COMMUNITY / BUSINESS / CULTURE T LO OR C P A P L U • S S • U L P P localA O C R O T L Photo by Walsh Antony ISSUE 27 | FREE PONTEFRACT’S COMMUNITY MAGAZINE No Nonsense Print and Design ONLY ONLY £40.72 £15.79 2500 A5 Leaflets 500 Business Cards Single sided, 150gsm silk Double sided, 450gsm silk ONLY ONLY £27.30 £40.72 1000 Stickers 500 A5 Folded Leaflets 37mm circle, 190gsm satin paper Double sided, 250gsm silk Save 10% on your first order with promo code www.ayupprint.co.uk “Pomfretian10” COMMUNITY Community News 4 Issue #27 Bubble Rush 6 Submissions If you would like to contribute to the Pontefract and Ackworth 8 Pomfretian please call 07936 860 215 Almshouse Charity or email [email protected]. We’re always delighted to hear from writers, photographers and anyone The Haunting of 10 involved in a local group or activity. Edward Molcher Advertise For more information on how to Recent Beans 14 advertise visit www.pomfretian.co.uk, email [email protected] or call HISTORY & HERITAGE 07936 860 215. Disclaimer Pomfretian is produced and published Cobbles and Setts 16 by Love Local Ltd. The opinions expressed within the Twixt Aire an’t Cut 18 magazine are of the individual authors and not necessarily those of the Pomfretian. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of content, we accept no liability in respect of the content of any article, event, photo or advertisement. PROUD TO SUPPORT ©Love Local Ltd. All rights reserved. No reproduction or copying without permission. WWW.POMFRETIAN.CO.UK 3 We love to hear from groups, Community organisations and individuals about what’s happening locally. Include a photo News if you can. Email your stories to [email protected] Cinema in the Library Pontefract Library recently launched a unique VIP cinema experience at Pontefract Library. Cinema in the Library is funded by a grant from Libraries Connected and will host free community screenings. The spaces is also available for hire for parties and functions. Cinema in the Library promises a unique experience where you can enjoy your favourite films with family and friends in the comfiest seats, with superb surround sound and high-quality picture; all tucked away in your local library. The Fairburn Singers After 17 months and the cancellation of 2 SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER SEASON Pontefract concerts, The Fairburn Singers are Tuesday 3 August - 2pm finally getting back to face-to-face rehearsals. Jumanji: The Next Level They will also be holding a FREE concert and Tuesday 10 August - 2pm refreshments in honour of all the wonderful NHS Trolls World Tour and support staff who worked so hard on our Tuesday 17 August - 2pm behalf over the period of the pandemic. Jurassic World Fallen Kingdom Everyone is welcome to attend the Rainbow Tuesday 24 August - 2pm Concert, which will be held at The Community Toy Story 4 Centre in Fairburn on Monday 13 September 2021 at 7.30 pm. For more information, visit Call 01977 727692 to book tickets or visit fairburnsingers.co.uk. cinemainthelibrary.wordpress.com for more information 4 COMMUNITY Pontefract in Bloom Summer 2021 by Dr Colin White, Chai ontefract Town Centre is full of colour this summer with Pontefract in Bloom delivering 14 tiered planters and 11 square Pplanters with a profusion of blooms. We also supported the planting of the St Giles’ Church flower beds, two flower beds in the Valley Gardens, two in Pontefract Park and the new installation of four old row boats at the lakeside in Pontefract Park. First Impressions Nurseries, Ackworth have planted the planters and are providing the watering services for the summer season. First Impressions Nurseries have also provided 45 hanging baskets for Town Centre businesses. The flower beds are all planted and maintained by volunteers; a collaboration of Pontefract in Bloom with the Friends of Pontefract Park, Friends of Friarwood Valley Gardens and St Giles’ Church. More than 5,000 plants were required for these displays, at a cost of £5,000 for plants, planting, and watering services. Pontefract in Bloom is supported by Wakefield Council’s Neighbourhood Improvement Fund, Wakefield District Housing and 49 sponsors: businesses, individuals, and families. The lakeside boats are a new initiative, and thanks for Wakefield Council Street Scene Services for providing the old row boats and installing them. We planted them with busy lizzies and geraniums which have given an impressive display, although we hadn’t anticipated that the ducks and geese would find the busy lizzies tasty, and we will have to be more selective with planting in future. Thank you to all our supporters and sponsors. 