CHURCH & VILLAGE NEWS
Escrick - Deighton - Stillingfleet
Kelfield - Naburn - Crockey Hill
April 2 2025
“We know that Christ being raised from the dead will never die again; death no longer has dominion over Him.”
(Romans 6:9)
ALL VILLAGES
He is risen indeed.
You may recognise that response from the first words that are said on Easter Sunday morning. The Minister will say, ‘Alleluia! Christ is risen!’ And that is the response. We were all thrown once by this in St George’s Cathedral, Jerusalem. We had gone on the evening before Advent Sunday along with another 100 people on a pilgrimage. The Bishop leading the service used the greetin g and as we weren’t expecting it hardly any of us responded correctly – including me.
It is a bold declaration though; that someone should rise from the dead . It always reminds me of the Garden Tomb in Jerusalem. The Garden Tomb is a little way out of the old city of Jerusalem and it is a very quiet and tranquil garden. Margaret and I were able to visit it though, just as the secondary school pupils were leaving for the day, and it is just opposite a bus station . The outside was far from tranquil Yet when we got into the garden it was well tended and there at the end was a cliff face with a hole cut into it. Inside the rock there is a large chamber which will be something like the tomb that Jesus was taken to after the crucifixion.
The archaeologists have shown that it could not be Jesus’ tomb and of course traditionally it is believed to have been very near the site of the cross and is now in the Holy Sepulchre Church. Nevertheless, General Gordon, in the nineteenth century, wrote to Queen Victoria saying that he had discovered Golgotha and the tomb of Jesus. Queen Victoria graciously disagreed, yet the garden is maintained.
The fact that there is a doubt over the site of Jesus’ tomb is of course all part of the Easter Story. The tomb that the women had noted so carefully and went back to on that first Easter Sunday, became irrelevant. Jesus was not there – he had risen from the dead. It reminds me of the difference between that and the tombs in favourite cemeteries that people visit for hundreds of years after the person has died.
Can you imagine the turmoil in the minds of the women, and then the disciples? The claim that Jesus had risen and was alive again showed that they may have followed Jesus for three years or so but had not really grasped the teaching that he had given. He had told them more than once that he would rise again,
but they had not understood. Even the disciples that had seen the Transfiguration with Jesus glowing white did not understand until after the resurrection it would seem.
So, the celebration of Easter will be with us in April. We can join with 2 billion Christians world-wide, Alleluia! Christ is risen. He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Francis Loftus
For a picture of the Garden Tomb just search for images of The Garden Tomb on your browser.
DERWENT PROBUS
The February meeting gave a fascinating insight into the history of barge travel along the River Ouse. David Lewis produced a very professional audio-visual presentation on “The Life and Times of Laurie Dews the Last bargeman on the Ouse.”
Laurie was a third generation of Bargemen and plied his trade from Hull dock to Barlby Dock in Selby from 1935 to 1985. The barge trade took off locally when the Watson soap factory moved from Leeds to Selby and goods needed to be transported between Hull and the factory. Selby was in the heart of an agricultural area and Watson saw the opportunity to branch out into animal feed products, so he founded the Olympia Agricultural Company.
The company bought barges and then hired bargemen to bring seed from Hull to the new mills. The company produced oil that could be used in the production of paint and margarine and from the seed husks animal feeds for cattle and pigs could be made.
The barges were known as “dumb barges” as a tug was needed to power them. Often four 100ft barges each carrying 200 tons of cargo were led along the Ouse by one tug. Eventually, of course, motorised barges were used, before, ultimately, lorries took over. The work was physical and dangerous at times, particularly when cargo was unloaded from ships in the dock using either a chute or throwing bags over onto the barge. The path of the tidal River Ouse was not easy to work with and locks on the way had to be negotiated.
All
It was good to hear the story of Laurie and his adventures in 50 years of sailing up and down the Ouse in all sorts of weather and facing a variety of issues. The presentation was enhanced by David’s use of actual recordings of Laurie’s voice, made when he was 95. Laurie lived to be 100 and died a couple of years ago. An excellent meeting which everyone enjoyed.
In April we look forward to our AGM and a talk from Karen Adams on “The 1948 Plan for York- then and now”. It should be particularly interesting since an updated Plan for York has recently been approved.
We continue to welcome new members and would be pleased to see you if you wished to join.
Probus is part of a global organisation with some 40 clubs in Yorkshire alone. We meet on the last Wednesday of the month at White Rose House in Wheldrake. The current membership is predominantly male but is open to all.
After the meeting, for those who wish, there is the opportunity to have lunch in The Wenlock Arms If you would like to know more, chat to a member or contact Bob Nott, the Secretary at rwnott@btinternet.com or on 01904 448106. Our website is https://derwentprobusclub.blogspot.com.
Grand Summer Gala 14th June 2025
Stall, bouncy castle, entertainments
Ainsty Ales will be providing a bar and there will be a pizza van for freshly made pizzas!
Hoping to have the dog show again (to be confirmed)
Live music
A lovely family afternoon out!
If anyone interested in having a stall please contact Alison Rawcliffe
07840141120
NABURN
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• Complete pairs of Glasses starting from £45, with a 2nd pair half price
• Game changing Innovative Lenses to manage short sightedness in Children
Times
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SPEAKS
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Open: Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm. Saturday 9am - 12.30pm.
NABURN
St Matthew’s Church, Naburn
World Day of Prayer:
We had a really inspiring World Day of Prayer service on Friday 7th March. This was formerly known as the Women's World Day of Prayer. Each year the service is prepared by women from a different country. This year it was devised by women from the Cook Islands in the Pacific Ocean. They encouraged us to recognise that God created each one of us with attention and care - we are all special and unique and should cherish every aspect of who we are and of those around us. We learnt a lot about the Cook Islands and the challenges that women in particular face there. We also enjoyed refreshments afterwards and tasting a wide range of tropical food.
Church Electoral Roll:
Thank you to everyone who submitted their forms to join the church electoral roll for the parish of St Matthew’s in Naburn; 57 people have been enrolled, with all but one being residents of the parish.
Easter Services:
Our Easter services at St Matthew’s Church are as follows:
• Palm Sunday (13th April) – Morning Prayer at 9am with distribution of palm crosses
• Easter Day (20th April) – Holy Communion at 9am.
Do come along and join us to worship, celebrate and give thanks this Easter; from the youngest to the oldest, everyone is very welcome. There will be an Easter egg hunt after the service on Easter Day.
Churchyard tidy mornings:
We are planning two mornings where people will be able to help tidy up Naburn churchyard. They will be from 9.30am until noon on Saturday 12 th April and Saturday 26th April. We are hoping that we will be joined by the Derwent Lions on one of the two mornings. Please bring garden tools such as secateurs, shears and pruning loppers if you have them. Garden waste bags would also be helpful. Coffee, tea and cake will be provided. We look forward to seeing you there.
Naburn Church of England Primary School Inspection:
Many congratulations to everyone involved with Naburn Church of England Primary School. They had their SIAMS (Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools) in February and the report was published in March. The inspector’s report was tremendously positive and paid tribute to the way that the school’s Christian vision and ethos give everyone a strong sense of identity and purpose that is lived out daily. The report was also very complimentary about the very positive partnership between the school and our village church. Well done to Headteacher Mrs. Durham, to all the staff and pupils and their parents, guardians and all the school’s governors.
