Hull Live community news updates: Charity steps in after vandals strike at Beverley bowls club

Beverley Housing Charity's helping hand for vandal-hit bowling club

Community solidarity rolled into action following an act of vandalism that left spectators without seating at a local sporting club in Beverley. A recent incident of vandalism at the Flemingate Bowling Club left the benches damaged.

Recognising the importance of the bowling club to local residents, including some of the beneficiaries of Beverley Housing Charity's homes, the charity has stepped forward to offer support to the club, which is located at the Flemingate site next to Beverley Leisure Centre.

The team at Beverley Housing Charity got together with Flemingate Bowling Club to assess the damage and identify potential replacements, they provided a financial contribution of £500 and linked them into East Riding College for the rebuild of the benches.

Andy Barber, chief executive at Beverley Housing Charity, said: “Flemingate Bowling Club plays a significant role in our local community, offering a gathering place for residents to connect, socialise, enjoy team spirit and participate in outdoor activities. This fits perfectly with our ethos as an almshouse charity, for people to live not simply exist as they get older.

"I was saddened to see their benches damaged due to vandalism. Given the club's importance to local residents who meet our criteria, for retirement property in the town, we were able to donate £500 to help ease the burden of replacing the benches.”

Richard Stokes, member of the fundraising team, working alongside Jo Scrivener who leads the fundraising and events programme at the club, said: "Flemingate Bowling Club has been an integral part of the Beverley community since the 1920s, initially established by Hodgson's Tannery as part of their sports and recreation club. We offer residents a welcoming venue to gather, socialise, and revel in the outdoors.

"We are delighted to have forged a new partnership with Beverley Housing Charity, an organisation that plays a crucial role in providing housing for those in need within Beverley.

"Our gratitude goes out to the charity and East Riding College, who have joined forces to restore seating for our club members and spectators, ensuring that the heart of our community remains vibrant and connected."

East Yorkshire historian delves into the life of a lesser known ‘prince of industry’ who helped put Hull on the map

Historian Martin Craven has been researching the life of a 19th century Hull merchant who helped to contribute to the prosperity of the city.

Martin, who is Hull-born and now living in Hessle, has “got to know” hop and seed businessman John Skilbeck through a collection of documents that came from the family’s solicitors. Through these, Martin has been able to piece together the ups and downs of Skilbeck’s not uneventful life, and the complexities of his last will and testament which arose after his death.

The author has self-published Where There’s A Will – The Story of John Skilbeck of Hull and his family, and now has 100 copies of the book for sale. Martin’s account tells of John and his wife, Elizabeth, who came to Hull in 1838 and where he set up as a hop and seed merchant in High Street.

The couple produced three sons and two daughters and, along with success in his trade, Skilbeck briefly entered the realm of local government, winning a council seat in the North Myton Ward. In 1855, he was elected Sheriff of Hull.

Investing in railway stock at home and abroad allowed Skilbeck to buy a farm in Lincolnshire, intending for his eldest son John Jr to farm there, while his other two sons went to seek their fortune in America. His second daughter, Harriet, entered two marriages – one ended in tragedy; the other was endured with “drastic consequences”, according to Martin.

The author said: “With the ups and downs of the Skilbecks, John considered at length where his money should go after his death. He changed his will several times and in doing so, destroyed a long-established, good relationship with the family solicitors.

“The last will left Harriet in dire financial straits and it took over 20 years to bring their father’s estate to an end.”

Martin, who spent most of his working life at Reckitt & Colman, was awarded an honours degree in local and regional history at the University of Hull in 1997, and made an honorary freeman of the town of Hedon in 2011, said the exploits of many Hull shipowners and traders had been previously well documented, the Wilsons, Peases and Wades among them.

“Nevertheless, for every one of these ‘princes of industry’, there were many more trading in the town of much lesser fame but who also contributed to the prosperity and wellbeing of Hull,” said Martin. “One such merchant was John Skilbeck.”

Copies of Where There’s A Will are available direct from Martin Craven, costing £12 each if collected in person (please telephone 01482 640081 or email mrtncraven@gmail.com to arrange) or for £14.75 including postage and packing.

