A man from Bilton who battled undiagnosed Post-traumatic stress disorder for six years says the government is failing young people with mental health issues due to a lack of funding.
Ben Rothery, 22, said his mental health first began to suffer as a teenager when he struggled to come to terms with his sexuality and was bullied by other children.
He also developed a problematic relationship with food and his weight increased to 18 stone.
The bullying led to a suicide attempt aged 16 and further traumatic events at university increased his suffering. Despite seeking help through the NHS several times, they were unable to diagnose what was wrong with him.
He said in one year, he told at least 10 people within the NHS about the same traumatic experiences.
He said:
“I shut everything positive out of my life. I didn’t know what was going on.”
Huge waiting lists
After his suicide attempt six years ago, he was first referred by his GP to CAMHS, an NHS service for young people with mental health problems.
Mr Rothery said the waiting list was “huge” but he was offered regular sessions for a year.
He was one of the lucky ones, with reports of some young people waiting up to two years for sessions.
Whilst helpful, he said CAMHS was unable to diagnose him with any mental health condition, which left him confused.
Things began to improve at school, and after coming out as gay during his school’s 6th form prom, his confidence improved. He went to university in York to train to be a teacher and his future looked bright.
He said:
“It was the happiest I’d ever been. I finally looked in mirror and that was who I wanted to be.”
But whilst at university, his mental health began to suffer again. He starved himself and lost six stone in just two months.
He then suffered a painful fallout with people he thought were friends and faced more bullying.
He bought a pride flag that he hoped to take to his first Harrogate Pride event. However, somebody went into his bedroom, urinated on it and posted a video all over social media. He said he then “isolated himself completely”.
Retreating into own world
When the first covid lockdown happened in March 2020, Mr Rothery said “the world stopped when I needed it to stop”.
He dropped out of university with thousands of pounds worth of debt, moved back home to Harrogate with his family, and retreated into his own world.
He said the experience at university was traumatic and he didn’t feel like he could talk about it.
“People said, ‘it’s just drama’ but it really affected me. It was like being so high up, feeling like you made it in life, then plummeting straight back down. I was lower than when I tried to commit suicide at 16″.
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Seeking help
In early 2021, Mr Rothery decided to seek help again. His GP referred him to IAPT, an NHS talking therapy service.
But he was offered just three hours of CBT treatment and it didn’t address his problems. He was still desperately seeking a diagnosis and an answer to why he was feeling so bad.
He said:
“I thought I had anxiety that had spiralled out of control. I had looked into PTSD, but I thought only people who had suffered really extreme things, like soldiers or victims of sexual assault had that.
“I felt like I hadn’t been listened to. Everybody I spoke to didn’t understand my problems.”
He said he carried on struggling until late last year when he had a “complete meltdown” and contemplated suicide again.
“I sat sobbing in my bedroom. I thought, I don’t want to leave my mum and dad. I saw how my previous suicide attempt made them feel. But I just thought, I don’t want to wake up.”
Next therapist
With his mental health problems now at an all-time low, he visited his GP again.
The doctor presented him with two options: go back to IAPT again or take medication. But he didn’t want to rely on chemicals to feel better.
Fortunately, his dad, who is a painter and decorator, had a customer in Harrogate who is a trained therapist. A deal was agreed where he would do work for her in return for offering sessions for Ben.
Private therapy sessions usually start at least £50 an hour, out of reach for most young people in Harrogate on lower salaries, so the offer changed his life.
He said it was the first time somebody had listened and told him what was wrong with him: PTSD brought on by the traumatic events of his teenage years and at university.
“That was the first time somebody told me what was wrong with me.
“It’s like a filing cabinet that has been thrown over and reorganising. It was the first time I’d felt listened to. I felt like I’d achieved something. For six years since 16 I’d been trying to get support but nobody seemed to know what to do.”
Doing better now
Mr Rothery says since the private therapy sessions finished he is doing much better. He has a fulfilling job and a good support network including his mum and dad.
But he fears that there are countless other people in Harrogate who are suffering with poor mental health in silence —and they are unable to afford expensive private therapy sessions that could make all the difference.
A report published in May by Harrogate-based Healthwatch North Yorkshire found that 72% of young people said they had experienced mental health or well-being issues in the past year.
Mr Rothery said:
“The biggest frustration for me is that anybody who didn’t have a support system at home like me would not have survived as long as I did. It crossed my mind that i could stop it all with one solution, but I’d be giving up. If i was to commit suicide, I’d give up all this fight.”
