Investigation into contaminated soil dumping in SharowThe Environment Agency (EA) is investigating contractors who dumped contaminated material on an ancient lane in Sharow near Ripon.
Approximately 100 cubic metres of soil and debris soaked with domestic heating oil, remains in Back Lane at its junction with New Road.
David and Lynda Lees, who are in their seventies, were the victims of botched clearance work after a 25-year-old plastic storage tank developed a leak that saturated their back garden.
David Lees
Mr Lees, who worked for many years in the construction industry before his retirement, told the Stray Ferret:
“The contractors were appointed by our insurance company, after we put in a claim.
“Following the work in our back garden I realised what had been done with the soil and other material that had been cleared.
“I did everything I could to get the mess sorted out, making phone calls and sending numerous emails, but felt I was getting nowhere.”
Mr and Mrs Lees have received powerful support from fellow villagers, including James Thornborough, an international expert in oil spills on land and water and Simon Warwick, director of the Lower Ure Conservation Trust, who has advised some of the world’s leading oil companies.
Between them, the two men with their specialist knowledge, contacted all relevant bodies, from the EA to Sharow Parish Council and their intervention brought action.
Mr Thornborough said:
“Because of its pervasive nature, all oil spillages need to be taken seriously and handled carefully, particularly in a situation like this, when a large quantity of heating oil has seeped over time into soil.
“The subsequent dumping of this contaminated material on a public thoroughfare that has been in use since medieval times, is unforgiveable.”
“Back Lane is open to the public who, by simply walking along it, can unwittingly spread the contamination to other parts of the village, their own homes and anywhere else they go.”
Mr Warwick, who received an MBE for his outstanding work as a conservationist, added:
“The consequences of this dumping and piling up against a heritage hedgerow are serious for birds, mammals and other land-based creatures, as well as aquatic animals.
“I have seen that oil has been washed into water courses via the rainwater drains and this will ultimately affect aquatic animals and the food chain.”
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A spokesman for the Environment Agency said it had responded swiftly:
“The soils should not have been left in the lane and we are investigating to determine if any environmental offences have been committed.
“We are also seeking assurances from the company responsible that the soils will be removed as soon as possible and any subsequent remediation work that may be required is carried out quickly.”
Covid vaccines begin at Ripon racecourseA steady stream of cars and taxis made their way through the gates of the newly-opened covid vaccination centre at Ripon racecourse this afternoon.
Early morning snow delayed the planned 8.30am opening but by 1.30pm, with a thaw set in and roads cleared, the first vaccination had taken place.
A team of doctors, support staff and marshals — some of them volunteers — were on hand to guide, reassure and assist those who came for their jab.
The centre is located in the Wakeman Bar, where punters normally celebrate winners or commiserate over losses.
Outside Ripon racecourse, where covid vaccinations started today.
It has been temporarily transformed into a smoothly-operating medical centre that can cater for up to 600 people a day.
The number was reduced today because of the lost hours this morning, but the weather forecast for tomorrow bodes well for a full day of vaccinations starting at 8.30am.
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Attendance is by appointment only.
The opening of a dedicated covid vaccination centre in Ripon comes just days after Ripon City Council offered the NHS facilities at the Hugh Ripley Hall in Skellbank for use in vaccinating local people.
Ripon is among a number of racecourses around the UK to make its facilities available so that the vaccination programme can be stepped up.
Ripon gets sneak peek of ‘magic roundabouts’ idea
People in Ripon are being given an early taste of how illuminated trees could help to attract more visitors to the city.
Ripon City Council announced plans last week to create five lit-up ‘magic roundabouts’ on the bypass.
The lights could turn red on Valentine’s Day, green on St Patrick’s Day and red, white and blue for national celebrations, such as the Queen’s birthday.
Roundabouts on the stretch of bypass from the McDonald’s restaurant on Harrogate Road to the junction with Dishforth Road have been targeted for the scheme.
With this in mind, the council has kept festive lights from Christmas in place at two locations on Bedern Bank.
Trees on one of the roundabouts, which is a key gateway to Ripon Cathedral, are lit with white lights.
Nearby, a tree outside Ripon Community Hospital has golden lights in it.
The seasonal lighting is similar to that which illuminates trees along sections of Harrogate’s Stray.
Ripon City Council leader Andrew Williams told the Stray Ferret:
“This is a way of making Ripon more attractive for residents at this rather gloomy time.
“As the vaccination programme continues and the covid lockdown eventually lifts, we hope that lighting, both in the city and along the bypass, will help to attract the visitor and tourist trade that is essential to Ripon’s economy.”
The city council voted unanimously to support plans which, if approved by highways authority North Yorkshire County Council, will see lighting that can change colour according to the occasion, installed on trees on bypass roundabouts.
