Taking part in a virtual choir tribute to NHS and key workers had an added poignancy for Ripon Grammar School student Rafaella Shiers.

Peter Hobson, the 92-year-old grandfather of sixth former Rafaella, who lives in Ripon, is currently in hospital recovering from coronavirus on the COVID-19 ward of a hospital in Lancashire and her mother, Kay, works in the NHS.

That meant that the virtual choral tribute by the Ripon Grammar School chamber choir, organised by the school’s director of music, Michael Barker, had a special significance for the 18-year-old who hopes to study history at Durham University.

Rafaella and 11 other talented singers from the school, who have been missing their weekly chamber choir rehearsals, got together on screen from their own homes for the virtual performance of Daniel Elder’s Ballade to the Moon, which Mr Barker edited and mixed together.

Video courtesy of Ripon Grammar School.

As she took part in the performance, arranged as a tribute to the front line healthcare workers, Rafaella thought about grandfather Peter, who she had been seeing on a regular basis before the coronavirus lockdown.

She said:

“I haven’t seen my grandpa since mid-March and I can’t wait to show him this tribute once I can visit him.”

Rafaella, added:

“Seeing the work and perseverance of the NHS during the crisis has been incredible and my mother, who works in community mental health, really appreciated our singing and loved the dedication to the NHS in the video.”

The Ripon Grammar School chamber choir includes sopranos, altos, basses and tenors and Mr Barker said that in putting together the virtual performance, he was also mindful of the students from years 11 and 13, whose time at the school was brought to an abrupt end because of the enforced early close down.

He said:

“I hope it provides a lasting memory for those student leavers who didn’t get a chance to finish the year properly or have a last school concert. Singing is a fantastic way to bring everyone together.”

Take a virtual tour of Ripon’s Himalayan Garden and Sculpture Park, which is blooming even though it is closed to the public.

Peter and Caroline Roberts originally bought the property in 1996, as a privately owned 20-acre woodland garden, which has now been extended to 45 acres.

The garden’s believe they have the north’s largest collection of rhododendrons, azaleas, and magnolias with nearly 20,000 plants

Winner of Yorkshire in Bloom Tourist Attraction Award for 2018 and 2019, and Best Business Award 2019, the park is also home to over 80 Contemporary Sculptures.

There isn’t any music in the video because the birdsong is all it needs.

Helping their mother Philippa Disilvestro to make the bunting for the VE Day celebrations at their Ripon home added to the enjoyment of the occasion for six-year-old Sofia and her two-year-old sister Lilliana.

The family, who live in North Street, created a string of flags with VE Day designs on, which the children coloured in and Mrs Disilvestro told The Stray Ferret:

“We wanted to do something to mark the 75th anniversary. Sofia and Liliana had a lot of fun giving me a helping hand.”

With the bunting attached to front garden railings, they added to the patriotic scene witnessed in many parts of the city.

In nearby Princess Road, Margaret McDermott turned flag maker to join in the celebrations. She said:

“I hadn’t realised how difficult it was to get the Union Flag right – it took me quite a while – so I’m going to put it away safely to use again for the next anniversary celebration.”

She added:

“We had been looking forward to a street party and then coronavirus came along!”

As well as the flag, that she painted herself, Mrs McDermott also painted soldiers, following a design she had seen in a national newspaper, creating an impressive display that sums up the emotion and relief that would have been felt by service men and women at news that the war in Europe was at an end.

The VE Day 75th anniversary was celebrated in many shapes and forms across the Harrogate district and perhaps among the most imaginative came in North Stainley, where villagers created a scarecrow trail.

The main road through the village was lined with the painstakingly-produced characters dressed in 1940s clothing, while numerous Union flags fluttered in the light breeze of a sunlit day.

The figures ranged from the scarecrow soldier at North Stainley Primary School, next to a poppy design and the message ‘Lest We Forget’, to a Land Army girl outside a private house and the Vicar, celebrating Victory in Europe in gateway to the church of St Mary The Virgin.

The coronavirus crisis meant that streets in the city of Ripon and towns and villages in the surrounding rural areas remained largely empty, as people respected the government’s call to maintain social distancing.

However, celebration of the 75th Anniversary of Victory in Europe was still in evidence in red, white and blue window displays and bunting.

Ripon City Council which had planned three days’ of events involving celebration and commemoration, followed its own advice, when Town Clerk Paula Benson put a red, white and blue display in the Ripon Town Hall Windows.

In Masham, the window of insurance brokers R.F. Broadley, featured a rare collector’s item copy of the Northen Echo, dated Tuesday 8th May 2020 declaring ‘Today is VE Day’.

Just down the street, off Market Place, a private house (pictured above) had its V for Victory salute made out of Union Jacks. while two large Union Jacks and garden bunting decorated another private house in Main Street, Kirkby Malzeard.

The Cathedral clock struck 11am and Ripon fell silent for two minutes, as people reflected on those who lost their lives in World War II and specifically the war in Europe.

The city, home to The Royal Engineers and with a proud military heritage dating back to the First World War, remembered its dead both in the streets and houses and through a virtual VE Day ceremony inside the ancient church of St Peter and St Wilfrid’s.

Nestling next to the Cathedral is The Royal British Legion Garden of Remembrance, where small wooden crosses, each carrying a name and a poppy, stand as testimony to those from the city who lost their lives in conflicts.

Jack Middleton, who formerly served with the Army Air Corps and his partner Georgia Nelson, stood in silence with heads bowed.

