It was after finding her dad’s racquet as a child that Sophie Cousins first fell in love with tennis
The Ashville College tennis coach has spent her whole life invested in the sport, one way or another.
But it was not until recently that she became immersed in the ever growing sport of padel tennis.
The last 18 months have been a whirlwind for Sophie. From first stepping foot on a padel court for the first time to representing her country at an international tournament.
For her, the sport is addictive and one which she cannot get enough of.
Picking up the racquet
Born and raised in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, Sophie was brought up in a sporting family. Her first interaction with tennis came when she found her dad’s old racquet at home.
“I had a very sporting family, so we were always playing games at home.
“I actually found my dad’s old tennis racquet. It was one of those wooden racquets in a press and I asked: ‘what’s this?’ And that’s how tennis started and we used to play all the time in the back garden.”
Her dad took her to a local club and she began to improve.
She began playing in junior tournaments and would travel to places like Solihull, Nottingham and abroad to compete. Among them was the junior Wimbledon pre-qualifiers, which she competed in aged 18.
Sophie would also try to qualify for the Sunday Telegraph Masters tournament, which was held in Boca Raton, Florida, and La Manga in Spain.
“It [the tournament] was such a huge incentive for juniors.”
Read more:
- How Pateley Bridge man won two league titles with Leeds United
- Knaresborough Town pair championing women’s football after remarkable season
- How a Harrogate consultant helped change British elite sport
She grew up watching the likes of Steffi Graf and Rafael Nadal competing at the highest level of tennis. She still points to them to this day as examples of model professional athletes.
When Sophie turned 18, she began competing in more international tournaments and tried to work her way up the rankings.
She enrolled at Loughborough University, but her progress in tennis was halted by recurring knee injuries.
By this point, she also wanted to focus on her degree. As a result, tennis began to fall by the wayside.
“I had worked so hard to get into Loughborough, that’s where I always wanted to go to do sport science. I did not want to be going off playing tournaments at that stage. I wanted to concentrate on my degree.
“I knew I wasn’t going to be playing tennis as a career. I had contemplated going to America and going through that system and getting a scholarship.”
She continued to coach tennis after university and had a stint as an estate agent in London before moving into teaching, first at Harrogate Grammar School and then at Skipton Girls School.
She moved to Ashville College in Harrogate in 2014. It was here some years later where she was first introduced to the growing sport of padel.
Immersed in padel
Padel tennis first came into the picture 18 months ago.
Angela Crossley, a Wetherby-based tennis coach and now Sophie’s padel partner, first introduced her to the sport.
When Sophie joined Ashville, she struck up a friendship with Angela and they would work offering students sessions in the summer and helping to grow the tennis programme at the college.
One day, Angela brought up the subject of padel with her.
“She asked me: ‘Have you tried padel? I think you would be quite good at it’.
“I remember her hitting a ball, it coming off the back glass and shooting about two metres in front of me and I just looked at her and said: ‘What you expect me to hit that?’”
Sophie and her padel partner, Angela, at the World Championships in Spain.
The sport has surged in popularity across the UK. In Harrogate, padel tennis courts have opened at Hornbeam Park, Harrogate Spa Tennis Club and Harrogate Sports and Fitness Club.
Last year, Ripon Tennis Club unveiled two new courts at a cost of £180,000 following a wave of support from residents and businesses.
To date, the Lawn Tennis Association estimates that the UK has 175,000 active padel tennis players.
The interest in the sport is huge, but, for Sophie, the country is still finding its feet competitively.
“Padel has exploded in this country. But everybody is still very much finding their feet.
“Some players have come from squash, they’re a bit more comfortable with the ball pinging off the walls but they’re not as comfortable at the net. Whereas, in tennis we have got more transferability from the volleying and the net gain. But we need to learn to love and embrace the glass a bit more.”
Fast forward to April this year and Sophie was competing for Great Britain at the International Padel Federation’s Seniors World Championship in La Nucia in Spain.
Team GB women went on to finish a commendable ninth place out of 22 countries.
Joined by Angela, the competition was fierce – not least because the European countries had been familiar with the sport a lot longer than the UK.
For Sophie, the experience was vital and one that she hopes will continue in years to come.
“You watch teams from Argentina and Spain who have been playing for years and they know where the ball is going.
“Whereas we are still playing quite reactive. They just read the ball so well because they have played for years.”
‘Prepare to be addicted’
Sophie hardly plays regular tennis competitively anymore, but still coaches from time to time.
