North Yorkshire and Humber families urged to offer a ‘Welcome Home’ this National Adoption Week
City of York Council and One Adoption North and Humber — the regional adoption agency for York, North Yorkshire and the Humber — are calling on local people to think about giving a child a “welcome home” this National Adoption Week (20–26 October). This year’s campaign challenges the idea that adoptive families need to be…
Harrogate entrepreneur Valentina Hynes brings culture, community and enterprise together at Kakaki by V14
On 2 October 2025, Harrogate came alive in a celebration like no other. Kakaki by V14, founded and produced by Valentina Hynes, Founder & CEO of SVH Inc. CIC, transformed The Oatlands (HG2 8BU) into a vivid stage of colour, rhythm and storytelling, where culture, community and enterprise danced together in perfect harmony. Timed to…
Yasper supports trio of Bradford cultural projects
Leeds-based PR agency Yasper has been appointed to provide media relations support for a trio of creative and community projects in Bradford, the 2025 City of Culture. The work has already seen the agency generate regional and national awareness of the inaugural Leeds Road festival, which organisers estimated attracted 25,000 visitors over three days. Yasper’s…
Halfway mark reached for TRU Community Fund applications
Strong interest has already been shown in this year’s Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) Community Fund, and local community groups, schools and charities are urged to apply now before applications close – or earlier if capacity is reached. With just 12 days remaining until the Monday 27 October deadline, the TRU Community Fund is offering £250,000…
Inspiring commitment of York’s longest serving foster carers celebrated by the civic party
The inspiring life-changing work of some of York’s longest serving foster carers has been recognised at a special awards ceremony. Seven fostering households were welcomed to the Mansion House and awarded certificates by the Rt Hon The Lord Mayor of York, Cllr Martin Rowley BEM, for completing 20, 30 and 40 years of fostering. Throughout…
York mum reaches her running goal and boosts her mental health, thanks to support from York Health Trainers
A York mum is preparing to complete this Sunday’s Yorkshire 10-mile just six months after starting running, thanks to support from City of York Council’s health trainer service. Kirsty Catterson, a domestic assistant at York Hospital’s maternity department, contacted the team back in March on the advice of her GP, when she fell into a…
£400,000 for new gestational diabetes umbilical chord study
The University of Bradford has been awarded more than £400,000 to carry out research into gestational diabetes among women from different ethnicities. Dr Kirsten Riches-Suman, Associate Professor of Biomedical Science at the University of Bradford, is leading the research project into gestational diabetes which commonly affects women during pregnancy. The three-year study, conducted at the…
Trinity Leeds, White Rose and Xscape Yorkshire launch mental health initiative in partnership with Mind
Landsec, owner of Trinity Leeds, White Rose and Xscape Yorkshire, has announced a new partnership with leading mental health charity Mind to champion mental health awareness and support. The initiative launches today to coincide with World Mental Health Day (10 October). Mind is a national charity dedicated to supporting those experiencing mental health challenges by…
York secures £479k to help prevent homelessness
Recognising the needs of York residents facing homelessness, £479,438 has been secured to help the Council prevent homelessness and provide accommodation and support where it’s most needed. This Government funding supports the Council’s aim to make rough sleeping rare, brief and non-recurring. A proportion of this funding will be used to support homelessness prevention and…
Professor’s vision for future cities inspires international award
The next generation of architects and urban planners will be honoured through an international award created in memory of a University of Bradford academic. ‘The City of My Future – Professor Claudia Trillo Award’ will promote the work of young researchers in the field of sustainable urban regeneration. The award celebrates the work…
York community shapes new rivers trail at soft launch walk
As part of York Walking Festival and York Environment Festival, York residents joined a creative riverside walk to help shape the new York rivers trail. The trail, co-designed with schools, stakeholders and local communities, will blend art, science and local voices to tell the city’s flood and climate story when it plans to launch in…
White Rose Shines a Spotlight on Local Heroes
White Rose Shopping Centre has celebrated some of Leeds’ most inspiring individuals and organisations at its annual Community Awards, which recognise grassroot leaders, dedicated volunteers, and life-saving specialists who make a real difference. This year’s Community Awards honours the incredible local people working hard to benefit their community, with just a few of the 2025…
