Features

It’s a dog’s life for behaviourist

Animal behaviourist Rachel Rodgers can trace her interest in the subject back to when she was young. The 52-year-old mum-of-two is now running her own dog behaviour business from Gosberton Clough, teaching Border Collie owners how to resolve their pets’ problems.Her initial interest in animal behaviour was piqued by a TV programme about a stickleback fish kept on a windowsill.“They ...

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Ringing support for war memorial

It’s Spalding’s hidden war memorial and a woman’s passion has seen it ring out more frequently recently. Jackie Woods says many in the town don’t even know about the homage of sounds to its World War One fallen.But the carillon bells are ringing more frequently from the South Holland Centre again.“If you’re not looking for it you wouldn’t even know ...

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Food hubs have been a success

A woman who celebrated her 87th birthday is one of over a thousand people who have used a Spalding project’s free lunch to help those that need it. Hub In, Hub Out, is the first project put on by Project St Thomas, the community centre set up by the town’s St Norbert’s Catholic Church.That came about after the church bought ...

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New fashion brand inspired by autism

A Spalding man has launched his own clothing brand inspired by his autism. Callum Brazzo has launched Aut Coutre online which is aiming to be a ‘fashion and lifestyle brand that celebrates neurodiversity’.The 31-year-old says he was inspired to do this after being after being stuck in a queue at a coffee shop.“That may seem uneventful to some, but for ...

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SociABLES is proving a huge success story

A group set up to by a Holbeach couple to improve lives including their daughter’s has proved to be a huge success. SociABLES has already added an extra day to accommodate demand after its first six months running.And charity Shine Lincolnshire has now provided at least three years of further funding to continue the sessions at Tonic Health’s Holbeach Hub.The ...

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Charity brings people together

If it wasn’t for a Spalding charity, it’s possible next door neighbours Marie Baker-Dixon and Bob Elliss would have never met. But that’s what The Meadows does, helps bring people together who might otherwise be on their own. Marie (85) was brought to the area from Ashton Under Lyme two years ago by her daughter to be looked after and ...

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Hospital is a real gem in Holbeach

“Notice us and value us” – that’s the message from Holbeach Hospital as it continues to provide healthcare in its own unique way. The nursing home, which was saved from closure in 1988 after the community took it over from the NHS, continues to provide mainly end-of-life care where its needed in the town. A recent appeal for more trustees ...

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Historic society needs support

The Spalding Gentlemen’s Society is urging people to use its historical museum more as it looks to attract grants to secure its 300 year history. The Broad Street institution boasting many thousands of artefacts will now be open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm with entry free. It’s part of a bid to get more visitors in as 1960s extension ...

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Engineers pile-in to create bridge

A massive engineering project is going on as part of a new road for Spalding – with 1,000 piles going into the ground for one bridge. This element of the Western Relief Road costs £1.4m of the scheme’s expected total £33m cost. “This is one of the largest numbers of piles used in a road project in this area. Although ...

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Sense group Mini Magpies is hoping to help South Holland families flourish

A group for pre-school children is hoping that it can help families in South Holland by opening up its excellent facilities for them. Mini Magpies is a specialist play and communication group for children aged up to five years old who have multi -sensory (vision and/or hearing) impairments. A range of play and communication activities are offered based on the ...

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Helping to mould their own futures through art

Artwork created by ‘life-saving’ groups for vulnerable adults is to be part of a unique exhibition at Spalding Library. Members of Spalding Safe Places, which provides support to people struggling with domestic abuse and those from Surfleet Dementia Group have produced the impressive array of pottery.It follows an initiative by Transported Arts and charity Tonic Health who run the groups.Eight-week ...

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Innovation on the menu at ‘world class’ centre

It’s attracting people from across the globe looking to make life better for the entire world – and it’s right here in Holbeach. Researching how the elderly eat food to aid care homes, using air vacuums to hoist up delicate berries to stop them bruising while placed in meals, finding more eco-friendly ways to produce foods and looking at methods ...

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Rolling with the Inner Wheel

A group for women who meet regularly is on the lookout for new members.The Spalding branch of the Inner Wheel Club of Great Britain is set for the organisation’s 100th anniversary celebrations in three years.It was set up in 1924 to help the poor in Manchester.It’s now grown to 104 countries with 108,000 members and is based on the ethos ...

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Pick up a pint in the pop-up pub at West Pinchbeck Village Hall

By Nigel Chapman How does a pint and the chance to play a traditional pub game sound? Well, that’s what’s being offered in a new pop-up pub at West Pinchbeck Village Hall this month. Families are being encouraged to support the move by enjoying time in a friendly atmosphere. The licensed bar will have beers, lagers and ciders as well ...

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Pete’s obsession is downright shirty

Picking a strip to support England is no easy matter for one Weston man. Football shirt fanatic Pete Hammond has 23 different Three Lions tops among a huge collection of 364 from all over the world. The wardrobes and drawers at his home near Spalding are all bulging with the assortment of shirts, worth up to £15,000. And with a ...

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Church remembers 50 years since it ran a postal service in South Holland

A South Holland church is remembering 50 years since it set up its own postal delivery and stamps. The Church of St Nicholas in Lutton set up the East Elloe Post during the postal strike of 1971 in a bid to raise money for a heating system. And it worked with collection points and deliveries organised across South Lincolnshire. Among ...

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Capturing a changing town

A drone operator is taking on a campaign to chronicle how Spalding looks from the air in 2020. Steve Timewell, of Lincolnshire Drones, is taking aerial images of the town and surrounding villages as well as creating a video. With the town and surrounding villages changing at an incredible pace, drone pilot Steve said: “I thought it would be good ...

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Column – Don’t treat us like big cities

In March, we pulled together in the national interest to protect the NHS. Thanks to the tireless work and ingenuity of the British people and the Government’s commitment, our National Health Service – with 33,000 more beds, 30,000 ventilators, ‘Nightingale’ hospitals on standby and the capacity to test over 330,000 people daily – is well prepared for whatever challenges we ...

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Steve’s New Horizons as first novel is published

A retired Crowland man is reaching new horizons himself by landing a publishing deal. Steve Borrett is releasing New Horizons – A Mayson Edmunson Adventure under the pseudonym SteVie May on September 30. The 62-year-old says he always harboured thoughts of writing a book but didn’t have the time until retiring from working in government services. The book takes on ...

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Time for the tragic story of HMT Lancastria to be heard

June 17 1940. Does that date mean anything to you? It most certainly does to me, writes Jane Webb, of Gedney. The beginning of June 1940 to most people brings to mind Dunkirk, when British soldiers were evacuated from France in an armada of small ships. At the time Winston Churchill told the British people that the British Army had ...

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