Lauren Ryan, Author at The Stray Ferret

Ripon Grammar student organises charity concert for paralysed 15-year-old

A Ripon student is organising a fundraising concert in aid of paralysed Ripon Grammar student Alan Nowicki.

Daniel McClean, 17, is organising the event to take place next week.

In December, 15-year-old Alan had a life-changing accident that left him paralysed from the waist down. He fell from a pull-up bar in his bedroom and as he landed, hit his head on the hard floor.

Alan was rushed to Leeds General Infirmary where it was discovered he had suffered a spinal fracture resulting in a severe spinal cord injury. After 11 days and emergency surgery, he was transferred to Wakefield Pinderfields Hospital.

Alan’s mum, Kamila began a £20,000 fundraising campaign to fly her son to Poland for rehabilitation after she was quoted UK treatments at over £10,000 a week. The fundraiser is still live and has now reached over £23,000.

Kamila said:

“Most of it has been spent already on our nine-week rehab stay, flights, wheelchair and other rehabilitation equipment that I’ve bought for home use. I don’t have a top figure in mind really – every little helps.

“Alan is doing really well, he’s super strong and fit, positive thinking throughout. No change in terms of the paralysis but he has regained feeling further down on his tummy, so fingers crossed.”

Alan Nowicki at the Polish rehabilitation centre, Donum Corde.

Alan aims to get back to school to sit his GCSEs and begin A-levels. Before the accident he was in the RAF Air Cadets and aspires to be a pilot, a dream Daniel McClean shares.

Daniel said:

“When I heard what was happening and what we had in common it struck a special chord. For someone wanting to be a pilot it is potentially a career-ending injury.

“I don’t know Alan but when I read about his accident I couldn’t abide the thought that the help he needed wasn’t immediately being provided to him. It really struck me that I or anyone could be in that situation.”

Three student bands will take part in the concert. Mr McClean is a drummer in the band Yellow Number 5, which is among them. He told the Stray Ferret he aims to raise over £1,000 towards Alan’s treatment.

Daniel McClean’s band, Yellow Number 5

He said:

“I have spoken with Alan’s family and had confirmation that they are coming to the concert. They are very grateful we are doing this. I am also very grateful to Ripon Grammar for going out of their way to support me with this. This is definitely the biggest thing I have organised but everyone has been very supportive and at the end of the day it is about getting Alan the care he needs.”

The concert is among a number of fundraising events organised by members of the Ripon Grammar School community, including a home baked foods stall run by students and a non-uniform day where students paid £2 each to wear non-uniform.

The concert will take place April 18 from 7.30-10pm and is only open to students of Ripon Grammar School and their families. There is no ticket fee but volunteers will have donation buckets at the event. To donate online, click here.

Ripon GP surgery excluded from merger due to ‘poor financial position’

Plans to merge three Ripon doctors’ surgeries have been limited to two surgeries after it was revealed the third practice was in a “poor financial position”.

A proposed merger between North House Surgery, Park Street Surgery and Ripon Spa Surgery was scheduled to happen on July 1, 2024.

North House Surgery said at the time the move would improve patient care, safeguard healthcare in Ripon, enable patients to have a stronger voice and trigger economies of scale.

But a social media post signed by North House partners Dr Kate Dickinson, Dr Peter Johnson and Dr Hannah Thomas on Friday revealed only two of the surgeries — North House and Park Street — will now merge. They will become known as Fountains Health.

Spa Surgery will no longer be involved.

The post said:

“Unfortunately, during the due diligence process, Ripon Spa Surgery were found to be in an unexpectedly poor financial position. They have permitted us to share this sensitive piece of information. As a result of this situation North House and Park Street partners do not feel able to merge with Ripon Spa at this time and so they will no longer be involved in the merger process.

“This is hugely disappointing for all concerned as we have all been working closely on these plans for some time and everyone had been looking forward to working together as part of a larger combined team at Fountains Health. We still believe that a merger between North House Surgery and Park Street Surgery is a positive option for our practice, its patients and our staff.”

Ripon Spa Surgery

The merger has now been delayed until October this year due to the change in plans.

North Spa Surgery said:

“The proposed date to merge has been put back to October 2024 to allow us extra time to complete the work that is now needed to enable a smooth merger for both our patients and staff.

