Charities in joint appeal for funds (From Gazette & Herald)

Charities in joint appeal for funds

SIX charities have teamed up to promote the idea of legacy-giving to generate funds to support their work within the Ryedale community.

The groups - Ryedale Special Families (RSF); Malton, Norton and District In Touch Group; Next Steps; Ryedale Carers Support; Ryedale's Child and Youth Project; Acorn Services; Helmsley Walled Garden and Ryedale Voluntary Action (RVA) - have launched a project to help those thinking of making a charitable legacy when they die.

The charities, acting under the umbrella as Ryedale Charities Together, are based in Ryedale, do not have any support or backing from a national organisation, and work in the district to respond to the specific needs of local people, providing support to individuals, families and communities.

Paul Haywood, of RVA, said: "Collectively these charities serve the needs of those groups in Ryedale which are too often ignored, such as the partially sighted, those with mental health issues, those with learning difficulties, the elderly and families with children.

"The gift of a legacy to such groups, either individually or collectively, will make a very real difference to local communities."

The charities have produced an information pack about their work to help people who are thinking about leaving money to charity in their will. It states RSF was established eight years ago by a group of pioneering parents who found deficiencies in the level of support in rural Ryedale and set about to fill the gap. It explains that a gift of £100 could buy plants for a new sensory garden; £1,000 could pay for summer activities for a youth club; and £10,000 would cover the cost of a year's respite care.

David Brewster, of RSF, said: "RSF supports families who have children with disabilities and special needs and we have over 240 families as members."

Paul Radcliffe, head gardener at Helmsley Walled Garden, said: "The garden generates its own revenue, but additional money is required to provide professional support to the many disadvantaged users of the garden, for example, mentally and physically disabled, schizophrenics, depressed, and terminally ill people of all ages."

Updated: 08:47 Monday, January 31, 2005