Discovering Bourne issue 137, January 2023

nother year upon us and I wonder whether 2023 will follow the same dramatic (at times, manic) course that we all witnessed with the year just gone. Perhaps a bit more “calm and quiet” wouldn’t go amiss! Of course, we start with our resolutions, and here’s ours from us all at the Discovering Magazines team: We’ll strive to continue providing you with a lively, interesting, useful, and entertaining magazine every month. Please keep the feedback coming our way, and all the very best to you all for a happy, healthy, and successful 2023.

Finally, a piece of advice for all you guys, seeking a quieter life: If at first you don’t succeed … do as your partner suggested to you an hour earlier!

Another year begins with high hopes, especially for those who have recently followed the fortunes of our national sporting teams. We’ve seen a glut of “almost” performances, in rugby league, rugby union, and recently, football in Qatar. Now, 2023 brings us even more “World Cups”, this time in rugby union and in cricket.

Fortunately, we Brits don’t need to mope over “What might have beens”, because we know that, very soon, another sport will be giving us cause to think, “Maybe this time?” The poet, Alexander Pope, wrote, “Hope springs eternal”. How right he was!

Talking of sport, the problem isn’t that obesity runs in my friend’s family; it’s just that no one runs in his family! And finally, as yet another fast-food outlet opened its doors recently in Abbey Road, Bourne, (to ‘Domin ate’ the market) I overheard a local complain that our town was “falling to pizzas!”

Enjoy the read! John

A2023 Happy New Year

Inside Highlights

Inquisition.

66-67 What’s on: Events guide.

71-79 Classified businesses directory.

With thanks to

Double and Megson, Nick Ash, Liberty Partnership, Anna Kelby, Bourne Bookshop, Scott Stewart, Brynley Heaven, Christine Beardwood, Eileen Le Voi, Coleen Everitt.

Deadline details

Copy deadline for the February issue is Friday 13th January 2023.

What’s available in January...

What’s available in July...

It is the season for hearty stews; boost your vitamin C intake with organic curly kale - very high in nutrients & very low in calories. Celeriac, red cabbage & Jerusalem artichokes are at their best now. Brighten the dull days with citrus fruits - blood oranges have a short season, so grab them while you can & don’t forget the Seville oranges for making marmalade. Keep an eye out for the first of the seasons forced rhubarb too. Your garden birds will thank you for keeping your feeders topped up with high quality bird seed & suet balls, especially if there is snow on the ground.

MON-SAT 8AM - 5PM

9AM - 4PM

9AM - 3.30PM

Summertime at Vine House Farm! We’re happy to see ripe strawberries & raspberries arriving daily; fresh broad beans & peas are available now too. Our chillers are stocked to the brim with plenty of fresh produce, much of which we serve on our Café menu. Have you tried a pint of freshly pasteurised milk from Bassingthorpe yet? Deliveries are on a Monday & Thursday - from cow to bottle to chiller all in one morning! We’ve a new cabin in our wildlife garden, which will serve hot & cold drinks, ice-cream & cake too - dogs are welcome in that area & we also have a new range of dog treats! Café

Valentine's Night

7 COURSE SET MENU

Fresh Oyster

Served with a Chilled Cucumber Shot and Freshly Made Griffin Bread

Asparagus Spears

Topped with a Poached Duck Egg, Black Pepper and Parmesan

Lobster Tail

In a Chilled Lobster Bisque with a Chive Oil

Orange and Champagne Granita

Surf and Turf

A Medallion of Beef Fillet topped with a Tempura Prawn, Roasted Shallot, a Sweet Potato Fondant, Baby Vegetables and a Rich Port Jus

A Woodland Walk

Chocolate Delice with Candied Clementine Jelly, Baby Meringues and Truffles

DINNER , BED & CHAMPAGNE BREAKFAST

£199

PER COUPLE

Winners of 'Four in a Bed' on Channel 4

Your Choice of Tea or Coffee with Homemade Petit Fours

We add an OPTIONAL 12.5% service charge to your final bill, all of which goes to all members of our Griffin Team. Thank you for your generosity.

£64.95 PER PERSON

The Griffin Inn, 15 Bulby Road, Irnham, Nr Grantham

LBastonBlue.

Justlikethat,anotheryearbegins. WithChristmasfestivitieswelland trulydone.We’vehadourfillof deliciouslyrichChristmasdinner,wine, andcranberrysauce.Timetoloosen thosebeltbucklesaswemovejoyously intothenewyear.Onethatwillmark tenyearsoftradingforthewhite horseinBaston.

Withthewinternightsdrawingin,it’s acosysetting.Thefireison,thered wineisflowing andtheheartyvenison dishesareattheready.AttheWhite HorseinBastonyoucanenjoyaheartwarmingmenudesignedtoenergiseand nourishthroughoutthecoldseason;

whynotbookyourtablefor Burnsnight?

BeautifullypreparedHaggis,yourchoice ofwhiskeyandwithalltheaddedBurns nighttraditions.

Februarybringsromanceintheairwith

Let’s Eat the Seasons!

Celebrationsasidethisyearwewillbe focusingonourraw

ingredients.There areanumberofreasonstoeatlocally sourcedfoodandthisyearisno different,withapushonourcarbon footprint,wewillcontinuetosupport ourlocaleconomy,reducingtheenergy neededtogrowandtransportthefood weeat.Keepingourplatesfresher, tastierandattheirbest.

2023hascomelikeaboltoutoftheblue andawholedecadehaspassedsinceThe WhiteHorsewasreclaimedbythe Richardsonfamily,thirdgeneration localarablefarmers.

“Itiswithgreatpridewecelebratethis Summer,10YearsOftrading!”saysDanny, Manager Withafocusonsupportingtheirlocal communitytheglorious18thcentury pubinitsdistinctiveBastonBluecoat willbegoingbacktoitsrootsto celebrateinstyle.

It’safamilyaffairandeveryoneis welcome!

ourValentinessharingplates.The Kitchenteambusycomposingthemost beautifuldishes,freshlyshucked oysters,chocolateheartsandpassion fruitpuddings…itsworthbooking aheadtosaveyourlovedones disappointment.

BOURNE BOOKSHOP

19 North Street, Bourne, PE10 9AE

Really good, actually

BY MONICA HEISEY

One of the most hotly anticipated, hilarious and addictive debut novels of 2023, from “Schitt’s Creek” screenwriter, Monica Heisey. Maggie’s marriage has ended just 608 days after it started, but she’s fine - she’s doing ‘really good, actually’. Sure, she’s alone for the first time in her life, can’t afford her rent and her obscure PhD is going nowhere ... but at the age of twenty-nine, Maggie is determined to embrace her new status as a Surprisingly Young Divorcee (TM). Soon she’s taking up ‘sadness hobbies’ oversharing in the group chat and drinking with her highintensity, new divorced friend Amy. A laugh-out-loud funny novel about the uncertainties of modern love, friendship and happiness.

Death at the Auction

BY E.C. BATEMAN

Murder stalks the cobbles in England’s finest Georgian town. When an accident forces Felicia Grant back to her family’s auction house in Stamford, she vows it’ll only be a flying visit.

But as the gavel falls on the final lot, a hidden secret is revealed - the body of her father’s business rival, murdered during the packed sale! Soon, Felicia is swept into a mystery that has everyone in the community as a potential suspect, including her. As the body count rises, Felicia takes matters into her own hands. But even the most picturesque place has its secrets...

