THE Treasure House in Beverley collects and preserves records of local dialect as part of its ongoing mission to safeguard the heritage of the East Riding.

One such record is the ‘Holderness Glossary’, a rare book from 1877, which provides a dictionary of words and their pronunciations, that have traditionally been used by Holderness communities. The book was published for the English Dialect Society and acts as a record of the Holderness dialect in the late 19th century.

Collections Officer, Sam Bartle, said: “A lot of the words in the glossary are recognisable to us, but have a special ‘Holderness’ pronunciation. Many other words, however, seem to be unique to Holderness and form part of the area’s own ‘language’.”

The glossary covers the dialect used in areas east of the River Hull, from Bridlington in the north, to Spurn Head in the south, and incredibly there are even variations of this dialect within the Holderness area itself, as the glossary provides different pronunciations for words used in the north, west, and eastern parts of the region.

So if people want to know who a ‘bummle-kite’, or a ‘slither-poak’ is, or why someone might be ‘granking’ about having too many ‘fanticles’, then they can read the ‘Holderness Glossary’ at the East Riding Archives & Local Studies Service, in the Treasure House, Champney Road, Beverley.

For more information, please call (01482) 392794, or visit the Treasure House.

A MUSEUM is set to hold an open day for visitors to head back in time and try their hand at historic crafts.

Southburn Archaeological Museum will hold its Historic Craft Skills day on Saturday March 16.

A range of activities will be available including willow basket weaving, textile weaving and pole lathe wood turning.

The event is free to attend and will run from 10am until 4pm.

A LONG-STANDING community lunch proved to be another great success with over 80-people attending.

Nafferton Women’s Institute provided the lunch - which has run for 45 years - free of charge to residents of the village.

A hearty meal of home-made soup and salad was provided by the WI committee and members, along with a chocolate dessert.

Heather Winn, president of Nafferton WI, said: “It went very well. It is a service to the village and started 45-years ago when people did not go out for tea like they do now and it was quite a luxury.

“It is a great community event and people make friends. I think our members support each other and the new comers too.

“We work as a team and we are supported by a very good committee.”

Nafferton WI is in its 85th anniversary year this year and is looking for new members to join.

THE FIRST solo flight was undertaken by a young pilot last weekend at Leven.

On Saturday March 2 Dylan Gladstone-Richards, 16, of Beverley Road, Driffield took to the skies in a Cessna 152 aircraft.

Dylan has learned to fly alongside his dad, Mark Gladstone, and had his first lesson in September 2011.

While he has ambitions of pursuing a career with the RAF or Royal Navy, Dylan currently studies at Driffield School and is a member of 873 (Driffield) Squadron Air Cadets.

Mark said: “The flight went very well, ending with a nice safe landing.

“All of Dylan’s family are very proud of this achievement.

“Dylan picked up the interest from me at an early age, I have always been interested in aircraft and flying and in my younger days was also a member of 873 Driffield.

“It isn’t as difficult as people may expect, but does require commitment.”

During his training Dylan undertook a rigorous programme of examinations, including air law and meteorology, and will continue to train for his full pilot’s licence.

The flight took place in bright, clear conditions at the Hull Aero Club, Leven, and on the same day Mark had his first solo cross-country flight from Leven to Pickering, taking an hour.

YOUNG bookworms were in their element last week at a book fair held in a primary school.

The fair, at Hutton Cranswick Community Primary School on Wednesday February 27, was a success with many pupils finding new books to take home and enjoy.

The event was a precursor to the World Book Day celebrations to take place at the school today (March 7) in which pupils are attending school dressed as their favourite literary character.

See next week’s Driffield Times and Post for a report and pictures of the celebration.

World Book Day is in its 16th year and is a UNESCO designated day celebrated in over 100 countries world-wide. It champions reading, authors and literature.

A momentous year for Britain in many ways, 2012 also marked the anniversary of 60 years on the throne for a very British institution.

