Today we have a Covid-19 Survey response from Claire McGillycuddy who is the founder of Balanced Life Physiotherapy based in High Corn Mill, Skipton. As with some of the other business owners we have spoken to recently around the area, she started her business practice during the Covid-19 crisis. Read on to find out how she and the team have done their utmost to ensure the success of this fledgling enterprise. When you first learned of the Covid-19 outbreak, was there any initial concern relating to public health and your business? As a health professional with many other skills that support health and well-being it became clear to me it was increasingly important for people to look after their health and wellbeing, both physically and mentally--it was scary opening a new premises in the Pandemic but I knew the experience and skills I have would be of great value for the community. The way that Claire describes her mind set prior to and during the opening of her new venture is an inspiration. Not only has she “Felt the fear and done it anyway” but she has taken a passion for helping others and turned into what will hopefully become a very successful business model. As she correctly states, her services will indeed be of great benefit for the community as people are continually struggling to come to terms what is happening in their lives right now. One of the worst things for most people is the lack of control in their day to day existence and keeping a sense of purpose. This kind of therapeutic treatment is likely to become really prevalent and more essential than ever moving forward. Once changes to the nature of your sector began to take hold, how was your business affected and changed? The day to day running of the business is much more complicated, the appointment system changed, use of PPE and cleaning and protocols to ensure that I practice in a COVID secure manner-but also being mindful of not adding to the fear. It is important my patients and clients feel confident to visit a safe but calm environment. As with virtually every business around the country, Balance Life Physiotherapy faced an uphill struggle to keep the business open and convince their clientele of putting their safety foremost and making it of paramount importance to the staff. Not only do companies have to deal with the practical, financial and physical limitations and implications of plying their trade through this crisis but also manage the fear and confusion their client base are experiencing. If like most small to medium businesses your trade suffered a significant downturn, did you manage to find any unique and innovative ways to address it and try to keep revenue flowing? I took my business online where I could- this was a steep learning curve for me- I prefer face to face but technology has allowed me to still help my patients and clients. Like so many business owners Claire was forced to re-evaluate the way she approached and conducted her business, taking on and mastering new challenges, ways of working and technologies. It’s amazing how well so many people have managed to adapt and grow in the face of adversity during this pandemic and it’s really encouraging that so many have made it work for them and their customers. Did your business and/or you receive any help from the Government by way of grants/loans/financial support or other types of assistance? Yes, I had one grant in the 2nd lockdown Thousands of people just like Claire have had little or no support through these unprecedented times and many have not been as successful at managing to survive it. Fortunately she was one that did and we look forward to watching her business flourish as we emerge on the other side of this dark period in our history. If you believe you might be eligible for any kind of help, funding, grant, loan or reduction in costs don’t delay, check out all the Government Guidance as soon as possible and make sure you claim all you are entitled to. We all need to do what we can to put the GREAT back into Britain and ensure our communities and families bounce back from these troubles. We advise that everyone who believes they may be entitled to any of the support packages which have been made available throughout the pandemic so far to check their eligibility on Government help schemes and you can access the details here. How do you think/feel your business has fared in comparison to others around you in the same or similar sectors? It is hard to say as I grew my business in the pandemic, but I feel I have had a positive response-I would like the community to know that they have a hub to support their physical health and well-being during Covid-19 and beyond. Balanced Life Physiotherapy Centre - 2 We all need support and guidance now more than ever and we find it very reassuring that there will be people and businesses like this one there to lend a hand when we come through on the other side. The fact that Claire actually STARTED her business in such adversity is testament to her courage, desire and belief which are the foundation stones of success. Have things been more/less challenging for you and your business during the current lockdown period than the first? Yes-I had to cancel and change so many things- it has been so frustrating the second time and it has been hard to keep the drive and motivation to keep thinking outside the box- but I will not give up! It has been difficult at times to interpret the information from the government, it is important to me that I have acted responsibly as I am classed as an essential service and I take my role very seriously. You get a real feeling of the depth of feeling and passion in Claire’s responses to our questions and they are very reassuring to the casual observer, giving a sense of safety and care. Her determination as with that of thousands of others including some of our respondents to this survey, are