Schools, organisations and individuals in Ripon are being urged to help develop plans for a second summer of free sports and activities for children.

Ripon Together, which organised last year’s Summer of Play to support families during the summer holidays, has launched a city-wide survey to build on that experience.

Last year’s events ranged from formal team sports such as cricket and football to karate and croquet, dance, yoga, mindfulness and orienteering, as well as nature hunts at Fountains Abbey.

There were also activities for disabled people, including wheelchair bowls at Hugh Ripley Hall.

Ripon Together, a not-for-profit partnership organisation, has circulated a letter about this year’s activities. It says:

“We want to offer things that are relevant, useful and fun for children, young people and families, connecting organisations and showing what is available for them around Ripon.

“We are now formulating plans for 2022 and if there is anyone in your organisation who could give us their ideas, then please ask them to complete the survey. The more information we have the better that we can prepare.”

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The Summer of Play 2021 was designed to help children and their families after the lifting of the covid lockdown restrictions ln July, which had seen sporting, cultural and other group activities put on hold.

Any questions or queries can be emailed to info@ripontogether.com or you can call David Ingham on 07775 731276.

Students at Rossett School have told the Stray Ferret that they have been inspired by England’s performance at Euro 2020.

With the national team preparing to take on Italy during the final on Sunday at Wembley, these pupils have been playing on the school’s new 3G pitch.

The school raised £10,000 through a fundraiser to help with the cost of resurfacing the pitch.

There was a clear bounce in their step and not just because of the rubber. The students are keen to follow in the footsteps of their footballing heroes.

(Left to right) Charlie Wright, William Parkinson, Lydia Corner and Poppy Mortimer.

Harrogate Borough Council has said it still does not know the final cost of Ripon’s new swimming pool.

In response to a second Freedom of Information request about the project from the Stray Ferret, the council said.

“The information you request is not held by Harrogate Borough Council because the final costs are not yet known.”

A £10.2 million contract was awarded to construction company Willmott Dixon before work started on site in November 2019.

The 17-month contact was for delivery of a six-lane pool, along with refurbishment of the existing Ripon Leisure Centre on the Dallamires Lane site.

That contract specified a completion date of May 21 this year, but a press release issued by HBC said the project will now be completed in November.

Councillor Stanley Lumley, HBC’s cabinet member for culture, tourism and sport, said the project had been ‘slightly delayed’ by covid.

In a press release dated November 13, he added:

“Ground work, known as grouting, is nearing completion.”

Grouting is a method used to stabilise unstable ground.

Read more:

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Ground stability issues

Sixteen months before the council approved the swimming pool development, a sinkhole opened up in the leisure centre car park.

Following the incident in February 2018, which saw the car park barriered off and closed, the council issued this statement:

In the first FOI request, the Stray Ferret asked HBC how much of the contract costs related to ground remediation prior to construction.

The council was also asked if additional fees are payable to Willmott Dixon for extension of the project.

HBC responded, saying:

“Additional ‘site preliminaries’ will be payable to the main contractor as a result of the extension of the construction contract.”

The council added:

“A public authority may refuse to disclose information to the extent that its disclosure would adversely affect the confidentiality of commercial or industrial information where such confidentiality is provided by law to protect a legitimate economic interest.”

A Harrogate organisation that encourages older adults to become more active has received £100,000 in funding to go towards its at home exercise classes.

North Yorkshire Sport is based in Harrogate but offers support to those over 65 across the county. Its main aim is to encourage local people to become active and improve their mental and physical wellbeing.

The funding comes from The National Lottery Community Fund and will be used to offer local adults tailored exercise sessions at their homes.

The organisation discovered that many older adults don’t have access to online resources so were missing out on exercise classes due to the pandemic.

Its new home exercise programme will allow participants to receive two face to face visits each week, for four weeks, from a qualified therapeutic exercise instructor.

This new funding means the sessions, sgarting this month, can be offered to 230 people locally.

David Watson, Chief Executive at North Yorkshire Sport says:

“We’re delighted that The National Lottery Community Fund has recognised our work in this way.

“This is important because it helps these adults to have a connection, in person, with other people whilst simultaneously supporting them to become more physically active and supporting their mental wellbeing.”

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A Knaresborough woman will attempt to break a world record tomorrow for the most netball goals scored in one hour. 

To set the record, Sue Hobson, who plays goal shooter for the Hawks netball club in Harrogate, needs to shoot more than 756 goals – more than 12 goals a minute.

Sue is aiming to reach more than 900 goals in total and has already raised more than £1,100 for Saint Michael’s Hospice in the process. To support Sue, click here. 

Speaking about why she has chosen to fundraise for the charity, Sue said: 

“It just felt too unusual or quirky an activity to not try and use it for something positive, especially when there’s not a lot of positivity in the world at the moment.

“Living in the Harrogate and Knaresborough area I know people that have been helped by Saint Michael’s Hospice, and it seems like a great local charity.”

Sue has been training for this challenge since the beginning of lockdown, when her regular netball training sessions and matches stopped.

After setting herself challenges in her back garden, such as scoring 100 goals in a row, she began researching world records for netball. 

Sue said the support from other local organisations, such as King James’s School and Harrogate Netball League, have spurred her on to complete the challenge.

Read more: 

• Nidderdale vicar sets new world record
• St Michael’s has doubled its November Superdraw to over £2000 to thanks its supporters.

