Harrogate Town footballer to climb Machu Picchu for charity

Harrogate Town’s club secretary and female team player Abbey Smith is raising money for MIND by climbing Machu Picchu in Peru.

Ms Smith will trek 2,430 metres up to the ancient Inca citadel in May in the hope of raising £4,000 for the mental health charity.

Her fundraising efforts are part of RED January, a nationwide movement encouraging people to move every day and beat the winter blues. She will be hosting various raffles, events and will also run 100km in January to help reach her goal.

Abbey Smith

Abbey Smith

Ms Smith said:

“MIND is a charity that is close to my heart as it has helped friends and family in the past, and with the current covid situation across the globe I feel that now more than ever the charity needs as much support as possible, to be able to help with people’s mental health.”

You can donate by visiting her Just Giving page here – https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/abbey-smith97

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Charity Corner: at the forefront of mental health support during covid

The mental health charity Mind in Harrogate district has had two years like no other, with lockdown causing more people to reach out for additional support.

The charity is affiliated with the larger national charity Mind and was founded in 1973.

It offers counselling, a telephone befriending service and numerous group workshops for people suffering with their mental health.

The main aim of the charity is to be the place people come to if they are struggling. Its befriending and counselling services will continue throughout December although during the week between Christmas and New Year, it will only be available for telephone support.

Helen Greensit, centre development manager, said:

“Over the last two years referrals have been constant. I wouldn’t say that the Christmas period has been any busier than the rest of the year but certainly there are no signs of the referrals slowing down.”

This week alone the charity has received five referrals for support, which included telephone support, registration requests to join group activities and referrals to the counselling service.

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Ms Greensit also said lockdown had increased the number of people struggling with social anxiety. She said people coming to the charity were still struggling to go out because they lacked the motivation to do so.

She said:

“With covid, we have seen a lot more people struggling with loneliness and isolation. Other main reasons for referrals are depression and anxiety.”

The charity has nine members of staff and numerous volunteers who help with the befriending service, which works to reach some of the most isolated in the district. Ms Greensit said:

“Within the last two years the charity has diversified in order to meet the growing needs of our community.”

Gallery: sun shines on Harrogate food and drink festival

Harrogate’s food and drink festival returned to the Stray today to become the town’s first major event since the coronavirus pandemic.

The event dodged the bad weather of the last week, as the sun shone on the Oatlands Drive part of the Stray that hosted the event.

The festival will be open again tomorrow to offer people the chance to enjoy international cuisine, independent bars, artisan stalls, live music and a fun fair.

The organisers have once again partnered with the mental health charity Mind, with the Harrogate district team stationed on the exit.

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Mike Gibbs, chair of Harrogate district Mind, told the Stray Ferret:

“It’s fantastic. We are so grateful to the event organisers who have helped over the years to raise money for Mind.

“Like other charities we are having a tough time with coronavirus. Events like this are going to help save lives.”

Amy Griffin, who is working on the Doe Harrogate stall, told the Stray Ferret:

“It feels amazing, Harrogate is such a great place to be. It feels a bit more normal doesn’t it? Everyone is here.

“We’ve got party rings, rainbows, Victoria sponge cake, the crowd favourite Biscoff and plenty more.”

Adele Wrightson, on the Fire and Dough stall, told the Stray Ferret:

“This is the first time we have been down here, we are from Northumberland. It’s great weather so lovely to have it outdoors.

“It’s odd to have so many people in one place. This is the biggest event we have done in recent times, they have gradually been getting more busy over the summer.”

If you miss the Stray event, it will be back at Ripley Castle on August 28 to 30.

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Former Harrogate soldier’s football ground run delayed by lockdown

A former Harrogate soldier is raising money for a children’s brain tumour charity by running to all 92 Premier League and EFL stadiums in England and Wales.

Nathan Richardson had planned to run from Leeds United’s Elland Road to Harrogate Town’s Wetherby Road ground today, until his plans were curtailed by the new national lockdown.

Nathan began his epic adventure in March 2020 and, once it is completed, he will have run between 2,000 to 2,500 miles on the tarmac, the equivalent of 95 marathons.

He remains optimistic that he’ll be able to complete his challenge once restrictions are eased:

“I’m disappointed but I know it’s the right thing to do. I will get going again.”

