Harrogate lottery a ‘lifeline’ for charities during covid

Yorkshire’s only council-run lottery has been described as a “lifeline” for charities during the pandemic after thousands of pounds was raised for good causes in the Harrogate district.

Harrogate Borough Council launched the Local Lotto in 2018 despite some concerns over encouraging gambling and it has since raised more than £161,000 through the sale of £1 tickets with funds from each going to the buyer’s choice of charity.

This includes £56,000 raised over the past year when many charities have struggled to survive due to donations drying up during covid.

Ann Duncan, partnership and engagement manager at the council, told a cabinet meeting on Wednesday that the lottery had been a “lifeline” during this time. She said:

“The supporters of the Local Lotto have remained strong and this has been really important for those good causes because traditional fundraising methods have been limited.

“The Local Lotto provides unrestricted funding so there are no stipulations as to what the charities can spend the money on.

“They can spend it on their electricity or insurance, it’s up to them, so for some of the good causes it has been a real lifeline when funds have been quite desperate over the last 18 months.”

£25,000 jackpot

The council takes no income from the £1 ticket sales with 60p from each going to the buyer’s choice of charity, 20p into the prize fund, 17p to an external lottery manager and 3p to cover VAT.

Funds raised are paid to signed-up charities selling tickets and around £19,400 has been handed out in winnings over the past year.

Some buyers have won up to £2,000, although the top prize of £25,000 has yet to be claimed.

Read more:

The Local Lotto is also linked to the council’s Local Fund – a pot of cash which charities can apply for grants from.

Councillor Stanley Lumley, a Conservative who represents the Pateley Bridge and Nidderdale Moors ward, described the council’s decision to launch the lottery as “controversial” but said it had proved to be a “great success”. He said:

“We took a gamble, if you’d pardon the pun, three years ago when we introduced this. It was controversial and people were sceptical whether it would work.

“It clearly has worked and worked extremely well.

“The beauty of this lottery is that a person buying the ticket decides where they want a portion of the money to go.

“My ticket money goes to something close to my heart – Nidderdale Plus at Pateley Bridge which is a really good community hub that needs support.”

Meet the showground heroes boosting Harrogate’s vaccine programme

About 20,000 people are expected to receive booster jabs at Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Showground between December 6 and 22. Another 35,000 are set to follow in the New Year.

Most people who go agree it’s a slick, well-run operation. That it works so well is down to the efforts of 50 staff and 60 volunteers behind the life-saving operation.

The Stray Ferret spoke to some of those on site this week. The 60 volunteers are divided into four teams of 15 volunteers a day supplied on alternate days by community groups Boroughbridge Community Care, Harrogate and District Community Action, Nidderdale Plus and Knaresborough Connectors.

The Boroughbridge team, led by volunteer coordinator Jan Seymour, was on duty when we visited.

Ms Seymour was holding a box of chocolates, donated by a patient. All such gifts get shared between the helpers. She jokes:

“The people we like most are the ones that bring us chocolate and cake!

Jan Seymour

The set-up at the Yorkshire Event Centre is the same as it was from February to August this year when some 120,000 first and second dose vaccines were administered.

The volunteers remain relentlessly cheerful and helpful but there is a wearier feel to the place than there was in spring. Ms Seymour says:

“When we opened in February everyone was absolutely desperate to get it. Now the attitude is ‘I’m a bit busy today, can I come tomorrow?'”.

Volunteers typically do half a day each, either from 8am to 1pm or 1pm to 6pm. They meet and greet people, direct traffic and take people to one of the 16 vaccination pods, which can cater for up to eight vaccinators. Ms Seymour says:

“During lockdown it was easy to get volunteers but recently it’s become harder. Some people are back at work and many volunteers are older people who have childcare duties.

“The majority of patients are absolutely wonderful. They could not be more thankful. We get the odd one who isn’t. One guy had a go at me on Monday when he said ‘why can’t I go to my doctor for this? But that’s unusual. Most people are great.”

Staffing fatigue

Yorkshire Health Network, which is a federation of the 17 GP practices in the Harrogate district, manages the vaccination sites at Harrogate and Ripon racecourse.