One of the Ripon bypass roundabouts that could be lit up.
The council, which has an underspend available from its 2020-2021 budget, agreed to allocate £10,000 towards the bypass scheme.
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Ripon City Council spent an additional £65,000 on the city’s Christmas lights – diverting money from its events budget to pay for the scheme.
That funding became available because the money could not be spent on a series of community and civic events — such as celebration of the 75th anniversary of VE Day — due to covid.
Why it’s hard to tell the time of day in RiponDo people who live in Ripon know the time of day? Not if they have to rely on two civic timepieces that have been serving the city for decades.
Ripon City Council leader Andrew Williams reported that the four-faced Victoria jubilee clock at the junction of Palace Road, North Street and Princess Road can be seen up to 22 minutes slow and also running fast from time to time.
He was not attempting a wind up and has asked for the workings of the clock to be looked into.
The Grade II Listed Building was built by the then Municipal Borough of the West Riding of Yorkshire in 1897, to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.
The building passed into the ownership of Harrogate Borough Council with the reorganisation of local government in 1974.
Closer to home for city councillors, the Ripon Town Hall clock also appears in need of some timely maintenance.
By way of research, the Stray Ferret found the Town Hall Clock a good three minutes fast.
The Town Hall timepiece
Meanwhile at the city’s monumental timepiece, Queen Victoria would not have been amused with her clock a full three minutes slow.
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While the city’s civic clocks perform in erratic fashion, the one at Ripon Cathedral ticks all the boxes, with its quarterly and hourly chimes.
With the hands on the Town Hall and Victoria Clock’s four faces continuing to move in mysterious ways, Ripon’s residents need only look at the tower on the western frontage of the cathedral for the accuracy they seek if they want to arrive on time at work, school and appointments.
Here they will see that the clerical clock is a match for any hand-held digital device.
Ripon food poverty pioneer receives rare national awardRipon PE teacher Helen Mackenzie has received the British Citizen Award for outstanding work tackling food poverty and encouraging sport.
Ms Mackenzie, who works at Ripon Grammar School, overcame breast cancer after being diagnosed 11 years ago.
She is among a select group of 27 adults across the UK to be honoured with the award this year.
The British Citizen Awards are held twice a year to recognise individuals doing extraordinary work in their local community.
In November 2019, Ms Mackenzie and her friend Sarita McDermott, who owns the Realitea Cafe in North Street, Ripon set up the food charity Back to Basics.
Ms Mackenzie told the Stray Ferret:
“The idea is that we provide families who are struggling — usually those with kids on free school meals — with the ingredients for a delicious nutritious meal.”
A typical weekly Back to Basics food donation, which is given to families along with a recipe card.
She added:
“We are not a soup kitchen so we don’t provide the meal for them — we expect them to get ‘back to basics’ and cook with their family.”
Netball for all
Ms Mackenzie and Ms McDermott fundraise for the charity and have secured financial support from local businesses, as well as donations of goods from individuals.
This enables them to provide families with everything they need, from food ingredients to recipe cards, designed to help parents and children to work together in creating the meals.
In addition to her Back to Basics charity, Ms Mackenzie is also well-known in Ripon for encouraging sport.
She vowed to make competitive sport, which is normally the preserve of the ultra-fit and young, accessible to all after overcoming an aggressive form of stage three breast cancer.
In 2015 she started Ripon City Netball Club, which attracts not only girls but also seniors and people with varying levels of mobility, ability and sporting prowess.
Many mums — including Ms Mackenzie — play alongside their daughters. Nearly 100 people now take part.
‘Remarkable and inspirational’
Alec Lutton, who set up the first Ripon food bank, nominated Ms Mackenzie for the British Citizen Award.
He said:
“She is a remarkable and inspirational person with a can-do attitude and a determination to do help others in need of assistance or encouragement.”
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The nomination was supported by Ripon councillor and three-time former city mayor Pauline McHardy, who has known Ms Mackenzie for many years,
She said:
“Helen is the salt of the earth and her contribution to the community in Ripon is absolutely immense.”
Today her bespoke BCA medal with the inscription ‘For the Good of the Country’ was delivered by special courier to her Ripon home.
Ms Mackenzie and her husband, John, have two grown-up daughters, Laura and Amy, and from now on, she can call herself Helen Mackenzie BCA.
Ripon Cathedral’s 500-year-old font set to be repaired and movedA 15th century font in Ripon Cathedral is set to be moved for the first time since 1722 to a more prominent spot.
The font, made of blue-grey English limestone, is currently located towards the western end of the south aisle.
The cathedral has applied to Harrogate Borough Council for planning permission to relocate the font to the western end of the nave, where it will be visible on entry from any of the west doors.
