Reduced access to external funding, at a time when demand for support and services is increasing, is a growing challenge for charities everywhere.

At best, securing funding is complex, competitive, and time consuming. At worst, in rural areas like ours, available grants often fail to prioritise the issues we face, and the unpredictability can discourage even the most community-minded from coming forward with suggestions or answers to local problems.

Shaping our Own Solutions

We need to be able to shape and adapt solutions around local needs rather than be led by external funding criteria.

At Mashamshire Community Office (MCO), we believe there is a way. Rather than relying on inconsistent external funding and shifting priorities, we want Masham and its needs firmly in the driving seat. Our vision is to create a more sustainable model – one that enables us to fund services and initiatives ourselves by generating income locally for the direct benefit of our community.

Mashamshire Charity Shop

Inspired by the success of Nidderdale Plus in Pateley Bridge whose Charity Shop is a remarkable success, MCO’s plan is to establish a charity shop in Masham, for Masham.

This will create a dependable source of income to sustain services and initiatives. It will not only provide income to support our own initiatives, such as the Volunteer Drivers scheme or Digital Champions which are currently run at a loss but will ultimately benefit other local groups and organisations too.

Once off the ground, a proportion of the proceeds will be used to create a Mashamshire Community Fund, available to any local groups or projects to access funding and to bring their new ideas for Mashamshire to life.

Imagine, whether you’re donating items or bagging a bargain, every pound raised will stay here in Mashamshire – supporting local people, strengthening local services, and reinvesting in our shared future.

This is the long term solution we’re working towards – taking control of the problem rather than chasing uncertain funding. It won’t happen overnight, but we believe it’s the only route. We’ll keep you updated and if you’d like to be part of it, we’d welcome your support.

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