Both (who feature in this video) have grandfathers who served in the Army and Jack told The Stray Ferret:

“With our families’ military connection, remembrance of those who fought and lost their lives is a tradition we will always observe.”

Following the two minute’s silence, the Cathedral’s virtual service began on YouTube and included a reflection from The Archbishop of York, the Most Reverend Rt. Hon. Dr John Sentamu, along with readings from the Lord Lieutenant of North Yorkshire Mrs Jo Ropner; a lesson from Councillor Jim Clark, the leader of North Yorkshire County Council; and prayers from the Dean of Ripon, the Very Reverend John Dobson.

Music and singing was provided by the Black Dyke brass band; Dishforth Military Wives and Ripon Cathedral assistant organist Tom Coxhead, who gave a fitting finale to the service by playing William Walton’s ‘Spitfire Prelude’ – originally written for the 1942 film ‘The First of the Few.’

Some landlords in the Harrogate district have criticised the borough council’s plan to give commercial tenants free rent during the coronavirus pandemic.

The authority made the decision back in March as part of its response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Businesses which rent from the council were given three months free rent and could also apply for emergency grants from the government.

While other authorities offered local companies in their area rent deferrals, the borough council decided to give businesses in the district a period of rent for free.

At the time, a joint statement from chief executive Wallace Sampson and council leader Richard Cooper said the council wanted to encourage others to offer support.

It said: “Our commercial tenants will be offered three months’ rent free and we’ll be doing all that we can to encourage other landlords in the district to consider what support they can offer their tenants.”

But some landlords in the district have described the decision as “unnecessary” and pointed to the fact that the authority has estimated a £15 million shortfall in its budget.

John Warren, a housing landlord in Ripon, said while some business will need help, the cost is going to eventually have an impact on the taxpayer. He said:

“My concern is as a council taxpayer.

“We have a council which is giving money away perhaps unnecessarily and no doubt in 12 months time council tax will be put up.

“I am sure they have done it for the best of reasons, but when times are hard you have to think of the greater good which is the council taxpayer.”

Mr Warren contacted The Stray Ferret and said he was unhappy after it was revealed that the borough council is expecting a shortfall of £15 million and may have to furlough some staff to address the funding gap.

Another landlord, who did not wish to be named, said: “It does not seem fair, it will screw the market.”

In response to an e-mail from Mr Warren, Councillor Margaret Atkinson, member for Fountains and Ripley, said the authority was doing all it can to support local business.

“The council has to do everything it can to help these businesses on the instructions of the government,” she said.

“The government has given Harrogate council over £40 million to issue grants of £10,000 to small businesses that meet – 1) They are in the Harrogate district, 2) They qualify for small business rate relief or rural rate relief and 3) the business occupies the property.

“They have already had over 2,000 applications.”

However, Mr Warren described Councillor Atkinson’s response to his concerns as “very unsatisfactory”.

Meanwhile, Councillor Pat Marsh, Leader of the Liberal Democrats group on the borough council, said she thought the decision was rushed.

“I think in hindsight it was maybe a decision which should have been tempered,” she said.

“For me, I think it was a bit of a rushed decision that I wish I had given more thought.”

Harrogate Borough Council has been approached for comment but had not responded at the time of publication.

The heroes of Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) and other emergency services, are to be recognised in a special way at Ripon Cathedral, through the ‘Wing and a Prayer’ project.

The project will see the creation of origami paper angels, which will become part of an inspiring art installation in the nave, with each covered by requests for prayers, which members of the public can submit on an online form via the cathedral website.

People are being asked to donate ‘an angel’ to be placed inside the cathedral and the prayers that are placed on the angelic figures will be offered up by clergy during services.

Margaret Hammond, development manager at the cathedral, said:

“We are delighted that the Yorkshire Air Ambulance have agreed to partner with Ripon Cathedral to offer a way of individuals praying for their heroes, or remembering loved ones. At the same time, we look forward to raising funds to keep the YAA flying at this difficult time and to support the work of the cathedral in the community.”

The angels created through the ‘Wing and a Prayer’ project will be both downloadable and printable and in a format that can be shared on social media and placed in the windows of homes as a show of support for those who are working on the front line to keep communities safe during the cornavirus crisis and beyond.

Helen Callear, director of fundraising (North East) for Yorkshire Air Ambulance, said:

“This is a project very close to our charity’s heart and with event cancellations and fundraising activities on hold, the YAA needs all the support we can get to keep our helicopters in the air and saving lives across the region.

Dentists and technicians from the Raglan Suite Dentistry Laboratory in Ripon have developed a protective visor from 3D printers normally used for dental work.

So far they have provided almost 2,500 visors free of charge to local care homes, hospitals and other key workers that need them.

Steven Campbell, Dental Technician at the Raglan Suite and MD of Nexus Dental Laboratory, told The Stray Ferret:

“Dentistry is on pause, so we wanted to make use of our 3D printing machines that usually make night guards, liners and dentures. I was shocked at the lack of PPE available so we have managed to come up with the perfect design to create these essential visors. It is brilliant to be able to provide  PPE equipment to our local area.”

The technicians have also been making 900 ear savers each day to make the visors more comfortable for people to wear for long periods of time.

There has been industry funding for the production of these and there is also a go fund me page where people are able to donate towards the making of them.

Firefighters across the Harrogate district held a minute silence today at 12pm as part of an international effort to remember their fallen colleagues.

Members of the Blue Watch in Ripon and the Green Watch in Harrogate stood outside their bases today to pay their respects.