There’s been an appeal for donations of pet food in Harrogate as owners struggle to feed their animals.

The call for donations has come from the Harrogate District Foodbank after finding that many pet owners feel they cannot afford to keep their pets with the rising cost of living.

Dog food prices in particular have risen by 40%.

Seeing the appeal, a Harrogate pet shop owner volunteered to collect and deliver pet food donations for distribution across Harrogate district.

Jon Bradley, owner of HG Pets on Cold Bath Road is asking pet owners to come to the store and give unwanted pet food away.

He said:

“We will take any pet food – if it has been sitting in the cupboard because your pet doesn’t like it, we’ll have it. If it is opened, we can tape it up and it can be donated.

The appeal is for all types of small animal pet food –whether that is for a budgie or a dog.”

Mr Bradley said many pet owners are being forced to consider giving away their pets:

“Having got two dogs, I can’t think of anything worse than having to choose between them or myself… I’d put my animal first if I didn’t have a wife and daughter.”

More information regarding food banks in Harrogate district is available on the Harrogate District Foodbank website or via their email at: info@harrogatedistrict.foodbank.org.uk.

If you wish to donate pet food to HG Pets, you can visit them at 47 Cold Bath Road or call at: 07921 169061.

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During the current climate, we all need a bit of sparkle in our lives.

And what better way to inject some festive cheer than switching on the Christmas lights.

Here are the dates for your diary for switch-on events across the district:

Harrogate – Thursday, November 17

The countdown to Christmas in Harrogate will officially get underway this evening, with Harrogate BID flicking the festive switch.

There will be no official switch-on event this year, however Christmas lights around the town centre will start to dazzle for the first time this evening.

The whole town will be illuminated by the weekend.

Ripon – Saturday, November 19

Ripon’s festive season gets into full swing this weekend, with the switch-on of the city’s Christmas lights on Saturday.

The city’s Market Square will be a hive of activity from 1pm, ahead of the lights switch-on, which takes place at 5pm.

The reindeer, which proved popular when they visited Ripon for last year’s event, will be returning with Santa and once again there will be free fairground rides and a climbing wall for children to enjoy.

The Ripon City Council event will also provide free musical entertainment from 2pm.

Knaresborough – Friday, November 25

Boroughbridge – Wednesday, December 7

Santa’s sleigh out and about in Boroughbridge in 2018.

The annual late night Christmas Shopping and lights switch-on event, organised by the town’s Chamber of Trade, will take place on Wednesday, December 7.

The event kicks-off with the official switch-on of the Christmas tree lights in Hall Square at 5.30pm, followed by short performances by school choirs.

Boroughbridge Lions will have Santa and his sleigh on display and there will be children’s rides, along with the Scouts’ roast chestnuts and Brighter Boroughbridge with a mulled wine and mince pies stall. There will also be a hog roast.

The shop window display competition theme this year is “A Christmas Panto”.

The lights on the Christmas tree will be switched on by BBC Radio York’s Georgey Spanswick and the Mayor, Sean Hynes.

Children across Ukraine will have presents to open this Christmas thanks to the hard work of a Knaresborough couple.

Retired lorry driver Bob Frendt, who has taken five truckloads of aid to the country since Russia invaded in February, decided in the summer to collect gifts to deliver in time for Christmas.

After appealing for help through the Stray Ferret, he received numerous donations — including a generous £30,000 of toys from one anonymous benefactor. He even had to attach a trailer to his lorry to enable him to take the medical supplies he had been given by Medequip and Andway.

Mr Frendt’s wife Maureen travelled with him this time and the couple set off on Thursday, November 3.

However, their plans to hand everything over at the Polish border, as he has done on most of his previous trips, went awry. Mr Frendt said:

“I could write a 13-part series about this trip. If it could go wrong, it did.

“We actually had to go into Ukraine. We got a message on the Friday night that the guys couldn’t get out of Ukraine because there was an embargo on civilians aged 16 to 70 leaving.

“We were 30 miles from the border and it’s a case of, what do you do? I wasn’t going to turn round and bring it all back.

