June/July 2020

Parish

council

SOS! by Ian Bailes, Chair of parish council

The parish council is currently going through a difficult period for a number of reasons.

We have been operating with just three councillors, the legal minimum, for some time. One of them has now decided to step down which leaves just myself and one other councillor still in post and five vacancies to Charlie is my darling! fill. This position cannot continue and, unless Emma Farrer and son, Charlie, 2, were among the Meadow Vale party-goes additional residents join the on the 75 th anniversary of VE Day. Picture special back page. council, it will cease to operate. You might say that this doesn’t affect you it Also in this bumper 12-page edition ... does. The council has numerous responsibilities. Stuart and For instance, the council: Margaret are ▪ Responds to all planning colourful applications. characters – p3 ▪ Maintains direct contact with Harrogate Borough Council and North Tandem County Council as well as our local for hire – p6 representatives in those organisations to seek The Great Wood backing for village initiatives story – p7 and ensure our voice is heard. The BIG turn to p2 ... Local shops lockdown latest – pp8/9 community

Seventies soccer special – p11 issue

continued from front page … business based in Hull. The wood is hard, not dissimilar to teak and oak in density, and will weather ▪ Provides all funds for grass cutting in the village and to a silver grey. We would like to thank the Langhorn around the church along with half of the funds for Family and Andy Paraskos from cutting the playing field and sums towards the County Council for donating the money to cover the maintenance of Helenfield. If the council folds then cost of one of these benches. If anyone would still be grass cutting will stop as there will be no-one to pay interested in funding or part funding a planter or a contractors. third chair to further improve the space please contact Ian Bailes on [email protected]. Furthermore, in recent months the council has: The website is now back up and running, Chris ▪ Provided ongoing support to the Keep the Rutledge having now taken over the running of the site Hammertons Green campaign. from Steve Ross. Please contact Chris via [email protected] with any news items or ▪ Assisted with planning stages for the cycle path to upcoming events. Watch out for changes to the design Thorpe Underwood. over the coming months. The site will continue to operate as a village amenity while also functioning as ▪ Secured the future of the village website by switching the parish council forum. If you would like to get email to a new supplier (see below) updates about village and parish council news please register your e-mail details via the site. ▪ Installed a defibrillator.

The job of a Councillor is not too difficult with training Input sought to development plan available to ensure we follow the rules. If residents from all areas of the village take part we get a better by Chris Eaton of Keep the Hammertons Green representation at meetings. I appeal to you to come forward. As residents we are all responsible for what As you will recall, the local plan, including the happens within Green Hammerton and for making it a controversial new town, was approved by full council pleasant village to live in. If I do not get any response in early March. We were assured at the council meeting in the next 7 to 10 days there will sadly be no alter- and subsequently in writing that our communities native but to close the council down with immediate would be fully involved in the work to create the effect. Please contact me via 330477 or necessary development plan document (DPD) which [email protected]. will set out the location and details of the new

settlement. But, like so many aspects of normal life, the Finally, the council needs volunteers to carry out some coronavirus has affected the Harrogate Borough small maintenance jobs. For instance, the plinth area Council planning system. Understandably, work on the needs re-pointing following power washing and several DPD has not properly got underway as the coronavirus seats need minor renovation. There’s a village job for restrictions have meant it is not possible for the everyone! stakeholders to start discussions and the council has,

rightly, focused on responding to the current situation.

However, as soon as the work starts on the DPD we Other parish council news shall insist on our proper involvement and will do everything we can to ensure that the new settlement is by Gill Singleton of Green Hammerton parish council planned and implemented in the most appropriate way and with the least impact on our communities. Please remember there is a Green Hammerton Support Group made up of over 50 local volunteers who are We remain concerned that there are already existing ready to give their time to help those needing support developers’ applications to build the new town and we with essential shopping, prescription collection or just formally requested that these should not be to be on the end of a phone for a chat. Group co- entertained until the DPD is concluded. The council ordinators are Jane Bannan (339442), Chris Jackson did not give that commitment before the coronavirus (331883), Gill Singleton (339275) and Chris Turner restrictions were implemented. However, this also (331306). happened before the consultation period on the current planning applications had ended. We must At last some assume that when restrictions are eased, there will be a progress: new revised timeframe for consideration of these benches are finally applications. Once that is known we shall again make a in situ. Made from strong case that there should not be any decisions on Iroko wood sourced new town planning applications before the DPD is from sustainable agreed. forests on the west coast of tropical Our priority remains to ensure that our communities Africa, they have are properly involved in all decision making and, once been handcrafted in meetings are again possible, our team will get together the UK by Wood- to discuss the best approach to participation in the craft Ltd, a small DPD work.

