Knaresborough company expands into mortuary industry

Coronavirus has forced a Knaresborough manufacturer to adapt its trolleys and racks for use in morgues, rather than catering venues.

Craven & Co has been in operation for more than 60 years, with 80% of its products used in the catering and hospitality industries.

During lockdown many of these orders dropped off, but the company’s previous work making medical supplies meant that it won a vital NHS contract.

It was tasked with making frontline medical equipment for the Nightingale hospitals, including 12,500 IV stands, which were transported across the country.

Wez Dance, its director, said this came as a “godsend” that led to further NHS work. The new contract also encouraged Craven & Co to move into the mortuary industry as it had previously planned.

Its existing products such as racks and trolleys can be easily adapted for mortuaries.

Mr Dance suspected the high numbers of catering and hospitality orders they received pre-lockdown would never return and that diversifying was necessary.

He said:

“The world changed last March and the impact on the hospitality industry was a massive, massive hit for us. We knew we had to diversify and go into new markets to survive.”

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The company appointed a new sales manager, Trevor Russ, with previous experience in the mortuary industry to help with the expansion.

Mr Dance added:

“We are delighted to welcome Trevor at such an exciting time in Craven & Co’s story. Over 60 years, we’ve become known for our high-quality British-made products, quick turnaround, competitive pricing and great customer service, not to mention our bespoke solutions. We’re hoping these elements, combined with Trevor’s knowledge and expertise, will help us break into a niche market.”

Police appeal for help after Harrogate Co-op theft

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for help after a man stole alcohol and some Ariel detergent from a Harrogate Co-op.

The theft occurred on Friday at the Co-op service station on Ripon Road.

According to police, a number of bottles of alcohol and the detergent were taken.

Officers are appealing for information to identify the man in the CCTV images who they believe holds information that could help with their enquiries.

The police are asking anyone who recognises the man or has information on his whereabouts to get in touch.

You can call North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option two and ask for PC Ben Clarke.

Alternatively, email 000721@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk. The crime reference number is 12210085638.

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Skipton’s new music festival announces line-up

The new Gateways Festival is coming to Skipton in August and has released its final lineup including Razorlight and the Buzzcocks.

The event is set to be held in Aireville Park, Skipton, on August 6-8.

This evening the festival has announced the second wave of artists. These include the well-known band Buzzcocks, Andrew Cushin and King No-one.

Artists such as Razorlight, Feeder, Scouting for Girls and Lightning Seeds have already been announced.

Gateways Festival

Gateways Festival, which is being held in Skipton this year.

The weekend event is also hosting an outdoor cinema on Friday August 6. The choice of movies has been left up to the festival’s social media followers to vote on.

The festival was due to go ahead last year but was able to reschedule for this year with the same lineup.

The festival is branding itself as an event to be shared between families and friends with a funfair, street food, bar and stalls also planned.

An adult weekend ticket is £65 and a children’s weekend ticket is £35, plus booking fee.

To see the full line-up and buy tickets click here.

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Surgeon offers free breast reduction surgery to Harrogate mother

A Harley Street surgeon has offered a Harrogate mother breast reduction surgery for free if the money she raised goes to charity.

Kelly Michaud, from Harrogate, started fundraising for her breast reduction surgery last month after suffering with back and shoulder pain for years.

The 26 year old mother has 34H breasts. She has received unwanted attention from a young age and had to change several outfits to avoid “showing them off”.

After years of being rejected surgery on the NHS she decided, as a last resort, to go private.

To date Kelly has raised over £10,000 for the surgery after several media outlets, local and national, covered the story.

Since then, Dr Dan Marsh from a private Harley Street clinic has offered to complete the surgery for free with the money raised going to breast cancer charity.

A BBC article added that Mrs Michaud will be paying for some appointment and hospital fees totalling £2,500. The free operation is set to go ahead in September.