“Maureen wasn’t too happy about it, but it is reasonably safe to cross the border there, so that’s what we did.”

Travelling into Ukraine for only the second time allowed him to see where the medical donations would be used, in the hospital in the city of Volodymir-Volynskyi, just over the border.

The couple were also delighted to hand over the 5,000 toys ready to be distributed to children around the country, including in Kyiv, Lviv and Kherson.

Read more:

• Donor to fill Knaresborough man’s lorry with hundreds toys for Ukraine
• Knaresborough man appeals for help to bring Christmas cheer to Ukraine

Mr Frendt was also able to present a painting of Knaresborough to a journalist he met during his last visit, who wrote about his efforts in the local paper. He also met one of the ‘activists’ fighting the Russians, Constantine, who expressed his gratitude for all the couple’s efforts. Mr Frendt said:

“Constantine said to us, ‘when this is over, you and your wife must come back as our guests and stay for a week and we’ll show you the lakes’.

“He said if we come back, they’ll make me president of Volodymir-Volynskyi and Maureen would be first lady!”

Returning to Poland, the couple met friends who put them up in a hotel for the night and took them out for dinner to thank them for what they had done.

Bob and Maureen Frendt

They made it back to Knaresborough at the weekend and Mr Frendt is already planning his next trip – though not until the spring, when the weather improves and he has had a break over the winter.

He hopes to set up a family disco fundraiser to help him buy more medical equipment, alongside the donations of kit he regularly receives from companies like Andway and Medequip. He hopes to put on a raffle and it appealing for donations of prizes from local businesses.

He wants to take out defibrillators, hospital armchairs, ultrasound machines and surgical equipment, as well as the tools to maintain them. To do that, he needs more donations from the public – everything from cash to raffle prizes to tools.

He said:

“It feels like this trip was years of planning. I haven’t got an organisation behind me – all there is is me and Maureen and that’s it.

“It’s hard graft, going round and asking people if they can help. But I’ve just got to do what I can.

“The people over there have no food. They’re going to the river and filling up cans for water. The hospitals are desperate.

“It’s so difficult for us to appreciate and understand what having nothing really is.”

To support Mr Frendt’s efforts for Ukraine, or to make a donation, click here to email him.

A tennis tournament created in memory of a Knaresborough headteacher was held for the first time this week.

Knaresborough King James Tennis Club hosted the tournament following the death of John Forster at the age of 85.

Mr Forster, who was headteacher at King James’s School for 16 years, had a passion for tennis and championed the sport to the point where the school’s teams reached national and regional finals.

He was also a founding member of Knaresborough Tennis Club.

The very first John Forster tournament was organised by John’s son Mike Forster.

On setting up the tournament, Mike said:

“Dad loved his sport, being a devoted runner, tennis player and Leeds United fan.

“His contribution to KKJTC over the years is incalculable and I’m absolutely thrilled that the club decided to create this tournament in his memory.”

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Although very close-fought, the inaugural event was won by Andy Little and Jeanette Bowden, stalwarts of KKJTC’s mixed teams competing in the Harrogate District Tennis League.

Mike added:

“It was without doubt the best turnout we’ve ever had for a club tournament with dozens of participants, so I’d like to thank everyone who took part for a fitting tribute to Dad. He would have been competing if he could.

“He was always passionate about getting people involved in sport, especially pupils from local schools, and he would have been very pleased to know that the tournament will be contested every year now.

“We are proud that our club reflects my dad’s principles of being friendly and welcoming to all standards of player, so if anyone would like to join us, do please get in touch.”

A gold ring owned by a Celtic leader and unearthed in Knaresborough could be sold for up to £30,000.

The Iron Age jewellery dating back to 110BC was discovered in the town in 1994.

It is set to go to auction next week and is valued between £24,000 and £30,000.

The ring’s distinctive abstract design is linked to the Iceni tribe, which ruled a large part of East Anglia before the Roman invasion.

Experts believe the ring to have been worn by a chieftain from the Corieltauvi tribe, which ruled parts of the Midlands and Yorkshire.

