Vicky Carr, Author at The Stray Ferret

‘Good’ Ofsted rating for ‘happy and welcoming’ Starbeck nursery

A nursery set up just two years ago in Starbeck has been rated ‘good’ in its first Ofsted inspection.

Finding Nature’s Little Learners achieved that rating in all four areas, inspector Janet Fairhurst praised its focus on developing children’s communication skills.

Her report said:

“The nursery is a happy and welcoming place for children. They have lots of fun learning and playing. Children are safe and well cared for by staff who want the best for them.

“Even the very youngest children settle quickly and happily in the calm and nurturing environment.”

Ms Fairhurst found children enjoyed reading books with staff, who made story time a “thoroughly enjoyable experience”.

She also highlighted the work done to encourage friendships between children and to teach them to share and take turns. She added:

“The experienced leadership team show dedication to their roles. They have created a curriculum which identifies what they want children to learn.

“Leaders and staff know each child’s needs well. This starts with the building of strong relationships with families before a child joins the nursery.

“Staff get to know the children and are alert to any barriers they face and the knowledge they need to learn next. Such strategies ensure that staff can quickly identify and meet the learning and development requirements of children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities.”

After the inspection in March, the report praised the strong partnerships with parents and the amount of information provided by staff about children’s progress.

It found parents praised the nursery and its staff, appreciating the “wonderful range of learning experiences” it offered to the 136 children registered.

Addressing areas where improvements could be made, the report added:

“Overall, leaders are aware of staff’s strengths and aspects of their practice that can be developed further.

“However, monitoring of teaching has not been precise enough to identify where some staff need further support and guidance. For instance, staff do not always consider the environment when planning adult-led activities, so that distractions are reduced, and children are able to concentrate.

“Equally, on occasion, some staff interactions between children and staff do not stretch or develop older children’s mathematical skills, such as counting and calculation, as well as they might.”

‘Proud of the team’

The report has been welcomed by the nursery, which said a ‘good’ rating is “increasingly difficult to achieve”. Owner Samantha Williams said:

“I am exceptionally proud of the team and their continued commitment to ensure that the children attending our setting receive the very best possible care and education. The inspection was really relaxed and the inspector herself said if she was a child attending our nursery she would want to come back day after day.

“We thank all the parents who flooded our inbox with emails to include their feedback on the day – there is no better representation of the hard work and dedication of the practitioners than what the children and parents have to say about their experiences here.

“As a newly established nursery in the area, we are welcoming ways to strengthen our practice and the Ofsted inspection gave us just that. Through our recent staff training day we have already addressed the improvements suggested and made adjustments in our environments.

“I am a firm believer in there is always room to improve, room to grow and our experienced team show true dedication in their reflective practice.”

Oscar-winning actress Kate Winslet visits Nidderdale pub for dinner

An Oscar-winning actress made a surprise appearance in a pub in Upper Nidderdale at the weekend.

Kate Winslet visited the Crown at Middlesmoor for a meal with her family, much to the surprise of landlady Angela Snow.

She told the Stray Ferret the Hollywood star said she had been out walking around Scar House Reservoir before stopping by the traditional village pub, which had just a couple of patrons in at the time.

Ms Snow said:

“To be honest, I wouldn’t have known. I was in the kitchen cooking when my bar lady Megan recognised her.

“As she was leaving, I asked for a photo to put up behind the bar. She said she usually pretends to be someone else, but she said she would because it was such a nice pub.”

As well as winning the Oscar for best actress for her performance in The Reader, Kate Winslet has been nominated a further six times. She has won three Baftas, two Emmys, a Grammy and five Golden Globes.

She first came to prominence in the mid-1990s in films including Titanic and Sense and Sensibility, and has more recently been seen in the second Avatar movie.

Angela said she was “starstruck” by the actress, though the pub is known to attract celebrities on occasion. Among other visitors has been cricket legend Ian Botham, who often visits the area.

The Crown is not the only local to attract famous punters in recent weeks. Last month, Harrogate drinkers were stunned to see musician Morrissey enjoying drinks with friends in the Harrogate Arms on Parliament Street.

Police issue CCTV images after man left unconscious in Harrogate

Police are appealing for help to trace two men in connection with an incident in Harrogate that left a man unconscious.

