Disabled Harrogate woman threatened with Christmas eviction from care home

The mother of a disabled woman who faces eviction from her Harrogate care home and being moved into a Premier Inn has accused the local authority of treating her daughter like a “slab of meat”.

Catherine Bradwell, 49, who was left partially paralysed and mildly brain damaged from a fall down stairs five years ago, has been staying at Southlands Care Home on Ripon Road since June last year.

North Yorkshire County Council, which provides social care, has been trying to find more suitable long-term accommodation and considered moving Catherine into a homeless unit in Starbeck before deciding she should go to a disabled access room at the Premier Inn hotel on Springfield Avenue in Harrogate.

Catherine’s mother, Gaye Bradwell, 81, was told the move would take place over Christmas but since contacting the Stray Ferret has discovered it has been put back to an unconfirmed date.

Nevertheless, her daughter’s long-term accommodation remains uncertain and Gaye believes the case highlights how “shoddily” disabled people with specialist housing needs are treated.

Gaye, whose late husband was an eminent surgeon at Harrogate District Hospital, wonders how many other families are in a similar situation. She said:

“My daughter is being treated like a slab of meat that’s being pushed around. They have no idea what stress it’s causing. It’s simply unbelievable.”

Gaye Bradwell

Gaye Bradwell

Catherine needs help showering, getting dressed and preparing food. She can walk unassisted indoors but due to balance problems and the risk of falling on uneven surfaces, uses a wheelchair outside. Gaye said:

“The ideal solution would be that she is found sheltered accommodation with access to help and a warden that can check if she’s OK.

“But social services will not agree that she needs to be in sheltered accommodation, which she jolly well does.”

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Southlands, which offers long-term residential and nursing care, was never considered to be a permanent option for Catherine, who is much younger than other residents and does not require round-the-clock care.

Gaye said Southlands staff had been wonderful but agreed a more suitable long-term option had to be found for her daughter, who wants to live as independently as possible.

She said social services had suggested three retirement homes, as well as Fern House, Harrogate Borough Council‘s 19-bed homeless unit on Spa Lane in Starbeck, and now the hotel.

No continuity of care

She said Catherine’s age made retirement homes, which cater for over-55s, unsuitable and the other options highlighted how woeful provision was for disabled people who want to live independently.

When threatened with the move to the homeless unit, Gaye paid for an independent occupational therapy assessment, which concluded “that retirement housing or a hostel for homelessness people would be suitable for her vulnerable physical, cognitive and psychological difficulties”.

The assessment added:

“She needs to live somewhere with adequate support where she can remain as independent as possible within safe limits but where she can be assisted promptly in the event of a fall, a seizure or being unable to complete essential activities of daily living.”

The council assessor eventually agreed the homeless unit would be unsuitable but then said Catherine would be moved to the Premier Inn, where she would be supported by a care package, on December 27.

Gaye said five different social workers had been allocated to help her daughter over the last one, which made continuity of care difficult.

Richard Webb, director of health and adult social services at the county council, said:

“Whilst we cannot comment on individual cases, in situations like this one, the county council will undertake assessments and look at all options.

“Sometimes we provide people with accommodation for a limited period  to help their discharge from hospital while reviewing their ability to live independently.

“However, we will only fund and provide permanent 24-hour care where that is required: wherever possible, we will provide home care and try and help individuals to stay in their own home and/or work with them and housing services, to find alternative accommodation.”

Jackie Snape, chief executive of Disability Action Yorkshire, which runs a residential care home for adults with physical disabilities on Claro Road, Harrogate, declined to comment.

Harrogate district covid case rate rises above 500

The Harrogate district’s seven-day covid rate jumped above 500 today to stand at 518 infections per 100,000 people.

The infection rate, which was last seen at current levels almost four weeks ago, has risen by 25% in the last three days.

However, it still remains considerably lower than the England average of 844 but slightly above the North Yorkshire average of 471.

Harrogate District Hospital has reported another death from a patient who tested positive for coronavirus.

According to NHS England figures, the death was recorded on December 16.

Today, the district reported 141 covid cases.

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A total of 92,912 people in the district have received either booster or third doses of the covid vaccine.

