Business Breakfast: Harrogate manufacturing firm appoints new board member

The Stray Ferret Business Club’s next meeting is an after work drinks event on Thursday, August 31 at The West Park Hotel in Harrogate between 5-7pm. 

The Business Club provides monthly opportunities to network, make new connections and hear local success stories. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

A Harrogate manufacturing firm has promoted a long-term employee to its board of directors.

Belzona Polymerics Ltd, which is based on Claro Road, has appointed Charli Walton to the board after 12 years of service.

Ms Walton joined the company, which is a global designer and manufacturer of industrial repair and protection materials, in its marketing team back in 2011.

Now, she becomes the first female member of the Belzona board.

Mrs Walton said: 

“It is a great honour to be appointed to the board of directors. I would like to thank Belzona for giving me this incredible opportunity, as well as for the extensive investment made into my training and development in preparation for my new role.”

Barry Nisill, chief executive of Belzona, added:

“During Charli’s career with Belzona, she has developed an extensive knowledge which, teamed with her boundless enthusiasm, has seen her become an important member of the Belzona leadership team.

“On behalf of everyone at Belzona, I would like to congratulate Charli and wish her every success for the future.”

Knaresborough building society celebrates first anniversary with grant award

A building society in Knaresborough has celebrated its first birthday by offering a £3,000 grant to Henshaws Arts and Crafts Centre.

Newcastle Building Society opened its doors in the town’s library last summer.

As part of its anniversary, it has offered a grant to Henshaws from the Newcastle Building Society Community Fund.

The funding will help to purchase iPads and art makers, which will be used to support people living with disabilities and visual impairments.

Heather Pearman, manager of Newcastle Building Society’s Knaresborough branch, said: 

“Since opening our Knaresborough branch we’ve developed a strong relationship with Henshaws.

“Colleagues have lent their time to volunteer with the charity at some of its largest annual fundraising events, including Henshaws Bed Fest, with further plans to support the charity later into the year.”

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Plan approved for new cafe on Harrogate’s Cambridge Street

North Yorkshire Council has approved plans for a new cafe on Harrogate’s Cambridge Street.

The proposal, which has been submitted by Doncaster-based Imyco Construction Ltd, will see the cafe created next to beauty and toiletries shop Bodycare in the town centre.

The allocated space is currently a staircase, which has been “mothballed”, according to planning documents.

The cafe would be situated on the ground floor and be accessed from Cambridge Street.

Further details on the cafe, including name and opening hours, have yet to be revealed.

Council officials have now given the go-ahead to the proposal.

The site is currently subject to plans for 14 new apartments above the planned cafe and Bodycare.

The proposal, which was approved in June 2020, will see the first floor of the building converted into accommodation.

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Harrogate hospital to review emergency department security staff

Harrogate District Hospital is set to review security arrangements at its emergency department.

Officials at the hospital commissioned T3 Security, which is based in Newcastle, to provide security officers overnight on a trial basis in May 2022.

The move came as staff reported receiving abuse and aggressive behaviour from patients and visitors.

At the time, Jonathan Coulter, chief executive of Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, said the trust made the decision reluctantly.

However, the trust is now set to review the measures despite describing the trial as “successful”.

A spokesperson for the trust said:

“The service aim has been to provide a visual deterrent to those who may seek to be violent and aggressive, and create a more secure environment for patients and staff.

“While the security trial has proven to be successful and helped reduce instances of violence and aggression, we now need to review the temporary arrangements and formalise the service in line with our longer term plans.

“A security service will be in place within the next week to ensure the continued safety of visitors to our emergency department and the staff who work within it.

“We will not tolerate violence, or physical or verbal aggression towards our staff or patients and abuse of any kind may lead to prosecution.”

Security staff were in place at the emergency department between 7pm and 7am.

The move came amid complaints that staff had been abused by patients and visitors when they were asked to wear face masks.

Speaking at a council meeting in November last year, Mr Coulter said it was “a bit of a shame” that the trust had been forced to appoint its own security officers.

He said:

“We were always reluctant to have our own security service on the hospital site because we felt we were a health service, not anything else. I know other trusts went much more quickly into having dedicated security personnel on site.

“We have in the last six months introduced, between 7pm and 7am overnight, our own security service, which is a bit of a shame that we’ve had to do that, but it was something that made the staff feel safer, particularly in the early hours with the emergency department where Harrogate has never had a problem before, but has had an increasing problem.

“I wouldn’t say it’s anything like we get lots of these incidents, it’s a handful of incidents but they don’t need to happen very often for it to be disturbing and for people to get concerned about it.”

