‘That was for you’ – Harrogate Lioness’s tribute to late dad

Harrogate football star Rachel Daly has paid tribute to her late father after winning the European Championship final at Wembley.

The England player posted a picture of Martyn Daly on her Instagram account with the caption “That was for you” after the 2-1 victory over Germany last night.

Mr Daly had been a huge influence on and supporter of his daughter’s career until his death last September.

Speaking before an England warm-up game at Elland Road in June, she told the matchday programme his loss had affected her approach to the sport they both loved:

“It will be so awful to not have him there because I think it would have been one of his proudest moments.

“I have a different perspective towards football and life now. Football has always been the be-all-and-end-all for me, and it still is, but now I play for a different purpose as well.

“When I get on the pitch, it’s not just about me performing, it’s me performing to make my dad even more proud than he already was.

“I think I carry that weight with me, but it’s a nice weight to have because it’s every game I want to do better and better. I know I’m making him proud up there.

“But in a way, that’s what will make it even more special, having the rest of my family there knowing how big fans we are.”

In response to her post on Instagram, fans and friends told her he would be “so proud” of what she had achieved with the Lionesses.

Mr Daly lived in Harrogate and was himself a semi-professional footballer, playing for Harrogate Town and Knaresborough Town in the 1980s and 1990s.

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Last summer, as the team prepared to compete at the 2020 Olympics, Mr Daly spoke to the Stray Ferret about his pride in his daughter, not just because of her achievements but also the role model she was to other young women and girls.

He added:

“She’ll never realise what she’s done in the game until it’s over.

“Every pro has a cockiness about them but she’s down to earth too, she’s just my daughter.”

This morning, Daly and her teammates were heading to Trafalgar Square for a victory parade, celebrating the first tournament win for any England football team since 1996.

Daly posted a photo of herself on Twitter with her winner’s medal.

Good morning pic.twitter.com/6e78642uM4

— Rachel Daly (@RachelDaly3) August 1, 2022

Meet Harrogate’s Eurovision super-fan event organiser

In the week when it was confirmed the UK will host Eurovision next year, Harrogate resident Tania Hodson had more reason than most to celebrate.

The self-confessed super-fan helps to organise the annual EuroStarz gig, which sees former contestants perform again for a crowd of dedicated enthusiasts.

It takes place every summer, three months after the contest, and a handful of tickets are still available for this year’s event on Saturday, August 13. Tania said:

“We aim it for when people are starting to get post-Eurovision depression, before any of the songs for the following year come out.”

This year’s event  will feature Denmark’s 2018 entry Rasmussen, and Suzy who represented Portugal in 2014. UK entries James Fox from 2004 and Lindsay Dracass, who was just 16 when she represented her country, will also be on the bill.

It is held at the Water Rats in London, known for a number of landmark events including Bob Dylan’s first UK performance in 1962 and Oasis’s first ever gig in 1994.

Previous Eurovision entrants perform at EuroStarz in 2018

The annual event has a strong Harrogate influence – Tania and former Knaresborough resident Michael Woodhead make up half of the small team of organisers.

The graphic designer said they are thrilled about the return of Eurovision itself to the UK and are hopeful of getting tickets.

“I’ve only been to Eurovision once – it’s quite hard to get tickets and quite expensive.

“They do give more to the hosting country and I’m part of the official fan club in the UK so I’m hoping I can get some through that.”

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The exact location of the event is yet to be confirmed, but Tania knows her home town could never be on the list now, despite having hosted in 1982 – before she was born.

“I would love it, but it’s a bit big for Harrogate now. It’s not like it was then, with a little orchestra and everyone in formalwear.

“I heard rumours that Glasgow is likely to get it. It would be great if it came to Leeds so there might be some people staying around Harrogate.

“It would be nice to get it out of London, but to be honest, I don’t mind as long as I can get tickets!

“It’s really unfortunate it can’t be held in Ukraine, but we hope they will do enough to pay tribute to Ukraine. It’s not just about us, but it’s really exciting to get the opportunity to maybe go and also see all the events leading up to the contest.”

