On 10 March, Bishop Burton College will be welcoming families to enjoy a Mother’s Day celebration with a difference at Lambing Sunday.

The popular event, which attracted 3,000 visitors last year, will take place at the College between 11am and 3pm. Visitors will have the chance to see newborn lambs and their mothers up close, as well as the possibility of witnessing live lambings.

The College’s Curriculum and Learning Manager for Agriculture, Sharron Carlill, is in charge of organising the event.

If you like your romance novels to have a little injection of the supernatural, the latest in Lisa Kleypas’s sexy, sparkling Friday Harbour books is sure to work some special magic.

The American author’s popular series has won thousands of readers with its charming, contemporary stories featuring a picturesque town where the friendly residents know everything about everyone and always look out for each other.

It’s like meeting a group of exciting new friends and here she puts a provocative, paranormal spin on Friday Harbour’s everyday life with the tale of a young woman who is struggling to break a spell cast on her by her ‘white witch’ mother.

After a nomadic childhood with her restless mother Marigold, Justine Hoffman has made a safe and comfortable life for herself on the island of Friday Harbour but there is still something missing from her life.

She has caring friends and owns Artist’s Point, a thriving bed and breakfast business, but love – that emotion which is both ‘extraordinary, and yet entirely normal’ – still eludes her.

It’s all because her disillusioned mother, a hereditary witch, cast a spell on her, making it almost impossible for Justine to ever find her soul mate.

But now, after years of wishing on stars, throwing coins into fountains and blowing dandelion seeds on their feathered parachutes, she is willing to do whatever it takes to change her destiny.

Justine, raised in the pagan tradition, knows that she too has magical powers in her DNA so she casts a spell over herself to break her mother’s jinx.

But she could never have dreamt of the dangerous complications that follow. The elusive and mysterious Jason Black, a successful video game developer who scrupulously avoids the public spotlight, arrives at her B&B and when Justine meets Jason for the first time, the atmosphere is electric.

Jason unleashes a storm of desire and danger that threatens everything Justine holds dear because this handsome, soulless man has secrets of his own ... and he wants more from her than fate will ever allow.

Kleypas is a gifted storyteller, and in Crystal Cove she brings us a hint of the supernatural to add sparks and sparkle to a beguiling love story which packs in some complex relationships and passion-fuelled surprises.

Love with a deliciously dark twist...

(Piatkus, paperback, £7.99)

In 1937, two years before war broke out in Europe, hundreds of thousands of Chinese people died in one of the worst atrocities in their history.

The ‘Nanking Massacre’ has become synonymous with rampant brutality ... it is claimed Japanese soldiers ran amok in the ancient Chinese city, killing and raping, shoring up the roads with corpses and setting buildings alight.

This six-week reign of terror followed the Japanese capture of the city during the Second Sino-Japanese War. Historians and witnesses have estimated that up to 300,000 people were killed.

Geling Yan’s masterful novel, The Flowers of War, first published seven years ago and brought to the big screen in 2011 by Zhang Yimou and starring Christian Bale, transports us back to the horrors of Nanking in a relatively short but poignant and subtle translation from the Chinese by Nicky Harman.

Using spare, beautifully understated prose, a rich cast of diverse characters and a plotline that crackles with simmering tensions, Geling Yan’s story has the power to shock, to inspire and to speak loudly about the triumph of humanity in human life’s darkest moments.

The action centres on a group of 16 terrified Chinese girls who are forced to hide in the compound of an American mission church next to their school after being unable to return to their homes and orphanages.

Among them is 13-year-old Shujuan and through her eyes we witness a series of devastating events unfolding. Run by Father Engelmann, an ageing and austere American priest and his young deacon Fabio Adornato, the church is supposedly neutral ground in the war between China and Japan.

But it becomes clear that the Japanese are not obeying international rules of engagement and as they pour through the streets of Nanking, raping and pillaging the civilian population, the girls are placed in increasing danger.

And their safety is further compromised when a ‘gaudy tidal wave’ of worldly, wisecracking prostitutes from the nearby brothel climbs over the wall into the compound seeking refuge and ‘a good death.’

And more unwelcome guests soon arrive... three Chinese soldiers, two of them wounded, who have escaped a skirmish with the Japanese and whose presence puts the neutrality of the compound at risk.

With food and water in short supply, tensions at boiling point between the disparate groups and the Japanese invaders edging ever closer, compassion, resolve and shared understanding are the only weapons left...

The Flowers of War, so effective in its blunt reality and so moving in its sensitive depiction of the loss of innocence, is a lesson in how war upsets prejudice and how love and immense bravery can flourish amidst death.

A vivid and compelling novel that speaks to us all...

(Vintage, paperback, £7.99)

Pat Brooker was never cut out to be a pub landlady – a woman who is quiet, shy, naive, prefers family to strangers and doesn’t drink shouldn’t go anywhere near the ‘other’ side of the bar.

So how did Pat, better known as Nanny Pat and one of the much-loved stars of the popular ITV reality series The Only Way is Essex, find herself queen of the Rising Sun in the tough East End of 1960s London?

All is revealed in the second down-to-earth instalment of the Cockney nan’s eventful journey from a cash-strapped childhood in Bow to matriarch of the Wright clan and shining star of the fly-on-the-wall TV series known affectionately to viewers as TOWIE.

Pat became the darling of the show when she called round at the flat of her grandson Mark with his weekly ‘food drops,’ including her now famous sausage plaits, a family recipe which is included in her new book as a special bonus for readers.

Pat, who has five children, fourteen grandchildren and six great-grandchildren, began her life story in her first book, Penny Sweets and Cobbled Streets, and now she transports us back to the Swinging Sixties when, together with husband Charlie and their five young children aged between four and eleven, they took over the Rising Sun in Bromley-by-Bow.

They had no experience of the pub trade but Charlie, a jack of all trades, could turn his hand to anything and owning a pub was one of long-cherished dreams. So, on a wing and a prayer, the family upped sticks from Canning Town and began a new adventure.

