Harrogate hero John Shackleton, 85, chops logs to fund 50th aid mission

It’s minus two degrees and 85-year-old John Shackleton is chopping logs in Starbeck.

John had a heart attack recently but neither that nor advancing years has stopped him doing what he has done for much of his life — helping others. He’s one of Harrogate’s most loved and admired citizens for his aid trips to desperate places. If ever anyone deserved an accolade, surely it’s John.

He’s now trying to raise about £20,000 for what will be his 50th trip driving an ambulance full of medical supplies. This time he will be heading to the Nagorno-Karabakh region of Azerbaijan to help Armenians displaced from their homes in the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan.

John has talked about retiring more often than Elton John but here he is on a bitterly cold day toiling away outside some back street garages in sub-arctic Starbeck.

He says:

“I’m always saying ‘this will be my last one’. But it is so important. There are people living in tents with nothing. I really feel their pain. We are so privileged in Harrogate.”

Chopping wood in Starbeck.

John mainly uses a chainsaw these days but can still wield an axe when required. When we met this week, it was almost too cold to hold a pen, nevermind an axe, yet he and helpers Adam Rawson and Mick Stokes were working up a sweat. The chopped wood has to be loaded into ton-bags and delivered to customers. John says:

“It’s heavy work. There’s a lot to be done.

“Sometimes I have up to six lads chopping. They don’t receive any payment, besides the odd cup of tea. They are all here to help and I couldn’t do it without them.”

With Mick Stokes (left) and Adam Rawson (right) at the back of John’s ambulance.

Having a break with Alfie.

The logs are sourced from his daughter’s husband’s farm in Summerbridge. “We are desperately short this year,” he says.

So far he’s raised about £5,000 towards his latest target of £20,000. The main source of income for his trips is donations. Selling logs supplements it. John has also hit on a new way to raise money — doing trips to the tips in Harrogate for people who want to get rid of stuff. He says:

“If anyone wants anything sending to the tip give me a buzz. All contributions go to the poorest people on earth.”

John and many of his helpers are members of St Robert’s Church in Harrogate. They used to chop wood at a man called Pete the Pole’s place in Burn Bridge, until he died. Now they operate out of council garages in Starbeck. John is resigned to eventually losing them but he’s well connected and so well loved that he’s usually able to find someone willing to help.

The usual procedure is to buy an ambulance, usually from Amsterdam, then fill it with medical supplies and drive it to wherever it’s required before getting back to Harrogate however he can, usually with two co-drivers.

John has been doing this since his first mission in 1990 when he was moved by the plight of Romanians after the fall of Ceausescu.

‘I have to be busy’

Born in Gibraltar to a Harrogate-born father who fought in Spain during the Second World War, John moved to Harrogate with his family when he was 12. He served in the RAF and worked in bomb disposal before finding himself jobless with a young family. He says:

“I had no idea what to do. I had three girls so I had to put bread on the table. So I bought a greengrocers on Stonefall Avenue and ran that for seven years.”

He also opened a design studio and sold wall plaques, one of which his daughter presented to President Jimmy Carter when he visited Washington in Tyne and Wear in 1977.

Eventually he fancied a change and went to night school to learn some practical skills and used what he learned to convert a house on Victoria Avenue into four flats. He has been converting properties ever since.

His first wife died suddenly 48 years ago and his second passed away last year. He has 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

John was up a tree with a chainsaw when he suffered a heart attack. Fortunately, he looks fit and robust now.

Besides doing this, he also collects bikes for Harrogate charity Resurrection Bikes, which brings old cycles back to life. He says:

“I have to be busy. I’m very active. It’s something I have to do because it’s the right thing to do and I’m fortunate to be able to do it.”

You can donate to John’s mission here. For details about tip trips, contact John at johnshackleton@aidtoeasterneurope.co.uk or call him on 01423871255.

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Yemi’s Food Stories: My favourite winter warmers

Winter is the season for comforting, hearty meals that warm the body and nourish the soul.

