HERE'S is all your latest Vale and Dale news. Find out what is happening in your neighbourhood, check out when your parish council meets or simply plan ahead with details of events taking place round the corner.

APPLETON-LE-MOORS

History Group - A talk by Edward Harrison called Exploring the Harrison Collection by Edward Harrison was attended by about 30 people. Tea and cakes were provided by Shirley Brooke and Helen Sheard. Helen also introduced a new organisation, Friends of The Harrison Collection, which has been established to promote and enhance the facility located at the Ryedale Folk Museum.

Folk music - A live folk music event was held in the village hall on Friday, November 24, which raised £115 for village hall funds. The performers, Kate Howden and Paul Jones, hope to make a return visit next year.

Methodist Chapel Carol Service Carol service - The Rev Ruth Duck will hold a joint carol service in the Methodist Chapel on Sunday at 9am. It will be the only carol service in the village this year.

ALLERSTON

Advent windows - Churches Together in Allerston are staging a display of 24 advent windows. Building on the success of the first display last year, windows are being lit each evening during advent. The first window was lit in the village hall last Friday and an additional window will be lit each evening until Christmas Eve. Last year’s display included angels, nativity, Santa Clause and sleigh. This year’s windows in Main Street are equally varied and ambitious.

BROMPTON-BY-SAWDON

Christmas Fest - More than 100 people were in All Saints Church last Friday evening for the preview to see the Christmas trees, listen to the entertainment and enjoy the refreshments. Themes for the trees vary widely and many of the decorations have been handmade. Children from Brompton and Sawdon Community Primary School, together with brothers and sisters, started the proceedings by processing through the church holding lights while singing Away in a Manger. Verse and music then followed from Mary Jones, Francesca SantaMaria-Lee, Lynn Heaton, Julia Spencer, Bob Muir, Pamela Shaw-Johnston, Michael O’Brien and Shannon Lee. The church organist accompanied and after the concert played carols by request for all who wished to sing. The evening raised £345 for church funds.

Christmas fair – Father Christmas was at the All Saints Christmas fair in the village hall on Saturday. Those involved included Don and Mary Jones, Vivian and Maria Bairstow, Malcolm and Sue Hewitt, Jenny Wade, Jenny Worsley, Gwen Stockill, June Weighell, Dorothy Stockill, Kath Carey, Liz Eccles, Linda Nichols, Di Ford and Lynn Dees. The fair raised £375. More than £70 has come from the church collecting boxes, making the total so far £790 with more to come from Christmas tree sponsorship.

Carol service - The church service on Sunday will be an all-age carol service at 4.30pm. There will be refreshments at the back of church to after the service. The church will remain open in daylight hours for Christmas tree viewing.

Village hall - The final Bob Muir quiz of the year will be held in the village hall on Friday at 7pm with supper provided. Teams will be made up informally on the evening. The Village Ventures Christmas community lunch is on Wednesday, December 13, a week earlier than usual. Pupils from the village school will sing Christmas songs after lunch.

HELMSLEY

Probus - The Helmsley and District men’s luncheon club held its last meeting of the year at the Feathers Hotel in Helmsley on Tuesday, November 28. The 23 members attending enjoyed a three-course Christmas lunch before a talk by Mike Child on the North York Moors Railway. The club meets on the last Tuesday of the month at the Feathers but, because of the Christmas break, the next lunch will be on Tuesday, January 30. Anyone interested in joining the club, or coming as a guest, should phone the secretary on 01439 771866 for details.

HOVINGHAM

Village market - The village market on Saturday had a Christmas atmosphere with festive bunting and Christmas music from the Swinton and District Excelsior Brass Band. The band was larger than last year and included many youngsters enthusiastically getting into the festive spirit. All new stallholders did well and Ryedale Dog Rescue’s community stall were pleased with the takings from its tombola. The cafe had a constant queue and towards the end sold out of soup, tea cakes, cheese rolls, bacon and sausage baps. The next Christmas market is on Saturday, December 16 when Santa Claus will be present and there will be a children’s Nativity treasure hunt.

Advent music - More than 100 people attended Music for Advent and Christmas at Church of All Saints. It was performed Ampleforth and Ryedale Concert Choir, conducted by Vincent Conyngham. The organist was Ian Little. The evening was a mixture of readings and carols sung by the choir and the congregation. Mulled wine and homemade mince pies served at the interval. All proceeds went to the church roof fund.

KIRKBYMOORSIDE

Bridge club - The latest game was the fourth round of the November handicap competition. North/South winners were John Mortenson and Bob Price with 55 per cent. Sue Pearson and Steve Lonsdale were second with 54 per cent. East/West was won by Clarissa Napier and Chris Brett with 54 per cent. Tony Robinson and Paul Whitaker were runners-up on 51 per cent. With one game remaining there are six pairs with a realistic chance of winning the competition. Play of the week went to Bob Wardell and Barry Smith.

