A group of Harrogate shops on Otley Road has launched a hamper raffle to try and raise £1,000 for Horticap.
Nicola Jones, the owner of Harlow House and Beauty, has organised the raffle along with other shops on the street.
Read more:
- Harrogate pub owners’ pop-up shop finds permanent home
- Extra £1m bid for Harrogate cycle and walking routes
- Harrogate rallies around Horticap for major lockdown projects
All money raised will go towards fitting out Horticap’s new cafe. The charity, which helps adults with learning disabilities, hopes to open it in the next few months.
There are six prizes in total which include vouchers, fruits, beauty treatments, hair treatments and cakes in hampers.
Nicola Jones is the owner at Harlow House of Beauty.
People can buy tickets at £2 a strip from the Wharfedale Fruiterers, Harlow House and Beauty, The Kitchen, The Sandwich Deli and Le Salon.
It has been a difficult few months for Nicola Jones from Harlow House and Beauty after she had to cancel treatments. She told the Stray Ferret:
Golf event to raise money for Harrogate charity“The first couple of weeks was great because everyone was desperate to get back and we were approaching August 1 when we were expecting to start with face treatments. But we had a day’s notice to tell us that we actually couldn’t start with those treatments again and we still don’t know what’s happening.”
A woman from Harrogate has organised a golf event at Rudding Park to raise money for Saint Michaels Hospice.
Patricia Blenkinsop decided to start raising money for Saint Michael’s Hospice two years ago after her father was cared for by the team.
The golf competition is just one of a number of events she has organised in the hope of raising money for the charity.
The event, which was supposed to have taken place in April, has been rescheduled for October. Participants will be in teams of four and will complete a round of golf at Rudding Park followed by lunch, a raffle and a silent auction.
Read more:
- Just ‘B’ receives grant to support school students during holidays
- Knaresborough yoga charity set to reopen after support from community
Patricia was also supposed to be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro last month, but due to covid had to rearrange her trek for next June. She told the Stray Ferret:
“The change of date for both events has definitely allowed me more time to fundraise. I was just starting to gear up to really get into training to climb Kilimanjaro and then lockdown came.
“When you’re training to climb the world’s tallest free standing mountain, it is difficult because nowhere in England is that high! All you can do is be as fit as you can.”
Saint Michael’s Hospice offers specialist care and support to people with terminal illnesses.
In 2016, Patricia trekked the Grand Canyon to raise money for the hospice and this year wanted to take on a new challenge. Having got the idea to climb Kilimanjaro a number of years ago when she saw it from the window of a plane, she decided to make it her next target.
The golf event at Rudding Park will take place on October 8. To reserve your team or for more information, email Patricia or visit her JustGiving page.
District charity shops ‘overwhelmed’ with donationsDistrict charity shops have been overwhelmed with donations from the public, with some having to put an appointment system in place with a three-week wait.
As charity shops have reopened, people have flocked to donation spots, leading the shops to bring in new measures.
Some Oxfam shops have had to introduce appointment slots but, due to high demand, some customers are having to wait to make their donations.
The Oxfam Bookshop in Harrogate remains open for donations during opening hours without an appointment slot.
Walter de Buck, North Yorkshire area manager for Oxfam, said:
“We have three months’ worth of stock coming at once and we have to quarantine it. We are working with lower staffing levels, more donations and some donors are waiting three weeks for an appointment in some shops. We don’t like to say ‘can you bring it another time’ because we need the money these donations bring.
“We have had days with 200-300 bags coming into some shops which causes challenges. We understand it’s not ideal to be told to wait but we’ve not had to do it before. Some donors have been angry or disappointed, but it’s measures that we have to take seriously to ensure the safety of our volunteers.”
Saint Michael’s Hospice has seen huge numbers of donations.
Meanwhile, Saint Michael’s Hospice has had to stop any donations from the public. The drop-off facility will remain closed for 12 days to sort through the high volume of bags it has received.
The chief executive of Saint Michael’s Hospice, Tony Collins, said:
Harrogate charity receives grant to support pupils during holidays“Over the last 4 weeks we have been overwhelmed by the generosity of our community and the huge number of donations received. With items arriving faster than we could distribute them, we had to pause temporarily. Our donation drop-off point will reopen at 10am Monday, August 17.
“The planned launch of booking slots will allow us to continue to take receipt of shop donations from August 17 onwards, whilst adhering to the strictest Covid-19 guidelines for the safety of everyone.”
A Harrogate bereavement and emotional wellbeing charity has been awarded a grant boost of more than £30,000.
Just ‘B’ will use the money to provide workshops and therapy sessions for vulnerable students during the school holidays. Themes covered will include gangs and youth violence, domestic abuse, and digital media risks.
The grant is part of £6.5m from the Youth Endowment Covid-19 Fund and has been offered to 130 organisations across the country. It aims to limit the number of people being drawn into violent crime as well as tackling issues young people have experienced as a result of covid.
