A charity worker from Harrogate has set herself 20 fundraising challenges to mark her upcoming 20th anniversary with children’s hospice Martin House.

Mary Newbegin will have been employed in the care team at Martin House for two decades on August 1.

She has been busy this month and last ticking off the challenges, which have so far generated almost £2,000 for the organisation.

They range from completing 20 aerial yoga poses to walking The Ullswater Way to learning to crochet and paddle board.

One of the challenges, organising a yoga fundraising event, will take place at 10am tomorrow on the Stray, next to Oatlands Drive.

Learning the aerial yoga poses.

Ms Newbegin, who plans to retire next year, said:

“The idea evolved as I have in the past taken part in several fundraising events for Martin House.

“These have mostly been running, including the Great North run, which I’ve done about 12 times and on occasions three-legged, and the York Marathon.

“My knees no longer thank me for running so I was trying to think of something more creative as I really wanted to do something before I retire.

“I am excited about all my challenges but most anxious about those with heights involved as I’m not so good with heights.”

You can donate to the cause here.

Abseiling in Ilkley

Harrogate Town‘s pre-season gets underway tonight with what could be one of the largest crowds all year at the EnviroVent Stadium.

Sheffield Wednesday have sold all 600 away tickets for the match, which kicks off at 7pm.

Harrogate have sold 1,200 so far, meaning a 2,000-plus crowd is on the cards for what is the pick of Town’s pre-season friendlies.

Wednesday have won the league four times and the FA Cup on three occasions but have hit on hard times since falling out of the Premier League in 2000.

They are currently in League One of the English Football League, one ahead of Harrogate, but retain a large away following.

The Owls will provide a stern test in the heat for Simon Weaver’s new-look side.

Weaver said:

“Sheffield Wednesday will be a huge test. They were right up there in the league last season and almost got promoted via the playoffs. It’ll be good to welcome them, who are a huge club with rich history. It should be a good occasion.

“Everyone has been without football for a little while now so I’m sure the appetite is there and it’ll be a nice evening for a good game of football.”

Weaver added the squad had worked hard in pre-season training and “fitness levels are really high right now”.

The Suphurites have brought in eight players after fading badly last season following a strong start.

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Academy player George Horbury has also been offered professional terms. Weaver said:

“The new players have settled in quite easily and have had a good laugh between themselves.

“They’re all becoming friends straight away which is great and what we need after making quite a few new signings.”

Tickets for tonight’s match are available here,

Harrogate councillors have called for the reversal of closure plans for Woodfield Primary School as they also expressed fears that many more schools facing difficulties could follow in its footsteps.

A consultation on the proposed closure ended this week after the school failed to find an academy sponsor to take it over.

At a Harrogate Borough Council meeting on Wednesday, councillors spoke in support of parents and staff who say the school should stay open because it is a “vital” part of the community.

Councillor Philip Broadbank said it was “sad to see how a once thriving school now finds itself in this position”.

He added those “closely involved in the school feel let down by Ofsted, the government and its academisation policy”.

Councillor Broadbank said:

“A series of attempts have been made by hard-working, dedicated staff and there is a genuine desire to see this community facility stay open.

“Some people say the situation is being driven by an ideological academisation agenda which threatens the very future of more schools in North Yorkshire.

“Many schools are already in financial deficits and this is expected to get worse.”

Read more:

• Opposition councillors call for Woodfield school to be saved
• Last-ditch campaign to save Woodfield school in Bilton

The government has outlined plans for all schools to join academies by 2030 in a nationwide expansion of the model which sees schools receive funding directly rather than through a local authority.

Academy-run schools are overseen by charitable bodies called trusts which have more freedom of areas such as pupil admissions.

Woodfield Primary School was rated as inadequate and put into special measures by Ofsted in 2020 before being ordered to find an academy sponsor.

However, the Regional Schools Commissioner was unable to secure a backer.

The school – which has seen pupil numbers fall from 154 to just 37 in four years – was then set to merge with Grove Road Primary School before the nearby school pulled out of the proposals.

Woodfield Primary School now faces the prospect of closing for good in December.

This comes at a time when Baldersby St James Church of England Primary School near Thirsk is due to close next month and governors at Fountains Earth CE Primary School in Lofthouse have recently requested a closure consultation.

Kell Bank Church of England Primary School in Masham also closed last year when its 200-year history came to an end.

Woodfield Primary School could close in December

For Woodfield Primary School, the next stage of the process will see North Yorkshire County Council’s executive meet on July 19 to decide whether to publish statutory closure proposals.

