Yorkshire Day Celebrations

Swaledale in North Yorkshire Credit: Sandra Cockayne

It's Yorkshire Day today - and there are many celebrations taking place across the county.

For those who don't know, the day was first marked in 1975, by the Yorkshire Ridings Society, initially in Beverley, as a "protest movement" against the re-organisation of local councils - under the Local Government Act of 1974. It is also the anniversary of the emancipation of slaves in 1834, for which Yorkshire MP William Wilberforce had campaigned.

There will be a day of events in Skipton:

  • 9.30 am: Canal boat flotilla along the Leeds-Liverpool Canal

  • 10.00 am: Forming of the Civic Procession

  • 10.30 am: Civic Procession to Holy Trinity Church, led by Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band - Catterick Garrison

  • 11.00am: Service at Holy Trinity Church

Meanwhile in York, celebrations will also be taking place. They include members of the Yorkshire Ridings Society walking a circuit of the Bar Walls with the Yorkshire Flag, and reading the Yorkshire 'declaration of integrity' at a number of points along the route. The Deputy Lord Mayor of York, Cllr Keith Hyman will join the celebration and will read the final declaration in Parliament Street at 1pm. To mark the occasion the Yorkshire flag will be flying above the Mansion House.

Meanwhile commuters at Leeds train station will be treated to rock and roll with a difference this Thursday as the Otley Ukulele Orchestra perform outside the Visitor Centre. The Orchestra will serve up a mixed menu of anything from The Clash to Cream, from Hendrix to the Human League and more. They will be performing from 5.15pm.

And Meadowhall have shipped in memorabilia and artefacts from all ends of Sheffield to pull together a one-day-only exhibition.

Items include the Harry Brealey collection - The founder of stainless steel - featuring a number of his first creations; the Sheffield coat of Arms, the FIFA centennial order of merit, of which there are only 2 in the world. This is the highest honour awarded by FIFA to clubs that have made a significant contribution to football, and it belongs to Sheffield FC.