Northern Life June July August Digital Edition

READERS’ STORIES, POEMS, PICTURES & MEMORIES

NorthernLife THE AWARD-WINNING MAGAZINE CELEBRATING YORKSHIRE AND LANCASHIRE

GOIN’ DOWN

THE IMP TALES FROM NELSON’S IMPERIAL BALLROOM

WORLD

AXE THROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS COME TO

YORKSHIRE

LEEDS BOXER

June/July/August 2024

£4.90

JOSH WISHER

mer m u S T’S

WHAN OUIDE G

BURNLEY

FILM PIONEER

SAM HANNA

CYCLING THE

DALES DIVIDE THE COMEDY PORTRAITS OF

A N D Y HOLLINGWORTH

P l u s . . . FOOD & DRINK • HEALTH & SELF • HOME & GARDEN • ART & CULTURE

THIS EDITION IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY Editor Karen Shaw editor@northernlifemedia.co.uk Design Manager Chris Pearson chris@northernlifemedia.co.uk Editorial Laura Storey laura@northernlifemedia.co.uk Editorial Contributors Sophia Smith, Erica Nash If you would like more information about NorthernLife please contact us at: Northern Life Media, 2B Standroyd Mill, Cotton Tree Lane, Colne, Lancashire. BB8 7BW. 01282 861982 info@northernlifemedia.co.uk northernlifemagazine.co.uk northernlifemedia.co.uk

Cover image: Michael Palin by Andy Hollingworth NorthernLife Issue 115

Published by Northern Life Media Limited

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EDITOR’S LETTER

Summer Days...

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rom Michael Palin to Tommy Cooper’s fez, you name it - if it makes you giggle, roar with laughter, or deliver a chuckle or two, then northern photographer Andy Hollingworth will have captured it. In anticipation of the launch of his new exhibition aptly named ‘I Photograph Comedians’ at the Showtown Museum in Blackpool commencing on the 13th of July, I had the pleasure of chatting with him about his journey photographing Britain’s faces of comedy and the delightful story behind his new documentary, ‘Laurel & Hardy: Last Dance of The Cuckoos.’”

From the laughter of the West Coast, we venture east (and back!) for the Dale’s Divide cycling event.

This year, a courageous group of 150 riders took on the formidable 600km journey from Arnside to Scarborough and back. They battled through mud-drenched trails and relentless rain, a testament to their unwavering determination and love for the sport.

We reach new heights when we chat with Evesha Wadsworth, a Burnley native, once a model and actor, Evesha now finds herself scaling London’s skyscrapers in her high-vis jacket.

She took a break from her high-flying career to share her remarkable journey with NorthernLife, a story that is sure to leave you hanging.

Proud as punch, Leeds boxer Josh Wisher is making a difference in his hometown of Armley. Through his gym, The Ministry of Boxing. Josh is not just raising funds for charities and combating knife crime but also instilling fitness, confidence and creating proud ambassadors of their community.

“This one’s just quite a bit bigger!” laughs Ian Radmore, organiser of the World Double-bit Axe Throwing Championships. Ian chats about the event, which will be held at Thirsk Racecourse from August 23rd to 25th, “I run the UK Championship each year, so I know how to run a competition,” he explains, and with an axe as big as his, I’m not going to argue!

“The first thing Paul McCartney did on The Imp stage was to say, ‘Shurrup’, but to no avail. Fifty girls fainted and had to be carried to relative safety behind the stage.” We revisit the glory days of The Imperial Ballroom in Nelson, known as The Imp. This venue once hosted legends from The Beatles to Stevie Wonder…

A new book from writer Heather Norris Nicholson showcases pioneering filmmaker Sam Hanna’s evocative portrayals of working-class life in the 20th century. We delve into how Hanna began his film-making career in the classroom and crafted a unique visual record of life in East Lancashire.

If you miss those days of having sand in your sandals, check out Readers’ Stories for ‘Beside the Seaside’ tales, with plenty more to read on NorthernLife online, we were inundated with responses to the short story competition, and all were worthy of printing. Unfortunately, we don’t have enough pages to include them all, so head to northernlifemagazine.co.uk/ readerssubmissions to read more; there’s plenty to keep you going all summer!

Our Readers’ Submission appeal is in full swing, for more details turn to page 11.

Do you know which horse switched on Blackpool illuminations? No, neither did I! But if you know your cockles from your mussels and your sugar dummies from your doughnuts, then turn to page 69 for our Summer by the Sea Quiz…

Wishing you a wonderful summer - don’t forget to check out northernlifemagazine.co.uk for up to date events, news and readers’ submissions...

“With an axe as big as his, I’m not going to argue!”

Karen Shaw | Editor | 01282 861982 Northern Life | Family Colne Life | Craven and Valley Life Northern Life Media Ltd

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Andy Hollingworth

Evesha Wadsworth

Josh Wisher

Sam Hanna

WHAT WE GOT HERE THEN? J U N E /J U LY/A U G U S T 2 0 2 4

22 Features 12

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Jack Carroll by Andy Hollingworth

30

Faces of Comedy - Interview with celebrity photographer Andy Hollingworth

18 Cycling the Dales Divide 22 High Hopes 27 A Northerner's Life in Indonesia 30 Boxing True - Interview with Leeds boxer Josh Wisher

35 The World Axe Throwing Championships 38 Ballroom of the Stars -

77

The Imperial Ballroom, Nelson

50 READERS’

SUBMISSIONS

51

Readers’ Gallery

55

Readers’ Poems

58

Reader’s Memory

60

Readers’ Stories

65

Readers’ Pet Pawtraits

66

Geoff Crambie's Two Weeks

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in Waterside NL 6

CONTENTS

REGULARS 8

Good News and Views

69

Summer Quiz

71

Competitions

99

What’s On Guide

76 42 41 FOOD AND DRINK 42

Summer Salad Suppers

44

Fresh 'n' Fruity Desserts

46

Zodiac Cocktails

47

Summer Splash

48

Foraging is More Than Just Food

92

75 HOME AND GARDEN 76

Serene Garden

79

Summer Gardening Check List

83 HEALTH AND SELF 84

Dr Milli Sleep: The Secrets and Science

86

Coach Lindsay Core Beliefs

89

Sun-Safe, Sun-Kissed Beauty Showcase

91 ART AND CULTURE 92

Round Our Way

97

Northern Life Book Club

46

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READERS’

V I EWS & GOOD NEWS

Send us a letter and if we print it you’ll receive a free copy of NorthernLife Write to us or email editor@northernlifemedia.co.uk or go to northernlifemagazine.co.uk/contribute

MYSTERY SOLVED

Hi Karen, I spotted the small piece on the Hebden Bridge postcards in the last edition. Thanks for solving the mystery of whose art is currently pride of place on my fridge!

Andy Marshal, Heptonstall

HISTORY LESSON

Hello Northern Life!

I had no idea Clitheroe was once under Scottish rule.

Looks like my bagpipes might finally come in useful!

Danny Kendal, Clitheroe

CHANGING PLACES

Dear Karen, I had to pick up the magazine when I saw that Halifax, my hometown, was featured! It’s changed a lot since the 1970s, and I’m more than proud to say I’m from there.

Natalie Clayton, Liverpool

Monet in York Monet’s renowned masterpiece, ‘The WaterLily Pond,’ is the highlight of a major new exhibition at York Art Gallery, celebrating the 200th anniversary of the National Gallery. As part of the National Treasures initiative, York Art Gallery is one of twelve selected venues hosting masterpieces from the National Gallery’s prestigious collection. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to experience Monet’s iconic work right here in the north. Visit York Art Gallery and immerse yourself in the beauty of ‘The Water-Lily Pond’ during this special celebration.

KEEP SMILING THROUGH

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his is my favourite photograph which I bring out to receive encouragement and get going when things are a little down. I don't know who the two ladies were but from an era that really knew hard times. You can make your own pictures of what their generation went through. They would already have seen one World War with another on the horizon.

Today we are experiencing our country and a world divided with no news good news.

I thought I would again share this picture from the past when times were really hard yet they could smile for the camera.... and what a lovely smiling face from the lady on the right. .. I bet they were on a weeks holiday from their 56 hour working week with only 15 days unpaid holidays in a whole year. I could go on....

Eddy Rawlinson, Cliviger

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VIEWS & GOOD NEWS

LOVE AND LAUGHTER

Hi Karen, Here’s a photograph of our dear friends Doreen and Billy Harrison celebrating their Blue Sapphire Wedding Anniversary (65 years). A party was held for family and friends at a local club in Middlesbrough.

They both continue to lead busy lives.

Billy enjoys riding his bicycle and making garden furniture for friends in his shed, while Doreen enjoys baking, theatre trips, and visiting charity shops.

When asked about their secret for a long and happy marriage, their reply was, ‘lots of love and laughter, both to pull in the same direction, and to never fall out!’

Many thanks, Mrs Estelle Blackburn, Keighley

PARTY TALK

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found myself standing with a stranger at a party yesterday. I asked, “So, have you had much on recently?”

They spent some time telling me a few things they’d been up to, I said “ah, great stuff,” then we went quiet again and stood awkwardly, just looking out over the party. What felt like minutes of silence passed, both of us clutching our drinks, rocking back and forth on our heels. I desperately tried to think of something else to say. Eventually, finally, I just said the first thing, the only thing, that came into my mind: “So, have you had much on recently?”

My brain just isn’t built for talking.

Brian Forbes, Rossendale

When is a wasp not a wasp?

When it’s a Yellow-Legged Asian Hornet!

Why the concern?

As the weather warms up, you’ll no doubt be expecting to see more flying insects around. But are you keeping an eye out for yellow-legged Asian hornets?

First discovered in the UK in 2016, the hornet has travelled to our shores from Western Europe. They can wreak havoc on our wildlife in the UK through their destruction of honeybee colonies and their predation on a number of other insect species. Just one nest of hornets can consume up to around 11kg of insects in a year.

These hornets can be easily identified by their unique markings: they’re slightly smaller than our native European hornet, which is two or three times the size of a common wasp. They are black with an orange face, a thin yellow band near the middle and a broader orange/yellow band around Tonytheir Livesey abdomen, near the tail. The most striking feature is their bright yellow legs, as if they’ve been dipped in a pot of yellow paint – hence the name.

So, keep your eyes open this summer. Look high and low, and if you think you see a yellow-legged Asian hornet, be sure to report it! Download the official Asian Hornet Watch app from your app store, and log any sightings, along with a photo if possible.

MAUREEN’S MAGIC Here’s Mareen Stopforth from the award-winning shop Witches Galore in Newchurch-In-Pendle with her favourite read.

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VIEWS & GOOD NEWS

EXIT STAGE LEFT

L YORKSHIRE BAKE OFF

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orkshire Sculpture Park (YSP) is delighted to announce a tasty collaboration with Great British Bake Off (GBBO) star Rowan Claughton has created a special bespoke cake that will be baked onsite and sold in the Park’s restaurants and cafes throughout the summer.

Rowan’s Yorkshire Tea bake is a tea-infused sponge complemented by mouth-watering lemon buttercream and passionfruit curd finish. Rowan will lead an interactive Afternoon Tea event at YSP on Thursday, 1 August 2024 – Yorkshire Day. This unique experience will feature his signature tea sponge, a live demonstration, and an engaging audience Q&A. Secure your spot by calling 01924 832508 or emailing hospitality@ysp.org.uk.

WRITE ALL ABOUT IT!

For our autumn edition in September, we’re eagerly seeking captivating mystery stories! With a limit of 1,200 words and a deadline of August 1st, you have ample time to craft and refine your tales.

We’re also on the hunt for creepy pictures and spooky memories and poems.

Send your contributions to northernlifemagazine.co.uk/ contribute!

aura Storey’s delightful article Travelling Troupes in the last edition of Northern Life included a picture of Geoff Crambie holding a Gayfare Productions poster advertising The Chinese Bungalow.

The phrase, awakening a nascent memory, could not have been more apt, for I had a part in that play. Repertory companies depended on the box office receipts for their livelihood, so to keep costs down, there were only four players in the group.

Obviously, such a low number meant that for any play with a larger cast, it was necessary to either double up or bring in help from outside. The Chinese Bungalow required six; doubling up was not possible, so they turned to the Colne Amateur Dramatic and Operatic Society for help.

The rehearsal in the Little Theatre barely got underway when it was interrupted by the arrival of a heavily made-up statuesque lady who, I learned later, was the leading lady of Gayfare Productions. Judging by the enthusiastic greetings which met her, it was not her first visit. After embracing and airkissing some of the senior members, she announced that she wanted two young men to take part in a forthcoming production.

“‘You there! Yes, you! You will do nicely, darhling,’ she said.” *Rob Prendergast (not his real name), who had done a bit of acting before, immediately volunteered. I tried to hide as her eyes scanned the room, but it was to no avail, and they eventually came to rest on me. “You there! Yes, you!

You will do nicely, darhling,” she said.

My protestations that I had only joined the Society to help out backstage were brusquely brushed aside, and we were told when and where to report for rehearsals.

Our roles were that of Chinese servants with costumes best described as that of coolies complete with long black pigtails, and if that wasn’t all, we had to wear yellow make-up. UGH! The play, which, as the poster shows, was at the Municipal Hall, was a thriller. It included a scene in which we had to manhandle the leading lady to face interrogation.

It was the first night, and we were in the wings. Rob was on one side of her, and I was on the other. I don’t know about Rob, but I was loosely holding her wrist and upper arm. As our cue approached, she snapped, “Hold me tight. Squeeze hard. Hurt me. I owe it to my audience to feel deep pain in this scene.”

I was extremely relieved to learn that the play was to run for only one week, so my spell as a reluctant Thespian was soon over.

However, the story does not quite end there.

Prior to the final performance, I found the cast members sharing the box office money in the leading lady’s dressing room. Great, I thought.

I only earned a pittance as a shop assistant, so a bit of extra cash was always welcome, but it was not to be. “Sorry, Daaahling,” she said, giving me her best sorrowful look, “but if we were to remunerate you, it would jeopardise your amateur status!”

David Walker, Barrowford.

To read Geoff’s piece go to northernlifemagazine.co.uk/preview NL 10

Geoff Crambie holding the Gayfare Promotions poster

FACES of COMEDY PHOTOGRAPHER TO THE COMIC STARS ANDY HOLLINGWORTH TALKS TO KAREN SHAW AHEAD OF HIS NEW EXHIBITION AT BLACKPOOL’S SHOWTOWN MUSEUM

F

rom Steve Martin to Rowan Atkinson and from Kevin Bridges to Johnny Vegas, northern photographer Andy Hollingworth has snapped some of Britain’s most iconic comedians, creating snapshots that capture the comics who have filled our households with laughter for decades. Not bad for a lad who began his successful career photographing stray dogs. I caught up with Andy to chat about the man behind the lens and his latest exhibition at Blackpool’s brand-new Showtown Museum with his exhibition, ‘I Photograph Comedians.’ This exhibition offers a rare glimpse into the lives of these comedians, showcasing them in a different light. ›

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John Culshaw as Les Dawson

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Andy Hollingworth

Showtown, Blackpool’s first-ever museum, has created an all-singing, all-dancing museum right next to the iconic Blackpool Tower, celebrating comedians, dancers, acrobats, and entertainers. Naturally, it was the perfect home for Andy’s images. “It’s been five years in the making,” he reveals.

“I met the team behind it about seven years ago,” Andy recalls with a smile. “We were at the Victoria and Albert Museum, and I was there photographing Ronnie Barker’s glasses!

We got chatting over lunch, and they shared their plans for a new museum.”

The exhibition is a dynamic showcase featuring comedy greats who have entertained us for decades alongside portraits of today’s comedy stars. “I always like to keep things current,” Andy explains. “So, I’m still shooting for the exhibition. I photographed someone yesterday, another last week, and I’ll be shooting right up until the deadline!”

Beyond traditional photographs, the exhibition is a treasure trove of unique items. It includes handmade Polaroid lifts of comedians like Paul Whitehouse and Shobna Gulati, as well as photos of iconic artefacts like Tommy Cooper’s fez.

“Over the last decade, even though I love taking pictures of people, I’ve developed a deep passion for photographing items that belong to comedians,” Andy shares. “I’ve captured five of Tommy Cooper’s fezzes, Charlie Chaplin’s cane, Harpo’s harp, and much more! These artefacts hold not just historical value, but also a personal connection to the comedians, making them truly special.”

Andy loves to evoke nostalgia by

posting pictures of old comedy tickets on Twitter. “I’ve photographed 23,000 comedy tickets; many were lent or gifted to me. Some date back to 1890! I have tickets for the Lumière Brothers, Chaplin, Eaton, Laurel and Hardy, all the way to Steptoe and Son recording tickets and Monty Python in the 60s.”

His joy in photographing these items led to a theatre, where the Blankety Blank star’s wife Tracy allowed Andy to photograph his rings, watch and even his teenage diaries. Les passed away in the early nineties, so for the exhibition, Dead Ringers star Jon Culshaw stood in to portray the comedian. “Everything about how he portrayed him was absolutely spot on,”

Andy smiles.

One comedian who holds a special place in Andy’s heart is Charlie Williams, one of Britain’s first wellknown black stand-up comics and a trailblazer in professional football.

“I went to meet Charlie just to shake his hand and say thank you. My most vivid childhood memory is my grandad John sitting in his chair laughing at Charlie’s jokes on TV. My mum says I used to sit on the stool at my grandma’s and stare, not at Charlie, but at my granddad because, in my eyes, he very rarely laughed. I took Charlie’s picture as a souvenir. Years later, at the 25th anniversary of The Comedians, he remembered me and said, ‘Hey,

“The exhibition is a dynamic showcase, featuring comedy greats who have entertained us for decades”

Harry Hill ›

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lad, I thought you were dead!’” Andy chuckles.

“I think he was genuinely amazing.

He broke so much new ground. He was one of the first black professional footballers. He was the first black man on TV, I believe, to front a game show, not to mention all his work in The Comedians. He knew exactly the world that he lived in, and he played it brilliantly to his advantage, and he was such a lovely man!”

Capturing Rowan Atkinson, the man behind Mr Bean and Blackadder, was Andy’s dream come true. “I have contacted him several times to photograph him, but he never responded. Then, while working on the QI Annual for John Lloyd, I did a session with Bill Bailey. “At the end, John said, ‘I’ve got somebody else that I need photographing. Would you be interested?’ I agreed, and just as John was leaving, I said, ‘Oh, John, who is it, by the way?’ He turned around and said, “It’s Rowan.” And then he walked out the door! It was a big deal for me—a really big deal.”

Another big deal for Andy was photographing the icon, Steve Martin.

“You often find that the more famous the person, the more delightful. He’s the kind of person who would walk into a room and go, ‘Hello, I’m Steve’.

In your head, you’re thinking, yeah, everybody on the planet knows that.

But the amount of dignity and respect, you know, that’s such a lovely thing to say. There’s no presumption, and immediately, you think, oh, you’re smashing!”

A true northerner, his favourite sitcom is, of course, The Royal Family.

“Craig Cash and Caroline Aherne observe people from the north perfectly. At that point, it was the first sitcom that captured working-class,

Sarah Millican

Stan Laurel’s bowler hat

normal people and how they were.

This photograph of Craig was taken at the Manchester production of Early Doors. When the photo was taken, we’d just been talking about Caroline, and you can see that in his eyes – their working relationship was such a loving thing, and the work that they produced together was incredible. The feelings that he has for Caroline can be seen on his face.”

It’s no surprise that Andy is a big fan of iconic comedians like Charlie Williams and Rowan Atkinson. But what does he think about the state of comedy today?

“Comedy has definitely evolved,” Andy says thoughtfully. “People often complain, saying, ‘Oh, comedy isn’t as good anymore, it’s all woke nonsense.’

But I don’t buy into that. Comedy is like music—the gold is always there; you have to find it.”

He continues, “People don’t get to where they are without being

“Comedy is like music - the gold is always there; you have to find it.”

Johnny Vegas

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genuinely funny. Sure, there are comedians I find funnier than others, but if millions of people love them, they must be doing something right!”

Andy’s photographs reveal a unique connection with his subjects, capturing their true personalities. “I focus on the person rather than the equipment,” he explains. “I love photographing new comedians as much as those who’ve been in the industry for decades.

Getting them to relax and showing what’s funny about them is key.”

Growing up in Holmfirth, Last of ›

Craig Cash

The Summer Wine country, Andy started photographing stray dogs before people. “I was shy and didn’t want to ask people to take their photos, so I followed a dog pack around the council estate one summer. That’s how I started.”

Andy is self-taught, having never taken a photography course or joined a camera club. “A friend gave me amazing advice when I was 18. He wrote, ‘Shoot what you love,’ and that’s what I’ve done. That was the best piece of advice ever.”

In homage to his love of comedy, Andy has created a documentary, ‘Laurel & Hardy: Last Dance of The Cuckoos,’ screened alongside the exhibition. It follows Laurel and Hardy’s last tour in 1953 when they arrived in a sleepy Irish town of Cobh expecting to go unnoticed, but a local paper had printed the passenger list of the boat they were on.

“Hearing that Laurel and Hardy were coming, the local schoolboys revolted and demanded to see them,

“Andy’s photographs reveal a unique connection with his subjects, capturing their true personalities.”

Steve Royle

pushing the headmaster against the wall!” He explains. “They ran down to the dock, followed by the whole town.

