A GRAND flag-raising ceremony took place recently at Old Malton.

To be specific, in Malcolm and Peggy Horsley's garden, when a group of friends gathered to witness the event, and to partake in a delightful buffet lunch afterwards. All part of an effort for confirmation of national pride, which somehow seems sadly lacking these days, and which often meets with opposition from authorities which should do just the opposite.

I was given the honour of choosing which flag should be flown first and, as you might guess, this special corner of England which we call Ryedale could not have been given higher esteem by any other than our own flag of England and St George. Duly raised, it flew profoundly at the masthead, to join those of a few others in the area who think sufficiently about their country to fly its flag.

All local churches have now got functional flag poles, where our national emblem is often seen to fly, and so have a few individuals. Ryedale District Council, while having an excellent pole, which sadly is not easily visible from the main road, didn't possess an English flag when last I spoke to someone there. However, I was promised that efforts were being made to procure one, and perhaps this might now be available for spreading the English word. The Conservative Club is perhaps the only other organisation with an operational pole, where at times the Union Flag is seen to fly, but I can't recall seeing an English flag fluttering from there. I keep looking at the flagpole still fixed atop the old Co-op building, in Wheelgate, and hope that before the scaffolding comes down that the owners might just fit in a refurbishment job on it and install a halyard so that its future occupiers might join in.

It was shocking to read in the papers that one local authority down south, Totness, had ordered the removal of our national flag from its buildings for fear of upsetting the immigrants. They need to get their priorities right! I read that their staff refused to take the flag down, but what the outcome was I know not. As for the monstrosity which hangs from our Town Hall, I will not now comment further, other than to say, in my opinion, our own nation's flag should fly from this town-centre building.

I had need to go to our local doctor's surgery last week which has, of recent times, had a re-vamp, and all and sundry now sit together in one large room, as opposed to the two smaller rooms in the original configuration.

This isn't necessarily seen as an improvement, more is it a change, although there is a reduction in the banging of doors which used to take place. I'm not at all sure what the 'official' line is on the subject of collecting lots of poorly folk together, some perhaps with non-pleasant germs. The current joke is, of course, that now that the walls are down, and everyone is together, that there's a bigger variety of bugs available.

Joking apart, the chairs are very comfortable, but one thing missing is an old friend, the mahogany table which used to sit in the Yorkersgate Surgery, and then in our new one. This carried a large variety of magazines, and served as a useful place to slide the children's toys under. It has now been replaced with more chairs, so that 'customers' can sit and look at each other in close proximity. The changes were forced by there being ever more and more folk waiting, however, it was a pity that we lost our old table. An open plan would perhaps have been more acceptable than packed-in chairs.

A call from one-time teacher Ron Sargeant, who both my sons remember with affection, raises the subject of the reduction of wild bird numbers. Ron has come across something which may be having an impact. Tidying his hedges after summer, he came across several bird's nests, which held the remains of their tiny occupants. They had hatched out successfully, but hadn't survived long enough to mature. Looking for a common denominator, he noted that the nests are all lined with moss, and asks the question: is the application of either grass fertiliser, or moss killer, a cause of the deaths of these babies? Of course, it may well be that the parents have become the victims of neighbourhood cats, which is a difficult problem. But his first idea may well have some serious grounds for investigation.

The environs of our local towns are remarkably clean and tidy, despite the never-ending efforts of the can-drinkers and crisp-eaters who drop their litter anywhere. Out of town this week, I saw two litter-pickers hard at work on the grass verges clearing up the rubbish which the don't-cares have dropped. I assume this to be a district council operation, for which they are to be applauded, as well as the operatives themselves, and it crossed my mind that this isn't seen to be done elsewhere. Is Ryedale unique in this respect I wonder?

Quote: "They say that travel broadens the mind; but you must have the mind!" G K Chesterton, English writer (1874-1936).

Updated: 12:37 Wednesday, November 19, 2003