The countdown to Ripon’s D-Day commemoration and celebration events has begun and the unique life-size knitted tank created through a massive volunteer effort is ready to take up its central role.

Created through the collaborative input of Ripon Community Poppy Project and Ripon Men’s Shed, with back-up support from businesses and individuals across the community, the replica tank made of wood and wool, will be on the lawn at Ripon Inn on Tuesday (April 30) for the launch event.

Measuring 24 foot long, nine foot wide and seven foot high, it has been built in a hangar at Claro Barracks provided by 21 Engineer Regiment.

The replica tank will first go on display at The Ripon Inn and then move to other locations in the city

It is modelled on the Churchill AVRE bunker busting tank that was employed by Royal Engineers to clear the way for troops after they landed on the five Normandy beaches on June 6 1944, as part of Operation Overlord, which led to the liberation of Nazi-occupied Western Europe.

Stuart Martin of Ripon Community Poppy Project, told the Stray Ferret:

“The Royal Engineers who were awarded Freedom of the City of Ripon in 1949, in gratitude for the crucial role they played in the allied victory, can count the D-Day landings and what happened afterwards among their finest hours.

“This has been recognised across the Ripon community with volunteers collectively clocking up 100,000 hours of work since last year to ensure that we do them proud.”

The launch event starts at 11am on Tuesday and is open to members of the public. It will be attended by civic dignitaries, schoolchildren, volunteers and representatives of organisations and businesses that are playing a part in the D-Day 80th anniversary,

At the launch, there will be a display featuring the work of the trustees of the Ripon Military Heritage Trust, who are fighting to save priceless heritage buildings, bridges and other structures at the barracks site that are in danger of being bulldozed to make way for the 1,300-home Clotherholme development.

Events culminate on June 6, with the lighting of a beacon at 9.15pm on the piazza of Ripon Cathedral, by Jack Churchill, great-grandson of the legendary wartime leader Sir Winston Churchill.

D-Day 80th anniversary concert

Before the beacon is lit a concert will be held in the cathedral at 7pm. It will feature Ripon City Band, The Duchy Bells, The Dishforth Military Wives Choir and Charlotte Potter.

Proceeds will be shared between Ripon Community Poppy Project and Help the Heroes, the armed forces and veterans charity.

Tickets costing £15 are now on sale online from Eventbrite and from Ripon’s Stuff 4 Offices in  Fishergate and the Wakeman’s Cafe on Market Place South.

Stuart Martin (centre) is pictured with his Ripon Community Poppy Project colleague Hazel Barker and Richard Thomson of Ripon Men’s Shed

The stunning centrepiece model Churchill AVRE tank, has been created, along with other display items by the non-stop knitters of Ripon Community Poppy Project.

Richard Thomson and Gordon Woods of Ripon’s Men’s Shed, built the wooden frame of the mighty model war machine from timber valued at £2,500 that was donated by the Ripon branch of MKM Building Supplies.

Read more:

• City council supports rejuvenation plan for Ripon Spa Baths
• Trust fights to save Ripon’s priceless military heritage

Telecoms giant BT has answered a call from Ripon Civic Society to carry out repair work on the four vandalised telephone kiosks that stand in line in the city centre.

Richard Taylor, co-chair of the heritage watchdog, raised concerns about the dangerous condition of the kiosks, which have had glass window panels deliberately smashed over a period of time.

He told the Stray Ferret:

“They were not safe to use and we are delighted to see this action being taken by BT and also look forward to the kiosks being re-painted in due course.”

Mr Taylor was in contact with BT last week to remind them the K6 Kiosks, which were given grade II listed status by English Heritage in 1987, were still awaiting repairs that he had been requested in December.

Above is how the vandalised kiosks looked in December and below how they now look after broken panels have been replaced

 

He said:

“It is rare to have a grouping of four telephone kiosks of this vintage – particularly in a city of Ripon’s size.”

Mr Taylor pointed out:

“They stand in close proximity to the cabmen’s shelter – another grade II listed building – and together they are part of Ripon’s heritage and are of special architectural interest.