The bank was left unattended, and the local chemist took photographs. When the ship arrived, hundreds of people were waiting for them!

“Before Laurel and Hardy reached the shore, their theme song rang out from St. Nicholas Cathedral. They asked to meet the bellringers and found a man and his 10-year-old son who had played the tune – the same boy who had kicked off the revolt. Laurel said it was the greatest day of his life.”

“For the film, I borrowed Stan Laurel’s hat, flew it to Ireland, and took it up the Cathedral’s bell tower, and the son of the Carillon player played the tune one last time. We found the chemist’s grandson, got his camera, and recreated the original photos.

We even took the hat to the Dublin Olympia Theatre, where Laurel and Hardy performed, and lit it in the exact same spot. I had to look after the hat NL 17

for four days. I put it on for a photo but was very careful with it. It never left my hand and was stored under my bed in the evenings!”

The documentary, narrated by the hilarious Harry Hill, has garnered rave reviews from comedy greats like Ade Edmondson, Count Arthur Strong, and many others. It beautifully captures the magic of that historic moment and the enduring legacy of Laurel and Hardy.

‘I Photograph Comedians’ launches on the 13th July as part of the Blackpool Comedy Festival. Entry is free with admission to Showtown.

A programme of events exploring comedy and laughter will complement the exhibition through February 2025, including a series of exhibition talks and tours with Andy as he shares anecdotes about each act and examines what it means to be famous and funny.

Andy is looking for classic comedy tickets. If you have any available, please don’t hesitate to contact him via his website andyhollingworth.com NL

C Y CT L I N G HE

DALES DIVIDE

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A 600km ALL-TERRAIN CYCLE EVENT CROSSING FROM THE WEST COAST TO THE EAST COAST AND BACK

WORDS AND PHOTOS BY ERICA NASH hen my husband expressed an interest in this year’s Dale’s Divide event, a 600km all-terrain cycle event crossing from the West Coast to the East Coast and back, I was not at all surprised as he had been increasing his training as a year progressed. For me, this would mean that I could indulge my passions simultaneously, travelling parallel along the course, in our campervan with roving reporters, ‘Mabel and Gertrude‘, capturing imagery of riders, and the glorious, rugged countryside of both the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors at various stages throughout the Easter weekend.

On the pier in the picturesque South Lakes town of Arnside, after a great deal of less than desirable British weather, a group of hardy riders gathered under blue skies with

a promising forecast ahead. A brief welcome and encouragement speech was given by event founder Chris Ellison, joined by Alex Pilkington (winner of the Highland Trail 550 in 2018) alongside Pat Hall, mother of late ultra-endurance cyclist, Mike Hall who, whilst riding the Indian Pacific Wheel Race in 2017 was fatally injured in a collision with a car, at the tender age of 35. Mike, having previously set the world record for the circumnavigation World Cycle Race, completing the route in 91 days, was highly respected and regarded globally as one of the finest ultra-distance cyclists of his time. Also in attendance was Debbie North founder of the charity ‘Access the Dales’ who was delighted again to be chosen as one of the beneficiaries alongside Bay Search and Rescue for monies raised by means of a voluntary entry fee. Last year’s donation being put towards the purchase of an all NL 18

“The Cowbells sounded, and one by one 150 riders made their way through the village with their sights set firmly on the Yorkshire Dales.” terrain vehicle. Chris, having chosen the charity due to its shared values of getting people out and about in the countryside and its resulting effects on mental health and well-being.

All riders gathered around the flagpole on the pier to oblige my request for a group photo before ‘The Grand Depart’. I suggested they all

raise a hand and shout, “BE MORE MIKE.” The cowbells sounded, and one by one 150 riders made their way through the village with their sights set firmly on the Yorkshire Dales.

After competing in the American Tour Divide, a 2,700 mile bikepacking event, Chris Ellison returned home to Yorkshire with his vision of creating a race that would give people an introduction into the world of ultra-distance riding. A race open to riders of all ages, genders, ethnicities, nationalities, cycling ability and diverse bike set ups. A race that would be a great starter to the year’s ultra-distance bike-packing calendar. In 2018 The Dales Divide would be born. Open to riders just getting into long distance riding, well-established riders, plus competitors and winners of previous ultra-distance cycling events. Riders would be encouraged to help each other out, gaining valuable tips from the more seasoned and weathered of the bunch. The bikes themselves as varied as the countryside they would be traversing, from lightweight racing set ups to fully loaded off road touring bikes and everything in between. Some kitted out to the bare minimum to keep weight down, others heavily packed with provisions and cold weather sleeping gear, waterproofs, sleeping bags and tents.

The route traverses the Yorkshire Dales National Park, via the iconic

feat of engineering the Ribble Head Viaduct, passing the door steps of both Alex Pilkington and Chris Ellison, on-wards along bridal ways, farm roads and moorland tracks. Crossing close by Malham Tarn and Bolton Abbey, on route to The Vale of York passing through the city taking in the formidable York Minster. Once through York the route follows the Way of the Roses cycle route towards Stamford Bridge (famous for another battle in 1066), past the Rudston Monalith (at 25’ the tallest megalith in the UK) and then experiencing the elation of reaching Scarborough on the East coast. If you time this right you may be able to indulge in a much needed portion of some of the finest fish and chips in Yorkshire. After all, you’ve more than earned it! No time to rest for long though as the next section takes you through Heartbeat territory and Northallerton including two river crossings and two climbs with gradients in excess of 20 and 30 percent (at this point you may regret the extra ballast taken on board of fish and chips) next to Catterick where you’ll find a welcoming community baring many choices of sustenance for the onward journey. High on the Moors above Wensleydale are to be found three Bothies, a welcome respite for those wishing to recharge their batteries and maybe catch a little sleep.

A long climb takes you to the highest

Bob at Ribblehead Viaduct

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Debbie North founder of Access the Dales

“Ironically he came off the bike headfirst at Flascoe Bridge (the bridge we got married on!)” section of the route on Cam Fell (590 mtrs above sea level), descending towards Dent, skirting Sedbergh at which point you can almost taste that first delicious pint of hand-pulled ale!

Spectators of this cycling discipline are known as ‘Dotwatchers’. Each rider carries a satellite tracker which ‘pings’ their location back to a monitoring centre which can then be accessed through Dotwatcher.com.

Trackers give the spectators ‘real time’ information about the riders position on route, along with giving the rider access to emergency services.

You may be wondering what happened to my husband at this point!? After feeling strong, despite the horrendous trail conditions after the record-breaking wet winter we’ve had two hours ahead of his previous race time. I’d hope to meet with him at Elaine’s Tea Rooms in Feizor.

Fate wasn’t however on our side as ironically he came off the bike headfirst at Flascoe Bridge (the bridge we got married on!) taking a knock to the head, leaving him flailing in the river below, rendering the challenge over for this year, leaving him feeling incredibly deflated but putting his safety first. ›

A Rider’s Perspective: Allen Boardman

My cycling life started with me crashing my BMX when I first tried to ride it without stabilisers. This ended in a crash, with my bike wedged between a lampost in front of a fence and the fence itself throwing me off onto the floor. I should have known then that this was likely to be a theme continuing throughout my life.

I’ve spent many years riding as fast as I dared downhill in South Wales, Peak District, Morzine, Les Gets, Swiss Alps and Whistler on various lads’ holidays with a full-on downhill bike.

Little did I know these holidays started an adventure spark inside me that took a while to ignite into a full-blown flame.

“I ran out of food and rode back empty and broken but full of pride.”

Eventually, I set off on my first century ride. It ended up being one hundred and seven miles. The last seven miles were the hardest as I ran out of food and rode back empty and broken but full of pride.

I’ve taken on a few official routes since then, both solo and with friends, including the Badger Divide, Cairngorms Outer Loop, the middle loop of the HT550 and the South loop of the HT550, Dark & White Peak, many Jennride routes, sub 40 hours Lakeland 200, two complete Bear Bones 200 with two scratched Bear Bones 200s, Dales Divide 2023, a week bike packing Iceland with my friend Barry Godin, Moors 100, along with many other non-official multi-day adventures.

The latest event I attended was the 2024 Dales Divide. In 2023, I set off at 8:30 am Friday and completed the 600km (including a few wrong turns) by around Sunday 7:30 pm. But we all knew the conditions on the trails were not the same as last year, and aboveaverage rainfall made for a completely different experience: bogs, mudbaths and slippy rocky trails.

After beans on toast at Elaine’s Tearooms, the rain came. It turned miserable outside, sideways rain, so cold you could see your breath. The rain not stopping didn’t make for a fun time, and I opted to stay in a bird hide on Malham Tarn and make plans in the

Allen Boardman at York Minster

“Above-average rainfall made for a completely different experience: bogs, mudbaths and slippy rocky trails.” morning. I never make route decisions at night as you’ll always feel different the next day. I wanted to continue, but with how I felt about this year’s ride and the trail conditions, we all felt that heading back to the vans and covering only one-third of the distance was the best option.

We rode some lovely quiet lanes and dodgy bridleways back to Arnside via the Meadowside Cafe in Dent. It’s taken me and my friends some time to NL 21

come to terms with the decision not to carry on, romanticising about the route and thinking how lucky we were with the weather last year. However, the combination of being cold and wet is a real struggle for me that I’m trying to work on. I’ve spent all winter training in the snow, rain, wind and hail and still haven’t cracked being able to manage being wet and cold simultaneously.

Maybe I’ll be back in 2025; those fish and chips are calling me. NL

HIGH

HOPES

FROM THE GLITZ AND GLAMOUR OF PHOTOSHOOTS TO THE DIZZYING HEIGHTS OF LONDON’S SKYLINES, BURNLEY LASS EVESHA WADSWORTH TALKS ABOUT SWAPPING GLADRAGS FOR HIGH VIS.

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E

BY LAURA STOREY

vesha Wadsworth, originally hailing from Lancashire, made a bold move to the buzzing streets of London nearly four years ago. There, amidst the glitz and glam of the real estate scene, she found herself rubbing shoulders with foreign royalty and big-shot CEOs Her journey into the male-dominated construction world began with a chance encounter while showing clients around a swanky apartment. Spotting two guys dangling outside the skyscraper, cleaning windows like it was no big deal, sparked something in her. “I couldn’t shake off the idea,” she says.

She enrolled in various construction courses and eventually qualified as a rope access technician, which allowed her to perform maintenance on the nation’s tallest buildings.

Conquering her fear of heights was the first hurdle. “I was terrified, to be honest,” she laughs. “My first project was about 80 metres high, around 22 storeys. My heart was racing when I was preparing to head down the building.

That was when I really thought, ‘What am I doing? Why am I doing this?’” But I had to face my fear. So, I took the plunge – quite literally!”

Transitioning from posh interiors to dizzying heights, Evesha now plays a crucial role in maintaining London’s towering landmarks. From fixing windows to patching up roofs, she’s become quite the high-rise handywoman. But breaking into this boys’ club wasn’t easy. “It was nervewracking when I first started on the course,” she admits. “I was struggling. I’m quite weak sometimes. I was fearful that I didn’t have enough strength compared to the other guys on the course. I’m only five foot three, and construction was completely new to me; I thought they wouldn’t take me seriously. But I didn’t give up. I kept going. I’ve got a bit of fire in me. As I worked, I continued to build my strength. You

Evesha on a vintage photo shoot

“I want to rule the rope access world, one skyscraper at a time!”

“You can be whoever you want to be with the guidance of others and the strength of your team.”

Evesha dangling off a building as usual!

can be whoever you want to be with the guidance of others and the strength of your team. You just have to believe in yourself – however cheesy that sounds!”

Surprisingly, the construction world turned out to be a breath of fresh air compared to her previous gig in real estate. “As a woman, I actually found the construction industry more respectful than my previous work in real estate where there’s a lot of sexualisation. I found in construction, it’s nothing like that. Everyone’s really respectful,” she says with relief. “Part of my role is leading on projects and helping the young guys, and they’re all so polite. I’d love to be able to take away that stereotype of construction workers as sexist and objectifying.”

You might think this Burnley girl was always into construction work. “I’ve never built anything in my life,” she admits. “I actually started my career as an actor. I’ve done TV and film work – from Coronation Street to music videos. I also modelled a lot of 1950s-1990s retro-style photo shoots.”

Her journey from showbiz to steel beams might seem like a leap, but for Evesha, it’s all about balance. “ When I

get a chance to model, it’s a chance to relax, get my makeup and hair done, and feel all the girl vibes!” she chuckles.

“But there’s something exhilarating about hanging off skyscrapers, too. I still enjoy the modelling side of things because I get to bring out that feminine energy again.”

At 28, Evesha’s already had her fair share of thrills. “The most memorable experience as a rope access technician was fixing the roof of the O2 Arena.” She explains. The roof of the world-famous arena was blown off during Storm Eunice in 2022. “It was just after lockdown had ended, so everyone was excited to go to gigs, but it ended up closing again while the roof was repaired. It was great to get that fixed and help everyone get back to dancing.”

From fixing the roof of the O2 Arena to travelling the world with her partner, she doesn’t intend to stop anytime soon. “I’ve got big dreams,” she says with a sparkle in her eye. “I want to rule the rope access world, one skyscraper at a time!”

For any ladies eyeing up a career in construction, Evesha has some straightforward advice: “Don’t sweat the stereotypes. Just go for it, girl!” NL

NL 23

HELPING HAND FOR HORSES & PONIES

SUPPORTERS SAFEGUARD HAPPA’S FUTURE

H

orses and Ponies Protection Association (HAPPA) are delighted to announce that the Charity is about to embark on a significant site refurbishment project.

In HAPPA’s 50th Anniversary year in Burnley, Lancashire, the charity’s Board of Trustees are delighted to announce substantial investment and enhancements at Shores Hey Farm, only made possible due to the extraordinary generosity of devoted HAPPA supporters.

Substantial gifts of funding, through legacy giving, have enabled the charity to invest in site improvements. All works will be completed from the 3rd June 2024, these include extensive refurbishments of the extremely

popular onsite Café, the Walter Bartley stable block, and the opening of an onsite museum highlighting the Evolution of Equine Welfare.

Walter Bartley Stable Block Renovations Built in 2006, the Walter Bartley memorial stable block has been integral to HAPPA’s ability to rescue and rehabilitate horses. However, the internal stabling has deteriorated over the years, with rusting metal frameworks and fragile wooden slats posing risks to both horses and staff.

The renovation plans include the replacement and extension of 16 stables, the installation of a new rubber matting system and two storerooms. The stables will be rebuilt with galvanised steel frameworks NL 24

and recycled plastic slats, offering durability and low maintenance, the new rubber mats offer protection, comfort, and warmth for the horses.

This planned upgrade will ensure that horses, ponies, and donkeys rescued by the charity continue to receive exemplary standards of care.

Rachael Wallace, Equine Rehabilitation and Rehoming Manager, remarked, “The Walter Bartley stable block, has served us well, but the stabling within the building is now deteriorating and becoming unfit for purpose. The much-needed upgrade to the stabling will enhance horse welfare, reduce maintenance costs, and allow us to accommodate larger horses.”

Yellow Hill Equestrian will commence the stable refurbishment works from the 3rd June 2024.

The Café at Shores Hey Farm Refurbishment The Café at Shores Hey Farm has become a cornerstone of the local community since reopening postpandemic, drawing supporters from near and far. The overwhelming patronage has highlighted the need for an extended kitchen to meet the growing demand and ensure allergen requests are safely managed.

The planned kitchen extension and refurbishment will enhance the facilities, including the relocation of customer toilets and expansion of the second-floor space for visiting businesses utilising the adjoining meeting rooms.

Andy Black, Café, and Kitchen Manager comments, “We’re incredibly grateful for the community’s support since reopening after Covid. The Café team are excited to see the improvements come to life. We’ll all be working hard over the next couple of months to ensure we can still provide 5* customer service from our ‘Café on Wheels’ and wait eagerly to get back into the new and improved kitchen to continue to serve our customers delicious food and refreshment.’’

To facilitate these improvements, The Café will be closed from Monday 3rd June to Thursday 18th July. During this period, a ‘Café on Wheels’ will be available outside the reception area of Shores Hey Farm.

“THE MUSEUM AIMS TO EDUCATE VISITORS ABOUT THE HISTORY OF HAPPA” New Heritage Museum HAPPA is excited to announce the opening of its Heritage Museum, ‘The Evolution of Equine Welfare,’ in September. The museum aims to educate visitors about the history of HAPPA and the development of horse welfare in agriculture, transport, and leisure. The project has involved extensive research into HAPPA’s heritage and the influential figures who have shaped the Charity.

Amanda Berry, Head of Equine Operations, and the longestserving staff member at HAPPA, is spearheading the museum project.

“BRINGING THIS STORY TO LIFE IS BOTH SATISFYING AND REWARDING” She shared, “Bringing this story to life is both satisfying and rewarding.

Following the footsteps of our Founder, Mona Huskie, has been enlightening. Having worked in equine welfare all my life, this journey has been fascinating, and I am privileged to tell her story.”

The Heritage Museum will enhance the visitor experience at Shores Hey Farm, providing a rich educational resource about the evolution of equine welfare and HAPPA’s enduring impact.

The museum will highlight the work of HAPPA’s founder, Miss Mona Huskie, who dedicated her life to improving the welfare of horses and combating cruel practices. More information on the opening of the new Heritage Museum will be released this, Summer.

This is an incredibly exciting period of growth for HAPPA. The upcoming improvements and additions over the next four months will significantly enhance the Charity’s efforts in rescuing and rehabilitating abused equines.

Sarah Arthur, Chief Executive Officer of HAPPA, expressed her gratitude, saying, “I am deeply humbled by the support shown for HAPPA in this an important milestone for the charity. My heartfelt thanks go to those that have remembered HAPPA in their will, without your support we would simply cease to exist. It is important that we remember the generosity of those that have left a gift, in this case vital improvement will be made to NL 25

the facilities at Shores Hey Farm in their memory. The site improvements will safeguard the charity’s existence for a further fifty years. Continuing the fight ‘To Give a Second Chance to Neglected, Abused, and Unwanted Equines’.”

Shores Hey Farm remains open to visitors during the refurbishment commencing from the 3rd of June and is scheduled to be completed in approximately six weeks. HAPPA hopes that supporters and friends continue to visit throughout and join them in celebrating the reopening of the new and improved Café and Walter Bartley stable block. Details in relation to how to visit during the works can be found here https://www.happa.org.uk/ visit-us/ If you would like to help safeguard the future of HAPPA by leaving a gift in your will, contact Tanya Bunkham legacies@happa.org.uk or call 01282 455992.

Together, we can make a lasting impact on the lives of equines in need.

Black House Lane, Briercliffe, Burnley BB10 3QU 01282 455992 happa.org.uk

A NORTHERNER’S LIFE IN CL

A

BY SOPHIA SMITH

rmed with a new-found sense of confidence from my time in Australia, I made a pitstop on my return to England in Indonesia for two weeks!

There’s something a little different about this article; last year, you would find me writing away on a warm seaside, sending them over to my editor, Karen, who probably got an email through at 3 am when it was an afternoon for me! This time around, I’m typing away at my desk at Northern Life HQ...and it’s raining! ›

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Myself and Niamh Franks, another Lancashire lass who I spent the year in Australia with, began our journey in Ubud, Bali. As we stepped into the airport, we were already immersed in the Balinese culture as we watched locals do a traditional Balinese dance upon arrival. We had a one-hour journey to Ubud, which cost us around £10. There, we stayed in a room on the property of a Balinese family, looked after by Kutut, a family acquaintance who managed the accommodation for tourists. The property had a garden inhabited by colourful parrots, and throughout the day, their two small children would cycle around the

“THE LOCALS CHEERED US ON LIKE WE WERE HEADLINING AT GLASTONBURY” Selfie time at the monkey sanctuary

accommodation, filled with laughter and giggles. Kutut made it very clear he would love his tips in the form of cigarettes and wine.

Ubud is deep in the greenery of Bali, ideal for long walks such as the Campuhan Ridge Walk that left us drenched in our sweat. We headed to the Monkey Sanctuary, where the staff insist you do not make eye contact with the monkeys. This became an arduous task as hundreds of them surrounded you. You weren’t sure where to direct your gaze, and you couldn’t put sunglasses on because they would just get stolen! Niamh had a keyring on her bag, and as soon as her back turned, a small monkey ripped it from her.

Before we knew it, all hell broke loose as the monkeys attacked one another for the keyring. We used mopeds to get around, and each 15-minute ride set us back just 70 pence. Talk about budgetfriendly.

One evening, we were drawn to the sound of karaoke echoing down the street. We followed the music and stumbled into a bar with the locals, no tourists in sight. Despite our lessthan-stellar performance of Lily Allen, the locals cheered us on like we were headlining at Glastonbury.

On our final day in Ubud, we set off on a quad biking expedition through

muddy trails, hidden waterfalls, and the local town. As always, in classic Sophia fashion, our morning couldn’t end without a hiccup. I crashed into the back of Niamh’s bike, leaving it unwilling to start up again. We had to tandem all the way back.