It happened at the Foundry Project in The Ginnel on March 11. The victim was taken to hospital for treatment before being discharged.

North Yorkshire Police has today issued three CCTV images of the two men officers would like to speak to, saying one had a “distinctive white hat”.

A spokesperson for the force said:

“Officers are appealing to anyone who can help identify the men in the image, including one who was wearing a distinctive white hat, as they believe they will have information that could assist the investigation.”

Anyone who can provide information should email stephen.mangham@northyorkshire.police.uk, or call 101, select option two and ask for PC 1604 Mangham.

To report information anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111, quoting reference 12230044921.

Local headteacher running London Marathon to support school family

The head of a Nidderdale school will take part in today’s London Marathon to support a family affected by blood cancer.

Nathan Sadler, headmaster of Belmont Grosvenor School in Birstwith, will be taking to the streets of the capital this morning to raise money for Blood Cancer UK.

He’s running in memory of Philippa Badger, whose three children were pupils at Belmont Grosvenor, who was just 42 when she died from acute myeloid leukaemia last year.

Mr Sadler is raising money to support her widow James, who is aiming to raise £300,000 for research into the condition.

At the same time as the marathon begins, Mr Badger will be setting off on an eight-day cycle ride from Lands End to John o’Groats with three friends.

Mr Sadler said:

“As a school community we want to do as much as we can to support James and his family in their fund-raising efforts in memory of Philippa.

“James is a truly inspirational man who is driven to raise the funds needed for what could be a life-changing research project. All money raised on my JustGiving page will get added directly to James Badger’s fundraising pot, to help reach his target.

“I am proud to wear the Blood Cancer UK colours and am looking forward to the electric atmosphere on Sunday, especially as other members of the BGS Community will be running and spectating in London as well.”

A keen runner who has already completed seven marathons, Mr Sadler will be taking on three more in the next four weeks. As well as London, he will be running in the Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon on May 14 and a final 26.2 miles at Windermere on May 21.

To support Mr Sadler’s marathon efforts, click here.

Mrs Badger died just 36 hours after being diagnosed with AML on April 22 last year. Her children were aged 12, 10 and six at the time.

AML has a survival rate of just 10% and husband James is hoping to fund a three-year research project to improve its understanding and treatment.

Along with Richard Baldwin, Adam Ellis and Anthony Fraser, Mr Sadler is aiming to raise £100,000 through the 1,600km bike ride alone. He has already reached three-quarters of that target on his JustGiving page.

Harrogate charity to put on conference celebrating disability

An event aiming to celebrate disability and promote living life in the way people wish will come to Harrogate next month.

The Slightly Alternative Seminar is organised by Disability Action Yorkshire (DAY) and will see high-profile names tell their own stories of life as a disabled person.

‘Punk Chef’ Scott Garthwaite and TEDx speaker Pippa Stacey will take to the stage, along with Bafta-winning screenwriter, director and journalist Charlie Swinbourne.

Disability Action Yorkshire chief executive Jackie Snape said:

“We are so excited to be holding our second Slightly Alternative Seminar. The feedback from our first event was amazing and we have built on that to bring together some fantastic speakers who have some remarkably interesting stories to tell. We are looking forward to a wonderful day.”

The event takes place at Pavilions of Harrogate on Friday, May 5, from 10am to 3.30pm.

Ms Snape said the charity is aiming to grow it year on year, as a unique event for members of the disabled community and people who support them.

She added:

“There are few events aimed specifically at disabled people apart from those selling equipment.

“The people we work with were telling us that they wanted information on a variety of subjects that matter to them, not just where to buy a wheelchair, and we listened and we responded.”

The Slightly Alternative Seminar is free to attend and includes free refreshments. Attendees can attend for all or part of the day.

As well as British Sign Language interpreters on hand, the venue has step-free access and a hearing loop.

To book a place, email Hanne Jackson at Disability Action Yorkshire or call 01423 855420.

More roadworks cause delays at Curious Cow roundabout

Temporary traffic lights will be in place near a key junction in Harrogate for the next week as Yorkshire Water connects a new housing development in the area.

