Visit from the Mayor of Barrie, Ontario

On May 17, 2023August 10, 2023 By PF AdministratorLeave a comment

On 21 April we were delighted to welcome Mayor Alex Nuttall from Barrie for a few days, together with his partner Margaret (Meg) Stanton. He is Barrie’s 47th Mayor, having been elected in October 2022 for a four year term.

For his first visit to Harrogate, Alex had expressed a particular interest in meeting people and building links with the Harrogate business community, as well as seeing the town and what it has to offer.

Following a tough trip from London (with cancelled trains and standing room only!) there was only time on the first day for introductory meetings and a meal with the Harrogate International Partnerships team who had organised his packed schedule.

Day 2, Saturday 22 April, commenced with a breakfast meeting in town with Martin Mann from the Harrogate Chamber of Commerce, learning about business sectors in each town and finding common areas of focus. This was followed by a walk down to Valley Gardens to attend and enjoy the ceremony for opening the refurbished New Zealand Garden, which gave the opportunity to meet a number of local dignatories. These included the Harrogate Charter Mayor Michael Harrison, the Deputy Lieutenant of North Yorkshire Mr Simon Mackaness, and local MP Andrew Jones, as well as other councillors and former mayors who were attending.

After the ceremony, Alex and Meg were driven over to the Harrogate Spring Flower Show taking place at the Yorkshire Events Centre at the Harrogate Showground. Walking in, the first thing they could see was the HIP Twinning Community Garden, with the obelisk showing the four twin towns and planting to reflect each one – and from the direction they were brought in, the panel for Barrie was facing their way! So impressive, and a real WOW factor – a huge credit to the design and horticultural team who were also there to meet him, namely Jan Gleaves for the graphics, and Sue Wood for the planting.

After a quick sandwich lunch, there was then time to have a look round the show, and meet the Flower Show Director Nick Smith and some of the trustees.

Back into Harrogate, there was an early evening meeting with representatives from Harrogate RUFC, Ralph Zoing and Matt Dunscombe, discussing the forthcoming rugby under 16’s exchange trip coming up in July. That was followed by a business dinner at the Yorkshire Hotel with Matthew Chapman and Jo Caswell from Harrogate Business Improvement District (Harrogate BID). Afterwards Alex and Meg said, as did Matthew and Jo, that it had been really interesting to compare notes on local challenges and the respective approaches of Harrogate and Barrie – and particularly to exchange ideas for initiatives.

Day 3 was Sunday 23 April. This started with a special experience – being shown round Ripley Castle by Sir Thomas Ingilby. This enabled Alex and Meg to see first hand the historic family connection with Sir Robert Barrie who gave his name to their city. He married into the Ingilby family in 1816, and is buried in the family vault in Ripley’s All Saints’ Church. The 7th June is now officially “Sir Robert Barrie Day” in Barrie.

After that they were driven to Harrogate’s Stonefall Cemetery to attend the ANZAC commemoration ceremony. Although the event itself is to remember those from the Australia and New Zealand, Stonefall also is the location where over 660 Canadian aircrew are laid to rest, so it was entirely appropriate that Mayor Nuttall should join in the ceremony to lay a wreath to remember them. He and Meg also visited the grave of Flying Officer William H Porritt from Barrie to lay a private wreath – he was stationed in Yorkshire and died in an aircrash at East Moor near York on 16 April 1945 and is buried alongside others from his crew. Following the ceremony there was a reception afterwards at the Cedar Court Hotel where Alex gave a short speech, before his cake-cutting skills were put to the test.

Sunday finished on a relaxed note with a small home-hosted meal to round off the visit.

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Update:

Following a speedy reciprocal invitation, plans are afoot for Harrogate to be represented in Barrie to celebrate 10 years of twinning. Hopefully this will include Sir Robert Barrie Day (7 June 2023) and the Barrie Air Show the following weekend, as well as the opportunity to follow up with civic and business contacts.

New Zealand Garden Refurbishment – Reopened

On May 15, 2023August 10, 2023 By PF AdministratorLeave a comment

On 22 April 2023 the newly refurbished New Zealand Garden within Valley Gardens in Harrogate was formally re-opened.

