Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal 2023: ‘I would never swap my problems for Alzheimer’s’

This year’s Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal is to raise £30,000 for a much-needed minibus for Dementia Forward in the Harrogate district. 

The appeal is kindly sponsored by Vida Healthcare.

Please give generously to support local people and their families living with dementia. Let’s not forget those that need help this Christmas.

Today, Flora spoke to a couple who go to the wellbeing café.

Before Pauline Brown’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis, she was a volunteer at Dementia Forward’s wellbeing café. Now she and her husband John, who is her carer, attend the café for a different reason.

Pauline tells us her story.

“People didn’t believe me when I was diagnosed. I was talking the way I am now, and people needed convincing.”

Pauline began volunteering at the wellbeing café – which takes place every Tuesday – 10 years ago. She spent eight years supporting those living with dementia and their carers.

“I loved volunteering.

“I just enjoyed helping people and chatting to them – I liked feeling needed.”

However, the couple began to see symptoms of dementia around four years ago and received her diagnosis two years ago. Pauline said:

“Nobody told me I couldn’t volunteer anymore, but I didn’t think it was right.”

Luckily, the couple knew just where to go following the diagnosis and Pauline swapped her volunteer badge for a game of snakes and ladders. She added:

“I love playing games here – snakes and ladders, dominoes, Jenga.

“You just meet people and chat things over – you need to get out of the house.”

John, who also volunteered at the café for three years, said being surrounded by people who understand each other has helped them both.

“We have a laugh.

“We talk to people who are in similar circumstances who pass on their own stories and experiences.”

Pauline and John lean on each other for support, but every type of dementia comes with its own set of challenges. He said:

“You’ve got to be a team – we care for each other.

“I have a few problems myself, but I would never swap them for Alzheimer’s.

The wellbeing café has provided a lifeline for the Browns and hundreds of other families across the Harrogate district.

John added:

“Unless you’ve been involved with someone with dementia – when you’re slowly losing someone – you can’t appreciate these services.

“Help people when they need help – it’s a family.”

The Dementia Forward team eases the pain as much as it can – but can only continue to do so with the help of charitable donations.

Every donation to our campaign will go directly to Dementia Forward, helping us hit our £30,000 target to buy the charity a new minibus and bettering the lives of those living with dementia and the people around them.

Dementia Forward’s current bus is old and urgently needs to be replaced. The charity would seriously struggle to afford a new one, which is why they need your help to keep this vital service going.

Without it, many people living with dementia wouldn’t be able to access the help and support they need. 

Please click here to donate whatever you can – you never know when you, your family or your friend may be in need of Dementia Forward’s help too.

Thank you.

The NHS found that one in 11 people over the age of 65 in the UK are living with dementia. If you need urgent help or have a dementia-related enquiry, call 0330 057 8592 to speak to a helpline adviser.

Callous vandal attack on small Ripon cafe

The owner of one of Ripon’s smallest cafes, has been dealt a devastating blow caused by an act of mindless vandalism.

Helen Slater, who has run the Cathedral View Cafe for six years, arrived at work this morning to discover that one of the windows at her Bedern Bank premises had been smashed with a rock.

She told the Stray Ferret:

“I was absolutely heartbroken, this has never happened to me before and the timing could not have been worse.”

Ms Slater who arrived in festive dress, ready for a hard day’s work, added:

“With the Ripon Cathedral Gift and Food Fair taking place across the road, I was expecting this to be one of my busiest weekends of the year, as I serve breakfast sandwiches and other food and drink items for people who have stalls at the fair.

“But with a broken window, it wasn’t safe to open and I lost all of that breakfast business, as I had to spend three hours cleaning up, contacting my landlord and reporting the vandal attack to the police.”

With the window boarded up, Cathedral View was able to open in time for the later morning and lunchtime trade and it will be business as usual again tomorrow.

Ms Slater, said:

“I have been overwhelmed by the kindness of fellow traders, customers and other people who have sent me supportive messages, made offers of help and dropped by with flowers and chocolates,

“The generosity of the local community has again shone through and I would particularly like to thank Ripon Walled Garden who cheered me up with the gift of a Christmas tree.”

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Van stolen from Ripon business park

A van has been stolen from a business park near Ripon.

