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.

ACKLAM

Christmas services - There will be carol singing and a visit from Father Christmas between 6pm and 7pm in the village hall on Christmas Eve. Traditional Holy Communion will be celebrated on Christmas Day at St John the Baptist Church at 9am.

BROMPTON-BY-SAWDON

Christmas lunch - The Village Ventures Christmas lunch, provided by all the catering teams, was held on Wednesday, December 13. The roast turkey was donated, cooked, carved and delivered by Brian Glaves. After the raffle was drawn, a choir from Brompton Primary School sang carols, accompanied by their teacher Miss Watts, and head teacher, John Logue. The first Village Ventures lunch of 2018 is on Wednesday, January 16.

Church - Most of the decorated Christmas trees are still in place at Brompton Church. The final chance to view them will be on Christmas Day. There is no church service at All Saints on Sunday (Christmas Eve) but there will be a Christingle service at Hutton Buscel at 3pm which is especially suitable for children. There will be a Christmas Day service at Brompton at 9.30am with refreshments at the back of church afterwards.

BULMER

Bridge club - The Douglas Tilley Trophy was won by Diane Cooper at the meeting in Welburn Village Hall on Thursday, December 14. The 15-week tournament was won by Jane Bartlett, Brian Crowder was second and Judith Porter third.

HELMSLEY

RNLI raffle - The Helmsley branch of the RNLI’s Christmas raffle raised £708.00p. Winning ticket numbers were - first prize 00304, second prize 00934, third prize 00359, fourth prize 00153, fifth prize 00984, sixth prize 00182, seventh prize 00922 and eighth prize 01301.

HOVINGHAM

Market - The final Christmas market of the year, which had a record number of stalls, was held on Saturday. For the first time there were five new stalls on the south side, who all did well, and the Christmas art display and Nativity art trail for children. Ellie the donkey was a big hit, helping to sell mistletoe in aid of Parkinson’s UK. All the stallholders were given a voucher from the market committee for a hot drink and a bacon or sausage buttie. The cafe was run by Hovingham Church made a record profit, which will go towards the roof fund. The Yorkshire Wildlife stand caused great interest and the Swinton District and Excelsior Brass Band played during the day. The next market on Saturday, February 3 will be the 100th Hovingham village market.

KIRKBYMOORSIDE

Bridge club - Mary Mortenson and Chris Baxter won the latest game at North/South with 62 per cent. Cynthia Metcalfe and Peter Small were second on 55 per cent. East/West winners were Bo and Tony Simpson with 66 per cent. Gill and Trevor Hardcastle were runners-up on 54 per cent. Play of the week went to Barry Smith and Bob Wardell.

All Saints Church - Sunday (Christmas Eve) Crib service at 5pm; Midnight Communion at 11.30pm; Monday (Christmas Day) Holy Communion at 8am and Family Christmas Communion at 10.30am. Advent Oasis will be held at All Saints today (Wednesday) at 7pm.

Tuesday Group - Janet Brown will give a talk called Jewels of Sri Lanka to the Tuesday Group in the Methodist Church on Tuesday, January 9. Jean will be the leader. Ann and Daisy will be the tea hostesses.

Postage stamps - With Christmas almost here, people are being encouraged to save postage stamps for charity. Maureen Rolph will be happy to collect them from the town, Nawton and Beadlam and send them to four different charities. Phone her on 01751 432011 or email maureenrolphnews@talktalk.net

Menzown - There will be a meeting of Menzown on Monday, January 8.

Club acts - Country Cousins will provide live entertainment at the Moorside Bar & club on Friday at 8.30am. It will include a faith supper. On New Year’s Eve, Billy Leonard will be the performer, also starting at 8.30pm. There will be no bingo session on Friday, December 29.

