A university student is making good use of her time in lockdown by providing free concerts for her Harrogate neighbours. 

Lucy Crocker, 22, played songs from her front garden in Mallinson Oval last Friday, hoping to lift spirits. 

So many of them came outside to listen from their doorsteps and driveways that she is planning to make it a weekly concert. 

She said: “I saw videos of people giving concerts on their balconies and I thought, ‘I could do that’.  

“When I’m at university, we have informal student recitals every Monday and I miss that when I’m away.” 

Former Harrogate Grammar School student Lucy plays viola and sings, and says she can play a few chords on the ukulele. Her first performance consisted mostly of music she already knows, but she has been taking requests from her neighbours and practising their suggestions. 

“I don’t know that much modern music – I’m more used to playing in orchestras,” she said. “But I’m OK at playing by ear, so if I know the song I can usually play it.” 

Lucy plans to continue her concerts for as long as people are at home to hear them. She is preparing to sit the final exams for her earth sciences degree at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, from home, where her parents and younger brother are also in lockdown. 

There are other families living nearby, as well as elderly people, and Lucy said she was keen to bring people together, even if from a distance. 

“I wanted to have a little bit of interaction with the neighbours that isn’t just on a messenger basis,” she said. “They all came out and seemed to enjoy not just the music, but all being out at the same time and chatting to each other across the road.” 

Among those who appreciated the performance was Margaret Willis, who has family living in Harrogate and helping out with food supplies but is missing seeing people every day. 

“All us oldies were out in the road,” she said. “We all kept our distance but it was nice to get out and chat to neighbours.  

“I think it did us all good. Everybody said how lovely it was. Even people who hadn’t been out for ages brought a chair out and sat down to listen – it was really good.” 

North Yorkshire County Council has warned people not to fly tip during the temporarily closure of recycling centres because of coronavirus.

The council has asked households to try to create less waste and not be tempted to start carrying out DIY or gardening projects which create extra rubbish.

Speaking for both the district and county council, County Councillor Andrew Lee, Executive Member for Waste Management said:

“We understand that during this time of confinement people are at home when they wouldn’t normally be, so may generate more waste, particularly if they need to have food and other essentials delivered. But we ask them to consider their waste and minimise it as far as possible to support the efforts of the refuse collection teams.. If you overload your general waste bin, it may not be emptied”

In some areas in the Harrogate district green garden waste collections have been delayed until mid-April.  To protect the collection teams residents are being told to:

• Double bag rubbish for collection if they are feeling ill – even if they haven’t been diagnosed with Covid-19
• To clean bin handles before and after collection.

Some residents though have already experienced non domestic waste being dumped in their bins and are concerned. Gillian Parkin who lives in the Rossett Green area of Harrogate told the Stray Ferret that last night she put their black wheelie bin out only to find someone had put two large bin bags full of wallpaper strippings in it overnight.  She fears the situation will get worse.

“I am concerned that we are going to see more of this sort of thing as we can’t go to recycling centres. it is just the beginning. If people can’t dispose of the rubbish they are generating over coming weeks they will become very imaginative and devious”

North Yorkshire Council Council has reminded people that fly tipping is an offence:

“Do not fly tip. It is an offence punishable by fines or imprisonment and offenders will be prosecuted. Beyond that it is an eyesore and a potential health hazard at a time when, more than ever, we should be showing respect for the place we live and those we share it with.”

Yesterday Harrogate Borough Council has posted photographs of messages of thanks and support people have left on their bins for the collection staff.

You guys… We've had some lovely messages today ❤️

Thank you to everyone who has said hello, thanks or just given our crews a wave today! It truly means a lot to all of them. pic.twitter.com/tvldRAPoyp

— Harrogate Borough Council (@Harrogatebc) March 31, 2020

Individuals, schools and businesses have all rallied behind healthcare workers on the frontline in the battle against coronavirus.

Since the pandemic started, people have donated masks, hand cream and even freshly cooked meals to ease the pressure on healthcare workers.

The staff at Harrogate and District Hospital are said to be “blown away” by the generosity.

It comes as a further two patients who tested positive for coronavirus have died at Harrogate District Hospital, bringing the total up to six deaths.

Sid Lovatt has donated face masks he made with his 3D printer.

Julie Mills set up a Facebook group just over three weeks ago called ‘Supplies for Key Workers in and Around Harrogate’ and has been working day and night to coordinate donations.

She told the Stray Ferret: “We started off by getting food for all of the healthcare workers when people were panic buying at supermarkets. Then we saw that the hospital needed medical supplies, so we got hundreds of masks, gloves and some overalls. Now we are working on getting ventillators into the hospital. We have got to keep healthcare workers going through their shifts.”

Some of the donations made to healthcare workers

• Greek takeaway Mykonos Bar & Grill recently delivered 154 Greek main meals along with desserts and drinks to the hospital
• Local Sid Lovatt decided to put his 3D printer to use and has made lots of masks for care homes and hospital staff
• Harrogate Grammar School’s design department has also put its 3D printer to use by making masks
• Taylors of Harrogate sent the hospital 8,000 coffee and tea bags

The local community has donated so much food to staff that the hospital has created a pop-up shop, where staff can pick up essentials for free.

https://twitter.com/harrogatehcc/status/1245438594581508098

A spokesperson for Harrogate hospital said:

“We’ve been blown away with the generosity of people and businesses from Harrogate and beyond who have donated so many food items, meals, hand creams and other non-perishable items to colleagues at the Trust. It’s really appreciated and it’s been so heartwarming to see the community come together in this way in support of your local NHS. Thank you.

“One part of this support that could potentially cause some issues for us is the delivery of already-cooked meals. We kindly ask that from now on, we are unable to accept already-cooked meals from businesses or individuals. We are providing breakfast, lunch and dinner to staff free of charge, so colleagues do have access to hot meals.”

