Pannal at Christmas

The lights on the trees on Pannal Green are so lovely this year. Now on the two Christmas trees as well. It was many years ago when I was on the committee of the Pannal Village Society ( now gone) that I asked at one of the public meetings wouldn't it be great to have some fairy lights on the Green at Christmas. This idea was quickly taken up and the money came from a very generous donor. as had the money to put the two fir trees on the green from another very generous donor. I know who they are but no one else does as they wanted to remain unknown. Harrogate Borough Council's Bob Stirzaker (the lights man) could not have been more helpful and from meeting him that first time we became friends and my husband and myself and Bob and his wife all met up one New Year's evening at Ripon torchlight procession which we had been attending for many many years and we saw the New Year in with them and all the hundreds in Ripon Market Square. The lights that we had then were the lights that our parents had then came LED's cheaper to run and much prettier. Our old lights went outside Pannal Memorial Hall. Shall have to check this year to see if they are still being used.

The other night I went to a talk at the Royal Pump Room Museum for the launching of Malcolm Neesam's latest book. I have known Malcolm for a very long time and we are great friends. He dedicated his first book in the series Harrogate in 50 Buildings to me and also featured my being Chairman of the Friends of the Valley Gardens for 22 years. His second book was launched A~Z of Harrogate and I am in it also. Fame will not go to my head. Whilst at Malcolm's talk I sat next to Frances Williams a Pannal lady who surprised me by saying she read my blogs.

I have taken advantage of this dry weather (expect we all have) of clearing the garden. Thank goodness for a spell of dry weather and not the constant rain.So much clearing up to do but I have got on well with the front garden can tackle the back now which is much much bigger but probably wait until after Christmas for that. All my family coming up as usual four children, their partners and the grandchildren who are young enough to appreciate Santa coming. A magic time and I love it.A lot of work cooking (always have to do my own Christmas cake, big trifle and clootie dumpling they are musts) Everyone is so busy arn't we.

Have now sold 700 of a Souvenir Guide to the Valley Gardens, Harrogate. Did a walk and talk for a lovely lady Kerry Morrison whose daughter had a new heart and kidney 25 years ago and Kerry invited all who had had transplants to coffee and cakes at the Mercer Gallery, then our walk and talk round the Valley Gardens then lunch at St. Mark's Church. I did not know of this arrangement. Every Wednesday lunch is provided with foodstuff that all the big stores have not sold. It was amazing and all done by volunteers. In all it was a lovely day. A tribute to those very brave people who have had transplants.

If I do not manage to write another blog before Christmas I will wish you a very Happy Christmas and a Healthy and Prosperous New Year. Might see some of you at Carols round the trees on Pannal Green.

Pannal Query and news

Just heard that the Mill Pond (duck pond) is being cleaned. Diana Clark of Mill Cottage told me as she lives there and is very much involved. The leading light in this is, and sorry I do not know his name, but he has come to live by the pond and is from Argentine. This is amazing good news as Dunlopillo were a disaster for the wildlife round the pond especially the ducks with all the chemicals from Dunlopillo that leaked into the pond. The ducks egg were sterile. So pleased that Dunlopillo have gone as it was a well known fact at the Pannal Surgery on Leeds Road, in days of old, that children who had coughs and went to the doctor were treated for Pannal cough. A resident has a letter that stated it was felt that the source of the coughing was Dunlopillo.
Attended the Remembrance Day Service in Pannal Memorial Hall today and it was a lovely Service. I have been attending for many years.
The SouvenirValley Garden books are selling very well and we have another book signing at Waterstones on Saturday 23rd November. People are buying them as Christmas presents for their children who used to play in the Gardens but have now married and moved away from Harrogate. Also a number have been posted overseas to expats. The Souvenir Guide costs £5 and does not cost a lot to post.We also do talks on the Valley Gardens and also in the summer a Walk and Talk through the Valley Gardens starting at the Main Entrance up to the King Edward V11 Memorial Gates continuing up to the New Zealand Gardens past the Sun Pavilion through the Colonnades and back to where we started
Now my query is Mr Tom Wright who was Headmaster at Pannal Primary School (where the Scout Hut is now) during the Second World War. All the children he taught have never forgotten him and speak very highly of him. My second book Postcards from Pannal contained a number of his photographs which he gave me. He had two daughters. Does anyone know where they live? Do they have families? I would appreciate information please. My email address is annesmith.pannal@yahoo.co.uk.
Once again no golf due to a waterlogged course. In between showers and any free time I have from the book I am gardening and picking up thousands of leaves. The cats are in. Enjoying their beds so winter must be approaching.
I have given my email address so if anyone wants to email me about anything to do with Pannal do so by all means. Love to hear from you.

