Several unofficial ‘no parking’ signs have been put up on a grass verge on Wetherby Road in Harrogate.

The signs, which are outside Harrogate Town Football Club, appeared about two weeks ago. It is not known who erected them.

The grass verge is part of Duchy land and is managed by North Yorkshire Council, which is also the highways authority, However, the council has not authorised the signs.

Barrie Mason, the council’s assistant director of highways and transport, told the Stray Ferret:

“We are aware of ‘no parking signs’ being placed on Wetherby Road, close to Harrogate Town Football Club.

“We are investigating the matter and if the signs are found to have been erected without proper authorisation, they will be removed.”

Parking is notoriously difficult around Wetherby Road, particularly on match days. These signs appeared during work to build a new stand at the Envirovent Stadium.

However, the club is not aware of who is responsible for the signs on the verge.

A spokesperson for Harrogate Town AFC added:

“Parking has never been allowed on it.

“Vans/cars were getting parking tickets for a long time before this, but it’s just got worse of late.

“There are several builders’ projects nearby adding to ours, so likely a combined problem and more deliveries etc.”

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This year’s Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal is to raise £30,000 for a much-needed minibus for Dementia Forward in the Harrogate district. 

The appeal is kindly sponsored by Vida Healthcare.

Please give generously to support local people and their families living with dementia. Let’s not forget those that need help this Christmas.

Today, Flora spoke to two women who met at the wellbeing café.

“It’s about knowing there’s someone at the end of the phone who understands what we’re going through.”

Cynthia Storie and Eileen King’s are both carers for their husbands, who are living with dementia, and have found comfort in each other through Dementia Forward’s wellbeing café.

Before their husbands’ diagnosis, Cynthia was a secretary and Eileen was a nanny. They were just like anyone else. But two years ago, everything changed.

Cynthia said:

“Your livelihood is taken from you – it’s a shocking blow.”

She was given a Dementia Forward leaflet following her husband Mike’s diagnosis. Eileen used the helpline service to work out their next steps.

Cynthia added:

“I wanted to make sure Mike could still socialise – he was so used to doing everything for himself.

“He didn’t want to come at all, but after I’d convinced him, and someone brought him a cup of coffee, he was chatting away. Two years later, he’s still here.”

The women said the café is an environment where their husbands feel understood. It combats the loneliness those living with dementia can often feel.

Carers can breathe a sigh of relief knowing their loved one is safe at the café, and can share their experiences with with others facing similar challenges.

She continued:

“You find that friends who you have spent so long going out for dinner and socialising with are so sympathetic at first, but after they realise they don’t understand, you become so isolated.”

The café has helped Eileen and her husband more than she could have imagined. She said:

“It helps so much coming here. It’s frightening – you don’t know what’s around the corner.

“It means I’ve got support, and you can offload to people that understand. The staff here don’t judge at all, and they take the guilt away from the carers.”

The women also call each other regularly to check in, visit each other for a cup of tea, and even bake cakes for each other.

Eileen said:

“We, as carers, put on a front. When you’re on your own, you pick up the phone and tell a friend that you need to talk.

“It’s nice when somebody says, ‘how are you?’.”

Dementia has been life-changing for both ladies and their husbands, but the café has brought them some level of peace.

Cynthia added:

“We want people who are reading this to know it takes courage to walk through the door of somewhere like this, but they’re not alone and it’s so worth it to come to these groups.”

Thousands of local families are fighting a long battle with these horrible diseases – and they need your help.

Every donation to our campaign will go directly to Dementia Forward, helping us hit our £30,000 target to buy the charity a new minibus and bettering the lives of those living with dementia and the people around them.

Dementia Forward’s current bus is old and urgently needs to be replaced. The charity would seriously struggle to afford a new one, which is why they need your help to keep this vital service going. Without it, many people living with dementia wouldn’t be able to access the help and support they need. 

Please click here to donate whatever you can – you never know when you, your family or a friend may be in need of Dementia Forward’s help too.

Thank you.

The NHS found that one in 11 people over the age of 65 in the UK are living with dementia. If you need urgent help or have a dementia-related enquiry, call 0330 057 8592 to speak to a helpline adviser.

A Harrogate reverend will feature in a Channel 5 documentary tonight, which re-counts the crimes of the notorious ‘Rolex killer’.

