The days of selfish dog owners leaving their pets’ poo behind on pavements in Surfleet may be numbered after the arrival of a new bin.

After pressure from villagers, a new dog bin has been put in Colbeach Lane about a year after one was provided at the other end of a footpath in the same street which is popular with dog walkers.

Speaking to the Guardian last December, Surfleet parish councillor Fran Healands said: “The amount of dog poo left on pavements in Surfleet has got ridiculous.

“Three new dog bins have been put around the village but it’s not helped at all because people are too ignorant to use them.

“It’s got to the point where people with a bugbear about the problem should try and do something about it.”

The new bin has been funded by district councillor Sally Slade who said: “About a year ago, someone asked me to put a bin at one end of the footpath which is very popular with dog walkers.

“A few weeks ago, they asked again if it was possible to have one at the other end of the path and this is the result.

“As someone said: ‘If you don’t ask, you don’t get’ so that now, many dog-walkers are using this new bin.”

Lesley Garrett was classically trained at the Royal Academy of Music.

That was about 35 years ago and Lesley says: “When I first started, there were strict divisions between the musical genres and you were an opera person or non-classical person, in which case you didn’t belong at all.”

In the intervening time Lesley has become a member of the governing body of the Royal Academy and the institution itself has undergone a bit of a revolution with non-classical music “thoroughly respected” now in a way it wasn’t previously.

Lesley says: “I am thrilled to have lived to see that taking down of the barriers, as it were, because when I first started there were strict divisions between the musical genres.

“Most singers these days sing everything and you do find opera and classical music being used regularly by pop singers and in TV ads, and the world of film is fantastic for its use of classical music and opera.

“I sing with amateur choirs as well because I believe passionately in live music in the community.

“It harks back to my childhood in Yorkshire.”

Cantemus is a “first-class choir” in the words of internationally acclaimed opera singer Lesley Garrett.

Lesley was speaking ahead of her gala concert performance in Spalding Parish Church on Saturday.

She will be singing, not for the first time, with Spalding choir Cantemus, and said: “They are semi-professional because their standards are so high, one of the highest I have heard.

“You are very lucky to have them in the Spalding district as they are a fantastic choir and we’ll be doing lots of music together.”

Lesley’s concert is the grand finale of a week-long music festival at St Mary & St Nicolas Church, called MaNiFEST.

Getting the English soprano singer, musician, broadcaster and media personality to appear was no chance piece of luck.

Lesley’s husband Peter is a long-time friend of Cantemus conductor Eric Wayman. Peter comes from the Christian family of West Pinchbeck farmers and met Eric at Spalding Grammar School.

As Lesley joked, for a farmer there is one thing worse than not having any sons, and that’s having two.

Except in Peter’s case it suited him quite nicely as it meant he was able to pursue his interest in becoming a doctor, something inspired by watching the birth of animals on the family farm and later encouraged by local GP, Dr Aitken.

Lesley said: “I have been coming up to Spalding for 25 years to visit my husband’s family. His parents have passed away now but his brother and nephew have taken over the farm.”

When she appears at the parish church on Saturday the down-to-earth Yorkshire singer will perform her trademark mix of opera and more popular music.

Lesley admits she has spent her life “popularising opera”. Although she was classically trained at the Royal Academy of Music, Lesley’s passion was born in her childhood home where the family would “sing everything, including opera” round the piano.

She said: “That was the form of music that inspired me most. I love it. It was also the most difficult and I like a challenge. It required me to have my voice properly trained.

“The world of opera was what attracted me most strongly, but I have never given up the other music I love. At home we would sing songs from the shows, hymns, popular songs, and I think that has informed my choices ever since and when I do my concerts I always mix up the repertoire because there is no such thing as bad music. It’s all good music.”

And Spalding parish church will be full of good music when Lesley Garrett and Cantemus perform at the sold out concert in the town.

When I first undertook the position of Poppy Appeal organiser for my home town of Spalding the obvious target to set for myself was £1 per member of the population of the town.

This is stated by South Holland District Council in 2013 as being 28,722. Back in 2009/10 we managed to raise £19,793.4 with £25,343.16 in 2010/11, £25,734.07 in 2011/12, £22,102 in 2012/13 and finally £24,200 to September 30 this year.

