A towering challenge - South Kesteven District Council

Issue eighteen - September 2008
“Listening Learning Delivering”
today
Kelly Holmes
on school
sport and
drugs in sport
- exclusive
Digging up
the past archaeology
in South
Kesteven
A towering
challenge
as Dowsby youngsters
scale the heights
Latest news from South Kesteven District Council
02
www.southkesteven.gov.uk
.
.
.
e
d
i
s
In
07
today
07
10
Front cover – Our picture
shows youngsters
enjoying important play
time on one of the latest
play projects in the district,
thanks to the Big Lottery
Fund. More on page 13.
12
SKDC has just hosted the
first-ever tenants conference
at council HQ. Full details of
a successful ‘first’ on page 6.
06
14
There’s more to exploring our
archaeological past than just
pure history. Find out why, by
digging a little deeper on
page 7.
SKDC was one of hundreds of
local authorities to hold a
ceremony to mark the passing of
the Olympics from China to the
UK. More on page 10.
Dame Kelly Holmes talks
about about her role as the
National School Sport
Champion. See our exclusive
interview on page 12.
We round up all the latest arts
news in Stamford and
Grantham – in our doublepage special on page 14.
Healthy lifestyle the key for youngsters
round 80 young children and
teenagers from South Kesteven
had an afternoon to remember on a
beautiful summer’s afternoon at the
Caythorpe Court PGL activity centre in
late July.
They were all prizewinners of a
special competition organised by the
healthy communities team at SKDC
and the South West Lincolnshire
School Sports Partnership.
Primary and secondary school
pupils were asked to visit the websites
of the two competition organisers and
answer a question about each site.
And every school entering the
competition was guaranteed not only
a winning entrant but all winners were
invited to take along a friend too.
Over 40 schools took advantage of
this splendid opportunity, which saw
80 youngsters between the ages of
seven and 15 relish the chance to
enjoy an afternoon of activities, such
as archery, high ropes and the
wonderfully-named Giant Swing!
A
Phil Jordan, from SKDC’s
healthy communities team,
said: “The day was a great
success, especially as we were
lucky enough to get one of
the hottest days of the year
for the event. We were
delighted to see children
attend from all areas and
corners of South Kesteven –
it really was a complete
representation of the district.
“Our message to the youngsters
was – and remains – to check our
website for the latest details of
sports clubs and facilities across
the district and the South West
Lincolnshire School Sports
Partnership’s site for information on
school sport and PE.
“We want to see as many young
people as possible joining clubs
and getting involved in a truly
healthy lifestyle.”
www.southkesteven.gov.uk/healthy
www.southwestlincolnshiressp.co.uk
Young people enjoying a day at PGL
sktoday - issue eighteen - September 2008
03
Rolling out the
green bins
ver 6000 new green bins have been
delivered to households across the
district over the past few weeks. Many
residents have asked us to post a
reminder of what does – and what
doesn’t – go in their new green bin.
O
YES – use your bin for:
I Grass cuttings, hedge trimmings ,
weeds and leaves
I Raw fruit and vegetables – and any
peelings
I Flowers and plants.
NO – please do not use your bin for:
I Soil, rubble and stones
I Cooked fruit/cooked vegetables
I Food waste and egg shells
I Tea bags and bread
I Paper and cardboard
I Plant pots
I Carrier bags, including black bags
I Dog or cat waste
I Animal bedding.
Compost corner
Home composting is a great way to
turn garden and kitchen waste into soil
improver for the garden – and it could
save you money too! If you want to save
on shop bought compost by making
your own, you can buy a home
composter from £15. SKDC residents
qualify for a discount on a range of
home composters thanks to a special
arrangement with Lincolnshire County
Council. For advice on composting and
to order a bin just visit
www.recyclenow.com/compost or call
0845 077 07 57 and quote reference
HCAL to get your discount.
At some of our local forum meetings,
you asked us for more advice of how to
compost so we’ve put together a quick
guide on the dos and don’ts of creating
good stuff! Good compost needs a good
mix of ‘brown’ and ‘green’ waste. You
need to use equal amounts of each to
get the balance right. There are also
some things that you mustn’t put in
your home composter.
Greens - These rot quickly and provide a
good source of nitrogen and moisture:
Vegetable peelings, fruit waste, tea bags,
coffee grounds, old flowers and nettles,
spent bedding plants, plant prunings
and grass cuttings.
Browns – These are slower to rot and
provide carbon and fibre and enable air
pockets to form: Cardboard, egg boxes,
egg shells, fallen leaves, scrunched up
paper.
NO – These things can’t be composted
and shouldn’t be put in your home
composter or your green bin:
Cooked vegetables, meat, dairy
products, diseased plants, dog poo,
cat litter, disposable nappies.
Employment
event
launched
What about the garden
rubbish you can’t compost?
S
Most household recycling sites
accept organic waste including tree
prunings and other garden rubbish
which can’t be home composted.
Bonfires can be a useful way of disposing
of garden waste but there are safety risks
and we receive over 400 complaints a
year from people affected by the smoke
and fumes of neighbours’ bonfires - so
our advice is not to have one unless you
really have to. Here are some guidelines
on the rules surrounding occasional
garden bonfires.
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
Be considerate of your neighbours –
check when is a good time to burn
garden waste.
Take great care and keep a close eye
on your fire at all times
Burn only dry garden waste
Keep your fire well away from fences,
buildings and trees
Choose a clear, dry day for your fire.
