Harrogate district man arrested over ‘Manchester Arena bomber’ costume

Police have made an arrest after reports of a man wearing an offensive costume depicting Manchester Arena bomber, Salman Abedi.

North Yorkshire Police said yesterday that it had received complaints about a man wearing the costume on social media.

Officers have since arrested a Harrogate district man in his 40s in connection with the incident.

In a statement, the force added:

“The man was arrested on 1 November on suspicion of a number of offences including using a public communication network to send offensive messages.”

In an update this morning, police said the man was released on conditional police bail to allow for further enquiries to be carried out.

Abedi killed 22 people in a suicide attack at Manchester Arena on May 22, 2017.

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Cats Protection charity store to open in Harrogate tomorrow

Cats Protection, the largest cat welfare charity in the UK, will open a Harrogate store tomorrow.

The boutique-inspired store, located on Oxford Street, will sell designer clothes to raise money for the charity.

Store manager, Joanna Swinburn, said people can expect the likes of Paul Smith and Kenzo to be stocked for both men and women.

She added:

“The aim was for it not to look like a typical charity shop.

“There was a need for a boutique store in Harrogate; there’s lots of run-of-the-mill charity shops – there’s nothing different.”

The charity, which launched in 1927, helps to re-home unwanted and stray cats.

The Harrogate shop will be the fourth of its kind – with others in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Ealing.

Ms Swinburn added:

“The reception to the store opening has been amazing.

“Since we put the mannequins in the window, lots of people have knocked on the door and asked what the store will be.”

Cats Protection Harrogate will open its doors tomorrow at 10am. There will be prosecco and cakes on offer for the official opening.

It will be open 7 days a week from 10am – 5pm.

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Knaresborough netballer sets second world record

An amateur netball player from Knaresborough has set a world record for the most goals scored in one minute.

Sue Hobson, 45, doubled the existing record after scoring 40 goals – or one every 1.5 seconds – smashing the minimum target of 20 set by Guinness World Records.

Ms Hobson has been a goal shooter for Harlow Hawks in the Harrogate and District league for 25 years.

She said:

“I think I’ve scored about 10,000 goals for Hawks across the years and I just love it! It’s definitely my happy place.

“I never get bored of shooting goals, whether it’s in league games, training or just in my garden.”

The attempt was held at Ms Hobson’s former school, King James’s, where she was joined by her family who kept the balls flowing for her.

The strict rules also required two independent witnesses or timekeepers and qualified netball umpires to be present.

All equipment had to meet the World Netball regulations and Ms Hobson’s attempt had to be filmed for verification by Guinness World Records.

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Ms Hobson also set the world record for the most netball goals scored in one hour – scoring 1,252 — three years ago.

She set herself the challenge after practicing in lockdown. Ms Hobson added:

“Getting the first world record gave me the bug and everyone in my team and at netball matches kept asking me when I was going to do another.”

Ms Hobson raised £2,440 for Saint Michael’s Hospice during her first world record, and is now fundraising for the British Heart Foundation, which supported her father following a heart-attack in 2021.

“It feels great to be a double world record holder, and being able to raise money for charity makes it even more rewarding.

“I’d like to thank everyone involved in helping me with my world record. My family, umpires Sharon Hardisty and Hayley Blaymires, and King James’s School for the use of the sports hall on the day and for practice beforehand.

“It brought back memories for us all being at the school again and it was really special to be able to set the world record there.”

Business Breakfast: Harrogate consultancy firm hires new associate directors

Are you already thinking of how to reward your employees this Christmas? Why not choose the Harrogate Gift Card?

The Harrogate Gift Card can be spent in over 100 businesses in Harrogate town centre including retail, hospitality and leisure, whilst keeping the spend locked into the local economy.

Complete a corporate bulk order of over £250 and receive 15% discount from November 1 to 15 with the code ‘HGT15’.

A Harrogate consultancy firm has announce two new appointments as part of growth at the company.

Harlow Consulting, which is based at Cardale Park, has hired James Legard and Carolyn Black as associate directors.

Mr Legard has joined the firm from Purcell Architecture, while Ms Black has been appointed from the public sector in Scotland.

Jennifer Brennan, director at Harlow, said:

“We are delighted that two such strong candidates have chosen to join our growing team. James is adept at interpreting complex information to produce clear, actionable recommendations. He’s also particularly skilled in the fields of construction and heritage, which are important and growing research areas for us.

“Carolyn is a great fit for us, in terms of both her experience and values. Her diverse and expert skill set in social research will greatly strengthen our ability to deliver for our Scottish clients.

“Her understanding of the needs of the public and third sectors will be especially valuable in forwarding our mission to undertake projects with positive social impacts.”

Harrogate chamber event to focus on carbon emissions 

Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce is set to hold its next meeting on November 13.

The event will focus on the way in which businesses can reduce their carbon footprint.

Zero Carbon Harrogate will introduce practical steps that businesses can take to tackle carbon emissions, including what resources and support are available.

