The number of affordable homes in a plan for 51 dwellings on the site of Lefley’s Garage in Holbeach is to be reduced.
An economic viability appraisal deemed the original plan by Haycroft Homes Ltd for 18 affordable homes not viable, but the applicant has offered the provision of nine as a way forward.
Sports can be even more exciting as primary school pupils found out.
Pupils at Holbeach’s William Stukeley, Cowbit St Mary’s and Whaplode enjoyed an inter-school sports day, organised by Sport2Day.
The younger pupils took part in throw and catching activities while the older pupils competed in dodgeball.
Cathy Jameson, PE teacher at William Stukeley, where the event was held, said: “We had an opening ceremony in the morning, the tournament and then a medal ceremony.”
She praised Sport2Day for working alongside teachers.
“It was a very useful event and everyone enjoyed it.”
Sean Parnell, head coach Sport2Day, said they offer free sports taster days for local schools.
A siren sounded and a Spitfire flew over for Holbeach Hospital’s forties themed 25th anniversary event.
Loraine Wigston, manager, said: “It was a small way of putting back what the community puts in and celebrate the hospital’s 25th anniversary. The fundraising team has just amazed everybody.”
There were military vehicles on display, craft stalls and homemade cakes in the old-fashioned tea room.
Loraine said the day bought a tear to many people’s faces:
She said: “It was a mark of respect to people from that era. It was a chance for our staff to give back to those people who have made a difference over the years. They have made the hospital what it is today. We have had people phoning to say how wonderful it was.”
Loraine couldn’t thank the fundraising team, volunteers and Holbeach brass band enough.
The stories making the news in this district a hundred years ago.
In the weeks and months leading up to the announcement in the Lincolnshire, Boston and Spalding Free Press of August 4, 1914 – ‘Europe is plunged in a cataclysm, the end and outcome of which no man can forsee’ – there was no hint that things were badly amiss in the world.
There were obvious hardships in this district. A newspaper in January carried a story about the inmates of Spalding Workhouse: the lucky souls had been treated to a “substantial meat tea” by the Ladies’ Visiting Committee.
In May, the medical officer, Dr J Ramsay Munro, reported on the “heavy infant mortality rate” in the area. He said the health of the district during 1913 had been “above average”, with eight cases of scarlet fever, 11 cases of TB and a falling death rate. However, he said of the 19 infant deaths, 15 might have been prevented “in more favourable circumstances”.
TB too, he thought, could be prevented with “a proper solution of the housing difficulty” and by getting rid of medieval sewerage disposal methods.
The 1914 newspapers also reveal a happier side to life for some, with many people involved in amateur dramatics, attending Gosberton Mare & Foal Show in July, or taking part in the school sports days already mentioned.
And then in August came the dreadful news that German troops had invaded France and fighting was being reported on the Russo-German frontier.
As the reporter said at the time, no one could forsee the outcome, or that the conflict was to go on for four long years.
In future articles we will uncover the impact of those war years on local people. For instance, this postcard bearing the photograph of three women was found on the body of George Lord, who was killed in France in 1918. The card – bearing what looks suspiciously like blood splatters – was then sent home to his mother, who lived in Donington Fen, and eventually came down to George’s nephew, Graham Crosby of Quadring.
Graham says: “I didn’t know George, but I knew the two other brothers, Bob and Charlie. Bob went in the war and was taken prisoner and he survived and came home, and Charlie was never in the Forces.”
Garden statues and flower pots have been stolen from a garden in Fishergate, Sutton St James, before the weekend.
A statue of a boy with a flute and two flower pots were among the items stolen some time between 7pm last Thursday and 7pm on Saturday.
It comes just days after garden statues were stolen in Holbeach when police warned people to take security measures such as marking items with owners’ postcodes, taking photographs of them and securing them to the ground.
Anyone with information should call 101.
Working with local schools to promote children’s eye care, Molsom Optometrists organised a Design an Easter Bunny competition for children up to Year 3.
The winners of each category received a large chocolate Easter egg and a pair of Polaroid sunglasses kindly donated by Thorntons Chocolates at Hills Department Store, Spalding.
Runners up in each category also received a chocolate Easter egg.
