I’m not accustomed to writing letters of praise about MPs of any party. But for our local MP I’ll make an exception and might even be persuaded to cast a vote for him at the next election.

John Hayes should be applauded for his stand on green issues and the environment. It’s all too easy to be suckered into believing that wind turbines are a panacea for saving the planet, whereas in fact the stark truth is that they do more harm than good.

They are a danger to wildlife, potentially hazardous to health and are an infringement of residents’ and visitors’ rights to enjoy the amenities of the area unimpeded by “industrial structures.” This is nowhere more pertinent than in our haunting, nature-rich landscape of distant horizons, so I’m delighted that John Hayes is determined to fight their proliferation.

Wind turbines are not economic for us. Because of subsidies, they ARE economic for the power companies (in search of even bigger profits) and they ARE economic for industrial-scale agricultural enterprises seeking to improve profit and loss accounts. They are even economic for landowners looking to diversify and increase the value of land.

But they are not economic for you and me. Who pays the huge subsidies making these wind turbines an economic prospect? We do.

They come out of our taxes and in addition we pay a ‘green’ levy on our electricity bills which actually increases the amount of cash we have to part with every time we pay our energy bills.

The more that are built the less money is available for funding the poorer sections of society.

Prospective constructors of wind turbines claim they want to build them because they are anxious about the environment. Yet remove the subsidies and watch how suddenly the environment becomes of lesser concern. Applications will dry up, proving that it’s all about money that flows in one direction from you and me to them.

But John Hayes has said all this (or most of it) before and far more eloquently than I can.

Whether or not you’re accustomed to writing to an MP, write to him now.

Support his environment campaign because, as MPs go, he’s not bad at all and I believe he genuinely wants to represent the views of the people living in this area.

He says more wind turbines here are unwelcome – please let him know you agree.

Alan Kahn

Holbeach St Matthew

Two teenagers from Holbeach are preparing for the adventure of a lifetime after being chosen to represent the county at next year’s World Scout Jamboree in Japan.

George Belokon-Tyrrell (13) and Harry Cowper Johnson (13) – both members of the 3rd Holbeach Town Scout Group – were selected at a camp at Spilsby’s Tom Thumb Holt Scout Campsite in November last year.

The theme of the jamboree is ‘Wa’, meaning harmony, unity, friendship and peace. It aims to allow scouts to take part in adventurous activities, share others’ cultures and faiths, and grow as global citizens to tackle world issues.

At the camp, they had to use their knowledge and skills to work together as teams, plan and cook meals and show enthusiasm in all that they did as well as many other things.

Four scouts from the South Holland district went along and George and Harry were among 27 selected from more than 90 children from Lincolnshire.

Natasha Belokon, George’s mother and assistant scout leader, said: “We are very proud that two of them are from our group.

“It is a huge achievement and we are very proud that they are going, and I am particularly proud as George has ADHD and autism and has had to overcome a lot of challenges in his life. This will help him in so many ways become more confident.”

In order to take part they are working hard to raise the huge amount of £2,800 each required to cover transport, equipment and event fees. This weekend they took part in bag packs and a table top sale at Holbeach Community Centre, with lots more events planned to take place.

Anyone who would like to donate funds can do so by calling Lorraine Derrick, Scout leader, on 01775 768397 or 07526793547.

Val Gemmell’s letter suggests that the current Holbeach library is too small to develop and that it should be moved to the youth club which has a large rear car park.

As a trustee of the youth club I can confirm that there is absolutely no intention of moving the library to the youth club (the usable area is actually smaller than the current premises).

The successful youth club held there every Friday night, averaging 67 children in the last month, would be incompatible with static library provision, unless she is willing to move the entire stock every Friday night into some storage area that we don’t have!

The trustees of the youth club have an aim to extend the youth club to a second night within the next six to seven months as we further develop the range of activities for young people. This will not include a library.

Nick Work

Holbeach Youth Club trustee

More battery hens will be saved from slaughter and given the chance to taste freedom for the first time thanks to a Kirton woman.

