Cyclists in South Holland and The Deepings can clock up the miles and help dementia patients at the same time thanks to a well-known home furnishings chain.

Homebase is organising a big bike ride called Get On Your Bike to raise money for people with dementia and their families, taking place on Sunday August 18.

The 32-mile ride from Lincoln to Boston gives cyclists the chance to experience the county’s scenic countryside and enjoy the sport of cycling in the process.

Ride organiser Steve Slater of Homebase said: “I decided to put on this event because it’s a fun way to raise vital funds to help people living with dementia in the south Lincolnshire community and across the UK.

“There really is no place like home and it’s great to know that every mile cycled will help more people to stay living in the comfort of their own homes and take part in community life.

“I really want to encourage lots of people to join us by getting on their bikes and helping to raise thousands of pounds for people living with dementia.”

Homebase staff are hoping to raise £5,000 for the Alzheimer’s Society which provides dementia patients with support to allow them to live independently in their homes, rather than in social care.

The ride is open to all levels of cyclist and for more details, email onyourbike@yahoo.com or visit www.alzheimers.org.uk/noplacelikehome

South Holland food manufacturer Bakkavor puts its workers to the test by giving them a blank canvas to work from - with surprising results.

The firm hosted an arts workshop at its pizza factory in Holbeach St Marks on Thursday and Friday in support of Transported, a project promoting creativity in the area.

Workers took part in a task to recreate a masterpiece by Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh called Factories at Asnieres under the watchful eye of visiting artist Tina McCallan.

She said: “My aim was to uncover hidden artists by going into the Bakkavor factory and inviting the workers to paint a square on a recreation of a famous painting.

“It was great to start with a blank canvas and then slowly see the squares fill up until the image was complete.”

A Bakkavor spokeswoman said: “The event was held in the factory canteen for two days when employees could come along and paint a square on a large blank canvas gridded into section, with the intention of having a piece of art that related to either food or industry.”

Brownies and Rainbows in Cowbit will be seen wherever they go after being handed £60 to buy high visibility jackets.

The cash has been given to the group after an application was made by unit leader Carol Pearce to the Smile Fund.

It is one of the latest hand-outs awarded by Spalding and District Round Table as part of its £10,000 Smile community pot.

In her application Mrs Pearce said: “We would like to buy the hi-viz vests for when we go out on trips, the park and for the litter pick on the Coronation Channel in February.”

Hundreds of applications have flooded in to the Spalding Guardian’s offices since we launched the Smile Fund campaign last year.

Just about anyone can apply for the money for almost any reason.

Individuals may need a helping hand to redecorate a room or buy equipment which would make their lives easier or sports teams could apply to buy new kit or training gear.

A number of schools have already put in applications for sums of money for outings or school projects.

Other successful applications so far include Lincolnshire Emergency Blood Bike Service and The Rightside Trust charity.

Applications for up to £500 will be considered by a panel of Spalding and District Round Table members. Applicants will be notified whether or not there bid has been successful by the Round Table.

To apply, send a letter including your name, address, beneficiary of the cash, amount requested and the reason for the request to Spalding Guardian Smile Fund, Priory House, The Crescent, Spalding, Lincs, PE11 1AB.

Cycling policeman Paul Freeman is pedalling 2,162 miles – the same distance as the Tour de France – over the next three weeks.

Paul (47), from Moulton Seas End, aims to do 94 miles a day and fit the bike rides around his duties at Holbeach Police Station.

The sponsored ride is in memory of his parents, Brenda and Stan Freeman, who lost their lives to cancer and every penny raised will go to Cancer Research UK to help beat the disease.

Paul said: “I started it on Saturday. In the first two days I managed 98 miles but now I have two rest days so I should be getting some more miles in.”

He’s cycling to and from work on his racer, adding extra miles to the journeys, as well as going out on special trips.

“I live about five miles from work and leave maybe an hour-and-a-half to two hours early to try to do about 30 miles around some of the country roads,” he said.

“At the end of the shift I try to do a few more miles on the journey home.”

Paul and his wife, Claire, have two sons, George (7) and James (5).
Paul’s mum died four years ago aged 71 and his dad in January last year aged 76.

He said both survived for about 18 months after being diagnosed with cancer and their loss was a big shock to the family.

“Our elder boy was just about to start school when my mum died, she’s never seen him at school,” said Paul.

Paul joined Lincolnshire Police just over five years ago.

He started cycling seriously three years ago, but has been “on and off” a bike all of his life.

