THE TATTLER

Topcliffe and Asenby Times

December 201926th Year

The TATtler www.topcliffe.org.uk

Broadacres unveil plans fornew homes at East Lea

Broadacres housing association has unveiled plans toprovide new affordable homes for local people at its EastLea site in Topcliffe.Under the proposals, the housing association isproposing to demolish two blocks of flats, each containingfour homes and replace them with eight new, modernproperties in keeping with the village. Eleven garagescurrently rented out to private individuals will also bedemolished to create an attractive space around the newhomes.Following feedback from residents at a recentconsultation, Broadacres is seeking to provide a mixtureof two and three-bedroom homes, as well as a one-bedroom property adapted to meet the specific needs ofone of the current residents living in the flats.All the homes would be built to high quality standards andwould include new, energy efficient heating systems. Thehomes have been designed by award-winning architects,P+HS Architects.

Residents currently living in the flats will need to bere-housed whilst the demolition and construction work iscarried out, but Broadacres will attempt to keep people asclose to Topcliffe as they can. When the new homes arecomplete, the residents will then be given priority inallocation of the new properties.Joy Whinnerah, Broadacres' Development andInvestment Director, said: "Our number one priority is

ensuring the residents affected are fully supported, andeach will be allocated a dedicated key worker who willliaise with them regularly throughout the process."The current flats no longer meet customer aspirations, soour plans would see new, high quality homes being builtwith the current residents being given first refusal on theproperties. We're committed to working closely with theresidents and the wider community in Topcliffe, and we'vealready taking their views on board in regard to specifichousing requirements."Issues about car parking, flood prevention and access toallotments were all raised at the meeting and these will allbe considered and addressed prior to a planningapplication being submitted, which we anticipatehappening around summer 2020. The demolition andconstruction process would then take up to 18 months."We will, of course, provide regular updates to the localcommunity as the project progresses."

Fayre launches Christmas in TopcliffeA big thank you has been extended to everyone whoattended the Christmas Fayre on 16 November. It was atremendous success and just short of £800 was raisedtowards the planned disabled access route in the churchgrounds.

There were ten stalls selling all things Christmassy,including novelties, cards, bric-a-brac, books, honey andeven doggie treats! Visitors started on the turkeysandwiches at 10am and by 11.30am the turkey was allsold. Latecomers were then offered fresh cream sconesand chocolate muffins as an alternative.It was a wonderful opener for the festive season inTopcliffe, with upwards of 150 attending and turning itinto a lovely social occasion with people sitting andchatting for ages. Organiser Karen Morley is planning torepeat the Fayre next year.

2The TATtler www.asenby.net

Local charity wins awardA charity run from Topcliffe which aims to improve the livesof older people by reducing isolation and betteringwellbeing whilst encouraging physical activity, has won theBest Community Group award at North Yorkshire CountyCouncil's annual Community Awards event.The Sporting Memories Foundation runs eight clubsacross the county, and 120 across the country, tacklingone of the biggest challenges of our time - that of anageing population.The clubs run weekly sessions, free of charge at whichmembers gain confidence, improve their mental andphysical wellbeing, and make new friends. Clubs, run byteams of volunteers, encourage physical activity throughexercise and sports and stimulate conversation by sharingmemories of sporting moments to reawaken positiveemotions.The prize-winning Northallerton Sporting Memories Club,run by a team of dedicated volunteers, has been meetingat Northallerton Library every Thursday morning for almostfive years.

The award was presented by county council chair,Councillor Jim Clark, accompanied by Kim Leadbeater, anambassador for the Jo Cox Foundation. Match of the Day

Councillor Jim Clark, with Wendy Jameson of Topcliffe,who is one of the volunteers who runs the Northallerton

club and Tony Jameson-Allen

commentator Guy Mowbray, who is a Patron of the charityand a resident of North Yorkshire, was also there.Tony Jameson-Allen, co-founder of the charity and aTopcliffe resident, said: "Winning the award is absolutetestament to the volunteers involved. They run these clubsweek in week out making sure that everyone getseverything they possibly can from the sessions. The prizemoney will help us to continue supporting the volunteers,buy some more equipment for the club and hopefully havea celebration event as well."