Consultation withdrawn on closure of Nidderdale village school

Governors at Fountains Earth Primary School in Upper Nidderdale have withdrawn their request for a consultation over its closure.

They had put forward the plans after finding the low number of pupils made the school in Lofthouse unsustainable, with just 11 on the role aged between four and 11.

However, a letter issued to parents at the end of term said:

“The governors have reviewed the current position of Fountains Earth. With new information to consider, we will be withdrawing the current consultation application sent to [North Yorkshire County Council]  whilst we review this new information.”

The move has been welcomed by parents who had opposed any possibility of the school’s closure.

Sharon Leeming, whose two children have both attended the school, is chairman of the village parents’ association.

It saw villagers rally in support of the school, turning out in force when the threat to it was discussed by Upper Nidderdale Parish Council at the beginning of July.

Ms Leeming told the Stray Ferret:

“The community are incredibly pleased and the 110-strong turnout at the parish council meeting showed what a thriving community we live in.

“We hope the governing body see the impact of a school closure would have on the young people in the area. There are increasing numbers of children over the next five years, so hopefully the school will remain strong and the community will continue to thrive.”

‘New information’

While the governors have not given a reason for their decision, North Yorkshire County Council confirmed the news to the Stray Ferret. Stuart Carlton, corporate director of children and young people’s services, said:

“The governors of Fountains Earth Primary School have withdrawn the application for further consideration after new information was made available.”

Ms Leeming said she and other parents had provided information about more families moving to the village in recent months, as well as others planning to do so.

Part of the reason for the village’s increasing popularity, according to Ms Leeming, was the number of people who were able to work from home for the first time following the covid pandemic.

She said:

“Superfast broadband has been installed in Nidderdale. A lot of current parents work from home and said they have never had a better internet connection.

“EE have switched on a mast up the dale and people can’t believe the signal they’ve got. Those kinds of things make a huge difference.”

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Unlike other schools under threat of closure, Ms Leeming pointed out Fountains Earth is rated ‘good’ by Ofsted.

It is part of a federation of schools with St Cuthbert’s in Pateley Bridge and Glasshouses Primary School, which has just received a very positive Ofsted report. The three schools share a headteacher, Nicola Thornber.

However, she said any threat over its future could lead people to choose other options rather than risk having to change their child’s school later on.

“If people hear a school is consulting to close, they won’t even consider moving to the village. If they know it has been withdrawn, or revisited, people will have more confidence in the village and in the school.

“There’s something special about Fountains Earth. We need to all work together now to keep it open.”

Play tells story of Harrogate seance held by Houdini and Arthur Conan Doyle

A seance held in Harrogate by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Houdini forms the inspiration for a new play by a local writer.

Paul Forster started looking into the 1921 event at the Harrogate Club when he was researching a new book about the town’s ghostly connections.

He said:

“I love history and things that are a bit spooky. When I found out the story about the Harrogate Club where Arthur Conan Doyle had gone, that really intrigued me.

“To then find out that Houdini – someone I really admire – was there, it was too good to be true, really.”

Paul then did more research into the pair’s relationship, which he discovered was fractious.

Houdini, still in the early stages of his career, was keen to make a name for himself and contacted the Sherlock Holmes author. Paul said:

“They enjoyed a good friendship together and came to Harrogate and visited the spa and went to the club, where they held a seance.

“Doyle was a strong believer in clairvoyance. Houdini was open-minded, but being a magician he could see a trick a mile off. He thought they were all fakes.”

The friendship between the famous pair was short and their contrasting views increasingly came between them.

However, inspired by the unlikely pairing and unusual event, Paul – a trained actor who has worked in the arts most of his life – wrote a play, Conjuring the Dead.

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A combination of lecture and performance, it sees him share his research into what took place, before reading some letters he has written based on imagined correspondence between the two.

After that, Paul transports the audience to the Harrogate Club, where he recreates the seance, bringing the story to life.

He has been performing it at Durham Town Hall as part of the city’s fringe festival this week, with the last show due to take place this evening.

