Harrogate diving club back in the water after six months

Harrogate District Diving Club is now back in the water after six months, but with reduced hours and coaches.

Since the reopening of pools in July the club has been eager to be allowed back to training at The Hydro. The club said its six months out of training had a “detrimental effect”.

Members’ hours in the water have been restricted. The club now only has one 2.5 hours session a week, while pre-covid it had 20 hours in the water each week.

The divers have been placed in smaller groups, with each group given 30 minutes of coaching each week. To keep it covid-safe each squad returned week by week and is now back to full capacity.

The number of club coaches has also been reduced. Two were redeployed during the pandemic: as council employees, they were sent to work in other areas in need of extra staff.

Graeme Cairns, who previously coached the council’s learn to dive scheme, has been brought in to train all of the divers on their return. Mike Gill, who is still deployed elsewhere, is returning to coach on a voluntary basis.

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Club chair Leanne Jalland said:

“It is great to see the divers back training in the pool. Seeing the joy and smiles of the divers each week, as a new squad enters the water and takes that first dive back into the water, makes all the hard work to get them back in the pool worthwhile.

“We have seen across the country many diving clubs have not been so fortunate, any amount of pool time is better than no pool time at all. We have seen first hand how good it is for their mental wellbeing during these uncertain times.”

Over lockdown the divers had a weekly zoom workout focusing on dryland training. The club said the main aim of this was to encourage the divers development even without the water.

The club has trained in Harrogate for more than 20 years with sporting stars including Olympic gold medallist Jack Laugher learning to dive at the club.

Harrogate district urged to show support for volunteers and NHS

People in the Harrogate district are being asked to thank the NHS and local volunteers in contrasting ways this weekend.

Harrogate and District Community Action is encouraging people to raise a glass this evening to volunteers who continue to work during the pandemic.

HADCA, which had to cancel its annual Volunteering Oscars awards because of covid, is asking people to raise their glass or mug at 7pm and then post images of themselves saying ‘cheers’ on social media, tagging the Volunteering Oscars on Twitter using #nevermoreneeded.

The Volunteering Oscars celebrates volunteers in the district who help the elderly, children or terminally ill, or whose efforts ensure venues such as museums stay open.

John Fox, chair of HADCA, said:

“We clapped hands for the NHS – why don’t we all lift a glass to say thanks to all the volunteers across the Harrogate district for what they’ve done?”

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Johnathan and his two children

Jonathan Sanderson and his two children practising their howls.

A Harrogate businessman has come up with an altogether different way to celebrate the NHS in a fun way that also appeals to children at Halloween.

Jonathan Sanderson, managing director of IT recruitment company Corecom Consulting, is asking people to Howl for Heroes on their doorsteps at 7pm on Saturday.

Mr Sanderson said:

“My children, along with so many others, are disappointed that the traditional evening of our local community in Harrogate coming together trick or treating will not be able to happen due to covid.

“Howl for Heroes is a socially distanced, fun and noisy alternative to coming together on the evening and recognising the hard work of the NHS who are continuing to support those suffering with the illness.”

Coach and Horses in Harrogate gets green light to reopen

The Coach and Horses in Harrogate has today been given the go-ahead to reopen after several months of forced closure.

Harrogate Borough Council’s licensing sub-committee granted Samantha Nelson’s alcohol licence application when it met virtually at lunchtime.

Ms Nelson, who is the daughter of the previous landlord John Nelson, was allowed to open the pub from 10am until midnight.

The sub-committee revoked Mr Nelson’s licence in July after he showed a “blatant disregard” for social distancing guidelines in May.

Ms Nelson told the sub-committee:

“We plan to refurbish the Coach and Horses before we reopen so there is no chance that it will be open for Christmas. There is also no way I will make the same mistakes my dad did.”

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The Coach and Horses is one of Harrogate’s oldest pubs, having opened in 1827. Mr Nelson had been the licensee for 33 years.

People outside the Coach and Horses back in May.

People gathered outside the Coach and Horses in May.

The sub-committee heard how Mr Nelson, who will remain in his flat above the pub, was “aggressive and abusive” to council officials.

Ms Nelson insisted her father will have no involvement in the Coach and Horses.

Cllr Victoria Oldham, who chaired the sub-committee, granted the licence with conditions:

“The committee have decided to approve the application with three conditions. The pub will be able to open until midnight, not until 12.30am.

