The latest bid to give a helping hand and spread a little happiness among local causes and organisations being affected by the hard financial times has begun.

Businesswoman Kimm Fearnley, founder of the Happiness Centre in Ilkley, decided to focus the centre's charitable work on local needs and has joined forces with your local paper to help find those in need.

The centre in Leeds Road is a unique place that offers facilities for alternative therapists to work from while putting the profits and donations received from healings, rents and daily free meditation donations to good use.

Past projects have included working with mysmallhelp in Peru and projects in Nepal as well as the disability support group LS29.

The centre will continue to sponsor children in Nepal but will give additional funds to groups closer to home.

Last week we reported on the latest payout and today the Ilkley Gazette and the Wharfedale and Aireborough Observer and The Happiness Centre is inviting readers and groups to apply for the Happiness Centre ‘A Helping Hand’ fund which will be given away each month.

The amount each month varies depending on how much is received from donations.

The Happiness Centre has a comprehensive website liftthespirithealthesoul.com and can be found on Facebook and Twitter or by e-mailing info@liftthespirithealthesoul.com or phoning (01943) 601517.

Or just turn up to the free guided meditations weekdays at 9.30am or on Monday to Thursday evenings at 6.30pm.

See this week's Ilkley Gazette for an application form.