Hillam News Jubilee Issue

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Hillam News Special Issue - June 2012 Guide to summer events

Hillam News hopes that everybody in the village has a really good summer and that all are able to enjoy the unprecedented festivities in the village through June and July.

Our special issue provides you with a comprehensive guide to all the events planned for the next two months.

Enjoy the events: full details inside.

Queen’s Diamond Jubilee events Sunday 3 June

11.00 am St Wilfrid’s Church Parish service - Appreciation of Queen Elizabeth

Sunday 3 June

2.00 pm

Hillam Streets

Sunday 3 June

6.30 pm

St Wilfrid’s Church Jubilee Concert

Monday 4 June

7.00 pm

Community Centre Jubilee party & hog roast

Street parties

Tuesday 5 June 11.00 am Monk Fryston Hall Art exhibition, garden party Tuesday 5 June 2.00 pm

Monk Fryston Hall Village photograph

Olympic torch relay - 19 June The Olympic Torch comes through Monk Fryston on 19 June with all the accompanying razzmatazz. This promises to be a very spectacular event with the road from the eastern edge of the village to Battersby roundabout lined with decorations and artwork.

People from surrounding villages including Sherburn will be visiting to see the Torch go through. Plan to arrive about 9.30 am. See page 11.

Summer fun and entertainment Saturday 16 June 6.30 pm

York Railway Museum Charity ball - Stroke Rehabilitation

Sunday 17 June 11.00 am Open farms

Education and enjoyment

Friday 22 June

Village school

Chernobyl auction

Sunday 24 June 2.00 pm

School field

Summer fayre and displays

Sunday 29 July

9.00 am

Stocking Lane

Football and family fun day

Sunday 29 July

12.00 am

Maspin House

Open garden - teas & plant sale

7.30 pm

Sponsor for the colour pages - Gilbert Tax - Specialists in resolving problems with Her Majesties Revenue & Customs. Further information www.gilberttax.co.uk

Also in this issue…

Look after your CAT - it’s a snip.

School dinners - are they top nosh ?

Hole in the road - filling in the detail.

Does anybody want the village pub ?

Hillam News starts a new campaign.

Busy bees - find out who owns them.

Chance to get up to speed - is it an optical illusion, or will it really go faster?

The snow’s long gone - but what about the bunting?

Hillam News is financed by advertising revenue and the Issue editor - Howard Ferguson generosity of contributors, photocopiers and 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

Hillam News on-line at http://www.issuu.com/hillamnews

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THE BIRDING COLUMN You won’t need me to remind you of the appalling weather this spring!

The course of the jet stream usually dictates our weather patterns, and with its course set firmly across the middle of the country, and with no signs of moving, we have experienced a succession of low pressure systems sweeping across Yorkshire, bringing buckets of rain with them. Paul Scholey tells me that all this rain is welcome, as the moisture levels in the ground were pretty low, but even he has said that we could do with a bit of sun now, to encourage his grass to grow.

The arrival dates for our summer visitors have been later than usual as a result of all this cold weather, with 19th March being my first record of a singing Chiffchaff in Gateforth Wood, and it wasn’t until 8th April that I heard my first Blackcaps and Willow Warblers. It is a few years since I was last able to visit Gateforth Wood on a regular basis, as it is fenced off woodland in private ownership, but having received permission this year, I now keep regular records of what I see.

This year, Gateforth is the only place that I have seen a Cuckoo in these parts, and I have heard it on each visit to the wood since 2nd May. Garden Warblers arrived in large numbers around 8th May, and on the same date I heard the strident rattle of my first Lesser Whitethroats in the tall, luxuriant hedgerows along Betteras Hill Road.

Howard Ferguson saw his first Swallow at Maspin House on 20th April, which again is pretty late, but if the weather is cold and there are no insects to eat, then the birds will not stick around. Swifts returned in large numbers on 10th May, but there are few House Martins and I guess that in poor weather they linger longer in the north of France and stay to breed there, where the food supply is more abundant. Both Little and Barn Owls may breed nearby this year, as I have received records from keen observers, and Tawny Owls keep me awake most nights, having their long conversations with each other, so they may well breed this year too!

Jenny and I spent a couple of weeks up on Tiree in the Inner Hebrides during April, where the weather has been very good indeed since mid-March, with weeks of endless sunshine. This fine, settled weather continued throughout April, and at times I was sitting in the garden just in my shorts, watching the seabirds through my binoculars. It seems difficult to comprehend how the weather could be so different up there, but sitting in the “eye” of a low pressure system for all those weeks meant that there has been little change in the weather conditions, and no rain whatsoever. There are pros and cons of good weather if you

by Gra h a m To d d

are a birdwatcher, with fine, settled weather not necessarily producing the best birds, but when we arrived on the island in dry sunny weather, I was still fairly optimistic that we might see a lingering rarity. My optimism was well founded, since as I walked along the beach below the house on that first afternoon I spotted a small, unusually white-looking bird feeding along the shoreline, picking insects off the sand. As I approached it took flight, a large white wing patch flashing in the bright sunshine.

It was a fabulous Snow Bunting, still in winter plumage with patches of light brown, but predominantly white, with dark edges to its wings. It was a very confiding individual, and after about an hour of patient approach, it allowed me to take some really good photographs. We had intended staying just a week, but I had an accident, damaging my knee ligaments when returning from photographing some nesting Ravens, so under doctor’s advice we stayed longer than anticipated, enjoying yet more of the lovely weather.

Our delayed return meant that I was a little behind with my nest checking for the Yorkshire Red Kite Group, but since then I have caught up somewhat, having put in quite a few miles, which has not done my knee much good at all. However, as I keep telling myself – it is all in a good cause!

This year, kites have established a new territory within the grounds of a large school. The fact that the species is protected under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act has caused me a few problems in trying to secure undisturbed nesting conditions for the birds, whilst at the same time ensuring that the school functions as normal. Happily a compromise has been reached, and the unprecedented nesting of the kites in the school grounds has been welcomed by all concerned as producing a very positive and educational benefit.

Hopefully the weather will settle down soon, so that I can get out birding again.

3 Jubilee service & Concert SUNday 3 June

11.00am - Church service - a tribute to Queen Elizabeth Afternoon - Street parties 6.30 pm - Jubilee Concert Parish service in appreciation of Queen Elizabeth

Jubilee concert

A 1940s’ / 50s’ style concert and sing-along beginning at 6.30 pm St Wilfrid’s will be joining a nationwide initiative on Sunday 3 June when churches across the land will be giving thanks for the in St Wilfrid’s Church.

Do come along and join with us to in sing some of those marveldedication, devotion and commitment of Her Majesty the Queen lous old songs that have inspired our nation in difficult years in serving our nation and the Commonwealth. gone by – and perhaps learn some new ones as well.

1940s’ / 50s’ dress is optional (but encouraged).

Village street parties Refreshments will be available.

Street parties will be taking place around the two villages. One Free entry with a collection. has been organised for the residents of the Rose Lea area, where the road will be decked with bunting and closed to traffic for the So what’s all the fuss about? afternoon. Party-goers plan to dress patriotically in red, white and blue. The post-lunch events include races and team games Let’s start with Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, which is a celebration for the children, release of helium-filled balloons, a knobbly of her sixty years as our monarch. She is still going strong, and knees contest, a youngsters’ fancy dress competition, a royal through a period of significant social change the Queen has been quiz, a disco and dancing. one of the few elements of our society in Britain, which we have been able to count on. There are differing views of the value of Hillam Lights say thank-you the monarchy but few can question the way the Queen’s reign has been conducted.

We’d like to say a huge thank-you to the Monk Fryston and Hillam Veterans’ Football Team for their kind donation of £80. So what’s special? Well, it is most unlikely that anyone who is This money is both greatly appreciated and much needed. Alalive today will experience a Royal Diamond Jubilee again. It is though the 100 Club is our primary source of funding, any dona- a one-off. A simple assessment of improvements in our general tions are always very welcome. health and changes to the royal succession process means it is Anyone wanting to join the 100 Club should contact Karen Ever- unlikely that anyone quite as young as Queen Elizabeth will take the throne again. More likely, future monarchs will be waiting, son at 3 Prospect Close or Karen Merry at 12 Hillside Close. for years. Charles is now in his 60s, so to enjoy a Jubilee he Monthly draw with three prizes (£20, £10 and £5). would be over 120, by which time William would be about 90 Hillam Christmas Lights Committee and still waiting to be King. rd

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CAMPAIGN TO SAVE THE VILLAGE PUB Hillam News supports bid for the Cross Keys

Bidders tell Hillam News of their plans for the pub

You’ll all be aware of the sad sight of an empty Cross Keys looking more neglected as the days go by. With this in mind, Hillam News recently met a couple of investors interested in resurrecting this important village facility. We met to ensure that their vision for our local was in line with what villagers require.

Dear Hillam News I am in possession of a copy of the April-May Hillam News and noticed your concerns over the Cross Keys and its closure.

My colleague and I are young retired businessmen who have been trying to work with Enterprise Inns to bring pubs back to life, one of which being the Cross Keys. Although they say policies have changed, the owners of the property still seem to be adopting the same attitude as they always have and are attempting to sign a tenant up under the old type of tied unsustainable contract. At the moment we have reached a stalemate, but we would like the opportunity to buy the premises so that we can invest in improving the facilities and bring the venue back to it former glory.