In between working shifts at Tate & Lyle’s sugar factory, Pat got to grips with dispensing their staple drinks – beers and spirits (no wine or cocktails at the Rising Sun!) – stocking up on extras like cigarettes, crisps and arrowroot biscuits (an East End favourite) and using a till that didn’t ‘do maths.’

As Pat became accustomed to the daily running of the pub downstairs and caring for her children who slept 30 steep steps away on the top floor, she also learned to cope with troubled and troublesome customers, and even the occasional visit from the Krays’ henchmen seeking a bit of protection money.

Her only real ‘free’ time was a weekly visit to the hairdressers where she had her famously red hair wound and pinned into a fashionable ‘beehive’ making her a distinctive figure in the Bow area.

In this charming and revealing memoir, Pat vividly evokes the East End community she served in the 1960s, the extraordinary characters she encountered along the way and the changes that swept through 1960s and 70s society.

She also reveals why she and Charlie eventually moved to Essex, and just what it felt like to become a star of The Only Way is Essex in her seventies.

A widow since 2007, Pat has been supported by her large, close-knit family and with their encouragement and the arrival of TOWIE, she hasn’t just got on with life... ‘I have really lived it!’

(Pan, paperback, £7.99)

A funeral service was held at the Parish Church, Nafferton on Saturday, 16th February for Mrs Enid Louisa Rodger of Howe Lane, Nafferton who died peacefully at home on 7th February. She was 74.

The service was conducted by the Rev Brian Lees and the organist was Mr Steven Westaway.

Enid was born on 2nd January, 1939 and lived with parents Roland and Doris Massey, along with brother Grahame in Priestgate in Nafferton. She had a very happy childhood, spending many hours with her friend Nina who lived next door and Di and Margo and associated dogs, cats, rabbits and ducks.

After leaving school she worked for The Scottish Knitwear Company in Driffield for 15 years.

Peter and Enid married on 30th September, 1961 at Nafferton Church and went on to have two sons Jonathan and Anthony, living in Howe lane for nearly 50 years. They celebrated their Golden Wedding in 2011.

Enid loved dancing and for many years went with her friend Christine ballroom and sequence dancing, for the last 16 years Peter joined them Line Dancing in Beverley, meeting up with Beryl and friends every Tuesday. They also went to many Country Music Festivals in different parts of the country, attending socials in Driffield, Scarborough, Hessle, Malton and Hornsea which they enjoyed very much and made many friends.

Peter and Enid loved dogs and kept Cavalier King Charles Spaniels for 30 years with the names Danny and Robbie repeated several times. Jonathan and Grahame showed their dogs at country shows and game fairs and Enid loved to be there to see them compete.

She loved holidays and had many enjoyable times in The Lakes, Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Norfolk, travelling in their camper van. They travelled to Switzerland on six different occasions which was certainly a highlight with lovely views and great memories.

Enid was a loving wife and mother, much loved by all her family and friends and was courageous and brave until the end. She will be greatly missed.

Chief mourners: Peter Rodger (husband), Jonathan Rodger, Anthony Rodger (sons), Grahame Massey (brother), Lynn Atkin & John Lawton (sister in law & partner), Alistair Massey & Pip Betts (nephew & partner), Daniel Massey, Alec Massey (great nephews), Katherine Ayre (cousin), Anne Trimmer (cousin).

Others present: Mike & Irene Anderson, Mervyn & Elma Frost rep Mr & Mrs R Horsley, Eileen Schofield rep Kath Tate, Marjorie Woodmansey, Anne Mawer, Margaret Wardell, Carol Moore, Keith & Margaret Preston, Shirley Crosswaite, Eric Hatfield, Mary Seager, Mrs D Coleman, Mr D Plowman, Trevor Calvard, Mary Taylor rep the Hall family, Win Cooper rep Geoff & Helen, Joan Gurney, Ivan & Bron Marshall, Audrey Rogerson, Maureen Dales rep Becky Dales,Ruth Murray, Kevin Murray, Hazel Hornsey rep Shirley Barron & Mr & Mrs A Greenlaw, Audrey Raines, June Binnington, Val Clixby, Margaret & Geoff Gleadow, Shirley & Ralph Saynor, Hilary & Bill Lyons, Audrey Rent, Norman Parkin, Rose Angell, Sandra Williamson, Gillian & David Johnson rep Richard Johnson, Mr L T Hughes, Bunty Appleby, Betty Jakin rep Line Dancing, Ted Marriner, Rose Newlove, Mavis Bulmer, Elizabeth Ward, Anne Greaves, Caroline Lees, Sandra & Edward Jackson, George Walker, Geoff & Joan Appleby rep Les Cockerill, Diana Gardner, Karen Whatling, Pauline Ward, Mr & Mrs John Pickering rep Peter & Margaret Rounding, Chris Sharp, Ray Richardson rep the family, Peter Buxton, George & Jane Dixon rep Bernard Crozier, Peter Hammond rep Mrs R Hammond, Dave & May Woollas, Joan & Peter Firth, Steve & Mildred Watson, Georgina Robson, Angela Prescott (choir), Pat Pottage, Margaret Edmond rep Barbara Pickering, Audrey Hudson, Kath Sharman rep Audrey Pickering, David Milner rep Don Colley, Alan & Lorraine Claxton rep Maurice & Lynn Hardy, Ian & Catherine Kitching rep Audrey Jackson, Edna Turner, Nigel Turner, Mary Slater, Keith Rounding, Philip Walker, John Ellis rep Brenda & Phil Davison, Pam Towse rep Ian & Pat Hubbard, Ray & Christine Seward rep Gary, Jen & Julie, Marilyn Kitching rep Peter, Martin Kitching, Sarah Fleming,Anne Pudsey, Margaret Johnson, Mr & Mrs C Rodger rep the family, Karl Barron, Simon Barron, Philip Barron, Joan Merritt, Mr & Mrs Geoff Found, Wendy Jameson, Sue & Brian Mellonby rep Derek Atkin, Daphne Shaw, Colin Buckton, Dorothy Edmond, Janet Dunn, Doreen & Terry Parkes,Margaret & Clive Bowes, John Vince (choir), Dave Shaw, Maureen Heckman, Peter Johnson, John & Beryl Burnett, Janice Walker (choir), Kate Snowden (choir), Barbara Dixon, Peter Coupland, Mike & Mavis Hodgson, Alwyn Baron rep the family, Richard Flack rep Felly, Katie Taylor, Steve Brown, John & Jill Seaton, Terry Burton, Mr & Mrs D Edgerton, Alan Child rep Mrs Liz Smith, Gail Smith rep Mrs P Horner, Mr Terry Horner & Mr Andrew Horner, Adrian Cooper, Sam Jackson & Susan Davison, Stephen Byass (choir), Stuart Brown (choir).