Despite tennis taking a backseat recently, she still describes it as a “sport for life” and one that can be taken up at any age.
When asked whether she finds that she enjoys padel more than tennis, Sophie says the mental side of padel is a huge draw for her.
“I enjoy the mental side of it. I enjoy the strategy of trying to work out how to unpick a problem and how you are going to win the point or manipulate the space.
“It makes you think a lot more than tennis.”
She points out that there is more to padel than just playing the game. There is also a social aspect to it, she says, which stems from its growth in Spain and South America.
“I’d definitely encourage people to have a go at padel. Prepare to be addicted.”
If you have any local sporting figures who you think should be featured in Sporting Spotlight, contact calvin@thestrayferret.co.uk.
Pentagon officer cleared of seriously injuring Harrogate schoolboys
A US colonel has been cleared of causing serious injury by careless driving following a horrific road crash in which two Harrogate schoolboys were badly injured.
Benjamin Oakes, 46, was in a white Vauxhall Astra which pulled out of a junction at the end of the driveway outside Ashville College and collided with the back end of a Ford Ranger pick-up truck, York Magistrates’ Court heard.
The Ford Ranger, driven by Sam Goodall, had swerved in an attempt to avoid the Astra, which clipped the back of his vehicle.
It caused the truck to spin and career across the road, where it mounted a pavement on the opposite side of Yew Tree Lane into the path of two teenagers who were walking along the footpath.
The truck struck both boys and ploughed through a wall at the edge of the college grounds.
Prosecutor Louise Berry said that at least one of the boys, who were both 15 at the time, was “buried under the debris” and both were seriously included. One of them suffered a horrific leg injury after the truck went “three-quarters way through the wall”.
Months in hospital
Giving evidence, one of the boys, who can’t be named for legal reasons, said:
“We got hit through the wall. I think I got knocked out for a bit. We were in the bushes. I just heard (his friend) scream.”
The boy said the truck hit him and he went onto its bonnet before hitting the wall. He said a large piece of wall landed on his left leg.
The teenager, now 16, said he looked over to his friend who saw his own badly injured leg and started screaming and saying he was going to die.
The boys spent 18 weeks and 22 weeks in hospital respectively. One of them needed extensive operations following the collision at about 8.30am on February 2.
Ms Berry said it was the Crown’s case that Mr Oakes, of Tewit Well Avenue, Harrogate, had caused the accident because he hadn’t checked that the way was clear before pulling out of the junction.
She said Mr Oakes’ Astra had been “edging” out of the junction before pulling out completely into the path of the Ford Ranger.
Benjamin Oakes
Mr Oakes, chief of the space policy division for the US joint chiefs of staff at the Pentagon, was charged with two counts of causing serious injury by careless driving but denied the allegations.
Yesterday, following a two-day trial, district judge Adrian Lower found the US military chief not guilty of both charges.
Read more:
- Accused in Harrogate schoolboy crash didn’t check road was clear, court hears
- Accused in Harrogate schoolboy crash is US chief of space policy
A female motorist who witnessed the collision described Mr Oakes’ driving in the moments before the crash as “aggressive and inpatient”.
She said he appeared to be “in a rush to leave the junction” before the collision with the pick-up driven by Mr Goodall, who said that following the crash Mr Oakes told him: “I didn’t see you.”
She said she thought the Astra had pulled out “a bit too early…and that’s what caused him to hit the back of the truck”. She added:
“I felt like the truck just appeared out of nowhere in the opposite lane to me.”
She then looked to her right and saw the two schoolboys walking along the footpath. She said:
“The truck was in the wall, so I knew it had gone into (the boys).
“I thought at the time that the truck was going really quick. I got out of the car…and saw that the Astra was damaged as well. I think we were all in shock.”
‘No conclusive evidence’
Peter Minnikin, Mr Oakes’ lawyer, said that neither his client, the female motorist nor the injured boys had seen the truck as it approached the “blind” junction and suggested it could have been travelling too fast.
District judge Adrian Lower said he had “no doubt that this was a traumatic, extremely painful experience for (the two schoolboys)” but that he had to consider the case dispassionately.
He noted that it was “extremely difficult” for motorists to turn right at the “blind” junction, partly due to a pillar or old gatepost at the end of the driveway.
He said there was “no conclusive evidence” that the truck had been travelling too fast or above the speed limit.