In the afternoon, we craved more Water rafting, (pre-panic)

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chaos with water rafting. Everything seemed pleasant, with picturesque scenery surrounding us, striking waterfalls and views of local huts nestled among the trees. Then BAM! We hit a rock, and I was thrown out of the raft, losing my grip on the boat. I began to panic, as we all know about my prior near-death water incident in Australia. I flailed in the water, trying to keep my head above the surface; I couldn’t help but notice that my shoes had also decided to join me for an unexpected swim downstream. Talk about being a sole survivor. The group didn’t seem phased as they were in a fit of laughs, managing to grab my hands and pull me back onto the boat. I held on for dear life for the remaining two hours.

The following day, we embarked on a one-hour journey to Sanur Harbor, leaving our suitcases in a locker for safekeeping and carrying just small backpacks for the week ahead. Boarding a fast boat, we braved 45 minutes of turbulent waves. Upon reaching Nusa Lembongan, an island off the eastern coast, we had to reach the land by jumping into the water.

With no cars or conventional transport on the island, we set out to find our hostel on foot. The island was eerily

quiet, very different to the usual hustle and bustle of the mainland.

As we arrived at the hostel, we encountered Emma from Scarborough, who quickly became a familiar face during our stay. There was a group of lads from Manchester; northerners took up the majority of the hostel, and it seems we have a knack for finding each other no matter where in the world we are! That evening, we ventured to witness the sunset at a spot known as Devil’s Tears, where the water crashed over rocky coves, sending plumes of sea spray into our faces.

The following day, we decided to tackle surfing. I’m about as skilled on a surfboard as a cat on roller skates.

But my boyfriend, Dylan, practically a fish in the water, has surfed since he was four years old. I figured it was high time I joined him in the water. So, with a mix of fear, excitement and a healthy dose of beginner’s luck, I paddled out.

He often describes the exhilaration

“A MAN OFFERED TO GET ME A TATTOO, BUT THE ONLY CATCH? HE GOT TO PICK THE DESIGN!” of catching a wave, a feeling I never could understand until I experienced it first-hand. I can now admit that the rush you feel is truly euphoric, and it’s an experience I won’t soon forget.

My parents even got me a wetsuit as a going-back gift!

The following day, we took a boat to Nusa Penida. The majestic Mount Agung Volcano came into view, its peak soaring against the sky. It last erupted in 2019; it was one of the most breathtaking landscapes I’ve ever seen. Me and Niamh got separated on the tour, probably the longest time we’ve spent apart in over a year. We explored the cliffs at Broken Beach, known locally as Pasih Uug, which is a circular cove of turquoise water. We explored Angel’s Billabong, a natural tidal pool, and Crystal Bay Beach, with the clearest blue water I have ever seen. Finally, Kelingking Beach reigns

‘Soph surfing”

as the main attraction in Nusa Penida; you could barely catch a glimpse at the cliff that resembles a T-Rex with a frothy mouth due to the amount of scrambling tourists around!

The most popular drink among tourists is Bintang beer; there are also many other options, such as arak, a traditional Balinese liquor made from palm sap, and tuak, a fermented drink made from coconut. However, Bali’s drinks might come with a surprise that we were warned about and ignored: ice that could turn your travelling into a bathroom marathon, which is what it did to me on my last few days.

On our way back to the mainland, we met a family of dolphins swimming alongside the boat, something I had never seen in the flesh before.

Everyone rushed to snap photos from

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the right side of the boat, but the photo op was cut short when a massive wave drenched us all.

On our last night, we took bikes to a bar an hour away; live bands played metal and rock music, and there were people in a skate bowl and roller skaters. To top it off, a man approached and offered to get me a tattoo, but the only catch? He got to pick the design.

And after the year I’ve had, I thought, why not?

As Niamh flew off to Paris to catch up with her folks in France, I found myself on a lonely plane ride back to England. Despite the solitude, I had a chance to reminisce about the incredible experiences, people, and places I’ve encountered over the past 14 months, and that was just the tip of the iceberg. NL

BOXING

TRUE

LEEDS-BASED BOXER JOSH WISHER TALKS BOXING, MENTAL ILLNESS, AND HOW WINNING IS ALL PART OF THE GAME!

M

BY JAMES BOVINGTON

ention the name Josh Wisher to people in his Armley community, and you’ll find he’s become quite well known since opening his boxing gym, The Ministry of Boxing, in autumn 2022. He is widely acknowledged as a positive masculine role model for local youth as much for his community work as for his skill as a tough and courageous professional boxer. “I was invited to open new facilities at the local leisure centre and help switch on the Xmas lights,” quipped Wisher, “so I’m doing something right.”

Wisher gave up a secure job in plastics fabrication to create The Ministry.

“It was a rollercoaster juggling intensive fight training with running the gym and gaining personal trainer and gym manager qualifications,” said Wisher, “but things have settled. It’s quite an achievement, and we’re delighted to have over a hundred at weekly classes, mostly adult men but with groups for women, younger children, and teenagers. Helping people develop general fitness and boxing skills is what I most enjoy. Some are starting their own boxing career as competitors from The Ministry. Now we’re affiliated with England Boxing, the amateur sport’s governing body.”

Twenty-five-year-old Wisher envisages The Ministry at the heart of the community. “We began by sponsoring a Remembrance event at Armley War Memorial and a Boxathon for Children in Need raised £ 300,” He explained. “I recently became an ambassador for Leeds Mind and have now completed two full marathons for them in York and Leeds and amazed to have raised over a thousand pounds. It’s a suitable charity because so much in boxing improves mental health, and through the sport, people become physically and mentally fitter and tougher. They are happier as they achieve their goals and build firm, motivating friendships in a social setting. I’ve also fundraised for CRY, the charity screening young athletes for undiagnosed heart conditions. I did seventy lengths in a sponsored swim at a local secondary and later presented swim medals and trophies and spoke to GCSE and ‘A’ level P.E. students.”

Two fatal stabbings in Armley in 2023 galvanised Wisher into action to use boxing as a way of building confidence, self-esteem and resilience for both › NL 30

Josh Wisher a tough, talented, courageous and sensitive boxer determined to promote the sport he loves.

Photo by Ali Alzie Aljabiry

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West Leeds role model Wisher loves and champions his Armley home.

those he ‘identified as potential perpetrators’ and others who’ve been victims of or witnesses to crime. “I was proud of the boxers interviewed at The Ministry by BBC Look North who made clear their abhorrence of knife crime and explained how boxing helps remove any perceived need for knives. We got funding for classes for young people, and I now run a weekly session for novice boxers at Armley Leisure Centre,” confirmed Wisher.

Local school students are benefitting from classes that Wisher runs at his own former primary,

a girl boxer from the gym who is now competing as a fully-fledged amateur, but the ladies’ session is designed more to develop fitness, confidence, and resilience through basic boxing training.”

Attendees are highly satisfied. “I’ve been attending for six months,” said Margaret, who attends the sessions.

“I love the friendly atmosphere.

Someone recommended the sessions to help cope with anxiety. They’ve really helped. It’s a cliché, but if I can do it, anyone can.” Sentiments echoed by the mother of three, Paulette, who

“BOXING HELPS REMOVE ANY PERCEIVED NEED FOR KNIVES” Green Hill, and at Dixon’s Unity Academy, where organising teacher Matthew Worrall commented that “students have warmed to Josh so readily, he has managed to push them physically whilst also making them feel comfortable. They rush to his extracurricular class with all involved seeming more relaxed and confident in themselves. He’s proving a real asset to our school community.”

Saturday morning sees a ladiesonly class at The Ministry. “Women’s boxing has established itself in the same way as ladies’ football. We have

praised “the positive, welcoming atmosphere at The Ministry with friendly, encouraging coaches who nevertheless have high expectations.

Attending classes here has massively improved my willingness to get out and socialise.”

The mother of two ‘physically highly active’ young sons and primary school teacher, Lucy commends Josh for his motivating teaching ability. “Participants are constantly challenged physically, making the hour fly by. The sessions are particularly appropriate for women facing NL 32

perimenopause and have improved my stamina, fitness, and toning. I’m running much longer distances and always come away with a clearer head as stress and tension have been relieved. I’d encourage anyone to give it a go.”

Boxing gyms attract for many reasons, and only a minority progress to competition. Wisher’s gym currently has five juniors and five adults ‘carded’ for amateur bouts, including Marcus Broadhead, 26.

“Josh and Phil are enthusiastic, even passionate, for their boxers to make progress with a genuine interest. In just a few months, I’m about to have my seventh bout. The fact that as late to competing as I am, I can still aim for a Yorkshire title shows how ambitious The Ministry team is led by Josh.”

Super middleweight Wisher won four professional bouts at Leeds United’s Elland Road pavilion while managed by Marki Bateson. “I improved,” said Wisher, “becoming a more mature boxer and developing a personal style. I’m delighted when I demonstrate everything worked on with my coach in training and the advice given by my corner, such as keeping my opponent at a distance or launching effective, precisely targeted, punishing punches. Like any competitive sport, boxing is a learning experience. Boxers must eliminate any bad habits and evaluate their performance. Mastering the technicalities brings wins. I’ve learnt

Josh Wisher in action

“I BELIEVE THAT I’M READY FOR LONGER, MORE CHALLENGING SIX OR EIGHT-ROUND FIGHTS” something new from each bout, and I’m now hoping to be even more active a boxer throughout the rest of 2024 under my new manager, Denzil Browne. Above all, I’m grateful to have the best possible coach in my dad, Phil.”

“Boxing events at the Leeds United venue are ‘small hall’ shows,” explains Wisher, “these are the bedrock underpinning professional boxing, offering younger, relatively unknown fighters the opportunity to build a solid record of achievement.

It’s expensive to stage. The onus is solely on home boxers to sell tickets.

This is a constant challenge faced by approximately 1100 professional boxers licensed with the British Boxing Board of Control. However, this allows us boxers to promote ourselves and develop a local fan base, as I’m doing in West Leeds. I’m so grateful to all who have turned out to support me and to my business and personal sponsors who have made it all possible.

A former Farnley Academy student

Photo by Julian Hudson

and loyal Leeds United supporter, Wisher was twice an amateur Yorkshire champion. “My dad gave me the moniker The Truth owing to my apparently honest, direct and open boxing style. Then, the pandemic struck just as I was getting into adult life. It made me very determined to make a success of professional boxing. I’ve now won all my pro bouts decisively. But it’s one fight at a time, and a boxer is only as good as his most recent bout, so fight preparation demands exclusive concentration.

We call that period ‘camp’. It involves loads of running, that’s roadwork, and lots of sparring with a range of boxers to improve skill, stamina and technique. I enjoy the training and the atmosphere at an event, proving what I’m made of in the ring. I’m buzzing when I show I can handle myself, find the courage needed and win. Winning a match doesn’t make you the better person, but it does show who the

Josh leads the Saturday morning ladies-only class

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tougher fighter is, physically and mentally. Entertaining and rewarding the many people in Leeds who believe in me makes it worthwhile.”

“I respect my opponents for their experience and courage but am keen to put on a fight performance which makes it clear to boxers higher up the rankings what they’ll face fighting me.

I’ve no qualms about doing whatever it takes to win, but I always intend that afterwards, the opponent and I have a friendly post-fight chat. However, like any other boxer, I’m elated when I break down the opponent’s defence and deliver a devastating winning shot. That’s the ecstasy making any agony forgotten.”

‘I believe that I’m ready for longer, more challenging six or eight-round fights at major prestigious venues like Leeds Arena. I plan on remaining undefeated like my boyhood hero Joe Calzaghe, whom I’ve met, with 46 wins, including 32 knockouts. I’d like to be a world champion, but it depends on which opponents are available and whether I get on a championship undercard. I’m aiming for a Central Area title, and taking an army of fans to a major venue would be amazing. Buoyed by so much support in Yorkshire, I’ll climb those ranks. To the top.”

Wisher is keen to invite companies and individuals to invest in his potential through sponsorship. “I’ve got a few sponsors but need more to develop my career fully,” said Josh.

“I’m excited to show that I have the skill, strength, determination and courage to improve and succeed.

Boxing is life enhancing. For me and for others. my life’s mission is to prove this.” NL

THE WAY TO A MAN'S HEART

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AXE THROWING THE

WORLD

CHAMPIONSHIPS

BY LAURA STOREY

HOLD ON TO YOUR HELMETS AND DIG OUT YOUR SAFTEY GOGGLES BECAUSE THE WORLD DOUBLE-BIT AXE THROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS ARE COMING TO YORKSHIRE

L

ong before it became a gripping sport, axe throwing was a matter of life and death, used in warfare and hunting. Fast forward to today, and it’s not just about survival anymore – it’s about the sheer thrill of competition.

Loggers in remote communities would once hone their skills, flinging axes with precision and power. But it’s not just a scene from the past. Axe throwing has surged in popularity, becoming a favourite pastime in places like Canada and Sweden. › NL 35

And now, get ready for the grandest showdown of them all: the World Double-bit Championship 2024, hosted in picturesque North Yorkshire at Thirsk Racecourse. Over 200 competitors from across the globe will converge during the August bank holiday for a clash of titans.

But why Thirsk? Well, organiser Ian Radmore has the answer: it’s rural, it’s accessible, and it’s simply perfect for this rugged sport. Compared to the remote locations of previous events, Thirsk offers convenience without compromising accessibility.

“My first championships were in Sweden in 2019,” Ian explains, “300 miles from anywhere in the middle of a field. The following world championship was held in Canada, Nova Scotia. It was in a place called Barrington, which is the lobster capital of Canada but hundreds of miles from the nearest airport. The Canadians did a fantastic job, but it was in a very small community. I felt I wanted to do it here in Thirsk because of its location, which is easy to get to from Europe. It’s central, it’s straight off the motorway at Junction 50. There are trains from various airports. So, it’s much easier to get to than previous locations.”

Ian, the man behind the magic, knows a thing or two about axe throwing. He runs his own axethrowing range in Baldersby, just outside Thirsk, so he’s no stranger to the thrill of competition. And hosting the World Championship? It’s a challenge he’s more than ready to tackle.

“I run the UK Championship each year, so I know how to run a competition – this one’s just quite a bit bigger!” Ian laughs. “But I feel really positive about hosting it.”

It’s not just about the competition for Ian – it’s about spreading the love for axe throwing far and wide.

“Axe throwing is not very big in this country as a sport in general. So that’s what I’m trying to do with the World Championships—I’m trying to open it up to make it visible, get more people into it, and hopefully grow the sport in this country.”

Ian’s journey into axe-throwing began at a Withernsea biker festival back in 2019. “A guy was running a session for people to have a go at throwing tomahawks and knives.”

A few months after his first throw, Ian was in Sweden for the world championships. “It was quite scary but brilliant! It got me into the sport even more.”

“I run the UK Championship each year, so I know how to run a competition – this one’s just quite a bit bigger!”

In the same year, he started his own throwing club, Axemore. “We run events for groups and provide lessons.

A lot of axe-throwing bars in the big cities don’t provide the same experience. They just leave you to it. It’s a bit more involved here at Axemore. I like to teach people; it’s a buzz for me.”

“It’s an easy sport to get involved with and not as dangerous as people think. Children from eight and up can throw little tomahawks called angels.

Our junior section, 10–17-year-olds, throw the big double-bit axes. Strength isn’t as much of a factor as many people think. We have a few juniors competing in the championships.”

With the championships just around the corner, Ian is in full swing organising the event. It promises to be an action-packed weekend, complete with camping facilities and plenty of activities.

“There’ll be a chance for everyone to dive into the excitement with our ‘have-a-go’ session featuring Doublebit axes, tomahawks, and knives. And don’t worry, even the little ones under eight can join in the fun with plastic axes aimed at plastic targets, along with a bounce area.”

But that’s not all! Prepare to indulge your senses at the artisan market, where you can feast on delectable treats from food stalls, indulge at the bars, peruse arts and crafts stalls, and immerse yourself in Norse-themed delights.

“We’ve got a whole array of activities lined up, so there’s something NL 36

‘Bull’s eye’

Competitors get in some practice

“It’s an easy sport to get involved with and not as dangerous as people think”

Ian’s hitting the mak

Competitors at the World Championships in Canada

for everyone beyond just watching the action!”

As one of the best throwers in the UK, Ian is looking forward to competing in the championships, but he’ll have stiff competition. “I was beaten last year by a guy I taught. He became the UK champion, which was brilliant for me because I taught him!”

Ian’s daughter, Stephanie, is also a force to be reckoned with in the axethrowing world. It’s a family affair that adds an extra layer of excitement to the championships.

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For those who want to try axe throwing, Ian has some sage advice: find a club. With clubs popping up all over the country, there’s never been a better time to dive into this thrilling sport.

So, mark your calendars for August 23rd to 25th, 2024, and head to axemore.co.uk for tickets. Who knows, you might discover your new favourite pastime - and maybe even become the next axe-throwing champion! NL

BALLROOM

OF THE STARS

Queuing for tickets at The Imp

We re-visit the heyday of The Imperial Ballroom, Nelson, a place where people laughed, danced, fought and fell in love.

The Imp The Beatles BeatlesatatThe The Imp taken takenby byTim TimProctor Proctor

F

or most people, the small Lancashire town of Nelson will be remembered for its cotton links.

However, over 60 years ago the gritty northern town exploded into the music world as THE place to see some of the greatest musical talent the world has ever seen. Legends such as The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Pink Floyd, Tom Jones, and countless others performed in Nelson gracing the stage at The Imperial Ballroom or The Imp as it was affectionately known. Memories and images of those Halcyon days were captured in a book, The Ballroom of the Stars, by local author Steve Chapples in 2005. Unfortunately, Steve passed away ten years ago, but his book still continues to generate interest with locals, so much so, that the book is due to be reprinted.

Here’s an extract, when we chatted to Steve about the time The Beatles came to Nelson.

The Imperial Ballroom stood just over the Leeds and Liverpool Canal Bridge on Carr Road, on a site now occupied by a group of residential flats, called the Imperial NL 38

Gardens, in memory of The Imp. The huge, hangar-like structure, dating from 1911, which at one time was the largest indoor building in Europe was originally a rollerskating rink, but in 1925, it became a municipal hall and staged all manner of functions from wrestling matches to beauty contests.

The ballroom measured 43 yards by 46 yards, and when it became a ballroom, the the ceiling was underpinned with Essex boarding, which gave The Imp, as it became to be known locally, unique acoustics, which few other venues could match.

The Imp attracted some of the greatest dance bands of the 30s, 40s and 50s, like Geraldo, Ted Heath, Joe Loss and Eric Delaney. The capacity at one time was 3,000 but fire regulations reduced this to 2,000.

Its demise came in 1976 when it burned down. This was greeted with relief by some nearby residents, but the vast majority wept openly. For them, The Imp was where they went to have fun with their friends, where they met their future wife or husband and were entertained by some of the greatest acts in the world. The cause of the fire was never discovered and an open verdict was declared, but arson was strongly suspected.

1963 - From me to you

Queuing at the entrance

On May 11th 1963 history was made when The Beatles arrived in town one week after their Mersey mates Gerry and the Pacemakers, Steve describes the occasion quite vividly.

“As we all know, this was the start of Beatlemania, and nowhere was it greater than at The Imp, which, as usual, seemed to be in the eye of the hurricane.

“This was the start of Beatlemania, and nowhere was it greater than at The Imp” In those early days, some of the groups were playing up to three gigs a night, playing a 25-minute set before being whisked off to the next engagement, so it was vital to get in and out quickly. As Ringo said, “We sometimes played fast, if no one was listening to us.

“When they came to The Imp in 1963, they had just had their first number 1 with ‘From Me To You.’ “The first thing Paul did on The Imp stage was to say, ‘Shurrup’, but to no avail. Fifty girls fainted and had to be carried to the relative safety behind the stage. The noise was so deafening that the group was barely audible. One girl, who had skipped off school to see them, said the next day, the other girls kept touching her, just because she had breathed the same air as her idols. Some girls were so excited they were bleeding from head wounds caused as a result of banging their foreheads against seats and walls.

The memory of The Imp lives on in the hearts of local folk and ‘reception officer’ Adrian Shaw, who worked at The Imperial from 1963 to 1965, after leaving the army, recalls the day the Beatles came to town in 1963.“The place was chaotic; young girls were screaming and fainting. It was at this point we christened them ‘screamagers’!

The Imp on fire in 1976

£20 plus p&p

If you’d like a copy of ‘GOIN’ DOWN TH’IMP they are availible to buy from Colne Bookshop, Electron in Burnley and the Music Box in Nelson.

To guarantee a copy, please contact georgedavidgrimshaw@gmail.com.

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FOOD & DRINK 42 SUMMER SALAD SUPPERS 44 FRESH ‘N’ FRUITY DESSERTS 46 ZODIAC COCKTAILS 47 SUMMER SPLASH 48 FORAGING IS MORE THAN JUST FOOD

Griddled Halloumi Cheese with Salsa Verde Dressing Recipe on following page

opiesfoods.com

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Greek salad with grains Tesco.com

Greek Salad with Grains

Griddled Halloumi Cheese with Salsa Verde Dressing From previous page

Serves 4 Prep time: 10 mins

Serves 4 Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 5 mins

Ingredients 1 tub x 450g Fire Pit Triple Grain Salad 1 red onion, finely chopped 1 cucumber, chopped into 1cm cubes 250g cherry tomatoes, halved 200g feta, sliced 100g black olives, pitted

Ingredients 30g fresh flat-leaf parsley 30g fresh basil 15g fresh mint 1 tbsp Opies Capers, rinsed and drained 2 tbsp Opies Cocktail Gherkins, finely chopped 2 tbsp red wine vinegar 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, 1 tbsp reserved for the halloumi 1 tsp djion mustard ½ clove garlic, minced Juice from 1/2 lemon Salt and pepper to taste 2 x 225g blocks of halloumi cheese, thickly sliced Salad leaves and griddled peaches, to serve (optional)

For the dressing 80ml olive oil zest and juice of 1 lemon 30g bunch of dill, finely chopped (optional) 2 tsp oregano leaves Method To make the dressing, mix together the olive oil, lemon, dill (if using), oregano and onion. Season well.

