Neighbourhood news from around Craven

Barnoldswick History Society: The speaker at Thursday’s meeting of the Barnoldswick History Society was Molly Haines and the subject was George Bradshaw and his Railway Guides. Most people will now be familiar with George Bradshaw as he has come to prominence via Michael Portillo’s railway programmes and his use of the guides to aid his travel both in the UK and abroad. George was born in Pendleton, Manchester, and was initially apprenticed to the engraver John Beale. In the early 1820s, he produced Bradshaw’s Maps of Inland Navigation but his reputation is mainly linked to the railways with his production of maps and timetables. The books included details of hotels, places to visit in the area and connecting omnibus services. Various adverts for items that may be needed on journeys, such as luggage and clothing, were also listed. George was a Quaker and was also known for his philanthropic work. He was a member of the Anti-Corn Law League and subscribed to “soup kitchens”. He died of cholera in 1853. During the meeting a Bradshaw’s Railway guide was donated by John Hannay which was raffled and the proceeds were given to the society .

Bolton Abbey Priory Church: Today, Maundy Thursday, at 7pm, there will be a Eucharist of the Last Supper with foot washing. Tomorrow, Good Friday, there will be a children’s service with hot cross buns at 10am, a three-hour devotion with the Liturgy at noon and The Tall Cross, words and music for Good Friday, with the Priory Choir at 7pm. On Holy Saturday, at 7pm, there will be Easter Eve ceremonies and lighting of the Easter candle. The early service on Sunday, Easter Day, is 8am Communion (said). And, as this is the first Sunday of the month, the church will hold its liquid family service at 9.15am. This is a fun service for children of all ages with Easter activities.

Bradley Liz Zieboll, 01535 636369 Good Friday service: There will be a united service at St Mary’s at 7pm tomorrow.

Plant sale: There will be a plant and herb sale at the village hall on Saturday from 10am to noon.

Coffee morning: Everyone is welcome at the Methodist Church coffee morning on Saturday. It will take place in the church hall between 10am and 11.30am and includes home baking.

Cricket Club: This year’s under 11 team cricket registration evening will be held at 6.30pm next Thursday, April 9, at the village cricket ground. This is for boys and girls who would like to play cricket or would like to find out more about it. Training and matches are open to anyone from year three upwards.

School news: Congratulations go to the year five and six cross country team. Archie, Toby, Will and Sam took part in the Bradford Schools Cross Country Relay last week and won third place. Well done also to Molly who ran the first leg of the year three/four relay and finished fourth. Pupils enjoyed a disco and an Easter Egg tombola during the last week of term. The school has some new resources for the woodland wildlife area, including magnifying glasses, binoculars and wildlife books. Class five were the winners of Walk to School, with 100 per cent of pupils either walking or parking and striding to school.

Burton-in-Lonsdale Jean Thornber, 015242 63033 Parish council: The project to provide Burton-in-Lonsdale with its own automatic defibrillator is nearly complete. A public meeting at 7pm on Wednesday, April 29, will inform residents how they can use the equipment in an emergency. The council noted recent local dog thefts where target properties were marked, and the dog(s) stolen at a later date, for either selling on or dog fighting. The council warns local dog owners of the danger and reminds owners to be vigilant and to ensure they know where their dogs are at all times. It is interesting to note this is a nationwide problem and not confined to this locale. There will be no parish council meeting in April. The annual parish meeting will be held at 7pm on Thursday, May 21, in the village hall. For more information, contact the clerk, Susan Gregory, on 015242 62863, or email bilparishcouncil@btinternet.com Carleton Raymond Bone, 01756 790587 Community Cafe: The Community Café will be open in the Swan Inn today from noon, with last orders at 1.30pm. Soup, sandwich, cake and tea or coffee will be available for £4. Contact Debby Richardson on 07834 545679 for more information or if you need assistance getting to the Swan.

Easter weekend: Carleton Community Umbrella will run three family events over the weekend. There will be an Easter-themed treasure hunt with seasonal clues hidden around the village. It will start from the Swan between noon and 4pm on Saturday and Sunday. A Big Easter Breakfast will be served in the village hall on Easter Monday between 9am and 11am. The cost of a cooked breakfast is £2. Carleton Duck Race launches from Townley Bridge at 2pm on Easter Monday. Ducks are £1, available from village shops and the Swan or at the bridge on the day. Winners will be announced at St Mary’s, where refreshments will be available from 2pm.