Record-breaking sum raised by Hull businesses for sailors’ children’s charity

More than £72,000 was raised by Hull’s business community at the annual Sailors’ Children's Society Sportsman’s Lunch, held at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel.

Nearly 700 guests dug deep to provide winter clothing grants as the cost-of-living crisis fuelled a surge in demand for help. The urgent funds were donated through tickets, sponsorship, auctions and a raffle, beating last year’s previous record holding figure of £55,000.

The national charity, which started in Hull in 1821, supports the children of seafarers all over the country and has held the Sportsman’s Lunch for more than two decades. Guests at this year’s event, sponsored by Williamsons Solicitors and Beerhouse Vehicle Rental, were entertained by star speaker the Welsh former Rugby Union referee and television personality Nigel Owens.

The auction, which raised £29,300, was hosted by Caroline Hawley from BBC One’s Bargain Hunt, who was joined by her husband, the ex-footballer John Hawley. For the third consecutive year, former Olympians Jamie Baulch and Colin Jackson attended after being inspired to provide ongoing help to the charity. Jamie hosted the silent auction and Colin donated a group training session as an auction prize which raised more than £6,000 with the winning bid going to RSM.

Natasha Barley, the organisation’s new CEO, said that the lunch was key to raising money to help those in desperate need. She said: “I know how precious our annual fundraising lunch is to our loyal attendees so I really wanted to make this one extra special.

“It was an incredible event and you could feel the positive energy and excitement in the room. We’ve raised just over £72,000 after our costs which is a staggering amount and I’m incredibly proud of what we have achieved.

“The cost-of-living crisis has led to a massive increase in families contacting us and this money will be used to buy winter coats for all the children we support across the UK who would otherwise go without."

The charity provides help to mariners from fishing fleets, Royal Navy and Merchant Navy families through various grants including for food, clothing and emergency heating.

Chance for kids to build hibernation dens for country park creatures

Children are being invited to help build hibernation dens for local wildlife in a Kids Go Wild event at Humber Bridge Country Park.

The event, on Thursday, November 2, will help wildlife on the reserve, as participants will build hibernation dens in the wood, made of logs, leaves, moss, sticks and twigs. The dens will form perfect homes for insects, amphibians, and small mammals.

In addition, the new bug hotel on the reserve needs a refit, using lots of natural materials, with the help of the participants on the day.

The event is suitable for children and young people of all ages, accompanied by adults.

Children’s tickets are free and must be booked in advance online; parents do not need to book a ticket for themselves, but will need to attend.

There will be two sessions: 10am-noon, and 1pm-3pm, but it is possible to drop in at any point during the sessions. Park in the Foreshore car park and follow the arrows.

You can book free tickets via eastridingcoastandcountryside.co.uk

Care home celebrates 'Outstanding' rating with a party

St Mary's Riverside Care Home, Hessle, marked an extraordinary milestone when it celebrated its "Outstanding" rating following a rigorous inspection by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). This achievement is particularly noteworthy as it represents the care home's first-ever inspection in East Yorkshire.

A celebratory party was organised by home manager Laura Barnsley, bringing together residents, their families, and local healthcare professionals. Laura said: "We originally intended to host a celebration immediately after the report's publication, but the busy summer months delayed our plans.

"As a new care home with an entirely new team and a fresh environment for all of us, it was imperative that we function as a cohesive unit. I am immensely proud of my team, and this 'outstanding' result is the icing on the cake. This is why it was essential for our team and residents to come together for a celebration filled with music, dancing, entertainment, delicious party food, and, of course, fun and games."

Kirsty Crozier, managing director of St. Mary's Care Group, said: "I am absolutely thrilled for Laura and her dedicated team. This exceptional achievement is a testament to their unwavering commitment to providing excellent and truly outstanding care. This reinforces the critical need for exceptional care in the Hessle area."

The CQC inspected St.Mary's Riverside in April. Jenny Wilkes, representing the CQC, commended the staff for consistently going "above and beyond" in providing care with "dignity, respect, and compassion."

The residential home, situated near the iconic Humber Bridge, received an overall "Outstanding" rating, with exceptional scores in both the categories of care and leadership.