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Council rejects nine-home plan in Killinghall

North Yorkshire Council has rejected plans for nine new homes in Killinghall.

Newett Homes, which is based in Wetherby, submitted a planning application for a site north of Skipton Road, near to the junction with the B6161 Otley Road.

The proposal would have seen a mixture of three, four and five-bedroom houses.

However, council officials have refused the plan on the grounds that it fails to provide an appropriate mixture of housing and concerns over surface water flooding.

In a decision notice, Trevor Watson, assistant director of planning at the council, said:

“Parts of the site are identified as being at risk of surface water flooding. No sequential test has been submitted as part of the application. 

“Therefore, it has not been demonstrated that there are no reasonably available alternative sites appropriate for the proposed development that would be at lower risk of flooding.”

The council added that it had not been demonstrated that the site would be “all sources of flooding for its lifetime without increasing flood risk elsewhere”.

Meanwhile, in a letter to the council, Killinghall Parish Council said residents had concerns over access to the site from Skipton Road.

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Business Breakfast: Harrogate rental company chief executive to retire

The Stray Ferret Business Club’s next meeting is an after work drinks event on Thursday, August 31 at The West Park Hotel in Harrogate between 5-7pm. 

The Business Club provides monthly opportunities to network, make new connections and hear local success stories. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

A Harrogate rental company has confirmed its chief executive will retire next month.

Neil Stothard, who is CEO at Beckwith Knowle-based VP, has informed the firm’s board of his decision to step down on September 30.

Mr Stothard joined the company as group finance director in 1997. He later became managing director in 2004 before taking up the post as chief executive.

In a board statement, VP confirmed that Anna Bielby, who is currently chief financial officer, will take over as chief executive on September 1 and work with Mr Stothard to ensure an “orderly handover”.

Jeremy Pilkington, chairman of the company, said: 

“I want to record my personal thanks to Neil for his service to the company and me since joining Vp in 1997 as group finance director and in 2004 assuming the role of managing director and subsequently chief executive.

“Working with Neil to exit the general plant hire sector to focus on a specialist rental offering created the platform for our continued success and growth.

“Neil’s dedication and strong leadership has been central to Vp’s prosperity and enables us to look to the future with confidence and optimism.”

Yorkshire Ambulance Service apprenticeship scheme rated as ‘good’

An apprenticeship scheme at Yorkshire Ambulance Service has been rated as good by inspectors.

Ofsted inspected the scheme in June and found that it had good quality of education, as well as outstanding personal development.

Inspectors rated it as good overall.

The trust currently has 587 apprentices, including ambulance support workers, associate ambulance practitioners and paramedic degree apprentices.

It also employs apprentices in corporate services such as finance, operational support, learning and development.

Dawn Adams, associate director of education and organisational development (Interim) for Yorkshire Ambulance Service, said: 

“I am exceptionally proud of our apprenticeship provision in YAS. Our achievement rates are strong and distinction rates are excellent.”

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Harrogate cocaine and cannabis ring jailed for 31 years

Four members of an organised crime group involved in county lines drug dealing in Harrogate and surrounding areas have been jailed for a total of 31 years.

Ermal Biba, 39 of Trafalgar Court, Harrogate, Allaman Tatariku, 26 of Chatsworth Grove, Harrogate, Klajid Lleshi, 23 of Kinloss Court, Barnet, and Adam Sarkowski, 41 of Wedderburn Close, Harrogate, appeared for sentencing at Leeds Crown Court this morning.

Their activities were uncovered by Operation Logic, a police investigation into the supply of cocaine and cannabis in Harrogate and Rochdale, Greater Manchester, which commenced in September 2021.

The operation led police to Ashfield Road, Harrogate on May 5, 2022. where suspects Biba, Tatariku and Lleshi were discovered. 

After attempting to escape and assaulting officers, they were all arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply class A and class B drugs. Drugs and related items were seized along with cash and cannabis growing equipment.

A search of Sarkowski’s home resulted in mobile phones and sim cards being seized. 

These revealed information about county lines, drug-dealing activity and vehicles used, as well as many messages with customers relating to purchasing drugs. Forensic tests on cash found at the property also revealed cocaine traces.

Evidence uncovered by Operation Logic also connected Biba, Lleshi and Woodley to a large-scale cannabis production facility at Sherwood Business Park, Queensway, Rochdale. 

The site, uncovered by Greater Manchester Police, grew cannabis with a street value of £1,440,000.

In court this morning, Biba, who was described as the ring leader, was jailed for 13 years and six months.

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Tatariku was jailed for seven years and one month and Lleshi was jailed for six years and three months.

Sarkowski was jailed for four years and seven months.

