Happy first birthday to The Local Fund for the Harrogate district!

Doesn’t time fly when you’re making a difference?  It’s hard to believe that THE LOCAL FUND for the Harrogate district is already a year old, and its grants have made a big impact on all the charities and community groups who have come to benefit.
By Finola Fitzpatrick
Published 7th Feb 2019, 15:14 BST
Updated 7th Feb 2019, 17:30 BST
Friends and supporters of The Local Fund at the first anniversary event.Friends and supporters of The Local Fund at the first anniversary event.
Friends and supporters of The Local Fund at the first anniversary event.

A special anniversary event held at the Majestic Hotel on Tuesday night celebrated the early successes of the fund, which aims to address the hidden needs of the Harrogate district - providing a pot of money that helps to alleviate the struggle that smaller groups and charities can face when it comes to competing with national charities for funding.

The Lord-Lieutenant of North Yorkshire Jo Ropner was among the invited guests and dignitaries to attend on Tuesday. Last year 22 organisations were awarded grants totalling nearly £42,000 - going towards projects which tackle a wide range of issues across our district, including loneliness and mental health and wellbeing.

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One of the highlights of the celebration evening was being able to watch a video which demonstrated in a very tangible way just how much of a difference THE LOCAL FUND has made to the groups that it has supported.

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Lindsay Allen, who volunteers for Ripon charity Jennyruth Workshops (which was awarded a £1,755 grant), said: “I think there is an awful lot of hidden need in the Harrogate district, and THE LOCAL FUND is a good way of addressing this.”

The CEO of the Harrogate district’s Citizens Advice Bureau, Edward Pickering, said: “I think it’s just so important that the small local charities have their share of the pot and can access vital funding.” THE LOCAL FUND is a partnership between the Two Ridings Community Foundation, Harrogate Borough Council, and HARCVS.

Related topics:HarrogateNorth Yorkshire