Excellent eats and copious drink, fabulous weather, much laughter and canny schmoozing, graceful and unfaltering service from the very user-friendly Westwood team - all this was the cocktail that fizzed and sparkled for the official opening of the huge new, ever-welcoming Westwood Books 'empire' on Long Lane, and the international launch of Sedbergh as England's only Book Town.
  And did they came from all over or what! Booksellers and antiquarians and bibliophiles from Chester and Cardiff, Hay and Edinburgh, the Farfield team in strength, Chamber of Trade, Cumbrian funding streams - RRC, SLDC, Arts Council, the whole Sedbergh Book Town board of directors, Border and BBC, almost every magazine and newspaper that serves the area, local writers and reading groups, a bevy of Head Teachers and representatives from Sedbergh Primary, Settlebeck High, Sedbergh School, and Baliol, local traders and much-travelled tourists, Parish Councillors new and old, County Councillors, the ex-High Sheriff! Mark Westwood had been up for 7 a.m. interviews on Radio Cumbria with Martin Lewes, and then moved like a cabinet minister from TV crew to TV crew, journalists and photographers.
  Cllr Joe Nicholson welcomed the whole initiative, Terry Fletcher - Editor of 'Cumbria' and 'The Dalesman' - spoke of his pleasure at being main sponsor for the Festival, Mark Westwood outlined the huge economic advantages Sedbergh had in being within reach of a potentially massive raft of 'day out' visitors, and
Richard Pealing - Policy and Planning Officer for Cumbria RRC - congratulated both Carole Nelson and mark Westwood on their vision for the town, and was delighted that RRC had been instrumental in providing vital seed-corn capital
  The announcement by Hilary Hodge - Book Town director and Parish Councillor -  that Sedbergh had been elected to the International Organisation of Book Towns was greeted with much enthusiasm. This is a real feather in the cap of Carole Nelson and the whole Book Town team who have worked so hard to start, fund, and launch this enormous project as part of the regeneration of Sedbergh after the quiet devastation of Foot and Mouth. Traders on the street have spoken to 'Lookaround' of increased business, and with new and inviting eating places opening on Main Street, there is a buzz about the place that bodes well for the future.

Dear Editor
  Hi my name is Max. I am a 9 year old Springer spaniel that has recently been rescued from a life in kennels having being deserted by my previous owners and I have also suffered some mistreatment in the past.
  My new owners Anne and Larry have had me for about 6 weeks and have just taken me on my first holiday to Dent. We had a lovely time and I am writing to thank everyone for making me so welcome. I would particularly like to thank Margaret for letting me stay in her brilliant cottage. I had gourmet biscuits provided by Dave, Jacqui  and Steph at Meadowside and I took Larry to the pub on our 2^nd night before I went to bed. All the regulars made me very welcome and I met some new canine friends. I also took Anne and Larry on further trips to the Sun Inn and Anne insisted that I behave myself  (spoil sport). 
  My life has been transformed since I moved into my new home and I have already trained my new Mum and Dad to meet my every need, I think humans are a soft touch but I do appreciate a bit of love and affection and I look forward to many more trips to Dent where I am sure I will continue to be spoilt rotten.
  Many thanks to all the people of Dent for a fabulous week .                                                                                                                                          Max

Bereavement ~ Loss inc. identity ~ Relationships ~ Separation ~ Change ~ Work issues ~ Post-natal depression ~ Parenting issues ~ Low self-esteem ~ Unresolved life trauma ~ Ill health ~ Stress ~ Anxiety
  It is not always obvious what is causing our distress or low mood but the above are just some if the issues which may bring you to counselling.
  Counselling is not about advice giving or 'sorting out' a problem but is there to provide you with a respectful and non judging relationship in which you can explore and express your thoughts and emotions. Through this process of exploration a deeper understanding and insight will emerge and with it the prospect of moving forward.
  The relationship between counsellor and client underpins the usefulness of counselling the building blocks to that relationship include trust, empathy and integrity
  Not everyone finds it easy to put words to there feelings so there is also the possibility of using artwork and the written word within our sessions.
About myself.
  Since completing my Diploma in counselling in 2002 I have worked as a counsellor within the NHS primary care trust, GP's surgeries and for South Cumbria Rape and Abuse Service.
  I am a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and abide by their code of ethics and conduct. This includes confidentiality.
  If you would like to explore the possibility of counselling further please give me a call. A free half hour introduction session is also available. Contact Nicky Lavery Sedbergh 015396 20944.