The mission of our company is to try and bring pride and customer service back to the industry. Our aim is to introduce young people into the business, working with local authorities, colleges and government schemes to bring people up to a standard we are all used to when we go abroad for our holidays.

We want to make pubs fun places to be and extend their services within villages.

We have already done this with one pub in the area and it is now a profitable business serving reasonably priced good real ales and offering traditional pub food. We would like to do the same with the Cross Keys, with an improved friendly service and a varied sustainable menu.

I would very much appreciate your support in the local community and maybe we can force the owners to negotiate a sensible outcome for the pub. Otherwise we will just see history repeating itself over and over again, with the incoming tenants signing another contract for them to lose everything.

Wishing to protect their identity so as not to compromise the negotiations with Enterprise Inns, the two chaps know the Cross Keys well and are saddened by its decline. They are very keen to ensure that the Keys regains its place as the hub of the village and want to serve good beer and excellent wine. They are keen to serve fresh food and to produce a new menu, perhaps with a Mediterranean slant. They are both trained chefs and one of their intentions is to work with local colleges to support the training of young people with a desire to work in the hospitality industry.

They are eager to offer quality food and drinks, delivered with excellent customer service, and want to work with locals to ensure this happens. They also realise that money needs to be spent on updating the Keys so that the decor fits with their plans.

At the moment they are wrestling with their dealings with Enterprise but hope to have a productive meeting with them at the end of May. They are prepared to purchase the pub or take a longterm lease that would enable it to be a free house. They were gladdened to hear that their hopes agreed with ours.

Hillam News left the meeting feeling more positive that the Cross Keys may become just what we need, and we look forward to reporting the outcome of their meeting with Enterprise Inns in a future issue.

Enterprise sells 1,000 pubs to highest bidders The recent announcement of financial results gives a very clear picture of the industry trend - Enterprise Inns sold 1,000 pubs for ÂŁ264M over a two-year period, with 131 in the six months to March. Enterprise Inns, which had 6,143 pubs, said it will continue to sell underperforming pubs but at more normal levels.

What next?

Hillam News considers the future of the pub to be a major issue for the village. We plan to keep in touch with the bidders and any others who may come forward.

Depending on progress we will then write to Enterprise Inns and will ensure that Nigel Adams MP is made aware of the issue. He is very familiar with similar situations elsewhere and The firm has admitted that many of the pubs it has sold have been was responsible for putting forward a Bill to help communities converted into other uses including supermarkets and homes. in such situations. The main objective was to prevent pubs and The implications for Hillam are clear - we could easily end up with other community facilities being demolished without warning no pub unless somebody comes forward to develop the pub as the and without the need for planning permission, such action being the first step in making the site available for other use, focal point of our village identity. eg house building. The Bill was later dropped because the With no village shop, no farms based in the village and now the ethos of what it said was included in the Localism Bill. threat of no pub, Hillam is heading towards becoming little more than a housing estate. Hillam News sees this as a cause worth cam- Please let Hillam News know what you think: paigning for and hopes that villagers will give us their full support. email your thoughts to bev@jack-son.com

5 Community Centre - Party time Monday 4 June

7.00 pm till midnight - Queen’s Diamond Jubilee party The Community Association invites residents of Hillam and Monk Fryston to attend the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee at the Community Centre. The party includes a disco, screening of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee concert, lighting of the Monk Fryston and Hillam beacon as part of National Beacon ceremony, hog roast and bar. Last orders will be at 11.45 pm.

Hog roast tickets, which cost £5 and ensure a covered seat in the disco or concert, are on sale now at the Post Office on a first come first served basis.

Covered seating for 200 will be provided but anyone without a ticket can attend the event, although they may have to bring their own seat to join in the fun.

Other news: Community Engagement Forum (CEF) budgets The Western CEF budget is made up of two parts: Grants and Projects.

Grants (max £1,000) are awarded to small organisations to help fund equipment and services which are of value to the organisation and its members. I have mentioned a number of these in my last few months’ CEF reports. The Hillam Cricket Club grant is one example. The CEF is given £10,000 annually

by SDC for these grants. With carryover from the last financial year we have approx £12,000 to spend in this fiscal year.

Projects are works which are directed at improving community life in general, and fall into a number of categories, such as: • Environmental projects, eg reducing fly-tipping, dog fouling • Youth projects, eg clubs and activities for young people • Community safety, reducing crime and anti-social behaviour, promoting home safety measures • Traffic and transport, including road safety, public transport and services • Community projects to enhance the sense of community, eg supporting carnival or gala days, improvements to or provision of community buildings • Communications, including promoting the work of the CEF Individual projects are approved by the CEF Partnership Board and led by an individual, or more often a small team of Board members. For example, the provision of grit bins and grit is considered a community project, and their provision is funded through the Projects budget, managed by the Winter Gritting Task and Finish Group. There is no specific limit on the funding available, although the Projects budget is limited to £10,000 annually from SDC. With the current level of carryover from previous years, the Projects budget for 2012/13 currently stands at approx £24,000.

Duncan Lorriman

What’s all the fuss about?

Last November, when the news broke that Monk Fryston had been chosen as an Olympic Torch viewing venue, there was a mixed response. Many villagers thought, “That’s great: we can see the Torch at close quarters and be a small but significant part of the Olympics,” whilst lots more merely shrugged their shoulders and said, “So what?” Likewise, news of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations was greeted with mixed feelings, bordering on apathy from many.

These two events are unlikely ever to be repeated - that’s what all the fuss is about. They are opportunities to be enjoyed and to etch the moments in our memories – where we were, who we were with, what we did – and to capture the moments for ever.

Our communities of Hillam and Monk Fryston are fortunate to have been chosen to be part of a national celebration as the Torch is run by, and our children will be able to see it with their school friends. The Community Association has ensured that we are on the map as part of the National Beacon event. You can be part of the celebrations and remembered for ever by joining the commemorative Big Village Photo at Monk Fryston Hall on Tuesday 5th June.

Hillam and Monk Fryson are your communities: take the opportunity to be part of them and celebrate together.

Ray Newton

Remember, the Community Centre is available to hire for private gatherings and parties (contact Becky on 689230).

If it’s chairs, tables, marquees, gazebos or even crockery you want to borrow, give Kath Ratcliffe a call on 683590.

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LOTS TO DO IN HILLAM AND MONK FRYSTON Monk Fryston Time Team

Church walks th

This friendly group of amateur historians held its AGM on 24 April. The chairman looked back on a busy and interesting year of events and get-togethers, including an Introduction to archaeology course and several lectures from guest speakers.

Members with their own specific interests told of the results of their reading and research and others recounted their own memories of the more recent past in Monk Fryston and neighbouring villages.

The group’s collection of artefacts, paper records and information held as computer files is growing steadily. Another exhibition from these is planned in the not-too-distant future.

New members, not all from the village, have joined this year.

The fee is £12.00, covering twelve meetings. New faces are always welcome and anyone interested in joining, just to listen or to take an active part in research, should contact susi_newton28@hotmail.com, or turn up for a 7:30 pm start.

The group meets in the Community Centre every fourth Tuesday of the month.

Monk Fryston Hall Theatre Lunches With the Library Theatre Touring Company Sunday 10 June 2012 Sunday 14 October 2012 Sunday 18 November 2012

TWO TALKING HEADS

by Alan Bennett DOUBLE VISION

by Eric Chappell directed by David Sinfield WEEKEND BREAK

by John Godber

2-course lunch and theatre £23.00 per person Arrive for 1.30 pm – until 5.45 pm approx MURDER MYSTERY DINNERS with Mid Supper Murders Dying for Dinner Join us for an evening with a twist: Friday 28 September 2012 A FAIRWAY TO MURDER Friday 9 November 2012 MURDER ON THE PISTE Murder mystery with dinner £38.50 per person Dinner, murder mystery, bed and breakfast from £89.50 per person

Lottery tickets from the Post Office Kevin and Faye are very happy to announce that the Village Stores have been granted permission to provide the National Lottery. They are currently awaiting a definite date for its arrival and have so far been given a time span of between May and November of this year.

Saturday 23rd June 2012 Bramham We welcome you to a pleasant 8-mile walk through Bramham Park, with lovely views across open countryside, and including picturesque woods. Meet in the centre of Bramham at 10.15 am for a 10.30 am start.

Saturday 28th July 2012

Ripon

We welcome you to a pleasant 7.5-mile walk from the centre of Ripon and then through open countryside, returning to visit the cathedral perhaps, or to join the shoppers in the market square and coffee shops. Meet at Wetherspoon’s in the market square at 10.15 am for a 10.30 am start. Note: parking will be on public car parks in the centre of Ripon, so charges will apply.

For both walks, please bring food and a drink, and wear appropriate clothing for the day.

Any queries, contact Paddy or Stuart on 684180.

Hillam Hot Dogs are no more In a brief bulletin Hillam Hot Dogs have announced that the group has disbanded. This has nothing to do with the timely disappearance of the burger trailer from a deserted Cross Keys car park. Hillam Hot Dogs took part in dog racing, staging events at Sandkim Farm, Hillam Common, and later at Cawood.

