Harrogate charity warns young people’s mental health crisis reaching ‘epidemic proportions’

A Harrogate charity has warned young people are facing a mental health crisis of “epidemic proportions”.

Wellspring Therapy and Training, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in November, offers affordable counselling to local people.

The charity said it faced the highest demand ever for services from young people.

Emily Fullarton, Wellspring’s executive director, said:

“There are a number of reasons, some interlinked, for this increase in demand.

“The pandemic is one, of course, as is the relentless pressure of social media and exams.

“The cost-of-living crisis has meant that many families are struggling to make ends meet and this has a knock-on effect on family dynamics and the atmosphere at home.”

Just over a third of children with a diagnosable mental health condition receive NHS treatment.

Fullarton commented:

“If this was the case for child cancer treatment there would be outrage.

“As suicide is the leading cause of death after cancer and accidental injury in children and young people, we should be taking this statistic far more seriously.”

The charity has found it difficult to increase the number of sessions on offer because of staff and funding shortages.

However, Wellspring plans to double the number of available sessions by starting a professional training course next year.

Counsellors on the course will learn how to specialise their services for young people.

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Wellspring was founded in 2003 and operates in Starbeck.

The weekly session fee depends on how much you can afford.

Wellspring executive director Emily Fullarton with patron Rt Rev Nick Baines, Bishop of Leeds.

Information on applying for counselling at Wellspring can also be found on their website.

If you are going through a hard time, you can call Samaritans for free 24 hours a day on 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org.

Children going through a difficult time can call Childline for free on 0800 1111.

Labour Party selects candidate to stand for North Yorkshire mayor

The Labour Party has selected York businessman David Skaith as its candidate for the Mayor of York and North Yorkshire.

Mr Skaith owns Winstons of York clothing shop and spent three years as chair of York High Street Forum. He was also secretary of IndieYork, an organisation that promotes independent businesses.

He lives in the village of Wheldrake near York with his wife and two children.

The mayor will oversee a significant budget for York and North Yorkshire covering areas such as transport, education and housing.

The role will also take on the powers of police and crime commissioner. An election is expected to be held for the position in May 2024.

Following his selection, Mr Skaith said:

“It is an honour to be selected as Labour’s candidate for North Yorkshire Mayor. We need the first ever Mayor of North Yorkshire to be a strong voice on the side of local residents. I am passionate about growing our local economy through strong industry and business, restoring the reliable transport connections we desperately need and delivering on the priorities of our communities here in North Yorkshire.

“We have been taken for granted by the Conservatives for too long, and our region is being left behind as a result. We have so much to offer, and as North Yorkshire’s Mayor I will always fight for what we deserve.”

The Conservatives Party has selected North Yorkshire councillor Keane Duncan as its candidate for the position. Cllr Duncan is also the executive councillor for highways on the authority.

Meanwhile, Pateley Bridge businessman Keith Tordoff has announced he will stand as an independent candidate for mayor.

North Yorkshire councillor, Kevin Foster, will contest the election for the Green Party.

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Another Harrogate retail unit could be converted to flats

A Harrogate retailer has submitted plans to convert its top floor into flats.

Documents filed with North Yorkshire Council reveal Shuropody on Oxford Street would convert its top floor into two flats, while retaining the first two floors for retail.

The application was submitted by Edward Ake, of Harrogate firm Sandtoft Properties.

The trend towards town centre living has increased in Harrogate in recent years, with numerous planning applications to convert retail space.

The Stray Ferret wrote about some of the units affected here.

Shuropody is a foot care chain. The top two floors of the Harrogate business are currently occupied by its in-store podiatrist, which advises on footcare issues.

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The public consultation on the plans is open until December 29. The council will then decide whether to accept the application.

Residents can have their say online, or by writing to North Yorkshire Council, PO Box 787, Harrogate HG1 9RW, quoting the reference number ZC23/04286/FUL.

Shuropody has been approached for comment.

Business Breakfast: Council hires marketing firm to promote numeracy project

Excellence deserves to be recognised and celebrated. The 2024 Stray Ferret Business Awards is the event to put your business, people or great initiative in the spotlight!

Make the most of your efforts by reading our top 10 tips for writing your submission for success.

Entries close on January 19, 2024.

North Yorkshire Council has hired a marketing firm to help promote an adult numeracy project across the county.

Leeds-based The Marketing Optimist has been appointed to help promote the MultiplyNYorks scheme, which is aimed at people aged over 19 who do not have a GCSE in maths at grade C.