Biba, Tatariku, Lleshi and Sarkowski pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply class A and class B drugs.

A fifth man, Gavin Woodley, 45, of Fairfax Avenue in Harrogate, was given a suspended sentence in March after pleading guilty to allowing a premises to be used under the Misuse of Drugs act.

Speaking after sentencing at Leeds Crown Court, Sinead Brocken, detective constable at North Yorkshire Police, said:

“We are delighted to have put a stop to this organised crime group, headed by Biba, who were responsible for supplying cocaine and cannabis to Harrogate and the surrounding areas for a period spanning between 2019 to 2022.

“Drug rings such as this have a ruinous effect on our society leaving a trail of misery. These individuals acted out of pure selfishness, disregarding the damage caused by drugs to both our communities and those addicted to them.”

Police release CCTV image after burglary in Harrogate

Police have issued CCTV image of a person they would like to speak to after a burglary in Harrogate.

The incident happened at a house on Kirkham Grove in the Bilton area on July 14.

A person claiming to be carrying out maintenance on behalf of the landlord forced their way into the property.

North Yorkshire Police has appealed for the public’s help in identifying the person in the CCTV image.

A police statement added:

“Anyone who can help identify the person is asked to email chloe.winter-atkinson@northyorkshire.police.uk or call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2 and enter collar number 1820.

“If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

“Please quote reference number 12230131089 when passing on information.”

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Three missing Harrogate girls found safe

Three missing girls from Harrogate have been found safe.

North Yorkshire Police confirmed that two 13-year-old and a 16-year-old girl were found in Leeds and returned to their families.

The girls were last seen at 5pm on Thursday (August 10).

One of the 13-year-old girls was found on Friday and the other two were returned to their families yesterday.

A police statement said:

“Protecting vulnerable people is of paramount importance to North Yorkshire Police.”

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How Harrogate’s hockey club coach made his passion his full time job

It was a mixture of trying to avoid rugby and suffering from concussion which led to Harrogate Hockey Club coach Jimmy Greenwood to pick up a stick.

The 51-year-old, who was born in Garforth, was forced to play rugby union when he moved to Harrogate and attended the grammar school.

In an effort to avoid being on the school team, he joined Harrogate Hockey Club as soon as he turned 14.

From there, it has been his love for more than three decades.

But, sat in the club on a Thursday afternoon as the pitch outside is packed with kids learning from Olympic gold medal hockey star Maddie Hinch, Jimmy says he never thought it would get to a stage where it became his full time job.

Picking up the stick for the first time

“I think I got concussed three times,” Jimmy says as he recalls his early rugby days at Harrogate Grammar School.

He had never picked up a hockey stick before turning 14.

But, to get out of playing rugby, he felt he should join the hockey team.

“I thought, if I’m in the school hockey team then I can’t get picked for the rugby team.

“So I began my hockey career.”

Jimmy’s school teacher Mr Sutton was a coach at Harrogate Hockey Club when it was based at Harlow Hill.

He took up a trial offer and ended up playing in the men’s side.

Jimmy in action for the men's side.

Jimmy in action for the men’s side.

Some may look at Jimmy’s story from player to full time coach as an accident given how candid he is about how he got into the sport.

But for him, hockey itself requires skill, technique and time to master.

“It’s an addictive sport. Once you’re in, you’re in.

“It’s an amazing journey when you start. Every other sport I played was just in your age group.”

Jimmy was playing with players much older than him when he joined Harrogate Hockey Club at aged 14.

At that age, he was able to play with adults – some of whom were into their 40s and 50s.

As a junior, he played on the wing because he was quick before he gradually moved to centre forward as he got older.

In the 1980s, the club was playing against the likes of Ben Rhydding, Thirsk and York – teams within the Yorkshire region.

It wouldn’t be until much later that Jimmy would test himself against tougher sides in Birmingham and further south when he studied at the University of Durham.

Much of Jimmy’s playing career was playing in the North Premier League for Harrogate.

However, in 2004, the club were promoted to the National League – which saw them pitted against the likes of Lewes and Birmingham.

For Jimmy, the move into the next division, which moved them outside of the north of England, was an eye opener.

“It was mainly decision making.

“There’s a level of skill that everyone can get to in hockey. There’s only so quickly that you can move a ball, like footballers.

“But then it comes down to how quickly the brain works.”

His passion for the sport took him as far as England trials – although his career never reached that level.

Turning to coaching

These days, Jimmy takes his hockey playing more casually.

However, he had his eye on becoming a coach when he was 18.

“I’ve sort of coached off and on for my whole career.”

He describes himself as a “technical” coach and has long argued that there is a difference between technique and skill when it comes to players.

