A WORLD record attempt is taking place in Knaresborough this weekend and you can be part of it!

Many people will already have seen on the national news and in the media this week that the worldwide campaign to completely eradicate Polio is drawing to an end. Since 1985, Rotarians around the world have been working with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF to eradicate Polio by a programme of mass immunisation and now only four countries, India, Pakistan, Nigeria and Afghanistan still have endemic Polio although outbreaks do occur elsewhere from time to time.

On Saturday, February 25, Knaresborough Rotary Club is joining 100 other Rotary Clubs in 21 countries worldwide and 11,000 swimmers to draw attention to and raise money for the campaign and attempt a Guinness World Record for the most number of people swimming 100 metres non stop between noon and 1pm on that day.

The event for this area takes place at Knaresborough Swimming Pool and will be a high profile one attended by Paralympic swimmer bronze medal winner Claire Cashmore, the President of Rotary International in Great Britain and Ireland Ray Burman, the Rotary District Governor for North and West Yorkshire Willie Clark and the Mayor of Knaresborough, Coun Andrew Willoughby.

Local swimmers can take part and must be at least eight years old and able to swim 100 metres unaided. Entry costs are £3 for under 16s and over 60s, £5 for over 16s and adults. A donation from this fee will go to the Rotary End Polio Now campaign although sponsorship is also encouraged. Swimmers will only swim 100 metres.

You can still register to take part up until noon on Friday, February 24. For details of how to take part in the swimarathon, call in at Wild Orchid on Knaresborough High Street where swimmer packs and sponsorship forms are available or contact Sarah by emailing: rotaryswimkn@gmail.com

Please note Knaresborough Pool will be closed for general swim admissions during the world record swim attempt.

For more information, visit www.rotaryglobalswimarathon.org/ or you can follow updates on Twitter at www.twitter.com/#!/Kn_Rotary (@Kn_Rotary)

Bucket collections for the Polio campaign are also taking place in Knaresborough Market Square and at the Co-op on Chain Lane on Saturday morning.

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A FIRM of landscape architects and ecologists has swapped the bustle of a town centre location for more peaceful surroundings at a business park between Harrogate and Knaresborough.

Smeeden and Foreman has taken the lease on the ground floor of Somerset House at Scotton Business Centre after relocating from East Parade in Harrogate.

The new space totals 1,800ft sq, and Smeeden and Foreman’s director Mark Smeeden said it emabled the company to be based on one floor rather than spread across four.

He added: “There are some things we miss about the facilities of Harrogate itself but we certainly don’t miss either the traffic or the parking restrictions!”

Smeeden and Foreman’s team of landscape architects, urban designers, ecologists and horticulturalists works throughout the country for clients in both the public and private sectors and on schemes from marinas to supermarkets.

The letting agents were Carter Jonas. Chris Hartnell of Carter Jonas said: “We are delighted that Smeeden and Foreman have relocated to Scotton Business Centre to take advantage of the peaceful surrounds, modern office space and ample car parking.”

The business park offers both small and large suites in two main buildings totalling 8,000ft sq, with flexible arrangements available.

AN APPRENTICE at a Harrogate firm has reached the finals of the Heating & Ventilation Industry Awards.

Rory Percival has been shortlisted in the Apprentice of the Year category in the competition. He recently completed his three year apprenticeship with ventilation manufacturer, EnviroVent, and now works as a fully fledged product development engineer at the company’s head office on Hornbeam Park.

EnviroVent’s chairman, Ron Russell-Hobbs, said. “Rory can be described as a model apprentice. He has worked diligently to understand the demands of our industry, especially in regard to product development, and through this effort he has increased his knowledge and effectiveness to the point that he is assured of a successful career.

“As a result of his success, we have now recruited another apprentice which in these difficult times should send a message to the Government that apprenticeship places create positives for the economy.”

Rory began his apprenticeship as part of EnviroVent’s research and development team. Over the last three years, he has gained experience in product development, installation and system design. He also played an important role in liaising with external bodies such as the Buildings Research Establishment (BRE) to ensure EnviroVent’s latest products meet legislation and achieve the required certification.

The winners of the Heating & Ventilation Industry Awards will be announced at a ceremony in London on April 26.

