Fire breaks out in prison cell and 16 other news snippets you may have missed

Humberside Fire and Rescue service said it was called to the prison just before 10am on Saturday.

Prison staff had already extinguished a cell fire when they arrived, so firefighters only had to inspect the scene.

Yorkshire towns are 'best places to live'

BEVERLEY is one of the best towns to live in across the UK, a national survey has shown.

The East Yorkshire town was this weekend ranked fourth best “town or suburb” in the Sunday Times’ Best Places to Live series – the highest of any northern location.

The survey looked at places which offer a “perfect blend” of country and city life, and Beverley won praise for its “compact and architecturally stunning” centre, its Minster, lively shopping scene, and the Beverley common pastures.

Meanwhile, Harrogate was named the “best for shopaholics” and came in at number 21 in the league table.

Judges wrote: “You can buy everything from basil tea to Botox” and praised the town’s open Stray, proximity to the Yorkshire Dales, and good schools.

Reunion for veterans

A REUNION for veterans of the WRAF - Women’s Royal Air Force - has taken place at the RAF Association Branch Club, in Aldwark, York.

Fifteen former servicewomen were at the gathering, organised by Maureen Scott Smith, and were welcomed to the RAFA York Branch by the President John Mawson.

The group now hopes to make the reunions a regular event to relive their times in the WRAF.

A chance to meet authors

BOOK lovers and budding authors will have the chance to “meet the authors” at a special event in the City Screen Basement on Wednesday, March 25.

The event, at 8pm, will see York based independent publisher Stairwell Books bring together novelists A.L. Michaels, Shaunna Harper, Clint Wastling and Pauline Kirk to talk about putting together a book and having it published.

Tina Firthlock, of youth homelessness charity SASH, will also talk about its successful anthology of short stories published in January with Stairwell.

During that week, Stairwell authors will be in the WH Smith shop on Coney Street chatting to shoppers.

Shoppers are encouraged to come by and chat with whomever is running the desk, and check out our full catalogue of offerings.

Protests against David Starkey’s city talk

ANTI-racism campaigners are planning to protest at the visit of high profile historian David Starkey to York.

Dr Starkey is to appear as the keynote speaker at York Literature Festival, and will talk about York’s unique place in English history at the Grand Opera House on Sunday at 7.30pm.

But anti-racism and anti-homophobia campaigners have taken to social media to plan a protest against the event, saying a man with his controversial views should not be given a platform in York.

Dr Starkey provoked a storm of criticism when he appeared on television to discuss the 2011 London riots and say “the problem is that the whites have become black”, and has written about his opposition to gay marriage.

Charity for the missing

THE father of missing York woman Claudia Lawrence is supporting a national fundraising campaign for the charity Missing People.

Peter Lawrence will mark the sixth anniversary of his daughter’s disappearance on Wednesday, and is on Friday taking part in the Everything Stops for Tea campaign.

Peter will throw two tea parties in his daughter’s honour, to raise money for the charity.

He said: “Living with a missing loved one is incredibly hard and it means a huge amount to families like mine that people are willing to take time out and support the charity Missing People.”

Anyone can support the campaign to help the 250,000 people who go missing every year and their families. Visit www.missingpeople.org.uk/everythingstops or text TEA to 70660 to get a Party Pack.

£2m for rural programmes

TWO million pounds of grant funding has been announced for the East Riding and the Wolds.

The Coast, Wolds, Wetlands & Waterways (CWWW) LEADER area, which covers most of the rural East Riding of Yorkshire and part of the Yorkshire Wolds in Ryedale are to get £2.122 million from the Rural Development Programme for England for 2015 – 2021.

It follows a previous £9 million programme for the area, and will see Defra cash for increasing farm productivity, small businesses, start-ups and farm diversification, rural tourism, provision of rural services, support for cultural and heritage activity, and increasing forestry productivity.

There is funding available this year for projects that meet the programme’s criteria.

Graham Ward, chairman of the CWWW Local Action Group which will be deliver the strategy said: “The LEADER programme is a vital lever in helping regenerate and renew rural communities which do not always attract the high profile and intervention strategies of the UK’s urban areas. Thanks must be given to all those who gave their time and expertise in putting together the local development strategy. ”

For more information visit www.ruralprogrammeseastyorkshire.co.uk or email leader@eastriding.gov.uk.

Pubs risk losing an hour

PUBS and clubs are being urged to apply in good time for permission to trade for an extra hour the day the clocks go forward.

Licensing officers at East Riding of Yorkshire Council are urging owners to check their licence now to be sure it has permission for them to open for an additional hour when British Summer Time starts.

