Lincolnshire County Council is running a new scheme which uses reading to help those suffering from conditions such as depression and anxiety.

“Reading Well: Books on Prescription” will enable GPs and other health professionals to recommend 30 self-help titles for people to borrow from the local library service.

It is a joint initiative from independent charity The Reading Agency and the Society of Chief Librarians, working with local library services.

It offers people self-help books as part of cognitive behavioural therapy prescribed by a health professional.

Lincolnshire’s library service will have a core list of 30 titles covering issues such as anxiety, depression, phobias, panic attacks, bulimia and sleep problems.

These will be available to borrow from local library services or online.

Lincolnshire County Council has already run a service offering books on prescription for around eight years, with 13 self-help titles for adults and 28 for children and young people.

A teenaged couple who damaged a car as part of a plan to discredit a witness have been locked up at Lincoln Crown Court.

Cara Tebb and Matthew Brooks damaged Tebb’s VW Golf car to make it look as if the witness was responsible.

The plan was hatched after Brooks’ brother Ryan was accused of assaulting a man in Shivean Gate, Moulton.

Hal Ewing, prosecuting, said Tebb later claimed the damage was caused by a witness to that incident.

Tebb (18) and Matthew Brooks (18), both of Mill Drove South, Cowbit, admitted doing an act intending to pervert the course of justice on September 14 last year. They were sent to a young offenders’ institution for five months.

Judge Michael Heath told them “You deliberately damaged that vehicle in an attempt to avoid Ryan Brooks from being prosecuted.

“I am not dissuaded that there are any exceptional circumstances that would persuade me not to send you both into custody.”

Michael Proctor, for Tebb, said she had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

He told the court that Tebb is currently expecting a child by Matthew Brooks

“She is still a young woman and possibly an extremely foolish one. This was immature and misguided behaviour rather than anything more sinister. ”

Sandra Clarke, for Matthew Brooks, said “He accepts what he did was wrong. He is due to become a father. They are excited about that.”

l Ryan Brooks (19), of Delgate Avenue, Weston, was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm arising out of the original incident. He denied it and was cleared by a jury following a trial at the crown court.

A public meeting of the new group responsible for planning and buying health services in and around South Holland and the Welland will be held on Wednesday.


The South Lincolnshire Clinical Commissioning Group will meet from 1pm to 4pm in the Seminar Room, Johnson Community Hospital, Spalding.
Gary Thompson, chief officer for the CCG, said: “It’s our vision for the 157,000 people of south Lincolnshire to live longer and healthier lives.
“Our governing body meets monthly and members of the public are welcome to attend and listen to the discussions.”
Items on the agenda include quality and patient experience, financial and performance updates.
Meeting papers are available at www.southlincolnshireccg.nhs.uk

A Spalding care home is celebrating after it was found to be fully compliant with expected standards during an inspection.

St John’s care home recently received an unannounced, random visit from Care Quality Commission inspectors.

At a time when the quality of care is being scrutinised more meticulously than ever, St John’s, which recently underwent a £1million refurbishment, was rigorously checked against several standards.

The Care Quality Commission inspector highlighted certain areas which she felt St John’s had excelled in, including diversity, values and human rights, as well as the ability of staff to identify manage and assess the risks of health, safety and welfare of residents.

Home manager Sharon Neve said: “Obviously we are all delighted at the feedback received from the Care Quality Commission, we have been working extremely hard to constantly deliver an excellent service at St John’s, and to receive this recognition of a wonderful feeling.

“Receiving a ‘fully compliant’ status represents excellence and gives our dedicated team of people the recognition they deserve for their hard work and commitment.”

Almost 200 schoolchildren from across Lincolnshire will take part in a mass event celebrating and remembering the county’s Second World War aviation heritage.

In what is thought to be a national first for the education and aviation sectors, youngsters from six schools will visit the Lincolnshire Aviation Heritage Centre for a day of reflection, learning, storytelling, re-enactments and craft workshops.

The schools involved include Swineshead St Mary’s Primary School and the Peele Community College in Long Sutton.

The event has been organised by Lincolnshire County Council and Arts Council England as a way of ensuring young people have the opportunity to learn about the county’s rich aviation heritage.

It is hoped it will become a regular event in the future.

Dave Harrigan, outreach and learning officer for Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire, said: “ It’s fitting to develop this exciting new education initative in the 70th anniversary year of the Dambusters.

