Our network of 32 branches, includes our four innovative community partnership branches, delivering vital services to our communities in collaboration with partner organisations.
Our new Knaresborough branch opened in the library in summer 2022. It offers our full range of services and helping to restore financial services to the community after the last bank left the town in 2021.
The town has had a market since
1206
The Bed Race was first staged in
1966
Newcastle Building Society opens it doors
2022
Celebrating our first year in Knaresborough
To celebrate our first year in Knaresborough we recently supported Henshaw Arts and Crafts Centre with a £3,000 grant from our Community Fund. Based in Knaresborough, Henshaws works with people living with disabilities and visual impairments, offering them life-changing support so that they can achieve their ambitions.
The charity runs a variety of creative workshops at its Arts and Crafts Centre, such as painting, woodwork, and music, which allows people living with disabilities to come together and discover their talents using art.
The charity runs a variety of creative workshops at its Arts and Crafts Centre, such as painting, woodwork, and music, which allows people living with disabilities to come together and discover their talents using art.
Henshaws has used the £3,000 grant to buy eight iPads for its Art Makers. The iPads are equipped with immersive readers, which help with communication and benefit those with visual impairments. They also allow the workshop team to record activities, document progress and share content digitally.
Supporting Knaresborough
To celebrate our community branch opening its doors in 2022 we supported two Knaresborough charities. They both received four-figure grant funding from the Newcastle Building Society Community Fund at the Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland.
Orb Community Arts
Established in 2004, Orb Community Arts helps people across the Harrogate District and North Yorkshire to fulfil their potential by improving their mental health and wellbeing through creativity, learning new skills and volunteering opportunities. Its work targets improvements in wellbeing through promoting personal expression, combatting isolation, empowering choice, building confidence and self-esteem, developing life and work skills, providing opportunities to volunteer and involving people in community activity.
A £2,000 grant will support Orb Arts with general running costs and the continuation of its work in the local community supporting those affected by poor mental health.
Chain Lane Community Hub
At Knaresborough’s Chain Lane Community Hub, a further £4,000 grant has been awarded by our Community Fund to contribute to the venue’s staffing costs, including project officer Harry.
As a focal point for not for profit action within the community, Chain Lane Community Hub offers its facilities up to all generations of the community for a wide range activities. These include; baby ballet, yoga, pilates, painting classes, children’s Arabic classes, martial arts, and more recently as a Covid-19 vaccination centre.
