I’m writing this while watching the Paralympic opening ceremony in Rio, reminding me of four years ago when we managed to get London Paralympic tickets, writes Ian Stancer.

It was touch and go if I’d be able to attend due to harvest delays, caused by that interminable wet summer; sure enough the weather was wet on the day so no problem.

Of course that harvest was infamous for its appalling yields due to the lack of sunshine and sure enough this harvest will also go down in history as mediocre at best, and downright poor in places thanks to the dismal June we suffered. We just have the beans to cut now and I’m optimistic, having travelled through them recently, that they ought to be better than the 10-20 per cent drop off suffered with the wheat.

On a more positive note, the dry conditions since the end of June have allowed rapid harvest progress, with no wheeling damage and largely dry crops into storage, which will save a few precious pennies .

The NFU is currently embroiled in a huge survey to find out what farmers up and down the country would like to see in government policy post Brexit. Please take the time to complete and return the survey sent out to all members and help to shape an uncertain future as we eventually drift away from the EU. Whitehall will have their own ideas but we need to influence the details to shape an uncertain future whatever the weather.

The war memorial in Pinchbeck unveiled in 1916 was closely followed by one in West Pinchbeck on July 28 in 1917.

It is the screen between the nave and chancel in St Bartholomew’s Church.

It is built of oak and was made by Jones and Willis of Birmingham, at the cost of £140, and dedicated by the Bishop of Lincoln, the Rt Rev E L Hicks.

The names of all the fallen are at the bottom of the screen.

I was interested to see the photograph of Private F H Lyne. His name is on Holbeach war memorial.

Some years ago, I was able to purchase his 1914-15 Star, now in the Spalding Gentlemen’s Society museum.

Where, I wonder, are his British War and Victory medals? His photograph will, in due course, be placed with his Star.

Customers in Donington have been left frustrated after their Post Office has been out of action for almost two weeks.

Staff at the Post Office counter, which is situated inside Bargain Booze, on the High Street, have been unable to access the online Post Office network since August 27.

This has meant they cannot process pension payments, pay in bills or offer usual services.

The Post Office head office says the issue is down to ‘technical reasons relating to broadband connection’ – but ward councillor Jane King says the situation has become “farcical”.

Coun King (Independent), who represents the Donington, Quadring and Gosberton wards for South Holland District Council, said: “There have now been two Mondays where people cannot get their pensions and I have been contacted by a number of people about it.

“The nearest places for a different Post Office are Bicker, Quadring or Swineshead but we don’t have a great bus service here. Not everyone has a car. How are people going to do things if they can’t get hold of their pensions?

“There are people who still pay their electricity bill through the Post Office.

“People who use the Post Office like to be able to speak to someone and don’t always want to be going to a new place where they don’t know the staff.

“They might need something explaining to them which is why they prefer to go in person. You do build up a rapport with people you meet on a weekly basis. Then there are people who are disabled and can’t get out to another Post Office.

I know there is the Lloyd’s Bank and the cash machine at the Co-op in the village but for people who have a certain Post Office card, they can only use that at the Post Office.

“The fact that the issue has not been sorted out in nearly two weeks is farcical.

“I feel sorry for the Post Office staff in the shop because it is not their fault. There is no point people going in and having a go at them.

“I have spoken on several occasions to Bargain Booze customer services and the Post Office head office and have not had much of an answer. When I spoke to someone at the Post Office she seemed to think it was due to transfer of ownership. It is not good enough that this has not been sorted out.”

The store that the Donington Post Office is situated in was formerly Costcutter but has apparently been occupied by Bargain Booze since April this year.

When contacted by the Spalding Guardian, a spokesperson for the Post Office at its head office, said: “The Post Office has been closed since August 27 for technical reasons relating to broadband connection.

“We would like to apologise to customers for any inconvenience caused by the temporary closure of Donington Post Office. This is due to technical reasons. We are working hard to restore services to the area as soon as possible.

