Latest news with #SimonMyers
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
North Yorkshire libraries launch dementia memory bag service
People living with dementia and their families can now borrow a "memory bag" from libraries in North Yorkshire. The new scheme aims to unlock memories by providing books and activities, from fidget toys to sensory items, to help promote conversations between people with memory loss as well as their family and such as old sports programmes and seaside posters are included, as well as gardening gloves, bean bags and a gym service manager with Dementia Forward, Claire Burke, said: "They will prompt memories that can unlock conversation and bring stories to life." Library users can also take away items including hidden disability lanyards and a copy of the "blue book", which contains a summary of support and activities for people living with UK said that 26,233 people who are over the age of 65 are living with dementia across North Yorkshire and the Simon Myers, the council's executive member for libraries, said: "The initiative aims to support people with memory loss and their families, and enable them to discover ways to create new memories and protect old ones."The resources included in the memory bags will provide talking points and encourage more people to see what their local library has to offer."Bags can be reserved free of charge and be borrowed from North Yorkshire libraries for up to three weeks. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
07-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Richmond pool closure 'having a catastrophic impact' says club
Pool closures 'having catastrophic impact' - club 7 minutes ago Share Save Fiona Callow BBC News, Yorkshire Share Save Richmondshire Leisure Trust Both pools at Richmond Swimming Pool have been shut until further notice Pool closures in a North Yorkshire town are having "a catastrophic impact" on swimmers, a club has said. The two pools at Richmond Swimming Pool have been shut since April after part of the ceiling collapsed. It has meant that swimmers from Richmond Dales Amateur Swimming Club are missing out on "vital training time" ahead of a competitive season, said head coach Gordon Rea. Councillor Simon Myers, North Yorkshire Council's executive member for leisure, warned that repair work could run into summer but were essential to provide "a safe and reliable facility". Mr Rea said: "The top swimmers train 16 hours a week in the pool and now they've lost up to 75% of their training time in a particularly unforgiving sport. "It takes a lot to get that level of fitness back when you're not able to consistently train." 'No magic solution' Mr Rea said the club was having to find alternative venues at short notice, preventing it from being able to book the amount of time needed for a typical training session. "We've been offered an hour here and there but it's not amounting to anything like what we've lost. "There's no magic solution. Obviously the sooner the better, but it's going to be a big job if they have to replace the ceiling." Myers said that possible solutions were being considered to deal with the issues. "To help our customers stay active and maintain their well-being, we are looking into how we can offer them the use of our pools in neighbouring areas," he said. "We apologise for the disruption this will cause and would like to thank our customers for their continued support and understanding during this time." The café and the gym remain open but a date has not yet been set for the reopening of the pools. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Maritime magic in store for two-day Whitby Fish and Ships Festival
Maritime magic in store for two-day Whitby Fish and Ships Festival Whitby's annual Fish and Ships Festival will return from Saturday, May 17 to Sunday, May 18 (Image: Supplied) A festival honouring Whitby's fishing heritage is set to take place once again. The annual Fish and Ships Festival, scheduled to take place over the weekend of Saturday, May 17 and Sunday, May 18, will be hosted in the Whitby Marina Front car park. A range of entertainment will be on offer, including cooking and fish-craft demonstrations by local chefs; maritime-themed arts and crafts; and a programme of live music. New for 2025, there will also be a Fisherman's Olympics, which will see members of local fishing crews compete in such challenges as splicing rope, stacking pots, and tug-o-war. North Yorkshire Council's executive member for culture and arts, councillor Simon Myers, said: "The Fish and Ships Festival is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the town's history and traditions." More information about the Fish and Ships Festival is available online at
BBC News
29-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Skipton: First new council housing in decades approved for town
The first new council homes are set to be built in Skipton for decades, councillors have Yorkshire Council is set to spend £84,000 buying 12 new houses that are part of a 53-home development on Airedale Avenue. The properties will be allocated to families on the council's housing waiting list with priority given to those with a local connection to the market town, before being offered to those elsewhere in North new housing is expected to be completed in phases between March 2026 and December 2026. Council officials said there was a high level of housing need within the former Craven district, with almost 700 applicants on the these, Skipton has the highest concentration of people on the waiting list, according to the Local Democracy Reporting new housing has been welcomed by councillor Simon Myers, who said: "I would think they're the first new council homes in Skipton for 40 years."It's only a drop in the ocean compared to the hundreds on the register, but it does mean that 12 families get on the waiting list and into a new, good home."As well as the 12 houses bought for rent by the council, four other homes will be acquired by Bracewell Homes, the authority's separate shared ownership housing council approved its housing revenue account 30-year business plan last document includes the delivery of 500 new council homes over the next five years to majority of the funding to buy the properties will come from the authority's housing revenue account, with around £39,000 coming from right-to-buy housing development has full planning approval and work is due to start on site in early 2026. Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Yahoo
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
More than 260 events to feature in Scarborough Fair from May
The Scarborough Fair, described by North Yorkshire Council as "the biggest celebration of arts, culture, and sporting activities" that the town has ever seen, is set to take place from next month. More than 260 events are planned, across 74 locations, over three months, and via five festivals. Those festivals include Big Ideas By The Sea (May 16 to 30), Scarborough Streets (May 30 to June 1), Scarborough Fringe (June 13 to 22), Scarborough Art (July 5 to August 3), and Scarborough Extreme (July 12 to 14). The festival will feature a Nigerian Season, as well as artists and athletes from Australia, Belgium, Germany, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, and Ukraine. Events will also take place in Filey and Hunmanby this year. Councillor Simon Myers, North Yorkshire Council's executive member for arts and culture, said: "We have built on the success of last year's programme and will, I believe, deliver the biggest celebration of arts, culture, and sporting activities ever seen in Scarborough." The Scarborough Fair has partnered with Big Ideas By The Sea for the first of the five festivals, which will feature music, spoken word, astrology, archaeological digs, and more. The second event, Scarborough Streets, will feature walkabout acts, workshops, puppetry, and even a replica Victorian bathing machine. Scarborough Fringe will focus on creativity of all kinds, while Scarborough Art will provide a platform for 70, mostly local, visual artists of various disciplines. Scarborough Extreme will feature displays by extreme sports athletes, as well as the opportunity for visitors to try various activities. For more information, please visit