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Mama mia! Thanks for the memories

Sold out well in advance, the Italian evening was by the editor organised by the Green Hammerton Recreational

Charity social committee of Jenny Hymas, Rebecca There was no mistaking the theme of the Green Nunns, Sue Lambert, Claire Jeffrey, Julia O’Connor Hammerton social committee’s event back in February. and Lucy Bettam. The supper was provided by a team The village hall was decked out in green, red and white of Chris Turner, Sue Holden, Gill Singleton, Joanne flags, film of Rome and Venice looped on the video Lightowler, Sally Walker and Jane Bannan. The screen, lasagne and tiramasu was on the menu ... and quizmaster was Dave Walker. every question in the quiz related to ... yes, you’ve guessed it, Italy. The evening raised £850 which will go towards a new

trapeze pyramid for the playground (see p4). Winners were Walker’s Whixley Gang with 53 points with the Invincibles as runners-up with 49 points and ▪ Pictured above: One for ‘the family’ album. The way Wanna Pisa Us in third place with 48 points. Dave we were ... and one day will be again. From left, said: “The winners usually finish last in quizzes. They standing: Jennie Fieldhouse, Simon Mack, Claire made an extra special effort this time.” Fancy dress Greenwood, David Greenwood and James Lambert. prizes were awarded to the Mafia, as above, and Crouching are Dave Fieldhouse and Sue Lambert. Margaret Andrew for her colourfully coordinated Simon said they should be called the Lemoncello Mob outfit. Stuart Hymas also caught the eye as Luigi from given the amount of it they drank. The liqueur was Super Mario. Both are pictured on the front page. donated to the event by the Bay Horse.

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Hall makes use of lockdown field are now of the same style and made from long lasting materials. We would like to add to these. If you

would like to donate a sum toward a bench please by Brian Halling contact me on 331485. Chairman of Green Hammerton Recreational Charity

Looking forward, we hope to run the sports day in This spring marks the 10th anniversary of the opening September. It’s unlikely there will be any cricket this of our new village hall (see pic of its construction, season but fingers crossed for football later on. Let’s below) and completion of the playing fields. They soon hope we can hold a special Christmas event in the hall became very popular and have been improved at the very least. We have plans to build outside the considerably over the years, representing a fantastic playground a large pyramid climbing frame and achievement and vision by founders and helpers. Since complete a hard tracked running surface to connect lockdown, however, the main facilities – including the our fitness apparatus. We would also like to start the skate park and playground – have been closed and our first stage of planning for a hall extension with income reduced to zero. Expenses are reduced too but additional changing facilities to enable dual usage and we still have insurances, licences, maintenance and with maybe even a large sports/events hall alongside. standing charges to pay. Prudently, we had built up An exciting prospect! reserves for unforeseen eventualities but the impact of

Covid-19 wasn’t one of them! ▪ See p6 for news about a new walks booklet and tandem hire in aid of the GHRC.

From doorstep to desktop

by Annabelle Polito of Badapple Theatre

Badapple Theatre aims to keep spirits up by making freely available podcasts of one of our best-loved productions. Instead of travelling to the smallest and hardest-to-reach village halls as part of our usual ‘Theatre on your Doorstep’ mission we have switched for now to ‘Theatre on your Desktop’!

