On a rather ordinary Tuesday morning, amidst the familiar backdrop of rolling hills, sheep, and mist-covered moors, Yorkshire made an announcement that’s anything but ordinary. The county, best known for its strong brews and flat caps, revealed its most ambitious endeavour yet – a space program with plans to land a rocket on the moon.
“We’ve always had our heads in the clouds, and now we’ve simply taken that literally,”
quipped Harold Grimshaw, the self-proclaimed ‘Head of Celestial Endeavours’ of the Yorkshire Space Program (YSP). A retired farmer with no previous aerospace experience, Grimshaw seemed an odd choice. Yet, his dedication was evident when he passionately declared, “It’s high time Yorkshire had its own slice of the lunar pie!”
The grand reveal was held in a packed village hall, with tea served in classic Yorkshire pottery. The plans displayed not the usual scientific instruments or lunar rovers but rather, a wicker basket.
Eileen Wainwright, YSP’s culinary consultant, gleefully shared, “Instead of placing a flag on the moon like everyone else, we’ve decided to leave a proper Sunday dinner. It’s a cultural emblem, and besides, any aliens passing by ought to have a decent meal.”
Such audacity might be laughed at elsewhere, but Yorkshire folks are known for their grit and determination. And perhaps it’s this very spirit that has seen the YSP gather unexpected support. Local billionaire and tea magnate, Sir Reginald Brewster, has reportedly funded a substantial part of the program, stating, “It’s the kind of bonkers initiative that puts our lovely shire on the galactic map!”
Social media has been abuzz with both support and gentle ribbing. @DalesDreamer tweeted, “First we gave the world Yorkshire puddings, and now we give the universe a proper Sunday roast! #YorkshiretoMoon”. Meanwhile, @ScepticSheffield remarked, “Next they’ll be saying the moon’s made of Wensleydale cheese!”
While the feasibility of such a mission is still debated hotly among experts, Yorkshire’s intentions are clear. The county plans to make its mark in the annals of space history, not with a flag, but with a testament to its culinary pride.
Whether the YSP’s rocket will successfully make its lunar landing remains to be seen. But one thing’s for certain: Yorkshire’s never been a place to do things by halves. And if the stars align (or at least the ones over the Pennines), we might just see a Sunday roast taking pride of place on the moon’s dusty plains.
For now, as night blankets the moors and the stars twinkle in the clear skies, one can’t help but think that somewhere out there, there’s a patch of lunar land that’ll soon know the magic of Yorkshire’s culinary wonders.
