Beautiful North Yorkshire

Photography competition puts Dales national park team in the picture

2012-02-24T06:35:00.000Z

The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority wants to get a fuller picture of to how to serve residents and visitors – by launching a competition for photographers.

In the frame: photographers can give an important insight
into the qualities of the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
Photo courtesy of the national park authority.

Amateurs and professionals are being invited to enter their favourite images of the national park with a written summary of the most important qualities of the landscape and what the authority can offer in years to come.

Communications manager Kate Green said: “We want to find out what people value about the national park now and what they would like it to become in the future.

POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE
“The photos can portray either the positive or negative aspects of their favourite things in the national park. For example, if you enjoy far-reaching views, you could submit a snapshot of a sweeping landscape, or you could send in an image of something that is obstructing the view and you think is an issue that needs addressing.

“In the accompanying text you have the chance to explain why you sent in the photograph and tell us what you think those charged with caring for the national park should do to keep the area special for you.”

The Your Yorkshire Dales National Park: a snapshot competition – will run until 9 November and the images can be of any subject matter in the categories wildlife and habitats, people and places, fun and adventure, and farming, tourism and other employment. They must have been taken within the visitor attraction boundary. The winners will be announced on 23 November.

Any entries submitted by 30 April will also be used to help shape the next national park management plan, which will set out what the authority and other organisations will be doing to look after the fragile and sensitive landscape and to support its local communities in the future.

SACKFULS
Authority chairman Carl Lis said: “We are expecting sackfuls of entries because people have such strong feelings and passion about this beautiful national park.

“We’re eager to see all the different things people value about the Dales – whether that’s the landscape, the wildlife, the people, or something entirely different – and then, through the national park management plan, develop ways to respond to these views.”

There will be both an adult and an under-18s overall winner. Each will win:

A prized spot in the Your Yorkshire Dales National Park photo exhibition at the Dales Countryside Museum in Hawes;
A framed copy of their image;
Their picture featured in The Visitor 2013 – the park's official guide that is read by more than 200,000 people
A backpack filled with local produce;
The top five photos, including the overall winners, will be turned into a postcard that will be sold at the national park centres and will be featured on the authority website at www.yorkshiredales.org.uk.
The top 20 photos (including the overall winners) will also appear in the new management plan in 2013. The plan will outline the long-term vision for the area along with key actions.

More information about the competition – including how to enter – is available at www.yorkshiredales.org.uk/your.

Wildlife Trust presses case for greater marine protection

2012-02-24T06:20:00.000Z

Making the case for urgency ... the trust's Rob Stoneman
(right) with Hugh Bayley (left) and Richard Benyon.

Yorkshire Wildlife Trust's chief executive has urged fisheries minister Richard Benyon and York MP Hugh Bayley to take steps to protect marine life off the UK coast.

Dr Rob Stoneman pressed the case to ensure the importance of seas and their value to our economy was recognised by the government.

Under the Marine and Coastal Access Act, the government is obliged to designate a network of marine conservation zones that will enable depleted seas to recover but the UK's wildlife trusts have accused it of dragging its feet.

CONCERNED
Experts say the North Sea, once one of the most productive seas, is known to have suffered a 95 per cent drop in biomass alone, and the story is much the same for waters surrounding the rest of Britain. The wildlife trusts are concerned that delays to the designation of zones will hamper the recovery of these vulnerable ecosystems.

Hugh Bayley who pledged his support to Yorkshire Wildlife Trust’s marine campaign by signing a scale on the trust’s Petition Fish in November 2011 said: "The Marine Act was passed by Parliament in 2009 with all party support but the Coalition Government is delaying the designation of the Marine Conservation Zones which will protect wildlife at sea.

"I am pleased the fisheries minister, Richard Benyon agreed to meet with Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and me to discuss our concerns over the pace at which designation is taking place."

The minister has agreed to write to stakeholders in the spring to provide clarity on the timetable for designation and on how many areas need to be designated.

Mr Bayley described it as a golden opportunity to ensure the future of the UK's seas that mustn't be lost.

According to the trusts, the latest studies show that unless action is taken, human activities could cause mass extinctions in the marine environment. Conservation zones have been highlighted as a way of reversing this decline, as marine wildlife would have the opportunity to thrive within them and from there populate our seas so that they might return to health and once more be a valuable, productive resource.

Regional stakeholder-led advisory projects have selected 127 possible sites for designation, a process that has taken 18 months and involved more than one million people. These proposals were published by Defra in September 2011, and the government initially pledged to designate an ecologically coherent network of zones by the end of 2012.

DELAY
However the trusts claim that the government has dragged its feet, announcing in November 2011 a delay to enable more data to be collected. It has also been suggested that only 20 to 30 sites will be designated in 2013, with no timetable in place for the designation of the remaining.

