BT announces plan to remove village payphone

BT has announced that it will remove the public payphone at the junction of Holywell Lane and Main Street, explaining that it isn’t used enough for them to keep it running. In 2009 a similar red phone box in Alport was only saved when the Parish Council took it over and installed a defibrillator. However, a few years before that, another was removed altogether from the bottom of Stoneyside. The phone box at the top of Holywell Lane contains the last remaining payphone in the village. A BT notice inside the box urges anyone who thinks it should stay to contact their local authority, including the Parish Council, within 3 months (by 15th January 2025). Youlgrave’s K6 phone box, an iconic design by Sir Giles Gilbert Scott dating from 1935, is Grade II listed and referenced in the Peak District National Park Authority’s Youlgrave Conservation Area Appraisal (2010).

Archbishop of Canterbury visits Alport

The Archbishop of Canterbury visited Alport on Saturday 13th April during a day trip to Derbyshire. His visit was arranged by the Derbyshire Rural Chaplaincy, a Christian organisation which supports the agricultural and rural community in Derbyshire. He had asked to talk to farmers and those in the farming community and to pray with them.

The Archbishop was very friendly and keen to discuss current farming issues, such as Tb in cattle; the wet weather and how it was affecting farming; mental health and the end of direct government support for farming. He talked about his recent visit to Ukraine and spoke of his admiration for the farmers there, still planting crops in the face of adversity. He was keen to talk to the young farmers, their plans to work in agriculture and was amused that George appeared straight from his tractor and muck spreader – perhaps a little less dressed up than his usual supporters!

He enjoyed having a drink and revealed his favourite cake – coffee and walnut. He also liked seeing the calves, sheep and new born lambs.

Youlgrave Welldressers display in Sheffield Gallery

Youlgrave Welldressers have created a ‘winter welldressing’ – a ‘first’ for our village! Not only did we design and construct the board in house, we experimented with different techniques of bedding natural organic materials into pesky plasticine, and all to last a minimum of 12 weeks (and completed in less than 35 days – phew!). The Welldressing was commissioned by two London-based artists for their exhibition ‘Ways off Water’ in the Millennium Gallery, Sheffield, which runs until mid May. Please make an effort to go and see it. Phil Smith

‘Ways of Water’ is at the Millennium Gallery, Arundel Gate, Sheffield, from 15th Feb to 12th May (Tues-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 11am-4pm), admission is free.

Cancelled Pommie Panto becomes a huge hit!

Phil Smith & Phil Wildbore on the story behind Panto 2024 ‘Dick Whittington’

Youlgrave Village Hall Committee had no option but to cancel the pantomime in early December. A number of main adult parts had left for several reasons, some with ill health.  Therefore with so many things going pear-shaped, Director Nic was left with too many obstacles in his way, and unfortunately we decided to wave a white flag.

The devastating effect the decision had on the children was too much, especially for the young Ukrainian girl who left in tears and was inconsolable as it was going to be the highlight of living in our village. We didn’t realise how important this Panto is for our Village children. This was the catalyst to make a determined effort to make sure the show must go on.

A gathering was planned, inaugurated by King Rat Phil Wildbore, with everyone who wished to be involved invited. Suddenly we had another dame; the Panto comedian role had already been given to the young 12-year-old Daisy, as well as another three 12-years-olds having major speaking parts. The captain was a welcome return by the landlord of the Bulls Head, Martin. But without a doubt the piece de resistance was picking the unlikely bearded/tattooed Simon as the Fairy who scared more children than King Rat. Nic was invited to attend the gathering an hour later and as he came through the door all the younger cast gave him a huge round of applause. Bingo – it was on again!

The wonderful scenery was already created, along with all the props. Missing were two technicians to do the lighting and sound, but these were filled by two youngish dads from the village.  The last ingredient was pulling the younger ones in to make sure the choreography worked – step in no-nonsense Kim from our neighbouring village Over Haddon. Suddenly the whole Panto started to come together, with everyone working as a team.

Unfortunately one part of the team had been overlooked. With all the changes, new or altered costumes were needed, the sewing machine was overwhelmed. Again the call went out for more help and the response was brilliant. So many came through the door that it became obvious it was too many. The spirit that was spawned by a child’s sad tears just carried on growing. Something special was about to happen.

