Sturdy Foods, a 90-year-old Ripon company built on the solid foundations of pie making, is to create new jobs after it switched to making pizzas during lockdown.

Founded by James Sturdy’s great grandfather in 1930, the business suffered major setbacks with a factory fire in 2019, followed by this year’s coronavirus crisis. Restaurants and bars which account for 95% of the company’s turnover stopped buying pies.

Mr Sturdy, who was determined not to close the factory and to support his staff, made the decision to look for new opportunities – a move that has brought a dramatic change in the company’s fortunes.

He said:

“Having gone through the fire at the factory the previous year, I was determined to face lockdown head on and keep the factory running. We immediately reviewed the production line, and with some straightforward changes switched our production to oven ready pizzas.

“It wasn’t an easy time as we then had to completely change our supply chain to delis and retail outlets within the Yorkshire area, but the demand was there, and we were ready to fill it.”

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The pizza line proved such a success that the company has also launched a new range of pies, this time selling directly to the public through a dedicated new website. Yorkshire Handmade Pies was born and offers a range of hand-crafted products.

Focusing again on local suppliers and supporting other local firms including R & J’s Yorkshire’s Finest Butchers, they are now delivering nationwide.

Mr Sturdy added:

“We have been overwhelmed by the success of launching Yorkshire Handmade Pies and have received orders from as far as the Isle of Bute, the Isle of Wight and everywhere in between. We felt there was a gap in the market for a proper quality made pie, and the increase in online shopping during lockdown helped to fuel sales.”

With restaurants and bars opening again at the start of July the next challenge for the Sturdy Foods, based at Barker Business Park, is its ability to continue to supply its previous customer base.

The company has now taken on three additional staff, with plans to take on another three before Christmas, taking the number of employees to 13.

An Independent  Ripon councillor is urging fellow councillors representing outlying areas of the Harrogate district, to vote against plans for a £47m redevelopment of Harrogate’s conference and exhibition facilities.

Councillor Pauline McHardy claimed:

“If this gets the go-ahead, it will be a financial burden around the district’s neck for years to come.”

The three-times Mayor of Ripon added:

“I think it’s totally wrong for Harrogate Borough Council to even be considering spending money of this magnitude, while there are so many other things that need support in places such as Boroughbridge, Knaresborough, Pateley Bridge, Spofforth and here in this city.”

Councillor Pauline McHardy

Cllr McHardy said many areas require more council investment such as  social housing, particularly for the elderly, more town centre parking provision to accommodate the increase in cars brought by new housing developments and community bus services for those in rural areas who do not have alternative transport.

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She pointed out:

“We keep being told that the Harrogate Convention Centre brings economic benefit across the whole of the district, but I don’t see evidence of that and people I speak with here and in Knaresborough feel the same.

“It’s time for councillors of all political colours, particularly in the outlying areas, to think first about the people who elected them, before putting their hands up for more spending on the convention centre.”

The proposals for Harrogate Convention Centre were set out at a virtual extraordinary meeting of the Harrogate Borough Council cabinet last Wednesday, when centre director Paula Lorimer said:

“We need this redevelopment not only to drive more conferences, but for the district and the community. We run school events, remembrance events, entertainment, orchestras and community groups.

“We do a great deal to support the community and the revenue we provide goes back into the council. What comes into us ripples out into the district. We need a successful HCC.”

This evening, a virtual extraordinary meeting of the full Harrogate Borough Council will be held at which elected members from across the district will vote on the HCC spending plans.

Ripon gave Chris Brannigan the barefoot soldier a warm send-off today as he reached his fundraising target of £400,000.

The soldier set off on July 6 on his 700-mile journey from Land’s End to Edinburgh. He is raising money for ‘Hope for Hasti.’

https://www.facebook.com/HopeforHasti/posts/186900629523350

Hasti, Chris’s daughter, is eight-years-old and has a rare genetic condition that currently has no treatment or cure. Chris is walking barefoot because he wants to change her fate and “give her the future she deserves”.

The money the Hope for Hasti campaign has raised will fund research and development for gene therapy for Cornelia de Lange syndrome (CdLS).

