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Sue McQuinn says..
ULHT introduced a new pre-registration process for Blue Badge holders a few weeks ago & on Friday updated the details on their website to include the new “easier” system.
However, it seems that this registration can only be done at main reception areas + some clinics. At Grantham it’s being done at Facilities as there is no Reception. Does anyone even know where that is???
Pre-registration was supposed to make things easier, not more difficult! Even though it only has to be done once, BB holders shouldn’t need to traipse about finding somewhere to register.
I’m trying to get further clarification on this, in the meantime, I’d be interested in experiences using this new system.
Vandals have finally pulled own on of the new posters from under the pedestrian tunnel linking Huntingtower Road and the station.
Students in collaboration with LNER erected the new posters depicting the best of Grantham two weeks ago, but within days they had been attacked.
Ironically, the first poster to be removed depicted war hero Albert Ball, a First World War Ace who died in 1917 in the service of his country.
Is there any reason that net work rail haven’t posted flyers thruough the doors of residents on Gonerby Hill Foot?
They are obviously doing maintenance work on the tracks but the noise is horrendous… all Saturday night, sunday morning and again sunday night .
It’s especially bad for people living on the Maltings, New Row , Pretoria Road and Webster Way …4am and they are still working.
Have they disrupted anyone elses sleep ?
Sue McQuinn says…
ULHT have updated all their sites today regarding parking charges, concessions etc. It’s well worth having a read through.
For Blue Badge holders this link explains how pre-registration works, including with the Good2go app.
A few things worth noting:
* I’ve clarified that where it says ‘reception’ for registration that means any ‘reception’ for a clinic you’re attending – not just the Main Reception.
* In the FAQs note the instructions for multiple visits on the same day.
* FAQs says there is a limit of 3 vehicles that can be registered against a Blue Badge.
General Advice – not just for Blue Badge holders – there are still quite a few PCNs being issued that don’t seem justified. Hang on to your receipt! If the machine is out of order take a photo if you can.
My next meeting with ULHT is 15th April so please comment below with any issues. Hoping to hear from Mr Boles about his efforts to get other local MPs involved but he may be busy elsewhere ………
https://www.ulh.nhs.uk/content/uploads/2019/03/Blue-Badge-Holder-parking-information.pdfwww.ulh.nhs.uk
Glenda says…
As a resident of Durham Close, over the last three years we are constantly harassed by noisy motor bikes/quad bike riders in the field to the rear (off Dysart Road) they get access via Sheep Wash lane.
For the past few evenings from 4pm a male adult riding a quad bike, and young lad riding a motor bike and another young lad with a small child on the back on another motor bike. None are wearing helmets its an accident waiting to happen.
We understand Grantham Estates owns the field they are aware of the situation, several reports have gone into the Police.
Our Summer evenings and weekends are just waiting for the noise to begin, in the Summer they rode until 10pm.
We keep asking Police why they cannot confiscate these bikes as they are persistent users and are not just being reported by one household they have received several complaints, they seem unwilling to carry this out.
By Andy Bond of the Woodland Trust
From fruity slugs and spiders to a curry and “Mr whippy ice creams” – welcome to the little known wonders of our woodland.
The Woodland Trust – the UK’s largest woodland conservation charity which is based in Grantham – has plucked out a top ten of the weird and wacky wildlife that many people will never have heard of that live in our UK woodland.
Alastair Hotchkiss, conservation advisor at the Woodland Trust said: “Many people love to visit our woodlands for a relaxing walk and will be used to seeing common critters like blackbirds, bumblebees or perhaps a badger . However, take a peak a little closer and there are in fact many, often hidden, but remarkable stories being played out within our woodlands. Picking ten was not easy as our woodlands have many more tales to tell.”
Ten woodland wonders:
1) The curry milkcap (Lactarius camphoratus) – this small brownish-red mushroom may look rather unremarkable, but as it begins to dry delivers the most amazingly rich smell of curry powder. The name milkcap refers to the milky latex that is exuded from the gills under the mushroom cap, when they are cut or torn. Milkcaps are one group of mycorrhizal fungi which form symbiotic associations with trees, helping in the exchange of nutrients and water.
2) Lemon slug (Malacolimax tenellus) – an ancient woodland slug which is so named due to its bright yellow appearance. It snuggles down in ancient woodland, and head outs in the evening for some fine dining on big mushrooms like penny buns/porcini in late summer and autumn. For the rest of the year, it is thought to live underground.
