“Once Upon a Time

Photo by Jon Brook of Bentham Imaging

“Once Upon a Time ….” By Shirley Brown Back in September 2020 when Issy Carr was interviewed in our ‘People of Bentham’ feature, she told me that her life was like a fairy story. And so it is.

“Once upon a time, an attractive young woman called Isabel Staveley, became pregnant. When her time came to have the baby, she went to ‘Homesteads Nursing Home’ in Melling and gave birth to a son. She loved her son and named him George. But she was not allowed to keep him, or even to hold him, and he was taken from her to be adopted. She was told that she would soon forget him and should just get on with her life.”

That was in 1955 in Britain, when to be unmarried and pregnant was very different to today. At that time young mothers were told that if they really loved their babies, they would give them up for adoption. This was considered to be in the best interests of the mother and the child, and the mother should want her child to be raised by a respectable married couple, not under the shadow of illegitimacy.

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This might seem strange and unbelievable to anyone born since the 1980s. But Isabel was one of a large but still unknown number of unmarried women throughout Britain who were coerced into handing over their newborns for adoption between the 1950s and the late 1970s. There was little understanding then of the lifelong grief and distress that this would cause to the women concerned. Isabel, now known as Issy, did get on with her life. She stayed in the Bentham area, working on the family farm until 1962 when “Cinderella eventually met her prince” and she married a farmer, a kind man, John Makinson Carr, 17 years her senior. John always said he would have taken in Issy’s son and brought him up as his own. They did not have any children, but both worked hard, made a living from the farm and were happy in the home where she still lives, Lowther Hill Farm. John died in 1991. Back last year when I asked Issy what her perfect day would look like, she answered without hesitation that it would be if she could find out anything about her son’s life. She told me she, and many other good friends and family members, had tried lots of ways but had always drawn a blank…..until now! 25 years ago Issy’s niece, Angela Bowskill, who lives locally, travelled to Somerset House in London looking for him through formal adoption certificates but no record was found. Other concerned local friends had had similar experiences over the years, so family members Janet and Andrew Staveley, who live in Tatham, decided to search using DNA rather than adoption records. Over Christmas lunch in 2018 Janet and Andrew suggested putting Issy’s DNA into ancestry.com to find her long-lost son. In March 2019 Photo of family members Janet helped Issy use saliva samples to put her DNA Janet Staveley and Angela Bowskill into the ancestry.com database. This database uses by Jon Brook microarray-based autosomal DNA testing, which surveys a person’s entire genome at over 700,000 locations world-wide. As it happens in November 2019, Kym, a 43-year-old woman living in Perth Australia, also put her DNA into ancestry.com trying to find her biological father. In January 2021 amazingly a close match was discovered between the DNA of these two women, Kym Photo of iPhone chat between Issy and Kym, her and Issy. granddaughter in Perth, Australia, by Jon Brook Janet then used Facebook to check Kym’s profile and both she and Andrew could see immediately that there were strong family physical resemblances. They realised they might have hit the jackpot! In February 2021 Janet and Angela used social media to connect with Kym, and in March 2021 Issy was able to have a zoom call with her. Wouldn’t it have been great to be a fly on the wall when that conversation took place! Both Kym and Issy were very

3 excited and through the wonders of modern IT were able to see and talk to each other on Angela’s iPhone. Issy and Kym chatted about all sorts of things and soon discovered that they had a similar sense of humour, and by an amazing coincidence that each of them had a much-loved cat who they’d called ‘Bonnie’. To make absolutely certain that this was indeed a 2 photos of cats called Bonnie, long-lost family member, Janet and Angela then took looking very alike - Issy’s above and the very wise decision to commission a second DNA Kym’s below. test from a different company. In April 2021 the results showed a 99.59% match, confirming with absolute certainty that Issy is Kym’s grandmother. So, Kym had found her biological paternal grandmother and Issy had found family who she hadn’t even known existed. Kym was raised by her loving mum and wonderful stepdad. Although her biological father had not been involved in her upbringing, she was now at an age where she was keen to find him. If the fairy story had stopped there it would have been fabulous, but the family had only just got started! If this miracle could happen, maybe they could go further and actually find Issy’s son/Kym’s dad? They knew he was no longer called George, but Keith, and that possible surnames were Garrett, or Garnet. Using all the information they had between them, Angela created a ‘Looking for Keith’ poster: (See photo right). This was posted on social media and shared throughout Perth, and replies started coming in from people who remembered him, and in particular who remembered his car! Excitement mounted. Remember that at this point no one knew whether he was alive or dead, in Australia or any other country in the world. A trawl through records at the library revealed a definite surname, ‘Garrahy’ and an address for a Keith Garrahy.

Kym, with her husband Jamie, decided to check out whether this was where her dad now lived. On 11th May 2021 they drove to the address and knocked on the door … probably with a mix of emotions – excitement, anticipation, anxiety. The door opened, and there was Keith. He later said that before he opened the door, he was a single man on his own, but that, in a moment, he became a father, a grandfather (Kym has 2 adult children) and, heart-wrenchingly a Photo by Angela Bowskill of Issy standing in son: “I’ve found my mum”. front of Ivy Cottage, Kearstwick where Keith A few days later, on 15th May 2021, (George) spent some of his childhood. Janet and Angela set up a zoom call between Issy, Keith and Kym. Issy had found her son! If this is a fairy story, then that really is the end of a chapter. But maybe there are more chapters to be written? The zoom call revealed that Keith had spent some of his childhood at Ivy Cottage, Kearstwick, near Kirkby Lonsdale. So, after the call Janet and Angela drove Issy to visit the cottage. He went to Dallam School. He had two sisters (one who was also adopted). In 1970, at age 15, he left school, and the whole family relocated to Perth, Australia. Both his adopted parents are now dead. Keith has no children, other than Kym. He’s applying for his passport, and when Covid restrictions allow, Keith is coming over to meet his mum and Kym and her husband Jamie are also coming to meet Grandma Issy, and the rest of their new, extended family. The story continues!

Photographs wanted for ‘Bentham & Beyond’ 2022 Calendar By Christine Downey, Town Clerk The search is now on for fantastic photographs that capture the distinctive landscape, wildlife and communities in and around Bentham for the 2022 calendar. So please get your cameras out and start snapping! You have two summer months to take some pictures and/or to scour through your photograph archive to submit your past best shots, taken in any season, for consideration. The photographs need to be high resolution and should state where the photograph was taken.

Please submit your contenders to [email protected] by 31st August 2021.

Last year the 2021 ‘Bentham & Beyond’ Calendar raised over £1,500 for Settle Swimming Pool. Thanks must go to our local sponsors and all those who purchased it. The beneficiary of the profits from the sale of the 2022 calendar has yet to be decided. The town council would like to hear from local organisations who wish to be considered. If your organisation would like to be considered, please forward details to me at the above email address.

Ronnie Tomlinson’s 100th birthday lunch at the Golf Club

The top photo is of Ronnie’s birthday cake, right with his card from the Queen and bottom Ronnie, Phyllis and their children. Photos all taken by Pearl Woolerton

6 Person of Bentham – Gail Lister

Gail has lived in the area since the seventies and is known for her warm and bubbly personality and delicious cooking. She is also well known as having been the landlady of the Punch Bowl for years and has worked in various other restaurants and pubs as well. She is a great participator in community events and lives with her daughter, son in law and granddaughter in Low Bentham.

How long have you lived in Bentham and what bought you here? My Dad was from Birmingham and my mum from Nether Kellet. They were both in the forces, met during the war and were married later. They moved up to Millom where dad worked at the army camp. I was born in Barrow-in-Furness. We moved to Caton as my auntie needed care during her terminal illness. My grandmother was the postmistress there and on her retirement my parents took over the running of the Post Office. I spent my early childhood in Caton before moving first to Morecambe and later to Summerhill in Bentham, and then to Tunstall Post Office. After I married, I moved back to Bentham in 1980 and have lived here ever since.