Revd David Hoskins, who was a minister at Harrogate Baptist Church on Victoria Avenue at the time, will talk about his encounters with Albert Walker, a Canadian fugitive posing as David Davis.

‘Davis’ was a member of his congregation in the early 1990s. Unbeknown to him or the rest of his congregation, Walker — who claimed he and his daughter had recently moved to Harrogate after “selling his New York bank and looking for a quieter life” — was on Interpol’s most-wanted list at the time.

Reverend Hoskins told the Stray Ferret that Walker and his daughter fooled everyone:

“They attended church most Sundays.

“He was urbane, dressed in blazer and striped tie, dark and good looking — he was a real smooth operator.”

However, 52-year-old Walker was actually on the run from officials after fleecing 70 clients out of nearly $4 million back in Canada.

Although never successful in swindling the members of Harrogate Baptist Church financially, Walker certainly tried, Mr Hoskins added.

He said:

“It was around the time ICI was making a lot of people redundant.

“I called a meeting to discuss how this may affect local people and he attended. He posed as a financial advisor and said he could give advice on how to invest.

“Luckily, no one in the congregation actually give him any money, but all of us bar one member, Molly, were fooled by him.”

Mr Hoskins said the conman, who lived on St Leonard’s Oval, was a “charmer”, but noted his daughter Noel, whose real name was Sheena, was “quiet and didn’t have much to say”.

It was later discovered Walker also pretended his teenage daughter was his wife.

Harrogate Baptist Church. Pic: Betty Longbottom via Geograph.

The reverend told the Stray Ferret that after around 18 months, Walker and his daughter “vanished”. Mr Hoskins said neither he, nor his congregation, heard a word from the pair again.

It was in Harrogate, however, that Walker met his soon-to-be murder victim, 51-year-old Ronald Platt, and his girlfriend Elaine Boyes.

After befriending the couple, who lived and worked in the town at the time, they told the conman about their dream to one-day move to Canada.

Walker, who was still posing as David Davis, offered to make them directors of his new company to help them save money to make the big move.

Eventually, after funding their retirement move to Canada, Walker assumed Mr Platt’s identity.

However, after Mr Platt and Ms Boyle’s relationship broke down abroad and she moved back to Harrogate, Walker moved to Essex to continue his bogus life.

Ronald Platt.

In 1996, after Mr Platt had also moved to Essex, Walker took him on a boat trip off Plymouth. On the boat, the Lady Jane, he struck Mr Platt unconscious and tied a weighted anchor to his trousers before throwing him overboard.

Weeks later, two fishermen dropped their nets and discovered Mr Platt’s body, which was identified thanks to the Rolex Oyster on his wrist.

Mr Platt was wearing the Rolex Oyster at the time of his death. It had been serviced at a Harrogate jeweller several times, which helped to identify his body and later led to Walker being dubbed the Rolex killer.

The case was eventually solved, and Albert Walker was sentenced to life in prison for embezzlement and murder at Exeter Crown Court 1988, but was transferred to a Canadian prison in 2005.

When asked how he felt after discovering Walker’s crimes, Revd Hoskins said:

“We were just sad that we hadn’t picked up on it — it was so shocking.”

Walker, now 77, was granted parole in June this year after serving 26 years behind bars.

The Devil in Disguise: The Murder of Ronald Platt will air on Channel 5 at 10pm tonight.

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A former Harrogate solicitor died of hypothermia in a cabman’s shelter on the Stray, an inquest has heard.

Richard Wade-Smith, 67, was found “unresponsive” in the distinctive green shelter on West Park, opposite Hotel Du Vin, at 7.15am on September 15.

Besides hypothermia, Mr Wade-Smith’s cause of death was also attributed to alcohol dependency, bipolar affective disorder, hypertensive heart disease and coronary artherosclerosis, the opening inquest in Northallerton heard yesterday.

He worked for a number of Yorkshire law firms and ran his own legal service from Wedderburn House. But his life descended into a downward spiral after a string of criminal convictions.

He was subject to a restraining order after ramming his car into his wife’s Harrogate home and subjecting her to “mental torture” on Boxing Day 2021.

He was later jailed for 10 months for breaching the order and was jailed again in June this year for indecent exposure on Stockwell Lane in Knaresborough.

The inquest was adjourned to a full hearing at a later date.