Chicken keeper Hils Davis has volunteered her home as a collection point for those wishing to rehome ex-commercial hens – making it the only one in Lincolnshire.

“These are hens which have never seen sunlight or felt grass beneath their feet,” she said. “Our collection point will mean many more being saved from slaughter and rehomed.”

Hils works with independent organisation Fresh Start For Hens, which buys chickens from commercial farms and rehomes them via volunteer-run UK collection points.

Battery hens live a miserable life and such is the stress they suffer many lose their feathers.

Despite the birds living for around 12 years, these hens are culled after 18 months as their egg production drops.

Hils keeps 17 chickens of her own, three of which are ex-battery hens.

She said: “They make great pets and like to follow you around the garden.

“Their feathers usually grow back well but this can take a while because of 
what they have been 
through.”

Those who wish to rehome the hens should make a reservation and donation of £2.50 per hen at www.freshstartfor
hens.co.uk

The hens will then be available for collection on the rehoming day, February 22.

Seven people, including four children, are facing deportation from the UK after they were arrested near Spalding.

The group, originally from Albania, were held by police on suspicion of entering the UK unlawfully after they were seen getting out a lorry in Low Fulney on Friday.

A 33-year-old woman, treated by paramedics after vomiting, four boys aged between 10 and 18 and two men, aged 21 and 37, were in the group.

They were kept in police custody and then handed over to UK Border Agency (UKBA) officials.

Robin Humphris of Lincolnshire Home Office Immigration Enforcement said: “When suspected illegal immigrants are found on lorries and arrested by police, we respond quickly.

“We work closely with the police to tackle illegal immigration and where someone is found to have no legal right to remain in the UK, we will take action to remove them.”

A Lincolnshire Police spokesman said: “Our job was just to hold the group until UKBA take over, ensuring that their welfare needs were met in the meantime.”

Could you solve a mystery that has been unearthed in a field around Spalding?

Historians are excited about a lead seal dating back to 1200AD with the inscription SIGILL REGINALDI F’ IOE, meaning “Seal of Reginald, son of Joseph”.

It is one of thousands of ancient artefacts discovered in the county that are to be recorded as part of the British Museum’s Portable Antiquities Scheme.

Adam Daubney, finds liaison officer at Lincolnshire County Council, which supports the scheme, said: “Lead seals are often found in Lincolnshire, but few are legible.

“Quite who Reginald, son of Joseph was might forever remain a mystery, though research into medieval documents for the area might provide some clues.”

Another exciting find in South Lincolnshire is an exceptionally rare silver coin dating back before 46BC.

The coin features King Juba of Numidia in North Africa and was struck between 64-60BC.

Historians believe it was probably used in the county at around the time of the Roman conquest and may even have been brought during the Roman invasion. The legend on the coin is just legible – it reads “REX IVBA” or “King Juba”.

Mr Daubney said: “The large number of finds highlights just how rich our archaeology here is.

“The majority are not ‘treasures’ in the bling sense, most of them are everyday items such as coins and broken bits of pot.

“But, this sort of material shows how our ancestors lived.”

A crash involving a Vauxhall Astra, Volkswagen Polo and BMW held up drivers heading into Spalding on Friday.

It happened outside Taylors car showroom on Pinchbeck Road at about 2pm but no one was injured.

A six-feet cast iron Victorian garden lamp has been stolen from a garden in Station Road, Gedney Hill.

It happened between 3.40am and 10am on Saturday and anyone with information should call 101.

The cause of death of a woman whose body was discovered in a field by a dog walker remains a mystery.

Coroner Prof Robert Forrest recorded an open verdict at an inquest into the death of Sharon Hurlstone (54) in Boston after extensive examinations revealed no foul play or any obvious cause of death.

Mrs Hurlstone’s badly decomposed body was found in a field on land off Northfield Road, Market Deeping on September 24.