Tell us something about yourself that people wouldn't normally know. Between 2012 and 2019 I worked for a supermoto motorcycle racing team looking after their catering and hospitality. I had done some catering for a function for someone with racing connections and they recommended me for the job. I travelled all over Europe working at the top races. I met John McGuiness and the Dunlops and did the Isle of Man TT and races in Ireland. I lived in a truck on the track while working. It was amazing. They would fly me out to Italy for a weekend, I'd be back on Monday and off somewhere else on the Wednesday. Exciting times!

If you could travel anywhere, where would you like to go? I would always go to Egypt and to Dahab. My wonderful son-in-law is Egyptian, and he and my daughter met there. Dahab is on the Red Sea and is still an authentic Egyptian town in the most beautiful natural setting. It is where the Egyptians go on holiday. They call it the City of Magic and Beauty. The snorkelling is amazing. Once you've been, you have to go back, it’s magnetic.

What does the perfect day look like to you? A day off with the sun shining, like the day of this interview, when I get up with the sun, water my plants, potter in the garden with my little family, finishing off with a barbecue in the evening. Simple pleasures are the best.

If you could witness any event of the past, present or future what would it be? My answer to this question relates to a very personal epic moment in the life of my own family which I do relive over and over in my own mind. 6 years ago, my daughter, Georgina met Mohammed on holiday in Egypt, they married a few months later and she went to live in Egypt. A few months later Mohammed was called up for a year’s National Service in the Egyptian Army and she came home, only to discover she was pregnant. Freya was born while they were living apart, though she returned regularly for holidays, and they were in constant communication. We started to try and get Mohammed a residential visa. This involved proving they were in a genuine relationship by producing 5 years’ worth of proof of contact via Facebook, flight details and photos, proving we had enough money coming in (this involved re-mortgaging our house) having our home inspected by a Home Office approved inspector for suitability, many court cases, some of which we had to appeal the outcome. We paid visa fees, a £1,200 NHS surcharge .... the

Photo by Jon Brook of Bentham Imaging hoops we had to jump through were never-ending and we had no guarantee of success. The government are not interested in being humane, it’s all about money to them. On top of this came Covid and travel restrictions so they could not see each other for most of last year. It was heart-breaking. Finally in November last year his visa (which he had to use within 3 months) was granted and within days he was here. A week later travel restrictions were reimposed, so he just made it. Seeing him walk through the door and Freya running into his arms shouting “Daddy, my Daddy” was the greatest moment of my life and has me crying now when I recall it. He's a wonderful son, husband and father and they are such a happy little family. I'm so proud of them all. It was a historic moment for me.

Are there any world events that you remember particularly when you were growing up? The moon landing, being woken up to watch it. My dad bought me a commemoration stamp and I've still got it.

Is there anyone (e.g. a teacher) who has had the most influence on your life? I had a wonderful mum and dad. They gave me my work ethic, my values; to be responsible, to be kind, to be a good human. They gave us time, lots of time and we always did things together. Brilliant parents.

If you had an unlimited budget, what investment would you make in Bentham? Lots of things. I'd build a Community Centre that catered for all age groups and brought them together under one roof. I think that it is so important for the generations to be together because a community is like a family, and we can all benefit from one another. Toddlers, playgroups, youth clubs, sports teams, drama groups, galas, carnivals, keep fit, dancing, music, adult education should all have room to thrive under one roof and the elderly should have access to it all. They have wisdom, experience and imagination and have so much to give and so much to gain from interacting with the community. We all have to put into the community because otherwise it can dissolve. Everything we do

8 together makes our lives richer and more fun. There is so much joy to be got out of being part of an exciting, busy, colourful community. Let’s all make it happen!

What's the worst job you've ever done? Working in an office. It was unsociable and tedious and absolutely not for me.

What's your most treasured possession? My family is the most precious thing in my life, though not a possession. I love all my family pictures and mementoes very much. Also, my faithful Belling cooker which is 39 years old!

How do you relax? Walking with my family by the river, having a barbecue, spending time with friends, having people pop in, listening to music, reading, cooking, gardening. Simple pleasures again.

What did you want to be when you were growing up? I had no ambitions. I just wanted to be happy. I discovered I liked working in commercial kitchens when I was working at the Fenwick as a barmaid and waitress. The chef was off unexpectedly for some reason, and they asked if I'd have a go at filling in and the rest is history .... I realised I loved the buzz of being so busy, juggling orders, giving people delicious food and making them happy.

Is there a book, film or live event that you've particularly enjoyed recently? Not a professional event. What springs to mind is a friend's small outdoor birthday party in her garden just after the lifting of the first of the Covid restrictions in April. It was SUCH a pleasure to be with a few lovely people drinking and eating round a campfire, just celebrating and being together for the first time in so long. Very special.

Photo of Gail and her granddaughter Freya by Jon Brook

9 Your Garden or quite dry, it is better to hoe in the evening when the soil can absorb some Allotment in July: and a of the humidity present in the air later in the day. chance to meet Joyce on her allotment on 11th July I just wanted to add a final note letting you know that my allotment at Ireby, By Joyce Knapp will be open from 1pm to 5pm, on Sunday It is during the month of July that we seem 11th July as part of the Bentham Parish to reach a turning point in the kitchen Church Open Gardens Day. Anyone garden/allotment, when most of the seeds wishing to come and have a look round have been sown and crops started under and pick my brains is welcome, so keep a glass have finally been hardened off and look out for entry tickets which will be planted out. This allows us to focus more available in some Bentham shops nearer the on the needs of the growing plants, time. I look forward to seeing some of you attending to the necessary maintenance there. tasks such as weeding, thinning and watering in any long dry spells we may encounter. We may also wish to keep an eye out for any pests and diseases, tackling them before they can take over and maybe destroy our crops. Working as an organic gardener, I have found the use of environmesh invaluable as a cover for my vegetable beds as it keeps out a myriad of different pests that would otherwise decimate the crops. It will stop carrot root fly from laying their eggs at the base of the stem, thereby reducing damage done to each carrot root by the developing larvae which would tunnel through the root rendering it inedible. It also works as a barrier against cabbage white butterflies, stopping them laying eggs which go on to be the dreaded caterpillars in our cabbages. I have also found that it stops any nearby rabbits popping in to have my lettuce for breakfast and can even reduce the incidence of weeds in the vegetable beds.

Wise Advice about When to Hoe? Going through my gardening notes the other day, I came across a nugget of information I feel is worth passing on, and it goes like this: when hoeing the garden, it is advisable to work with the prevailing weather conditions. If the weather, and therefore the ground, is quite wet it is advantageous to hoe in the morning as this will help excess moisture to evaporate, reduce fungal disease and help the plants to grow. On the other hand, if the weather and ground are

