Road closure on main Ripon to Pateley Bridge route

The main road into Ripon from Pateley Bridge has closed due to roadworks, forcing motorists to take a lengthy diversion into the city.

Work on the B6265 prompted the closure of the road from Eavestone to Bishopton, which is the main western approach to Ripon and includes traffic for Fountains Abbey and Studley Park.

Work started yesterday and is scheduled to continue until Friday next week.

One Stray Ferret reader got in touch to say he hadn’t seen any signs in advance warning of the work and was therefore forced to turn around near Sawley when he encountered it. This meant his usual seven-minute journey into the city took over 30 minutes.

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The Stray Ferret contacted North Yorkshire County Council, which is the highways authority, for further details of the work and to inquire whether warnings were issued in advance.

We did not receive a response by the time of publication but the council’s interactive roadworks map states.

“Highway resurfacing works along the B6265 between Ripon and Eavestone. Road closure in force however access for residential and businesses will be made available wherever possible.

“The works will be phased to allow a shorter diversion via Sawley/Ripley for the most part of the works.

“There are a number of other road closures around Ripon city centre this week. Including Luncarr Lanne in Copt Hewick for resurfacing works, this road will reopen Friday afternoon.”

Follow our morning Traffic and Travel blogs for live updates on roadworks and delays. 

Festive lighting plan is unveiled for Ripon Town Hall

With Christmas just over three months away, Ripon is gearing up for further expansion of the city’s seasonal lights.

Ripon City Council has unanimously agreed to support moves to create a new festive feature on the front of the town hall.

Costing £5,400, it would consist of a sequenced multi-coloured lights display that can be programmed to include seasonal and other messages.

Harrogate Borough Council, which owns the Grade II Listed building in the Market Place, needs to approve the proposal.

Last year, in a festive season affected by covid lockdown and restrictions, £65,000 set aside for public events that were subsequently cancelled, was used to enhance and extend Ripon’s Christmas lights.

The lights covered three miles of city centre and adjoining streets, including all major gateways and this year, in addition to the town hall plan, improvements will be made to light displays on High Skellgate and Westgate.

Ripon Christmas lights on Kirkgate

Kirkgate – the approach to Ripon Cathedral – was part of the three-mile display of lights last Christmas.

Ripon City Council leader Andrew Williams said:

“A multi-coloured curtain of light across the town hall, which can incorporate messages, will have a wow factor and create a focal point for Ripon’s Christmas and New Year celebrations.”

Councillors were told that this would be be a temporary display and, if approval is received from Harrogate Borough Council, its installation will be timed to ensure that it does not clash with the Remembrance Day poppies display at the town hall.

The technology employed enables the lights to change colour and feature a range of pre-programmed messages.

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Local father starts boxing classes for people with autism

A father to autistic children in the Harrogate district has started boxing lessons for people with the condition.

Dean Lund from Knaresborough has two young children who have been diagnosed with autism.  He decided he wanted to teach boxing to both children and adults with autism while studying Sport Coaching and Development at Harrogate College.

Mr Lund called his weekly classes ‘The Zone’ and feels that boxing is a great sport for autistic people to focus on as it helps develop fitness and confidence.

Autism is a disability that affects around 700,000 people in the UK.

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Mr Lund has a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) certified course in Autism, Sport and Physical Activity.

Dean said a qualification from the National Autistic Society was important:

“I needed to know the parameters of autism, how my own boys fall within that, and what to expect when it comes to teaching boxing outside of college.”

“I really want to expand the autism sessions. As its an area that isn’t provided enough, considering how many people have autism”

The Zone provides a safe spaces for people to take a break if their autism is triggered and also teaches boxing in lanes, allowing participants to have their own space.

Parents can come along to do the session with their autistic child.

For more information about ‘The Zone’ click here or email deano@fighting-fit-coaching.co.uk.

Still motoring aged 90: Ripon Motor Boat Club celebrates milestone

Ripon Motor Boat Club marked its 90th birthday at the weekend with celebrations involving members, friends and the local community.

Established eight years before the outbreak of World War II, it is one of the largest inland waterway private boat clubs in the UK.

Based at Canal Lane, Littlethorpe, it has 143 berths and continues to grow through new development and the hands-on involvement of members.

Since its foundation in 1931, the club’s aim has been to provide affordable family boating.

