York rivers trail launches to connect people, place and flood resilience
A new way to explore York’s rivers has launched this summer, inviting residents and visitors to discover how water shapes the city, its communities and its future. The York rivers trail: the rivers and us is a walking and wheeling trail along the River Ouse in York, combining art, storytelling and digital experiences to help people understand…
Craven College celebrates excellent Ofsted report
Craven College is celebrating the publication of its latest Ofsted report, which has recognised the College’s excellence across a number of key areas under the inspectorate’s new education inspection framework. The College achieved an impressive four ‘Strong’ judgements, recognising the quality of its education, student experience and employer-focused approach. Underpinned by expert teaching and industry-standard…
North Yorkshire housebuilder donates £3,000 to homelessness charity
Barratt and David Wilson Homes has donated £3,000 to Sleepsafe Selby, helping to support vulnerable adults experiencing homelessness. Established in 2018, Sleepsafe Selby aims to support local rough sleepers and help individuals to overcome challenges that prevent them from maintaining safe and secure housing. Providing accommodation for up to 10 people at a time, the…
Kirklees College and The Arcade Group are helping to make a difference in Dewsbury
Over the last four years, The Arcade Group in Dewsbury has been one of Kirklees College’s most valued employer partners, helping to provide our students with career-enhancing placements and opportunities. Since 2022, the group has worked with students and staff from a variety of subject areas to create some amazing opportunities. When speaking about the…
TRU celebrates successful Community Fund projects across route
The Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) is showcasing some of the organisations from its 2025 Community Fund round, who have used their grants to improve local spaces and places. Launched in 2024, the TRU Community Fund aims to help local community groups, schools and charities to create or enhance community-focused facilities across the 70-mile route. The second iteration in 2025 saw 35 successful applicants offered small, medium and large…
The Institute for Equity, University Centre launches major strategic expansion on its 6th birthday
On its 6th Birthday, the Institute for Equity, University Centre launches Major Strategic Expansion with Three New Academic Schools to Drive Global Leadership and Social Transformation Marking exactly six years of delivering pioneering education, the Institute for Equity, University Centre (IEUC) has today unveiled a bold and historic expansion of its academic architecture. Moving dynamically…
Volunteers improve Fulford Cemetery as its future management is considered
Dedicated volunteers are helping to keep Fulford Cemetery in good order, since City of York Council took over its management last year. Options for the future of the cemetery are being discussed this summer at public meetings. The proposals, which include the Council permanently managing the cemetery, were supported by the council’s Corporate Scrutiny Committee…
£130,000 invested to help Bradford communities thrive together
GiveBradford have invested nearly £130,000 in 9 Bradford community organisations through The Thrive Together Fund! The programme is our partnership with The National Lottery Community Fund, made possible thanks to National Lottery players. The Thrive Together Fund aims to develop inclusive places, spaces and activities for people who are least able to come together. The…
Colleagues conquer Snowdon at night to reach £1 million milestone for the Felix Project & FareShare
Colleagues from Yorkshire Building Society are celebrating raising over £1 million for the Society’s charity partner, The Felix Project & FareShare. The team’s fundraising total tipped over the £1 million mark after more than 200 colleagues from across the Society, completed a challenging, yet unforgettable overnight climb of Mount Snowdon, Wales’ highest mountain. Together, the…
York Health Trainers create quick tips to stay healthy during this Men’s World Cup
York Health Trainers are encouraging residents to look after their health and wellbeing as the largest-ever FIFA Men’s World Cup kicks off this week. With 104 matches taking place across Mexico, Canada and the USA over the next five weeks, thousands of football fans will be tuning in – often late into the night –…
York families urged to reapply for free school meals
Families whose children receive free school lunches are being urged to reapply for the meals this term, following changes to the national scheme. Everyone must reapply for their child or children before the start of the new school year in September. City of York Council has sent information and application forms to schools across the city to…
York rivers trail gathers momentum as community helps shape new experience on the River Ouse
A new riverside experience for York took a significant step forward last week, as residents, partners and contributors came together on the River Ouse to help shape the York rivers trail. The event, held as part of the York Festival of Ideas, invited participants onto the water for a curated journey through the city. From…
We want your views to shape accessible and inclusive play areas in York
We are inviting people across York to help shape the future of the city’s play areas, as part of our major investment in parks and green spaces. We have launched the Accessible and Inclusive Play Areas Survey 2026 to gather views from disabled children and young people and their parents and carers, so we can…