Trace of the Norse GodsFrom Germany and Scandinavia came the Vikings withstories about the gods of Asgard. They took them toOrkney, Ireland and Northern England.Loki was handsome, convincing,He walked the skyWith shoes that could fly,Cunning as a fox,Always changingPuzzling everyone.You can trace these Northern warriorsIn the words they left behind.This is a couple ofverses from a powerfulpoem by Victoria Thomisabout Norse mythologywhich was recentlyincluded in SeeingThings, a book of poetrycollated for the RiponPoetry Festival 2019.Victoria, inspired by arecent trip to Norway,had studied the godsand was able to capturetheir strength andauthority in her writing.Victoria, who has lived inTopcliffe for four years, contributed her poem to a bookpublished by Jennyruth Workshops in Ripon which sheattends twice a week. She is an avid reader and clearlyhas a great appreciation for words and stories.The Ripon Poetry Festival is an annual event committed tomaking poetry available to everyone.

The Swan At TopcliffeTelephone: 01845 595185

Bed & BreakfastTraditional home cooked food

served Monday to Saturday

Sunday lunch - 12 noon to 3pmPie Night - Wednesdays

Thank you for all yoursupport this year.

Merry ChristmasThe Dog & Gun

At Carlton Miniott

Traditional home cooked food and real alesLarge function room

Basket Night - TuesdayPizza and Pasta Night - Wednesday

Pie Night - ThursdayHome cooked Sunday lunch - 12 noon to 3pm

Main menu and Chef Specials:Tuesday to Saturday

Telephone: 01845 523384

3The TATtler www.topcliffe.org.uk

Big thank you from Air AmbulanceYorkshire Air Ambulance have said a big thank you to themanagers and residents of Swaleside Holiday Park inTopcliffe for their amazing generosity in recent years.Managers Mandy Kenney and Andrew Balderson wereinvited to a special event to receive a 'CommunityFundraising Award' to recognise their support.The pair recently handed over £1,500 which had beenraised at a summer event in August. This brings the totalto date since they started managing the site just over threeyears ago to a fantastic £4,050. In total in the years thePark has supported the Air Ambulance, well over £11,000has been donated.

The event organisers congratulated Mandy and Andrewand commented that "their enthusiasm and passion forfundraising is inspiring and heart-warming to see".Yorkshire Air Ambulance is as an independent charity,needing to raise £12,000 each day to keep its two yellowhelicopters flying, maintained and saving more livesacross Yorkshire.

Jabs up for grabs!Did you know that flu kills an average of 8,000 peopleevery year, and it can be particularly serious in olderadults, very young children, and people with underlyinghealth conditions? The flu vaccine remains the bestdefence we have against flu. The flu vaccination isavailable every year on the NHS to help protect adults andchildren at risk of flu and its complications.Topcliffe Surgery reports that lots of local people have nowhad their annual flu jab, but there's still time for those atrisk to have the vaccination.There are no further flu jab clinics planned but patients cancall to make an appointment during normal surgery times.

Mandy (left) and Andrew receive their award

See us on Facebook…Topcliffe & Asenby Village Hall features onFacebook so follow our page for all the latestnews and information about upcoming events.

