Ripon’s saint will still have his dayThe covid lockdown is gradually easing, but Ripon’s annual celebration of St Wilfrid and his legacy will be scaled back for a second year.
St Wilfrid’s Day is one of the city’s biggest occasions of the year, marked with events and a large procession pre-pandemic. Thousands of people would line the city streets and congregate on Market Square.
Organisers are planning for a smaller celebration this year while looking to use 2021 as a platform to promote activities next year and beyond.
As well as being the 1,350th anniversary of St Wilfrid founding a church on the site of Ripon Cathedral, 2022 marks the Queen’s platinum jubilee.
The St Wilfrid’s Procession committee is in discussions with Ripon City Council about having a presence on Market Square over the weekend of 31 July and 1 August.
Committee secretary Sue Simms told the Stray Ferret:
“We did not feel running a large-scale procession this year would be a responsible choice.
“The situation was complicated by the fact that we would have needed to start applying for road closures back in October.
“Because of the coronavirus crisis, we couldn’t plan ahead with any degree of confidence at that time.”
As part of last year’s scaled-back St Wilfrid’s Day celebrations, the Ripon Morris Band performed at social distance in Church Lane.
The procession committee is planning for actors dressed as St Wilfrid and monks to take the traditional walk around Ripon, along with a pony or donkey on Saturday July 31.
It will end on Market Square, where the council is planning to stage a weekend of activities and entertainment for residents and visitors.
Ms Simms said:
“We hope to have space on Market Square to promote and celebrate our saint’s day.
“The objective is to build interest in taking part as entrants and organisers of the procession in future years.”
Last year celebrations of the city’s patron saint were limited to the St Wilfrid trail, with Ms Simms’ husband Paul, dressed as St Wilfrid, walking the route normally taken by a St Wilfrid actor on horseback, along with floats, Ripon City Band and others.
Across the city, businesses and residents maintained the tradition by putting St Wilfrid displays in windows and gardens.
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Looking forward, Ms Simms would like to hear from anybody wanting to become involved in the 2022 procession. She can be contacted on 07964854006.
In past years, pubs, schools, churches, friends, businesses, shops, streets, social, children’s and sports clubs have taken part.
Morrisons refuses to pay for repair after Ripon mother’s carwash ordealA mother and her young children had a frightening experience in the car wash at Morrisons in Ripon recently.
Seven-year-old Arthur and Hector, who has recently turned three, were in their child seats in the back of Helen Mars’ car.
She feared that the boys would be injured, when the rear windscreen wiper arm and blade was ripped off by a roller.
Mrs Mars told the Stray Ferret:
“With the metal arm entangled in the roller, it was crashing against the rear window.
“It was close to where Arthur and Hector were sitting and I was worried that it would smash the glass.”
Ripped off by car wash rollers – this photograph, showing the missing rear windscreen wiper, was taken by Mrs Mars after the incident at Morrisons
Before driving into the car wash in her Suzuki Alto, Mrs Mars put a long polythene sheath over the rear windscreen wiper arm and blade.
She said she received it when she paid for the car wash and followed the instructions given by a member of staff in the petrol station shop.
When problems occurred, Mrs Mars followed written instructions at the car wash by sounding her horn over and over again. But no member of staff came to her immediate aid.
With the car wash still part way through its cycle, Mrs Mars re-started the car’s engine and drove out.
It was only then that staff came forward.
Mrs Mars, who lives in Kirkby Road said:
“A manager at the store saw the damage that had been done.
“He apologised and said that Morrisons accepted liability for what had happened.
“I was assured by him and another manager I subsequently saw, that I would be reimbursed for the cost of the repair work.”
That cost £75, but Morrisons has refused to pay.
The Stray Ferret contacted the supermarket giant to seek the company’s response to what Mrs Mars said.
No response has been received at the time of going to press.
However, Mrs Mars has provided an email dated April 26 received from Morrisons’ insurance team.
The email said:
“Having investigated the matter no evidence was found to suggest that it was our car wash that caused the damage to your car.
“The car wash was in good working order with no problems or other incidents reported on the day of your visit.
“Stores are unable to advise customers we will pay them the costs to repair without a full investigation.”
It added the equipment was not faulty and the company was “unable to consider your claim further”.