Naburn Parish Council
The Parish Council have erected a new sign on the Reading Room in acknowledgement of the villagers who contributed to its construction in 1907.
Naburn CE Primary School
Every time we see a rainbow in the sky, we can remember that God loves us and will always look after us.
This Spring term, we have a focus on our school value of Aspiration – what our hopes and dreams are for the future and reflecting on the skills we can develop to attain them.
We have been off to a busy start so far ! As a new ½ term begins, so do new topics! KS1 will be learning all about stories from around the world, in their topic of Our Planet and its People. They will be learning all about how to stay healthy with visits from a nurse and an ambulance!
They will also be researching the lives of Florance Nightingale and Mary Seacole and discovering the impact of their legacy .
KS2 are continuing with their topic of ‘Great Women Who Changed the World.’ With a focus on lives and achievements of, and challenges faced by, notable British women, and being courageous advocates. We will be celebrating International Women’s Day on Sat, 8 Mar 2025.
Naburn
SIAMS Report
We had an inspection from the Statutory Inspection of Anglican and Methodist Schools (SIAMS) which is the Church of England and Methodist Church’s outworking of the requirements of Section 48 of the Education Act 2005. It is a key element of the life of all Church of England and Methodist schools in England. We had a truly great day showing the Inspector our school and what it is like to be a part of our marvellous school, Naburn Primary.
‘The vision has inspired a highly integrated school community, where all can thrive. Impressive systems and approaches help pupils to settle and flourish. As a result, they have a strong sense of belonging…Difference and diversity are understood by pupils and celebrated.
The behaviour and attitudes of pupils and adults demonstrate genuine care and consideration for others. Consequently, pupils greatly value their relationships with peers and have confidence in staff.
Parents are also extremely positive about the school and the level of care given to their children. They recognise that pupils are known, valued, and understood as individuals and celebrate that, ‘No one ever gets lost here.’
‘Pupils have the confidence to know they can make a difference, individually and when acting together. In this way, as the rainbow is a symbol of hope in their vision, they aspire to bring hope to their world.’
Great Athletes
We started the half-term with a visit from Sean Gaffney, an athlete who has triumphantly competed in both the Invictus Games and Commonwealth Games. Sean led us in a sponsored circuit, raising money for both the Great Athletes Foundation and also for school sports equipment. He shared his story of resilience and determination and was an absolute inspiration to our children.
World Book Day
World Book Day took place on 6th March and gave us the opportunity to celebrate our love of reading.
Children decorated wooden spoons to look like their favourite book characters which culminated in a special parade. They were all brilliant! The children also took part in a nationwide book quiz and enjoyed sharing favourite stories with some of our parents.
Comic Relief
On 21st March we celebrated Comic Relief, wearing something red and taking on a ‘Big 40 Challenge’ to raise money for this brilliant cause. Amongst other things children enjoyed a 40-minute disco, picked up 40 pieces of litter around the village, built Lego constructions with 40 bricks and wrote poems and stories of 40 words.
Mothers Day Minster Service
We rounded off the month singing at the Minster Mothers’ Day Service. Parents joined us to celebrate, and our children sang beautifully in Latin. Some of them were even brave enough to take on a solo!
All month we have been nurturing our Sweet Peas which we planted at the end of February. Fingers crossed that by the end of the month these will have grown into beautiful flowers to give as presents to all of our wonderful mums!
Reflection Corner
We have been thinking about how having aspiration and determination, can make a difference to the world in which we live.
1 Peter 3:8: "Be like-minded, sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble."
Please do come and look round, meet the team and book a tour of our wonderful school! Simply phone (01904) 551075 or email the school office naburn.primary@york.gov.uk and speak to our friendly team, Mrs Atkinson or Mrs Fletcher-Moody to book your slot. We understand people have busy lives, so we’ll do our best to accommodate you.
Kelfield Village Institute (KVI) News What’s On in April
Coffee Morning: Wednesday 9th April from 10:30am.
No charge, but donations welcome.
If you are unable to attend but would appreciate a piece of cake dropping off at home, please contact Gill Little: 01757 248824 or gmlittle281@outlook.com .
PUB K: Friday 25th April from 7pm.
Families welcome.
Locally brewed cask beer, wine, prosecco, spirits, soft drinks.
With hot food served by The Shed.
Quiz Night is taking a break for April – but will return in May!
Save the Dat
e
VE Celebration – Marquee Event: Saturday 3rd May
We will be asking for volunteers to help with set up and take down – we can’t run the event without this – so keep an eye out for more info!
Race Night: Friday 11th July – 7:30pm
Keep your eye out for more info on this fun night nearer the time.
KELFIELD
Weekly Classes & Hobbies
Mondays:
Rural Rhapsody Choir: 7pm - £1pp
All ages and abilities welcome – just turn up!
Call Chris for more info: 07796 308400.
Tuesdays:
GEMFIT: 6:30pm – 7:30pm
Ladies only, whole body workout. A mixture of pad work and circuits at a pace that suits you. All ages and abilities welcome.
Call Gemma for more info: 07503 938982.
Wednesdays:
Craft Club: 1st and 3rd Wed of the month – 10am-12noon
All skill levels welcome! Support given from members.
Try paper crafts, card making, sewing, knitting, crochet, beadwork, lacemaking and more.
Borrow equipment as needed.
Call or email for info: 01757 248824 or 01757 248905 or fandd@btinternet.com.
Thursdays:
Pilates: 6pm – 7pm and 7:10pm to 8:10pm
Call Olivia for info: 07584 413 8181.
KVI Notice Board
The KVI is available to hire: £10 per hour (£11 per hour for non-residents).
It is a spacious venue (12m x 6m) with a maximum capacity of 90 for standing or 60 seated.
It has a kitchen and bar facilities for you to set up and serve to your guests if needed.
Love our events and making new friends?
The KVI committee is always seeking new volunteers to help with ideas and planning and running our events. If you would like to know more, please email Mark Tapper: kelfieldvillageinstitute@gmail.com.
THANK YOU!!
The KVI committee would like to thank everyone who comes along and supports the village and our events, as well as those who help out behind the scenes . We couldn’t do it without you!
Want to get in touch or keep up with our events? Here’s how:
Email: kelfieldvillageinstitute@gmail.com
Find us on Facebook: facebook.com/KelfieldVillage.
Follow @kelfield.village.institute on Instagram.
****Notice from THE PARISH COUNCIL****
After many hours of communication and applications, Kelfield street light ing is hopefully going to be upgraded to all LED and put into full working order! The funding has been approved and paid. We are currently waiting for parts and once NY Lighting receive them, then we will be able to continue with this update which will save on costs in the long run. Special thanks go to Councillor John Cattanach and Plasmor for their immense help in providing the funds.
ESCRICK
Escrick
Heritage Events
R iverbe nd F lowers
Escrick
Church
(All events in Escrick Church)
Escrick Heritage Group - Wednesday 5th March at 7.30pm, ‘Selby Coal Field and North Selby mine’ by Neil Rowley. All very welcome. Escrick Heritage Group members free, visitors/Guests £4.
