St Barnabas Hospice has launched their brand new event, Mighty Mudder, taking place in September 2019.

On Sunday 22^nd September 2019, St Barnabas Hospice will be hosting Lincolnshire’s first Mighty Mudder event at Ancaster Leisure. The Hospice has introduced this 5k obstacle course run event to the county to help raise vital funds to support end-of-life care locally.

With more than 60 obstacles to overcome, the Mighty Mudder will see participants run through fields of mud, crawl through tunnels, swing through trees, slide down 50ft drops, wade through muddy water and battle their way up hills, all whilst completing a 5k course.

Opening at 10am at Ancaster Leisure, Wood Lodge, NG32 3PY, participants will have the opportunity to visit the event village before they start the event, which is full of food, drink and games. They will be set off in waves of 100, which they can pre-select online when signing up. There is also plenty to do for friends and family members, including places around the course which are brilliant to stand and watch the participants as they go past.

Melissa Gaffney, Events Fundraiser at St Barnabas Hospice, said:

“I started working for the Hospice earlier this year and I’m so excited to be launching this brand new event already. In my spare time, I often take part in mass participation sporting events, so it’s great that I can bring this passion to our event.

“Since joining St Barnabas, I’ve met so many amazing people who come together at these events to raise money in memory of loved ones, reach personal goals or to have fun. Mighty Mudder is the perfect event for those wanting a challenge that’s a little different, whether you want to raise sponsorship money or not.”

New for this event, St Barnabas has decided to offer two different types of tickets. Participants wanting to raise money for the Hospice will be able to pay a lower registration fee of £25, providing they pledge a minimum sponsorship of £50. Alternatively, participants can pay a £55 registration fee if they decide not to raise sponsorship money. These are early bird prices and will be available for a limited time until Sunday 28^th July.

Children aged 14-17 can also take part for a flat rate of £10 and are encouraged to raise as much money as they are able. The Hospice does ask that there is one adult per two children when signing up.

Early bird tickets are now on sale for this exciting new event. To sign up or view more information, visit www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/mightymudder19

A donation of £75,000 from Lincolnshire’s Freemasons has given a welcome early boost to a relief fund set up in readiness for the rebuilding of homes in and around Wainfleet after the floods.

The fund has been set up by the Lincolnshire Community Foundation, which is bringing together fundraising efforts behind the long-term recovery plan which will swing into action once the floodwaters have receded.

Already there have been about 500 people from a number of agencies working around the clock to provide an emergency response to the incident, which has forced the evacuation of almost 300 homes.

But it is the recovery phase that will take time, and that’s where the Freemasons’ donation will be directed. Provincial Grand Master Dave Wheeler said: “To see anyone driven from their home by flooding is heartbreaking, especially when it’s in your own community.

“The emergency response to the incident has been extremely effective through the days after the torrential rainfall followed by the breach of the banks of the River Steeping, but that is only part of the story. The recovery phase will be long, and will take considerable effort.

“I’m pleased that we have been able to move so quickly in making this donation of £75,000. It underlines that Lincolnshire Freemasons are determined to help put the heart back into this part of Lincolnshire, and we have every confidence that the Lincolnshire Community Foundation will make sure the money is used effectively in making that happen.”

The donation is made up of three Masonic grants of £25,000 each, from The Province of Lincolnshire, the Mark Benevolent Fund, and the Masonic Charitable Foundation. The latter two are national charities subscribed to by Freemasons all over the country, including those in Lincolnshire.

James Murphy, Joint CEO of the Lincolnshire Community Foundation, said: “There are lots of people for whom properties in Wainfleet are their ‘forever home’. We shall be doing what we can to return things to normal for this community. It’s when something like this happens that you find out how good a community is, and Wainfleet’s is particularly strong.

Sue Fortune, Joint CEO of the Lincolnshire Community Foundation, said: “We are standing by with grants and support, ready to help people begin the long process of rebuilding their lives. This amazing contribution from the Lincolnshire Freemasons will enable us to get grants out to people sooner than we expected. Our application page will launch on our website in the next few days”

The Lincolnshire Community Foundation is working in partnership with the Recovery Coordinating Group to raise funds and support Wainfleet and the surrounding area. Money donated will help to relieve hardship, complete repairs, make good loss or damage, help to prevent the flooding happening again, and to improve the response in the event that it ever does. 100% of donations will be spent in and around Wainfleet,” he added.

To donate online, please go to: https://www.totalgiving.co.uk/appeal/wainfleetfloodappeal

Partially blocked and queueing traffic due to bridge struck by vehicle on A52 Barrowby Road both ways between Green Hill Road and Mount Street. A lorry has collided with the railway bridge.

Are you a fitness fanatic and always in the gym, or do you wish you led a more active life?

Whatever your lifestyle, InvestSK wants to hear from you. People living in South Kesteven are being invited to a series of events next month which aim to build and improve sport and exercise services in the area.

