Golfers invited to tee off for charity

The golf day is an annual event in support of the Club Captains’ charity, the Alzheimer’s Society. This year Fulford Golf Club have kindly offered to share the day to also raise funds for the Lord Mayor’s charities, which for the 2016/17 Civic Year are; York LGBT Forum, York Racial Equality Network, St Nicks, and York Civic Trust.

The day, which is sponsored by Ray Chapman Motors, will see golfers from across the city and region join together whilst pitching in to raise funds for charity by playing a four ball ‘Stableford’ competition.
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2016 Festival of Flowers – Floral Delights

Fairfax House :

Sat 27 Aug – Sat 3 Sep :

10.00am – 5.00pm :

Free as part of admission to Fairfax House

Aug 27Flowers Filling the magnificent historic interiors of the townhouse throughout, flowers and beautiful decorative objects will combine to create luscious and extravagant floral displays that pay homage to the Georgian era whist also celebrating the best of contemporary design and artistry.

The 2016 Festival of Flowers takes as its the theme Georgian Floral Delights. The House will be transformed by New Earswick Flower Club and friends whose floral creations will be inspired by the entertainments, pastimes and amusements of the period whether card playing, taking tea, making music or even horseracing on the Knavesmire.

Come and be entranced by the glorious and creative forms that this takes.

Admission to the House costs are: Adult £6, Concession £5. Tickets not required. For more information or to book tickets visit Fairfax House.

Community seek ownership of Holgate play area & Naburn pub

The Council has received two more applications which could allow “community bids” to be made to purchase local amenities.

Holgate gardens

The first concerns the Holgate community garden and play area which is located off Cleveland Street.

Local residents have recently been stepping up their objections to the access bridge into the York Central development which could adversely impact on the park.

Blacksmiths Arms

The second application concerns the Blacksmiths Arms pub in Naburn.

A meeting taking place on 12th September will decide whether to add the properties to a list which – in the event of their coming on the market – would allow a local community group to make an offer to buy.

The moves follow similar initiatives last month involving Grove House EPH and White Rose House in Wheldrake. While the application for Grove House was rejected but the Council has still to determine its approach to the Wheldrake building.

Celebrating Ability event showcases local disability sports at Energise

Uncertain future for popular Energise leisure centre

The event showcases sport and physical activity for disabled people. It is hosted by City of York Council to encourage more residents into sport and highlight the all year round opportunities available within the city’s strong disability sport sector.

Numerous activities are available for all ages and abilities, including football, table tennis, gym sessions, cricket, tennis, swimming, wheelchair basketball and powerchair football. The council has partnered with over a dozen local clubs and organisations to deliver these taster sessions.

York City Knights Foundation and Community Spirit, have recently launched inclusive clubs, who will be there for the first time to offer rugby and archery respectively and all organisations will be happy to talk about opportunities to continue the sport in York.

On Tuesday 30 August the event will be held at Energise from 10am to 3pm, with a charge of £3.90 per participant.

Activities on Wednesday 31 August take place at York St John University Sports Hall from 9.30am to 2.30pm. Morning sessions are aimed at those who are Deaf or hearing impaired (BSL interpreters are available) and afternoon activities are for those who are Visually impaired.

Challenges will be set for both days for those who want a chance to win a Celebrating Ability medal. Advance booking is not required except for climbing at Energise.

Celebrating Ability is also hosting a short training event at York St John University on Wednesday 31 August, 2.30pm to 5pm (£10) for support workers, parents, carers, healthcare professionals, volunteers, teachers and community groups and organisations. The inclusive training session will develop knowledge, competence and confidence in delivering sports-based activities to disabled people of all ages and help develop the quality of sports opportunities in the city.
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What’s on in York: Walking Tours 10th & 11th Sept

Civic Trust walks

York starts trials of new goose poop equipment

This is part of a number of initiatives being put to the test to help develop a suitable long term strategy for the management of geese in the city.

The equipment consists of a trailer which can be attached to a small vehicle. This works by collecting goose faeces by breaking up and sweeping the mess into a large ‘catcher’. It is capable of cleaning an acre of land in 24 minutes.

Cllr Nigel Ayre, Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism said:

“Rather than side stepping the issue we’ve started testing a number of serious options to make our parks and open spaces more pleasant environments.

We know this issue isn’t going to go away overnight and we are looking at long-term solutions, but this equipment could be a good short term solution.”

Residents are still being advised to side step any issues until the machine has cleared a path.

Other trials and initiatives include appropriate fencing to protect flower beds and lawns, discouraging geese by ultrasound audio measures, investigating safe chemicals for geese mess dispersal, and increasing and renewing signage in public parks and open spaces to remind the public not to feed the geese.