Harrogate charity furnishes homes for domestic abuse survivorsA Harrogate furniture reuse charity has helped to furnish four properties for female survivors of domestic abuse.
Essential Needs, on Leeds Road, has partnered with Independent Domestic Abuse Services (IDAS), which is the largest specialist domestic abuse charity in Yorkshire.
The homes in the Harrogate area will be used by women moving away from violence and abuse.
Essential Needs provided four of each of the following items; sofa, bed, wardrobe, chest of drawers, bedside drawer, kitchen table and chairs, coffee table, TV and TV unit, microwave, kettle, toaster and vacuum.
Lee Wright, manager at Essential Needs said:
“Essential Needs wanted to support IDAS as their work is lifesaving and the pandemic has made conditions for victim-survivors even worse.
“It was great to be able to partner in a way that drew on both our strengths as charities, supporting people who really need the help and to give them the best chance of living a life free from abuse and violence.”
Lucinda, a fake name, is one of the survivors that has moved into one of the properties. She said:
“The flat is lovely and homely, it is great to have the freedom to be able to go for walks again. The staff have been really lovely, and kind and it makes me feel safe to know that they are just a phone call away.
“I was so worried about how I would do this on my own but now all my worries about moving have gone away. I am safe.”
Read more:
Essential Needs sells donated furniture at low prices at its Leeds Road warehouse.
IDAS said all the properties now have residents that are getting the support they need to recover from their experience and rebuild. It added it was always looking to accommodate and help more survivors of domestic abuse so will likely partner with Essential Needs again.
Mel Milner, project officer for IDAS dispersed housing and safe havens in Harrogate and district area, said:
“We are very grateful for the generosity of our partners at Essential Needs. When survivors escape abuse, it’s so important that it represents more than just a roof over their heads, so we work hard to furnish our properties with everything you would need to have the best fresh start.”
Harrogate nurse to raise money through 24-hour gameathonA Harrogate nurse has pledged to game non-stop for 24 hours to raise money for Medecins Sans Frontieres, a charity also known as Doctors Without Borders.
Andy Masters will start his gameathon at 10am next Saturday, February 5, and hopes to raise £1,000 for the medical charity.
Mr Masters has worked as a nurse for 30 years and began working at Harrogate District Hospital seven years ago.
The charity offers medical assistance in areas affected by conflict, epidemics and natural disasters. Mr Masters said he’s known doctors who have worked with the charity and seen first hand how necessary its help is.
Mr Masters said:
“It’s a highly respected charity and they go and help those in real need in areas others don’t. I just want to do a little bit to help them.
“Last time I raised over £1,000 so if we can get close to that it would be great, but anything is amazing.”
Read more:
He is a keen gamer and said he will switch between multiple games to help keep him awake. The whole event will be streamed on his Youtube and Twitch accounts.
To donate, click here.
Inquest hears tributes to bikers killed in head-on collision in MashamThe families of two bikers who died in a head-on collision near Masham have paid tributes at a joint inquest into their deaths, which concluded today.
Paramedics certified Martin Ragg, who was from the Ripon area, and Michael ‘Mick’ Lynas, who was from the Thirsk area, dead at the scene of the collision on the A1608 on Sunday, April 25 in 2021.
Coroner Oliver Longstaff submitted written evidence and questioned a collision investigator from North Yorkshire Police at the inquest.
The inquest heard how the crash happened at a blind summit close to the Brymor Ice Cream parlour and that Mr Ragg had been attempting to overtake a car before he moved one and a half metres into the oncoming lane before the crash.
Both men died as a result of injuries sustained in the crash. Mr Longstaff said:
“The point of an inquest is not to apportion blame but to determine the facts which lead up to the deaths.
“On the balance of probabilities the collision happened in the northbound carriageway and Mr Ragg was on the wrong side of the road.
“What strikes me is, from listening to what both families have said, that these two men would have got on quite well and become good friends if they had ever met.
“I hope it is some comfort to know that they both died instantly while doing something they loved.”
Read more:
Tina Lynas, who was the wife of Mick Lynas, said:
“Mick was passionate about motorcycles — in fact, much to the shock of my mum, he picked me up for our first date on a motorcycle. He was a great rider and never a risk taker.
“He collected motorcycles and at the time of his passing he had 13 in his possession. On the day of the crash he went out with his daughter Eve on a separate bike to meet his friends in Masham. He was then going to see family in Middlesbrough.
