York to showcase ‘EACH’ core commitments at Yorkshire Day event

City of York Council is planning a unique approach to Yorkshire Day, as it prepares to host the annual event on 1st August 2024.

The itinerary for the day, while meeting the now traditional format for Yorkshire Day, will include key activities to highlight the city’s current Council Plan - the plan setting out what the council intends to achieve between 2023 and May 2027

• Equalities - The civic dinner provided for visiting dignitaries, and members of the Yorkshire Society will spotlight the City’s growing diversity as well as its nighttime and tourism offer, with input from the City’s Ukrainian community and Syrian and Afghan Refugee kitchen
• The Yorkshire Day Service will be a multi-faith celebration at York Minster, with representation from across York’s diverse communities
• Affordability - The traditional Breakfast will be modelled on those provided to school children as part of the York Hungry Minds trial at Burton Green Primary School. Civic parties will receive a presentation led by the Yorkshire Society’s ‘Man of the Year 2024’, Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell
• Climate - Mayors will be brought into the City Centre by electric buses from the Racecourse, in a partnership with First Bus
• Health - the traditional parade will take place from the York Mansion House to the Minster at 11am

The first Yorkshire Day Civic Celebration in 1985 was held in York and since then, the council and Mayor of different towns and cities around the county have hosted it.

Over the 39 years since the first Civic Celebration, established elements of the Yorkshire Day celebration have been complemented by events specific to each location. However, staples of the day consist of a thanks-giving service, a street parade of dignitaries and guests, and a formal lunch.

Speaking ahead of the event, Councillor Claire Douglas, Leader of City of York Council, said:

“We’re delighted to be hosting Yorkshire Day here in the county's traditional capital, and the opportunity to demonstrate the core commitments we have made as a city to the people of York.

“Yorkshire Day in York gives us a great chance not only to highlight our Equalities, Affordability, Climate and Health (EACH) principles, but to demonstrate how our civic roles and responsibilities evolve and modernise over time. We look forward to showing the best of our city to those visiting us from right across Yorkshire”.

Organising the celebration has been a collaborative effort. The Yorkshire Society, who are co-hosting the Civic celebration, aim to support individuals, communities and businesses through the region and celebrate ‘all things Yorkshire’.

Philip Bell, Chief Executive of the Yorkshire Society, said,

“From 2018, when The Yorkshire Society began to modernise itself, the event has evolved with the last four hosts, Ripon, Whitby, Keighley and Rotherham all adding additional localised ‘touches’ to personalise the event, expand it into the community and encourage the participation of the general public. As such, the Official Yorkshire Day Civic Celebration now provides an opportunity for the host city to focus the attention of Yorkshire, and beyond, onto its activities, and to connect it with its citizens. We believe this is the largest such gathering of mayors in the world, and it’s wonderful to see it taking place in York this year.”

Stephen Cottrell, Archbishop of York said, 

“As we come together to mark Yorkshire Day in the City of York’s Guildhall, and tuck into a school breakfast from the York Hungry Minds menu, I’ll be sharing more details on the appeal which was launched last year.

“So far, through the York Hungry Minds appeal, Free School Meals have been offered to pupils in two of the city’s schools as part of a pilot scheme which it is hoped can expand to include more schools as it has already made a huge difference in helping to enhance concentration and learning among the children.

“As many families struggle with the cost of living, we must continue to support this appeal which is enabling some of the poorest children in our city to thrive and reach their full potential. This City of York, and the county of Yorkshire is filled with great people, places and opportunity - let's make this a reality for all.”

Councillor Anna Baxter, Joint Executive Member with responsibility for Human Rights, Equalities and Inclusion, said:

In hosting Yorkshire Day this year, we have sought to build a link between the event and the city’s people, its different organisations and current priorities.

“This will be a grounded, ‘proper-Yorkshire' event. In partnership with First Bus, we’ll bring our guests and dignitaries into the city centre on our award-winning Park and Ride service, to showcase the value and ease of public transport and to minimise the carbon footprint of the event.

“We’ll be providing breakfasts based on those offered through our Hungry Minds pilot at Burton Green Primary School. And we’ll have a representative, multi-faith, multicultural thanksgiving event, and non-civic representation at the formal lunch which will take place in, and represent the diversity of, our community.”

“I have always been very proud to say I’m from Yorkshire, and I’m lucky enough to see everyday what makes our city so special. It’s great to see York play host to such a unique celebration of what I consider the best county in the country, and I hope guests and visitors get to see what makes our city so amazing too.”

Megan Hope, Operations Director of First Bus in North Yorkshire, said: 

“Yorkshire Day promises to be a great celebration and as always buses will be at the heart of getting people around the city.

“We work closely with City of York Council to support its climate targets, so the county’s mayors travelling on our new zero emission York Electric fleet will be a fitting way to show this contribution to cleaner air in the streets of York.”   

Plans for the day will also include:

• York residents performing music from Chile, Mexico, Poland and China, and
• Crafts and food provided by members of the city’s migrant hub and Yahala Mataam, a Syrian and Afghan Refugee kitchen.