www.facebook.com/topcliffeasenbyvillagehall

4The TATtler www.asenby.net

Christmas at St Columba's

Nine Lessons and Carols, Sunday 15December at 6.30pm, St. Columba's ChurchService of Nine Lessons and Carols. Hear thetraditional reading of the Christmas story andsing your favourite carols in the candle lit church. S.Columba's Choir, led by Linda Hewlett, will include aselection of carols, both old and new, especially chosenfor this year's service, including the syncopated AngelAlleluias (1998) by Alan Bullard and a most gorgeousreworking of the Coventry Carol (2006) by Philip Stopford,originally composed to be sung in St Anne's CathedralBelfast. Matthew Atherton will accompany the service onthe organ. Linger afterwards for drinks and finger food.Carols and Christmas Cheer around the ChristmasTree, Thursday 19 December, 7pm prompt.Join in this hour-long festive event at the Christmas treelocated outside Topcliffe & Asenby Village Hall. Enjoymulled wine and mince pies and sing your favouritecarols, led by Linda Hewlett and members of StColumba's choir. For all the family, but please wrap upwarmly and bring a torch or lantern! Carol sheets will beprovided. Everyone most welcome, no charge, butdonations welcomed for Macmillan Nurses.Crib Service, Christmas Eve, Tuesday 24 December,2.30pm, St Columba's ChurchAn informal service for all, especially families withchildren, relating the Christmas story.

Midnight Mass, Christmas Eve, Tuesday 24 December,11.30pm, St Columba's ChurchA special Eucharist with choir and carols to see inChristmas Day, to which all are most warmly invited.Christmas Morning Service, Wednesday 25 December,9am, St Columba's ChurchChristmas Day for all the family.Choral Evensong for Epiphany, Sunday 5 January2020, 6.30pm, St Columba's ChurchCelebrating the visit of the Wise Men.Choral Evensong for Candlemas, Sunday 2ndFebruary 2020, 6.30pm, St Columba's ChurchThe Rev Susanne Jukes, the Churchwardens LindaCarver and Liz Marsh, and all at St Columba's join inwishing everyone a very happy, blessed and peacefulChristmas, and look forward to seeing you at some, ifnot all, of our services and events.

5The TATtler www.topcliffe.org.uk

Topcliffe Parish end of year reviewAs the year draws to a close, it's a good time to reflect onwhat the Parish Council has done for the community in thesix months since the election in May.The playing field has had its ground maintenancearrangements improved, the play equipment has beeninspected and some faults found have been repaired. Theold vandalised football changing room has been removedas it was in a dangerous state, the hedges have beentrimmed, the grass has been cut several times and thegoal posts have been repaired.Getting the playing field back to the standard we wouldlike is going to take time and money. We aim to upgradethe playing field and its equipment in the next year or two,and we will try to cater for all ages, young and old. Weknow that this will not be cheap to do: possibly requiringas much as thirty to forty thousand pounds. Raising thatsort of cash, via grants and other fundraising, will requirea significant amount of effort.Importantly, a decision has been made to stop all vehicles,including those belonging to members of the bowling club,from parking in the field. It is always hard to stop practicesthat have gone on for years, but this decision had to bemade to protect children and, indeed, other users whohave been using the same entrance as cars with noseparate footpath. Parish councillors concluded that theplaying field is for sports and leisure - not a car park!Two Tidy Up Days have been held and on each occasionmany villagers of all ages came out in force to help. Bothwere a great success and we hope this approach tokeeping our village tidy and clean will continue next year.I'd particularly like to thank those of you that came out inthe rain to help cut back the hedges and overgrown treesaround the cemetery in Winn Lane. It will take severalmore tidy up days to finish the job and we look forward totackling more of the job in the spring.

The Sheep Wash was in a run-down state before wecleared out dead trees, lots of rubbish and weeds andbegan to restore the area for villagers’ use. Unfortunately,winter caught up with us before we finished everything,but we hope to continue the work next spring.Traffic through Topcliffe has been an increasing problemin recent years and without some positive action thingscan only get worse. Many of you will have noticed that inOctober the Highways Department installed trafficcounters on Long Street and on Station Road near the

school. We asked for this action because of increasingconcern about the volume of traffic passing throughTopcliffe, the number of vehicles clearly speeding and thesignificant numbers of HGV vehicles using the villageroads illegally.The results of the survey showed:

● On Long Street there were an average 4,000traffic movements per day, including 140+ largeHGVs and 10% of all vehicles speeding.