Rob Stoneman said: "It is essential that the government sets out a concrete timetable for the designation of marine conservation zones. Now is our chance to reverse the pattern of decline in our marine environment – it is more important than ever that we act. Yorkshire Wildlife Trust will continue to push for MCZ designation so that we can turn our seas into Living Seas teeming with life; the longer we wait the greater the damage to our marine environment.”

Readers who are concerned about marine environment matters and want more information on how to support the petition for protected areas can visit: www.wildlifetrusts.org/petitionfish.

Wi-fi extension could go to the walls

2012-02-24T06:00:00.004Z

Councillors are considering extending York's free city centre wi-fi trial to its historic walls.

The decision follows news that the trial has had more than a million hits since launching in November, last year.

The scheme provides St Helen's Square and Coney Street with a free wi-fi connection open to laptops, smart phones or any other internet-enabled devices in the area.

Councillor Julie Gunnell, cabinet member for corporate services said: “We will be considering how best to extend the wi-fi out to the rest of the city centre, focusing on the area within the city walls.

“If any businesses, residents or visitors have any views on providing a larger free wi-fi area, please let us know. We are particularly interested in knowing your experiences of using the wi-fi zone including how easy you found it to use and whether an extended city centre wi-fi area would be useful to you.”

Anyone with ideas or views about extending the trial can email comments@york.gov.uk or write to ICT Services, City of York Council, 4 Museum Street, York YO1 7FD.

Angels will be looking over Whitby

2012-02-24T06:00:00.001Z

Be and angel! That's the message from organisers of a new scheme to help reduce crime in Whitby who are looking for volunteers.

Teams of Street Angels already patrol many towns and cities across the country, including Scarborough on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Organisers say these volunteers are respected by visitors and residents on account of their reassuring presence, the support they provide to vulnerable people and the way they help improve the night-time mood and reduce alcohol-related violent crime.

IMPROVE SAFETY
Lesley Philps, of Scarborough’s Safer Community Partnership, said: "The aim of the Street Angels scheme is to improve the safety of those who use the town centre bars, restaurants and public transport during busy periods. Street Angel volunteers will be asked to provide support to people who have become vulnerable or need assistance while in the town centre but will not be required to get involved in any incidents, just report them to the police.”

The Street Angels patrol the town centre in groups of three and have radio and telephone contact with the base from which the group operate and statutory services in the town including the district council's community safety team, licensing officers, CCTV control room and North Yorkshire Police.

Officials say they hope the group’s first patrols will start in June and the scheme will be co-ordinated by Scarborough’s Safer Community Partnership in conjunction with Churches Together, North Yorkshire Police and Scarborough Borough Council.

Anyone can volunteer, as long as they are aged 18 or over. Comprehensive training is provided to all recruits. A meeting to provide more information is being held at 7.30pm on Thursday 22 March at Flowergate United Reformed Church..

Information is also available from Deacon Helen Webster at helenweb2@gmail.com or telephone 01947 602248.

Local and family history sleuths can track down a few tips at fair

2012-02-24T06:00:00.000Z

Amateur historians and family tree enthusiasts might want to check out North Yorkshire County Council's local and family history fair on Saturday 10 March.

The county council’s record office will be hosting the event at the Pavilions of Harrogate. Tickets cost £1.

Visitors can browse more than 30 society and trade stands including family tree experts and watch screenings of rare film footage from the Yorkshire Film Archive.Support and advice on tracing a family tree will also be available from professionals.

GUEST SPEAKERS
A programme of seven one-hour talks, priced at £3 each, is planned throughout the day, with guest speakers to include Nick Barratt, TV personality and editor of Your Family History magazine.

County councillor Chris Metcalfe, executive member for library and community services, said: “Our local and family history events are always popular, and this year we’re offering a wonderful range of attractions for a very reasonable admission price of £1. We hope as many people as possible can enjoy this fantastic event.”

Organisers say places for talks are limited and recommend booking early. For more information or to book a place on a talk, call the record office on 01609 777585 or email archives@northyorks.gov.uk

Hobby birthday! Moors volunteers still going strong ten years on

2012-02-23T07:00:00.000Z

A group of volunteers with the North York Moors National Park Authority have swapped their old clothes and muddy boots for cleaner attire to celebrate their tenth anniversary.

Hob to it ... Hobs volunteers including Vera Silberberg
far left, Eric Lee second from left, Alan Bailey centre with
loppers and Graham Stubbs kneeling third from right

The Hobs – named after the mythical creatures that supposedly live in the area and help with household chores and farm work – marked a decade of hard work looking after the rights of way and wildlife of the national park visitor attraction with a celebratory meal.

Three of today's team – Alan Bailey, Eric Lee and Vera Silberberg – attended the first task and are still turning out in all weather to do their bit. They meet every Tuesday to carry out a range of tasks including clearing footpaths, drystone walling, tree planting, repairing fences and controlling invasive plants.

GOOD PRACTICE
The Hobs was the first mid-week volunteer group set up by the national park authority. There are now several regular volunteer groups contributing around 11,000 hours of work each year and the volunteer service was highlighted as an area of good practice in a recent peer review carried out by a team from other national park authorities.