Ukrainian restaurant in Hull marks first anniversary with fundraising dinner

A woman who opened a Ukrainian restaurant in Hull to support the humanitarian effort in her homeland is to mark its first anniversary with a special event to raise awareness of her country’s food and culture.

Lena Sutherland will welcome guests to her Ukrainian Kitchen in Hull on Saturday, October 28 for a celebration night of food and music aimed at thanking people who have helped her so far, and kickstarting a second year of fundraising.

Lena said: “It has been a very difficult year here but of course nothing like as bad as in Ukraine, and that is why we have to keep going. We have all been reminded again during the last week of the horrors of war and we must do what we can to help people who are affected by that.”

Lena built a reputation for selling fantastic Ukrainian food during more than 20 years running a deli and sandwich shop in Hull. She came out of retirement to open Lena’s Ukrainian Kitchen in a building once occupied by the former Operetta Italian restaurant in Bond Street, Hull.

In addition to serving traditional Ukrainian food and drink Lena provides work for refugees and collects warm clothing and other donations to send back home.

Lena said: “It is another part of our fundraising campaign and we hope to welcome some of the people who have helped us, including refugees and other volunteers, regular customers and newcomers."

To find out more about Lena’s Ukrainian Kitchen and the anniversary event on Saturday 28 October call the restaurant on 01482 421516 or visit the Facebook page.

Career paths open up for Bridlington School pupils as local chefs share their fish expertise

The next generation of Bridlington chefs, kitchen, retail and port workers look to be in good hands, if skills development sessions for Bridlington School’s Year 10 pupils is anything to go by.

GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition Teacher Hannah Mottram, Salt on the Harbour restaurant chef Richard Gardner, Harrison Leisure's operations manager Jaz Fisher, and fishmonger Frank Powell, of Frank's Wet Fish and Shellfish Shop, Quay Road, Bridlington, spent the morning at the East Riding school showing pupils how to safely and correctly prepare locally landed fish, including haddock, plaice and mackerel.

A total of 36 15-year-olds, split into two sessions, spent the morning learning the art of fish preparation and cooking as part of a compulsory element on their GCSE food course. Hannah said: "Being able to show our pupils exactly how to prepare and cook fish will really help them towards achieving higher grades in their GCSEs.

“If you don't know what you're doing, skinning and filleting fish is not a straightforward task but the children did really, really well - it’s certainly not a skill that everyone has. But with the tradition of fishing and food preparation we have here in Bridlington it is certainly something that we are keen to develop.

“Having Richard, Jaz and Frank here has really helped the children and show them a bit of real life, that there are genuinely career paths here in the town for them, such as chefing, working in cafes, kitchens, in retail, at the harbour or on the boats themselves."

The prepared fish was bagged and frozen, for the pupils to then go on and prep and cook a fish dish, with their fully presented meals of fish and chips, fish goujons and fishcakes counting towards their GCSE assessments.

Salt on the Harbour chef Richard Gardner, of Bridlington, said: “We took the mackerel fillet dish from the Salt on the Harbour menu - it has been one of our most popular dishes this summer. The kids took to it incredibly well."

Jaz Fisher said: "Hopefully, this is just the start of something and that we can build on with the school, potentially looking at work placements. It's well known that there is a skills shortage in hospitality following Brexit and Covid, so having hospitality career pathways for children is mutually benefical, for the pupils, the school and local employers, such as Salt on the Harbour."

East Yorkshire holiday park takes part in huge beach clean

Volunteers across Yorkshire recently joined team members at Withernsea Sands Holiday Park in a bumper beach cleaning operation.

Help was also on hand at Cayton Bay Holiday Park, near Scarborough, as part of the Marine Conservation Society’s annual Great British Beach Clean, in September. It was the 30th anniversary of the event and saw a record number of Parkdean Resorts volunteers coming together to collect a record weight of litter.

Across the Yorkshire coast beach cleans, eight bags of litter were collected, weighing in at a total of 13.5kg, or nearly 30lbs. This data will help further the Marine Conservation Society’s conservation work, and will also be included in the International Coastal Clean-up.

Withernsea Sands joined more than 50 Parkdean parks across England, Scotland and Wales to take part in beach clean events, with a total of 620kg of litter collected by 392 volunteers, beating last year’s record of 422kg of litter collected by 265 volunteers from 36 parks.