Work to connect developments on Skipton Road is affecting the B6161 Otley Road near the roundabout joining the A59 Skipton Road.

It is causing lengthy tailback at the Curious Cow roundabout on the edge of Killinghall.

The work is scheduled to last until next Friday, April 28, though Yorkshire Water said there will a short break this weekend. A spokesperson said:

“Our teams are on site to complete a connection for a new housing development. Traffic lights are in place to allow this work to be carried out safely.

“We have work closely with North Yorkshire Council highways team and to minimise disruption as much as possible the traffic lights will be removed on Saturday and reinstated on Monday for work to continue. We apologise for the inconvenience this may cause.”

Meanwhile, CityFibre is installing fibre optic cables for broadband along the A61 Ripon Road between Harrogate and Killinghall.

The work, which is being carried out between 7pm and 6.30am, has already begun and is scheduled to continue into next week.

Knaresborough festival to return with town crier contest this weekend

A new town crier will be chosen for Knaresborough this weekend as the community comes together to build new connections.

Knaresborough Community Festival is being held for the third time to offer groups and organisations around the town a chance to spread the word about what they offer.

Visitors will be able to enjoy taster sessions, ask questions and sign up for everything from Guides and Scouts to dance classes, theatre groups, Parkrun and even the town council.

A total of almost 40 organisations will be represented, along with live music and other entertainment.

Matt Read of Knaresborough Connectors said:

“We did the first community festival nearly three years ago at Knaresborough House as we came out of lockdown. We had about 25 community groups then.

“Knaresborough Connectors was the community support organisation for Knaresborough in the pandemic. We ran the festival to help people reconnect.

“There were a number of community groups that lost three-quarters of their membership and others had to close. It was a case of reconnecting people and joining the dots in the community.”

Town crier contest

An unusual feature of this year’s event will be a competition to find the next town crier, after Roger Hewitt announced his retirement from the post he has held for the last eight years.

It will see three candidates put through two rounds in front of the crowd, who will be encouraged to cheer for their favourites.

The contest will be judged by Mr Hewitt and the Mayor of Knaresborough, Cllr Kathryn Davies, with the winner to be announced at a later date.

Charlotte Gale of Knaresborough and District Chamber, which has organised the competition, said:

“Roger, the current town crier, has written a cry that they will be reading out in the first round. They have also been asked to prepare their own original cry for the second round. It should be a fun competition.”

Knaresborough Community Festival runs from 10am to 4pm at Meadowside Primary Academy on Halfpenny Lane tomorrow. The event is free and visitors are invited to bring picnics, or to buy food provided by the school’s PTA.

Full details are available on the Knaresborough Connectors website.

Valley Gardens ceremony to mark Harrogate’s 70 years of links with New Zealand

A sculpture symbolising eternal friendship and loyalty will be unveiled in Harrogate’s Valley Gardens this weekend.

The Maori pikorua symbol forms part of the newly-refurbished New Zealand Gardens, along with a new bench and an information board.

The garden was created in 1953 to mark the links between Harrogate and Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, forged during the Second World War. Four men from Wellington are among the 23 New Zealand Air Force crew buried in the Commonwealth war graves at Stonefall cemetery.

The refurbishment – the first work for more than a decade – has been funded by individual donors, along with support from North Yorkshire Council, including local councillors Sam Gibbs and Peter Lacey.

It follows the deterioration of the previous installations in the area, including wooden sculptures and a bench which were affected by the weather and targeted by vandals in 2020.

Dennis Richards, chair of Harrogate International Partnerships, which oversees Harrogate’s twinning programme, said:

“It’s not a memorial garden, but the trigger for it was the New Zealand air crew buried at Stonefall. It was a vision of the two towns to create this garden which celebrates history, culture and friendship.

“It has taken a long, long time to get the money together to do the refurbishment.”

The unveiling of the garden will take place at 11am tomorrow, Saturday.

Flt Lt Dan Channon of the Royal New Zealand Air Force will represent his country and its capital, Wellington, at the ceremony.

Tewit Intermediate Band will play from 10.40am before the ceremony is opened by Mr Richards at 11am.

It will include short speeches about the history of the garden, its links to Stonefall, and the significance of the pikorua sculpture.

