Vicky Carr, Author at The Stray Ferret

Wellbeing ‘at the heart’ of village pre-school near Ripon, says Ofsted

A village pre-school near Ripon has been praised by Ofsted for creating “happy, confident and independent learners”.

Rating Fountains Playgroup and Pre-School ‘good’ in all areas, inspector Jane Mumby said children’s wellbeing was “at the heart” of the pre-school, where children “smile and laugh” all day.

In her report, she said:

“Children’s behaviour is exemplary. They work together to build, act out role-play scenarios and engage in joint tasks, such as building a tower.

“Children’s language and communication skills develop very well. Staff and children share conversations at every opportunity.

“Children with additional needs are supported well. Staff use their knowledge of child development to help children and families put strategies in place to help them to make good progress.”

The report, published at the end of last week, said staff worked together to monitor children’s learning and plan the next steps through “fun, relevant and interesting activities”.

Singing, telling stories and playing outside all formed part of the daily routine at the Grantley pre-school, the inspector found when she visited at the end of March.

She praised the manager’s enthusiasm and the way the staff worked together to offer the best experiences to children, adding:

“Parents say how pleased they are that their child can experience their early education sessions within the pre-school. They comment on how well the staff team know their child and how they go above and beyond to help them develop and learn.

“They feel that their children are safe and happy within the pre-school and are delighted that their children have had a positive early years experience.”

Looking at areas for improvement, Ms Mumby said staff could offer more opportunity for children to be creative in their activities. She also recommended spending more time looking at diversity to help children understand modern Britain.

In response, Fountains Playgroup and Pre-School leader Dawn Rogers said staff were already working on ways to address the inspector’s recommendations, but that overall they were “thrilled” with the report.

Feedback from parents to the inspector had been excellent, she said, and highlighted the strong links between staff and families.

She added:

“A six year wait to have a visit from Ofsted is a long period of time. However, we ensure good practice in our setting at all times and are up to date with current legislation; so the staff looked forward to welcoming the inspector, sharing our good practice, expertise and knowledge.

“The inspector was with us longer than she anticipated, but, we, the staff, being as enthusiastic about our setting as we are, we wanted to show her a range of things we do in our day to day sessions making the children’s learning fun and individual and we still had more to show her by the end of the day.

“We want to inspire and give each child in our care fun learning through play and promote learning for life. It is our role to provide the solid foundations and knowledge about the world around us so the children can build their future on the solid foundations we, at Fountains Playgroup and Pre-School, have given them.

“We have 17 children on our register which is our own little Fountains family and each individual and their families mean so much to us as a group.”

Harrogate Eurovision party welcomes Ukrainians and raises aid funds

A Eurovision party to celebrate links between the Harrogate district and Ukraine raised more than £700 towards a final aid trip.

Union flags and Ukrainian colours were out in full force at the Majestic Hotel event, organised by Chain Lane Community Hub and Harrogate District of Sanctuary.

A raffle of prizes donated by local businesses proved popular with the 170 attendees, with proceeds going to guest of honour Bob Frendt.

He has take seven lorry-loads of medical aid and other supplies to Volodymyr in western Ukraine since the Russian invasion last February. His eighth and final trip will begin next week.

Speaking to the Stray Ferret today, Mr Frendt said:

“I can’t believe so many people were there supporting me and what I’m doing. It was overwhelming.

Maureen and I needed that night out, and Sue Vasey and the girls at Chain Lane Hub did a fabulous job organising it.

“They also raised £704 for my trip with the raffle and I can’t thank them enough.”

Bob and Maureen at the Eurovision party

As well as raising money, the event was a celebration of unity between Ukrainians who have arrived in the Harrogate district over the last year, and their many supporters in the area.

Attendees waved flags for both nations and danced together throughout the 26 performances.

The biggest cheers were reserved for performances by Ukraine’s Tvorchi and the UK’s Mae Muller, who came sixth and 25th respectively.

