Bishopthorpe News and Views

At a ceremony on Friday 29th June attended by about 30 invited guests, the new Pinfold was formally opened.

Funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Millennium Trust, the new Pinfold has been designed and built by local people. It has seating and planting, and a soon to be installed historical interpretation panel. It is proving popular with residents and visitors, and is particularly busy when the junior school is about to finish in the afternoons.

At a reception to mark the opening, Trust chair John Bettridge thanked all those involved, including Richard Parkin who manged the project, and local historians Linda Haywood and Liam Godfrey.

John also launched an exhibition showing how the Pinfold project was developed. The project completes phase 2 of the Crossroads scheme, and a panel shows a concept of how phase 3 may be developed further. The exhibition will be on display at the Library from 16th  July.

More details here. 

The Bishopthorpe Village Gala took place on Saturday 30th June in the Archbishop's Palace gardens in Bishopthorpe.

The Gala featured arpound 40 stalls including crafts, local produce and games, plus the Steel Expressions band, African choir Chechele, the Let's Dance Troupe, a children's entertainer and magician, bouncy castle, trampoline, mini tennis, mini cricket, a coconut shy, face painting, bar, BBQ and afternoon teas.

Despite a grim weather forecast, plenty of folk turned out, and the stalls and activities were busy.

Thanks are due to Shirley, and Gordon and Lisa (pictured below) who did the organising, and all the local people who helped out or put on stands.

Good weather at the start of the Brunswick Nursery Walled Garden open day saw a good turnout, especially of those who were unable to attend last year's opening.

Floral displays, music and maturing plantings were the highlights of the afternoon, although towrds the end a heavy downpour saw everyone taking cover - and chatting away to  each other.

The hard work put in was evident, so well done!

 You can read previous articles about the walled garden here and here. 

On Tuesday this week, the Bishopthorpe Parish Council took up the challenge of the Petanque Club and played a friendly match at its terrain at the rear of the Marcia Inn.

Although the Parish team put on a creditable performance, and won two of the rounds played, the Club triumphed over the largely novice team. Everyone agreed that it was a pleasant social occasion, and it is to be hoped that it will be repeated.