Ten new covid cases in the Harrogate district

There have been 10 new covid cases in the Harrogate district, according to data published by Public Health England. Yesterday the district recorded 15 cases – the highest number of daily infections since March. 

It brings the total number of people in the district who have tested positive to the virus since the pandemic began to 7,815.

The daily number of cases reported is now based on PCR and lateral flow tests returning positive results. However, if someone with a positive lateral flow test later has a negative result with a PCR test, the earlier result will be removed.

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The seven day average case rate of covid infections per 100,000 population in the Harrogate district is 28.6 (latest data June 3).

This is above the North Yorkshire average of 22.7

 

 

Harrogate author tells forgotten stories of women war heroes

A Harrogate academic has published a book detailing the escapades of a team of female special agents during the Second World War.

Author, academic and historian Dr Kate Vigurs documents the heroic acts of the renowned Special Operations Executive (SOE) in Mission France: The True History of the Women of SOE.

While a few of the 39 women involved are recognised as war heroes, many have been forgotten.  The ‘group biography’ tells each individual’s story.

Missions for these ordinary women-turned-agents involved parachuting into enemy lines, planting explosives, and fighting on the front lines. They were the only women in the Western Allies to bear arms during the entire war.

One such hero, Paris-born Noor Inayat Khan, was a poet, musician and writer. When the war came, she trained to become a wireless operator here in Harrogate and went on to be a notorious agent, evading the Gestapo for three years before her eventual capture in 1943.

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Dr Vigurs has been studying the Special Operations Executive for a number of years and wrote her PhD on the topic;

“I wanted to tell all 39 stories in one book as a sort of group biography; looking at their past lives, and the ways they interacted with each other. They were ordinary people who were taught to do extraordinary things. Many were housewives, thrust into a world of war.”

She has worked on a number of historical projects including writing television and stage scripts for historical adaptations and speaking on the national news.

She said she hopes to continue to study the SOE in the future and look into the lives of the many other agents who were a part of it.

The book has been praised by Military History and was also named book of the month by History Revealed. More about the novel can be found on Dr Vigurs’ website.

North Yorkshire Police advice to lock churches questioned

North Yorkshire Police has issued advice to church authorities to keep premises locked when unattended to deter theft.

The advice has been sent out in pamphlets to churches across the region and has been questioned by some who believe the premises should stay open throughout the day.

The full advice can be seen on the North Yorkshire Police website and also includes locking away any valuable items and chaining antique furniture to the floor and wall.

Churches have historically been open to the community at most times throughout the day for prayer and services. Most have been closed in the past year due to covid.

C B Newsham is the director of the Parish Church Photographic Survey and saw the police notice whilst taking photographs in a Harrogate church.

He expressed his dismay at the advice on Twitter;

https://twitter.com/cbnewham/status/1400102182716854273

He said;

“If a church is locked then it presents a more tempting target for a thief […] because a locked building says “I’m locked because I have valuables inside”. Most churches have very little worth stealing inside them – something easily seen if the church is open. If it’s locked, then a lot of damage can be done gaining access. Thousands of pounds-worth of damage with nothing stolen.”

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Reverend Robb Wainwright, associate Priest for Burton Leonard and Bishop Monkton, is in agreement;

“I am very much in favour of churches remaining open where it is practicable to do so. In many rural locations just organising a key holder and an opening rota may be a problem, especially in winter.”

North Yorkshire Police has not yet responded with comment on the issue.

 

Stray Gardener: Flavourful edible flowers

The Stray Gardener is written by Rudding Park’s Kitchen Gardener, Fiona Slight. Fiona has worked in horticulture for more than 30 years in the UK and abroad, and specialises in growing fruit and vegetables for fine dining. This month, Fiona’s been growing (and eating!) edible flowers – from nasturtiums and rosemary to sunflowers and dahlias. She also shares her top tips for what we should be doing in our gardens this June. 

 

The first flower I remember eating, was a nasturtium. I was around 9 or 10 years old and it was in my primary school garden. It was quite a good one to start with, as the strong peppery taste really packed a punch and left a massive impression on me, which was probably one of the reasons I have such an obsession with all things garden, flower and edible!

The use of flowers for culinary reasons goes back a long way. Even the Romans used flowers such as violets and roses in their cooking and you may find that you already have quite a lot of edible flowers in your garden already. If you grow herbs, then rosemary, dill, lavender, thyme, borage and basil are just a few that provide gorgeous flowers that you can use either as garnish or to add to the flavour of the dish. Chive flowers are particularly good for separating the petal segments and sprinkling over egg dishes or potato salad to give a hint of colour and a subtle chive taste.