Nigel Mills, consultant from Noonans auctioneers, described it as an exciting artefact to examine.

He said:

“It is the most exciting ring I have had the pleasure of examining and is likely to have been worn by an Iron Age chieftain from the Corieltauvi tribe which inhabited Yorkshire at that time.”

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The ring has been in private collection ever since it was discovered 28 years ago.

The North Yorkshire coroner declared the ring a stray find and therefore not treasure under the Treasure Trove law and it has been kept privately ever since.

This will be the first time the historic ring has been to auction.

It is set to go under the hammer on November 16.

No Annual Remembrance services will take place across the district this weekend to honour the fallen.

Below is a list of events. If you know of others, let us know so we can add them to this guide. Email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Ripon

Sunday November 13: 11am – Remembrance Sunday service at the war memorial in Spa Gardens, where there will be a two-minute silence before wreaths are laid in honour of the fallen, by civic dignitaries, members of the armed forces, the RBL and representatives of other organisations.

Those planning to attend are asked to arrive by 10.30am.

Harrogate

Town centre

Sunday November 13:

Town Centre

10.30am – Parade and wreath laying ceremony at the Harrogate war memorial. The service will include the Army Foundation College, the Royal British Legion, regimental associations, uniformed cadets and scouts and guides.

Stonefall Cemetery

1pm – Harrogate Brigantes Rotary has arranged a service for 1pm at the Commonwealth War Graves. Wreaths will be laid by the Harrogate Mayoress, Andrew Jones MP, the Army Foundation College and representatives from the Commonwealth.

Starbeck

11am – gathering of residents at the war memorial on the Starbeck High Street.

3pm — Ceremony at Starbeck war memorial. The service will include the Royal British Legion, uniformed cadets, the brigades, students from Starbeck Primary Academy and local churches.

Knaresborough

Sunday, November 13: 11am – ceremony at Knaresborough war memorial attended by local officials and Harrogate Army Foundation College.

Nidderdale

Friday, November 11: A service takes place at the Cenotaph in the Pateley Bridge & Bewerley Recreation Park led by the Church in the Dales and the last post will be sounded. There will also be a contingent of 40 junior soldiers attending who will be marching in public for the first time since joining the Harrogate Army Foundation College.
Following this the young soldiers will march to the Pateley Bridge & Bewerley Memorial Hall on Park Road.
There will also be a display of the Nidderdale people who went to war and returned and those who didn’t, displayed by Folk Finders Family History.

Sunday, November 13: 10.15am – ceremony at Summerbridge war memorial

Boroughbridge

10am Service at St James’s Church followed by a parade and wreath laying at Boroughbridge war memorial from 10.45am.

If you want to make a donation to the Royal British Legion click here. 

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A Winter Fayre and Christmas window competition is being held in Knaresborough in December as part of continuing efforts to boost the town.

The event, which is being organised by Knaresborough Business Collective, follows on from the success of the Spring Fayre in April.

Annie Wilkinson-Gill, from The Crystal Buddha, and Natalie Horner, from Sid Horner and Son, founders of the business group, said the event would feature a host of exciting attractions.

They will include children’s rides, a Father Christmas grotto,  live entertainment and music, food and drink stalls and craft workshops, as well as a local artisan market.

The fayre will take place on December 10 from 10am until 4pm on Knaresborough Market Place.

To accompany the event, the group is also hosting a Christmas window competition, which will see businesses in the town create displays with a festive theme before December 9. Prizes will be awarded to the top three best dressed windows.

Ms Wilkinson-Gill said:

“We are so excited to see all your fantastic efforts for Christmas. Knaresborough’s window displays are becoming a tourist attraction for visitors. They are so fantastic, and of course everybody wants to get their hands on one our prestigious trophies!”

The Winter Fayre will take place the week after the Knaresborough Christmas Market weekend on December 3 and 4.

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Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal. 

A Knaresborough marketing and PR agency has announced three new appointments amid continued growth.