“It would be great to eventually see the kiosks being used as something like an information hub, where local people and visitors to Ripon could find out more about the history of our ancient city.

“Ideally, one of the phones should be kept operational, as some people do not have mobiles.”

Designed by architect Sir Giles Gilbert Scott, to mark the Silver Jubilee of King George V in 1935, the K6 kiosks are iconic structures still seen in many places across the UK.

Main Picture: Nick Ions and Patricia Barrie, who are members of the BT maintenance team which looks after a thousand telephone kiosks in Yorkshire, carried out the repairs.

---

Read more:

• Ripon Theatre Festival announce cracking programme
• Troops rallied to fight for Ripon’s military heritage

---

The world-famous Black Dyke Band will provide a boost to fundraising  for Macmillan Cancer Support at Ripon Cathedral next week.

The band, which won the 2023 National Brass Band Championships at the Royal Albert Hall, has waived its fee for the concert on the evening of Thursday, May 2 and the money it would have received is being donated to the charity.

Wendy Richardson, co-organiser of the fundraiser with Canon Wendy Wilby, a member of the cathedral clergy whose composer husband Philip regularly writes pieces for the band, told the Stray Ferret:

“Tickets are going fast, but some are still available and we hope that it is a sell-out event as we bid to raise as much money as possible for Macmillan’s important work in the community supporting people with cancer and their families.”

The concert will include a performance of Procession to the Cathedral written by Philip Wilby.

Stalwart charity fundraiser Ms Richardson, whose brass band-loving husband David died of cancer in 2019, added:

“The incredibly warm-heated gesture of the Black Dyke Band, which has won the national championship for a record 24 times and is the most successful brass band in history, has given us a massive boost and we are also extremely grateful for the support that we have received from the cathedral and the local committee of Yorkshire Cancer Research.

“One of the highlights of the evening will be the band’s playing of Procession to the Cathedral, which has been specially composed by Philip Wilby.”

Professor Nick Childs, an award-winning band conductor, has chosen a wide and varied programme that will showcase the band’s brass soloists.

Tickets for the concert priced at £20 for adults or £5.00 for children are available from the cathedral shop or on line.

Main image: The multi-award winning Black Dyke Band has waived its fee for the charity concert. Picture: Black Dyke Band

Read more:

• Entries open for Ripon Poetry Festival competition
• Ripon Theatre Festival announce cracking programme

The search has begun for entries from people of all ages for the seventh Ripon Poetry Festival competition.

This year’s event runs from September 19 to September 22 and the closing date for entries is July 31.

Advising would-be entrants, festival curator Andy Croft (pictured) said that the poems “can be serious or funny, solemn or silly. And they can be on any subject you like”.

He added:

“If you are looking for inspiration – how about writing about Hope? The wars in Gaza and Ukraine? climate change, the cost of living, polluted rivers, the refugee crisis, plastic in the oceans – at the moment we could all do with a bit of Hope…”

The best of the entries will be collected in three books published during the festival. Everyone who has a poem in one of the books will be invited to read at the launches on Saturday 21 September, where they will receive a free copy.

The categories are:

• Under-11s ( with a £2 entry-fee per poem)
• 12-18 year-olds (£3 entry-fee per poem)
• Adults (£5 entry-fee per poem)

Festival highlights

 Highlights of this year’s  programme include well-known performance poets Kate Fox and Adisa the Verbaliser, readings by Jackie Litherland, Marilyn Longstaff and Joe Williams.

There will also be poetry-workshops for children and grown-ups, an open-mic evening and book-launches by local poets Trevor Vaughan and Ian Clark.

Ripon City Council has given its backing to plans designed to return Ripon’s iconic Spa Baths to its former Edwardian glory.

Ripon-based property investment and development company Sterne Properties Limited, is seeking planning approval from North Yorkshire Council for a mixed-used hospitality-led scheme that will see the restoration of the spa building, which includes ornate tiles, stained glass, period lighting and other features dating back to 1905, when it opened.

Many of the Grade II listed building’s decorative elements have not been seen for 88 years, as the spa was re-purposed in 1936 to accommodate a public swimming pool  and the addition of a pool hall saw the concealment of classical designs on windows, walls and ceilings.