“In the meantime, customers can access Post Office services at any branch, with Bicker and Quadring Post Offices being the closest alternatives. ”

More than 1,000 Post Offices across the country have been moved into supermarkets, petrol stations and newsagents under the ‘modernisation’ of the Post Office.

The Post Office says that while changes are being made, the transformation is not ‘a closure programme’ and it is “committed to maintaining” its current network (of branches) at around 11,500.

It will be a sad day when Gosberton Risegate’s Methodist Church holds its last Sunday service next weekend (September 18).

While those at the church want to make it clear it is not closing, it is feared that without support, its future could be in doubt.

Sheila Lee, who is secretary on the Methodist church council, has been a key part of the church with her husband Michael since the mid-1970s. They have spent years helping to restore and maintain the building and fundraising for its upkeep.

She said: “We used to have about 26 adults and the same number of children coming along to the service.

“Now our regulars are about eight people. Although other people do come along, the younger ones aren’t coming any more.

“We are not saying the chapel is closing. There will still be a service once a month held by the Jacob’s Well Church. The clubs, such as the Silver Links club (for seniors) will continue to run, plus the keep fit sessions.”

The feeling, however, is that with dwindling support for the church, it could be hard to keep it going.

Mrs Lee said: “To bring back the Sunday services would be nothing short of a miracle. I feel devastated.

“We have been involved with the church since our children went to the Sunday school.

The final Sunday service will be held on Sunday, September 18, at 2.30pm, conducted by the Rev Frances Ballantyne, with music by ‘New Name’ who have been performing at the church for the past 27 years.

South Holland District Councillor Jane King (Independent), for Gosberton, Quadring and Donington wards, said: “It is a real shame to hear about this.”

I’m saddened by how Spalding has changed.

I have lived here for over 25 years now – it used to be a bright vibrant town, with lots of different shops, all clean and tidy. People were proud to live and work here.

Now it’s full of drunks sprawled out in the streets, others busking, and litter everywhere. When the bins are used they are overflowing.

A lot of shops are very badly kept. The outsides are shabby, with rotten wood and paintwork flaking off.

One or two units have been done up, but the first floor has been ignored ... as if people don’t look up.

The guttering overflows when it rains, or is broken, and even plants are growing in them.

We are greeted by garish colours everywhere. There should be some guidelines on decor.

The planting around the town is lovely, but it is not enough if the other parts aren’t sorted out.

There should also be a place where all the wheelie bins can be put for emptying, instead of being left outside shops where they smell and look terrible.

Holbeach Hospital has been recognised for its outstanding care by being awarded the Gold Standards Framework (GSF) Quality Hallmark at the top level Beacon status.

The award recognises the community run hospital, which is a care home for the elderly, for its work in end of life care.

To be accredited homes must achieve 20 quality standards, ranging from leadership and support to dignity and respect, as well as provide a huge raft of evidence on its care.

Karl Ellerbroek, chairman of Holbeach and East Elloe Hospital Trust, said: “We are especially proud of this accreditation and the fact that we have received ‘Beacon’ status. This is a significant achievement and a huge credit to the manager and all the staff.”

The trust has drawn up plans to extend the hospital, boosting its capacity to 47 beds, and is also appealing for more people to become members and trustees because it relies heavily on community support to ensure its future.

Plans for the extension will be on display at an open evening starting at 6pm on Friday, September 16, in the Reading Rooms, Holbeach. That will be followed by the annual meeting at 7pm.

It’s hoped people will volunteer to become members and trustees because the trust believes the hospital will play an even bigger part in the community with huge numbers of homes due to be built in the town.

Mr Ellerbroek said: “The proposed eight room annex is shortly going in for planning permission and subject to this and finance being available will hopefully be completed by the end of 2017.

“We badly need the extra beds to meet the growing demand for our services – we generally have a waiting list of up to ten people. There is also an increasing demand for transitional beds.

“With the proposed increase in houses in Holbeach of 2,000-plus houses the pressure in the future is only going to increase. The new single storey unit will include en-suite facilities and a garden room and will also be ready for future extension when finances allow.

“Plans of the new unit will be on display at the Open Evening on September 16.”