● On the A167 (near the school) there was anaverage 3,000 traffic movements per day,including 100+ large HGVs and over 28% of allvehicles were speeding.

These results are, of course, extremely worrying and it isclear we need to try to improve the situation. The first stepagreed is that we will purchase a mobile radar speedwarning sign of the type many villages in North Yorkshirehave used to good effect. The cost of £3,500 will befunded from Parish Council reserves and the annualprecept raised from the village.To try to reduce the HGV problem we are havingdiscussions with the Highways Department about erectinghighly visual signs at the entrances to the village to warnHGV drivers that they could be breaking the law and couldface significant fines. In addition, we have contacted localbusinesses to ask them to reroute their vehicles. The nextstep will be to provide the Police and Trading Standardswith photographic evidence of HGVs clearly flouting thelaw.Unfortunately, there's one important task that the ParishCouncil has not yet been able to resolve, despite manyattempts and much pushing. The railing at the top of MillBank was first reported as needing 'urgent' attentionaround two years ago. David Pilgrim and I taped it off withhazard tape at the time but no action was taken by theHighways Authority.

On becoming Chairman of the Parish Council in May 2019one of the first things I did was again report the fence tothe Highways Department. After several reminders anengineer came out in July to inspect the problem andthough he hadn't said he was visiting, he was spotted andI showed him the problem. He actually leaned on the railand nearly fell though as it collapsed! The result of thisnear accident was that the engineer placed a single roadcone on the foot path, but no other action was or has beentaken. I again taped the area off with hazard tape.Regretfully, neither our North Yorkshire County councilloror Hambleton District councillors, all of whom attend ourParish Council meetings, have been unable to get thissorted either. It doesn't say a lot for the HighwaysDepartment or the influence of our local politicians.

Malcolm Morley, Chairman, Topcliffe Parish Council

Jonathan Lingard and son, Oliver, dragging awaybranches destined for the bonfire.

York, where it was counted to make sure it was still allthere, and then it arrived in Topcliffe where it stayed fortwo days whilst details of the exchange were finalised. Itmakes you wonder where all of those money-packed cartswere parked and how many guards must have been thereto protect it!

Interestingly, thoughit is called the TollBooth, the buildinghas never collectedtolls for highwayusage - that wasdone from thecottage on the bridgeover the River Swale.

The Court Leet was last held in in the Toll Booth in 1869and by the late 1800s the whole lower floor was a stableand the upper floor an Institute and Reading Room for thebenefit of villagers. Billiards was one of the activities onoffer. At the outbreak of the Second World War, the wholeToll Booth was taken over by the YMCA - the billiardstable was removed so that a canteen could be opened forRAF and RCAF personnel from Dalton and Topcliffeaerodromes.After the war the building was handed back to the villagebut during the next twenty years it fell into disuse and wasgenerally "unloved". But in 1968 when the then countycouncil proposed demolition to create better sight lines onthe busy road junction, attitudes changed and a campaignwas launched to save it. In 1970 the Parish Councilagreed to become Trustee and they have beenresponsible for the Toll Booth since then.In 1999 theParish Council,in conjunctionwith HambletonDistrict Council,undertook apreservationproject to securethe buildingsfuture for years to come. The Toll Booth, which has GradeII listed status, is the base for Topcliffe's snooker club andthough many attempts have been made to find uses forthe ground floor, none have proved long lasting orsustainable.

