Projects focused on nature, the environment and carbon reduction were to the fore at last night’s Ripon Civic Awards.
Three months after Ripon Civic Society held its biennial awards in April 2022, North Yorkshire Council declared a climate emergency and planned steps that it would take, alongside stakeholders, to tackle the issue of climate change under its strategy Beyond Carbon.
Since then, incidents such as the criminal felling of the Sycamore Gap tree on Hadrian’s Wall in Northumbria and council-sanctioned removal of trees at other locations across the UK, have increased both public and corporate awareness of the role that the natural environment plays alongside the built environment,
Prior to last night’s awards ceremony at the Workhouse Museum in Allhallowgate, civic society co-chair Richard Taylor, told the Stray Ferret:
“There was a common green thread running through the majority of entries considered by our panel of judges for the 2024 awards.
“We saw environmental consideration at the heart of the planning and delivery of developments and projects, ranging from the construction of a single private residence to Econ Engineering’s world-first multi-function E-QCB electric gritter, invented here in Ripon.”
ECON’s E-QCB electric gritter was highly commended at last night’s awards.
Mr Taylor and fellow civic society co-chair David Winpenny played video footage as they described each of the shortlisted entries, before the winners were announced and trophies presented by Mayor of Ripon Councillor Sid Hawke.
Justin Scully, the National Trust’s general manager at Fountain’s Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden, received, on behalf of the Skell Valley Project, the sustainability award, and also the Helen Whitehead Award for best overall project.
The four-year scheme, which received £2.6 million funding to tackle climate change-related flooding issues along a 12-mile stretch of the river that runs through Ripon and the world heritage site, was launched in 2021 and has seen collaboration between 16 organisations on 15 different environmental enhancement schemes.
Mr Scully said:
“We are extremely grateful for this recognition of our work, which has been made possible through a huge volunteer input and I’m pleased to report that just five percent of the funding monies has been spent at Fountains and Studley Royal, meaning that the entire valley has benefited from this initiative.”
Justin Scully receives the Helen Whitehead Award from mayor Sid Hawke
There was also recognition for other volunteer-supported environmentally focused projects, including the work carried out by the Lower Ure Conservation Trust at Nosterfield, where former sand and gravel pits have become transformed into habitat for an abundant range of wildlife through the re-introduction of threatened native species of plants grown in a nursery on site.
Mr Winpenny said:
“This project ticks every box in terms of its aims and the detailed thought that has been put into its planning and delivery over many years,”
Simon Warwick, director of the Lower Ure Conservation Trust and project officer Emma Higgs, receive the Younge Rosebowl Enviromental Award.
The Ripon Community Link walled garden is, through its on-site and community-based activities, enabling 60 adults with mild or moderate learning disabilities to grow and reach their full potential with the support of volunteers.
Their work was boosted last year with the opening of a new cafe and shop, which provides training opportunities and last night they received the John Whitehead Award,
The new cafe and shop at Ripon Walled Garden
The Hazzard Cup for best new building went to the owners of Maple Nook ,a custom-designed and built private residence on Heckler Lane in Ripon, which includes many eco-friendly features, while the Price Flagon for Best Building Restoration, was presented to the Westholme Road Barns on the Swinton Estate in Masham, where the use of reclaimed materials was central to bringing redundant farm buildings back to life.
The craftmanship award was received by Barrie Price on behalf of St Wilfrid’s Catholic Church on Coltsgate Hill, Ripon, where the second phase of its £500,000 restoration involved the creation of a porch extension to the south of the Grade II star listed building.
Judges were impressed by the use of stone, tiles, green oak timber and glass in sympathy with original design of the 160-year-old building, which now includes a much-needed accessible toilet for the use if parishioners and visitors,
A stone’s throw from the church is the Ripon Inn, which earned the Taylor Plate for City Centre Revitalisation.
The Inn Collection’s multi-million pound investment, which has transformed the former Spa Hotel, is welcomed by the civic society and Mr Taylor (who pointed out that the plate prize is not in his name) said:
“We now hope that the revitalisation of the Spa Quarter can soon be completed through the planned redevelopment of the nearby Spa Baths, which is in desperate need of restoration.”
The Ripon Inn
Just when it was thought that all the prizes had been presented, a new award was announced for the person who has made an outstanding contribution to Ripon Civic Society.
The inaugural winner Neill Clayton (pictured above with Mayor Sid Hawke) who will be known by many for the railway that he has created in his Dallamire’s Lane garden, which can be seen by people on scenic boat cruises along Ripon Canal.