an inspiration to others and we should take heed of the lessons they are freely giving us. Do you think/feel that what has happened over the last few months has brought communities together more or divided them? Together- it has been heart-warming to hear and see how people have acted in these stressful times- it is what has helped support me through this time. There have been so many sad stories and situations but the way Skipton has pulled together to support and help each other has been amazing-I feel lucky to live here and will help out in the community wherever possible. We keep hearing similar responses to this one time ad time again about how the community have rallied round and supported one another in a concerted effort to fight back against adversity. We can probably all regale stories of local heroes who have gone out of their way to offer comfort and assistance to others, often at great personal sacrifice. This is what the heart of any community is about and we should never lose sight of the fact once Covid-19 is defeated! What plans and hopes do you have for your business post lock-down and how optimistic do you feel about being able to sustain or grow it? It will grow, I have so many ideas that I will be able to implement when life becomes more ‘normal’- I am excited about the future and having the opportunity to achieve my dreams of having my Wellbeing Clinic. I have a full range of services to be able to offer a Holistic Solution with my Medical background-I have a lovely small team of like-minded colleagues and I am looking forward to adding more services-we have an amazing Clinical Reflexologist joining us in the New Year. It sounds as though there is no holding this lady back, her drive and ambition only seem to be matched by courage, conviction and a big heart. We sincerely wish all the team at Balanced Life Physiotherapy a fabulous and prosperous New Year. In December and January we are offering 10% off all services for the Emergency services and NHS staff as a thank you for their tireless hard work through the pandemic. Balanced Life Physiotherapy - Flyer If you work for any of the emergency service, the NHS or know someone close to you who does, please contact Claire and the team for details.

When you first learned of the Covid-19 outbreak, was there any initial concern relating to public health and your business? Absolutely there was, we were getting various snippets of information from various sources often at odds with one another and nothing was clear other than the smell of fear. People were panicking a lot when it first started and there were some wild sounding stories in the media both on and off line. It very soon became clear that thing would change massively in our sector as well as most others. Back in the early days there was absolutely no chance of acquiring any PPE it was like hens teeth! We found out what the best readily available anti-viral cleaner was and made sure we had enough for our immediate needs without trying to stockpile it. There were plenty of people back then who were trying to take every advantage possible and we took the stance that we were not going to do that. We started the business for the long haul and plan to be around still when all this is over. All our rooms now feature a mini-fridge and hand gel so we can keep guest and breakfast Covid-19 safe   Once changes to the nature of your sector began to take hold, how was your business affected and changed?  The year had already started badly. We went away as is our custom in January to get a little winter sun prior to starting out on what should have been our busiest season ever, oh boy how that changed! We got back and after 3 weeks great swathes of the UK were hit by severe flooding. Although Skipton was barely affected at all, people had planned to travel from all over the country and many of the areas where they came from were affected. Even if not, most were afraid that if they travelled they may be cut off and unable to return, so the cancellation of bookings began and has never really looked back for most of the year. Almost as soon as everything began to dry out, along came Covid-19 which hit the country more like a tsunami! The cancellations were now in full swing and our trade like most other accommodation providers around us plummeted with alarming speed. There were virtually no bookings from the end of 2019 right through until 4th July when the first national lock-down ended. We did open the doors to key workers as per the Government Guidelines and a few took advantage, but not many and we were offering reduced rates in order to assist those helping to keep the country open for business. This meant the taking were down probably in the region of 95%   Tea & coffee facilities in every room mean guests can relax and put their feet up as soon as they arrive  

We all know about Covid-19 and the issues it has caused, but what if you are a business owner trying to survive through it, or perhaps just trying to start out either just before it started or just after it had begun to spread? We asked some relevant questions to a local entrepreneur, Caroline Porter at Foxstones Training and Learning, most of us I think will empathise with the answers she gave below and relate to them if we too are in business of any kind. What she and Foxstones Training have gone through over the last few months reflects what so many small businesses up and down the country have had to endure, how they have adapted and how many have survived. We hope that by reading how others have dealt with difficult it may help, motivate and even inspire others. Over to Caroline… When you first learned of the Covid-19 outbreak, was there any initial concern relating to public health and your business? As a lot of the work I was delivering at that time was direct to Local Authority employees everything stopped very suddenly prior to lockdown coming in. The LAs were understandably nervous about bringing groups of staff together from different teams to take part in group training. I had lots of training events booked throughout March, April and onwards and everything abruptly stopped. My inbox was a catalogue of cancellations!  