Tadcaster Echo - December/January 2025

Celebrating

everything good in Tadcaster and surrounding areas

@tadcasterecho @tadcasterecho @createtvt1

INTRODUCTION

Hello and welcome to your December/January edition of Tadcaster Echo.

Winter has arrived, and we are wrapping up the year by treating you to some fantastic business offers in our community and showcasing some brilliant local stories. As the colder months are now here, we hope you all keep safe.

As always, Tadcaster Echo is vowing to do its very best to help support businesses who want to be seen. If you would like

any information on how to get your business in the magazine, please get in touch with a member of our friendly team.

Tadcaster has showed such fantastic community spirit this year, and we cannot wait to work with so many more of you in 2025.

So for now, sit down with a cuppa and maybe a mince pie, and enjoy your latest edition of Tadcaster Echo. We will see you again in February.

meet the staff

Distribution Assistants:

Jamie Walton, Justin Newton, Mitchell Brewins, Craig Shaw and Ben Hammill.

Lisa caley sales executive

LISA WARRENER EDITOR

RACHAEL LIDDLE DISTRIBUTION MANAGER

Daniella dennis sales manager

These days most homeowners suffer from a lack of storage space. So many precious items that need to be kept – but where to store it all? That’s where Yorkshire Loft Ladders come in.

The company, based locally, offers homeowners the opportunity to maximise their storage space with a loft ladder, 50 sq ft of boarding and a light all fully fitted in less than a day from just £277 + VAT. But it’s not just the affordability of the package the company offers that makes Yorkshire Loft Ladders stand out as manager Warren Ingleson explains:

‘Our watchwords are Quality,

Integrity and Value. Quality in the materials that we use for all our installations and the fact that all our loft packages are fitted by time served tradesmen so our customers are assured of the best job. Integrity in that we will turn up at the time we say and make sure the house is spotless when we leave, and Value in that we offer our services at a price people can afford. Our business relies on referrals and we got a huge amount of our calls from people who have been referred to us by our existing customers - that simply wouldn’t happen if we didn’t adhere to our overriding principles.

At the end of the day the old adage that happy customers

lead to more happy customers is true and we work hard to make that happen for every installation we carry out!’

So, if you want to make use of your loft space, however big or

So, if you want to make use of your loft space, however big or small, call Warren on 0800 612 8359 and he’ll be happy to pop round and give you a no obligation quote so you too can make use of your loft!

small, call Warren on 0800 612 8359 and he’ll be happy to pop round and give you a no obligation quote so you too can make use of your loft!

Local charity honoured with prestigious King’s Award for Voluntary Service

Tadcaster Volunteer Community Support Association (TVCSA) provides community transport in Tadcaster and surrounding villages to those who cannot easily use other publically provided transport services – primarily the elderly and infirm.

They have recently expanded their community transport and now operate equivalent schemes in Ripon and in Harrogate. Between the three schemes they provide approx. 10,000 passenger journeys each year sponsored by North Yorkshire Council.

Within Tadcaster they partially fund the organisation through a charity shop, which offers a wide range of pre-loved but quality goods.

This is the highest award given to local voluntary groups in the UK and is the equivalent of an organisational MBE. This year the award is dedicated to our very own Tadcaster Volunteer Community Support Association (TVCSA)

etc and provide social activities and interest groups including a knitting group, jigsaw club, Men’s Shed etc.

These services are provided by their team of 50 volunteers offering extensive volunteering opportunities. They also offer work-experience opportunities, primarily to the students with additional needs who find it difficult to obtain a suitable placement.

They also operate a loan service for disability aids including walkers, walking sticks, wheelchairs,

They are currently refurbishing a new independent community centre within Tadcaster with the capacity to expand all these services and more.

TVCSA has been running for an impressive 33 years as a registered charity. If you would like to find out more, or become a volunteer, please call 01937 835600 or email: tvcsa.tad@outlook.com

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR A NURSERY PLACE?

The way your child can access nursery and how you can receive support is changing are you ready.

From April 2024, eligible working families of two-year-old children may be able to access 15 hours of funded childcare per week (570 hours per year) from the term after their child’s second birthday.

From September 2024, this will be extended to eligible working families of children aged 9 months and above.

From September 2025, this will be extended to 30 hours per week (1140 hours per year) to eligible working families of children from 9 months old up until 1st September following their fifth birthday.

