Holbeach Parish Council has increased its membership after Paul Foyster was successfully nominated at July’s council meeting.
Coun Foyster, from Holbeach St Johns, is the fifth person to join the council in recent months and represents the Town Ward along with fellow new councillors Kathy Rooke, Carol Rudkin and Mark Smith.
They join Coun Paul Gunn who represents St Johns Ward after he was co-opted onto the council in May.
Safety concerns fuelled by speeding traffic on a Holbeach road have led parish councillors to discuss whether measures are needed to tackle the problem.
The council is to contact police and Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership to see if speed signs can be put up on Spalding Road where members said several minor accidents had happened in recent weeks.
At July’s council meeting, members agreed to ask for speed checks on Spalding Road to see if there is enough evidence to call for 30mph signs to be introduced.
People living in Cowbit, Moulton and Weston are invited to the next meeting of Spalding East Rural Community Policing Panel.
It takes place at Cowbit Village Hall, Barrier Bank, on Monday at 7.30pm and people living in Moulton Chapel, Moulton Seas End and Weston Hills are also welcome to attend.
Issues on the agenda include parking outside schools and speeding traffic in villages.
Ham radio operators are good at having conversations with people thousands of miles away, but possible not so good at getting the message across that their hobby is incredibly fascinating.
Most people know that amateur radio involves licensed people operating communications equipment to make contact with other hams all over the world.
What is less understood is that there are all kinds of aspects to the hobby, something Spalding & District Amateur Radio Society (SDARS) was trying to promote as part of its Sue Ryder Field Day at the weekend.
The Spalding club was using a unique call sign to make contact with as many countries and contacts as possible during an overnight camp in Surfleet where it has outside facilities. At the same time, about £80 was raised as part of ongoing support for Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice.
The event was a success, with 39 countries logged so far, the most distant being Chile (7,280 miles).
Member Pete Henderson, who organised the event with Andy Schofield, said: “China was in the top five. It wasn’t the furthest, but it was quite a good one.” Club secretary Graham Boor explains that amateur radio is far broader than talking or listening to signals.
He says: “We have people in the club learning Morse code because if everything else fails Morse code would still get through.
“Amateur radio is used in disaster relief when communications have failed. All you need is a transmitter, a 12V battery and an aerial and we can provide communications and you don’t have to have a big aerial.”
Even if clubs aren’t involved in disaster relief, they may be asked to assist local emergency planning officers by providing amateur radio, says Graham.
Then there are the people communicating with the International Space Station, tracking high altitude balloons and even involved in something Graham calls “moon bounce”, or bouncing signals from Earth to the Moon and back to Earth.
Graham says: “Quite often, amateur radio has provided the key elements for a lot of advanced communications in use today.”
Getting involved in amateur radio is a good foundation for a career in electronics or communications, as Graham knows. He became involved in the club in 1972 and it led to life-long employment as a television engineer.
In fact the club is licensed by the Radio Society of Great Britain to conduct training, with an examination at the end of it, something recognised in two regional club of the year awards.
Spalding & District Amateur Radio Society (SDARS) has been in existence since 1965 and has between 35 and 40 members.
Since 2000, club chairman John Hill has provided training for all levels of the Amateur Radio Licence, introducing more than 100 aspiring new amateurs to the hobby.
The club has its own transmitting station at its meeting place in Spalding as well as an outdoor space at Surfleet.
The big event of the year is the radio rally held on the first Sunday in June at the Sir John Gleed School in Spalding when typically as many as 450 people attend. A station is set up in the field so people who don’t know anything about amateur radio can see what it’s about.
Club secretary Graham Boor says it doesn’t have to be an expensive hobby, and that many enthusiasts build their own equipment.
Amateur radio can lead to life-long friendships all over the world.
To find out more visit www.sdars.org.uk or email Graham at secretary@sdars.org.uk
• The club is this year raising funds for Sue Ryder, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary.
