Sue Callum: My Yorkshire

Coming out of Leeds station and walking up to the Infirmary, which made a huge impact on me. It’s a wonderful old Victorian building, designed by Gilbert Scott and apparently he was influenced by Florence Nightingale when it came to the lay-out. It was opened in 1869 and it’s currently being cleaned and restored and it looks so beautiful. I’ve never regretted the move for a second.

What’s your favourite part of the county?

I love places like Harrogate and Knaresborough and York, because they have so many beautiful buildings, each time you turn a corner there’s something new to look at. I’m also besotted with the North York Moors, which are spectacularly lovely.

What’s your idea of a perfect day, or a perfect weekend, out in Yorkshire?

My husband Jeff and the children and I would head off into the country and go camping for the weekend, probably somewhere around Bolton Abbey, which is a favourite spot. Camping together takes us all back to basics – and better yet, it’ll get the kids away from their computers and will, hopefully, be out of signal range for their mobile phones!

Do you have a favourite walk – or view?

Up on the tops, near Otley, where all those boulders and rocks are. It’s a wonderful walk and a climb, and when you get to the upper slopes, the scenery is breathtaking. I never tire of that view. We have a golden labrador, Leo, and the energy that that dog has is boundless. So taking him off to Otley is a very good “walkies” experience.

Which Yorkshire sportsman, past or present, would you like to take for lunch?

The late Jane Tomlinson, because she battled on with life right to the very end, and it seems that nothing ever could get her down. She was a person who got out there, got on with it, and did it. I find her an inspiration for anyone carrying on selflessly in the face of illness, and what she achieved is amazing. Bravo to Jane.

Which Yorkshire stage or screen star would you like to take for dinner?

I thought long and hard about this one, and I decided on Patrick Stewart because he has been such a successful actor in so many genres, sci-fi to Shakespeare. But then I told the kids who my pick was, and they pulled faces and said “No street cred there, Mum, he’s way too old”, and they’ve told me to say Leigh Francis, the comedian and actor who plays a character called Avid Merrion in Channel 4’s Bo Selecta. Privately, I think that I might have a better dinner with Mr Stewart

If you had to name your Yorkshire hidden gem, what would it be?

There’s a lovely village, Burnsall, just up behind Bolton Abbey, in Wharfedale. It’s a teeny-weeny little place, with a shop, and a couple of terrific pubs, and it is just so picturesque. We often go up there, and have a barbecue in the picnic area, and then go for a long walk. It’s a really great way to spend a day out.

What do you think gives Yorkshire its unique identity?

I’m going to use that word “diversity” here, because in Yorkshire we have the great cities like York and Wakefield, Leeds and Sheffield, and then really strong towns with a gritty identity like Barnsley and Halifax. Then we have rolling countryside, a magnificent stretch of coast and then there’s the richness of the people who inhabit all of that.

Do you follow sport in the county?

Can I whisper this very quietly? The only memory of sport that I have comes from my youth, and it was when Sunderland beat Leeds in the FA cup. Sorry! Actually, my son, Ben, is quite a keen sportsman, and he enjoys his rugby and plays some cricket, so I try to get along to see him as much as I can.

Do you have a favourite restaurant, or pub?

We live in Wakefield and we have a branch of the Aagrah chain nearby. We really enjoy going there. It was one of the first to open, I think, and it’s still quite small, has its own identity and serves some spot-on food. The staff are always so warm and friendly, and we enjoy an outing there. I don’t think we’ve ever had a meal that was less than 100 per cent enjoyable.

Do you have a favourite food shop?

I am a huge supporter of Gledhill’s the butchers in Wakefield. Amazingly good cuts of meat and their home-made pork pies are to die for. It’s been going for years, they treat their customers as if they were part of their family, and their service is second to none. When you find a good butchers like that, why go anywhere else?

How do you think that Yorkshire has changed, for better or for worse, in the time that you’ve known it?

I think that it’s got a lot cleaner and far more accepting and more broad-minded. I do like some of the modern building and architecture, as well. But on the other hand, it’s appalling to hear of so many good old-fashioned industries and jobs disappearing, and like everyone else, we’re having to tighten our belts – that’s certainly true in the NHS.

Who is the Yorkshire person that you most admire?

I am going to lift my hat here to everyone in the Breast Care Unit at the Infirmary, the team who work selflessly and tirelessly with all our patients day in and day out, 24 hours a day. They are stoical, good-natured, resilient women, and I am simply in awe of them. They give me a feeling of joy, just to know that I am part of their group. To work with them daily enriches my own life no end.

Has Yorkshire influenced your work?

I think the answer to the preceding question gives you the answer to that, which is yes, absolutely. I am privileged to be part of that team and that hospital.

Name your favourite Yorkshire book/author/artist/CD/performer.

I’m going for Barbara Taylor Bradford, because she has a writing style that gallops along, and her prose flows effortlessly. Her books are real entertainment, and page-turners. She takes you out of the world for a while, and take you on to a different plane.

If a stranger to Yorkshire only had time to visit one place, it would be?

It’s got to be York. Lots of great shops, a wide contrast of buildings and architectural styles, the river, museums, galleries, theatres, the castle on the mound, everything. I don’t think that you’d ever be bored or at a loss for something to do in York.