10 Shear(ing) Hell By John Dawson (a farmer) Summer brings yet more physical and emotional trauma to the family farm, every day is like a visit to Alton Towers but without the ice cream or a safety harness on ‘Oblivion’. On the list for summer is shearing the sheep, that cen- turies old task that makes young men, or young ladies, into old wrecks, my dad always said that it wasn’t natural to “have your head below your arse for much of the day” how right he was. I have yet to find another job on the farm that makes gentlemen sweat, and ladies perspire, to such an extent. We start shearing towards the end of June, usually with the “old tups” which are the Clint Eastwood’s of the tup world, been there and seen it all. They know exactly what is going to happen as soon as they are ushered into the catching pen of the shearing shed. Old tups are like men, the older they get the more bad tempered they become, and each tup is determined to take his toll on the peasant. First the tup is brought out of the pen and over toward the equipment, it is important this distance is as short as possible because it is basically a tug of war. We now arrive at the bit of carpet upon which it is hoped the tup will sit patiently whilst being sheared, the carpet helps the peasant stay upright as well as keeping the fleece clean. The carpet can be borrowed from any room in the house, the tricky bit is returning it unseen and thus avoiding the public enquiry which never ends well. Once at the carpet there follows a sort of ritual dance which looks a bit like sumo wrestling, (it is worth remembering that our tups can weigh as much as me) at the end of the sumo dance either the peasant or the tup is inverted, if it is the former then the tup declares himself the winner and wanders out into the sunshine. If it is the latter then we move onto shearing the tup, another thing to remember is that with a subtle shift in his bodyweight the tup can throw the peasant off balance, get to his feet and declare himself the winner before wandering out into the sunshine. If the wool is removed from the tup before he gets up that is considered a miracle. The peasant struggles to stand upright once the tup has been sheared and looks like he has just gone twelve rounds with Muhammed Ali. Only another twelve tups to go and they appear to be smirking……. The last Monday in June is the day we, and twelve other local farms, gather on Ingleborough for shearing, it is just about the longest and busiest single day of our year. We aim to be on top of the mountain by 6am in order to be home again with the sheep before the heat of the day tires the sheep or dogs or even, on occasion, the shepherd. It must be noted that Ingleborough is much steeper than it was when I was thirty years younger. To be on the top for 6am means leaving the farm at 5am and, before leaving, the cows must be milked, returned to the field and the calves fed. There are three main gathering points for Ingleborough; Clapham, Cold Cotes and Bleak Bank. As we bring the sheep down the fell it is possible to see different flocks separating off and making their way to their own gathering points and then home as generations of their ancestors have done since the enclosure acts, it is why hefting is so important on a common that is 3,500 acres. Most of the gathering is done on foot as the ground is not ideal for the faithful quad, much to the disappointment of the faithful collie. We should be home again with sheep by about 10am and we spend the next two hours at each point sorting the sheep into individual flocks and returning any sheep that need it to another gathering point, during all this the collie dogs are loving every minute and never tire. If they have a moment, they flirt or fight with dogs they’ve never met before and more than once puppies have been conceived on a gathering day when the shepherd’s back is turned…… By early to mid-afternoon, we are ready to start the shearing. It is our aim to shear the hogs, these are young sheep only fourteen months old and not yet had a baby, they are the sheep equivalent of teenagers. These are good to shear and have plenty of “rise” which is the bit between the skin and the fleece where the blades slide easily in. By the end of the

day wool sheets are filling up and the shearers are hoping there are not many left. It is usually dark before the work is finished as we have had a break to do the cow milking thing. We like to end the day with strawberries and cream for supper (dinner if you are Denise of Bentham News) before a hot bath with half a bottle of Radox if it can be found or washing up liquid if it cannot, I don’t think Dreft is available anymore. Wool is a product that grows entirely for free every year, no one is going into the North Sea to drill down and find it or out in a deep-sea trawler to bring it ashore or even digging a deep mine at great risk. It is suitable for wearing, house insulating, carpets that last a lifetime, it is naturally fire retardant, it will not pollute waterways as it is grown not made and yet it has little value in the modern world. Will get off my soapbox………..

Due to the change in government Covid guidelines, the community event that was on 4th July in the Auction Mart has been rescheduled for 25th July. See Page 25.

July 4th-11th: A Busy Week for the Community to support our Church By Judith Johnson Bentham Parish Church, St John the Baptist, invites you to a celebration on Sunday 4th July. Our contribution to the ‘National Thank You Day’ to thank carers, community groups, the NHS, people working in our shops, and many others who have looked after us during the pandemic. On Saturday July 10th and Sunday July 11th, from 2pm-4.30pm you have a one-off opportunity to buy a church pew. Come along to the Parish Church in Low Bentham and see what else is for sale (other furniture, hymn books etc) as we move towards refurbishment of our church. All proceeds will go towards the Bentham Parish Church Building Fund. And on Sunday July 11th from 1pm-6pm gardens around Bentham will be open for all to enjoy. Information leaflets about which gardens are open can be bought in advance for £3 (accompanied children are free) and are available from Barwise’s Bakery, Flowerfields and Kay Piper (Main Street, Low Bentham). They will also be available on the day from Carol Hall (8 Springfield Crescent) and David Johnson (Holly Gill, Burton Road, Low Bentham). All proceeds will be donated to the Bentham Parish Church Building Fund.

The photos left and above show how the building work at Bentham Parish Church, St John the Baptist is progressing. The toilet extension is ahead of schedule and work is about to start on installing a new efficient heating system.

13 Rev Anne is leaving for Leeds By Judith Johnson We will miss her generous and compassionate ministry to all in Bentham. Her last service will be at 4pm on Sunday 8th August followed by afternoon tea. If you would like to sponsor Rev Anne as she walks from Chapel-le-Dale to Bentham via the summit of Ingleborough on Saturday 3rd July to raise funds for a toilet for the disabled, a kitchen and a children’s room at St Johns church, please contact her at 07528-572072. Or if you wish to give towards a leaving present, please leave your contribution in an envelope clearly marked ‘For Rev Anne’ at Barwise Bakery, Armstrong’s Hardware or with me at Holly Gill, Low Bentham. Cheques should be made payable to Bentham St Johns Parish Church (no punctuation please) or Santander Bank Acc number 15965505 Sort Code 09-01-51, reference Rev Anne.

In Training to Cycle from London to Paris By Libby Wheildon My daughter Emily and I had signed up to cycle from London to Paris to raise money for St John’s Hospice this September. Unfortunately, because of the ongoing Covid-19 restrictions and future uncertainty, the event has been postponed until September 2022. Despite the postponement, we are continuing with our training and fundraising, and this coffee morning and jumble sale marks the start of it.

Coffee Morning and Jumble Sale at Low Bentham Institute on Saturday July 24th from 10am-12pm in aid of St John’s Hospice, Lancaster

We hope you will join us for coffee and cakes and enjoy having a browse through some jumble! If you have any jumble you’d like to donate for the coffee morning, please contact me on 07736-967518 to arrange collection. If you’d like to support us in our efforts to raise money for the Hospice, please go to our page on justgiving.com and search for Libby and Emily Wheildon.

14 Hoax Call Horror and Wonderful What3words App By Richard Blackwell, Watch Manager, Bentham Station Telephone: 015242-61228 or 015242-64207 Happy July everyone, and we apologise for missing June’s edition of BN! Here’s what we’ve been doing during April and May: we have attended 4 automatic fire alarms, assisted an ambulance crew, 1 road traffic incident, 2 fires in the open, 2 fires in buildings, 1 chimney fire, 1 sheep rescue and 1 quad bike fire. Sadly, there was one serious hoax call which mobilised a large volume of emergency services, including the charity funded air ambulance.

Young Firefighters: We have restarted our weekly young firefighters’ evenings and they are well on the way to finishing off their 2-year course. We will soon be looking to start the next course, so if you have been in touch regarding your child joining the cadets at Bentham, we apologise that we haven't got back to you yet, but we will be soon.

‘Have A Go’: Bentham ran a 'have a go' evening on June 2nd allowing members of the public to come along and try out some of the equipment. They were able to climb our 13.5m ladder to the top of the drill tower, manoeuvre around the fire station to locate a casualty in smoke and try out the thermal imaging camera. They also had a guided tour of the fire engine and a try at picking up our second largest ladder. This gave people just a snapshot of the things we do, and we were able to answer the questions from the people who came. We will be running another of these later in the year and I understand that our sister station in Settle is doing the same, so if you live or work in the Settle area, keep your eyes peeled and pop along.

Fire Service Actively Recruiting: We are still actively seeking people who may be interested in applying for the fire service. If you follow us on Facebook, you will have seen that recently Bentham was unable to attend a road traffic incident near Burton-in- Lonsdale, which meant that fire engines from further afield had to be drafted in instead. Bentham is currently working with a total number of 6 fire fighters, and we must have a crew of 4 to go out the door. Some of our staff have jobs outside Bentham or they're unable to attend for other reasons, which means that there are times during each week when we drop below the magic number of 4. During these hours, the fire engine simply cannot attend and a person in need must wait longer for another station to attend. The only way we can counteract this is by people applying and joining the fire service. This shortage of firefighters unfortunately affects many stations so if you’re reading this

15 and fancy having a go but don't live near Bentham, then call in at your local station and see if they are recruiting.