If, like me, you need help with getting through the cold blast, here are some dishes you can make to help keep your tummies full and boost your immunity.

Spiced citrus tea

To start the day, brew some spiced citrus tea.

To make it, use two bags of black tea; two whole lemons; one orange; three star anises; seven cardamom pods; seven cloves; a pinch of fennel seeds; pinch of coriander seeds; one thumb size piece of fresh ginger and one cinnamon stick.

Allow to boil for thee – five minutes and take off heat.

Once it cools down for a few minutes, add two bags of green tea and steep for another three minutes.

Sieve and serve with slices of orange and sweeten with honey.

It’s a comforting tea packed full of antioxidants and vitamin C.

Cinnamon oats

For a nourishing and warming breakfast packed with vitamin C, add fresh berry compote, berries, honey, toasted pumpkin and sunflower seeds to your cinnamon spiced oats.

Yemi’s cinnamon oats with berry compote

Spiced parsnip soup

In the heart of winter, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as a steaming bowl of soup.

One of my favourites is spiced parsnip soup with lemon.

To make it, sauté sliced onions and garlic in a light drizzle of oil, add sliced parsnips and one habanero or scotch bonnet pepper to taste.

Add some cumin seeds, turmeric and curry powder and fry for another two minutes before adding water or stock.

Season with salt and bring to boil. Allow to simmer until the parsnip is cooked through.

Blend and add fresh lemon juice from half or one whole lemon depending on the amount of soup.

Adjust seasoning and serve with some fresh bread.

Crisp and crunchy winter salad

I am not a fan of cold salads in winter, so I opt for salads with hot elements like flaked roasted salmon, roast chicken, warm roasted beetroot or spiced chickpeas.

For a salad that embraces the season, make a roasted Brussels sprouts and pomegranate salad.

Roasting the sprouts imparts a caramelised flavour, while the burst of pomegranate seeds adds a refreshing pop.

Toss in some toasted walnuts for an earthy crunch, and drizzle a vinaigrette made with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and a hint of Dijon mustard to bring it all together.

Serve with roast chicken thighs or pan-fried salmon.

Yemi’s roasted salmon with potatoes.

One pan dishes

Quick dishes like roasted tomato and garlic risotto topped with scallops and prawns makes a comforting and nourishing meal, that is quick and easy.

For a classic with a healthy twist, consider cooking fish en-papillote, which simply means cooking it in baking parchment paper which traps in the juices.

Simply top your fish with your choice of spices, seasoning, onions, lemon or orange slices, roasted tomatoes, sliced peppers and pepper flakes etc.

Serve with boiled or crushed potatoes and veggies, on a bed of couscous or pasta.

As we wait for warmer weather, I hope you try some of these easy and nourishing recipes with a focus on wholesome ingredients to tide you through the cold snap and boost your immunity.

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Editor’s Pick of the Week: reservoir charges and big news for Harrogate Convention Centre

Some people have long been calling for the somewhat run-down Harrogate Convention Centre to be sold to a private company.  But for the first time this week the chief executive of North Yorkshire Council, which owns it, suggested it could happen.

The convention centre is undoubtedly at a crossroads and what happens next will have a considerable impact on Harrogate’s visitor economy.

Of equal significance to Ripon is the cathedral’s plans for a £6 million development on Minster Gardens. The cathedral announced this week it had paused its plans, which would involve felling trees, in a move that has been welcomed as a way of finding common ground.

We sought an update on Starbeck’s big planning issue — the redevelopment of the burned-out former Harper’s building. Our findings don’t suggest a swift resolution to this glacial-paced redevelopment.

This week’s big political story was the YouGov poll which suggested Liberal Democrat Tom Gordon is on course to unseat Conservative Andrew Jones in Harrogate and Knaresborough, but it’s a very tight call. Julian Smith is forecast to retain Skipton and Ripon.

Finally, don’t forget Yorkshire Water’s parking charges at Swinsty, Fewson and Thruscross reservoirs will be introduced on Monday.

