A whole evening’s television will be devoted to Sport Relief on Friday 19th March 2010 on BBC 1 with special programmes throughout the weekend, including a unique version of Let’s Dance for Sport Relief and tailored editions of Masterchef and Top Gear; Frank Skinner will host A Question of Sport Relief and James Cordon, from the popular Gavin and Stacey show, will introduce a brand new ‘Smithy’ sketch.

But the most important participants are the members of the public who will take part in the Sport Relief Mile event.

Designed to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Sir Roger Bannister’s sub four-minute mile, the Mile events take place across the country when celebrities and public alike take up the challenge of completing their own mini marathon: in 2006 more than 423,000 people jogged, ran, walked, wheeled, bounced, hopped or bounced their way along one, three or six mile designated runs in an unprecedented run for charity.

This year, The Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile takes place on Sunday 21st March.

You can search for the event nearest to you and enter online at www.sportrelief.co.uk. With official T-shirts designed by all the Beckham family, this year’s affair promises to be the most stylish Sports Relief ever!

There are also plenty of ideas on the site as to how you can go about organising an event, getting sponsors and advice about becoming one yourself. If you decide to take part in the Sport Relief Mile, there are loads of ways in which you can maximise your success by using emails, texts, tweets, Facebook or local newspaper to publicise your attempt.

To put things in perspective: the sum of £110 could enable four people living in remote villages in Uganda to be trained in medical techniques to help save the lives of children with malaria.

Sport Relief: 19 March – 21 March 2010

If you’ve been putting off doing something physically active for a while, then the 19th to 21st March 2010 could be the time to don your trainers and your trackeys and help raise some money for disadvantaged people in the UK and across the world.

Sport Relief is a biennial event that has become one of Britain’s biggest fundraisers, and in 2008 raised £19.5 million for deserving causes.

There are big names in sport and entertainment who are rising to the challenge and inspiring people across the UK to do the same – so why don’t you?

Taking part is a real opportunity to change people’s lives – it’s also fun, it’s a day off work, and it’s an excuse to wear some amazing Sport Relief stripy socks!

Sport Relief Events

Founded by the BBC in 2002 in association with the charity Comic Relief, Sport Relief brings together famous faces from the worlds of sport and entertainment to help vulnerable people everywhere.

In the past we’ve witnessed amazing feats and challenges on TV: events in 2002 took a surprise swing when a tennis match was televised live between Ilie Nastase, Alistair McGowan, Pat Cash and none other than the UK’s prime minister at the time, Tony Blair.

He went on to win four sets to one!

In 2006 Chris Evans, Nick Faldo and Gary Lineker took part in a hilarious pitching competition on the roof of the TV studio, when the target for their balls were giant cut-outs of the mouths of Jimmy Tarbuck and Bruce Forsyth – say no more.

And who could ever forget Sport Relief 2008 when the star of Little Britain, David Walliams, swam the channel and raised over £1 million in donations? We were with him every chilling inch of the way as we watched from the safety of our armchairs.

In 2010, celebrities are embarking on some of the most adventurous and extraordinary challenges to date: Christine Bleakley from The One Show will attempt to water-ski across the English Channel powered by Thomson Sport – by her own admission she can neither Water ski nor swim “particularly well”, but what the heck!; Blue Peter’s Helen Skelton is making a bid to become the first woman to kayak the Amazon River, whilst rugby legend Lawrence Dallaglio is cycling 2,800 km around the rugby Six Nations stadiums – in just 24 days.

The Yorkshire Foundation

The Yorkshire Foundation is dedicated to serving the county with community and education initiatives, and operates as a registered charity with HRH The Duke of York as its Patron.

One of the Foundation’s main purposes is to advance education in Yorkshire and the UK, and to act as a bridge to enable people to participate the community life. The Yorkshire Foundation also exists to promote urban and rural regeneration in socially deprived areas by the relief of unemployment and promotion of business opportunities. Public amenities are maintained and improved, working towards the preservation of local buildings, sites of historical importance or archaeological significance. Conservation is another key factor, with the protection of the environment being a main priority.