The Bookshop at the Back of Beyond

BY AMY SPARKES

Nine and her friends are off to the strange and utterly unpredictable Back of Beyond in search of Professor Dish - Spoon’s best friend and partner in ‘all things alchemy’. When they find Dish trapped by the greedy witch Ophidia

Spare

it soon becomes clear they’re going to need something more than Flabberghast’s dicey magic to triumph this time.

Age 8+

BY PRINCE HARRY

It was one of the most searing images of the twentieth century: two young boys, two princes, walking behind their mother’s coffin as the world watched in sorrow - and horror. As Diana, Princess of Wales, was laid to rest, billions wondered what the princes must be thinking

and feeling - and how their lives would play out from that point on. For Harry, this is that story at last.

With its raw, unflinching honesty, “Spare” is a landmark publication full of insight, revelation, self-examination, and hardwon wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief.

t. 01778 392777

We have had such an amazing time in Little Owls Nursery so far this year, we are so proud how our children have made new friends, visited new places and tried new experiences. Our oldest children are so keen to help our younger children, and everyone is having such fun with each other. We are learning so much and practicing new skills every day.

At Little Owls Nursery we spend so much of our time outdoors in our outdoor area and accessing the on-site Forest School. Even though the days are getting colder the children and staff enjoy everything that is on offer outside whether it is through water and sand play, acting out a story or following our exciting curriculum opportunities.

We welcome visits to Nursery and have places available for children aged 2 years old and above.

Little Owls Nursery

A purpose built Nursery building with a bright, welcoming learning space.

● Covered outdoor play and a large garden area.

● High quality learning resources.

● 15 and 30 hour funded sessions available for 2, 3 and 4 year olds.

● Term time only.

in

T.

● 9.00am – 3.00pm with additional wrap around care available for children aged 3+ years.

hand, together we can Respect,

We bring you items of interest for your home and community. If there is something you’d like us to cover or you have something to say please get in touch with Claire:

01778 421427 or 07837 499061

The Benefits of Pilates: Air Crash Survivor Explains

On August 4th, 2020, local pilot Dave Unwin sustained serious injuries when the vintage fighter bomber he was flying in crashed in a field near Duxford, Cambridgeshire. The Hawker Sea Fury skidded across a field at about 150mph before striking a tree and a hedge, resulting in several broken ribs, bad bruises, and friction burns. Fracturing his spine in three places meant that Dave also lost four centimetres in height!

Following excellent advice to take up Pilates as part of his recovery, by his consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Addenbrookes, Dave visited the Renu clinic in Bourne for an assessment by Claire Gray. A very wide spectrum of over sixteen years’ experience enables her to work closely with the specialist advice of a client's consultant, physiotherapist, or osteopath, to improve or maintain mobility and posture. The advice for Dave

MUSIC AND DRAMA EDUCATION AWARDS 2023

Music Director from Bourne Westfield Primary Academy, Rebecca Beavis, has been shortlisted as a finalist for the Francesca Hanley Inspiration Award -Music & Drama Education Awards 2023.

The awards ceremony will be held at the London Marriott Hotel on February 23rd, where the winners and ‘highly commended’ will be announced. This is a fantastic achievement and recognises a teacher who has made a real and significant difference to the lives of her students through music.

Rebecca commented, “I am delighted to have been shortlisted for this award; thank you to everyone who supported the nomination. Music education is my passion and I know the power it has to change the lives of our children. I feel very privileged to be recognised for my work and to work as part of a fabulous school who value music education within our community.”

was to attend a regular Pilates class because he needed to stretch himself (literally!)

Dave has now become a once-a-week regular, with remarkable results, able to do most of the exercises, including laying on his stomach and reaching back to grab each ankle, without the excruciating pain! A year ago, Dave could hardly walk far – now he’s back playing badminton again!

“Men seem to be rarities in Pilates classes. If you're a man reading this and think Pilates might help, it does … so go! You don't have to wear a leotard,” he adds. He certainly intends to carry on, concluding, “I'll also keep trying to lose some weight

Wreath-Making to Raise Vital Funds

An enthusiastic group of people gathered in Bourne’s Masonic Hall on Wednesday November 30th to learn how to create beautiful Christmas wreaths, to raise muchneeded funds for the Blood Cancer charity, in memory of the late John McGregor and Taff Roberts.

Yvonne Roberts, Gillian Main and Sukey Brewster organised the event, which also included a craft stall and a raffle. Mince pies and mulled wine added to the seasonal ambience, and a total of over £1,500 was raised from the evening’s activities.

Liz Leaper from Pollen Floristry in Oakham conducted the wreath-making demonstration, with valuable assistance from her husband, David, photographer, Robin, and Merren. The organisers thank everyone who supported the evening in so many ways, from foraging for the greenery, providing the raffle prizes, to helping out on the evening.

School in the Community W

e are really excited about the work we are doing to become a hub within our local community, working with families, pre-schools, businesses, and all those surrounding us. A huge part of this is our new Parent Staff Association (P.S.A.) which has recently been re-established.

In the run-up to Christmas, they worked really hard to set up some fantastic events. A great Christmas Fair was the first event, with parents and local businesses holding stalls at school and,

of course, a visit from Father Christmas himself. This was a great way to start festivities and bring everyone together. A Christmas Disco and Santa Dash closely followed, as well as the usual events including Christmas music performances, church services, pantomimes, and a whole host of other experiences.

Moving forward, we are continuing to look for opportunities to work with local businesses, so if you would like to work with us or feel we can help you, please do not hesitate to get in contact with us.

JANUARY 2023

FIRST TEAM FIXTURES

7th Dunkirk (h) 3pm

14th Gedling Miners Welfare (a) 3pm

21st Kirby Muxloe (a) 3pm

28th Aylestone Park (h) 3pm

Proud to Sponsor Bourne Town FC

RESERVE TEAM FIXTURES

7th Kempston Rovers (a) 3pm

14th Godmanchester Rovers (h) 3pm

21st Rothwell Corinthians (h) 3pm

28th Daventry Town (a) 2pm

POSH LADIES FIXTURES

8th WEM Town (h) 2pm

29th Long Eaton United (h) 2pm

For further details, please contact Thomas Hames on 07703 609301

Bourne Town FC • Abbey Lawn • Abbey Road • Bourne PE10 9EN

Here at the Universal Fitness Centre, we run two classes per week aimed at rehabilitation and gentle exercise. These two classes are split into a 'Senior Circuits' and 'Gentle Exercise'. Our focus group is the over 60's working on strength, stability, flexibility and balance, helping you to regain your fitness and confidence at your own pace and level.

I feel stronger and more toned for coming.

It's as easy or as hard as you want to make it.

Change Your Mind this Year

europlasticity (the ‘plastic brain’) is the ability of our brain to change its connections or rewire itself. Our amazing brain is continually moulding and modifying itself to our environment, events in our lives, words, feelings, and the people around us. Without this ability, any brain, not just the human brain, would be unable to develop from infancy through to adulthood, or recover from brain injury.

Our brain is so exceptional and what makes the brain exceptional is that, unlike a computer, it processes sensory and motor signals in parallel. It has many neural pathways that can replicate another’s function so that small errors in development or temporary loss of function through damage can be easily corrected by rerouting signals along a different pathway. Different pathways form and fall dormant, are created and cast-off, according to our personal experiences. So, this vibrant process allows us to learn, develop and adapt to our ever-changing experiences.