Read more:
- WATCH: Harrogate residents clap for Saint Michael’s palliative care team
- Harrogate charity receives royal support to extend services
Tony Collins, chief executive of Just ‘B’ said:
“The challenges and hardships that some of our most vulnerable young people face have been exacerbated by covid… we are proud to be one of the organisations chosen for this grant and it will enable us to build on the work we are already doing to help children and young people to overcome difficult circumstances and face a more positive future.”
Just ‘B’ is also calling for the community’s help to win £1m in a charity competition. Persimmon Homes Yorkshire has shortlisted three charities across the county to represent the region in its Building Futures scheme. Voting closes on September 18.
Harrogate rallies around Horticap for major lockdown projectsHarrogate has rallied around local charity Horticap to help transform its garden as well as its new cafe and shop ready for the return of students.
The charity helps adults with learning disabilities to train in horticulture and crafts but they have not been able to attend since the start of the coronavirus lockdown.
Coronavirus has been tough for Horticap as it has missed out on key fundraising events. However, the people behind the charity have used it as an opportunity to grow.
The new cafe and shop building at Horticap.
Using a legacy left by a former student of 20 years, Peter Hopkins, Horticap has built a brand new shop and tea room. To go along with the build, the charity planned to flatten the garden and pond but had no funds to get the job done.
Read more:
- Harrogate charity launches bid for welly wanging world record
- Knaresborough yoga charity needs £10,000 to reopen
- Ripon charity plans further expansion despite coronavirus
That is where local businesses have come in. Phil Airey, the operations manager at Horticap, has called in all his favours to get the help the charity needs.
“Coronavirus has hit us hard, but it has hit everybody hard. We are very fortunate that people are coming together for us. I have been blown over by it all. There was a point where we didn’t think we could pull it off and then everything came together.”
The garden plans with coronavirus in mind.
The charity has not yet been given the go-ahead to welcome students back but the managers hope that, when they do, they will be able to surprise them with a new garden ready for the students to help with planting.
It will make a big difference to those with physical disabilities as the garden will be made accessible to all. The garden will also have pods for people to sit and enjoy the space.
Nicholas Edward Fryer is overseeing the project. Johnsons of Whixley, New Park Trees, Johnny Clasper, Creation Sculpture, Sherwood Carving, Marshalls, GH Brooks, Castacrete, Plasmor, Millboard, HACS, and Green Tech are all donating time and/or materials.
Horticap was established 35 years ago after the charity bought the land from a farmer. Its patron is Alan Titchmarsh, who is planning to visit the site soon.
Saint Michael’s Hospice receives royal support for helpline serviceA Harrogate charity which has been providing a helpline for NHS and care workers has been given a grant to extend its support to “blue light” emergency services.
Just ‘B’, one of the services offered by Saint Michael’s Hospice, has been providing support for people working on the frontline since April. The service provides bereavement, trauma and emotional wellbeing support to key workers, alongside national charity Hospice UK.
The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has granted nearly £1.8 million to charities to support the frontline community. The money will allow Saint Michael’s to extend its support to all emergency service workers for a further two years.
Read more:
- Just ‘B’ encourages those that are struggling to reach out
- Saint Michael’s Hospice receives overwhelming amount of donations
Tony Collins, the Chief Executive of Saint Michael’s Hospice said:
“We are delighted to be able to extend this service to support our colleagues in the NHS, social care sector and emergency services. We know that they have been dealing with some of the most challenging situations imaginable.”
Just ‘B’ is made up of a team or trained and qualified volunteers and staff.
Speaking about the new grant, The Duchess of Cambridge said:
“Over recent months we have all been in awe of the incredible work that frontline staff and emergency responders have been doing in response to COVID-19, but we know that for many of them, their families, and for thousands of others across the UK, the pandemic will have a lasting impact on their mental health.”
The helpline is available to all ages and lines are open between 8am-8pm, seven days a week.
Clap for Saint Michael’s Hospice who cared for friend’s “soul-mate”A Harrogate resident has organised an emotional tribute to her friend who was cared for in her final days by Saint Michael’s Hospice.
Anne Boland lost her “soul mate” Dora Storey this month. Dora was cared for by the home service palliative team at Harrogate-based charity Saint Michael’s.
To say thank you, Anne invited residents from her street to clap for the end of life team when the hearse carrying Dora passed by on Friday.
Both Anne and Dora worked in end of life care for over 25 years. Anne said:
“Dora knew how ill she was and wanted to die at home – she got her wish and for the last weeks of her life received the most wonderful care. We both felt the Saint Michael’s home care service was thoughtful, responsive and that the level of communication between services was extraordinary.
Read more:
- Saint Michael’s Hospice fill warehouse with donations
- Harrogate Easier Living Project prepare for increase in demand
Residents of Poplar Crescent as well as a member of the Saint Michael’s home team lined the street to applaud as the hearse drove past. Anne said:
Harrogate domestic abuse charity sees cases double“I invited the street to come and applaud as I wanted to be able to honour Dora and at the same time, draw attention to the wonderful teams who work in local palliative care.”