The Stray Ferret visited Morrisons on May 3 and May 4 and discovered the car wash was closed, awaiting repair. It has since reopened.
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Mrs Mars, who was initially offered £20 by Morrisons ‘as a gesture’ is still awaiting any form of payment.
She said:
“The incident caused the children distress and now, whenever we go out in the car, Hector says, ‘not the car wash mummy’.”
Ripon Cathedral appoints new director of musicGerman organist Dr Ronny Krippner has been appointed director of music at Ripon Cathedral.
Dr. Krippner, who is currently organist and director of choral music at Croydon Minster and Whitgift School in London, will start in January.
He will take over from the cathedral’s interim director of music, Peter Wright.
Born in Bavaria, Dr Krippner has considerable experience of both the German and British choral traditions.
Described by BBC Music Magazine as a ‘phenomenal improviser’, Dr Krippner has recorded CDs of organ and choir music on German record labels.
He has performed on television and radio in Germany and the UK.
He has performed organ recitals in Germany, Holland, Belgium, the UK, the United States, Mexico and Australia.
Ripon’s music tradition
Music is an integral part of services and other aspects of life at Ripon Cathedral so this is a key appointment.
Dr Krippner will take charge of the cathedral choir, which consists of boy and girl choristers aged 8 to13 and professional adult singers.
The cathedral’s website says about the choir:
“They sing six services each week and at the great festivals of Christmas and Easter.
“CD recordings, broadcasts, concerts and tours are a major part of the choir’s schedule.”
Dr Krippner studied organ playing and improvisation with Prof. Franz-Josef Stoiber at the Hochschule für Kirchenmusik in Regensburg while at the same time working as assistant choirmaster of the Regensburger Domspatzen, Regensburg Cathedral’s famous boys’ choir.
After graduating, he went to Exeter University to take his master’s degree in English Cathedral Music, while singing in the city’s cathedral choir as a choral scholar.
Ripon Cathedral has a strong musical tradition
Building on his twin musical foundations, Dr Krippner went on to take up various posts.
In 2005 he became organ scholar at Bristol Cathedral, organist at Clifton College and a member of staff at Bristol Grammar school, combining his expertise in organ playing with a gift for choral direction.
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After a period working at Newport Cathedral, he moved to London where he was organist and teacher of music at King’s College School, Wimbledon.
In addition to his school activities, Dr Krippner also held the post of assistant director of music at the celebrated ‘Handel church’, St George’s, Hanover Square, London, with its professional choir and annual Handel Festival.
Ripon abuse survivor writes book to help othersJade Kelly’s book ‘The Bad Room’ is a true story of survival.
In it, she shares details of the emotional, physical and mental abuse she suffered as a child.
Jade, is an ambassador for the Maggie Oliver Foundation, which supports survivors of abuse.
The foundation was set up by the police detective turned whistleblower, Margaret Oliver who resigned from Greater Manchester Police and exposed the now infamous Rochdale grooming scandal.
Jade, has rebuilt her life and has been manager of The Navigation pub since moving to Ripon in 2019.
Author Jade Kelly hopes that experiences shared in her book will help others
Following publication of her debut book, she has been invited to speak with professionals across the UK involved in child safeguarding and protection issues.
Jade told the Stray Ferret:
“I hope that by sharing my experiences, I can help them identify tell-tale signs of emotional, physical and mental abuse.”
She added:
“Now that the covid lockdown is lifting, I will be allowed to visit academies and other organisations to talk with them and answer questions.”
For Jade and three other young girls placed in the ‘care’ of a foster mother in Lancashire, the abuse suffered was relentless.
Over six years, their shared bedroom became ‘The Bad Room’ where they were shut up for 16 hours at a time.
They were not allowed to speak and beaten if they made a sound.
The children were banned from using the toilet and often wet the bed, going to school the next day stinking of urine.
They were starved and had to get by on titbits of stolen food.
For Jade, who had previously suffered abuse at the hands of her birth mother and stepfather, the move to foster care when she was ten, should have brought salvation.
However, after a year of being well-treated, the abuse began as soon as the visits of social workers became less frequent.
She said:
“The foster mother was very calculating and would find ways of making it look as though everything was fine for me and the other girls.
“We were too frightened to say anything to the social workers, because we knew it would result in more beatings.”
