Plans have been published showing how the ground floor of Knaresborough’s new museum could look.

The Knaresborough Museum Association has been campaigning for months to establish a new museum in the town’s former Castle Girls’ School.

The association has applied for planning permission to use the building and is now fundraising to make the project a reality by the end of the year.

A crowdfunding campaign has so far raised £3,300 towards its £35,000 target,

The newly revealed plans include a reception and shop, permanent and temporary display areas, an education space, toilets and wheelchair access.

The indicative plans for the ground floor. Illustration: Caroline Miekina

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Archeology, geology and social history will be at the heart of the new museum.

The association has sent questionnaires to local people who lived in the 1930s, 40s and 50s so their stories can be recorded.

The town’s population is said to have doubled during World War Two as evacuees, military personnel and prisoners of war based at Scriven Hall camp arrived.

The museum will illustrate how Knaresborough was home to dinosaurs such as Ankylosaurus during the Carboniferous period over 300 million years ago.

It will also show how Nidd Gorge has changed from the Carboniferous period through the Permian period when the sea covered much of the region to the Ice Age when the River Nidd was re-routed and carved the gorge we see today.

The association already has exhibits and display material from its previous pop-up museums, which showcased the story of Knaresborough from prehistoric times to the present day.

These new visuals indicate key areas the association wants to develop, including new displays on the Trinitarian Priory.

To support the museum project, click here.

North Yorkshire Police has urged motorists to ensure their cars are secure after a spate of thefts in Harrogate during the last week.

Five cars in the Rossett area were broken into over two nights.

According to police, the cars were broken into despite being locked and no damage occurred to them.

Cash, sunglasses, a handbag and jewellery were amongst the stolen items.

Police said high-value vehicles such as BMWs and Audis have been particularly targeted. Enquiries into the thefts are ongoing.

Three cars were entered on Thursday night last week in Rossett.

A handbag containing numerous items, including bank cards was stolen from inside one. Jewellery and coins were taken from another. Nothing was stolen and no damage was caused to a third, but items had been moved around.

Two more cars in the area were targeted on Friday night. An iPod was stolen from one and cash was taken from the other.

Kent Road thefts

Earlier last week, sunglasses and cash were stolen from cars parked at houses in the Kent Road area between Sunday and Wednesday.

The Woodlands area of Harrogate was also affected when a car was broken into on Wednesday or Thursday last week. Items were moved about but nothing is believed to have been stolen.

A similar report was received from a car parked in The Oval. Sunglasses and a few other items were reported stolen on Wednesday or Thursday.

Anyone with information can phone North Yorkshire Police on 101, quoting reference number 12210034761. To remain anonymous, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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The police have issued the following advice:

• Make sure the vehicle is locked and windows are closed, even for short stops.
• Use your garage or park in well-lit, well-populated and overlooked areas.
• Remove all valuables, even bags, jackets, cases and toys have a value to thief.
• Remove loose change from view. Its presence may tip the scales in any decision on whether to attempt to break in.
• Remove electronics such as sat-navs as well as any holders or chargers. If they have left suction cup marks wipe these clear, any evidence could encourage a thief to look further.
• Keep your vehicle tidy. Clutter in the foot wells or envelopes left on seats could make a thief feel it’s worth a look.
• Keep ID badges on your person. Criminals know that they may be with electronic passes to buildings.

A teenager from Harrogate is raising £3000 for the British Exploring Society so she can go on a three week expedition to the Canadian Yukon.

Ellie Bestington has a passion for the natural world and hopes to one day to find a career that helps protect it.

Not only will this trip push her out of her comfort zone, mentally and physically, Ellie will also be working side-by-side with experts.

The Canadian Yukon is a wild territory in northwest Canada. The 17 year old will be hiking up mountains, sleeping in a tent and digging her own toilet!

Ellie is hoping to get valuable experience from this educational trip and will be making media projects as she goes.

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Ellie has to cover the costs of her flights and kit. The £3000 is money for the British Exploring Society to continue offering these trips for young people.

Ellie said:

“I wanted to push myself in a harsh environment, it’ll be good to see how I may be tested. I will be learning and helping experts understand more about the area. In the future I want to help find ways to manage climate change but I need to know how and why it’s happened first so I want to fully immerse myself.”

Ellie with her dad, Simon, enjoying one of their favourite hobbies together, walking.

To help raise the funds Ellie and her dad, Simon Bestington, will attempt the three Yorkshire Peaks in the summer wearing pink tutus. Ellie is determined to get to Canada and says her dad will do all he can to help her raise the money, even if it does mean a pink tutu is involved.