Address:

External Links:
The Yorkshire Foundation
DIGyorkshire
Brighouse and Rastrick Band

Carol Singing at Burn Hall Hotel

On Wednesday 23 December 2009, the Burn Hall Hotel is hosting a Carol Singing evening in aid of Cancer Research.

Come to our carol singing evening for only £3 per person in aid of charity, which includes a festive mulled wine on arrival!

Why not enjoy a festive buffet before the evening begins –

Date: Wednesday 23 December 2009

Carol Singing 8.00pm – 9.00pm


Address:
Burn Hall
Tollerton Road
Huby
York YO61 1JB

Tel: 01347 825 400

For Further Information, Visit the Burn Hall website or email enquiries@burn-hall.co.uk.  

If you would like to see your event on our events calendar on featured on our blog, either email support@directoryofyork.net or simply post a tweet @doyorkuk or send a text to 07540 841839
To get much better exposure for your event why not write a short piece with the details of what’s happening, when and where and send it to support@directoryofyork.net.

This way we can get your event seen by many, many more people.

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Christmas in Chester and Cheshire UK 2009

Christmas in Liverpool and Merseyside UK 2009

Christmas in York and North Yorkshire UK 2009

Christmas in Leeds and West Yorkshire UK 2009

Christmas in Newcastle, Gateshead and Tyne and Wear UK 2009

Pre-school is an important time in the life of a child to learn, and for those who have children and live in and around the city of York there is a great number of highly rated pre-school nurseries to chooses from.

Picking a good pre-school nursery can be a difficult choice. Some people choose based solely on location as the is close to either their home or work, while others may prefer to take their child further afield to a nursery that offers other specific solutions.

Here is a short list of nurseries and pre-schools in the area in and around York.

Lyndhurst Private Pre-School Day Nursery

Based on the B1246 Kilnwick Road on the very outskirts of York, the Lyndhurst Private Pre-School Day Nursery is a wonderful place for your child to learn before moving on to primary school.

Lyndhurst Day Nursery is open from 7.30am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday and caters for up to eighty one children between 3 months to 5 years.

Address:
Lyndhurst Private Pre-School Day Nursery
84 Kilnwick Rd
Pocklington
York
YO42 2JZ
Tel: 01759 302228‎

Walmgate Day Nursery

Found in the centre of York very close to the Coppergate Shopping Centre, the Walmgate Day Nursery is the perfect pre-school nursery for people who are working in the city and wish to have their children close by.

Walmgate Day Nursery is open from 8.00am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday and caters for up to forty two children between 3 months to 5 years.

Address:
Walmgate Day Nursery
34 Walmgate
York
YO1 9TJ‎
Tel: 01904 733833‎

Scarcroft Green Nursery

Scarcroft Green Nursery is found off the A59 Scarcroft Road, just a stone’s throw away from the York railway station.

Scarcroft Green Nursery is open from 8.00am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday and has sixteen staff that can cater for up to thirty five children between 0 to 5 years.

Address:
Scarcroft Green Nursery
Nunthorpe Road
York
YO23 1BP
Tel: 01904 672696 ‎

The Crescent Day Nursery

This nursery is in the centre of York and is less than a five minute walk from the York railway station.

With fully qualified staff and a full day of organized learning fun, the Crescent Day Nursery is a highly rated nursery. Children will enjoy a mid morning snack, cooked lunch and light afternoon tea so you can ensure that your child is looked after nutritionally too!

The Crescent Day Nursery is open from 8.00am to 6.00pm Monday to Friday and has seven staff that can cater for up to twenty nine children between 3 months to 5 years.

Address:
The Crescent Day Nursery
7 The Crescent
York
YO24 1AW
Tel: 01904 647198 ‎

York Minster at Christmas Time, December 2009

York Minster Free Events and Services: for a number of services, there will be limited public seating.

NOTE: On Saturday 5th December, tickets will go on sale for Carols by Candlelight for the carol services on Thursday 17th December – 19th December.
These are TICKET ONLY events, tickets are available only from York Minster Box Office.


