HILLAM NEWS OCT TO NOV 2012

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The voice of Hillam village. founded 1989 by mary little . Delivered free to all homes in hillam. Volume 25 Issue 5. oct–nov 2012

Plannin g appeals

Gypsy and traveller appeals

It is reasonable that you should be able to appeal if planning permission is refused. It is also reasonable that if you inadvertently do something without obtaining permission that you should be given the opportunity to apply retrospectively.

There are two planning appeals by gypsies and travellers near to Hillam, Cannon at Ten Acre Field and Smith in Sutton. In both cases the disputes started several years ago when caravans were moved onto the sites without permission.

But in some quarters every refusal is subject to an appeal, and in others it is common procedure to carry out work without first obtaining permission.

Speaking on Radio York on 30th August, Violet Cannon Senior confirmed, in reply to the interviewer’s question, that her family was living in Hillam without planning permission.

In this issue of Hillam News we have examples of both.

An appeal is decided on evidence submitted and this requires top quality barristers.

She said, ‘We bought this land and settled here. It may seem bad to a lot of the locals. I can understand it in a lot of ways, but we’ve lived in caravans all our lives. I was brought up in a cart, not even a caravan, with two beds, and there were ten of us. Would people like to live that life? We are hoping to stay here (in Hillam) for ever. I don’t think there’s any way they are going to pull us.’

The major lesson to be learnt is that if local people do not put up strong resistance, including hiring their own legal team and expert witnesses, their chance of success is quite low.

Letters and objections are important and everybody has a part to play in this, but the final arguments are about the finer points of planning law.

Violet Cannon Junior, on the same Radio York programme, said, ‘If you speak to the people in Hillam you won’t get any complaints. Our planning appeal – where we got three years’ temporary planning permission – there were no locals there, no residents crying. The only complaint was that the development was in the green belt.’

In the case of Cleek Hall wind farm, as previously reported, the developer hired a top gun team to ensure success. With £1.25 Million per year subsidy you can see why they did it.

Clee k Hall wind farm app ea l—Inspectors grants approv al In his Cleek Hall report he says the turbines are “sleek, aerodynamic structures with clean lines and a sculptural quality”.

But he isn’t going to live within 600 metres of one.

The test he applied was not whether “the living conditions may not be as attractive as they were” but whether “the living conditions would be so unattractive that the majority of people would not choose to live there.” On this basis there is no point The inspector, Mr David Pinner, on approving the wind farm, ever buying a property in an attractive location. said the area is “an ordinary landscape that has capacity to absorb a wind farm of the scale proposed”. But he doesn’t live You do have to wonder where they get these people from when they say things like “In any case, such harm as might be here. perceived would be reversible as it is intended that the wind The decision was no surprise given that Mr Pinner has apfarm would be decommissioned and removed after 25 years”. proved every wind turbine, test mast and wind farm developThe developer has been given 5 years to sort out a radar issue ment that he had previously considered. In one of the reports before work must commence. Hook Moor had the same condihe commented that “the turbines would have some intrinsic tion when it was approved last year. Many local people are aesthetic appeal and some people would probably enjoy still unaware of the size of the turbines and their impact. watching them for a while”.

Plans to build Cleek Hall wind farm near Selby have been given the go-ahead despite local opposition. The proposal for five 127-metre turbines between Cliffe and Barlow was opposed by the local council and residents.

Selby District Council refused the development last November. The developer appealed.

Also in this issue…

It’s a cash skimming scam - beware if you go to Scarborough.

Will they be ready for Ramadan ? broad beans but not as you know them.

All set for the extra mile - but how far is it to London?

Yorkshire day ! - Now reit Yorkshire Puddin's a poem in batter, T'mek it's an art, not a trade. Find out more.

Do you know your silky from your Niwaki? - A gardeners perk.

Been there done that, got the tee shirt - next stop Glasgow 2014.

Wi Fi - Is it like fee fi fo fum, or something to do with the mid day gun.

Is it Trio or Triage - dig deep into your pocket to find out.

Good mood food - what have you got to lose?

Hillam News is financed by advertising and the generosity of contributors,copiers and Issue editor - Howard Ferguson distributors. If you have an article for publication, please phone David Atkinson on 684577 or email dsa99uk@yahoo.co.uk Advertising enquiries to David Edwards on 682346 or exSite@talktalk.net www.issuu.com/hillamnews

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THE BIRDING COLUMN

by Gra h a m To d d

Picking up from where I left off in July, Barn Owls successfully bred in the village in 2012, with three healthy youngsters ringed on 19th July by Steve Huddleston, the ringer licensed by the British Trust for Ornithology. The one pictured was the eldest, almost as big as an adult owl, and twice the size of the smallest owl. For those lucky enough to have been there, it was a memorable event – for children and adults alike. Whilst he was around, I took the opportunity to ask Steve about the breeding success of birds in general this year, reflecting on the poor weather during the breeding season. Apparently, birds which nest high up in vegetation have been more successful than those which breed closer to the ground, and this has meant that Chaffinches and most warblers haven’t fared well, presumably because the vegetation lower down was saturated.

ahead to see if there were signs of any clear nights forecast for the end of the first week, when Jenny and I were expecting our tame Blackbird to clear off to wherever she goes to spend the winter months. The night of 6th/7th looked perfect, clear and windless, with lots of stars visible by which to navigate, so that was when we expected her to go – and she didn’t disappoint.

Her departure date was precisely the same as in 2010, and we have missed her every day since she left us, sitting on the arm of the garden seat by the door, waiting to be fed. At least she bred successfully the second time, after the first failed attempt, and raised two young. There are still a couple of young Blackbirds about, but I wonder if our favourite will return in February 2013?

I frequently check the Met Office weather site, and during a period of unsettled weather at the beginning of August I looked

Graham Todd

By way of a change from my local perambulations, I met up with my mates on 8th August and drove to Wykeham Forest to watch raptors. This is the best place in the north of England to As far as Red Kites are see Honey Buzzards, very rare concerned, there were summer visitors, with 30 new nesting sites only a handful of pairs in the across Yorkshire in 2012, but on the UK each downside, 18 sites summer. It used in 2011 were was not the best time to not used in 2012, largely due to the see Honey bad weather.

Buzzards, the Several nests ideal being late May and failed at the small early June, when they perform chick stage, it their characteristic and spectacular being likely that wing-clapping display flight, high above the the combination dense coniferous forests. I was therefore not of torrential rain surprised when after five hours we hadn’t seen and cold nights a single one, but it was still a very special day, took their toll. in that we had numerous excellent views of However, young Goshawks, a ferocious raptor the size of a that were well-feathered stood up well to the frequent bouts of Common Buzzard. There are several pairs in Cropton and heavy rain to which they were subjected. Across Yorkshire there Wykeham Forests and the open aspect of the public raptor were 92 breeding pairs, and the 78 pairs that were successful viewing point provides a perfect site from which to spot these raised at least 145 young, which is pretty astounding, considering very large birds of prey. It was the time of year when juvenile the lousy weather. birds are still about, demanding food from harassed parents, and we had a fantastic view of three Goshawks together, two of Gateforth Wood produced a surprise new local record for me on which were youngsters engaged in mock aerial combat directly th 6 August, when I heard the short shrill “zee” of a Spotted above our heads, whilst their mother spread her wings and tail, Flycatcher calling from a tall tree in the middle of the wood. majestically gliding around in circles, giving us prolonged views I eventually located it at the top of the tree, sitting rather upright, of a raptor seldom seen in our part of Yorkshire. flicking its tail and watching for insects, making quick sallies to snap up flies, before returning to its perch at the tallest point in Autumn is now almost upon us, an exciting time for birdthe tree. This rather plain, medium-sized greyish-brown bird with watchers, when there is hope of a chance encounter with a rare dark bill is a summer visitor to the UK, preferring oak woodlands migrant blown off course from its normal migration pattern, so where insects are plentiful, as they are in Gateforth Wood at the I’m heading off to the West of Scotland to look for American moment. I have the “Clegg” bites to prove it! wading birds!

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WESTERN CEF - 4TH SEPTEMBER MONK FRYSTON SCHOOL Report by Duncan Lorriman, Hillam Parish Council The Open Forum (OF) was cancelled but the Partnership Board (PB) meeting took place. Following a review, the PB decided to reduce the frequency to quarterly from five per annum and to continue with the themed-based OFs. The theme, on Tuesday 13th November at Fairburn Village Hall, will be health and wellbeing.

Items discussed at the PB meeting were as follows: 1. Monk Fryston traffic calming is still on the agenda with discussions between MF Parish Council and the Highways Department to try to resolve this long-standing issue.

2. There is still an emphasis on youth engagement. Brotherton and Byram now have a youth club and Burton Salmon is looking at its options. Fairburn’s seniors’ club is running with attendance from several villages. Youth leaders are visiting schools in the area promoting the clubs. Sherburn continues to have youth clubs on Tuesday and Friday evenings.

If you want to win the lottery join the queue!

Great news! Faye and Kevin are pleased to announce that the National Lottery is now up and running at the shop.

Here’s hoping we can create a local millionaire!

Next CEF Public Forum Meeting 13th November 2012 at 6 pm Fairburn Community Centre WF11 9LA

3. On the social housing front there is concern over inappropriate lettings under the ‘choice-based lettings system’, with numerous complaints to parish councils about problem tenants often originating from outside our area. There is a lack of understanding of how the lettings system works. Properties are let based on computer-generated information with no personal checks. Selby District Council (SDC) is to circulate information on the subject to all parish councils to clarify the situation.

About the CEF

7. Sherburn Parish Council is proposing to develop the facilities at the school to improve the swimming pool and gym for extended public use. A lottery grant application is to be made for substantial funding.

See www.your-community.org.uk/western_portal.html

The CEF is a useful local body where anyone can raise issues in an informal atmosphere. It stages joint meetings of representatives from parish councils in the (Western) Selby District. The meeting is in three parts. 1) Time for individuals to talk informally over a cup of tea to representatives of local bodies including councillors. 2) The OF centres on a short presentation of local interest, followed by reports from 4. SDC was praised for its quick response to complaints about organisations such as the police. Topics have included local bus fly-tipping on public land. Tipping on privately owned land is policy, broadband, gypsies and youth clubs. Questions can be outside SDC control. taken from the floor. 3) The PB is a closed discussion where the 5. Grit bins for winter gritting are now available from SDC for public can attend, but not take part. The forum has a budget and £50 excluding grit. Parish councils should be aware that proposed local groups can benefit. locations for new bins should first be agreed with SDC to avoid You can get face-to-face contact with Selby District and North highway and other possible issues.

