Work is about to begin on the next phase of the Lincoln County Hospital Emergency Department transformation.

This will see enabling works take place so that work can begin in spring next year on the new resuscitation zone. The zone will more than quadruple in size and provide twice as many bays for the sickest emergency patients.

The new area will be built on top of the current ambulance bay at the hospital, meaning that there will be some disruption as a new ambulance bay is created on the edge of the outpatients car park opposite the department.

Patients will still be able to park in the outpatients car park and also the main visitor car park at the hospital, but some of the entrances and exits may change.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust Chief Executive, Andrew Morgan, said: “This is a really exciting time and something that we need. This next phase will give us a resuscitation zone that is the right size and environment for our teams to provide the care that is needed for our sickest patients. It will be bigger and have everything you would expect from a state of the art resuscitation area.

“There will be some disruption and I would ask patients and visitors to follow all of the signage and to consider allowing a couple of extra minutes to their journey. We thank everyone for their co-operation and cannot emphasise enough how important this transformation is and how it is going to impact on the care and experience that we will be able to provide to our patients and their families.”

Work is due to start on the enabling works on Monday 25 October and are expected to be completed early in the new year.

The first phase of the transformation saw a £3.5 million new Urgent Treatment Centre built alongside the existing A&E department, which has seen and treated thousands of patients since it opened in May this year.

Future phases will include:

·       A new paediatrics area with its own dedicated waiting room, treatment cubicles and a sensory area for the youngest patients and their families.

·       Additional treatment rooms for mental health patients.

·       A new ambulance drop-off and bays created outside the front of the department with entrances directly into the resuscitation and majors areas.

·       Additional clinical space, meaning that the emergency department will be able to accept patients from ambulance crews with improved speed and safety.

Andrew added: “All of these developments will help us to see and treat our patients more quickly and ensure that everyone is getting the level of care that they require. It will also make sure the department is not only fit for today, but also for the future.”

Keith Busfield says…

Cards for Good Causes is NOT opening its shop in Grantham this year.

To say the past 18 months has been torrid for the charity sector is an understatement. But we are opening on Monday down the road at St John’s Church in Stamford and we are fully accessible on-line. The realities of the rise and rise of the internet.

Below is an extract from an email from our CEO, Jeremy Lune, that explains all:

“Our Christmas pop-up-shops will be opening over the next few weeks and stock has been arriving at our 75 shops around the UK – you can find them on our Santa Map.

“I’m afraid that we will not be opening as many shops as in previous years as Covid and the lockdown last year has hit us and our charities incredibly hard.

“We know that this is disappointing for many of our customers but if you do not have a shop nearby please do visit our website so that our charities are still supported and we can continue to raise those vital funds that they need more than ever this year.

“Thank you hugely to all the customers and volunteers in Grantham who’ve supported the shop over the years. Last year it raised over £14,000.

“We very much hope to be back!!”

The vice chairman of South Kesteven District Council has been suspended by the Conservative Party after making a racist remark at a public meeting.

While chairing a governance and audit committee on Wednesday, Councillor Ian Stokes, who represents Grantham Peascliffe and Ridgeway ward, used the racist slur in response to another member’s comments.

He said: “Well, that’s put a little ****** in the woodpile so to speak.”

The comment sparked complaints from a number of councillors along with external organisations and social media users, with Councillor Stokes reportedly apologising after the meeting.

This morning Conservative council leader Kelham Cooke said in a statement: “As a Conservative group and as a district council, we take any form of racism incredibly seriously, especially when remarks are made that could cause serious offence.

“As a Conservative administration, we consider the use of this type of language by any member completely unacceptable. It is right that Councillor Ian Stokes has formally apologised and withdrawn the remark he made at the committee meeting.

“Councillor Stokes has been suspended from the Conservative group of South Kesteven District Council pending an investigation by the Conservative Party and the results of any investigation to be undertaken by the monitoring officer of South Kesteven District Council.”

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• Remote employees are less likely to be promoted, despite being more productive in general.
• Tips for managers on making sure WFH employees feel as included and supported as in-office colleagues.
• Infographic illustrating findings across the UK.

