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See below the latest news for Harrogate with local news and information in your area. Find out what’s happening in Harrogate at the Harrogate Guide covering districts around Harrogate, Boroughbridge, Knaresborough, Masham, Pateley Bridge & Ripon.

The News below has been gathered from the Internet and from various agencies that send us news updates daily. Should you find any errors, anything I might have missed or indeed anything I can include please email info@harrogateguide.co.uk

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North Yorkshire organisations with innovative ideas to invest in their area are being urged to bid for the Community Renewal Fund.

The County Council has been chosen by the Government as the lead authority and is inviting bids which will support local businesses, communities and support people into employment via a series of programmes.

“This new funding stream will enable organisations to pilot initiatives which will benefit their communities,” said County Councillor Andrew Lee, Executive Member for Business Growth and Economic Development.

“We are looking for innovative responses to local challenges, recognising the needs of residents in hard to reach parts of the county which can be delivered by the end of March 2022.

“As the lead authority, we are inviting project proposals from a range of applicants including district and county councils, businesses, voluntary and community sector organisations and local education providers.

“The past year has been incredibly challenging for communities, businesses, and their employees so this is a great opportunity for North Yorkshire to bounce back. I would encourage all interested organisations to make a submission.”

The programme areas are: town centres; community investment; smart places; tourism, heritage, and culture; business and employment; skills; green futures.

The deadline for applications is 13 May. The County Council will then produce a shortlist of projects for submission to the Government.

The Community Renewal Fund is being delivered as a pilot in preparation for the Shared Prosperity Fund which will replace funding that was allocated to the UK through its membership of the European Union.

For more information and to find out how to apply please visit www.northyorks.gov.uk/CommunityRenewalFund

The County Council will hold live webinars for interested bidders on 7 and 15 April. The times and joining instructions can be found on the website.

The Community Renewal Fund Prospectus 2021/22 is available on the Government’s website.

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Damage to the Fiat 500’s windscreen

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for information after a 22 year old woman suffered a minor head injury as a result of a road traffic collision on Studley Road, Ripon around 9.45pm on Wednesday 31 March 2021.

The incident occurred near to the River Laver Holiday Park and involved a grey Fiat 500 car and a van. The van, described as a drop-side van with a white cab and silver sides, failed to stop after the collision and continued driving towards Ripon city centre.

The female driver of the Fiat 500 suffered head injuries which are believed to have been caused by unsecured timber falling from the rear of the van onto the car’s windscreen.

If you witnessed this incident or have any information which could help identify the van and its driver to help us establish the full circumstances of this incident then please contact Traffic Constable 174 David Minto, Roads Policing Group at david.minto@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk or 101 quoting reference 12210089276.

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West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce has launched a “Make a Pledge” campaign to encourage local businesses to commit to their social responsibilities.

Introduced as part of the Chamber’s ‘Raising the Bar’ dedicated social responsibility programme, the new ‘Make a Pledge’ initiative aims to encourage businesses and teams across the region to consider how and where they can make a difference.

Launched as part of the Chamber’s recent ‘How to be a Good Employer; learning lunch event hosted by Tong Garden Centre and Yorkshire Building Society, businesses are encouraged to make their pledge by outlining how they aim to improve their social impact in areas such as the community, environment, volunteering, donations, education or the economy.

Donna Morris, Marketing Executive at the West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce, commented: “Raising the Bar’s ‘Make a Pledge’ campaign is a fantastic way for businesses to vocalise the great things they are doing to support the community and the environment. The pledge process will encourage teams to think about and discuss where they can make a positive impact and by publicising their pledges, will help identify what positive changes can be made by companies and to influence others.”

Raising the Bar is a social impact business initiative, aimed to help businesses of all sizes achieve their social impact goals. There is a free benchmarking tool on the new website, allowing companies to measure their current social impact, against other businesses with similar demographics. Also, opportunities are posted by charities, not-for-profits or individuals looking for help from businesses. The Raising the Bar Awards take place towards the end of the year. These awards enable businesses and employees to be recognised for all the hard work they put into managing their social impact.

Rebecca Farhall, Raising the Bar steering group member and Business Development Manager at Naylor Wintersgill, independent chartered accountants and Executive Chamber members, said: “We have supported the Raising the Bar initiative for a number of years – it’s an excellent way for us to recognise our team’s efforts at the annual awards and connect with others. I can also track and set targets for our activities during the year through the benchmarking tool.

