Diners to eat blindfolded to raise funds for Harrogate guide dogs

An unusual charity dinner at Harrogate’s Rudding Park next month will see diners eat their main course blindfolded.

The event is being organised to raise money for Guide Dogs UK in Harrogate and to stimulate what dining out is like for people with a visual impairment.

Dine in the Dark will take place at the hotel on November 11.

Guide dog owner Kim Murphy said:

“Having my guide dog Jango has completely changed my life and events such as this are crucial for raising funds so that somebody else with sight loss can get a life changing guide dog like Jango.”

Nicola Ridgway, community fundraising manager for Guide Dogs UK in Harrogate, added:

“Dine in the Dark gives you the opportunity to enjoy great company and to have fun while experiencing the sensory effect of eating food with no vision.

“It will give you an insight into how visually impaired guide dog owners experience life on a daily basis.”

Tickets are £53.30 each (Inc booking fee) and are available here.

All funds raised will be donated to Guide Dogs UK.

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Ripon Vision Support receives £7,000 boost from mayor’s charity appeal

Ripon Vision Support,  which helps people with all kinds of visual impairment, has received a £7,000 boost that will enable it to extend its services.

The charity was selected as one of two beneficiaries of the appeal monies raised by former Mayor of Ripon Councillor Eamon Parkin.

The other recipient of a £7,000 award was the Ripon Christmas Lights Appeal, which Cllr Parkin championed during his three consecutive years in office.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“I am delighted to be able to share the £14,000 raised between the two causes and would like to thank the people of Ripon who supported me, with special mention for appeal treasurer Pearl Coates and secretary Joyce Maguire, who were with me all of the way.”

Ripon Vision support

A meeting of Ripon Vision Support

Cllr Parkin, pointed out:

“My term of office was extended twice because of the covid pandemic, which also impacted on the amount of money raised for my appeal, because so many fundraising events had to be cancelled.

“In spite of this, through the limited amount of events that we were able to hold, the community spirit and generosity of local people shone through.”

While the money raised for the Christmas lights will go towards further improvements to the city’s 2022 festive display, Ripon Vision Support will use its share for further development of its activities.

Chair of the charity John Mellor, said:

“This is a tremendous boost for us and literally doubles the amount of money that we have in the bank.

“It will help us to extend our services and we are most grateful to Cllr Parkin for selecting us as one of his chosen charities during his years of office.”

Ripon Vision Support’s Tuesday morning meetings at the Allhallowgate Methodist Church Hall, are open to anybody in the city with any form of visual impairment.

They provide a platform for social gathering, advice and practical assistance and each meeting is attended speakers who give topical talks on a wide range of subjects.

Mr Mellor, said:

“We welcome new members and anybody wishing to join us can is asked to get in touch.”

Further details are available by clicking here.

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Sensory garden for visually impaired to open in Harrogate

A sensory garden has been planted in Harrogate town centre for visually impaired people.

Spenceley Gardens, which is opposite Waitrose on Station Parade, has been transformed as part of a joint initiative between Vision Support Harrogate District, RHS Harlow Carr and Harrogate Borough Council.

The garden encourages people with visual impairments to develop their sense of smell and touch and provides an area of relaxation for everyone.

The area has already been planted and is set to be in full bloom in time for an opening ceremony at the end of this month.

Ann Routledge, a volunteer at Vision Support, said lots of herbs and textured plants had been planted to allow the visually impaired to explore their other senses.

She said:

“The aim is to encourage wildlife, even though it’s next to a busy road, and give people a space to sit and reflect. Our members are very excited to use the space. I just think it’ll be great to have a space like this in the centre of town.”

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The charity, which has 400 members in the Harrogate district, offers support to anyone with a visual impairment.

It also hopes that having a garden in such a prominent location will raise awareness of the charity.

The area has been previously designated as a sensory garden but those involved in the project this time hope it will become more popular.

Call for urgent repairs to Ripon’s uneven pavements

A severely sight impaired man, who lives in the Bondgate area of Ripon, says that poorly maintained pavements have virtually made him a ‘prisoner in his own home.’

Graham Wilkey, has suffered progressively deteriorating eyesight since childhood and uses a white stick when he goes out.

However, following the coronarvirus lockdown, that kept him at home for months, his ventures onto the street have been limited and he told the Stray Ferret:

“The first time I went out on my own, my stick kept getting stuck in the gaps on the pavement near my home.”

Mr Wilkey, added:

“Rather than going for a walk, it felt like I was having to tackle an obstacle course and that affected my confidence, because of the danger of falling and hurting myself.

“I daren’t go out on my own and  feel that I am virtually a prisoner in my own home.”

One of the many cracked and uneven paving slabs on Bondgate

On the rare occasions that he does go out for an exercise walk, or into Ripon city centre, he needs to have his wife Julie with him as he cannot rely solely on his white stick as an aid to enable safe movement.

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Ripon City Council leader, Councillor Andrew Williams, pointed out:

“Mr Wilkey is not the only person with a disability or mobility issues to have raised concerns about the state of our pavements and kerbs in both the Bondgate and Bondgate Bridge area, which seem to be particularly bad.

“It’s not just the poor maintenance, but the adverse camber in some parts, which also poses difficulties for people with electric wheelchairs, or other mobility aids.”

Because of the concerns raised, Ripon City Council has agreed to call for remedial action from North Yorkshire County Council (NYCC).

Councillors, who attended a virtual full council meeting, voted unanimously to contact NYCC asking the  highways department to make repairs to the pavement and adjustments to the camber in the Bondgate and Bondgate Bridge area.

Councillor Pauline McHardy, told the meeting that one of her elderly relatives had fallen and injured herself on Bondgate Bridge because of its uneven surface.

She added:

“The situation is getting worse and worse and urgent action is required.”