Remove the leaves from the Fire Pit Triple Grain Salad. Finely slice these and place them over the base of a platter.

In a bowl, toss together the remains of the Fire Pit Triple Grain Salad with the red onion, cucumber and tomatoes. Toss through the dressing and top with the feta and black olives to serve.

Method Remove the stalks from the parsley, basil and mint then finely chop the leaves together and add to a bowl.

Finely chop the capers and cocktail gherkins then add to the bowl along

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with the red wine vinegar, olive oil, dijon mustard, garlic and lemon juice. Add more olive oil or red wine vinegar if needed – the sauce should be tangy, thin and pourable in consistency. Season to taste.

Pre-heat your barbecue until the coals are white, or if using a griddle pan heat on the hob until hot.

Brush the halloumi slices with the remaining olive oil and griddle for 1-2 minutes on each side or until charred lines are visible.

Arrange the salad leaves on plates then place the halloumi slices on top, followed by the peach slices if using. Drizzle over the salsa verde dressing and serve straight away.

Tip: Leave the salsa verde in the fridge overnight to allow the flavours to really mingle. Use up any leftover dressing on grilled meats, fish or mixed into pasta salad.

opiesfoods.com

FOOD & DRINK

r e m m u SSalad

Suppers opiesfoods.com

Pear, Cheese & Pickled Walnut Salad Serves 2 Prep time: 15 mins Ingredients For the dressing: 50ml Buttermilk 50g Soured Cream 50g Mayonnaise 1 tsp White Wine Vinegar 75g Blue Cheese, crumbled Couple dashes of Worcestershire sauce

For the salad

2 small Pears 15g Muscovado Sugar Knob of Butter 4 Opies Pickled Walnuts, sliced into rounds 1 tbsp Sunflower Seeds 2 large handfuls of Mixed Leaf Lettuce

Method In a small bowl mix together all the dressing ingredients until smooth and season with black pepper.

Slice the pear into thin slices. Add the butter to a frying pan on a medium heat, wait until foaming and add the slices of pear, ensuring they aren’t overlapping (you may have to do this in two batches). Sprinkle over the sugar and allow to fry for three minutes until golden and the sugar is caramelized. Flip the slices and cook for another 3 minutes. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and allow to cool.

Toss together the salad leaves with the Pickled Walnuts and sunflower seeds with two tablespoons of dressing until the leaves are well coated.

Divide onto two plates, top with the pear slices and an extra drizzle of dressing.

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Fresh ‘n’ Fruity Cause ripples this summer with our raspberry desserts...

lovefreshberries.co.uk

Strawberry and Raspberry Ripple Eton Mess Serves 6 Prep time: 35 mins Cook time: 1hr 30 mins Ingredients 225g (8oz) strawberries, hulled 100g (4oz) raspberries Meringues 2 egg whites 100g (4oz) caster sugar To finish 300ml (1/2 pint) double cream 200g (7oz) 0.1% fat fromage frais 225g (8oz) strawberries, hulled, roughly chopped 50g (2oz) raspberries Method Preheat the oven to 110oC (225oF), Gas Mark ¼.

Line a large baking sheet with non-stick baking paper.

Puree the strawberries and raspberries in a liquidiser or food processor then press through a sieve.

Whisk the egg whites in a large clean dry bowl until

they form stiff moist looking peaks and you feel confident that if the bowl was turned upside down the egg whites wouldn’t fall out! Gradually whisk in the sugar a teaspoonful at a time then continue whisking for a minute or two until really thick and glossy.

Add 2 tablespoons of the berry puree then very briefly mix until marbled. Spoon into a large piping bag fitted with a 1.5cm (¾ inch) plain piping tube, pipe small rounds on to the lined baking sheet. Bake for 11/4-11/2 hours or until the meringues may be easily lifted off the paper. Leave to cool.

To serve, lightly whip the cream until it forms soft swirls then fold in the fromage frais. Crumble the meringues then layer in jam jars or plastic containers with the remaining berry puree and diced strawberries. Decorate with the raspberries. Add the lids and keep in the fridge until ready to serve or transport to a picnic in a cool bag with a frozen ice block to keep them cold. Serve within 1½ hours or the meringues tend to lose their crunch.

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FOOD & DRINK

Apple & Raspberry Coconut Parfaits Ingredients For the compote: 3 apples - deseeded and chopped into pieces 1 cup of frozen or fresh raspberries + extra for decoration 1/2 tbsp of lemon juice 1 tsp of coconut oil Optional: 1/2 tbsp of maple syrup For the coconut cream: 1 can of full fat coconut cream stored in the fridge overnight - please don’t skip this step 1 tbsp of maple syrup 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract or powder

Method Place the chopped apples, coconut oil, lemon juice and maple syrup (if using) into a pan with a dash of water.

Cook the apples on a medium to low heat with the lid on for about 10-15 minute or until they start to fall apart.

Add the raspberries and cook for another 5 minutes.

You can either use the compote as it is or if you like it smoother you can blend it up using a hand blender.

While the compote is cooling down make the coconut cream.

Remove the tinned coconut milk from the fridge and scoop out the thick part which should sit on top. Don’t use any of the watery part otherwise the cream will turn out too runny (you can save it for smoothies or curries).

With a hand whisk, start to whisk the cream before adding in the maple syrup and vanilla extract. Whip until you have a super creamy and smooth consistency, almost like whipped cream!

When the fruit compote is completely cold assemble the jars/glasses with half the compote and half the coconut cream. Serve with some fresh raspberries and some sliced apples.

jazzapple.com

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Zodiac Cocktails Your star sign is believed to be a big influence on what makes you, you. And, if you’re hosting an intimate gathering or party for your closest friends, crafting cocktails based on their individual star signs can be a fun and creative way to tailor drinks to your guests’ distinct characters.

Dual Delight Kir Royale Gemini (May 21–June 20):

Moonlit Martini

Cancer (June 21–July 22):

INGREDIENTS

Sparkling wine, crème de cassis, blackberry.

INGREDIENTS

Champagne, blue curaçao, coconut cream, pineapple juice.

Geminis are known for their dual natures. This two-toned spritzer offers a refreshing blend of flavours that complement each other, reflecting the Gemini duality. To achieve distinct layers, add the cassis first in the bottom of the glass then pour the sparkling wine slowly over the back of a spoon.

Cancers are associated with the moon and are often nurturing.

The Moonlit Martini, with its celestial appearance, suits their intuitive and caring nature while the comforting creaminess of coconut adds an extra soothing layer.

Serve in a martini glass for optimum opulence.

Golden Lion Punch Leo (July 23–August 22):

INGREDIENTS Prosecco, peach schnapps, orange bitters, pineapple juice, sliced peaches.

Leos are regal and love to be in the spotlight. The Golden Lion Punch, with its golden hue and fruity kick, is a drink fit for a king or queen. What’s more, the prosecco adds a touch of sparkle and pageantry that any Leo is sure to love!

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FOOD & DRINK

SUMMER SPLASH

As sunny days beckon, indulge in the essence of summer with these carefully curated drinks, offering flavours that span from the heart of Yorkshire to the tropics.

SUMMER ELEGANCE

Luscombe's new 74cl Damascene Rose Bubbly £24 luscombe.co.uk

CRACKIN' CUPPA! CAFÉ SOLO Original Coffee Liqueur £30 Amazon.

EAST MEETS WEST

MEXICAN CRAFTSMANSHIP Casa Rayos Tequila £41.99 brewdog.com

Desi Daru Mango Vodka £45 desidaru.com

ORCHARD ORIGINS

Dutch Barn Orchard Vodka £30 dutchbarn.com

VEGAN PURITY

Nine Tines Potato Vodka £42 ninetines.co.uk

GET UP & GO

Remedy Energy £2 whsmith.co.uk

FRESH & FRUITY

Masons Of Yorkshire, Pink Grapefruit & Cucumber Gin £33.95 masonsofyorkshire.com

TROPICAL SUNSHINE

Sunnyside Tropical Alcoholic Ginger Beer £26 sunnysidedrinks.co.uk

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HEALTHY REFRESHMENT! AVC Sparkling Apple Cider Vinegar £1.99 acvdrink.com

Foraging is

MORE THAN

JUST FOOD

FORAGING FANATIC PETE COMPSTON SHARES THE BENEFITS OF NATURES LARDER AND HOW IT CAN FEED EVERY PART OF OUR LIVES

In this issue, I’d like to deviate from my usual format and delve into the realm of foraging, sharing ponderings gleaned from my interactions with nature and championing the myriad benefits that foraging can offer.

W

ith abundant plant life flourishing at this juncture, selecting a mere handful for discussion proves a daunting task.

Thus, I invite you to join Pendle Plant Craft for immersive experiences on our expeditions around Pendle or at our snug cabin within Lomeshaye Marsh Nature Reserve. Here, amidst nature’s embrace, we convene, cook, and concoct, nurturing a deeper bond with the land, its offerings, and one another.

As we meander through the forest, our senses awaken to the kaleidoscope of hues and textures enveloping us. The redolent aroma of damp soil intermingles with the sweet fragrance of wildflowers. At the same time, golden sunlight filters through the canopy above, casting intricate patterns of light and shadow upon the forest floor.

In the frenetic cadence of contemporary existence, tranquillity NL 48

and harmony often elude our grasp, leaving us yearning for a connection to the natural world. This yearning, though sometimes subtle and seemingly trivial, embodies a deepseated longing for belonging and serenity. Yet, amidst the chaos, a sanctuary of healing patiently awaits our return. Foraging, an age-old tradition of gathering wild plants for sustenance and medicine, extends a gentle hand, nourishing our bodies and calming our minds and spirits.

Foraging epitomises a profound communion with the natural world, beckoning us to rediscover the ancient wisdom enshrined in the fungi and flora surrounding us. It implores us to slow down, inhale deeply, and relish the exquisite beauty of the present moment, forging a deeper connection with the earth and rekindling the innate joy of existence.

Beyond its gastronomic allure, foraging symbolises a journey of selfdiscovery and unity. By identifying

FOOD & DRINK

“Amidst the chaos, a sanctuary of healing patiently awaits our return”

and harvesting wild flora and fungi, we gain profound insights into our environment and our role within it. Studies consistently underscore nature’s positive impact on mental well-being, offering respite from depression and anxiety. Even before considering implications for gut microbiome diversity and emotional equilibrium, foraging alone yields noticeable enhancements in our overall well-being.

“Beyond its gastronomic allure, foraging symbolises a journey of self-discovery and unity.”

While human language remains remarkable, it may inadequately encapsulate the intricate communication observed in nature.

The exchange of information, facilitated by nutrients, between trees and plants via mycelium underscores a form of communication transcending spoken language.

Consumption of wild foods from our local environment, which have evolved defences against pathogens over millennia, fosters a unique connection to nature and potential health benefits. Although there is

much about this communication that we have yet to comprehend fully, our bodies instinctively respond to it. In essence, delving into wild foods and medicines invites us to contemplate a form of communication surpassing human language, fostering a deeper appreciation for the intricacies of nature.

Furthermore, the benefits of foraging extend beyond personal enrichment to the health of our planet.

Wild plants, with their deep roots and innate resilience, play an indispensable role in upholding ecosystem integrity and fostering biodiversity. By harvesting them responsibly and giving back where possible, learning how to be more symbiotic with our surroundings, we assume the mantle of stewards of the land, preserving it for generations.

Foraging serves as a conduit for rekindling our connection with the sustenance we consume, prompting us to embrace the profound significance of nourishing both body and soul. In a world often characterised by fastpaced convenience and detached consumption, foraging offers a return to the roots of our sustenance, reminding us of the inherent power and beauty in the foods that sustain us, crafting with them to feed and nourish each other. Engaging in gathering wild edibles reignites a passion for cooking and communal dining, unlocking a realm of boundless creativity and connection unbounded by financial constraints. This journey back to the source encourages us to infuse our culinary pursuits with wonder and reverence, deepening our appreciation for the diverse flavours and textures of nature’s bounty. Through foraging, we not only nourish our bodies but also feed our souls, enriching our lives with newfound creativity, mindfulness, and connection to the foods we consume.

Safety remains paramount in foraging endeavours. Never consume or utilise a plant unless absolutely certain of its identity and impact.

However, this precaution should not dissuade beginners, as many plants are easily identifiable and safe to use.

Anyone can embark on this enriching NL 49

journey with an understanding of foraging etiquette and a spirit of curiosity. The plants most vital to our diets are often the most familiar, as they abound in our surroundings, brimming with vitality. While exceptions exist, such as the buttercup family, a successful plant that harbours a protein-based toxin, foraging need not be as complex as commonly perceived. It constitutes inherent knowledge waiting to be rediscovered and embraced.

More than a solitary pursuit, foraging has the power to combat social isolation, fostering deeper connections within communities.

Understanding our bond with nature facilitates comprehension of our interconnection with one another.

Through foraging, we cultivate a culture of sharing knowledge, perspectives, and kindness, enriching our communities on multiple levels.

It transcends its tangible rewards to enrich our lives holistically, serving as a catalyst for reconnection with nature and championing symbiosis and sustainability. Moreover, it entails unlearning ingrained habits and biases, as nature reveals the limitations of our cognitive frameworks.

Pendle Plant Craft epitomises this ethos, offering a haven for kindred spirits to gather, learn, and support one another. It represents a community united by reverence for nature and holistic well-being. Join us by connecting with Pendle Plant Craft on social media, where you can learn more about our foraging adventures and become part of our community. NL

READERS’ SUBMISSIONS 60 STORIES

51 GALLERY 55 POEMS 58 MEMORY 6 5 P E T P A W T R A I T S 6 6 T W O W E E K S I N W AT E R S I D E

DANCING IN THE RAIN • ZOE HODKINSON

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READERS’ GALLERY

NORTHERN LIGHTS • STEVE BRADLEY

THE HOLE PICTURE • PETER WARBURTON

›

RED SQUIREL • MARK BUTTERWORTH

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To share your pictures email gallery@northernlifemedia.co.uk or go to northernlifemagazine.co.uk/contribute

THE HOLE PICTURE • PETER WARBURTON

HAWORTH 1940S WEEKEND • JASON L HUDSON

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READERS’ GALLERY

WHITBURN • CES_LANDSCAPE

ORANGE ON BLUE • STEPHEN ROOT

LOOK AT ME • STEPHEN JOHNSON

BLEA TARN, LAKE DISTRICT • BOB MCDONALD

NL

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Readers' Poems

READERS’ POEMS

Are you a budding poet who would like to see your verse in print? Then, share your work and send your words to poems@northernlifemedia.co.uk or go to northernlifemagazine.co.uk/contribute

A GATEWAY

BY PETER FOSTER

This poem is an amalgamation of two fields I knew as a boy. The first and last stanzas are based on one I knew as a child through walks with my grandfather. Then around ten years later when the field was ‘developed’ and my parents bought one of the properties I actually lived there although I was sad to see the old field disappear under bricks and tarmac. The other belongs to a farm I worked on as a school leaver, which as I write is still intact as grassland and long may it remain so.

Let’s step through this gateway.

We’ll go down through the meadow, And walk in the footsteps of history.

Close the gate and stay on the path, Don’t trample the crop. There’s a stile By the oak at the far end of the field Onto a lane that leads back to the village.

Through seasons: under winter’s white mantle to Haw-frothed hedgerows in spring and Searing, summer, hay-time sun.

It has grown, cropped, seeded and regrown; Been served up as fodder or grazed; Providing milk for humankind.

This meadow defies science Its grasses are old, unproductive varieties, And yet; and yet, it thrives. Below the sward, through a Mystic alluvial alchemy of geology The meadow becomes a self-perpetuating organism.

A living history; a spiritual oasis amongst the analysed, fertilised, Monetised acres of modern agronomy; it is a symbol of the unknown.

It’s an old meadow, not ploughed for generations; Not since horses were used.

See the regular undulations: lands; Or in Lancashire: rieans.

A land-written record of ancient skills And techniques for us to read, If we can understand the language.

See the mixture of grasses and plants: Timothy, cocksfoot, fescues and ryegrass, Narrow-leafed dock and mayflower.

In spring it’s a carpet of dandelions; Not weeds here but a magic carpet Of taproots lifting trace elements From the soil for cattle to tap into.

The unpractised eye sees just a stretch of grassland: Ten acres bounded by hedges and ditches.

But to those who have worked it, walked it, Felt the sward beneath their feet, this meadow is A connection with the toil of artisan farmers Who were a part of the land they worked, And whose souls have seeped into the turf.

When mown and sun-cured, the hay Possesses an aroma like no other: Sweet and herby, mystic; this is a scent with history Beyond living memory; it evokes a warm byre in winter, And even in an urbanite, an innate sense, Of a golden, pastoral age that only Existed through biscuit-tin mythology.

The crop has formed its own ecology over time;

This should be the realm of the yeoman.

Where the hedgehog, vole and brown hare Call home. Where kestrel, skylark, Swallow and swift fly freely.

But cloud-shadows darken the meadow.

Indifferent eyes view the land and visualise “Little boxes” upon eponymous thoroughfares.

›

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Share your work and send your poems to poems@northernlifemedia.co.uk or go to northernlifemagazine.co.uk/contribute. If you'd like to read more poems and can't wait until the next edition, then go to northernlifemagazine.co.uk/poems

My First Love

BY LUCIA KENNY

Together we walked everywhere even danced the night away.

You made me feel tall though I was only small.

You helped me reach great heights, you were the first to connect to my heart.

I could stand in a queue and feel proud cause you were with me.

It was my friend who admired you first and said we were just right for each other.

But now, five years on I have to let you go.

I have grown up you have declined.

Fit perhaps for another purpose of that, I am not sure.

But you will always be my best ever bright red shoes.

AT COUNTY CRICKET, 1963

BY ALLAN BOLTON

The bell sounds for start of play, a boy crosses the empty outfield, behind him a little old man, scorebook under arm, in this humble role yet serving still his lifetime’s passion.

The boy knows who this is, bridges a gap of five yards and sixty years to make a link.

He senses he’ll never be a top player yet he’s in love with the game, on the brink of senior school, he’s here to watch, study, learn.

His Yorkshire uncle plies him with books on skills, on glorious histories.

Read, dream, practise; read, dream, practise.

He’ll be the best that he can be.

The old man, a fast-footed master craftsman, a touch player, servant of his art, yet holds second billing, the quiet great, batting partner of the master, a knighted legend.

A magician’s assistant, his fate to be teamed with genius, a bright star burning too close to the moon’s glare.

He signs his name, small, precise, legible as print.

Misty-eyed, he nudges someone, gives a wondering laugh, ‘I’ve just been asked for my autograph’.

BERTIE’S LYCANTHROPY

BY NEIL RICHARDSON

I'm bashful Bertie, a werewolf, In the main, somewhat quiet, and shy.

But when the full moon rises above me, Beware the red glint in my eye.

MUM’S LIFE

Arms, chest, etcetera, get bigger, And I turn ever so hairy, Even friends of sound disposition, Find my alter ego a little bit scary.

BY EVANGELINE EVIE CLAY Did I shout too much?

Did I read enough?

Did I listen to them today?

Was I too consumed with cleaning, To stop and watch them play.

Everyday I try my best, My plans sometimes go astray, If I'm not the perfect mum, Will you love me anyway?

When you are a woman, When you are a man, Will you think of me and smile?

Will you think to come and visit?

Please don't wait a while.

I'll only be part of your life, You have so much yet to come, But rest assured you're my whole world, Your ever loving Mum.

Ears rise high, and are pointy, While a muzzle grows long and fierce, Armed with razor-sharp fangs, Ready for bare necks I can pierce.

Well, I'm trapped in a hellish existence, Often so desperate to prowl, Down dark footpaths in lonely forests, Where I practise my lov-erly howl!

Look, this lycanthropy is hardly my fault, Being in the wrong place, one cold night, During a coach trip to snow-covered Munich, Exchange rate being wonderfully bright.

We'd stopped for a beer hall booze-up, Served by staff in their smart lederhosen, When a girl with wild eyes asked for walkies, I should've said: No pet, I'm bashful and frozen.

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READERS’ POEMS

Romeo and Juliet Til Death Us Do Part A poem for my mother who passed during Covid and Dad who went into a home with dementia.

BY PAUL FITZSIMMONS Thou art thyself such a Juliet, tis how you started life, for he, a Romeo, called up to you and took you for his wife From a whistle at your window-ledge, to a lifetime guarantee, a young love so wrapped up in each, it chose your destiny, A love story so beautiful and then motherhood so blessed, you made your life of loving him and feathered well your nest.