A value-added boost for Yorkshire charities
A long-standing tax levied on businesses donating to charities has now been removed, a major accountancy and advisory firm in Yorkshire has said. Azets, with offices in Leeds, Bradford and York, wants to remind businesses that they can now give goods to registered charities without paying VAT. The news comes at a time of falling…
York leads the way as air quality targets met for second year running
As Clean Air Day (Thursday 18 June) approaches, City of York Council has confirmed that the city has met national air pollution targets for the second consecutive year. New monitoring data for 2025, presented at the Combined Executive Member Decision Session on 2 June 2026, shows that the significantly lower nitrogen dioxide levels recorded in 2024…
Skopes and Astonish show support for St Gemma’s Winter Ball
Skopes and Astonish have joined as partners for the St Gemma’s Winter Ball this November. Their backing will help bring to life one of the hospice’s flagship fundraising events and raise vital funds for end-of-life care across the city. Skopes, the Leeds menswear brand, is supporting the hospice event for the fourth year. The circus-themed…
Further Education College of the Year
Notre Dame Catholic Sixth Form College is delighted to announce that it has been awarded Further Education College of the Year 2026 at the prestigious Educate North Awards 2026. The award recognises the College’s exceptional educational outcomes, transformational impact, and unwavering commitment to supporting students from highly disadvantaged and diverse communities. In their citation, the…
City of York Council proud to support LGBTQIA+ communities
City of York Council will once again show its support for LGBTQIA+ communities by taking part in York Pride, celebrating diversity and promoting inclusion across the city. Council teams will have a strong and visible presence at York Pride, taking place on Saturday 30 May, where thousands of residents and visitors are expected to come…
Plans to reform provision for children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities in York
Children with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) in York will find it easier to get early support and have their needs met in mainstream schools if proposed changes to SEND provision are approved next month (2 June). City of York Council’s Executive will consider York’s draft Local SEND Reform Plan, which outlines the city’s…
Saint Catherine’s and York Against Cancer team up to provide specialist lymphoedema care locally
Saint Catherine’s and York Against Cancer have teamed up to provide specialist lymphoedema care in York. Lymphoedema is a long term condition that causes swelling in the body’s tissues, due to lymphatic fluid accumulating. Lymphoedema develops when the lymphatic system (a network of channels and glands throughout the body that helps fight infection and remove…
Michael Crawford CBE marks groundbreaking of new Bradford ‘Home from Home’
Construction begins on new home for families with a baby in neonatal intensive care at Bradford Royal Infirmary, which will open in 2027 Stage and screen legend Michael Crawford CBE joined supporters, families, hospital staff and dignitaries as work officially began on a new ‘Home from Home’ for families with premature or ill baby at Bradford Royal Infirmary. The landmark moment marks the start of construction on the new home, which is being delivered…
100 Bradford businesses back local hospital charity
From takeaways to pharmacies, businesses unite behind families with babies on the neonatal intensive care unit at Bradford Royal Infirmary. More than 100 businesses and faith organisations across Bradford have committed to supporting Bradford Hospitals Charity, showing strong community backing for local healthcare. The money raised and donated will help build a ‘Home from Home’,…
North Yorkshire housebuilder supports community and homelessness charity with £3,000 donation
Barratt and David Wilson Homes has donated £3,000 to Chocolate & Co, a permanent community café and charity in York supporting people facing homelessness, addiction and barriers to employment. Chocolate & Co was established in 2024, although its work began several years earlier following the loss of two close friends to addiction during lockdown. A mother and…
Green plaque honours global impact of Bradford Sling
A World Origin Site green plaque has been unveiled at the University of Bradford to commemorate the global impact of the Bradford Sling and the world‑leading Plastic Surgery and Burns Research Unit (PSBRU), where the innovation was developed. The internationally recognised Bradford Sling, created at the University following the 1985 Bradford City fire, is a simple but highly…
The Grammar School at Leeds unveils exciting plans to transform its sixth form centre
The Grammar School at Leeds (GSAL) has announced plans to refurbish and upgrade its sixth form centre, creating a space to enhance independent learning, collaboration and student wellbeing. The project forms part of the school’s ongoing investment in its 140-acre campus, following the opening of The Cryer, GSAL’s performing arts centre, in 2025, and reflects…
From refugee child to scholar – Andrews’ remarkable journey over last 30 years
A University of Bradford student has recalled being a child refugee sleeping next to dead bodies on board a ship while fleeing a war 30 years ago. Andrews Adjei became a refugee in his native Ghana aged six in 1996 after leaving Liberia during the First Liberian Civil War, which ran between 1989 and 1997….
