A YORK charity that provides vital services to women is celebrating a bumper crop of fundraising events at the end of its tenth anniversary celebrations this year.
Kyra Women’s Project in St Saviourgate in the city centre has been helping women make positive changes in their lives since 2013.
The charity receives no statutory funding and relies on grants and public fundraising to keep its doors open and its courses and activities, including its counselling service, free for local women.
CEO Rosemary Cook said: “We have had so much support this year, it has been a wonderful boost to our fundraising, which has struggled to recover after the pandemic.
"We were thrilled to receive nearly £16,000 from the York Rotary Dragon Boat race in October, as one of their main beneficiaries – and we managed to raise over £3,000 from our anniversary dinner last month.
"Then just when we thought it was all over – there is a bumper crop of fundraising activities happening in December. We are so grateful to people in York for all their support.”
In December, Kyra is set to benefit from:
• The Mount School’s Christmas Fayre on Saturday 9th December alongside Adams Aquatics Swim School, taking place at the School, and featuring an artisan craft fair and a Santa’s grotto
• A ‘Snow Ball’ organised by the York St John University cheerleading team (the KATS), who are supporting Kyra for the next year.
• Donations in lieu of treatment from Brighter Life Chiropractic in Wetherby in the week 11 – 16 December
• Online donations to its own Winter appeal ‘Light in my Darkness’, starting on December 1
Stephanie Jones, from Kyra, who has set up the ‘Light in my Darkness’ appeal, said: “For many of our members the best part about Kyra is having a safe and welcoming space to go to. Our courses, activities and counselling are the ‘cherries on top’ which help drive the positive change, but the space itself allows those changes to happen. Our hope for the appeal is to highlight the need for spaces like Kyra and bring awareness to the increasing running costs to keep them open. Any donations from the appeal will help us to cover our rent and running costs and enable us to continue providing a safe space for the women of York”.
Vicky Stott, a member of the Mount School parents association, said: “As a girls school in York, we think it is very important to support women and girls in our community and so are looking forward to our big event and raising as much money as possible to contribute to an amazing charity.”
Debbie Adams from Adams aquatics swim school said: “We are really excited to be supporting the event. We will be providing information and guidance on the day about the mental health benefits of swimming. Also providing another opportunity for the pupils at the school to enjoy some fun water time. We are also expecting a visit from the Lady Mayoress.”
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