UKIP’s Peter Bird (‘Praise for MP, but not for PM’) acknowledges that “John Hayes MP is dedicated, and works very hard for the constituents of South Holland”.

However, the rest of his letter is sadly misguided. Anyone who saw the recent account of the first 100 days of a fictional UKIP government can only begin to dread the horrific chaos if this nightmare were to become a reality.

In my view, voters need to understand that the UK Independence Party can’t and won’t achieve its principal objective without the election of a Conservative government.

UKIP massively lacks the political influence and pedigree to shift the ‘French-German’ mindset required for renegotiation of our relationship with the European Union ahead of a promised in-out referendum.

Reading John Hayes’ recent column, I was delighted to see that he also shares the Prime Minister’s view that it is for the British people to decide whether or not we remain in the European Union.

Only a Conservative government will renegotiate Britain’s relationship with the EU, bring back powers from Brussels and, in 2017 or maybe sooner, give the British people the final say in a straightforward in-out referendum.

UKIP’s plea to find more candidates to run for the district council is now so desperate that they’ll accept almost anyone, including foreign nationals.

Whilst at the same time demanding a reduction in the numbers of immigrants from the EU that they’re so eager to exit! Yet more hypocrisy from a party struggling to find votes.

Theo Lawless-Hughes

via email

I was pleased to read the article by Chrissie Redford (Free Press, March 3) highlighting the efforts of Couns Gary
Taylor and Howard Johnson who are using their designated budgets before the elections in May, to clean up litter. Well done Councillors.

I also applaud the same subject letter by Dr Eliizabeth Stewart.

The other day, while walking to Morrisons along the foot/cycle path on Wardentree Lane, I was wondering how the area was so litter strewn, when suddenly, an empty can of Red Bull bounced along the footpath and landed at my feet. It had been thrown from the cab of a passing lorry. Why are drivers/passengers throwing litter out of their vehicles to add to that already dropped by other litter louts? It can only be ignorance in all cases.

Years ago, government (tax payers) used to sponsor a campaign ‘Keep Britain Tidy’ using TV adverts and billboard signs. In my view we are overdue another similar effort.

First, anti-litter education should start in the home, then should be carried on in our schools and even in our workplaces.

People need to understand that dropping litter is not only an offence but it is seriously polluting our environment and we seem to be drowning in a sea of litter.

Some of your readers may have noticed that I’m standing as an Independent candidate here in Pinchbeck and Surfleet.

If elected, part-inspired by the above named councillors, I will use my designated budget to conduct by all practical measures an anti-litter campaign for the benefit of all in Pinchbeck and Surfleet.

By the way, as a truly independent candidate, I have neither the money or resources to print and deliver leaflets or put out posters in my area... so at least, in one respect; – electioneering junk mail – I’ll not be adding to the litter problem.

David Turp

Via email

The weekend of the East Coast train diversions was a momentous weekend for Spalding joint line.

Not only was it the first time the new East Coast Virgin service was using this line but there has been much controversy over how much delay it would cause in the level crossings being closed when up to 100 trains were to pass through each day over the weekend for five weeks. If you went to the station on Saturday you would have seen how much interest there was with a considerable amount of media present.

The initial reports I received from a number of the Spalding and Peterborough Transport Forum’s committee who also attended, was that despite many trains coming through there had been little disruption to traffic at the main level crossings.

Maybe this was because it was a Saturday and the publicity around the diversion made people think of going around a different way.

I wonder how we would cope if there was a considerable number of trains using the line.

It also does bring into question what kind of service do we want to see on the joint line now the speed restrictions have been lifted. We know that the service between Peterborough and Lincoln is not fit for purpose in some regards with the earliest time you can arrive in Lincoln being 10am and the last train back is 4pm and no Sunday service.

Not good for working people who have now to travel by car to be able to have a work routine or for students wanting weekend leave. Maybe East Midland trains on their next franchise bid in 2017 will give consideration to improving the service as was promised.

We did have a successful weekend service on both a Saturday and Sunday and I would like to see a pilot scheme to enhance on it and prove viable as we do have two cathedral cities that have their shops open seven days a week now.