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Starbeck’s female plumber who is breaking down barriers

Elisa Foyle is at a customer’s home in Pannal trying to find a leak in the bathroom while we chat on the phone.

She’s doing a day of small plumbing jobs and is so busy she asks if I mind her working while we talk. Since launching her business, PlumbMum, three years ago, she’s hasn’t advertised once and yet the phone never stops ringing. 

Elisa, from Starbeck, is among the tiny proportion of female plumbers in the UK.

Data from the Office of National Statistics shows that in 2022 the number of women working in plumbing was 3,500, just 2.5 per cent of the industry’s workforce. Although up on 2021 figures of 2,700 (1.9 per cent), it’s still shockingly low.

Boob-related comments

It would be easy to think women are facing too many barriers in a traditionally male-orientated industry, but Elisa’s general experience has actually been very positive. She says: 

“I’ve been really well received by both customers and other tradespeople. I did a plumbing course at Leeds College of Building in a class full of 16-year-old lads and it was fine.

“I’ve had a couple of male customers and plumbers who have been very chauvinistic and made the odd inappropriate comment, generally boob-related, and one elderly lady asked me if she should get her male neighbour round to give me hand. But, to be honest, I thought there would be more than there have been.

“Physically, it’s not so much about strength but about the demands on your knees and back, which gets harder for everyone as they get older. And I don’t think I’ve ever felt uneasy or unsafe visiting a customer’s home. If I did, I would make an excuse and leave.”

Mid-life career change

In fact, the biggest barrier for Elisa was nothing to do with being a woman; it was the lack of practical on-the-job experience she was able to access after her college course.

A single mum to three boys, now aged 9, 17 and 18, she was 42 when she decided to switch careers after her work as a frontline healthcare professional began affecting her mental health and time with her family. She took on cleaning and caring work to pay the bills through her college course, but this would have been unsustainable had she moved on to an apprenticeship after her studies. She says: 

“My course taught me the fundamentals of plumbing such as safety and regulations, but the biggest barrier for me as an older person was accessing training and practical experience afterwards. There’s a massive gap in the industry to support people like myself, both women and men, who are changing careers. With a mortgage, kids and other financial commitments, you don’t have the luxury of doing an apprenticeship.” 

Elisa saw no other option than to just start doing the job and learn as she went along. Surprisingly, one of her biggest challenges was knowing the language used for all the tools and parts, especially when visiting trade suppliers.  

“A lot of the time I knew what I needed but I didn’t know what it was called. I found a great plumbing merchant, James Hargreaves in Harrogate, who really listened to me and helped me work out what I was looking for. I don’t think I’d be where I am without their support.” 

After her first customer left a glowing review on the Nextdoor app, her work snowballed. She now offers a variety of services including general plumbing, taps and drainage work, bathroom installation and repair, and emergency call-outs.

She works alongside a professional tiler, joiner and handyman as well as passing on gas-related boiler work to trusted engineers. She recently received a ‘Neighbourhood Fave’ award from Nextdoor for being one of the most popular businesses on the app. 

“The barriers shouldn’t stop you”

Although wary of gender stereotypes, Elisa has found that being a female plumber sometimes works to her advantage:  

“Customers seem to have more natural trust in you when you’re a woman in this job, especially if they’ve had a bad experience with a plumber before. Whether it’s being a woman, having a people-facing role previously, or it’s just in my nature, I also take time to talk to my customers and explain what the issue is and what I need to do to fix it. A lot of plumbers don’t do that and it helps to create trust. And if I can’t do something I won’t attempt it and will try to find someone who can. Customers really appreciate it, particularly those who are elderly or vulnerable. 

“I also think women tend to look at things more holistically. I’ll check other things while I’m there and teach customers how to do simple things for themselves so they don’t have to call someone out or can turn the water off in an emergency. It goes down very well because it empowers people.” 

Elisa is now planning to use her experience to help others. She’s hoping to put aside a day a week to offer practical experience to someone, whatever their gender, in mid-life who is retraining as a plumber. She’d also like to set up a course teaching people basic plumbing skills, after spotting a need particularly among her female customers to feel confident and empowered in fixing small plumbing issues around the home. 

