Harrogate NHS dental patients offered places at clinic 10 miles away

A dental clinic in Boston Spa has announced it will take on NHS patients affected by the reduction in NHS service by Pannal Dental Clinic (PDC). 

As the Stray Ferret reported in November, PDC was forced to reduce its NHS contract after being hit with a demand for tens of thousands of pounds from the Integrated Care Board (ICB) that gave it its contract. 

Consequently, it is focusing on prioritising children, leaving its adult patients to choose between staying on with a private dental plan or finding a place on an alternative dentist’s NHS list.

Having recently read the Stray Ferret’s story, 210 Dental Clinic on Boston Spa’s High Street – more than 10 miles away – has said it is willing to take on PDC’s patients. 

William Hamer, practice manager at 210 Dental Clinic, said: 

“Harrogate had a lot of problems recently with practices closing their lists, and NHS patients finding it difficult to be seen.

“Fortunately, we recently had a fourth surgery installed. Our dentist can take care of the more complex procedures, such as dentures, crowns and bridge work, but our dental therapists are fully trained to do examinations, x-rays and even fillings.

“If PDC’s patients are looking to be seen on the NHS, we can offer them that.”

But Tom Gordon, the Liberal Democrats’ parliamentary candidate for Harrogate and Knaresborough, said that people in Pannal “should not be forced to wait five months to be offered an NHS place 10 miles away”. He added:

“It is clear that our NHS dental system is completely broken and it is leading to unacceptable situations such as this.

“With NHS appointments scarce at best and in some places not existing at all, people are being forced to spend hundreds, if not thousands of pounds on private dental care with some even resorting to their own at-home DIY dentistry.”

He was referring to a YouGov survey from March 2023 which found that one in 10 (10%) people had attempted their own dental work. The poll also found that one in five people in the UK (22%) are currently not registered with a dentist, and of these, 37% said this was because they couldn’t find an NHS dentist.

The British Dental Association (BDA) has said that NHS dentistry is facing a “genuine crisis” of access. 

But Andrew Jones MP told the Stray Ferret:

“As I understand it, the delay in securing additional NHS places has been due to protracted negotiations with Pannal Dental Clinic who, according to the Integrated Care Board (ICB), are only reducing their NHS contract temporarily.  It took the clinic and the ICB some time to confirm that arrangement.

“In a letter to me the ICB have said: ‘This temporary reduction in activity has been implemented due to changes to their workforce meaning they are currently unable to meet the previous activity requirements’.

“I hope that the workforce issues at Pannal Dental Clinic, which the ICB tell me are the problem the clinic has identified to them, are resolved soon so that they can resume their full contract.

“It would appear that there is still funding released by Pannal to be reallocated and I have asked the ICB to do their utmost to keep that funding as local as is possible.”

Mr Jones supported the introduction of the government’s dental recovery plan, which was launched in February. Under the plan, dentists are to be offered a bonus to take on more NHS patients, which ministers say will create more than 2.5 million new appointments over the next year.

Dentists will also be offered ‘golden hello’ cash incentives to work in under-served areas, potentially allowing around 1 million new patients access to NHS dental treatment.

But Mr Gordon said:

“For years there have been hundreds of millions of pounds of underspend on NHS dentistry and the Liberal Democrats have back the BDA’s calls to reform the contracts to get this money spent on fixing people’s dental problems.

“Yet this Conservative Government has done next to nothing to tackle this crisis.

He added:

“It is high time that the NHS dental system was reformed and plans brought forward to end this mess, so no matter where you live you know you can get the NHS dental care you need in an emergency.”

Read more:

[the_ad id=”195805″]

Business Breakfast: New managing partner announced at law firm after 30 years

LCF Law has announced that managing partner Simon Stell, who has led the firm for almost 30 years, is to step down from the role.

The firm has announced that partner and disputes specialist Ragan Montgomery will take the position.

Mr Stell joined LCF Law in 1995, when it was known as Last Cawthra Feather before becoming LCF Law in 2014. He will continue to work with Ms Montgomery to assist with the handover. He will continue with the firm, acting as a mentor.