You can access relaxed readings of Back to the Land Girls, Kate Bramley's popular World War Two comedy, in six free 10-minute podcasts, starring, as pictured, Fran Tither (BBC docudrama award winner for 2018 ‘Emmeline: Portrait of a Militant’) and Sarah Raine (Colour The Clouds/Wild Rumpus Theatre). The story Thankfully, we’ve received a small business grant from follows the adventures of Buff and Biddy, two young the government to help with our lockdown expenses. I women who volunteer for had expected that all the building developments in the the Women’s Land Army in village would have led to the release of funds to us by Yorkshire. Expect a now. Unfortunately, though, it would seem that the humorous look at their most of the sums due have not yet been paid over to experiences as they are Harrogate Borough Council and those that have been bonded by hard physical received are proving very difficult to access. work, back ache and plenty We are working with our parish council clerk to get a of banter. The play features clearer picture. original songs and music by Sony award-winning singer The fields remain open but please maintain your social songwriter Jez Lowe. distance and take rubbish home or put in the bins. The fields are being cut fortnightly and the playground Artistic Director Kate Bramley said: “This historic play every three weeks. The cricket club continues to of ours is surprisingly resonant at this time. Our Land maintain the square to a high standard. General Girls are facing life-changing times head on but are maintenance continues. Thank you to those people resilient and manage to triumph!”. For download helping with all this. Our new 425-plant hedging, details see badappletheatre.com. kindly and generously donated by Johnson’s nursery of Whixley, is growing but needs a soaking of rain, In other good news, the Arts Council has agreed an preferably at night! The hall decking has been stripped emergency grant to us to invest heavily in our freelance and re-stained and painted with an anti-slip surface. creative staff who are unable to tour at the moment The junior football storage unit is soon to be repainted and also fund some of our core costs until September. in dark green. We have removed three old wooden This means we will be able to expand our podcast benches, which, despite much maintenance, had series to include a number of audience favourites from become dangerous and unusable. All benches on the our back catalogue as well as newly-commissioned short plays from Yorkshire writers.

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Bingo is just the ticket New village Facebook group by the editor by Louise Walsh

Meadow Vale residents have been beating the Green Hammerton has a new Facebook group. lockdown blues by holding periodic bingo sessions. The Launched to support the community at the onset of idea came from Kelly Kitching. She told Village View: Covid-19, the group currently has over 400 members. “I just thought it would be something fun to get everyone out together especially as we’ve got this nice Thank you to all those who have positively contributed green. Susan Triffitt over the road and her mum used to our wonderful village by posting on the page. They to do lots of bingo. I asked if she had old tickets lying include Roger Mattock who uses the page to publicise around which she did. My daughters, Amelia and his safari trail (see p10), visitors to Great Wood (see Frankie, and I then sent around some invites. We p7) and the Bay Horse which displayed entries to its borrowed a PA system from Simon Mack and people drawing competitions. The page has also kept everyone from our road donated prizes from things they’d found informed about takeaway deliveries. At the start of the at the back of the cupboard. We have enough for a pandemic there was panic over food shortages and, prize for a line and a full house. We normally have a seemingly, a lack of information and support parti- bottle of wine but I opted for a cup of tea this week!” cularly for the vulnerable and those in isolation. I feel Two bingo sessions have taken place with more to that residents have risen to the challenge and are follow. supporting one another during these difficult times. I welcome any ideas for improving the page. Message me ▪ Kelly is pictured with Frankie, left, and Amelia. via Facebook. To join the group search for ‘Green Hammerton Community Hub’.

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At last: alternative lockdown exercise downhill is particularly speedy but going uphill slightly harder work than on individual bikes. Saddles are

easily adjusted to suit ages from about 10 but a by Paul Kirkwood confident adult should always take the front seat.

Tandems are also handy if your companion cycles ‘Can you ride tandem’, in the words of the TV ad? Well, significantly faster or slower than you. now’s the time to give it a try! A tandem is available for hire in the village in exchange for a donation to the To book please ring 331396 or call at Naworth House Green Hammerton Recreational Charity. on New Lane. Also see spokeydokeybikes.co.uk.

Pictured, above: Business owners, Chris Starkie and The bike previously belonged to Gilly Leather. When Claire Sharpe, complete a test ride outside their she moved out of the village several years ago she lent premises. it to me and now, with her cycling days over, has said I can keep it. I use it occasionally but would like to make it available to all Hammertonians. The new and highly New 8pp recommended cycle repair business, Spokey Dokey of

Whixley, has serviced it for free in exchange for a plug booklet in Village View. I suggest a minimum donation of £15 per hire which will include route maps for different available distances and photo of you setting off if you want one. I don’t have helmets, I’m afraid, but Spokey Dokey can now from loan. I will disinfect the handlebar grips and frame in the post between rentals.

office or Tandem riding is great fun and quick to get the hang of with plenty of communication between riders. Make Naworth sure your stoker (the one at the back) is pedalling, though! You will find that two people on one bike go House, noticeably faster than one person on one bike. Going New Lane 6