What3words app: This month I’m going to recommend a piece of useful equipment we can all have and use. In our incidents list at the beginning of this article, I mentioned we had attended a sheep rescue. This rescue was performed near Bar Pot on the Ingleborough caves walk. As you can imagine the area going up towards Ingleborough is vast. When ringing 999 you ideally need to give the best possible location information, which is easy if you're in a village or town, or very close to a landmark, but not if you’re in a remote rural area. The gentleman who rang 999 for this sheep rescue thankfully had the what3words app installed on his phone. This app is extremely useful for locating incidents quickly and accurately. What3words has broken the world up into 3x3 metre squares and given each square a unique combination of three words. What3words addresses are easy to say and share and are as accurate as GPS coordinates. This incident was located at ‘Mule.Logic.Patching’ (see right). Our crew was able to use our own mobile phones to guide us to the exact location and rescue the sheep. I hope I haven't rambled on too much, stay safe everyone.

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Grass Roots Singing By Chris Dancer If you happen to be strolling down Station Road on a Wednesday evening and you hear strange sounds coming from the direction of the playing fields, don't be alarmed, it's not boggarts or the rituals of some weird cult, it's just a group of Bentham locals enjoying a spot of open-air singing. Grass Roots Singing is a project that Lydia began in May to give people a chance to experience the joy of singing together. Because of the Covid restrictions choirs all across the country have been silent, waiting for the time when they can sing safely again. Well, we still aren't allowed to sing indoors, but we are allowed to sing in a field, suitably spaced apart of course... Should the weather take a turn for the worse we have the option of singing under cover by the football hut, but so far, the sun has shone on us every Singing evening. We sing mostly folk songs and songs from around the world, and many of them are songs that our group members have suggested, songs that are uplifting, soothing, moving and empowering. If you have sung with a choir, you will know how uplifting it can be, and if you haven't why not come and find out? We're a very friendly and informal group, and we have a lot of fun. Lydia teaches using the call and response method, so there is no need to be an experienced singer or to know how to read music, just listen and follow. We would love new people to come and join us, there are no auditions, just turn up and join in! We meet every Wednesday at 7pm near the skate park on the playing fields. £5 a session and if you have any questions please just ring me on 07463-133617. The four of us are Lydia Metcalfe, Lauren Hopkins, Chris Dancer and Diane Shepherd and in the picture by the fire there is Deb Pleasants who has just joined us to drum.

18 Bentham Taxis

Ian Whitaker Eight Seater

Tel: 015242 62462 Mob: 07768 571407

“If in doubt give Mr Whits a shout”

By Lynda Graveson

Looking Ahead to Free Summer Sessions by Pioneer Projects at Looking Well Studios The Gratitude Gallery: Photography sessions Wednesdays 10.30am to 12.30pm, 7th July to 4th August (5 sessions) A smartphone photography session, designed as a mood-boosting creative group activity. The course comprises 5 sessions, where you will learn phone photography and editing skills and use these to notice and record the aspects of your daily life that you feel grateful for. Writing for Wellbeing Mondays 10.30am to 12.30pm, 16th August to 13th September (4 weeks) Over four sessions we will develop a toolbox of writing techniques that promote wellbeing. Through journaling, letter writing, reflective writing, biography, poetry and play we will have fun in a safe supportive session. No need to read anything aloud. It can be a private process but in a shared space. Writing is like a conversation with yourself. These sessions aim to offer up a range of ways to get that conversation started. Get to Know Herbs Tuesday 13th July 2:00pm to 4:00pm Join Becky Mears from Season Well for this one-off workshop to explore using fresh herbs to improve your food. Becky will make a couple of simple dishes using fresh herbs and discuss which herbs can be used for what and there will be a variety of fresh herbs to taste. Becky will also talk about how to grow herbs at home, and you will leave with a herb to kick start your own herb garden on your windowsill or in your garden. Wellbeing Workshops Thursdays 10am to 12pm, 19th August to 16th September (5 weeks) This 5-week Wellbeing Workshop programme is a mental health promotion initiative that aims to improve mental health and emotional wellbeing. The focus of the workshops will be the ‘5 ways to wellbeing’ with each session covering a different theme.

The ‘5 ways to wellbeing’ have been identified through extensive reviews of research and expert opinion as simple actions that anyone can take that will have a positive impact on their day-to-day wellbeing. These workshops guide you through the ‘5 ways to wellbeing’ and invite you to consider what they mean for you and what action and changes you would like to make in your own life. The programme also intends to:

• Enhance confidence and self-esteem of participants • Improve the mental health and emotional well-being of participants • Offer participants the opportunity to try something new, different and exciting • Help participants connect with family, friends, and other supports around them • Encourage participants to acknowledge and talk about their feelings • Give practical solutions to learn how to manage emotions and learn how to relax • Be fun!

To book on any of the above contact 015242-62672 or email [email protected]

20 Personal Thanks

MARGARET KAY Mr Roy Kay and his family would like to thank everybody for their kindness, support and condolences since the passing of Margaret Kay on May 12th, 2021. We would like to give special thanks to: Bentham surgery, Craven District Nurses, our lovely, amazing private carers – Lesley Barker, Diane Faraday, Helen Robinson, Annie from Ilkley and Geoff Last year there was another occasion Clarke and neighbours from Wesley Close. that I witnessed, when the driver of an We couldn’t have managed without them, articulated lorry found that he could not and Margaret thought the world of them take it under the bridge and caused big problems reversing all the way back to the all. They have supported Margaret and Roy junction by the Sun Dial. He then started up over the last 20 years. Thanks also to Jimmy the Burton Road, only to cause another Macdonald and his team, Stephen Dawson major problem when he met a bus followed and the amazing staff at the Crooklands by a car towing a caravan and a line of cars. Hotel. The driver was blaming everyone else for The enormous amount of cards, flowers the difficulties that he had created. and condolences from everyone were a Best wishes huge comfort to the family. Margaret was a David Channing, Low Bentham lovely, caring and selfless lady who had a wide circle of friends, she’ll be sorely missed.

Thanks

Angela Chapman would like to say a big thank you to Angus Fire for their generous support of our little community project, Bentham’s Blooming. Your kind donation of B & CE Armstrong vouchers have been distributed between Bentham CP School, Bentham Youth Café, Pioneer Projects and the Pop-Up Pantry. We are extremely grateful for their generosity, and are excited to see the bright, colourful displays that are being created.

Letters

Dear BN I attach a picture (above right) that BN may be interested in. It was taken this morning, Friday 11th June, and shows an articulated lorry stuck under the Low Bentham railway bridge causing traffic chaos.

21 The Bentham Line mentioned in Government White Paper By Rod Tickner, vice chair and Press Officer of Leeds-Morecambe CRP, and one of the founding members of Dementia Friendly Keighley. [email protected]

On 20th May 2021, the keenly awaited Government White Paper, the Williams- Shapps Plan for Rail, was released. This proposes a wide range of developments to reinvigorate the rail industry, including a new overarching body, Great British Railways, and encouragingly states that ‘Community rail partnerships will be empowered to strengthen rail’s social and economic impact’. The pioneering work locally on dementia awareness on the Bentham Line came in for special mention. To quote: ‘Best practice, such as that demonstrated by the work of the Leeds- Morecambe Community Rail Partnership with Northern Trains to improve facilities for those with invisible disabilities and training staff and volunteers as Dementia Friends, will be supported more widely across the network and incentivised within Passenger Service Contracts.’ (Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail, page 46). The Government does not tend to identify outside organisations in papers as important as the Williams–Shapps Review, so this is a real feather in our caps. Gerald Townson, Chairman of the LMCRP said, “we are delighted at this recognition of our ground-breaking work alongside Northern in creating Britain’s first dementia-friendly railway on the Bentham Line. It is particularly pleasing that the publication coincides with Dementia Action Week 2021, as our roving ambassador, unit 150 214 bedecked in forget-me-nots, continues its travels around the Northern Network.”

Photo by Shane Cox, above, of The Bentham Line unit 150 214, bedecked in dementia awareness forget-me-nots, crossing the River Witham in Lincoln on 19th May 2021 Photo by Charlie Rouse. below, showing the spectacular scenery alongside The Bentham Line

22 Police News Hello, my name is Sergeant Paul Evans, and I am one of your Neighbourhood Policing Team Sergeants looking after Ingleton and Bentham. I joined the Police back in 1996 starting in Bradford West Yorkshire before transferring to North Yorkshire Police in 2001 as a Police Constable. I was promoted to Sergeant back in 2005 and have served in Craven for the last 20 years. I have worked on Neighbourhood Policing Teams since 2010, mainly in the south of the district covering Skipton and Crosshills. 18 months ago, I took on responsibility for the rural sections of Craven which includes Bentham and Ingleton along with Settle and Grassington. I have thoroughly enjoyed policing Craven for the last 2 decades and feel that I have almost become ‘local’ and have come to see Craven and the Yorkshire Dales as my home. With that in mind I am committed to keeping the area a safe place to live, work and visit. My team includes PC Barbara Parsons and PCSO Jayne Grace who have responsibility for the Bentham and Ingleton Beats. Working alongside Bentham’s Public Safety Officer, Craig Lyons, we look at medium to longer term problems, using a multi-agency approach to tackle community issues. Early intervention is key to our success, and we will look to engage with all groups within the Bentham community to understand what causes most concern in the area. If you see me out and about, please stop me and say hello.

Members of your Safer Neighbourhood Team covering the Bentham, Ingleton and Settle area are PS1006 Paul Evans, PC188 Jane Carpenter, PC830 Barbara Parsons, PCSO5561 Jayne Grace and PCSO3737 Gary Grieves. We will be keeping you updated on recent crimes and incidents in Bentham and the surrounding area. We have had 54 incidents reported between 14th May and 11th June 2021. These have included sheep causing highway disruption, an abandoned vehicle on Hillside, an HGV stuck in Low Bentham, licensing issues, a dog bite, dog left in a hot car, a civil dispute, trading standards issues, fraud using first direct mobile banking, a missing person found safe and well, various road traffic events and domestic incidents.

Theft of large amount of tools and building equipment on 7th April: Burglary - large number of tools taken from secure building site Robin Lane. Stolen property included a green Makita battery plunge saw, 2 yellow and black Dewalt pin guns, 1 orange Paslode pin gun, 1 orange Paslode framing gun, 1 yellow and black Dewalt radio, 1 Dewalt green laser level yellow in colour with a black rubber base and a green laser, 1 black Dewalt charger, 1 green Makita single charger, 1 black Makita double charger, 2 5amp black Dewalt batteries, 1 5amp black Makita battery. We have received no new information since this report (Ref 0122).

20th May: Burglary – tools believed to have been stolen between 7th April and 20th May at the same building site on Robin Lane include 2 Volt Milwaukee batteries, 1 Milwaukee combe drill, 1 Milwaukee SDS power drill, 1 Milwaukee cordless circular saw, 4inch Bolster, 4 LB lump hammer, 1 18oz brick hammer, set of line pins, 1 Stanley knife, 2 purple shovels with steel handles, 1 floor scraper with orange end and 40-50 brick jackets. If you have any information about the above incidents, please call 101 and quote Ref 0207.

23 During the evening of Tuesday 8th June, unknown people in the play park at Wesley Close were throwing stones over the hedge into residents’ properties. This action is extremely dangerous and could cause serious injuries, so if you have any information, please call 101 and quote Ref 0453.

What is Domestic Abuse? Domestic abuse is a serious matter. Domestic abuse is any incident or pattern of incidents of controlling, coercive, threatening behaviour, violence or abuse between those who are, or have been, intimate partners or family members regardless of gender or sexuality. Such abuse can include, but is not limited to physical, emotional, psychological, financial or sexual.

What can we do? We understand that coming to the police can seem like a very big step, so we do everything we can to treat reports of domestic abuse sensitively. We are fully committed to investigating each case thoroughly and taking appropriate action. North Yorkshire Police work closely with many partner organisations, including IDAS (the largest specialist charity in Yorkshire supporting anyone experiencing domestic abuse) who provide support to both male and female victims of domestic abuse through Independent Domestic Violence Advisers (IDVAs). IDVAs support victims and their families whether they are involved in prosecutions or not. They help those involved in court processes, and offer support before, during and after any key criminal justice intervention, because they know these are times when people feel anxious and when risk might increase. If you have reported this type of crime to North Yorkshire Police, the likelihood is that they will already have put you in touch with IDAS and you may already have IDVA or outreach support in place. If not, IDAS also have a dedicated 24-hour domestic abuse helpline which provides a single, independent point of contact for victims (or concerned third parties) to self-refer.

Talking to someone about what you are going through will make you realise that there are people on your side who can help you understand what choices are available to you and guide you to specialist organisations that can support you in making you and your family safe moving forward.

Victims can contact IDAS via their 24/7 helpline number or via their live chat service on their website. Call 0300-110-110 or visit the IDAS website.

Contact Information: 1 Ring 999 in an emergency or to report a crime in progress 2 Ring 101 to report incidents or provide information 3 Ring Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 to remain anonymous 4 E-mail [email protected]

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S W I M M I N G C O S T U M E R A S H A V X V P X J B Y C D H A M F J V U W R F G V Y O Y X Q T P B F K C Y U N O M J L S W E N M A H T N E B S O E G D B C V A A D V Z Z N U C L Y V C D L C A S H S S N J B A Z P M J I T S A A F N G R L G K D E C K C H A I R W P S L D R V A F G O W D F G R W Z O X S S I S U F T L P E F I I Q K L U V N D E P L X K W M U S D T C X N A L Z B N S F P F V O Q Q C B E E H F Z D V G A B L I K O O B D O O G L A E L I L B T N O E E V L I Q L V N D I D S A H S E R P D M R Y L N Q D A I P O S U U N K H S E E M J R P I I S E B U B Z J P C Q N I T A U I D I T A H N U S D I H U M Q Y I N M K M N N N Q X H V U R P B P D J K F P G V L B I R G Y E H Z A V P U R H N E F F R P J I K I G U W G H N X T G W R Y S V T O W K N I T T I N G L Z J B X R E S G Q I D R T U B H A Z O J

ARM BANDS HARDBOILED EGGS BENTHAM NEWS KITE BIKINI KNITTING BINOCULARS RUBBER RING BUCKET AND SPADE SANDWICHES DECK CHAIR SUN GLASSES FISHING ROD SUN HAT FLASK OF TEA SWIMMING COSTUME FLIP FLOPS WIND BREAK GOOD BOOK WOOLY JUMPER

Events in July

Bentham Parish Church Fundraising Events see pages 12/13 Every Saturday Coffee Morning at Pop up Pantry. Sunday 4th National Thank You Day Footpath see page 29 Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th Thursday 1st Whittington from 2:00 - 4:30pm, Parish Church in Low Kirby, 5 miles Bentham. Come along to buy a church pew. Wednesday 7th 18.00, 4.5 miles, Bentham Sunday 11th Bridge 1:00 - 6:00pm gardens around Bentham will Friday 16th Ingleborough rock art and Harry be open for all to enjoy. Horse from Clapham, 6 miles Saturday 31st Ward Stone, 11 miles Bentham Auction Mart Sunday 25th July - Rev Anne’s last Victoria Institute see page 34 community event in Bentham to mark the Saturday July 24th extraordinary time we have all come 10am -12pm through. Coffee Morning and Jumble Sale, in aid of St 2pm: stalls, crafts, games, flags, displays, John’s Hospice, Lancaster see page 13 food, BYO picnics. Every Monday 4pm: community service with performances, 11:00am - 2:00pm, Community Link Café singing, Kirkby Lonsdale Brass Band and drop in for coffee, snacks, and chats. presentations to remember those we have Every Wednesday lost and recognise individuals and groups 11:00am - 2:00pm, Community Link Café who have helped us get through the Lunch club. pandemic.

