Serving the people of Bradford, Harrogate, Selby and Craven Districts

16th January 2023

Harrogate and District community shows support for young carers with Christmas donations

Carers’ Resource delivered some Christmas joy to young carers, thanks to the generosity of people in the Harrogate and District community.

Among those who got into the spirit of giving to support young carers was Harrogate Town Community Foundation.

The football club’s charity dropped off more than 50 selection boxes and numerous other Christmas gifts at the Carers’ Resource Harrogate office to give to young carers.

The foundation’s Youth Social Action Group chose to support young carers.

The group took part in lots of different projects within the foundation as part of its Christmas Campaign.

All of the donations were collected from Harrogate Town Community Foundation’s walking footballers, to be passed onto Carers’ Resource to give to young carers.

James Pocklington, Youth Engagement Officer at Harrogate Town Community Foundation, said: “It was great to see the youth group acknowledge young carers and do something to make a difference over the festive period.”

In addition, Royal Air Force staff based at Menwith Hill, near Harrogate, got into the festive spirit by donating 30 presents to young carers.

Twenty presents were donated by 1st Scriven Scout Group and 10 food hampers were donated by Harrogate and District Round Table.

Local civil servants and their families and friends, held a fundraiser for Carers’ Resource before Christmas, and raised almost £2,000 for gifts for young carers.

All the gifts were shared out among young carers by Carers’ Resource staff before Christmas.

Meanwhile, Harrogate Brigantes Rotary held a party for the Budz Harrogate youth club for young carers, run by Carers’ Resource, and St Paul’s Church on Victoria Avenue in Harrogate raised £500 over the festive period for Carers’ Resource young carers’ service.

Helen Prince, Head of Young Carers and Families at Carers’ Resource, said: “The generosity shown by people to support our young carers at Christmas is incredible. We are extremely thankful and grateful to them all for their kindness and  helping to make Christmas a little more special for our young carers.”

Young carers help to look after someone because they have an illness or a disability, they experience poor mental health or they misuse alcohol or drugs.

Carers’ Resource provides a range of support to help young carers living in Bradford, Harrogate, Selby and Craven districts, including fun trips and activities in school holidays, youth clubs and one-to-one support. The service is designed to support young carers’ well-being and resilience, to help them achieve their potential as successful, happy adults.