Clapham Rory-Joe Daniels, 015242 51135 Church news: On Good Friday, there will be services at Keasden Church from 11am and Austwick Church at 2pm. On Easter Sunday, Holy Communion will be celebrated at Clapham at 11am, Keasden at 2pm and Eldroth at 7pm. There will be a parish walk led by the Rev Ian Greenhalgh next Saturday, April 11. Walkers should meet outside Austwick Church at 9.30pm. St James’ Church, Clapham, will be holding a reopening service on Sunday April 12. Bishop James Bell will be joining the thanksgiving service that starts at 10.30am and all are welcome to come and see the church after its recent renovations. There will also be a confirmation service at the same time and if you are interested in being confirmed please speak to the vicar for more details.

Fun quiz: A fun quiz will be held later this month to raise money for the Clapham-based Cave Rescue Organisation. Local quizmaster Stuart Marshall will oversee the quiz at Settle Rugby Club on Friday, April 24, at 7.30pm. Tickets are £5, which includes a pie and peas supper, and are available from 015242 51488 or staff at HSBC Bank, Settle.

Coniston Cold Young Farmers: Coniston Cold Young Farmers travelled to Woodhead’s Abattoir in Colne. Members were shown all aspects of the meat industry from animal welfare to the end product ready for the supermarket. Paddy Capstick thanked Mick Winchester, Jodie Bolland and Jim Hutchinson for giving up their time and the staff at Woodheads for making the visit possible. Coniston will have a two-week Easter break. The next meeting will be Easter bingo at The Buck Inn, Malham, on Tuesday, April 14.

St Peter’s: On Easter Sunday, St Peter’s will hold a special service at 9.30am followed by an Easter Egg hunt.

Cononley Joan Nicholson, 01535 630872 St John’s: On Sunday, St John’s Church hosted the Cononley Singers for an afternoon of music and readings for Palm Sunday. The singing was wonderful and the readings thought-provoking. An audience of about 50 people enjoyed the afternoon, not to mention the homemade refreshments which followed. A retiring collection raised £156 towards the St John’s Church refurbishment. On Good Friday, there will be an hour of Devotions at the Cross at 2pm and on Easter Sunday, there will be Holy Communion (prayer book) at 8am followed by Family Easter Communion at 11am – with a chocolate theme.

Cowling Clearance sale: A charity project that recycles unwanted goods into community cash is holding an end-of-season Easter clearance sale. Volunteer-run New2U is based at St Andrew’s Methodist Church in Cowling. The sale, featuring all items at half price or less, will run from this Saturday to next Saturday. The April focus will be travel and items for sale will include suitcases, travel bags and accessories, maps, guides and reference books. Tea/coffee and biscuits will be served and the project will be open from 2pm to 4pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and from 10am to noon Saturdays. For more information, ring 01535 635101.

Cross Hills St Peter’s: A service will be held at St Peter’s Methodist Church tomorrow, Good Friday, at 7pm.

Draughton Jane Markham, 01756 711305 St Augustine’s Church: On Sunday, there will be a communion service, starting at 9.30am, to celebrate Easter Day.

Earby David Hartley, 01282 842617 Churches Together: Churches Together invites everyone to its Holy Week and Easter services. Today, Maundy Thursday, there will be a seder (Passover) meal and communion service at 6.30pm at Mount Zion Baptist Church. Meet at the community centre tomorrow at 10am to process to St Patrick’s for the Stations of the Cross service. Also tomorrow, there will be activities for children at the community centre from 9.30am, followed by a light lunch. In the evening, Riding Lights Theatre Group will perform the passion play, Inheritance, at Pendle Hippodrome. Tickets cost £8 and are available from the Edmondsons on 843064. On Saturday, everyone is invited to share in the Easter Light service at 8pm at All Saints’ while, on Easter Sunday, there will be an early morning Churches Together service at 7am at Stoney Bank Viewpoint, followed by breakfast at St Peter’s at 8am.

St Peter’s: The 10.30am service on Easter Sunday will be led by Hazel Edmondson. Before that, the church will provide breakfast at 8am for all those who have attended the early morning service. Please note that there will be no exercise class on Easter Monday.

