Two year anniversary of first tap terminal to support Harrogate's homeless
Since then they've opened a second at Victoria Shopping Centre
Harrogate District Street Aid are celebrating today (28 October 2021) as it's two years since their first tap terminal opened.
Over ÂŁ6000 has been raised at the donation point since it launched, thanks to members of the public tapping their contactless cards to help homeless people in the district.
The Street Aid scheme was set up by the council, police and a local charity and is based on similar schemes running in Cambridge and Norwich.
Helen Richardson, community safety officer for Harrogate Borough Council, is behind the project. She said: "It's getting people aware of the initiative and it is really making a difference. There are less people street sleeping now and we can support them with these donations.
"We've raised over ÂŁ16,000 to the charity as a whole and it is all going into a fund to help these people make real change to their lives.
"Giving money directly to them isn't going to make change to their lives. It might help them for a day or two days but what about next week or next month? We can find them accommodation and these grants give people their independence back."
After the success of the first tap next to Marks and Spencer you can now donate to Harrogate Street Aid at a second point outside the Victoria Shopping Centre.
The charity have had 28 applications to the fund and awarded 26 grants. They've provided their service users with items ranging from: carpets and flooring, bus passes, tools, white goods, furniture, training courses, laptops and tablets with internet access.
Moving forwards, the charity are looking for locations for tap terminals in Ripon and Knaresborough, and are appealing for local businesses to get in touch if they would be able to provide a suitable location.