Sales of face masks have resulted in a donation of £2,500 to a Harrogate charity this Christmas.
The Brora shop on Prospect Crescent has raised £10 from the sale of every £19 Liberty print face mask. It chose local charities Harrogate Homeless Project and Harrogate Easier Living Project (HELP) to receive the proceeds from the sales.
The money will be used to fund the latter’s Here to HELP covid-19 response service, providing practical and emotional support to people in Harrogate and Ripon who are struggling at home during the pandemic. Anna Woollven, Project Development Worker at HELP, said:
“With many people struggling in the wake of Covid-19, we are seeing lots of people turn to our trusted services. This fantastic donation will help ensure we can continue to be ‘Here to HELP’ those who need us at this challenging time. Thank you to Brora and its customers for their incredible generosity.”
HELP has seen a significant rise in demand for its support during the pandemic, with more than 5,000 calls for help received since March. The charity’s volunteers have assisted with tasks including shopping, collecting prescriptions and phone befriending.
Meanwhile, most of its usual fundraising opportunities have been called off.
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Across the country, Brora’s mask sales have raised £250,000 for charities chosen by each local shop. Victoria Stapleton, founder and creative director of Brora, said:
“So many of our communities across the UK have been really impacted by Covid-19. We felt it was particularly vital to support smaller charities so we could make a real difference to their work.
“Kate Heyworth from our Harrogate store identified HELP and the Harrogate Homeless Project as two charities who would really benefit from our donation. We are delighted to be able to contribute to their frontline work.”
The charity face masks are still available at Brora’s shop in Harrogate or on the website. For more information about HELP’s support services and volunteering opportunities, visit www.helpharrogate.org.uk or call 01423 813096.