A funeral service was held at The Parish Church, Driffield on Monday, 11th February for Mrs Ethel Macalister Stather who died peacefully on February 3 at The Whitehouse, Driffield (formerly of Manorfield Road). She was 104.

The service was conducted by the Rev Robert Amos and the organist was Mr Peter Maw.

Ethel was born in Port Glasgow, Scotland on 17th January, 1909. She had three brothers and two sisters. Her father was the manager of the then thriving ship yard. She had a full and happy childhood and attended school at Greenock Academy. On leaving school at the age of seventeen she came down to Driffield to help her uncle who owned the Keys Hotel. It was there that she met Austin, her future husband, and she soon got involved with the family, socialising, playing tennis and holidays.

Austin and Ethel were married in Port Glasgow in March, 1932, and then they settled into their home in Manorfield Road, where Ethel lived until December last year.

Austin had the motor engineers business Southall and Stather, and Ethel helped out in the shop two days a week.

They had two daughters Sheila and Pat, and during the war they also had two evacuees Audrey and Helen from Hull. Helen has kept in touch regularly and sent a bouquet of flowers on her birthday in January. Ethel helped out with the war effort, raising funds and knitting socks and hats for the soldiers. She had letters from Winston Churchill and the Duke of Gloucester thanking her for all the money she raised. She was involved with the WRVS, doing meals on wheels and the trolley shop at The Limes. She was interested at an early age with Guiding, helping where she could and being a tester for badges.

Austin died in 1974, and Ethel continued to enjoy her garden and loved being with the grandchildren and later great grandchildren and great great grandchildren. She had a full social life and belonged to the Townswomen’s Guild and played bridge with her friends.

Laterly, Ethel needed help in the house, and she had a team of very kind and helpful carers which enabled her to stay at Manorfield Road. Without them it would have been very difficult and thanks go to them for the special way they cared for her and also the dedicated district nurses, nothing was too much trouble for them Her last few weeks were spent at The White House where she was looked after very well. She spent her 104th birthday there.

Mum, granny, great gran, great great gran, auntie and friend – a very special lady.

Family Mourners: Sheila & Wally Simpkin (daughter & son in law), Pat Blades (daughter), Karen & Alan McGill (granddaughter & husband), David & Heather Blades (grandson & wife), Alan & Deb Simpkin (grandson & wife), Michael & Carol Simpkin (grandson & wife), Julie Butler (granddaughter), great grandchildren Gary, Mark, Steven, Ryan, Michael McGill, Danny & Leoni, Jordan, Sheridan, Blaise Simpkin, Michelle Poole rep Iain, Christian & Lynn, Alex, Emily, Lily Simpkin, Jack Butler, Emily & Grace Paterson, great great grandchildren Sophia, Roman, William, Freya, Callum, Ella (represented by their parents)

Others present: Gordon & Margaret Shiach (nephew & wife), Margaret Stather (niece), Joan Tice (niece),Val Griffin (niece), Jill Ellis (niece), Eileen Maw (niece), Ann & Trevor Redhead (niece & husband), Ronald & Christine Wilson (nephew & wife), Allan & Kiran & Natalyia Wilson, Margaret & Gerry Ash, Annabel Lock, Mr Barry Stabler, Jenny Sanderson, Joan & Tony Straker, Rita & Alan Marson, Lynn Hodgson (carer), Nicola Brough rep Karen Brough, Les Pinkney, Cath Sanders rep Karl, Tim & Rachel, Sylvia Jackson rep Doreen-Hopper Jackson, Mr & Mrs Rod Dukes & Mrs Marjorie Spencer, Wendy Hall, Phil Curson rep Jenny & William, Hazel Senior rep Mrs Olga Ewbank, Joan Naylor rep Trefoil Guild, Joan Heslington rep Peter, Gwynneth Southall, Hilary Walker, Maureen Moore rep Rev Hilary Boon, Dee Horner, Shirley Clark,June Wilson rep Trefoil Guild, Mrs Pam Beachell & Mrs Madge Limburn, Sue Barnett rep Audrey Ringrose & Trefoil Guild, Mavis Hunsley rep Ken & Family, Dallas Lacy rep Mr M Lacy & Mrs M Kent, Chris Megginson, Ann Bennett rep Beryl Ringrose, John & May Clark, Janet Proudlock rep the family, Gill Cooper, Paul & Jo Stabler rep Sara & Darren Nicholson, Dave & Sheila Lawson, Audrey Hudson rep the family, Diana Thompson,Richard Megginson rep Elizabeth, Tom & Marjorie Langdale, Susan Hamminga, Rita & George Riggs, Mrs Faith Barron rep Judy Douglas, Angela & Charles Wiles, Margaret Dodds rep Ivan, Robert & Susan Blades, Gillian Patrick rep Eric & Sue Blades, Susan Lane (ex carer), Mr & Mrs F Dean rep Mr Reg Ramsey, Edwin Hill, Mike Kennie rep Mrs Kennie, Mr & Mrs A Padgett, Sandra Hood rep Jayne, Ann Knaggs rep Friends of Guiding, Mr & Mrs D Chaplin rep L/ C Samuel Chaplin (great grandson), Andy Stabler rep Richard, Simon & Vicky, Ross & Liz Weekes, Barbara Wilson rep Jessie & Jim Morris, Judy Wilson,Keith & Mary Harrison rep Charlotte Towse, Carol & Barry Skelton, Mary Fothergill, Susan Skelton, Sheila Sanderson, Phil Jones, Graham Turner rep Tracy Worsley.Angus Maxwell.

