Gavin Engelbrecht

An auction has opened for individually designed sculptures from The Watchers of York public art trail, created through a collaboration between Make It York and York Minster. Proceeds will support conservation work at York Minster and the York Creates Fund for cultural projects. Two charity-created sculptures are excluded and will return to their organisations. Sarah Loftus of Make It York encourages generous bidding to support local community and cultural initiatives.

A charity evening hosted by York’s Lord Mayor Margaret Wells will feature a Chinese banquet, quiz, live music and a raffle at the Red Chilli restaurant, launching the 2026–2027 Lord Mayor’s Charity Appeal. Tickets cost £25, with proceeds going to the appeal, and the event will accommodate dietary needs and individual or group attendance.

A new Family of Four Driving Experience Blast has launched at Tockwith Motorsports Centre, offering participants aged 10 and above the chance to drive high‑end supercars. Available through TrackDays.co.uk, the experience provides three‑mile drives in models such as the Lamborghini Gallardo, Ferrari California and Aston Martin DB11, with additional options including McLaren, Porsche, Lotus and Mercedes vehicles. Running on several dates in late July and early August, the event includes a full safety briefing and is promoted as an exciting summer activity for families.

A year after the largest wildfire in the history of the North York Moors, Nature Minister Mary Creagh visited the Fylingdales site to review recovery progress. Local officials highlighted restoration achievements funded through more than £5 million in government support, which is being used to restore peatland, repair firebreaks, reopen public rights of way, and strengthen wildfire resilience. Conservation leaders emphasised that rapid funding allocation has been essential to advancing recovery efforts.