“I can’t think of a more evocative backdrop for a day of fun and learning.

“People travel from across the world to see Just Jane and Lincolnshire’s children will not only see her but take part in time-lapse films that acknowledge those who lost their lives in World War II.”

The day will also include kite building, 1940s toys and games workshops, model airplane making and re-enactors will share stories of what it was like living and working in 1942.

Two more big High Street names are heading for Spalding following news that Costa Coffee is to open a branch in the former Burton’s Menswear shop in Hall Place.

Bargain frozen foods chain Iceland aims to open a store in the retail unit now occupied by Allied Carpets on Holland Market and council planning officers are expected to make a decision on the change of use of the store before the end of this month.

Healthy option, fast-food sandwich chain Subway has plans to move to Springfields Retail Outlet rather than the town centre.

There’s also news that the former Swan Street toy store, Fun Junction, could become a two-storey cafe/restaurant if change of use plans are agreed by the council, but there’s no word yet on the type of food that will be served.

When Costa applied to move to Spalding, the company’s research showed six per cent of town centre shop units stood vacant in April.

But Spalding is in a far better position than most towns, according to the Chamber of Commerce.

Phil Scarlett, president of Spalding and District Area Chamber of Commerce, said: “I am pleased to see empty units being occupied, I think that’s good for the town centre.

“Iceland will have done its homework very, very thoroughly before it comes in.”

He said car parking on Holland Market will have helped Iceland make its decision – and car parking there will also be a boon to the new cafe/restaurant planned for the Fun Junction site.

“If you want frozen food, you don’t want to be carrying it long distances,” he said.

Commenting on the state of Spalding’s economy, Mr Scarlett said: “It’s not healthy and it’s not ailing either, it’s somewhere in between. We have nothing like the empty shop units that other towns have. We are in a relatively good position from that point of view.

“I still talk to a lot of retailers who are struggling to make business work. I would ask people to shop locally and support their local shop, which is what last week’s Independents Day was all about.”

l Iceland and Subway declined to comment on their plans when contacted by the Spalding Guardian.

A new biofuels plant near Hull will provide wheat farmers with greater certainty in terms of a market for their products.

That’s the view of the NFU following the opening of Vivergo’s plant, described as the UK’s biggest buyer of wheat and the biggest supplier of animal feed.

The plant will take in 1.1 million tonnes of wheat annually and produce an estimated 420 million litres a year of ethanol to be mixed with petrol and used in vehicles.

Despite concerns over the greenhouse savings from biofuels and the potential for food price rises as crops are diverted, an NFU spokesman said it would be a “boost” to farmers.

Two local firms are celebrating success at last week’s Hampton Court Palace Flower Show.

Southfield Nurseries at Morton, known as Cactusland, achieved Gold in the Floral Marquee Awards for its display of cacti and succulents.

Meanwhile, in the Rose Awards in the Roses and Floristry Vintage Festival, Style Roses of Holbeach achieved a Silver Flora.

Style Roses proprietors Chris and Margaret Styles have appeared at every show at Hampton Court since 2000, winning medals at each.

At this year’s show they launched two new rose varieties: Rosa Perfect Pet and Rosa Show Star.

In their display, Style Roses demonstrated that roses make ideal container plants.

Linda and Bryan Goodey, who run Cactusland, achieved their 25th successive Gold medal at Chelsea earlier this year.

They have accumulated an impressive total of 160 RHS God Medal awards.

Photo: SG280613-114TW

Police found a man drink-driving when they stopped a BMW being driven “quite slowly for the conditions” on Spalding’s London Road,

Rebecca Ritson, prosecuting, said police stopped the car shortly before midnight on June 21.

The driver, Genadijus Smirnovs, had 56 microgrammes of alcohol in breath – 21 above the legal limit.

Smirnovs (33), of Curlew Drive, Cowbit, was banned from driving for three years when he pleaded guilty because he had a previous drink-related conviction.

He can cut nine months off the ban if he completes a rehabilitation course.

Smirnovs was also fined £250 with an order for £85 costs and a £25 victim surcharge.

Solicitor Rachel Stevens, mitigating, said Smirnovs had been drinking that morning to celebrate a friend’s birthday – had the equivalent of a night’s sleep during the day, waking in the evening when he felt “perfectly all right”.

A popular “grow your own” community garden project has been extended.

