Salt of the Earth: Celebrating 12 months of good deeds in North Yorkshire

January: The campaign launches with a message from the council leader

SALT of the Earth celebrates those who go out of their way to help others, and showcases the impact their efforts have on individuals and the wider community, with the aim of inspiring others to follow suit.

Cllr Carl Les, leader of North Yorkshire County Council, told us: “North Yorkshire is held dear to the hearts of many around the world for its warm welcome and strong sense of community spirit.

“We are celebrating those values and our culture by showcasing how acts of kindness, great or small, have a huge impact on our people and places.

“Whether it’s walking a dog for someone who loves the companionship of their pet but can’t exercise them anymore – or picking up a bit of extra shopping for a neighbour who can’t get out – we know these acts help make our communities really special.”

February: The Living Rooms, Northallerton

THE Living Rooms is the kind of place anyone and everyone can feel at home.

The aim of the project is to provide a place where it’s okay not to be okay, an open house where all are valued. Set up by the churches of Northallerton, who put in 60 per cent of the funding, it is also backed by many other agencies.

Chairman Steve Cowie, community pastor of the New Life Baptist Church, says organisers have been astonished at how popular it has become since opening in December 2019. Based in a former store in the Garthway Arcade, Northallerton, it is also the home for Hambleton Foodshare.

Steve says: “We are driven by our faith, but we are not here to push faith, we are open to everyone. The church is integrated into the fabric of the town, working with vulnerable people, but we wanted to take it outside the church building.

“When we carried out a survey of what was needed, the concerns were mental health, well being and social inclusion, so that is what we tried to do.”

The Living Rooms has a large table and kitchen area for crafts and conversation, as well as sofas and a quiet table where people can just sit and not have to say anything.

March: The Beeswing Inn, East Cowton

BETH Robinson, landlady of The Beeswing Inn at East Cowton, was inspired to support the Friarage Hospital and the Macmillan cancer charity after her mum was diagnosed with cancer.

She was ambitious in her mission to help both and so in 2014, The Cowtonbury Festival was born.

Taking place on the late August Bank Holiday weekend, Cowtonbury attracts hundreds of locals and music-lovers to enjoy a one-day festival in the grounds of the Beeswing. In 2019 it enjoyed a record attendance and so far it has raised almost £100,000 for good causes.

Money has even been given to nearby residents in need such as Northern Echo Local Hero finalist Matt Hadden, whose brave battle with cancer ended with his passing in 2017, aged just 28.

And although Cowtonbury was inspired by Beth’s mother’s battle with breast cancer, it has since been fuelled by the passing of her father, Les Robinson, who was treated at the palliative care unit at the Friarage. Beth says: “The care they gave him at the Friarage was phenomenal and the nurses were phenomenal but there was a lack of money for things that we knew could help the hospital.”

As a result, Cowtonbury money has been poured into improving the relatives’ rooms at the Friarage’s palliative care unit and has also funded 200 care packs filled with essential toiletries in case relatives have unexpected overnight stays at the unit.

April: Community Works, Thirsk and Covid Mutal Aid groups

DURING the pandemic, the Thirsk-based charity Community Works helped scores of vulnerable people across the Hambleton area with meals on wheels deliveries, shopping and calling people who may be feeling particularly isolated during lockdown.

In just one week they helped 242 individuals, and volunteer Jane Gilchrist says she hopes that people’s willingness to help those in need will endure after the pandemic subsides.

She says: “I think and I hope that it will have a long-term effect. We have a very strong network here, people are helping each other in all sorts of ways and I think, generally speaking, it has made people more aware of the opportunities there might be to help others in the community.”

Social media has also been key in co-ordinating Covid response efforts.

In the earliest days of the pandemic, Richmond resident Fergus Brown was quick to set up a Covid-19 Mutual Aid Facebook support group for the local area which attracted more than 1,800 volunteers.

Residents were encouraged to interact via the group’s Facebook page where requests to pick up shopping or prescriptions are matched with available volunteers.

In Bedale, Brian Cook co-ordinated the local Covid-19 Mutual Aid support group Facebook page and says a third of the town signed up to help.