Among those speaking will be Fran Pride, the daughter of Tony Sissons who was instrumental in its development through his roles with the Friends of Valley Gardens and Harrogate in Bloom.

His widow, Bobbie, will officially reveal a new information board explaining the links between the towns, before Virginia Partridge, whose late father Alan Rollinson had strong links with both Harrogate and New Zealand, unveils the new sculpture.

The national anthems of both countries will be performed, with soloist Amelia McQuire singing New Zealand’s.

Alongside the garden refurbishment, Harrogate International Partnerships is working to build stronger links between the people of Harrogate and the communities in their twinned towns.

As well as Wellington, Harrogate has twinning agreements with Barrie in Canada, Bagneres de Luchon in France, and the Unesco world heritage site of Montecatini Terme in Italy.

Owen raises £1,000 for Knaresborough rescue centre with 100 bags of litter

A nine-year-old boy has raised more than £1,000 for a cause close to his heart — and helped the environment too.

Owen Sutcliffe set himself the challenge of collecting 100 bags of litter in just six weeks to raise money for K’Rescue Knaresborough.

The animal enthusiast went out in all weathers to ensure he completed his challenge – often helped by his friends and family. Mum Clare said:

“It should be an activity for kids, because all of Owen’s friends have joined in. They’ve got right into it.

“I can’t get over how much they’ve all loved litter picking!”

Owen told the Stray Ferret:

“I’m the coolest kid in my class. I’m saving the planet and the animals!”

Owen filled his final three bin bags at the weekend before returning to school after the Easter break.

Asked whether he was proud of his achievement, he added:

“Yes – but my arms hurt!”

Over the last six weeks, Owen has picked litter from parks and footpaths across the Harrogate area, from near his primary school, Hookstone Chase, out to Ripley and Killinghall.

He and his friends have made some interesting discoveries in the undergrowth during that time, including half a pram, a broken lawnmower and an open packet of unused nappies.

Alongside online donations of £900, further contributions in cash have brought the total raised to £1,100.

Owen with Dan, right, and K’Rescue volunteer Anna

Owen has now told the rescue centre’s owner, Dan Holmes, how much he has raised. The money will be used to help cover the £1,500-a-month running costs and to carry out some essential maintenance work

Dan said:

“We are very grateful for all Owen has done. He is one of the few that have done such a big fundraiser to support us and it’s fantastic what he has achieved.”

Mr Holmes said the rescue centre welcomes visitors during its opening hours. Visits are free, but donations are welcome. Many of the animals are also available for adoption.

Repairs planned for listed weir at risk of collapse at Studley Royal

The National Trust has applied for planning permission to carry out repairs to an ancient weir that is in danger of collapse.

The weir, to the north-east end of Studley Royal Water Garden, is a listed structure and forms part of the World Heritage Site at Fountains Abbey near Ripon.

The work will aim to stabilise the retaining walls around the weir, parts of which date back to the early 18th century. As part of its application on behalf of the National Trust, JBA Consulting said:

“The wall on the east side of the outfall is collapsing as a result of failure of its fabric, historic tree damage and past flood events, whilst the wall on the west side is collapsing as a result of intrusive root action from a nearby tree and past flood events.

“The proposed works are intended to stabilise the wall and repair the damage through installation of modern retaining walls which will be dressed using the stones saved from the extant walls. Following the repair, the walls will be reinstated to their former character and stabilised for the future.”

Part of the retaining wall is at risk of collapse.

The application said the footpath along the side of the river and the footbridge over it would remain open during the works.

However, access to the river bank may need to be restricted for safety reasons, it said. A temporary works area will be installed to the north of the river to store materials and allow a vehicle to be kept on site.

The application added:

“Without the proposed repair works there is the risk that the water from the outflow will continue to undermine the drystone wall leading to damage of the more formal dressed stone structure and the riverbank.

“There is also a risk of the mature tree on the bank above the south wall becoming unstable as the wall and earth bank behind it degrades further.”

The plans will be decided by North Yorkshire Council at a later date. To view or comment on the application, visit the planning pages of North Yorkshire Council’s website and use reference ZC23/01443/LB.

‘Proud of the team’

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Town crier contest

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