Harrogate Charity Beer Festival to make its annual returnArt installation set for Harrogate as part of local literature festivalThe Harrogate BID Music Weekender returns this October‘Cult’ concerns raised about yoga event in Harrogate

A Harrogate resident has raised concerns after discovering a yoga event in the town tonight is being run by an organisation that has been described as a cult.

The free to attend Sahaja Yoga Music, Dance and Meditation event takes place at the Crown Hotel this evening.

The event is organised by Sahaja Yoga, whose website says it is a ‘world-wide movement for peace and self-awakening’.

But a woman who booked to attend became suspicious after researching the organisation and got in touch with the Stray Ferret to alert local people.

The woman, who asked to remain anonymous, said alarm bells started ringing when she discovered all yoga classes run by the organisation are completely free of charge.

She said:

“Naturally, I asked myself ‘what is the catch?’

“Usually, these things are taster sessions to encourage you to take up a block of paid classes or something as part of a wider PR campaign on behalf of a brand.

“But then I watched one of their recorded videos where two stoic women got on stage to talk to a room of seated people about their Indian-born leader Shri Mataji, someone who had supposedly achieved “self-realisation” and wanted to share it with the world.

“They began sharing their stories talking about this person as if they were a god, and that the only way people would see the truth is if they followed her.

“Now there’s nothing wrong with spirituality, but the way they were talking it dawned on me, this sounds like a cult.”

Cult allegations

The Sahaja Yoga organisation has faced long-term allegations of being a cult.

In an article by the Independent in 2001, several ex-followers of the movement recounted their experiences on the inside.

One man claimed Sahaja Yoga “insisted he break off all family ties” and that followers became “zealous disciples” who followed instructions.

Another ex-disciple said he “wasted” six years of his life after becoming involved with Sahaja Yoga at the age of 19.

A Wikipedia page also lists cult allegations against the organisation.

Charitable status

Despite the claims, Sahaja Yoga, which is officially called Life Eternal Trust UK, was registered by the Charity Commission in August 1985.

The commission’s site says the organisation’s activities include “disseminating the knowledge which promotes and actualises physical, mental, emotional and spiritual health, balance and wellbeing; in particular the techniques of Sahaja Yoga meditation and the teachings of Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi”.

The commission website says the organisation has 220 volunteers.

The organisation was established in 1970 by Indian-born Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi, who died in 2011.

According to its UK website, its classes involve “simple meditation techniques, with guided meditation to help reduce stress and achieve the peace of true meditation”.

The website, which refers to Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi as “the all-compassionate Divine Mother”, adds:

“Shri Mataji established a living integration of all the great religious traditions, thereby laying a firm and lasting foundation for cross-cultural unity, universal love and world peace.”

Hotel ‘does not represent or endorse views’

The Stray Ferret contacted the Crown Hotel to ask whether it was aware of the allegations. We also forwarded the resident’s concerns.

A spokesperson said in response:

“The Crown Hotel Harrogate is the event venue for Journey into Silence on April 30, which was booked independently by event organiser Sahaja Yoga Meditation, as a part of its ongoing tour across the UK.

“The Crown Hotel does not represent, endorse or support the views of any organisations hiring its event spaces.”

We also put the allegations to Sahaja Yoga UK and offered it the opportunity to respond. The Stray Ferret did not receive a response by the time of publication.

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Harrogate Spring Water to hold consultation event on expansion

Harrogate Spring Water will hold a public consultation event next week to discuss its revised expansion plans for the Harrogate headquarters.

The event, which will take place in the Byron suite of the Crown Hotel in Harrogate, will enable people to learn more about the proposals, which involve felling 450 trees in Rotary Wood.

The company, which is owned by Danone UK & Ireland, is consulting before it submits a planning application for the development.

Harrogate Spring Water received outline planning consent in 2017, which established the principle of development, but needs its reserved matters application finalising details such as the design and layout of the site to be approved before it can proceed.

It said last week it would plant a 1,200-tree community woodland to offset concerns about the expansion of its bottling plant if North Yorkshire Council approved its plans.

The planting would result in a replacement rate of 3:1 for any trees removed and deliver a 10% increase in biodiversity levels in the area, the company said.