“The Raising the Bar Pledge has inspired me to rethink our social impact and how our team are working to improve it. Our 2021 pledge is to provide online reading sessions to young children in Bradford where our volunteers will remotely engage with their reading buddies for weekly 30 minute sessions during term time. Through our involvement in the TutorMate UK programme, we hope to support school children in our local community, helping them learn to love books and build the critical reading skills they need to succeed in school and beyond.”

She added: “I hope that by making our Pledge of commitment through the initiative and sharing that with others, more businesses will get thinking about their own social impact and the diverse range of things they can do to have a positive influence on our communities.”

Raising the Bar shares positive social impact stories with the Chamber’s business network, gives charities and not-for-profits the opportunity to appeal for help and support, and offers a benchmarking tool for businesses to log their progress when improving their impact. To find out more, please contact marketing@wnychamber.co.uk or visit https://www.raising-the-bar.org.uk/.

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Damage to the Fiat 500’s windscreen

North Yorkshire Police is appealing for information after a 22 year old woman suffered a minor head injury as a result of a road traffic collision on Studley Road, Ripon around 9.45pm on Wednesday 31 March 2021.

The incident occurred near to the River Laver Holiday Park and involved a grey Fiat 500 car and a van. The van, described as a drop-side van with a white cab and silver sides, failed to stop after the collision and continued driving towards Ripon city centre.

The female driver of the Fiat 500 suffered head injuries which are believed to have been caused by unsecured timber falling from the rear of the van onto the car’s windscreen.

If you witnessed this incident or have any information which could help identify the van and its driver to help us establish the full circumstances of this incident then please contact Traffic Constable 174 David Minto, Roads Policing Group at david.minto@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk or 101 quoting reference 12210089276.

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People in Harrogate, Selby and Skipton have been thanked for their response to consultations about enhancing the gateways to the towns around their railway stations.

The consultations, which closed on 24 March, came after a partnership of local authorities secured a total of £31m for projects in the three town centres from the Department for Transport’s Transforming Cities Fund (TCF).

The TCF aims to make it easier, safer and quicker for people to travel on foot, by bike and by public transport by funding improved transport connections. In each of the three towns, a major package of investment will improve opportunities for sustainable travel and link transport hubs with centres of education and employment.

These projects will be delivered in partnership by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, North Yorkshire County Council, Craven District Council, Harrogate Borough Council and Selby District Council and are scheduled to be completed by 2023.

The proposals include:

• In Harrogate, improved railway station frontage with better access for walking and cycling; improved facilities for walking and cycling in the town centre; and improvements to public spaces in the town.

• In Selby, improved station frontage and links to the town centre, Abbey and nearby bus station; improved walking and cycling links to major redevelopment sites, including a new cycle and footbridge over the River Ouse to the Olympia Park site.

• In Skipton, improved access for walking and cycling from the railway station to the bus station; improved railway station frontage and improved access to education and employment sites.

County Councillor Don Mackenzie, Executive Member for Access, said: “We are grateful to everyone who took the time to give their feedback. We will now analyse the responses with a view to presenting a detailed report on the consultation findings next month. These will inform our decision on which options to take forward to detailed design. We will then seek further opinions on those designs.”

Cllr Mackenzie, who is member for Harrogate Saltergate, added: “I’m particularly pleased that in Harrogate we received more than 1,000 responses from a wide cross-section of the public. These responses have provided views from a broad range of individuals across all age groups and from people with limited mobility.”

Councillor Phil Ireland, Harrogate Borough Council’s cabinet member for carbon reduction and sustainability, said: “Hundreds of people in the Harrogate district have responded to the consultation. I’d like to thank everyone who responded for sharing their views.

“This scheme has the potential to create many more walking and cycling opportunities while transforming the look and feel of the station gateway area in Harrogate.

“I look forward to seeing the analysis of the consultation so it can inform the next steps.”

Cllr David Buckle, Lead Executive Member for Communities and Economic Development at Selby District Council, said: “I’d like to thank all those who get involved in this consultation, joined the online events and shared their views with us. These plans are a once in a generation chance to re-design this part of Selby town centre and the responses received will now be carefully considered.”

David Smurthwaite, Strategic Manager for Planning and Regeneration at Craven District Council, said: “I would like to thank everyone in Craven who responded to the consultation to share their views. The scheme is an important investment for Skipton and it is essential we get this right for everyone, our residents, businesses and visitors.”

