Hambleton charity extends its welcome to families with new play area addition

North Yorkshire County Councillor Caroline Dickinson at Northdale Horticulture in Northallerton

A new wooden playhouse is helping to welcome families visiting a Northallerton-based charity.

The play area at Northdale is being developed for families visiting the charity as customers or joining school holiday events and can also be used by children from local primary schools who visit the charity for project work.

Northdale Horticulture provides training and work-based activities for adults with learning difficulties across the Hambleton and Richmondshire districts.

Its new playhouse was bought after North Yorkshire County Councillor Caroline Dickinson, who represents Northallerton, recommended £1,000 from her locality budget.

Locality budgets allow the 72 county councillors to respond to local needs and requests by recommending funding of up to £5,000 to support projects or activities that benefit the communities they represent.

Colin Wilkie, chairman of Northdale, said: “Since we began in 1988, Northdale Horticulture has worked hard to create an environment in which vulnerable adults with learning disabilities can be supported to achieve their full potential.

“Northdale recognises the important role work can play in an individual’s life.

“Northdale believes that work and work-based activity helps to provide structure, purpose and direction to an individual while also maintaining and developing a wide range of social and vocational skills.

“The play area has been created and continues to be developed to provide a safe environment for families visiting Northdale as customers or joining in our specific school holiday events.

“The playhouse is an important addition to the facilities for children and expands an exciting range of equipment to play in and around.

“While Northdale receives income through its plant nursery sales and other activities, enhancements to site facilities rely heavily on fundraising and charitable donations.’’

Cllr Dickinson said: “I like to use my locality budget to help smaller local charities who may have difficulty accessing funds when in competition with bigger organisations.

“Northdale played their part in welcoming the Tour de Yorkshire to Northallerton, creating letters that were displayed on the prison site.

“There are lots of things happening at Northdale, especially with Christmas just around the corner, so it’s well worth a visit.”

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