The prolific knitters of Ripon Community Poppy Project have stepped up a gear with their latest imaginative creation – a multi-coloured quilt for a car!

Designed to catch the eye, the vehicle with its hand-crafted fitted cover will be on display on Ripon Market Square for three days starting tomorrow (July 14) and a further three days from July 21, before featuring in the St Wilfrid’s Procession on July 29.

Hazel Barker, co-founder of RCPP and organiser of the project’s Knit and Natter Group, told the Stray Ferret:

“We came up with the idea as a means of publicising the Ripon Old Cars Classic Gathering at Ripon Racecourse on July 30, which will raise money for Alzheimer’s Research UK and 10 local charities.”

The car with its knitted quilt

She added:

“The event has been held for almost 30 years and proceeds from it have been donated to charities and local good causes.”

Following the 2022 gathering, Guide Dogs received an award of £5,000 and previous beneficiaries include the Motor Neurone Disease Association, the Teenage Cancer Trust and Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

The Knit and Natter Group, which meets each week at Hazel House on Allhallowgate and other knitters who work from home, have had a busy year so far.

They have created themed city centre decorations for the Easter holiday and the Coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla, while continuing to knit thousands more poppies that will be in place for this year’s Remembrance events in Ripon.

After covid lockdowns put the brakes on the annual Ripon Old Car Classic Gathering (ROCCG) shows in 2020 and 2021, it was back in gear this year raising much-needed money for charities.

The principal beneficiary from the 2022 gathering, held at the city’s racecourse, was Guide Dogs for the Blind, which has received £4,000 from the funds raised at the event.

ROCCG secretary Hazel Barker, told the Stray Ferret:

“Although not one of our best-attended shows, it realised a total of £5050.00 for distribution.

“The committee was very pleased with the final figure as it was uncertain as to how many classic vehicle entrants there would be due to the financial climate, the Covid pandemic, the weather and the number of visitors coming through the gate.

“All in all it was a great success.”

This was the 27th time that a wide selection of classic cars, motorcycles, commercial vehicles and tractors have headed to Ripon for the gathering which,  over the years, has raised thousands of pounds for good causes.

The gathering has raised thousands of pounds for Ripon charities

Profits from the event are shared between local charities and good causes and each year the ROCCG committee donates a large amount to one chosen charity and smaller donations to a number of other deserving causes.

Dementia Forward, Alzheimers, Vision Support, RNLI, Yorkshire Air Ambulance, St Michael’s and Herriot Hospices and Macmillan, all received £150 each.

The cheque presentations were made at Hazel House in Allhallowgate last week and each recipient gave a short talk on how the money would be spent.

All said that the pandemic had hit them hard and they were grateful to receive the cheque to help them continue with the work they were doing in our area.

The ROCCG committee is now looking forward to the 2023 event-at the racecourse on Sunday  July 30.

The show will once again be a family-friendly gathering of old and classic vehicles with the entry  fee held at £5. Further information can be obtained by clicking here.