23/11/2017 Look North (East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire)

Here on BBC One, it's time

for the news where you are.

Good evening.

The headlines from BBC Look North

this Thursday night.

A big rise in winter deaths -

elderly people are warned

to keep warm and active.

People are not turning the heating

up the cost of fuel poverty.

The government refuses to block

the plan that will shut three minor

injuries units in East Yorkshire.

She now sits among Hull's

most honoured people.

Jean Bishop, famous for fundraising

as the Bee Lady, is given

the Freedom of the City.

I was choked. I could not look at

them because I think tears would

fall down. I was so grateful.

And a

cold night to come across our

region. A frosty start to the day

but we should see the the sunshine.

New figures show there's been a big

increase in the number of unexpected

deaths in our area last winter.

In the area covering Lincolnshire

there was a rise of almost 60%

while in Yorkshire and

the Humber, the number rose

by more than 50%.

Flu and fuel poverty are two

of the reasons being given,

as our health correspondent,

Vicky Johnson reports.

Most of these tap dancers

are in their seventies and eighties,

but they say keeping active keeps

them well and, importantly during

the winter, it keeps them warm.

They say too many older people

fall victim to the cold.

I think it is probably

because they can't afford

to put the heating on.

This is why I come out,

you can't have it on all day

and if you sit at home and stagnate,

your mind goes.

Got to keep your mind active

as well as your body.

Age UK runs lunch clubs like this

one in Hull and is urging older

people to ensure they do everything

they can to protect themselves

against the cold weather.

But they fear fuel poverty

is still an issue.

People aren't turning the heating

up when it gets cold

and when we have a cold snap,

they worry, because it's been very

mild and they know what their bills

are and then you get a cold snap

and they'll really worried about how

much that is going to add

to what they have to pay.

They say too many older people

fall victim to the cold.

Nationally, there were almost 32,000

excess winter deaths among

the over-65s from cold-related

illnesses such as heart

attacks and strokes.

In Yorkshire and the Humber,

there were 3,500 winter deaths -

up from the previous year,

which was just over 2,000.

In the East Midlands,

which covers Lincolnshire,

there were 3,000 deaths -

again up from the previous

year, which was 1,700.

Flu can be a killer,

especially on older people or those

experiencing other illnesses.

This is why there's such a drive

to get the most vulnerable

vaccinated each year.

It's not actually a live

vaccine, so it can't

actually give you the flu.

More than 1,000 frontline staff

at Hull's city health care

partnership have had the flu jab

this year to help stop

the spread of the virus.

Obviously, if you prevent

yourself having the flu,

then you prevent your loved ones

and other people actually

catching the flu as well,

so it can have a knock-on effect.

If someone has an underlying chest

condition or hard condition,

it can worsen the condition,

they can become extremely poorly.

The advice then is that we should

all be doing everything possible

to protect ourselves -

and to keep ourselves warm

and well this winter.

The government has confirmed today

that it will not stand

in the way of health officials

in East Yorkshire who want

to downgrade and close some

minor injuries units.

The East Riding Clinical

Commissioning Group wants

to concentrate new urgent care units

in three major centre,

leading to protests

in rural and coastal areas.

Jill Archbold is here.

Jill remind us what's being proposed

and why it's controversial?

Across the East Riding there are six

minor injuries units.

Instead, the local NHS clinical

commissioning group wants to create

three urgent care units at Beverley,

Bridlington and Goole,

which would mean the unit at Hornsea

would close and those at Driffield

and Withernsea would be downgraded

to daytime appointments.

A number of demonstrations have been

held outside the threatened

hospitals and local campaigners say

they are needed in rural areas.

An East Riding council committee

wrote to the Government stating

the proposals were "not

in the interests" of

local health services.

What's happened today?

The Health Secretary

had referred the plans

to an independent panel of experts.

Today, it said a full review wasn't

needed and said any concerns

about the planned changes could be

resolved between the local

authority and the local NHS

clinical commissioning group

without Government involvement -

but one of the area's

conservative MPs disagrees.

They need to think again because

they haven't got the support of

local doctors all the GPs say no to

this and they don't have the support

of a council who strongly oppose it

and they don't have the support of

elected representatives in terms of

the members of Parliament and I

don't have the support of the

people. They need to think again and

we will tell them that in a

straightforward way.

