Features

Independent businesses, whether they be shops, restaurants, salons or gyms, are the lifeblood of any town centre. Statistics show that for every £1 spent at an independent retailer, between 50p and 70p goes back into the local economy. On July 4, independents in Spalding and across South Holland will be inviting customers to support them for this year’s Independents’ Day ...

Alan Hardwick is Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire. The first person to be appointed to the role, he will mark three years in the job in November. He says: “I am determined to be a strong and fair leader of Lincolnshire Police. I will fight for a better deal for the county that will help us continue to effectively fight crime. ...

We are fast approaching the summer holidays and some of you may be holding out for a good late deal. Holiday With Us and Spalding Travel would like to let you how you can find a good deal. Where do we start, so the weather has been a little unreliable so far here in the UK and then we find ...

July 4, is as you all know American Independence Day commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from Great Britain. July 4 is also Independent Retailer’s Day, when towns up and down the country including Spalding, recognise the many unique independent shops that we have. Our independent shops make Spalding town centre what ...

Recently many events have been held to mark the 800th anniversary of the sealing of the Magna Carta by King John in 1215 at Runnymede, in what is now Berkshire. This document is seen by many to be the absolute origin of fundamental Human Rights and many countries around the world see the Magna Carta as one of the most ...

Everyone has heard that puppies need ‘socialisation’ but what does this mean and what do we need to do? Think of it as socialisation and habituation. Socialising teaches your puppy to recognise and properly interact with all sorts of different dogs and people. And habituation teaches your puppy to accept and be comfortable with all the strange sounds and experiences ...

As summer hots up, there can be nothing nicer than throwing a tasty sausage or two on the barbecue and eating outdoors with family and friends. But food poisoning cases double over the summer, so remember these simple steps to help keep food safe. Food poisoning is usually mild, and most people get better within a week. But sometimes it ...

Age UK has joined a fight for a “best practice protocol” to give older people a better chance of finding work. The charity which champions older people is partnering with the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) in a campaign to fight age discrimination in recruitment. With four out of ten unemployed older workers out of work for more than a ...

Checking your vehicle before setting off on a summer journey is by far the best way to make sure that your trip to the seaside doesn’t turn into a disappointing trip to a hardshoulder or lay-by. During periods of hot weather the RAC often experiences a 20 per cent increase in call-outs and this can even get as high as ...

New research just released by Saga to coincide with adult learners’ week reveals that older learners still have a thirst for knowledge and self-improvement. Seven in ten (71 per cent) of those that have taken a course over the past five years have done so to improve their skills, and with many over 50s now working well into their late ...

by Jess Horn, Community development officer at South Holland District Council Would you like to learn something new by improving your cooking skills or growing your own food? If so, then you may be interested in programme run by The South Holland Community Development team called the Kitchen Garden Project. We organise cooking classes and provide community growing spaces with ...

Hills Department Store is Spalding’s largest independent retailer. Bought by the Turner family in the 1950s, the company originally traded from Market Place in the unit now occupied by Lloyds Pharmacy. The current Broad Street location was purchased in the 1970s and today has more than 12,000sq ft of shopfloor space and employs over 50 local people. Main departments are ...

As we are into June, our fields, woods and towns resound to high pitched squeaky noises. Not the latest “find” from Britain’s Got Talent, it is the time of year for baby birds. Well, actually some birds (namely doves and pigeons) have their chicks all year round. But for the majority of birds, late spring and early summer is the ...

When it comes to keeping bugs and diseases away from your vegetable crops, nature provides an army of little helpers to make the job that little bit easier. There are plenty of ways in which you can work with nature to help cultivate your crops successfully. For example, you can plant basil next to tomatoes to help ward off whitefly ...

Here are some top tips for encouraging wildlife into your garden Make space for water A pond (without fish) will support a wide range of animals and provide a place for amphibians and dragonflies to breed. If a pond is not practical, go for a bird bath or pebble fountain to provide drinking water. Leave perennials uncut until the spring ...

As I’m writing this, the sun is gloriously warm, the roses are out, bees are making the most of the nectar and the cold spring and early summer are beginning to warm up. The best view I have though, is of my tortoise charging down the garden after his morning sunbathe and grasping in his open mouth the yellow head ...

Working parents are to benefit from a new scheme to double free childcare introduced earlier this month. Prime Minister David Cameron announced at the beginning of June that parents of three and four year olds will be able to claim 30 free hours a week from as soon as next year. The free hours will be available to up to ...

Providing a home from home where youngsters can feel safe and happy is the key to the success of Munchkins Kindergarten. The setting, based at St Peter’s Lodge, a converted house in Priory Road, Spalding, caters for youngsters aged from six weeks up to eight years and is the holder of the healthy childcare award and has a “good” Ofsted ...

Dentistry is an increasingly large part of veterinary work. It now seems that nearly every dog and cat requires at least one treatment if not several in their lifetimes. Why is this? Wild dogs and cats that catch sufficient wild food generally have perfect teeth. The mouth contains millions of harmless bacteria. Things begin to go wrong when these beneficial ...

This week’s guest in the Tulip Radio studios was Spalding’s town centre manager, ex-Major, Dennis Hannant. Before taking up the post in November, Dennis was a familiar face to many of us, entertaining the crowds at local community and charity events — often alongside Tulip Radio. Dennis is a versatile tenor who sings songs from films, musical theatre, opera, the ...