Yorkshire councillors as well as a smattering of parish councillors. The atmosphere is friendly and informal and you 6. Local bus services appear to be not well supported. More don’t have to stay for the whole evening. publicity may be needed to improve public support.

8. The CEF is keen to support local projects across the area both financially and with administrative assistance. Parish councils and other village groups are encouraged to notify the CEF so that any necessary help can be provided.

9. Some recent CEF funding approvals include: MF & Hillam Community Association £1000 contribution to improvements to footpaths and drainage at the Community Centre.

Brotherton Rainbows £1000 to improve storage facilities.

Lady Popplewell Centre £250 for improvements to the kitchen.

David (Dai) Jones

Architect

Dip Arch RIBA Fletton House The Square HILLAM North Yorkshire LS25 5HE

Phone 01977 685534 Consultation Welcome – Initial Discussion Free

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IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 4th October Selby Jobs Fair at Selby College Full details on page 7.

40 local companies and projects with 498 jobs.

Friday 12th October Harvest Festival at Burton Salmon School Details on page 12.

24th October Planning Appeal hearings Hillam traveller site The Planning Inspectorate will conduct a Public Inquiry at the Civic Centre, Doncaster Road, Selby, YO8 9FT at 10 am on 24th October. It will be open to the public and anyone who wants to speak can register their intention on the day.

Sunday 28th October Looking to the Future One of the special TRIO services at St Wilfrid’s. Full details of this and the other special services on pages 20 and 21.

Thursday 1st November Cricket Club AGM The Crown from 7.30 pm. Members and non-members invited.

Remember, Remember Friday 2nd November The Village Bonfire Friday nights are family nights and this year the CA will be staging its free, family, Village Bonfire at the Community Centre. Our Bonfire is organised by Adults for Kids and the Young at Heart. Come along and have your tea and/or a drink and enjoy yourself with friends and neighbours.

13th November 2012 at 6 pm CEF Public Forum Meeting Fairburn Community Centre

15th Nov Election of Police Commissioner The first ever election of a Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire. The holder of this post will replace the chairman of the North Yorkshire Police Authority, who is not standing. In the words of Inspector Abbott, ‘Vote, and vote carefully.’

Monk Fryston Christmas Market 16th November 6 to 9 pm at St Wilfrid’s Craft stalls, hot food and more.

Further information from the Post Office.

Saturday 24th November Cricket Club Annual Dinner and Presentation Night Watermill Restaurant at Milford Hotel. Tickets £30.

1st December Christmas Lights 2012 This year’s event will be held on Saturday 1st December, with the ‘switch-on’ happening at 7 pm. The big annual festive gathering, complete with Santa, mince pies, mulled wine, brass band and carols. Parents are reminded that they are responsible for the safety of their children. We hope all villagers will be able to join friends and neighbours to make the night the usual enjoyable event.

To help pay for the lights please join the 100 Club.

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Précis minutes Hillam Parish Council August 2012

Special Reports - Flooding Mrs Little – guest reported on the recurrent flooding issues and re iterated the history of flooding in Rose Lea Close, referring to detailed health reports raising concerns about the presence of E coli in the sewage infused floodwater.

Clerk to write to Selby Internal Drainage Bard and NYCC Highway to re-inform the authorities of the ongoing problem and arrange for the cleaning of the Rose Lea Close pathways.

Cllr Lorriman reported the imminent replacement of the culvert on Betteras Hill Road may help the ongoing problem of flooding in the area.

Other matters discussed Refurbishment of the ring tree has been instigated but a response is awaited from the contractor as to when the work will be carried out.

Hedges adjacent to Betteras Hill Road to Burton Salmon footpath need cutting back.

Cllr Collinson to find out who is the land owner responsible.

The planning appeal lodged by Mr T Cannon was discussed and it was agreed the Cllr Wright would, after circulation to and agreement of content by the PC members, lodge a formal response on behalf of the Parish Council and submit it to the Planning Inspectorate. To facilitate an appropriate response, the clerk was asked to obtain a copy of the appeal.

Purchase of refuse bin for £104.40 approved. Clerk to action

Finance C/A £517.93 H/I a/c £6,6999.49 Cheques drawn Leander Architectural £778.80 CSR Electrical Ltd £204.36 MH Walton £180.00 HM Rev and Customs £45.00 £1,500 to be transferred Risk Assessment and Management Cllrs Robertson and Sheppard submitted the review they undertook of the Risk Assessment schedule previously completed in 2008. They did not identify any new risks. Clerk to review suggestions made.

Correspondence In Burial Committee - notice of increase by

10p for coming year. Charge per Band D property £2.60 Cllr. Lorriman - provided the name of the culvert on Pighill Nook Road to facilitate NYCC arranging the culvert to be cleared.

Head Teacher Monk Fryston Primary School – Thanking us for donation following the recent criminal damage at the school SDC media release – setting out SDC approach to deliver Gypsy and Traveller pitches on Burn Airfield.

Monk Fryston Pre School – Thanking PC for £100 donation SDC –advising PC’s that the authority intend to charge for a SDC officer to attend PC meetings.

Correspondence Out Mr S Craven – request to clean and refurbish Ring Tree seat and clear and wash the flags underneath.

SDC Planning – Further objection to Wood Lane, Birkin turbines

Planning matters

incident and residents can ensure a nonoccurrence of such events by being responsible for their dogs and keeping them under control.

Cllr Tuddenham suggested that items of interest could by passed to Tony Hudson for inclusion on the web site. Ie. Problems with Ragwort.

Cllr Collinson reported that our grass cutting contractor had experienced a problem whilst working on Austfield Lane due to overhanging branches. The location was in Monk Fryston . Cllr Sadler will contact MFPC.

Reports BurialBoard Purchase Price of a burial plot to be increased to £200.

Community Association Cllr Robertson thanked Cllr Lorriman on behalf of the association for suggestion that there may be funding available from the CEF Work to make the toilets more accessible to commence shortly

Mr G Robinson Proposed conversion of integral garage to Next meeting 5 September form a granny flat and alteration existing from porch at Austin Cottage, Main Street No objections Mr P Little Reserved matter application for the erection of a detached dwelling following outline approval for erection of a detached dwelling to include access and scale on land to the rear of 2 Ashfield Villas No objection Notices of Decision Mr G Robinson Replace existing single entrance onto Main Street with two new entrances, one to Austin Cottage and one to AustinBarn Granted

Environment Cllr Sadler reported that a grounds man working on the football grounds on Stocking Lane had verbally abused residents with dogs. Because the dogs were allowed to roam and not under the direct control of their owner there was a possibility of dog fouling occurring on the field. Residents should always have full and direct control of their dogs in the football field, and keep to the designated public footpath. Lessons can be learned from this unfortunate

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LOCAL PEOPLE TO BE REMEMBERED Mrs Lowry 1920 to 2012

John Jackson 1924 to 2012

A couple of weeks after Birkin Church’s popular open day, the Parishioners have attended a Service of Thanksgiving for the life church was full again for the funeral of a retired farmer. John of Winifred Lowry. It was held at St Mary’s Church, Kirkby Jackson, the last in line of a Birkin farming family, died aged 88 Lonsdale, during July. and was buried in Birkin churchyard next to his wife, Margaret.

Winifred Lowry lived from 1920 to 26th June 2012, and John was the fourth son of Bernard Jackson and unlike the other everyone who remembers her starts with the same phrase, four men in his family served in the Second World War. Farming, ‘She was a lady.’ Bill Lowry, her husband, was Rector of Monk along with coal mining, was a reserved occupation, but the Fryston from 1946 until 1979, when he was followed by Noel authorities judged that there were already enough men to run the Tewkesbury (see last issue of Hillam News). The Rev Bill also farm without John. looked after Birkin Church for part of this time.

The family had farmed at Northfield and Home Farms, Birkin, since the 1930s. Bernard was a former postman from Olive Townend 1923 to 2012 Knottingley.

Between 1964 and 1968 John’s three brothers Mark, Bernard and William died in tragic circumstances together with Bernard senior. John sold the farm to the Huddlestones but stayed on and worked for the new owners. According to the latest owner, John still had a say about who the farm went to when the Huddlestones Olive was born in Beeston, Leeds, in 1923, the second moved on. His niece Brenda Jackson converted the barn at youngest of fourteen brothers and sisters – some of whom Common Farm, Hillam, into a home, which is now better known died very young, as was the case then. Her first job was in as Maspin House.

Burton’s where she worked until the Second World War. She joined the army and ended up at Monk Fryston Hall, which In the absence of an organist, Neville Thompson was in fine voice and led the hymn singing. The Rev George Greenough, was an army base. former vicar of Birkin, gave the funeral address. John Jackson She spent some twenty-five happy years married to Alan lived at Birkin until the end and among his activities was keeping Wood, until his untimely death in the 1960s. She was a the churchyard grass trimmed. cleaner for various people including the then vicar Rev Bill Lowry, and undoubtedly ran a duster over the pews of St Wilfrid’s. Olive was married by Bill Lowry in 1972 to sec- Hillam Lights 100 Club winners ond husband Horace, a widower from across the road. They were well known residents of the Monk Fryston community July – often seen together at Luncheon Club, which they loved, 1st (£20) - Bentley Proctor (no 99) because it served proper food. After Horace’s death in 1999 2nd (£10) - Sandra and Brian Plows (no 82) Olive again readjusted to life alone, living in the flat which 3rd (£5) - Anthea Hardwick Thwaites (no 76) had been hers for fifty-eight years.

The funeral has taken place in St Wilfrid’s of Olive Townend, who lived in Mill Close for many years. The service was led by the Rev John Hetherington, to whom we are grateful for the following notes.

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SELBY DISTRICT JOBS FAIR 2012 498 jobs on offer in Selby District On 4th October a Jobs Fair organised by Nigel Adams MP will be held at Selby College. With just over a week to go there are 498 job opportunities that have been identified, and the number is rising. So far 40 companies have booked and more bookings are expected in the run-up to the event.

