Harrogate may be experiencing wall-to-wall sunshine and high temperatures, but for one street, thoughts will turn to Christmas this weekend.

The Commercial Street Jamboree has been organised to raise funds for Supporting Older People to put on a Christmas meal for elderly people who live alone.

The event will also contribute to Harrogate Hospital and Community Charity‘s funds for an entertainer to visit the children’s ward at Harrogate District Hospital.

SOP will hold a book stall on the street, while Harrogate Hospital Radio will be broadcasting from the street. The independent shops along the street will also be getting into the fun of the event, which takes place tomorrow, Saturday, June 17, from 2pm.

Wave Aquariums will be offering face painting, Lilly’s Cafe will fire up the barbecue, and there will be an open mic and family entertainment.

Sue Kramer, chair of the Commercial Street Retailers group and owner of Crown Jewellers, said:

Gracious Street Methodist Church in Knaresborough is to host a series of events on bereavement, grief and loss.

The church will host an art exhibition featuring work created in response to grief and loss between May 11 and June 16.

Amateur and professional artists have provided illustrations, paintings, poetry, short films and music for the exhibition, which will launch during Dying Matters Awareness Week. The annual week encourages people to talk more openly about death.

The church will then stage further events aimed at people wishing to find out more about support available around death, dying and bereavement.

On May 12,  a free drop in between 11am and 2pm will include stalls by Full Circle Funerals, solicitors Grahame Stowe Bateson, bereavement support organisation Just B and Supporting Older People.

The church will then host a ‘music and words’ session on May 19 between 11am and 2pm where Leeds-based charity The Swan Song Project will run a free musical workshop between 11am and 12.30pm and there will be small information stalls by Full Circle Funerals and Just B Bereavement Services.

On May 26, as part of Dementia Action Week, Dementia Forward, Graham Stowe Bateson, Home Instead and Full Circle Funerals will have stalls to support people who would like to talk about living with dementia or how to consider and express your end of life wishes.

Further events on environmentally friendly funerals will be held on June 2 and on support around bereavement and end of life care / planning in younger people on June 9.

For more information about any of these events contact david@fullcirclefunerals.co.uk.

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During the pandemic, one Harrogate and Knaresborough charity has seen a huge increase in pleas for help after some of the most vulnerable in our communities found themselves feeling lonely.

Supporting Older People helps more than 300 members combat isolation and loneliness by providing activities, trips and a befriending service.

The charity works with people over 60 and say many come to them because they often only see one person a week and need more opportunities to socialise.

Director Kate Rogata said:

“During covid the thing people loved the most was just standing at the door for a chat. It was clear when we restarted sessions last June how vital they were, the demand was enormous.

“People were depserate to see others again.”

Members visited Harrogate Bowling Club in September. The club has raised more than £1,500 for the charity.

Ms Rogata said a lot of the people the charity helps are over 75 and may live alone due to bereavement or moved to Harrogate and Knaresborough to be closer to family but don’t have a network of friends.

The charity is there to help. It holds monthly lunches, tea and talk events and weekly exercise classes. All of these are always in demand.

Ms Rogata began working for the charity in 2013 when there were just 75 members and 45 volunteers. She said the demand just keeps growing, since the pandemic they’ve seen a 60% increase in people coming to the charity for help.

“We need to make sure we keep doing all we can and stick around because the demand won’t go away.”

Ms Rogata said they are always in need of new volunteers. Currently, the charity has 150 trained befrienders but with 30 older people on the waiting list they are pleading for more people to come forward.

She added:

“There’s been some wonderful friendships formed over the years. We take our time pairing people up, they have to have similar interests for it to work. Our befrienders can make a real difference to the older person’s life, and vice versa.”

Care home resident Richard was able to go for a spin in a classic car this year thanks to his volunteer befriender Peter.

Set up in 1982, the charity is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year and hopes to encourage more people to volunteer as befrienders and give an hour a week to visit an older person.

During the pandemic the charity has been unable to do as much fundraising as it likes. It costs around £70,000 a year to pay its three part-time staff, train volunteers and put on events.

It gets a £11,000 from North Yorkshire County Council but the rest has to come from fundraising and grants.

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It plans to host events all year to celebrate its anniversary. Ms Rogata said:

“Any fundraising is so helpful. It cost £60 to train each befriender and we need 30 new ones.