Your tale of love continued, its romance grew in wealth, your stoic pledge of love to him, in sickness and in health We’re sorry that you suffered, as we never saw your tears, you slowly lost your only love, as he faded through the years And now your nest is empty, not because that we have left, but because you’re flame no longer burns, it leaves us so bereft

You gave your life to him alone, then shared it with us all, you gave us all you had to give, and then you offered more You shaped us into what was right and how we should behave, then gave us faith in who we are and sent us on our way We flew your nest to make you proud, embracing what life brings, knowing you were always there, the wind beneath our wings

Alas, now my love, our Juliet, ‘tis time thou leave our care, we’ll take good care of Romeo and wilt not forget you’re there And from thy balcony now my love, we have but just one request, you sleep in peace and wait for him, tis but time for thee to rest.

Wherefore art thou now fair maid, you may sit upon your ledge, gaze down once more at him again, for thou hast fulfilled thy wedding pledge.

IT’S A CAT’S LIFE

BY VIVIEN FOULKES-JAMES

If you see me on the street I’m one cool cat, can’t stop to speak.

I’m on important business sniffing out, whose been where, if any cat’s on my patch I’ll just fix ‘em with a stare.

MUSIC HOLDS THE KEY

BY JOHN PLATTEN

“One good thing about music, when it hits you feel no pain.”

(Bob Marley)

There’s a new cat on the block a tabby from No. 29, He’ll soon know who’s top cat and we’ll get along just fine.

On the jukebox of my youth, the records that lit the way.

In faith, hope, joy and truth, my tunes from yesterday.

Hunting is my game I’m a killer, that’s for sure, I take my victims home you see and then go back for more.

A life’s personal hit parade, echo down the years.

Memories they made, return to quell my fears.

I have an alter ego, and once through my own back door, I like hugs and strokes and kisses no more tough guy anymore.

With the present fading fast lyrics and rhythm sustain, connections to my past, for me to play again.

I know I’m just adorable, my coat is always gleaming, “Aah my beautiful boy,” she coos and pretty soon I’m dreaming …

Songs unlock the past for me, music holds the key.

But if you see me on the street I’m one cool cat, can’t stop to speak.

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To share your memories email memories@northernlifemedia.co.uk or go to northernlifemagazine.co.uk/contribute

Thirsk, Yorkshire

Unutterable Home

BY TANIA A MARRON “

W

here in Yorkshire?”

As a non-native English speaker, I hate this question, though I love Yorkshire. Every time I mention my trip to the North of England, I dread that question as I have to pronounce this: Thirsk. I studied English at school, then at university, and I spent ten years of my life teaching people English, and still haven't broken this enigma: Thirsk. I hold my breath for around ten seconds, trying to summon up courage, place the tip of my tongue between my teeth in the right position and let it out.

The word that escapes my lips causes

perplexity at best or outrage that I was granted a Bachelor's diploma in English language at worst.

Maybe, if I had known the trouble, I would have not picked up that book.

Growing up in the East of Ukraine which had just escaped the Soviet claws, my house was filled with books that every USSR intelligentsia had: Tolstoy, Pushkin, Hugo, Zola, Camus.

Those books had beautiful firm spines with golden letters, lining in volumes on bookshelves and had absolutely no pictures - the fact that my brother and I, both avid readers, found outrageous.

The majority of them also had long and depressive descriptions of autumn and NL 58

could cure insomnia. So, we went the opposite way, hunting for treasure with Stevenson, fighting a cardinal with Duma, exploring Solomon’s mine with Haggard and solving mysteries with Doyle. Until one day at the very end of a shelf, I saw two brown hardcovers: “All Creatures Great And Small” and “All Things Bright And Beautiful” by James Herriot.

Suddenly I moved away from Kharkiv, a giant concrete city, full of grey nine-storey buildings that were copycated around the USSR to the green hills of Yorkshire, following a young vet from Glasgow who moved to Darrowby for work. Doing school

READER’S MEMORY

homework wasn’t attractive in the first place, and now it didn’t stand a chance for my attention when competing with Herriot, who was saving horses and cows, goats and sheep and navigating the relationship with tough Northern farmers. I craved kindness, as many adults around me were reserved and bitter, trying to survive in a tohubohu country.

“Where is Yorkshire?”

- I asked my dad and he brought out an old world atlas.”

“Where is Yorkshire?” - I asked my dad and he brought out an old world atlas: the internet era didn’t reach our house for another five years. Gliding through the sleek pages I found York, New Castle, Leeds. Herriot’s town Darrowby - was nowhere to be seen.

There were a few more mysteries which goaded my curiosity. The biggest was the Yorkshire pudding. The word pudding in Ukrainian means a sweet dessert consisting of cream or jelly. After the lights were out in my bedroom, I would lie in my bed, trying to imagine this weird but so beloved British dessert with roast meat and potato. The second mystery was a protein cake for cows. In a book, it was simply translated as a galeta, which means a biscuit. Again, I concluded that not only people but animals have a sweet tooth in Yorkshire.

I read Herriot’s books again and again until I learnt them almost by heart. At a certain point I became so confident in my medical knowledge that when my friend pulled a leg I provided her with an examination, following the story when Herriot had a cow with a dislocated hip. Thankfully, pulling the leg with a rope was not needed, so I assured her that she just needed a rest.

When I became a teenager and entered my online era, first of all, I watched all 3 funny cat videos that were available on the Internet at that time. After that, I found out James Herriot had more than just two books.

His time in the RAF was completely cut out in Soviet editions, probably because it didn’t match the agenda about the USSR winning the war with

Me on the set of All Creatures Great and Small

little help from allies. Darrowby turned into a real town called Thirsk and James Herriot became a James Wight.

“Where in Yorkshire?” - the ticket lady at King Cross asked me. I was twenty-five and I had landed in Gatwick a few days before.

“Tirsk.”

“Sorry?”

“Thyorsk.”

Her eyebrows gathered more.

“Theersk. Sirsk! Thsyrskth.”

“Sorry. Please, repeat?”

I gave up and typed the name on my phone.

“I asked an old English lady where I could find Yorkshire pudding, she laughed: ‘We cook it at ‘ome, love!’”

Three hours later, I was there.

Thirsk or however I pronounced it did not disappoint: there was the tower clock on the cobbled market square, the old Ritz cinema, the tiny British NL 59

houses, and the Yorkshire green hills.

Being there felt familiar, felt almost home because I often travelled there through pages from my room in Kharkiv, Ukraine, hiding under the blanket with a flashlight.

When I asked an old English lady who was selling books where I could find Yorkshire pudding, she laughed: “Aye, Yorkshire pudding? We cook it at 'ome, love!”

Now I’ve lived in England for half of the year and I know very well what Yorkshire pudding is and which local pub is the best for a great Sunday roast.

When russia attacked Ukraine, I left the country and started an unwished nomadic life for the next year and a half before settling down in London.

Amid constant insomnia and anxiety, Herriot’s books have been my constant remedy.

“Where in Yorkshire?” my partner asked me when I offered a trip for this spring. He knows well where, as we watched the modern TV show together with many breaks when I would stop and insert absolutely necessary and educative comments about what really happened in the book.

Thirsk, Yorkshire. Just because I still have no idea what the heck the cow cake is. NL

MARCHED AWAY

BY JULIA H DIXON

Write To Win! Our short story competition appeal is in full swing, and for our autumn edition in September, we’re eagerly seeking captivating mystery stories—perfect for the spooky season! With a deadline of August 1st and a limit of 1,200 words, you have ample time to craft and refine your tales. Don’t miss this opportunity to showcase your writing talent. We always love hearing from you. Don’t forget to send in your memories, pictures, and poems to northernlifemagazine.co.uk/contribute!

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C

arolyn slotted the key into the control board and turned it.

The merry-go-round hummed, the cresting lights blinking on. Her smile sank when she saw the new installation, a pony which, in appearance, was completely inoffensive. She’d operated merry-gorounds in Blackpool since her teens.

She knew the standing figures from the prancers and the jumpers. But this was her first “marcher.” “An innovative marching figure,” was how her manager described it. Timothy Trotter could stomp its hooves, move its eyes, and nod its head. It “modernised” the merry-go-round. What rubbish!

She powered up the ride for a test run. An organ rendition of I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside trumpeted through the speakers. When the platform began to turn, Timothy stumbled like a newborn giraffe.

Another reason to do away with this thing.

Not long after opening hour, the crowds filtered in. She cheerfully invited visitors to climb the platform steps.

“Timothy stomped its hooves to the beat, eliciting cheers” “Bottoms on seats, ladies, gentlemen, others,” she said into the PA system. A girl with braids was sitting on Timothy’s back. Carolyn pursed her lips, hoping all went well.

No matter her feelings on the so-called improvement, she wanted people to have fun.

When she started the ride this time, Timothy stomped its hooves to gasps and applauds. Before the ride finished, the queue doubled in length. By midday, it tripled. Those uninterested in riding stopped purely to watch Timothy march. Whether mothers in sunglasses, youngsters with warm sugar around their mouths, bringing the smell of freshly baked doughnuts, or men wearing caps; phones were up, cameras directed.

By then, Carolyn had relaxed enough to sing over the PA system to a harmony of muffled laughter. “…Oh! I do like to be – sing along if you know the words! – beside the

READER’S STORY

“Everyone who recognised her asked what happened to Timothy” seaside!”

Timothy stomped its hooves to the beat, eliciting cheers. Carolyn glowered at it through the booth window. She was not about to be a double act!

As the season went on, she heard no end to people’s love for Timothy.

Kids went giddy when it swivelled its ears. The next time she saw her manager, she struggled to voice her list of protests.

For all she disliked the animatronic, it delighted visitors, young and old.

She couldn’t even say its appearance spoiled the antique ride; its design matched its neighbouring ponies so perfectly nobody would think it was fitted later. She did, however, mention the bolts.

“They’re wobblier every day. I tighten them when I do the safety checks. They’ll hold, but it’s a design flaw if you ask me.” If it wasn’t barmy, she’d swear Timothy rocked them loose on purpose. It seemed to move more energetically each day, especially when she sang.

Though tempted, she didn’t blame this design flaw for Timothy’s disappearance. It had been a disorientating day. Temperatures skyrocketed; sweat-salted lips, suncream-as-perfume kind of weather.

It was a relief when the park’s PA announced closing time. She picked at her sticky uniform and hoped she didn’t smell too terribly as she shooed away the robot enthusiasts dawdling beside the merry-go-round. Only when she got home and cooled to a less oppressive temperature, did she realise she hadn’t checked the bolts on Timothy’s hanger. By dawn, Timothy was gone.

Management closed the ride, of course. Carolyn was assigned to a different attraction for the day, one too new for her liking. Everyone who recognised her asked what happened to Timothy and she could only say that she didn’t know. Some had visited specifically to see him, having heard about him on the news, and were devastated to learn he was missing. Carolyn couldn’t stand the unhappiness. CCTV cameras were NL 61

all over the park, but nobody would confess what happened the night Timothy vanished. Her manager had only asked her not to say he’d been stolen, to not upset people further. But what else could she tell them?

On her lunch break, she took a brisk stroll around the park. Habit brought her to the merry-go-round. A small crowd mourned at the barrier.

The unlit ride was accompanied with dreary signage reading ‘CLOSED.’ Carolyn left quickly. She hummed I Do Like To Be Beside The Seaside, remembering how Timothy looked at her whenever she sang like the lyrics fascinated him.

She stopped walking so abruptly someone collided with her. “I’m sorry.”

She side-stepped between two carnival games where she wouldn’t be in the way. She unclipped her radio from her belt and brought it to her mouth.

What could she say? She’ll sound mad! Worse, if she was right… It meant Timothy was something she couldn’t comprehend. Machines she knew, mechanics, music, and electricity made up her beautiful merry-go-round. But intelligence? Enough to listen, to think, to want?

She grumbled, “No, thank you,” while signing out at reception. She snapped, “Not for me!” dashing through the gates and across the tram tracks. She yelped, “Absolutely not!” when sand spilt into her trainers.

Blackpool Tower acted as a red beacon guiding her. Even at a distance, it was easy to spot the pony no taller than her waist. She inhaled salty air and ran to him. She was still panting her protests when she reached him, scaring off the few children clustered nearby.

“You!” She jabbed her finger at his mechanical eye, “are going back on my merry-go-round like a good, stationary pony!”

Timothy swivelled his ears before he turned tail, inviting her to chase him.

For a second, she could only gawk.

“Go on then!” hollered one of the kids.

“Oh, for goodness sake!” She yanked off her trainers and peeled away her socks. Timothy took off. The children cheered as she raced after him. NL

READER’S STORY

Blackpool Belle

BY LINDA SHERLOCK

T

he gentle waves rolled up against the sand as the seagulls paddled and pecked where the two overlapped. The rare summer rays seemed to bounce off the Tower in the distance as day-trippers and holidaymakers alike ambled along the seafront. The sound of children playing could be heard in the distance, along with the jingle of the donkeys’ bells as they trotted back and forth. Ivy smiled and licked her lips. She could almost taste the smell of fish and chips wafting across the pier.

She reflected on how she had had counted the days until she could escape the daily grind of endless shifts at Talbot Mill. Shillings, saved from her pay packet after she had paid board and lodgings to her mam, had been ferreted away, except for the odd pair of nylons or material for her Aunty Lil to run up a selection of frocks for the holiday.

Saturdays were the highlight, with dancing at the Tudor and along with Mavis and Doreen, she was determined to make it to the Tower Ballroom for at least one turn round the floor.

‘If you crane your neck, you can see the sea!’ giggled Doreen as soon as they crammed into the boarding house bedroom.

Hardly the most salubrious of seaside accommodations, it was their home for the next seven blissful days.

‘You feeling any better Mavis?’

The journey by Leyland Royal Tiger bus had done little to help her recover from her hangover. But Ivy had other suspicions as to the cause of Mavis’ pallor and quiet demeanour.

She had been very cagey when she had enquired if she was still seeing Ted that well known lothario of the dance floor.

‘Come on, it’s time to explore.’

They hung the last of their holiday wardrobe and then the girls were off to

check out the talent.

They had hardly got to the door when they heard a commotion.

‘Well, what have we got here?’

Ivy came eye to eye with Eddie, who had more than a passing resemblance to her idol, Cliff Richard.

‘So, are you going to introduce me to your friends?’

Before long, the girls were doing the twist in the street. Ivy found herself being given a piggyback by the handsome Eddie, much to the

“Ivy came eye to eye with Eddie, who had more than a passing resemblance to her idol, Cliff Richard.” annoyance of other holidaymakers, who were trying to get by and were not impressed by the sounds coming from the transistor radio, perched precariously on the wall. Only her slacks protected her modesty as Eddie raced up and down the street.

Soon, the girls found themselves being whipped off to Tomlinson’s café. The bright red Formica tables were soon littered with glass cups and saucers brimming with frothy coffee.

As the days went on, Ivy and Eddie seemed to hang back from the group, much to the annoyance of Mavis, who delighted in flirting and drawing attention to herself at every opportunity. Ivy learnt that Eddie lived just a few streets away from her Aunty Lil back in Chorley and was a drinking pal of her cousin Jack, so she felt that she was in good company.

They spent their days sunbathing on NL 63

the crowded beach and wondered how so many men managed to keep cool in their Sunday suits as they slept in hired wooden deckchairs. Jugs of tea were the order of the day. Ivy turned heads in her bright red fitted costume with flattering skirt.

‘You should enter one of those beauty competitions,’ laughed Eddie but Ivy just blushed and turned away.

‘Eyes down, look in. Number Ten Mr Wilson’s den.’

The gang were tempted into one of the arcades for several games of bingo. Eddie’s winnings helped to pay for a very romantic ride in a horse drawn landeau as they took in the unlit illuminations before Ivy persuaded him to dance the night away in the Tower ballroom.

‘I’ve got two left feet,’ he protested as she taught him the jive.

But not everyone was happy for Ivy and her holiday romance.

‘You want to watch that, Eddie. He’s not all he’s cracked up to be,’ sneered Mavis as Ivy carefully backcombed her hair and set it solid with lacquer so that the sea breeze would need to be a hurricane to shift it.

As she left The Seaview, Ivy’s heart almost stopped as she saw Mavis and Eddie standing close.

‘Come on Ivy, time to go.’

Before her eyes, those bygone days of summer 1965 faded and she was brought back to the present and thoughts of her expanding family of grandchildren and great grandchildren.

‘Oh, Eddie, whatever would I have done without you all these years?’

Eddie smiled to himself and thought of how lucky he had been that day to meet the love of his life. They had hardly spent a day apart in almost 60 years. Nothing, not even Mavis, could come between him and his dancing queen. NL

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DAWN & SIMON THOMPSON

NL 65

ALFIE

STUART CALLAGHAN

Two Weeks in Waterside

BY LAURA STOREY

TAKE ANOTHER STROLL DOWN MEMORY LANE WITH RESIDENT HISTORIAN GEOFF CRAMBIE AS HE RECALLS HIS TIME IN THE ONCE BUSTLING AREA OF WATERSIDE AND THE COLOURFUL CHARACTERS THAT LIVED AND WORKED THERE 16 year-old Geoff with his ‘catch-of-the-day’

NL 66

L

et’s transport ourselves back exactly 65 years to the scorching summer of 1959.

At that time, sixteen-yearold Geoff Crambie was relishing the sunshine, spending his days fishing in the almost dried-up Foulridge Reservoir while also earning his keep as a grocer’s boy at the Co-operative Supermarket.

Having commenced his job a year earlier at the tender age of fifteen, Geoff was already a seasoned worker by the summer of ’59. He found himself shuttling across Colne to serve at 26 different branches, but it was the two

Aerial view of Waterside, Colne

“A gas streetlamp outside the shop would flicker to life precisely at 7pm a signal that it was time to head home.”

from the shop was Gas Street, where Colne’s inaugural gas terminal stood. A gas streetlamp outside the shop would flicker to life precisely at 7 pm – a signal that it was time to head home.”

“Three generations frequented the shop, and, as refrigeration was not yet common-place, people came in every day. Everyone knew each other. It’s the only shop where the manager was addressed by his first name. It was such a nice atmosphere.”

Arthur Hamlett, the manager, had dedicated 45 years to the Waterside Co-op, kickstarting his journey as a grocer’s assistant with Shepherd’s on Market Street, Colne. “He started work at 14.”

On Geoff’s first day, he found himself donning brown overalls instead of the customary white, tasked with weighing up produce. The job entailed lugging hefty brown sacks brimming with potatoes around the premises.

The strenuous labour, compounded by the sweltering heat, left him parched.

Fortunately, lunchtime beckoned, and the ingenious manager, Arthur Hamlett, proposed a solution – a quick visit to the pub for a pint.

They ventured to the Old Duke next door. “Originally, it was the Old Duke William; it opened in 1709.”

At sixteen, Geoff was served a shandy while Arthur indulged in a pint of bitter.

Between serving patrons in the shop and enjoying the pub, those two weeks saw Geoff assimilate into the thriving Waterside community.

A notable figure in Waterside was Colne’s Mayor at the time, Tom Hargreaves, fondly dubbed “Tommy

weeks spent at the shop in Waterside that he’d never forget.

“Waterside is a part of Colne that’s altered completely,” Geoff reflects.

“Around 400 people used to inhabit that corner of the town.”

The bustling community harboured one of Colne’s oldest co-ops. “The store was a relic, opening its doors back in 1870,” Geoff recalls. “It was so ancient that it still relied on gas lamps for illumination. Just around the bend

The Mayor of Colne, Tommy ‘Ottermuck’ Hargreaves with the two Mayoral lamps

Ottermuck.” The moniker possibly traces back to his father’s capture of an otter on Colne Beck, but the specifics have been lost to history, much like the elusive whereabouts of the second mayoral lamp.

“From 1894 to 1974, a pair of mayoral lamps adorned the residences of every mayor,” Geoff explains. One now occupies Colne Library, while the other has vanished into obscurity.

Besides the Old Duke, The Admiral Lord Rodney stood as another ›

The Old Duke Pub

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“They heated coins in a pan over the hearth and tossed them to the awaiting crowd of children below.” historic watering hole catering to the Waterside populace. Still operational today, the Lord Rodney witnessed numerous community affairs.

In the 1950s, proprietors Alan and Vera Barrett decided to revive the Wapping Pash tradition.

“Wapping denotes Waterside,” Geoff explains, “while Pash signifies passion. Initially, it was a religious festivity spanning four days. Vera and Alan resurrected it after 50 years.”

“They baked an enormous potato pie for all attendees. Following an ancient custom, they went to the upper windows, heated coins in a pan over the hearth and tossed them to the awaiting crowd of children below.

The children had to catch them, but of course, they were red hot!”

This wasn’t the only traditional affair in Waterside. While youngsters might have scorched their palms grasping for coins, a more harrowing spectacle had unfolded a century earlier.

“In 1812, the Old Duke William hosted England’s final bull-baiting event. It drew a crowd of 800 to witness the bulls fight on the green between the Old Duke and the Admiral Lord Rodney.”

Post-bull-baiting era, locals still revelled in entertainment via travelling fairs, which came each summer to Waterside.

“They were spectacular,” Geoff reminisces, “with swing boats, merrygo-rounds, and lots of clowns!”

Alongside the carnival rides and performers, these fairs often boasted exotic animals. “We even had zebras strolling down Colne Lane!”

In 1900, a fair arrived featuring a bear, with a sovereign prize earmarked for anyone capable of wrestling the creature to the ground.

“A chap named Harry ‘Titch’ Macro decided to take a crack at it,” Geoff says, “Standing at 6’3”, he was dubbed

Admiral Lord Rodney proprietors Alan and Vera Barret with the Wapping Pash Pie

The ‘Fair Bear’ of 1900

“Titch grappled with the bear for twenty-five minutes before finally managing to wrestle it to the ground!”

