The Inclusivity Award is sponsored by Kempston-Parkes.

Kempston-Parkes Chartered Surveyors is highly experienced in valuing and inspecting residential properties.

Kempston-Parkes has an unrivalled knowledge of the local property market.

This award is designed to give recognition to a company that has made employees and customers feel welcome, safe and free to be themselves, regardless of nationality, gender, race or sexual orientation.

Finalists

Artizan Café and Creative Space

Artizan Café and Creative Space is a Harrogate café and workshop staffed entirely by differently-able people.

The café provides creative training, work experience and employment opportunities to adults with learning disabilities.

The staff are trained in food preparation, customer service, handling money, food hygiene and much more.

A parent of one staff member said “no one has believed in them like this before. The café has given them an opportunity to succeed, rather than just activities to keep them busy”.

Liz Cluderay, the UK director of Artizan Café and Creative Space, said:

“Everyone at Artizan International is on a journey. For all our differently-able participants, it’s a journey from invisible to visible, from isolation to community, from the margins to the centre.

“For the local community visiting and supporting the café, it’s a journey towards a more inclusive society, where everyone is welcomed, respected and valued.”

Horticap

Horticap is a Harrogate charity providing adults with learning disabilities with training in various outdoor skills.

Established nearly 40 years ago, Horticap students receive practical training in garden maintenance, social skills, craft work and hospitality.

Horticap aims to immerse its students into society and provide them with skills that can be replicated at home and towards new career paths.

Phil Airey, assistant manager of Horticap, said:

“We are really excited to have been nominated for the inclusivity awards. Horticap was created to be an inclusive environment for all our students, staff and volunteers. We’re looking forward to the awards evening.”

The Stray Ferret Business Awards event sponsor is Prosperis. To find more and to purchase tickets for the big night, click here.

A Harrogate retiree is appealing for a rapid injection of funds to buy an ambulance that he will drive to earthquake-hit parts of Turkey. 

John Shackleton, 84, has funded, bought and stocked 34 ambulances over the last three decades, and delivered them to 22 countries – as well as three fire engines and two minibuses. 

Now he wants to buy another, but the only obstacle is money. He said:

“I was going to deliver the next ambulance to Moldova, but then the earthquake struck, so Turkey it is. So I’ve already raised £12,000 by chopping down trees and selling the logs, and I already have a garageful of medical supplies.  

“I just need to quickly raise £6,000 to £8,000 more to buy the ambulance and we can go. It’s not complicated – it’s very simple. I could set off tomorrow if I had the cash.” 

The Kahramanmaraş earthquake struck southern Turkey and northern Syria on Monday, razing buildings across a wide area and trapping thousands in the rubble. The latest estimate is that at least 12,000 people have been killed. Teams of rescuers have flown in from many countries, but their efforts are being hampered by cold weather.

Mr Shackleton said:

“You can rest assured that when it all calms down, the ‘big boys’ will pull out, but our ambulance will still be there, doing its work.”

Mr Shackleton is currently waiting to find out from the Turkish Embassy if the Red Crescent charity will accept a right-hand-drive vehicle. If not, he will fly to Amsterdam, buy a left-hand-drive ambulance at auction – which he has done many times before – bring it to Harrogate to stock it, and drive it south. 

Mr Shackleton was first moved to do humanitarian work when he saw news reports revealing the conditions in Romanian orphanages following the opening of its borders in 1990. He and a band of volunteers went there and installed flushing toilets and showers. 

He said:

“There were thousands of youngsters in appalling conditions. It still haunts me.

“That was over 30 years ago, and now in 2023 there’ll be a lot of injured people in the earthquake zone who will need to be transported. 

“I get the same feeling now that I did back then – it’s a compulsion to help. I’m fit and I’ve got the means to do it – so I have to. It’s very basic.” 

Read more:

• Harrogate’s John Shackleton selling firewood to fund 48th ambulance
• Harrogate’s John Shackleton hoping to deliver ambulance to Ukraine
• Harrogate couple’s dramatic escape from earthquake-hit Turkish city

The Stray Ferret Business Awards, sponsored by Prosperis, will be held on March 9 at the Pavilions of Harrogate. Early bird tickets are available until February 9. The event will celebrate success and business excellence across the Harrogate district. It’s a night not to be missed! There’ll be a fabulous prize draw for all attending and Richard Flinton, the incoming Chief Executive of North Yorkshire Council, is guest speaker. 

Econ Engineering has launched a new charity partnership with The British Heart Foundation. The Ripon engineering firm makes more than eight out of 10 winter maintenance vehicles on UK roads.