If you go down to the woods today ... was the next exciting project, using fallen

branches to mark the It’s been a lockdown revelation. Great Wood, beyond route. Clearing obstructive the green in Green Hammerton, has been attracting brambles was the most scores of local people in recent weeks. In a Village difficult part of this. We View exclusive, owners John and Penny Lange then added a few log explain the story behind their purchase and benches. Over the past two restoration of this tranquil, leafy haven. years we have re-built an

old game-hunting hide for On a cold January morning in 2016 an intriguing note log storage, constructed a popped up among Rightmove property website alerts: log picnic table and opened “A rare opportunity to purchase a mature mixed a grassy clearing around it. deciduous and coniferous wood with mature larch to A couple of short the woodland boundaries and individual specimen ‘alternative trails’ were conifers.” The vendor was the estate of a gentleman added to access the who owned various North Yorkshire woodlands as part coppiced area. of a shooting syndicate. He purchased it from North

Yorkshire County Council in 2005 when they sold a lot Great Wood is shown on the earliest Ordnance Survey of land in the Green Hammerton area. Four months maps and is believed to have been continuously later we were the proud owners of a nine-acre ‘ancient wooded for at least the past 400 years. It is likely semi-natural woodland’! directly descended from the wildwoods that covered

Britain at the end of the last Ice Age and remains in Just off the bridleway between the green in Green pristine condition due to minimal human intervention Hammerton and Thorpe Underwood, it had sadly been over the centuries. Snowdrops, wood anemones, neglected for many years, access was difficult, large primroses, celandines and fragrant bluebells are a areas were overgrown with brambles and an ugly wonderful sight in spring. Later, many interesting pheasant rearing pen needed removing. Our plans fungi appear. Great Wood is home to many woodland were clear from the outset: with minimal intervention, animals and the sound of birdsong is a joy to hear. to bring the wood back to a natural condition, create a nature walk for local ramblers to enjoy, and supply us We welcome visitors and well-behaved dogs. All we ask with firewood (using only fallen timber) for the rest of is that you keep to the trails /picnic area and take your our lives! litter home. Access is from the end of the green. Turn

right at Main Pine, bear left at the end of Water Slack Our first task was to open up an access track for our Lane (before the sign to Pool Spring Farm), continue Land Rover without felling any trees. The walking trail

7 though the farmyard at Low Farm. Turn right where Our car park has hosted fish and chip deliveries on the track divides, keeping Little Wood on your left. Thursday from Bartons of Acomb, pizzas from the Big Turn right at the fieldgate and Great Wood is a little Red Oven (pictured, below) and customers for the post further, on your left. office and Coffee Shack.

▪ Sadly, a wildlife camera was stolen from the wood on the night of 10/11 May. If anyone has any information to assist in its recovery please get in touch with John and Penny. For a short film of Great Wood at sunrise see bit.ly/GreatWood and for a walk that includes the wood buy the new booklet advertised on p6.

Village View nature correspondent, Roger Mattock, tells you what to look for on your next visit to Great Wood.

When you first enter the wood it seems to be quiet and devoid of life but, open your eyes, and ears and you will discover it’s not. Butterfly species include orange tip, peacock, speckled wood, small tortoiseshell and small white. High in the trees, you can pick up birdsong from a multitude of small birds. The predominant species in We have been running weekly colouring competitions spring seems to be the chiff chaff. This small migrant for the kids to fill our pub windows. As we prepare to bird with a distinctive song is one of the first spring re-open, this has now changed to a monthly colouring arrivals. Some 800,000 pairs arrive here from Africa competition, drawn by raffle. The theme for May is each spring to breed. The one pictured was just on the ‘pictures around the village’. The winner will be drawn edge of the Great Wood. on 1 June and announced on our Facebook page. Leave entries in the blue box at the front of the pub. I have also spotted a treecreeper making its way up a tree trunk. On my last visit on the VE Day anniversary Jon has now started his Covid curry service through I came across a large number of brightly coloured red which you can get delivery of frozen curries with full headed cardinal beetles (pictured p7). Insect eaters, re-heating instructions. To order telephone Jon they take their name from the robes of Roman Catholic directly on 07813 651786 for more information and the cardinals. Among other beetles you may spot are click menu. He has a couple of new curries he has been beetles which are so called because when startled they trialling as well that you might want to try. click their body into their thorax to be launched into the air with a click. I know from talking to others that roe deer and foxes have been seen there and I hope to Do you want to have a View? see them and other species on future visits. by the editor

