5
great crime writers
5
great crime writers
FALCON AVENUE, DEEPING ST NICHOLAS, £90,000 40% SHARED OWNERSHIP
Newton Fallowell are proud to offer for sale this BRAND NEW three bedroom SHARED OWNERSHIP house. This property is ready to move into and includes integrated Bosch appliances and fitted flooring throughout. There is a spacious lounge with French doors to the rear garden, a ground floor WC and a kitchen / diner. To the first floor there are three well appointed bedrooms and a family bathroom. Externally there is an enclosed rear garden which is laid to lawn with a patio seating area and timber shed. To the rear of the property there is a generous driveway with parking for multiple vehicles. Rent is payable to Cross Keys homes at £337.50 per month for the share you do not own. If you buy a larger share the rent will reduce accordingly. There is a monthly service charge of £66.47. Contact us for more information on shared ownership and to arrange your viewing.
FALCON AVENUE, DEEPING ST NICHOLAS, £78,000 40% SHARED OWNERSHIP
Newton Fallowell are proud to offer for sale this BRAND NEW two bedroom SHARED OWNERSHIP house. This property is ready to move into and includes integrated Bosch appliances and fitted flooring throughout. There is a spacious lounge with French doors to the rear garden, a ground floor WC and a kitchen / breakfast room. To the first floor there are two double bedrooms and a family bathroom. Externally there is an enclosed rear garden which is laid to lawn with a patio seating area and timber shed. The property also benefits from parking for two vehicles. Rent is payable to Cross Keys homes at £292.50 per month for the share you do not own. If you buy a larger share the rent will reduce accordingly. There is a monthly service charge of £66.47. Contact us for more information on shared ownership and to arrange your viewing.
Who says that fund raising can’t be fun too? The New Year started with a Deepings Lions Charity Dinner attended by 80 people, who came to enjoy dinner at Maharanis Restaurant in Deeping St James. A delicious assortment of curries were provided free of charge by the restaurant and the proceeds of ticket sales for the dinner, coupled with a raffle held on the night, raised a total of £1,885. This was shared equally to support two good causes: the charity Market Deeping Relief in Need (sponsored by The Deepings Lions) and Barnack Community Association’s Local Project (sponsored by Maharanis). Present included local families, Charity Trustees, representatives from Market Deeping Town Council and community groups: Deeping United Football Club, Bourne Lions, Deeping Rotary and Round Table Clubs. Trustee of Market Deeping Relief in Need Pauline Redshaw gave a talk on the history of the charity and Mayor of Market Deeping Town Council and Chair of the Trustees Bob Broughton described recent activities to support local people. It was great to see members of the local community getting together in order to help others in need, and I am sure that it will set the tone for the year ahead!
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AFFORDABLE ONSITE PC/IT SUPPORT FOR HOME USERS / BUSINESSES IN THE DEEPINGS & SURROUNDING VILLAGES
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Property Crime Family
Wills & Probate
Camrascan House, Isis Way
Minerva Business Park
Peterborough PE2 6QR
Telephone: 01733 865880
www.mcp-law.co.uk
Local independent swimming school serving Peterborough and South Lincs has revealed their new branding and new website. First launched in 2009 the school has developed their own unique swimming programme for group and 1-1 lessons. In their own pool in Pinchbeck private pool hire and themed parties are offered and a chair hoist caters for SEN and Disability group and private swimming classes.
The Deeping Strollers! Two walking groups in Deeping covering all abilities, the other is the Striders. Walkers meet at the Community Centre on Thursdays at 1.30.Interested in joining them? See The Deepings Walkers Facebook page or call 07897 215826.
In a mesmerizing display of skill, passion, and sheer dedication, local dance sensations Ava and Olivia (9&10) took the stage by storm at the prestigious Dance Inspirations National Competition held in Blackpool. The duo showcased their exceptional talents, claiming 2nd place in the Acro Duet category, competing in the under 13 age group. Students of Inspire Dance School, Olivia and Ava secured 2nd and 3rd place, respectively, in the Acro Solo category.
Donk, the Belgian draught horse from Park Farm Horse Logging, helped Grantham Canal Society to remove logs from part of the canal they were clearing up. Jonathan Booty said, “The use of draught horses has a much lower impact on the natural environment than modern forestry techniques.”
