Step Into Autumn Afternoon Tea a great success!

A fantastic time was had at the Step Into Autumn Tea Party and Fundraiser Event on Saturday 21st September at Skipton Town Hall! A total of 112 people attended, including seven different community groups. The event was hosted by the Rotary Club of Skipton and Craven, in collaboration with Skipton Step Into Action (SSIA) to raise vital funds for Step Into Action Wellbeing Hub & Cafe – for which a total of £924 was raised.

At the beginning of August 2024, SSIA received the concerning news that their main funder for the wellbeing cafe had prematurely ended their contract due to their own financial challenges. 100% of the money raised from this event will go to the costs involved in keeping the Wellbeing Hub & Cafe open in the short term, until SSIA can secure longer term funding streams.

The Community Wellbeing Hub and Cafe, which has been running since 2022, is the only out-of-hours provision available for all adults in the whole of Craven District, operating every Saturday afternoon & Wednesday evening, offering a safe warm space, key worker support, skill-building sessions, creative arts, a listening ear, a hot meal and information & advice. It is more than just a meeting place – it offers a sense of community & connection, benefitting guests and volunteers alike. Here, friendships are formed, and for some it’s the only opportunity in their week to share a hot meal with others. It is especially important for those who are isolated, lonely, or experiencing difficult times in their lives. For some, it’s a lifeline & the highlight of their week.

SSIA CEO, Charlotte McKeown said, “This event is a wonderful opportunity for local people to connect and enjoy each other’s company through singing, bingo, and a delicious afternoon tea. It is a real privilege to partner with The Rotary Club of Skipton Craven who share our passion for community.”

Rotarian David Squire, Lead Organiser for the event said: “Once again. It was a pleasure for The Rotary Club of Skipton Craven to organise and fund this event, which was run in conjunction with Skipton Step into Action, and brings together over 100 otherwise lonely and vulnerable members of the Craven community for an enjoyable afternoon tea, a couple of games of bingo, entertainment and a grand raffle.”

One attendee commented “We enjoyed the afternoon immensely and had a fantastic time. It was brilliant and I was amazed to see how many people there were from our community.”

Massive thanks to all the volunteers who helped make the event so special, plus the businesses who got involved with donating prizes to the grand raffle, including Thornton Hall Country Park, Whitakers Chocolates, Coniston Hotel, Herriots Hotel and Bettys & Taylors Group and also to Morrisons Community Champion, Clair Reed, for donating the beautiful flowers.