Later in the year, Paul hopes to bring the show to Harrogate in combination with the ghost walks he already runs in the town. They take place on the first and last Friday of each month, setting off from the Royal Pump Room Museum.

He said:

“They’ve been incredibly popular – about 900 people have been on the walk.

“I’ve been rwriting a book about Harrogate ghost stories and I’ve found some new material to use.

“My plan is to do a new half-hour ghost walk just to a few locations from my book, then afterwards we go to the Crown Hotel and I’ll perform the show.”

Although describing himself as a paranormalist, Paul said he only saw his first ghost while researching the new book, when he was speaking to staff in the Turkish Baths on Parliament Street.

Spooky experiences

He said he saw a woman look out of a cubicle which staff later told him, without prompting, was haunted. They said the ghost often shut the cubicle door so Paul challenged the ghost to do so – and the door closed just as the interviews finished.

He then heard a woman’s voice saying “ha ha!” which a customer told him she had also heard on a previous occasion.

He has had a number of other spooky experiences – including at this week’s performances, where he made changes to the play after an incident on the first night left him and producer Neil Bradley-Smith perplexed.

He said:

“Something went wrong in the routine that shouldn’t and couldn’t go wrong. There was a bit with a fake key that I gave to an audience member and asked her to unlock a box.

“The key worked. I shot a look to my producer – neither of us could understand it. Then the lady tried it again and it didn’t work. How can a key work and then not work, when it shouldn’t work in the first place?

“I took that bit out of the play the next night!”

Community prepares for return of Birstwith Show this weekend

Visitors are expected to flock to the show field in Birstwith tomorrow for the first annual village show in three years.

Last held in 2019, the show is already attracting more interest than in previous years, with advance ticket sales up and a flurry of late bookings for trade stands in recent weeks.

Andrea Walwyn, a member of the organising committee, told the Stray Ferret:

“It’s going really very well. It has been a difficult couple of years and we haven’t had a show since 2019.

“This year we’ve had a real influx of volunteers and I think one of the reasons is because there has been a lot of new houses in the village. I think those people haven’t lived in a village before and they’re really excited to be involved in village life.”

As well as the traditional attractions, there have been a number of changes to this year’s show, which begins at noon.

When the show princess parades into the ring, for the first time her attendants will be two boys instead of two girls.

The show ring will have displays including 3Sixty Stunt Team, Harrogate District Dance Company and Pete White’s Suitcase Circus, and entries will be welcome on the day for the dog classes.

And while there will be the usual array of classes for everything from children’s baking to crafts, there have been some new trends in the entries received.

Ms Walwyn said:

“We’ve had a lot of entries, particularly in cookery classes. The fruit and veg classes are down, probably because of the weather this year, but cookery classes are up.

“We only usually get three entries in the painting class and this year we have got about 20. We wondered if people during lockdowns have been painting and cooking more.

“It’s interesting how things have changed in terms of our exhibitions.”

Tickets for the event will be available on the gate at £5 per adult, while children go free. Following the daytime entertainment, three bands will provide live music in the marquee from 6.30pm.

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Meanwhile, Weeton Show also takes place this weekend, with the gates opening at 9am on Sunday.

Brass bands, vintage tractors, rural craft demonstrations and a bar featuring Daleside Brewery’s exclusive show ale Weeton Wiggle will all be on offer.

Tickets are only available in advance via the website and organisers have warned people to book early after last year’s show sold out. Entry is £10 for adult and £5 for children, with those under five going free.

County council boss set to be appointed chief executive of new North Yorkshire Council

The chief executive of North Yorkshire County Council is set to be appointed as the head of the new unitary authority next month.

Richard Flinton, who has held his current role since 2010, was today named as the preferred candidate to take the helm at North Yorkshire Council.

Mr Flinton, who lives in Ryedale, will be paid up to £197,000 for the role,

The recommendation comes from NYCC’s cross-party chief officer appointments committee, which conducted the selection process.

The final decision will be made by councillors at a full meeting of NYCC on Wednesday, August 17.

The committee chairman, Cllr Carl Les – who is also leader of NYCC and will become leader of the new authority next year – said:

“Our new council will be one of the largest authorities in the country but we are building it around the needs of people, communities and businesses; so it will also be one of the most local.