Some of the companies which will be there

Blue arrow

200 distribution jobs

The Jobs Fair is free both for companies seeking staff and for people seeking a job CADDICK GROUP Work experience and will be held in the sports hall of the Jubilee Building at Selby College. If you have never been to the college before, it’s worth going: it is a very impressive Canineinsights Expert course college with a campus setting. To find the Jobs Fair simply follow the signs to the college from the Three Lakes shopping centre near the Staynor Hall development on DOOSAN Power 50+ apprenticeships the A1041 into Selby. There is parking on site.

More than just a Jobs Fair

Drax Power 5 job vacancies

While the majority of companies which will be attending the Jobs Fair have jobs to be filled, there will also be help and guidance for job seekers. This includes free EURES Europa 50 jobs in Europe seminars on CV writing and interview techniques and information about apprenticeships, with some companies offering apprenticeship opportunities. You Forever living Be an agent will be able to talk to people who set up their own business, find opportunities for work experience and apprenticeships as well as the jobs on offer. The range of jobs is impressive, with almost every business sector in the Selby area represented: from Heineken Staff for future project technical jobs requiring considerable expertise through to jobs which require an enthusiastic and committed approach to work, but no previous experience.

Knottingley Power Major project

A look to the future The 498 jobs are those which employers are seeking to fill now or in the near future. Lindum York 50+ jobs in construction If you are looking for a job, these are the ones that you want to find - the jobs that you can apply for now. In addition to these there will be employers who are Training provider planning major projects in the area and will need to be recruiting when the projects Running the seminars at the event get underway. Projects like the new gas-fired power station at Knottingley, which will need nearly 1,000 construction workers and 50 people to run it when it is Wilf Ward Family Trust operational. Yorkshire Potash will be present, and while the mine will be near to Whitby it does provide another opportunity for construction workers and people with mining experience. It’s about providing you with an opportunity to talk to them York teaching Hospital 20 jobs and to get your name down early.

Renovo

Making it easier to get to work - transport links Sherburn industrial estate is thriving, and in the run-up to Christmas Blue Arrow are seeking 200 people to work in the warehouse from which Debenhams do their distribution. As part of the wider strategy to help people in Selby District get jobs in Selby District, a new bus service has been introduced - see page 11.

Looking further into the future, the train line between Leeds and Selby is to be electrified, bringing an improved service. All part of the strategy to improve the economic prospects for the district.

Meadow Lodge Care home Selby College Courses and training Jobs Fair sponsors

Job CentrePlus Jobs Fair sponsors

What to expect if you come to the Jobs Fair You can come at any time during the day from 9.30 am to about 2.30 pm. The event closes at 3 pm. On entry you will be asked to register and will be given a guide to the companies and what they have to offer. If you are looking for a certain type of job you will know where to go, and which companies are most likely to have something that might suit you. Some exhibitors will be displaying information about their business and upcoming projects, while others will be seeking to recruit staff to fill current vacancies. Others will be providing short talks in a seminar room. The event is an opportunity for you to talk to companies in a relaxed environment.

Having visited the Jobs Fair, you will certainly have a much greater awareness of companies in Selby District and hopefully will have found job opportunities that look attractive to you.

BOARDING KENNELS AND CATTERY Common Lane, South Milford, Leeds, LS25 5BX Come and see our spacious purpose-built accommodation “YOUR PET’S HOLIDAY HOME” Phone Kathryn Parkin on 01977 685404 Open 9 am - 6 pm daily VISITORS WELCOME

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CRIME AND CRIME PREVENTION IN HILLAM Selby Area crime report Selby area is a low crime area. A big factor in reducing the crime rate even further is observation and awareness on the part of people living in the area and a willingness to report suspicious activity. While you should never put yourself at risk, it is important when reporting a crime or suspicious activity to provide as much information as possible - for example the registration number and type of any vehicle involved.

A description of the suspects is also important and could be no more than a brief description of what they are wearing. This enables the police to identify the suspects.

The reports of crime we provide in Hillam News should help you understand what types of crime are being committed and what might be suspicious activity.

Domestic burglary - PCSO Dion Wood issues warning We have had eleven burglaries in Selby District where villages have been targeted, with one burglary in Hillam and one in Monk Fryston. Most of the burglaries have been taking place in the afternoon between 12.00 and 17.00 when residents are out of their properties. Please make sure you leave your home secure, closing all windows and checking that your window locks are working. Offenders have been gaining entry to properties usually via the rear garden. Ensure property is secure and any high value items, especially jewellery, are locked away and out of sight.

On Sunday 26th August a house burglary occurred between 12.00 and 17.00 hours at Deer Park, Monk Fryston. A number of items were taken, including jewellery. Other recent incidents have been in Burton Salmon, Drax and Hambleton.

We are currently running Operation Haven which is North

Please remain vigilant and report anything suspicious to Yorkshire Police’s response to the increase in crime in the North Yorkshire Police on the 101 number, or in an villages. There will be increased patrols in all the villages around emergency on 999. the peak times when the crimes have occurred.

Cash machines - keep your eyes open

Bogus officials

There have been reports from across the Selby District of males purporting to be utility officials. They target elderly home owners asking to read meters etc, in order to gain entry to homes. We should like to remind you to use your door chains when answering the door, and never to let anyone you don’t know into your house. Never leave your keys in the door lock and, where possible, keep doors and windows locked. Use the Nominated Neighbour Scheme to deter unwanted callers. Details If you believe you may be a victim of a skimming device you should contact your bank. In the meantime, officers have repeated of this scheme can be obtained from police stations. advice that the most important thing is to cover your hand while typing in your PIN. Without your PIN, thieves have limited Lampers and dog men opportunity to use the card. Thieves use very sophisticated technology, and skimming devices are often very difficult to spot. Now that the wheat has been harvested the lampers and dog men are back. Fields close to Hillam where next year’s crops had They will often be made to fit in with the design of the machine already been sown were driven over at 4.30 am on 17th they are attached to. The camera is usually stored in a strip of September. While much reduced on last year, such incidents metal or plastic which looks like trim and is often coloured to should still be reported, especially where there is crop damage. match the machine.

Police are warning members of the public to be vigilant when using cash machines. The warning comes after a camera and card-skimming device were recovered from a cash machine at a post office in Scarborough. The device was discovered by a member of the public who tried to use the machine. It is unknown how long it had been in place.

The devices consist of a card-reader placed over the slot, which records your card’s details, and a tiny camera which records your PIN as you type it in. In some cases a cover which can also record your PIN is placed over the keypad. Please report to the police any suspicions you have about a cash machine, and details of the premises in which it is based.

Thefts from unattended vehicles In the last few weeks Selby District has had a number of thefts from unattended vehicles, some in local beauty spots whilst owners walked their dogs. Criminals are targeting vehicles which have sat nav units, or any type of item left unattended. Keep all items out of sight and ensure the vehicle is locked at all times.

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SCHOOL REPORTS Welcome to a new school year!

Burton Salmon CP School Happy learning for a healthy future

All the children have settled back into the routine and seem quite serene in their new Welcome back to our new school year, and a special classes. They all look so much taller; I can’t welcome to all our new pupils: Sophie, Neo, Macey, believe what a difference six weeks makes!

Brandon, Elliot and Reuben in Reception, and Courtney We welcome two new members of staff: Mr Price, teacher in Year 4, who joins our Year 5. Also, we welcome Miss Teri Kiely, and Mrs Cole, teaching assistant in Year 2. We have admitted a few our new teaching assistant. new children too and our current roll is 204.

We are enjoying an active and busy half term with plenty of Chickens will be arriving in school over the next few weeks! We have exciting activities and projects throughout school. We had a received a generous grant from First Direct to pay for the chicken run wonderful morning on 14th September with Animals in and chickens, and we are all very excited and looking forward to our Tuition, who brought tarantulas, giant snails, snakes, lizards new arrivals. and more for the children to study.

We have also applied for a lottery grant through Awards for All, to We have curriculum-based visits planned for this half term: regenerate the garden area at the back of the school. Watch this space! Class 1 pupils are continuing their studies on Science, Art, Healthy Eating and reconnecting children with food We have recently heard that our Comenius application has been production, and will be visiting Stockbridge Research successful. This means that we are starting a project called Through Centre, to gain experience of digging, planting and our eyes with nine schools in Europe. Mrs Law and Miss Otter will be harvesting crops. In October, Class 1 will visit Abbey visiting our new partner school in Prague in October to get the project House Museum as part of our project work on homes in the started. This is a British Council programme, and some of you will past, and comparing toys we play with now with those of remember previous projects we have been involved in. More days gone by. information will follow after the Prague meeting.

As a result of our international work we have been accredited for the third time with the International School Award. This is a prestigious award for schools which have sustained international links over time and, for us, that is the last ten years.

We will be running a two-day Bikeability course in October for Year 5 and 6 pupils. This is an excellent course which helps develop road awareness.

Mrs Rylah has held her first Healthy Eating after-school club. Pupils made delicious healthy snacks such as pineFinally, I want to tell you that this will be my last year as head teacher apple upside-down cake, flatbread with potato and apple at Monk Fryston Primary School. It has been (and still is!) a pleasure and a great privilege to lead this school and so this year will be a very salad, and cowboy pie! Mrs Rylah will be inviting pupils from other year groups to take part throughout the year. emotional one for me. Don’t be surprised then to see me with tissues and red eyes from time to time! The governors will be working very We have had a lot of improvements done during the hard over the next few months to make a new appointment. summer holidays. The whole school has been painted outside, new carpets fitted inside and an all-weather surface Carole Middleton with sound shapes in the Key Stage 1 outdoor area, which the children really enjoy. Some of this work has been funded by the Friends of Burton Salmon School, and we are grateful to the committee members who work so hard and to everyone who has contributed. I am sure you will agree that all the pupils will benefit from these improvements. Thank you to Mrs Cameron who has worked hard with our pupils to recreate the fabulous apple logo on the dining hall wall.

We have had so many lovely comments and it really gives a welcome to all our visitors.

Plans for our Harvest Festival celebrations are already underway. The celebrations will take place in Burton Salmon Village Hall on Friday 12th October, and all parents, carers, friends and family are invited to join us. We hope to see you there!

D Andrews

10

FARMING - IT’S BEEN A DIFFICULT YEAR Wet 2012 will delay 2013 crops

Local lamb gets top marks

Oilseed rape needs to be sown in August to achieve best yields and quality. It typically follows winter wheat in a crop rotation, and on 1st September the bulk of the wheat crop was so late that it remained unharvested. Rape can be sown in spring but yields are potentially lower.

