On Thursday 18^th May many of our year 9 students and their families waited with eager anticipation for their guests from Zrece to arrive, after their touch down at Liverpool Airport that evening.  It was a damp evening and the forecast was not good for their four-day visit.  We were keen to show them the very best of Sedbergh, the Dales and the Lakes but it was an unfortunate choice of weekend and we had to make some radical last minute changes to our plans, especially the hill walking in Borrowdale.
  However, in the event it was however a wonderful visit and a great success.
  On the Friday the Zrecian students and staff took part, with their hosts and friends, in drama games and activities at Settlebeck, designed to develop the relationship between our students and provide lots of opportunity for discussion.  All of the Zrecian students were quite fluent in English, which is a feature of Slovenian young people, and interaction was easy and relaxed.  A damp visit to Sedbergh was squeezed in before the evening event, which was a joint concert between Settlebeck and Queen Elizabeth School, Kirkby Lonsdale in Settlebeck's Hall.  This was a great success and it was particularly gratifying to see ex-Settlebeck boys performing in the Queen Elizabeth School sixth form choir.
  On the Saturday our Zrecian visitors loved the Gala.  It seems that they have no tradition of such town events and they were very impressed by the great community spirit in evidence, particularly since with such a damp and inauspicious start.  Perhaps the rain clouds shifted away at the last minute in support of Sedbergh/Zrece relations.
  Once the forecast for Sunday was certain there was only one thing for it - a visit to the Superbowl at Morecambe in the morning and the cinema in the afternoon.  Luckily our arrival in Morecambe was during a bright, clear spell and so the Lakeland mountains could be appreciated across the clear blue bay before the stair-rods began.
  The forty Settlebeck and Zrecian students, as you would expect, couldn't have cared less about walking in the Lakes, when faced with ten-pin bowling and an action packed film (Mission Impossible 3) but we still have a few pangs of regret that they missed getting to know our landscape more intimately.  The evening passed with a get together and some games and dancing at Settlebeck.
  Monday was the last day and we had the tour of Liverpool football ground and museum.  This proved very popular and was every bit as good as Manchester United's ground which we visited last year.  From there it was straight to the Trafford Centre (in pouring rain!) for three hours of shopping heaven.  Luckily the centre was very quiet and our visitors were knocked out by the size and diversity of this ultimate consumerism experience.  Every one of them left with at least two bargains!
On the return journey the weather finally cleared up, as with the gala, and enabled us to site our goodbye garden party on Settlebeck's back lawn and fields, rather than indoors.  During the pillow fighting, the water challenge, egg throwing and the tug-of-war spirits were high and it was clear that the bond between another cohort of our students was well and truly sealed.
  Early Tuesday morning we took our leave of these young people who we met in Slovenia in February and who we had taken into our hearts.  These are truly lovely people and our connection to them continues to deepen.
  Thank you to all those families and friends of the school who made this visit so successful and particularly to those who took the Slovenian students into their homes, where the real experience of Sedbergh took place.                                                                                                                   Dave Smith

  The Gala Group felt a little anxiety on seeing the rather pessimistic weather forecasts in the days leading up to Gala Day. The residents of this area are of course accustomed to the vagaries of our climate and unlikely to be deterred, but predicted strong winds could cause problems with and possibly damage to the tents and stalls, heavy rain could make egress from the field difficult and the RAF information sheet about the planned flypast, apart from stipulating limits for wind speed, stated that flight was not permitted "in significant precipitation".
  Their fears seemed well-founded on the Friday morning when the team putting up the "Green" tent were forced to abandon their attempts. They returned at dawn on Saturday to complete their work, and by this time the Gala Group marquee had been successfully erected. It was now raining heavily and the field was getting wetter when a rather inept driver made three or four attempts to get out of the field, thus churning up the mud and grass before the protective mats kindly supplied by Norman Rowbotham had been put down. The wind caused some damage to a couple of rented market stalls, after which it was decided not to attempt to use any more. Finally at 11.50 the unwelcome telephone call came from the RAF - flypast cancelled.