The Kitchen Garden Project, which has so far seen six raised beds planted with fruit and vegetables at Ayscoughfee Gardens, Spalding, will continue to grow with the clearing of trees and overgrown bushes from a nearby area,

Volunteers are being urged to go along between noon and 2pm on Friday to lend a hand and get the next phase of the project under way.

The scheme is run by South Holland District Council and aims to provide groups and individuals with access to a community garden.

Support and advice is available from fully-trained community master gardeners, who can help develop knowledge and skills to enable volunteers to grow their own produce.

Coun Nick Worth, the district council’s portfolio holder for Localism and Big Society, said: “Ayscoughfee Community Gardens has been a tremendously popular project for many people.

“Volunteers have already planted a variety of fruit and vegetables which can be picked soon so they can use them in their own kitchens.

“By increasing the growing area we hope that those helping out on the day will then want to keep involved with the gardens.”

Anyone interested can just turn up at Ayscoughfee Gardens, Churchgate, on the day. The only requirement is an interest in gardening. Tools and guidance will be provided.

An old treasure is being dug up to “share the love” between town centre pubs.

Pubs have been experiencing hard times of late, as people choose to stay home to save cash in the current economic climate.

Hundreds of pubs across the country have closed in the past few years, but landlords in Spalding are hoping an event later this month will encourage drinkers back to the bar and revitalise the town’s night-time economy.

Ten town centre pubs – and an icecream parlour – will host the Pub Treasure Hunt on Sunday, July 21 – an event that used to be a hit until it was buried around three years ago.

It will involve teams of up to five people – in pirate fancy dress – following the clues from pub to pub.

Clues will be handed over to the teams only when all members have bought a drink, alcoholic or soft, at the bar, or an icecream in the case of Marco’s

Pete Williams, landlord of the Punchbowl, New Road, said: “We decided to resurrect the pub treasure hunt as a way of sharing the love between the town centre pubs.

“The whole idea is to get people into pubs that they might not necessarily usually frequent.

“It’s a fun way of trying out a new pub you might not usually go to and hopefully it will attract people back into the pubs.”

Teams will all be sent on a different route around town, crisscrossing each other throughout the afternoon, but the fun will end with entertainment at the Punchbowl, including a barbecue and music from Mickey Flynn, and later on ten-piece reggae/ska band Zeb Rootz.

The pubs taking part are Punchbowl, Hole in the Wall, Ivy Wall, Bounce, Lincolnshire Poacher, White Horse, Red Lion, Bentleys, Pied Calf, Mulberry’s, Brennan’s and Marco’s icecream parlour.

Prizes will be up for grabs to the winning teams, including the best dressed pirates, and entry costs £5.

Ask at any of the participating venues to sign up to take part.

A man who denies assaulting a woman on June 11 will stand trial at Spalding Magistrates’ Court.

Former Holbeach man Darren Fisher (40), who now lives in Philip Road, Newark, entered a not guilty plea to assault on Thursday. He was given bail to the trial date, October 17

It’s still not too late to enter your pride and joy in our best front garden competition.

Lincolnshire Free Press reader Michael Pratt has done just that and he can now look forward to a visit from the judges who will make the difficult decision who will pick up the winner’s trophy.

His garden in Chestnut Avenue, Spalding, is in tip top condition – and if you think yours can match, read on to find out how to enter.

The Lincolnshire Free Press and Spalding Guardian have teamed up with the Spalding in Bloom committee to run the competition.

It is being sponsored by Birchgrove Garden Centre in Pinchbeck, which is putting up prizes of £50, £25 and £10 vouchers for the three best entrants.

The competition is easy to enter – just fill in the form published in each edition of the Lincolnshire Free Press and Spalding Guardian and send it with a picture of your front garden to the address shown before July 20.

The rules are simple – the garden must be at the front of the house and visible from the path.

It should be possible for judges to access the garden. All entries must be on an entry form and be accompanied by a photograph.

Judges will visit the entered gardens between July 29 and August 12.

Winners will be announced on Thursday, August 22, and the winner will receive the Spalding in Bloom Best Front Garden Trophy and a cash prize.

Phil Scarlett, president of Spalding and District Area Chamber of Commerce, which has this year become involved in Spalding’s In Bloom efforts, said: “We are looking forward to visiting the entries to see the best front gardens the town has to offer.”

