As 2020 draws to a close, the Stray Ferret looks at the news stories that stood out among a year of extraordinary events. 

Today, we remember all the ways in which our district’s key workers were shown appreciation, beginning with the weekly Clap for Carers. 

As many of us stayed at home to avoid catching or spreading coronavirus, determined key workers continued to put themselves on the front line. Showing their appreciation, people across the Harrogate district took to their doorsteps each week to Clap for Carers – and they didn’t stop there. 

The Clap For Carers lasted for 10 weeks and, as well as individual households, saw the hospital and care homes become focal points for the community’s appreciation of key workers.  

One of the biggest campaigns to support the NHS in the Harrogate district was started by maths teacher Fran Taylor. 

At first planning to sew a couple of sets of scrubs for Harrogate District Hospital, Fran soon found herself coordinating hundreds of volunteers, thousands of metres of fabric – and donations running into thousands of pounds. 

Fran Taylor made use of her church hall to cut out thousands of metres of fabric for the volunteers

With a supporting team helping her to organise sending out patterns and fabric, collecting completed scrubs and delivering them to where they were most needed, Fran managed to deliver an astonishing 4,000 sets of scrubs – on top of looking after her two young children and teaching her St John Fisher students remotely. 

They were sent to staff across the hospital who would not normally wear scrubs but needed clothing that was easy to wash as soon as they got home from a shift. Requests from other NHS and care providers also came in, and were fulfilled by the dedicated team. 

It wasn’t just scrubs that were in demand, however: in April, other vital PPE supplies were hard to access and appeals were put out by the hospital and North Yorkshire County Council.

Straight away, the community stepped up to help. Among them was the technology department at Harrogate Grammar School, which turned its talents to rolling out visors for key workers. Ashville College was also creating visors and scrubs after donating 200 pairs of goggles from its technology cupboards.  

Dancing in the street

Meanwhile, local residents showed their support from home with displays of bright rainbows in their windows. 

And the community spirit didn’t stop there.  

For three months from late March, the country was placed under national lockdown, with residents largely confined to their homes and their movements restricted.  

That did not stop people in the Harrogate district from looking out for each other, though – including finding inventive ways to keep up spirits in the face of adversity. 

For residents in Harrogate’s Mount Gardens, music was lifting the spirits every week. Derry Jones, best known for playing the piano for diners at Bettys, took his accordion to the pavement as wife Jovita sang, and the neighbours were out and dancing. 

Just a few streets away, 22-year-old Lucy Crocker was using her musical talents to give a concert for her neighbours each Friday. 

Playing the viola, she took requests for songs as well as performing some classical tunes she already knew. Her efforts were appreciated by the rest of the residents of Mallinson Oval, who enjoyed getting outside to see each other and chat from a distance every week. 

Fitness classes were held on Spring Grove, Harrogate

And on Spring Grove, residents came outside daily to take part in Mel Milnes’ exercise classes. 

People across the Harrogate district formed groups with their neighbours to ensure nobody went without what they needed. Though keeping them apart physically, the pandemic brought communities together like nothing before.

The coordinator of a community project to create more than 4,000 sets of scrubs for key workers has been honoured by a women’s group in Harrogate.

Fran Taylor was invited to speak at a virtual meeting of Harrogate and District Soroptimists, outlining how her plan to make a couple of sets of scrubs for staff at Harrogate District Hospital turned into a major campaign.

She set up a Facebook group, Harrogate Scrubbers, asking others to sew scrubs or donate money for material. Within 24 hours, 200 people had signed up and more than £4,500 had been raised.

Five weeks later, an army of 800 volunteers were cutting out, sewing, organising and delivering the vital scrubs, masks, laundry bags and headbands to NHS staff.

The volunteers worked closely with the hospital and other organisations to ensure the right equipment went to the right places, expanding to care homes and GP surgeries too.

Fran Taylor is presented with the award by Harrogate and District Soroptimists president Sandra Frier.

After hearing her tale, the Soroptimists presented maths teacher Fran with their Making a Difference award. President Sandra Frier said:

“It was a great pleasure to be able to meet Fran and, whilst socially distancing, present the Making a Difference award to her, together with a cheque for the Harrogate Hospital & Community Charity, in recognition of someone who has made a real difference for our community.”

Read more:

• Harrogate cancer charity holds virtual comedy night this Friday
• Harrogate charity prepare to transport people to covid vaccinations