North Yorkshire Police said today the Fiat Ducato light goods vehicle was stolen from e-commerce firm Hemmingways, at Barker Business Park in Melmerby, on Tuesday, November 21.

The incident occurred at 1.15am.

In a statement, the force said:

“The registration number of the vehicle is BV19OPH.

“It is white in colour and has a distinctive blue curtain side.

“If you see the stolen vehicle, or know where it is, please email richard.tindall@northyorkshire.police.uk.

“You can also call us on 101 and ask for Richard Tindall.”

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

The reference number is 12230221425.

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Giant snow globe heading to Ripon

A giant inflatable snow globe is coming to Ripon as part of the city’s festivities next month.

Residents and visitors will be able to step inside the inflatable to create a free Christmas photo opportunity.

The globe, which will have biodegradable snow, will be in Ripon from December 14 to 17.

Ripon Business Improvement District, which is funded by traders to increase the number of city centre visitors, has devised the scheme in partnership with tourism organisation Visit Harrogate.

They are marketing the snow globe as “a hugely popular attraction that instantly transports you to your very own winter wonderland”.

It will be in Ripon at the same time as the winter wonderland illuminations in Spa Gardens, which take place from December 15 to 17.

Here’s where you can find the snow globe:

December 14 — 1pm to 7pm The Ripon Inn, Park Street

December 15 — 1pm to 7pm Ripon Cathedral forecourt, Minster Road

December 16 — 1pm to 7pm Ripon Market Square

December 17 — 1pm to 7pm Ripon Market Square

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Sharow road closed yet again

For the second time in 14 weeks, a section of Dishforth Road/Sharow Lane between the Ripon bypass roundabout and the traffic calming island on the approach to St John’s Church, was closed this morning following a burst water main.

Yorkshire Water and its contractor have been working at the scene, which is close to the location of the previous burst main that forced the closure of the same section of road from August 7 to 11.

More recently, the road in Sharownwas hit by flooding on November 14 caused by Storm Debi and back in December/January, there was three weeks of major traffic disruption when Yorkshire Water replaced a ruptured pipe at the sewage pumping station on Dishforth Road. This work involved the felling of a tree and a round the clock convoy of tankers removing sewage from the site and taking it by road to the sewage treatment works off Boroughbridge Road.

Workers at the scene this morning.

James Thornborough who lives in Sharow, supplied these photos, told the Stray Ferret:

“There has been chaotic scenes during this morning’s rush hour with no advance warning of the diversion route for drivers to take, causing them to have to do three point turns in the road.

“The regularity of major mains failures on this key traffic route, points to the need for a resilient wholesale solution to be put in place.”

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Ripon’s YMCA charity shop to reopen next week

The Ripon YMCA charity shop, which closed at short notice in September, will reopen in time for the Christmas trading period,

Courtney Addison, the newly-appointed manager at the Marshall Way retail park store, told the Stray Ferret this morning:

“We are working hard pricing up goods and stocking shelves and rails ahead of reopening next week..”

The shop windows are being prepared with Christmas displays

Ms Addison, who has transferred over from the YMCA’s Boroughbridge shop, where she worked for four years, has been creating Christmas displays with her deputy Steph Nejzer Hewitt.

She pointed out:

“We have lots of new stock and some lovely festive items and look forward to welcoming back our customers and attracting some new ones as well.”

The store has a vacancy for another deputy manager and is looking for additional volunteers. Anybody wanting to find out more can contact 01765  690664.

At the time of its closing in September, a message on the shop’s Facebook page, said:

“We sincerely apologise for the temporary closure of this store. This is due to property circumstances beyond our control.”

The Ripon shop, which is part of a portfolio of 100-plus YMCA stores in England and Wales managed by the charity’s national retail team in London, opened in February in the unit formerly occupied by Argos.

Main picture: The store is being readied for reopening

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Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal 2023: How dementia led two carers to become best friends

This year’s Stray Ferret Christmas Appeal is to raise £30,000 for a much-needed minibus for Dementia Forward in the Harrogate district. 

The appeal is kindly sponsored by Vida Healthcare.

Please give generously to support local people and their families living with dementia. Let’s not forget those that need help this Christmas.