Anne Foster and Karen Riddiough Ripon Motor Boat Club

Ripon Motor Boat Club secretary Anne Foster (left) and vice-commodore Karen Riddiough at the open weekend

Among those who have helped with the development are Mike and Elsie Grainger, whose boat Mojo is moored at the club’s marina.

Mr Grainger told the Stray Ferret:

“We have had many hours of enjoyment at this club. It is very family-focused and friendly and everybody has joined in to bring about improvements to the facilities.”

The Grainger family has enjoyed many epic journeys from Ripon via the canal and river network on holidays and boating trips.

Moorings at Ripon Motor Boat Club

The moorings have expanded as the club’s popularity has grown.

Mr Grainger said:

“Over the years that we have been members, we have set off from here on journeys that have collectively taken us thousands of miles, including one trip down the Thames and under Tower Bridge.”

Karen Riddiough, the club’s vice-commodore, said:

“Our focus is on actively promoting the joys of boating, with a member-run, co-operative approach.”

This approach has enabled money to be raised to create a clubhouse and other on-going improvements.

Started with a barge called Enid

With events throughout the year, a shared investment by all club members in the maintenance of the marina and a continual commitment to its development, the club has come a long way from the days when its clubhouse was an old barge called Enid.

The club was established in 1931, when two boats – the Onaway and Vagabond – set off on their travels from the River Derwent.

Following an eventful journey that involved navigating a collapsed lock gate, they found themselves mooring in Ripon Canal.

While in the area, they met the Nicholson family, who have remained supporters of the club, playing a key role in its development by allowing the purchase of plots of land to facilitate the club’s improvements and expansion.

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Starting off with linear moorings alongside the canal, the current marina was dug out over the course of the 1970s and 80s, and replaced again by members in 2000.

A new purpose-built clubhouse replaced its floating predecessor and in 2013, members took on another extensive project, extending the south end of the marina, giving space for around 140 plus berths for boats of up to 33ft.

 

Vintage tractors on show in Ripon next weekend

A collection of around 30 vintage tractors and engines will take over a Ripon garden centre next weekend.

The event organised by the West Yorkshire Vintage Tractor and Engine Club, based in Harrogate, is to encourage its members and the public to enjoy outdoor events once more.

In previous years the club has hosted a wealth of events but coronavirus put a stop to that. Members have frequently put their tractors on display at Newby Hall’s Tractor Fest.

However, next weekend chairman Mark Nicholson said members are travelling from across the area with their machinery.

Tractors and stationary engines will be running throughout the day for people to take a look.

The entry is free and he is encouraging people with an interest to come down and have a look. He said:

“Some of our members have worked with the machinery for decades so have hug amounts of knowledge. We are running it so people can get out again and just have a chat.”

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The event is free and will be open fro 9am to 4pm next Saturday, September 25 at Tate’s garden centre.

The club has been going for 51 years with some of the founding members still involved. The group meets once a month to talk about their shared interest in vintage machinery.

‘It’s allowed me to live’: Ripon women tell their stories of organ donation

Two women from Ripon have come together to spread the message of organ donation after experiencing first-hand how important it is.

Ahead of Organ Donation Week next week, Dr Claire Corps and Verity Blackman have shared their stories.

Dr Claire Corps is a double organ recipient and Ms Blackman agreed for her husband’s organs to be donated when he died last year.

Claire’s Story: 

Claire is a senior research scientist in the transplant team at St James’s Hospital, Leeds, and a kidney and liver transplant recipient.

At eight-years-old she had to have a kidney transplant after going into renal failure and then 21 years later at 29 she became very ill once again and had to have a liver transplant.

She says her experiences as an organ recipient and working within the transplant team have shown her how much of a gift organ donation is. She said:

“My transplants allowed me to live. When I was waiting for my liver transplant my nephew was two and I didn’t know if I’d see him grow up but I have and now I have more nieces and nephews.

“People need to have these conversations with their next of kin, let them know your wishes. We lose a lot of organs because relatives don’t know what their loved ones want.”

In May 2020 the law for organ donation in England changed. It means if you are over 18, are not in an excluded group and haven’t opted out,  you are considered an organ donor. Your family will still be consulted by doctors.

Verity’s Story

Verity Blackman’s husband Geoff died in September last year after suffering a heart attack. Ms Blackman had already discussed with Geoff what his wishes were and was able to donate his kidneys and cornea for transplant.

She said:

“My husband is dead and two people are alive because of him and that’s miraculous.

“It helps a little knowing two people are able to live their life because of my husband. It’s so important to have these conversations.”