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On his arrival in Ripon, people lined the streets to cheer him on and had even baked him some cakes. Major Brannigan told the Stray Ferret:

“I have just arrived here in beautiful Ripon. I had an absolutely incredible reception from the people that live here. The time I have had in Yorkshire has been incredible, I have had so much help.

“If I am honest, today has been a really difficult day but people came to my aid.”

Now that Major Brannigan has reached his £400,000 target he has said that any extra money on top will go towards clinical trials for treatment.

Major Brannigan with military personnel based at Claro Barracks, Ripon, and Dishforth Military Wives Choir, who handed over a cheque for £350.

Emergency services including Yorkshire Air Ambulance were called to the White Horse pub in North Street, Ripon, on Monday night, after a 58-year-old guest was taken ill.

Sadly, the person, who received help at the scene from Yorkshire Ambulance Service personnel, had suffered a cardiac arrest and died.

The White Horse in North Street

The Yorkshire Air Ambulance landed on the former Ripon College site off Palace Road. An air ambulance spokesperson told the Stray Ferret:

“We were called to attend, but sadly, the person, who was 58, had already died having suffered a cardiac arrest.”

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Martin House, which provides family-led care for children and young people with life-limiting conditions, is opening a shop in Fishergate, Ripon.

The opening later this summer, at large premises formerly occupied by an opticians, follows a challenging period when the charity suffered the double blow of having to temporarily close its 12 existing shops in Yorkshire and cancel major fundraising events.

Both revenue streams were affected by the covid crisis and Martin House expects to lose £2.2 million in planned income in the next 12 months.

Stephanie Rimmington, the head of retail for the charity, said:

“The income we get from our shops is vital to helping Martin House raise the money we need to care for families in this area.”

The premises in Fishergate, Ripon, where Martin House is opening a new shop

The charity, whose work involves support for families from across North, West and East Yorkshire, has a hospice at Boston Spa and works in the community.

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Among the fundraising events affected by the coronavirus crisis was a coffee morning planned by Joyce Liggins, who arranged the event to thank Martin House for the help and care they had given a few years ago to friends who lost a baby at just 36 hours old.

Mrs Liggins, who lives in Pateley Bridge, said social distancing requirements meant she could not go ahead with the fundraiser but she found a way to raise money regardless:

“I decided to hold three virtual coffee mornings on the first Saturday of May, June and July and asked people to have a cuppa on the Saturday morning and donate to my JustGiving page. My target was £500 and to date the total is an amazing £1250.”

She added:

“As I was also unable to hold the usual tombola, I said that after the final coffee morning I would put everyone’s name who had donated into a draw and held the draw on Zoom. The winners were drawn out live in London by Helen Worth, who plays Gail on Coronation Street.

“We were joined on Zoom by some of those who had donated, including our friends who had lost their baby. They are parents once more with a daughter who is two weeks old.”

The JustGiving page is still open if anyone would like to donate they can send it to: justgiving.com/fundraising/Joyce-Liggins.

Worshippers and visitors at Ripon Cathedral on Sunday, were greeted by a shining throng of origami angels.

The paper Seraphim and Cherubim, painstakingly made by an army of volunteers, are suspended in netting high above the nave and will remain in place throughout August and up until the feast of St Michael and All Angels on September 29.

Backlit by spotlights and sun shining through the ancient building’s stained glass windows, the installation marks the final stage of the Wing and a Prayer appeal, which has already raised more than £130,000 in donations, to be shared between the cathedral and Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

While the cathedral was out of bounds for many weeks because of COVID-19, the project enabled people to pray for loved ones and key workers by sending prayers online via the cathedral website.

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The project, launched in May, has captured the imagination of the public, whose prayer requests have been read by the cathedral’s priests – among them Canon Ailsa Newby.

Canon Newby told the Stray Ferret:

“This has been a wonderful combined effort that has brought a marvellous result.”

Canon Ailsa Newby, one of the priests who have been reading prayer requests at Ripon Cathedral

The Dean of Ripon, the Very Rev John Dobson, said:

“This project is doing several positive things and responding to a real desire on the part of many people to make their prayers in or through Ripon Cathedral. The angel art installation is an expression of all of these, including memories of some who have died and gratitude for both healing and the exceptional service provided by so many in society.”