We will have to wait and see what the next five weekends bring but it is our intention to hold a public meeting before the end of the period to gauge what was good and what was bad.

A thought should also be given to those people living next to the line when this is happening as, combined with the freight trains now using the line, this is a big imposition on their lives.

George Scott

Pinchbeck

A campaign urging people to eat less salt is being backed in south Lincolnshire.

Salt Awareness Week runs from Monday to Sunday, March 22.

The focus of the campaign this year is to help reduce the salt intake in children and therefore reduce the number of people suffering from cardiovascular disease.

Children are considered a vulnerable group in society as often they have little influence on or involvement in what they eat. Evidence suggests that dietary habits in childhood and adolescence also influence eating patterns in later life.

Liking salt and salty foods is a learned taste preference and so it is vital that children do not develop a taste for salt in the first place. A high salt intake in children can influence blood pressure and may predispose a child to the development of a number of diseases including: high blood pressure, osteoporosis, and respiratory illnesses such as asthma, stomach cancer and obesity.

With strong evidence that high salt intake sparks high blood pressure – the main cause of strokes and a major cause of heart attacks and heart failure – South Lincolnshire CCG is calling on people to mark Salt Awareness Week by cutting down on salt.

You don’t have to add salt to your food to eat too much of it – around 75 per cent of the salt we eat is already in everyday foods such as bread, breakfast cereal and ready meals.

A good tip to help reduce the amount of salt in your diet is to taste the food you are going to eat before you add salt. Many of us add salt out of habit, but it’s often unnecessary, and your food will taste good without it.

Almost everyone in the UK eats too much salt; if we could achieve a three-gram reduction in the average daily intake by adults that would have a huge impact on reducing the number of deaths from cardiovascular disease.

Many people add salt to food when cooking. But there are lots of other ways to add flavour to your cooking without using any salt.

Black pepper, fresh herbs and spices are good as is baking or roasting your vegetables and making sauces from tomatoes or garlic.

TRISH TAKES FIVE: By blogger Trish Burgess

All last week my Facebook timeline was peppered with references to World Book Day.

Officially Friday, schools across the country celebrated this day at some point over the week and, in the main, children were asked to come to school dressed as their favourite book character.

Parents fall into two distinct camps when it comes to this yearly event. There are those that relish the challenge, poring over books and the internet to come up with an unusual idea.

They probably have a special cupboard at home or at least a drawer or two, stuffed full of ‘things that might come in useful for dressing up’. They will have feathers at their disposal, ribbons, lots of felt and a glue gun. They are a whizz with a needle and thread and can knock up a cat­in­the­hat in a matter of minutes.

Then there are parents like me. Hopeless at sewing and lacking the drive and imagination to be creative with a stapler and a roll of sellotape. World Book Day is feared, it looms large and you try to put it to the back of your mind until panic sets in.

There are two choices: buy a costume or cobble something together. Buying a costume is much easier now than years ago: there are dozens of online party shops that can provide a plethora of princess dresses and furry animal outfits. Make one yourself and you run the risk of other mums feeling sorry for your spectacular lack of talent and your poor child has to face his pals, knowing his mother has made him look ridiculous.

Over the many years of having to dress my son up for World Book Day I tried both approaches. When he was little I found a red tracksuit and pretended he was Mr Strong from the Mr Men books. A more unlikely Mr Strong you could ever imagine: a tiny tot aged four wearing casual clothes and sporting a green hat which looked like it had been borrowed from Peter Pan.

Another year, at a time when my child didn’t want to dress up at all, he wore a woolly jumper, jeans and stuffed a bar of Dairy Milk in his pocket. Voila! Charlie Bucket from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

During the intervening years there was always Harry Potter as a useful standby. I had more success when I threw money at the whole thing. I once bought a Captain Hook costume, drew him a moustache and he happily swash­buckled into the playground, swinging a broken plastic sword which I had patched up with duct tape.

Of course, the cardinal sin is having a child who insists on being a character that isn’t in a proper book. I am sure teachers see the whole gamut of generic fairy princesses. You know they are onto you when they suggest the children bring to school the actual book in which the character is featured. Now you’re stuck. Is there a Moshi Monster book out there? A sticker book. That’ll do nicely.