The government panel also says that

although existing health services

may seem familair and reassuring

to local people, it

doesn't mean they're

sustainable in the long term.

The East Riding CCG say they need

time to review the report before

issuing a full statement

but reiterate their belief

that their plans offer

improved urgent care.

An East Yorkshire bio-fuel plant

has stopped production

blaming government policy.

Vivergo which makes fuel from wheat

wants the government to increase

the amount of bio-ethanal

that's mixed with petrol.

The company says the uncertainty

over whether that will happen means

150 jobs are at risk.

What we have seen the last few Mac

months is the market price for and

it therefore makes sense to do the

maintenance work and see what

happens with government policy and

market development beyond that

point. There is only so long we can

keep going on producing and waiting

for government follow through on

their commitments.

In a statement the government said,

"We are working closely

with the industry and motoring

groups to consider the issues around

a potential increase in bio-fuel use

and the role government can

play in this."

Jean Bishop, who's known

in Hull as the Bee Lady,

has today been given the Freedom

of the City.

It's in recognition of her

remarkable efforts raising money

for Charity for more than quarter

of a century.

Laura Foster has more.

She's raised more than

£100,000 for charity,

carried the Olympic Torch,

met the Queen and won

a Pride of Britain award.

This morning, Jean Bishop

was dressed up for today's ceremony

but hadn't quite twigged

the significance of

what she was off to.

Are you excited?

Yes, when I get home

for a cup of tea.

The Freedom of the City

is the highest accolade

a local council can give.

Previous winners in Hull

include Nelson Mandela,

politician John Prescott,

activist Helen Suzman

and the actor sir Tom Courtney.

It doesn't give her the powers

to herd sheep through the city,

but the council says if Jean wants

to, they won't stop her.

I think she sets a real example

to people in this city.

She's gone out there

in all sorts of weather

and people just warm to her.

They are drawn to her.

It's an honour to say how we respect

and admire Jean Bishop.

After a long-anticipated cup of tea,

Jean told me this award

is beyond her wildest dreams.

I was choked.

I couldn't look at them

because I think tears

would fall down my face,

but I was so grateful.

I never expected anybody

to know me like that.

I mean, you don't think of people

knowing you all over, do you?

Well, I don't.

Her family says they're also very

touched by the award.

So proud, you know?

It was so emotional.

Everyone was saying good

words about my mother.

It was really very good.

We see it every day and you tend

to take things for granted

but what she's actually

achieved is incredible.

To be only the second lady

in 130 years to receive

this award is, well,

it's mind-boggling, really.

You'd think that now she's

turned 95 and received

the highest honour possible,

she might give fundraising a rest.

No, nothing stops me.

It's just one of those things.

I go collecting,

and go collecting again.

It's just in my life.

Hull's Bee Lady, Jean

Bishop, who's received

the Freedom of the City today

A campaign has started to keep

a replica of the plane

Amy Johnson flew to

Australia, in Hull.

The model of the Gypsy Moth,

called Jason, has been hanging

at Paragon Station since February

after being built by

inmates at Hull Prison.

It's now due to be taken down

and moved to the Yorkshire Air

Museum near near York.

Finally let's get the

Finally let's get the forecast.

Quite chilly across East Yorkshire

and Lincolnshire overnight. I think

by tomorrow morning we could see

some ice and frost. Looking dry. The

map turning blue in some places,

especially further north. East

Yorkshire getting the lowest of the

temperatures. That said, rural parts

of Lincolnshire getting below zero

as well. A cold start Friday but a

bright start, look at that, we

should see plenty of sunshine but

temperatures will probably only get

or seven Celsius. The winds will

ease as we had on through the day.

As we look ahead towards the weekend

we have this low pressure to the

north. It doesn't really affect us.

What it does do is siphoned down

cold air from the North so it will

be colder over the next few days.

Cabbages only

be colder over the next few days.

Cabbages only just at 506 Celsius.

That's all from us tonight. Thank

you for watching as usual. Back in

the morning on BBC One. I will be

back at 6:30pm. Join me if you can,

take care, good night.