Bingley Rural: June 2013

Bingley Rural: June 2013 1To advertise email Lisa on [email protected]

BingleyRuralThe independent guide to what’s on in your community

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June 2013

Photo: Lion named Determination, Saltaire © Lisa Firth

Saltaire’s prideWere the stone lions of Saltaire’s Victoria Square meant for Nelson’s Column?

The Good Life?John Bartle shares his gardening tips for the gardenless

www.BingLEyRURALMAg.co.Uk

It’s a dog’s life!Gracie the nine-year-old greyhound gives a dog’s-eye view of adoption

covering wilsden, cullingworth, Harden, cottingley, Sandy Lane, crossflatts, Shipley and Bingley

...plus our regular features!community newsRecipe: French onion tartePast times

gardeningHistory from Astrid Hansennostalgia from Eric FirthFamily tree research

All about animalsUniformed organisationswhat’s on guide...and much more!

2 Bingley Rural: June 2013 www.bingleyruraladvertising.co.uk

A woRd FRoM THE EdiToR

greetings from the editorial office! Welcome to another issue of the Bingley Rural magazine.

This month we feature the story of Saltaire’s iconic stone lions, tips on gardening for those without a garden, and the conclusion of Eric Firth’s memories of serving with his regiment in 1950s Berlin.

Next month we will be producing a slightly later issue, which will cover both July and August, before being back with a bumper issue in September. If you have events which will be taking place in late July, August or early September and you’d like us to promote them, please get in touch before 1st July to make sure these are included – as always, there is no charge for non-businesses.

We always do our best to include all the information we are sent, but occasionally space restrictions mean something needs to be held back. We do try to select those items with no expiry date (i.e. not an event promotion). I apologise if you have submitted something and can’t find it in the magazine. If you would like to get in touch I will confirm when it is likely to appear.

Lisa Firth, EditorJune [email protected]

AdVERTiSE wiTH USbingleyruraladvertising.co.uk

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B y J e a n R i c h a R d s

Harden WI has again won the Tidyman Cup at the Lower Wharfedale group meeting on

Wednesday 24th April. The competition, which was open to the all members of the group, was entered by Harden, Wilsden, Pool and Otley.

The meeting was held at Otley Bridge Church, with entrants required to produce a model of a television programme in any medium. The programmes represented were Call the Midwife, Emmerdale, The Clangers and Gardeners’ World.

The competition was judged by Beatrice Kellie, an actor based in Otley, who has appeared in many television series and plays. She was also the speaker for the evening and entertained the large audience with explanations of how she became an actor and stories of the shows she has been in. Harden and District’s entry Call the Midwife was judged the best because of the detail put into the characters portrayed.

Photo, top: The Tidyman Cup is awardedBottom: The winning entry was Harden WI’s model

depicting Call the Midwife (© Jean Richards)

Harden wi scoops model award



HERiTAgE

B y L i s a F i R t h

in Saltaire’s Victoria Square four lions are on guard, sitting regally atop their stone pedestals

above the heads of visitors. The lion named Peace licks his paw in a wounded manner – perhaps from an injury caused by snarling War, sitting alongside and baring his teeth through the hanging chestnut leaves. Opposite sit another pair: ambitious Determination, holding himself proudly erect and staring loftily into the distance, and his brother Vigilance, ever on the alert, gazing up at the skies.

London artisan Sir Thomas Milnes sculpted the four-strong pride in rich Nidderdale sandstone for industrialist Titus Salt’s model village in 1868. The beasts are incredibly realistic, from their luxurious curling manes right down to the velvet folds of their slack hides – the sculptor based them on detailed sketches he made of real-life counterparts at London Zoo. A visitor can feel compelled to reach up and touch one of the heavy, powerful-looking paws, half expecting to see a flicker of life (although actually attempting to prod the lions awake may earn you an “It takes all sorts” eye-roll from a passing tourist, as I can testify from personal experience!). It’s no surprise at all to learn of a local legend which says that every night when the church bells chime 12, the lions abandon their posts and go on the prowl, heading down to the Aire for a drink.

The creatures’ uncannily lifelike detail has been claimed as the reason they don’t have an even more prestigious (although certainly no more beautiful) home than the one they have dwelt in now for nearly 150 years. Several 19th-century accounts

suggest that the lions were originally intended for the base of Nelson’s Column in Trafalgar Square. However, following a disagreement the commission was taken from Thomas Milnes and awarded instead to Sir Edwin Landseer, who went on to produce the brass statues that still stand in the square today. According to an urban myth, Milnes’ sculptures were considered rather too – ahem – anatomically correct for the prudish bigwigs of Victorian London, who would make a dash for the nearest cold shower at the sight of an uncovered piano leg, let alone an unneutered lion. So the models supposedly remained in Milnes’ showroom, where they were spotted by his old friend Sir Titus and requested for the outside of Saltaire’s Factory School and the Mechanics’ Institute (now Victoria Hall) opposite.

Wherever their home was originally intended to be, the lions are now synonymous with Saltaire. They’ve inspired the name of a local football team, been chosen as the subject of a “yarnbombing” knitting project during the Saltaire Arts Trail last year and even starred in their own calendar, created by a local photographer back in 2010.

The brass lions of the capital may be better known, but it’s doubtful they inspire more genuine admiration and affection than their four majestic Yorkshire cousins.

Saltaire’s pride

Above: One of Landseer’s lions in Trafalgar SquareLeft: Does Vigilance roam Saltaire by night?

© Pilise Gábornak


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UniFoRMEd oRgAniSATionS

B y c a R o L P h i L L i P s

At the start of term, 1st Wilsden Brownies were asked by their leaders which badges they

wanted to do and they voted for the Booklover

and Entertainer badges. The Entertainer badge included the following: reciting a poem; putting on a puppet show; singing; creating a dance; playing an instrument; acting as a compère, making a programme, and rehearsing for a show to entertain an audience. The Brownies enjoyed putting a show together and performing in front of their families and friends. They also brought cakes, buns and raffle prizes and raised over £70 for Wilsden Village Hall.

As part of the Booklover badge, the Brownies had to know where their local library was and its opening times, and they all made a poster about Wilsden Library in the village hall. Many of these posters were put in local shops around Wilsden.

If you would like to know more about joining Girlguiding UK please visit www.girlguiding.org.uk/interested

Brownies got talent


THE gREAT oUTdooRS

B y c a R o L B a R R e t t

For our outdoor meeting on Sunday 7th April we decided to go a little further afield to

benefit from the expertise of our guide, Peter Riley. Twenty-one enthusiastic birders met Peter and Ann Riley by Lindley Wood Reservoir at 10am on a cold but still, sunny morning. Peter has a wealth of knowledge of the Washburn Valley, having walked here many times over the years and written a field guide about it (which is unfortunately now out of print), as well as giving talks to local groups.

We could soon hear the haunting sound of the curlew and the harsh call of pheasants in surrounding fields and on crossing the bridge, were able to spot great crested grebe, mallard and Canada geese on the reservoir. We turned right on to the path alongside the reservoir and identified both male and female goldeneye in the distance.

The distinctive song of the chiffchaff was heard, announcing that spring is really here despite the chill in the air. The habitat here is varied and a good variety of birds were seen, including long-tailed tits, goldfinches, wren and reed bunting. Several roe deer were also sighted on the horizon.