It was the final straw for a Spalding veterinary surgery when six kittens were dumped outside late at night and left frightened, cold and huddled in a plastic box.

Vet Savers, in St Thomas’s Road, is offering special deals on neutering for July and August because the litter is the 11th staff have taken in over the past six weeks.

Registered veterinary nurse Suzhy Winfield said: “This just can’t keep happening.

“If it’s the cost that has stopped people from getting their pets neutered then our area manager Richard Brooks has agreed a special deal for July and August.

“Let’s just get it done and stop this cruelty.”

The four-week-old black and white kittens were found huddling together in a corner of the box at 11pm on Tuesday night, hungry and covered in fleas.

Suzhy said: “I live above the vets and had heard a car about 10pm but thought nothing of it as there is a house opposite which is always having visitors.

“But when I took my dog out at 11pm, I saw a blue plastic box had been dumped outside the surgery door.

“When I moved back the cover, which was just a bed throw, there was a litter of kittens underneath.

“At that time it was far too cold for them to be outside.

“It’s a good job I have a dog or else they could have been there all night.

“I got them in quickly, warmed them up and mashed up some food for them and now their tummies are full we are waiting for Cats’ Protection to pick them up for rehoming.

“But they are just overrun with cats – this has just got to stop.”

Dawn patrols to catch cyclists who ride on pavements could happen in Holbeach after parish councillors voted to ask for a crackdown in the town.

Dawn patrols to catch cyclists who ride on pavements could happen in Holbeach after parish councillors voted to ask for a crackdown in the town.

A request for Operation Oatmeal, a controversial police initiative to improve road safety in Spalding, to be extended to Holbeach was agreed at a meeting on Monday.

Dozens of pavement cyclists, riders with defective bikes and other road users who flout the law have been given £30 fixed penalty notices and warnings about their actions.

Now councillors want a similar crackdown in Holbeach after complaints over cyclists in the town who are ignoring laws banning them from riding on pavements.

Coun Peter Savory said: “Perhaps the police in Holbeach should follow up on Spalding’s example because we’ve got a number of cyclists here who ride on pavements and I’ve nearly been hit a couple of times myself.

“They cycle along as if they own the pavement when it’s against the law, as well as a danger to children and elderly people who may not see them.

“Another problem is traffic lights in the town are totally ignored by a large number of cyclists and something needs to be done about it.”

* Operation Oatmeal was launched in March after cycling on pavements emerged as a major issue at both parish council and community policing panel meetings.
Insp Jim Tyner, community policing inspector for Spalding, said: “After street drinking, the second most complained about community issue is cycling on the pavement.
“I have always maintained that the focus should be on education, as well as enforcement, but when the message is not being heeded, issuing tickets is the appropriate response and Operation Oatmeal will be an ongoing initiative.”

Bosses of small firms are being given a chance to slash their energy bills – and may save up to 35 per cent on the current price they pay.

A new energy switching scheme is being offered by South Holland District Council in partnership with other councils and switching partners iChoosr and Make It Cheaper.

The step follows successful switching schemes offered to residents.

Council leader Gary Porter said: “This is something I’m a strong believer in.

“We were able to offer thousands of South Holland residents the opportunity to benefit from cheaper energy tariffs and I’m delighted that we’re now able to give businesses the chance to save money too.

“I would urge SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises) to sign up and just see if there is a saving to be made. It’s free of charge and free of obligation so there’s really nothing to lose.”

Four out of five UK-based SMEs do nothing to slash their overheads by switching energy suppliers – and president of Spalding and District Area Chamber of Commerce Phil Scarlett says he finds that staggering.

He said: “Sign up and see if there are savings to be made or if your current provider can be beaten.

“I am amazed if people who have access to a computer don’t use comparison sites, not just for energy but for the telephone too.

“From a business point of view, it’s just as important to cut electricity and telephone costs as it is when you are at home.”

l Make It Cheaper will oversee any switch so there is no interruption to supply. Register an interest on www.sholland.gov.uk and click on the Ready to Switch banner.

A “prolific self-harmer” who had been admitted to Accident and Emergency 126 times died after taking two drug overdoses in as many days.

Lee Bunn (27) discharged himself from King’s Lynn’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital after the first overdose, but returned hours later after taking an “excessive” cocktail of prescribed painkillers and sleeping tablets.