If you want to try local organic lamb you have to get your name down early. This is probably even more important this year than last, when Monk Fryston Organics first started to sell their local lamb to special order. It has the benefit of being a local product, and word has spread that the quality and flavour are excellent.

The lambs are currently grazing on land down Monk Fryston Common and over at Fairburn, where they enjoy a good view over the nature reserve.

At Thorpe Willoughby a crop of winter barley on sand, which is normally combined at the time of the Yorkshire Show, was still standing the last week of July. The same farmer still had all his wheat and some spring barley standing ready to combine on 1st September.

The wettest year in a hundred has caused all sorts of problems for farmers: sodden fields unable to bear the combine, extra costs for fuel and drying, and problems with grain quality. Producing bread wheat is a marginal activity in northern England and this year the quality is so bad in some parts of the country that it will be difficult to register the crop even for biscuits. If you examine a handful of wheat, there is only one destination for the shrivelled grains – animal feed.

You might ask what that has to do with the quality of the meat.

A good question, but Mandy who runs the business is convinced that if the lambs have a good outdoor life the quality and flavour reflect this. Having bought half a lamb last year, I can vouch for the quality. It is delivered in individual packages and is ready to use immediately, or you can pop it into your freezer.

We put our order in at about this time last year and it was delivered just before Christmas. The nice thing about buying lamb in this way is that you can say how you would like it cut. They have a standard approach, so After a nerve-racking summer that wasn’t, along came the Indian you don’t need to get into summer at the start of September. The combines were out and such technicalities if you working long into the night. Fortunately Selby area wasn’t the don’t want to. However, this worst hit by the wet weather over summer, and farmers are is meat for a special occasion and you might decide to have a full reporting a reasonably good yield of wheat, in spite of the late leg, for example. We decided to have rack of lamb for our harvest.

Christmas lunch and had the rack prepared for us.

Now that the wheat has been harvested, the rush is on to bale Overall we were delighted with our purchase last year and have the straw, clear the fields and plough ready for planting next already placed our order again this year. The meat has a good year’s crop. Needless to say, within hours of the combine leaving flavour, excellent texture and very little fat. There is also the some of the fields, the dog men were back, competing to kill as added satisfaction that this is a local product. many hares as possible. Arrests have already been made, including one gang which was stopped in Monk Fryston near the Howard Ferguson post office.

Your correspondent is watching a field of spring-sown beans down Hillam Common. This is always a late crop. In the best of years it is not combined until at least mid-September, but the crop shows little sign of dying off – it goes black – and the combine will have to wait at least until into October. In the past there were years when beans just didn’t finish at all, but I presume that the use of new varieties will obviate this.

While farmers have suffered delays, increased costs and damaged crops, the cloud does have a silver lining. Droughts in the United States and other grain-producing areas have caused wheat prices to rocket and £190.00 per tonne is available, even for feed wheat, with a lot more for milling samples.

Farmer and stockbreeder

11

ALL SET TO GO THE EXTRA MILE OR TWO Church walk

New bus service linked to 250 new jobs

Employers at the Selby Jobs Fair on 4th October (see separate article) will be hoping to fill around 400 jobs. Of these nearly 250 will be on the Sherburn industrial estate. To make it easy for Due to popular demand, we revisit Clumber Park. View the lake, people living in Selby or along the route to Sherburn to get to River Poulter, the church dedicated to the Duke of Newcastle, the work for early or late shifts, a new Arriva bus service has been lime tree avenue approach into the park and, of course, the café. introduced between Selby and Sherburn industrial estate.

Various walks are possible in the park, from one mile upwards, Nigel Adams MP met with Arriva in August when the service so all abilities can be catered for. was first proposed and said he was delighted that it had been Clumber Park is National Trust, so there is an entrance fee of introduced so quickly. The new service means that people living £5.80 per car. in Selby have a direct link to these new job opportunities. The route will operate via Thorpe Willoughby, Hambleton, Monk To get to the park take the A1 south, continue on the Doncaster Fryston, South Milford, Sherburn centre and then to the bypass A1(M) until you come to the A614 turn-off to Ollerton/ industrial estate. The service is designed to enable people to get Nottingham road, continue on this road for 300 yards, then turn to work in Sherburn for a shift starting at 6 am, and for those on into the park. It is well signposted. Allow about 45 minutes. a late shift to return to Selby at 10 pm. It also provides an early Please bring food and a drink, and wear suitable clothing for the bus into Selby in the mornings. day. Any queries, please contact Paddy or Stuart on 684180.

Selby Bus Station 0515 2115 Thorpe Willoughby 0523 2123 Local milestone Hambleton Gateforth Lane 0525 2125 It started at Monk Fryston Time Team, when Dave Williams from Monk Fryston Water Lane 0533 2133 0538 2138 the Milestone Society gave a presentation on his favourite subject. South Milford Sand Lane Sherburn Cross Roads 0540 2140 The two groups then got together to plan the recovery of the milestone on the Betteras Hill section of the A162. With the help Sherburn Industrial Estate 0545 2145 of Cyril Pickup, Ray Newton and Stuart Wroe and with the Sherburn Industrial Estate 0615 2215 backing of Burton Salmon Parish Council, a work party recovered Sherburn-in-Elmet 0620 2220 the 1893 milestone from a field and re-erected it beside the South Milford Station 0622 2222 highway. The stone was originally laid by the newly formed West Monk Fryston Square 0627 2227 Riding County Council, one of whose early tasks was to make and Hambleton Gateforth Lane 0635 2235 measure the county’s roads.

Thorpe Willoughby Fox Lane 0637 2237 Selby Bus Station 0645 2245 Further up the hill, in Hillam parish, is an earlier milestone displaying the distance to London (180 miles), which dates back to the Doncaster to Tadcaster Turnpike, 1758.

Theatre lunches at Monk Fryston Hall

Saturday 28th October 2012 Clumber Park, North Nottinghamshire

with the Library Theatre Touring Company The digger, from JP Plant, was driven by David Foster. Milestone Society members, including Jeremy Howat, were last seen wire Sunday 14 October 2012 DOUBLE VISION brushing and preparing to paint the milestone.

by Eric Chappell and directed by David Sinfield Sunday 18 November 2012

WEEKEND BREAK

by John Godber 2-course lunch and theatre £23.00 per person – arrive for 1.30 pm – ends 5.45 pm approx Murder Mystery Dinners Join us for an evening with a twist: Friday 9 November 2012 MURDER ON THE PISTE Murder mystery and dinner £38.50 per person Or including bed and breakfast from £89.50 per person

12

THE COMMUNITY CENTRE - ANNUAL REVIEW Spending the money we raised It was the month before the Olympics when it rained everywhere except Monk Fryston and Hillam. We celebrated the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, Olympic Torch visit, the Summer Fayre - in fine style and glorious weather. We also raised a lot of money.

We hope everyone will be pleased to know that since then the Committee has been spending the money on making further improvements in the Centre’s facilities. The gents’ toilet has been refurbished and reconfigured to provide an additional toilet, while additional racking has been installed in the storage sheds as a result of the increasing use of the Centre by community user groups. Further good news was received in early September. The CA was informed that its bid for a grant from Selby Western Area Community Engagement Forum (CEF) for a much needed replacement car park drain had been successful. The £1,000 grant towards the project, which includes replacing the severely cracked and sunken footpath, should enable the work to be completed before the winter. As a result we hope that Centre users will no longer have to wear waders to walk from the car park to the entrance, nor run the risk of parking in a deep pool in wet weather, nor risk an icy, slippery walk in winter.

Remember, remember Friday 2nd November – the Village Bonfire Friday nights are family nights and this year the CA will be staging its free, family, Village Bonfire at the Community Centre.

Our Bonfire is organised by Adults for Kids and the Young at Heart. Come along and have your tea and/or a drink and enjoy yourself with friends and neighbours. We need more help every year as the Bonfire becomes more popular. If you would like to have some fun and help in some way (building the Bonfire, letting off fireworks, BBQing, or something else) just contact Ray Newton (682084), Ian Woods (683261) or Jane Field (680845). It’s great fun; don’t be shy; gives us a call – now!

Developing the Community Association

A key part of the development of the Community Association has been the commitment of members to lead user groups and provide community services to increase the access of villagers to the Centre. After 6 very successful years the ‘coffee break’ team of Pauline Forbes and Kath Ratcliffe and led by Susan Noone decided it was time to give way to new, younger blood to take over. We thank the team for opening the doors to the Centre on Fridays from Easter to Hallowe’en every year and showing off our facilities. We are fortunate that Karen Newbon is leading a New roles, new faces The Chairman, Ray Newton, and retiring Treasurer, Ken Cooper, new team and continuing this popular weekly event. reported to the AGM that the past year had been very successful The CA Committee has met monthly, supported by ad hoc project in almost every aspect. Ray paid tribute to and thanked retiring teams. In November we formally reviewed the Association’s secretary Tony Hudson, who now takes up the role of Honorary aims, which were reconfirmed: Life President in recognition of his 45 years of continuous service • To identify, create and nurture socially inclusive interest to the Community Association, and to Ken who is standing down groups and activities after 10 years as Treasurer but is also staying on the Committee • To hold fundraising events for the purpose of providing as Purchasing Manager. funds to support new and existing groups and enhance the In addition, Ray welcomed new officers to the Committee. Jane Centre and playground Field takes on the role of Secretary, Trish Birch is the new To increase the use of the existing Community Centre by Treasurer and Sarah Force becomes Publicity Manager. A second • improving the existing facilities new role has been created as Kristina Megolla takes on the task of developing and managing the soon-to-be-launched Community Association website, which we hope will become the place to see Your Parish Council needs you yourself having fun whilst raising funds for the continued Once again we need a new Parish Councillor. Sadly we have development of your Community Centre and playground. Look lost the services of Nick Sheppard from our Parish Council, out for further announcements about the website launch. which therefore now requires another member.

Parish Councils agree to help finance the Community Association Discussions have been held with the Monk Fryston and Hillam Parish Councils to request their financial support for the facilities which the CA provides for the use of village residents. These proved to be fruitful as MFPC have agreed to provide £1,500 pa from April 2012, and Hillam PC offered support through application to them for grants towards specific items. We thank them for their support.

Consequently, yet again we ask the questions: Are you interested in helping maintain and develop the quality of life in our lovely village?

Can you commit yourself to regular attendance at our monthly meetings? If the answers are yes, then your Parish Council would welcome you.