Overhead a red kite, crow and buzzard were displaying and mobbing each other, fighting for superiority, and the cackle of a green woodpecker was heard.

Turning right over a stile, we followed the path towards Dob Park where Peter pointed out an unusual, invasive plant called Japanese Water

Burr. In nearby oak trees we watched the antics of a nuthatch, the mouse-like treecreeper making its way along the branches searching for insects and a goldcrest moving quickly to feed on insects and to keep warm.

On reaching an old drovers’ road, we stopped to listen to the drumming of a great spotted woodpecker and watched a cormorant and sparrowhawk flying through overhead. From this point we began a climb up the narrow road, before returning above the valley, with spectacular views back towards the reservoir.

Sadly, the recent very cold spell has accounted for the lack of other spring migrants including warblers and redstarts, but hopefully in a couple of weeks it will be well worth repeating the walk again to hear the beautiful song of the willow warbler and to spot the very distinctive black redstart.

A total of 31 birds were seen: great crested grebe, Canada geese, mallard, robin, pheasant, blackbird, goldeneye, chiffchaff, long-tailed tit, chaffinch, blue tit, reed bunting, goldfinch, goosander, dunnock, crow, great tit, wren, red kite, buzzard, tree creeper, nuthatch, coal tit, goldcrest, cormorant, sparrowhawk, pied wagtail, stock dove, jackdaw, wood pigeon and siskin.

Birding in Lindley wood

FATHER’S dAy FAcTSFather’s Day takes place on the third Sunday in June every year. In 2013 it is on the 16th.Men in the north and east of Germany celebrate “Vatertag” by setting out on hiking tours in the hills, pulling wagons filled with beer and traditional food. Father’s Day is the fifth-biggest card-sending day, according to Hallmark.The most popular present on Father’s Day is the tie.Huckleberry Finn author Samuel L. Clemens said of his father: “When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.”


Every Thursday evening 7.30- 9.30pm at Crystal Space, Aire View, Silsden, BD20 0AN. £1 including refreshments. See website www.crystalspace.co.uk (events section), phone Ally on 07546 109072 or email [email protected] for more details. All welcome.

Workshops on alternative therapy/healing practices


gARdEning

The good Life? But i haven’t got a garden!B y J o h n B a R t L e

My last article was mainly about soil! Pretty boring stuff, but what if you haven’t got any?

Suppose you have no garden to speak of. Can you grow anything to eat? Of course you can.

Where do you start? Cress seeds on cotton wool on a window bottom was where I came in at the age of – I’ve forgotten! A more grown-up crop might be beansprouts, sprouted in a jam jar. You will have a crop in one to two weeks. Soak them in a jam jar (they are then called mung beans), rinse them every day and float off the seed coats to leave only the beansprouts.

Most people have a front door, so put up a hanging basket or two. Instead of flowers, grow parsley, mint, basil, etc. Germinate the seeds yourselves or buy plants from the herb counter in the supermarket or garden centre – simple! As for “feeding”, plant “food” made to the required strength and then frozen as ice cubes is an easy way to do the job. The reason the word “food” is in inverted commas is because as a newly-qualified teacher my head of department and mentor, when faced with a child who thought soil gave plants food, would shout: “So you think you find fish and chips under stones do you lad?” Of course we mean minerals, but everyone calls it plant food and why not?

What next? Well, if you have any space around your house at all then the possibilities are endless.

Council garden waste bags are great. 18 inches of soil or compost in the bag then four seed potatoes and another covering of soil. Water, “feed” and harvest when the tops die down . Cost: four spuds and a bit of ingenuity and time.

A few grow bags in a suitable position will provide endless opportunities for planting. Most people will automatically think of tomatoes. Well , if you live south of Watford, maybe outdoor tomatoes are a good idea. Up here in t’north we are likely to be disappointed, so be a bit more conservative. Lettuce, radishes, runner beans, dwarf French beans, onions from onion sets – and if they don’t work, harvest them as spring onions! A bonus!

Many herbs can also be grown in grow bags. Gardeners are a bit like magpies – if it will come in one day then keep it. Now, dustbins are great as are oil drums, cordial drums, etc. Put some drainage holes in, fill them up with soil and they are ideal for carrots, parsnips, leeks, swede, turnips, etc.

Don’t forget the flowers either. One of my favourite flowers is the sweet pea. Nothing beats a few bunches of sweet peas in the house: the scent will put you off buying air fresheners for ever. Try it. The aroma will mask cooking smells, old dogs, sweaty socks and anything else! Sweet peas are best planted indoors on New Year’s Day. Nip out the top few millimetres after 3-4 leaves have developed to encourage branching and plant out in pots, tubs and grow bags in May. They will need supporting so use canes, twigs, strings, etc. Cut regularly and cancel the air freshener order.

Every garden, however small, should have a “muck heap”. At least that’s what I think: mine is in the back corner of the “garden”. It is hemmed in by two dividing walls and the thing is only 6ft wide by 2ft and about 3ft deep – not very big then. Every couple of years I dig it out and every year in April I throw in six or eight old potatoes. Then in winter, I A good source of plant food!


dig out about 14lbs of potatoes. Not a bad crop for no effort! That is my sort of gardening!

The seed companies are now beginning to sell purpose-built wooden structures, like animal feeders, for growing plants on patios. These cost up to £100 or more but some people may be able to improvise for a lot less.

As a young married couple my wife and I went to a well-known warehouse in Haworth and bought an old ammunitions box for next to nothing. We took it home to our flat on Church Bank in Bradford and planted sweet peas. All that on a 10ft balcony. The magic still hasn’t left me: that’s why I keep on I suppose.

In many of our foodstuffs nowadays, the concept of soil has become redundant. Hydroponics is the modern approach to growing several plants. Lettuces are grown in vast greenhouses, with their roots in small plugs, in a continuous flow of minerals. The flow is computer-controlled, mineral use monitored and automatically replenished. Some tomato crops are also grown this way.

For any help with advice or supplies, please contact Wilsden Gardening Association. Our hut is open every Sunday from February to October 10am-12noon, and is situated at the side of St

Matthew’s Church. To become a member please ring 01535 273102 and ask to talk to our membership secretary. For more information visit the website: www.wilsdengardeningassociation.com

Prize-winning veg at Wilsden Show


cHARiTy nEwS

A walk in the moonlightcancer Support Bradford & Airedale has

supported local people affected by cancer for the last 25 years. We want to make sure we are around for the next 25 to support everyone who needs us.

You could do something special and meaningful to make a lasting difference to people affected by cancer. It may, one day, help someone close to you.

Join us for this year’s FUN walk which has a 1980s theme. Fancy dress optional but sensible footwear is essential.

• Registration between 7.30-8.15pm• Warm up session from 8.15-8.45pm• Start of walk – approx 9pm• Finish back at Nuffield Health Club approx

11pm for hot drinks, bacon butties and medal presentations

• £10 registration fee• Minimum sponsorship £50Download a registration pack at

bradfordcancersupport.org.uk or call the Fundraising Team on 01274 202226.