Escrick Church is now open daily from 8am until 5pm. Our service plan is in the centre pages of the magazine. Everyone is welcome to call in to Church, light a candle and maybe have a look at the second-hand book and jigsaw stall. Volunteers are always very welcome to get involved in all our services and events . Please contact our Churchwarden Heather at churchwardenescrick@gmail.com for more information or if you are available to help. Many thanks.
Florist and Flower Farmer supplying flowers for all occasions.
• Bouquets, baskets and buckets
• Weekly/monthly flower subscription service.
• Group tuition and wreath making.
• Wedding and event flowers
• Local free delivery.
Sunday 13th April. Family Fun@4 is currently having a short break while we plan future activities and arrange a rota of volunteers.
Heritage Poetry Group - Thursday 6th March. 7.30pm. Come along to learn about Haiku writing and the art of Japanese poetry. Again, all very welcome for a relaxing and friendly evening. Escrick Heritage Group members free, visitors/Guests £4 to include refreshments.
Lots of photographs on our website, Facebook and Instagram
Heritage Afternoon - Monday 10th March, 1pm to 4pm. Please feel free to call in for a guided tour around the church, listen to the audio tour and/or just call in to enjoy hot drinks, cake and a chat.
Partnership Prayer Lunch. Monday 14th April. Prayers 11.30am to 12 noon followed by a soup lunch. Everyone is very welcome to come along for 30 minutes of informal prayers for our community and wherever and whatever is on our hearts. If you aren’t able to come along but have prayer requests, please do let us know. Likewise, even if you can’t make the prayer session, you are very welcome to join us for the soup lunch from 12 noon. No need to book, just come along.
Hoots Café – Tuesday 18th March, 9.30am to 12 noon. Absolutely everyone very welcome to come along for tea/coffee and cakes, and this month toasted tea cakes! Adults £3, children 50p. (Free refills). We look forward to seeing you.
Little Hoots Baby and Toddler Group. Tuesday 22 nd April. 09.30-11. No booking required, please just come along. Refreshments available. £3 per family. For more information, please contact escrickchurch@gmail.com
Sunday 23rd March - Celebration for the 100th Anniversary of the rededication of Escrick Church following the fire. Please do come along. More details in separate box.
Date for your diary
Lent Study Group. Friday 4th April will be the last of our Lent study sessions based on the film Les Misérables. The study group starts at 1pm with a soup and bread lunch beginning at 12.30. Even if you have been unable to make it to any of the other sessions you are very welcome to join us for this last session.
Escrick Heritage Group – Wednesday 2nd April, History of Royal Maundy Money by Chris & Christine Mason
Escrick Playing Fields Association
Church Spring Clean. Monday 7 th April. If you have ever had the urge to polish a brass candlestick, dust the cobwebs away or simply enjoy seeing a sparkling church, do please join us on Monday 7 th April from 10am to help get St. Helen’s Church beautifully clean and shiny for our Easter celebrations. We can offer a variety of jobs to match your energy levels and there will be free tea, coffee, and buns to keep us all going! Hope to see you on the 7 th . We also have spaces on our regular church cleaning rota if you would like to spend just a few hours a month keeping our beautiful church gleaming.
We have our annual 'Big Clean' on Sunday 6th April from 10am-12pm. We plan to get the park all spick-and-span for the summer. Hopefully as many of you as possible will come along to help us mend and refurbish some of the equipment, get the wooded area tidy and generally give the whole place a good clean. There will be teas, coffee and cake for all volunteers!
www.riverbendflowersyork.co.uk riverbendflowersyork@gmail.com
07910318932
ESCRICK ----- CHURCH CLEANING
April N MACKENZIE
Easy Fundraising. This is a simple way to help the Church raise funds at no extra cost to yourself. All that is required is to log on to www.easyfundraising.org.uk and follow the links to nominate St. Helen’s Church. Last year we raised over £400 for Church funds.
The 100 Club. Many thanks to all who have been part of the 100 Club last year, many of you for a lot of years, and congratulations to all who have won prizes. The new year commences in April, so do please consider joining/rejoining if you are able. Anyone is also welcome to join throughout the year. For those not familiar with how this works, the aim is for 100 numbers to be entered into a draw each month at £1 each, and £50 to be allocated in prize money, consisting of one £20 and three £10 prizes. This would generate £600 per year for church funds. There are at present quite a few less entered each month and lots of numbers available, so if anyone would like to join or have additional numbers please contact escrickchurch@gmail.com or any PCC member and we will get in touch.
Hearing Loop. Don’t forget that St. Helen’s has a hearing loop. Simply switch your hearing aids to the T position to hear every word of every service.
Mothers Union
We did not hold our usual monthly meeting in March as there were other calls on our time. We were at the World Day of Prayer service in Naburn on 13 th enjoying a lovely service compiled by Christians from the Cook Islands. It was followed by a feast of fruits and foods from the Cook Islands, with thanks to Hilary and Jean for organising the service, with several different people reading on behalf of named people of the Cook Islands. Their afternoon tea was far more healthy than a traditional British afternoon tea. We also have the opportunity to attend a service in the Minster on the 25th and the U8 Mothering Sunday Service at St Helen's, 10.30 on the 30th of March.
We will be back in St Helen's again for our meeting on 9 th April when Rev Tim Eady will be telling us about his time in Thailand - he had a church in Bangkok. On Wednesday 30th April we will be holding a short wave of prayer service at 2.00pm in St Helen's. This wave of prayer is said around the world by all our
Escrick
members wherever they are. We have often incorporated this into our monthly meeting but have decided to follow the example of others and take part in the wave on the nominated day.
Do come and join in if anything is of interest to you. We are always open to visitors. In the meantime, there will have been Easter, and I hope everyone will have had a happy and blessed Easter.
Pamela Yates, 01904 728423.
CHARITY OF THE QUARTER
A big that you to everyone who donated items for Age UK York during the last quarter.
Between April and June, we are supporting the Mother’s Union caravan situated on the East Coast and available for families in need, to provide a few days away. Please place donations of non-perishable foods – e.g. cereals, tinned soups and beans, dried pasta, jars of pasta sauces, tea, and coffee - plus washing up liquid and toilet rolls in the box at the back of church.
Everyone very welcome to come along to Escrick 'Pop Up' Tea Shop on Wednesday 2nd April, from 2pm onwards, in the Escrick and Deighton Club.
Coffee, Tea and Cake - Adults £3.50, children £1.
We look forward to seeing you.
If would like to volunteer at the Tea Shop or join the baking rota please ring Judith (01904 728845). Thank you. With best wishes, The Tea Shop Team
Escrick Heritage – All in Escrick Church
Escrick Heritage Group - Wednesday 2nd April, 7.30pm.
‘History of Royal Maundy Money’ by Chris & Christine Mason. All very welcome. Escrick Heritage Group members free, visitors/guests £4.
Heritage Afternoon - Monday 14th April, 1pm to 4pm. Please feel free to call in for a guided tour around the Church, listen to the audio tour and/or just call in to enjoy hot drinks, cake and a chat.
Hoots Café - Tuesday 15th April, 9.30am to 12 noon. Absolutely everyone very welcome to come along for tea/coffee and cakes... and this month... Hot Cross buns! Adults £3, children 50p. (Free refills) . We look forward to seeing you. Date for your diary
Escrick Heritage Group – Wednesday 7th May, ‘RAF Riccall’ by Tony Kisby.