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Previously Mrs Michaud said the reduction would change her life in so many ways and allow her to play with her children without feeling pain.

She is also hoping to raise awareness on the issue and has started a petition for breast reductions to be more accessible to women.

Great Yorkshire Show still to go ahead after Ripley cancels

Organisers of the Great Yorkshire Show have said they are hopeful the event will still go ahead despite other large events being cancelled in the district.

Yorkshire Agricultural Society (YAS) has said it is continuing to plan for the event but will only go ahead “if it is safe to do so”.

The Great Yorkshire Show is planned for July 13-15.

This week, Ripley Show was cancelled. The event was due to take place on August 8 but organisers said it would be impossible to enforce social distancing reasonably.

To welcome its usual visitor numbers of over 100,000, the Great Yorkshire Show is reliant on a positive outcome from the government’s trial events in the coming months.

A spokesperson for the YAS said:

“The safety of show visitors, exhibitors and staff is paramount, and we are continuing to discuss how we deliver the most covid safe show possible.

“We await the outcome of the government’s pilot events in anticipation of further guidance on the staging of larger events after existing restrictions are lifted on June 21.”

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The organisers have not given a date for an official decision to be made but said it will be reviewed alongside government guidance.

The Yorkshire Agricultural Society has released similar comments previously suggesting that the show is under constant review. However, this has raised questions about the vaccination centre.

The showground, which can carry out up to 1,800 vaccinations a day, has been the Harrogate district’s main vaccine site since December.

A spokesperson for YAS said organisers were still in discussions with the NHS over the centre.

Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning and happy Friday – the weekend is here! It’s Suzannah with you for the final time this week giving you traffic updates every 15 minutes.

Brought to you by The HACS Group, this blog will let you know how the road and rail links are near you.

Make sure to keep in touch via social media or email us on contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Remember at 6.30pm on Monday road repairs will start along Leeds Road for a month. That means the roads from Beech Avenue, Harrogate, through to Princess Royal Way in Pannal will be closed.

I hope you have a lovely end to your week.

9am – Full Update 

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8.30am – Full Update 

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8.15am – Full Update 

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8am – Full Update 

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Works that have been taking place on the Harrogate line this week are due to finish today.

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7.45am – Full Update 

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Works that have been taking place on the Harrogate line this week are due to finish today.

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7.30am – Full Update 

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Works that have been taking place on the Harrogate line this week are due to finish today.

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7.15am – Full Update 

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Harlow Moor Road was closed yesterday at its junction with Otley Road due to roadworks. This forced traffic on to Valley Drive and Cold Bath Road. Get in touch if this is still in place today.

Traffic is building here:

Temporary lights in place:

Trains

Works that have been taking place on the Harrogate line this week are due to finish today.

Buses

7am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads continue to look clear so far this morning, no traffic hotspots yet.

Harlow Moor Road was closed yesterday at its junction with Otley Road due to roadworks. This forced traffic on to Valley Drive and Cold Bath Road. Get in touch if this is still in place today.

Temporary lights in place:

Trains

Works that have been taking place on the Harrogate line this week are due to finish today.

Buses

6.45am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads continue to look clear so far this morning, no traffic hotspots yet.

Harlow Moor Road was closed yesterday at its junction with Otley Road due to roadworks. This forced traffic on to Valley Drive and Cold Bath Road. Get in touch if this is still in place today.

Temporary lights in place:

Trains

Works that have been taking place on the Harrogate line this week are due to finish today.

Buses

6.30am – Full Update 

Roads

The roads are looking clear so far this morning, no traffic hotspots yet.

Harlow Moor Road was closed yesterday at its junction with Otley Road due to roadworks. This forced traffic on to Valley Drive and Cold Bath Road. Get in touch if this is still in place today.

Temporary lights in place:

Trains

Works that have been taking place on the Harrogate line this week are due to finish today.