“To help us achieve this, there will be four afternoons over the next six months when the two practices will need to close so that staff can be brought together to complete this important work. During these times, patients will have access to the out of hours service. We will provide a further update to patients on the progress of the merger in the summer.”

No further details on what will happen to Spa Surgery patients were revealed in the post.

Park Street surgery, Ripon.

Harrogate and Ripon crime gang jailed after police uncovered robbery and firearms plot

A group of Harrogate and Ripon men linked to serious and organised crime have been jailed today (Monday, April 8) for a collective 25 years and 11 months.

The court heard how the following gang members were linked to an organised crime group who’d been involved in a dispute with a rival group.

Rivers Lee Wilson, 23, of St Johns Walk, Bridlington, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to possess a prohibited weapon. He has been jailed for 10 years and two months.
William Fuller McMillan, 24, of HMP Hull, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery and possession of a prohibited weapon. He has been jailed for 10 years and eight months.
William Henley Davy, 20, of HMP Hull, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery. He has been jailed for three years and six months.
Philip Dean Wilson, 45, of Nora Avenue, Knaresborough, pleaded guilty to assisting an offender. He has been jailed for 19 months.

Between Friday 6 and Monday January 9 2023, North Yorkshire Police organised crime unit carried out an investigation into a suspected organised crime group that was active in the Harrogate district.

Image from footage captured during the arrest

According to a North Yorkshire Police media release today, police gathered intelligence suggesting a man had been kidnapped and held against his will.

It was established Rivers Wilson and Fuller McMillan were preparing to kidnap the victim and extort him for money, believing that he had a large amount of cash stashed in two addresses in Harrogate.

Information was obtained that Rivers Wilson and Fuller McMillan were planning to use force against the victim. At the time Rivers Wilson, Fuller McMillan, Philip Wilson and two other gang members had located and taken the victim using force. William Davy visited the two addresses and recovered cash from where the victim had it stored.

Philip Wilson allowed his vehicle to be used to kidnap the victim and commit the offence. Following the kidnap Philip Wilson arranged for the disposal of his vehicle to destroy any forensic evidence.

After recovering the cash, William Davy communicated the news with Rivers Wilson and Fuller McMillan and the victim was then released. Intelligence indicated that the amount of cash stolen from the victim was approximately £70,000.

The investigation found evidence to show that Rivers Wilson and Fuller McMillan subsequently and unknowingly at the time had robbed a rival organised crime group from West Yorkshire.

Further intelligence led officers to believe that Rivers Wilson, Fuller McMillan and another gang member were arranging to source a sawn-off shotgun and live ammunition. They then jointly sourced the firearm and ammunition in order to cause fear to those who sought retribution having had their cash stolen by the gang.

The shotgun found by North Yorkshire Police

A police helicopter was deployed and used to track the gang as they were travelling with the firearm and live ammunition and believed they were getting their ‘crew’ together in readiness to confront the rival gang.

At this point, armed response officers actioned a hard stop of one of the vehicles and detained three members of the gang which included Rivers Wilson and Fuller McMillan and recovered both their vehicles.

Rivers Wilson, Fuller McMillan and another gang member were ordered to get out the vehicle at gun point and were arrested on suspicion of conspiring to kidnap.

Both Rivers Wilson and Fuller McMillan’s vehicles were forensically examined, and a long package was recovered in the back seat of Fuller McMillan’s vehicle. Examination of this package showed that it contained a sawn-off shotgun, with four live shotgun cartridges.

The shotgun was heavily wrapped in a bin bag and paper. In a further search, seven more shotgun cartridges were found wrapped in a balaclava within a boxing glove in the vehicle.

NPAS police helicopter footage

Detective constable Helen Quaife, of North Yorkshire Police’s serious and organised crime unit, said:

“We have seen nationally how the use of weapons used by feuding gang members can devastate families and communities. This type of crime will not be tolerated in North Yorkshire.

“The sawn-off shotgun was viable and along with its ammunition was intended to be used.

“This investigation was conducted meticulously with a large number of enquiries conducted dealing with witnesses, forensics, CCTV and specialist expert evidence. The sentences imposed on these gang members illustrates just how serious these offences are taken. I hope this will be a warning to others who think the use of weapons will be tolerated within our communities. We will intervene, and people will be punished, to keep our communities safe.”

Harrogate hotel bar named best pub in North Yorkshire

The Harrogate Inn has been named the best pub in the county at the Pub & Bar Magazine’s 2024 awards.