Andy Molsom of Molsom and Associates Optometrists, Spalding, said: “The competition has been a fantastic success with over 150 entries.
“Designing an Easter Bunny requires good visual skills and coordination which helps vision development in the early years.”
Through this initiative and the School Visit programme the practice runs in the Spalding area, Molsom and Associates Optometrists are reaching out to local parents and urging them to arrange regular eye tests for their youngsters which are free on the NHS.
Andy said: “With no formal school vision screening programme locally and increasing visual demands required with computerised technology, it has never been more important to make sure our children can see well and early detection of problems will improve their learning ability.”
Don’t be surprised if you see a group of people walking around Crowland with their sketchbooks on Wednesday, May 7.
They will be taking part in the first informal drawing class organised by artist Jackie Devereux, who lives with photographer husband Barry in Crowland.
Their inspiration will be the magnificent abbey, among other quirky features in the historic little town.
However, their creativity will also be spurred by their tutor Jackie, who has recently been appointed president of the Society of Graphic Fine Art.
It’s the only drawing society in the UK and exists to promote drawing skills, something that has been off the agenda for many years. Jackie believes that is starting to change and says the society has been part of the “big push” to keep drawing at the forefront in art.
One of the advantages of drawing, says Jackie, is that people don’t need to set up easels and lots of other equipment.
“We are happy to stand for half an hour,” she says. “All people need is a pen or pencil and sketchbook, and that’s quite attractive to people.”
Calligraphy was Jackie’s first love and the mainstay of her income for a number of years – she is a founder member of the Peterborough Scribes. She has also always drawn and painted and, later on, studied print making.
As she developed as an artist those skills were brought together to produce something that Jackie describes as “quite contemporary, watercolour that contains calligraphy, but my work is quite graphic and minimalist”.
However, drawing is her passion for all kinds of reasons. Jackie says: “The act of sketching is not just about the finished result. It’s about observing and taking time out and everything gets registered in your head a lot more. The sketch is just such a lovely thing to do.
“My sketchbook is my constant companion, along with my husband, of course. I can actually do a sketch quicker that Barry can take a photograph because he takes so much time on composition.”
Jackie’s sketchbook is also her memoir of the travels she and Barry have taken all over the world.
In France they ran painting and photographic holidays for 21 years – in fact, Jackie is still doing that, with two planned for this year.
For seven of those years they also ran painting classes on cruise ships – going round the world three times before finding a safe port in Crowland.
Artist Jackie Devereux finds similarities between the French village where they lived and their new home in Crowland.
She also finds the abbey an inspiration to her work – and hopes that the people who join her drawing class will feel the same.
The first sketching session is being held on Wednesday, May 7, meeting in Crowland at 10am.
The group will walk around the village making sketches and have a light lunch, finishing at 3pm – although Jackie says people can dip in and out of the day.
Jackie will sketch alongside class members, offering tutorials through the day.
Future drawing classes will be held in different places – Jackie says she is always on the look-out for suitable venues.
Contact Jackie on 07568 531633 or email jb.devereux@btinternet.com for details of the informal drawing classes.
To see Jackie’s work or find out about other courses and exhibitions, visit watercolour-online.co.uk
Living on just £1 for food and drink a day is starting to get tough for Spalding’s Oxfam shop manager.
It’s the last leg of the challenge for Gary Peatling.
Today he checks his fund raising total to see if he has met his £100 target.
Gary also talks about the response he has had from customers and colleagues.
Don’t miss his last video tomorrow.
BREAKING NEWS THURSDAY 5.15pm: A man has suffered serious injuries after a car he was working on fell on him in Bryony Way, Deeping St James.
Emergency services are still on the scene dealing with the incident, having been called at 3.20pm.
A spokeswoman for Lincolnshire Police said: “Police were called around 3.20pm today to an address in Bryony Way, Deeping St James, following reports of an accident.
“It appears that a man was working under a car when it collapsed on top of him, causing him serious injuries.
“Police and ambulance are on the scene.”
Hundreds of people looking for careers advice found plenty of it at a jobs fair in Spalding.