Ladies’ 10k Moonlight walk Friday 5th July 2013nuffield Health club, cottingley, Bingley



yoUR SToRiES

Spandau fireworks

B y e R i c F i R t h : P a R t 2 o F 2

T here was a curfew for western troops at that time: Berlin was all curfews, stand bys, stand

tos, stand downs and sleeping in full kit with your rifle alongside you. This meant that anyone heading for a night out had to book out at the guard room and sign back in on return, which had to be before midnight. Booking out meant standing for ages in a long queue of impatient booze- and frauline-hungry squaddies practising their “ein, zwei, drei bier, bitte” and being checked to see if your turn-out was anything less than perfect – if not you were sent back till it satisfied the guard commander, who could be worse than the Russian officers.

All British regiments were stationed in the suburb of Spandau, which was famous, notorious even, for its grim prison where at the time three Nazi war criminals were held – Albert Speer, Balder Von Shirac, and the most famous, Rudolph Hess. Hess had served 18 years in Britain and Spandau, probably regretting flying to Scotland all those years before. We would be seeing them a few weeks later when we did our first Spandau guard, Herr Hess giving us a special watery welcome.

Right next to our camp was a Scottish regiment and hardly a night passed without a bust-up between Tykes and Jocks. The local pub was called the Corner Caf – not a café of course, nor even so much a pub: more a wild west saloon, where the sheriffs wore red caps and you went in through the doors and out through the windows, the tables were down more than up, the chairs less for sitting on than ducking from, and the only Germans who dared enter were the barmaids with an escort. We made sure they were safe.

We were the newly-arrived strangers in town and in a bar dominated by the infamous KOSB gang, “Kings Own Scottish Borders”, this led to the “showdown at the Corner Caf”, Jocks vs Tykes. I managed to get a couple of rounds in myself, gaining a reputation as “the wee laddie wi’ the broken beak”.

That was Spandau, containing three British infantry and one tank regiment, plus an elite special operations unit working behind Russian lines gaining priceless invaluable information for the west, every one of them knowing that if caught they would be shot as spies. One of them lives in the Bingley area (not me!). A prison more famous than Alcatraz, a prisoner more famous than Capone, a bier bar like something from the old wild west, records banned in Britain, a squaddie getting sloshed, nicking a tank and driving around for over five hours, with British red caps and German police trying frantically to get to him before he got to the Russian sector just a few Ks away, worrying that the Russian commander, seeing a British tank heading

in the hot summer of 1959, Eric Firth was stationed in Spandau, Berlin, with his regiment. He continues his story.

Nazi war criminal Rudolph Hess was Spandau Prison’s most famous resident


east might panic and give the order to press THAT button. Thankfully the tank ran out of juice first and civilisation was saved.

Spandau, like the rest of Cold War Berlin, was a very exciting, dangerous place to be. Berlin in the 50s could have got very hot very quickly, and again during the Cuban crisis a few years later. Maybe the brothers Kemp should have called their band “Spandau Fireworks”!

I met the Tanky who nearly started World War III and he told me that he got 28 days for it. He also told me that some time earlier he’d been given 14 days for fighting with another squaddie, but I already knew that because I was the other squaddie he’d been fighting with. He hadn’t recognised me and when I told him he laughed and bought me a drink. It’s one of my abiding memories, being bought a drink by a Scotsman.

Another day I got talking to one of the Scots stationed in the camp right next to us, and he told me a funny story. They too had to book out of camp and like us hated it: the long queues, the inspection and having to be back in before they wanted to be.

The story was that a group of them had thrown a strong rope over the branch of a sturdy tree which went over the wall of their camp. This allowed them to sneak out and back in whenever they wanted. They just climbed the rope, swung over the other side, dropped down, and away the noo.

Now in those days, perhaps still, every British infantry regiment had an NCO, usually a sergeant, they named “Army Barmy” – because he was, well, you know, barmy. This type lived for the army: it was their home, their family, their life. They were always exceptionally smart, their boots outshone all others, their trousers had a crease you could cut yourself on, they even pressed their beret. In fact they were so keen they would put a charge in against themselves if they did anything wrong. We had one in our regiment who charged himself for being late on parade: I kid you not. Unluckily for the Jocks their own Army Barmy learned all about their cunning nightly escape route. So next time he was on, the duty Battalion Orderly Sergeant, he decided to do what a Battalion Orderly Sergeant’s gotta do. Around the hour of midnight there he stood, mug of cookhouse tea in hand – keep anybody awake that would – hidden in the shade of a tree, waiting. He waited some time, then heard noises clearly coming from a few well-sozzled squaddies. He heard one climbing the rope, falling off a few times, laughing

and trying again. Then, encouraged by his mates – “Gie on Jammy” – he came swinging over the wall, Tarzan-like. Our generation were raised on Johnny Weismuller Tarzan films and spent many happy, sometimes painful, hours swinging from trees in the nearest woods. Like a shot from a 303 rifle out stepped Army Barmy. The young Jock was so shocked he froze, clinging to the rope and swinging right back over the other side, and in again, and out again, and in again, and out again. Army Barmy just stood there calmly doing his duty. He had a pencil and notebook and every time the squaddie disappeared over the wall, jotted down “Breaking out of camp”, then as the lad, too afraid to let go, swung back into camp, “Breaking into camp”, “Out of camp”, “Into camp”. The following Monday the squaddie appeared on CO’s orders, charged with breaking out and back into camp 24 times. Luckily the Jock wasn’t wearing the kilt, otherwise a few cases of indecent exposure might have been added to the charge sheet. Luckily, too, the CO had a sense of humour and reduced it down to just breaking out and back into camp. He also got 14 days. He managed it in a fortnight.


coMMUniTy nEwS

welcome to wilsden!B y G e o R G e M a R s h a L L

i came to live in Wilsden 46 years ago but after being born, brought up and living in West Bowling for 20 years and then spending

some time working abroad I thought I might have to take a test for coming to live there. Surprisingly I was allowed in without question: however, a number of the older residents viewed me with suspicion for some years.

The Wilsden I came to was a lot smaller than it is now and couldn’t have been more different from my birthplace. Whereas West Bowling was surrounded by mills, Wilsden was surrounded by fields. When we moved in Wilsden had a blacksmith, a cobblers and milkman delivering milk by horse and cart. It also had a bank and shortly after we arrived there was the excitement of a bank robbery. The robber was soon caught after making his getaway across the fields at the back of the bank, in full view of everybody.

Soon the village was expanding at an alarming rate – every time you went down to Bingley, by the time you got back someone had built a house on spare land. In our case we paid a £25 deposit for a plot of land that eventually became our present home. Everybody living in our road was working and we only knew the neighbours by their jobs: e.g. the policeman, the architect and the tyre rep.

Fortunately, among the newcomers there were some far-sighted people who formed the Wilsden Village Society and they eventually built the Village Hall. I paid some money for my name to be put on a brick in the hall and when it was finished I spent some time looking for it, to no avail. I presume it was well down in the foundations.

The first time I had to visit the doctors I found the surgery in an ordinary house at the bottom of Victoria Street. It was in winter and I remember there was a gas fire for heating and it kept popping all the time. If you felt bad when you went in you felt worse when you came out. Thankfully the new health centre eventually replaced it.

I must confess I had prior knowledge of Wilsden before coming to live there. As a scout I came to Black Hills Scout Campsite on a number of occasions in the year and our big treat on a Saturday night was to walk from the camp to buy fish and chips in the village. In those far-off days it seemed to me that going from West Bowling to Black Hills was like going into a different world.