Jade was kicked, punched, and had hair pulled out.
But there was always a plausible reason given for bruises, cuts and other injuries suffered.
During her GCSE year, the foster mother destroyed all her artwork and English coursework.
Jade, pointed out:
“I had eight weeks to replace a year’s worth of work, but I did it.
“She could destroy my work, but I wasn’t going to let her destroy me.”
When the authorities eventually realised what had been going on, Jade was placed with a caring family and subsequently found justice.
The Bad Room, published by Harper Collins, is available at The Little Ripon Bookshop, Waterstones and WH Smith.
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‘Mr Ripon’ needs help to feed abandoned cockerelsFew people know about ‘Cockerel Corner’, but a former mayor of Ripon can often be seen feeding the hungry birds that congregate at an otherwise unremarkable bend in a moorland road.
Up to 30 abandoned birds respond to the blast of John Richmond’s car horn, emerging from the scrubby terrain and eagerly flapping over walls.
A cacophony of crowing greets Mr Richmond, nicknamed ‘Mr Ripon’ due to his decades of service to the city, as he throws corn, bread and greens to the Bantams, Leghorn/Rhode Island crosses and Plymouth Rock cockerels.
Feeding the flock is an act of kindness that reminds the 85-year-old of growing up in a farming family across the moor at Dallowgill – but he needs volunteers to help out.
Mr Richmond said:
“I took over feeding them when my cousin Ken Ellis became too unwell to do it.
“He started tending to the cockerels a few years ago and their number has grown.
“It wouldn’t be right to let them starve, so I come up several times a week. They are fed by others on days when I’m not here.”
Feeding time at ‘Cockerel Corner’: John Richmond BEM attends to hungry birds.
It is believed that the birds have been released into the wild to fend for themselves because they are surplus to requirements.
Mr Richmond said:
“Farmers only need a limited number of cockerels.
“After being reared as chicks, they are a few months old before it is known whether they are male or female.
“By then, they are too tough to eat.”
To offer to help with the flock, people can call 01765 607096.
Between regular visits to the moors, Mr Richmond is making revisions to his debut book.
The Stray Ferret has been given a pre-publication preview of his entertaining, humorous and informative autobiography, which takes the reader on a journey from the moorland farm of his childhood to municipal service in Ripon.
Highlights include the key role that Mr Richmond played as a newly elected independent county councillor in ensuring its ancient grammar school did not become a comprehensive.
During his year of office in 1976, Mr Richmond represented the city (at his own expense) at the bicentennial celebrations in the USA. He was present along with the mayors of Ripon in California and Ripon, Wisconsin.
He has the distinction of being the only serving mayor to take on the role of Ripon Hornblower, and was awarded the British Empire Medal in January.
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An important element running throughout Mr Richmond’s book is the time spent with Barbara, his wife of 55 years, who died in 2013. He said:
“She was my driving force and I wouldn’t have achieved anything without her.”
Ripon Together organises free summer events for childrenThe community interest company Ripon Together is organising free events for children to encourage a summer of play in the city.
The not-for-profit organisation was established in 2016 to bring people together to make Ripon a better place.
As the country edges towards the lifting of social distancing requirements, the city is springing back to life.
The artisan market was the first of Ripon City Council’s programme of public events for 2021
Monday’s artisan market on Market Square, was Ripon City Council’s first public event for 18 months. Many more are planned.
In conjunction with the council’s programme, Ripon Together is organising a series of community events.
These can be seen at www.ripontogether.com/whats-on/
The aim is to get children out together again, to take part in coordinated, free events. This will enable them to trying new sports or activities.
Local sports and other groups are being encouraged to become involved.
The Dean of Ripon, the Very Revd John Dobson, who is on the Ripon Together board, said:
“Ripon is a brilliant and vibrant place with lots going on, but people find they miss out on things they would have liked to get to.
“If all local groups put their events on the community calendar they will get more people there.
“They, the city and its people will all benefit.
“Lockdown has been very difficult for many members of our community, including children. “
Fellow board member David Ingham has been in contact with a broad spectrum of local organisations and was pleased with their very positive response.
The objective is to get all interested parties together and agree as full a programme of activities as possible.
Simon Hewitt, a director on the Ripon Together board said:
“We are excited by the response we have had.
