People in the Harrogate district are urged to book their covid booster vaccines as more clinics are set to open.
Currently, appointments are being offered at the Yorkshire Events Centre and Chain Lane vaccination centre in Knaresborough as well as some local surgeries.
The autumn booster campaign began across most of the UK last week, with care home residents being vaccinated first.
Those aged 65 and over are now being invited to have their booster vaccine.
In Harrogate, some appointments will be available at the Great Yorkshire Showground’s Event Centre, although booking is advised via the NHS website or by calling 119.
A clinic was held from Monday to Thursday this week and another will take place in three weeks’ time.
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In Knaresborough, Homecare Pharmacy Services are offering a clinic at Chain Lane on Wednesday (September 21) and Saturday (September 24). Both clinics will be held from 9am until 4pm.
Other sites delivering autumn vaccinations in the Harrogate district include Ripon Spa Surgery, Kingswood Medical Centre and East Parade Surgery.
Appointments at the site must be booked through the NHS. Patients are urged not to call surgeries to book their vaccines.
Steve Russell, NHS director of vaccinations and screening, said:
Knaresborough man sentenced to 13 years in prison for manslaughter“There is no room for complacency in keeping covid-19 on the backfoot, and this autumn booster will help protect those most at risk.”
Knaresborough man Dean Kilkenny has been sentenced to 13 years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter following the death of a man at a pub.
Kilkenny, 47, and Moverley, 44, were involved in an altercation with 43-year-old Darron Bower at the Pier Hotel in Withernsea, East Yorkshire, on March 11.
Emergency services attended but Mr Bower died at the scene.
The two men pleaded not guilty to his murder at Sheffield Crown Court last month.
However, Kilkenny, of Whiteley Yard in Knaresborough, admitted manslaughter, whilst Moverley pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm and affray on another man during the altercation.
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After accepting their guilty pleas, Kilkenny was sentenced at Hull Crown Court today to 13 years in prison, with an additional four years on licence. Moverley received a 20-month custodial sentence.
Humberside Police DC Fay Woodhouse said:
“I would like to thank Darron’s family for their patience and courage during the judicial process. Nothing can bring Darron back, but I hope they feel a sense of justice after today’s sentencing.
“This was a violent attack fuelled by alcohol that occurred in a public place and resulted in a man losing his life. I hope this tragic incident causes people to reflect on the devastating impact that such actions can have.”
Mr Bower’s partner said:
Covid infections in Harrogate district lowest for 15 months“The men responsible for this left myself and Darron’s two youngest children living in a nightmare, with the biggest hole in our family’s heart. I have to explain nearly every day to my two little girls why their daddy isn’t coming home.”
Covid infections in the Harrogate district have fallen to their lowest level since June last year.
Latest figures show the district’s weekly infection rate per 100,000 people currently stands at 47. The last time it was below this level was 15 months ago.
The rate is also well below its record of 1,906 in January when the Omicron variant fuelled a huge wave of infections at the peak of winter.
Health experts have predicted there will be a jump in covid and flu infections ahead of this winter, and they are urging anyone who is eligible for an extra vaccine to boost their protection against both illnesses.
The autumn booster campaign began across most of the UK last week, with care home residents being vaccinated first.
The other groups who qualify and will be invited over the coming weeks are:
Adults aged 50 and over
- People aged five to 49 with health conditions that put them at higher risk,
- Pregnant women
- Care home staff
- Front line health and social care workers
- Carers aged 16 to 49
- Household contacts of people with weakened immune systems
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In Harrogate, some walk-in appointments are available at the Great Yorkshire Showground’s Event Centre, although booking is advised via the NHS website or by calling 119.
North Yorkshire Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is running covid vaccinations at the site everyday between 9am and 5pm until Friday.
The CCG said those eligible must be aged 80 and over, or work in health and social care, or were previously shielding.
Meanwhile, Harrogate District Hospital currently has 28 covid-positive patients, although only two of these are primarily receiving treatment for the virus.
The hospital last reported the death of a patient who tested within 28 days on 19 August, with its toll since the pandemic began standing at 274.
Business Breakfast: Knaresborough firms to be quizzed on energy billsBusiness Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal.
Knaresborough businesses are to be quizzed about the impact of higher energy bills.
Knaresborough Chamber of Trade & Commerce said at its latest meeting it would undertake a survey of local businesses in the coming weeks.
It will attempt to find out how much their bills are increasing by and how much difference recently announced government plans to support them will make.
