As the horrors of human slavery and trafficking in Thailand are exposed worldwide, the Spalding man who has worked tirelessly in the country on behalf of migrant workers this week faces court for defamation.

Tomorrow, migrant rights activist Andy Hall faces four charges lodged against him by the Natural Fruit Co Ltd and could face 28 years in jail and have to pay $10 million in damages if they are proved.

His father, Desmond, is urging everyone in the UK to support Mr Hall’s fight against Thai companies that supply UK supermarkets with “cheap food at a high price”, after his son was left “high and dry” by the British Home Office at a previous hearing, when he was detained in a prison and had his passport confiscated.

Desmond said: “We are worried, naturally, but things seem to be moving in the UK now and Andy is confident justice will be done. But he wants everyone to think about how the cheap food they buy in supermarkets, such as tuna and prawns, is sourced.

“People need to know that fishermen were probably kept on boats without pay, beaten and thrown overboard and others work in factories where the heat is unbearable.

“If people stop buying the food, that will put pressure on companies to pay a minimum wage and improve conditions.”

Zaw Zaw, a 26-year-old man from Burma, was deceived into slavery on a fishing boat, where he spent three months before he escaped.

He said: “Three men tried to escape. Two drowned as they couldn’t swim. The other was caught when he got to shore. They brought him back to the boat – his face swollen. They called us all on deck and the Thai captain said this is what happens if you try to escape. The man was tortured with electric shocks and then shot in front of us all and thrown overboard.”

The hearing is taking place only days after a Washington decision to downgrade Thailand in its annual human trafficking review. Investigations by Mr Hall have contributed to these developments. He said the downgrade was necessary to force Thai businesses, as well as international buyers, to put measures in place to address trafficking and slavery.

Last week the matter was raised in the UK parliament in the debate on Burma, MP John Hayes has spoken with Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs William Hague and the Home Office has promised support.

Desmond said: “Andy has already been told there should be a statue of him in Thailand for his work. Even with what he is facing he is working hard.”

A charity clay pigeon shoot is being held to celebrate the life of a popular farm manager.

The family and friends of Weston man Peter Barney are organising the event in memory of the Lincolnshire Field Products manager who died in October 2010, following an accident at his workplace.

The event at Sinclairs Shooting Ground, in Whaplode Drove, on Sunday, August 3, is open to anyone and will be raising money for UK charity Guide Dogs.

Mr Barney’s family said it is hoped the memorial shoot will be a fitting tribute to the 58-year-old who was a keen fan of the sport himself.

Entry for the 50 bird sporting competition is £13 and competitors are welcome to shoot more than one round.

There are three prizes on offer, with the winner receiving £125 and a trophy to keep for a year. The second placed gun will win 250 cartridges and the third £30.

“Dad was a very keen shooter, and often took part in competitions himself,” said Mr Barney’s daughter Kate Chapman.

“We thought a memorial clay shoot would be a fitting way to remember and celebrate his life, and hope as many people as possible will come along and support us on the day.

“We’ve decided to give any funds raised to the Guide Dog charity because Dad always felt losing your sight would be extremely hard to cope with. He was also a great dog lover too.”

If the event goes well Mr Barney’s family hopes to make it an annual one.

n Non-shooters can show their support by making a donation online at www.justgiving.com/Katherine-Chapman1

n The Peter Barney Memorial Shoot is at Sinclairs Shoot Gound, Peatree Hill Road, Whaplode Drove, PE12 0SL, from 10am to 3pm on Sunday, August 3.

Refreshments will be available. For more information follow The Peter Barney Memorial Shoot Facebook page.

BREAKING NEWS WEDNESDAY 10.30PM: A crash between a car and motor bike on the A15 in Langtoft has left one person in hospital today.

The crash happened in Bourne Road, near its junction with West End, just before 7.30am this morning.

The road was partially blocked, causing congestion up to the junction with Greatford Road.

Getting prizes for his Lincoln Reds is the icing on the cake for fourth generation farmer Tommy Charlton.

Tommy, of Moulton Chapel, says his fellow breeders “are a very nice crowd” and that getting good results at shows is “a big bonus”.

He has kept cattle all his life, and missed them when it was decided they would concentrate instead on the arable side of the farm.