Queen of crime. Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap celebrated its diamond anniversary of terrifying and delighting audiences with a special theatre tour which I managed to catch at the Lyceum Theatre in Sheffield.

Venturing out of the West End for the plays first ever UK wide tour, Sheffield’s Lyceum Theatre is the perfect home away from home for The Mousetrap due to its grand setting and the fact it was designed by theatre architect WGR Sprague who also designed St Martin’s and the Ambassador’s theatre where the play has had a combined run of 60 years.

Set in the grand hall of the newly established Monkswell Manor guesthouse in war-time Britain, audiences will recognise the set-up as classic Christie.

Newly-wed couple Mollie and Giles Ralston are gearing up to receive house guests - each with a suspicious reason for visiting the isolated country retreat just outside the capital, amidst news of a grisly London murder and a massive snowstorm which threatens to trap them all.

Shortly after the guests arrive Mollie Ralston tells her husband how ‘it seems rather unfair that all of our guests are either unpleasant or odd’ which is certainly the case with the acerbic and matronly Mrs Boyle, the vulnerable yet manic Christopher Wren, the evasive Miss Casewell, dull Major Metcalfe and Mr Paravicini who arrives late and takes great pleasure in putting everyone on edge.

It’s not long before Detective Sergeant Trotter arrives at the guesthouse on a pair of skis and with the news that both the London murderer and their next victim may be someone in the guesthouse.

One day and a murder later, everyone has a theory about who the murderer could be and as relationships unravel and emotions run high, the play charges towards a shocking end.

Christie’s writing is sharp and witty and Ian Watt-Smith’s direction ensures that the play combines an emotionally engaging and at times, tense story arch, with flawless comedy performances that avoid seeming cliched or contrived.

The entire cast gave a brilliant performance: Steven France’s comic timing as the irritating yet lovable Christopher Wren is spot on, Jemma Walker and Michael Instone really bring young couple Mr and Mrs Ralston to life and Bob Saul’s portrayal of the slightly idiotic Sergeant Trotter had the Sheffield audience laughing at his every mannerism and expression. While it is now seen as an iconic part of the theatre landscape, in November 1952, a few weeks after The Mousetrap’s first run began neither Agatha Christie or the play’s producer Peter Saunders were optimistic about the play’s chance of survival.

Mr Saunders reckoned the play would have a run of 14 months, while Agatha thought her whodunit play would meet its maker after just eight months.

Both seriously underestimated the plays appeal and after spending sixty years in the West End the true mystery is how The Mousetrap has continued to defy commercial logic and break theatre records the world over.

The diamond tour gives the play wider appeal as it takes out of the confines of the West End, and I’m sure many people like me will be curious to see what all the fuss is about.

Despite not usually being a fan of murder mysteries, I really enjoyed The Mousetrap which I found to be surprisingly fresh and engaging, and it’s easy to see why it’s achieved such longevity.

The conclusion of the play is brilliantly unexpected and in true Mousetrap tradition Bob Saul aka Detective Trotter tells the audience at the end of the play ‘now you have seen The Mousetrap you are our partners in crime, and we ask you to preserve the tradition by keeping the secret of whodunit locked in your hearts’ which I intend to do, and I hope you will too.

Sarah Marshall

Rating: 8/10

A SERIAL thief who targeted high value farm Quad bikes in rural areas has been jailed for 20 months.

Benjamin Barnes, 26, stole two quad bikes and was caught transporting a hot 4X4 quad in the back of his transit van 24 hours after it was stolen from a house at West End, Kilham.

He was breaking them down for bits with the aim of selling them on for a quick profit.

Jailing Barnes at Hull Crown Court, Judge Michael Mettyear said: “You have a bad record of offending that goes back a long way. A pre-sentence report describes you as a person with a complete lack of remorse and no understanding of your victims. The chances of you re-offending are high and you have pro-criminal views.”

