The Skell Valley Project is embarking on a new oral history venture featuring the experiences of people living and working in the Skell Valley.

The four-year project, led by the National Trust and Nidderdale AONB, aims to conserve, enhance and celebrate the 12 miles of the River Skell from the moorlands of Dallowgill into Ripon.

A spokesperson for the project said:

“We are looking for people to share their stories of everyday life here, whether it’s about farming or working in the valley, growing up and childhood days, memories of past generations, local characters, and some of the amazing wartime history too.

“Oral history is exactly that – talking about the past. Participants will have an informal chat with a couple of volunteers who will record stories in the comfort of their home or another convenient place.”

The £2.5 million Skell Valley Project is using funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to connect local communities with unexplored heritage on their doorstep.

The oral history is just one part of the overall project, which began in 2019 and is set to run for five years.

The spokesperson added:

“At present, we don’t have a great deal of archive information about twentieth century life in the Skell Valley which runs along the 12-mile length of the Skell River, from Dallowgill, through busy rural villages and into the city of Ripon.

“We hope that by speaking to members of the community about their lives here, we’ll be able to make sure that the rich local history of the last century is documented and can brought to life for future generations.

“We’re also looking for volunteers to help carry out oral history interviews to collect these new stories and will provide full training for anyone who is interested in taking part. If you have a passion for history and would like to help, then we’d love to hear from you.”

Anybody wanting to share their story or interested in volunteering with the project, is asked to contact Karen Collins, Skell Valley Heritage Officer, on 07816 204585, karen.collins@nationaltrust.org.uk.

A series of beacons will be lit across the Harrogate district on Thursday night as part of national celebrations to mark the Queen’s platinum jubilee.

From a caravan park to a castle, the venues come in all shapes and sizes, and cover the length and breadth of the district.

Beacons are set to be lit at 9.45pm, in line with the national event which will see thousands lit around the UK and more across the Commonwealth.

Many of the public locations of beacons in the Harrogate district are listed below. Others are being organised as private events, such as by Scout groups.

If your town, village or community is lighting a beacon and you would like us to include details, send them to contact@thestrayferret.co.uk.

Ripon Market Square

Ripon’s beacon has a burner head in the shape of a globe, representing the countries of the Commonwealth, surrounded by a crown.

A piper will play Diu Regnare, written for the platinum jubilee by Stuart Liddell, the 2020 Glenfiddich champion and pipe major of the world.

Knaresborough Castle

The highest point above the river in Knaresborough will offer a spectacular setting for the town’s beacon.

Masham: Roomer Common

A bugle call will announce the beginning of the event at 9.40pm, with the beacon set to be lit five minutes later.

Spofforth Castle

The village’s beacon is being created by farrier Gary Harland, using discarded horseshoes to mark the Queen’s love of horses.

Members of Spofforth School Choir will sing a medley of songs from 9pm, followed by a performance the Commonwealth Song, written for the occasion, by Spofforth Church Choir.

The lighting of the beacon will be accompanied by music from saxophonist Millie Hope.

Almscliffe Crag

The lighting of the beacon is not a formal public event because of concerns over health and safety, so anyone attending does so at their own risk.

However, the beacon should be visible for some distance from its position on top of the crag.

Read more:

• Platinum Jubilee Harrogate district: What’s On
• Harrogate district schools get in jubilee spirit

Dallowgill

A jubilee bonfire will be lit at Greygarth Monument.

There is limited parking available at Greygarth if the weather is dry, and at Tom Corner or the Methodist Chapel.

Dacre

The village beacon will be list at Dover Castle, near Low Hall, with songs including the national anthem. Visitors are asked to arrive by 9.30pm.

Woodhouse Farm Caravan Park, Winksley

Residents and visitors are invited to gather in The Barn from 8.30pm, when hot chocolate will be available in commemorative jubilee mugs from £4. The group will move onto the park at 9.30pm ready for the beacon lighting and singing the national anthem.

Langthorpe

The jubilee beacon will be lit in Back Lane. Visitors are asked to park on the main road and walk up to the site.

West Tanfield

The beacon is in a field on the left-hand side of the road as you approach West Tanfield from Ripon, just before the bridge into the village.

From Ripon UK, to Ripon, California USA,  John Richmond’s memoirs have proved a transatlantic hit.

In less than a month, every copy of the first-time author’s book Beyond the Farm Gate has been sold and more than £5,000 has been raised for Breast Cancer UK.

The final 20 copies, from a print run of 400, are being shipped to America later this week and a re-print is under consideration.

The 86-year-old former mayor, who earned the nickname ‘Mr Ripon’ for his wide-ranging community work, told the Stray Ferret:

“The book is dedicated to my late and beloved wife Barbara who died of cancer in 2013 and I have been overwhelmed by the response to it.

“It appears to have struck a chord both here and in the United States.”