“I was just getting to leave to meet him there when I took a call from Eve. Mick’s passing has left a huge hole in our hearts. He was a loving man, full of life. He was community driven and would do anything for anyone.”
‘Lives shattered in an instant’
Jayne Ragg, who was the wife of Martin Ragg, said:
“Our lives were shattered in an instant. Martin often left early for his trips and did not want to wake me up when he headed out. So I didn’t even get to say goodbye to him.
“He had a fantastic sense of humour and he was a larger-than-life character who loved his family with all his heart.
“We have raised more than £7,000 for Brake, a road safety charity, and Yorkshire Air Ambulance. We also sent £2,000 to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance separately.”
Harrogate theatre chair on the panto, scaffolding and being ‘cautiously optimistic’Cancelled shows and a huge roof renovation have made the last 18 months “very difficult” for Harrogate Theatres but the chair says it is going into 2022 “cautiously optimistic”.
Knaresborough-born Deborah Larwood, who has been visiting the theatre for years, worked in the arts sector for over a decade before she took a seat on the board four years ago. She then became chair in December 2019.
Harrogate Theatres is a charity that hosts events at Harrogate Theatre, Royal Hall and Harrogate Convention Centre.
Its biggest challenge during the pandemic has been generating enough income to cover costs whilst being unable to get on stage.
It has held online workshops, socially distanced theatre and launched its HT Together fundraising campaign.
Ms Larwood said initiatives like these and grants from the likes of Arts Council England have been crucial to the theatre’s survival and allowed it to plan for upcoming events.
Cinderella ends today
The biggest event for the theatre each year is its annual pantomime. As Cinderella comes to a close today, after running since November, Ms Larwood said she was pleased with its success although it is unclear how well tickets sold compared with previous years. She said:
“People’s habits have changed during the pandemic and some of our usual audience members still aren’t comfortable in the auditorium. We still had huge success in terms of ticket sales, but it was different especially with some schools choosing to cancel their trip.
“When we lost the panto in 2020 it was a significant worry because we rely so heavily on that revenue we earn.”
Some of the cast of this year’s pantomime, Cinderella. Photograph: Karl Andre
She added tickets for this year’s pantomime, Aladdin, are already selling with a number of schools also choosing to book.
Roof completion date still set for March
One of the biggest projects undertaken in the last 12 months has been the roof renovation. The project has been managed by Harrogate Borough Council, which owns the building.
Work began in May last year and with multiple setbacks due to covid and building materials it is now due to be completed by March.
Ms Larwood said workers on site were “determined” to stick to that date.
The theatre roof during works in June 2021.
The board has been trying to recruit new trustees. Last year, Ms Larwood, said multiple trustees came to the end of their tenure, which gave the opportunity to bring in new people and expertise.
She said:
“The pandemic allowed us to refocus and its exciting to hear from new people who are equally as passionate as us about the arts.”
So far the charity has added Fiona Hunt to its board but plans to speak to more potential new trustees after panto season.
Read more:
‘Necessary evil’ to make people redundant
During the pandemic the theatre made staff redundant in an attempt to remain open. Ms Larwood said it was a “necessary evil”.
Long-term closures in 2020 and 2021 meant a big loss in revenue. Ms Larwood said despite the grants, cuts had to be made.
However, the charity hopes to start recruiting again this year. She said:
“We had terrible levels of redundancies but we had to make sure we made it through the other side. Recruitment will begin in earnest, but it’s all about striking a balance. We need people but we live in a time of rapid change and hiring too quickly is a big investment to lose.
“Our core team has been amazing throughout, doing the job of a team normally two or three times its size. It’s now time for us to bring in new people as we move into a busy year.”
John Shackleton, 83, hoping to deliver one final ambulance to Eastern Europe83-year-old Harrogate legend John Shackleton has a twinkle in his eye when he considers one last trip delivering ambulances to Eastern Europe, something he’s done through his charity Aid to Eastern Europe for over 30 years.
“My daughters say ‘come on, think of everyone else’, but I’ve been kicking my heels for the last two-and-a-half years due to covid. I’m getting older and the years are going by quickly.
“I have enough money to go to Amsterdam to buy an ambulance and I’ll be in Georgia within a week or two, but do I take the chance? It’s a big decision. I really want to do it.”
If you’re not familiar with John’s work, he’s been delivering ambulances to hospices and hospitals in Eastern Europe since 1990. He started after seeing upsetting TV images of orphans in Romania following the death of dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu.