We provide a premium lawn care experience. We seed them, feed them, even control the weeds. So, you don’t have to.
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Email bourne@greenthumb.co.uk
When Del-Boy was marketing his next greatest wheeze of selling Peckham Spring Water he could hardly have imagined that one day a single bottle would sell for thousands of pounds, which is just what it did at Stamford Auction Rooms, where not just one, but two bottles of this famous tipple from the Christmas Special of Only Fools and Horses sold for £1,800 each.
Work has been started on the “Linchfield Forest School”. A story telling area has been created by a pond which is barked and fenced and linked to a further barked area by a nature walk weaving between trees and shrubbery. Mud kitchens, crafting and play areas will be hosted and a large pile of branches are ideal for den building. Thanks are due to staff from Network Rail and Vital Human Resources and Welfare Hire, AVS Fencing and Fenland Building and Landscape for materials and equipment. More work to be completed at Easter.
Waterside thought they had lost Gary in the recent floods but he has scrubbed up well after being found on his side amongst the debris!
Introducing the new volunteer Raft Race Committee.
The Deepings masonic group, St Pega recently hosted a white table evening for the brethren and partners at which Gill Burgess, Cancer Research UK (CRUK) relations manager gave a very insightful presentation on the work being done in the research of cancer in the UK. It was interesting to learn of progress that continues to be made in discovering the origin and treatment for many different types of cancer. The key message Gill gave was on the importance of early action if you have any concerns or feel changes to your body. A donation of £500 was made to CRUK in recognition of the great work they are doing in an area that touches many people at some stage in their life.
A special match held in memory of club stalwart, Andy ‘Jock’ Meikle saw over 60 Rugby players from all local clubs gathering as Deeping Dinosaurs took on a Meikle’s Baa Baas side.Fittingly, the players were led onto the field by a piper playing ‘Flower of Scotland’. The Baa Baas emerged as the winners with a 41-10 victory, tries scored by Steve Harrington and Joe Williams, who proudly represented the Deepings. After the match, the players gathered to enjoy a traditional Scottish meal.
Celebrating 71 years wed, Jean and Paul Cocaine at Rose Lodge. The couple were married at the Priory Church. Jean was a conductress on the Eastern Counties buses, while Paul worked at Perkins Engines.
Barber)
The ladies of the Deepings Inner Wheel celebrated their recent Charter lunch at the Black Horse, Baston. (Pictured l-r Pauline Start acting District Chairman, President Jill Thomas, Rotary Joint President, Jenny Spratt.)
Age Concern offer a variety of shopping trips and outings and on March 26th they are going to Kings Lynn (eateries, shops, historic quayside, Museum and beautiful Minster). Pick up 9.00am suggested donation £7 - to book call 07773453039
Is Sunday 19th May in your Run Event Diary for 2024? Book your place now for the Deeping Run 10k Road Race & Fun Run. To enter or find more details click below. www.deepingsrun.com/
Tool Bar and Jobs Centre Plus are holding a Spring Jobs Fair - Bourne Corn Exchange Tues 19th March 10-1.00pm. Info 07749689026
Throughout summer (4 June – 24 August) the Stamford Shakespeare Company presents an annual season of plays. Described by The Sunday Times as ‘One of the finest things to do this summer’ and The Stage as ‘One of England’s premier alfresco theatre venues’, it really is an experience not to be missed. This summer the Company is proud to present four fantastic plays:
The woodland backdrop of the Tolethorpe stage provides the perfect setting for Shakespeare’s most spellbinding of plays, A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Step into the vibrant world of George Farquhar’s The Recruiting Officer, a rollicking romp and the most
popular play of the 18th century.
Laugh your cares away with Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility and celebrate the strength of sisterhood in a Regencyera rollercoaster of comedy and romance.
Patrick Ness’s dazzling story of love, life and healing, A Monster Calls, is brought to life by Tolethorpe Youth Drama Theatre Makers.
The theatre is situated in the grounds of historic Tolethorpe Hall, just two miles from Stamford, where each summer over 30,000 people experience the magic of a visit to this unique venue. Enjoy a picnic in the glorious grounds, then take
your seat, protected from summer showers, and see a stage like no other.