When I arrived in Wilsden it was a self-contained village. There were mills and nearly everything could be bought locally from the three bakers, three butchers, greengrocers and Co-op. Not many had their own transport but as the newcomers arrived and the mills closed it became a commuter village.

It really has been a privilege to live in Wilsden: indeed, I have heard it rumoured that after living in Wilsden for 50 years you automatically qualify to live in Harden!

wilsden church looks to future

B y d i a n e h o G G

The year 2012, as you may remember, was a very busy year for Wilsden Methodist & United Reformed Church. We celebrated

the 40th anniversary of the church building’s reopening after the old one was destroyed by fire and we also celebrated the 25th anniversary of our two denominations joining together. What a “Year of Celebration” we enjoyed – Fun Day, Exhibition, Tea at the Ritz, Flower Festival, and many other events. We would like to thank everyone who supported us in our various celebrations and hope you all enjoyed them as much as we did.

Whilst we were very happy to look back on the events and successes of the past and present, we also felt very strongly that we needed to look to the future. After 25 years of being together, it was felt that now would be a good time to dispense with our rather

unwieldy title, Wilsden Methodist & United Reformed Church, and look for a name which covers our entire congregation as well as celebrating our union. We already have members from other Christian backgrounds worshipping regularly with us and have also been joined by many of the folk from Harecroft Methodist Church, which, sadly, had to close last spring.

After much discussion and prayer, the new name chosen to take our church into the next quarter-century is Wilsden Trinity Church and this is how we shall be known from now on. We shall be erecting new signage to reflect this and shall be having a formal recognition of our name change at our Anniversary Service on 30th June. We would love to see you at any of our weekly Sunday services, which are held at 10.30am. You are assured of a warm welcome.

If you need to get in touch with one of our team of ministers for any reason you can contact them on 0845 6060820.

wilsden Methodist & United Reformed church becomes wilsden Trinity church.



on a larger scale, Ladylike Fashion and a team of local

businesswomen have been organising unforgettable fashion shows and pamper events, helping to raise money for schools and charities. Just name the venue, invite your audience and let the girls work their

magic! Just to give you a taste, take a look at some of the local businesses involved...

infuseShazia is a Dermalogica skincare specialist. For your pamper evening Shazia will provide threading hair removal from £5!

Or how about a quick eyebrow reshape to go with that new little black dress? Shazia can be contacted on 07870 821001.

Beauty den HardenBeauty Den will pamper your audience by offering mini-treatments of reflexology and

Ladylike Fashion’s ethos is all about making women look and feel fabulous. owner Jo Thaper has a passion for fashion, offering personal styling from her boutique dressing room based in cullingworth. Jo can also bring her fabulous clothing range, jewellery and accessories to you... one-to-one styling in your own home. Alternatively, invite some friends round and enjoy an evening of shopping! Jo works with a team of local ladies who can come along and offer a range of indulgent hair and beauty treatments, for a very special pamper evening!

Here come the

Girls

From real-life photo

Threading by Shazia from Infuse

Cakes by Ndulgence


Indian head massage from £5. Book a further treatment with Suzanne at her Harden-based salon and you will receive a £5 discount on further treatments. Contact 01535 272808.

Jo Scott PortraitsJo comes along to showcase how she can transform a photograph of a loved one into a pencil, charcoal or pastel portrait. Jo can be contacted by calling 07805 679297.

FM Fragrances and cosmetics LeedsFM bring their fabulous cosmetics and perfume range. Home consultations can be

arranged by contacting Karen on 07906 921554.

ndulgence cakesNdulgence make sure there is something sweet for your audience to take home. They specialise in individual home-made cakes. To organise a children’s cupcake party as a separate event, contact Sharon on 01274 566263.

Pure BeautyPure Beauty offers mini mani- and pedicures on the night from £5 and Shellac £12. Fran is based in Shipley, offering a personal service for those who like to indulge their nails and body. Call Fran on 07977 255553.

Silvery Moon PhotographyWant some mementoes of your pamper event? Then you can book Mya to come along and make it more memorable by capturing it with her storytelling photography. Mya specialises in crystallising the moment at any special occasion. Contact Mya on 07561 150034.

Halo HairSpecialising in vintage pin-ups, Michelle offers free hairstyling makeovers on the night. Halo Hair Boutique is based in Bingley and can be contacted on 07810 805463.

if you work for an organisation and you would like to arrange a Ladylike fashion and pamper event, please call Jo Thaper on 07403 765005, or email [email protected]


PAST TiMES

The saints go marching on

B y a s t R i d h a n s e n

To some of us 1988 feels like only yesterday, but to others it does feel like history. After all, it is

a quarter of a century ago.It was in 1988 that Wilsden’s Roman Catholic

congregation had to vacate St Monica’s Church in the former Primitive Methodist chapel rather quickly when the building was found to be unsafe. Their first thought was to use a room in Royd House, but this was foiled when the ceiling of the only suitable room fell in. The Church of England parish was without a vicar at the time and church officers took it upon themselves to offer the use of St Matthew’s. The Sunday morning service was at that time at 9.15am, making it easily possible to fit in another service. The Bishop of Bradford agreed to the proposal, only making it a condition that it would be subject to the approval of the next vicar of Harden and Wilsden when one was appointed. Revd. John Peet, who came in 1989, was very happy with the arrangement, as were his successors. So St Matthew’s also became St Monica’s, which was an offshoot of the Roman Catholic Parish of St Mary and St Monica at Cottingley. St Matthew’s had a weekday service on Wednesdays, and St Monica’s on Tuesdays and Fridays. On Sundays the two congregations

exchanged greetings as they changed over and there were joint study groups and social events, and a united carol service at Christmas. Domestic tasks such as cleaning and flower-arranging were shared, and skilful ladies from both churches worked together to make the two large banners that still adorn the building.

“What temples, various, since old Time began, Have on this little globe been rear’d by man!”

The arrangement continued until 2006, when the Roman Catholic Diocese of Leeds reorganised its parish structure. The Aire Valley Parish of Our Lady and St Joseph was formed by combining St Mary and St Monica, Cottingley with the Sacred Heart, Bingley. At the same time the chapel of Christ the King at Crossflatts was closed and St Monica’s ceased to operate in Wilsden.

Wilsden churchgoers of both denominations were very happy with the sharing arrangement and sorry to see it end, but have to accept the need to adapt to changing circumstances. Other places of worship have come and gone over the years and doubtless future generations will see yet more changes. As the Airedale poet John Nicholson wrote in 1824 when contemplating the building of the new church at Wilsden:

“What temples, various, since old Time began, Have on this little globe been rear’d by man!”


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PAST TiMES

Family tree mysteriesB y c L i v e h a R R i s o n

when my wife’s father, Donald Binks, died, among his possessions were a collection of

postcards and some medals. One of the medals was issued by Bradford Traders War Fund and related to “Worlds War 1914-1918”, and was inscribed “My Father Fought”.

The other medals were a WW1 Silver War Badge, which is numbered B165689, and a WW1 Victory Medal [similar to that pictured below].