He added:
Starbeck cafe tackling the cost of living crisis“If everybody tried to get help and came forward to their GPs, maybe more would be done.”
A cafe in Starbeck has become a hub for the local community, which is rallying together in the face of the cost of living crisis.
The Living Room Café is run by Sarah Khanye and inside the Life Destiny Church at 93b High Street.
The family-friendly space opens from Tuesday to Friday from 9am until 3pm and hosts a variety of events that aim to bring the community together with homemade food, drinks and treats available.
Ms Khanye, 31, has worked in catering all her life. When the Stray Ferret visited yesterday, she looked at home with a spoon in a bowl as she made a cake.
She set up the cafe over two years ago, before covid and before the cost of living crisis.
Both have unquestionably increased stress, isolation and anxiety for people living in Starbeck.
The cafe aims to be not just a place to fill up your belly, but also somewhere where local families and friends can get together in a welcoming space.
Ms Khayne said:
“One cup of tea can last all day. The cafe helps people feel safe, combats loneliness and improves mental health.”
Affordability
The cafe is volunteer-run, with prices kept affordable.
It also includes a pantry and community fridge that includes donated food from places like the Co-op, which people are able to pay for with whatever they can afford.
The cafe also hosts events including community running clubs, craft and coffee mornings and get-togethers for mums, among other activities.
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Cost of living
Starbeck is one of the least affluent areas in the Harrogate district with many residents more vulnerable to increasing prices.
Life Destiny Church also runs a food bank, which has seen demand increase sharply.
Ms Khanye says in the last two months alone, the number of people coming to the food bank has gone up by a “massive, massive” amount as the cost of living crisis continues to bite.
She said:
“People in Starbeck are worried about the cost of living. A lot of people have limited income so numbers are growing.”
But with difficult times ahead, Ms Khanye believes Starbeck will stick together through choppy waters.
She added:
“I just like to see people enjoy the community where they live.
“Seeing families being able to support each other is massive. It would be a sad thing not to work here!”
Some of the events the cafe puts on.
Asian restaurant Bambudda in Ripon is to close this month.
The eatery on Kirkgate posted a message on its Facebook page this afternoon to say that it will shut its doors for the last time on July 11.
Opening in 2017, Bambudda built a name for itself in the city for offering quality Chinese, Japanese, Malaysian and Thai food.
The message said:
“We are very grateful for your support in last few years. Thank you for all lovely messages, all the amazing staffs in Ripon Team”.
The message added that anyone who has vouchers at the restaurant is able to use them at its Darlington restaurant, which will remain open.
Bambudda is one of Ripon’s most popular restaurants and the post this afternoon prompted a flurry of responses from Riponians who enjoyed eating there.
The comments included ‘Big loss for Ripon, been a few times and always been excellent food and service’ and ‘Thank you for all the support you gave me providing food for the elderly and vulnerable during lockdown — was appreciated by many in Ripon’.
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Children at Starbeck school plant new community garden
Children at Springwater School in Starbeck have been busy planting fruit trees, edible herbs and wildflowers in a new community garden.
The special needs school on Starbeck High Street offers a modified curriculum for young people aged two to 19 with special needs.
The community garden was the brainchild of Life Destiny Church and Starbeck Community Group, which wanted to collaborate on a new green space in Starbeck where produce can be enjoyed by the local community.
The herbs and fruit trees that were planted will be used in the school’s curriculum cooking sessions. Food will also be donated to the food bank that takes place at the church.
Around 80 students spent a day working on the area last week along with Andrew Hart from Starbeck Community Group and Jeremy Fennings from the church.
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Kelly Tomlinson, RE lead at Springwater School, said:
“It will create a wonderful area of greenery in Starbeck that can be enjoyed into the future. All students shared the common goal of supporting the community in a project that cares for our planet.
“Andrew and Jeremy were fantastic at guiding students throughout the day and we continue to work with them, developing the area further. “
Andrew Hart added:
Harrogate pregnancy brand raises £2m to grow company“A smaller group of Springwater students are now attending the garden weekly with Life Destiny Church and Starbeck Community Group to bring this garden to fruition. The produce will all go to Springwater School and the vulnerable in the community. It’s another great example of the community working together in Starbeck.”
Business Breakfast is sponsored by Harrogate law firm Truth Legal.
A Harrogate business specialising in maternity products has raised £2m to help grow the company.