The festive season may be over, but it’s still not too late to think of a New Year resolution. For anyone still thinking of what theirs might be, they might like to consider getting involved with a community project that will help brighten up an East Riding town.

Beverley in Bloom is seeking volunteers who want to put something back into the community – and that doesn’t just mean planting bulbs and flower!

As the voluntary group make plans for the coming months, it has plans to revamp its corporate image, work on some innovative new projects and aim towards achieving gold in the next Yorkshire in Bloom competition.

Jim Whitfield, the group’s chairman, explained: “Beverley in Bloom has been working hard to brighten up the town with floral displays for fifteen years or more. We work with local businesses, community groups and residents to achieve this and were thrilled to be awarded silver gilt at this year’s Yorkshire in Bloom awards, which has inspired us to go for gold. To accomplish this there are a wide range of tasks we need to complete, ranging from planting more displays and looking at local conservation, to environmental work and community engagement.”

To help with this endeavour, the group has restructured itself, going from one large committee doing little bits of everything, to a smaller, focused management committee, with a range of subgroups working on specific areas.

Beverley in Bloom’s Coordinator, Peter Tomkys, said one of the aims of this is to enable people to give as much or as little time as they can afford: “In the past, everyone was doing a bit of everything, from planting bulbs to raising funds. With this new format we have divided things up a bit. For example, we now have a group that is focusing on floral displays around the Minster and another taking responsibility for fundraising. We appreciate that not everyone enjoys gardening and time is precious, but a lot of people will have vital skills that can help the organisation, which is why we are seeking a wide range of volunteers. You can give as much or as little time as you can afford – that could be once a week, once a month or even once a year. All support is valued. ”

The group is now appealing for anyone with skills in desk top publishing, corporate design and marketing to join the Publicity and Recruitment Subgroup. No gardening skills are required whatsoever and the aim will be to give Beverley in Bloom a dynamic new image and raise its profile. This could be a great opportunity for a graduate to gain vital experience for their CV, for someone retired who is looking for a new challenge or for anyone who just wants to meet new people and give something back to the community.

A minute taker is also being sought, to support the central Management Committee. Mr Tomkys added: “We need someone who is willing to keep us on track and become a vital member of the team.”

Over coming months, businesses will also be approached, not just see what they can do for In Bloom, but see what In Bloom can do for them!

Over recent years, many businesses have agreed to have a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). As a group that is always seeking support, both financial and ‘in kind’, Beverley Bloom is perfectly placed to help businesses fulfil their CSR goals.

Mr Whitfield said this sort of support is about partnership working: “We are viewing this as more than us just seeking a few quid from shops for hanging baskets. Whilst that sort of work is still a key part of Beverley in Bloom’s success, we want to reach out to businesses that can assist us by letting their staff help us plant up communal floral areas near their premises or can give us advice on how to raise funds rather than giving us money. These sorts of partnerships not only benefit the wider community, but also assist businesses to fulfil their Corporate Social Responsibilities and give them some good publicity.”

Margaret Pinder, the Mayor of Beverley, echoed these comments: “Beverley Town Council has had a long and fruitful relationship with Beverley in Bloom.  They are one of our closest community partners and I urge the business community to throw their full support behind their endeavours.  It would be wonderful for Beverley to be awarded gold – not only does entering the competition create a beautiful environment for our residents, but it is also another accolade for Beverley that will encourage even more people to visit our town.  Let’s get the whole town working together to go for gold in 2013.”

Anyone individuals or businesses interested in getting involved with Beverley in Bloom can contact the group via Beverley Town Council on 01482 874096 or by emailing clerk@beverley.gov.uk. You can also visit the “Do-It” volunteering database at do-it.org.uk for more details about these volunteering opportunities.

Hold onto your hats, Joseph Delaney’s Lancashire Spook is back and he’s sharing the limelight with a feisty schoolgirl and a multi-tasking mum.

Random House Children’s Books have some exciting new books out to mark a new term and the imminent approach of Mother’s Day.

Here are three of the best:

The Spook’s Blood by Joseph Delaney

The sweeping countryside and rich folklore of Lancashire’s Ribble Valley has never been so memorably and darkly portrayed than in retired Preston teacher Joseph Delaney’s thrilling Spook books.

It’s hard to believe but The Spook’s Blood is the tenth instalment of his Wardstone Chronicles children’s series which has become a runaway success with its scary stories inspired by real Lancashire places and legends.

The notoriously spine-chilling, blood-curdling tales feature master magician John Gregory and his apprentice Tom Ward who battle supernatural forces in a landscape based on rural Lancashire. His cast of grisly witches, grave-wreckers, hall-knockers, rippers and all kinds of other nasty creatures are instantly recognisable to local children who have fun guessing the real locations.

In the latest dark and dangerous adventure, time is running out for Tom Ward. His final battle against the Fiend is drawing near and the Spook’s apprentice has never felt more alone in his task. The Fiend is set to send the greatest of his servants against him – Siscoi, a Vampire God more ferocious than anything he has yet faced.

Isolated and afraid, Tom must risk his life to prevent the evil beast from entering this world, even as he learns that the final destruction of the Fiend may involve a sacrifice more terrible than he can imagine.

With the Spook’s powers on the wane and Tom’s in the ascendancy, could Delaney’s epic series be nearing its final showdown?

As always, Delaney captures the terror of witch country with his haunting plotlines and pulsating prose. The Dark just got even darker...

Suitable for children aged eleven and over.

(Red Fox, paperback, £6.99)

Alice-Miranda Takes the Lead by Jacqueline Harvey

Welcome to Winchesterfield-Downsfordvale boarding school and its star pupil, the irrepressible, irreverent and ‘top-hole’ Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones whose adventures make Malory Towers seem a million light years away.

