A Harrogate bereavement and emotional wellbeing charity has been awarded a grant boost of more than £30,000.
Just ‘B’ will use the money to provide workshops and therapy sessions for vulnerable students during the school holidays. Themes covered will include gangs and youth violence, domestic abuse, and digital media risks.
The grant is part of £6.5m from the Youth Endowment Covid-19 Fund and has been offered to 130 organisations across the country. It aims to limit the number of people being drawn into violent crime as well as tackling issues young people have experienced as a result of covid.
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Tony Collins, chief executive of Just ‘B’ said:
“The challenges and hardships that some of our most vulnerable young people face have been exacerbated by covid… we are proud to be one of the organisations chosen for this grant and it will enable us to build on the work we are already doing to help children and young people to overcome difficult circumstances and face a more positive future.”
Just ‘B’ is also calling for the community’s help to win £1m in a charity competition. Persimmon Homes Yorkshire has shortlisted three charities across the county to represent the region in its Building Futures scheme. Voting closes on September 18.
Rise in civil ceremonies inspires new career for Harrogate teacherA former teacher has set up a new business in Harrogate offering civil ceremonies as a result of a growth in non-religious weddings, funerals and naming ceremonies.
Weddings overall have been in decline over recent years, and religious ceremonies now account for less than a quarter of all weddings that take place in the UK.
Data published this year by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that in 2017, North Yorkshire had a total of 4,606 marriages of opposite-sex couples, 3,443 of which were civil ceremonies with only 1,163 religious ceremonies.
Former international teacher Melanie Gail has recently launched her new business in Harrogate. She told the Stray Ferret that the trend towards civil ceremonies sparked her interest in becoming an independent civil celebrant.
She said:
“The reason I am attracted to it is because I think it’s great that it offers people the freedom of choice. They can choose to have it on their front garden, or on a mountain top, or in a forest.
“People can get married whenever they want, provided they do the legal part in a registry office. They can have a ceremony which really reflects who they are.”
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As of August 1, larger wedding receptions can return but guest numbers will be limited to 30. Melanie argued that this may also make civil ceremonies more popular.
She said:
Pub’s old cupboard becomes new venture in Bilton“Everything is becoming a lot smaller because of the legislations and potentially also a lot more intimate. With the new limits on numbers of guests at weddings, people are rethinking the venues they choose.”
A small antiques shop has opened at The Knox pub in Bilton as a Harrogate woman aims to follow a new path after lockdown.
Foxy Antiques and Interiors will sell a range of items, from retro furniture to vintage collectables. The small shop is occupying a former storage cupboard at the pub.
Alex Clarke, who previously worked in housekeeping, decided during lockdown that she needed a new challenge. Since November, she has been buying and selling antiques, and decided to expand from a small unit in a local antiques shop to the larger space at The Knox.
The shop will sell a range of items, from furniture to candles.
She told the Stray Ferret that her previous job was impacted by coronavirus so she decided to pursue a new venture, following something she has always been interested in. She said:
“It’s completely new to me. I’ve worked in housekeeping for nine years but my wages went down as a result of covid so I decided to look for something else. I needed something new and fresh that would challenge me.”
Katie Swannie, owner of The Knox pub, hopes that the new shop will be the start of something great. She told the Stray Ferret:
“We hope both businesses will benefit each other. It’s always something we’ve wanted to do. I want to create a little complex of quirky things that all complement each other, so this is the first step. We are hoping it will bring something for the local people in this area.”
As well as the launch of Foxy Antiques and Interiors, last weekend also saw the opening of a new beer garden at the back of the pub. As well as providing somewhere to enjoy the sun, it will help the pub to follow social distancing guidelines.
During lockdown the pub was re-decorated and has had a new beer garden built.
Girlguiding North Yorkshire West has launched an online auction to help raise funds to complete the build of its new residential centre.
The building of the Birk Crag Centre on the outskirts of Harrogate is in its final phase but needs an additional £30,000 to finish.
The new centre will include a hall seating 120 people, activity and meeting rooms, a dining room and kitchen, as well as residential accommodation sleeping 40.
An online auction was launched on Saturday and will remain open until August 8. People can bid on a range of items and experiences including a Grantley Hall spa day experience, family tickets to local attractions such as Harewood House and the Jorvik Viking Centre, as well as a two-hour career coaching session from Sea Light Development.
