What’s on in York: Christmas Festival in Acomb Front Street tomorrow (Saturday)
What’s on in York: Christmas Craft & Coffee Fair at Acomb Church Hall on Saturday.
What’s on in York: Market and lights switch on this Saturday in Acomb
What’s on in York: Simon Parkin – “A Game of Birds and Wolves”
Wednesday November 20th
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
£5
Join us to hear the explosive untold story of war at sea and how a secret game of battleships invented by eight exceptional young women and a retired Naval Captain won World War Two.
This event is presented in partnership with Fox Lane Books.
A Game of Birds and Wolves is the astonishing untold tale of an innovative game of battleships, Operation Raspberry, a tactic formulated via the game, and the unlikely heroines whose eureka moment cracked the battle of the Atlantic which, in the words of one of the most senior Admirals of the war, “contributed in no small measure to the final defeat of Germany.” For the first time, investigative journalist Simon Parkin brings these hidden figures into the light in this thrilling tale of war at sea, and of victory against all odds.
1941. Unknown to the British public, a vicious battle is being fought in the Atlantic – and the Allies are losing. Hitler’s U-Boats are mere weeks away from breaking Britain’s vital supply lines and starving the nation of food, fuel and weapons. Defeat would be unimaginably catastrophic, opening the door to a Nazi invasion and surrender. The stakes have never been higher as Britain faces its ‘Darkest Hour’.
In an unassuming building in Liverpool, Churchill is hiding a secret weapon. The Western Approaches Tactical Unit (WATU) has been tasked with devising a completely new strategy that will win the Battle of the Atlantic and turn the tide of the entire war. Churchill knows he’s asking the impossible of this largely inexperienced team, made up of a retired naval captain and eight fresh-faced Wrens – women as young as seventeen – who have never even seen a battle, let alone fought one. But circumstances are desperate, and Churchill has no other options. WATU is his last line of defence.
Tree may be a hazard if Ouse floods
A self seeded tree on the banks of the Ouse near Lendal Bridge is causing concern.
As well as potentially destabilising the paved bank, (the tree seeded through a crack in the surfacing several years ago) there are concerns that the branches could cause a build up of rubbish during periods of flooding.
We have asked the Council to remove it.
NB. There is a major opportunity for additional tree planting between the Ouse and the railway line nearer to Leeman Road
What’s on in York: Foxwood Local History Group exhibition at Acomb Explore Library
Exhibition by Foxwood Local History Group now on at Acomb Explore for two weeks.
They are asking local residents to help to fill in the gaps in the areas history.
£43,277.40 owed to York Council by theatre company
It has emerged that, when the operators of Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre on Castle car park went into administration, they owed the York Council over £40,000 in rent payments. The information is contained in an response to a Freedom of Information request published today.
It seems unlikely that the Lunchbox group will have sufficient assets to repay this amount. In total the group had agreed to pay £113,076 to the Council to compensate for the loss of parking income. The Castle car park is the best used in the City.
The pop-up theatre attracted only 47,000 visitors in York this year, compared to 78,000 visitors last year
Lunchbox Theatrical Productions Limited was placed into administration by the directors “to protect its business and assets” on October 9, 2019
Thor’s Bars Limited and Yorkshire’s Winter Wonderland, which are currently operating in the City, are “unaffected” by either the liquidation of Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre or the administration of Lunchbox Theatrical Productions.
What’s on in York: Acomb library anniversary event
What’s on in York: Foxwood OPEN centre
Community “Hubs” set to expand in York
Councillors will consider next week a report outlining the achievements of several “community hubs” that were established in the City in 2017.
The hubs are located at Sanderson Court Community House, Foxwood Community Centre, Red Tower and Tang Hall Community Centre. There were similar initiatives in Clifton and Bell Farm.
More recently the Westfield school has announced it is opening a Hub and similar ventures have been promoted by JRHT and local churches.
The aim of the Hubs was primarily to promote financial inclusion. The project also delivered job fairs, volunteer development programmes and training and support for residents.
The project claims that the numbers attending a Hub are in the order of 200 a week. It is known that some residents attend more than one Hub. The Hubs are mainly serviced by, hardworking, volunteers.
The project claims to have served 9,000 meals, shared 5,460kg of food from supermarkets and redistributed up to 6 crates of apples and pears a week made available through “Abundance York”.
The CAB says it has directed 200 clients to an additional £210,000 worth of benefits.
The report sets out a bewildering proposal for “accreditation” for new centres. It seems to be a bureaucratic approach to an issue which requires flexibility. We doubt that this part of the plan will be welcomed by many of the volunteers.
The Council could also usefully provide a list of Hubs – with opening hours and facilities available – on their web site. Better use of social media to promote the initiative would be welcomed by many.
The report doesn’t give many clues as to what proportion of the target group has participated. It also singularly fails to mention that the City’s poorest area (Windsor Garth) has no Hub although there is a school building nearby.
Nevertheless, in a modest way – and particularly by providing a safety net for those suffering food poverty – the Hubs have proved to be a success and deserve continuing Council support.
Ironically the amount being spent on the Hubs is still less in total than was routinely provided to support Community Centres prior to the Labour Councils grant cuts introduced 8 years ago.