You won’t be surprised to hear that the forward-thinking city of York is home to some great charities and initiatives that make life better for its residents while also helping the planet. Here are some of our favourites to support.
St Nicks
This thriving nature reserve and centre for green living can be found near Tang Hall, a mile from York city centre. The St Nicks charity was founded in the 1990s and it takes its name from St Nicholas Fields – the former landfill site that its volunteers first transformed into a 24-acre nature reserve. This has become a thriving oasis for wildlife, including butterflies, birds, insects and mammals. It’s free to visit and is never closed. The reserve has its own Environment Centre, which hosts community activities and workshops such as a Nature Adventurers club for children and Ecotherapy groups for adults. For those who’d like to get involved, the charity offers various volunteering roles. You could help to shape York’s green corridors or join the Waste & Sustainability team, who collect recycling and run events across the city with the aim reducing waste.
The Recycle Project
Also on a waste-reducing mission is The Recycle Project, a community interest company which takes in 20 tonnes of waste each month from donations, house clearances and recycling centres across North Yorkshire. Once rescued, this is then resold, offering customers the chance to bag a real bargain. At the company’s shop in Huby Court, you’ll find furniture, sports and garden equipment, art, books, instruments, children’s toys and much, much more. Among these are antiques and many hidden gems that are waiting to be taken away and treasured. The Recycle Project holds frequent buying events to suit all budgets, including clothes swaps and £5 and £1 sales. If you don’t want to travel to their shop without knowing they have what you’re looking for, many items are listed on their Facebook page. The company also offers free community workshops that teach people skills like upcycling or bike maintenance.
The Bishy Weigh
At this popular refill store on the corner of Bishopthorpe Road, you can tick off everything on your shopping list without bringing home any unnecessary plastic packaging. Here, you’ll find hundreds of ingredients, toiletries and cleaning products, including bamboo toothbrushes, plastic-free deodorants and shampoo, lotion and hand sanitiser refills from brands such as Miniml and Bramley. You can also pick up herbs, spices and seasonings, as well as cereals, baking essentials and tasty treats like snacking mix, freeze dried raspberries or oat milk chocolate buttons. As most items are sold by weight, you can purchase as much or as little as you need, reducing waste and helping your money to stretch further. You can bring your own pots and containers to fill, buy new ones in store or use recycled paper bags instead. If you’re new to the world of refills, The Bishy Weigh’s friendly staff will be happy to show you the ropes. If you’re pushed for time and live in York, you can place your order online to click and collect or even have it delivered to your home by an emissions-free courier.
Community Furniture Store
Based at the Raylor Centre, the Community Furniture Store belongs to an established York charity with three aims: to provide affordable or free furniture to those who need it, to help the planet through recycling and to provide volunteering and job opportunities for the long-term unemployed and disadvantaged. The charity opened its first shop in the city back in 1988 and it has since expanded to Scarborough and Selby. It takes donations of used and unwanted furniture and resells these within the local community at fair, affordable prices. At their premises in Unit 29, you’ll find an ever-changing range of furniture, including sofas, tables, storage, art and soft furnishings, along with electrical appliances and IT equipment. These are sold at concession prices to pensioners, students and those in receipt of benefits. The Community Furniture Store also works with the City of York Council to help those moving into local authority housing. If you live nearby and have something you’d like to donate, the charity can collect it free of charge. For those making a purchase, home delivery is also available for a small fee.
Images – @stnicksnature, @littlevikingsyork, @therecycleproject_york