Escrick Playing Fields Association
We have our annual 'Big Clean' on Sunday 6th April from 10am-12pm. We plan to get the park all spick and span for the summer. All are welcome to help us mend and refurbish some of the equipment, get the wooded area tidy and generally give the whole place a good clean. Please bring gardening tools, working gloves and buckets and brushes for scrubbing. Plenty for adults and children to be getting on with. There will be hot drinks and cakes for all volunteers!
Escrick Heritage Poetry Group
Haiku and Japanese poetry was the focus of our gathering on the 6th of March. Our little group expanded and welcomed new poetry people . We enjoyed discussion about the many and daunting rules of Haiku and Japanese poetry. The challenge, concentration, and relaxation of writing Haiku over the last few weeks has spread and for some has become addictive, turning everyday happenings into their latest haiku. We may not be able to rival the great Japanese writers like Matsuo Basho who is said to have invented the form; writing of feelings and emotions of the world around in three short lines of 5 - 75 syllables but we are enthusiastic.
We examined the art of writing Renga, which is written as additions to Haiku with another, or in a group writing the further two lines; thus, ending up with 3 lines of 5-7-5 and a further two lines of 7 - 7 syllables. This is a lovely way to write to each other or in a group ending up with 20 or more stanzas. Rather like playing jazz when the first three lines set a tune or theme, and the next players improvise in turn.
However, in our discussion, we came to the conclusion that the rules of Japanese poetry got in the way of our enjoyment and perhaps we will continue to write our own ESCRICK HAIKU. (If anyone wants a handout about Haiku and Japanese poetry please get in touch). Or better still come to our next meeting on 10th April at St. Helens Church , at 7.30pm. We are really excited to be joined by the award-winning poet and published author Lizzie Linklater. Lizzie has a wealth of
Escrick
experience and is an exhilarating teacher of many groups in York, and of post graduate creative writing students at York University. Lizzie will read some of her poems and explain the inspiration and creative thought behind them, encouraging us to enjoy looking for the poetry in our lives and around us everyday. I challenge you to write a haiku or renga with a friend and send it to me at St. Helens Church. See you on 10th April. Marion Horton 01904 720235 .
Escrick Parish Council
Resident feedback on potential removal of the white posts around the Fish Fountain at the junction of Main Street / A19: The Parish Council are considering removing these posts as they are coming to the end of their useful life. We hope to keep the illumination of the fountain in some form, but the existing posts make grass cutting harder than it needs to be, they require ongoing maintenance and provide no real benefit. We are however open to further discussion on this topic, if as a parish resident you have a comment to make on the proposed change please give your feedback before the end of April 2025 to : Sally Look clerk@escrickparishcouncil.gov.uk
Damaged Lawson Cypress (fir) tree, high branches above the path at the school pedestrian entrance: At the time of submission of this article the application by the tree owner to cut back trees at this point was yet to be determined by North Yorkshire Council (NYC). If this work has not been carried out as you read this article, we suggest you pass this point on the path to the school / Playing Field with caution, and do not wait under this tree which is adjacent to the school gate. We have given full support to the owners proposed tree work and provided picture evidence to NYC of the present danger and the improvements required that need to be sanctioned immediately.
Proposed Heronby development: NYC have released their Local Plan ‘call for sites’ document that confirms the Heronby site has once again been submitted with plans to build a new town with 4,000 homes adjacent to Escrick. The submission of a site for consideration does not necessarily m ean the site will be taken forward but, given our experiences with t he former Selby District Council process involving the same Councillors in our sector of North Yorkshire, we expect the site could well be proposed for consultation. If this happens we will be objecting to this proposal during the consultation period along with other communities in the area, but at this point NYC are not yet seeking comments on any of the sites proposed.
Services for the ‘Rivers Partnership’ for the Benefice of Escrick, Stillingfleet with Naburn and the Derwent Ings Groups of Churches
January Church Time Service
Thurs 2nd Escrick 9.30am Holy Communion
March Church Time Service
Fri 3rd Wheldrake 10.30am Cottage Holy Communion (BCP)
January Church Time Service
16th Thorganby 9.30am Morning Prayer for Holy Week
Wed 15th Zoom 7pm EP/Compline
7pm EP/Compline
March Church Time Service
Sun 2nd Wheldrake 9am Messy Breakfast
Elvington 10.30am Holy Communion
3rd Escrick 9.30am Holy Communion Fri 4th Wheldrake
Sun 5th Wheldrake 9am Messy Breakfast
Naburn 10.30am U3 Holy Communion
Sutton 4pm Confirmation Service
Elvington 10.30am Holy Communion
Escrick 10.30am U3 Holy Communion
Sutton 4pm Family Service
Wed 5th Wheldrake 12 noon Ash Wed HC with Ashing Zoom 7pm EP/Compline
Wed 8th Zoom 7pm EP/Compline
Thurs 6th Escrick 9.30am Holy Communion
Thurs 9th Escrick 9.30am Holy Communion
Fri 7th Wheldrake 10.30am Cottage Holy Communion (BCP)
Sun 12th Escrick 8.30am Holy Communion (BCP)
Sun 9th Escrick 8.30am Holy Communion (BCP)
Naburn 9am Morning Worship
Naburn 9am Morning Worship
Thorganby 10.30am Family Holy Communion
Thorganby 10.30am All Age Holy Communion
Sutton 10.30am Holy Communion
Sutton 10.30am Holy Communion
Zoom 10.30am Morning Worship
Thurs 16th Escrick 9.30am Holy Communion
17th Escrick 9.30am Holy Communion
Sun 16th Thorganby 9am Holy Communion (said) Wheldrake 10.30am Holy Communion Escrick 10.30am Holy Communion Elvington 4pm Together
18th
Sun 19th Thorganby 9am Holy Communion (BCP said) Wheldrake 10.30am Holy Communion Escrick 10.30am Holy Communion
Wed 19th Zoom 7pm EP/Compline
10.30am Good Friday Family Service Escrick 2pm Hour at the Cross Wheldrake 2pm Hour at the Cross Sun 20th Naburn 9am Holy Communion
Elvington 4pm Together
9am Holy Communion
Thurs 20th Escrick 9.30am Holy Communion
Wed 22nd Zoom 7pm EP/Compline
10.30am Holy Communion
10.30am Holy Communion Sutton 10.30am Holy Communion
Thurs 23rd Escrick 9.30am Holy Communion
10.30am Holy Communion
Sun 26th Naburn 9am Holy Communion
23rd Zoom 7pm
Escrick 10.30am Morning Prayer E Cottingwith 10.30am U5 Plough Service
Stillingfleet 10.30am Family Service
Zoom 10.30am Morning Worship
Zoom 10.30am Morning Worship
Stillingfleet 4pm Bread & Cake
Stillingfleet 4pm Bread & Cake
Stillingfleet 4pm Bread & Cake
Thicket Priory 6.30pm Stations of the Cross
Escrick 4pm Fun@4
Elvington 6.30pm Refresh
Wheldrake 6.30pm Evensong
Elvington 6.30pm Refresh
Wheldrake 6.30pm Evensong
Wed 12th Zoom 7pm EP/Compline
Thurs 13th Escrick 9.30am Holy Communion
Priest in Charge of Benefice of Escrick, Stillingfleet and Naburn, plus the Churches of Derwent Ings
Rev Jackie Doyle Brett revjackiedb@gmail.com Tel 01904 448736.