Today, Flora spoke to two women who met at the wellbeing café.

“It’s about knowing there’s someone at the end of the phone who understands what we’re going through.”

Cynthia Storie and Eileen King’s are both carers for their husbands, who are living with dementia, and have found comfort in each other through Dementia Forward’s wellbeing café.

Before their husbands’ diagnosis, Cynthia was a secretary and Eileen was a nanny. They were just like anyone else. But two years ago, everything changed.

Cynthia said:

“Your livelihood is taken from you – it’s a shocking blow.”

She was given a Dementia Forward leaflet following her husband Mike’s diagnosis. Eileen used the helpline service to work out their next steps.

Cynthia added:

“I wanted to make sure Mike could still socialise – he was so used to doing everything for himself.

“He didn’t want to come at all, but after I’d convinced him, and someone brought him a cup of coffee, he was chatting away. Two years later, he’s still here.”

The women said the café is an environment where their husbands feel understood. It combats the loneliness those living with dementia can often feel.

Carers can breathe a sigh of relief knowing their loved one is safe at the café, and can share their experiences with with others facing similar challenges.

She continued:

“You find that friends who you have spent so long going out for dinner and socialising with are so sympathetic at first, but after they realise they don’t understand, you become so isolated.”

 

The café has helped Eileen and her husband more than she could have imagined. She said:

“It helps so much coming here. It’s frightening – you don’t know what’s around the corner.

“It means I’ve got support, and you can offload to people that understand. The staff here don’t judge at all, and they take the guilt away from the carers.”

The women also call each other regularly to check in, visit each other for a cup of tea, and even bake cakes for each other.

Eileen said:

“We, as carers, put on a front. When you’re on your own, you pick up the phone and tell a friend that you need to talk.

“It’s nice when somebody says, ‘how are you?’.”

Dementia has been life-changing for both ladies and their husbands, but the café has brought them some level of peace.

Cynthia added:

“We want people who are reading this to know it takes courage to walk through the door of somewhere like this, but they’re not alone and it’s so worth it to come to these groups.”

Thousands of local families are fighting a long battle with these horrible diseases – and they need your help.

Every donation to our campaign will go directly to Dementia Forward, helping us hit our £30,000 target to buy the charity a new minibus and bettering the lives of those living with dementia and the people around them.

Dementia Forward’s current bus is old and urgently needs to be replaced. The charity would seriously struggle to afford a new one, which is why they need your help to keep this vital service going. Without it, many people living with dementia wouldn’t be able to access the help and support they need. 

Please click here to donate whatever you can – you never know when you, your family or a friend may be in need of Dementia Forward’s help too.

Thank you.

The NHS found that one in 11 people over the age of 65 in the UK are living with dementia. If you need urgent help or have a dementia-related enquiry, call 0330 057 8592 to speak to a helpline adviser.

Derelict Ripon petrol station finally set to be redeveloped

A decades-long wait to build flats on a former petrol station at Skellbank in Ripon could finally end soon.

The site has been derelict for more than 20 years and has been described as an “eyesore” by local residents.

In 2003, Harrogate Borough Council approved a plan to demolish it in order to build eight flats but it never came to fruition with the permission now lapsed.

A similar plan was submitted in 2016 but was then withdrawn three years later.

However, Ripon City Council leader Andrew Williams revealed at a recent meeting that he’s had confirmation from the site’s owner that it will submit a new planning application for eight flats in the next few weeks.

The former petrol station is in a residential area on the edge of the city centre and is on the route from Ripon towards popular tourist landmark Fountains Abbey.

Cllr Williams said:

“I’m hopeful that an application will be lodged in next few weeks that will hopefully, after decades of this land being derelict and an eyesore, mean it’s brought back into constructive use.

“Members of this council have repeatedly expressed concerns about this site and I’ve used what influence I have to get it this far. I’ve also had indication that the owner would consider screening the site in the interim.

“Residents in that area have for years had to look out onto that piece of land. I hope in the next 12 months that piece of land will be transformed into something much more appropriate.”

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Moorside Primary School in Ripon rated ‘good’ by Ofsted

Moorside Primary School and Nursery, in Ripon, has been rated ‘good’ by Ofsted.