Mr Lower, who noted that Mr Oakes had been driving in the UK without incident for four years, said there was every possibility that the truck wasn’t visible to any of the motorists or witnesses even after Mr Oakes had pulled out of the junction.
He said that for those reasons he couldn’t be satisfied that Mr Oakes’ driving was careless or fell below the standard of a competent driver.
Mr Lower found Mr Oakes not guilty on both counts and made an order for the defendant’s costs to be paid from public funds.
Accused in Harrogate schoolboy crash didn’t check road was clear, court hears
A highly decorated colonel in the US military has gone on trial accused of causing serious injury to two Harrogate schoolboys by careless driving.
Benjamin Oakes, 46, was in a white Vauxhall Astra which pulled out of a junction at the end of a driveway next to Ashville College in Harrogate and collided with the back end of a Ford Ranger pick-up truck, York Magistrates’ Court heard.
Prosecutor Louise Berry said that the Ford Ranger, driven by Sam Goodall, had swerved in an attempt to avoid the Astra.
But the Astra clipped the back of the truck which careered across the road and mounted a pavement on the opposite side of Yew Tree Lane into the path of two teenagers who were walking along the footpath.
The truck struck both boys, who can’t be named for legal reasons, and ploughed through a wall at the edge of the college grounds.
Ms Berry said that at least one of the boys was “buried under the debris” and both were left with serious injuries including a horrific leg injury.
The scene of the crash in February.
Ms Berry said it was the Crown’s case that Oakes, of Tewit Well Avenue, Harrogate, had caused the accident because he hadn’t checked that the way was clear before pulling out of the junction.
She said that Oakes’s Astra had been “edging” out of the junction before pulling out completely into the path of the Ford Ranger.
Witnesses said they saw the Astra “edging out” of the junction before “rolling back” and then pulling out again.
Oakes – who according to his Linked In profile was chief of the space policy division for the US joint chiefs of staff at the Pentagon – was charged with two counts of causing serious injury by careless driving.
He denied the allegations and appeared for trial today at the York court in front of district judge Adrian Lower.
‘Aggressive and inpatient’
Ms Berry said it was the Crown’s contention that Oakes had driven carelessly because he had failed to check if the road was “completely clear” before he pulled out.
A female motorist who witnessed the collision described Oakes’s driving in the moments before the crash as “aggressive and inpatient”.
She said he appeared to be “in a rush to leave the junction” before the collision with the pick-up truck driven by Mr Goodall, who said that following the crash Oakes told him: “I didn’t see you.”
Another witness said he saw the Astra pull out of the junction “too far” before “clipping” the back end of the Ford Ranger.
The onus is on the prosecution to prove that Oakes directly contributed to the subsequent collision with the teenagers by pulling out of the junction carelessly, giving the truck driver no chance to take sufficient evasive action to avoid contact with the Astra.
Oakes’s Linked In profile said he had held his current role, which involves directing space policy for the joint chiefs of staff at the Pentagon in Washington, for more than four years.
The joint chiefs of staff consist of the most senior leaders in the United States Department of Defense, who advise the president.
He was previously a political-military analyst in the space policy division and before that was commander of the operational support squadron in the US Airforce.
Hundreds of US military personnel are stationed at RAF Menwith Hill near Harrogate.
The trial continues.
Read more:
- Accused in Harrogate schoolboy crash is US chief of space policy
- Harrogate schoolboys crash: man appears in court
Top US colonel due in court today over Harrogate schoolboy crash
The two-day trial of a highly decorated American colonel accused of seriously injuring two schoolboys in a collision in Harrogate is due to begin today.
Benjamin Oakes, 46, of Tewit Well Avenue, Harrogate, is charged with causing injury by careless or inconsiderate driving on Yew Tree Lane on February 2 this year.
Two 15-year-old boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, suffered serious injuries in the collision near Ashville College.
Mr Oakes’ LinkedIn profile, which was taken down before the case first came to court in August, stated he was chief of the space policy division for the US joint chiefs of staff at the Pentagon.
The joint chiefs of staff consists of the most senior leaders in the United States Department of Defense, which advises the president.
Today’s hearing is due to take place at York Magistrates Court.
Mr Oakes pleaded not guilty when the case opened in Harrogate in August. Both he and the magistrates opted not to send the case to crown court, where he would have faced a jury trial.
The schoolboys are expected to give evidence via a video link during the trial.