Hillam Hot Dogs’ announcement appeared on the British Flyball Association Forum. Former team captain Stan Collins says most members have joined other teams. The Hot Dogs’ last engagement was at Carlton, and all their equipment has now been disposed of.

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Monk Fryston Hall Tuesday 5 June

11.00 am to 5.00 pm - Art exhibition and craft fair l2.30 to 5.00 pm - Village picnic and celebration 2.00 pm - The Big Village Photograph

Monk Fryston Art Club 21st birthday exhibition

Village picnic at Monk Fryston Hall

The first ever outdoor exhibition by Monk Fryston Art Club will be held along the terrace of Monk Fryston Hall on 5th June.

Ideally we need a beautifully warm, sunny, summer’s day but, if we are showered with liquid sunshine, then contingency plans are in hand and rain will not spoil the day.

Monk Fryston Hall will stage the biggest event in Hillam and Monk Fryston for many years, as village residents and friends are invited to come together and take part in the Big Village Picnic and Photograph.

All members of the Art Club hope you will be there.

The Art Club is 21 years old, so the exhibition is a dual celebration of our birthday and the Queen’s Jubilee. Looking back, the club has covered a lot of ground since its inception.

It began with four friends painting together once a month.

Soon other people joined us and a small class was formed, 21 years ago, with Carole Hill as tutor. A year later Carole moved to Derbyshire, where she has established herself as a prominent and well-known artist. The club continued to grow with the help of a number of tutors and demonstrators. We held a few early exhibitions in both the Church and the Church Hall and displayed our work for various events and charities further afield.

The more brave and successful we became, the more we stretched our wings! Painting expeditions to local gardens and scenic villages, members regularly attending courses, enjoying painting holidays, exhibiting throughout Yorkshire and on the Internet. This year we opened a blog and, to our amazement, find that people from America, Germany, Albania, Eire and Australia have been looking at it.

Membership is kept at thirty-five and at present we have a waiting list of nine. Of the original four, sadly two have passed away, one moved to live near her daughter and the other is still a member. The club is looking forward to holding a party for our oldest member, who will be 90 in May. Happy birthday!

Jean Dearn

This fun day for all is being staged in conjunction with the Monk Fryston Art Club 21st birthday exhibition and a craft fair. There will be games and competitions on the lawns, stalls and afternoon teas. We hope you take this as an opportunity to see the new garden landscaping at the Hall and walk around the extensive grounds.

The centrepiece will be at 1 pm, when hopefully as many residents as possible will come together and eat together to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and afterwards commemorate the event by taking part in the Big Village Photograph.

The programme of events will include live music and children’s entertainment. Food will be available at the picnic to purchase, or you can bring your own. Besides the Hall’s usual menu, there will be a gazebo serving pork sandwiches with all the trimmings, a barbecue for burgers and hot dogs, and more.

This will be a day not to be missed, a day which will be remembered for many years to come.

Blog tip - Enter ‘Monk Fryston Art Club blog’ into Google. An excellent website, with lots of examples of great art produced by the club, and a link to their blog.

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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NOW, PAY ATTENTION Road works, culverts, flooding and the Ringtree lights Hillam and Monk Fryston Brownies celebrate in style On 4th May 1st Hillam and Monk Fryston Brownies celebrated their first birthday with a party and fabulous cake in the shape of a Brownie Badge. The Brownie Pack started with ten girls and has grown to nineteen, with more waiting to join in the coming months. In the first year the Brownies have got up to all sorts of adventures, including making their Promises at the Summer Fair, going on a local history walk around our villages, making a scarecrow of a Brownie and Leader for the Scarecrow Festival, building towers out of cupcakes (literally) for their Royal Wedding Challenge Badge, taking part in the Christmas Festival at St Wilfrid’s Church, cooking curry for Father’s Day and holding a Royal Garden Party in honour of our mums for Mother’s Day. One of the highlights of the year was a visit from the Guide Dogs for the Blind, and two of our Brownies have written this article about the event: Brownies are visited by Guide Dog Earlier this year, we were visited by a Guide Dog. We were told about how the Guide Dog programme works. We also found out about all the devices and how they work. We raised around £60! The man who visited us was called Mr Haynes and the dog was called Vinnie. To raise our money we did a takeaway of Commonwealth food like Jamaican chicken and Canadian biscuits. This was all part of our Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Badge.

By Isobel and Imogen, aged 9, of 1st Hillam and Monk Fryston Brownie Pack

Spirited response from Burton Salmon cricketers If it had been a racecourse the conditions might have been described as ‘soft to heavy’. But April showers did not prevent Nigel Adams from opening Burton Salmon’s newly restored cricket pavilion. The Selby MP, who had turned up with his kit, ready to play cricket, later posted a photo on Facebook, with the comment: Nigel Adams has today opened the new Burton Salmon cricket pavilion following their devastating arson attack last year. Well done to all involved!

Nigel presented commemorative medals to Burton Salmon’s squad of young cricketers, who were deprived of the opportunity to display their cricketing skills to a large crowd.

Footnote: There has been a further break-in at Burton Salmon Cricket Club. A generator was stolen from a reinforced lockup in what looked like a professional job.

The connection, if you excuse the pun, is the new high voltage cable being laid between Lowfield Lane where the pylons stop and Ferrybridge. We have had the road closed, the verges messed up and we still have a large hole in the road on the edge of Hillam. At one stage David Atkinson found himself cut off from civilisation by a deep trench across his gateway.

Duncan Lorriman took up all of these issues and more with the contractor, who provided a detailed response. i) The options for the culvert are being explored, as our client has to balance asset risk and cost. The cable ducts have not been installed but I am conscious that the excavation is still open. I have asked our Site Manager to address this. I will update you when an engineering decision has been made regarding the culvert and cable ducting. ii) I have not heard any more about the lighting fault. I assume you have this in hand? iii) As discussed, the commitment to remove the tree lighting has been made and will be honoured. Mrs Merry is satisfied that this can be when the foliage has dropped. iv) The verges will be addressed when the joint pits have been excavated and reinstated. v) Our client’s Wayleaves Officer is still in the process of finalising easements, so we are unable to commit to final programme. We remain optimistic that a continuation in the work programme will be achieved.

If you find within this response an answer to the simple question of when it will all be finished with the holes filled in and the verges restored, please let me know. The matter is “in hand”, as they say.

Dish the dirt Hillam Parish Council is still concerned about the amount of dog mess that is being left on pavements and tracks.

The message has always been the same: owners should pick up the poo and put it in a bin or take it home.

Incredibly, poo is found on the pavements up to school, on the football pitch, on tracks used by children learning to ride and on prams being pushed. It is not acceptable.

We would like you to challenge people you see not picking up poo, or let a member of the Parish Council know the name of the person or dog and we will have a word. Numbers are in the Hillam News.

If you wish to have more poo bins in specific places, then again contact the Council.

Julie Sadler - Hillam Parish Council

9 Summer fun and funds Saturday/Sunday 16/17 June

6.30 pm Saturday - York Railway Museum Charity Ball 11.00 am Sunday - Open Farm Sunday Open Farm Sunday 2012

Helping to raise £300,000 to refurbish the Stroke Rehabilitation Unit at York Hospital. If you know somebody who has suffered a stroke you will be aware of the importance of good facilities for their rehabilitation.

Black-tie ball with three-course dinner to be held in the National Railway Museum in York. Hosted by Minster FM presenter Chris Marsden. Featuring live music from North Yorkshire’s popular band the Mojos.

Magic presented by local Britain’s got talent finalist Alfie Whattam.

The evening will start with a welcome drink. Dancing till late, including the entertainment with a raffle, auction, casino and photographer.

Tickets are £55 per person and £550 for a table of 10.

Booking and further information: E: david.ferguson@york.nhs.uk T: 01904 724521

A fun evening in a great location, all in a good cause

Now in its seventh year, Open Farm Sunday has brought over three-quarters of a million visitors onto UK farms. Managed by LEAF, Open Farm Sunday is a fantastic day for the farming industry to showcase how it produces the nation’s food and looks after our countryside. Each event is unique with its own activities - based around the farm’s own individual story.

Activities during the day may include a farm walk, nature trail, tractor and trailer rides, pond dipping, activities for children, a mini farmer’s market, or picnics.

To find the farms open nearby, enter your postcode into the search at www.farmsunday.org, which lists open farms at Kelfield, Holme-on-Spalding-Moor and Askham Bryan.

Two new activities for Open Farm Sunday 2012 Lots of people visiting a farm on Open Farm Sunday will have the opportunity to discover the importance of nature and pollinators to their food in a fun and engaging way.

Discover Pollinators and the Pollinator Survey are two new activities that many farmers will be offering at their events.

Discover Pollinators - a biological recording project for you to do on your own as you walk round on Open Farm Sunday. Look out for five specific insects during your visit to the farm and let LEAF know whether you have seen them or not. These insects have been chosen as they are very likely to be seen in June across most of Britain.

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HISTORIANS New beginnings The last couple of months have seen a number of changes within Hillam Historians.

Betty, Jenny and Paul have stepped down as chairman, secretary and treasurer respectively. We give them grateful thanks for their support and determination, without which it is safe to say the group would not exist.

