Teenage Ripon golfer to complete 100 holes in a day

Ripon Grammar School sixth former Samuel Cann is aiming to complete 100 holes of golf in a day for charity this week.

The teenage golf fan, who only started took up golf two years ago, estimates the five-and-a-half rounds will take about 16 hours to complete.

He therefore plans to tee-off at Ripon City Golf Club at 4am on Wednesday and finish by 8pm this Wednesday, June 21.

Sam, 18, who will raise money for Prostate Cancer UK, said:

“I am undertaking this challenge in support of friends and members at the golf club who are suffering or impacted by someone suffering from prostate cancer.

“Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men, with around 143 men diagnosed every day, and 1 in 8 men being diagnosed in their lifetime.”

The charity’s Big Golf Race, which has been running since 2020, challenges golfers to take on either 36, 72 or — new for 2023 — the ultra marathon 100 holes in a day.

Sam will be supported by other Ripon City Golf Club members who will join him for a round during the challenge, which he hopes will raise up to £500.

Sam, from Sharow, hopes to study aerospace engineering at the Manchester University after completing his A-levels.

There is a JustGiving page for the event, which you can find here.

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Ripon fire victim: ‘We can’t thank everyone enough’

Ripon residents have rallied to support those affected by a fire that ravaged three terraced houses on Friday.

Six teams of firefighters were called to Magdalens Close at 7pm to deal with a blaze believed to have been caused by a gas leak.

The fire spread to two adjoining properties and although one woman was hospitalised nobody was seriously injured.

However, none of the homes is currently fit to live in and those affected have had to find alternative accommodation.

The fire has caused major damage.

The people of Ripon pledged all kinds of support over the weekend.

Alex Ryder, whose sister was in one of the side homes affected, started a gofundme page on Saturday to raise £3,000 for the families affected.

By last night it had raised more than £3,500 — thanks in no small part to an anonymous donation of £1,800.

Mr Ryder told the Stray Ferret:

“We have no idea who it was but we can’t thank them enough.”

Although Sophie’s home was not as badly fire damaged as the one in the middle, smoke and water has ruined all furniture, carpets and the majority of possessions. Mr Ryder said:

“The middle house and house on the left are definitely uninhabitable at the moment and there’s a question mark over my sister’s, they are awaiting advice from a structural engineer as to whether it is safe or if it needs knocking down and rebuilding,”

Firefighters tackling the blaze on Friday.

Sophie added:

“It’s been a horrific couple of days and we are still trying to process everything that’s going on.

“We can’t thank everyone enough for all the support and kind words. As soon as it started the neighbours on Magdalens Close were amazing and have been ever since, offering accommodation, food, water, anything we need.

“The gofundme page just shows how amazing everyone is and has been.”

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Scrapping YorBus will leave thousands without a bus service, councillor warns

Scrapping an on-demand bus service will leave thousands of passengers a month without a service, a councillor has warned.

North Yorkshire Council is examining cost-effective ways of boosting transport services after the authority admitted its flagship Yorbus demand-responsive transport pilot had failed.

It has emerged the Yorbus service for the Bedale, Ripon and Masham area cost more than £15 per passenger to run.

Ahead of launching the two-year pilot, which ends later this month, the council had been warned by public transport providers, including Moorbus, that demand-responsive transport would prove far too costly.

However, councillors disagree over whether there is any appetite for public transport in rural areas and if more frequent services would entice people to leave their cars.

The authority’s opposition leader, Cllr Bryn Griffiths said the ending of the trial later this month would mean “about 1,000 passengers a month without a bus service”.

A meeting of the council’s Richmond constituency committee heard him call for answers as to why the council had failed to win bids for huge amounts of government funding for public transport schemes such as Yorbus.

During a debate over Yorbus, Cllr John Weighell, who led North Yorkshire County Council for nearly 14 years, said Yorbus had not met the needs of residents with mobility issues in rural areas as the stops were too far apart.