Crown barrister Jharna Jobes said Barnes’ crime spree started in Howden with a high-value Nissan in July and then burglary of an outbuilding at Thirtleby near Burton Constable for 4X4 quad bike. Barnes stole the Land Rover Defender at Elloughton in August and the Kilham Quad bike was found in the back of his van 24 hours after a burglary in October. He was in the next village getting out of his transit van to visit a news agents when police became suspicious and searched his vehicle.

Ms Jobes said Barnes also asked for three other thefts of motor vehicles to be taken into consideration including stealing a £14,000 tractor at North Cave on June 1 to try and tow a 4X4 stuck in the mud and theft of two other quad bikes.

She said Barnes had allowed others to use to his premises to break down stolen vehicles and when he ran into trouble he would abandon the vehicles. The Nissan was found on a garage forecourt with false number plates with his finger prints on it.

Barnes of Council Avenue, Hull, appeared at Hull Crown Court for sentence for charges of burglary, three thefts of motor vehicles and three offences of handling of stolen goods.

The court was told he had a lengthy record for theft, handling stolen goods and possession of drugs and was jailed for 16 months for handling stolen goods and concealing criminal property.

Jeffrey Lister, 26, of Westlands Close, Hedon, appeared sided-by side with Barnes. He admitted one charge of handling the stolen 4X4 quad bike taken from a house at WestEnd, Kilham,

Defence barrister John Thackray said Barnes had contact with his children through his ex-partner and had taken advantage of operation clean slate with Humberside police to clear up past offences. Barrister Harold Bloomfield said Lister was less heavily involved.

Judge Mettyear said Barnes claims to be making a fresh start were a façade. He said: “You are at the moment dedicated to criminality.” He gave Barnes 20 months in prison and Lister a 12-month community order and 200 hours community punishment.

Fancy a glass of wine with your baked beans on toast? Make mine a soft, juicy Spanish red made from the Tempranillo grape... or a New World Shiraz if there’s a dash of HP sauce!

No TV supper, snack lunch or snatched tea is too humble to be consumed without the perfect glass of ‘vino,’ says the very wise, very wonderful and very knowledgeable Helen McGinn.

A mother of three young children, overworked housewife and refreshingly unpretentious wine expert, McGinn is something of a visionary when it comes to women and wine.

She can see the panic in the wine aisle when they come face to face with a terrifying ‘wall of wine’ and end up reaching for the same old thing, the bottle with the ‘nicest’ label or hoping that one in the ‘middle’ price range will be just the job.

And her decade sourcing wines around the world as a supermarket wine buyer left her friends queuing up to seek out her recommendations for everything from everyday get-togethers and birthday parties to weddings, christenings and anniversaries.

McGinn sent out regular emails with advice and wine deals until one night her blog, The Knackered Mother’s Wine Club, was born and became not just an instant red-hot favourite with mums everywhere but an award winner as well.

And now we can all get in on the act with the publication of her all-inclusive book and its unrefusable invitation to explore the warm, chilled-out and sparkling world of wine.

With the minimum of fuss and the maximum fun and charm, McGinn’s enchanting and accessible guide takes us through a ‘school year’ of simple wine lessons from an autumn term of cosy, fireside reds, through the minefield of Christmas booze and on to a summer ‘love-in’ of outdoor, fruity favourites.

On the way we learn how to go beyond the discount deals, choose the right wine for every food and every occasion, discover the can’t-go-wrong crowd-pleasers, perfect reds to go with your Sunday roast, the best wine to drink with chocolate, plus some unexpected suggestions for a ‘girls’ night in.’

McGinn also takes us on a fascinating journey through wine production ... how it is made, what affects its flavour, its rules, regulations and traditions and some hilarious advice on differentiating between wine’s fruit flavours (the ‘zip’, ‘grip’ and ‘oomph’ if you need to get technical!)

And to help keep the wine facts flowing and the ‘wine satnav’ in good working order, McGinn injects some personal anecdotes and her own brand of dry, fruity and deliciously mellowed humour into her invaluable selection of top tips.

