MMiiddddlleehhaamm HHeerraalldd

Second Coronavirus Edition, 8th April 2020 ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ ⎯ This Herald has been produced and distributed in line with current Royal Volunteering in Middleham Mail delivery measures. If you would prefer Firstly, a big thank you to everyone who has to receive future editions by e-mail, please got in touch and offered to help other contact the Town Clerk with both your e-mail residents with shopping, collecting and postal addresses. prescriptions, telephone chats etc. We have From the Mayor had several requests for support and have Following the wettest February on record allocated a nearby volunteer to each one. and extensive flooding we now face a deadly We expect there will be more help needed as virus and all the challenges that brings to things progress, so please do not think we everyday life in our community. have forgotten you if you haven’t yet heard We have been heartened by offers of help back from us. We are also linked into the from many residents to assist any who need Community Hubs and the larger councils support at this very difficult time, many who will also refer requests for help to us. thanks to all who have offered. Many These systems are joining up now. If you feel residents have expressed concerns about you now need some practical help, or just a second homes being used in the crisis. We chat on the phone, please do not be afraid to are exploring all avenues to persuade visitors ask – there are friendly people within to stay at home until the lockdown is lifted Middleham whom we know, who are waiting and the police are supporting the measures to step up to help. throughout the . Tel me on 01969 625304 or 07849 918215 or Community events are obviously cancelled Cllr Nigel Hopper on 07594 814524. until further notice, hopefully to be Other contact numbers are further on in this rescheduled later in the year. edition so please keep it for reference. Please make sure you carry out the Thanks again to everyone restrictions set out by the government to Councillor Honor Byford, Deputy Mayor help us all keep safe and well. News from Middleham and Spennithorne Councillor Sue Fairhurst, Mayor Schools Middleham and Spennithorne Schools She joined our Foxes class on a live video call Our federation of schools has been busy all the way from Uganda. since the start of the school year, which We have invested in new library resources seems like an eternity ago and on writing this through funding from donations from the for you, another world away. Currently, both Elizabeth Barnett Trust and Co-op. These schools are temporarily closed as we are have included copies of the texts we focus working in partnership with Primary on during each half term and boxes of to create a hub school for those who need recommended reads for every year group. childcare during this time, with the aim of These are the best books that every child reopening both schools as soon as the should read and enjoy at a particular age. government says we can. We are also purchasing books promoting We further strengthened our federation with positive mental health from a County Council Spennithorne by having our 3 classes across funding stream. 2 sites, transporting children between the Sport has always been a strength of our two. In January, we were lucky enough to schools and we have attended many find a driver for our bus, Rev Jeff. My bus different sporting events, including a county theory test was sadly put on hold due to the football final for the second year in a row, current pandemic we find ourselves in the playing against schools much larger than midst of but it will happen. ours. We try to offer a variety of sports to As part of our long-term planning, we have our children and this year we were bringing been getting out and about to make our back maypole dancing. Never ones to be learning come alive. We have travelled to beaten, Middleham and Spennithorne might to learn about Vikings, Newcastle to see the introduction of September-pole learn about space and to learn dancing. about steam trains. We have also had some At the moment, we don't know about the great visitors into school to enhance our summer term. Hopefully, with us all staying learning experiences, including a past indoors, we can stay safe, protect the NHS, Spennithorne parent to talk about bees and flatten the curve and get our schools open. show a real live hive. During school closure, But until then, please look after yourselves we were even joined by an old primary and I look forward to seeing you all again school friend of mine who is touring Africa. very soon. Mrs L Evans, Executive Head Teacher. From the Rectory being caught in the trap and having the Reflection on Psalm 91 pestilence but God will give us what we need When I was exploring a vocation to ordained to overcome them. ministry, the Director of Ordinands asked The psalm also raises questions. You might me, ‘Who is God to you?’ My first thought read it and think, ‘I know someone who has seemed a bit frivolous, yet he insisted that I died from COVID-19, or whatever it might shared it. I said, ‘It’s the mother hen in the be. God didn’t deliver them. Verse 7 reminds Tom & Jerry cartoons!’ Jerry would get the me of ‘survivor’s syndrome’ where a soldier protection of a mother hen. This is what I experiences guilt at soldiers next to them mean: having been killed and they survived. What https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp8And do we do with these questions? J9zVY In addition to the immediate horizon to Or the first 3 minutes of which the psalm clearly refers we need to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqfQmu maintain an eternal perspective. For those 1IeGk we know who weren’t spared, it doesn’t Go on, watch them, you’re in isolation, mean that God has abandoned them. His you’ve nowt else to do! protection of them goes beyond this life and As I’m here now the Director must have liked into our eternal life. Sometimes we leave the my answer! Psalm 91 is a wonderful poem fowler’s snare going forward through the which reflects God’s protection. In these door which exits this life. We’re protected in anxious times we need not fear when we an eternal way. As St. Paul put it ‘I am place our lives into his tender care. We like convinced that neither death, nor life, …nor symbols of strength and power like anything else in all creation, will be able to fortresses or in modern times, the Shard and separate us from the love of God in Christ the like in the City. But these things crumble. Jesus our Lord.’ Amen. God is our fortress. The psalm includes Prayer: Keep us good Lord, under the references to war and pestilence, very shadow of your mercy and, as you have relevant to COVID-19. bound yourself to us in love, do not leave us Yet the psalm doesn’t say that we will be who call upon your name, but grant us your free from adversity. ‘He will deliver you from salvation, made known in the cross of Jesus the snare of the fowler and from the deadly Christ our Lord. Amen. pestilence.’ We will experience these trials, Rev’d Jeff Payne Church Information: That all these were seen in daylight hours Weddings and funerals: tells the story of largely nocturnal birds Weddings are currently not permitted. having to resort to daytime hunting to keep Funerals – the following information is body and soul together because the weather subject to change: has been so wet. Funerals can take place either at the Sheila Walker and Lawrie Bent at Carlton graveside for a burial, or at the crematorium. have put us all to shame by reporting lots of Immediate family only are permitted to birds in their respective gardens, including attend (spouse/ partner; parents; children; siskin and brambling and even a reed siblings) Funeral directors have current bunting. information. Over the last few years – at least seven I Open Pantry mini food bank think – some of you have reported seeing The Church runs a “mini food bank” here in mandarin duck on the Ure or Cover at this Middleham. If you or someone you know is time of year. These are small tree-nesting struggling to afford food, please contact the ducks native to China which have colonised rectors in complete confidence and they can parts of the UK after escaping from wildfowl help with some food supplies. collections. Well a pair are back again. Keep Rectory: 01969 326069 or Liz, 07796988302 a look out. The male has a reddish head and Jeff, 07443581463 upturned tail and extravagant punkish white eyeliner. Bird notes from Richard Wells: April 2020 Interestingly, though they have been spring Thank you to those who responded to my visitors for so long there has never been any last “notes” by telling me about the barn proof of successful breeding. owls you have been seeing. Ruth Neal Finally, though your foreign travel is reported one near Gammersgill; Caroline restricted due to the coronavirus virus Harrison one resident in her barn at West remember our summer bird visitors are not Scrafton; Natasha Johnston watched one subject to the same draconian measures. being harried by a kestrel while walking her Watch out for warblers, redstarts and our dog near Arkleside and then to cap it all I saw beloved swallows in April. my first in our parishes this year near Braithwaite Lane. Your sightings are always welcome at [email protected] The Community Garden A Facebook page for Middleham! After discussion with Council it was decided Jimmy Roper has set up a community page that work could continue in the garden on Facebook for us all, called Middleham providing that we kept within the Covid 19 Residents – it does what it says on the tin protocol, i.e. maintaining social distancing and is proving a really good way to keep up and not sharing gardening equipment. with what’s going on, ask questions, find March was a critical time for the garden. information, have a chat or a joke and ask for With the arrival of the new potting shed we help. If you are on Facebook, do have a look were able to attend to the banking behind it and join in. If you would like to join, I suggest and to start planting a hedgerow that will you first look at this website to find out how provide nature with a wildlife corridor as to join an online group safely. well as securing the bank itself. www.boldnewworld.co.uk/get-connected/ We were given some more plants and so we A big thankyou to Jimmy for setting the have extended the planting on the south group up, it’s a big success. facing bank. Keeping on top of the weeds is a MSCWA – Middleham Sports and Wellbeing daily routine, the brambles are welcome, Association provided they stay on the top of the bank. The cancellation or postponement of so It has been really rewarding to get positive many games has led to newspaper articles feedback about the garden from folk as they about the wider issues of