A 10 kilometre race and fun run that raise money for a Harrogate district primary school is set to return this month.

The event, which was founded by race director Rebecca Owen, is called Beck Busters and helps Bishop Monkton Church of England Primary School.

It hopes to generate £10,000 to get an all-weather track for the school field that children can use all year round.

Beck Busters didn’t take place last year because of lockdown restrictions but will return on September 19 for a fourth time.

Nina Swainston, one of the organisers, said:

“It’s a big local community event, anyone of all ages can take part.”

Read More:

• Fun runs to restart in Harrogate
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Ms Swainston said runners were still welcome to enter. There are currently about 20 spaces for children out of a maximum entry of 150 and about 110 adult spaces out of a maximum entry of 330.

Entry costs £5 for children and £18 for adults (£16 for members of a running club).

The Beck Buster run is 10 kilometres, while the fun run is two kilometres.

Participants from clubs such as Ripon Runners and Harrogate Harriers have taken part.

In past years, the fundraiser has allowed the school to afford iPads for children, as well as save towards creating an all-weather track.

For more information see the Beck Busters website.

Laura’s Law is a monthly legal column, written by family lawyer, Laura Mounsey. Laura is a partner at Harrogate Family Law. She specialises in dealing with divorced couples and people who have been in abusive relationships. Her role involves protecting her clients’ assets and income if they want to live with someone or get married and resolving disagreements about children.

This week Laura advises on what to do if your ex is weaponising your children.

If you are in the process of separating (or thinking about doing so), you may be terrified about losing your children. You may be worried that your ex will be so intent on ‘revenge’, that they will try to weaponise your children against you.

Typically, by the time that people ask for my help, they tell me that their:

1. Children’s opinion of them has become very negative
2. Children are acting out against them and rejecting them
3. Ex keeps taking their children away from them
4. Ex has made all sorts of allegations about them as a parent

It isn’t uncommon for children to struggle with their parents’ separation. However, sometimes your ex may throw your children into the middle of a conflict by manipulating their view of you and burdening them by having to ‘choose a side’. Being bombarded with such responsibility and pressure can cause them significant distress.

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It is not fair for your ex to try to damage your children’s relationship with you. However, it can and does happen. It’s likely to get worse the longer you leave it. Sadly, I have seen an increase in this behaviour during the pandemic lockdown. Particularly where children have been withheld from seeing one of their parents.

Often, if you approach your ex on your own and challenge them about the way that they are treating your children, they will deny it. This often backfires and allows your ex to spin your concerns against you, as if you are in the wrong. This can leave you feeling trapped without a way out.

Does this sound familiar?

When you separate, your children need you both more than ever and that should be a priority. However, your ex may see your children as a way to get what they want, regardless of what damage they may cause getting there.

It isn’t impossible to deal with your ex’s behaviour however it is time critical because the more you delay, the more damage may be done. To disarm your ex, for your children’s sake as well as your own, it is vital that you reach out.

You should also consider:

1. Telling your ex in writing about your concerns and set out why
2. Keeping a log of what has been happening
3. Asking for professional support for you and/or the children

This is particularly important, now that we are in another lockdown. Even though we cannot meet in person for now, you can still reach out and get help. The court is also still open, so you are not alone.

To find out more about Laura and her speciality in family law, click here.

Playgrounds are set to reopen from 4 July delighting many parents and guardians in the district.

The sunny weather has brought many people out into the parks to enjoy the outdoors and from next month the playgrounds will also be open for children to enjoy.

One parent told The Stray Ferret:

“Its really hard to keep telling them that everything is closed so it’ll be nice to have a bit of normality back”.

Read more:

• Harrogate Brigantes Rotary have launched a children’s poetry competition to raise money for their covid relief fund. 
• WATCH as the grandparents meet their grandchild for the first time since lockdown began. 

But not all were in agreement, some parents are still worried about how these places can be kept clean:

“I’m a little nervous just because of all the touching and the kids in close quarters, I don’t know if they’re going to be cleaning it regularly.”

Harrogate parents were pleased with the announcement that playgrounds could reopen but still hoped safety measures would be put in place.

The announcement is a welcome relief for parents and guardians who have had children waiting to be allowed to use their local parks.

Harrogate Borough Council has said it’s looking at plans to open the facilities and more information will be released soon.

Ripon’s main Post Office is moving from Finkle Street to a more easily accessible retail unit in The Arcade, off Market Place.

Postmistress Amy Kaur, told The Stray Ferret:

“We have wanted to move for some time, because the steps outside our current premises make access difficult for the elderly, disabled, wheelchair users and people with children in prams and pushchairs.”

The city’s Post Office (pictured) has been in Finkle Street for more than 60 years and over the last six decades the services it provides have evolved.

Amy, pointed out:

“In additional to selling postage stamps, accepting parcels for delivery, paying out pensions, handling passport and driving licence applications and car tax renewals, we provide financial services ranging from travel currency to business banking and cash and cheque transactions.”

The new unit in The Arcade, which has street-level access, will be fully operational by September, when Amy and her colleagues Raj Raj, Sue Lewis and Gordon Royle move to the new location.

As well as providing the full range of Post Office services, the office will include a Quidz In value store.

A key element of the service provided is also expanding – as the mobile  Post Office unit headed by Gordon Royle, now covers 22 towns and villages in the  Ripon area, with the possibility of a further two locations to be added.

Gordon, said: “During the current coronavirus crisis, when many people living in rural communities remain isolated in their homes and unable to travel to Ripon, the mobile service has grown in popularity.”