Sixty-three firearms have been handed in to Lincolnshire Police during the two week surrender.

Of the 63 firearms, there were four air pistols, 44 rifles, and 15 shot guns.

Detective Inspector Mark Seage said: “We had a selection of weapons handed in during the two week surrender; these included fully functional weapons through to imitation weapons. Imitation weapons in the wrong hands can cause as much fear as live weapons.

“We are delighted that residents have supported our campaign and handed in these weapons which will prevent them from getting into the wrong hands. I would like to thank all of the staff, and residents, who participated in this campaign for their support.”

Grantham-based law firm JMP Solicitors has received a silver Investors in People accreditation for investment in its staff – an accolade which is awarded to just five per cent of those assessed.

Nationally recognised, Investors in People is a standard for people management that offers accreditation to companies that adhere to its exceptionally high standards.

JMP Solicitors first qualified for the Investors in People accreditation back in 2004 and earned its silver accreditation in May this year. The firm will be recognised in this band until 2022, when it will then have to undergo a review to check standards are being upheld.

To achieve the award, the firm had to initially pass an online assessment with both directors and staff taking part. Staff were then interviewed at the firm’s office by Investors in People representatives, sharing evidence of good practice and team progression.

In order to reach a fair judgement, eight members of staff were selected by assessors to be interviewed, with individuals chosen based on a mixture of demographics including gender, length of service, position and age.

Ian Howard, managing director at JMP solicitors, said: “We believe in our people and have always been committed to investing in our team. As a firm with an ethos that is ‘just more personal’, our people are undoubtedly the key to the excellent delivery of our legal services, so we value staff progression highly.

“Our clients can always have re-assurance that matters are being dealt with to the highest standard, and our plethora of awards and accreditations confirm this. We are delighted to have received the silver Investors in People accreditation this year, which is testament to our success – next time we will be aiming for gold.”

JMP holds a number of accreditations in specific areas of law and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. The firm has been awarded the Law Society’s top-quality mark for excellence (Lexcel), held by only 11 per cent of law firms in England and Wales, and in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, JMP has been recognised as a ‘Leading Firm’ by Legal 500.

JMP Solicitors also featured in the Chambers and Partners 2016 guide to legal services, where the firm was listed as a Band 1 provider of personal injury services in the Midlands.

The firm has recently been part of ground-breaking legal cases including the Network Rail Japanese Knotweed Court of Appeal case, and the NHS Bevan medical negligence case.

• Sam Walker, who previously trained at Grantham College, has returned to coach at summer camp

Players flew in from all over the globe to attend an intensive table tennis camp held at Grantham College, with coaching delivered by Olympic and Commonwealth Games athletes.

Nations such as South Africa, Australia and Germany were represented at the Cooke & Deaton Summer School, which is held at the college every summer.

The course was led by six-time English table tennis champion, Alan Cooke, and Nicola Deaton, who was England’s no. 1 for five years.

Alan said of the camp: “It is to enthuse and inspire the younger people, but for the older players it is to play and socialise.”

Former Grantham College Table Tennis Academy players Sam Walker and David McBeath were amongst the coaching staff.

The pair spoke very highly of their time training in Grantham as they developed into professional competitors.

Sam, who competed at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, said of his decision to train in Grantham: “For me, it was the best opportunity at the time. It was a pathway to the national team.

“This is the only option for serious table tennis players.”

David, who has represented England at the Commonwealth Games, added: “Here you’re guaranteed 18 to 20 hours of training a week, combining education and table tennis. 

“It is possible to go on and represent your national team.”

For more information on the Cooke & Deaton Summer school, visit their website at cookeanddeaton.com.

 

United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT) is one of only two Trusts in the country to take part in a groundbreaking new trial using artificial intelligence (AI) to support breast screening.

ULHT is part of the East Midlands Radiology Consortium (EMRAD), a partnership of seven NHS trusts, spread over 11 hospitals, looking after more than five million patients.

EMRAD launched in 2013 with the objective to create the foundations for stronger clinical collaboration, starting with the implementation of a new, common digital radiology system. This pioneering work saw the East Midlands become the first health community in the UK where NHS hospitals could quickly and easily share diagnostic images such as x-rays and scans. The image-sharing system has set the national benchmark for a new model of clinical collaboration within radiology services in the NHS.

Currently all images produced during breast screenings, known as mammograms, are reviewed by two members of the breast screening reading team. With a national shortage of radiologists and with almost a quarter planning to retire within the next five years, there is a clear need to investigate and look for potential alternatives.
Last year, the consortium formed a partnership with two UK-based AI companies, Faculty and Kheiron Medical, to help develop, test and ultimately deploy AI tools in the breast cancer screening programme in the East Midlands.

Faculty’s ‘Platform’ software has the potential to help optimise clinic scheduling and staff resourcing, helping the service to be as efficient and effective as possible. The aim is to make the best possible use of scarce resources like radiologists’ time and scanners, and to reduce stress on the clinical and administrative workforce delivering the programme.

Kheiron Medical’s MIA (mammography intelligent assessment) tool uses an AI algorithm to try and diagnose breast cancer. The algorithm has been used on half a million scans from hospitals in Hungary, but it is new to the UK. The UK trial is using scans from ULHT and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.

The first phase is a retrospective trial where old images have been anonymised and used to see how accurate MIA is at diagnosing scans that need further investigation, compared to the results produced by the breast screening reading team. Already, it is performing better than most humans. 