sports and walk by on their daily exercise or dog walk. pastimes which have been fascinating and Seeing the colour return to the garden after led me to a time for reflection. I have been the wettest winter in years is one of those reading the Rt Rev David Sheppard’s simple life affirming pleasures. Once biography ‘Batting for the poor’ which is a restrictions are lifted, we hope to see people great insight to him as Anglican Bishop of return to attend to their raised beds and Liverpool (and Woolwich) following his hopefully more residents will want to make cricket career as Captain of , Sussex contact and join us to maintain and develop and Cambridge University. He was this much needed community space. considered a good leader and working I shall be continuing my project to record the together with Catholic Archbishop Derek garden through the seasons. The Spring Worlock they made a good team working to edition of the ‘Castle Garden’ will be out in benefit everyone. May. Amanda Langdown Reading the papers/watching news Richard Fletcher, Secretary MSCWA briefings/Online messages/social media have 01969 625365 been most helpful including the Middleham [email protected] Residents’/MSCWA Facebook sites. Our main Text-07743018274 contacts are: Middleham Cricket Club Community Garden-contact Nigel or Cricket is in low season, and all cricket has Amanda 07594814524 ceased until May 28th at the earliest. At this Messy boots-Kathy Wheeler 07866132787 time of year cricketers start to mow the Cricket-Richard Sanderson or me 01969 growing grass/roll the wickets, so that a good 625365 flat surface develops ready for a start at the 5 a side football/Senior end of April. The wet winter weather had Football/Rounders/Golf-Nigel or me. already delayed any preparation, so when The AGM of the MSCWA was held before we can get back to it, much help will be Christmas and the re-elected Management needed to get the cricket square (that is the Committee is: green bit in the centre that is sometimes John Kirkbride- Chairman roped off) ready for possible action in June. Simon Wheeler - Vice One item which has been postponed till next chairman/Maintenance year is the World Golden Oldies Cricket Richard Fletcher - Secretary Week. Based in Harrogate it has matches Rebecca Fortune -Treasurer due to be played at venues throughout Nigel Hopper-Grounds teams surrounding areas, including Middleham. Richard Sanderson-Child Protection Officer The launch will be a parade through Masham Gail Burton-Pye - Volunteer Co-ordinator with participating teams (like the Olympic Kathy Wheeler -Fundraising officer games!). Participants will come from West Once things get back to normal, we would Indies, India, Australia, Pakistan, New really appreciate some help on match and Zealand, Sri Lanka. Middleham has been event days, please, especially with the chosen to host 3 games on the Monday cricket afternoon teas. The food is currently Wednesday and Friday! They will be provided by Ken and Sharon from the between teams from participants countries, Richard 111 Hotel but we do need some help not necessarily from Middleham. The week with preparing and serving, if anyone is good runs from 6th-13th June 2021 with our at that, please get in touch. games on the 7th, 9th and 11th June. Further Richard Sanderson. Sponsors names will be detail will be given when available. acknowledged and publicly displayed. Last season updates Many thanks for those donations already Our First team were promoted back to made. Division 3 of the Nidderdale League. Ollie Contacts Richard Sanderson 07984356883 or Mullard will again Captain the side in 2020. Richard Fletcher 07743018274.. The second team with some good youngsters Messy Boots being ‘blooded’ last year are looking for new It has now been a year since we started players. Messy Boots playgroup as part of our A ‘proper ‘cricket club usually has a flagpole MSCWA service to the community. We have and flag. Nigel and I are liaising to ensure we had a huge amount of local support with have one by the Golden Oldies visits next children embracing the ethos behind the year. Any ideas to me please. sessions, venturing out in all weathers and Reminders getting hands dirty while learning important More volunteers are needed to support life skills. There have been lots of fun Richard Sanderson to maintain and cut activities with bug hunts, chalk drawing and surrounds and outfield. This is being done stream splashing as some of the most diligently by Alan each week. The wicket was popular. It has also been a great opportunity expertly renovated by the Harrogate county to entice new families to the facility with groundsman and the grass growing better parents now traveling from as far away as now relatively undisturbed within the roped Darlington and . Messy Boots is off area, thank you dog walkers for keeping run by MSCWA volunteers and all the your dogs off this area, much appreciated. proceeds from the sessions go towards The pavilion improvements and dual use pavilion improvements and kitchen with the community should help with equipment, along with purchasing picnic improving the cricket facilities as well as tables and the football goal on Park Lane other sports facilities. green. The trees we planted in the Messy PLEASE COME AND SUPPORT THE TEAMS Boots woodland are settling in nicely and we and see the pavilion improvements. cannot wait to see the different leaves Sponsorship sprouting out. Very