Sunday Email: Issue 75

Doug
07785 223707

The week’s Covid statistics
• The R number for England as a whole is 0.9 to 1.1. It means that on average every 10 people infected will infect between 9 and 11 other people.
• 48.4 million first doses given. 43.9 million second doses. 89% of the population aged 16+ has now had the first jab and over 80.8% the second.
• There were 29,547 new infections yesterday and 259,849 people tested positive for Covid in the last week. That’s a 5.9% increase on the previous week.
• 6,831 people were admitted to hospital with Covid between 31 August and 6 September. That’s a 3.6% increase on the previous week.
• There were 156 deaths reported yesterday and 983 in the last seven days.
• The total number of UK deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid test now stands at 134,144.
• Over 156,888 deaths registered in the UK had Covid-19 mentioned on the death certificate.
• Worldwide, the global death toll is 4,634,570.

North Yorkshire Covid Situation
So far, there have been 53,195 positive tests in North Yorkshire since 3 March 2020, or roughly the start of the pandemic. There were 2,012 new cases reported in the past week. The weekly rolling average of new cases is 287 per day. The seven-day rate for the county was 353.7 cases per 100,000 people, again higher than the England seven-day rate of 328.6.

Covid Winter Plan
The Prime Minister will announce the government’s Covid Winter Plan for England on Tuesday (14 September). It will include contingency measures that would be implemented if the NHS was at risk of becoming overwhelmed and outline plans for booster jabs. Officials are looking at measures that could be needed if cases rose steeply, but government sources have said further lockdowns were not being considered. The Times newspaper reported last week that mandatory face coverings and working from home will be brought back in if there is a winter surge in infections.

Consultation on mandatory jabs for health workers begins
A six-week consultation is about to start on whether Covid and flu jabs should be made compulsory for frontline NHS and care workers. Plans are already in place to make it mandatory for care home workers to be fully vaccinated. But some unions and care organisations have warned making the jabs mandatory will lead to staff shortages. About 88% of NHS trust staff have received two Covid doses but in some trusts that falls to 78%. About 90% of care home staff have been double vaccinated.

Covid Testing
• Test and Trace – For details about Test & Trace and how it works go to https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nhs-test-and-trace-how-it-works
• Anyone who is showing coronavirus symptoms is eligible to book a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test to find out if they have the virus. You can also book a PCR test if you are self-isolating after being in contact with someone who has tested positive. Tests can be booked from 8pm the night before. If test sites are fully booked they will not appear on the government’s website. https://www.gov.uk/get-coronavirus-test People who don’t have access to the internet, or who have difficulty with the digital portals, can ring the 119 service to book their PCR test.
• Lateral Flow Testing Kits – are available free of charge to everyone. Rapid testing detects cases quickly, meaning positive cases can isolate immediately. You can order here: https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests?medium=email&source=GovDelivery

The Tattler – September 2021
The next edition of The Tattler will be distributed door to door in Topcliffe and Asenby this week.

Snooker Club
Topcliffe Snooker Club fees will remain unchanged for the next twelve months. At the club’s annual general meeting last Sunday, it was decided that membership fees will remain at £25 per annum. Fees are due now. Existing and new members are asked to get in touch with Dave Bowman on 577843 to make
arrangements to renew their subscription. If you don’t intend to renew your subscription, please return your key to David Bowman as soon as possible.

The Catton Kitchen
The Catton Kitchen is open Thursday and Fridays 8am to 2pm; Saturday 10 to 2pm; Sunday 10 to 12 noon. Bacon sarnies served until 1pm most days – but only until 12 noon on a Sunday. Takeaway food or veg boxes can be pre-ordered – 07747 083155. Check out www.thecattonkitchen.co.uk
Catton Kitchen upcoming events:
• Pizza night – 4.30-8pm Thursday 23 September. It’s a takeaway service and pre-ordering is essential.
• Autumn Garland making, with Sahra Rayner of Willow View Farm, Topcliffe – Saturday 23 October 2-4pm. £25 per person. Arrive at 1.30pm for tea/coffee and cake, which is included in the price.
• Christmas wreath making – Thursday 2 December 6-8pm. £30 per person. Arrive at 5.30pm for mulled wine and mince pie, which is included in the price.
• Christmas wreath making – Saturday 4 December 2-4pm £30 per person. Arrive at 1.30pm for mulled wine and mince pie, which is included in the price.