Friday 4th December 2009
2.00pm Yorkshire Countrywomen’s Association Carol Service

Saturday 5th December 2009
11.00am Girl Guides Carol Service

Sunday 6th December 2009
2.00pm Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) Carol Service

Monday 7th December 2009
7.00pm Minster School Carol Service

Tuesday 8th December 2009
7.30pm Archbishop Holgate’s School Carol Service

Wednesday 9th December 2009
7.30pm NHS Carol Service

Thursday 10th December 2009
1.30pm Townswomen’s Guild Carol Service

Friday 11th December 2009
2.30pm St Peter’s School Carol Service

Saturday 12th December 2009
2.00pm North Yorkshire East Federation Women’s Institutes Carol Service

Sunday 13th December 2009
7.00pm St Michael le Belfrey Carol Service

Monday 14th December 2009
7.30pm All Saints’ School Carol Service

Tuesday 15th December 2009
7.30pm Manor School Carol Service

Thursday 17th December – Saturday 19th December 2009
8.00pm Chapter House Choir: Carols by Candlelight TICKETS ONLY

Tuesday 22nd December 2009
7.00pm Service of Nine Lessons and Carols

Thursday 24th December 2009
12noon Crib Service
4.00pm Service of Nine Lessons and Carols
11.30pm Midnight Eucharist

Friday 25th December 2009
8.00am Holy Communion
10.00am Sung Eucharist
11.45am Choral Matins
4.00pm Choral Evensong

Sunday 27th December 2009
10.00am Sung Eucharist
4.00pm Service of Carols and Readings around the Crib


Box Office:
Church House
Ogleforth
York
YO1 7JN

Online Information for York Minster at Christmas

You may also be interested in:

Entertainment in York and North Yorkshire

Entertainment in Leeds and West Yorkshire

Entertainment in Liverpool and Merseyside

Entertainment in Chester and Cheshire

Entertainment in Newcastle upon Tyne and the North East

Finding Santa Claus in his Grotto and around York and Yorkshire:

Yorkshire Museum of Farming with The Derwent Valley Light Railway

A traditional Christmas experience with a guided tour around Santa’s Village, with a visit to his house.
Meet the Elves in their workshop and take a train ride to meet Santa and receive an early Christmas present, before enjoying a mince pie and sherry in front of a roaring fire.

Open from 10.00am – Last Admission 3.00pm

Saturday 5th December – Sunday 6th December 2009
Saturday 12th December – Sunday 13th December 2009
Saturday 19th December – Tuesday 22nd December 2009

Yorkshire Museum of Farming
Murton Park
Murton Lane
Murton
York
YO19 5UF
Tel: 01904 489966

Yorkshire Air Museum: Santa’s Plane

Booking is essential to see Santa aboard his magical Airliner Grotto!

Saturday 12th December - Sunday 13th December 2009
Saturday 19th December – Wednesday 23rd December 2009

Yorkshire Air Museum
Halifax Way
Elvington
York
YO41 4AU
Tel: 01904 608719

North Yorkshire Moors Railway: Santa Specials

Santa Specials will run from Pickering Station and from Grosmont Station in December, you will visit Sanat in his Grotto, receive an early Christmas present, with refreshments and a mince pie.

Saturday 5th December - Sunday 6th December 2009
Saturday 12th December - Sunday 13th December 2009
Saturday 12th December – Tuesday 22nd December 2009

Tel: Bookings 01751 472508

Pickering Station
Park Street
Pickering
North Yorkshire
YO18 7AJ

Grosmont Station
Grosmont
North Yorkshire
YO22 5QE

Saturday 28th November – Sunday 29th November 2009
From 11.00am – 4.00pm

Clifford’s Tower
Tower Street
York
YO1

YorkBoat: Santa Cruises

Every child on board the YorkBoat Cruise will receive a personalised gift from Father Christmas, along with refreshments and fun onboard.

Cruise lasts about 1 hour, times of sailing are dependant upon the date booked.

Tel: Booking is essential 01904 628324

Event details
Dates and Times Dates Times
Thursday 3rd December 2009
Saturday 5th December – Sunday 6th December 2009
Thursday 10th December 2009
Saturday 12th December – Sunday 13th December 2009
Thursday 17th December 2009
Saturday 19th December - Sunday 20th December 2009
Tuesday 22nd December 2009

York River Boat Cruises t/a YorkBoat
The Boatyard
Lendal Bridge
York
YO1 7DP

Stockeld Park: The Christmas Adventure

After a 4000 mile long journey from the North Pole, Santa will complete the last mile on skis and will emerge from the Enchanted Wood to greet excited children and parents waiting to welcome him.

