Monday evening with the Chelsea Pensioners

As well as the breakfasts we hosted at Dinner at the White Swan in Ampleforth.Robert Thompson and his staff did a wonderful job feeding the 54 diners to a full roast beef dinner. George Pickles ,the Ripon Hornblower came along and talked of the history of the Ripon Hornblower spanning over 1100 years. Kevin Hollinrake who is standing for our local MP in the elections in May and his lovely wife Nikki attended. Kevin presented the Chelsea Pensioners with 2 of the Tommy's Roses which were grown by RV Rogers of Pickering and kindly given by Ian Rogers. The roses were grown on soil brought back from the Flanders Battlefields and will be planted in the Royal Hospital Chelsea Gardens along with 2 of the Ampleforth roses which are supporting Help the Heros. We gave the latter as a momento of the Chelsea Pensioners time with us. Young Tom Cranage who is whipper-in for the Sinnington Hunt and also the horn blower for the Ampleforth Beagles. Tom was the runnerup in the National Horn Blowing Competition in 2014. He didnt realise he could take a breathe,so we hope he wins this year. A good night was had by all, which ended in the early hours with the Chelsea Pensioners at the forefront of the celebrations

Carr House Farm B&B in Ampleforth hosts fundraising breakfasts

Carr House Farm B&B in Ampleforth hosts fundraising breakfasts TWO Chelsea pensioners will be enjoying a home-cooked Yorkshire breakfast next week at a fundraising event organised by a local B & B. Anna Lupton and her husband Jack Peckitt, from Carr House Farm, in Ampleforth, are hosting two morning 'parties' to raise funds for the Chelsea Royal Hospital as part of Breakfast Week. Three years ago the pair raised almost £9,000 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, and decided to organiser another fundraiser after meeting a group of Chelsea Pensioners in October. As part of the event, there will be a dinner at the White Swan in Ampleforth where George Pickles, the Ripon Hornblower, will make a special address to guests. Ian Rogers, of RV Rogers in Pickering, will also present two of Ampleforth roses to the visiting Chelsea Pensioners as well as two locally grown Tommy’s Roses. Both varieties of roses have been bred at RV Rogers in Pickering – the Ampleforth variety is raising money for Help for Heroes and the Tommy’s Rose has been specially created for the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of The Great War. Anna said: “Back at the beginning of October we were privileged to meet some of the Chelsea Pensioners when they came to North Yorkshire, so I have had this plan in my head since then.” "Unfortunately, due to family illness I am not able to give as much time to feeding 120 at in one go as I did last time, plus it also took weeks of hard work and generosity from a host of people. Anna added: “But with it being Breakfast Week - the week bed and breakfast people taken it upon themselves to raise funds for good causes - I still want to do something." The breakfasts will be held on January 26 and 27 at 9.30am with the dinner at the White Swan on the first night from 6.30pm Anna said help had been provided by Robert Thompson and his team at the White Swan and former licensees from the area Jim and Wendy Davison. "Two Chelsea Pensioners are staying with us and will head both breakfast tables each morning," she added. "They are such lovely people and it wonderful that a couple of them are able to come back to Ryedale and join us for this event."

Dinner with Chelsea Pensioners .. Also Breakfast tickets still available

You may remember 3 years ago when we raised over £8,700 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance as part of the breakfast week -Shake Up ,Your Wake Up. It took a lots of weeks hard work and generousity from a host of people. Unfortunately this year as my mother has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of thyriod cancer I am not able to give as much time to feeding the 120 at one go as I did last time. But with it being Breakfast Week- the week bed and breakfast people taken it upon themselves to raise funds for good causes I still feel I want to do something. Back at the beginning of October we were privileged to meet some of the Chelsea Pensioners when they came to North Yorkshire .So I have had this plan in my head since then. Things are finally coming together and we can know let you know... I am passing on some of workload to Robert Thomspon and his hard working team to produce a dinner on the Monday evening , Thus been in a position to raise more money for the Chelsea Royal Hospital. We have 2 Chelsea Pensioners coming to stay with us for a few days. On the mornings Monday 26th and Tuesday 27th Jan 2015 we are hoping you will come and join us at 9.30am . Each table of 6 will be headed by a Chelsea Pensioner.It will give you ample opportunity to hold a conversation with him over breakfast and plenty of photo opportunities. Tickets are £15. As these are limited and going quickly you may like to attend the evening event We are also holding a 3 course Dinner at the White Swan in Ampleforth on the Monday night 6.30pm for 7pm . George Pickles -the Ripon Hornblower will be pleased to know that Roast beef and Yorkshire puddings are on the menu. Ian Rogers of RV Rogers of Pickering will be presenting The Chelsea Pensioners with Tommies Roses which were speically created for the 100 year memorial. There have been grown on the soil that the children brought back from the Battle of the Somme on a guncarriage. We hope that these will be planted in the Royal Chelsea Hospital Gardens along with one of the newly named "Ampleforth" roses. Jim and Wendy Davison who used to be the licencees at the Horse in Ampleforth have helped to bring about this event and will be in atendance throughout . So any one who knows this lovely couple will know we will all be in for a good night Tickets are £25- 01347 868526.

Roses at Rogers

Last weekend was the British Isles Breeders and Growers Rose Festival in Ryedale held at RV Rogers just outside Pickering. It was a lovely summer's day and the roses all looked a picture. I took my Dad along to see the 150 or so roses which were on offer. The Calender Girls were there too as they had a rose named after them. The Ryedale Rose was given by a kind couple from Sheffield and there was a prize giving. All a lot of work for David Wilce the Chairman. The presenttaion lasted around 90 minutes.The champion winner had come all the way from Andover and was quite a young chap. Along with a magnificent cup I had given a prize of a free 2 night stay here with us .No doubt I will be hearing from him shortly. He said it would make a nice change as he usually attended these shows and slept in his camper van. My Dad got talking to Ryedale's youngest Chairman of the Council Luke Ives.My Dad's maternal side of the family were from Norton so Luke would get quite a history lesson I think We had a lovely lunch and Jonathan who is always a obliging member of staff was on hand.My Dad really enjoyed his chat with him. We had a lovely lunch whilst the jazz band played in the background. Oh so English country garden with lady artists donning their straw hats to paint their corner of the day. This is the second year that it has been held.It will continue -so a date for your diary next year.