Make your life amazing

Every time we learn something new, we create new connections between the neurons, and this

is happening to all of us, all the time. This process can be encouraged and stimulated, allowing us to learn, relearn and direct our lives, thoughts and behaviours, creating exciting possibilities.

This process can be so useful to us enabling us to reinvent ourselves, move away from our current state of things, or to overcome past traumatic events which create anxiety/stress, panic, depression, lack of confidence and self-worth, and fears. This leads to avoidance behaviours which hold us back from living life to its fullest. By learning how to adjust our thought patterns and behaviours, Solution Focused Hypnotherapy helps you to create the changes you do want.

If a person believes he or she can get smarter, better, or more skilled at something through sustained effort, this is how neuroplasticity works, enabling us to purposefully rewire the brain, achieving what we really want. Learning a new language or a musical instrument works in this way too, no matter what the age.

If you would like to book an appointment or find out more about hypnotherapy, contact Christine on: 0780 9690 964 or contact@beardwoodhypnotherapy.co.uk

Solution Focused Hypnotherapy can help you rewire your brain to make the best version of you.

Bourne’s Water Babies

Getting a Head Start!

Bourne Leisure Centre certainly subscribes to the idea that children should learn how to swim as early as possible. Great emphasis is placed on several opportunities provided at the Centre for parents wishing to have their children water-confident and well prepared for the comprehensive Swim School programme which they can then embark upon.

Get your baby swimming

Why put a baby (not yet old enough to walk) into water in the first place?

There are so many benefits to splashing around, engaging your baby’s body in a completely unique way, as your baby kicks, glides, and smacks at the water. Children who don’t get their feet wet until later tend to be more fearful and negative about swimming. Younger children are also usually less resistant to floating on their backs, a skill that babies can learn!

Benefits of swimming from four months old:

1It starts building water confidence early, for both baby and parent.

2It helps to improve coordination and balance. Because much of the baby’s body is supported by water, the focus for them is on maintaining balance.

3It helps to build muscles. Working and strengthening all their muscles effectively helps to make them stronger.

4It also improves the strength of their heart and lungs and helps to develop their brain.

5It can improve their sleeping pattern as the extra exercise will help make the baby sleepier.

What is on offer?

● “Parent and child lessons” are available at the Centre from four months up to three years. Here, the parent accompanies their baby in the water during the lesson, following instructions given, and benefitting immensely from the close bonding which such proximity can provide.

● “Pre-school lessons” from age three to four involve the instructor on the poolside whilst an assistant is with the youngster in the water, now no longer with their parent. This gaining in confidence, not just by being in the water but also by learning to take instructions from an adult in a structured format, is a key aspect of

6It can improve a baby’s appetite. Lots of gentle exercise and warm water helps to make a baby hungry. All the physical exertion in the water, as well as the energy it takes to stay warm, burns a lot of calories.

7Swim time that involves a parent in the water promotes one-on-one bonding, as it is just the parent and baby focused on each other for the whole time.

this stage. Various badges and achievement certificates can be gained and these lessons no doubt give the child a considerable head start, with both confidence and a developing ‘skill set’, as they move on to the third stage, namely the Swim School Programme, which can then continue throughout their primary school years.

● “Toddler splash” is for under-fives and is a payas-you-go opportunity for youngsters to socialise with friends in the water. Numbers are limited so pre-booking is advisable: all details are available at www.leisuresk.co.uk.

Who needs a Boost… and

what are Vitamin B12 Injections?

Here at Deep-in Aesthetics, we are constantly updating our portfolio of treatments and our latest offering is vitamin B12 injections. This vitamin performs many functions in the body and is a vital nutrient responsible for keeping the nervous system and blood cells healthy. It also assists in releasing energy from foods such as meats, breakfast cereals and eggs.

As we age, it becomes harder for the body to absorb vitamin B12 and deficiencies often occur resulting in certain medical conditions. As the body doesn’t make B12 or store it for a long time, injections may be required to supplement it. Vegans are certainly at risk of a low count as they restrict animal products within their diet. Lifestyle factors such as smoking or heavy drinking can also lead to low levels. Additional symptoms of B12 deficiency can include cognitive changes, disturbed vision, and muscle weakness.

The effects of the injection vary from person to person, whilst the many benefits include boosting energy levels, helping you to lose weight, and lowering the risk of heart disease. It is also essential for the health of skin, hair, and nails. What’s more, it also alleviates anxiety, slows down memory loss and aids in sleeping patterns.

So, what are you waiting for?

Please get in touch and let’s give you the boost you need this winter!!!

TREATMENTS WE OFFER

Dermal fillers ✦ Lip fillers ✦ Bunny lines

✦ Downturned corners of mouth

Gummy smiles ✦ Profhilo (turkey neck)

Fat dissolving

✦ Vitamin B12 injections

Anti-wrinkle treatments

✦ Smoker's lines

✦ Profhilo (five-point face lift)

Vitamin D injections

Under eye treatments

✦ Brow lift

✦ Cheek filler

Excessive sweating ✦ Hand rejuvenation

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is now the “go-to” essential vitamin.

● It has been linked to the reduction of the Covid infection as it improves immune function.

● It fights infection and helps cancer patients.

● It strengthens bones.

● It protects against heart disease and reduces the risk of hypertension and obesity.

● It improves symptoms of depression and S.A.D. (disorder of the winter months).

● It reduces the risk of M.S. and Parkinson’s Disease.

Hayfever

New from February 2023, Hay Fever Prevention. We can now offer this treatment which offers excellent results against the relentless hay fever symptoms. Results can be seen from as little as one to seventy-two hours; however, it can take up to ten days, but symptoms subside to allow normal daily function.

Price: Just £70 for the injection, to last you through the whole season.

VITAMIN B12 INJECTION

JANUARY SALE

SKIN LASER TREATMENT

Our gold standard Fractional CO2 & NDYag lasers can treat a multitude of conditions such as:

Scarring

Age Spots, Port wine stains

Skin Lightening/Rebalancing

Pigmentation Removal

Stretch Marks (mummy tummies)

Melasma

Lines and wrinkles

Tighten loose skin

ADVANCED FACIAL TREATMENTS

Bringing you the latest treatments, tailor-made using state-of-the-art technologies such as:

HIFU

Mesotherapy

SkinCeuticals Advance Peels

LED Phototherapy

Radio Frequency Skin Tightening

Oxygenating Facials IS CLINICAL Fire & Ice Facials

LASER HAIR REMOVAL

The LightSheer® uses a state of the art diode laser, which ensures safety for all skin types. Clinically proven to be more effective and less painful than IPL.

By utilising two different hand pieces and technologies enables us to truly customise treatments for face and body. Here are some of our most popular treatments:

Hollywood or Brazilian

Full legs, & arms

Face laser for those suffering from PCOS condition

Underarms

Male chest and back

OFF ALL TREATMENTS*

SKIN LASER TREATMENT

Do you have a new goal for the year? Wedding, Holiday body or need a little help? Whatever your body goals, we tailor make bespoke packages using Cryolipolysis (Fat Freezing), Cavitation,Body HIFU, Radio Frequency & Shockwave Therapy.