He’s since delivered 38 ambulances to an exhaustive list of countries, including Albania, Kazakstan, Armenia, Slovenia and Bulgaria.
To raise money to buy the vehicles, John chops down trees, cuts lawns, mends bicycles — anything to raise the £12,000 to £15,000 it costs to purchase an ambulance — which he usually buys from auction in Amsterdam.
John chopping down trees to raise money for an ambulance. Credit – The Ambulance Man (Facebook).
He said:
“I fly into Amsterdam but they sometimes take the stretcher out and make you pay extra. Invariably, when we tell them its a charity we get around that!
“We then bring it to Harrogate, fill it with medical supplies and find two co-drivers. We sleep in it, drive day and night, and deliver it right into the sticks, miles away from civilisation.
“We leave the ambulance, hitch hike to the nearest international airport, come back to Harrogate and do it all over again.”
Harrowing scenes
John is moved to tears when he describes the harrowing scenes of human suffering that he’s witnessed, but is comforted by the knowledge that he has helped people less fortunate than us in Harrogate.
Many of the countries he’s visited have been riddled with poverty after the fall of the Soviet Union.
In Ukraine. Credit – The Ambulance Man (Facebook).
He said:
“When I think back to some of the places I’ve been to it is very hard. I don’t dwell on it but sub-consciously it’s there.
“In the early days, we’d get to know the kids, there’s always one you’d get to know more who might smile a lot or give you a cuddle. You’d ask where he is, and they’d say, ‘oh, he died last night, he’s buried over there’.
“It was a building site and they’d take them out the back and bury them like a dog. They had nothing. You wouldn’t be human if it didn’t affect you.”
Show no fear
John has endured the trials and tribulations of the road and has clocked up tens of thousands of miles. He’s faced bribes, bandits and gunfire.
In Turkey, he said he expected to have to pay a bribe but the police wanted him to cough up the value of his ambulance, so he refused.
He and his co-drivers were thrown in an underground jail cell with a bucket for a toilet.
“They locked us up for 36 hours. I’d already given Turkey two ambulances after they had an earthquake! I was really annoyed they had the audacity to lock us up.”
John said his team was beginning to panic.
“You must show no fear. I got to the boss man, nose to nose, screaming at him, he eventually freed us. That was a little bit scary.”
Read more:
The right stuff
Driving through Russia, John was warned of bandits and not to stop during the night. He came across a roadblock with lights flashing so he had to think quickly.
“I thought, I won’t stop here. So I put the foot down and the blues and twos on.
“They jumped out of our way and fired at us. But they must have been firing in the air. A man that can’t hit an ambulance is not worth holding a gun!”
John in Poland. Credit – the Ambulance Man (Facebook).
John has had UK police officers, and his grandkids, as part of his crew, although not every co-driver that has signed up has joined with the right stuff.
He added:
“I advertised for a driver once on eBay. I said the highest bidder can come along. A professor from Cambridge University paid £700.
“But all he wanted do to when we drove through France was go to the vineyards and taste the wines. He got really ansty with me, I said ‘why did you volunteer? We’re humanitarian, this is not a holiday!'”
Helping others
When the Stray Ferret visited John at his house in Harrogate, he had his head under the bonnet putting a new engine in his kit car, which he first built over 50 years ago. He said by spring he’ll have it going again.
John has been a bomb disposable expert, mountaineer, greengrocer, a housing fixer upper and he ran an art studio. His rich life experience has given him a practical and positive outlook.
“I’ll have a go at most things. The Egyptians built the pyramids, if a man can do that, most of us can do anything if we put our minds to it.
“Some people are hesitant when opportunities arrive. I invariably say give it a go, if you have the right mentality, you will succeed.”
Most of all, John is known for putting other people before himself, and as the Stray Ferret left his home, he told us he’s pencilled in September as a possible date to deliver his 39th ambulance to those who desperately need one in Eastern Europe.
To donate and help John buy a new ambulance, email johnshackleton@aidtoeasterneurope.co.uk
Family’s involvement in Harrogate charity ends after 100 yearsA Harrogate charity has said goodbye to one of its trustees after 42 years, ending a century-long family connection.
At its latest AGM, Vision Support Harrogate District gave a special thank-you to Bob Sergeant for his long service, bringing to an end his family’s involvement since the organisation’s early days.
Bob joined in 1979, following in the footsteps of various family members including his father, Russell Sergeant, after whom the charity’s drop-in centre in East Parade is named.