“The successful candidate for the role of chief executive will be in charge of ensuring that the county’s 600,000 residents, and tens of thousands of businesses, get the best possible service and value for money.

“The person will also manage a revenue budget of around £1.4 billion and an ongoing capital programme of around £350 million while driving the transformation programme to bring public services together in a way that is effective and practical. This programme is estimated to make significant financial savings, which will then be used to help finance frontline services.

“As you would expect for a job this important, the process to select a preferred candidate has been competitive and robust and involved all political parties. It is now for wider councillors to make the final decision when they meet in a few weeks’ time.”

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Mr Flinton, who was born in Scarborough, has worked for NYCC since 1987, initially in trading standards. He rose through the ranks to become corporate director of business and environmental services in 2008, before becoming chief executive two years later.

The county council said the recruitment process for his new role was open and promoted nationally.

He said:

“I am humbled to have been chosen as the preferred candidate for the role of chief executive officer of the new North Yorkshire Council. The move to the new authority represents huge challenges and opportunities, and to be able to play a part in that would be a huge honour.

“There are so many hugely talented people across all of the eight councils which will become one next year, and it would be a real privilege to work with them.”

He will take up the post on April 1, when the new North Yorkshire Council comes into effect.

At that point, the 90 councillors elected in May to NYCC will transfer to the new authority where they will serve the first four-year term before another election is held.

At the same time, North Yorkshire’s seven district councils – including Harrogate Borough Council – will be abolished.

Lego Wonderland aims to draw visitors to Harrogate this summer

Children are being invited to hunt around the centre of Harrogate this summer for classic children’s characters with a difference.

An Alice in Wonderland Lego trail is being launched tomorrow, with 15 large characters in locations around the town.

The event has been organised by Harrogate BID and the characters made by Yorkshire charity Fairybricks.

The six builders took six months and more than 514,000 Lego bricks to create the masterpieces, which will be in place until Saturday, August 20.

Matthew Chapman, Harrogate BID manager, said:

“Last year’s Lego trail, featuring a number of well-known Harrogate landmarks, was a huge success, hence its return this summer.

“This time we have gone for an Alice in Wonderland theme, and the models created by the Fairybricks team are simply stunning, and I can’t wait to see them in situ.

“These 15 models haven’t been displayed anywhere before, and after their Harrogate debut they will then be heading off to different events and venues all over the world.”

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The three-week event is designed to bring people into town during the summer, supporting the BID’s levy payers and other businesses in the area.

Sculptures include Alice, the Mad Hatter, the Queen of Hearts and the Dormouse, and will be at locations including the Victoria Shopping Centre, the Everyman cinema, the Turkish Baths, and the Harrogate Town FC shop on Commercial Street.

The trail can be downloaded via the LoyalFree app, which is free to download from the App Store or Play Store.

Last year’s Lego trail attracted more than 5,500 people to take part using the app, with others enjoying seeing the sculptures while they were in the town centre.

Mr Chapman added:

“We are really excited to be bringing back the Harrogate Lego Trail. It was certainly one of our highlights of last year, and one that help take visitors into different parts the town.

“And with our ongoing Floral Summer of Celebration – featuring a stunning trail, colourful shop window displays and fascinating exhibition – coupled with brilliant shops, bars, restaurants and beautiful gardens and open parkland, Harrogate town centre really is this summer’s must-visit destination.

“I’d also like to thank all the businesses that are participating in the Alice in Brickland Harrogate Lego Trail, who have made room within their premises to display one of the sculptures.”

‘Devastated’ parents miss son’s wedding celebration after passport delay

A “devastated” Harrogate mum was unable to attend her son’s wedding celebration because of a delay in receiving her passport.

Alison Johnson was due to fly to Sweden with husband David last Thursday ready for the event on Saturday, which would also have been the first time she met her daughter-in-law’s family.

She applied for a new passport in early May, as soon as the event was arranged – around the recommended 10-week window before travel – after realising she could not find her old one.

The Passport Office confirmed it had received it within two days and asked a friend to verify the photo.