A further four-week consultation would then follow ahead of a final decision by the council on October 19.

Councillor Matt Scott, who represents the Bilton Woodfield ward, told yesterday’s meeting that while the school has had its “fair share” of challenges, he believes it should stay open because it now “benefits from really excellent staff and a quality governing body”.

He said:

“The school is a brilliant building – it is connected to an excellent library staffed by committed local volunteers. As a whole, the site is really a first class facility.

“It is right that this council sends a message to the education authority that there is a future here.”

A police operation to clampdown on anti-social driving made 10 arrests and seized 12 vehicles in the Harrogate district in two years, new figures show.

North Yorkshire Police launched Operation Chrome back in June 2020 in an effort to tackle noisy cars and anti-social driving of “high-powered vehicles”.

Figures obtained by the Stray Ferret via a Freedom of Information request show that in the Harrogate district the force made 10 arrests and seized 12 vehicles as part of the operation up to June 7, 2022.

Officers also made eight charges as a result of the clampdown on drivers.

Superintendent Steve Thomas, the county commander at North Yorkshire Police, said Operation Chrome was an ongoing operation.

He said:

“Operation Chrome is a rolling programme of operations using a range of tactics to disrupt anti-social behaviour in and around the Harrogate area, with a particular focus during the summer months.

“This initial period of activity has been successful and we will continue to do all we can to deal with these issues.”

Tackling ‘irresponsible’ drivers

The force launched the operation in the summer of 2020 and pledged to focus on “the irresponsible behaviour of some drivers which is not only unsafe but also highly disruptive”.

Harrogate often attracts drivers, sometimes in modified vehicles, racing around the main roads, particularly during summer.

As part of the operation, police increase patrols in hotpots and roll out more speed cameras across town, vehicle stops and detailed CCTV reviews.

The clampdown has seen cars seized by officers, including a Ferrari sports car which was towed away outside Harrogate Convention Centre in August 2021.

Read more:

• Police have ‘public duty’ to tackle noisy cars, says commissioner
• Police pledge to crack down on fast and noisy cars in Harrogate

Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal.

Chamber meeting to focus on business support

Practical and financial support to businesses across the Harrogate district will be in the spotlight at a meeting on Monday.

Harrogate District Chamber of Commerce will focus on the routes to support with three speakers at its July event.

Steve Bolton is a lead consultant with Harrogate Borough Council and will discuss the Welcome Back Fund, which works collaboratively with SMEs and partners across North Yorkshire.

Amrit Choda of Aspire2lead will outline how the project works, with part funding from the European Social Fund. It aims to offer free support to women to boost their skills and confidence, and help them to contribute to the growth of businesses in the York and North Yorkshire Local Enterprise Area (LEP).

Finally, Danny Wild, pictured, principal of Harrogate College, will introduce its new student-workers programme, which helps employers to fill vacancies while also giving work experience to students.

Chamber chief executive David Simister said:

“For Harrogate businesses seeking information about what financial grants, practical support and staff training they can access, then our July meeting is a must attend event.

“And I’m delighted to say this meeting is open to non-members too. The aim of our meetings is to educate and inform, and this is what July’s speakers will do.”

The meeting takes place at Harrogate College on Hornbeam Park on Monday, July 11, from 5.30pm, and is open to members and visitors.

To book a place, visit the chamber website.

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• Ripon business gets Dragons’ Den star endorsement
• Harrogate family firm sold to international company

A sensory garden created purposefully for visually impaired people in Harrogate was officially opened today.

Spenceley Gardens on Station Parade in Harrogate was refurbished in a joint initiative between Harrogate Borough Council, RHS Garden Harlow Carr and Vision Support Harrogate District.

The gardens, which were originally created in 1973 after the land was gifted to the council by Alderman George Spenceley, has been planted with grasses and herbs to create a sensory area. Braille plaques have been installed to help visually impaired people identify the various plants.

Harrogate borough mayor, Councillor Victoria Oldham and deputy lord-lieutenant Simon Mackness opened the site today.

Councillor Sam Gibbs, the council’s cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling, said:

“I’m delighted to see Spenceley Gardens has been given a new lease of life. The Harrogate district is internationally recognised for its horticultural offering and this sensory garden perfectly complements that.”

The new garden was designed by Phil Keesing and planted by a team of horticulturists from RHS Harlow Carr with the support of students, following funding from local resident Patricia Swallow.

A new sign for the garden has also been designed and provided by Vision Support Harrogate.

Herbs in the garden include sage, rosemary, thyme and southernwood.