In her new role, Ms Montgomery will be responsible for overseeing LCF Law’s operations and leading the firm’s client service, growth and development strategies. She has worked at LCF Law since 2003 and is currently operational head of the firm’s Dispute Resolution department.

Ms Montgomery said:

 “After joining the firm 21 years ago as an assistant solicitor, to be appointed managing partner is a huge honour and it’s a challenge that I’m really looking forward to as we strive to build on our enviable reputation in Yorkshire and beyond.

Mr Stell said:

“Over the many years that I have been with LCF Law, there have been lots of changes, but we have always had a firm eye on the future.

“One thing we were certain about was that law would still be a people business and we’ve worked hard to build a great team. I’m proud to remain a part of it in my new role. I very much look forward to supporting Ragan and continuing to be a dedicated contributor to LCF Law’s ongoing success.”

Toy shop opens in Boroughbridge

Coco & Bear Boroughbridge

Coco & Bear, a new toy shop in Boroughbridge has officially opened.

The store sells eco-friendly gifts and sensory items in the former Clairemarie fashion store on Horsefair. The shop is open Wednesday to Saturday from 10-4pm.

Store founder and owner Alyss Jones said:

“I am very excited to have officially opened the doors to my toy shop Coco & Bear. Boroughbridge is a beautiful town, and we are very proud to be a part of such a friendly community. The local support has been amazing. We would love anyone who is passing to pop in and say hello.”

Coco & Bear interior

Creative and digital agency appoint new marketing manager

Josh Dodd, Show & Tell marketing manager.

Yorkshire branding, creative and digital agency, Show + Tell, has announced Josh Dodd as the agency’s marketing manager.

Mr Dodd will be responsible for Show + Tell’s marketing and content strategies, brand development and tactical campaigns.

Previously Mr Dodd was commercial marketing coordinator at CMS Distribution, a supplier of business and consumer technologies.

Charlie Hartley, founder and CEO of Show + Tell said:

“We are thrilled to welcome Josh to the Show + Tell team. His impressive background in B2B marketing and his passion for creativity and innovation make him the perfect fit for this role. It’s a significant hire for us as an agency, and we are confident that Josh will make significant contributions to our marketing efforts and help us achieve our goals for growth and success.”

Mr Dodd said:

“I am thrilled to join the talented team at Show + Tell. The agency’s commitment to creativity, innovation and excellence aligns perfectly with my own values and aspirations, and it’s exciting to be part of an organisation that has just received two industry awards for the Best B2B Website. I’m looking forward to driving impactful marketing initiatives that contribute to the continued success and growth of Show + Tell.”

Harrogate accountants expand firm

Graham and Liz from Wild & Co Chartered Accountants 

Wild & Co Chartered Accountants has expanded its office space in Windsor House over the past two years and doubled the size of its team.

Liz Wild founded the firm in 2009 and now the company has 7 staff and looks after clients in Harrogate, Leeds, Huddersfield, Bradford, Halifax and South Yorkshire.

Ms Wild said:

“We set out to fill a gap for businesses that are looking for a proactive accountancy partner to work with them throughout the year and give them greater visibility over their business numbers.Last year we introduced a Growth Hub for clients with a programme of workshops, webinars and news bulletins to support business growth and we regularly share knowledge about new apps and software that streamline management information.”

“Even though digital accountancy is more widespread now than it was when we started out 15 years ago, we are still one of the few firms embracing all the possibilities it offers and keeping clients fully up-to-date on how technology can move them forward. As we continue to expand our own business, we are looking forward to helping our clients to grow theirs too and to enjoy doing so.”

Have some news to share about your business? Send it to us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

Read more:

Harrogate Sugarcrafters win silver with the Great Yorkshire Show display

Harrogate and District Branch of the British Sugarcraft Guild have created a 6ft model of the Great Yorkshire Show made entirely from sugar.

The colourful display depicts the Yorkshire’s premier agricultural event. The arrangement was created by the eighteen members of the guild and has taken since January to complete.

The guild showed their creation in the North of England Cake and Decorating show, under the brief ‘Celebrating the Glories of Northern England.’

Their display won silver and is now on show in The Stray Ferret office window, in the centre of Harrogate, for a month.