After building links between his home town of Knaresborough and Volodymyr, Bob successfully called for the two towns to formalise their links. Plans to officially twin have been approved by both and a twinning agreement is now being drawn up.

Bob and wife Maureen will set off for Volodymyr next Wednesday. The final trip will see them deliver laptops and other IT equipment to the school in Volodymyr, as well as further medical supplies for the hospital.

He is also hoping to take sweets to hand out when he arrives on June 1, when Ukraine marks Children’s Day. Anyone who would like to donate can call him on 07836 514952.

‘Immediate action’ required after critical food hygiene report for Harrogate nursing home

A nursing home in Harrogate has said it is making improvements after it was given the lowest score in a food hygiene inspection.

Bilton Hall Nursing Home scored just one on the five-point rating system when environmental health officers visited its kitchen.

The inspectors’ report, released by North Yorkshire Council last week, said:

“Overall, a disappointing visit. I have little confidence in food safety management within the kitchen. My inspection revealed poor levels of cleanliness to all food areas and equipment. A deep clean and disinfection is required without delay.”

The inspector also said:

“There was no food safety management system available for me to inspect at the time of my visit and staff were not implementing systems in practice. Monitoring records were inadequate and incomplete; some staff were not checking or recording temperature checks.

“I appreciate there has been recent staff changes in the kitchen and you have struggled to recruit suitable food handlers and kitchen assistants. However, I expect immediate actions to improve overall food safety to ensure vulnerable residents are not exposed to any food safety risks.”

The report called on the care home, part of the We Care Group, to act on the findings “without delay”.

A return visit was held two days later, at the beginning of March, when the inspector confirmed the deep clean had been completed.

That report – also released by the council last week – said a food safety system needed to be implemented and all food handlers had to be trained.

Responding to the report on Friday, Bilton Hall Nursing Home manager Steve Edgar said:

“We had staffing issues at the time of the inspection and the agency staff were not following our home’s kitchen protocol, which led us to achieve a 1 in the inspection.

“The kitchen was also due to have the flooring changed which had been arranged but unfortunately did not happen prior to the inspection by [environmental health].

“The building is a listed building therefore has posed a few structural challenges with regards to refurbishment; however, we are making the appropriate changes necessary.

“We have since had another unannounced inspection from [environmental health] and, since making the changes, the inspector expects us to achieve a 4 when we are next scored.”

Bilton Hall Nursing Home is on Bilton Hall Drive, off Knaresborough Road. Photo: Geograph / habiloid

Mr Edgar said the revisit had found the “comprehensive” food safety management system was in place and available for inspection, with monitoring records “much improved”.

Vacancies in the catering department had been filled, he said, and additional training completed by members of the team.

The kitchen floor was expected to be replaced this month, he said, adding:

“We will need to request another official visit in which the published score will change for the public to see; as of this week we have applied to North Yorkshire Council for a rescoring [environmental health] visit.”

Meet the Ripon artist who has turned her life around to achieve a £1m turnover

An artist from Ripon who left an abusive marriage with thousands of pounds of debt has created a business with a turnover of £1 million.

Bonny Snowdon, 52, became a professional animal portrait artist in her mid-40s after her daughter bought her a colouring book and pencils seven years ago.

Despite not having drawn since she was a child, Bonny made it her full-time job within a couple of years, and now has a waiting list of 1,500 people hoping to commission one of her “hyper-realistic” pet portraits.

As well as Bonny Snowdon Fine Art, she has founded the Bonny Snowdon Academy and teaches 2,500 members how to create life-like drawings of their favourite animals. Most of the students are UK women aged 45 and over, thought she does have some from around the globe including India, Iran, the US and Australia.

The academy has inspired many of them to move into the art world in their professional lives and given them a new lease of life. Bonny said:

“Creativity is a portal to another world. It allows us to disappear from our everyday life – and if you don’t lead a very nice life that is just the most amazing thing.