The initial three animals bought from a cousin has increased to 20 animals all together, kept at Moulton Chapel and on land rented nearby.

The herd includes little bull calf Tommy, who received a reserve in the special prize for a bull calf at the Lincolnshire Show.

Tommy says Tommy – all this year’s calves’ names begin with a ‘T’, and there’s also a Topsy, Turvy and Trixie – is “as friendly as anything and will go to anybody”.

Salome got first prize in the best presented heifer and there were second and fourth prizes in two other classes.

Tommy said: “I was very pleased after the show. I went to Woodhall Show and got a first with a cow and young calf and then Rutland and got one or two prizes. It’s the best year I have ever had. Next I go to the Great Yorkshire Show.”

Tommy is semi-retired, but still in partnership with sons Thomas Henry and Antony William who now look after the family farm.

There they grow sugar beet, potatoes, daffodil bulbs, winter wheat, barley, oil seed rape and peas in some years.

Tommy said: “The Lincoln Reds keep me busy and I enjoy it. I am up at 5.30 every morning, feeding them and I still do the farm accounts.

“My wife Ruth likes chickens so we have six or seven chickens to be fed, though my wife mainly looks after them, and I let them out in the morning.”

Naturally, all the chickens have names too!

With the oilseed rape crop sprayed with glyphosate (Roundup) harvest is only a matter of days away, writes Julian Davis.

It is easy to forget how tall the hybrid varieties can get. We have the occasional lodged bit, but it has generally remained upright. The same variety will be grown next year so although I nearly got it right this year, a little more attention to detail may be beneficial.

In six or seven weeks’ time we will be drilling the next crop of rape. This is where the ‘temporary’ European ban on the use of Neonicotinoid insecticides will have an effect as our seed cannot now be treated with chemicals of this group.

The consequences will depend on soil conditions and weather this autumn. If the crop establishes quickly and grows away well the damaging affects of pests such as flea beetle may be reduced. But other pest will need controlling.

Alternatives to the seed treatments are spray applications of different chemical groups of insecticide, but we are seeing pest resistance forming. Seed treatments are also a more effective way of controlling application, with much less chemical applied more accurately.

It is difficult to know who to believe when it comes to the effects of Neonicotinoids on our pollinators such as the humble bumble bee. One thing is certain; we do not want to damage them. But who to believe when the research is either commercially or politically motivated?

Organic grower Andrew Dennis is going back to his roots to celebrate the delivery of the one millionth Woodlands Organic Farm vegetable box.

Andrew says he has chosen to distinguish the landmark delivery in a way that “reinforces the business’s charitable roots”.

The team at Woodlands is going into the community to hand out free organically grown potatoes produced on land around Kirton.

He says: “William Dennis, who founded the farm in 1870, provided sufficient potatoes to feed the poor of London during the coronation of king Edward VII.”

Woodlands Organic Farm also donated vegetables left over from its stir-fry stand at the Lincolnshire Show.

The vegetables went to The Salvation Army’s drop-in centre at Boston.

Andrew advises readers to keep their eyes ‘peeled’ to the farm’s Facebook page at facebook.com/woodlandsorganic as that is where details of give-away events throughout July will be listed.

Jewellery and IT equipment have been stolen from a house in Whaplode St Catherine after it was burgled.

A Nintendo 3DS, PSP console, android tablet and antique locket were some of the items taken from a house in Cranesgate North between June 5 and 7.

Anyone with information should call DS Andy McWatt of Spalding CID on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

Growers are being asked to send suspected pyrethroid-resistant cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB) samples this harvest for resistance analysis to Rothamsted Research, at Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 2JQ.

The NFU says, now that seed treated with neonicotinoids cannot be planted this autumn, foliar-applied pyrethroids will be the main treatment option to protect oilseed rape from CSFB attack during the first six to eight weeks of growth.

However, there have been reports of knock-down resistance (kdr) to pyrethroids in CSFB in Germany and suggestions from UK growers that pyrethroids are failing against CSFB in the UK.

Police in Spalding are looking for people who can spare at least four hours a week to make their community a safer place to live.

A recruitment event for Lincolnshire Police’s Special Constabulary is taking place at Spalding Police Station, Westlode Street, on Thursday July 10 at 7pm.

