Letters to the editor

First, as has been mentioned, the operation of the market is complicated by ownership issues relating to the setts on which the market stands. These belong to the owners of the buildings alongside on either side of the High Street, who in the main decide which traders occupy the setts in front of their buildings. Without the direct control as to who is allowed to use the land, the town council is not able to fill any gaps in the market which might occur when regular traders do not stand for whatever reason.

The council has, however, already made substantial progress on this front by negotiating direct arrangements with a number of the landowners. The most prominent of these is the agreement with the owner of the site outside Rackhams. This was reported some time ago in the Herald and, once refurbishment of the setts has taken place in early October, new-style stalls will occupy this area strengthening the mix of products available. As other agreements are negotiated, the options for the council will improve.

Turning to the suggestion from both Ms Ackroyd and Mr Hewes that the number of market days should be reduced and that the High Street should be closed off to traffic on market days, the terms of the council’s agreement with the holder of the Market Charter require that a market be held on four days each week. On closure to traffic, far from being a “no brainer”, it is simply not possible to close off the High Street on each market day. There are no suitable diversion routes for larger vehicles and buses, particularly due to the low bridges around Skipton. Special arrangements can be made for special events as these generally take place on a Sunday when traffic and the impact on bus services is much less of a problem.

Skipton remains a great place to visit with good shops, pubs, cafes and restaurants as well as attractions such as the castle and the canal, and the market is a major part of the reason people visit our town. What is important is that we all work together for the benefit of local residents, businesses, the market and visitors to ensure Skipton thrives and prospers.

JOHN DAWSON, Chairman, Skipton Town Council Market Management Group Craven District and Skipton Town Councillor, Skipton North, Gainsborough Court, Skipton.

UNSURPRISINGLY, the growing problem of cars parking opposite Keelham Farm Shop, along Gargrave Road between Keelham, Aireville School and the roundabout has now hit your front page (Craven Herald, September 10). Perhaps it is time to consider two associated facts.

First, for many years, ever since HML built their office block, many of the people who work there have been forced to park in side streets and housing areas, causing enormous difficulty for residents.

Secondly, it needs to be remembered that when HML apparently provided a strictly limited number of parking spaces for their employees they seemed to hope (expect?) that they would share cars or use public transport. The inevitable overspill then caused all those original problems for local residents.

If, as many hope, the cars now parking along Gargrave Road are forced to park elsewhere, it doesn’t take a genius to see where they will have to move to.

It isn’t the fault of those drivers because who in their right mind would voluntarily, and in all weathers, choose to walk half a mile or more between workplace and car? Nor is it Keelham’s fault (although their car park can often be very discouraging and difficult to navigate) – it’s the lack of parking spaces for employees at what was HML.

That’s the root cause and therefore I would suggest that responsibility for solving the problem doesn’t really lie with the council, nor with Keelham.

ALAN STURGESS, Eshton Road, Gargrave.

THROUGH the pages of the Craven Herald we would like to say a big thank you to everyone who contributed to making the 2015 Settle Flowerpot Festival such a great success.

Individuals, businesses, churches, schools and various other organisations all joined in the fun and created a wonderful, humorous and imaginative collection (over 150!) of displays made from flowerpots.

There were animals of every description (from a mole to a dinosaur), nursery rhyme and fairy tale characters, hot air balloons, light houses and a range of eccentric characters which you couldn’t look at without a smile appearing on your face. As one visitor said: “What an amazing example of community spirit!”

Very importantly, the festival attracted many visitors to the town who enjoyed following the flowerpot trails and spotting the various flowerpot displays; the smiles and looks of wonder on the children’s faces was a sight to behold. Undoubtedly these visitors also spent time visiting our local shops, inns and restaurants thus helping to sustain our local economy and keep our town centre vibrant and alive.

We are already planning the 2016 festival which once again will be held throughout July and August. Make a note in your diary and we hope to see you there.

STEVE AMPHLETT and TONY HARDWICK, Flowerpot Team, Vibrant Settle Community Partnership.

EVERY year I make a pilgrimage from west London to the Kilnsey Show and Sports and to the bucolic beauty of my childhood – I grew up in Grassington. I go with four daughters and enjoy all the old favourites – the dry stone walling competition (this year taking time-lapse pictures to send to my brother in Australia, where they don’t believe there is such a thing) the sheep shearing demo and tractor display – and some new ones – delicious cafe lattes, celebrity chef cooking presentation and even an aerial display.