A Harrogate based domestic abuse charity is preparing for an increase of survivors following lockdown. Its CEO says the abuse can happen “closer than you think”.
New Beginnings works with female survivors of domestic abuse around Harrogate. It currently supports 10 women but those numbers of expected to double over the next three months.
Since lockdown, the charity has had to increase its support to a 24/7 Whatsapp group chat, welfare checks and 1:1 video and phone calls. This service has increased by approximately 700% as it is now supporting twice the number of women it was and on a more constant basis.
Over lockdown any plans for women that were housed in refuge centres or waiting for a house had to be put on pause. New Beginnings come in once the women are resettled into houses, its support continues for as long as the woman needs.
Lindsay Oliver, CEO of New Beginnings, said:
“There is a misconception amongst many individuals that despite recent coverage of the realities of domestic abuse that is doesn’t happen around here, with 1 in 3 women within their lifetime suffering domestic abuse, believe me it’s closer than you think!
“We’ve been told by IDAS that there’s a major backlog that will come through following this so we are getting prepared with more volunteers.
The charity also offers a variety of support including workshops to improve emotional intelligence and fresh food parcels.
Read more:
- Yorkshire’s largest domestic abuse charity, IDAS, warns risk of abuse could increase as lockdown continues.
- Harrogate charity is expecting more calls for help following coronavirus as further consequences are revealed.
“I’ve found being a part of the group and still able to have sessions so to speak via group chat and phone calls a great help and still having the support and speaking freely knowing that it’s still private and confidential and I’m not alone.”
“When I moved to Harrogate from an abusive relationship they helped me regain my confidence and myself control, they are such lovely and kind people. They help me and give me so much and I’m so happy to be apart of the group.”
Lindsay added:
“We have continued throughout with welfare checks and catch ups with our clients. We’re currently relying on community support as our funding streams have been delayed. The women mostly want to be able to see the woods for the tree and to put their life back together.”
If you need help or support then you can access the charity via their facebook page @New Beginnings.
To support the charity, click here.
Harrogate Easier Living Project (HELP) is preparing for an increase of calls for help from people after coronavirus.
Requests to the charity for food bank and supermarket vouchers have already increased. It says help for practical jobs could also increase as people struggle financially.
From April to June it has supported over 500 families and individuals. Over lockdown it provided a variety of help including dropping off books and puzzles to those isolating and moving beds for covid patients returning from hospital.
The charity was initially “overwhelmed” at the beginning of the pandemic but it was able to recruit over 200 volunteers to help it as demand increased.
Lizzie Hughes, Project Development Worker, said that as lockdown eases people will still need their help:
“Whilst we are receiving fewer urgent requests for support and emergency food shopping now, we are still carrying out on average around 120 tasks every week for people in Harrogate and Ripon. A number of people are struggling financially and we’re seeing a lot more people needing to access the food banks or asking us to apply for supermarket vouchers for them.
“Physical and mental health may prevent some local residents from being able to fully participate in community life for some time to come. We also anticipate an increase in demand for practical help with jobs that have built up during lockdown and need arising from economic hardship exacerbated by the virus.”
Gill, a HELP volunteer, took her pony Maple for a socially distant walk round the houses of some of HELP’s isolating clients to cheer them up.
Read more:
- Ripon charity planning for further expansion despite the pandemic.
- Open Country, a disability charity in Harrogate, has found a way to bring the outdoors into people’s homes during lockdown.
The organisation offers a support network for those in need of help across Harrogate and Ripon. Over lockdown HELP has been working with the most vulnerable to assist them in any way they need.
Lizzie added:
“From April to June, we supported an additional 501 families and individuals, carried out 822 shopping trips and 112 people received befriending phone calls. We appreciate that doing someone’s shopping isn’t going to be the answer to all their problems so we have been making welfare calls to all our clients offering them additional support.”
Harrogate cyclist climbs height of Everest in Dales
On Saturday Bruno Marks, a member of Cappuccino Cycling Club in Harrogate, attempted to ‘Everest’, cycling up and down Park Rash in Kettlewell forty times.
‘Everesting’ is a cycling term that involves choosing a steep hill and cycling up and down it until reaching 29,029ft – the equivalent height of Mount Everest.
Bruno began his challenge at 4:30am on Saturday morning and completed the challenge at 8pm that evening, climbing a total of 30,942ft. He decided to raise money for Cancer Research UK the night before the challenge.
Read more:
He told The Stray Ferret:
“The day started great at 4.30 am, with a fantastic sunrise on my first lap to lift the spirits, but by 6am an hour long downpour had started! It made it pretty tough having to descend very slowly and carefully and getting very cold in the process. But the legs felt strong and I completed 40 laps with 30,942 ft of ascent at around 8pm.”
Bruno climbed a total of 30,942 ft in very bad weather.
Bruno has raised £3,448 so far for Cancer Research UK. To donate to Bruno’s challenge visit – https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/bruno-park-rash-everesting