Stubborn Pockets of Fat

Cellulite Reduction

Skin tightening Inch Loss

VAGINAL REJUVENATION TREATMENTS

A non-surgical laser treatment that instantly tightens and restores vaginal health.

Leading to better function and relief from urinary incontinence, vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA), dryness and cause recurring infections, improve sex life, tightening and rejuvenating external genitailia, all of which have a potential effect on the quality of life and self confidence.

LASER TATTOO REMOVAL

Unwanted dark and multi coloured tattoos can be safely and effectively eliminated using our advanced 3D-NanoSure dual wavelength laser with Q-switching application.

Q-switching is the production of a specific type of quick, powerful pulse that shatters tattoo ink without harming surrounding tissue.

*Not to be used in conjunction with any other offer or finance. Offer ends 31st January 2023. Flawless Body . 18a Scotgate . Stamford . PE9 2YQ

January Resolutions?

Santa Claus and his reindeer have delivered and have now taken a wellearned holiday. Your relatives have returned home, so now it’s a good time to enact those Resolutions:

● To protect your loved ones, you can review your will or maybe make your first one, this to protect against the risks of intestacy and other issues.

● What about a Power of Attorney? Without one, the alternative procedure of being appointed a Deputy is much more involved, time-consuming and expensive. It could involve a wait of around half a year, compared to about fifteen weeks for a Lasting Power of Attorney to be registered.

● If you have a property purchase, a wedding or something similar planned, do you need advice? Maybe a Deed of Beneficial Interest or even a Pre-Nuptial Agreement?

● Are you about to enter a new lease or a business?

● Do you need to update your ‘Terms and Conditions’?

● Are you moving into a new rental or student accommodation soon and do you need advice?

● Have the excesses of recent times caused less happy events upon which you require assistance to solve an issue which otherwise might become a full-blown dispute? Do you need dispute resolution?

● Do you need to resolve a family matter of separation or divorce? Has it been put off for a long time and the risks now need to be closed?

● Are you struggling with new legal issues such as Trust Registration?

We, at Double and Megson, wish you all a very Happy New Year and we hope it will be what you want and need. Should you require assistance concerning any of the above, or any other matters, please contact us on 01778 423376.

WORDS FROM RICHARD WOOD

Toolbar Progress

It is just over a year since Toolbar re-opened, and the unique service they provide for those seeking to get into employment seems as popular as ever. In that time, over forty ‘clients’ have visited, some once for a CV update, and others needing a little more time before being able to move on. It is not only local job lists, CV preparation, use of the internet, IT support etc, but also the welcoming, supportive and non-judgemental atmosphere, (as well as free tea and coffee!) that can be so valuable in helping people gain the self-confidence necessary to ‘sell’ themselves to a new employer. They have enlisted a new volunteer, Hazel Whitfield, who was so impressed by how her husband Martin, was helped to change career direction after many years in a stressful and challenging environment, that she wanted to join the team.

Anyone over the age of eighteen who is needing to look for work, but perhaps feels overwhelmed by all the hoops they must jump through, or the feeling of isolation that unemployment can induce, or is unsure about how to go about it, is welcome at Toolbar.

Toolbar wish to thank The Len Pick Trust and Bourne Town Council for their continued support.

HALLAM TRAVEL STILL HAVE THE FOLLOWING SEATS AVAILABLE:

Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs (afternoon show) ONLY 1 LEFT Weds 28th December £60

Nutcracker at the London Coliseum (afternoon show) ONLY 8 LEFT Fri 30th December £100

Strictly Come Dancing – The Live Tour (afternoon show) ONLY 1 LEFT Weds 25th January £90

Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty (afternoon show) ONLY 19 LEFT Thurs 26th January £66

Cirque Du Soleil – Kurios: Cabinet of Curiosities

Hamilton (afternoon show)

Dirty Dancing (5pm show)

Thurs 2nd February £105

Thurs 2nd February £112

ONLY 1 LEFT Fri 3rd February £77

Abba Voyage (afternoon show) Sun 5th February £103

Mamma Mia! The Party (afternoon show)

Sun 12th February £169

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – The Musical (afternoon show) Thurs 16th February £60

Kew Gardens and the Orchid Festival

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (both parts)

Moulin Rouge! (afternoon show)

Sun 19th February £46

Weds 22nd February £140

ONLY 1 LEFT Sat 25th February £132

Peaky Blinders: The Redemption Of Thomas Shelby (afternoon show) Sat 25th February £57

The Mountbatten Festival of Music (afternoon show) Sat 11th March £80

Wicked (afternoon show)

Sun 12th March £79

Brick Lane Music Hall: St Patrick’s Day (includes afternoon tea) Thurs 16th March £75

Sewing for Pleasure, Creative Crafts & Fashion and Embroidery Shows Sat 18th March

Adult £33 Child £29

RHS Garden, Wisley Sat 20th May Adult £43 RHS Member £30

Ain’t Too Proud (afternoon show)

RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Thurs 25th May £70

Sat 27th May £125

Bressingham Steam Museum & Gardens Sun 4th June Adult £34 Child £32

Matilda (afternoon show)

Black Country Living Museum & Dudley Canal and Caverns

42nd Street (4pm show)

Weds 7th June £77

Sat 10th June

Adult £54 Senior £52 Child £45

Sun 11th June £86

Annie – The Musical (afternoon show) 14th June £62

English National Ballet Cinderella in the round at the Royal Albert Hall (afternoon performance)

Sun 25th June £100

RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival Sat 8th July £65

Marsham Court Hotel, Bournemouth – 5 days

ONLY 11 LEFT Sun 9th July £448

Yorkshire Air Museum and Allied Air Forces Memorial Sat 15th July Adult £37 Child £32

Whitby Leisure Day Sun 16th July £31

Aspects of Love (afternoon show)

Weds 19th July £86

Highclere Castle (Downton Abbey) Weds 26th July £58

Tower Hotel, London – 4 days

ONLY 18 LEFT Fri 28th July £321

Scarborough Leisure Day Thurs 3rd August £27

Tina – The Tina Turner Musical (afternoon show)

Fri 24th March £72

Sun 19th March £77 & Juliet (afternoon show)

Thriplow Daffodil Event & Country Fair Sat 25th March Adult £30 Child £27

Tottenham Hotspur FC Stadium Tour Sun 26th March Adult £53 Senior £51 Child £45

The Lion King (afternoon show)

Weds 29th March £72

The Lord’s Tour Sat 1st April £58

Silverstone Interactive Museum

Legoland

Sun 2nd April Adult £42 Child £35

Thurs 6th April Adult £59 Child £54

Seven Drunken Nights – The Story of the Dubliners Sat 8th April £52

Oxford Leisure Day

Camden Markets

Sat 15th April £28

Sun 16th April £30

Bakewell Market & Judith Mary Canal Boat (includes 2 course meal) Mon 17th April £55

Anglesey Abbey, Gardens & Lode Mill Weds 19th April Adult £38 Child £31 NT Member £24

Bakewell & Matlock Bath Sat 22nd April £26

Wroxham Barns & Southern Comfort River Trip Sun 23rd April £32

Windsor Castle Thurs 4th May Adult £58 Young Person £49 Child £47

London for King Charles III Coronation Sat 6th May £39

Blickling Estate Sun 7th May Adult £39 Child £32 NT Member £24

Sister Act (afternoon show)