Projects over the years include working alongside the authority’s staff to manage and improve Levisham Estate, work to spruce up the car park and pond at Thornton-le-Dale and repairing a considerable stretch of drystone wall along the Cleveland Way National Trail at Boltby.

Volunteer and Hobs founding member Alan Bailey, said: “Being a Hob brings with it a strong sense of purpose, loyalty, commitment and endeavour. We head out in all weathers – and there does seem to be more wet Tuesdays than dry – but morale remains high and there is always a great effort put into every task and a desire to complete it before we leave.”

Graham Stubbs, the national park's head of the volunteer service, said: “Anyone who enjoys getting out and about in the North York Moors whether it’s to walk, cycle, ride or simply to soak up the stunning scenery, owes a word of thanks to this wonderful group of people who give their time and energy so generously.

"Without them and all our other volunteers the national park wouldn’t be half the place it is and I am incredibly proud and grateful for all that they do.”

Further information about volunteering opportunities with the National Park Authority is available by contacting Jo Dowson on 01439 770657 or email j.dowson@northyorkmoors-npa.gov.uk

Land body director welcomes promise to 'free up farming'

2012-02-23T06:01:00.000Z

The regional director of an influential farming and land owners' body has welcomed the government's pledge to "free up farming."

Remove barriers quickly,
says Dorothy Fairburn.

The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) said the intention of farming minister Jim Paice to slash red tape would allow farm businesses to prosper but warned that the recommendations must be followed through.

The minister's intention comes in a response to the Farming Regulation Task Force.

'CLEAR IMPLEMENTATION'
Association regional director Dorothy Fairburn said: “The CLA has always supported the principle of ‘earned recognition’ and we believe clear implementation will lead to a much-needed reduction in red tape and form-filling for agricultural businesses.

“However, it is the government’s duty to ensure barriers to rural economic growth are removed as quickly as possible, particularly around planning policy and non-planning consents. This is essential for rural businesses to play their part in delivering sustainable development.”

Miss Fairburn added: “We are pleased to see getting farmers online is a top priority for Defra but remain unconvinced that the government’s current plans will actually meet the needs of the ten per cent per cent of rural communities who will not have access to superfast broadband.”

Ex-para tells of ferocious Falklands battle at Harrogate Theatre

2012-02-23T06:00:00.001Z

The first major lands battle of the Falklands War was the ferocious combat at Goose Green on 29 May, 1982.

Now, in the 30th anniversary year of the conflict, Yorkshire-born former Parachute Regiment officer Peter Kennedy, who led the final attack at Goose Green, is discussing the military event during a talk at Harrogate Theatre

The insight he will provide at the theatre on Tuesday 29 May comes as tension continues to mount in the South Atlantic with the deployment of Prince William to the islands and the approach of the anniversary of the Argentine invasion on 2 April.

All money raised will be given to the military charities Help for Heroes, The Royal British Legion, and The Parachute Regiment Charity.

Clean-up team hits the road

2012-02-23T05:59:00.000Z

Route to a spring clean: litter picking on the A19 south of Thirsk.

A staggering 23 tonnes of waste – enough to fill 6,000 black bags – has been collected from the road and roadside verges of Hambleton during the district council's spring clean.

With collections of green compostable waste suspended throughout February, the Waste and Street Scene team takes on other duties including extra litter collections. They cleaned up the main roads in the area with problem lay-bys along the A1 and A19 given special attention.

Problem areas for fly tipping were cleared with construction waste, domestic white goods, TVs, household furniture, tyres, and domestic items removed.

VILLAGES
The mechanical sweepers and litter pickers also added some villages into their regular schedule.

Street Scene manager John Proud said: "During the months of January and February collections of green waste are suspended apart from one visit to take Christmas trees.

“Householders leave very little green waste out at this time so rather than see pointless collections take place we divert the staff to other duties.

"Judging by the amount of waste collected, it shows that there is a need to do this. This is an ongoing problem and one we will continue to work on throughout the year. The 23 tonnes equates to around 6,000 black sacks of waste”.

It's a wrap: Dales grace national programmes and a film

2012-02-22T07:00:00.001Z

The people and the stunning landscape of the Yorkshire Dales National Park will feature in two TV programmes and a film to be screened this year.

Dales landscape that's a magnet for
film crews. Photo courtesy of the
Yorkshire Dales
National Park Authority.

At 8pm on Thursday, the Dales will be highlighted in the second programme of BBC1's The Great British Countryside series, which will be presented by Julia Bradbury and Hugh Dennis.

It will feature a number of well-known National Park locations including Malham Cove and its limestone pavement, the awesome Gaping GilI cavern below Ingleborough and Hardraw Force (see today's separate story about a North Yorkshire Moors Railway appearance in the programme).

