A year in Farndale (From Gazette & Herald)

A year in Farndale

10:54am Thursday 12th October 2006 in Features By Gazette Reporter

SPECTACULAR views of Farndale are being used to help fund an ambitious £300,000 scheme to rebuild the Dales village hall at Church Houses.

Five hundred calendars have been reproduced featuring photographs taken at various times of the year in Farndale by leading photographers Angela Smith of Thornton-le-Dale and Derek Pickering of Newton-on-Rawcliffe, both members of Kirkbymoorside Camera Club.

Angela, a member of the club for 10 years, said the photographs had been selected after a slide show was given in Farndale.

Now the calendar has gone on sale at the Summit Bookshop in Kirkbymoorside, priced at £5.99.

Barry Sumley, chief funding organiser for the village hall, said so far more than £30,000 had been raised through local donations and grants, on top of funding toward toilet facilities from the North York Moors National Park Authority and a £5,000 national lottery grant.

However, a bid for funding from Defra had been turned down. Mr Sunley said: "This was a disappointment but we are still hopeful of reaching our target.

"The existing hall was beyond economic repair, " he added, "but it was well used, especially in the winter months.

"The calendar has been superbly produced and we are confident it will be a big seller."

Fred Furtell, one of the village hall stalwarts, said that £10,000 had been raised in the community which has around 120 people.

The new hall will be built on the site of the existing structure, a war time building which was relocated from Duncombe Park and given to the people of Farndale in 1953 by the Earl of Fethersham, whose grandson, Fred Collin is the architect for the new venture.

"Because Farndale is such a scattered and remote community we have to make our own social life and there is certainly a great community spirit in the dale, " said Mr Furtell.

"The new hall will also incorporate a cricket pavilion, " he said and Sir Lawrence Barratt, the house building magnate, and owner of much of Farndale has given a small additional piece of land along side the site of the hall towards the new scheme.

Residents are hopeful that work could get under way this autumn as a result of planning permission being given.