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He said even before the Yorbus pilot was launched it had never appeared viable as the authority had previously worked on the principle of supporting services that needed a subsidy of £6 or less per passenger journey.

Cllr Weighell questioned whether demand-responsive transport services would work better if they were limited to short journeys, close to larger market towns.

He said the authority should instead invest more money into developing and supporting voluntary-run community transport.

Cllr Griffiths replied: 

“The problem is they rely on volunteers and we are struggling for volunteers at the moment. Stokesley has two community care buses and they are crying out for volunteers.”

Northallerton councillor Caroline Dickinson, a member of two North Yorkshire bus user groups, said there was “a big concern about the buses and getting people to appointments”.

She said: 

“There’s all the talk about getting people out of their cars onto buses, but in the Dales we don’t have buses.”

The authority’s leadership said they had believed it could have been the “silver bullet” for North Yorkshire’s sparse public transport provision, particularly in rural areas.

Responding to criticism over the authority paying more than £200,000 to continue the pilot for a second year, the council’s leader Cllr Carl Les said it had been necessary to thoroughly test ways to attract more customers, such as bookings arrangements.

He said: 

“It is right to stop now we have proved the costs are prohibitive.”

The authority is now considering increasing its work with volunteer-run community transport providers to reduce the cost of vehicles.

Cllr Les said the Little White Bus service, which has provided scheduled travel in Wensleydale and Swaledale since 2011, could be a better model to help improve transport access in rural areas.

Despite being in a remote area, the service run by paid and volunteer minibus drivers carries in excess of 60,000 passengers a year across 500,000 miles and provides school transport.

He said the authority was already promoting a car share scheme in Harrogate and would consider supporting such schemes for villages where people could search for any journeys they wanted to share, either as a driver or a passenger.

Girlguiding group on track to hit £1.7 million target for new premises

A local Girlguiding group is on track to reach its £1.7 million goal to fund the renovations of its new centre.

North Yorkshire West Girlguiding has raised and spent nearly £1.2 million since the fundraising began in 2019, when the old site was demolished. Since then, fundraising efforts have included cake stalls, virtual balloon races, and live performances.

The Birk Crag Centre, on Cornwall Road in Harrogate, will be home to Harrogate’s Girlguiding division, but will be accessible to all groups in the North Yorkshire West area – including Ripon, Boroughbridge, Skipton, and Settle.

The space will host Guide sleepovers, as well as overnight stays for Brownie and Rainbow groups, and will also offer residential training for volunteers.

Outdoor and camping equipment will also be stored at the premises, as well as a uniform and badge shop.

Caroline Bentham, Guide guider and assistant county commissioner, said:

“One of the most important parts of Guiding is giving girls the chance to have a sleepover away from home that is affordable.

“Guiders are all volunteers and give their time for free, this means we can keep the costs down.

“There is nothing better than seeing a nervous young lady arrive at a sleepover and watch her come into her own, even if it is as the noisy one after lights out!”

Mrs Bentham explained the “pandemic affected us like many other charities” and claims the delay in raising the money is due to “jobs priced at £20,000 now cost us £60,000”. The Girlguiding group has also applied for various grants to help raise the money.

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Around a further £500,000 is required to complete all building work and renovations.

The next fundraising event will take place at Studley Royal. The Ripon Girlguiding division will hold a sponsored walk, during which they will push a 5ft cable drum around the grounds to represent the £6,000 required for electrical cabling at the new building.

The walk will take place on June, 19 and 20.

To find out more about sponsorship of events or to help the fundraising efforts, visit the Birk Crag Centre website.

Three homes damaged in major fire in Ripon

Firefighters have been tackling a major incident in Ripon this evening in which fire has badly damaged three homes in Magdalens Close.

There are no reported casualties.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said a gas leak is believed to have caused the fire.

Crews from Ripon, Harrogate, Northallerton, Boroughbridge, Bedale and Thirsk were summoned to a row of three brick-built terraced houses.