Let’s make 25th July joyous! Bentham Golf Club see page 34 Rev Anne wants nominations of those we Every Friday want to thank, and people willing to receive 11:00am - 2:00pm, Age Concern Bentham a presentation on behalf of a group. Friday Lunch Club Bring a stall, a display, bunting, flags, music … ideas please! Tel: 61609 or 07528-572072 Bentham Community Library See page 19 We are delighted to have been able to extend Pioneer Projects our opening hours to the following: Looking Well see page 19 Monday 2:30 - 5:00pm Wednesdays 10:30am to 12:30pm, Wednesday 10:00am - 2:00pm 7th July to 4th August (5 sessions) Friday 2:30 - 4:20pm The Gratitude Gallery: Photography sessions At the time of writing customers are still Tuesday 13th required to pre-book a browsing slot by 2:00pm to 4:00pm tel: 01609 534533 or emailing Get to Know Herbs [email protected]

26 Extra May Town Council Meeting By Jane Proctor With the exception of Cllr Wills who sent apologies it was a full turnout for this additional meeting on 24th May; the first attended council meeting since March 2020, it was held in the ballroom of the Town Hall thus ensuring adequate social distancing. District Councillors Brockbank and Handley were also present along with two members of the public.

The main business of the evening was not ‘council business’ although some was transacted, but to receive a report from David Smurthwaite, Strategic Manager for Planning and Regeneration with Craven District Council regarding the Bentham Masterplan.

“Bentham Masterplan” District Councils across North Yorkshire were invited to nominate a Market Town within their area which they felt would benefit from a plan being developed to identify its future growth potential, and Craven DC has selected Bentham.

NYCC has allocated a total of £35,000 to employ consultants who, after research and consultation, will work up a plan for each of the seven chosen towns with a view to having ‘oven ready’ schemes which can then bid for funding when it becomes available from central government. Mr. Smurthwaite explained that frequently bids have to be made to the relevant government department within a very narrow time frame and strings may be attached requiring the work to be completed within a specified time limit, sometimes a matter of only few months. Unless a scheme is ‘ready to go’ councils will have little, if any, chance of making a successful bid for funding.

The Town Councillors enthusiastically embraced the concept and came up with lots of ideas for projects which would benefit Bentham from charging points for electric vehicles to cleaning the buildings in Main Street and Station Road; improved signage and generally making Bentham a more attractive place to visit with a view to increasing footfall and ensuring the sustainability of the town.

A Bentham Steering Group will be established to act as a sounding board, comprising of councillors, trade representatives and also representatives of the voluntary sector. Work on developing plans will start in the next couple of months with a view to being completed by March 2022. “Bentham – The Masterplan” will go on the Town Council’s agenda, certainly for the June meeting, and it’s a case of ‘watch this space’ as to how matters progress.

The Council Meeting - Town Hall Bookings: The Town Hall is once again open for use but private groups have to submit a risk assessment to the Town Clerk which has to be approved before any booking can be accepted, and Saturday coffee mornings are unlikely to start before the government moves to stage 4 of the easing of restrictions, hopefully towards the end of June 2021.

Planning matters: None of the applications listed below were objected to: 2021/22463/FUL. Retrospective planning of youngstock building. Agricultural Building, Ridding Lane, Clapham Road, High Bentham, Lancaster, LA2 7AH. 2021/22614/HH. Single storey extension for breakfast room and 2 offices and basement tack room. At Mill Dam Farm, Mewith Lane, Bentham, Lancaster, LA2 7AX. 2021/22702/OUT. New detached 3-bedroom, 2 storey dwelling. Land North of Fern House, Burton Road, Low Bentham, Lancaster, LA2 7ER. 2021/22740/FUL. Conversion of barn and associated outbuilding into one bedroom dwelling and the erection of a shed. Barn High West End, Cross Lane, Low Bentham,

Lancaster, LA2 2AH. 2021/22786/HH. Single storey side extension to dwelling and alterations to existing porch. 66 Robin Lane, High Bentham, Lancaster, LA2 7AQ.

The Town Hall Clock: The clock was not an agenda item for this extra meeting, but it was informally agreed that an estimate for professional repairs would be obtained ahead of the June meeting with a view to getting the go ahead for repairs to be undertaken.

June Town Council Meeting By Jane Proctor Apologies were received from Councillors Marshall and Wills with all other councillors present. Also in attendance were County Councillor Ireton and two members of the public. The meeting was a relatively brief affair although a further meeting is anticipated before the end of the month to deal with planning applications.

Covid related matters Covid-19 continues to cast its shadow with arrangements for the Annual Parish Meeting being deferred until after lockdown restrictions are lifted; the council agreeing not to open the Tourist Information Centre during 2021, and the Longstaffe Foundation, who usually hold a concert each December to raise funds, deciding a sponsored walk will have to take place instead (see page 46).

Philip Harvey Playing Fields The Philip Harvey Playing Fields (PHPF) Low Bentham were the subject of some debate. There is increasing concern about people exercising their dogs there despite adequate signage clearly displayed to say that dogs are not permitted in this children’s play area. The town council worked hard to provide this facility for children and are determined not to let it become a haven for dog walkers – you have been warned and if the situation does not improve the Public Safety Officer and PCSO Grace could soon be feeling your collar.

The management of PHPF takes up an inordinate length of time for the Open Spaces committee and will therefore be moved as an agenda item to the full council, which has the double advantage of reducing the length of the Open Spaces meetings and ensuring that the Town Council keeps its finger on the pulse on a regular monthly basis.

Openness and Transparency Up until now members of the public, whilst being able to address the full council with ‘comment and concerns’ at the start of a full council meeting have not been afforded a similar opportunity to address committee meetings. That is now to change, and members of the public will have a two- minute slot prior to the start of committee meetings. .../Continued over 28

Further, the draft minutes of the Town Council meetings will be posted on the Council’s website within a month of the meeting.

Bentham Town Master Plan Nothing further has been heard from David Smurthwaite, Craven District Council’s Strategic Manager for Planning and Regeneration, since the Town Council meeting on May 24th, but given the tight timescales involved it was agreed a small group of councillors will meet on an informal basis to put together ideas for schemes to benefit the town and which might then be put to the full council and subsequently go out for public consultation. No timescales were talked about so you will have to watch this space for further details.

Highways County Councillor Ireton informed the council that NYCC had effectively taken the highways function back in house by forming a company, NY Highways, who has taken over from Ringways, the previous contractor. The hope is that the new company will be far more responsive and may operate from local depots. It was not so much highways as waterworks however that caused concern. If someone from Yorkshire Water felt their ears burning on the evening of June 7th it was because there is extreme frustration felt by councillors that burst water pipes and the consequential repair works are causing chaos and considerable inconvenience on Mount Pleasant and Tatterthorn Lane. When the clerk tries to complain over the phone, she is passed from pillar to post (we can all sympathise with her over that experience), and members deplored the fact that Tatterthorn Lane has been dug up 28 times in the recent past and Mount Pleasant three times. Given the frequency with which water pipe repairs happen, enquiries are to be made to see if it is possible to insist that Yorkshire Water do a permanent repair job rather than continue with their existing ineffectual policy of patching up.

Planning Matters The following applications were considered. None were commented upon. 2020/22176/FUL: Partial demolition of existing double garage and section of stone wall. Erection of single- storey 2-bedroom annexe. Alterations to stone wall to create pedestrian access. At Mewith House, Mewith Lane, Low Bentham, LA2 7DH. 2021/22833/HH: Erection of two detached outbuildings. Woodhead, 4A Clifford Hall, Burton- in-Lonsdale, Carnforth. 2021/22881/HH: Single-storey rear extension with raised access to replace conservatory. Winsome, 61 Robin Lane, High Bentham, LA2 7AG. Date of the next meeting: The next scheduled meeting will be on July 5th 2021 at 7.30pm. An extra meeting to hear planning applications – date to be advised.

29 Four Walks in July By Kate Rowe For our July walks we are reverting to meeting at Lairgill, enabling car-sharing to take place again for those who wish to. The current guidelines are that masks should be worn and windows open. We will meet there for 9.30am unless stated otherwise. Booking is no longer required in advance, but a list of walkers will be taken at the start of each walk by the walk leader. The first, on Thursday 1st is a 5-mile circular, Kirkby Lonsdale to Whittingham led by Alison and Colin 07854-789311. Parking at Devil's Bridge, we'll meet by the far side of the bridge, near to where the bikers park. We walk across fields to Low Biggins, then down to Sellet Mill Farm and Hall via tracks and footpaths. There is then a short section on a lane down to Whittington, where we walk through the churchyard and across parkland to exit by the gate house of Whittington Hall. At the end of this lane, we turn left onto the bank of the River Lune and follow the riverbank upstream back to Devil's Bridge. We meet at Bentham Bridge at 6pm on Wednesday 7th for this short evening walk of 4.5 miles in familiar territory, on field paths, tracks and open moor, led by Susan Badley Tel: 62502. It will include the path up the valley of Branstone Beck, the steep steps that cross the valley of Burbles Gill and the wooded path downhill alongside Moulter Beck. On Friday 16th, led by Kate Tel: 51402, we will go to look for prehistoric cup marks and "Harry Horse" on the slopes of Ingleborough. Parking in Clapham, we walk along Clapham Old Road to Newby Cote. Taking the lane to the right onto the Ingleborough path it's steadily uphill for a while. After passing a small scar, we'll look for the cup marks and "Harry Horse". Then, heading across the moor to the Boundary Stone on Grey Scars, the next aim is the Cold Cotes to Ingleborough path which we follow downhill. Shortly after the first Cold Cotes buildings, footpaths take us to Newby, then Laithbutts Lane and back to Clapham. David Longton Tel: 61838 leads the last walk on Saturday 31st, the Ward Stone Walk of 11 miles, starting from the large free car park by Jubilee Tower on the Quernmore to Abbeystead road. Our walk then goes down to Higher Lee Farm where we pick up a series of tracks which take us via a shooters' luncheon hut and Rugged Crag to Ward Stone (the highest point in Bowland). Here we take the rough, and in places boggy, permitted path until we come to a track where we turn right and follow it as far asa disused quarry where there are three Andy Goldsworthy monoliths to view. From there we visit Clougha Pike before heading towards Grit Fell but turning down the boggy track past the shooters’ pile back to the car park. Note: As some of this walk is on open access ground, which is designated as a grouse moor, no dogs will be allowed, sorry. The first August walk is an evening walk of about 4.5 miles, starting from Clapham Station at 6pm on Tuesday 3rd. Clougha Monoliths, right.

31 News from the Fells – swifts, moths, open garden and love your burial ground By Helen Wilkinson Unfortunately, the swifts did not think our nest boxes at church were desirable residences, and we only have one pair of swallows nesting in our shed, but there are a few pairs of swifts around the village and lots of colourful goldfinches. A drive up Aikengill Road is accompanied by these little birds darting in and out of the sadly dead looking gorse bushes. Our bird and moth population is regularly monitored by Pete Marsh and Jean Roberts for the British Trust for Ornithology. As well as counting moths they have been studying the pied flycatcher population in the area. Ringed birds have been found from as far away as South Wales, and birds quite often move between the Hindburn and Roeburn valleys. This year they were pleased to record a wood warbler in the area. As part of ‘Love your Burial Ground/Count on Nature’ week Canon John Rodwell led a Morning Service celebrating creation. The final part of the service was held in the churchyard so that the hymns could be sung. We were also able to enjoy coffee outside the old school for the first time. Our school children got involved in the week by visiting the churchyard on Tuesday afternoon and conducting the wildlife count; the results will be put on display at the back of church. Peter and Bronwen Osborne were very pleased to welcome 170 people to their open garden, all able to be socially distanced in this lovely four-acre space. They are hoping to have another busy open day on June 27th when we will also have an evening garden service. As Lowgill sports were again cancelled a walk to the summit of Burn Moor was led by John Wilson; fortunately this was not a race (I would not have been in the prize money), but a relaxed social time enjoying the views and a picnic at the Lunch Hut on the moor (see photo).

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Bentham Older People Together (BOPT) On behalf of the Friday Lunch Club and The Community Link Cafe

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 015242-63162

Facebook@BOPT2019

By Liz Ryan (development worker for Bentham Older People Together)

Dear fellow residents of Bentham

Low Bentham Community Link Café. We have been running a lunch club every Wednesday since May 19th and a drop in for coffee and snacks every Monday from June 28th and hope soon to expand the provision on Mondays to include a lunch. We have been meeting in the main hall and to help us get up and running catering has been provided by Simply Delicious. Many thanks to Mandy Booth! We have had a few visitors to the Wednesday club during June. Sue McGrath came to tell us about Bowland View and took time to talk with people individually. And Craig Lyons, the Public Safety Officer, talked about how to keep safe in our own homes. He explained that he was able to fit smoke detectors and how to prevent falls. If we are struggling, he said he would even come and change a light bulb!

Age Concern Bentham Friday Lunch Club. Our club opened on Friday May 21st at Bentham Golf Club. It was our first time at the new venue, and everyone made us feel welcome and helped to iron out any teething problems. Our new co-ordinator, Deb Hawkins, has been working hard organising the club and introducing herself to all. Our first week also included a 100th birthday celebration for Ronnie Tomlinson (see Bentham News June 2021) and we all enjoyed prosecco and birthday cake courtesy of Ronnie’s daughter, Pam Zahler. Mary Longton and our very own Keith Hartley provided music for the afternoon. We have all thoroughly enjoyed the fabulous meals provided by Mandy Booth and the relaxing atmosphere of Bentham Golf Club as well as the gorgeous views. We have settled into a lovely routine, and everybody is so pleased to be out and seeing old friends again. We are continuing our search for a new chairperson, so if you might be interested and would like to find out more, please get in touch.

News from Sue McGrath and Bowland View The fine weather is most welcome and means that the construction work is progressing well. The marketing suite in the bungalow at the entrance

35 to Bowland View has opened and Naomi Thornton and I have been meeting people. It has been good to hear the positive comments and experience a warm welcome from the people of Bentham. We have started recruiting our staff team and are seeing a good deal of interest from local residents. We are looking for those who have the sort of attitude and values which will make excellent support workers but who may not necessarily have worked in care before. Housing 21 provide a comprehensive programme of induction and training for all its employees. Please contact Sue on 07590 355661. See you all soon ☺☺

Lunch Club is Back! By Diane Faraday-Williams. Photo by Jon Brook of Bentham Imaging The Community Link Café reopened its doors at the Victoria Institute in Low Bentham on Wednesday 19th May and welcomed back both new and old members with a tasty 2- course lunch. Everyone was very excited to be back and enjoyed a long-awaited catch up. Sue McGrath, who handles rental enquiries for Housing 21, Extra- Care Living, was invited to talk about Bowland View, which will be opening in Bentham in October.

Craven Concerns - Extra Care Housing – Bowland View By Cllr. Linda Brockbank (Email: [email protected] and tel: 015242-61598) I was fortunate enough to be invited to open the marketing suite for the new Extra Care development on the old school site in High Bentham. Keith Hartley was the first choice as a ribbon-cutter, but as he was on holiday, I was asked to step in. Keith has done an enormous amount of work to help bring the Extra Care facility to Bentham and he is to be congratulated on his tenacity, he never gave up pursuing his ambition. It’s been an up and down situation, first we couldn’t have it, then we could. When it looked like the project was going to another location, Keith and the Elderly Care Group stood up and made the case for Bentham. Keith, supported by the Elderly Care Group throughout, was determined to get this facility in Bentham, and here we are. The new bungalow is light and airy with plenty of space and wide doors, and it has the benefit of a 24-hour warden on hand. The other bungalows will be of a similar style and there are also apartments for rent or to buy. The apartments are not yet ready to view, but if the bungalow is anything to go by, they will make a lovely, comfortable and secure home. Quote from Housing 21 overleaf …….

Quote from Housing 21 This photos shows me, Naomi Thornton (property sales) and Sue McGrath (housing and care manager at Bowland View) meeting District Councillor Linda Brockbank who we had asked to officially open our marketing bungalow. If you would like to call in we would be happy to answer any questions on rentals or sales. We also have a business opportunity for the bistro and many other roles available in care and administration. We look forward to offering the grand tour once the court is complete in September.