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

We see through the media a load of claptrap printed about the known terrorist the media call Jihadi John.

Only a fool would suggest that the secret service M15 caused him to become a terrorist.

The problem with the British national media is that they always seek to blame someone else for any atrocity or horror. It’s time journalists learned to stand up and “say it as it is”, fearlessly like our grandparents used to do.

Firstly we should remind all those in the media that the terrorist in question was not christened with the very British name of John. He was born in Kuwait and therefore is not British. He is in fact a terrorist by choice who takes pleasure in beheading helpless victims.

Australia may not be perfect in some ways, however they do operate an immigration system designed to protect their population and their country as a whole.

Comparing our own so-called border controls it seems that anyone can come and go as they please. The terrorist in question here came from the suspect country Kuwait, no money, no job, no earthly use to this country, and he knows that he could quite easily return here any time he chooses just as others like-minded have, and will do.

Before we had Euro we were known as Great Britain and the Isis mob would have stood no chance here. There was abundant industry, and apprenticeships were the norm.

We ought not then blame M15 for our serious and re-occurring problems. M15 does not run, manage, or mismanage the running of this country so try blaming all those who do. You have plenty of time before the election to decide who they might be.

Bert Spencer

Holbeach St Marks

Just who does he think he is? I refer, of course, to Coun Roger Gamba-Jones, chair of South Holland District Council’s planning committee.

How dare he accuse residents of abusing a system of “openness” that gives the general public the opportunity to air their views?

If some people have been abusing the system by “arguing, complaining about, or criticising someone else”, then the simple answer is not to put such letters up on its website, not to negate everyone else’s right to comment. Every website has some code of conduct that it follows, so why not South Holland 
District Council?

It is just not good enough to say that residents’ letters can viewed at the council offices. How can anyone guarantee that they will be available? When two members of the Wash and Sutton Bridge Protection Group arranged to view some documents, they found when they arrived at Priory Road, that they were not available because one of the planners was reviewing them at home!

Coun Gamba-Jones should be more humble in his approach, not just to members of the public, but also members of his committee: I have seen him in action and was not impressed by his leadership.

Janet Blundell

via email

A man was taken to hospital after the lorry he was driving left the road and ran into a ditch near Wyberton on Thursday.

It happened off Ralphs Lane, Frampton West End, where firefighters from Donington and two other stations used rescue equipment to free the driver and make the vehicle safe just after 8.40am.

The man was able to make his own way to Pilgrim Hospital, Boston, where he was treated for minor injuries.

The Friends of Deeping Library are, of course, very grateful for anyone’s support for our campaign to save the Deepings Library.

However, campaigning literature put out by David Parsons, UKIP candidate for South Holland and the Deepings, may give a misleading impression of his commitment to our cause.

His leaflet states: “David is campaigning together with local people to save the Deepings Library... He is fully behind local people and the Friends organisation trying to keep the library open.”

However, Mr Parsons is not, and never has been, a member of FoDL.

To our knowledge, he has never supported any part of our campaign, been to any of our events, nor contributed to our efforts.

Of course, he may well feel that our library should stay open and we are pleased about this – the extent of his commitment may appear exaggerated by his literature.

Liz Waterland

The Friends of Deeping Library

I will wager that you and most of your readers were born in the NHS and continue to be cared for and kept alive by it, yet it’s quite clear that not enough people are grasping the seriousness of what is happening.

The NHS is not in crisis because of what we are told by the main parties, it is in crisis because of the systematic corruption of our so-called leaders.

Only recently we saw Malcolm Rifkind MP has profited from awarding contracts to one of his own companies.

Politicians have ignored the doctors and nurses on the frontline while awarding themselves huge pay rises and turned their back on the principle of a NHS owned by all of us that works to save lives, not make money.

The Hippocratic oath is being erased by those same dark forces who hunger and profit for war abroad while waging war on the weak and the poor at home.

I have lived for several years under an American health insurance plan; while I was fortunate that my employers paid for most of this, trust me when I say you do not want this here.