The minster also wants to fit the font into a new two-step stone plinth with bronze handrail and decorative polished marble finish.
The font, which is believed to date back to the mid-to-late 1400s, survived the Reformation although it is thought to have been damaged during the later English Civil War.
There is a record of the font being repaired by stonemason Henry Lawson for 10 shillings and six pence (52.5p in today’s currency) in 1662.
The proposed extension of Ripon Cathedral, as seen in this artist’s impression, is one of the main reasons for relocating the font.
It was last moved in 1772 when its current stepped base was constructed.
The proposed move is partly due to the planned extension of the cathedral which, if approved, will require the creation of a new entrance to the ancient building.
A document produced by York archaeologists FAS Heritage says:
“A feasibility study is being undertaken as part of the Ripon Cathedral Renewed project, to explore the possibility of providing a new access through the south aisle south wall of the church. The font is situated within the bay of the proposed access.”
Besides moving the font, the planning application sets out plans to carry out structural repairs on the item.
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It also proposes using York stone pavers to the south nave aisle to replace the font plinth, in keeping with the surrounding York stone paving.
The cathedral has a second 12th century font at the altar in St Peter’s Chapel.
Meet four more sparkling Ripon Community Diamond entriesSeventeen people have been nominated so far by Stray Ferret readers for our Ripon Community Diamond award, which recognises outstanding service to the community.
Nominations close at the end of January and the independent judges already have a very high calibre list of nominees to choose from.
This week we have been revealing the nominees and today we look at four more.
As well as the honour of being named as the city’s community diamond, the award includes a fabulous prize worth up to £1,000, donated by Red Buttons Jewellers and Hedley Hall.
Red Buttons, which shares The Vintage Room premises in Queen Street, Ripon, with Mr Hall and his antiques, collectables and vintage models business, will create, for the winner, a customised piece of jewellery, featuring the diamond in a gold or white gold setting.
Caroline Bentham
Caroline is the former owner of the café in Spa Gardens and is involved in numerous community activities, helping people of all ages and supporting the environment.
Nominator Eleanor Hartas, said:
“She has been involved in community activity for many years, including being a Girl Guide leader. Caroline is also on the Friends of Spa Gardens committee, where she has organised free children’s activities and a winter wonderland.
“Caroline set up a scrap fund, which has raised thousands of pounds for the local community and helped set up the Ripon Man Shed to help combat male isolation.”
Helen Slater
Helen is the owner of the Cathedral View Café on Bedern Bank and has shown a kind and caring attitude to homeless people and the elderly.
Her name was put forward by Sara Halliday, who said that Helen is:
“Completely selfless, bringing many smiles to the people she serves in her café, or those she helps on the street. A couple who had been made homeless, were resting on a bench near her café and Helen gave them sandwiches and drinks each day.
“She has also looks after her elderly neighbours and is a truly fantastic warm-spirited human being.”
Helen Mackenzie
Helen is a teacher at Ripon Grammar School and as well as being head coach for Ripon City Netball Club, she found time to work with her friend Sarita McDermott at the Realitea Café to create the Back to Basics charity, which helps to feed children and families.
Nominator Juliet Searle, said:
“Helen has such motivation, by thinking just that little bit further with her Back to Basics charity. What really struck me, was that she isn’t just giving these families food on a plate – it’s all about education and fun.
“She and Sarita provide the basic ingredients for the families to help them create a meal. Helen is busy with her family, but still dedicates her time and effort for others who are struggling.”
Jess Ward
Jess created an organisation called inspire Youth, which provides a range of activities to support and encourage young people in Ripon and across the Harrogate district.
Nominator June Hewson, said:
“When all of the funding was cut in the youth sector, Jess didn’t want children to miss out on the true help they need, so decided to set up Inspire Youth.
“At this strange time, when young people need more help than ever, Jess, in her selfless way, travels from town to town in the Inspire Youth van, to meet children and provide them with encouragement and support.”
Ripon bids to create ‘magic roundabouts’ to attract visitorsRipon City Council has devised plans to create a series of brightly-lit ‘magic roundabouts’ to attract more visitors.
Under the proposals, lighting that can change colour according to the occasion will be installed on trees on five roundabouts on Ripon bypass.
The lights could, for example, turn red on Valentine’s Day, green on St Patrick’s Day and red, white and blue for national celebrations, such as the Queen’s birthday.
Roundabouts on the stretch of bypass from the McDonald’s restaurant on Harrogate Road to the junction with Dishforth Road have been targeted for the scheme.
Council leader Andrew Williams, whose idea received unanimous support at a virtual full council meeting this week. told the Stray Ferret:
“We don’t want passing motorists to miss out on the attractions of Ripon and this offers a magical way of encouraging them to come and stay awhile amid the city’s ancient charms – as we say on our boundary sign.”
