Littlethorpe village
creating a community
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Visits 55,291
As of 1st November 2026
The site reached the milestone of 50,000 visits in March 2025
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November 2026
Reminder
Don't forget the parish council meeting to be held on Thursday 5th November at 5pm. The agenda for this meeting can be found on the 'Parish Council' pages and on the parish council's website www.littlethorpe-pc.gov.uk
October 2026
Autumnal Morning
PHP Fix
If this site is briefly down or showing an error over the next few days, that is most likely a PHP fix being applied and is nothing to be alarmed about.
28th October
Ruling the Roost!
This pair of greylag geese stood in the middle of the road along Pottery Lane for some time before deciding to move to the side of the road but that was it. They wouldn't move any further for me or the bus!
Electricity Off
Some villagers have been without electricity this afternoon (26th) due to work being needed on two poles. The pole by St. Michael's Church was rotting anyway but the recent strong winds had given it a little extra push and it was leaning towards Pottery Lane! Northern Powergrid worked for about 3 hr 30 mins to put a new pole in place and complete work on the second pole by Long Meadows.
Parish Council Meeting
The agenda for the next parish council meeting, to be held on 5th November, is now available on the 'Parish Council' pages.
Pet Service
A report and photos of the pet service are available on the 'St. Michael's' page.
Litter Pick
Photos of the litter pick can be found on the 'What's On, What's Gone' page.
Pet Blessing Service
Bring your pet to the Pet Blessing Service at St Michael`s Church this Sunday 18th October 10.30am.
This is an informal service led by Canon Wendy Dalrymple. Pets should be on a lead or in a suitable carrier or photos of pets can also be brought along as an alternative.
Organist Jeremy Banyard (in the photo) will be bringing his owl, Harry.
Harvest at St. Michael's
A report and more photos of the harvest festival can be found on the 'St. Michael's' pages.
September 2026
Home to School Travel Policy Post Implementation Review Consultation
Jack's Journal
Today I got to attend an extremely important event about suicide prevention within sport. The Prince and Princess of Wales have launched the initiative ON YOUR SIDE as a toolkit for all levels of sport to be able to open the conversation and to address the uncomfortable topics. I’m honoured to represent my sport today and to also strive for better mental health and wellbeing for all athletes.
Jack Laugher
10th September
New Faces
Our parish council has two new faces - one already in place and one to come in November. Jack Buck has replaced Vhairi Luck as a councillor and Rob Bareham will take over the role of clerk from Keith Pettitt on 1st November. Welcome to Littlethorpe Parish Council.
Community Litter Pick
The parish council has arranged a litter pick for 17th October. Full details are available on the 'What's On, What's Gone' page. Please support this event; the more people who come to help, the quicker the job will be done.
Parish Council Minutes
The minutes of the parish council meeting, held on 3rd September, are available on the 'Parish Council' pages.
Autumnal Berries
Birds have a feast in store on this bush down Green Lane.
Stud Cottage Corner Strikes Again!
Another stuck lorry but, after several minutes, they did manage to get it round safely. Probably a Sat Nav problem again.
REMINDER -Social Media Training
CANCELLED due to illness
A new date will be arranged
This event has been postponed to Wednesday 2nd September at 6pm in the village Hall due to the work done on the hall and to suit our tutors Amelia and Fran
It is a follow up to their presentation “Promotion via Social Media” on the 4th June. Many of those – not least me -did not understand how to use social media and this training session is for those who want to learn how to use the different sorts
It would be useful to know how many are coming so an email to me would be great – on the night we will ask for a donation of £5 from everyone to give to our tutors.
Christopher Orme
christopher.orme@btinternet.com
August 2026
Jack's Journal
Congratulations to Jack and Lois on their engagement.
Information regarding the new parking payment machines across North Yorkshire
As part of our ongoing commitment to providing high-quality parking services, we are replacing parking ticket machines across North Yorkshire.
The existing machines have reached the end of their operational life and are becoming increasingly difficult and costly to maintain. The new machines will offer a more reliable, efficient and consistent payment solution, ensuring a better experience for customers while supporting the long-term sustainability of our parking service.
What’s changing?
Customers will no longer receive a ticket to display in their vehicle. Instead, they will:
Enter their vehicle registration number (VRN) on the payment machine
Select the length of stay required
Pay using cash or card or a parking app (where available)
Will customers notice anything different?
Aside from no longer receiving a printed ticket, customers should notice very little difference in how they pay for parking. Our installation team will carefully manage the transition to minimise disruption and ensure a smooth changeover at each location. Signage is also being updated to explain the new payment process, as well displaying parking tariffs and specific car park information.
Can I still pay with cash?
Yes. The new machines will continue to accept cash as well as card payments. Parking apps will also be available where currently provided.
Why are you removing paper tickets?