The British Exploring Society is a youth development charity which offers young people the opportunity to challenge themselves in new environments.

To support Ellie’s fundraiser, click here.

A teaching assistant from Harrogate is releasing an original song in two weeks and hopes he will get a record contract.

Sam McKenzie, is a special needs teaching assistant at Rossett School with dreams of succeeding in music. His first single is called Souls Collide and will be released on February 2.

The 22 year old decided to pursue his talent four years ago after joining local dramatic society, Harrogate Phoenix Players. He found that he loved to sing and perform and began working on his voice.

After a few years of recording covers and posting them to Youtube his parents paid for him to have a recording session in Wetherby for his birthday. From that session the producer offered to help him record three singles under his record company, EBA records.

He said he wants to show his students that if you have a dream it can be achieved with hard work.

Mr McKenzie’s producer has set him a target of 500 downloads across his three singles with the prize being a record contract.

He says the song will resonate with people who may be missing loved ones during the pandemic.

Mr McKenzie has been overwhelmed by the support of his friends and family, who are yet to hear the full song. He hopes his music will encourage people “to stop and think”.

He added:

“I’ve always loved singing but when my record producer said I had talent it meant so much.

“This is the first project that I’ve been really proud of and I hope everyone loves the song.”

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The money raised from the downloads of his first single will be donated to two local causes. Half will go to Rossett School’s SEND department and the other to Harrogate Phoenix Players.

Mr McKenzie said both causes have supported him throughout his musical journey and pushed him to keep going.

His two further singles are yet to be recorded, Mr McKenzie says he will be back in the recording studio as soon as restrictions allow.

To hear a preview of the single, you can find Sam’s Youtube channel here.

A Harrogate man, who set up a charity to honour his son who took his life, held an event today to encourage businesses to improve workplace wellbeing.

Steve Phillip founded The Jordan Legacy to improve people’s wellbeing and the support available to them.

Mr Phillip and other family members hope the charity will provide support for people in their darkest times.

Jordan was 34 when he took his life in December 2019. Since then, his family, friends and partner have been determined to remember him and “live by his values”.

Mr Phillip described his son as “very considerate, a lot of fun and always the first there if you had a problem”. He said he knew he wanted to do more to help others.

Jordan Phillip

Today, the charity held an event to promote the #HopeForLifeUK Day it plans to hold on December 4 this year.

That date will be the second anniversary of Jordan’s death and the aim is to bring people together to discuss suicide prevention.

The charity works with businesses to encourage workplace wellbeing and mental health training and to ensure they have people and facilities in place to support staff.

It also works to bring community organisations together to discuss suicide openly and plan how it can be prevented.

Those attending today’s online event were asked to make a contribution; this may be to read a book on mental health, train as a mental health first-aider or fundraise for the charity. Whatever it is, the charity asks it be promoted using the #HopeForLifeUK Day. Mr Phillip said:

“Today is all about getting businesses, people and organisations involved to discuss suicide prevention and to put practical action in place to help people with their mental health.”

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Mr Phillip began working for the charity full-time eight weeks ago after previously being employed as a social media and LinkedIn consultant. He was also the vice president of Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce until 2016.

Mr Phillip said lockdown is having a huge impact on people’s wellbeing and he hopes to continue promoting the charity and the work it does to ensure people feel supported.

The charity’s website also has a number of resources available for people.

When Ron and Beryl Golightly married in 1941, the Second World War was raging and Winston Churchill was Prime Minister.

Eighty years on they are still together and have two daughters, six grandchildren and 11 great and great great grandchildren.

Ron and Beryl married at St Andrew’s Church in Starbeck on January 8 1941, during Ron’s active service as a member of the Grenadier Guards Armoured Division. They still live in Starbeck.

Mrs Golightly described the key to a long and happy marriage as “give and take”. She added:

“We fell in love very young and are still in love in our old age.”

Their big day didn’t go entirely to plan. Ron was forced to apply for a special marriage licence as his army leave was cancelled twice due to the war.

They were left with no best man, so a passer-by had to step in. Luckily he happened to be one of Ron’s friends.

The pair later welcomed two daughters, Margaret in 1942 and Sue in 1945.

Ron and Beryl with their daughters Margaret and Sue in the 1950s.

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The keen Harrogate Town fan spent his time working as an HGV driver when he wasn’t in the crowd at Wetherby Road on match days.

Ron celebrated his 100th birthday in March last year. Unfortunately, the pandemic meant the planned party had to be cancelled. Instead friends and neighbours stood in the street to sing Happy Birthday.

Ron aged 17 in his uniform (left) and celebrating his 100th birthday indoors (right).