Born in Bury, Nathan began his army training at the Army Foundation College as a 16-year-old in 2007. He said he is looking forward to returning to a town he knows well:

“But we didn’t get let out much back then! It’s obviously a nice town and I spent quite a bit of time there. It will be good to go back.”

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He started the challenge before Town’s historic promotion to the EFL last summer, so he had to add a stop on Harrogate’s Wetherby Road into his itinerary, making it the 80th ground he’s visited so far.

He’s raising money for the mental health charity Mind, as well as The Joshua Wilson Brain Tumour Charity, which supports children who have or have had a brain tumour.

When he finally makes it to Harrogate he will then run north east to Middlesborough’s Riverside Stadium, which he said will take him a few days.

To donate to Nathan’s fundraising, click here.

Harrogate Town takes part in mental health campaign

Harrogate Town fans have been asked to nominate someone whose mental health has suffered during the coronavirus pandemic and is deserving of a special Zoom call from a first-team player.

The initiative is part of mental health charity Mind’s ‘Do One Thing’ campaign, which inspires people to make one small change or take one action to look after their mental health. All English Football League clubs are taking part.

Nominations should be emailed to community@harrogatetownafc.com by Friday October 9. A group of senior Town players will then judge the nominations.

Supporters can also get involved in the campaign by sharing on social media their one piece of advice or activity that can improve mental health.

Paul Farmer, chief executive of Mind, said:

“Coronavirus has undoubtedly affected the lives and routines of many fans. Whether that’s seeing familiar faces on the terraces on match day or celebrating/commiserating the result with fellow fans after, many fans will feel that the current climate has left them less able to do the things that support their mental health.

“Whether it’s going for a walk, learning a new skill or doing something creative, taking the first steps to getting support for yourself, or reaching out to someone else; Mind and the EFL are encouraging fans to do one thing for better mental health this World Mental Health Day.”

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On Friday night BT Sport aired “Proud To Be Town”, a 90-minute documentary filmed during and after lockdown.

It included contributions from manager Simon Weaver and first-team players who opened up about how the three-month shutdown of professional sport affected their mental wellbeing.

Harrogate Mind increases services as demand for support grows

A charity offering counselling and befriending services in Harrogate has said it has seen an increase in demand – and is boosting its services in response.

Mind in Harrogate has raised concerns over the impact of tighter covid restriction on people’s health.

As well as returning clients, the charity has received more calls from the public seeking advice and counselling. Common anxieties the charity is seeing include how the pandemic will affect people’s health, the impact on jobs and personal finances, and loneliness and isolation.

In response, new services including a befriending initiative and out-of-hours mental health service have begun in recent months.

Its telephone and online counselling sessions are continuing but, now, face to face counselling can take place too.

Tina Chamberlain, chief executive officer of Mind in the Harrogate district, said:

“I think it is becoming obvious that this pandemic will be around for a long time and the changes to people’s lives will mean people will need more support than ever.

“We have now started offering the counselling service face to face, as well as via Zoom and telephone, and we are getting an increasing number of calls from people needing this service.

“With winter coming, it all seems a bit bleak. For many of our service users loneliness and isolation are major factors in their mental state and so it is a worry.”

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On Monday, the charity will begin to offer its befriending service. It will match volunteer befrienders with people who would benefit from community-based support, such as help with shopping and social meetings. 

Tina added:

“Loneliness and isolation are a big factor in mental health and many people lack the confidence to make the social connections they need so the service is a way of facilitating that. We have had many people registering for the service.

“We are looking to offer this across the district  as we know that rural isolation and lack of access to services means that people in, for example, Pateley Bridge, Masham and Boroughbridge struggle to get the support they need.”

An out-of-hours support service has also been launched, enabling people to visit the Acorn Centre on weekend evenings until 11.30pm. It offers emotional support as well as signposting and referrals to other services for people experiencing mental distress.

The service can be accessed by calling 01423 647216 or emailing ooh@mindinharrogate.org.uk.

Harrogate student runs 465 miles for charity

Morgan Glazier, 18, is aiming to run an incredible 465 miles over 30 days this month.

