Making Ripley The Healthiest Village

By the Ripley Parish Council & Friends of Ripley
 

Our Goals

To make Ripley a model village:-

  • Residents and visitors can learn about the rich agricultural and farming heritage
  • Families will have a sustainable and safe community space abundant with seed to table science

Our Vision

Learn of past farmers

Take a walking tour through Ripley’s Main Street. Read, “A Farmer’s Tale” -the story of a farmer who lived in the Village over 200 years ago. Beginning in the car park on the south of the village, see original pictures provided by Sir Thomas Ingilby and family, and follow the story north. Where did the farmer keep sheep and chickens? Which crop would you have seen on your right? Which home was the blacksmith where the farmer had his horse’s shoes replaced?

Alongside their guardians, young children can search for all of the concealed images along the way. They’ll find hidden pictures of fruits, vegetables, cows, and sheep. How many will they find?

 

Learn the science of today

All stories and scavenger hunts come together in the Community Learning Space. Walk through the north gate and be welcomed by a path inviting you to learn about the life-cycle of a plant. Young teens can be seen reading about major developmental milestones; from zygote to germination and pollinator to pest. Perhaps you may even see a worm house in the corner.

At its culmination, friends and families can gather at tables next to planter boxes. The air will be filled with the sweet smell of herbs growing nearby while children of all ages run, climb, and play on wooden play structures made especially for them. For the most daring children, the top of each structure, designed for the two specific age groups (2-7 and 8-15) will be a geocache – a modern-day treasure box to find!  They can add their name to it and even leave something of their own inside.

The Community Learning Space

How you can help

  1. Become a Founding Donor

As a Founding Member, you’ll be recognised at the Community Learning Space with a name plate. EVERY donation matters.  And because it’s a community project, it’s tax deductible!

  1. Can’t donate?

That’s OK! Have a Bake Sale to help or donate your expertise! (We can always use a helping hand.)

  1. Host a community planter

We will have several planters available to grow fruits, vegetables, and herbs! And any monies raised for planters will be directed back into the Community Learning Space and The Farmer’s Story!

How will this impact our community?

There are some immediate short-term benefits we expect from our vision.  First and foremost, we believe the unique accessibility of Ripley Village will ensure a wide impact. Ripley is perfectly situated on a 4-mile path connecting Bilton, North Harrogate and Knaresborough and sits along the major bus route from Ripon to Harrogate (#36). It means the Village is consistently met with cyclists, walkers, tourists, and visitors from within and abroad.  In April 2019, the Tour de Yorkshire race came through Ripley bringing hundreds of visitors as is often the case with events such as The Scarecrow Festival, Christmas Nativity, and even car boot sales.

Long-term benefits include making Ripley a community hub that will help educate people about the importance, both past and presence, of farming and agriculture in Yorkshire. Furthermore, with the integration of the Farmer’s walking storyboard and the Community Learning Space that will encompass the science in the field, we will help create a pipeline of youth interested in farming and agriculture in the environment.

Even excluding the hundreds of tourists and cycling/running competitions, we expect the impact to be large.  There are a number of people living in the Village and along the major bus routes and walking/cycling path. The Village itself is home to parents and grandparents (n=270) frequently walking through Ripley and visiting what is currently a modest playground.  Ripley also boasts the well-attended Smarties Nursery (n=60 ages 0-4), Ripley’s World Famous Ice Cream, the Boar’s Head Pub, Ripley Castle, and Ripley Primary School (n=63 ages 4-11).

Collaborators

Ripley Parish Council
Friends of Ripley
Sir Thomas Ingilby & Family
Ripley Endowed School
Friends of Ripley PTA

Links