Now 47, Elisa laughs when I suggest she’s an inspiration, and not just for being a woman in a male-dominated industry. That in itself would be challenging enough. But doing it mid-life as a career change and also while a single mum to three boys? It’s not an easy thing to do. She replies:

“I think it’s never too late to change what you are doing and there will be barriers to it but they shouldn’t stop you. As much as you think that the world is against you or not prepared for you, there are always people on your team who will help and support you. You can do anything you want. You’d be surprised what you can do when you challenge yourself.”

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Council rejects plea to create 20mph zone on ‘terrifying’ Hookstone Drive

North Yorkshire Council rejected a plea to create a 20mph zone on Hookstone Drive in Harrogate the day after a man was seriously injured crossing the road.

Following the incident on Wednesday afternoon, the police issued a statement appealing for information after the man was left with serious head injuries. He was hit by a white BMW when using a pedestrian crossing near Hornbeam Park.

Hookstone Drive is particularly busy in mornings and afternoons and is used by children walking to St John Fisher Catholic High School, St Aidan’s Church of England High School and Oatlands Junior School. Motorists also travel through it when going between Leeds Road and Wetherby Road.

Road safety campaigner Hazel Peacock attended a meeting of councillors in Northallerton yesterday when she pleaded with the council to implement a 20mph zone on Hookstone Drive which she said can be “terrifying” for children.

Ms Peacock added that some parents who live in the nearby Saints area are too scared to let their children walk to school on the road so drive them instead.

She said the council should follow government advice and allow zones on major streets where there could be significant journeys made on bicycle.

Ms Peacock said:

 “I want to feel safe walking my children to school. It is possible to have 20mph zones on main roads. Tiny children are taken to school on Hookstone Drive and it’s very perilous.”

But her request was knocked back by council transport officer Melisa Burnham, who said North Yorkshire Council had looked in detail at Hookstone Drive but concluded that lowering the speed limit or introducing traffic calming measures like speed bumps would not be suitable due to its strategic importance to Harrogate’s road network.

Ms Burnham also referred to the School Streets initiative on Beechwood Grove outside Oatlands school that will see traffic banned at certain times. She also said other traffic calming measures will be introduced on Oatlands Drive.

Ms Burnham added:

“We’re listening to communities and understanding what improvements we can do.”

The merits of introducing 20mph zones were questioned by Cllr David Ireton, a Conservative who represents Bentham and Ingleton, who said “motorists don’t take any notice of them”.

Cllr Paul Haslam, a Conservative who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge, suggested speed limits at Hookstone Drive could operate at different times, such as when schools open and close.

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Environment secretary ‘impressed’ by River Nidd bathing water bid

Harrogate and Knaresborough’s Conservative MP Andrew Jones has briefed new environment secretary Steve Barclay MP on the bid to designate the River Nidd as a bathing water.

If the bid is successful, the Environment Agency will be obliged to work with Yorkshire Water, farmers, businesses and residents to put in place a five-year plan to improve water quality in the river.

The campaign, which Mr Jones has led, is focused on the Lido at Knaresborough because of the number of leisure users it attracts but the changes would be felt along a much wider stretch of the river.

The bid has been backed by local councils, wild swimmers, anglers and community groups who have submitted letters of support to the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. A decision is expected in spring.

After the meeting, Mr Jones said:

“Mr Barclay has taken up post since I submitted the bid and so I wanted to brief him personally.  While a decision is yet to be made, it was clear to me that he was impressed with the information gathered by local volunteers and the many letters of support.

“The Nidd is used by hundreds of people for recreation.  The bid is about helping them to do that in a consistently cleaner and healthier environment with water quality that shows sustained improvement.

“The main cause of pollution in the Nidd is run-off from farmland which contains chemicals from pesticides and animal waste.  The farming community upstream are key partners for our campaign for better water quality.”