Mon 27th Zoom 7pm Deanery Evening Prayer
Thurs 24th Escrick 9.30am Holy Communion Sun 27th Naburn 9am Holy Communion Escrick 10.30am Morning Prayer Wheldrake 10.30am U5 All Age Holy Communion Stillingfleet 10.30am Family Service
Wed 29th Zoom 7pm EP/Compline
Thurs 30th Escrick 9.30am Holy Communion
MAGAZINE EDITOR: Claire Lee, Email: parishmagedit@gmail.com
ADVERTISING MANAGER: Jill Smowton, Email: parishmagadvert@gmail.com
Priest in Charge of Benefice of Escrick, Stillingfleet and Naburn, plus the Churches of Derwent Ings
Rev Jackie Doyle Brett revjackiedb@gmail.com Tel 01904 448736.
Assistant Minster: Rev Robert Owen. Tel 07706 243547 Email revrobertlowen@gmail.com (usual working days - Mon, Fri and Sun).
MAGAZINE EDITOR: Claire Lee, Email: parishmagedit@gmail.com
CHURCH WARDENS:
ADVERTISING MANAGER: Jill Smowton, Email: parishmagadvert@gmail.com
Priest in Charge of Benefice of Escrick, Stillingfleet and Naburn, plus the Churches of Derwent IngsRev Jackie Doyle Brett revjackiedb@gmail.com Tel 01904 448736.
Assistant Minster: Rev Robert Owen. Tel 07706 243547 Email revrobertlowen@gmail.com (usual working days - Mon, Fri and Sun).
For weddings, funerals or Baptisms enquiries for any of our churches please contact our administrator, Tricia at theriverspartnership@gmail.com or call her on 01937 835098. For access to zoom services please contact Catharine Grievson cgrievson@btopenworld.com for log in details.
ESCRICK – Heather Conolly Tel 07894519782 / churchwardenescrick@gmail.com
STILLINGFLEET – Jenni Bartram 07563172885
STILLINGFLEET United Churches LEP – Mrs Grace Atkinson 01904 728373
Assistant Minster: Rev Robert Owen. Tel 07706 243547 Email revrobertlowen@gmail.com (usual working daysMon, Fri and Sun).
For weddings, funerals or Baptisms enquiries for any of our churches please contact our administrator, Tricia at theriverspartnership@gmail.com or call her on 01937 835098. For access to zoom services please contact Catharine Grievson cgrievson@btopenworld.com for log in details.
For weddings, funerals or Baptisms enquiries for any of our churches please contact our administrator, Tricia at theriverspartnership@gmail.com or call her on 01937 835098. For access to zoom services please contact
CHURCH WARDENS: ESCRICK – Heather Conolly Tel 07894519782 / churchwardenescrick@gmail.com
MAGAZINE EDITOR: Poppy Green, Email: parishmagedit@gmail.com
STILLINGFLEET – Jenni Bartram 07563172885
ADVERTISING MANAGER: Jill Smowton, Email: parishmagadvert@gmail.com
NABURN – Jean Dale Tel 01904 634231
STILLINGFLEET United Churches LEP – Mrs Grace Atkinson 01904 728373
NABURN – Jean Dale Tel 01904 634231
CHURCH WARDENS: ESCRICK – Heather Conolly Tel 07894519782 / churchwardenescrick@gmail.com
STILLINGFLEET – Jenni Bartram 07563172885
Updates from other authorities:
a. The North Yorkshire Council Tax will be increasing by 4.99% in April. Cllr Cattanach confirmed his area locality budget grant fund will go down to £5,000 from £10,000 per annum for 2025 -26.
b. We are awaiting the Community Police Support Officer report for February –latest data available.
Traffic speeding concerns: No further update at this stage from highways regarding the request for a reduction of the speed limit on Skipwith Road past Queen Margaret’s School entrance to at least 40mph. Keir Mather MP has agreed to contact NYC to campaign on behalf of the Parish Council for a speed reduction. It was confirmed that it is unlikely to get a reduction in the requested speed limit to 30mph. NYC have confirmed that the setting of a successful speed limit is a highly technical matter governed by much research and guidance by the Department for Transport (set out on their website) . History of collisions, road geometry and engineering, road function; composition of road users, existing traffic speeds and road environment are also all taken into account .
New Councillors required: We presently have Parish Councillor vacancies, anyone who could spare a couple of hours once a month to join the PC and assist with local decision making would be made very welcome. You would be co-opted into the group, meaning minimal paperwork and no election required; there are no limitations with regard to experience or minimum adult age. For more information please initially contact our Clerk, Sally Look, clerk@escrickparishcouncil.gov.uk
Next Parish Council Meeting: To be held at The Parsonage Hotel (Wenlock Room, adjacent to the hotel reception) Monday 7 th April, at 7pm. Previous meeting minutes and future meeting agendas are on the Parish Council Notice Board and available on our website www.escrickparishcouncil.gov.uk
Escrick Playing Fields Association
We have our annual 'Big Clean' on Sunday 6th April from 10am-12pm. We plan to get the park all spick and span for the summer . All are welcome to help us mend and refurbish some of the equipment, get the wooded area tidy and generally give the whole place a good clean. Please bring gardening tools, working gloves and buckets and brushes for scrubbing. Plenty for adults and children to be getting on with. There will be hot drinks and cakes for all
Escrick
Escrick
volunteers! For queries, please contact Paul Britton at playing.fields@escrick.org or on 07976 93437.
volunteers! For queries, please contact Paul Britton at playing.fields@escrick.org or on 07976 93437.
Escrick CE Primary School News – April 2025
Escrick CE Primary School News – April 2025
As we come to the end of the spring term, the children are still working hard inside the classrooms and outside! They have also been practising Easter songs ready for our Easter worship, which will be presented by our Collective Worship Ambassadors, who are children from all age groups across the school. Everyone is looking forward to a well-deserved break for the Easter holidays!
As we come to the end of the spring term, the children are still working hard inside the classrooms and outside! They have also been practising Easter songs ready for our Easter worship, which will be presented by our Collective Worship Ambassadors, who are children from all age groups across the school. Everyone is looking forward to a well-deserved break for the Easter holidays!
Year group news:
Year group news:
Reception Class have been having a great time working on their Superheroes topic and loved making their Supertatoes! They had a special Superhero Day when they all had the chance to dress up as a superhero.
Reception Class have been having a great time working on their Superheroes topic and loved making their Supertatoes! They had a special Superhero Day when they all had the chance to dress up as a superhero.
Year 1 have enjoyed finding out about birds and plants in the local area and are looking forward to spotting them on a trail around the village. In their RE topic, they have enjoyed learning about the Jewish festival of Channukah. They have also looked at Van Gogh’s art and produced their own pictures inspired by his Sunflowers paintings.
Year 1 have enjoyed finding out about birds and plants in the local area and are looking forward to spotting them on a trail around the village. In their RE topic, they have enjoyed learning about the Jewish festival of Channukah. They have also looked at Van Gogh’s art and produced their own pictures inspired by his Sunflowers paintings.