The consultation will feed into the new Cultural Strategy for South Kesteven: helping connect local people, community groups, sports clubs and physical activity providers. It will also look to gain insight into the challenges faced by those living within rural communities.

Physical activity consultations, as well as 15-minute drop-in sessions, will be held in Stamford, Market Deeping, Grantham, Bourne and surrounding villages.

This series of events builds on the popular and engaging Cultural Conversations already held across the district, and will add to the information already collected, but with a specific focus on sport and physical activity.

Dominic Fieldhouse, Sports Development Officer at InvestSK, will host both the consultation evenings and the drop-in sessions, to gain valuable insight into sports and activity provision and facilities in South Kesteven, and what more can be done.

Dominic said: “This is an exciting opportunity to connect the community with activity providers; sharing the barriers faced, and ultimately contributing to encouraging and enabling people to lead a more active lifestyle.

“We are looking at all the generations, from primary and secondary schools to the older generations, and we really aim to bring communities together.

“We are trying to reach those who are inactive as well as those who are active but want to do more. We need to assess people’s interests and their motivations so that all partners can work together to help them more effectively.”

Cllr Helen Goral, Cabinet Member for Growth, commented: “Physical activity is important not only for our physical but also for our mental health and wellbeing. We need to understand what barriers people might face that put them off being active, and see how our physical activity strategy can help overcome those barriers.

“We have also set out a bold vision for new or enhanced leisure centres across South Kesteven and we want to make sure these meet the needs and aspirations of our local communities, and that they underpin our drive to increase physical activity and sports participation.”

The drop-in sessions, which must be booked in advance, will be held between 4pm and 7pm on the following dates:

• Wednesday 10^th July – Long Bennington Sports Pavilion
• Monday 22^nd July – Ancaster Village Hall
• Wednesday 24^th July – Colsterworth Village Hall
• Friday 26^th July – Billingborough Village Hall

To book a 15-minute session, email Dominic.fieldhouse@investsk.co.uk or call 01476 406374.

The consultation evenings will be held between 7pm and 9pm on the following dates:

• Tuesday 16^th July – Borderville Sports Centre, Stamford
• Wednesday 17^th July – The Guildhall Ballroom, Grantham
• Thursday 18^th July – Corn Exchange, Bourne
• Friday 19^th July – Community Centre, Market Deeping

To find out more about these sessions and to register your interest, contact Dominic Fieldhouse at Invest SK on 01476 406374 or 07855 105405, or by email at dominic.fieldhouse@investsk.co.uk.

Plans by South Kesteven District Council to tackle littering in Grantham took a further step forward this week with the installation of a ballot bin for cigarette ends – the most common form of litter in the district.

SKDC hopes that encouraging smokers to have a bit of fun whilst also getting rid of their cigarette butts in an environmentally friendly way will reduce the amount of smoking-related litter.

The bright yellow bins have been successfully trialled in other parts of the country. Each bin displays a question and two answers. Smokers vote by putting their cigarette end in the slot beneath their preferred answer. The litter stacks up behind the clear glass front in two columns, showing which answer is more popular.

Cabinet Member for Commercial and Operations, Cllr Dr Peter Moseley, said: “We hope the light-hearted voting system will encourage people to use the bin to help keep the town centre looking its very best. The first question is ‘Pineapple on Pizza – Yes or No?’

“People may not realise that cigarette filters contain plastics and other chemicals that don’t degrade, and these can be harmful to wildlife if they end up in surface water drains leading to rivers. So, despite our light-hearted approach, our message is clear: don’t drop litter.”

The ballot bin, attached to a lamp post in Grantham Market Place, near its junction with Westgate, is part of SKDC’s work to keep the district looking attractive and clean for residents and visitors. The question on the bin will be changed on a regular basis.

Cllr Dr Moseley added: “Innovation like this reflects our commitment to a Higher Street Standard throughout the district which already consistently exceeds the national average. If the trial is a success, further bins could be installed in other areas.”

Most of SKDC’s on-the-spot littering fines are issued to people dropping cigarette ends. Income from £100 fixed penalty notices goes towards the cost of maintaining the district’s higher street standards.

Cllr Dr Moseley said: “We have pledged to crack down on littering and other anti-social behaviour that can blight our communities. People have to realise that they cannot drop cigarette butts, or any other kind of litter, without risking a significant financial penalty.

“These prosecutions show we are serious in our intention to help make sure a minority of people do not spoil the environment for those who want to enjoy it.”

Grantham’s first Portuguese-English Festival will officially open at 10.30am on Saturday (22 June) with a VIP curtain-raiser to the colourful two-day event.

South Kesteven District Council Chairman Jacky Smith will welcome a host of Portuguese guests and civic dignitaries to the event which centres around St Peter’s Hill and the Market Place.