Mr Jones added Yorkshire Water was investing £180 million over two years to reduce the operation of storm overflows, which stop sewage from backing up into homes. He added:

“There is also a legacy of mining along the Nidd.  When the abandoned mine workings flood iron, zinc, lead, cadmium, aluminium, manganese and copper leach into the river.

“So it is a complex issue needing the input of many different groups.  That is why it is important that we have an agreed plan backed by the Environment Agency.”

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Council inflicts significant financial blow on Harrogate Theatre

Harrogate Theatre has suffered a significant financial blow after North Yorkshire Council reviewed its booking agreement.

The theatre currently programmes entertainment at the council-owned Royal Hall and Harrogate Convention Centre, as well as at the theatre itself.

It benefits from a reduced booking fee and income from these events.

But North Yorkshire Council, which succeeded Harrogate Borough Council in April last year, has decided to review its agreements with all cultural venues in North Yorkshire. The changes will come into effect next year.

It means the theatre will no longer organise the programme of events including music, comedy and drama at the Royal Hall and the convention centre, and income will go to the Northallerton-based council instead.

The move will have financial consequences for Harrogate (White Rose) Theatre Trust, the charity that operates the theatre although the full implications are not yet clear.

Jo Ireland, the council’s assistant director for culture and leisure, said in a statement:

“We are reviewing the agreements we have with all our cultural venues and organisations in North Yorkshire, and Harrogate Theatre is part of that work.

“All existing arrangements will remain in place for 2024/25 whilst we complete this work which is being carried out in consultation with the cultural organisations affected.

“Harrogate Theatre has an arrangement to book 30 events a year at the Royal Hall at a reduced fee and there are currently 33 events programmed for the coming year. Those bookings will be honoured.

“Outside of this arrangement, programming at the Royal Hall and Harrogate Convention Centre will continue to be undertaken by the team at Harrogate Convention Centre.”

The Stray Ferret has approached Harrogate Theatre for comment.

According to the theatre trust’s latest financial statement, for the year ending March 31, 2022, it generated income of £3.1 million, which was considerably up on the covid-hit figure of £1.4 million for the previous year. It recorded a surplus of £421,000. Staff numbers fell from 38 to 27.

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Council may consider selling Harrogate Convention Centre

North Yorkshire Council is in talks with private companies about the possibility of selling Harrogate Convention Centre.

The convention centre has been council-owned since it opened in 1982.

But last year’s abolition of previous owners Harrogate Borough Council, along with the need to find tens of millions of pounds for a major refurbishment, has prompted North Yorkshire Council to consider a fresh approach.

Richard Flinton, chief executive of North Yorkshire Council, told Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce last night it wanted to “understand private sector interest in the building” although he added “that doesn’t necessarily mean the council will look to offload it”.

Richard Flinton at last night’s meeting.

Asked by the Stray Ferret for further details at the meeting, Mr Flinton said:

“We are looking at whether the private sector is interested in either owning it, partnering with it or becoming more involved in its organisation.

“We will then feed that information into a very difficult political decision Carl and his colleagues will have to take.”

Mr Flinton was referring to Cllr Carl Les, the Conservative leader of North Yorkshire Council, who also attended last night’s gathering.

Carl Les at the meeting.

Shadows grow over centre’s future

The convention centre’s future has become increasingly uncertain.

Harrogate Borough Council awarded construction company BAM a £3.3 million contract in February last year to undertake designs for a £49 million refurbishment even though the funding had not been secured.

Paula Lorimer, the director of the convention centre, warned at the time that Harrogate would ‘wither on the vine’ if the venue closed and suggested the government’s levelling up fund was one possible funding source.

Paula Lorimer

Paula Lorimer

But the levelling up fund has twice since rejected £20 million bids for the convention centre.

Mr Flinton first hinted at a change of approach at a chamber meeting in January last year, before North Yorkshire Council took ownership of the building. He said then it needed to be vibrant and relevant in the face of competition from a new venue in Leeds rather than “an enormous drain on public finances”.

The conference and events venue made a loss in all but three years in the decade from 2010 to 2020 but Harrogate Borough Council said visitors pumped £30 million a year into the local economy.