A report on the consultation response is expected to be presented to the County Council’s Business and Environmental Services corporate director and Executive members in April.

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One of our young footballers, Harry Wheat, is swapping Harrogate for Iowa, USA this Summer having been offered a Scholarship at Southeastern Community College.

Now 18-years-old, Harry first joined Harrogate Town via the Player Development Centre at age 15, having made the switch from Guiseley’s youth set up.

Since joining, the promising striker hasn’t looked back, going on to our Education offering where he is now completing his final (3^rd) year of the course.

On track for a Level 3 Extended Diploma (Performance and Excellence) in Sport, equivalent to three A Levels, Harry has now been offered a once in a lifetime opportunity with the help of First Point USA to study Business Administration across the pond.

“Moving to the United States is a great opportunity for me, not only to play football everyday but to get a degree in an area I want, which will open doors to a whole alternative career path.” explained Harry.

“Harrogate Town has been a massive help in getting me to where I am today. After leaving Guiseley at 15 I wanted to experience a high standard of coaching so got in touch with Dave Riley about the Player Development Centre.

“I was with the Player Development Centre for a year and felt I really developed as a player, learning from some top coaches, before progressing up to the Shadow Squad.

“After leaving school I joined the education programme at Harrogate Town and have been here for the last three years.

“The programme means I get to play football and study at the same time and has played a big part in my journey towards my scholarship in the US as I have developed massively on the pitch and in the classroom.”

Everyone at Harrogate Town would like to wish Harry the best of luck for the next chapter in his career.

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As schools across North Yorkshire break up for the Easter holidays, a new programme is helping to keep children and young people active, creative and connected.

In addition to food vouchers, families on low incomes in North Yorkshire will also receive FEAST holiday activity packs.

FEAST is a partnership between North Yorkshire County Council with North Yorkshire Sport, North Yorkshire Youth and Rural Arts working as North Yorkshire Together.

There are two versions of the packs; one for primary-aged children and another for secondary school age. Both contain items for fun activities and creative projects, as well as an activity booklet, including recipes for affordable, healthy meals which families can make together.

The FEAST packs are funded from the Department for Education’s Holiday Activities and Food programme in response to the increased pressure school holidays can bring to many families due to the increased cost of food and childcare.

David Watson, Chief Executive at North Yorkshire Sport said: “North Yorkshire Sport are delighted to be part of the FEAST programme. Physical activity is a vital part of a young person’s development, supporting not only their physical, but also their mental health and this programme aims to make accessing that activity easier.

“At North Yorkshire Sport we are committed to reducing the opportunity gap, trying to make sure that where you live or what your economic circumstances are do not limit your opportunity to take part. FEAST will put activity, not only at the heart of communities where it is needed most during the school holidays but also, because the barrier of cost is removed, ensure that it is accessible to all.

“As a result of the pandemic, young people have missed the opportunity to socialise, compete and play with their peers. Sport and physical activity in general, and FEAST in particular, can help them ‘catch up’ on this most vital part of their development.”

As well as ideas and resources for physical activities, the packs also include materials for creative projects, along with ideas for arts activities children and families can take part in over the holidays. All children and families can access the activities online, along with Rural Arts’ online creative workshops.

Max May, Director and CEO at Rural Arts, based in Thirsk, said: “We’re thrilled to continue our work with North Yorkshire County Council and North Yorkshire Together partners on FEAST.

“Creativity is an important part of young people’s development, and access to it is a fundamental human right. We’re glad to be part of a team making sure that over 11,000 young people across North Yorkshire receive free creative resources to support and engage them over the Easter break. We’re also thrilled to provide free access to our extensive range of online creative workshops on our North Yorkshire Together website.

“As FEAST progresses, we’re looking forward to supporting grassroots community groups and creative practitioners across the county to design activities for young people to engage in face-to-face.

“As North Yorkshire’s only Arts Council England annually funded organisation to works across all artistic disciplines and all North Yorkshire districts, we‘re uniquely placed to develop the creative capacity and potential of groups and individuals across North Yorkshire.”

Volunteers with North Yorkshire Youth put together the activity bags at their base at Carlton Lodge Activity Centre, assembling more than 11,000 packs to be distributed across the county.

