PROUD and passionate people will be celebrating Yorkshire Day on Monday.

Official celebrations take place in Halifax where the Lord Mayor of Bradford, Councillor Geoff Reid, will attend the civic celebration.

Yorkshire artist Ashley Jackson will be travelling from Bradford to Kings Cross on Monday, where he will promote the county by holding watercolour demonstrations on the platform.

The 75-year-old has been painting Yorkshire’s scenery since he was a child, and said people needed to know why Yorkshire was known as ‘God’s County’.

“I’ve been painting the moors since I was nine years old, and I have always loved the dramatic atmosphere they have,” he said.

“But it is the people that make Yorkshire so special, everyone is very friendly, and while we may not have the deepest pockets we always give to charity and help those in need.

““We are a proud group, and we are straight talkers!”

The charity Cancer Support Yorkshire, based in Smith Lane, Bradford, is holding a Yorkshire-themed tea party from noon to celebrate the start of its Yorkshire Daisy Days Campaign. It is encouraging people to do something “reet fun” to raise money.

The Marie Curie Hospice Bradford, in Maudsley Street, is also celebrating. Patients will be served Yorkshire puddings, Parkin and Wensleydale cheese, all washed down with either ale or Yorkshire Tea.

Ilkley Summer Festival also starts on Monday and the town crier and chairman of the Parish Council will call the town to celebrate before opening the festival.

Keith Madeley, the chairman of the Yorkshire Society, attended a celebration event yesterday at Naylors Wintersgill in the city centre.

He said: “There is so much positive stuff going on in the county at the moment, especially in Bradford making the shortlist for the Great Exhibition of the North along with Sheffield.

“No other county celebrates where they live like we do, and the official celebration in Halifax on Monday is one of the biggest gatherings of civic leaders in the world.”

Tomorrow, Oakwell Hall in Nutter Lane, Birstall, will hold a family event to celebrate from 11am to 4pm, with a food court, live demonstrations and other activities.

On Monday, staff at Leeds Bradford Airport will be handing out Yorkshire flags to people going on their holidays to mark Yorkshire Day and Otley Brass Band will perform.