News

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJWo1d3zCWI&w=560&h=315]

A new mental health campaign designed by young volunteers from Hull to help their peers has been launched today (27 March) with a creative and emotive soundscape along the Humber Bridge.

HeadStart is a five-year, £56 million programme set up by the Big Lottery Fund. Young people aged between 12 and 20 from across the city, some of whom have had their own personal struggles with depression and low self-esteem, have developed the idea.

With support from local published poet Vicky Foster and sound designer Mark Jones, the young people have produced inspirational messages and poems to tackle the taboo of mental health. It is also about reaching out to other children and young people who may be suffering from emotional issues, and maybe having a hard time talking about their feelings. They want all young people to know that even in difficult times when they can feel at their most isolated, “you are not alone”.

 

Twelve loudspeakers along the Humber Bridge will provide creative soundbites with positive messages from young people to reach those most in need from today and will run until 17th April. It will provide a unique listening experience for those who walk across the Bridge’s 2,220-metre span – which is the longest single-span suspension bridge in the world that it is possible to cross by foot or on cycle.

Gail Teasdale, programme lead, said: “Headstart Hull is about building young people’s emotional resilience and encourage them to talk about their problems before they develop into anything more serious. This ‘You are not alone’ campaign is all about challenging the stigmas, influencing decisions and raising awareness.

“The HeadStarters want all of Hull’s children and young people to know that they are not alone, that people care, that help is available, and that with time and support, they can overcome their issues and experience good times again.”

Kaitlyn Robson, aged 15, and Ben Waudby, 18, both pupils at Malet Lambert School in Hull, are among a small group of Headstarters who developed the idea and wanted to do something positive.

Ben said: “Young people’s mental health and well-being are neglected in society, and it’s time to fix that.”

Kaitlyn said: “I wanted to do this campaign as I’m passionate about mental health and I think this campaign is a creative way to make a difference.”

The Humber Bridge Board has fully supported the campaign. Chief Executive Dr Kevin Moore says: “We are very pleased to support this excellent project, which highlights and responds to the important issue of mental health in our communities. The young people involved are to be commended for their passion, creativity and hard work.”

HeadStart promotes positive emotional health and wellbeing, aimed at children and young people and their families to develop skills to cope with life challenges. It provides an appropriate early help response through targeted interventions for young people aged 10 to 16. The services include a range of support for young people including peer mentors, group work, counselling and resilience coaches. There is also peer mentoring and group work support for parents. Services can currently be accessed via referrals from schools or young people’s community based services, where staff have received training.

To find out more about the services available and how to contact them, go to www.howareyoufeeling.org.uk and click on the ‘who can help’ section.

Motorists are being urged to drive with care on the southbound lanes of the Humber Bridge from this weekend as essential engineering works re-start.

The scheme to replace the expansion joints at each side of the 1.4-mile long bridge will continue until May 2018 and involves the use of temporary safety ramps to enable traffic to use both lanes as much as possible.

The work will re-commence at 7pm on Friday 9th March with overnight working on weekdays until 6am, and throughout a number of weekends until the works are complete.

The work is being carried out with lane closures to ensure that the safety of the public and workforce is maintained at all times. Motorists with HumberTAG accounts will need to use the toll booths during these periods and drivers are urged to allow extra time for their journeys, as there is a speed restriction of 30 mph across the bridge and it will be 20mph at the ramps.

Andrew Arundel, Head of Engineering and Infrastructure, says: “The first part of this major maintenance programme for the Bridge has been completed successfully and we now move to the southbound carriageway. I’d like to remind motorists to take care with the speed restrictions as we progress the work.”

Residents who live close to the Bridge in the Hessle area are being notified of the work directly, as noise levels may rise briefly during the middle of March as the old joints are removed.

For the latest messages, the public can follow us on Facebook and Twitter or by checking this website.

The Humber Bridge Farmers’ Market, which was due to take place this Sunday 4^th March, has been postponed because of the ground conditions caused by the current extreme weather.

The Humber Bridge Board and the new operators, The Market Managers, made the decision to postpone following an inspection of the car park.