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Paul Cook, curator at RHS Garden Harlow Carr said:

“A key part of the RHS vision is to enrich everyone’s life through plants and so we wanted to create a garden full of flowers, herbs and grasses that heighten the senses of smell, touch and sound to ensure the garden is a truly immersive experience for visually impaired people to enjoy.

Who was George Spenceley?

Nick, Julian and Adrian Spenceley, grandchildren of George Spenceley, said in a statement:

“Our grandfather, George Albert Spenceley is fondly remembered by all of us.

“His abiding loves were music and gardens and helped establish the Harrogate cultural scene after the war, inviting Sir John Barbirolli and the Halle Orchestra up to perform in the town.

“Setting up the sensory garden was typical of the warm-hearted, generous grandad we knew. He was to pass away just two years after the garden was established, so this was the last public act he performed.

“He would be delighted to see that they have now got a new lease of life.”

Police are searching for a Harrogate man accused of animal cruelty charges.

A court issued a warrant for the arrest of Charlie Nelson after he failed to turn up to face an animal welfare case.

Nelson, 28, is believed to be in the Harrogate area.

A North Yorkshire Police statement today said:

“Police are searching a number of locations in the area and are appealing for information from the public.”

The force urged anyone with information to dial 101, select option 1 and quote reference number 12210262539.

Alternatively, you can pass on information anonymously through independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or via its website.

A Green Party councillor in the Harrogate district has spoken out about the state of politics following the Prime Minister’s resignation today.

Arnold Warneken, who was elected to the Ouseburn division of North Yorkshire County Council in May, said it was time for an overhaul of the political system in order to restore faith.

Speaking to the Stray Ferret, he said:

“We need to have a major change in politics and statesmen who are honest and hard-working.

“They always say, ‘the right honourable member for such-and-such’ – I’d put that under the Trade Descriptions Act. They lie, they break the law – what makes them honourable?”

Cllr Warneken pointed to the recent results in the local elections in North Yorkshire as a sign of the public’s appetite for change. The Conservatives went from a significant majority in the county to winning 47 of the 90 seats to secure a slender majority.

He said he wanted to see proportional representation introduced, ensuring the political make-up of Parliament was more representative. He added:

“I can guarantee if that was in place, we would get a better turn-out. People are hungry for change and we have to provide an alternative.”

Cllr Arnold Warneken

Cllr Warneken was critical of Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones, saying he only spoke out against the Prime Minister after it became clear his position was untenable.

The Stray Ferret has contacted Mr Jones for a response to the accusation, but has not received a response.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service reported that Mr Jones has written to constituents to say he had hoped the prime minister might have “changed his behaviours” following last month’s vote of confidence.

However, Mr Jones added it is “clear” that “the same old process of the truth being reached through the most tortuous of processes” has followed. He said:

“I have over a long period disagreed with some of the Prime Minister’s decisions. You may remember that I called for Dominic Cummings to resign over the infamous ‘Barnard Castle eye test’ incident.

“I refused to vote with the government when the Prime Minister wanted us to change the standards rules to save Owen Paterson who had clearly broken them.

“I was quite clear in my comments about Partygate when I said that ‘law-makers cannot be law-breakers’.

“I backed that up when it came to the recent no confidence vote where I did not support the Prime Minister.”

Mr Jones added he now looks forward to a “calmer, honest and transparent approach to our national politics” after the prime minister announced his resignation outside No 10 this afternoon.

There has been no word from Nigel Adams, MP for Selby and Ainsty, on the situation.

Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon, has not responded to requests for comment from the Stray Ferret, but earlier today he took to Twitter to praise civil servants.

Over the past years @UKCivilService has been attacked and maligned by certain government ministers. Over the past 24 hours they have literally held the administration of our country together & are currently sorting out this mess. Thank you.

— Julian Smith MP (@JulianSmithUK) July 7, 2022

Read more:

• Ripon MP: Prime Minister causing ‘constitutional crisis’ by refusing to resign
• Andrew Jones MP calls on Boris Johnson to resign

The local Labour party has called for the Prime Minister to step down immediately, rather than waiting for a leadership contest in the autumn, as has been announced.

In a statement, the party said:

“The Prime Minister is unfit to govern and needs to go now.

“Boris Johnson has presided over a government defined by lies, sleaze, an utter lack of integrity and incompetence.

“We need a new Government now. The choice is clear: a Tory government with more of the same, or a Labour government offering a fresh start for Harrogate and Knaresborough.”

Cllr Warneken agreed, saying by continuing, Boris Johnson was “causing more chaos and more damage to society through ill thought-out policies and laws”.

