BENTHAM: Historical Society: Mike Winstanley, vice-chairman of the Ewecross Historical Society, welcomed Melinda Elder to the first meeting of the winter programme, held in Bentham Methodist Church. Melinda gave an illustrated lecture on Transatlantic Slavery with special reference to local families who owned ships which took goods to West Africa, where the goods were exchanged for slaves who were taken to work in the plantations in the West Indies. Ships belonging to John Welsh from Belle Hill, Littledale, completed 83 slaving voyages from Liverpool, George Hutten from near Beetham, 68, and Thomas Foxcroft from Halsteads near Ingleton, 91. Most of the slave owners supported abolition and, although the slave trading was made illegal in 1807, slaves were not freed until 1833 when their owners were compensated by the government. At the October meeting, Jamie Quartermaine will speak on Archaeology around Sizergh Castle.

BOLTON ABBEY: Priory Church: The services on Sunday are 8am Communion (said), 10.30am Sung Eucharist and 4.30pm Evening Prayer. On Wednesday there is a said communion service at 10am.

Coffee total: The final amount raised from the Bolton Abbey Macmillan Cancer Support coffee morning has now reached £701.80.

BRADLEY: Liz Zieboll, 01535 636369: Family Show Day: Feedback from Family Show Day has revealed that people would like more craft stalls. Local crafts people, particularly Bradley residents, are invited to offer an expression of interest for next year’s show. Alternatively, if you can suggest local crafts people, put details in the Family Show box in the village shop. Requests for donations from clubs and organisations from the proceeds of this year’s show should be placed in the Family Show box before October 26 when the committee will meet at 7.30pm in the village hall meeting room to consider all funding applications.

Film Club: Film Club has resumed again after the summer break and is showing a series of Steven Spielberg films. First up is ET The Extra Terrestrial (PG) on Thursday, October 22. Films are shown in the school hall, starting at 6pm and everyone in the community is welcome. Admission is free.

Table top sale: St Mary’s Church is holding a fair and table top sale in the village hall on Saturday, November 14, from 10am to 3pm. Any individual or organisation who would like to have a table for crafts, bric-a- brac, books etc is very welcome; the cost is £10 per table. For further information, contact Anne Hunt on 01535 636179.

School news: The school has been awarded a Gold Games Mark Award from the Sainsburys Games Mark Audit, in recognition of the range of sports in the school curriculum and opportunities offered to the children. The school is collecting tokens from promotional 500g tubs of Flora Original, Light and Buttery; for every 50 tokens the school will receive a Samsung Galaxy tablet. Tokens can be handed in at the school office.

BURTON-IN-LONSDALE: Jean Thornber, 015242 63033: Pavilion opens: The recently completed sports pavilion at the recreation field, funded by Sport England, the Football Foundation Stadia Improvement Fund, Craven District Council and other donors, will be officially opened at 12.30pm on Saturday. Cutting the ribbon will be Kathleen Salrein, long-time village resident, and Abigail Rollinson, daughter of the late Julie Rollinson, one of the founders of the Burton Regeneration Group, a project partner alongside the Parish Council. All residents are welcome to attend. The event will be followed by a Burton United football match, with the kick off 2.30pm.

CONISTON COLD: Young Farmers: Coniston Cold Young Farmers met at Whitehills Golf Driving Range at Stirton for an evening of golf practice. Then, last week, members met at Kingsway Vets’ new facility at Skipton Auction Mart. Vet Chris Bailey gave members a tour of the building and a talk of his trips to dairy farms in California and New Zealand. The evening was rounded off with a quiz on veterinary equipment. Gemma Darwin gave the vote of thanks.

St Peter’s: On Sunday, the church will hold Evensong at 4pm.

CONONLEY: Joan Nicholson, 01535 630872: Musical Mayhem: The musical mayhem event, due to be held later this month, has been postponed. The event will now be held in February.

Jay Walkers: The Jay Walkers will stage Dennis Potter’s Blue Remembered Hills in the institute tomorrow. Tickets are available from post office or on 07718 874600. The production starts at 7.30pm.

Church fundraiser: Minus the Main Course will be held at the village institute on Saturday. Tickets are available in post office and proceeds will go to St John’s refurbishment.

Christmas fair: A Christmas Fair will be held in the village institute on Sunday, November 29, from 10am to 4pm. This is the arts and crafts fair with fun for all the family.

St John’s: On Sunday, St John’s will hold its harvest family service at 11am. Please bring tinned food for distribution to Keighley Salvation Army Food Bank. Following the service, from noon until 3pm, the church will be open for people to view the plans for the reordering of the building.