Robert Sterne, pictured at the ornate main entrance to the Spa building

Director Robert Sterne, told the Stray Ferret:

“We are pleased to have the support of Ripon City Council, alongside that of Ripon Civic Society, for our proposed rejuvenation of Spa Baths.”

He added:

“Our objective, as a long-term investor in our home city, is  to deliver high quality developments that breathe new life into listed and historically-important buildings and bring redundant properties back into active use.

“This is achieved through a sensitive balance of residential and commercial space and the delivery of workable schemes that are financially viable and environmentally sustainable.”

Sterne’s plan includes four new-build apartments and the regenerated complex will provide public access to the Spa building along with a new pedestrian route into the adjacent Spa Gardens.

The city council voted in favour of the scheme at its full meeting  last week and its response to the proposed plans will be lodged with North Yorkshire Council planners.

Councillors Barbara Brodigan and Andrew Williams, who are members of the the North Yorkshire Council Skipton and Ripon Area Planning Committee, left the council chamber before the agenda item was considered by fellow councillors.

As required for all Ripon planning applications that include a new-build element, ground stability tests have taken place at the Park Street site and results from them will be supplied to the planning department.

Main image: An architect’s perspective of how the refurbished Spa building will look. Image: architecture:ab 

Read more

• Ripon Civic Society ‘strongly supports’ Spa Baths planning application
• Funding confirmed for first Changing Places Toilet in Ripon city centre

Could you play a part in helping this year’s Ripon Theatre Festival (RTF) to run smoothly?

Organisers of the fast-growing festival that runs from July 2 until July 7, are calling out for new volunteers to join the team for 2024.

More than 30 volunteers are needed each year to help look after visiting acts, marshal audiences and to help keep the public safe over the festival week.

Festival director Katie Scott, said:

“Extra pairs of hands (and feet) are particularly useful over the festival weekend (July 6 and 7) when street theatre, walkabout acts and community groups take to the streets and open spaces of the city.

“Pop-up events in multiple surprising places need volunteers to support the fun and daily events in Ripon Cathedral also need personnel. Tasks include setting up and clearing away sites, signposting and directing members of the public, carrying out audience surveys and accompanying performers on the move.”

If you think you could lend a hand at any time during festival week (2-7 July), contact Volunteer Co-ordinator Tina Salden tina@ripontheatrefestival.org

She said:

“Volunteering at the festival is great fun and there are different roles to suit different interests and abilities, whether you like to be on the move and chatting to the public, or quietly supporting a weekday event.

“It’s a great chance to get up-close-and-personal to some fabulous performances, whilst meeting new people and helping bring colour and life to our lovely city.”

The Festival Volunteers are supported this year by Kettlewell Fuels, independent heating and fuel oil supplier.

Picture: One of the walkabout acts from last year’s festival

Read more:

• Ripon Theatre Festival announce cracking programme
• Troops rallied to fight for Ripon’s military heritage

Environment Secretary Steve Barclay is being called on to speed up repairs to a length of riverside footpath in Ripon.

A section of the path that runs from Borrage Green Lane to High Cleugh is in danger of collapsing into the River Skell and has been blocked off with six foot high fencing at either end.

Parts of the path on the popular riverside route have been undercut by high and fast-running waters caused by higher than average rainfall.

Councillor Andrew Williams near the affected part of the path that has been fenced off.

Ripon City Council leader Andrew Williams, who also represents the Minster and Moorside division on North Yorkshire Council, told members at Monday night’s full meeting:

“A long section of path is in a dangerous state and is currently not safe to use, so the North Yorkshire rights of way team has made it as safe as possible.

“They have also agreed to repair the path, but will only be able to do this when they have a permit from the Environment Agency to go into the river to carry out the work.”

The recently-repaired wooden bridge over the Skell is part of the popular route.

Members agreed to Cllr Williams’ proposal to call on Mr Barclay and Ripon’s MP Julian Smith to intervene on the city’s behalf to ensure the Environment Agency issues the permit as soon as possible, so repairs can be carried out when  the river drops to a safe level.