The inquest heard she was reported missing by her husband, David, on August 26. Ten days earlier she had left the couple’s caravan at Deepings Caravan Park, in Towngate East, Market Deeping, after they had had an argument.

The inquest heard that police investigations revealed Mrs Hurlstone had spent thousands of pounds on lottery cash prize scams. She had told her husband she was saving money for the winter months when he received no paid work from the security business they ran together.

In giving his verdict, Prof Forrest said: “This is the first open verdict I have given and I’m very sad I cannot give David the closure I would have liked to have done because we can’t explain exactly what happened to his wife.

“Extensive examinations by the forensic pathologist and toxicologist do not reveal a cause of death in either a natural or unnatural manner.”

The inquest was told Mr Hurlstone had told police his wife had gone missing before after she was victim of a fraud scam in 2009.

This resulted in financial difficulties for the couple and they had to leave their home in the Wirral and move to Market Deeping.

A police report showed that over a four-year period Mrs Hurlstone had spent more than £41,000 on lottery scams.

Data on her phone records revealed she had replied to messages sent from countries in sub-Saharan Africa, eastern Europe, Barcelona, Manchester and London.

Mrs Hurlstone had told her husband while he was working away from home that she had £4,000 in cash saved for winter.

When he returned in August last year the money could not be found, and after an argument on August 16 she left the caravan.

A phone which was found by police on her body contained a memo message which she had written at 10.26pm on August 16, just over an hour after she left her husband.

It read, “David I’m sorry they’ve got me again”. The message was never sent to Mr Hurlstone.

An autopsy was carried out by forensic pathologist Prof Guy Rutty.

He said in his report to the inquest that he could not make any comment as to whether it was a natural or unnatural death.

Police are carrying out fraud investigations in a bid to catch those responsible for the scams.

Speaking after the inquest, Det Sgt Jon Shield said: “The message we need to get across to people is that if an offer seems to good to be true it usually is.

“People are told to send £1,000 to release a £1m lottery win but it is always a load of rubbish.

In Sharon’s case she was sending the money and then waiting for her prize to be released. From the investigations we don’t know how she died but it is very tragic.

“There are criminal gangs worldwide that carry out these scams and we are working to both crackdown on these criminals and educate and warn people not to get caught by the scams.”

Last time I mentioned drugs like paracetamol and anti-inflammatories. This month I want to mention other drugs like Tramadol and Amitriptyline.

Tramadol is a strong prescribed painkiller, which helps pain by affecting how the pain message gets to the brain. In fact that’s how these drugs work.

If you imagine your nerves are like the wiring in your house.

To make the light work, you need to flip a switch – well odd as it may seem, your nervous system can be treated in much the same way: pain runs along the nerves like electric current, and medication works by flipping the switch so not all the pain signals get through.

Sometimes it stops the pain message altogether, and sometimes it stops half the message, so you still get some pain, but not as bad as without the tablets.

Everyone is different in how much dose they need or how effective the tablet is for them.

These medicines all have to go through the liver and your bowels – now are you someone who only needs to sniff a cork to feel tipsy, or are you someone that can drink several pints or glasses of wine and not feel the effect?

That’s because of how effective your liver is.

In some patients they may only get 20 per cent of the dose they take because the liver or the bowel does not absorb it all.

In some patients they may get 80 per cent of the drug and so it’s not only powerful, but they get lots of side effects like nausea and dizziness or feeling spaced out.

Drugs like Amitriptyline can have multiple uses, 40 years ago Amitriptyline was used as an anti-depressant, but it’s side effect is that it makes you sleepy.

However, in more recent years, pain specialists have found that in a smaller dose taken at night time, it can be a good painkiller and help you sleep better.

So if your doctor prescribes this drug, it’s not because they think you are depressed or it is in your head, it is because they think you have nerve pain and this helps nerve pain in particular.

Next time, I will talk about creams and patches.

Money Matters by Scott Woods

That trip to see the lemurs in the Madagascan rainforests, the dream wedding or honeymoon, the long, easy-going retirement, not panicking when an unexpected bill hits the mat, your car breaks down or your boiler packs in. Sounds good doesn’t it?