Donald’s father, Percy Binks, was born in Bolton, Bradford on 10th July 1899 and married Annie Beck on 1st March 1920. He would have been old enough to serve in the First World War but not until 1917 at the earliest.

Close inspection of the Victory Medal showed that the rim was inscribed “4789 PTE . P. MARSDEN YORK. R.”. So why did a member of the Binks family have a WW1 medal for P Marsden?

The postcards consisted of 13 Egyptian postcards, one picturing HMT Hecuba, and a birthday card. None of the postcards were dated, but from the messages written on them it was obvious they were from Percy to his wife Annie, with the birthday card going the other way.

The postcard of HMT Hecuba included the message: “Best boat in the Northern Union. Brought me from Karachi to Southampton – and home.”

This evidence seemed to indicate that Percy had been serving in the Army after he was married and that he had served in India.

By searching the Ancestry website, the Medal Rolls Index Card for Percy Marsden indicated that he had served as a Private in the Yorkshire Regiment,

Regimental No. 4789. It also showed further service in the Royal Irish Rifles, the Royal Irish Fusiliers and the ASC, the latter under Regimental No EMT-64178. It furthermore showed that he was entitled to the Silver War Badge.

Using the same military records, I found the Roll of Individuals entitled to the War Badge relating to Percy Marsden which confirmed that the badge, now in my wife’s possession, was his. It also showed that he had enlisted on 5th August 1915, had been discharged due to sickness on 25th March 1919 and that he had served overseas.

So the Victory Medal and the Silver War Badge both related to the mysterious Percy Marsden.

Looking at all the Medal Rolls Index Cards for P Binks, I came across one which showed an entry for a Corporal in the RASC with Regimental Nos. M/23956 and EMT/64178. The latter was the same Regimental No. as for Percy Marsden! The card also showed that, although no WW1 medals were listed, this P Binks was entitled to the India General Service Medal & “Clasp Wazn. 1921-24”.

This then indicated that P Binks had served in the Wazyristan Campaign of 1921-24. The medal roll of persons entitled to the India General Service Medal indicated that P Binks had returned to the UK on 12th October 1922 – just over one year before Percy’s son, Donald, was born.

Percy Marsden’s Medal Rolls Index Card showed that the information had come from Roll reference RACS/101B203 Page 20900. On a recent visit to the National Archives this page revealed that Percy Marsden “re-enlisted in the RASC on 26th February 1920 as Pte Binks P”.

My conclusion from all this evidence was that Percy Binks enlisted in the Army at the age of 16 years and 26 days, giving a false name as well as age. He must have retained that identity throughout WW1. In 1920 he re-enlisted or was called from the Reserves and, in order to claim for his dependant wife, would have had to produce his marriage certificate – showing his true identity. So Percy Binks became Percy Marsden for a few years, then reverted to his true identity of Percy Binks.

Mystery solved!© J

im L

inw

ood


wiLSdEn PARiSH coUnciL

could yoU be the new wilsden Parish clerk?in many respects the duties of a Parish Clerk may

seem daunting. A considerable amount of work and responsibility falls to them. But with the confidence of training and the help, advice and support of the YLCA (Yorkshire Local Councils Associations) behind you, all is possible!

Parish Clerks are vital team members in the running of the Parish Council: they provide advice and administrative support, and take action to implement council decisions. As the occasion demands, the clerk may have to act as project manager, personnel director, PR officer or finance administrator, according to the wishes of the full council.

All activities of the Parish Council are bound by law and it is the responsibility of the Clerk as “Proper Officer” to ensure that the Parish Council carries out its powers and duties within the regulations. This includes meetings – the agendas have to be prepared and Councillors summoned to meetings, notices of which have to be prominently displayed within the parish under a fixed prior timescale. The Clerk attends meetings and takes minutes which are then displayed on the noticeboard and

Parish website.

Wilsden Parish Council also requires its Clerk to be the ‘Responsible Financial Officer’, maintaining the cash book, preparing cheques for signing and ensuring all receipts are speedily deposited at the bank, as well as preparing the final accounts each year for presentation to the internal auditor and the Annual Return to the appointed external auditor.

Taking all the above into account, previous experience as a Parish Clerk will obviously be an advantage, but even more important are skills in communicating effectively, excellent organisational ability and being able to develop good relationships with councillors, members of the public and local government officers.

The successful applicant would also be required to undertake training towards obtaining CiLCA (Certificate in Local Council Administration) if not already held.

If you think that you have the outstanding qualities we are looking for, if you want a part-time job which offers a great deal of flexibility, if you want to be effective in making positive change in our community, then you could be the person we are looking for.


AniMAL AdoPTion

could you adopt a cat?

As the financial climate grows dire, so does the desperation and suffering of unwanted cats

increase. We are finding over the weeks and months that the methods used by owners to abandon their unwanted cats are growing ever more dangerous.

Thor, a heavy-built grey and blonde cat of distinctive looks, is a loveable boy who is terrified of the simplest human touch. He was abandoned in the smallest carrier that can be bought, in the pouring rain outside of the rescue where he wasn’t discovered for some time. This boy’s suffering was clear.

Mungojerry and Rumpleteazer, a long-haired black and white girl and her fluffy tortoiseshell sister, are a sweet pair who were clearly loved at one point. They were discovered taped up in a cardboard box with few air holes, left beside a bin amongst the rubbish. Whoever left them there were fully prepared for the eventuality that they might die.

Taja, a sleek and slender brindle tortoiseshell, is a vocal but sweet-natured girl who wants nothing more than a full belly and somebody to cuddle up to. She was about to be drowned along with her kittens because she had become an inconvenience. Thankfully a Good Samaritan found her, homed all but one of her kittens and brought her and her baby Hazel to us to find forever homes. If she hadn’t been found, then she and her babies would have become nothing more than another statistic.

It can sometimes be taken for granted, the work that sanctuaries such as our own have to cope with day after day; the stories we must endure that stick with us even after we leave the premises and go about our everyday lives.

We receive no government funding; our financial position relies entirely on donations from the public and fundraising carried out by our volunteers. This financial aid is growing scarce and rescues are suffering greatly. The means to help are lessening, and yet the number of unwanted animals we must care for is growing rapidly. Even a donation of just a few pounds, if all readers were to do so, would help relieve our financial burden and see that we can

keep our doors open to cats in need of our care.

If you would like to come and see the cats in our care with a view

to adopting, we are open Thurs, Sat and Sun between 12 and 2pm.

We also have a Facebook page, www.facebook.com/

AllertonCatRescue. This is kept up to date with pictures of all our cats looking for a forever home, so please like and share our page.

If you find yourself in a position to help, please send a cheque made

out to “Allerton Cat Rescue” to 258 Allerton Road, Allerton, Bradford BD15 7QX. If you would like to donate through PayPal, our address is [email protected]

Mungojerry (right) and Rumpleteazer (left)

Thor

Taja



AniMAL AdoPTion

it’s a dog’s life!B y G R a c i e G R e y h o u n d ( a G e 9 )

in last months’ article, kate Barrett introduced us to Alison Hunton – a fellow

committee member and fundraiser for Sheffield Retired greyhound Trust. you will recall that Alison told us about her experiences adopting her greyhounds and introduced you to gracie, Ralph and Hugo. This month kate (who is the treasurer of the Trust and a local businesswoman) introduces us to gracie, who thought it was time she “put pen to paper” to tell us what she thinks about being adopted!

