Runners from across the Harrogate district will descend on the capital this weekend for the 42nd London Marathon.

Held in October for the third time because of the impact of the covid pandemic, it will see 40,000 people cover the 26.2-mile route around the city, with a further 10,000 expected to take part virtually around the country.

The Stray Ferret is sharing the stories of local participants in the run-up to the event on Sunday, October 2.

If you’re taking part and would like to be included, email details to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Record attempt for unicorn runner

Jeremie Maillard from Harrogate will have two challenges in front of him as he crosses the start line on Sunday.

First, he will need to complete the distance – and second, he hopes to become the fastest runner to complete the course dressed as a mythical creature.

The Guinness World Record attempt is not his first foray into costumed running. Jeremie said:

“Having run London Marathon several times over the years, having completed it once dressed as a Ninja Turtle, I absolutely love the support from the crowd. So why not combining the running experience whilst fundraising for a great cause?

“If you see a unicorn on a practice ride ahead of the big day in October, you are not dreaming. You might not recognise the runner under the mask, but be sure that I will be sweating whilst struggling to see through my nostrils.”

Jeremie has already surpassed his £250 fundraising target for the Alzheimer’s Research UK, and donations are still coming in. To sponsor him, click here.

Early Bird runner takes on challenge for hospice

A Harrogate man will show his gratitude to the hospice that cared for his father by raising funds this weekend.

Nick Page’s father Warren was diagnosed with cancer in 2016 and underwent treatment for more than five years.

In early 2021, he was placed under the care of the Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice community team, who provided help to Warren and his wife. Nick said:

“As his health deteriorated, it was November that year he recognised the need for more specialist care and was admitted to the hospice for what turned out to be his last two weeks.

“At that time, for us as a family, the word hospice had negative connotations and it was initially a battle to be able to talk about.

“The reality was very different from what I had envisaged. Yes it is a medical setting but with a calm and empathetic atmosphere and the staff were incredibly kind and supportive.

“Covid restrictions were in place at that time, however, we were always welcomed and had great comfort knowing that Dad was in safe hands and I believe that his last days and hours were peaceful.”

Nick’s daughter India, now nine months old, was born just two weeks after his father’s funeral in January this year. The whole family has continued to receive support from Sue Ryder this year.

Nick has also found comfort from a running group in Harrogate, which has helped to inspire his marathon training too. He said:

“I joined the Early Bird Run Crew, who run every morning in Harrogate. It was established with the primary goal of improving mental and physical health and has given me the opportunity to use exercise as an outlet.

“The crew are a really encouraging group of people and this has helped me push myself with my training and preparation for running the marathon.

“Through the friendships that have been formed I’ve not done a long training run alone and one of the crew, Andy, will be running the marathon with me. With mental health now being a regular topic of conversation, we will sometimes go for a coffee (or a beer) and talk openly about mental health.

“It’s been a great support and the driver behind me completing a Mental Health First Aid course as well as becoming a wellbeing ambassador at my place of work because I want to channel my experiences into helping others in a similar situation.”

To donate to Nick’s fundraising, click here.

Marathon efforts for friends of young cancer patient

A former Ripon Grammar School pupil will run the London Marathon this weekend to support her friend who has been going through gruelling cancer treatment.

Lucy Verity, who left the school in 2018, was diagnosed with the rare bone cancer Ewing Sarcoma in January last year. She has undergone chemotherapy and radiotherapy, as well as having 21 blood transfusions.

The young Masham resident has already raised more than £35,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust, which has supported her through her treatment, and the Bone Cancer Research Trust.

Her friend Ruby Beardsall, right, will run the marathon this weekend, while her brother Oliver will take on the York Marathon later in October.

Lucy’s mum Gaynor said:

“Bone cancer is a brutal cancer and needs a very aggressive treatment regime.

“We couldn’t have got through the last 19 months without the support of the Teenage Cancer Trust (TCT) and its dedicated link nurse. At the moment the charity can’t reach all the patients it would like to due to lack of funding.

“The Bone Cancer Research Trust (BCRT), based in Leeds, receives no government funding and every penny raised counts towards research and providing support and information on bone cancer.”

To donate to Lucy’s fundraising, click here.

Running in memory of Dad

Knaresborough runner Tom Kilmurray will be raising money for the MS Society in memory of his father, Bob, who died from the illness last year.

