Boroughbridge Lions are on the hunt for a space in the centre of the town to open a community fridge, which would provide food to anyone in the local area.

The community group will work alongside Boroughbridge Community Care, a charity that offers help to those in need, to set up the space which would allow everyone to share surplus food, including donations from local food businesses, producers, households and gardens.

The organisations will be working with Hubbub which already helps to run 200 community fridges across the UK.

Food, such as dairy products, bread, tinned food and dry food destined for landfill would be donated by local shops or businesses and given to anyone in the community.

Lions member Sue Johnson said the space didn’t need to be huge, just big enough for a fridge and some shelving and somewhere central for people to access.

Ms Johnson said:

“We are still waiting for someone to come forward and offer us a space.

“Boroughbridge Community Care already hand out food parcels to six families locally. But we thought for people that aren’t aware of Boroughbridge Community Care, or who are struggling one week, then we would be there.”

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The plan is to start by opening the fridge one day a week and then, depending on how much food is donated and how large the demand is, open more days.

The space would be run by Lions and Boroughbridge Community Care staff.

Ms Johnson has asked anyone who may be able to offer a space or get involved in the project to email bbrlions@hotmail.com.

Boroughbridge residents have expressed frustration at queues caused by temporary traffic lights on Bridge Street.

Queues on either side of the bridge have been growing in recent weeks due to the lights, which are near the development of six luxury apartments at the former HSBC building.

Three-way temporary lights have led to queues in both directions.

Locals have described the queues coming over the bridge, in the town centre and on Mill Lane as “horrendous”.

One resident, Neil Macdonald, who lives within walking distance told the Stray Ferret:

“This is the second time they have been there and they cause huge queues back to the roundabout and Horsefair.”

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The roadworks are not visible on North Yorkshire County Council’s roadworks map, which provides details of the nature of work and how long it is expected to last.

Remember, you can keep up-to-date on any morning traffic delays via our live blogs with  updates very 30 minutes from 6.30am to 9am. 

Ripon’s Royal Engineers exercised a right granted to them 72 years ago, with their annual freedom march through the city this morning,

The four sqaudrons of 21 Engineer Regiment were represented in the spectacular event, which saw them march past Ripon Town Hall, the famous Market Square and obelisk and down Kirkgate to Ripon’s ancient and iconic cathedral.

An advance party led the troops who, in line with tradition and the rights bestowed on them when freedom of the city was granted, marched in step to the sound of their military band with drums beating, colours flying and bayonets fixed.

The advance party paused outside Ripon Town Hall, where they were met by hornblower Allison Clark

Since 1949, Royal Engineers based at Claro Barracks have had the Freedom of the City of Ripon and this morning’s march followed a day on Market Square yesterday, at which they showed the public machinery and equipment used in supporting British armed forces in many parts of the world.

The march was a prelude to a ceremony at Ripon Cathedral marking Councillor Eamon Parkin’s continuance as mayor of the city – an historic event making, him the first to remain in office for three consecutive terms.

Cllr Parkin, told the Stray Ferret:

“I am honoured to serve this fine city and proud of the association that it has had with the Royal Engineers, for as long as I can remember.

“They do us proud here in Ripon and do the country proud, through their service around the world.”

The band set the beat for the marching troops

Yesterday, Lt Col Simon Graham, commanding officer at Claro Barracks, where 650 personnel are based, pointed out:

“A lot of our time in Ripon is spent behind closed doors and though our work takes us to many places around the world, we feel very much part of this community.”

He added:

“It’s marvellous to have the honour of the Freedom of Ripon and this weekend is a great opportunity to let let people know what we do.”

The troops pass the cathedral

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The Royal Engineers have served on operations in Northern Ireland, Kuwait, Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan, providing light role close support that enables the army to live, move and fight.

In Afghanistan, the regiment was deployed on Operation Herrick, the codename used for all British military operations in Afghanistan since 2002.

Since 1949, Royal Engineers based at Claro Barracks have had the Freedom of Ripon and the right to enter the city, with drums beating, colours flying and bayonets fixed.

The covid pandemic and lockdown, brought a halt to mass attendance events and meant that the 2020 freedom weekend could not go ahead.

But it was back in force today, with information stalls and a display of heavy machinery and equipment for the public to see.

Lance Corporal Craig Kerr with Erin Price, in front of the Terrier engineer tractor

Lt Col Simon Graham, commanding officer at Claro Barracks, where four 21 Engineer Regiment squadrons and 650 personnel are based, told the Stray Ferret:

“A lot of our time in Ripon is behind closed doors and though our work takes us to many places around the world, we feel very much part of this community.”

He added:

“It’s marvellous to have the honour of the Freedom of Ripon and this weekend is a great opportunity to let let people know what we do.”

Tomorrow morning, the Mayor of Ripon Cllr Eamon Parkin, will take the salute as the Royal Engineers march past in Market Square and today, he and the Bishop of Ripon, the Rt Revd Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, visited the square to meet with Lt Col Graham and his colleagues.