Young visitors at Fountains Abbey have been encouraged to help our feathered friends by making their own bespoke bird boxes.

In a series of special workshops at the World Heritage Site, parents and children demonstrated their woodworking skills and took home new features for their gardens.

Staff were on hand to help constructing the perfect bird box as well as offering their expertise on the type of birds to look out for in gardens.

Cassandra White, visitor experience and learning officer said: “We’re really keen to get everyone a bit closer to the nature on their doorstep and building a bird box is the perfect way to encourage new wildlife into your garden as we head towards spring.

“And it has definitely proved popular with our visitors of all ages.”

The workshops were part of a series of half-term events at the abbey, which is Britain’s largest monastic ruin.

A two mile Wildlife Wander will take place on tomorrow, Saturday, February 18, which will offer the chance to discover more about the variety of wildlife that roams the 800 acre estate.

Children have also been taking part in a heraldic trail around the abbey, mill and water garden throughout the week.

The a bbey was founded in 1132 by 13 Benedictine monks who later became Cistercian monks.

The Studley Royal Estate, a separate estate from Fountains Abbey until 1767, was inherited by John Aislabie in 1693. who devoted himself to creating the Water Garden.

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ripon’s Olympic hope Jack Laugher will get his first chance to sample the facilities at London 2012 this coming week.

Laugher is one of five City of Leeds divers taking part in the FINA VISA World Diving Cup.

Alongside Rebecca Gallantree, Sarah Barrow, Hannah Starling and Alicia Blagg, Jack will be competing in the event from February 20-26 which also doubles as the test for the diving facilities at the Aquatics Centre ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The quintet will be taking on the world’s best in the event which also determines Olympic spots for countries in each of the diving categories, with the full Team Great Britain squad taking part in the Games due to be announced in June.

Laugher will be looking to carry on his form from a stellar 2011 which saw the 17-year-old from Ripon become the first British male diver in eight years to qualify for the final of the men’s 3-metre springboard event, finishing in a highly creditable eighth place.

Jack goes into the event in confident mood after winning both the 1m and 3m individual titles at the recent British Gas National Diving Cup in Southend.

Olympian Rebecca Gallantree will be looking to secure a place at her second successive Games when competing in the women’s 3m individual and synchronised events, and tuned up by winning two golds and a silver in Southend.

Sarah Barrow will be competing with 10m synchro partner Tonia Couch of Plymouth the in the London event looking to improve on their fourth-place finish in last year’s world championships in Shanghai.

The duo combined to win gold in the National Diving Cup in Southend.

The two youngest City of Leeds divers taking part in London will be 15-year-old Alicia Blagg from Woodlesford (3m synchro) and 16-year-old Hannah Starling from Alwoodley (3m individual).

The City of Leeds squad again dominated at national level in Southend, winning seven of the nine events and a medal haul of 15 in total. Other notable performances came from Callum Johnstone and Matt Roberts who won the men’s 3m synchro title, while Garforth diver Callum also claimed bronze in the 3m individual.

The City of Leeds divers are all part of Leeds City Council’s Diving Training Scheme overseen by senior diving coach Adrian Hinchliffe and former world champion Edwin Jongejans at the Aquatics Centre at the John Charles Centre for Sport.

Senior diving coach Adrian Hinchliffe said: “Next week will be an invaluable experience for our divers to compete, feel and see what the Olympic facility is going to be like in the summer. They are all really excited and rightly so.

“It is hugely important too for their development as well as trying to secure as many places for Great Britain at London 2012 as we can.

“We are very proud of them all but what they do in the next few months could make all the difference and they know that. The final countdown to the Olympics really does start here.”

Also competing at the FINA VISA World Diving Cup will be divers from Australia, Russia and the USA who will train at the John Charles Centre for Sport ahead of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

For more information on Leeds and its work towards the London 2012 Olympic Games, visit www.leedsgold.co.uk

Jack Laugher has also been part of a smash-hit YouTube video which went viral last week.

Alongside fellow Brit divers Tom Daley, Chris Mears, Tonia Couch, Sarah Barrow, Nicolas Robinson-Baker and Max Brick, the squad took time out from their preparations to perform a dance routine on an Australian beach.

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