Toll Booth's chequered historyTopcliffe's oldest surviving building has a place in thenation's history, has been at the centre of village life forhundreds of years and is currently the village's snookerroom. This unassuming building on the corner of FrontStreet and Long Street dates back to the medieval periodand is the last remaining trace of the Manor of Topcliffe.There's no date for the original construction but it is likelythat it was rebuilt and extended around 1562 usingmassive timbers from the ruined manor house. Thisreconstruction was probably carried out to provide anadequate building where the market tolls could be paidand where the Court Leet could sit and Quarter Sessionscould be held. There were also shops, stables and a'lock-up' on the ground floor.Historically, the Toll Booth's main claim to fame surroundsthe payment of a ransom to the Scots for King Charles Iback in the 1600s. There are many versions of the storybut, according to John Graham's Millennium Book ofTopcliffe, it's most likely that after a series of defeats byCromwell, including one at the Battle of Naseby on 14June 1645, the king realised he was in danger of beingcaptured by the Parliamentarians and judged that hewould be better treated if he surrendered to the Scots.The Scots realising their good fortune quickly moved theking northwards from Newark via Topcliffe on route toNewcastle. Once the king was safely ensconced in thenorth the Scots started to negotiate terms under which hewould be returned to the Parliamentarians and agreementwas reached in January 1647.There is no evidence that a ransom was actually handedover in Topcliffe's Toll Booth, but historians have agreedthat it is likely that a receipt recognising the handover ofmoney for the hostage was exchanged there…and thetable that was used is still in use at the village hall to thisday!We know (becauseit is recorded in theHouse of CommonsJournal for the 1January 1647) thatthe cash for theransom was carriedby thirty six cartsfrom London to

6The TATtler www.asenby.net

Topcliffe Post OfficeFor all your postal requirements, cartax, banking, newspapers, bread and

dairy, meat orders, cards, lotterytickets…and much more.

Long Street, Topcliffe, YO7 3RL01845 577517

Open 7am to 5pm weekdays.7am to 12 noon Saturdays.

Closed Sundays.

7The TATtler www.topcliffe.org.uk

Poppy Mystery

One of the questions asked most in Topcliffe last monthwas: "Who is the mystery person or persons making anddisplaying poppies throughoutthe village" in the run up toArmistice Day?

There were lots of namesmentioned and each onedenied it was them. So, whowas the mysterious person orgroup that came out in the darkhours to festoon trees andbuildings with remembrancepoppies?

Maybe we'll never know theanswer…or perhaps we'll findout in November next year?

The Little YorkshireHamper Company

Beautiful hampers in many different sizes andcontaining the best of produce from small

Yorkshire food and drink producers.www.thelittleyorkshirehampercompany.co.uk

ART CONNECTIONSArtists Barry and Vivien Wilton-Middlemass take art classes atTopcliffe & Asenby Village Hall every Monday afternoon from 1pmto 4pm. Classes restart on Monday, 16 September.

No matter what your level –beginners to advanced – we wouldbe delighted if you come and joinus. There’s always something newto learn and if you are not sure ofyour capabilities please simplycome along and have a chat and atry.

Call Barry mob: 07909 690543 orEmail: jbm.lockwoodbeck@btopenworld.com

Make a dog's Christmas!As Christmas fast approaches the Blue Cross is againappealing for pet free foster homes which are local to itsRehoming Centre in Topcliffe.Pets like little Reggie, (pictured with Animal WelfareAssistant, Charlotte Waite) would certainly find a fosterhome extremely beneficial whilst the staff search for apermanent home for him.Many of the pets in Blue Cross's care struggle being ontheir own in kennels for long periods and they genuinelyseem to miss their home comforts. Some become quitestressed and anxious, making it hard to assess what typeof new home would suit them best and for the petsthemselves to show their true character to potentialadopters.