Verity and Geoff on their wedding day in 1969.

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The two are supporters of the Harrogate Network for Organ Donation Support; a local group bringing those affected by organ donation together.

The group is arranging a walk around Valley Gardens next weekend to raise awareness locally.

Two new portable speed cameras to patrol Ripon

Ripon City Council has announced two speeding signs will be purchased for the city.

The initiative is in partnership with North Yorkshire County Council and will see two vehicle activated speed signs for the city.

The signs show the speed of the car as it approaches.

The council has identified a number of roads with cars often spotted going too fast. The roads are heavily used, often with children and families walking on pavements at peak hours.

These include:

The signs will move around these roads from next week.

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Inspector Alex Langley of North Yorkshire Police welcomed the initiative, commenting that the implementation of this new technology should remind the road users of Ripon about excess speed and hopefully educate and encourage them to slow down.

He said:

“North Yorkshire Police fully supports this campaign and we will continue to take positive action against those road users that continue to speed and commit driving offence.”

Harry Gration is on the hunt for local community heroes

Do you know someone in the Harrogate district who has gone above and beyond to help others in the past 18 months?

Former BBC Look North presenter Harry Gration has teamed up with the Stray Ferret and Harrogate Spring Water to celebrate exceptional individuals in the Harrogate district and needs your nominations.

Harry said:

“For the last two years it’s been pretty miserable, but I’m very excited indeed to be looking for local heroes – the kind of person who’s been inspirational and made a big impact on many people’s lives.

“With the help of Harrogate Spring Water, we hope to find one person who is the best of the best, via a public vote.”

If you know someone who you think deserves to be recognised, you can nominate them on the Stray Ferret website here. It doesn’t have to be covid related; it could be someone who volunteers in their community, helps others through their work, or has made a big difference to another individual.

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Nominations are open now on the Stray Ferret website.

Charlotte Holmes, External Communications & Community Engagement Manager from Harrogate Spring Water which sponsors the competition, said:

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Harry Gration and the Stray Ferret to find your heroes from across the Harrogate District. In these unprecedented times we have seen so many examples of people’s kindness and support within our community and we are delighted to be working with Harry to give them the recognition they deserve.”

Six shortlisted heroes will then have the chance to talk to Harry about their lives and work on his brand new podcast series, Harry’s Heroes, which will launch on the Stray Ferret in November.

The winner will receive an unforgettable trip to a performance at the Royal Albert Hall in London, with travel and refreshments included.

 

Live: Harrogate district traffic and travel

Good morning, it’s Al bringing you all the updates on the roads and rail this morning. There is heavy traffic on the A658 between Follifoot and Calcutt, following an accident earlier this morning, with the traffic building on nearby Wetherby Road.

Give me a call on 01423 276197 or get in touch on social media if you spot anything on the roads or your bus or train is delayed.

The morning blogs are brought to you by The HACS Group.

9am – Full Update 

Roads

The A658 is still very busy, with traffic also building past the showground on Wetherby Road.

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Temporary lights:

Trains

Buses

8:30am – Full Update 

Roads

There are a number of areas looking busy this morning, especially around the A658.

Road closures:

Temporary lights:

Trains

Buses

8am – Full Update 

Roads

Things are starting to get busier on the roads this morning.

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Trains

Buses

7:30am – Full Update 

Roads

There is heavy traffic on Skipton Road on the approach to the roundabout with Knaresborough Road.

Traffic is also moving slowly near Follifoot, on the A658 up to the roundabout with Wetherby Road.

Road closures:

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Trains

Buses

7am – Full Update 

Roads

There’s heavy traffic on the A658 from Calcutt to Follifoot due to a minor accident. Traffic is moving slowly.

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Temporary lights:

Trains

Buses

6.30am – Full Update 

Roads

It’s still early so as you’d expect, the roads are pretty quiet. There are a few hotspots that have caused issues this week though, so do plan ahead.

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Buses

Missing Ripon teen found following urgent appeal

Missing Ripon teenager Casie Ackerley has been found following a police appeal.

North Yorkshire Police issued an appeal after Casie, 17, was not seen at home for two weeks.

A police statement said it was thought she could be in the Leeds area and enquiries were being carried out there by West Yorkshire Police as well as in North Yorkshire.

However, North Yorkshire Police said this morning that the teenager had been found in Leeds.

It said in a tweet:

“Thanks to West Yorkshire Police and everyone who supported the appeal which has now been cancelled and should be removed from websites and social media.”

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