So if you automatically choose the second-cheapest wine on the wine list, want to extend your wine horizons beyond Pinot Grigio or simply agree with McGinn that life is too short to drink bad wine, then The Knackered Mother’s Wine Club is the perfect tipple!

(Macmillan, hardback, £12.99)

A SKATE park now has a new manager with a with a wealth of experience working with young people - although she is the first to admit to not being a whizz on a skate board.

Kay Wardle, who has also worked as park coordinator at the Gasworx skate park in Bridlington, was appointed to the role by Driffield Town Council, and has her sights set on improving the future of the park for the town’s young people.

Previously Kay has managed holiday activities for primary schools and has worked with a skate club in Bridlington for two years.

Kay said: “It’s important for local young people to have somewhere safe and legal to skate and ride. Skateopia is a great facility to get children outside, especially those that are not interested in traditional team sports.

“It provides a place to build flexibility, coordination and stamina. I am looking forward to this new role and working with the dedicated committee and team of staff to build on their success.

“Skateopia is more than just a sports facility - the involvement of the users within the charity encourages young people, and teaches them how to make positive changes within their local community.”

Councillor Paul Rounding, of Driffield Town Council, said: “It is an excellent move and a good way forward for us. We have run it through the committee and volunteers and it is the first time we have appointed a full time member of staff.

“I think we have made a great appointment and it will be good for the town - we are looking to have a good summer and also at doing some fundraising.

“The skate park gives young people somewhere to go and I think she will try and develop it for more people to go on more things like scooters and roller blades.”

An antiques fair to raise funds for Skateopia is planned for Sunday March 17 at Driffield Showground.

A free open day is also planned for Saturday March 30 from 11am until 5pm, for the public to experience what Skateopia has to offer.

The park is open from Monday to Friday 6pm to 9pm and is also open over the weekend. Visit the website www.skateopia.com or call the park on 07732 487237 for further information.

A SPECIAL achievement was celebrated by a scout group with a behind-the-scenes tour of Beverley Minster.

Youngsters from the First Leven Scouts Group were presented with their Chief Scouts Gold Award on Saturday March 2, and allowed to explore around the historic minster as a reward.

The eight scouts, aged between 13 and 14-years-old, presented with the badge are the first from the scout group to have achieved the accolade.

They have worked through a set of nine difficult challenges - including organising their own scout camp, to gain the highest award.

Leven Scout Leader, Ian Stones, who has led the group for seven years, said: “I am hugely delighted and we took all the parents along with them and made it a special day just for them.

“It takes such a lot of work to keep up with all the badges they do.

“It is very difficult to complete these things because there is so much to do, but we have persisted with it and we have achieved it.

“Saturday was great fun, they had a really good time.”

The scouts who achieved the award are: Rebecca Hunt, Tom Atkin, Tom Howbridge, Gabby Mercer, Cameron Bell, Luke Watson, Jonathon Lathan and Katie Scrowston, who sadly could not attend the presentation day.

Assisting them in achieving their badges were scout leader, Ian Stones and Alex Atkin, along with assistant scout leader, Rob Fisher.

Mr Stones also thanked his wife, Jane Stones, for her tireless effort with the scouts. The youngsters can now go on to become Explorer Scouts.

Each year the scouts help 400,000 young people in the UK experience the outdoors, gain confidence and fulfil their potential through a range of activities.

For more information visit www.scouts.org.uk

PUPILS from the Driffield area spent a day as their favourite book characters for World Book Day.

On Thursday March 7 pupils from Driffield Infants School, Northfield Infants School, Langtoft Primary School and Hutton Cranswick School, brought into school their favourite story books to celebrate the one-day reading festival.

For the full report see Thursday’s Driffield Times and Post, out on March 14.

A GROUP of intrepid pupils visited a bicycle shop in search of answers for their questions about transport.