“When I say technical, most people would call that a skills coach.

“Making sure people are stopping the ball correctly, holding the stick properly and showing them some tricky moves to do against opposition players.

“In my head – and I will argue this with everybody – that’s technique. The skill is picking the right thing to do at the right time.

“I like to empower anyone that I coach with as much technique as I can give them so that they are the best player that they can be. Then it is up to them, they can be world beaters if they can make the right decisions.”

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Amid the part time coaching and playing hockey on evenings and weekends, Jimmy had a day job.

Before the covid pandemic, he ran a book publishing business.

He worked for himself and enjoyed it, but then the covid pandemic hit and the world turned upside down.

“I have always run my own businesses and I wound one up about two years ago.

“It had done quite well through covid, but coming out the other side of covid the education sector changed quite drastically. The business couldn’t cope with the changes.”

Jimmy did not know what to do and tried to work for other people, but did not like it.

He turned to his passion in the hope that it may offer him work.

Fortunately for Jimmy, the club was in a position where it needed to offer support to its development officer, Megan Reid.

“She needed a coach to help her to do some of these outreach programmes into schools and to help do some of the club coaching here and to develop the juniors.”

Two months in, Jimmy says the job is a labour of love and something he feels he is well suited to.

“It is in some ways not like working because it is something that I absolutely love doing and I have done it for so long.

“But it is kind of strange to have never done it as a job before.”

While his new job involves coaching, it also involves helping to build the club back up from covid.

Like a lot of sports, Harrogate Hockey Club was hit hard by covid.

Some members did not return and the junior teams lost their way with no sport to play.

“To get everything back on track, it needs that extra support.

“I think it is happening in all sports now. Being able to rely on people’s goodwill to run teams nowadays is quite hard.”

The club has been fortunate enough to have stars like Maddie Hinch, who won gold for Great Britain at the Rio Olympics in 2016, hosting training sessions at the Ainsty Road pitch to help generate interest in the sport.

Despite the task in hand, Jimmy still has goals in mind.

He wants to try and play beyond the age of 55 and to help to grow the club and its membership.

“Having run businesses over the years, it’s like growing a plant.

“First and foremost, you need to grow it. You can get rid of some bits that are a bit unwieldy and then make it nice.”

If you have any local sporting heroes who you think should be featured in Sporting Spotlight, contact calvin@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Harrogate rugby team visits Canada as part of historic link

A Harrogate rugby team has visited Canada as part of a town winning scheme.

Players from Harrogate Rugby Club’s under-16s visited Barrie in Ontario, where they were given a tour and even appeared on local television.

The city was twinned with Harrogate in 2013.

Sir Robert Barrie was a Royal Navy officer who fought against the USA in the 19th century and is buried in the Harrogate district.

He then took up a post in Ontario, Canada, to inspect a key trading route called the Nine Mile Portage. He settled there, calling it “one of the most beautiful places on earth”. In 1833 the area was renamed in his honour.

The Harrogate rugby side, which included students from Harrogate Grammar School and Ashville College, embarked on the nine-day tour in July.

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The tour was sponsored by Harrogate International Partnerships and included matches which saw Harrogate run out victorious.

Harrogate coach, Ralph Zoing, described the games as “competitive, but played in an excellent spirit”.

Harrogate Rugby Club raising the Yorkshire flag in Barrie, Ontario.

Harrogate Rugby Club raising the Yorkshire flag in Barrie, Ontario.

The team also raised a Yorkshire flag in Barrie during Yorkshire Day on August 1.

Dennis Richards, chair of Harrogate International Partnerships, said the visit was a success.

“Twinning works best through community groups, sport and music being prime examples. 

“The success of this trip should inspire many others in years to come.”

A civic reception was also held by Alex Nuttall, mayor of Barrie, as part of the Harrogate club’s visit.

Mr Nuttall said:

“These young men were excellent ambassadors for Harrogate and their rugby club. 

“They were a delight to host and strengthened a rapidly developing link between our two towns. Both towns have so much to offer each other”

A reciprocal visit is planned to take place in 2024.

Twinned

Barrie was twinned with Harrogate in 2013 at the suggestion of local aristocrat Sir Thomas Ingilby.

Sir Robert married Sir Thomas’s ancestor, Julia Wharton Ingilby, in 1816.

In mid-1834, Barrie returned to England and King William IV made him a knight commander of the Royal Guelphic Order. He was promoted to rear-admiral in 1837 and knight commander of the Order of the Bath in 1840.

Barrie retired in Swarthdale, Lancashire and was buried at All Saints Church in Ripley in 1841.