Here is your chance to win two free tickets to one of the four fantastic shows the Company is presenting.
• What is the surname of the sisters at the heart of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility?
Email your answer and contact details to: competitions@tolethorpe.co.uk
Closing date 31st March 2024
T&Cs: By entering this competition, you are consenting to Stamford Shakespeare Company using your personal details. Your details will not be shared with third parties.
Box office (01780) 917240 www.tolethorpe.co.uk
When the Sealed Knot recently gathered in the courtyard at Northborough Manor and to the sound of a single drum beat started their procession to St Andrew’s Church, it was serendipitous to note that The Pack Horse pub was standing in pretty much the same position when Elizabeth Cromwell herself made her way to the church 400 years before.
The pub was believed to have been a beer house, part of the Manor Estate dating back to the 13th century. As we know when one building is pulled down the stone is used for the next and so it was with the Pack Horse. A Grade II listed building, the current description is of a 18thcentury dressed stone building with steeply pitched Colleyweston stone roof with coped gable ends.
Auctions were often held in the ‘local’, the earliest recorded for the Pack Horse in 1813 when a farmhouse and four lots of land were sold. All potential buyers were given a drink prior to the start of bidding and the publicans were given a small fee by the auctioneers.
Austin (1792-1873) and Mary Harrison were the licensees in 1841, having taken over the pub on their marriage in 1824 at St John the Baptist Church, Peterborough. After the birth of their son, George, they went back to Peterborough to take an inn in Church Street. They were followed in Northborough by Baptist (b.1813) and Sarah Dorman. Originally from Rutland, the couple employed a domestic, Elizabeth Kettle, and also put up a lodger, John Stubbs, a farm worker aged 70. It was this couple who were the licensees when the pub itself came up for auction in 1853. Baptist was followed by William and Ann (née Coleman) Gale from Maxey, who were at the pub for the 1861 census. Their tenure was relatively short, because in 1864 John and Emma (née Bellamy) Benstead had taken over and it was this family who were to be in harness for the next 40 years.
John was born in Whittlesey in 1831, the son of John and Alice (née Atkin). He had married Emma in 1859 and the couple moved to Northborough where John worked on the land. They already had two children Arthur (1868-1940) and Edward (1861-1922). On moving into the Pack Horse their family grew, Gertrude was born in 1864 and baptised at the parish church, closely followed by Emma in 1866 and then John in 1868. Keen to make the best of his life, John bought and sold poultry which became a lucrative business for him. By the time of the 1871 Census the couple were employing a domestic, Jane Bains.
Sadly, in 1874 at the age of just 43 John died and Emma was left to run the pub where she lived with her two youngest children, Emma and John. Arthur had left home to become a butler in Kent, Edward was
a coal merchant in Brighton and Gertrude was a domestic servant in Sussex, returning home to marry a Northborough farmer, Alfred Nichols (1851-1905), the son of village wheelwright, Thomas, in 1883. The wedding reception was, naturally, held at the Pack Horse.
In May of 1883 the pub was the venue for the anniversary celebrations of the Friendly Benefit Society many of which proliferated in the days before the welfare state. Sixty members gathered in the large room and at midday formed a procession headed by a Peterborough Brass Band, the flag of the society held aloft as they moved towards the church. At two o’clock the members sat down to an excellent dinner and then in the evening paraded through the village finishing on the green in the old castle yard where John Nichols, occupier of the castle gave a rendition of the song ‘Nut Brown Ale’.
‘The vinous drink is lov’d by many, Yet I will gage a silver penny; To whatever quarter you may sail, No drink you’ll find like nut brown ale.’ The statement of accounts given by the Society’s Secretary was healthy, in spite of heavy claims for death and sickness during the past year.
Emma married widower, Mark Wykes (1811-1891), cottager and market gardener in 1885. He was in his late seventies but recorded as being very active for his age and on the day of his death had been working in his garden but began to feel unwell and returned to the pub. At 2.00pm he was talking to a man in the street but shortly after he went to bed and in spite of a doctor being summoned he passed away at 4.00pm before the doctor could reach him. Shortly after Emma left the pub with her youngest daughter, Emma; they were living in a cottage near the Rectory when she died in 1913. Daughter Emma had set up her own grocery business but she died aged just 58 in 1924.