Correspondent - Any items of news from Kirkbymoorside and surrounding villagers can be forwarded to Maureen Rolph, phone 01751 432011 or email maureenrolphnews@talktalk.net

KIRKDALE

Quiz - The Kirkdale Christmas quiz in aid of St Gregory’s Minster and St Hilda’s, Beadlam, is available from local shops and other businesses. The theme is television and radio programmes. Quiz sheets are £1 each and the first three correct entries opened after the closing date of Saturday, January 20 will win prizes of £15, £10 and £5. Quizzers should note there is a correction to clue number 46. The number of letters should be 5,2,3,10.

Christmas service - There will be a midnight Sung Eucharist at St Gregory’s minster on Christmas Eve (Sunday) at 11.30pm. There will be no services at St Gregory’s on Christmas Day or on Sunday, December 31, but on both days there is a Eucharist at St Hilda’s, Beadlam, at 9.30am.

NEWTON-UPON-RAWCLIFFE

Christmas party - The children’s Christmas party, organised by Newton and Stape Kids Fun Club, is in the village hall on Friday from 7pm to 8.30pm.

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

PICKERING

Crafty crib and carols - Pickering Methodist Church is hosting a crafty crib and carols session, with cake, on Saturday from 4pm to 5.15pm. There will be craft activities for all the family with light refreshments and carol singing as baby Jesus is put in the Christmas crib.

Christmas services -The Parish Church crib and Christingle service will be held on Christmas Eve (Sunday) at 3pm, with Midnight Mass by candlelight at 11.30pm. On Christmas Day at 8am there will be a service of Holy Communion, followed at 10am with a Family Eucharist service. The Methodist Church will have a service at 10.30am on Christmas Eve (Sunday) with the worship led by Karen Pattison. At 11.15pm there will be Midnight Communion led by the Rev Ruth Duck. On Christmas Day at 10.30am an all age celebration will be held at 10.30am. There will be a Quaker meeting for worship at the Friends’ Meeting House, 19 Castlegate, on Christmas Day from 10.30am to 11am.

Fish supper - Ryedale Aquarist Society met in the Mill Suite at Pickering Memorial Hall last week when members took a variety of sweet and savoury food for a shared supper. Paul Barrow put together a Christmas fun quiz. David Marshall presented a talk called The Wonderful World of Tropical Freshwater Fishes. The next meeting will be held at the home of Sue and David Marshall, on Wednesday, January 10 at 7.30pm. The annual open show will be held on Sunday, April 29 at Kirbymisperton Village Hall.

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, January 13 and 20. Phone 01751 474833 or log on to www.kirktheatre.co.uk for tickets.

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.

Super draw - There was no winner of last week’s Pickering Town Football Club’s weekly super draw. The numbers were 38, 13 and 3. This week’s draw will be increased to £150.

Quiz - The Bay Horse will host a general knowledge quiz in aid of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance on Sunday, January 7 at 7.30pm.

Ryedale Shopper - Forthcoming trips are on Wednesday, January 10 to Northallerton, price £8 and Thursday, January 25 to Monks Cross, York (£7). There will also be trips to Driffield (£7) and Northallerton (£8) in February. For further details and booking 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 9.45am.

Christmas gathering - Welcome Church will meet on Christmas Eve (Sunday) in the Mill Suite, Memorial Hall at 3pm for its Christmas Eve gathering. There will be mulled wine, mince pies, nibbles and a chance to join in with the Nativity celebrations.

Used stamps - The Royal Mail office at the Thornton Road Industrial Estate is the collection point for used postage stamps for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. Stamps may be left Monday to Saturday between 8am and 1pm.

RILLINGTON

Quiz - Six teams playing for £38 in prize money took part in Jennie’s Christmas jumper quiz in the Fleece Inn. The winners with 52 points were The Who, after a tiebreak with Bogg Brothers. Third were Sopranos. The £10 jackpot was won by Team @ the Bar. The prize for the best Christmas jumper was awarded to Pete Bogg. Jennie’s quiz of 2017 will be held on Friday, December 29. The Sunday night quiz was won by Sue’s Crew. The jackpot of £125.50 was won by Gary’s Team.