The findings were published in a report yesterday following a two-day inspection in September.

Government inspectors rated the school and nursery, which has 168 pupils, ‘good’ in all four categories: quality of education, behaviour and attitudes, personal development and leadership and management.

It was the first assessment since Moorside Primary School and Moorside Infant School amalgamated in 2019.

Inspectors said the school “lies at the very heart of its community” and found “pupils enjoy attending school”. They added:

“Pupils, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND), establish positive relationships with staff. They describe their teachers as ‘caring’ and ‘kind’.

“Parents are effusively positive about the school. One parent captured the views of many in saying: ‘Our children are so lucky to start their education at Moorside. The school is a credit to itself and the community.’”

The report praised the wide range of opportunities given to children, including various clubs and the on-site forest school, as well as trips out into the local area – citing a recent trip to Fountains Abbey.

The school has high expectations of pupils’ behaviour, the report added, and said “pupils enjoy the praise they receive for their good behaviour”. It said:

“They treat their teachers and each other with respect. They talk politely and confidently to visitors, enjoying opportunities to talk about their school.

“Pupils say that they feel safe and they know they can share any concerns with staff.”

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The report said staff are “well trained” and they have a good understanding of the subjects they teach, while leaders and governors have a “shared ambition for the school and its pupils”.

Inspectors also found the needs of pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are “carefully considered” and adjustments are made to enable these pupils “to successfully access the same curriculum as their peers”.

It added:

“Pupils study a well-sequenced curriculum for personal, social, health and economic education.

“They learn about positive relationships, mental health and the benefits of diversity. Pupils learn about British values.”

The environment of the “warm and welcoming” early years department was found to be “bright and inviting”.

Areas of improvement

Despite the “ambitious” curriculum, inspectors found the school had not “defined precisely the important knowledge that they want pupils to learn”, adding:

“Consequently, some pupils struggle to retain their learning and, therefore, cannot build on this over time.

“The school should review some aspects of the curriculum to ensure that there is greater clarity for teachers about what pupils should know and remember at each stage of their learning, across all subjects.”

It also said, although the school “prioritises” reading, some pupils are given books to read that are “too difficult” and “not well-matched to their phonic ability”, meaning they “struggle to practise” what they have learned.

“The school should make sure pupils’ reading books are well matched to the phonics pupils know.”

‘A fantastic milestone’

 In response to the report, Claire Rowett, headteacher of Moorside Primary School and Nursery, said:

“I would like to thank the dedicated and committed staff and governors who have been part of our unique journey, and helped us to not only physically build a school, but a strong community ethos with children at the heart of it.

“I would also like to thank the parents for their overwhelming support; working in collaboration with us to support their children and for also sharing their views with Ofsted where 100% of them said that they would recommend our school to another parent.

“This is a fantastic milestone on Moorside’s journey to celebrate and the school endeavours to continue to build on their success in the future.

“We are always pleased to share our wonderful provision that we have grown here a Moorside and offer opportunities for prospective parents, families and members of the community to visit at any time.”

Ripon peace campaigners call for ceasefire in Gaza

A silent vigil was held on Ripon Market Square this morning at which a group of campaigners called for an immediate ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas.

The situation in Palestine has deteriorated since October 7, when Hamas invaded Israeli villages over the border from Gaza and killed an estimated 1,200 people and took more than 200 hostages. It is estimated that more than 12,000 Palestinians – the majority of them women and children – have died in Israeli attacks since then.

Vigil organiser Andy Croft (pictured centre in our photograph) told the Stray Ferret:

“We are not taking sides and are carrying the flags of both Israel and Palestine, as we call on the UK government and opposition to support the growing call for an immediate ceasefire.

“Too many people have already died and it is heartbreaking to hear about the civilian casualties and see television pictures of tiny babies having to be moved from intensive care incubators because the hospital that they were in no longer has the electricity to power them.”

Mr Croft added:

“We have decided to hold a weekly half hour silent vigil by the obelisk at 10am each Monday until there is a ceasefire and are holding it in Ripon so that local residents who want to join the ceasefire call don’t need to travel to Leeds or York.

“Before organising the event, we sought and received approval from North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Council and also liaised with Ripon City Council.”

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