For the second year running, in association with the Grantham Lions, Yorkshire Bank, Grantham are collecting your old spectacles to pass on to those in the third world with whom eye care is not available or affordable.

The bank will be collecting glasses through the month of October.

Simply call into branch and pop them in the box located on the right near the Lion.

Bank opening hours are Monday – Friday 9.15am – 4.30 pm, Saturday 9.15am – 4.00pm

Air quality concerns for Colsterworth development dispelled

Based at Alma Park, Grantham, Yes Please! is celebrating its first month of business!

Launched 2^nd September 2019, Yes Please! was born of two basic principles; to provide the most unique, practical but fun products and a premier service- making life as easy as possible for our customers.

Yes Please! is comprised of a small team in the heart of Grantham, with all colleagues working to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Their expert and esteemed Buyer & Commercial Manager, Katy Fahy comes equipped with over 10 years’ experience in buying gifts, working for the likes of Harrods and attaining a wealth of knowledge in her industry, she has utilised all of her skills to create an inspiring cornucopia of problem solvers, gift ideas, products and treats, all specifically chosen for their quality and aesthetic to compliment the contemporary home.

After the success of their first catalogue, Yes Please! have no intentions of stopping momentum, with a new fantastically festive edition being released in November, just in time for Christmas! Featuring over 60 new products, you’ll be spoilt for choice with hundreds of unique gift ideas for everyone in your life- from the green-fingered to the foodies, animal lovers to gadget gathers and a wonderful selection of stocking fillers; this edition is guaranteed to have something for everyone.

With a catalogue being released every two months and an ever-growing online presence, the Yes Please! team strive to ensure they always have what you need, when you need it.

From the unusual to the essential, they’ve got you covered! Find them online at www.yespleaseuk.com, request a catalogue or even go visit the team at the Festive Gift Fair- Birmingham NEC, 14^th-17^th November!”

St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice is delighted to be hosting a number of Coffee Mornings at its Hospice sites this Autumn.

Lincoln, Tuesday 8^th October – St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice is inviting local supporters to join them at one of their forthcoming Coffee Mornings.

The following Coffee Morning is taking place:

• Thursday 10^th October – Grantham Day Therapy Centre, 86 Barrowby Road, NG31 8AF.

It is opene  10am – 12pm and are is free to attend. In addition to delicious homemade cakes, there will be a selection of activities along with St Barnabas Christmas cards and stock.

If you can’t make this date, why not pop along to one of the Hospice’s weekly Community Coffee Mornings take place at the Grantham Day Therapy Centre every Monday (10am – 12pm)

Caroline Swindin, Corporate & Community Lead for St Barnabas Lincolnshire Hospice, said:  “It is always lovely to see our buildings bustling with visitors and everyone is very welcome. We will have our popular cake and tombola stall as well as other activities taking place.

“These Coffee Mornings provide a great opportunity for members of the public to come and have a look around their local Hospice facility and find out what hospice care means to so many in our communities.

“Guests can indulge in a slice of cake and a hot drink whilst relaxing, browsing stalls and trying their luck on the tombola.”

For more information, contact the St Barnabas Fundraising team on 01522 540 300 or email fundraising@stbarnabashospice.co.uk.

Hospital doctors and nurses from the children’s diabetes team have put down their stethoscopes and mucked in and to take a group of children to Rand Farm Park.

The children’s diabetes team from United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust have just returned to their clinics after taking 19 children from Lincoln, Sleaford, Boston, Skegness and Grantham to the farm near Wragby.

The annual residential trip saw the youngsters, aged between seven and 10 years old, help out by feeding the animals, mucking out the pens and learning how to look after the animals. They also got to spend the night away from home in the care of the children’s diabetes doctors and nurses.

For William it was his third time taking part in the residential. He said: “It’s been brilliant. I have met lots of other children with diabetes and I have loved looking after the animals. We also got to make sausages which we are going to have for our breakfast. Yum!”

Team Leader for the diabetes nurse team, Helen Warhurst, said many of the children may not have been able to come if it wasn’t for a generous donation from the Sleaford and District Lioness Club.

Helen said: “The children have had a fantastic time. Many of them don’t know any other children their age that are living with diabetes and having to manage their condition every day. By coming away together it is a great way for them to make new friends and realise that they are not alone.

“For lots of these children it is the first time they have stayed away from home overnight, which is a big milestone for them and their parents as well. It really helps to build their confidence and also a little independence.

“None of this would have been possible without the generous support of the Sleaford and District Lioness Club. We cannot thank them enough.”

