Wartime weekend boost for our fund

Stuart Wright, of the Yorkshire Wartime Experience, in the underground bunker which was specially built.

The event, held the first weekend in July, saw re-enactments of First and Second World War battles, displays of military vehicles and a Battle of Britain fly-past by a Dakota at the site in Hunsworth, Cleckheaton.

The first planning meeting for next year’s event took place last week, at which the organisers agreed to donate half the proceeds to the RSF and another £200 to the Royal British Legion.

Stuart Wright from the YWE said: “Unfortunately we were not able to give as much away to charity as we had hoped, but staging an event of this size costs a phenomenal amount.

“The weekend was incredible – particularly given that the previous year it was a wash-out due to torrential rain. This year the weather was so hot - you couldn’t have got a bigger contrast between the two – but we think that also went against us because people went away for the weekend.

“Next year we’re hoping for something in between!

“We always support the Royal British Legion, but this year we also wanted to help local charities, so when we heard about the Reporter Series Fund we thought it would be perfect.”

Next year’s event will also mark the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the First World War and the 70th anniversaries of D-Day and the battle of Arnhem.

“Again we will have re-enactments, a Battle of Britain memorial fly-past, tanks in action, military and trade stalls, paint-balling, a fun-fair, over 300 military vehicles, and around 50 military re-enactment groups,” said Stuart.

The Reporter Series Fund is raising money for Kirkwood Hospice, the Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice, Asthma UK and One Community.