Seasonal update from the Mayor
Published: 03 December 2020
It was a solitary Mayor who laid a wreath and paid his respects at the Pateley Bridge war memorial on Wednesday the 4th of November, the evening before this latest lock down. It certainly brought home to me how everything has been changed by the current circumstances and I was saddened not to be able to join the Royal British Legion in their commemoration on the 11th of November. Pateley Bridge has always had a large group of wreath layers and representatives of many organisations as well as soldiers and parishioners at their commemoration, and I dearly hope that by next year we will be able to return to how it has been in the past.
I have said it before and no doubt will say it again many times over, but we live in an area that is not only extraordinarily beautiful, but full of extraordinarily kind and generous people. When it was announced that the Chamber of Trade late night Christmas shopping was not going to go ahead, I received an email from Pat and Andrew Waite from the Sandwich Box, they were wanting to organise a Christmas raffle, something they could do instead of the late-night shopping. Pat and Andrew have contacted all the local businesses and asked for a donation to a Christmas hamper, their idea was for the winner of the hamper to have everything they would need for a proper Christmas day. Needless to say, they have been inundated with gifts, not only from the local shops, but from acquaintances, customers and visitors, to the extent that there are now three hampers as prizes. The tickets are £5.00 each, and can be purchased in the Sandwich Box, or online through the shop’s social media account. I will be drawing the winning tickets on Saturday the 12th of December so I would like to encourage those of you who have not yet bought a ticket to do so soon, before they run out! Pat and Andrew are very generously running this raffle for the benefit of the Mayors Fund.
The Mayors Fund is a pot of money that Pateley Bridge Town Council raise and administer, local organisations and groups can apply for a grant of up to £250.00 to help them kick start a local project or assist in upgrading or improving facilities that are already in place. It is a fund which is fed by the profits raised by the Council through fund raising events such as the Mayors Valentines Ball. All the proceeds from this fund raising is therefore put back into the local community. Unfortunately, this year we have not been able to organise any events, and therefore Pat and Andrews generous work will help the Mayors Fund to continue helping local, worthy causes. I want to pass on the thanks of all the Town Council to Pat and Andrew for organising this tremendous event.
Another great ‘good news’ story is the erection of the Christmas lights around the town, I have mentioned in the past that the funding available has been and continues to be reduced for the lights and to ensure that the town continues to look fantastic during the festive season, fund raising has had to take place. It is fantastic that we have actually been able to increase the number of lights around the town this year, the fund raising has been a tremendous success and I have to acknowledge the huge effort put into this scheme by the owners of Spar, Dales Market Corner and Park View Stores. I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to the Christmas lights fund and particularly the Chandler family who have been extraordinarily generous with their time and money. The lights look absolutely fantastic, and when all the shop decorations are in place we will be in for a real spectacle this year.
So, although it has been a strange, difficult year for most of us, and Christmas may not be as we would hope for, Pateley Bridge is as always showing the world how by working together, being positive and considerate to our neighbour’s and caring for our community we can work through these troubled times, celebrate Christmas and look forward to a better New Year.
I, on behalf of Pateley Bridge Town Council would like to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and of course hope for a happy and healthy 2021.
Cllr. Mike Holt
Mayor of Pateley Bridge
Photo credits Sharon Clarkson (top) and Chris Thompson.