Please send a letter of introduction to your Parish Council Clerk, Malcolm Walton, 52a Ainderby Road, Romanby, Northallerton, DL7 8HG.

13

YORKSHIRE DAY - HOW DID YOU CELEBRATE? Exiled on Yorkshire Day

U3A supper evening

This year we found ourselves obliged to spend the whole of Yorkshire Day outside God’s Own County. On 1st August we gratefully grasped our one and only opportunity to see an Olympic event. Were it not for our daughter-in-law, who had taken pity on us and given us tickets to watch a session in the Aquatics Centre, we would have been like Cinderella and stayed at home. We delightedly joined the gathering of the clan in Hertford, our base for forays into world-class spectator sport.

Celebrating in the magnificent gardens of Maspin House, Hillam, members of the U3A After Hours Group and the wider organisation helped to make this yet another successful evening.

Despite our joint efforts, we had been unsuccessful in acquiring a single child ticket. So the youngest person present was the only one unable to participate but, at oneand-a-half, he declared himself not too bothered – and he will have other chances. We organised a babysitting rota and sallied forth in twos.

Afterwards, thanks to the culinary skills of some members, came a delicious array of homemade desserts. There was a Yorkshire Quiz to tease the brain and a Wild Animal Trail for the more adventurous, before the heavens opened, forcing us to race for cover, bringing our evening to an early close.

Our own event, the men’s synchronised springboard final, lasted just 75 minutes, but the thrill of witnessing a competition between the best on the planet easily compensated for the brevity of our allotted slot. Although there was no medal for Britain we absorbed the elation of the nearby contingent of Chinese girls, who were understandably incapable of containing themselves when their country won gold. Empathic pleasure – despite the anomaly that one of us has the dubious distinction of being probably the most sport-dispassionate person in the county!

While in the Olympic Park we managed a brief get-together with friends who were there on the same day to see hockey and basketball. We had had qualms about the only convenient meeting place possibly being the muchadvertised biggest McDonald’s in the world. However our fears were unfounded, as the throngs of thousands were well catered for with every kind of cuisine, and so we shared a civilised picnic overlooking the riverside walk.

On subsequent days, others in our house party enjoyed more diving, the women’s marathon and athletics aplenty.

But the pièce de résistance was a pair of tickets for the final and momentous rowing session, which yielded three British prizes: not only two golds but also, after a turbulent race, a bittersweet silver medal. Sitting directly opposite the finish line, poncho-clad to counter the downpours, for our family oarsman this was an unforgettable birthday present.

Summer and the Olympics seem a very long time ago now.

Even so, we have no difficulty in remembering what the household had for tea on 1st August: it was Yorkshire pud.

Jenny and Stuart Hoare

The weather was kind, but not generous. .

On arrival we enjoyed a glass of Pimm’s while we admired the garden, then met together to hear some Yorkshire prose (thanks to Susan and Alison) and toast All things Yorkshire, before sitting down to a real Yorkshire Ploughman’s Supper (all local produce, of course!).

Yorkshire - the greatest county on earth May we reflect, before we have a bite, Whoever we are of poverty or wealth, Providing we’ve our marbles and reasonable health, That our life can be iconic, if we can say our birth Was in the Ridings of this particular part of Earth.

It is a passport for life, a kind of genetic ID That says decent and honest, hard work and integrity.

Adam was a Yorkshireman as, of course, was Eve. Jesus was born here and I’m led to believe That Moses and Samson were found in the dark On the marshes near Goole, in the bar of Noah's Ark. For history began in Yorkshire, with Daedalus and Icarus too: They flew down the A1 with Hadrian before the link to the M62.

Fast-forward a few centuries, through John Harrison and Capt Cook, Mention Wilberforce the Slaviour and the odd Brontë and Herriot book, Touch on the Tetley’s, the Taylor’s, the Smith’s (Sam’s and John’s) And you realise this county is wall-to-wall with icons.

Whether you just live here, or it is the place of your birth, Let’s thank God for the greatest county on earth.

14

LATE SEASON VIEW FROM THE BOUNDARY So the cricket season has finished, and what a season it has been in more ways than one. It has been the wettest summer for a hundred years, which has seriously affected cricket matches being played up and down the county. Hillam 1st XI lost 30% of matches, Hillam 2nd XI 28% and our Evening League side 28%. In total the club lost 28% of all matches due to the weather. Of course, there has been a financial shortfall in match day income: this summer saw a 14% deficit in match day income over last year.

On a more serious note, the costs for ground repairs and maintenance have risen by 42% because of equipment failure – breakdowns trying to deal with the wet ground. How Mike Allison managed to produce decent wickets for match days was quite miraculous.

A huge thank you, Mike.

The club has been very fortunate in acquiring the services of Toni Janik, who many of you will know was a doctor at the South Milford practice until he retired. He has been a tremendous help as part of the groundsmen team.

From a cricketing point of view, the destiny of our teams went very much to the wire.

With two matches to play, our 1st XI managed to consolidate their position in Division 2, finishing seventh overall. Congratulations to Will Vaks and his team. Our 2nd XI had to wait until the last game of the season to see who stays up and who goes down. They unfortunately lost to South Milford “A” and were thus relegated to Division 6. Eric Frankland and his men will bounce back next season I am sure. Ian Patrick and his Evening League team managed a creditable fifth in the league.

The legacy and the Gamesmakers I, like many millions, watched the Olympic and Paralympic Games filled with such pride and emotion of what Team GB and Team ParaGB had achieved. It was absolutely magnificent. Some of our club members went to the games, and Phil and Jeanette Laycock were Gamesmakers. You may well ask what this has to do with Hillam & Monk Fryston Cricket Club. In a very small way it has a lot to do with the club. What has the club achieved in the last five years? It has gone from Division 5 to Division 2 in consecutive years and stayed in Division 2 this season. It completed the building of a magnificent new pavilion last year. This season it started junior cricket after a long gap but thanks to three members, Steve Sadler, Will Vaks and Adrian Joynson achieving the ECB Level 2 Coaching Award. That is the club’s legacy, which now has to be developed further to provide a better standard of cricket on the field, raising the profile of junior cricket and developing the ground to provide an even better asset for the community to use and enjoy. How are we going to achieve this? We need “Gamesmakers”. These will be people in the community who can volunteer their services to help run the club, on match days, at fundraising events, with ground or building maintenance, as well as janitorial duties. If you feel that you have time and an interest in helping out at the club, please get in touch. You don’t need to know anything about cricket but your contribution is very important and can make all the difference.

Future events AGM: this will be held on Thursday 1st November 2012 at the Crown Inn at 7.30 pm.

Members and non-members are invited.

Annual Dinner and Presentation Night: this will be held at the Best Western Plus Milford Hotel in the Watermill Restaurant on Saturday 24th November 2012, 6.45 pm for 7.15 pm. Tickets are £30 per head for a 3-course dinner including a disco. Contact Kate Vaks on 07747 045060 for further details.

Club facts and stats: visit the club’s website at www.hmfcc.co.uk.

Your support and help are important to the club.

You can contact me on 07787 117 650 or email me on tonuvaks@tiscali.co.uk.

Tonu Vaks

Chairman, H&MFCC

15

2012 HIGH POINTS IN THE GARDEN Garden open day - thanks for the support Our garden open day at the end of July was a great success and the sun shone for us: what a relief. Altogether 365 people came to the garden and we raised £1,600 for the Macmillan Cancer Relief and Marie Curie Nursing charities. Barkston Ash School, who did the teas, raised £450 for their funds, so financially it was very rewarding. Howard and I had a lovely time walking round and chatting to visitors. It is such a pleasure for us to see people enjoying the garden and it did look terrific on the day: all our hard work paid off. It is always nerve-racking to open the garden to visitors who pay, especially this year with so many events rained off. At times we thought we would have to cancel, so we were really thrilled that the weather was perfect. Our thanks to all those in the village who supported us.

Annual meadow Over last winter I dug out an old plum tree in the orchard and cleared some rather weedy planting around it. I intended to extend my meadow area but wanted to clear it of weeds first, so I looked for some easy annuals to provide colour for the year, as the garden was open in July for the National Garden Scheme.

The area is about 3 by 3 metres.

I decided on the Sarah Raven annual meadow mix as the list of plants included sounded perfect, and it was. In April I dug out all the perennial weeds that had grown and raked the area. I left it a week, hoed off the weeds which had germinated and sowed the mix in late April. The seeds germinated very quickly and I could soon spot interesting seedlings and some weeds. I had left a diagonal path through and used this to pull out obvious weeds, mostly sow thistle and groundsel. I was a bit worried by the hot spell in May but the rain in June perked them up and they were off. By late June I was delighted by the colourful and dainty linaria maroccana Sweetie which appeared all over. By July there were cornflowers in blue and pink, Shirley and California

poppies, red linum, gypsophila and ammi majus. There were still some sow thistles thrusting up and a few others.

I tiptoed carefully round and pulled out what I could reach but by August it was so packed with colour you wouldn’t notice. As I write this in September, coreopsis and larkspur have arrived and the cornflower, ammi and red linum still have some flowers. There are also a few rudbeckia plants, but these are too solid and I will take them out later. I have been really pleased with the effect for very little effort and would recommend it to anyone with a spare bit of ground.

New tools make pruning easy Early this year I found a website called Niwaki which sold Japanese pruning tools. I have always found my Felco secateurs’ catch annoying, and decided to try the Okatsume secateurs described as ‘life-changing’ by Bunny Guinness, a gold medal Chelsea gardener. They are fantastic, light and easy to use, with a very positive action, and the catch is much better than the Felco’s. I have used them extensively all year and my Felco secateurs are now relegated to my ‘greenhouse’ pair. I was amused to see Monty Don on Gardeners’ World using the same ones; they have distinctive handles, one red and one white.

While perusing the website I noticed their extensive range of pruning saws and bought a Silky Gomtara. This is an amazing piece of kit; it is very light and cuts on the pull stroke and is effortless to use. I used to have to wait for Howard to do my heavier pruning, but now I can easily cut branches of 4 or 5 inches and it has made me much more independent. They are quite expensive at £30 for the secateurs and £43 for the pruning saw, but they are worth every penny to me as I use them with pleasure all the time.

Susan Ferguson

16

LONDON 2012 – A GAMESMAKERS’ VIEW In November 2011 we were both Fit camp tips. Are you feeling excited to be chosen to be inspired by the Olympics ?