“If we can get local organisations and clubs along to that meeting we think we can get a great programme together for our youngsters”.
Any group, organisation or individual wanting to become involved, is invited to join a Zoom meeting at 7pm on May 12.
If anyone wants to attend, or cannot do so but still wishes to be involved, they can e-mail info@ripontogether.com or message the organisation through its Ripon Together Facebook page.
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Highways England puts handbrake on 1,300-home Ripon developmentHighways England has called for further assessment of the transport and traffic impact of the proposed 1,300-home redevelopment of the former Ripon army barracks.
Homes England and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation submitted plans to Harrogate Borough Council in September last year to redevelop the site.
The scheme, known as Clotherholme, would include shops, business units and a new primary school as well as 1,300 homes.
Highways England is the government-owned company that operates, maintains and improves the country’s major roads.
It has recommended that outline planning permission for the scheme is not granted until October.
This would be to give Homes England and North Yorkshire County Council the opportunity to address transport issues identified by consultants AECOM in support of the scheme.
Ripon City Council has appointed its own traffic and transport consultant to look at the Clotherholme scheme.
The move has been welcomed by North Yorkshire county councillor and ward member Mike Chambers.
Cllr Chambers told the Stray Ferret:
“Before seeking outline planning, much better solutions to the traffic issues have to be found.
“These relate in particular to the mitigation measures for four key junctions in Ripon, at Low and High Skellgate, Blossomgate and the clock tower on North Street.
“The mitigation measures need to be ‘future proofed.’
“This is necessary so that the junctions are able to cope with the traffic generated by the volume of new housing as it comes on stream over the course of the scheme.
“At present, what was being proposed just isn’t good enough and is unacceptable to for the residents of Ripon.”
Asked if the proposed number of homes at Clotherholme needed to be reduced, Cllr Chambers replied:
“We need to be closer to the numbers in the Ripon Neighbourhood Plan.”
That document, produced following detailed consultation with the public and other stakeholders, envisaged no more than 800 new homes on the former barracks.
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Ripon City Council, supports comprehensive redevelopment of the site, but is calling on Homes England to reduce the number of homes by 500.
The council has appointed its own traffic consultant to draw up traffic mitigation proposals based on a scheme of 800 homes.
In a recent update on the scheme, Homes England and the Defence Infrastructure Organisation said the planning application was “taking longer than we originally anticipated due to the covid pandemic”. They added:
“We appreciate that people have expressed concerns particularly in relation to traffic and the highway network, sustainability, the impact on the environment and local services.
“We are therefore also working closely with local organisations such as the Highway England, North Yorkshire County Council, the Local Enterprise Partnership, and health and education providers.
Ripon mother talks of her desperation to feed familyA mother of five has been talking to the Stray Ferret about the struggle to keep her head above water during lockdown and how it prompted dark ‘thoughts of ending it all’.
With the promise that her identity would be protected, the mother agreed to speak with us as she hopes it will help others.
This is her story.
“I had maxed out on my cards, the bills and red reminders were coming in and I had run out of food to feed my family.
“We had been living on pasta, perhaps with a bit of cheese sprinkled on it – but the last packet was now empty.
“I didn’t know where to turn and felt like a worthless failure, who had let her children down, everything looked bleak.
“I started having black thoughts about ending it all.”
Weekly food and recipes from Back to Basics, along with sound advice, proved a lifeline for a Ripon mother
But with practical assistance and advice, she is getting her life back on track. The mum found out about Back to Basics – an organisation that is helping Ripon families by tackling the fundamental issues of food poverty.
In addition to providing a regular supply of free ingredients and instructions on how to turn them into a nutritious family meal, Back to Basics helped the mother begin to sort out her finances.
She said:
“They could see that lack of food in my cupboards and fridge was just the tip of the iceberg.
“If I tried to pay overdue bills, I couldn’t afford to buy food and life was scary.
“Helen Mackenzie and her Back to Basics organisation saved my life.
“While teaching me how to make healthy meals on a budget, they also pointed me in the direction of people, agencies and advice services that have helped me to get my financial situation under control.”