A lot of progress has been made. But all is not well in Upper Wharfedale. After watching the very exciting crag race, which now includes many amazing women athletes, we noticed in the programme that their prize money is less than half that of the men. Words truly failed me when I tried to account for the difference to my incredulous daughters. And what can account for the difference!?

They run the same course at the same time and at the same risk. Unbelievable.

Can it really be true that the organisers feel the women don’t have the same status as the men? And what message do they think this sends to young female athletes? It’s not like the prize money is particularly high £150 for the fastest man vs £60 for the winning woman. I intend to offer the organising committee the £90 to make up the difference (not that I can afford it). I’ll let you know if they accept.

RICHARD HUNTRODS, Elmshaw Road, Putney.

DURING the 1930s, people in Bentham offered homes to several children fleeing from Nazi persecution in Europe. A few years ago an appreciative letter was written to us by one of those children, now in his 80s and living in Israel. I’m sure such a welcome was extended by other towns and villages in Craven so that dozens of children were given the chance of life.

Now, very sadly, it is time to be thinking again about offering such hospitality to refugees, this time to some of the four million people escaping the war and its devastating effects in Syria.

The EU is asking the UK to accept this year 20,000 Syrian people. I’ve been doing some sums. This means that if we were to welcome our share, North Yorkshire, with 0.9 per cent of the population of the UK, would provide homes to 180 people. Craven, with nine per cent of North Yorkshire, would offer a home and safety to 16 people, only three or four families. Can we help?

There are organisations co-ordinating such offers. You can find out about them by looking at the website tenthousandhomes.org.uk and if you are in a position to offer accommodation, contact the Homes for Resettled Refugees Register via citizensuk.org.

Perhaps Craven District Council could make an offer on our behalf? Why not write to your councillors and suggest they take it up?

ANNIE NELIGAN, Pye Busk, Bentham.

I WOULD like to say a big thank you to the volunteers who give their time and who work so hard to keep Settle Parish Church grounds looking so tidy and cared for.

We have noticed that visitors like to wander or just sit in the grounds, and are delighted to find the church grounds in such a cared-for condition. So also are people with family graves here.

The volunteers are not church members, and their dedication is greatly appreciated by the congregation and the many visitors to the church.

DOROTHY BEARPARK, Northfields Crescent, Settle.

I WAS fortunate enough to be at the Queen Elizabeth conference Centre in Westminster on Saturday, to witness a remarkable moment in history, when Jeremy Corbyn was elected leader of the Labour Party by a landslide. There were many young people there like myself, disproving the myth that the youth are not interested in politics, rather as Jeremy said in his acceptance speech, for too long politicians have not been interested in the young, he plans to change this.

Jeremy is a man of principle. When David Cameron was lording it up with his friends in the Bullingdon Club, Jeremy was being arrested for protesting outside the South African Embassy. On so many issues from Northern Ireland to LGBT rights he was ahead of his time.

Jeremy offers that most precious of thing: hope. Bring on 2020!

JOE DILLON, Hammerton Drive, Hellifield.

FOLLOWING the news and letters in last week’s paper, there are many ways to help refugees here and abroad.

The most immediate action could be to donate money – to the Red Cross, Refugee Council or others. There are opportunities to volunteer with support organisations in Yorkshire, as a befriender, case worker, sorting and distributing donations of clothing and food etc.

Red Cross runs a drop-in for refugees and asylum seekers every Tuesday in Bradford and has similar days in Leeds. For more information, visit redcross.org.uk/refugee or call 0113 201 5240. There are a number of support organisations in Bradford – Google ‘Bradford Refugees’ – who accept donations of money, food and clothing.

Both Bradford and Leeds are “cities of sanctuary” whereby their councils and community organisations are recognised as providing a welcome and assistance to refugees (www.bradford.cityofsanctuary.org).

JOHN LAUNDER, Brook Street, Skipton.

I WAS very saddened to receive a photograph showing Zion Congregational Church, Settle, up for sale. As a child I attended Zion every Sunday for Sunday school and have very fond memories of the Minister, the Rev George Moffat, who was a true Christian in every sense of the word. No matter what church you attended he was always there for you and would help anyone in the town.