  Things could only get better and they certainly did. As if by magic the weather improved at midday and the procession got under way to the accompaniment of the Town Band. It was quite a procession and took some time to get onto the field. There was a large entry for the fancy dress and floats competitions and the Gala Group greatly appreciate the interest and support of the children and their parents. Following the crowning of the new Gala Queen, Jenny Lamb, the competition judges, Mr & Mrs A.G. Pratt and Dr Hunt & Mr Hunt coped admirably with the large entry and the results were soon ready, so it was possible to make a prompt start to the fell races. Apart from one slight accident these went very smoothly and although we did not have a local winner this year it was good to see some Sedbergh School runners taking part and enjoying some success. Results of all the competitions are published separately.
  Many of the usual attractions and stalls were in attendance. Contrasting music was provided by Sedbergh Town Band and Kirkby Lonsdale Handbell Ringers and although a few of the planned attractions failed to turn up because of the weather in the morning there was plenty to entertain the gratifyingly large crowd amongst whom we were delighted to see our local M.P. Tim Farron together with his family. The "Green" tent proved very popular and it is to be hoped that this initiative will continue. The younger children put much energy into their races
and the egg-throwing competition proved popular. The Gala Group hope to have more of this type of event and possibly move them to a more central part of the afternoon.
  Despite the earlier pessimism the gala turned out very enjoyable and successful. Feedback from those who took part, including our local stall-holders, has been very positive. We are very grateful for the support of so many local people including our Master of Ceremonies, Martin Lewes, who brings his own brand of professionalism to the event. The big disappointment was, of course the cancellation of the flypast and apologies are due to anyone who may have travelled some distance in the expectation of seeing it. We will try again for next year. My own disappointment was increased when I read in next day's Sunday paper that the same three aircraft were due to fly over the Beckhams' celebrity party at their mansion - I felt rather better when I later heard that their flypast had also been cancelled.
  The Gala Group are very keen to have new committee members, particularly younger ones. If you are at all interested please come forward - it's no use having ideas or making criticisms if you don't do something about it. On this theme, after organising three gala's, the Group Secretary would like to give someone else the opportunity to take the Gala forward and make his or her own mark on it. Whatever help and support is needed will be given. If you are interested in taking over this role or joining the Gala Group please ring 015396 20234 for further information.

  Second Tuesday in the month - it must be W.I. again - as if we could forget. At the committee meeting held the previous day it was observed that most of us looked decidedly frazzled - the result of trying to keep too many balls in the air!! I won't list all the things we are doing because I'm a modest soul at heart.
  This time the table was graced by a beautiful bowl of old fashioned white roses from Pam Moran's garden. They were greatly admired, having not only soft open blooms but also a wonderful perfume, which someone said reminded her of Grandma's garden. Pam said that she had had this same variety of rose, Nevada, in every garden since she was married. But I digress. This time there really was not one but two silver cups on display, the new one being won at the recent group meeting at Casterton for "A mountain picture with a humorous caption". This meeting had been attended and enjoyed by several of our number who roused me rowdily from my slumbers on their way home to tell me that we had won. Sedbergh Ladies chanting, "We won the Cup! We won the Cup!" Disgraceful!!
  More digression so back to our meeting. Our business was entirely satisfactory - we are active, solvent and making good plans for the future. The first thing we were planning for was our coffee morning at the U.R.C. rooms which was to be held the following day. Taking things a little out of order may we thank all those who helped make it a success, both contributing members and the generous people who supported us. By sheer coincidence, we were delighted to be the first users of the new automatic boiler in the kitchen and were happy to have donated it. The funds were raised by our past activities.
  Back to the meeting again! We were also making arrangements for our outing next month to Holker Hall. There we shall have a guided tour of the house, wander round the gardens in the sunshine and partake of an enormous tea. Hence our speaker this month was Janet Smith, a guide at, and enthusiast for, the Hall. She spoke to us about its history and of the families who have lived there over the centuries, Prestons, Lowthers, and finally the present Cavendish family. She fitted the local history into its connections with a wider society. Barbara Kooper proposed a well-deserved vote of thanks.
  Then it was time for tea and things. Usually a birthday cake is reserved for birthdays ending in "O", but an exception was made as we congratulated Mary Tallon on her 95^th. The raffle for a vase of red roses was won by Pam Fenton and the competition for a limerick starting with the line, "There was a young lady from Holker", (pronounced Hooker by the family and cognoscenti) was won by 'yours truly' - fame at last.               
There was a young lady from Holker
Whose favourite game was strip poker.
She lost all her clothes
From her head to her toes.
And shivered, "Well. Now who's the joker?                                                                                                                                                               W.F.U.