Embsay with Eastby Andrew Wilson, 01756 790197 Embsay churches: Holy Week services continue at St Mary’s today with a Maundy Thursday Communion Service for all ages at 7.30pm followed by Maundy Watch until midnight to remember the events leading up to Good Friday. On Good Friday from 10.30am to 1pm, there will be a children’s craft workshop in the church. For more details, contact the Rev Louise Talyor-Kenyon. Holy Saturday will see an Easter Eve Celebration of Light at 8.30pm and on Easter Day, there will be a family communion service at 9.30am, but no 11.15am service. The Methodist Chapel’s Easter Day service at 10.30am will be led by the Rev Janet Clasper.

Churches Together: The Churches Together Lent Lunch held in the village hall on Saturday, March 14, raised £150 for Christian Aid. In addition, £43 worth of goods were sold on the Fairtrade stall. Many thanks go to all who supported the event.

Spring fair: Next Saturday, April 11, St Mary’s Spring Fair will be held in Embsay Village Hall from 11am until 2pm. There will be a seed and plant swap - bring a packet of seeds or a plant or two and take one away in return. There will also be a children’s corner, a cakes and produce stall, games and books, gifts and Fairtrade produce as well as a café serving soup and rolls and bacon or sausage butties.

Women’s Institute: Members enjoyed a talk about the problems which can occur in the joints of either sex at any age. It was given by Dr David Wardleworth, a doctor in general practice who specialises in musculoskeletal problems, and WI member Dr Samantha Patterson, a clinical pharmacist. The talk was very informative and encouraging, covering a wide range of conditions. Sufferers were reminded how important it was to take charge of the condition through sensible weight loss.

Steam railway: The Embsay and Bolton Abbey Steam Railway is running Easter Egg Specials on Easter Day and Bank Holiday Monday. Contact the railway for more details. The railway will also now be running trains on Saturdays and Sundays as well as on Tuesdays. Trains will also be operating on Good Friday.

Farnhill and Kildwick Joyce Wood, 01535 635880 St Andrew’s Church: Tomorrow, Good Friday, there will be a service of the Liturgy of the Cross at 2pm. On Saturday, there will be the Easter Liturgy and First Communion of Easter at 8.45pm. On Sunday, Easter Day, there will be a service of Holy Communion at 8.15am and a Family Communion followed by children’s Easter Egg hunt at 10am and a Songs of Praise at 6pm.

Methodist Church: The Rev Ruth Crompton will lead an 8am service at Farnhill Methodist Church on Sunday. This replaces the 10.30am service this week.

Village Pump: The Village Pump - the over 50s group - will meet in the lower hall at Farnhill Methodist Church on Wednesday from 2pm to 3.30pm.

Local History Group: On Friday, April 24, Ian Dewhirst will give a talk, The Yorkshire Home Front in World War Two, to Farnhill and Kildwick Local History Group. It will take place in Kildwick and Farnhill Institute at 7.30pm. Admission is £5 on the door, including refreshments.

Sunrise service: A sunrise service will be held on Sunday, Easter Day, at Farnhill Pinnacle from 6am. Tea and hot cross buns will be served in the lower hall at Farnhill Methodist Church after the service.

Gargrave Sally Jennings, 01756 748098 Ballroom dance: A ballroom dance will take place tomorrow from 8pm in the village hall. The music will be provided by Jim on the organ and entry is £6.50 to include supper.

Coffee morning: The next coffee morning is on Easter Saturday between 10am and noon in the village hall. All proceeds will go towards the hall’s running costs.

Flea markets: There is a flea market on both Easter Sunday and Monday between 10am and 4pm in the village hall. There will be different stalls on both days displaying bric-a-brac, antiques, plants, crafts and homemade produce. Entry is 50p and refreshments will be available both days.

St Andrew’s Church: Today, at 7pm, there will be a Maundy Thursday Holy Communion service followed by a drop-in vigil and meditation until late. On Good Friday at 9.30am the Procession of the Cross starts at the church. The procession will start at Neville House/school at 10am and will then go to the playground (Airedale Avenue) at 10.40am, and via the High Street to finish around 11am at the Dalesman Café. At 2pm there will be An Hour at the Cross meditation with Rev Peter Poulter in the church. On Sunday, the Easter Day services will start at 8am with BCP communion, followed at 10.45am by Holy Communion with the renewal of baptism vows and chocolate!

Women’s Institute: Gargrave WI will meet on Wednesday from 7.30pm in the annexe of the village hall. The speaker is Peter Stirk who will talk about Water - From Sky to Tap and Back.