COWLING: New 2U: Following the charity shop’s end of season sale, it has now moved on to autumn clothing stock. This month’s focus will be on Jigsaws, which will be sold at £1 each unless otherwise priced. Based in St Andrew’s, Walton Street, the shop’s opening times are Tuesdays and Thursdays 2pm to 4pm and Saturdays 10am to noon.

Companions: Alan and Carol Walker will speak about Yorkshire dialect to Cowling Companions on Wednesday, October 21, at 2pm in the village hall. Admission is £2.50. There will be no Cowling Companions on October 28. Weekly meetings will resume on November 4 at 1.25pm with gentle exercise. Bingo is on the first Wednesday of the month at 2pm, with games or quizzes on other weeks. Tickets are selling fast for the outing to Barton Grange on November 6. The cost is £10 for members and £12 for non-members. Submit names by calling 01535 635246 or at the Wednesday meetings.

St Andrew’s: All are welcome to a short service at St Andrew’s Methodist Church at 7pm next Friday, October 16, to celebrate the life of loved ones now departed. The service will be led by the Rev Mollie Greenwood.

EARBY: David Hartley, 01282 842617: Churches Together: Nominations for the Rev Malcolm King Award have closed. Voting slips will be available in the churches and the New Road Community Centre or from David Hartley on 01282 842617 or Claire Conboy. The votes will be counted by the speaker at the Churches Together meeting on Thursday, October 29, and the shield will be presented at the Malcolm King dinner and dance to be held in the community centre at 6.30pm on Saturday, November 19.

Community centre: Thanks go to all those involved in making the community fun day at New Road Community Centre so successful. The AGM of the Community Association will be held at 7.30pm on Monday, October 19, in the centre.

St Peter’s: The service at 10.30am on Sunday will be led by David Baker. The gentle exercise class is at 1.30pm on Monday. The church lunch will be at noon for 12.15pm on Wednesday.

EMBSAY-WITH-EASTBY: Andrew Wilson, 01756 790197: Coffee morning: The coffee morning held at Laurel Croft to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support was very successful and raised £385, which was rounded up to £400. The residents of Laurel Croft were really pleased to see so many villagers and visitors from other areas attending the event. Anne Bryant thanks everyone for their donations and those involved in making the event such a success.

Embsay churches: On Sunday, the Methodist Chapel’s 10.30am service to celebrate harvest will be led by Deacon Maggie Patchett while at St Mary’s Church, there will be a Communion service at 9.30am. On Tuesday, St Mary’s will hold a family communion service at 10.30am and the church will be open for tea, coffee, home baking and conversation between 2pm and 4pm. Smiley Faces will meet tomorrow between 1.45pm and 3.15pm for pre-school children their parents, grandparents and carers. The Methodist Chapel is running an Alpha Course for anybody interested in discovering what Christianity is about. The next meeting will be on Tuesday, meeting for lunch at 12.15pm.

Village hall: The village hall management committee needs new members. The village hall is a valuable asset and is used extensively by various local groups. Several committee members have retired, after years of dedicated service, and new members are required. The committee meets on the third Monday of each month at 7pm in the committee room. For more details, contact 794776 or 792476.

Ceilidh: Next Saturday, October 17, the village hall will hold a ceilidh at 7pm. All ages are welcome. There will be a lasagne supper and a bar. Tickets are £10 for adults and £5 for children and are available from the Paper Shop. All profits will go toward St Mary’s roof restoration fund.

Women’s Institute: Embsay WI will meet on Tuesday at 7.30pm in the village hall when Corinne Docherty will speak about yoga.

Saturday buses: The parish council, along with Cllr Shelagh Marshall, is pleased to announce that it has received confirmation that a Saturday bus service is due to commence on October 24. It is to be operated by York Pullman on behalf of Dales & Bowland CIC and will form part of the X75 Skipton/Harrogate service, albeit with a different route to serve Embsay. Buses between Skipton and Embsay are still to be provided Monday to Friday by North Yorkshire County Council’s No 14 service 14, and on Sunday by Cravenlink service No 873. It is hoped parishioners will take advantage of this service which will depart from Embsay at 10.55am, 1.55pm and 4.15pm.

Parish council: The parish council will meet in the village hall supper room on Tuesday at 7.30pm.

Pre-School Playgroup: Photographer Jane Hall will be returning to the pre-school on Tuesday. To book an appointment, ring the pre-school on 791123. There is no obligation to buy.