Smoke hangs in the air on damp
days
Never use petrol, meths or other
flammable liquids to light your fire
Never burn household waste, tyres,
or anything containing plastic, paint,
rubber or polystyrene – all produce
choking fumes when burnt
Never leave a fire unattended. Make
sure you put it out.
KDC and Job Centre Plus have
joined forces to organise a
special event aimed at getting
local people back into work.
An “employment and advice
open day”, to be held at the
Mayor’s Ballroom at the Guildhall
Arts Centre in Grantham, has been
put together for Thursday 16
October from 10am to 3.30pm.
SKDC economic development
officer, Linzi Elliott, explained: “We
are only too aware of the
problems that have arisen in the
wake of recent substantial job
losses. We have organised this
event with Job Centre Plus to
provide jobseekers with the
opportunity to talk to various
groups with the aim of helping
them return to employment at the
earliest opportunity.”
The day will offer attendees the
chance to meet with:
I
I
I
I
Public sector employers
Major employers and agencies
Employment and business
support advisers
Training and skills support
advisers.
There’s no need to register either
– just turn up on the day.
04
www.southkesteven.gov.uk
No to telephone
kiosk closures
bjections to plans to close nearly
half of the telephone boxes across
South Kesteven have been submitted to
British Telecom and central
government.
BT announced their intention to
close 72 out of 159 public payphones
in the district earlier this year. As a
result, SKDC consulted with all the
parish councils, councillors and local
MPs affected by these proposals.
The findings were then presented
to two council committees, the
outcome being that SKDC posted
formal objections to all 72 closures.
There are a host of reasons why the
council feels it is imperative to retain
these kiosks, with the following a
representative sample of the reasons
for their retention put forward by local
parish councils:
O
I
I
I
I
I
Certain areas have poor/nonexistent mobile phone networks.
Box removals would disadvantage
certain parts of the community,
notably the elderly.
There are no amenities (such as a
pub or shop) from where public
calls can be made.
BT has provided no evidence of the
importance of calls made, such as
emergency calls.
The public is increasingly reluctant
to open their doors to strangers
who are unable to use their mobile
phones in areas of poor coverage.
Councillor Mike Taylor said: “Councillors
felt that life is priceless and in the case
of an emergency a public telephone
box is a vital service. They also said that
the kiosks act as an ‘insurance policy’ in
areas of poor mobile phone coverage.”
Starting a new business?
alling all people in South
Kesteven who are thinking of
setting up in business: Are all your
plans in place or do you need help in
certain areas before taking the
plunge?
Well, help is at hand thanks to a
special Business Link evening that is
being held at the Queen Eleanor
Technical College in Stamford on 15
October between 6pm and 8.30pm.
The evening is aimed at anyone
looking to start up in business, be
they sole traders or small businesses.
The evening, entitled “Is it right for
you?” will cover a comprehensive list
of key areas. Courses are available on
producing a business plan, sales and
marketing, managing risks, bookkeeping, tax and national insurance
C
contributions and using
e-commerce to sell your product(s).
All the courses are free of charge.
Come along for an informal chat.
SKDC is supporting the event and
our economic development officer,
Barbara Copley will there on the
evening. She said: “We want to
motivate people who want to start
up in business and give them all the
help we can.
“Our local businesses are
important to us and, above all, we
want to help anyone looking to set
up to get it right from the start. That
is our key message.”
Interested? If so, you can ensure
your place by contacting:
[email protected] or
by phone on 01476 40 61 62.
Cllr Mike Taylor
sktoday - issue eighteen - September 2008
05
Leisure
Bourne Leisure Centre:
01778 42 14 35
Deepings Leisure Centre:
20 years up for
Stamford centre
tamford Leisure Centre has spent
the summer celebrating its
twentieth year – and the message
from all concerned is that things
continue to go from strength to
strength.
That was certainly backed up by
the sight that greeted sktoday on
the day we visited the centre with
nearly 200 children enjoying the
various delights and attractions
of Stamford Leisure Pool.
Here’s a snapshot of what you
can expect if you choose to dip your
toe in the water:
S
I
I
I
Enjoy the great pool with a
wave machine and other fun
water features.
Try your hand on the 50 metre
flume!
Just relax in the comfortable seating
area.
Friday night fun - The summer saw the
introduction of the ‘Friday family fun
night’ which has proved enormously
popular, thanks to the fun and games to
be had with floats and beach balls. And
the innovation has been so successful
that the ‘fun nights’ are set to continue
for the foreseeable future.
Water polo – Definitely for the more
competitive as the Olympic Games
amply demonstrated. So why not try
your hand at this all-action sport?
Aquatone - Combine music and
fitness with the aqua aerobics sessions
aimed at helping weight loss and
toning the body in a fun and enjoyable
way.
01778 34 40 72
Grantham Meres Leisure Centre:
01476 58 19 30
Stamford Leisure Centre:
01780 76 55 22
DOUBLE DELIGHT
KDC’s buildings control team was
delighted to pick up two
commendations at the recent LABC
Built-in Quality Awards. The first was for
a new-build house in Market Deeping.
Planning permission was granted by
SKDC on condition that the house
which sits in a conservation area, was
designed to be in keeping with the 200
year-old house next door. Many locally
sourced materials were used and the
judges confirmed that the brick and
stone work had been carried out to a
very high standard. Another
commendation went to SKDC’s
partnership working with Allseasons, a
Bourne-based windows, doors and
conservatories company.
