ORGANISERS of the annual Gainford Village Show reported a huge increase in entries this year.
Moving the show back in the calendar, working with the village’s Cubs and Beavers and changing some of the classes resulted in an extra 140 items for judging.
Sarah Heslop, a member of the hardworking organising committee, said: “We have more children entering this year and more in the fruit and veg classes. We changed the dates slightly. The show used to be in the middle of August and it’s now a bit later.
“We worked with the Cubs and Beavers and they have entered some of the photos and veg this year.
“We took out some of the more traditional veg classes and introduced others.” Among those delighted to receive trophies was Angela Peacock, who had picked the rose which was judged the best on the morning of the show.
“The rose has been in the garden longer than I have been there – and that’s 56 years,” she said.
“It will have been planted by my uncle Bill.”
There was success for families. Kath Hebdon took the trophy for most points in show, while granddaughter Sophie won the best children’s cookery exhibit.
Emma Gallagher took the trophy for best floral art exhibit with her Barbie-themed entry, while her mum Christine Graham took first place for a flower arrangement in a single colour.
Mrs Heslop won trophies for best cookery exhibit with her quiche and most points in cookery, while her daughter Amy, 11, won most points in the children’s classes.
Tony Buckley’s onions caught the judges’ eyes as they earned him best veg exhibit and he also took most points in the vegetable classes.
“The onions came out really well this year. They were shown as grown – I have just pulled them out of the ground,” he said.
Nicola Johnson’s photo of Herdwick sheep against the backdrop of the Catholic Church in Gainford was best photo entry.
“I am a phone photographer. I wanted to take better photographs and I did an online course during lockdown for mobile photography,” she explained.
Trophy winners
Charge Memorial Trophy, most points in show: Kathy Hebdon.
Jim Ryder Trophy, most points in vegetable classes: Tony Buckley.
Challenge Cup, best veg exhibit: Tony Buckley.
Kenyon Challenge Cup, best flower exhibit: Alan Nichols.
Miss Brown Trophy, best rose: Angela Peacock.
DS Harris Trophy, best pansies: Kathy Hebdon.
Jefferson Trophy, best pot plant: Kathy Hebdon.
Silver Cup, best floral art: Emma Gallagher.
Silver Cup, best cookery exhibit: Sarah Heslop.
WI Home & Country Cup, most points in cookery: Sarah Heslop.
John Caris Cup, best children’s cookery exhibit: Sophie Hebdon.
Beryl Avison Shield, most points in children’s cookery: Eleanor Semple.
Annual Challenge Cup, ladies’ arts and crafts: Michaela Rogerson.
RF Spaling Cup, men’s arts and crafts: Bert Chidzey.
Fr Stanley Trophy, children’s arts and crafts: Florence Grogan. Caton Cup, U7s arts and crafts: Esme Broderick.
Annual Challenge Cup, best photographic exhibit: Nicola Johnson.
Foster Cup, most points in children’s classes: Amy Heslop.
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
