Claro Enterprises is a Starbeck charity offering those with mental health conditions a real work environment to find a routine and talk to others who may be feeling similar.

The charity was set up 35 years ago by Chris and Sue Brown. Ms Brown’s brother was diagnosed with schizophrenia and they found giving him jobs on their farm would really help him but when the work stopped his mental health would decline.

At the time they couldn’t find any local services to support him so through lots of fundraising the pair set up Claro Enterprises to offer people with mental health disorders the opportunity to volunteer in a real work environment.

Over the years the charity has developed and now runs a workshop and a production line and has contracts with large companies such as Bettys and EnviroVent to make products.

On a daily bases, members might be creating wooden products from scratch, or rebranding or packing products for businesses.

Two men using the charity’s wood shop.

Operations manager, Helen Wilkinson, said:

“We have people who would struggle in a normal work environment but really benefit from having a routine. It works really well for people will mental health conditions and they can choose how often they come.

“There’s a real sense of community here.”

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The charity has around 35 members who can come as regularly as they want to work, it not only helps them but also gives their families a break.

The charity also runs courses throughout the year including self esteem and wellbeing, mindfulness, IT and basic maths and English.

Veterans Woodcraft, a group helping those with mental health issues and disabilities, have helped the charity’s members learn new woodcraft skills.

It is also the base for the Starbeck Men’s Shed and Women’s Shed. These groups are for anyone in the community to learn new skills and enjoy some company.

Ms Wilkinson said the end goal is to get the members “to a point where they can do what they want”:

“Some of our members have gone on to get full time jobs and work experience which is just amazing.”

The charity is always looking for new businesses to arrange work experience placements and provide work for the members to do at their premises to allow Claro to continue to offer their facilities to those who believe they could really benefit.

Miss Wilkinson added:

“It really is the bestest place in the world, we are just one big family.”

Carers’ Resource, the charity which supports unpaid carers looking after family members or friends, is moving to a new base in Harrogate.

The charity has had its head office at North Park Road, Harrogate, since 1995, but is now relocating to more modern premises at nearby Grove Park Court.

Staff have started moving in to the new office, which will be fully operational by April 11.

Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, will cut the ribbon to officially open the new site on May 13.

Chris Whiley, chief executive of Carers’ Resource, said:

“This charity began its life in Harrogate and while we have expanded over the years, this move demonstrates our huge commitment to carers in the Harrogate area and beyond.

“We have recently secured a new contract from North Yorkshire County Council to continue delivering services for unpaid carers in Harrogate and Craven, and to start delivering a full range of services in Selby.

“This move will give us a strong base from which we can continue to provide vital information, advice and support to carers.”

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Carers’ Resource was founded by Anne Smyth, who was awarded an OBE by the Queen in 2013 for her services to carers.

A small carers project initially operated out of Harrogate District Hospital before moving to North Park Road in 1995 and becoming an independent, not-for-profit charity with four staff. The young carer project started a year later.

Carers’ Resource now supports unpaid adult and young carers in Harrogate, Bradford and Craven districts, and will also be providing services in Selby from July 2022.

Jasmine Lehnis-Leitao worked in Malawi for 15 years before moving to Harrogate. Now she has set up the not-for-profit organisation Care In Action for Malawi to fund young people’s secondary and further education.

Ms Lehnis-Leitao went to Malawi in 2001 and has since worked on various projects there, including with local charity Open Arms Malawi, which cares for orphaned babies, and is closely linked with Harrogate communities.

Her new organisation will raise money through sponsorships and other fundraising to fund young peoples’ education, paying school fees and supplying them with books, supplies, and necessary technology. She is currently applying for charitable status.

Promise’s Story

Ms Lehnis-Leitao hopes her organisation will make a direct impact. She tells the story of Promise, a girl she worked with:

“Promise did well at primary school, but for secondary school she couldn’t afford the fees. Her parents had died, she was living with her aunt who sold tomatoes for a living. Her cousins and her aunt would all tell her ‘Why are you interested in books? You should be finding a man who can support you.’”

Care in Action for Malawi’s partner charity in Germany was able to step in to fund Promise’s education and Promise is now at a college for nursing. Ms Lehnis-Leitao adds:

“Once Promise becomes a nurse, that’s a career for life, it’s no longer about finding a man to rely on its about relying on yourself. It’s about having your career, having skills that you can give to your community.”

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Local involvement

Ms Lehnis-Leitao aims to reach more people with her new organisation by working in collaboration with partners. She remarks that cooperation is key to “build strong partnerships locally and put more kids more through school”.

Ms Lehnis-Leitao hopes the Harrogate district will get involved with fundraising and she emphasises how a little can go a long way, saying:

“Get involved with events, which can be as simple as a pub quiz. Come along and support. We want to get to know people’s interests and what they can contribute.

“For £300 a year you can put someone through secondary school. For £500 a year you can put them through teacher training college which is only two years.”

To get involved or offer sponsorship, you can get in contact at info@care-in-action.org.

For more information, click here.

Six schoolchildren have raised £647 for Saint Michael’s by baking cakes for a street sale in Harrogate.

Louisa (age 9), Chloe (10), Yasmin, Sophia, Annalise (all 11), and Ben (12) sold the cakes along with bric-a-brac to help the local hospice. They even made dog biscuits so four-legged visitors didn’t miss out.

The bake sale has become an annual fixture on Harrogate’s Valley Mount, after sisters Yasmin and Louisa started it in 2015 when they were aged just 5 and 3, along with friends Ben and Chloe.

In 2019 the group was invited to visit Saint Michael’s headquarters at Hornbeam Park to see where their funds had gone — which gave them an extra incentive to continue fundraising.

Yasmin said:

“Saint Michael’s is a really good charity because it helps people who are ill and their families too. We have a charity shop at the end of our street and we wanted to help.

“The first time we only raised £8, and every year we’ve wanted to keep beating how much we raised the last time. Last year we couldn’t do it because of covid, so we wanted to raise even more this time to make up for it.

“Our aim this time was to get £80 – so we’re actually quite surprised, we didn’t think we’d get this much!”

Chloe, Ben, Louisa and Yasmin visited Saint Michael’s to deliver the money.

The youngsters drummed up support for their event by sticking posters on lamp posts and knocking on doors to invite people to sample their baking and make donations.

Saint Michael’s Hospice helps people in the Harrogate district living with a terminal illness or bereavement.

Tony Collins, chief executive of Saint Michael’s, said: