The hard work of NHS staff is being recognised with a piece of community artwork on Otley Road in Harrogate.

Railings at the junction with Harlow Moor Road have been decorated with blue ribbons, a yellow heart and the letters NHS in tribute to those saving lives around the country.

Andrew High, who put the ribbons onto the railings, said he wants members of the community to add their own decorations too. He said:

“If you’ve got family who have been treated, or people you know who work for the NHS, it doesn’t matter. In your own little way, just attach your bit of string or ribbon – whatever you have to hand.

“It will be nice to see more ribbons attached to it so we feel part of something. There are a few more slowly appearing.”

New ribbons are already being added to the railings by members of the community

Andrew was also the mastermind behind the decorations put up on Otley Road for the UCI Road World Championships last year. A member of the congregation at Harlow Hill Methodist Church, which was open every day for the community to gather and watch the cycling, he wanted to draw attention to the stretch of road which was a prominent feature in the racing routes throughout the week.

As well as the UCi colours in ribbons around the trees and benches, Andrew put lettering on the railings at the junction spelling out “Harlow Hill”, “Welcome” and “Yorkshire”. He said:

“I had planned this year to do the Olympic rings and every time someone from Yorkshire got a medal, I was going to put a gold, silver or bronze medal on with their name on. Of course, that hasn’t happened.

I thought it would be nice for the NHS to go up and people to add their own little bits. After the UCI, there was a nice feeling among the hill that we had joined together. That was an enjoyable experience. This isn’t, but it is nice to know we’re a community and people are thinking of and looking out for each other.”

Nick Brown, the Conservative councillor for Bishop Monkton and Newby, has put together a list of wide-ranging questions he wants Harrogate Borough Council to answer about its involvement in the 2019 UCI Road World Cycling Championships in Harrogate. 

The list of 12 detailed questions, seen by The Stray Ferret, shows Cllr Brown believes there are still many serious issues around the UCI which need examining- from the council’s role in bringing the nine days of racing to town, to the liability for repairs to the Stray in the wake of the event.  

Cllr Brown, who declined to comment on his list, has already presented it to members of the Overview and Scrutiny Commission, which holds the council’s executive to account. The Commission meets this Monday to establish the scope of its investigation into the preparation for, and consequences of, the cycling event.  

Some of Cllr Brown’s 12 detailed questions:

• Is there any likelihood of compensation to those organisations who lost considerable amounts of money, through no fault of themselves?  
• What insurance arrangements were in place for the event and who precisely arranged them?  
• What due diligence did HBC do on Yorkshire 2019 to ensure they had the assets and abilities to reinstate the Stray in the event it became a mud bath?

News of the investigation has been welcomed by the Stray Defence Association. Its chairman, Judy D’Arcy Thompson, said:

“An investigation would be very welcome. We have been saying that some answers are called for.  We’re sympathetic to the employees of Harrogate Borough Council who are having to pick up this awful mess. I do feel there are people who should take more responsibility.” 

The list of questions concludes with a comment from Cllr Brown: “In view of the huge sums of money involved in running events such as the UCI, at a significant potential cost to our council tax payers, we should… give priority to our, hopefully, constructive investigations but above all take more note of the needs of all our residents and businesses.” 

Harrogate Borough Council declined to comment on Cllr Brown’s list saying the Overview and Scrutiny Commission is yet to take a decision on the terms of reference for its examination of the UCI event.

UCI Image courtesy of Tony Bailey