The sugarcraft display of the Great Yorkshire Show in The Stray Ferret window

The display is all handmade, inedible, and will not melt due to the high sugar content.

Other entries in the competition depicted Blackpool tower, The Angel of the North and Keswick mountain rescue.

There are multiple sugarcraft disciplines on the table including royal icing, flood work, sugar paste coating, marzipan modelling, bas relief, decoupage, gelatine work and cocoa painting.

The guild has existed for 35 years and Lesley Dalton has been chair of the Harrogate branch for more than 25 years.

Ms Dalton said:

“Someone suggested doing the Great Yorkshire Show and we all thought that was brilliant. I am absolutely thrilled with all of the work we’ve done; I am so proud of the girls they have done an amazing job.”

Sugarcraft members, Left to Right: Judy Banks, Lorraine Stewart and Lesley Dalton

The majority of members first began sugarcrafting after making birthday cakes for their families and enjoyed the practice and wanted to improve their skills.

Ms Dalton said:

“The guild isn’t a very good name it makes people think we are extremely experienced. We are always looking for new members, if you enjoy decorating cakes come and join us and you can learn and better your skills. If you like the look of it come and join us.”

The guild meet every month on the second Monday, except August and December, in Harlow community village hall at 7.30 pm.

The Great Yorkshire Show created by the Harrogate and District Branch of the British Sugarcraft Guild

Sugarcrafted animals in the Great Yorkshire Show display

Read more:

Readers’ Letters: Of course the Lib Dems won the Harrogate by-election – the candidate wore a tie!

Readers’ Letters is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. 

This letter followed news of the Liberal Democrats winning the Stray, Woodlands & Hookstone by-election in Harrogate earlier this month.

It is not surprising that the Lib Dems won the local by-election.

Their candidate was the only person dressed smartly, despite being a bit inarticulate when thanking everyone. The shock I suppose.

The Conservative candidate looked very sour. Who would want to vote for someone like that?

Let the lesson be learnt by everyone: dress smartly with a tie if you want to be seen as a good candidate, no matter which party you represent.

Who wants to vote for someone who looks as if they are just going down to the pub?

Valerie Cooke, Harrogate

Could Harrogate’s Conference Centre house spa facilities instead?

This letter responds to uncertainty over the future of Harrogate’s Convention Centre. In an exclusive, the Stray Ferret recently revealed North Yorkshire Council spent £1.9 million on consultants for now-scrapped plans for the site. 

The fate of the conference centre is too important for there to be any discord.

What do you think of the idea of Harrogate having spa facilities based in the conference centre? We were once so important as a spa town.

In 2024 we are losing our way – what are we now? What do we have to offer visitors?

In 1984 I set up Friends of the Valley Gardens to save the Sun Pavilion and Colonnade from being demolished. I knew Geoffrey Smith, James Herriot and David Bellamy and asked them to be presidents, to which they agreed.

We have the Valley Gardens and all it contains, as well as the Royal Hall, the Turkish Baths and the Royal Baths. Could the conference centre be used to house spa facilities, plus hairdressers, beauticians, physiotherapists, chiropractors and osteopaths etc? Essentially, everything to do with wellbeing all under the one roof, with easy parking too.

I am a golfer and walker and have often heard ladies saying it would be nice to have somewhere easy to park to go and be “pampered”. Not forgetting the gentlemen and all their needs.

It could also have a nice tea rooms with staff in uniform. I have lived here 60 years and can remember how genteel Harrogate was. As I said, now what is it?

It has really lost its way with thousands of houses being built – it seems that’s all the “powers that be” can think of.  They may as well hand it over to the developers and just build with no infrastructure.

Please no one give them the idea of turning the conference centre into flats – they would love that.

Anne Smith, Pannal

It’s ‘potluck’ if a Knaresborough bus actually turns up

This letter is in response to a story about North Yorkshire Council accepting £3.5 million of additional funding from the Department of Transport. The money, which is being used to support a one-year pilot scheme, will go towards expanding timetables, £1 bus fares for young people and improvements to bus shelters.

I read with interest your article about money to improve bus services in the Harrogate district, especially about the number 1 service from Harrogate to Knaresborough via Starbeck.

