Harrogate and District Soroptimist’s are delighted to recognise the resourcefulness and imagination of the managers and volunteers who run the charity shops in some of the main shopping areas of Harrogate Borough namely Harrogate Town, Ripon and Boroughbridge, and Knaresborough with Starbeck. We first presented the Soroptimist Cup for the Best Dressed window back in 2004 as part of our five year project to Light up Harrogate. In 2010 we were delighted to be invited by Harrogate at Christmas to run the Harrogate Christmas Shop Window Competition. Three years ago we narrowed our focus to concentrate on the Charity Shops but broadened our reach to include the neighbouring towns and areas to reflect where our members come from. Harrogate Rotary Club took up the mantle and have done at fantastic job in running the Commercial Shop Competition since then. Soroptimist International seeks to improve the lives of women and girls locally, nationally and globally with strong links to the global goals set by the United Nations. Charity Shops are an important way by which organisation raise funds to help make this happen.
This year we visited over 30 charity shops in the 3 main zones. The judges were impressed by the innovation, impact and the spirit of Christmas in many of the charity shop windows.
The award winners were announced on 4th December at a celebration event organised by Harrogate at Christmas. We invited the Gold and Silver Award winners for each zone. We are delighted that each Shop sent representatives. President Elsie Johnstone along side Deputy Mayor Cllr Margaret Atkinson presented the certificates and the Overall Winners Cup.
And the Winners are:
Harrogate Town – Gold Award Winner – St Michael’s Hospice, Station Parade
Silver Award Winner – OXFAM, Montpellier
Highly Commended: Cancer Research UK, Oxford St and The Fair Trade Shop, St Peter’s Church.
Knaresborough with Starbeck – Gold Award Winner AGE UK Knaresborough,
Silver Award Winner OXFAM
Highly Commended. St Michael’s Hospice Knaresborough and St Michael Hospice, Starbeck
Ripon and Boroughbridge
Gold Award Winner YMCA, Boroughbridge
Silver Award Winner St Michael Hospice, Ripon
Highly Commended Scope
And finally to present The overall winner of the Soroptimist Cup is Saint Michael’s Hospice – Station Parade, Harrogate.