Weds 10th May £65

Chatham Historic Dockyard Sat 13th May Adult £46 Senior £45 Child £42

Southend on Sea

Titanic – The Musical (afternoon show)

Sun 14th May £30

Weds 17th May £60

The Telford Hotel, Spa and Golf Resort – 5 days Sun 6th August £430

Liverpool FC Tour and Museum Sat 12th August Adult £51 Senior £47 Child £42

The Princess River Cruise Experience (includes 2 course lunch) Sun 13th August £48

Skipton & Canal Boat (includes 2 course meal) Weds 16th August £62

Chatsworth House and Gardens Sat 19th August Adult £43

RHS Garden, Harlow Carr Sun 20th August Adult £38 RHS Member £28

Greenwich Leisure Day Sat 2nd September £31

Twickenham Stadium Tour and World Rugby Museum Sun 3rd September Adult £54 Senior £49 Child £46

Phantom of the Opera (afternoon show) Weds 6th September £75

Cannon Hall Farm Sat 16th September £35

National Memorial Arboretum Sun 17th September £26

The Drifters Girl (afternoon show)

Thurs 21st September £68

Ramsey Park Hotel, Isle of Man – 6 days Sat 23rd September £602

Everybody’s Talking about Jamie (afternoon show) Weds 27th September £55

Alfie Boe Fri 6th October £92

Mrs Doubtfire (afternoon show)

Thurs 12th October £75

Leyburn & Masons Gin Distillery Sat 14th October £56

Natural History, Science and Victoria & Albert Museums Sun 15th October £31

Regent Street Motor Show/London Leisure Day Sat 4th November £31

Hogwarts in the Snow Sat 30th December Adult £78 Child £66

Coaches depart from Spalding Bus Station, unless stated otherwise. New excursions added weekly.

Relax On The French Riviera

Saturday 11 March

8 Days HB/BB from £799

Mothers’ Day Weekend at Thoresby Hall

Friday 17 March

4 Days HB from £409

York & Whitby inc Fish & Chips

Sunday 19 March

2 Day HB from £159

Two Day GetawayStratford-upon-Avon & The Cotswolds

Sunday 2 April .........................................

2 Days HB from £159

The Delights of Donegal & Causeway Coast

Sunday 16 April

6 Days HB from £679

ABBA Voyage & London As You Please

Sunday 30 April

2 Days BB from £259

Scenic South Wales & The Gorgeous Gower Peninsula

Sunday 21 May .......................................

5 Days HB from £559

Sandown & The Isle of Wight

Saturday 27 May

7 Days HB from £669

Lake District Summertime Steam & Cruise

Monday 5 June

Lazy

Day Excursions Brochure COMING SOON

by

Sunday 11 June

Reflections on 2022 … and a Bright Year Ahead!

BY COLEEN EVERITT, ALTO ELECTRICAL LIMITED

We are now wrapping up what has been one of the busiest years for us yet; we have grown our team, outgrown yet another building and have now settled into a new unit on Roman Bank in Bourne. There is no chance of us outgrowing this one any time soon!

The past few years have been tough, but they have developed me, not only as a business owner, but also as a person, a wife, and a mother. We went from having an amazing company culture, to losing our whole team, and not knowing what to do about it. Finding the right people to fit into your company and culture is difficult, but by pushing our high standards, we have managed to rebuild an amazing and supportive work family.

There have been times when I couldn’t see through the fog, and it sometimes felt like I was treading water, without getting the chance to take a break. At first, I believed that working hard was a badge of honour. But there is only so long before this can really affect your mental health, and I’d be lying if I said my mind had not wandered to the darkest corners.

Would you be surprised to hear that the suicide rate in the skilled trades is three times higher than the national average? Consider the typical day of a tradesperson, which goes something like: Collect materials ➞ attend job ➞ visit prospective jobs ➞ paperwork ➞ sleep ➞ rinse and repeat! And for many, this is seven days a week… is it any surprise that people want out?

To add to this, it’s lonely; sometimes the only people you will see are your supplier and clients, who may then refuse to pay or decide they only want to

pay part of your invoice for an unfounded reason. Construction is the only industry where this appears to be ‘acceptable practice’!

Our new building is currently being developed into a community for local trades to use. When it is finished, there will be workshop spaces, office spaces, event spaces, and services offered that are purely there to make those in the trades have an easier life - support in every way we can think of, including educational and mental health support.

We are building a network of allies who are helping us provide these services, for a better work/life balance for all. Don’t worry; we will still carry on providing electrical services to heritage buildings, as we love doing this.

Finally, a big thank you to our amazing clients who have supported us through yet another year.

Time to Make a Move with Newton Fallowell

BY SCOTT STEWART, SALES MANAGER

We have noticed a surge in enquiries over the festive period which is quite normal; however, it does show a resilience within the market which is pleasing. I think anyone looking to move this year should be getting an idea of price now to start their search and know what their budget is. We are still very busy with sales, but have noticed that properties are getting the most attention when priced sensitively.

Putting a property on the market with the correct marketing is going to be very important this year, as there will be more competition and ultimately you will need to stand out from the crowd. You need to have local shop window presence, as well as being in the local and surrounding village paper.

The property must have high quality photography as well as an accurate floorplan and be advertised on the major portals to achieve the best possible price.

Please call us on on 01778 422567 and speak with us today if you would like to discuss how

A new dawn for TVS Interfleet

Since 2019, the TVS Group has collaborated and innovated with industry players to deliver industrial and commercial vehicles to specialist manufacturing firms. We’ve acquired leading businesses including SB Components, Wilcox, McPhee and Priden to form the TVS Group that has grown at an unprecedented scale.

We are actively looking for welders, fabricators, fitters, and commercial painters in both Market Deeping and Wisbech.

We take care of our people with a competitive employee package, including:

-Early finish Fridays

-Quarterly performance bonus

-5-day paid maternity and paternity leave

-Service-related annual leave

-Death in service Insurance benefit

-Employee Assistance Programmes

-4 day working week in some locations

-Medicash

Keep your career in motion

Together we can drive change and innovation across our industry. Together we can build with purpose.

For the latest vacancies and to apply, visit tvsinterfleet.com/careers

Traditional Start to the Festive C

hristmas festivities began in Bourne on December 3rd with the, now well-established, programme of a fabulous street, full of stalls and entertainments, including the stage upon which live music and dance entertained everyone all afternoon. The highlight, once he had finished meeting boys and girls in the Don’t Lose Hope Café, was for Santa to switch on the beautiful streetlights which will gladden the hearts of us all right through until early January.

Once again, the awesome Bourne Events team and Bourne Town Council were responsible for making it all happen and the thanks of everyone amongst the massive crowds, milling around the town, I’m sure will go to the team and everyone else who helped in any way to ensure it all ran smoothly and safely (even despite the rain!)

Thank you to the following businesses for your support

Bourne Town Council

Season at Bourne

Photographs coutesy of Gordons Photography and George Parish

SPONSORED BY JK SHEDS

If you haven’t finished your winter digging, then it is possible to finish it off when the soil is not frozen or waterlogged but use a plank of wood to stand on so as not to compact the soil. Also, a good idea when you are digging is to apply lime to the surface at 100g per square metre (3oz per square yard) especially if you grew brassicas the year before. Getting the soil prepared now will save time feeding later in the year and will often enhance crop growth and yield.