“It quietens the mind – ‘busy hands, quiet mind’ is the saying and it’s so true. Creativity in any form is in my opinion essential for healthy minds. I know myself how helpful it was, disappearing for hours with my colouring book.”

The reason Bonny wanted to disappear into her artwork was a difficult home life.

She was subjected to mental abuse by her former husband, particularly after his father died. She said:

“He had always had a bit of anger issues and could be paranoid but nothing that really worried me. There were times where he’d put his fist through the wall but they were very few and far between.

“Then his dad died, and he took the death really badly: he became depressed but wouldn’t get help and things would swing from being okay to really awful. I lived on eggshells for years, not knowing when he was going to blow up.

“It got to the point where I was scared of talking about certain subjects: money was the main one, I could never talk about it and that’s the main reason I got into debt, I was too frightened to talk to him about needing to pay off a phone bill, that I ended up taking out credit cards and over time, the debt ballooned to over £22,000.

“In the end, he started talking about suicide and even told me he had located a place to do it, which terrified me. I tried so hard to support him and get him to the doctors, I rang the doctors and made appointments for him and went with him but when he sat there, he just said he was fine. It was a really dreadful time.”

Eventually, her husband moved out of the home they shared with their three children. He went on to marry someone else, but took his own life during the covid lockdown less than two years later.

Though she was no longer in the abusive relationship, Bonny’s home life was still financially difficult. She said:

“When he moved out, we discussed putting the family home up for sale, but I had nowhere to live and I had three teenage children and my three dogs. I remember being so worried about trying to find a rental property that would fit us all and take the dogs.

“I had just become a full-time artist and was not earning a huge amount of money then and had no real way of taking a mortgage on myself and paying him half the house. I was looking at rental properties which were going to cost more than the mortgage, and they didn’t take dogs.

“I can remember feeling sick all the time, trying to be okay for the children and run my then very new business.”

Bonny’s determination to make a success of her business has paid off.

She is on track to turn over £1 million this year, up from £450,000 in 2022, with a team of three now involved.

But knowing how difficult her life was during her marriage, Bonny is using her work to support IDAS, the north of England’s biggest domestic abuse and sexual violence charity. She is awarding free scholarships to her academy, including a year’s free membership and art materials, to five women it supports.

She said:

“Domestic abuse can happen to anyone at any time, mentally as well as physically. I wish with all my heart that these charities didn’t have to exist, but sadly having experienced mental abuse first-hand, I know what a lifeline they are and I feel honoured to be able to support them.

“There are ultimately two different kinds of people who join my membership: those who already have the skills and determination and just want an extra push in development, and those who are finding things a challenge, particularly around lack of self-belief and confidence.

“Being part of a community where everyone is cheering you on has a huge effect on self-esteem, having people who are feeling the same things, worrying about the same things, but are overcoming them and then sharing their stories really helps to show that it can be done.

“Everyone seems to think that they are the only ones who feel a certain way, but it’s just not true.”

As well as her art work and academy, Bonny offers some free tutorials, guides and events on her website, as well as a podcast. It’s a Bonny Old Life aims to increase people’s confidence by sharing inspiring personal stories, championing success, and supporting people to realise their dreams.

Ofsted praises ‘positive role models’ at Pannal nursery

A village nursery near Harrogate has received praise from Ofsted for the way it encourages children to develop their independence.

The School House Nursery in Pannal was also found to be a “welcoming” environment where children felt “safe and secure” when inspector Jennifer Cowton visited.

Rating the nursery ‘good’ in all areas in a report published this week, she said:

“Children know what is expected of them and follow the boundaries and routines of the setting well. They enjoy playing alongside each other and understand the importance of sharing and taking turns.

“Staff act as positive role models and encourage children to be kind. They speak to children in a calming manner, and carefully consider and respect children’s views and opinions.”

During the inspection, which took place at the end of March, Ms Cowton said children were “well prepared for their next stage in learning”, being encouraged to do as much as possible for themselves.