A “bookable” bus service used by passengers in Holbeach and Long Sutton is to receive more than £40,000.

The Call Connect service, which allows passengers to arrange to be picked up at a local bus stop at a time to suit them – or even at their own home if they struggle to get around –is one of three projects in South Holland which will receive a share of cash from Lincolnshire County Council.

The money comes from the county council’s 75 per cent share of income received from council tax paid on second homes.

At a meeting of the council’s executive on Tuesday, members agreed to spend the income on schemes which are of mutual benefit to the county and district councils.

As well as £41,500 for Call Connect, a rural development programme received £11,500 and a further £18,400 has been earmarked for CCTV.

South Holland district councillor and county council executive member Nick Worth said: “The money Call Connect gets helps to provide extra capacity on the very well used service in Holbeach and Long Sutton and it is really good that we are continuing to support it.

“The Rural Development Programme for England is an existing scheme to boost rural enterprise.

“Those projects are coming to an end now and this money will just help to finish them off.

“But the one I’m really pleased about is the money for CCTV.

“We are still waiting for the community safety partnership to tell us if a county-wide scheme is possible.

“If it is then the money will go towards that, but if, as I suspect, it doesn’t then Boston has also got some money towards a new CCTV suite and we will look to working with them to provide a 24-hour monitoring system.”

A new Pinchbeck accountancy firm is aiming to take the pain out of number crunching by locating itself in a convenient place for its target clientele.

Taxtastic Accountants opened on Monday and is run by Claire Rylatt who qualified as a chartered accountant in 2005 and has since worked in industry, handling tax returns and other aspects of company accounting.

Claire is partnered by her husband, chartered accountant James Rylatt and her father Clive Cooper who has previously worked for BT and the Department of Trade and Industry.

The firm opened its office on Monday at Unit Three, Cresswell Close, near Benner Road Industrial Estate, and is open five days a week, Monday to Friday, between 9am and 2pm, although appointments can be made outside these hours.

Claire said: “It’s very daunting to set up any new business but because I already have an existing client base, I’m hoping out walk-in shop will give us the presence we need to attract new clients.

“We looked at setting up Taxtastic in the high street but we felt it would be much more convenient if clients from our target market could find us exactly where they’re working.

“I think there’s a gap in the market for an accountancy firm that’s targeting sole-traders and medium-sized business but also has the chartered status behind it.”

Style Roses of Holbeach is launching two new roses at Hampton Court Flower Show this week.

Chris and Margaret Styles have appeared at every show since 2000, winning medals at each one to silver gilt standard.

This year they are showing their latest rose varieties: Rosa Perfect Pet, a deep apricot bloom with a suffused yellow centre, and the vibrant orange Rosa Show Star, with its unusual yellow reverse petal and golden yellow centre.

The couple’s display of specimen standard roses and rose bushes is intended to get across the message that roses are great container plants. Their roses will be planted in attractive containers and hanging baskets to demonstrate that, as well as being beautiful planted in that way, it is also a practical solution for gardens prone to frosts.

Chris and Margaret said: “They will give years of pleasure and, when planted into large containers, have the added advantage of being able to move them into a protected area, avoiding losses during periods of severe winter weather.

“At this show our beautiful weeping standards are normally at their best, giving highly attractive displays of cascading colour on long trailing growth. Along with a mixture of our many novel new and striped bush varieties, it will give the display the added wow factor and make visitors aware that roses are great in pots and will give months of flower each year.”

A young mum lied to police in a bid to spare her partner prosecution following a car crash, Lincoln Crown Court was told on Friday.

Sandra Vanagaite claimed she was actually driving the car at the time it ran off the road on the A16 at Fosdyke.

Hal Ewing, prosecuting, said that Vanagaite’s partner was the only occupant of the vehicle at the time of the crash and was seen by a witness to get out of the car.

The man failed a breath test at the scene and was taken to a Spalding Police Station. He then phoned Vanagaite and soon afterwards she arrived at the station claiming she was the driver.

Mr Ewing said “She made a statement to that effect and signed it. The officers were highly sceptical of her account. There were a number of problems with what she said and she provided no details of the accident.”

Later Vanagaite’s partner accepted he was the driver.

Sandra Vanagaite (23), of Alcorn Green, Boston, pleaded guilty to doing an act intending to pervert the course of justice on January 23 by making a signed statement falsely claiming she was the driver of a car involved in a road traffic collision.

She was given a four month jail sentence suspended for 12 months with 80 hours of unpaid work.

