Long Sutton & District Civic Society’s exhibition on World War One will be a totally community effort.

It will rely entirely on the contributions of people who live in the district – of stories, photographs and other memorabilia relating to family members who served in the war.

Society vice-chairman Tony Button is also working with Westmere Primary School at Sutton Bridge on a whole-school project to check if any of the 48 names on the village memorial appear in the original school records.

Residents’ Histories of World War One will include a display by historian and author Alastair Goodrum on the history of Captain Dawes, whose parents lived in Long Sutton, and information from Stuart Talton, a member of the RAF Reserve, who has previously researched the 95 names on the war memorial in Long Sutton.

If anyone is unable to attend the information events on April 5 (Sutton Bridge) and April 19 (Long Sutton) but has information about someone on a local war memorial or stories or other memorabilia they want to share, contact Wendy Jeffries on 01406 362310 or email jeffers58@btinternet.com

MP John Hayes writes for the Lincolnshire Free Press

Each of our lives is touched by illness at some time or another. When sickness strikes how we cope depends, partly, on the advice, care and support we get. Expecting the unexpected is an oxymoron, but it’s the duty of Government to anticipate, prepare for and respond to all kinds of national needs.

Responding to the needs of an estimated 3.8 million diabetes sufferers in the UK is both about treatment following diagnosis and raising awareness. Everyone has heard of diabetes, but too many, sadly, suffer from the misconception that it’s not particularly serious.

Most people know that diabetes causes a person’s blood sugar level to become too high. Type 2 diabetes is familiar – it tends to affect those over 40 and, though not to be taken lightly, can usually be controlled by monitoring blood glucose, adopting a healthy diet, regular exercise and medication. Nevertheless it is a particular risk to the elderly because symptoms can be harder to spot with age.

Whereas type 2 diabetes means the body doesn’t make enough insulin, with type 1 the body cannot produce insulin at all.

Type 1 diabetes is a lifelong condition; no one knows what causes it, there is no prevention and, at present, no cure. It typically presents in teenagers and young adults, but – worryingly – is increasingly prevalent in children – particularly under-fives amongst whom the incidence is rising by five per cent each year.

These young children rely on multiple insulin injections or pump infusions every day just to stay well.

It affects every aspect of their lives, at home and at school, with huge implications for their families too.

Diabetes charities such as JDRF, which recently came to Parliament, and the International Diabetes Foundation who I am meeting soon, say that early recognition of the symptoms is vital.

Taking up their cause with the health secretary, I am asking what more can be done to help early diagnosis. But for young children what happens at schools is very important, as teachers need the right information to help those affected, and parents want to be confident that necessary support is in place.

As well as highlighting these concerns with the secretary of state for education, I’ve told the chief executive of United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust that as many health services as possible should be delivered locally.

As the nation’s health needs change over time, because conditions are mitigated by new treatments or cures developed, Government must respond by regularly reappraising priorities, ensuring research and investment is directed to the right areas.

Illness is never easy, but dealing with it shouldn’t be made a constant struggle.

It is hoped the success of a new Shopwatch scheme in Spalding will encourage more businesses in Holbeach to join up.

Stuart Brotherton has been putting his former policing career to good use since September last year as co-ordinator of the scheme, supported by Spalding and District Chamber of Commerce.

Since then membership has grown to 31 and use of radios to alert other businesses of shoplifting, suspicious people or other incidents of concern has helped reduce the number of 999 calls to police.

Mr Brotherton said: “Thirty-six people are now banned from shops in Spalding and businesses are working together to reduce crime which is fantastic.”

Shopwatchers hashelped police detain a man who was on an arrest warrant, catch shoplifters from Boots and Hills and helped a husband in Sainsbury’s locate his wife who had dementia.

As well getting PCSOs on the scene quickly, Mr Brotherton said: “Avoiding having to make a 999 call is reducing the need for officers to be deployed who may be needed elsewhere. The scheme is about so much more than just catching shoplifters.”

Mr Brotherton plans to visit businesses in Holbeach on Tuesday, March 25, to encourage more independents to join the scheme.

He said: “In a way the event is D-Day for Holbeach – without the numbers we cannot progress.”

Afternoon tea has been served in hospitals to tempt patients who need extra support to eat.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust is taking part in a national initiative to mark Nutrition and Hydration Week.

It aims to promote good nutritional care in hospitals and healthcare settings and raise awareness of why good nutrition is important in aiding health and recovery.

Boston’s Pilgrim Hospital, Lincoln County Hospital and Grantham and District Hospital will each have stands offering information.