Tim Yarrow, operations manager for the network, says the Harrogate site can handle greater numbers of walk-in patients because of its size and abundant parking.

Tim Yarrow

The quietest time, he says, is early to mid afternoon, then numbers soar towards the end of the day as many people try to get in at the end of their working days. The decision to allow walk-ins this week sparked a surge of visitors with queues of up to an hour at peak times.

Mr Yarrow says:

“We set this up in one-and-a-half days. It was easier second time round. We knew the snagging points from last time.

“The main challenge is staffing fatigue. During lockdown we had a lot of people with not a lot else to do. As people have gone back to their day jobs their availability has become more sparse.”

Yorkshire Agricultural Society, which owns the site, has “bent over backwards to enable it to happen”, says Mr Yarrow. When the site re-opens in January, jabs will take place in another building at the showground so the society can resume holding events in the Yorkshire Event Centre.

Moderna provided

Barnaby Roe, general manager of Yorkshire Health Network, oversees the operation at the showground.

In a makeshift office on site, he explains that the 50 staff are comprised of GP practice staff, who are helping for free on their days off, members of Yorkshire Health Network, pharmacists, pharmacist technicians and nurses. Half work the morning shift and half work in the afternoon.

“This programme will be for 20,000 to December 22 then going forward we think it will be another 35,000.”

Barnaby Roe

The site is giving doses of the Moderna booster but also administers some Pfizer jabs to children from immunosuppressed families.

“The people who work here have done it for some time and it’s down to a fine art.”

Booster appointments can be booked at the showground here. The site provided some walk-in appointments this week for over-18s who were eligible for jabs and has yet to decide whether they will be available next week.

Harrogate vaccine walk-ins: go in afternoon tomorrow to avoid queues

Staff giving vaccines at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate have advised anyone planning a walk-in booster jab tomorrow to go in the afternoon.

The decision to allow over-18s to just turn up and get boosters prompted a wave of visitors to the showground today. Some people queued for an hour to get jabbed.

Tim Yarrow, operations manager for Yorkshire Health Network, which is a federation of the 17 GP practices in the Harrogate district, said the site had a lot of booked appointments tomorrow morning but the afternoon was quieter.

Anyone arriving for morning walk-ins would receive a booster, said Mr Yarrow, but they might have to wait for up to an hour.

He said it was likely to be quieter after 12.30pm.

Read more:

Another 102 covid infections were reported today in the Harrogate district.

The district’s seven-day infection rate has fallen slightly to 422 cases per 100,000. The North Yorkshire average is 380 and the England average is 505.

No further covid-related deaths have been reported at Harrogate District Hospital, meaning the overall total remains at 200.

Harrogate’s Rossett School celebrates GCSE students’ success

Harrogate’s Rossett School has held its annual presentation evening in-person after covid forced it to take place online last year.

The event celebrates the achievements of last summer’s GCSE students in a range of academic subjects and other disciplines.

The guest speaker was Joe Joyce, a former chief executive in the manufacturing and construction sector, a director of finance in education and now the owner of his own local family brewing company,

Mr Joyce shared his personal philosophy on the importance of aiming high in life, before presenting GCSE and BTEC certificates, along with the awards and trophies.

Headteacher Helen Woodcock said it was wonderful to be able to hold the event in-person again.

“We are very proud of this year group. They were an excellent year in many different respects, not least in their management of the strangest of times — learning remotely and at school over the last two years — in order to be awarded their TAGs (teacher-assessed grades).

“Their achievements have allowed them to progress on to their chosen pathways, and we were thrilled to celebrate their many successes at the presentation evening.”

Read more:

 

Harrogate shoppers donate chocolate to people in need at Xmas

Harrogate shoppers have responded generously to a plea to donate chocolate this Christmas for people struggling to make ends meet.

Commercial Street Retailers Group is working with Harrogate District Foodbank on the initiative, which runs until December 15.

People can drop-off chocolate at four shops on Commercial Street: Foxy Antiques and Interiors, the Harrogate Town shop, Lilly’s Bistro and Cafe and White Rose Sewing.

The food bank had said it was overwhelmed by demand for help this Christmas and although it had received many donations of staple products, such as tinned food, some chocolate would add a touch of luxury to seasonal food parcels.

