Harrogate was favoured with a rare royal visit today, when Princess Anne made three separate appearances in the town.
As patron of the UK’s two Police Treatment Centres, the Princess Royal visited the new clinical services wing at St Andrews PTC on Harlow Moor Road.
The PTCs treat injured and ill police members through its physiotherapy and psychological wellbeing programmes, and the new facility was created to meet the increased demand for psychological wellbeing support.
Patrick Cairns, chief executive of the PTC, said:
“For Her Royal Highness to convey her support for the police treatment centres by becoming our patron is a tremendous honour for our charity and it is clear that the Princess Royal understands the challenges that the police service are currently under and the work that we do in treating ill and injured police officers for a range of physical and mental health injuries.”
Credit: Tim Hardy.
The princess then headed to Starbeck charity Claro Enterprises, whose commercial workshops enable people with long-term mental health conditions to function in a real work environment.
It was the princess’s second visit to Claro Enterprises; her first visit 30 years ago prompted several changes at the charity, including the development of ongoing revenue streams via partnerships with some of the region’s best-known companies, such as Betty’s, Farrah’s and Robert Thompson’s Craftsmen, maker of Mouseman furniture.
Claro Enterprises general manager Owen Jones said:
“It was a real privilege to receive a second visit from Princess Anne today. We had about 40 people here to meet her and they loved it.
“She was great – from the moment she got out of the car, she was relaxed and very personable, talking to everybody and taking a real interest in what they do. It was fantastic.”
Finally, she headed up Station Parade and dropped in on Woods Fine Linen, the long-established family business which has supplied royal households since it was founded in 1895.
William Woods and his daughter, interior design director Sarah Woods (second left), greet the Princess Royal as crowds look on.
William Woods, chief executive of Woods Fine Linen, told the Princess Royal:
“Words cannot adequately describe our gratitude and appreciation of your visit today. It means a huge amount to us all and encourages us to maintain our family values of quality, high standards and sustainability in everything we do. We have never been part of the throwaway society.”
Mr Woods presented the princess with a selection of products, including one of his company’s famous linen dishcloths and a luxury pillow wrapped in brown paper and string — as has been the tradition at Woods for over 125 years.
He also gave her the two volumes of Wells and Swells: The Golden Age of Harrogate Spa, 1842–1923, by his good friend and local historian, the late Malcolm Neesam.
The royal helicopter landed on the Stray and then took Princess Anne to West Yorkshire. Photo: Lucy Arundel.
Mr Woods added:
“Her Royal Highness was delightful. She’s a very knowledgeable lady, and she’d clearly done her homework.”
The Princess Royal, 73, has long been regarded as one of the hardest-working royals – last year, she attended 214 engagements – and following her three stops in Harrogate, her helicopter took off from the Stray to take her to further engagements in West Yorkshire.
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In pictures: Great Yorkshire Show 2022 highlights
The 163rd Great Yorkshire Show returned to Harrogate this week for a sold out event.
All 140,000 tickets were snapped up in advance for the annual event, which started on Tuesday and finished on Friday.
Visitors flocked to the show, which featured a host of celebrities, including former Blue Peter presenter Matt Baker and shepherdess and presenter Amanda Owen.
An array of attractions were also on display, including sheepdog trials, horse showing classes and a pigeon show.
Meanwhile, some of the best farms across the north of England competed for the Tye Trophy, which recognises the contribution of farmers to conservation and environmental improvement.
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Princess Anne attended on the opening day to mark another royal visit.
Charles Mills, show director, said:
“It was a real honour to welcome the Princess Royal to the Great Yorkshire Show again this year.”
The Princess Royal visited the food hall, cheese show and farming charities as well as the bicentenary celebrations of the Shorthorn cattle breed.
Here are some pictures from this year’s event.
The Great Yorkshire Show could welcome 140,000 visitors next week, with tickets already sold out for Wednesday and Thursday.
The county’s showpiece agricultural event will take place over four days from Tuesday to Friday next week at the Great Yorkshire Showground in Harrogate.
In 2021, organisers capped the number of visitors at 104,000 and made the show a four-day event to spread out the number of visitors due to covid.
This year, the show is back to full strength and the last few tickets are available for Tuesday and Friday. Tickets are available here and won’t be sold at the gates.
As well as the usual animal shows, activities, stalls and competitions, Tuesday will see a royal visit from Princess Anne and a new GYS stage will welcome TV stars Matt Baker, Amanda Owen and Peter Wright.
Show director Charles Mills said:
“We have capacity for 140,000 visitors across the four days and there are no ticket sales on the gate so anyone who wants to come and enjoy the show needs to be buying their tickets as soon as possible.”
The Stray Ferret will be attending the show and will also be giving traffic updates from Wetherby Road and Harrogate town centre each morning.
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Princess Anne to visit Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Show
The Princess Royal is to attend this year’s Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate.
Princess Anne will attend on the first day of the four-day show, Tuesday, July 12. She has visited the show numerous times, most recently in 2018.
She is patron of the Beef Shorthorn Cattle Society and the Shorthorn Society of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and will be attending to celebrate 200 years of the Shorthorn breed.
The Tuesday will include a celebration day of the Shorthorn breed. Some 200 Shorthorns will participate in a parade at the showground.
Show director Charles Mills said:
“We are honoured that Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal will be visiting the Great Yorkshire Show and I shall be proud to accompany her throughout.
“This will be a very special year for the Shorthorn breed and a what better way to mark the anniversary than with a visit from their patron and a wonderful royal visitor.”
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The farming and countryside showcase expects to welcome around 35,000 visitors each day to watch competitive classes, animal showcases and to sample to local produce in the food hall.
Harrogate charity chief executive Frances Elliot receives MBEA Harrogate charity chief executive has been awarded the MBE at Windsor Palace.
Frances Elliot, who leads Harrogate and District Community Action, received the accolade yesterday from Princess Anne.
It was awarded in the 2021 Queen’s birthday honours for services to the community in Harrogate during the pandemic.
Ms Elliot said:
“It was good to have the opportunity to be able to tell her about the crucial role our volunteers and staff have played in supporting our community here in Harrogate and Ripon.
“Whilst it was slightly nerve-wracking when I first got there, I was put at ease and made to feel very welcome by everyone at Windsor Castle.”
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Ms Elliot has been involved in the district’s voluntary sector for 10 years. For nine of these years, she led HADCA’s Harrogate Easier Living Project, which offers practical support services assisting people to live safe and well at home.
In May 2020, she took over as HADCA chief executive from Karen Weaver and spearheaded the charity’s response to covid.
Proud to have been awarded an MBE at Windsor, in recognition of what we have collectively achieved during the pandemic. I feel so lucky to lead a caring & resourceful staff team @hadcacharity @HELP_Harrogate & none of it possible without our kind & committed volunteers. pic.twitter.com/o5OpomNXn8
— Frances Elliot (@FrancesElliot) February 16, 2022
HADCA supports other charities in the district as well as providing services.
It coordinated more than 250 volunteers to help local people on over 8,000 occasions with practical and emotional support when they were shielding or self-isolating during the pandemic.