Pannal weather and me

I know I am not the only one fed up with the weather. Seems like months since I last played golf never mind the gardening. I am rushing out between showers or even heavier stuff to cut down bits., only two more times for the garden bins to be collected. Think we all shall all be going to the tip as we can not manage to get everything in the bins.I have lived here over fifty years having lived in Harrogate where my parents lived and then when we got married in Kirkby Overblow. and I have never known weather like this but I can tell you we had a far better summer than the poor souls in Glasgow did. My life long friend lives there. We have known each other since we were four and Terry and her husband Bob came here in the summer and stayed at the Hotel Majestic which I wish I had not recommended as it was rubbish. I complained about the service we received sent 2 letters to the manager (named) and never had the courtesy of a reply. I digress as when they were here the weather was fantastic for a whole week. They said Is it always like this I lied and said Oh yes. Well we have to blow our own trumpet once in awhile eh?
Valley Garden books are selling amazingly well. Now in Weatherstones and we did a book signing in WH Smiths on Saturday which was fun selling books and asking do you want it signed? Does signing enhance or deface? Now there's a question.  Most people said yes they wanted a signed one .Pannal Post Office is selling the books but they are at the rear of the shop amongst magazines and comics. So if you want a book that is where they are. I am told they are useful Christmas presents. Parents sending them to children who used to play in the Valley Gardens but now married and living elsewhere in the UK. It really is a nice book for £5. I am a journalist and this is my sixth book but my co-author Jane this is her first. We had a lovely time writing it and sorting out the photographs to be put in. Many cups of tea were drunk and the occasional beer. Jane and I take people round the Gardens telling them the history of the buildings, the gardens and the plants and we also do talks Have a talk and a walk round the Gardens on the 20th for the Gift of Life Celebration Walk and the Mayor and Mayoress will be walking with us.. Did a talk last week at Southlands and had a chat to long time Pannal resident Pat Lamb. She is in her nineties and looked well.
I started this blog with a moan about the weather and I will end it with a cats moan about the weather.When they go out into the garden they look back at me as if to say what do you call this? Wet underfoot and overhead.

Peace in Pannal

Quiet in Pannal. Could be because I am out and about selling books. A Souvenir Guide to the Valley Gardens. Steve has some in Pannal Post Office and they are in Harrogate.  It is selling tremendously well. A number of people are buying it for Christmas presents for their children that were brought up here but now scattered around the country but all have a fondness for the Valley Gardens.When friends come to stay with me I ask them where would they like to go and they say Valley Gardens and Bettys. Not surprising really. Our book is £5 a low price as we wrote it for the residents and tourists so that they can get as much enjoyment as we have and are still having. We - me 22 years as founder and Chairman of Friends of the Valley Gardens and Jane followed me for 9 years.
We had our Launch on Sunday and it was lovely. Hosted by CC Jim Clark we had a service in St Wilfred's followed by tea and coffee then off to the Sun Pavilion for lunch with local dignitaries, sponsors and guests. Finished up at Jane's house on York Road. Both Jane and I made cakes and scones and it was a very nice end to a lovely day. The event was great but the weather was not. Constant rain which seems to be par for the course. Our course Pannal has been closed as it was waterlogged.
My cats have not had me around so much but when they do they are so affectionate. See absence does make the heart grow fonder.
Have a look at the book you will really like it. Count the spelling mistakes. It was not Jane and I as not only did we go over our own work but we read each others, Printing errors and they have apologised and will correct them in our next run. There will be another print as it is proving to be a very popular book. First print 1,500. Might be more next time.

