HANNAH BRYAN takes a look back at what made the headlines in Ryedale in the first six months of 2013. Part two next week.

JANUARY

A POPULAR Ryedale hardware store was forced to close after 112 years in business after repeated break-ins. Homeware and hardware retailer Woollons & Hardwood announced it would be closing to its loyal customers after being the victim of three break-ins within a year.

• A brave eight-year-old girl from Malton who was struck down with down with a life-threatening meningitis was allowed home from hospital after eight days.

Millie Crick started complaining of headaches and began hallucinating before she was admitted to hospital with meningococcal meningitis B. Luckily, she made a full recovery and the keen football player went on to win numerous sporting awards.

• A plea was made to local businesses, traders and other groups in Pickering to support the town’s annual Wartime Weekend.


FEBRUARY

THIS month was all about jobs as Ryedale was expected to benefit from more than 1,000 new jobs. The first boost was the creation of 800 jobs at the Government’s Food and Environment Research Agency (FERA) site at Sand Hutton.

The news of a further 200 jobs at high-tech engineering company in Pickering also came as good news. Rosti McKecnhie Ltd announced a long-term agreement to develop key components for several new cars, which would create up to 200 jobs. The final good news was 100 jobs would be created when a new £12m food factory opened in Norton at the end of April.

• Tributes were paid to a Norton man who died suddenly at the age of 24, while his sisters vowed to raise money in his memory. David Stier died from Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS) in October 2012. His sister Sophy, along with other friends and family members, had raised £2,000 for SADS UK, the charity which funds research into the condition.

• Malton’s Palace Theatre prepared to open its third cinema screen with 12 seats following its recent success from sell-out screenings of Les Miserables, Quartet and Lincoln.


MARCH

IT was announced that Malton Food Lovers Festival would be given a touch of royalty from Prince Charles’ personal chef, Visen Anenden. He would appear alongside some of the country’s best cooking talents, including Antonio Carluccio, and writer and restaurant critic, Jay Rayner at the event in May.

• Farmer Gareth Barlow added a new tiny arrival to his already 400-strong flock of sheep. The microlamb weighed little more than 2lb when he was born and attracted a global following.

• A multi-million pound rehabilitation centre in Malton for injured jockeys was approved and would provide a major boost for the local racing industry, the charity behind the project said. The Injured Jockeys Fund (IJF) was granted planning permission to build the £3.5m centre on a two-acre site next to Malton and Norton Rugby Club and is expected to open next summer.

• The people of Ryedale declared their victory after a campaign, backed by the Gazette & Herald, was successful in persuading health chiefs to review plans to reduce opening hours at Malton Hospital’s minor injuries unit.


APRIL

MALTON Hospital’s maternity unit reopened following a £248,000 refurbishment which will benefit 500 women and their families from the Ryedale area each year. The hospital now has two new ante-natal clinic rooms and an upgraded waiting area and children’s play area.

• Snainton fire station closed after 74 years despite strong protests from villagers and local parish councillors. North Yorkshire Fire and Resecue Service made the decision following a streamlining of the fire cover in the area, which officers say had been identified as having a low fire risk.

• Helmsley’s annual 10K run saw a record number of entries with more than 400 runners taking part in the fourth aniversary race. The race brought in more than £3,000, which was said to go towards the ambitious £100,000 plan to refurbish Helmsley Sports and Social Club.


MAY

RESIDENTS of Sherburn were given an extra boost to be able to take part in sporting activities thanks for a generous grant of £94,725 from the Football Foundation. Sherburn Playing Field Committee said it would put the money towards a new community and sports club in the village.

• It was announced that struggling Ryedale residents would benefit from a foodbank in Malton and Norton. The Gazette & Herald backed the foodbank initiative, set up due to the growing need from families in crisis and helped to appeal for volunteers and food donations.

• A remarkable five-year-old girl began raising funds for the hospital which helped to save her baby brother’s life. Isabella Millbank took part in the 1.5km Leeds fun run with her parents and two brothers to raise money for Leeds General Infirmary’s paediatric heart unit where her brother, Finley, was treated when he was just six months old.

• There were two new faces who would be representing Malton and Norton on North Yorkshire County Council for the next four years. Liberal Democrat Lindsay Burr secured Malton from the Conservatives, while former Ryedale MP and fellow Lib Dem, Elizabeth Shields reclaimed Norton. Both said they would be focusing on education and libraries, among other things.


JUNE

A TOTAL of £25,000-worth of funding was awarded to the development of the Milton Rooms, in Malton, along with the town’s livestock market to progress with its ongoing relocation proposals. Members from Ryedale District councillors backed a series of projects alongside the funding which would create employment and economic benefits throughout the community.

• A father who took on a 710-mile bike ride in memory of his baby son raised a staggering £380,000 to start a bursary. Jozef Mycielski, along with 12 other cyclists, covered 710 miles in just eight days to raise the money to be able to start a bursary in his son, Bruno’s, memory.

• Malton and Norton prepared to launch as Totally Locally towns as part of a new scheme to encourage people to “love where they live”. More than 65 businesses in the two towns supported the initiative, which was set up three months earlier to promote the amenities shoppers have on their doorstep. Emma Brooksbank, who was behind the initiative, said that she hoped this would create a way of enabling all local shops and businesses to work together.