6 COMMUNITY Pontefract in Bloom 2021 Sponsors Ropergate Switalskis Solicitors Limited Metro Ropergate Dental Care Electroysis Clinic Boutique 38 Abson Blaza Property Services Coffee Lounge Liquorice Way Pomfret Gallery Taylored Holmes Front Street The Solicitors’ Chambers Mane Hairdressing Pig and Sally Official Frenchic Paint Kendal Estate Agents Stockists (Magistrates Market) Green Dragon Cornmarket Townends Accountants Suzi’s Boutique Martin and Co Estate Agents Beastfair Woods Solicitors Southgate The Play Den Market Place The Blind Pig Newgate Oakworth Consultancy Pickerings of Pontefract Robinson St. Vaux Brothers (Grain and Feed) Gillygate Hartley and Worstenholme Horsefair Knights of Pontefract Barkers Fencing Giles Boothroyd Michelle’s Flowers Ground Maintenance Farmer Copleys DeLacy Lodge Freemasons Pontefract Library St Marys Community Centre Pontefract Pontefract Town Hall Market Hall Pontefract Rotary Club Pontefract St Giles Church Lioness Club Pontefract Civic Society Liquorice Singers Royal British Legion Friends of Pontefract Park Macklam/ Pontefract Choral Society McGuckin family Pomfretian Friends of Friarwood Valley Gardens Pauline West Irene and Brian Holmes Madge Beaumont The Henfrey Family Elma Mangnall Pontefract in Bloom is also supported by grants from Wakefield District Housing and Wakefield Council’s Neighbourhood Improvement Fund and Local Capital Fund. Planting and watering provided by First Impressions Nurseries, Ackworth. 7 COMMUNITY 7 Illustration by Sandy Fryer by Illustration I Love This Place a poem by Sandy Fryer I’ve fallen in love and I have to boast Of this little gem On the Yorkshire coast It’s called Saltburn by the Sea It’s stood for one hundred and fifty years This pier so grand and it’s lift so fine It can take you down from cliff to sand As it did in 1869 You can travel the same today Walk on the beach, or surf away See from Huntcliff a shooting star The changing sunsets towards Redcar It is naturally unspoiled Because this is its charm Let’s all enjoy it And do it no harm 8 COMMUNITY FAMILY, COSMETIC, IMPROVING ORAL HEALTH The best way to maintain healthy teeth and gums Join our Dental Membership Plan! From only £8.33 per month. 18 Beastfair, Pontefract, West Yorkshire WF8 1AW T 01977 780077 www.pontefractdentalcare.co.uk [email protected] The Haunting of Edward Molcher a short story by Harry Novak (continued) didn’t see Edward for another week; certainly I text, and he must have known failure to replying would have caused me to bray on his Idoor, so short, terse replies were sent, always in the vein of “I’m fine, we’ll catch up soon”, or words to that effect. Being an engineer, I pride Photo by Antony Walsh myself on being a rational and logical man, though should go home, or go down to the Grove and not devoid of emotion and a love of life. Yet get a pint, you shouldn’t expose yourself.” I hauntings, reality altering events and unshakeable would be lying if I said there was not a part of feelings of dread are not my thing. Had any other me that wanted to do exactly as he suggested, person other than Edward, even a member of to stroll across the peaceful green, walk into the my own family, told me of such an experience, Grove, order a pint of local ale, perhaps another, I would not have believed them. Yet Edward and let the alcohol dissolve my fears like a sugar was both friend and family, was he not? Friends cube in boiling water. Yet I couldn’t do that, and I are the family we choose for ourselves, the ties think that Edward must have known this. emotional and spiritual rather than blood. After “No, I think you need to let me in Ed, and if a week of barely listening in meetings and false you don’t, I’ll hammer on your door until you smiles for clients, I took it upon myself to visit let me in, so don’t bloody argue and put the Edward, unannounced. Arriving at the small but kettle on.” Hesitating briefly, he let me in into quaint little house he owned opposite Carlton the house, a wheezy sigh escaping his chest. It green on a cool Sunday evening, I knocked at his was all I could do not to gasp when I walked into white painted door, with the very real fear he his living room; it was not that it was unkempt, would not answer. Yet answer he did and, god filthy or even over clean. It was still, like a room forgive me, there is a part of me to this day that perfectly frozen in time. It was almost as if the wishes he hadn’t. For Edward was not Edward; passing of seconds moved with glacial slowness, the deep, thoughtful eyes were now sunken and sliding across the skin like oil. A thought occurred red, the modest yet elegant clothes had been to me, one I shared with Edward.