Nobody of sound mind wants this here. Only those who benefit.

We all need the NHS at our best and worst in life. We built the best healthcare system in the world and it belongs to all of us and we should not be ignoring this or rolling over.

I have been called a “parasite”, and the NHS referred to as “death panels” by its critics but I see little positivity in fusing public health and satisfying shareholders.

Privatisation hasn’t worked with energy companies and it hasn’t worked with the railways.

We need to remind politicians that they work for us, and for them to know they’re being watched by millions of us who’ll fight to protect our NHS.

I have been taking to the streets for the NHS with 38degrees.org.uk and will continue to do so. I urge your readers to join us at future events.

Nick Pitman

via email

A man has been remanded in custody charged with a burglary and two thefts in Spalding.

Christopher Wilcock (28), of no fixed address, was charged on Thursday with a burglary at Classic News, in Sheepmarket, that took place on February 19.

He was also charged with a theft from Iceland that took place on February 10 and theft from Lloyds Pharmacy on March 11.

Wilcock appeared before magistrates at Lincoln when he was remanded in custody.

Before the local councils

South Holland District Council

C Beeken, 3 Low Road, Crowland. Retention of dwelling without complying with agricultural habitation clause.

Z Cummings, Red Lodge, Langary Gate Road, Gedney Hill. Replacement dwelling.

Morningside Nurseries, 98 Dog Drove North, Holbeach Drove. Details of landscaping, levels, revised elevation drawing and archaeological report.

SHDC, Ash Court, Spalding. Details of specification for sub base and surface materials.

C North, 35 Quadring Road, Donington. Extension.

Donington Churchyard, Church Street, Donington. Works to TPO.

The Vine Inn, 21 Commercial Road, Spalding. Modification of condition - no longer a requirement for affordable housing.

R Carter, 35 London Road, Spalding. Works to trees in conservation area.

D and R Property Services, Holland House/Government Offices, junction High Street and Holland Road, Spalding. Archaeological investigation, final report submitted.

D Hall, Fieldview, Low Gate, Tydd St Mary. Continuation without complying with condition to allow use of annexe as holiday let.

O A Taylor and Sons Bulbs Ltd, Washway House Farm, Washway Road, Holbeach. Re-roof office, replacement of external windows from softwood timber to white uPVC.

REG Wind Power, Snake Hall Cottage, 105 Eaugate Road, Moulton Eaugate. Details of external finish/colour, landscaping, wildlife survey, archaeological specification, junction/access/roadway/hard standing works and temporary anemometry mast details.

Naylors Farm, Roman Bank, Moulton Seas End. 2.4 metre high palisade boundary fence, five small lean-to buildings, two transformers enclosed by 1.8 metre high palisade security fence and six 30watt LED security lights (retrospective).

Naylors Farm, Roman Bank, Moulton Seas End. Two fascia signs.

Mr and Mrs P Simpson, 52 Station Road, Surfleet. Extension.

Mr and Mrs Warnes, Glenside Cottage, Glenside South, West Pinchbeck. Extension.

Crossroads Nurseries, Main Road, Quadring. Detached single garage and reposition nursery access.

Mr and Mrs K Rayner, Crespia, Lowgate Road, Fleet Hargate. Loft conversion.

St Mary Magdalene’s Church, Church End, Fleet. Works to trees in conservation area.

D Gray, 24 Fen Road, Holbeach. Works to TPO.

S Leonard, 7 Damgate, Holbeach. Works to TPO.

T Machin, Cedars, 35 High Street, Long Sutton. Works to trees in conservation area.

Craig Fleming Physio Supplies, The Warehouse, Beck Bank, West Pinchbeck. Office and showroom for use with existing warehouse.

Mr and Mrs R Hard, Milestone Lane, Pinchbeck. Three dwellings.

Mr and Mrs J Delaney, Bresby House, New Road, Quadring. Works to repair and/or demolish and rebuild upper part of kitchen gable wall, install conservation rooflights, re-cover roof, internal structural and alterations.

M and M Enderby, Cuckoo Junction Cottage, Horseshoe Road, Spalding. Detached garage.