One of the roundabouts that could be lit up through the new scheme.
The council, which has an underspend available from its 2020-2021 budget, agreed to allocate £10,000 towards the bypass scheme.
North Yorkshire County Council is responsible for roads and street lighting so it has to approve the idea.
Ripon City Council spent an additional £65,000 on the city’s Christmas lights – diverting money from its events budget to pay for the scheme.
That funding, which was criticised by some on social media, became available because the money could not be spent on a series of community and civic events — such as celebration of the 75th anniversary of VE Day — due to covid.
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Cllr Williams added:
“In the run-up to Christmas, workmen from North Yorkshire County Council did a fantastic job putting up our festive lighting.
“The adaptations they made to the lamp posts will stand us in good stead for the future.”
“We may also be able to receive financial support from businesses located close to the bypass – such as Marks & Spencer on Rotary Way.”
Councillor Stuart Martin “fully supported” the roundabouts idea. He added:
“You can imagine the lit-up trees on the roundabouts featuring in special celebrations for the Queen and to promote events in Ripon.”
Argos returns to RiponA year after Argos closed its doors on the Marshall Way retail park in Ripon, it is to re-open in the city centre.
The former café in Sainsbury’s, which shut last year, is being transformed in readiness for the relocation.
Signs at the supermarket say Argos will be opening in March – 12 months after the first covid lockdown saw the last customers served in the Marshall Way premises.
The former Argos standalone store in Marshall Way, Ripon
Ripon is following a strategy adopted by the company in towns and cities across the UK, including Harrogate, where standalone stores have been closed and moved to share floorspace within Sainsbury’s supermarkets.
A spokesperson for Argos confirmed the company’s employees, who previously worked at Marshall Way and were temporarily redeployed to other parts of the business, will be employed at the new Ripon store.
The spokesperson added:
“We announced last year that any standalone Argos store which has not reopened since March will remain closed permanently.
“We have also shared plans to open 350 more Argos stores in Sainsbury’s and Argos collection points in supermarkets and convenience stores by March 2024.
Last June, following the first lockdown, the catalogue company re-opened 145 standalone stores across the UK – but Ripon was not among them.
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In a statement at the time, Argos chief executive Simon Roberts said:
“Our business has changed enormously.
“We want to be very careful as we move to the next phase.”
Food Bank volunteer, councillor and Salvation Army officer all nominated for diamond prizeIn the second of our stories about nominees for the Ripon Community Diamond Award, we look at a further three nominees, whose names were put forward by readers of the Stray Ferret.
The winner of the award will be selected by independent judges, the Mayor of Ripon Councillor Eamon Parkin and the Bishop of Ripon the Rt Revd Helen-Ann Hartley.
In addition to the title, the winner will receive an incredible prize worth up to £1,000, donated by Red Buttons Jewellers and Hedley Hall.
Red Buttons, which shares The Vintage Room premises in Queen Street, Ripon, with Mr Hall and his antiques, collectables and vintage models business, will create a customised piece of jewellery, featuring the diamond in a gold or white gold setting.
A high calibre of nominees have been put forward, reflecting Ripon’s reputation for being a city with a strong community spirit.
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Here is what nominators have to say about the people they have nominated
Suzanne Bowyer
Suzanne Bowyer works at Community House in Allhallowgate. Since the first lockdown in March, she and a colleague have been focusing on the crucial role of keeping families and individuals fed.
Nominator Caroline Bentham said:
“Suzanne and a colleague took over the food banks in March, when those who were running them had to give up and shield. They have had to deal with calls from the public who are trying to access the services that normally use Community House.
“Suzanne has helped mums at the end of their tether, who can’t get hold of a health visitor. She and her colleague do their work quietly, with no ‘look at me, aren’t we great attitude.'”
Christine McCutcheon
Major Christine McCutcheon is the officer in charge of The Salvation Amy in Ripon, which has its headquarters in Lead Lane.
Christine was nominated by Kathryn Robinson, who said:
“Throughout the lockdowns, she has been amazing, working hard and being busier than ever, providing food parcels to those in need.
“At Christmas, Christine provided toys and gifts for families. She is always there for her neighbours, providing care for anyone who needs it.”
Councillor Pauline McHardy
Pauline is a city and Harrogate Borough councillor and three-times mayor of Ripon, where she was born and bred.
Her name was put forward by fellow Harrogate Borough Councillor Victoria Oldham, who said:
“Pauline never stops trying to help people, whatever their political bias. She always has time and stands up for what she believes in.”
As well as knowing her from Harrogate Borough Council, Cllr Oldham hears about Pauline’s campaigning work as a markets champion from speaking with market stallholders in Otley, who also trade in Ripon.
Nominations for the award close at midnight on January 31.