A new chocolate café will open on East Parade in Harrogate on Monday to help those with learning difficulties gain work experience.
Planning for the The Harrogate Chocolate Factory Café, which is run the by charity, Harrogate Skills 4 Learning Centre, has been underway since 2019 but opening was delayed due to covid.
The café has a barista bar and seating inside and outside. One of the first thing you’ll notice when entering the café is the colourful packaging design on the main pillar.
Fran Riley, the programme lead, told the Stray Ferret what the charity’s vision for the café is:
“The idea was that we would have a business where we could develop a process all of our young people could access. So making chocolate bars from bean to bar… while sourcing the beans as ethically as we could.”
The employees make a variety of handmade chocolate- all the chocolate is made with dairy alternatives so that “everyone can enjoy some”.
The chocolate is made from scratch in the charity’s main building nearby. It starts with roasting the cocoa beans in their kitchen and ends with pouring liquid chocolate in a moulding tray.
Kelsey Cuthbert, who works at the café, said it is a positive experience:
“I’ve grown from when I started trying to make coffees and stuff, and now I can do the job almost independently.”
A chocolate mixer in action at the café this week
The charity has described the café as a “social enterprise” giving its workers the skills for future employment.
Only 6% of people with learning disabilities have paid employment in the UK, according to the latest government figures.
The Harrogate Chocolate Factory Cafe also offers an outside seating area that is equipped to serve customers with disabilities.
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All details about the café’s opening can be found on their website here.
Harrogate hospital chief executive racially abused by England fanThe man in charge of Harrogate District Hospital has been racially abused by England fans on his way home tonight.
Steve Russell, chief executive of Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, tweeted about the incident shortly after England’s 2-0 win over Germany.
He said that a woman shouted “I’m proud to be white and British because we’re better than people like you”.
Mr Russell is in charge of more than 2,000 staff who have been at the forefront of the fight against covid in the district over the past 15 months.
He has spoken about racism encountered in previous interviews, saying he had been told to “get back in my banana boat” while at school.
He has also said BAME colleagues deserve to be treated better.
Mr Russell’s tweet to his almost 4,500 followers prompted an avalanche of supportive responses.
One said the comment was “utterly vile”, another said “awful and just plain old barbaric” while another person said he hoped Mr Russell pointed out that most of England’s goals have been scored by Jamaican-born Raheem Sterling.
Nice. Just walked home in Harrogate. People celebrating the #EnglandvGermany win and a woman slurred ‘I’m proud to be white and British because we’re better than people like you’ at me.
Charming.
— #hellomynameis Steve (he/him) 💙 (@steve_r76) June 29, 2021
Read more:
- A year of ‘outstanding care’ under immense pressure at Harrogate hospital
- Harrogate hospital coping well with covid, says chief executive
Harrogate’s Royal Hall to reopen to the public next week
The Royal Hall in Harrogate is to reopen to the public next week after being closed for more than a year.
The hall will hold an open day on Wednesday, July 7, which will allow visitors to look around the Grade II listed Edwardian building.
The hall, which was built in 1903 and reopened in 2008 following a £10.8 million restoration, held regular guided tours pre-covid. Because social distance rules have not been lifted, tours won’t be available next week but visitors will be able to make their own way round.
One-hour guided tours are due to recommence at 11am and 2pm on August 21.
But Gay Steel, open day coordinator for the Royal Hall Restoration Trust, said the situation would be reviewed after the government decides whether to lift all lockdown measures on July 21, and there was still a chance tours might be available on the second open day on July 27.
Ms Steel said:
“We are looking forward to the prospect of welcoming our visitors back to Harrogate’s glittering palace of gold and hope that you have an enjoyable experience.
“We are just being cautious in our approach as the safety of our visitors and volunteers is paramount.”
Live entertainment is due to return to the Royal Hall on July 31 with a performance from students at Knaresborough’s Freedom Performing Arts.
The 11-day Gilbert and Sullivan festival and a Fleetwood Mac tribute act are scheduled for August, as things gradually return to normal.
Read more:
- Royal Hall roof set for repairs following ‘ongoing’ leaks
- Grantley Hall withdraws helipad plan for third time
‘We want him home’: Bilton bids to bring back Peter the Peacock
Residents in Bilton are considering launching a campaign to bring Peter the Peacock back from exile in Lancashire.
Peter has wandered around the Harrogate suburb for years and is part of the community. Facebook and Twitter accounts have been set up about him.
But Bilton resident Claire Hamer said yesterday an RSPCA inspector had told her the enigmatic bird had injured his foot and the charity had taken him to an animal sanctuary in Lancashire to recuperate.
According to Ms Hamer, when Peter is back on his feet he will be re-homed and will not be returning to Bilton.
The Stray Ferret has asked the RSPCA whether it is treating Peter but has not yet had a response.
Ben Rothery, who set up the Bilton Community Group Facebook page, told the Stray Ferret he was considering rallying residents behind a campaign to return Peter to the streets around Tennyson Avenue.