Cllr Pauline McHardy, who seconded the proposal, said:

“This footpath is supposed to be accessible to wheelchair users and families with prams and buggies and we need to ensure that it is returned to a condition that enables it to be enjoyed by everyone.”

Ripon city centre is to get its first Changing Places toilet following the award of a £162,000 contract to Killinghall company Dalebuild Ltd.

The facility will be built on the site of the existing toilet block at the back of Sainsbury’s supermarket.

The toilets are larger and more accessible for people with disabilities and restricted mobility who cannot use standard accessible toilets. They include equipment such as hoists, curtains, adult-sized changing benches and space for carers.

News of the contract awarded by North Yorkshire Council was announced at last night’s full meeting of Ripon City Council by Councillor Andrew Williams.

The new toilet will be built on the site of the existing block near the bus station

The city council leader and North Yorkshire Council member for the Minster and Moorside division that includes the city centre, said:

“Now that the contract has been confirmed, we look forward to seeing it built and in use as soon as possible.”

“With its proximity to the bus station, it is a great addition to Ripon, making the city centre more accessible for local residents and visitors.”

A remarkable and extensive international collection containing items of worldwide importance has been delivered to its new home in Ripon following 38 years of planning.

The collection, now in secure storage at the Old Wesleyan Chapel on Coltsgate Hill, was  gathered over decades by husband and wife Alex and Gwen Renton, two mathematics teachers who lived in the Ripon area.

It includes more than 2,000  scientific and technological instruments gathered from across the globe, which have been used in every form of measurement and weighing employed by mankind since 600 BC.

The delivery was made last week.

In 1986,  Mr and Mrs Renton made their phenomenal offer to the Ripon City Festival Trust, when it was making preparations for celebration of Ripon’s 1100th anniversary.

Trustee Barrie Price told the Stray Ferret:

“They said that to mark the anniversary year they wanted to donate their collection to the city, on the proviso that it must stay in Ripon and be made available to children as an educational resource.”

He added:

“Their home was like an Aladdin’s cave, with a vast variety of valuable items, many of which had been sought by the major museums in London.

“It was agreed that they should stay in their possession until after their deaths. Gwen died in May 2005 and Alex in February 2008 and then the search began to find a suitable, safe and secure place for both the storage and subsequent display of items dating from the Babylonian period to the present day.”

 ‘No similar collection anywhere in the world’

In 1997, Professor Norman Biggs, an internationally-recognised expert on weights and measures, based at the Centre for Discrete and Applicable Mathematics at London School of Economics and Political Science, said:

“The Renton Collection of weights and measures is unique, there is no similar collection anywhere in the world and it reflects a broader range of weighing and measuring activity than a ‘normal’ museum collection.”

The collection includes many rare documents, books and catalogues

The collection, which includes a library of books documents and catalogues on matters related to weights and measures, was left in trust  and is under the guardianship of the Knoll Charitable Trust, whose chairman is Mr Price.

A building saved from dereliction

The trust also owns the former Wesleyan Methodist Chapel built in 1861, which ceased being a place if worship in 1963 when it merged with Allhallowgate Methodist Church.

This imposing building was home in the 1960s to U-Save, Ripon’s first supermarket, but fell into dereliction after the store closed.

Following major refurbishment in 1997 it became the office of a regional accountancy practice where Mr Price was a senior partner.

The former chapel was awarded a green plaque by Ripon Civic Society in recognition of its heritage status.

Nexus Dental Laboratory

As well as providing a new long-term location for the Renton Collection, the ground floor of the building has been the base for Nexus Dental Laboratory, following its relocation last year from smaller city centre premises.

Steve Campbell, the company’s chief executive and his colleagues are enthusiastic about sharing the building with a collection of outstanding educational and cultural importance. He said:

“I am filled with a profound sense of privilege and excitement. This collection, arguably the most significant assembly of measurement devices in British history, showcases the pinnacle of ingenuity and precision from past eras and profoundly connects with the rich tapestry of Ripon’s history and beyond.

“This collection is not merely an exhibition of historical artefacts. It represents a celebration of humanity’s relentless quest for knowledge and precision. It brings to the region scientific significance and the compelling stories to inspire curiosity and admiration.”