The charity partnership will run throughout February – National Heart Month – until the end of 2023, with the aim to raise £20,000.

The money raised by Econ will help the BHF to fund research into heart and circulatory conditions such as coronary heart disease, strokes and vascular dementia.

Econ’s involvement with the charity stemmed from the death of one of the company’s managing directors, Andrew Lupton, who suffered a heart attack last year.

Andrew’s brother, Jonathan, who is now the sole managing director of the firm, said:

“We are proud to be partnering with the British Heart Foundation and are looking forward to supporting with its ongoing campaign to beat heartbreak forever”.

Employees will have the opportunity to participate in several BHF-supported health and wellbeing engagement activities, to ensure a healthier workforce.

Read more:

• Knaresborough Castle could host more events as new era dawns 
• Harrogate district school launches parent and baby group to help with cost-of-living crisis

Knaresborough shops encouraged to bring a floral look to the town

Knaresborough and District Chamber is urging shops to order hanging baskets to maintain the town’s floral look this summer.

The baskets are created by Harrogate Borough Council, which waters them twice a week.

For the last decade, the chamber has taken orders for baskets directly from shop keepers. It has subsidised the cost to members and charged non-members the price charged by the council.

But the council has set up an online payment system this year and the chamber is concerned it might lead to a lower take-up.

Chamber member and hairdresser, Kelly Teggin, who was in charge of basket sales last year, said:

“The town looks so lovely when it’s in full bloom. I fear if it’s left to the shop keepers, we may not see as many baskets, so we want to encourage it as much as possible.”

Further details are available here.

Hair & beauty salon, Kelly Teggin, displaying its hanging basket.

The Stray Ferret Business Awards, sponsored by Prosperis, will be held on March 9 at the Pavilions of Harrogate. Early bird tickets are available until February 9. The event will celebrate success and business excellence across the Harrogate district. It’s a night not to be missed! There’ll be a fabulous prize draw for all attending and Richard Flinton, the incoming Chief Executive of North Yorkshire Council, is guest speaker. 

Global hair and beauty brand, Cloud Nine, has opened two new studios at its Harrogate headquarters, bringing all previously outsourced photo and video shoots in-house.

The beauty company says the aim of the new studio is to develop the creative, commercial and media skills of its team.

The hair and skin stylist area has mirrors and lights with different coloured walls to suit models with different skin tones. There’s also a Green Room designed for the models and guests to relax in before and after each shoot.

CEO Martin Rae, who launched the business with his brother, Gavin, in 2009, said:

“We have created our own studios for two very good reasons. The first is we have a fantastically talented team based within our Harrogate headquarters, who are eager to create their own campaigns, from inception through to execution”.

“And secondly, harnessing the artistic skills of our own people makes perfect business sense, and will benefit us commercially”.

Read more:

• Harrogate man wins landmark disabled settlement against major gym chain
• Family of WWI soldier find where he was killed – by chance

Knaresborough business group supports Ukraine

A lorry full of of medical equipment, blankets and warm clothing, supplied Knaresborough charity PhysioNet and the town’s Rotary Club, is due to arrive in Ukraine today.

The lorry left Knaresborough five days ago and has made its way to Zaporizhzhia in the South East of Ukraine.

Knaresborough Rotary President and Chairman of Physionet, David Kaye, said:

“This is the sixth PhysioNet consignment for Ukraine. The £6,000 transport costs have been paid for entirely by Rotary in Yorkshire”.

PhysioNet was founded in 2005 by Knaresborough Rotarian Peter Thompson.

It collects and refurbishes discarded mobility and physiotherapy equipment – including wheelchairs, Zimmer frames, crutches and walking sticks – and redistributes it for use by the disabled in developing countries.

PhysioNet and Rotary volunteers gave up their Saturday morning to load the lorry for Zaporizhzhia.

A Harrogate pilates instructor will embark on a personal mission later this month to strike back at the cancer that saw her husband rushed to A&E, fighting for his life. 

Eugenie Keogh will hold a marathon 18-hour pilates session on Zoom from her studio at North Rigton, to raise awareness of the symptoms of leukaemia, a cancer of the blood which kills around 13 people every day in the UK. 

“The early diagnosis of leukaemia remains elusive because the symptoms are often overlooked, and the disease only diagnosed when a person ends up at A&E department struggling for life,” she said.

Eugenie’s husband Stephen was rushed to Harrogate A&E last summer with a combination of classic leukaemia symptoms: shortness of breath, extreme fatigue, a skin rash, an ulcerated mouth, frequent nose bleeds and night sweats. The couple were left “completely traumatised” when the aggressive blood cancer Acute Myloid Leukaemia (AML) was diagnosed.