Hello! I am Gracie, the greyhound who adopted a hooman in the last article. I saw Moomie Hooman’s efforts and thought I would give my side of the story! I am a white and brindle bitch who was a hurdler in my racing days. Unfortunately my career ended when I broke my rear leg.

My hoomans came to rescue me from RGT Sheffield. I was a pitiful little houndie of just four called Graces Brosna then. I put my best “please look after me” face on – and they just melted! Putty in my paws. My hoomans walked me and were hooked.

They decided to take two of us, and walked me with a dog called Norman – but the hoomans changed it to Ralph. Ralph was just over four too. We were put together to make sure we were compatible (we were – he knew I was boss and just accepted it).

When we got home with the hoomans, we had lovely new beanbag beds waiting for us. We were a bit nervous on our first day in a house, and had a couple of “wee” accidents until we got to know the place. The hoomans were very patient with us and we were soon housetrained (houndies like to keep a clean kennel if we can). We also had a few issues with glass doors – poor Ralph kept banging his head until Dad put some paper on! BOL (bark out loud)!

We had to get used to the new food our hoomans gave us (sometimes we get an upset tummy when our food changes), and what time things happened

in our new home. We got up about 6am and had breakfast (dry food with milk), walkies and then morning snoozes. We like some company when alone so the hoomans leave the radio on: I prefer Radio 2, or Radio Sheffield when the footy is on! When hoomans got home we got lots of fussings and out for a garden wee. Then we had a longer walk before dinner. Dinner was at 6.30pm. (I make sure the hoomans aren’t late – I have an uncanny ability to tell when it’s dinner time!)

Our hoomans were adamant that we were not going on the sofas (three days before they gave in to our pitiful looks into their eyes), and that we were not going upstairs. I could do stairs OK but they were new to Ralph. He got up them, but was scared to go back down. Hooman Dad had to coax him down one step at a time. He soon got his confidence – after a couple of weeks he could do it on

his own. Going down he was very “flight of feet” and looked like Fred Flintstone bowling.

As we got used to our hoomans we settled in well. We had to train them though, so we felt safe with them at all times. I was scared of men with walking sticks and Ralph was scared of spoons. He would cower on his bed when hoomans got one out! Hooman Dad eventually got him to lick yoghurt off a spoon – it just took lots of time and patience for Ralph to trust them. He would not let anyone (not even the vet-an-hairy man) touch his mouth. He never bit (too much of a gentleman for that) but he would pull away if anyone went near his mouth.

We became really good houndies, and lived with our hoomans for about four years. During that time our vices came to the fore. I am fond of a little wine or beer (if it is left at tongue height on a table), but Ralph was teetotal. However, he would not eat a dentastick without it being dipped in butter!

Unfortunately, Ralph got osteosarcoma when he was eight (which is common in us houndies and usually fatal). He lived with it for about eight months (supported by Neil the vet-an-hairy man at Abbey Vets) without any pain. When the pain came back


he had to be taken to Rainbow Bridge, as there was no further treatment he could have.

Whilst he was poorly our hooman parents took us both back to RGT Sheffield to choose another houndie. They could not choose, as they loved them all – so Ralph did something he never did before. He wandered into the kennels until he found a houndie boy called Candlelight Kid. He was a handsome brindle chap, and was given the pet name of Hugo.

Hugo was challenging for me as I was now nine, and had forgotten what a bundle of energy a four-year-old houndie could be. There was a power battle for top dog and I gave up the position to Hugo. I now make him look after me in my elder years!

We have trained the hoomans to look for dog-friendly hotels and pubs so we can all go places together and have been on some wonderful holidays with them. We have stayed in some VERY nice hotels where we work our charms on everyone we meet – they are just amazed how good we can be.

We love to chase a ball and especially love squeaky toys to snuggle: it’s always a challenge who will be the first to chomp the squeak out of them.

We are OK to go into kennels if the hoomans want to go abroad on hollibobs, but prefer to stay with other hooman friends if possible.

Hooman Dad had to change his car for an estate when he got the two of us. We get in and curl up as soon as we are able, as we know this means “hadventures” with our hoomans. We travel very well in the car, and just need a stop every few hours to stretch our paws and have a drink. We get very excited when our leads go into the car!

When we go on our hollibobs we LOVE to go to the beach. We are used to running on the track in sand, and we can run “free range” off our leads here. (By the way, it’s best you don’t use an extendable lead with us because we will just keep running and running and running – even when we get to the end of the lead!) Some of us will go into the sea and swim (me), others prefer to stay dry (Ralph). Remember we have very little body fat – so we need to be towelled dry even on a warm day.

As you get used to us you will get used to what we like to eat. Mostly we will have anything you hoomans like. We particularly like fish (pilchards in tomato sauce – NEVER brine), stewed steak

(from Grandma Stew), and Sunday dinner leff dovers. We can’t digest broccoli, onions and hooman chocolate (due to the theobromine which makes us life-threateningly ill). Otherwise, we are easy to please and will help you with any dinner you may have left over. We have delicate tummies, and so are

best kept to one brand of dog food and fed a couple of small meals per day to prevent us getting bloated (which can be a killer).

We love the company of hoomans, and Hugo especially likes to play with puppy hoomans as they have balls to chase and food to drop. We go to see Grandma Cheese and her friends in the care home as they love to fuss us.

We are not always happy with cats: apparently they don’t like being hugged with our teeth! But a lot of our ex-racer houndie friends are cat friendly – you just have to check with the kennels. We soon get used to other dogs once we are introduced and the appropriate bottom sniffings have taken place, even the ankle nibblers. In fact Roxy and Lola (pugs) are some of my bestest fwends!

We love to go back to kennels and see all our other retired houndie friends. We like to help raise funds to keep them sheltered until they find a forever home. We give them little tips on how to catch their hoomans, like sad eyes and giving paws.

We’re used to being handled so we love hooman contact and walk well on leads. We love going to new places and experiencing new sniffs, leaving wee mails for all our friends along the way.

So if you are looking for a companion to share your life with, let me know and I will send one of my fellow houndies to check you out! BOL xxx

if you are interested in giving a greyhound a home, or would like to visit the farm to a take one for a walk and learn more about the breed, please give Lynda or Roy a call on 0114 2888 300. we also have kennel or dog sponsorship which you can find out about by visiting our website: www.sheffieldretiredgreyhounds.co.uk

if there is anything specific you would like us to include in future articles, please drop kate a line at [email protected] or tweet @SheffieldRgT and we will do our best to cover it and answer any questions you may have.

next issue we share more dog tales with you!