Anyone who is enthusiastic, community-minded and has a real interest in policing is welcome to come along and find out how to become a Special Constable by talking to current officers.

Steve Woodcock, chief officer for the county’s Special Constabulary, said: “The event will introduce people to all aspects of becoming a Special Constable, including eligibility criteria, recruitment procedures, training and what to expect once you join Lincolnshire Police.

“There will also be an opportunity to talk with Special Constables over tea and biscuits to hear about their own experiences.

“I do hope you will want to volunteer your time and talents as a Special Constable.”

A section of the A17 between Sutterton Roundabout and the junction with the A151 will be closed for resufacing work in Fosdyke later this month.

Workmen will be on site from Wednesday, July 9, until Sunday, July 13, and from Thursday, July 17, until Friday, July 18, between 8pm and 6am each night, subject to weather conditions.

Shaun Butcher, network and development manager at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “We have carefully planned this scheme to minimise disruption and we will be working on a number of sites simultaneously to get everything completed as quickly as possible.”

By John Hayes MP

A historic vote will take place in Scotland on September 18.

While only people in Scotland will vote, as the outcome determines the future of the United Kingdom, the result matters to us all. If Scots choose to leave the Union, it will mark the end of a relationship that has shaped our Kingdom for more than three hundred years; a bond at the heart of shared British identity that defines us as a people.

We should all be proud of our Britishness and the values it embodies; freedom from oppression, fair play and the gentle acceptance of our differences.

It is Britain that by abolishing the slave trade in the 1800s led the world; and Britain that stood firm against fascism the first time it spread across Europe.

These prevailing values – upheld by the institutions of the Monarchy and Parliament – are shared across the four distinct parts of the United Kingdom. Each part making its distinctive contribution; from English understated courage, and the determined inventiveness of Scots, to Welsh lyricism and legend and Ireland’s literary riches.

That we continue to share British loyalties and qualities is exemplified by the way we all cheer Andy Murray during the Wimbledon championships and by events that typify the British spirit of pulling together shown by Spalding’s recent People’s Parade. The success of this new event was down to the hard work of all those who got on with the job, without fuss but with great determination – truly a people’s parade.

George Orwell wrote of Britishness: “There is something in it that is continuous, it stretches into the future and the past, there is something in it that persists, as a living creature. It has a flavour of its own.” I hope that Scots vote to remain part of the Union, for we would all be poorer for the loss of this particular flavour of the persistent living creature that is Great Britain.

A 43-year-old woman had to be cut free from a car after a crash with another vehicle in Moulton.

It happened on High Road where a Ford Focus the injured woman, from Deeping St Nicholas, was in collided with a Toyota Avenis at about 8.45pm yesterday.

Firefighters from Holbeach and Spalding used a saw and hydraulic cutting equipment to free the woman before she was taken to hospital by ambulance.

A 34-year-old person from Crowland who was driving the Toyota was reported by police for having no insurance.

Work to modernise the Great Northern Great Eastern (GNGE) rail line running through Spalding should result in a service fit for the 21st century, say rail bosses.

Details of a £280 million upgrade of the line between Doncaster and Peterborough were on show at a public forum in Spalding’s Red Lion Quarter on Tuesday.

About 180 people met with officials from Network Rail who were in Spalding for a four-hour public event which included details of level crossing work to be carried out in the town, as well as Pinchbeck, Surfleet, Gosberton, Quadring and Donington during the summer.

Neil Lindley, programme delivery manager for the GNGE Rail Modernisation Project said: “We had a lot of interested parties who came during the day, including rail enthusiasts asking about the old signal boxes being replaced by a new signalling system.

“The project is based on being able to move a lot of the freight that uses the East Coast mainline onto the GNGE line and to make improvements to journey times for passengers, similar to those on the East Coast mainline.”

The work is taking place in five phases and from July 25 until August 11, a section of track between Spalding and Sleaford will be closed so that level crossings can be upgraded to manually controlled barriers, some with CCTV and ‘obstacle detectors’.

Mr Lindley said: “The project is about 80 per cent through and we’ve probably re-railed about 55,000 yards of new rail track, along with renewing another 49,000 yards of rail track.