Son John had followed in his father’s footsteps as a poulterer and married Elizabeth Smith (1870-1956) in a ceremony at Maxey Parish Church in 1890. He took over the running of the pub while continuing with the poultry business. Five of their children were born there: John Herbert (1893-1948), Florence (1895-1937), Charles (1896-1984), William (1898-1969), Wallace (1902-1944).
John had a dedicated shed at the rear of the property where the fowl were killed and plucked ready for market. The two older boys would pen the birds, removing the feather tips after plucking. As an incentive their father would place tuppence on a ledge which was awarded to the child who was first to pluck six birds. The business was thriving and so John continued >
and Elizabeth made the decision to leave the pub for larger premises with more land in Northborough. Their sixth child, Arthur (1904-1979) was born here.
Just five years later John died, leaving Elizabeth the business and family to look after. Son John was a butcher’s assistant, later to become a master butcher in Middlesex, Florence became an assistant teacher at Northborough School and Charles worked on the land, becoming a poultry dresser, following the family trade. He was wounded twice in the 1914-18 War but served in the Home Guard locally in the Second World War and lived in Pingle Lane, where he died in 1984. William lived in Peterborough, working in the Signals department for LNER, Wallace was a store manager on the Isle of Wight and Arthur was a bricklayer living in Deeping Gate. Florence had been an active member of the community, a member of Glinton’s WI and a member of the Church Council. She was a well-respected teacher at the local school for 21 years, and her early death at 42 was considered a great loss.
The Benstead dynasty at the pub was over and a succession of short-lived landlords took over; John Shaw (1903-1905) Martin Philpott (1905-1906)
Charles and Amelia Letall (1905-1918). For the next decade, King’s Cliffe native William and Elizabeth France were at the helm. William was born to John and Elizabeth in 1867, marrying Elizabeth Carrington in King’s Cliffe Parish Church in 1896. He became a bricklayer in Woodston, moving to Peter Brotherhoods as a fitter and, having lived close by in Walton when the couple moved to the Pack Horse, he would cycle to work. On his wife’s death in 1929, William moved back to Walton and the licence was transferred to William D’arcy.
D’arcy was the son of George and Edith and had spent his childhood at the Oddfellows Arms Halfleet, Market Deeping, where his father was a gardener as well as being a publican. William was apprenticed as a carpenter and served in the First World War. While on leave in 1916 he married Winifred Towell whose family were publicans at the Waggon and Horses in Langtoft. While at the White Horse in Market Deeping the couple had George (1919-1990) and Edward (1921-1997). Later at the Railway Inn in Peakirk, William ran a carpentry business as well as the pub. They had a third child, John (1923-1957) and at the Pack Horse a further two: Winifred (1932) and Peter (1933-1987).
William was involved in an accident on Lincoln Road, Werrington, in 1932 when Grace Parkinson collided with his lorry laden with a sectional fowl house. She sustained minor injuries but was taken home by friends in shock. There was better news in 1939 when son George graduated with a first-class History degree from the University of London, having been assisted through the King’s School with a place under the Soke of Peterborough Education Scheme. Edward became a van driver, marrying Irene Mears from Peterborough where the couple lived until they took the Kesteven Arms at Tallington, and Edward became a South Kesteven Rural Councillor. Later the pub was taken over by his younger brother, Peter who was also employed at Cumbergate Wine Stores in Peterborough. William died in 1946, Winifred two years later aged 55 and the running of the Pack Horse passed to their son John, aged just 23.
In 1948 John married an accounts shorthand typist, Elizabeth, daughter of John and Agnes East of Cromwell Road. But in 1956 their world was to collapse when John appeared at Cambridge Assizes accused of perjury and conspiring to pervert the course of justice. In the previous year he had given a false alibi for caravan dweller George Smith of Skegness, who had been found not guilty of stealing two tons of copper wire from Eastern Electricity. Ronald Holmes, a Spalding scrap dealer was also found guilty of perjury and was sent to prison for 18 months. D’arcy avoided prison as he was deemed to be of good character but he lost his licence and moved to Walton where he died suddenly a year later.
