A silent vigil was held on Ripon Market Square this morning at which a group of campaigners called for an immediate ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas.
The situation in Palestine has deteriorated since October 7, when Hamas invaded Israeli villages over the border from Gaza and killed an estimated 1,200 people and took more than 200 hostages. It is estimated that more than 12,000 Palestinians – the majority of them women and children – have died in Israeli attacks since then.
Vigil organiser Andy Croft (pictured centre in our photograph) told the Stray Ferret:
“We are not taking sides and are carrying the flags of both Israel and Palestine, as we call on the UK government and opposition to support the growing call for an immediate ceasefire.
“Too many people have already died and it is heartbreaking to hear about the civilian casualties and see television pictures of tiny babies having to be moved from intensive care incubators because the hospital that they were in no longer has the electricity to power them.”
Mr Croft added:
“We have decided to hold a weekly half hour silent vigil by the obelisk at 10am each Monday until there is a ceasefire and are holding it in Ripon so that local residents who want to join the ceasefire call don’t need to travel to Leeds or York.
“Before organising the event, we sought and received approval from North Yorkshire Police and North Yorkshire Council and also liaised with Ripon City Council.”
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Record entry for Ripon Poetry Festival competition
The 2023 Ripon Poetry Festival, which came to a close yesterday evening, proved a success with sell-out performances and a record entry for the annual poetry competition.
The final event, held at the Ripon Arts Hub on Allhallowgate, was an evening with theatre legend Barrie Rutter, the actor and director who founded Northern Broadsides to champion acting talent from the north.
This year’s 11-day festival also featured Internationally-famous children’s author Michael Rosen, who made a return to the city, having helped to launch the first Ripon Poetry Festival in 2017.
Festival curator Andy Cross told the Stray Ferret:
“It has been another tremendous year. We’ve had sell-out events from the outset and more than 300 entries for the poetry competition, which is a new record.”
Mr Croft (pictured above, centre) was among the panel of three judges that included Ripon Theatre Festival director Katie Scott and last year’s competition winner Simon Strickland (pictured left) who selected the poem, Newborn, written by Edmund Thomson Jones as the 2023 winning entry.
His entry, which was inspired by the birth of his daughter, now features alongside other entries in the 142-page festival anthology titled Creative Juices.
A separate anthology including entries from children, has also been published.
The festival, which is the biggest of its kind in Yorkshire saw performances from poets Hadley-James Hoyles, Alison Carr, Robert Powell and Sarah Wimbush.
In addition to workshops for children and adults there was open mic evening organised by Write-on Ripon and Ripon Writers Group.
A review of An Audience with Barrie Rutter is available here.
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Closing date approaches for Ripon Poetry Festival competition
The closing date for the sixth Ripon Poetry Festival competition is fast approaching.
The competition is at the heart of the festival and poets of all ages are being invited to submit their creative work by July 31 for consideration by a panel of judges.
There are three age categories — under-11s, 12 to 18 year-olds and adults — and those judged to be the best will be published in anthologies covering each of the three age ranges.
Those whose entries are included in the anthologies will be invited to read them at Ripon Arts Hub (pictured below) on the evening of Saturday September 23.
Headlining this year’s festival is internationally-famous children’s writer Michael Rosen, who helped to launch the first Ripon Poetry Festival in 2017.
The author, whose works include We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, features in a packed programme that also includes theatre legend Barrie Rutter, the actor and director who founded Northern Broadsides to champion acting talent from the north.
Running from September 21 until October 1, the festival has grown year on year to become the biggest of its kind in Yorkshire and among this year’s highlights will be performances from poets Hadley-James Hoyles, Alison Carr, Robert Powell and Sarah Wimbush.
In addition to workshops and an open mic event, Tim Harrison, former director of music at Middlesbrough Cathedral is joining forces with author, poet and festival curator Andy Croft for the world premiere of a chamber oratorio.
More details about the festival and how to enter can be found by clicking here.
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Famous author to return to Ripon Poetry Festival
Internationally-famous children’s writer Michael Rosen, who helped to launch the first Ripon Poetry Festival in 2017, is returning to the city to take part in this year’s event.
The author, whose works include We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, features in a packed programme that also includes theatre legend Barrie Rutter, the actor and director who founded Northern Broadsides to champion acting talent from the north.
The festival, which will run from September 21 until October 1, is the biggest of its kind in Yorkshire and will also see performances from poets Hadley-James Hoyles, Alison Carr, Robert Powell and Sarah Wimbush.
In addition to workshops for children and adults and an open mic evening organised by Write-on Ripon and Ripon Writers Group, Tim Harrison, former director of music at Middlesbrough Cathedral is joining forces with author, poet and festival curator Andy Croft for the world premiere of a chamber oratorio.
At the heart of the festival is a competition for poets of all ages who are being invited to submit their creative work for consideration by an independent panel of judges.
Entries are now open for three categories — under-11s, 12 to 18 year-olds and adults.
Those judged to be the best will be published in anthologies covering each of the three age ranges. More details about the festival and how to enter can be found by clicking here.
Read more:
Poets perform to packed audiences at Ripon festival
The fifth Ripon Poetry Festival came to a close yesterday after four days of readings, performances, workshops and book unveilings at venues across the city.
Among the highlights were the launches, at a packed Ripon Arts Hub operatic hall, of two anthologies containing the works of children and adults who entered the festival poetry competition.
Festival curator Andy Croft told the Stray Ferret:
“There was a record 260 entries from children and adults this year and the standard of writing was so high that the judges found it difficult to decide which of the poems to select for inclusion in each of the books.
“We published the children’s anthology for the first time this year and it was delightful to hear them reading out their work.
“One little girl, who was too small to reach the microphone, went on stage holding her mum’s hand and delivered her poem like a seasoned professional.”
In the children’s category, the under 11 winner was Merry Reeves, while the 11 to 18 prize was awarded to Beatrice Harrison.
A moving poem titled Three-legged Dog by Simon Strickland, which featured the impact of a colliery’s closure on a mining community, was selected as the best poem in the category for adults.
Ripon Poetry Festival curator Andy Croft
First-time competition entrant Nicky Hasson achieved a remarkable treble when three of her poems were selected for publication in the adult anthology and there was double delight when her daughter Jess, a third-year student studying English literature and creative writing at Lancaster University, also had her poem selected for inclusion.
Nicky said:
“I was amazed because I only started writing poetry in November and I certainly wasn’t expecting this. I was also delighted for Jess.”
The festival, which is the largest of its kind in Yorkshire, featured the published works of well-known poets Linda France, Helen Mort, Tara Bergin, Henry Raby and Jim Greenhalf, alongside amateur wordsmiths who write for pleasure.