“In Spalding, we have demolished two old structures over the railway line, upgraded 15 level crossings and renovated a large part of the track through the town.

“We’re looking at a finish date of around December when we will have taken a 150-year-old railway into the 21st century.”

Olympic gymnast Beth Tweddle is to visit Bourne Grammar School on Tuesday.

Tweddle, who won an Olympic bronze medal at London 2012 and is a triple world champion, is guest of honour at the schools sports presentation evening.

Headteacher Jonathan Maddox said: “The evening is one of the school’s premier events.

“It is where students, parents and teachers recognise and congratulate the commitment, drive and success of students who represent us and compete in a great many sports.

“This is the first time that an Olympic medallist has officiated. I have no doubt that our students will be excited and inspired to see and hear from Beth.”

For more information about Bourne Grammar School visit www.bourne-grammar.lincs.sch.uk

Lincolnshire Health and Care is an initiative looking to design better ways of providing essential health and social care services in the county.

Currently, health and care services are not working together as effectively as they could, according to Lincolnshire County Council.

Its website says: “With a growing and ageing population, the current approach will not be sustainable in the long run. Lincolnshire Health and Care will provide residents with access to safe and good quality services, closer to home, and avoid where possible a lengthy hospital stay.”

Under the new model, it is proposed that people living in the county would have access “to the right care at the right time, which is closer to home, through early intervention and prevention wherever possible”.

That way, people will be less likely to need a stay in hospital and the majority of their health and care needs will be met in the community near to where they live.

The idea is that neighbourhood teams – made up of people like nurses, GPs, social workers, mental health staff and therapists – would provide seven day a week joined up services for local people.

The site says: “For older people who often access a wide variety of health and care services, support will be joined up. This means professionals from different services work together to get the right support wherever possible. In particular, health and care assessments will be joined up and (patients) will be better supported when they come out of hospital.”

• Have your say on what the changes might mean to you by phoning 01522 718051 or email lhac@lincolnshire.gov.uk

Annie Eady has lived through two world wars and all the other momentous events of the 20th century.

She has also lived through some fairly monumental changes in her own personal life, one that forced her to put her four-year-old son in an orphanage where she saw him for just half an hour a day.

Despite a life that brought its hardships, Annie, of Church Street , Spalding, reached her 100th birthday on Thursday.

It was celebrated with a small party with her son John Pont and his wife Lorraine, as well as John’s son Kris and his children Harvey and Evie and Lorraine’s son Jason and his girlfriend Tara.

Annie was born into the Hemmant family at Moulton Chapel, her father a well-known carpenter and undertaker.

She was one of three girls – her sister Doreen has died and Alfreda still lives in Whaplode Drove.

She has few memories of growing up, but John says the war years were not too hard for the family.

He says: “Grandad was able to source wood and did jobs for farmers and if you didn’t get paid in cash you got paid in kind, so they were able to live quite well.”

After finishing school in Moulton Chapel aged 14, Annie went to work as a maid for a local family of farmers, helping to churn butter and other menial work for almost ten years.

One day it all proved too much and she walked out of the job. After that, she helped her mother at home until she met and married her first husband, Lesley Pont, who had served in the war and been at Dunkirk.

John picks up the story: “I was born in 1947 and in 1951 he died in a motorbike crash in Moulton Chapel.

“Annie had an aunty who lived down south who got her a job at a nearby orphanage and I went into the orphanage.

“She used to see me for half an hour each night and in the holidays I went to stay with Alfreda.

“I don’t remember the early bit, but it was harsh. One of the guys in charge was an ex-sergeant major and he treated us the same as the squaddies.

“I was there for eight-and-a-half years until I was 13.”

At that point Annie was advised to return to Lincolnshire with John for the sake of his health as he suffered with asthma.

Annie, who has three grandchildren, nine great grandchildren and one great great grandchild, then married Frank Eady, who died in 1996.

There are five generations alive in 100-year-old Annie Eady’s family.

Annie admits: “I never thought I’d get to 100, but I am still enjoying life. I don’t know why I lived so long, but I’m strong.

“It was a shock when John’s dad got killed though.

“At one time I used to do my own garden, but I can’t now. I love gardening. I am better at gardening than in the house.”

Annie also played tennis in her younger days, her racket a family heirloom, and enjoyed knitting and crochet work.