Giggleswick Gill O’Donnell, 01729 825639 Primary school: There was great excitement in school last week when pupils were able to observe the solar eclipse. In addition to watching its progress on the live screens, pupils tried out the various methods suggested for safe viewing and decided that the bowl of water set up by Mrs Thompson in the side yard was definitely the best. Whilst outside, they observed how cold it became and how the birds started to roost. Congratulations go to all pupils who participated in the recent Sport-S-Cool multi sports course and particularly Libby Worthington, who was awarded the trophy for always smiling and working hard .Thanks go to everyone who donated chocolate items for the recent family bingo and chocolate tombola. There was a good turnout and many items of chocolate were won and consumed. It was lovely to see so many families at the open afternoon along with governors and some future pupils. Many visitors commented favourably on the displays of pupils’ work and the huge range of activities on offer. Well done to all pupils, especially class one, for performing so well during the pupils’ assembly and to key stage two for producing the delicious apple buns. The fundraising total for Comic Relief has now reached £212. Class three pupils enjoyed a French breakfast, organised by Mrs Butcher. Prior to the breakfast, they designed and made French-style placemats and during the meal, they spoke in French and sampled various pastries, bread, hot chocolate and fruit juice. Some of them even dressed in French colours for the occasion! The school is grateful to Settle Co-op, which donated some of the items. Once again, the church team at St Alkelda’s volunteered to run a day of Easter activities for pupils. Following the Palm Sunday story, read by the Rev Hilary Young, pupils held their own version of the Palm Sunday procession (with percussion instruments!), parading from school, along Burnside, down Raines Road, then Bucks Lane, along Tems Street, down Church Street, through the lych gate and into the church. Following a morning of activities, they returned to school for a special Easter meal, before returning to church for more activities, culminating in an Easter assembly.

Gisburn Young Farmers: Gisburn Young Farmers enjoyed an evening at Skipton’s golf driving range. Everyone had a good night and talent certainly varied! Next week’s meeting will look at the summer programme Glusburn Women’s Institute: At the March meeting, members of Glusburn and Cross Hills WI were treated to an art demonstration by Derek Stansfield. Derek expertly proceeded to create two landscape paintings, one using watercolours and a credit card and the second one using coffee. It was fascinating to watch and he made it look so simple. The next meeting is at 7.30pm on Tuesday at Cross Hills Village Centre where Patricia Clough will talk about Men in Theatre. Any ladies who might be interested in joining WI will find a friendly welcome.

Grassington Sheila Denby, 01756 752605 Walk of witness: A walk of witness will be held in Grassington Square tomorrow, Good Friday, from 11.45am. It will be followed by a devotional service.

Friendship Club: National park ranger Phil Richards will address Grassington Friendship Club in Church House today at 2.15pm. Next Thursday’s speaker will be retired baker and confectioner Geoff Arnett, who will show a film on The Bakery.

Movie night: Grassington Movie Nights, arranged through The Hub, will present their next programme in the town hall’s Octagon Theatre on Saturday. The afternoon film will be How to Train Your Dragon and the evening show is Gone Girl. Tickets are available at the Hub and cost £5 for adults, £2.50 for children and £10 for families (two adults and two children). A bar and refreshments will be available.

Coffee morning: Gills Top will hold a coffee morning tomorrow from 10.30am. All are welcome.

Spring show: Grassington and District Horticultural Society will hold its spring show in the town hall next Saturday, April 11.

Hall fundraiser: Burnsall Village Hall will benefit from a coffee morning in Church House on Saturday from 10am. There will be a side stall and raffle.

Hebden Victoria Benn, 01756 751795 Duck race: The annual Easter duck race will take place on Saturday at 2pm. Ducks will be available to buy from Hebden Old School Tea Rooms, and a few willing volunteers will also be endeavouring to sell them door to door. Please come along and see 200 ducks racing down the beck below the tearooms.

Hellifield Ken Leak, 01729 850845 Coffee morning: Saturday’s coffee morning in the institute will be on behalf of the church. It will start at 10am and will feature stalls, tombola and a raffle.

Methodists Guild: The Methodist Guild will meet at the Wesley Centre, Haw Grove, on Wednesday from 7.30pm. Joy Phillips will speak on The Life of a Vicar’s Wife from 7.30pm. All are welcome.

Parish Council: Hellifield Parish Council will meet in the institute next Thursday, April 9, from 7.30pm.

Flower Club: North Craven Flower Club will meet in the institute next Thursday, April 9, when Elaine Bedford will demonstrate Incredible India. The club will also host a coffee morning in the institute next Saturday from 10am. There will be a plant stall, cakes and a raffle. For more information, contact Frances on 01729 822558.