I am very happily stepping into Betty’s shoes as the new chairman – I only hope I can carry out the role with even half as much flair.

So why am I getting involved? It's a question I’ve asked myself a number of times! For me, the Historians is about sharing information, stories and passing on our heritage to future generations, as well as helping to improve some village facilities, such as the pump. Hillam is rich in heritage, from farming traditions and methods, old stories of wrongdoing and sadness, and much more. I would like these stories to be preserved for future generations so we have an account of what life was like fifty or a hundred years ago.

At this point you may be pleased to know that the group has donated funds to provide a new village signpost which will soon be erected near the Ringtree. The signpost will be in the classic design, similar to those in Gateforth. We hope it will provide a real visual lift to the area. Grateful thanks to Mike Thornton for his tireless work and battlings with bureaucracy in making it happen.

Over the next couple of months we will be concentrating on Hillam’s social history, looking at capturing oral stories which have been passed through the generations. What makes this interesting and exciting is that we will be using different forms of media to capture these snippets of history. There will be audio podcasts and video, blogs, articles and photography which will ultimately be accessible to anyone interested in the history of our village.

To make all this happen we really need volunteers. Group numbers are diminishing and we desperately need new blood.

You may be new to the village or have lived here a lifetime – it really does not matter. We meet bi-monthly on the fourth Wednesday of the month. It would be great to see you to share in a really rewarding experience. Who knows what you might find out about those who lived just round the corner! There is free tea and coffee, and possibly a glass of wine or beer, a very warm welcome and guaranteed stimulating conversation. I hope to see you at our next meeting on 27th June.

Max Leighton

CRIME REPORT What’s the difference between a brain wave and a crime wave?

The answer is sometimes not a lot, as a recent spate of thefts has shown. Somebody had the idea for a simple tool that could be carried in a pocket and used to remove catalytic converters from vehicle exhaust systems in minutes. The cats are expensive because they contain platinum which, weight for weight, is more valuable than gold.

Mark Iveson, the new Chief Inspector in Selby had barely sat down at his new desk when there was a sudden surge in crime figures, and it was all down to the theft of cats from 4x4s. The reason why it was all 4x4s is that you can get under them while they are parked on a street or driveway.

It was partly to stop this and partly for other reasons that Selby Police set up a couple of special operations, Byte and Cauldron – the latter achieving some good results.

Operation Cauldron: a man was arrested and dozens of vehicles were checked in a day of action by police and partner agencies in the Selby district. Operation Cauldron involved North Yorkshire Police, British Transport Police, Trading Standards and HMRC, and was focused on the Sherburn-inElmet area. The day started with the execution of a warrant under the Misuse of Drugs Act at a flat in Saxon Court, where eight officers forced their way into a property and arrested and later charged a 40-year-old man with possession of Class A and Class B drugs. Meanwhile, representatives of HMRC and VOSA inspected 30 large vans and business vehicles at Sherburn Industrial Estate, with a focus on the legality of the vehicles' conditions and documentation, and whether illegal diesel was being used. They dealt with ten offences.

Elsewhere, members of the Border Agency visited units on industrial estates, and plain-clothed British Transport Police officers checked local scrap yards for stolen metal or catalytic converters, following the arrest this week of a scrap dealer under Operation Tornado. Visits were made to shops across the district to identify offences relating to alcohol, tobacco and employment, and a number of follow-up inquiries and further investigations are to be made regarding information gained.

Two vehicles were seized for no insurance; nine other road traffic offences. One person was arrested for drink-driving.

If you see anything suspicious, such as a vehicle parked on a street at night suddenly setting off when the driver sees you, or cruising around slowly, appearing to be looking for something:

Call it in on 101 - the police rely on you to be their eyes and ears

11

Olympic Torch relay Tuesday 19 June

9.30 am Celebrations begin along Monk Fryston main road 10.18 am Relay starts at the cemetery 10.35 am Relay reaches JP Plant Hire The Olympic Torch Relay Putting the spotlight on our community.

Torchbearers will carry the Flame through more than 1,000 cities, towns and villages in the UK.

Through Monk Fryston it will be relayed by 4 runners, 2 women and 2 men, all with good reason to have been picked.

Music and entertainment by the Salvation Army band,

Join in the fun - join the village choir and provide a vocal welcome We’ve all seen the Army Wives, the BBC’s Choir of the Year and the Rock Choir recently, and the pleasure they have brought to people’s lives. Well, I propose to set up a Monk Fryston and District Community Choir as our very own response.

Bunting made in the village and flowers will line the

The plan is to sing on 19th June as part of the Torch celebrations. Everyone is welcome, even – or especially – if you’ve not sung before.

street and enhance the route.

We’ll be singing uplifting contemporary songs to entertain the

Salsa band and Buskers from Kings School, local choir to sing.

Giant Olympic rings, made by the Art Club, will provide gathering masses along with street entertainers, various bands, spectacular entrances to the village.

Display of previous host Nation flags all the way through the village - starting with Greece and ending with China.

All the sports - depicted in pictures and symbols stretching from the village all the way to Battersby Roundabout.

Car parking will be available and clearly marked. Groups and anyone with special requirements should contact Bill Holmes on 01977 684507.

Photo opportunities – the Torch Relay is a huge media event supported by the Presenting Partners Coca Cola, Lloyds TSB and Samsung. In addition to the runners there will be a large procession of sponsor vehicles, film crews, press reporters and support vehicles. A great photo opportunity - take your camera send your best shots to the local papers and TV news. This is a truly once-in-a-lifetime event. Have fun and enjoy the day.

and other treats too numerous to mention. Songs I’ve got in mind are All Saints’ Take me to the beach (which will become Take me to the Games), R Kelly’s The world’s greatest and Elbow’s iconic anthem One day like this. Men are particularly welcome – bring your football terrace voices for the last one!

We’ll be singing songs written for the occasion with professional backing, and it should be good fun.

It is also the intention to give the choir an airing at the Diamond Jubilee village event in the grounds of Monk Fryston Hall on Tuesday 5th June.

So ... if you’d like to be involved, or would like to know more, please email me on lutzipr@aol.com or call 01977 680246.

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Lesley Perfect Rasche Can you help ?

Volunteers are needed to help set things up and ensure they run smoothly. Help is needed on the day and in the run up period.

• Putting up bunting and other decorations?

• Acting as a steward on the day to help things run smooth.

If you can help call Mike Allison 01977 684632.

Road closures - 19 June Watch for information about road closures during the morning of 19th June. The A63 and A162 are both likely to be affected while the Torch procession passes through. It is for that reason that you need to arrive well before the Relay takes place.

12

A VIEW FROM THE BOUNDARY The story so far It has been a poor start to the season and it has to be said that the weather hasn’t helped. Ground preparation has been seriously hampered by a very wet April and May. There has also been a distinct shortage of player availability for the opening matches of the season and a lack of player practice, leading to poor results. The 1st XI P5 W1 NR1 L3; the 2nd XI P4 W1 L3; the Evening League hasn’t played a match yet due to the weather – so for all teams it hasn’t been the best start to the season. There is a long way to go, however, and the signs of new players joining the club are encouraging.

The club is pleased to announce that we now have three new ECB Level 2 coaches in Steve Sadler, Will Vaks and Adrian Joynson, who also have First Aid and Child Protection Certificates.

Congratulations to the three of them.

Junior coaching is vital to the future of this club, as indeed it is to any sports club, and it was brilliant to see 23 young would-be cricketers turn up for junior training recently – and importantly the mums and dads (grandads and grandmas) stayed on to watch the training session. The club needs a vibrant junior section, which should be run by its own committee though very much a part of the club. This is an appeal for anyone who would like to come forward to help with the running of the section. Also assistance is needed with the coaching sessions, so if you feel that you can help, please contact me. You do not necessarily have to have attended a coaching course.

Representative cricket: Last year we hosted a Joe Lumb U-17 match between the Wetherby Cricket League and the Doncaster League. This year we are delighted to announce that we have been asked to host the match between the Wetherby Cricket League and the Scarborough Cricket League on Sunday 17th June 2012.

www.hmfcc.co.uk

Match ball sponsorship The Monk Fryston There are still match days available for Chernobyl Group auction sponsorship, so if you are interested in of goods, holidays and sponsoring a match ball and enjoying a complimentary cricket tea and a free pledges drink for you and your partner, please Friday 22 June 7.30 pm contact Julie Sadler on 01977 685795.

If you are a business sponsor you are welcome to bring your own advertising material with you.

1st XI scorer: Following the club’s appeal for a scorer, John Cundy of Look North has agreed to score for the 1st XI. His sons Adrian and Adam play for the 1st XI and 2nd XI respectively. We are very much indebted to him.

Ground staff In an effort to help with the maintenance of the ground and pavilion, the club is pleased to announce that Dr Toni Janik (retired) has agreed to join the ground staff team, for which we are most grateful. Does that mean the cricket club has an Honorary Doctor? Also Lee Hammerton, who helps manage Innter Crown FC, has agreed to help out with various duties at the club.

Pavilion hire Why not book the cricket pavilion for your club meeting, birthday party or other special event? Contact Julie Sadler on 01977 685795 or Tonu Vaks on 01977 685227.

