Harrogate women cycle 2,000 miles for teenager’s surgery

Four women from the Harrogate district are cycling a total of 2,000 miles in a month to fundraise for a teenager’s life-changing surgery. 

Mia Wright, 14, who has scoliosis, which causes a severe curvature and rotation of the spine, was diagnosed when she was eight years old. She underwent surgery in Turkey in September, recovering well enough to go back to school last week. 

Susie Little, Mia’s godmother, set up a GoFundMe page last month to raise £60,000 for the spinal surgery.

Ms Little decided to take on her latest fundraising challenge of cycling 500 miles after reading about a similar fundraising initiative in The Stray Ferret.

To meet her target, Ms Little will add an extra mile to the distance each day to correspond with the date. For example, on October 1 she cycled one mile, on October 2 she cycled two miles, continuing to October 31 when she will ride 31 miles in a day. 

After hearing about her idea, friends Jude Humphrey and Emma Oates decided to get involved, shortly followed by Mia’s mother Jane. Together they’re aiming to raise £2,000 for the 2000 miles covered. 

Currently completing their miles on exercise bikes at home, the four women hope to celebrate their final day of fundraising by cycling together. 

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Speaking about what the surgery means to her, Ms Little said:

“I went to pick Jane and Mia up from the airport after the surgery. The difference in both of them was amazing, Mia could stand up straight for the first time, and she even cried last week when she put her jeans on after surgery for the first time because she was so happy.” 

Total donations for Mia’s surgery currently stand at £44,600. You can donate to Mia’s cause here. 

Harrogate care home unable to get flu jabs for staff

A care home provider in Harrogate has struggled to get flu jabs for its staff and has claimed that others are in the same position.

Disability Action Yorkshire, which has a care home for young disabled adults in Harrogate, has only managed to get three jabs so far.

The charity has 38 staff in total, which means that fewer than 10% are protected from the flu.

Jackie Snape, the chief executive at Disability Action Yorkshire, was one of the three who has had the jab and told the Stray Ferret:

“We have been told that health and social care is a priority but our staff have been unable to get the flu jab. The GPs and pharmacies have a blanket rule to keep the jab available for those over 70. It means that there aren’t any flu jabs for social care staff.”

Disability Action Yorkshire, Chief Executive, Jackie Snape.

The staff have been told to try again in November and December but Jackie fears that it will be too late by then as it will be in the middle of flu season.

Jackie added that she fears if there are problems with the flu jab then there may be issues with the coronavirus vaccine as and when it becomes available.

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She has been in regular calls with other care homes in the Harrogate district and says that all other providers are in the same position.

Earlier this year the government launched what it called the “most comprehensive flu programme in UK history”.

Dr Mary Ramsay, Head of Immunisation at Public Health England, said:

“There is no shortage of flu vaccine – enough has been ordered to vaccinate 30 million people, with the most vulnerable being protected first. It is usual for manufacturers to stagger deliveries of the vaccine. Every year, there is a phased roll-out and vaccinations continue throughout the autumn. Some GP practices and pharmacies may ask people to wait until they receive further deliveries.”

Harrogate restaurant serves first free school meals

An Italian restaurant in Harrogate has stepped up to the plate to deliver free school meals this half term week.

Portofino Ristorante has cooked about 70 meals today including pizza, pasta and chips for those most in need.

The charitable move, which hundreds of cafes and restaurants across the country are also doing, follows a controversial vote in Parliament.

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Ozgur Babat, who owns Portofino on Albert Street, decided to take action when the government voted down a motion to extend free school meals over half term and the Christmas holidays.

Any families who need a meal can get in touch with the restaurant, which will prepare a meal for volunteers to deliver to their door.

There are around 2,000 children in Harrogate who receive free school meals.

How many other places deliver free school meals?

(Please make sure to check how long the offers are available for as some may vary.)

Please get in touch using contact@thestrayferret.co.uk to be added to the list

Ozgur Babat is the owner of Portofino Ristorante.

Don’t hold Bonfire parties at home, urge public health bosses

People in North Yorkshire have been urged not to hold Bonfire Night parties at home this year.

