Tim Flanagan, Author at The Stray Ferret

Ripon food poverty pioneer receives rare national award

Ripon 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.”

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 moved

A 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.

Artist's impression of the proposed Ripon Cathedral extension

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.

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 entries

Seventeen 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 visitors

Ripon 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 75^th anniversary of VE Day — due to covid.

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 Ripon

A 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.

Photo of Ripon's former standalone Argos store

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.

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 prize

In 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.

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.

Nominations in for Ripon Community Diamond prize

The Mayor of Ripon Councillor Eamon Parkin and Bishop of Ripon the Rt Revd Dr Helen-Ann Hartley will shortly have the difficult task of selecting the city’s community diamond.

Nominations close at the end of January and the independent judges already have a very high calibre list of 17 nominees to choose from.

Over the next few days we will look at some of those who have been nominated by readers of the Stray Ferret for their outstanding service to the Ripon community.

Each of the nominees that we will feature is the potential winner of the Ripon Community Diamond Award and an incredible prize worth up to £1,000, donated by Red Buttons Jewellers and Hedley Hall.

Sally Alcock

Sally is a cook at Ripon Cathedral C of E Primary School and has been nominated by her sister Tracey Harrison, who said:

“She goes out of her way to help anybody. For the children at the school she makes Christmas decorations, cards and provides gift bags with sweets in so that nobody misses out.

“I am disabled and so are my parents and since the first lockdown in March she has done our shopping and never missed a week.”

Lou Grant

Lou is co-owner. with her husband Tim of Oliver’s Pantry in Fishergate.

Nominator Diane Adkin said:

“Lou helps the homeless and YMCA in Ripon and her joy and vitality has helped many people to have the strength to go on each day.”

Known for being ‘amazingly positive,’ Lou has raised spirits and enabled many people cope throughout the Covid pandemic and lockdowns with upbeat messages, help and practical advice shared on social media.

Jade Kelly

Jade works at the Navigation Inn in Canal Road and was nominated for answering a long-distance call for help

Kate Hopwood, who now lives in Australia, made the nomination and said:

“Jade saw a post I put on FaceBook after my 82-year-old mother was conned into buying £300 worth of fish from scammers.

“Jade immediately said she wanted to help to make her feel better, offering a donation from the pub. My mother is proud and didn’t want money, but loved the flowers Jade gave her.”

Annette Kite

Annette’s Ripon-based cleaning business has been affected by the pandemic, but that hasn’t stopped her from helping others

Anthony Holdsworth, who put her name forward for the award, said:

“During the first lockdown and for many weeks afterwards, Annette prepared, cooked and delivered hundreds of meals for elderly and those in need.

“She also sourced and managed food donations from local businesses to aid her support programme. All this was done at her own home, with no expectation of reimbursement for her time or utility costs.”

More of your nominations will be revealed over the coming days, so keep following the Stray Ferret to find out who else has been put forward for this amazing prize.

‘Ripon needs more police,’ says council

North Yorkshire’s Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Julia Mulligan, is being called to act to solve chronic anti-social behaviour problems in Ripon.

Just weeks after the city council pledged to join forces with the neighbourhood policing team to tackle the on-going issue, it says the situation has worsened.

At Monday’s virtual full council meeting, elected members reported incidents of violence, nuisance and anti-social behaviour in the city centre.

Councillor Sid Hawke told the meeting:

“We are sick of these yobbos, who go around making trouble.”

Ripon Market Square – identified as a hot-spot of anti-social behaviour.

Council leader Andrew Williams said:

“I was in my car recently and a group of four thugs deliberately rode their bikes towards me on the wrong side of the road.

“Some elderly people have told me that they are frightened to go onto Market Square because they feel intimidated.

“The problem is getting worse by the week and it’s time for us to go to the top and call on Julia Mulligan to do something — she is responsible for policing in the county and the buck stops with her.”

These sentiments were echoed by many other councillors, who supported a motion to contact the commissioner, calling on her to provide more police officers for Ripon.

Concerns were also expressed about the efficiency of CCTV cameras in the city centre and the fact that there are only a limited number in use.

Councillor Pauline McHardy said:

“If there were more cameras in use, it would deter some of the youths who are causing trouble and police could concentrate their patrols on the areas that are not covered by CCTV.”

However, councillor Stephen Craggs said:

“All that CCTV does is to push the problems elsewhere. What we need are more police to keep the city streets safe and that’s what we should be asking Julia Mulligan for.”

The Stray Ferret approached the commissioner’s office for a response and was told by a spokesperson that the she is unable to comment until she has received correspondence from Ripon City Council.

Approximately 17 percent of Harrogate district council tax is used to pay for the police and fire service.

Urgent call for covid vaccination centre in Ripon

An urgent call has been made for Ripon to have its own covid vaccination centre to serve the city and surrounding areas.

Ripon City Council heard last night it was “unacceptable” for older people to have to travel to Harrogate or York, particularly as the government has pledged nobody should have to travel further than 10 miles for inoculations.