The results appear to follow the general economic trends for those periods and are certainly, for the lower years, not indicative of the effort put in by most of the RBL members or our stalwart volunteers. In short the target has remained the impossible dream – until now that is!

My annual plea for assistance was met with considerable enthusiasm by the public in general and by other charitable organisations. The logistical nightmare involved in the distribution of supplies and collecting cans was achieved by the district’s very own heroes in just one day.

They were: Liz Hammond and her mum, ably assisted by the RBL Chairman Colin Jackman, Mr and Mrs McLean, Mr and Mrs Newton, Mr and Mrs Browning, Mr and Mrs Nell, Nigel Wallis of Baytree and finally the four teams from Bakkavor led by Jenny Hewitt and Steve Scholes.

Let us not forget that they also then had to reverse the process and bring them all back in again.

The regular volunteers collecting at Sainsbury’s, Springfields and Baytree were augmented by the following new faces: Pam Stanley, Claire and Simon Pick, Paul Winn, Francesca Riccomimi, Mary Lane, Wendy Spiller, Mike Verney and several members of the South Holland Rotarians capably coordinated by Tony Rowlett. This enabled us to provide a more complete presence at all venues and maximise collection potential.

Extra donations have been received from the Norwich and Peterborough Building Society, Baytree pumpkin sale, money from Mr R Hancox of Woolhall Farm and reindeer carrot sale money from the Biehler family.

The RBL introduced a ‘Kids Pack’ to the range of Poppy items and I’m sure many parents will have been persuaded by their offspring to advance their pocket money when they appeared in the schools. Needless to say they have proved extremely popular, with some schools requiring re-supply twice. These packs are still available and can be supplied to establishments and businesses dealing with children if requested.

Add this year being the centennial anniversary of the commencement of the First World War to the circumstances above and we are ripe for a magnificent outcome to the Poppy Appeal in the Spalding RBL district.

It therefore gives me the greatest of pleasure and pride to congratulate Spalding, Weston, Weston Hills and Cowbit contributors to the appeal on amalgamating £27,247.09 to date with a further pledge of £1,900 yet to come. This year, I believe, would have provided a higher than usual total by virtue of it being the commemoration of the beginning of the First World War, however the emergence of our ‘local heroes’ and the overall willingness of people to pitch in and help has supplied the appeal with a tremendous result in which everyone can be justifiably proud. Thank you one and all, “you done good!”... and I need to set a new target!

Peter Lyon

Last week we discussed the importance of vaccinations for dogs, but let’s not forget our cats as well.

Kittens and adult cats alike are always exploring the great world around them and, as such, are likely to come into contact with infectious diseases.

Like in dogs, vaccination teaches your cat’s immune system in advance how to recognise and defend against certain important diseases, which are often incurable and can be fatal in some cases.

They need your help to protect them against the following diseases.

So, again let me break these down for you Feline Panleucopenia, this is a disease that can affect cats of all ages, kittens are particularly at risk as their immune system is not fully developed.

The virus is passed on in faeces and can stay in the environment for a long time. This disease is often fatal.

Cat flu, this is transmitted from infected cats and also from contaminated items in the environment such as cat bowls .

The symptoms are similar to a human cold with runny eyes and nose and sore throat and in severe cases fever and mouth ulcers chlamydia, this is a disease spread by close contact between cats.

This disease can cause severe conjunctivitis which can be long lasting and is uncomfortable.

Feline Leukaemia Virus, this is a viral disease and can cause severe damage to the cats immune system and can result in tumours, cats spread this disease between them selves from grooming each other, sharing feeding and 
water bowls and fighting,

There is no effective treatment for this disease available... the only protection to ensure your cat does not contract this disease is to vaccinate against it. This is a fatal disease once contracted.

Why do we need to vaccinate our cats?

Most of the diseases we vaccinate against have no specific cure. Veterinary treatment for these conditions only support the animal in the hope that their immune system can overcome the infection. If we vaccinate against these diseases their immune system is taught to recognise and fight the disease.

When to vaccinate.

A certain amount of immunity for a young kitten is passed down to them from their mother, this sadly diminishes quickly.

By vaccinating kittens from an early age – ideally at eight weeks old – we can provide them with protection for the above before disease has had any chance to attack.