RoTARy cLUB oF BRAdFoRd wEST / BRAdFoRd cAMERA cLUB

B y t o n y c a u n t ( L R P s )

The members descended on the World Heritage site of Saltaire last month and

were blessed with a warm balmy evening and some excellent low sunlight. We who live within easy reach of Sir Titus Salt’s jewel can so easily visit the village at any time of the year and so it was that Bradford Camera Club members spent an hour or two wandering round the houses and photographing the amazing architecture. As the sun went down we made our way to The Boathouse

for an evening meal and to sample their beers.If you have time to spare I recommend you

take your camera and look for some great shots of Saltaire: use the light to accentuate your images. You can then bring them down to one of our meetings which start again on the 5th September, every Thursday at Carlton House, 46 Little Horton Lane. During the summer we will be organising various outings: just call Allan Ogilvie on 01274 884187 or Debbie Alstead on 01274 824758 or go online at https://sites.google.com/site/bradfordcameraclub

Bradford camera club visit Saltaire

Rotarians on the roadB y t o n y c a u n t

we are your local active Rotary club and exist to help local people, as

well as pursuing national and international projects. People often ask, “What do Rotarians do?” The answer is simple: when someone says, “Somebody ought to do something about...” we are often that somebody. Our motto “Service Above Self” says it all: Rotary enables us to give something back to the community and to the wider world. Rotary is above all fun – offering friendship and a great sense of belonging. Rotarians care about people and we like to help whoever, whenever and wherever we can.

The members of Bradford West have been enjoying themselves on a weekend away in Chester. First they called in at Knutsford, home of the rich and famous, then on to Jodrel Bank to see the amazing Lovell Radio Telescope. One has to experience this huge Meccano-like structure to really understand the genius of Sir Bernard Lovell, who conceived the first telescope in 1951. The members had left Sandal Farm in sleet and temperatures of 4°C but went to sunshine and warmth in Cheshire, where they stayed in a Mercure Hotel. The Saturday saw them visiting Port Sunlight, the unique garden village developed by William Hesketh Lever in the late 19th century where Lever’s empire was built on the humble bar of soap. The global giant Unilever

still produces household products today. The afternoon

was spent in the very busy town

of Chester, a far cry from Bradford which is still struggling to reinvent itself. On Sunday the coach took the travellers to Llangollen, where most took a ride on the steam railway and had lunch in one of the popular inns before making their way for a ride on a narrowboat and sail across the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. This 126ft-high bridge has 18 piers and 19 arches, each with a 45ft span. It holds 1.5 million litres of water and is 1,007ft long.

In June, we have the following events planned: on the 5th the members will meet at the Level 6 restaurant in Bradford College for a speech about “Drugs to Dukedom”. On Thursday 13th at Sandal Farm Restaurant, Jeff McQuillan will talk about the Great Northern Trail. The meetings of the 20th and 27th are business meetings. On the 27th will be the club handover ceremony, when new President Dr Anne Raine will be installed.

To learn more about this exciting and friendly club, please call John Ellis on 07970 253371 or visit www.bradfordwestrotary.org


we can’t win can we?

After more then fifty years married (seems much longer) my wife can read me like a book. She expects me to understand her, but

so far I’ve not got the hang of it.

Let me give you an example.

I’m heading for the bedroom when my wife catches sight of me. “Wot are you up to with that black bin liner?”

I reply, “I’m going to fill it with winter clothes then pop it in the loft until September time.”

I can almost hear her mind ticking over. After a bit she asks me, “While you’re in t’loft, see if you can spot a big grey laundry bag, ‘av you got that?”

“Yes dear, big grey bag.” So after filling my black bag, I seal it up, put on a label - “John’s winter cloths” - and into the loft it goes. While I’m up there I quickly spot the bag my wife mentioned. Time now for a cup of coffee and a buttered scone.

On joining my wife in the room with my steaming cup of coffee, she’s looking at me sort of strange. I ask, “Wot’s up luv?”

“Did ya see owt of it then?” she fires at me.

“Oh, the big grey bag, couldn’t miss it luv, yes I saw it right away.”

“Well?” she says, “Where is it then?”

“It’s in t’loft just to right of trap door,” I tell her.

She explodes, “In loft? In loft? I wanted it here. I wanted it here, I asked you to bring it down.”

“No sweetheart, you asked me if I could spot it.” I always call her sweetheart when she looks like she’s going to start throwing things.

On my way down from the loft I’m thinking, “Supposing I’d brought down the bag in the first place and given her it, what would she have said, I wonder?”

“Why ‘av you got this bag down?”

“Well luv, I thought you wanted it,” I’d stammer.

“I just asked you to spot it. If I wanted it down I’d ‘av said so, don’t you understand plain English?”

Wot could I say? Just sorry, luv.

yoUR SToRiES

Another incident in the life of John Butterfield of cottingley.

Marian krupa: towards the south

B y M a R G a R e t K R u P a

The recruiting officer introduced himself as a Captain of the Polish Reserves. He asked

my name, where I was from, where I had been to school, what I was doing in Russia. I told him I had been in a Concentration Camp and, to enhance my chances, that I had been a Corporal in the Polish Air Force. He asked: “What squadron?”

“Krakow 2nd Airforce Division.” As he was from East Poland I was pretty sure he would know nothing much about this squadron. My story was accepted. I was a little taken aback when he said: “Let’s see if you know military muster.”

Luckily I had been in the Scouts as a boy and knew the main commands so I passed the test, maybe not with flying colours but adequately.

The train would be leaving in a couple of days. There were about 50 people waiting to leave and all their particulars had to be listed. The list then had to be vetted and approved by the Russians. This must have been very much a formality, but no one could go very far in Russia without the official stamp. We were provided with one cattle truck for all 50 and this was to serve us as our home for many weeks. There had been 80 in the truck when we were being transported to

the Concentration Camp so there was just a little more room on this journey. I don’t suppose we would have cared

how squashed up we were as long as the train was taking us south and eventually away from Russia. The truck was part of a long goods train with both open and closed wagons and the only guard was the railway guard. So we began our long journey across

Russia to the South.We had been given two sacks of bread to see us to

our first stop. Whenever the train stopped at a large town, some of our number would go to the Polish delegate there to

scrounge food for the next leg of the journey. At every stop we heard rumours that the Russians were going to close the Polish delegates and as we progressed the rumours became fact. Some delegates had already closed and for others the closure was imminent. It was almost as if the train was just keeping ahead of the clampdown and was pulling the plug out as it passed.

There was a certain amount of panic creeping in as we wondered what the Russians were up to. Would they stop the train and revoke our free passage? Would these clampdowns overtake us?

Thanks again to Margaret. Marian’s story will continue next month.

Marian Jan krupa (1922-2009) came to live in cottingley with his second wife, who had lived in the village most of her life, and their two-year-old son. He was born in krakow, Poland, and his experiences after leaving there in 1939 until his arrival in England in 1943 were traumatic. we continue his story.


kiTcHEn coRnER

ingREdiEnTS:4 medium onions, peeled and sliced4 banana shallots, peeled and slicedSprigs of thymeSplash of sherry1tbsp balsamic vinegar 1tbsp of honey1 sheet/pack puff pastry2tbsp good-quality cooking oil1tbsp butter2tbsp sugar1 egg, beatenSprinkling of Parmesan

METHod:1. Preheat oven to Gas Mark 7 (190°C). Put

cooking oil in a pan with butter and heat, then add onions and shallots. As the onions start to brown at the edges, add the sugar to caramelise the mixture. Next add the sherry, balsamic vinegar and honey, along with a couple of sprigs of fresh thyme.

2. Continue to cook for around 20 mins, adding

a teacup of hot water if the mixture becomes sticky. It should eventually look like mushy dark brown onions.

3. Cut the puff pastry sheet in half lengthways and make either one or two tartes. With a knife, gently mark an inch-wide line all the way around the pastry without tearing it, then coat the border with beaten egg.