Sappers TJ Dockerty (left) and Nathaniel Blakey, with the giant Able vehicle that the Royal Engineers use to build bridges

The Royal Engineers have served on operations in Northern Ireland, Kuwait, Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan, providing light role close support that enables the army to live, move and fight.

In Afghanistan, the regiment was deployed on Operation Herrick, the codename used for all British military operations in Afghanistan since 2002.

Sgt Ross Mellon of the 21 Royal Engineer Regiment light aid detachment, that keeps the troops moving

The operation included the British contribution to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force.

It also supported military action on the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom, principally within the Helmand Province in Southern Afghanistan.

In recent years, the engineers’ main focus has been on support to UN peacekeeping operations. This has included deployments to Cyprus, Somalia and South Sudan, as well as Afghanistan.

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Ripon’s military links go back over many decades and in 1915, when its population was under 9,000, an army camp was created in the city to accommodate 30,000 troops.

Up until the end of World War I more than 350,000 soldiers passed through the camp – among them the famous war poet Wilfred Owen.

Streets in Boroughbridge have been left under water this evening as flash floods hit the Harrogate district.

After a balmy day, the forecast storms arrived by late afternoon.

Loud thunderclaps were heard in Harrogate but it was Boroughbridge that felt the full brunt of the weather.

Springfield Drive (pictured) and Springfield Grove were both left treacherous.

Springfield Drive

Local resident Mandy Lambert, who took the photo above, said the state of the drains was a long running source of concern among residents.

“It’s ridiculous how flooded we get.

“The council won’t do anything unless it goes into the residents’ houses.”

A yellow weather warning remains in place in the district for thunderstorms tonight until 11pm.

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Ripon Arts Hub has opened its doors to the public after 18 months of fundraising by volunteers behind the scenes,

The premises on Allhallowgate, owned by Ripon Amateur Operatic Society  were refurbished during lockdown.

The upgrade was partly funded by a £54,339 grant from the government’s £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund, which helps cultural organisations and heritage sites recover from covid.

It has enabled the society’s Operatic Hall to be transformed into a modern, fully ventilated theatre for live performances and events.

As well as being the setting for the society’s own productions and rehearsals, the re-vamped venue provides Ripon’s first community arts space.

It is also available for private hire.

The first in a series of live performances was held yesterday evening, with the Hilarity Bites Comedy Club, hosted by Lou Conran and featuring Steve Shanyaski and Stephen Bailey.

Hilarity Bites returns on 5 October with another evening of stand-up comedy, this time featuring Danny Deegan, Paul F. Taylor and Martin Mor.

Tomorrow (Thursday) the hub stages the drama Mrs Beeton, My Sister

The one-woman show by award-winning playwright Alison Neil (pictured above) focuses on the extraordinary life of Britain’s first domestic goddess.

The play focuses on Bessie Mayson’s view of her older sister Isabella, who married publisher Sam Beeton – a union that culminated in her writing the world-famous Beeton’s Book of Household Management.

The society will take centre stage from 7 to 16 October, with performances of the musical Jesus Christ Superstar.  Tickets for the 10-day run of shows are now on sale.

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The score by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice includes numbers such as I Don’t Know How to Love Him and Superstar.

Other upcoming events this autumn include the Same Same but Different family dance show and Cilla and the Swinging 60s, in which West End singer Sandy Smith celebrates the life of the late pop icon.

One of the Harrogate district’s finest churches is to open to visitors and local residents this week after undergoing a £500,000 restoration.

St Wilfrid’s, on Coltsgate Hill in Ripon, will open from 10.30am to 4pm on Friday for the first in a series of four Heritage Open Days,.

The national programme sees historic places invite people to visit free of charge. The church, which opened in April 1863, is one of this year’s main attractions as it is considered to be one of England’s finest Catholic places of worship.

The grade II* listed building was designed in French Gothic style by the prolific York architect Joseph Hansom, inventor of the Hansom cab.

Features include stained and coloured glass, an imposing altar screen or reredos designed by Edward Pugin depicting scenes from the life of St Wilfrid and other fine statuary, carvings and artwork.

Windows in the tower were replaced as part of the refurbishment.

These include ornate medallions of saints above the nave arches by Salviati of Venice, and the side altar of Our Lady of Fountains, brought  from the private chapel of the Marquess of Ripon  at Studley Royal after his death.

The marquess converted to Catholicism in 1874 – six years before becoming viceroy and governor general of India.

Born at 10 Downing Street, when his father Viscount Goderich was briefly Prime Minister, he was a towering parliamentary figure in Victorian Britain and a major donor to St Wilfrid’s and to Ripon, where he was elected as the city’s mayor in 1897.

An addition to the 158-year history of St Wilfrid’s is a dramatic holograph-style set of stations of the cross, commissioned by a benefactor to the restoration appeal.