Richard Hall, managing director of Harrogate Spring Water, said:

“We’ve made some major changes to our plans following the feedback we received at our first public consultation event last summer.”

Planning documents say the expanded building on Harlow Moor Road would be designed with softwood boarding, timber elements and metal cladding to “promote a sympathetic and clean appearance”.

Harrogate Spring Water has also said about 50 new jobs will be created as part of the expansion, plus another 20 during the construction period.

Mr Hall added:

“We believe our revised plans address those concerns and create a way forward together for the local community and for ourselves as a growing Harrogate business.

“We would like people to come and see for themselves what we have planned and how we aim to carry it out.”

The consultation will take place on Thursday, November 30 from 4pm – 7pm.

Those unable to attend can have their say here.

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Harrogate music event to be ‘three days of non-stop fun’, says organiser

This story is sponsored by Harrogate Business Improvement District.

Summer may be over, but Harrogate Business Improvement District’s newest event will bring the town that feeling of non-stop fun and dancing back this month.

The inaugural Harrogate Music Weekender will showcase an array of local performers and cater to everyone’s tastes. From Mariachi bands and live DJs to rock legends and acoustic live sets, the event promises to be nothing short of spectacular.

Local hospitality businesses told the BID that trade often slows down between the summer and Christmas period, so the organisation worked its well-known creative magic and is bringing Harrogate the ultimate musical weekend to boost footfall and get people spending at the venues.

The opening Ibiza-themed night will transport you to the white sandy beaches of the Balearic Coast. If you’ve been dreaming of a sundowner at Café Mambo, then you’re in luck! The event, which will be held at The Yorkshire Hotel, will be soundtracked by DJ Mark Green’s chilled house beats. So, grab your friends and your sunglasses because you’ll never experience Ibiza so cheap again…

The following night will welcome Singo Bingo at The Crown Hotel and promises to be a night of non-stop laughter. It’s bingo with a twist and swaps pencils for music. Expect throwback hits, chart-topping anthems, and lots of prizes to be won with a new favourite party game. Get your singing voices ready and have the time of your life at Harrogate BID’s second night to remember.

But the weekend doesn’t end there…

Discover the ABBA Tribute Night at Doubletree by Hilton Majestic Hotel & Spa; live DJs at Piccolino and Foundry Project; local indie performers at Husk, Manahatta and The Den; a performance from an inclusive band at Artizan Café – and so much more!

Bethany Allen, Business and Marketing Executive at Harrogate BID, said:

“A number of our BID members fed back to us that October can sometimes be a bit of a challenging gap between the summer and Christmas.

“With the confidence of a new 5-year term the BID team set about launching a new fun and exciting campaign that will showcase Harrogate in a different light.

“We are very excited to launch the first ever Harrogate Music Weekender and, with around 30 venues showing interest in being involved, it should be a weekend to remember!”

Visitors from near and far can expect to see a spotlight on Harrogate’s spectacular range of hospitality sites, a weekend of rolling music, and lots of special offers along the way too.

Bethany continued:

“People can expect three days of non-stop fun!”

Harrogate Music Weekender will also offer immersive performances and street entertainment – including a walking DJ booth.

Bobs Cormak, Manager at The Den, added:

“I can’t wait for the Harrogate Music Weekender!

“It’s awesome to see our town rallying behind musicians, especially the venues that are taking on the challenge of hosting live music for the first time.

“I’ll, of course, be busy down in The Den – I’m very jealous of everyone who gets to explore the town centre, catching the fantastic acts along the way! It’s going to be an incredible weekend.”

Harrogate Music Weekender will take place on Friday, October 13 to Sunday, October 15.

Tickets can be bought online now for the Ibiza and Singo Bingo events — both events are 18+.

Prices start at £5 and include one free drink. Those wishing to attend both events can get a special offer ticket for just £8. The rest of the events are free to attend.

To view the full schedule for Harrogate Music Weekender click here.

To find out more about Harrogate BID and its dedication to the town centre, visit harrogatebid.co.uk, or call 01423 582030 to speak to the team directly.

