The Yorkshire Society of New Zealand celebrate Yorkshire Day

As reported by The Press, Yorkshire Day is well known every year on August 1 with this yr’s ceremony being held in York – set to function a gathering of mayors from throughout the area, who will likely be joined just about by a gaggle of Yorkshire lovers based mostly on the opposite aspect of the globe!

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The Yorkshire Society of New Zealand was shaped by expats Sylvia and Ron Fowl, who moved from York to Auckland in 1969 – 55 years in the past – however have nonetheless maintained their connection to their dwelling county.

Sylvia was born in Goole and introduced up in Barlby whereas Ron was born in Pocklington however raised in York with the couple assembly via their work at Armstrong Patents.

Ron stated: “I first got here to New Zealand after I was an Engineer officer within the Service provider Navy. Having come ashore in 1969, I used to be provided a place with an engineering firm right here New Zealand. So it was that we (Sylvia and their two kids) arrived in Auckland within the North Island.”

In accordance with Ron, he discovered about Yorkshire day via his involvement within the World Scout Jamboree in 2007 the place he found plenty of fellow Yorkshiremen serving to out on the occasion. The centre he was based mostly at closed for the day on August 1st with Yorkshire flags ‘showing’ and meals taking up a British theme.

A few of the Yorkshire Society of New Zealand’s celebrations (Picture: Supplied)

Following on from the occasion that day, the pair had been each hooked – quickly discovering many different expats from the area in Auckland, a few of which had been even lengthy misplaced schoolmates, who needed to have fun the occasion yearly.

He continued: “Sylvia and I shaped a committee which ended up in forming the Yorkshire Society of New Zealand whose major operate was to mark Yorkshire Day and to produce Yorkshire objects from the Yorkshire Ridings Society in England.”

The most important occasion the pair have hosted was their August operate the place a whopping 110 individuals till Covid got here alongside, forcing the NZ Authorities to position bans on gatherings. 

A screenshot from the Yorkshire Day Zoom Name

While Sylvia and Ron have been again to York a number of instances since their transfer, they’re now now not capable of journey, as a result of being of their 80s – as a substitute electing to convey the county to their new homeland as a substitute and unfold their traditions the world over.

The group celebrated this yr’s Yorkshire Day with a morning Groups name to York’s mayor with representatives from Auckland Metropolis Council and Waikato Regional Council calling in to share their tradition with each other. 

Councillors shared their experiences of visiting one another’s nations with each nations joked round with each other with the consort to the Lord Mayor jokingly saying: “You go all the best way to New Zealand, journey all over the world, and all of it seems to be just like the Yorkshire Dales.”

This was forward of a jam packed day for the civic get together the place they deliberate to dine with mayors throughout the area earlier than a church service at York Minster and a lunch with musicians on the Salvation Military.