THE YORK BRIEF ⏰Christmas Eve Edition

Morning York ✨
Christmas Eve is here, the city’s lights are glowing, and beneath the tinsel, plenty is happening - moments of kindness, stories of courage, community wins, and the issues shaping life in and around York. Grab a brew, take a breath, and let’s catch up.

🌤️ WEATHER UPDATE
A fairly calm winter’s day across York with cloudy skies and mild temperatures for late December, reaching around 9–10°C and dipping to 6–7°C later this evening. Mostly dry through the day, though low cloud and mist may linger in places, especially after dark, so take a little extra care if you’re out tonight. Source: Met Office

🏥 HEALTH & WELLBEING

🚗 Mother’s Hospital Protest Highlights Care Concerns - A York mother parked her van outside York Hospital on December 22nd with a message that couldn’t be ignored: “Child disabled by NHS - No Referral for specialist care.” Donna Newell, 42, is demanding better treatment for her six-year-old son Ellis Carey, who has Secondary Cerebral Palsy Spastic Diplegia from oxygen deprivation at birth. The final straw? Waiting for a specialist referral that hasn’t materialized. York Hospital says they’re “listening carefully to understand concerns.” Examiner Live

💰 Mental Health Investment Opens for Men - York and North Yorkshire men struggling with mental health have new hope as Mayor David Skaith launches a £715,000 Men’s Mental Health Investment Fund, part of a broader £7m Moving Forward campaign. The fund prioritizes rural access, male-friendly engagement, workplace support, neurodivergent young people, and digital access. Applications close January 2nd, 2026. York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority

💸 Bank Nurses Lose Pay Enhancement - York & Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust announced on December 18th that bank nurses will lose their 4.96% pay enhancement starting March 23rd, 2026. The enhancement, worth between 62p and over £1 per hour, is being withdrawn because vacancy positions have improved. The Royal College of Nurses called the timing “incredibly insensitive” just before Christmas, while the Trust maintains the enhancement is no longer “equitable or sustainable.” York Press

📱 Yorkshire Residents Urged to Use NHS App - Dr Faisel Baig, a GP and Primary Care Medical Director for NHS North East and Yorkshire, is encouraging people to use the NHS app over the festive season for managing prescriptions and accessing health advice. The region saw 3.6 million unique users in 2025, up more than 614,000 from 3 million in 2024. Between December 2024 and November 2025, people in the two regions ordered 11.3 million repeat prescriptions through the app. York Press

💰 GOVERNMENT POLICY

🚜 Farmers’ Inheritance Tax Threshold Increased - The government announced on December 23rd that the Agricultural and Business Property Reliefs threshold will increase from £1 million to £2.5 million when introduced in April 2026. This allows spouses or civil partners to pass on up to £5 million in qualifying agricultural or business assets before paying inheritance tax. The change will halve the number of estates affected by reforms, from 375 to 185, ensuring only the largest estates face higher tax bills. GOV.UK

⛪ FAITH & COMMUNITY

⭐ Archbishop’s Christmas Message Under Shadow - Archbishop Stephen Cottrell delivered his 2025 Christmas message under the theme “Follow the Star: Calm and Bright,” calling for hope-filled, joyful calm. The message comes as Cottrell faces calls to resign over his handling of safeguarding issues. He’s set to become temporary leader of the Church of England in January, replacing Justin Welby.

✝️ One Bishop for Two Dioceses - Pope Leo declined to appoint a new bishop for Middlesbrough Diocese, which covers York and North/East Yorkshire. Instead, Bishop Marcus Stock of Leeds will serve as apostolic administrator for both Leeds and Middlesbrough dioceses. Middlesbrough Diocese has 97,700 Catholics across 68 parishes with 115 priests, while Leeds has 170,830 Catholics across 81 parishes with 125 priests.

Bishop Terry said: “I am very grateful to His Holiness for having entrusted the care of this diocese to me for nearly 18 years. It has been a joy and privilege to serve the faithful, clergy and religious.

💚 KINDNESS & CHARITY

🎂 York Neighbours Celebrates Decade of Care - York Neighbours is marking its 10th anniversary supporting nearly 600 older people, up from just 78 in 2018. The charity’s 76 volunteers provide one-off tasks and errands, regular keeping company calls, and lifts to social outings. Their dream? “A neighbour on every street in York.” Lord Mayor Cllr Martin Rowley joined the celebrations. York Press

👦 Twin Boys Smash £1,000 Charity Target - George and Stanley Fisher, nine-year-old twins from York, have smashed their £1,000 target for St Michael’s Hospice Harrogate with their 12 Acts of Kindness initiative. The boys, who’ve appeared on The One Show and ITV This Morning, volunteered at the hospice, visited Mulberry Court care home in Clifton, donated to the RSPCA, made cards for blood donation centres, and sold handcrafted decorations. Gazzette & Herald