Harrogate set to host three-day music weekender

Harrogate Business Improvement District is preparing to host the town’s first three-day music weekend.

Harrogate Music Weekender will include live performances, street entertainers and special offers to drive footfall to the town’s hospitality venues.

The weekender, from Friday, October 13 to Sunday, October 15, will begin with an Ibiza-themed event at The Yorkshire Hotel, followed by singo bingo — a mixture of bingo and music — at The Crown Hotel the following night.

With more acts to be revealed, visitors can also expect live performances from local musicians and artists at The Den, Piccolino, and Revolucion de Cuba.

A walking DJ booth and immersive street performances will also be on offer over the weekend.

The BID, which is funded by a levy paid by town centre businesses, organises initiatives that boost the town centre.

BID members in the hospitality industry told the organisation trade dips between summer and Christmas – leaving them with a gap ahead of the festive season.

It hopes the event will combat this by encouraging locals and tourists to spend more time in the town centre.

The weekend will be soundtracked by a range of music from rock and acoustic to live DJs and throwback hits.

Bethany Allen, business and marketing executive at Harrogate BID, said:

“A number of our BID members fed back to us that October can sometimes be a bit of a challenging gap between the summer and Christmas.

“With the confidence of a new five-year term, the BID team set about launching a new fun and exciting campaign that will showcase Harrogate in a different light.

“We are very excited to launch the first ever Harrogate Music Weekender and, with around 30 venues showing interest in being involved, it should be a weekend to remember.”

Bobs Cormack, manager at The Den, added:

“It’s awesome to see our town rallying behind musicians, especially the venues that are taking on the challenge of hosting live music for the first time.

“I’ll, of course, be busy down in The Den – I’m very jealous of everyone who gets to explore the town centre, catching the fantastic acts along the way. It’s going to be an incredible weekend.”

The two opening events are ticketed and bookings can be made online.

The rest of the events are free to attend.

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Easter weekend: Eight ways to keep your little bunnies entertained

While Easter egg hunts in the garden and eating chocolate eggs are always a nice way to spend the bank holiday weekend, your children may require something more to burn off the sugar rush.

From bunnies and forests, to dragons and the Mad Hatter, we have collated a list of eight Easter-themed activities taking place in the Harrogate district over the holidays that will keep you and your children hopping.

Free craft workshop at Fountains Abbey

If your child is looking to get creative, an Easter craft workshop could be for them.

Swanley Grange, at Fountains Abbey, is hosting a free workshop where you and your children can make your very own sheep badge.

The workshops will be held daily from 11am – 3pm, until Sunday April 16.

All ages are welcome. The event is free, but normal admission prices to Fountains Abbey apply.

Family tickets start at £27.

Find more information on the National Trust website.

Make decorations for free

Ripon charity, Jennyruth Workshops, is inviting visitors to Fountains Abbey to join them in creating an Easter decoration.

Jennyruth provides adults with learning disabilities with a variety of valuable skills, including crafts.

The workshop is free and welcomes families to drop in for some seasonal fun.

Join them at Swanley Grange on Wednesday April 12, from 11.30am – 2.30pm.

The event is free, but normal abbey admission charges apply.

Children’s entry starts at £9.

Click here for more information.

Mad Hatter & Friends Tea Party

If your children fancy a taste of wonderland this Easter, Rascal Entertainment’s Mad Hatter’s Tea Party is a good option.

The event will take place at the Crown Hotel in Harrogate on Good Friday.

Children can expect cookie decorating, on-stage entertainment, face painting and a visit from the Easter bunny – all under the same roof as the Hatter himself.

Family tickets start at £47.

The tea party will run from 12pm – 2pm.

Find more information here.

Mother Shipton’s Easter Bunny Tipi Trail

Mother Shipton’s Easter Bunny Tipi Trail is a place where “every bunny’s welcome”

Children are invited to follow the clues, peep inside the bunny houses and even discover giant eggs.

The trail will also include Easter stories, told by a storyteller, as well as the chance to plant spring seeds.

The trail will run every day until Sunday April 16, from 10am to 5.30pm.

Dogs on leads are welcome everywhere, except for the playground.

Admission prices can be found here.