In the weeks before, Stephen had sought medical help about individual symptoms, but these had not been linked or resulted in a blood test.

Eugenie said: “This resulted in a late diagnosis for Stephen, which is why I am supporting the campaign to raise awareness among GPs about blood cancer symptoms. The earlier the disease is spotted, the better the chance of effective treatment, prognosis and quality of life.”

Stephen has responded well to the treatment regime for AML and is now awaiting a bone marrow stem-cell transplant. 

“This is the only chance for me to achieve complete remission and hopefully a cure,” he said.

Eugenie Keogh is a qualified APPI instructor and operates one-to-one and Zoom online classes from her Body & Soul Pilates studio in North Rigton near Harrogate.

As well as raising awareness, Eugenie’s pilates marathon on Zoom on January 29 will also raise funds for Leukaemia UK, a charity that works to fund innovative research and support those affected by leukaemia blood cancers. Well-wishers can support her campaign at her Just Giving page.

Anyone making a donation will also be invited to keep Eugenie company by logging on at any time for any of the pilates sessions, which will start on the hour every hour from 6am, with the last session ending at midnight.

Read more:

• Starbeck woman, 67, takes on swimming charity challenge
• Harrogate girls to cut hair to raise funds for friend with leukaemia
• Harrogate district women undress for Calendar Girls revival

People with new year’s resolutions to improve their fitness are being sought by Saint Michaels Hospice to set themselves a new challenge.

The Harrogate charity is looking for 60 runners to take part in this year’s Great North Run and raise money to support its work.

Last year, runners at the event raised £30,000 for the hospice, which works with families living with terminal illness and bereavement.

Saint Michael’s chief executive Tony Collins said:

“New year is the ideal time to take up a personal fitness and wellbeing challenge. What better way to stay motivated than by knowing that your running challenge will bring care and comfort to local families at the most difficult of times.

“As an independent local charity, we rely on our community to help raise the majority of the funds we need to provide our vital care.”

“By taking part in the Great North Run for Saint Michael’s, you’ll be helping us to care for patients and their families in their own homes as well as at our hospice, and providing much-needed support for children, young people, and adults living with bereavement.”

Read more:

• Charity run in Harrogate set to mark 30 years of fundraising
• Paralympic champion among new trustees at Harrogate charity

The hospice offers participants tips to prepare for the half marathon, and has a marquee in the charity village with drinks and goody bags after runners cross the finishing line.

However, a spokesperson said there was usually a “flurry” of interest and sign-ups after the ballot places were announced in February, so anyone hoping to take part should sign up soon to avoid disappointment.

Entries are £30 each and there is a discount for people signing up in teams. Supporter David Brigham was one of those taking part with his daughter Charlotte Simpson last year.

He said:

“The atmosphere was amazing with a feeling of great achievement as runners collected their medals and had photographs taken to remember the occasion. Personally, I will never forget the experience and the pride in what we achieved.”

The Great North Run will take place on Sunday, September 10, starting in Newcastle and finishing in South Shields. To find out more about taking part for Saint Michael’s Hospice, click here.

Eight organisations in the Harrogate district have benefitted from a share of £94,000 worth of grants provided by the Freemasons.

Freemasonry is a male only, fraternal organisation that traces its origins back to the local guilds of stonemasons.

A total of 40 grants have been distributed to organisations across Yorkshire, with many charitable organisations, including youth clubs, food banks, community groups and schools.

Those Harrogate District organisations benefiting from the latest round of grant giving were:

• Artizan Café and Creative Space, Harrogate, £5,000
• Henshaw’s Society for Blind People, £3,395,
• Harrogate Hospital Radio, Harrogate, £3,000, for broadcasting software
• Coppice Valley Primary School, Harrogate, £2,748, for outdoor playground equipment
• Ripon’s Men’s Shed, Ripon, £2,000, for woodworking equipment
• Girlguiding Birk Crag Centre, Harrogate, £2,000, for shop storage, display units, seating and furniture
• Supporting Older People, Harrogate and Knaresborough, £1,586, for warm comfort packs
• Ripon YMCA, Ripon, £1,000, for branded clothing for staff and youth leaders
• Staveley Sports Association, Staveley, Knaresborough, £1,000, for football goal posts, nets and equipment

James H Newman, OBE, The Provincial Grand Master of The Province of Yorkshire West Riding, said:

“With these grants we are able to financially support 40 organisations, which are each integral to the local area in their own way, is something I am very proud of.

“Each year, we donate some £200,000 from this specific fund to good causes around the Province, with the money coming directly from our members, keen to help support the community they live and work in.