But unless you’re very lucky, most of us only get these things by saving for them.

Are you saving for a particular goal within the next few years, like a house deposit, a new car or a wedding?

Putting aside money as a buffer for a rainy day?

If so, you could choose a bank or building society savings account or a cash ISA (which has great tax benefits).

Some accounts offer you higher interest if you’re willing to tie your money up, others let you get your money out whenever you need it.

If you’re thinking more long term, like for your children’s university costs, you could choose products that invest in stocks and shares.

These can give much better returns than savings accounts, but they are riskier because you can lose money.

It’s up to you if you’re happy to take that risk.

If you’re thinking about your retirement, pensions can be a great tax efficient way to save.

If you put your money into a savings account for a long time, the interest rate you earn might be less than inflation.

The effect of inflation could then mean that your money will not stretch as far in the years to come.

Investments can be a better way of beating inflation than simple savings accounts. Even if you only put a small amount away, it’s worth getting started as soon as you can.

It’s a satisfying feeling too, watching your nest egg grow and planning all the great things you can do with it.

South Holland District Council will be marking Commonwealth Day next month by taking part in an inaugural, simultaneous flag-raising ceremony.

For the first time ever, local authorities and civic dignitaries, community groups and charities throughout the British Isles are taking part in local flag-raising events and ceremonies of dedication to mark the day on Monday, March 10.

The Fly a Flag for the Commonwealth event will enable people in their local communities to become involved and join with others nationwide in associating themselves with a widespread public expression of commitment to the Commonwealth, appreciation of the values it stands for, and the opportunities offered to its citizens around the world.

A specially written Commonwealth Affirmation will be read out at each ceremony before the raising of the Commonwealth flag at 10am. In South Holland, this will be done by the chairman of the district council, Coun Robert Clark, at the local authority’s offices in Priory Road, Spalding.

He said: “I’m delighted that South Holland District Council will be part of this inaugural, simultaneous flag-raising event to mark Commonwealth Day, which will officially enable our local community to appreciate the value of the Commonwealth to citizens across the world.

“And as chairman of the council, it will be an honour to read the Commonweath Affirmation and raise the flag on March 10.”

Commonwealth Flags will also be flown at many locations of special significance including the four capital cities of the United Kingdom.

The following decisions have been made by magistrates at court hearings. In all drink-drive cases the legal limit is 35 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, 80 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood or 107 milligrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of urine. Addresses of defendants published here are taken from the legal records held by the magistrates’ courts.

Grantham Magistrates’ Court

January 20

Pocius Tomas (24), of Walnut View, Spalding. No TV licence. £200 fine, £20 victim surcharge, £90 costs.

Stacey Walker (27), Benedict Court, Deeping St James. No TV licence. £200 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Kelly Winyard (27), of Cawood Lane, Gosberton. No TV licence. £200 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Vicky Woolsey (33), of Royce Road, Spalding. No TV licence. £35 fine, £20 v/s, £90 costs.

Marcin Cyganowicz (37), of Queens Road, Spalding. Possession of amphetamine (Spalding). £80 fine, £20 v/s, £45 costs, drugs to be forfeited and destroyed.

Aivis Hlomovs (28), of Flaxmill Lane, Pinchbeck. Drink driving (Pinchbeck). £170 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Atis Bacuks (34), of Cortez Close, Spalding. Drink driving (Spalding). £240 fine, £24 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 36 months. No insurance. £240 fine.

Marius Jakstys (26), of Langley Mews, Kirton. Drink driving (Pinchbeck). £110 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, disqualifed from driving for 3 years. No insurance. £110 fine.

Deniss Tuhtarovs (24), of Mondemont Close, Holbeach. Drink driving (Holbeach). £300 fine, £30 v/s, £85 costs, disqualifed from driving for 16 months.

Saul Parsons (23), of Haconby Lane, Morton. Used threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour. 12 months conditional discharge, £15 v/s.