Alice-Miranda is the lively, lovable creation of Jacqueline Harvey who has spent her working life teaching in girls’ boarding schools and met many young girls in the mould of the marvellous Alice-Miranda.

In this sparkling new series of books, we grow to love Alice-Miranda, the perfect best friend for girls aged seven and over who want a heroine who is feisty, funny and has the happy knack of getting caught up in all sorts of dramas and mysteries.

Here we find her thrilled to be back at school where the girls are preparing a play with the neighbouring boys’ school. But it’s not all glitter and stage lights because there are rumours of a witch in the woods.

Meanwhile, her friends Jacinta and Millie are clashing with a rude new student, Sloane Sykes, and her pushy mother, September, who is plotting to steal the fortune she has always dreamed of. It’s up to Alice-Miranda to set things right!

The Alice-Miranda series looks set to go to the top of the class with its appealing and time-honoured mix of fun, mystery and boarding school antics.

(Red Fox, paperback, £5.99)

My Mum by Anthony Browne

As Mother’s Day draws near, Anthony Browne’s enchanting picture book is just the job for mums and their little ones to share together. With a free matching Mother’s Day card inside, this is the ideal gift for mums everywhere. The quirky, funny story, featuring a mum who’s a fantastic cook, sings like an angel and can do everything from painting (her face!) and carrying bags of shopping to roaring like a lion, growing plants and making people happy, captures the essence of being a mother. The lovely, lively illustrations are witty, warm and full of home wisdom and will appeal to any child aged over two. A heartwarming and heartfelt tribute to motherhood by a brilliant author and illustrator.

(Doubleday, hardback, £5.99)

THE following planning applications which relate to the Driffield area have been submitted to the East Riding of Yorkshire Council:

Erection of two storey extension to rear - 46 Main Street, North Frodingham.

Erection of single storey extension to rear - 7 Park Avenue, Driffield.

Listed Building Consent for the construction of timber decking with pergola and covered area to rear courtyard - The Buck, 1 Market Place, Driffield.

Erection of a grain store - Potters Lodge Carr Lane Nafferton

Variation of condition 6 (landscaping) 7 (wall) and 19 (submitted drawings) on 09/02180/PLF to allow the retention of the bike/bin store as constructed with variation to references to landscaping/boundary treatment to reflect current arrangement - Cricketers Court, Lockwood Street, Driffield.

Variation of Condition 5 of planning permission 07/01257/STPLF to allow access to approved passageway between the hours of 06.30 and 22.30 Monday to Saturday and 08.30 to 17.30 on Sundays and Bank Holidays (Renewal of planning permission 10/00309/STVAR) - 37 Middle Street South, Driffield.

Outline - Erection of 6 dwellings (Access and Layout to be considered) - Former Nightingales Garage, Main Street, Beeford.

Installation of ground mounted solar photovoltaic panels - Kilham Westfield Farm, York Road, Kilham.

Display of an internally illuminated fascia sign and a non-illuminated fascia sign - Unit 2, Scotchburn Garth, Driffield.

Fell conifer located in rear garden due to overshadowing the house - 5 Hornsea Road, Aldbrough.

Crown lift Yew tree (T1) off archway, balance canopy and crown clean. Remove patch of Lilac and Elder scrub (T2). Crown lift Prunus (T3) to 2 metres. Coppice over mature mock orange (T4). Remove small suppressed Yew (T5) and slightly crown lift and crown clean Weeping Ash (T6) - Church Of All Saints, Church Lane, Bishop Burton.

Erection of a lean-to extension to existing livestock shed - Land East Of Stable On Land Chapel Lane, Aike.

Fell two Poplar trees (P1 and P2) due to bad decay to the lower part of the trunk and a wide spread in close proximity to building and busy thoroughfare - Molescroft Mews, Driffield.

Erection of a dwelling (Re-submission of 12/03266/PLF) - Land North West Of 36 Main Street, Cherry Burton.

Fell Aesculus hippocastanum (T1) and Fagus sylvatica (T2) due to being over mature and high risk of failure resulting in damage to either property, sturctures or life. - The Woodlands River Head Driffield

A BINGO session is set to take place in Nafferton.

Nafferton Recreational Club Pavilion will play host to the event which takes place this Saturday (February 23).

Eyes down at 7.30pm.

For information about further local events including bingo turn to our listings on page 22.

If you would like to advertise your even in the Times & Post please call James Hunter on 01377 249819.

DRIFFIELD Rotary Club have spoken of their delight as bargain hunters flock to their pop-up charity shop.

The pop-up shop which is residing in the vacant Kathy’s Crafts shop on Middle Street South opened on Monday February 11 and was originally due to open for one week only.

But with the kind permission of the building’s owners the Rotary Club are now able to keep the shop open until this coming Saturday (February 23).

The shop will open each day from 10am - 4pm and stocks a range of good quality second hand produce from crockery and glass wear to clothing.

Driffield Rotary Club member Robin Langhamer said: “People are still dropping things in and they’re are selling very very quickly - whatever it is that is being sold it is still making a profit and that’s great.”

The Rotary Club have thanked all those who have donated items to and supported the shop.

When A Discovery of Witches was published last year, it didn’t so much arrive on the scene as explode in a myriad of star-spangled reviews.

There could not have been many readers and critics who weren’t bowled over by University of Southern California professor Deborah Harkness’s irresistibly sexy blend of history, mystery and truly spellbinding paranormal romance.

Almost inevitably there were comparisons with Stephenie Meyer’s bewitching Twilight saga but Harkness served up passion with a capital P... this was definitely a series for grown-ups rather than teenagers.

But what really set apart her mind-blowing tale of daemons, witches and vampires was its impressive historical and scientific backdrop which helped to raise the fantasy fiction genre to dizzy new heights.

‘Discovery,’ the first book of her All Souls Trilogy, introduced us to historian Diana Bishop, descended from a line of powerful witches, and the handsome, brooding vampire Matthew Clairmont whose forbidden, love-fuelled relationship set thousands of hearts aflutter.

