The mayor of Harrogate has spoken about the emotional moment he had to say goodbye to his wife as she was taken to intensive care with coronavirus.

April Martin first developed a cough and a temperature before she started having trouble breathing. The NHS 111 service told the couple to self-isolate back in mid-March.

Councillor Stuart Martin today told the Stray Ferret April’s condition deteriorated last week before he called the ambulance to take her to Harrogate hospital.

“I had to say goodbye to her in the ambulance and I didn’t know whether or not I would ever see her again. I have still been able to speak to her on the phone. It’s not the same as being with her but I understand why I can’t go to the hospital.”

April is still on oxygen at the hospital but the consultant is said to be hopeful that she could be back home in the next few days.

“April and I would like to thank the NHS staff from the cleaners to the consultants. We are keen to thank all of them and wish them all the best, we are so grateful for all of their skills and efforts. If they hadn’t taken April to hospital last week, we would be having a very different conversation.”

One patient who tested positive for coronavirus died at Harrogate hospital yesterday.

It’s the fourth day running that Harrogate District Hospital has reported at least one COVID-19 related death.

So far, 14 coronavirus patients have died at the hospital.

88 out of the 758 latest deaths reported today were in Yorkshire and the North East.

Of the 758 deaths in England, the patients were aged between 23 and 102 years old.

29 of the patients, who were aged between 23 and 99 years old, had no known underlying health conditions.

There are no published figures for the number of patients who have recovered from the virus and been discharged from the hospital.

A Harrogate hotel will light up every night to show support for NHS staff battling on the frontline against coronavirus.

The Crowne Plaza, on King’s Road, is currently closed following government guidance but there are a few staff still working to maintain the building.

Last night was the first time the hotel staff lit up different rooms to spell out NHS and they will make some minor tweaks to improve it going forwards.

Vanessa Jackman, who is part of the hotel’s management, told the Stray Ferret:

“The hotel, along with the whole world, is so appreciative of the NHS staff and all of the key workers keeping us going during the coronavirus pandemic.”

The hotel is next door to the Harrogate Convention Centre, which is currently being converted into a Nightingale Hospital for Yorkshire and the Humber.

Leaders from across the Harrogate district have sent their best wishes and prayers to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is in intensive care.

Medical staff at St Thomas’ Hospital in London took the decision to move Mr Johnson on Monday after his coronavirus symptoms worsened.

Harrogate mayor Stuart Martin told the Stray Ferret:

“I would like to send Boris Johnson best wishes for a speedy recovery from myself and on behalf of my wife April who has been in Harrogate hospital with coronavirus. We need Boris’ leadership right now.”

Ripon mayor Eamon Parkin said:

“If I could send Boris Johnson a message directly I would tell him that his country needs him back. I have just found out this morning that a close friend has lost their life to coronavirus. It really can affect everyone.”

Pateley Bridge mayor Chris Skaife added:

“We would like to send our best wishes to the Prime Minister and to his wife. This virus has had a massive impact on everyone’s lives. I would like to take this opportunity to ask everyone to listen to the advice to stay at home to save lives.”

Boroughbridge mayor Geoff Haldenby said:

“I would very much like for Boris to get better to return to his family and to his job. I think that he is the only person in this country that can lead us right now. He very much resembles Winston Churchill and this is another war that we are going through.”

Both Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon, and Andrew Jones, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, have tweeted their support for the Prime Minister.

All thoughts and prayers for a quick recovery for @BorisJohnson & to his medical team. @GSTTnhs is a very special place with the best possible care

— Julian Smith MP (@JulianSmithUK) April 6, 2020

Shocking news about the Prime Minister. I wish him, and all those suffering symptoms of COVID-19, a swift and full recovery. Please #stayathome, protect the NHS and save lives.

— Andrew Jones MP (@AJonesMP) April 7, 2020

People in Harrogate appear to be flouting the social distancing rules by meeting up in banks several times a week.

Harrogate Police has urged people only to visit banks when it is “absolutely necessary to do so.”

The force believes that a “large number of people” are regularly visiting banks for the social aspect.

It has come to our attention that a large number of people are visiting Banks for the social aspect and do so several times a week. Can we please ask that if you do need to visit your local Bank then you only go when it is absolutely necessary to do so.

— North Yorkshire Police – Harrogate (@NYP_Harrogate) April 6, 2020

The Stray Ferret has approached North Yorkshire Police for a comment but has not received a response by the time of publication.

A new campaign is championing Yorkshire’s farmers and celebrating their role in keeping the nation fed during the coronavirus pandemic.

The Yorkshire Agricultural Society has launched Farm To Fork as a new social media-led initiative to highlight individual farmers and businesses.