Boris Johnson has recently urged those working remotely to return to the office, saying they risk missing out on ‘stimulus and competition’ unless they do so. Although Zoom and Skype are useful for people working from home (WFH), a study by Stanford University revealed that remote employees were promoted about half as often as in-office workers; that is despite being 13% more productive overall.

But for those who have to work remotely due to factors such as a lack of childcare, looking after ill family members, or having developed mental health concerns over the course of the pandemic, not being able to return to the office can feel incredibly frustrating as they don’t have this option of flexibility.

PurpleCV.co.uk, a leading UK CV writing service, conducted a survey of 3,000employees across the UK and discovered that over 1 in 3 (34%) Grantham employees who are working from home indefinitely, are worried they are missing out on in-office advantages, such as receiving promotions. This was compared to a national average of 39%.

Moreover, those operating remotely often have to endure atypical working conditions (such as loud background noise; unstable WiFi connection and lack of on-site tech support), which can further exacerbate feelings of frustration when it comes to their job performance. And it doesn’t help that many feel like their efforts may remain unrewarded in terms of visibility and leadership positions.

Infographic showing these results across the UK

Could bias against remote workers create a new workplace obstacle to overcome in the near future? While some might be enthusiastic to return to the office after months of remote working, others may be struggling with being in public spaces nowadays, with the risk of the virus still present. Those who are parents might have trouble finding reliable childcare post-pandemic, therefore, school runs need to be covered during the workday too, as well as supervision of younger kids. 

Purple CV has put together advice for managers and employers on how to address feelings of remote working bias, to ensure WFH employees feel as included and supported as their in-office colleagues:

Check in regularly with your WFH employees
As mentioned above, there can be many obstacles associated with working remotely and for some employees, these circumstances cannot be easily alleviated. Make it a consistent habit to check in on the wellbeing of your employees who are working from home, especially if they have taken on the role of a carer during the pandemic. Some may assume that remote working is easier on employees’ mental health, simply because they have the opportunity to work from home. However, oftentimes this can have the opposite effect as there is little detachment between work life and personal life, resulting in an overlap of the two.

Conference calls where everyone dials in from their laptop

Even if they’re based in the office! Instead of creating a silent divide between employees dialling in from their home offices and those in the office, suggest that all meetings take place virtually for everyone involved, even if they’re physically in the office.

Create an informal work group chat

If you miss chatting with colleagues, ask if they’d be comfortable with joining an instant messaging group chat, where you can communicate during mutually convenient and agreed-upon hours. Here, you can share memes, funny videos and engage in casual conversation that may help mimic these in-person co-working relationships. After it’s safe to do so, you might all even feel comfortable enough to go out together for post-pandemic drinks!

Chat to other WFH colleagues

Voice your thoughts and share them with other co-workers who are perhaps in a similar situation. You might discover that there are potential solutions to the concerns you’re having – ones you might be able to bring up with your employer too! 

‘Though it may appear inclusive for companies to introduce hybrid workplace models, it should be taken into account the various ways in which the pandemic has affected employees – as well as their families – both mentally and in their daily lives,’ says Andrew Arkley, owner of PurpleCV.co.uk. ‘Ideally, workplaces should be diverse and inclusive across all fields, therefore bias should not exist between employees.’

The annual Grantham Lions Concert, postponed last year by the Covid crisis, returned on Sunday afternoon.

An enthusiastic audience was enteratined by Grantham’s best – Dunne & Rusted, Grantham School of Dance, Adam and Elaine Bishop, Terry Carey, Paula Burroughs and Trevor Lesson.

MC for the afternoon was Paul Martin.

Lion Godfrey Mackinder thanked all the entertainers who gave up their time, and the others including lighting, responders and police cadets.

He said the show, at Priory Rukin Academy, was a great success and raised £313.36 towards good causes in the Grantham area.

“It was nice to be back,” he said.

Lincolnshire County Council has started consulting on a new Local Transport Plan that sets out a vision for travelling around the county for the next 10 years.

Lincolnshire’s current Local Transport Plan covers the period 2013/14 to 2022/23, and included the Lincoln Eastern Bypass and the East West Link Road, Grantham Southern Relief Road, and Spalding Western Relief Road amongst its ambitions.

The new Local Transport Plan addresses six themes:

·       Supporting economic growth – connecting people to employment, and businesses to customers

·       Future-ready green transport – reducing emissions

·       Promoting thriving environments – making sure transport enhances, not spoils, local areas

·       Ensuring health and safety – making sure transport is safe and responsibly managed

·       Promoting high aspirations – providing access to education, training and support services

·       Improving quality of life

There are some key potential projects outlined in the plan too, to demonstrate how we might achieve the aims of the six themes. They include developing mobility hubs at larger towns and at the coast, making Grantham and Boston ‘electric bus towns’, developing an electric vehicle charging network, and supporting improvements on the A1 and the Lincoln to Nottingham railway line.

We’re asking residents opinions on the themes identified, and the potential projects outlined in the plan.

Cllr Richard Davies, executive member for highways at Lincolnshire County Council, said:

“We’ve asked residents a lot recently for their views around transport – through our bus improvement strategy, and transport strategies for Grantham, Sleaford, Skegness and Mablethorpe – and I want to reassure residents that everything you’ve told us in those surveys is still taken into account here, as those plans all help feed in to this one.

“A Local Transport Plan is something we have to produce as a council, and it lays out what our transport is like now, where we want to be in 10 years, and how we’re going to get there. It’s big picture stuff, and once we have it, it allows us to apply for government funding pots that help us achieve the goals set out in the plan.

“Our last Local Transport Plan was published in 2013, and there are new challenges that we need to rise to in this new one.  Never has the issue of climate change been so prominent in our thinking, so we need to address issues around sustainable and active travel, and increasing our capacity for electric vehicle charging.

“The plan also looks at freight and how our infrastructure can support business growth, as well as rail improvements, the public transport offer, and road schemes.

“Before we publish such a huge, overarching document, we need to make sure that the people of Lincolnshire, its businesses, and our partners, buy into the vision, agree with the challenges, and support the solutions that we’ve laid out.”

You can find the Local Transport Plan draft document, and complete the consultation online at www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/engagement. The survey will close at midnight on Wednesday 1 December 2021.

Residents in Sleaford, Skegness and Mablethorpe can also have their say on specific transport issues local to them, in their respective transport strategies.

Yesterday (Weds 20^th Oct), school leaders’ union NAHT releases the regional results of a survey of its members on school funding.

Responses from school leaders in the East Midlands showed that:

• A quarter (25 per cent) have already had to make cuts to balance their budget, and 26 per cent predict they will be forced to make cuts this year.
• More than a quarter (29 per cent) predict a deficit budget in 2021/22 based on current funding levels.

School leaders identified a number of factors that were causing pressure on their budgets. These included:

• Providing required support for pupils with SEND. Almost all school leaders (98 per cent) reported that funding for pupils with SEND in their school is insufficient, and an overwhelming majority (93 per cent) reported that top-up funding for pupils with EHC plans was insufficient.

• Unfunded increased employment costs.
• Costs associated with maintaining coronavirus safety controls.

Tim Bowen, NAHT president and head teacher in St Albans, said: “The situation regarding school funding – for general budgets, pupils with special educational needs and the Covid recovery programme – is in a critical situation. Spending per-pupil in real terms is lower now than it was a decade ago and schools are responsible for so much more. The system is at breaking point. The Government needs to see education as investing in our country’s future, rather than a burden on the Exchequer.”

Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, said: “The Government’s failure to invest in schools in the East Midlands and across the country over the past decade is forcing school leaders to cut back on staff, support for pupils, and activities that enrich the school day. It is clear that school budgets in the region remain under enormous pressure.

“The evidence is very clear that by 2023 school funding will still be lower in real-terms than it was in 2010. Given the additional demands on schools, including the challenge of responding to Covid-19, that is not a sustainable position and will lead to further cuts in schools becoming unavoidable. Our research shows that already a quarter of school leaders in the East Midlands are being forced to make cuts in 2020/21.”

