Is it nearly Christmas time? Winter's here and our reward, To see a bird on every bow Come for feed, oh and how. We know a little babe was born A star for all to follow When times are hard We must trust in him. So it's nearly Christmas time Carols galore
BILL Spence is a sort of modern day George Eliot in reverse. It was in the early 1990s that Bill ditched his own name from the jackets of his novels in favour of that of a rather austere-sounding woman, whose name suggests she could be related to the
ALLOTMENT holders at Kirkbymoorside have been told they cannot buy the gardens in Gillamoor Road from North Yorkshire County Council. The town council heard that Mouchel, the county authority's land agent, has ruled out any hope of Kirkbymoorside Allotments
PEOPLE throw out the most amazing things in their rubbish. House and car keys and jewellery are some of the more common items found in the skips of household waste at recycling centres operated by Yorwaste throughout North Yorkshire. Household waste recyling
CHANGES could be made in the way Malton Museum is funded after Ryedale councillors heard the current running costs amounted to nearly £12 for each admission. The district council's overview and scrutiny committee had called for a report on the museum's
THE National Farmers' Union has welcomed changes announced last week in animal movement regulations. The resumption of livestock markets with new biosecurity rules, general rather than individual licensing arrangements for cattle and slaughter sheep will
THE devastation and despair caused by foot and mouth will dominate our memories of 2001. The emotional heartache and the financial losses of individual businesses will take even longer to fade. But we begin the New Year - as ever - with fresh determination
High Barn Traditional Foods THE Harrison girls, Anne and Ruth, have been regular stallholders at the farmers' markets in our part of Yorkshire ever since the idea was born. Today, Anne Corner, who is John Harrison's daughter, has taken over the meat business
STAFF at a Norton factory swapped the production line for the classroom to pass a whole host of exams. The employees at Malton Bacon Factory studied for NVQs in a variety of subjects as part of the firm's ongoing approach to continuing education. Personnel
BUSINESSES in Malton are cautiously welcoming the news that cattle markets may be able to resume from February. Markets were shut down at the beginning of the year to curb the spread of the foot and mouth epidemic. But now they have been given the all-clear
FARMING REVIEW 2001 By Rob Simpson, NFU PR Officer The year 2001 in Britain will not be remembered for Labour's second landslide General Election victory, or even for the England football team's historic 5-1 win over Germany and their subsequent last-gasp
RESIDENTS in Ryedale say a better public transport system is the number one priority for the vast rural area, with more facilities for young people a close second. Members of the district council's overview and scrutiny committee were told that the issues
RESIDENTS fighting plans for a giant mast near their homes have complained about a consultation into the health risks. Farndale householders fear the TETRA mast, which will improve communications for North Yorkshire's emergency services, will damage their
THE owners of the Royal Hotel in Scarborough, one of the best known in the north of England, have crowned a multi-million refurbishment scheme by investing £25,000 in a spectacular floodlighting project. John Turner, whose family company, English Rose
WHILE many of us are aware of the true reason for celebrating Christmas, the origins of the name of Boxing Day remain something of a puzzle. Perhaps the most likely explanation is that it was upon that day the churches opened their collection boxes, hoping
WEST Heslerton C E Primary School "successfully provides a happy and caring learning environment and values all its pupils". This was OFSTED's view after inspecting the school last July. As well as this, the report lists good test results, the pupil's
Chairman of Ryedale District Council Coun Robert Wainwright We all hope that the foot and mouth crisis is now over and that our communities can enjoy the freedom and way of life we had been accustomed to accept. The district's leading economies of farming
THE news that our eldest daughter, Bryony, is expecting her first child next year, could not come at a more appropriate time than Christmas. She could, of course, arrange to hang on and actually deliver next Christmas Day, as that would be even more appropriate
A BIG step to helping scores of struggling moorland businesses, devastated as a result of this year's foot and mouth disease outbreak, is being masterminded by the North York Moors National Park Authority. A project officer is being appointed by the authority
THERE will be no more money from the Government for rural businesses suffering the effects of foot and mouth, says Yorkshire Forward. Yet Government money will help just 300 businesses out of the estimated 60,000 in Yorkshire and Humberside (3,000 at
YOU will all, no doubt, be regular purchasers of batteries for your torches, radios, and portable this and that, unless you're using rechargeables, which I find a bit of a bind. I use the description 'battery' so that I don't confuse, but really that's
CHRISTMAS is a time for present-giving and thinking of others. There is a group of people in Ryedale who show special concern for a certain section of the community, not just at Christmas, but throughout the year. A small band of readers record suitable
TONY Bloomfield, 34, of Filey, scooped the highest accolade available at the annual awards ceremony of Bishop Burton College, held at Beverley Minster. He won the Dennis Hurst Medal, which is awarded to only one student each year, and was also awarded
ONE of the most distressing features of our agricultural industry at the minute is that it is led by ministers who have no knowledge, no affinity and no love for the countryside. It's a little sad when the best we can do today in the way of three wise
PEOPLE walking past Maurice Dale's home at Pickering have been doing a double-take - admiring his gigantic Christmas-flowering cacti. With a circumference of 7ft 6in and 2ft 8in in diameter the specimen is seen as a unique example - but Maurice has no
THE owner of an historic home in the pretty fishing village of Robin Hood's Bay on the North Yorkshire coast who had painted it yellow has won her planning appeal to keep the colour scheme. Jean Mellalieu had been told by North York Moors National Park
BACK in December 1998, Aussie Chris Creber came over to England on a working holiday. Having graduated from Sydney University, he was simply looking to pick up a temporary teaching job and see a bit of Old Blighty before returning down under. But three
VETERAN league midfielder Mark Patterson has been appointed Scarborough's new player-coach in a bid to save the basement conference outfit from relegation. Patterson, 36, played for 17 years with five clubs, including Blackburn Rovers and Bolton Wanderers
FOLLOWING the news that York City has been put up for sale, Flamingo Land boss Gordon Gibb said he would be willing to take over - but not at any price. The 26-year-old owner of the theme park and zoo, near Malton, said that the offer he made to the club
CHRISTMAS is traditionally the time of year for celebration - and reflection on the virtual passing of yet another year. On the Ryedale racing front, 2001 was not short of highs, or lows... THE JOCKEY OF THE YEAR was undoubtedly Kieren Fallon. The former
WANT to make a splash in the new year? Pickering Sub Aqua club has vacancies starting in January for new members wishing to learn Scuba diving. The club currently has about 40 members and throughout the diving season (subject to weather) organises dive
MALTON and Norton have added a New Zealander to their ranks following the acquisition of back row James McKay. The 23-year-old student is in England to spend some time travelling and has been convinced to join the Yorkshire Three outfit while he is in