🎁 Record-Breaking Hospital Charity Auction - York Hospitals Charity raised a record-breaking £6,774 for the Tiny Lives Appeal supporting the Neonatal Unit at York Hospital. Prizes included a luxury Mallorca holiday for six, spa breaks, sporting events, and fine dining. Emma Sargent, fundraising manager, praised the “incredible support.” Y&S Hospitals Charity

🥧 Care Home Residents Spread Christmas Cheer - Residents at Stamford Bridge Beaumont Care Home baked mince pies to deliver to neighbours and community partners as a thank-you for support in 2025. Recipients included Home Instead Pocklington/Beverley, Hague & Dixon Solicitors, and Clubleys Estate Agents. Resident Brian said he “always loved baking.” York Press

🎭 Ryan Swain currently visiting hospitals as Yorkshire Grinch - Ryan Swain, 35, from Malton has been visiting hospitals as “The Yorkshire Grinch” for the past three years, spreading laughter and lifting spirits. The actor, content creator, and motivational speaker, who has ADHD and Tourette’s, won a Cuisinart coffee machine through the company’s “Getting You Through with a Brew” campaign. He also delivers motivational talks in schools and colleges across the region, encouraging young people to embrace their differences. Gazette & Herald

🎨 ARTS & CULTURE

📸 Teen Photographer’s Exhibition at York Hospital - Isaac Savage, 15, from Manor CE Academy has launched a photography display along the main corridor of York Hospital featuring 25 images of York. The exhibition runs until March 1st, 2026. Eloise Ross, art coordinator, said she was “totally blown away by Isaac’s talent.”

🌱 ENVIRONMENT & PLANNING

☀️ Councils Demand Thorough Solar Project Assessment - Eleven town and parish councils have sent North Yorkshire Council an open letter demanding adequate staffing for proper evaluation of the proposed Light Valley Solar project near Selby. The 500MW scheme would install nearly one million solar panels (4-5 meters high) across approximately 13 miles, potentially becoming one of the UK’s largest solar facilities. The planning department is currently operating 15 staff members short. A planning submission is anticipated by early 2026. Yahoo News UK

🚨 CRIME & SAFETY

💎 £60k Jewelry Stolen from Train - British Transport Police are investigating the theft of a bag containing £60,000 worth of jewelry from a London King’s Cross to Edinburgh train at York Station on December 21st at 4:15pm. Two men stole the bag from overhead storage. CCTV images have been released. Anyone with information should contact 0800 40 50 40, reference 396 of 21 December. York Mix

⚖️ Man Jailed for Child Sextortion - George Michael Casson, 30, from Moor Monkton near York has been jailed for 19 months for engaging in sexual communication with a child. Between January and March 2022, he pretended to be a 16-year-old boy named “Ty” on the Litmatch app, befriending a 15-year-old Buckinghamshire girl. He then used fake profiles as “Ty’s brother” and a “gang member” to pressure her for indecent images, threatening to share them with family and school. The court heard he showed “not a shred of remorse.” BBC News UK

🚆 TRANSPORT

🚦 Signal Fault Causes Major Train Delays - A fault with the signalling system between Darlington and Northallerton blocked the railway on December 23rd at 11:45 am. Though lines reopened, trains between Newcastle and York faced delays of up to 90 minutes or cancellations. Affected operators included LNER, CrossCountry, Grand Central, and TransPennine Express. Stations impacted included York, Thirsk, Northallerton, and Darlington, with disruption expected until end of day. National Rail

🎓 EDUCATION

📈 York St John Business School Sees Rapid Growth - York St John University is one of the UK’s fastest-growing centres for business and management degrees, ranking 10th nationally with 52.4% growth from 105 to 160 graduates between 2022/23 and 2023/24. Prof Brendan Paddison, Dean of York Business School, credited their focus on employability, experiential learning, live projects, and initiatives like employability boot camps and the Business Clinic providing consultancy opportunities. York Press

⚽ SPORT

🎟️ York City Boxing Day Match Sells Out - All home tickets are sold out for York City’s Boxing Day clash against Boston United. The club has issued a warning: any tickets bought in the away end will be immediately cancelled with no refunds. York City FC

🏉 York Derby Returns to National Premier League - York Acorn and Heworth face off on opening day of the 2026 National Premier League season March 7th at Thanet Road. The second meeting is scheduled for July 4th at Elmpark Way. It’s the first cross-city derby since July 2024, when the sides earned one win apiece. The new competition introduces a pyramid structure with automatic promotion and relegation, focusing on reducing travel and financial burden. York Press

That’s your York for today - thoughtful, generous, and quietly resilient. As Christmas arrives tomorrow, we hope your evening is filled with warmth, reflection and a little magic. Thank you for reading, and from all of us: Merry Christmas, York 🎄✨