A very hectic couple of weeks at St Bart’s began with the induction of Rev Chris Ball at St Bart’s church on 26 June. This was followed by refreshments at Ripponden J & I School. Chris barely had time to turn round after his first service in the Benefice, at St John’s, before he was launching the ducks at the annual Duck Race and Garden Party which also took place on Sunday 29 June, raising a total of £1100 for the Restoration & Redevelopment Fund.
The winners of the duck race were 1) 106 M Witchell £100; 2) 722 A Sutcliffe £50 3) 146 C Riley £25
The following day we opened St Bart’s for the first of seven days as the village started to receive visitors for the Tour de France. Some were travelling the route on bike or by car and some had arrived for the race itself on Sunday 6 July. Refreshments were served by a team of helpers – fairly quiet on one or two days but steadily building up to a busy weekend. A flower festival took place in church from 3 July and on Friday 4 July Calderdale Big Band held a concert in church. The totals from all these efforts raised a further £1800 for the R & R Fund. The number of the bikes in the competition was 415. (The closest guess was 413).
We are very grateful to everyone who helped in any way: by baking, providing tea, coffee, water, etc for refreshments; donating raffle prizes; sponsoring the flower festival brochure (Toll House); the splendid flower arrangements; the organists and hand bell ringers; the bell ringers to welcome in the day of the Tour in Ripponden; the helpers in church. All played a vital role in opening up the church during what must surely be the busiest time in Ripponden in living memory.
The winners of the July 100 club draw were:
1st M Sharpe (36) 2nd P Fletcher (67) 3rd S Spencer (34)
