A nine-year-old Harrogate boy is walking 200 miles, inspired by his dad who has Friedrich’s ataxia.
He aims to raise money for Ataxia UK, a charity that funds treatment and provides support for those with ataxia.
Ataxia is a term for a group of neurological disorders that affect balance, coordination and speech
His mum, Helen Gibson, explained the impact of his dad’s condition on Jack:
“Jack and his dad are very close but Jack sometimes struggles as his dad can’t do all of the things he would like him to because of his condition and tires easily.”
Jack attends young carers events in Harrogate. After smashing his original goal to walk 126 miles, he chose to increase his goal to 200 miles.
He has been walking at least three miles a day for four weeks to complete his goal. Some days he has walked as far as 8 miles.
Jack’s inspiration to walk was explained by his mum,
“He chose walking as he said it was something that was free and something that his dad can still do at the moment.”
Jack’s walks have been local, on the Stray or at Fountains Abbey. On holiday, he has completed his walks at Alton Towers or nearby National Trust locations.
He also walked the coast where his parents are originally from.
Both family and friends have joined Jack on his walks.
The family have a goal of £500 and have already raised £435.
If you are interested in donating to Jack’s fundraiser, there is a Just Giving page.
Cow found wandering around Harrogate’s Valley GardensPeople enjoying the sunny weather in Harrogate’s Valley Gardens today were shocked to stumble across a wandering cow.
Lucy Emma Renshaw-Martin was one of many dog walkers going about their morning routine at about 8.30am when she saw the beast.
It was casually ambling around the central section, appearing to head in the direction of the Magnesia Well Tea Room.
The cow heads towards the tea room.
Lucy managed to photograph the cow from distance and later got a more close-up image when she was safely behind the barriers on Valley Road.
She told the Stray Ferret she had no idea how the cow, which appears to be a Holstein or Friesian, ended up in the 17-acre gardens, which are not particularly close to any fields.
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She said:
“The police were there but just herding it around from what I saw.
“It’s not every day you see a cow on your morning dog walk.”
Do you know more about the cow and how it ended up in Valley Gardens? If so email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.
Police were dispatched to help.
A man who went missing from a Harrogate care home has been found safe, North Yorkshire Police has said.
Police issued an urgent appeal for help find the man on Saturday when he went missing at 6.30am.
It asked people to report sightings.
But officers later said the man had been found “safe and well”.
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Seb Mitchell murder trial: Harrogate boy found guilty
A boy has been found guilty of the murder of Harrogate schoolboy Seb Mitchell.
Seb, 17, was stabbed to death after a row over a broken mirror, a trial at Leeds Crown Court heard.
The jury today returned a majority verdict of 10 to 2 of murder after deliberating for almost 15 hours.
The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was 16 at the time of committing the crime.
He stabbed Harrogate Grammar School pupil Seb in the chest with a kitchen knife which led to a fatal loss of blood and cardiac arrest.
The teenager pleaded not guilty – he accepted he knifed Seb but said he did not intend to kill him.
The defendant will not be sentenced today. However, the court will reconvene this afternoon in order to decide whether he can be named publicly.
The Recorder of Leeds, Judge Guy Kearl KC, said his age would be taken into consideration, as would the severity of the crime. He told the court:
“This is not a case in which he took the knife to the scene, but nevertheless a case in which it was picked up and then used, not with a great deal of force. But as we know in these courts, you don’t have to use a great deal of force in order to inflict a great deal of injury.”
Seb was taken to Harrogate District Hospital by ambulance, but his condition was so critical he was transferred to Leeds General Infirmary where he underwent emergency surgery and was placed in a medically induced coma.
He died two days after the incident.
Read more:
- Seb Mitchell trial: Murder accused stabbed victim after row
- ‘We will carry him in our hearts forever’ — family’s tribute to Harrogate teen Seb Mitchell
Harrogate bathroom retailer creates biggest showroom of its kind in the North
The story is sponsored by Inter Ceramica.
A Harrogate bathroom and tile business that started out in a tiny shop 30 years ago, has begun work on extending its premises, to a super four-floor showroom at Hornbeam Park, Harrogate.
Today Inter Ceramica is an international stockist offering the best and latest in continental bathrooms and tiles from its 6,000sq ft display area.
Rob Challis, Inter Ceramica’s founder, said:
“Italy has long been known as a global leader in tile manufacturing.
“Their products are supreme, and we’re delighted to have exclusive relationships with top manufacturers. It’s taken 30 years to build, but it’s worth it to guarantee the quality, reliability and continuity of supply for our customers.”
