DETAILS OF SOME INITIATIVES AND PROJECTS

Publications	Millennium Directory 2000-2001 A local directory of community organisations, businesses and public service providers. Copies can be obtained by contacting Bill Kennedy on 015242 62492.
	The Benthams A leaflet available through local Tourist Offices which highlights the main features of Bentham - issued by the Bentham Tourist Office.
	Bentham's Town Trails in Wenningdale An informative leaflet for visitors and locals with details of what to see in High and Low Bentham. It shows how to get to the footpaths beside the River Wenning - issued by the Bentham Tourist Office.
	Bentham News A regular local community newspaper - now into its164th edition, it keeps local people appraised of what is happening where and when.
	Super walker map - Bentham in Wenningdale A 1:25000 walkers map with all local footpaths and a clear indication of the contours (15m intervals. Produced by HARVEY as part of their Yorkshire Dales Series (01786 841202) This map covers an area centred on Bentham which includes the well known Yorkshire Dales feature, Ingleborough Hill (724m), as well as the tourist towns of Kirkby Lonsdale and Ingleton.
Goodenber Playground	The Goodenber Play Area has been completed - there are only some extra trees and shrubs to be added at a later date. The play facilities are well used by children on their way home from school, in the evenings and at weekends and during the holidays - it forms a focal point for children's activities in the village. During its development the importance of working with those who will live adjacent to such a facility became clear and after much discussion additional planting has been added in the form of a hedge to screen part of the site from nearby houses. About £45,000 had to be found to cover the capital costs of the play area, which is a great deal for a local community and without the help of National Lottery Funds it is unlikely that the scheme would have been completed so quickly. A further ongoing cost is associated with looking after the site and keeping it clean and safe for young children. .
School Hill Millennium Project	In 1998 Bentham Town Council called a public meeting to get ideas for what could make a good local Millennium Project . At this meeting the redevelopment of the School Hill site on the edge of the main road was suggested; at the same time it was also suggested that there should be a mosaic celebrating local life at the end of the millennium as a major part of this. The relocation of the old public toilets which used to occupy the site and were considered an eyesore was already an issue being addressed by the Town Council, so that land was available.     By late February 1999 plans for the site, including the design for the mosaic were prepared by Jim Hodson a local landscape architect (click here for list of local Landscape Architects). These plans were on public display for two weeks to give all local people the chance to comment on proposals and eventually, at the full public meeting, a modification of the proposals was accepted. The committee (including staff from Bentham Development Trust) which was formed to implement the millennium project then proceeded to seek funding and planning permission. Planning permission was granted and the funding bids were successful, so the scheme proceeded quickly to tender and to the appointment of contractors stages. Local firms have been involved as sponsors of parts of the project.   Work on the project should be completed by early July 2000 and a grand opening is planned for mid-July with brass bands, choirs , and a barbecue etc. Once completed the School Hill project will turn a rather drab corner of the main street into a central feature and a meeting area. A colourful mosaic has been made locally by Maggie Howarth of Wennington, which will be put in place in early July. Click here for lists of local artists working to commission. For books on making mosaics click here. Other art in the village includes the painting of Ingleborough Hill in the Bus Shelter.