The event will be held at Harrogate College from 5.30pm. More information is available on the EventBrite page.

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Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal 2023: Let’s not forget those who need our help this Christmas

This year’s Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal is to raise money for a minibus for Dementia Forward in the Harrogate district. 

The appeal is kindly sponsored by Vida Healthcare.

Please read Flora’s story below and give generously to support local people and their families living with dementia. They need your help.

Christmas is a time to create happy memories, to connect with family and enjoy each other’s company. But Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease take those memories away, and life can become confusing and isolating.

Local charity Dementia Forward works to support people living with these life-changing and disabling conditions, but it can only do so with the help of charitable donations.

So this Christmas, the Stray Ferret is asking you to support to this local organisation and ensure it can continue to offer the vital services it provides.

We want to raise £30,000 to buy a new minibus so that Dementia Forward can carry on bringing people struggling with memory loss to social events and a supportive environment.

The appeal is kindly sponsored by Vida Healthcare, so every penny donated will go directly to Dementia Forward.

The charity’s minibus service is currently used by more than 50 people. It also takes them on days out across the county, which is a huge part of the Dementia Forward programme. It is used to help people access the charity’s social events for those that can no longer drive, as well as weekly day trips for those with young onset dementia. The group visits a variety of places, including the Yorkshire coast, nature reserves, walking trails, llama farms, art galleries and so much more.

However, Dementia Forward’s current bus is old and tired and urgently needs to be replaced. The charity would seriously struggle to afford a new one, which is why they need your help to keep this vital service going.

Without it, many people living with dementia wouldn’t be able to access the help and support they need. 

Every donation to our campaign will go directly to Dementia Forward to help us hit our £30,000 target.

Over the next seven weeks, we’ll be bringing you stories that show just how important Dementia Forward is, and the impact it has on local people’s lives.

Please read them, share them, and donate whatever you can.

Let’s not forget those who need our help this Christmas.

Thank you.

The NHS found 1 in 11 people over the age of 65 are living with dementia in the UK. For those who need urgent help or have a dementia-related enquiry, call 0330 057 8592 to speak to a helpline adviser. 

Vida Healthcare offers specialist residential and nursing care across three state-of-the-art homes.

James Rycroft, managing director of Vida Healthcare, said:

“We’re delighted to be supporting the Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal in aid of Dementia Forward.

“It is such an amazing local charity supporting people living with dementia.”

 

Harrogate district residents to be consulted on new housing plan 

North Yorkshire Council is set to consult residents on a new local plan that will guide decisions on housing and infrastructure in the Harrogate district over the next two decades. 

The North Yorkshire Local Plan will set out where new developments will take place, along with policies and strategies that planning applications will be considered against.

Once adopted, it will replace the existing local plan for the Harrogate district. 

As part of the first stage of a five-year process to create the plan, residents are being encouraged to sign up to a new online portal that will enable North Yorkshire Council to keep them informed about when consultations and engagement will take place and how to have their say. 

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Cllr Derek Bastiman, the council’s executive member for open to business, said:

“Anyone with an interest in what, where, when and how development could take place in the county during the next two decades is encouraged to register their details on the portal.” 

A consultation is due to start this month about the council’s new Statement of Community Involvement, which will set out how it will consult people on planning, as well as early engagement about the local plan.  

Anyone already registered on the existing Harrogate District Local Plan database will be contacted by the council about the new portal.

Those not yet registered can sign up to the database at www.northyorks.gov.uk/localplan or call the council on 0300 131 2 131, stating ‘Local Plan’ when prompted. 

Yorkshire company offers hyperfast broadband at ultra-low price

This story is sponsored by OctaPlus.

A Yorkshire company says it can provide hyperfast broadband at a lower price than any available via the well-known price comparison websites. 

OctaPlus is offering a huge speed of 900Mbps – download and upload – for just £1 for the first three months and £27 a month thereafter, beating its competitors on both speed and price by a considerable margin for those who have the install completed before December 31, 2023.

The deal, which comes with no upfront costs, is available only on two- or three-year contracts, but the price for a one-year contract is just £32 per month, which is still cheaper than the company’s rivals. 

Gladstone Gonsalves, who founded Hull-based OctaPlus after partnering with award-winning broadband business CityFibre, said: 

“Other companies simply cannot beat us on value for money. Energy bills, mortgages, groceries – they’ve all gone crazy – but we’re here to lower your costs and help you move over to fibre.” 

He added: 

“All the old copper-wire connections are going to be decommissioned – the government intends to replace them all by 2030 – and all too often they only give you 5-10Mb of the 60-70Mbps promised by the provider anyway. 

“With full fibre, you get higher speeds for a lower price – so what’s stopping you from moving?” 

Hyperfast broadband is commonly considered to refer to connections exceeding 500Mbps – far faster than superfast (30 to 300Mbps) or ultrafast (300 to 500Mbps) – and enables users to download movies in seconds. 

