A Harrogate man is on the verge of completing an 800-mile trek in aide of dementia.
James Calvert is walking the mammoth hike from John o’Groats to Land’s End, which spans 812 miles.
He undertook the challenge in aide of Dementia UK and has so far raised £4,848.
He said:
“My grandma has dementia and therefore I understand and appreciate all help that dementia carers give.”
James expects to arrive at Land’s End tomorrow (August 25) after starting his campaign on July 14.
He has aimed to walk 25 miles a day, with his longest day being 46 miles.
He has been wild camping along the way and received support from complete strangers, including monetary donations and gifts of food and drinks to keep him going.
To donate to James’ cause, visit his JustGiving page here.
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Knaresborough daredevil, 70, performs 50th skydive
Knaresborough woman Helen Westmancoat, 70, has performed her 50th skydive, this time raising over £1,200 for Martin House children’s hospice.
Ms Westmancoat is well-known for her skydiving and fundraising efforts, and the Knaresborough Rotarian performed her latest jump from 15,000 feet with Harrogate Brigantes Rotarian David Billington.
The money the pair raised is enough to pay for six months’ worth of parent support, four sessions of bereavement counselling and a visit from bereavement counsellors offering support through the most difficult of times.
Her 50th jump was postponed several times to covid and unfavourable weather conditions but she finally made the dive this year, landing at Hibaldstow in Lincolnshire.
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Chris Verney, regional fundraiser for Martin House, said:
“What an amazing impact for those families who need it. We are truly grateful for Helen and David’s support in taking on this challenge, and I am so glad that Helen finally got to do her 50th jump. Congratulations on reaching this milestone!”
Ms Westmancoat told the Stray Ferret last year how her unusual hobby began.
She said:
Team of four to cycle the distance of ‘Harrogate to Monaco’ in memory of late friends“The diving started in 2011 when I worked at York St John’s and there was a call to do a dive for the student support charity. I can’t do it alone in this country now as I’m over the age limit that it allows but I do hope to do more maybe abroad in the future.”
Four Harrogate friends are to team up and cycle 1,573km on stationary bikes to raise money for charity after the death of two close friends.
Henry Bartle, Ollie Ward, Joe Braham and Jeremy Butterfield will collectively cycle the distance of Harrogate to Monaco within 24 hours in time for the Grand Prix.
The money will be raised in memory of James Hindmarsh and David Brown, who both passed away last year.
All four of the group will cycle at the same time on May 27 and will aim to complete 16km every hour, then will rest the remaining time of the hour.
Jeremy Butterfield, a close friend of James and David, said:
“Both James and Dave loved F1 so it was only right we all ‘travelled’ to the Monaco Grand Prix this year.
“James and Dave never gave up in their fights and we will continue their legacies to help others fight the challenges they are facing.
“Every cycle of the bike they will be with us (probably with a smile and a Peroni in hand). Forever in our hearts James & Dave, we love you and we will make it to Monaco together.”
James Hindmarsh (left) and David Brown (Right)
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James passed away from a rare form of cancer in 2021, whilst David lost his battle with covid last December.
Half of the funds raised from the bike ride will be donated to Leeds Hospitals Charity, who will allocate it to Leeds Cancer Centre.
Jeremy said:
“This was a centre that was very close to James’ heart. The money raised will go towards support and help for others fighting the same fight our best mate did so bravely.”
The other half of the funds will be donated to The David Brown Foundation.
Jeremy added:
“Dave was the most thoughtful, caring, gentle and humble human who did so much for children and teenagers across the district. We will follow on in Dave’s footsteps and support children’s education across the UK.”
Last year, the four friends took part in three marathons in three days, a ski tour and climbed the three peaks. They initially tried to raise the money for James’ treatment, but as he died they decided to donate the £33,275 to the Sarcoma charity.
The cycle will take place in the window of Rocca, Harrogate. You can donate to the #DOIT4JAMES&DAVID page here.
Harrogate HR professional appointed at Switalskis
Switalskis, a group of three specialist law firms, has appointed Julie Guest as its head of people.
Julie Guest gained experience as a HR professional at CNG She has also worked in positions with Morrisons, Pinsent Masons and William Hill.
The recruitment is a part of the group’s growth strategy, which has already seen an expansion with the investment of firms Atherton Godfrey and Pryers Solicitors.