Gamesmakers (volunteers) for After a fantastic time watching the Olympic and Paralympic the 2012 London Olympics.

Prior to this, we had completed online applications and attended interviews at Warwick University. From a total of 250,000 applicants, 70,000 were chosen. We were allocated to the Event Services Team in the Common Domain of the Olympic Park. During our training programme over a period of six months, which consisted of Orientation Training at Wembley Arena, Role Training at Hackney and Venue Training at the Olympic Park, we understood the Common Domain to be any area of the Olympic Park other than inside the arenas, and that our roles would involve any required interaction with the general public.

Our first day in the Park was Monday 30th July, and after an excitement-induced sleepless night we arrived early morning, dressed in our now well-known Gamesmaker uniforms, and ready for work. There had been negative media coverage about transport and security prior to the Opening Ceremony, but we were delighted to find all the fears were unfounded as the transport system coped well and the armed forces dealt with the crowds at the main gates in a polite and friendly manner and, more importantly, without any queues. This meant that at our first point of contact with the spectators, ticket scanning at the gate, they were all smiling and excited about the day ahead.

We were very lucky to work in most areas of the Park, as our roles were defined at check-in each day and the check-in staff were at pains to vary our days. Most of the time we were at opposite ends of the Park, giving us plenty to talk about on our way back to the hotel. We spent our shifts scanning tickets, marshalling crowds, helping with directions or information generally, and of course taking hundreds of photographs for grateful spectators. With athletes, both past and present, and other celebrities frequenting the Park, each day was a new adventure and we never knew who we would meet next.

athletes compete in the 2012 Games, have you been inspired to start a new fitness regime? Walking 10,000 steps a day is recommended to keep you fit, burning on average 500 calories a day. If you were to walk this distance every day you would lose about a pound a week, since one pound equals 3,500 calories.

Snack smart diet - be healthier and happier.

If weight loss is your goal, don’t overdo your fruit portions.

Fruit may be low in fat but it’s high in sugar. The insulin reaction caused by sugar, whether from a biscuit or a banana, triggers the process that stores energy in fat cells. Try getting the majority of your calories from protein, such as lean meat, oily fish, avocados, nuts and seeds. Limit fruit to one piece a day, and get the rest of your five-a-day from non-starchy vegetables.

Stabilise your blood sugar by cutting out refined carbs and sugars and eating more protein-rich foods at each meal. Add omega-3 foods like nuts, seeds and oily fish, and it would be surprising if your mood didn’t improve.

TOP 10 GOOD MOOD FOODS

Curry ☺ Dark green leafy veg ☺ Whole-grain carbs Red peppers ☺ Organic meat ☺ Mackerel ☺ Beans Blueberries ☺ Oranges ☺ Eggs night and a safe journey. We seemed to have given millions of “high fives” over the course of the two weeks to everyone, of every age, and from every country. We regularly received quite emotive messages of thanks such as “Thank you for making us so proud,” and from one 7-year-old, “Thank you for making this the best day of my life.” Wow, how do you answer that?

The brilliant atmosphere continued outside the Park, as we were instantly recognised by our uniforms. People wanted to talk to us and ask questions about the Games, especially on our way home on the tube. Whilst we were walking to the car, passing motorists would toot their horns and wave, and on one late night, all the The Park, which was massive (45 minutes’ walk from one side to occupants of a bar came dashing to the windows to cheer and the other), itself enhanced the marvellous atmosphere as all the wave. On reflection, maybe the drink had something to do with venues looked superb, especially at night, and the rest of the that, but still very special.

Park, including Park Live (an enormous double-sided screen Our final shift was on the night of the Closing Ceremony and we showing live events) was beautifully designed and stunningly created. The huge beds of wild flowers along the river paths and left the Park very tired but very proud, having been able to have an input into such a momentous event, and with so many such novelties as a waterfall that spelt words brought great admiration from spectators. Even for us, who had become some- fabulous memories, which we shall cherish for ever. what accustomed to the surroundings, there was never a day that Onwards and upwards now to Glasgow 2014, for which we have passed when we didn’t see or learn something new. So by the end already applied. of each night the spectators, whether they had been to a venue or not, were still flying high. Our role was to wish everyone a good Jeanette and Phil Laycock

Late season bargains Get ready for winter - logs and coal

17

WIND FARMS ARE MOVING IN ON HILLAM Birkin pilgrimage

Cleek Hall approved at appeal

The approval of Cleek Hall by the Inspector, David Pinner, has been well reported in the press, but you may not be aware of his bias towards turbines and his poor opinion of our countryside.

He describes turbines as: sleek, aerodynamic structures with clean lines and a sculptural quality…...the relatively slow turning of the And now for the serious bit - the objective was to show people three-bladed large turbines can be quite mesmerising. what pleasant countryside we have around here and what treas- Perhaps the most telling comment is: “The landscape is therefore ures are to be found in our villages. If you did the walk, were you overlain to an extent by electricity generation and distribution aware that you passed within a few metres of the site for a single development, so the proposed turbines would not be seen entirely wind turbine which will be going up in the near future? While out of context.” In other words, turbines can be added because of only half the height of those proposed on Woodlane it will still be the other power-generating infrastructure - no recognition of the higher than the pylons that you also passed en route. This is just need to preserve any open countryside between the existing and the start of large-scale development of our countryside over the other power station now being proposed for the area. next few years, unless we can do something about energy policy.

While it was a bad day for Selby we must move on. We now know This turbine is one of 12 farm turbines already approved by that it is essential for stopwoodlane to hire experts, including a Selby planners. With a 500KW capacity it will receive about good barrister to argue the case at an appeal. This, of course, is £250,000 per year subsidy, paid by electricity consumers, paid expensive and will need a fundraising activity when the time even if the farmer uses all the power himself. It’s a nice deal for comes. Thanks to generous donations so far and a frugal approach, a farmer, but not exactly sustainable. How many can we afford we still have money in the kitty. But if we need to hire experts we to subsidise at this level? Not only is the subsidy generous, it is will be looking at a totally different requirement for funds. guaranteed to rise with inflation. Subsidy paid to wind farms and large turbines is now running at £1,000 million per year and set First we must get Woodlane wind farm rejected by Selby planners, with robust reasons that can be defended when it goes to appeal. to grow.

There is so much money to be made from wind farms that developers almost always appeal. We will be ready.

Wind farms are as well as - not

I hope the 45 walkers all enjoyed the pilgrimage walk.

The weather was perfect and it was a great opportunity to meet people from other villages. It received excellent coverage from the Selby Times.

instead of - the power stations Let’s face it: the big power stations are not exactly pretty, and few people like them. But they are here to stay for the simple reason that they generate huge amounts of power. EU legislation on emissions maybe forcing them to change, but at the end of the day we will still be looking at large power stations around Selby.

The reason is obvious: if you wanted to replace Drax with wind farms the same size as Cleek Hall (5 giant industrial turbines) you would need over 1,000 of them, and still need power stations running on standby in case the wind dropped.

The line-up for Selby District now comprises: Drax - conversion to 100% biomass Eggborough - conversion to biomass or closure Ferrybridge - new waste incinerator to go on site Knottingley - new gas-fired power station in planning Knottingley - another waste incinerator that has been proposed Then the wind farms: Rusholme - 12 medium-sized turbines operational Cleek Hall - 5 large turbines now approved Hook Moor - 5 large turbines approved Woodlane - 14 turbines in planning Bishopwood - 7 turbines in planning Darrington - 8 turbines - and maybe another 9 at Byram

Power stations all around, with wind farms between them. And you thought you lived in a rural village.

Woodlane and Bishopwood update Things are happening. The applications have not gone away, as some people would like to believe. During August a planning officer made visits to a number of homes located within 1km of a turbine. Bear in mind that some counties have introduced a rule to prevent turbines being built closer than 2km to any home, and here we have Woodlane wind farm, with most homes in Gateforth, several along Hillam Common Lane, much of Birkin and some in West Haddlesey all closer than 1km. Simply outrageous.

Howard Ferguson

18

PLANNING APPEALS BY GYPSIES AND TRAVELLERS The bigger picture

Cannon appeal — Ten Acre Field

For over 10 years gypsies and travellers have been buying small fields near to Hillam, and Hillam News estimates that 9 fields within 5 km of Hillam are owned by travellers or showmen.

Development follows a familiar pattern and is often started by building stables or by putting caravans on site, often without planning permission. It appears that the endgame is to run a business from the site or move onto the site and live there.

Following an appeal by the Cannon family against Selby Council’s decision not to allow them permanent planning consent in the Green Belt between Hillam and Burton Salmon, the Planning Inspectorate will conduct a Public Inquiry at the Civic Centre, Doncaster Road, Selby, at 10.00 am on 24th October. It will be open to the public and anyone who wants to speak can register on the day.

Local residents feel that travellers play the planning system and flout planning rules and enforcement notices until they eventually gain planning permission. Many people would like to have their home set apart from others in the Green Belt - but the planning system doesn’t allow you to do it.

The appeal by Mr Cannon is one of a series of applications, refusals and appeals that he has submitted in relation to this site, which he owns. He currently has 3-year temporary planning permission for change of use granted by Selby Council in November 2011. The appeal argues that the approval should be permanent. The temporary approval still has over 2 years to run.

It appears to be standard practice for travellers to move caravans onto a site without planning permission. This triggers a sequence of events which may include enforcement action, appeals, retrospective planning applications, refusals and further appeals.

Whenever an application is granted approval it becomes the baseline for subsequent applications on other sites - for example as soon as Mr Cannon was granted 3-year temporary permission, Mr Smith on Sutton Lane applied for 3-year temporary permission to retain caravans on his site. Selby Council refused and this is also the subject of an appeal. The caravans were put on site in spite of an injunction being served to prohibit such action.

These two appeals follow the recent appeal decision about the site at Hillcrest, near Milford Lodge on the old A1. All three sites are in Green Belt and in all three cases caravans were moved onto the sites without prior planning approval.

Smith Brothers - Sutton Lane, Sutton This site has similarities with the Cannon site. This site is in a small village where many residents live in fear of the travellers they have as neighbours. A scrap metal business is run from the site. The stark reality is that the problem is getting worse and there is a clear expectation when travellers buy fields that they will be able, eventually, to live on them.

Nigel Adams MP says…

‘The Government is encouraging more local participation in decision-making. In order for this to happen people must make their views known about local matters which affect them, such as planning appeals. I would encourage residents to consider this appeal carefully and if people wish to comment they should do so.’