It’s a measure of their popularity that more than 1,000 tons of bespoke tiles arrive at Inter Ceramica’s Hornbeam Park warehouse each year, along with daily deliveries of premium bathroom equipment from top manufacturers including Laufen, VitrA, Roca and Hans Grohe – all beautifully displayed in the stunning showroom.
A popular and free design service
For customers it’s all about style, inspiration and affordability, says Rob, who’s backed by a highly talented design team. He added:
“Our design service is key to bringing all these elements together, to help customers achieve their perfect bathroom, ensuite or wet room.
“Some are surprised to learn our design service is free. True, there’s a lot of work involved in bringing people’s dreams to reality. But our tiles and bathroom equipment are of the highest quality, so we’ve got to match that with the quality of our design.”
It’s a tribute to the team and quality products that Inter Ceramica can boast thousands of return customers. One of many benefits in being in business for over 30 years is those satisfied customers who offer honest and valuable feedback.
Inter Ceramica has a large selection of tiles, shower heads and much more.
Inter Ceramica works with recommended installers, believing that it’s better and more cost-effective for the customer to deal directly with the installers, safe in the knowledge that Inter Ceramica is working alongside them at all times.
Inevitably, a prime consideration for the customer is cost and with such a turbulent world economy you’d expect prices to have rocketed but Inter Ceramica has managed to maintain and even reduce prices.
To make customer’s dream even easier to reach, Inter Ceramica has developed a range of finance options including ‘buy now, pay later’ and an interest-bearing finance option for up to 10 years.
Inter Ceramica is the sister company of Revo Kitchens, which is a German Kitchen superstore also based at Hornbeam Park.
Find out more:
You can check out Inter Ceramica’s range of fabulous bathrooms and tiles on their website. Alternatively, you can drop into Inter Ceramica’s showroom at Hornbeam Park in Harrogate.
Harrogate and Knaresborough trains face bank holiday strikes
Passengers in the Harrogate and Knaresborough area are set to face further train strikes this bank holiday weekend.
Members of the ASLEF and RMT unions will be carrying out industrial action tomorrow (August 26) in a dispute over pay.
It means no trains will run through Harrogate and Knaresborough tomorrow.
This will affect people travelling to York Races for the Ebor meeting, which includes the prestigious Ebor Handicap.
Knaresborough station
Northern has also urged passengers to check before they travel on Sunday (August 27) as train services will start later.
Tricia Williams, chief operating officer at Northern, said:
“We know these RMT strikes will cause disruption to the general public.
“Whilst this is only a one-day strike, it falls right in the middle of the busy August bank holiday weekend and will impact people trying to get to major events taking place across region, including Manchester United and Everton football fixtures, York Races, Leeds Festival, Creamfields and Manchester Pride.
“The RMT is still refusing to put the latest pay offer negotiated on behalf of train operators to a vote by their members and it is unfortunate that these strikes continue for their second summer.”
Meanwhile, further union strike action will be taken on September 1 and September 2.
Mick Lynch, general secretary at the RMT Union, said:
“The mood among our members remains solid and determined in our national dispute over pay, job security and working conditions.”
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Business Breakfast: Harrogate IT company reports improved revenues
The Stray Ferret Business Club’s next meeting is an after work drinks event on Thursday, August 31 at The West Park Hotel in Harrogate between 5-7pm.
The Business Club provides monthly opportunities to network, make new connections and hear local success stories. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.
A Harrogate-based IT company has reported improved revenues in its full-year report.
Redcentric, which is based on Otley Road, generated total revenue of of £141.7m for the year ended 31 March 2023 — up from £93.3m the previous year.
The company made three acquisitions over the last financial year, which included deals for 4D Data Centres, Sungard Consultancy and Sungard Data Centre.
A further two deals were struck for Piksel and 7 Elements in the previous year.
As a result of the acquisitions, Redcentric has added more than 600 customers to its data base.
Peter Brotherton, chief executive at the company, said:
“The integration of the five acquisitions undertaken in the last two financial years is now largely complete, with the savings pertaining to the remaining energy conservation measures and closure of the Harrogate Data Centre to be realised before the end of the current financial year.
“The acquisitions have resulted in a significant increase in revenues and much improved organic growth. Improvements in profitability will follow in FY25 once the synergy and energy efficiency programmes have been completed and the much reduced electricity commodity prices take effect.”