Mr Ellerbroek said the trust initially rented the hospital from the NHS in 1989 when it was threatened with closure.

Ten years ago the trust purchased the freehold.

Currently it’s run by a ten-strong group of trustees.

Holbeach Hospital is managed by Maxine Winch, who is also thrilled with the Beacon standard accreditation. GSF will present its quality awards in London at the end of this month.

We all need a holiday at some point and, unfortunately mine, which happened to be booked many months ago, coincided with Holbeach Parish Council and its public debate on the market and Boston Road car park.

I make a real effort to attend most, if not all, parish council meetings, but do usually miss the August one because of holidays.

I was, therefore, rather disappointed that, having given my apologies, this was not made clear at the meeting.

I was, however, kept well briefed on the issue, as were the three district councillors for Holbeach.

At this point, I would like to point out that I am not a district councillor for the Holbeach ward, but am the county councillor for Holbeach and attend in that capacity.

Councillors have a duty to the whole of South Holland, not just their ward and portfolio holders make decisions across the district, which is why a Spalding councillor can make a decision on Holbeach and I can make decisions on Spalding or any other town.

My understanding is that the meeting was very well attended, with people understandably wanting to put their views across to the council officers and the portfolio holder, Roger Gambba-Jones.

As one of the ward members, it would seem to me that Paul Foyster is trying to make political capital out of it and is suggesting that an odd speed bump and some extra bollards will satisfy the majority of safety concerns.

Not only is he wrong on this, as they clearly wouldn’t satisfy safety concerns, but he made it clear to the officer that he was supportive of dividing the car park in two and supportive of the market move. Clearly he is saying one thing to the officer and another to suit the public mood.

In his letter to the Lincolnshire Free Press on August 23, Cllr Foyster goes on to say that there “is now no way the district council can pretend to be ignorant of how we (the public or Cllr Foyster?) feel about its decisions”.

I should remind him that the only way a decision can be made by members is through a portfolio holder’s report, a report to cabinet or full council, of which he is a member.

No report has yet been received and no decision therefore made.

When the report does come, it will take into account all feedback, including verbal comments, letters, emails, the parish council meeting and results from the trial scheme. That will, in turn, inform the decision that is made.

I would encourage people to give their views via the district council’s website at www.sholland.gov.uk or with a letter so that we can get a rounded view of everyone’s opinions.

Letters, like the one from Stephen Cole in the Lincolnshire Free Press on August 30, are most helpful in gauging public opinion, which we will consider along with other suggestions.

For me, the main issue as the county councillor is the extra pressure this will put on the traffic lights, for which informal discussions have already taken place.

I will be working with the highways department at the county council to ensure we get the best possible solution, one of which may be to introduce a right filter for Park Road, which, in my opinion, is much needed in any case.

We were going to look at these issues once the roundabout at Peppermint Junction was completed (construction work is due to start in March or April of next year), as well as putting a weight restriction on Spalding Road at that point.

I see no harm, however, in bringing the light issue forward, as clearly the number of cars cutting through Boston Road car park has led to a wrong figure being used when looking at how many cars use the lights and how they are set up.

The lights themselves have sensors that allow the lights to stay on green as long as cars are passing over the sensor, which means that while you may have large queues in any one direction, the majority will get through at the first attempt. A right filter can only help improve that flow on Park Road.

Many thanks to everyone who helped make the Armed Forces Day parade and collection such a success.

There were so many people involved that it is impossible to name everyone who marched in the parade, all the members of the numerous service organisations, those who collected £228.17 for SSAFA – the Armed Forces charity – in the street collection, those who manned the tombola to raise money for Operation Spalding Memorial, the Rev John Bennett, who conducted the service, Dennis Hannant for his singing and Tulip Radio for providing the PA system and wonderful music during the morning.

And, not forgetting, the market traders and market team who were instrumental in helping to set up Armed Forces Day four years ago.

Thanks also to all those local people and the press for supporting the event.

Firefighters were called when a barbecue got out of control at a property in Bourne.

A local crew was alerted just after 5pm this afternoon following reports of the fire in a garden on Linden Rise.