Children benefitted from learning about the natural world through growing flowers and feeding wildlife, she found.

The report said the nursery, which is part of Kids at Heart based near Knaresborough, helped children to learn about good health, as well as offering a menu of freshly-cooked, healthy meals and snacks.

Ms Cowton said:

“Parents speak highly of the nursery. They say that their children love attending and arrive happy and smiling.

“Staff share information with parents about their children’s learning experiences through daily conversations. In addition, they share photographs of children’s activities using an online application.

“Parents are encouraged to contribute to their children’s learning and support their learning at home. Staff provide parents with activity ideas.”

The report found that, while staff understood how to support children’s language development, they could do more to model language to younger children while playing.

It also recommended the nursery manager could make better use of observation and supervision to help staff develop their teaching.

Responding to the report, Julie Shaw, owner of Kids at Heart, said:

“I would like to say how delighted I am with our Ofsted report. I feel it truly reflects the hard work, dedication, and commitment of the staff team at The School House Nursery, Pannal.

“I would also like to say a massive thank you to the wonderful children (who are amazing) and their parents for all their supportive comments, not only on the inspection day, but on an on-going basis.”

Interim leader of Harrogate hospital given permanent role

The interim chief executive of Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust has been appointed to the post permanently, the hospital has announced.

Jonathan Coulter has held the post on a temporary basis previous chief executive Steve Russell went on secondment as national director for vaccines and screening with NHS England last February.

His move was made permanent in December, after which HDFT began recruiting nationally for a replacement. HDFT chair Sarah Armstrong said:

“I am delighted Jonathan has been appointed to the role of chief executive and I know he will lead the organisation with care, dedication and commitment.

“This is an exciting time for our trust. We are committed to providing the best possible level of healthcare for our community and we have a number of exciting projects over the next few years which will further improve on the high quality health and wellbeing service we provide.

“Jonathan’s knowledge and experience will be invaluable in driving these projects forward and I am very much looking forward to working closely with him in the future.”

Mr Coulter has worked in the NHS for more than 30 years, of which 20 have been as a director. He became finance director at HDFT in March 2006 before being appointed deputy chief executive four years later.

He said:

“I am delighted to have been appointed permanently into the role of chief executive.

“HDFT is a brilliant organisation with wonderful people. It is very humbling to be in a position to support all of our fantastic colleagues to be the best that they can be, and continue to do what we try to do every day, which is to help and support the people who need us.”

Harrogate school road safety petition handed in to council

A petition calling for a 20 mph limit to be imposed on streets across the south of Harrogate has been delivered to North Yorkshire Council today.

Asking the council to consider the blanket limit across Rossett, Pannal Ash, Oatlands, Woodlands and Hookstone, the petition attracted more than 900 signatures.

It was set up by parents concerned about children’s safety when travelling to schools in the area, and gained the backing of groups including Harrogate District Cycle Action and Zero Carbon Harrogate.

Hazel Peacock, who delivered the petition this morning on behalf of the campaigning parents, said:

“We’re just delighted we’ve got this number of signatures. It shows the support for the proposal of this change, which could bring such positive benefits from a road safety perspective.

“Once you have that, it will change people’s attitudes in regard to comfort around walking, cycling and mobility users.”

She handed the petition to Elizabeth Jackson, democratic services manager for North Yorkshire Council.

After surpassing the required 500 signatures, it will now be debated by the council’s Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee.

Councillors John Mann, Pat Marsh and Michael Schofield, whose divisions cover the area of the proposed speed restriction and supported the restriction, all sit on the committee and handed over the petition with Hazel this morning.

Cllr Mann, whose Oatlands and Pannal division includes three primary schools, Ashville College and several nurseries and pre-schools, said:

“There is an urgent need in particular for a 20 mph limit for Yew Tree Lane, Green Lane, Hookstone Road, and Beechwood Grove, all of which are used by large numbers of children going to and from local schools, and I have emphasised this to the highways team at the council.