Ashley King Developments, land adj Barrier Bank, Spalding. Amendment to conference and function centre windows.

T White, The Limes, 12 Double Street, Spalding. Glazed conservatory, small glazed porch, single dormer on roof slop and internal alterations.

R Holland, 199 Bourne Road, Spalding. Four solar panels on flat roof (retrospective).

South Kesteven District Council

Shaw, 46 Mill Drove, Bourne. Extensions.

Williams, 21 Meadow View, Morton. Extension.

Grundy, The Old Vicarage, 14 Church Street, Thurlby. Single story dwelling, new entrance gate/walls (revised scheme).

Alston Country Homes, land and barns adj Towngate Farmhouse, Towngate West, Market Deeping. Variation of conditions.

Lane, 6 Lime Close, Langtoft. Extension.

POD Designs, 1-6 Main Street, Baston. Approval of details of conditions.

Boston Borough Council

Ward, plot adj Threeways, North End, Swineshead. Amendments to external materials, doors, windows and internal layout.

Hilton, Lowgate Lane, Bicker. Removal of condition.

Murlec Electrical Contractors, Plot 1 Kirton Distribution Park, Wash Road, Kirton. Office extension and storage building, erect detached building of five storage/warehouse units.

SLPP Ltd, Sutterton Garage and adj land, Station Road, Sutterton. Demolish garage buildings and build 21 dwellings.

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

Boston Magistrates’ Court

February 11

Jonathan Coe (34), of Counter 
Drain Drove, Tongue End. Three counts of assault (Tongue End). Committed to prison for 5 months, suspended for 12 months, restraining order, £300 compensation.

Isaac Allotey (68), of Huntsgate, Spalding. Drink-driving (Boston). £300 fine, £30 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 37 months.

Mervyn Grimwood (58), of Moons Green, Moulton. Drunk in a highway (Spalding). Six months conditional discharge, £15 v/s, £85 costs.

Viktoras Karpuchovas (21), of Bourne Road, Spalding. 
Drink-driving (Boston). £250 fine, £25 v/s, £85 costs, 
disqualified from driving for 22 months. No insurance. £250 fine. No separate penalty for driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence.

Marius-Alexandru Nicola (27), of Cygnet Court, Spalding. Drink-driving (Boston). £110 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 16 months.

Paul Rivett (45), of Hall Hill Road, Holbeach. Theft of a mobile phone (Spalding). 24 months conditional discharge, £200 compensation, £15 v/s.

February 18

Kevin Fletcher, of Westhorpe Road, Gosberton. Failing to comply with the requirements of notice served under 
the provisions of section 215 of the Town and Country 
Planning Act 1990. £630 fine, £63 v/s, £500 costs.

Nathan Hadfield (30), of Spencer Street, Burton 
Latimer, Kettering. Trespassed in pursuit of game, woodcocks, snipes or conies (Deeping St Nicholas). £200 fine.

Andrew Tullett-Court (56), of Middle Road, Spalding. Drink-driving (Moulton). £250 fine, £25 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 14 months.

Deividas Dalangauskas (26), of St Pauls Road, Spalding. Failed to comply with requirements of community order. £50 fine, £75 costs.

February 19

Agneta Mikusauskaite (28), of Knight Street, Spalding. Drink-driving (Boston). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 
disqualified from driving for 22 months.

Martyn Miles (21), of 
Pinchbeck Road, Spalding. Dangerous driving (Spalding). Community order with 200 hours unpaid work, £60 v/s, £100 costs, disqualified from driving for 12 months. No separate penalty for 
failing to stop for a police 
officer.

February 23

Christopher Birkett (25), of London Road, Spalding. Driving otherwise than in 
accordance with a licence (Sutterton). £100 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Jade Burnham (21), of 
Larkdale Street, Nottingham. No insurance (Holbeach). £600 fine, £60 v/s, 385 costs, 6pts.

Shane Pearce (29), of The Tenters, Holbeach. Speeding (Whaplode). £400 fine. No 
insurance. £600 fine, £60 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts. No separate penalty for driving otherwise than in accordance with a 
licence.

