Yesterday Bishopthorpe Millennium Trust bade farwell to its first Chair John Bettridge at a special dinner held at the Marcia pub.
John, pictured belowing arriving at the dinner, established the Trust seven years ago to spend money raised during the Millennium celebrations.
A former army officer, he used his considerable skills to get people to join in the Trust's activities. These have included setting up the Bish dot net web site, the annual youth awards scheme, creating village signs, funding local groups and the building of the sensory garden and the restored pinfold as part of the Crossroads improvement scheme.
Twenty current and former members of the Trust and their partners accompanied John and his wife Margaret to the dinner, where Liam Godfrey thanked John for all his work and presented him with a signed card and gift.
The Trust is now chaired by Jo Bewley and operates at a reduced level. Its continuing responsibilities for the Youth Awards, the sensory garden and the Pinfold maintenance have been passed over to the Parish Council.