I WOULD like to express the very serious gratitude of the listeners and committee members of Craven Cassette Talking newspaper to Ian Lockwood. It must have been a mammoth task researching and writing his book “A History of Skipton”.

Ian has then gone further and over more than a year recorded 70 episodes of approximately half an hour recording the various chapters, and supplied these to our charity so that our blind and partially sighted listeners could enjoy the book. They have got friends to send notes of gratitude to us and stopped me in the street to discuss the book.

The last two years have been very challenging for everyone, this charity not excluded. We have not missed sending out a single recording of the Craven Herald (or for that matter Dalesman magazine) and this together with Ian’s recordings has helped with listener loneliness during the pandemic.

This lunchtime I delivered the recording of today’s Craven Herald to the sorting office with the very final chapter of Ian’s book on it. The book is worth reading – those reading this (and thus not in need of our service) can buy the book at Waterstones Booksellers Ltd. (If they know anyone who cannot read The Craven Herald they could also contact me about getting the service).

Richard Breare

Chairman of Craven Cassette Talking Newspaper