Asenby parish councillor needed
Following the resignation of Councillor Don Crompton, Asenby Parish Council is looking for a replacement councillor. Any Asenby resident interested in joining the parish council should contact parish council chairman Peter Palmer on 578057.

Road closure in Asenby
Here’s a reminder that the main road through Asenby village, near the entrance to Jamesville Way, will be closed for three days between 15 and 17 September. Then, on the following three days there’ll be carriageway works to allow Northern Powergrid to complete a new customer connection.

All Creatures Great and Small
The second series of the re-make of All Creatures Great and Small will air on Thursday 16 September at 9pm on Channel 5. It will consist of six episodes and a
Christmas special. The programme, which includes scenes in Thirsk, was filmed earlier this year.

Art Classes start again tomorrow
Art classes start tomorrow, Monday 13 September, at Topcliffe & Asenby Village Hall. They are on between 10am and12 noon. People of all abilities and experience are very welcome to attend. Attendees are asked to take their own materials. A full list of what might be required is available. Participants can choose to work in whatever medium they prefer. Refreshments are provided. Places need to be pre-booked. The two-hour classes cost £12.50 weekly or all five sessions can be booked in advance at an early bird offer of £60. Please contact Rebecca on 07704 819806 or email on rebeccajayneartanddesign
If you would like to check out her website go to www.rebeccajayneartist.co.uk

The Boccia Club
It’s odd that the Boccia Club is finding it difficult to recruit new members despite the fact that our two villages have relatively high numbers of elderly residents. The club, which meets Tuesdays between 1.30 to 3.30pm at Topcliffe & Asenby Village Hall, offers a great opportunity for a bit of gentle exercise and a great deal of fun and conversation. Anyone interested can just turn up on the day or if you want more information ring organiser Judith Lowe on 577911. As usual, it’s a matter of use it or lose it!

St Columba’s Church
Today, Sunday 12 September, 10.45am – Holy Communion.
Sunday 19 September, 10.45am – Sung Matins.
Sunday 26 September, 10.45am – Holy Communion.
There will be congregational hymn singing at all services. The wearing of masks and social distancing is still expected.

The Ritz Cinema, Thirsk
The popular Ritz cinema will be reopening on Friday 24 September. Audience members must wear a face covering or mask at all times whenever they are not seated. The first film to be shown will be ‘The Last Bus’ (12A) – a heart-warming tale of Tom (Timothy Spall), a pensioner whose wife, Mary (Phyllis Logan), has just passed away, who travels from Britain’s most northerly point, John O’Groats, to his original hometown at its most southerly point, Land’s End, using his
free bus pass. From Friday 1 October the film will be the drama/romance ‘The Last Letter from Your Lover’ (12A). This has a pair of interwoven stories set in the
past and present following an ambitious journalist determined to solve the mystery of a forbidden love affair at the centre of a trove of secret love letters from 1965. Check out all showings at www.ritzcinema.co.uk

Baldersby St James Book Fair
The annual book fair is on until Monday at St James’ Church, Baldersby St James. Today and Monday you can visit between 10am-5pm.

Soup and sweet lunch – Wednesday 15 September
The next soup and sweet lunch will be held on Wednesday 15 September at 12 noon. Rather than having a set price for lunch, customers are asked to make a small donation. Any surplus will be donated to Animal Rescue Crew.