Carol Walsham (43), of Rural Avenue, West Pinchbeck. Driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence (Crowland). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 3pts.

Aleksas Vaitkunas (27), of Elsham Terrace Haven Village, Boston. No insurance (Kirton). £230 fine, £23 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

Clemente de Figuiredo (71), of High Road, Moulton.
 Driving without due care and attention (Moulton). £80 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, 6pts.

February 26

Jay Power (21), c/o Archers Lane, Sutterton. Criminal damage (Holbeach). £100 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs. No separate penalty for dishonestly using without authority quantity of electricity, failing to surrender to custody. Assault. £50 fine.

Jack Brookes (20), of 
Donington Road, Bicker. 
Assault (Spalding). Four months prison sentence 
suspended for two years, 200 hours unpaid work, £800 compensation, £85 costs.

Naglis Skabika (46), of 
Solway Avenue, Wyberton. 
Drink-driving (Boston). 
Community order with 150 hours unpaid work, £60 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 4 years.

Ian Fountain (43), of South Drove, Spalding. Drink-
driving (Spalding). £110 fine, £20 v/s, £85 costs, disqualified from driving for 19 months.

Artur Prokopjev (31), of Horseshoe Terrace, Wisbech. Drink-driving (Holbeach). £311 fine, £31 v/s, £85 costs, 
disqualified from driving for 12 months.

Ainsley Johnson (26), of Chestnut Avenue, Holbeach. Assault (Spalding). Community order with curfew requirement, £200 compensation, £60 v/s, £85 costs.

Jake Skinner (25), c/o 
Dennis Estate, Kirton. Stole DVDs from Tesco (Wyberton Fen) and resisting a police 
officer. 12 months conditional discharge, £15 v/s, £85 costs.

Lincoln Magistrates’ Court

February 10

Margaret Charkham (52), of Station Road, Billingborough. Criminal damage (Leasingham). £20 compensation.

Skegness Magistrates’ Court

February 10

Edmunds Laucis (32), of Fydell Street, Boston. Two counts of assault (Bicker). Community order with requirement to participate in Building Better Relationships Programme, restraining order, £100 fine, £100 costs, £60 v/s.

Luke Arons (34), of 
Winsover Road, Spalding. 
Unlicensed vehicle (Spalding). £200 fine, £30 back duty, £90 costs.

Mariusz Grzesiy (36), of Hardwick Estate, Kirton. Vehicle insurance offence 
(Boston). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £100 costs.

Nicky Hardstaff, of Lowgate Avenue, Bicker. Unlicensed vehicle (Skegness). £200 fine, £57.50 back duty, £90 costs.

Adam Price (28), of Cornfields, Holbeach. Vehicle insurance offence (Spalding). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £110 costs.

Michael Ray (51), of Dawsmere Bank, Dawsmere. Vehicle insurance offence (Spalding). £200 fine, £20 v/s, £110 costs.

A man accused of burglary and theft of electrical items from a home in Bourne Road, Pode Hole, was sent by Boston magistrates for trial at Lincoln Crown Court.

Patryk Zawadzki (22), of Chapel Street, Boston, entered no plea when he appeared before magistrates on Wednesday. He was bailed to appear at the higher court on March 25.

He is jointly charged with the offence on February 15 with Martin Grzelak, who has already been sent to the crown court.

Meet the team: Gill Williamson, Chloe Stevenson and Sarah Turner. Photo: SG230114-223NG

During the next few weeks there are a number of opportunities for you to meet the Lincolnshire Community & Voluntary Services team.

If you manage volunteers our Voluntary Sector Forum is for you. Or have you ever wondered if volunteering is for you, but don’t want to commit yourself?

Why not come and have an informal chat at the Jobs Fair on Tuesday or the Community Event on Wednesday, March 25?

And finally, the Health Trainer is on hand if you are at risk of Type 2 Diabetes.

Opportunities to meet the team

If you manage volunteers and are a charity or community group, LCVS is hosting a Voluntary Sector Forum on Thursday, March 19 at the Council Offices in Spalding starting at 2pm.