The fire was out on arrival and the crew passed advice to the occupants.

An online knitting store is donating wool to Spalding nannas because its bosses were moved by our yarn about their wool sculptures being destroyed.

We reported last week the yarn bombing nannas’ figures of the Queen and the ‘Cat of Many Colours’ had been vandalised, leaving creators Jan Neale, Carol Usher and Kitty Dickinson (90) in shreds.

Warehouse manager Phil Amatt, who works for Deramores Knitting Store, spotted our story and boss Kristine Kirby says the firm is ready to donate wool so the nannas can go on with their work.

Kristine, Deramores chief executive officer, says her company will be happy to send a “van load” of wool because they have so much yarn, particularly ends of lines, that would help the nans.

Kristine says staff were moved by the nans’ yarn bombing story and she is particularly keen to help because a branch of her family had lived in Spalding and she feels a personal connection to the town.

The nans live in flats at Georgian Court, which overlooks the riverbank where their works covered tree stumps. News of the wool donation has put a smile on their faces.

Carol told us: “It’s a brilliant idea.”

Last week the nans had mixed views about continuing, with Jan saying they were “too upset to think about it”, while Carol struck a note of defiance, telling us: “If we don’t do any more then they (the vandals) will have won.”

Carol said this week they will continue and have ideas for Halloween and Christmas. It was Jan, the nanna dubbed “River Banksy”, who first had the idea of brightening up the tree stumps.

• Our readers Facebook comments included: Tina Young: “The ladies did them in the spirit of fun & friendship! Lets face it Spalding could do with something to cheer people up. Maybe they weren’t everyone’s cup of tea but their intention was to make people smile. :)” Carol Stevens: “Typical! Ladies don’t be disheartened they were brilliant!” Diane Clay: “I thought it was a lovely idea and so much work went into them. There are some miserable mindless people out there.”

Previously ...

Knitting nannas reveal themselves as Spalding’s mystery yarn bombers

Vandals leave Spalding’s knitting nannas in shreds

Some years ago, I wrote to suggest that, as part of planning consent, South Holland District Council should insist that every new residential home is fitted with solar panels.

Were this the case, the district would stand to generate huge energy savings over time.

Recently, I read of proposals to build several hundred new homes near the A151 Spalding-Boston Road. This is an area that boasts fields of solar panels.

South Holland District Council gives the impression that it is a progressive council.

Now would be a great time to prove this by being the first local authority to insist that these new homes be fitted with solar energy before granting planing consent.

If fitted at the time of construction, then the work would be even cheaper.

A 25-year-old man has been arrested and questioned in connection with the death of a woman at a house in Market Deeping.

Emergency services were called to a house in Holland Close, off Kesteven Drive, Market Deeping, at about 9.45am on Saturday and found a 24-year-old woman who had suffered a cardiac arrest.

The man arrested was later released on police bail while an investigation into the woman’s death continues, but she has not yet been named.

Neighbours living near the house claimed that the two people involved had recently moved to the area but police are asking for anyone with information to call 101, quoting incident number 140 of September 10.

Thieves have again targeted a Land Rover Defender in the latest in a series of thefts across Lincolnshire and nationwide.

The doors and bonnet of a Defender in Malting Lane, Donington, were stolen overnight between Sunday September 11 and today, Monday September 12.

Any witnesses are asked to call 101, quoting the incident number 34 of the 12th.

Police are encouraging owners of Land Rover Defenders and Discoveries to be vigilant following a spate of thefts across the county.

Eight vehicles have been stolen from across the county over the past three months.

Two of these were found having been stripped of parts and another had been burnt out. The remaining five have not yet been found.

During this time there has also been 14 cases where thieves have stolen parts from a Defender or attempted to do so.

Sally Picker, Crime Reduction Tactical Advisor, said: “These incidents have taken place at both residential addresses and on farms and we need owners to be on their guard.

“If you have one, please make sure it is secure in a garage and is fitted with an alarm and tracking device.

“In some cases, thieves have still been able to make off with the vehicle or parts from it, but taking these measures significantly increases your chances of preventing a theft.