After saying a few hellos and ho-ho-ho’s, and dishing out free chocolate treats he will make himself at home in his favourite grotto where he will be in residence until Christmas Eve. 

Santa has presents suitable for all ages, including under 3′s.

Saturday 14th November – Thursday 24th December 2009
Weekdays to Thursday 18th December 3.00pm – 7.00pm
Weekends 12.00pm – 7.00pm
Weekdays from 19th December – 23rd December 12noon – 7.00pm
On Christmas Eve Santa will be in his Grotto between 12noon until 6.00pm York.

The Christmas Adventure
Stockeld Park
Wetherby
Yorkshire LS22 4AN
Tel: 01937 586333

Santa’s Underground Grotto at National Coal Mining Museum

Visit Santa in his unique underground grotto this Christmas season - 140 metres underground, Santa and his elves will be entertaining children of all ages.
 
Open from 10.00am – 5.00pm seven days a week.

Saturday 21st November – Sunday 22nd November 2009
Saturday 28th November – Sunday 29th November 2009
Saturday 5th December - Sunday 6th December 2009
Friday 11th December – Sunday 13th December 2009
Friday 18th December - Wednesday 23rd December 2009
   
National Coal Mining Museum
Caphouse Colliery
New Road
Overton
Wakefield
WF4 4RH
Tel: 01924 848806

Travel Through Narnia to Meet Father Christmas

Narnia: ‘Always Spring, forever Christmas’

Make an enchanted journey through the Wardrobe in the ‘Spare oom’ into the magical world of Narnia. Touch the lampost and meet Mr Tumness, Lucy, the Beavers and of course Aslan. Feel the cold of winter, under the icy grip of the White Witch, turn into the warmth and bursting into life of spring as you arrive for a special audience with Father Christmas in him own home.

Opening times are from 10.00am – 4.00pm

Sunday 6th December 2009
Saturday 12th December – Sunday 13th December 2009
Saturday 19th December - Wednesday 23rd December 2009

The Rock-Plex Centre
12 Priory Street
York
YO1 6EX
Tel: 01904 659475

Haxby Village Christmas Tree Festival with Santa’s Grotto

 
Aa weekend of Christmas music, festivities, fun and food! See Santa and his helpers arrive in style at 1.00pm both days. The Grotto will be open from 1.00pm – 3.30pm.
 
The Festival is open from 10.00am – 3.30pm

Saturday 5th December – Sunday 6th December 2009
 
Haxby Memorial Hall
The Village
Haxby
York
North Yorkshire
Tel:  01904 765780

Grassington Dickensian Festival with Santa’s Grotto

Victorian family fun day out featuring street entertainment, bands, choirs, traditional Christmas market, Santa’s grotto, torchlit procession, Punch and Judy show and lots more.

Festival open from 10.00am – 5.00pm

Saturday 5th December 2009
Saturday 12th December 2009
Saturday 19th December 2009

Grassington Square & Main Street
Grassington
Skipton
North Yorkshire
BD23 5AT

External Links:
Yorkshire Museum of Farming, Murton Park
The Derwent Valley Light Railway
Yorkshire Air Museum in December 2009
North Yorkshire Moors Railway
Victorian Christmas: Clifford’s Tower
YorkBoat Website
Christmas Adventure at Stockeld Park
National Coal Mining Museum
Narnia at Rock Church
Haxby Memorial Hall
Grassington Dickensian Festival

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You may also be interested in:

Entertainment in York and North Yorkshire

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Entertainment in Chester and Cheshire

Entertainment in Newcastle upon Tyne and the North East

Scarborough Dance Festival 2009

Has Strictly left you with a desire to dance?

Perhaps you are a seasoned professional?

Either way, the Scarborough Dance Festival has something for you!