Domino drives - The bowling club’s monthly domino drive in the club house on Saturday, December 16 at 7.30pm will include the Christmas draw. The next domino drive at Sturdy Court is on Monday, December 18 at 7.30pm. It is £1.50 to play and includes tea and biscuits.

Club acts - Wesley will provide live entertainment at the Moorside Bar & Club on Saturday. The performer on Saturday, December 16 will be Brian Gibson. Both performances will start at 8.30pm.

Oasis - Drop-in Oasis coffee sessions are held in the Methodist Church each Tuesday from 10am to noon.

Tuesday Group - The meeting on Tuesday, December 12 will be an evening of Christmas carols and readings. The leader will be Daisy and members will act as the hostesses.

Julian meeting - Kirkbymoorside Julian meetings are held at the Catholic church on the second Tuesday of the month, the next one being on Tuesday December 12 at 6.30pm to 7.30pm. There will be no meeting in January.

Menzown - The next meeting is the members’ Christmas dinner on Monday, December 18. There will be a meeting on Monday, January 8.

KIRKDALE

Minster services - The candlelit services of Nine Lessons and Carols, led by the choir, at St Gregory’s Minster, will be held on Saturday and Sunday, December 16 and 17 at 4pm each day. To avoid overcrowding, entry will be by free ticket which will be available from. Tickets will be available from Julia Maynard, The Old Forge, Pockley, York, YO62 7TE. Enclose a stamped self-addressed envelope with requests for tickets and give a contact telephone number in case of bad weather forces a change of venue to St Hilda’s, Beadlam. There will be a Choral Eucharist service at the minster at11.30pm on Christmas Eve. There will be no service at St Gregory’s on Christmas Day (Sunday, December 25) or New Year’s Day (Sunday, January 10. On both these Sundays there will be a service of Holy Communion at 9.30am at St Hilda’s.

MALTON

Bridge - Derek Fox and Richard Hilton were the winners of the latest session of Malton Bridge Club’s positional pairs competition. Runners-up were Ed Robinson and Dave Massey with John Bramall and Keith Freeman in third place. The overall standings are led by Madge Allison and Tricia Pearce ahead of Mike Jackson and Philip Mason with Rob Ashdown and Annette Jackson lying third. In the championship pairs, Anne Avery and Madeleine Webber won the session with 59.4 per cent, followed by Madge Allison and Rob Ashdown with 58.3 per cent, and John and Beryl Bramall with 55.2 per cent. Overall, Philip Mason and Annette Jackson have a fractional lead over Derek Fox and Richard Hilton with Mike Jackson and Graham Burgess third.

MARTON AND NORMANBY

Gardening Club - The November meeting was opened by chairman Bill Tweddle who read out notices and the introduced Steve Wright, who gave an illustrated talk called Clothe Those Walls. A raffle was held and refreshments served. The next meeting will be the Christmas party on Tuesday, December 12 at 7.30pm.

NAWTON

Prize bingo - A Christmas prize bingo in aid of the village hall will be held on Saturday, December in the hall at 7.30pm. There will be no bingo in January.

NEWTON-UPON-RAWCLIFFE

Hall’s Christmas events - There will be a family Christmas prize bingo held in aid of Newton and Stape Kids Fun Club in the village hall on Saturday at 7pm. Drinks and refreshments will also be available. On Thursday, December 14 there will be a Christmas domino drive in aid of Yorkshire Cancer Care at 7.30pm. Admission is £1.50 which includes tea or coffee and biscuits. The children’s Christmas party, organised by Newton and Stape Kids Fun Club, is in the hall on Friday, December 22 from 7pm to 8.30pm.

Jumble sale - Newton and Stape Kids Fun Club are having a jumble sale in the village hall on Saturday, January 20 from 11am to 2pm. Refreshments will be served. Admission is £1 which includes a drink. Any offers of jumble can be made by phoning Cathryn on 01751 476592.

PICKERING

Band’s concert - Stape Silver Band are busy rehearsing for its Christmas concert to be held at 2pm on Sunday, December 17 at St Peter & St Paul’s Church. It is the 51st concert the band will perform in aid of Yorkshire Cancer Research. It will play many Christmas items interspersed with your carols to sing along to. The training band will also feature items from its repertoire. The guest vocalist is Rachel Anderson. This month the band will be playing Christmas carols around the streets of Pickering, culminating on Saturday, December 23 in the market place from 9.30am to 12.30pm.