Sweet William and Violas

Fruit trees also produce edible flowers. Apple blossom flowers can make fantastic jelly and if you have a huge amount of blossom it’s a great way to start thinning out your apples before they have been pollinated (although a little bit fiddly!). Vegetable wise, courgette flowers are very popular for savoury dishes, with the large flowers ideal to use for stuffing or as tempura. If your rocket or radish plants start to go to seed, hold off on pulling them out, as the flowers are equally tasty and a beautiful gentle peppery addition to salads or meat dishes.

If you grow bedding plants, these can be used too. Cornflowers, dahlias, sunflowers, sweet William and marigolds are all perfectly edible and taste even better if the petals are separated from the green part of the flower, which can be a little bitter to taste. Viola, (wild or garden grown) makes a fantastic ice cream or sorbet (you do need to pick quite a lot of flowers for this). Most petals can also be crystallised in sugar making a gorgeous tasty addition to the top of cakes and puddings. Pelargonium ‘Attar of Roses’ is especially good for this.

Pot Marigolds

When selecting the flowers you are going to use, avoid old, faded or dusty flowers and from areas that are well used by dog walkers. Watch out for insects, especially when picking early in the morning as they can use flowers as a hiding place over night. Either brushing over the flowers before picking or giving them a little shake once picked generally helps them to move on. It is a good idea to give them a gentle wash once picked. I generally put them in a sieve and hold them under the cold tap, giving the sieve a gentle shake now and again to move them around. I then rest them on clean kitchen towel to soak up the excess moisture before putting them in a sealed container in the fridge until I need them.

Remember to make sure you know exactly what the flower is you are eating, as some can be poisonous or cause irritation. If you are not sure, don’t eat it until you can get it properly identified.

The Stray Gardener’s Top Tips for June

  1. If you have bulbs naturalised in your lawns, these can now be cut down and tidied up.
  2. Get the hoe out regularly to keep weeds under control in your beds and borders. A dry, sunny day is best for this.
  3. If the weather starts to get dry, remember to check and water any trees and shrubs you planted earlier in the year to ensure they establish well.
  4. If you are growing carrots, now is the time to protect them from carrot root fly with fine mesh or fleece.
  5. If you haven’t already done so, it’s time to get your bedding plants, containers and hanging baskets outside and in position.

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Artisan market set to return to Boroughbridge

The Little Bird Artisan Market will be returning to Boroughbridge again this weekend for the second time since lockdown restrictions eased.

Tomorrow the market will sell food and drinks, arts and crafts and homemade gifts. Local live musicians will also be performing throughout the day.

The market of 35 stalls will be held at the Langthorpe Farm Shop with an outside bar. The event is pet-friendly and people are welcome to bring dogs.

The market is scheduled to take place from 10am until 3pm on the first Saturday of each month in Boroughbridge, with other dates at venues across North Yorkshire including Harrogate.

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The last market took place over the first May bank holiday weekend and was a success among locals.

The event was curated by Boroughbridge local Jackie Crozier, who said:

“I genuinely believe in shopping small, shopping within local communities and supporting small businesses to thrive. What better way to do this than supporting a local community outdoor market, with skilled vendors selling high quality goods.”

Project co-ordinator Izzy has advertised for local small businesses to get in touch on their Facebook page regarding taking a stall.

Survey shows rising concern about climate change in Harrogate

A survey by the Harrogate District Climate Change Coalition has revealed that over 80 percent of residents believe we need to take immediate action to tackle climate change.

The survey was opened to the public in February and had more than 800 responses from residents and local businesses.

Over half of respondents said that they are more concerned about climate change now than they were a year ago.

The coalition is made up of local environmental groups, businesses and Harrogate Borough councillors and said it was already acting on the survey’s findings.

Councillor Phil Ireland, cabinet member for Carbon Reduction and Sustainability within the Harrogate Borough Council, said;

“Even before the survey results came out, Harrogate Borough Council was committed to reviewing our current Carbon Reduction Plan and ensuring it will put council operations and the district on track to reach net zero emissions by 2038. This cross-cutting data-driven approach is currently being updated by officers and will be published later in the year.”

The survey comes after the coalition was criticised in the past year for not doing enough.  There were several high profile resignations including Harrogate and Knaresborough Liberal Democrat Leader Pat Marsh who said the coalition had been “plagued by inaction”.

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The survey asked what would encourage people to reduce their own carbon footprint, the most popular answers were cheaper rail fares and more regular public transport. Over 80 percent also believed that the UK government has had the most influence for limiting action on climate change, more so than individuals or other factors.