The inn opened after a multi-million-pound renovation in July 2023. One of the major changes from its previous incarnation as the St George Hotel was the new Barking George bar within the Ripon Road venue.

Owned by Newcastle-based pub company the Inn Collection Group, Barking George hosts live music on Friday nights and has an outdoor terrace overlooking the hustle and bustle of Crescent Gardens.

Inside the Barking George

General manager Henry White said:

“We’re naturally delighted to have picked up the award for North Yorkshire. To be named best in a county where there is some serious competition is humbling. Since opening in July, it has been great to see the bar establish itself and the team settle into providing a welcoming place for people to come and we’re looking forward to our first full summer this year.”

The Inn Collection Group, which also owns the Ripon Inn and the Knaresborough Inn, won three accolades at the National Pub and Bar Awards.

The Bull’s Head Inn and The Swan Grasmere were named as the best pubs in Gwynedd and Cumbria respectively.

Tristan O’ Hana, editor of Pub & Bar magazine said award winners “represent all that is great about the modern on-trade”.

The winners will now go on to the National Pub & Bar Awards in London this June, where 15 regional winners and an overall champion will be revealed.

Barking George bar

Famous crime author announced for Harrogate writing festival

Harrogate International Festivals has announced its final special guest for the 2024 Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival.

Peter James is a globally bestselling author and the creator of the much-loved Detective Superintendent Roy Grace series, now an ITV drama starring John Simm.

He joins authors Chris Carter, Jane Casey, Elly Griffiths, Erin Kelly, Vaseem Khan, Dorothy Koomson, Shari Lapena, Abir Mukherjee, Liz Nugent and Richard Osman in an all-star lineup of special guest headliners.

Mr James will be celebrating his milestone twentieth Roy Grace book at the Festival with an exclusive preview of One Of Us Is Dead, published by Pan Macmillan in September 2024.

He will discuss his new standalone novel, They Thought I Was Dead, with a long-awaited reveal of what happened to Roy Grace’s missing wife Sandy in conversation with TV presenter Louise Minchin.

This will be his eighth appearance, having been a special guest twice before and programming chair in 2016.

Mr James said:

“This year I am celebrating my 20th Roy Grace novel and where better to do this than at Harrogate, the jewel in the crime festival crown. I had a wonderful time as Programming Chair in 2016 and I look forward to returning as a Special Guest this year, spending a delightful summer’s evening with my fans and fellow authors.

“I’ve no doubt a pint or two of Theakston Old Peculier might be involved.”

Returning to Harrogate for its 21st year it offers fans from around the world a unique opportunity to hear from the biggest stars of the genre, discover exciting new talent and enjoy a packed programme of panels, talks and inspiring creative workshops.

Simon Theakston, chairman of T&R Theakston Ltd, said:

“Peter James has been hugely popular with the Festival audience over the years, and we can’t wait to welcome him back to hear more about his twentieth Roy Grace book.

“Peter completes a stellar line up of Special Guests in a stunning programme that truly reflects the strength, breadth and diversity of the genre.”

The three day festival curated by 2024 Festival Chair Ruth Ware, is set to take place July 18-21. The full programme for this year’s Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival will be announced on May 14, 2024.

Tickets are on general release on 15th April. More information about tickets and packages can be found here.

Business Breakfast: Masham brewery partners with snooker pro

Masham’s Black Sheep Brewery has announced a partnership with professional snooker player, the ‘Tyneside Terror’ Gary Wilson.

Mr Wilson is world number 12 and the brewery will be his sponsor for the Tour Championship, which ended yesterday, and this month’s World Championship at the Crucible in Sheffield. Mr Wilson won the first Welsh Open in February, as well as back-to-back Scottish Opens in December.

He said:

“As a fan of northern beers, being sponsored by Black Sheep Brewery holds special significance for me. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the season holds with an iconic Northern brewery now supporting me, game after game.”

Jo Theakston, executive director at Black Sheep Brewery, added:

“We always seek to collaborate with individuals who resonate with our commitment to excellence, which is precisely why we are sponsoring Gary, as he looks to continue his remarkable run of form into the next major tournament.”

Black Sheep Brewery also sponsors local teams such as Harrogate Town AFC and Otley RUFC, as well as England’s inaugural Long Course Weekend, set to be hosted in Masham this summer.