David Sharp, Chief Executive at North Yorkshire Youth added:  “We’re very proud to be part of the FEAST initiative, supporting young people is our bag and as such packing the 11,000 plus activity packs just seemed an ideal fit for us. The Carlton Lodge Activity Centre team have done a phenomenal job putting them together in just under two weeks and we hope the young people have fun doing the activities and use the equipment.”

Marie-Ann Jackson, Head of the Strong Communities team at North Yorkshire County Council said: “The FEAST programme is the perfect example of strong partnership working.

“The packs are already proving to be a huge hit and that’s down to the combined passion and enthusiasm of the three charities involved working alongside our own county council colleagues. I’d also like to thank Yorwaste for their generous donation of a skip for all of the cardboard packing 11,000 bags generated. Team North Yorkshire at its finest.”

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Our Coroner’s office is appealing to anyone who knew 53-year-old Craig Fryer from Harrogate and can help locate his next of kin.

Sadly Craig died at his home in Woodfield Road, Harrogate on 15 March but officers have been unable to trace his next of kin.

It is believed that Craig has  two daughters, one believed to live in Australia and one who lives in the south of England. However, it is unknown exactly where.

If you are Craig’s daughter or have information that could help find them, please contact our  Coroner’s office via email to coroner@northyorkshire.police.uk.

There are no suspicious circumstances surrounding Craig’s death.

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As the next phase of lifting lockdown restrictions takes place from Monday, 29 March, people in North Yorkshire and York are being reminded just how important it is not to stray from the road map.

From 29 March, outdoor gatherings of up to six people or two households will be allowed, making it easier for friends and families to meet outside, including in private gardens. Social distancing rules remain in place.

Outdoor sports facilities will be allowed to reopen and people will be able to take part in formally organised outdoor sports. Parent and child groups can take place outdoors with a limit of 15, not including children under five.

The ‘stay at home’ rule will end, but many restrictions will remain in place. People should continue to work from home where they can and minimise their journeys. Travel abroad will still be prohibited, other than for a small number of permitted reasons. Holidays abroad will not be allowed.

North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum (NYLRF), which brings together councils, emergency services and health organisations to tackle the pandemic, is urging people not to overstep the mark.

Louise Wallace, North Yorkshire’s Director of Public Health, said: “The relaxation of restrictions to allow us to meet another household or in groups of up to six people outdoors is welcome. After the tough restrictions and long winter, being able to meet friends or family outdoors will do us all good.

“But while getting together outdoors is good for our mental health and wellbeing, it is important that we do so safely. Follow the rules, maintain social distance and hand hygiene and wear face coverings where required.

“And remember, we still cannot meet anyone from another household indoors. As set out in the Government’s road map, this restriction will not be lifted until 17 May at the earliest.

“Infection rates are still too high and unnecessary social mixing will spread the virus and undo everyone’s hard work. Please remain vigilant and keep sight of our goal. Let’s keep going, so that we can come out of lockdown rather than going back into it.”

It is important to remember that if you do travel, many facilities will not be open. Few public toilets are expected to be open and eating places can be used only as takeaways. Hand hygiene facilities will be limited. Outdoor hospitality will not open before 12 April.

To prevent overcrowding, please think twice about visiting tourist hotspots. If you arrive somewhere and find it busy, consider returning another day or going somewhere else nearby.

Behave how you would like others to behave – park thoughtfully and take your litter home.

Louise added: “While there is not a limit on how far you can travel, we’re asking people to be sensible about what’s appropriate. Let’s use our North Yorkshire common sense.”

Sharon Stoltz, director of public health at City of York Council, said: “The fact that we can move to the next step on the roadmap is testament to a huge collective effort from people to stop the spread of the virus.

“With the vaccine roll-out, the weather improving and us moving to the next phase of the roadmap, better times are ahead. We have some amazing open spaces to enjoy that are close to home and getting some fresh air and exercise is good for our physical and mental health.

“Like everyone, I am really looking forward to being able to see friends or family outdoors in line with the national rules from 29 March. However, the virus is still present in our communities and we cannot let our guard down yet. Covid loves a crowd, so please don’t give it the chance to spread. Please continue to follow the rules and keep a safe distance from those not in your household bubble.

“It has been an incredibly hard year for us all, but if we all keep working together we can get back to doing the things we love and seeing the people we love.”

Superintendent Mike Walker, North Yorkshire Police lead for the force’s Covid response, said: “We will continue to play our part in tackling the public health crisis through the Easter holidays and beyond

“Each district has patrol plans in place to ensure there are sufficient resources to provide reassurance and continue our ‘4 Es’ approach – to engage with the public, explain the regulations, encourage compliance, and enforce if there is no other way of dealing with breaches.