Sue Kramer, of Crown Jewellers on Commercial Street and head of the retailers group, said a previous article on the Stray Ferret has generated a huge response.

“it’s going really well so far — Sue from Lilly’s has dropped off the first batch of chocolates and Harrogate Foodbank were both shocked and delighted with how much there was.

“It’s so heartwarming to know that even with everything everyone has been through with covid there is still genuine kindness and compassion in Harrogate for those less fortunate.

Read more:

 

 

Harrogate Convention Centre boss warns big events ‘at risk’ unless £47m refurbishment is accelerated

The director of Harrogate Convention Centre has warned the venue and local economy will miss out on big events unless plans for a major refurbishment are accelerated.

Paula Lorimer said upgrading the centre’s studio two needed to be made a priority as it would be a “game changer”.

Speaking at a meeting of Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet on Wednesday, she said this part of the centre currently has limited “breakout” space and that this has meant it has been unable to attract “larger and more lucrative” events.

Ms Lorimer said:

“We are lucky to have one of the largest and most gorgeous auditoriums in the country with just over 1,900 seats, but we only have breakout space for 570 people.

“These larger conference rooms that we are hoping to have in studio two will mean we will attract much larger conferences.

“We therefore believe there is a very strong case to accelerate this part of the project.”

The project has yet to receive a final go-ahead from councillors and could cost up to £47m over three phases if approved.

Read more:

It was revealed at this week’s meeting that the plans have already been delayed due to the covid pandemic, with a report warning that this could have an impact on contracted and potential events booked from April 2023 onwards.

‘Important event’ coming to Harrogate

It also said there is an “important event” planned for early 2023 which will require the works on studio two to be completed, however, the council said it was unable to confirm the details as it is not a public event.

The report added:

“If the studio two package is not ready by April 2023, the potential negative impact on the Harrogate Convention Centre order book would be significant.

“It is highly likely that the newly contracted events for the period 2023/24 would be lost.

“It also runs the risk of not being able to bid for these conferences again until post 2025.”

The plans were first revealed in July last year when the council said the 40-year-old centre was in “critical need” of an upgrade to keep its national appeal and that without investment its maintenance costs could reach £19m over the next two decades.

150,000 visitors a year

It was estimated before the pandemic that the centre attracted more than 150,000 visitors a year with an annual economic impact of £35m.

However, covid has now raised questions over how quickly the industry can bounce back to pre-pandemic levels and what risks this could mean for the potential £47m redevelopment.

A final decision on the project will be made by councillors next year and the council has yet to put forward any funding proposals, although it said a business case would play a key part in supporting bids for government cash.

It was agreed at yesterday’s meeting that a further report would be brought back to cabinet to decide whether the works on studio two should be accelerated.

It was also agreed that further design and feasibility works are continued.

Other plans as part of the project could involve three exhibition halls being demolished to make way for a new 5,000 sq m hall and a refurbished auditorium.
Around £20m would be needed to complete a first phase of redevelopment, with another phase later.

Harrogate police officer charged with sexual assault

A 30-year-old police officer based at Harrogate has been charged with sexual assault.

Christopher Hudson will appear at York Magistrates Court tomorrow.

North Yorkshire Police said in a statement that Hudson was based in Harrogate at the time of the allegation and was currently suspended.

No further details are available.

Read more:

 

Walk-in boosters available again today in Harrogate

Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Showground is to accept walk-ins again today.

NHS North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group announced there would be walk-ins yesterday afternoon as a one-off but the organisation said today the service would also be available today.

It added it was treating the rest of the week on a day-by-day basis.

Those eligible for a booster can just turn-up between 8.30am and 4pm at the showground.

To qualify, people need to be aged 40 and above. At least six months must have passed since their second dose and they must have no coronavirus symptoms.

The showground was due to close on December 22 but it now looks set to continue until March, although this has yet to be confirmed.

Non walk-in appointments can be booked on the NHS booking site here.

Read more:

Harrogate man jailed for sex assault on toddler

A Harrogate child abuser and online groomer has been sentenced to six years and 11 months in jail.