If you want to know where to go for your covid vaccine or booster, keep checking our vaccine blog for updates on those open.

Harrogate Town’s Boxing Day clash with Bradford postponed

Harrogate Town‘s game away at Bradford City on Boxing Day has been postponed due to a covid outbreak in the Bradford squad.

Bradford City told the English Football League that it would be unable to field a full team for the fixture due to the number of covid cases in their squad.

The Yorkshire derby was one of the most eagerly awaited matches of the year for Town fans, with a large crowd and a festive atmosphere expected at Bradford. It will now be rearranged.

A host of games in the Premier League and the English Football League were postponed over the weekend due to covid outbreaks.

Harrogate Town are due to travel to Tranmere tomorrow in the second round of the Football League Trophy.

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Police appeal after ‘violent robbery’ in Harrogate

Police are appealing for information after a 17-year-old boy had his trainers stolen in a “violent robbery” in Harrogate.

The incident happened at Bilton Grange Close, near to the junction with Skipton Road, at about 11pm on Saturday, December 11.

According to North Yorkshire Police, two males thought to be aged between 16 and 18 years of age chased the victim from the Majestic Wine shop on Skipton Road to Bilton Grange Close.

They then assaulted and threatened him and stole his footwear – a distinctive pair of black and orange Nike Air Max 90, which are sold for about £125.

Police want help identifying the two suspects, who are described as slim, wearing face coverings and dressed all in black.

A police statement said:

“They were seen in the vicinity of the Texaco Petrol station on Skipton Road shortly before the robbery took place.

“One of them was riding a black mountain bike and the other on foot.

“Officers are particularly keen to identify a man who was in the area at the time of the assault, who was wearing a distinctive black EA7 baseball cap as they believe he may be able to assist their enquiries.

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Anyone with information can contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for PC 1484 Dave Foyston . You can also email david.foyston@northyorkshire.police.uk

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Please quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12210260693.

Two boys in their late teens have been arrested in connection with the incident. Both have been released on conditional bail.

Stonefall candlelit vigil remembers war dead at Christmas

About 60 people, including the Mayor and Mayoress of Harrogate, lit candles for more than 1,000 fallen soldiers at Harrogate’s Stonefall Cemetary yesterday.

Harrogate mum Benji Walker has been running Candles for Heroes every year since 2018 because she does not want the soldiers to be forgotten.

Yesterday’s vigil raised over £300, which will be shared between the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which maintains the site, and armed forces charity Help for Heroes.

Ms Walker said:

“I have a son who serves in the Yorkshire Regiment. It’s important to me. They should always be remembered. Christmas is a special time anyway for family, so it’s a nice time to remember the sacrifice they gave.”

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Stonefall is one of the largest war grave sites in northern England.

The cemetery was created in 1914 but most burials are airmen who died during the Second World War when bomber command bases were established in Yorkshire. About two-thirds of the dead are Canadian.

Air pollution risks from Harrogate’s wood-burning stoves ‘cannot be ignored’

A campaigner from Harrogate says more should be done to highlight how wood-burning stoves damage the environment.

A study published on Friday found the stoves contribute to almost half of the cancer-causing air pollution particles in towns and cities.

Government data found that wood-burning stoves are the single biggest source of PM2.5 particles in the UK, three times more than transport. Breathing in the particles is known to exacerbate lung conditions, such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

The stoves have seen a boom in popularity over the past decade, with many people seeing them as cosy and rustic additions to their homes.

Some Harrogate district residents in older houses also find stoves and open fires an important source of heat during winter, but Harrogate man Brian McHugh believes over 90% of them are not really needed.

He said air pollution from wood-burners “can no longer be a taboo subject”.

“People have not been responding to the fact that there is a real danger here.”

Mr McHugh, who has written articles on the subject, said some people get defensive when they are told that stoves contribute to air pollution and take it as a personal affront.

He said:

“They feel it is an attack on their identity.”

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Mr McHugh said wood-burning stoves should be seen as a public health risk, similar to smoking or excessive drinking. He’d like to see Harrogate Borough Council launch a public information campaign to inform people of the risks.

He added:

“We have also restricted all sorts of consumer products in the past.

