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Jan
Anyone wanting to give something back to the community without making a regular commitment may find a solution in a new project launched by Harrogate and District Community Action.
The charity recognises that not everyone has the time to dedicate to regular volunteering, so Help Out Harrogate provides opportunities for people to lend a hand as and when they can – there is no minimum commitment.
Volunteers can sign up to be part of a crew that can be called on for anything from marshalling at flu clinics to planting crocus bulbs on the Stray, packing hampers for a charity, helping with outdoor community events, litter-picking or getting involved in conservation tasks.
HADCA is working with charities and community groups to identify tasks and opportunities.
Susie Hart of Harrogate-based charity Artizan, with volunteers Janet and Jenni.
Potential volunteers are being asked to sign up, which will add their name to a mailing list to receive notification of all the opportunities. These will also be promoted via the project’s Facebook page.
Anna Glazier, Help Out Harrogate organiser, said:
Help Out Harrogate sits alongside HADCA’s Community Fit project which combines being active, social and helping out in the local community. Community Fit members (‘FitStars’) meet every Wednesday evening to run together at an easy pace to a local charity or community group to lend a hand.
Helping out can involve anything that can safely be carried out by the group within the hour, such as sorting donations, basic gardening, delivering leaflets, tidying a warehouse, litter-picking or preparing materials for craft projects.
Anna added:
Volunteers Hannah and Lizzie painting a planter at Saltergate School in Harrogate.
Help Out Harrogate builds on the legacy of the volunteering efforts of local people during the Covid pandemic. More than 350+ people approached HADCA to help people isolating at home, and a further 150 volunteer marshals supported the vaccination programme at both the Harrogate and Ripon vaccination centres.
The new pilot harnesses the power of this volunteering workforce to support local charities and community events and activities and is being generously supported by The Shears Foundation, Cllr Peter Lacey and Cllr Sam Gibbs.
HADCA connects and supports local communities, charities and volunteers, providing information, resources, networks, promotion.
The charity’s Where To Turn Directory helps connect people to local charity services, support groups and community activities to support good health and wellbeing. Through its Volunteering Directory, HADCA helps people find meaningful volunteering opportunities, and also supports small charities and community groups to host and recruit volunteers successfully.
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