SKDC’s Stuart Vickers explained:
“These awards recognise the results of
some of the work we’re involved with
throughout the district. In the
buildings control team we’re here to
help developers and householders to
produce quality buildings which meet
legal standards and have integrity
with the local environment. We’re very
close to the latest legislation and
planning rules; by working with us,
people can avoid many of the pitfalls
which are an inevitable part of any
construction project.”
S
And for the older members…..
There are a number of various ‘Active
Life’ sessions, which include swimming
and a 30 minute exercise session in
the pool.
On dry land
For those who prefer to enjoy their
workouts on terra firma, the gym has
20 different pieces of apparatus and
you can put together your own
personal training programme with the
help of the centre’s skilled fitness
team.
For further details of all the
activities on this page contact
01780 76 55 22.
06
www.southkesteven.gov.uk
First tenants conference a success
he first-ever SKDC tenants conference
has been hailed a major success –
by both tenants and the council.
SKDC’s tenancy services team
hosted the conference at the Guildhall
Arts Centre in Grantham, including a
series of workshops held in SKDC’s
civic suite.
The event attracted over 75
delegates, comprising tenants and local
councillors. For many of those
attending, this was their first
experience of resident involvement.
The day began with SKDC’s strategic
director, Beverly Agass reiterating
SKDC’s determination and
commitment to continually improve
and develop services even more
effectively and efficiently – and to
T
involve tenants as much as possible in
the process of doing so. Councillor Paul
Carpenter and SKDC’s director of
tenancy services, Tony Campbell,
echoed her views.
The emphasis throughout the day
was all about working together, with
officers from SKDC’s tenancy services
team available to lend assistance and
answer queries, whilst information
SKDC's Joanne Green thanks Mary Patrick
stands provided all the latest news
and updates – and gave away ‘freebies’ for all her hard work and dedication
such as room thermometers, light
the District Association, was presented
bulbs and pens.
with a bouquet and framed
Similarly, South Kesteven District
photograph in recognition of all her
Association, the umbrella organisation
hard work. In accepting the gifts, Mary
for the 11 neighbourhood groups that
encouraged all tenants to become
work in partnership with SKDC tenancy
more involved in helping SKDC to
services, answered questions and
continually improve the quality of
publicised their valuable work on their
service received by tenants.
own stand.
Having a say
Getting vital feedback was a crucial
part of the conference - and four
workshops were put together to
do just that.
Delegates selected one morning
and one afternoon workshop, all of
which focused upon key areas of the
SKDC – tenant relationship. These were:
Deepings
film boost
The movies are back at the
Deepings – thanks to a partnership
between Deepings Arts and the
Deepings Management
Partnership, which will see new
films shown at the Deepings
School on the third Thursday of
every month.
The initiative means that films
are now being shown in all four of
the district’s largest towns. A
summer blockbuster will kick off
the initiative on 16 October, with
tickets available from Deeping
Travel Worldchoice in Market
Deeping – call in person or ring
01778 34 24 33. Doors open at 7pm
for a 7.30pm start.
I
I
I
I
Resident involvement
Estate management
Repairs and improvements
Supported housing.
The information received from
all workshops will be analysed and
used to inform future thinking and
decision making.
The conference closed with a
questions and answers session and a
summary of the workshops, but not
before Mary Patrick, the retiring chair of
Quote …unquote
From the tenants
I “A very informative and enjoyable
day”
I “I enjoyed it very much. Very
informative. Would recommend
resident involvement to others and
will be attending local meetings and
become more involved.”
I “Thank you for a wonderful day”
I “Fab!”
From SKDC
I “We were delighted that all
attendees rated the overall event as
‘good’ or ‘excellent’. These events
really help to promote SKDC’s
commitment to involving our
tenants at the heart of shaping our
services. We are now looking
forward to making the tenants
conference an annual event” – Blake
Hutchinson, resident involvement
team leader.
sktoday - issue eighteen - September 2008
Digging for history
and planning for the future
sk someone what he or she thinks
are the main things taken into
consideration when people apply to
SKDC for planning permission and it’s
unlikely that many would talk about the
archaeological implications of an
application.
Yet nothing could be further from
the truth.
For the evidence of South Kesteven’s
historic past is all around us in many
different forms – and it must be
protected for future generations for the
simple reason that it is irreplaceable.
That is why archaeological advice is
given to the council by a planning
archaeologist, Jenny Young, who is
based at Heritage Lincolnshire
headquarters in Heckington. Jenny’s
important role is all part of central
government’s recognition of the
importance of archaeological remains locally, regionally and nationally.
So what sort of remains can be
found in the district of South Kesteven?
Well, obviously there are remains such
as field systems, earthworks, buildings
and ruins that are visible above ground,
but equally there are many others
buried beneath the soil. Some finds
date from as early as 500,000 years ago.
A
At the latest count there were over
4000 records detailing a wide and
fascinating variety of remains that have
been discovered, preserved and
collected as a result of formal
archaeological fieldwork,
chance finds, maps, documents and
aerial photographs.
So there is simply a mountain of
valuable archaeological information
already at Jenny’s fingertips that should
be taken into account prior to the
submission of a planning application –
all of which helps to conserve essential
time, money and effort.
Naturally, if there is evidence
revealing that any proposed area of
development lies within what is
deemed to be an “archaeologically
sensitive area,” then SDKC can ask for
more research to be carried out before
they take an informed and appropriate
planning decision.
Also, if planning permission is given,
an applicant can be asked to
commission a qualified archaeologist to
undertake any necessary fieldwork to
ensure that any important remains are
protected and kept in situ.