Read more:
- Man pleads not guilty to seriously injuring teens in collision outside Harrogate school
- Accused in Harrogate schoolboy crash is US chief of space policy
Harrogate school crash: US colonel to face trial next month
The trial of a highly decorated American colonel accused of seriously injuring two schoolboys in a collision in Harrogate is to take place next month.
Benjamin Oakes, 46, of Tewit Well Avenue, Harrogate, is charged with causing injury by careless or inconsiderate driving on Yew Tree Lane on February 2. He has pleaded not guilty.
Two 15-year-old boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, suffered serious injuries in the collision near Ashville College.
The scene on Yew Tree Lane in February.
A two-day hearing is scheduled to begin at York Magistrates Court on December 11, a case management hearing in York was told on Friday. Mr Oakes, who is on unconditional bail, did not attend.
He previously appeared at Harrogate Magistrates Court in August when both he and magistrates opted not to send the case to crown court, where he would have faced a jury trial.
The schoolboys are expected to give evidence via a video link during the trial.
According to his LinkedIn profile, which was taken down before August’s hearing, Mr Oakes is chief of the space policy division for the US joint chiefs of staff at the Pentagon.
The joint chiefs of staff consists of the most senior leaders in the United States Department of Defense, which advises the president.
He was previously a political-military analyst in the space policy division and before that was commander of the operational support squadron in the US Airforce.
Hundreds of US military personnel are stationed at RAF Menwith Hill, near Harrogate.
Read more:
- Man pleads not guilty to seriously injuring teens in collision outside Harrogate school
- Accused in Harrogate schoolboy crash is US chief of space policy
Business Breakfast: Harrogate’s Ashville College appoints director of sport
Harrogate’s Ashville College has appointed a new director of sport.
Paul Stansfield, who previously played for Harrogate Town FC and coached the club’s under 18s, will take up the role at the college.
Mr Stansfield spent six years at St Aidan’s Church of England High School, where he was head of year and head of department, and seven years at the town’s St John Fisher Catholic High School, where he was latterly deputy head.
He said:
“I look forward to working with my team to build on Ashville’s strong sporting reputation and excellent facilities.
“Ultimately, my aim is for every pupil in the school to love sport. I was attracted by the variety of sports available at Ashville, from basketball to hockey, cricket to tennis, rugby to swimming; pupils need to first experience many different sports and skills to find their own way, their own passion.”
Harrogate funeral director wins green award
A Harrogate funeral directors has been named green funeral director of the year in a national industry awards.
Full Circle Funerals, which is based on Skipton Road, was recognised for its approach to green funerals, its commitment to being a sustainable business and its wider efforts to improve knowledge about how to achieve net zero funeral care.
Sarah Jones, founder of Full Circle Funerals.
It was recognised at the AGFD Good Funeral Awards, which was held in Solihull.
Sarah Jones, founder of Full Circle Funerals, said:
“We are delighted to have been named Green Funeral Director of the Year and are always pleased to support people who want to consider the environment in the choices that they make.
“We also work hard to try to think about how Full Circle impacts the environment and to support other organisations in our local communities who are doing the same.”
Read more:
- Business Breakfast: Harrogate housing company secures £150m funding for new homes
- Business Breakfast: Harrogate care provider opens new training centre
- Business Breakfast: Harrogate business meeting to focus on inflation
New head begins at Harrogate school
A new head teacher has started at a Harrogate school.
Phil Soutar has taken the helm at Ashville Prep School, a fee paying school for children in years one to six.
The school also announced today it has become a member of the Independent Schools Association, which represents the heads of about 650 independent schools.
Mr Soutar, who is national chair of the ISA, said:
“I look forward to leading the prep school on the next phase of its development journey, and sharing my vision for the year ahead when our focus will centre on optimising creativity, excellence and opportunity for every pupil.
“Becoming a member of the ISA will help us deliver these aims by opening up a greater range of activities and creative experiences for our children.”
Mr Soutar was previously head at Rosemead Prep School and Nursery in Dulwich, South London.
Being part of the ISA enables pupils to take part in regional and national events for sport, art, music and drama and gives teachers access to courses and continuous professional development.
Ashville Prep School is part of Ashville College, which is an independent day and boarding school for boys and girls aged two to 18.
It consists of Ashville Acorns pre-prep, and Ashville’s prep school, senior school and sixth form.
Read more:
- Only one Harrogate district secondary school rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted
- New national retailer set to open in Harrogate
Students celebrate GCSE results across Harrogate district
Thousands of students across the Harrogate district have collected their GCSE results today.