Titch! He served as the bag carrier for Colne Cricket Club.”

“No one had achieved it before.

Titch grappled with the bear for twenty-five minutes before finally managing to wrestle it to the ground!”

“I knew his granddaughter, Lily, and he lived off that tale for the rest of his life. Whenever he went to the pub, they’d say, ‘Hey Titch, come have a pint and tell us about the bear.’ How many NL 68

people can boast: ‘My grandad wrestled a bear’!”

Just a few years following Geoff’s unforgettable fortnight, the Waterside Co-op shuttered its doors, and the 1960s ushered in a wave of demolitions to the district, which had already sustained partial obliteration in the 1930s.

The Old Duke, where Geoff savoured his midday shandies, was torn down. Naturally, he hastened to inspect what remnants could be salvaged. “The pub has a beautiful front door, but by the time I got there, it had been smashed to pieces. I managed to get just a small piece of glass from the panelling - it must be 200 years old!”

While nature now reclaims much of what were once bustling streets, Geoff still remembers the community that once made their home there. “I have such happy memories,” he beams. NL

Geoff displaying a piece of glass from the door of the Old Duke Pub

o B t e B e k e i ! s L i e d e o d i T D s h a e e I S , h O Let’s take a stroll along the promenades of Yorkshire and Lancashire’s best-loved seaside towns with our...

BLACKPOOL 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Which famous racehorse switched on the illuminations in 1977?

The first 'illuminations' occurred in 1879, but how many lights were switched on?

How many piers does Blackpool have?

True or false: an old drainage channel gave Blackpool its name?

Which famous Harry Potter actor came from Blackpool?

WHITBY

6.

What type of animal bones were used to construct the arch on Whitby's West Cliff?

7. Which famous sailor completed his seaman’s apprenticeship in the town?

8. The murder of a local hermit by huntsmen led to which famous tradition?

9. What is the name of the illtempered fairy who resides in a cave in Mulgrave Woods?

10. What happened to the bells stolen from Whitby Abbey by Henry VIII?

Photo by Zoe Hodkinson

SUMMER-BY-THE-SEA QUIZ MORECAMBE

11. True or false: Morecambe once had a tower, with plans to have a helter-skelter providing a fun route down from the top?

12. What should you be wary of if you stroll along the sand in Morecambe?

13. Comedian Eric Morecambe has a statue on Morecambe Bay. What was the name of his comedy partner?

14. Six stone cut graves at St Patrick’s Chapel were used in which rock band’s album cover?

15. Whose grave serves as a poignant reminder of Lancashire's connection to the slave trade, situated at Sunderland Point?

SCARBOROUGH

16. In 1988, local schoolchildren created the world’s largest comic strip on the beach, but which famous comic magazine did they depict?

17. What was the name of the woman who discovered Scarborough’s waters could have a ‘medicinal use’ and caused visitors to flock to the town?

18. True or false: the area is home to Britain’s oldest house?

19. Local man David Chapman was the last man in England sentenced to hang, but what was his crime?

NL 69

20. Lorenzo Mitchell-Henry caught a fish weighing 851 lbs off the coast of Scarborough in 1933, but what kind of fish was it?

SOUTHPORT

21. Which quirky museum is Southport home to?

22. True or false: the tide never comes in?

23. What are locals known as?

24. How old is the Southport Flower Show?

25. Which street in Southport is considered one of the world’s first boulevards?

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NL 71

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We are giving one lucky reader the chance to win an incredible Carol Joy London bundle, worth £135! The bundle includes: Two Collagen Eye Masks – Transform tired-looking eyes in just 15 minutes.

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WIN A RAVENSBURGER YORKSHIRE DALES PUZZLE BUNDLE

WIN AN O&M SUMMER MINIS BUNDLE Cult Australian hair brand O&M is launching mini collections for summer, curated to look after different hair types and a complimentary pink vegan leather bag.

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Ravensburger’s 1000-piece puzzle, Yorkshire Dales was designed by award-winning, artist and illustrator Eleanor Tomlinson. Two winners will receive a Ravensburger prize bundle worth over £55rrp each including the 1000-piece Yorkshire Dales puzzle along with Sort n Go puzzle sorting trays, Stand n Go Puzzle Board Easel and Puzzle Conserver to glue the finished puzzle together. www. ravensburger.co.uk.

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COMPETITIONS WIN A COCONUTTY BUNDLE FROM VITA COCO No matter the weather this summer Vita Coco are sure to transport you to the tropics.

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Q: What kind of nut is included in Vita Coco products?

WIN

A ROSA FAIA COSTUME IN A SIZE 10-12 Dive into holiday mode with the Elouise Secret Jungle swimsuit by Rosa Faia. Made with Lycra Xtra life fabric, which lasts up to ten times longer than unprotected fibres, this trendy, comfortable costume will soon become your go-to suit! Elouise also has adjustable straps for that perfect fit! We have one suit in a size 10-12 to give away to one lucky reader, but if you can't wait to win, then get yours at www.amplebosom. com Q: What kind of straps does the costume have?

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WIN A BBQ BUNDLE Put that jerk to work this summer with Tropical Sun. One lucky winner will win the ultimate BBQ bundle to create sweet, spicy and smoky jerk chicken. You’ll receive a range of Tropical Sun jerk products including their award-winning Jerk Seasoning paste, handmade to a traditional recipe in Jamaica and their Jerk BBQ sauce which can be used as both a marinade and the ultimate sunshine sauce! To sweeten the pot further, you’ll also get your hands on a traditional drum BBQ with a lid to keep those smoky flavours locked in. Tropical Sun jerk products are available in the world food aisle at Tesco, Morrisons, Asda and Sainsburys at independent retailers and from www.tropicalsunfoods.com Q: Where does Jerk seasoning originate?

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Win one of three Plus-Plus toy bundles and set play free this summer for children aged 5yrs+. The 100-piece travel-friendly Plus-Plus Tube offers open-ended play to create models in 2D or 3D builds. Unleash your creativity with HEXEL®, the new fidget toy for hands of all sizes, available in three colour variations. The play possibilities are endless with the 250-piece Learn To Build Robots - get your imagination gears turning to create five unique robots or design a bot of your own.

Amazon.co.uk Q: How many pieces in the Plus-Plus Tube?

FOR MORE COMPETITIONS AND TO ENTER SCAN HERE

HOME & GARDEN 76 S E R E N E G A R D E N

79 SUMMER GARDENING CHECKLIST

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Serene

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HOME & GARDEN

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HOME & GARDEN

✂

SUMMER

S

2024 Gardening Checklist

Cashbah Armchair £129 dobbies.com

ummer is right around the Maintenance corner, and with it comes Summer is when Roses look their Here's five top tips from a season full of colour, best, but it’s important to continue Nigel Lawton at Dobbies fragrance, and longer days deadheading them throughout the in the garden. Dobbies Garden season to encourage new growth and to help you take care of your Centres says there are plenty of ways blooms. garden this summer to get your outdoor space ready for the Summer is when plants grow their warmer seasons now. However, there’s fastest, so feeding with fertiliser to ensure also a lot that can be done during summer strong, healthy growth and maximum flow, to embrace the season, so there’s no such thing as as well as mulching with a good-quality peat-free starting too late. compost to hold in moisture and give beds and borders a Dobbie’s buyer, Nigel Lawton, talks through his top tips nutrient boost. on how to look after your garden and keep it happy and An ideal time to move earlier spring annuals when healthy this summer, as well as how those with smaller finished blooming to make room for summer bedding plants gardens can enjoy the sunny season. like Dahlias and Fuchsias, which will fill gardens with their amazing flowers.

Late summer flowering bulbs such as Crocosmia and Nerine can also be planted now, either in the ground or in containers. Just make sure you feed them regularly to encourage growth and water them regularly to keep them hydrated during the summer months.

Watering

dobbies.com

Another essential job you should do in summer is ensuring your garden gets proper hydration. This is especially important during periods of drought and if you’re planning a long summer holiday.

Mulching well with a good quality peat-free compost will help the soil retain moisture and help rain penetrate the soil, keeping your plants hydrated between waterings.

Any water that has been collected in water butts earlier in the year can be used during dry spells to water your plants and is actually better for your garden as rainwater has none › NL 79

HOME & GARDEN

✂ of the chemicals that water from the mains has. Just make sure you water your plants in the morning before the sun comes up, or in the evening; if you water during the heat of the day in full sun, the water can damage the leaves and flowers.

Lawncare

Use sprinklers to ensure even watering of the grass during the summer months to help keep your lawn hydrated.

Whether you’ve got a small patch of grass or a sprawling lawn, it’s not too late to get it looking its best for the summer months, so you shouldn’t be discouraged if it’s looking bare or patchy.

Using sprinklers to water your lawn as needed will help, but you can also do this with collected rainwater via a hose or watering can. Using complete lawn treatment will tackle any moss or weeds on your lawn while just feeding the grass with a pet- and childfriendly lawn feed, which is also recommended and will get your lawn looking richer and greener in as little as a week.

After feeding, once you’ve seen signs of growth, you can give the grass a light cut, ensuring the blades are on the highest setting so as not to scalp your lawn. Keep an eye on your grass and mowing when needed over the summer months, as this will differ depending on your own garden’s needs and the overall look you want to achieve.

If possible, keep a small patch of your garden wild to provide a safe space for wildlife to shelter during the heat. A wildflower area will encourage pollinators in your garden and create a wonderful buzz in the summer months.

Wildflower seeds can be planted in early summer and will grow in just a few short weeks, so there’s plenty of time to enjoy a wildlife-friendly summer garden.

“Use sprinklers to ensure even watering of the grass during the summer months...”

dobbies.com

summer, and if your garden gets a lot of sun, plant in a partially shaded spot.

Herbs from tropical climates, such as Basil, Coriander, and Dill, thrive in summer and can be planted either in a vegetable patch or in a container on your windowsill for easy access when cooking.

Small space impact

If you’re looking to make an impact in a small space, summer is the ideal time to enjoy colourful containers and says it’s easy to create an effective look with colour themes. Warm colours like orange, red and pink work well to create a tropical, high-summer display, especially when planted in terracotta pots. If you favour a neutral colour palette, create a cluster of white flowers and plant in a contrasting pot for an eye-catching effect.

To create a simple but effective display, try using large flowers like Dahlias as your pot’s focal point and pairing them with summer bedding plants like Begonias, Petunias, and Impatiens (Busy Lizzies) to fill any gaps. If you’re planting a hanging basket, trailing plants work well to elongate your display and create drama.

“Warm colours like orange, red and pink work well to create a tropical, high-summer display...”

Grow your own

There’s no better time to enjoy growing your own fresh produce than summer, with an abundance of seasonal salads that can be grown in your garden or even on your windowsill.

Leaf lettuce is a ‘cut and come again’ crop that can be planted and harvested throughout the season, giving you fresh lettuce throughout the summer months. Rocket can also be grown easily in summer as a ‘cut and come again’ crop and pairs well with summer recipes. Try sowing Rocket every two weeks to produce a continuous crop throughout

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H E A LT H & S E L F 8 4 S L E E P S EC R E T S W I T H D R M I L L I 8 6 COAC H LY N D SAY ’ S CO R E B E L I E F S

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8 9 S U N -SA F E , S U N - K I S S E D

Sleep:

The secrets and science

During sleep, we consolidate and repair, form memories, and adapt our muscles to the exercise we do at the gym. Lack of sleep is not conducive to meeting training goals; just as much as we need to train and exercise, we need to rest, adapt, heal, and repair during sleep.

North-West based NHS and private GP and lifestyle medicine doctor Dr Milli, shares her thoughts on how sleep affects our physical and mental health.

THE SLEEP CYCLE

W

When we sleep, we transition through various stages of sleep.

The first stages (1-3) are known as non-rapid eye movement.

This is our restorative sleep, which is shown as slow waves if we look at the electrical activity in our brain. After we progress from stage 1 to stage 2 and then to stage 3, we then transition to rapid eye movement, which is the deep dreaming stage of sleep. It is known as rapid eye movement, as our eyeballs move rapidly during this time. We then cycle through these stages multiple times per night, and these stages make up the sleep architecture.

e can define sleep as ‘the physical and mental state where we are rested’.

Although some people may have historically considered sleep a sign of weakness, it is a pivotal and essential aspect of maintaining mental and physical health.

HOW MUCH SLEEP DO WE NEED?

We spend over 30% of our life asleep, yet sleep issues such as insomnia occur in up to a third of the population, and many other sleep conditions exist. In adults aged 18-64, the recommendation is to aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep per night.

HOW AND WHY DO WE SLEEP?

HORMONES AND SLEEP

Our body has a 24-hour internal body clock (known as our circadian rhythm). We know this because when we travel and adjust to different time zones, the 24-hour body clock can become shorter or longer, and we can experience this as jet lag.

Many inputs can influence our sleep such as light, food, and fluid (e.g., dehydration can worsen our sleep quality, and too much fluid can lead to frequent urination at night). The output is the quality and nature of our sleep and the benefits associated with good quality sleep.

There is a role of hormones before and during sleep, and they wake us up from sleep.

1. Melatonin, the sleep hormone, is secreted when it is dark from an area of the brain called the pineal gland. This gland causes changes in our body, lowering our temperature and initiating sleep.

2. Cortisol is implicated in stimulating the changes necessary to help with the morning awakening response and process.

3. Other hormones and levels are impacted by sleep, too. For example, the hunger hormone ghrelin and the fullness hormone leptin may become imbalanced with lack of sleep, causing issues with hunger and fullness.

4. Testosterone and growth hormone levels also fluctuate during sleep to assist with adaptations. Poor sleep can lower these levels, which can impact sex drive and energy.

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HEALTH & SELF sleep in this phase of their lives! And yes, alcohol may help initiate sleep. But what alcohol does is also impact our progression through the various sleep stages, and therefore, the sleep quality we experience can be poor, and we can feel groggy in the morning; one reason for us feeling like we have a hangover is being tired and unrefreshed. So, instead of choosing alcohol to help with your sleep, which conversely does the opposite, try to engage in mindfulness or meditation practices before bed to activate the calming nervous system and help sleep.

WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF LACK OF SLEEP ON OUR HEALTH? Lack of sleep can negatively impact on our physical health.

Below are some ways in which lack of sleep may manifest itself in our health: 1. Appetite can increase by up to 30%, which can lead to an increased risk of obesity. The reason for this is thought to be that lack of sleep reduces the satiety and fullness hormone leptin.

2. High blood pressure: When we sleep, part of our automatic nervous system, the parasympathetic nervous system, which has a calming effect, is activated. Lack of sleep can cause the sympathetic nervous system, known as the fightand-flight system, to be heightened, which can be linked to high blood pressure.

3. Poor sugar control: Lack of sleep raises cortisol, the stress hormone, which can cause dysregulation in the way we control our sugar levels.

4. Weakened immune system: Lack of sleep is linked to the lower functioning of the cells that fight infection.

5. Poor mental health: We know mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety can be made worse by lack of sleep, and the presence of these conditions can worsen sleep too, a double-edged sword.

WHAT CAN WE DO IN OUR LIFESTYLE TO HELP WITH SLEEP?

Nutrition

Environment 1. Make sure the room is dark enough to stimulate melatonin secretion, which will help initiate sleep. No late-night Instagram scrolling or TV watching in bed! This may be very hard for people to adopt, so perhaps blue light-blocking glasses can help reduce the exposure of this light to the brain. Blackout blinds/curtains and wearing eye masks at night can also be helpful for some people to prevent light inputs from disrupting sleep.

2. Make sure the room is room temperature, not too hot or too cold. Socks in bed and a warm bath can also help initiate sleep.

3. Make sure the bedroom is quiet! No ticking clocks in the background!

As we can see, sleep is complex, and many intricate factors influence its quality. Many lifestyle measures can be adapted to improve sleep quality, which will, in turn, help with hormonal balance.

1. We should avoid eating too much carbohydrates before bed. While this may make us feel sleepy, evidence suggests it can lead to a more disrupted night's sleep and impact sleep architecture.

2. Avoid caffeine within 6 hours of bedtime. We see so many people drinking 4-6 cups or even more of caffeine a day and struggling with sleep. Reducing caffeine, switching to decaffeinated versions if possible, and minimising the amount of caffeine after midday are sensible options. Camomile and lavender tea can sometimes help people relax before bed, too.

Exercise 1. Don’t exercise too close to bedtime. This will increase adrenaline, dopamine, and energy levels and can impact sleep initiation.

2. Ensure that you get exercise earlier in the day, ideally outside, to expose yourself to sunlight and vitamin D. Note that vitamin D can impact the secretion of melatonin at night, so if you take it as a supplement, it is best taken with a fatty drink or meal in the morning or lunchtime rather than at night.

Toxic substances 1. Alcohol – this is an interesting one. When we are perimenopausal and menopausal, anxiety can be higher in this midlife time (due to low progesterone and low GABA (the calming chemical). This can impact sleep.

Also, hot sweats and even going to pass urine often at night in the menopause transition can affect sleep. We see, therefore, many people reach for alcohol to help them

For more in-depth reading of sleep and how it can impact our hormones, my book Happy Hormones, Happy You (Beaten Track Publishing 2023) explores this in more detail with case studies looking at how the perimenopause transition and menopause can impact sleep and what we can do. Available to buy from Amazon for £12.99 Dr Milli sees patients privately. To arrange an appointment and free discovery call to better healthvisit drmilli.co.uk Until next time.

Dr Milli x

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Coach Lindsay THE IMPORTANCE OF

CORE BELIEFS

How to Boost Your Children’s Kindness and Confidence

I

would like to explore the concept of core beliefs and answer the questions about what they are, why they matter, and how we can set our children up for success by instilling adaptive beliefs early on.

We all have core beliefs, but what exactly are they? Core beliefs are the lens through which we experience the world around us. They are our most deeply held beliefs about ourselves, others and the world. Since core beliefs are learned in childhood, this offers us an excellent opportunity to set our children up for success by teaching them about core beliefs early on and helping them to shift their negative stories into more positive and adaptive ones.

Core Beliefs in Action

Have you ever wondered why two people experience the same thing but react differently? What happens in any situation gets filtered through our core beliefs lens, and then we create a story that we tell ourselves about what happened. If we have different core beliefs than someone else, our experience and story about what happened will be different.

Adaptive core beliefs don’t necessarily shift our feelings, which are always ok just how they are, but they shift how we interpret events and even what actions we take afterwards.

“If I cry, will someone come and check on me?”

“If I’m hungry, will someone feed me?”

While we can’t always change what is happening around us, we can tune into our core beliefs and shift the story we tell ourselves about what is happening. This not only feels better but also increases our inherent kindness, confidence, and resilience.

The really good news is that we can help our children tune into their core beliefs and shift any negative ones into more adaptable ones.

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Core Belief Stages

Core beliefs are important at any age but are often formed in childhood. Different developmental stages can lead to different beliefs formed at other times, and various environmental triggers can also impact core beliefs. Here is a brief snapshot of core beliefs across age groups:

HEALTH & SELF

Babies

Babies learn about themselves and their world through experiences and attachment to caregivers. “If I cry, will someone come and check on me?” “If I’m hungry, will someone feed me?”

“Do my needs matter?” “Am I safe?”

“Am I loved?” Babies learn quickly what to expect from people and the world around them and form neural pathways in their brains, cementing this learning. The brain is developing such foundational knowledge at this point that these beliefs and felt experiences can stay with people for a long time (I do want to point out, though, that we can also heal negative ones later on).

Young Children

Young children continue to learn through experiences, as well as the messages they receive through caregivers and the people in their community. They are exploring different aspects of their personalities and testing out the types of responses they get. They are in a very egocentric state of development, so they often fall into traps of situations that happen to them (i.e. parents’ divorce, conflict in the family); this can lead to core beliefs that they are ‘bad’ or things are ‘their fault.’ Due to their often strong emotional reactions to things, small children can sometimes bring out strong reactions from adults, which can lead to feelings of shame or worry about not being loved or parts of them not being welcome.

feelings of belonging and worth in social settings. Having a strong family foundation to navigate the rough waters of adolescence has been proven to be a protective factor for children.

“Make the positive core beliefs part of your regular family life Practices to Support Positive Core Beliefs

Planting the seeds for children to believe positive stories about themselves is a powerful proactive strategy that can have a really impactful impact.

Build Them Into Your Environment

As I have written about before, it is a great practice to surround children with positive affirmations. Maybe on the walls of their bedroom, on the fridge door, on their clothing, and in the way we talk to them.

Older Children

Older children are often working to master skills. They want to run faster, climb higher, read and write better, learn maths, produce art - you name it, they are working at it. Sometimes, this can lead to associating their abilities or skills with their worth (some of us adults do this, too). Older children sometimes get discouraged if they fail to win or meet the goal. Remembering that they are enough, even if they make mistakes and that they are loveable just the way they are is so crucial at this developmental time.

As children age, they also experience more peer conflict. Peer relationships can begin to impact

Spot Opportunities

Statements like “Wow, you slept all night in your own bed. See, you can do hard things!” or “I know you are disappointed that you didn’t score that goal in football today, but we love you so much, and you are good enough just exactly as you are” can help children feel safe, seen, and connected.