The web provides a huge array of opportunities for people looking for a job to get ahead. By taking a few simple steps, you can ensure you are making the web work for you in your job search.
Firstly, make sure you have your CV in a format that can be opened by anyone.
The default software to use is something like Microsoft Word, but not everyone has that avaiable to them.
This is why converting your CV to a more accessible format such as PDF makes sense.
Also ensure that the filename of your CV would make sense to someone receiving it – including your full name helps in this regard.
Secondly, have a sensible email address.
Having a jokey email address can be a lot of fun, but when you are looking for a job, often the first communication people will get from you will be via email.
Recruiters are often not too pleased about having to email fluffybunny123@hotmail.com – so set up a new email address for job searching that is a little more professional sounding.
Thirdly, have a quick review of your Facebook profile, if you have one.
A lot of recruiters are checking Facebook to find out what they can about the people applying for jobs.
Make sure you lock down as much of your profile as you can in Facebook’s security settings so that only your friends can access your content.
After all, the last thing you want to happen is for a potential employer seeing the photos from that Club 18-30 holiday you went on last summer.
Fourth, consider setting up a profile on LinkedIn.
This is a professional online network which lets you have a public online CV, and enables you to connect with people you have worked with.
People can leave feedback on your profile too, so it’s a quick and easy way of collecting nice, informal references.
Fifth, create a simple web page so people can find you and get in touch easily.
There are lots of options, but a simple one is about.me which allows you to set up a single web page with some details about you, how you can be contacted, and perhaps a link to your CV so it can be easily accessed.
The web should be seen as a really positive tool for those looking for work, or a new job and all the above are quick, easy and free things to do to improve your chances of getting that perfect job.
Bizarre inventions are a speciality for John Ward – and now he’s got the perfect thing for small fires.
It’s a Reliant Robin fire engine and comes complete with a ladder, eight jets and a small hose.
“It’s a small hose because we only do small fires,” says John. “I can carry 50 litres of water and I can turn it into a water feature at the flick of a switch.”
John, from Moulton Seas End, has appeared on TV worldwide with eccentric inventions from a bra warmer to a mobile church font.
He bought the Reliant Robin for a friend, but the deal fell through and he was left wondering what to do with a tiny red vehicle when the idea of a fire engine popped into his head.
John took six months to do the conversion – finding spare minutes between other jobs – and it had its first official outing at Boston Bike Night a few days ago, where it was a sensation.
Admirers donated cash at John’s suggestion to Spalding and Holbeach Macmillan Cancer Support and now he plans to collect for the charity by taking the Reliant Robin – which is road legal – to local fetes.
Named “Freddie the Fire Engine”, the vehicle is part of Little Berning Fire Brigade – another product of John’s inventive mind – and can be booked at littleberningfirebrigade@gmail.com
A woman believes the closure of Spalding’s Coronation Channel footpath because of vandalism and disorder is “taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut.”
The woman, who asked not to be named, has accused the Environment Agency of taking away her rights to walk her dog along the footpath known as Cowbit Sluice.
Residents have complained about noisy drinkers using Coronation Channel as a swimming pool and vandals ripping up thorny shrubs planted to stop anti-social behaviour.
But the woman claims the Environment Agency has misled people about the real reason for fencing off the footpath with a notice saying that it was due to “flood defence works.”
“I was on holiday in Australia when talk of the footpath being closed for good first started in February,” the woman said.
“When I came back to Spalding, I just accepted that the Environment Agency was doing flood defence works until one day when I took my dog for a walk along the road near the path and didn’t see any work going on.
“I rang the Environment Agency who said the path had been closed because of some disturbances and residents complaining to the police about the problem.
“It seems unacceptable to me that a public right of way should be shut off when all that is needed is to put up a notice saying no swimming or noisy behaviour.”
Residents living near Coronation Channel shared their anger with the Spalding Guardian in February when a couple claimed their fence had been damaged by vandals.