In Shadow of Night, the much-anticipated second instalment of this epic tale, the action moves back in time to London in 1590 where Professor Harkness’s academic prowess in the science of Elizabethan England begins to work its own alchemical magic.

When Diana discovered a significant manuscript, Ashmole 782, in Oxford’s Bodleian Library, she sparked a struggle in which she became bound to Matthew, son of a vampire overlord and a notable academic who recognises that 782 might reveal why the population of vampires is dwindling.

But their relationship threatens the fragile coexistence of witches, daemons and vampires so, desperately seeking safety, Diana and Matthew travel back in time to Elizabethan London where they soon realise that the past may not provide the haven they hoped for.

Reclaiming his former identity as poet and spy for Queen Elizabeth, the vampire Matthew falls back in with a group of radicals known as the School of Night. Many are unruly daemons and heretics, the creative minds of the age, including Sir Walter Raleigh, playwright Christopher Marlowe and astronomer and mathematician Thomas Harriot.

But Diana is in serious danger. London is full of perilous creatures who can sense her extraordinary, latent talents, and the devious devil Marlowe is becoming obsessively jealous of her.

Together Matthew and Diana scour the city for the elusive Ashmole 782 manuscript, and search for the witch who will teach Diana how to control her remarkable but erratic witching powers. It’s a quest that will take them to the court of the Holy Roman Emperor in Prague, and into a deadly struggle to return to the future...

Shadow of Night is a stunning follow-up to ‘Discovery’ – an intelligent and enchanting romp through a world that is inherently supernatural and alien, and yet recognisably factual in its construction of authentic historical figures operating in a tangibly real Tudor setting.

Harkness’s gift is to convince us that these two worlds can collide and to do it with such power, presence and starry-eyed panache that we suspend belief and allow ourselves to be swept away without pausing to question the whole, fantastical premise of the story.

A big, beautiful adventure with a final chapter that can’t come too soon...

(Headline, paperback, £7.99)

There’s been a pregnant pause since Sam Binnie’s wry and funny debut, The Wedding Diaries, turned out to be one of last year’s best-loved chicklit novels.

She’s been busy giving birth to The Baby Diaries, her follow-up to the pre-marital adventures of Kiki Carlow and Thom Sharpe, and preparing for the real-life arrival of her third child (all in the name of research of course!) And it’s good to be able to report that both the new book and the mother-to-be cum author are doing exceedingly well.

There are no prizes for guessing that the latest chapter in the lives of the fictional husband and wife ‘double act’ sees them hurtling towards parenthood. The other good news is that the account of their journey to the labour ward is even better than their trouble-strewn path to the register office.

Whether you are expecting, not expecting, never plan to expect or expected many years ago, this is one pregnancy you won’t want to miss. Full of her now trademark sardonic humour and knockabout fun plotlines, The Baby Diaries still offers up moments of subtle poignancy and gritty reality.

After all, having a baby is not all laughs... as Kiki and Thom soon discover.

Of course, it should never have happened so soon. Kiki has hardly come down to earth after the wedding ... in fact, she was still worrying about whether they had paid all their wedding bills and said all their thankyous when she saw the giant glowing plus sign on her pregnancy testing kit.

They both wanted kids but why did it have to happen just now, particularly as Kiki has just got her hard-earned promotion at Polka Dot Books and Tom has started his mind-bogglingly poorly paid job as a trainee English teacher.

Thom, ever the optimist, is thrilled to be expecting a ‘honeymoon baby’ and can’t wait to hear the patter of tiny feet. Kiki, on the other hand, considers that getting pregnant so soon is ‘tacky’ and worries that she’ll be the only one of her friends changing her name to ‘Mummy.’

But this is just the beginning. There’s a lot to get through now they are going to be parents... Kiki’s To Do List includes ‘Grow baby, Have baby, Raise baby’ on it, and the minefield of an ever-expanding waistline, nausea, heartburn and stretchmarks has yet to be negotiated.

There are also the not inconsiderable hurdles of her nightmare absent boss, being stalked by her also pregnant childhood ‘friend’ Annie and an army of London’s Smug Mothers who seem far more grown up than Kiki.

There are moments of hope, like the realisation that this isn’t the Seventies and she won’t have to wear huge frilly tents and give up her job, but will she survive this pregnancy and has the life she loved gone forever?

Witty dialogue, clever plotlines which include hilarious script-style exchanges, diary entries and literary allusions, add an extra sparkle to Binnie’s quirky, warm and enchanting story.

Nine months of drama and hours of reading fun...

(Avon, paperback, £6.99)

World War II veterans will be able to apply for funding for a second commemorative visit under the Heroes Return 2 programme, the Big Lottery Fund has announced.

More than £25 million has been awarded to more than 52,000 Second World War veterans, widows, spouses and carers across the country for journeys in the UK, France, Germany, the Middle East, and Far East. Veterans will be able to apply for funding to go a second time.

A SPRING plant fair will be held at the Kelleythorpe showground on the outskirts of Driffield on Sunday March 24.

The event will run from 9.30am to 3.30pm and admission is £2 for adults and free for children.

Running in conjunction with the event will be an RSPCA dog show. To enter, telephone 01377 252361.

For further information about the plant fair, telephone 01262 488350.

* Read the Driffield Times & Post weekly gardening round up page 29.

East Riding of Yorkshire Council is launching a grant scheme aimed at helping organisations which provide targeted support for children and young people who have a disability.

The scheme is intended to help groups or organisations which provide direct support for young people, enabling them to access social and leisure activities.

Call (01482) 396691 for info.

There’s a mission to get young boys reading... and authors, illustrators and publishers are conjuring up some creative magic to keep the pages turning.

The campaign has gained momentum since a 2011 Boys’ Reading Commission by the National Literacy Trust revealed a glaring gender gap in reading attainment.

Girls outperformed boys on all National Curriculum reading tests, with differences appearing from the earliest years. At the age of five, there was a staggering gap of 11 percentage points between boys’ and girls’ achievement in reading, and differences continued throughout the rest of their schooling.

The commission also found that boys just don’t seem to enjoy reading as much as girls and are attracted to different reading matter, preferring newspapers and comic books to fiction.

