THE rural villages of the North-East and North Yorkshire have changed dramatically in the last couple of decades.

Whether through economic shifts or demographic changes brought about by an ageing population, many are now markedly different places to what they once were.

That is why events such as Wolsingham Show, which attracted thousands of people to the Weardale village of Wolsingham over the weekend, provide such an important link between the present and past.

Like many similar villages in the region, Wolsingham boasts a proud agricultural heritage. Yet today, farming employs relatively few of its residents, with many villagers commuting elsewhere to work.

Once a year, however, Wolsingham revels in its agricultural roots, and thanks to the unpaid work of a band of volunteers, the village’s annual show, which is England’s oldest, has grown into one of the North-East’s biggest and most popular rural events.

Similar shows are staged at St John’s Chapel and Stanhope either side of Wolsingham’s big weekend, and most North Yorkshire villages have their own show or carnival that forms the highlight of their social calendar.

As the world moves on, so such historic festivals become more and more important in terms of retaining a sense of community and rural identity.

We have always helped celebrate them, and as another show season draws to an end, we hope to be able to do so for a long while yet.