Having submitted an application some weeks ago, Riccall has been short-listed for the ‘Calor North Yorkshire East Village of the Year’. The judges attended a presentation morning in Riccall on Monday 30th June, where they learnt about what a vibrant community Riccall is. After a tour of the village in a stretch limo, provided free of charge by a Riccall company, the judges returned to the Regen Centre to hear about the many achievements of the community and about the varied and active community groups.
Riccall, a previous winner of the title ‘North Yorkshire East Village of the Year’ in 2001, prides itself on its fantastic community spirit. Rather than rest on its laurels after the success of its entry in 2001, the village has worked hard to improve areas of community life and has continued to act together in an effort to overcome hurdles and tackle problems. Since 2005, over £120,000 has been raised by Riccall Recreation Development Group in partnership with Riccall Parish Council to transform the Recreation Ground, which now hosts an enclosed junior play area, aerial slide, roundabout, multi-use sports wall, teen shelter and skate park. Phase 4, an enclosed pre-school area is planned for later this year with junior football facilities planned for another part of Riccall in 2009.
Various representatives of the community spoke to the judges about life in Riccall. When St Mary’s Church tower started to show signs of severe erosion, an appeal was launched and to date over £27,000 has been raised by villagers towards essential work. Tony Allitt spoke about this appeal at the presentation. Other presentations focused on the improvements in recreational provision, a new ‘breathing places’ project on Northfield Meadow, community life and Riccall events including the annual carnival, the development of Riccall Business Park and how the community were involved in this. Four children from Riccall Primary School spoke about ‘Riccall week,’ where each class is focusing on different aspects of life in the village.
Clerk to Riccall Parish Council, Lindsey Ryan, who accompanied the judges on their tour of the village, said ‘Riccall has a lot to offer and this competition has given us an opportunity to show off our achievements. The community works hard to meet its own needs and there is a huge amount of effort from local residents of all ages. We are keeping our fingers crossed that we have done well but whatever the outcome, we remain proud of what we have achieved and will continue to achieve in Riccall.’