Then, on Monday, 27 February,, the second series of the ITV programme The Dales is due to start at 8pm and will run for 12 weeks, covering another summer in the life of the area.

It will be hosted again by Adrian Edmondson who visits people he met in the first series in Swaledale and near Keighley and takes a look at different aspects of rural life in the national park.

And national park trainees Josh Hull (23) and 22-year-old James Firth have been filmed for BBC2's Britain’s Heritage Heroes series building a stone stile on Pen-y-ghent. They are undertaking a two-year internship through the Dales Countryside Trainee Scheme learning key countryside management skills.

The Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust launched the scheme two years ago with grants from the national park's sustainable development fund, the Yorkshire Dales Leader Programme and the Rural Access to Opportunities Programme.

The national park is also showcasing the film Lad: A Yorkshire Story about a park ranger who mentors a teenager whose dad has died.

PREMIERE
Producer Dan Hartley said: “I'm expecting to complete post-production by around May and I'm intending to host the premiere in the Yorkshire Dales and then tour the film throughout the 15 British national parks.”

Over the past six decades, the Yorkshire Dales National Park has played host to a string of film and TV production companies wanting to use the special qualities of the beautiful landscape as a backdrop, the most recent being Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1) and the latest version of Wuthering Heights.

Stuart Parsons, the national park authority's member champion for promoting understanding, said: “The number of current projects featuring the Yorkshire Dales is a true reflection of the amazing diversity of our national park. We live and work in a stunningly beautiful environment and it is fantastic that so many people are going to share in it with us over the coming weeks.

"Once they've seen us on both the big and little screens, I'm sure they will want to come and see the national park for themselves and I promise that they will have an unforgettable time – and a wonderfully warm welcome."

And North Yorks Moors railway steams in for TV cameras

2012-02-22T07:00:00.000Z

For once, he's not Outnumbered.
Hugh Dennis at Grosmont Station.

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway steams onto TV screens tomorrow (Thursday) with a special appearance on the Great British Countryside, a new four-part series at 8pm on BBC One

Volunteers Stephen Hogg and Gerry Skelton will appear in the hour-long episode that this week focuses on Yorkshire and is presented by Hugh Dennis and Julia Bradbury.

The programme will also feature a number of well-known Yorkshire Dales National Park locations including Malham Cove and its limestone pavement, the Gaping GilI cavern below Ingleborough and Hardraw Force (see today's story about the national park featuring in three TV programmes and film)

North Yorkshire Moors Railway marketing manager Danielle Bradley said: “Hugh Dennis enjoyed a fantastic day out on the North Yorkshire Moors Railway last September. So much so, that the BBC film crew came back in early December with a helicopter to shoot some fantastic aerial shots of the Pullman dining train, steaming through the North York Moors National Park.”

Trains will be running once more on the railway on weekends from Saturday 3 to Sunday 25 March with daily services resuming for the summer from Saturday 31 March until Sunday 4 November.

Further information is available by calling 01751 472508 or visiting www.nymr.co.uk

A bin-novation! Big Belly rubbish compactor gets city centre trial

2012-02-22T06:00:00.003Z

A new solar-powered bin that can hold up to eight times more waste is being trialled in York city centre.

Bin there: Big Belly Bins
are much more efficient,
says the city council.

The trial of the Big Belly Bin started in Kings Square in summer, last year, and was one of the de-cluttering and improvement ideas taken from the city council’s Litter Bin Review and Reinvigorate York scheme.

Council chiefs believe a roll out of the new models could lead to major efficiencies.

On average the bin in Kings Square is now emptied only 14 times every week compared to when there were five traditional ones that were being emptied 105 times every week during the peak tourist season.

AUTOMATICALLY
The Big Belly Bin has solar powered compactor technology that automatically triggers a mechanism to create room for more rubbish.

A traffic light system tells the waste team when it needs to be emptied. A red flashing light means it is 85 per cent full while constant red means it’s completely full.

There is also the potential to alert the waste team remotely when the bins are full.

The bin will be trailed in some of the outer areas of the city over the next few weeks.

Finish line in sight for £9m sports village development partners

2012-02-22T06:00:00.002Z

Good sports ... an artist impression of the new facility.

A topping out ceremony to bagpipe accompaniment has marked the start of the final phase of a £9 million sports village on the University of York’s campus expansion at Heslington East.

Contractor Sir Robert McAlpine Limited invited senior figures from the university and city council to put the finishing touches of concrete to the structure.

The ceremony also saw the fixing of a traditional evergreen bough to the building.

University vice-chancellor Professor Brian Cantor and works manager Jimmy Walker toasted the occasion with a noggin of ale.

CENTREPIECE
The centrepiece of the development, which is funded jointly by the university and York Council with support from Sport England, is a competition-standard eight lane 25-metre pool.

The York Sports Village will also feature a learner pool, 120 station fitness suite, three studios for dance, spin and aerobics, full size 3G astroturf pitch and three further five-a-side pitches. All facilities at the complex will be available for use by students, staff and public.

