I AM a great fan of moss, its one of those magical things. The best place in Craven I have discovered for it is Chapel-le-dale, where the conditions must be absolutely spot on. The moss, and so many different and unusual types of it, literally drip from trees and even from random bits of machinery, and rope - so very interesting. In fact, the only thing the moss doesn’t seem to attach itself to is the metal sculpture of the boggart, which was rescued and reinstated on its plinth after being thrown down the nearby Hurtle Pot.

This walking boot, pictured below, must have been lost for a long time and has just about become a piece of moss art, complete with resident slug.

Sadly, I don’t think moss has the same abilities as some types of fungus which have been found to ‘eat’ types of plastic. Kew Gardens in London has reported on how a plastic eating fungus - discovered on a waste site in Pakistan - has been shown to break down plastics used in synthetic leather in a matter of months. Now, that is a useful idea to develop.

IT’S quite amazing to think that a video to accompany a single of the international star Katy Perry- and American Idol judge, to boot - was made in Skipton, and during lockdown. Virpi Kettu, well known across Craven for her animation workshops, and Dogs Dales website - created the video for Perry’s ‘Resilient’ at her studio in High Corn Mill, working with colleagues in socially distanced ‘bubbles’ in both the UK and the USA.

Virpi invited a few people to go along, social distancing, of course, to take a look at her work, and how it was done.

And Skipton Town Council’s Judy Probst and Kerry Wheelwright, pictured, were delighted to take up the offer. “We saw behind the scenes of the video and learnt how the characters were made,” says Judy. “It took over two months of socially distanced bubbles in the UK and LA for Virpi and her team to produce the characters and the video.” Judy, of course, was the inspiration behind one of the characters in Dogs’ Dales.

To see Katy Perry sing Resilient, visit: youtu.be/LNHM5CcvMm0

THE lovely Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden in Ripon, has come out as the fourth most highly rated National Trust garden,.

Rated People combined Google reviews and Instagram data to come up with its findings, which put Tatton Park in Cheshire as the most popular, followed by Corfe Castle in Dorset.

A ROLLS Royce once owned by Yorkshire and England cricketer, Freddie Truman, whose statue stands in Skipton, was recently sold at auction for £31,500.

The 1967 Rolls Royce Mulliner Park Ward which was purchased new by ‘Fiery Fred’, who lived in Flasby, was one of the stars of the auction of classic and vintage cars at the Tennants Auctioneers’ motor car, motorcycle and automobilia sale on September 5.

After strong pre-sale interest, buyers battled it out for their top lots, bidding over the phone, online and in the saleroom.

The sale was well attended, says Tennants, given the current climate with motoring enthusiasts able to browse and buy in person while maintaining safe social distancing.

The top lot of the sale was a 1961 Jaguar MKII Saloon Concours restoration, which beat the £45,000-50,000 estimate to sell for £71,000, while a 1956 Jaguar XK140 sold for £50,000, and a 1965 Mercedes Pagoda 230 SL Coupe, which had generated much interest pre-sale, more than doubled the low estimate to sell for £48,000.

THE Canal and River Trust deserves much praise for its work - with partners - in improving vast stretches of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal towpath in Craven. The work has included the putting up of several information signs, including signs giving information on the Desmond Family coast to coast canoe trail. But, I can’t help thinking that signs along the towpath, warning of a bridge ahead, pictured above, when the bridge is a mere spit away, are a bit over the top.

GRANTS of up to £2,000 for Craven organisations empowering young people are up for grabs - but applications need to be in by September 25.

To be in with a chance to receive a grant, of between £200 and £2,000 from the KFC Foundation, organisations need to submit a two minute video about their projects.

The KFC Foundation supports grass roots organisations in the heart of its restaurant communities.

Organisations which empower young people to fulfil their potential and build a positive future by providing spaces that allow young people to feel safe and secure, helping them to unlock talent, build life skills, provide mentoring and improve their chances to gain meaningful employment.

The grant programme is available for registered charities, registered community interest companies, unincorporated clubs or associations or unregistered charities with a turnover of less than £300,000.

Louise Norris, KFC Foundation, said: “Our restaurants are at the heart of communities up and down the country and we’re proud to serve them. Giving everyone the chance to fulfil their potential is really important in the way we do things at the KFC Foundation. But this isn’t about us. We want to empower young people at the heart of our communities, by supporting grassroots organisations who are doing great things, working tirelessly to improve the lives of young people. Funds are available so get your applications in now.”

The KFC Foundation (formerly the KFC Add Hope Foundation) was set up in 2015 and has since paid out grants totalling £5 million to charity partners.

To find out more and apply for grant funding from the KCFC foundation, go to:kfc.co.uk/kfc-foundation-community-grants

100 YEARS ago, in September, 1920, the Craven Herald reported on the revival of Craven Agricultural Show , which was held at the top of The Bailey, in Skipton.

It had been held for nearly 60 years before the war temporarily put it on hold in 1913. Entries were substantially less in 1920 and the weather was not good.

There was heavy rain and a gale which brought down two large marquees, one holding 200 head of poultry and the other horticultural products.

50 YEARS ago,at the end of August, 1970, television star, comedian and impersonator, Mike Yarwood was pictured in the Craven Herald cutting the tape at the opening of a new extension to the factory of Hayfield knitting wools, Glusburn , watched by joint managing director John Horsfall.

Also, on September 10, the paper reported on Skipton Urban District Council and it accepting a recommendation of the Health and Housing Committee for an area in Broughton Road, Skipton to be declared a clearance area. The medical officer for health said the area would include houses in Emmanuel Street, Watkinson Street, Bradley Street, West Bradley Street and York Street.

If suitable accommodation for those displaced by the clearance did not already exist, accommodation would have to be provided, agreed the council.