However, with no sign of the new passport by early July, Mrs Johnson was beginning to worry.

She told the Stray Ferret:

“Every time I tried to contact them, the phone went dead. When I did get through, I was promised call-backs that never materialised.

“I got a message earlier in July telling me not to keep contacting them because it slowed the process down, so I stopped.”

After sending off the passport, Mrs Johnson said she heard nothing until she was told the photograph she had sent had been rejected just 10 days before they were due to travel. She sent a new one immediately, then heard nothing more.

After paying to upgrade to a fast-track service, last Monday, July 18, she received a call from the Passport Office reassuring her that the new passport would arrive by special delivery before 9am on the Wednesday, July 20.

Mr and Mrs Johnson were due to travel to Manchester that afternoon, ready for their flight the next day.

Mrs Johnson said, with the promise of the passport’s arrival, she even baked a wedding cake for her son Matt and his new wife Linn. They were married at New Year, but decided to have a celebration for the whole family in the summer in her native Sweden.

“It was going to be in the most idyllic setting at a place called Osby. He’s allergic to nuts, so I made a traditional English wedding cake without the nuts, cooked with brandy.

“I iced it on the Tuesday on the morning of the awful heat.

“Then the passport didn’t turn up on Wednesday. The cake is now in a cake box in a case and it’s going to have to stay there.”

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With no passport, Mr and Mrs Johnson were left with no option but to cancel their flights. She said they could have rearranged their travel plans, but the cost of doing so was too much for them to afford.

It was also made more complicated by the fact Ms Johnson has ME and requires a mobility scooter. Arranging for it to be taken on a plane can be complex even with a lot of notice.

She said:

“I am just devastated. He is our only child and we just wanted to be there.

“I’ve been there for every other milestone of my son’s life. This was a bit special – a highlight after a few awful years.

“We haven’t seen them since the beginning of January and they’re going away on honeymoon now, then they’re both working flat out when they get back so I don’t think we’ll see them until next year.

“There’s another celebration planned in London next year so we can go to that and take the cake, but that’s no compensation for what we’ve missed.”

A spokesperson for HM Passport Office said:

“Between March and May, we processed approximately three million applications, and 98.5% of applications were completed within 10 weeks. But we cannot compromise security checks and people should apply with plenty of time prior to travelling.”

Mrs Johnson said although she has missed out on the important family event, she hopes other people will learn from her experience and apply as early as possible or pay to receive their passport sooner.

Business Breakfast: Care provider adds 120 staff to Harrogate team

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

A pay rise of 30% has helped a specialist care provider recruit 120 new members of staff.

Vida Healthcare is deploying the new team members across its three care homes in Harrogate in roles including care assistants, registered nurses and wellbeing staff.

The pay increase has seen qualified care assistants increase their hourly rates from £9.61 to £12.32, while nurses have gone from £18.50 to £22.50.

James Rycroft, managing director at Vida Healthcare, said:

“Recent Skills for Care data found that filled posts in adult social care dropped for the first time ever and the number of vacant posts had increased by over 50%.

“It’s really important to us that we demonstrate to our team how much we appreciate and value them so that we can continue combating this crisis.

“Establishing various benefits including the pay increase and our bespoke training platform ‘Vida Academy’ also supports our colleagues in providing the best care to our residents. A role in social care isn’t just a job, but can be a very successful career.”

Vida Healthcare employs more than 470 staff to care for more than 200 residents living with dementia.

Its third care home, Vida Court on Beckwith Head Road, launched last year and features a cinema, sweet shop and hair salon.

Newly-employed team leader Jayne Christie said:

“It’s been a challenge to find a role in the sector which can provide the support that I need both in my job and out of work.

“Joining Vida was a no brainer thanks to the amazing things that are available to support myself and my colleagues like the pay increase and the amazing surroundings in the care homes.

“Social care is a really rewarding career, but it can be incredibly demanding both mentally and physically. Knowing that my employer cares about me and my wellbeing means a lot.”

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New director for Harrogate-based Eye Airports

A new director has been appointed to the head of an airport advertising firm in Harrogate.