This is an ideal opportunity for groups to meet and share ideas. There will be presentations about current topics including the new DBS regulations. Book your place through Eventbrite or via the contact details below.

On Tuesday we will be at the South Holland Centre for Spalding Jobs Fair from 10am.

If you are a job seeker, volunteering is an excellent way to boost your employability. It can give you work experience and training, get you back into a work routine, update your learning skills, widen your social circle and most importantly fill gaps in your CV.

On Wednesday, March 25 we will be attending the Community Advice and Funding Event at the South Holland Centre in Spalding from noon until 8pm. Please feel free to come and see us for a chat.

Do you think you may be at rink of Type 2 Diabetes?

If so, Theresa Lewis, a health trainer at LCVS, is running a free, fun and friendly six-week course.

The course will include: Information on sugars, food labelling, portion sizes the benefits of being active and the free services and events available to you.

If you would like more information or to book a place on a course please call on the number below or email Theresa at theresa.l@lincolnshirecvs.org.uk

Volunteering opportunities this month

Many of the local charity shops are now opening seven days a week and need more volunteers.

If you have ever considered volunteering in a charity shop please contact us.

Holbeach Youth Club is very popular but desperately needs more volunteers, especially on a Friday evening.

If you could spare a few hours on a Friday please get in touch.

If you could help Holbeach Youth Club, a charity shop, or are interested in any of over 200 different volunteering opportunities in South Holland please contact us – details below.

Ring on 01775 718008 or email us at spalding.v@lincolnshirecvs.org.uk and we will be happy to help.

Ruary Mackenzie Dodds describes himself as a leading ambassador for dragonflies.

TV nature presenter Chris Packham obviously has a slightly different view of his role, presenting him with the BBC ‘Geek Award’ on one occasion.

In reality Chris admires the man, calling him “one of Britain’s greatest living naturalists” in Ruary’s latest book.

The Dragonfly Diaries – the unlikely story of Europe’s first dragonfly sanctuary – is to be launched locally with a talk at Bookmark in Spalding on Thursday, March 26 (7.15pm).

When Ruary comes to the town for the talk and book signing, it will be a return to somewhere that holds a special place in his heart.

Ruary spent the first 15 years of his life living on High Street in Spalding with his late parents, his mother Marjorie and father Norman Mackenzie Dodds, senior partner at the old High Street doctors’ practice.

The young Ruary accompanied his father on home visits, which took him into homes all over town.

When not with his father or at school, Ruary adored cycling round the fens and later took a kayak out on the Welland and the Coronation Channel.

Sadly, Ruary’s mother died when he was 15, prompting his father to move the family back to Scotland.

However, Ruary says those early years in Spalding and surrounding villages made a lasting impression on him, and one that would influence a decision later in life.

After becoming a businessman, Ruary had a moment of sudden revelation when a dragonfly landed on his shirt as he stood beside a river.

He says: “It was an extraordinary experience. It led to a complete change in my life. In the space of a few years I became obsessed with dragonflies. I shifted from businessman to batty naturalist. I now have an occupation about which I’m passionate and from which I can never think of retiring. My job is to show people that dragonflies are beautiful, fascinating and in trouble.”

As well as becoming a writer, Ruary set up a dragonfly sanctuary, and his new book tells that whole story, both of his own transformation and creating the sanctuary.

The book retails for £12.99 – ISBN: 978 190 864 3551.

Ruary Mackenzie Dodds has made it his life’s mission to raise public awareness about the fascination of dragonflies and the fact that they are in trouble.

He says the critical things for dragonflies are wetland habitats and the number of native water plants.

He says people can help the insects by digging ponds in their gardens and suggests farmers could reinstate ponds that existed in their grandfather’s day.

Ruary, who returns to Spalding occasionally to put flowers on his mother’s grave and wander round, says: “Digging a pond is a useful contribution beside the fact it’s lovely thing to do.

“I know a couple of farmers who have recreated ponds that were there in their grandfathers’ time and the plants have re-generated.”

A man made 11 nuisance 999 calls to police within an hour when he wanted to go home to “the city of Spalding” after being discharged from Boston’s Pilgrim Hospital in the early hours.