“No customer, carrying bottles or glasses, will be admitted to the premises at any time. No customer will be permitted to take open containers from the premises. The pull-out seats presently fixed to the exterior of the premises must be removed before it is reopened.”

The sub-committee’s decision to approve Samantha Nelson’s alcohol licence is subject to appeal in the next 21 days.

Man arrested in Harrogate after suspected £1,500 shoplifting haul

A suspected shoplifter in Harrogate was arrested with £1,500 worth of goods in his car yesterday.

North Yorkshire Police arrested the man on Leeds Road at about 5.30pm following a report of shoplifting from a store on Cambridge Road.

Officers intercepted a silver car after CCTV operators alerted police.

The suspect’s vehicle was stopped and the driver, a man from the Leeds area, was arrested on suspicion of drug driving and taken into custody.

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He was later released while under investigation.

Investigations into the theft of £1,500 worth of suspected stolen goods are ongoing.

Downing Street Christmas tree chosen in Harrogate today

A competition to find a Christmas tree for Downing Street was held in Harrogate today.

Yorkshire shepherdess Amanda Owen, from Channel 5’s Our Yorkshire Farm, and Peter Wright from The Yorkshire Vet were joined by last year’s winners from Devon and Leicestershire to judge the entries.

The competition has been running since 1999 but this is the first time it has been held in Harrogate. It is also the first time celebrity judges have been invited.

Due to covid, the participants were unable to attend in person.

They sent their trees to the Great Yorkshire Showground where the judges selected the winners in various categories, including the prestigious ‘champion Christmas tree grower of the year’.

York Christmas Trees was crowned the winner of that category and one of its trees will have the distinction of standing outside 10 Downing Street over the festive period.

The winner of champion festive wreath category was Welford Christmas tree farm from Northampton. Its wreath will hang on the door of the Prime Minister’s residence.

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Oliver Combe of York Christmas Trees said:

“We are a small local family business who have been growing trees for over 20 years. We are overwhelmed to have won the title of champion grower for 2020, it is a huge accolade!”

The competition is run by the The British Christmas Tree Growers Association.

Heather Parry, who is the managing agent for BCTGA as well as the managing director of Yorkshire Event Centre said:

“The quality and the amazing scent of the trees on display was incredible; this is truly the Oscars for Christmas trees. It was heartening to hear also that many growers are selling more trees than normal, as consumers plan ahead to have a real Christmas tree as the centrepiece of their home this year”.

Police drugs bust near Harrogate’s Valley Gardens

Police seized 50 wraps of suspected class A drugs, a knife and some cannabis after swooping on two men near Harrogate’s Valley Gardens yesterday.

The men, aged 23 and 26, were taken into custody where the 23-year-old was charged with possessing a knife and possessing class B drugs. The 26-year-old was charged with driving offences.

Both men remain under investigation on suspicion of possessing class A drugs with intent to supply.

The men, who are from Leeds, are believed to be part of county lines drug dealing across county borders.

According to North Yorkshire Police, officers on active patrol spotted the pair in a vehicle near Valley Gardens at about 5pm.

A police statement said:

“After searching the two men from Leeds and their vehicle, officers recovered 50 wraps of suspected class A drugs, a hunting knife and some cannabis.”

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North Yorkshire Police’s Operation Expedite teams focus on county lines drug dealers who travel from outside North Yorkshire to sell drugs.

The force appealed to anyone with information about drug dealing in their area to contact it on 101.

If you prefer not to speak to the police and remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.

Announcement on re-opening Harrogate district care homes imminent

Care homes in the Harrogate district could re-open their doors to visitors soon.

North Yorkshire County Council advised care homes not to allow visits during October — a decision that distressed many residents and their families.

Richard Webb, director of health and adult services at the council, told a press briefing today an announcement was imminent. He said:

“On Friday I plan to make an announcement about visiting in care homes. We have had advice against visits all through October.

“This announcement will be contingent on what tier restrictions North Yorkshire is in.”

North Yorkshire could move from tier one to tier two by the end of the week, which would lead to tougher restrictions and may therefore impact the care home plans.

He said the decision about care homes also depended on their ability to prevent covid outbreaks. He said there had been three “large outbreaks” in the county’s care homes in the past week.

Care homes could operate a nominated visitor scheme whereby a designated visitor is tested regularly so they can continue visiting.

