Sporting Ripon schoolgirl wins children of courage awardPowerchair football star Ellie Renton, has won a Northern Children of Courage award for her achievements in the fast-paced sport.
The 11-year-old Ripon Grammar School student, whose rare genetic condition means she is unable to walk, was also praised for being a brilliant role model at an awards ceremony held at the Hilton Hotel in Gateshead.
Powerchair football allows people with physical disabilities to play football. Middlesbrough Powerchair Football Club first team winger Ellie, from Kirkby Malzeard, is one of the youngest players competing in the national league.
She was diagnosed at 18 months old with type two spinal muscular atrophy, a slow progressive muscle wasting condition which has left her with weak arms and legs and prone to potentially life-threatening chest infections and pneumonia.
The awards, organised by The St. James’s Place Charitable Foundation, celebrate the achievements of young people who have overcome barriers, achieved something extraordinary or helped and supported others.
Coach Carolyn Bean, who nominated Ellie, praised her achievements:
She said:
“She has worked her way up through the teams and has improved so much. She is a joy to coach, listens and tries her hardest absolutely all the time.
“Ellie often comes to training early to help out during our lower-level training, at such a young age I find this pretty amazing. She has such a natural understanding of what other players need and is already a brilliant role model, even to those older than her.
“Ellie holds her own during matches, playing against other teams with players of all ages, which can sometimes be quite scary.”
Ellie, pictured in the foreground, playing powerchair football.
The year seven pupil, who plans to study marine biology at university, said the award came as a huge surprise as she didn’t know she had been nominated. She said:
“I feel grateful, happy and honoured, when I play powerchair football it feels normal, like a normal sport as this is something I can do with my abilities.”
Her mother, Yvonne, added:
“When Ellie was five and first got into a powerchair for football, we were told she would go far. Within two to three years, she had achieved national status, the youngest player to reach that level in the UK.”
Ellie also enjoys music, art, science and maths.
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Her father, Martin, said:
“We would like to thank her coach who nominated her without us knowing – it was a huge surprise when we heard Ellie had won. We are extremely happy and over the moon for her, to receive such an award and to be recognised for her abilities in powerchair football.”
Call for wider parking bays in Ripon to cater for larger cars
Ripon City Council has called for parking spaces at Cathedral Car Park to be widened to accommodate larger vehicles.
The city’s biggest car park is due to undergo resurfacing works costing £85,000 and Councillor Pauline McHardy called for parking bays to be enlarged as part of the upgrade.
Speaking at the December city council meeting, she said:
“Modern vehicles are wider and with the current size of the spaces, people find it difficult to get in and out of their cars.
“After the resurfacing work has been carried out, the bays should be enlarged.”
Cllr McHardy’s call for enlargement was seconded by Councillor Chris Davis, who told the meeting:
“The bays are narrow and I’ve often found it difficulty to find a parking space that my car will fit in.”
Councillors voted unanimously to support the request, which will be made to Harrogate Borough Council.
The 193-bay car park sits in view of the cathedral and is used by drivers for long and short stays.
Harrogate Borough Council, in a contract notice for the work issued this year, said the site had become worn and hazardous to members of the public.
It added:
“Over the years the current surface of the car park has become pot-holed, with large areas of loose tarmac resulting in trip hazards to members of the public, and claims for vehicle damage.”
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The contract is for a complete resurfacing of the car park, and to increase the number of parking spaces to 206, along with 10 disabled bays.
The council will also require the contractors to undertake trunking and ductwork in preparation for the installation of electric vehicle charging points.
Netflix snow globe appears on Ripon Market SquareRipon residents woke to a monstrous sight on Market Square this morning.
Alongside the 18th century obelisk, a modern-day fantasy creation of myth and mayhem from Netflix could be seen inside a giant snow globe.
The creature, with its multiple limbs, is making a one-day appearance in Ripon to mark the release on Friday of The Witcher season 2, part of which was filmed at nearby Fountains Abbey and Plumpton Rocks.
The series, starring Henry Cavill, is an adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski’s bestselling novels.
The globe, with its resident snow monster, is touring the UK and will only remain on Market Square until this evening.
The Witcher is based on a series of books and video games and features battles between humans, elves, witches, gnomes, and monsters.
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Restrictions mean no Santa at Ripon Christmas marketThe tightening of rules for public gatherings, mean that Santa won’t be seen in Ripon’s cabmen’s shelter on Sunday – but the Christmas market, with free fairground rides for children will still go ahead.
Changes affecting both indoor and outdoor venues and events, were announced this week by the government, as part of its Plan B designed to tackle the Omicron variant of covid.
Ripon City Council announced on its Facebook page:
“Unfortunately, the new COVID rules mean that Father Christmas will not be able to return to the cabmen’s shelter this week.”
The rare and historic listed building (pictured below) was transformed into a temporary grotto to coincide with the switch on of the city’s festive lights on 20 November.
Santa, who arrived on that day with two reindeer, attracted a large queue of families, whose children went to see him.