It could involve the community adopting Peter if it can persuade the RSPCA he’s well looked after.
He said:
“I don’t see why he can’t be returned. He’s lived here for 12 years, which is more than half my life.
“He’s like a pet for a lot of residents.
“He’s a well known figure in Bilton. It’s a shame to have him taken away and I’m going to try to bring him back.”
Read more:
- Has Peter the Peacock left Bilton for good?
- Up to nine cars vandalised in minutes on same Bilton street
Andrew Hart, who owns Bilton’s Red Box card shop and post office, said “everybody is talking about Peter” this week.
Mr Hart said the RSCPA had taken Peter away previously a few weeks ago and returned him, so he saw no reason why he couldn’t come back again.
He suspects there may have been a complaint to the charity from someone in Bilton who does not like Peter.
Mr Hart is considering setting up a petition to put pressure on the RSPCA and may even ask Harrogate and Knaresborough MP Andrew Jones to back a campaign.
He said:
Have you seen the Spofforth scarecrows?“He’s an attraction. He belongs to Bilton and we want him back”
Spofforth residents raised £650 last weekend for next year’s platinum jubilee celebrations in this year’s summer solstice challenge.
Villagers created 33 scarecrows as part of this year’s film-inspired challenge. The sale of trail maps, hot and cold drinks, flowers and cakes at the village hall generated funds.
All of that income will go towards preparations for a long weekend of events to celebrate the queen’s 70th year on the throne in 2022.
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- Summer reading challenge set to return to Harrogate district libraries
The top three scarecrows by vote were ‘Wind in the Willows by Michael and Marion Lamb, Up by Chris and Chloe Verity, and Harry Potter, by the Roberts family.
Marie Cousens and Robyn Farmer, who helped organise the summer solstice challenge, told the Stray Ferret:
“It’s gone really well. I am amazed by the amount of scarecrows we have around the village and the quality of them.
“We’ve had lots of people coming through, buying tonnes and tonnes of cakes. It’s been cake delight in the village hall.
“It’s the second time in recent times we have done this. Last year’s trail was really good at brightening the spirits of residents. It’s lovely to see everyone out and about.”
More delightful scarecrows:
A Harrogate man died during a skydive after he was given a parachute with holes patched over.
An inquest yesterday heard Christopher Swales was skydiving over the Grand Canyon in America in September 2019 as a 30th wedding anniversary present from his wife, Deborah.
The couple were on holiday in Arizona where they renewed their wedding vows.
They booked Mr Swales’ skydive with a company called Paragon Skydiving.
The inquest at Northallerton heard Mr Swales was partnered with an experienced military instructor, Matthew McGonagle, for his tandem jump.
In a statement, Mr McGonagle said everything was normal on the morning of the jump. He said the winds were high at 27mph, which is two miles more than allowed in the UK for a skydive to take place. But the American Air Force expert had jumped many times in those conditions.
Mr Swales and his instructor jumped out of a Cessna aircraft, and the parachute opened. Minutes later, witnesses on the ground say the men began freefalling down at speed.
When they hit the ground, Mr Swales suffered serious injuries. Staff on the ground performed CPR on Mr Swales, but he was later certified dead. Mr McGonagle had broken his leg.
Chris and Deborah Swales. Photograph: Facebook
Performed over 1,500 jumps
The inquest heard Mr McGonagle, 34, had worked at the US Air Force as a jump master, and he had performed over 1500 jumps. He had an additional weekend job with Paragon Skydiving.
Mr McGonagle told American police he felt the pressure change as they approached the landing area, and he suspected the parachute had collapsed. After hitting the ground, he remembered little else other than medical staff and being taken to hospital.
The owner of Paragon Skydiving, Jason Theuma, watched the jump from the ground. He told police all the equipment was functioning correctly but maintained that Mr McGonagle must have panicked once he realised they were going to miss the landing area.
Theuma said he saw his employee attempt an “aggressive left turn, midair”. He told officers that he saw the two men hit the ground “at high speed in a loud boom and a cloud of dust” 100 yards away from the landing zone.
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US police took the parachute from Paragon’s offices, as part of their investigation into Mr Swales’ death.
The American police report states that they found, ‘numerous patches sewn into the fabric’. Defects or holes in the material had been circled with a pen.
American police closed their investigation after ruling Christopher Swales’ death as accidental.
Family statement
The coroner, Jonathan Heath, said:
“It appears there was nothing untoward at the start of the free fall parachute jump. It then appeared that the landing site was going to be missed. A manoeuvre was performed. The parachute did not recover from that manoeuvre which led to the free fall.
“On the balance of probabilities…this was an accident.”
Seven family of Mr Swales’ family members sat silently listening. Two of them began crying as they made a statement, which said:
Tools, oven and lawnmower found by police in back of Starbeck van“It is important for these proceedings to establish the facts. Chris had a very full life. Full of love and exciting fun times. We had many good times. That is how we are going to remember him.”