January 21

Shaun Moody (36), of Abel Close, Deeping St James. Stole food and alcohol of unknown value belonging to Tesco, Market Deeping. Community order with 4 month curfew requirement.

January 22

Kevin Hoy (45), of Walker Road, Glinton. Speeding (Whaplode). £160 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Andrew Still (23), of Charles Road, Sutton Bridge. Failing to stop after an accident (Sutton Bridge). £610 fine, £61 v/s, £85 costs, 8pts. No separate penalty for failing to give driver ID. No separate penalty for driving without due care and attention. No insurance, £200 fine.

Stanislovas Bruzas (46), of Harecroft Road, Wisbech. Speeding (Whaplode). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

James Wyatt (27), of Lansdowne Court, Spalding. Failing to give driver ID (Nettleham). £600 fine, £60 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 6 months.

Kerrie Casey 944), of Hall Gate, Holbeach. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £60 fine, £20 v/s, 3pts.

Nigel Kenworthy (36), of Laburnum Grove, Spalding. Failing to wear a seat belt (Spalding). £40 fine, £20 v/s.

Graham Johns (65), of Orchard Street, Boston. Speeding (Spalding). £280 fine, £28 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Jacqueline Marshall (58), of Chapelgate, Sutton St James. Speeding (Deeping St James). £80 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Kelly Stoffel (38), of Godiva Crescent, Bourne. Driving without due care and attention (Bourne). £95 fine, £20 v/s, 6pts. Two counts of defective tyre. £190 fine. No separate penalty for a third defective tyre charge. No separate penalty for no MOT.

January 23

Kelly Lewis (26), of Fishpond Lane, Holbeach. Assault (Holbeach). 12 months conditional discharge, £1,000 compensation, £15 v/s.

Zbigniew Michalczyk (44), of Portland Street, Boston. Drink driving (Surfleet). Community order with 40 hours unpaid work, £60 v/s, £85 costs, disqualifed from driving for 24 months.

Richard Kirby (55), of Stephens Way, Deeping St James. Drink driving (Deeping St James). £240 fine, £24 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 20 months.

Graham Morley (49), of Tasmins Caravan Park, Peterborough Road, Peterborough. Driving while disqualified (Langtoft). Community order, £200 fine, £60 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 10 months. No separate penalty for no insurance.

January 24

Paul Smith (46), of The Paddocks, Holbeach. Drink driving (Holbeach). £550 fine, £55 v/s, £105 costs, disqualified from driving for 14 months.

Joanna Veys (50), of Low Street, Elston, Newark. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £50 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs.

Reginald Anderson (57), of Woodland Rise, Driffield. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Catherine Boycott (26), of Sleaford Road, Newark. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Jay Cockerill (24), of Churchfields Road, Folkingham. Speeding (Welby). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Mohammed Dossa (64), of Totteridge Common, London. Speeding (Spalding). £380 fine, £38 v/s, £85 costs.

Trevor Jibb (26), of Bayleaf Avenue, Hampton Vale, Peterborough. Speeding (Spalding). £350 fine, £35 v/s, £85 costs, 5pts.

Nathan Wilby (20), of Lawyers Close, Holbeach. Speeding (Spalding). £275 fine, £27 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Jonathan Gathercole (46), of Stennet Avenue, Spalding. No insurance (Spalding). £110 fine, £20 v/s, £45 costs, disqualified from driving for 6 months.

Lincolnshire Magistrates’ Court

January 23

Andrew Garthwaite (48), of Whattoff Way, Baston. Speeding (Uffington). £60 fine, £15 v/s, 3pts.

January 27

Bashiru Nyang (41), of Anne Road, Sutton Bridge. No insurance (Butterwick). £600 fine, £60 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Billy Hedges (46), of Cragg Lane, Newton, Alfreton. Speeding (Swineshead Bridge). £55 fine, £20 v/s, £25 costs, 3pts.