Salon and academy opens in Harrogate

Sarah Verity (right) and Alex from Harrogate laser clinic

Northern Beauty has opened on Tower Street in Harrogate. Owner Sarah Verity has been self employed in the beauty industry for eight years after having an epiphany during pregnancy working as an events manager.

The salon employs multiple businesses under one roof and is set to begin training fully accredited beauty courses. Ms Verity said “big things happen when women support women and that’s what I am trying to do here”.

The business began as a chair in a lodge in Ms Verity’s back garden. She said:

“Lockdown is the best thing that ever happened to me. It gave me the push to create something amazing.”

The salon is set to get a halo head spa in the next few weeks. Ms Verity said:

“It is very exciting. I believe it is the first outside of Manchester and people love a new beauty treatment.”

Harrogate law firm plant a tree for every will created

Senior associate Hana Gwyn and head of personal law Neil Shaw from LCF Law.

LCF Law is set to plant a tree every time a client makes or updates a will. The initiative aims to encourage more people to make a will, whilst also having a positive environmental impact.

It is part of a partnership with Yorkshire Dales Millenium Trust, a charity that helps people, landscapes and wildlife of the Yorkshire Dales and surrounding urban areas.

The law firm has already planted 1,000 trees, which will capture an estimated 160 tonnes of carbon over the next 50 years. LCF plans to plant another 1,000 this year.

Neil Shaw from LCF Law said:

“New research from The Association of Lifetime Lawyers shows that almost half of UK adults don’t have a will in place, which is as an alarming figure. The only way to ensure a person’s wishes are carried out is by properly communicating them legally through a will.

“By working with YDMT to plant a tree in the name of every person making or updating a will with us throughout 2024, we will not only be protecting their assets, but creating a sustainable legacy for future generations.”

He added that once a client has made or updated a will they will receive details of the woodland’s location, so they can visit it and see it grow.

Richard Hore, a development officer for Yorkshire Dales Millenium Trust said:

“Our growing partnership with LCF Law will play a key role in our woodland creation efforts that help to tackle climate change and nature loss.”

Knaresborough tennis club to host open day

A Knaresborough tennis club is having an open day event this weekend.

Knaresborough King James’ Tennis Club is set to have open courts on Sunday, April 7, from midday to 4pm in the grounds of King James’ School.

The club was formed in 2011 as a collaboration between Knaresborough Tennis Club and King James’ School.

Club Chair Mike Forster said:

“Knaresborough is a close community and yet we attract members from a much wider area thanks to the welcome they receive – plus of course the chance to play socially and competitively and take part in our annual John Forster Tournament. Not to mention professional coaching.

“Our commitment to a friendly but competitive environment is evident from the Fair Play Award and social sessions are consistently well-attended by players of all ages. If you fancy a change of scenery or are picking up your racket again after a break, however rusty you are do come and join us this Sunday. You might just find yourself part of a winning team.”

The club has over 90 members ranging from students to retirees and offers social tennis sessions three times a week.

King James’ is the only Knaresborough club with Starbeck as their closest tennis club, which it competes with in the local derby.

The club has seven porous macadam courts and has regular club and match play. It had a triple success last year when Its mixed, men’s and ladies’ teams all won division 3 of their respective Harrogate and York Leagues. The trophies will be displayed at the Open Day.

The ladies’ squad was also awarded the first ever Fair Play Award from the Fulford Ladies’ Invitation Tennis League.

A just for fun tournament will be held in the afternoon and there is no need to bring a partner. Refreshments will be provided, and visitors can meet club members.

88-year-old Nidderdale lollipop lady receives BEM

A retired Nidderdale lollipop lady has been awarded a British Empire Medal for services to child road safety.

Mary Fisher, 88, worked as a lollipop lady outside Summerbridge Community Primary School for 47 years. She began in 1975 when she was persuaded by a police man to take to the position.

Ms Fisher carried out 18,000 morning and afternoon patrols, before retiring in 2022. During her service she got to know all the children’s names and saw many return years later with children of their own.

Mary Fisher alongside the Lord lieutenant after the ceremonial service.

Ms Fisher was awarded the British Empire Medal by Lord lieutenant Jo Ropner in a ceremony at 9.30am on April 4 at Camp Hill, Kirklington, attended by her family and five other British Empire Medal nominees.