A New Zealand Garden was first created on this site in 1953, to honour the 23 New Zealand aircrew buried at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery at Stonefall in Harrogate. Plants were gifted and grown in Wellington, New Zealand and shipped over to England. In 2010, the New Zealand garden was refurbished by the Friends of Valley Gardens, again with plants donated from New Zealand, and the splendid Māori Pou Whenua carving was brought from New Zealand and blessed in a Māori service with a local choir. Over the years, time started to take its toll on planting and some wooden sculptures, and so for 2023, the New Zealand garden has again been refurbished.

This latest refurbishment has included a newly commissioned stone Māori Pikorua sculpture supported by generous private donors with further support from North Yorkshire County Council, plus a locally crafted bench donated by Wellington City Council. As well as new planting, and a specimen bush donated by the Royal New Zealand Air Force, a number of the original bushes and trees have been retained.

An updated information board was also added, with kind donations from the family of Tony Sissons who designed the 2010 garden, and other work on defining the pathways has improved accessability.

The garden was formally re-opened on 22 April 2023 in the presence of a representative from the RNZAF, local dignitaries, the generous supporters, and a number of the people who had worked so hard on the refurbishment including the sculptor, horticulturist, and the installation team, with music from the local Tewit Youth Band and a solo singer from a local school leading the national anthems.

The ceremony was hosted by the Chair of Harrogate International Partnerships Dennis Richards. Speakers included:

Flight Lieutenant Dan Channon of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, who explained the gifts of the bench and the specimen bush, outlining the significance of the relationship between Harrogate and Wellington;

Elizabeth Smith of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, who gave a short history of the original 1953 garden;

Fran Sissons, who talked about the 2010 refurbishment and the involvement of her father-in-law Tony Sissons;

Nigel Clay from HIP, who outlined the significance of the new Pikorua sculpture; and

Sue Wood, who highlighted key items from the planting and original bushes and trees which are still in place.

The new information board was unveiled by Bobbie Sissons – widow of Tony Sissons, the Pikorua sculpture was unveiled by Virginia Partridge, and finally the new bench was unveiled by Flight Lieutenant Dan Channon.

Thanks go in particular to Jennifer Tetlow the sculptor, Richard Taylor of Joblings in West Tanfield who crafted the bench, and Sue Wood who had led the horticultural input, as well as Nigel Clay from HIP whose vision and drive led the project. Plus the Harrogate Borough Council gardening and construction teams for the installation, and the Friends of Valley Gardens for tending the garden and its plants.

Thanks must also go to those who provided funding and support. These included the late Alan Rollinson and his daughter Virginia Partridge, Roberta (Bobbie) Sissons and Sisley Garden Tours, Wellington City Council, Harrogate Borough Council, North Yorkshire County Council (in particular Councillors Peter Lacey and Sam Gibbs), and other individual donors, as well as Harrogate International Partnerships.

The Pikorua is a well known Māori symbol that represents the journey of life, friendship, eternity and loyalty, as well as the connection of people and the joining of different cultures.

Photo credits – Russell Pearce, Jennifer Tetlow, Alison Sturdy and others

Twinning Community Garden wins gold at the Harrogate Spring Flower Show

On May 12, 2023August 10, 2023 By PF Administrator1 Comment

Visitors to the Harrogate Spring Flower Show were able to see a specially designed Community Garden organised by HIP, which celebrates the town’s twinning links and anniversaries. A very colourful and eye-catching exhibit, it was based around a four-sided obelisk, with each side giving details of one of the four twin towns, along with themed planting appropriate for the country concerned.

The judges were also impressed, as it received a gold award! And Mayor Alex Nuttall of Barrie Ontario was able to visit and admire it for himself.

It was manned all through the three days of the show, giving visitors a chance to learn about the town’s links and their history, or just to admire the varied planting and take away a few ideas.

Thanks go to all the sponsors and supporters, including the Flower Show itself, Harrogate BID, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Jan Gleaves for the obelisk design, and Sue Wood (plus Simon and the other helpers) for the amazing garden design, construction and planting. And also to the numerous local suppliers who helped, and the team of volunteers who manned the exhibit through sun and (a little) rain.

A truly impressive display!