Get Creative

Make an art project where you draw or paint the adapted core belief with an expression that captures it, like - I have what I need, I am loveable or being sensitive is a strength.

Build Routines

Make the positive core beliefs part of your regular family life and look for places you and your child would like to include them, such as mealtimes and bedtimes, when discussing challenging situations.

Our Own Core Beliefs

Adults hold core beliefs, too.

Sometimes, our core beliefs are held so deeply and even passed down from generation to generation that we are unaware of them. Try identifying some of your beliefs and those you would like to let go of. If you initially feel discouraged when identifying any core beliefs that do not serve you well, this is completely normal. In fact, most, if not all, people and families have negative core beliefs. Even though negative core beliefs may not be true, they can feel true. But what’s also true is that they can be changed and adapted to better serve you and your family. NL Sending you all love and light.

Go gently on yourselves.

Coach Lindsay x

NL 87

HEALTH & SELF

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A R T & C U LT U R E 92 ROUND OUR WAY - FILM PIONEER SAM HANNA 97 BOOK CLUB

Sam Hanna with BBC Pebble Mill reporter and television crew, March 1975 from the book Round Our Way by Heather Norris Nicholson

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ROUND OUR WAY A NEW BOOK BY AUTHOR HEATHER NORRIS NICHOLSON TURNS THE CAMERA ON BURNLEY FILM PIONEER SAM HANNA ›

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ART & CULTURE BOOK FEATURE

This street parade is part of a public occasion, perhaps the royal visit to Burnley in 1955

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S

Hanna’s work was a testament to his ability to capture the essence of humanity

am Hanna, a trailblazing filmmaker hailing from Burnley, Lancashire, was often hailed as the ‘Lowry of Filmmaking.’ His unique lens offered intimate glimpses into the lives of strangers, inviting us to delve into the rich narratives behind each image. Unlike his contemporaries in mid-century documentary filmmaking and photography, Hanna’s work was a testament to his ability to capture the essence of humanity and a microcosm of a world in transition. His subjects, often grappling with issues beyond their control, are brought back to life for us, decades later.

Historian Heather Norris Nicholson’s book, Round Our Way, masterfully combines stills, essays, and archive photography to document Hanna’s unique visual record on film. It focuses on East Lancashire, chronicling a time of profound change. Born in 1903 to Esther Alice, a weaver, and Jimmy, a coal miner, Sam grew up in a typical terrace house in Burnley’s Sandygate area. In his 1993 autobiography, Better Chalk Than Talk, he recalls using chimney soot as toothpaste: “This fine abrasive soot certainly worked, and over 80 years on, I still have most of my teeth.”

At the age of seven, Sam fell ill during an outing to Burnley’s Victoria Theatre. Diagnosed with pneumonia and pleurisy, he was too sick to be taken to the hospital. Doctors performed surgery on his kitchen table, removing two ribs and draining fluid from his lungs. The long recovery forbade Sam from roughhousing and playing outside with his friends, so his Uncle Tom brought him a magic lantern to keep him occupied. In an interview with Eric Beardsworth for Northern Life, Sam recalled, “I had never seen anything like this before. I gave ‘shows’ to my family and friends, and they, too, marvelled at the coloured pictures appearing on a white wall…

This was indeed just wonderful.”

Despite his burgeoning interest Top: Hanna in thought, watching his dad being presented to King George VI. Middle: Taken from Hanna’s Knocker Up (194649, North West FIlm Archive 5364) Bottom: The Burnley School of Nursing attracted trainees postwar from Ireland and Commonwealth nations. (Taken from Burnley School of Nursing, 1960-63, North West Film Archive 5208)

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ART & CULTURE BOOK FEATURE

“His focus remained on ordinary folks, from artisans to locals”

Hanna recognised that children’s play was changing in the modern world, which drove him to capture improvised street games, close to home but away from adult rules and interventions, in his film Street Games We Used to Play (195We 7-59, North West Film Archive 5294).

in filmmaking, Sam decided at 12 to follow his mother into weaving. This part of his career was short-lived as he decided to tinker around to make the loom run faster. He succeeded but had the unfortunate consequence of making the cloth too thin. His mother was briskly informed that he had no future as a weaver. He then turned his skills to woodworking, excelling in the craft and earning a top wage of five shillings a week. However, ongoing health issues led his doctor to advise a career change.

Sam found work as a woodworking teacher in a Burnley school, arriving in style in his black Austin Tourer.

“When I got to the school gates with my Austin, they said I was showing off. I think I started on the wrong foot with the staff,” he told Eddy Rawlinson. Not initially welcomed in

the staff room, which was reserved for ‘proper academics,’ Sam soon became a fully qualified teacher and began making films to show his pupils.

He created videos of people at work in various trades, including textiles, engineering, woodworking, coopering, blacksmithing, and even charcoal burning.

“I wanted to impress on them the value of ordinary people, to pay tribute to ordinary men and women in crafts,” he explained. “I thought I would find out about these craftsmen and record them on film. The first series I did was about clogmaking because everybody wore clogs then.” Despite resistance from fellow teachers, Sam pioneered using educational films in the classroom. His focus remained on ordinary folks, from artisans to locals, and his films were even utilised in WWII training.

Hanna’s work vividly captures the everyday people and evolving communities of northern England and beyond. His images, whether of named individuals or anonymous faces, tenderly depict humanity, inviting viewers to imagine the untold stories behind each scene. Hanna’s artful eye transforms ordinary moments into cinematic portraits rich with emotional depth and social commentary. NL NL 95

Round Our Way pairs Nicholson’s engaging essays with Hanna’s striking visuals, creating an immersive artistic experience.

The book’s unique design cements it as an essential volume for preserving Hanna’s work. Decades later, these evocative scenes transcend their era, shedding light on the universal struggles and resilience of the human spirit.

Round Our Way: Sam Hanna’s Visual Legacy by Heather Norris Nicholson £25 Available from Pendle Press.

ART & CULTURE BOOK CLUB

NorthernLife

BOOK CLUB

KING OF SPORTS: CYCLE ROAD RACING

As summer approaches, we're all about envisioning lazy days soaking up the sun with a great read in hand. Here are the top picks to toss in your suitcase for your summer adventures.

BY PETER WARD MBE

In a nostalgic return to cycling's golden era, Peter Ward's iconic work makes a long-awaited comeback.

Originally penned in 1967 during Ward's recovery from a training accident, this revered guidebook offers a timeless blueprint for cyclists of all stripes. With its enduring wisdom and relevance, "King of Sports" continues to hold sway as a must-have companion for anyone passionate about the thrill of two wheels. £15. Published by Pendle Press.

Out now.

THE GRIEF DOCTOR

BY TOM CHESSHYRE

Set on a secluded island off the Welsh coast, The Grief Doctor unveils a world of exclusivity and enigma. Authored by the ingenious Jack Anderson from Sheffield and known for his viral internet serial "Has Anyone Heard of The Left/ Right Game?", this novel takes readers on a journey into the depths of the human psyche and the haunting allure of an unconventional clinic. £16.99. Published by Raven Books. Out 6th June.

A CLOCK STOPPED DEAD

BY J.M HALL

J.M. Hall invites readers into the charming world of retired teachers Pat, Liz, and Thelma, whose leisurely days at the café take an unexpected turn when a tantalising mystery presents itself. Set against the backdrop of the cosy Thirsk Garden Centre café, Hall skilfully crafts a narrative that blends friendship, intrigue, and amateur sleuthing into a delightful tale.

J.M. Hall is an author, playwright and deputy head of a primary school from Beverley. £8.99. Published by HarperCollins Publishers. Out now.

PIECE OF MY HEART

BY PENELOPE TREE

HOW TO CATCH A KILLER: THE FORENSICS OF CRIME

BY PROFESSOR ANGELA GALLOP AND FORMER DCS CHRIS GREGG

For true crime fanatics, this is essential reading. In this unique and fascinating book, worldrenowned forensic scientist Dr Angela Gallop and highly acclaimed former Detective Chief Superintendent and Head of CID for West Yorkshire Police Chris Gregg provide intriguing insights into some of the many cases they have helped to solve and examine other high-profile cases where their individual skills could have saved time and lives. £20. Published by Bonnier. Out 29 August.

Piece of My Heart offers a captivating glimpse into the glamorous world of the Swinging Sixties through the eyes of a Vogue cover model turned author. From her discovery at Truman Capote's legendary 1966 Black and White Ball to her rise as a style icon, Tree's debut novel delves into the complexities of the fashion industry with striking honesty and emotion. Through a cast of larger-than-life characters, Tree explores themes of ambition, identity, and self-discovery, crafting a poignant coming-of-age story that resonates long after the final page. £18.99. Published by Moonflower Books. Out now.

RARE SINGLES

BY BENJAMIN MYERS

Perfect for summer, Benjamin Myers whisks us to the seaside town of Scarborough, where Dinah finds release in her town’s Northern Soul nights. Dinah's passion for the elusive soul artist Bucky Bronco becomes her guiding light. Drawing from his Durham and West Yorkshire roots, Myers paints a vivid picture of Dinah's journey toward liberation through music, crafting a soulful narrative that resonates with authenticity and emotional depth. £18.99. Published by Bloomsbury. Out 1st August.

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NorthernLife’s

WHAT’S ON GUIDE

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THEATRE

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MUSIC

DON’T MISS OUT - CHECK OUT NorthernLife’s WHAT’S ON GUIDE - UPDATED REGULARLY GO TO NORTHERNLIFEMAGAZINE.CO.UK/EVENTS

TOURNEE Skipton Castle, Skipton.

14th Century Castle Life, Tournee recreates life as it may have been in Skipton during the 14th Century.

Adults £12, child £8, under 5s free, over 65s £11. 15th - 16th June. skiptoncastle.co.uk CLIVE MYRIE: EVERYTHING IS EVERYTHING Albert Halls, Victoria Square, Bolton.

Join award winning British journalist, news anchor and presenter Clive Myrie talking about his honest and engrossing memoir, Everything is Everything. £22. 7.30pm - 1pm. alberthalls-bolton.co.uk Sun 16th

TIME OUT J U N E / J U L Y / A U G U S T

June Fri 7th LANCASHIRE INFANTRY MUSEUM D-DAY MODEL EXHIBITION. Lancashire Infantry Museum, Watling Street Road, Fulwood, Preston.

Along with the museum permanent exhibits we are hosting a model exhibition which tells the story of D-Day from April to Sept 1944.

Adult £6, under 11yr free, 11yr - 16yr £4, family £18. 7th June - 9th June. visitlancashire.com Sat 8th CLUB ORIGAMI The Whitaker Museum & Art Gallery, Haslington Road, Rossendale.

Dance, fashion and live music meet the magic of origami to sweep us up on a spirited and inspiring adventure in a land made purely of paper and play. Recommended ages 0 - 5yrs.

11am & 1pm. £8. thewhitaker.org Sun 9th MOUNTAIN BIKE CHALLENGE Towneley Park, Burnley.

Pendle Panthers & Cycle Sport Pendle are proud to present the

Mountain Bike Challenge in aid of Pendleside Hospice. Join one of a series of mountain bike routes, tackling the bridleways in and around Pendle, taking in some beautiful villages and scenery. 9am start from Townley Park. pendleside.org.uk Wed 12th PENDLE HERITAGE CENTRE Pendle Heritage Centre, Barrowford, Colne.

Situated beside an ancient crossing of Pendle Water, this group of attractive listed Grade 11 farm buildings and walled garden,. Weds, Thurs, Fri - open 12 - 3pm, Sat & Sun - open - 11am to 4pm, Closed Mon & Tues. 12th June - 28th July. pendleheritagecentre.co.uk Sat 15th MONSTER TRUCKS: FATHER’S DAY Thornton Hall Country Park, Thornton in Craven, Barnoldswick.

A morning and afternoon stunt show which includes lots of crushing of cars, amazing stunts, and crowd participation. All ticket includes full day farm entry. Various prices. 15th 16th June. thorntonhallcountrypark. co.uk

SWING & RAT PACK AFTERNOON TEA Park Hill Barn, Pendle Heritage Centre, Park Hill, Barrowford.

Father’s Day Special with Josh Hindle. The doors swing open at 1.30 pm, setting the stage for an unforgettable experience. £25.50.

2pm - 4pm. parkhillbarn.co.uk Sat 22nd TEACH REX LIVE: VELOCIRAPTORS Skipton Town Hall, High Street, Skipton.

Teach Rex teaches children about the anatomy and life of one the most mesmerizing creatures that have ever roamed our planet. 11am, 1.30pm & 4pm. Adult £12, children £10, family £38. skiptontownhall.co.uk Sun 23rd CURATORS TALK THE WHITEHEAD FAMILY The Whitaker Museum & Art Gallery, Haslington Road, Rossendale.

In this talk, led by our Curator and Whitaker volunteers, you will learn more about the collections The Whitaker holds about the Whitehead family. £3. 2pm - 3pm. thewhitaker. org THE OLD OAK Ilkley Playhouse, Weston Road, Ilkley.

It’s not where you’re from, it’s what you bring. Amnesty Wharfedale is delighted to be screening the 2023 Ken Loach film The Old Oak as part of National Refugee Week. £10, students £6. 7.30pm. ilkleyplayhouse. co.uk Wed 26th KATE FOX: WHERE THERE’S MUCK THERE’S BRAS Wave Of Nostalgia, 74 Main Street, Haworth.

Enjoy an evening with comedian and author Kate Fox as she reads from, signs and discusses her book Where

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there’s muck there’s Bras! £5. 7pm. waveofnostalgia.co.uk MEGAN MCCUBBIN: STOPPING EXTINCTION King George’s Hall, Northgate, Blackburn.

Hear to stories from the front line of conservation and find out what it takes to pull a species back from the brink. £16.50. 7.30pm. bwdvenues. com Fri 28th BRADFORD LITERATURE FESTIVAL Bradford City Centre, Various venues, Bradford.

Bradford Literature Festival is regarded as one of the most inspiring festivals in the United Kingdom.

Over 300 events take place in historic venues over the course of ten days, celebrating the written and spoken word in all of its glorious forms. 28th June - 7th July. bradfordlitfest.co.uk Sat 29th FESTIVAL OF CULTURE 2024 Various Venues in Nelson, Nelson.

A major annual event celebrating art and culture. A family fun-day which will celebrate people, environment and culture through music, arts and crafts, food stalls, fun fair rides, community conversations and much more. All day. buildingbridgespendle. org.uk Sun 30th COLNE SUPER SOAPBOX CHALLENGE Albert Road, Colne.

Another great day out for all the family with continual commentary and all the action visible on large format screens again. 11am. supersoapboxchallenge.co.uk CLASSIC & PERFORMANCE MOTOR SHOW Hoghton Tower, Hoghton.

Classic Cars, Club Stands, Motorcycles, Light Commercials, Ex - Army and Classic 4×4’s. Trade stands, auto jumble plus show arena on display on the event field. 10am 4pm.Adult £10, child £5, family £25. justbookitnow.com

July Sun 7th OXENHOPE CHARITY STRAW RACE Waggon and Horses Inn, Oxenhope.

A fantastic charity race through Oxenhope. To date this event has raised over £450,000 with funds donated to Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice, Haworth Riding for the Disabled and other local worthy causes. All day. oxenhopestrawrace. › com

TIME OUT

DON’T MISS OUT - CHECK OUT NorthernLife’s WHAT’S ON GUIDE - UPDATED REGULARLY GO TO NORTHERNLIFEMAGAZINE.CO.UK/EVENTS

SCIENCE MUSEUM LIVE ON TOUR The Grand Theatre Blackpool.

Science Museum brings you this brand new production aimed at igniting your curiosity, fuelling your imagination, and inspiring you in new and exciting ways. 12.30pm & 3.30pm. £22. 8am - 5pm. www. blackpoolgrand.co.uk Wed 10th WITHIN NATURE: EAST AND WEST Cliffe Castle Museum, Spring Gardens Lane, Keighley.

Three artists, two from South Korea and one from England met at Camberwell School of Art and promised each other that one day they would hold an exhibition together. Closed Mon. 10th July - 1st Dec. bradfordmuseums.org Thurs 11th LANCASTER CASTLE Lancaster Castle, Castle Parade, Lancaster.

See history come alive in the heart of Lancaster. England’s dark history, with tales of persecution, incarceration, punishment and execution, has been lived out over the centuries within the confines of Lancaster Castle. Adult £8,concs £6.50, family £22.50. 11th July - 30th Aug. lancastercastle.com Fri 12th HISTORIC GRAFFITI & SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEFS SPECIAL TOUR Hoghton Tower, Hoghton.

Let us transport you back over four hundred years, to a time when King James I, and the people of that time, held firm beliefs about and against witches and witchcraft. 12.15pm to 1.45pm £11. hoghtontower.co.uk Fri 19th HAWORTH FESTIVAL Haworth.

10 days of comedy, art, literature, music, dance, culture and wellbeing.

19th - 28th July. haworthfestival. org.uk Sat 20th FISH AND CHIP SPECIAL AT EAST LANCASHIRE RAILWAY East Lancashire Railway, 23a Bolton St, Bury.

You can enjoy a slap up meal of fish n’ chips served to you on board a heritage train, between Bury, Heywood and Rawtenstall. Your ticket covers a whole day of travel to explore the line and nearby Bury Transport Museum. Adult £31, child £16.50. 20th - 21st July. eastlancsrailway.org.uk

Sun 21st

Wed 7th

HAPPA Shores Hey Farm, Briercliffe, Burnley.

Visitors of all ages are sure to have a great day out at Happa, meeting all the resident horses and ponies, chatting to their dedicated team of professionals and completing fun onsite educational activities.

One entry ticket is valid for up to 6 people, however further donations are greatly appreciated. happa.org.uk

THE ULTIMATE BUBBLE SHOW Skipton Town Hall, High Street, Skipton.

Join Ray Bubbles, International Bubbleologist and Guinness World Record Holder, and help him in his quest to complete the bubble game and make the ultimate bubble. 11am & 2pm. £7.50. skiptontownhall.co.uk

FARMERS’ MARKET Hoghton Tower, Hoghton.

Explore the finest produce Lancashire has to offer in the grounds of our historic, iconic Hoghton Tower, set against the spectacular backdrop of the Lancashire countryside.10am. Last entry 1.30pm. hoghtontower.co.uk

LHT UNWRAPPED: DRAMA DAY Leeds Grand Theatre, New Briggate, Leeds.

Join us at Leeds Grand Theatre this Aug for a jam packed workshop of games, improvisation, theatre skills, and script work, and let your inner creativity loose! Ages 6yr - 14yrs. £15.

7th - 16 Aug. leedsheritagetheatres. com Fri 9th

Sat 27th BAILDON FARMERS MARKET Lower Ian Clough Car Park, Browgate, Baildon.

Baildon Farmers Market is a monthly food market that’s rated one of the finest in the UK, and the best in Yorkshire! 9am 11pm. baildonfarmersmarket.org

August Thurs 1st YORKSHIRE DAY CELEBRATION High St, Skipton.

Join us on Thurs Aug1st, Yorkshire Day, to celebrate the magnificence of God’s Own County! There will be plenty of fun activities taking place on the High Street to mark the day.

10am - 4pm. welcometoskipton.com DAVID HOCKNEY: A YEAR IN NORMANDIE Salts Mill, Saltaire, Shipley.

One of David Hockney’s latest works is now being exhibited in the historic Salt’s Mill on a specially designed display which connects over 200 interlinking works from the Bradford-born artist. Open Wed - Sun. Free. 1st Aug - 3rd Nov. saltsmill.org.uk Sat 3rd GARSTANG SHOW 2024 The Garstang Showfield, Off Green Lane East, Garstang, Preston.

Immerse yourself in agriculture with a packed timetable of livestock classes and trade stands showcasing the best of our local businesses. All day. garstangshow.org

THE GREAT BRITISH TEA DANCE 2024 Lowther Pavilion, Lowther Terrace, Lytham St, Annes.

An afternoon of typical Tea Dance to the sounds of their talented organist. £7.50.17th - 18th Aug. lowtherpavilion.co.uk Tues 20th RAY BUBBLES INTERNATIONAL BUBBLEOLOGIST Darwen Library Theatre, Knott Street, Darwen Experience the best in soap bubble entertainment. This is a fast paced show full of high energy and surprises as Ray uses various different gases to create incredible bubble sculptures, effects and magical displays. 11am & 1pm. £11. bwdvenues.com Thurs 22nd

ALICE IN WONDERLAND Skipton Town Hall, High Street, Skipton.

Join us as we follow Alice on her whimsical journey down the rabbit hole, where she encounters a host of unforgettable characters. £7.50.

11am. skiptontownhall.co.uk

AN EVENING WITH JIMMY TARBUCK City Varieties Music Hall, 46 New Briggate, Leeds.

After more than 60 years at the very top of his profession, Jimmy Tarbuck OBE relives many of the most iconic moments of a life on stage and screen. £30.50. 7.30pm. leedsheritagetheatres.com

Sat 10th

Sat 24th

BLACKPOOL AIR SHOW Blackpool Promenade, Blackpool.

The programme will showcase the very best in British aviation with a whole host of amazing flying machines and some of the country’s most talented pilots. 10th - 11th Aug. visitlancashire.com

DIESEL AND ALE DAY Keighley & Worth Valley Railway, The Railway Station, Station Road, Haworth.

