Ripon Cathedral is to celebrate the life and legacy of Wilfrid, its founding father, in a series of events marking its 1,350th anniversary.

The cathedral today revealed details of the programme, which include a sound and light show about Wilfrid’s life and an initiative to suspend stars from the nave.

Four artists will transform the cathedral’s Anglo Saxon crypt – the last remains of the church Wilfrid founded on the site and the oldest surviving building in any English Cathedral.

In addition, there will be arts, crafts, music, lectures, worship, pilgrimage opportunities, flower displays and the traditional St Wilfrid’s Day procession through the city.

The cathedral flooded the west front with words from the war poet, Wilfred Owen, and lit up in red to mark the centenary of the Armistice in 2018.

The cathedral has staged numerous art events before.

During lockdown it suspended tens of thousands of paper angels in the nave.

Now, in its anniversary year, it has lined-up a series of Wilfrid-themed initiatives.

Miracle maker

The Dean of Ripon, the Very Revd John Dobson said:

“Ripon Cathedral is here because Wilfrid was here. His life and legacy is written in these stones.  He was a miracle maker, a pioneer, a leader and a force to be reckoned with.

“He converted a pagan England and brought something of the beauty of Rome to these shores.

“In this, our anniversary year, we are committed to telling his story afresh, by breathing new life into our history and our heritage and sharing his love for beauty and the arts while ensuring worship is at the heart of all that we do, as Wilfrid, our forefather did before us.”

Tickets have just gone on sale for the anniversary launch weekend, which will take place over the May Bank Holiday weekend.

It will start on April 28 with dancing in the nave to a local jazz and swing band, a beer festival, a pilgrimage from Bradford Cathedral, and a sound and light show finale that promises to recreate Wilfrid’s miracles — including that of a lunar rainbow said to have appeared to the monks of Ripon Monastery one year after his death in 709 AD.

Ripon Bible

Other headline events throughout the year include the premiere of new digital projections from the little-known Ripon Bible.

Currently held in the special collection of the Brotherton Library at Leeds University, this illuminated document in its rich blues, golds and purples is believed to have been created by scholars in Oxford.

Pages from it have been recreated in sound and light and will be projected across the interior of the cathedral, offering visitors the chance to see it for the first time.

Ripon Cathedral

There will also be lectures from historians Tom Holland and Max Adams; a series of tours taking visitors behind the scenes, an organ festival featuring an animation created for piano and organ to tell Wilfrid’s story, while four artists, including Sara Shamma, will transform Ripon’s ancient Anglo-Saxon crypt with specially commissioned works in paint, words, tapestry, and a new light and soundscape.

Read more:

• Arsonists attempt to set fire to Ripon Cathedral
• More children’s activities announced for Ripon Cathedral Spring Show

Jo Bussey, director of development, said:

“We are super excited to bring to life Ripon Cathedral’s rich heritage and history in such exciting and unique ways.

“There’s something for everyone, young and old, art buffs, historians, even pizza, and cake lovers.

Who was St Wilfrid?

Wilfrid was born into a noble Northumbrian family.

A patron of the arts, he studied at Lindisfarne before embracing the Roman ways, was deposed on more than one occasion, and yet helped to unite England behind a single Christian tradition.

It is said he was born in flames, survived shipwrecks and exile and his jailers could not keep him chained.

He was a healer, he kept people from hunger by teaching them to fish, and the moon and stars shone so bright for him that a lunar rainbow appeared on the anniversary of his death.

New business opens in Ripon

A new environmentally and ecologically-focused business will open in Ripon next week 

The Green House, at 11 North Street, is being opened on Tuesday by Patricio Maglio, one of Ripon’s hornlblowers, and his partner Rebecca Crallan.

With a planet-friendly ethos, the store will sell home and garden supplies designed to have minimal impact on the environment. 

Patricio Maglio

Ms Crallan said:  

“Our aim is to make it easier for people in the city and surrounding villages to make greener choices without compromising on aesthetics or function,

“We have done our research on refillables that do the job, along with plastic-free sponges that don’t disintegrate and compostable cloths that have a luxury feel.”

Harrogate start-up launches sustainable skincare range

Anna Daniels

Harrogate firm Josie Rose has launched a luxury overnight face mask.

Anna Daniels founded skincare brand Josie Rose in 2019 and has now entered the emerging ‘skin minimalism’ market with its first product: a hydrating retinol overnight face mask.