As Jenny Young says with the
greatest commitment to her role:
“Preservation is the primary option
where you can and when you can.”
The Baston Potter strikes again!
Here are just a few examples of local
finds in the last 40 years:
I
Large quantities of medieval pottery
were recently found in Bourne
during an archaeological
investigation. The finds were cleaned,
recorded and sent to a specialist for
identification. They tallied with other
finds of the 14th century of work of
the man who has become known as
the ‘Baston Potter.’
I
Various remains have been found on
the site of an Ancaster doctor’s
surgery revealing remains from
Roman Britain. The village was once
the site of a Roman town, the
earthworks of which can still be seen
today.
I
St Mary’s Street in Stamford was the
site of an exciting find in 2003 when
a further new part of the town wall
was unearthed.
For further information go to
www.lincsheritage.org
Or to
www.heritagegateway.org.uk
07
08
www.southkesteven.gov.uk
Village Spotlight: The parish of Heydour
The parish of
Heydour
or the first time since we began our
village spotlights, we find ourselves
dealing with not one, not two but three
villages – or depending on your definition,
three separate hamlets (we’ll call them
villages for the purpose of this piece).
The trio of villages in question are
Heydour, Oasby and Aisby, which come
together to make the parish of Heydour.
The parish lies a few miles from
Grantham and three miles south east of
Ancaster. Oasby and Aisby are both
former Danish settlements and were
originally estate villages to
Culverthorpe (in North Kesteven), whilst
Heydour is a conservation village.
The total population of the parish is
about 300, made up of a wide mix of
ages, with occupations ranging from
traditional agriculture to younger
commuting professionals.
F
What’s in a name?
Aisby – not to be confused with
another place near Gainsborough, the
village was sold off in lots from the
aforementioned Culverthorpe estate in
1918 and is now much expanded. The
village is found with a variety of
spellings in various official records, such
as censuses, but past spellings include
Azeby and Hazeby. The village is listed
in the 1086 Domesday Book.
Heydour – although the smallest of
the three villages, the parish bears its
name. Other versions of the spelling of
the village are Haydor, Haydour and
Heydor.
Oasby – arguably the most socially
active of the three villages, and
alternative spellings are Ozeby and
Oseby.
Share and share alike
The philosophy of the parish seems to
place great emphasis on the beauty
and benefits of sharing.
So:
Heydour is home to St Michael’s
church, which is the sole church of the
parish.
Aisby is home to a village hall and
millennium green which are the only
St. Michael's church
halls and greens of the parish.
Oasby is home to The Houblon Inn,
which is the sole pub of the parish.
As mentioned, Oasby is a very
socially active place to live in and
community events abound. There’s a
book club, art club, cricket club, Morris
dancing, an annual art exhibition and
a pantomime that can definitely be
placed in a ‘Not Very Typical’ category.
The reason? Well, we’re sure you
guessed but the Heydour parish
pantomime takes place in March!
Most events take place at the Aisby
parish hall.
There is also a madrigals group of
Put your village in the spotlight
Has your village got a story to tell? Does it have an interesting past or maybe it boasts some fascinating
characters? If you want your village in the spotlight, then let us know! Email SKDC's communications unit
at [email protected] or telephone 01476 40 61 28.
sktoday - issue eighteen - September 2008
ten singers that has performed by
invitation at Belvoir Castle and Silk
Willoughby church.
Heartbeats of the parish
St Michael and All Angels Anglican
church - Heydour
This large church with its lofty spire was
built in Norman times, constructed of
local Ancaster stone and features Early
English, Decorated and Perpendicular
styles. There are some fine monuments
to the Newton family of Culverthorpe
in the north chapel but the church is
most renowned for its medieval
stained-glass windows.
These windows have been recently
restored to their former glory at a cost
of £70,000, thanks mainly to a series of
grants from English Heritage for the
Care of Churches, the Worshipful
Company of Glaziers and the
Lincolnshire Old Churches Trust.
The church has eight bells, which
are regularly used by local and visiting
bellringers as the bells are nationally
renowned for their age and number.
The Houblon Inn – Oasby
This popular establishment takes its
name from Sir John Houblon, a local
landowner who had the distinction of
being the first governor of the Bank of
England.
The inn provides a range of beers
and food and is listed in the ‘Good Beer
Guide’. Each year the pub plays host to
what the parish calls ‘Baboon night,'
which, amongst other things, involves
the throwing of a monkey (a toy one
that is) over the roof of the pub. Sorry,
there just isn’t the room to explain!
However, in recent years ‘Baboon Night‘
has become the focal point for raising
funds for ‘Children in Need.’
The parish hall and Millennium
Green – Aisby
The parish hall is home to most
community events in the parish,
including the infamous pantomime in
springtime. Formerly, a hut from World
War 1, the hall has been bricked and
improved and now houses a
licensed bar and kitchen.
It has played host to some
interesting occasions, such as a
beach party (apparently it was very
cold!), race night, Trafalgar Day
dinner and a safari dinner. A
Dickensian-themed dinner is
scheduled for Christmas.
Old 'Wheelwright's Yard, Oasby' print
Anartisticlady
As well as being the only person in
Britain with her name, Bridget
Swanski-Such (it’s Polish by the
way) is one of those people that
seem determined to fill every
second of the day.
Having graduated in Creative
Arts in 1984, Bridget had a stellar
career in education and was a
head teacher by the age of 30.
