A special needs school in Starbeck has refurbished a former children’s centre over the road into two new sixth form classrooms.

Springwater School, which offers a modified curriculum for young people aged two to 19 with mainly multiple needs, was given the disused building by North Yorkshire County Council.

The school has grown rapidly in recent years. It currently has 98 students — an increase of about 30 over the last six years.

Head teacher Sarah Edwards said she hoped the new classrooms would provide an opportunity for sixth formers to develop their independence skills.

She added:

“The building creates a high quality educational environment that will be used as classrooms for the really important independence and employment sixth form pathway.”

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The listed building given to the school is next door to Starbeck war memorial on the High Street.

Springwater School is also seeking teachers and volunteers, including governors. Anyone interested can contact Ms Edwards at head@springwater.n-yorks.sch.uk.

Boroughbridge junior football club is calling for more girls and disabled players to join its teams training resumes  next month.

The club has several successful teams but hopes to increase numbers in the girls and ability for all teams. The girls team need more members aged 7-13 years.

The ability for all team includes children with various disabilities. The club aims to support each child’s needs and give them the opportunity to play a sport that they may see as unattainable.

Each team plays in local junior leagues but children are welcome to train for fun if they don’t feel confident to play in a league straight away.

The club’s ability for all team are encouraged to enjoy the game regardless of disability.

Christopher Fahey, chairman and coach at the club, said:

“We’re currently looking to build our girls and disabled teams. For the girls teams we need girls aged 7-13 years to join and train with us. In time they could join our competing teams in the Harrogate League. If they don’t think they are ready for the league they can just come along and then train for fun.

“Our all abilities team usually trains together. The children have various disabilities and are all aged between 6-15 years. We tell everyone to just come down to train and we will support them.

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The club is hosting a free girls-only session to attract new players on August 1.

The club can be contacted via its facebook page or website.

Henshaws will close its supported living services for adults with learning difficulties in Harrogate by October.

The decision will affect about 21 residents, with a further three having already moved to different care providers. A further 16 people who are not residents receive support and those services will transition as well.

Henshaws has told the families of its intention to withdraw the service and the county council has also written to them to provide support.

Those houses enable people of all ages with sight loss and a range of disabilities to live more independently with 24-hour help from specialist workers.

North Yorkshire County Council also took the opportunity to say that it was disappointed that Henshaws will close its Arts and Crafts service in Knaresborough.

Henshaws had previously been running a fundraising appeal ‘Art is the Start’ to update the centre to suit the people who use it. But has now concluded the centre is no longer economically viable.

Read more on this story:

• “Home once a week for love and cuddles,” the experience of a family with a loved one in Henshaws during the lockdown
• Why Henshaws is also closing its Arts and Crafts centre

In a statement to The Stray Ferret, Henshaws CEO Nick Marr said that the service had been on a “knife-edge financially before the virus.”

“Henshaws Home Support service was on a knife edge financially and the pressure on local authorities funding these and other places has increased. We are not able to sustain these services so we intend to transition out of providing them, at the latest, in October, to ensure the best continuity can be arranged for the service users. We will be consulting with staff in the service about the future of their roles.”

The latest financial account for Henshaws detailed how in the year up to August 2018 the charity was spending £12.3 million – which is £1 million more than its income.

Richard Webb, North Yorkshire County Council Director of Health and Adult Services said:

“We were surprised and disappointed to hear this news. Henshaws is much-valued by many people and, along with the other councils that fund people to use their services, we would have expected to have been involved in early discussions about this kind of momentous decision.”