Christmas lunch - If anyone knows of any person, or themselves, who will be on their own on Christmas Day, there will be a Christmas Day lunch at the RVS Centre, Hungate. Anyone wishing to go, or if you know any person who would like to go, is asked to phone Daphne Bowes on 01751 475143. The same applies to any volunteer who would like to offer their help in any way. The deadline for names is Thursday, December 21.

Carol services - The annual town carol service, led by the schools, will take place on Wednesday, December 13 in the Parish Church at 6.30pm. The Parish Church carol service will be held on Sunday at 6pm. The church’s Christmas fair will also be held on Saturday from 2pm and 4pm when there will be a visit from Santa Claus.

Santa’s visit - Father Christmas will be visiting the town on Sunday. He will be in the south west area at about 4pm and the east will also at about 6.30pm.

Pantomime - Pickering Musical Society’s pantomime Goldilocks and the Three Bears will run at the Kirk Theatre from Friday, January 12 to Saturday, January 20, with the exception of Monday, January 15. The show will start at 7.15pm with matinee performances at 2.15pm on Saturday, December 13 and 20. Phone 01751 474833 or log on to www.kirktheatre.co.uk for tickets. Ryedale School’s music concert will be held at the theatre on Friday, December 15 at 7pm. Tickets cost £6 with students in full-time education £4.

New Year’s Eve - The Recreation Club’s New Year’s Eve evening which will include a supper and dancing to four-piece band playing soul, folk, dance, and modern music. Tickets cost £25 and are on sale at the club, phone 01751 473317, Dunnings Butchers Shop, Bridge Street, phone 01751 472627, or 0797 4205749.

No winner - Last week’s Pickering Town Football Club Super Draw was not won with the drawn numbers 1, 27 and 4. This week’s draw will be increased to £975.

Quiz night - The Bay Horse, Market Place, will host a general knowledge quiz in aid of the purchase of a defibrillator, to be sited in the Market Place, on Sunday at 7.30pm.

Ryedale Shopper – Future outings include Wednesday, January 10 to Northallerton (£8) and Thursday, January 25 to Monks Cross, York. In February there will be trips to Driffield and Wednesday. For further information phone 01653 699059 or 01653 698888. Pick-up points and times are as follows, Roxby Road, Thornton-le-Dale 9.15am, Eastgate/Hawthorne Lane 9.25am, Eastgate Car Park 9.30am, Ingsgarth 9.33am, Westgate/Manor Drive 9.35am and Middleton Road/Northway 9.45.

Domino drive - Pickering Football Club will hold its Christmas domino drive on Friday, December 15 at the Recreation Club, Mill Lane at 7.30pm.

RIEVAULX

Carol singers from the Methodist Church will begin their rounds next week on Tuesday, December 12 when they meet at Ashberry Farm to sing at Old Byland village and the outlying farms in the area. On Friday, December 15 they will meet at the Methodist Church to sing round Rievaulx village and the outlying properties below the village as far as Ashberry. The singers will meet at Sutton Bank Top visitor centre car park on Monday, December 18 to tour Cold Kirby and the outlying farms. On Wednesday, December 20 they meet will opposite the church in Scawton to sing around the village and outlying farms to Sutton Bank Top. The singers’ final evening is on Friday, December 22 when they meet at Bank Top Cottages, Rievaulx, to sing at the outlying farms from Stilton House to Newgate Bank Top, including Cringle Carr and Broadway Foot. This year’s proceeds will be divided equally between the Great North Air Ambulance and St Catherine’s Hospice, Scarborough. More carol singers are needed to join in the tours. They meet at 6.30pm each evening. For further information contact any of the Methodist Church members.

RILLINGTON

Quiz time - Six teams playing for £42 in prize money took part in Jennie’s quiz in the Fleece Inn. The winners were Team @ the Bar, second were Honeymooners and third Mike and Col. The £11 jackpot was won by Gary’s Team. Jennie’s next quiz in the Fleece will be on Friday, December 15. Her Sunday night quiz was won by Gary’s Team with a roll over for the jackpot.

SEAMER

Methodists - The service on Sunday was taken by Michael Kitchen. The vestry steward was Bert Blower, the organist was Doreen Lawson and the welcomer was Margaret Neave, who also took the collection. Bible readings were given by members of the congregation. The service next week at 10.30am will be led by the Rev Jane Carter. The monthly coffee morning is on Saturday at 10.30am and the James Aconley concert which was to be held on Saturday has been postponed until next year.

