A new social group has been set up for local women who live and work in the world of agriculture.

Flock Ladies, founded by Rachel Bain, invites women who have some involvement in the farming industry to get together and socialise.

Ms Bain told the Stray Ferret the new group is for people of “all sorts of backgrounds” and said it is not limited to those who live on a farm.

She said:

“Everyone is welcome: farmers, farmers’ wives or girlfriends, people that work in agriculture, women that are interested in farming or want to get into farming.

“Our members come from all over: Nidderdale, Masham, Ripon, Bedale and the surrounding areas.”

Flock Ladies will host monthly meetings, during which members will visit farms, attend workshops with gamekeepers, host socials, fundraisers and listen to guest speakers.

When asked why she set up the group, Ms Bain said:

“I wanted to create a social group for ladies who understand what it’s like to live and work in agriculture and to create an opportunity for them to get out and socialise. The pressures of farming can be difficult and many of the ladies juggle work, farms, families and are the backbone of their home life.

“Having a group of women who ‘get it’ and that monthly event to look forward to has been really well received. Being a part of Flock means that ladies commit to an evening out of their normal routine to have fun, catch up with friends and do something worthwhile.”

She said the group plans to meet on the last Thursday of each month. Flock Ladies does not have a fixed hub, Ms Bain said, adding that this is due to the group wanting to “get out and about to visit places”.

Ms Bain added:

“Our aim is to have fun, make great friends, learn lots, try new things, do a bit of good (e.g. support local causes) and most importantly have a laugh.

“We’re a newly established group and we’d love to grow our member numbers, so please keep an eye on our social media or get in touch with us to find out what we’ve got planned.

“We’re a really friendly bunch and anyone wanting to find out more is welcome to come along to a meeting before they commit to membership.”

A Flock Ladies membership costs £30 per year, plus £2.50 per meeting.

The group accepts women aged 18 and over.

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Summer timetables have been released for the Nidderdale Dales Bus service.

The 820 and 821 buses, which start in Keighley, will run on Sundays and bank holidays throughout the summer.

Both services will depart from Keighley Bus Station at 9.25am, through to Norwood, Fewston and Swinsty and Fewston reservoir via Otley.

The 820 service will terminate at Swinsty and Fewston, but the 821 will continue to Scar House reservoir via Blubberhouses, Greenhow Hill, Coldstones Cut and Pateley Bridge.

It will also stop in Wath, Ramsgill and Lofthouse before returning to Keighley from Scar House.

The service has been backed by Yorkshire Water’s beyond nature project.

The firm’s land and property lead surveyor, Lisa Harrowsmith, said:

“Yorkshire Water and Beyond Nature is pleased to continue its sponsorship of the DalesBus Nidderdale service which provides an important link to some of the beautiful attractions of the Washburn Valley and Upper Nidderdale areas.”

All single fares are capped at just £2 in line with the national initiative.

The Dales Bus summer timetable will be in place until October 20.

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A planning application has been submitted to extend Pateley Bridge Cemetery.

The application, which was tabled to North Yorkshire Council, outlines plans to build new traditional and natural burial sites, ash internments and parking spaces on land adjacent to the existing cemetery.

It comes after land next to the site was last year sold to the former Harrogate Borough Council by Pateley Town Council, after a report revealed it required more burial spaces for the next 300 years.

Following the abolition of the district council, the site is now owned by North Yorkshire Council, but the authority is still required to submit planning applications for its own assets.

According to a design and access statement, which was curated by CDS Cemeteries & Crematoria on behalf of the council, 314 new traditional burials and 48 natural burials would be built at the site.

The plans also show there would be 364 new ash internments, as well as five parking bays – including one for a hearse – and “cycle hoops” if plans are approved.

A visual of the proposed site. Pic: The CDS Group.

The plans also include a proposed two-way access road via the existing cemetery, which is by St Mary’s Church.

It adds the existing cemetery’s footpath would be extended for pedestrian access, and says native hedges, heathers and other bulbs would be planted for “the enjoyment of mourners”.

A new hedgerow with a timber post-and-rail fencing would also be erected to the west of the site boundary.

The grassland on which the extension would be built is currently used for livestock grazing, the application says.

The design and access statement concludes:

“This proposal would deliver a project that would provide essential additional burial provision to North Yorkshire Council.

“The design development has been informed by the sites semi rural and tranquil location and its immediate proximity to the existing cemetery.

“Its landscaping has been designed to provide a subtle yet valuable addition to the locality in terms of increasing the traditional hedgerow features, scattered trees, surrounding heathers and a species rich grassland of particular environmental value is the avoidance of damage to existing trees or vegetation.

“These design considerations thus ensure no adverse visual impact on the surrounding landscape.”

Planning officers will make a decision on the application at a later date.

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Councillors have rejected a bid to ‘call in’ the decision by the Conservative-run executive to close Fountains Earth primary school in Nidderdale.

North Yorkshire Council’s executive met last month in Northallerton to approve the closure following a consultation. It took effect at the end of March.

The school in Lofthouse near Pateley Bridge faced dwindling pupil numbers in recent years and had no pupils on its books.

The school received a ‘good’ rating from Ofsted less than two years ago.

At a specially arranged meeting at County Hall, Cllr Andrew Murday (Liberal Democrat, Pateley Bridge and Nidderdale) asked that the decision to close the school be taken again, either by the executive or at a full meeting of the council.

Following Cllr Murday’s request, the children and families overview and scrutiny committee had the power to explore if the executive had all the information available to it when it made its decision.

Councillors heard from Stephen Ledger, a former parent at the school who said Fountains Earth had been the “heart of the community” until 2022.

He then described how “brilliant” permanent teachers left without explanation, which led to the school relying on agency staff. He said it left children “confused and unsettled” and confidence in the school from parents evaporated.

Cllr Stephen Ramsden, chair of Upper Nidderdale Parish Council, pleaded with councillors to help keep the school open for a September 2024 start. He said:

“With good skilled management this situation can be turned around”.

Cllr Murday again called for an investigation to take place first into the leadership of the Upper Nidderdale Federation, which ran the school, related to its academic and financial performance, as well as communication with parents.

He added:

“There is a problem throughout the country in funding rural schools. They are really important parts of the community.”

Stuart Carlton, North Yorkshire Council’s Corporate Director Children and Young People’s Service, read out a statement that addressed concerns raised.

He said the council did not have the power to investigate the governance of the federation.

Mr Carlton added:

“Due to the remote location of the school it struggled to retain staff. The federation considered the future of the school only after exhausting all avenues to sustain its future.  We realise the importance of schools in rural communities, despite this, we can’t keep schools open where there are no pupils on the roll.”

Councillors voted unanimously to reject the call-in request and agreed that the executive had received a thorough report and details from officers before making its decision.

Cllr Heather Phillips (Conservative, Seamer) said:

“This is the end of the matter and the school should be considered closed from the end of this meeting. It was a clear-cut decision made by the executive.”

Heather Peacock (Conservative, Upper Dales) added:

“None of us like to see a school closed but what happened at executive is they had all the information to make its decision.”

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