Lifeboat fundraiser
A local craft group has used its biannual three-day quilt show to raise funds for local lifeboat stations.
Heirloom Quilters, who meet monthly at Plaxton Court, decided that this year’s target was to raise funds for the local RNLI and used the Quilt Show at the Spa to raise over £4,000. Secretary of the group, Sue Clothier, said: “The money was raised through entrance fees, raffle, tombola and the sale of goods made by the members. ”
Cheques of over £1,000 each were presented to representatives from Flamborough, Filey, Scarborough and Staithes and Runswick. Pictured from left to right are John Turner, (Flamborough), Lee Marton, (Scarborough) John Burton (Flamborough), Patricia Hutchinson (Staithes), Gil Byrne (Filey), Sean Baxter (Staithes), and Tina Clark (Filey). Hall, Dean Road, from 7.15pm.
The demonstration by Valerie Guest, of Darlington, is entitled ‘Baubles, Berries and Bling’.
Admission £6.50 or by membership. A warm welcome to all. Mrs S Thorpe 62.2%; 2 Mrs V Smart, Mrs J Walters 59.70%; 3 Mrs J Gray, B Atkins 57.74%.
Thursday November 9. N/S – 1 Mrs P MacFie, Mrs M Ingham 60.88%; 2 Mr and Mrs B Jackman 55.79%; 3 I Cocker, Mrs M Lywood 51.85%. E/W – 1 S Roswald, Mrs J Holt 64.81%; 2 Mrs G Clegg, M Hurley 58.1%; 3 B Housley, Mrs D Thorp 56.94%.
Friday November 10. 1 D Lewis, Mrs M Gerrard 55.73%; 2 Mrs P Conner, P Franks 55.21%; 3 I Newman, B Jackman 54.63%. The Scarborough and District Civic Society is holding a public meeting at The Street on Wednesday, November 29, at 7pm. It’s free and there will be refreshments.
The title of the evening is ‘Scarborough – on a Cliff Edge’. We have a nationally-recognised speaker Kevin Trickett who is an expert in all matters ‘civic society’.
There will be opportunity for townspeople and others having an interest in the future well-being of the town to have their say and, hopefully, to join the society. Carnaby is a small village near Bridlington. Perhaps few know that it was once one of the most important RAF airfields in World War Two, or that there were 41, mainly bomber, airfields in Yorkshire.
Carnaby was no ordinary RAF airfield, it was one of three airfields specifically designed to accept and deal with damaged and shot up aircraft returning from a mission.
As early as 1941, senior figures in the RAF had been looking to establish two or three landing sites which could handle aircraft which were in danger of crashing whilst attempting to land.
Such crash landings on operational airfields could shut a runway for some time, specialist equipment was needed to remove them and render them safe.
The three sites finally chosen were Manston in Kent, Woodbridge in Suffolk and Carnaby.
Carnaby was 3,000 yards long and five times the normal width of operational airfields.
It was a good choice of site as the land mark of Flamborough Head gave incoming aircraft guidance to the site. It became operational in August of 1944, and although late in the war, some 1,500 damaged aircraft were diverted to Carnaby and crews helped enormously.
After the war it closed temporarily until 1947 when Blackburn used the airfield to test prototype aeroplanes.
It provided a relief landing ground until October 1958 and then became a THOR ballistic missile location until 1963 when the site was finally abandoned. Bridlington Corporation bought the site in 1972 for £50,000 and ultimately developed the industrial area we all know today.
Local historian, Gayna Wallis, became interested in the history of RAF Carnaby when she found a length of pipe in her garden which was part of the FIDO system used when creating the airfield. She was dismayed that most of the features of the previous use of the site had all but disappeared and along with local residents set up a committee to explore the possibility of some sort of permanent memorial.
The intention is to erect a skeletal full size creation of a Handley Page bomber, of the type which was stationed at most airfields in Yorkshire, on the roundabout at the approach to the industrial site.
The group meets at the Ferns Farm Hotel and Gayna has set up plans for the Carnaby Airfield Memorial. She has also written a detailed book entitled, Station XI - The Story of RAF Carnaby. It is available from www.carnabyairfieldmemorial.org (price £8) and all proceeds go towards funds for the erection of the bomber statue on the traffic island.
On May 8, 2018, Gayna will be giving an illustrated presentation at Osgodby Community Centre about RAF Carnaby for Scarborough Historical Aircraft Club. Any member of the public is more than welcome to come along at 7.30pm to hear this fascinating account. For more information about the club email bruce@malcs70.plus.com Malcolm Smith, chairman. The next concert of the Scarborough Electronic Organ Society is on Monday, December 11, 7.30pm start.
Elizabeth Harrison will perform. All are welcome and the concert takes place at the Scarborough Fair Collection at Lebberston Cliff. Admission is £9, for more information visit www.scarborough-electronicos.co.uk for details. Northern Group Villages Sunday’s services:
Cloughton, 9.30am, BCP Communion; 10.15am, Café Refresh; 3pm, Commemoration Service;
Hackness, 10am, Holy Communion; Ravenscar, no service. St Mary’s with Holy Apostles Sunday’s services:
9.30am, Said Eucharist at St Mary’s;
10.30am, joint service with Holy Communion at Holy Apostles.