Councillors at last night’s virtual full council meeting said Ripon should not miss out and suggested Hugh Ripley Hall could become a vaccination centre.

They unanimously supported a motion by council leader Andrew Williams, who said:

“We currently have a situation in which elderly people are having to travel to the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate or the centre in York as the nearest places where they can be vaccinated.

“This is clearly unacceptable.

“The government told us that people would not have to travel more than 10 miles to receive their vaccine, so we need to take urgent action to ensure our citizens and the thousands more who live in areas to the north of Ripon do not have to make a long journey — which in itself adds to the risk of spreading the virus.”

At a Downing Street press briefing on January 7, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said people in the UK would not have to travel more than 10 miles to receive a vaccination.

Ripon is 12 miles from Harrogate and 26 miles from York.

During the same briefing, the PM unveiled plans for another 1,200 vaccination hubs to open across the country.

Covid testing takes place at Ripon coach park each Wednesday — but could this be a potential location for a vaccination centre if Hugh Ripley Hall is unsuitable?

It was agreed the council will contact Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, offering Hugh Ripley Hall on Skellbank as a possible location for a dedicated Ripon vaccination centre.

Councillor Pauline McHardy, who worked as an NHS nurse for 41 years, told the meeting:

“The hall is a good location, everybody knows where it is and there is sufficient space for social distancing.”

Councillor Stuart Martin, whose wife April was seriously ill and hospitalised with coronavirus last year, said:

“I’m not an expert on what the NHS requires to set up a vaccination centre, but I fully support offering Hugh Ripley Hall in the first instance.

“If the hall doesn’t meet their requirements, they should look at other options in Ripon, such as putting a temporary building on a car park.”

Councillor Stephen Craggs, whose business is located close to the coach park where the NHS has been carrying out Covid tests on Wednesdays, said:

“We need to ensure that Ripon is not overlooked again, when it comes to providing a place where people living in this area can receive their vaccination.”

Campaign to reopen Henry Jenkins Inn suffers hammer blow

The campaign to reopen the derelict Henry Jenkins Inn in Kirkby Malzeard as a community pub has been dealt a hammer blow.

The Planning inspectorate, a government agency that deals with planning appeals, has overturned Harrogate Borough Council’s decision to refuse planning permission for conversion of the eastern part of the site into a single dwelling.

The Henry Jenkins Community Pub Ltd sought to prevent redevelopment of the site by having the building registered as an asset of community value.

HJCPL’s 190 members raised £236,000 in pledges, with the intention of purchasing the whole Henry Jenkins site and refurbishing it.

The group was confident the council’s decision would be upheld – but Helen Hockenhull, of the Planning Inspectorate, was not persuaded by their argument.

Nine years after the last pint was pulled in the Henry Jenkins, she concluded:

“There is no reasonable prospect of the public house reopening.”

The Planning Inspectorate highlighted that Kirkby Malzeard already has the Queen’s Head pub.

In making her decision, Ms Hockenhull took into account that Kirkby Malzeard has an existing pub – The Queen’s Head – and also the fact that the Mechanics Institute, across the road from the appeal site, is licensed to sell alcohol.

The campaigners also had to overcome the hurdle that the western portion of the site, belonging to Fielder Holdings, remains available for sale or let.

The inspectorate accepted that allowing the application, made by developer Justin Claybourn, to convert the eastern annex into a dwelling, would be a disappointment, but concluded:

“I am not persuaded that the loss of the annex would make the remaining pub unviable for an alternative community use.

“The scheme would therefore not result in the unnecessary loss of a community facility reducing the community’s ability to meet its day to day needs.”

The appeal decision has been welcomed by David Fielder, who bought the shut-down Henry Jenkins from receivership in 2012 and subsequently sold the eastern portion of the building to Mr Claybourn.

Mr Fielder, whose company David Fielder Inns owns and operates 16 pubs, mainly in Yorkshire and Hambleton, told the Stray Ferret:

“Of these, 10 were closed when I bought them and nine were successfully re-opened and traded prior to covid, the only exception being the Henry Jenkins. I simply could not attract a tenant.

“Kirkby Malzeard cannot sustain two pubs, this view has been echoed by everyone I have had to view or have approached with a view to taking the Henry Jenkins on.

“There are also six pubs within 3.6 miles of the village all offering different experiences. Two have been for sale in recent years and failed to attract buyers.”

HJCPL has no right of appeal against the inspector’s decision.

Its chairman, David Robinson, said:

“We must accept her conclusions and move on.

“It’s a blow and a big setback. We felt that we had a very strong case and we were supported at the online appeal hearing by an HBC planning officer.”

The western portion of the Henry Jenkins Inn is still available for sale or let.

HJCP’s management team must now decide whether making Mr Fielder an offer for his part of the site would enable it to create a viable community facility.

Netball for all

‘Remarkable and inspirational’

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