Next Week – 5 December
All the walks start at 10:10 for 10:15 at the MCO office in the Little Market Place and go out into the beautiful countryside around Masham.
We want Mashamshire Community Office to better represent the voice of younger people so that our services are relevant and meet the needs of our community. To help us do this, we are recruiting to a shadow board that can feed into trustees and provide a fresh perspective, challenging our current thinking. If you or anyone you know is aged 18-30 years and would like to contribute to making Masham and the surrounding villages we represent, a better place to live and visit, please get in touch.
You will need to commit 2 hours a month to the role. It’s a great way to gain experience and provides an opportunity for you to make positive change in your own community!
To register your interest in this volunteer post, please complete an Expression of Interest form.
If you’d like to visit us or want more information, feel free to pop in (we’re open Mon-Sat 10am-3pm) or DM us via Instagram or Facebook.
We’re delighted that we have raised enough money to purchase the Old Police House to secure our future at the heart of Masham where we have been operating for over 20 years as a local, independent charity serving our community! Thank you to everyone that has made this possible!
We’re a small team with a big heart and a can-do attitude and we want to continue providing many of our services, supporting and helping advocate for our community long into the future.
Your support will enable us to continue to be be the glue that connects and strengthens our rural community. We only have just over 2.5 FTE paid staff but with the help of our volunteers, who contributed 8,500 hours last year alone, we support more than 80 local community groups and 100 local businesses; every year we respond to over 10,000 visitor enquiries and 1,000 resident enquiries and requests for help. With your support we aim to be here to respond to community needs with new initiatives well into the future.
You can us help by:
If you have any spare time and skills or enthusiasm to give, we’d love to hear from you. We have regular volunteering opportunities, but not everyone has time to give on a regular basis. Ad hoc help with short term activities is always useful too – anything from help at events to marketing or copywriting, or help with social media. Help can come in smaller packages and still make a big difference!
If you have skills and a bit of time to spare, we’d love to hear from you. Read more about volunteering here.
We are at the heart of the community in Mashamshire, but we don’t pretend to have it all covered and we certainly don’t have the resources to complete the whole picture. But we do know how to get things moving. So, if there’s something you really care about, if you have an idea for something you think you could do locally, maybe we can help you get it off the ground. Whatever gets you going, whatever you care about… From reducing carbon emissions and plastic waste, to improving the look and feel of where we live, from providing activities for young people to doing something to alleviate the loneliness of older or isolated people. If you have an idea that would benefit Masham, your community, or even your road, with a bit of support, maybe you can make it happen.
Please get in touch and share your ideas.
Masham Community Office
7 Little Market Place
Masham, HG4 4DY
Tel: 01765 680200
Email: info@visitmasham.com
Masham is a gorgeous place to visit and explore and we need volunteers to help inform our visitors on busy Saturdays so that they unlock all that we have to offer. Saturdays are a busy day at Mashamshire Community Office…and we need help.
We get a lot done for remarkably little at Mashamshire Community Office, thanks to the time and energy of volunteers. We are here to look after the needs of our lovely community, the businesses in Masham and the surrounding area and tourists and visitors too. We’re a hub of activity every day but Saturday’s are one of our busiest days and likely to get busier. Volunteers are essential to enable us to open and carry out this vital role for our town.
Our usual opening hours are 10AM till 3PM. Our Service Delivery Officer is on hand at all times on a Saturday, but he can’t manage all of this activity alone. We need a volunteer helper on hand to support him. The day is split between two shifts – 10AM till 12.30PM and 12.30PM till 3.00PM. If you have a couple of hours to spare on a Saturday, and would like to be involved and help us support Masham, please get in touch with the office, on 01765 680200 or email info@visitmasham.com.
Our busy office buzzes every day with…
Join Ramblers Wellbeing Walks Masham Strollers for short, local and accessible walks to help you get more active. In addition to our Strollers Weekly Town Walk, we now have a monthly longer, brisker walk around the beautiful countryside of Masham. For more information, please follow the relevant link below.
Click here to find out about our weekly walk.
Click here to find out about our brisk monthly walk.
It has almost been a year since Mashamshire Community Office (MCO) held their initial public meeting back in June 2022 to share the news that they had been given the opportunity to purchase the Old Police House in Masham, a place the charity had been based for over 20 years. £215,000 was the figure were set to raise, and the weight lay heavy with the team at MCO, all of whom are incredibly passionate about the difference the charity makes in their local community however to date they’ve raised £182,698.69 and are aiming to complete the purchase in August 2023.
