I AM a Kirkbymoorside expat living in Canada.

I read the Gazette & Herald online each week to keep up with the local news from back home.

I was pleased to see the three Slingsby Aviation photographs recently. They brought back fond memories of my time at Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd, as Slingsby Aviation was known in my days.

I was fortunate to have secured an apprenticeship with Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd in 1951. It was a great place to work. It had a gliding club for its employees and heavily subsidised operating costs. I learned to fly and got my glider pilot’s licence with the club all at the princely cost of six pence per circuit.

Eventually I left Slingsbys and joined the engineering staff of the then Blackburn and General Aircraft Company Limited of Beverly and Buccaneer fame.

In 1967 I took a position on the engineering staff of Canadair Limited in Montreal and later joined the engineering staff of Bell Aerospace Canada Limited.

I am retired now and keep busy as an armature aircraft builder where the skills I learned working at Slingsbys are put to good use. Especially when making wing ribs.

Thank you for rekindling some wonderful memories of my days working at Slingsby Sailplanes Ltd through your pictures of activities in the Slingsby workshops.

Ronald Helm, Canada

Top tour effort

I WOULD like to thank Pickering Business Group, Welcome to Pickering, for leading the splendid efforts in dressing the route for the Tour de Yorkshire.

The town looked fantastic and the stylised bikes on the roundabout in particular attracted rave reviews.

It was fantastic to see the church spire decorated with banners and bunting and bells ringing as the peloton went by.

Many volunteer groups were responsible for the knitted bunting and schools played their part with banners and artwork.

There was a great atmosphere on Whistlers Yard as spectators enjoyed local beer and food supported by a range of musicians and bands.

Thanks should also go to residents and visitors who packed the route to show support for this fabulous event organised by the brilliant Welcome to Yorkshire.

We look forward to next year’s event and wouldn’t it be brilliant to have a route that covers all five of our wonderful Market Towns on either the Saturday or Sunday?

Even better would be a time trial based on Castle Howard as the fourth day of an extended event-or even the 2019 World Championships.

William Oxley, Pickering

Every cross counts

ALTHOUGH the count for the recent county council elections took place on the Friday after polling, the verification of votes unusually took place shortly after the close of the polling stations on Thursday evening.

My Fitbit reliably informs me that over the last month, I have regularly walked in excess of 30,000 steps a day delivering leaflets and talking to residents. So, tempting as it was to go to bed after an exhausting election period, I would not have missed this important part of the democratic process for the world.

I am ever mindful that each cross, wherever it is placed, represents a single resident with an individual life history and hopes and fears for the future. The nervous first time voter, the elderly lady that made her way to the polling station aided by her tripod, the 91-year-old gentleman that still cared enough about the future of North Yorkshire, the busy workers all juggling their schedules and their children.

They all made that effort and as a candidate, it is not only one of the most humbling situations to experience but also makes you acutely aware of the enormity of the responsibility you have undertaken.

I would like to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to all who turned out to vote and to assure you that I will continue to work hard to ensure that every single cross really does count.

Janet Sanderson, Thornton Dale and The Wolds Division

Most humbled

I WAS immensely humbled by the support and trust I have received from the electorate in the Hovingham and Sheriff Hutton Division, which returned me as your county council representative.

I have the most enormous set of shoes to fill with the retirement of County Councillor Clare Wood, who so assiduously executed her duties for the last 16 years. I promise to represent your views to the best of my ability and always remember I am accountable to you. It will be my goal to secure the best outcomes for us all regardless of politics.

I would also like to thank the most fantastic team of helpers and supporters, family and in particular you, the most important people, the electorate.

Caroline Goodrick, Hovingham and Sheriff Hutton Division

Thanks for votes

I WOULD like to thank all the people who voted for me in the recent county council elections.

Commiserations to John Clark who lost so narrowly. John has served the people of Pickering well over many years and I will be sorry to see him go.

Congratulations to Greg White, the Conservative candidate, on winning the seat. I was pleased to see him come out against fracking during his campaign and trust he will remember his pledge once he takes his seat at County Hall.

Alan Avery, Thirsk and Malton Labour Party