Three Ripons united in the States

The California connection, which features prominently in John’s memoirs, was established 46 years ago, when he was invited to represent the world’s foremost Ripon at the USA’s Bicentennial celebrations.

Flying out at short notice and his own expense, in February 1976, he travelled to San Francisco, where he met the mayors of newer namesakes from California and Wisconsin.

The trip gave him the platform to speak about his home city’s ancient cathedral and history and traditions established over more than 1,300 years, including the world-famous hornblower ceremony, with its Royal roots going back to 886 AD and Alfred The Great.

Brenda Lange has been liaising with Paul Richmond to arrange the Transatlantic transaction. Picture: Jeremiah North Ripon CA Fire and Rescue 

A huge hit in Ripon, California

A person who has taken a keen interest over many years in Ripon, North Yorkshire is Brenda Lange, who works for the fire and rescue service in Ripon, California.

Brenda visited with her parents when she was a teenager and they received a first-hand introduction from the Richmond family to the city’s ancient charms.

Following an article published in January 2021 about John’s receipt of the British Empire Medal, for services to the community, she contacted the Stray Ferret in a bid to track him down and send congratulations.

Since the contact was renewed, Brenda, colleagues and other citizens in Ripon, California, have become regular readers of the online news from Ripon UK.

She said:

“We were absolutely thrilled to read about the New Year’s Honour bestowed on John and when we also discovered that he was publishing his memoirs, we placed our advance orders and keenly await receipt of the shipment.”

Brenda, who has been liaising with John’s son Paul about the delivery arrangements, added:

“After reading the review of John’s book on the Stray Ferret, I just knew that I had  to buy it and I know there are many others here in Ripon, California, who are also very excited to have the chance to purchase it!

“We’re all looking forward to the arrival of the book shipment and can’t wait to read it. I’m sure it will be a huge hit here, too!

“I can almost guarantee that the demand for his book here in Ripon, CA, will far outstrip the first 20 copies!.

In addition to the anticipated extra demand for the book in California, John is mindful of the fact that a number of people living in Ripon and neighbouring villages want to get their hands on a copy.

He pointed out:

“Because a re-print is an expensive exercise, I could only commit to going ahead with it if I receive advance orders from here and America and I would ask anybody out there who still wants a copy to call 01765 607096.”

Read more:

• Memoirs of a former Ripon mayor to raise money for charity
• Ripon author’s support for Ukraine appeal

Fire crews from Ripon and Lofthouse rescued two passengers from a car trapped in water in a ford at Dallowgill yesterday.

Emergency services were called when the vehicle got submerged in water half a metre deep at around 11am.

Dallowgill is situated between Ripon, Pateley Bridge and Masham.

According to North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service‘s incident log, one passenger had managed to get out of the vehicle by the time firefighters arrived but two others required assistance.

Firefighters then used a winch to lift the car to safety.

Read more:

• Police helicopter used after thieves force their way into Killinghall house
• Firefighters called to tree house blaze in Knaresborough

Comments on a Facebook group for the area said the car was stuck on Belford Lane in Kirkby Malzeard.

The occupants are believed to be from Leeds and there was some debate over whether the road was either open to traffic or suitable, given the amount of rain.

Residents also said they saw an air ambulance attend.

The fire and rescue service incident log said:

“Crews rescued two passengers from the vehicle by assisting them to walk to the bank side from their car, which was stuck in water half a metre deep. Crews used a winch to remove the vehicle from the ford.”

Stray cockerels cared for by volunteers on moors near Ripon have gone missing amid fears they have been killed and fed to dogs or ferrets.

Animal lover John Richmond, a former mayor of Ripon, and eight volunteers set up a daily rota to tend to up to 30 abandoned birds.

But last week only 15 could be found at ‘Cockerel Corner’ between Kirkby Malzeard and Dallowgill, where they normally gather to be fed.

Following a thorough search of the moorland undergrowth, one of the birds was found dead with a pellet hole in its chest.

Mr Richmond told the Stray Ferret:

“I believe that the birds, who have become very tame and trusting, came out expecting to be fed and half of them were shot by a person or persons with air rifles and the carcasses taken off in a vehicle to be fed to dogs or ferrets. I have reported this to North Yorkshire Police.

“In the meantime the team of volunteers, who come from Harrogate, Ilkley, Knaresborough and Masham are determined to keep feeding the remaining hungry cockerels, though it is proving difficult to get the birds to come out of the undergrowth at feeding time.

“The birds clearly remain traumatised by what they have experienced and we are at a complete loss to understand why anybody would do this to harmless creatures.”

The former mayor, who was awarded the British Empire Medal last year for services to the community, took over feeding the cockerels when his cousin Ken Ellis became too poorly to continue the daily task.

Mr Ellis died in July and since then a growing number of volunteers have been assisting Mr Richmond in looking after the birds.

Mr Richmond, who is 86, added:

“I am still looking for more volunteers who can help out with looking after the cockerels and if they want to know more, they can contact me on 01765 607 096.”