The digital marketing agency is supporting the council with marketing strategy, social media marketing, SEO, website design and copy on the programme.

Richard Michie, CEO of The Marketing Optimist, said: 

“This project is one of our biggest to date, and we are thrilled to be chosen as the marketing partner for such an important initiative.

“This project requires a thorough, collaborative approach to deliver an extensive multi-channel marketing strategy, as there are over 20 delivery partners across York and North Yorkshire.”

Homebuilder donates wildlife-friendly gifts to Boroughbridge

Homebuilder Barratt Developments Yorkshire West has donated a selection of RSPB wildlife-friendly items to Boroughbridge Allotment Society.

Situated opposite the new Harclay Park and Manor Chase development in Boroughbridge, the society received a selection of bird houses, bee biomes, insect and hedgehog houses to boost their ongoing ecological efforts to protect wildlife.

Boroughbridge Allotment Society was founded in December 2009 to create a space for local people to watch nature thrive.

Geoff Hustwit, secretary at the society, said:

“This donation will help us create valuable habitats for beneficial wildlife which will assist us in developing a sustainable culture on our allotments.”

Sam Wood, sales director at Barratt Developments Yorkshire West, said:

“We are dedicated to creating green and pleasant places to live, and to giving those living on and around our developments the tools to help nature thrive.”

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‘I just want my husband back’ – The Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal 2023

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 give generously to support local people and their families living with dementia. Let’s not forget who needs our help this Christmas.

Today, we talked to a woman who cares for her husband.

“I didn’t sign up for this, Mark didn’t sign up for this, and our sons didn’t sign up for this.”

Wendy Thickett is a carer for husband Mark.

Mark, who was a high-flying computer programmer for more than 32 years, was diagnosed with young onset dementia in 2017 in his early 60s.

Within just one year of his diagnosis, Mark lost his job.

Wendy said:

“He was 20 times more intelligent than me; he loved military history and cricket.

“The first sign was that he couldn’t count back from 100 in threes – he could do that with ease before.”

Mark was initially diagnosed with anxiety and depression, but Wendy wasn’t happy with that and asked for further tests to be done. Finally, he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

“When Mark was diagnosed, we were given some leaflets, he had his driving licence taken off him and that was it.”

Wendy said Mark managed for around a year, but things began to decline after that.

“Two years ago, he went on a walk and got lost.

“We had to get the police to look for him. When they found him, he didn’t know where he’d been, but he was covered in mud and blood.

“He’d obviously fallen, but he didn’t understand.”

The Time out Together group

Wendy’s father was also living with dementia and was supported by Dementia Forward. Karen, the head of young onset at the charity, reached out to her about Mark’s diagnosis.

After some convincing, Mark agreed to try the Time Out Together group and, six years later, he visits Dementia Forward three times every week.

Wendy added:

“It’s been an absolute lifeline.

“When you’re at the point where you desperately need help, you need the communication Dementia Forward can give.”

However, Wendy said Mark has declined rapidly and is now practically non-verbal. She said:

“It’s like having a two-year-old – I can’t take my eyes off him. I have a 14-month-old granddaughter and, when I have them together, it’s almost like there’s two of them.

“The worst part isn’t even me losing him, it’s knowing my boys are losing their father in front of them – they’re his carers now – they can’t sit and talk about football and cricket like they used to.

“I just want my husband back.”

Despite this, Mark loves his time at Dementia Forward, Wendy said.

He goes on days out with the group and takes part in social events and activities. He has walked with llamas, visited nature reserves, enjoys colouring and, apparently, beats everyone at table tennis.

Mark (left).

Dementia Forward is a lifeline for Wendy and Mark, as well as hundreds of other families across the Harrogate district.

That’s why we need your help to ensure the minibus service remains and those living with dementia can access the support they need.

Dementia Forward’s current bus is old 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, helping us hit our £30,000 target to buy the charity a new minibus and improving the lives of those living with dementia and the people around them.

Please give generously to those who need our help this Christmas. Click here to donate whatever you can – you never know when you, your family or a friend may need Dementia Forward’s help too.

Thank you.

If you need urgent help or have a dementia-related enquiry, call 0330 057 8592 to speak to a helpline adviser. 

Harrogate’s St Robert’s school rated ‘good’ by Ofsted

A primary school in Harrogate has been rated ‘good’ by Ofsted.

St Robert’s Catholic Primary School was described by inspectors as a “welcoming, inclusive and diverse community”.

It was St Robert’s first Ofsted inspection for 14 years.