Growth Hub to host business peer support groups
York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub is set to launch a peer support group for businesses next month.
The organisation will host three sessions in September, which aim to partner business leaders with each other to offer structured and collaborative support.
The initiative will include a peer-to-peer support programme hosted by Pro-Development on September 22 and RTC North will host a forum on September 27 in Harrogate.
Meanwhile, a women peer-to-peer group hosted by Yorkshire in Business will also be held on September 27.
Jenn Crowther, chief executive of Yorkshire in Business, said:
“Think of it as having your own professionally facilitated informal board.
“Women Connect is designed for businesswomen invested in developing their business and helping others to do the same.”
For more information on the events, visit the York and North Yorkshire Growth Hub website here.
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Council concedes it should have held public inquiry into Harrogate Station Gateway
North Yorkshire Council has conceded it should have held a public inquiry into the £11.2 million Harrogate Station Gateway.
The council halted the scheme last week immediately after lawyers acting on behalf of local property firm Hornbeam Park Developments launched a judicial review.
Lawyers claimed there were six grounds for challenging the council’s decision.
Among them was the council’s failure to hold a public inquiry before issuing traffic regulation orders for measures such as partly pedestrianising James Street and reducing traffic on a 300-metre stretch of Station Parade to single lane.
A decision notice published on the council website this week confirmed it had “quashed” its May decision to proceed with the gateway. It said:
“The possibility of fully defending the legal challenge was considered and to have this mattered determined by the courts.
“However, due to the necessity of having a public inquiry before confirming the relevant traffic regulation order, it was considered prudent to accept this ground of challenge.”
It added the decision would “avoid any further exposure to costs and time delays”.
‘Dead scheme’
A report setting out what happens next is due to go to the conservative-controlled council’s ruling executive on September 19. However, Andrew Jones, the Conservative MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, has called the gateway a “dead scheme”.
The legal challenge by planning lawyers Walton & Co also claims the council did not disclose a climate change appraisal that said said drivers would be forced to take longer alternative routes as a result of the road changes and overall “user emissions are anticipated to increase as a result of the scheme”.
A spokesperson for Walton & Co said:
“The claimant’s case put forward multiple grounds for challenge. One such ground included the fact that the climate change appraisal had not been made available.
“The claimant maintains that this still amounts to an error in law, and has reserved the right to take issue both with the alleged defective consultation and also other grounds set out in the claim, should a further decision be taken in the absence of such alleged error(s) being rectified.”
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Harrogate care home given go-ahead to expand to 60 bedrooms
Plans for a Harrogate care home to expand the number of its bedrooms by 20 have been approved.
Apley Grange, which is based on Oatlands Drive, submitted the plans to the former Harrogate Borough Council in December 2022.
The proposal would see the number of bedrooms increased from 40 to 60.
North Yorkshire Council, which took over from the borough council, has now approved the plan.
As part of the scheme, alterations will be made to three of the buildings on the site. A garage will also be demolished as part of the extension.
The Society of the Holy Child Jesus, which runs the home, said in documents submitted to the council that the move would also create 20 full-time jobs and bring the total number of staff at the facility up to 80.
The society added that the proposals would help to “ensure the viability over the next generation” for the home.
It said:
“The stated catalysts present great opportunity to address the issues in a considered and coordinated fashion to deliver a more integrated and responsive care home to meet current expectations and to maximise the potential afforded by available space.”
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First pictures show inside of £13.5m Harrogate leisure centre refurbishment
The first pictures from inside the refurbished Harrogate Hydro have been revealed.
The facility has been closed since April last year as part of a £13.5 million refurbishment project.
It will reopen in two weeks time under the new name Harrogate Leisure and Wellness Centre.
Pictures posted on social media by Natalie McGuire, director of business development at Brimhams Active, which runs the facility on behalf of North Yorkshire Council, show how the centre will look.
The refurbishment includes a 400 square metre fitness centre, a new sauna and steam suite, improved reception and café, as well an overhaul of the existing gym, spin, leisure and swimming facilities.
The new diving area.
The leisure centre in Jennyfields closed for what was supposed to be a nine-month refurbishment costing £11.9 million.
But January’s scheduled re-opening did not happen. In May, North Yorkshire Council said the cost of the scheme had risen to £13.5 million and customers would be welcomed back in August.
The centre is now set to open on September 4.
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- Harrogate Hydro delay will see no change in £13.5m project budget, says council
- Cost of delayed Harrogate Hydro refurbishment increases by £1m