“I think the winter months are an especially good time to talk about air pollution as a while, as both outdoor and indoor air pollution tend to be worse in winter in the UK.

“Harrogate Borough Council has a range of resources and tools at their disposal to disseminate information, whether that is through email, flyers or signage.

“There are local organisations that promote a reduction in local ambient air pollution through Walk to School days and people are being informed about pollution through this direct action. A campaign to start a No Burn Day as a starting point, could be a huge breakthrough.”

Omicron: Harrogate district covid rate up by a quarter in three days

Harrogate’s Covid infection rate has jumped by more than 25% in just three days amid the rapid spread of the Omicron variant.

The weekly rate per 100,000 people currently stands at 476 – up sharply from 376.

This equates to around 110 new cases per day and comes as people are being urged to think carefully about social events this Christmas as a further rise in infections is expected.

Richard Webb, director of health and adult services at North Yorkshire County Council, said the area was now facing a “race against time” to prepare for a similar surge in cases seen in other areas of the country.

“If we follow previous patterns, and what’s happening in London, it won’t be long before we are seeing high numbers of Omicron cases here in North Yorkshire.

“Even the most optimistic Government modelling is now projecting many more cases in January and February and we face the possibility of many more hospital admissions and sadly many more deaths.

“Living with Covid means responding quickly to deal with a new variant. We need to act now to buy time”.

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Mr Webb also said people should take a lateral flow test before mixing socially and that getting a booster vaccine remained the best line of defence.

The vaccination programme has been rapidly accelerated in recent weeks with firefighters now being drafted in to deliver doses at sites across North Yorkshire.

James Manning, North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue group manager, said:

“This is an urgent situation and the time involved is substantial in getting these vaccines where they need to be.

“For this reason the key agencies have come together to provide the best possible service to people”.

In Harrogate, vaccines are being made available by appointments and walk-ins at several pharmacy sites as well as Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Showground and Ripon Racecourse.

Harrogate adventurer completes dangerous mission to reach ‘African pole’

A Harrogate adventurer has claimed to be the first person ever to reach the African pole of inaccessibility, which is the continent’s furthest point from the ocean in any direction.

On December 6, Chris Brown and his team completed a dangerous mission through a politically unstable region to get there, which is in the middle of a dense jungle.

The pole is over 1,100 miles from the nearest coast and is near the town of Obo in the Central African Republic (CAR). It’s close to the borders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan.

Mr Brown said he faced threats from “poachers, rebels and mercenaries” to reach the point, which took years of planning.

He said:

“[I was] not put off too easily by the various warnings and danger signals, I spent nearly three years planning on how to get there.”

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Mr Brown’s team included two security advisors from the United States, four soldiers from the CAR army and a photographer.

Army protection: Arnoux, Eric, Gustav and Frederic

The journey began in London on a flight to reach Bangui, which is the capital of CAR, via Brussels, Kigali and Duala.

They then chartered a flight from Bangui to an airfield at Obo to then get on a helicopter, which took them to the jungle.

Mr Brown said:

“After that we had to resort to picking our way through fairly dense jungle with the heli hovering above our position, out of small arms fire range, in case of emergency.

“The helicopter hovered over our position in the jungle as a deterrent and in case of emergency evacuation – keeping an altitude above small arms fire!”

“I took a couple of minutes to look around and thought wow, I’m in the middle of Africa. I was looking around at the jungle, it’s very oppressive. I’m a ginger northerner and I was dripping in sweat, taking it all in. It was fairly surreal.”

There are seven different poles of inaccessibility in the various continents and Mr Brown hopes to visit them all. He’s heading to Antarctica later this month.

Most of his friends and family all say the same thing about his adventurous hobby.

“They all think I’m mad!”

Stray Views: Beech Grove LTN is ‘expensive folly’

Stray Views is a weekly column giving you the chance to have your say on issues affecting the Harrogate district. It is an opinion column and does not reflect the views of the Stray Ferret. Send your views to letters@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Low Traffic Neighbourhood is expensive folly

As someone who lives adjacent to the Beech Grove LTN, I must say I have rarely seen such expensive folly. The council seem intent on installing ever more restrictive road barriers simply to, as effectively as possible, funnel more and more traffic onto Lancaster and Queens Road. 