“In relation to the A61 Leeds Road, I have also written to the head of highways, Cllr Keane Duncan, to request that the 50 mph speed limit on Almsford Bank be reduced to 40 mph to reduce competitive speeding, and to improve road safety for schoolchildren using the pavements along the A61 near to the neighbourhoods of Stone Rings, the Fulwiths, and the Firs.

“The current risks to pedestrians using the A61 in this area were highlighted in January when a driver managed to overturn his car and demolish a 30mph sign at the top of Almsford Bank in the morning rush hour. In the same month, another vehicle overturned due to speeding in the early morning rush hour on Hookstone Road close to the junction with Hornbeam Park Avenue.”

The demolished 30 mph sign on Leeds Road

Cllr Mann said he would prefer the A61 Leeds Road to maintain its 30 mph limit through Oatlands in order to ease traffic flow, but that a reduction in the limit elsewhere was “urgently needed”.

He referenced a collision on Yew Tree Lane in which two 15-year-old boys from Rossett School were seriously injured, and another collision on Beechwood Grove which left an Oatlands Junior School pupil requiring hospital treatment – both of which happened while the children were on the pavement.

He added:

“These shocking events, combined with evidence showing that more than 10 children are killed or seriously injured in road crashes every week travelling to school, demonstrate the case for immediate action.

“With thousands of pupils travelling to and from the schools and colleges of south and west Harrogate during the week, implementing a maximum speed of 20mph in these areas has the potential to increase safety significantly.

“I really hope that this petition is looked upon favourably by the North Yorkshire Council highways team.”

Malcolm Margolis, a member of Harrogate District Cycle Action, said reducing the speed limit would also make cycling a safer option for many families travelling to and from schools.

He said:

“It’s a terrific initiative by Hazel and the others. It’s absolutely needed in this area of Harrogate and we hoe it will be the start of it becoming normalised.

“In other countries, it’s just normal. You see parents and grandparents picking up children on their bikes. There’s no reason why we should be different.

“In a calmer 20mph environment, it’s so much more pleasant for anyone who isn’t in a car. In an urban area, it actually makes very little difference to journey times.”

Cllr Marsh, who represents Stray, Woodlands and Hookstone for the Liberal Democrats, said she also backed the plan, and hoped it would be supported by North Yorkshire Police.

She added:

“I’ve been supporting this idea for a very long time. My late husband and I got a 20mph limit put outside Hookstone Chase Primary School and some of the residential streets close by well over 15 years ago.

“My only issue is I wish the police would monitor it, because if they don’t, motorists know it and will ignore it. We can’t put our children at risk.”

New group to support heart failure patients in Harrogate district

A Harrogate grandmother diagnosed with heart failure 18 months ago has set up a support group to help others in the same situation.

Mary Mann, who was 76 at the time, said she had been active all her life, but suddenly became very ill in November 2021.

She told the Stray Ferret:

“I was so ill, I couldn’t do anything. I’d come downstairs in the morning and stay there – I could only crawl up the stairs at the end of the day.

“With heart failure, you have absolutely no strength. Until somebody tells you what it is and starts giving you tablets, you think, ‘am I ever going to get rid of this?’

“I had been perfectly fit and healthy, but I had a chest infection and it all started from that.”

Although Ms Mann was in her 70s, she said symptoms can begin much earlier for some people, including some women who can have heart failure after having a baby.

Fortunately for Ms Mann, a mum of two, she could be treated with tablets, and soon saw an improvement in her symptoms.

She will take the medication for the rest of her life and will have regular check-ups, but has been able to return to doing the things she loves: walking, gardening, and volunteering at RHS Garden Harlow Carr and with Harrogate in Bloom.

Grateful for her new lease of life, she began looking into ways to give back to those who had supported her and came across the website for patient-led charity Pumping Marvellous.

Ms Mann said:

“Pumping Marvellous asked me to be a patient educator.