Seeing the church up for sale really brought a lump to my throat, remembering all the concerts that were held in the school room at the back of the church; the anniversary services, the youth club that used to come from Liverpool every year for a week. Beetle drives and so many other events that involved the whole town. People came flooding back to me also, Miss Eglin, Sylvia Fielding, Stanley Sharpe, George Brown, Betty Hinsley, Mr and Mrs Faulkener, Agnes Whitehead and many more. I attended church there until I was married in 1964 and then moved away, but my daughter was christened there in 1966 and my father’s funeral service was held there in 1968.

When I came home every so often to visit my mother. I would go up to the church and hopefully attend a service. The last time being after my mother had died in Dorset, where I now live, and as it was her wish that her ashes were buried in Settle churchyard along with my father, I thought it fitting that she should have a little memorial service at Zion as she was a regular worshipper there. until she could no longer climb the hill.

I know it is a sign of the times that congregations of all denominations are getting smaller and that churches are having to close, but now Zion is no more I feel very saddened by this but I shall always have the fondest memories of the building and the people.

JENNY MITCHELL, Wool, Dorset.

I VISITED the public conveniences in the town hall car park Skipton last Wednesday, September 9.

I very rarely visit these toilets but I was horrified by the state they were in.

There was no attendant present to take the 20p fee Craven Council feels we should pay for the privilege of using these facilities, and quite frankly it is outrageous they feel justified in asking for any money.

There was no paper in three of the toilets, two were un-usable, and the floor was covered in paper and rubbish and was wet. The whole place felt dirty and neglected.

I dread to think what impression this gives to the many visitors to Skipton for whom this the first thing they experience when they arrive here. One cannot help but contrast public toilets in this country with the ones in other European holiday destinations which almost always put us to shame.

Come on Craven Council, sort these problems out. We never get a second chance to make a first impression to our many visitors.

JUDITH SCHOFIELD, Skipton.

I WOULD like to thank Jacky and Peter for looking after me when I was taken ill and for taking me to hospital, ensuring prompt medical attention.

Once again, Bibby’s have gone the extra mile.

SHIRLEY KING, New Village, Ingleton.

WHAT can we be doing here in this area to help the refugees fleeing war and persecution?

Are our local politicians pressuring the government to take more Syrian families in?

Can you give them a nudge in the right direction? Who is fundraising locally.

Who is offering up their homes to families? Who is on standby to provide warm food and drinks and an even warmer welcome to these troubled people?

RUTH SKINNER, Uplands, Skipton.

TO mark World Suicide Prevention Day (September 10), Samaritans’ message was to reach out to friends, family or colleagues who may be struggling and ask, “Are you OK?” The day’s theme of looking out for those who could be at risk was endorsed across the world by the likes of Richard Branson, Ricky Gervais and X-Men star Hugh Jackman.

But really, it’s a message for everyone, every day.

Today, 18 people will take their own life in the UK and the Republic of Ireland. Reaching out to people who are going through a difficult time can be a game changer.

When a person gets to a point where they are focused on taking their life, they’ve often lost sight of trying to find a way through their problems.

This period usually only lasts a short while and often it doesn’t take a huge amount to bring someone back from that decision – something as simple as asking, “Are you ok?” can be enough to move someone out of suicidal crisis.

It can be daunting and difficult, but if you are struggling to cope, for whatever reason, or are worried about someone, please reach out, whether it’s to ask someone how they are, or let someone know you need help.

Today and every day. It could make all the difference.

People looking for support to start a conversation with someone they’re worried about can find tips and guidance on Samaritans’ website at samaritans.org/difficultconversations follow Samaritans on Twitter @samaritans, #RUOK or find them on Facebook facebook.com/samaritanscharity.

Samaritans is available round the clock, every single day of the year.

It provides a safe place for anyone struggling to cope, whoever they are, however they feel, and whatever life has done to them. Call 01282 694929 (local call charges apply), 08457 90 90 90 in the UK (calls will cost 2p per minute plus your telephone company’s access charge), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit samaritans.org to find the nearest branch.

IAN HARTLEY, Director of Pendle, Burnley, Craven and Rossendale Samaritans.