The usual schedule for vaccination is two injections done three weeks apart and then 10­14 days after the second injection is given the protection is in place.

HOWEVER...for this protection to remain in place an annual booster injection must be given.

Your cat’s immunity following vaccination can fade over time and this is why we strongly recommend the annual booster.

This week’s question came from Mrs Pont with ‘Kibble’.

My cat seemed lethargic after getting her vaccination. Is this normal or should I have been worried?

No, please don’t worry. Let me explain how the vaccine works. The vaccines job is to kick start the immune system. As soon as the vaccine has been given to your cat their immune system will get to work.

The work that the immune system is doing can raise the temperature in your cat, this increase will come and go and as such can make your cat feel lethargic.

This should pass shortly after the vaccine being given and your cat should bounce back to normal.

Obviously if readers are concerned about their pet’s health before or after a vaccination then please contact us.

Just 12 months after receiving a £400 nose job, Edinburgh’s statue of loyal pooch Greyfriars Bobby is now in need of further restoration.

Why? Tourists have been constantly rubbing his nose for good luck. Bobby, the faithful Skye terrier, who sat on his master’s grave for 14 years after Auld Jock died, has a very shiny nose.

They say a wet nose is a sign of good health in a dog, but it seems a glowing one is not so good if you’re made of bronze.

It doesn’t just happen in Edinburgh. In the city of Verona, Italy, the authorities are constructing a new Juliet, as the original is becoming weathered by romantic old souls who touch her right breast to bring them good fortune in the love department.

All over the world certain statues have become the focus for excessive rubbing: the Angry Boy statue in Oslo has a shiny hand and St Peter’s statue in Rome has a right foot devoid of toes as they have been worn away by too much rubbing and kissing,

Even a dog at the top of a ski slope in Norway has a sparkling paw.

It seems we are all at it, making contact with body parts of statues just for luck. And it’s not just tourists.

MPs have been criticised for touching the toes of Churchill and Thatcher’s statues in the Members’ Lobby before entering the Commons chamber.

Does this happen locally? Do we have any statues in the towns and villages of South Holland with body parts in reach of superstitious fingers?

I recently came across an interesting sculpture in Birchgrove Garden Centre, Pinchbeck. Just outside the Bulb Museum is the very green figure of Tulipan the Tulip Man. Originally located in Springfields, Tulipan was unveiled in 1972 by the Turkish Ambassador, His Excellency Zeki Kuneratip, to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the introduction of the tulip bulb from Turkey to Europe.

The first bulbs came here from the gardens of the fabulously named Sultan Sulliman the Magnificent.

Tulipan is made of fibreglass and was created by the boys of the woodwork department at the Gleed Boys School and their teacher, with the equally splendid name of George Mainprize Whittington. I gather the sculpture was in need of some repair when it was moved to Birchgrove in 2006.

The Tulip Man now looks very happy, glossy green once again and thankfully showing no signs of being man­handled by the general public. Let’s keep him this way and, if you need a bit of luck, why not carry a sprig of heather – Greyfriars Bobby would approve of that.

• You can follow Trish on Twitter @mumsgoneto and read her blog at www.mumsgoneto.blogspot.com

The architect of what has come to be known today as critical insurance cover, South African doctor Marius Barnard, has died aged 87.

A renowned heart surgeon in his own right, Dr Barnard helpd his brother Christian perform the world’s first human-to-human heart transplant in December 1967.

His experience with surgery patients led him to realise that although he could extend people’s lives through successful operations, there was a need to help them deal with the financial costs of surviving a major illness.

As a result, Dr Marius Barnard invented critical illness insurance and brought the first product to market in 1983.

Commenting on the innovation, Dr Barnard said: “I was used to operating on people and boasting about my great results of patients surviving five or six years.

“But all of sudden I saw the social and financial implications and even though I knew nothing about insurance, I knew that life insurance paid out on the diagnosis of death.

“So to me, my patients lived for years but in this time, they died financially.”

In the 30 years since Dr Barnard’s invention, millions of people worldwide have given themselves and their families the peace of mind that should they contract a serious or critical illness, a lump sum or income would be payable.