But the woman said: “I’ve lived near Coronation Channel since the 1990s and I’ve used the footpath hundreds of times.
“I feel like I’m being deprived of my rights and it just seems as if the Environment Agency is taking a sledgehammer to crack a nut.”
An Environment Agency spokesman said: “The footpath was fenced off after a meeting between ourselves, South Holland District Council and the police.
“There is no public access to it but we didn’t realise a sign was still up and it will be taken down immediately.”
Spalding community policing inspector Jim Tyner said: “The Coronation Channel should be an area of enjoyment for all of us but unfortunately the actions of a few spoil it for others.”
A team of accountants from Spalding and Market Deeping showed coolness under pressure to raise more than £12,000 after a three-day trek in Iceland.
Mark Hildred and Ken Maggs, from Moore Thompson Chartered Accountants, climbed through cross lava fields and crossed glacial streams with colleagues Mark East and David Turpin from the accountancy firm’s Market Deeping office.
The quartet was raising money for four separate charities and just over £3,000 each will be given to Cure Parkinson’s Trust, The Lymphoma Association, Make-a-Wish Foundation and Teenage Cancer Trust.
Moore Thompson in its current form is celebrating its 25th anniversary and the men decided to take on the trek in recognition of the firm’s landmark, with an initial fundraising target of £10,000.
Mark Hildred said: “It was a tough three days trekking and camping in wind, rain, sleet and snow but it was worth it for the amazing amount of money that has been donated.
“We would like to thank everyone for helping us to smash our fundraising target and we know this money is going to four fantastic charities who all do great work in their fields.”
Ken, also an athletics coach in Spalding, said: “This was certainly a great way to celebrate our 25th anniversary.”
Political allegiances were cast aside as a community vowed to fight county council plans to close their library.
About 200 people went to a public meeting at The Deepings Centre in Market Deeping on Thursday.
Residents of Market Deeping, Deeping St James, West Deeping, Deeping Gate and Langtoft were united in their determination to fight for the future of Deepings Library, in High Street, Market Deeping.
The facility has been earmarked for closure by Lincolnshire County Council as part of a county-wide consultation aimed at cutting £2m from the libraries budget.
Members of Market Deeping Town Council and Deeping St James Parish Council were joined by county councillors for the area and Deepings MP John Hayes.
Mr Hayes told the meeting he was proud and honoured to support the campaign to keep the library open.
He said: “We can have an effect if we work together and act together.
“By working across political parties I think we can make a difference.”
The meeting was chaired by county councillor for Deeping St James Phil Dilks.
Coun Dilks said more than 3,000 people had already signed a petition opposing the closure and once that number reached 3,500 the issue would have to be debated by the full council.
He called the plans “cultural vandalism” and called on residents to make the case for the library to the county council’s executive member for libraries, culture and heritage Coun Nick Worth.
Coun Dilks had invited Coun Worth and head of libraries and heritage Jonathan Platt to the meeting, but both declined.
Several residents at the meeting offered to help distribute petition sheets and Deepings Raft Race committee member Bruce Tokens offered to set up a stall at the event on August 4.
After the meeting Mr Hayes said: “It is really encouraging to see people coming out to a meeting like this to express their feelings about the importance of libraries and what they do.
“Libraries play a key part in informing what a community is and inspiring the people who live there.
“I am proud to support this campaign.”
The petition can be signed online at Change.org.
The consultation runs until September 30. Visit the Lincolnshire County Council website to have your say.
II had an e-mail from Alison who lives near Crowland last week. She says she bought a Brown Turkey fig a few years ago to plant against an unsightly wall at the back of her house.
It quickly did what she wanted, she says, covering the wall and producing masses of delicious figs, but it is now too large.
She tried cutting some bits off it recently, but it dripped a lot of sap and she’s afraid if she does any pruning, she’ll kill it.
Figs in modern gardens need to have their roots restricted, otherwise they make enormous trees in time.
