A charity for people with learning disabilities is launching a fundraising drive to raise nearly £400,000 for new premises.

Chopsticks, based in Northallerton, is delivering leaflets to 6,000 households in the Thrintoft, Romanby and Morton-on-Swale areas to raise awareness of its charitable activities.

The charity has already raised nearly £70,000 through local people, which has enabled it to buy land for its new premises at Northallerton Business Park.

Chopsticks works with 27 adults from the Hambleton and Richmondshire area to produce nearly 250 bags of kindling from scrap timber.

The charity also has a garden care scheme, where older and disabled people are helped to maintain homes and gardens to delay the need for them to enter residential care.

Chopsticks development officer Ellen Reeves said: "We work to try to improve the employability for our members, but its also about improving confidence, giving them a bit of empowerment and something different to do from dayto-day activities."

The new workshop would allow the charity to work from one site, as it currently operates from two locations.

It would also allow doubling opportunities, so up to 60 members could learn new skills in paper recycling and composting with Northdale Horticulture.

The charity has recently submitted a bid to the National Lottery towards the building costs of the premises.

An extra 7,000 leaflets will be distributed in Northallerton, Brompton and Osmotherley, in October.

The leaflet has been sponsored by seven local companies.

Ms Reeves said: "We have very good links with many companies in the area already, but for the new building appeal we're asking everyone - both businesses and individuals - to contribute in whatever way they can.

"We are a community charity, supporting people in the community, and our work really makes a difference to the lives of all those involved."

One of the sponsors is North Yorkshire Timber, which is also one of Chopstick's main suppliers of timber off-cuts.

Any individuals or businesses able to help Chopsticks are asked to call Ms Reeves on (01609) 761661 or e-mail post@chopstix. demon. co. uk or visit www. chopsticksappeal. co. uk