Year 2 have been learning about famous kings and queens from British history this half term, including William I, Charles I, Elizabeth II and our current monarch. They have been finding out about how the role of the monarch has changed over time, and about the role of parliament in governing the country.
Year 2 have been learning about famous kings and queens from British history this half term, including William I, Charles I, Elizabeth II and our current monarch. They have been finding out about how the role of the monarch has changed over time, and about the role of parliament in governing the country.
Year 3 have been learning about volcanoes in their geography topic and made plaster of paris models of some of the world’s most famous ones. In maths they have been converting mm, cm and m measurements and learning how to calculate perimeters. They have been learning about the story of Noah’s Ark in RE lessons, and from this produced some lovely playground rainbows alongside important theme words from the story.
Year 3 have been learning about volcanoes in their geography topic and made plaster of paris models of some of the world’s most famous ones. In maths they have been converting mm, cm and m measurements and learning how to calculate perimeters. They have been learning about the story of Noah’s Ark in RE lessons, and from this produced some lovely playground rainbows alongside important theme words from the story.
Year 4 organised an extremely successful No Paper Day for the whole school, to raise awareness about our use of resources and to encourage us all to be less wasteful. They are also leaning about Fair Trade products and incorporated this into their Spanish Food project.
Year 5 have been carrying out a number of experiments as part of their science
Year 4 organised an extremely successful No Paper Day for the whole school, to raise awareness about our use of resources and to encourage us all to be less wasteful. They are also leaning about Fair Trade products and incorporated this into their Spanish Food project.
Year 5 have been carrying out a number of experiments as part of their science
STILLINGFLEET
Stillingfleet Parish News
topic about forces. They have been able to improve their observation, measuring and fair testing skills as part of their work. Their English focus story is “The Man Who Walked Between the Towers,” which links to forces science and some lovely skyscraper art. In maths they have really impressed with their fractions work.
January always seems a long dark month but this year Daffodil bulbs seem to be pushing through earlier than usual, some already in bud or flowering, and although snowdrops were a little later, they are now appearing in strength; on the village green their delicate white heads crowd the banks near the bridge and light up the winter gloom. As we walked past them, we saw the flash of blue/green as a Kingfisher flew into nearby Hawthorn bushes above the beck, a sight that always delights. How lucky we are and what a contrast to the ruins of Gaza and damaged cities of Ukraine half a world away, with so much lost.
Year 6 are almost on the home stretch now with their revision and test practice for their SATs in May. Amongst their revision, however, there has still been time for them to write some amazing stories full of advanced features, plan and run The Gadget Shop for science week, plan their end of term cardboard arcade for the rest of the school to enjoy, and to create their own Flanimals, inspired by the book of the same name by Ricky Gervais. They created character profiles and 3D models of their Flanimals, which form the Flanimalia Kingdom. Flanimal highlights include the Baby Mernimbler, the Splonk and the Grundit.
Recent events
Today we celebrated Candlemas in Church and lit individual candles, as well as all the Church Candles, and it looked lovely. The reading was the story of Jesus’s presentation in the Temple. Whilst in the Temple, they are approached by a devout man of Jerusalem, Simeon. He recognises Jesus as the promised Messiah and gives prophecies relating to His future, including that His parents’ hearts would be pierced by the pain of the treatment He would receive.
Global Goals and WWF Day: Our school is a Rights Respecting School, which means we teach the children about their rights and responsibilities not just in school but as global citizens; they are taught about the United Nations Global Goals which are a universal call to end poverty, protect the planet and to ensure that by 2030 all people enjoy peace and prosperity. To this end, we held a World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) day at the beginning of March, to raise awareness of the threat to some animals and to help build empathy and a caring nature in our children. The whole school took part in an online lesson from WWF about endangered species, and each class followed this up with a linked craft activity. This event raised money for the WWF charity by the sale of animal transfer tattoos and the total was added to with the profits from the Y6 science Gadget Shop. We are building a great evidence base for our global citizenship work.
So too, the hearts of those with irrecoverable loss and pain, in Israel, Palestine Ukraine and Russia, and the pain of loss to all parents and families in all places and from whatever cause. Yet in the Temple Jesus has come as a beacon of light to Simeon, “Lord now lettest thy servant depart in peace,” he declares because Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness, that was sent as a guide to all whatever the personal sacrifice of Jesus himself and the family who loved him. So, for us the candles and the snowdrops arrive to lighten the winter darkness and allow us to look forward to the warmth of Spring, and hope in a world that can seem very dark at times at so many levels.
St Helen’s Church – 100 years since the rededication of the church: Christine Mason came to school and led a lovely assembly telling the children all about the story of the fire in the church and the subsequent
I always find pain and loss a difficult concept. Why do so many good and kind people suffer in so many ways. Philosophers respond variously according to their beliefs. A Buddhist would explain it by reference to previous lives, some religious groups by sin committed by the individual, or even their ancestors! As a Christian I struggle to attribute suffering to that individual’s fault and find some comfort in the thinking of C. S Lewis, (of Narnia fame from our childhood reading and latterly TV) he believed that suffering attached to this earthly life, to our environment, separate from our spiritual destiny and that again links to Jesus making the ultimate sacrifice of himself for us.
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My husband says I think too much and some gardening, once home, is the solution. There is much to do in preparation for spring and will I speed up my walking please as Harley has disappeared across the next patch of field and we need to catch up with him!
rededication of the church 100 years ago. She invited them to produce their own responses to the story, so each class had a session where the children created their own artwork, some of which can be seen on display in the church. Shown here are some examples of artwork inspired by the story from Year 5, Year 2 and Year 1 children.
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As we continued our walk (Harley and Jack now on their leads again) we crossed The Green where children and their parents were enjoying the play area in the afternoon sunshine. Alison would have been so delighted to see their happy faces and watch their acrobatic activities; she gave so much of herself to the village and its activities and we are thankful for memories of her and this legacy, with the support of our Parish Council, reminding us so positively of the force of good. Life is rarely simple and full of surprises some thankfully good ones!
World Book Day: To celebrate World Book Day, children were asked to decorate a
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Just to say we will confirm the date of our “Evening with Whitby Gin” next month as I have received enquiries with our original evening being a very popular event.
We are also looking for a new Treasurer for the Church. This can be a role outside the Parochial Church Council or within it if anyone would be willing to volunteer.
The Annual Church Meeting will take place in the Church on 12th March 2025 at 10.30am and we would welcome new support as well as those who already give generously of their time. Jennifer Bartram.
potato as their favourite character from a book. They shared their potato characters with their class on World Book Day and class hot seating activities took place to find out more about each character’s personality and role within the book. We welcomed local MP Keir Mather into school for a special World Book Day assembly and to help pick out the best potato characters. There were some brilliant ones to choose from!
The children were also invited to bring in their favourite book to share and all year groups met with another year group to pair up and read together as reading buddies. Our World Book Day news even caught the attention of the local press in the form of the Selby Times, who came to take photos, and ITN, who came to see some of our potatoes and to interview some of the children, who were shown talking clearly and with confidence on Calendar News! Some scenes from World Book Day and some of our incredible potato characters are shown below.
A huge thank you to everyone who joined the February drop-in session, to talk about our recent flooding events—it was great to see so many of you! A special thanks to Nathan from the IDB for his insights.