If the hour is not covered on the licence then licencees will have to apply for a temporary event notice to avoid losing an hour’s trade. Applications will be accepted until Friday.

Food success celebrated

SIX York schools which are transforming their food culture with healthy, fresh meals and a chance for pupils to cook and grow food and visit farms, were celebrated at a Food for Life Partnership awards ceremony last week.

Pupils, teachers and caterers met special guests including floppy-eared goats from nearby Hazel Brow Farm, had a go at making smoothies and heard from performance poet Anneliese Emmans-Dean.

Lisa Green, from Clifton Green Primary School, said: “The Food for Life Partnership has helped us to bring food to the heart of our learning at Clifton Green. Whether we’re inside or out, working on maths, English or cooking, food brings our learning to life. Food helps to bring our pupils, staff and the wider community together and we’re proud to have a Bronze Food for Life Partnership Award to celebrate that.”

Coping with cold course for landlords

LANDLORDS are being offered special courses to help improve rented properties in York.

City of York Council has already run training on Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) and on Monday, March 23 at 1.30pm will hold a seminar on tackling damp, mould and excess cold in rented properties.

The course will look at how to avoid the problems in the first place, affordable and effective solutions, case studies, and advice to share with tenants on avoiding condensation and mould. Places on the three hour course are free for members of the YorProperty Accreditation Scheme.

Non-member landlords and agents can book via housing.standards@york.gov.uk or 01904 552300 and will be charged £75 per delegate, but for every two places booked a third will be free.

Scam call warning

A SELBY resident was targeted by scam caller last week, and council workers are now warning people to be on their guard.

The fraudster claimed to be from North Yorkshire County Council and asked for personal information, leading trading standards to issue a warning to people in the county.

Their advice is never to give out personal information or banking or financial details, over the phone to cold-callers. If people have doubts they should hang up the phone, report it to Citizens Advice on 03454 04 05 06, and if they have given out financial information contact their bank if they have given out financial details.

Mother-of-three wins hamper of goodies

A MOTHER-OF-THREE was presented with a goodie-filled hamper by a York shopping centre after winning a Make Your Mother’s Day competition.

Abbi Thompson, pictured right, was entered into the Monks Cross contest by her daughter Lydia and sons Ethan and Henry.

Her partner Tom said that looking after five-year-old Lydia, two-year-old Ethan and four-month-old Henry was a full time job for Abbi.

“She is a fantastic mum and I am so pleased she has won the hamper of goodies – because she really deserves a treat,” he said. Centre manager Katherine Sharp said Abbi was a deserving winner.

Service of remembrance

A SERVICE of love, thanksgiving and remembrance has been organised by York’s still birth and neonatal death charity, SANDS, and York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.

The service will take place on Sunday at York Hospital’s Chapel, at 10.30am and is open to anyone affected by the loss of a baby.

For more information, phone York Hospital Bereavement Services on 01904 725445.

Students urged to vote

A PARLIAMENTARY hopeful has urged teenagers to use their vote and become directly involved in local politics.

Di Keale, standing for the Lib Dems in Thirsk, Malton and Filey, spoke to students at Thirsk Sixth Form College last week.

In the latest visit from political candidates to the college, Mrs Keale spoke about the lack of representation for young people in politics. She encouraged students who are old enough use of their right to vote, and also urged them to consider becoming actively involved in local politics.

Music taster sessions

MUSICROOM York is hosting free music lessons in the shop next weekend to support “Learn To Play Day”.

The annual event run by the Music for All charity aims to encourage everyone to learn to play a musical instrument.

There will be free piano, guitar, violin and bass guitar taster workshops on Saturday at the shop at 18 Lendal, York, between 10.30am and 3.30pm.

The following day, bass guitar taster sessions will be on offer at 11.30am. All sessions will be aimed at beginners. Book in advance by phoning 01904 658836, emailing york@musicroom.com, or in store.

Police property marking events

OFFICERS from North Yorkshire Police will host property marking events in York next week.

The events will be held from 10am at the Your Bike Shed in Micklegate and Explore York in Museum Street, on Friday and Saturday, March 20 and 21.

Property including bikes, mobile phones and tablets can be marked and registered on a national database, which could improve the chances of recovering stolen items.

Free pet microchipping

THE Dogs Trust will be offering free microchipping for pets at the BATA Country Store in Gate Helmsley, near York, on Thursday, March 26, from 11am to 3pm.

A recent change in the law means that, from April 6, 2016, all dogs must be microchipped, with the microchips holding contact information for owners.

Each dog microchipped at BATA on March 26 will also receive a basic health check and a free sample of Burgess dog food.

There will be a free prize draw, with a first prize of a year’s supply of dog food.

A charity cake stall will be open in aid of the Dogs Trust.