Himalayan Garden & Sculpture Park: The Dragon Egg Quest

For those hoping for a mythical Easter, The Dragon Egg Quest at the Himalayan Garden & Sculpture Park in Ripon may be a good option.

Children are invited to help storyteller, Dragonella, find a dragon’s egg hidden somewhere in the Himalayan Garden.

The activity will weave a tour of the gardens with some mystical Easter fun.

The quest is suitable for children ages 4 to 10 – children must be accompanied by an adult.

Tickets cost £10.

Adventure walks at RHS Harlow Carr

Whether your children need to let off a little more steam, or simply enjoy the beauty of nature, the adventure walks could be a good solution for all the family.

Families can immerse themselves in a guided walk of the grounds of the RHS site, accompanied by the Garden Detectives.

The activity is included in garden admission and is suitable for ages 3+.

The walk will take place on Tuesday April 11 at 11am, 1pm and 3pm.

Click here for more information.

The Great Knaresborough Bunny Hunt

The Great Knaresborough Bunny Hunt is a family-friendly way to keep your little bunnies hoppy this Easter.

Ceramic bunnies are hidden in local business around the town centre for you to find.

Families purchase a map to find the bunnies for £3 and all profits go to Lauren Doherty Road Safety talks, New Beginnings and The Memory Lane Café, Knaresborough.

Bunny-finders can expect a sweet prize in return, as well as an entry to win a £50 voucher for event organiser, Painting Pots.

The event will run daily until April 16 and maps can be purchased from Painting Pots.

Find more information on social media.

Birchfield: Easter at the Farm

Birchfield Farm’s Easter at the Farm activities could be a good way to entertain your little lambs.

Children can expect lamb feeding, an Easter trail, and a bouncy castle.

The Easter bunny will also be making an appearance over the bank holiday weekend.

Farmer Tom will be offering farm rides to visit the outside animals, including newly hatched chicks and ducklings.

The family-friendly farm will be offering seasonal activities until April 16, from 10am to 4pm.

Prices start from £6.95.

Find more information here.

Seven places to see Santa across the Harrogate district this Christmas

It feels like it creeps up on us earlier every year. Yes folks, it’s the most wonderful time of the year: it’s time to book your Santa visit.

Attractions across the Harrogate district have already started to release tickets.

And while Christmas might still be three months away, it’s advisable to act fast if you want to secure an audience with Mr Claus.

I’ve had the pleasure of taking my boys to meet him a few times over the years at various locations in the area.

Each experience has been excellent and we are definitely spoilt for choice. Santa is clearly a big fan of the Harrogate district.

To help you get organised, here are seven places to see Santa this year:

The Harrogate Father Christmas Experience – Cedar Court Hotel

It’s back and it has been hailed as “bigger and better than ever”.

Last year Father Christmas’s Chief Elf Tinsel, from Enchantica’s, delighted children and grown-ups alongside the big man himself at The Crown Hotel.

This Christmas you can join Santa, Tinsel and all of the Elves at a very magical Elf Village at the Cedar Court Hotel.

And those who are on the good elf list can book places to enjoy two shows this year:

Tickets go on sale on Tuesday, September 27 and you can be among the first to get them by signing up to the mailing list here.

November 26 – December 24. Check here for show dates, times and availability.

Christmas at Mother Shipton’s, Knaresborough

Wander through the winter woodland to see the enchanted Christmas Village, festooned with festive delights and merry displays.

Chief Elf Chestnut will meet little visitors and lead them to see Santa Claus in his cosy Christmas grotto.

Children will be presented with a pack of festive activities and will also be able to listen to tales from Holly Berry, make reindeer food and post a letter to Santa at the North Pole Post Office.

November 26 – December 24. Click here to buy tickets. 

The Magical Christmas Experience – Birchfield Farm, Summerbridge

This hugely popular experience is making a welcome return following a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.

Meet Mother Christmas in her sitting room to check in and collect your sleigh ride tickets.

Then head to the sleigh pick up point to be greeted by Buddy the Elf, who will help you board Santa’s sleigh for your magical sleigh ride .