The first night was incredible. Normally a smaller audience, but the hall was half full. It was not the amount of punters that was so good, it was their response. The curtains opened, folk booed at the top of their voices to welcome the baddie.

Each performance saw the crowd grow to the second matinee where people got turned away, a full house. Tears were now of laughter with everyone making this into a massive hit, which will be definitely be remembered. It proved that the village wants the fantastic tradition of 62 years of Pommie Panto to continue, which it definitely will, thanks to our Director Nic Wilson and to whom we are truly grateful for his commitment.

Photo by Phil Smith

Youlgrave Show to re-start this Autumn

Provisional date: Saturday 14th September 2024

For many years Youlgrave Show, put on by Youlgrave & District Horticultural Society at the Village Hall each September, was a popular fixture in the village calendar. It ceased in 2015 when the organisers stepped down, and lately there’s been the Pandemic and Lockdown of course, but now a small group of local people are interested in re-starting it in 2024. Would you support it? Are you prepared to help out in some way?

As before and like other local village Shows, it would feature a range of classes or categories, including vegetables and fruit, floral art, baking and preserving, handicrafts and children’s work. In order to make it happen again we need enough volunteers who would be wiling to help out. There will be a lot of tasks, big and small, before the Show and on the day, covering everything from setting up and taking down the tables, organising refreshments, publicity, designing and printing the programme, liaising with judges, processing the entries, and so on. We need to be sure that we’ve got enough people ahead of the event in September, so If you’re interested in helping out in principle (without committing to any specific tasks at this stage) please let us know by calling Edwina Cant on 07772 019385 or emailing her at thorntree1124@gmail.com.

Litter pick bags more roadside rubbish

Thank you to the team of six who carried out a litter pick on Sunday 14th January 2024, covering the road from the A6 to the village. A total of 15 bags and other items were collected. It was encouraging that the number of bags was less than previously. We hope this is because people are changing their habits. Undoubtedly, if there is rubbish on the roadside, there is more chance others will follow suit, so clearing it up helps reduce it in the future. What was disturbing was the number of large    (1-foot or so long) heavy metal canisters, which had contained nitrous oxide. We have never found these before and it suggests that sniffing this poisonous substance appears to be on the increase, despite it being made illegal to possess it (except for legal purposes) in November last year. It is now a class C drug.

As always, thank you to all the people who continue to pick up litter in and around the village, quite apart from the litter picks. If you would like to help on future litter picks, please contact us on 01629 636523; 07706 956067; or 07544 812459. Jayne and Simon Northcott 

Barbeques and open fires not allowed in Bradford Dale.

Following a spate of damaging recent fires, the Peak District National Park has come together with its partners to announce that barbecues and open fires are not permitted anywhere in open countryside throughout the Peak District. As landowner permission is required to light or tend a fire, the Authority has said that all major landowners and key landowner representatives within the Peak District have now confirmed they do not give their permission and so barbecues and open fires are not allowed. This includes Haddon Estate, which owns most of Bradford Dale, including the popular area around the ‘swimming pool’ on the River Bradford in Youlgrave. The announcement follows a call from the National Park Authority for retailers across the region to voluntarily remove disposable barbecues from retail sale. Youlgrave Garage, Youlgrave Post Office and Youlgrave Village Shop have all confirmed that they are not and will not be selling disposable barbecues. A record-breaking spring of prolonged sunshine, hot and dry weather and regular winds has created a perfect storm of conditions for fires in the open landscape. Major blazes have taken place at Bamford Edge, Dovestone and Swineshaw; and all are believed to have started from discarded or unattended barbecues. Teams from the fire and rescue services, national park rangers, the Peak District Moorland Group, farmers and gamekeepers, water companies and conservation charities have all been involved in both tackling the fires and speaking with the public having barbecues. Sarah Fowler, chief executive of the Peak District National Park, said: “We’ve all had a really tough few months under Covid-19 restrictions, but as we return to the countryside we must do so with care, and not damage the very fabric of why we choose to venture into these special places.”