Youngsters from Driffield Church of Infants School went to Bell’s Cycle Shop, in Westgate, Driffield as part of a school project.

Staff at the cycle shop taught the year one pupils about bicycle safety and also about motorcycles.

Joanne Chapman, year one teacher, said: “They had a brilliant time. They got to sit on a motorbike and try on the leathers to feel how heavy they are.

“The children decided they would like to learn about bicycles because a lot of them use them.”

The visit took place on Wednesday February 27 and a group of 24 pupils attended.

HUNDREDS of avid bargain hunters descended upon the bi-yearly Royal National Lifeboat Institution charity jumble sale last week.

The sale, held on Thursday March 7 at the Bell Hotel, Market Place, Driffield, saw people from all over the area attend to rummage through the bric-a-brac.

All proceeds of the event go towards the RNLI and is run by the Driffield Ladies Lifeboat Guild, chaired by Rose Crawford.

Rose said: “It has been hard work getting it all ready this morning and we have had a lot of stuff donated. People are very kind and we have lots of people who come to help us.

“We are grateful to those who gave up their time.”

Kath Chapman, treasurer of Driffield group, said: “We do this because being so near the beaches of Bridlington it could be our grandchildren who get in trouble and the RNLI do so much to help people.”

For more information visit rnli.org

A RUGBY star visited a primary school on World Book Day to officially open its new library.

Rugby League Star, Paul Cooke, who plays for Doncaster, went to Middleton on the Wolds Primary School last week, to the delight of pupils and staff.

Mr Woodhouse, executive headteacher at Middleton-on-the-Wolds School, said: “Parents and friends of the school have done a fantastic job in raising money for our library.

“It’s important for our children to see TV stars promoting reading in school. It’s also great to have inspiring sports people in school talking to the children about their achievements.”

Christian Miller, 11, said: “I thought it was great having someone famous in our school. He answered all of our questions really well.

Knowing he ran 182 miles – that’s just wow!”

Cherry Burton is celebrating its 10th anniversary as a Fairtrade village - the first in the county and second in the country.

Saturday saw more than 70 people enjoying a Fairtrade Breakfast amid a great atmosphere, with lots of fabulous Fairtrade foods and local bacon to enjoy, topped off with a choice of Fairtrade ground coffees or tea.

This year, the village is mounting a Fairtrade Art display in St Michael’s church on the final day of Fairtrade Fortnight, Sunday March 10.

The church will be open from 2pm to 4pm with Fairtrade refreshments available in St MIchael’s Centre situated behind the church.

Included in the display will be work by Cherry Burton CofE Primary School, Rainbows, Sunday School and Pre-school, plus other work from individuals in the village and other village groups.

Nearly all the village groups and organisations are taking part in celebrating Fairtrade in some way or another showing a high level of continuing support for Fairtrade.

Supporting Fairtrade is something everyone can do and enables us all to do something to tackle the injustices of trade which keep many families below the poverty line.

There is so much in life where we feel helpless and unable to make a difference but Fairtrade really does make a difference so that producers in developing countries have enough food to feed thier families, send their children ot school, get clean water to drink and afford healthcare.

All this is achievable and sustainable through Fairtrade.

Three royal sisters, daughters of one of English history’s most ambitious families... all faced the wrath of queens and all were destined for tragedy.

Ella March Chase’s fascinating historical novel brings us an exciting new slant on the lives of Lady Jane Grey and her two younger sisters, innocent pawns in the race to fill the throne after the death of Edward VI, only son of Henry VIII.

The Nine Day Queen is not just the story of Lady Jane’s short and ill-fated tenure as Tudor monarch but a revealing insight into the events that led to her demise and the devastating ripple effect on the lives of her siblings.

Their proximity to the royal succession was a disaster for Jane, Katherine and Mary Grey; all three were sacrificed by their ruthless parents who had set their sights on using their daughters to keep England Protestant and to pursue their own self-seeking goals.