Ms Guest said:
“It’s great to join a firm with such a strong focus on its people, culture and values.
“My role will involve further integration of people and systems following the acquisition of Atherton Godfrey and Pryers. I aim to enhance Switalskis’ already strong talent development and create an environment and culture in which everyone is able to flourish.”
John Durkan, managing director of Switalskis group, said:
“Julie brings a wide range of valuable experience to this role along with a proven HR leadership track record.
“She has been responsible for a number of successful change and development programmes within professional services businesses, and I’m delighted she has joined us as our first head of people.”
Julie has 28 years’ HR experience and will take on developing Switalskis’ talent, leadership and inclusion strategies.
Harrogate business leaders encouraged to sleep rough for charity
Business leaders in Harrogate will be joining a ‘sleepout’ challenge to help raise money for charity.
CEO Sleepout UK has organised the event, which will see business execs, directors and CEOs from across North Yorkshire sleeping out to raise money for local charities.
The event will take place on May 19th at Harrogate RUFC.
It is expected that around 40 businesses will participate in this years event.
Ison Harrison Solicitors, Cairns Hotel Group and Harrogate Borough Council are just among a few who will take part.
In previous years, the sleepout raised over £23,000.
Harrogate CEO sleepout at the RUFC launch
This year, the funds raised from the sleepout will be sent to YMCA Ripon, Harrogate RUFC community projects, Trussell Trust Harrogate, Walking With The Wounded and CEO Sleepout with 10% of all funds raised going to the DEC Ukraine appeal.
Bianca Robinson, chief executive of CEO Sleepout, said:
“Harrogate isn’t particularly associated with rough sleepers, but this doesn’t mean that homelessness doesn’t exist. We see people sleeping in cars with their children, on friends’ sofas, or worse; risking exploitation in exchange for a roof over their heads.
“The event is a chance for local people to learn about hidden homelessness in the area and what’s been done to help those at risk.”
CEO Sleepout UK was started in 2013 by Andy Preston, now the mayor of Middlesbrough, and has raised over £2.7m to combat homelessness and poverty.
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Harrogate Town to sell match-worn shirts tonight to fund defibrillator
Harrogate Town hopes to raise £1,500 tonight to fund a defibrillator on Commercial Street in central Harrogate by selling match-worn shirts.
Shirts signed by captain Josh Falkingham and long-serving midfielders Lloyd Kerry and George Thomson are among those on sale.
A club statement today said:
“The 2020/21 campaign was a historic one for Harrogate Town as it marked the club’s debut season in the English Football League.
“Now you have the chance to own a bit of Harrogate Town history.”
Shirts will be available online from 7pm today on the Harrogate Town club shop. They will be split into categories of £20, £50, £70, £100, and £150 and sold on a first come, first served basis.
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Harrogate transplant patient completes 850-mile charity walk
A double transplant patient from Harrogate received a warm welcome at the hospital today when he completed a year-long 850-mile charity walk.
Mark Smith, who received a new kidney and pancreas, is a keen walker and has completed various challenges raising £17,000 in total but this latest feat was his most difficult yet.
Hospital staff, representatives of Harrogate Hospital and Community Charity, as well as Harrogate borough mayor and mayoress Trevor and Janet Chapman cheered as he arrived at the hospital this afternoon.
His 850-mile target represented the 850 million people who suffer with kidney disease across the world.
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His latest challenge has raised £615 for Kidney Care UK and Harrogate Hospital and Community Charity. You can donate by clicking or tapping here.
Mr Smith told the Stray Ferret:
Stray bonfire organisers appeal for more donations“My favourite walk was a 23-mile walk from my home in Jennyfields. I first went to Ripley then all the way out to Birstwith and then to Winksley and back. I got some ice cream on the way.
“It’s about determination and resilience. You can’t think about the ‘what ifs’. Life is short. The transplants have not stopped me and neither have my other conditions.
“When you go on the organ donor register you are not just saving someone’s life but you give them the chance to lead a better life they never imagined.”
The organisers of the 50th anniversary charity bonfire and fireworks on the Stray have appealed for more donations to ensure a successful event in nine days time.
An online gofundme page set up by Harrogate and District Round Table has so far attracted £1,220 in donations towards a goal of £8,000 with just over a week to go until the event on Saturday, November 6.