Crowds will enjoy musical performances and gastronomic treats, with entertainment for young and old. Traditional Portuguese food stands, pastry sellers, a barbecue and a Portuguese gin bar will add to the atmosphere.

Cllr Smith said: “We’re pulling out all the stops to make sure visitors of all nationalities feel welcome in Grantham for our first Portuguese-English Festival. We are very proud to be able to host this event and I hope that people from all over the district will be able to come and join in the festivities and extend their friendship to local people and visitors.”

Counsellor for Portuguese Communities Antonio Cunha is the latest special guest, joining Portuguese Consulate General, Jorge Cruz, who will be in Grantham on behalf of the country’s UK Ambassador, with two members of the Portuguese Confederation of Culture and Sport, Veladimiro Castilho Matos and Anabela Henriques Lanca.

Portuguese performers, Rui Bandeira and Monica Sintra, will be supported by fellow musicians Joana Lobo Anta and Natalia Cerqueira, and a number of local bands.

The main stage live music line-up on Saturday is: Alex Cavan: 2.30pm – 3.30pm; Pete Wayre: 3.45pm – 4.45pm; Natalia Cerqueira: 5pm – 6pm; Hi Boys Trio: 6.15pm – 7.45pm; Monica Sintra: 8pm – 9.30pm. Sunday (23 June) starts with Chasing Embers: 12.30pm – 2pm, then Naturally Sourced: 2.30pm – 3.30pm; Joana Lobo: 3.45pm – 4.45pm; 23 Reasons: 5pm – 6.30pm; Rui Bandeira: 6.45pm – 8pm

The event is being hosted by SKDC and its economic growth and regeneration company, InvestSK, with PT Connections – a community non-profit organisation to foster friendship and cultural exchange between the English and Portuguese communities, grow unity within the community, as well as strengthen ties with other communities.

The event will take place at St Peter’s Hill opening at 10am each day and closing at 10pm on 22 June and 8pm on 23 June. To find out more visit www.southkesteven.gov.uk/marketevents

Villagers in Great Ponton are campaigning against plans for a 270,000-bird poultry unit submitted to South Kesteven District Council.

They claim odour noise, contamination of the will affect village life, especially being close to the local school.

There was a small proest outside the school gates on Thursday morning.

The unit would include workers‘ dwelling , six poultry sheds, feed bins, heat exchangers, a water tank, pump house, a generator, storage barn and associated infrastructure provision and improvements to access to the site from Ermine Street.

The area of the proposed development site is 4.7 acres, located 1.5km to the north east from the centre of Great Ponton, which is currently being used as an agricultural field. It is also part of the wider field network which is bounded by High Dyke to the east and Dallygate Lane to the south.

The planning applications claims the site is considered to be the most suitable for a poultry unit given its distance away from residential properties and the surrounding road network providing it with good transport access to the region’s road network.

The applicant says it will offer local employment opportunities.

One villager told GM: “We get as many people to oppose this as much as possible!

“The village cannot cope this the extra traffic flow and the residents and school will be affected!”

For details of the application visit  www.southkesteven.gov.uk/planning

South Kesteven District Council’s Cabinet Member for Commercial and Operations, Cllr Dr Peter Moseley, is calling for a summit to be held aimed at tackling anti-social behaviour in Grantham.

It follows complaints by Labour councillor Charmaine Morgan of incidents at Welham Street Multi-storey car park.

Dr Moseley is planning to invite the Chief Constable of Lincolnshire Bill Skelly and the county’s Police and Crime Commissioner Marc Jones, together with representatives of other partner agencies to meet with him to discuss the issue of anti-social behaviour in our towns and what can be done to stop it.

“It is only a very small minority who seem to think anti-social behaviour is acceptable but It is not, and we all have a role to play in tackling it,” said Cllr Dr Moseley.

Cllr Dr Moseley also appealed for parents to help the efforts to tackle anti-social behaviour.

“I would urge all parents to be vigilant about where their children are and what they are doing, especially in the evenings,” he said.

In a joint statement, SKDC and Lincolnshire Police said: “We work closely together and take any reports of anti-social behaviour very seriously.

“We recognise the impact such behaviour has on communities and the misery it can cause and we adopt a multi-agency approach to address any concerns.”

Coun Morgan called for an investigation following reports of

Drug dealing in the stairwell

Youths sitting on the high ledges shouting abuse at members of the public below. 

Youths skateboarding in the car park

Three youths aged 12-14 years alledgedly throwing ta large chunk of flooring material/concrete off the roof only missing a Harrowby Road resident by inches. 

The police have been informed and are investigating the incident.

Keyless Car theft is on the increase 
There are a two main ways to prevent this.

“One is to make sure car keys are kept away from front doors and windows so that the signal can’t be picked up and relayed back to the car, or in a Faraday bag, which completely blocks the signal.

For further info
https://www.police.uk/crime-prevention-advice/vehicle-crime/