May: Jonathan Greenwood, Leyburn

A DALES man on a mission to embrace people with a “group hug” to help them feel better during tough times featured in May. Jonathan Greenwood swapped his busy city life in Leeds for the Yorkshire Dales after a series of family bereavements led to him struggling with his mental health and re-assessing his life. Since then, he has thrown himself into various fundraising exploits – including donating money from his hen eggs to Yorkshire Cancer Research – and has been helping to orchestrate the delivery of goody bags to people during lockdown. He is also developing a “group hug” app which will involve up to 30 volunteers talking via phone message to people in need of a friendly chat.

The app will hopefully have the funds to launch in the spring. In the meantime, Mr Greenwood turned his attention to spreading some much-needed cheer during lockdown.

Working with the Covid-19 hubs across the Dales – and with the help and support of dozens of local businesses – Mr Greenwood aided the delivery of more than 1,000 goody bags which bear the group hug logo and the slogan “We Will Meet Again” in reference to a line in the Queen’s lockdown address to the nation. The bags were sent to vulnerable people across the area.

June: Osmotherley Community Group

THE Osmotherley Community Group helped ensure a church building remained at the heart of the village and brought people of all ages together to socialise and support each other. Danny Manging is just one of the many people who has benefitted from the regular coffee mornings and winter soup lunches organised by the community group at St Peter’s Church over the last few years.

The 77-year-old lives alone with his dog Sam and said the group has been an important part of his life since it formed around seven years ago.

Danny says: “Along with meeting people when you go to these dos, it brings a lot of fresh people so you get to know people better than if you had just met them on the street.”

Danny has been a regular attendee of the community group’s events since the beginning, but was unable to leave the house for several months last year due to a chest infection and Parkinson’s diagnosis.

Members of the community group stepped in and helped Danny with daily chores and shopping when his illness meant that he was sleeping downstairs due to being unable to climb the stairs. Those members continued to check in on him and others in the village during the coronavirus lockdown period.

July: The Bridge Centre, Catterick Garrison

The Bridge in Catterick Garrison usually operates a day care centre from its Shute Road base to give carers some respite and offer a welcome social outlet for vulnerable adults. However, it had to close this service during lockdown so instead turned its attention to helping people with chores like shopping and prescription collections, using a network of volunteers and posting requests via the Richmond Covid-10 Mutual Aid Facebook page.

The Bridge is also one of 23 community organisations working with North Yorkshire County Council to coordinate the voluntary sector network in each locality across the county, providing support for those with no-one else to turn to during the coronavirus pandemic.

During the easing of lockdown restrictions in the summer, the service saw a drop in volunteer numbers as people returned to work, but there are still many vulnerable and shielding people who rely on the service for help with essential errands.

One of those who have benefitted from The Bridge’s support is 77-year-old Margaret Gunn of Richmond, who deals with mental health problems. Volunteers helped with her shopping and with essential transport.

“They have been absolutely wonderful,” Margaret told us. “I really can’t tell you how fantastic they have been.”

August: The White Swan, Gilling West

ALL businesses have had to adapt during the coronavirus crisis and some have gone above and beyond to help the most vulnerable in their communities. One pub that put the welfare of its local elderly residents at the forefront is The White Swan in Gilling West near Richmond. Working with Age UK Darlington and North Yorkshire, the pub provided discounted two-course meals throughout lockdown and beyond for local elderly and vulnerable people.

The meals were delivered daily by volunteers and provided vital sustenance and eased anxiety for people who were self-isolating during the height of lockdown. Dean Hodgson, owner and chef at The White Horse, said he was delighted to get involved in the scheme and he even delivered some of the meals himself before the volunteer delivery network had been fully set up. He says: “We were really keen to help and it gave us something to do when we had to shut in the early lockdown. It was about giving back to the community.

“It was nice seeing the impact on people who we were delivering the meals for and having that face to face contact when they were isolating during lockdown.”

September: The Men’s Shed, Northallerton

AN initiative that promotes emotional and physical well-being in men overcame obstacles to spread positivity in the community. Northallerton Men’s Shed is a volunteer-run enterprise that provides men with a workshop to socialise in and tools to work on whatever creative pursuit they choose.