Now is the time to prepare to force your rhubarb: dig up rhubarb roots and divide them, leaving the sections on the surface of the soil for a few days to let them be frosted prior to forcing. Cover any crowns in the soil that have been set aside for forcing with an upturned bucket or flowerpot and cover the drainage holes to shut out the light. Order seed potatoes now so that you get a good choice before they start selling out. You can collect seed trays, wooden tomato trays or egg boxes ready to chit them in.

Jobs this month

•If you haven’t already, prune apple and pear trees but not stone fruits such as cherry and damson; they should be summer pruned.

•Spray all fruit trees and bushes with a garlic winter wash on a fine day; do not spray in frosty conditions. It won’t hurt to hold the job over to next month.

•Plant bare rooted trees and bushes.

•Clean up your plot by disposing of all the damaged and rotten crops: most of the overwintering vegetables will suffer if the conditions are wet. Also, remove any leaves as these are a perfect hide-out for slugs and snails.

•Protect overwintering plants from cold and check stakes and ties.

•Clean the shed, greenhouse, tools and linseed oil any wooden handles. Check that the watering can and buckets don’t leak and that the wheelbarrow doesn’t have a flat wheel. Seed trays and plant pots can be cleaned with a mild bleach solution to kill diseases that may have carried over to the new seedlings.

•Draw the soil up around the stalks of cabbages and winter cauliflowers to just under the first set of leaves. Check over Brussels sprouts and sprouting broccoli and support them with a strong stake to prevent them from being blown over in high winds.

•In non-freezing weather, shallots can be planted. Shallots take longer to grow than onions, but if planted now, should be ready earlier in the summer.

•Any stored fruit and vegetables need checking for rotten or damaged produce and evidence of mice.

Don’t Fall Foul of the Self-Assessment Scammers

By Eileen Le Voi

at Safe Local Trades

For many, the start of new year often means tackling that job that has been pushed to the back of the “todo list” – filling out their Self-Assessment form! But, as we approach the January deadline, the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is urging Self-Assessment customers to be on their guard against fraudsters and scams.

The warning comes following startling statistics surrounding reported scams in the twelve months to August 2022.

During this time, HMRC

• responded to 181,296 referrals of suspicious contact from the public – some 80,662 of these offered bogus tax rebates,

• responded to 55,386 reports of phone scams, reported 10,565 malicious web pages to be taken down,

• worked with the telecoms industry and Ofcom to remove forty-eight phone numbers being used to commit HMRC-related phone scams.

Criminals claiming to be from HMRC have targeted individuals by email, text, and phone, with their communications ranging from offering bogus tax rebates to threatening arrest for tax evasion. Contacts like these should sound alarm bells –HMRC would never call with threats of arrest.

Advice from HMRC for customers:

• If someone contacts you saying they’re from HMRC, wanting you to urgently transfer money or give personal information, be on your guard.

• Tax scams come in many forms. Some threaten immediate arrest for tax evasion, others offer a rebate. Take your time and check ‘HMRC scams advice’ on www.gov.uk

• Fraudsters target customers when they know they are more likely to be in contact with HMRC, which is why Self-Assessment customers should be extra vigilant.

• The deadline for filing paper tax returns for the 2021 to 2022 tax year was October 31st, 2022, and January 31st, 2023, for those filing their tax return online. Customers who file their return online should not share their HMRC login details.

Report any suspicious texts claiming to be from HMRC to 60599 and emails to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk. Tax scam phone calls can be reported to HMRC using the online form on www.gov.uk or phone Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

Chartered Financial Planners Liberty Partnership

We offer highly qualified Financial Advice on a wide range of planning areas including:

Our goal is to build long-term relationships with every one of our clients. We take the time to get to know our clients and to understand their objectives and priorities. We know that the world of financial services is complex and can sometimes feel daunting. We will work for you in simplifying the process and we will communicate with you in terms that you will understand.

If you would like to speak to one of our advisers regarding any of these areas of financial planning, then please contact our office to arrange a FREE initial discussion as follows: Phone: 01778 342291

Email: advice@liberty-partnership.co.uk www.liberty-partnership.co.uk

Wills

Why do I need a will?

Wills are important to ensure that your assets pass to those you would like. If you are not married, your partner will not automatically inherit your estate.

If you have children, you can also use a will to nominate guardians to ensure they are looked after if the worst may happen.

Lasting Powers of Attorney

What are they?

Lasting Powers of Attorneys (LPAs) are documents that allow someone that you nominate as your attorney, to deal with your financial or health affairs on your behalf.

These are used when you lose mental capacity but must be created while you can still make decisions. If you do not create these in time, then unfortunately the solution is more costly and time consuming.

Probate

What is it?

When a person sadly passes away, some banks and institutes require a Grant of Probate to enable you to collect in their assets. If you are selling a house, a solicitor will require this to complete the sale.

We are licensed to assist with the probate application on your behalf, as well as distribute the estate, making everything simpler at this difficult time.

The Opium Eaters of Bourne

by Brynley Heaven

Catherine Gilbert, who lived in Dyke, died aged seventy-four in October 1889. The Bourne Coroner heard:

“For some forty-five years, she had been a confirmed opium eater”. Her husband, Benoni Gilbert, “had got three-quarters of an ounce from a Druggist* in Bourne. The jury held no blame was attached to the husband in administering the drugs but expressed their appreciation of his kindness to the deceased in her illness.”

According to the Handbook for Lincolnshire, dated 1890: “even in the depth of the fens or marshes, ague [malarial fever] has almost entirely disappeared. It has left, however, one curious trace in the very prevalent habit of opiumtaking, which apparently began as a remedy for ague. Poppies are grown for opium in some parts.”

The “deplorable habit” was culturally accepted and catered for. In the burgeoning manufacturing districts, gin offered a more reliable ‘road to ruin’. Here, our merchants fought a rearguard action to stick with opium.

“There was not a labourer’s house without its penny stick or pill of opium, and not a child that did not have it in some form”. The raw product would be piled high on shop counters;

mixed with alcohol it would be sold as a liquid tincture called laudanum. Opium was sold by “almost every little country shopkeeper, on market stalls, and hawked from village to village by itinerant vendors”. Users built up natural resistance and lived normal lives. The written records are replete with evidence of opium use for stimulant and euphoric effects as well as in pain prevention, dealing with rheumatism or just coping with the gang system of labour. Saturday nights in town could be wild with binge consumption of drugs and alcohol. (So, what’s new? – Ed.)

Children were dosed with home brewed poppyhead tea, the favoured balm for teething pains, for example. Opium was used as pig, cattle, and horse medicine. The British Medical Association estimated Lincolnshire and Norfolk consumed fully half of our opium imports, [Virginia Berridge and Griffith Edwards: “Opium and the People”.]

There were eventually moves towards restriction and prohibition, including pressure from the Royal College of Physicians. Local druggists got the 1868 Pharmacy Act watered down: “The promoters of the bill received such strong representations from chemists residing principally in Cambs, Lincs and Norfolk against interfering with their business…” The compromise 1868 Act made little practical difference around here. But the writing was on the wall. Full prohibition came in 1920.

“Opium plants are still to be found in old cottage gardens”, writes Bicker historian, Hilary Healey, in “The Fenland Glossary” (1997) - an intriguing thought on which to end!

* A druggist is a present-day pharmacist.

THINK CAREFULLY BEFORE SECURING OTHER DEBTS AGAINST YOUR PROPERTY. YOUR PROPERTY MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE.