“I was reading these people’s stories. Some of them were so lonely. I’ve been very lucky, I’ve got a lovely family and friends, and a great cardiologist. Everybody has supported me.

“These people had nobody.”

The former primary school teacher decided to set up a support group to offer heart failure patients the chance to chat to each other and gain support from others.

It will meet at the Harrogate Chocolate Factory Cafe on the last Friday of every month, from 2pm to 4pm, and is open to everyone – even those who feel they have good support at home. Ms Mann added:

“It’s nice to talk about what’s wrong with you without your family and friends glazing over and thinking, ‘here she goes again’!”

The Harrogate Pumping Marvellous group will next meet on Friday, May 26 at 2pm. Anyone interested can just turn up on the day, or can email Ms Mann in advance if they prefer.

Eurovision party to mark links between Ukraine and Harrogate district

Links between the UK and Ukraine will be celebrated at Eurovision in Liverpool this week – and the Harrogate district is ensuring it is part of the party.

Just as the UK hosts the event on behalf of last year’s winner, Ukraine, a celebration will be happening in Harrogate to bring together locals with Ukrainians who have made the area home over the last 14 months.

A total of 170 attendees will be watching the contest together at the Majestic Hotel, and while they may be cheering for their home countries, organisers expect it to be a friendly rivalry.

Sue Vasey of Chain Lane Community Hub, which has organised the party along with Harrogate District City of Sanctuary, told the Stray Ferret:

“Nobody will mind if Ukraine win – it’s not too competitive. We’ll just be happy if the UK doesn’t get ‘nul points’!”

The Knaresborough community centre has been supporting Ukrainians who have arrived in the area since Russia’s invasion of their home country last February.

It has worked alongside other local groups and supporters to help them make contact with others in the same position and settle into their new homes. Now, Sue said more is being done to ensure they become part of the community in the Harrogate district.

Aid trips

Around 350 Ukrainians have arrived in the area in the last year, and about 190 of those have been supported through Chain Lane Community Hub. Sue said the others already spoke good English or had family in the area so did not need as much help to settle.

Each week, working with partners including North Yorkshire Council, the hub hosts classes to help people with English, employability skills and more.

It has also formed a link with Bob Frendt, the retired lorry driver in Knaresborough who has made seven aid trips to western Ukraine.

The Eurovision event on Saturday night – which is sold out – will raise money to help fund his next trip to Volodymyr, which is set to be twinned with Knaresborough. it will include an auction of prizes donated by local businesses, from Bettys & Taylors and Morrisons to Mother Shipton’s Cave.

Bob and his wife Maureen will be guests of honour at the Majestic, which has allowed use of the room free of charge.

Asked whether he was a loyal Eurovision fan, Bob said:

“Not since Cliff Richard won! But for one night we’ll make an exception. I’ve been asked to say a few words too. It should be a good night.”

Meanwhile, Bob is continuing to prepare for his eighth and final aid trip to Ukraine, setting off on May 24.

Each trip across Europe costs at least £2,500 in insurance, fuel and ferry crossings, and takes around six days.

He has been collecting donations of sports kit, IT equipment and decorating supplies to help the school rebuild after much of its stocks were commandeered by the army.

Bob is still hoping to source at least one old fire engine to take to Volodymyr to replace those taken to be used in the war effort. but for now is concentrating on what he can fit into his lorry, including medical supplies for the hospital..

He is hoping to add more equipment for the school, an under-counter fridge, sleeping bags, wellies, mosquito nets, tinned food and more before he sets off in two weeks’ time. Anyone who can help can call Bob on 07836 514952.

To get the latest updates on Bob’s efforts before and during his trip, and find out how you can support him, join the Facebook group Knaresborough Humanitarian Aid for Ukraine.

New weekly cafe aims to bring Killinghall community together

A pay-as-you-feel cafe will open its third branch in the Harrogate district this week – and is hoping to offer a menu fit for its surroundings.

Resurrected Bites will run every Thursday in Killinghall Methodist Church, which has just undergone a £248,000 renovation.