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The report said:

“The Catholic values of the school are a central feature of its work.

“These values are reflected in the acts of kindness that pupils carry out in the school and in the community.”

The report says “everyone is valued” and “teachers and support staff care passionately about each child”.

The school was assessed as ‘good’ in all areas except early years provision, which was graded as ‘requires improvement’.

Inspectors said:

“In recent years, a large proportion of children have not developed the literacy, communication and language skills needed to make them ready for Year 1.”

St Robert’s Catholic Primary School in Harrogate.

Headteacher Jill Collins said:

“The report recognised that the school’s curriculum is increasingly ambitious and the school gives it careful thought.

“Education is an ever-changing journey on which we are privileged to accompany the children in our care.

“As a school, we are continually adapting to this landscape in order to provide children with opportunities to be the best they can be.

“We are grateful to the whole school community for their continued support in helping to make St Robert’s a place for children to be happy, resilient and forgiving learners.”

The 300-pupil school converted to become an academy school in 2021. It is now part of the Bishop Wheeler Catholic Academy Trust.

When its predecessor school, of the same name, was last inspected by Ofsted in May 2009, it was judged to be outstanding overall.

Parents interested in enrolling their child can email admin@st-roberts.n-yorks.sch.uk .

Lib Dem candidate hands in petition to fund £20m repairs to Harrogate hospital

The Liberal Democrats candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough has handed in a petition calling for urgent repairs to Harrogate District Hospital.

A report this year said a survey of the hospital estate found 2,500 panels made of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).

Twelve 12 high-risk panels had been identified and some theatres and corridors had been made safe with props. The report said further propping of panels that were in danger of collapsing might be needed.

The hospital has bid for £20 million funding to undertake repairs and Tom Gordon’s petition urges the government to provide this sum.

Mr Gordon, who handed the petition to the Department for Health and Social Care, said it was “particularly alarming is that there is no guarantee that the funding bid will be successful”.

He said:

“The potential consequences of failing to address this issue promptly are grave, as these panels are prone to crumbling and collapsing, thereby pose a safety risk to all those within the hospital premises.

“This Conservative government has utterly broken our NHS. It can’t even keep the roof over patients’ heads safe, let alone run a health service that gets people the treatment that they deserve on time.”

Mr Gordon said his petition had attracted “hundreds” of signatures but did not reveal the precise figure.

Liberal Democrats leader Ed Davey has also spoken out about Harrogate District Hospital’s need for repairs during prime minister’s questions.

Mr Gordon is aiming to be the first Liberal Democrat MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough since Phil Willis, who served from 1997 to 2010.

Andrew Jones has held the seat for the Conservatives since then.

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Tim Forber set to be North Yorkshire’s new top cop

Tim Forber,  the current deputy chief constable of South Yorkshire Police, has been named as the preferred candidate to become the next chief constable of North Yorkshire Police.

Zoë Metcalfe, the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner for York and North Yorkshire, today announced she had identified Mr Forber to succeed Lisa Winward, who is retiring from the £154,000-a-year role at the end of March next year.

The appointment has been mired in controversy because Ms Metcalfe’s role will be abolished shortly after the candidate she hired is appointed.

The commissioner’s role will be taken over by whoever is elected Mayor of York and North Yorkshire in May 2024.

It means the new mayor will inherit a chief constable they didn’t appoint.

Lisa Winward

Lisa Winward will retire on March 31.

Ms Metcalfe rejected advice to delay the appointment by North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel, which scrutinises her performance.

The Conservative commissioner has also complained about Tory mayoral candidate Keane Duncan, who she claimed used “inappropriate language” to influence her chief constable recruitment. An investigation found no wrongdoing.

Today Ms Metcalfe’s office issued a statement which said Mr Forber had been selected “following a robust recruitment process” that ended yesterday.

The two-day process on December 11 and 12 involved a presentation to local internal and external stakeholders, a media exercise and a panel interview. It also included candidates having to design a presentation based on the results of an online survey conducted by Ms Metcalfe.

‘The right qualities’

Mr Forber joined South Yorkshire Police as assistant chief constable in December 2016 and was promoted to deputy chief constable in June 2021.

Ms Metcalfe will now put Mr Forber to the North Yorkshire Police, Fire and Crime Panel on January 11.

Ms Metcalfe said:

“His depth of experience and commitment to collaboration and local neighbourhood policing across  rural and urban areas was clear from the interview process.

“I have every confidence he has the right qualities to drive forward North Yorkshire Police to be an outstanding service and to keep people safe and feeling safe.”