Moving to a ticketless system reduces maintenance requirements, improves reliability, cuts paper usage and provides a more efficient service for customers and the council.
How do I know my payment has been successful?
Once payment has been made, the machine will confirm that your parking session has been successfully registered against your vehicle registration number.
Are you using ANPR (Automatic Number Plate Recognition)?
No, we are not using ANPR technology in our car parks. Our civil enforcement officers will be able to check parking sessions electronically using vehicle registration numbers, removing the need to check printed tickets.
How will parking be enforced without a ticket?
Our civil enforcement officers will use handheld devices to check whether a valid parking session has been purchased for a vehicle using its registration number.
When will this happen?
We have more than 400 ticket machines being replaced as part of this programme so it will take place in phases. Installation has been completed in the former Richmondshire, Selby, Ryedale and Craven areas, and we have now started in Hambleton, with Scarborough following in September/October and finally Harrogate in October/November.
Kind regards
James Sherwood
Communications Business Partner
North Yorkshire Council
The Flower Belt
We checked out The Flower Belt yesterday, the pick your own flower farm situated in Thwaites Lane at Bishop Monkton Crossroads on the A61 which opened recently. Well laid out, very organised, snacks & pizzas/drinks/picnic opportunities. Open every day 10am-5pm [weekends close 10pm] until 6th Sept. Beautiful meadow flowers and sunflowers. Do go!
Liz & Richard Tite
The Other Half of a Pair of Tites hard at work
This time it was Liz at St. Michael's Church. She is part of a rota of ladies who arrange flowers at the church weekly - this time gladioli and dahlias were the order of the day. Other arrangers are Kirstin Wood, Glynis Gittings, June Garbutt, Vivien Hare, Christin Thackray, Gina Daly, Nici Routledge, Margaret Plunkett and Ali Anderson. Due to these ladies, the church looks beautiful for every service.
Richard's RCW Update
Butterflies at Ripon City Wetlands
What a year 2026 has been for butterflies. In late March we had the first signs that it was going to be a ‘painted lady invasion’ year as the pioneer migrants arrived from Africa. They peaked in May & June. How different to the information in older literature ( mine is 1975) when the first migrants arrived in June! The single new generation is now on the wing. Holly blues too have been prolific & now well into the 2nd generation. Disappointing numbers of peacock & small tortoiseshell & no wall browns again that mirrors their drastic decline by 90% in the last 40 years. But there are healthy numbers of meadow brown, ringlet, gatekeeper, speckled wood & small copper.
The stars at the moment are clouded yellow another migrant. Up to 8 have been seen on the entrance track in the ride opposite the gazebo, although I have seen singles down the riverside. Their food plants are the Leguminosae family clover & especially the vetches.
Clouded Yellow
Holly Blue
Painted Lady
All photos from Butterfly Conservation
Ripon Triathlon Thank You
A huge thank you to everyone in Littlethorpe for your patience, understanding and support during the Ripon Triathlon Festival.
We know that events like this can bring some disruption, and we're incredibly grateful to everyone who worked with us to help make the day such a success.
It was fantastic to see so many athletes of all ages and abilities taking part, we had over 250 juniors competing on Saturday and nearly 1000 adults on Sunday - with many competing for the opportunity to qualify for the European Championships without having to travel far from home. Having an event of this calibre here in the North is something we can all be proud of, showcasing our area as a fantastic venue for sport and bringing competitors and visitors into our local community.
A real highlight of the weekend was welcoming Jonny Brownlee supporting the Junior events on Saturday, and Alistair Brownlee competing on Sunday - their presence inspired so many participants and spectators alike. Seeing world-class athletes supporting grassroots sport is a reminder of what these events are all about—encouraging people to challenge themselves, stay active, and achieve their goals.
Thank you once again to everyone in Littlethorpe for helping make the Ripon Triathlon Festival possible. Your understanding and community spirit are greatly appreciated, and we hope you share in the pride of seeing such a positive event take place on our doorstep.
We look forward to welcoming everyone back next year.
Ripon Triathlon Club
St. Michael's Church Garden
Despite being on the corner at a T-junction, St. Michael's Church has a peaceful garden where anyone can spend a few quiet moments. They may be remembering loved ones in the Garden of Remembrance or just enjoying the flowers. This lovely space doesn't happen by chance; it is kept looking lovely by Richard Tite who was hard at work this morning (10th) pulling out weeds.
Jack's Journal
Jack has won a silver medal in the 1m springboard at the European Championships and his girlfriend, Lois Toulson, fared even better in the synchronised 10m platform competition winning gold with Maisie Bond. Jack and Anthony were so close to a medal in the 3m synchronised competition finishing 4th less than half a point behind the bronze medallists!
BBC Sport
Greencroft Open Garden
A report, including photos, of Greencroft open garden can be found on the 'What's On, What's Gone' page
Ewe lead the way!
Google Sites
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