Read more:

• Former Harrogate solicitor jailed for indecent exposure in Knaresborough
• Harrogate solicitor jailed after breaching restraining order

Moorside Primary School and Nursery, in Ripon, has been rated ‘good’ by Ofsted.

The findings were published in a report yesterday following a two-day inspection in September.

Government inspectors rated the school and nursery, which has 168 pupils, ‘good’ in all four categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management.

It was the first assessment since Moorside Primary School and Moorside Infant School amalgamated in 2019.

Inspectors said the school “lies at the very heart of its community” and found “pupils enjoy attending school”. They added:

“Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), establish positive relationships with staff. They describe their teachers as ‘caring’ and ‘kind’.

“Parents are effusively positive about the school. One parent captured the views of many in saying: ‘Our children are so lucky to start their education at Moorside. The school is a credit to itself and the community.’”

The report praised the wide range of opportunities given to children, including various clubs and the on-site forest school, as well as trips out into the local area – citing a recent trip to Fountains Abbey.

The school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, the report added, and said “pupils enjoy the praise they receive for their good behaviour”. It said:

“They treat their teachers and each other with respect. They talk politely and confidently to visitors, enjoying opportunities to talk about their school.

“Pupils say that they feel safe and they know they can share any concerns with staff.”

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• North Yorkshire’s special needs black hole could soar to £100m

The report said staff are “well trained” and they have a good understanding of the subjects they teach, while leaders and governors have a “shared ambition for the school and its pupils”.

Inspectors also found the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are “carefully considered” and adjustments are made to enable these pupils “to successfully access the same curriculum as their peers”.

It added:

“Pupils study a well-sequenced curriculum for personal, social, health and economic education.

“They learn about positive relationships, mental health and the benefits of diversity. Pupils learn about British values.”

The environment of the “warm and welcoming” early years department was found to be “bright and inviting”.

Areas of improvement

Despite the “ambitious” curriculum, inspectors found the school had not “defined precisely the important knowledge that they want pupils to learn”, adding:

“Consequently, some pupils struggle to retain their learning and, therefore, cannot build on this over time.

“The school should review some aspects of the curriculum to ensure that there is greater clarity for teachers about what pupils should know and remember at each stage of their learning, across all subjects.”

It also said, although the school “prioritises” reading, some pupils are given books to read that are “too difficult” and “not well-matched to their phonic ability”, meaning they “struggle to practise” what they have learned.

“The school should make sure pupils’ reading books are well matched to the phonics pupils know.”

‘A fantastic milestone’

 In response to the report, Claire Rowett, headteacher of Moorside Primary School and Nursery, said:

“I would like to thank the dedicated and committed staff and governors who have been part of our unique journey, and helped us to not only physically build a school, but a strong community ethos with children at the heart of it.

“I would also like to thank the parents for their overwhelming support; working in collaboration with us to support their children and for also sharing their views with Ofsted where 100% of them said that they would recommend our school to another parent.

“This is a fantastic milestone on Moorside’s journey to celebrate and the school endeavours to continue to build on their success in the future.

“We are always pleased to share our wonderful provision that we have grown here a Moorside and offer opportunities for prospective parents, families and members of the community to visit at any time.”

Work to install the Harrogate Ice Rink in Crescent Gardens is underway ahead of its return for the festive period.

Crescent Gardens has been fenced off to prepare the site for its opening in 10 days.

The rink, which debuted last year, was set up by Events by Cynosure in collaboration with Destination Harrogate – the North Yorkshire Council tourism organisation.

Events by Cynosure has a three-year deal to operate the rink as part of the Harrogate Christmas Fayre, which will also be returning next week.

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This year, there will also be an outdoor bar, food stalls and a tipi with an indoor seating area.

A carousel, bungee trampolines, a frozen swing and game stalls will also be on offer for children to enjoy.

The ice rink will run daily from Friday December 1, to Sunday, January 7 2024.

Skating costs £10 per person for a one-hour session and bookings can be made now.

Bewerley Park, near Pateley Bridge, looks set to get a new 84-bed accommodation block as part of a £4.2 million upgrade.

North Yorkshire Council has outlined plans to modernise its two outdoor education centres at Bewerley Park and East Barnby.

The residential sites popular with schools offer a range of outdoor activities, such as canoeing, paddle-boarding and caving.

