A 'BUZZING' lunch event brought together the most extraordinary people doing crucial work at grass roots level in Yorkshire.

The Connectivity Lunch at York Racecourse, hosted by High Sheriff of North Yorkshire, Venetia Wrigley, aimed at bringing together the county's unsung heroes.

Over her year in the role, Venetia has travelled across the region, meeting over 100 small charities and community organisations - who along with their army of volunteers have helped to reassure and make a difference to vulnerable people of all ages.

Speaking at the event, Venetia said: "I recognised that many people could share resources, feed off each other ideas, forge new relationships, making communities and the region even stronger.

"This was my thinking behind the Connectivity Lunch and it really is wonderful to see the buzz from people doing just that – connecting."

One of the heroes at the lunch event was John Venables from The Big Communitea in Selby, who founded the mental health charity after seeing for himself the difference a cup of tea and a chat with someone that understood could do.

John had had a serious accident, breaking his back, which saw him out of action for 18 months and become severely depressed. He made his way around various mental health facilities, working with health professionals, but what the best support he received was peer support – talking to other people suffering with their mental health.

John set up The Big Communitea on the back of his experience, first using cafes around Selby for people to drop in for a cuppa, then being available over the phone during lockdown when face to face meeting wasn’t possible and now they have their own premises in Selby city centre, supporting all types of people with a cuppa and a chat on a daily basis.

He said he "loved" the Connectivity Lunch and the opportunity to meet so many of his Yorkshire peers

During the year, Venetia has also visited schools for young people with special needs and the fire service, police, air ambulance and mountain rescue teams.