Mr Clayton has an encyclopedic-knowledge of Ripon’s industrial history and is a long-term member of the society.
He has played an important role in providing accurate background information for heritage open days and also participates in them by allowing members of the public to see and ride on his railway.
He said:
“The industrial development of Ripon is something that we should all be proud of. It is a living thing that goes on, as we have seen tonight with ECON’s world-leading invention of an electric gritter.”
Main picture: The Mayor of Ripon Councillor Sid Hawke, with award winners and civic society co-chairs David Winpenny and Richard Taylor.
Time for a long-term fix for Ripon’s most unreliable civic timepiece
Queen Victoria is not amused! Nor are those Ripon residents and passing road users who want to know the time of day (or night).
The problem is a monumental one and can be seen at the junction of North Road, Palace Road and Princess Road.
The clock tower, paid for by sisters Frances and Constance Cross to commemorate Queen Victoria’s 1897 Diamond Jubilee has, in recent times, become extremely unreliable.
Its hands are currently frozen on 7.37 am (or 7.37 pm) — and won’t be able to mark the arrival of the midnight hour that will herald in the New Year.
Ripon’s constant reminder of Elizabeth II’s 70-year reign comes in the form of the specially-commissioned Platinum Jubilee horn, which is one of the instruments used by hornblowers to set the city’s daily watch at 9pm prompt.
Less than half a mile from Ripon Town Hall, her great-great grandmother’s crossroads timepiece was once a means of reassuring travellers heading for trains at Ure Bank Station that they were not running late.
Victoria, who clocked up 63 years and 216 days on the throne – a record subsequently beaten by Elizabeth II – would surely be bemused by the four-faced clock’s erratic performance.
The clock tower, which was formally inaugurated in June 1898, bears a Ripon Civic Society green plaque and society co-chair Richard Taylor, told the Stray Ferret:
“I was delighted earlier this month, when the clock was fixed by North Yorkshire Council, but when a friend called and said it had stopped again within a matter of weeks, I thought they were winding me up!
“But joking apart, this is a significant and highly-visible monument of historic significance on the approach to the city centre and this time, please can a longer-lasting solution be found to sort out its internal workings.”
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Call for BT to repair Ripon’s vandalised listed telephone kiosks
Telecoms giant BT is being called to repair a line of four grade II listed telephone kiosks in Ripon city centre that continue to suffer from attacks by vandals.
The classically designed kiosks, with their signature domed roofs, have been located on the eastern side of Market Square for decades and were listed in June 1987 by English Heritage.
They have fallen into a state of disrepair, with window panels broken and new evidence of recent vandal attacks. All four have been deliberately damaged.
Richard Taylor, co-chair of heritage watchdog Ripon Civic Society, who has taken a keen interest in the kiosks, reacted to the latest vandalism when he told the Stray Ferret:
“In the longer term, I hope that they can be re-purposed and vandal-proofed as they have been by councils in other towns and cities , but in the meantime, while they remain in BT’s ownership, they need to be repaired as soon as possible before they fall into a worse state of dilapidation.”
He added:
“It is rare to have a grouping of four telephone kiosks of this vintage – particularly in a city of Ripon’s size.”
Mr Taylor pointed out:
“They stand in close proximity to the cabmen’s shelter – another grade II listed building – and together they are part of Ripon’s heritage and are of special architectural interest.
“It would be great to eventually see the kiosks being used as something like an information hub, where local people and visitors to Ripon could find out more about the history of our ancient city.
“Ideally, one of the phones should be kept operational, as some people do not have mobiles.”
Designed by architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, to mark the Silver Jubilee of King George V in 1935, the K6 kiosks are iconic structures still seen in many places across the UK,
Oyez, oyez, oyez! the pronouncement from Ripon Bellman Geoffrey Johnson rang out loud and clear on Ripon Market Square last night,
The simple message for the economy of The Cathedral City of the Dales is that Ripon has many attractions for both tourists and local residents to enjoy’ and now has new boundary signs to attract more visitors.
To emphasise the point, the official unveiling of the signs was also attended by Patricio Maglio, a member of the Ripon Hornblower team who, like Mr Johnson, features on notice boards at key locations.
Following the bellman’s announcement, the hornblower performed the nightly ceremony of setting the city’s watch minutes after the new signs were officially unveiled.
As part of Ripon BID’s commitment to improve wayfinding it partnered with North Yorkshire highways to upgrade the boundary signage on the bypass, Boroughbridge Road, Kirkby Road and Studley Road.