SEAMER

Methodists - The service on Sunday was taken by Rev Dr Kevin Ridd. The organist was Doreen Lawson, the vestry steward was Bert Blower and the welcomer was Margaret Neave, who also took the offering. The service began with the lighting of the Advent candle and the Advent prayers being led by Amanda Clayton. Bible readings were given by Margaret Neave, who read from Isaiah, and Sheila Gray, who read from John’s gospel. The theme of Kevin’s sermon was John the Baptist the first New Testament prophet. During the service Holy Communion was observed and Amanda Clayton was commissioned as worship leader. There will be no service this Sunday but there will be a carol service on Saturday at 4pm and will be followed by mince pies and hot ginger wine. The Christmas morning service is at 10am and will be taken by Rev Bruce Russell.

St Martin’s - The Rev Richard Firth presided, and reader Elizabeth Moreland preached, at the 9.30am service of Holy Communion. Elizabeth’s sermon was based on the gospel reading and reflected on the work of John the Baptist and his calling from God to prepare the people for the coming of the Son of God. Jim and Marion Baird were the sidespersons, Edna Burton accompanied the hymns on the piano and Clare Firth served refreshments. On Christmas Eve (Sunday) there will be the traditional Nativity and Christingle service at St Martin’s at 4pm. Children are invited to go dressed as a character from the nativity story perhaps as angels, shepherds, kings, sheep or any other character. The Christmas story will be retold involving all the characters. Christingles will be distributed and Silent Night will be sung in the candlelit church. There will be a retiring collection in aid of the Children’s Society. At 11.30pm there will be a service of Holy Communion. On Christmas Day there is a family Communion at 10.30am.

SHERBURN

Letters draw - Sherburn FC’s letter draw on Saturday, December 9, was won by S Richardson from Severfield who won £480 with the letters C H Z. There was no winner of last Saturday’s draw with the letters A, O and R. This week’s prize fund stands at £120.

Community Club - Emma’s disco with singer Dani will be held in the Community & Sports Club on Saturday, from 3pm to 6pm. There will be a prize for the best Christmas jumper for all ages and prizes for both under sevens and over sevens for the best Christmas costumes. Admission is free but all children must be accompanied by an adult. A total of £450 in prizes was won at the bingo on Saturday, December 16.

New Year’s Eve - Ashley James and Robert Smith will be performing acoustic covers from the 1960s to the current year at the East Riding pub from 9pm. Trilogy will be performing at the Community & Sports Club when the bar will be open from 7pm to 1am.

Defibrillator - A defibrillator, accessible to any member of the public, is situated outside the entrance to the Community and Sports Club. Free informal basic training is being offered to anyone who would like to know more about how to use the lifesaving equipment and perform basic CPR. Each session will last about an hour. Refreshments will be available. Sessions will be held on Thursdays, January 11, 18 and 25th at 7pm. To secure a place, email cresiaward@btinternet.com Fancy dress football - The village’s annual charity fancy dress football match will be held on Boxing Day. Teams will meet at the East Riding at 10am for bacon butties and a photo shoot. After the match there will be a buffet and raffle with the proceeds for the air ambulance.

Christmas lunch - 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. A Christmas service will be held in the Methodist Church at 10am and a Christmas film at noon.

St Hilda’s Church - Morning Worship was led by Barbara Grice, who took Advent as the theme. Music was provided by Bill Hyndford on his guitar and the lesson from Mark’s Gospel was read by Carol Stephenson. Sidespersons were Susan Mennell and Angela Holdsworth. Coffee was served at the end of the service by Jean Usher and helpers. The next Holy Communion will be on Christmas Eve (Sunday) at 9am when the Rev Joe Kinsella will officiate. The Family Nativity is at 2pm on Christmas Eve.

