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23
Dec
Last-minute Christmas appeal to save greenbelt land between Knaresborough and Harrogate
The community benefit society behind the Knaresborough Forest Park campaign has issued a last-minute Christmas appeal to raise a final £40,000.
That is the amount required to protect the 60-acre community parkland and nature reserve between Knaresborough and Harrogate from development.
The acquisition of the site for £864,000 in August returned the land to public use after 250 years.
About half the purchase price was donated by the George A Moore Foundation, which was founded by a Knaresborough-born George Moore in 1970.
The second largest funder was the philanthropic lender Julia Davies, of We Have The Power, who agreed a £300,000 loan. But the loan had to be repaid by November 5 before high interest rates were charged on any outstanding balance.
Ms Davies later agreed to waive any interest charges until December 31, which allayed the immediate threat of some of the land having to be put back on the market to generate funds.
A fundraising appeal to pay back the loan has so far generated £183,000. This, combined with other donations to Long Lands Common, the community benefit society overseeing the scheme, means the amount needed to be paid off has fallen to about £40,000.
With just eight days to go before the deadline to pay it off, Long Lands Common has urged people to support its last push by making donations or gifting shares here.
Cards and gift cards can also be bought at Wild Orchid and Classy Chaos in Knaresborough and shares can be purchased.
Vice-chair Shan Oakes said:
It is heart-warming to hear how much people support the project. Members of Long Lands Common have spoken with hundreds of people at stalls and in the street, especially outside the community pop-in shop in Butter Lane in Knaresborough which currently opens on Wednesdays and Saturdays. There is still time to buy gift shares for Christmas!
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