Finally The club finds it very hard to obtain sponsors, funders, helpers and generally people to help run the organisation. We cannot always rely on the players as they do their bit by playing cricket. The club needs people who are not necessarily cricketers but would like to help us. If you feel that you would like to fulfil a role in this club please give me a call.

Contact: Tonu Vaks 01977 685227 / 07787 117 650 or tonuvaks@tiscali.co.uk

To be held in Monk Fryston Primary School.

The funds raised will be used to support humanitarian aid convoys to Belarus.

This event used to be an important feature in our village calendar, as many generous villagers will recall.

For further details contact mkeallison@aol.com

13

Village Fayre Sunday 24 June

2 to 5 pm - School playing field and Community Centre Olympic Torches and Jubilee celebrations are OK as oneoff events but for consistently delivering summer fun you can’t beat the Hillam and Monk Fryston Summer Fayre.

This year’s event will be held on the school playing field and at the Community Centre. Lots of entertainment and an opportunity to catch up with all the local news.

Exhibits and displays to include American classic cars and the Towton Battlefield Society. Food and refreshments.

Free admission.

Latest information about the wind farms Third anniversary of the wind farm applications It is over three years since Prowind submitted their applications for Bishopwood and Woodlane wind farms. The normal procedure with an incomplete application is for it to be refused.

It seems that different rules apply to wind farm applications.

These wind farms both have problems with RAF radar, but earlier this year Prowind proposed a solution comprising a radar system on each wind farm to track aircraft in the vicinity of turbines. The system is not yet proven so they will be seeking conditional approval - giving them five years, so that if the solution is shown to work they can start building.

The wind farms have certainly not gone away - the applications are still there and Prowind have now established a company in the UK to push these applications and a number of others forward. So far they have no operational wind farms in the UK.

and this would increase with inflation, so it easy to see that the developer will be determined to use every possible means to get planning permission.

Advice to those with property on the market While wind farm developers say that there is very little impact on property values, common sense says otherwise. A home close to a wind farm is less desirable. If you have your house on the market you may wish to note that: “It is the seller’s responsibility to disclose any material fact” on the standard property information form which is completed by the seller. This form is included in all introduction packs sent out by the solicitor at the start of the conveyancing process.

The seller must disclose anything that will or could impact on the property. This applies even if a wind farm application is only at the scoping stage.

Failure to do this will potentially lead to a claim for nondisclosure if the sale completes and the application is submitted The latest information we have is that Prowind are to submit and possibly approved. The seller should also advise the estate revised information about the two wind farms. Between them the agent, who will probably be aware anyway, but might seek to two wind farms would be given over £5 million per year subsidy ignore the issue.

£5 million per year subsidy

14

VILLAGE PEOPLE Remembrance Monk Fryston Parish Council held its second special open meeting recently, and again the war memorial came up. At last year’s open meeting the PC agreed to reconsider a decision not to contribute to war memorial repair costs, and subsequently made a contribution. This year a parishioner raised the question of the Parish Council voting against being represented at the annual Remembrance Day ceremony at the war memorial in St Wilfrid’s churchyard. The PC instead donated £50.00 to the ‘Help the Heroes’ fund.

The questioner said that laying a wreath was a civic duty and a key element of civic leadership.

Welcome to Hillam Maybe a little belated, but we would still like to welcome a couple of new arrivals to the village.

Paul and Carol Leary moved into Bramble Close mid-March, with their new baby daughter, Jessica. Welcome to the village; we hope you will be very happy in your new home.

Another new arrival on 21st February was Martha Duncan, who weighed in at 9lbs 2ozs. A delightful new daughter for Alex and Kev, and little sister for Hetty.

Best wishes to you all.

Hillam Lights 100 Club - April winners 1st (£20) - Brian Varley (no 38) 2nd (£10) - A&P Spooner (no 79) 3rd (£5) - Diane Sharp (no 50)

Keeping in touch with Margaret Villagers will remember Margaret Jones, who for many years lived in White Cottage at the corner of the Square. Now in her nineties, Margaret lives with her granddaughter and family in Hambleton during the week. At weekends she stays with her daughter in Monk Fryston. Her grandson now occupies the cottage with the paved garden, where in spring the aubrietia always blossoms brightly.

Margaret maintains her interest in local affairs through the Hillam News.

Jean Waddington 1925–2012 I am sorry to report the passing of Mrs Jean Waddington who used to lived in Hillam, at both Hanover Cottage on the Manor Court complex and previously in a bungalow on Betteras Hill Road that my late father built in the 1960s. She spent her last year peacefully at the Lake and Orchard Care Centre in Kelfield, after finding it too difficult to look after herself any more without professional help.

The family would like to thank all my mum’s friends in the village for the kindness shown at various times throughout her life.

Her funeral was held at York Crematorium on 1st May. Donations in memory of Jean will go to the Donkey Sanctuary, Sidmouth, Devon.

Steve Waddington

15

More summer fun Sunday 29 July

9.00 am Football tournament and family fun - Stocking Lane 12.00 am Maspin House open garden - Hillam Common Lane Football family fun day

Maspin House open garden

Innter Crown FC have organised a family fun day and an Large country garden of about 3 acres, open for one day only in invitation football tournament between local villages at Stocking 2012 under the National Garden Scheme. We opened for 15 Lane, Hillam on 29th July. The event begins at 9.00 am. years and are just reopening after a 5-year break. There are new things to see with many beds having been replanted. Secluded There will be a bar and refreshments in the Hillam and Monk seating areas among scented flowers. Colourful richly planted Fryston cricket pavilion, with barbecue and entertainment borders with imaginative and unusual plant combinations. including bouncy castle, tombola and various stalls.

Wildlife pond with modern rill, orchard with old roses, grasses, A sponsorship board will be on display. Local businesses, meadow and summerhouse. Woodland with dappled shade. individuals or any others who can help, please contact Lee Hammerton for details on 07774 048913 or 682998.

The garden is located a mile out of the village along Hillam Funds raised will go towards the ground and equipment.

Common Lane. There will be parking with easy access to the garden, suitable for wheelchair visitors. Teas and light About the club refreshments will be available, or bring a picnic. Plant sale with Innter Crown FC are based at the Crown Inn, and play at unusual plants propagated from specimens in the garden.

Stocking Lane, Hillam. They use the changing facilities kindly Find out more about the plants and the planting from the owner. made available by Hillam and Monk Fryston Cricket Club.

Free leaflet with a plan of the garden and a bit about its history.

Innter Crown FC play in the first division of the Wakefield League, and in their first season finished in a creditable fifth The garden is open under the National Garden Scheme, which is place. In the coming year they will have a team in the Wakefield in its 85th year. In the last 10 years the scheme has donated League and a second team in the Selby League. ÂŁ22 million to nursing, caring and gardening charities, including Macmillan Cancer Relief and Marie Curie Cancer Care.

New players will be welcomed by their qualified coaches at pre-season training, 6.30 pm on Tuesday evenings at Stocking Lane - starting on 19th June. Anyone interested, contact Gary Cannon on 07557 537338.

If you would like to get involved with the day-to-day running of the club, please contact Lee Hammerton as above.

Have a great afternoon out and make a contribution to helping people in need of help which is not a available elsewhere.

Admission ÂŁ3.50 with children free. Open noon till 5.00 pm.

For other gardens open under the scheme see www.ngs.org.uk

16

DINE OUT IN STYLE - HILLAM NEWS SUGGESTIONS Go back to college for dinner Selby College training restaurant doesn’t advertise. Unless you have a connection with the college, you must learn about it on the grapevine.

When on holiday either here or abroad, we try to arrange a meal at a local catering college. In our experience such institutions are of consistently outstanding value – Selby being no exception. If our recent visit is anything to go by, the restaurant has no need to advertise: the thirty-plus diners easily filled the room. So early booking is advised.

The occasion was Spanish Night, part of a series of themed evenings held from autumn until May. We were greeted by Spanish background music, and care had been taken to decorate the tables in red and yellow, the country’s national colours. Even the flowers were of the same hues.

To give you just a flavour of our five-course meal: we feasted on choices from the following dishes. Chicken croquettes served with a garlic mayonnaise and a traditional orange and red onion salad, gazpacho soup, seafood paella, spicy beef meatballs with tomato sauce, patatas bravas, broad beans with bacon and marinated mushrooms, orange sorbet, crema catalana topped with a net of brittle sugar – and much more. Everything had been prepared and cooked by the students. Our group of four could not find fault with the food, which was both appetising and beautifully presented. The cost of the set meal was £22.95 per person. Drinks, individually priced, included wine from £10.95 per bottle, speciality coffees, and the usual supporting cast. Menus for functions are sent out a couple of weeks beforehand, when a deposit of £10 per person is required.

Sunshine dining a new Selby treat Frederick Manby, veteran Yorkshire Post restaurant reviewer, regularly raved about the Sangthai at Escrick.

He had good reason but, without babysitters and taxi, it was always just a little too far away for an evening out from Hillam.

If you like the Sangthai, you will love the Thai Sunshine in Selby. Perhaps they are related. The restaurant is off the snicket between Gowthorpe and Wilkinsons. The shoppers’ lunch is a bargain, and if you get there before 6:30 pm there is a 10% early bite discount. This reduction applies also to takeaways.