Village View seeks a new cut-price printer and/or Pub still at the heart of the community sponsors to ensure its future.

by Tina Clarke of the Bay Horse For the last nine years Mick Harrison from the village and his employer, Arena Group, have printed Village During lockdown we’ve managed to get a lot of View for just the cost of the paper. Unfortunately, they essential maintenance work done including painting are no longer able to provide this service. Thanks so the outside areas, white lining the car park, gardening much to Mick and his colleagues for their outstanding and planting a new shrub area in the beer garden with generosity. plants kindly donated by Johnson’s of Whixley. The catering kitchen has been re-painted and some The sponsorship rate has been £50 per issue for a essential repairs have been carried out. The pub business. After this edition, the newsletter’s bank carpets have been deep cleaned and paintwork balance will stand at £300 thanks largely to annual freshened. sponsorships by Strata Homes (ongoing) and Redrow.

While this sum may seem substantial it will soon We’ve raised just short of £600 for the Sense charity in diminish if we were to get Village View printed support of staff member Sheila Bray’s postponed commercially. I have had a quote at £168 for an A4 London Marathon from our weekly charity stall, a 2.6- eight-pager based on a print run of 420 which will hour walk around the village on what would’ve been obviously increase as the village grows. At these rates a the day of the marathon and Roger Mattock’s pub quiz use of colour – typically issues are eight pages with two (see p10). in colour – would be unaffordable.

We have sent out over 50 complimentary curries to the So, ideas, please! Either we need someone who can NHS team at Harrogate Hospital via an NHS worker in provide print at a substantially reduced rate or a roster the village (see p9). of generous, regular sponsors. I don’t wish to take on

8 the additional role of handling advertising. I’m very customers and ourselves. We have started putting keen to keep publishing Village View in print because I newspapers in the back shed for people who do not think residents are more likely to read a copy lying wish to enter the shop while our Sunday newspaper around the kitchen table than to access content online. deliveries continue to be well supported. If you would In addition, not all villagers especially elderly residents like take advantage of either of these services please have access to the internet. pop in and ask.

There are sufficient funds to print Village View in some We have been experiencing consistently heavy parcel shape or form until the end of this year but we need traffic and would like to thank all of our customers for other arrangements in place if it is to continue after their patience and good manners. that. Contact me via [email protected]. Our delicious fresh bread, delivered daily, has found a number of new fans as has our growing selection of Fran says thanks wines and gin. Our local produce selection grows from strength to strength and includes butters, cheeses,

yogurts and locally produced pizzas. Asparagus is by Fran Bowden, Clinical Operations Manager delivered on Wednesday mornings. at Harrogate Hospital

Last and certainly not least, I’d like to give special I want to thank a few people for the support shown to thanks and recognition to the Royal Mail workers and the NHS. I’ve been truly humbled by the many kind local posties. They are having a very busy time of it and gestures and encouragement they have shown. have described activity to be at levels usually seen

around Christmas. Also please note that they are Firstly, thanks to Jon and currently delivering parcels only on Saturdays, not Tina of the Bay Horse for letters. Christopher Hay. curries they sent to the incident control centre and senior nurses at Farm Shop Harrogate hospital not once but twice. They kept We’re currently trading from Tuesday to Saturday and us going all weekend! by taking phone and email orders only for car park Secondly, thanks to Katie collection or delivery to those unable to get to the shop. Kupcakes who made and Ring 331897 or email [email protected]. We donated the most ask for a day to process orders and a little more notice delicious cakes for us. for some specific items. This is working very well and Finally, thanks to Joanne Nottingham, as one of the keeping everyone as safe as possible at this time. We the Harrogate Scrubbers, has been helping to make are following government guidelines and we may open scrubs for the team at the hospital. The support from the shop doors with restricted access to keep social the community has meant a great deal to many during distancing in place sometime in the foreseeable future. this fight with Covid-19. To see the team at work smile Unfortunately, we will not be able to open our coffee through these acts of kindness has been uplifting in the shop again for some time to come. We would really like worst of times. Thank you from the bottom of our to thank everyone for their support. We really do hearts. appreciate it. Lily Barton.