Judge Sean Morris told her “The police never believed you for a moment and could have just told you to go away and stop being stupid.

“You were never going to get anywhere near succeeding.”

Salim Khan, defending, said Vanagaite acted on the spur of the moment after receiving the call from her partner.

He said she has a seven month old baby and an immediate jail sentence would cause significant problems for her.

“There was no real effect to the attempt to pervert the course of justice.”

Police tape was plastered across windows and there were chalk marks around bodies where two ‘victims’ apparently breathed their last.

Rumours quickly spread there had been a major incident at Spalding’s Punchbowl pub, but actually it was big send off for Sgt Stuart Brotherton.

Pub staff (pictured) dressed in police uniforms for the night to welcome 200 guests as Sgt Brotherton bowed out after 30 years’ service.

Landlord Pete Williams said: “He’s probably the most popular police officer that Spalding has ever had.

“He loved it – we even searched him going in, we searched all customers with metal detectors and all notes were checked for forgeries. All the toilets were baby oiled for drugs.”

• The chalk lines around the bodies were drawn around members of staff who laid on the pavement.

Deeping St James Parish Council is to hold a public meeting on Thursday as part of the campaign to save Deepings Library.

The meeting will be held at the Deepings Community Centre, Douglas Road, Market Deeping, starting at 7.30pm.

MP for South Holland and the Deepings John Hayes is due to attend and will be speaking in support of the campaign, as will Lincolnshire County councillor Phil Dilks and South Kesteven district councillor Judy Stevens.

The Save Deepings Library petition, which is gathering momentum, will also be available for people to sign.

Lincolnshire’s music service has been rated “outstanding”.

Richard Hallam MBE, the Department for Education consultant on the National Plan for Music Education recently moderated the service and concluded: “Lincolnshire Music Service is an outstanding music service.

“LMS provides outstanding music leadership. achieves excellent standards and delivers high-quality activities through a dverse range of opportunities for all.”

The NHS Trust Development Authority (NHS TDA) has confirmed the appointment of Murray Macdonald as Non-Executive Director of Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust.

Mr Macdonald is an experienced non-executive director, with posts also held with Lincolnshire Community Voluntary Service and Speedwell Homes.

Currently, Mr Macdonald is chief executive of Boston Mayflower Housing Association.

Former aircraft engineer and lorry driver the Rev Charles Robertson is getting to know his 8,000-strong flock at five churches.

Mr Robertson has moved from the South Lafford group of parishes, which includes Folkingham, to take charge of churches at Donington, Sutterton, Wigtoft, Bicker and Swineshead.

He was ordained in 1996 and says he switched from a secular life to the ministry when he realised he was “able to communicate about the presence of God in an everyday way as opposed to highbrow theology”.

Churchgoers in Donington held a social evening to welcome Mr Robertson (pictured right).

Mr Robertson and his wife, Jane, have a son William, who is an airline pilot and a daughter, Georgina, who is mum to their granddaughter Ava.

He said: “I find that the folks here are very welcoming.”

Mr Robertson was born in Hatfield, Hertfordshire.

Photo (TIM WILSON): SG140613-134TW

The Act II choir, a musician playing harp-guitar and a demonstration of Tae Kwon Do were among attractions at St Bartholomew Primary School’s fun day at the weekend.

There was a small consolation for West Pinchbeck teacher John Midgley, pictured with Llwelyn Hunphreys and Annabel Lunn, because at least he could keep cool when wet sponges hurtled towards him.

Headteacher Michelle Parker said the event raised more than £1,500 and it was a wonderful day. Photo: SG070713-137NG

Sutton St Edmund is a village of long drains and long roads – perfect for exercising horses in peace and quiet.

Tracey Hedges works as groom for Alan and Sue Thompson, who run Tom Tech UK Ltd, designing and making computer controlled systems for the horticultural industry.

Alan, who is involved with The South Wold Hunt, keeps three horses that Tracey is responsible for.

The wide open spaces surrounding the village have also attracted unwanted attention: the village is littered with signs opposing Wind Ventures’ proposal to site six 126-metre high turbines close to the village.

Protestors have joined forces in an organisation called FenRATs (Fenland Residents Against Turbines).

Its website describes members as “a group of local community members driving a campaign to stop the proposed Treadings Bank Wind Farm development”.

The planning application has been refused by both South Holland and Fenland district councils. Wind Ventures has submitted an appeal against those decisions and an inquiry has been held. The government recently announced changes to planning guidance, so the inquiry inspector is to forward a report to the Secretary of State to make the final decision. The outcome should be known by October 21.