Once changes to the nature of your sector began to take hold, how was your business affected and changed? It was obvious fairly quickly that bringing large numbers of people together to participate in training was a long way off. What had been a busy schedule with lots of potential work lined up dropped to nothing. It was a very peculiar and isolating feeling. Being a sole trader, an independent, with no one to talk it through with was unsettling. There was a good few weeks of radio silence whilst I digested the information and then I began to think of solutions. If like most small to medium businesses your trade suffered a significant downturn, did you manage to find any unique and innovative ways to address it and try to keep revenue flowing?  Once I realised this wasn’t short term I knew I had to get creative. I had never delivered my mentoring and training services online. Like most people I’d never heard of Zoom at that point! I started to research, I found people to practice on and I made the switch to online delivery. It was a lot of work and included rewriting my training packages for a virtual world. I was terrified at first but couldn’t believe how quickly it started to feel normal. Because my work is supportive it was soon evident that training, consultation and mentoring were needed more than ever. The mentoring sessions I began to deliver for one Local Authority management team were particularly welcome; managers were so grateful of the opportunity to talk in confidence and reflect on how they were feeling, how their staff were struggling and how much emotional and mental health support they were needing to give their teams. And that has continued. A lot of my business has become about offering that safe and neutral space for professionals to explore the current challenges they face. What has been fantastic is that people have adapted to online learning. My session evaluations ask delegates how they rate the value to online training compared to face to face and people are overwhelmingly positive. I work really hard to make it engaging, fun and to feel safe. I know how scared I was at first so I work hard to put attendees at ease.  I know how they feel! Did your business and/or you receive any help from the Government by way of grants/loans/financial support or other types of assistance? None. As a young business with no 2018/19 accounts to show I wasn’t entitled to a single thing.  I’d only started Foxstones Training and Learning in March 2019 having been made redundant after 20 years working for North Yorkshire County Council. It felt like a double blow. How do you think/feel your business has fared in comparison to others around you in the same or similar sectors? I think most people are now adopting and delivering online. I talk to other freelance trainers and it’s a very mixed picture. I think I was fortunate that I’d begun to build a good reputation and clients were willing to trust me. One in particular said “look we trust you – use us as your Guinea pigs” (about the switch to online delivery). I’m very grateful to him and other individuals for going with it.   Have things been more/less challenging for you and your business during the current lockdown period than the first one?  It’s been less challenging for me this time as the transition had already been made to virtual. This time it made no difference. Do you think/feel that what has happened over the last few months has brought communities together more or divided them?  More divided sadly. There are great schemes like Skipton Step into Action and Skipton Foodbank (both of which I have volunteered for) which show communities at their best. But on social media there is so much blame, suspicion, lack of tolerance. I have been asked to do some urgent training for another council in Yorkshire around Handling Conflict because their frontline staff are being subjected to so much abuse from the public they serve. It’s so sad. What plans and hopes do you have for your business post lock-down and how optimistic do you feel about being able to sustain or grow it? I hope I can continue to grow – I hope to attract new clients who would benefit from nurturing their teams and their services at this time. Some organisations have understandably been in crisis management for the past few months but I hope as things start to settle then can reflect on what their staff members need to develop. I’m pretty sure online work is here to stay and that too has benefits as it means I can work with more clients further afield. Last month I delivered training to teams in the Isle of Wight which I certainly wouldn’t have done before Covid-19 and the switch to virtual! We now wish Foxstones Training and Learning every success for the future and feel sure that any business which can survive and even thrive in such difficult times will go on to great things as and when we manage to return to some kind of normal, whatever the “New Normal” may look like! If you have any training requirements and are looking for local experts who know how a small business works, what its needs are and how best help, then please get in touch with Caroline Porter direct or contact us at skiptoncentre.uk  