Bloomin’ marvellous: Campus strikes gold with award
An edible campus, beehives and wooded areas helped clinch gold for the University of Bradford at this year’s Yorkshire in Bloom. The gardening team secured the prestigious prize in Yorkshire in Bloom 2025’s Universities, Colleges and Further Education (FE) Establishments category, moving up from the Silver Gilt prize in 2024. They were also named joint…
New strategy to support York children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and their families
City of York Council’s Executive will be asked to approve a new strategy to support children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) and their families in York next month [7 October]. The five-year strategy, entitled Inclusion and Belonging, sets out to help every child and family in York feel that they belong…
New 1.5-acre park opens next to 78 new Passivhaus homes
A new green space for all to enjoy has been opened as part of work to build 78 ultra low-energy homes at Burnholme Green. A 1.5-acre park has been opened with play and exercise areas, meadows and coppices of trees, connected to the local communities by a network of paths dotted with benches. Across the…
Children’s Heart Surgery Fund (CHSF) celebrate the career of Carin Von Doorn, OBE
Children’s Heart Surgery Fund (CHSF) have put together a film, to celebrate the career of Consultant Congenital Cardiac Surgeon Carin Von Doorn, OBE. It is estimated that Carin has operated on over 5,000 patients in her career, from babies through to adults, and she is soon retiring. CHSF want to ensure Carin’s legacy lives on after…
A mountain of inequalities: York St John academic campaigns to raise the profile of women in mountaineering
Dr Jenny Hall to open Kendal Mountain Film Festival with panel discussion honouring the first woman to summit Everest “For too long, mountaineering adventure has been portrayed through a narrow lens: white, fit, fearless… and male” In May 1975, Junko Tabei became the first woman to summit Everest, but her incredible story is still…
TRU launches second round of Community Fund with £250,000 for local communities
The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is launching the second round of its Community Fund, offering £250,000 to support local community groups, schools and charities along its major railway route. Building on the success of last year’s scheme, the TRU Community Fund will provide grants of £1,000, £5,000, £10,000 or £20,000 to organisations within five miles…
More dates announced for free slippers to be handed out
Over 250 pairs of slippers have been handed to older people to help reduce the risk of them falling, as the latest Slipper Socials are revealed in this, Falls Prevention Awareness Week. Slipper Socials are being held across the city, offering anyone aged 60 or over free slippers. A well-fitting pair have been shown to…
City of York Council puts pride back into local communities
City of York Council is proud to introduce York’s new Neighbourhood Caretakers – a team that looks at improving public spaces, supporting community-led action, and putting pride in our city. The dedicated team will work closely with residents, councillors, and volunteers to deliver visible improvements in local areas — from removing weeds and street cleaning…
Progress on City of York Council’s major investment in parks and green spaces
A report detailing where City of York Council is set to allocate three quarters of a million pounds of investment to revitalise parks, play areas, and public green spaces across the city will be taken to a public meeting for approval next month. The investment was first announced in February as part of setting the…
Harewood volunteers have made 5,000 upcycled decorations for Christmas event
With just over 100 days until Christmas to go, renowned maximalist interior designer Siobhan Murphy has already dived head first into the festivities, working with dozens of volunteers at Harewood to create over 5,000 handmade decorations using secondhand items. There’s a real focus on upcycling for this year’s event, A Glittering Invitation: Harewood’s Grand Christmas…
Tap and donate to support the conservation of York’s city walls
A new scheme to help generate funds to support the conservation of York’s much loved medieval walls is now underway. City of York Council is custodian to most of the listed buildings in York and is a guardian of York’s heritage. With nearly 2,000 years of history contained in the city walls, they are the…
York organisations invited to apply for Good Place, Warm Place funding
Organisations running Warm Places in York to support local people through the coldest months, are invited to apply for up to £5,000 funding from a £40,000 fund over the next few weeks [until 5 October]. With support from last year’s Good Place, Warm Place grant, 22 Warm Places opened their doors to local residents last winter for…