A lawnmower, an oven and power tools have been seized by police from the back of a van in Starbeck.
Road policing officers stopped the white Mercedes Sprinter van at 8.35pm on Friday.
According to a statement from North Yorkshire Police, the items “could not be accounted for” by the occupants of the van, who were from Leeds.
Police are now asking local residents to check if they’re missing any of the items.
Two more of the items found in the van on Friday.
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Have you noticed anything missing or see something suspicious? You can contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option1 and speak to the Force Control Room quoting reference number 12210146727.
Or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Harrogate district youth service seeks trusteesAn independent youth service that supports young people across the Harrogate district is to become a charitable incorporated organisation.
To help it make the transition to CIO status, Inspire Youth is looking to recruit a number of trustees.
The closing date for applications is Sunday 4 July and an application pack and trustee jigsaw is available on www.inspireyouth.uk
Chief executive Jess Ward said:
“The successful individuals will take part in shaping and directing the organisation and ensuring that it operates legally, within the regulations set by the Charity Commission.”
Inspire Youth chief executive Jess Ward
The organisation, which is also changing its name to Inspire Yorkshire, works with young people aged 8 to 18 across.
Regarding its search for trustees, Ms Ward said:
“We are particularly looking for people with an experience of, and a compassion for, working with young people.
“The skills we are seeking include digital transformation and digital delivery, fundraising, social media/marketing/PR/campaigning, financial and accounting, human resources and employment law.”
Among the organisations that Inspire Youth works with is Ripon YMCA .
Through this and other connections in the city, it is contributing ideas and experiences designed to shape the future of services to young people in Ripon.
Its work in the community also extends to Harrogate and Knaresborough, and includes engagement with young people on health, wellbeing, lifestyle and career aspirations.
Ms Ward said:
“We offer a service, which is adaptive and responsive that meets the needs of the ever-changing world.
“Services are based on listening to young people and working with them to make sure they get the best out of all activities.”
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Inspire Youth has been able to extend its services through the launch of its mobile youth base, which has helped to engage young people in the community.
The mobile unit features a smart television screen, speaker, whiteboard and sensory lighting, laptop, kitchen facilities, table, and seating area inside.
Has Peter the Peacock left Bilton for good?
A peacock that has strutted around Bilton for years and nested in people’s gardens appears to have left the area for good.
The streets of Bilton have been curiously quiet in recent days without the distinctive squark of Peter the Peacock, and there are murmurings on social media that the bird has flown the nest.
Concerned Bilton resident Claire Hamer told the Stray Ferret that an RSCPA inspector called her this afternoon to say Peter had injured his foot and the charity had taken him to an animal sanctuary in Lancashire to recuperate.
According to Ms Hamer, when Peter is back on his feet he will be re-homed and will not be returning to Bilton.
Read More:
- Up to nine cars vandalised in minutes on same Bilton street
- ‘Feral’ peacocks causing damage in Killinghall
Bilton has been Peter’s home for 12 years and one superfan even set up his own Facebook page for the peacock that has amassed over 500 followers.
Its last post was on June 5.
He told the Stray Ferret today that Peter had not been seen for weeks and that rumours of his departure could be true.
Ms Harmer said Peter would be “greatly missed.”
Harrogate exhibitor says no to mask-free event at convention centre“I enjoyed seeing him, he was very tame, I used to give him seeds, so beautiful.
“He could make a big noise but I got used to it. He would roost in our tree.
“I will miss him, bless him.”
A Harrogate business owner has decided not to exhibit at the first major event at the town’s convention centre for over a year because of health concerns.
Alex Vere, who co-founded a business selling gifts, has exhibited regularly at the Home and Gift Buyer’s Festival in previous years.
But she won’t be at next month’s event, from July 18 to 21, because it is part of the government events research programme, which assesses the impact of holding large events without social distance measures.
This means thousands of people from across the country will be at Harrogate Convention Centre for four days with no cap on capacity, social distancing or mask wearing.
Ms Vere has two children with medical conditions and does not want to risk passing on any infections.
She said she has been cautious for 18 months to protect her children’s health and attending the event would just be “too much” for her at this stage, particularly as infection levels are soaring.
However, she added she accepted the need to stage such events.
She said:
“I understand these events have to happen but it’s a massive concern for me with my kids. The idea of an event with no measures fills me with horror.
“It’s just too big a risk for us, my children’s health will always come first.”
The event organisers have agreed to roll over her £5,500 exhibitor’s fee to next year.
Ms Vere hopes to exhibit again next year. She added:
“As soon as my kids are vaccinated I’ll be there with bells on!”
Read more:
- First events at Harrogate Convention Centre to be government pilot
- Harrogate district covid rate reaches four-month high
A government spokesperson said:
“Each event is designed and signed off by local health authorities and public health experts, and follows rigorous safety protocols, including a requirement to produce a negative lateral flow test or evidence of being double vaccinated as a condition of entry.
“These events will prove crucial in helping people get back to doing what they love safely.”