David Fletcher

Smalley Hot Tub Services Ltd: A Happy Covid Lockdown Story! Free Family Law Clinic

Free advice on all family matters including divorce, separation, child contact, finances, and civil partnerships

One warm evening during the Covid lockdown in March 2020, Chris and Justine Smalley were in their hot tub, wondering just how being furloughed from a seventeen-year career in the Royal Navy would affect Chris and his family.

The first Monday of every month from 9am - 4pm

Smalley Hot Tub Services offer a wide range of services, all underlain by a friendly, customercentred approach. These include hot tub and liner repairs, pump servicing and replacement, and diagnosing electrical faults, besides being a main dealer for several firms such as Catalina

Telephone appointments available Call 01476 590200 for an appointment

They have a very strong online offering and can supply chemicals, swimming pools, barbecues and so much more for the great outdoors, from

Justine and Chris pride themselves on the highest standards, good workmanship, and honesty, putting customers first above everything else.

Words from the Mayor

COUNCILLOR ANNA KELLY

Hopefully, we are all warm and safe and contemplating the New Year 2023 with positive thoughts.

The warm hubs in Bourne which are a volunteer-staffed initiative, shared by the churches and the Butterfield Centre, with additional funding by Bourne United Charities and Bourne Town Council, will continue to support our local people and be open to all who wish to use them. They offer warmth as well as refreshments and will open each weekday from 10am to 6pm.

Many of us will be trying out our new year resolutions. Perhaps 2023 will see a repeat of our old resolutions or an inspired rethink of what can be achieved over the next twelve months. For myself, I already have a list of things I would like to achieve, my biggest danger will be falling off my stack of ideas and resolutions without a parachute!

However you feel about this New Year, I hope you enjoy 2023 and find happiness in our community of Bourne and its villages.

Learn How to Budget and Manage Your Money on a FREE Money Course in Bourne

Christmas can be a very expensive time and, as the dust settles, the reality of what has been spent can start to sink in. Help is at hand in the form of a FREE personal finance course run by a local church in conjunction with an award-winning charity.

As we grow up, many of us will have been taught how to swim, ride a bike or even learn to drive a car. However, the same cannot be said for dealing with money; most people will have entered adult life having had no guidance on how to look after their money. The CAP Money course will teach you how to build a balanced budget with a money system which will encourage good spending habits and saving for the future.

The CAP Money course is held over three sessions with each session being around two hours. The course is led by a group of trained money coaches, and you will be provided with course material for you to use, as well as refreshments all completely free of charge.

As we start a New Year, you might be wondering how to cope with the expense of Christmas, struggling with rising costs, or maybe you are thinking that now is the time for you to look for a new way to manage your money.

If you are interested in signing up to our next course or want to know more, please email us at capmoney@ bournebaptistchurch.org or telephone 01778 424206.

e:

Our beautiful bedroom range covers everything from cool and contemporary to the classic and timeless. High sheen finishes, natural wood veneers, mirrored doors and sliding wardrobes. The options are endless and we now manufactor for our own carcasses enabling us to offer complete flexibility when it comes to size and function. Brilliantly designed, expertly crafted, every piece of furniture is made to measure for your own room. Storage has never looked so good.

How Much Does it Cost to Make a Will?

This is the question we get asked the most, and the answer is always, “It depends”, which is probably not what most people want to hear. So, here’s a guide. Of course, it is possible to make your own will for free, but it is fraught with dangers and not recommended.

The first factor in deciding the cost of writing your will is whether it is just for you, or for you and a partner. A pair of wills tends to be cheaper than two single wills, although couples tend to have more complex situations which can push the cost up.

Next, your relationship status will have a bearing on the cost. It will tend to be more expensive if you have children from multiple relationships, or if you are unmarried and need tax planning advice.

The third factor is protecting your assets. If you are looking to protect your family home, it will be more complex and hence more expensive.

Our own research indicates that the average cost of a will for a single person in 2022 was £229, whilst the average cost of wills for a couple was £516.

So, what about all those adverts, offering to make your will for £19.99 or £24.99? Put simply, these are a “sprat to catch a mackerel”. Often, firms do it just to get you to make an appointment and get their

Advice from NICK ASH, Managing Director, Will & Probate Services

salesman in front of you. These offers are not genuine, and I have never met a person who paid £19.99 or £24.99, after meeting with one of these firms. However, I have met dozens who were convinced to spend thousands after experiencing high pressure sales techniques! If it seems too good to be true, then it probably is.

At the other end of the scale, there is now a couple of the larger solicitors’ firms in the area who have introduced a minimum fee, one is £799 plus VAT the other £849 plus VAT. Be careful though, and make sure you are comparing like with like. For some reason, many law firms are less than transparent with their pricing, preferring to quote a ‘plus VAT’ price, rather than the actual price you will pay - £799 plus VAT means you will be paying a bill of £958.80 and £849 plus VAT is really £1018.80, a big difference!

In conclusion, look for a firm that is transparent with their costs; one who publishes a price list on their website; one that is not too cheap, nor too expensive; a firm that you feel comfortable with; and one that is going to charge you a reasonable fee for what is very important advice.

Garolla garage doors are expertly made to measure in our own UK factories, they’re strong and solidly built. The electric Garolla door rolls up vertically, taking up only 8 inches inside your garage, maximising valuable space. Our expert local installers will fit your new door and they’ll take away the old one too, so there’s no mess.

LOCAL CLUBS, GROUPS & EVENTS

3rd and every Tuesday - Bourne Bridge Club, Gentle Duplicate: 7pm - 10pm at the Masonic Hall.

3rd and every Tuesday - Crosskey Clog welcome new dancers (female and male) and musicians to their practices every Tuesday evening, 7.30pm to 9.30pm at Newborough Village Hall, Guntons Road, Newborough, Peterborough, PE6 7RT. For further information, contact crosskeyclogbagman@gmail.com or visit www.crosskeyclog.com.

4th and every Wednesday - Bourne Borderers meet at Edenham Village Hall, Church Lane, Edenham. PE10 0LS from 8pm to 10pm. New members always welcome. For more information, visit www.bourneborderers.co.uk or email contactbourneborderers@gmail.com.

5th and every Thursday: Bourne Bridge Club, Duplicate Bridge: 7pm - 10pm at the Masonic Hall.

7th - Nibble and Natter: 10am - 12noon in Abbey Church Hall. Stalls to include books, raffle, and refreshments. Proceeds to Bourne Abbey Church.

7th and every Saturday - Bourne Wheelers Cycling Club, “Social Ride” leaves Coggles Causeway at 9am. For further information, visit www.bournewheelers.co.uk.

8th and every Sunday - Bourne Wheelers Cycling Club, “Club Ride” leaves from the Post Office car park in Burghley Street at 9am. For further information, visit www.bournewheelers. co.uk.

9th and 23rd – “Option B,” a bereavement group for those who have lost their husband, wife, or partner, meet at Don’t Lose Hope Café, from 4pm - 6pm. Further information, please contact optionb2022@gmail.com.

9th - Bourne Hereward Probus monthly meeting at the Corn Exchange Bourne, starting at 12noon. The speaker is Seth Bradford who will talk on the latest developments in smart farming, with insight into versatile features and innovative technology, all with the needs of farmers in mind. For more information, contact Rob Denton 01778 702555.