“If anyone sees someone acting suspiciously around a vehicle of any type, please report it to us on 101.”

A house in Eastgate, Deeping St James, was broken into at a tome between 10am and 3.45pm on Monday, September 5.

Police believe one or more burglars smashed a conservatory door at the back of the hoyse to get in.

Anyone with information should call 101, quoting incident number 313 of September 5.

You can also call Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.

People hit by power cuts in South Holland, Bourne, the Deepings and south of Boston can now report it using a free 105 number.

The new service went live on Wednesday and people can also dial it to find out about power cuts in the area, report damage to electricity lines and substations that could put passers-by in danger.

It was introduced under a proposal by energy regulator Ofcom to give people a single telephone number by which they can contact their electricity network operator anywhere in Great Britain.

Jonathan Oxley, group competition director 
for Ofcom, said: “Three-digit numbers are memorable and quick to dial, but they are also in short supply.

“Before we allocate a new one, we need to consider consumers’ interests and ensure that we are making the best use of telephone numbers.

“The new helpline will provide clear value to members of the public, often in difficult and stressful situations where it may be hard for a caller to look up a long number.

“Therefore, we are pleased to make available the new number 105 which will give people reassurance during a blackout.”

More than 600 people have made their voices heard on plans for the future of development across South Holland and Boston, it has been confirmed.

A four-week window for residents to comment on the latest South East Lincolnshire Local Plan, shaping the provision of new homes and businesses over the next 20 years, has seen hundreds give their views on possible places for development across the area.

South Holland District Council has been working since January with both Boston Borough and Lincolnshire County Councils to finalise guidelines for the growth of south east Lincolnshire between now and 2036.

At the time the public consultation was launched, Coun Roger Gambba-Jones of South Holland District Council said: “The new South East Lincolnshire Local Plan is going to shape the future growth of the area.

“Therefore, it is vitally important that people have their say on the proposals as the plan will identify opportunities for growth and set out guidance on the development that will be permitted, along with where it will go.

“So this is an exciting opportunity to be involved in shaping our area’s future.”

It has been claimed that a reason for the good response was a specially-made online consultation facility which ran alongside the Local Plan website - www.southeastlincslocalplan.org - where people could register, comment and read the views of others.

The Local Plan has forecast a need for 10,750 new homes in South Holland alone over the next 20 years and Coun Peter Bedford, chairman of the South East Lincolnshire Joint Strategic Planning Committee, said: “I have great sympathy for people trying to find a home and I understand the worry that securing putting a roof over their head brings.”

Give Taz Thornton a fire or broken glass and she’ll walk on it: that takes guts.

But it also takes a form of extreme empowerment that Taz has learned over the past six years or so.

Now, Taz isn’t asking women in the Spalding district to walk through flames, but she does want them to tackle something they will probably find equally tough: moving on from domestic abuse.

Taz is leading a free workshop at Tonic Health in Spalding next Wednesday, September 21, for people who want to start afresh after experiencing domestic abuse in the past. The Unleash Your Awesome event aims to help people deal with feelings of low self-esteem and move on from being labelled a victim.

And the thing is, Taz may be a strong, motivational woman now, but a few years ago that wasn’t the case.

Had anyone met her she would have looked every inch the confident, professional woman, but the business suit Taz wore for her senior role in the world of publishing was a mask. She was finding her high-powered role “crushing for the soul”.

She carried on as normal, even when a series of traumatic blows happened in her personal life, and Taz ended up having a breakdown.

However, she says now: “My breakdown was my break through, the best thing that ever happened to me. I realised something had to change.”

By that stage Taz had already been learning what she calls “life enhancing disciplines”, such as reiki, hypnosis and shamanism, in addition to the kind of training demanded by her job, such as conflict management.

The difference she was able to make to people was the one thing that gave her fulfilment during the hard times.

In the end, with the support of her now wife Asha, of PR agency Turquoise Tiger, Taz left her job. She joined Asha in the business, and that gave Taz the freedom to work with individuals and in corporate situations, teaching shamanism and spiritual development and running Unleash Your Awesome seminars all over the country.