Russell Sergeant
The Sergeants first became involved with the Harrogate Society for the Blind, as it was then known, in 1923.
The organisation had been founded two years earlier to support local soldiers returning from the First World War with visual impairments caused by mustard gas.
Read more:
Bob’s grandparents, Henry and Marion Sergeant, were near neighbours of the charity’s founder Miss Fripp, who lived in Spring Grove.
Henry had a shop on James Street, where Waterstones is now situated, and offered to display and sell basketry work made by visually impaired people.
Henry Sergeant
Henry went on to become vice chairman of the charity for six years from 1932, while Marion continued to be involved as a committee member.
Later, their son — and Bob’s father — Russell, became a trustee, serving as secretary, chairman and president before being made honorary president in 1993. Russell’s sisters, Jean, Alison and Joyce, were volunteers at the charity’s social centre, while Jean’s husband Les Topham was on the committee.
Volunteers essential
Looking back over nearly a century, Bob said he was proud of his family’s connection and honoured to have been personally involved for so long. But he praised the hard work and commitment of many others in ensuring the society’s longevity and success. He said:
“There is no way that it could survive without the help of its loyal volunteers, some of whom have been there for a number of years.
“I also think the centre would not be here today without the very valuable help from the Rotary Club of Harrogate, which was formed in the same year as the society and has been involved since the start. The club’s members have been absolutely incredible over the decades.”
Bob said some of his highlights included the fundraising garden parties at Dacre Banks and the yearly trip to Scarborough for visually impaired people and their carers.
End of an era
He remembers big events like the annual Christmas party at The Lounge Hall, now Wetherspoons, which welcomed around 400 people. It was funded by the society, with transport arranged by the Rotary Club. He said:
“Funding has become more difficult now. But one of the society’s strengths has always been that over 90 per cent of the money we raise goes back to the direct benefit of the visually impaired people we support.”
Bob and his wife, Mary, still intend to be involved with the society in the future, but his resignation from the committee marks the end of an era as their two sons live too far away to continue the Sergeants’ active contribution. He said:
“Right the way through the charity’s history there has been the Sergeant family and the Rotary Club.
“It’s been part of my life and my family history for so long, but I feel that the time has now come to stand down.”
First look at Harrogate cafe helping disabled people into jobsA new ethical cafe in Harrogate, which provides jobs for people with disabilities, has opened.
Artizan International quietly opened its South-American themed cafe in the former Game unit on Cambridge Road at the start of the week — and it’s already drawing a crowd.
Demand is so high that the cafe is looking to accelerate the renovation of the first floor to make way for more seating.
The charity opened a shop around the corner on Oxford Street in 2020, which helps visually impaired people overseas earn a living by selling their craft work.
However, Artizan International founder Susie Hart discovered there were “countless” young people with other disabilities in North Yorkshire. As a result, she set the cafe on a different path by giving them the opportunity to find employment.
Read more:
The cafe serves a speciality Peruvian hot chocolate. All of its coffee, tea and sugar are from Fairtrade sources. It also stocks a range of soups, panninis and cakes.
It is open from 10am until 5pm Mondays to Saturdays. The cafe is closed for art workshops for children on Sundays.
Liz Cluderay, UK programmes officer at Artizan International, told the Stray Ferret:
“The long term aim of the project is very much about reaching local businesses. We want them to see young adults with learning disabilities and just how capable they are.
“Work like this is particularly important because of coronavirus. In the first lockdown they were sent home and, for the most part, their work opportunities have not returned.
“But people shouldn’t come here because they feel sorry for the people who work here. We want customers to come here simply because it’s a brilliant cafe with amazing coffee and food.”
More pictures from inside the cafe
There is plenty of food and drink on offer.
The cafe has been decorated beautifully.
Matthew is cooking up a storm in the kitchen.
During the pandemic, one Harrogate and Knaresborough charity has seen a huge increase in pleas for help after some of the most vulnerable in our communities found themselves feeling lonely.
Supporting Older People helps more than 300 members combat isolation and loneliness by providing activities, trips and a befriending service.
The charity works with people over 60 and say many come to them because they often only see one person a week and need more opportunities to socialise.
Director Kate Rogata said:
“During covid the thing people loved the most was just standing at the door for a chat. It was clear when we restarted sessions last June how vital they were, the demand was enormous.
“People were depserate to see others again.”
Members visited Harrogate Bowling Club in September. The club has raised more than £1,500 for the charity.
