Demand for humanist weddings in Harrogate rises

Humanist celebrants across the district have given their support to the six couples who are challenging the government to change the law to legally recognise humanist marriages.

The current laws in England and Wales force couples who want a humanist wedding to have a separate civil ceremony for their marriage to be legally recognised.

The couples are going to the High Court July 7-8 and will argue that the current law discriminates against them because of their humanitarian belief.

Read more: 

Rachael Meyer, a Harrogate based humanist celebrant, was fully booked for humanist weddings in 2020 and continues to be busy next year.

She said:

““It’s no surprise that the demand for humanist wedding ceremonies is rising rapidly. It is frustrating and completely unfair that non-religious couples in England and Wales who want a beautiful, bespoke, meaningful humanist ceremony that reflects their values have to go through a completely separate legal ceremony with a registrar, whereas religious couples do not.

Marriage laws need to be updated now so that we are in line with Scotland and Northern Ireland.”

Married couple signing certificate

Lisa and Matthew Taylor signing a certificate rather than a register.

In England and Wales, over 1,000 couples a year already have a humanist wedding without legal recognition. The government was given the power to give legal recognition to humanist marriages in 2013 but has failed to act on it.

Humanists UK Chief Executive, Andrew Copson said:

“Couples who have humanist weddings see that day as the epitome of their love and commitment to each other, and all they want is the same legal recognition for that as is given to every religious person in our country.

Government has dragged its heels and that’s why it’s been left to these couples to bring this case.”

Harrogate district has second-highest coronavirus death rate in county

The Harrogate district has the second-highest coronavirus death rate in North Yorkshire despite the fact that it is the least deprived area.

This new information seems to defy the national picture where the virus death rate in poorer and BAME communities tends to be much higher.

The director of public health for North Yorkshire’s report revealed that only Craven has a marginally higher death rate than the Harrogate district.

Read more:

The Harrogate district has a crude mortality rate of 108.4 compared to 112.6 in Craven. The lowest mortality rate in the county is in Selby with 48.3.

Dr Lincoln Sargeant’s report points to the high number of care homes and the high proportion of elderly residents in Harrogate to explain the high death rate.

Coronavirus in care homes

All parts of North Yorkshire have care homes and have reported outbreaks but that number continues to grow. Of those outbreaks, 37% occurred in the Harrogate district back in May.

At that time 555 residents had either been in self-isolation or suffering with coronavirus. North Yorkshire County Council has purchased 200 additional beds to provide resilience.

The report also described the testing time in care home settings as a “critical issue.” It added that it is too long to support effective public health actions.

Meanwhile, more recent figures from care homes revealed that there have now been 94 deaths in the Harrogate district.

Harrogate travel agents refuse to take holiday bookings

Some travel agents in Harrogate are refusing to take bookings for July and August until the government clears up its “vague” guidance around travel.

The current guidance advises British nationals against all but essential international travel but booking ahead is permitted. Travel agents are expecting an announcement around “travel bubbles” to countries such as Spain and France this week.

However, one Harrogate travel agent who didn’t wish to be named said even if the government says it’s safe to travel he won’t be accepting bookings for July and August. He said he does not believe travellers will be properly covered by insurance because travel rules could change again.

Read more:

Ben Poole launched his first own travel agency, The Travel Journal, in January. He missed out on the government’s support grant for businesses and spent March and April dealing with refunds and re-bookings. He’s now having to turn customers away at what should be the most profitable time of the year.

He told the Stray Ferret that the government’s expected announcement for “travel bubbles” should give insurance companies the confidence to offer protection. But he doesn’t expect there to be a rush of bookings and said most holidaymakers are looking ahead to Christmas and the new year.

He said:

“Morally, people are asking if it’s right to go now with what’s going on in the world. A customer is going to Greece in September. He says he feels crazy for wanting to go.”

Keith Butterfield owns Number One Travel in Harrogate and also has concerns about travel insurance. He told the Stray Ferret he won’t be taking any immediate bookings until the situation is cleared up.

He said:

“We’ve been advising people against booking for July until we know what the situation is.

“If we book a holiday now and it’s subsequently cancelled then we have the problem of getting the refund to them. We’d be out of pocket but people would have looked forward to their holiday and then they can’t have it.”

“We’re eager to book holidays but we don’t want our customers travelling abroad then finding they’re not covered by insurance. If flights are cancelled then there’ll be disappointed.”

26 cyclists a year injured in collisions in Harrogate

On average 26 cyclists a year are injured in collisions in Harrogate, analysis by the Stray Ferret has found.

As bicycle shops report record sales and commuters return to work after lockdown, the numbers give an indication of how safe it is to cycle in the town.

The UK-wide data goes back to 2005 and was published by not-for-profit organisation Cycle Streets. It includes details of every collision involving a cyclist where a police report was filed.