There will also be information about the Trust’s protected mealtimes – dedicated periods of time in which all non-essential activities and tasks on wards are stopped.

This is to ensure that staff are available to carry out mealtime service and give patients who require extra support the individual assistance and encouragement they need to eat.

Yesterday at 3pm, across all sites, afternoon tea was served to patients.

Trust lead dietitian Katherine Green said: “Good nutrition plays an important role in the effective care of patients. Our catering teams work very hard to ensure that all of our patients receive a healthy and nutritious meal which will aid in the healing process.”

A dog found dumped with an infected mouth and a popped ulcerated eye was ‘the worst case of severe neglect’ a vets had ever seen.

The male shih tsu cross was found on the side of a road in the Washway Road area of Holbeach by a member of the public on the morning of Sunday, March 9.

He was collapsed on his side and extremely emaciated with shallow breathing.

Jerry Green Dog Rescue in Algarkirk, near Boston, where the animal was taken, said it looked like the he had probably been unable to move for at least a month.

Centre manager Joanne Hickson said: “In the 16 years I have been at this centre this is one of the worst cases of severe neglect I have ever seen.”

She said the member of the public who rescued the dog, who the staff named Willy, was ‘very distressed’ when they arrived at the centre.

“When we turned him over we saw his eyeball had popped out and the socket was ulcerated and infected,” Joanne said.

“His fur was also completely matted on one side and it was clear he had been collapsed like this for some time – the vet thinks at least a month.”

The dog was taken to a vet immediately and he decided the kindest option was to put him to sleep and stop any further suffering.

The injuries were so severe he would not recover to a comfortable position and with much scaring.

Joanne said the site of the animal’s state will stay with her for quite some time.

She said: “It was just horrible to see this poor animal in this state.”

Things became even more upsetting when staff realised the animal had been dumped in a brand new blanket.

The RSPCA were also shocked to hear of the dumped pet’s condition.

RSPCA inspector Andy Bostock said: “This sounds like an extremely severe case of neglect. It is hard to imagine how much this poor animal would have suffered.”

The charity and Jerry Green Dog Rescue are appealing for information to trace where the animal came from.

Joanne said: “Whilst cases like this are few and far between, we would always urge members of the public to contact us immediately if they cannot meet their dogs’ needs, rather than allowing them to get into such a poor state.”

If anyone has any information you can call the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999 or Jerry Green Dog Rescue on 01205 260546.

School children in Spalding have recieved a lesson in caring for their eyes from a unique teacher.

Sidney the Teddy Bear has helped Molsom Optometrists, Spalding, check over 600 children’s eyes as part of their Healthy Eyes Campaign in the last 18 months.

An Optometris and sidney give interactive lessons to reception children on the importance of caring for eyes.

During the visit Sidney has his eyes tested the same as visiting your optision.

He tries on some funny looking glasses, observes an eye chart and marvels at optical illusions before playing games.

Andy Molsom said: “The children love it, and were really engaged asking some intriguing questions”.

He said having regular eye checks is important because there is no formal school screening set up in Lincolnshire.

Regular eye exams are crucial to children becuae they need their eyesight in top condition to be comfortable learning at school.

“It sounds odd, but often a child won’t know if they can’t see well,” said Andy.

“Most of what we learn is visual, if we cannot process that visual information correctly then we will naturally struggle to learn.”

He wants to reminded parents children’s check ups are free.

“Maths doesn’t have to be boring” – that’s the opinion of one South Holland primary school pupil who has been involved in a new project.

As part of an ongoing primary liaison programme to build links with the local community, the Sir John Gleed School in Spalding invited local primary schools to be part of the Primary Outreach Mathematics Project.

In the outreach, maths specialists assist in teaching Year 5 pupils.

A Sir John Gleed School spokesman said: “The aim of the project is to help engage pupils in mathematics, building on the excellent work that is already delivered in primary schools.”

The project has been running since September, and five local primary schools have become involved.

Children involved in the outreach have reported gaining new skills, being challenged and having fun.

The mathematics project will continue to run this year and next, with opportunities for more primary schools to become involved.

A move that could help reduce fuel thefts from farms has been announced.

The UK Government is to bring in a new product to mark red diesel in an attempt to help reduce illegal fuel laundering.

The dye will also be used for marking kerosene primarily used for heating purposes.

The agricultural industry, along with a number of other sectors, such as construction and fishing, benefit from a special concessionary rate of duty on fuel it uses for certain purposes.

The concessionary rates of duty are subject to using the fuel within the limits set down by law – and penalties for illegal use can be draconian, including fines and reclamation of unpaid duty.