In an age of dangerous manoeuvring and politicking, there could only ever be a tragic outcome...

Lady Jane Grey is the eldest daughter of the scheming Duke and Duchess of Suffolk who firmly believe that the imminent death of the ailing boy King Edward will put their star into the ascendancy.

Fifteen-year-old Jane is fourth in line to the throne but, shy, scholarly and devoutly Protestant, she is happier in the company of her sisters than with the intrigues of court. Brought up in a prison of her parents’ anger and cruelty, solitude has provided the sanctuary she loves best.

Forced into marriage to Guilford Dudley, the handsome but spoilt son of the Duke of Northumberland, the young king’s chancellor and the man who holds the reins of government, Jane knows only too well that her parents have sold her to the ‘devil.’

And on the same day that Jane weds Dudley, her younger sister Katherine – beautiful, gregarious and eager for love and happiness – is married off to Lord Henry Herbert, son of the Earl of Pembroke, another powerful player in English politics.

And youngest sister Mary, crook-backed, stunted and an embarrassment to her parents, is like a wild and wary animal. Starved of affection and a stranger to diplomacy, she speaks her mind and asks too many dangerous questions.

Each daughter has the power to hold back the Catholic tide threatened by Mary Tudor, the country’s natural heir, but the plan being hatched by their parents puts all their lives at risk...

March Chase, an Anglophile author who excels in making historical figures credibly and often painfully human, has done a sterling job in recreating the three Grey sisters, enabling us to view their fates from a very intimate and personal perspective.

The first person narrative weaves between each girl and as the story unfolds, we witness the shared hardships, the calls to duty, the growing despair and the strong ties of familial love that ultimately bind together three very different sisters.

The Nine Days Queen is a riveting, well-researched and cleverly imagined story about the corrupting power of vaulting ambition and the helplessness of those innocents – particularly women – who become trapped in the power play.

A revealing and thought-provoking addition to the eternally entertaining Tudor saga...

(Ebury, paperback, £6.99)

EMERGENCY equipment to treat heart-attacks will be purchased by a council.

Driffield Town Council, on Tuesday March 5, agreed to purchase a defibrillator worth £1,600 and present it to the Community First Responder Team in the town.

The team is trained by the Ambulance Service to a nationally recognised level and provide life saving treatment to people in their local communities.

On Thursday March 21 the equipment will be given to the team at 12.15pm at Driffield market.

The local Community Foundation will miss out on almost £100,000 if it cannot find East Yorkshire donors by the end of the month

The Two Ridings Community Foundation, which supports community projects across the East Riding of Yorkshire as well as Hull, York and North Yorkshire, has to raise £195,000 across the East Riding by the end of March to trigger a match-funding pay-out from the government.

The charity, which has distributed grants of over £5m since its launch in 2001, supports a range of community projects from helping the elderly stay warm and healthy during the winter with the Surviving Winter Campaign to helping local people who are disadvantaged via their pot of Red Nose Day funding.

But now the charity is struggling to meet targets for the government-funded Community First Challenge. Chair Philip Ingham DL said if they don’t manage to raise the funds they’ll miss out on over £97,500 from the government.

“This money should be available to support the East Riding of Yorkshire,” he said. “It seems a terrible shame that it might go unclaimed when it could be spent addressing disadvantage and supporting creative projects in East Yorkshire.

“The problem is that a lot of donors are holding back due to the current climate, but of course the current climate means small charities and community groups need our support more than ever. They, and their beneficiaries, suffer disproportionately from cuts and difficult circumstances.

“So we are appealing to businesses, families, individuals and groups that want to help their community, to claim this cash incentive and the tax benefits too.”

The Government has pledged to contribute £1 for every £2 donated to the Two Ridings Community Foundation to encourage both businesses and individuals to make charitable donations in their area.

Two Ridings Grant Manager Jan Norton said, “Community First was created to challenge donors to give locally and in return, the government rewards them by increasing their donation by 50%. It is a fantastic opportunity to create a fund that will support East Yorkshire and address its needs for years to come.