We will be running a diesel locomotive hauled service throughout the day, featuring either their Class 37 or Class 14, All day. kwvr.co.uk

FAMILY FUN AT ILKLEY MANOR HOUSE Ilkley Manor House, Ilkley.

Come along and participate in the Ilkley Manor House Olympics, inspired by Paris 2024! Free. 2pm 3.30pm. ilkleymanorhouse.org Sat 17th PRESTON CITY WRESTLING 2024 Flag Market, Preston.

A great spectacle of match brawls outside in the summer sun, with a colourful display of strength and competitiveness. 1pm - 5pm. visitpreston.com ART IN THE PEN Skipton Auction Mart, Gargrave Rd, Skipton.

Art in the Pen is a highly regarded art and craft fair that runs each year at Skipton Auction Mart. 17th - 18th Aug. 9am - 4pm. £6. artinthepen. org.uk

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LOWTHER’S FOOD & DRINK FESTIVAL 2024 Lowther Gardens, Lytham St. Annes.

A Bank Holiday weekend of food, drink and free entertainment out in the historic, Edwardian gardens.

Free but donations welcome. 24th 26th Aug. lowtherpavilion.co.uk BINGO THAT’S BONKERS King’s Hall, Station Road, Ilkley.

Bingo That’s Bonkers is here. This is a fun, thrilling, hysterical take on the good old famous game of bingo. £20.75. 7.30pm. bradford-theatres. co.uk Tues 27th BURNLEY CANAL FESTIVAL Finsley Gate Wharf, Burnley.

Free family friendly festival celebrating Burnley’s canal side.

Lots of activities, workshops and live music. All day. burnleycanalfestival. org

DON’T MISS OUT - CHECK OUT NorthernLife’s WHAT’S ON GUIDE - UPDATED REGULARLY GO TO NORTHERNLIFEMAGAZINE.CO.UK/EVENTS SWALES Halifax Playhouse, King Cross Street, Halifax.

Nell Gwynn charts the rise of an unlikely heroine, from her roots in Coal Yard Alley to her success as Britain’s most celebrated actress, and her hard won place in the heart of the King. 7.30pm, Sat mat 2.30pm. £12, concs £10 & £6. 18th - 22 Jun. halifaxplayhouse.org.uk Wed 19th STEPPING OUT Lowther Pavilion, Lowther Terrace, Lytham St, Annes. £12.50 - £14.50. 19th - 22nd Jun. lowtherpavilion.co.uk Thurs 20th BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: OUTDOOR THEATRE East Riddlesden Hall, Bradford Road, Riddlesden, Keighley.

Chapterhouse Theatre Company’s rollicking new adaptation of Beauty and the Beast is perfect for all the family! Adult £22, child £13.20. 6pm 7.30pm. nationaltrust.org.uk

THEATRE J U N E / J U L Y / A U G U S T

June Thurs 6th RHOD GILBERT & THE GIANT GRAPEFRUIT St. George’s Hall, Bradford.

When life gives Rhod lemons, In his last show ‘The Book of John’, Rhod was dealing with some pretty pungent life citrus, and an idiot called John. Little did he know that things were about to turn even more sour. £37.75. 8pm. bradford-theatres.co.uk Fri 7th ENGLISH YOUTH BALLET PRESENTS SWAN LAKE The Victoria Theatre, Fountain Street, Halifax.

Award winning English Youth Ballet makes its debut with an exquisite production of Swan Lake.

International principal dancers will lead an impressive cast of 80 local, young dancers selected for their skill and potential. 7.30pm. Sat mat 2.30pm. Various prices. 7th - 8th June. victoriatheatre.co.uk Tues 11th CHEATERS BY MICHAEL JACOBS (COMEDY) Skipton Little Theatre, Clifford St, Skipton.

HAMLET - WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Harewood House, Harewood, Leeds. . 7pm - 9.10pm. Adult £18, child £10. harewood.org

Allen and Michelle, together for 18 months in their first serious relationship, face a crossroads: she’s ready to marry; he’s unsure.

11th - 15th June. 7.30pm. £12. skiptonlittletheatre.org.uk

Fri 21st

Wed 12th SANCHO & ME: FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY City Varieties Music Hall, 46 New Briggate, Leeds.

Charles Ignatius Sancho was born on a slave ship on the Atlantic Ocean in 1729, yet he became a writer, composer, shopkeeper and respected ‘man of letters’ in 18th century London. Sancho & Me: For One Night Only is a performance

by Paterson Joseph accompanied

by Ben Park. £18 - £25. 7.30pm. leedsheritagetheatres.com Mon 17th SPIDER’S WEB Keighley Playhouse, Devonshire Street, Keighley.

Murder Mystery by Agatha Christie. £10. 17th - 22nd Jun. keighleyplayhouse.co.uk Tues 18th NELL GWYNN BY JESSICA

GLORIOUS!: BY PETER QUILTER Ilkley Playhouse, Weston Road, Ilkley.

The true story of Florence Foster Jenkins, the worst singer in the world. Various prices. 20th - 29th Jun. ilkleyplayhouse.co.uk

SIX CHICK FLICKS Burnley Mechanics, Manchester Road, Burnley.

Kerry Ipema and KK Apple transform the stage with songs, dance breaks, and pop culture hilarity. £24. 7.30pm. blcgroup.co.uk Sun 23rd AL MURRAY: GUV ISLAND City Varieties Music Hall, 46 New Briggate, Leeds.

The Pub Landlord is back to make sense of the questions you probably already had the answers to. 3.30pm & 7.30pm. £33. All day. leedsheritagetheatres.com

July 1st July RUBY WAX: I’M NOT AS WELL AS I THOUGHT I WAS City Varieties Music Hall, 46 New Briggate, Leeds.

I’m Not As Well As I Thought I Was is Ruby’s first tour show in four years

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following her critically acclaimed, sell out tour, How To Be Human. £28.

7:30pm. leedsheritagetheatres.com Tues 9th CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG The Alhambra Theatre, Morley Street, Bradford.

A brand new production of this much loved family favourite favourite 2pm & 7pm. Various prices. 9th - 14th July. bradford-theatres.co.uk Fri 12th CHARLIE COOK’S FAVOURITE BOOK King George’s Hall, Northgate, Blackburn.

Come and delve into a range of books with Charlie Cook, brought to life with puppetry and enchanting songs.

Various times. £11 - £16. 12th - 14th July. bwdvenues.com Mon 15th THE HOMECOMING Bingley Arts Centre, Main Street, Bingley.

Harold Pinter’s most enduring play. £10. 15th - 20th July. bingleyartscentre.co.uk Wed 17th SARAH MILLICAN: LATE BLOOMER St. George’s Hall, Bradford.

In Late Bloomer, Sarah’s brand new stand-up show, she explores how one became the other. £35.25. 8pm. bradford-theatres.co.uk Fri 19th ALICE IN WONDERLAND: OUTDOOR THEATRE Williamson Park , Lancaster An immersive theatrical experience that will transport you to a wonderland like no other. £16.50.

19th July - 25th Aug. dukeslancaster. org THE GIANT KILLERS Darwen Library Theatre, Knott Street, Darwen.

The critically acclaimed, inspiring true story of Football’s greatest underdog, Darwen FC. £16.50 - £19.

19th - 20th July. bwdvenues.com Mon 22nd CILLIAN O’CONNOR: MY WORLD OF MAGIC King’s Hall, Station Road, Ilkley.

Cillian literally burst onto an unsuspecting world during Britain’s Got Talent in 2023. £22.25. 7:30pm. www.bradford-theatres.co.uk Tues 23rd THE COINER’S WIFE Halifax Playhouse, King Cross Street, › Halifax.

DON’T MISS OUT - CHECK OUT NorthernLife’s WHAT’S ON GUIDE - UPDATED REGULARLY GO TO NORTHERNLIFEMAGAZINE.CO.UK/EVENTS From a remote weaver’s cottage in the bleak Yorkshire moors, a gang of counterfeiters (the ‘Cragg Vale Coiners’) launch a nefarious scheme that threatens to unsettle the currency of 18th century England.

7.30pm. Sat mat 2pm. £6 - £12. 23rd 27th July. halifaxplayhouse.org.uk Thurs 25th CIRQUE: THE GREATEST SHOW The Alhambra Theatre, Morley Street, Bradford.

Welcome to a world where the very best of musical theatre showstoppers meets jaw-dropping circus spectacular. A 3pm & 7pm. Various prices. 25th - 26th July. bradfordtheatres.co.uk Sat 27th OUTDOOR THEATRE BY ILLYRIA Bolton Abbey Estate, Skipton.

A fantastic performance beneath the Priory Ruins. 6pm - 8.30pm. £18, child £12.50. boltonabbey.com Wed 31st SUMMER OUTDOOR THEATRE: PINOCCHIO Lowther Gardens, Lytham St. Annes.

This show from ‘The Storytellers Theatre Company’ is bright, colourful and full to the brim with toe tapping action. 12pm & 2.30pm. £8.

All day. lowtherpavilion.co.uk

August Fri 2nd HORRIBLE HISTORIES: ROTTEN ROYALS Skipton Town Hall, High Street, Skipton.

We all want to meet people from history. The trouble is everyone is dead! So Horrible Histories is back in with revolting rulers and mad monarchs from Britain’s barmy past! Various times. Adult £16, child £14, family £48. 2nd - 3rd Aug. skiptontownhall.co.uk Fri 9th ALICE IN WONDERLAND Skipton Town Hall, High Street, Skipton.

Join us as we follow Alice on her whimsical journey down the rabbit hole, where she encounters a host of unforgettable characters. £7.50. 11am. skiptontownhall.co.uk Wed 14th DISNEY’S ALADDIN The Alhambra Theatre, Morley Street, Bradford. . Various times & prices. 14th Aug - 1st Sept. www.bradford-theatres.co.uk

Thurs 15th BUGSY MALONE THE MUSICAL The Grand Theatre, Blackpool.

Get your splurge gun at the ready as Blackpool Grand is transformed into ‘Fat Sam’s Grand Slam Speakeasy’..

15th - 17th Aug. 7.30pm. Fri & Sat mat 2pm. £16.50. blackpoolgrand.co.uk Wed 21st SUMMER OUTDOOR THEATRE: CINDERELLA Lowther Gardens , Lytham St. Annes.

What happens when you cross the most wonderful time of the year with the most magical fairy tale of all time? 12pm & 2.30pm. £8. All day. lowtherpavilion.co.uk Sat 24th BARD IN THE YARD Ilkley Playhouse, Weston Road, Ilkley.

A Summer Feast from the Works of Mr William Shakespeare. Sat 7.30pm. at Ilkley Playhouse, Sun & Mon 2.30pm at The Manor House Yard, Ilkley. £8, students £5. 24th - Aug. ilkleyplayhouse.co.uk DIANE’S DELI: A TALE FROM PARADISE HEIGHTS The Grand Theatre Blackpool. £17.50. 24th - 25th Aug. blackpoolgrand.co.uk

MUSIC J U N E / J U L Y / A U G U S T

June Fri 7th TO BE FRANK - STARRING STEPHEN TRIFFITT The Alhambra Theatre Morley Street, Bradford.

Take a journey back to the Golden Era of swing. £30.75. bradfordtheatres.co.uk

Thurs 22nd AN EVENING WITH JIMMY TARBUCK City Varieties Music Hall, 46 New Briggate, Leeds.

After more than 60 years at the very top of his profession, Jimmy Tarbuck OBE relives many of the most iconic moments of a life on stage and screen. £30.50. 7.30pm. leedsheritagetheatres.com

THE BEST OF QUEEN - THE BREAK FREE TOUR The Grand Theatre Blackpool.

Get ready to Break Free with the UK’s biggest Queen Tribute band Majesty! £34.50. blackpoolgrand. co.uk

Tues 27th THE BENCH BY KEIR MCALLISTER Halifax Playhouse, King Cross Street, Halifax.

A satirical comedy about finding a safe place in a threatening world.

7.30pm, sat mat 2.30pm. 27th - 31st Aug. halifaxplayhouse.org.uk

CLIVIGER SOUNDS MUSIC FESTIVAL The Kettledrum Estate, Red Lees Road, Burnley.

Cliviger Sounds 2024 festival of music coming to the area between 7th - 9th June. This weekend will feature some of the biggest names in the music industry. £25 per day. blcgroup.co.uk

Thurs 29th

Sat 8th

CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY The Grand Theatre Blackpool.

Critically acclaimed 7.30pm. Sat mat 2.30pm. From £20.50. 29th Aug - 1st Sept. blackpoolgrand.co.uk

SPIRIT OF THE BLITZ City Varieties Music Hall, 46 New Briggate, Leeds. afternoon of live music and laughter, accompanied by the superb Swingtones. £19.50. leedsheritagetheatres.com

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BLACKBURN MUSIC SOCIETY OPERA GALA St Silas’ Church, Preston New Road, Blackburn.

An evening of your favourite Opera choruses with Blackburn Music Society and international soloists. £12, under 18’s free. visitlancashire. com Sun 9th TOMMY BLAIZE Burnley Mechanics, Manchester Road, Burnley.

Tommy Blaize has one of the most recognisable voices in the UK. As the lead singer on Strictly Come Dancing for 20 glorious years, he’s sung live each week to up to 12 million people. £28. blcgroup.co.uk TONY CHRISTIE ‘A LIFE OF MUSIC’ CELEBRATING 80 YEARS Lowther Pavilion, Lowther Terrace, Lytham St, Annes.

Tony will be performing a select handful of shows along with his band in 2023/24 in commemoration of his milestone coming of age and a triumphant 50+ year career. £35. lowtherpavilion.co.uk Fri 14th ONE NIGHT OF QUEEN

›

MUSIC

DON’T MISS OUT - CHECK OUT NorthernLife’s WHAT’S ON GUIDE - UPDATED REGULARLY GO TO NORTHERNLIFEMAGAZINE.CO.UK/EVENTS

Burnley Mechanics, Manchester Road, Burnley.

Gary Mullen and the Works - One Night of Queen is a spectacular live concert, recreating the look, sound, pomp and showmanship of arguably the greatest rock band of all time. £26. blcgroup.co.uk CHRIS BANNISTER PERFORMS THE MUSIC OF JOHN DENVER Ilkley Playhouse, Weston Road, Ilkley.

Chris will be performing many of John’s worldwide hits such as Annie’s Song, Take Me Home Country Roads, Calypso and Leaving On A Jet Plane. £15. ilkleyplayhouse.co.uk OH WHAT A NIGHT! Albert Halls, Victoria Square, Bolton.

A musical journey through the incredible career of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons. £24. alberthallsbolton.co.uk THE COUNTRY MUSIC EXPERIENCE King George’s Hall, Northgate, Blackburn.

Throw on those cowboy hats, two step into your boots and head on down to our ranch, where you can dance the night away to some of the biggest country anthems from the decades! £27.50 - £31. bwdvenues. com Sun 16th SING WITH THE HALLÉ PARTICIPANTS Bridgewater Hall, l Lower Mosley Street, Manchester.

Experience the thrill of singing alongside one of the world’s most renowned choirs and orchestras in a full day of inspiring choral music.

The participant ticket includes a full day of rehearsal before a public performance at 6.30pm. £20.50 £35.50. bridgewater-hall.co.uk Sat 22nd STEVE TILSTON Darwen Library Theatre, Knott Street, Darwen.

Featuring unique arrangements of popular folk songs alongside his own critically acclaimed material. £20. bwdvenues.com THE MCCARTNEY SONGBOOK Albert Halls, Victoria Square, Bolton.

The McCartney Songbook is not a tribute band but a live recreation of the masterworks of Sir Paul performed by world class musicians and performers. Come join the party for an experience you’ll never forget. £26. alberthalls-bolton.co.uk FLEETWOOD BAC The Victoria Theatre. Fountain

Street, Halifax.

Fleetwood Bac and guests A Foreigners Journey. £27.25. victoriatheatre.co.uk Sat 29th GLOBAL RHYTHMS Pendle Hippodrome Theatre New Market Street, Colne.

A global voyage of song and dance presented by Encore Dance School. 2pm & 7.30pm. £12. pendlehippodrome.com THE HALLE - THE BEST OF BOND Bridgewater Hall, Lower Mosley Street, Manchester.

Prepare to be propelled into 007’s world of intrigue and danger with the electrifying music of the James Bond movies. £16 - £43. bridgewater-hall.co.uk

Sat 27th

LYTHAM FESTIVAL Lytham Green, Lytham St. Annes.

2024 Headliners, Day Tickets, Hozier, Shania Twain, Courteeners, Madness, James UK Festival Exclusive Orchestral Performance.

3rd - 7th July. Various prices. lowtherpavilion.co.uk

THE HALLÉ - DISCO DYNAMITE Bridgewater Hall, Lower Mosley Street, Manchester.

Follow the call of the disco ball and join Stephen Bell, the Hallé and four sensational singers for this dazzling devotion to disco. £16 - £43. bridgewater-hall.co.uk

Fri 5th

DECLAN MCKENNA The Victoria Theatre, Fountain Street, Halifax. £37.25 victoriatheatre.co.uk

10CCLO - THE GREATEST HITS OF 10CC AND ELO Halifax Playhouse, King Cross Street, Halifax.

10CCLO are the world’s only tribute to both the legendary 10CC and ELO. £20, under 16s £17. halifaxplayhouse.org.uk Sat 6th

JUDY & LIZA City Varieties Music Hall, 46 New Briggate, Leeds.

West End stars Emma Dears and Helen Sheals belt out their most famous hits with an uncanny resemblance. £29.50. leedsheritagetheatres.com STEVE STEINMAN’S LOVE HURTS The Grand Theatre, Blackpool.

From the producers of Anything For Love & Vampires Rock, this brand new show features a powerhouse cast of amazing singers, dancers and 7 piece live band. £37. blackpoolgrand.co.uk GEORGE MICHAEL TRIBUTE Park Hill Barn, Pendle Heritage Centre, Park Hill, Barrowford.

George Michael tribute night featuring the amazing Ross Petty.

Doors open 7pm, show starts 8.15pm. parkhillbarn.co.uk Sun 30th THE FOUR WONDERS OF SOUL King George’s Hall, Northgate, Blackburn.

This show boasts of having the UK’s finest Northern Soul vocalists appearing all together on one stage playing live with Soul Brothers Syndi

July

Wed 3rd

THE LANCASHIRE HOTPOTS NON STOP SATURDAY NIGHT TOUR Burnley Mechanics, Manchester Road, Burnley.

Bernard and the boys are back, to give you a fun filled evening packed with silly songs and the humour.. £21, concs £19. blcgroup.co.uk THE HALLÉ - STARS & STRIPES Bridgewater Hall, Lower Mosley Street, Manchester.

Celebrate Independence Day with the Hallé and join us on an American musical odyssey. £16 - £43. bridgewater-hall.co.uk Thurs 11th BEYOND THE BARRICADE St. George’s Hall, Bradford.

Beyond the Barricade, the UK’s longest running Musical Theatre Concert Tour, is celebrating its 25th Anniversary. bradford-theatres.co.uk Fri 19th GENESIS CONNECTED - TOP UK TRIBUTE BAND Burnley Mechanics, Manchester Road, Burnley.

The front man, Pete Bultitude, is not only an incredibly versatile vocalist, he is also a truly gifted drummer just like Phil Collins. £26. blcgroup.co.uk

Mon 1st

Sat 20th

VOICES TOGETHER 2024 The Victoria Theatre, Fountain Street, Halifax.

Calderdale Music presents ‘Voices Together’, showcasing over 1300 young people and 42 schools across 3 evenings. 1st - 3rd July. victoriatheatre.co.uk

SPANDESQUE BALLET Ilkley Playhouse, Weston Road, Ilkley.

Spandesque Ballet will take you straight back to the ‘80’s as they recreate that distinctive sound of the New Romantics era with their amazing performance of Spandau hits! £15. ilkleyplayhouse.co.uk

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CALLING PLANET EARTH The Alhambra Theatre, Morley Street, Bradford.

Relive the best years of your life, to the greatest hits of Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Ultravox, ABC and more...£30.75 - £32.75. bradfordtheatres.co.uk MAN I FEEL LIKE A WOMAN SHANIA FRIENDS & LEGENDS TOUR Albert Halls, Victoria Square, Bolton.

Europe’s Premier Shania Twain tribute show, the exclusive touring theatre show in the UK... £27. alberthalls-bolton.co.uk

August Fri 2nd DAN HADFIELD AS GARY BARLOW IN CONCERT Lowther Pavilion, Lowther Terrace, Lytham St, Annes.

Dan Hadfield is, without doubt, the go-to Gary Barlow tribute artiste in the entertainment world. £26.50. lowtherpavilion.co.uk Sat 3rd SQUEEZE King George’s Hall, Northgate, Blackburn.

A special one off show celebrating 50 years of Squeeze. Various prices. bwdvenues.com Sun 4th CLIFFE CASTLE PARK BANDSTAND CONCERT Cliffe Castle Park, Spring Gardens Lane, Keighley.

Come and enjoy traditional music from a large mix of bands in the beautiful and relaxed surroundings of Cliffe Castle. 4th August, Haworth Band. bradforddistrictparks.org Thurs 15th UNDER THE BOARDWALK Lowther Pavilion, Lowther Terrace, Lytham St, Annes.

Celebrating 60s and 70s vocal groups the Drifters, Temptations, Stylistics along with other Icons of Soul. £28. lowtherpavilion.co.uk NL