Though the grotto is now closed, families and other visitors, will still be welcome on Market Square between 10am and 3pm on Sunday.
Free fairground rides for children will be in place next to the latest in the series of Little Bird Artisan Markets.
The following advice has been provided by the council for those planning to attend:
- People going to events are strongly advised to take a lateral flow test at home before attending
- Anyone with a positive test result must stay at home, and household members should follow national guidance for close contacts
- Face coverings should be worn indoors and in crowded spaces
- Keep a respectful social distance between yourselves and people who are not in your group
- Do not travel to the event if you are feeling unwell. If you start to feel unwell whilst at an event, you should leave the site immediately
- Follow all covid-19 measures in place at events, including regular hand hygiene
Project begins to restore habitats at Ripon nature reserveWork has begun at Hell Wath Local Nature Reserve in Ripon to restore precious wildlife habitats.
The conservation work is part of the £2.5m four-year Skell Valley Project, a scheme co-led by the National Trust and Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
The Skell Valley Project is working with Harrogate Borough Council to deliver the Friends of Hell Wath Nature Reserve management plan, which is part of a wider scheme of work to help nature thrive in the Skell Valley and Ripon.
Hell Wath (pictured below) is a wildflower-rich grassland, home to species such as common spotted orchid and cowslips as well as botanical rarities such as adder’s-tongue fern and bee orchid.
Invasive ‘scrub’ is spreading across the open grasslands, swamping out the wildflowers and reducing feeding opportunities for butterflies and other pollinators.
Councillor Andrew Paraskos, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling, said:
“Scrub, the bushes and thicket that develop at the edge of woodland, is an important wildlife habitat but left unchecked it can lose its value for nature and overwhelm the delicate grassland.
“While it can seem counter-intuitive to remove trees to help nature, this work is about maintaining the overall importance of the habitat at Hell Wath so that as many species as possible can flourish.”
The scrub removal is part of a wider scheme of work that will be delivered at Hell Wath as part of the Skell Valley Project.
During winter, a silted-up pond will be reinstated to restore habitat for amphibians and dragonflies. In coming years, the project will work to improve footpaths on the reserve, with better waymarking and interpretation.
Nabil Abbas, project manager for the Skell Valley Project, said:
“By working with our partners at Harrogate Borough Council and the Friends of Hell Wath, the charity established by volunteers to care for the site, we can make a real difference for nature in Ripon and for the people who enjoy visiting this lovely green space.
“We’re passionate about encouraging people to get involved in caring for the nature, wildlife and heritage around them. Next year there will be a programme of events giving people the opportunity to learn more about the wildlife in their local area.”
More information about the project is available at: nationaltrust.org.uk/skellvalleyproject
Ripon’s New Year fireworks in doubt over safety concernsRipon’s annual New Year’s Eve fireworks display is in doubt because of safety concerns about letting off fireworks behind the town hall
Ripon City Council, which has staged New Year’s Eve celebrations on the site since 1985, is exploring other options after being advised it can no longer set off fireworks on land behind the town hall.
It could spell an end to any further fireworks displays taking place in the Market Square.
Council leader Andrew Williams said:
“Following the redevelopment of the Claro Lounge (pictured below) next to the town hall and the flats above, which have balconies to the rear, the fireworks company have advised that it is no longer safe to discharge fireworks on the land behind the town hall.
“Harrogate Borough Council has been asked for permission to use part of the car park behind Sainsbury’s but this request has been refused. Discussions on this are ongoing.
“It may well be that as a result we are not able to find a suitable safe location to discharge fireworks from at future Ripon City Council events.
“I am currently exploring the possibility of having a laser light display for New Year’s Eve and will provide an update when I know whether this will be possible, or if we have managed to find a safe location to set the fireworks off from.”
Fireworks displays provided the finale to the Yorkshire Day weekend event concert on 31 July (pictured above) and the Last Night of the Proms concert in September.
On New Year’s Eve, there will again be free live music on Market Square from 9.30pm, with performances from the Big Boyband Reunion and Oasis tribute acts.
Refugee support group in urgent search for a Nidderdale homeNidderdale Community Welcome is urgently seeking a house to rent in or close to Pateley Bridge to home a refugee family.
The community group has already raised more than £12,000 to help a refugee family from Syria or Afghanistan, to start a new life in the UK.
Peter Wright, NCW’s housing lead, told the Stray Ferret:
“We need a two, three or four-bedroom property with a garden, on a bus route in Nidderdale, ideally near Pateley Bridge.
“The property needs to be available to the family for a minimum of two years, but the arrangement could easily extend for much longer.
“This offers certainty for landlords and avoids the cost and disruption of changing tenants regularly.”
Nidderdale Community Welcome is taking part in a scheme originally set-up by former Prime Minister David Cameron to welcome 20,000 Syrian refugees to the UK.
Following the Taliban’s takeover of Afghanistan in the summer, an increased number of refugees from that country have also been offered the opportunity to come to the UK.