Foster homes provide a much calmer space for pets andcan also mean that they recover from operations andillnesses much quicker too! Blue Cross is particularlylacking in pet free homes which are needed for dogs orcats who struggle around other animals.Maybe fostering a pet is too much for you but you wouldlike to help? Blue Cross is looking for donations, such astoys or tasty treats for dog and cats.So, can you help make a dog or cat happy this Christmas?If so, contact Blue Cross on 0300 777 1540 or emailthirsk@bluecross.org.uk

Tel: 01845 577483 Mob: 07921 0749348The TATtler www.asenby.net

Coffee morning with a difference!Every year there is a national celebration aimed athighlighting the importance of village halls within localcommunities.The 2020 event will be held from 20 to 26 January and ourvillages are taking part. The Village Hall Committee hasagreed to organise a coffee morning with a differencebetween 10am and noon on Saturday, 25 January.Our village hall is different - possibly unique - in that it isshared between two communities on opposite sides of ariver, in different parishes, different boroughs, differentcounty divisions and even different parliamentaryconstituencies. That means that we have double thenumber of elected representatives who are there to lookafter our interests!With that in mind, parish councillors, district council andcounty council representatives and our two Members ofParliament have been invited to come along and meettheir constituents and see our excellent village hall. It willbe a great opportunity for elected politicians and residentsof Topcliffe and Asenby to get together over a cup of teaor coffee in a friendly environment.As an extra attraction, a fascinating slideshow featuringimages of our two villages now and over the last centuryand including the changing face of our village hall over theyears, will be projected on the large screen throughout themorning.

Asenby village playgroundI am happy to report that the playground equipment andsurface passed the ROSPA safety inspection organisedby the Parish Council in September.The committee previously responsible for the playgroundhas been disbanded and so responsibility has passed bydefault to the Parish Council who own the land on whichthe playground is sited.According to the Inspector's report, no immediate actionis required under health and safety regulations.However, it was agreed at the September meeting of theParish Council that the playground is looking tired andwould benefit from renovation. This would take aconsiderable sum of money and the Parish Council hasno funds available to upgrade it. Funding schemes areavailable but require matched funding of at least £7,000.The Parish Council precept is £1,350 per annum and of

this £500 is spent cutting the grass on the playgroundand playing field and a further £124 on the annualROSPA inspection.The Parish Council propose to hold a village meeting nextSpring to discuss the future of the playground and thesurrounding playing fields.

Peter PalmerChairman, Asenby Parish Council

A Thought for ChristmasAll I want for Christmas is…my two front teeth. All I wantfor Christmas is…you!What do you want for Christmas? Please don't say thatyou don't want anything, because Christmas is for thekiddies, really. That couldn't be further from the truth.Christmas is the greatest gift for all of us.Perhaps if you go by the message in many of theChristmas cards, the thing that we wish most for eachother, and so presumably for ourselves, too, is peace andjoy. And it's right to keep wanting…wishing for…longingfor these things, year after year. They are the bedrock ofour lives, the things that make all the difference to ourhealth and well-being as individuals and as a community.For Christians, especially at this time of year, peace andjoy are to be found in the person of Jesus Christ, the Wordof God, 'God with us' - Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace.But just recognizing that doesn't mean that instantly 'allwill be well'. It means that we commit ourselves tostanding alongside the Prince of Peace and, learning fromhim, making the most of the opportunities that we findourselves presented with day by day. It is about makingthat commitment to be peace-makers and peace-keepersin our homes, amongst our friends and neighbours.And we can't be peace-makers and peace-keepers forothers if we're not at peace within ourselves too, so it'sabout, with Christ, tackling our own disease as well.Your Christmas might be quiet…it might be full of noiseand busyness. However it is, I wish you the peace ofright-relationships, and the joy that comes from that. Thedetails of our Christmas worship can be found elsewherein The Tattler, or on the A Church Near You, Topcliffe,website. Do join us if you can, and be reminded of God'sgreat love for you, and of the greatest gift of all.Every Christmas blessing, to you and yours!

Rev. Susanne Jukes

9The TATtler www.topcliffe.org.uk

Festive celebrations start earlyOn 8 December residents living inAsenby attended the village'sannual Christmas get-together toenjoy mince pies, mulled wine andgood company. It was held at thehome of Peter and Judith Lowe atGreen End Dairy, Asenby.