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in North Yorkshire has risen to 149, with six deaths at Harrogate hospital.

It goes up at a time when the signage also goes up at the new ‘Nightingale Hospital.’

Construction workers, NHS and army staff have been working flat out to convert part of the Harrogate Convention Centre.

On day three of the build, workers installed the hospital signage for the staff and ambulance entrances.

Lots of work is going on outside the Harrogate Convention Centre.

When it is up and running, which could be possible over the next week, it will help the NHS deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

Three temporary ‘Nightingale’ hospitals have already been announced – in London, Manchester and Birmingham – with more understood to be in the planning stages.

Although the NHS has not yet revealed full details about the project, an announcement is expected imminently.

It comes as the number of confirmed cases in North Yorkshire has risen to 149, with six deaths at Harrogate District Hospital.

Work is ramping up at the new ‘Nightingale’ hospital, which will be built at the Harrogate Convention Centre.

Construction, NHS and army staff were all on-site again today to quickly turn part of the centre into a new surge hospital.

When it is up and running, which could be possible over the next week, it will help the NHS deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

Three temporary ‘Nightingale’ hospitals have already been announced – in London, Manchester and Birmingham – with more understood to be in the planning stages.

Harrogate Convention Centre

Harrogate Convention Centre

Harrogate Convention Centre

Harrogate Convention Centre

Harrogate Convention Centre

Harrogate Convention Centre

Harrogate Convention Centre

Harrogate Convention Centre

Harrogate Convention Centre

Harrogate Convention Centre

Harrogate Convention Centre

Harrogate Convention Centre

Harrogate Convention Centre

Harrogate Convention Centre

Harrogate Convention Centre

Harrogate Convention Centre

Harrogate Convention Centre

Harrogate Convention Centre

Harrogate Convention Centre

Harrogate Convention Centre

Two more patients with coronavirus have died at the hospital in Harrogate, bringing the total number up to six since the start of the pandemic.

One of the patients died on March 29 and the other died on March 31.

It’s unclear how old the patients were or whether they had any underlying health conditions, but they were between the age of 13 and 99.

The NHS announced today that a further 486 people who tested positive for COVID-19 have died, bringing the total deaths in England up to 2,137.

All of their families have been informed. 20 of the 486 had no known underlying health conditions.

Ripon Rugby Club has been left devastated and feeling numb, following the sudden death of club treasurer and long-term supporter Jonathan Rutter.

He died in Harrogate Hospital last week after contracting coronavirus. The club is planning to hold an event in his memory when the coronavirus crisis is over.

A Harrogate theatre has launched an emergency appeal and invited people to sponsor its seats.

With coronavirus forcing Harrogate Theatre to cancel its shows for the foreseeable future, the 120-year-old venue now faces “a very uncertain future.”

The theatre has asked people to make a donation, buy tickets for the autumn and winter shows, join its membership scheme and now to sponsor a seat.

It costs £600 to sponsor a seat or £1000 a pair for a five-year term.

That money gets an engraved gold plate featuring the sponsor’s name, with a certificate and invitation to a thank you event a the theatre.

“And now we’re levelling with you – we have never needed your support more than we do today. None of us are entirely sure what the next few weeks and months hold, but the one thing we know is that when all the dust has settled, we want to still be here to bring that joy that everyone will so desperately need.”

The army has started work to convert part of the Harrogate Convention Centre into a ‘Nightingale’ hospital.

NHS and army staff are both on-site today as the basic building blocks were being delivered to create what the NHS refer to as a “surge” hospital move into place.

When it is up and running, which could be possible over the next week, it will help the NHS deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

Although the NHS has not yet revealed full details about the project, an announcement is expected imminently.

Three temporary ‘Nightingale’ hospitals have already been announced – in London, Manchester and Birmingham – with more understood to be in the planning stages.

So far, three patients with coronavirus have died at Harrogate District Hospital, while the number of confirmed cases in North Yorkshire is now at 108.

The government has cancelled all weddings, including those across the Harrogate district, to tackle coronavirus.

For existing bookings that are postponed or cancelled, revised wedding dates will be accepted from September 1, 2020.

New bookings can now only be made from January 1, 2021.

In three weeks time, the government will review the decision to suspend weddings and the service will contact all affected couples.

Those with the soonest ceremonies will be given priority.

North Yorkshire County Councillor Greg White, the Executive Member for Customer Engagement, said:

“We realise people will be disappointed at having to postpone their wedding plans. We are also sure that they and their guests will understand just how important it is for all of us to heed the directive to stay at home as we all play our part in tackling the Covid-19 outbreak.”

The registration service has also suspended appointments to register births and asked residents to register deaths over the phone.

It’s unclear when appointments to register births will resume but residents can still make a claim for child benefit or universal credit.

Those wishing to register a death must do so over the telephone as offices will be shut to personal callers.

When doctors have sent the medical certificate of cause of death by email, they can make a telephone appointment.

Following the call, forms for the undertaker and a formal death certificate will be sent in the post.

Those who have a paper copy of the medical certificate from the doctor can drop the envelope through a letterbox at one of the offices or by email.

A fourth patient has died from coronavirus at Harrogate District Hospital as the number of cases soars over 100.

The latest death in Harrogate comes as a further 367 patients with COVID-19 are confirmed as dead in England.

All of the patients were aged between 19 and 98 years old and all but 28 of them had underlying health conditions.

The number of confirmed cases in North Yorkshire is now at 108 just two weeks after Harrogate District Hospital admitted its first COVID-19 patient.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Defence is in the process of converting the Harrogate Convention Centre into a ‘Nightingale’ hospital to fight the coronavirus crisis.