You mentioned buses to Aspin, Carmires and the Pastures, but there was no mention of the 1B to Aldi and Eastfield.

Sadly, since the X1B Connections bus ceased running, it is now potluck if – and when – a bus turns up at the Eastfield stop.

Are there any plans to improve the 1B service?

Paul Smith, Knaresborough

Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

Read more:

Harrogate blinds and shutters company enters liquidation

A blinds and shutters company near Harrogate has gone into liquidation.

HG – NY Blinds and Shutters Ltd, which was based in a unit on Clint Bank, broke the news in an email on Saturday, April 13.

In the email, seen by the Stray Ferret, the company said the move followed “unforeseen financial difficulties” which meant it is “no longer able to sustain its operations”.

Amanda Simmons, who sent the email, also said:

“As a result, we are in the process of initiating the liquidation procedure. This means that the company will be winding down its affairs and assets to pay off its creditors.

“We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience this may cause you. We want to assure you that we are committed to handling this process with transparency and integrity.

“Sadly, I had to let all staff go at the end of March, without pay, so I am not able to offer any further fitting services.”

The move comes less than two years after the company, which manufactured and installed blinds and shutters, was set up in May 2022.

According to The Gazette, Cleckheaton based liquidators, XL Business Solutions, were appointed on April 3.

The Stray Ferret contacted the liquidators, who said the process is still “ongoing”, but confirmed the company has ceased trading.

The email to customers also said:

“I have asked the supplier if they are willing to allow me to give you their details to arrange for your order to be dispatched directly to yourself.

“I will inform you of their response asap.

“Thank you for your understanding and co-operation as we navigate through this difficult situation. We appreciate your business and hope for your understanding during this time of transition.”

Details of the liquidation, including a list of creditors and debts, have not yet been uploaded to Companies House.

Read more:

Grammar guerrilla takes Harrogate road sign matters into own hands

A vigilante has taken action against the council’s decision to eliminate apostrophes from Harrogate district road signs.

The move comes after North Yorkshire Council last week told the Stray Ferret it will abolish apostrophes from road signs after a new sign was installed on St Mary’s Walk.

The new sign, which read ‘St Marys Walk’, sparked concern among local grammar guerrillas – and it seems someone has now taken matters into their own hands.

Shortly after it was installed, someone, armed with a piece of black tape, drew an apostrophe on the new sign, which now reads ‘St Mary’s Walk’ (pictured).

(L) the new sign before being corrected. Another sign nearby (R).

The council said the new format was being adopted by other councils across the country, but it proved less than popular with local residents.

One man, who asked to remain anonymous, told the Stray Ferret last week:

“I do not feel I have been consulted about the council deciding to use poor English language.”

Another upset resident commented on the Stray Ferret’s Facebook post:

“Yes, let’s teach our kids how not to write properly, when the poor English teachers are trying to get students through their grammar tests and, later, exams.
“The teachers are having to waste their valuable time explaining to their students why the teacher knows what they’re talking about and  that North Yorkshire Council’s decisions are flawed and incompetent.”

A similar initiative happened in 2014 – which saw a similar fate.

The Guardian reported at the time that Cambridge City Council’s decision to abolish apostrophes led to a backlash from “self-declared defenders of grammar” who used marker pens to fill in missing apostrophes on road signs.

Read more:

Mayoral candidates hoping for a cleaner, greener Harrogate

Three candidates hoping to be the first Mayor of York and North Yorkshire were in Harrogate this week for an environment-themed hustings.

It was organised by charity Zero Carbon Harrogate with Felicity Cunliffe-Lister (Liberal Democrat), Keith Tordoff (Independent) and Paul Haslam (Independent) answering questions on topics including cycling, energy, climate change and trees.

The other three candidates chose not to attend due to other commitments. These were Keane Duncan (Conservative), David Skaith (Labour) and Kevin Foster (Green).

Around 50 people attended the hustings at the Wesley Centre which was chaired by Zero Carbon Harrogate chair Jemima Parker.

Station Gateway

Many in Harrogate have grown frustrated with the pace of change around encouraging people out of cars, with some viewing the £12.1m Station Gateway scheme as a prime example of how politicians have watered down grand ambitions around cycling and walking.