It will also raise awareness of the innovative ways in which farm shops are safely meeting social distancing rules to remain open.

Nigel Pulling, chief executive of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, said:

“Farmers are not on the frontline of responding to the virus like our incredible nurses and doctors, among others, are. Nonetheless, they are key workers whose continuous endeavours day after day are meeting the demands of retailers and shoppers.

One of the first businesses to be championed is Fodder, which has closed its café and limited the number of customers allowed in the farm shop.

It is also offering food parcel collections, as well as home deliveries to those who are self-isolating.

New screens at Fodder to keep staff safe.

Heather Parry, managing director of Fodder which sells produce from more than 430 local suppliers and whose profits help fund the charitable work of the Yorkshire Agricultural Society, said:

“The shop is very much open for business and we have introduced a raft of measures to ensure our staff and customers are safe.

“This includes limiting the number of customers in the shop, social distancing, hand sanitisers, plastic screens at the tills, sterilizing baskets and trollies regularly and card payments only.

“In this fast-moving situation, we are updating our website and our methods of working all the time.

“We introduced a new home delivery service for those who are self-isolating and we were flooded with orders before we started.

In a similar vein, the Hullah family at Tancred Farm Shop in Whixley, between York and Harrogate, have adapted their own farm diversification retail business.

Dean Hullah and his team, who are also supporting the Food To Fork campaign, are taking phone orders for food collections that can be picked up from a contactless collection point in front of the farmhouse.

The Yorkshire Agricultural Society hopes there will be a lasting impact from promoting farmers and farm retailers as part of Farm To Fork.

Three more people who have tested positive for coronavirus have died at Harrogate District Hospital.

All three patients died on Sunday, and it brings the total number of people who have died of coronavirus at the hospital to 13.

67 out of the 403 latest deaths reported today were in Yorkshire and the North East.

Of the 403 deaths in England, the patients were aged between 35 and 106 years old.

There are no published figures for the number of patients who have recovered from the virus and been discharged from the hospital.

15 of the patients, who were aged between 52 and 94 years old, had no known underlying health conditions.

Harrogate District Hospital has said it has enough personal protective equipment like masks and gloves.

A hospital spokesperson said:

“The coronavirus pandemic has presented the NHS with many challenges, one of which is the significant increase in the use of personal protective equipment.

 

“We have implemented the national guidance as published by Public Health England. This is very clear about what PPE should be used in which situation to protect our staff.

 

“We have enough PPE in stock, and are getting regular deliveries of new items.”

It comes after schools in Harrogate delivered more 400 protective visors and 200 pairs of safety goggles to the hospital.

Harrogate Grammar School’s design department has created the visors in less than a week and Ashville College raided its store cupboard before it handed over goggles to be used on the front line.

North Yorkshire councils and police will share over £15 million as part of a new emergency coronavirus fund.

The money, which is part of a £1.6 billion government fund, will help the local authorities deal with the pressure across their services.

It is designed to increase support for the adult social care workforce and for services helping the most vulnerable, including homeless people.

North Yorkshire County Council will get £15.2 million, the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner will get £108,000 and Harrogate Borough Council will get £65,900.

The Stray Ferret has approached each of the local authorities for a breakdown of how they will spend the money but has received no response by the time of publication.

Local Government Secretary, Robert Jenrick said:

“The work of local authorities to deliver social care and other vital public services has never been more important than it is now – and will be – in the days and weeks ahead.

 

“That’s why we’re giving local councils £1.6 billion of additional funding to spend where it’s needed most, to ensure they can meet the cost of the increased demand for social care, and continue to protect the most vulnerable people in society.”

The emergency coronavirus fund is separate from the support fund for small businesses, hospitality, and leisure businesses.

That business fund has recently increased by £10 million to a total of £50 million, and Harrogate Borough Council has already distributed £12 million.

Councillor Graham Swift, deputy leader and cabinet member for resources, enterprise and economic development for Harrogate Borough Council, said:

“We know businesses are under intense pressure. Our business rates team have worked extraordinarily hard to gear up to process tens of millions of pounds of government cash to support local businesses.

 

“We have drafted in extra staff to deal with grant payments and top priority is getting the money into the bank accounts of local businesses as quickly as we can.

 

“Many grants have already been received and we are busy processing others so that they should be hitting accounts early next week.”

The construction site of Harrogate’s Nightingale Hospital has been a hive of activity this week.

When it opens, the temporary hospital will have up to 500 beds available to care for coronavirus patients.

The convention centre’s contract caterers have returned and volunteered to work for nothing to feed the 400 strong team of contractors building the hospital this week.

So far, six patients who tested positive for COVID-19 have died at Harrogate District Hospital with 163 confirmed cases in North Yorkshire.