Beryl, 98, worked as a shop assistant in Harrogate and was an active volunteer for St John Ambulance. She was the first person in Harrogate to teach first aid in schools.

Beryl received a St John Ambulance award after saving a woman who had collapsed and stopped breathing in Harrogate Conference Centre.

Their celebration was marked by a card from the Queen, the pair’s fourth having already being sent cards for their 70th and 75th anniversaries and Ron’s 100th birthday.

The 80th year of marriage is traditionally marked by oak gifts. The couple received an oak heart crafted by one of their son-in-laws and a wooden bowl with a ha’penny bit dating from 1941.

Two young men from Bilton have set up a Facebook group for local residents to encourage community spirit and conversation.

Tyler Reeton, 19, and Ben Rothery, 21, both live in Bilton. They set up the ‘Bilton Community Group’ Facebook group in December.

It already has 1,300 members posting daily messages about local issues.

The pair felt Bilton lacked a platform focused solely on the area and hope their initiative brings back some of the spirit they say has been lost since the cancellation of the annual Bilton Gala and the ongoing impact of the pandemic.

Mr Reeton said he also hoped the group would encourage young people to come forward and play a more active part in the community.

The group’s plans include setting up a newsletter and arranging community events. Mr Reeton said:

“We wanted to bring the community together. We wanted to expand on the community spirit and give people somewhere to go during these dark times.”

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On Wednesdays and Fridays the page allows local businesses to advertise for free. The founders hope this will encourage people to support local enterprises.

Mr Reeton and Mr Rothery have also made contact with the borough and county councillors representing the Bilton ward. They hope the group can improve communications between residents and councillors.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue has warned of the dangers of not checking chimneys after its crews attended two chimney fires in villages close to Ripon within hours yesterday.

Ripon firefighters were called to Sawley just before 3.30pm yesterday and then to Marton-le-Moor shortly after 6.30pm.

The Marton-le-Moor fire was caused by a beehive blocking smoke in the chimney. The cause of the fire in Sawley is unknown.

A North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said they had heard of birds nests causing fires in chimneys but never beehives.

Both fires were confined to the chimneys and left no external damage.

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The homeowners were advised to get their chimneys checked following the incidents in case the heat damaged the chimney stacks.

The spokesperson urged residents to clean their chimneys regularly to clear obstructions, such as nests and leaves and to remove the build-up of soot.

It said chimneys for smokeless fuels should be swept once a year; chimneys for fires that burn wood and bituminous coal should be swept twice a year.

Two men have been arrested today after a man was robbed at knifepoint in Ripon yesterday.

North Yorkshire Police said the victim was walking on Bondgate at about 5.30pm yesterday when four men approached and threatened him with a knife.

They stole his belongings and then followed him home and forced him to let them in. Once inside, the four robbers stole a number of other items then escaped down Aismunderby Road.

Police said a 20-year-old man from Ripon and a 19-year-old from Harrogate were arrested by police at about 10am today in connection with the robbery.

Both men are currently in police custody.

Police are asking anyone who witnessed the incident or has information that could help with the investigation to call 101 and quote reference number 12210027815.

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A series of overnight closures, beginning this month, will affect motorists using junction 47 of the A1 (M).

A £7.7m North Yorkshire County Council project to upgrade the junction, near Flaxby, began in September and is due to continue until autumn.

Slip roads from the A1 (M) will be closed for four weeks from 8pm to 6am Mondays to Fridays, beginning on January 25.

The council, which gave the update today, said not all slip roads will be affected at the same time.

The upgrade will ease congestion, improve road safety and support the development of local towns, such as Harrogate and Knaresborough.

The council said the number of housing developments in the area also increased the need for these works to improve connections across the county.

Three of the roundabout’s four slip roads will be widened to increase capacity and traffic lights will be installed.

Following completion of this work, the upgrading of the A59/A168 slip road will necessitate a full closure of the slip road.

This could be in place for up to 16 weeks, but the council said “every effort will be made to minimise the duration of the work”.

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County Councillor Don Mackenzie, executive member for access and member for Harrogate Saltergate, said:

“At busy times, congestion is an issue at this junction, particularly for traffic coming off the southbound carriageway of the A1.

“We understand that the closures will cause inconvenience and necessitate significant diversions for some drivers. Our contractor will do everything they can to ensure closures are as short as possible.

“We apologise for the disruption and thank drivers in advance for their patience during what will be short-term inconvenience for long-term improvement to traffic flow.”

The £7.7 million project has received £2.47 million of funding from the governments’s Local Growth Fund, plus contributions from the county council, Highways England and Harrogate-based developer Forward Investment LLP.