My book

These past few months have been exciting. It all started because I am the founder of the Friends of the Valley Gardens to save the Sun Pavilion, Colonnades and New Zealand Garden in the Valley Gardens from being demolished in order to build a car park. I was friendly with Geoffrey Smith, James Herriot and David Bellamy and asked them to be Patrons. They were and after many years hard battle the Sun Pavilion, Colonnades and New Zealand Gardens were saved.   I was Chairman for 22 years and following me came Jane Blayney. This year Jane and I decided to write a book about the Valley Gardens as there has never in the whole history of the Gardens been a book. So this is what we did and we had a fun time doing it. It came out on Tuesday and so far we have sold 200 copies. It is called A Souvenir Guide to the Valley Gardens, Harrogate and it has photos old and new, history and a map showing all the buildings and species of trees. It really is a splendid book and it will be launched by County Councillor Jim Clark in the Sun Pavilion on the 13th October. All the local dignitaries will be there. living here so long we have done this book for the residents and tourists and have kept the price down. It is £5 and will be available all over Harrogate and I hope Pannal too.
Fortunately not a lot has happened in Pannal whilst I have been writing. Everyone is waiting to see how the Dunlopillo building, which we hoped was going to be demolished, will look turned into apartments.It will need to be an amazing face lift as it is such an ugly building. We are all extremely interested to see how they will beautify it.
The weather lately has been brilliant. Only yesterday we were all out in the sunshine without jackets. Now will we be able to get out and about. Probably not to our usual places but this end of town should be ok. No golf competition on Tuesday at Pannal. Those that can make it will get a game as it is a Roll up. I shall be involved with Jane selling our book. No shortage of takers.I hope you all like it.

Pannal in peril?

Goodness me another blog in so short a space of time but this is important. please look at Pannal Parish Council's website or their Facebook site.  This is what I am asking you to do and I shall also object on these grounds  for PN18 Employment site south of Almsford Bridge, Pannal.
Please as many residents as possible write in and object to this plan. Apart from the fact that we are so proud of the Crimple Viaduct and the fact that it can be seen from a long way away. If HBC plan to have a light industrial site on this area. which was designated by HBC in the past as never to be built upon maintaining the separation of Harrogate from Pannal by these green fields, means we will no longer be able to see this Grade 11 listed monument. Castles are monuments, buildings and follies can be monuments. This is our - Pannal's - monument. As a historian, journalist and a very long time resident of Pannal I am saying this and also as a resident I know if this plan is allowed to go through the traffic will not only use the extremely busy A61 Leeds Road but come hurtling through Pannal. Letters of objection are fine is one does not have access to the internet. Let the Council know that PANNAL IS NOT A DUMPING GROUND FOR ALL THEIR MONEY MAKING SCHEMES.
These modification plans are in all the Libraries. Please also reaffirm deletion of PN19 land behind St Robert's Church and PN17 land adjoining Spring Lane Farm from the plan as being a necessity. Comments can be emailed to planningpolicy@harrogate.gov.uk or posted to Planning Policy, Planning and Development, Harrogate Borough Council, PO Box 787, Harrogate, HG1 9RW. The deadline is Friday 20th September, 2019. When the Local Plan came up last year all our objections counted so please make sure all our objections count for the Modification plan. hopefully we can win this if we all work together.

Pannal and the travellers

yesterday I was meeting a friend at Crimple Hall for coffee and unwittingly walked into the travellers. . They let two dogs loose. They were small yappy things and immediately attacked my feet. I was wearing sandals. Only small dogs I know but very very aggressive. Woman at van stood watching. Boy said to me "this is our bit entrance is down there" I went into the garden centre and the staff there told me that there was damage and antiques and plants had been taken. They were in shock. Police were called and asked did anyone see the goods being taken. Staff said no it was during the night, Police left. I was told police would not do anything like moving them on. Is this true? What is happening. Travellers have also been to other places in Harrogate and left leaving a terrible mess to be cleared up. How come we, the general public, can be fined for dropping a crisp packet on the ground and a mess can be left for the Council to clear up. I just do not get it. Can anyone tell me why this is? Why do we council tax payers have to pay for the mess to be cleared up? When my friend arrived we did not stay which is a shame as Crimple Hall were loosing out. Went home and spent a couple of happy hours in my garden. Which I love. Places I love being the beach, the golf club and my garden. Never happier.