One person asked a question about the troubled project and called on the new mayor to “stand up for the greater good” on active travel rather than “caving in to the small minority”.

Mr Tordoff described the gateway scheme as a “disaster” and a “vanity project”.

He said:

“There has been disjointed planning and thinking at the council. If we’re doing cycle schemes they need to last longer than a few hundred metres like at Otley Road. We need a bit of common sense.”

Mr Haslam, who is an independent councillor but was a member of the Conservatives on North Yorkshire Council until he decided to run for mayor, blamed a technical error during the consultation which led to the legal challenge from Hornbeam Park Developments.

He added:

“The Station Gateway should have had a better solution for the active travel.”

Ms Cunliffe-Lister, who sits on the council as a Lib Dem, said there had been “really, really poor decision-making” in Northallerton with leaders unwilling to accept the blame.

She said:

“They’ve relied on consultants to hide behind and absolve responsibility. It’s so underwhelming, it’s more than disappointing.”

Transport

Ms Cunliffe-Lister said she is pledging to extend the popular Nidderdale Greenway to Pateley Bridge and would introduce an integrated transport system, where buses and train timetables work together.  She’s also the owner of the Swinton Park Hotel and said encouraging greener tourism would be key to her approach as mayor.

The council has flirted with the idea of a park-and-ride system for Harrogate for many years which Mr Tordoff said he supports. He also said cyclists should have better storage for their bikes and the police should take the theft of bicycles more seriously. He added:

“Some people don’t bother reporting them when they’re stolen.”

Active travel schemes in Harrogate have been divisive and Mr Haslam said it’s important that “we take everyone along with us”. He is also a proponent of a one-ticket system for all modes of transport and said buses must be more reliable so people can trust that they will arrive on time.

Energy

There’s been a massive increase in housebuilding across Harrogate in recent years and all candidates agreed that more should be done to make homes more energy efficient.

They also called for increased investment into skills so young people could be trained in building the homes of the future as well as retrofitting old properties, with well-paid jobs keeping talent in the county.

Mr Haslam said renewable energy should go hand-in-hand with housebuilding and said he would encourage a more energy-efficient social housing stock. He said: “We have houses with a huge footprint, they should all have solar panels.”

Ms Cunliffe-Lister said “we have a great wealth of natural capital” in North Yorkshire so the county should be able to generate more of its own electricity.

According to the website Electricity Production (https://electricityproduction.uk/in/yorkshire/) around half of North Yorkshire’s energy has recently come from biomass like at Drax’s Selby plant. Ms Cunliffe-Lister said she was the first hotel in the UK to have a biomass boiler in 2006.

Mr Tordoff said he was in favour of housebuilding on brownfield sites to protect green fields. He added he favoured modular homes that can be built quickly with a much lower carbon footprint than traditional bricks and mortar homes.

Trees

Harrogate and Ripon have grabbed negative national headlines in recent years due to controversial planning applications that involve chopping down trees.

Decisions on Harrogate Spring Water’s expansion and Ripon Cathedral’s new annexe could be made this summer.

Ms Cunliffe-Lister emphasised her credentials as a landowner and hotelier and said Swinton Park has committed to increase forestry by 50% over a 20-year period. She said her business had planted 30,000 new trees.

Mr Haslam said cutting down trees should be minimised and only in exceptional circumstances such as when they are diseased. Two years ago, the Woodland Trust was forced to fell hundreds of larch trees in Nidd Gorge due to disease. Mr Haslam added:

“A single tree is worth £250,000 in carbon sequestration.”

Mr Tordoff said he viewed cutting down trees as “vandalism”. He was the only candidate to criticise the two controversial planning applications. He added:

“We’ve got to protect trees”.

The election to be mayor of York and North Yorkshire will take place on May 2. For more information click here.

A full list of candidates are as follows:

Read more:

From lidos to Eurovision: Ripon teacher’s quirky musicals

It was during an open day at a lido in Cumbria that composer and playwright Emily Roberts found the inspiration for her latest musical. 

The premise of All Those On Board suddenly popped into her head while she was chatting to campaigners of a multi-million pound project to bring the lido at Grange-over-Sands, which closed in 1993, back into use. 