Book Club: The next meeting of the Book Club will be next Thursday, April 9, at 8pm in the Social Club. The book for discussion will be the best-seller Elizabeth is Missing by Emma Healey. If you love reading and would like to join the group please go along.

Age Concern: Age Concern now holds a Friday Lunch Club at the Boars Head Hotel, Long Preston. Coffee and tea is available from 11.15am followed by lunch. The cost is £6 for two courses. All those attending are asked to let Ellen know on 850864 by Wednesday morning. New members are welcome.

Horton-in-Ribblesdale Caroline Thompson, 01756 749235 Parish Council: Horton-in-Ribblesdale Parish Council is giving its support to a campaign to raise funds for a village defibrillator. The funds will be safely deposited in the parish council`s account until the target sum of £3,000 has been raised. This sum includes the purchase of a Yorkshire Ambulance Service-approved defibrillator, a cabinet for mounting it on a wall, the cost of installation and maintenance of the machine. The Bayes family, of Penyghent Cafe, have offered to have the machine placed on an outside wall of their property. This is an ideal central location in the village. Spearheading the campaign are Michael Hale, of Selside Railway Cottages, who is the area`s first responder, and Fiona Durham who lives in Selside. Both work in the health service at Castleberg Hospital, Giggleswick, and know first-hand the importance of the machines, particularly in a rural area like Horton-in-Ribblesdale. The machines are simple and safe to use - people call 999 and the emergency service will give a code to open the cabinet, the machine will then give clear spoken instructions. Once in position, the defibrillator will detect the heart’s rhythm and delivers a shock if one is needed. If anyone would like to make a donation by either cash or cheque, it can be left at Penyghent Cafe. Cheques should be made payable to Horton-in-Ribblesdale Parish Council. For further information, contact either Michael Hale on 01729 860478 or Fiona Durham on 01729 860058. The Yorkshire Ambulance service is also trying to recruit more people in outlying areas to become first responders. Contact the Yorkshire Ambulance service for more details or have a chat with Michael.

Ingleton Sue Brown, 015242 41835 Ladies night: Ingleborough District Scouts are holding a ladies night on Friday, April 17, at 7.30pm at Mealbank Hall. The evening will feature a fashion show by Kitty Brown Boutiques and will include clothing across the full range of sizes as well as accessories. Tickets cost £5 and are available from Scout leaders and from Ingleton Community Centre.

Langcliffe Helen Jarvis, 01729 825303 Flag flies: The Union Flag was flown at half-mast last week to mark the reburial of King Richard the Third.

St John’s Church: Today, Maundy Thursday, at 7.30pm, there will be a short communion service, followed by a recording of Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man - A Mass for Peace. On Easter Day, the 10.30am Holy Communion will be led by Canon David Towers. Everyone is welcome. On May 3, the church will hold a lambing service.

Recipes needed: Jean Jelley is still collecting recipes for a village cookery book. Please write out your favourite recipe, sign it and give it to Jean.

Lothersdale Young Farmers: Lothersdale Young Farmers recently had a tour and talk at Skipton Police Station. Last Monday’s meeting was fat lamb judging at David Airey’s. Results were: junior girls - 1 Helen Barraclough, 2 Jessica Tidswell, 3 Jennifer Lee; junior boys - 1 Joseph Parker, 2 Harry Bailey, 3 James Fieldhouse; intermediate girls - 1 Kelly Maltby, 2 Hannah Ormondroyd; intermediate boys- 1 James Mellin, 2 Edward Berry; senior girls - 1 Daisy Hammond; senior boys - 1 Matt Airey, 2 Luke Mellin, 3 Richard Horsfield. On Wednesday, the club will hold a charity meal at Calico Jacks, Skipton.

Discussion Group: Lothersdale Agricultural Discussion Group will meet at the Tempest Arms, Elslack, on Wednesday at 8pm. The speaker will be Jonathan Burnie, of Dunbia Meats. All are welcome.

Rathmell Elaine Illingworth, 01729 840087 Young Farmers: Members enjoyed a quiz evening, organised by Jessica Sowerbutts and Ella Caton, and last week decorated Easter eggs with some great designs from pigs, sheep, minions and rabbits. Results were: junior girls - 1 Anna Booth, 2 Jessica Sowerbutts, 3 Charlotte Booth; junior boys - 1 Tom Dean and Edward Bradley, 2 Elliot Belt and Freddie Parsons, 3 Will Monks and Tom Southworth.