We shared a mixed starter which included satay chicken and exotic sauces. Portion sizes are generous, as you would expect in Yorkshire. Quality and taste are just two of the reasons why the Selby Thai is top of the local TripAdvisor list. We learned that green Thai curry is hotter than red, and avoided the even hotter jungle curry. There is no need to include a soup course, as Thai curry comes in a bowl overflowing with coconut milk.

Staff are friendly. The restaurant is warm and clean and tastefully decorated. Parking is straightforward.

A quick totting up afterwards revealed that a quarter In term time on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays the restaurant is also of our bill was for drinks and we had only two large open to the public for lunch.

Tiger beers.

Contacts: 01757 211007/8 during restaurant hours, or We did not book but can imagine, as word spreads, it dawesa@selby.ac.uk will become necessary on a Friday or Saturday night.

Dinah Hought

Garden tools Grow your own vegetables Barbecues and patio furniture

Telephone: 01757 428081

17

BUSY WITH THE BEES - A BEGINNER’S GUIDE Bee considerate

Bee plea

Although the only thing most people seem to know about bees is that “they sting”, as one old beekeeper recounted: “The only time I ever get stung is when I do something stupid – not the bee.”

Don’t wave your arms about, try to brush them off or swat them, and remember, they aren’t really interested in you, and they don’t want to commit suicide, unless trying to protect their colony.

When stinging they will also emit a pheromone which attracts other bees, so one sting may lead to another.

Keeping bees helps crops, fruit and flower pollination, and gives an insight into a fascinating life, if a short one. It can produce valuable products in the way of honey and wax, but starting up isn’t cheap!

With several people now keeping bees in the area of Hillam and Monk Fryston, it would be helpful if anybody could let us know when they are about to spray insecticides, or similar, a day in advance. We can then keep the bees in for forty-eight hours, avoiding the losses which some of us have already had this year, apparently from poisoning.

A few interesting facts: ► At the height of the season a strong colony may have upwards of 50,000 bees in a single hive. ► The queen may lay up to 2,000 eggs in a day, and thus have 2,000 bees hatching in a single day, every day, at the height of her laying. ► A worker bee will cover around 500 miles when collecting nectar/pollen, but will die when her wings give out. In the height of summer this may be less than one month after she emerges from the hive. ► Male bees (drones) have no useful function in the hive other than to hang around waiting to fertilise any wandering virgin queens (after which they die), and generally get kicked out of the hive in August, when swarming (and the emergence of virgin queens) is past. They form only a small part of the colony. ► A queen, once mated, will carry around up to seven million sperm, which she then uses over a period of up to four years to fertilise her eggs. Fertilised eggs are female; unfertilised eggs are male. ► There are many different types of bee in the UK, the commonly seen variety being the bumble bee, but beekeepers in this country keep honey bees, which are much smaller and far from uniform in colour or temperament – beekeepers try to breed docile and productive colonies, not always successfully! ► A strong colony in a good summer can allow a single hive to produce up to 120 lbs (55 kg) of surplus honey, for your own use or sale. The bees themselves will require around 40 lbs (20 kg) of honey to see them through the autumn, winter and early spring, and the size of the colony will diminish to only 10,000 to 15,000 bees over this period.

There are many other fascinating and interesting aspects of beekeeping and, if your interest has been awakened by these few facts (and you either have accommodating neighbours, or can educate them), then approach your local beekeeping association: http://www.bbka.org.uk/local/barkston-ash/ If you read only this, then you may be more knowledgeable and accommodating yourself!

Most insecticides or sprays are now classed as being “beefriendly”, but not all. When anyone is about to spray, if they could text or telephone 07831 481623 the day before, I will try to pass this on to others who have bees locally. Bees can travel up to three miles in search of good sources of forage, so it’s not just those within a stone’s throw of our own villages who might wish to let us know.

Thanks.

Bob Macgregor My visit to the Leeds Tropical Gardens It was a cold, wet, Saturday morning in April when I set off in the car to the Tropical Gardens with my grandma and grandad. As we got nearer to Leeds it began to snow but when we got inside the Tropical house it was steamy, hot and I had to take my coat off. As soon as we got in there was so much to see, so I wandered around looking at the beautifully, coloured fish in their tanks, all the insects, but my favourite animals were the Golden Monkeys, the family of Meer Cats who looked like soldiers on parade and the Fruit Bats who were hanging upside down in their dens. The best bit for me were the Reptiles because I had a Corn Snake called Scooby Doo, who ate mice, and had to be fed twice a day. My favourite snake was the Yellow Anaconda and I took lots of photographs of him. There are two types of snakes – the poisonous ones and the constrictors.

After spending an enjoyable couple of hours looking at all the interesting animals and reptiles we went into the cafe and finished off the day with some pop and my favourite chocolate bun.

Jimmy Little (aged 7 yrs)

18

Précis minutes Hillam Parish Council April 2012

Matters arising:

Correspondence out:

No improvement with the litter problem outside the football club.

Cllr Lorriman reported that Interserve confirmed they will remove the lights from the Ringtree and that he had advised a member of the Ringtree Lights Committee that funding might be available through the CEF.

MFPC - re the number of grass cuts HPC is prepared to be responsible for at the Community Centre.

CEF - application for provision of another grit bin and a supply of grit salt.

Manor Court residents - advising that the PC is not able to make a financial donation for purchase of flowers/shrubs as this is the responsibility of Hanover Housing who own the property.

Finances: Current a/c £297.99 High interest a/c £4,050.92 Cheques drawn Came & Co £676.62 - insurance Thirsk Comm Care £34.50 - PAYE fees M Walton £180 - March salary HM Revenue £45 - March PAYE M Walton £241.95 - office expenses MF&H CA £72 - rent of hall £1,000 to be transferred to current a/c.

Clerk informed members that a Mr Ian Smithson, an appropriately qualified and experienced person, was willing to undertake the annual internal audit. There were no other interested parties. He was duly elected.

Correspondence in: Came & Co - 3 year fixed rate renewal annual premium £676.62 offered, and accepted by members.

Little Monkeys Playgroup - letter of thanks for £100 donation.

Selby Citizens’ Advice - letter of thanks for £50 donation.

Ringtree Lights Committee - letter of thanks for £500 donation.

Planning matters: none.

Environment: Cllr Lorriman asked that the clerk of MFPC be requested to contact the occupiers of Rare Plants, Austfield Lane, re trimming back overhanging branches which constitute a hazard.

Cllr Lorriman has contacted Interserve for an update re the culvert at the entrance to Betteras Hill Rd and awaits a response.

Cllr Collinson reported street lamps 5 and 6 needed attention. Clerk to report the faults to the contractor for action.

Update from MFPC requested re traffic calming measures on the A63. Cllr Lorriman will refer the matter to the next CEF meeting.

Reports: Burial Committee. Outstanding VAT repayment from MFPC has now been received. S Parkin has undertaken tree and bush trimming work to a high standard.

CA. Cllr Robertson reported plans for Jubilee celebrations and an event to

celebrate the Olympic Torch being brought through Monk Fryston.

CEF. Funding applications will be considered at the next meeting to be held 17th April. Mobile skate park may benefit the young people of the village; it was well attended previously. Brotherton and Byram have submitted financial applications for consideration through the CEF. Next meeting: Annual Parish and Annual General Meeting 2nd May.

19

VILLAGE SOAP BOX - ALL IN A GOOD CAUSE Epilepsy Action It all started in the pub; appropriately, Leeds Brewery’s Midnight Bell near the canal in central Leeds. Childhood friend and beer athlete Steve ‘HP’ Dawson waited for a lull in the conversation before dropping what he knew was going to be a bombshell. As we all took another swill from our pints, HP announced he wanted to cycle the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. It had the effect he wanted, and there was much spluttering of beer, coughing, chocking and mutterances of disbelief. For clarity he repeated his assertion. The predicable beery banter ensued. But there was no doubt the man was serious. Eventually talk became more focussed and it became clear that the reason for the announcement was he was looking for a gullible friend to help him achieve his goal.

That was in November 2011. Anyone viewing HP’s ample figure, with fully-paid-up beer belly and corporate dining girth, would wonder whether any form of exercise was going to be achieved. No one had ever heard of him doing anything more than walk to the pub. All went quiet over the Christmas break allowing time for a silent exit from the plan. To everyone’s surprise, in January a bike was bought…

is about 65 miles so it’s the equivalent of there and back in a day. There may not be the crank-bending Garrowby Hill to negotiate, but the canal does cross the Pennines: Bingley’s five-lock rise is an obvious ascent. There isn’t much smooth tarmac, plus there are joggers, dog walkers, ambling iPodded commuters and icecream-bearing daytrippers to be negotiated in the many urban areas the canal passes through. It’s not to a decision to be taken lightly. After a couple of 90–110 mile road cycles, I think I may be able to do it, though it won’t be an easy ride and I anticipate walking like John Wayne for a while after.