Fuad Rahman (26), of Fishpond Lane, Holbeach. Speeding (Spalding). £120 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Blogger Trish Burgess writes for spaldingtoday.co.uk

The search for the perfect bread roll has taken me many years. My husband likes ham rolls in his packed lunch.

He’s a simple soul, doesn’t want for much but he has always yearned for a soft, white roll which is easy to eat at his desk, freezes well and doesn’t give him indigestion.

After a lot of sampling we eventually found the Holy Grail in bakery items, a bread roll which satisfied my discerning husband.

Our search was over. I ran around the kitchen shouting, ‘The Man from Del Monte, he says yes!’

The source of this delectable dough? Pacey’s Bakery in Spalding. And now I hear it is to cease trading because its owners are retiring.

Howls of protest from my husband’s digestive tract.

If this wasn’t bad enough, our local butcher’s, Jackson’s in Holbeach, is also closing due to retirement.

I’ve tasted a fair few Lincolnshire sausages since I’ve lived here but my chipolata of choice has to be from Jackson’s.

Two of my favourite local independents are closing and I am bereft.

Confession time. I didn’t always use independent food shops. Growing up on a new housing estate in Newcastle in the 70s, the supermarket arrived and seduced us with brightly lit shelves groaning with exotic produce: boil ­in ­the ­bag curries, frozen crispy pancakes and butterscotch Angel Delight.

As a student, then later when I was working, I didn’t have the time to seek out independents. I was also afraid I wouldn’t know what to ask for or that, once they’d cut something for me, it would be too expensive.

Far easier to see an item wrapped and priced.

Once my son was born and I was at home more, I began to supplement the supermarket shop with visits to smaller traders. It wasn’t easy. In the bakeries I was bewildered by an array of loaves. I tried to memorise “cob” and “cottage” then froze at the counter before asking for “that round one and the one with a hat.”

At the butcher’s, I soon realised the staff were more than happy to assist when I was clueless with amounts and cuts of meat.

I had no idea about weights and would order Sunday joints by the inch. I’d point at the lamb and ask for pork steaks.

Are we the generation that lost the art of independent food shopping? I wonder if our children will reverse the trend.

They are certainly more familiar with asking for food at a counter. My son always does the ordering for us at fast­food outlets, even more so after the embarrassing KFC episode which I am never allowed to forget.

Returning from holiday a few years ago, we stopped at the services on the M11 and I said to the assistant:

“What can you recommend for a hungry family of three?”

At this point my son, mortified, slunk away. The young girl was so flummoxed you’d have thought I’d asked her to recommend a robust red to go with my fries.

“Erm....a bargain bucket?” she suggested.

That’ll do nicely.

The children of Bicker Preparatory School and Early Years raised £626.15 for Age UK at their Christmas productions.
The Lower School put on a Nativity and the Upper School three performances of Jack and the Beanstalk. 
The school held a short assembly during which Richard Barclay of Age UK explained the role of the charity. 
School principal Sheila Page then presented the cheque to Mr Barclay.

Picture submitted

Apprenticeships are growing in popularity both with employers and young people.

It’s not surprising really, as the cost of going to university is putting many people off and they can see the clear benefits of gaining work experience alongside a recognised qualification.

It’s something Christine Grocock of Drive By Websites would encourage.

She has seen the benefits brought by the three young people apprenticed to her Pinchbeck based company.

The young people have brought new skills to the mix and expanded the workforce.

However, the apprenticeships have also been a springboard to more success for the young people.

One, Demi Blackbourn (18), became the South Holland Apprentice of the Year in 2013 after starting her apprenticeship with Christine.

She had gained design skills during her first year of A-levels at Stamford college in graphic design, media and related studies.

Demi, of Spalding, says: “This apprenticeship came up and it was either I go to uni or come here and gain the experience. It’s been useful.”

Demi is in her second year now and when she finishes in August should have qualifications equivalent to A-levels – an NVQ at Level 3 in IT.

