Column: Plenty to do during summer holidays

July is almost over and the summer holidays are upon us once again and most families will be looking forward to getting away from it all and heading to the coast or on a holiday abroad.

For those who cannot manage, or indeed afford a holiday away, there are a great many things on offer locally, especially for the kids and I strongly recommend that you pick up the Summer Fun 2015 brochure from the South Holland Centre to get all the information.

The Spalding Scarecrow Mania has already kicked off and homemade scarecrows have been popping up in some front gardens, shop windows and flower beds throughout the town.

This culminates in a garden party in Ayscoughfee Hall Gardens this coming Sunday afternoon, July 26, commencing at 2pm, when the King and Queen scarecrow will be crowned.

Food, drink and entertainment will all be available so as to make this a great event.

This is an initiative by the Rotary Club of Spalding and Welland, who are raising money for local charities and will hopefully become an annual event.

Talking of charity fund raising, EMG Motor Group of Spalding launched a car raffle at the Bakkavor Fun Day last Saturday and is aiming to raise money for the League of Friends for Spalding Hospitals.

This charity provides additional welfare and care to patients and former patients and aims to maintain and replace hospital equipment; so it is in all our interests to support this worthwhile initiative.

Tickets are only £2 each, so if you want the chance of winning a brand new Hyundai i10, look out for EMG’s offsite displays outside Sainsbury’s in early August or at the football ground.

Tickets are also available from the Tulip Radio office and will be on sale during the Food Festival, which is being held at South Holland District Council, Priory Road, PE11 2XE, over August 29 and 30 (Bank Holiday).

With less than six weeks to go before the Food Festival the organisation of it is, as you would expect, taking up the majority of my time.

There are currently over 32 food stalls booked, with enquiries from other stall holders still coming in.

The offer ranges from the traditional hog roast and Lincolnshire sausages to a truly international cuisine mix including: Caribbean, Goan and Indonesian foods.

Real ales, cider and a great line up of local chef talent giving cookery demonstrations, supported by Lincolnshire’s own celebrity Chef Rachel Green.

There is a fun fair for the kids and a chance for them to have fun with food.

Adult tickets are only £3 each and children under 16 go free, provided they are accompanied by a paying adult.

It is hoped to make this a key annual Spalding event, so please attend and show your support.

I met Rachel Green at the Lincolnshire Show and she is keen that the Spalding Festival rivals the one held in Melton Mowbray, which is my goal and ambition during my time as Town Centre Manager.

A monthly column by Spalding Town Centre Manager Dennis Hannant