Settle Gill O’Donnell, 01729 825639 Fun quiz: A fun quiz will be held at Settle Social Club to raise money for the Clapham-based Cave Rescue Organisation. Local quizmaster Stuart Marshall will oversee the quiz on Friday, April 24, at 7.30pm. It follows a similar event last year, which proved a success. Tickets are £5, which includes a pie and peas supper, and are available from 015242 51488 or any of the staff at HSBC Bank, Settle.

The Folly: The Museum at the Folly is now open for the new season and features two new exhibitions. The first is entitled 1915: Reality Hits Home and continues the World War One theme from last year. It looks both at life on the home front in North Craven and daily life for the men and women serving abroad. It focuses on gas attacks and the tremendous role of the military padres in raising morale and tells the stories of two remarkable local men: Bertram Lambert, who invented the gas box respirator, and the Rev Theodore Bayley Hardy, VC, MC, DSO, of Bentham and Hutton Roof, who was the most highly decorated non-combatant in World War One. The second exhibition is A Community Skill: the History of the Burton-in-Lonsdale Potteries. There will be around 80 pots on display, making it possibly the largest collection in Yorkshire.

Journey to the Cross: Tomorrow, members of local churches will perform Journey to the Cross, a dramatic presentation of the Good Friday story. This will start at 10.30am in St John’s Methodist Church Hall before moving onto the Millennium Gardens, Settle Market Place (11am) and then on to the field on Town Head. If it is very wet, scenes two to four will take place in St John’s Church. Tea/coffee and hot cross buns will be served in the parish church afterwards.

Guided walks: Two guided walks have been organised by the Friends of Settle-Carlisle railway for Saturday. The first is a Kirkby Stephen circular walk that is suitable for all the family (but not prams or buggies). This will be a seven-mile moderate walk departing from Kirkby Stephen station at 10.44am with the option to return to the station or Brough by vintage bus. There is also an option to do a two-mile easy family walk on a town trail around Kirkby Stephen with the added attraction of visiting the annual classic vehicle rally and a ride back to the station on vintage buses. This again connects with the Leeds train arriving at Kirkby Stephen at 10.44. No reservation is necessary but all participants on the first walk should ensure that they are appropriately clothed, carry a packed lunch and have suitable footwear. For further details contact walksinfo@settle-carlisle.com Coffee morning: Settle Amateur Operatic Society invites you to join members for coffee between 10am and noon on Saturday and again on Saturday, April 18, at the Old Court House on Station Road.

Victoria Hall: This month’s First Folk Sunday on Easter Day will feature Bill Caddick. Bill is one of the stars of the English Folk scene and has been touring and playing since the sixties. Next Thursday, April 9, Hotbuckle theatre will visit with its acclaimed production of Jane Austen’s Persuasion. Next Saturday, April 11, rhythm and blues band The Stumble return to Settle while on Friday, April 17, 1980s hit band The Christians will take to the stage. The month is rounded off by a special concert featuring Greg Lawson and Pete Garnett in their new band Caper. For details and tickets, contact 01729 825718.

All sorts fair: The Friends of Victoria Hall are holding an all sorts fair on Easter Monday from 10am to 4pm. Refreshments will be served all day and all are welcome. There are still table spaces available and those wishing to book a space should contact Jean Bradley on 01729 840205.

Hatha yoga: A new term of Hatha yoga classes will commence on Monday, April 13, at Settle Primary School. Sessions run from 7.30pm to 9pm. There will also be classes on Wednesday evenings from April 15. For further details, contact 07947 027188.

Hustings evening: With the General Election campaign under way, Churches Together in Settle and District have arranged a hustings event for Friday, April 17, from 7pm to 9pm at St John’s Church. All the candidates are planning to take part and the event is open to everyone from the local community. There will be an opportunity to put questions to the prospective candidates and these should be submitted, in writing, to John Diggles prior to the meeting. He can be emailed at johnd@abtsound.co.uk and submissions should arrive no later than 6pm on April 16.

Big breakfast: The next big breakfast will take place on Saturday, April 18, at 8.30am in the annexe at Friends Meeting House. The speaker will be Mark Turnbull, headmaster at Giggleswick School. Please book your places by Thursday, April 16, by contacting 01729 825285. Coffee and tea are available from 8.15am, with the breakfast and talk over by 9.30am. The cost is £3.