Bob had been diagnosed with MS 16 years earlier and was cared for by his wife, Tom’s mum. In his younger days, Bob was a runner too, and Knaresborough Striders member Tom is following in his footsteps.

Bob Kilmurray, left, completing the London Marathon in 1983 and son Tom in training this year

Tom said:

“I really wanted to do something in memory of my dad and show support to other carers out there like my mum. Like me, running was big part of my dad’s life and in 1983 he ran the London Marathon in three hours and six minutes.

“It has been awful to see someone who was so active and energetic slowly deteriorate, plus watch the strain it put on my mum, who was my dad’s full-time carer for the last few years of his life. Running London has been a long-held ambition but running in my dad’s footsteps for this charity will be extra special.”

A familiar face at local Parkruns, Tom has set himself a target of £2,000. To sponsor Tom, click here.

Former Ripon pupil supporting women’s rights in Afghanistan

A former Ripon Grammar School pupil is preparing to run the marathon on Sunday to help protect some of the most vulnerable people in the world.

Edward Lyons, who left the school in 2016 for a degree in politics, philosophy and economics at King’s College, London, is raising money for Afghanaid.

Having since worked as a Treasury economist, he said the charity is close to his heart:

“Afghanaid works with marginalised groups in the Afghan community, helping to provide emergency aid, and assisting communities with resources and education to help support them through political turmoil, human rights atrocities, and other devastating challenges.

“Having experienced first-hand the monumental effort of colleagues in Her Majesty’s Treasury to support vulnerable citizens from Afghanistan via the Afghan Resettlement Scheme, this is something I feel extremely passionate about.”

As well as hoping to raise more than £1,500, Ed is aiming for a sub-three hour marathon. He said his own experiences of fundraising events at school have helped to inspire him to continue doing what he can to support good causes.

His passion for economics and politics led him to set up the RGS Politics Society while in sixth form, driving him towards his future career.

More than six weeks have passed since Beech Grove in Harrogate reopened to through traffic.

But the planters that blocked the highway remain by the side of the road — prompting speculation that they might be brought back.

Beech Grove was closed to through traffic for 18 months from February last year to encourage cycling and walking in the area.

When the experimental order implementing the measure expired in August, the planters were moved to the side and traffic could once again use the route to travel between Otley Road and West Park.

A no-through road sign also remains in place, prompting questions about whether measures to restrict traffic on Beech Grove could be brought back.

Beech Grove is regarded as a key part of wider plans to create a traffic-free route for cyclists between Harrogate train station and Cardale Park on Otley Road.

The Stray Ferret asked North Yorkshire County Council, the highways authority, why the planters and sign had not been removed and whether there were any plans to once again prohibit traffic on Beech Grove.

Melisa Burnham, highways area manager at the council, said the council was still considering what to do. She said:

“The planters are safely placed at the side of the road but will not be removed until we have considered the potential links from Otley Road to the town centre further.

“The sign was missed in error and we will remove it as soon as possible.”

Last month Cllr Keane Duncan, the council’s executive member for highways and transport, said it would “bring forward a detailed and coordinated plan, connecting active travel initiatives such as Otley Road and Station Gateway together”.

How Beech Grove figures in these plans remains to be seen.

Firefighters and councillors have called on Zoe Metcalfe, the Conservative police, fire and crime commissioner for North Yorkshire, to tackle the long-running issue of Starbeck crossing holding up emergency vehicles.

As many as nine trains an hour can pass through Starbeck Station heading to Leeds or York.

It means when the barriers are down there are waits of several minutes for all vehicles, including fire engines, police cars and ambulances.

At a Harrogate Borough Council meeting last night, Liberal Democrat councillor for Hookstone, Pat Marsh, asked Ms Metcalfe if she’d had feedback from firefighters about the problem as she believes delays could potentially be costing lives.

Cllr Marsh said:

“It worries me, that a five minute wait can be the difference between doing something and not.”

In response, Ms Metcalfe said the problem has been raised to her by both firefighters at Harrogate and Knaresborough fire stations.

However, she said firefighters “know exactly what times trains come and go” and can also use other routes to avoid the crossing.