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In November 2019 – more than a year before coronavirus reached the UK – North Yorkshire’s former director of public health, Dr Lincoln Sargeant, published a report titled ‘Life in times of change – health and hardship in North Yorkshire’
This estimated that 92,000 people (15%) living in the county fell within the Government’s definition of poverty.
In Dr Sargeant’s report, he noted a re-emergence of destitution:
“There is still a striking similarity between poverty in the past and poverty today. They are still largely due to unemployment and low household income.”
He added:
“It can be hidden from view; where people live with the challenges of poverty among less disadvantaged neighbours.”
The covid crisis has made the situation worse for many families. This mother’s story shows how real those challenges of poverty are.
Have you been affected to be this story or in a similar situation? If you want to tell your story get in touch at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk
Artisan market returns to Ripon today in another step out of lockdown
Today’s early May bank holiday has seen a buzz of activity on Ripon Market Square as the Little Bird Artisan Market returned.
About 40 independent businesses are selling homemade local products and handmade goods, including clothing, jewellery, hand-crafted wooden items and food.
It is the first public event to be staged by Ripon City Council for 18 months.
Jackie Crozier, owner and curator of Little Bird Artisan Markets, said:
“The Ripon artisan market celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit of the local traders, inviting visitors and residents to discover artisanal crafts from up-and-coming local businesses and further afield
“As someone who was born and lives in Ripon, I am very proud to hold events in the city I am passionate about.”
Artisan markets are planned throughout the rest of the year, along with activities on key dates in the city calendar.
Stalls were spaced out across all of Market Square to ensure that social distancing could be maintained.
Ripon also awaits the return of the of the ancient hornblower ceremony to Market Square.
Its return and the staging of larger-scale events is reliant upon the removal of government social distancing requirements.
Currently, the earliest this can happen is 21 June.
The covid lockdown wiped out all public and civic events planned by the council in 2020.
They included the 75th anniversary celebrations for VE Day, Saint Wilfrid’s procession, Remembrance Sunday, switch on of the Christmas lights and the New Year’s Eve entertainment
Andrew Williams, council leader and chair of the city council’s events committee, told the Stray Ferret:
“It’s great to be able to hold events for local people once more.
“As lockdown restrictions ease we aim to hold larger-scale activities that can be enjoyed by both residents and visitors.
“This will attract more footfall that is beneficial to shops, cafes, restaurants, pubs and our heritage attractions.
For more information on the artisan market or to become involved as an artist, artisan or vendor, email info@littlebirdmade.co.uk.
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US scholarship boosts Ripon swimmer’s Olympic bidA 17-year-old from Ripon Grammar School, who is ranked in Britain’s top four for the 200m butterfly, will be heading to Grand Canyon University in Arizona.
Christa, from Dishforth, will study chemistry at the university, renowned for its exceptional sports teams, while setting her sights on the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
The holder of numerous medals at national and international levels, Christa was pursued by three other US universities, who all offered full scholarships.
She felt Grand Canyon was the best fit and said:
“It will be amazing to train and compete in America, a thrilling experience to compete against the fastest swimmers in the world and train alongside Olympians.
“My goal is to compete in the 2024 Olympics after qualifying for this year’s Olympic trials.
“Grand Canyon will provide the best facilities, training programme and team dynamics for me over the next four years, allowing me to swim and study to the highest possible standards.”
As well as her tuition fees throughout her four-year degree course, the university will pay for accommodation and all other costs including food, sports kit and equipment, with the bonus of a personal spending allowance.
Christa’s aspiration for her freshman year is to qualify for the US National College Athletic Association Division 1 Swimming Championships – the fastest swimming meet in the world.
She learned to swim aged just six months and began competing when she was nine. Her mother Kathryn said:
“All the years of missing social events, days out and sleep due to 4am starts has finally paid off due to her hard work.”
She added:
“I would like to thank the staff at RGS for supporting Christa both academically and for her swimming throughout her time at the school.”
Christa is a member of the Northumberland and Durham Elite Training Programme and the Borough of Stockton Swim Scheme, and has been crowned county champion for Northumberland and Durham on numerous occasions.
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Alongside her academic studies, she maintained a punishing training regime, consisting of 3.45am wake-up calls to travel 140-mile round trips for early morning and late evening sessions in the pool.
Christa plans to take a two-year postgraduate course in forensic science following her chemistry degree.