In 1956 Christopher and Freda Walker took over the pub with the intention of making business more profitable. Christopher had married Freda in a double wedding at the Priory Church with her twin, Vera, who had married Alfred Kendall. The twins were the daughters of Joseph and Rose (née Bloomfield) Smith of Horsegate. Under Sam York the Darts Club was successful in the Northborough and Deeping Leagues as was the dominoes team. Peterborough City Council granted
permission for three houses on the site in 1958. When interviewed in the same year Christopher told the local press that he had made considerable improvements and it was his ambition to give up his full-time job in the City and look after the pub full time. For the Northampton Brewery Co, Mr Wright claimed that over £900 had been spent improving the lounge, toilets and enlarging the car park. However, the brewery plans to build a petrol station on the site were thwarted by the Council. In 1960 the Pack Horse was one of the properties bought from the brewery by Watney Mann.
October 1966 bought celebrations to the pub when barmaid Pauline Field of the Grove, Market Deeping, wed Harry Balderson, coach driver and son of the Baldersons of High Street, Maxey. Pauline was attended by her twin, Mrs Pape, and Gordon Garford was best man; ushers were Mr T. Pape and Mr Field. Two years later Christopher and Freda’s daughter Elizabeth married Brian Spriggs of Swanbridge Farm, Parson’s Drove. After a honeymoon in Holme, Norfolk, the couple settled in Castle Drive, Northborough. When her brother Bryn married in 1971 he and his bride, Linda Taylor, were carried away from St Andrew’s in a pony and trap lent by Mr and Mrs Truman of Market Deeping. The couple settled in Braceborough where Linda was a groom and Bryn was stud manager for Mr Allison. In 1972, Christopher died at just 59.
The family bounced back and in the following year advertised the ‘friendly pub with sensibly priced food (served every day) with children welcome in the large garden’.
John and Rosemary Apthorpe then took over with their daughter Dawn (1965) and son Paul (1966). John was born in Peterborough to Arthur and Nellie of Queen’s Walk and Rosemary was a Gooderham of Montague Road. Charitable activities were the order of the day and in June 1981 a jumble sale was held in the garden for Save the Children. It raised £65 and was organised by Dawn, aged just 15, helped by Margaret and Carole Randall, Lesley Wilson (15), Tracy Lemon (15) and Emma Dudley (11).
Plans to extend the Pub in 1983 were rejected by Peterborough City Council who considered that they would appear out of scale and character with the main building and incongruous in a conservation area.
A chip pan fire caused £8,000 worth of damage in August ‘83 and appliances from Market Deeping and Dogsthorpe attended the blaze. Dawn remembers: ‘The night of the fire was scary, Mum and Paul were out and only me and Dad were home so they arrived home to absolute chaos. It made the News at Ten which freaked my grandma out! The flames could be seen for miles, it gutted the kitchen, living room and my brother’s bedroom and we had to rescue our two dogs. A fireman fell off the roof and broke his leg.’
Charitable activities continued: a strawberry tea in 1986 raised £75 for the Peterborough Ladies Licensed Trade Auxillary. George Lawrence of Church St, Deeping St James, had his hair cut by Gary Copestake in the bar, and funds were raised for the Men’s Group and Hungry for Change. Rosemary was one of the local landladies to help collect £800 in coins collected in empty whisky bottles for the Licensed Victuallers Association in 1987.
Dawn Apthorpe married Clive Lennon in 1989. As with many publicans, another job helped make the role more sustainable and John was a landscape gardener. The building of the bypass affected passing trade and after falling ill John called time for the last time in 1995, sadly passing away in 1997. For nearly 18 years, John and his wife ran this little pub with a big heart in the lee of the Castle at Northborough.
Steve and Amanda Siggee took over but the brewery charges were high and it was closed until Colin Smith and Jack Turner bought the pub from the brewery and re-roofed the property. Owner of several Deeping pubs, Steve Rigby came on board and then sold the pub back to the brewery. Subsequently a number of relatively short-lived landlords took over until last April, Lesley Newitt, formerly of The Bluebell, Helpston, took over, bringing her team, Carole Howden and renowned chef, Dan Roche.
