A FREE course aimed at helping people back into work while engaging them in an important heritage project is due to take place in Skipton this winter.

Dales Resilience, run by the charity Settle Stories, will take place once a week for four weeks at Skipton Library from Tuesday, November 14.

Those taking part will research an exhibition of the Settle to Carlisle railway using the archives of the late author, journalist and historia, Bill Mitchell, who died in 2015.

The results of their labours will be a touring exhibition of the famous railway.

Sita Brand, director of Settle Stories, who will be running the course, said: "Engaging in a worthwhile task cataloguing items from the collection and developing a small touring exhibition has provided a fantastic focus for participants. They have been learning on the job and in so doing have made an important contribution to Yorkshire’s heritage."

Funded by the European Social Fund, the programme is aimed at helping people to gain new skills to get them back into employment.

Those taking part will learn about the archive, using computers and spreadsheets, and will learn how to catalogue items.

They will also receive mentoring and the opportunity to go on work placements.

Settle Stories has already run the programme in Settle, where it proved to be a success.

Bill Mitchell was editor of the Dalesman and Cumbria magazine for more than 20 years. His collection of photographs of the area is now kept at Settle Stories. A large collection of his interviews with Yorkshire people recorded on audio cassette is also kept at Settle Stories, and can be found online at: wrmitchellarchive.org.uk

The Dales Resilience course will take place at Skipton Library over four Tuesdays from November 14, from 10.30am to 4.30pm. Lunch and expenses will be provided. To find out more, visit the website: settlestories.org.uk/dalesresilience or telephone Settle Stories on 01729 822292.