He added:

“We are incredibly fortunate to be part of this journey. The opportunity to share in the eventual display of these items is a privilege that fills me with gratitude.

“The Renton Collection at The Old Chapel is more than an exhibition; it is a testament to the enduring human spirit of exploration, accuracy, and belief. It invites us to reflect on our past, appreciate the present, and anticipate the future of scientific discovery and understanding.”

The sculpture of Blind Jack with his trundle wheel in Knaresborough Market Place.

Nexus director Iain Baldwin, a former pupil of King James’s School, Knaresborough, said:

“Among the items that we now have in our care is a trundle wheel that is similar to the one featured in the sculpture of 18th century engineer and legendary road builder Blind Jack in Knaresborough Market Place.

“It is incredible  to have, here in Ripon, a real-life exhibit of a measuring device that gives us this local link to a collection of such international significance.”

Before items can go on display the search is on for a person with the necessary skills and knowledge to undertake the mammoth task of working through the extensive collection and getting it into shape.

Mr Price said:

“We will also be looking to appoint a caretaker and enlist the help of volunteers. The plan is to move forward in a measured manner and in the longer term, what we are able to do with this magnificent gift to Ripon will be dictated by the funding that we can obtain.”

He added:

“It is, however, a fantastic gift for the city to receive, working on many levels, as an educational resource to inspire young minds and a visitor attraction that will add to Ripon’s standing as a place that is firmly on the map of  national and international heritage tourists.”

Main image: Barrie Price (right), Steve Campbell (centre) and Iain Baldwin, are pictured with some of the many items from the Renton Collection. 

Read more:

• Leatherworkers follow the footsteps of Ripon’s patron saint
• Troops rallied to fight for Ripon’s military heritage

Ripon Races will begin its 125th anniversary season on Thursday (April 18), with a new chairman and improved facilities for jockeys.

Gates open at 12 noon for the first of 16 days of racing in Ripon this year.

This year’s calendar includes a new Sunday fixture on August 11, which has adopted a family Olympics day theme to coincide with the Olympic Games closing ceremony. It will include free family entertainment with medals up for grabs.

The big St Wilfrid meeting is on August 17 and the final race day is September 28.

Andrew Wells is taking over the reins as chairman from Nigel Clark, who is stepping down after five seasons.

Mr Wells is the great great grandson of William Wells who was the inaugural chairman of the board when Ripon Race Company Ltd was formed in 1899 and moved to its current Boroughbridge Road location.

The Wells family connection to Yorkshire’s garden racecourse is a strong one as Andrew’s great grandfather, Arthur, was the chairman at the time of World War I.

The new chairman said it was a “great honour” to be asked to become chairman 125 years after his great great grandfather became founding chairman.

He added:

“It makes me immensely proud to think that I could be standing where he had stood to watch the first winner come over the finish line back in 1899, although I am not sure what he would have made of media rights and affordability checks!

“Along with my fellow board members we will work together to maintain and develop the race company as it steers its way through the current challenges facing British racing.”

Ripon, which celebrates its 125th anniversary season this year, is known for its floral excellence

To celebrate the 125th anniversary, racegoers have the opportunity to attend two meetings — Saturday April 27 and Friday May 10 — for the price of one. Anybody with a pre-booked ticket for the Saturday meeting will be given a completely free ticket for the Friday evening meeting two weeks later.

The racecourse has invested in new facilities in the weighing room as well as veterinary facilities in the stable yard.

Managing director James Hutchinson said:

“Work began on our weighing room project immediately after the end of our 2023 season and we’re delighted to have upgraded it but without losing the character of the original weighing room, which was constructed in the 1930s. A lot has changed in racing since then!

“The upgrades we’ve made are intended to bring facilities up to date and futureproof the racecourse for years to come and we’re already looking at additional projects for the next close season, when we intend to make improvements to the stable staff hostel.”

Main picture: Racing resumes at Ripon on Thursday afternoon.

Read more:

• New artworks on display at Ripon’s Himalayan Gardens
• Ripon Grammar student organises charity concert for paralysed 15-year-old