Wenxiong Jiang, 26, was also made subject to a 20-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will remain on the Register of Sex Offenders indefinitely.

Jiang was convicted at York Crown Court on Friday of the following offences that he committed between February 2017 and December 2020:

Detective Constable Rebecca Townsend, of Harrogate CID, led the intensive investigation into Jiang’s offending following his arrest on December 15, 2020.

Posed as 15-year-old boy

The inquiry uncovered that he had added a 12-year-old girl on Snapchat and engaged her in conversations while he was posing as a 15-year-old boy.

Jiang pressured and then eventually threatened the girl to send him naked pictures of herself engaging in penetrative sexual activity.

When he was arrested, officers recovered 250,000 images from his devices including a video of himself sexually assaulting a two-year-old boy.

Read more:

The Digital Forensic Unit examined all the material to help identify offences and possible victims.

DC Townsend said:

“Wenxiong Jiang is clearly a very disturbed and perverted individual who poses a danger to children.

“He has rightfully been brought to justice and is now facing the full consequences of his depravity with a significant prison sentence.

“As a registered sex offender, he is subject to robust public protection measures for the rest of his life. He will also have to comply with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order lasting 20 years which is designed to severely limit his ability to reoffend in the future.”

Reporting suspected crimes involving indecent images of children and sexual abuse

You can contact:

Victims who would prefer not to go direct to the police and are not in immediate danger, can contact Bridge House, North Yorkshire’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), on 0330 223 0362, email bridgehouse.sarc@nhs.net or go to www.bridgehousesarc.org/

Homes England accused of ‘bullying’ tactics over 200 homes at Pannal Ash

The government’s housing agency has been accused of using “bullying” tactics over controversial plans for up to 200 homes at a former police training base in Harrogate.

Homes England was granted approval for the Pannal Ash site at a meeting on Tuesday when it emerged the body had written to senior officials at Harrogate Borough Council claiming the authority acted “unlawfully” when it delayed a decision on the plans in June.

The delay was taken after questions were raised over the West Harrogate Parameters Plan – a long-delayed document on infrastructure needs for the up to 4,000 new homes set to be built in the west of the district.

Members of the council’s planning committee had hoped for a further delay on Tuesday to allow time for the parameters plan to be completed, however, they claimed they were “bullied” into approving the homes due a “threat” of legal action.

David Stephenson, senior planning manager at Homes England, said while launching a costly appeal against the council was an “absolute last resort” for the body, it was a route it was willing to take.

He told yesterday’s meeting:

“We are trying to work with officers and have been doing so for a number of months to avoid an appeal – something Homes England does not want to do.

“But if this is deferred then unfortunately we will have very little options going forward.”

Read more:

The former police site on Yew Tree Lane (pictured below) was used as a base to train more than 1,200 officers a year before it closed in 2011.

The latest plans from Homes England include the conversion of several former police buildings into 16 homes and the construction of 184 new properties, while proposals for a sports pitch have been scrapped.

Councillor Pat Marsh, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said a decision on whether the scheme should go ahead should not be taken until work on the parameters plan is completed as expected in February.

‘Grossly damaging accusation’

“We are talking two months here to make sure what is done on this site is right.

“I’m very saddened Homes England thinks it is right to bully us into this decision, because that is what is on the cards today – ‘approve it or we will appeal’.”

Councillor Jim Clark, a Conservative who represents Harrogate Harlow, also accused the body of having a “bullying attitude” and said its claim that the council acted “unlawfully” was a “grossly damaging accusation”.

The west side of Harrogate currently finds itself with around a quarter of the entire housing allocations in the Harrogate district Local Plan 2014-35, which outlines where development can take place.

This equates to around 3,500 to 4,000 new houses and residents are worried how the area’s schools, roads and health services are going to cope with this population increase.

Rene Dziabas, chairman of Harlow and Pannal Ash Residents Association, said he believed a precedent had been set for further housing in the area as the police site was allocated for 163 homes in the Local Plan, but has now gained approval for up to 200.
He said:

“We are strongly opposed to this near 25% uplift in housing numbers.

“We are also worried about the precedent this sets, the impacts that will arise and we ask – what is the point of the Local Plan?”