The new product has already appealed to local retailers, such as Hoopers in Harrogate, and sells direct to the consumer via its website.

Anna Daniels, managing director and founder said:

“Multifunctional products such as our overnight face mask deliver great results due to the concentrated formulas, this enables a simpler skincare and beauty routine, saving customers time and money and of course meaning less products, which is a more sustainable option.

Harrogate firm wins major NHS contract

A Harrogate-based company has won an NHS contract to scale up remote patient monitoring across Scotland.

Under the three-year contract, Inhealthcare will provide technology to enable people to record relevant information in the comfort of their own homes and relay readings to NHS teams for analysis.

inhealthcare CEO Bryn Sage

The technology is being rolled out across Scotland’s health boards. The service can be used to manage illnesses including hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, heart disease, diabetes, depression, malnutrition, cancer and Covid.

Georgia Nelson, senior business development manager at Inhealthcare, said:

“Winning this contract represents another major validation of technology-enabled care and provides the foundations for many more citizens to benefit from improved health and wellbeing at home and better quality of life.”

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Homes England will not be allowed to ‘ride roughshod’ over the wishes of people in Ripon and must renew consultation with the city council.

That was the unanimous view this week of elected members, who have described the proposed traffic plan for the 1,300-home Clotherholme development on the barracks site as ‘unacceptable’.

Speaking at Monday’s city council meeting, Conservatives Stuart Martin and Mike Chambers, who are also district and county councillors, joined Conservative parish councillors and the ruling Independents in voicing concerns.

Cllr Martin said:

“At the outline planning stage, this is the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and we have to get things right on the traffic front.

“If we don’t, the city will suffer the consequences for years to come.”

City centre roads ‘at capacity’

Cllr Chambers added:

“The city centre roads are at capacity and we must make it known to Harrogate Borough Council that this plan does not work and will not work, if Homes England doesn’t come forward with new traffic mitigation measures.”

Homes England, which is the government housing agency also owns the West Lane site in Ripon where 390 homes will be built by Taylor Wimpey after outline planning permission was granted last month.

City council leader Andrew Williams said:

“Between the two sites they have almost 1,700 houses and I recommend that we say we are willing to accept 800 homes at Clotherholme and hold back on making a decision on the other 500 until this council is satisfied that Homes England has properly and thoroughly addressed the traffic issue.

“We will not allow people who don’t live in Ripon to make decisions from afar that ride roughshod over the wishes of local residents, who don’t want a city that is in perpetual gridlock.”

The busy junction of Somerset Row with High and Low Skellgate, where vehicles would not be able to turn right under the Homes England traffic plan.

“One of the unacceptable proposals in the plan is to prevent traffic at the junction of Somerset Row with Low Skellgate from turning right, meaning a detour for thousands of motorists a week.”

Cllr Williams’ proposed staged approach to handling planning for the Clotherholme scheme, was supported by all councillors, who also called for Harrogate planners and Homes England to come to the city council to hear the views of members.

Read more: 

• City council to make formal complaint about Ripon policing
• Ripon Barracks scheme could see destruction of military heritage

Cllr Pauline McHardy said;

“We haven’t met with them for over a year and it’s about time for them to get around the table with us, so we can let them know about the concerns people from all parts of the city are expressing about the traffic impact that the barracks site will have.”

Support for Ripon Military Heritage Trust

Prior to their discussion about the Clotherholme scheme, Christopher Hughes, chairman of Ripon Civic Society and Alan Skidmore, a trustee of the the Ripon Military Heritage Trust, addressed the council.

They provided an update on proposals to seek protection for historically-significant structures at the barracks site, which are currently threatened with demolition to make way for the new homes development.

It was agreed that in its correspondence with Harrogate planners, the city council will confirm that the trust’s proposals have the unanimous support of the council.

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As the war in Ukraine wages on, the Harrogate district has stepped up its response to help those fleeing the conflict.

The Stray Ferret will be providing updates on where to give donations and how the district is responding to the ongoing war.

If you have any details on where to donate to those fleeing the conflict or any other information, write to us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Harrogate

Ukrainian woman opens house for donations 

Olga Whiting, from Ukraine, is opening up her home so she can take donations to be sent to her Mum’s village in Ukraine.

Ms Whiting now lives in Harrogate but is in regular contact with her mum who has said the items they’re most in need of are:

• personal hygiene eg feminine hygiene, toothpaste and soap
• baby food
• baby nappies
• wet wipes
• non-perishable foods

Ms Whiting has a friend who has been transporting donations into Ukraine every three weeks. Her friend will now add her native village of Nova Borava to his list of drop-off points.