The musical, which will run on selected dates in May and June, tells the story of a group of people trying to save and re-open a derelict lido. Emily, a fan of open water swimming, said: 

“I do love lidos. I went to Ilkley Lido a lot as a child and it gets a mention in my script, based on my memories of Wagon Wheels, crisps and queuing up on the tarmac.

“My musicals usually have a love story at heart, but this is different, it’s more of an ensemble piece. Although I suppose it is a kind of love story – it’s about the love of a lido and doing something for the love of community.” 

Inspiration

A classically trained pianist who teaches music at schools in Harrogate and Boroughbridge, Emily writes musicals in her spare time and always has a few ideas and titles floating around her mind, waiting to be developed. 

Currently, there’s one called When The Bell Goes based on her years of classroom teaching. There’s Just Twelve Days about a group of people trying to get Christmas back to being a 12-day festival rather than starting in September (Emily puts her tree up on Christmas Eve). Then there’s a vague notion about a ‘bad taste bookies’ which doesn’t yet have a title. 

At some point, Emily will get a flash of inspiration that gives her the hook she needs to develop one of them. She’ll then start with a rough storyline, followed by the opening number, something slower in the middle and then the finale. Once she gets going, it usually takes her two or three months to write. She said:

“I start by thinking of the style of the songs. I like writing songs that are part of the story – it’s much more fun. But I also want them to be able to stand alone, to be accessible and catchy. I like a good song that you can sing afterwards, like in The Sound of Music, Calamity Jane and Grease. But my initial plan can change quite dramatically. Anything can happen.”

Writing as ECR Roberts, Emily describes her musicals as upbeat with a couple of more poignant moments. She presented her first one, a romantic comedy of errors called Christoper Lonesome, 22 years ago. It was performed by students at Leeds Grammar School, where Emily was a teacher at the time, because she couldn’t find a venue willing to put on a show by an unknown writer. It was a sell-out, but it was a decade before Emily found the time in her busy life to write another one.

Going Grey was staged in the summer of 2013. It told the story of a recently-widowed woman who had met someone new and was performed to such great success in York that the following year it ran for 15 nights in venues across London and North Yorkshire.

Personal experience

Emily’s shows are often based on personal experience. Her third musical, The Pecking Order, was produced in 2018. It came about after Emily moved from York to Kirkby Malzeard near Ripon, giving her the experience of living in a rural community to flesh out her idea for a ‘farming boy meets city girl’ storyline. 

Her fourth musical, Let Me Be The One, was inspired by the UK’s worst ever decade in the Eurovision Song Contest, when it failed to reach the top ten at any point from 2010. Watching on TV as Michael Rice came last in 2019, Emily, a long-time fan of Eurovision who had always wanted to write a musical about it, had her lightbulb moment. She said: 

“It really struck me that it was the end of such a bad decade for the UK. I had the idea to set the story at that moment in time and focus on two fans and their efforts to help the UK get back in the top ten of Eurovision. The story ends on the finals night of 2020.” 

She wrote the show in anticipation of presenting it before the real contest in 2020, and even received sponsorship to take the show to Rotterdam, that year’s host. But when the pandemic put paid to those plans, she made it into a film instead and later took it to London and Knaresborough. 

Emily on guitar as part of a group of Eurovision fans outside the Conference Centre on the 40th anniversary of Harrogate hosting the competition.

With each musical, Emily learns something new. After lugging around three big bales of straw for The Pecking Order, she’s since stuck to more manageable props: All Those On Board features just eight deckchairs and some beach balls. Little things have made a big difference, such as placing songs to bring a scene to an end rather than them being an interruption in the middle of it. Instead of using a small band to accompany the shows, musical instruments are now incorporated into props or furniture and played by the cast for a more seamless production.   

