Wishes to thank all its supporters, the feed back has been great. The group are delighted that you all enjoyed it so much. We hope to produce a DVD of Spar Wars to sell to those who didn't get to the performance a chance to see it. If you would like a DVD of last years Robin Hood we have some of those for sale.  They were a long time coming however they are only a fiver and we will do our best to be quicker with the Spar Wars ones.
  Total funds raised for the three performances amounts to £1,500 and closer to £2,000 with sponsorship money added. It is difficult to be accurate at this point as there will be bills to pay out, about £500-£600 for expenses. However we are very pleased to announce that over the years the £5,000 target has been reached. This is wonderful news and it means that later this year the plan to name a rose and have it sold for the charity Ali's Dream ACT ( against childhood tumour) will be reality.
  Personally I can't thank the extremely hard working and dedicated cast enough. Some of whom took holiday leave,  paid baby sitters,  and or worked extra hours in order to make rehearsals and performances. A big thank you to the make-up ladies. Thanks to Rob our sound man, Steve the lights, Tony and Andy for the music, Viv for directing. Those who helped by making tea, and selling tickets. Our sponsors the Gala Group the book town the charity disc  team and Sedbergh Theatre. Plus many thanks to JMP food services for donating the choc ices. But who could forget the wonderful singing and dancing of the youngsters who made the whole thing so much fun. I could go on but it is starting  to sound like a Oscar acceptance speech..
  I'll just add this ...  my sincere thanks to all the towns folk for helping to make this dream a reality.
  My daughter Katharine, whose first child, Indianna died of a brain tumour,  now has two daughters, Megan aged two and a half, and Freya 15 months, couldn't be more delighted. We are hoping to go together to a rose grower and name the rose in the summer.
  As to next year ... well I have a few ideas.                                                                                                                                              Sandra Gold-Wood

  A good time was enjoyed on March 10 remembering the mission of thirty years ago when Evangelist Herbert Silverwood led the congregation in worship sharing many amusing anecdotes. We heard him on tape, shared fellowship and a right-good-feed, then Thomas entertained us as he sold the remaining food by auction tempting all present to "just bid again". Collection for Cautley chapel and W.O.T.S. And Andrew Woof was there to explain the outreach of Word On The Street, he followed his mum into the pulpit, she gave her testimony about accepting Jesus as her personal Saviour 30 yrs ago on March 13th 1976, he got a bit overcome but soon composed himself.
  Alee Passmore oversaw everything and Ronnie and Sylvia Wilson sang two duets which were popular around the time of the mission. A young lady from Kirkby Stephen,( I cant remember her name, sorry) played the organ, Karen's wonderful flower arrangements added colour and perfume to the proceedings and she and mum, Jennifer, must have baked all week. A fitting "remembrance" and a good spring-board for the next 30 years, as the "birthday girl" may I thank everyone who took part in any way, a night I will remember all my life. God Bless You and bring you to Himself through Jesus, the only way.                                                                                                                                                                                                   S E Woof

  Its been a busy few weeks for Dentdale WI as was evident by the reports during the business part of our March meeting. Our coffee morning at the end of February raised a good amount and we are grateful to all those who came and supported us especially from other WI's. Members had risen to the challenge and baked a wonderful selection of cakes etc. Just a shame the weather was so inhospitable. We needed a few more visitors!
  Members of Dentdale WI were pleased to play their part alongside many others from the town in baking, preparing, and serving refreshments at the Dentdale run. The run is a wonderful example of community involvement everyone working together, in this case for the good of the School.
  Catherine Sugden gave us information about the opening of the Dent Heritage Centre on May 13th when help will be needed to man the WI information stand and the group meeting to be held in Casterton on Monday May 15th.
  There is another chance to pit our wits at a Pub Quiz to be held at the Bull Hotel Sedbergh on 24th April which is going to be in aid of raising funds for "Cycle Cuba."
  Margaret Fothergill gave a brief report on the talk Silent Witness - The True Story which several of us had attended. We shall look more knowledgeably at scenes from the police drama.
  Our Speaker for the evening was Martin Lewes dividing his talk in two sections with an informative first half about the coming of Digital TV to this area and taking lots of questions from us and our visitors then he talked about his work with Radio Cumbria. He mentioned the big stories over the last few years - Lockerbie, The Foot and Mouth Crisis and more recently, the floods in Carlisle. He was thanked by Freda Meakin who was grateful that no national crisis had kept him at his microphone!
  Judith Newsham won the competition for her limerick and Gill Iannou won the raffle prize.
  Please note next month, April 12th, the Methodist church and schoolroom will be the venue when Brian Adams will talk about the National Garden Scheme in Cumbria. Please feel welcome to join us!

  The Club would like to thank Sedbergh & Kirkby Lonsdale Neighbourhood Forum (Cumbria Council) for their grant of £300 which will largely cover to cost of a much needed Portaloo facility at the Pavilion during the cricket season.
  Anyone wanting to apply for a grant or needing advice should contact Lucy McQuillan on 01229-894103.
  The Club has thirteen fixtures (played on Sunday afternoons) between 21st May and 4th September inclusive.  We are also hoping to organize some twenty/20 midweek games.
  New players (young and old) and supporters are most welcome.  Anyone interested please contact John Hyde on 015396-25503.