One key topic we discussed was the idea of setting up a Community Resilience Group. The goal is to ensure our village is better prepared for and able to
Science Week 2025: In Science Week (7 - 16 March) the theme this year was 'Change and Adapt'. As part of the week, Year 6 children ran a 'Science Gadget Shop' on the playground every morning before school. All children had a chance to buy science related accessories, such as dinosaur puzzle kits, slime tubs, crystal glowing kits and gliders, on their way into school.
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Scientists at home: the children were encouraged to try out some exciting experiments at home and share it by uploading it to Google Classroom or bringing in pictures and a write up of their work. As always, many children brought in evidence of some original and exciting experiments which had taken place at home during Science Week!
Year 5/6 Playground Playoff Champions: We are thrilled to share that our Year 5 and 6 children were recently crowned winners of this year’s Playground Playoffs, a competition run in partnership with YorkMix Radio and PE Pro. The competition gave our students the opportunity to develop their media skills while taking part in a variety of sporting challenges. Their hard work, teamwork, and dedication certainly paid off, and we are very proud of them. YorkMix and PE Pro will visit school to present the children with their well-earned trophy. Huge congratulations to all the children who took part!
Escrick Preschool
Well, it's finally here, our most favourite time of the year... Spring! The children are enjoying learning about springtime and exploring all of our wonderful springtime activities. We have all been super busy painting daffodils and making a beautiful Springtime wall display.
Alongside this, we also celebrated Pancake Day and did lots of incredible flipping!! The best bit was eating them of course!
We have also celebrated World Book Day this half term. The children dressed up as their favourite character and they all looked amazing in their costumes. We had a really lovely day sharing lots of favourite stories together and exploring lots of story telling activities.
In addition to this, we have been very busy making Mother's Day cards and Easter cards too! We've even managed to squeeze in some yummy baking days! It has been a VERY busy fun filled half term! On behalf of everyone at Pre-school, we hope you all have a wonderful Easter. About Us
• We provide a fun, friendly setting that delivers high quality childcare for children in Escrick and surrounding villages.
• We take children from 2 years old and accept government funding entitlements (15 hrs and 30 hrs) and childcare vouchers.
• We are open Monday - Friday and operate on a session basis.
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• We have an exceptional team of experienced, friendly staff and provide links with neighbouring schools to assist in every child’s transition to big school. Email – manager@escrickpreschool.co.uk or call 07878377588 Find out more about us at www.escrickpreschool.co.uk
The Friends of St Helen's in Escrick (FOSH)
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING to be held at ESCRICK AND DEIGHTON CLUB on WEDNESDAY 30th APRIL 2024 at 7.30 pm
Members and non-members welcome
Stillingfleet Village Institute – hall and/or equipment available for hire
Stillingfleet Village Institute is an extremely versatile facility which is great for meetings, classes, parties, stage productions, wedding receptions, social events and much, much more. It has full kitchen facilities, a useful bar area, and versatile sound system – ideal for playing music, presentations, quizzes, etc.
To book Stillingfleet Village Institute, or hire chairs, tables, crockery, glasses, stage blocks or our very sturdy 6m x 3m gazebo (very useful to protect family and friends from the elements!), please contact: Wanda Dobson: 07935 235918 Or email: StillingfleetVillageInstitute@gmail.com Or visit: Facebook.com/StillingfleetVI
Stillingfleet Parish News
The first quarter of the year seems to have flown by. The snowdrops are now fading and daffodils, with other bulbs and shrubs, ablaze, flowering happily in the garden, no doubt encouraged by recent sunshine. Spring is slowly but surely edging winter away. Easter plans for church and families are planned.
Easter for the Church is that continual two-edged sword of life, pain and great sadness which is followed by resurrection and celebration of life renewed. Spring, a time of renewal and hope, became the Christian backdrop for its greatest loss and gain.
In our village, Nature continues her Spring makeover as the earth warms up and out come the tractors and the gardener ’s spades, poised to prepare the soil beds, and then plant crops and vegetables for future food. Parents with children on scooters and bikes ride out onto the pathways and into the playground to absorb a little sunshine with only a screen for the sun applied!
I sometimes think the life of the Baby Boomer has been a prolonged Edwardian Summer but am not sure what our legacy to our grandchildren will be. Each era connects. My grandfather, born in 1886, saw two World Wars and man land on the Moon. My mother, a nurse born in 1920, saw a World War and the effects of the Atomic Bomb being dropped but also Penicillin and other wonder drugs. As a child I watched the funeral of Winston Churchill, on TV, and I recall the cranes in the Dockland lowering slowly to bow to his coffin as it passed on the Thames. We have seen Glasnost,ssination of President John Kennedy, the political hope of that generation, Vietnam, the union disputes of the 70’s and 80’s and the troubles in Ireland, countered by swinging London, The Beatles and Stones, the fall of the Berlin Wall, Glasnost and our Twentieth Century philosophical enlightenment! So, was the past eighty years really a bed of roses and peace?
Change is never ending; every generation will face the pain of emotional winter and the resurrection of Spring. Technologies may separate us, but our hopes unite us, and renewal will always, like the changing season, move us forward to whatever awaits. May we wish you a peaceful Easter and may all be good for you and yours.
Stillingfleet
Stillingfleet
Diary Dates.
Easter Day is Sunday 20th April, and we have a 9am service with an Easter Egg Hunt and Tea and Coffee to follow.
York Road and Stewart Lane in our village. We are not being asked for comments at this stage. A comprehensive consultation will take place later in the process after work has been completed to give a greater direction as to whether sites are likely to be either recommended for allocation or dismissed. When this comes, Stillingfleet Parish Council will continue to represent the views of the village by continuing to strongly object to the ‘Heronby’ new town.
On June 29th, our Curate the Reverend Debbie Long will celebrate her first communion as an Ordained Priest at Stillingfleet Church, at 10.30am, and afterwards a celebration in the Village Institute. Please do join us.
We have three social activities planned for the Autumn which are:
Friday 5th September at the Village Institute “A Night with an Illusionist” Saturday 27th September, in the church, a choral evening with “The Weighton Waytes”
Saturday 1st November, at the Village Institute, “A Whitby Distillery Rum and Gin Tasting Evening,” with Helen Pentith.
Details for tickets, timings, and entry, to follow.
The Council are committed to keeping the amount of tax we all pay as low as possible and pleased that our Precept for 2025/26 will be £7250. This represents just over a 3.5% increase on 2024/2025 or in monetary terms, a £1.20 increase per household (Band D) for this year. Each year it becomes increasingly costly to maintain The Green, carry out essential tree and car park maintenance and comply with new operating regulations. Thank you to Ruth, our Clerk and Financial Officer for keeping such tight controls on our general finances, constantly seeking best value for money and continuing to source grant funding.
Jenni Bartram Church Warden
If you are interested in getting involved with any of the initiatives, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. If you don’t have enough time to be actively involved, we still want to hear your views!
Minutes of all Council meetings are placed on the Parish Council website, Parish Council noticeboard and on our Community Chat page.
The next meeting of the Parish Council will take place in the Village Hall on Thursday 3rd April at 7.00 pm.