Dancing is a great way to get active and to meet people: The Scarborough Festival has 12 years experience in putting on first-class entertainment and tuition for aspiring and seasoned dancers, and is a great way to spend a day out, weekend, or a whole week hot-footing! 

Each Day follows a pattern with both beginners’ and improvers’ workshops in the Ocean Ballroom and Grand Hall of the Scarborough Spa Complex. These classes are then followed by a Dance and Cabaret Night in the Ocean Ballroom.This is a modern and latin dance night where you can practice the moves you have learned during the day. You will also learn more from the nightly demonstrations from the Young Dance Stars in Cabaret.

On Saturday night the 14th November, the highlight of the week is The Gala Dance Night.
Featuring Ross Mitchell and his Band for you to dance to and the Scarborough Open Waltz Competition.
This is bound to be the most popular event so booking is highly recommended.

Sunday 15th November is when there will be a competition for every age and discipline:
This is a chance for you to either compete on the strength of the week’s learning, or to let the professionals show you how it’s done in one of the Exhibition Dances.

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The event is being hosted by the Scarborough Spa Complex in Scarborough’s South Bay – the complex provides an ideal location for both dancing and socializing.

Scarborough Spa Complex
South Bay
Scarborough
YO11 2HD
Tel: 01723 376 774 Tickets:

It is very easy to take part in the festival.
Individual events cost between £4 and £7, a Day Pass £8 – £13.
This year there is also the option to buy a full week pass for £49, it is totally flexible so that you can do as much or as little as you want!

For Further Information, visit the Spa, Scarborough website.

 

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York Ghost Festival: ‘Orribly Original

A host of ghostly goings on are manifesting in York over Halloween from Saturday 24th October to Sunday 1st November, when the sixth York Ghost Festival takes place in a spirited celebration of the paranormal.  

Since 2004, the York-based Paranormal and Spectral Investigations (PSI) group in conjunction with Haunted has been organising a feast of supernatural activities in England’s most haunted city, and this year there will be eerie events galore with Haunted Treasure Hunts taking place every night throughout the festival from 7pm until 10pm.

Spooky characters will be around to recount free ghost stories, presided over by celebrity astrologer Jonathan Cainer, with history tours, plenty of thrills and chills and audience participation broadcast live by Minster FM. Ghost vigils will be held at venues throughout York with live feeds to a giant screen from haunted locations including the Golden Fleece Pub in Pavement and the Treasurer’s House in Minster Yard.

At Haunted itself there’ll be ghost tours taking place until 10pm every night. Over the years, the house has been the scene of ghoulish materialisations when visitors have reported feeling the icy touch of invisible fingers or heard spine-chilling screeches emanating from the attic. Recently, the professional phantom hunter, Derek Acorah had a very spooky experience at the house on TV’s Most Haunted programme when he was held in a ghostly stranglehold whilst the entire film crew bolted the premises screaming.

On the night of Halloween on 31st October in a grand climax to the festival, you can become part of an attempt to stage the World’s Biggest Ghost vigil. Everyone is invited to assemble beneath The Eye of York at the foot of Clifford’s Tower to listen out for signs of paranormal activity and devilish disturbances.

Mr Cainer is hoping that some ghoulish participants will make an appearance to swell the numbers: “It will be a celebration of Samhain – the ancient pagan festival of the ancestors,” he told The Press, “and we’ll be inviting the ghosts and spirits of York to join us.
“The Eye of York is famously nasty. They did hangings there and it’s also a place where witches were persecuted.”

Last year, although the attempt to stage the World’s Biggest Ghost Vigil at York didn’t break the record, a staggering total of 700 people looked and listened for signs of spectral activity at Haunted on Stonegate and across various locations. This year it’s hoped to smash all previous records by signing up a total of more than 900 people. Once the vigil ends, there’ll be an overnight investigation at Haunted by brave and intrepid members of PSI.

The York Ghost Festival has become so successful that several other cities including Edinburgh, London and Stratford-upon-Avon have followed suit and organised their own Ghost Festivals based on the same ideas.

The concept was first spawned back in 2004 when, after a lifetime interest in ghost stories and several years of attending paranormal investigations, founder Rachel Lacy decided it was time to set up her own group in her hometown of York.  PSI –Chicks was formed with the name reflecting the predominantly female membership of the group.