So where does epilepsy come in to all this (we are in the fifth paragraph after all)? On Thursday 28 June, I’m going to ride from Leeds to Liverpool along the canal to raise funds for Epilepsy Action, a Leeds-based national charity improving the lives of everyone affected by epilepsy. There’s a lot more information about epilepsy and the work of Epilepsy Action on my fundraising page http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/StuartProctor as well as more details of the ride itself. I’m still a long way from my target of £500 so hope you’ll be able to help me.

Meanwhile, on Thursday 28 June HP is getting the train from Leeds to Liverpool (with his bike) to meet me at the end of my There was nothing for it. The boy needed help and I was knew epic ride. And on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday we’ll pottle what friends are for. Weeks of training have followed for him, back along the towpath at a more leisurely pace (for me) and he gradually building up from five miles three or four times a week, can have his mountain-top moment to tell the grandkids about. to a 40-mile towpath ride. With the fitness, the strategy has also Thank you for any support you can provide; funds for Epilepsy evolved. HP has decided he wants to do the ride over three days. Action are greatly needed and much appreciated.

At 127 miles, or so, this is about 40 miles a day which is achievable. For me, an avid cyclist since the age of three (Mam’s first Stuart Proctor photo of me out of nappies is on a trike), 40 miles is what I do if The Hillam News equivalent of speakers corner. If you I’m using my bike to go to work. So I started toying with the have a point of view that you would like to share with idea of doing the full ride in one day.

Hillam News readers, please send it in and if suitable

If you aren’t good on gauging distances, Hillam to Scarborough we will publish in a future issue.

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

20

ST WILFRID’S CHURCH Rector’s ramblings Many of us tend to see the life of royalty as being a bit of a privileged thing, but when we look back over the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, it’s amazing to see the difficult things she has had to deal with – not only major events in public life, but also private / family tragedies. Most of these have been lived and worked out in the public eye and under great scrutiny – and she’s dealt with these in a way that’s earned her tremendous respect and admiration.

It’s also good to remind ourselves that many members of the Royal Family have lived tragic lives over the centuries, although in years gone by they didn’t have to deal with the same pressure and scrutiny that members of the Royal Family do today – press, public expectations, etc.

One particular person who stands out from the past is Queen Elizabeth I who lived in the late 16th and early 17th century. She also suffered quite a tragic life.

Before she became Queen, as a young Princess Elizabeth, at the age of only three she had to cope with her first great tragedy.

Her mother was executed by order of her father. After this time she was shunned by her father and neglected, experiencing no love in her life. How she must have dreamt of and longed for something better.

When she was fourteen, her father died and her brother became King. She soon realised that she must be extremely careful how she spoke and what she did, because there were plots to use her to cause trouble. This was obviously an emotionally unstable time for the young Princess.

Six years later her half-sister Mary became Queen. Elizabeth was next in line for the throne and Mary, who was pretty unpopular, thought the people might wish to have Elizabeth instead. So she had the Princess locked away, first in the tower of London, and then in Woodstock Palace in Oxfordshire, before she moved on to lead a slightly happier life at Hatfield House near London.

In 1588 Mary died and Elizabeth became Queen. She clearly knew what it was to face tragedy in her life, but she was determined to succeed as Queen – and found many ways of doing so during her reign. The reign of Elizabeth I was one of the most colourful in the history of England, and ended with her death on 24th March 1603.

Queen Elizabeth I, very much like our present Queen, helps us to realise that it’s not who we are that’s the most important thing in life, nor is it the position or status we hold by privilege or hard work, but rather, it’s what we’re ready to make of ourselves in that position.

John

1ST SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH 8am Holy Communion at St Wilfrid’s, Monk Fryston 9.30am Parish Communion at St Mary’s, South Milford 9.30am Sunday Club at St Mary’s Church (ages 2-8) 11am Parish Communion at St Wilfrid’s, Monk Fryston 11am Sunday Club in St Wilfrid’s Church Hall (ages 2-8) 2ND SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH 9.30am Parish Communion at St Mary’s, South Milford 11am Parish Communion at St Wilfrid’s, Monk Fryston 6pm Evensong at St Mary’s, South Milford 3RD SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH 8am Holy Communion at St Wilfrid’s, Monk Fryston 9.30am Parish Communion at St Mary’s, South Milford 11am Family Service at St Wilfrid’s, Monk Fryston 4TH SUNDAY OF EACH MONTH 9.30am Family Service at St Mary’s, South Milford 11am Parish Communion at St Wilfrid’s, Monk Fryston 6pm Holy Communion at St Mary’s, South Milford

Sunday Club annual report Sunday Club continues to meet on the first Sunday of every month, except January and August. We offer a safe and fun environment for up to 8-year-olds to enjoy activities, play games and have stories relating to a pre-agreed topic. The majority of children arrive and stay with at least one parent or carer, though we do offer to those who bring older children the opportunity to leave their children and join the church service.

At the end of each session the children are invited to go into church and show the congregation what they have made and what they have learned during the session. They are also invited to receive a blessing and join in the final hymn. This is a valuable part of Sunday Club and aims to give the children a sense of attending a church service so that they feel at home in the setting, and with the rest of the congregation.

At the moment we have a team of volunteers who each run two sessions a year (the July session is usually a coach trip), and most of these volunteers have children who attend or have attended Sunday Club. Some of the team are now finding that their children are becoming too old for Sunday Club, and we are therefore very keen to find volunteers with younger children to take over the running of these sessions.

As lead coordinator I am also keen to pass on the mantle to another willing volunteer, and will be happy to provide as much support as is required.

Lisa Childs BOOKINGS NOW BEING TAKEN FOR WEDDINGS AND BAPTISMS FOR 2012 AND BEYOND Enquiries to the Rector on 01977 680788 or email at

hetherington556@btinternet.com

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BROADBAND - ARE YOU IN THE SLOW LANE Fibre optics and scope for improvement Broadband speed problems to be investigated by the CEF Some people living a long way from the South Milford exchange are unable I raised the problem of poor broadband service (defined as less than 2Mbps download speed) in our area at the April CEF meeting. This problem is being tackled by an organisation called Connecting North Yorkshire (CNY) which is a partnership project led by NYCC, set up to provide high quality broadband to all businesses and citizens in North Yorkshire by 2017. £20 million has been allocated by the government to provide new fibre optic cables to all North Yorkshire villages to upgrade the local systems. Hillam and Monk Fryston are not a high priority area; however if a sufficient number of people complains, then CNY can raise the level of priority. People are encouraged to register with NYCC at www.northyorks.gov.uk/ broadbandsurvey, take a computer speed check and fill in a survey form. The more people complain, the better chance we have of an earlier upgrade.

I am conducting a survey in Hillam and Monk Fryston to ascertain the magnitude of the problem.

To assist with this survey, individuals or businesses concerned should log on to the above website and take the speed check on their computer and make a note of the download and upload speeds. They can then email me the results on hmfbbsurvey@ hotmail.co.uk, stating whether their account is an individual or business account and giving details of their location, eg street address. I will then collate the information to pass on to CNY. If we can demonstrate that there is a big problem in our area, we may be able to get some priority for an earlier upgrade.

D Lorriman - Hillam Parish Council

to access broadband and have to use a mobile to access the Internet. Many villagers say that broadband is too slow to allow them to watch Internet TV. If you want to check the speed of your broadband connection try broadband speedchecker.co.uk, which measured 1.29Mb in Chapel Street, 1.73Mb in Hillam Hall Lane, 1.93Mb in Bedford’s Fold, but 0.33Mb off the A63 towards Hambleton. Rates in South Milford were up to 6.00Mb. Local broadband connections are made via a cabinet outside Mill Close. If this was connected to South Milford exchange by fibre optic cable we would experience some improvements. South Milford exchange is already linked to the fibre optic network and it would not be a major project to upgrade the main connection to Hillam and Monk Fryston.

According to Councillor Mike Jordan, the representative on Selby District Council for Sherburn-in-Elmet, poor Internet access on the Sherburn Industrial Estate is having an effect on employment and investment. He says that the only way to improve speeds there is to run a fibre optic cable from South Milford to the area’s highest building, the ABN Mill, from which broadband could be accessed through radio receivers.

Mike Jordan hopes such an aim can be achieved with help from NYnet, a company set up specially by North Yorkshire County Council. Selby District Council has appointed a District Community Broadband Coordinator, Drew Fussey. He can be contacted via dfussey@selby.gov.uk, but in a conversation at the CEF meeting the only suggestion he had for Hillam was to fill in a questionnaire at www.northyorks.gov.uk/broadbandsurvey.

Nearly ten years ago the editor used a radio link to a base station at Sherburn.

It did not work very well in the rain, and the project was abandoned when BT made improvements to their router technology.

Farmers Weekly is running a Rural Broadband Campaign and is encouraging rural dwellers to write to their MPs. Their site has a pro forma letter. Hillam News readers, who may have sent other letters to Nigel Adams or Selby Council, will know how to proceed. The Hillam Nerd has already sent his.

The Farmers Weekly site also provides an explanation of how the radio solution works and how much it would cost.

