DISTRICT NEWS: TICKHILL

NEW STORE OPENING: It is an important day for the shoppers of Tickhill and the surrounding area on Friday, July 1, when the grand opening to the public takes place of the newly created Co-operative Food Store that has been established on the ground floor of the refurbished building that was the former Millstone Hotel on the corner of Castlegate and Westgate. Central England Co-op is operating the town’s latest retail outlet that has created up to 19 new jobs both full time and part time roles ranging from team leaders to customer service assistants. The black lettering on the front of the building and over the main entrance at the side reads The Cooperative and in yellow letters Food. The new supermarket will have self-service checkouts, hot food to go, an instore bakery, a customer toilet, a customer car park and a lifesaving defibrillator for the local Tickhill community. Prior to the opening Central England Co-operative Area Manager Matt Garton said: “We are excited about our new store in Tickhill and we cannot wait to be part of the local community and provide vital food and essentials on their doorstep. The store will be a vibrant and modern retail facility with some fantastic features and it is enabling us to invest in the local economy and create jobs for local people.” The store will be open from 7am to 10pm Monday to Sunday. The first floor of the former Millstone building has been converted into four luxury rented apartments, with its own dedicated car parking spaces for the flat owners, which are being marketed by Hadrian Residential Ltd.  

GALA DAY RETURNING: One of the big days in the life of the Tickhill community returns on Saturday, July 2, when the Scout and Guide Gala organised by the town’s 13th Doncaster Scout and Guide Group led by Group Scout Leader Robert (Bob Kitchen) takes place at the Tithes Lane recreation ground. The event, which opens at 11.30am, is even more special this year for after being dormant for the past two years due to the Coronavirus Covid-19 pandemic restrictions it is back and promises to be bigger and better than ever. Specially made Gala bunting and flags will be flying around the town. Mick Jackson of the town’s Tickhill Trade Cars Garage; Northgate has sponsored the Virtual Balloon that did took place for the first time last year. Brand new for 2022 is a decorated wheelbarrow competition. The organisers of the town’s annual Tickhill Scout and Guide Gala have extended an open invitation to residents to take part in this inaugural fun Decorated Wheelbarrow Competition. Decorated wheelbarrows will be on display on the big day at the Tithes Lane recreation ground and prizes will be awarded for the best wheelbarrow in each individual category that will include child, teen or adult, schools, guides, scouts, football teams, societies etc. As well as stalls on the recreation ground there will be lots of other activities and entertainment on the big day for all the family. This will include An animal experience, helter skelter, assault course and axe throwing and there will be stalls with sweets, hook a duck, an owl, handmade gifts and a wide variety of food and drink vendors. Many townsfolk will be disappointed that the procession of floats that traditionally leads the colourful pageant through the town from its assembly point start on Wong Lane to the Tithes Lane recreation ground will not be happening this year. The first Tickhill Scouts and Guide Group Gala was held on July 4 1974 and the admission was 10p and £4000 was raised for group funds. Subsequently it then became a permanent annual fixture being held on the first Saturday in July. Commenting about the lack of floats this year a committee spokesperson said: “It is with great sadness that we have had to make a difficult decision to not have the float procession this year. The cost of the rolling roadblock has exceeded the total fundraising from the gala. We are upset that we have had to make this decision and we have explored a lot of options to remove or reduce the cost of the roadblock since 2019 but it has become financially unviable. The gala is the main fundraising activity that is organised by Tickhill Scout and Guide Group to maintain our building at St Mary’s Road to keep it safe, secure and accessible to all of our young members. It allows the majority of the subscriptions paid by our young members to go on activities for them and not on major repairs to our meeting place where we need a new roof. Despite having no procession this time around the gala will be another great event that will be enjoyed by everyone.”

BOOGIE ON DOWN: Gala Day is being celebrated at the Carpenter’s Arms on the evening of Saturday, July 2, with a Boogie at the Westgate hostelry. The 1970’s and 1980’s disco fun runs from 7.30pm until late. Gyrators attending are invited to wear leg warmers, flares and shoulder pads and any other fashion gear from their youth.

MOTHERS’ UNION: The ladies of the Tickhill branch of the Mothers’ Union (M.U.) have finalised their arrangements for the annual Scouts and Guides Gala that takes place on Saturday, July 2. The group will have a stall showing just what the M.U. does to help those in need. That will include leaflets about their work and a Fresh Start Basket that are made up for the Women’s Refuge in Doncaster detailing the contents of the baskets that help women in need to establish a new life for themselves. The M.U. dos not have a meeting on the usual Tuesday in July as the annual Tea Party is being held on Thursday, July 28, that will be in aid of Away From It All (AWFIA). The committee will be catering and ask for a donation of £5 from members for a ticket for the party.