My Expert Midwife offers 19 products designed to help women prepare and recover during pregnancy, birth and early parenthood, as well as midwife-developed webinars, antenatal classes and ebooks.
Its products are sold online and in Boots, John Lewis, Ocado, JoJo Maman Bébé and Next.
The £2m fundraise was led by Pembroke, which invested £1.5m alongside existing shareholders and private investors.
Lesley Gilchrist, registered midwife and co-founder of My Expert Midwife, said:
“Our driving vision is to help all parents-to-be on their journey to parenthood, every step of the way, from preconception, through pregnancy and birth, to recovery and caring for their new baby, whether that be through our expert information guides and ebooks, our midwife-developed products or our antenatal education services.”
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New coffee shop opens in Harrogate
A new coffee shop called Espresso House has opened in Harrogate.
The shop is on Beulah Street in a unit that was previously home to Subway.
It joins a flurry of new food and drink openings on Beulah Street over the past year, including Turkish cafe Sirius, which is over the road from Espresso House.
Harrogate district second home owners face extra council tax chargeNorth Yorkshire County Council could introduce a 100% premium on council tax bills on second homes within the next two years.
The local authority estimates the charge could generate £1.5m a year in extra council tax payments in the Harrogate district and £14m a year in North Yorkshire overall.
The issue of second homes in the county has risen up the political agenda in recent years, with concerns that they are pricing local people out of buying homes in the places they were brought up.
House prices in the Yorkshire Dales, for instance, are about a third higher than the county average. The average cost of a property in the Dales is nearly £400,000, while the average weekly wage in North Yorkshire is just over £530.
Councillor Carl Les, the Conservative leader of North Yorkshire County Council, said the move depended on new legislation being introduced by the national government and the approval of the local authority.
He said any money raised through the premium would be used to fund council services, including council tax reduction schemes and affordable housing projects.
Read more:
The council’s executive will meet on Tuesday to debate the new council tax policy.
Council leader Carl Les
Cllr Les said:
“The issue of second home ownership has emerged as a major issue for many areas of the country, and it is one that we are acutely aware of in North Yorkshire.
“The county is a wonderful place to live and visit, and that has seen the trend towards people wanting to purchase a property either as a second home or a holiday let.
“Any proposed premium on second home owners will be carefully considered and debated by the council before the new legislation is introduced.
“But the revenue generated would prove to be a key source of funding to help to bridge the new council’s budgets and finance vital areas such as homelessness costs and also providing more affordable housing.”
Both the county council and Harrogate Borough Council will be abolished on April 1 next year and be replaced by a new authority called North Yorkshire Council.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak visits Harrogate todayThe Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, visited Harrogate today to attend the final day of the Local Government Association conference.
Mr Sunak, who is the Conservative MP for Richmond in North Yorkshire, is the latest high-profile politician to make an appearance at the three-day event at Harrogate Convention Centre.
It’s the biggest event on the local government calendar and has brought about 1,500 delegates to Harrogate.
On Tuesday, levelling up secretary Michael Gove gave the keynote address. His Labour Party shadow, Lisa Nandy, has also among the speakers.
Yesterday, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey was in town for the conference and spoke to the Stray Ferret about the party’s ambitions in Harrogate.
Children at New Park Primary Academy also had a surprise visit this afternoon from secretary of state for education, Nadhim Zahawi.
Harrogate Convention Centre tweeted some pictures of Mr Sunak chatting with delegates today.
Day 3 of #LGAConf22 and among the 1,600+ delegates gathered in #Harrogate to debate important issues and make decisions on local public services is @RishiSunak #localgov @LGAcomms pic.twitter.com/WfmE25O5LA
— Harrogate Convention Centre (@HgtConventions) June 30, 2022
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Aldi looking to open second Harrogate supermarket
German supermarket chain Aldi has added Harrogate to a list of locations where it would like to open a new store.
Budget supermarkets have been making inroads into the Harrogate district in recent years. Aldi opened its first supermarket in Harrogate on Oak Beck Road in 2016 and another store in Knaresborough in 2021.
Aldi’s rival, Lidl, has had a supermarket in Knaresborough for several years and is currently building a new Harrogate store on Knaresborough Road. Lidl also has plans to open a supermarket at St Michael’s Retail Park in Ripon.
The cost of living crisis could see cheaper supermarkets continue in popularity and now Aldi has released a list of over 50 towns and cities, including Harrogate, that it is targeting in the coming years.
The company is offering a finder’s fee for anyone who recommends a suitable site, which it says should measure 20,000 sq foot, be able to accommodate 100 parking spaces and ideally be near a main road.