Whatever is decided, among those affected are the owners of the 16th century manor, Guanock House, whose beautiful five-acre gardens are opened to the public for charity each year.

The longest registered and licensed caravan park in the district is in Sutton St Edmund.

It’s Orchard View Caravan and Camping Park, run by Ray and Maria Oddy for the past 18 years, although a caravan park has been on the site since 1984.

Since they have been there, Ray and Maria have extended and improved the site.

The park has seasonal caravan pitches, static holiday homes and a large camping area. Facilities include a fully licensed club room, refurbished toilet block, a small play area, large play park for ball games and a nature area suitable for dog walking.

Maria says: “We are animal-friendly, children friendly and we have groups coming to stay aged from 18 to 80. In fact, tonight we have 18-year-olds and an 84-year-old and everyone in between.

“Families and groups of friends find this is a good place to meet up as a central point, but we get retired couples mid-week, fishermen and foreign tourists.”

Maria and Ray are involved in the village, and say: “There is still a feel of a really good community in Sutton St Edmund.”

The site is open from mid-March to mid-November

Vandals damaged a motor vehicles parked in a driveway off an Aslackby street some time over the weekend.

The vehicle was parked in a private driveway off Aveland Way when it was scratched with what police believe was a screwdriver-type tool overnight between Saturday and Sunday.

A repairs to the vehicle’s bodywork is now needed and anyone with information should call police on 101, quoting incident number 167 of July 7th.

A motorist celebrating his birthday drove at 135mph in a bid to escape from pursuing police officers, Lincoln Crown Court was told.

Christopher Morris was taking his girlfriend back to her home in King’s Lynn in a borrowed car when police tried to stop him on the A17 at Holbeach.

Phil Howes, prosecuting, said Morris drove to Wisbech reaching speeds of 80mph continuing at high speed towards King’s Lynn.

At one point he drove on the wrong side of the road and also went straight through a red traffic light.

He reached 90mph on the A47 and then accelerated to 135mph before finally being stopped in King’s Lynn’s Tuesday Market Place after being surrounded by a number of police vehicles.

Earlier in the evening Morris assaulted a friend who had given him temporary accommodation. The man had given Morris £20 to celebrate his birthday.

Morris (27), of Bonnington Court, Spalding, admitted dangerous driving, having no insurance, assault and theft arising out of the incident on the night of April 13-14.

He also admitted two thefts, two charges of possession of cannabis and failing to surrender to bail.

He was jailed for a total of 21 months and banned from driving for 18 months.

Judge Michael Heath told him “This was a prolonged course of bad driving. You went through red traffic lights and drove at grossly excessive speeds.”

Andrew Cogan, defending, said Morris was ashamed of his behaviour and accepted he was stupid.

A motorist accused of causing the death of a 27-year-old cyclist by dangerous driving appeared before Lincoln Crown Court on Thursday.

Paul Walken (42), of Chapel Lane, Folkingham, was charged following the death of Timothy Osborn on September 14 last year.

During the hearing Walken spoke only to confirm his name and address and no plea was taken.

Judge Sean Morris granted him bail to appear back before the court on October 11.

Timothy Osborn, who lived in Pode Hole, failed to return home after setting off to cycle home from work.

His body was found alongside the A151 Bourne Road, Spalding.

Action is being taken to drive up food hygiene and safety across South Holland.

The district council has been offering coaching to a dozen low-scoring restaurants and takeaways to raise their food hygiene ratings.

Businesses are rated from zero to five, where zero means urgent improvement is necessary and five is very good.

Crowland’s Millennium Kebab and Pizza House emerged as a shining example of what can be achieved, having raised their rating from a two to a four after receiving the council coaching.

Hakan Dastan, who took over the takeaway in October 2012, said: “The council inspectors said we had done a really excellent job in going up from a two to a four rating – but it was with their help, and everything went really well.

“All four of our permanent staff, including me, were there while they gave us the coaching and they explained very clearly what we needed to do to improve, and made sure everyone understood.”

While 90 per cent of eligible premises in South Holland have achieved a rating of three to five, the remaining ten per cent puts 47 food businesses in the zero to two rating band.

The national food hygiene ratings cover how food is handled, the condition and cleanliness of the buildings and how the business manages and records what it does to make sure food is safe.

Malcolm Chandler, district council portfolio holder for regulatory services, said: “While we are assisting, coaching and educating business, those businesses that fail to engage and make the necessary improvements will face formal enforcement action.”