Harrogate has become the first district in the UK to achieve toilet twinning status thanks to a group of campaigners.

Soroptimist International of Harrogate and District arranged for the title to be given by national charity Tearfund’s Toilet Twinning project.

It aims to provide safe toilet facilities, along with education about sanitation, for people in developing countries by encouraging people in the UK to sponsor a toilet in Asia, Africa or the Americas.

The Harrogate district has now twinned with 36 individual toilets and a block of four toilets in low income countries, equating to £2,400 donated by local schools and businesses, Harrogate Borough Council and the Soroptimists themselves.

The certificate was presented by the group’s president, Val Hills, and Toilet Twinning project leader Sue Williams, to outgoing Mayor and Mayoress of the Harrogate district, Cllr Trevor Chapman and his wife Jen.

Ms Hills said:

“We are delighted to achieve toilet twinning status for the Harrogate district which, we believe, is the first district to be given the award in the country.”

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In the run up to this year’s Remembrance Day, almost 40,000 knitted poppies have appeared around Harrogate and Ripon.

Between 25,000 and 30,000 poppies can be seen at prime locations throughout Ripon, after people involved in the Ripon Community Poppy Project spent thousands of hours making the stunning displays.

Many of the poppies were put in place over the weekend. The cascading display on the walls of the town hall (below), was installed with help from a Ripon fire station crew.

The ones seen in Harrogate town centre were donated to the Poppy Appeal campaign last year.

They were put up this morning by a small socially distanced group including Harrogate Mayor Cllr Stuart Martin.

Fiona Burks, of independent business Yarn Etc helped to coordinate the effort, and will be offering poppies to businesses for their window displays.

Cllr Stuart Martin said:

“The comments we’ve had since putting them up this morning are just tremendous. People are so pleased that we’re making an effort for Remembrance Day and you can’t help but smile when you see them.”

Cllr Martin is encouraging people to commemorate Remembrance Day on November 11 by observing two minutes of silence from their doorstep, and placing poppies in windows.

In Ripon … 

Cascading display down Ripon’s town hall.

The entrance to Spa Gardens.

Volunteers in Ripon fitting the knitted poppies to the railings along Kirkgate.

Along the shopping street of Kirkgate.

Spa Park. Credit: Cllr Stuart Martin

Along the railings outside the Wakeman’s House.

Ripon bus station. Credit: Cllr Stuart Martin

In Harrogate … 

Across from Harrogate war memorial. Credit: Cllr Stuart Martin

Along the railings outside of Bettys cafe in Harrogate. Credit: Cllr Stuart Martin

On the corner of Cambridge Street, Harrogate. Credit: Cllr Stuart Martin.

TV’s Yorkshire Vet, along with the mayor and mayoress of Harrogate, officially opened a new garden centre cafe in Ripon today.

F Tate and Sons Larkhill Nurseries’ new cafe called The Olive Tree will be open everyday from 9am to 3.30pm.

Peter Wright, who stars as The Yorkshire Vet, is a friend of the Tate family and turned up today to help spread the word.

The cafe will serve a range of food and drinks including all day breakfast, avocado on toast, a full brunch menu as well as coffee. The cafe will source all of its products locally.

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This is what The Olive Tree looks like inside.

Tom Tate, F Tate and Sons Larkhill Nurseries, told the Stray Ferret ahead of the opening:

“It has been a long time coming. We have been waiting for the right time to open and we think that this is it. We are trying to create a new experience and a new standard for garden centre cafes and we are proud of the results.”

The Olive Tree has created nine new jobs at the garden centre and Mr Tate expects it to create even more part time jobs for busier times.

Local democracy is facing an unprecedented challenge as parish, district and county councils find ways to work and continue decision-making when they cannot meet in person.

The business of councils is being completed through powers delegated to officers or in online meetings – including this week’s cabinet meeting at Harrogate Borough Council.

The ceremonial roles of mayors and their deputies are usually handed over at annual meetings in May. The traditional ceremonies are not currently possible, but some new mayors are still taking up the reins across the Harrogate district.

Boroughbridge and Pateley Bridge both have new mayors after completing their official declarations remotely.