People can drop donations off at anytime at 14 Yewdale Road, Harrogate, HG2 8NF. Ms Whiting has said if no one is in call her on 07307876103 and she will describe a safe place for them to be left.

Tiger Fifty 7 taking donations

The children’s store on Cold Bath Road has opened itself up as a drop-off point for donations.

It is asking for:

• Unopened toiletries
• Baby food
• Nappies
• Baby blankets
• Phone chargers
• Phone adaptors and power packs
• Dog food
• Sleeping bags

For anyone who would rather donate money via JustGiving link, click here.

Boroughbridge

Car dealer accepting donations

Charltons of Boroughbridge is accepting donations for those feeling the conflict in Ukraine.

Items collected will be sent to a large depot at Thirsk and then forward to Eastern Europe.

Organisers will accept:

• Unopened toiletries
• Baby food
• Nappies
• Baby blankets
• Phone chargers
• Phone adaptors and power packs
• Dog food
• Sleeping bags

The dealership has said it is open for donations from 8.30am to 6pm Monday to Friday and Saturday 8.30am to 5pm.

Key parts of Ripon’s military past could be demolished to make way for the proposed 1,300-home development at the city’s barracks.

Homes England is seeking outline planning permission for the Clotherholme housing scheme, which would be the biggest single residential development in Ripon’s history.

Ripon Civic Society has now highlighted the potential loss of rare items that are part of Ripon and the UK’s military heritage.

The vital role Ripon’s military establishment played in both world wars and the Cold War has been highlighted in new research by the society.

Christopher Hughes, its chairman of the society, said:

“The site at Laver Banks is important in the history of Ripon’s past and in the defence of Britain in World War II and since.

“We have done detailed work on the Homes England proposals for the whole of the army camp site.  We encourage them, and Harrogate Borough Council, to take a revised look at proposals for demolition of some of the structures our research has identified, and to protect them for the future.”

 The society has been closely engaged in the planning process and has been keen to stress the importance of the last remaining remnants of the city’s vast World War I camp, in which the poet Wilfred Owen was stationed.

The heavy girder bridge, which crosses the River Laver on the Barracks site, was the next generation of the bridge designed by Sir Donald Bailey.

Setting up Ripon Military Heritage Trust to aid further research, it has now discovered that from the start of World War II the remaining site was the test-bed for developing and trialling demountable bridges, including the world-famous Bailey bridge.

 The School of Military Engineering was evacuated from Chatham in Kent to Ripon at the start of the war.

Military heritage structures

Ripon architectural historian, lecturer and writer, David Winpenny,  who is a vice-president of the society, said:

“As well as providing training for engineers on the Bailey bridge, the school also developed the massive Bailey Suspension Bridge, capable of spanning up to 400 feet.

“It was tested in Ripon at the Laver Banks site of Ripon Camp by British, Canadian and American troops before being deployed in Burma and other theatres of war.

 “From 1946 a new heavy girder bridge was developed; by 1955 60 had been ordered.  The first to be put in place was over the River Ure in Ripon. It was mainly used in West Germany as well as in Malaya.

“Development continued in the following decades.  The only surviving heavy girder bridge was installed in Ripon as late as 1992.

“Ripon also has the larger of only two surviving  k‘demolition’ training bridges, designed with cavities in which explosives could be packed to eliminate the bridges before an enemy assault.

Read more:

• Consultation on 1,300-home Ripon Barracks site closes on Wednesday
• Artworks honour Ripon’s military past

Mr Winpenny added:

 “As well as these rare survivals, and the still-extant infrastructure of the testing site, the Ripon Camp also has the last four Twynam Huts remaining; these were the successors to the Nissan Huts and were developed in 1959 for use as accommodations for personnel, offices and stores.

“They were deployed worldwide, including in Cyprus, Aden and Libya, as well as on Ascension Island during the Falklands War and at Long Kesh Camp in Northern Ireland.”

‘Amazing how significant Ripon was’

The society has shared its findings with Homes England, which is responsible for the transition of the site from army camp to housing and employment site, and with Harrogate Borough Council, which will determine the planning application.

It has said that these significant but vulnerable remnants of Ripon’s military past require special protection as part of the planning process. The society wants to work closely with all parties to establish a community legacy for Ripon and the wider area by promoting and interpreting the site.