Ms Metcalfe said:

“I went back to the fire service and they quite rightly said that out of Knaresborough fire station you can also turn left out of the fire station and go into Harrogate via Morrisons. They can also go into Starbeck and can turn right into Bogs Lane.

“There’s not just one way into Harrogate. Even if they did get to a crossing they can call ahead (to Network Rail) to let them know they are coming down.”

Read more:

• Starbeck railway signaller carries on centuries-old tradition
• Starbeck groups call truce and promise to work ‘positively together’

Her response didn’t please fellow Conservative and councillor for Old Bilton, Paul Haslam, who also chairs Transport for the North‘s scrutiny committee.

Cllr Haslam told Ms Metcalfe he was “a little disappointed that you weren’t upset about the crossing at Starbeck”, particularly as it’s an issue that was raised to her by the firefighters themselves.

He added:

“I’ve tried for five or six years to get Network Rail to improve technology that would reduce waiting time to two minutes but they’ve refused to do it at the moment.

“I feel if your firemen had been upset that could have been leverage. I’m concerned about it for lots of reasons. The cars are just idling.

“Network Rail have told me all the reasons they can’t do it but they’ve also told me what technology they need.”

Ms Metcalfe promised Cllr Haslam that she would raise the issue with Network Rail.

Harrogate’s high care costs are being compounded by the cost of living crisis as bosses warn that they have no choice but to pass on some of the “colossal” price rises to residents.

With care homes being hit by huge increases in energy and food prices, the average weekly cost of a residential care home in the district is now £1,029.

That figure remains the highest in North Yorkshire and is equivalent to almost £54,000 a year.

The climbing costs come at a time of significant workforce pressures as care homes continue to rely upon agency staff and constantly recruit to try to fill vacancies.

Sue Cawthray, chief executive of care charity Harrogate Neighbours, described the price rises as “colossal” and said further increases in insurance costs and workers’ wages were adding to the pressures of keeping care services running.

Sue Cawthray, chief executive of Harrogate Neighbours

She added that the only way for care homes to be able to keep their costs down was for the government to provide more funding and support for services.

Ms Cawthray said:

“There is a serious shortage of funding in health and social care.

“This has been going on year after year and the situation is only getting worse as more people get older and need to go into care.”

After years of funding cuts and promises to fix the broken care system, the government earlier this year announced a new £86,000 cap on the amount anyone will have to spend on care over their lifetime.

This was due to be funded by a 1.25% rise in National Insurance, however, the tax rise was reversed by prime minister Liz Truss and funding will now come from general taxation.

The price cap and other measures are to be tested out as part of a “trailblazer” scheme which has seen North Yorkshire County Council chosen as one of six local authorities to introduce the reforms several months ahead of elsewhere.

Read more:

• Reassurances issued over ‘onerous’ social care revamp across Harrogate district
• Social care pilot scheme in Harrogate district ‘could bankrupt council’ without more funding

There are, however, questions over when this will begin next year and if it will entail a huge bill for the county council.

Aside from the trial, Cllr Michael Harrison, executive member for health and adult services at the authority, said it was doing “everything possible” to support the care sector, although he added these efforts were being made “within the constraints of the funding allocated by central government”.

He said:

“We continue to make the case to the government for comprehensive reform and funding of social care.

“The council is implementing a three-year deal to address the actual cost of care provided by care homes, ahead of many other local authorities.

“We are now working with the sector on a similar long-term plan for home care.”

Meanwhile, the county council has further plans to build an extra care facility after purchasing a £1.8 million plot of land at Harrogate’s Cardale Park, and there are also proposals to introduce “micro-providers” in more rural areas.

Cllr Harrison added: 

“In the Harrogate area, we are pursuing several projects to try to improve market conditions, including identifying potential new opportunities to provide care directly.

“We are also hoping to see the introduction of micro-providers in rural areas and are working with care providers to pilot new workforce models, attracting people to the sector with the prospect of the rewarding careers which can result from caring for others.”

A plan to introduce parking charge machines at Swinsty Reservoir has been approved.

Yorkshire Water tabled proposals to Harrogate Borough Council to introduce the machines and automatic number plate recognition cameras at the car park.

The company has also proposed introducing charges at Thruscross and Fewston reservoirs.

Washburn Parish Council and local residents previously raised “serious concerns” about the impact of parking charges on local roads.

However, the borough council has now given the go-ahead for the proposal.