But, says Gladstone, hyperfast broadband is merely a taste of greater things to come: 

“Full-fibre broadband is totally scalable. We can provide 900Mbps today, but our partner, CityFibre, have already tested their network and proved it’s ready for 2,500Mbps – that’s an upto 2.5 Gigabytes service. In the near future, even faster speeds will be available as they develop their multi-gig portfolio.  

“By moving over to full fibre now, you’ll supercharge your connection – with higher speeds, a lower price, and you’ll be ready for the next generation of gigabyte broadband that’s just around the corner. It’s a no-brainer.” 

OctaPlus broadband is available across the Harrogate district. To find out if you can supercharge your connection, visit the OctaPlus website. 

Harrogate mums launch baby classes to tackle covid impact on education

Two Harrogate mums have launched parent and child classes to combat the impact of covid on local education.

Fiona Cunningham, who teaches at Rigg Farm Montessori Nursery, and Charlotte Davison, who teaches at Grove Road Community Primary School, felt the pandemic stunted young childrens’ speech and language development, as well as “overall school readiness”.

Early Explorer classes will offer sensory story time sessions improve communication and speech skills ahead of starting school.

Ms Cunningham said:

“Having had children of our own we are hoping to provide something we felt was missing in this area.

“As passionate teachers and mums, we noticed the impact that covid had on children’s development in terms of speech and language. We wanted to use our teaching skills and experience to support families and children in the area to inspire a love of learning through sensory stories and experiences.”

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The pair hope the classes will help children better understand narratives, increase vocabulary and cognitive development.

Ms Cunningham added:

“In our classes, stories come to life through a symphony of sights, sounds, textures and scents.

“Through carefully curated tales, interactive props, soothing music and tactile elements, children will embark on a journey of exploration and imagination.”

Once established, Ms Cunningham and Ms Davison hope to offer maths and writing classes too.

“We are so excited to be starting this new project and have enjoyed meeting our first Early Explorers in the recent weeks and can’t wait to welcome even more of you to our sensory story time classes!”

Early Explorers will be held at Staveley & Copgrove Village Hall on Monday mornings, and at Killinghall Village Hall on Friday mornings.

The classes are suitable for parents with babies and children up to the age of 4. Prices start at £9.

Dog alerts owner to kitchen blaze in Harrogate home

Fire crews from Harrogate and Knaresborough were called to reports of a kitchen fire in a Harrogate home last night.

The incident, which took place at 8.43pm, happened on Woodlands Avenue.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue incident log said the blaze began after a fuse box caught fire which then spread to the kitchen.

It added:

“Crew used two breathing apparatus and one hose reel jet to extinguish the fire.

“They ventilated the property and 2 neighbouring properties using a positive pressure ventilation fan.”

Station manager, Tony Walker, who described the fire as “severe”, posted on social media:

“The owner was alerted by her dog and smoke alarm.

“Dogs & smoke alarms save lives, every home should have one.”

No injuries have been reported.

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New bike track could be in Harrogate’s Valley Gardens by April

A bike track for young people in Harrogate’s Valley Gardens could be installed by April next year, according to North Yorkshire Council.

The council is running a six-week consultation on whether to replace the nine-hole pitch and putt golf course with a pump track, which cyclists and scooter riders navigate using the natural bumps and bends in the land to generate momentum.

The track, which would take up 2,000 square metres, would be free to use and provide an additional activity for children aged up to 10.

Karl Battersby, the council’s corporate director for environment, said:

“We are running a six-week consultation to see what people think of the idea of a free of charge compressed hardcore beginner’s pump track as an addition to our popular Valley Gardens.

“The track proposed would have gentle slopes, curves and bumps, be accessible all year, and replace the existing nine-hole pitch and putt golf course.”

‘Significant drop’ in golfing

The track would signal the end of pitch and putt in Valley Gardens.

Mr Battersby said:

“The decision to look at closing the golf course has been made for numerous reasons including a significant drop in people using it over the last 10 years, despite attempts to increase popularity by reducing it from 18 holes to nine, introducing season tickets and working with schools.

“Equally, unpredictable weather and natural springs creates sloping wet land making it unsuitable for golf for a large portion of the year.

“We do not want to close an activity in the gardens without replacing it and a pump track would lend itself to the existing slopes and bumps in this area. We are always looking to enhance our parks and the proposed track would also work alongside promoting nature and wildlife as we would also plant more trees and longer grass areas.

“If there is support we hope the track, which would be installed the council’s parks team, could be in place by April next year.”

Cllr Sam Gibbs, a Conservative who represents Valley Gardens and Central Harrogate on the council, welcomed the proposal.

He said:

“I’m supportive of schemes that bring more visitors into the Valley Gardens and supportive of activities for young people.

“I’m also keen the views of other local people, community groups, such as the Friends of Valley Gardens and others who use the park on a regular basis are taken into account and have encouraged many to take part in the consultation.

“From speaking with people in the gardens, most seemed supportive. Nobody I spoke to used the golf facilities although some did raise concerns around safety of participants and whether the area would be fenced off.”

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