Blood session: There will be a blood donor session at St John’s Hall on April 20. The afternoon session will run from 2.30pm to 4pm and the evening session from 5pm to 7.30pm. To make an appointment contact 0300 123 23 23. New donors are welcome.

Photographic Group: There will be no meeting on April 6 as this is Easter Monday. The next meeting will be the AGM on April 20 at 7.30pm at Townhead Court.

Settle Stories: Together with Settle Library, Settle Stories will celebrate World Book Night on April 23 at 6.30pm. There will be free books and a chance to enjoy storytime with storytellers Alia Alzougbi and Sita Brand. Sita and Alia will delight you with tales from around the world. There will be free refreshments, a chance to discover the new library plus the opportunity to go on a book giveaway around Settle. This is a free event but it would be useful to know how many people are coming so please book a place via the Settle Stories website. The event is suitable for children aged eight years and over.

Silsden Linda Berry, 01535 654643 Camera Club: A meeting of the Camera Club was held in St James’ Church Hall last Wednesday. Members took along an image to talk about and get some feedback. There was a mixture of digital and print and everyone seemed to have an enjoyable evening. The next meeting will be on Wednesday and the competition is “Abstract” in black and white. For further information, contact 01535 653528.

Sports Club: Silsden Sports Club will host rock covers band Blue Star Tattoo on Easter Sunday, with classic songs covered from bands like Thin Lizzy, Free and Led Zeppelin along with tracks from the Stereophonics, The Jam and The Cult. It will run from 7.30pm until late with entry on the door £3.

Coffee and cakes: There will not be a coffee, cakes and camaraderie coffee morning in April due to Easter Saturday. Sessions will resume in May.

School reunion: A reunion for anyone who left Hothfield Street School in 1967 is to be held at the Kings Arms in Silsden next Friday, April 10, at 7pm. For further information, contact Joan on 01535 653176 or 07813 766570.

Live entertainment: The Proms on the Farm team invites you to a magical evening of live entertainment with songs from the shows, classical and folk music featuring local artists. This will be held at Silsden Methodist Church on Saturday, April 18, at 7pm. Admission is £6 which will include light refreshments and tickets are available from Twiggs Newsagents or on the door. Proceeds will go to Manorlands and the church.

Sunrise service: Why not get up bright and early on Easter Day and celebrate at the top of Farnhill Pinnacle. Meet at 6am for an Easter morning service followed by coffee and hot cross buns at Farnhill Chapel.

Skipton International Club: Richard and Elaine Claire will give a talk entitled India: A Month at the Orphanage at the next meeting of the International Club. It will take place at 7.30pm on Tuesday, April 14, in the Soroptimists Rooms, Otley Street, Skipton. Visitors are welcome.

Holy Trinity: Morning Prayer will take place at 9am today, Maundy Thursday, at Holy Trinity Church – at the top of the High Street - but there will be no Evening Prayer. There will be a special Happy Hour get-together this morning at 11am. Easter services start tomorrow, Good Friday, when the rector, the Rev Veronica James, will lead three hours of reflection, meditation, prayer and music from noon until 3pm. Everyone is welcome to come along for all, or part, of this service. Easter Sunday morning begins at 6am with Sunrise Communion in the church yard, followed by Holy Communion at 8am and Family Communion, with Healing Ministry, at 9.45am. There will be no Toddle into Church on Tuesday. The rector, with curate, the Rev Heather Houlton, will lead the midweek communion at 10.45am on Wednesday.

Camera Club: Awards for the season’s various competitions were given out on Tuesday. They had been keenly contested with good entries. There followed a digital presentation by Keith and Eileen Hillery on their recent holiday in Tenerife. The attractions of the area were well-portrayed with mountains and floral displays being impressive and beautiful. Next week’s final meeting of the season will be the annual general meeting.

Naturalists: Craven Naturalists and Scientific Association held its annual general meeting at the Swadford Centre last Monday. The president reported on an excellent year, both with lectures and field trips. An explanation of the balance sheet was given by the treasurer and showed the association had a satisfactory year with subscriptions staying the same for the 2015-2016 session. The council was re-elected en-bloc with the addition of another member. After the meeting, the president gave a talk entitled A short walk in Japan, showing a very interesting series of pictures with an informative commentary. For more details of the association, call the secretary on 01535 642180.

