It is 8 years since Middlestown Youth Club was first started by Harry Hayes in St Lukes Church Hall, Overton and since that time with the help of Janet Anderton and Andrew Ingham the club has provided a safe relaxed environment every Wednesday evening for about 30 youngsters.

Harry explained, “ Before we started there was very little in the Middlestown and Overton villages for the 12 to 14 years olds, I got together with one or two others in the church and we decided to do something about it – not thinking that we would still be doing it and still enjoying 8 years on. The church has been very good and allowed us to use the church hall but this is community youth club open to all boys and girls in the age bracket.” Harry is a qualified youth worker and says that the club could not be sustained without the help of  Janet, Andrew and the support of the community as a whole.

The youth club was visited last week by Rotarian Ian Sampson on behalf of the Rotary Club of Horbury and Ossett Phoenix to make final adjustments and hand over a new pool table donated by the Rotary Club. Ian and fellow Rotarian Bob Trout had become aware that the youth club was having some difficulty replacing its old pool table which had finally fallen apart after 8 years of regular use and decided to do something about it. Funds from the Rotary Club Charity Account were approved and they set about finding and delivering a top notch pool table to the club.

“Supporting people who are doing good things in our communities is one of the reasons why I joined Rotary and what the organisation is about. You cannot put a value on the excellent work carried out by people like Harry and his colleagues at Middlestown and it is great to see young people letting off steam and enjoying themselves in a relaxed and safe environment”

Middlestown Youth Club meets every Wednesday evening (including through the school holidays) from 6.30 to 8.30pm at St Lukes Church Hall, Old Road, Overton,  and provides a wide variety of activities in addition to snooker/pool.

Jamie Dawson and Kyle Ackroyd try out the new pool table with (left to right) Andrew Ingham, Ian Sampson, Harry Hayes and Janet Anderton looking on.

The Rotary Club of Horbury and Ossett Phoenix held a dinner on Thursday 28 February at Heath Cottage Hotel, Dewsbury, to recognise and honour 5 local people and for their contributions to the wider community.

Club President Robert Cockroft presented each recipient with a framed certificate and a piece of cut glass as tokens of the recognition, he said “We have had a wonderful relaxed evening entertaining the awardees. Each has made their contribution to our community in different ways but all of them have enriched other peoples lives with their own selflessness and commitment. Our community would be much worse off without them and similarly minded people.”

The good citizens are:

Mrs Gwen Poole for many years of tireless help to the elderly and visiting the sick in Horbury even after recovering from her own injury and illness.
Mr Graham Firth, of Ossett and is Chairman of Ossett Town AFC, he was nominated for his unpaid services to both senior and junior football in Ossett. In particularly for the development of junior football at Ossett town AFC the ground and providing the opportunity for hundreds of boys and girls to play the game.
Mr John Eley of Horbury Road, Lupset, has been raising money for charity for the past 15 years and in that time has raised about £20,000 by enjoying his hobby of growing things, in particular perennials and bedding plants and then selling them as they are or making them up into hanging baskets and mangers etc (300 last season). The money has been donated to a range of good causes including local schools, his church, scout group and charities such as the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, the RNLI and Water Aid.
Mr Tom Greatorex of Horbury, has for the past 30yrs been a stalwart of Horbury Victoria Brass Band. He dedicates his free time to teaching and conducting the Learner, Intermediate and Youth bands at Horbury. He also still helps out with the senior band from time to time when they are short of a player or conductor. There are many top quality brass band instrumentalists who started their career under the careful guidance of Tom. Christmas time would not be complete without the sight of Tom leading members of the band playing Christmas songs and carols around the pubs and clubs of Horbury and raising some much needed funds to ensure the continuance of the band.
Mr Daniel Blakeley of Horbury, for his inspiration to the young people of our community. Former Horbury School pupil, Daniel Blakeley, a courageous student suffering from the debilitating condition MS hauled himself through an exhausting 14-day sponsored Himalayan trek to raise thousands of pounds for the MS Society. He was one of only three to complete the 140-mile slog through the Himalayan foothills close to Everest base camp.

(Left to right: Tom Greatorex, John Eley, Gwen Poole, Daniel Blakeley, Pre. Bob Cockroft, Graham Firth)

Sportsmans Dinner Raises £3500 for local good causes.

The Sporting Dinner held at Cedar Court Hotel on Friday in aid of Wakefield Hospice and Kingsland Primary School raised £3500 which they will share. The Dinner was organised by the Rotary Club of Horbury and Ossett Phoenix and was attended by 200 guests who listened to England RFU Development Adviser and former International Referee Brian Campsall, describe some of his experiences of both the domestic and International Rugby scene.
Brian was the first ever Television Match Official and has been involved in a few controversial decisions himself in that capacity, however he was resolute in his support for Australian TMO who disallowed an England try in the World Cup Final against South Africa – a view which not every one agreed on.
Brian also identified that technology had served a great purpose in ridding rugby of the thuggery which was prevalent in earlier decades.
Star of the night without doubt was comedian and MC for the evening Venn Tracey who had everyone laughing from the outset and was quick to exploit and lulls in the entertainment with his sharp one liners. His 30 minutes of stand-up towards the end of the evening showed why he is at the top of the after dinner comics tickling the funny bones of ladies and gentlemen alike, and his depiction of a group of three drunks has to be seen to be believed.
Raffles and Auctions with prizes and items donated from many local sources helped get the total amount raised to the £3500 after expenses have been deducted.