The student from Rossett School, in Harrogate, is running in aid of the mental health charity MIND, after suffering with OCD for a number of years. He is hoping to improve his mental health during lockdown, through running, whilst raising money for a charity close to his heart.

To meet his 465 mile target, he will add an extra mile to the distance to correspond with the date. For example, on June 1 he ran one mile and then on June 2 he ran two miles, this will continue until June 30 when he will run 30 miles in a day.

His efforts will see him run the equivalent of a marathon or longer on each of the final days. Morgan hopes his run will highlight the positive effects that running can have on mental health. He said:

“Lockdown has been a bit tough and I haven’t been feeling great. I’ve always enjoyed long-distance running and I often use it to get away from everything. It’s a way for me to disconnect myself from negative thoughts and improve my mental wellbeing.”

The mental health charity, MIND, is close to Morgan’s heart. He hopes his running will bring awareness to positive mental wellbeing.

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The mental health charity means a lot to Morgan and his family, who said:

“I am doing it in memory of my uncle, who died as a result of his mental health problems, and for everyone who suffers or has suffered with a mental illness.”

To sponsor Morgan, click here.

Mind provides lifeline for people facing mental health struggles during crisis

For most people, coping with lockdown and the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic can be challenging. It can be so much worse for people who already struggle with their mental health. 

The Harrogate branch of Mind has been offering its support for the last eight weeks. 

Development manager Helen Greensit, one of a team of three making regular phone calls to check in on people, said the initial challenge was the change in routine. 

“It’s the change, in the fact that they can’t do what they would normally do. And it’s the worry about, ‘can I go and get my shopping?’. Especially for people who are vulnerable and have underlying health conditions – many of them are staying indoors anyway. For others, it has messed with that routine. 

“A little group of them used to go to the pictures every now and again. All that is disrupted. For those who have got a daily routine going, they suddenly can’t do that.” 

The small team at Mind began by calling people to check in, offering to call back once a fortnight or week, or even several times a week if it was needed. Some said they were fine without a regular call – but the team called back after a few weeks, and some said at that point that they would benefit from a regular chat. 

Working together

Through the conversations, Helen and her colleagues also identified people in need of additional help. They liaised with the Resurrected Bites food waste project to arrange deliveries for people who were struggling to get food, as well as speaking to GPs and pharmacies to ensure essential medicine and healthcare were available. 

It is not just people who were already known to Mind who have benefited from its support – a growing number of new contacts are being made and added to the list of calls. Helen is keen to reach even more and welcomes anyone who gets in touch.

Families are worried about the impact of closing the Briary Unit

A loss of routine made the first few weeks of lockdown hard for many people

In a two-week period, there are more than 170 calls being made to people in the community to check in, have a chat and schedule the next call. As well as supporting vulnerable people, Helen and her colleagues are finding benefits for themselves in the conversations. She said: 

“We’ve opened it up to the community. We’ve said, ‘it’s a community service, if you are feeling lonely and isolated, even if it’s just a weekly chat you want about your pet rabbit, if that’s what you want, that’s fine’.

“A lot of my friends think ‘lucky you, going to work’. I do feel happy I’ve got a purpose and I can come into work and I can do something valuable that’s going to be helpful.” 

Alongside their calls, the team at Mind are now looking towards the next steps, when lockdown eases. The Acorn Centre on Station Parade usually hosts up to 30 people at a time, with some doing crafts and activities, others chatting informally over a coffee, or getting help from the staff and volunteers. 

Planning ahead

Helen said that, in line with government guidance, it may be possible in the coming weeks to re-open to smaller numbers. The phone support is likely to continue for those who are still isolating at home, and to provide additional support for people who can’t be accommodated as often as usual at the centre. 

Having started in her role just weeks before lockdown began, Helen said she has found it challenging – but has enjoyed feeling she was making a difference to people’s well-being. 

“It has always been about the people for me. Supporting and helping people is what drives me. 

“I wouldn’t have imagined it would be quite as strange times as this. It hasn’t really allowed me to get to grips with things in the way we would have done.

“It’s really nice to hear a voice on the end of the phone and think, ‘they sound like they’re doing OK’.”

If you are struggling with your mental health and need someone to talk, you get in touch with Mind on 01423 503335. Their telephone support service is available between 8.30am – 5pm every weekday. For information click here.