George Brown, national property director at Aldi UK, said:
“Despite our growth in recent years, some people still don’t have access to a local store, which is why it is our mission to continue on with our ambitious growth plans and change that.”
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MPs watch: Vote of no confidence and overriding the Brexit deal
Every month the Stray Ferret tries to find out what our local MPs have been up to in their constituencies and in the House of Commons.
This month, Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced a vote of no confidence from Tory MPs. MPs also voted to override part of the Brexit deal that relates to Northern Ireland.
We asked our three Conservative MPs, Harrogate & Knaresborough’s Andrew Jones, Skipton and Ripon’s Julian Smith, and Selby and Ainsty’s Nigel Adams if they would like to highlight anything in particular that they have been doing this month, but, as usual, we did not receive a response from any of them.
Here is what we know after analysing their online presence.
Andrew Jones, Harrogate and Knaresborough MP.
In Harrogate and Knaresborough, here is what we found out on Mr Jones:
- On June 6, Mr Jones voted against Prime Minister Boris Johnson in his confidence vote.
- Mr Jones spoke twice at Prime Minister’s Questions during June. On the 22nd, he urged the Prime Minister to introduce more apprenticeships in the rail industry. Yesterday he asked a question about the government’s Access to Work scheme for disabled people.
- Mr Jones had a stand at Starbeck Community Day on June 18 where he spoke with constituents.
- On June 22, Mr Jones met with young people from the charity Barnados in Parliament.
- On June 23, the MP wrote to Home Secretary Priti Patel about “speeding up” measures to evict Travellers who break the law.
- On June 27, Mr Jones voted in favour of the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill, which aims to override part of the government’s Brexit deal.
- On June 28, the MP paid tribute to Harrogate historian Malcolm Neesam who died. Mr Jones said: “Malcolm was a Harrogate hero. He leaves a body of work that is impressive and an area much the better for all he did”.
Read more:
Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon.
In Skipton and Ripon, here is what we found on Mr Smith:
- On June 2, Mr Smith attended the Queen’s platinum jubilee service at Ripon Cathedral.
- The MP paid tribute to broadcaster Harry Gration, who died this month. He tweeted: “So sorry & shocked to hear this @BBCLookNorth – Harry was such a special person & at @riponcathedral recent platinum jubilee service was on cracking form – charming everyone.”
- Mr Smith retweeted pop star Taylor Swift, who criticised the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn abortion law Roe v Wade.
- On June 15, Mr Smith was the keynote speaker at a Women in Business event in Belfast.
- On June 21, Mr Smith voted against a Labour Party motion that would force Prime Minister Boris Johnson to appoint a new ethics chief within two months.
- Mr Smith, who is a former Northern Ireland secretary, abstained on the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill.
Nigel Adams, MP for Selby and Ainsty which includes rural Harrogate.
In rural south Harrogate, here is what we found on Mr Adams:
- The sweary MP tweeted that there has been a “a lot of conspiracy b*llocks spouted” about Boris Johnson’s trip to Ukraine. Last year, Mr Adams made national news after he told Stop Brexit Man, Steve Bray, to “f*** off” outside Parliament.
- Mr Adams also paid tribute to Harry Gration. He said: “Harry was a lovely man and such a professional, fair broadcaster.”
- The MP criticised RMT Union chief Mick Lynch following the rail strikes. He tweeted: “Not sure stopping working class people getting to work is a vote winner Mick.”
- Writing on his website on June 28, Mr Adams hailed the government’s Police, Crime, Sentencing, and Courts Act, which he said will make it easier to stop Traveller encampments and hare coursing.
- In early June, Mr Adams visited Hyderabad in India on a trade trip.
A Bentley that was casually parked on the Stray today has reignited the fierce debate about cars not following the rules when it comes to the 200-acre parkland.
The luxury vehicle was spotted parked on the grass, and on double yellow lines, this afternoon on Willaston Road, which is off Knaresborough Road and close to Harrogate District Hospital.
Parking on the Stray has been a long-running problem for Harrogate Borough Council. Last year it erected signs that said motorists parking illegally risk a £100 fixed penalty notice or being towed away.
A Twitter user claimed the chrome Bentley had been there for three days, which prompted the council to immediately despatch a member of its parking team to the stricken vehicle.
Less than an hour later, the car was spotted by a Stray Ferret reporter driving down Parliament Street.
It is not known whether the owner received a fixed penalty notice.
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