Mr Whiteman added: “What we are seeing here is a combination of long-term underfunding and additional pressures caused by the pandemic. If the government is serious about educational recovery and its suggestion that no child will be left behind, then it needs to provide pupils and schools with the resources they desperately need. Now, more than ever, we need to be investing in education, not cutting back.”

NHS Lincolnshire CCG is asking patients to invest in their future self this Self Care Week (15 – 21 November) by making small changes that can make a big difference.

Think Self Care for Life is about making improvements in your life to protect your physical health and mental wellbeing.  

Follow these small steps to a healthier you:

·       Get active – advice is to exercise for at least twenty minutes a day, it’s ideal if you can incorporate this into your day by ditching the car and walking to work, or walking the dog, taking the stairs or even dancing around the kitchen table to your favourite songs!

·       Eat well – we all know that healthy eating is crucial to our health so we can start by swapping unhealthy snacks for healthy options such as nuts, seeds and fruit. Ask your pharmacist for advice on managing your weight.

·       Make positive changes – take steps to stop those bad habits that don’t serve you well.  This Self Care Week make a plan to stop smoking, reduce your alcohol intake and get active! Your pharmacist can help with lifestyle changes such as weight management and stop smoking services.

·       Rest – a good’s night’s sleep is as essential to our health and wellbeing as eating healthily and exercising so, make sure you get the recommended 7-8 hours a night!

·       Stop – these days we lead such busy lives that we sometimes forget to slow down and stop.  Find time in your day to just quieten your mind. Mindfulness or yoga might be helpful.

During Self Care Week, and everyday Think Self Care for Life and make self care your life-long habit. 

A big well done to Grantham Police Cadets!

On the 13th October, the Police Cadets of Grantham did a charity walk in aid of BEAT and are nearly half way to their £500 target!

BEAT is the UKs eating disorder charity and was founded in 1989.

Their mission is to end the pain and suffering caused by eating disorders. The Police Cadets decided to raise money for BEAT after discovering that there had been a rise in eating disorder cases throughout the pandemic.

Eating disorders can take lives and the Police Cadets want to do what they can to help. Even just raising awareness of BEAT itself, could save a life. T

o find out more about the Grantham Police Cadets fundraiser visit: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/grantham-police-cadets

Duran Duran are releasing their new music video filmed at Belvoir Castle!

With them are George Clooney, Her Majesty and lots of other looalikes!

But Duran Duran are the real thing!

Although the party is over, you can watch the preview for their behind the scenes documentary here by clicking on either picture

Click on either of the pictures above for video

Registered between 11 and 15 October 2021

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

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

S21/1761 Grantham cut the trees back to give clearance of 5.30m above the road surface.; Applicant: Mrs Wendy KayaBelvoir House Care Home, Brownlow Street Grantham Grantham NG31 8BE

S21/1909 Grantham Change of use of outbuilding to allow for business use as a dog grooming salon; Applicant: Miss & Mr Daisy & Aiden Johnnson & Blanchard7 New Row Grantham NG31 8HJ

S21/1938 South Witham Single storey front extension.Applicant: Mr Luicasz Palowski16 Wellfield Close South Witham NG33 5SN

S21/1966 Grantham  T1- Lime Remove epicormic growth , remove dead branches and reduce crown by  4m. G1 (See tree survey) remove over hanging branches. Other work to make safe  over public footpath and shared driveApplicant: Mr Michael EllisonBeacon Hillside, 17, Beacon Lane Grantham NG31 9DQ

S21/1967 Grantham T4 Ash Tree – To FellApplicant: Mr Peter Lee1 Kings Gardens Grantham NG31 8TY

S21/1986 Grantham  Refurbishment of existing theatre toilets at Guildhall Arts Centre; Applicant: Mr Gyles TeasdaleCouncil Offices St Peters Hill Grantham NG31 6PZ

S21/1990 Long Bennington Erection of 6 no. dwellings at Land East of The Royal Oak 74 Main Road Long Bennington NG23 5DJ.Applicant: Mr Ian NewmanREL 2 Limited & Hawthorn Leisure17-18 Great Pulteney Street London W1F 9NE

S21/1995 Long Bennington Single storey extension to both sides of dwelling Applicant: Mr John