The incoming Boroughbridge mayor Coun Pat Taylor was sworn in from May 1st, taking over after Coun Geoff Haldenby concluded his two-year term of office. Town clerk John Nichols said:

“We have gone through the protocols and it has been done in accordance with our regulations. We just couldn’t get people together for our mayor-making ceremony. We may hold a retrospective event when we can.”

In Pateley Bridge, a Zoom meeting saw Coun Mike Holt complete his declarations online, with the official documents to be signed when social distancing measures allow. He takes over from Coun Chris Skaife and, although the council does not hold a ceremony, the usual service and civic reception could still take place later in the year.

Coun Eamon Parkin will remain Mayor of Ripon until the city council can meet again

In Ripon and Knaresborough, the current mayor will stay in post for now. Ripon City Council’s current mayor, Coun Eamon Parkin, will continue in his role until the council can meet to make a decision about how to proceed with a new mayor. City clerk Paula Benson said:

“The nature of the mayor’s role will change because there are no mayoral functions to attend. While he carries out a civic role, he is also the chairman of the council in law.

“The requirement to hold an annual meeting has been relaxed, so the current office holder can carry on. The council needs a chairman, so we’re following that piece of legislation, passed last month.”

Mrs Benson is carrying out routine work, such as giving responses to planning applications in line with Ripon City Plan, which has been adopted as its policy. However, decisions about future activities such as choosing a contractor to supply Christmas lights have been put on hold until meetings resume.

She said that, should socially-distanced meetings be resumed in the coming months, the council will have to consider how this might be done in a way that will still allow the public to attend safely.

‘It wouldn’t be fair’

In Knaresborough, Coun Christine Willoughby is expecting to continue her mayoral role for now and potentially for the full year, subject to a final decision by the town council.

“We aren’t able to hold an annual meeting and do a change-over. If we did it in a few months’ time, it wouldn’t be fair on the new mayor to do a short year.”

Coun Willoughby said the business of the council is carrying on, including negotiating a new Christmas lights contract and agreeing a grant for FEVA. The latter will support street entertainment in August, if social distancing guidance at the time allows.

Harrogate Borough Council, meanwhile, says it has not yet made a decision on how to proceed, with its planned mayor-making ceremony due to have taken place on May 18th. Coun Stuart Martin, who has held the role of mayor for the last year, said he expects a decision to be made next week after any change in government guidance over the weekend.

North Yorkshire County Council’s AGM has been postponed. The chairman, Coun Jim Clark of Harrogate Harlow division, and vice chairman Robert Heseltine of Skipton East, will continue in their roles until the meeting can be held either virtually or in person.

Leaders from across the Harrogate district have sent their best wishes and prayers to Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who is in intensive care.

Medical staff at St Thomas’ Hospital in London took the decision to move Mr Johnson on Monday after his coronavirus symptoms worsened.

Harrogate mayor Stuart Martin told the Stray Ferret:

“I would like to send Boris Johnson best wishes for a speedy recovery from myself and on behalf of my wife April who has been in Harrogate hospital with coronavirus. We need Boris’ leadership right now.”

Ripon mayor Eamon Parkin said:

“If I could send Boris Johnson a message directly I would tell him that his country needs him back. I have just found out this morning that a close friend has lost their life to coronavirus. It really can affect everyone.”

Pateley Bridge mayor Chris Skaife added:

“We would like to send our best wishes to the Prime Minister and to his wife. This virus has had a massive impact on everyone’s lives. I would like to take this opportunity to ask everyone to listen to the advice to stay at home to save lives.”

Boroughbridge mayor Geoff Haldenby said:

“I would very much like for Boris to get better to return to his family and to his job. I think that he is the only person in this country that can lead us right now. He very much resembles Winston Churchill and this is another war that we are going through.”

Both Julian Smith, MP for Skipton and Ripon, and Andrew Jones, MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough, have tweeted their support for the Prime Minister.

All thoughts and prayers for a quick recovery for @BorisJohnson & to his medical team. @GSTTnhs is a very special place with the best possible care

— Julian Smith MP (@JulianSmithUK) April 6, 2020

Shocking news about the Prime Minister. I wish him, and all those suffering symptoms of COVID-19, a swift and full recovery. Please #stayathome, protect the NHS and save lives.

— Andrew Jones MP (@AJonesMP) April 7, 2020