 Guy Wilson, creator of the Royal Armouries museum in Leeds, and one of the Ripon Military Heritage Trust trustees, said:

“It is amazing how significant this quiet part of North Yorkshire was in the Second World War.  What was happening in Ripon helped us to win the war and our research has discovered how important Ripon was in the development and perfection of the Bailey bridge and its successors.

“It is a story hitherto unknown but one very worth telling and remembering.”

Former Ripon Grammar School student Lewis Edwards has told the Stray Ferret that ambulances in Ukraine are being attacked by Russian forces.

This is among the latest in a growing list of breaches of the Geneva Convention committed by the invading troops, as the situation for civilians trapped in towns and cities under siege becomes more horrific and desperate by the hour.

The targeting of the emergency vehicles follows a weekend in which fleeing refugees came under attack during a supposed ceasefire in Mariupol.

Lewis Edwards and his partner Tanya Bogdanovska pictured at Christmas in Kyiv

Speaking from Slovakia yesterday afternoon, Mr Edwards said:

“I got a phone call from an organisation in Ukraine saying they wanted me to try and source armoured ambulances, because the Russians have started shooting at the normal ambulances used to take injured people hospital.

“Through contacts, I’ve managed to find two already and I’ve been phoning around asking if there is anybody who might know where we can get some more.

“The whole situation is chaotic and insane, as the aid agencies that we are working alongside seem to be relying on us – 10 refugees – to provide logistical support, because we appear to be able to get things done that they can’t.”

Oksana Pron (left) and Kristina Simalova are part of the team sending items such as medical supplies from Slovakia to Ukraine.

Mr Edwards, 33, and his 30-year-old Ukrainian partner Tanya Bogdanovska — both teachers who had been working at a private school in Kyiv — fled the Ukraine capital on February 25.

After crossing the border into Slovakia a week ago, they teamed up with eight other volunteers to help people seeking sanctuary in countries including the UK.

As well as helping refugees — mostly women and children who are arriving in Slovakia each day — they are continuing to do all that they can for Ukraine people, including friends and family, who have been unable to escape.

In addition to sourcing ambulances, they have supplied a generator for an area without electricity and have assembled a shipment of essential medical supplies that will be setting off to Ukraine tomorrow.

Agricultural machinery supplier Ripon Farm Services has appointed Sophie Allanby (pictured) as marketing manager.

Ms Allanby, who grew up on an arable farm just outside Malton, has a first class business honours degree from York St John University and has been in the marketing world for the past ten years in varying roles.

She was communications executive at the Castle Howard Estate from 2018-2021.

She said:

“It will be my responsibility to develop and implement a dynamic marketing strategy that builds upon the substantial progress that Ripon Farm Services have made over the past two years.”

Mother Shipton’s wins Small Visitor Attraction of the Year award

Harrogate-based manufacturer celebrates 70 years by planting 1,200 trees

To mark the 70th anniversary of Belzona, staff at its European headquarters in Harrogate got together with family members to plant 1,200 trees in the Royal Forest of Knaresborough.

Belzona designs and manufactures composite materials and industrial protective coatings.

This initiative is part of a three-year partnership with the White Rose Forest, the community forest for north and west Yorkshire. The company plans to plant seven-million trees throughout Yorkshire by 2025.

“We were absolutely thrilled to see so many colleagues getting involved in our first tree planting project. Working alongside the Bilton Conservation Society, 25 Belzona volunteers, including employees and family members, worked together to plant 1,200 trees in the local area. This is an incredible achievement – thank you to everyone who got involved!”

The Belzona team dig deep to plant 1,200 trees in the Royal Forest of Knaresborough.

Send your business news to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk

Stray 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.

New houses should mean lower council tax

Not only do we have thousands of new houses in the district but 1,700 extra have been built! I cannot, therefore, understand why our council tax is going up rather than coming down!

I would assume a surfeit, especially with so many being in the higher bands.

Janet Palmer, Knaresborough

Why are roads constantly being dug up?

Leadhall Lane in Harrogate has been a shambles of a road for many years, with deep potholes causing hazards for motorists and cyclists.

At the same time, numerous gas leaks have been excavated and repaired, to the cost of Northern Gas Networks and the exceptional inconvenience of local road users.

The potholes caused considerable crashes and bangs into the road from school buses and lorries. Hurrah! It was relaid in 2021.

Yesterday there was a gas stink in Leadhall Lane. Today there is a big hole in Leadhall Lane. Northern Gas Networks is digging it up again.