Rachel Davies joins Eye Airports as one of three new appointments for parent company CP Media.

The outdoor advertising specialist has also added Ed Armstrong and Richard Eccles to its board as head of marketing and group chief operating officer respectively.

It follows a year of growth for the firm, with a 40% increase in group revenues to £6.8m in the last financial year.

Mike Brennan, CEO at CP Media, said:

“Rachel is the most experienced and successful regional airport advertising manager in the UK. Her promotion to the main board will strengthen both the company and the management.

“Ed has been with us for many years and now runs one of the most successful marketing departments in our industry.

“Richard has done outstanding work for the entire group over the last 10 years and thoroughly deserves this promotion.

“He has been my successful number two almost since the beginning and we wouldn’t be here without him. He is a vital part of our future growth.”

CP Media was named one of the 50 fastest growing Yorkshire companies by Ward Hadaway and number 78 in the UK in the top founder-led private businesses of 2022, awarded by FEBE Growth 100.

It has offices in Halifax as well as six of its 40-strong team being based in Harrogate, where Eye Airport is based. CP Media acquired the brand in 2019, taking advantage of its advertising rights for 19 regional airports.

Ofsted praise for “ambitious” leaders at Nidderdale village school

A village school with just 45 pupils has been praised for turning around its fortunes in the four years since its last Ofsted inspection.

Admiral Long Church of England Primary School has been rated ‘good’ after inspectors visited last month and found its leaders were “ambitious” and had put an “effective” curriculum in place.

The school in Burnt Yates was founded on the site of the former village primary school, which was closed in 2018 after Ofsted said it had inadequate safeguarding.

Bishop Thornton Primary School, which was rated ‘requires improvement’, then moved to the site. Its executive headteacher, Victoria Kirkman, took over in September 2021 and also oversees Birstwith Primary School, as well as being interim executive leader of the Ripley, Beckwithshaw and Kettlesing federation of schools.

In their latest report, Ofsted inspectors said:

“Admiral Long Church of England Primary School does not just focus on academic outcomes. Pupils experience a range of sporting and cultural events to enhance their learning.

“Leaders want their pupils to grow into well-rounded young people, ready to take their place in the world. The school curriculum, enrichment experiences and the wider opportunities on offer have been designed to achieve this.”

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The report highlighted the overwhelmingly positive response of parents to the school, saying they were “full of praise” for staff and leaders and were proud to say their children attended the school.

Inspectors found reading was a high priority in the school, from pupils just beginning to learn letter sounds to those who had fallen behind receiving extra support.

They said the curriculum was well-planned overall, encouraging pupils to make links between different subject areas. While the maths curriculum was ambitious and “coherently sequenced”, inspectors said it could be broken down into smaller steps to help the youngest children in the early stages of number recall.

Executive headteacher Victoria KirkmanExecutive headteacher Victoria Kirkman

Ms Kirkman said:

“Since September, the school has gone on an incredible journey of rapid school improvement and I am delighted this hard work has been recognised, especially with regards to the safeguarding of its pupils.

“Although our school was recognised for its achievements in relation to the curriculum and academic outcomes, I am most proud of the recognition, post-pandemic, for the pastoral care and enrichment experiences we give to our pupils.”

Early years

The report found the school’s early years provision required improvement, particularly in outdoor learning, saying:

“Children in the early years enjoy learning in a welcoming and attractive space indoors that prioritises all areas of learning, including physical development and communication and language.

“However, this is not the case outdoors. Consequently, children are unable to enjoy extending their play and learning outside. There is a lack of activities and resources for them to use.

“The space does not support the delivery of the early years curriculum. Leaders know this area requires development and have plans in place for this.”

Inspectors also recommended improvements to the SEND provision, giving more support to pupils to ensure they reached targets set for them.

Chair of governors Jane Connor said:

“The governors are immensely proud of the achievement of the leadership team and all staff and children at Admiral Long School…

“We are particularly proud of the school’s focus on developing well-rounded young people, through a curriculum developed in the best interests of pupils, enrichment experiences and wider opportunities.”