▪ If you would like to thank anyone for support during Tancred Farm Shop this challenging time please get in touch with me and I’ll put a piece in the next edition. Ed. We keep being asked about local deliveries. Unfortunately, we don't have the staffing for that as we’re busy trying to keep up with in-shop demand. What we have introduced, though, is a contactless Shop talk shopping scheme:

Green Hammerton post office and shop 1. You phone us on 330764 and place your order. 2. We get your order ready at the shop and phone you Firstly, a big thank you to all of our wonderful back for payment and to arrange a collection time. customers who have supported us with their patience 3. You collect your shopping from our contactless and patronage through this difficult time. Both Debbie collection point at the front of the farmhouse and Frank are on furlough and, as such, we have had to change our operating hours to 9am to 12.30pm, We are still open for normal shopping. However, we Monday to Saturday. We are constantly reviewing this ask all customers to be extra careful to maintain as as we are in a rapidly changing situation. We have much distance as possible between one another and implemented Covid-secure practices which is staff. We are, of course, doing extra cleaning as well. challenging in such a small space. We advise all The coffee shop is closed until further notice. Many customers to stay two metres apart and ask that only customers are collecting orders for friends, relations, three come into the shop at a time. We have installed a neighbours and particularly the elderly and vulnerable splash screen, wear protective gloves and ensure that ones. Keep it up! Thank you for all your help and all surfaces are regularly disinfected to protect our support, as always. Dean Hullah.

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Jason and Caolan make the grade The joining process is very simple. If anyone would like to ‘attend’ future services please send an email to Rev

Sarah at [email protected]. She will then send you by Diane Tee the relevant link the day before. More information also

available from me on 33083. Hope to see you (on Congratulations to two karate students who had been screen!) soon. attending the weekly classes held at Green Hammerton village hall prior to lockdown. Both have achieved new ▪ Keen keyboard player Bertie Kirkwood is doing an black belt (Dan) grades. Caolan Crosby, 16, (pictured, unusual lockdown favour for St Thomas’ Church. left) has been training for six years and has secured his Martin Leather has asked him to play the organ once a 2nd Dan Grade. He regularly assists chief instructor, week to stop it from seizing up. “Apparently, there are Master Andy Moodie, 4th Dan, at the class. Jason leather straps within the mechanism which can be Collins, 11, started his karate journey four years ago damaged if they’re not stretched regularly through and was delighted to reach 1st Dan black belt level. playing,” explained Martin.

Master Moodie said: “I am delighted for both Caolan and Jason. They have each shown great dedication to reach such high standards and set tremendous Noticeboard examples to the younger students who are aspiring to reach the same significant goals”. ▪ Congratulations to Cole and Rafael Watson who won a safari trail around the village devised by Roger Caoloan and Jason were required to demonstrate their Mattock. He said: “The scenario was that a lorry loaded knowledge and ability to perform a variety of self with animals had parked in the lay-by outside the defence techniques, karate forms (katas) and sparring village and a cheeky monkey had let them all the during the grading exam. animals go. I marked 20 locations on a street map of the village and the children had to find the picture of Anyone interested in joining the class when it resumes the animal and tell me what it was. It was more should contact [email protected]. successful than I thought it would be. Over 40 maps Ordinarily, sessions are held at on Mondays from 5pm were taken. Well done to all who took park.” to 5.45pm and are open to children ▪ Roger is running a pub quiz every Wednesday on aged 5 and over. Zoom. Look out for the link to the quiz on the new They have the Green Hammerton Facebook page (see p3) every opportunity to Tuesday. Roger said: “We’re getting around 10 learn self defence, contestants every week and more are very welcome.” get fit, and also gain confidence ▪ Did you know that the village has a Children’s and self discipline, Society collection box scheme and that you could all in a friendly join it? You get one of their boxes delivered to your and fun environ- home and use it for loose change. It gets collected once ment. New start- a year, emptied and returned. Feel free to ask for a box ers are always for your workplace too. The money helps vulnerable welcome and can young people by, for instance, funding projects to enjoy an initial prevent child sexual exploitation, end child poverty free taster class. and improve mental health and support for young carers, runaways, young refugees and migrants. More information from Annabelle Polito via 331993 or [email protected]. Service as usual ▪ North Yorkshire County Council has approved a plan by David MacDonald of St Thomas’s Church to upgrade Junction 47 of the A1(M) with traffic signals and widened slip roads to cope with growing Churches are closed for the foreseeable future because traffic levels from the thousands of homes being built of the pandemic. However, our Vicar, Rev Sarah in the area. An extra traffic lane will be built near the Feaster, has set up regular Sunday morning services Flaxby roundabout. Work starts in July and for the United Benefice of Great and Little Ouseburn completion is set for next March. and Marton cum Grafton from the vicarage using Zoom. Village View is published bi-monthly and distributed free to every household in Green Hammerton. Also available at They have been very successful with ‘congregations’ of greenhammerton.org.uk/village-view-newsletter. For more 70 and more, some from as far away as Germany. They news subscribe to email alerts via the same website. work extremely well, using the standard form of service and including pre-recorded hymns. You can participate Edited by Paul Kirkwood, [email protected]. in the privacy of your own home. During the service everyone apart from the Vicar and any readers etc is Next issue out: Sun 2 Aug. Deadline: Sat 25 July. muted so you can sing away to your hearts content!