Kestutis Pudzemys was found drunk on the floor “in the roadway” in Spalding the previous evening and taken to Pilgrim with a suspected injury, Boston magistrates heard.

Prosecutor Nick Todd told magistrates Pudzemys made 11 999 calls between 2.30am and 3.30am on February 16 because “basically he wanted a lift back to Spalding and he thought the police should take him”.

Mr Todd continued: “He was told on all of the occasions that the police weren’t offering a taxi service.”

He said Pudzemys used offensive language to the 999 operators, which they found unpleasant and annoying.

The court heard police went looking for Pudzemys and found him while he was making the final call.

“Apparently he was lost in Boston and didn’t know how to get home,” said Mr Todd.

Pudzemys (31), of Neville Avenue, Spalding, was fined £365 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £36 victim surcharge.

He admitted using a public communications network to make 11 nuisance and abusive 999 calls.

Solicitor Beris Brickles, mitigating, told magistrates it wasn’t plain that Pudzemys wanted to use the police as a taxi service and Pudzemys, who was still under the influence of drink at the time he made the calls, had said he was looking for directions.

Mr Brickles said: “One of the calls was ‘I am lost in Boston and I am from the city of Spalding’. It’s the first time I have heard Spalding called a city.”

He said Pudzemys had used offensive words, but no threats.

A security guard put his wife in a headlock on Valentine’s Day during an argument in their kitchen about Facebook.

Paul Defries (44), of Jubilee Close, Sutton St James, didn’t injure wife Colleen, but she complained to the police.

Nick Todd, prosecuting, told Boston magistrates: “I think it’s right to say had this not been a domestic violence case the police might well have cautioned him for that, but such are the protocols in place today a prosecution was deemed necessary.”

Mr Todd said the couple had been married for 27 years and Mrs Defries was sitting at the back of the court.

He said they had an argument, which started off about Facebook and then escalated.

“During that argument, Mr Defries got hold of her in a headlock, causing no visible injury, but she complained to the police and he was interviewed and made some admissions,” said Mr Todd.

Solicitor Roger Lowther, mitigating, said Defries had worked as a security guard for the last two years and a conviction on the common assault charge could well put his employment in jeopardy.

He said: “I think at it’s highest this is a case of, dare I say, something or nothing. It’s the lower end of the assault scale – as you’ve heard there were no injuries at all – and I understand that a retraction statement has been made by Mr Defries’s wife.”
Mr Lowther said domestic violence cases are now always charged.

“There’s no flexibility and – no doubts – there’s no commonsense applied to these cases at all,” said Mr Lowther. “It was a short-lived, isolated incident within 27 years of marriage and no injury caused.”

Presiding magistrate Andrew Leonard said the offence “had to be marked”. He said: “It’s just a shame after 27 years that triviality took control over something on Facebook.”

Defries, who pleaded guilty, was conditionally discharge for a year and must pay £85 costs with a £15 victim surcharge.

Improved facilities and support for victims of domestic abuse across Lincolnshire will be created following a successful bid for government funding.

South Kesteven District Council, Boston Borough, East Lindsey, North Kesteven, South Holland, West Lindsey and Lincoln City Council teamed up to bid for funds from the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

The DCLG had set aside £10 million for councils to bid for as part of a drive to improve existing facilities and services across the country and to ensure that victims and their families are kept safe.

As a result of the successful bid, the seven Lincolnshire districts will receive a pot of £430,000 which will help increase the number of refuges in the district, and ensure that those who enter into refuge have access to appropriate support.

SKDC’s business manager for housing Lisa Barker said: “We are determined to ensure there is a strong safety net for anyone facing the frightening threat of violence in their own home.

“The funding will lead to improved refuges and increase the level of support currently offered to victims, maintaining a strong network offering help to those at risk.”

County and district councillor Ray Wootten, who lives in Grantham, said: “Incidents of domestic violence affect all sections of society so I welcome the news that additional funding will be made for refuges, as a former Domestic Violence Officer and representative at SKDC I know how crucial having a safe place to go can mean to victims of domestic abuse.”