THIS is a walk which provides history and beauty together. NOTE: Please follow government and health officials’ current guidelines around exercise, taking walks, social distancing and not driving long distances unless it is essential. You may wish to put this walk to one side to enjoy at a later date when restrictions are relaxed. Jonathan Smith runs Where2walk, a walking company in the Yorkshire Dales. Jonathan has written his own book, the Dales 30 which details the highest mountains in the Dales. He also runs one-day navigation courses for beginners and intermediates. Join his Learn a Skill, Climb a Hill weekends in the Dales. To find out more details on any of the above visit his website, where2walk.co.uk WALKING in the Yorkshire Wolds offers a fascinating insight in to the geology of this country. The dry valleys are uniform, almost like walking through a maze. This walk is easy but can be extended by taking to a further dry valley heading to Cowlam Manor. The second half of the walk emerges from the valleys and has excellent views. This is not a difficult walk to navigate but it is to find the start. The layby to start the walk is on a very quiet road off the B1253 heading south from Cowlam Grange. A finger sign opposite the layby marks the start. Enter immediately in to the foot of one of the dry valleys. These are extraordinary, V-shaped with steep sides leading to the fields above. They formed roughly 15,000 years ago when the glaciers retreated. The rivers left by the retreating glaciers flowed over the top of the frozen ground below creating the V shape of river erosion. When the land below ceased to be frozen, the chalk bedrock allowed the water underground and the valleys became ‘dry’. Only after exceptionally wet weather do these valleys have streams. After ¾ mile the path splits. Start with the left hand fork and head up the dry valley for a further one mile (follow the blue bridleway sign) to the church at Cowlam Manor. Cowlam is a small hamlet, all that remains of a deserted medieval village, St Mary's church one of the better preserved buildings. It is believed that the Black Death caused the abandonment of the village. Having explored the church, return along the path but before you arrive at the previous path junction (after the woods) take the left hand turn in to the dry valley of Phillip’s Slack (even more steep sided). Continue north up the winding valley for 2/3 of a mile before a signpost directs you right straight up the side of the dale. The path uphill becomes a track as it flattens and follows a hedge to a farm road. Turn right and head for Cottam Grange. Continue past the manor in to a path across an open field (follow the power lines) before meeting a hedge and soon arriving at the medieval village of Cottam. The Holy Trinity Church is a decrepit brick church in urgent need of salvation. Start looking around the village, a series of lumps and bumps. Probably most impressive are the old field system shown as terraces across the valleys. Turn left past the church and then soon right past the trees in front of Cottam House. On meeting a road turn left again, then instead of heading for the main road turn right at a signed path. From here the views across the area and back to the dry valleys are excellent. It is the highest point of the walk at nearly 500 foot. After crossing the highest land the track drops gradually to a second track. The next mile and a half of track is arrow straight, easy walking through farmland. It is easy and pleasant. Towards the end of the track it drops sharply to the quiet road that is where the walk starts. Turn right back to your car. Fact file: Distance: Roughly 8 miles (includes 1 ½ mile extension to Cowlam Manor). Height to Climb: 260m (850 feet) Start: SE 973634. A lay by offers some parking for the walk. Difficulty: Medium. The walk is very easy underfoot but certainly with the extension to Cowlam is of reasonable length and includes a steep climb. Refreshments: The nearest pub is at Sledmere or a choice at Driffield. Both within 5 miles. Be Prepared: The route description and sketch map only provide a guide to the walk. You must take out and be able to read a map (O/S Explorer 300) and in cloudy/misty conditions a compass. You must also wear the correct clothing and footwear for the outdoors. Whilst every effort is made to provide accurate information, walkers head out at their own risk. Please observe the Countryside Code and park sensibly.

The Birtwhistle family are referenced on a large plaque on the southern wall of the aisle in Skipton Holy Trinity Parish Church at the top of Skipton High Street. It was installed by the grandson of John Birtwhistle 1725-1787 by one of his grandsons 60 years later in 1827. This can be seen detailed in the book about the family by the author Tony Stephens, entitled “The Birtwhistles of Craven and Galloway.” It spoke of them being Drovers, Industrialists, poets and spies! Droving cattle, the art of getting them safely from one location to another, was a very lucrative profession towards the late 18th century and so much so, it influenced the landscape of the Craven district. The building of many of the dry stone walls throughout the area was to accommodate the moving of cattle south from Scotland. John Birtwhistle who was resident in Skipton around the mid 1880’s was one such drover and arranged for 20,000 cattle a year to be brought down from the Hibernian Highland hills to fairs on Malham Close nearby. The drovers were charged for the amount of grass their cattle consumed whilst at the fair. So they would have timed the drive to arrive just prior to its start and get them there as speedily and efficiently as possible. John was so successful at his speciality that he was able to purchase a good sized freehold property at the bottom end of Skipton High Street. The yard behind it is to this day known as Birtwhistles Yard. He also managed to buy estates in Craven and at other strategic points along the route in order that he could move his cattle through the district on into Lincolnshire, then through East Anglia and on to their final destination at market in London. The reason for purchasing the land also had something to do with the increased value of fattened cows. Doing so could increase the value of cattle on the