FARNHILL AND KILDWICK: Joyce Wood, 01535 635880: St Andrew’s Church: Tomorrow afternoon, Kildwick School will hold its harvest worship in the church. This will be the first event in the church’s recently reordered nave. On Sunday, services will be Holy Communion at 8.15am and family communion for harvest at 10am which will be followed by an auction of produce. This year, the collections and auction are in support of WaterAid and non-perishable harvest gifts will be given to Skipton Food Bank. On Sundays, October 18 and 25, the church will be open from 2pm to 4pm so people can view the newly reordered space.

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.

Farnhill Methodists: This will be the closing weekend for the church. On Saturday, the coffee morning will be held in the downstairs hall from 10am to 11.30am. The usual stalls will be there. On Sunday, the final service will be held at 4pm and will be followed by tea and biscuits. Everyone is welcome. In future the coffee mornings will be held in the Kildwick and Farnhill Institute.

History Group: For those who own an old house and would like to learn more about lime mortars and lime pointing, a special hands-on session is being held at the Pendle Heritage Centre next Saturday, October 17, from 10.30am to 2pm. The next meeting of the Farnhill and Kildwick History group will be held on Monday, October 19, at 7pm in the Kildwick and Farnhill Institute when Karen Sayers will talk about her work as an archivist at Leeds University.

School news: At the Cross Country competition held at South Craven School last Wednesday the school brought home the trophy. Harvey Osborne took part in the WADO UK East Yorkshire open Karate Championships Boys under 8 Kick Master Competition and won a bronze medal. Stella Osborne won a bronze medal for Kick Master and took first place in the fighting element of the competition.

GARGRAVE: Sally Jennings, 01756 748098: Ballroom dance: The next ballroom dance will take place in the village hall tomorrow with the entertainment being provided by Alan Cookson. Entry is £6.50.

Coffee morning: A coffee morning will be held in the village hall from 10am to noon on Saturday.

Flea market: The next village hall flea market is on Sunday between 10am and 4pm. There will be numerous stalls displaying bric-a-brac, antiques, plants, crafts and home-made produce. Entry is 50p and refreshments will be available.

St Andrew’s: On Sunday, the church will hold a BCP Holy Communion at 8am and a morning service at 10.45am.

Women’s Institute: Gargrave WI will hold its annual general meeting on Wednesday from 7.30pm in the village hall annexe. All members need to attend to vote for next year’s committee.

Swing Commanders: The ever-popular Swing Commanders have been booked to appear from 7.30pm on Friday, October 30. This is their sixth consecutive year at Gargrave Village Hall and tickets are £10 from either Caroline on 01756 749235 or Sally on 01756 748098. There will be a fully licensed bar and hot beef sandwiches can be purchased during the interval.

GIGGLESWICK: Gill O’Donnell, 01729 825639: Theatre events: Tickets for the popular Lessons and Carols for Christmas at the Richard Whiteley Theatre will go on sale to the public on October 19. The following day, the theatre will host the annual Northern Garden Lecture at 7pm. This year’s speaker is Dr John Grimshaw, director of the Yorkshire Arboretum and Rays Wood on the Castle Howard Estate, who will talk on “Plants, Gardens, People”. For tickets, visit giggleswick.org.uk/rwt or phone 01729 893180.

Primary School: Congratulations go to Giggleswick’s key stage two pupils who took part in the recent Tag Rugby Festival at Giggleswick Junior School. The school entered two teams and the Under 11 team won its games against Giggleswick Junior, Settle Primary and Brackenfield. The unique canvas bicentenary bags are available from school for £5 each, or £8 for two.

Tidy-up: On Saturday from 10am, there will be a big tidy-up event in Giggleswick. St Alkelda’s Church invites any members of Giggleswick and Settle and beyond to meet outside the church, armed with shears, secateurs, strimmers, rakes, scythes, sickles and other useful tools. The community gardening group hopes to develop parts of the grounds with wild flower areas by sowing seeds, but first the areas need to be cleared and long grass removed. It is advised that young children should be closely supervised.

Craft sale: On Saturday, October 24, from 10am to 4pm, there will be a Christmas Craft Sale in aid of the NSPCC in St Alkelda’s Church. Refreshments will be available.

GRASSINGTON: Sheila Denby, 01756 752605: Craft fair: The next Grassington craft fair will be held in the town hall on Saturday. It will run from 10am to 4pm and entry is £1.

Halloween event: Youngsters are invited to a Halloween extravaganza at the town hall on Saturday, October 31. It will run from 6pm to 7.30pm and will include a disco, with prizes for the ghastliest girl and boy. Later, from 8pm, DJ Wilco will be in charge at a Halloween ball.

