Atlantic vessel to star at Tockwith Show

The boat which carried four intrepid Yorkshire women across the Atlantic will be on display at a local agricultural show this weekend.
By The Newsroom
Published 2nd Aug 2016, 14:12 GMT
Updated 25th Aug 2016, 16:21 GMT
Janette Benaddi (left) and Helen Butters (right), members of the Yorkshire Rows team during a visit to the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate last month. Picture: Simon HulmeJanette Benaddi (left) and Helen Butters (right), members of the Yorkshire Rows team during a visit to the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate last month. Picture: Simon Hulme
Janette Benaddi (left) and Helen Butters (right), members of the Yorkshire Rows team during a visit to the Great Yorkshire Show in Harrogate last month. Picture: Simon Hulme

Visitors to Tockwith Show near York will be able to see the tiny quarters where the amateur rowers lived during their 3,000-mile, 67-day journey earlier this year.

Called Rose, it was home to Niki Doeg, Helen Butters, Janette Benaddi and Frances Davies throughout their adventure and it will be showcased at Tockwith on Sunday by Ms Butters, Ms Doeg and Ms Doeg’s father Pete Rhodes.

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Mr Rhodes said: “It’s hard to understand what it was really like until you see it close up.

“We’ve got some steps so that people can see inside and understand just how small a space they lived in for those 67 days. There are boards explaining the construction of the boat and I’ll be talking to people about it.”

The vessel is being sold in aid of good causes and so far the sale stands to raise more than £100,000 for Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Maggie’s cancer centre. Further donations will be collected at Tockwith Show.

Another focus of the annual one-day event is local food producers - with preserves, vegetables, pies, pickles and cakes on sale at the showfield all coming from within a few miles away to encourage ethical food choices.

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Show co-chairman Sam Blacker said: “Yorkshire is blessed with some fantastic food and drink suppliers and we wanted to offer our visitors a chance to sample as many of them as possible on show day.

“We’ve kept our focus very local, minimising food miles and also giving people a chance to learn more about the great businesses in our area.

“Alongside traditional products from companies like Voakes Pies, Wharfe Valley Farms and Raydale Preserves, we’ve got patisserie from Davill’s and Salt’s Catering, spices from The Twisted Chilli and liqueurs from The Little Red Berry Co, plus lots more.”

Mr Blacker added: “We’ve got hundreds of entries for our classes and competitions, our caterers and stallholders are all ready to go, and the committee members have been working hard to have the show field in top condition on the day.”

Tockwith Show takes place on the show field off Cattal Moor Lane, Tockwith this Sunday. Gates open at 9am.

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