<Headline>

The Museum of North Craven Life has been given the key bearing a label with the words ‘Key to Ypres Cathedral destroyed in 1914/18 War. Found by a soldier who was there’ .

It is currently part of the Great Silence Exhibition, but the museum is undecided what it ought to do with it and has asked people to vote on its Facebook page.

It was passed on to the museum by the late Cliff and Muriel Humphries of Burton-in- Lonsdale, both of who taught at Ingleton school for many years. The label was in a box handed over to the museum which also included a piece of a land mine, another mystery key, and a Roman oil lamp and had been used as a kind of ‘handling’ box by the school.

The museum says abut the key: “We have no written provenance for the object apart from the label. We have no proof that it is what it claims to be, but sometimes we have to trust our instinct and accept that we may just be holding something quite significant.”

Now, it is asking people whether it ought to keep the key, ask Ypres Cathedral whether it would like it back, or do something else with it.

THRESHFIELD Court Care Home, in Threshfield recently hosted a chocolate treasure hunt for residents and primary school children. The children, from Threshfield Primary School joined in activities and with the hunting for treasure with residents at the home (pictured right).

Stacey Nicholson, general manager of the Barchester Healthcare home, said: “We invited the group to the home as a way of supporting intergeneration interaction. The children appeared to really enjoy the visit and the chocolate treats on offer and the residents at our home had a lot of fun on the day and truly enjoyed our young visitors. The benefit to our residents is immeasurable, this gave them opportunity to reminisce about when they had small children and to enjoy the fun and laughter these visitor brought.”

Resident And, Jean Moxham, one of the residents, added: “It was a truly enjoyable time with the children, everyone was smiling and I could see the excitement on their faces when they found chocolate”.

ANOTHER care home provider with a property in our area has produced a book aimed at children as part of last week’s national dementia action week.

Orchard Care Homes, which runs Sutton Hall and Lodge, Sutton-in-Craven, hopes the book - Making Sense - will be used to develop understanding of dementia for children and remove some of the common stigmas associated with the condition. The book will be available at all its homes and will also be supplied to schools.

‘Making Sense’ features fun traditional games such as mazes, spot the difference, optical illusions, memory tests, word searches and much more.

And, every activity is linked to the challenges somebody with dementia may face, with many pages asking children to question what they could do to help. It is hoped, by taking part in these activities, children will better understand the difficulties of having dementia as well as empathise and bond with family members who may have the condition.

Last week’s Dementia Action week, run by the Alzheimer’s Society, aimed to unite people, workplaces, schools and communities to act and improve the lives of people living with dementia.

FANS of rugby union may well want to get themselves along to the annual garden party of the Wharfedale support group of Manorlands Hospice next month.

Not only is it a very good cause, but this year the event will be held at the home in Threshfield of solicitor, John Spencer (pictured above right) former England captain, former manager of the British and Irish Lions, and also a past president of the RFU. In addition to John himself, there will be strawberry cream teas, and plants and cake stalls. Wharfedale support group member, June Robinson, said they were very grateful to the hospitality of John and his wife, Amanda for hosting the event at their home in Wharfeside Avenue, Threshfield.

The garden party is always a major fundraiser for the support group, which in the past has held it at the home of one of the original Calender Girls. This year, it will be held on Wednesday, June 5, from 2pm to 4pm. Tickets are £7.50 each, and can be bought by telephoning 01756 753139 or 01756 752012.

BERNARD Peel, Friends of the Dales Volunteer, will lead a guided walk of about six miles tomorrow (Friday) around the lovely countryside near Conistone with stunning views across Wharfedale.

Walkers will meet at 10am at The Fountaine Inn, Linton, near Grassington, for a welcome bacon butty - or a vegetarian alternative - and coffee or tea. There will then be a short drive, in shared cars, to park on roadside at Conistone Bridge. The walk, from 11am, will follow a rocky route through gorge-like Conistone Dib emerging to cross the plateau to reach easier walking along Bycliffe Road to visit the abandoned Bare House. Some rocky paths on return and descent back through the Dib. The walk will take about three and a half hours, and proper boots are essential. People should go prepared with a drink and warm waterproof layers, and well behaved dogs on leads are welcome. The walk will end at about 3 pm back at the pub for a superb two course hot lunch.

People can book at The Fountaine, on 01756 752210 or info@fountaineinnatlinton.co.uk. Cost is £15, with £1 from every walker donated by the pub to Friends of the Dales. To find out more, visit the website: friendsofthedales.org.uk/events.

FIFTY years ago, in June, 1969, Clint Eastwood and Lee Van Cleef were staring in The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly at The Picture House in Cross Hills. Over at The Plaza in Skipton, it was Lock Up Your Daughters, a lesser known film with Christopher Plummer and Susannah York. There was a gala concert at the LMS Club, next to Skipton Railway Station, and now a car park, which featured ‘nine fabulous artistes’. Skipton Young Liberals were putting on a folk concert in the town hall, featuring ‘various groups and singers’, while Craven Young Conservatives were presenting a ‘monster non-stop soul show’ also at the town hall in Skipton, but a day apart. The young conservatives also had at their event ‘top pops disc jockey John Dee’. There was a donkey derby organised by the Settle Rotary Club at Bridge End, Settle, and a garden fete at Rockwood, Skipton, the home of Thomas D Lumb. The fete, in aid of Skipton scouts, included weight lifting and Scottish dancing. Skipton and Craven Lions were appealing for ‘used nylon stockings’ to send overseas to be used as outer bandages in leper colonies.

A HUNDRED years ago, at the end of May, 1919, the Craven Herald was musing on whether some day in the future, someone would put together a history of the Skipton Parish Church bells. At least one or two chapters, it said, could be devoted to some of the old ringers. Back in the day, according to the Herald, it was not unusual for the prize winning ringers to have their ‘refreshment’ in the church tower. It seems ringers remained in place for upwards of 40 years each, with all learning to ring ‘under the old band’. One of the long standing ringers, a Mr Billows, also instructed the ringers at the Holy Trinity Church, Burnley, and the Silsden Parish Church.