Bradford mum hosts charity ball in memory of her son
A Bradford mum is hosting a charity ball to raise money for children in hospital, in loving memory of her son, Axl. Claire Walker from Wibsey, has spent the past ten years fundraising for Bradford Hospitals Charity after losing her son Axl just days before his third birthday. “I just want to make a difference,”…
York takes major step towards becoming an Inclusive Recovery City
Over 150 businesses, public, voluntary and community sectors gathered at the LNER Community Stadium today for a landmark briefing on York’s ambition to become an Inclusive Recovery City (IRC). The event marked a significant milestone in York’s commitment to tackling stigma around substance use and recovery, and to creating a city where people in recovery…
Millions invested in Bradford Communities amid growing need
Independent grant maker GiveBradford has helped more than 16,000 people in communities across Bradford since 2023, as it continues its work alongside hundreds of community organisations in a collective mission to tackle poverty and inequality. Working with business partners in Bradford, such as JCT600, The Bartlett Group and Schofield Sweeney, has helped generate vital funds…
LCB to receive over £919k in Government funding for renovations
Leeds College of Building (LCB) is one of 18 colleges in Yorkshire and the Humber set to benefit from government funding for essential estates and building improvements. In a recent announcement, it was confirmed that LCB will receive £919,871 from the FE College Condition Allocation (FECCA) fund. This latest £30 million package from the Government…
Middlethorpe Hall & Spa partners with St Leonard’s Hospice to offer complimentary treatments and fundraising support
Middlethorpe Hall & Spa is proud to be collaborating with St Leonard’s Hospice this May, offering a series of complimentary wellbeing treatments for residents, out-patients, staff and carers, alongside a month of dedicated fundraising activity. Throughout May, Spa Managers Lisa and Helen will visit the hospice every Thursday morning (7th, 14th, 21st and 28th May, from…
York parents and carers to receive support to help get their child school-ready
York parents and carers with children starting school in September will receive specialist information to help them get their child school-ready this month. Around 1,700 households will receive two information booklets – one focussing on how parents can get children toilet trained before starting school – and another with helpful tips to make sure children…
Azets joins trailblazing flood defence project
A UK top 10 accountancy and business advisory firm in Leeds has thrown its weight behind a trailblazing new community initiative to protect the city from floods. Azets, which has offices in King Street, is a business partner of the Aire Resilience Company (ARC) and has taken on the role of inaugural finance partner. It…
Building a Brighter Future: Embedding Inclusivity in Yorkshire Schools
In the heart of our region, a transformative movement is taking shape. As the Institute for Equity, University Centre (IEUC), we understand that the strength of our future workforce begins in the classroom. To ensure our students continue to thrive in an increasingly globalised world, our schools must be environments where every student and staff…
Whitby school receives book donation from North Yorkshire developer
Barratt and David Wilson Homes has donated a range of books to East Whitby Academy. The housebuilder has donated a range of books spanning all age groups to East Whitby Academy, less than a mile from its Chaloners Green and Abbey View developments. To combat the declining rate of reading enjoyment in the UK, the National Literacy Trust has launched its…
Castle Howard Estate plants over 60,000 trees to create more woodland, as part of wider strategy to sequester carbon and increase biodiversity
Castle Howard has planted 60,978 trees in winter 2025/6 on the Castle Howard Estate, as part of a five-year plan to plant 100 hectares of new woodland, supported by the Forestry Commission England Woodland Creation Offer. Trees have been planted between the Stray (the six-kilometre public road that stretches through the Estate) and the village…
Free energy improvements keep residents warm and worry-free – and others are urged to apply
Homeowners and private tenants can apply for free energy efficiency improvements to make their home more comfortable and affordable to run. “We feel like we’ve won the Lottery!” say a retired couple in Heworth after their bungalow was made more energy efficient. Solar panels generating free electricity, loft insulation, and air source heat pump and…
Harrogate Homeless Project Announces New Charity Partnership with Swinton Estate
