It's arrived! 'The Gym' was opened by Tim Farron MP on November 9.
  A good crowd turned up for the occasion and cheered Tim as he cut the ribbon officially opening the gym. He then changed into his gym kit and had a go on one of the new rolling road machines. An excellent buffet was laid on by the school staff accompanied by healthy choice fruit juices.
  Gary Holmes the gym's instructor was on hand to take bookings for inductions and a number of people signed up on the spot. Gary has helped immensely with getting things organised and has even designed the logo for the gym.
  To become a member of the gym you must be 16 or over, this is an insurance requirement.
Membership costs
  A full year paid in advance is £175.
  Two people in the same household £275
  Plus if you pay in this first week of December you get almost thirteen months for the price of twelve.
Monthly membership
  Is set at £20 per month per person and is paid by standing order.
  Opening hours are from 6.30 am to 10 pm 7 days a week.
  Entry to the gym will be by swipe card.
  Cards will be issued to each paid up member after induction.
  A note to all those marvellous supporters who have already paid their fees in advance of December 1st, naturally the thirteen month offer applies to you. Plus you can top up if another member of your household wishes to join with you.
  The aim of the project was always to offer an affordable community resource open to everyone. It is early days and we need to replenish funds so that we can look at concessionary charges. All funds after necessary expenses will be used for the maintenance and upgrading of the gym facilities.
  We are also looking at ways to organise a few volunteers who would be prepared to be on site at various times to look after members needs. We still need volunteers for the management committee. Once the setting up of the gym is complete the committee will only meet on a quarterly basis. At this point however there is quite bit of work to do as questions are coming up all the time and need to be resolved. Why not get in on the ground floor and help make our gym the best it can be.
  A big note of thanks is owed to Baliol School staff and Head for all the work they have put in to make the gym a reality. So get fit for Christmas and beyond fill in your membership forms and book an induction. Forms are available from, the Post Office,
  The TIC and Baliol school offices 9 am to 5 PM week days. Enquiries please call 015396 21808/20232.
  There is no Calendar this year as funds to funds used to support it have been put into gym equipment. If I can find a source of funding there will be a calendar for 2008. However Sedbergh T Towels are available and also go toward supporting the gym. Buy them from the TIC, Abracadabra and also from me at Number Ten.
  I would just like to add my personal thanks to everyone who has helped and supported the gym idea from the start in 2000. Thanks also to Peter Henderson who came up with the name 'Pulse', People United in Leisure in Sedbergh and its Environs.

With only crows as passengers to Sedbergh
  Professor Roger Fawthrop spoke on The Furness & Yorkshire Union Railway Project of 1865 to a large audience who were anticipating of another of his fascinating talks to the Society.
  He began by giving some background to the politics behind railway development in the Victorian age in Britain.
  There were two major periods of planning and construction.
1. 1843 - 1855 The principle trunk routes and 2nd tier routes, the core of which still exist today. E.g. the east and west coast main lines.
2. 1865 - 1880 The major cross country routes such as the Settle - Carlisle, the branch lines and metropolitan commuter lines.
  Railway mania was at its height with 268 Railway Boards in existence in York County alone in 1847. The mentality of the time seemed to be to fill in the open spaces on the map; no National Parks to contend with in those days. That only a handful came about was because of the necessity for an Act of Parliament for each project and stringent compliance with the tiniest detail. The Boards had to have the power to construct, finance and operate the line. Also agreement had to be reached to hook up with other existing lines. The vested interests of the powerful LNWR and NER made life difficult.
  The East & West Yorkshire Union Railway (EWYUN) had plans to run a line up Wensleydale from the NER line at Melmerby (nr Ripon) - Leyburn - Hawes - Mallerstang - Sedbergh (via Garsdale) - Barbon to link up with existing lines at Kirkby Stephen, Ingleton or Milnthorpe. This was opposed by the big two and eventually only the Leyburn - Hawes section was built by NER. The demise of EWYUN followed but 'the baby got a new suite of clothes' and the Furness & Yorkshire Union Railway (FYUR) came into being.
  What was at stake was the transport of high quality coke from Durham to Barrow in Furness so that it could be shipped to the South Wales blast furnaces. At the time this was traveling on the South Durham and Lancashire Union Railway (SD&LUR) via Barnard Castle and Kirkby Stephen to Tebay. 68 million tons were moved during WW1.
  James Ramsden at the Barrow end of FYUR had an eye on this lucrative traffic as he was a major shareholder in both companies. He was also interested in moving 200,000 tonnes of Haematite per year from Barrow to the South Staffs. Steel works.
  Neither companies could avoid paying LNWR for using the Tebay to Carnforth section or indeed from Carnforth to Derby.
  This is where a Furnace line link from Arnside to Barbon via Milnthorpe could have hooked up with the proposed Hawes-Sedbergh line, and the Ingleton-Leeds line, cutting out LNWR.
  Only the Milnthorpe-Arnside section was eventually completed. This enabled the gentry of Kendal to go to Grange but 'only crows' to Sedbergh.
  The vote of thanks for a most interesting talk was given by Tony Hannam.

John Muir Award
  The John Muir Award is now well under away with the students involved in a number of tasks in the grounds around the LRC. Josh has been a great example to the other students digging furiously to clear the weeds from the garden area outside the LRC window. In previous weeks the students discussed their plans and also started to clear and plant an area at the back of the kitchen. On the 17th May last term the students and staff visited Killington Bridge near Sedbergh to look at the environmental improvements there. This was with a view to making similar improvements around the LRC which will contribute towards the award. Brad said "There was lots of wildlife and the weather was good, only problem was the wheelchair lift breaking down!". Josh said "it was ok, particularly the journey back!". Alex said "it's been fantastic!", "it's a load of weeds and flowers!".
  On Thursday November 2nd, our local NP Ranger, Paul came to the LRC to help with the clearing of various damaged yew trees and ash saplings.

Sedbergh's own Spring Show for the Town and the local Community.
  After 10 very successful Shows under the auspices of Farfield Mill (Sedbergh & District Arts and Heritage Trust) the Spring Show is now totally independent. This means that any monies raised will initially be ploughed back to improve the show and later, if there is a surplus, it will be donated to local good causes.
  First of all we would like to thank all those associated with the Mill who have put so much effort into setting up and organising the Spring Show over the years. We are happy that they now feel able to forgo the income that the show provided (about £200 last year, £400 the previous year, and so on). We thank them for their good wishes and look forward to their continuing support. Their main intention was always to provide a 'show' for the community, where the many talents of the people could be displayed. We hope to continue and build on their good work.
  In order to do this we hope to enlist help from lots of you. There are so many organisations in the area where marvellous crafts are practised and we hope that you will encourage your members to participate in the show. The many schools, playgroups, youth groups will all find something to enter and if there is something you think could be added, please tell us and we'll do something about it.  The more entries there are the more fun the show is. Please have a good look at the list of classes in this issue. The schedule and entry forms is available here.
  We would also like some of you to help on the day of the show and the previous day - not with rocket science but setting up display boards, notices, table-shifting and so on. Please contact our show Chairman, Margaret Milburn -tel. 015396-20610 to let us know that you are willing to lend a hand.
  Finally, now is the time to get busy with your entries.
  The Show in 2007 will be held on Saturday 31^st March 2007. Put the date in your Diary now. WFU.  Secretary

  Well here we go, my last report on the goings on in the area with my big hat on. Although I have been on Leave since the 1st November, I have kept an eye on things going on.
  The litter problem has improved but there is still room for improvement. Well done to all residents, especially those who point out to the litterers the error of their ways.
  Crime. Once again, there is nothing to report this month. That does not mean you can become complacent. Please report anything you think is suspicious.
  Last month, I reported on the Parcel Delivery Scam. I have had an update from Kevin Gardner as follows:
Parcel Delivery Scam
  North Yorkshire Police (NYP) have advised us of a parcel delivery scam. The scam concerns a card or email indicating that a parcel delivery company has a parcel for you to collect and gives the phone number of 0906 6611911, which is a premium rate number charging £1.50 a minute. The recorded message lasts for 6 minutes, adding up to £9 in total.
  The premium rate number is now defunct, but if anyone receives anything like this in the future, be aware that any number with the code 090 is a premium rate number. Some people believe that it is possible for a £15 charge to be made on connection to a premium rate line and NYP have been told by the 'Independent Committee for the Supervision of Standards of the Telephone Information Services' that this is impossible, but that calls can be charged at up to £1.50 per minute.
  I hope this helps clear up any confusion.
  Still the same advice so beware!
  So this is my final report with the big hat on. Because I have retired, it does not mean we have no Police Officers covering the area. Somebody will always be on duty, but not necessarily in the Station. If you need an Officer, you must ring 0845 33 00 247 to request one or to report anything.
  I have been very proud to have Policed the area and the word that comes to mind every day is RESPECT. Everybody here has respect for each other and property and that goes from the very young to the not so very young. Please remember RESPECT and we will have the best community in the country for many years to come. God Bless You All.                                                                        Mr D J Whicker

  Recently, Eilidh Sproul of Y7 SHS has been competing in Cross Country Races in the North of England.
  At the South Lakeland School Trials on 8th November at Kirkby Lonsdale, she came 2nd.
  She qualified to represent Cumbria Schools and came 6th out of 151 at Penrith. Representing Cumbria, she ran on Saturday 18th November at Lilleshall, Wrekin and came First for Cumbria and tenth overall, competing against other counties including Midlands, Cheshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire, Wrekin & Surrey.
  Congratulations to Eilidh on her achievements and good luck in her forthcoming challenges. Her family and friends are all very supportive and proud of her..