The Belfrey

Our church building remains shrouded in scaffolding and hoardings as the Impact project continues. There was a set back when government VAT rules changed mid-project. Thankfully an anonymous donor agreed to make up the shortfall. The project deadline has been extended. It will be 2027 before we can move back into St Michael le Belfrey. In the meantime the church, now known as The Belfrey, continues to meet in The De Grey Rooms a short distance away. We are part of the 11am congregation which continues to thrive despite our temporary venue (as you would expect; the church is the people, not the building).

We are regularly on the coffee team serving anywhere up to 200 cups of tea or coffee after the service. Joan is part of the pastoral visiting team, we are both Belfrey Group stewards, looking after the leaders of three small groups.

We belong to a group which has been meeting regularly for something like 20 years. We have some very close friends within this group – and most of us are now in our 70s with the ailments and frailty older age brings.

This Christmas, our church held its last Minster Carol Service, a tradition which dates back to when David Watson was Rector of St Michael-le-Belfrey in the 70’s. The Minster was full and it was a fitting end to an era.

Minster Carol Service 2025

Other news

Lunchtime in Haworth

We took many opportunities to walk and hike in the lovely Yorkshire countryside this year. Many of our walks are around Ripon and Harrogate. Fountains Abbey, Fewston and Swinsty reservoirs, Pateley Bridge, Fountains and Bolton Abbeys to name a few. The Yorkshire Coast is also a regular; Scarborough, Filey, Whitby. As well as Helmsley to Rievaulx Abbey and Sutton Bank with the finest view in all England (according the Alf White aka James Herriot)

View from Sutton Bank across the Vale of York

Barrie’s birthday this year was spent on the Keighley and Worth Valley Railway which took us to Haworth (Bronte Country) behind a gleaming red loco built in Crewe in 1949 – the year he was born further north in Kendal. (Barrie is neither gleaming or red.) The picture at the top of this post was taken while we enjoyed lunch at the Old Post Office in Haworth.

Claremont News 2024

High Petergate, York

Again it’s time for an update from the centre of York. We’ve been busy this year but it’s all good. Getting older should mean slowing down. For us it’s doing things more slowly but important things are still being done.

Joan has continued to volunteer at the hospital two mornings a week as well as being part of the church visiting team. She also met up with school friends for a 60th anniversary reunion. Barrie has again become chair of the successful housing charity Restore (York). We have also made many visits down the A1 to visit family in Cambridge and Chelmsford.

There was a general election with a good outcome. Barrie helped (a little) with campaigning for the Labour Party. We had two street parties and helped mount an air quality action group in the main street at the end of ours.

So as we look forward to the next year we trust you all will enjoy a Happy Christmas and a healthy New Year.


So in more detail

Holidays
Grandchildren
Our Street
School reunion
Friends
Car
Next Year a Milestone

Holidays

Llanddwyn Island, Anglesey, North Wales

Holidays

Anglesey. We stayed in an Air BnB near the Newborough Forest, the only national forest on the coast of Britain. We spent a day waking to the end of Llnaddwyn Island, one of a few holy sites on Anglesey. It was a great holiday, really refreshing and to a place we had never been. We’d recommend it

France. Brittany was a long drive where we spent a few days with Wesley’s family in Carnac. The Eurocamp site is right next door to the spectacular Carnac standing stones. It’s ages since we were in France and even longer since we were on one of these holiday sites. Lots of fun, baguettes, beer and croissant, not all at the same time of course. Some good walks, especially through the standing stones which are spread along 4km of the countryside around Carnac. An immense monument with a mysterious purpose.

Pretending to be human standing stones. Emily, Deborah, Alex, Joan, Wesley and the real Carnac Standing Stones.

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Grandchildren

Rowan (4), Anna (7), Emily (15) with a third cake for Anna’s birthday

Our youngest, Rowan, started school this year joining his sister Anna at her primary school. He loves it. Their Cambridge lives are so busy with classes, activities and friends parties. We had a lovely weekend looking after them while Mum and Day went away to meet friends.

Emily has secured a place at a Performing Arts College not far from Chelmsford. She starts in 2025 after GCSEs on a BTEC course. Alex is in his A Level year and applying for university places to study Medical Science. He wants to do research, so an endless academic career seems to beckon.

We love visiting them all and the road to Cambridge and Chelmsford is well worn. Thankfully it’s the same road for the first 150 miles so dual visits are possible without a long detour.

Alex and Emily with Wesley and Deborah on holiday in France

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