Great news! We have several volunteers for our Community Resilience Group, but we still need more. The goal is to ensure our village is better prepared for and able to respond to local and major emergencies, such as flooding, power outages, severe weather, and disruptions to key services. For this to be successful, we need volunteers from the village – without you, we can’t move forward.
We will hold the Annual Meeting of the Parish just before at 6.30pm. All residents are invited to hear the Chair go through the Parish update for 2024 and share the Council’s plans for 2025/2026. It’s a great opportunity for you to make comments on the plan and raise any village issues on your mind.
If you’re interested in getting involved, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact Ruth at clerk@stillingfleetparishcouncil.gov.uk to find out more. Thank you again for your support!
2025/2026 Parish Council meeting dates for your diaries:
8 May (annual meeting of the council), 7 August, 2 October, 11 December, 5 February 2026 and 2 April 2026.
In the meantime, we are looking forward to continuing to support our community! If there is anything you would like added to this Parish Council monthly update, please get in touch with us.
Community Speed Watch carried out more sessions last month on the B1222 –south towards the village hall and north towards Naburn. So far, out of over 6100 vehicles checked, the team of volunteers have recorded nearly 250 above the agreed speed limit. The Parish Council sends the details of anyone recorded to be speeding (36mph or more in a 30mph zone or 46mph or more in a 40mph zone) to North Yorkshire Police, who then follow this up with their own processes.
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Community Speed Watch is about drawing drivers' attention to speed limits in areas where communities say it is affecting their quality of life. It also educates drivers about the effects that anti-social road use can have on local people. On behalf of the Parish Council, special thanks to all of those involved with the initiative
Please get in touch with Ruth, your Parish Council Clerk, if you would like to get involved. clerk@stillingfleetparishcouncil.gov.uk
We have recently signed up to a campaign to address road safety and speeding in North Yorkshire by calling for the installation of fixed speed cameras to enforce speed limits through prosecution of offenders. We will continue to keep you updated on all our road safety and speeding initiatives in the usual way.
We continue to manage and maintain The Green.
o Work to be carried out on the Chapel car park to better delineate the boundary edges. This will make it easier for residents and Art Studio users to only use the parking spaces.
o Since our flood in January, a lot of rubbish has been left behind on The Green. The Parish Council is planning to organise a Village Litter Pick to clear it up.
o Please respect The Green and, as per our byelaws, park only in the designated hard-standing car parking areas. The same request is also extended to your families, friends, suppliers and clients. If anyone needs to park on the grassed area, please approach the Parish Council for approval.
A number of activities around our Village Infrastructure to report on:
o The Parish Council & Village Institute noticeboard is now in place and almost ready to use.
o The Village Noticeboard which had been on The Green by the bridge has been blown down in the recent gales. It is badly rotten and not able to be repaired, and we have decided that for the time being it will not be replaced.
As we continue to improve how we engage and communicate with our community, we are pleased to announce that from 1 February 2025 our parish council moved to a new domain and website: https://www.stillingfleetparishcouncil.gov.uk
This change aims to enhance your experience by making our council more accessible. The new website has been developed to give our residents access to their Council and to share regular updates to communicate what the Council wishes to achieve and what progress is being made on issues which have been raised.
We hope that residents and local businesses will also share with us Community Notices and Events bringing the website to life as a hub of useful information for our local community. If you have any questions, need more information or have any ideas of what else you’d like to see on the website, please feel free to get in touch
If you are interested in getting involved with any of the initiatives, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. If you don’t have enough time to be actively involved, we still want to hear your views!
Minutes of all Council meetings are placed on the Parish Council website, Parish Council noticeboard and on our Community Chat page.
The next meeting of the Parish Council will take place in the Village Hall on Thursday 3rd April at 7.00 pm.
We will hold the Annual Meeting of the Parish just before at 6.30pm. All residents are invited to hear the Chair go through the Parish update for 2024 and share the Council’s plans for 2025/2026. It’s a great opportunity for you to make comments on the plan and raise any village issues on your mind.
2025/2026 Parish Council meeting dates for your diaries: 8 May (annual meeting of the council), 7 August, 2 October, 11 December, 5 February 2026 and 2 April 2026
In the meantime, we are looking forward to continuing to support our community! If there is anything you would like added to this monthly Parish Council update, please get in touch with us.
Stillingfleet WI
We had a fantastic speaker at our March meeting. David Rigby has been into genealogy for many years, and he came to talk to us about how to get started in tracing our ancestors. He spoke about how to use various sources of information and then gave a fascinating insight into the documents he found in order to trace
Stillingfleet
one of his relatives. The talk was fascinating, informative and very engaging. We already have 22 ladies from the village and surrounding areas who have signed up to be part of our WI for the year 25/26. If you would like to find out more about our organisation please give me a call on 07935 235918 or email me patersonw@talktalk.net .
Do you remember that our WI planted a mass of spring bulbs along the approach roads to the village last year? Well, we're all very excited to see that they are growing nicely, and no doubt by the time you read this, they will be a mass of beautiful colour as you drive through. I hope you all enjoy them as much as we will. Wanda Dobson, WI Treasurer.
Stillingfleet Village Institute
Bring your family and friends to Pub night in Stillingfleet - and buy your Beer Festival tickets!
Usual format. Just turn up for: -
Locally brewed Cask Beer, Wine, lager, gin, soft drinksHot food served by THE SHED, 7 – 8.30pmMike’s infamous Pub QuizCarrol’s Lucky BingoGood company and a friendly atmosphere.
Again, we’ll be selling [real paper] tickets for Stillingfleet Beer & Music Festival (see below). Get them while you can!
A reminder of dates for 2025 (all Fridays):
11 April 20 June
18 July 22 August
19 September 24 October 21 November 12 December
Look out for details on village noticeboard and village Facebook pages: www.facebook.com/StillingfleetVI
12th Stillingfleet Beer & Music Festival – 10 May 2025 . Advance Tickets Only – Don’t leave it too late!
Tickets for this year’s festival are selling nicely. Buy yours before we sell out!
We can’t guarantee the weather, but our “smallbut-perfectly-formed” festivals are always great community social events – you’re helping raise funds for our 98 years-old village hall, whilst having fun!
Tried and tested format - starting at 12 noon and going on until the barrels run dry, with another great range of excellent Yorkshire real ales, cider, prosecco, wine, lager and other drinks, freshly prepared festival food – including those award-winning pies - and a great line-up of talented musicians.
We still have a few sponsorship opportunities for local businesses, and there are a few slots left for local musicians who want to play live to a receptive beer festival audience! Do get in touch.
Tickets are still only £8 (including Entry, Programme and Souvenir Glass) and are available from 2 sources:
1) Online via our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/stillbeer/ powered by Fienta (no extra charges).
2) In person at Stillingfleet Pop Up Pub night on 11 April (whilst tickets available).
Remember it’s Advance Tickets Only. No Walk -Ins again this year.
Accompanied children are Free (no ticket required) . For more information and updates on all the above, follow www.facebook.com/stillbeer/ Or email StillingfleetVillageInstitute@gmail.com or contact a member of the Village Institute Committee.
Regular Events in Stillingfleet Village Institute
Coffee Mornings – last Thursday in the month, as advertised Pop Up Pub Nights – monthly, as advertised
hiredesk@wrightsplanthire.co.uk
skipdesk@wrightsplanthire.co.uk
Wrights of Crockey Hill