Harrogate district Parkruns look set to return by the end of October.

Parkrun sees runners of all abilities take part in a 5km run every Saturday morning. But the organisers paused the event at the beginning of March, just ahead of the national lockdown.

Now, after months of drawing up plans and waiting for social distancing rules to relax, Parkrun is ready to resume.

Parkrun holds three events in the Harrogate district: in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon.

Crowding at the starting and finishing lines is one of the main concerns. The official Parkrun framework admits there is no way to maintain social distance at these points.

But Tom Williams, the global chief operating officer of Parkrun and Harrogate resident, told the Stray Ferret the benefits outweighed the coronavirus risks:

“We are a charity but it has been a huge challenge to support people’s health and wellbeing in a virtual way. I believe that by bringing back the Parkrun it will make a big difference.

“Where we have already brought the Parkrun back [in other countries] we have seen runners return in their numbers so we expect the same in the UK.”

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The government has banned social gatherings of more than six people from Monday, but with some exceptions.

Mr Williams said he did not think the new rules would affect Parkrun because it is an outdoor sports event with minimal contact but he said it would monitor the situation.

In one of Parkrun’s recent surveys, almost 80% of respondents said they would return to Parkrun in four weeks’ time if the events were to come back in a safe way.

A health and fitness centre in Harrogate has had plans approved to build more padel courts and changing facilities due to increased demand for the sport.

Harrogate Sports and Fitness Centre on Hookstone Wood Road offers a range of different facilities including a gym, squash courts, studios and therapy rooms. However, its padel courts are seeing particularly high demand.

The only courts of their kind in the region, they see people travel from Hull, Liverpool and Manchester to play. Padel, a racket sport described as being a mix between squash and tennis, is one of the fastest growing sports in the UK.

Since reopening the courts on July 4, the Harrogate centre has seen an increased demand from people wanting to use the facilities. The courts are currently booked from 7am until 10pm, seven days a week, until the end of August.

Planning approval has been granted for a new glass-enclosed padel court.

Plans to build another glass-enclosed court along with changing rooms and toilets have recently been approved. The addition will be funded by the centre, the Lawn Tennis Association and Sport England.

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• Harrogate Town get ready for Wembley debut 
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James Gaston, general manager at Harrogate Sports and Fitness Centre, told the Stray Ferret that people of all ages come down to exercise:

“The whole point is to try and encourage people to play sports and make exercising cheap for communities. We try and make it so there’s something for everybody here from young people to older people. It’s like a big family.”

The sports centre also has a cafe which serves healthy food and drink.

Leo Campagna, a member at the club who is nearly 80 and plays squash most days of the week, told the Stray Ferret:

“I am nearly 80 and people my age have difficulty keeping fit. When you stop exercising you start to stiffen up and so you have to keep going. I am so glad to be able to play squash again. I come nearly every day of the week.”

Players at Harrogate RUFC say it is “great” to finally be able to get back on the pitch.

The club is having to train in much smaller groups with the players focusing specifically on their fitness and ball skills. Despite not being able to play competitively yet, the players are getting match fit for when the time finally comes.

The players have enjoyed getting back into the swing of things.

Director of Rugby at Harrogate RUFC, David Doherty, told The Stray Ferret:

“It’s brilliant to have the players back. It’s obviously challenging given the government guidelines, but the boys have embraced it.”

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Training takes place on Tuesday and Thursday evenings with both the men and women playing in small ‘pods’ with no contact.

A Harrogate based community boxing club says it is excited to get back in the ring after over three months out.

Harrogate Amateur Boxing Club is a voluntary group which caters for all ages and abilities. In the last year the team of boxers has won 8 out of 11 of its fights until lockdown cut the season short.

Since then, the boxers have kept their fitness up by doing home workouts and have recently moved training outdoors in small groups. However, on July 25 the club will be able to open its gym doors again.

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Jacob Millar boxes for the club and won the Youth Yorkshire Challenge back in November. He told The Stray Ferret that he is looking forward to getting back into training.

He said:

“Training during lockdown has been okay, it’s more the motivation that has been lacking because there’s so little to look forward to. It will be great to get back to the gym and continue training.”

Ben Smith and Jacob Millar pictured with winning belt.

Normally the club runs sessions on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from beginners to ‘active boxers.’ Head coach Ben Smith told The Stray Ferret:

“Our aim is to incorporate discipline in a fun learning environment where young people can enjoy themselves and learn how to take care of themselves in and out of the ring.”

Pupils and staff from Ashville College in Harrogate have been joined by a number of sportsmen and women during an online Q&A sessions.

Director of Sport at Ashville College, Dominic Bradburne, organised talks with athletes from the world of cricket, hockey, netball and rugby. Pupils then had the opportunity to ask questions about their careers.

The live sessions began with Worcestershire County Cricket Club players Ed Barnard and Pat Brown. They were followed by Bath Rugby Union players Joe Cokanasiga and Zach Mercer.

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The students also had the opportunity to speak to England hockey players Ollie Payne and Nick Park as well as former England Netball international Anna Carter.

Nick Park currently plays hockey for England.

Director of Sport Dominic Bradburne said:

“I’d like to thank all of the sportsmen and sportswomen for participating in our question and answer sessions. The aim of the evenings is for the audience…to find out about the individuals, their careers, early influences, training programmes and future aspirations.”

He acknowledged that video conferencing is the new normal and hopes to carry on the sessions on a regular basis.