Friendship Club: Grassington Friendship will enjoy an autumn outing to Kendal today. Next week, Keith Barker will take a Trip down Memory Lane with members from 2.15pm in Church House.

WAGS group: Grassington WAGS group will meet on Tuesday at noon for a shared lunch and an opportunity to buy charity cards, wrapping paper and gift sets. At 1pm, John Currie will give a talk on Anecdotes of a Financial Advisor.

Coffee morning: Saturday’s coffee morning in Church House is in aid of Manorlands. It will start at 9.30am.

Bluff calling: Grassington Town Hall is the venue for a Call My Bluff evening on Friday, October 16, from 7.30pm. Tickets are £15.

Singing showcase: Upper Wharfedale School and the Grassington Singers will present The Autumn Showcase on Wednesday from 6.30pm in the school hall. Tickets are £3 for adults and £2 for children.

Feast Sports: Grassington Feast Children’s Sports will be held on Saturday at 1.30pm on Town End Field. The annual event is held for children from Threshfield, Grassington and Linton. There will be flat races, novelty races and a fell race.

HELLIFIELD: Ken Leak, 01729 850845: Book Club: Hellifield Book Club meets tonight in the social club from 8pm. Please come along if you enjoy literature and reading.

Flower Club: The 40th anniversary of North Craven Flower Club, was celebrated with an evening meal at the Falcon Hotel, Settle.

Age Concern: The Luncheon Club meets at the Boars Head, Long Preston on Fridays at 11.15am. Please let Ellen know of any changes to your requirements by the Wednesday prior to the meal. She can be contacted on 01729 850864.

Methodist Guild: The Hellifield Methodist Guild will meet on Wednesday at 7.30pm in the Wesley Centre, Haw Grove. Maurice and Win Walters will present Spectacular Switzerland. All are welcome.

Women’s Institute: The WI will meet next Thursday, October 15, at 7.15pm in the institute. Visitors are always welcome for a £4 donation. Mike Armstrong will present Bread Making and samples will be available. The WI coffee morning will be held next Saturday, October 17.

Coffee morning: Saturday’s coffee morning in the institute will be for Pet Rescue. It will start at 10am.

Advent fair: St Aidan’s Church will hold an Advent Fair on November 14 at 10am. There will be refreshments, cake stall, tombola, festive stalls, a raffle and the chance to win a Christmas turkey.

HORTON-IN-RIBBLESDALE: Caroline Thompson, 01756 749235: St Oswald’s: A big thank you is extended to everyone who baked, helped or attended the afternoon teas event at Langcliffe institute on Sunday, September 27. Approximately £300 was raised for the new toilet facility at the church. The service this Sunday will start at 9am.

KELBROOK: St Mary’s: On Sunday, the church will hold a morning worship at 11am, while next Sunday, October 18, there will be a traditional harvest festival service at 5.30pm, which includes a harvest supper. There will be no morning service that day.

LANGCLIFFE: Helen Jarvis, 01729 825303: Sunday teas: The last homemade afternoon teas of the year have been enjoyed. They have been very successful raising vital funds for the institute. More volunteers are needed to bake and serve. Please talk to Sue Parker if you can help. She can be contacted on 01729 822114.

Church news: The church is open every day from 9.30am to 4pm. On Sunday, there will be evensong at 6.30 pm. The theme will be remembering Nurse Edith Cavell. She is celebrated for saving the lives of soldiers from all sides in Brussels. Next Sunday, October 18, there will be a joint service of Holy Communion at St Oswald’s, Horton, at 10.30am. Contributions to the Food Bank are still needed. Thanks go to everyone who supported the Harvest Festival when £208 was raised for the Olive Tree Project in Palestine. Book sales are falling so please call and see if there is anything that you fancy. The money raised goes towards the church’s upkeep.

Village Show: The final meeting for the Langcliffe Show 2015 will be held next Sunday, October 18, at 4pm in the institute. The purpose is to review this year’s show and allocate funds.

LOTHERSDALE: Discussion Group: Lothersdale Agricultural Discussion Group will start its winter programme at the Tempest Arms, Elslack, on Wednesday at 8pm. Miriam Parker, of Livestockwise Ltd and a former Nuffield scholar, will give a talk on cattle handling systems.

RATHMELL: Elaine Illingworth, 01729 840087: Reading Room: The Macmillan coffee morning on Friday, September 25, raised £472.09, which included a village collection. This Saturday, there is the Thursday Club coffee morning, which will run from 10am to noon. Zumba classes take place every Monday from 7.30pm to 8.30pm.

Thursday Club: Twenty members will share cars and go out to lunch to the Assheton Arms, Downham, next Thursday, October 15. Meet up at noon for a 12.30pm start.

Young farmers: Rathmell Young Farmers held their annual general meeting at Rathmell Primary School. Laura Robinson chaired the meeting and thanked all those who had helped throughout the year. President Jean Kayley congratulated all members on a successful year. Officers elected were: chairmen - James Bradley and Tom Dean; vice chairmen - Liam Halliday and Jonathan Booth; secretary - Anna Booth; treasurer - Lucy Dean; programme secretary - Amelia Fawcett; sports secretaries - India and Amber Healing, Abi Parsons, Edward Bradley and Harry Parsons; minutes secretary - Jessica Sowerbutts; press secretary - Charlotte Booth; scrapbook - Morgan Healing. James Bradley gave a vote of thanks. Next week’s meeting is the Settle District quiz at North Ribblesdale Rugby Club at 7pm.

SETTLE: Gill O’Donnell, 01729 825639: Refugee crisis: Victoria Hall is being used as a collection point for aid for Syrian Refugees. Items will then been taken to a larger collection and distribution point in Manchester where they are sorted and sent to areas of greatest need. Goods, labelled and wrapped where appropriate, can be left in the foyer of Victoria Hall whenever it is open and if there is no-one on duty in the box office they can be placed behind the table curtain in the foyer. Goods required include tents, blankets, sleeping bags, duvets, baby food (tinned and in jars) and tinned foods (no meats) especially beans, lentils, tuna and pulses.

Music at Poppies: Bram Taylor will make a return visit to Poppies Tearoom on Saturday. He enthrals audiences with a fine rich voice, entertaining sense of humour and an excellent selection of both traditional and contemporary material on guitar, duet concertina, and baritone ukulele. Tickets are £7 and are available from Poppies.

Operatic Society: Tickets are now on sale for Settle Operatic Society’s production of Thoroughly Modern Millie. The production will be staged at Victoria Hall from October 26 to 31 at 7.30pm, with a Saturday matinee at 2.30pm. For tickets, visit settlevictoriahall.org.uk or call 01729 825718.

Victoria Hall: On Sunday, the hall welcomes Blueflint, a five-piece line up intertwining banjos, fiddle, piano, electric guitar, double bass and drums in raw, honest and beautifully-crafted songs. Next Friday, October 16, sees hot fiddles from Scandinavia when Frigg take to the stage. There will also be a workshop session with Frigg, suitable for all stringed instruments, from 5.30pm to 6.30 pm. On Saturday, October 24, there will be a concert by Charlie Dore and Julian Littman with a special appearance from Settle Voices. For details and tickets of all events, contact 01729 825718.

IT sessions: A series of one-to-one sessions can be arranged at Settle Library, Limestone View, to assist those who are unsure with new technology. They take place on Fridays between 3.30pm and 5.30pm. To book an appointment, contact 0845 034 9537.

Death cafe: There are plans to set up a death cafe in Settle. The objective is “to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives”. It is a discussion group rather than a grief support or counselling session and is run on a not-for-profit basis in an accessible, respectful and confidential space. If you are interested in helping to establish a death cafe in the area or would be interested in attending an event of this nature, contact 01729 825457.

Theatre trip: There will be a trip to see the musical Hairspray at the Alhambra Theatre, Bradford, on Wednesday, November 11, at 2.30pm. The cost is £38, which includes seat, coach and gratuities. The coach will leave Settle Cricket Club at 10.30am. For more details, telephone Michael Cullingworth on 01729 823978.

Playbarn: The Playbarn is holding a Neon Night tomorrow and again next Friday, October 16. These sessions will run from 5.30pm to 7.30pm and cost £6 per child. The price includes a hot dog and fries tea and there will be lights and glowsticks as well as party games.

Star Party: Victoria Hall is the venue for Settle Stories’ Star Party on Saturday. This will be a full-day event commencing at 11am and running till late and will feature a range of story tellers and astronomers suitable for adults and children. A collaboration between Settle Stories, Manchester Metropolitan University and Bradford Astronomical Society, the day’s highlights will include a rocket workshop, a chance to visit a Star Lab and a new star story event with international award winning storyteller Cassandra Wye. For further details contact Victoria Hall on 01729 825718 or go settlestories.org.uk/starparty Gallery on the Green: For the next few weeks, a whole host of stars will be found in what is probably the world’s smallest art gallery. The gallery has joined up with Settle Stories to display a selection of entries in Settle Stories’ competition, My Journey to the Stars. In a test of imagination, writers were invited to describe their journey to the stars on a postcard. The winner and a selection of entries will be displayed in the gallery from Saturday through to November 28.