But last night Mr Flinton said the convention centre required “north of £60 million investment” and that “beholds us to look at all options available”. He added:

“We inherited good thinking and a large maintenance bill on the convention centre from Harrogate Borough Council but not what the private sector would do with it. That feels like the final piece of information.

“We will see how that moves thinking further forward.”

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Survey launched on Knaresborough cliff lift idea

A survey has been launched as part of a project to investigate installing a cliff lift in Knaresborough.

The Stray Ferret reported last year that the government’s shared prosperity fund had awarded £20,000 to conduct a feasibility study into the idea. A lift has long been seen as a way to connect the steep divide between Waterside and the castle and encourage people to stay in town longer.

Knaresborough and District Chamber, Renaissance Knaresborough and the Knaresborough Civic Society are behind the scheme. Professional tourism group Carey Tourism is supporting them.

A press release announcing the survey on behalf of the groups said a cliff lift “is one of our dreams to bring economic prosperity and build for the next generation of Knaresborians, both young and old”.

It included an image, shown here, which Peter Lacey, an executive member of the chamber, said was “an example to get a wow factor and signal our ambition” even though no design — or even a decision on whether to proceed with the idea — has been approved yet.

The release said:

“This is an exciting opportunity for residents young and old, as well as visitors to the town to help shape the future of our town making it fit for the next generation.”

The release urged people to complete the survey here or have their say on the Polis website here, in the hope that this will lead to a consensus about what matters most to people.

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Council to review locations of ‘reeking’ Harrogate district litter bins

North Yorkshire Council is to review its litter bin policy in the Harrogate district after complaints.

The council is spending £478,000 on replacing about 1,500 litter bins in the district with 775 new, larger bins.

The new bins are emptied less frequently and more likely to be located alongside main roads to make them easier for council staff to collect. It is hoped the new approach will save between £17,000 and £19,000 a year and free up staff for other duties like litter picking.

But the decision to get rid of many old bins in parks, where dogs are walked, and empty them less frequently has upset residents.

The Stray Ferret covered this issue widely last year, reporting on concerns in Knox and Jennyfields as well as submitting a freedom if information request to the council.

The larger new bins are emptied less frequently.

Numerous complaints — including stench — were raised at a meeting of the council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee on Friday.

Monika Slater, a Liberal Democrat who represents Bilton Grange and New Park, said the placement of bins was “something I have a bit of a problem with”.

Cllr Slater said some were overflowing and one in Charles Avenue in Bilton “did absolutely reek”. People, she added, were dropping poo bags where bins used to be.

Paul Haslam, a Conservative who represents Bilton and Nidd Gorge, said he received more emails about poo bins than anything else. He added:

“If you are going to empty those once a fortnight they are going to smell. Lots of people are very concerned about it.”

Cllr Hannah Gostlow, a Liberal Democrat who represents Knaresborough East, said Knaresborough Town Council “received lots of emails about it not working” and asked when the promised additional street cleaning would begin.

Michael Leah assistant director for environmental services, told councillors:

“The founding principle from what I’ve seen is the bin needs to be in the right place and it needs to be collected with the right frequency.

“These are fairly straightforward things and when I’ve been out on the patch that isn’t the case. Some are in the wrong place, some are missing and thy are not being collected with the right frequency. We recognise that and will address that.”

Michael Leah (left) and Harry Briggs at the council meeting.

Mr Leah and Harry Briggs, the council’s newly appointed head of waste and streetscene services, said the new policy was a legacy project inherited from Harrogate Borough Council. which was abolished on April 1 last year.

Mr Briggs said the bins were located “as close to a road as humanly possible because staff have a large work programme for the day so they don’t have time to go into the park”.

But he acknowledged the system hadn’t worked smoothly:

“It’s right that we now pause to reflect to see if the locations could be improved upon or the number of bins that have been rationalised is too great.

“The new management team at North Yorkshire Council is looking at this again, that’s not to say that the project was delivered incorrectly but we want now as a new organisation to review that.”

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