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County commissioner Angie Lockwood said:
“We’ve come so far in our journey to build Birk Crag Centre, but there’s a real risk we won’t get this last phase of the build completed. We need to raise an additional £30,000 for doors, internal walls, staircase and fire alarm, and the auction marks the start of our activity to achieve this.”
Artist’s impression of the new Birk Crag Centre.
The new centre will be used by girlguides from across the district as well as members of the local community. For more information and to make a bid visit https://www.jumblebee.co.uk/auction/detail/auction_id/4517/.
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Harrogate restaurant reopens in time for Yorkshire DayA Harrogate restaurant will be celebrating both its reopening and Yorkshire Day with a make-shift beach this Saturday.
To mark its namesake’s day on August 1, as well as the re-launch of its Scran restaurant, The Yorkshire Hotel has created a beach at the front of the building and is offering a free glass of prosecco for those ordering food.
Its sister property, the White Hart Hotel and Fat Badger pub, installed an outdoor beach earlier this month to celebrate hospitality venues being allowed to reopen. Simon Cotton, managing director of HRH Group, said:
“Since we opened two years ago, Scran has been at the heart of Harrogate’s dining and bar scene, but with our new fresh, contemporary look, we are excited to bring a new concept to our loyal and new customers.”
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Dean Sowden and Dario Silviera pictured outside the new restaurant.
The restaurant’s food will be in the hands of head chef Dean Sowden of the former Deano’s, with Harrogate’s barman of the year, Dario Silviera, managing the bar.
Simon added:
“Dean’s food has such a good local reputation that we are delighted he is heading up the kitchen of Scran, and with head barman, Dario at the cocktail helm we have the dream team!”
Screens have been placed around the bar and more space has been created between tables to allow for social distancing. It is recommended that customers pre book.
Harrogate fitness centre responds to craze for new sportA health and fitness centre in Harrogate has had plans approved to build more padel courts and changing facilities due to increased demand for the sport.
Harrogate Sports and Fitness Centre on Hookstone Wood Road offers a range of different facilities including a gym, squash courts, studios and therapy rooms. However, its padel courts are seeing particularly high demand.
The only courts of their kind in the region, they see people travel from Hull, Liverpool and Manchester to play. Padel, a racket sport described as being a mix between squash and tennis, is one of the fastest growing sports in the UK.
Since reopening the courts on July 4, the Harrogate centre has seen an increased demand from people wanting to use the facilities. The courts are currently booked from 7am until 10pm, seven days a week, until the end of August.
Planning approval has been granted for a new glass-enclosed padel court.
Plans to build another glass-enclosed court along with changing rooms and toilets have recently been approved. The addition will be funded by the centre, the Lawn Tennis Association and Sport England.
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James Gaston, general manager at Harrogate Sports and Fitness Centre, told the Stray Ferret that people of all ages come down to exercise:
“The whole point is to try and encourage people to play sports and make exercising cheap for communities. We try and make it so there’s something for everybody here from young people to older people. It’s like a big family.”
The sports centre also has a cafe which serves healthy food and drink.
Leo Campagna, a member at the club who is nearly 80 and plays squash most days of the week, told the Stray Ferret:
Saint Michael’s Hospice receives royal support for helpline service“I am nearly 80 and people my age have difficulty keeping fit. When you stop exercising you start to stiffen up and so you have to keep going. I am so glad to be able to play squash again. I come nearly every day of the week.”
A Harrogate charity which has been providing a helpline for NHS and care workers has been given a grant to extend its support to “blue light” emergency services.
Just ‘B’, one of the services offered by Saint Michael’s Hospice, has been providing support for people working on the frontline since April. The service provides bereavement, trauma and emotional wellbeing support to key workers, alongside national charity Hospice UK.
The Royal Foundation of The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge has granted nearly £1.8 million to charities to support the frontline community. The money will allow Saint Michael’s to extend its support to all emergency service workers for a further two years.
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Tony Collins, the Chief Executive of Saint Michael’s Hospice said:
“We are delighted to be able to extend this service to support our colleagues in the NHS, social care sector and emergency services. We know that they have been dealing with some of the most challenging situations imaginable.”