Many local people and organisations donated to the fundraising programme headed by parishioner Barrie Price.

This, combined with a Heritage Fund lottery grant, provided the money needed for the restoration and will fund further improvements, among them better access to the church.

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In addition to Friday’s open day, three more open days will be held on Saturday and Sunday and on Thursday next week.

Entry is via the front door steps or ramp on Coltsgate Hill and parking spaces are available in the church car park, accessed via Trinity Lane.

A business near Boroughbridge has planted a 15-acre field with sunflowers to try and raise £40,000 in memory of their friend and BBC radio presenter, Dom Busby, who died this year.

Mr Busby, who worked for BBC Sport and BBC Radio 5 Live, died in June four weeks after he was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

The owners of The Log Shed, near Boroughbridge, had been planning a fundraiser with Mr Busby shortly before he passed away.

Rachel Sowray, who was friends with Mr Busby and is also one of the managers of Log Shed, said he would have wanted them to continue to raise as much money as possible.

Ms Sowray said:

“We wanted to do something for charities after such a difficult year for them. Dom was heavily involved and was going to be front of house on it all. Now we are doing it in memory of him.

“The field looks amazing, I really can’t wait for more people to see it.”

Visitors can walk around the field and pick their own flowers. The entry fee is £6 per person and 50% of funds raised will go to the two charities nominated by Mr Busby’s mum: Macmillan Cancer Support and Saint Michael’s Hospice.

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The flowers are expected to be in full bloom by the end of the week. The field will then be open for the public to come and walk round for three to four weeks.

For more information on when the field is open, visit this Facebook page.

Ripon will go from rock and pop to pomp and circumstance in its final free mass entertainment event of the summer next weekend.

Organised to coincide with the BBC’s Last Night of the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall in London, the city will welcome fans of the more classical style of music to Market Square on Saturday, September 11.

The event, from 7pm until 11pm, features a tribute act singing songs made famous by Welsh mezzo soprano Katherine Jenkins.

Also taking the stage in front of Ripon Town Hall during the evening will be the Dishforth Military Wives Choir.

Live music will be provided by an ensemble of 17 musicians and a fireworks display will provide the finale.

The free weekends of entertainment have been paid for from the Ripon parish precept, which is funded by council tax.

The previous ones brought tribute acts ranging from Queen to the ABBA Forever tribute group.

As well as providing free family entertainment, which has also included fairground rides for children, the intention has been to bring more people to the city centre and drive footfall to benefit local traders.

City council leader Andrew Williams told the Stray Ferret:

“They’ve been enjoyable and trouble-free events that have put smiles on a lot of faces.

“You could see that people are delighted to be finally free of the restrictions that were necessary during the covid lockdowns.”

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More free events in Market Square are scheduled for autumn and winter.

During the October half term holiday there will be further family-focused activities, followed in November with the switch on of the city’s Christmas lights.

Bringing the curtain down on 2021 will be the famous New Year’s Eve entertainment — an alfresco party that normally sees hundreds of revellers rocking around Ripon’s obelisk.

People are being given the chance to get involved in a £2.5 million project to create a sustainable future for the Skell Valley.

The project focuses on improving a 12-mile stretch of the river from Dallowgill Moor to Ripon and includes the World Heritage Site of Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal.

High levels of silt deposits threaten the ecology and poor water quality has led to a decline in nature.

The project is being co-led by the National Trust and Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and is funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

To mark the start of the project, a free celebratory event will take place between 1pm and 4pm on Saturday, September 11, at Ripon’s Hell Wath Nature Reserve.

Activities taking place will include stream dipping and guided nature walks, natural wool dyeing sessions and a display of historical archives.

Refreshments and ice cream will be available.

Children attending should be accompanied and supervised by an adult.

The event is designed to highlight the role that the community, alongside farmers and landowners, can play in the four-year Skell scheme.

Project manager Nabil Abbas said:

“The project is all about working with the local community to improve this rich and beautiful landscape’s resilience to climate change, boost the local economy and increase people’s access to green space following the coronavirus pandemic.

“I hope everyone will join us on September 11 as we celebrate the start of this innovative project.”

Volunteers wanted

Project partners and local community groups will be on hand to lead activities, talk about their organisations and answer questions.

There will also be opportunities for people of all backgrounds, abilities, and interests to get involved. Volunteer roles are currently being recruited in nature conservation and archive research.

Details of the project.

Mr Abbas said:

“Volunteering offers fantastic opportunities for those wanting to develop practical conservation skills, learn about wildlife management or who might even want to follow a career in habitat conservation. It’s also a great way to meet like-minded people, help safeguard our beautiful landscape, and try something new.”

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For those interested in the history of the Skell Valley, volunteers are needed for the Digging Deep in the Archives project being run by the West Yorkshire Archives Service.

No prior booking is required for people planning to attend the event.