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Harrogate resident Judy Bass will be watching the decision closely. As previously reported, she has joined a pressure group called Right for Residents that is campaigning for restrictions on visits to be eased.

She and her brother visited their dad every day before March. Judy said:

“I just feel like I’ve let him down. What’s he living for at the moment? Hardly anything. He will just give up.”

 

North Yorkshire could enter tier two this week

North Yorkshire could move into tier two coronavirus restrictions by the end of the week, according to the county council’s director of health and adult services.

Richard Webb said this morning the situation in the county was “hanging by a thread” due to rising infection rates.

The Selby and Harrogate districts are particular problem areas, with seven-day infection rates of 230 cases and 203 cases per 100,000 people respectively.

Average infection rates in the county remain below the England average of 220 cases per 100,000.

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But they are rising, which prompted Mr Webb to issue the warning at today’s weekly press briefing of the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, which is a partnership of agencies that tackles emergencies. He said:

“The situation in North Yorkshire is now hanging by a thread. We are currently in tier one but that is really on a knife edge.

“We may even be in a situation at the end of this week where we move into tier two restrictions. But we are hoping that we can prevent that.

“We want to stay in tier one. It is better for livelihoods and for economic wellbeing. Today we are asking people to act now to save lives more than ever.”

Mr Webb said it would be up to the government to decide North Yorkshire’s fate.

People in tier two areas are prohibited from socialising with anybody outside their household or support bubble in any indoor setting.

People in pubs and restaurants can only consume food and drink while seated. Takeaway food can only be bought after 10pm if ordered online or by phone.

The press briefing also revealed that Harrogate District Hospital has 12 coronavirus patients – three of whom are in intensive care.

Long queues outside Harrogate shop after pubs close

A Harrogate resident has sent us a video of large queues forming outside a shop in the town immediately after the pubs closed.

The footage shows dozens of people waiting outside Tesco Express on Cambridge Road at 10.02pm on Saturday.

Phil Riverside, the Harrogate resident who captured the scenes, raised his concerns about the gathering. He said “it just doesn’t make sense”.

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He also echoed fears nationally that a pub curfew at 10pm will move groups out of the venue’s controlled environment and out onto the streets.

The Stray Ferret took the video to North Yorkshire Police and Harrogate Borough Council. The council said it was a matter for the police and the police declined to comment.

While it is not on the same level of a gathering in York’s city centre from last month, the police have previously committed to dispersing groups.

Superintendent Mike Walker, gold commander for North Yorkshire Police’s response to Covid-19, previously said:

“It’s very clear that we are at a turning point now, where everyone’s personal choices will have a significant effect upon the rate at which this virus spreads over the coming weeks.”

We also showed the footage to Tesco. The store did not want to comment on this specific case but said it follows all government guidance on coronavirus.

Harrogate shop ‘blown away’ by free school meals support

A Harrogate sandwich shop has been overwhelmed with support for its free school meals pledge.

Thug Sandwich, on Albert Street, set up a donations board at the weekend. Just a few days later it is filled with “free packed lunch” notes, all paid for by customers.

When someone is in need of a free school meal, they can use one of the notes as payment. The shop has asked people to get in touch beforehand.

Daniel Bell, one of the owners at Thug Sandwich, told the Stray Ferret:

“We set out to foot the bill ourselves but there were so many people who wanted to help. So far we have the equivalent of more than 200 packed lunches. It should not be businesses stepping up to do this, but we are happy to do our bit to help people.”

A packed lunch from Thug Sandwich can vary but will include a sandwich as well as a range of flapjack, fruits and fruit shoot drinks. So far the sandwich shop has handed out just over 20 of the free school meals.

If there are any donations left over at the end of the week, Thug Sandwich will take the monetary value to Harrogate District Food Bank.

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Meanwhile, North Yorkshire County Council has confirmed it will continue to support vulnerable families using its existing funds.

Neil Irving, assistant director, policy, partnerships and communities, said:

“We have targeted funds that are available not just to children entitled to free school meals, but to anybody who is suffering financial hardship as a result of the pandemic or anything else. We have extended the fund during the pandemic and we may review that in future.”

How many other places do free school meals?

(Please make sure to check how long the offers are available for as some may vary.)

Please get in touch using contact@thestrayferret.co.uk to be added to the list