The winning entry in a new competition introduced in honour of the late Daphne Peters, was announced at the landmark 950th meeting of Ripon Writers’ Group.

The group was set up more than 40 years ago by the internationally-famous children’s author and poet, whose work was published under her maiden name Daphne Lister

Group secretary and former chair, Maggie Cobbett, told the Stray Ferret:

“As we reached another milestone, it seemed a fitting occasion to announce the first winner of our Writing for Children competition, inaugurated in memory of Daphne.”

She added:

“Our adjudicator was Claire Thompson, outreach librarian for Ripon and Pateley Bridge, who has a special interest in children’s literature and literacy, who said that she had thoroughly enjoyed reading the entries.

“The pieces submitted had been so diverse that it had been difficult to compare them, but she selected Ros Swaney’s Dusty the Cupboard Monster as the winner, with second place going to Pip’s Story by Ella Benigno and St Wilfrid written by Peter Page in third.”

Last week’s meeting was also the final one for writers’ group chair and award-winning author Ian Gouge, before he and his family move to Lincolnshire and attendees thanked him for his significant input to the group’s programme.

Tickets are now available for Ripon Poetry Festival, which has grown year on year to become the biggest event of its kind in Yorkshire.

The four-day feast of readings, performances, workshops and book launches, runs from September 22 to 25 at venues across the city.

Claire Thompson, who is outreach librarian at Ripon Library and one of the judges for the festival poetry competition, told the Stray Ferret:

“We attracted a record 260 entries this year from poets of all ages.

“This prompted us to produce separate anthologies of poems written by children and adults, selected for publication after catching the eyes of judges.”

The respective children’s and adult anthologies will be launched at 5.30pm and 7.30pm on September 24 in the Operatic Hall at Ripon Arts Hub.

Ripon Bowling Club at Bondgate Green is the venue on September 23 for The Testament of Jake Thackray.

Festival curator Andy Croft, who is a talented poet, prolific author and publisher, said:

“We were so impressed with the standard of entries received from children, that we decided they should have a book of their own.

“This will be the fifth time that we have staged the festival and this year’s line-up includes well-known poets Linda France, Helen Mort, Tara Bergin, Henry Raby and Jim Greenhalf.”

The festival will include posthumous launches of new books by Yorkshire poets David McAndrew, who taught English for many years at Ripon College and Vernon Scannell, whose work titled Farewell Performance, is being published to mark the centenary of his birth.

Humorous songs written by the late singer-songwriter, journalist and poet Jake Thackray, will  be performed by Mike Wilson and Keith Wilshere in an evening of entertainment at Ripon Bowling Club.

In addition to the arts hub and bowling club, a wide range of venues will be used to increase accessibility to events.

These include Community House, Evolve, The Walled Garden, Jennyruth Workshops, The Leper Chapel on Magdalen’s Road, Ripon Library, The Walled Garden and Thorpe Prebend.

As well as being available through the Ripon Poetry Festival website tickets can be purchased on the door or in advance from the Little Ripon Bookshop on Westgate.

With perfect timing, yesterday’s bright sunshine marked the start of Holi and saw a celebratory event at Ripon Library.

The Hindu festival signals the arrival of spring — focusing on love, new life and reconciliation.

Following the Diwali celebration staged at the library in November, Sarita McDermott, owner of the Realitea Indian bistro and tearoom on North Street, brought an insight into the culture of her native country.

Supported, once more, by a team of dancers from Jennyruth Workshops and the library’s outreach librarian Claire Thompson, the event provided an authentic taste of Indian culture, through readings, music, dancing and food.

Ms. McDermott, told the audience:

“Holi is all about making a fresh start, forgiving and forgetting, loving and looking forward, as we leave the cold winter weather behind us and enjoy the spring and sunshine.”

Part of the Holi Festival celebrations involve coating people with brightly-coloured powder paint. Picture: BBC

The festival features dancing, singing and, at some locations (though not Ripon Library), the throwing of powder paint and coloured water, in celebration of the Hindu god Krishna and the legend of Holika and Prahlad.

Ms Thompson, who gave a reading about Holi, told the Stray Ferret:

“It’s a pleasure for the library to hold brilliant events such as this, which enable people, particularly children, to learn about different cultures and how festivals are celebrated in other countries, just as we celebrate Easter and Christmas in this country.”

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