The university is contributing £5 million and the council is contributing £3 million, with the balance coming from a grant from Sport England.

The complex will be run by a limited liability partnership company called York Sports Village. Any surpluses will be ring-fenced for re-investment in the facilities and the facilities are expected to create up to 30 new jobs, both full and part-time.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT
A steering group has been established to provide feedback from the sports village users. The new complex next to Grimston Bar park and ride will be served by public transport.

Professor Cantor said: “York Sports Village will be a superb sporting asset for our students and for everyone in the city. It reflects our commitment both to enhance our students’ experience at a world class University, and to contribute to the health and well-being of people throughout the city.

"Our sports and recreational facilities for students, staff and the community are already outstanding, and York Sports Village will take them to an even higher level.”

Council cabinet member councillor Sonja Crisp said: “York Sports Village will provide a state of the art facility for residents across the city and I’m delighted that work has started in this, an Olympic year. We know that an active lifestyle brings a wide range of long term benefits and I hope that people of all ages will enjoy the fantastic facilities on offer at the site.”

RHS shows off its flower power with free admission day

2012-02-22T06:00:00.001Z

The Royal Horticultural Society is throwing open the doors to its Harrogate gardens for fee on Friday 2 March.

The visitor attraction at Harlow Carr will be taking part n the society's national event to give visitors an insight into the benefits of membership.

A spokesperson said the special offer would be ideal for anyone looking for an energetic day out and keen to enjoy the beauty and tranquillity of the gardens as they awake from their winter slumbers.

The Harrogate site has been designed to replicate the natural spirit of the region, with features evoking the surrounding landscapes, including water features, dry stone walling, wooded areas and also some ornamental aspects typical of the town.

For families, the visitor attraction offers a combination of wilderness and sense of adventure in a landscaped, self contained setting, with a log maze, family trails, children’s play area and woodland dens.

For more information, please visit www.rhs.org.uk/harlowcarr

Trust cheques in to receive £80,000 donation at charity gala

2012-02-22T06:00:00.000Z

Yorkshire’s wildlife is benefiting from an £80,470 donation this year, thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Rob Stoneman, chief executive of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust received a cheque for the amount at a charity gala held at Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Gardens.

Cheque point: Rob Stoneman receives the trust's cash award.

The cash will help the trust continue managing eighty-five nature reserves in the region that are rich in wildlife. The charity encourages people to visit and get involved in their care and campaigns whenever areas and species are under threat.

Further information about the trust and its reserves is available at www.ywt.org.uk/reserves. A Five Great Places leaflet picking out some of the top sites is available by emailing info@ywt.org.uk

Lecture gives insight into prehistoric human diet and agriculture

2012-02-21T13:19:00.000Z

Forensic-style scientific techniques are revealing new insights into the lives of our ancestors thousands of years ago, an audience will hear at a public lecture at University of York this week.

While identifying physical fragments of animal and plant remains has given some indications of how our eating and farming habits have evolved over the past 10,000 years, many questions remain. The lecture will explain how an analytical chemical approach is now opening a new window on the past, revealing new perspectives on our ancestors’ lives.

The origins of using crops and animals
that feature in today's farming can
be traced back thousands of years.

As part of the York Biology Lectures series, Professor Richard Evershed from the University of Bristol, will explore the application of organic residue analysis to the study of ancient diet, farming and hunting in prehistory on Thursday, 23 February.

TAKE FOR GRANTED
Many of our current eating and drinking habits have their origins in the activities of our ancestors who lived thousands of years ago in the Fertile Crescent’ of the Near East. These early farmers began to raise the animals and grow crops – such as cattle and wheat – that we now take for granted as part of our normal 21st century diets.

Professor Evershed is a professor of biogeochemistry and an internationally renowned analytical organic chemist and a leading exponent of biomolecular archaeology who has revolutionised aspects of archaeological science.

He said: “Determining how the production of these vital foods spread away from the original centre of domestication to other parts of the ancient world remains a major question in archaeology.”

Admission at 6.30pm in the Berrick Saul Building BS/005 is by free ticket only. Tickets for “New insights into prehistoric human diet and agriculture through ancient biomolecules and stable isotopes” are available from www.york.ac.uk/tickets, email publiclectures@york.ac.uk or phone 01904 324466.

Dales Countryside Museum dishes up a tasty project for visitors

2012-02-21T07:43:00.000Z

Food lovers are being offered the chance to get up close with their favourite dishes at the Dales Countryside Museum in Hawes.

Staff at the visitor attraction, which is owned by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, have launched a new project to let people taste Yorkshire Dales food, understand how it was produced and explore local food traditions and related objects from its collection.

They will also be able to find out about ingredients from the wider world and their influence on the the area's food culture.

FORGOTTEN SKILLS
Manager Fiona Rosher said: “We aim to inspire visitors with seasonal food and forgotten skills linked to growing, gathering, storing and cooking in the Dales. We will show how people used to cook, how they cook now and how we can reconnect with local, seasonal food suppliers and 'real cooking'.”