All of this to give around 60 cyclists a day the most cossetted and relaxing trip into town. Seemingly, by the council’s own admission, there is no evidence that cycling traffic will meaningfully replace motorists on local roads. Especially so, in the depths of winter, as they face icy cold, driven rain.

As a leisure cyclist I am inherently supportive, like most people I suspect, of reducing the use of cars where it makes sense to do so. As far as I can see though this is not that. This appears to be virtue signalling with no meaningful impact on future car use and with material detriment for residents.

The principal achievement of the LTN, as far as I can see, is to make it more hazardous for the large numbers of children walking to and from Western Primary and Harrogate Grammar School each day. They are put at risk as they try to cross tentatively between often inappropriately fast-moving cars, rat running from south of town to Otley or Leeds Road.

If we want to get people out of cars and using alternate forms of transport, we need to look more closely at who those car drivers are, why they are driving and how we make it easier for them to do otherwise. Shoehorning additional, random, road furniture onto small roads to deliver ineffective trophy projects is not the answer.

I would simply ask the council to stop, stand back, think and reflect, and then look for genuinely considered ways of improving all forms of transport around Harrogate. Until that happens all they are doing is robbing Peter to pay Paul. As a concerned parent I would be more than happy to contribute to the thinking on the best way forward into 2022.

Carl Howard, Queens Road

Harrogate apply for city status?

Instead of complaining about the previous Housing Minister’s decision, why don’t the Harrogate councillors get a grip and apply for city status in view of the massive expansion of our “town”?

John Holder, Harrogate

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Do you have an opinion on the Harrogate district? Email us at letters@thestrayferret.co.uk. Please include your name and approximate location details. Limit your letters to 350 words. We reserve the right to edit letters.

Handling Christmas after divorce: A Harrogate dad’s story

This article is sponsored by Berwins

Family breakdown is never easy, but Christmas can be a particularly distressing time for separated parents and their children.

There is an unrealistic expectation that the festive period should be be perfect, not helped by increasing pressure caused by social media.

This often leads to feelings of anger, frustration and upset when that “perfect” family Christmas can’t be made into a reality.

Arguments can start over where the children will be on Christmas Day. There can also be disagreements about whether new partners should be spending time with the children at Christmas, as well as issues with money.

But it doesn’t always have to be difficult.

Harrogate dad Alex separated from his wife in 2010, when his daughter was three-years-old.

Tough

He described how the first two Christmases apart were a struggle, but then gradually improved in future years thanks to good communication.

He said:

“In that first year it was all quite recent and a little raw. Christmas morning was spent separately at our respective parents, and my daughter was with her mum.

“We then met in a neutral venue, a pub in a rural village, and had a drink and I got to spend some time with my daughter.

“That first year was incredibly tough and getting in the car and driving away from her later in the afternoon was particularly hard.

“The following year my daughter spent the morning with my ex-wife, and then came to my house. It was a little too upsetting for all parties, particularly for my daughter as she just wanted to play with her new things.”

However, as a result, they both agreed that they would then take it in turns each year, which he says has worked out better for everyone ever since.

He said:

“When she is not with us, we have a separate faux Christmas Day and meal on another day as near to the big day as we can, but there is no substitute to having her with you on the day itself.”

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Alex continues to have a good relationship with his ex-wife and says this makes it easier when it comes to Christmas festivities.

He said:

“I think when you have children, the focus of the day itself changes anyway, and you realise that the enjoyment comes from experiencing it through their eyes.

“Once both parties accept that, it’s easy to keep it amicable as you will do everything you can to make it special for the children involved.

“As with every aspect of co-parenting, communication is the key, and if you can keep in touch and keep it friendly (sometimes through gritted teeth), then it makes everything so much better for you and your children.

“I genuinely think my daughter has a wonderful time at Christmas. She gets spoiled by both sides of her family and gets to have two Christmas Days every year.”

Advice

Stephen Root, director of Berwins Solicitors, based in Harrogate, has shared his advice on arrangements for children over the Christmas period.

He said: