Author Archives: Nigel Chapman

Thousands of South Holland council tax payers face cut to support scheme

Thousands of people could see a reduction in the amount of support they get to pay their council tax. Proposals put before South Holland District Council’s cabinet on Tuesday would generate a total of £203,777. A report said of 3,511 people currently eligible for reductions in their bill, the vast majority are likely to see a reduction in support of ...

Read More »

Gravity syndrome robbed Ella (23) of nursing career

Ella Berry’s body cannot cope with gravity – what she calls “Spaceman Syndrome” has devastated her life and destroyed her nursing career. Yet she is determined to make the most of every day and use her experiences to raise awareness of ‘invisible illnesses’ like hers. Ella had only been out of university a year and was on the path to ...

Read More »

Campaigners remain unhappy about anaerobic digester plant proposal

A group campaigning against a farm’s wish to build an anaerobic digester plant remains unhappy despite amended plans designed to reduce its visual impact. Keep Tongue End Clean is opposed to Deeping St Nicholas firm WD Branton’s planning application for the land south of Counter Drain Drove in Tongue End. The plant uses feedstock – in this case 43,250 tonnes ...

Read More »

Spitting in the street in Spalding could lead to a fine

More powers to fine people for spitting, dropping litter or cycling on the pavement in Spalding town centre could soon be in place. The move was discussed as part of a proposal to replace and extend existing powers to deal with anti-social street drinking. South Holland’s cabinet agreed on Tuesday to replace the current Designated Public Place Order (DPPO) with ...

Read More »

Holbeach Christmas parade is cancelled over administration error

Part of the Holbeach Christmas weekend next month has had to be pulled. A parade and market stalls organised by Les Ward will not go ahead on Sunday, December 4 as the event committee was too late submitting a road closure request and event plan. Mr Ward said: “I’d just like to say sorry to everyone for letting them down. ...

Read More »

Castle Sport Complex’s support for Macmillan Cancer Support

The £402.83 takings of a cake and drinks day at The Castle Sports Complex in Spalding are with Macmillan Cancer Support. Staff, customers and the Castle Café and Bar baked and brought in cakes to sell, there was a raffle by the 50+ Group and a competition to guess the number of sweets in the jar. Pictured (from left) are ...

Read More »

Spalding: Two sports clubs and two schools need votes to win funding

Just over a week remains for Spalding good causes to attract enough online votes to be in with a chance of netting up to £25,000. Spalding Hockey Club, Spalding Rugby Club, Spalding Parish School and The Garth Special School are among those vying to win funding from The Aviva Community Fund. People get ten votes simply by registering on the ...

Read More »

Castle swimming pool: Hygiene improvements ‘already evident’

Improvements to the running of Spalding swimming pool are already evident, South Holland District Council’s cabinet was told on Tuesday.(Nov 8) A task group of councillors which looked into complaints from the public on hygiene and the pools’ water temperature being too cold was reporting its findings and recommendations. The council contracts 1Life to run the Castle Sports Complex. Task group ...

Read More »

LETTER: Thank you for all the knitted teddies for hospital

To the teddy knitting ladies: thank you – they are super and very much appreciated. Just a note to say what happens to them. They are given to children who are attending King’s Lynn hospital’s radiology department and will possibly go into the scanner with the child. They give comfort in what can be a frightening experience. That is why ...

Read More »

Teenagers injured in Holbeach fracas

Police are investigating after two teenage boys were injured in an incident outside The Chequers pub in High Street, Holbeach. A mum, who did not want to be named, told The Voice her 13-year-old daughter was threatened with a knife during the incident at around 8.30pm on Friday when youngsters were confronted by adults. A police spokesman said officers were ...

Read More »

LETTER: Why can’t we allocate some of our new properties to the homeless?

An article in the local media about a homeless man living in a tent on derelict land in Spalding prompted me to look at homelessness in our district and I note that a bill has recently been set before Parliament to make local authorities do more for our homeless and street sleepers. Last month I was privileged to be shown ...

Read More »

Special Christmas shopping event in Lutton

A Christmas Shopping Extravaganza is taking place in Lutton on Thursday (Nov 10) to raise funds for ongoing repair costs for St Nicholas Church. From 2pm to 9pm, visitors to Lutton Village Hall will be able to buy Christmas cards and wrapping paper, handbags, scarves, jewellery, soaps and see lots of other gift ideas. There is also a vintage tea room ...

Read More »

Guiding Lights project to mentor people who have had mental health issues

A new volunteer mentoring project aims to help both individuals who have experienced mental ill health and community groups that need more support. The Lincolnshire Community and Voluntary Service (LCVS) Guiding Lights project sets out to train a team of mentors to support individuals who have experienced mental ill health or distress to take their first steps into volunteering. Ruth ...

Read More »

Ofsted: Pre-schools ‘outstanding’ and primary school improves to ‘good’

Two of South Holland’s pre-schools have been deemed “outstanding” and a primary school has raised its rating to “good,” in recent Ofsted reports. Inspectors praised the quality of teaching at Little Treasures Nurseries, in Haverfield Road, Spalding, as “superb”. It said of the 72-place nursery: “Staff are extremely kind, approachable and dedicated to the children.” The report added: “The provider ...

Read More »

Spalding doctor (60) dies in road accident while cycling

A long-time Spalding GP has been killed in a road traffic collision while cycling. Dr Charles Lennon (60) had only retired from Munro Medical Centre on October 31. His cycle was in collision with a bus on the A15 at Thurlby, near Bourne. Cycling was one of his hobbies which he was looking forward to spending more time doing in ...

Read More »

Volunteer group helps in Holbeach cemetery research

The Holbeach Cemetery Chapels Trust has formed a volunteer study group to assist the trust with grave recording and research in Holbeach Cemetery. The Holbeach Cemetery Research Group (pictured) held its inaugural meeting in September and already has 18 members. Many of them worked with the trust to develop last weekend’s Reminiscence Day and Act of Remembrance Ceremony. Project officer ...

Read More »

Boom time for Holbeach ACF unit

Holbeach detachment of Lincolnshire Army Cadet Force has gone from strength to strength since its move to new premises at the Holbeach Hub. The new base in Holbeach Youth Centre led to an increase in cadet numbers. Sergeant Instructor Jonathan Harold is the new detachment commander for Holbeach. He was a member of the regular Army, serving 15 years in ...

Read More »

48 homes planned on Spalding town centre site

A car dealership site could have 48 homes built on it. Kaplan Property Group has submitted the plans for the EMG Motors site in St John’s Road, Spalding. EMG has already got approval from South Holland District Council to move its service centre to Wardentree Lane, Pinchbeck and has applied for permission for a new showroom in Elsoms Way. The ...

Read More »

Controlled explosion by RAF on powder chemical at University Academy Holbeach

An RAF bomb disposal unit carried out a controlled explosion on a powder chemical stored at University Academy Holbeach. The visit last Wednesday (November 2) at 2pm followed a nationwide notification two days earlier by Consortium of Local Education Authorities for the Provision of Science Services (CLEAPSS) about a risk if the chemical – known as 2,4-DNP – is not stored ...

Read More »

Man (68) jailed for blackmailing vulnerable associate

A pensioner who threatened to falsely accuse a vulnerable man to police for a rape he never committed has been jailed for 18 months. Melvyn Papper demanded that his 46-year-old victim repay a £6,000 loan to another person telling him he would go to police and report the victim as having raped a woman. Papper had previously been acting as ...

Read More »