3) Mr-Whippy spider (Paidiscura pallens) – This tiny yellow spider lays its egg sack on the underside of oak leaves and it looks, rather remarkably like a whippy ice cream.
4) Campion anther smut fungus (Microbotryum lycnhidis-dioicae) – a sneaky little fungus which produces spores on the anthers of red campion flowers so that pollinators trying to get a tasty meal of pollen end up transporting its spores everywhere – it also changes the sex of the campion plants so that they are all male!
5) Tree lungwort (Lobaria pulmonaria) – The name lungwort was given to it long ago, when it was thought to have medicinal properties for respiratory ailments. More recently, this lichen has been found to contain compounds which break down the prion proteins of currently incurable diseases like BSE, CJD, Scrapie etc. Whilst only a few lichens have been given common names, those that have are some of the best, such as the string-of-sausages lichen (Usnea articulata).
6) Log-jam hoverfly (Chalcosyrphus eunotus) – this spring hoverfly sits on sunlit log-jams in woodland streams, where their larvae munch through the soft wet wood. No one really knows what the adults eat, as they have never been observed eating nectar or pollen from flowers. They may go up into the trees for the sweet sticky honeydew provided by aphids, or tree flowers. Log-jams in woodland streams are an important habitat for many other invertebrates and can also form natural flood management by holding back water.
7) Wasp spider (Argiope bruennichi): The wasp spider is a great mimic – looking just like a common wasp keeps it safe from predators, even though it is not dangerous itself. It can be found in Southern England but is spreading north.
8) Yellow necked mouse: Closely related to the wood mouse, the yellow-necked mouse was only recognised as a separate species in 1834. As the name suggests, it has a band of yellow fur on the neck, but otherwise appears very similar to the wood mouse. Yellow-necked mice are also larger, at around 1.5 times the weight of their relative. It is particularly common in ancient woodlands.
9) Slime mould: Slime molds are among the world’s strangest organisms. Long mistaken for fungi, they are now classed as a type of amoeba. As single-celled organisms, they have neither neurons nor brains. Yet for about a decade, scientists have debated whether slime molds have the capacity to learn about their environments and adjust their behaviour accordingly. There are great videos on the internet of slime molds completing mazes!
10) Hawfinch – The Hawfinch is the UK’s largest finch, with an enormous bill powerful enough to crush a cherry stone. Despite their size, they are typically elusive and people will very rarely spot one, especially during the summer nesting season.
Find your local wood at: www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods
Sara Fowler, daughter of Sharon Harper, is looking for any photos of her mum, or stories about her.
Sara, whose mum was murdered when she was five months old, is trying to put together memories of the woman she can scarcely remember.
She told Grantham Matters: “I don’t have many pictures of my mom and any stories about her like what she was like or what her and her friends used to get up to.
“I would just love and appreciate photos or memories of her as I don’t have any myself.
“I’d love anybody who follows the Grantham Matters page to share any information about her or photographs just so I can get an idea of what she was actually like.
“I don’t even have that many photographs of her except for when she was a child/teenager and the only one I have on me at this moment in time is of the one where I was just a few weeks old.”
Sharon was found beaten and strangled in shrubs after being sexually assaulted, at the Shepherd Construction’s canalside car park in Earlesfield Lane, on Sunday, July 3, 1994.
She lived at Sycamore Court and was a barmaid at the Market Cross pub, Westgate.
In the same year, Julie Pacey, of Longcliffe Road, was sexually assault and murdered at her home. Like Sharon’s, the murder remains unsolved.
You can either post your stories and photos (including school photos and memories), or send them to GranthamMatters@gmail.com and we will forward them to Sara.
Dean says…
I drive past the old police houses on Stonebridge Road and can’t help but think, if mine or my neighbours gardens and houses were in such disrepair, I would have probably received a very strong letter from the local authority by now.
Isn’t it about time the college did something with these to tidy them up or demolish them?
And shouldn’t the council step in?
Jayne says…
Last week, students at Grantham College in collaboration with LNER brightened up the subway beneath the railway, which connects Huntingtower Road to Station Road West.
Their artwork certainly made it look more hospitable.
Unfortunately, there are still some idiots who cannot appreciate art or beauty….
Lincolnshire County Council announced this afternoon the CallConnect bus service has a special birthday gift for its passengers, as it prepares to mark its 18th anniversary.
To celebrate this milestone, CallConnect is offering a day of free travel on Tuesday 19 March, with passengers able to travel for free on all pre-bookable and timetabled CallConnect services.
