The Week in the Life column with Keith Tordoff

It was a dark windswept evening and our car’s satnav does not work so needless to say, we got a bit lost in the wilds of the Lancashire countryside. Eventually with directions from the one person we came across on the unlit roads we found the village hall we were looking for. Arriving in the nick of time to give a talk we were given a warm welcome by the 30 or so ladies who are ‘rebels’ and make up the Fan group.

I should explain the group broke away from the WI hence them referring to themselves as rebels with Fan standing for Friends And Neighbours - Phew!

Our talk seemed to be well received and we enjoyed a cuppa with the ladies before heading off back in the dark, making it home without getting lost.

Next morning I was off bright and early by myself driving to Leeds City centre to give a talk to the Leeds Ladies Club. I had allowed plenty of time and after parking the car, I decided to walk via Leeds Kirkgate Market to the venue where I was giving the talk. I started working in the indoor market on a fruit and veg stall when I was 15 years old, so not long ago!

I have happy memories of my days working on the market stall preparing displays of potatoes usually with some passing joker pulling one out of the neatly stacked pile to see if they all topple down.

I saved the money I earned working there to buy a car before I turned 17 and a few weeks after my birthday I passed my driving test. After a wander round the aisles in the market I left to go and give my talk to the good ladies of Leeds.

Sunday I joined the throngs of people on Pateley Bridge High Street who stood on the pavements joining them in clapping, putting thumbs up or waving to the 301 tractors that came down the hill towards the Nidderdale Agriculture Showground.

A fantastic sight creating a great atmosphere raising over £13,000 for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) in memory of Mike Spink. Congratulations to the organisers, all who took part, donated to the YAA and those who stood in the cold to welcome them to Pateley.

On Tuesday morning I was delighted to be at Nidderdale High School where I had very kindly been invited by the Head Teacher Kath Jordon and teacher Nicola Wright.

I had been asked to address year seven and eight students in the school assembly to talk to them about how they could be involved in working with the Pateley Bridge in Bloom group for the Britain in Bloom competition.

I will find out later this week if the address by me persuaded any of the students to join the after school gardening club and will write about the result next week.

A few days ago the petition to raise the issue of Bank closures nationwide following the announcement that Barclays in Pateley are to close in May has gone live on the Government website.

I am hoping that people in the community will take a few minutes of their time to sign up online with a view to getting enough signatures to have the concerns about Bank closures considered for debate in Parliament.

Please go online to the petition at https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/243100