AN iconic image of beautiful Bolton Abbey will greet millions of passengers at Heathrow Airport as part of plans to attract even more international visitors to the county. It will adorn one of Heathrow’s fleet of scheduled buses that provides passengers with the essential link between Heathrow’s five terminals and the 25 airport hotels. Other images will include York Minster and Staithes on the dinosaur coast. More than 73 million passengers a year currently use Heathrow – which is Europe’s busiest airport – so this is seen as a “fantastic” opportunity to inspire visitors to discover Yorkshire. Sir Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire said: “What better way to spread the word about Yorkshire than at Europe’s busiest airport. We hope that when these stunning images catch the eye of millions of world-wide travellers they will be inspired to come and spend time in God’s Own County and see for themselves how beautiful Yorkshire is. The Tour de France promoted Yorkshire to a global audience of millions and this ambitious campaign will promote the county to many more visitors from around the world.”

THERE may still be more than 50 days until Christmas Day but planning is already under way for this year’s community Christmas Day dinner and tea in Settle. This annual event is open to all ages and costs £10 per head. It will take place in St John’s Hall between 11.45am and 4.45pm and places can now be booked by contacting Judith Allinson on 01729 822138. Volunteers are needed to help with preparing and serving meals and providing transport to the event.

FANCY getting creative? To celebrate Halloween, the New Inn Hotel, Clapham, is hosting its first-ever pumpkin carving competition. Pumpkins can be left outside the hotel until the end of the month and the person with the most creative sculpture will win a £30 Vue gift voucher as well as a ‘trick or treat’ candy bundle.

VOLUNTEERS are being sought to host vital monthly lunch groups for carers. Carers’ Resource, which supports unpaid carers who look after a loved one due to illness, frailty, disability or drug or alcohol misuse, is calling on people who have a few hours spare to help out at the get-togethers. Volunteers would welcome carers, chat to them and make them feel comfortable, and make sure the group runs as smoothly as possible. The lunches are held from noon to 2pm on the first Wednesday of the month at The Bay Horse, Snaygill, Skipton, the last Monday/Tuesday – alternate – of the month at The Three Horse Shoes, Ingleton and the second Monday of the month at The Lion in Settle. Carers’ Resource volunteer co-ordinator Val Stewart tells me: “It’s just once a month but it makes a world of difference to how carers cope with isolation and stress in their everyday lives.” For more information, contact Val Stewart on 01756 700888, email vstewart@carersresource or visit carersresource.org/be-involved/volunteering/opportunities/group-host/lunch-group-hosts.

TO get people in the mood for Hallowe’en, a business run by a Craven woman has released a new festive pasta flavour. Sally Wellock, who lives at Calton in Malhamdale, started trading as Sally’s Pasta at Lomeshaye Business Village in Nelson last November. Custom has been good for the former Sedbergh School pupil - and, to mark Halloween, she is offering a new pasta flavour, pumpkin and sage, which she says goes nicely with a topping of melted butter, nutmeg and parmesan. Sounds delicious.

A COLLEAGUE out walking in the Ribble Valley could not resist taking this picture of a resting tup. Farmers put raddle - a type of thick dye - on the tups at this time of the year so they can see which ewes have been ‘visited’ by the tup. This tup, spotted near Halton West, had clearly been very active.
Drinkers brave enough not to get spooked by Skipton town centre at Hallowe’en could find themselves having a hell of a night – or three – out. Six pubs in the Coach Street area have joined together to form the Ale O’Ween Crawl tomorrow, Saturday and Sunday. A changing choice of around 80 cask ales will be on tap at The Beer Engine, the Cock and Bottle, the Yorkshire Rose, the Royal Shepherd, the Narrow Boat and the Sound Bar. Trail-trekkers will be able to get a card stamped at each of the pubs which makes them eligible for prizes and a prize draw. The Beer Engine’s Janet Langton said: “It is our second annual Ale’Oween Festival, and last year’s was a great success. All the pubs worked really well together. The six pubs have constant changing beers and none will be duplicated, so there will be a great amount of choice. Each pub will have a list of which beers are available throughout the six so people can hunt out their favourites. It’s a staggering choice - though perhaps staggering is the wrong word!”

SINGERS are being sought for the Arncliffe, Kettlewell and Conistone joint Christmas choir. Rehearsals start next week and will take place at Kettlewell Church on Fridays from 3pm to 4pm. They will be led by Myra Eteson.