It is understood the fire began around 7pm in the roof void of one of the properties and spread to the two adjoining houses.

Residents of the close watched as firefighters dealt with the blaze and brought it under control.

Police and paramedics were on the scene and a section of Magdalens Road between Princess Road and North Bridge was shut while emergency services handled the incident.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s incident report said:

“The fire spread rapidly to the property located to the left.

“Crews sectorised the fire and used two hose reel jets, four main jets and numerous breathing apparatus sets to tackle the fire.

“A gas leak was located in one of the properties so a gas engineer was requested to attend. Crews brought the fire under control and managed to prevent further spread to the last property.”

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Kirkby Malzeard all set for its three-day big weekend

Kirkby Malzeard is set to host a three-day weekend of community activities, starting tomorrow.

The Big Weekend will include live music, a Black Sheep bar, street food and artisan stalls in the first event of its kind in the village.

Visitors can expect performances from Hyde Family Jam, Reeth Brass Band, Kirkby Tunes Folk Group, and many more over the Father’s Day weekend.

The event promises something for all ages, from the inaugural 11K Crackpots Run to a TikTok disco.

There will also be a scarecrow trail – with 32 scarecrows scattered around the village – as well as a parade, a farm and tractor fest and a dog show and scurry.

Nigel Robertshaw, a village resident overseeing the live music event, said:

“This is a first for the village and we know it will be something completely different.

“We are also running a Kirkby’s Got Talent session to allow local people the chance to perform on a live stage.”

During the live music on Saturday night, Manchega Tapas and Skellgill Burgers will be offering pop-up food, alongside the village’s own fish and chips. Tickets for the live music can be found here.

The Big Weekend will round off at the village pub, the Queens Head, with an all-ages karaoke and barbecue.

Any money raised from the weekend will be used to fund future community events, including the bonfire and youth projects.

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Curzon to close Ripon cinema

The Curzon cinema in Ripon is to close on July 1.

The company said the Ripon venue faced “specific challenges” and the site “is not suited to the long-term direction we have taken”.

The venue’s nine staff were informed of the decision yesterday.

Curzon confirmed the news to the Stray Ferret this afternoon after a source informed us of the closure.

Jake Garriock, head of distribution strategy and group publicity at Curzon, said:

“Unfortunately, your information is correct, the cinema is due to close on July 1.

“The cinema has specific challenges that have meant it has not recovered as we hoped after the pandemic.

“In recent years, with several new purpose-built cinemas opening in the area, the local audience has been spread too thinly for Ripon to thrive.”

Mr Garriock added:

“The site is not suited to the long-term direction we have taken post-pandemic, driven by increased customer focus on hospitality, for example, the rooftop and pizza kitchen offering at Curzon Kingston.

“I am aware the news is a disappointment to both the staff and the local community, who share a love for the cinema.”

The Curzon is on North Street in Ripon

Curzon, which has 17 cinemas, was founded in 1934 and is known for showing art house films. It runs membership schemes that encourage people to watch films throughout the year.

The source that contacted the Stray Ferret urged people in Ripon that any queries resulting from the closure must be dealt with online and that nothing could be sorted in the cinema on North Street.

They appealed to people not to abuse staff.

Mr Garriock said “there will be no issue with customers requesting refunds for memberships they might have taken out” and urged people to call the customer helpline on 01233 555644.

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Man admits causing death of woman in car crash near Ripon

A man has pleaded guilty to causing the death of a 20-year-old woman by dangerous driving in Ripon.

Harry Elliott, 25, appeared before York Crown Court yesterday after his Audi RS3 crashed into a tree on the B6265 near Grantley Hall in the early hours of December 6, 2019.

Naomi Buckle, who was from Catterick Garrison and was a passenger in the car, died as a result of the crash.