Officials from North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, a partnership of organisations that respond to emergencies, have made the plea and called for residents to consider alternative plans.

The group has published guidance for event organisers, including villages and parish bodies, who may want to hold an event this year.

It comes as events such as the annual Stray bonfire have been cancelled due to coronavirus.

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Dr Lincoln Sargaent, director of public health for North Yorkshire, said the forum would “strongly discourage” people from holding events in their gardens.

He said:

“The collective effort of people in North Yorkshire has meant that previously surging infection rates appear to be slowing recently and local outbreaks are being managed. This is excellent work and reflects the significant efforts being made individually and as communities; but we are not out of the woods.

“We need people to remain vigilant and follow the rules on social distancing, hand washing, use of face coverings and limiting the number of people with whom they socialise that apply where they live.

“For Bonfire Night, we would strongly discourage people from holding events in their gardens. Instead, they should look for well-organised events that are covid-secure or consider alternatives to enjoy the night in a safe way.

“We know that the most difficult area for us to tackle is the spread of infection within households and through social interactions, as that is responsible for the majority of the spread of the virus in North Yorkshire.”

Public health bosses in the county have said previously that the may cause of spread of covid is between households.

Dr Sargaent said there had been “very, very few” cases of outbreaks in the hospitality sector.

Thousands tune in to first ever online Harrogate Literature Festival

Thousands tuned in to the first ever digital Harrogate Literature Festival this past weekend.

The festival was forced to be streamed online due to the coronavirus pandemic, but organisers say the event was still a success.

Viewers tuned in to the free programme of 17 events, with the digital delivery allowing book lovers from across the UK to engage with prominent writers, politicians and journalists.

Among those who gave talks were author Matt Haig, classicist Natalie Haynes and Labour MPs Jess Phillips and David Lammy.

Although the events moved online, Harrogate International Festivals, the arts charity behind the literature festival wanted to keep the community at the heart of the project.

Hundreds of stories were submitted to the 10 Word Story competition, and over hundred books were gifted in the Raworth’s Blind Date With a Book initiative. 

As author talks began, literature came to life in Harrogate with a light installation in the form of a book. The story of Harrogate, 10 word stories and traditional tales were illuminated on its pages.

light installation

The story of Harrogate was illuminated on the book’s pages.

Sharon Canavar, chief executive of Harrogate International Festivals, said:

“The light of human stories and the power of books certainly shone through, breaking down barriers of isolation and reaching new audiences, demonstrating the importance of festival in our cultural landscape.

“Ticket sales are normally a huge part of our income, but this year’s events were all free of charge. We thank those audience members who donated to our arts charity in lieu of tickets, helping us work towards bridging the financial gap, the first step to securing the future of Harrogate International Festivals.

“This was an extraordinary festival for an unpreceded year, and whilst we celebrate the success of the event – taking Harrogate to the world – in order for our arts charity to survive we need to be able to welcome the world to Harrogate. Whether that will be possible in 2021 we just don’t know.”

Traditional tales shone on Friday and Saturday night.

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Bilton mother claims council housing system is flawed

A Bilton woman has criticised the system Harrogate Borough Council uses to allocate housing.

Courtney Barrass has been on the waiting list for a council property since her private landlord gave her notice to leave in April.

Ms Barrass has a partner, an eight-week old daughter and dogs and believes her domestic situation may have counted against her.

She claimed she was aware of some single parents who had received a house much quicker and urged the council to “prioritise situations better”. She said:

“They really need to sit back and look at the system. Maybe take the single people out of their three-bed houses to open up more options for families.
“I’m worried I’m going to be homeless. They don’t care about mental health or how situations will or already have affected us. We are just numbers on paperwork and it’s sickening.”

Ms Barrass alleged that when she first approached the council about going on its housing list a council worker told her that if she were evicted it would push her up the queue.

She stopped working while she was pregnant and she and her partner struggled to pay all their bills, so they didn’t pay any rent — only to then be told they were in rent arrears by the landlord and given notice to leave.

Because it did not have a home to move the family into, the council initially paid 75 per cent of the rent but this reduced to about 40 per cent when her baby arrived, she said.