Ms Rogata said a lot of the people the charity helps are over 75 and may live alone due to bereavement or moved to Harrogate and Knaresborough to be closer to family but don’t have a network of friends.
The charity is there to help. It holds monthly lunches, tea and talk events and weekly exercise classes. All of these are always in demand.
Ms Rogata began working for the charity in 2013 when there were just 75 members and 45 volunteers. She said the demand just keeps growing, since the pandemic they’ve seen a 60% increase in people coming to the charity for help.
“We need to make sure we keep doing all we can and stick around because the demand won’t go away.”
Ms Rogata said they are always in need of new volunteers. Currently, the charity has 150 trained befrienders but with 30 older people on the waiting list they are pleading for more people to come forward.
She added:
“There’s been some wonderful friendships formed over the years. We take our time pairing people up, they have to have similar interests for it to work. Our befrienders can make a real difference to the older person’s life, and vice versa.”
Care home resident Richard was able to go for a spin in a classic car this year thanks to his volunteer befriender Peter.
Set up in 1982, the charity is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year and hopes to encourage more people to volunteer as befrienders and give an hour a week to visit an older person.
During the pandemic the charity has been unable to do as much fundraising as it likes. It costs around £70,000 a year to pay its three part-time staff, train volunteers and put on events.
It gets a £11,000 from North Yorkshire County Council but the rest has to come from fundraising and grants.
Read more:
It plans to host events all year to celebrate its anniversary. Ms Rogata said:
“Any fundraising is so helpful. It cost £60 to train each befriender and we need 30 new ones.
“We feel like a bit of a well kept secret and we want more people to know about us and get involved however they can.”
Funeral celebrates life of Harrogate musician Aaron BertenshawFamily and friends of Harrogate singer-songwriter Aaron Bertenshaw celebrated his life at a funeral in Bilton this morning.
A procession led by motorbikes, including some Harley-Davidsons, set off from the family home on Woodfield Road and arrived at St John’s and St Luke’s Church for the 11am service.
The service was broadcast live on the church’s Facebook page and can still be viewed there.
A wake was held afterwards at The Empress on the Stray.
Aaron Bertenshaw died suddenly last month.
Aaron, a former pupil at St Aidan’s Church of England High School, died suddenly aged 26 last month. He had struggled with diabetes and mental health issues.
Read more:
Sammy Oates, Aaron’s mother, set up a fundraising page to help people with diabetes overcome mental health problems. That fundraiser is currently on £6,910.
The family said donations at the service would go to Diabetes UK and CALM, the campaign against living miserably.
Ms Oates is now campaigning for extra support for those who struggle with diabetes and mental health. She told the Stray Ferret previously:
“Aaron touched a lot of lives. He was only 26 but packed a lot in. He also worked as a barber and played rugby for Otley when he was young.
“He was such a bright shining star and an absolute social butterfly. Everyone knew him and he never had a bad word to say about anybody.
“What I remember most is his smile. He had the most infectious smile. There was always a twinkle in the eyes.”
Hundreds raised for charity thanks to return of Hampsthwaite vs Birstwith tug of war
Villagers raised around £800 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance after the Hampsthwaite vs Birstwith tug of war competition made a welcome return.
Hundreds of people watched the annual event at Hampsthwaite cricket ground on New Year’s Day, which was cancelled last year due to covid restrictions.
The tradition dates back to the 1980s, but about eight years ago it became a competition between two pubs in the neighbouring villages; The Joiners Arms, in Hampsthwaite, and The Station Hotel, in Birstwith.
The crowd cheered as Hampsthwaite claimed the victory in both the men’s and women’s events, which were captained by Robin Hardcastle and Nicola Binns.
Hampsthwaite’s winning men’s team.
This was despite Birstwith putting up a strong fight.
Read more:
The event finished with children from the villages having a go – with a bit of help from the adults – before people headed to The Joiners Arms for pie and peas.
Rebecca Cranage, owner of the Joiners Arms, said:
“I would like to say thank you to everyone who came to the tug of war and who donated to the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. I would also like to thank Amy Howard, who organised both the Birstwith teams.”
Ms Cranage has lived in the village for 20 years and, like many villagers, has fond memories of watching the event.
It has evolved over the years after starting as a Brits vs Americans competition featuring men from the RAF Menwith Hill base.
Hampsthwaite’s winnning women’s team.
A raffle also raised funds for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
Knaresborough’s Boxing Day tug of war was cancelled due to covid uncertainty, but organisers have said they are hopeful the event will be able to take place this year.