Phase one of the plans proposes to provide a new 84-bed accommodation block at Bewerley Park and to make improvements to East Barnby accommodation blocks and the dining room.

Bewerley Park, which recently faced the possibility of closure, currently has 173 beds for students and teachers.

Councillors will be asked to approve the phase one plans at an executive meeting on Tuesday.

If given the go-ahead, detailed designs will be developed, followed by a two-stage tender process to carry out the work.

Cllr Annabel Wilkinson, executive member for education, learning and skills, said:

“This is an exciting project. For decades both centres have proven very popular, being visited by generations of families. Thousands of children and young people visit the centres each year and leave with positive, happy memories.

“It’s vital that our centres continue to deliver wonderful experiences in a more modern environment.”

East Barnby in North York Moors National Park is also part of the scheme. The plans outline improvements to its accommodation blocks and the dining room.

Work for phase one is expected to cost up to £4.2 million and a decision on phase two is expected in 2027-2028.

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The council’s assistant director for education and skills, Amanda Newbold, added:

“If given the go-ahead, we expect phase one to be completed by 2025. The new buildings and improvements won’t affect our visitors – in fact, we look forward to welcoming more visitors as the works take place.”

The plans come after North Yorkshire Council found a 21% price increase for trips to Bewerley Park proved “prohibitive” to some local schools.

The site, which opened in 1940, hiked its fees and charges to reflect inflation and rising costs.

However, Teresa Thorp, head of outdoor learning services at the council, said in a report published in September:

“There have been a few schools who have found the increase in fees and charges for 2023-24 prohibitive, demonstrating that last year’s fees and charges increase has adversely affected the take up of services in some cases.”

Ms Thorp added the council had to compete with other outdoor learning centres, such as Low Mill, Robin Wood and Carlton Lodge.

This year’s Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal is to raise £30,000 for a much-needed minibus for Dementia Forward in the Harrogate district. 

The appeal is kindly sponsored by Vida Healthcare.

Please give generously to support local people and their families living with dementia. Let’s not forget those that need help this Christmas.

Today, Flora spoke to people at the wellbeing café.

“People are here for three hours of fun, no matter what stage they’re at with this horrible illness.”

This is how Gordon, a volunteer at Dementia Forward’s wellbeing café, described the weekly group.

The café takes place every Tuesday at Christ Church in Harrogate. It provides a safe space and good company for those living with dementia, as well as some much-needed respite for carers.

People enjoy a bowl of soup, coffee and cake followed by a range of activities. Some members played table tennis and curling, while others painted their nails and tackled jigsaws.

Margaret Kingston, a regular at the café, said:

“My son found out about the café for me. I come every Tuesday now.

“I like to play table tennis and draw – it’s helping people that maybe don’t have any family.”

Many people battling dementia can feel extremely lonely, even with their loved ones by their side. The café, along with Dementia Forward’s other social groups, helps to combat that isolation.

Another member said:

“I try to come every week – I like to be involved. I’ve made friends since coming here.”

The café also offers a place for carers – often a spouse or offspring – to discuss the devastating effects of this evil disease: a place to feel understood.

Sheila, who has volunteered at the café since 2018, added:

“The carers need as much care as the clients.

“The team have fun and the clients and carers all recognise that.”

Members of the wellbeing café.

The Dementia Forward team work tirelessly to improve the lives of those living with dementia and those around them.

The wellbeing café is one of many amazing services on offer. Gordon said:

“Carers are losing their loved ones before their eyes – it is the most wretched thing to see. They are the bravest people.

“That’s why they need the support.”

Thousands of families across the Harrogate district are fighting this evil disease every day. Dementia Forward eases the pain as much as it can – but can only do so with the help of charitable donations.

Every donation to our campaign will go directly to Dementia Forward, helping us hit our £30,000 target to buy the charity a new minibus and bettering the lives of those living with dementia and the people around them.

Dementia Forward’s current bus is old and urgently needs to be replaced. The charity would seriously struggle to afford a new one, which is why they need your help to keep this vital service going. Without it, many people living with dementia simply wouldn’t be able to access the help and support they need. 

Please click here to donate whatever you can – you never know when you, your family or a friend may be in need of Dementia Forward’s help too.

Thank you.