Hayley Jackson, MCO Manager says,
“Over the past 20 years MCO has diversified and adapted our offering to support the community in times of need such as through COVID. This past year we’ve been on a journey to promote our services and actively share and shout about what we do and the difference we make. Our footprint across Mashamshire reaches far and wide and the impact our small organisation has on many local people has come washing back over us in waves of support for which we are overwhelmingly grateful. Volunteers and staff have gone above and beyond, our fundraising team have outdone themselves with the variety of activities on offer this year from 100 clubs to cow pat competitions (there is now a swear jar on the desk in the office for anyone that even mentions the words cow pat!) The business community have been amazing in so many ways from in-kind gestures to running events in aid of MCO and making considerable financial donations. Individuals have come forward to make donations, offer help and share stories of how MCO have helped them in the past.
Going through the process of fundraising for the Community Office building over this past year has brought people together in such an amazing way. Our community have driven this fundraising effort, people feel pride and ownership over this building, they value what our charity does here in Masham and what a central role we play in supporting our rural community. We knew it was important, but we’ve been able to see just how much it’s at the heart of the community and how much people care. The people of Masham see it as their building, and it’s really important to them that we retain it for the future.”
Once the traditional 19th century stone building is purchased, plans are afoot to invest in making it a more energy efficient and environmentally sustainable space for all to enjoy.
The team have some great fundraising events coming up and a live silent auction with some fantastic artwork to bid for so there’s still time to get involved to help get them over the line ready for the purchase in August.
Live online art auction – closes 11th August 2023
Ways to donate: www.visitmasham.com/want-to-support-your-community/
Special thanks to our supporters: www.visitmasham.com/our-supporters
What people say about us
“[MCO] Provides a vehicle to retain MASHAM as a caring community not just a group of houses as most towns and villages”
“As a retired and disabled individual volunteering gives me purpose, gets me out of the house, enables interaction with others and makes me feel useful.”
“We moved to Masham 1 year ago and the first place we visited was the MCO, we have been able to access all manor of activities and help obtained by the MCO and the regular information it sends out.”
“Excellent hub for the community to feel involved with each other, the community and I feel that MCO is vital for the elderly and the vulnerable.”
“It’s a community hub which can mobilise help when needed eg all the various ways help was given during Covid. It is somewhere where people can come for companionship, help, advice and a friendly face.”
“There is always someone there, who can be approached, and if they don’t know the answer they will find it out”
Helen Benson, who is a volunteer for the farming charity, FCN, is aiming to complete her 500 plus mile challenge in just nine days. Her route, from Mart to Mart will take in the Moors and Dales, Wolds and Plains of Yorkshire. The marts are to include: Leyburn, Pateley Bridge, Darlington, Ruswarp, Malton, York, Hull, Selby, Holmfirth, Otley, Skipton, Bentham, Hawes, Northallerton and Thirsk.
Along the way, she hopes to be joined by others in the local farming community – partly to keep her company and partly to raise money for FCN – a charity that offers essential support to farmers and their families in times of difficulty and The Sepsis Trust which (UKST) exists to fight this life-threatening condition, stop preventable deaths and support those affected by sepsis.
This tractor run is in memory of 26 year old Yorkshire born and bred Hannah Brown, who passed away so suddenly of Sepsis. She was a Mother, Daughter, Fiancée, and Friend to literally thousands of farmers and their families up and down the country.
“Masham Community Office provides so many facilities for Masham and district residents and businesses – too many to mention. We are extremely fortunate and I am personally indebted to be hosted on the website during my Mart to Mart Tractor Run. Thank you very much Masham Community Office and don’t forget everyone, we need to keep this marvellous service going. Helen”
If you’d like to help Mashamshire Community Office in their quest to purchase the Police building (to ensure the future of the services they offer) you can support them here.
For more details and to view her progress, click here.
Best of luck Helen from MCO!
We are delighted to announce the Cow Pat Prize winner as local resident Ms Kathryn Driver, owner of ticket number 3090 taking home the full £2,000 prize money! The cow responsible for delivering the first plop was Storm Pooper.
At home recovering from COVID Ms Driver said she was shocked, “I can’t believe it! It’s amazing, thank you so much. My mum got the ticket for me and I feel so guilty. I’m going to use the money to pay for a holiday and take my mum away”.
Special thanks to all our sponsors, to Mason for the cows and all our staff and volunteers that have worked tirelessly to make this such a successful event raising £5,000 in aid of MCO purchasing the old police house.
Hayley Jackson, Mashamshire Community Office manager has said:
‘Who would have thought cow pats would bring the community together like this.’
‘Going through the process of fundraising for the Community Office building over this past year has brought people together in such an amazing way. Our community have driven this fundraising effort, people feel pride and ownership over this building, they value what our charity does here in Masham and what a central role we play in supporting our rural community. We knew it was important, but we’ve been able to see just how much it’s at the heart of the community and how much people care. The people of Masham see it as their building, and it’s really important to them that we retain it for the future.’
Find out more about our upcoming fundraisers
In just over a year Mashamshire Community Office have raised £215,000 to purchase the Old Police House which will complete on 31st August 2023, securing it as an asset for the community and a base to continue supporting our rural community long into the future.