Hull solicitors firm takes on Breast Cancer Now's Tour de Law cycling challenge

Hull-based commercial law firm Hallmark Solicitors is set to represent the region as it prepares to take on Breast Cancer Now’s Tour de Law challenge.

Taking place on Wednesday and Thursday, October 11 and 12, the event will see Hallmark compete against top law firms across the country in a virtual cycling challenge in a bid to become 2023 Tour de Law champions.

Uche Akali, managing director of Hallmark Solicitors, said: “We see the Tour de Law as somewhat of a ‘David and Goliath’ challenge – we’re raising money alongside national and international law firms and we’re determined to make our mark on the competition.”

With 100, 15-minute cycling slots allocated across the two days – and participants able to sign up for as many or few slots as they choose – the firm that clocks up the highest combined distance and fundraising total will be crowned victorious.

Aiming to raise as much as possible to go towards life-changing breast cancer research and support, Hallmark is now looking for support from local business in order to help reach its fundraising goal.

Uche said: "This cause is particularly personal to my family, as my husband is a breast reconstruction surgeon at Castle Hill Hospital. So we have first-hand experience of how charities such as Breast Cancer Now can benefit those living with cancer."

Aspiring law students at Hymers College are volunteering to help clock in the kilometres cycled for the Tour de Law challenge.

Emily Pennack, development manager at Hymers, said: “We’re looking forward to joining the team at Hallmark in cycling our way to victory as part of its Tour de Law team. Its hugely important for us to give back to the community in any way that we can and we’re more than happy to be taking part.”

Those who would like to show their support and cheer on the team can see the cyclists racking up the miles outside of its head office at Chandler’s Court, in High Street. Those looking to donate can visit Hallmark Solicitor’s Tour de Law challenge JustGiving page.

Girls hit back of the net thanks to council funding

A girls’ football team have been hitting the back of the net thanks to over £2,000 worth of support from Hull City Council.

Council leader Mike Ross has granted £2,322 from the Leader’s Fund to Chanterlands Girls Football Club to purchase two safe sets of goals to enable them to enter a local girls league. The goals will be used during both training sessions and matches and the Leader’s funding will cover the total cost.

The club currently has almost 70 girls actively taking part twice a week, a number which continues to increase as the club’s exposure does likewise.

Cllr Ross said: “I am delighted to be able to support Chanterlands Girls Football Club. The club is actively promoting its facilities and welcoming players from across the city, not solely focussed on the immediate Chanterlands Avenue area.

“Girls’ football is becoming increasing popular and so I was more than happy to help this new club grow.”

Adam Leeming, Chanterlands Girls Football Club coach, said: “Initially, we had no goals, so I contacted Cllr Ross who was happy to provide us with the funding for four goals.

“You can’t play football without any goals, so this funding has made a big difference.

“The team has reaped the benefits already. Cllr Ross has paved the way to help 66 girls – and counting – to play football and we couldn’t be more grateful for that.

“The girls love them too; they have already complimented how good they are.”

Constable family to rejuvenate arboretum as part of project at cultural heritage site in East Yorkshire

The Constable family is planning and funding the rejuvenation of the Arboretum at Burton Constable Holiday Park in East Yorkshire. This is part of their commitment to their natural and cultural heritage, including a programme of tree-planting in ancient woodlands and a project to improve the health of the 250-year-old lakes on the park.

The rejuvenation began with planting 100 oak trees in May, utilising industry-leading biodegradable tree guards made by Hull-based Rainbow Professional to minimise the ecological impact of the planting.

Founder John Constable (“Mr C”) planted the Arboretum over two to three years from 2006. The formal gardens of Versailles having partly inspired its design, it is a place of tranquillity, perfect for venturing out on a woodland walk.

The rejuvenation of his arboretum involves the buying and planting of trees to bolster the arboretum 20 years on. The arboretum is based on a design by Mr C and Stephen Bean Associates: different sections of the arboretum include hundreds of varieties of trees, local and exotic, representing the rooms of Burton Constable Hall - for example, the Chapel section includes Incense Cedars, Judas Trees, and Trees of Heaven.

