Angela Kershaw was an Activity Organiser at Sycamore Day Centre based at Sycamore Hall Bainbridge.
At last!! found a suitable photograph of myself.
Angela Kershaw signing in. As you can see I’m nearly always carrying a camcorder or camera.
About myself. I am married to Brian with a family of three sons and eleven grandchildren.
I am employed by North Yorkshire County Council. I worked at Sycamore Hall Day Centre along with Liz Allen, activity organiser see The1950s and mum to Lucy one of our favourite visitors. You will find letters from Lucy in our newsletterALeafFromSycamore and she also has her own web page Lucy.
My career training was in the Hotel and Catering industry as a Chef and then Chef patissier in high quality hotels and restaurants until family came along. I have worked on and off in the caring profession for many years (including Day Care Organiser at High Hall) with a break to run my own garden nursery. The nursery was very successful but when an opportunity arose for me to work at the New Day Centre at Sycamore Close I welcomed the challenge and returned to work at High Hall.
A little while ago (June 2004) we were chatting at the day centre and came up with the idea to produce our own newsletter. One of the reasons being, to keep people informed of the new developments that are taking place at Sycamore Close. We have now published our seventh bi-monthly magazine.
Not very long ago (September 2004) we got chatting again and wondered if it were possible to produce a web site that would serve the local community.
I had a word with my manager who had a word with her manager and the answer was, good idea.
I am very lucky that I have a son JohnKershaw who designs and builds web sites. I had another of my little chats with him and lo! and behold! he set up and is host for our web site 
free of charge. I have been given fast track lessons on strange computer languages and I can now edit a web site confidently, knowing that if I get into difficulties, John will be around to sort things out.
The web site is now up and running.
The content is for service providers, users, friends and families in upper Wensleydale.
January2005 The web site is forging ahead.
We are now delving into High Hall History and are finding it fascinating.
Ever used a micro-fiche machine. If you can’t read maps very well or you don’t understand clockwise you could find them a bit tricky.
Left Right or is it Right Left?
June 2005
The web site is progressing steadily.
We now have a comprehensive account of the Bainbridge Extra Care Housing Scheme at Sycamore Close in photos and text.
Day Centre members are now getting their own web pages and adding photos and information.
We have an up to date Noticeboard of what is going on at High Hall and Sycamore Close plus check out the Latest page.
We also have advertising sites for local business and local organisations.
New web site
Have now started to develop www.thedales.org.uk. We are taking it steadily so we get the content exactly right.
Basically this site is for people living working and visiting the Yorkshire Dales. The site now has over 360 pages (November 2005).
Lucy is the daughter of activities organiser Liz Allen.
Lucy was born on 4th October 2003.
- Lucy 2004
This was the day we gave Liz a maternity leaving party. Good job too as baby Lucy was in a great hurry to come out and see us. She arrived one month early weighing in at 4lbs.
This is Lucy at two days old taken at the Friarage Northallerton. She had to stay in SKIBU special baby unit for a few days to make sure everything was okay.
Proud dad!! This photo tells its’ own story.
Freda Metcalfe from Askrigg holding her precious cargo.
This tiny form. “Isn’t she just gorgeous”
The adoring crowd.
My first Christmas
The things they make you wear!
Letter From LucyMy Jaunt to Devon
I had a lovely time playing on a big see-saw with Uncle Bryan and paddling in the sea and knocking down my Daddy’s sand castles.
I went to the Eden project and saw some bananas growing (it was very hot inside the dome).
Mummy and Daddy put on my best clothes and took me to tea at Rick Steins and I was a very good girl!!
Love from Lucy Allen.
August 2004
Letter From Lucy
“Hello everybody, I must tell you!
Last month I had to go into hospital for my operation.
Daddy was a bit worried about me and he dropped a tractor on his foot and had to go into hospital himself to be made better. Silly daddy!
I got better much quicker than my daddy has.
My operation was a great success and Flossie (she’s my dog you know) is very pleased that I have had my pot taken off so that I cannot bash her anymore.
I am really busy at the moment as I have 24 little fluffy chickens to look after.
Lucy Allen 11 months.
“P.S. I am nearly One.”
October 2004
Letter From Lucy
Hello! I am now one.
I had a little party on October the 4th (my official birthday), But I am like the queen and I have two birthdays. So on Saturday I had another one. We had sandwiches and jelly and cake. My Grandma bought me a farm and I got lots of other lovely presents.
On November the 4th, (I heard mummy telling somebody that I wouldn’t understand what mischief night was ha! Ha! ), mummy me and Flossie (that’s my dog you know) auntie Marnie and her dog Tess walked on the Leyburn Shawl. It was lovely and we saw lots of cows. They followed us for a while. Then we went to Sam’s Bistro and I had chicken and chips.
On bonfire night uncle Bryan, auntie Marnie and uncle Mac came and we had lots of sausages and fireworks (oooooh!) Uncle Mac made some parkin and it was yummy. Mummy made bonfire toffee but I didn’t get any.
That’s all for now.
Love Lucy
P.S. I’ve got 3 more teeth.
Letter from Lucy
“If I pull this cracker instead of that one first I may dissapoint somebody so I think I’ll just sit here and observe”.