There will be a bucket fundraising collection on the night and people will be encouraged to text to donate £5. But with the current total being so short of the goal, the organisers have appealed for a flurry of online donations over the next week.
The event is organised by volunteers, who try to keep costs low but they have to spend money on fireworks, transportation of pallets and road traffic management.
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The £8,000 figure is how much the event costs to put on, and the Round Table always donates any profits to charity. This year’s charity is the Friends of Harrogate Hospital.
John Carter, who is in charge of organising the bonfire for the Round Table this year, told the Stray Ferret:
Race for Life returns to Harrogate today“We are going to put on a big bonfire and fireworks display. We hope people will enjoy the event after a pretty miserable 18 months.
“There is the online fundraiser but we will have lots of bucket shaking on the night as well as the text to donate. It is the first time we have done the online fundraiser.
“Over the years the amount we have raised on the night has dwindled as people don’t tend to carry cash so we are encouraging donations in other ways.”
The charity fundraiser Race For Life is set to return to Harrogate today after being cancelled last year due to covid.
Five events will take place on the Stray to raise money for Cancer Research UK. There will be three, five, and 10 kilometre runs. plus two muddy obstacle courses.
Some groups have already generated significant sums ahead of the race, including Tracy and Lorraine’s Angels, which has raised £1,200.
The group. which met through their involvement in the Dishforth Military Wives Choir, will be taking on the pretty muddy obstacle course. Out of the eight in the group, two have been affected by breast cancer since 2020.
Dishforth Military Wives Choir where Tracy and Lorraine’s Angels met
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Tracy Seavers said:
“I was the 1 in 2 to have a cancer diagnosis and spent all of 2020 and the beginning of 2021 undergoing treatment.
“It has been a long hard slog but made easier by all those people who have gone before me trialling medications to make treatment kinder. Without research I would not be where I am today.”
Pretty Muddy 5K
All five events will be held on The Stray, starting with the 10 kilometre run at 9.30am and ending with the pretty muddy five kilometre obstacle course at 1.15pm.
Oatlands Drive will be shut today for the event.
Adult entry is £19.99 and child entry is £10. Men have been able to join in since 2019.
For more information about Sunday’s race for life in Harrogate, see Cancer Research UK‘s website.
Runners raise funds for all-weather track at Bishop Monkton schoolA 10 kilometre race and fun run that raise money for a Harrogate district primary school is set to return this month.
The event, which was founded by race director Rebecca Owen, is called Beck Busters and helps Bishop Monkton Church of England Primary School.
It hopes to generate £10,000 to get an all-weather track for the school field that children can use all year round.
Beck Busters didn’t take place last year because of lockdown restrictions but will return on September 19 for a fourth time.
Nina Swainston, one of the organisers, said:
“It’s a big local community event, anyone of all ages can take part.”
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Ms Swainston said runners were still welcome to enter. There are currently about 20 spaces for children out of a maximum entry of 150 and about 110 adult spaces out of a maximum entry of 330.
Entry costs £5 for children and £18 for adults (£16 for members of a running club).
The Beck Buster run is 10 kilometres, while the fun run is two kilometres.
Participants from clubs such as Ripon Runners and Harrogate Harriers have taken part.
In past years, the fundraiser has allowed the school to afford iPads for children, as well as save towards creating an all-weather track.
For more information see the Beck Busters website.
Harrogate teenager completes Yorkshire Three Peaks as tribute to granny
A Harrogate teenager has completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks challenge and raised more than three times her original target.
Leah Gresty climbed the mammoth Three Peaks with her partner in under 11 hours earlier this month, leaving more than an hour to spare.
She was raising money for the UK Sepsis Trust in memory of her grandmother who died of sepsis last September.
Her grandmother Elizabeth Simmonite was a former butcher and baker on Knaresborough Road in Harrogate.
Leah raised £1,115, more than double her original £300 goal. She hopes that her challenge will also hope to spread awareness of the disease.
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The Three Peaks challenge involves climbing Pen-Y-Ghent, Whemside and Ingleborough peaks in under 12 hours.
Leah said:
“It was even harder than I anticipated. It was my first big hike and I hadn’t trained at all so it was very challenging.”
“The third peak was definitely the hardest as we were already exhausted.”
Sepsis is a blood infection which is responsible for 48,000 deaths every year in the UK.
Leah is still accepting donations on her JustGiving page.