The museum will be running informal drop-in and taste demonstrations as well as hands-on ‘making and baking’ sessions covering everything from bread baking and butter making, simple soups, winter comfort food, casseroles and stews, to using up leftover foods and foraging for wild food for those who’d like a go themselves.

Fiona added: “We hope people will come along and have fun discovering some traditional skills and gaining some modern cooking tips so they can spread the word about the great food available within the area and encourage other people to buy locally and use locally-produced seasonal ingredients.”

There will also be drop-in and taste sessions for visitors on 20 March and 5 and 10 April.

GET INVOLVED
Local suppliers and food businesses are also invited to get involved at museum events either by using their products and taking part on site or in the community as guest demonstrators.

The project, called Yorkshire Dales Food – A Celebration!, is being supported by the Friends of Dales Countryside Museum and the national park authority's sustainable development fund, which is managed by the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust. It runs until September next year and hopefully will continue beyond that.

Anyone interested in taking part – whether they are a local food producer or food supplier or have a special family-favourite recipe to share – can contact museum projects officer Jane Sammells at Jane.sammells@yorkshiredales.org.uk or speak to Jane or Fiona on 01969 666210.

Choir will ensure charter weekend celebrations reach a high note

2012-02-21T07:42:00.000Z

A choir of hundreds of people is being formed as part of York 800 celebrations called Ebor Vox.

Performances over the Charter Weekend on Saturday 7 and Sunday 9 July will include a new piece specially created by acclaimed composer Benjamin Till, who was also responsible the BBC’s 2010 Symphony for Yorkshire.

Ebor Vox director Stephen Burke said the choir would be a celebration of the community.

SIMULTANEOUS
He added: "We intend to bring together in simultaneous song all the hundreds of voices who sing in our city’s choirs week in week out. Over three days, our choirs will sing together, alone, and in a wide range of breathtaking and unusual locations across our beautiful and historic city.”

City council cabinet member councillor Sonja Crisp said: “Ebor Vox will be one of the highlights of York 800 and the Charter weekend. I am very much looking forward to seeing and hearing the choirs.

"There’ll also be dance, carnival dance and costume to celebrate the city’s past, present and future. The whole event – and indeed the whole Charter weekend – should be truly memorable.”

FLOTILLA
Performances will take place along the River Ouse, as part of the flotilla of hundreds of boats on the Saturday and at the Eye of York on the evening of Monday 9 July. Choirs are also expected to spring up in shops, cafes and streets over the weekend.

To launch Ebor Vox, the council is hosting a competition asking local people to write short poems of no more than 400 words, which centre on the question ‘What is special about York?’

These will be shortlisted and selected by a panel and the selected poem will be used by Benjamin Till to create a special composition.

Anyone can enter the competition, which runs until midnight on Monday 5 March. All entries can by sent by email to york800@york.gov.uk or by post to York 800, c/o Arts & Culture, 18 Back Swinegate, York, YO1 8ZD.

Further information is available at www.york800.com

Author Andrew Hammond shares tales from the crypt with students

2012-02-21T06:30:00.000Z

Very CRYPT-IC person:
author Andrew Hammond.

Author Andrew Hammond is on a tour of schools in the Harrogate district with tales from the crypt.

The Harrogate International Festival events at Nidderdale High School and Ripon Grammar School on Tuesday March 6 and Boroughbridge High School and Harrogate Grammar School on Wednesday March 7, are being presented in association with Headline Publishing Group.

SPOOKY
Each hour-long session, performed for a range of key stage 3 classes, will feature some spooky ghost stories, going behind the scenes of some bloody, historical events.

Andrew will also talk about the his book CRYPT: The Gallow's Curse which is due to be followed on 1 March by CRYPT: Traitor’s Revenge.

He has written more than forty English textbooks for schools and is founder and lead author of the Independent Curriculum, a new creative curriculum for schools launched in September 2011.

He now splits his time between writing and educational consultancy, and lives in Suffolk with his wife and their four children

EXCLUSIVE PRIZE
To celebrate the series of events, Harrogate International Festivals and Headline Publishing Group are offering readers the chance to win one of five copies of Andrew Hammond’s new novel along with an exclusive CRYPT agent wristband. For the chance to win, entrants simply need to answer the following question – What is the name of Andrew Hammond’s first CRYPT novel? Answers should be sent to info@harrogate-festival.org.uk by no later than midnight on Friday 9 March.

Cyclists get the wheel-good factor with sheltered parking in city

2012-02-21T06:00:00.003Z

Cyclists have more choice where to park their bikes in York now that the city council has provided new secure and sheltered cycle parking.

The new area in Newgate Market was created by converting a row of empty trader stalls at the back of the site.

CANOPY RETAINED
The racks have room to park up to 20 bikes under the stall trader canopy which has been retained.