South Holland Centre hosted the event where more than 30 employers and educational bodies met with people looking for information on jobs, training and apprenticeships.
The jobs fair last Tuesday was organised by South Holland District Council, the third event of its kind held in the area in recent years.
Gerry Posnett of Spalding-based Unique Employment Services, one of the exhibitors, said: “It was an absolutely fantastic event and exciting to see all the exhibitors who came.
“From our point of view, we had quite a lot of interest and everyone agreed it was an event well worth supporting.”
Maxine Candler of national home care provider Allied Healthcare said: “It was very busy, very well-attended and seemed to be quite succesful.
“People were coming up to our stand wanting to know what we do and we had a lot of interest in our apprenticeships and training opportunities.”
As well as employment and training opportunities, visitors to the jobs fair were also able to find out about benefits available to them while loking for work.
Coun Howard Johnson, district council cabinet member for economic development, said: “The jobs fair has established itself as a popular and useful event for jobseekers and I am delighted that hundreds of people took advantage of the wealth of information and advice on offer.”
Think Green
Welcome to the first week of Think Green, providing you with the know-how to live a more eco-friendly life.
Each fortnight, we will be covering the latest issues in the green agenda and providing you with tips and advice on how to be that bit greener.
But let’s start with a scheme close to home. Hopefully you will have already heard about the Green Bag Lottery. This is a new recycling rewards scheme that the district council is running, giving you the chance to win £1,100 just for recycling correctly.
So why are we incentivising something that residents should already be doing? Our current recycling rate is around 30 per cent, which is really good, but we know that it could be better. EU targets require districts to reach a 50 per cent recycling rate by 2015, so it is clear that we still have some work to do.
The scheme aims to reward regular recyclers, and to encourage more people to start recycling. The scheme is entirely funded by the Weekly Collection Support Scheme funding that was won back in January 2013. The funding supports the Government’s vision of rewarding people for recycling, rather than penalising them.
To be in with a chance of winning all you need to do is recycle the right items. Our crews will make the usual, quick visual inspection just to check the recycling bags contain the right items.
Items that you can recycle are:
* Paper and cardboard including magazines, newspapers and waxed cartons.
* Food and drinks cans and tins, aerosols and clean foil.
* Household plastic packaging including plastic bottles, plastic bags and plastic film.
* Mixed glass bottles and jars.
Remember, if you put the wrong items in it will be classed as contamination. Some of the most common contaminants are:
* Crisp packets
* Pet food pouches
* Small electrical items
* Electrical cabling
If you are a lucky winner you will be notified by post at the end of the month. Good luck and happy recycling! For more information please visit www.greenbag lottery.co.uk or call 01775 761161 and ask for Samantha or Laura.
Two stores in Donington and Spalding have been raided today and a quantity of cigarettes were stolen.
Raiders struck at Costcutter in High Street, Donington, where the front door of the shop was forced open before cigarettes were stolen from a tobacco kiosk.
Police believe the raiders got away in a dark coloured car, possibly an Audi, after the break-in which happened at about 1am this morning.
In a separate case, the Tesco Express store in Matmore Gate, Spalding, was targeted as raiders also tried to steal cigarettes before being stopped by a security device.
It happened just after midnight this morning and anyone with information about either incident should call 101, stating incident 18 of May 2.
Alternatively, you can Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111.
Love will be all around the markets for the next two weeks as part of a national campaign backing stallholders across South Holland and Bourne.
A best dressed stall competition, an information point for new traders and a £10 special offer on market stalls in Bourne are just two of the ways Love Your Local Market 2014 is being promoted.
Across the UK, at least 700 markets are expected to take part in the event run by the National Association of British Market Authorities since 2012 as a response to growing concerns over the future of high street shopping.
Coun Roger Gambba-Jones, South Holland District Council’s cabinet member for operational planning, said: “I am extremely pleased to see market traders taking an active interest in supporting the campaign and the promotion of our markets.”
As well as its own best dressed stall competition, South Kesteven District Council which covers Bourne, is also offering stalls in the town for £10 on May 15 and 22.
Council leader Linda Neal said: “Businesses who could take advantage of the offer could be new ones or long-established ones looking for new customers.”