So, with the battle lines drawn and armed with the knowledge of just what boys do and don’t like, there are some exciting, adventurous and ‘boyishly’ funny books out there just waiting to be read!

Here are some of the best:

Age 2 plus:

The Cautionary Tale of the Childe of Hale by Rachel Lyon

It’s never too early to engage boys with books and St Helens born author Rachel Lyon’s unmissable ‘tall’ story inspired by the adventures of real-life giant John Middleton born in Hale near Liverpool in 1578, really is the stuff of legend. Told in simple but charming rhyming verse, the antics of the allegedly 9ft 3in tall giant become an exciting, action-packed, cautionary tale about the pitfalls of greed and ambition, and the value of kindness. The Child of Hale is made extra special by Vanina Starkoff’s bold, colourful illustrations which beautifully convey all the passion and pathos of the Childe of Hale.

(Maverick, paperback, £6.99)

Age 6 plus:

Captain Valiant and Me: Revenge of the Black Phantom by Adam Britten

What young boy can resist the madcap and side-splittingly funny adventures of a new superhero family? Adam Britten captures all the anarchy so adored by fun-loving boys in the daring escapades of Mark Taylor who seems to be an average schoolboy but is really Dynamic Boy. Only trouble is he hates his name, his costume makes him look like an electric bee and even his super power is pretty rubbish. His dad, Captain Valiant, is a total embarrassment and having superhero tasks to do doesn’t excuse him from maths homework. So it’s a good job he enjoys saving the world from baddies! Illustrated throughout with hilarious pictures by Arthur Hamer, this is a book pitched perfectly at boys who are learning to read alone and need some action-packed pictures to keep the pages turning.

(Piccadilly, paperback, £5.99)

Arthur and the Earthworms by Johanne Mercier

A more down-to-earth hero is seven-year-old Arthur, the star of a fun new series and a boy who’s brilliant at, well, being a little boy who loves his family... and sharing his adventures. Full of understated humour which is so appealing to growing boys, Arthur narrates his own stories and brings the straightforward, rational world view that comes from being only seven. When he visits his grandparents’ house by the lake, more often than not, he becomes entangled in a new adventure, which he must solve with the help of his pet duck and useless dog and hopefully without too much help from eccentric Cousin Eugene. Brought to life by Clare Elsom’s quirky illustrations, the witty, wonderful adventures of Arthur and his merry ménage look set to run and run.

(Phoenix Yard Books, paperback, £4.99)

Age 7 plus:

Oliver Fibbs: Attack of the Alien Brain by Steve Hartley

Lancashire children’s author Steve Hartley is one of the writers leading the way in the battle to get boys reading, and Oliver Tibbs (better known as Oliver Fibbs) could be just the anti-hero to make those reluctant young males turn over a new leaf. Oliver isn’t brilliant at anything except telling fibs and his hair-raising adventures, played out in hilarious comic strip style, are full of crazy, knockabout humour. Oliver is a boy that many youngsters can identify with. Everyone in his family seems to be super-clever at something except him, so he’s been telling his class about his adventures as a Defender of Planet Earth and everyone loved it (except his teacher!). With its accessible text design and comic content, this inventive new series is the perfect way to keep boys glued to the story well beyond the first page.

(Macmillan, paperback, £5.99)

Action Dogs: Danger on the Ice by Steve Barlow and Steve Skidmore

As if six daredevil dogs who fight crime with their bare paws and a range of super dooper hi-tech gadgets weren’t tempting enough, a free pack of game cards will surely clinch the deal! Welcome to the thrill-filled world of Action Dogs, the crime-fighting canines who take the ‘ruff’ with the smooth. Aimed at new readers and full of hilarious heroes and villains, these are ideal books to capture young imaginations and come from the pens of two top children’s authors. In this third book in the series, the heat is on when killer cats start clawing for world domination. It’s time to unleash the Action Dogs! Easy to read, brimming with adventure and superbly illustrated, these dogged detectives are pack leaders in the early reading stakes.

(Usborne, paperback, £4.99)

Awful Egyptians by Terry Deary and Martin Brown

Twenty years ago the Horrible History books sparked a revolution in children’s publishing. For the first time, history books became funny must-reads for children. Terry Deary’s brilliant words and Martin Brown’s illustrations, bursting with the wit of the sharpest broadsheet cartoonist, burst off every page. And now they are back for a new generation, serving up the foulest folk from history but with bright and airy pages and in an eye-catching, chunky format to appeal to reluctant readers. Irreverent and gory, the Horrible Histories are lapped up by boys in particular and have the added bonus of helping them to engage with history. Fronting the new books, from Awesome Egyptians to Vile Victorians, is Rattus Rattus, the humble rat who has observed every era of history and is our roving rodent guide to history and all its nasty bits!

(Scholastic, paperback, £6.99)

My Big Fat Zombie Goldfish by Mo O’Hara

Finding Nemo meets Shaun of the Dead! Boys will be diving in to enjoy Mo O’Hara’s two laugh-out-loud stories about an evil big brother, a best friend who comes to the rescue and an amazing zombie goldfish. Billed as ‘a big fat punchy concept,’ this hilarious, action-packed tale of Frankie, a zombie goldfish with hypnotic powers, is just the job for boys who like books with plenty of bold, busy pictures. Tom’s big brother is an Evil Scientist who wants to experiment on Tom’s new goldfish Frankie. When Frankie is zapped with a battery, he becomes a zombie goldfish and the fun starts when he becomes bent on revenge. Lively illustrations, flip-book artwork and a quirky text design make these books highly accessible and appealing to boys learning to read alone.

