Bookings coming in fast for Harrogate Christmas Market

The return of Harrogate Christmas Market looks set to be popular with many visitors and traders already booked to attend.

Organisers have said 40 coach loads of visitors and 150 traders have booked for the four-day November extravaganza.

Last year’s market was cancelled due to covid but with lockdown restrictions due to be lifted on June 21, planning for this year is going ahead.

The event will take place at its usual location on Montpellier Hill and St Mary’s Walk from November 18 to 21.

Opening times will be 10-8pm on Thursday and Friday, 9.30-8pm on Saturday and 9.30-5.30pm on Sunday.

A newsletter sent today by market organisers Brian and Beryl Dunsby, and Steve Scarre, said:

“We have been taking applications since early March and have now accepted a total of 150 traders’ applications towards a maximum of 190 stalls – with many enquiries outstanding for a follow-up.

“We began inviting coach groups on May 2 and bookings have started to come in – now up to 40 coach loads.”

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The newsletter added that access to Montpellier Hill and Esplanade will be restricted during the build-up and for the four days of the market. St Mary’s Walk North will be closed from November 15 to 23.

Admission to the market, which is expected to include a funfair and Father Christmas and his reindeer as usual, is free.

The first meeting of the Christmas market supporters group will take place on June 23 at Harrogate’s White Hart Hotel.

Organisers ‘hopeful’ Knaresborough Christmas market will return

Knaresborough Christmas Market will hopefully go ahead as planned this December, according to its organisers.

Following last year’s cancellation due to covid, the committee is pressing ahead with its plans to hold the festive market on December 4 and 5.

Normally the weekend event hosts around 80 stalls but organisers have said this may have to be reduced.

They said it wasn’t possible to control the number of visitors in the Market Place but this should not be a barrier if all social distancing rules are lifted on June 21 as planned.

Hazel Haas, chair of the Knaresborough Christmas Market committee, said:

“We are hoping to go ahead as usual depending on the rules at the time. We are hoping for the best but planning for the worst.”

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The committee said it is only taking reservations for stalls for now and will take payments closer to the time.

It is a similar story in Harrogate, with the town’s Christmas market committee also confident this year’s event can be held.

Prime Minister thanks Christmas Eve Jingle Harrogate family in letter

The Prime Minister has thanked the Harrogate family behind the global Christmas Eve Jingle in a letter.

Boris Johnson had promised to join in but he was too busy with Brexit to step out on the doorstep of Number 10 Downing Street.

So he has penned a letter to the Mary Beggs-Reid’s son Dexter to show his support. It reads:

“Dear Dexter, I am writing to thank you and your wonderful family for starting the Christmas Eve Jingle campaign.

“This heart-warming campaign gave us all a way to come together at a time when we were unable to do so in person. It captured the true meaning of Christmas and gave a sense of hope to so many.

“I would like to thank your marvellous mother Mary for her fantastic efforts to keep spirits up and make sure nobody was lonely over Christmas. I hope you are all keeping well and that you are looking forward to going back to school soon. I am sure all of your friends and teachers at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Harrogate are very proud of you.”

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Mary Beggs-Reid, the founder of the Christmas Eve Jingle, told the Stray Ferret that it was exciting to receive the letter out of the blue:

“Mr Johnson was busy on the day with Brexit but it was really nice of him to write this letter for us. Dexter hasn’t seen it yet but I am sure he will be very proud.

“The Christmas Eve Jingle went very well and we still have a lot of people in our Facebook group. It would have been mean to close it down when so many connect there.

“It may be a little early now but we are already thinking about the next Christmas Eve Jingle. There’s real demand for it to come back.

“And who knows? If it goes well this December it could then become a yearly tradition. It could be a positive way to mark 2020.”

Panto Stories: Christmas Day Message from Harrogate Theatre

We’ve had a fantastic week of festive stories, and here’s a final Christmas message from Harrogate Theatre.

If you’ve enjoyed watching our Panto Stories, please consider making a donation to Harrogate Theatre. Text HTTOGETHER to 70085 to donate £5. Texts cost £5 plus one standard message rate.

Harrogate Theatre Panto Stories are sponsored by Hornbeam Park. 

My Year: The Bishop of Ripon’s Christmas message of hope

In her Christmas Day column for the Stray Ferret, the Bishop of Ripon, the Rt Rev Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, reflects on all the things we’re missing this year – but that we can still have all we need, and fill that need for others too.

I am sure there wasn’t a dry eye in the house when Oti Mabuse and Bill Bailey were crowned the winners of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing competition.