“Last year alone we distributed just under £60,000 to a variety of groups and projects in the East Riding, such as theatre projects for people with learning difficulties; sports, trips, rural play areas and skate parks for children and young people; warm clothing and food for arthritis sufferers; refurbishing village halls; and outings for veterans.

“We would like to be able to keep supporting fantastic projects like these with grants for generations but need donations to do so.”

East Yorkshire residents can donate to the East Yorkshire Community First Fund which will support local community and voluntary groups at the forefront of tackling community needs across the county. Or, donors can set up a named fund, which allows them to select the types of projects they wish to support.

All donations will go into endowed funds that will generate income for the East Riding of Yorkshire for years to come.

For details see www.trcf.org.uk or contact the Two Ridings Community Foundation on 01759 377 400 or at office@trcf.org.uk

Members of the public have voiced a fear that the proposed Police and Crime plan for Humberside Police would leave little room to hold the force to account.

The Police and Crime Plan, which is in its sixth draft stage, will see the direction for the next four years of Humberside Police set out by Matthew Grove, police and crime commissioner for Humberside.

The plan has so far centred in on broad aims set by Mr Grove for the police force, and has done away with micro-managing aspects of policing in Humberside.

However at a meeting in the Beverley Arms Hotel, on Thursday March 7, members of the public questioned the ability to measure performance of the police force through such broad aims.

For the full report see the Driffield Times and Post out on Thursday March 14.

Catering and hospitality students at East Riding College have met the former head chef of the Ritz Hotel in London, Michael Quinn MBE.

Mr Quinn visited the College’s Bridlington campus to give a talk about alcoholism and drug abuse in the industry, having been addicted to alcohol himself in the past.

Having been head-hunted by the Ritz and turning it into one of London’s top eateries, he descended into alcoholism before losing his home, job and family.

Now, he heads the Ark Foundation, a charity which promotes alcohol awareness to catering students nationwide.

Connor Calvert, 17, a level two catering student, said: “Michael Quinn was funny because of the way he was explaining things, but he did make us realise the seriousness of the message he was getting across. It really made me think about alcohol and what it can do to you.”

Emma Parker, 16, a level one catering student, said: “I thought Michael Quinn’s talk was great and very interesting to listen to, he made me realise how dangerous alcohol can be.”

Tutor David Leaf, himself a former executive chef at the Willerby Manor Hotel and first head chef at Tickon Grange, said: “Michael’s story is one that is seen all too often in the catering and hospitality industry, and he communicated some very important messages to the students.

“Being around alcohol all the time means there is a lot of temptation but Michael’s story is a stark warning of how addiction can take you from the top of your profession to rock bottom.”

While at a college in Leeds, Michael was Apprentice Chef of the Year and took up a post of commis chef at London’s Claridges Hotel In 1980, moving up the ranks until, at the age of 35 and already with a Michelin star to his name, he became the first English head chef at the five-star Ritz and breathed new life into its culinary reputation.

He livened up the stuffy menu, including the radical move of writing the menus in English instead of French, and created a new culture in the kitchen and generated a buzz about the place. 
Having turned the restaurant into one of the city’s top eateries, by 1990 he was a homeless drunk, sleeping rough under bridges or in Salvation Army hostels and mixing with criminals.

He was even read the last rites before eventually giving up alcohol in and in 2001 set up the Ark Foundation, to take his story to catering colleges.

Mr Quinn said: “In the hospitality industry, you are surrounded by alcohol all the time. There is the social aspect to it – the winding down after a service, working irregular hours and working under high pressure – and the culture of drinking is enormous in the UK, with an explosion of binge drinking and of young women drinking. It is easy to adopt a work hard, play hard mentality.

“It might be that, through its seminars, the Ark Foundation can just plant a seed so that years later someone who heard me speak will think ‘he was right’ and get some help.”