Red diesel (rebated fuel) is fuel categorised as controlled oil – it has been dyed red and chemically marked to show it is subject to concessionary duty rates.

Launderers filter the fuel through chemicals or acids to remove the Government marker. The chemicals and acids remain in the fuel and can damage fuel pumps in diesel cars.

The new marker will make rebated fuel much harder for fraudsters to ‘launder’, that is, remove the marker from it, and sell on at a profit.

The Government believes the chosen marker – being produced by the Dow Chemical Company – has proved to be significantly more resistant to known laundering techniques.

It will be implemented in consultation with the oil industry and other sectors and will be used alongside the current marker mix.

The NFU has said it welcomes the move to a more resistant dye to help protect the legitimate use of rebated fuel by the agricultural industry.

The NFU says the move to a more resistant dye could also help to reduce fuel thefts from farms.

Lincolnshire Herbs is expanding its business to growing outdoors for the first time.

The Bourne-based operation grows potted herbs as well as growing and packing fresh cut and bunched herbs – with 14million pots produced on the site each year.

Commercial manager Mel Cushen says the business will be able to harvest herbs from the outdoor grown plants for supply this year.

Mel said: “A potted herb takes on average four to five weeks to grow in summer and give you added value becaue you can cut from them again and again.

“Bunched and cut herbs are a rising star in the herb category and although pot herbs still have their place, are a convenient way to enjoy herbs.”

Lincolnshire Herbs has been packing fresh cut and bunched herbs using local UK growers as well as overseas partners, and will supplement this from this year with its own outdoor grown herbs.

The company produces the main varieties, such as basil, coriander, parsley, mint, rosemary, tarragon and oregano. Herbs are sold to major multiples, wholesale markets, farm shops, plus artisan producers.

I sense spring has sprung, with nearly two weeks of dry and warm weather for the time of year, writes Steve Barber, NFU Holland branch secretary.

The signs are obvious for all to see, with the general public no doubt subconsciously aware of the disappearance of sugar beet lorries on certain routes as the 2013/2014 campaign ends. They are perhaps unaware that sugar beet drilling for the next crop has already commenced.

Having been born and raised on a mixed farm, I enjoy that sense of renewal which is so obvious with young lambs appearing. I do question whether customers of farmers and growers appreciate the long-term nature of the business and I am particularly thinking of the major retailers. This is not intended to be a supermarket bashing – the agricultural and horticultural industry have long understood the need to work with the multiples. However, I suspect the impact of weather patterns carries little weight with a supermarket buyer who expects daffodils to be in plentiful supply for Mothering Sunday, irrespective of the earliness of the season and the lateness of Mothering Sunday.

The current round of milk price wars by the supermarkets does leave me to question the reasoning at board level, assuming a few pence reduction in the price of milk is discussed at such level. Does the shopper really decide which supermarket to visit or how much milk to buy because it is on offer and do they know it is the dairy farmer who is invariably subsidising this saving?

NFU Holland branch secretary Steve Barber has made a plea for extra vigilance on farms in relation to machinery and diesel thefts.

Steve has made the request to all farmers and growers because of the number of insurance claims, which he says “continues unabated in particular for machinery and diesel thefts”.

Steve said: “Do consider additional security, especially for tractors – there are significant savings to be had on your insurance premiums for security devices. It is also pleasing to note that the Government is tackling diesel thefts by introducing a new dye which will be harder for thieves to filter out to change red diesel to white diesel and which may ultimately help to reduce fuel thefts from farms.”

Young farmers are concerned about low incomes and an inability to save for the future, according to a new survey.

Research by The National Federation of Young Farmers’ Clubs (NFYFC) and The Farming Community Network (FCN) reveals major concerns were limited opportunities to start farming (32 per cent) and lack of rural housing (55 per cent).

The survey marks the launch of a new NFYFC campaign, Rural+, highlighting the unique challenges faced by young people in rural areas.

Meet one of the new faces acting as a farming ambassador for the industry – Mel Cushen.

Mel, who is commercial manager for Lincolnshire Herbs, recently undertook the NFU’s regional Farming Ambassadors training course.

Mel says the training gave her skills that will be useful in both her day-to-day job and representing the industry – in particular speaking about women in business, and women in farming especially.

The course, which is supported by the Rural Development Programme for England through an ADAS run training programme, focused on media, presentation, negotiation and chairmanship skills.

Mel said: “This challenging course gives skills to farmers and growers around the East Midlands area to help them in the future to be ambassadors for the farming industry. It really took us out of our comfort zones and was a fantastic experience.”

Mel has been at Lincolnshire Herbs for 18 months and looks after the company’s customers, including major multiples, local retailers and producers.