You will arrive at father’s Christmas woodland grotto where you can sit by the fire and tell him your Christmas wishes.

November 26 – December 23. Click here to buy tickets.

Santa’s Grotto – Thorp Perrow Arboretum, Bedale

Follow the festive trail through the Arboretum, until you find yourself at the grotto, nestled deep in the woods.

The elves welcome and guide you through the winter wonderland, where you’ll meet a host of wonderful creatures before arriving outside Santa’s log cabin home.

Find him waiting in his cosy sitting room for a chat and a photo. He also has a gift for every child.

November 24 – December 24. Click here to buy tickets from September 26.

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Santa’s Grotto at Stockeld Park, Wetherby

Father Christmas will be bringing the magic back to Stockeld Park this winter.

With twinkling lights and Santa in a rustic wooden cabin, the whole family will feel the festive cheer.

Visitors can also check out the dazzling Winter Illuminations. 

November 19 – December 24. Click here to buy tickets.

Santa’s Magical Sunday Lunch – The Bridge Hotel and Spa, Walshford

The hotel’s popular Santa Sunday lunch is back for Christmas 2022.

The family dining experience features a table magician and face painter to entertain the children.

It also includes a visit to Father Christmas’s grotto with gifts for the children and an individual photo to take away.

Book now by calling 01937 580 115 or email reservations@bridgewetherby.co.uk

Into the Woods: A Fairytale Christmas – Castle Howard, York

This experience is slightly further afield, but is definitely worth a mention if you fancy some extravagance at Christmas.

After the sell-out success of last year’s ‘Christmas in Narnia’ experience, Charlotte Lloyd Webber Events and The Projection Studio are back and set to transform grand rooms into magical forests and faraway kingdoms.

Expect to be enchanted by theatrical installations and projections that bring to life your favourite fairytales. The sounds of glass slippers on ballroom floors and horse-drawn pumpkins will echo through the great halls via state-of-the-art soundscapes.

The theme also means Father Christmas will pay a special visit throughout December, bringing an immersive theatrical experience in the main house and a storytelling grotto in the courtyard.

Ticket prices will vary subject to whether you choose to book on a peak or off-peak date. You can buy them here.

The woman behind Harrogate’s Tinsel the elf

This article is sponsored by Berwins

It was a first for me this week, as I sat down for an exclusive interview with Father Christmas’s chief elf.

Tinsel is currently delighting children and grown-ups alongside the big man himself at The Crown Hotel, as part of a new interactive Christmas experience organised by the Harrogate Business Improvement District (BID).

And following a festive tour of the Elf School and workshop, which looks truly magical, I grabbed a cuppa with Tinsel – aka Suzanne Kaye-Vaughan, so I could get to know more about the woman behind the elf.

Bringing joy

Suzie Fairy, as she is known to most children and parents in the Harrogate district, has been bringing joy and magic into people’s lives for almost two decades.

And when you meet her, it’s impossible not to be inspired by her passion for helping people of all ages “to shine bright”.

The actress got her first professional contract at one of Deborah Meaden’s holiday camps in Cornwall, long before BBC’s Dragon’s Den aired, where she performed her own cabaret act.

She was then offered a place at drama school at Bretton Hall, near Wakefield, which saw her move to Yorkshire after growing up in Wales.

She said:

“That’s where I did three years theatre acting and I really shaped my passion for educational theatre, and using my skills as a performer to make change, particularly helping children shine bright.

“I love creating immersive adventures for children that they would learn from, not realising they are learning, and making learning fun. I thought this was just magical.

“And so I started doing fairy parties as a side-line to my acting when I first graduated in 2004, and then that grew into doing loads of other different themed events, which then grew into working with lots of attractions, helping them enhance customer experience through immersive theatre.”

Suzanne’s company was previously known as Make a Wish Entertainment and her educational theatre company was known as Fantasy Kids Clubs.

After lockdown, she merged her companies under one banner and created Enchantica’s.

Well-known

The actress is particularly well-known in the Harrogate area for running fairy and hero camps since 2005, with some of the children who attended now working for her as performers, which she describes as “really special”.