Having seen the impacts of the diagnoses of these illnesses first hand, the added burden of financial pressures such as mortgage and credit payments, household bills and even day-to-day expenses is an unwelcome one.

However, younger women in particular are still not financially protecting themselves against breast cancer, the most common form of cancer in the UK, according to new research.

Figures from Friends Life Group, released to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, shows that women under the age of 34 are among the least likely to have any personal protection insurance.

Just 16 per cent of women aged 18 to 34 have any cover meaning that if they should become ill and are unable to work or were to die, they and their families may struggle financially as there may not be a safety net for them in place.

With many employers having reduced their sick pay benefits over the years, it doesn’t take long for savings to dissapear when the income into the household reduces or stops altogether.

Rather than rushing back to work for financial reasons, the right cover can give you and your family breathing space in order to recover fully from any long-term illnesses.

Work to repair the safety barriers on Spalding’s West Elloe Bridge North will take place overnight today between 7pm and 6am.

Drivers can still use one lane east bound on the bridge, with the other being closed to protect the workforce.

Richard Waters, principal engineer at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “The safety barriers were damaged by an accident and need to be repaired as soon as possible, but due to the traffic sensitive nature of the road this will be done at night.”

• For more information, visit www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/roadworks or follow @LincsCC_roads on Twitter.

More police patrols will be in Spalding town centre on the run-up to Christmas,

Lincolnshire Police are launching Operation Washer to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour and reassure the community.

The lead up to Christmas traditionally sees an increase of visitors to the town centre and it is anticipated that there will more reports of street drinking, cycle offences, theft from shops and youth related anti-social behaviour.

Community Policing Inspector Jim Tyner said: “The main aim of Operation Washer is to deter offenders from committing these types of offences, and to provide reassurance to our community living in and visiting Spalding town centre.

“To do this, I am increasing the number of patrols on our town centre beat.”

There will be high visibility foot and cycle patrols daily in the town centre and at anti-social behaviour hotspots, including the Albion Street riverbank and the Green Lane footbridge area.

The use of dispersal notices will be considered should high levels of anti-social behaviour occur in the designated patrol areas.

Insp Tyner said: “We are already using new powers to disperse people causing problems. I am determined that we continue to use these powers to help make Spalding a safe and pleasant place to live, work and shop.”

What do Sir Michael Parkinson, Sir Ian McKellan, Sir Roger Moore, Robert DeNiro, Harry Belafonte and former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani have in common?

They are all survivors of prostate cancer, a condition more than 1.11 million men were diagnised with worldwide in 2012.

In the UK, prostate cancer is the most common form of the disease in men, with about one in eight men likely to be diagnosed with it at some point in their lives. 

Indeed, it is estimated that by 2030, prostate cancer could become the most common form of cancer among all men and women.

The good news is that over a quarter of a million men are living with prostate cancer and figures from Cancer Resarch UK shows that between 2005 and 2009, 81.4 per cent of adult prostate cancer patients in England survived for five years or more.

Research also shows that, alarmingly, two out of three men don’t know what the prostate gland does and the longer a man 

waits to see his doctor about his symptoms, the lower his chances of long‐term survival.

The causes of prostate cancer aren’t yet fully understood, but they usually affect men over the age of 50. 

Certain factors place some men at higher risk of developing the disease than others, including being overweight, having relatives (a father or brother) with a history of prostate cancer or being of Afro‐Caribbean or African‐American descent. There is also some suggestion that a fat‐rich diet consisting of foods such as salmon, pork, beef and even eggs may contribute to prostate cancer, although this hasn’t been proven as yet.

Prostate cancer often has no symptoms until the latter stages of the disease when patients need to use the toilet more frequently, often during the night, suffer difficulties in starting to urinate or feeling that the bladder hasn’t emptied fully.

To determine the type of prostate disorder, blood tests and an examination are done, hence the aim of initiatives like Movember to raise awareness and encourage men to visit their GPs as early as possible. 

With diagnosi and survial rates so high, the peace of mind and financial security that critical illness insurance polices can provide is invaluble and will help pay the bils during recovery.

South Holland’s transport problems will come under the spotlight at two big meetings next year.

Spalding and District Area Chamber of Commerce will hold a Logistics Summit to highlight challenges faced by hauliers.