Car park users will be able to pay via card payment on site, by using the RingGo app or telephone.

Emergency services and blue badge holders will be exempt from the charges.

The proposed tariffs will be one hour at £1, two hours at £2, six hours at £3, an all day pass for £5 and an annual pass for £30.

Yorkshire Water said previously that the revenue generated will help to pay for an in-house rangers team, which would undertake maintenance jobs and tackle anti-social behaviour at its sites.

The company said in documents submitted to the authority:

“The car parking itself provides an important functional element to ensure the management of parking to Swinsty Reservoir and the wider area.

“The site is a long-established car park, and it is not anticipated that the introduction of pay and display facilities would generate a greater use of or cause any greater impact than that arising from the current usage of the site by visitors.”

Concerns over impact on residents

But the plans have been met with concern by local residents.

Washburn Parish Council objected to the proposal and said the move would impact on traffic, character of the area and amenities in the area.

Read more:

• Parking meters installed in Ripley car park
• Reservoir parking costs could cause ‘tremendous problems’ on nearby roads
• ‘Serious concerns’ over Swinsty Reservoir parking charges plan

In a letter to the borough council, Dr Jason Knowles, clerk at the parish council, said there was particular concern around parking.

He said:

“There are concerns that the scheme will lead to unsafe conditions on local rural lanes which will result in traffic being unable to move freely and negatively impact on transport connectivity.

“There has been evidence of cars parking on the roadside, on grass verges, residents drives and field entrances during the lockdowns which has led to traffic congestion and making it difficult for emergency vehicles and farmers to access the area.”

Bransby Wilson Parking Solutions, based in York, has been appointed to operate the parking meters. 

The Stray Ferret asked Yorkshire Water when the parking machines will be installed, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.

Conservative Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe has appointed Mat Walker as the new deputy chief fire officer of North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service.

Mr Walker, a 43-year-old father-of-three who has been in the role on an interim basis since June, will receive a salary of £95,294 plus an operational allowance.

He joined the fire and rescue service in 2003 in South Yorkshire before moving to a national role where he was involved in the response to major incidents including east coast flooding and the Salisbury Novichok attacks.

He has since worked in the West Yorkshire service, most recently as an area manager responsible for service assurance and improvement.

Mr Walker was appointed after three candidates were interviewed by an independent panel.

Commissioner Zoë Metcalfe said:

“I am delighted to be able to appoint Mat into this permanent role. He faced a strong challenge from an excellent field of candidates but I’m confident he’s the right person to help lead North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service on its continuing transformation.

“This is also an exciting time to be joining the service as we begin to put in place our refreshed plans on how to keep the people of North Yorkshire safe, and feeling safe over the next two years.”

Read more

• Last chance to comment on proposed Harrogate Fire Station changes
• Councillors have ‘major concerns’ about plans to reduce Harrogate fire engines

Mr Walker takes up the role at a time when unions have raised concerns over cuts worth around £8m a year.

At Harrogate fire station, it means the number of night-time fire engines will be reduced to just one.

At a meeting this month, it was revealed North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s fire engine availability was classed as being at a “critical” level for 10% of the time during May this year.

This level refers to the service having fewer than 32 staffed engines and other appliances available across North Yorkshire. Commissioner Metcalfe described availability as “incredibly concerning”.

A holiday operator has announced new flights to Turkey and Croatia from Leeds Bradford Airport following the closure of Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

TUI said it would now operate flights to Antalya and Dalaman, both in Turkey, and Dubrovnik in Croatia from Leeds-Bradford.

The airport, which is used by people across the Harrogate district, described the announcement as “exciting news”.

https://twitter.com/LBIAirport/status/1574427245481005057

TUI added the destinations from LBA after it was announced that Doncaster Sheffield Airport would close.

The last flights are due in November and the new Leeds Bradford destinations are expected to start in summer next year.

The holiday operator has also increased flights at Manchester and East Midlands airports following the decision.

Peel Group, which owns DSA, announced the closure after it said the airport was “not viable due to its lack of adequate forward revenues and high operating costs”.

Read more:

• Harrogate couple spend 3 days in vain calling Jet2 to rearrange £824 holiday
• Leeds Bradford Airport scraps plans for £150m terminal

Springwater School in Starbeck has been rated ‘good’ in a newly published report by Ofsted.