Over thirty senior citizens of Asenbyand Topcliffe enjoyed Christmaslunch in the Village Hall on 10December. A three-course festivelunch, with a choice of wine, mincepies and coffee was very muchenjoyed by those present.Entertainment was provided by ThirskU3A's Ukulele group and by localmusicians Alan Nuttall and JulianCapell.

Memorials on the move

The Second World War memorial that has been ondisplay in the Methodist Chapel for many years has nowbeen moved to a new location - the Village Hall.

Following the decision of the Methodist authorities to putthe Chapel up for sale for housing development a newhome for two war memorials had to be found. The onepictured - with the famous Mouseman of Kilburn mousecarved on the edge - is made of wood and needed to bekept indoors, so the entrance lobby at the hall seemed tobe an ideal choice.

The other memorial, which is made of stone, is muchlarger and is a memorial to local men who died in the FirstWorld War, will be relocated quite soon to a specialresting place in the Jubilee Gardens, just across the roadfrom the Methodist Chapel. It's hoped that plans will befinalised fairly soon and we'll report the move in a futureedition of The Tattler.

Safe and WellNorth Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service is offering free"Safe and Well" visits to anyone who would benefit fromfree fire safety advice at home. These visits involve amember of the Brigade coming to your home to give youtailored fire safety advice including:

● Identifying potential fire risks in your home.● Giving advice on how to reduce and prevent fires.● Information about bedtime routines to help keep

you safe at night.● Helping you make an escape plan for if there is a

fire.● Checking you have working smoke alarms and

know how to test them.They can also give advice about other health and wellbeing topics and suggest support you can get from otherorganisations. This may include information on how to getfurther advice or help avoiding falls, giving up smoking,keeping your home warm or living with dementia.

If you, or someone you know, would benefit from a visityou can book by phone by calling 01609 788545 or onlineatwww.northyorksfire.gov.uk/communitysafety/sw/swform

Loose Chippings hit the roadThere was a barnstorming performance by the popularThirsk-based band The Loose Chippings at the VillageHall at the end of November.The five-piece group had caught the mood of theaudience and had them singing and dancing along to along list of favourites from the 60s through to the currentday.

The sixty people present had a very nice supper preparedby Karen Morley and Linda Carver and on the night £370was raised for village hall funds.

10The TATtler www.asenby.net

Aussie finds her Topcliffe rootsReaders of The Tattler may remember an obituary forMiss Jean Dickenson a few years ago. Indeed, manyresidents will remember the lady herself. Topcliffe bornand bred, she never married and had no children but herniece, Jan, although now living in Lancaster, remains aregular visitor to the village and still retains herconnections.Two years ago, a long-lost Australian relative with apassion for family history, found a link via Jean's obituaryin an old edition of The Tattler online. Immediately therelative, Jane Enright, managed to get in contact with Janand there followed lots of emails and exchanges ofinformation about the Dickenson family.

During the summer Jane visited England and travelled toTopcliffe to meet Jan and look around the village,particularly the church and cemetery. She was extremelyenthusiastic about the information she discovered andloved exploring the area where so many members of herfamily had originated. And of course, meeting a memberof her family who, until two years ago she hadn't knownexisted, must have been quite a thrill.

Tidying up TopcliffeDespite the rain and autumnal gloom, there was anenthusiastic turnout again for the latest Topcliffe tidy-up.The focus this time was on Winn Lane Cemetery whichwas in great need of some hacking and chopping,sweeping and weeding. All ages joined in - from the veryyoung to the less young - but there was a lovelyatmosphere of camaraderie and good humour.Following the grafting, hot soup and sandwiches wereserved at the village hall, giving everyone a chance towarm up and discuss the next project. Even hard labourcan become a habit it seems!Also receiving a much-needed facelift is the children'splay area where safety measures are being upgraded andimprovements have begun.