The UK organic market grew in 2013 for the first time in five years, according to the Soil Association’s annual organic market report.

Sales of groceries, textiles and beauty products increased by 2.8 per cent in 2013, to £1.79billion.

A £250,000 cash injection to crack down on vehicle crime has been announced by the man who oversees policing in Lincolnshire.

Police and Crime Commmissioner Alan Hardwick is investing the cah to upgrade the county’s Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) system to help in tracking down stolen vehicles, missing people and gangs behind seerious and organised crime.

Any vehicle now passing an ANPR device will have its registration number read and instantly checked against a police database which can result in criminals being captured.

Mr Hardwick said: “I have always been committed to making policing in Lincolnshire as efficient and effective as possible.

“ANPR has, over recent years, proved itself to be an invaluable tool in keeping the people of Lincolnshire safe.”

A move for South Holland’s CCTV monitoring offices will mean improved community safety.

Volunteers have been operating 28 cameras across Spalding, Crowland, Holbeach, Long Sutton and Sutton Bridge from Spalding Police station since 2007 but South Holland District Council said the work has been “successful but is in need of improvement”.

Now an agreement with Boston Borough Council will see their control room regulating these cameras.

Jim Tyner, Spalding community inspector, said: “This means we can tackle many of the issues that matter most to people such as street drinking, shoplifting and night-time 
alcohol-related violence.”

Coun Nick Worth, South Holland District Council’s portfolio holder for community, said: “Boston’s state-of-the-art control room has new IT systems and cameras which produce better quality images as well as being able to tilt and zoom. It also means 24-hour monitoring by fully trained staff.

“We are happy to be working with Boston Borough Council to provide a fully monitored CCTV service for South Holland.”

Funding for the move is expected to cost a maximum of £104,000, which has been secured from a £56,000 Police and Crime Commissioner grant and £18,000 from Lincolnshire County Council. Monitoring the cameras could cost £32,000 a year.

The district councils are in the same police division and already work together.

Coun Stephen Woodliffe, Boston Borough Council’s portfolio holder for community safety, said: “This partnership will share expertise, improve service and provide excellent value for citizens of South Holland and Boston.”

Stranger danger and healthy eating were the messages from Sir John Gleed School’s year nine performing art students.

They put on two short performances for pupils at The Priory School, Spalding, on each of the subjects.

Daran Bland, The Priory School head teacher, said: “I thought the content and quality of the performance was excellent.

“They had positive feedback from the staff and from pupils.”

Following the plays the performers also put on workshops for the pupils about each topic.

This month’s Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust board meeting is on Tuesday, March 25, at Bridge House, Sleaford, in the Royal Oak boardroom at 1pm.

Giving patients alternative options to hospital admission and the Trust’s annual plan will be discussed.

The public can attend and listen to the discussion.

A strong performance of three poems has earned a Spalding High School student county winner of the Poetry by Heart competition.

Year 12 student Emma Howell won the county heats, sending her to the national competition in London where she reached the semi-finals and competed against eight other finalists from the region.

Tanwen Fisk, head of the school’s drama department, said: “She was very collected. She was nervous but you wouldn’t know it.”

In the county heats she performed three poems from different eras, pre-1914, post-1914 and a World War One poem to mark the 100-year anniversary and was judged on accuracy, expression, understanding and overall delivery of the poem.

The finals were held at the National Portrait Gallery on Saturday and Emma was treated to a tour of Westminster Abbey to visit the graves of famous poets as well as an open top bus trip looking at places of literary history.

Tanwen said it was a ‘magnificent experience.’

She said: “It was a real treat. They treated them all like winners.”

Enjoy a breath of fresh air in your home as well as outside this Spring.

As the days get lighter and warmer now is the perfect time to open your doors and let the new season in.

It is easier than ever to match your favourite rooms with the cheerful colours the summer will bring thanks to Hawkins Home Hardware in Holbeach.

Whether you’re into minimalist white, funky bold accent colours, or safe and conservative neutral tones, the right tools for the job, make decorating a chore of the past.

The first step is to make sure your walls and woodwork are rid of the any tired dents, cracks and dirt using quick drying fillers and lightly rubbing down with fine grade sandpaper.

Treat yourself to a new paintbrush and roller to celebrate the spring lease of life you are giving back to your home. Good quality brushes are a wise investment as cheaper brushes can shed ruining your finish.

Here is one cheeky tip when wanting to leave them overnight without the bother of washing them: just wrap the brush or roller securely in cling film and it will be ready to use the next day.

Hawkins Home Hardware have more great tips to help you choose the right items and care for them, just get a spring in your step and pop in store.