Most importantly, when she applies for jobs Demi is not only armed with her qualification, but with two years of experience she wouldn’t have had if she had stayed in college or university.

Christine says: “It’s quite refreshing to have young people in the office and to hear young people’s ideas. From day one Demi was making money for the company because of the design work.”

Adam Pearson (24), also of Spalding, who has now finished his apprenticeship, was given entire projects to work on from early on. With Christine’s guidance, he is now running his own business, Home Computer Skills, helping people to get online and to Skype on their home computer. Adam is also good at problem-solving and repairs – he voluntarily looks after computers for 1406 (Spalding) Air Cadet Squadron.

Jack McLean (19), of Pinchbeck, gained his computer-based knowledge growing up in a household full of technology, so it didn’t occur to him that he had useful skills he could work with.

However, when an IT colleague of Christine’s in Nottingham wanted an apprentice, but didn’t have office space, she advertised for someone with skills in social media, marketing and web design. For the last year Jack has had office space and received training at Drive By Websites, working on projects for his Nottingham employer.

Christine says: “If companies are thinking of having an apprentice I would say it is a good idea. It has worked very well for us.”

Advertised apprenticeship vacancies in England rose by almost a quarter last year, according to the National Apprenticeship Service.

More than 37,000 places were posted on the service’s website between August and October 2013, a 24 per cent increase on the same period the previous year.

Drive By Websites director Christine Grocock says companies taking on apprentices receive funding for the first year – apprentices receive a wage and learn as they work.

Her apprentices are all working towards or have achieved a Level 3 NVQ in IT accredited by Steadfast.

Christine believes one of the biggest advantages of young people following an apprenticeship rather than going to college or university is that they are dealing with real clients, gaining the kind of experience that would be impossible in a classroom.

She says: “If there is a technical issue I can’t deal with I feel confident in asking my apprentice Jack McLean to resolve it.”

• National Apprenticeship Week 2014 takes place from March 3-7. It celebrates the positive impact apprenticeships have on individuals, businesses and the wider economy.

Year 11 students at Long Sutton’s Peele Community College are investigating a range of issues as part of their GCSE Citizenship studies.

They include such topics as social isolation, renewable energy, the welfare system and the effects of air-brushing.

As part of the course they are required to select an issue which is a problem both locally and nationally, as well as conducting a suitable action to inform people about the problem.

After college on Wednesday, February 5, Daniel Drewry and Ellie Ketteringham gave a presentation to selected staff and students and invited members of the public, who all discussed the issue of social isolation and filled in questionnaires.

A man serving a nine month prison term for assault appeared in custody before magistrates on Monday for a shop theft in Spalding.

Victor Ford (36), formerly of Pinchbeck Road, Spalding, ordered chicken and two joints of beef from the delicatessen counter at Sainbury’s on November 2 and left without paying.

Prosecutor Paul Wood said Ford was caught outside the store and the meat, worth a total of £44.02, was recovered.

Ford was sent to jail in January when he appeared at Lincoln Crown Court for an assault on a 33-year-old man in Westlode Street, Spalding, on December 20.

Ford pleaded guilty to shop theft and magistrates at Boston sentenced him to one day’s prison to run concurrently with his existing sentence.

Solicitor Phillipa Chatterton, mitigating, said Ford’s benefits had been sanctioned at the time following a missed appointment and his partner had ended their relationship, leaving him homeless and on the streets with very little money.

She said: “He was stealing to survive.”

Miss Chatterton said Ford intended to eat some of the meat – one item was hot chicken – and sell the rest.

Magistrates issued a warrant without bail for the arrest of a Spalding woman who made a hoax 999 call to say a man had been stabbed at her ex-partner’s home.

Teresa Lee (26), of Stennet Avenue, failed to attend court on January 20 to be sentenced and failed a second time to appear on Monday at Boston Magistrates’ Court.

Three ambulances and two police cars responded to the hoax call on November 30.

Lee also smashed glass in a front door on the same date. She pleaded guilty to both offences at Spalding Magistrates’ Court on December 19.