Government inspectors visited the school, which has 97 pupils aged two to 19, in June.

Their report rates the school as ‘outstanding’ in four of the five areas assessed but the overall assessment is ‘good’.

It says leaders at the school, which has pupils with severe or profound learning difficulties, “have very high expectations of how well staff look after the pupils in their care” and that “pupils are given highly personalised support by a team of very caring staff”.

Personal development was described as exceptionally strong and arrangements for safeguarding effective.

The report adds:

“Staff ensure that pupils are fully included in all aspects of school life.

“The learning atmosphere in school is positive. Pupils, and students in the sixth form, try hard when in class. They are keen to join in and eager to learn new things.

“Pupils demonstrate how much they appreciate learning by laughing and smiling.”

Inspectors say pupils receive ‘highly personalised support’.

Sixth form ‘excellent’

Sixth form provision is described as “excellent”. The inspectors said:

“The sixth form curriculum is very well planned. It prepares students for adulthood very effectively. The curriculum includes life skills such as shopping and cooking, as well as important knowledge about how society works. Students also take courses that lead to accreditation. Students in the sixth form are incredibly positive about their experiences of school.”

Staff and leaders’ “holistic approach to managing behaviour” is described as “extremely effective”.

Headteacher Sarah Edwards said:

“The governors and I are delighted with the outcome of the two-day inspection which was rigorous and professionally challenging, as I am sure you would expect.

“I am so pleased that they captured what we as a team already identified as the strengths of the school and its pupils.”

Ms Edwards said the school had worked hard on “developing and implementing a suitable curriculum designed to meet the very diverse needs of all of our learners” since its last inspection in 2019, which raised “some concerns that standards may be declining”.

Ms Edwards thanked staff and added:

“I remain extremely proud of what Springwater delivers. There are four out of five of the judgements at an outstanding level, and the inspection team identified that ‘the quality of education has improved’.

“I am confident that the report and inspection experience captured our strengths brilliantly.

“Springwater is a brilliant place where children thrive and in turn the dedicated staff team have an enormous satisfaction in seeing children and young people flourish regardless of the special educational needs.”

Ms Edwards added there was “an extremely high demand for pupil places at this popular and over subscribed special school”, adding:

“As a result, there continue to be vacancies in support roles and the school would love to hear from any member of the community who would be willing to volunteer, to support pupils to access learning activities and community visits.”

Read more:

• Praise for Harrogate school as Ofsted rating improves
• Richard Taylor school in Bilton receives ‘good’ Ofsted rating

Mrs Smith’s Cafe in Jennyfields, which has been closed since April, has gone into liquidation.

The family-friendly community cafe was situated in a unit on Jennyfields Shopping Centre next door to the Co-op.

It offered food and drink and had a play area for children.

However, a post on the cafe’s Facebook page from April 26 said it was closed “until further notice” and it’s remained empty since.

It appears the cafe will not be reopening as Wigan-based Focus Insolvency Group was appointed to liquidate the business last week.

Two of the four units on Jennyfield Drive are now empty. The Rainbow Room library and St Michael’s Hospice charity shop remain open.

Read more:

• Harrogate Hydro set to reopen in May 2023
• Praise for Harrogate school as Ofsted rating improves

Train services between Harrogate and Leeds look set be affected by three days of strikes in the next two weeks.

Both the RMT union and Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen have announced industrial action this Saturday (October 1), Wednesday (October 5) and next Saturday (October 8).

Northern, which operates services between Harrogate and Knaresborough towards Leeds and York, has urged passengers not to travel on days when strike action is being held.

A statement from the company said:

“As a result of ASLEF and RMT strike action, Northern customers are advised not to travel on Saturday 1, Wednesday 5 or Saturday 8 October.

“Services are also expected to be affected on Sunday 2 and Sunday 9 October, especially in the morning, so please check before you travel.”

Read more:

• Northern’s new timetable includes early Harrogate to Leeds trains
• LNER warns of nine days of disruption to Harrogate trains

The strike action comes as rail passengers have also been warned to expect disruption on Harrogate’s LNER services from October 1.

Major engineering works in the Newcastle area by Network Rail will affect many services on the LNER route during this period.

The company operates six daily direct trains from Harrogate to London.

The disruption is set to last until October 9.