Harrogate Homeless Project (HHP) is delighted to announce the launch of a new year‑long charity partnership with Swinton Estate, beginning 1st April 2026. This collaboration will raise vital funds and awareness to support people experiencing homelessness across the Harrogate District. Felicity Cunliffe-Lister, Proprietor and Countess of Swinton, said: “The Harrogate Homeless Project provides vital, compassionate…
Former smokers from York voice their support for regional quit smoking campaign
Peter Milner and Shaun Bettison from York are lending their support to Yorkshire and Humber’s first quit smoking campaign developed and filmed in the region. Pete, from the Stockton Lane area of York, smoked for more than 50 years before a diagnosis of COPD finally prompted him to quit. Just six weeks after giving up…
Egg‑stra special Easter for patients at Bradford Teaching Hospitals
A record 3,000+ Easter eggs and toys have been delivered to patients across Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, thanks to a major community effort. The donations were organised by Bradford Hospitals Charity, with local people, schools and businesses coming together to make sure patients visiting or spending Easter in hospital didn’t miss out. Staff and volunteers handed…
New strategy and delivery partner will deliver much-needed homes and facilities
City of York Council will consider creating a new strategy, and securing a new strategic delivery partner to deliver high quality Council buildings including homes for social rent or housing for older people. This new Delivery Strategy has been developed to support the Council’s Housing Delivery Programme (HDP) of building homes for shared ownership and…
Accu components power round-the world sailor in support of young adult cancer charity
Huddersfield-based precision engineering component company Accu is celebrating the success of Northumbrian adventurer and sailor Adam Waugh, who recently completed a 28,000-nautical-mile journey across some of the world’s most formidable oceans in a 19-foot yacht he built in his garden shed. Every nut, bolt and screw holding Little Wren together was supplied by Accu, whose…
New Carers Strategy sets out York’s shared commitment to improving the lives of unpaid carers in the city
A new citywide strategy, setting out a shared vision for improving the lives of unpaid carers, will be considered by City of York Council’s executive later this month (14 April). The draft strategy has been developed through extensive engagement with local carers, carers’ groups and partner organisations. It focuses on four key areas of work:…
Residents struggling with heating costs urged to apply for financial assistance from the York Crisis and Resilience Fund
City of York Council is encouraging residents who are having trouble affording their heating bills to apply for support through the new Crisis and Resilience Fund, which is replacing the Household Support Fund. The fund is designed to provide swift, practical financial help for residents experiencing hardship, particularly during periods of high energy demand, including…
Thank you, key workers: Leading North Yorkshire housebuilder donates to key worker services
Leading housebuilder David Wilson Homes is donating to key workers across the region this Easter. David Wilson Homes is showing its appreciation for key workers by donating Easter eggs to multiple essential services across its operational areas of North Yorkshire, East Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, and Lincolnshire. Delivering hundreds of eggs across the region, the developer…
Turning a ‘problem’ into global strength: Peace Studies leads 60th anniversary lectures
A remark reportedly made by Margaret Thatcher; ‘Has that Peace Studies problem been dealt with yet?’ is now inspiring a forward-looking conversation as the University of Bradford launches its 60th anniversary lecture series. The lecture’s title, inspired by the 1984 quote, shows how far the University has come since those early questions about whether a…
Sovereign Health Care takes the ‘Home from Home’ to £2 million milestone
Bradford Hospitals Charity and The Sick Children’s Trust’s ‘Home from Home’ Appeal has reached a major milestone, thanks to a generous £250,000 donation from Sovereign Health Care. The appeal is raising funds to create free, on-site accommodation for families whose babies need treatment on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Bradford Royal Infirmary (BRI)…
Local mental health charity ensures Bradford’s City of Culture legacy lives on through major new creative health programme
Bradford District and Craven Mind is set to continue the creative legacy of Bradford 2025 with the launch of an ambitious two-year programme designed to tackle local health inequalities through arts, culture and creativity. Bradford is currently the fifth most income‑deprived district in England, facing deep-rooted challenges including economic inequality, poor health outcomes and limited…