However, in 2001 she decided that
“there was more to life than being
promoted and earning money”. At
the same time she joined the
village art group and produced a
few pieces in textiles for an
exhibition they were holding. “I
was hooked,” she says, and the
rest, as they say, is history.
She works in textiles,
predominantly silk, and her work is
seen in many local galleries,
notably the Harding House Gallery
co-operative in Lincoln, of which
she is a member. Bridget is honest
about the way she earns a living
and her work. She says: “I went
from being at the top of the tree in
education to the bottom of the
pile in art. But it is such a huge
compliment when someone buys
a piece of your work to hang on
their wall. It gives you the most
incredible buzz”.
Bridget also plays keyboards in
a ceilidh group called the Old
Parrot Band and the fiddle and
accordion in another band, with
her husband John, a head teacher,
playing penny whistles and five –
stringed banjo.
Anything else? Well, yes
actually. She’s chairman of the
Oasby art group, a member of the
village book club, plays accordion
for the local Morris dancers, is a
regular member of the pantomime
cast and is part of the recorder
consort.
And she’s involved in the village
scarecrow hunt……. but that
really is another story.
09
10
www.southkesteven.gov.uk
Car park’s seal of approval
G
rantham’s Welham Street car park
has received a major regional
accolade – within a year of opening.
The building was shortlisted at the
East Midlands 2008 Local Authority
Building Control Built in Quality awards
at a special evening held at the Village
Hotel in Nottingham, hosted by East
Midlands weather girl, Emma Jesson.
The SKDC assets and facilities team
was delighted to receive the
nomination in the ‘Best Access Design’
category, the car park having already
received ‘Park Mark Safer Parking’
recognition after opening in
September 2007.
Susie McCahon, acting service
manager, SKDC assets and facilities
team, said: “We are obviously thrilled
that the high-tech multi-storey car
park has been recognised in this way.
To get in the final four was a real
achievement.
“Safety was obviously a key
concern for us but we were also
pleased to work with a company
called Nortech, who developed an
innovative technology that
Welham Street multi-storey car park
automatically displays which spaces
are available to drivers, thus helping to
create a free flow of traffic.”
Raising the flag!
Drive
down the
cost of
parking!
egular users of the Welham
Street car park in Grantham
could save up to 48% on the
cost of their daily parking with
a new parking permit. If you
usually park all day MondayFriday you can save by buying
a permit instead of individual
day tickets. Permits cost £175
for a half year or £90 for a
quarter saving you up to £163
on the usual £2.60 day rate
over six months.
R
Permits for Monday- Saturday
are also available offering a
saving of up to £196.
Interested? Contact SKDC’s
parking team on 01476 40 62 58
From left to right Emma Sheardown, Cllr Mike Exton, Heather Goodman,
Doreen Dowsett, Emily Bates, Dea-Anna Davey, Adam Meanwell, Kellie
Dogherty, Mick Lai, Clive Wright.
KDC was one of hundreds of local
authorities to hold celebrations last
month to celebrate the handing over of
the Olympic Games from Beijing to Great
Britain. The event was timed to co-incide
with the moment the Mayor of London,
Boris Johnson, accepted the Olympic flag
for London 2012 at the closing ceremony
in Beijing.
Young prospects for the 2012
games, and retired local athletes
gathered at the council offices in
Grantham to celebrate the handover
and to raise the flag on August 24.
SKDC chairman, Councillor Mike Exton
received the flag from Mick Lai, chair of
Grantham Chinese Association. They
were joined by 1956/1960 men’s
hockey team member, Colin Dale and
2004 rowing team doctor David Babbs,
S
both from Stamford and 2012 hopefuls:
Middle distance runner, Dea-Anna
Davey, table tennis player Emily Bates,
dressage rider Emma Sheardown,
Judoist Heather Goodman, and
swimmers Adam Meanwell and Kellie
Dougherty, all from Grantham. Retired
powerlifters, Clive Wright and Doreen
Dowsett were also among the guests.
Doreen is campaigning to have
powerlifting recognised as an Olympic
sport in time for the 2012 games.
Speaking at the ceremony Cllr Mike
Exton said: “It’s so good to see some of
our local, young sporting talent here
today. I wish them every success in
their training efforts over the coming
months and years. Who knows, we may
have a future gold medallist in our
midst!”
sktoday - issue eighteen - September 2008
Bourne outdoor pool: Mandy Delaine-Smith with
Holly Biggadike and Victoria Delaine-Smith
Offenders make amends
ffenders are getting their hands
dirty to repay their debt to
society.
Under the ‘Community Payback’
scheme, teams of supervised offenders
sentenced to Unpaid Work Orders
have been working for the benefit of
local communities in South Kesteven.
Unpaid Work, formerly known as
‘Community Service’, is a court order
for anything from 40 to 300 hours,
which encourages local communities
to get involved by nominating
projects for offenders to undertake.
Unpaid Work Unit manager,
Rebecca Rate says; “Last year in
Lincolnshire offenders sentenced to
Unpaid Work Orders completed over
62,000 hours of work which, when
equated to the minimum wage, is
about £342,000 of free labour.”
Many Community Payback projects
have been completed in South
Kesteven in the last year, including
Grantham Sports Stadium, Wyndham
Park (Grantham), The Rushcliffe Eagles
Football Club (Harlaxton), The William
Hildyard School (Market Deeping),
Barkston Alms Houses, Bourne
Cemetery, Bourne Salvation Army,
Priory Court (Stamford) and Bourne
Outdoor Pool.
