Former publican Jack Robinson reached a remarkable milestone this week when a charity project he launched just over seven years ago at Mickleton passed the £25,000 mark. No fewer than 15 good causes have received a helping hand from this superb sum.

Three hospitals, six medical research teams, a hospice, a surgery and various community groups have been delighted to get large amounts from him through Madface, short for Mickleton and District Fun and Charity Events.

Apart from organising some local activities, it has been running a weekly letter draw, which is something like a raffle at 25p a ticket. Rollovers have occasionally put the prize up to the limit of £1,000, and the highest one in recent weeks was £906.

Mr Robinson is chairman, with Heather Barker as secretary. So far this year, £6,500 has been given out to charities and another healthy sum is in the bank waiting to be donated.

"I'm grateful to everyone who has supported the draw," Mr Robinson told me.

"It is pleasing that a village of this size can raise £25,000 to help others in such a short time, as well as creating a lot of interest through giving excellent prizes."

In the past, three comical books he wrote raised about £8,500, shared between Darlington Memorial Hospital and Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Phyllis Stoddart has produced such a variety of scrumptious dishes over the years that her many customers felt she must have attended a high-class catering college or been trained by a top-ranking celebrity chef.

But as she retired this week from Stables Restaurant in Barnard Castle, she revealed to me where she acquired her impressive skills: from her mother, Annie O'Neill, who came from Omagh in Northern Ireland.

"She taught me everything I know about cooking," said Mrs Stoddart, who has handed over the business to her daughter, Sheena, and son-in-law, Stephen. They in turn have learned a lot from her about making perfect soups, stews, scones and cakes.

She ran the restaurant for 14 years and before that was a familiar figure at the Bridge Inn, at Whorlton, for more than 20 years.

"I feel it's time now to hang up my apron and take life a little easier," she said. "But I'll come back at times to give Sheena and Stephen a hand."

Following last week's mention here of Neil Hanson's book about life at Tan Hill Inn, Cliff Tunstall, of Startforth, came in to relate how quickly the weather can change up there.

He and his wife Jan took two relatives from Australia, Dawn and George Brydon, of Melbourne, to have a look at England's highest hostelry on a September day that was reasonably mild over most of Teesdale.

But when they reached the spot it was freezing - so much so that when George tried to take a picture, his fingers were so numb that he could hardly press the shutter. "He was amazed, especially as he was used to warm sunshine," said Mr Tunstall.

He also brought me a paperback about the inn, In the Winds of Heaven, by David Gerrard, published in 1991. This mentions one amiable character, an Australian who called there while supposedly walking from Land's End to John O' Groats to raise money for charity.

I happened to bump into this fellow one day as he was passing through Bowes and was so impressed that, like many others, I dropped £10 into his swag bag. He was arrested soon afterwards and sent to prison for fraud.

John Mutum, who featured in this space as he planned a mercy mission to Poland a few weeks ago, is now back home in Barnard Castle and already thinking of another trip next year. He was given a tremendous welcome in two homes he visited in Scinaway, a town about the same size as Barnard Castle but with serious poverty and a huge unemployment rate.

He gave out clothing from his jam-packed car in one home which has 40 children, aged four to 18, and in another which has young mothers with toddlers.

"They were trying on garments as soon as I handed them over," he said. "They were thrilled to find things that fitted them."

He hopes to return to Poland with another load next June. He has nowhere to store garments but friends will keep them ready to pass on to him when the time comes.

* I'll be glad to see anyone who calls with snippets of news at The Northern Echo office at 36 Horsemarket, Barnard Castle, on Mondays and Tuesdays, telephone (01833) 638628.