Mr C’s daughter Rodrica and grandson Jack represent the 33rd generation of Constables to be custodians of the estate here. Jack said: “Forestry is a dialogue with the past and the future. Mature trees are here thanks to our ancestors, and we plant trees for the benefit of our descendants.

"Mr C planted an arboretum a few years before he died – this was not for him but a gift for future generations. We are links in the chain, doing our part so this area can continue to flourish for the next thousand years.”

The multi-year rejuvenation of the 30-acre arboretum will continue the holiday park’s environmental mission, which has led the park to win the David Bellamy Gold Conservation Award. As well as completing Mr C’s design by planting the last of the “rooms” in the 2007 plan, efforts will be made to include specimens (either with the same species or suitable replacements) lost over the years due to natural wastage.

Park Manager Lee Marshall said: ‘We are often told our park is the flagship example for other holiday parks to aspire to.” Groundsman Mike Porter emphasised the year-round nature of the Arboretum, saying: "It has different personalities in different seasons – the autumnal colours in October and November need to be seen to be believed. "

The rejuvenated park will provide exciting educational opportunities for local residents and schools, holiday park customers and arborists interested in some specimens unique to East Yorkshire. The park will organise pathways and signage to encourage learning about tree identification.

Along with the restored arboretum is a new interactive digital map, which provides a wealth of information about the different species of trees and how they relate to the Constable family’s heritage. Local families are invited to walk around and see the restoration first-hand. More information about the project can be found on the Burton Constable Holiday Park’s website.

Commuted Sums benefit Melbourne Sports and Playing Fields Association

Melbourne Sports and Playing Fields Association (PFA) have completed improvement works on the playing fields using the £67,800 awarded by East Riding Council as part of Commuted Sums from local housing developments.

Melbourne Sports and PFA also received £4,930.32 from the Fast Forward East Riding Community Fund and raised £6,738 through fundraising towards the £79,468.62 total project cost.

The completed works have seen a new BMX Dirt Pump Track created, surfacing and painting of the existing tennis courts, portable football goals and netball posts and hoops, picnic benches, new play panels, benches, a new tower play unit and honeycomb matting safety surfacing.

Sue Hendry, secretary of Melbourne Sports and PFA, said: “Melbourne Sports and Playing Fields Association are delighted to have completed the works at their playing fields, benefiting all age groups for all residents. We made major improvements to the children’s play area, renovated the tennis court, added netball facilities and built an impressive dirt bike track.

“We are delighted with the end result of everyone’s hard work; the local children love the new pump track and have made an action video. We are seeing more people using the tennis and netball facilities. Thanks to Playscheme at Elvington for a brilliant build; it’s a facility that the village is proud of.”

Councillor Leo Hammond, portfolio holder for planning, communities and public protection at East Riding Council, said: “This significant award of Commuted Sums from local housing developments as a condition of their planning approval has ensured major improvements for Melbourne Sports and Playing Fields Association, benefitting the local community, and especially families and our young people. I would like to thank the hard working volunteers who run this great facility and who have made these improvements a reality.”

KCOM hikers raise £5,200 with charity challenge

A KCOM team has braved blustery weather and blisters to raise more than £5,200 for charity by walking the Yorkshire Three Peaks.

Thirty-eight intrepid KCOM employees put their best foot forward to take on the Three Peaks Challenge, a mountainous 24-mile hike encompassing Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside and Ingleborough in the Yorkshire Dales, which must be completed within 12 hours and includes 1,585m of climbing.

And despite the rain, wind and fog closing in, the team successfully completed the sponsored walk to raise much-needed funds for Hull and East Yorkshire Mind, a charity helping local people suffering from poor mental health.

Event organiser and engineer team leader Ollie Lockton said: “It was an absolutely brilliant day and I’m so proud of everyone who took part.

“I’ll admit it was tough and the weather wasn’t great. When we got up the third peak at Ingleborough the rain was really lashing down, but the morale and the camaraderie was amazing. We really helped pull each other through. The feeling of achievement when we finished was incredible.”

As well as raising funds for Mind, the event enabled those taking part to promote mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.

