ILKLEY Business Improvement District (BID) and Your Ilkley Radio, Ilkley’s only dedicated radio station, have been spreading some happiness in Ilkley with their ‘Random Acts of Kindness’ initiative.

Over four days throughout September, five winners per day will receive an Ilkley Gift Card via a lucky dip to spend in Ilkley’s shops and businesses in town.

The first ‘Random Acts of Kindness’ Day took place on September 11 when Your Ilkley’s Nick Hancock and Sue Staton from Ilkley BID took to the streets of Ilkley and made five people very happy by gifting them an Ilkley Gift Card.

The amounts varied between £10 and £50 with the participants not knowing which value they had selected until the big reveal. All winners were delighted with their random gifts and very excited to spend their prize money at local businesses.

Sue Staton from Ilkley BID said: “We really enjoyed being out and about in town on Brook Street, The Grove, Leeds Road and Crescent Courtyard, surprising people with an Ilkley Gift Card. Sometimes when you hear the news it feels like it’s all doom and gloom, so it was lovely to be able to spread a little bit of unexpected joy, as well as encouraging people to think about all of Ilkley’s amazing shops and businesses when spending their money.

“As Your Ilkley Radio’s launch partner, we’ve got a great relationship with the team and it was a pleasure to share this initiative with them. We’ll be in town on another three days this month so please look out for us, and our huge Ilkley Gift Card board, and you could win some money to spend locally as well.”

The Ilkley Gift Card was launched by Ilkley BID in May 2022 as one of the BID’s initiatives to help grow the local economy and offer support to the business community. It can be spent with over 80 local businesses, including shops, restaurants, salons and attractions, giving people an easy way to shop locally. Consumers can buy the card pre-loaded with any value from £5 to £500 at the Visitor Information Centre or they can pick up a card at selected retailers to load at home as well as buying online at www.ilkleygiftcard.co.uk. Digital cards are also available which you can add to your phone wallet for a quick, contactless transaction.

Your Ilkley Radio launched in July 2024 and is available to listen to online at yourilkley.com, on smart speakers and on the free app.

It hopes to broadcast via DAB digital radio in the coming months once a new multiplex covering this area has been licensed by the government media regulator, Ofcom.

For more information about Ilkley BID, visit: www.ilkleybid.co.uk.