How Pateley Bridge's community spirit helped secure a spot among the Sunday Times' best places to live

For the second consecutive year the town has received the award, with recognition for it’s thriving High Street and draw of the Nidderdale AONB in this weekend’s edition of the national paper.

While these factors are important the community of Pateley Bridge has given itself a strong foundation to possibly to earn greater accolades in future listings, says Chairman of the Nidderdale Chamber of Trade, Keith Tordoff.

He said: “I am simply ecstatic because it is the second year in a row Pateley Bridge has been listed, many from last year’s were not featured.

“We would have been pleased to see us come first for overall in the north but this is an excellent result.”

He added:“It is our community which makes us so strong, we have a good foundation to work from. People come to the area and continue to add to this, whether that is caraveners coming over for the summer, going to our churches or attending events, everyone is always contributing.

“It is why people want to come and live here, for that community, independent businesses and not massive chains, facilities like our bus service, excellent schools and churches that all work together.”

It is a sentiment shared by the Mayor of Pateley Bridge, Chris Hawksworth, who highlighted the efforts of the town’s volunteers in earning it’s place in the listing.

He said: “ I think the reason we have done so well is because everyone pulls together, and that is partly due to all of our volunteer groups. The museum was only just recognised last year with the Queens Award for their work.

“It is things like this are indicative of the innovative stuff that everyone has been doing here.”

He added: “Everyone knows everyone here, it is a manageable size, while York has the added advantage of improving train links , we are within the tide of Leeds and Bradford but also have the Nidderdale AONB. “

The town has not rested on its laurels since last year, Mr Tordoff added, pointing to the silver gilt Pateley Bridge won in the Yorkshire in Bloom competition and the launch of a Community Heroes Award.

Alongside this the return of 1940s Weekend will see a particularly special display of community spirit, with three churches coming together for the marriage of Nidderdale residents, Chris Stark, 81, and Olive Moyses.

The ceremony will take place at Pateley Bridge Methodist Church, with Reverend Mike Poole conducting the ceremony with assistance from Reverand Darryl Hall of St Cuthbert's Church and Father Michael Walsh of Our Lady Immaculate Roman Catholic Church.

He said: “This is why people keep on coming back, 12 months on they are asking what we have done and we can say we have entered a competition like Yorkshire in Bloom, and our churches are working together like this.”