He pointed out:

“There is no doubt that the financial support resulting from all the generous donations is very welcome for ourselves and for Yorkshire Air Ambulance; for both of us income has been hit drastically during the time of lockdown.

“Here at the cathedral our support base has been increasing across the region in recent years; this is helping to give us increased resilience in these challenging times and I am extremely grateful to all those who are coming forward to support us financially.”

Approximately 11,000 angels were made – 10,000 of them are suspended above the nave and another 1,000 are in place at other locations within the cathedral.

Ripon’s St Wilfrid’s Catholic Church is looking forward to a £500,000 refurbishment, but is still welcoming worshippers back.

St Wilfrid is inextricably linked to Ripon’s ancient Cathedral, but less than a mile away, another architectural gem of later vintage, also bears the name of the city’s patron saint.

St. Wilfrid’s Catholic Church, which opened in 1862, is recognised as one of finest parish churches in England, with ornate reredos designed by Victorian architect Edwin Pugin providing dramatic backdrops to the high altar and adjacent side altar, dedicated to St Joseph.

Both architectural works of art, sculpted from solid blocks of stone, provide focal points within the Grade II* Listed Building.

St Wilfrid’s Catholic Church, on Coltsgate Hill, Ripon

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Now, more than 50 years after the church’s last major refurbishment, the reredos, along with other parts of the building’s fabric, are in need of expert repair and cleaning by specialists, which will be paid for out of a £500,000 fund raised by the parish over the past five years.

Before the work can go ahead, the green light is required next month from the Catholic Diocese of Leeds, which owns the building.

Subject to receiving that approval, the restoration and renovation work can proceed.

Parishioner Barrie Price, an accountant and former Ripon City and Harrogate district councillor, who chaired the fundraising appeal, said:

“We have all the planning permissions required for work on a Grade II* Listed building and, importantly, the finance is in place.”

He added:

“We were all ready to go earlier this year,  but  COVID-19 brought a temporary halt to everything, with the church having to close to meet the government’s social distancing requirements.”

St Wilfrid’s, which serves Ripon, Boroughbridge, Kirkby Malzeard and surrounding rural areas, is welcoming worshippers once more  with Mass being said  every weekend and each weekday apart from Mondays.

Parish priest Canon Ian Smith, said:

“We have an army of volunteer stewards, whose work has enabled us to reopen and keep the building safe, with hand sanitiser and social distancing measures in place. In addition we are supported by members of the St Vincent de Paul charity, who assist in bringing parishioners with limited mobility to our services.”

He added:

“We look forward to welcoming parishioners and visitors to our celebrations.”

The services are at 9.30am and 5,30pm on Saturdays; 9am and 10.30am on Sundays and weekday Masses are at 9.30am (Tuesdays 9am).

Worshippers wishing to attend the Vigil or Sunday Masses, should email their choice of time to stwilfridripon@gmail.com  anyone without email access can call Canon Smith on 01765 279263.

There was no marching in Ripon today as celebrations of the city’s patron Saint Wilfrid had to be significantly scaled down because of social distancing requirements.

The procession around the streets traditionally in step to the music of Ripon City Band, along with accompanying children’s funfair on Market Place, Morris Dancing and a service in the cathedral, were all cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.

However, some citizens were still determined to ensure that a celebration of St Wilfrid would still go ahead, albeit in a reduced form.

For Pearl Abbot, the loss of this year’s procession came as a great disappointment, as she has been actively involved in the event for 30 years – many of which saw her working within a team to create elaborate themed floats for Ripon power contractor FB Taylor of Dallamires Lane.

Mrs Abbot told the Stray Ferret:

“I was sad when I heard that the procession could not go ahead this year. With it also being Yorkshire Day, my friend Val and I had planned to go  along wearing costumes designed out of the Yorkshire Flag.”