MILL DAM IMPROVEMENT REMEMBERED: It is 20 years since the Mill Dam improvement scheme was completed. The town’s much-visited beauty spot that attracts people from far and wide and that is located next to Tickhill Castle was reopened to the public after a £160,000 project to update the attraction came to a successful conclusion. The late Lord Scarbrough, accompanied by his wife Lady Scarbrough, cut the ribbon to mark the completion of a four-month programme of work that included the removal of silt from the dam, stabilising the banks, creating a disabled ramp, new seats, litterbins and an information board for visitors. Mayor of Tickhill the late Gordon Armstrong, Tickhill Mill Dam Improvement Group leader, Tickhill man, the late Philip Mottram and the then Labour Member of Parliament for the Don Valley constituency, Caroline Flint, joined Lord and Lady Scarbrough on the big day. Children from Estfeld and St Mary’s Primary Schools also attended the historic event. Tickhill man John Hoare, now a Tickhill Town councillor, was at that time a member of Doncaster Council’s environment team and he was present at the opening at which he said: “I must applaud everyone for their years of hard work and dedication for this project, which has now come to a magnificent conclusion. The sterling effort of a small group, that has been given the wide support of the community, has resulted in the restoration of the dam for future generations to enjoy. It is a tribute to their dedication that this community asset will be with us for years to come.” Work on the man made dam that dates back to the 17th century involved the Tickhill Mill Dam Improvement Group – a charitable group of local residents headed by the late Philip Mottram, town organisations and Tickhill Town Council. The group applied for almost £90,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund and £44,000 from Waste Recycling Environmental (WREN). The improvement scheme also received funding from Doncaster Council and individual donations.  

JUST HIS BARROW: DMBC councillor for Tickhill, Nigel Cannings, who is the town’s hard working long serving volunteer litter picker, is delighted that Greenlight MOT and Repair Garage, based at nearby Edlington, has once again sponsored his rubbish-collecting barrow. The garage that is owned and run by a Tickhill resident has donated £500 this year that will allow Nigel to buy protective boots and gloves and high visibility clothing, brushes and shovels that he uses during his regular litter picking operations around the community that keeps the town neat and tidy. The donation will also fund the second barrow that is used by the Tickhill Town Council employed litter picking operative Steve.

SILK AND ROSES: The volunteers of Tickhill Community Library once again welcome Lucy Adlington to their all ticket event that is being held in St Mary’s Parish Church on Thursday, June 30. Lucy from the History Wardrobe entitles her talk Silk and Roses and it starts at 2pm.

SPORTING GESTURE: Members of staff from the town’s Market Place Spar shop and Post Office, which is operated by W.F. Blakemore, donated fruit, diluted juices and biscuits to the children of St Mary’s CofE Primary School that they could enjoy after their annual Sports Day that was held on the school playing field.

FESTIVAL RADIO: T-Fest Music Festival organiser Steve Madin and his team have informed festivalgoers that an official media partner has been appointed. Steve said: “We are super excited to announce our partnership with TX1 Radio who will be talking all about T-Fest on the lead up to the event with some amazing giveaways and interviews.” The big musical extravaganza is being held at Bawtry Memorial Sports Ground, South Parade in the nearby town of Bawtry, on Saturday, September 17, from noon to 11pm. Tickets are available from Castlegate Cards, Tickhill.

CONCERT BENEFITS UKRAINE: The concert that was held at St Mary’s Parish Church at the Platinum Jubilee musical event that celebrated 70 years of the throne of Queen Elizabeth II was successful in raising £684. The money was sent to the appeal to help the people of the Ukraine in their fight for life against their Russian invaders. A spokesperson for St Mary’s said: “Thank you very much for your generous response to this appeal.”

HELP AT HAND: The town’s Accord organisation is a self-help group for people with anxiety related disorders. The aim of the group is to provide a friendly, confidential setting in which to offer mutual support and encouragement to anyone suffering from depression, panic attack, phobias and other related disorders. Accord meets in Tickhill Parish Room, Northgate, on the last Wednesday in each month from 2pm to 3.30pm. More information can be obtained on 01302 742963.

GARDENING NATURALLY: Members of Tickhill Horticultural Society (THS will learn all about Gardening With Nature) - How To Create A Garden for Peace and Reflection at their meeting on Thursday, June 30. The guest speaker is Alan Clements from Cascade Gardens at Matlock, Derbyshire, who will step up to the lectern in the Methodist Church Schoolroom at 7.15pm. New members will receive a warm welcome from THS chairperson Carolyn Welborn and her fellow committee members.

SANDWICH WALK: Members of Tickhill and District Footpath Group take part in the all ticket pre-booked evening sandwich walk and Social on Monday, July 4. The walk around the village will start at 6.30pm from the car park at the White Hart public house at nearby village of Wadworth. The sandwiches and chip supper will be served at 8pm.

TAIZE SERVICE COMING: The congregation at St Mary’s Parish Church will be taking part in a Taize Service on Sunday, August 14. The Taize Community is an ecumenical Christian monastic fraternity in Taize, Burgundy, France. Each year over 100,000 people from around the world make pilgrimages to Taize for prayer, Bible study, sharing and communal work and are encouraged to live in the spirit of kindness, simplicity and reconciliation. The evening service at St Mary’s is a more informal type of worship that involves specially written music by the Taize community. Church choir master John Marsden said: “To be able to familiarise themselves with this Taize music everyone is welcome to come along to have a practice in church on Friday evenings during July starting at 7pm.”