Suzanne has played a number of characters over the years

Suzanne said:

“Now people come to me with their objectives saying, ‘We need to entertain this age group. We have got this celebration to do. This is our learning objective’. And then my skill is that I bring that and make it a wow factor experience for people.

“So that’s anything from opening parties, to children’s attractions and private events. A lot of my work is private events, which I don’t often share as they are confidential.

“I’ve been an elf for the Royal Family before down in Ascot and have also performed in a castle for French royalty.”

Under her various alter egos, including the fairy Enchantica, Tinsel the elf and the Queen of Hearts, Suzanne has worked at a number of attractions and events across the district.

Family events 

Recently they have included the UCI World Championships, where she ran free family classes in the Fan Zone, an enchanted forest Easter walk at Newby Hall and the Discovery Zone at the Great Yorkshire Show. She has also run events at Harewood House and Stockeld Park.

Easter fun at Newby Hall

This year she also brought ‘The Garden Detectives’ to RHS Garden Harlow Carr, where the objective was to engage children in horticulture.

Tinsel the elf

She has also regularly appeared as Tinsel the elf at the annual Father Christmas event at the gardens, which has long been one of the hottest tickets in town, but isn’t taking place this year due to Covid safety restrictions.

She said:

“Father Christmas at Harlow is such a tradition for so many people, and those traditions are something that we’ve had to find new ways around. I think that Covid has made us look at what else can we do.

“So this year we put the feelers out and teamed up with a magical team of other elves from Harrogate BID, Harrogate International Festivals and The Crown Hotel and formed a bit of a ‘Christmas Council’ to create an experience that we all thought was missing from the town centre.

“What has been lovely about being involved this Christmas, is it has been really great to work with a big team of people who are passionate about making Harrogate great for families.”

Suzanne said she hoped to return to The Crown Hotel with Father Christmas in future years and had been delighted with the demand.

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Little helper

Suzanne’s passion has been further fuelled by her four-year-old little boy, Dante.

She described how when he was a baby, she would perform with him on her hip. He now loves to perform and help her with her events and classes, even assisting with decorating and transforming spaces.

She said:

“Kids like being involved. During lockdown he delivered shows with me online and it gave us a really nice structure to our week connecting with families, and he will now perform with me.”

And as a mum who understands how precious time with little ones can be, Suzanne runs a number of wellbeing classes at her studio, Enchantica’s Workshop, on Beech Avenue, which she created just before the first lockdown.

An online class with Suzanne and her puppet Beatie

They involve music, song, yoga, speech and language development, using her drama and children’s performing arts coaching skills and she even took them online during the pandemic.

Future plans

Buzzing with ideas, I could see Suzanne’s eyes light up as she told me about what she would like to do next.

She said:

“What was amazing about the UCI event is we created a hub in the middle of Harrogate and had this lovely festival vibe where families could come and play, be entertained and connect. I think it would be lovely to have something like that again.

“So I’m looking to work on some sort of family wellbeing festival.

“Harrogate BID and Harrogate International Festivals are so on board with that kind of vision, it’s just a really exciting time for the town.

“I feel like this Christmas is just the start of a lot more magic. It’s been such a great success and families are enjoying it so much, why would we not want to make more?”

And on this festive note, Suzanne revealed that the elves would be helping at the Harrogate Christmas Fayre in the town centre, which launched on Friday.

She said:

“The elves will be there to help guide people if anyone has any questions and to just have a bit of a chat with the kids.

“If someone doesn’t know where something is, they can ask the elves, who are all theatrically trained or are specialists in children’s theatre.”

Make a wish

When Suzanne isn’t heading up a team of elves, she is diving into her warehouse full of a vast array of costumes and props – and lots of glitter – ready to make someone’s wish come true.

Requests have included everything from a lavish Halloween house party, which Suzanne brought to life at a family’s home upon their return from holiday, to a child’s Worst Witch-themed party in a village hall.

When it comes to adventures, it’s safe to say, Suzanne never knows what she is going to do next.

She said:

“People ask what I do and I say I’m a fairy, which is met with a laugh.

“But I do think I make magic as we do bring ideas to life, whatever they may be.

“What I love to do is help people shine bright. That’s what my purpose is.”