Damp

The damp in Courtney’s flat in Bilton.

Ms Barrass said her landlord had been understanding about her situation but she didn’t know how long it would last, or how long she could wait for a council house.

“The council’s only interest seems to be trying to get me to stay in this house, which is full of damp and I cannot afford it.

“How many more times will I have to contact them and panic not knowing if I’ll get my rent paid next month? It’s a joke.”

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A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said it was unable to offer a specific comment about Ms Barrass’ situation. The spokesperson added:

“Properties are allocated via a points system, reflecting housing need. Applicants with arrears may be deemed as not qualifying for social housing, or may be deferred for period of time.

“We urge anyone who finds themselves in challenging circumstances to contact our housing options team as soon as possible. Anyone who finds themselves at risk of losing their home altogether should contact us sooner rather than later.”

Flaxby vs Green Hammerton: the saga so far…

This week, a judge at the High Court in London will decide whether Harrogate Borough Council’s decision to choose Green Hammerton and Cattal ahead of Flaxby for a major expansion of housing in the district was unlawful.

If the ruling goes against the council, it could mean the decision has to be made again.

It is a saga that has rumbled on for years with many twists and turns. Below is a timeline of events so far.

August 2003: North Yorkshire County Council sells land at Green Hammerton to farmer Derek Pickles. When the council sold the land, there was a covenant attached that said if planning permission were granted within 30 years for any other use of the site, a “clawback” would apply. This would result in NYCC receiving 70% of the uplift in the land’s open market value.

2008: Farming family the Armstrongs sells Flaxby golf course to the Skelwith Group for £7m, which then publishes plans for a 300-bedroom five-star hotel on the site. The golf course and hotel would be called Flaxby Country Resort and is touted as the “jewel in Yorkshire’s tourism crown” and even a future host of the Ryder Cup.

March 2010: Harrogate Borough Council grants planning permission for the hotel but building work never begins. Despite this, 158 buy-to-let rooms in the hotel are sold to investors.

An artist’s impression of the doomed Flaxby hotel.

May 2014: The government rejects Harrogate Borough Council’s Local Plan for the district, after years of preparation. The council begins the process of identifying more sites for housing.

November 2014: Skelwith Group abandons plans to build a hotel and draws up new proposals to develop Flaxby into a new town of up to 2,500 homes.

March 2015: The golf course closes.

January 2016: Skelwith goes into liquidation. A report from administrators RSM Restructuring says the company owed almost £70m, including £51m to HMRC and £7m to former owners the Armstrong family.

April 2016: Flaxby Park Ltd, a company made up of businesswoman Ann Gloag and regeneration specialists Chris Musgrave and Trevor Cartner, purchases the 260-acre golf course site from administrators. Their new proposals include 2,750 homes and a rail link at Goldsborough.

Summer 2016: HBC launches a “call for sites” where landowners can put forward sites that could potentially fit a new settlement. Both Flaxby Park Ltd and CEG Group propose separate developments at Flaxby and Green Hammerton.

November 2016: HBC’s draft Local Plan identifies two locations for a new settlement: Flaxby and Green Hammerton/Cattal.

April 2017: CEG Group publishes a “vision document” for 3,000 homes at Green Hammerton.

A CGI image from the CEG proposal at Green Hammerton.

July, August, September 2017: A consultation is held where CEG’s Great Hammerton plans are presented as the preferred option over Flaxby Park.

November 2017: Flaxby Park Ltd submits a planning application for the 2,750-home development to HBC.

December 2017: At a full council meeting, councillors agree to submit the Local Plan to the Planning Inspectorate, including Green Hammerton as the area for the new settlement.

January and February 2018: HBC holds a public consultation on this decision. Campaigners in Green Hammerton deliver more than 600 objections against it.

Campaigners deliver Green Hammerton objections to HBC.

June 2018: CEG Group formally submits its plans to HBC for Green Hammerton.

August 2018: Harrogate Council submits its Local Plan for independent examination.

February 2019: Oakgate Group, part of Wetherby-based property developers Caddick, submits plans for a rival proposal called “Maltkiln Village” at Cattal.

The “Maltkiln Village” proposal around Cattal railway station.