Annual Steam Gala on the North York Moors Railway
There will be up to 13 locomotives in steam at this steam gala being staged between Thursday 23 and Sunday 26 September. You can ride behind one of the guest locomotives or home fleet engines, with services calling at Pickering, Levisham, Newtondale Halt (by request), Goathland, Grosmont and Whitby stations. Online booking – www.nymr.co.uk

The Duncombe Park Antiques & Fine Art Fair
Nationally known antiques & fine art dealers will be exhibiting furniture, porcelain, jewellery, clocks, silver, sculpture, glass, paintings, treen, objets de vertu, antique maps and prints. Refreshments – Car Parking. Friday 24 and Saturday 25 September 10.30am to 5pm and Sunday 26 September 10.30am to 4.30pm.
Tickets: www.gallowayfairs.co.uk

The World’s Biggest Coffee Morning for Macmillan Cancer Support
• The Parker family is organising a coffee ‘morning’ at their home at Meadow View, Asenby between 1 and 3pm on Saturday 25 September.
• The Hooker family is holding a coffee ‘morning’ between 11am and 2pm on Sunday 26 September at their home at 17 Manor Close, Topcliffe.
Everyone’s invited to pop along to one or both of these events to help raise some cash for an excellent cause.

Masham Sheep Fair
This popular sheep and old-time fair will be held on Saturday and Sunday, 25 and 26 September. Check out: www.mashamsheepfair.com

Textile recycling collection day
It’s only four weeks until the next Bags2school textile recycling event at the Village Hall. It’s on Thursday 7 October between 8.30am and 12noon. If you are having a clear out of cupboards and wardrobes please consider keeping bags of textiles for this charity collection. If you have trouble storing the bags, please let the organisers know and they will try to make arrangements for storage until the day. The proceeds of the event will be shared between the Village Hall and 1st Topcliffe Scouts. (Organisers: Donna Fleming 07591 438766 and Doug Allan 07785 223707).

Ian McMillan – Yorkshire Poet
An evening at Husthwaite Village Hall with Ian McMillan and Luke Carver Goss. Words, music, laughs, joy, thoughtfulness, singing and plenty of audience participation. Friday 8 October. Doors and bar open at 7pm. For tickets contact Andrew Coulthard on 01347 868130.

Village Tidy Up Day
There’s to be a village tidy up day in Topcliffe on the morning of Saturday 16 October. There’ll be more details in future Sunday Emails, but anyone interested in helping out is asked to note the date in their diary.

Events on at The Forum
There are some great events coming to The Forum in Northallerton in the coming months, including:
• Thursday 23 September at 7.30pm – Comedian Pete Firman, one of the UK’s most popular magicians, is back on the road.
• Friday 24 September at 7.30pm – The Rod Stewart Songbook – an amazing tribute band plays Rod’s best songs from the last 50 years.
• Saturday 25 September at 7.30pm – Comedian and musician Jon Courtenay, the first ever Golden Buzzer act to win Britain’s Got Talent.
• Friday 1 October at 7.30pm – Britain’s Got Talent 2020 finalist, comedian, juggler and variety star Steve Royle presents his Royle Variety Performance – a fun-filled evening for all the family!
• Saturday 2 October at 7.30pm – Almost the Bee Gees – a great tribute to one of the best bands ever.
• Sunday 3 October at 7.30pm – Ed Byrne in his show ‘If I’m Honest …’ a masterclass in observational comedy.
• Re-scheduled – Friday 5 November at 7.30pm (was Saturday 28 August) – The Unravelling Wilburys perform songs of the super-group The Traveling Wilburys.

Enquiries to 01609 776230. Book tickets online http://www.forumnorthallerton.org.uk

Parish Council meetings
• The next meeting of Asenby Parish Council will be at 7.30pm on Wednesday, 15 September 2021 at the Village Hall. www.asenby.net
• The next meeting of Topcliffe Parish Council will be at 7.15pm on Thursday 7 October in the main hall at the Village Hall. www.topcliffe.org.uk

Topcliffe & Asenby Village Hall
• Art classes – the next series of art classes starts tomorrow, Monday 13 September.
• My Time Yoga – 1.30 to 2.45pm – every Monday.
• Boccia Club – 1.30 to 3.30pm every Tuesday. More participants welcome. Please come along.
• Pammy’s Pilates – 6 to 7pm, every Thursday evening.
• Boot Camp – every Tuesday and Friday evening, 7 – 8pm.
• Soup and sweet lunch – 12 noon Wednesday 15 September.
• Asenby Parish Council meeting – 7.30pm on Wednesday, 15 September.
• Topcliffe & Asenby Village Hall Committee – Wednesday 29 September.
• Indoor Carpet Bowls – Thursdays 7.30 to 9.30pm. If you are interested in joining the group, please call Mel Arkley 01845 578728.
• Topcliffe Parish Council meeting – 7.15pm on Thursday, 7 October.