S21/1997 Denton G1 – lavreis: Reduction in height by 50%. T1 – sycamore: fell to ground level. T3 -ash: Remove no 1 lower limb on north side. T4 – silver birch: Poor specimen,  leaning. Remove to ground level. T2 – sycamore: Remove no 2 lower limbs on north  side.Applicant: Mr Jen MaceChurch Trees 109 Church Street Denton NG32 1LG

S21/1998 Long Bennington Erection of single storey dwelling.Applicant: Mrs V Hampshire35, Church Street Long Bennington NG23 5ES

S21/1999 Ancaster Partial demolition, restoration and alterations to an existing outbuilding; Applicant: Mr John Butler42, Ermine Street Ancaster NG32 3QW

S21/2007 Ancaster Rear and side single storey extension. Applicant: Mr and Mrs Whyatt 37, Mercia Drive Ancaster NG32 3QQ

S21/2009 Grantham Replace existing deteriorating timber frame windows to properties 8 -16 Arnoldfield Court; Applicant: Mr William DeeganLonghurst Group Endeavour Park PE21 7TQ

S21/2011 Denton Replacement of all single-glazed windows with double & triple glazed units in engineered softwood frames.Enlargement of French doors. Conversion of one window to external door opening.  Install additional skylight. Applicant: Michael Barsham Denton Lodge Main Street Denton NG32 1LD

S21/2014 Harlaxton  Erection of two dwellings (semi-detached)  at 8 The Drift Harlaxton NG32 1AE; Applicant: Mr C EganTrademark Property Development LTD45 St.Martins Way Ancaster NG32 3RA

S21/2026 North Witham TPO Ash (T15) work to tree to prevent future burst mains. TPO243 Tree 15 Gunby Road And South Witham Road; Applicant: Mr Andrew McIntyreAnglian WaterThorpe Wood Peterborough PE3 6WT

S21/2017 Harrowby Without: Side extension to bungalow Applicant: Mrs J Whitburn 14 Seventh Avenue Grantham NG31 9TD

S21/2019 Harlaxton Erection of single garage  Applicant: Mr & Mrs S Pacey25, High Street Harlaxton NG32 1JB

S21/2023 Grantham T810- Lime-remove. T811- T815- Yew x2, Lime x3 – To prune. T821- Yew -lower limbs internodal pruning remove dead wood and reduce the property side from 5m  to 3m. Applicant: Mrs Kelly Lever Martin Court St Catherines Road Grantham NG31 9DA

S21/2024 Aisby Erection of a Single Dwelling, Detached Garage, Stables, Kennels and Associated Hard and Soft Landscaping on land off Mere Lane, Aisby;  Applicant: Mr A Bowlby Sainfoin House Mer Lane Aisby NG32 3NF

S21/2029 Barrowby  Fit a 6KW stove to lounge fireplace. Fit 2 X high grade stainless steel flexi liner and  all accessories to complete full installation of the stove and bring existing stove in  dining room to current safety standards. Co2 alarm fitted hetas cert. Supply and fit  heat shield to back of wooden beam.

S21/2030 Westborough T1, T2, T3 – Sycamore – Remove. T4, T5 – Elder – Remove at The Old Rectory Town Street Westborough NG23 5HJ; Applicant: Mr Chris Chattam5 Temple Sheen Road East Sheen London SW14 7PY

S21/2032 Grantham Approval of details required by Condition 4 of S21/0837 – Details of structural design at 19 Westgate Grantham NG31 6LU; Applicant: Mrs K H CheungTudor House Restraunts LTD17 Hillside Drive Grantham Lincs NG31 7EZ

S21/2033 Corby Glen Proposed residential development to create 2no detached domestic dwellings.; Applicant: Miss Lucy Jellicoe6, Swinstead Road Corby Glen NG33 4NU

S21/2036 Grantham  Proposed Alterations & Extensions to existing dwelling.Applicant: Mr & Mrs Woodlock162, Harrowby Road Grantham NG31 9DU

S21/2044 Colsterworth Proposed two storey rear extension and single storey porch extension.; Applicant: Mr & Mrs CrossleyChurch View Cottage,44, 44 High Street Colsterworth NG33 5NF

S21/2050 Grantham Erection of first floor side extensionApplicant: Mr_ Mrs R. Chambers12 Orangewood Close Grantham NG31 8QW

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With trees one of the Government’s top priorities at COP 26, the UK risks failing to meet its carbon net zero ambitions unless more trees are planted, woodland restored and the condition of woods improved, warns the Grantham-based chairity, The Woodland Trust.