Mr Forber said:

“I am hugely honoured to be selected as the preferred candidate to be the next chief constable of North Yorkshire Police. I am looking forward to working tirelessly on behalf of the communities of York and North Yorkshire to ensure they have an outstanding police service. “

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Moss Healthcare announces death of long-serving doctor

A retired Harrogate GP who treated patients for three decades has died at the age of 95.

Dr Christopher Watson began working at Moss Healthcare Harrogate in 1959.

The practice, which has sites on King’s Road and Jennyfields in Harrogate and in Killinghall, said in a social media post yesterday that he died on December 6.

Dr Nick Taylor, a senior partner at Moss Healthcare, said:

“Dr Chris Watson served as a GP at Moss for over 30 years; it is with sadness that we announce his death at the age of 95.

“Many of our older patients will remember his kindness and family orientation, he was a wonderful family doctor”

Dr Watson’s funeral will be held at 2.45pm on 19 December, at St Mark’s Church on Leeds Road.

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Business Breakfast: Care equipment firm to move away from Harrogate

Excellence deserves to be recognised and celebrated. The 2024 Stray Ferret Business Awards is the event to put your business, people or great initiative in the spotlight!

Make the most of your efforts by reading our top 10 tips for writing your submission for success.

Entries close on January 19, 2024.

The owners of a Harrogate-based care equipment specialist have announced plans to move its offices away from the town.

Vivid Care said its decision to move away from Linkside House on Forest Lane Head to new premises at Thorp Arch, near Wetherby, is part of a strategic change of direction for the family-run business.

Vivid Care supplies specialist seating, care beds, falls response devices and mobility equipment, and is part of the CoreCare Group. It will be moving its Harrogate showroom to an appointment-only showroom at Thorp Arch at the end of the year. Vivid Care’s employees will join colleagues at the new site from CoreCare Group sister companies, including Innova Care Concepts, Dependall Logistics, and Aquadapt Home Installations.

The current retail showroom in Harrogate will close on December 21, and the new appointment-only showroom will open at Rofta House, Thorp Arch on January 2, with retail sales continuing online.

Formerly Yorkshire Care Equipment, Vivid Care has 50 years of experience in supporting the NHS and care organisations to provide independence and enhance the lives of those with care needs. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the team worked closely with colleagues at sister company Innova Care Concepts to help the NHS with the setup of the Nightingale Hospitals.

Managing director Tristan Hulbert said:

“It’s the right time to enact the next stage of our strategic plan to move our offices to be in our group headquarters in Wetherby.

“As part of this move, the head office building is undergoing new investments with a refurbished office, new video conferencing facilities, a redesigned canteen, and a new state-of-the-art showroom.

“It will allow us to continue our growth in supporting our NHS, reduce our carbon footprint, and promote further collaboration across the CoreCare Group as a whole.

“We’d like to thank all our loyal Harrogate customers for their custom over the past 27 years, and look forward to welcoming them by prebooked appointment to our new space in Wetherby in the new year.”

Phone-to-walkie-talkie firm announces deal

Mobile Tornado, the Harrogate business whose push-to-talk over cellular (PTToC) technology can turn mobile phones into walkie-talkies, has announced a reseller agreement with Hampshire-based Foresolutions.

Foresolutions provides integrated technologies for workforces in the aviation, construction and infrastructure sectors.

Nathan Williams, managing director of Foresolutions, said: 

“We like Mobile Tornado’s technology because it is easy to use, has exceptionally low latency and is feature rich. It has superb options for lone workers and emergency situations. It fits perfectly with our ethos of offering our customers a ‘single plane of glass’ that has multiple applications.

“We are seeing more and more organisations adopt push-to-talk over cellular for critical communications as mobile networks become stronger and stronger. More than eight out of 10 premises in the UK are now able to access 5G. We are also seeing increasing take-up in aviation – the main ground-handling crew at one of Europe’s busiest airports has been using PTToC for the last year.”

Foresolutions was founded in 1979 and is a family-owned business with clients across the UK.

Andrew McNamara, channel sales manager at Mobile Tornado, said:

“We are excited to be joining forces with Foresolutions, a long-established provider with a blue-chip customer base. We are looking forward to working together to help more UK organisations increase safety, reduce costs, boost productivity and improve efficiency among their workforces.

“We totally support Foresolutions’ ‘single pane of glass’ ethos. Today’s users have expectations about what a single device should be able to do and don’t want to be saddled with lots of different devices for different applications in challenging operating environments.”

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