for those who are isolated and feeling lonely, is often just as welcome.
As well as these specific services, RJ has also been offering musical entertainment to customers on the first Monday of the month. This was provided by local musicians, often buskers, who have until recently been paid £90 per session by Keep Streets Live, a local group committed to keeping music accessible to all. Unfortunately, this offer has come to an end as KSL can no longer afford to keep it going, so music is no longer played in the cafe. Customers, who are unable to access live music otherwise and for whom the arts generally are a luxury they cannot afford, are missing it tremendously, asking when it will happen again and desperate for it to return. The musicians are likewise, wanting to come back and are also now missing out financially.
LYT are so happy to share that a CDD of £1080 has been given which will pay for musicians to perform at the cafe for the next year. We continue to be amazed by the local projects that folks approach us with - there is so much good work being done out there! - and we are very grateful to be able to help in even a small way to keep such an exceptional programme running.