And Spalding and Peterborough Transport Forum is organising a Transport Conference so groups and individuals can get involved with future plans for South Holland and The Deepings.

The forum campaigns on all aspects of travel, providing a platform for road, bus and rail users, and held its annual meeting last week at South Holland District Council’s offices in Priory Road, Spalding.

Forum spokesman Rodney Sadd said there was an interesting presentation from East Coast Rail on targets being met, like the 86 per cent of trains that do arrive on time.

He said there’s also been a £2million upgrade in internet services on board East Coast trains, which will give passengers a much better service.

Mr Sadd said everyone attending the forum was disappointed by the absence of local councillors who had been invited.

“With so much happening with traffic chaos and transport issues recently in our town it was felt by all concerned an opportunity was lost for the public to air their views with local representatives who were unavailable on the night,” he said.

Booming food and specialist chilled produce haulage firms fear they will be choked by their own success unless the A16 between Spalding and Peterborough is dualled in parts or all of its length.

The road replacing the old A1073 opened four years ago but is already considered at capacity by bosses who pressed their case for a massive upgrade when they met transport minister and South Holland and The Deepings MP John Hayes in Downing Street.

Food producers and hauliers expect year-on-year growth of 25 per cent plus – meaning roads will be further clogged and inadequate for timed deliveries to the major supermarkets’ regional distribution depots.

A press statement issued by Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce on behalf of Spalding Chamber of Commerce president Phil Scarlett says the MP “agreed to seriously consider dualling parts, if not all of the A16, between Spalding and Peterborough”.

Mr Hayes told the Spalding Guardian he will look at possible improvements – which could include passing places, effectively part-dualling in certain spots – but there’s no guaranteed outcome.

He’s made “an absolute commitment to look at it, an absolute commitment to listen and an absolute commitment to consider different options”, but says there must be “a proper feasibility study which measures cost against effect”.

Mr Hayes said: “I take it very seriously when people raise these things. What I can’t do as a minister, of course, is simply favour my area and click my fingers and say because it’s in South Lincolnshire it must be done tomorrow. I have to do things in a measured, thoughtful and considered way.”

The MP is seeking comments from county highways and wants to know if any A16 upgrade would attract Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership cash.

Mr Scarlett issued an invitation through Mr Hayes for Prime Minister David Cameron to come to South Holland to see how its food industry could be stifled by inadequate roads and the MP has passed that to Mr Cameron’s office.

The district sees more than a million fresh produce truck movements a year and around 37 per cent of all the UK’s fresh produce will travel through South Holland this year.

Mr Scarlett said: “The reality is we have a moment in time to improve the transport infrastructure before the growth clogs up our roads and timed deliveries are not achieved and then the supermarkets and growers will establish operations elsewhere and our business will be strangled and die.”

Trevor Hyde, of produce firm FESA UK and chairman of the Chamber’s Logistics Forum, said the A16 from Spalding to Peterborough was planned as a dual carriageway, but that was scrapped by the last Labour Government, and temperature-controlled distribution businesses will suffer most if the road isn’t improved.

Commercial samphire collecting is depleting stocks and putting some of the beds in danger on the marsh at Sutton Bridge and the north Norfolk coast.

The warning comes from Sutton Bridge Parish Council chairman John Grimwood, who said a samphire collector on a quad bike had been seen on the marsh on the Terrington side of the parish.

Parish councillors in South Holland’s poorest parish, Sutton Bridge, have awarded a £500 grant to the village’s new foodbank that’s due to launch on December 16.

The council is also considering making a community allotment available.

Eight men charged in connection with an illegal rave in a village near Bourne are due to before crown court tomorrow.

Kyle Perrot (19) of Nursery Close, Long Sutton, Ashley Box (20) of Daniels Crescent, Long Sutton and Joshua Lake (21) of Baulkins Drove, Sutton St James, are each accused of causing a public nuisance and possession of criminal property.

The charges relate to an illegal rave which happened on land in Fen Road, Dunsby, overnight between January 25 and 26 this year.

Five other men, Mark Payne (37) of Washway Road, Holbeach, Liam Robinson (21) of Park Lane, Long Sutton, Luke Onslow (22) of Gedney Drove End, Sam Curtis (22) of Kings Lynn and Matthew Wilds (21) of Metheringham are all charged with causing a public nuisance in connection with the rave which attracted more than 200 people to a set of disused farm buildings.