The community interest company has been serving up food waste meals at West Park United Reformed Church in Harrogate and Gracious Street Methodist Church in Knaresborough for the last two years.

But Chris Lidgett, who has joined as operations manager, said he hopes the new cafe will offer something a little different both on its menu and to the community. He told the Stray Ferret:

“We’re trying to promote to a different audience. It’s a refreshed church in an affluent village, so it’s not necessarily about food poverty, but about isolation.

“We want people to come out, use the new facility, and meet people. If it goes well, we might look at rolling it out to more places.”

What the Killinghall cafe will have in common with the others is that its menu will be entirely made up of food that would otherwise go to waste.

Donated by supermarkets and other commercial operations, the food is still perfectly edible and just as tasty as the day it arrived on the shelves, but does not meet the exacting requirements of some retailers.

That means the menu for each week is only confirmed the day before the cafe opens, depending on what has come into the organisation’s warehouse on Hornbeam Park. Mr Lidgett said:

“You never know what you’re going to get through the door. It’s Ready, Steady Cook every day! It’s definitely a challenge, but a good one.”

Chris Lidgett and volunteer Katie White

With a background in catering, Mr Lidgett is more than used to coming up with new dishes.

Until earlier this year, he worked at Crimple on Leeds Road. Prior to that, he lived in the south of England, where he and his wife ran award-winning pubs in areas including the Cotswolds.

His CV is varied, however: he joined the Army when he was younger and served in the Household Cavalry – which brought with it slightly unusual responsibilities. After “stupidly” putting his hand up when asked if anyone could play a musical instrument, he became the Queen’s trumpeter.

He performed at events including Trooping the Colour and the State Opening of Parliament. On one memorable occasion, he travelled to Paris with Her Majesty for the Bastille Day celebrations in 2005.

He described the Queen as “a lovely woman” who would always take the time to speak to those taking part in events and ceremonies. However, Chris is quite clear he has no plans to return to that life, even after seeing the pageantry of the coronation over the weekend.

“It’s like a throwback. People say, ‘it looks amazing’. I just look and yes, it is amazing, but you don’t realise how much work goes into that and the sacrifices that are made.

“Three weeks beforehand, you’d be getting up at 1am and doing the whole parade at 2am.”

His new role is a world away from Royal pomp and protocols. It has been funded by donations made as part of the Stray Ferret’s Christmas appeal which, with match-funding from local firm Techbuyer, raised more than £30,000 in just four weeks.

Since joining Resurrected Bites in early April, Chris has spent time getting to know the small team of staff and the 200 volunteers who help to keep it running.

He has visited the community groceries in New Park and Gracious Street, where people struggling to afford food can become members, entitling them to a weekly shop for a fraction of the price it would be in a supermarket.

Chris said:

“I do quite like being on site so you can see some of the service users and just realise what we actually do for people. They say, ‘we wouldn’t have survived without you’ and ‘you might not think you’re doing much, but what you are doing is incredible’.

“We want to be able to get the word out there a bit more and reach more people because there must be so many people struggling.”

Although run on a pay-as-you-feel basis, to enable everyone to afford a meal out, Resurrected Bites’ cafes rely heavily on those who can afford to donate giving generously to cover running costs across the organisation.

A few ‘dry runs’ have already been held, when some of Resurrected Bites’ 200 volunteers have been treated to a meal by the team in Killinghall as they get to grips with the practicalities of cooking, serving and clearing away. They’re now ready to open the doors this week.

Cafe manager Sam O’Brien said:

“We are so grateful to all of the volunteers who have signed up so far. They are such a lovely bunch and so keen to make a success of the cafe.

“We still need more volunteers though, particularly people who can help with the cooking, so if you can help on a Thursday, please apply to volunteer via the website or pop in to speak to me.”

Resurrected Bites’ Killinghall cafe will be open from 11.30am to 2pm every Thursday at Killinghall Methodist Church.

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Aid trips

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