The Cannons will be represented by Philip Brown, who specialises in assisting travellers, and claims he has obtained planning permission for more than 170 caravan sites, mainly on appeal.

Problems started in November 2009 when Selby Council served an enforcement notice to stop the use of ‘Ten Acre Field’ as a gypsy caravan site. This notice was quashed on appeal in August 2010 with temporary planning permission granted until August 2011.

This new appeal is a challenge to Selby’s decision to 3 years temporary planning permission.

News that the Cannons were to appeal again to the Planning Inspectorate reached Hillam Parish Council mid-August. A leaflet produced by the ‘Concerned Hillam Residents Group’ (CHRG) was distributed throughout the village, advising villagers how to submit comments. The period of time between leaflet distribution and the submission deadline was less than a week.

Hillam News recently visited Access Selby to see how many comments had been submitted and found 86 letters, with the vast majority coming from Hillam. There were several from Burton Salmon and Sutton Lane. 85 were strongly against granting the appeal. A single letter came down on neither side.

There have been suggestions that people in Hillam are indifferent to the presence of gypsy sites. This is based on the small number of objections to the Cannons’ earlier planning applications and appeal. When ‘showpeople’ wanted to establish a settlement on Lowfield Road bordering Hillam and Monk Fryston, there were over 100 objections and the appeal was rejected.

The large number of comments sent in such a short period, most of which needed to be submitted online, indicates that Hillam is very strongly opposed to having a permanent gypsy settlement in the Green Belt.

19

VILLAGE SOAP BOX Warning all rabbit owners

Warning all dog owners - £255 fine

We have owned two pet rabbits, Harry and Jack, for nearly five years. Then suddenly one night about three months ago Harry, the bigger of the two rabbits, disappeared from his pen. There is no doubt that the culprit was a fox. Rabbits are social animals and the two were a bonded pair, looking after each other and grooming each other.

A few weeks ago Toni Veitch of Camblesforth was publicly named and prosecuted by Selby District Council under the Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996. She was ordered to pay £255. The dog was allowed to remain anonymous.

A spokesperson for the SDC said, “We investigated this incident following reports from members of the public. We hope this prosecution serves as a warning to anyone who fails to clean up after his or her dog.”

Jack, the remaining rabbit, was very sad and to give him a little extra excitement we started to let him out of the pen to run around the garden, which he clearly enjoyed. While there are no All it needs is one person to walk in your dog shit, and to be fences to keep him in, he never went far, and never went near the cross enough to watch for you and your dog and get a photo. road. Gradually he got the hang of this and stayed out overnight.

It was obvious that this suited him well because he perked up The swallows have left for Africa and certainly became adept at avoiding being rounded up and put back in his pen. We settled into a pattern of one day and a night Having swallows nesting directly over the front door is a mixed out, and then he would come back the following morning and go blessing! But it is not without interest. This year they had two broods, of four and then five, which all fledged successfully. into his pen without any trouble.

After they fledge the young come back to the nest every night to So far so good. He had favourite hiding places but would come sleep. On 22nd September swallows were noticeably absent from out when we were in the garden. He was out on the Open Day the garden - they had left for Africa. Sadly that night just one of and spent time visiting the team taking money on the gate. He the young birds came home to roost. We hope he realises where used to go next door and eat nuts put out for the birds. We even the rest of the family have gone and sets off to catch them up. saw him on a couple of occasions with brown hare which came into the garden.

Sadly he became ill: slowly over the period of a week or so he started to look a bit off-colour. His fur, which had been a silky black, began to moult. Then his eyes started to weep. We did the usual Internet checks, but nothing obvious. Over the weekend he got worse so we took him to the vet on Monday morning. The diagnosis could not have been worse - myxomatosis. No cure, no hope. Myxomatosis is carried by fleas but it affects only rabbits.

The vet said she had seen a lot of pet rabbits with the disease recently. Treatment is possible but rarely works. If you have pet rabbits, make sure the vaccinations are up to date, and keep a very close watch on them.

Howard Ferguson

MONK FRYSTON Pre-SCHOOL We welcome children from two years to school age* We provide lots of different activities including: Toys, Songs, Rhymes, Stories, Painting, Modelling, Sand and Water Play, Cutting and Glueing, Playdough, Puzzles and much more…!

Monday to Friday 9:00 – 12:00 am Tuesday and Thursday 12:30 – 3:00 pm Contact Jayne Wood 681050 Church Hall, Monk Fryston We are OFSTED inspected and LEA funded and we follow the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum *places are offered subject to availability

20

ST WILFRID’S CHURCH Rector’s ramblings In a few short weeks we will again face Remembrance Day and I am delighted that the Brownies will be part of our commemorations. We need to work hard to ensure that children learn about our history and the cost paid by those who secured our freedom in the past.

For that reason Remembrance Day of 1995 sticks in my mind more than any other, because it was the year that the two minutes’ silence was reinstated across the nation.

On Friday 11th November last year I was walking through a shop in Barnard Castle when a simple message came over the shop’s Tannoy system. It said: “We will now stand in silence for two minutes to remember those who died in the two great wars.”

I was amazed to find that everyone, both old and young alike, remained motionless, lost within their thoughts for what seemed like an eternity. The thoughts of those who could remember the war may have centred round experiences they went through, or indeed, memories of husbands, sons, fathers, brothers.

Those who were too young to have such memories may have been confused – standing in silence alone with their thoughts. It may have moved them to somehow remember in their own way for the first time.

Prior to 1995 it was the concern of many that the act of Remembrance might be lost over the coming years, as those who had first-hand experience of the wars died. Some fifty years before that, in 1945, the two minutes’ silence disappeared, being replaced by Remembrance Sunday, a move which perhaps caused many to lose the opportunity to identify with Remembrance. As time moved on, it increasingly became the possession of the old, the church and the armed forces.

The two minutes’ silence brought Remembrance back to the heart of the nation. It gives the nation an opportunity to “own the act again”. It’s a way of ensuring that it will continue into the future in an effective and positive manner.

On the first anniversary of the Armistice in 1919, the Times prepared its readers in the following way: “The king invites us to keep it with him in a manner worthy of the great deliverance vouchsafed to us and to mankind twelve months ago. In the sanctuary of our hearts he bids us commemorate that day, and commemorate those who died to achieve it. At 11 am, the hour when the Armistice came into force, the whole people will turn for two short minutes to these thoughts: to thanksgiving, to rejoicing, to pity, to a life-long pride and grief. Remembrance of the glorious dead, we can conceive no service worthier.”

This year the two minutes’ silence coincides with Remembrance Sunday, so please do join us at the village War Memorial in the grounds of St Wilfrid’s Church on 11th November at 10.50 am, as we stop and think, stop and remember, stop and pray (and afterwards in St Wilfrid’s).

Blessings, John BOOKINGS NOW BEING TAKEN FOR WEDDINGS AND BAPTISMS FOR 2013 AND BEYOND Enquiries to the Rector on 01977 680788 or email at

hetherington556@btinternet.com Hillam News is printed at the vestry of St Mary’s Church, South Milford, with the permission of Monk Fryston Parochial Church Council, to whom we are most grateful

October and November at St Wilfrid’s Harvest Festival Sunday 7th October 11 am Traditional harvest – please bring harvest gifts/produce (Sunday Club meets at the same time in the Church Hall)

Celebration of Family and Baptism Sunday 14th October 11 am Remembering all the children baptised at St Wilfrid’s Church over the years and giving thanks for family life

Celebrating Love and Marriage Sunday 21st October 11 am This will be St Wilfrid’s Patronal Festival and we shall be giving thanks for St Wilfrid’s Church as a place of celebrating love and marriage within our community

Looking to the Future Sunday 28th October 11 am A service where we give thanks for the past and look forward to the future of St Wilfrid’s Church within our community

All Souls’ Memorial Service Sunday 4th November 11 am Our annual service where we remember those who have been part of our community or those who have been part of our family and now are no longer with us

Festival of Remembrance Sat 10th November 7.30 pm At St Mary’s Church in South Milford and will focus on the Falklands War in this 30th anniversary year

Remembrance Sunday 11th November 10.50 am Wreaths are laid at the Parish War Memorial by representatives of Hillam Parish Council, Monk Fryston Parish Council, Burton Salmon Parish Council, St Wilfrid’s Church, the Brownies, and others This is followed by the annual Service of Remembrance

21

THE FUTURE OF ST WILFRID’S CHURCH IN OUR COMMUNITY In a conversation recently I heard someone mention a comment which they heard from a person who had moved into the parish some years ago. The comment was along the lines of ‘Why support a place which caters for half a dozen people on a Sunday morning?’ It is clear that this person knows very little about the work of St Wilfrid’s – the ‘Church on the Hill’ which has been at the centre of the community for over a thousand years.

There is no better sight than the floodlit outline of St Wilfrid’s as you drive home after a busy day or return to the parish following a longer absence. It has always been there for us and for our predecessors.

Children have been christened in St Wilfrid’s, couples have publicly declared their love for each other and we have celebrated the lives of departed friends and relatives within its walls.

Villagers who have been delving into local history and archaeology keep returning to St Wilfrid’s. It is definitely Norman, possibly Saxon. But whatever its age, St Wilfrid’s is timeless and belongs to all of us.

And wait; there is more. There is the Church’s ministry. Our Church cares for children, establishing a village school many years ago, investing yet again in the building of the new school we see today. St Wilfrid’s has provided premises for our Pre-school for over forty years (building the Church Hall for that purpose). It seeks to support those facing problems, and also the sick and grieving in our community. St Wilfrid’s is seriously into people of all ages.

But we cannot take it for granted. In all walks of life the trend in recent years has been for expenditure to exceed income, and sadly St Wilfrid’s is no exception.

The green banner which has been displayed outside St Wilfrid’s over the past two months and which says ‘T R I O Coming Soon’ has raised some questions about what TRIO is. It is an acronym that stands for ‘The Responsibility Is Ours’ and acknowledges that it is our community that built St Wilfrid’s Church, and it is our community that has always owned it.

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Over the years many people from Hillam, Monk Fryston and Burton Salmon have provided financially to allow us to have our own Parish Church, something that I know – even in my short time as Rector – has been a great blessing to many individuals and families, hundreds of them. Sadly, many of the people who have provided financially to enable us to enjoy this wonderful place are no longer with us, and it is time to look to the present generation to take on that mantle.