Spanas and Spokes: Next Friday, October 16, at 7.30pm, there will be a slide show at Settle Parish Church illustrating the Pennine Cycleway. Entitled Spanas and Spokes: a Pennine Journey, the talk will also highlight the work of two charities - SPANA, which works on animal welfare, and Freedom from Torture. The talk will be given by Anthony Smith and admission is free.

Darts exhibition: Next Sunday, October 18, Settle Social Club will host an exhibition by Eric Bristow. The event commences at noon and admission is £5. There will also be a raffle in aid of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Big breakfast: The next big breakfast will take place next Saturday, October 17, in the annexe at Friends Meeting House, Kirkgate. Coffee and tea are available from 8.15am, with the breakfast and talk over by 9.30am. Admission is £3 and to book a place, contact 01729 825285. This month’s speaker is Robert Bagot from Buon Vino at The Courtyard.

Gavaghan Art: The new winter exhibition opens next Saturday, October 17, and features The Northern Landscape: Paintings and Original Prints, Cumbria, Lancashire, Yorkshire. The opening event will run from 2pm to 8pm. Normal winter opening times are Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, 11am - 3.30pm. The exhibition includes work by artists from Cumbria, Lancashire and Yorkshire including Heather Cook, David Cook, Norma Stephenson, Jacquie Denby, Alan Stones, Janet Swailes, George Melling, Tony Roberts, Rebecca Scott, Chris Rigby, Mike Pert, Milan Ivanic, Katharine Holmes.

Messy Church: The next messy church session will take place in St John’s Church Hall next Sunday, October 18, between 3.30pm and 5.30pm. This is open to all.

Guide Dogs: Guide Dogs for the Blind will visit Limestone View on Tuesday, October 20, from 10.30am and will have lots of gifts for sale, including Christmas cards and wrapping paper. All are welcome.

Give and take: Settle Eco Group has arranged a Give and Take day at Victoria Hall on Saturday, October 24, from 9.30am to 3pm. This is a free event where people are invited to bring items in good condition that they have no further use for and take anything away that they would like. There is a table for photographs of larger items but the organisers cannot take clothes or shoes. Traders are asked not to come until 2pm.

One World Week: Relations with Muslims is the theme for a talk by Dr Philip Lewis in St John’s Hall on October 22 at 6.30pm. Dr Lewis has been an adviser on Christian/Muslim relations to the Anglican Bishops of Bradford for 25 years. The event will also incorporate a meal. To book a place contact 01729 822313.

Ferret racing: There will be ferret racing and a ferret show at North Ribblesdale Rugby Club on Friday, October 23, at 7.30pm. Entry is £1 per person and £2 per ferret with all profits going to the Lynch Syndrome Charity.

Percussion concert: On Sunday, October 25, at 3pm, there will be a recital by Max Heaton, percussionist with The National Youth Orchestra and the Hallé Youth Orchestra, in aid of Child Rescue Nepal at Quaker Meeting House, Kirkgate, Settle. Tickets cost £10 and are available from Cave & Crag, Settle or 01729 825109.

Children’s centre: There will be a launch event for the new children’s centre on October 27. The centre is situated in the building which was formerly Settle Middle School. The event will take place between 10.30am and 12.30pm.

U3A talk: Ian Mulley will give a talk on the Chinese education system to today’s meeting of Settle U3A. It will take place at the town’s Victoria Hall, starting with coffee at 10am and the talk at 10.30am. Visitors are welcome for an admission charge of £1.

SILSDEN: Linda Berry, 01535 654643: Amnesty Group: Silsden Amnesty Group wish to thank all those people who supported the recent coffee morning and sent cards asking for the release of Dr Mohammed al-Roken, a human rights lawyer in the United Arab Emirates. He has been imprisoned for 10 years, for supposedly attempting to overthrow the government. Thanks go to Silsden Methodist Church for hosting the event which raised more than £200. The next meeting in the Methodist Church is on Monday at 7.30pm.

Ladies Circle: The Ladies Circle will meet at Silsden Methodist Church on Tuesday at 7.30pm. Kathryn, of Otley, will hold her ever-popular fashion show with a wide range of fashion clothing for all ages. Tickets cost £3 from Twiggs newsagents, Circle members or at the door.

