The Prince’s Trust Coronavirus Support Hub for young people is to receive £2,705, after Ripon Grammar School Student Araminta Praud, organised a charity Colour Dash at the school.

With competitors coated in the colours of the rainbow at the end of the event, those taking part were reminded that there is continuing hope that COVID-19 will eventually be conquered.

Araminta, who lives in Boroughbridge, anticipated that the Colour Dash would raise £1,000, but with support from students, families and teachers within the school community, almost tripled that amount.

The final total of money raised from the event, which was staged in the Ripon Grammar grounds the day before the government brought in restrictions on mass gatherings, has now been calculated and 18-year-old Araminta told The Stray Ferret:

“My aim was to raise £1,000 and I didn’t expect to raise this much. In these testing times, I know the money is going to a great cause. The Prince’s Trust is helping young people with the new Coronavirus Support Hub, as well as continuing to provide opportunities through other programmes for those aged 11 to 30.”

Araminta (pictured above) who has worked with the Prince’s Trust previously through the school, arranged the Colour Dash as part of her extended project qualification. Support was received from a benevolent fund and Yorkshire-based Harron Homes, which paid for the non-toxic paint used to provide the rainbow’s end effect at the finishing line, where she handed out medals to those who took part.

The work of the Prince’s Trust is very important for Araminta, who said:

“They help underprivileged young people my age and give them the opportunities that I am lucky enough to have. I strongly believe everyone should have the same opportunities, no-one should be limited.”

The Ripon Grammar School community has been involved in a number of activities in a bid to beat coronavirus and support the NHS and healtchcare workers, including a YouTube video recorded by the Sladden family, whose son Ned, is a year 8 student at the school.

The musically-gifted family, whose vocal talents have been heard in the Ripon Cathedral choir, recorded their version of Take That’s hit song ‘Shine’ adapting the words to present an important stay at home, stay safe message.

Ripon Grammar has also given practical assistance to the NHS, by donating protective glasses and other equipment usually used in the school’s laboratories.

As the UK lockdown is extended for a minimum of three more weeks, the work of volunteers continue to provide a vital service for those who are self-isolating.

From mobile post offices to weekly care packages, volunteers from across the borough are going the extra mile to help those who need it.

A vicar from Boroughbridge told the Stray Ferret that the number of people who tuned into the online Easter Sunday service exceeded the amount that would usually gather at the church congregation.

Reverend Karen Gardiner, vicar for the Boroughbridge Parish of Churches,  held an Easter Sunday service from her back garden with her family. She said:

” It really shows that you can do church anywhere. We will definitely continue to do more of these, it’s a way of creating togetherness through faith whilst people are unable to meet up.”

This innovative method of worship came about due to the temporary closure of churches, in an effort to slow the spread of COVID19.

Yesterday, many Churches across the borough held creative online services, so people were still able to celebrate a key day in the Christian calendar from their own homes.

Revd Karen Gardiner said that as well as providing a service for regular members to connect, it was an opportunity to reach out to a wider audience:

“It’s amazing, we have been getting emails from our church members saying that the online services are enabling their elderly family members, who can no longer attend church, to re-engage with their faith.”

It seems while congregations are being kept apart, the spirit of giving has not gone away.

Revd Karen Gardiner conducting an Easter Service from her garden with her family.

North Yorkshire Police have repeated it’s warning to motorists to stick to the rules of the road after a driver on the A168, which is a major road that runs from Northallerton to Wetherby, was recorded driving at 132mph earlier this week.

It comes after the force announced a dangerous rise in highly-excessive speeds as roads get quieter.

Andy Tooke, of North Yorkshire Police’s Traffic Bureau, said:

“Some of the speeds we have recorded are frankly ridiculous, especially at a time when people have been asked to stay home, protect the NHS and save lives.It’s unbelievable that some motorists are behaving in a way that puts more lives in danger at a time when NHS and emergency service resources are so vital.”

Details of the vehicle were circulated to other units and a driver was stopped by officers from a neighbouring police force a short time later.

The speed limit on the stretch of the A168 that the safety camera operator was monitoring is 70mph

“We will not tolerate North Yorkshire being used as a race track, and we are continuing to target those who put lives at risk by driving illegally.”

In the last few days, North Yorkshire Police has also recorded speeds of 117mph and several at close to 100mph.

Residents living near a proposed motorway service area are preparing to fight a fifth application to develop the site.

Kirby Hill Residents Against Motorway Services (RAMS) say they will protest at developer Applegreen’s AGM in Dublin, if current travel restrictions are lifted.

The company’s application for the site along the A1(M) was rejected by Harrogate Borough Council’s planning committee in November last year, but an appeal was lodged in February. Now, the residents’ group is urging Applegreen to drop the plans rather than waste further money in pursuing the project.

Coun Nick Brown, who represents the ward on Harrogate Borough Council, said:

“As a former main board director of a company quoted on the London Stock Exchange, I would like to ask CEO Bob Etchingham and the directors of Applegreen to take a really close look at what they are doing here.

Speculatively ‘having a go’ at getting planning permission is one thing, but the Local Planning Authority has given six good reasons for refusal, on the back of four previous projects at this site that have gone the same way, three of them after Public Inquiry. Given the current business climate, I don’t understand why Applegreen is continuing to invest in such a controversial project, with so little prospect of success, contrary to the social and environmental credentials they claim for their brand.

If ever there was a time for management to cut their losses on this project, it is now.”

Kirby Hill RAMS has been fighting against applications for motorway services on the site for almost a quarter of a century, after the first plans were put forward in 1996. HBC said the current application would cause substantial harm to the surrounding countryside and environment of the village, as well as to the economy of neighbouring Boroughbridge.

Kirby Hill Residents Against Motorway Services protested against the proposals by Applegreen, which was rejected in 2019

RAMS chairman Gareth Owens said:

“Kirby Hill is Britain’s most controversial proposed MSA site for a good reason: it is a completely inappropriate location for this type of development, which would cause substantial harm.For 24 years, decision-makers in the planning system and in the courts have agreed with us… We feel very strongly that the company should now respect Harrogate Borough Council’s decision.”

Eugene Moore, Applegreen’s chief development director, said:

“Applegreen has lodged an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate to consider the planning decision for the Vale of York motorway service area proposals. We don’t believe it is appropriate to comment on the process further until the appeal has been heard.”