All the shows are presented by Drip Drop Theatre Company, which Emily set up for her second musical and  named after a phrase from Azerbaijan’s 2010 Eurovision entry. The company’s cast members join mainly through word of mouth, with most coming from Kirkby Malzeard, Burton Leonard, Ripon and Ilkley. As well as writing the song music and lyrics, Emily also writes the script and the choreography, directs each show, occasionally performs, and does all the publicity and admin. She said:

“The whole joy for me is creating the music and the lyrics together. I particularly love trying to find quirky little rhymes and making the emphasis of the words fit the emphasis of the music. Cole Porter is my favourite of all musical writers. His music and lyrics are so beautifully written. He had such a way with marrying the lyrics with the musicality of the score.

And I really enjoy the choreography. When I write the shows now, I’m already thinking about the choreography.”

All Those On Board runs at seven venues including Ripley, Ripon and Kirkby Malzeard from May 30 to June 8. Tickets cost £10 for adults and £8 for under 21s (booking fee applies) and can be booked here.

Read more:

Harrogate district runners take on the London Marathon this weekend

Harrogate born stand-up comedian Maisie Adam is set to complete the London Marathon tomorrow to honour a 14-year-old boy who died from bone cancer.

Ms Adam attended the same high school as cancer patient Frank Asthon. Despite not personally knowing him, she was moved by his story and is running the marathon as the patron of Frank’s Fund. She hopes to raise funds to improve outcomes for children like Frank.

Ms Adam said:

“Since becoming a patron of Frank’s Fund, I’ve held comedy nights, raffles, appeared on charity gameshow but this will be my toughest task by a mile. I’ve never run a marathon before in my life, but at least I have the privilege to be here to do it. Frank doesn’t, so this is for him, his family, and everyone affected by this horrendous disease.”

Frank Ashton was 11 years old when he was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma, a form of primary bone cancer, in April 2016.

His treatment involved 14 cycles of chemotherapy, two months of proton beam therapy carried out in the US, and an 8-hour operation to remove the tumour and a large section of his pelvis.

In September 2017, when Frank was five months in remission, his family received the news that the cancer had returned. Despite further treatment, Frank passed away on February 9 2019.

Frank’s mum, Louise Asthon, said:

“Although Maisie and Frank never met, we know they’d have got on like a house on fire. Comedy was one of Frank’s favourite things. From Alan Patridge and League of their Own to the Inbetweeners and Gavin and Stacey, Frank used comedy to get through some of his darkest days.

“Frank had a lively sense of humour and could always be relied on to make people laugh and keep them entertained. We are so grateful for Maisie’s support, and we know Frank would approve of Maisie being patron for the fund we set up in his memory. Good luck Maisie – we’ll be cheering for you.”

Laura Riach, head of fundraising and communications at the Bone Cancer Research Trust, said:

“We are incredibly grateful to Maisie and all of her wonderful supporters for their efforts. The funds raised will be put to good use to ensure that fewer patients like Frank suffer at the hands of this cruel disease.”

To learn more and support Maisie Adams’ marathon click here.

The London Marathon is set to take place tomorrow (April 21). The annual event first took place in 1981. The route sees runners pass London landmarks including Buckingham Palace, The Cutty Sark, Tower Bridge and Canary Wharf. With the marathon looming others in the Harrogate district are training for Sunday’s event.

‘Running for dad’: Harrogate teen runs in memory of his late father

Rafael Colman-Chadwick

Another Harrogate local raising money for a cancer charity is 18-year-old Rafael Colman-Chadwick.

His dad, Damián, was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer, stage 4 Glioblastoma when Rafael was ten years old and died two years later.

Rafael has had to navigate his teenage years without his father. He said, “It has certainly had its challenges. There still isn’t a day I don’t think about his death.”

Mr Colman-Chadwick now plans to run the marathon in his memory and fundraise for Brain Tumour Research.

He said:

“To lose dad at 12 has had its challenges. Describing the emotions is hard to put into words, so instead I will put these emotions into action.”

Click here to donate.

Burton Leonard woman runs for former Harrogate BID director with terminal cancer

Beth Pritchard (left) and Christine with her children and grandchildren

Beth Pritchard, from Burton Leonard, is running the marathon for Bone Cancer following her family friend’s diagnosis.

Last year Ms Pritchard ran 12 marathons in 12 months. She is taking on the challenge for her friend, Christine Armstrong, a prominent figure around Harrogate and Knaresborough. Ms Armstrong started The Met Club which she eventually sold and also ran the Harrogate BID and later the Wakefield BID.