During the month of October there will be a series of events on Sunday mornings that will look at the future of St Wilfrid’s Church, and we hope that you may be able to join us for one (or more) of the special events in October and November (see opposite). Each Sunday service in October will be followed by lunch and will include special presentations. For example: 14th October at 11 am Family and Baptism Celebration – followed by lunch.

This service will celebrate family life and also give thanks for all the children of our community – both those baptised at St Wilfrid’s and also those baptised elsewhere. It will include a short presentation by the Rector on the future of St Wilfrid’s.

21st October at 11 am Patronal Celebration of Love and Marriage – followed by lunch.

On this occasion we will be giving thanks for St Wilfrid’s as a place where love and marriage have been celebrated for centuries – giving thanks for those in our community today who have been married in our Parish Church or in Churches elsewhere. During the service there will be a presentation on the present and future situation of our Parish Church, to be given by Neil Woodhall from Priory Park Grove in Monk Fryston.

St Wilfrid’s is now asking for your help to secure the future and we ask you to join us for one of the these special occasions so that we are able to share this with you in more detail.

The Responsibility Is Ours

22

SPORT -

IN - NEWS

Well, what a summer of sport we have enjoyed, particularly in the last two months, with the glorious events of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The fact that Team GB did so well was the icing on top of the cake, for it also showcased everything that is good about Great Britain. There were no infrastructure issues at any of the locations, and thankfully there were no security concerns. Indeed, from the moment Danny Boyle’s fantastic opening ceremony got underway on 27th July, it has been an unforgettable journey. So many unbelievable performances make it hard to choose the best but, for me, Jessica Ennis in the heptathlon and Sir Chris Hoy in the cycling would be right up there at the top. It was great to see the whole country getting behind our competitors, and there seemed to be a smile right across the UK. That momentum then continued into the Paralympic Games, where we were collectively in awe of athletes who inspire by their very participation in events that most able-bodied people would struggle to achieve. It was both humbling and inspiring in equal measure.

I mentioned in the last column that Andy Murray had come so close to securing his first Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, only to be beaten at the final hurdle by Roger Federer, and I wondered whether he could at last secure that first title at the forthcoming US Open. Well, he did do so in fantastic style, but only after he lifted gold at the Olympic Games. In the space of five weeks he has produced some stunning tennis, which all bodes well for the future. It was also interesting to see how he played alongside Laura Robson in the mixed doubles at the Games, as he seemed to both coach and inspire his young team-mate in each match.

Laura then took that form into the women’s tournament at Flushing Meadow, where she knocked out Kim Clijsters before falling in the last sixteen. We need to remember that Ms Robson is still only eighteen, and if she can build on her recent efforts it could just be that we have not only Andy Murray challenging in the men’s tournaments but we also have a leading lady pushing her way to the front in the women’s game. Could this be the dawn of a new era in British tennis (at long last)?

Away from the Olympic Games, and it seems most other sports have taken a back seat, although cricket has continued to try to muscle its way onto the sporting agenda, not least with Kevin Pietersen causing much debate, courtesy of his mobile phone. At this stage it’s difficult to know what was and wasn’t sent within his text messages to the South African team. What I struggle to understand is why you would even contemplate providing any information to the opposition. Having a chat and discussing

topics after the game is one thing, but surely you wouldn’t start divulging key pieces of information unless you had another agenda. People have come out in the press and described exactly how Mr Pietersen has behaved over the last few years, and to be honest the picture of a self-centred individually focused person isn’t pretty. Perhaps he has now burned too many bridges to be welcomed back into the England dressing room, and it may be that’s the right decision. However, all these antics cannot hide his undoubted talent.

He has played some tremendous games for England over the last few years, but no one person can be bigger than either the team or the game and it’s now time for all concerned to move on.

So our thoughts turn towards the annual Sports Personality of the Year award, and with so many candidates this year’s contest will be one of the most hardfought for many years. Given the number of outstanding candidates there is a suggestion that there should be a women’s award and a separate men’s, but I’m not sure the BBC will consent to such a change. This is a subject that will be the topic of many conversations between now and December, but with Andy Murray, Sir Chris Hoy, Jessica Ennis, Bradley Wiggins, Rory McIlroy and many others featuring strongly, the only certainty at this stage is that it will not go to a footballer!

Yours in sport , Doug Hought

23

DEAR HILLAM NEWS A-wandering we will go Well, here we are in Hong Kong. I’ve finally come to terms with the wonders of Wi-Fi. I was going to say mastered, but that implies I know what I’m doing, when I’m just muddling through. As far as I’m concerned it’s all powered by pixie dust, and if sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t, it’s all part of the unpredictable and variable magic powers of pixie dust.

It’s got sod all to do with my incompetence.

The clock on my laptop says that it’s 12.50 am, the one here in the hotel says 8 am and my body has given up trying to work it out. It knows that going to bed means you wake up 3 hours later, even though that makes no sense in any time warp I’ve inhabited recently. Les, who anywhere, anytime day or night, has only to sit down to fall asleep, is totally unaffected. He continues to nap anywhere and everywhere and 9 hours a night. Currently adrenalin is keeping me going, but I’m sure I’ll flake at some point - hopefully 11.40 tonight, when we set off overnight on the next leg of our journey.

We were here 22 years ago but, except for one building, the tram up Victoria Peak and the Star Ferry, we wouldn’t know the place. Hotel well positioned for the metro. If that existed last time it passed us by as, strangely, did the trams, which are a Hong Kong institution. We were on a tour then, so ‘did’ Hong Kong in a day rather than explore it.

It’s good to be old in Hong Kong. You get lots of concessions.

The Octopus pass electronically whizzes you through all the integrated transport systems painlessly, easily, and because we have the senior version, very cheaply. You can also use it in many shops and it even got us into the races on Wednesday night. Fascinating watching the locals with their betting pages of the newspaper marked up in multicoloured highlighters to guide their betting through the night. I think it was the first meeting of the season and was very busy. It’s very cheap to get in by any standards, so a night at the races each week is evidently a very popular event.

We ate a fantastic meal last night opposite Dolce and Gabbana and behind De Beers. That’s said to give a degree of kudos to the back alley which has one of the very few remaining food streets where we ate. Street food is a Chinese - nay, Far Eastern institution. Vendors cooking and serving usually a limited range out in the street. Hong Kong is being sanitised and the vendors’ licences are not being renewed. Sad. One of our striking memories of our visit to Shanghai those 22 years ago was going out down the food street, against the advice of our fellow tour group and tour guide, all eating in the 4-star hotel in which we were staying. The next day, they all had food poisoning whilst we, very smugly, were fine.

Well, packing, breakfast and checking out call.

More later.

Betty Wright

by Wi-Fi from Hong Kong

Personal small adverts £1.00 per issue Business small adverts £4.00 per issue please contact David Edwards on 682346

ZUMBA Latin-inspired dance fitness workout St Wilfrid’s Church Hall Every Thursday, 6:45-7:30 pm, £3 For more details contact Hannah Howcroft (Qualified Fitness Instructor) 07707 929393

24

LOCAL SERVICES To amend or to add to the information below, please phone Jenny Hoare (683332) Service

Telephone

Details

Monk Fryston Stores Post Office counter

682252

Mon - Fri 7 am - 8 pm; Sat 7.30 am - 7 pm; Sun 8 am - 2 pm Mon, Tues, Thur, Fri 9 am - 5.30 pm; Wed & Sat 9 am - 1 pm

Last postal collections

Public transport

682252 682201 691940

Hillam Square Monk Fryston PO South Milford PO Pontefract, Trinity St

Mon - Fri 4.30 pm, Sat 9.30 am Mon - Fri 4.15 pm, Sat 11 am Mon - Fri 5.30 pm, Sat 11 am Mon - Fri 6.30 pm, Sat 12.30 pm

0113 2457676

Local bus and train timetables and enquiries: www.wymetro.com

South Milford Surgery 682202 Dr A Mackenzie & Partners

Mon 8 am - 1 pm, 2 - 7.30 pm; Tues 6.45 am - 1 pm, 2 - 6 pm; Wed - Fri 8 am - 1 pm, 2 - 6 pm www.southmilfordsurgery.co.uk

Monk Fryston Surgery Dr D James & Partners

683452

Mon 4 - 8 pm; Tues & Wed 8 - 12 am; Thur 2 - 6 pm; Fri 9 - 11 am www.gibsonlanemedicalpractice.co.uk

Selby War Memorial Hospital

01757 702664

www.nhs.uk/services/hospitals/selby

Pontefract General Infirmary

0844 8118110

www.midyorks.nhs.uk

Visiting Scheme for the Elderly

681828

Transport, shopping, social events for the housebound, and much more www.sherburnvisitingscheme.co.uk

St Wilfrid’s Church, Monk Fryston

680788

Rector: Rev John Hetherington www.stwilfridandstmary.org.uk

Hillam Parish Council

01609 760345

Clerk: Malcolm Walton 1st Wed of month 7.30 pm, Community Centre To read the recent minutes in full, visit www.hillam-village.co.uk

Selby District Council

01757 705101

www.selby.gov.uk

Western Area Community Engagement Forum

01757 705101

www.your-community.org.uk

Environmental Health, SDC 01757 292113

Refuse disposal: removal of bulky items

NYCC Recycling Centre, Canal Road, Selby

01609 780780

Recycling centre for household waste: cardboard, metals, textiles, masonry, bottles, green waste, batteries, TVs, monitors, oils

Wakefield MDC Recycling Centre, Ferrybridge

677792 01609 532512

Permits necessary for NYCC residents: waste.management@northyorks.gov.uk

Police (non-emergency)

101

www.northyorkshire.police.uk

Mobile Police Station, Monk Fryston School lay-by 682693

Approx monthly, variable days, 7 - 8 pm See village notice boards or contact Tony Hudson

Neighbourhood Watch

682693

Tony Hudson

Gas (leaks)

0800 111999

www.transco.uk.com

Electricity (supply failure)

0800 375675

www.npower.com

Yorkshire Water (sewerage and leaks)

0845 1242429

www.yorkshirewater.com

Citizens’ Advice Bureau

01757 293015 0845 1203718

- for appointments at Sherburn - advice line www.citizensadvice.org.uk

Venue bookings

684180 689230

Church Hall: Paddy Twidale Community Centre: Becky Gatenby

Village website

www.hillam-village.co.uk