“The patrol plans will reflect any changes in legislation post 29 March as part of the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown. We will be able to communicate these changes and our approach once the new health protection regulations have been confirmed.

“When it is safe to do so, we will welcome visitors to the county again. However, everyone can expect to see an increased policing presence as we work alongside our partners to help keep the virus at bay in the weeks and months ahead.

“Also, we expect normal policing demand to increase as the regulations are further relaxed, therefore North Yorkshire Police will utilise the Government’s surge funding provided to ensure we can respond to the public as they would expect.

“My plea to everyone is to be extremely careful and to keep following the regulations until it is safe to resume a more normal way of living – we have come too far and made too many sacrifices for this effort to be wasted now.”

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A house in Mayfield Grove, Harrogate, has been ordered to close following a North Yorkshire Police and Harrogate Borough Council investigation.

Police and the council’s Community Safety Hub applied for a court order which was delivered by officers today (Monday).

It follows concerns about crime and anti-social behaviour at the multi-occupancy address.

The closure has been approved by a court for an initial period of three months.

This give the police, council and other organisations an opportunity to work with the landlord and residents in the premises.

Inspector Nicola Colbourne of North Yorkshire Police said: “It’s really important that we support our communities who expect to be able to live in a safe environment.

“This approach demonstrates one way we can do that in a proportionate and effective manner.

“We’ve worked closely with Harrogate Borough Council, and this work continues to ensure we strengthen our communities for everyone and help the most vulnerable people.”

Dean Richardson, head of safer communities at Harrogate Borough Council, said: “It is imperative that residents across the Harrogate district feel safe in their homes and their community.

“Anyone who doesn’t feel safe should report their concerns to us or North Yorkshire Police, giving as much detail as possible.

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Enjoy a Day in the Dales this summer and raise money for Martin House Children’s Hospice with two exciting challenges.

The hospice’s Day in the Dales includes its popular Yorkshire Three Peaks walk, along with a new family-friendly activity the One Peak Wander, which both take place on Saturday 12^th June.

Sara Cracknell, events fundraiser at Martin House, said: “When we’ve all had to spend so much time at home in the last year, our Day in the Dales is a perfect opportunity to enjoy some of Yorkshire’s finest scenery while raising money to support children and young people with life-limiting conditions.”

Walkers taking part in the Yorkshire Three Peaks will tackle Pen-y-ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough in a 24-mile trek, with expert guidance from experienced mountain guides.

The One Peak Wander is a new event for 2021, which sees families conquer Pen-y-ghent and take part in a den building competition at the top.

Sara added: “The Yorkshire Three Peaks was one of the few Covid-safe events we were able to stage last year due to the pandemic, and we’re working closely with our event partner Kuta Outdoors to ensure this year’s event follows government guidelines and is safe for everyone taking part.

“We’re also really excited to have our new One Peak Wander for families – after so many lockdowns, we really wanted to create an event families could enjoy together.”

Martin House cares for babies, children and young people with life-limiting conditions from across West, North and East Yorkshire, as well as supporting their families. Its care includes respite stays, emergency care, end of life care, and bereavement support.

Sara added: “The past year has been tough for everyone, including Martin House. We had to cancel so many of our fundraising events last year, but we still need to continue providing care and support to families.

“We really hope people will sign up to take part in our Day in the Dales, and help us raise the money we need to keep on caring.”

It costs £35 to sign up to the Yorkshire Three Peaks, with a fundraising target of £150, while the One Peak Wander costs £15 for adults and £5 for children, with a £50 fundraising target. You can find out more and sign up at www.martinhouse.org.uk/threepeakschallenge or www.martinhouse.org.uk/onepeakchallenge.

Police are appealing for witnesses and information about criminal damage to a historic building in Ripon city centre.

Some time between Friday 12 and Monday 15 March 2021, a window on the cabmen’s shelter was smashed. Police are asking for the public’s assistance to help narrow down the time when the damage occurred, and identify those responsible.

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation should contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for Clare Mayes. You can also email Clare.Mayes@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk – If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Please quote the North Yorkshire Police reference number 12210080826. – Contact details: – Clare Mayes – #1835
clare.mayes@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk | 31835 – Incident reference:: 12210080826

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