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Oct 2020

Last Updated: 28/10/2020

Politics

County council funding for vulnerable extended until March

by Suzannah Rogerson

| 29 Oct, 2020

Community support groups are being given additional funding to continue supporting those in need during the pandemic. Six of them are in the Harrogate district -offering a range of help including food boxes and additional care.

North Yorkshire County Council has extended its support to local groups after recognising the ongoing need of those struggling.

A total of 23 organisations in the county have received an additional £453,000 in funding from the county council to continue supporting vulnerable people in their communities until March 2021.

Six of these are in the Harrogate district:

Harrogate and District Community Action

Knaresborough Connectors

Ripon Community House

Boroughbridge Community Care

Nidderdale Plus

Masham Community Office

This initiative was set up in April to support those self-isolating and ensure volunteers were in place within communities to offer deliveries of food and essential items.

The county council has chosen to extend this throughout the winter as tougher restrictions come into place.

Helen Flynn, executive director of Nidderdale Plus, said:

"We are an organisation reliant on volunteers but currently we are unable to get many of them together. With this funding we have been able to increase the hours of a member of staff to cover this.

"We are also expanding our current services and starting up new projects to better help the community. The funding also allows us to continue working with our 13 community groups across Nidderdale and Washburn to distribute information to those rural communities."

A total of £930,000 will have been invested across the county by March 2021. The money has been made available through its North Yorkshire Local Assistance Fund.

The government contributed £150,000 to the fund.

County Council health boss said the county is "hanging on by a thread" as a move to tier two looks more likely.

An announcement about care home visiting in North Yorkshire is expected this week.

County Council Leader Cllr Carl Les said:

“This Local Assistance Fund makes use of County Council resources and we also welcome Government money sent to us since the pandemic began.

“We have used the funds to support food banks, our local Community Support Organisations and the Citizens Advice network across the county as these are where residents go for advice and help."

The county council has said it is constantly reviewing the need of its communities and will continue to adjust its interventions if necessary.

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County council funding for vulnerable extended until March

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