13
Nov
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Nineteen Harrogate district community organisations have shared £42,000 raised by a local lottery.
The Local Fund for the Harrogate District receives at least 10p from every ticket bought for the Local Lotto. Tickets cost £1 and there’s a weekly £25,000 jackpot.
Two Ridings Community Foundation, which coordinates charitable giving in north and east Yorkshire, revealed which organisations had been chosen for grants of up to £3,000 at an event at West Park Hotel in Harrogate last night.
They included charities tackling food poverty, supporting pregnancy loss and creating a pond-dipping platform for children. A full list of recipients is at the end of this article.
Celia McKeon, chief executive of Two Ridings Community Foundation, said:
We are thrilled that 19 small community groups will benefit from this year’s funding, as we recognise their significant impact on the wellbeing of local residents throughout the district.
We also warmly welcome new donors. If local residents and businesses are considering charitable giving and want to ensure that their contributions directly benefit the community, investing in The Local Fund is an excellent choice.
The Local Fund, which has been running since 2017, is supported by a partnership of North Yorkshire Council, Harrogate & District Community Action and Two Ridings Community Foundation.
Cllr Sam Gibbs, North Yorkshire Council’s representative for The Local Fund, said:
Voluntary and community sector organisations and charities are the lifeblood of places like Harrogate, Knaresborough, Boroughbridge, Ripon, Nidderdale and Masham where The Local Fund is administered. It is therefore fantastic that we are able to support the vital work they do through this scheme.
Headway Harrogate & District
To ensure people in the Harrogate district with brain injury, and their families, feel connected all year round, they are using their funding for a second-hand smartphone, leaflets, printer ink and keeping everyone informed. £1,940
The Wellness Gateway CIC
To support children and families with mental and physical health, the funding will contribute towards staff costs to expand their community wellness hubs in the Ripon area. Their services also include signposting, support for mental health problems, and advice on SEN and neurodiversity. £3,000
Resurrected Bites
The community groceries at Resurrected Bites are a lifeline to around 470 households experiencing poverty in the Harrogate district. This funding is going towards staff costs to continue this service for local people and will also prevent food wastage with a new temperature monitoring system for their warehouse. £3,000
Artizan International
They use their funding to run weekly creative workshops combining creative skills and wellbeing for disabled people in Harrogate. This approach, connecting with the local community, inspires people to create a more inclusive society for people with disabilities. £2,960
Essential Needs
They are purchasing pillows, duvets and bedding for a scheme to provide free beds to children living in poverty in the Harrogate area who do not have a bed of their own. £1,515
Reflect
Reflect support anyone in the Harrogate area who has experienced pregnancy loss at any stage and for any reason. This funding helps them continue this support and will create more awareness. £2,265
Bilton Dragon Bowling Club
The bowling club needed a new mower, a concrete slab built and a lockable container to keep the local bowling club in good shape for their many patrons. £1,000
Inspire Youth Yorkshire
To give young people in Knaresborough with mental health needs, special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), and their parents a space to socialise with a mix of activities, helping everyone to feel connected. £3,000
Wellspring Therapy & Training
To expand their counselling work and reduce waiting times for people facing mental health difficulties, Wellspring will use the funding towards counselling and admin staff. £2,994
Chain Lane Community Centre
To deter anti-social behaviour, help members feel more secure and improve the security of this popular community centre, they needed funding for a CCTV camera system for their community building in Knaresborough. £1,000
Dacre Banks Bowling Club
To help volunteers maintain the bowling green for the rurally isolated club, they received funding for wooden edging and lawn care equipment. They hope to recruit new members too. £998
Aphasia Support
To help people experiencing aphasia, and their carers, to socialise and feel happier, Aphasia Support uses their funding for staff and travel expenses to continue to run drop-in café events in Harrogate. £2,929
Samaritans of Harrogate & District
To carry on their service providing mental health crisis support and to have a physical space for volunteers in the Harrogate district to support each other, Samaritans is using their funding for volunteer expenses and overhead office costs. £1,000
Time Together
To set up a clothes upcycling scheme to upskill autistic people and people with disabilities, Time Together will fund equipment, including a sewing machine, steam cleaner, washing machine, clothing rails, and clothes dye. £3,000
Harrogate District of Sanctuary
Providing group activities and support in the home for isolated refugees to help improve their English and reduce isolation. £3,000
Supporting Older People CIO
To stimulate conversation and memories at their popular friendship groups, Supporting Older People will use their funding towards venue hire. £1,200
Boroughbridge Community Care
To build socially isolated men’s confidence and help them gain new skills in a safe space, they used their funding for staff, minibus costs and entry to woodworking sessions at a Men’s Shed in Starbeck. £2,530
Ripon Amateur Operatic Society
To improve access for disabled performers at the charitable community theatre venue, the Operatic Society used its funding to resize a doorway and create accessible toilet facilities. £3,000
Rossett Local Nature Reserve Group
So children from the local community and primary school can access pond dipping activities at their local nature reserve, the group is using their funding towards a new pond dipping platform. £2,000
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