Calderdale gearing up for Yorkshire Day

Events, such as tea parties, are popping up all over Calderdale to celebrate the day.

Margaret Firth, 82, of Lightcliffe, and her friends, have been knitting tea cosies shaped as a ‘Mad Hatter’ for a tea party being held on Yorkshire Day at Lightcliffe Cricket Club to raise funds for Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice.

“Living in Yorkshire is special. It is a wonderful place.”

Coun Patricia Allen, Mayor of Calderdale, said: “With all its diversity Yorkshire is and always will be the most beautiful place in the world especially Calderdale.

“No matter how far a Yorkshire person travels it is always nice to come home. After all Yorkshire is God’s Own County and here in Calderdale we are fiercly proud of that.

“The Tour de France spread the word how beautiful Yorkshire is to the world and we in Calderdale welcome visitors short or long term and all become dear to us. We are proud to be Yorkshire people.”

A string of other events will take place across the region, including a three-day celebration which includes a Yorkshire Pudding eating contest.

And Welcome to Yorkshire’s chief executive Gary Verity and Mr Yorkshire himself, Keith Madeley, have joined our campaign to capture on the strong show of local pride which was on fine display during this summer’s Grand Départ. The region has celebrated other sporting sucess at the Commonwealth Games, which saw Leeds’ Alistair Brownlee win gold in the men’s triathlon.

Mr Verity said: “Yorkshire Day gives the entire county a chance to show their county pride all at the same time, and it’s always a delight to see how creative and passionate people are about doing this. This year’s will be even more special given the phenomenal success of Yorkshire’s Grand Départ of the Tour de France, an event which perfectly highlighted how welcoming, passionate and unique our county and its people are.

“There has never been a better time celebrate everything about this great county.”

The buzz which has lingered on has been noticed by Mr Madeley, chairman of the Yorkshire Society, which has overseen celebrations since 1985. He said: “I always say we don’t shout about ourselves enough. The Tour showed what we can do.”

For more on Yorkshire Day activities, see Friday’s Courier and tweet us at @HXCourier or email us at [email protected] telling us why you are so proud of Yorkshire.