Why do we have to suffer this continual under-performance from the council in relation to controlling the actions of privatised utility companies? Are they incompetent or not?

David Graham, Harrogate

Read more:

• £72 rise in Harrogate district council tax bills set to be confirmed
• Swift action to tackle Sharow’s pothole plight
• Woman visiting daughter’s grave issues dog fouling plea

Stray Ferret penalised for reporting facts

It comes as no surprise that your reporter was refused access to Ripon’s new pool when other media was allowed.

You are being penalised for reporting the real facts about the farcical events surrounding the pool and its build not forgetting the extra money we gave the construction firm.

Myself and thousands of others applaud you The Stray Ferret for all your news articles released to us.

Maranda Harling, Ripon

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.

Ripon Cathedral is to host its annual Spring Food, Home and Garden Show next month with stalls and plenty of child-friendly activities including a petting farm.

The Spring Show is returning on Saturday, April 9 after a two-year break, due to covid, with more than 70 stallholders selling gardening goods and food.

Organisers of the fair have said it is set to be a fantastic day out for all the family with children’s activities such as a mobile petting farm with spring animals from Brimham Rocks Adventure Farm, a chocolate tombola and a ‘have a go’ putting green by EGM Landscapes.

Brick Box Yorkshire will also be there running build and create Lego sessions for kids.

There will also be live music from Knot Another Choir at 11.30am and 1.30pm and a piano recital from David Powling at 2pm.

Read more:

• Street party fees waived in North Yorkshire for Queen’s jubilee
• Mother Shipton’s delays reopening again due to landslide

Cathedral volunteers will be running a Cathedral Plant Stall, selling affordable plants.  A pop-up Cathedral cafe is also planned, it will sell pulled pork sandwiches, homemade cakes and hot drinks.

Proceeds from the plant stall and pop-up cafe will go towards the heritage conservation, education programme and running costs of Ripon Cathedral.

The show is open from 10am to 4pm and tickets costs £3 for adults, plus a booking fee, and £5 on the door. Children under 14 are free. To book tickets click here.

(from left) Cardale Asset Management’s Peter Heckingbottom, Andrew Tod and Mark Puleikis

Cardale Asset Management has agreed a deal to be acquired by London firm Titan Wealth Holdings.

The company, which is based at Cardale Park, provides portfolio management, stockbroking and financial planning services.

Cardale was launched in 2003 and now has £1.5bn in assets under management, which it manages for approximately 3,500 clients. The company employs about 70 people.

The firm reported a turnover of £16m for the 2021 financial year.

James Kaberry and Andrew Fearon, joint chief executives of Titan Wealth, said in a statement:

“We are delighted to welcome the team at Cardale to Titan Wealth. Cardale is a highly profitable and well-respected business with a focused and proven investment process that consistently delivers outperformance to its client portfolios.”

LHL Group promotes Daniel Bower to director

Daniel Bower

Yorkshire property consultants LHL Group, which has an office in Harrogate, has appointed building surveyor Daniel Bower as a director.

Mr Bower joined LHL Group in 2014 and became an associate director in 2019. His work includes project management, employer’s agent and contract administration for new build and refurbishment schemes as well as traditional commercial and residential property building surveys and dilapidations work.

He said:

“After almost eight years with LHL Group, I’m delighted to be joining managing director, Richard Hampshire and director, Shaun Bennett, on the board and supporting the wider management and development of the business in a highly competitive climate.”

Dealer award for Ripon Farm Services

(Left to right) Mike Pickering, area sales manager at Ripon Farm Services with the dealer’s commercial director, Richard Simpson, Mazzotti’s export manager Vincenzo Gasperi, Ripon’s technology specialist, Jack Forman and Mark James, John Deere crop care specialist.

Ripon Farm Services has been awarded the UK Dealer of the Year Award for 2021 by Italian sprayer manufacturer Mazzotti. The award recognises overall performance and dedication to the brand.

Vincenzo Gasperi, export manager for Mazzotti, gave the award during a recent visit to the farm machinery company, which is based in Ripon and has 12 branches in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Teesside.

Richard Simpson, commercial director of Ripon Farm Services, said: “We’ve put a lot of effort into launching the sprayers, not only to demonstrate the benefits of these machines, but also to support the customers with what is, after all, a new brand in the UK market.”

Do you have any business news for the Harrogate district? We want to hear about your senior appointments, awards and acquisitions, and anything else business-related. Email us at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.