St Martin’s - The Rev Richard Firth presided and reader Judith Dean preached at the 9.30am service of BCP Holy Communion on Sunday Judith’s sermon was based on the gospel reading and picked up on the main themes of Advent, where Jesus encourages his disciples to be ready for his impending return in glory at the end of time. Enid Plevey and Carol Beswick were sidespersons, Edna Burton accompanied the hymns on the piano, and Elizabeth and Trish served refreshments. Judith Dean led the 11.am service of modern worship and preached on always being prepared for Jesus’ return. Elizabeth Moreland read and the sung worship was led by Steve Raettig with Richard Fuller, John and Sue Grice and John Taylor. Jenny and Duncan Bland ran the Sunday Club, Elizabeth Bradley was the welcomer and Helen Swallow and Gwyneth Riley served refreshments after the service.

SHERBURN

Christmas lights - The switch-on of the Christmas tree lights and coffee evening was held in the village hall on Saturday. Ian Stabler, vice-chairman of the village hall committee, welcomed everyone and introduced Taylor Lickes, who performed the switching-on ceremony. He also led a minute’s silence in memory of Ryan Walker, who tragically lost his life in the past week. Helpers at the coffee evening, where tea, coffee and mince pies were served, were Mr Stabler, Keith Usher, Tina Dobson, Carol Stephenson, Christine Ashton, Boo Wharton and Barbara Grice. The Christmas hamper was won by Angela Holdsworth. The competition for the teddy was won by Taylor Lickes. A total of £241.90 was raised for village hall funds.

St Hilda’s - Morning worship, led by Barbara Grice, will be held at St Hilda’s Church on Sunday at 10.30am.

Praise party - Members of Messy Church will meet for their Christmas Praise party on Saturday at 4.45pm.

Christmas lunches - The Senior Citizen Luncheon Club will meet for its Christmas lunch on Wednesday, December 20 at 12.30pm for lunch at 1pm. Anyone needed transport within the village, or have any questions. phone Christine on 01944 711294. The event is financed by Sherburn Parish Council. There will be a community Christmas Day lunch for everyone in the chapel hall at 2pm. Phone Ruth Heron on 01723 850514 for further details.

Methodist news - Members of the Bible Fellowship, led by Jean Brown, met in the hall. The Tuesday coffee morning hostess was Kim Canterbury. The coffee mornings are held between 10am and 11.30am. There is no charge for the coffee but any donations will be given to charity. Worship for the first Sunday in Advent, The Journey to Bethlehem was led by Diane Robinson who talked about sharing the love of Jesus. The organist was Chris Cade and readers were Liz Aconley, Sandra Cade and Mary Dickinson. After worship coffee was enjoyed in the hall. The Holy Communion service for the second Sunday in Advent at 10.30am will be led by the Minister, the Rev Dr Kevin Ridd.

Letters draw - There was no winner of Sherburn FC’s letters draw on Saturday. The letters were E, V and Y. The prize money stands at £480.

SINNINGTON

Advent talk - Sinnington People’s Guild met on Tuesday, November 28 when the Rev Jane Pickering gave a talk called Leading into Advent. She spoke about the Advent wreath which was a circle which reminded us of God’s never-ending love. The wreath was covered in greenery which represents life. She read various bible readings and lit four candles representing hope, love, joy, and peace. Frank Pickering sang O come, O come, Emmanuel and the congregation sang various hymns. Rev Pickering also showed an Advent blessing jar - to write down blessings received every day throughout Advent and then to read out on Christmas Day - and also paper chains with various prayers and thoughts written on the chains. Stephen Ward, who chaired the meeting thanked Rev Pickering and Mr Pickering, and Gilbert Dobson for playing his accordian. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, December 12 when there will have an evening of carols in the schoolroom at the chapel at 7.15pm.

STAMFORD BRIDGE

Christmas concert - Stamford Bridge Singers will perform a light-hearted Christmas concert called Merrily on High in the village hall on Saturday, December 16, at 7.30pm. Conductor Stuart Nettleship, has put together a programme of songs, Christmas melodies and seasonal readings. Tickets, to include wine and mince pies, cost £12 for adults, £10 concessions and £5 for children. Tickets are available from Liz at Take a Leaf florist in Stamford Bridge or phone 01759 373887 or email info@stamfordbridgesingers.co.uk The evening will include a raffle. Proceeds will go to St Catherine’s Hospice.

THORNTON-LE-DALE

Bridge Club - The meeting on Monday, November 27 was won with 63.7 per cent by Audrey Shaw and Angela Smith. Second with 60.7 per cent were Isa Eggleston and Margaret Lowe.

WESTOW

Clothes collection - A total of £80 was raised with the cricket club collection of old and unwanted clothes, shoes, bags, belts and soft toys on Saturday, November 18. The money raised will be used to cover the running costs of the club.

Christmas fair - The cricket club Christmas fair on Sunday, November 2 raised more than £300 from various stalls, a tombola, cake and home baking stall, and the sale of refreshments.

WOMBLETON

Carol service - A carol service will be held in the village hall on Sunday, December 17 from 10am to 11.30am. Mince pies will be served.