Projects include litter picking,
graffiti removal, painting and
decorating, restoration and ground
works. Cleaning and repainting
Bourne Outdoor Pool is a seasonal
project offenders have worked on for
O
the last decade. The facility is one of
the largest outdoor pools in the
country, relying on volunteers to keep
it in business. This year work began in
February and was completed in time
for reopening in May.
Mandy Delaine-Smith, chair of the
Bourne Outdoor Pool Preservation
Trust, says; “We really appreciate the
hard work offenders have contributed
to the project and the support of the
Unpaid Work staff. Each year the
Probation Service provides us with a
valuable work force and without their
help we would not be able to stay
open.”
For Bourne outdoor pool opening
times, please visit:
www.bourneoutdoorswimmingpool.org
‘Community Payback’
encourages local communities
and organisations to nominate
projects.
To do so, please call
01522 78 07 67 or
01205 31 29 07 or click on the
link to ‘Nominate a project’ on
the home page of
www.commmunitypayback.co.uk
11
Going up a ‘floor’
‘The Sorting Floor 2’ is the second
anthology of short stories to have
resulted from a special Writers
Support Project throughout
Lincolnshire, involving both
Lincolnshire County Council and Arts
Council England.
Anthology number two saw the
light of day thanks to the success of
the first anthology, which also
showcased the short story talents of
many of the county’s writers. Some
writers have featured in both
editions but there are plenty of new
names to savour in the latest
collection.
‘The Sorting Floor, ’(published by
Lincolnshire County Council in
association with Lynn Parker 2008)
contains 15 short stories with titles
such as ‘The Golden Serpent,’ ‘Locked
and Nowhere to Run’ and ‘Afraid of
the Dark’ – so it seems that certain
Lincolnshire writers have a sense of
danger and threat about them!
SKDC is giving away 10 copies of
‘The Sorting Floor 2’ and the
winners will be drawn in October
from those lucky enough to come
out of the hat in a free draw. Good
luck!
How to enter
To get your chance of winning a
copy, you can enter by writing to us
with your name and address details.
Email [email protected]
Mail: SKDC, sktoday team, Council
Offices, St. Peter’s Hill, Grantham,
NG31 6PZ.
12
www.southkesteven.gov.uk
Express yourself
and have fun!
n our previous edition, we reported
on the South West Lincolnshire
Games, highlighted by the visit of one
of Britain’s greatest female Olympic
athletes, Dame Kelly Holmes
Before helicoptering off, the double
Olympic gold medallist gave this
exclusive interview to sktoday reporter
Richard Grummitt (see photo right),
about her role as National School Sport
Champion and the key issues
surrounding school sport and athletics.
I
Q: What has been your prime concern
since taking this role?
A: Getting sport back at the top of the
school agenda. There’s no question that
it had slipped down and we have
worked really hard to get it back to
where it belongs. My role and that of
everybody else involved in school sport
is to inspire a new generation of young
people.
Q: What is your message to the
young people, parents, teachers and
school sports co-ordinators of
South Kesteven about the
importance of sport?
A: It is the best way for young people to
express themselves and to excel. In the
past we’ve been far too focused on
results. Now, we’re trying to concentrate
on the benefits that sport can bring –
will-to-win, determination, respect and
discipline. Academic achievement is
important but it doesn’t bring all those
things – sport does. I was not
academically gifted but I had the
respect of my peers thanks to sport.
Q: Are you pleased with the
achievements so far?
A: It’s going well. I went to see the Prime
Minister when he came into power and
explained the need to put more
emphasis on sport in schools and he
gave us another £100 million to help
with that. We also need to get the
amount of PE up from two hours a week
to five hours by 2010-11. We must keep
going forward. We need to motivate our
children, to cultivate school sport and PE
and to foster links with more local clubs.
We need to create an inspirational
atmosphere for them to enjoy as many
sporting activities as possible – and
have fun!
Q: Drug-taking is a massive issue in
athletics. What do you say to the
young athletes in South Kesteven?
A: What is really disappointing is that 0.1
per cent ruin it for all those other 99.9%
athletes who are clean and who have
dreams and inspirations and who work
so hard to achieve their goals. If you take
drugs, you are a cheat. You cheat your
friends. You cheat your family. You cheat
your coaches and your training partners.
You cheat the spectators. And most of
all, you cheat yourself. When you strive
to achieve your goals, there is nothing
greater than standing on that rostrum
for your country and I just cannot
imagine why anyone would want to
stand there knowing they got there by
cheating. That’s why I put my name to
the petition (about the participation of
Dwaine Chambers in Beijing). We need
to put in place tougher and more
stringent measures. A two-year ban is
not enough because you can serve your
ban and return. It shouldn’t be that easy.
Q: And a final word about the South
West Lincolnshire Games?
A: It was about seeing everybody do
what they do best and learning new
activities at the same time. It was a fun
day and I enjoyed watching it. The
sports leaders and young ambassadors
were superb and a credit to themselves
and the occasion.
sktoday - issue eighteen - September 2008
A sense of place
housands of residents across South
Kesteven have received – or are about
to receive – a new central government
survey about the place they live.
The ‘Place Survey’ asks people what
they think of their local community and
to comment on a wide range of
different services provided by South
Kesteven District Council and
Lincolnshire County Council, as well as
the police, fire service and local health
services.
In addition, there are questions
about how people get on in the area
and their approach to life. For example,
the survey seeks to find out what sort
of people carry out local voluntary
work – and how often – as well as
posing more general questions about
what is important to people about
T
where they live.