Methodist News - Bible Fellowship was led by Jean Brown in the Chapel Hall. The All Age service on Sunday was led by the worship team when Liz Aconley lit the candles for the third Sunday in Advent. There was a Christmas play featuring Jacob Heron as baby Jesus. Sandra and Jean led prayers and Chris and Robin provided music. Afterwards coffee was enjoyed together in the hall. On Christmas Eve (Sunday) at 10.30am there will be a traditional service of Lessons and Carols led by the worship team. Mince pies and coffee will be served afterwards. At 5pm a short family film, It’s A Boy, will be shown. On Christmas Day the celebrations begin at the earlier time of 10am, with family worship led by Christine Fenwick and the worship team. There will be refreshments afterwards as usual. At noon there will be a family film, Arthur Christmas before the festive community lunch at 2pm.

SINNINGTON

Carol evening - Sinnington People’s Guild held its carol evening on Tuesday, December 12. The evening was prepared and led by Stephen and Karen Ward. Members of the guild sang favourite carols interspersed with Bible and appropriate readings. Gilbert Dobson, playing his accordion, accompanied three carols. Jill Simpson was the pianist. Karen read a blessing using the words of a Christmas card received from India. Tea and biscuits were served. The next meeting, a member’s night, is on Tuesday, January 9 at 7.15pm.

THORNTON-LE-DALE

Christmas draw - About £1,000 was raised from Thornton-le-Dale Football Club’s Christmas draw at the Buck Inn on Saturday. A total of 37 prizes were won with the £100 first prize won by Joan Tunicliffe. Other prize winners were Charlotte Campbell (Buck Inn voucher), Dave Fulmark (New Inn voucher), Chris Preston (Bits & Pizza voucher), Brian Longbone, Cheryl Taylor, Alison Sturgess, Liz Greaves, Joan Tunnicliffe, Craig Barnes, Liz Greaves, Mrs Poc, Vera Broadhead, Craig Sunley, Kieron Boyes, Peter Brown, Alison Sturgess, Katie Fawcett, Ady Boyes, Tina Bartram, Graham Hyslop, Ollie Hill, Steve Taylor, Dave Dunning, Liz Greaves, Keith Taylor, Ruth Hunt, Louise Campbell, Darren Pickering, Janette Dunning, Nick Wilkinson and Chelsea White Bridge Club - Tim Johnson and Angela Smith won the meeting on Monday, December 11, with 58.8 per cent. Conny and John Tate-Smith were second with 56.3 per cent.

WOMBLETON

Village walk - The annual village walk is on Sunday, January 7 with a 1.30pm start. It is a circular walk of about two miles. Walkers shoule meet at the village hall at 1pm for the 1.30pm start. Entry £7 per person to include jacket potato with a choice of filling, followed by a sweet. It is free for children free but must be accompanied by an adult, as are dogs on short leads. Anyone wanting to go for the meal but not walk can do so. There will be a raffle. The organisers need to know numbers by Friday, December 29. Phone Rob Colley on 01751 432267 or June Gamble on 01751 431096 for further details.

Domino drives - There will be a domino drive in the village hall on Saturday, December 30 at 7.30pm. It is £1.50 to play and includes tea and biscuits. There will also be a domino drive on Wednesday, January 3. The drives are held in the hall every first Wednesday and last Saturday of each month.

YCA REPORT

Rillington and District - The branch’s Christmas dinner in the Drovers Rest at the Fleece Inn was attended by 17 members. Jennie and Sarah judged the competition for the most attractively wrapped parcel and awarded first prize to Valerie Gilbert. Second was Pam Heath and third Marjorie Grice. The 2018 programme, arranged and printed by Tracey Ireland was distributed to members. Earlier in the month four members were the guests of the Weaverthorpe branch for its Sheila Meadley cookery demonstration followed by mulled wine, buffet and samples of two of Sheila’s dishes. Members have been advised of the Scarborough area lunch, hosted by the Hunmanby branch at the Downe Arms, Wykeham, in April. As the Rillington branch does not meet in January and February, reservations will be taken at the March meeting.