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Down Memory Lane sports special: Pictured tendering his autograph book is Stuart Witham, then aged 12 and nominated captain for the When Hammerton was Hammered-ton occasion, who now lives with his family on the Crescent in Green Hammerton. He told Village View: “I think Allan May used to play non-league football possibly by the editor with Bradford Park Avenue but had to give up due to a

knee injury. He may have been able to get hold of Allan A photo hanging in Kirk Hammerton village hall Clarke through his contacts in the game. I went on to shows United legend Allan Clarke making a play for Ouseburn United and Boroughbridge when, presentation to a young football team in the 70s. Look unlike Hammerton, we used to win everything! I was closer and you may recognise two, local faces. In always big Leeds fan.” common with other back pages at present, Village View recalls a golden sporting moment. Stuart and wife Sandra’s son Jack has a similar footballing passion. He is in final year of a sports journalism course at University of Huddersfield and, before lockdown, was on a 100-hour work placement with City writing match reports for their social media and website.

Also pictured is Neil Phillips of Meadow Vale, Hammerton’s goalkeeper, who went on to found the Green Hammerton Grass- hoppers junior team. He said: “I won player of the year that season and my prize was a blue Adidas t- shirt. I’ve also still got two trophies from those days. The visit seemed to do the trick as the following season we were runners-up in the Hammerton United six-a-side tournament, and low and behold, two weeks later we won the Huby gala five-a-side!”

It’s nearing the end of season 1976/77 and Hammerton ▪ From left, back row: Gary Petty, Simon Kennerley United are struggling. To say they are shipping goals by and Graham Whall. Second from back row: David the dozen is an understatement. By March they have Barrott, Gordon Nelson and Neil Phillips. Second row: conceded 198 goals in 18 matches and scored just 20. A Trevor Petty, Robert Dean, and Richard Ebdon (son of losing run of 43 successive games over two seasons the late Dorothy). Front row: Peter Leather, Jonathan finally comes to an end with a 9-2 win over local rivals Kennerley and Stuart Witham, also pictured below Poppleton United. To celebrate the success and inspire the lads for the rest of the season manager Allan May, who moved away from Green Hammerton to Acomb a few years ago, arranges for Leeds United striker Allan Clarke to visit the side at Kirk Hammerton village hall. The lads watch Match of the Day cinefilms of two famous Leeds victories from 1972. Then ‘Sniffer’, as he was nicknamed because of his nose for goals, participates in a question and answer session, presents awards and signs autographs.

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Lockdown didn’t stop street parties for the 75th anniversary of VE Day. Residents from Meadow Vale got into the swing of things while, of course, maintaining a social distance (as did your Village View photographer – Ed.)

Top left: At 91 years young, Doris Harland, is the second oldest resident of Green Hammerton and has lived in the village for 70 years. She’s pictured with daughter and carer Michelle Corner. Top right: We’ll raise a mug to that ... Roger and Valerie Frost. Above left: June Phillips flies the flag. Above right: Jenny Dennis enjoys the sun and sons, Max (left) and Ollie.

Bernard Lane was among the other streets celebrating, with a fish and chips delivery among the highlights. Below, from left: Hymases, Lamberts, Blackburns and Walshes. Jan Jackson is pictured tying ribbons