A weekend of wall-to-wall sunshine was just what was needed for two great events in the North Yorkshire summer calendar.
On Saturday, the Dales Festival of Food and Drink at Leyburn was packed with visitors from near and far.
It was the festival’s second year back in the town centre and I think this formula works well. As well as the stallholders doing good trade, the businesses around the market place were busy too - and entry to the festival was free.
We picked up lots of local produce goodies and also timed our visit to catch a beautiful performance by Leyburn Band of which I am very proud to be patron.
On Sunday, it was the North Yorkshire County Show which this year faced the challenge of finding a new site after its former home at Otterington Hall near Northallerton was no longer available.
Everyone I spoke to at the show and afterwards suggested the new venue at the Camp Hill estate just south of Bedale was an ideal spot. Handy for the A1, it was very easy to get in and out of – in my view always the crucial test of a show venue!
While at both events, there was plenty of opportunity to listen to constituents’ views about the election, the best way forward for the country and what they would like to see the new Parliament achieve.
I always relish these opportunities to hear directly what people think; if you see me at events like these never hesitate to buttonhole me about whatever’s on your mind.
At both the show and the festival there were many non-constituents which of course is an illustration of how important they are for our growing visitor economy.
Last weekend saw the launch of a service which will further boost North Yorkshire and particularly Wensleydale as a tourism destination.
Taking advantage of the new-found enthusiasm for afternoon tea, the Wensleydale Railway has started providing a luxury tea service on selected dates. Passengers board a 1912 saloon dining car at Bedale and are served tea as the train – sometimes steam hauled – chugs up the dale to Redmire.
Having been lucky enough to be on board for the first service I can say that it is close run thing as to which is more beautiful - the panoramic views of lower Wensleydale or the tiered cake stands packed with sandwiches, fancies, scones and cakes.
Very sensibly the railway has teamed up with the award-winning Upstairs at Institution Café in Bedale to offer this special treat of a service. I am sure it will be very successful.
In Westminster the traditions associated with the start of a new Parliamentary year continued.
I was sworn in as MP for the second time in a simple, short but formal ceremony in the chamber.
In taking the oath, I pledged that “I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, her heirs and successors, according to law.”
Scottish and Welsh members also have the option to repeating the oath in Scots Gaelic in Welsh and there’s even a Cornish version for Cornwall’s MPs. Perhaps it’s time we had a Yorkshire oath of allegiance!