“It was really good to be there with people from right across KCOM,” said Ollie. “I’ve made friends with people from other parts of the business I didn’t know existed, so it was really good to be able to team up and talk about mental health and how it affects us.”

Not content with completing the Three Peaks, Ollie and colleagues are now planning on their next adventure which could be a special walking challenge to coincide with KCOM’s 120^th anniversary next year.

There’s still time to sponsor Team KCOM’s Three Peaks Challenge by visiting the Just Giving page and for more details about Hull and East Yorkshire Mind visitheymind.org.uk

Boys' Brigade celebrates 140 years

The Boys’ Brigade (BB) organisation is 140 years old today (Wednesday, October 4). Companies across the region and beyond are celebrating the milestone, among them the 1st Howden and 5th Hull Boys' Brigade.

Vicki Brownlee, of 1st Howden and 5th Hull BB, said: "Last weekend the older members aged 11+ celebrated with a Monopoly event in Hull and this weekend those aged eight to 11 will enjoy a celebratory sleepover and party. The under-eights have celebrated with all things 140 and collected harvest products for the Open Doors project."

The BB was the first voluntary uniformed youth movement in the world and many of today’s organisations for young people can trace their roots back through history to it. The movement was founded in Glasgow on October 4, 1883 by Sir William Alexander Smith.

From this one company formed in Scotland, the BB has grown in to a worldwide movement having worked with millions of children and young people for well over a century. New members are always welcome at local groups - find out more by visiting boys-brigade.org.uk

Hull Dockers awarded grant towards portable floodlight to train during winter months

Hull Dockers, one of the country's eldest Rugby League clubs, have been given a special grant to help fund six portable floodlights, allowing the teams to play safely in the darker winter months.

The club secured a £2,000 grant from Hull City Council's Crime Prevention Fund. The club will use a set of lights at each of its venues where they run sessions - East Park, Eastmount Recreational and Community Centre on Longhill for its boys and girls team in the junior and youth categories.

Hull Dockers youth section treasurer, Chris Dearing said about the importance of grassroots clubs -

“Amateur sports clubs in general and particularly local rugby league teams provide sporting opportunities for thousands of local children and young people. One of the biggest challenges clubs face is securing safe, affordable training facilities, particularly over the winter months.

“The grant from Hull City Council’s Crime Prevention Fund will allow Hull Dockers to purchase the equipment that will allow us to utilise outdoor training facilities throughout the autumn and winter for many years to come giving children and young people the opportunity to take part in rugby league activities”.

Organisations throughout the community are able to apply for similar grants via the Crime Prevention Fund, from £500 to £25,000 grants. They can be applied for here. https://www.hull.gov.uk/crime-and-safety/community-crime-and-prevention/crime-prevention-fund

Foodbank charity benefits from Hull-based Spencer Group generosity

Kind-hearted staff at engineering company Spencer Group have raised more than £3,300 and donated thousands of items to a foodbank charity that supports those affected by poverty.

Staff chose The Trussell Trust as the company’s Charity of the Year for 2023, organising various fundraising activities and taking part in events. Money raised is being donated to The Trussell Trust, which supports a nationwide network of more than 1,300 foodbanks and provides emergency food and support to people locked in poverty, as well as campaigning for change to end the need for foodbanks in the UK.

Items donated at Spencer Group’s head office in Hull are delivered to Hull Foodbank in Paragon Street, Hull city centre, every fortnight and are distributed to four other Trussell Trust foodbanks across the city. Donation points are also located at every Spencer construction site across the country, with each site donating to local foodbanks in the region.

Matt Mallory, marketing manager at Spencer Group, said: “A lot of our charitable work in the past has involved purely raising money and it’s brilliant to be able to give back to the local community by donating food and other essential items to the foodbank.

“Staff have brought thousands of items into our head office in Hull, as well as our sites across the UK, and we’re delighted so many people have got on board with fundraising, events and donations to help the local community.”

Clive Da Silva, assistant manager at Hull Foodbank, which is run by The Trussell Trust, said: “Although people give via supermarkets, corporate help is next to that in volume and it’s essential for us. We’re so grateful to Spencer Group because without support like this we’d be more than struggling and wouldn’t be able to cope with the demand.”

For more information about The Trussell Trust visit trusselltrust.org