A number of sheds at allotments in Station Street, Rippingale, have been broken into this week.
It happened overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday, although it is unclear at this stage whether anything was stolen.
Anyone with information should call 101, stating incident 136 of April 30.
Moore Thompson Advertising feature
What exactly is inheritance tax? I thought it was just for rich people.
Inheritance tax, or IHT, is a tax on your estate – the assets you leave when you die, including property, such as your home, and savings.
The first £325,000 of your estate, known as the nil rate band, is free from inheritance tax. Above that, IHT is levied at a hefty 40 per cent.
With UK property prices rising, the value of quite a modest home could tip someone’s estate into the IHT bracket. For example, in London the average home is now worth £409,000, according to Land Registry data released in February 2014, a figure well above the nil rate band, which is not expected to rise until 2018.
I’ve worked hard for my home and the money I’ve put aside and want them to go to my family, not the taxman. What can I do?
Married couples and civil partners can transfer their individual allowance so that when the first partner dies, their share of their home and other assets passes to the survivor.
On the second death, IHT will then only be paid on assets of more than £650,000.
Are there any other exemptions or reliefs?
Yes, you can take money out of your estate each year in the form of gifts, without any IHT consequences.
You can give up to £3,000 away annually. It can be given either as a single gift or as several gifts adding up to that amount.
And it you haven’t used all the allowance from the previous year, you can carry it forward.
You can also make small gifts of up to £250 to as many people as you like, tax-free, and gifts to people getting married or registering a civil partnership are also exempt, up to certain limits.
What about the seven-year rule?
Under this rule, you can give away assets to someone and it will be exempt from inheritance tax if you live for seven years after handing it over. This is known as a potentially exempt transfer.
Anything else I need to think about?
Inheritance tax planning is important but you also need to think about your needs in later life.
In other words, if you take money out of your estate, you also need to leave enough in so that you can continue to live comfortably.
This includes in the event of you or your partner eventually requiring long-term care in the future.
As you can see, inheritance tax is a complex issue, which is why it’s always sensible to talk to a qualified, professional adviser.
Thousands of tulip heads have been pinned onto static floats and final preparations are being made for Bank Holiday weekend’s Tulipmania Festival in Spalding.
The Free Press sent reporter Adele Norris to Springfields ahead of tomorrow’s procession, which is being held to ensure float building skills from the Spalding Flower Parade and the area’s tulip growing heritage is not forgotten.
Adele caught up with David Norton, chief executive of Springfields Horticultural Society, and was very impressed with one of the static displays that will be on show – a dalek that took three people a day to build and has over 5,000 tulips pinned on it.
Full details about the festival are in this week’s Spalding Guardian, along with coverage of South Holland’s church flower festivals and a preview of Sunday’s Tuliptime festival and parade in Moulton Chapel.
Here is the programme of events at Tulipmania:
SATURDAY: THE ARENA
10.30am Watoto Ugandan Children’s Choir
11am, 1.30pm and 3pm Bourne Karts (demonstration)
11.20am Eden Parish (singer)
11.30am Major Dennis Hannant (singer)
Noon Tulipmania Prince and Princess Competition to be judged by John Hayes, MP for South Holland and The Deepings, Major Dennis Hannant and Jeremy Ransome, editor of the Lincolnshire Free Press and Spalding Guardian.
