Wishes coming true as people dig deep to help out animals
ICE CREAM PARLOUR RETURNS WITH ICY TAKEAWAY TREATS
HULL’S biggest tourist attraction, The Deep, is being gifted vital items to keep it running while it struggles with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.
The aquarium has created an Amazon wish list, which operates like a wedding gift registry, so that supporters can buy equipment that The Deep’s limited financial pot cannot cover.
Last year, The Deep feared its future was in doubt, with no income from admissions because of the lockdown yet still having to find £6,500 a day to look after its 3,000 animals.
The Amazon wish list has now secured such items as new, warmer overalls for the penguin team, cleaning equipment for the tanks and displays, and thermometers for the reptile house.
A spokesperson for The Deep said: “Our revamped blue poison arrow frog display has been made possible largely through Amazon wish list donations.
“We’ve had clickers bought that help us to count who has eaten what at penguin feeding times and penguin beads, which are for the penguins’ wingbands. They help us to identify them and need replacing when they moult their feathers.
“Our maintenance team has benefitted from things like cable ties, tape, tools and torches, which aren’t very glamorous but are really useful as we have so much diving equipment, pipes and water systems to maintain, in dark spaces.
“Our dive systems maintenance technician was overjoyed at receiving cable ties.
“Our most expensive item on the list was a Gopro8, bought for us by a lovely supporter called Louise, and it has allowed our divers to get better underwater footage.”
The introduction to the wish list on Amazon explains that The Deep relies on admission income and donations to pay for the running costs of the exhibition, its animals, overheads, staff and programmes of conservation, education and community outreach.
It said: “During the period of closure, our funding from admission tickets stopped. As a charity, our financial reserves were limited and we are still struggling to find our flippers. We are asking you, our friends and supporters, to consider purchasing an item from our Amazon wish list for us to help us continue our work beyond Covid-19.”
Everything from cleaning brushes and sponges, that are used on a daily basis, to a webcam, enabling staff to meet via Zoom, have been provided.
“Some of our PCS never had cameras, as we had no need before Covid-19,” the spokesperson said.
“Some props and lighting equipment have been recently added to the wish list which is for our marketing team to reshoot all of our online shop items, to improve the way it looks.
“The online shop is another way that people can, and have been, supporting us this past year.
“We have also had a few people buy us Amazon gift cards, which are also really useful to add credit to our account for general, but fairly urgent, consumables like batteries and power adapters.”
As an educational charity, The Deep receives no external funding or subsidies, and is 100 per cent reliant on self-generated income with visitor admissions making up the bulk of this.
The Deep has 70 individual habitats and more than 30 filtration systems to manage – the largest being Endless Oceans, which holds 2.5 million litres of water.
AS we enter spring and the sunshine begins to come out, popular Howden ice cream parlour The Groovy Moo is reopening for ice cream takeaways in lockdown.
The local business was forced to close its doors when the country went into lockdown and has been itching to reopen ever since.
So, the ice cream parlour decided to reopen as a takeaway service to offer customers a treat while keeping the business afloat.
The popular spot is best known for its alternative gelato flavours from the likes of Jammie Dodger, custard cream, Parma Violet, Terry’s Chocolate Orange and many more.
This week the owner announced on social media, “we’re back”, and Howden residents flocked to join the queue for a delicious ice cream.
They said: “Hi everyone, we will be back open from March 2, 10am until 5.30pm, serving takeaway gelato, waffles, cookie dough desserts, hot and cold drinks.
“The cabinet is full with our best sellers, your favourites and maybe even a new flavour or two. Can’t wait to see you all, thank you for your continued support.”
The gelato restaurant offers a variety of desserts including cookie dough topped with ice cream and a wafer, and flavoured milkshakes topped with cream.
Manager at The Groovy Moo, Scott Green said: “Once we had stocked up our display cabinet with 24 different flavors and stoked up the coffee machine we had people waiting at our doors to welcome us back open.
“Our customers understood they were not able to sit in and enjoy their gelato and it was just a takeaway service available.
“During the course of the day, we had a number of messages on our Facebook page letting people know how they enjoyed our gelato and were glad to see us back open again.
“We have our new cola bottle gelato added to our regular house flavours like sea salted caramel, Bakewell tart, chocolate orange for the dairy-free option and rhubarb and stem ginger.”
Customers are allowed inside, but only one household can enter at a time, and delivery is also available for nearby postcodes.
The ice cream parlour owner expressed that despite opening up for a takeaway treat, the parlour will continue to abide by strict social distancing rules.
A number of customers were delighted about being able to enjoy a lockdown treat. One resident said: “It’s about time. I’ve been missing The Groovy Moo.”
Another added: “I’m going to get one after the school run.”
A third said: “Save me some Jammie Dodger.”
The Groovy Moo is open takeaway from 10am to 5.30pm.
We have our new cola bottle gelato added to our regular house flavours like sea salted caramel, Bakewell tart, chocolate orange for the dairy-free option and rhubarb and stem ginger
for
Scott Green
AN East Yorkshire Army veteran tragically died after choking on fish and chips.
The inquest into the death of Frederick Bennett, 80, heard he had passed away at Dacre Lakeside Park caravan site, Brandesburton, after paramedics were unable to save his life.
Hull Coroner’s Court heard that Mr Bennett and his friend wanted a Chinese takeaway for tea, but it was shut, leading them to instead order fish and chips.
But while eating the meal on July 28, 2020, Mr Bennett turned “blue” after his food went down the wrong way and he could not breathe.
The pensioner had served in the Army for five years before being medically discharged following a number of epileptic fits.
He went on to work in a variety of different jobs, at one point living in Belfast for 12 years, and was generally quite healthy and enjoyed playing bowls, the inquest heard.
“Fred telephoned his friend, who picked him up from his address in Bridlington and spent the day in the club house of the caravan site with him, where he consumed three or four glasses of whisky,” said coroner Professor Paul Marks.
“They decided to have a takeaway and their preference was to have a Chinese meal, but the Chinese takeaway was closed so they decided to have fish and chips instead.
“Fred’s friend returned to the caravan at around 5.45pm and they consumed the food. During the meal, Fred started coughing and sounded as though he was going to be sick, so the friend grabbed a bag so that he could vomit into it.
“But when she looked more closely, she could see that Fred was going blue in the face and she was shocked as a result of this.”
The court heard that the friend then called nearby caravan residents for help, performed CPR and rang for an ambulance, but tragically paramedics could do nothing to save Mr Bennett’s life.
After 20 minutes of life support, Mr Bennett was pronounced dead at the scene.
Professor Marks said: “It is clear that during eating the fish and chip supper, Fred choked on some of the food and obstructed his airway, thereby leading to asphyxiation.
“This is a complete accident and the only logical conclusion that can be returned is that Frederick Bennett died as a result of an accident.”