hoof by as much as 300% so it made very good business sense to do so! According to Tony in his fascinating biography, John Birtwhistle and his three sons who were also involved in the business were possibly the most successful of all the British drovers at the time and sustained the business for nearly three quarters of a century! Much of the profit they made from the business was reinvested into other ventures helping to secure their place in history as significant industrialists in the early years of the Industrial Revolution. By the 1760’s he had done so well for himself and his family that John Birtwhistle was reportedly wealthy and a gentleman. He invested heavily in the Leeds to Liverpool canal helping to finance its construction. Shortly before his demise John had a huge cotton mill built at Gatehouse of Fleet and the workers there were housed in mill cottages on Birtwhistle Street. The mill looms long since fell silent and it is now a visitor centre attracting many people to the area. Hi sons owned many properties between them in England and Scotland. Alexander resided at Gatehouse of Fleet, while Robert had his home at Crakemoor Farm, Long Preston and William lived in a newly built house at the top of Skipton High Street that was completed in 1792. It was on a 40 year lease from Skipton Castle estate. John Vardill who became John Birtwhistles’ son-in-law after marrying his daughter Agnes in Skipton 1778 was rewarded by King George lll for his great prowess as a spy! He was a key contributor to the war efforts with both France and America. His daughter Anna Jane Vardill (1771-1852) inherited a good deal of the estate and went on to become a prolific author in London. One of her works was published in the European Magazine and it was written in the house on Skipton High Street while she was visiting a terminally ill William Birtwhistle. As mentioned, this book is not confined to cattle on the hoof. John Vardill, who married Agnes, daughter of John Birtwhistle in Skipton in 1778, was one of Britain’s most enterprising spies, being rewarded by George III for his successes during Britain’s wars with France and America. His daughter, Anna Jane Vardill (1771-1852), who inherited much of the Birtwhistle estate in Craven, was a prolific writer in Regency London. Her work included a clever feminist piece, published in the European Magazine. It had been written at the house in Skipton High Street in 1819. Anna was visiting a dying William Birtwhistle. Birtwhistles Yard is now home to Town House Bed & Breakfast and also Central Bed & Breakfast offering respite and hospitality to weary travellers of the modern era!

Skipton on a budget We can all appreciate just how hard times are right now with what’s going on around the country due to Covid-19 and the devastating impact it’s having on our economy. This means we need to be smarter about some of the things we used to take for granted such as mini-breaks and holidays. Are you finding there’s just too much month left at the end of the money? Many of us know just how fabulously beautiful Skipton and the Yorkshire Dales can be and millions normally flock here each year to sample the delights. What we have done here is to try and find activities in the area that all the family can enjoy, without breaking the bank! If you’re on a tight budget and let’s face it, many of us are right now, let’s see if we can inspire you to find something within your reach that can entertain, amuse and stimulate the imaginations of the whole family! If you know anything about Skipton at all, then you will know about the fabulous Medieval, Skipton Castle that proudly stands guard over us. It’s believed to be one of, or perhaps THE best preserved Medieval castle in the country and is mentioned by William the Conqueror (William 1 of England) in his Domesday book of 1085; now that’s history! The castle is fully rooved and has dark corners, plenty of stairs, tiny rooms and vast ones, an air of mystery ad intrigue. It is now privately owned by the Fattorini family who have a very successful jewellery business in Harrogate close by. They live in one wing and the rest of the building is open to the public and really is a must-see. If you have ever read any of the C. S. Lewis books from the Chronicles of Narnia such as The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, bear them in mind when you enter the courtyard! I am always transported to Narnia each time I enter it with its square shape, ancient Yew tree in the centre and stone mullioned windows looking out onto it. This image might give you an idea of just what I mean. The castle is a fantastic backdrop for all kinds of events and activities and if you check their event calendar and time it right there are things such as battle re-enactments, archery contests, craft fairs and all kinds of things going on. So pick your favourites and book then to maximise the enjoyment. The guides at the castle are very knowledgeable so pick their brains, kids in particular normally have tons of questions, so make the most of their expertise and find out all you can about the chequered history of this wonderful building! Just behind the castle we have Skipton Woods, which is a wonderful walk peaceful and tranquil with lots to see. It is approached down the narrow stone steps at the side of Mill Bridge and again the kids will love it. The picnic area with its bench and seats at the foot of the steps is a perfect place to enjoy your lunch and of course picnics help when you’re counting the cost! The beck runs past and overflows into the Leeds to Liverpool Canal and used to power the watermill that can still be seen, although sadly no longer functional. When you make your way through the woods you circumnavigate the rear castle wall and looking up from a worm’s eye view, it’s easy to see why the castle proved impossible to breach during the English Civil War.