Columns

On Sunday, July 3, Tulip Radio will be hosting an Armed Forces Celebration Day in association with Harold Payne, from the Anglia Motel, Fleet Hargate. It will conclude a month of celebrations dedicated to the Armed Forces with many local veterans attending a meet and greet arranged for the community to come and enjoy a day of packed fun and ...

Having attended the South Holland Pride Awards last Saturday afternoon, I was again reminded that without ready and willing volunteers, how much poorer our community would be. I congratulate all the winners and all of those nominated and thank them for their selfless contribution to our society. Jan Whitbourn and her team at Tulip Radio also deserve our gratitude, as ...

by Karen Johnson Community development officer at South Holland District Council We are currently working on an exciting new initiative aimed at turning impressive ideas into reality. The district is the latest community to get involved in the Global Soup movement which organises live crowd funded events. South Holland Soup will see people coming together to pitch ideas for improving ...

Caring Neighbours are the people who we are looking at with the sponsors this week for the Pride of South Holland Award. The Pride of South Holland Awards are only a couple of weeks away, tickets are going fast and the judging for the winners has begun. This week we are looking at the Caring Neighbour Award which is kindly ...

by Coun Anthony Casson South Holland District Council portfolio holder for facilities management I’ve recently completed the first year as a cabinet member so I thought I’d use this column to look back over the past 12 months. One of the highlights of the last year was the recent purchase of Moulton Park. We bought the 23-acre site as part ...

Welcome again to the monthly RSPB column, this time about moths. “Moths?” I hear you cry. “Drab brown things that eat holes in my clothes and bash against the window at night.” Well, not exactly. Right, let’s start off with them eating your clothes. Yes, there is a species of moth which can cause holes in your favourite sweater. It ...

Dental disease is one of the most common conditions we see in dogs and cats. Like ours, our pets’ teeth need looking after to keep them at their best. There are plenty of products available that claim to help improve dental hygiene, from chews and toys to dietary supplements and antibacterial mouthwash. For these to be effective they need to ...

Thinking of a trip to Iceland to see the Northern Lights? The Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) is on many people’s bucket list. The Holiday With Us Group is the place to book this once in a lifetime experience, here is why? Our staff have the experience and knowledge to ensure your trip is amazing and you can be assured that ...

A recent report from an eminent human psychologist who has canine interests says that we should not hug our dogs. But what do you do when your dog insists on hugging you? When I am sitting on the settee at night I am covered in dogs wanting cuddles and attention. This research was carried out by looking at pictures posted ...

I had the great pleasure of attending the production of the musical Oliver!, recently staged at the South Holland Centre by Spalding Amateur Dramatic and Operatic Society and was hugely impressed with the high standard of acting, singing and dancing. The cast were all very impressive and their performance highlights the outstanding talent there is locally. So well done to ...

by Sally Slade (South Holland District Council portfolio holder for legal, performance and democratic services) The other day, one of my children asked me, “Mummy, what do you actually do?”. It’s a question that I sometimes ask myself! My portfolio is so broad, encompassing a variety of departments, that it makes my working life incredibly varied. My official title is ...

Doesn’t time fly? Already we are into May. A time for flowers, birdsong and yes, buds. The expression “the darling buds of May” comes from Shakespeare’s Sonnet 18, with the famous opening line “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”. Though judging from recent weather, it might be a bit early for that yet! With the dreadfully cold weather ...

Do you know a volunteer who deserves a Pride of South Holland Award? There’s still plenty of time left to nominate someone for the Pride of South Holland Awards – Volunteer of the year award. It’s your chance to get these remarkable people the recognition they deserve. The Volunteer of the Year Award identifies those who dedicate their time. Even ...

There are lots of books and sources of advice on choosing and buying your puppy, training, house training, socialising, puppy classes and so on, but in this article I want to write about living with your puppy. I have recently acquired a young rescue dog, a puppy really and I have not lived with a puppy for over twenty years, ...

The weather might not have got the message, but summer is on its way. As the days grow longer we’re reaching the time of year when fleas often start to become a real problem, as newly hatched fleas emerge from the cocoons in which they have spent the winter. A female flea can lay 50 eggs per day, so one ...

We receive a lot of calls in the spring and summer months from members of the public concerned about baby birds they have found in their gardens. Fledglings that are hopping around on the floor are fine to be left. They have left the nest and are usually still in the care of their parents who are usually close by ...

I received a phone call last week from a member of the Luton Women’s Institute saying that she and her ladies want to visit Spalding on a market day in June, because they had heard our market was really good and also want to ride on the Water Taxi. This is the second such call I have received in as ...

What happened to the frog who parked on double yellow lines? He was toad away! Yes, a terrible joke to start this month’s column. But a great way to introduce the subject, frogs and toads. Do you know you might have them in your garden, even if you haven’t got a pond? Although they need ponds to breed, the adults ...

Britons in their later years are relishing their 70s, with many planning to pursue new hobbies and interests rather than putting their feet up and relaxing. According to Royal Voluntary Service research, released to launch GrandFest 2016, the one-day festival that celebrates older people and the skills they possess, almost half of 60-69 year olds (41 per cent) said they ...

Babesiosis has long been a disease seen in southern Europe, Asia and Africa. Until recently it has only been diagnosed in dogs returning to the UK from abroad. Recently there has been a localised outbreak in Houslow in Essex prompting concerns that this may spread further through the country. Babesia is spread most commonly by ticks, but also occasionally in ...