Columns

WILDLIFE COLUMN: The beauty of birdsong

Right across Europe, the finest singers are tuning up. Preparing their voices in readiness to battle for their home. No, I’m not talking about the Eurovision Song Contest. This is something altogether far more tuneful, the dawn chorus. At this time of year birds are beginning to nest and raise young. In order to successfully do so, they need both ...

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TRAVEL COLUMN: Honeymoon – or maybe a mini-moon

The price of weddings is skyrocketing and with the ever – increasing demands of work, newlyweds are seeking mini- escapes directly after their wedding, in order to delay the traditional and longer honeymoon until the best season hits their destination of choice. Peak wedding season in the UK doesn’t naturally mean it is peak season in many of the traditional ...

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VETS COLUMN: More tales of our 12 rescued cats

When we came over to Lincolnshire nearly 20 years ago we brought 12 rescue cats with us. Nermal, Boris and Ginger we talked about last time. Here are some more tales. Plum was a little black kitten with a bit of white. He looked like he was wearing a little dinner jacket. He had been found at the Liverpool docks. ...

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Tulip Talk with Jan Whitbourn

TulipMania took place at Springfields over the traditional Bank Holiday weekend. The festival encourages us to remember the Flower Parade and its heritage and to celebrate the work the parade achieved putting Spalding on the international map. The main event took place on Saturday and featured the judging of the TulipMania Prince and Princess competition. The winners, Bradley Grant and ...

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VET COLUMN: The story of 12 cats from Liverpool

When we moved over to Lincolnshire from Liverpool about 20 years ago we came with 12 cats that had been rescued while working at my practice there. They all have their stories to tell. Nermal was a poor little kitten when we first saw her. She was a cruelty case. She had only been fed raw mince and consequently had ...

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GLEED COLUMN: Working to break down barriers to pupils’ learning

Maggie Bird and Paula Baker are the Head of Year 8 team at Spalding’s Sir John Gleed School. They are there to make sure that students are succeeding academically and there is nothing getting in the way. We know that we all do better in our work when we are happy and feel well supported by those around us. At ...

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MONEY TALKS: Passing pension cash to future generations is an efficient solution

Retaining pension wealth within the pension fund and passing it down to future generations is an extremely tax efficient estate planning solution. It combines Inheritance Tax (IHT) free inheritance with tax free investment returns and, potentially for some beneficiaries, tax free withdrawals. Now pension freedoms have come into force, the new rules will allow holders of personal pensions to nominate ...

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VET COLUMN: Would having a puppy fit in with your lifestyle?

Summer will soon be here, which means lovely weather, being outdoors – and minds turn to getting a puppy. A dog is a wonderful thing to own and enhances any family. But it is a long term commitment both financially and time-wise so consideration and research before you go ahead can make all the difference. Does your lifestyle work for ...

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ELDERLY VOICE: Charity for elderly claims cap on care costs ‘flawed’

A leading charity is urging candidates in next week’s General Election to help make the UK a great place to grow older. Age UK is asking people to contact their prospective MPs urging them to become Age Champions and speak out for older people. The Government is proposing a new funding system for social care, but Age UK is asking ...

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VET COLUMN: New vaccine against bacterial disease

Since the release of a new Leptospira L4 vaccine by one of the veterinary vaccine companies there has been increasing discussion about using this vaccine as compared to the original L2 vaccine and discussions about the disease itself. Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that primarily causes liver and kidney damage although other organs and brain can also be affected. There ...

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COLUMN: Looking forward to a busy May

I had a fantastic day last Sunday in Spalding town centre when I was present at the St George’s Day Parade, attended by over 300 members of the South Holland Scouts and Guides. The parade assembled in Hall Place and was led by the Marching Ambassadors, who put on an excellent show, through the Market Place and on to St ...

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WILDLIFE COLUMN: A time of sun and showers

“Drip, drip, drop. Little April shower…” So go the lyrics from the song April Shower in the Disney film Bambi. And this is indeed a month renowned for its changeable weather. We often view this as something of a nuisance, disrupting plans and turning pleasant countryside walks into a scurry for the nearest shelter. But if you think for a ...

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TRAVEL COLUMN: UK has its fair share of beauty spots

There are lots of beauty spots within the UK that are worthy of travelling to – sometimes we forget this. There are a large variety of tour operators that offer holidays within the UK. These include family holiday parks which have entertainment on site to suit all family requirements and suit a wide age range too. They also offer a ...

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VET COLUMN: Don’t contribute to kitten explosion

The weather is getting warmer and spring is finally here, which means more daylight, more flowers and for those of us in veterinary practice, more kittens! Every year we see litters of kittens born as strays and brought in to us by concerned passers-by, often infected with feline influenza and requiring weeks of treatment. More fortunate litters are born to ...

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TULIP TALK: A confidence boost for Connor

Connor Sanderson started at Tulip Radio in September 2014 after leaving the Gleed School earlier that year. After finishing his time at school, Connor was unsure about what he wanted to do and he felt that, with three GCSEs, there wasn’t a lot that he could do. Since then, we have seen his confidence grow along with his technical and ...

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GLEED COLUMN: What happens when an Ofsted inspector calls?

All schools are apprehensive when Ofsted ring up and at Sir John Gleed we got the call in the week before the Easter holidays. We can’t reveal the result yet as the report hasn’t been published but we can say that it went very well for us and that it will be a huge leap forward for the school. We ...

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COLUMN: Spalding has plenty going on during April

April is upon us and the appearance of spring flowers, buds on trees and hedgerows, gives a feeling of anticipation and energy; well there is a lot to look forward to this April from a town centre perspective. As well as the religious aspects of Easter, it is very much a time for families to get together and enjoy a ...

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WILDLIFE COLUMN: March is the month to see original Easter bunnies

If you think of one animal in March, it would have to be the mad March hare. All around the Spalding area, you can see them. From gently lolloping along, two or more hares suddenly go into high speed chases. They then rear up onto their hind legs, battering each other with a flurry of blows. So what on earth ...

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GREEN TEAM: Think recycling this Easter

Follow these egg-cellent tips to make sure you are recycling right this Easter! Every year more than 80 million chocolate eggs are sold in the UK, generating more than 8,000 tonnes of waste from Easter egg packaging. Here in South Holland I’d like to encourage you all to reduce, reuse and recycle this Easter season to ensure an egg-cessive amount ...

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VET COLUMN: How to care for your rabbit

Rabbits have traditionally been children’s pets, but as many people have discovered they are often better suited as adult pets. They are very inquisitive animals and much more intelligent than most people realise. It is now being understood that it is not enough for a rabbit to be kept in small solitary situations. They need a wind and waterproof area ...

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