Great Yorkshire Show goes virtual

The Great Yorkshire Show is going online for the first time in its history on July 14-16.

The show, that would normally welcome 130,000 visitors, was cancelled in March due to coronavirus. But it is now going virtual to offer three full days of entertaining video footage.

The organisers, Yorkshire Agricultural Society, are offering the performances, demonstrations and livestock visitors would expect from the traditional event.

Acts will include Yorkshire-based TV stunt performers Atkinson Action Horses, a cook off with top chefs and a Q&A session with stars of The Yorkshire Vet.

Soprano Lizzie Jones and the Leyburn Band will also perform. Viewers will also get a behind the scenes tour with the Olympic show jumper Graham Fletcher.

Charles Mills, Show Director of the Great Yorkshire Show, said:

“While the coronavirus has caused the cancellation of our iconic annual event, we are determined that the show must go on, albeit in a different format this year.

“The Yorkshire Agricultural Society recognises that the Great Yorkshire Show offers a fantastic platform to celebrate and champion the very best of British agriculture and so we hope to achieve that virtually this year. There will be something for everyone to enjoy online over the show’s three days.”

Atkinson Action Horses performing at a previous Great Yorkshire Show.

The virtual show will see the return of well-loved performers but this time viewers can watch it from home.

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The businesses who would have held trade stands can also be accessed by viewers. A comprehensive directory is available to encourage viewers to shops as well as watch the show.

A full schedule will be available on the Great Yorkshire Show website.

More charity shops re-open across the Harrogate district

Further charities with shops in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon have reopened their doors this week.

In Ripon, where nine different charities have retail outlets, The Salvation Army has reopened after being shut since March 23.

The Cancer Research UK shop, located on Market Place, is also back trading in the city, while its shops in Knaresborough Market Place and Oxford Street, Harrogate, have also reopened.

The reopenings follow news reported in The Stray Ferret of last week’s opening of St Vincent’s on Knaresborough High Street, which raises money to support the community work of the St Vincent de Paul charity.

Victoria Smith, manager of Ripon’s Salvation Army shop, told The Stray Ferret:

“We have introduced strict social distancing and hand hygiene arrangements and have also fitted a perspex screen at our counter. Just six people at a time are allowed in.”

Victoria added:

“It has felt like a long time since we had to go into lockdown and we look forward to welcoming back our customers and the people who have supported us in the past through the donation of items for sale.”

The Salvation Army, which has more than 400 shops across the country, is a pioneer, having opened its first shops in the 19th century to provide affordable clothing to people who otherwise could not afford them.

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Cancer Research UK is a research and awareness charity formed in February 2002 through the merger of The Cancer Research Campaign and Imperial Cancer Research Fund.

The charity has 600 shops in the UK and Isle of Man and money raised through them is used to support its aim of reducing the number of cancer deaths.

Di Illingworth, who manages the Cancer Research UK Ripon shop (pictured above), said: “We are so pleased to be back. All charities rely heavily on the money raised through their retail outlets.”

Rudding Park volunteers pick up 400kg of rubbish

Furloughed staff at Rudding Park Hotel in Harrogate have been supporting a number of volunteering initiatives during lockdown.

One of the initiatives was a “Litter Pick Up Pop Up” in order to help Harrogate look its best for when lockdown restrictions are eased further. In 320 hours, the team collected 400kg of rubbish and walked 1,600,000 steps, equating to 640 miles.

This comes as the public raised concern over huge amounts of litter being left in beauty spots across the district as hot weather arrived and lockdown restrictions were eased.

Peter Banks, managing director at Rudding Park said:

“Whilst they are unable to work for Rudding Park during this time, they can volunteer and many were keen to do their bit in the community. When the time comes for hotels to reopen it’s going to be important for us to showcase our beautiful town to its absolute best, so we hope this will help in some small way.”

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The volunteers also took part in another two initiatives including Hospitality Action, a service providing a helpline to retired hospitality workers, and Ripon Walled Garden, a charity which supports young children and adults with a learning disability.

Harrogate gym owner loses 65% of revenue over lockdown

Gyms in the Harrogate district have lost clients and money as they remain closed during the pandemic, one reported a 65% loss in revenue.

Indoor gyms are having to remain closed with no indication as to when they can reopen. Some local gyms have had to find new ways to adapt. Gym owners in the district have had to reduce their prices and move online or outdoors to continue to support their clients.

The workout sessions online or in local parks have proved popular with those clients who have missed their normal workout routines. But some are still wary that it may not return to normal for a while as clients regain confidence to return.

Innovate gym in Harrogate focuses on group sessions for women in the district, the owner Chris Lupton said:

“Due to only being able to provide online sessions we reduced our pricing to £50-60 so we lost about 65% in revenue. If it wasn’t for the job retention scheme people would have had to go or had their hours reduced.

“We are planning to continue online training as half of the clients said they want to have a mixture of gym and online classes in the future. I don’t think things will be normal for a year or so now so it’s necessary to find new ways to make money and work with clients.”

Ryan Tansley, owner of CrossFit Harrogate, has also moved his workouts online to maintain a section of his client base. He said:

“It was certainly not a good thing, we lost a few members after they were furloughed or worried about financial problems. But we still have to pay the rent so the government grant really helped.

“We’ve decided to halve the membership price as we know we can’t offer it all through our online programmes.”

Online workouts will have to continue as gym owners wait to hear when they can reopen.

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Sarah Jordan owns Red Strength gym in Knaresborough, it specialises in personal training and decided to close entirely with all of the staff furloughed. She said:

“It’s been terrible, I’ve had to furlough everyone its been really difficult. We are completely closed, I am sure others are the same. Personally, I went to work in a care home for 6-8 weeks for extra income and to get a level of interaction but since outdoor PT has been allowed I’ve don’t that. Everybody is happy to train outdoors and its also brought a lot of new clients in too.”