Since that time, PSI, under the leadership of Ghost Master General Rachel has carried out many investigations at a host of spooky venues including York Brewery, Lendal Water Tower and St Nicholas’ Fields.

With regular ghost detectives headed by the celebrity medium Diana Jarvis, the entourage have encountered more than their fair share of spectres; at haunted locations like the York Brewery and the York Castle Museum, that have included a tall, thin shadowy figure who left an overwhelming sense of evil, a phantom dressed in 1940’s attire and mysterious lines that materialised in flour traps at the brewery during the night.

Previous ghost vigils have unearthed some strange goings on too including THAT photograph taken at The Ebor Inn in Bishopthorpe that revealed hidden properties when displayed on computer. Who was the mysterious, bespectacled lady reflected in a mirror on the wall of the pub, who was not present at the investigation? What were the strange orbs that appeared to follow the landlord around the premises?

You might think that these experiences would be enough to send the PSI into quiet retirement but this year, undaunted, members intend to kick off the festival on October 24th with a one person/one room investigation.

“Despite doing investigations now for nearly ten years, it’s still scary contemplating spending a night alone in a haunted location!” says the intrepid general Rachel Lacy, “I last did it in 2003 when I spent Hallowe’en in the roman bathhouse in York alone, so I know I can do it, but the venues have a very different feel to them and last time it wasn’t on camera.”

You can watch Rachel and other group members’ vigils via the Haunted website www.hauntedhouseyork.co.uk where events will be streamed live throughout the night.  If you intend to host a ghost vigil yourself and would like it to be broadcast live on the public screen, contact Lucy on 07855 444069.

For anyone wanting to spend a few days ghost hunting, good value overnight accommodation is available throughout the festival at York University where B&B for a single room costs from £35 and a twin room £46 – it is, as far as we know, not haunted.

These treasure hunts are in the form of an East Walk from Haunted – a genuine haunted house, over 700 years old, located at 35, Stonegate – and a West Walk (a shorter option) from Micklegate Bar. The trails take intrepid participants on an enthralling hunt around the city, picking up pieces of information and clues along the way. At the end you can enter your answers in a prize draw for a chance to win a special Hallowe’en prize.

The attempt to break the record will be followed by séances and investigations at Haunted. The official vigil takes place at 9.30pm but the event will run from 7.30pm to 10pm. Entry is free but donations will go to the Inspiration Foundation’s Stables Project which helps young people who have difficulty fitting into mainstream education to achieve their potential.

Whether they will still be there in the morning or not, only remains to be seen.

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External Links:
York Ghost Festival 2009
Haunted: York’s Most Haunted House
PSI-Chicks

Directory of Chester    Directory of Liverpool    Directory of York    

Directory of Leeds   Directory of Newcastle upon Tyne

I look forward to receiving all your events and entertainment promotions. Bye for now!

Raffle Prizes:
The prizes are amazing:

- £90 Health & fitness experience at Bannatynes, York. Health check using the latest fitech lifestyle technology, personal training session, use of the gym, a fitness class of your choice, use of pool, sauna, steam room, hydrotherapy pool and jacuzzi.

- £75 Voucher from Gemma Leak Photography for your own shoot!

- Bottle of Monnet Cognac (kindly donated by James Walker of York St John’s)

- Pink hair pin ($18) and a chocolate & pink ($30) brooch from Couture Fashion Designer Piper Ewan

- For the winning bride to be a pink Garter ($40) from Couture Fashion Designer, Piper Ewan
 
- Sublime bra (£35) Sublime shorts (£18) from Bravado & free fitting
 
- One years FREE membership of the fabulous Confident Ladies group based in York

 
More prizes are being added, keep up to date here: 

Elizabeth Wells Pink Raffle – 29th October 2009 – on Facebook
  
Any questions please do not hesitate to contact us! Please circulate this to all your friends – Let’s raise lots of awareness & money for Breast Cancer Aware!!!
 

Paint the Town Pink, York, North Yorkshire, UK

Pink Up Your Bra with Elizabeth Wells

Paint the Town Pink, Chester, Cheshire, UK