I have dipped in and out of this year’s series. I watched all of Bake Off and I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here (which secured me a point in this year’s Ripon Runners’ Zoom Christmas Quiz: I knew that Jordan North was the runner up!), but Strictly has not really been on my viewing radar, and I’m going to have to catch up on that one.

But the sight of Oti and Bill rejoicing at their win and so much wanting to run around and hug the other contestants but not being able to do so was a poignant moment of joy and grief all in one.

Ripon Cathedral was reopened by the clergy in June, after the first lockdown was eased

I still haven’t been able to hug my parents. My dad completed his cancer treatment just before lockdown, but then both had to shield. They are in a tier 3 area, and so Christmas won’t be the same; we aren’t risking the opportunity to meet up indoors.

Out of lockdown and tiers, catch-ups have been in our garden. We celebrated their golden wedding anniversary back in October on a mercifully mild and sunny autumn day, a Bettys celebration iced fruit cake the delicious centre-piece of the distanced picnic-table spread.

‘Lives pulled apart’

Covid has impacted all of our lives, and while I have been uplifted at the stories of community care and resilience, it has been hard to hear about the pain of lives pulled apart, and of loneliness, isolation and struggles. This year Christmas isn’t the same, and we aren’t able to gather with friends and family.

I will miss the Boxing Day pilgrimage to Fountains Abbey, and blessing the City of Ripon at midnight from the Town Hall balcony with raucous crowds assembled below on the Market Square, and fireworks offering a rousing welcome to the new year. No, it’s just not the same at all.

Yet what is the same is the Christmas story. I shared a reflection on this at a recent Auction Mart drive-in carol service. Using a Christmas cracker, I spoke about how a cracker contains surprises: a joke or riddle, a paper crown, and a gift. The baby who was born over 2000 years ago was something of a surprise; he was the answer to the musings of prophets; he was a king unlike any other; and in his life all of humanity received a gift: God becoming one of us, experiencing our joys and sorrows and going ahead of us into the unknown.

Now, to some, that’s just daft, but this is a narrative of hope that has endured, and it’s a narrative that grounds everything that I try to do, say and be.

And you can see it at work all around us too: in the kindness of strangers, in the magnificent NHS, and in the process of the rapid development of the vaccine. Maybe you can think of your own example too?

I’m struck by lots of images of Jesus’ birth, how the child radiates light illuminating the faces gazing upon him. All the light we need is that which can help us take the next step. We don’t need a floodlight.

Glimpses of hope, love, light and joy are everywhere, and if we don’t see it, perhaps we can be that light that someone needs today. Just enough to help us get to the next day, and the day after that. That’s what the Christmas story is about: not ‘me’ but ‘us’: God with us.

Happy Christmas!

Harrogate Samaritans ‘here for everyone this Christmas’

Harrogate Samaritans is reminding people across the district that it is here to help anyone feeling lonely or struggling over the festive season.

Last Christmas, between December 24 and January 1, Harrogate volunteers spoke to 452 people across the district.

After a difficult year for many, volunteers in Harrogate will be back on the phones around the clock to help anyone in need.

On Christmas Day alone there will be 20 volunteers in the Harrogate centre.

Throughout the pandemic Harrogate Samaritans has worked tirelessly to offer its services to local people. All the volunteers are specially trained and can offer support over the phone or via email.

A survey held by the charity has found 27% of people it spoke to were worried about their wellbeing over the festive period. The main concerns were feelings of uncertainty around changing restrictions.

Liz Wilson, director from Harrogate branch, said:

“We know that Christmas can be difficult for many people. Regardless of what happens with Covid restrictions, we want people to know that confidential support is available 24/7, and that we are there for everyone this Christmas.”

Samaritans are available 24/7 for free via phone on 116 123 or by email on jo@samaritans.org

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15 more covid cases as Christmas rules tightened

There were 15 more positive covid cases in the daily figures for the Harrogate district today.

So far, the Public Health England figures for the district total 3,954 since early March.

There were no new deaths within 28 days of a positive test.

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Prime minister Boris Johnson announced this afternoon that the planned relaxing of coronavirus restrictions over the Christmas period have been scrapped.

Up to three households can meet indoors but only on Christmas Day, rather than during December 23-27 as previously announced.

Speaking alongside the prime minister, chief medical officer Chris Witty urged people travelling to take short journeys. He said: “Keep it small, keep it short, keep it local”.

A new tier 4 with stricter restrictions has been created for people living in London and areas of the south-east.