  In February 3 clubs in the southern district performed a pantomime at the Brewery Arts Centre in Kendal. As usual the performance was a sell out with Ian Dawson from Sedbergh being one of the judges. A most entertaining night was had by all thanks to the clubs that took part. Sedbergh hosted the raffle and the 2 clubs that went through to final were Crook and Kent Estuary.
  Sedbergh hosted indoor sports at the Sedbergh schools sports hall in February. 8 clubs from the southern district turned up to participate. There was junior football, squash and basketball. This went extremely well and a good team spirit was present. Special thanks goes to our judge Colin Parker.
28 members visited Thornton's Chocolate Shop in Kendal in March. Wendy gave us a talk on the history of Thornton's which included chocolate sampling of course. We watched a video of how Thornton's make their chocolates and toffee. Wendy showed us their selection of chocolates and we had a go at icing our own chocolate teddy to take home along with a complimentary box of chocolates. Afterwards, for those who hadn't indulged enough on chocolate we went to KFC/MacDonalds!
  Our first pre-field day meeting of the year took place on the 1st March. Our annual field day will take place this year on the 20th May at Plumtree Farm near Ulverston where 9 clubs from the southern district will compete against each other. The theme this year is 'James Bond'.
  Over the next 2 months members will take part in various competitions on the run up to the big day, these will include stock judging, sheep shearing, horse judging, and carcass judging.
  As well as that members will be preparing their entries for the field day and pre-field day such as a decorated toilet seat, the club scrap book, glass painting and making a bat box! Some of these items are handed in for judging prior to the field day on the 12th April. More about the field day itself next month.
  Tug of war training for both male and female teams is due to start now that the clocks have changed and nights are getting lighter. This takes place on a Monday evening at a farm near Ingleton. A fellow young farmer Rob Gardner from another county gives up his time and puts the teams through their paces for which we are extremely grateful.
  For more information please contact Valerie Capstick on 21032.

  More old sayings this month, none of them particularly complementary, even though they all seemingly originated in Yorkshire!
  'Ther's nowt so queer as fowk. Ther' all on 'em queer, bar thee an' me - an' sometimes Ah's nut so sewer abaht thee!'
  'Shak a bridle ovver a Yorksherman's grave - an' 'e'll gerr up an' steal t' oss!'
  'Ear all, see all, say nowt. Eat all, sup all, pay nowt. An' if tha dis owt fer nowt, allus do it fer thissen!'
  Still, folks can say what they like about us, for there's always that children's rhyme: 'Sticks an' steeans'll brek mi beeans, bud neeames can nivver ho't ma.'
  Some sayings appear to have little going for them. I wonder if anyone has anyone ever tested out whether there's any basis in: 'See a pin an' sam it up, an' all that day tha'll hev gooid luck. See a pin an' let it stay, bad luck'll foller thee all day.'
  Far more accurate is this variation: 'See a pin an' sam it up, an' all that day tha'll hev a pin!'
  However, with spring on the way, I really do hope there's no truth in this old saying: 'Fer ivvery fog i' March, there'll be a frost i' May.'   Michael Park

  We met at Firbank Church Hall for the March meeting.  President Mary Silva gave a warm welcome to everyone.
  The Tactile Book Project is progressing and is now ready for the final touches.  The Owl and the Pussycat is a book with touch and feel pages for sight impaired children in support of the Clear Vision Library.
  Alison Plenderleith has updated the computer system database with every members name and address.  Two members have attended Lookaround's 20th Birthday celebration in the Queens Hall.
  A Pub Quiz at the Bull Hotel has been organised by Susan Winter as part of her fund raising for 'Cycle Cuba' Challenge to take place in April so ladies be thinking of names for your team.
  A warm welcome was given to our guest speaker Garth Steadman who needed no introduction as we all know him as our local butcher and Chairman of the Sedbergh Town Twinning Committee.
  With the help of slides we were taken on a 'journey' to our twin town.  And, through the experiences, the background of how the idea of twinning came about.  The success and the benefits.  Various exchanges took place which formed friendships and gathered momentum.  In October 2004 Sedbergh voted for a twin town.  Zrece in Slovenia won with a landslide victory.
  The BBC2 T.V. series was shown in January 2005.  The publicity and hard work had paid off and in May 2005 the Twinning Charter was signed which led to closer links between the two communities.  Zrece is similar in size to Sedbergh and has magnificent scenery.  The town is kept clean and tidy, the people are friendly and welcoming and they have a good standard of living.
  Mary Silva thanked Garth for an enjoyable presentation and congratulated him on the twinning success, the icing on the cake for Sedbergh.
  The competition for a cutting from a holiday brochure was won by Helen Beare with Mary Silva second.  Raffle winner was Peggy Postlethwaite. A quiz to name the trees was won by Mary Silva.
  Next month we meet as Howgill.  George Crossman will speak on "Her Majesty's Coastguards" on April 6th at 7.30 pm.  Everyone welcome.  A. H.