Peter Lacey, executive member of the chamber, which has about 60 members, said the online survey was likely to go out in the middle of next week and it is hoped members and non-members will respond to provide a fuller picture of the situation confronting businesses in the town.
Harrogate law firm partners with Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust.
LCF Law staff plant hundreds of trees at their first volunteering day.
Harrogate law firm, LCF Law has entered a partnership with the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust.
LCF Law will help the trust, which looks after the Yorkshire Dales, plant 1,000 trees over the next two years.
Simon Stell, managing partner at LCF Law, said:
“We are hugely committed to working sustainably and offsetting our carbon footprint and we also want to leave a long-term legacy.”
Staff at the law firm, which employs 125 people at offices in Harrogate, Bradford, Leeds and Ilkley, will volunteer for the trust as part of the partnership.
In 2021, the trust planted 31,851 trees.
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Floral tributes to Queen increase at Harrogate war memorial
About 100 floral tributes to the Queen have now been placed at Harrogate war memorial.
People began laying flowers shortly after the Queen’s death was announced on Thursday.
The number has grown steadily since, with many accompanied by moving handwritten notes, some written by children.
Yesterday, Andrew Jones, the MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, signed the book of condolence at St. Peter’s Church in Harrogate.
Mr Jones had previously attended the choral matins special memorial service for the Queen.
St. Peter’s is open from 8:30am-6-30pm every day during the period of mourning where there is a book of condolence that people can write in.
Also, on Wednesday and Friday at 12noon there will be a short act of prayer.
Andrew Jones signs the book of condolences at St Peter’s Church. Credit: Steve Martin
At County Hall in Northallerton, councillor Margaret Atkinson, who is chair of the council and represents Masham and Fountains, read the local proclamation of King Charles III yesterday.
Today, the local proclamation of King Charles III was read by Cllr Margaret Atkinson, Chair of the Council, on the steps of County Hall in Northallerton.
God save the King. pic.twitter.com/AKgSitiNlh
— North Yorkshire Council (@northyorksc) September 11, 2022
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- ‘I was so very lucky to have met her’ — Former director of Great Yorkshire Show pays tribute to the Queen
Bells ring out across the district once more as Charles III proclaimed King
Bells are ringing out once more across the Harrogate district today to formally proclaim King Charles III as the new sovereign.
This time it is a celebratory peal to mark the King’s ascension to the throne.
The Reverend Judith Clark, assistant curate on placement at St Peter’s, Harrogate, said:
“When the bells ring out today they will be unmuffled for the proclamation of King Charles III.”
After today, bells will then be muffled again until the day of the Queen’s funeral.
Churches remain open today for tributes, reflection and mourning.
Special services in commemoration of the Queen are also taking place across the district, including at St Peter’s Church, St John’s, Knaresborough, and Ripon Cathedral.
‘Fondly’ remembering the Queen’s visits to the Harrogate districtThe links between the Queen and the Harrogate district stretch back decades, including a visit in 1952 before her coronation.
They include appearances at the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate to her trips to Ripon, including her 2004 visit for another important anniversary – 400 years since the granting of the city’s Royal Charter.
Reflecting on her visit on December 10, 1998, a spokesperson for Harrogate Theatre said:
“Harrogate Theatre fondly remembers her visit and the warmth she extended to our staff and members of the public. Our sincere condolences go out to the Royal Family.”
The Queen visits Harrogate Theatre in 1998. Photo: Harrogate Theatre.
The Queen touched the lives of all those who met her, including residents in the district. Many recalled those occasions just recently, when communities celebrated her platinum jubilee.
Janine Jennings, from Hampsthwaite, said:
“It was her Silver Jubilee 1977 and I was pulled out of the crowd to meet her and as I presented her the flowers, she asked if I had grown them myself. I said yes, but actually, my mum, Mrs Johnson and I borrowed them from the empty police house next to us. So I lied to the queen!
“This picture (below) appeared in the paper, my mum kept it framed in her bedroom. It was really very special to meet the Queen and I remember it clearly to this day and always will.”
Claire H Beresford-Robinson said:
“I was lucky to meet the Queen when she visited the Great Yorkshire Showground and our tent ‘Growing up in North Yorkshire’.
“I attended Woodlands School at the time. It was our moment to shine. The Queen looked at the work I was doing and said “splendid work”. I will never forget this moment.
“Our school was chosen to attend the same day the Queen was coming. I’ll never forget the fabulous feeling at age 11 to be told I was selected to meet the Queen.”