The council says the new area is best reached via the archway from the Shambles and is monitored by nearby CCTV.

City strategy cabinet member councillor Dave Merrett said: “Cycling in York is so popular that it is sometimes difficult to find cycle parking within the city centre, and racks are often full for much of the day.

"The new racks are a great addition to the city’s cycle parking, and make good use out of an existing market stall. Being undercover and sheltered from the elements is an additional bonus.”

Libraries go by the book and stay ahead of the digital game

2012-02-21T06:00:00.002Z

York library bosses say they are ahead of the game in the UK's drive to offer access to the digital world.

The Society of Chief Librarians has asked library services to sign up to a digital promise. This sets out its expectations and hopes for internet or digital services that branches should provide.

Of the seven services the society suggests should be provided, City of York Council's libraries are already providing six, with the seventh expectation of being able to join online going ahead later this year.

FREE ACCESS
One of the society suggestions is that all libraries provide free access to the internet for every customer, something to which York residents already get access. Customers can get up to two hours of free access per day on the library computers as well as free access to wifi at every branch.

Other requirements include ensuring staff are trained to help customers access digital information and 24/7 access.

Roy Grant, head of ICT Services said: "City of York Council has become the enabler for a local "fibre ring" carrying superfast broadband, a move that could leapfrog the city to the forefront of UK technological innovation, that is helping to deliver and sustain the exciting and inclusive technology based expansion of services within our library services."

Harrogate Theatre's numbers game will be a dead cert comedy

2012-02-20T06:00:00.004Z

Death might seem an unlikely subject for comedy, but ‘stand-up mathematician’ Matt Parker and writer-comedian Timandra Harkness, with the help of a game show and the Grim Reaper, prove it can be funny at Harrogate Theatre next week.

Your number's up ... but at least you'll die laughing,
say Matt Parker and Timandra Harkness.

Their production of Your Days Are Numbered has received rave reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and at science festivals across the UK.

But they are warning members of the audience during the performance on Monday 27 February they have a 0.000043 per cent chance of dying during the show. And, if they don't die, their life expectancy will go up by 12 minutes – assuming they don't die.

The pair feast upon an encyclopaedic knowledge of statistics and mortality probability. For instance, did you know that on average, cows kill 20 people in the US every year? Or that you can cut your chances of dying from a heart attack by 50 per cent if you drink eight bottles of wine a week?

TOPICAL AND DAFT
Matt Parker’s erudite brand of comedy takes on the topical and the daft in equal measure and is possibly the only person to hold the prestigious title of ‘London Mathematical Society Popular Lecturer’ while simultaneously having a sold-out comedy show at the Edinburgh Fringe. He is a fixture of the illustrious Mathematics speaking circuit having established himself as an exuberant new act and compere,winning the People’s Choice Award at the National Fame Lab Finals in 2009 as well as being a finalist in the Amused Moose Laugh Off, the same year.

Timandra spent five years performing solo stand-up after running away from the circus and is now half of double act The Comedy Research Project, with scientist Dr. Helen Pilcher. She won the 1997 Independent newspaper column-writing competition and writes for newspapers and magazines including the Daily Telegraph, WIRED and BBC Focus on science, technology and motoring. She has recorded features for BBC Radio 4 and her second second short film, Reported Missing, can be seen in international festivals. She also co-wrote the comedy No Future in Eternity with Linda Cotterill, which was broadcast on Radio 4 after a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe.

For further information, visit www.harrogatetheatre.co.uk or contact the box office on 01423 502 116.

A rotten offer ... but composting gardeners will probably love it

2012-02-20T06:00:00.003Z

Go and rot! That's the message to environmentally-friendly gardeners as compost bins go on offer at cut price.

Bin there, got the T-shirt. A third
of household bin's contents can
be composted. Now a cut-price
deal offers a further incentive.

The move is part of bid by the York and North Yorkshire Waste Partnership which is staging three one-day sales of composters in Scarborough, Skipton and Thirsk. At £8, the 330 litre converter is almost half the current offer price. The recommended retail price is £34.95.

The sales will take place on:

Saturday 17 March, at Crossgates Community Centre, Leighton Close, Crossgates, Scarborough, Y012 4TP between 10am and 1pm
Monday 19 March, at Thirsk Library, Finkle Street, YO7 1DA between 2pm and 7pm
Thursday 22 March, Greatwood and Horseclose Community Centre, North Parade, Skipton, BD23 2SR between 2pm and 7pm

Waste partnership chairman county councillor Chris Metcalfe said: “By composting at home, you can easily reduce the amount of waste you throw away and save money by producing your own compost for free.

“Around a third of the contents of your bin can be composted – ranging from cardboard packaging and fruit and vegetable peelings to the contents of your vacuum cleaner – and now you can do it cheaper than ever with this fabulous offer.”

Bins can be bought on the sale day or ordered in advance. Waste partnership organisers are recommending gardeners to order in advance as demand is expected to be high and stocks are strictly limited. The deadline for ordering in advance is 4pm on Friday 9 March.