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22

SPORT-

IN- NEWS

Another football season comes to an end, and it’s hard to think of one which has brought so much excitement and entertainment right to the very end. To think both Manchester clubs played 38 matches and it took the final 2 minutes of the season to decide the outcome is barely believable, but that’s the truth of what happened. The drama was amazing, and illustrated why the sport is looked upon by many people as the greatest game in the world. Sir Alex Ferguson once termed Manchester City their ‘noisy neighbours’. Well, they are certainly keeping him awake now! And what about Chelsea’s fantastic triumph in the Champions’ League? Their penalty kick victory certainly wouldn’t have endeared them to supporters of Tottenham Hotspur, who now miss out on Champions’ League entry for next season, but to most neutrals it was another night of high drama, culminating in an English side finally beating a German team on penalties. Let’s hope it will be the start of something big this summer, as England embark on their path to glory in the 2012 European Championships. Talk of Tottenham, and I have to worry what the loss of top flight European football will do for them financially. Out of all the top five or six clubs I get the feeling they are the most vulnerable when it comes to their finances, given the amount they have spent over the last four or five years. It’s now widely accepted that football clubs continue to live way beyond their means, largely funding astronomically high wages for their players. Without Champions’ League income I wouldn’t be surprised to see Spurs follow a path that has already been taken by clubs such as Leeds and now Glasgow Rangers.

Away from football, cricket is back making some of the headlines as England play three Test matches with the West Indies before entertaining South Africa later this summer. If they can secure a series result against the Caribbean tourists then it will mean they go into their second set of games as the world’s leading side. To make it even spicier, South Africa currently hold the second spot in the ratings. This should bring much needed focus on the longer version of cricket, after the Twenty20 and one-day games continue to ‘hog the headlines’. We have seen over the last few years that the five-day game can offer as much excitement as the shorter version – if not more – and let’s hope the grounds are packed out for what could be some fantastic games.

Finally, a subject that I have mentioned in the past continues to rumble on. Castleford Rugby League are still struggling to secure a move to their proposed new ground at Xscape, and supporters are becoming increasingly worried that without a move to a new stadium their licence to play in Super League will be revoked in 2014. Personally I don’t think that will happen because one of their neighbours will be ahead of them in the queue to exit.

Wakefield Trinity Wildcats have arguably contributed very little to the top tier of rugby over the last few years and their stadium is stuck somewhere in the 1950s. Surely however, there is a solution which would benefit both clubs – why not move both to a new purpose-built stadium somewhere geographically split between the two towns, eg Normanton? In the current climate the council cannot support the building of two new stadiums within a relatively short distance of each other, but one ground would surely be achievable. Both sets of fans will have their own views on this but I’m sure time would heal any initial concerns and fears.

It may need some swallowing of pride to make this happen but without it then at least one, if not both, world-renowned rugby league clubs could find themselves cast into the sporting wilderness. If AC and Inter Milan, Bayern and 1860 Munich, as well as many other clubs across the world, can share one ground then surely two rugby league clubs with less than 20,000 supporters between them can make it happen ...

Yours in sport

Doug Hought

23

DEAR HILLAM NEWS Wanted - deck chairs In any condition, can collect Please contact Paula on 01977 684927

OR

07775580751

Have a Frankie & Benny on the

Selby Times

A Hillam resident recently emailed a grievance to the Selby Times: Can you please explain why the Selby Times is discriminating against loyal customers such as our household?

When the subscription scheme began in summer 2010 we set up a direct debit. We were not offered an inducement, either at the start or at renewal time. There have since been offers to new subscribers, the current one being a £25 voucher to spend at Frankie & Benny’s.

Is this fair to established subscribers? Should we cancel our direct debit and begin again?

A helpful reply was received: My apologies that you feel you are being discriminated against with the subscription offer, and please be assured that this is not the case. We very much value our loyal readers who subscribe to us, but we are also looking at ways to entice new and casual readers into subscribing, hence the different offers that we have for new sign-ups. As I’m sure you can appreciate, we have to keep our offers fresh and different, and because of the amount that we do I wouldn’t advise you to stop your subscription and start again.

I do however take into consideration your point on loyal subscribers feeling discrimination, so I will bring this up with our group subscriptions department and see if we can look into a loyalty reward scheme, where at regular intervals throughout the year we can reward you with an offer.

In the meantime, if you would like to send me your address I will send you one of the Frankie & Benny’s vouchers.

Last word from the editor Further to the birding article I am pleased to say that we have at least five nesting pairs of swallows who have all now completed their nests. Mud has been in good supply so the more ambitious birds have built two storey dwellings this year. The nest over the front door has been taken again. The two adults have been using it as sleeping quarters for the last two weeks.

Four eggs were laid on 26 May. We look forward to watching their progress.

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

Walking on Air Foot Care In the comfort of your own home

Amanda Hornshaw Foot Health Practitioner Dip CFHP, MPS Pract Corns/callus removed, nail cutting, verrucas and general foot care Home visits only: phone 07740 090368 Fully insured and CRB checked

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

CLUBS & GROUPS To amend or to add to the information below, please phone Jenny Hoare (683332)

CLUB OR GROUP

LOCATION

DAY & TIME

Community Centre

Bi-monthly 3rd Wed 7.30pm

Paddy Twidale

684180

Ringtree Lights Committee

Cross Keys

Occasional

Karen Merry

685694

MF & S Milford Mothers’ Union

St Mary’s Church, SM

2nd Thur 2pm

Paddy Twidale

684180

Women with Interests

Usually at Community Centre

3rd Thur 7.30pm

Kath Ratcliffe

683590

Community Association Luncheon Club (for anyone over 70)

Community Centre: for catering purposes, please book your place

1st Wed from 11.30am

Kath Ratcliffe

683590

St Wilfrid’s & St Mary’s Youth Fellowship

Venue variable Alternate Sats

Ages 8-11: 6.30-8pm Ages 12-16: 7.30-9pm

Craig Wright

07411 481603

S Milford Youth Club

SM Church Hall

Wed 7-9pm (term time)

Annabel Hey

07517 314720

Breakfast & After-School Clubs

Community Centre & Hambleton Play Safe Club

Monk Fryston & Hillam Community Association Church Hall booking

7.30am-6.30pm Mon-Fri 9-12am Tue & Thur 12.30-3pm Tue 9.30-11.15am (term time)

CONTACT Booking: Becky Gatenby 689230 Secretary: Tony Hudson 682693

Rachael Peacock 01757 229910 Jayne Wood 681050 (Playschool hours only)

MF Pre-school

Church Hall

Little Monkeys (Mothers & Toddlers)

Community Centre

Rainbows (girls 5-7)

Church Hall

Friday

Becky Gatenby

689230

1st Hillam & MF Brownies

Church Hall

Fri 6.30-7.30pm

Marie Parkin

680363

Sarah Force

07879 452293

S Milford Guides 682506, Hambleton Guides 01757 705535, Sherburn Cubs and Scouts 07913 158839 Air Cadets (ages 13-21)

RAF Church Fenton

Mon & Fri 7-9pm

Chernobyl Children’s Project (UK), MF Group MF, Hillam & Burton Salmon Defibrillator Group

Crown Inn

Hillam & MF Cricket Club

www.hmfcc.co.uk

Occasional Tues 7.30pm

01937 557340 Paula Spencer

682506

John Colton

671172

Kate Vaks

Burton Salmon Cricket Club

John Nesbitt

07747 045060 684444

Monk Fryston United FC

Stocking Lane

Steve Tope

07970 868288

Innter Crown FC

Lowfield Road

Lee Hammerton 07774 048913

Castleford & Dist Society of Anglers

Hillam Pond, Betteras Hill Road

D Malanczac

557715

St Wilfrid’s Parish Walks

Variable

4th Sat 10.15am

Stuart Twidale

684180

Circuit Training (children & adults)

MF School

Mon & Thur 8-9pm

Pat Birch

680580

MF Cycling Club

MF Square

7am summer, 8am winter

Iain Mitchell

681063

Dancing (2+, also teen classes)

Church Hall

Tue 4-7.30, Wed 4-6.30pm (term time)

Lucie Fox

01757 228841

Tappy Tots

Community Centre

Thur 1.45-2.30pm

Sue Brierley

0113 3790610

High-Low Quick-Slow (for under-5s)

Community Centre

Thur 10-11am

Anne Nicholson 01757 611234

Zumba Fitness Workout

Church Hall

Thur 6.45-7.30pm

Hannah Howcroft 07707 929393

Pilates

Community Centre

Mon 9.30-10.30am (term time)

Beverley Fletcher 01937 530079

Hillam Historians

Hillam Nurseries

Bi-monthly 4th Wed 7.30pm

Max Leighton

MF Art Club University of the Third Age, Sherburn and Villages branch

Church Hall Mon 1-4pm Various groups, locations and times detailed at: www.sherburnu3a.co.uk

Local evening & daytime classes

Adult Learning Service, Selby & Sherburn

0845 3006686

Sherburn Library

Has a list of local societies covering a wide area

0845 0349443

07773 428917

Jean Dearn

682611

Lorna Pope

683514

The Hillam News is a free newspaper produced by volunteers. We make reasonable endeavours to ensure the accuracy of the content but we do not guarantee the accuracy of nor endorse the opinions of third-party contributions including adverts.

We publish our material in good faith and strive to comment fairly. If we make a mistake we are willing to correct it when it is pointed out to us. Because the paper is free we do not permit copying for gain but are happy to grant permission for reproduction.