An inquest into the death of the former Spalding man at King’s Lynn County Court on Tuesday heard he had recently found out about the death of his foster mother.

But health professionals said although the death may have been a trigger for suicide, they didn’t believe he intended to take his own life.

They said Mr Bunn, of Terrington St Clement, had taken drugs overdoses in the past, and believed it was a symptom of his mental health problems.

Dr Robert Florance, an Accident and Emergency consultant at the QEH, said Mr Bunn had been admitted to his A&E department 126 times, mainly for overdoses, and also to Boston and Peterborough hospitals.

“Lee’s attendances were so prolific, at times when there were any gaps in his attendances we would think that something had happened.Sometimes he would make sure that he was in hospital to be treated after an overdose.”

Mental health liaison nurse Ben Galvin added: “Lee was a prolific self-harmer and someone who had parasuicidal gestures, but a number of his presentations gave the impression that he was help-seeking rather than wanting to kill himself.”

The inquest heard Mr Bunn had been given up by his parents when he was younger. He was disowned by his foster family after striking up a relationship with his foster sister, and only remained in contact with his foster mother.

The fatal overdose saw Mr Bunn take painkillers that had been prescribed to him, and also painkillers prescribed to his partner. He also took sleeping tablets and antihistamines.

Recording a narrative verdict, assistant deputy coroner David Osborne said: “The question of intent remains unclear. Dr Florance referred to Lee in his report as a very intelligent young man who was charming and kind.”

Two men burgled a Sutton Bridge business to raid diesel when one of them hadn’t enough money to fill up his tank to drive to his new job.

Police were called to Halifax and Johnson, in East Bank, shortly before midnight on June 25 and searched the premises.

No one was found but a police dog handler waited two hours, watching “a suspicious car”, and saw Matthew Chapman and Elliot Doherty-Hazel approach the Peugeot.

Rebecca Ritson, prosecuting, said the pair didn’t get as far as stealing diesel – they stole keys from the business and Doherty-Hazel showed police where they had hidden them.

Miss Ritson said Chapman used to work for the business and knew where the keys were kept.

She said Doherty-Hazel was also in possession of a small amount of cannabis.

Jobless Chapman (22), of Royal Close, Sutton Bridge, was fined £75 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £20 victim surcharge when he pleaded guilty to burglary.

Doherty-Hazel, (22), of Wildfowlers Way, Gedney Drove End, was fined a higher sum – £170 – because he is working when he admitted burglary and ordered to pay £85 costs with a £20 victim surcharge.

He received no separate penalty when he admitted the cannabis offence.

Solicitor Mike Alexander, for Doherty-Hazel, said both men came up with the “ill considered venture” when they couldn’t think of a legal way for Doherty-Hazel to get to work.

A warning has been issued after reports of Lincolnshire residents receiving calls from someone falsely claiming to be from the Ministry of Justice.

Scammers trick members of the public by suggesting that their intended victims could be owed money – often for repayment of bank charges, payment protection insurance or a court settlement – but first ask for an upfront payment inorder to receive the money.

In two of the cases reported so sar, people were asked to send £100 by UKash vouchers in order to receive £4,500.

The Ministry of Justice has issued a statement highlighting that these callers have no connection with it, HM Courts and Tribunals Service or other genuine organisations. It said people it contacted would never be asked for bank details.

Angela Kane, a senior Lincolnshire trading standards officer, said: “These fraudsters often targte people who they believe are vulnerable to scams, often those who are already struggling with debt.”

Youngsters who learn to dance in community halls will take centre stage in London’s West End on Sunday night.

An audience of 1,200 people at Her Majesty’s Theatre will see pupils from The Rebecca Dear School of Dance perform two big numbers, Party Rock Anthem and Dance With Me Tonight, in The Young Performers’ Variety Show.

More than half the 30-strong group come from Sutton Bridge, four from Donington and the remainder from Ruskington, near Sleaford, where dance school boss Rebecca Harris holds her classes.

Mum of two Rebecca (28) said: “All of the pupils have taken part in our local shows before at The South Holland Centre, but never performed in London. We have been working on these dances since November and all the hard work is worth it.

“It is a once in a lifetime experience for them and I am very proud of them all. The dedication that the pupils and parents have put in to do the show has been wonderful to see.”

The dancers are aged from seven to 17.

Rebecca, who lives in Holbeach. formed her dance group nine years ago and teaches ballet, tap and jazz.