THE Sheeptown Cavaliers - a rag-tag bunch of amateur cricketers famed for their pub exploits as much as their cricketing prowess - made a welcome comeback for a friendly game against Skipton CI last week. Although the result was a bit skewed by mid-game rain slowing down the pitch, a fun time was had by all at the family fun day. Among the highlights of the day was PR man Robin Moule's head dress when umpiring; the 'drinks' break at the bar every four overs; former Herald editor Matt Cornish's regular pratfalls as wicket keeper (due to the slippery surface, he assures me); and an unbelievable, gravity defying, diving catch by Sam Smith - a man far more agile than his figure would suggest. But one of the favourite sights of the day was the scorebook which confused young Josh Marshall, an energetic long-haired teen, with one of the CI ladies when batting, and then his future auntie when bowling.

SKIPTON'S Mayor, Cllr Martin Emmerson and a group of fellow dancers taking part in the up and coming, hush-hush BBC dance programme - due to be screened sometime, possibly before the end of the year - travelled to York to take part in some more filming. It was a grand affair, so says Cllr Emmerson, with the Skipton group being collected by coach the evening before and taken to York, where they were put up for the night in the student accommodation of York University. The next day, they were picked up again and whisked to York Minster, where after breakfast, some more filming took place. "There must have been about 300 people there, from all over, and people kept stopping and asking us what it was all about," says Cllr Emmerson. He met up with the Mayor of York, Cllr Dave Taylor, who was not apparently taking part in the filming, and at the end of the day, they were transported back to Skipton. We all look forward hugely to the dance programme, when all will be revealed which of the towns to take part ends up the winner.

THE opening of Thruscross Dam, of the A59 near Blubberhouses, 50 years ago, in September, 1966, attracted a great number of weekend motorists, according to the Craven Herald. A great number of Craven men had been employed in the construction of the dam, which had involved the flooding of West End village. Built by Holland, Hannen and Cubitts, civil engineers, the concrete dam was 600ft long and divided into 15,40ft monoliths. It was the first reservoir to be built since 1929 for the City of Leeds, and was expected to yield 3 million gallons of water every day.

CHAMPION fundraiser and all round inspirational young woman, Alice Halstead from Embsay, has been named by outdoor shop Mountain Warehouse as one of its ten finalists up to win £10,000 to give to a charity of their choice. Alice, 25, is due to take part in a skydive with three friends in October to raise money for the two charities close to her heart, Rays of Sunshine and Medical Detection Dogs. Alice, who suffers from type one diabetes and auto immune insulin syndrome, was full time in hospital, when Rays of Sunshine, which pays for seriously ill young people to go on trips of a lifetime, took Alice to see The Lion King, in the West End. After three years, when she came out of hospital, Alice started raising money for the charity, becoming one of its special ambassadors, and raising more than £60,000. She is also a very keen supporter of Medical Detection Dogs, after the charity paired her up with her own very special dog, Holly. Holly alerts Alice when her blood sugar levels are either too high, or too low, which means Alice can take swift action, and has give her back her independence. Being the winner of the Mountain Warehouse challenge, will mean £10,000 more for Alice's two special charities, but she needs our votes to get her there - to vote go online at mountainwarehouse.com/do-it-for-alice-skydive.

A FANTASTIC facility for any youngster finding it difficult to finish homework has started at Skipton Library. A quiet place, free from distractions, and with a trained volunteer on hand to answer questions, will be on offer at the High Street library every Wednesday during school term times, between 3.45pm and 5.15pm. Aimed at those between nine and 14 years old, help and support will be offered with basic research skills, and on finding the information needed to finish work. In addition to books, those going along will be able to access computers, with printing facilities, and free WiFi. The first session took place yesterday, and will run every Wednesday while children are at school.

A COLLEAGUE was recently very cross indeed, when having taken her car for its MOT was contacted later in the day by the garage to say her car had sadly failed the test - with one of the reasons being the windscreen washers were not working. Apparently, she had not bothered filling up the water reservoir for some time. Something of an expensive lesson she will not fail to forget in a long time.

AND the band played on - 59 years attending the event, and 57 years a helper in various roles, most notably – for many years now – as commentator, Skipton’s Mr Sport, Roger Ingham, harbours many treasured memories of Kilnsey Show which traditionally figures as Craven’s biggest annual gathering. Roger’s colourful commentary has also brought him into popular demand at shows and galas across a much wider expanse of the North, which in turn has brought him into frequent contact with the Lofthouse and Middlesmoor Silver Band, a long standing silver band which has traditionally entertained at many of these functions, in particular at Kilnsey Show. “They have played wonderfully for more years than I can remember”, says Roger. All good things one day some to an end, and for most of its players who having grown old gracefully together – this year’s Kilnsey Show was to be the band’s last public appearance anywhere. Roger’s happy and sometimes humorous recollections though will long abide, not least of all an episode amid torrid weather conditions in 1967, when horizontal incessant rain prompted the abandonment of the band’s own open-sided tent, with a move to one end of a huge beer marquee which was then close to the main ring. The playing of hymns was an integral part of the band’s musical repertoire, and so it was there amidst a more crowded than normal beer marquee due to the appalling weather that day, that a massive brawl erupted, and resulted in a sizeable number of alcohol-fuelled protagonists wrestling in about a foot of mud and water on the ground. Like the sinking of the Titanic though, the band played on. And after nicely rounding off the hymn, Abide with me, which they were playing at the start of the trouble… which one did they elect to play next as swampy scrum ensued? Fight the Good Fight!

CALLING all quiz fiends - the third annual Big Skipton Quiz in aid of the Principle Trust children's charity Tilly's Appeal is due to take place on October 6 at The Rendezvous Hotel. The charitable wing of Principal Healthcare, based at the Airedale Business Centre, Millennium Road, Skipton, helps vulnerable and seriously ill children and their families get away from it all by providing them with holiday accommodation. It currently has a waiting list and has set itself a target of £50,000 by Christmas so it can buy another caravan and help more children. "Unfortunately, because of the success of our work, our holiday homes are almost always fully booked, so we are trying to raise £50,000 to buy another holiday home so that more local children can have the holiday they deserve," says Mike Davies, chairman of the Principle Trust. It is looking for teams of six to take up the challenge and become Skipton's own Eggheads. Teams can enter for £30, to find out more, go to the website theprincipletrust.co.uk to download an application form.