(Macmillan, paperback, £4.99)

Age 9 plus:

Bone Quill by John and Carole E.Barrowman

For sheer imaginative, storytelling power, Bone Quill, the brilliant follow-up to Hollow Earth and the work of actor and presenter John Barrowman and his teacher sister Carole, offers mystery and excitement in spadefuls. Twelve-year-old twins Matt and Emily Calder are ‘Animare’ – they can bring art to life and enter paintings at will. They must do everything in their power to prevent a breach in Hollow Earth, a supernatural place that holds all the demons, devils and creatures ever imagined. They are getting closer to finding the Bone Quill, the key that would release the beasts and which must be protected at all cost, but a newcomer is threatening to ruin everything. As well as delivering a cracking story, Bone Quill provides important lessons for growing boys in the subtle interactions between the twins and their relationship with other characters.

(Buster Books, paperback, £6.99)

Age 10 plus:

The Battles of Ben Kingdom: The Claws of Evil by Andrew Beasley

Imagine the thrill of a book that offers a cinematic mash-up of dark history, rich fantasy, steampunk innovation and action-packed adventure? Debut author Andrew Beasley has incorporated all this and more in The Battles of Ben Kingdom, his epic, coming-of-age series set in Victorian London. The stories centre on one boy’s quest to end an ancient war raging above and below the city. Ben Kingdom appears to be just a cocky street urchin but, in truth, he’s the saviour of mankind. Mere mortals are unaware that beneath them lurks the Legion, an evil gang determined to unleash Hell on London. But above the rooftops soar the Watchers, a band of orphans, mystics and spies, dedicated to protecting the city. When Ben is flung into the midst of the battle, he must choose between an army of angels and the Claws of Evil. A rip-roaring adventure for daredevil boys.

(Usborne, paperback, £6.99)

Goblins vs Dwarves by Philip Reeve

Philip Reeve can’t put a foot wrong when it comes to children’s books. The award-winning author has a magical link to young minds and in the sparkling follow-up to Goblins he introduces readers to a vast and exciting fantasy world before promptly turning all preconceptions of the genre on its head! The action revolves around a group of anarchic anti-heroes who must fight dark forces and solve astonishing mysteries. Skarper and Henwyn have restored some order at Clovenstone castle, a safe home for reformed goblin tribes, but something is stirring underground. An army of dwarves is infiltrating the fortress, hell bent on stealing the precious metal from which new goblin hatchlings are born. Humour and fantasy are in perfect harmony in this witty and warm-hearted adventure which packs plenty of story power to fire young imaginations.

(Scholastic, paperback, £6.99)

Early teens:

Waiting for Gonzo by Dave Cousins

Early teen years are a reading minefield. Where best to pitch a boys’ book? Dave Cousins marries affairs of the heart with action and crazy humour in the satirically titled Waiting for Gonzo, featuring a pretty standard teenage boy getting to grips with the frustrations of everyday life. Oz has got a talent for trouble but his heart is always in the right place (well, nearly always). Uprooted from his friends and former life, Oz finds himself stranded in a sleepy village. When a joke backfires on the first day at his new school, Oz attracts the attention of Isobel Skinner, the school psycho. But that’s just the beginning of a series of disasters. Packed with action, that irreverent brand of teenage humour, a frisson of romance and some serious life issues, this is the ideal book to tempt laidback teens.

(Oxford University Press, paperback, £6.99)

Animal Management students at Bishop Burton College have welcomed a new arrival - a Green Tree Python.

Currently 2ft long, the juvenile male python will eventually grow to around 5ft.

Characterised by its bright green skin, the College’s newest resident will join an already varied collection of exotic creatures, including a Royal Python and Boa Constrictor. Although slim, the greater part of this snake’s body mass is muscular, enabling it to stretch out unsupported and move from branch to branch amongst trees.

Clare Reed, Animal Management Curator and Unit Manager at Bishop Burton College, said “The Green Tree Python is another species for students to get experience with and is a first for the College as we’ve never had one before”.

A large audience welcomed popular speaker Paul Schofield who gave an illustrated lecture on “Beverley Town Trail; Medieval Guilds and Trades”.

Paul explained that he frequently accompanied groups along the Town Trail, both adults and school children, to explain details of the trades and crafts, and their role in the development of the town.

His comments were entertaining and accurate, and his detailed photographs were warmly received by his appreciative audience.

Mrs. Berna Moody gave a vote of thanks on behalf of members and guests and expressed the view that on a cold dreary day everyone had enjoyed a `virtual walk` through the streets of Beverley.

This extensively refurbished executive family home, in a sought-after cul-de-sac location, is on the market at £389,500.

The four-bedroom detached house is at 4 Longcroft Avenue, Dronfield Woodhouse, Sheffield 18.

Set in a desirable residential area, it is within easy reach of amenities including good schools, parks, shops and leisure facilities. It is also close to public transport links to Sheffield, Chesterfield, the motorway network and the Peak District.

The property has undergone substantial refurbishment since 2010, including rewiring and the installation of a high quality central heating system and boiler, and bespoke fitted wardrobes to all bedrooms. It also has uPVC double glazed windows and a new security alarm system.

An entrance porch opens to a spacious reception hall with cloakroom and wc.

The family living and entertaining area is open plan. The kitchen is fitted with cream-fronted shaker-style units and integrated equipment including a Neff five-burner gas hob with illuminated extractor canopy, fan oven, dishwasher, fridge and wine cooler.

The lounge is light and airy, with patio doors to the back garden and to an adjoining conservatory. This is fitted with a hot/cold air conditioning unit.

Stairs lead up to a first floor landing, with oak spindled gallery and access to the boarded loft space. A French door opens on to a balcony overlooking the front garden.

The master bedroom is fitted with a range of wardrobes; matching bedside units are available by arrangement. An en-suite shower room has a white suite comprising pedestal basin, low-flush wc and shower cubicle.

There are three more double bedrooms, all of them with fitted wardrobes and one with en-suite shower room.

The luxurious family bathroom has a white suite comprising double-ended contemporary bath, separate over-sized shower enclosure, pedestal basin and wc.

Outside, a block-paved drive, flanked by planted beds, leads to a large integral garage with plumbing for a washing machine. The private back garden features a lawn with patio, children’s play area and raised borders with dwarf stone walling.

Details: Saxton Mee, Dronfield office (01246) 290992

Sought-after location

Four double bedrooms

Open plan design

Large conservatory

Private back garden