Time Together is a small charity based within the Harrogate district which helps autistic people and those with additional needs to live independently.

The charity was setup in 1995 after a number of institutions closed. People with disabilities or additional needs were left “scattered” across the Harrogate district struggling to adjust to a new community.

Time Together was set up to bring people together, over the years it has evolved into the charity it is today offering one-to-one and group sessions to ensure people get all the support they need.

This could be helping them with their weekly shop or giving them the space to have a good catch up with friends.

Time Together volunteers will support clients with day to day tasks such as cooking.

Since the pandemic, the charity has only been able to hold a small number of group sessions online. One to one sessions have continued.

The aim of the charity is to support their client’s wellbeing by encouraging them to engage in their local communities.

The charity works with 40 clients, assisting them in various ways and encouraging them to socialise with other people in the community.

The charity is currently looking for local businesses that could offer volunteering or work experience placements for their clients. Service manager, Louise Terzza, said all of the people they support would be a great asset to local businesses.

Louise added:

“Some people need us for one hour a week others for much more, our aim is to offer our clients whatever support they need. There are lots of barriers for people with disabilities and we want to help them overcome that.”

The charity works with around 40 clients supporting them in various ways.

The pandemic has come with its challenges for the charity. People are feeling isolated after adjusting to life with limited socialising.

Louise said coming out of lockdown will be “challenging and positive” for clients, many have used the time to create their own goals that the charity will help them achieve.

All their fundraising events have also been cancelled, taking around £12,000 away from the charity. It is now relying on local grants and donations.

The charity is hopeful green space will become available soon.

Read more:

• 50 tonnes of food has been donated to this Ripon food bank during the pandemic. 
• 10 local charities receive grants. 

As lockdown eases the charity wants to use the outdoors as much as possible to keep their clients safe. They are currently on waiting lists for an allotment to teach clients new skills and work on their mental health.

To donate to Time Together, you can click here.

A Harrogate charity is raising a smile with a humorous 2020 take on the 12 Days of Christmas.

Time Together, which supports people with additional needs, has continued its one-to-one support for clients throughout the pandemic.

But its social activities have either moved online or been called off – so staff, volunteers and clients decided to use technology to come together one final time before Christmas.

The lyrics – written by service manager Louise Terzza – make fun references to things which have marked everyone’s years, from social distancing to the hazards of meeting online. Louise said:

“We wanted something to put out to everybody. My daughter is a film maker so she cut it together, I have friends who do amateur dramatics so they sang, and a lot of the staff and clients wanted to get involved. It has been a collaboration.

“People are just very disconnected from each other. We just want people to feel connected a little bit and feel part of it, even though they can’t come into the building.”

Read more:

• Pateley Bridge hamper competition boosts Mayor’s Fund
• Club donation to support unpaid carers hit by covid challenges

Staff, volunteers and clients are not able to celebrate in person this Christmas, as they have done in previous years

While one-to-one support for clients has continued, the charity’s fundraising came to a standstill in March and has barely restarted. Louise said:

“It has been wiped out. We haven’t been able to do any of our events – we normally do quite a lot in our building, but also go to other events. It has been quite devastating.

“We have been able to apply for some funding and grants, and had some donations from supporters.”

In an effort to bring in some final funds before the end of the year, the charity’s Christmas raffle has been moved online and is proving popular. Prizes including a skincare hamper, vouchers for afternoon tea, goodies from Fodder and a Fitbit are on offer, with tickets being sold online until midnight on Saturday, December 19.