News

North Yorkshire County Council’s website has a dedicated area for all the latest COVID-19 related news. Visit: https://www.northyorks.gov.uk/coronavirus-advice-and-information

Community Support organisations 

North Yorkshire County Council and Harrogate Borough Council are working with 6 community support organisations  (CSOs) across the Harrogate District which are the point of contact for those who are alone and isolated by the pandemic and who have no other local support available.

The 6 CSOs arrange: shopping for food and essential items, collecting prescriptions, a friendly listening ear, information & signposting to online activities or someone who can help, if they can’t.

HADCA and their front-line HELP team is the Community Support Organisation for Harrogate and surrounding villages. In Ripon their team is working closely with Ripon Community House. 

People who have additional needs can contact the County Council’s customer service centre on 01609 780780 (every day between 8am and 5:30pm ). There is information about the help and support available on the NYCC website

Now the Government programme for people shielding has stopped, the Community Support Organisations are still here to help.

The Community Support Organisations are the point of contact for people who don’t know where to turn

Having taken a well earned break, the team at Resurrected Bites  are returning w/c 24 August.
They are making some changes to the way they are operating and you can read these here

For anyone finding it difficult to make ends meet in the Ripon area there is food support available from Ripon Community House

The team at Supporting Older People is working with partners to provide free Asda parcels of food and essential items together with free single portion fresh meals for anyone in need, in addition to their shopping and prescription collection and telephone befriending service for older people. The contact number is 07535 508043 if you know anyone who would benefit from any of these services.

St Peter’s Church, next to Primark in central Harrogate offer the following free services:
Monday to Saturday 8.15 – 8.45 breakfast available
Monday to Saturday 4 – 4.45 A hot takeout meal.
Sunday 1pm hot meal take out.

The Harrogate & Knaresborough Foodbanks: 10.30-12.30 Tuesdays & Fridays, Mowbray Church, Harrogate  & Monday 10.30-12.30 Holy Trinity Knaresborough there is help with a 3 day pack of in-date food and additional support. Vouchers for the foodbank can be accessed from St Peter’s Church or by contacting the Harrogate Community Support Organisation.

There is a list of businesses offering delivery (or take away) of food & essential items for people self isolating or shielding in Harrogate and the surrounding areas HERE.

Charity services, support and activities to promote good health and wellbeing in Harrogate District 

There are hundreds of charity services offering support listed in the searchable community information directory. Many are offering email, telephone and online support and activities, with a lot of information and guidance on their websites too.

To help people find the support they need, please let HADCA know about changes to your charity services and any new services, online courses and activities you are providing.
You can use the new themes (activity categories) ‘coronavirus support’ and ‘online activities’

You can add your details HERE, request a form to update your entry HERE or simply email the details of any local support you know about to hadca@hadca.org.uk.

The British Red Cross had its 150th birthday this month. All over the world, behind the corona virus pandemic is a team of humanitarian heroes working tirelessly to keep people safe and they’re in your area!

The Community Connect service provides a befriending and enabling service in the Harrogate and Rural District with up to 12 weeks of support in the community. The service has adapted during recent times due to the pandemic and has been serving the community by way of medication delivery, shopping and befriending telephone calls.

If you know anyone 65 or over whom you think could benefit from this service, they can make a referral  through their GP or can self refer.  The service is looking to provide garden visits and recruit more befriending volunteers.
For more details call: 07739 434 4008 or 07740 422 492

New grants announced to boost recovery of small businesses

The York & North Yorkshire Growth Hub are working with Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) to administer two new grants – Kick-starting tourism and SME grant funding.

These will support SME businesses to access specialist advice to further mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 by building in resilience for the future or addressing potential new opportunities.

The schemes will open for applications in mid-September. However, businesses can register their interest via the following links to keep up to date and be notified as soon as they are open for applications:

Register your interest in the SME grant funding

Register your interest in the Kick-starting tourism scheme

Coronavirus business support webinars

To support businesses and the self-employed, HMRC has developed new webinars on the following topics:

· Extension to the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and flexible furloughing webinar – register here.

· Eat Out to Help Out scheme webinar – register here.

· Coronavirus (COVID-19) Self-Employment Income Support Scheme, Universal Credit and Child Benefit webinar –register here.

· Coronavirus (COVID-19) Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme webinar – register here.

On 17 August, the Government announced that applications opened for the second stage of the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). Those eligible will receive a government grant worth up to £6,570. Further information is available at: https://bit.ly/3iOHmrI

Stay informed

· GOVERNMENT: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus/business-support

· Y&NY LEP: https://www.businessinspiredgrowth.com/covid-19/

· Y&NY GROWTH HUB: https://www.ynygrowthhub.com/how-we-can-help/coronavirus/

You may not be able to spend long enough outside to enjoy a scavenger hunt, but why not try one at home? https://www.thebigsmokeevents.com/the-stuck-at-home-scavenger-hunt

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