  What a delightful day we have just been part of. the opening of the Heritage Centre in our village, what an amazing number of folk had "come back" to their family home for the event! M and I put together a display of photographs of what the village used to look like including old newspaper cuttings and wow wasn't it popular! Time and time again we would ask the people crowding around us "Have you a Dent connection?" to discover that yes they had, sometimes going back long before our lifetime but then someone else would pipe up with "I remember you" or be some relation!
  Quite a number of people remarked about a previous vicar of the dale, the late Stanley Bennett, and when I told them that all his three daughters, one of whom is part of our family, were all in the village for the event the reply was usually "Are they wearing name badges" or "We will just look for Mrs Bennett, they all look like their mum!" Later in the evening over a lovely family meal out we learned that all three sisters have soft-topped cars and one of them suggested they all went out in them at 9 am next day, this could not happen as one sister hadn't come in hers so the soft-top procession could not happen.. some bright spark then said "What a shame, the Bennett sisters topless would have really raised moral!" (Careful. Ed!)
  Cleo is doing really well, younger daughter took her on a very long and arduous walk recently including up Flintergill to Barbondale and the only visible side-effect was the mud she brought us back. She made two new friends recently, and slept on as they both climbed up onto my brothers lap to say hello as only dogs can. (I thought I must make it clear it wasn't the Bennett sisters climbing on his lap!)
  As I write this our Silver Wedding is just a week away, we hope for a lovely warm evening as we celebrate here in the garden, there will be a great deal of activity here during the next week as we get rid of the weeds, next door has great activity as work has begun on the building of a smaller house in the garden of their large house, we wait with interest to see what is dug up as the area used to be the site of the old Woodyard and all sorts of things would be thrown out and about, it was a magnet for us local kids who would play for hours and give rides in the old wooden bogey cart.
  Most arrangements have been made for elder daughters wedding and I think Daniel is getting more adjusted to our family, our little quirks and fanny ways, ie his future mum-in-law buying herself a children's play house as a "quiet place" for one!
  The main event in April was the Blessing of the Legal Partnership between my elder brother and his male partner of over 40 years, some of us were able to go, got lost and arrived at the church after the celebrating couple, I am told I was a great success, although they were unsure if it was my hat or my speech, at the close of the latter I asked if this Blessing meant I had now acquired a "sister-in-law or a brother-in-law?" For a second there was utter silence then everyone, about 130 folk, began clapping and cheering and stamping their feet!
  What a girl!

  Thinking about your next holiday, Why not try Slovenia?
  The amazing variety of settings packed into an area no bigger than Wales makes Slovenia feel like Europe in miniature. The smallest country in Eastern Europe, measuring just 20,256 sq. km. Slovenia shares borders with Austria, Italy, Croatia and Hungary. Much of the country is mountainous, culminating in the north-west with the Julian Alps and the country's highest mountain Mt. Triglav Two of it's rivers. The Sava & The Drava empty into the Danube Basin, whilst the Soca flows through western Slovenia into the Adriatic. The climate is said to be temperate, with four distinct seasons, however there seems to be three distinct areas, the North west of the country has an alpine climate, the coast & Western Slovenia has a Mediterranean climate whilst eastern Slovenia has a continental climate with hot summers & cold winters
  For the past few years a coach holiday has been organised leaving from the Lancaster/Bentham area. The trip in 2005 to Lake Archensee in Austria proved to be another winner. We had good food, good hotels, and best of all good
company. We are a group of mixed pedigree, most of us over 40, but we also enjoy the company of younger people. We are built for comfort, not speed, and so our holidays are planned at a leisurely pace, with no overnight travel, plenty of comfort stops, and once we reach our destination, we try to keep traveling down to a minimum enabling us to enjoy the areas we visit. There is a nucleus of people who come with us every year, but there are always some spare places.
  This year our trip is to Slovenia one of Europe's most delightful surprises. The fairy tale Bled Castle, breathtaking takes, scenic caves and lush Valleys, along with the coastal towns on the Adriatic are just some of the great attractions awaiting us, all accessible at much less than the cost of similar place in Western Europe. The amazing variety of settings packed into an area no bigger than Wales makes Slovenia feel like Europe in miniature. An added bonus is that Slovenia is a nation of polyglots, making communication with its helpful friendly people less difficult than we may think.
  The trip leaves on Saturday August 12th returning on the 23rd. Why not join us. More details from Susan Adams. 015242 61182