From 2014 to 2018, there were 128 reports of cyclists being injured with the majority involving a car. No cyclists were killed during the time period.

Skipton Road was the worst road in Harrogate for collisions involving cyclists, with 13 injuries over five years.

Cycling map

All the incidents in Harrogate from 2014-2018.

Caroline Linford from green group Sustainably Harrogate called the figures “alarming”.

She told the Stray Ferret that cycling in the town can feel dangerous.

She said:

“It’s easy to see why people are reluctant to cycle on Harrogate roads. Safety is a key concern.”

“Personally since Lockdown my whole family have been using bicycles as a form of exercise and to do doorstop visits with family across Harrogate. It’s become clear to me that there are some good pathways to cycle on and some very dangerous roads.

“When I’m on my bicycle I feel that pedestrians get irritated with cyclists on pavements as we travel faster than walkers and equally, car drivers often become irritated behind cyclists while on shared roads, particularly as we go a little slower as we have children with us.”

Read more

North Yorkshire County Council has responsibility for transport in Harrogate and Ms Linford called on the council to introduce so-called “Low Traffic Neighbourhoods” in Harrogate to protect cyclists from cars.

The concept is currently being trialled in Lambeth, London where cars are discouraged from entering certain roads with bollards.

North Yorkshire County Council said they have recently won a £31m bid for the government’s Transforming Cities Fund, which will be partly spent upgrading cycling and walking facilities in Harrogate.

Don Mackenzie, executive member for road safety at North Yorkshire County Council, told the Stray Ferret that the safety of cyclists is one of the council’s top road safety priorities.

He said:

“Contrary to some recent sensationalist contributions on social media, there have been no fatalities involving cyclists in Harrogate town in the last 14 years. Furthermore, in spite of substantial increases in the numbers of residents choosing to cycle, the overall number of accidents involving cyclists in the county has been reducing steadily.”

Lockdown blamed for rise in Harrogate recreational drug use

A drugs advisor has told the Stray Ferret said coronavirus has had a huge impact on the rise of recreational drug use in Harrogate.

As lockdown has eased crowds of people have met on the stray leaving behind drug paraphernalia. Nitrous oxide canisters, in particular, are becoming increasingly popular with young people in the area as they can be easily bought online with no age restrictions in place.

Ruth Watson, a safeguarding and county lines drug trainer, said:

“Covid has played a massive part in the rise of recreational drug use in the area.”

Traditionally used within the catering sector, the canisters are often presumed to less dangerous than other drugs. But side effects can include loss of blood pressure and fainting and in extreme cases nerve damage, heart attacks and death.

Ruth continued:

“People think its safe but it could lead them on to try harder drugs. Nitrous oxide is a growing issue with young people, since lockdown they’ve been cooped up and not allowed out now they have been out they are overcompensating for it.

“It appears to be a bigger issue since lockdown because it’s more visible. The pandemic has been horrendous in so many respects, it’s now making a social issue with young people getting whatever they can I don’t think it would be like this if things were normal.”

Nitrous oxide canister left in the grass

There’s been a visible increase in ‘laughing gas’ canisters in Harrogate.

Read more:

Harrogate has had a long-standing problem with county lines drugs. It has been dubbed the ‘drugs capital of Yorkshire’ and the new issue of recreational drugs over lockdown will only enhance this title.

Women’s presidency handed over with broom

The Harrogate and District Soroptimists found a new way to handover presidency last week.

Social distancing has made it impossible for new president Sandra Frier to receive the chain of office given to her back in April. However, being able to meet in small groups in gardens has meant that the handover has finally taken place.

Immediate past presidents Sylvia Purser and Sue Williams passed the chain of office over to new president via a broom handle.

Read more: 

Soroptimist International of Harrogate and District work with other Soroptimist clubs and organisations globally to make a difference to the lives of women and girls.

Sandra Frier the new Club President has chosen the theme of people, partnership and the planet, with her chosen charity being ‘Just B’ and Saint Michaels Hospice.

Previous soroptimist presidents with new president

President Sandra Frier wearing chain in foreground with Sylvia Purse (Left) & Sue Williams (Right)

She said:

“Harrogate and District Soroptimists have a reputation for combining fun and friendship with hard work. Whilst some members have continued to work, others have worked together virtually to assist the community during these very difficult times.”

Some of their voluntary activities have included making scrubs with the Harrogate Scrubbers, providing pamper bags for NHS front-line staff and making laundry bags for Ripon Hospital.

Council “disappointed” over emergency cash for cycle lanes

North Yorkshire County Council said it remains committed to providing extra cycle and walk ways even though it said it was “disappointed” with the amount of money its been given by central government.

The county council bid for money from the Government’s “emergency active travel fund” to provide extra support for sustainable travel as part of the national recovery from coronavirus.

But the council was only allocated £133,000, half of the possible maximum available.