The men appeared before Boston magistrates on November 19 when the case was committed to crown court.

Thieves have stolen a number of German-made power tools from a garage in Chapelgate, Sutton St James.

It happened between 10.50pm and 11.10pm on Friday November 21.

Meanwhile, power tools, a socket set and wallet are among items stolen from a vehicle parked in Hillgate, Gedney Hill.

The vehicle was broken into at about 8.15pm on Monday November 24.

Anyone with information should call 101.

A Swineshead chip shop has been left badly damaged after a fire swept through it on Tuesday night.

Fire crews used water jets to put out the blaze at Chipped and Battered in South Street just before 6pm.

A build up of fat in the extractor system is thought to have caused the fire in which no one was injured.

If South Holland has an iconic bird Angel suggests it should be the heron, so frequently seen flapping across the district’s fields or standing stock still beside a dyke. Angel sees it as quite an ugly bird, but has seen the work of artists who obviously disagree!

• Who could fail to be cheered by the lively music being played by three musicians at the entrance to Pied Calf Yard for the past couple of market days in Spalding?

• It must be winter: the footpath along the Coronation Channel in Spalding is suddenly extremely muddy and slippy for dog walking. Pity the farmers who have to work in muddy conditions.

• On a walk in Moulton on Monday, Angel spotted several potatoes on the side of the road which must have fallen from a tractor’s trailer.

Angel was pleased that she hadn’t been standing in the same position when the potatoes had come crashing down as she may have ended up with a bit of a bump on her angelic head!

• Angel is currently planning outfits for several Christmas parties and wonders; how many sequined garments can she get away with wearing at once before she is mistaken for a disco ball?

• Yesterday lunchtime, Angel narrowly avoided walking through a large pile of dog mess outside Savers in Spalding, as many others did the same.

Why don’t some people clear up after their dogs?

The motor vehicle department from University Academy Holbeach (UAH), along with apprenticeship co-ordinator Tasmin Chapman, attended the Work Based Learning Alliance skills show at Butlins, Skegness, with their “have a go” stand representing the apprenticeship department and sixth form.

In addition, UAH took a bus load of sixth form students along and they participated in many of the activities and competitions.

Tasmin said: “It was a very successful event with over 2,000 students from local schools attending over the two days.”

While at there, upper sixth form student Sam Harris won the SLGTA/CITB Build a future Construction Skills competition and won a 52-piece toolkit and certificate of achievement.

Sam was awarded with his toolkit in a special assembly at the school by Steve Taylor from SLGTA, Geoff Middleton, chairman of WBLA, Katie Nevitt and Victoria Adam, the Apprenticeship Champions from the WBLA.

Delivering services for the future needs of South Holland residents is the key focus of a major project that I am currently working on, along with council officers.

The new corporate plan for South Holland District Council is all about providing the right services at the right time and right place.

Generating effective services is top of the plan’s agenda and we will also examine different methods of delivering them.

Internal savings have been made over the past few years allowing us to develop current services like our popular and successful weekly waste and recycling collections.

At the same time the share of council tax which we take from you has been reduced.

Savings have also resulted in the launch of hard-hitting campaigns such as Pride in South Holland which aims to clean up eyesore sites across the district and has already had a successful start.

Following on from the serious economic troubles of a few years ago, I know that life remains difficult for many people.

That is why I believe as a council we have a duty to do our bit to make a difference and to be on the side of our residents.

I am particularly proud of our decision back in 2011 to introduce the designated councillor’s budgets.

My colleagues and I have funded projects and supported local organisations and worthy causes across the district.

I have seen first hand how a small donation can really make the difference to the quality of life for some of our most vulnerable residents.

For example, buying a specialised sewing machine allowed MENCAP users to mix with others and to play a full part in craft activities.

Having this budget also gives me the rewarding opportunity to see and to marvel at the voluntary work which takes place on a daily basis by many local unsung heroes.

You can also contact me regarding this or any other issue on garystantaylor@googlemail.com / 07850 077117 or follow me on Twitter @GaryTaylor26.