The nationally-acclaimed on-demand bus service has carried more than three million passengers since its launch in Horncastle in 2001, seeing passenger figures rise to over 300,000 last year.
The network has expanded consistently since it started, with the latest addition being the Wragby and Bardney area. The service is also installing CCTV on all new buses and is about to unveil revamped livery on all of its vehicles.
Cllr Richard Davies, executive member for highways, said: “CallConnect demonstrates our commitment to public transport, helping people in Lincolnshire stay connected even if they live in isolated or rural communities.
“The growth in passenger figures reflects the value our residents place on this vital and innovative public bus service. Many happy returns, CallConnect.”
Anita Ruffle, head of the transport services group, added: “It’s great to be marking this latest milestone with significant enhancements to our fleet and a range of passenger offers in the coming months.
“The ongoing success of CallConnect means we can continue to meet the transport needs of people in isolated locations or those living in communities with infrequent bus services to enable them – whatever their age or status – to stay connected locally or travel further afield.”
To find out more about CallConnect, please contact 0345 234 3344 for Lincolnshire or 0345 263 8153 in the Stamford and Peterborough area.
You can also visit www.lincsbus.info for more information.
| People in Grantham less likely than other parts of the UK to change lifestyle behaviours.Over 2/3 of parents want their children educated on sustainability.Interactive Map shows where in the UK people would change their lifestyles to combat climate change.Climate change, or global warming is a hot topic. We are all aware there are certain things we could be doing to help alleviate the issue but how much are we actually prepared to do? A nation-wide survey of 3,000 Brits by Modular Classrooms has revealed that just over half (55%) of Grantham residents say they are prepared to ‘make significant lifestyle changes’ – this includes things like eating less meat or using their cars less – to fight climate change. This is 2% below the national average of 57%. However, a more promising statistic to emerge from the survey is that people are determined that the next generation contribute to saving the planet. They are, after all, more likely to experience and inherit the consequences of global warming. 78% of parents believe that at some point, it is important for their children to be educated on sustainability and the preservation of the environment. Modular Classrooms asked parents’ opinions on the ideal age for children to start learning about these issues and how to combat them in an environmentally-friendly manner. Overall, the majority of Grantham parents felt nursery and reception (age 3 to 5) is the most appropriate time for children to be taught about the environment. In other parts of the country such as the South East, however, parents feel it would be more useful if children waited until they were at years 3-6 (age 7-11) before being educated on these issues. To find out how each part of the UK compared on both of these questions, see the interactive map (embed code included): https://www.modularclassrooms.co.uk/infographics/climatechange/ |
| As a result, it’s perhaps no surprise that the survey also found 60% of parents admit they would be influenced when selecting a school based on its environmental credentials. That is, a school that encourages recycling or teaches learners about environmental impact. In fact, when sending children to school it was found that for 54% of parents the most important environmental factor to consider is if the building is sustainably constructed. This was followed by: the building being energy efficient (22%), providing recycling bins (20%) and vegetarian or vegan options being provided in the canteen (4%). Encouragingly, it seems as though children are already beginning to take note of how we impact the environment, as one-third of parents say their kids have educated them at times on eco issues, such as recycling. Almost three-quarters of parents say they try to lead by example when it comes to teaching kids about taking care of the planet. And 47% admit that they try to purchase products without plastic wrapping while grocery shopping, which is a great example for younger generations to follow. While recycling isn’t a common process in every school in the UK, 80% of parents said they have faith that if recycling bins were provided, pupils would make a conscious effort to make use of them. The survey also found 41% of Brits believe that more careers are now available for young people should they wish to study environmental science as part of their education. “It’s encouraging to see that so many people are willing to make changes to their lives to safeguard not only their future, but the future of their children.” says Mark Brown of Modular Classrooms . “We can all do our bit, and what children learn in the classroom will have a big impact.” |
I bought myself some Premium Bonds
In nineteen seventy two
I didn’t want a big return
A twenty-five would do
But Ernie must have passed me by
No letter in the post
He must know lots of other folk
Who need his cash the most
I don’t say that I’m really poor
Or need a bigger stash
But I would feel far happier
If Ernie sent some cash
I have this picture in my mind
Where I am fading fast
A letter comes as I pass on
To say I’ve won at last
The last thing I’ll remember
Are the faces of my kin
All trying hard to hide their joy
At Ernie’s timely win
© Don Holmes
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