The survey was entirely anonymous. One resident wrote;

“Every year I see more extremes in weather and I live in the countryside so understand how this is impacting wildlife and the ability of the farming community to carry out its work.”

When asked what the main benefits of tackling climate change would be, the most popular answers were better air quality and preservation of the natural landscape.

Since the survey, the coalition has announced it will be running a Climate Action Festival in October of this year aimed at giving residents and businesses tips towards reducing carbon emissions. It is encouraging people who have views on the issue to sign up to speak at the event.

 

Harrogate cyclist prepares to pedal 300 miles in 24 hours

A cyclist from Harrogate is preparing to embark on a mammoth challenge this month to raise money in memory of his aunt.

Simon Gregory will attempt to cycle 288 miles in just 24 hours to raise £10,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support.

Simon’s aunt, Reverend Ruth Scott, died from cancer in February 2019.

She was a presenter on the BBC Radio 2 show Pause for Thought, along with Terry Wogan and Chris Evans for 25 years, and was one of the first female vicars.

Simon said he was inspired by his aunt’s charitable nature and her similar physical challenges; she once cycled from Rome to Jerusalem with little training.

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Last weekend Simon held a fundraiser in Harrogate and raised nearly £1,000 in one day.

He said of the money raised;

“It would cover specialist care nurses, and support for others whose loved ones have cancer. Macmillan provided my aunt and her husband huge support and we couldn’t have got through it without them.”

Macmillan’s funding has been cut drastically over the course of the pandemic, receiving £10 million less over the past year than in previous years.

His journey is mapped out from Harrogate to Southampton on June 18.  Besides his brother Paul, who plans to meet him at regular checkpoints, he will make the journey on his own.

Simon will have to cycle an average of almost 12.5 miles an hour for 24 hours to hit his target.

He has several strategies in place to ensure safety during his journey, including regular 10-minute intervals for drinking and a strict rule of consuming 75 grams of carbohydrates every hour.

Donations to Simon Gregory’s fundraiser can be made by clicking here.

Tickets go on sale for extended Great Yorkshire Show

Tickets went on sale today for the annual Great Yorkshire Show, which will be extended over 4 days in July.

The show, which is usually 3 days long, will take place this year on July 13-16 to allow for extra tickets to be sold despite a smaller capacity. It is one of the only events of its type to be taking place in Yorkshire this summer, with the majority being cancelled.

The event will take place at its usual site at the Great Yorkshire Showground, with more space being utilised to allow for social distancing measures.

The Yorkshire Agricultural Society, which runs the event, made the decision to sell only advanced tickets this year with none being sold at the gate, to allow for a controlled capacity.

There will be a limit of 25,000 visitors a day as opposed to its usual 40,000 a day average.

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The society has planned a number of changes to make the event safer for participants amidst Covid-19 regulations, such as required track and trace, changes to the layout and a one-way system in the food hall.

The showground’s grandstand will only allow 30 percent of its usual capacity to allow for social distancing.

The show will put a halt on the coronavirus vaccinations which have been taking place at the Yorkshire Event Centre on the showground since December.

The event comes after its first cancellation in 20 years last year due to the national lockdown. A number of virtual events took its place including farm tours and online workshops.

 

 

Six new covid cases in Harrogate district

There have been six new positive covid cases in the Harrogate district in the past 24 hours, according to data from Public Health England.

It brings the total number of cases since the pandemic began to 7,767 in the district.

The daily number of cases reported is now based on PCR and lateral flow tests returning positive results.

However, if someone with a positive lateral flow test later has a negative result with a PCR test, the earlier result will be removed.

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Harrogate’s seven day average case rate per 100,000 population has risen to 15.5 — now above the North Yorkshire average of 13.4 (latest data up to May 28).

Scarborough has the highest seven day average in the North Yorkshire county area – with a figure of 20.2, this, though, is well below the England average of 30.6.

 

 

 

Six new covid cases in the Harrogate district

There have been six new covid cases in the Harrogate district in the past 24 hours, according to data from Public Health England.

It brings the total number of people who have tested positive for coronavirus since the pandemic began to 7,760.

The daily number of cases reported is now based on PCR and lateral flow tests returning positive results.

However, if someone with a positive lateral flow test later has a negative result with a PCR test, the earlier result will be removed.

Read More: 

The seven day average rate of positive covid cases per 100,000 population is 13.1 in the Harrogate district (latest data up to May 26).

The North Yorkshire average is 13.3.