The teenagers, whose preparations for the exams over the last two years were impacted by the covid pandemic, have been celebrating their achievements at schools around the area.
At Harrogate Grammar School, 83% of the 284 students sitting exams this year gained five standard passes in English and maths.
Headteacher Neil Renton said:
“We celebrate the success of all our students. Their remarkable achievements reflect not only their drive for success, but our emphasis on providing a broad and balanced curriculum that meets the differing needs of all our learners.
“These exceptional outcomes recognise the hard work, resilience, and determination of our students and we thank them for all their efforts.”
Harrogate Ladies’ College students performed well in sciences, with more than 75% of results graded 9-7.
Across all subjects, 57% of grades were 9-7 and 36% were 8 or above, while more than 60% of pupils at the school achieved five or more 9-7 grades.
All results in French were 8 or above, and almost 90% of grades in textiles were at that level too. Seven of the school’s textiles pupils were individually congratulated by the exam board for being among the highest performers in the country.
Other high achievers include Maisy Lindley and Ella Marshall, who both achieved a clean sweep of 9-7 grades.
Principal Sylvia Brett said:
“Our results were excellent across all subjects, but as a girls’ school, I’m particularly pleased that we’re leading the way in STEM [science, technology, engineering and maths], an area where women are still hugely underrepresented in the careers market.
“If we want to change this, we need to inspire and encourage girls while they are still at school.”
Harrogate Ladies’ College students Hattie Dixon, Chloe Homer, Ella Marshall, Maisy Lindley and Amelie Coyle.
At Ripon Grammar School, more than 90% of grades were 9-5, the equivalent of A*-B, while 57.3% were 9-7, or A* and A.
The 122 students in the year group achieved a total of 432 top grades of 8 and 9.
Headmaster Jonathan Webb said:
“I am delighted so many of our GCSE students have done so well this year. With the regrading of results to pre-pandemic levels there has been a degree of national uncertainty as overall pass rates have fallen.
“Our year group have worked through adversity and disruption to achieve a strong set of results which now allow them to access their chosen pathway for further study.”
Rossett School‘s students were also celebrating after 63% of the year group achieved five standard passes including English and maths.
Among those achieving grades 9 to 7 across the board were Sam Barker, Arlo Collins, Harry Duffy, Maya Dunmore, Daniel Golding, Danni-Mae Hampson, Robyn Heywood, Henry Hull, George Park, Abbie Ramsden, Mariia Sorokina and Adam Taverner.
Headteacher Tim Milburn said:
“It’s been lovely to see our students this morning and to hear how well they’ve done. The results they have collected today are a real testament to their resilience, commitment and dedication.
“Young people have faced unprecedented disruption to their education over the last three-and-a-half years but that only makes these results more remarkable.”
Rhys Wolf of Ashville College
Among Ashville College‘s high-scoring pupils was Rhys Wolf, who achieved 10 grade 9s and is staying on for sixth form at the school, before setting his sights on a degree in maths or economics.
The school has not released its overall results. Headteacher Rhiannon Wilkinson, said:
“Every success has been incredibly well deserved, and we are proud of what our Year 11 pupils have achieved both in and out of the classroom. They can now focus on the future and the opportunities that lie ahead in our sixth form.”
Queen Mary’s School, between Ripon and Thirsk, has also not released details of its results, but headteacher Carole Cameron said:
“It is truly heart-warming to witness long-standing Queen Mary’s pupils achieving outstanding grades after many years of dedication.”
St Aidan’s Church of England High School in Harrogate has not released its results, but interim headteacher David Thornton said:
“Our students have been there for each other, supporting their friends and classmates.
“St Aidan’s is a close community with parents, carers, staff and students all working together to ensure each student achieves their potential. We all celebrate with them and are immensely proud of each and every one of our students.”
The Stray Ferret contacted all other schools in the Harrogate district for their results and comments, but had not received responses by the time of publication.
Read more:
- Students collect A-level results at Harrogate district schools
- Councillors agree to create new school for autistic children in Harrogate
Man pleads not guilty to seriously injuring teens in collision outside Harrogate school
A man has pleaded not guilty to causing serious injury to two teenagers in a collision outside a Harrogate school.
Benjamin Oakes, 46, of Tewit Well Avenue, Harrogate, was charged with causing injury by careless or inconsiderate driving in the incident on Yew Tree Lane on February 2.
He appeared at Harrogate Magistrates Court this morning, where he confirmed his name and address, and entered his not guilty pleas.