If the evidence shows that it is safe to do so, then the next stage will see the team use MIA to do the first read of all scans before they are then reviewed by a member of the radiology team and the results compared. If there is any difference of opinion then the scan will automatically be sent for a third read.

ULHT Consultant Mammographer and the Trust’s lead on the project, Bernadette Trzcinski, said: “I am really excited to be working on this trial, which may revolutionise how we read scans in the future.

“Across the country we desperately need something to help us with the current staff shortages, which are predicted to become increasingly challenging as the demand for imaging grows. The success of this project will transform the breast screening service, improving both quality and efficiency for our breast screening population.

“It is not about replacing radiologists. All scans at the Trust will continue to be read by at least one member of the breast screening reading team. However if MIA is successful, it has the potential to half the amount of time we spend reviewing scans, this is time we could be spending with our patients, improving their overall experience.”

It’s not too late to apply for September 2019! Grantham College open events are the perfect way to get to know the college and find out what we have on offer 😀📚

As always, we are open on GCSE results day on Thursday 22nd August but we’re here until 6pm. We will be available to offer you course advice and to enrol you on to a course here at Grantham College! 😃

–          Just 1 in 31 arrests for controlling behaviour result in a charge, new figures show

Victims of domestic violence are urged to record incidents of abuse over the testy summer holiday period, as new figures suggest cases continue to fail due to lack of evidence.

On 31 December 2015, coercive control became a new offence under Section 76 of the Serious Crime Act 2015. The term ‘coercive control’ spans a broad range of actions that are intended to intimidate, restrict and control a partner’s behaviour.

Figures obtained from the Police by Ridley & Hall Solicitors under Freedom of Information show that Lincolnshire Police recorded 31 arrests for ‘controlling or coercive behaviour in an intimate or family relationship’ between 1 January and 31 December 2018. In that same period, one charge was made for that same offence. An outcome of ‘No further action’ was recorded 26 times*.

Family lawyer and domestic violence campaigner, Emma Pearmaine says gathering enough evidence for the Crown Prosecution Service to bring a charge against violent spouses is exceptionally difficult, but that mobile phone apps could help.

She comments: “Coercive control is a subtle pattern of behaviours which are very hard for both victims and the Police to prove. Although thousands of arrests are made for domestic violence and coercive control each year, cases are often dropped because of insufficient evidence.

“We know that incidents of domestic abuse and violence go up over holiday periods, so I am urging those who already feel threatened to find a way of making a record of any and all incidents of abuse over the summer.”

There are currently several apps available for victims of domestic violence that help with everything from simple note-keeping to storing searchable records such as documents, pictures and videos. Many apps are disguised as something else, so that an abuser would not identify it on a victim’s phone screen, if they decided to check.

Some domestic violence apps even allow victims and their lawyers the option of downloading the stored records in court-ready chronology. Users can link their records to a professional, who can monitor events in real time and offer support and advice in real time.

Emma adds: “By keeping a record of domestic abuse, the Police and Crown Prosecution Service will be able to make a case to charge and prosecute the perpetrator. Family lawyers will be able to use the evidence to secure orders necessary to protect and meet the practical needs of the victim and any children of the family, which include non-molestation orders, financial orders and child arrangements orders.”

*People originally arrested for coercive control could later be charged with an alternate offence, or the investigation could still be ongoing. Some of the charges made in 2018, can also relate to arrests made in 2017. 

Firefighters were in action at the George Centre, High Street, when a fire broke out at lunchtime today. It is likely to remain closed today.

A spokesman from Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue said: “We were called out at 12pm to a small fire in a retail centre on the High Street in Grantham.

“One crew from Grantham attended and extinguished a fire involving a ceiling light using a dry powder extinguisher.

“It was caused by an electrical fault and crews left at 1pm. “

If you run a business in South Kesteven and you’d like to find out about the benefits of hiring an apprentice, then Amy Clark would like to hear from you!

Amy has just taken up her new role as Business and Skills Officer at InvestSK, South Kesteven District Council’s economic development and regeneration company.

One of her responsibilities will be to engage with businesses and education providers to offer practical support to help companies recruit apprentices through what can often seem a confusing process.

By supporting SMEs in the recruitment and training of apprentices and helping them to access the right training solutions, Amy hopes to encourage businesses to stay and grow within South Kesteven.

“Whether you’re looking to take on new staff or to upskill existing members of staff, apprenticeships are a great way to mould your employees’ skillsets to meet the demands of your business at all levels,” says Amy.

“Apprenticeships can also really improve staff morale, as they demonstrate to your existing employees that you care about training, development and career progression.

“Investing in staff trained through apprenticeships can have a huge positive effect on a company’s finances, making your business more competitive, and can boost staff loyalty and retention.

“National Apprenticeship Service data shows that 81 per cent of consumers favour using a company that takes on apprentices.”

For more than ten years in her previous role Amy placed students and job seekers into work placements or apprenticeships as part of a national construction training scheme known as Construction Futures.

“I will be working with South Kesteven businesses to better understand what’s important to them and how apprenticeships can help them to achieve their business goals,” Amy added.

“I appreciate that apprenticeships can be a bit of a minefield for people trying to run a business, so please do contact me with your questions or queries – I’m here to help!”

To get in touch with Amy call 01476 406080 or email amy.clark@investsk.co.uk

Bizarre reasons people tried to claim injury compensation from Lincolnshire councils