PRINCE ANDREW stopped off at York Nightstop during his visit to the city earlier this week.

The independent charity works with other organisations to arrange free, emergency accommodation for young single people threatened with homelessness in the homes of trained and skilled volunteers.

Sadly, since York Nightstop became operational in 1994, the number of young people referred to the service has increased year on year. Last year, it was asked to help on more than 200 occasions.

York Nightstop receives no statutory grant funding for its work, yet its volunteer hosts, drivers and other workers make an incredibly valuable and unique contribution to the community of York.

Any donation or offer of help, however small, will help prevent youth homelessness, and you can contact them via their CommuniGate site which will find at www.communigate.co.uk/york/yorknightstop

The Duke of York also officially opened the Millennium Bridge during his visit. Another organisation with a CommuniGate site, the Churches Together in SW and SE York (www.communigate.co.uk/york/churchestogetherinswyork) will meet on the Fulford side of the bridge at 3pm on Sunday to conduct a blessing of the bridge. The service will be led by the Salvation Army Band, and you are welcome to join in. Further details of the churches activities can be found on its CommuniGate site.

Meanwhile, next week is Speakability Awareness Week and CommuniGate is pleased to be able to offer dysphasia sufferers a place to turn to for support.

Dysphasia is a language disorder brought on by a stroke or head injury.

A quarter-of-a-million people in the UK are affected by the condition. While it affects language, it is important that we all realise it does not affect intelligence. For a person with dysphasia, the words may be hard to find, but the thought is there. Speakability York is a social support group for people with dysphasia. If you have dysphasia and would like to meet other people in the same situation, you are welcome to come along to their next meeting which is being held 2pm on Tuesday, June 14,at the Friends' Meeting House in Friargate, York. New members and new ideas are always welcome and Sue Lally on 01347 811668 is waiting to hear from you. Further details about Speakability are available at

http://www.communigate.co.uk/york/speakability/index.phtml where you can also make new friends with fellow suffers via e-mail.