March 2020:  HBC adopts its new Local Plan with Green Hammerton/Cattal identified as the location for a new settlement.

October 7, 2020: HBC agrees to press ahead with a consultation on 3,000 new homes at Green Hammerton/Cattal. Its “preferred option” is land around Cattal rail station.

October 13, 2020: HBC’s planning committee rejects the 2,750-home Flaxby development. The other two applications – by CEG and Oakgate Group – are yet to be decided by the committee.

October 27, 28 and 29, 2020: The High Court judicial review will take place on the Flaxby decision.

The Stray Ferret will be covering the Judicial Review this week at the High Court. Check our website for the latest updates, or subscribe to our newsletter to get a daily round-up direct to your inbox.

Charity calls on community to help spread Christmas cheer

A community project which has provided thousands of meals to vulnerable families this year is hoping to spread extra cheer at Christmas.

Resurrected Bites has received almost 3,000 calls for help since lockdown began in March, delivering three days’ worth of food, toiletries and cleaning products to the equivalent of 4,528 adults and 2,807 children – though many of these are returning customers.

Yet this was never what the community interest company was set up to be. It was a pay-as-you-feel cafe, using food intercepted from restaurants, supermarkets and suppliers before it was sent to landfill, offering hot and cold meals at three churches in Harrogate and Knaresborough.

However, director Michelle Hayes said when lockdown began and the cafes had to close, she immediately knew what she would do.

“Within two days I had switched over. I decided to close the cafes on the Monday and by Wednesday we had started the food distribution.

“I knew there would be lots of people needing food and people were panic-buying. I knew a lot of businesses would have to close really quickly and there would be a lot of food going to waste. Supermarkets were struggling with their ordering systems.

“We were able to get a lot of food and start delivering straight away.”

Although other organisations, such as the foodbank, were already set up to support families in need, Michelle knew there was still a gap for additional help. Where the foodbank supplies mostly tinned and dried food, Resurrected Bites uses perishable items such as fruit and vegetables, eggs, and bread.

Volunteers at Resurrected Bites sort through donated food

Volunteers Sally and Richard sort through donations to make parcels of food for local families

It can also provide cooked meals thanks to a team of volunteers who turn some of the ingredients into complete dishes. Though Resurrected Bites never distributes food which is out of date or of poor quality, using it to make meals can extend its usable life.

After lockdown began, requests for help began to escalate quickly, largely through referrals from other organisations but in some cases direct from struggling families. With several months of activity now behind them, Michelle and her team have settled into a rhythm of deliveries each week.

Michelle knows demand is likely to rise again if more lockdown measures are put in place.

“We’ve got really busy again this week. I wanted to be running at capacity of 30 orders a day – but when you realise how much food that involves, it’s quite overwhelming. By Friday, you’re just hoping there’s enough food available for everyone who needs it.

“I’m expecting that demand is going to go up as more people get laid off. People who are waiting for Universal Credit to start, people who have been self-employed and their business has closed. Quite a few families whose kids have been sent home from school and families have to self-isolate, but can’t get a supermarket deliver for a few days.”

If she needs to increase capacity, the only option for Michelle is to source more food and other supplies. She could request more from charity supplier Fareshare, but demand is likely to increase everywhere and more deliveries may not be available.

The only other option would be to buy more in, which they have been doing as necessary – but that needs more money to be coming in as well. It already costs more than £4,000 each month to meet the existing demands for food and toiletries.

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Now, with Christmas looming, Michelle is keen to make it special for the families supported by Resurrected Bites and is calling on the community to help.

She’s asked each family to say what their children are interested in so supporters can buy something from the list, and can donate wrapping paper and sticky tape too. She added:

“Hopefully we’ll try and get the right kind of present to the right child so there’s something for everybody.”

Donations of food and toiletries can be made at drop-off points around Harrogate and Knaresborough. Financial donations are also welcome to help fund any extra supplies. Details of both, along with order forms for people needing support, can be found on the Resurrected Bites website.