The project was supported by city and North Yorkshire councillors Barbara Brodigan and Andrew Williams through donations from their locality budgets.
The BID also worked with the highways team to refurbish, repaint and restore the notice boards and finger posts that include bespoke maps and tourist information’
BID manager Lilla Bathurst told the Stray Ferret:
“These have been designed to help guide visitors around Ripon’s ancient streets, while providing an insight into the city’s rich history and heritage attractions.
“Our objective is to generate increased footfall to benefit the local economy and we are pleased to say that Ripon now has signage befitting a cathedral city and we hope that our businesses, residents and visitors will all agree that it’s a huge improvement.
“The boundary signs are designed to tempt motorists into Ripon from the road network, while the notice boards help tourists to locate the attractions, while also including information about events happening in the city, which is updated weekly.”
Pictured with Ripon bellman Geoffrey Johnson (right) and hornblower Patricio Maglio at last night’s unveiling event, are: Councillor Barbara Brodigan, Ripon City Council leader Andrew Williams, Ripon BID manager Lilla Bathurst and BID directors Richard Taylor and Stuart Baldwin.
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Following the departure of its director of museums, Helen Thornton, Ripon Museum Trust has begun the search for her successor.
Ms Thornton, who was director for four covid-affected years, has left the heritage sector to take up the post of town clerk for Baildon in West Yorkshire.
The trust, which since 2020, has been awarded financial support totalling more than £500,000 from Arts Council England and the Heritage Lottery Fund said in a statement it was seeking a new director “to provide inspiring and collaborative leadership”.
It added the successful candidate would be “a transformational leader” with “proven management and leadership experience, that will enable Ripon Museum Trust to realise their potential to become a museum with a national profile”.
The new director will be involved in shaping the strategic direction and delivery of the The Workhouse, Prison & Police and Old Courthouse museums at a pivotal point in the trust’s 41-year history, amid a development phase bid to the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Richard Taylor, chair of the board of trustees said:
“Ripon Museum Trust is a close-knit community with strong values of fairness, ambition, community, team-work and learning. We are really excited to be recruiting for this role and look forward to welcoming a new director of museums at this important part of our journey.”
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Ripon museums secure more than £400,000 from Arts Council
Ripon Museum Trust has secured three-year funding from Arts Council England worth more than £400,000.
The trust operates the Workhouse, Prison and Police Museum and Courthouse museums, which welcome around 30,000 people per year.
The grant means the trust will continue to be funded through the Arts Council’s national portfolio scheme. It will receive £142,576 each year for the years 2023-26.
The funding will help pay for jobs as well as a programme of community engagement, creative programming and improvements.
Last week Harrogate Theatre , which had received just over £140,000 a year from the national portfolio scheme since 2015, announced it had missed out on an award this time.
Richard Taylor, chair of the trust, said:
“This crucial grant funding allows us not only to continue to provide a range of inspiring experiences but to also look ahead to how we can find new and innovative ways to inspire and engage our visitors both digitally and in person.
“This is good news for Ripon and the wider community of North Yorkshire. It will help to raise the cultural profile of our city and everything it has to offer.”
Applications for funding were determined against criteria laid out in the Arts Council’s Let’s Create strategy, which requires organisations to demonstrate how the work they do will contribute to the principles of inclusivity and relevance, ambition and quality, dynamism, and environmental responsibility.
Trust director Helen Thornton said:
“It is hugely exciting to be part of Arts Council England’s next portfolio and to be able to respond to Let’s Create. It’s a vote of confidence that what we are doing here has real impact and potential to grow our cultural offer.
“We hope to be able to reach out to and work with new communities, strengthen and develop what we do for our local communities, our volunteers and the general visitor – to ensure they have a really creative and inspiring time in our museums”.
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Richard Taylor school in Bilton receives ‘good’ Ofsted rating
Richard Taylor Primary School in Bilton has received a ‘good’ rating by Ofsted.
The government schools inspector, which visited Richard Taylor in June, praised the quality of learning as well as how much children enjoy attending.
The report said pupils work hard to meet the high expectations set by teachers and that children with special educational needs were particularly well supported by a “broad and ambitious” curriculum.
The report said:
“Pupils say that they love school and their friends at Richard Taylor primary.
“Pupils feel safe, and are safe, because staff look after them well and help them with any problems they may have.
“Teachers help them to do their best. They are well supported by school staff.”
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The report praised the “calm and orderly environment” and said child welfare and safeguarding were well catered for. It said:
“Pupils say that bullying does not happen, but if it did, they trust that adults would deal with it quickly.”