Having also trained in extreme empowerment – learning fire and glass walking – elements of that may be included in her courses too.

• Taz Thornton understands the damage an abusive relationship can have, having experienced it herself.

In fact, the abuse and controlling relationship she was going through a few years ago almost drove Taz to suicide.

That bad experience makes her uniquely suitable for leading the Moving on from domestic abuse workshop in Spalding.

Karen Shooter, county domestic abuse manager, said: “Leaving an abusive relationship can be incredibly difficult, but when people do leave they are often left with negative feelings about themselves. It’s important they are supported to overcome this so they can feel safe and happy again.” To book a place on the workshop email your name and contact details to domestic abuse@lincolnshire.gov.uk

A councillor is spearheading moves to give South Holland District Council (SHDC) legal powers to restrict the number of off licences in Spalding.

Coun Malcolm Chandler, South Holland District Council’s portfolio holder in charge of licensing, has submitted evidence to a Parliamentary committee to try to reverse some of the provisions of the 2003 Licensing Act.

He says the Act was intended to introduce a cafe-bar culture, but scrapped too many controls on off-licences.

“It did away with the need to be approved,” he said. “It did away with the suitability of the premises, it did away with the suitability of the applicant and it left the number of off-licences down to market forces.”

As the law stands, council licensing panels can only turn down applications for off-licences where there are objections from authorities like Lincolnshire Police or Trading Standards. Objections are usually raised on grounds where licensing objectives are likely to be undermined, for example by criminal behaviour.

If police or Trading Standards object, the council licensing panel will hear evidence from the authorities and the applicant before deciding if the off-licence can open.

As reported in our sister paper, the Spalding Guardian, SHDC is currently gathering evidence to see if it can restrict the number of new off licences in one or more areas in Spalding by adopting a Cumulative Impact Policy (CIP).

Coun Chandler says evidence is being gathered for the CIP despite a fall in the number of off-licences in Spalding.

He says the number has dropped from around 26/27 to 21/22.

A handful lost their licences after being proven to be involved in illegal alcohol sales, illegal cigarette sales or both.

Coun Chandler says local authorities are left without a sanction to fit the crime when off-licences are caught selling illegal cigarettes and tobacco.

“All we can do now is take their alcohol licence away,” he said. “If there was a licence for selling cigarettes and tobacco, then we would be able to take that away to stop them openly selling cigarettes and tobacco.”

Coun Chandler says he would like to see the introduction of a licence for tobacco and cigarette sales.

The CIP will be focused on anti-social behaviour arising from the concentration of off-licences in particular areas and the council is now gathering evidence from the police, health authority, Trading Standards, its own licensing department and the public.

A report listing its findings and recommendations will go to the licensing committee on October 18.

A council spokesman explained: “A decision will then be made based on the evidence provided by the responsible authorities and interested parties with a requirement to resolve a specific set of issues.

“Where evidence supports restricting the growth of businesses licensed to sell alcohol, it will be referred to legal scrutiny that the evidence is robust, rebuttable and proportionate to deal with the identified objectives.”

• Spalding is covered by a DPPO (designated public place order), which gives police limited powers to tackle street drinking. But that is due to be replaced in October 2017 by a PSPO (public space protection order), which will bring in new on the spot fines of £100 for anyone involved in persistent anti-social behaviour, including street drinking.

Firefighters where called to a field in Long Sutton yesterday where a straw bale and stubble were on fire.

A crew from Holbeach used one hose reel and drags to extinguish the fire in Bridge Road.

A loud bang, thought to be a sonic boom caused by jets, has been heard over the north of Peterborough and south Lincolnshire this afternoon.

Our journalists have been contacted by a number of members of the public who heard the bang at around 11.30am.

It was heard by people in Stamford, Spalding, Bounre, Deeping, Baston, Langtoft and Werrington and the surrounding area.

RAF Coningsby have been contacted to confirm whether the bang was caused by one of its Typhoon jets.

More here as we have it....