The Home Office and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees will choose a family based on the number of bedrooms in the house that is secured for rental by NCW.
As part of their resettlement package, the family is entitled to housing benefit and can pay monthly rental ranging from £663 for a two-bedroom house to £1,067 for a four-bedroom property.
Mr Wright said:
“We can provide the bond and one month’s rent in advance, if required. If we find the right home before the family arrives and is able to move in, we could potentially provide a short period of 100% rental bridging to hold the property for them.
“Our charity will provide long-term support for the family and will act as the first point of contact between them and the landlord, to ensure that all communications are well-managed.”
Landlords able to help NCW in its search for a rental property, are asked to contact Mr Wright, via email on wrightpandh@gmail.com
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Ripon’s deep clean continues
Kirkgate, one of Ripon’s prime retail and hospitality streets and gateway to the city’s iconic cathedral (pictured below) has received a deep clean.
The operation was organised by Ripon Business Improvement District in phase two of an initiative designed to attract more visitors to the city and help businesses to benefit from increased footfall.
BID assistant manager Lilla Bathurst, said:
“We cleaned the Kirkgate pavements from the Cathedral to Duck Hill. After steam cleaning, all windows were washed and sills and boards wiped down.”
The work took place on Sunday night. Kirkgate to the Market Square was due to be cleaned last night in the next part of the work.
Last month, the BID’s clean up began with work which has rejuvenated four of Ripon’s busiest alleyways, used by thousands of people each week.
The BID, which levies businesses to fund city centre improvements, came into being after 70 of the 87 traders who voted this summer, supported setting up the body.
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Following the vote, more than 280 firms within the Ripon BID area are now contributing to an annual budget of £160,000 for projects to create a safer, cleaner and better promoted city centre.
The first networking events for businesses will be held on January 17 and 24.
A Harrogate BID was created in 2019 but plans for a BID in Knaresborough were rejected in October.
Ripon school marks National Tree Week by planting 3,000 saplingsStudents and staff at Ripon Grammar School marked National Tree Week with an ambitious 3,000-sapling hedge-planting drive.
Hundreds of students gathered in the school grounds last week to plant the first 2,000 trees over two days.
The project was made possible by The Tree Council’s branching out fund, which supports schools and others across the UK to plant trees, hedges and orchards as National Tree Week inspires people to get outdoors and get planting in the first week of December.
Ava Edwards, who worked with Year 7 students on their massive planting project, in addition to digging in with fellow sixth formers throughout the week, said:
“The tree planting has provided fantastic opportunities for us all to get involved in regenerating the environment on school grounds.”
RGS gardening and wildlife champion, teacher David Bruce, who has been working with student volunteers from other year groups during lunchtime breaks, said:
“This year’s National Tree Week is more important than ever as we work together to tackle the climate and nature crises.
“Trees and hedgerows store carbon, reduce flood risks and improve our air quality, and by planting more we can help grow a greener future. The young people in our community are an amazing force for nature and by planting these new hedgerows they are helping to create a nature-filled legacy for all of us.
“We managed to get around two thirds of our trees planted so far, with the remaining 1,000 set to be planted at a more leisurely pace over the next couple of weeks. Although the planting is almost done, it’s not over because sustaining the growth of the young trees and maintaining them in a wildlife-friendly way is going to be an ongoing project.”
Ripon Grammar named top northern state school by The Sunday TimesRipon Grammar School has been named as the top performing state school in the north of England by The Sunday Times for the ninth year running.
The school, which ranked 53rd nationally, was the only school in the Harrogate district to make the top 10 in the north. Skipton Girls’ High School was second and Ermysted’s Grammar School, also in Skipton, was third.
The results are contained in the 29th edition of The Sunday Times Parent Power tables, which identify the highest achieving schools in the UK, ranked by their examination results from 2017-19. A total of 78 per cent of Ripon Grammar School pupils achieved A-level grades A to B during this period.
Jonathan Webb (pictured above with students), headmaster of Ripon Grammar school, said the accolade was a tribute to the efforts of staff and pupils during the pandemic. He added:
“After a truly difficult 18 months this will give our students and everyone who works at the school a real boost.
“We offer an exceptional all-round, holistic education, with music, drama and sport also thriving.
“Staff have created recently a pioneering new student development programme as now, more than ever, we need to ensure students gain the valuable skills, qualifications and experience outside the classroom which will prepare them well for life beyond school.”
The Plus One programme will be showcased at the school’s sixth form open evening on January 17.
Alastair McCall, editor of Parent Power, said the need for clarity about school examination performance had never been greater, following two years of centre- and teacher-assessed grades, during which the numbers of top grades had increased dramatically.
Mr McCall, said:
“At a time when some schools are making it hard to substantiate claims of academic prowess based on outcomes from 2021 and 2020, we believe these rankings – and all the additional information on offer in Parent Power – provide parents with a more reliable guide to academic achievement in schools today.”
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