 

Harrogate companies capitalise on CBD oil popularity

Two new companies have launched in Harrogate to capitalise on the growth of CDB oils, a cannabis-based health product for pain relief.

The Harrogate CBD Company was launched seven weeks ago by 24-year-old Harvey Radcliffe after he witnessed his mum suffer from severe arthritis.  She was on an intensive course of steroids and painkillers, but they had stopped working.

To help his mum, Harvey suggested she gave CBD oils a try. She was sceptical at first, but he says it’s changed her life.

CBD products entered the UK market around five years ago and are usually taken in capsule form or as a spray. They are backed by the World Health Organisation who say it can be beneficial for people suffering from MS and cancer to insomnia and depression.

However, a study from the University of Nottingham, published in 2019 suggested there is “very weak evidence” that CBD can successfully treat many ailments, with the exception of seizures.

CBD products won’t get you “high” but they work by responding to natural cannabinoid receptors within your body. They are legal in the UK as long as any product contains less than 0.2% of the psychoactive substance THC.

Sellers must also ask the customer to check with their GP if it is safe for them to use them.

Harvey from the Harrogate CBD Company said he wants to overhaul the image of CBD oils away from “snake oil salesmen” who would sell the product out of suspect looking vape shops.

He said:

“Our branding is more about the health benefits so it looks like a mainstream product.

Every product on their website also includes analysis from a lab which includes exact information on where the product comes from and what’s in it.

He hopes his company can help more people like his mum.

He added:

“If you’re in pain then you will try something that makes your life better. Chronic pain is the worst type of pain.”

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Launching this week, Harrogate Organics Company is a new wellness brand that will sell a range of health products, including CBD oils.

Known to be beneficial for mental health, owner Dan Simpson said lockdown is the perfect time to launch his new business.

He said:

“It’s no surprise that consumers are turning to CBD during these times as an alternative way to fulfil their wellbeing needs.

“It feels slightly odd launching a business during a global pandemic, but we truly believe that our brand couldn’t be any more relevant and needed right now.”

Russ Newman, runs the Grape Tree health food store in the Victoria Shopping Centre which sells a range of CBD oils.

He told the Stray Ferret that after CBD oils cleared up eczema on his shin he’s happy to “promote it to the hills.”

But is it a health fad? Mr Newman doesn’t think so, and he’s seen demand for it rocket in Harrogate as more people turn away from man-made pharmaceuticals to treat their ailments.

Child suffers suspected broken leg in Parliament Street collision

A nine-year-old girl suffered a suspected broken leg after a collision on Parliament Street in Harrogate on Saturday afternoon.

Police attended the scene at around 1pm after a Volva V70 collided with several parked cars, one of which struck the girl. She was taken to hospital for treatment.

Diversions were set up around Parliament Street as police closed the main A61 road through Harrogate whilst they arranged recovery for four damaged vehicles, including the Volvo.

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No coronavirus deaths for nine days at Harrogate Hospital

Harrogate District Hospital has now gone nine days without reporting any deaths in patienta who tested positive for coronavirus, according to NHS figures today.

It means that the death toll at the district hospital remains at 80.

Nationally, a further 19 people who tested positive for coronavirus have died in hospitals. Of that number, four were in the North East and Yorkshire.

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NHS England said the patients were aged between 60 and 96 years old. All had known underlying health conditions.

It takes the national death toll up to 28,672.

Police appeal after woman dies falling from campervan near Ripley

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for information after a 40-year-old woman died falling out of a white Fiat camper van as it was travelling near Ripley.

The incident occurred on the B6165 at around 7.10pm on Sunday, shortly before the roundabout with the A61. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police officers are appealing for witnesses who may have seen the vehicle prior to or at the time of the collision.

Anyone with any information and/or dash camera footage that they believe could assist police with their enquiries should contact Traffic Constable 771 Steven James on 101 option 2, or email steven.james771@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk.

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Harrogate International Festivals commission ‘exclusive’ new piece of music

An exclusive new piece of music commissioned by Harrogate International Festivals will premiere online next month.

The charity commissioned internationally renowned composer Dr David Lancaster to write the music, before asking musicians from all over the world to get involved by playing their part from the comfort of their living rooms.

HIF said the response was “phenomenal” with musicians submitting videos from countries including Australia, South Africa and Malaysia, as well as the UK.

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One of the submissions came from Matthew Gee, Principal Trombone with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He said:

“It’s great to see the arts organisations taking a fresh and radical approach to music making – for them to be commissioning new material during lockdown is even better.”

Internationally renowned composer, Professor David Lancaster.

The chief executive of Harrogate International Festivals, Sharon Canavar, also noted the importance of “keeping the arts alive in Harrogate”, despite coronavirus putting paid to its usual summer programme. She said:

“We are incredibly excited to be able to bring the world premiere of Eclipse to life this July. It is going to be a truly international collaboration and one that will help shine a bright light on the power of the arts.”

Eclipse will premiere globally from 23 to 26 July. Further details of HIF at Home are available here – https://harrogateinternationalfestivals.com/hif-at-home/. 

Eighth consecutive day with no coronavirus deaths at Harrogate District Hospital

It’s now been 8 days since the last reported death at Harrogate District Hospital of a patient who tested positive for coronavirus. 7 people in the Yorkshire and North East region were reported to have died of the virus.

The last recorded death at the hospital happened on June 18, meaning that it remains at 80 deaths for another day with 135 patient discharges.

A further 18 people, who tested positive for the coronavirus have died, bringing the total number of confirmed reported deaths in hospitals in England to 28,653.

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Patients were aged between 43 and 95 years old. One patient, aged 48, had no known underlying health conditions.