Both he and magistrates opted not to send the case to crown court, where he would have faced a jury trial.
Instead, the trial will be heard a York Magistrates Court, with provisional dates set for December 4 and 5.
Mr Oakes was released on unconditional bail.
The court heard the two 15-year-old boys, who cannot be named for legal reasons, suffered serious injuries in the collision outside Ashville College.
They were not present at the hearing today, but are expected to give evidence via a video link during the trial.
Read more:
Headteachers unite to support 20mph speed limit near Harrogate schools
The leaders of 13 schools and education settings in Harrogate have called for councillors to commit to urgent road safety improvements when they meet on Tuesday
The road safety group, which also includes campaigners and local councillors, met yesterday at Ashville College as part of its ongoing bid to create safer streets for 9,000 pupils.
North Yorkshire Council will consider on Tuesday how to respond to a petition calling for a maximum speed of 20mph across south and west Harrogate — covering Oatlands and parts of Pannal, Stray, Hookstone and St Georges areas in Harrogate. The agenda for the meeting is here.
Councillors on the Harrogate and Knaresborough area constituency committee passed a motion supporting the measures last year. But it requires the support of the council’s ruling Conservative-controlled executive to proceed.
Cllr Keane Duncan, the Conservative executive councillor for highways, appeared to dampen hopes this week when he said the council planned to draw up a speed management strategy rather than agree to 20mph limits.
Cllr Pat Marsh, the Liberal Democrat chair of the area constituency committee, described the move as “kicking the can down the road”.
But school leaders and campaigners remain hopeful of a successful outcome. In a joint statement, they said:
“There is strong evidence from studies of the positive impacts of maximum speeds of 20mph, and we urge the members of the executive to approve the motion, so safer roads can be created for our schools and the wider community, with a clear programme and timeframe for delivery.
“A maximum speed of 20mph is a key foundation in creating a safer urban environment for all and it encourages healthy active travel choices, from door to destination, around the community. “
The road safety group added whatever the outcome, it will “continue to push for investment in the safety of the roads around our schools, including: maximum speeds of 20mph, upgraded crossings, better use of double yellow lines, and repairs to damaged or outdated pavements, barriers and kerbs”.
Campaigner Hazel Peacock handing the road safety petition to North Yorkshire Council in May.
Cllr John Mann, a Conservative who represents Oatlands and Pannal, said he welcomed the council’s recommendation “to undertake a series of planned speed limit reviews delivered over a period of time, which will generate a pipeline of schemes”.
He added:
“Given the tragic road accidents that have recently occurred near to schools in Oatlands this year, I am calling for my recent applications for 20mph limits for Yew Tree Lane, Green Lane and Hookstone Road to be given a high priority in the highways pipeline of schemes for the introduction of 20mph limits.”
Cllr Mann said he would allocate his £10,000 locality budget, which each councillor receives to spend on local initiatives, for road safety schemes.
The school leaders who attended yesterday’s meeting were:
- Richard Sheriff, chief executive, Red Kite Learning Trust
- Jane Goodwin, interim chief executive, Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust
- Dave Thornton, interim headteacher and Iain Addison, deputy head at St Aidan’s CE School
- Neil Renton, headteacher, Harrogate Grammar School
- Tim Milburn, headteacher, Rossett School
- Rhiannon Wilkinson, headteacher and Richard Rooze, bursar at Ashville College
- Corrine Penhale, headteacher, Rossett Acre Primary School
- Tim Broad, headteacher, Western Primary School
- Zoe Anderson, headteacher, Oatlands Infant School
- Estelle Scarth, headteacher, Oatlands Junior School
- Steve Mort, headteacher, St John Fisher’s Catholic High School
- Dr Helen Davey, headteacher/Emma Mitchell, business manager, Willow Tree Primary
- Jane Turner, headteacher, Pannal Primary School
- Victoria Kirkman, executive headteacher, Admiral Long and Birstwith CE schools and interim executive headteacher, Ripley Endowed CE, Beckwithshaw & Kettlesing Schools
- Danny Wild, principal and Kate Herbert, performance and projects co-ordinator, Harrogate College
Campaigners who attended:
- Hazel Peacock and Dr Vicki Evans – Oatlands Road Safety and Active Travel Campaign
- Dr Jenny Marks and Ruth Lily – Pannal Ash Safe Streets
Read more:
- Harrogate school road safety petition handed in to council
- Stray Views: Drivers use Badger Hill as ‘speed track’