Just ‘B’ is made up of a team or trained and qualified volunteers and staff.
Speaking about the new grant, The Duchess of Cambridge said:
“Over recent months we have all been in awe of the incredible work that frontline staff and emergency responders have been doing in response to COVID-19, but we know that for many of them, their families, and for thousands of others across the UK, the pandemic will have a lasting impact on their mental health.”
The helpline is available to all ages and lines are open between 8am-8pm, seven days a week.
Travel agents in Harrogate advise against holidays in SpainTravel agents in Harrogate are advising people not to go to Spain in July or August.
Following a spike in the number of covid cases in Spain, the government announced UK citizens returning from the country would have to quarantine for 14 days.
This has prompted Langford Travel Services in Harrogate to urge people not to go to Spain this summer but instead book for next year on a low deposit.
Michael Langford, who owns the business, told the Stray Ferret:
“As a travel agent I am advising people not to go in July and August. You’ll be worried before you’ve booked it, once you’ve booked it and once you’re in the destination.”
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Peter Cookson, managing director of Spear Travels, Boroughbridge told the Stray Ferret:
“We are not selling any holidays to anywhere in mainland Spain or its islands because of the new Foreign & Commonwealth Office advice, the fact that most flights have been cancelled and no one can take the risk on their travel insurance.”
Number One Travel says it is up to customers to decide whether to go to Spain.
However, Keith Butterfield, owner of Number One Travel in Harrogate said it was for customers to decide whether to go to Spain.
Clap for Saint Michael’s Hospice who cared for friend’s “soul-mate”“It is very much dependent on the client. If they didn’t have to worry about going into quarantine then it’s their decision to go and we wouldn’t stop them booking. We would talk through the rules and make sure they were aware of the regulations.”
A Harrogate resident has organised an emotional tribute to her friend who was cared for in her final days by Saint Michael’s Hospice.
Anne Boland lost her “soul mate” Dora Storey this month. Dora was cared for by the home service palliative team at Harrogate-based charity Saint Michael’s.
To say thank you, Anne invited residents from her street to clap for the end of life team when the hearse carrying Dora passed by on Friday.
Both Anne and Dora worked in end of life care for over 25 years. Anne said:
“Dora knew how ill she was and wanted to die at home – she got her wish and for the last weeks of her life received the most wonderful care. We both felt the Saint Michael’s home care service was thoughtful, responsive and that the level of communication between services was extraordinary.
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Residents of Poplar Crescent as well as a member of the Saint Michael’s home team lined the street to applaud as the hearse drove past. Anne said:
Dig out your treasures: BBC’s Antiques Roadshow comes to Newby Hall“I invited the street to come and applaud as I wanted to be able to honour Dora and at the same time, draw attention to the wonderful teams who work in local palliative care.”
BBC One’s Antiques Roadshow has confirmed it will be returning this summer, with Newby Hall named as one of its 8 locations.
Viewers are being asked to contact the Roadshow team with any hidden gems and stories to tell. A form is available on their website where owners can fill out details of their objects.
For the first time in the show’s history, the series will be filmed on a closed set with only a small audience invited. This is to ensure the safety of guests, the production team and the wider public.
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Presenter Fiona Bruce has been at the forefront of Antiques Roadshow for 13 years.
“Normally we welcome around 5,000 people to each Antiques Roadshow, but of course in these extraordinary times we will have to do things very differently. We’ve come up with a new way to safely film the show yet still bring you amazing items and stories. I can’t wait to see what treasures you have hidden in your homes.”
The Roadshow normally sees around 5,000 visitors at each venue.
The show was first broadcast in 1979 and has since become one of the most popular programmes on BBC One, with around 6 million viewers tuning in every Sunday evening.
Robert Murphy, BBC Studios Series Editor said:
“To keep everybody safe and comply with current government and WHO regulations, we have planned our filming days very differently this year…Our team of experts are looking forward to seeing your heirlooms and finds, so do go to our website and let us know about your treasures.”
Some of the Roadshow’s most remarkable finds have included a hand written document signed by Elizabeth I and a ring containing a lock of author Charlotte Bronte’s hair.
If you have a hidden treasure you wish to uncover, share your story at www.bbc.co.uk/antiquesroadshow.
Newby Hall has been named as one of 8 venues for this summer’s series.