She said:

“It is a real honour to receive it. It is something not everybody gets. It was a really nice morning I didn’t know what to expect but we all enjoyed it and were very proud. I loved every minute of being a lollipop lady and was very sorry when I had to give it up.”

Ms Fisher’s granddaughter Megan Dunn added:

“It was a really lovely day and was nice to get recognition of her hard work. We are all very proud.”

Revised plans submitted for 126 homes in Knaresborough

Revised plans have been submitted to North Yorkshire Council to build 126 houses in Knaresborough.

The homes, along with car parking, open spaces and a children’s play area, would be built on two fields used for grazing off Water Lane.

The fields are close to Hay-a-Park site of special scientific interest, which is regarded as an important breeding site for goosander ducks and protected Canada geese.

The site has been subject of multiple proposals for new homes, which the Stray Ferret has covered extensively.

Knaresborough Town Council and Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, were among those to object last year when plans were submitted to North Yorkshire Council for 138 homes. More than 600 people also signed a petition opposing the scheme.

Previous plans for 218 homes and 148 homes on the fields were rejected.

View of a section of the proposed site, south and west to school boundary and rear of Carmires Avenue and Halfpenny Lane

New plans for fewer houses have been drawn by Haines Phillips Architects on behalf of applicant Geoffrey Holland.

But Andy Bell, a Liberal Democrat councillor on Knaresborough Town Council who organised last year’s petition, said:

“I’ve spoken with a number of nearby residents who are steadfast in their opposition to this proposal.

“It’s still accessed by narrow estate roads, still very close to the site of special scientific interest and still is on the site of an unlicensed tip that has suspicions of asbestos buried. This site isn’t appropriate.”

To view or comment on the application, visit North Yorkshire Council’s planning website and type reference ZC23/02886/FULMAJ.

Hay-a-Park, site of special scientific interest

Harrogate businesses ‘trying their best to survive’ Kex Gill closure

Harrogate businesses on the A59 say they are trying to navigate income loss due to a closure at Kex Gill.

The road is the main route between Harrogate and Skipton and closed on February 2 after a crack appeared in the verge. It is set to remain closed until at least July.

North Yorkshire Council said repair work costing £750,000 will begin on April 15. Irish construction firm Sisk, which is carrying out the nearby £68.8 million three-mile realignment, has been appointed to undertake the work. Ivor King will carry out specialist steel sheet piling.

But, businesses which are based on the route say the closure has had a significant impact on trade.

Kex Gill, A59

David Suttill, owner of Mackenzies Farm Shop and Café took over the business in November last year and said trade was high through until January and “then overnight things changed due to the road closure”.

Mr Suttill told the Stray Ferret his business takings had fallen by a quarter, around 20% of food is wasted and he has even had to lay off two members of staff. He added the business used to average 150 to 250 customers a day and now they average 50 customers a week.

He said:

“Now the road is closed the café gets no passing trade which it heavily relies on. We have resorted to clearance sales and bargains just to get people through the doors.

“We are trying to find a way to survive and I know other businesses are trying their best to survive too. We are digging deep and finding a way to pay the bills but I don’t know how much longer we can survive. I just want to say there is still a clear run from Harrogate we have loads of deals come and grab a bargain.”

Mr Suttill called on the council to help local businesses. He said:

“It is disgusting it has been closed for months. I wish I could tell the council just to sort it out and get a concrete plan. We have had no communication from them at all and we’ve been offered no help or compensation. I just want an explanation and an apology it is ridiculous.

“We are trying our best to stay open and to donate wasted food with no help from them.”

Fewston farm shop and café

Another farm shop and cafe affected by the Kex Gill closure is Fewston farm shop and café. Lee Abbott, owner of the business, runs the site alongside his wife and said sales have halved since the road closure.

Mr Abbott said:

“We rely on passing trade especially in the summer and while people can still get here from Harrogate, we have lost all of our trade in the other direction.

“Now you can’t get here from Skipton. People are not going to go on almost an hours drive or pay for that fuel. We are at a dead loss.”

He added the café is seeing food waste like Mackenzies and called on the council to make change. He said:

“We have had no correspondence with the council, if we knew when it was going to be closed we could’ve planned around it but we can’t do anything. I know other businesses around us are struggling.”

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Salon and academy opens in Harrogate

Harrogate law firm plant a tree for every will created

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