It was founded in 2019 by Dave Puttock who was inspired by a Men’s Shed scheme he saw on a visit to Australia to see his son. Determined to set up something similar back home in Northallerton, Dave set about applying for funding and searching for a suitable premises. Empty classrooms at the Allertonshire School initially provided an ideal base but the group is now housed within former storage rooms at Northallerton Auction Mart after group members transformed them into workshops. In its relatively short time, the group has grown to 40-members and Dave says: “I think the Men’s Shed is something that is needed in communities. There are lots of groups out there for women, Knit and Knatter, the WI and things like that, but not so much for men.

“It can be a really hard time for men when they retire from work, losing that social aspect and daily purpose, some of them just fall off a cliff edge.

“This is place they can come to and socialise and work with the tools on whatever it this they want to do.”

October: Age UK’s Good Friends scheme, Colburn

A BEFRIENDING scheme aimed at easing loneliness and isolation among the elderly proved an enriching experience for volunteers and recipients alike. When 83-year-old Gerry Bass heard about Age UK’s Good Friends scheme two-years-ago, he was keen to put himself forward to help.

Little did he know that the project, which matches volunteers with lonely elderly recipients to befriend, would benefit him as much as the person he was paired with.

Gerry, who lives near Hawes, was put in touch with 91-year-old Jack Elliott who lives on his own, and for the last two years, they met up at a cafe every couple of weeks to catch up.

Jack, who worked as a woodwork teacher for 25 years, was very physical in his younger years – even building his own bungalow to live in.

But as he got older he found himself unable to enjoy physical hobbies and became increasingly lonely.

Since being paired with Gerry, their friendship has blossomed to also include regular catch-ups between Gerry and Jack’s daughter Lynn Miller and son Martin Elliott, who both live in the Colburn area. They have all stayed connected throughout lockdown and when restrictions relaxed were able to meet up in person again, observing social distancing rules.

November: Cath Muir, Eppleby

“INSPIRATION is a word used for all kinds of people, like footballers and what have you, but it should really be used for people like Cath,” Hilary Maddren, group leader of the Hambleton and Richmond Motor Neurone Disease (MND) support group, told us. Hilary was talking about Cath Muir, who has not let her MND diagnosis hold her back from making a real difference in people’s lives. Cath, of Eppleby near Richmond, was diagnosed with MND in 2014. The incurable nerve cell condition leads to severe mobility problems, but from the start Cath was determined not to let it define her. Although she had to pause her home-cooking business during lockdown, she instead cooked for people in need.

Between mid-March and into August, 60-year-old Cath made about 500 meals which were distributed by the local Covid support group to elderly and vulnerable people in Eppleby and the surrounding villages.

When lockdown restrictions eased, Cath turned her attention to helping the Hambleton and Richmond MND support group.

A keen and talented artist, Cath began making and selling hand-painted cards to raise funds for the group and the initiative soon took off.

Cath’s watercolour designs proved so popular that two were chosen to appear on official cards for the national MND Association. Twelve of her paintings have also been compiled into a calendar to raise further funds for the local MND support group.

December: Thirsk Yarnbombers

THE Thirsk Yarnbombers are well-known for adorning their hometown with creative and quirky displays to mark key seasons and special occasions throughout the year.

From the Tour de Yorkshire, to Remembrance Day and their much-anticipated Christmas displays, the group spreads joy and cheer with their imaginative decorations that have become something of a tourist attraction in Thirsk over the years. Sadly, the Covid-19 pandemic put paid to their regular social meetings and fundraising activities, but the Yarnbombers have been anything but dormant.

Their current Christmas display is a visible reminder of the group’s ongoing contribution to their community, but they have also been working hard behind the scenes to respond to requests for help from a number of organisations, charities and individuals. Throughout the pandemic they have been busy making scrubs for key workers at local hospitals, and members have made dozens of mask bands to make it more comfortable for York hospital staff to wear their face masks on duty. The Yarnbombers have also been involved in an assortment of other heart-warming schemes including making knitted hearts to give to bereaved families and those who couldn’t visit loved ones at the end of their lives at hospitals across the region.