ONE of my colleague’s lamentable knowledge of the United States was exposed recently when he wrote a piece about the Appletreewick-Skyreholme International Chess Tournament. Victorious for the second year running was USA resident Jon Crumiller. My colleague described this chess-piece collector and player as being from Princeton, New York. The honorary Tyke wrote back chuffed with the article, praising my colleague on capturing the excitement of the event but pulling him up on his accuracy. Princeton is in not in New York but in New Jersey. Ooops! But quick to make my colleague feel better, Jon exposed his own “lack of UK geographical prowess”. He confessed: “On both occasions I’ve driven up with a good friend of mine who lives in London but he has also a company in Wales; so last year, for some reason, I got mixed up and thought that the Yorkshire Dales was in Wales, which – needless to say – did not go unnoticed by the other participants! Fortunately Jon Jordan, the organiser, informed me of the finer points of English geography.”

GOOD luck to residents of a Silsden nursing home who are stepping out for Manorlands. People living at The Gables, in Skipton Road, are taking part in a sponsored “stepathon” on Wednesday – and between them, they hope to complete 4,000 steps. The day’s fundraising is being organised by activities co-ordinators Rachael Blackburn and Annette Mann and by physiotherapist Heather Parsons. Mrs Blackburn said the home had wanted to do something based around the theme of the number four, as a reference to 40 years of Manorlands. And she tells me: “We don’t have an exact fundraising target, but the residents are being sponsored by visitors, families and members of staff. It’ll be the first time we’ve done this.”

IT isn’t true that Yorkshire people hated each other, although they do get annoyed with their fellow Tykes from time to time, said the leader of Craven District Council. At the start of a long debate on the thorny issue of devolution last week, Cllr Richard Foster said he had spent many a long-hour deep in discussion with fellow leaders of local authorities across the county. And unlike what Prime Minister David Cameron had said earlier in the week that people from Yorkshire failed to get on, it wasn’t like that at all, he said. “Despite what David Cameron says, we don’t all hate each other, we sometimes annoy each other, but we don’t all hate each other, “ he said to his laughing and nodding fellow councillors.

WE'VE all got that space at the back of the wardrobe where we store the bits and pieces we know we won’t revisit but are reluctant to throw away. Whether it’s the remnants of a hobby that didn’t last or a jacket that’s since been upgraded, the Rohan store in Long Preston is giving clothing hoarders the chance to donate their old outdoor clothes before the end of the month to help the local community. Rohan is supporting Gift Your Gear, an independent nationwide initiative that provides outdoor clothing and equipment to UK community organisations, youth groups and charities working with young people in the outdoors. Rohan’s managing director Roger Cann tells me: “Rohan has such a strong community of customers that are truly passionate about the outdoors, so it’s really important for us to be able to inspire that enthusiasm in the next generation. Our recent research showed that 35 per cent of people in Yorkshire would like to inspire other people, so donating to Gift Your Gear is an ideal way to pass this inspiration on and give your outdoor kit a new lease of life.” For more information, visit rohan.co.uk.

SKIPTON Community Orchestra needs an enthusiastic piano or keyboard player to join its merry bunch. The only requirement is a willingness to have a go and be prepared to laugh when you inevitably play very loudly in the wrong place – it will happen no matter how experienced you are! Catherine Davison, one of the orchestra organisers, tells me: “There are no auditions – just turn up and play. If anyone would like to have a go, just come along to one of our rehearsals. We are a friendly bunch who come together twice a month to play for the sheer fun of it.” The orchestra, run on a not-for-profit basis, actively encourages the audience to join in during concerts and provides opportunities afterwards to get hands on with the instruments, regardless of ability and age. It rehearses at the Holy Trinity Church Vestry Rooms at the top of Skipton High Street, on the second and last Tuesday of every month from 7.30pm to 9.30pm and there is a charge of £3.50 on a pay as you play basis. Anyone interested should go along to the next rehearsal on Tuesday. For more information, visit skiptoncommunityorchestra.org.uk, email info@skiptoncommunityorchestra.org.uk or phone 07905 457626.

THE Big Soup will be the Centre of the Universe tonight – and benefiting will be Manorlands Hospice which cares for Craven people with life-limiting illnesses. The Keighley-based The Big Soup Theatre Group will perform its show, Centre of the Universe, at 7pm tonight at Unit 1, Springfield Mills, Oakworth Road, Keighley. Tickets cost £10 and all proceeds will go to Manorlands, which is run by the Sue Ryder charity and needs to raise more than £1.6 million in voluntary income to ensure the hospice’s doors remain open. To reserve a seat, call Stacey on 01535 680155.

STAFF at Skipton Station say the pair of swallows that have been nesting in the station underpass, pictured above, have successfully fledged three young. The birds – which first featured in the Herald back in July – will now be feeding up before joining the migration exodus to southern Africa in the next few weeks.

SADLY all bets are off for Skipton Craven Rotary Club’s third charity race night. It has been called off just as people were making for the starting gate – it had been due to be held at Skipton’s Ermysted’s Grammar School on Saturday night. I am told the Rotary Club is now concentrating its fundraising efforts on its hugely-popular Skipton Santa Run, which will take place on Sunday, November 29. For more information, visit skiptonsantafunrun.com