Jane (left) and Jan

Heather Holt, the tidy-up organiser, and Karen Cussensattack the wild undergrowth which had become overgrown

Merry ChristmasThe Tattler's Editorial and Production team wish allreaders a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.Your next Tattler will be issued in March 2020.

Best wishesDoug Allan, Alexandra Ventress and Charles Collinson

Volunteers needed

Herriot Hospice Homecare is keen to hear from anyonewho would be interested in getting involved in bringing theLambert Hospital into use as a hospice care communityhub.

The hospice will need the support of lots of differentpeople including fundraisers, donors and volunteers tobring the building, which was closed to patients three yearago, back into use as a community asset. To register yourinterest in getting involved, visit www.herriothh.org.uk orcall 01609 777413.

11

Crematorium to be built

Land near near Skipton Bridge has been revealed as thesite for a new crematorium to serve the Hambleton area.

Hambleton District Council has given approval to the planon a 22-acre site and has provided £250,000 in its capitalprogramme to fund design, surveys and site assessmentsneeded to reach a planning submission and contractorappointment.

The people of Hambleton currently have to travel somemiles out of the district to crematoriums in neighbouringareas and they often have to endure a considerable waitfor appointments, before they can say goodbye to theirloved ones.

Get on Message

I’m always amazed to hear reports of locals who say theyhad no idea that such and such an event was being heldor state that they never know what is going on in Topcliffe& Asenby.

The fact is that our two villages have considerablecommunications capacity – the two village websites, thequarterly Tattler, posters, A boards, notice boards and aregular email circulation to those who have agreed to beincluded.

And, of course, word of mouth is one of the best ways tospread messages about what’s coming up at the villagehall and other locations…and we all know that this methodof communication is alive and well!

I’m fairly content that organisers are doing the best theycan to promote the events they are arranging, but whatelse can we do to ensure that everyone knows what beingplanned and when? I’d certainly welcome any affordableideas for improving the spread of information.

Personally, I think the regular email circulation is perhapsthe most direct method of communication – though ofcourse it’s only available to those with computers or smartphones. There’s currently over 150 contacts on thecirculation list and I’m happy for it to keep growing untileveryone’s on it. To be included simply drop me an emailat doug@dougallan.co.uk and I’ll add you to the list. If youhear someone say they didn’t know what was going on inour villages, suggest they add their name to the circulationtoo!

Doug AllanEditor

Light up a Life

Villagers from Topcliffe, Asenby and the surrounding areaare invited to a special Christmas service to celebrate thelives of their loved ones during the festive period.

Herriot Hospice Homecare is hosting the service at StMary's Church in Thirsk on Saturday 14th December at4pm. The event will involve readings, carols and theopportunity to dedicate a light on the Christmas tree toremember those you remember and love at this specialtime of year.

You can contact the fundraising team at Heriot Hospice on01609 710514, email fr.team@herriothh.org.uk or visitwww.herriothh.org.uk to find out more and make yourdedication.

Snooker ClubSubscriptions are still only £25 a year.The Snooker Club situated in the Toll Booth, is excellentvalue. There are two tables, one full sizeand one three quarters; the club isheated, and you get your own key so youcan play whenever you like. The clubwelcomes new members but under-18smust be accompanied by parents.Contact Dave Bowman on 577843

Village Meeting DatesTopcliffe Parish Council

1st Thursday of the month.

Asenby Parish Council3rd Wednesday of alternate months.

Village Hall Committeenext meeting in February 2020

Check out specific dates on our village websites:www.topcliffe.org.ukwww.asenby.net

The TATtler www.topcliffe.org.uk

12The TATtler www.topcliffe.org.uk

Editorial: Doug Allan (doug@dougallan.co.uk) and Alexandra Ventress (alexandraventress1@gmail.com)Advertising Sales: Doug Allan - Production: www.redkiteit.co.uk - Printing: Beyond Digital www.beyonddigital.co.uk