The best way is to grow them in very large tubs, making sure they are always well watered and fed once growth has started to slow down. This way, you’ll get an attractive container shrub and plenty of figs.
You often see it recommended to plant in the ground and contain the roots with concrete slabs or similar. This is fine for a while, but I did just that when I planted my Brown Turkey thirty-odd years ago, and I got a nice wall shrub up the garage, with more fruit than we could cope with.
After about five years, however, the roots must have discovered joins in the sunken slab container, after which time, growth exploded and I was left with two alternatives – either to remove the fig (a monumental task) or enjoy the foliage and leave it where it was.
I opted for the latter, and now it is just an attractive foliage wall shrub. It gets pruned once or twice during the summer, which keeps it within bounds, but, of course, it never fruits, so if I want figs, I buy them! Alison will not kill her fig by even hard pruning if she wants to retain it – she can always buy another and grow it in a pot if she wants fruit.
One warning, though. Many of us are allergic to fig sap, so remember to cover up while the cuts are dripping, or keep an anti-histamine handy, and handle the prunings carefully. The cuts seal over in a matter of minutes.
I hope to see a lot of you on Sunday afternoon at Jubilee Park, Thackers Way, Deeping St James, where I’m presenting the awards at the dog show, and introducing my new lurcher, Maggie, to the world of dogs of all sorts and their owners. I expect the famous three-legged Devil’s Daughter, Faune, will insist on coming, too!
Lutton grower David Hoyles has opened the eyes of various professionals to the wide-ranging aspects of the business of farming.
David hosted a ‘Professionals Farm Walk’ on behalf of Brown & Co for lawyers, solicitors, bankers and accountants to help them understand various issues and opportunities in farming.
David said: “We had about 30 guests for the farm tour and looked at and discussed machinery investment and allowances, buildings, depreciation, Entry Level Scheme, Red Tractor and customer assurance schemes, CAP reform, crop rotation, renewable energy and precision farming, and finished with a barbecue.”
South Holland Growers’ Club has arranged a visit to Nicholas Watts’ Deeping St Nicholas farm, Vine House Farm, on Friday (6.30pm).
The farm tour – by specially adapted trailer with fitted seats – will include the current cropping, wildlife conservation measures, and a close look at the turbines.
The evening will finish with a barbecue.
Cost of tour and barbecue is £9, payable on Friday.
St Mary’s Church in Long Sutton is racing against time to raise £10,000-plus to repair the church tower.
Father Jonathan Sibley said rotten window shutters were removed from the tower by abseiling builders last year, but now birds are getting in and debris has accumulated.
He said: “If it’s not stopped, this will affect the bells and clocks and all of us in the parish – so something must be done this year to replace the shutters. It’s a very important tower with very important bells.”
So far there is £1,000 in the kitty, including £700 raised from the St Thomas’s Fair and a sponsored cycle ride organised by Father Jonathan’s son, Peter.
St Mary’s wooden and leaded spire was built and completed in 1200. The shutters are there to keep out the elements, birds and debris.
When workmen removed the rotten shutters it was discovered that the original Norman shutters were still in place and those were taken to the bell tower.
Francis Prior, from Channel 4’s Time Team, said the discovery was important and he will be giving a talk about the shutters at the church with Maisie Taylor on November 9 to raise money for the tower repairs. The talk will include information about the TV programme.
More than 80 children from Surfleet Primary School were in action morning and afternoon at their sports day.
Lunchtime was a big treat as the budding sports stars enjoyed a family picnic.
Our picture shows (from left) back – Edward Skells, Zoe Robinson, Katie Turner; front – Maddie Towell, Jack Lawson and Joe Gardner.
Photo: SG080713-118NG
Donations are starting to come in for our £4,000 appeal to reopen the children’s play area closed on safety grounds at Glen Park, Surfleet.
Bosses at the park shut the play area on July 4 because they believed the Everest Tower and zip wire were no longer safe for children.