Other issues covered include how
safe people feel in their community and
if some aspects like vandalism and
graffiti make people feel unsafe.
The results of the survey, which aims
to provide a snapshot of life in South
Kesteven as well as measuring
satisfaction with key services, like
doorstep recycling and refuse
collection, should be issued in Spring
2009.
Look out in a future edition of
sktoday for the results.
If survey recipients have any
questions, please contact: Debbie Wyles
on 01476 40 65 02 or Fiona Truman on
01476 40 64 40 (South Kesteven District
Council’s consultation team).
Dowsby delight at new ‘tower’
t may have been a pretty dismal day
as far as the weather was concerned,
but the youngsters of Dowsby were
feeling sunny when the extension to
one of their existing play areas was
formally opened in midsummer.
The opening of the project – one of
many funded by the Big Lottery project
in South Kesteven - sees not only an
extension to the play area but also the
creation of a challenging adventure
‘play tower’ made up of climbing
frames, slide and ropes for young
people aged between 10 and 16.
The opening celebrations took
place at the local village hall, with the
formal opening made by local resident
and benefactor, Edmund Marshall,
with plenty of local families and
I
children on hand to enjoy an
afternoon of drinks, cakes and a raffle.
Commenting on the exciting new
project, Dale Kitchen of SKDC’s healthy
communities team, enthused: “This is
the second Big Lottery Fund project to
be completed with the support of
SKDC. Projects such as this really give
the children and young people of rural
communities the opportunity to
experience great quality play
equipment on their doorstep.
“As well as extending the
existing play area, it will enable
children and young people to be
challenged physically and mentally
and to explore their imaginations.”
Look out for other new play
projects in future editions of sktoday.
13
14
www.southkesteven.gov.uk
Arts
S TA M F O R D A R T S C E N T R E
Back ‘breaking glass’
It’s been many a moon since Hazel
O’ Connor was part of the punk rock
rebellion that exploded in the UK in
the late seventies – but the star of
the iconic punk movie, ‘Breaking
Glass’, is still paying homage to
those remarkable days.
She brings her show – “Beyond
Breaking Glass” - to Stamford in an
evening of autobiographical
storytelling and music, accompanied
by the harp of Cormac De Barra. The
current tour sees the pair arrive
fresh from success at the Edinburgh
Festival and celebrates the tenth
anniversary of the show, which has
been updated over time.
It’s a rare opportunity to see
what ‘The Scotsman’ newspaper
described as a “unique and
unforgettable” piece of work.
Tickets are £16 (£14
concessions) on Saturday 1
November at 8pm.
For more information on the
artist, see www.hazeloconnor.com
An audience with Dan
There’s nothing like folk
Lovers of the various strands of folk
music are set for a treat in
November with two special
evenings on offer.
The Park Bench Social Club are
part of a new generation of bands
that are not remotely content with
concentrating on one particular
genre but mix and fuse a whole
selection. So expect traditional folk,
Celtic fiddle tunes, bluegrass, gypsy
jazz, bhangra and old time
Americana, all influencing what is
sure to be an energetic
performance.
Tickets are £10 (£8.50) on
Wednesday 12 November at 8pm.
Ten days later, the centre plays
host to the Kathryn Tickell Band,
described in the event preview as
“the most widely acknowledged
icon of Northumbrian music.” She
will join forces with some of the
UK’s most talented young
musicians to form a quartet
guaranteed to present an evening
of excitement and creativity.
The band features Kathryn on
Northumbrian pipes and fiddle,
Julian Sutton on melodeon, Joss
Clapp on guitar/bass and Peter
Tickell on fiddle and guitar.
Tickets are £14 (£12) on
Saturday 22 November at 8pm.
For more information on the
artist, see www.kathryntickell.com
Dan Cruickshank has become a
household name for many people with
series on the BBC, such as ‘Adventures in
Architecture,’ ‘Britain’s Best Buildings’
and ‘Around the World in 80 Treasures.’
Dan, an active member of the
Georgian Group and a member of the
Architectural Panel of the National Trust,
is sure to be a delightful companion as
he recounts just some of the many
adventures during his travels across the
globe.
His talk will take place on Friday 10
October at 8pm. Tickets are £16 (£15).
For details of all these events and to
book, call the box office on
01780 76 32 03 or go online at
www.stamfordartscentre.com
To book all the events on this page and all the other concerts and talks at Stamford Arts Centre, call the box
office on 01780 76 32 03 or go online at www.stamfordartscentre.com
sktoday - issue eighteen - September 2008
15
Stamford and Grantham
he Independent Ballet Wales is one
of the most innovative companies
around and they will be visiting both
of the arts centres in South Kesteven
in the coming months.
They will be taking ‘Romeo and
Juliet,’ arguably one of the greatest
love stories ever told, to both
Stamford and Grantham in
November. Dramatically brought to
life in a stunning classical ballet with
a melodious score by Berlioz, this is
guaranteed to be an evening of
haunting and evocative ballet.
Expect an evening of intense
fighting, passionate duets, classical
costumes and stunning settings as
Shakespeare’s famous lovers are
caught in the ramifications of an
age-old, Montague and Capulet
T
family feud.
Times and dates are: Stamford
– Thursday 6 November at 8pm
for £14 (£13).
Grantham – Friday 7 November
at 8pm for £12 (£10).
