AN ice cream manufacturer has launched a new initiative to raise tens of thousands of pounds for three of North Yorkshire's best-loved charities.

Froneri, based in Leeming Bar, has launched its ICE project (Inspiring Community Engagement) - a three-year campaign that will inspire employees to support their local community, alongside annual donations and supplying free ice cream.

The business has celebrated the launch by pledging donations of £20,000 per charity per year for the duration of the partnership – a commitment of £180,000 – to Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice, Saint Michael’s Hospice / Herriot Hospice Homecare and The Avalon Group.

A total of 1,447 hours will be gifted by Froneri to enable staff to volunteer for the charities over the course of the year.

This free help will include assisting at retail sites, helping with gardening and renovation work and providing companionship.

Staff will also be encouraged to support charity fundraising events such as sponsored skydives and 10K runs and embark on their own fundraising endeavours too.

Froneri will also donate lots of ice cream to support charities’ fundraising and events programmes.

Froneri’s Head of UK, Mike Fraine, said: “We launched Froneri ICE because we recognised that as a business and as individual employees, we all have an active role to play in supporting the communities in which we work and live.

"We are proud to be a part of the Yorkshire region, and we want to do what we can to help our communities thrive.

"We hope that through Froneri ICE, we can make a positive difference to the lives of our charity partners’ clients.”

Tony Collins, Chief Executive of Herriot Hospice Homecare and Saint Michael’s Hospice, said: “We are delighted to have this partnership with Froneri which will help shape and secure the future of local hospice care, enabling us to reach more people living with terminal illness and bereavement across Hambleton, Richmondshire and the Harrogate District."

Froneri already has various brand-led social responsibility projects such as a partnership with WildArk supporting biodiversity projects in wild places and sponsorship of the Bumblebee Conservation Trust.