Richard Taylor school
Staff, it added, “are proud to work at the school” and “say that leaders support them well”.
Most parents say the school is a “great community to be part of” and feel supported by staff.
Founded in 1793
Richard Taylor was founded in 1793 and moved to its current site on Bilton Lane in 1973.
The 275-pupil school, which is a founding member of the Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust, was last inspected in 2017, when it was also rated ‘good’.
The latest report highlighted “some inconsistencies in staff expertise to deliver phonics”, adding:
“As a result, some pupils in the earliest stages of reading are not competent at blending letter sounds to read a word.”
It said leaders were in the process of putting in place “a more systematic approach to the teaching of phonics”.
Headteacher Andrew Symonds and deputy headteacher Emma Crisell
Andrew Symonds, who has been headteacher at Richard Taylor for 13 years, said:
“Everyone at Richard Taylor school is very pleased with the outcome of our most recent report.
“We are delighted that the inspector recognised the strong sense of community where a culture of respect and kindness is in every classroom.
“The report also clearly identified the strong duty of care and united vision for the pupils, based upon our Christian values, which is shared by everyone associated with the school.
“I would like to thank the children, parents, governors and leaders within the Yorkshire Causeway Schools Trust for their hard work and support which is reflected in this report.
“As a school we are ready to focus on the agreed targets for development as we prepare to celebrate 230 years as a learning community in Harrogate and our 50th anniversary on our current site.”
Ripon Museum Trust plans to extend the workhouse experience
With three linked heritage attractions that bring thousands of visitors a year to Ripon, the city’s museum trust is looking to the future by building on a picture of the past that has increasing relevance to today’s society.
Having celebrated its 40th anniversary last month, Ripon Museum Trust (RMT) continues to develop its activities through community engagement and a volunteer programme that enables the museums to create a living history experience.
With almost £100,000 of Heritage Lottery money, RMT is assembling the team of professionals required to draw up a bid, seeking further funding that would enable it to open up parts of the Workhouse Museum, never before seen by visitors.
RMT director Helen Thornton told the Stray Ferret:
“If we are successful, we will be able to provide access to the women’s and men’s dormitory areas on the upper floors of the east and west wings of the master’s accommodation.
“Our plan also includes installation of a lift, that would increase accessibility for people in wheelchairs and families with young children.”
She added:
“We are keen to tell the full story of the lives of previous inmates, which has particular relevance to today and the financial difficulties that are faced by many.”
Echoes from the past
The current cost of living crisis, which is putting more families and individuals into poverty and reliance on charities, has echoes that go back to 1776, when the original Ripon Union Workhouse opened in Allhallowgate, prior to construction of the Victorian establishment on the site with its 1854 dateline set in stone.
The former hospital wing within the complex is home to Community House, a social enterprise which, among other vital services, provides food support through a foodbank to an ever-growing number of users.
Side by side, the buildings in the workhouse grounds exemplify the fact that history can and does repeat itself.
Some 246 years ago it opened its doors to men, women and children caught in the poverty trap and here in 2022, many families are facing the modern-day equivalent, through crippling debt, much of it caused by increasing gas and electricity charges.
RMT chair Richard Taylor at the Prison & Police Museum
A unique offer
Ripon Museum Trust has a unique offering, by virtue of the fact that the Workhouse is the most complete museum of its kind in the UK and the only one whose entire exhibit is dedicated to focusing on the lives and experiences of the destitute and downtrodden of former generations.
Through a trail that also takes in the Prison & Police and Courthouse museums, visitors can follow the journey from poorhouse to punishment cell as seen through the eyes of those whose impoverishment put their lives into a desperate downward spiral.
Richard Taylor, who has chaired the trust for 28 years, said:
“It’s a powerful story put into context through items that can be seen at the three museums.
“In liaison with the community and our volunteers, we have developed an exhibition, which runs until November 27, called Ripon Museums in 40 Objects.
“It has been designed to provide an insight into the hard times faced by former citizens unfortunate enough to find themselves in any of these establishments.”
These children were able to find out what it was like to face a magistrate before the courthouse became a museum
The blue lamp outside the Prison & Police Museum is one object not included in the list, but has special relevance to Mr Taylor.
He said:
“The P&P as we call it, was the first museum operated by the trust and I was delighted when my suggestion of adding the lamp was taken up many years ago.
“It has acted as a kind of guiding light directing visitors to the building ever since.
“We are currently looking for people to join our board of trustees and would like to hear from anybody who feels they can play a part in helping the trust to plan for its next 40 years.”