Family day: A big bumper family day will be held at the town hall on Sunday from 10.30am to 3pm. This event, which is organised by the Friends, will give families ideas for hobbies and activities that they can share together. There will be displays by Keighley model railway and aircraft clubs, a Lego zone with Bricks4kids, arts and crafts, bead making and a family singalong led by Silsden singers at 2pm. Children must be accompanied by an adult and entry is £2 per adult.

Music celebration: Silsden Town Band and Silsden Local History Group will come together to remember and celebrate almost 200 years of brass band music in the town. It will take place at Silsden Methodist Church on Monday, October 26. The band is hoping to play at least one piece written by the celebrated Silsden bandsman and composer Edward Newton. Recent research into the origins of the band, including some previously unknown links to the nail-making industry and the Chartism movement, will be revealed in a script written by Cathy Liddle and presented by members of the history group.

SKIPTON: Bird talk: Tom McKinney will present “Birdsong and Music” to Craven and Pendle RSPB group tonight. A musician and BBC presenter of classical music, Tom will demonstrate how listening to music and listening to birds need not be mutually exclusive. The meeting will take place at Skipton Town Hall at 7.30pm.

History Society: Skipton and Craven History Society starts its programme for 2015/16 tonight when David Davies will recall the Big Freeze of 1947. Meetings are held fortnightly between October and April at the Swadford Centre on Thursdays at 7.30pm. New members are most welcome and subscription for the full programme of 13 meetings is £10, with a charge for visitors charge of £3 for individual lectures.

Naturalists: Craven Naturalists’ and Scientific Association starts its series of winter meetings on Monday. The first talk is by Howard Driver whose subject is the Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association. Other subjects are History of Woodlands in the Dales, an astronomy lecture, Barns in the Dales and The Outer Hebrides in spring. Meetings take place in the Swadford Centre at 7.30pm and visitors are welcome at a £2 fee per talk. For further details, contact the secretary on 01535 642180.

Oddfellows: Frank will host his music quiz at the Three Links Club on Saturday. Enjoy an evening with Nina and friends next Saturday, October 17, and a Country and Western afternoon with Ade Payne from 1pm next Sunday, October 18 (entrance is £3 on the door). Try your hand at carpet bowls from 8pm on Wednesday, October 21. For more information, call 01756 798022.

Speakers’ Club: Craven Speakers’ Club’s third meeting of the season saw Jan Paulke deliver an accomplished first speech entitled The Power of Words. Sylvia Walker provided an analytical critique of the art of evaluation. A wedding-themed topics session followed. The next meeting will be held on Monday at 7.45pm at the Soroptimists Rooms, Otley Street.

Lacemakers: The Craven Guild of Lacemakers met for their September meeting at Christ Church. Arrangements were made for several members to demonstrate at the Yarndale event at Skipton Auction Mart. The demonstrators were kept busy over the two days and, along with the National Lace Guild stand nearby, were able to display their work and allow visitors to try their hand at lacemaking. The next meeting of the guild will be at Christ Church next Thursday, October 15, from 10am to 3.15pm. For more information, ring 01535 656637.

Holy Trinity: Morning Prayer is held at 9am on weekday mornings at Holy Trinity Church at the top of the High Street. Any changes to the schedule will always be posted beforehand on the church gate notice boards. On Saturday, a group of visiting ringers will be trying the bells between 9.30am and 10.30am. Sunday services start with Holy Communion in the Lady Chapel at 8am, followed by Parish Communion at 9.45am taken by the curate, the Rev Heather Houlton, who will also lead the evening service at 6pm. Mid-week Holy Communion will take place, as usual, at 10.45am on Wednesday. Toddle into Church, the informal weekly session for pre-school children and their parents or carers, takes place on Tuesday at 2pm.

STAINFORTH: Firework display: Knight Stainforth Caravan park will hold a firework display on Saturday, October 24, at 6pm. There will be hot food and a licensed bar as well as a children’s entertainer. Tickets cost £3 if purchased in advance and £4 on the gate. To book, contact 01729 822200.

STEETON: Flower Club: Steeton Flower Club chairman Sue Little introduced David Robertson who thoroughly entertained everyone, using an excellent selection of flowers including red amaryllis and a fabulous seven-foot wisteria branch. Nicola Nutton gave the vote of thanks. Tickets for the open Christmas meeting on November 26 are now available and cost £10 from 07713 070235 or 07709 497750. Internationally acclaimed Andrew Grisewood will demonstrate A Touch of Fantasy. However, the next meeting will be at Sutton Village Hall on Thursday, October 22, at 7.30pm when Pam Kitchen will lead a skills night on contemporary floral design.