History Society: On Thursday, Philip Abbott from the Royal Armouries, Leeds, gave an illustrated talk to Skipton and Craven History Society on the life and career of Captain William Dawson RN. His Dawson ancestors had lived at Langcliffe Hall, but William, who was born in 1782, had spent much of his childhood around Liverpool Docks and it was there that he developed a passion for a career at sea. He joined the navy at the age of 13 and the Dawson family papers, mainly recorded by his father Pudsey Dawson, detail the ships on which he served and his progress to becoming a midshipman and passing his Lieutenant’s exams. By 1808, he was First Lieutenant on HMS St Fiorenzo operating against French ships in the East Indies and, when his captain was killed in a famous three-day battle with the frigate La Piedmontaise, he took command. His conduct and character were much praised and he was described as “another Nelson rising”. He was promoted to post captain, but sadly died in 1811, following an accident on land and illness. The next meeting is at the Swadford Centre next Thursday, April 9, at 7.30pm when Susan Broadhead will give an illustrated talk on The Magna Carta.

Fine arts: Skipton and Wharfedale Decorative and Fine Arts Society will meet in the town hall next Thursday, April 9. The meeting will start with coffee at 7pm, before the lecture begins at 7.30pm. Frank Woodgate will give an illustrated talk, Revealing the Beauty of Nature: The Landscape Art of Andy Goldsworthy.

Steeton Methodist Church: Steeton Methodist Church’s Good Friday service at 7pm will be taken by the Rev Rosemary Nash. The Easter Day service on Sunday at 10.30am will be taken by Ann O’Shaughnessy when the Cross will be transformed with flowers. Everyone is welcome. There will be a sunrise service at 6am on Easter Sunday at Farnhill Pinnacle with hot cross buns and refreshments at Farnhill Chapel afterwards.

Sutton-in-Craven Thornton-in-Lonsdale Paula Kendall, 015242 42390 Rosemary Hartley 015242 42207 St Oswald’s: The Easter Sunday guest speaker at St Oswald’s Church will be Archdeacon Paul Slater. There will be a special united service at St Oswald’s today, Maundy Thursday, led by the Rev Anne Russell. Arrive at 6.30pm for a light meal followed by a service of Holy Communion. A “scratch choir” will meet at 5.30pm and everyone is welcome to join. There will be a fundraising coffee morning on Wednesday from 10.30am to noon and on Saturday, April 25, a lunch time concert will be staged, featuring Avelina Wright (soprano) and Charles Edmondson (piano). It will start at noon and will be followed by a light lunch. Tickets cost £6.50 and are available from Rosemary Hartley on 015242 42207.

Upper Wharfedale Sheila Denby, 01756 752605 Fountaine’s Chapel: Fountaine’s Chapel at Linton will hold a series of brief reflections and silent meditation on Good Friday at 2pm.

Book Club: Rylstone Book Club will review Juliet Naked, by Nick Hornby, on Tuesday, April 14. For more information, ring Debbie on 730345 or email dsgeldart@aol.com Cross walk: There will be a walk to Rylstone Cross tomorrow, Good Friday. It will start from the village’s St Peter’s Church at 10am. Participants will then return to the church for hot cross buns. All are welcome.

Reflections: Scargill - the Christian centre at Kettlewell - will hold a 60-minute worship and reflection on Good Friday from 8pm.

Easter fun: Easter fun will be on offer at Kilnsey Park until April 12. Activities include an egg trail, Easter lambs, duck racing, pony rides and craft sessions. For more information, visit kilnseypark.co.uk Wigglesworth Community Centre: Zumba will take place today at 7.30pm. The coffee morning selling cakes and cards in aid of the air ambulance service, which Audrey ran on Saturday, raised £337. Dominos winners last Wednesday were: A Pickard, H Wolfenden, A Lowe, B Procter, A Taylor, M Berry, and whist winners were E Turner, M Davis, A Dinsdale, M David, S Hogg and H Jackson. Saturday will see the first bacon butty morning of the year. It will run from 11am to 1pm. These have been popular with both locals and people passing through the village. Dylan, who has completed his 40 nights sleeping in a cardboard box, will be at the butty morning to collect his sponsorship money. Rural Arts are putting on a performance of Bless Em All on Wednesday April 22, at 1.30pm. The show features songs and acts from the 40s and would be of particular interest to those of a certain age who can remember that era! Admission is free for over 60s and priority will be given to local people who should book before April 8. Numbers may need to be restricted so please phone 01729 840794. There will be a pot for donations if desired for refreshments and a raffle.