much looking forward to Match day (£50) and ball (£30) sponsors are seeing everyone again as soon as we can get needed-please contact Richard Fletcher or going again. Offers of help and services from local order the day before by phone and collect on businesses: Thurs – Sun. Central Stores, Middleham Menu on Facebook and website and can be For those isolating or housebound, will take delivered on request for those self-isolating. orders and deliver locally, free of charge, Tel 01969 622093 groceries and other goods. Tel 01969 623224 Dales Meat You may get the answerphone, leave your Delivering meat, eggs and milk name and tel number and they will get back 01748 810042 to you. Leyburn Pets Campbells of Leyburn are very sorry that Delivering pet food and supplies they have had to stop doing deliveries as 01969 622953, or [email protected] they simply couldn’t keep the store stocked, Car Servicing, Repairs and MoTs are still customers served AND sort orders and make available from deliveries. R&S Motors, Middleham Road, Leyburn Andersons Takeaway, Middleham Tel 01969 624681 Good quality home cooked meals delivered and free of charge. Pizzas, kebabs, burgers and Middleham Motors, Leyburn Road, more traditional meals e.g. shepherd’s pie. Middleham, tel 01969 623283 Sunday lunch service, pre-book for Sundays Ravensworth Nurseries please. You can pre-pay for friends and Delivering plants and gardening supplies family. Tel 01969 629290 01325 718370 Fairhursts at Berry’s Braithwaites Nurseries, Leeming Bar Are offering a main meals delivery service Delivering plants and gardening supplies bringing traditional pre-cooked meals to your 01677 422861 door. Special diets (gluten free etc) can be House & Home catered for. Other groceries can be added to Home fuel, gardening supplies, outdoor your order from Berry’s Farm Shop. Tel maintenance 01969 624668 01969 625471 Wensleydale Hotel Sanderson’s Decorating Take away menu, home baked bread (Thurs Delivering decorating supplies & Sat only) and vegetable boxes. All to pre- 01969 623143

Some other local shops and businesses are Racing Welfare also offering deliveries, so it’s always worth Gail Burton-Pye, 07788184140, ringing and asking. [email protected] Internet and computers The Middleham Key Centre can also be Whilst you are at home, if you would like to contacted if you have any general queries or make more use of your computer or mobile concerns in the coming weeks. You can phone to keep in touch with family and find email us on [email protected] or friends, interesting sites etc but aren’t sure ring our number 01969 624002 and leave a how to do this safely, there are people message. Alternatively, you can ring Pam on around who can help. One useful website 07772 736006 or Lesley on 01969 622615. recommended by Charlotte Strickland that All messages will be checked within 24 hours takes you through things step by step is: even though the office is closed. www.boldnewworld.co.uk/get-connected/ And just for something to do, from Kathy If you are having difficulty with your laptop Wheeler: of pc, contact Ed Davies at [email protected] or via Facebook or Instagram.

Who to contact for help or if you are worried for yourself or someone else: The Town Clerk, David Keep, is working from home, contact him by e-mail: [email protected] Councillor Honor Byford, 01969 625304 or 07849918215. [email protected] Councillor Nigel Hopper, 07594814524, [email protected] St Marys & St Alkelda’s Church, Reverends Liz Moody and Jeff Payne 01969 326069 or Liz, 07796988302 Jeff, 07443581463 And Finally, Twenty Yorkshire 13. Which Yorkshire village was Questions home to the World's longest running TV Sit-Com? 1. Which is the largest city in Yorkshire? 14. What was the Roman name for York? 2. To which Saint is York Minster dedicated? 15. In which Yorkshire town was slavery abolitionist William 3. Which THREE British Prime Wilberforce born? Ministers were born in Yorkshire? 16. Yorkshire was originally split into three "Ridings", from 4. In which Yorkshire city which language does this would you find the Ferens come? Art Gallery? 17. What is the traditional 5. Which TWO National Parks nickname for a lie largely in Yorkshire? Yorkshireman?

6. What flower is the symbol of 18. Home to Britain's first IMAX Yorkshire? cinema, which Yorkshire city houses the National Media 7. Which Yorkshire racecourse Museum? is the largest circular flat course in Europe? 19. At which Yorkshire location was the first lighthouse in 8. Which National Museum was Britain built in 1427? established in York in 1975? 20. In which Yorkshire 9. Which inn in is said to be Britain's town was Rugby League Highest Public House? formed in 1895? 10. What did Harry Brearley invent in a Sheffield Answers – cover these before laboratory in 1913? you start, no cheating!! 11. In which Yorkshire town was 1. . 2. Saint Peter. 3. Harold Wilson, the original Harry Herbert Henry Asquith and Charles Watson- Ramsden's fish and chip Wentworth. 4. Kingston-Upon-Hull. 5. shop located? and The . 6. The White Rose. 7.Pontefract. 8. The National Railway Museum. 9.The Tan 12. Although they are always Hill Inn. 10. Stainless Steel. associated with Haworth, in 11. Guisley. 12. Thornton near Bradford. 13. which Yorkshire village were Holmfirth (Last of the Summer's Wine). the Bronte sisters born? 14.Eboracum. 15. Hull. 16. Norse (It means a third). 17. A Tyke. 18. Bradford. 19.Spurn Point. 20. Huddersfield.