Friends of Friarwood Valley Gardens celebrate Yorkshire day with family fun event

Residents got to enjoy a traditional Punch and Judy puppet show, as well as donkey rides, a bouncy castle, ferret racing, swing boats, organised by the volunteers at Friends of Friarwood Valley Gardens.

Committee member, Delia Perrett, said: “It is a tradition to celebrate Yorkshire Day here in Pontefract with a family fun day in our Valley Gardens organised by the Friends of Friarwood Valley Gardens.

"We had lots of stalls for different charities to raise money as well as keeping traditions with Punch and Judy donkey rides and this year, children’s swing boats.

“For the more energetic ones, there was a bouncy castle and huge slide, and musical entertainment was by Barnsdale Hood.

"There are lots of areas for picnics, sitting and just enjoying the day with refreshments or an ice cream at the gardens. It was a lovely friendly family day.”

Yorkshire Day was first established as the regimental anniversary of the Battle of Minden on August 1 and the wearing of roses in the headdress on that day. With regards to the Light Infantry, successors to the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, a white rose.

The date is also the anniversary of the emancipation of slaves in the British Empire in 1834, for which a Yorkshire MP, William Wilberforce, campaigned for.

The day was founded in 1975 and over the years it has been an excuse for its people to celebrate their culture, lifestyle and traditions including Morris dancing, Yorkshire Pudding and spoon races and indulge in Yorkshire recipes.