Ms Pritchard said on the JustGiving page dedicated to Ms Armstrong:

“Christine is fighting hard and still manages to smile despite everything so I feel the least I can do is put my trainers on and run some miles for an extremely deserving cause.”

You can donate to  here.

Ripon runner supporting Young Suicide Prevention

James Parkes

James Parkes, from Ripon, is the area manager for PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide. He is a member of the local running club, Ripon Runners.

PAPYRUS is a charity which aids the prevention of suicide and the promotion of positive mental health and emotional wellbeing in young people.

Mr Parkes said:

“I am inspired by the many volunteers and fundraisers I meet and I wanted to challenge myself to do something both physically and mentally challenging whilst giving something back to the charity.”

Donations can be made here.

Harrogate duo run for Macmillan

Bridget Moore (left) and Amy Cresswell

Harrogate women Bridget Moore and Amy Cresswell will be running the Marathon in aid of Macmillan Cancer Support.

The pair work at Alchemy Media, Ms Moore is the founder of the organisation with her close friend Ms Creswell as a managing partner. They aim to raise £5,000 for charity and have only completed up to 10K runs in the past.

Ms Moore said:

“I wanted to do something significant for the business turning 18 and the London Marathon actually falls on our birthday, so, it feels like this was meant to be. We also wanted to raise some money for a worthwhile cause and something close to our hearts.”

You can donate to their cause here.

Samaritans of Harrogate

Samaritans are this year’s official charity partner of the London Marathon. In London there are Samaritans cheer points and emotional support hubs.

Locally the Samaritans of Harrogate will be in North Bar, Cheltenham Parade, from 12-3pm on Sunday, after the marathon. The event is part of an outreach strategy by the charity, as a standalone branch the Samaritans of Harrogate is entirely run by volunteers and they raise 100% of the funds themselves.

Samaritans of Harrogate said:

“We are inviting anyone to come along and see us who might be interested in what we do, or even to come and join us. There will be free cake and a soft drink as well as some goodies for any visitors.”

Read more:

Hampsthwaite’s Memorial Hall set for £230,000 extension

Hampsthwaite’s Memorial Hall has been given the green light for a £230,000 extension and upgrade.

North Yorkshire Council has granted approval for a single-storey front, side and rear extension that will enable the building to provide more activities for villagers.

The current hall was built in 1967 after a timber hut hastily assembled in 1952 to commemorate villagers who fell in the two world wars burned down.

It has become the main community location for residents of Hampsthwaite and surrounding villages. The Hampsthwaite Players put on four drama performances a year and the hall also hosts weekly community payback sessions.

But the growth of the village has left the ageing building in need of improvement.

Hampsthwaite Players performs at the venue four times a year.

Geoff Howard, chair of Hampsthwaite Memorial Hall and a parish councillor, said the project was expected to cost about £230,000.

About £130,000 has been secured from housebuilders as part of section 106 agreements agreed with North Yorkshire Council to mitigate the impact of development. It is hoped grant applications will secure most of the remaining £100,000 required.

Mr Howard said:

“The key issue is we have nowhere for any practical arts and crafts activities. We need a more practical environment.”

Mr Howard said, like many villages, Hampsthwaite needed a better community facility because the population was growing and public transport was worsening, making it harder for many people to get in and out of Harrogate. He said:

“There is nowhere many people can go and we want them to be able to come here. Many folk live on their own and don’t go out.

“With so little public transport, there is a greater need for things to do in villages. This will provide somewhere where more activities can take place and people can meet socially.”

Read more:

Steve Wood, a local architect, donated time to help design drawings for the planning application.

A design and access statement, submitted in support of the application, said Hampsthwaite Players were “hampered by cramped wing spaces, poor backstage facilities and limited scenery, costume and props storage”.

It added the extension would enable activities including a repair cafe, a men’s shed and practical learning classes.

The hall, on Hollins Lane, is in Hampsthwaite Conservation Area. Three trees will be felled.

The council case officer’s report said:

“The proposed extensions would wrap around the south end of the existing building and are considered to be a suitably subservient design.”