The Stray Ferret Business Club’s next meeting is an after work drinks event on Thursday, August 31 at The West Park Hotel in Harrogate between 5-7pm. 

The Business Club provides monthly opportunities to network, make new connections and hear local success stories. Get your tickets by clicking or tapping here.

A Harrogate rental company has said the firm remains in “strong financial position” despite a hike in interest rates this past month.

Vp, which is based at Central House on Beckwith Knowle, recorded a 6% increase in revenue to £371.5m for the year ending March 2023.

In a statement to its annual general meeting, Jeremy Pilkington, chairman of the company, said the group “remains in a strong financial position”.

He added that he expected company results for the upcoming financial year to be in line with board expectations despite “market headwinds” and the Bank of England’s decision to hike interest rates to 5.25%.

Mr Pilkington said:

“We remain focused on the quality of our equipment and excellent service delivery to our customers with an ongoing drive to deliver sustainable solutions to our customer base.

“The group remains in a strong financial position with an excellent track record of delivery. Despite both market headwinds and increases in interest rates, we continue to see opportunities and expect performance for the current financial year to be in line with board expectations.”

Black Sheep launches beer in partnership with Rob Burrow

Black Sheep Brewery has launched a new beer in partnership with Rob Burrow MBE.

The brewery, which is based in Masham, released Burrow Blonde to raise funds for Rob Burrow 7 Discretionary Trust and the Rob Burrow Racing Club.

A total of 10p from every pint and bottle sold is donated to charity.

Picture (from left) Phil Hawthorne, The Good Racing Co, Alex Brandon-Davies, Senior Brewer at Black Sheep Brewery and Rob Burrow and Lindsey Burrow.

Barrie McDermott, Sky Sports pundit and former Leeds Rhinos teammate of Rob, said: 

“I’m incredibly proud to support the launch of Burrow’s Blonde, a fantastic beer for a fantastic cause, it’s yet another way to get behind our little mate Rob Burrow and his family in their battle against MND.”

Rob’s wife, Lindsey Burrow, said:

“We’re really excited to be working with Black Sheep Brewery and launching Burrow’s Blonde. It’s a great opportunity for people to support Rob by simply buying a beer and enjoying a drink with loved ones.”

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A group of early-morning runners from Knaresborough will be upping the pace this Sunday, when they take part in the first ever Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon. 

The 15 members of the Early Bird Running Crew have been in training for 19 weeks to run the 26.2 miles and will be raising money to create a brand-new motor neurone disease (MND) unit, at Seacroft Hospital in Leeds. 

Early Bird Running Crew member Dr Deborah Goldfield said: 

“I’ve felt very passionate about MND ever since a friend was diagnosed with it and later died. 

“It’s one of those stigmatised diseases; there’s a sense of complete and utter despair, because it seems as if there’s nothing you can do. As an A&E doctor, I see it every day.  

“It’s about time we looked very seriously at finding a cure for this appalling disease, and this project gives a massive sense of hope.” 

MND is a condition that progressively damages nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, called motor neurones. These control muscle activity including walking, speaking, gripping, swallowing, and even breathing, and as MND progresses, it can become more difficult to do some or all of these. MND eventually leads to death.

Former Leeds Rhinos rugby league player Rob Burrow was diagnosed with MND in 2019. Since then, he has campaigned relentlessly to raise awareness and funds to support families living with the disease. 

MND campaigner Rob Burrow (seated) and best friend and fellow ex-Rhino Kevin Sinfield OBE (right) will cover the marathon course together.

The inaugural Rob Burrow Leeds Marathon will see over 10,000 participants take on a new route through Leeds that starts and finishes at Headingley Stadium, home of the Leeds Rhinos. Rob Burrow himself will be cover the route, pushed in his wheelchair by best friend and fellow ex-Rhinos player Kevin Sinfield OBE. 

Dr Goldfield said: 

“If Rob Burrow can do the course, I’m sure we can wheeze our way round it. 

“It would be amazing to be part of creating this new MND unit, so please donate anything you can afford. No worries if that’s just a cheer on!” 

Dr Goldfield, who works at York Hospital, is aiming to raise £500 through the event, which is being held in support of the Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease Appeal as well as the MND Association.

You can help her reach her fundraising target by sponsoring her online.

Dr Deborah Goldfield (back row, centre) with fellow Early Bird Running Crew runners at their Market Place meet-up in Knaresborough.

The Early Bird Running Crew is a social running group that encourages people of all abilities and promotes well-being. It meets daily from Monday to Friday at 6.30am in Knaresborough’s Market Place for a 5k run. A Harrogate group meets at the same times, at the War Memorial in the town centre. 

Read more:

• Man with MND sets 100-mile charity challenge through Yorkshire Dales
• Harrogate couple run 127 miles in aid of Motor Neurone Disease charity
• Terminally ill Harrogate man to scale Snowdon

A Harrogate man with motor neurone disease is to scale Snowdon to raise funds for Leeds Hospitals Charity and the MND Association.

Ian Flatt, 56, was diagnosed with the terminal illness in 2019 and needs a ventilator for 16 hours a day.

Despite his diagnosis, he’s already completed two 100-mile trips to raise money for a new state-of-the-art MND facility in Leeds.

His latest challenge will see him ascending the highest mountain in Wales, which is 1,085 metres tall and the equivalent of climbing 4,610 steps.

The Leeds-based hospital charity is raising money to build a new Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease at Seacroft Hospital, where both men are cared for.

The former Leeds Rhinos player Rob Burrow MBE has become an ambassador for the disease since his own diagnosis in 2019.

Mr Flatt said:

“The Rob Burrow Centre for Motor Neurone Disease is very important to us as a family. We’re passionate about supporting other families going through this difficult disease.

“The support of the team at Leeds and their specialist help is so crucial for us to live as well as we can as a family. Whilst my mobility, dexterity and respiratory functions are failing, my sense of adventure remains intact.”

Read more:

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Mr Flatt’s wife, two daughters and around forty friends will be joining him on the Snowdon trek. Staff from both the MND Centre and Leeds Hospitals Charity will also be climbing the mountain.

The charity’s appeal has raised £2m of the £5m needed to build the new centre.

To donate visit: https://donate.giveasyoulive.com/fundraising/ian-flatt-whats-your-mountain

Harrogate Railway Athletic Football Club is organising a rugby match in which the players wear prom dresses to raise money for charity.

The club is fundraising in support of former Leeds Rhinos rugby league player Rob Burrow, who has motor neurone disease.

It has already raised £6,200 but would like to achieve £7,000 to match the number 7 Rob wore on his team shirt.

Anne Mitchell, the clubhouse manager, came up with the idea as a finale to the charity walks the club has done for the MND Association.

She said:

“One of the most exciting things is the team names — the sugar plum fairies and the nutcrackers”.

Rob Burrow, who has been raising money for the MND Association since his diagnosis, is supporting the event:

https://twitter.com/RunforRobMND/status/1409262293909753861

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Players from different districts, including Leeds, York, West Park and Stanningley, are taking part in the match at Harrogate Railway AFC.

Details of the event are available on this Twitter account.