Grants for heritage groups and thoughts of spring; see what's making the news across the Harrogate district.

Grants for cultural events…

GRANTS totalling £3, 650 have been awarded to seven community groups to help them deliver arts and heritage related projects in their local communities across the Harrogate district.

The awards stem from a review of the way the Borough Council offers grants which highlighted that events and organisations in the smaller towns and rural areas were desperately in need of a local funding stream.

The council set up its Arts and Heritage Grants Award earlier this year and sought nominations from around the district. The seven groups to be awarded grants are:

• The Knaresborough Players
• Summerbridge and Dacre Silver Brass Band
• Knaresborough Youth Association
• Renaissance Knaresborough
• Nidderdale Community Arts
• Harrogate Art; and
• Harrogate Band

Harrogate's Cabinet Member for Cultural Services, Pat Jones, commented: "From pantomimes, poetry, plays and some of the best musical performances around, there is something going on every week.

"Whilst these grants are not huge they will make all the difference to the organisers of these local events. Those bringing art, culture and heritage to our communities need congratulating and our support. We hope these grants will demonstrate our support for their work."

Mental health link highlighted…

A WELL established link between mental health services in the Harrogate district and the central African country of Malawi has been highlighted at a prestigious reception held at the House of Lords.

Jennifer Travena, from North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust, who worked with colleagues to set up the link with the Psychiatric Hospital in Zomba more than six years ago, was a guest at the reception.

Among the people Jennifer met at the event were the Rt Hon Baroness Hayman, Speaker of the House of Lords who hosted the reception, and His Excellency Dr Francis Moto, the Malawi High Commissioner in London.

Reflecting on the reception, Jennifer commented: "It was a great honour to be invited to the event and to hear different people speaking about the benefits of providing help and support to African countries in developing the skills and expertise of health care staff.

"The way that staff from Harrogate have been able to develop a genuine partnership with staff in Zomba and the difference this has made to improving conditions there has been heartening.

"We will be hosting an International Mental Health Links Conference in Harrogate in January 2007, and hope to share our experiences in Malawi with other NHS organisations and support them as they develop their own links."

Thoughts turn to spring…

AS winter finally arrives, the Parks team at Harrogate Borough Council has started to think about the next planting season and is already setting out its stall for a stunning spring show in March and April.

To support the rural areas and to make the district's villages look even prettier, the council has given 38 parish councils and In Bloom Groups around the district over 30,000 daffodil and crocus bulbs.

And there is a call to action from an army of willing volunteers to help with the planting.

Friends of Stonefall Cemetery have already planted three sacks of mixed bulbs in the woodland burial section. Philip Andrew, Bereavement Services Manager, said: "The cemetery grounds are a very special place and the more colourful and natural we can make them the better. The volunteers did a sterling job and we are really looking forward to seeing the results of our labours next spring."