He said the impact was being felt in North Yorkshire, where plans to set up the new unitary council had been affected by the lead-up to Mr Johnson’s resignation.

Council officers had worked “really, really hard” but were unable to make as much progress as they had hoped while Whitehall civil servants were tied up dealing with the crisis, he said.

With the summer recess looming, a caretaker Prime Minister was not sufficient to ensure the country could function effectively, said Cllr Warneken, adding:

“He can cause a hell of a lot of damage between now and when they find some other idiot to replace him.

“The only saving glory is he has done more damage to his party the longer he has been there.”

Harrogate’s Rachel Daly is currently playing football to record crowds in the 2022 EUROs.  It’s a far cry from the early days of empty stadiums for the women’s game.

Last night the Lionesses won their first game of the tournament with a 1-0 victory to Austria at Old Trafford, with a sell-out crowd of 68,871 fans. Daly played brilliantly.

Back home, Rachel’s success is having a big impact on young players who hope to follow in her footsteps

Rachel Daly

Born in Harrogate in 1991, Rachel quickly rose through the footballing ranks with the support of family, friends and coaches. Daly was a pupil at Rossett High School.

She has become a serious role model for younger players. Something she acknowledged last night on BBC Look North:

“I just think about all the young girls now in the crowd, looking up to us and seeing what they could be a part of when they are older and hopefully it inspires the whole nation to switch their focus to women’s football.”

Baroness Sue Campbell is the FA’s director for women’s football. The Baroness is full of praise for Daly’s perseverance.

The Stray Ferret asked her if she thought the Euros will encourage more young women and girls to consider a career as a professional footballer.

Baroness Campbell said:

‘I am optimistic that this Euro tournament will have an impact on girl’s and women’s football across the whole of England.

Our ambition is to give girls an equal opportunity to play in schools and clubs across the country and this tournament will help to raise the profile of women as players, coaches and referees and inspire a generation of girls to play football.’

When asked about her thoughts on Daly, Campbell said:

‘Rachel Daly is a versatile and talented footballer. She can play equally well in attack or defence and gives 100% in every game she plays. She is hard working, fit and tenacious.

Off the pitch she is always full of energy and good humour – a delight to have in the team’

In Harrogate, Daly’s former local club, the Killinghall Nomads, sent her a video message of encouragement.

https://twitter.com/WestRidingFA/status/1538852522391134209?s=20&t=-sv5MsVyTq5drv-iG4IrqQ

The Stray Ferret would like to thank Angus for writing this article. Angus has joined us for a week on work experience from St Aidan’s School in Harrogate. 

Carnival is set to take place in Harrogate this month with an international parade through the town centre and a celebration featuring music and dance in Valley Gardens.

The free, family-friendly festival will take place on Saturday, July 30 and will feature performers from Leeds West Indian Carnival, who will parade through Harrogate town centre joined by Houriat Belly Dancing, Sweep of Swallows kite puppets, Chinese dragon dancers, brass bands and more.

Following the morning parade, an all-day celebration will take place in Valley Gardens including street theatre, interactive workshops, international street food and two stages hosting music and dance performances.

The event, which was previously held in 2019, has been paid for by Harrogate Borough Council‘s tourism body, Destination Harrogate, and will be delivered by Harrogate International Festivals.

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John McGivern, destination events manager at Destination Harrogate, said:

“Carnival is an awesome family-friendly and multicultural event that both local residents and visitors can enjoy, and we’re delighted to be bringing it back to the Harrogate district this year.

“It feels like a great time to celebrate, not only a wonderful event, but with early signs from the recently released STEAM* and STR** figures suggesting a strong start to the summer season, we can look forward to this event also boosting the recovery of our visitor economy.

“Carnival helps to showcase the quality of the Harrogate district as a unique events destination, and we’re excited for our amazing summer continuing with this fantastic celebratory event.”

Sharon Canavar, chief executive, Harrogate International Festivals, said:

“After an incredibly tough couple of years for our community it is wonderful to be able to celebrate with a huge party and celebration in our beautiful open spaces. The Carnival is free for everyone to attend and celebrate the diversity, colours, costumes, sounds and flavours from the four quarters of the world, right here in Harrogate. With global music and dance stages, themed food zones, art and craft workshops and street theatre, this family-friendly day is a true party in every sense of the word.

“Think Rio in Rhododendrons, parade in the petunias, sounds in the sun colonnades, food in the flora and dancing in the dahlias, and you will begin to get a taste of what the day holds in store.”