Paediatric Consultant Dr Tanya Naydeva-Grigorova added: “It has been really lovely to watch them come out of their shells, making new friends and realising that they are not the only ones their age with the same condition. This experience has been more valuable to them than almost anything we can teach them about their diabetes.”

Registered between 30 September – 4 October 2019

You can click on the following link to view the forms and plans of any planning application.

http://www.southkesteven.gov.uk/planningsearch

S19/1470 Denton Approval of details in relation to Condition No.3 (ironstone and pantiles) of S18/1768 (Demoltion of oak framed extension and erection of new side and rear extensions) at Corner Cottage 132 Main Street Denton NG32 1JR; Applicant: Mr Vickers Mount Pleasant Farmhouse, Wymondham LE14 2BN

S19/1691 Denton  Non material Amendment to S18/1768 (Demoltion of oak framed extension and erection of new side and rear extensions) Amendments include windows and doors to be metal PPC in lieu of timber to the proposed rear extension only; Applicant:Mr S VickersCorner Cottage Main Street Denton NG32 1JR

S19/1516 Hanby Conversion of barn to two dwelling houses; Applicant: Mrs H A Dodds, J F Dodds and Sons, The Grange Hanby NG33 4HE

S19/1628 Dunsby :Approval of details reserved by Condition 3 (protected species) of p/p S18/2225 (conversion of barn to bed and breakfast, replacement roof, new doors and windows and internal alterations); Applicant: Mrs H Atkinson Dunsby House Fen Road Dunsby PE10 0UH

S19/1634 Grantham Internal reconfiguration to 8-bed (10 occupants) HMO, to include 8 en-suite bathrooms, 8 kitchenettes, full rewire, re-plumb / heating, windows / doors, internal insulation, fire / heat / emergency lighting systems. Work completed in Feb 19 as signed-off by EMBC per Completion Certificate dated 22 Feb 19. SKDC issued HMO licence 1 Jul 2019. At 36-38 Glinton House Bridge End Road Grantham NG31 6JH; Applicant:Anthony Hilton-BaileyWalnut Cottage Kilvington NG13 9PD

S19/1746 Harlaxton Crown raise 7 lowest branches on 1 x Scots Pine tree and remove dead wood; Applicant: Richard Walker 12 Manor Drive Harlaxton NG32 1HU

S19/1649 Marston Erection of dwelling, incorporating existing single storey barn/stable building, and formation of access to adjoining paddock on land Adjacent To Dovehouse Barkston Road Marston NG32 2HN; Applicant: Mr S Webb Building Development Services 9 Southwell Close Grantham NG31 8PL

S19/1660 Great Gonerby Creation of new vehicular access off classified road with, new boundary wall, stone pillars and electric swan neck gates; Applicant: Mr Mike Gaunt 59 Belton Lane Great Gonerby NG31 8NA

S19/1663 Londonthorpe  Alterations to listed building, Belmont Tower.  Applicant:National Trust Old School House 8 Main Rd Grantham NG32 2LW Bellmount Tower At The Terminus Of Bellmount Avenue, Belton Park Estate

S19/1754 Ancaster To retain a solid recovered fuel open storage area (PL/1047/19); Applicant: Mr Simon Pattison New Earth Solutions (West) Ltd, High Dike Ancaster NG32 3PY

S19/1670 Billingborough Willow (T1) – Reduce crown by 3 – 3.5m in height, leaving lower branches. Maple (T2) – Crown lift to 2m above water at  The New Springwells Practice Spring Wells Billingborough NG34 0QQ ; Applicant: Mrs Woodhead Chapel Road, Billingorough.

S19/1675 Grantham Replacement garage with garden room, and hobby room; Applicant: Mr C Webster 82 Kenilworth Road Grantham NG31 9TX

S19/1677 Grantham Erection of detached garage, two storey extension to side and single storey extension to rear; Applicant: Mr Karl Cooper 32 Westerdale Road Grantham NG31 8EL

S19/1709 Colsterworth Reserved matters (appearance, landscaping, layout, scale) for the erection of five dwellings pursuant to S18/2337 at Woodyard At Rear Of 13-17 Stamford Road Colsterworth NG33 5JD; Applicant: Mr Jonathan Gibbison, Hereward Homes Limited, The Old Barn, 27B Crocket Lane, Empingham LE15 8PW

A special bus stop is providing dementia patients with a ‘safe place’ to sit while waiting in A&E, helping to keep them calm and stop them from wandering.

The idea for the replica bus stop came from Healthcare Support Worker, Di Swinburn, who works in the department at Lincoln County Hospital. She had heard about similar projects where bus stops were used in nursing homes and hospitals.

Di said: “Because of the population we serve, we have been seeing and treating more and more older patients, many living with dementia.

