STIG of the Dump, the small furry bear mascot of the 5th Skipton Scout Troop (pictured, left), completed the latest of his 100 challenges by making an ascent of Ben Nevis in the Scottish highlands. Accompanied by members of the Carleton-based walking group The Old Men in Boots, Stig tackled the 4,406 feet of Britain’s highest mountain in some very difficult conditions, coping with sweltering heat at the bottom but snow, high winds, rain and almost zero visibility on the plateau. But the plucky little bear kept to his task, to raise money for the scout troop to renovate their headquarters off Newmarket Street in Skipton, reaching the summit before beginning his decent and enjoying a well-earned pint with his companions at the Ben Nevis Inn later that afternoon. To date Stig has raised £1,062.50 towards the project but much more is still needed. To find out more about Stig’s challenge and to get involved, visit the Facebook Page “Challenge Stig” or email 5thskiptonbeavers@gmail.com.

A novel way of helping community projects get off the ground is being championed in Settle on Sunday. Settle Soup is a mix of soup eating, social gathering, sparking new ideas and micro fundraising. The event at Victoria Hall, between 6.30pm and 8.30pm, is to encourage people to pitch ideas for community projects. The ideas will be voted for on the night by people who have donated £4, or as much as they can afford, to get into the hall where they will also enjoy a bowl of soup and homemade bread. The aim is to get four good ideas for improving Settle or the local community and those bidding will be given four minutes to make a convincing plea. After which they will eat together, discuss the ideas, meet new people and generally have a good time. Everyone votes for the idea they like best and the winner gets all the money taken on the door to kickstart their project. To keep a check on how the scheme comes to life, there will be regular soup-night updates. Anyone with an idea they wish to pitch on the night should get in touch on 07977 040329.

Budding artists have the chance to brush up on their techniques and capture the beauty of the Dales landscape in watercolour on Yorkshire Day, courtesy of a local artist. There are still a few places left to join a workshop run by Yorkshire watercolour artist Rachel McNaughton on Saturday, August 1, amid the wildlife haven and beautiful Dales landscape on Nethergill’s farm reserve in Oughtershaw, at the head of the River Wharfe. The day-long workshop will draw on the inspiration of the landscape and the restored ancient hay meadows to teach the techniques that will enable people, even beginners, to capture the beauty in watercolour. Rachel, who is well-known for her watercolours of flowers and the Yorkshire countryside, will also use the Field Centre at Nethergill, a farm that is reviving habitats and successfully encouraging wildlife such as the red squirrel and black grouse back into the area. The day runs from 10am and 4pm and costs £85 per person which includes homemade lunch and refreshments. To book, contact Fiona Clark on 01756 761126 or email fiona.clark@nethergill.co.uk. A donation from the day will be made to the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, which has been instrumental in helping Nethergill enhance its wildlife habitat and create the ‘farm reserve’.

Reader Doug Lawrence uncovered a piece of Craven Herald and Pioneer history when he found an old sign in Gibb Syke, which runs into Ickornshaw Beck in Cowling. Doug said the stream runs in a conduit below what was once a rubbish tip and he thinks the sign was originally in the tip itself. He also believes the sign was used at a newsagent’s shop in the village. Although the writing is not clear, On one side it reads: “Agents for the West Yorkshire Pioneer and East Lancashire News. Friday, 10 pages one penny.” On the other side, the sign reads: “The news the whole news. Nothing but the news. Craven and the Yorkshire Dales, Published at Skipton, Friday ten pages one penny. Small prepaid advertisements received here.”

The BBC is looking for companies to take part in an “exciting and pioneering new factual entertainment series”. It has the working title The Candidate and will follow businesses of all sizes and types, from multi-chain companies to family-owned firms, as they hire middle managers. To find out more, email your name, company name, location and contact details to: thecandidatebusiness@bbc.co.uk The new Keelham Farm Shop on the outskirts of Skipton appears to be a great success, due, in part, it seems to the Craven Herald. A colleague, having written all about the Icelandic dairy product, Skyr – made here in Craven by Sam Moorhouse, of Hesper Farm, Bell Busk, and on sale at Keelham Farm, keeps dropping in to pick up a pot or two. But every time she goes in, she’s told its all sold out – apparently everyone read about it in the Craven Herald and its currently selling like hot cakes.

A couple of boys from Manchester have been invited for tea and cakes at Utopia, Broughton Hall, after their balloon with a message turned up in the estate grounds. Staff at the estate put a message on Facebook, and 300 shares later, came up with an email address. The brothers and their mother have now been invited to cross the Pennines, collect their balloon, and enjoy some tea and cakes in the Utopia restaurant. It may have only travelled around 45 miles, but our betting is the response they received was far more than they hoped for.

Villagers in Carleton have a gap in their lives. Time has been called on the Wednesday yoga class at village hall because of a lack of numbers. Now, the community umbrella group is trying to find something to fill the void and is inviting ideas. I am told one suggestion has been put forward to alternate between Tai Chi classes – run Calendar Girls-style! - and quiz nights. Further ideas can be emailed to carletoncommunity@gmail.

St John Ambulance is appealing for people from Craven to come forward with real-life stories of using first aid to help babies and children. The nation’s leading first aid charity, which teaches first aid to hundreds of thousands of people in the workplace and in the community, wants to hear how first aid – from dealing with an infant who is choking to stemming a severe bleed for a child – has made a difference to lives. David Nicklen, training and community projects manager for St John Ambulance, tells me: “Every year across the region, we train hundreds of people in vital first aid skills. To encourage even more people to learn we’re keen to build up a fuller picture of how people in the region are benefitting from a knowledge of simple first aid. We know how important first aid is and believe that no-one should suffer from the lack of a trained first aider. Real-life examples of skills which have saved the lives of babies and young children will help us bring that message home to parents, grandparents or carers who might be considering whether or not learning first aid would be beneficial to them.” Anyone with a first aid story to tell should email St John Ambulance PR officer Jane Cameron at jane@cakepublicity.co.uk.

Our supply of old pictures for the history page is dwindling. The feature can only continue with readers’ help, so if you have any nostalgic photographs that we can use, please email them, along with a few details, to news@cravenherald.co.uk or post them to Lindsey Moore, Deputy Editor, Craven Herald, 38 High Street, Skipton, BD23 1JU.