St Stephen’s: The harvest supper at St Stephen’s Church was well-attended. Several church members provided entertainment. The church was beautifully decorated for the harvest festival. Tinned produce was donated to the Salvation Army and fresh produce was auctioned, with proceeds going to Water Aid. The Ladies Fellowship meets on Tuesday at 7.30pm when Rachel Sturland will talk about her work at Phoenix Special School.

SUTTON-IN-CRAVEN: Coffee morning: A coffee morning will be held at the Sutton-in-Craven Community Centre, North Street, on Saturday at 10am. All are welcome.

St Thomas’ Church: On Sunday, services will be Holy Communion at 8.30am and Harvest Festival at 10.30am. All are welcome. On Wednesday, there will be a service of Holy Communion at 10am.

TOSSIDE: Hall dance: Raffle winners at the last dance at the community hall were Derek T, I Alderson, D Coates, R Middleton, B Harrison, K Beal, J Beresford and M Glover. The next Dance with Alan is next Friday, October 16, at 8pm. Admission is £6, which includes supper.

Whist and dominoes: Winners from the recent whist and dominoes drive were: whist, ladies - D Hogg, A Shaw, H Grainger; gents - M Davies, J Ogden, N Hull, Low T Shaw; dominoes - S Walker, A Sutcliffe, M Berry, A Bullock, P Oddie, P Metcalfe, low E Fox; raffle - M Wellock, D Knight, H Lofthouse, R Knight, T Taylor, J Taylor, E Carefoot, M Wellock and E Fox. The next drive is at the community hall next Saturday, October 17, at 7.30pm.

Harvest festival: St Bartholomew’s Church will hold its harvest festival service on Sunday at 6.30pm. It will be followed by a supper at the community hall from 7.30pm and an auction of produce. All are welcome.

Church fundraiser: The latest fundraising event for the restoration of Holy Trinity Church, Rathmell with Wigglesworth, will be an Auction of Promises at Tosside Village Hall on Saturday. Viewing is from 6.30pm, with the auction starting at 7pm. Many items have been donated. There is free entry and a pie and peas supper is available for £2.

UPPER WHARFEDALE: Sheila Denby, 01756 752605: Quiz and pudding: A quiz and pudding night will be held at Cracoe Village Hall next Friday, October 16, from 7.30pm. There will be a bar and raffle and tickets costing £6 are available from Sheila and David Merritt on 730283.

Working parties: St Mary’s Churches in Kettlewell and Conistone will hold working parties next Saturday, October 17, from 9.30am to 12.30pm. Both the interior and exterior of the two churches need tidying up. Volunteers should turn up suitably dressed and with the correct tools. There will be tea, coffee and homemade biscuits available.

Luncheon Club: The Kettlewell Luncheon Club will meet in the village hall next Thursday, October 15, at 12.30pm. To book or for more information, contact Anne Staniforth on 761171.

Gift of Stones: The North Country Theatre Company will return to Amerdale Hall, Arncliffe, with its latest production, The Gift of Stones, next month. It has been adapted for the stage by Nobby Dimon and is about a village of flint knappers whose lives are changed by a stray arrow, an amputation and a wild woman from the salt sea marshes. It will be staged on Tuesday, November 17, at 7.30pm, and tickets are £10 for adults and £8 for under 16s.

Whist drives: The winter programme of whist drives at Buckden Village Institute continues on Wednesday at 7pm. Entry is £2.50, which includes refreshments. For more information, contact David Lusted on 760877.

Winter history: The Rylstone Parish History Society starts its winter sessions on Tuesday in Cracoe Village Hall when the speaker will be Gillian Waters. Her talk is on the the Civil War and the Siege of Skipton Castle.

WIGGLESWORTH: Community centre: The craft group enjoyed making Christmas cards this week. It will meet again on Monday; please let Audrey know if you want to make a fused-glass pendant. Last Wednesday’s whist and dominoes winners were: dominoes - M Berry, A Kaylin, R Knight, A Sutcliffe, G Berry and A Pickard; whist - H Pickard, T Pike, M Davies, G Parker, M Wellock and M Davies. Tonight’s Zumba starts at 7.30pm. Bacon butty mornings continue on Saturday from 11am to 1pm and don’t forget the Ladies Christmas meal on Wednesday, December 2 at 7.30pm. Deposits are needed as soon as possible. The village show is getting closer, it will be held on Saturday, October 31.