“Christmas was fantastic. I got lots of pressies. I liked all the sparkly bits.
I went to the Crown at Hawes for Christmas dinner with all of my friends from the day centre.
My Grandma took me to buy me my first pair of real shoes, and a pair of wellies. There’s no stopping me now.
I went walking in Swaledale with mummy and auntie Marnie and our dogs and egg sandwiches and then I found some big puddles for my wellies.
Last weekend I went to my friend Shannons 4th birthday party and it was good. Then I was allowed to stay up late and go to a 60th birthday party. I danced a lot and got tired.
The snow is nice but I can’t walk in it very well so my daddy has got me a sledge and it is great fun.
I have also managed to slip in a quick visit to my friends Angela and Brian who have said I can come again because I was very good.
That’s all for now as I have to go to bed. Bye!”Love from Lucy xxx
February 2005
This is me being ever so good for my friends Brian and Angela. I like going to stay there so I play carefully.
Do you like my new dog she plays lots of tunes? I wonder what Flossie thinks of her. Bye for now.
April 2005
This photo was taken on my latest visit to Woodhall.
I nipped down into the village to see a lady called Mrs Bagnall and she gave me some cake. Yummie
Letter from Lucy
Hello it’s me again. Eeh! Time does fly.
When it was Easter I got lots of lovely chocolate eggs but my grandmas egg was the biggest.
I’ve been to Derby to see great uncle Bill. It was his 80th birthday and I’m only 1½ years old.
We had a lovely pub lunch with great uncle Eddie and great auntie Margaret and lots of my cousins. (I didn’t realize there were so many of us.)
I’ve also been to another 4th birthday party in Masham (where the black sheep live) and it was great. Lots of toys to play with and a bouncy castle.
Talking of toys my daddy has got me a rocking horse for Easter instead of an egg, aren’t I lucky.
I’ve been very busy helping my daddy feeding the hens.
I try to help my mummy in the garden but the flowers keep coming off in my hand and mummy looks so sad.
I’m going walking in Bardale with my auntie Marnie so I’m off for a rest. Bye.
Love Lucy xxxx
June 2005Letter From Lucy
My Christening!!!
My auntie Marnie has been to America and when she came back she brought me a real American Indians moccasins made from deerskin. They are very comfy so I’m looking after them.
On the 12th of June my mummy put a posh frock on me (she even put one on herself) and I went to church. When we got there I sat right at the front with mummy and Daddy. I had a quick look round and I could see my grandma and auntie Marnie and some more of my friends and relatives.
I thought this is a bit funny. We did a bit of singing and then I was taken to a big stone thingy full of water and the vicar picked me up. She let me play in it and I got wet. Then I thought this is fun and I wet the vicar. We had a good time. Everyone looked very happy.
After church when we went up to Horrobank, I looked in the house and there was lots of food and even more people. I thought, huh we are having a party but it’s not my birthday.
I trotted outside and there was a pub in the shed with lots of beer. Everybody was smiling.
Later on when we had eaten the food a big cake was put in front of me with a dog and chickens on it from my auntie Barbara. Ooh! Yummy. Then they gave me a big knife to cut it with but I’m only small and it was too heavy for me so I got some help.
People also gave me lots of presents. Mummy says I can’t have them all at the moment as some I have to have when I am a big girl.
I have been paddling in my stream to keep cool and the tadpoles have been nibbling at my toes. Mummy bought me a fishing net so I can catch them. She said if I wait a bit they will turn into tadpoles with four legs and then I can call them frogs.
There are a lot of funny things happen around me that I don’t understand yet but when I am two I think I will. By from me Love Lucy xxxxxx
the end of a perfect day.
Letter from Lucy
September
It has been quite a while since you heard from me so I’ve got lots to tell you. I have been to stay with Angela and Brian again. 
We walked down to bungalow town (Hawbank) to fly a kite. Angela fried some sausages and put them in my pushchair hood for breakfast if I got hungry, but she got hungry first. I had a great time watching Brian running about trying to get the kite to fly he was funny.
When it was time for my bed I thought about my mummy and daddy and I felt a bit sad and I had to cry.
Angela took me into her office and we found pictures of my mummy and daddy on the computer. She made the pictures big and then did peek-a-boo with them. It was good fun and then I forgot all about crying.
The tadpoles have lost their legs but my mummy was wrong. They are brown toads not green frogs.
My fluffy chickens have turned into hens and eggs come out of their bums. Mummy took my eggs to the show in Askrigg and I won first prize and an egg cup and I had my picture took.
I have been off walking with uncle Mac and auntie Marnie and mummy and Flossie. You can pick blackberries off the bushes if you know where to go and nuts as well. I love blackberries. Yummy!
My mummy smiles at me now in the garden and she lets me work with her cos’ I know if a plant is a good plant or a bad one. I only pull the bad ones out.
We have been in the woods looking for fairies but they were shy and didn’t come out, but we found some of their clothes and hats and tea plates.
I am now trying to draw pictures of my friends on the walls in my house. Mummy never looks too pleased with my work and keeps trying to wash it off. Adults are strange. By the way thought I’d just mention it is my Birthday on the 4th of October and I shall be two.
I think that is enough to be going on with bye. Love Lucyxxx