Daughter-in-law Lorraine Pont puts Annie’s good skin down to the fact that she has washed in fresh rain water all her life.

The great great grandmother is still living independently, her son and daughter-in-law visiting regularly with shopping and meals. Annie also goes out on a Friday to the Age UK day centre in Spalding.

She says: “I can’t go out like I used to, but if I want any help I know all I have to do is ring John up.”

The second week of June saw Deeping St James resident Norman Hotchkin become one of only a few thousand centenarians in England.

Married since 1945, Norman celebrated his 100th birthday with family, friends, and wife Marjorie.

At 98 years old herself, she and Norman are believed to be one of Britain’s oldest couples.

As Norman has been heavily involved in the Methodist church throughout his life, the day began with a short service of thanksgiving at Deeping St James Methodist Church, an event attended by over 90 people.

A lunch was then held in the 100-year-old’s honour by his daughter, Ruth Scholfield, and her husband John.

With Marjorie and Norman’s 10-month-old great-granddaughter in attendance at the celebration, there was a whopping 99-year age gap between the oldest and the youngest guest.

Norman also shares his birthday with great-grandson Robin Scholfield, who turned six this year.

Daughter Ruth said: “It was a great day and it was wonderful to have everyone together.”

It was not only the centenarian’s family that were involved in his birthday celebrations though.

Mr Hotchkin received a card the Queen as well as a telegram from the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith.

Shops in Bourne are set to be boosted by the release of a Shop Local retailers map.

The map, which has been produced by South Kesteven District Council, shows the town’s 130-plus retailers, with nationwide chains included as well as Bourne’s more specialist shops.

The retailers are then colour-coded depending upon the category they fall into, such as restaurants, beauty and health, estate agents and convenience stores.

The map also depicts public services such as car parks, restrooms, parks, churches and bus stations.

South Kesteven District Councillor Frances Cartwright said: “We want to do all we can to help our town centres, working with partners like the Bourne Business Chamber on a range of measures to promote the variety of shopping in the town.”

Member of Bourne Business Chamber Paul Ross added: “We are really proud of the quality and scope of retailers and other businesses in Bourne and we are delighted to present this map as a valuable way to convey what the town offers.”

Traders in the Market Deeping area are also set to have retail maps created later on this year.

This month I ask my colleague Nick Williamson, who treats patients who have had strokes or head injuries or have balance and movement problems to explain what he does and how.

Appointments with Nick are available at my physiotherapy clinic on the Crescent – phone on 01775 711822. He will also do home visits for patients who cannot travel.

“When asked what I do, I tell people that I deal with disorders of balance, posture and movement.  Over 25 years ago I met a physiotherapist named Noreen Hare (RIP) and she taught me to not get bogged-down with the diagnosis but instead to take a step back and look at the person.

So I don’t rush in and put “hands-on” – I step back and look at their posture, I look at how they sit, how they lie, I look at how they move, I look at their level of ability as much as assessing the level of their disability.

 I say to patients sometimes: “I’m letting your body tell me the story”.  When I have the “story” clear in my head then I can explain to patients what their problems are, where things are going wrong, and if I think we can do anything about it.  I say “we” because it is a joint venture; it is about patients making significant changes to their everyday life and not just about doing a few “common” exercises.

 As far as movement of the body goes there are two important external elements: gravity and the supporting surface.  Gravity is a never-ending force that is pulling the body down towards the supporting surface.  The supporting surface can be the floor we stand on or a chair we sit in.

I look at what happens to your body on the supporting surface and try to work out what’s going wrong.

Once we have the story sorted, then we can work out what exercises and changes need to be made to try and combat what has happened to their body as a result of their problems, whether it be a stroke or Parkinson’s disease, a head injury or motor neurone disease (and recently I have seen a number of young adults struggling with the long terms problems of cerebral palsy).

You see, so many conditions can cause a change in how the body responds to gravity and the supporting surface and that’s where I can try to help.

It is very hard work, and I cannot do it for you, but I can set you on the right road to being the best you can. For some people, however, success is measured not by a significant positive change but by a reduction in the rate of deterioration and in situations like this it is important that the physiotherapist is honest with the patient to minimise the opportunity for confusion.