Elliott, of Richmond in North Yorkshire, who initially denied causing death by dangerous driving at a hearing in August 2022, was due to stand trial yesterday.

However, he changed his plea to guilty in court.

He will be sentenced on July 24.

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Ripon hospital to provide more health checks after £1m award

Ripon Community Hospital has been awarded £1 million to expand the number of health checks and scans.

It means GPs will be able to refer more patients to the hospital for life-saving checks closer to home and be diagnosed for a range of conditions.

The NHS England funding is part of an expansion of community diagnostic services announced by the government.

Ripon Community Hospital will refurbish its X-Ray room and equipment and expand the service to six days a week.

The ultrasound room will be extended and its services expanded to six days a week and a second audiology room will be created, with additional staff, to provide more hearing tests in Ripon.

The funding will also help to create two clinic rooms to offer more frequent blood samples and local access to tests such as spirometry, ambulatory ECG and ambulatory blood pressure.

The hospital on Firby Lane, which is part of Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, will have capacity for 27,000 checks a year once services are expanded.

A report by Professor Sir Mike Richards called for a significant increase in community diagnostic services outside of acute hospitals.

Building work will be carried out at the hospital before the extra services can start by the end of this year.

Sue Eddleston, a public governor representing Ripon and outlying villages on the Council of Governors for the Harrogate District Foundation Trust, said she “could not be more delighted” by the news, which she added would benefit Ripon residents.

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Gallery: A weekend of family entertainment at Ripon Theatre Festival

The focus was on family fun in the sun as Ripon Theatre Festival’s outdoor performers took centre stage over the weekend.

Yesterday’s bright sunshine brought hundreds of children, along with parents and grandparents to Spa Gardens, where they saw puppets, pirates, a Noah’s Ark show (pictured below) musicians, singers, dancers and many more entertainers.

Among them was Rhubarb Theatre (see main picture), which provided an interactive experience for the audience combining street entertainment with family games, featuring characters inspired by Lewis Carroll’s wonderland creations.

On Saturday, Ripon city centre Market Square, Minster Gardens, The Arcade, North Street and Kirkgate and Westgate, were among the venues for a eclectic mixture of alfresco theatrical performances, while the Flying Dodos and other puppet characters roamed the streets.

The Flying Dodos on North Street

Ripon Arts Hub, the cathedral, Curzon Cinema, the Claro Lounge, Wetherspoon’s Unicorn Hotel, the library and The Little Ripon Bookshop and Workhouse Museum, also hosted indoor festival events.

The Strange Twig pirates in Spa Gardens

Ian Gouge 

At Curzon Cinema, Ripon-based award-winning author and poet Ian Gouge, gave a premiere performance of his dramatic poem Crash while on Market Square, a large crowd gathered for a whole host of acts, including The Giant Balloon Show (pictured below).

Just a hop and a skip away at the cathedral, Ripon City Morris Dancers  attracted a large gathering as did dancers of a different kind when Sarita McDermott and her team of Bollywood-style performers, Bethany, Matthew and Martin, from Jennyruth Workshops, performed in Spa Gardens.

Ripon City Morris Dancers

Sarita McDermott (right) with the Bollywood dancers.

While it was a weekend for enjoyment across the city, the daily hardship of a life in poverty was given a dramatic twist at the Workshouse Museum.

Through interactive displays and presentations, volunteers in period costume told the story of what it was like for some of Ripon’s Victorian forebears.

Volunteers Lindy (left) and Judy showed visitors what wash day in the Workhouse was like for its Victorian inmates

The finale of Ripon’s second theatre festival came yesterday evening with Illyria’s action-packed production of Robin Hood  at Fountains Abbey and as the curtain came down on this year’s event, festival director Katie Scott (pictured below) told the Stray Ferret:

“It has been a great success. Building on last year’s launch we have seen increased ticket sales and hundreds of people attending the free outdoor events and pop up shows.

“This gives us a tremendous platform for next year.”

Festival director Katie Scott

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