THANK YOU to everyone that has been involved in this magnificent effort over the past year! It’s testament to our incredible community; the dedication, kindness, determination and generosity of the people that volunteer and work with us, use our services as well as local individuals, businesses and Parish Councils. We have also been successful in our applications to trusts and foundations through the support from North Yorkshire Council.
Our footprint across Mashamshire reaches far and wide and the impact our small organisation has on many local people has come washing back over us in waves of support for which we are overwhelmingly grateful. Volunteers and staff have gone above and beyond, our fundraising team have outdone themselves with the variety of activities that were on offer from 100 clubs to cow pat competitions! The business community have been amazing in so many ways from in-kind gestures to running events in aid of MCO and making considerable financial donations. Individuals have come forward to make donations, offer help and share stories of how MCO have helped them in the past.
Going through the process of fundraising for the Community Office building has brought people together in such a wonderful way. Our community have driven this fundraising effort, people feel pride and ownership over this building, they value what our charity does here in Masham and what a central role we play in supporting our rural community.
We knew it was important, but we’ve been able to see just how much it’s at the heart of the community and how much people care. The people of Masham see it as their building, and I for one am utterly delighted that we’ve been able to secure it for future generations!
Hayley Jackson, MCO Manager
“Your team have worked so hard on the purchase of the Old Police House. All the events this year have really brought a sense of community back to Masham”.
Local Business, Masham
Once the traditional 19th century stone building is purchased on 31st August 2023, plans are afoot to invest in making it a more energy efficient and environmentally sustainable space for all to enjoy.
In 2022 the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner decided to co-locate fire and police estate requirements in Masham which meant Mashamshire Community Office had the opportunity to purchase the building, a base they had operated from for over 20 years at 7 Little Market Place, Masham.
We needed to buy the building so we could continue the work we’d done successfully in our rural community; supporting more than 80 community groups, 100 businesses, responding to over 10,000 visitor enquiries and 1000 resident enquiries each year.
To read more about the relocation of the police, visit: www.visitmasham.com/mashamshire-community-office-police-building
Often when people don’t know where to turn, we are there to support them. We’re the glue that strengthens our community, keeping everyone connected.
Hayley Jackson, MCO Manager
“Thanks for everything you do to keep our community connected and safe. You all do a wonderful job and it is really appreciated. People feel less isolated because of your care. Thank you so much.”
“[MCO] Provides a vehicle to retain MASHAM as a caring community not just a group of houses as most towns and villages”
“As a retired and disabled individual volunteering gives me purpose, gets me out of the house, enables interaction with others and makes me feel useful.”
“We moved to Masham 1 year ago and the first place we visited was the MCO, we have been able to access all manor of activities and help obtained by the MCO and the regular information it sends out.”
“Excellent hub for the community to feel involved with each other, the community and I feel that MCO is vital for the elderly and the vulnerable.”
“It’s a community hub which can mobilise help when needed eg all the various ways help was given during Covid. It is somewhere where people can come for companionship, help, advice and a friendly face.”
“There is always someone there, who can be approached, and if they don’t know the answer they will find it out”
Make a financial contribution:
Whether it’s a one off donation or you’d like to commit to regular giving, we welcome all donations big and small.
We accept donations in person over the counter, on the phone (tel: 01765 680200) or online via JustGiving – just click the Make a Donation button below.
Fundraise for us:
Why not set yourself a personal challenge and ask for sponsorship? Climb a mountain, organise a cake sale or organise a karaoke party with friends – what ever it is, have fun doing it! Our JustGiving has a handy section on fundraising for us. If you have a JustGiving account, click Fundraise for MCO below to get started.
Support us for free when you shop online via Easyfundraising
Join via www.easyfundraising.org.uk/support-a-good-cause/ and choose to support “Mashamshire Community Office”. Once you make a purchase, the retailer partners will make a small donation to MCO.
Support us as a volunteer
Many hands make light work. If you’re keen to get involved, please drop us a line at info@visitmasham.com, we’d love to hear from you!
Buy tickets to our events and take part in our 100 club and competitions
Saturday 6th May – Monday 8th May 2023
Celebrate the long weekend in the beautiful countryside of Masham where our community have a jam packed programme full of activities for all to enjoy!
From street parties at Swinton Estate, afternoon tea at St Mary’s church, evening concerts and cow pat competitions, parades of floats, fancy dress and fireworks – there’s something for everyone!
Download a programme here or pop into Mashamshire Community Office and pick up a copy.
We aim is to keep our small rural community active and vibrant for all who live and visit here. Click here for more info, or call in. Click here if you'd like advertise here. Join our mailing list to keep in touch via email. We will not share your information - view our Privacy Policy here.
Little Market Place, Masham, HG4 4DY / Tel: 01765 680200