The Lincolnshire Free Press Children’s Fund has donated £500 to kick-start funding and, so far, we’ve had £125 in anonymous donations from our generous readers.
Spalding pub The Black Swan is also throwing its weight behind the campaign and will hold a series of fundraising events on Saturday, July 27, including a car wash and table top sale, both starting at midday, and live music from the duo, Skullduggery, at 3pm.
Landlady and mum-of-two Terri Mason says her boys Liam (10) and Shane (9) often play at Glen Park with pals and “absolutely love” it there.
A Glen Park spokesman said they were trying to persuade Lincolnshire County Council to release its promised £7,980 early – rather than wait for the total to be reached – so the park can open during the summer holidays.
The county council’s executive member for libraries, heritage and culture, Nick Worth, said there shouldn’t be a problem with getting the cash released if Glen Park supply documents, including the safety report.
He said: “If they supply the documents we want, they can have the money straight away, it really shouldn’t be that difficult.”
The Glen Park spokesman said the last safety report was done in February, but since then the zip wire and Everest Tower have deteriorated.
“Because the company is very busy, we cannot get another safety report done in time,” he said. “The position quite simply is we are not prepared to compromise safety and, until the repairs are done, the park won’t reopen and that’s what our bottom line is.”
The NFU is asking dog walkers, campers and visitors to the countryside to take extra care this summer.
The plea follows statistics showing there were more than 700 cases of sheep and cattle worrying by dogs on farms last year at an estimated cost of £1 million.
We’re in the middle of what many newspapers are calling a heatwave, but I disagree. It’s called summer and we tend to experience this every year, except last year!
Seasonality is what marks out a temperate climate such as ours and with it we get wonderful sunny days, no small amount of seasonal rain plus a bit of the cold stuff thrown in. Our cropping is planned to take advantage of the seasons and in this part of the world we are probably the vegetable growing centre of the country.
We have numerous brassica crops, salad vegetables, not to mention the wonderful strawberries that many growers operate as pick-your-own enterprises.
This year’s sunshine is a most welcome tonic for crops which, although a little late, look reasonably decent, at least locally. The oilseed rape plainly has huge amounts of vigour and is just turning while the wheat crops need a few weeks more. They look good with plenty of promise and, with the added bonus of sunshine, we’re all hoping that the crops don’t flatter to deceive. Root crops again all look fairly promising and, British Sugar aside, we’re hoping for some decent sugars this year.
So while the heat might be an inconvenience for some, it’s surely time to celebrate and make the most of the great outdoors and be thankful that we in South Holland are so close to really good food, grown with care by professionals.
Time is running out to enter your pride and joy in our best front garden competition.
Lincolnshire Free Press readers have been sending in their entries for the competition being run by The Lincolnshire Free Press and Spalding Guardian in conjunction with the Spalding in Bloom committee.
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 idea is to get Spalding looking as lovely as possible ahead of the judging for the In Bloom competition later this summer.
Our latest entries are from Frank and Barbara Lawson, who have entered their front garden at their home in Daniel’s Reach, Spalding, and Salvina Hodson, whose garden in Edinburgh Drive, Spalding, is her pride and joy.
If you fancy your chances of lifting the Spalding in Bloom Best Front Garden Trophy, it’s really simple to do.
Just fill in the form published in today’s Spalding Guardian and send it with a picture of your front garden to the address shown before this Saturday, July 20.
The picture must be a real photo print and not a copy on paper.
The rules are simple too – 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.
Pupils at five Spalding primary schools have been battling it out on the sports field in an annual rounders tournament. The schools - St Paul’s, St John’s, St Norbert’s, Spalding Primary and Monkshouse - played each other during the term and the decision was made on a points basis. Monkshouse Primary was the overall winner after scoring a victory in every one of their names. The team was presented with the St Paul’s Shield. Heather Beeken, headteacher of St Paul’s School, said: “The tournament really is a great opportunity to develop skills and teamwork.”