Co-director Andrew Riley says: “It’s unfortunate to have to move our first market as operators, but health and safety come first with such a popular event and traders were starting to ask us about this particular date, given the conditions. We wanted to be fair to everyone.”

The market, which offers up to 160 stalls and attracts thousands of people, takes place in the Humber Bridge car park outside the tourist information centre once a month and has been a fixture on the events calendar for the last decade.

The next date will be Easter Sunday, 1^st April, from 9-1.30.

Humber Bridge Chief Executive Kevin Moore says: “It’s the right decision, given the icy conditions in the car park and the continued big freeze. We look forward to welcoming everyone on Easter Sunday.”

The Humber Bridge Farmers’ Market is to be taken over by experienced Yorkshire operators, The Market Managers, starting with the March 2018 event.

The Market Managers, who run regular artisan food events at Beverley, Malton and Scarborough, have been appointed by the Humber Bridge Board to operate the popular monthly markets, which offer up to 160 stalls and attract some 5,000 visitors. The company is run by co–directors Caroline Anderson and Andrew Riley (pictured above).

Andrew says: “It’s great to have this opportunity to operate the prestigious Humber Bridge Farmers’ Market and develop it further. We want traders to feel assured that the event they have been an invaluable part of will continue and grow in this prime location.”

The next event is to take place on Sunday 4th March, 9-1.

The Humber Bridge Chief Executive, Kevin Moore, says: “We have acted quickly to make sure it is business as usual for the Farmers’ Market and have been delighted at the support of the traders. The Market Managers have demonstrated excellent vision and we look forward to their first event in March.”

Further information about this and other events at the Humber Bridge can be found at www.humberbridge.co.uk.

The Humber Bridge Board has paid tribute to the memory of a North Lincolnshire man whose passion for the bridge led him to create a large model, which was donated to the Humber Bridge team.

Roly Chafer of Barnetby passed away at the age of 88 earlier this month. The offer to donate the model, which he built in 2000, came about because he moved to smaller accommodation and his family was worried that it would have to be thrown away. The model was made mainly using matchsticks.

Mr Chafer offered his prized creation to the Humber Bridge Board and paid a visit in 2017 to present it to staff, who were delighted to accept it.

Humber Bridge Chief Executive Kevin Moore says: “We were so pleased to be offered this fantastic model to display in our reception area. It was a joy to meet Roly, his sister-in-law, Freda, and his care worker. Our hearts go out to his family and care team at their sad loss.”

Roly’s care worker, Su Skipworth, of the Leonard Cheshire charity, says: “Roly loved the Bridge. After his visit, he was overwhelmed and I remember him telling staff at the home that he’d met the top man and managers and they’d given him some books about the Bridge. The day gave him so many memories.”

The Humber Bridge Board made a donation of £50 towards Lindsey Lodge Hospice at Scunthorpe in memory of Mr Chafer, whose funeral was on 19th January.

Magistrates in Hull have fined daredevil BMX rider Ryan Taylor for climbing the Humber Bridge without permission.

Taylor was part of a group of men who scaled the safety barrier at the Barton end of the Bridge in May last year, and illegally walked up the cables to the top of the south tower.

In a hearing held on Friday 12th January, magistrates fined Taylor £400 and ordered him to pay £125 costs for breaching the Humber Bridge’s byelaws.

Taylor, a professional BMX rider who hails from Walsall in the West Midlands, did not attend court for the hearing.

The case came about after the Humber Bridge Board brought a private prosecution.
Dr Kevin Moore, Chief Executive of the Humber Bridge, said the Board was now looking into the possibility of taking action against other individuals.

He said: “The fact that we prosecuted shows how seriously we take this offence – we’re pleased it was a heavy fine. We are looking at further court action where we can against others who were involved.”

Taylor and the other men scaled the Bridge without harnesses or other safety equipment in the early hours of Monday 15th May 2017.

The men took videos and pictures of themselves at the top of the Humber Bridge which they later posted on YouTube and other social media channels. They fled the Bridge after being spotted by security cameras at the top of the south tower.