1pm CJ Hatt (singer/songwriter)
1.50pm Diamondz Dance
2pm Tulipmania Procession
2.15pm Taekwondo (demonstration)
2.35pm Spalding Marching Ambassadors
PATIO CAFE ARENA
12.45pm Spalding Marching Ambassadors
1.10pm Diamondz Dance
1.35pm Taekwondo (demonstration)
2pm Eden Parish (soloist)
2.20pm Major Dennis Hannant (singer)
FESTIVAL GARDENS
11.45am Spalding Marching Ambassadors
12.10pm Diamondz Dance
12.35pm Taekwondo (demonstration)
1.15pm Eden Parish (singer)
1.35pm Major Dennis Hannant (singer)
SUNDAY: THE ARENA
11am and 2.30pm Peterborough Highland Pipe Band
11.25am Meg McPartlin (singer/songwriter)
12.15pm Major Dennis Hannant (singer)
12.45pm Eden Parish (singer)
1pm Ethan Thomas (singer)
1.30pm Hand Drawn by Crayons (demonstration)
2pm Neon Youth Theatre
PATIO CAFE AREA
11.30am Ethan Thomas (singer)
Noon Neon Youth Theatre
12.15pm Hand Drawn by Crayons
12.45pm Peterborough Highland Pipe Band
1.20pm Meg McPartlin (singer/songwriter)
2pm Major Dennis Hannant (singer)
2.30pm Eden Parish (singer)
FESTIVAL GARDENS
11am Hand Drawn by Crayons (demonstration)
11.30am Major Dennis Hannant (singer)
Noon Peterborough Highland Pipe Band
12.20pm Eden Parish (singer)
12.45pm Meg McPartlin (singer/songwriter)
1.15pm Neon Youth Theatre
2pm Ethan Thomas (singer)
BREAKING NEWS FRIDAY 6PM: Drivers face delays at the start of May Day Bank Holiday weekend after a four-vehicle crash on the A17 today in which a woman has died.
Traffic is slow on the A1101 Wisbech Road, Long Sutton, at its junction with the A17 because of ongoing accident investigation work and road maintenance repairs.
The crash involving two cars and two HGVs happened in King’s Lynn at about 1.15pm and emergency services are still at the scene.
A graphic designer whose imaginative and colourful floats were the centrepiece of the last three Spalding Flower Parades has died.
Debbie Lishman, who was only 51, passed away at her home in Louth on Sunday after a three-year battle with breast cancer.
The news came four days after Robin Chappell, who worked on the flower parade for more than 30 years, died tragically in an industrial accident at his home in Spalding.
After studying graphic design and illustration as a 16-year-old, Debbie worked for a number of firms before she was taken on at a leading design studio in London 25 years ago.
Debbie went on to set up her own graphic design business which led to her working with Kenyon Communications on the flower parade between 2011 and 2013.
She leaves a husband, Tim Lishman, a daughter and son.
Tim, orginally from Spalding, said: “The underlying thing about Debbie was her immense creativity, selfless spirit, kindness to others, community-mindedness, bravery and sadness at not being able to see her children grow into full adulthood.
“Debbie was a great giver of herself to others, a lover of the outdoors and the arts.
“She was a much-loved wife, a fanstastic mother and her passing is a sad loss to her family, as well as to many other people. Debbie was a beautiful lady, with a beautiful spirit, who was taken too early.”
Caroline Kenyon, director of Kenyon Communications, said: “Debbie was, quite simply, the best designer we have ever worked with. She was committed, consummately professional and not only our colleague but our dear friend too.”
The fond memories of watching the Tulip Parade from his grandmother’s window as a child has encouraged one Spalding man to keep the spirit of the festival alive.
Jason Watson will host his own Tulip Parade party this weekend with all the traditional aspects of the Tulip Parade from a homemade float to family fun games.
Jason said: “I’ve lived in Spalding all my life and I’ve watched the Tulip Parade all my life.
“It would have been the Tulip Parade this weekend but it’s finished and so it will just feel like a normal Saturday now. So I thought I would do a Tulip Parade party to keep the memories going.
“My nan lived on Kings Road and for as long as I can remember I used to look out of the window and wave and watch the parade pass by.”
With a new addition to his home arriving on Saturday, a hot tub, Jason’s family and friends are looking forward to testing the waters in more than one way. While they take a dip in the bubbles they’ll be hoping more families in Spalding will be inspired to have similar Tulip parties.
Jason said: “Eventually I hope every family has their own. The Tulip Parade will just be forgotten about otherwise.”
Jason has made a float for the children to sit behind and have a photo taken as if they’re in the parade.
“It took me four hours to do on Sunday morning. I was going to do quite a few of them but after that one I thought no, that will do.”
Also featuring is a barbecue and entertainment for the young and old including ‘pin the tulip on the float’, a coconut shy and videos of past parades on the TV so everyone can pretend they’re watching the parade pass by as Jason once did.
He said: “There’s loads to look forward to and hopefully decent weather.”