The NHS found that one in 11 people over the age of 65 in the UK are living with dementia. If you need urgent help or have a dementia-related enquiry, call 0330 057 8592 to speak to a helpline adviser.

Bilton Grange Primary School in Harrogate has retained its ‘good’ rating by Ofsted.

The findings were published in a report on Thursday, following an inspection in October.

It comes after the school was rated ‘good’ in 2018. Ofsted carries out short routine inspections every four years to confirm schools previously assessed as ‘good’ have maintained standards.

Government inspectors said the school, which is part of the Yorkshire Collaborative Academy Trust, is a “very happy place to learn” and found “pupils are proud to be themselves”.

The report added:

“The school has established a curriculum that helps pupils to secure a deep knowledge of the subjects that they encounter.

“Leaders have established an extra-curricular offer that significantly enriches pupils’ learning.

“Learning is brought to life by visits and trips, as well as the clubs on offer. Many pupils attend the exceptional school choir. They enjoy the frequent opportunities to rehearse and perform. Pupils participate with pride and enthusiasm.”

Behaviour is exemplary, inspectors added, and said the school, which has 315 pupils, gives children the right support when they struggle to manage their behaviour.

The report also said, “pupils recognise the importance of their learning, so lessons are calm and focused”, adding that children “understand what they learn now will support them in the future”.

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The inspectors found:

“Pupils understand differences and know that everyone deserves to be respected. One pupil summed this up saying, ‘we are a respectful community here.’

“Pupils talk with maturity about issues such as healthy relationships and consent.

“They are well prepared for their future lives.”

The report also said pupils receive expert guidance from teachers across a range of subjects, adding:

“Pupils find this learning absorbing.  As a result, their knowledge is impressive.

“Children in early years get off to a flying start with phonics. They use their secure knowledge of phonics to become confident readers.”

Inspectors also noted pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) “learn the same ambitious curriculum as their peers”, and said adults “work to remove any barriers that pupils might face to their learning”.

Pupils with SEND flourish because of this support, the report added.

The report also praised those responsible for governance for being “extremely knowledgeable about the school”, and said “the trust and the school deliver highly effective support and professional development for staff at all levels”.

It did not include any areas of improvement for the school to work on.

Ofsted also said, if a graded inspection was carried out now, the evidence gathered suggests it might be rated ‘outstanding’.

‘We are thrilled’

Sian James.

In response to the report, Sian James, headteacher of Bilton Grange Primary School, said:

“The report captures everything about Bilton Grange Primary School that we are so very proud of.

“Everything we do at Bilton Grange has the children’s best interests at heart and we are thrilled this ethos was encapsulated throughout the inspection.

“Our success is because of the dedication and talents of everyone who works at Bilton Grange, alongside the fantastic support we receive from our Academy Trust, YCAT, and the positive relationships we have we our parents, carers and of course our amazing children.”

The organisers of Tockwith Show have voted to cancel next year’s event.

The agricultural show, which began in 1945, showcases a range of livestock and horticulture, but visitors will have to wait until at least 2025 to go again.

It follows the directors’ recent proposal to take a one-year break after five committee members stepped down from their roles.

The current committee chair, Georgina Watson, who is one of those stepping down, said:

“Although it’s obviously disappointing to have to cancel the 2024 show, this does give us a really valuable opportunity to take a look at every aspect of the show and, in particular, to find ways of spreading the workload.”

The decision was unanimously approved at the committee’s annual general meeting on Wednesday.

The remaining committee hopes the hiatus will offer enough time to recruit new volunteers, as well as review the current content and structure of the show to decide what may need to change.

Ms Watson added:

“Clearly the key to ensuring the show’s future is to recruit more people; that way we can make sure that small groups, rather than individuals, share what at times can be hard work.

“We want to ensure that being involved in the show remains both exciting and enjoyable for everyone.”

 One of the directors, Mike Best, said several new people have already come forward to offer their help.

He added:

“The committee has decided to make the focus of 2024 a number of smaller events to help promote the show and raise awareness within the community.”

Ms Watson also said the committee wants to ensure new recruits “can bring in fresh ideas”, adding:

“The show has been incredibly successful in the past, but that doesn’t mean there’s not room to adapt and improve what we are offering.

“The year’s break means we can throw everything up in the air and see what emerges.

“I think this is an exciting opportunity and I’m confident that Tockwith Show will be back better than ever in 2025.”

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