To encourage existing activities to get going again – and new ones to be introduced – group activities are being offered free use of the hall until 31 December (this does not include commercial one-off or private hires for parties and social functions). The Big Race Night and Challenge Quiz & Curry Night will hopefully be rescheduled before the end of the year.

Local traders
• The Angel at Topcliffe – Check out full details at www.theangelattopcliffe.co.uk or follow The Angel on Facebook to get regular updates.
• Asenbee Honey – a local business selling honey but also making beeswax candles, a range of hand-carved spoons and oak chopping boards. www.asenbeehoney.co.uk
• John Aston Flooring Ltd – The Old Hatchery, Asenby. Big selection of carpets and flooring. Appointment only. 01845 421111 info
• Chip ‘n Dales – the Fish & Chip van is in Topcliffe on Fridays between 5 and 7pm.
• The Elm Gallery – Opening times are Wednesday to Saturday, 10am to 5.30pm; Sunday, 12noon to 5.30pm; Monday and Tuesday – closed. Covid safety arrangements remain in place. Call 01845 577316 or 07709 223920 or check out the website at: www.the-elm-gallery.co.uk
• Fotiá Candles – Nikki and Sam Key’s home-based business producing hand poured soy wax candles, wax melts and reed diffusers. Perfect gift ideas. Bespoke orders for special occasions such as wedding favours. Info or 07879 447953.
• The Little Yorkshire Hamper Company – run by Kerry Parker and based in Melmerby. Provides beautiful hampers for all occasions, containing the best of produce from small Yorkshire food and drink producers. Telephone: 07793 775987. www.thelittleyorkshirehampercompany.co.uk
• The Milk Churn Farm Shop & Cafe – Customers continue to be asked to wear a mask/face covering (unless exempt) and also to maintain social distancing. This is out of respect for staff and more vulnerable customers. At both doors, there is hand sanitiser provided. Opening hours: Tuesday (but see notice re closure on 7 September), Wednesday and Friday 9am – 5pm; Thursday 9am – 1pm; Saturday 9am – 4pm and Sunday 10am – 3pm. Closed on Mondays. Takeaway teas and coffees with cake is still available. Wheelchair access is available at the rear of the property. Check out Facebook page for information about new lines in fresh and frozen foods. 01845 400446. https://www.milkchurnfarmshop.co.uk/
• Studio 18 Hairstylist – unisex hairdressing salon run by Nicola James at 18 Long Street (opposite the surgery). Open Monday to Saturday. Male and female adults as well as children. For an appointment call Nicola on 07851 034815.
• The Swan – Providing traditional home-cooked food with a new menu and ‘specials board’. Extra choices on Wednesday Pie Night. Take-away meals every day. Sunday lunch served 12 noon to 4pm. On Saturdays, food is served 12 noon until 8.30pm and the bar stays open until late.
• The Thirsk Food Bank – collection point at the Milk Churn Farm Shop. Foodstuffs such as tins, pasta, rice, biscuits, cereals, jars, crisps, juices, bottled products, soups, crisp breads, anything in packets, are very welcome. But please, no fresh products as there’s a risk they will go to waste.
• Topcliffe Post Office – opening hours are: Shop – weekdays 7am to 5pm and Saturday 7 to 11.30am. Post Office – weekdays 8.30am to 5pm and Saturday 8.30 to 11.30am. Closed on Sundays.

Bin Collections
Hambleton (Topcliffe):
• Refuse – Monday 13 September.
• Recycling & green waste – Thursday 23 September.
Harrogate (Asenby):
• Recycling – Monday 13 September.
• Refuse – Monday 20 September.
• Garden waste – Thursdays 23 September.

That’s all for this week. Keep safe and remain well.