“These grants were a superb way to end 2022, and the money each of these 40 recipients is receiving will help them continue the work they do in their own individual communities.”

Based on the old West Riding, the Province has around 5,000 members and reaches from Sheffield in the South to Ripon in the North, Goole in the East to Bentham in the West.

Read More: 

• Pothole damages dozens of cars on busy Harrogate district road
• Harrogate to get new civic figurehead in place of mayor

A Harrogate man who has been growing his hair since before the first lockdown in March 2020 is to have it shaved this weekend to raise funds for Saint Michael’s Hospice.

Graeme Fenwick will be left completely bald at The Harlow on College Street in Harrogate, where he and wife Linda will be wearing t-shirts supporting the charity.

Linda has been supporting him and sharing the fundraiser on social media to raise as much money as possible.

She said:

“After some ribbing by family and friends about cutting his hair, he announced he would if I could raise £1,000 for Saint Michael’s Hospice.”

Since then, they have raised more than £1,600 and some donors have promised to attend the event on Saturday to see Mr Fenwick shave his head in person.

A local barber will remove his locks but friends and family will also be able to have a go with the clippers.

Read more:

• Cyber-attack contributes to major Harrogate district firm posting £4.1m loss
• Charity shop to open in Ripon’s former Argos

Saint Michael’s, which provides care to people living with terminal illness and bereavement, is close to the couple’s heart as Ms Fenwick’s dad and other family and friends spent time at its Hornbeam Park hospice.

The pair said they have been overwhelmed by the response they have had on their JustGiving page.

Ms Fenwick told the Stray Ferret:

“We were in a taxi the other night and were talking about it and when we were getting out the taxi driver donated £30 and said it sounded like a good cause.”

To donate to the appeal, click here.

A charity director from Knaresborough has been made an MBE in the first King’s New Year Honours.

Julia Skelton leads Mind the Gap, a Bradford-based arts company that specialises in offering training to and performances by people with learning disabilities and autism.

Having been in post for more than 20 years, including leading the organisation through the covid pandemic, she was still surprised to receive the email informing her she was being offered the honour. She said:

“My first reaction was to assume it was a hoax! Having established via a trusted colleague that it wasn’t, my second reaction was to be very embarrassed, having spent many years working hard to put others in the limelight.”

Read more:

• Leading education pair in Harrogate now have matching royal honours
• ‘I hope we’ve made a difference’ says Harrogate charity founder awarded MBE

Despite the honour being in her name, Julia said she recognised it as something for the entire theatre company.

She said:

“Some people get nominated for an MBE for their individual endeavours. Not me though – without question this recognition is for Mind the Gap and everyone, past, present and future, who’s contributed to the company’s success.

“In particular, the fantastic learning disabled and autistic artists who underpin everything we do and what we are about. And for those who collaborate artistically and more broadly so the company can create and tour work, and support skills development.”

Julia said she hoped the honour would help to promote the arts, especially as they face cuts to public funding and other challenges.

She also paid tribute to all women receiving honours, adding:

“I’m just one of thousands of women who plug away day in, day out, to further the success of things they believe in.

“I’m pleased to accept this award in celebration of all women’s achievements, especially those living and working in the north.”

A Harrogate homeless charity has celebrated rehousing its 100th resident in nearly 10 years.

Lifeline, which is based on East Parade, works in partnership with the Harrogate Homeless Project to help those who used to be homeless.

The charity was founded in 2013 and has since gone on to rehouse 100 people as part of its supported housing programme.

Speaking after the achievement, Carl Good, CEO of Lifeline Harrogate, said:

“This is such a special moment.”

“We have seen so many amazing changes in people’s lives and have supported many people into their own accommodation, many leaving Lifeline with jobs and hence a sustainable lifestyle.”

Lifeline residents out on a day trip

Mr. Good started the company with his wife Georgie because they wanted to help the homeless.

They recall meeting a man in the winter of 2011 who was sleeping in a tunnel on Bower Road.

He said:

“It really moved us both to think that we were going to a nice warm house and here was a man sat out in the cold.”

“It made us think much more deeply about the issue of homelessness.”

Read more:

• 150-year-old Harrogate church could be turned into house
• Details of warm spaces in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon

Lifeline has six three-bedroom houses where they re-home their residents.

The houses are owned by Green Pastures, a national Christian housing social enterprise, and leased to the charity.

Residents will usually stay in the three-bedroom houses provided by Lifeline for up to a year.

However, Mr. Good told The Stray Ferret:

“There is no fixed time, we want to support them for independent living.”