10th - Probus Coffee Morning: 10am in the Bourne Corn Exchange. For more information, contact Rob Denton 01778 702555.

12th - 16th - Open Auditions for the musical

“Matilda JR.” which is to be performed at The Corn Exchange Theatre on April 20th - 22nd, 2023. Rebellion is nigh in “Matilda JR.”, a gleefully witty ode to the anarchy of childhood and the power of imagination! A great musical for all the family with some amazing show tunes as well. No need to book, just turn up at the allotted age group times. All audition material is provided. To check the different audition times, please visit www. stamfordcornexchange.co.uk/matilda.

13th - Bingo at Wake House, 41 North Street, Bourne. Doors open 7pm, eyes down 7.30pm. Tea/coffee and biscuits. Come and join us every second Friday. www.wakehouse.org.uk.

13th - Quiz Night at the Old Town Hall, Bourne. Teams of four, £10 per team, licensed bar. All proceeds go to the Bourne Town Hall Trust renovation project. To book, visit www. bournetownhall.org.uk.

16th - U3A General Meeting in the Corn Exchange at 2pm. This month’s speaker is Dr Ann Featherstone whose subject is “A Storm in a Teacup: The Waitress Strike of 1908.” Entrance fee £2. New members always welcome.

18th - Knit and Sew Friendship Group at Bourne Abbey Church Hall: 2pm - 4pm, £2 which includes tea, coffee, and biscuits. For further details, contact Rosie 01778 423569.

22nd - This year’s Rotary Young Musician Competition will be held at Westfield Academy. Details and entry forms from Bernie Cejer at berniebournerotary@gmail.com , or Richard Wells at rexcons@aol.com. Open to students aged 7yrs - 17yrs at September 1st 2022.

24th - Bourne Branch of Lincs. Family History Society meet every fourth Tuesday in the Baxter Room, Wake House at 7.30pm (doors open from 7pm) A new speaker and topic each month, also available help with your own family tree. Members and non-members welcome. For more information, contact Shirley on 01778 425613.

25th - The Parkinson’s Support Group meets on the last Wednesday of each month from 10am – 12noon at the Methodist Church Hall in Bourne. They meet to socialise, enjoy speakers, and to provide friendly support. The group also organises trips and events.

28th - Come and browse and have a hot drink and home-made roll or cake at the Tabletop Sale and Coffee Morning at Bourne Corn Exchange with all proceeds going to the NSPCC. Doors open at 9-30am. To book a table at £7.50 each,

Warhammer Club - Bourne Toys

Play 40k, AoS, Bloodbowl, Underworlds and more: or, if you prefer, just come and paint for free. Join us 1pm - 5pm every Saturday afternoon. For more information, visit www.bournetoys.co.uk/ warhammer-club

Bourne to Line Dance

7th - Live Country Music evening at Masonic Centre Hall, 1-2 Roman Bank, Bourne, PE10 9LQ. This month Gary Leonard. Entrance £10: no bar, so bring your own drinks. For further information, call Donna 07718 972329 or e-mail DCALiner@ aol.com.

Apollo Dance

1 Hub Bourne

Telephone: 07718 088525 Facebook: apollodance2

Email: info@apollodance.co.uk

Bourne Organ Club

18th - Every third Wednesday of the month at Bourne Corn Exchange. This month Elizabeth Harrison: 7.30pm. Tickets on the door £7 Members, £8 Visitors. For more information call 01778 424947.

ring Audrey on 01778 426487.

29th - Irnham Hall presents “Men Behaving Badly

- Three Men in a Boat”, with Giles Shenton playing the part of Jerome K Jerome. Join Jerome as he recounts the hilarious story of his boating holiday along the River Thames with his two companions and Montmorency the dog. “Skilfully distilled from Jerome K Jerome’s comic masterpiece into 95 minutes of pure delight - A masterclass in confidence, stagecraft and delivery.” Doors 6-45pm for 7-30pm start. Tickets £12 from www.ticketsource.co.uk/irnham-communityentertainment.

29th - Board Game Cafe at the Old Town Hall, Bourne. Come along and enjoy a whole range of board games, for all ages. Our café will be open for light refreshments too. This event is free, but a small donation is welcomed. For times, visit www. bournetownhall.org.uk.

GIGS AND MUSICAL EVENTS

1st - Open Mic at the Hare and Hounds, Haconby: 8pm. PA and soundman providedhosted by Nick Gomm - 01778 57142.

6th - First Fridays Singaround (songs and tunes) 7.30pm to 10.30pm at the Hare and Hounds, 2 West Road, Haconby. Hosted by Dean and Jen Hardy - 07788 410530.

13th - Enjoy a relaxing Sunday afternoon with Pennyless at Mama Liz’s, Stamford: 4pm - 6pm, free.

16th - Haconby Hare Tune Session at the Hare and Hounds, Haconby. 7.30pm to 10.30pm, free. Hosted by Pete Shaw and friends - 01778 571563.

20th - The Shaugrauns, a local band who have been playing traditional Irish and Scottish music at gigs and ceilidhs around Stamford for over 20 years, are performing in the Cellar Bar at Stamford Arts Centre. 8pm start. £5 tickets from Stamford Arts Centre or online at www. stamfordartscentre.com.

21st - Stamford Corn Exchange Theatre welcomes “Letz Zep,” the official number one tribute to Led Zeppelin. To book and for further details, visit www.stamfordcornexchange. co.uk.

26th - Jez Lowe and the Bad Pennies in concert at The Barn (Baston Village Hall), Main Street, Baston, PE6 9PA: 8pm start. Strong vocals, backed by outstanding instrumental back-up on guitar, cittern, fiddle, fretless bass, keyboards and Northumbrian Pipes, have made them one of Britain’s top attractions on the folk/acoustic/ Celtic circuit. Admission £15 - reservations can be made with Alan or Maggie on 01778 560497 - website: www.bastontradmusic.org.

Bourne and District Flower Club have no Meeting in January.

Bourne and District

Lions

Club

(Part of Lions Clubs International) Second and fourth Monday’s each month. Meet at RBL Club. Email lions@bournelions.org or call 0345 8332810.

SHORT WHEEL BASE VAN Load length 2.4 meters

LONG

3.4 meters

EXTRA LONG WHEEL BASE HI-TOP VAN Load length 4.2 meters

LUTON VAN FITTED WITH ELECTRIC TAIL LIFT

(supplied with sack barrow and ropes) Load length 4.2 meters

WHEEL BASE HI-TOP VAN Load length

Are you looking to move house ?

Alto Electrical is a family run local business, offering a friendly and professional service that you can depend on, from contact to completion.

If you would like any electrical advice or would like a free consultation, please call the office and we will be happy to help.

Does your caravan need a little TLC?

CARAVANS BOUGHT FOR CASH

REPAIR

Our onsite workshop offers a fully comprehensive repair service for your caravan or motorhome.

SERVICING

From a minor service to a full comprehensive check, our experienced engineers will give you peace of mind for your journeys ahead.

SALES

Looking to buy? We have a range of used caravans that may suit your requirements.

INSURANCE

We are a fully, insuranceapproved repair centre for all major UK insurers and manufacturers.

ACCESSORIES

We’ve got everything for your camping needs in our friendly, onsite shop.

SPARES

Looking for a spare part? Why not get in touch? With our contacts in the industry, we may be able to order spares in for you.