We would like to hear how the new coronavirus Christmas rules have impacted your plans? Email us contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

WATCH: Charity raises spirits with 12 Days of Covid Christmas video

A Harrogate charity is raising a smile with a humorous 2020 take on the 12 Days of Christmas.

Time Together, which supports people with additional needs, has continued its one-to-one support for clients throughout the pandemic.

But its social activities have either moved online or been called off – so staff, volunteers and clients decided to use technology to come together one final time before Christmas.

The lyrics – written by service manager Louise Terzza – make fun references to things which have marked everyone’s years, from social distancing to the hazards of meeting online. Louise said:

“We wanted something to put out to everybody. My daughter is a film maker so she cut it together, I have friends who do amateur dramatics so they sang, and a lot of the staff and clients wanted to get involved. It has been a collaboration.

“People are just very disconnected from each other. We just want people to feel connected a little bit and feel part of it, even though they can’t come into the building.”

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Staff and clients from Time Together

Staff, volunteers and clients are not able to celebrate in person this Christmas, as they have done in previous years

While one-to-one support for clients has continued, the charity’s fundraising came to a standstill in March and has barely restarted. Louise said:

“It has been wiped out. We haven’t been able to do any of our events – we normally do quite a lot in our building, but also go to other events. It has been quite devastating.

“We have been able to apply for some funding and grants, and had some donations from supporters.”

In an effort to bring in some final funds before the end of the year, the charity’s Christmas raffle has been moved online and is proving popular. Prizes including a skincare hamper, vouchers for afternoon tea, goodies from Fodder and a Fitbit are on offer, with tickets being sold online until midnight on Saturday, December 19.

Ripon’s Mrs Claus awarded for her festive lights

A lady from Hutton Conyers, near Ripon, has earnt the title locally as Mrs Claus after organising Christmas lights displays on her house for the past decade.

Rosamund Robinson, known as Roz, lives with her husband Bill and is a Christmas fanatic.

During the festive season you will often find her dressed in a sparkly jumper or even as a reindeer going round the village delivering presents to children.

Christmas is her favourite time of the year and despite being a 77 year-old retiree she has no plans to slow down.

She says she “has a good few years left of lights in me” and with the help of her family, including three daughters, she will continue putting on her light displays.

Roz was nominated for the Stray Ferret’s Christmas Lights Competition by her granddaughter Lauren Kelly. The competition was sponsored by Yorkshire Lighting and Electrical Services.

She was announced as the winner on Tuesday night.

She said:

“I think it’s brilliant, more people have come to look at the lights which means more donations for the hospital. Even the bin men that came this morning recognised me from the Facebook live!”

Christmas lights display on a house near Ripon.

Roz was “so pleased” to win the Christmas lights competition.

This is the first year Roz has put a collection box out for the lights. She wanted to raise money for Ripon Hospital as a way to thank them for looking after several members of her family in previous years. She added:

“They’re amazing at the hospital every time I visit I feel like I’ve known the staff for years. They are so lovely and this year they have worked so hard that they deserved a little boost.”

Her collection pot currently stands at £1,000.

For winning the competition Roz was gifted a £150 Lights4Fun voucher which she said is also going to the hospital to allow them to buy some new lights for next Christmas.

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The lights were put up on November, 1 and are lit up from 4.30pm to 9pm every day.

After New Years Day Roz brings a team together to bring them all down, which she says takes a few days.

“I’ve already started thinking about next year’s display. After doing it for so long people expect me to keep it going. I just really love Christmas and the fact I’ve been able to raise money doing something I love is great.”

Harrogate district remains in tier two

The Harrogate district will remain in tier two after the first government review of the national tier rules.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock made the announcement in the House of Commons this morning.

But there was disappointment for West Yorkshire, including Leeds, which was hoping to move down from tier three to tier two.

This could have implications for local pubs and restaurants, as well as policing, which have had to deal with people flouting the rules and travelling to North Yorkshire for a night out.

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Tier rules are based on factors such as infection rates, particularly in the over 60s, and pressure on hospitals.

Case rates in the Harrogate district remain more than double those in tier one areas.

The Harrogate district currently has a rate of 84 infections per 100,000 people compared to 25.9 per 100,000 in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, which is in tier one.

What are the rules in tier two?

Tier two:

What about Christmas?

Coronavirus restrictions will be eased in England between December 23 and December 27.

Three households will be able to form a temporary bubble. It must be fixed but there will be no limit on numbers joining bubble.

Those who are self-isolating should not join one of these so-called Christmas bubbles.

If someone is in an at-risk group the government has said they must use their own judgement and consider the risks of mixing over Christmas.