Author Archives: Richard Rush

LETTERS – Buy shares and have your say

Knowing he was terminally ill with lung cancer in 2011, my late husband organised a Platinum Barclaycard on his account to make my life easier for paying bills etc.Several weeks later he died and I went to pay for the funeral flowers; but the card was rejected.This was a very painful and humiliating experience. I didn’t know that bank and ...

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LETTERS – Should festival get funding?

Your article “Criticism over town spending” (February 14) lists several projects and events in Holbeach which have benefited from some of the £250,000 funding via South Holland District Council in recent years.One is quoted to be Holbeach Music and Beer Festival, receiving £5,000.Establishing and building up this annual festival has been a remarkable achievement by organiser Sean Taylor. It is ...

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LETTERS – What are EA doing for breach?

I was appalled to read in the local press that the breach in the Welland bank made in early January has still not been repaired and the land in the Washes have been flooded yet again in the recent heavy rain.What on earth are the Environment Agency doing about it? They should have leapt into action and got the breach ...

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LETTERS – Flower Queen is open to all

While I totally understand some people’s views and comments regarding a male entering the Flower Queen competition, I have to say that I am disappointed in some.Last year we called it an ‘Ambassador’ and some complained. So we go back to tradition, ‘Flower Queen’ as it has been since the 50s and some complain.It is 2024 now and we have ...

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Businesses back forum bloom bid

There is hope that hanging baskets will be in place in Spalding this summer after several councillors canvassed businesses at the weekend. Members of the Spalding Town Forum went around town encouraging firms to take the blooms offered on the proviso they water them.As reported previously, concerns had been expressed about them not being in place this year due to ...

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Man’s protest at slaughterhouse

A South Holland man is staging a protest outside a Pinchbeck slaughterhouse every week. Every Sunday from 10am to 1pm, David Brown is protesting outside the Woodhead Brothers’ abattoir currently owned by Morrison’s on Enterprise Way.An animal rights campaign group highlighted what it said was ‘harrowing abuse’ of animals going through the plant.David has decided to make a stand by ...

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Area’s ‘Miracle’ sets out its stall

A South Holland organisation set up by a local woman, initially to help Ukrainian refugees, has officially launched its hub and brand new charity shop. Boxes of Hope has already been operating out of the former Lloyds/TSB bank on High Street in Holbeach. Now the community interest group has also opened the Community Miracle shop across the road. They recently ...

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Long term plan for flood washes

Climate change and alterations to river catchment areas will all be considered within an Environment Agency project for South Holland The scheme will be developed over the next three years, and is being led by the Environment Agency.The Cowbit and Crowland Washes haven’t been fully utilised because the Welland system has been significantly changed since their construction.A major upgrade was ...

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£7.5k digital row over media board

A £7,500 digital media board that’s costing Holbeach Parish Council hundreds of pounds a year is at the centre of an argument about who owns it. Purchased via the Welcome Back Fund, parish councillors say they did not know they would have to pay £785 business rates a year on the machine which was installed in spring 2022.A meeting of ...

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Person found dead on Spalding railway line

A person has died following an incident on the railway line through Spalding last night. British Transport Police said its officers were called at 7.50pm yesterday (February 20) and the person was pronounced dead at the scene. They also said the death was not being treated as suspicious. It’s not been confirmed if the person has been hit by a ...

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Baby among four rescued from car teetering over edge of river bank

Four people including a baby were rescued from a car teetering over the edge of a riverbank on Tuesday, February 20. The incident involving a red Vauxhall Astra happed at 11.53am at Beck Bank, Quadring Fen. Crews from Donington and Boston attended the incident to stabilise the vehicle before pulling it to safety and getting the four occupants including the ...

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On your marks, get set, bake!

There will hopefully be no soggy bottoms on show as the current winner of The Great British Bake Off comes to Spalding for a special charity cake competition. As part of South Holland District Council chair Andrew Woolf’s fundraising for Mencap and Blood Cancer UK, he’s organised his own Bake Off as part of the authority’s Step Into Spring event ...

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Big boost for Ever Young Club

A group that puts activity classes on for the over 50s in Spalding has been given a boost thanks to Sport England. The Ever Young Club have been welcoming Spalding residents of over 50 years of age for the last eight years to help keep them active, supporting their physical and mental wellbeing.With £3,277 from Sport England’s Together Fund, the ...

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£1m lottery argument goes national

A former couple from Spalding have made national headlines over a £1m winning National Lottery scratchcard. Michael Cartlidge appeared in The Sun newspaper claiming he should get half of the pay out because he persuaded then girlfriend Charlotte Cox to purchase the winning ticket.But after three months together the couple split up just weeks later and operator Allwyn has since ...

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MP’s plea for businesses to take part in consultation

MP Sir John Hayes has urged agricultural businesses to take part in a review of the supply chain that ends this week (Thursday, February 22). The Government is currently holding a public review into the UK’s fresh produce sector supply chain.Sir John also recently convened a meeting of local farmers and growers, the Spalding Branch of the NFU and the ...

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Sing your heart out at event

A not for profit group that celebrates singing is hosting a special event in Spalding with an internationally renowned singer. Dave Camlin will be featuring alongside some brilliant local voices courtesy of soundLINCS at the mass harmony singing at Broad Street Methodist Church on Saturday March 9.A spokesman for soundLincs said: “Led by inspiring community singing leader, Dave Camlin, and ...

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Wing it on down to Eagles

A top Eagles tribute band are swooping in to the South Holland Centre this Friday (February 24). Desperado – The Heart of the Eagles, will be performing the hits and more from the legendary band.A spokesman for the South Holland Centre, said: ” The internationally acclaimed show is regarded as one of the finest Eagles tributes you will ever witness.“The ...

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‘ABBA meets cold war’ in Chess

Pupils at Spalding Grammar School are to put on a rock opera next month. Chess is described as ‘a complex rock opera about love, betrayal and fame’ set to music by ABBA songwriters Benny Anderson and Bjorn Ulvaeus with Tim Rice providing some of the lyrics.Director and head boy Jack Wheatley, said. “For a musical about a seemingly boring board ...

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Solar farm plans announced

Plans for a large new solar farm that would be decided by central government have been unveiled for South Holland. Downing Renewable Developments (DRD) is looking to put up the solar panels and associated buildings in several areas near Crowland, Whaplode Drove and Gedney Drove. The company says it has a generating capacity of up to 750MW which could, if ...

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Carpetright to close tomorrow with 24 hour gym set to open in building

The Spalding branch of Carpetright is set to close tomorrow (Saturday February 17) with a 24-hour PureGym to open in its place. Signs have gone up at the Westlode Street store announcing the closure. Meanwhile the chain PureGym says on its website a Spalding branch ‘is coming soon’ where it confirms it will be in the premises Carpetright currently operates ...

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