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37 admin behind all that – we’d Love Cats? love to hear from you if you’d By Sue Arnott like to be part of our team!! Want to help abandoned We work in an area stretching from unwanted or bereaved cats Kirkby Lonsdale to Hellifield and Tosside, and kittens to find a better life Ribblehead to Hornby, and everywhere in new loving homes? Join between. But wherever you live, whatever our new team to do just that! time you can spare and whatever way you Our charity, Bentham & District Pet want to help, we’d love to hear from you. Rescue, has been helping animals in need To find out more, please contact for over 20 years. We’re now putting all [email protected] or phone that experience towards developing a new Sue on 07751-125068. way of working where cats are cared for in We’re a friendly bunch so get in touch the homes of foster carers for a short time for a chat ! until we find them new homes. And we’re looking for people just like you who’d like to make a real difference to cat welfare. How? By joining our team of committed volunteers who’ll be working together to co-ordinate our feline fostering scheme. Whether it’s going out to rescue cats in need of help and getting them to a safe foster home, co-ordinating vet checks and treatments, checking out potential new ‘forever’ homes or just sorting out the

Tatham Fells By Mary Taylor Seventeen members of Tatham Fells Women’s Institute met in the car park of the Church of St James the Less, Tatham on Tuesday evening June 8th. They then walked up the drive to Raw Ridding House, by kind invitation of Richard and Rebecca Sanderson, for a special preview of their garden, which is to be open to the public in about a fortnight’s time. The garden was a delight, constructed on several blue and dangling on a drooping grass stem. What a happy moment (see photo terraces with spectacular views overlooking above). the Wenning valley. From a wildflower And as we came towards Bentham, the meadow, shepherd’s hut, and small pond, show was over. The verges had been past early sweet-scented roses and an shaved, they were bare of flowers, just orchard, to beds of exotic plants nestling yellowing grass and the battered remains of alongside cottage garden flowers, paths led dock and dandelion. Nothing to draw down to a secluded seating area. Richard insects or the birds that feed on them. We and Rebecca answered members’ questions talked about how many fewer swallows about the garden, saying that in a few there are around this year and wondered if weeks time it will be even better, when there is a connection with our vanished almost all the plants will be in flower. summer verges. If you added together all President Linda Kirkby thanked the hosts the verges of Bentham and around, you’d before the party walked back down the have the equivalent of several meadows, all drive. The evening concluded with tea or feeding the wildlives we so enjoy and on coffee and biscuits, brewed in the church which our health depends. kitchen. Shall we see if Bentham Town Council It is hoped that the July meeting can be would be up for changing its policy of held in the Old School, Tatham Fells. rigorously mowing its verges? Perhaps two cuts a year, one early and one after The Joy of our Grass flowering, would be enough to keep the verges safe. If you’d like such a change, Verges - maybe why not contact the council and they would By Annie Neligan get an idea of how many of us care. You It was breath-taking. The Monday morning could email them at :- women’s walking group had made our way [email protected] across the golf course and were rambling along Dumb Tom’s Lane. The verges had not been cut and it was like walking over an old style meadow, thick with flowers and flowering grasses. There wasn’t just the cow parsley you might notice if you drove along. There were red and white clover, buttercup, vetches purple and yellow, soldiers’ buttons dangling, columns of bistort, briar roses spreading their pink and crimson flowers. We came across a group of orchids, plump pink pyramids standing proudly out amongst the green. Then, best of all, Penny spotted a damsel fly, iridescent

41 Yes, Now Settled in Skipton By Rev. Richard Wallace (01756-796990) 1996 was when Daphne and I moved to Bentham. There could have been no better place for our retirement years, and when Daphne moved to the Dales Care Home at Draughton, no better place for me to be as I adjusted to my new situation. Now another adjustment – to being at The Abbeyfield in Skipton and beginning my years as a widower. On arrival last October I was expecting to have some more years of visiting Daphne at The Dales, but that was not to be. But for all who come to live at Abbeyfield Woodlands - it’s at the end of Woodlands Drive - it does become a place where you can feel at home, with a new circle of friends, with a team of carers to support you, and with a kitchen that sustains you daily with a 3-course lunch. There is also the sense of being part of a special kind of community, where residents have a real care for each other. I was well aware of this as 2021 began. Whether it’s adjustment to bereavement or to leaving your familiar setting, it’s never easy. There’s good medical support for me as I have a diagnosis of Parkinson’s. There’s even a weekly ’work out’ session for all who want to keep their limbs well exercised. You will be glad to know that the total amount given to the Alzheimer’s Society in memory of Daphne came to £2,500. My thanks to all in Bentham who contributed to that magnificent total. Yes, I will still be using ‘The Bentham Line’ so that I can ‘re-appear’ in Bentham. If you want directions for finding your way to ‘Abbeyfield Woodlands’ please let me know, you would be very welcome.

43 Kennel Cough in Dogs By Dalehead Veterinary Group

Kennel cough is caused by various viruses and bacteria which causes inflammation of the throat, lungs and airways. It is highly contagious and is spread via contact with another infected animal. The incubation period can be from 2 days to 2 weeks.

Mild symptoms to look out for: • Dry, persistent, hacking cough • Retching and gagging • Runny nose • Eye discharge • Sneezing

Severe symptoms to look out for: • Loss of appetite • Listlessness • Fever • Pussy discharge from the nose • Chesty cough that produces phlegm

While highly contagious the illness, in most cases, is not serious and symptoms will improve on their own within a few weeks. There are however exceptions to this and owners of elderly dogs, puppies or dogs with underlying health issues should monitor the condition closely as it can develop into pneumonia.

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45 What to look for in July By Sue Halsall Many plants are flowering a bit later this year because of the cold spring, but the hedgerows are lovely at the moment and if June has had masses of cow parsley in flower, July is when hogweed (right) takes over. They are both in the Umbellifer family and the flowers do resemble umbrellas, but cow parsley is much spindlier and more delicate than hogweed. I have mentioned hogweed before, and it is easy to tell apart from the more unpleasant giant hogweed (which really lives up to its name and is huge) and a similar plant is sweet cicely, but that plant has leaves that smell of aniseed if you tear one off and crush it. You are very likely to see a red beetle on hogweed flowers, these are soldier beetles. Another insect you might see is the tree bumble bee, shown here on some knapweed (left). It is more stripy than the common other species and has not been in the UK all that long, but with climate change and a lack of competition for nest sites, it is thriving. It is the only bumble bee that lives in tree holes (or bird nest boxes) as all the other species live in holes in the ground. Other flowers you might see are spear thistles (middle right), which have big purple flower heads, white dead nettles (which don’t sting you) (left), ox eye daisies and meadow cranesbill (right) which are common along road verges. Many verges would have more flowers if landowners and councils mowed a metre up to the road edge but left areas for flowers to grow and seed. It saddens me to find grassy banks completely strimmed in summer just as plants are coming into flower, or weed killer sprayed around the base of signposts or at the edge of pavements – we need to leave things to grow, flower and be food for pollinators, as well as our enjoyment. Photos are all Sue’s

46 Two Ways of Supporting Local Education Charity By Felicity Hey (Hon Secretary) Longstaffe's Educational Foundation has, like other charities, felt the consequences of not being able to fund-raise for some time. The Trustees still want to help support Bentham's younger people with the annual awards so will be partaking in a sponsored 5 mile walk this summer. There are only seven trustees so please be prepared when they come nattering you to sponsor them! Every penny goes towards us being able to respond to the award applications and offer financial help where we can. All the awards are for local young people educated at Bentham Primary Schools and your support would be very much appreciated. We are hoping to resume the Annual Quiz Night in the autumn, but not the Christmas Concert as yet. Also, the Foundation has signed up to AmazonSmile, so if you shop online with Amazon, please select Longstaffe's Educational Foundation as your nominated charity and the company will donate 0.5% of your purchase price to the charity at no additional charge to you. Just shop through smile.amazon.co.uk and we will raise some much-needed funds.

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Solar Eclipse Words and photos by Allan Hartley On 10th June, whilst Low Bentham tree surgeon Bertie Pighills was busy playing Tarzan on Robin Lane, above his head was a cosmic astronomical event (once the clouds parted briefly) taking place to mark what would have been Prince Philip's 100th birthday. This was a solar eclipse, visible across most of Britain, when a maximum of 35% of the sun was obstructed. The last solar eclipse to occur in the UK was in March 2015 where the moon obstructed 85% of the sun.

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