Buses

 

Green Party attacks Knaresborough leisure centre plans

Harrogate and District Green Party has attacked “unforgivable” plans to build Knaresborough’s new leisure centre on a playing field popular with children and dog walkers.

Harrogate Borough Council, which is behind the plans for the new facility to replace the town’s existing swimming pool at Fysche Field, has begun drawing up designs after a survey showed just over 80% of respondents were in support of the site.

But some residents have criticised the consultation process and are mounting a campaign to protect the playing field next to the leisure centre from development.

They said the survey was poorly publicised and failed to attract enough responses – and now the Green Party has also accused the council of being “completely misleading” as it did not disclose the loss of green space during the consultation.

Shan Oakes, the party’s coordinator and former parliamentary candidate, said:

“This was either total incompetence from the council or them being disingenuous.

“The consultation should be null and void because the wording of the questions was completely misleading and only 471 people responded.”

Harrogate Borough Council previously defended the survey saying it was “well publicised” and that the comments submitted “will help shape the future of the facility”.

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A spokesperson also said the amount of green space that could be lost has not yet been determined and would be subject to approval of a planning application.

As part of the consultation held over December and January, the council-owned Knaresborough House, Hay-a-Park and Conyngham Hall were also considered as potential sites for the new leisure centre.

‘Precious green space’

There was also a privately-owned site at Halfpenny Lane, which Shan Oakes said had won the support of the Green Party before it was discounted by the council. She said:

“We were in favour of this site because it is brownfield and in the right location. Fysche Field, however, should not be touched as it is a precious green space used by so many.

“The pandemic has shown that green spaces are so vital for our mental health and keeping people connected – and it is unforgivable that the council would even think about taking this away.

“Their so-called green credentials are actually a greenwash and we will fight these plans every step of the way.”

A council spokesman said:

“Although the existing site in Knaresborough has been recommended, we are still in the early stages and no formal plans have been submitted. Once submitted they will be subject to the normal planning application process.

“The current venue is nearing 30 years old, is operating at capacity, only provides a swimming pool and has a number of on-going maintenance issues which are not resolvable without significant investment.

“Once completed, the new leisure centre will provide energy efficient, state-of-the art facilities that will encourage a healthier and more active lifestyle for our residents and something they can be proud of.”

If the plans are approved, the new leisure centre will include a new 25-metre pool, a 66-station gym and two studio spaces, and could be built by the end of 2023.

Friends raise £40,000 for Harrogate man’s life-saving cancer treatment

Friends and celebrities have rallied round to raise £40,000 in a matter of days to help a young Harrogate man fund life-saving medical treatment.

In April last year, James Hindmarsh was diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer called Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma. Friends and family assured him they’d stand by him all the way.

Since then James, 24, has undergone multiple rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.

However, this NHS treatment has not worked, which has spurred friends of James, who attended Ashville College, to start fundraising to pay for private treatment abroad.

Six of his best friends have pledged to complete a number of challenges, including running three marathons in three days, the Yorkshire three peaks and a ski tour. To donate click here.

James Hindmarsh friends and family

James with best friend Henry Bartle (left) and his mum and brother (right).

James’ work colleagues at financial services company the DSG Group have set up a Justgiving page, bringing the overall total raised so far to more than £40,000.

James’ cancer is particularly rare in young adults and finding a clinic that can help is proving difficult. However James and those around him are determined to keep going.

James is not currently receiving any treatment and is suffering physically but continues to stay mentally strong.

One of James’ best friends, Henry Bartle, who has known him since the pair went to primary school in Cundall, said:

“James is very, very funny. He’s just an all-round amazing guy. He’s been putting on a very brave face for the past year and just takes each day as it comes.

“He’s currently fighting each day and we want to give him the best chance of living.”

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The fundraising pages were only set up days ago and has generated a rapid response. A number of celebrities, including former football manager Harry Redknapp and journalist Piers Morgan have shared the fundraising page on social media or reached out to help.