“We feel like a bit of a well kept secret and we want more people to know about us and get involved however they can.”

People and organisations across the Harrogate district paused at noon today for the National Day of Reflection.

The day, organised by end of life charity Marie Curie, gave people in the UK the chance to remember the 126,000 covid-related deaths, which include more than 1,100 in North Yorkshire.

Staff at Harrogate District Hospital and Ripon Community Hospital were offered the opportunity to observe a minute’s silence.

Staff at Harrogate District Hospital.

Hospital staff working from home were able to take part online in an event led by chaplains.

The Harrogate Bus Company, owned by Transdev, remembered staff lost during the pandemic, when buses have continued to operate despite risks.

Today at 12noon we’re joining in the 1 minute silence for the #DayOfReflection to support @mariecurieuk.

Your driver will pull over if it is safe – please join us if you are on board.

We're remembering colleagues in the Transdev family who we sadly lost over the past year ❤️ pic.twitter.com/ptvzTxt7cy

— The Harrogate Bus Company (@harrogatebus) March 23, 2021

At a press briefing today Nick Moxon, a resident at Disability Action Yorkshire‘s home on Claro Road in Harrogate and chair of a care home visiting task group set up by North Yorkshire County Council last year, paid tribute to care workers’ efforts during the pandemic.

Speaking at North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum, which leads the county’s response to covid, he said:

“Staff members don’t ask to work throughout the pandemic, they have to come to work and they have managed to just adapt to the situation.

“Thank you to care staff and North Yorkshire County Council for the care and support over the past year.”

Rudding Park has worked with a local charity to send 250 treat packages to older people this Valentine’s Day.

The hotel and spa teamed up with Supporting Older People to give people a lift after another month in lockdown.

Chefs at Rudding Park made hundreds of homemade treats for the packages. They include passion fruit chocolate truffles, heart shaped biscuits and more.

Julia Lightfoot, Supporting Older People’s befriending and activities manager, said:

“These delicious little treats that Rudding Park have so kindly arranged will certainly bring a smile to their faces and help them feel loved this Valentine’s Day!”

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The charity added that the deliveries have been meticulously planned to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Julia Featherstone, Rudding Park’s front office manager, spearheaded the project and said:

“Being furloughed for much of the last 11 months has not diminished the team’s desire to do what they can to make people smile.

“With this in mind, we are delighted to have teamed up with Supporting Older People to support the amazing work they do in our wonderful community.

“As it is Valentine’s Day on Sunday, we wanted to let their members know that we are thinking of them.”

An incredible Harrogate man who really stepped up to the plate has single handedly cooked more than 6,000 meals for charity since the start of the pandemic.

Paul Welch started by cooking meals for his daughters who both work in the NHS. But he wanted to help more people so partnered with Supporting Older People (SOP).

Those behind SOP were delighted to work with Paul. The small and local charity was able to use its connections and experience to distribute the meals to those most in need.

Kate Rogata, the director of SOP, told the Stray Ferret:

“There is a lot of hidden poverty in Harrogate. The coronavirus pandemic has really excacerbated the problem. For some people Paul’s meals have been a lifeline. It’s not just older people that we help but anyone who is vulnerable and in need of a helping hand.”

The Supporting Older People team celebrating with Paul Welch as he passed the 5,000 meal milestone. Photo: Ernesto Rogata

There is no sign of stopping for 58-year-old Paul who uses a wheelchair after a paragliding accident 20 years ago. He spends 10 hours every day preparing, cooking and freezing food.

He has recently been reinvigorated after a major donation of £10,000 from Techbuyer, which has its UK base in Harrogate. That money will help him cook many more meals.

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It will also go towards one of his new projects. With Christmas looking like it will be particularly difficult for many this year, he wants to cook a three course dinner for more than 250 people.

He said, on reaching his major milestone, that he has “been thrilled to help people, particularly older people, then it’s definitely worthwhile.”

Supporting Older People had to adapt at the start of the pandemic. Instead of its usual meet ups and home visits the charity had to move online and by phone.

The charity also used its network of volunteers, which has grown to 200 during the pandemic, to deliver free weekly Asda essential hampers.

It also hopes, in the next couple of weeks, to establish coronavirus secure afternoon tea for up to six people.

Mrs Rogata added that while telephone calls help with loneliness that many still miss meeting up with people face to face.