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.
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.
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.
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.