“This department is a hive of activity, whatever the time of day, and understandably it can be overwhelming for some of our patients. When dementia patients become confused and agitated they tend to wander and will often look for something which looks familiar. Research shows that a bus stop is just that.

“Many dementia patients reminisce and remember times gone by, perhaps when they used to use buses. Therefore it is a familiar memory and somewhere where they are happy to sit and wait.”

Following an appeal, Stagecoach East Midlands generously offered to supply a replica bus stop sign, timetable and a map.

Matt Cranwell, Managing Director, Stagecoach East Midlands, said: “We are delighted to be working with United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, where we have been approached to provide even more replica bus stops to aid therapy for those people living with dementia.  

“Initiatives such as this can make a real difference to people suffering with dementia and bring some comfort and purpose to those patients who visit the A&E department at Lincoln.

“We have a strong health and well-being ethic as a company and want to extend that into the communities that we serve, by showing our support and responding to these requests. We are very grateful to the hospital for getting in touch, so we could make this possible.”

A&E Sister, Elaine Turrell, added: “We cannot thank Stagecoach enough, they were simply amazing and came to our aid. Di has worked so hard on this and the brilliant news is that the bus stop is already being used by our patients and is really making a difference.

“It is a safe place for patients to sit and watch what is happening in the department. We have also ordered some new seating via our charitable funds which will finish off the area nicely.”

The organisation that encourages businesses in South Kesteven to recruit apprentices is setting a good example by taking on an apprentice of its own.

Helen Ward (18) has joined InvestSK as an apprentice office assistant and will support the economic development company at its office in Grantham while studying for an NVQ Level 3 in Business Administration at Grantham College.

“We’re delighted to welcome Helen to the team,” said Steve Bowyer, Chief Executive at InvestSK. “She’s really grasped the opportunity with both hands and I’m pleased to say we’re already seeing the benefits of recruiting an apprentice – the new skill set that Helen brings is really valuable.

“We’re practising what we preach. Part of our remit is to help businesses grow by promoting apprenticeships in South Kesteven, and what better way to do that than by taking on an apprentice of our own? Apprenticeships can be a great way for a business to grow their own talent in a way that makes commercial sense.”

InvestSK is keen to hear from businesses who are thinking about taking on an apprentice but who might not know exactly how to go about it.

“Apprenticeships can be a bit of a mystery for small and medium-sized enterprises in our area,” Steve continued. “Businesses see the benefits but sometimes they find it hard to get the information they need about how funding works or what process is involved.

“Our role is to bridge that gap, put businesses in touch with training providers and strengthen the network of training organisations across South Kesteven.

Amy Clark joined InvestSK in July as Business and Skills Officer and since then has been working with local companies to understand their training needs and promote the benefits of taking on apprentices.

“In the short time since I joined InvestSK, I’ve met a large number of businesses all expressing their interest in taking on an apprentice,” Amy said. “There’s certainly a demand out there so now we need to make sure local training providers can meet that need.”

Recruiting an apprentice brings benefits for both the apprentice and the business: 81 per cent of customers say they would prefer to buy from a company that employs apprentices.

Helen says she’s enjoying her first experience of the working world. “I’m still learning the ropes but so far I’ve been involved in raising purchase orders and processing invoices, arranging meetings and providing administration support to the wider team.

“After I left school I had the option of going to university, but it wasn’t the route I wanted to take. I preferred to get straight into work, continue my training and actually earn some money!”

If your business is considering taking on an apprentice, or if you have a skills need that an apprentice might be able to fill, get in touch with Amy by calling 01476 406122 or emailing amy.clark@investsk.co.uk.

Pop along to the Meres Leisure Centre, Trent Road, on Friday 11th October between 16:00hrs and 19:00hrs where Grantham Police will be bike marking

Two appliances from Grantham fire station attended a collision on the A52 Somerby Hill, Grantham, at 1am this morning.

Holmatro cutting gear was used to release one casualty.

Belton House to present it’s first ever after-dark Illuminated walk 

This Christmas, Belton House will present ‘Christmas at Belton’, an after-dark illuminated trail.

Belton House will be decked with christmas festivities such as lights, snowflakes, stars and baubles, in celebration of the Christmas festivities this year.

The beautifully decorated glistening gardens will provide a walk beneath sparkling trees and canopies lined with seasonal colours and lights.

The after-dark illuminated trail is something for all the family, with the opportunity for kids to catch a glimpse of Father Christmas at the end of the trail.

This event will take place from November 28 to December 30.

For more information or to book, click or tap here.

Health trust will not leave financial special measures in 2019, says chief executive