What You Can Donate

We welcome donations of various non-perishable food items and essential goods. These donations will be distributed through our network to food banks, food drop-ins, community food pantries and street outreach services to help people in need across Leeds.

Food Items

🥫

Tinned and Packaged Food

  • Tinned vegetables (beans, tomatoes, sweetcorn etc)
  • Tinned meat and fish (tuna, ham etc)
  • Tinned fruit
  • Tinned soup and ready meals
  • Pasta sauce
🍝

Dry Goods and Staples

  • Rice
  • Pasta
  • Noodles
  • Cereal and breakfast grains
  • Flour
  • Dried beans and lentils
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Long-life Food

  • Cooking oil
  • Sugar and salt
  • Tea, coffee and hot chocolate
  • Biscuits and snacks
  • Nut butter
  • Jam and honey
👶

Baby and Children's Food

  • Baby formula
  • Baby rice
  • Tinned baby food
  • Children's snacks
  • Long-life milk

Non-Food Items

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Personal Hygiene Items

  • Shampoo and conditioner
  • Shower gel and soap
  • Toothpaste and toothbrush
  • Deodorant
  • Razors and shaving foam
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Household Essentials

  • Washing powder and liquid
  • Cleaning products
  • Kitchen roll
  • Toilet roll
  • Washing-up liquid
👩

Feminine Hygiene Products

  • Sanitary towels
  • Pantyliners
  • Tampons
  • Reusable sanitary products
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Baby Items

  • Nappies (various sizes)
  • Baby wipes
  • Baby shampoo and wash
  • Baby moisturiser
  • Baby cleaning products

Currently Most Needed Items

The following items are particularly needed at the moment, we would greatly appreciate if you could prioritise donating these:

  • Tinned meat and fish - including tuna, ham, beef etc
  • Baby formula - especially for 0-6 months and 6-12 months
  • Long-life milk - UHT or powdered milk
  • Tinned fruit - in natural juice or light syrup
  • Shampoo and shower gel - regular size and travel size
  • Washing powder and liquid - small packs preferred
  • Feminine hygiene products - all types
  • Toothpaste and toothbrushes - for adults and children

Donation Guidelines

To ensure your donations can safely help those in need, please note the following:

  • All food must be unopened, undamaged and within use-by date
  • We cannot accept expired food
  • We cannot accept food requiring refrigeration
  • We cannot accept homemade food
  • We cannot accept opened personal hygiene items
  • All items should be clean and in good condition

Where to Donate

There are several places in Leeds where you can donate food and items:

Supermarket Collection Points

The following supermarkets have permanent food collection points where you can donate items while shopping:

  • Tesco - at checkout areas or entrances in all stores
  • Sainsbury's - near main entrances in major stores
  • Asda - checkout areas
  • Morrisons - near customer service desks
  • Waitrose - near exits
  • Co-op - near entrances in some stores

Direct to Food Banks

You can donate items directly to any food bank in Leeds during their opening hours. Main locations include:

  • North Leeds Food Bank - Open: Mon-Fri 10:00-14:00
  • South Leeds Food Bank - Open: Mon, Wed, Fri 11:00-15:00
  • East Leeds Food Bank - Open: Tue, Thu 10:00-14:00
  • West Leeds Food Bank - Open: Mon, Thu 12:00-16:00

See our Food Banks page for more details and addresses.

Community Collection Points

The following community venues also accept donations:

  • Leeds Civic Hall - Reception, open Mon-Fri 9:00-17:00
  • Community Centres - Many community centres accept donations during their opening hours
  • Libraries - Several Leeds libraries have collection points
  • Schools - Many schools regularly organise food collection drives
  • Places of Worship - Many churches, mosques and other religious venues accept donations

Organising a Donation Drive

Organising a food donation drive is an effective way to support the local food aid network. Workplaces, schools, faith groups or community organisations can organise such events.

1

Plan Your Event

Determine the time, location and duration of your event. Ensure there is enough space to store donated items and arrange for volunteers to help collect and sort donations.

2

Contact Us

If you're planning a large donation event, please contact us, we can provide promotional materials, collection boxes and organisational advice.

3

Promote Your Event

Use posters, emails, social media and word of mouth to promote your event. Share the list of currently most needed items to guide donations.

4

Collection and Delivery

Once collection is complete, ensure items are sorted by category and arrange delivery to a food bank or our warehouse. For large quantities, we can arrange collection.

Donation Drive Resources

We provide the following resources to help you organise a successful food donation drive: