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

Date change - The next Tea, Chat & History meeting will be from 2pm to 4pm on Monday, January 9 which is a change of date to avoid clashing with the holiday day. The next formal talk will be in the village hall on Thursday, February 2 at 7.30pm when Professor Nick Miller will give a talk called A Star Carr Reprised. Admission is £2.50.

HELMSLEY

Probus - Members of the men’s Probus luncheon club held their monthly meeting at the Feathers Hotel in Helmsley on Tuesday, November 29. It was followed by a talk by Adam Price of English Heritage on the history of Helmsley Castle. The club meets on the last Tuesday of each month at the Feathers and are happy to welcome new members. Anyone interested in joining should phone David Trill on 01439 770788.

KIRKBYMOORSIDE

Bridge club - There were eight tables for the final game of the year. At North/South, Clarissa Napier and Christine Brett took top spot with 60 per cent. Robin Paige and Steve Lonsdale were runners-up with 57 per cent. Bo and Tony Simpson were clear winners at East/West with 67 per cent. Enid Watson and Tim Johnson were second with 60 per cent. Play of the week was won by Irene and Frank Hayward. The next game is scheduled for Tuesday, January 3.

Menzown - The members of Menzown enjoyed Christmas dinner at the King’s Head Hotel on Monday night. Entertainment was provided between courses and at the end of the meal by Neil and Ruth of Musical Memories, who provided the members with song books both seasonal and popular and accompanied them with guitar and keyboard for some group singing. The evening had been organised by Roy Bishop and the chairman for the night was Richard Sharpe. A vote of thanks was given to both Neil and Ruth as well as to the staff of the King’s Head.

Tuesday Group - The meeting on Tuesday, January 10 will see a change of format. The guest speaker will be Christopher Shore who will give a talk of his work in the Philippiness.

Camera Club - Kirkbymoorside and District Camera Club next meet at the Moorside Bar & Club, Shaw Drive on Thursday, January 5 when Steve Bowden will be giving a talk on astro photography. Earlier this month the club met for the annual en-print competition and supper. The John Nicoll Trophy for best picture was won by new member Matt Hillier.

Coffee morning - There will be a coffee morning at All Saints church on Saturday, January 7 from 9.30am.

Amnesty International - Members of the Kirkbymoorside group will meet at Chrissie’s home on Thursday, January 12 at 1.30pm.

KIRKDALE

Carols by candlelight - The Carols by Candlelight services at St Gregory’s Minster drew large attendances on the Saturday and Sunday of the weekend before Christmas. All the tickets for the Sunday service were booked in advance and just two were available at the door for the Saturday service. The choir sang under the direction of John Hastie. The choir also led the service of Choral Evensong at Castle Howard on Sunday, December 11, which raised £236 for the Salvation Army. On New Year’s Day (Sunday, January 1) the 11am service at St. Gregory’s Minster will be a Said Eucharist with carols. The choir will return on Sunday, January 8 for Choral Matins, also starting at 11am.

MALTON

Bridge club - Derek Fox and Richard Hilton were the winners in the latest session of Malton Bridge Club’s positional pairs competition. Mike Jackson and Philip Mason were in second place with Keith Freeman and David Crossland in third. With one session remaining, the same three pairs lead the overall standings but with Keith and David narrowly ahead of Derek and Richard while Mike and Philip lie third. The club is closed this week with competitions resuming on Wednesday, January 4.

NEWTON-UPON-RAWCLIFFE

Domino drive - The monthly domino drive will be held in the village hall on Thursday, January 12 at 7.30pm. Admission is £1.50 which will include tea or coffee and biscuits.

Winter warmer - Mulled wine and nibbles will be on offer at a winter warmer event in the village hall from 2pm to 4pm on Saturday, January 14.

Craft workshop - Christina Hampshire will be leading a ‘create a collage’ craft workshop in the village hall on Sunday, January 15 from 10am to 4pm. All materials will be supplied but anyone attending should take their own lunch. Tea and/or coffee and biscuits will be served. The cost of the day is £18. To book a place, contact Penny Wicks on by phoning 01751 474268 or email penny.wicks@googlemail.com Club meeting - The craft club’s first meeting in 2017 will be held in the village hall on Thursday, January 19 from 7pm to 9pm. Admission is £2 which includes coffee or tea and biscuits. People are invited to take along their own project.

NUNNINGTON

Christmas events - The Royal Oak pub hosted the village Christmas lunch for older residents on Tuesday, December 6. On Wednesday, December 21 a crowd gathered for the annual carol singing around the village. A total of £270 was collected for village hall funds. The hall, which now has free wi-fi is available for hire. Phone Donna on 01439 748320 for further information.

PICKERING

Christmas draw - Pickering Town Football Club held a successful Christmas draw with 22 prizes. The first prize of £200 was won by Mrs Waudby with ticket number 0622 and was sold by Toby Wells. Other prize winners included Anne Marie Whincup, Paul and Deb Shippin, Mr & Mrs Wright,Stewart Holliday, John Carr, Sandy Campbell, Russell Parker, Richard Thompson, Mia Bell, Peter Taylor, J Hunter (two prizes), Nathan Kamara, Fiona Jones, Clive Richardson, Mr N Hartas, Belinda Wells, J Hunter, Derek Firth and Gerry Gregory.

Weekly draw - The numbers in last week’s Pickering Town FC weekly draw were 17, 3 and 39. There was not a winner so this week’s cash prize will be increased from £75 to £150. To join the draw costs £1 per entry per week. To join, call at Dunning Butchers, Bridge Street, or contact any Pickering Town FC committee member. The weekly prize is £75 and if not won the prize increases by £75 per week until it is won. There is also a £50 consolation prize draw held on the first Monday in each month.

Ryedale Shopper - The programme of visits for 2017 will start on Wednesday, January 11 with a visit to Northallerton and the other trip next month will be on Thursday, January 26 to Monks Cross, York. The programme of trips for the following month are on Thursday, February 9 to Beverley, price £6, and Thursday, February 23 to Driffield, price £5. For further details, or to reserve a place on the mini-bus, phone 01653 699059 or 01653 698888. The pick-up points and times are as follows - Thornton-le-Dale Roxby Road junction with the A170 9.15am, Eastgate/Hawthorne Lane 9.25am, Eastgate car park 9.30am, Ingsgarth 9.33am, Westgate/Manor Drive 9.35am, Middleton Road/Northway 9.40am.

Postage stamps - Used postage stamps are being collected at the Royal Mail Office, Thornton Road Industrial Estate for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. Stamps may be left at the office, Monday to Saturday between 8am and 1pm.

SHERBURN

Community Club - A total of 34 people entered the Christmas-themed quiz at the Community and Sports Club. The winners were The Weaverthorpe Wizards.

SINNINGTON

Carol singing - Members of the People’s Guild enjoyed an evening of carol singing on Tuesday, December 20. It was led by Jill Simpson and Stephen Ward the letters of Christmas were used to tell the Christmas story. Appropriate carols were sung after each letter was explained. A duet, No Room, was sung by Gilbert Dobson and John Lumley accompanied by Olive Leng, who also played for the many carols. Tea and mince pies were served. The next meeting, a members’ night, is on Tuesday, January 3 at 7.15pm. The following week, on Tuesday, January 10, also at 7.15pm the Newton Singers will give a sacred concert to be followed by supper.

SNAINTON

Carollers - The Snainton Carollers have been able to donate £268 to the Scarborough and Ryedale Mountain Rescue team, which is run entirely by voluntary subscription, as a result of singing around the village on a couple of evenings recently.

THORNTON-LE-DALE

Bridge club - A duplicate competition held on Monday, December 19. North/South winners were Tim Johnson and Enid Watson with 63.7 per cent. In second place were Margaret Lowe and Isa Eggleston with 56.9 per cent. East/West winners were George and Pat Donnor with 65 per cent. Second were Ralph and Hilary Hurst with 64.4 per cent.

Beck group - Councillor M Sanderson told members of the parish council that the Beck Group had removed tree stumps from the area and expected work to start on the beck wall shortly. The group are also trying to obtain a grant to replace the damaged kerb stones in Maltongate alongside the beck. The parish council clerk was asked to contact the local parks department about the upkeep of the area around the slipway leading into the Beck.

Parish council - The next meeting of the parish council will be held on Tuesday, January 3 at 7.30pm in the Hill Memorial Institute.

WOMBLETON

Domino drive - There will be a domino drive in the village hall on Wednesday, January 4, at 7.30pm. It is £1.50 to play and includes tea and biscuits.

WI REPORT

Thornton-le-Dale - Branch president Margaret Smith welcomed members and guests to the December meeting. A birthday card was presented to Barbara Claxton. Kevin Hutchinson from the Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) had been invited to the meeting to receive a cheque for £400 for the charity. This money had been raised though the generosity of the members of Thornton-le-Dale WI when they stitched and provided items for a craft and tombola stall at the Scarecrow Festival, and from the branch and other local WIs, who had attended the branch’s harvest auction. Members had also collected five pence coins which were donated to the YAA. After the business part of the meeting, members were entertained by Thornton-le-Dale Ukulele group with Christmas songs and music. They were supported by the tambourine and maraca playing, and singing, of WI members and guests. Mulled wine and seasonal nibbles were served for supper by the committee members. Father Christmas was on hand to deliver the secret Santa gifts. Members had also donated generously to the Malton Food Bank. The first meeting of 2017 will be held on Tuesday, January 10 at 7pm, when the speaker will be a representative from the food bank. All are welcome, if anyone has ever considered joining the branch they are invited to go along.