The stark prediction comes just weeks before international climate change conference COP26 and on the eve of the launch of its third nationwide campaign – the Big Climate Fightback – to get people planting more trees.

The charity is sending more than 700,000 free native trees to schools and communities to kickstart an autumnal blitz on tree planting, with a further 680,000 trees available to apply for now to be planted next March.

In total, the Woodland Trust will be sending out nearly 1.4 million free trees* over the coming planting season to support the Big Climate Fightback, which is backed by players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Dr Darren Moorcroft is chief executive of the Woodland Trust, which is aiming to establish 50 million new trees by 2025.

He said not enough trees have been planted in the past, but “things can change”.

He said: “With recent decades warmer, wetter and sunnier than the 20th century and 2020 the third warmest on record, it is clear we are in a climate crisis, but we are in a nature crisis too,” Dr Moorcroft said.

“This is a dismal and sobering picture. Our woods are not in great shape, and we remain one of the least wooded countries at 13 per cent woodland cover, compared to 37 per cent in the rest of Europe.

“Without greater action, small and fragmented woods will remain that way and species will face extinction. But it is not too late – things can change.”

The Woodland Trust’s recent State of the UK’s Woods and Trees report highlighted some stark warnings on the health of the UK’s trees and woods:

•            Woodlands are already impacted by climate change – spring now arrives on average 8.4 days earlier than the first part of the 20th century, which can be catastrophic for nature.

•            Woodland species are in steep decline. Woodland specialist birds have declined by over 80% since 1970: including willow tit (declined 94% since 1970 – Britain’s fastest declining resident bird), lesser spotted woodpecker, lesser redpoll, spotted flycatcher, and capercaillie.

•            Tree disease and pests are causing local extinctions of wildlife species across the UK; up tp 120 million ash trees alone to be lost to ash dieback meaning at least 106 ash-dependent species could see dramatic declines.

•            Only 7 per cent of UK native woodlands are in good condition.

•            The majority of UK woods exceed thresholds for nitrogen pollution which is wiping out lichens and other species leading to disruption and decline of ecosystems, causing micro-extinctions.

•            Only 2.5% of UK land area is ancient woodland, which is the UK’s richest wildlife habitat, with ecosystems having developed over centuries. Worryingly, at least 1,225 ancient woodlands are currently under threat from destruction by new built development.

•            85% of individual field trees have been lost over last 150 years, shown in a study of the ‘Eastern claylands’ of Norfolk and Suffolk likely to be replicated across the UK.

Dr Moorcroft continued: “Not only do we not have enough trees, what we have is still at risk and as a result nature has declined steeply.  While action on biosecurity and woodland loss is largely outside the influence of the public, we can all play a role in increasing tree numbers to help nature recover and tackle the climate crisis.

“The UK has created less than 300,000 hectares of new woodland in the last 20 years. Over the next 20 years, we need three times that amount – and 1.44 million hectares of new woodland by 2050. It’s an uphill task and the pace needs to pick up, but together it can be done.”**

Laura Chow, Head of Charities at People’s Postcode Lottery said: “The Big Climate Fightback aims to rally the nation to get behind tree planting by finding those underused areas in our communities that could accommodate more trees and make a difference in the fight against climate change and provide havens for wildlife.

“We’re delighted our players are supporting this vital call to action”

With the international community about to gather for the climate conference in Glasgow (COP26) you can do your bit and join the Big Climate Fightback. The Trust has scores of free trees that community groups and schools can apply for now.

Alternatively, people can buy native trees such as rowan, oak, wild cherry and silver birch from its online shop.

To learn more, go to woodlandtrust.org.uk/bigclimatefightback