Parents must have set up an online Government Childcare Account before they can apply for an eligibility code. Visit www.childcarechoices.gov.uk to check your eligibility Main Street, Church Fenton, Tadcaster, LS24 9RF. Tel: 01937 558951

If you would like to get in touch with us or arrange a visit please contact us at: helen@jigsawschildcare.co.uk

SPECIAL OFFER

* British Manufactured Stove

* Flue Liner and Cowl

* Solid Oak Beam

* Hearths

* Fireboard Chamber

* Register plate kit with CO Detector

* Installation included by our own HETAS registered engineers

* Rubble removed from site

£2,799 incl. VAT

£2,649 incl. VAT

Pictures for illustration purposes only. Limited time summer offer

Local children excel in children’s community art competition

The competition invited primary school children from Boston Spa and the surrounding areas to get creative with the theme “Adventures in Nature”

The children used a variety of artistic mediums, including drawings, paintings and sculptures to show off their favourite outdoor activities - whether it was camping, woodland walks or playing in the park.

More than just an art contest, the competition was also about bringing the community together. Families, schools, and local businesses all played a part, creating a shared sense of pride in supporting the children’s artistic efforts.

The exhibition and prize-giving ceremony was at St Mary’s Church, Boston Spa, which gave everyone a chance to celebrate the children’s achievements.

Helen Morgan, a local children’s book illustrator judged the competition. She told Tadcaster Echo: “It was a honour to judge all the wonderful entries. I am just sorry that I couldn’t award more prizes as every piece of art was worthy of one.”

Helen judged the entries separately for Key Stage 1 (KS1) and Key Stage 2 (KS2), with eight prizes awarded in total.

The event was a collaborative effort led by a dedicated group of year 6 parents, with Jenny Kitson, parent, heading up the organisation.

Jenny told Tadcaster Echo: “We had incredible support from Rev’d Nick at St Mary’s Church who provided the venue and

hosted both the exhibition and the ceremony.

“We couldn’t have done it without the help of the local Wednesday Scout Club, who pitched in to keep everything running smoothly. And we were so grateful for the support of local businesses who generously sponsored the competition.”

The prizes were carefully chosen to reflect the creative nature of the event. Every winner received art supplies such as canvases, paints or colouring pens. The winners were:

Key Stage 1

1st: Emmy Lumb, age 5

St Mary’s Primary School

2nd: Lily Hardcastle, age 4

St Mary Primary School

3rd: Hope Stubbs, age 6, Tockwith Primary School

Key Stage 2

1st: Otis Hayhurst, year 4

St Mary’s Primary School

2nd: Ava Gough, year 5

St Mary’s Primary School

3rd: Gabriella Gilligan, year 3

St Mary’s Primary School

An evening of pure musical magic with all profits going charity

Steve Coates Music Productions presents A Million Dreams, at the Grand Opera House, York, on Saturday January 25th with all profits going to The Snappy Trust charity

Steve Coates started his company to stage rock shows and they have been so well received that he changed the theme to a West End production. During this time he met some young people from The Snappy Trust who had accepted his offer of free tickets.

Along with their carers they took their seats, still wearing their earphones, some with hands over their faces, and then the curtain went up.

Steve stood behind them and was stunned to see the change in them. Big smiles, some stood up, all put their hands in the air and joined in with singing and laughing.

Steve told Tadcaster Echo: “I was blown away by the delight that was brought by the music and the spectacle.”

He decided he had to learn more and see what he could do to provide the same pleasure to others in need and so ‘A Million Dreams’ was born, totally funded privately by Steve himself .

A meeting at The Snappy Trust in Acomb, York, with Anne Stamp, the charity manager, revealed an even more heartbreaking situation - the charity receives no funding and relies purely upon the goodwill and assistance from fundraisers and volunteers.

Now in its 40th year, it supports over 200 children and their families who really need support. The Snappy Trust charity is a local children’s charity that provides much needed support, care and assistance to disadvantaged, disabled and special needs children and their families.

The show will have something for everyone, all supported by the Alan Owen Swing Show Band, including songs from Wicked, Phantom, Chicago, ABBA , Hamilton, Rocky Horror and Les Mis to name a few plus a superb swing set.

Attended by The Civic Party, and working with their media partner YO1 Radio, Steve aims to stage this fundraiser on a yearly basis not only to raise more money but to raise the profile and awareness of The Snappy Trust.

Experience the world’s most popular musical theatre songs performed by York’s top talent, including the BJMC, Flying Ducks Youth Theatre and a top-class 10-piece live Big Band!

Do you want to help raise funds for The Snappy Trust charity? If they can sell every seat in the theatre on 25th January they can raise up to £10,000 with all profits going to Snappy.

Tickets are priced at £25 for adults, £20 for seniors and £5 for children under 16.

You can buy your tickets here: www.atgtickets.com/shows/a-million-dreamsa-charity-broadway-spectacular/grand-operahouse-york/