19th December 2017
The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority agreed today to pursue efforts to attract familes to the National Park including a proposal to seek government support to raise council tax payments on 2nd homes. A summary of the Authority meeting is available here: YDNPA. Our chairman was interviewed about this proposal on BBC York Radio.
2nd December 2017
Our Friends of the Dales group on Ilkley Moor this morning having enjoyed a walk around Ilkley’s key heritage buildings expertly led by trustee Marion Temple. In the afternoon we heard a wonderful talk by Sir Rodney Brooke about the saving of thje impressive Ilkley Manor House for the community. A grand day out.
November 11th 2017
The FOTD enjoyed a fantastic ‘Kilnsey and its Show’ event today, in glorious Wharfedale sunshine. In the morning, Jane Lunnon and Pat and Phil Carroll of the Upper Wharfedale Heritage Group gave us a fascinating insight to the history of the village of Kilnsey through its vernacular architecture. In the afternoon, Jamie Roberts and Victoria Benn gave a wonderful presentation on the history of the Kilnsey Show, based on their impressive ‘Studs &Crooks’ book, which is highly recommended. Many thanks to all who attended and to our trustees Nancy Stedman and Tony Smith who hosted.
November 3rd 2017
Author and FOTD supporter Bill Bryson sings the praises of the Yorkshire Dales and National Parks in general in his interview with Countryfile Magazine
November 2nd 2017
Report in the Craven Herald on “National park urges developers to build more houses in Yorkshire Dales” including our concerns.
October 30th 2017
Article in today’s Yorkshire Post “Builders urged to develop homes in the Dales” We were asked by the Yorkshire Post for our views and responded: “We agree that the lack of affordable housing, and indeed the shortage of jobs that pay enough to make housing affordable, are two of the biggest challenges facing the National Park and we support efforts to help tackle these issues. With an average house price of £300,000 in the National Park, a 40% premium above houses in the region outside of the Park, and average incomes of below £20,000 p.a. the scale of the affordability challenge is clear.
We support the Authority in encouraging the building of housing for rent or purchase that is affordable but real care is needed that we avoid proliferation of open market housing that doesn’t address the issue. We don’t need more second homes. Developers seem to have a tendency to agree to the provision of affordable housing as part of a development but then find reasons to wriggle out of commitments.
Or local occupancy is specified and over time pressure grows to lift this condition. As well as nudging others to act we would like to see the Authority itself adopt some more innovative approaches, such as investing itself in land that is used specifically for affordable local housing. The New Forest National Park Authority has done just that and it may well be a model that could be adopted in the Yorkshire Dales.”
October 29th 2017
Very nice comments about our Dales Community Archives website by FOTD member Paul Jackson in his excellent weekly blog: Scribble by the Ribble. Thanks Paul!
October 21 2017
Great turnout for our ‘Celebration Open Day’ at Victoria Hall, Settle, showcasing progress made over the past 18 months with our Capturing the Past project. Over 120 people enjoyed seeing fascinating historic photographs, social records, wills and more. Some brought along their own archive material to be digitised. You can access the Dales Community Archive from the link.
October 21st 2017
Article in the Yorkshire Post by vice president Colin Speakman on the ‘Demise of rural buses due to false economy’. SeeYorkshire Post
October 12th-14th 2017
Several trustees of FOTD attended the National Park Societies’ annual conference in the New Forest. We enjoyed an excellent programme and learned about the opportunities and challenges associated with the wonderful New Forest National Park. Details of the programme can be found here: Friends of the New
October 2017
Nice article in the 12 October Craven Herald on our Capturing the Past digital archiving project. Craven Herald
October 2017
An article in the 12 October Craven Herald by our vice president Colin Speakman challenging the Park Authority to show leadership in the provision of public transport in the National Park.Craven Herald
October 2017
We fully support the efforts of the National Park Authority to safeguard the primary schools in the Yorkshire Dales – such an important part of the future of our local communities. See the local press coverage: Craven Herald
October 2017
Nice event on 7 October in Stalling Busk, Raydale. Janet Street-Porter unveiled a plaque at the home of our Friends of the Dales trustee Jerry Pearlman commemorating, as part of a Ramblers campaign, the drafting in August 1996 of what became the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. This opened access to much of the Dales, giving us our right to roam this special place.
October 2017
FOTD chairman Mark Corner visited Clapham Primary School recently to talk with the children about quarrying in the Yorkshire Dales National Park as part of an oral history project for the Ingleborough Dales Landscape Partnership, a project led by the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust and funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund. Under the guidance of Bobbie Millar, Director of Quarry Arts who is running project, the children, aged 7-10, had earlier visited Dry Rigg and Arcow Quarries and had prepared questions for Mark, who said “It was a privilege to chat with the children who were really engaged and saw the challenges of producing valuable quarried stone within the setting of a National Park. They had a particular interest in wildlife and were pleased that any impact in this regard was being managed sensitively.” Mark added “As a conservation and education charity it is always good to have the opportunity to discuss issues, and it was particularly refreshing to do so with such enthusiastic and aware young people.” A recording of the discussion will be availbale shortly on the Quarry Tales web page, here: Quarry Tales
October 2017
Fun TV programme on exploring the Yorkshire Dales by bike. Episode 1 of ‘Britain by Bike with Larry & George Lamb’. On again on Wednesday 4th October at 7pm. See: Channel 5
September 2017
Why living in the Dales makes you happy. As if we didn’t know it, residents of Craven in the Dales are officially the happiest in the UK! See: The Guardian<< New text box >>
September 2017
‘Access to the Dales’ is being given a higher priority by the National Park Authority, including the provision of ‘financial support to organisations delivering public transport initiatives’ – something we have been lobbying for. See Harrogate Advertiser
September 2017
News report from Richmondshire Today of our AGM held on Saturday 23rd September. See AGM. Also a report on the DaleBus review from the meeting: DalesBus