The company is also performing
for an extra night in Stamford
(Wednesday 5 November) when
they will interpret one of the
greatest pieces of Welsh literature,
Dylan Thomas’s wondrous ‘play for
voices,’“Under Milk Wood.”
Watch the evening unravel as the
dancers interpret the thoughts and
dreams of the people of Llareggub
and some of the most remarkable
characters in literature. Tickets are
£14 (£13) but you can book both
shows for £22.
GRANTHAM GUILDHALL ARTS CENTRE
Making traffic exciting!
You wouldn’t have thought the traffic
news could adopt a cult following – but
that's precisely what happened to Sally
Boazman when she became the lady
on BBC Radio 2 who kept the British
public right up to date with all the
problems on the seemingly evercongested roads of the UK.
Described by various critics as ‘the
woman who changed the face of traffic
news’ and ‘one of the most attractive
voices on UK radio,’ the lady who
became known as ‘Sally Traffic’ has
plenty of interesting stories to tell,
having worked alongside the likes of
Steve Wright, Johnnie Walker, Ken
Bruce, Jeremy Vine and Chris Evans, not
to mention as an actress and a voiceover.
Let’s hope the show starts on time
and she doesn’t get stuck in traffic!
Her talk begins at 7.30pm on 1
November. Tickets are £12 (£10).
The funny side of celebrity
Award-winning comedy duo Maggie Fox
and Sue Ryding, otherwise known as Lip
Service, take a humorous look at the cult of
celebrity in their latest comedy offering,
‘Tony and Twizzle -The Glory Years.’’
Tony and Twizzle look back on their
showbiz careers that have seen them star
in the likes of ‘Celebrity Wheelie Bins’ and
‘What’s Down Your Passage” as well as
“Whistle Down Your Blouse” and “Just Jugs
the Plant Pot People.”
Presumably you’ve got the idea of the
show by now!
It all happens at 7.30pm on Wednesday
15 October. Tickets are £10 (£9).
For more details of all that’s happening at the Grantham Guildhall Arts Centre or to make
a booking, call the box office on 01476 40 61 58 or go online at www.guildhallartscentre.com
sktoday - issue eighteen - September 2008
16
Useful contacts
sktoday contact details
Offices
For distribution and editorial issues:
[email protected]
Communications unit:
01476 40 61 28
Main office
Council Offices
St. Peter’s Hill
Grantham
Lincolnshire
NG31 6PZ
Opening hours:
Monday, Tuesday
Thursday, 8.45am-5.15pm;
Wednesday 8.45am-4pm;
Friday 8.45am to 4.45pm.
Visit our website
sktoday has been written by RG Communications, designed by DesignCounsell and printed by Progressive Printers Ltd. Photography by Chris Lowndes Photography.
To find out more about the
services we offer please take
a look at our website:
www.southkesteven.gov.uk
General enquiries
Tel: 01476 40 60 80 (all offices)
Minicom: 01476 40 60 98
Email:
customerservices@southkesteven.
gov.uk
Website:
www.southkesteven.gov.uk
Stamford
1 Maiden Lane
Stamford
Lincolnshire
PE9 2AZ
Opening hours:
Monday to Wednesday
9am-5pm;
Thursday 9am-3.30pm;
Friday 9am-4.30pm.
Bourne
Town Hall
North Street
Bourne
Lincolnshire
PE10 9EA
Opening hours:
Monday to Wednesday
9am-5pm;
Thursday 9am-3.30pm;
Friday 9am-4.30pm.
Market Deeping
Deepings Community
Centre
Douglas Road
Market Deeping
Lincolnshire
PE6 8PA
Opening hours:
Monday to Friday
9.30am-2pm.
Registering
your
rights
e probably all take our freedoms for
granted – such as the right to vote.
Whereas in many countries that right is
denied to people, here we just accept our
right to vote for whom we want, as a matter
of course.
However, certain procedures do need to
be put in place for every person in the
district, the county and the country to
ensure that we all exercise that right
properly. Therefore, by now you should have
received your canvass forms that SKDC has
sent to every household in the district.
And the message to everyone is please,
please complete the form and ensure your
place on the electoral roll – allowing you
to vote in any forthcoming local or
national elections. Returning the form is
crucial and anyone not doing so can face
a fine of up to £1000.
W
today
About sktoday
This magazine is produced
six times a year by South
Kesteven District Council
for the residents of South
Kesteven. People tell us they
would like to know more
about the different services
we provide and how to
access them.
sktoday costs 22p per copy
to produce and distribute
to all households in South
Kesteven. It is printed on
paper, produced from
sustainable resources,
which means it comes from
forests that are managed
so that new trees grow to
replace the wood cut for
pulping. When you have
finished with this edition
please recycle it.
GRANTHAM GROWTH
INFORMATION DAY
he Grantham Growth Point projects
are starting to take shape – and
here’s your chance to come along and
find out more about how they all link
together.
Linking the schemes is crucial as the
overall Growth Point project has one
clear aim – the improvement of
Grantham.
So why not drop in and meet with
officers of SKDC and Lincolnshire
County Council who will be happy to
answer your questions and discuss the
various projects.
T
Where – The Gallery at the
Guildhall Arts Centre
Date – Thursday 2 October 2008
Time – 12 noon – 7pm
Alternative formats
This magazine can be
made available in large
print, Braille, on audio tape,
audio CD or computer disc.
If you, or someone you
know, might benefit
from this service, please
contact us.
Many thanks to South
Lincolnshire Blind Society
who distributes sktoday in
large print or on tape to all
their members.