The discount offer is available only to residents of York and North Yorkshire, and is restricted to a maximum of two subsidised units per household. Proof of address is required upon collection of the bin(s). Only cash or cheques will be accepted on the day of a sale.

Further information is available at www.letstalklessrubbish.com or by contacting waste and countryside services on 01609 532512.

Fairfax House staff set out to beat record visitor successes

2012-02-20T06:00:00.002Z

Fairfax House has opened its doors with staff hoping to better last year's record number of visitors when 25,000 people passed through its doors.

Fairfax House: a leading source
for education in Georgian life.

The York attraction is reopening after five weeks of conservation cleaning and has unveiled a programme of exhibitions and events to build on its successes of 2011.

As part of the run up to the Olympics, Fairfax House is launching new audio guides in a range of languages, thanks to funding from Museum, Libraries and Archives. Working with the Languages for All department of the University of York, it has produced guides in Japanese, Chinese, Polish, Italian, German, French and Spanish to ensure a wider audience can interpret and understand the museum's collections and history.

VOLUNTEER
The museum is also encouraging more people to volunteer to help and has set up a new training programme to equip new recruits with knowledge, skills and behind-the-scenes access, as well as volunteer conservation projects, training schemes and internship opportunities. It has also launched a social history-focused education programme for primary schools, that will allow students to see first-hand life both above and below stairs in a Georgian townhouse.

The year will also see two key exhibitions. Views of York: Portrait of a City will feature a hundred paintings, watercolours and photographs throughout the house and chart the changing face of York from 1610 to the present day. The aim is to capture the essence of the city's atmospheric medieval streets, flowing rivers, formidable walls and panoramic views.

800th ANNIVERSARY YEAR
Organisers say it is a fitting celebration as part of York's 800th anniversary year. To coincide with this, the House has lined up an events calendar for spring and summer that explores this subject in greater detail, starting with a lecture, Rough-hewn Matter and the Romantics in Yorkshire, by Turner expert Professor David Hill.

Other new events have been organised as part of the visitor attraction's commitment to supporting lifelong learning and its role as a leading source for education in Georgian life. These include a workshop that explores the art of classical design, taught by leading architect Hugh Petter and a lecture and tasting with internationally-renowned food historian Peter Brears, looking at recipes produced across 200 years. This is the first in a series of lectures that will continue over the next few seasons, and will explore topics such as Tudor and Jacobean medicine, home and natural remedies, and eighteenth-century housekeeping.

Georgian tea-drinking is also explored with a tasting, lecture and demonstration event Wives & Witches: The art of taking tea in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

MAKING A RETURN
The events programme also includes music with the concert, If Music be the Food of Love... Making a return are the Fairfax House Mother's Day Concert and afternoon tea and a clocks demonstration and tour with horologist David Barker. Exploring Lord Fairfax's Cellar continues with three new tutored tasting sessions, the first of which looks at ale and beer.

Events for families are also a focus of the programme, and the attraction is offering new costumed-drama performances of Fairfax House After Dark and Easter storytelling with Terry & The Chocolate Orange.

Programme organisers say that despite the challenges museums face in an era of funding cuts and careful spending, Fairfax House remains committed to being a dynamic, fascinating and stimulating place, and to continue to draw more and more visitors to see for themselves what makes this townhouse a special place and treasure of the nation.

Fairfax House is open Tues - Sat: 10am to 4.30pm and Sunday 12.30pm to 3.30pm. Guided tours are also available at 11am and 2pm on Mondays.

For more information, visit the website at www.fairfaxhouse.co.uk

Catriona takes up role to raise national park profile

2012-02-20T06:00:00.001Z

Catriona McLees is on a mission to encourage more people to visit the North York Moors National Park

Catriona McLees: putting
North York Moors
National Park on the map

The new head of promotion and tourism was previously sustainable tourism manager at Welcome to Yorkshire.

In the newly-created post, Catriona will strengthen partnerships with organisations including tourism bodies and local authorities to maximise publicity for the national park. She will also promote its two visitor centres and support its extensive events and exhibitions programme.

HIDDEN GEM
She said: "The North York Moors is a beautiful place; the variety of landscape and cultural heritage is unlike almost anywhere else I’ve been but it is something of a hidden gem.

"I know there is a wealth of pride felt by those who live and work in and around the national park and with the 60th anniversary and an exciting new exhibition soon to be unveiled at Sutton Bank National Park Centre, there is plenty to shout about. I’m really looking forward to discovering more about the area and helping to put it firmly on the map.”

Prior to her role at Welcome to Yorkshire, Catriona managed a four-year project for the Peak District National Park Authority that worked with local businesses to develop new products and services which made use of the area’s environmental assets.

She has a masters degree in marketing and spent seven years as a marketing consultant specialising in the food supply chain, working with businesses from farm to fork.