Claire H. Beresford-Robinson also sent the above photograph of the Queen looking at the work of Woodlands School pupils.
She said:
“This is me and my friends at Woodlands School with headteacher Mr Dunmore in the background.”
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Karen Wenham said:
“I remember when I was in my last year at Starbeck CP School and the Queen came to visit in 1977. We all went up to the Great Yorkshire Showground and I took a posy of flowers for her. It always sticks in my mind.
“A couple of years ago I was invited to go to the palace, as I am an ambassador for a charity, and Sophie Wessex was lovely and we chatted.
“We were told the Queen was in residence that night and not to be surprised if she came down with her corgis, as she likes to surprise people.”
Rick Vai sent the photo below of the Queen visiting Knaresborough, which sparked memories from other residents.
Karen Allan said:
“They passed along King James Road, fronting King James School. We were all lined up for her.”
Sarah Brown added:
Knaresborough café holds first dog tea party“I remember this. I was one of those school children lined up outside King James School in Knaresborough.”
A Knaresborough café has played host to its first dog tea party, with both canines and owners getting sweet treats.
Scarlett’s tea room welcomed 25 white and fluffy Coton de Tulears.
The dogs went for a walk around the town with their owners before heading to the tea room to enjoy cake for humans and treats and chews for the dogs.
Sarah Williams, who runs Scarlett’s, called the event “hugely fun.”
The dogs getting treats at the tearoom (photo: Sarah Williams)
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The dogs with their owners (photo: Sarah Williams)
The Coton de Tulear is a small dog which originates from Madagascar.
They are known to be affectionate and playful, and are closely related to the Bichon Frise and Maltese breeds.
The dog owners who came to Knaresborough on Sunday are members of a Facebook group that occasionally meets up to walk their dogs together.
Ms Williams heard about the group through Hayley Goddard, who also works at the café, and said “why don’t you come to Knaresborough.”
25 dogs were at the event with their owners (photos: Sarah Williams)
According to Ms Williams, Scarlett’s team room has long proved popular with dogs. She said:
“We’ve got so many dogs that come into the tearoom. Some of them have to coax their owners in… And the dogs know that they can come get a treat. So as soon as they’re [nearby], they’re in here dragging their owners.”
Thankfully, she added, all the dogs were well behaved.
The dogs first went for a walk around Knaresborough (photo: Sarah Williams)
Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal.
A new partner has been appointed at Knaresborough-based HPH Chartered Accountants.
Alice Di Domenico joins Adrian Rodaway and Sarah Wearing at the helm of the firm, which has offices at Conyngham Hall as well as in York.
A spokesperson for the company said:
“Alice is the latest to join a succession of partners who have provided accountancy services since the firm’s founding in 1898 and her appointment ensures our ability to look after clients going forward.
“Alice joined HPH in 2016, bringing to the firm a wealth of practical and technical experience, while strengthening our relationship with the next generation of clients; her colleagues within the team value her sunny disposition.”
The company said Alice was bringing a fresh look at its services and a desire to drive it “forward into the 21st century”.
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Harrogate firms vie for digital awards
Two Harrogate firms have been shortlisted in the Leeds Digital Festival Awards.
Co-Lab Harrogate, based at Harrogate Convention Centre, is nominated in the facilitator of the year category, against NorthInvest, Propel@YH and Sarah Tulip.
And FinancialForce EMEA, on Cardale Park, is competing for the international award against Scaled Insights, Glean, Abstract Tech and COVVI Hand.
The awards will be handed out on Thursday, September 29 at Belgrave Music Hall in Leeds.
Stray Views: Knaresborough Cemetery deserves more careStray 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.
Knaresborough Cemetery deserves more care too
I see Mark Anthony Taylor (previous Stray Views) is unhappy with the way the grass is cut at Stonefall. You are lucky. We have had this for the past four years to my knowledge.
Knaresborough has seen even worse service with the grass cutting team regularly pulled off for six weeks at a time from cutting our cemetery grass. The response I got was they are letting it grow for biodiversity.
This was in the “new section” where it was thigh high in places. The team meanwhile were planting pretty flowers in Harrogate. Be grateful your grass is cut.
Jayne Jackson, Knaresborough
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Oak Beck land sale
I totally agree that this should never be sold – it provides a safe place for wildlife, play areas and walks.
Harrogate Borough Council getting it wrong again.
Gillian Long, Harrogate
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.