Henry added:

“It’s just gone crazy, we never expected this.”

Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Happy Thursday everyone. I’m back again this morning to make sure you are up-to-date on the road and rail links near you.

The updates every 15 minutes, brought to you by The HACS Group, aim to keep the Harrogate district moving.

Remember, from Monday the roads will be closed for road repairs from Pannal to Beech Avenue in Harrogate. The closure is in place from 6.30pm to 11.30pm for a month. An eight mile diversion will be in place.

By all means get in touch and tell me what’s going on near you. Reach out on our social media or send an email to  contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

I hope you have a great day.

9am – Full Update 

That’s it from me today. Thank you for keeping me updated. I’ll be back at 6.30am tomorrow morning.

Traffic Hotspots:

Traffic is building here:

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Trains

Ongoing works are affecting the Harrogate line this week, they are due to finish on Friday.

Buses

8.45am – Full Update

Traffic Hotspots:

Traffic is building here:

Temporary lights in place:

Trains

Ongoing works are affecting the Harrogate line this week, they are due to finish on Friday.

Buses

8.30am – Full Update 

Traffic Hotspots:

Traffic is building here:

Temporary lights in place:

Trains

Ongoing works are affecting the Harrogate line this week, they are due to finish on Friday.

Buses

8.15am – Full Update 

Traffic is building here:

Temporary lights in place:

Trains

Ongoing works are affecting the Harrogate line this week, they are due to finish on Friday.

Buses

8am – Full Update 

Traffic is building here:

Temporary lights in place:

Trains

Ongoing works are affecting the Harrogate line this week, they are due to finish on Friday.

Buses

7.45am – Full Update 

Traffic is building here:

Temporary lights in place:

Trains

Ongoing works are affecting the Harrogate line this week, they are due to finish on Friday.

Buses

7.30am – Full Update 

Traffic is building here:

Temporary lights in place:

Trains

Ongoing works are affecting the Harrogate line this week, they are due to finish on Friday.

Buses

7.15am – Full Update

Traffic is building here:

Temporary lights in place:

Trains

Ongoing works are affecting the Harrogate line this week, they are due to finish on Friday.

Buses

7am – Full Update 

Traffic is building here:

Temporary lights in place:

Trains

Ongoing works are affecting the Harrogate line this week, they are due to finish on Friday.

Buses

6.45am – Full Update 

Traffic is building here:

Temporary lights in place:

Trains

Ongoing works are affecting the Harrogate line this week, they are due to finish on Friday.

Buses

6.30am – Full Update

Traffic is looking clear so far this morning, no traffic hotspots to report yet.

Temporary lights in place:

Trains

Ongoing works are affecting the Harrogate line this week, they are due to finish on Friday.

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Harrogate Neighbours walk 36 miles for Alzheimer’s Society

Care charity Harrogate Neighbours has hosted a walk and talk memory walk to raise money for the Alzheimer’s Society.

Tenants, staff, relatives and friends of Harrogate Neighbours, which provides housing and meals for older people, took part in the walk on Saturday.

The walkers, who ranged in age from 18 months to 95 years, completed a combined 36 miles by performing 144 laps of The Cuttings, which is an extra care housing scheme run by Harrogate Neighbours.

Nearly half of Harrogate Neighbours’ tenants and residents live with Alzheimer’s, which is why the event was held in support of Alzheimer’s Society.

The walk encouraged those suffering with social isolation to talk to others.

Sue Cawthray, chief executive of Harrogate Neighbours, said:

“We’ve only recently been allowed to welcome children outdoors on site, so it was wonderful to see the smiles and interaction of the tenants.

“Running an event like this is a great way to support not only a charity close to all of our hearts, but the wellbeing of our residents, tenants and staff by bringing everyone together to walk and talk in a covid-safe way.”

The group reached 36 miles on Saturday and ranged in age from 18 months to 95 years.

Further donations are expected to come in this week. To support the organisation click here.

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