4. Now add the onion mixture to the pastry, avoiding the border. Add some extra thyme sprigs. Bake on a sheet in the oven for 15-20 mins - keep an eye out as it can brown quickly.

5. Whilst hot, sprinkle with Parmesan shavings and decorate with thyme. Enjoy!

French onion tarteServes 6. Recipe supplied by Adele at Made 2 Measure catering: telephone 07801 270703.

RSPcA pet of the month: TyTy has the unhappy distinction of being one

of our longest residents. He came to us when only eight months old, back in November last year. Fortunately he has retained a happy outlook on life and is a firm favourite with our kennel staff.

We think that Ty is a very handsome boy. Although we cannot be sure of his parentage, he is reported to be a cross between a shar pei and a staffie. He is certainly very friendly, always pleased to meet people and playful.

Please get in touch if there is a chance that you could give

Ty the long-term loving home he deserves. He would be suitable for families with older children and will require lots of exercise.

If you would like more information about our work and the pets we have available, please contact us on 01274 723063. You can find out more at www.rspca-bradford.org.uk or look for Bradford RSPCA on Facebook and Twitter.


EVEnTS gUidE

JUnEThursday 13th June From 7pmBingley & District Local History Society will be leading a walk around Bingley centre, titled “Mills and canal” and led by the popular local historian Robert Whitehead. Meet at the Buttercross in Bingley Market Square: one mile easy walking. There is a charge of £2 per person for the event.

Saturday 15th June 2pm-5pmHarden children’s gala at Memorial Park, Harden. Parade leaves Ryecroft Road at 1.40pm, with floats and regulars the New Orleans Jazz Band. Stalls, games, bouncy castle and rides, plus children’s races, miniature train, refreshments, music, magician and more! Admission 50p. Contact Solna Burnham on 01535 273120 for more details.

Saturday 15th June 7.30pmThe Aire Valley Singers are delighted to be returning to Ben Rhydding Methodist Church for “with A Voice of Singing”, the final concert of their 2012-13 season. The programme includes music ranging from Weelkes’ setting of “Gloria” and “Bogoroditsye Dyevo” from Rachmaninov’s “Vespers”, to a swing version of “Blue Moon” and also includes spirituals, music connected with dance, “Panis Angelicus” (with organ) and other popular items. Tickets £8 (£5 concession) available at the door or phone 01274 563078. Ben Rhydding Methodist Church, Wheatley Lane Ben Rhydding, Ilkley, LS29 8ET.

Saturday 15th June 7.30pm1st Bingley Scouts have organised a concert with the city of Bradford Brass Band to help raise funds for a much needed new mini-bus. The concert is at Bingley Arts Centre, tickets £7. Book in person at Bingley Arts Centre or phone 01274 567983, 11am-3.30pm Mon-Fri.

Saturday 22nd June From noonSt Matthew’s wilsden and St Saviour’s Harden Family Fun day at the Malt Shovel. Free admission, children’s games, picnic in the grounds. Bring your own food or buy from the pub, but ALL drinks must be bought from the pub.

Sunday 23rd June 5.45pm-6.30pmBradford & District St David’s Society and other local Welsh societies and friends’ welsh/English Evening Service, at the Eldwick Church, Otley Road, Eldwick, Bingley BD16 3EQ followed by refreshments. ALL WELCOME! 01535 665829 for details.

JULywednesday 3rd-Saturday 6th July 7.30pm nightly, 2.30pm Saturday matineeLes Misérables School Edition at Bingley Arts Centre features the well-loved songs “I Dreamed a Dream”, “On My Own” and “One Day More”. Don’t miss the chance to see the talented young performers of Stage 84 in this local theatre production. Tickets £14 (£13 concessions). Book in person at Bingley Arts Centre or phone 01274 567983, 11am-3.30pm Mon-Fri.

Sunday 14th Julycullingworth Village gala at Parkside School. More details at www.cullingworth-village.co.uk shortly.

Saturday 20th July gates open 9amBingley Show, Myrtle Park, Bingley. Includes handicraft, horticultural and animal sections as well as fun family dog show, equestrian events, Bingley Harriers, cattle parade, motorcycle display, donkey and alpaca rides, brass band, falconry display and more. There will also be an RAF Spitfire flypast. Tickets: £8 adults, £4 children if bought in advance, or £10 adults, £5 children at gates. See website for details of where to buy: www.bingleyshow.co.uk

The New Orleans Jazz Band lead the Harden Children’s Gala Parade

SUMMER AUcTion By THE BRiTiSH cAcTUS And SUccULEnT SociETy – BRAdFoRd BRAncH

Our meeting on Wednesday 10th July takes the form of an auction of plants donated by members and we would love to see lots of people there to pick up a bargain! The meeting

is very informal and enjoyable and helps to provide funds for the Branch activities. The auction will take place

in Room 2, Shipley Library from 7.15pm.


Airedale Trefoil guild newsWe are still aiming to get some new younger members for Airedale Trefoil Guild. Meeting every third Monday in the month at Bingley United Reformed Church from 7.30pm. This isn’t just a meeting for “old” Guiders: anyone over 18 who is interested in Girlguiding is welcome to come along.One of our members, Wendy Hird, who many in Wilsden will know, was presented with the Chief Commissioner’s Award last week for her services over many years and in various capacities to Guiding in West Yorkshire North (this is the Guide “county” which covers the Bradford Met Area).___________________________________________________________________

wiLToTS Mother, Baby & Toddler groupWe meet from 9.30am to 11.30am every Tuesday morning (except during school holidays) in the Wilsden Trinity Church (formerly Wilsden Methodist & United Reformed Church) building. This is open to parents, grandparents and carers with babies and toddlers. We provide toys, craft, activities, snacks and an opportunity to enjoy the company of other adults and children. Do come along.___________________________________________________________________

wilsden Trinity church (Formerly wilsden Methodist & URc) charity coffee EveningsThe folk at Harecroft Methodist Church used to hold monthly coffee evenings in the summer months, the proceeds of which were given to various charities, and we are continuing with these. The first event was on Monday 20th May when an amount of £245 was raised

for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. Many thanks to all who supported us. The next coffee evening will be on Monday 10th June from 7.30pm to 9pm, when we shall be supporting the work of Parkinson’s UK for research and support of sufferers from Parkinson’s Disease. There will be various stalls – cakes, bric-a-brac, books etc. Do come along and join us if at all possible. We intend to hold similar evenings on the second Monday of each month from June to September for different charities, details of which will be published each month. We look forward to seeing you and you will be made most welcome.___________________________________________________________________

wilsden Trinity church Friends and HeroesFriday evenings 6pm-7.30pm during term time in the church building. This is a Christian-based group for children of primary-school age, providing games and craft activities. All children of this age group welcome. For details please contact Clair Schofield on 01274 488608 or mobile 07968 275760.___________________________________________________________________

keighley Art class programme for June12th June: “Western Theme still life”19th June: “Sport”, painting action shots26th June: Members explore painting in just two colours, black and white acrylicWe meet at 6.45pm to 8.45pm on Wednesdays at Keighley Healthy Living, Scott Street. All enquiries to Barbara on 01535 669914.

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Bingley Rural: June 2013