Allott and Associates, which has offices at Claro Chambers, has made the recruitment after securing new accounts from both UK and international companies.

Emily Evans has joined as an account manager, Beth Hamby as a PR executive and Josie Bridson as a marketing assistant.

Emily said:

“I’m thrilled to be part of the Allotts team. 

“Despite these challenging times the company is going from strength to strength. I love the can-do philosophy that helps clients get the best results.”

Director Carol Rees said: 

“I’m so pleased to be welcoming Emily, Beth and Josie to Allotts and I’m confident that they will make valuable contributions to the continuing success of the agency.

“Despite the challenges both at home and abroad, we continue to invest in all aspects of the business to deliver effective and fully integrated PR and marketing campaigns, which are enabling our clients to continue winning new work in multiple market sectors.”

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Harrogate Bus Company to mark remembrance

Harrogate Bus Company has announced that its buses will adorn commemorative poppies to mark this year’s Remembrance Day.

The poppies will be prominently displayed on the front of buses on routes covering hundreds of miles every day across the Harrogate district and into West Yorkshire.

Pictured from left are: Terry Wood, President, Royal British Legion; veterans Brian Whittaker and John Mainland; and Transdev engineers Patrick Mclaughlin and Stephen Buckley.

The company will also provide free travel on Remembrance Day this Friday (November 11) and Remembrance Sunday (November 13) to all current service personnel with forces ID, and to veterans in uniform or with their medal.

CEO of parent firm Transdev, Alex Hornby said:

“With financial challenges currently affecting many veterans and their families in the communities we serve, it’s more important than ever that we continue our support for the excellent work done by the Royal British Legion.

“We hope that by prominently showing our support for the Poppy Appeal on our buses, many of our customers will join us in contributing to this excellent cause.

“We want to remember those who gave their lives for our freedom, and to support those living with the impact of conflict today. All our teams at our depots across the North are fully behind this.”

Queues of more than an hour have been reported once again this week due to temporary traffic lights on the edge of Knaresborough.

Three-way lights have been in place to allow Yorkshire Water to carry out work on the A59 near the junction with the A658, near Goldsborough.

The roadworks began affecting the busy commuter route at the beginning of October and have been regularly causing long tailbacks.

And while there has been some relief, with the lights being turned off at different periods throughout the day, it has inevitably caused traffic chaos.

This week drivers have reported queues all the way back to junction 47 of the A1(M) and beyond.

It has also had a major impact on pupils and teachers getting to and from Goldsborough CE Primary School.

With the roadworks due to last until November 27, many people have expressed frustration on social media.

@northyorkscc Could you ask your Highways Department what the point of the temporary traffic lights are at the Goldsborough/Knaresborough A59 roundabout please? The traffic is currently backed up to the A1 at Allerton Park yet there are no roadworks on the A59!!

— Alan Huddart (@alanhuddart) November 8, 2022

One woman wrote on a Facebook group:

“Not helpful when it’s a guessing game every morning to see if they are on or not going to work in York daily.”

Another added:

“50 minutes it’s just taken me to get from Boroughbridge to King James School!”

The Stray Ferret contacted Yorkshire Water for comment but has not had a response.

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An avenue of apple and maple trees will be planted on Harrogate’s Stray this month.

They will be among 800 trees planted by Harrogate Borough Council as part of National Tree Week.

The council will also be planting native trees, including oak, lime and sycamore, at Hay a Park in Knaresborough and at Paddies Park and Gallows Hill in Ripon.

About 500 of the trees have been nurtured at the council’s Harlow Hill nursery.

National Tree Week, which begins on November 26, is the UK’s largest annual tree celebration.

Councillor Sam Gibbs, the council’s cabinet member for environment, waste reduction and recycling, said:

“Planting more trees is a priority for us and this project supports a number of schemes – the White Rose Forest, for example – that will help address the climate situation and deliver carbon reduction initiatives throughout the Harrogate district.

“We couldn’t do it without the help of volunteers so I’d like to thank everyone who has either provided a sapling or will be planting a tree.”

More information about National Tree Week is available on the Tree Council website.

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