With no city-wide celebrations this year, Mrs Abbot decided to transform the front garden and fencing at her home in Quarry Moor Lane, Ripon, into a carnival-style display featuring yellow, blue and white balloons, flags, hand-made paper flowers and an extensive exhibition of photographs from processions held in previous years.

Ripon Morris Dancers Band performed in Church Street

She hoped the display, assembled with help from granddaughter Joanne, would provide an enjoyable walk down memory lane for passers by. It will be in place over the remainder of the weekend.

Like the Hornblower’s nightly ceremony, which has been temporarily forced to take place behind closed doors and May’s VE Day 75th Anniversary Celebrations, activities had to be limited to protect public safety.

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Ripon City Swimming Club, which usually has a float in the annual procession, erected a static display at the Spa Baths, with the message ‘Just Keep Swimming’ and not far away, in Church Street, Ripon Morris Dancers Band provided socially distanced entertainment.

The musicians, along with dancers, have been taking part in the St Wilfrid’s day event since 1983.

The covid pandemic may have prevented many large scale public gatherings but it is not going to stop Ripon celebrating its patron saint on Saturday.

For centuries, processions and mass events in honour of St Wilfrid have been held to venerate the man who shares equal billing with St Peter at the cathedral, which is located on the site where Wilfrid established a church in AD 672.

Born in Northumbria in AD 634, Wilfrid’s name can be found on street signs, a primary school, cafe and Catholic church within the ancient city and other towns and cities across the country.

It’s 912 years since King Henry I granted permission for the city to hold a fair to celebrate the birth of the saint and Ripon – a city that takes great pride in its heritage – has held on to this tradition.

In normal years, St Wilfrid’s procession sees large crowds line the streets of Ripon

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In normal years, a large procession would circle the city, led by an actor on horseback playing St Wilfrid and concluding with a service in the cathedral.

The procession, including Ripon city band and floats representing clubs, schools, businesses and neighbourhood groups, would pass the market place, where fairground rides, Morris dancers and much more would be present for the enjoyment of people of all ages.

Social distancing rules brought in by the government in a bid to beat coronavirus, mean that this year’s celebration will, like the VE Day 75th anniversary celebration in May, be largely restricted to window displays, bunting  and floral tributes along the route that the procession would normally take.

The Ripon City Morris Dancers Band will be performing in the garden of 12 Church Lane from 2pm and details of other activities can be found on the St Wilfrid’s Procession FaceBook page.

To help raise awareness of Saturday’s event, Paul Simms dressed as St Wilfrid and his wife Sue, walked the processional route, where they met Mayor of Ripon, councillor Eamon Parkin, outside his Magdalens pub.

Cllr Parkin, said:

“It’s a shame that we can’t have the usual celebrations of our patron saint this year. This is a big annual event for the city that draws large crowds, but public safety is paramount and once we have defeated coronavirus, we will be able to have the large-scale events once more.

“Thanks to Paul and Sue and others involved with the St Wilfrid’s procession, we will still mark the day – but in a quieter way this year.”

Council tax payers will have to pick up the removal costs after fly tippers dumped items on a site on the corner of Priest Lane and Stonebridgegate in Ripon.

The secluded area of grass and trees, little more than 100 yards from the city’s police station, has had a sofa and chair and other house clearance-style items deposited on it for some days, and has been reported to Harrogate Borough Council by local residents.

One resident, who did not want to be named, told The Stray Ferret:

“It’s an absolute mess and I just can’t understand the mentality of the person or persons who did this. It looks like somebody has moved house and just couldn’t be bothered to take their unwanted items to the tip.”

They added:

“I’ve reported it to the council and hope that they come and clear the eyesore as quickly as possible – it’s been here for a few days now.”

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A spokesperson for the council said that the tipped items would be removed as soon as possible. He said:

“Fly tipping is a serious criminal offence. We have the power to seize vehicles, issue a fixed penalty notice of £400 or to prosecute. This could result in an unlimited fine and/or up to five years in prison.”

An initiative named Operation Eyeball has been formed to tackle fly tipping in rural parts of North Yorkshire and anybody who witnesses this criminal activity is asked to report it at www.harrogate.gov.uk/flytipping or by calling the council on 01423 500600.