County Councillor Don Mackenzie, Executive Member for Access, said:

“We have a long-standing commitment to active, sustainable travel, and that remains undimmed. The allocation from this first tranche of funding is disappointing, but we will learn from this bid and are determined to take full advantage of the next phase of funding and beyond”

Read More:

Harrogate District Cycling Action gave us this statement:

It’s disappointing that NYCC has only received 50% of the Tranche 1 amount provisionally allocated to it (which was £266,000). It must be because the plans presented weren’t ambitious enough.

There’s an opportunity later in the summer to bid for a further £1,065,000, and we would like NYCC to work with us in developing the best possible bid. The recent Harrogate Congestion Survey showed 77% support for improved walking & cycling infrastructure. This is an opportunity to invest in it, and it’s vital it isn’t wasted.

The authority said it was planning to bid for the second wave of cash. Cllr Mackenzie said:

“Initial feedback from the Department for Transport indicates that the drive behind this first tranche of the fund is to enable people travelling on public transport, particularly those going to and from work, to instead cycle or walk.

This is primarily an issue for large urban areas which have much higher levels of this sort of public transport usage.. Presently, our main impetus is creating town centre spaces to enable social distancing.

“We await guidance on the requirements for the second phase, which is likely to see an emphasis on schemes identified through our local walking and cycling infrastructure plans, which will be more permanent measures.

 

 

30 runs, 30 days, 465 miles: Harrogate teenager crosses finish line

An 18-year-old student from Harrogate has staggered over the finish line of his monumental running challenge, completing 465 miles in 30 days and raising over £6,500 for mental health charity MIND.

Morgan Glazier, who is a student at Rossett School in Harrogate, decided to go on a run every day for 30 days (one mile on June 1, two on June 2… up to 30 on June 30).

The Stray Ferret spoke to Morgan just before he set off on his final 30-mile run this morning, and again later in the day as he crossed the finish line. He said:

“I am very, very sore, but that is to be expected after four back-to-back marathons. I have done the distance before but usually with a month’s recovery in between. I’m ready to sleep for a month now.”

The teenager should have been sitting his A levels this year, before enjoying a summer of celebrations for finishing school and turning 18. Instead, when the coronavirus put paid to his plans, he set himself the epic challenge.

Morgan’s mum was there at the finish line, having supported him throughout the challenge. She said:

“He’s been amazing, he started off on his own, he just sort of went off and did it and then the last couple of weeks I’ve been at the start and finish and just making sure he’s getting plenty to eat and drink! But he’s been cheery the whole way through, I really am proud of him.”

Read more: 

Morgan hopes his running will highlight the positive effects that running can have on mental health. He told the Stray Ferret that he chose MIND charity as It has helped so many people:

“I was diagnosed with OCD a couple of years ago, but I had been struggling for while before I got help. I  want to raise awareness and encourage people not to be embarrassed. I Chose mind charity as i know they offer support to anyone struggling. I am running in memory of my uncle who died as a result of his mental health problems, and for everyone who suffers or has suffered from a mental illness.”

Morgan initially set out to raise £100 for Mind, and increased this to £5,000 as people across the district showed so much support. Today, as he crossed the line, the figure stood at £6,600 with donations still coming in.

To sponsor Morgan, click here.

18 year old Student Morgan Glazier running marathon

Morgan Glazier on the final day of his 465-mile challenge

Ten days without hospital covid deaths – but care home numbers rise again

There have been no new reported deaths related to coronavirus at Harrogate District Hospital for the tenth day running.

The hospital’s total number of deaths remains at 80, as NHS England reports 37 new deaths across the country today.

Of those, five were in the North East and Yorkshire. Patients were aged between 48 and 94, and all but one, aged 80, had known underlying health conditions.

Read more:

Meanwhile, the number of deaths in care homes across the Harrogate district has risen to 94.

The latest figure, released today, covers all deaths in care homes until June 19. It is up by 4 from the figures released last week, which showed 90 deaths had occurred up to June 12.

As well as care homes, the data also revealed that no Harrogate people with coronavirus died in their homes, at a hospice, or in other communal establishments during that week. The total number of deaths in those locations across the Harrogate district remains at seven.

MPs watch: litter picking and lost car keys

Every month the Stray Ferret has been trying to find out what our local MPs, Andrew Jones and Julian Smith, have been up to in their constituencies and in the House of Commons.

In June, the district began to emerge from lockdown so we wanted to know how active they have been during this critical period. We asked both Mr Jones and Mr Smith if they would like to highlight anything in particular, but we did not receive a response at the time of publication.

So here is what we know after analysing their online presence.

Andrew Jones, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough.

In Harrogate and Knaresborough here is what we found on Mr Jones:

Julian Smith, MP for Ripon and Skipton.

In Ripon here is what we found on Mr Smith: