Harrogate charity releases Christmas kindness ideas

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A Harrogate charity has released details informing people how to volunteer this Christmas.

Harrogate & District Community Action (HADCA) is a local charity which supports communities, charities and volunteers in the local area.

While most companies wind down over the Christmas period, charities across the Harrogate district are seeking help from volunteers and asking for donations.

HADCA has suggested a range of options people can get involved with to help the community over the festive season.

Volunteering

HADCA has a volunteering directory on its website which can help people wanting to volunteer find roles in the community.

The organisers behind Knaresborough Christmas Day Dinner are also in need of support to provide the meal and for gifts.

If people wish to help out with ad-hoc events, Help Out Harrogate is an initiative offering locals the chance to volunteer at a variety of one-off events, including festive ones, without the need to make any regular commitment. 

Donating

Food, gifts and monetary donations can be given to local community food providers for Christmas appeals.

There is a range of local community food providers that would appreciate extra support over the festive season. They include:

• Resurrected Bites
• Harrogate District Foodbank
• St Peter's Church Harrogate
• Ripon Food Support
• Boroughbridge Community Larder
• Upper Nidderdale Food Bank
• Harrogate Clothes Bank
• The Village (baby bank and school uniforms)
• Essential Needs Community Store
• Ripon Salvation Army 
• Two Riding Community Foundation's North & East Yorkshire Cost of Living Crisis Appeal 

It is advisable to get in touch with the above teams or check their websites and social media feeds for latest updates on how you can best help, before making donations.

It is also possible to donate when you do online shopping with sites such as Give as you Live or easyfundraising.

Buy Christmas gifts from local charities

There are lots of lovely local options to buy your Christmas gifts from, including:

• Horticap
• Jennyruth Workshops
• Henshaws
• Harrogate Hospital & Community Charity
• Artizan International
• Harrogate Fair Trade Shop
• Open Arms Malawi
• Ripon Community Link and Walled Garden
• The Harrogate Chocolate Factory

You can also buy vouchers from Harrogate Theatre and Harrogate International Festivals.

To send a gift to children in need around the world, consider using Operation Christmas Child.

For Christmas cards, visit Cards for Good Causes at Harrogate and Ripon libraries, or buy from your local charity shops.

By visiting your local charity shop, you can support a good cause and choose a pre-loved gift, helping the environment.

You can also buy Christmas trees from charity at Horticap and Ripon Walled Garden.

Support a local cause over a Christmas catch-up

Remember, you can stay warm while enjoying good coffee and delicious food at venues including: 

• Hopkins Horticap
• Harrogate Chocolate Factory café

• Artizan Café
• Henshaws Arts & Crafts Centre
• Ripon Walled Garden
• Yorkshire Cancer Research's Café at Hornbeam Park,
• Fodder
• Resurrected Bites Give As You Can Cafés

There are also lots of venues where you can hold meetings or Christmas events and support local charities at the same time, including Harrogate Community House, Ripon Community House and Chain Lane Community Hub in Knaresborough.  

Support local charity and community events

HADCA have many events listed on its community calendar and there are several Christmas Tree Festivals.

Festivals are set to take place at St John's in Knaresborough, St Peter's Church in Harrogate, St John's in Bilton, St James' Church in Boroughbridge and St Mary's Church in Masham.

Connect with neighbours, friends and family

HADCA suggests offering to help neighbours, keeping it local, where people may recognise you and trust your offer is genuine. There is inspiration and ideas from Action for Happiness and The Great Winter Get Together.

Anyone who would like to make a positive difference by improving the quality of life for disadvantaged people and communities across the area is encouraged to become a Friend.