Sarita McDermott and her talented team of dancers will provide a taste of Indian culture in Ripon on Monday evening (March 18).

Ripon Library is the venue and all are welcome to attend from 5pm to both watch and join in 11 traditional dances that will celebrate the Hindu festival of Holi.

To round off the evening, attendees are invited to sample, free of charge, some genuine Indian cuisine.

Ms McDermott (pictured above) who owns Realitea Indian bistro and tearoom on North Street has, through performances that focus on the Holi and Diwali festivals, given Ripon residents an insight into the the culture of her native country

She told the Stray Ferret:

“Holi signals the arrival of spring — focusing on love, new life and reconciliation. It’s 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.”

On Monday, Lisa Fletcher, who works at Ripon’s Walled Garden, will have her debut Holi dance, alongside Martin Grainger, who works at Reality and Bethany and Matthew Evason, who are employed at Jennyruth Workshops,

Main picture: The team led by Sarita McDermott performing at Holi Dance at last year’s event in Ripon Library. Picture Sarita McDermott

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Ripon’s Wendy Richardson has a personal and heartfelt reason for hoping a forthcoming concert in Sharow will be a great success.

The Last Night of the Proms event at St John’s Parish Church on Friday, June 24 is being organised by Ripon Rotary Club’s and all proceeds will go to cancer charity Macmillan Cancer Support, which cared for Wendy’s late husband David.

The former sports teacher, who died in 2019 at the age of 81, was a leading light in musical theatre, as both actor and director — first in Whitby, where he founded the seaside resort’s operatic society in 1966 and later in the Ripon area.

David is fondly remembered for his direction in 2017 of sell-out performances at Masham Town Hall of Brassed Off  performed by Masham Players, accompanied by the Ripon City Band.

The fundraising Last Night of the Proms event for Macmillan, is being held at St John’s Sharow on June 24.

Within two years of those performances, cancer had spread through David’s body and he lost his sight.

While family gathered around him at Harrogate District Hospital, they heard the sound of a trombone being played by a young woman in an adjacent room and asked the nursing staff if she would be prepared to play a tune for a man whose lifelong love of music brought entertainment for thousands of people and guided young artists into professional careers.

The young woman was delighted to play for him and Wendy, told the Stray Ferret:

“It was a moment that we will never forget. She played Concierto D’Aranjuez from Brassed Off and though David couldn’t see her, a smile came over his face and we all felt that her kind act had been a comfort to him.”

Shortly afterwards, he was moved to the Royal British Legion’s Lister House in Ripon for end of life care.

David, who did national service in the RAF, spent his final days in the peaceful surroundings of the care home, where family and friends said their last goodbyes to him.

Wendy said:

“I have long wanted to give something back to Macmillan. David was treated at the Sir Robert Ogden Centre in Harrogate and they were simply wonderful.

“Their care, support and treatment, gave him an extra year of life in which he enjoyed his garden and a couple of holidays in our caravan.”

Now, as her late husband had done in Masham five years ago, Wendy hopes that the Last Night of the Proms concert at St John’s, will also be a sell-out event, with soprano Jessa Liversidge singing rousing songs accompanied by Ripon City Band.

Tickets at £12.50, which includes a glass of Prosecco and interval canapes, are now on sale at the Realitea Tea and Indian Bistro on North Street and Stuff 4 Offices  on Fishergate.

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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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