Stray Kitchen with Stephanie Moon: It’s Apple Time

Stray Kitchen is our monthly column all about food written by renowned local produce expert, food writer and chef, Stephanie Moon. Stephanie studied at Craven College, Skipton. She then did a work placement at London’s five-star hotel/restaurant, The Dorchester. Stephanie was offered a full-time job, where she worked for world-famous chef, Anton Mosimann. 

In the spirit of Autumn and Halloween, Stephanie’s first column will be talking about the delicious ways of using apples in various dishes.

 

I love this time of year. Our region has a real history with the Great British Apple. Did you know the Ribston Pippin was grown back in 1708 from apple pips which were sent to Henry Goodricke of Ribston Hall? This was the runner up of the Cox’s Orange Pippin.

In Little Ribston, there is still a Ribston Pippin tree growing in the grounds. Nick Smith, the Director of the Harrogate Flower Show, took me along to cook the apples under the tree years ago. This was filmed for Look North. I created my version of an 18th Century recipe ‘A Fraze of Pippins’ (basically a batter-like pancake, heavy on the spices with lots of apples). It was great fun.

Do you have an Apple glut?

My advice is to invest in an ‘apfelschaler’; a plastic contraption (you can get metal ones too) that peels an apple in seconds whilst you wind the handle. When you literally have kilos to peel it really helps.

The apfelschaler peeling an apple.

My Dad gets given boxes of apples and I help him to cook through an apple mountain (not even an exaggeration). We peel, cook the apples and place them in take away pots, lots of apple sauce, and freeze them. I now have a whole shelf of apple sauce in my freezer that is not mine.

Chutney made with apples is mind-blowingly good and great for Christmas gifts. If you make batches it becomes easy (just watch out for apple volcanos), then you cook the chutney as a hit with some boiling hot apple chutney will smart.

But perhaps you have no apples?

If you are lucky enough to look around villages surrounding Harrogate, they give them away for free by the side of the road. Local farm shops and fruit and vegetable shops have fruit racks that are groaning under the strain with every variety – much better than the supermarket fruits that can sometimes be months old.

Stephanie cooking.

There is always the plan to let someone else do the work. Nothing beats an Elite Meat pork and apple burger, a Taylor’s apple cinnamon tea or a Rosebud Preserves wild crab apple jelly.

Can you Adam and Eve it?

Till next time!

For more information on Stephanie Moon’s career in food click here.

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One incredible Harrogate man cooks 6,000 charity meals

An incredible Harrogate man who really stepped up to the plate has single handedly cooked more than 6,000 meals for charity since the start of the pandemic.

Paul Welch started by cooking meals for his daughters who both work in the NHS. But he wanted to help more people so partnered with Supporting Older People (SOP).

Those behind SOP were delighted to work with Paul. The small and local charity was able to use its connections and experience to distribute the meals to those most in need.

Kate Rogata, the director of SOP, told the Stray Ferret:

“There is a lot of hidden poverty in Harrogate. The coronavirus pandemic has really excacerbated the problem. For some people Paul’s meals have been a lifeline. It’s not just older people that we help but anyone who is vulnerable and in need of a helping hand.”

The Supporting Older People team celebrating with Paul Welch as he passed the 5,000 meal milestone. Photo: Ernesto Rogata

There is no sign of stopping for 58-year-old Paul who uses a wheelchair after a paragliding accident 20 years ago. He spends 10 hours every day preparing, cooking and freezing food.

He has recently been reinvigorated after a major donation of £10,000 from Techbuyer, which has its UK base in Harrogate. That money will help him cook many more meals.

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It will also go towards one of his new projects. With Christmas looking like it will be particularly difficult for many this year, he wants to cook a three course dinner for more than 250 people.

He said, on reaching his major milestone, that he has “been thrilled to help people, particularly older people, then it’s definitely worthwhile.”

Supporting Older People had to adapt at the start of the pandemic. Instead of its usual meet ups and home visits the charity had to move online and by phone.

The charity also used its network of volunteers, which has grown to 200 during the pandemic, to deliver free weekly Asda essential hampers.

It also hopes, in the next couple of weeks, to establish coronavirus secure afternoon tea for up to six people.

Mrs Rogata added that while telephone calls help with loneliness that many still miss meeting up with people face to face.