If, like me, your main interest in your cup of coffee is the design that the barista has etched in the cream then a conversation with Hannah of Jackalope Joe will be an eye -opener and add a different dimension to your morning cuppa!
Coffee aficionado Hannah decided to embrace the concept of coffee as a career when her sister pointed out that her lifelong affair with the beverage could be just what she needed to kickstart her need for a more meaningful role in her working life, and one that allowed for a husband and two children, still at primary school. She embraced the project with alacrity, taking a coffee-roasting course at the Winchester School of Coffee where she also learnt to become a barista.
Like wine, the flavour of coffee depends on the altitude, the soil type, and the climate in which it is grown. But then, as Hannah has learnt, the roasting process itself can change the flavour of the bean. Hers is a true artisan coffee; following a method using sight and smell to judge when the coffee is ready to leave the roaster. She quotes the example of a bean from Burundi, lightly roasted it has a lemony taste, roasted more and it is red berry fruits. A chocolatey flavoured bean from Brazil can take on a treacly flavour when roasted for longer.
Hannah’s coffee beans are sourced worldwide and full traceability is important, helping farmers to provide a sustainable environment for their pickers. As suppliers of 40% of the world’s coffee, Brazil looms large and here she has a close trading relationship with Bom Jesus Farm, a huge farm whose harvest is in June each year. The ‘cherries’ are picked from the trees once they have become a ruby red colour and left to dry out when the beans inside are revealed. Milled to remove the husks and further dried, the still green beans are then sorted and packed to take their onward journey, in this case to
Spalding and to Hannah and to a coffee cup near you!
Hannah started her roasting journey with a table-top roaster which allowed her to roast one kilo an hour. She has now graduated to a larger gas drum roaster which roasts four kilos in 15 minutes. Starting the business in November 2019, just before lockdown, Hannah saw the business flourish as coffee shops and cafes closed and home workers wanted to keep up with the coffee flavours they were used to. Mailing packages out and delivering those closer to home gave the business a good base on which to grow.
Having taken a small business course at the University of Lincoln, Hannah won a pitch for funding for a
horse trailer. Now purchased this has been converted into a mobile coffee canteen. Purchasing and installing electricity and the espresso machine has been a learning curve for Hannah but now she is enjoying the interaction with coffee lovers, ‘discussing the origin of the beans, the flavours and very often in attractive surroundings’ feeling very much like a career destination for Hannah!
In line with her concern for the environment, packaging is compostable and labels are biodegradable. She is keen to support other small businesses and at the Lincolnshire Makers Markets at the Sessions House in Spalding you will often find her in the courtyard selling hot coffee as well as her bags. One event often leads to another and before long the summer diary fills up, making sure that some weekends are given over to her own family activities. October and November is definitely time to warm chilled hands round a cup of coffee at outdoor events and for a fortnight in October you will see the Jackalope Joe logo emblazoned on the side of the horse box at Bells Pumpkin Patch, one of the largest pumpkin patches in the UK!
And the name? The name! Hannah knew she wanted an animal as part of her logo and what better than the mythical jackalope! With her surname Joe – Jackalope Joe was born!
Interested in finding out more about your morning cup of coffee and sampling the different tastes? Then come and meet Hannah at the Deepings Library on Thursday 7th March at 7.00pm. Tickets £5. Call 01778 346528 to book.
Lincolnshire Makers Market Saturday 4th May 10-4
Crowland and Thorney Forties Weekend 22nd 23rd June
Frost Fair Molecey Mill Friday, Saturday and Sunday 8th, 9th, 10th November
The car is being packed and my harness is on, I just wonder where Mum is taking me today! After listening to the radio and Mum singing, we arrive. There’s a funny big white thing (a Lighthouse Mum just said). We leave the car park and take the slope down to the beach below the Old Hunstanton red cliffs.
I can see the sea and, hold on, need to adjust my balance; I thought my paws were sinking! Ah this is the life; thanks Mum.
We walk along and follow the path. There are some sections of Hunstanton South Beach where dogs are not allowed, however they are allowed on the Promenade. With the sound of the seagulls squawking and squealing I’m just busy trying to see what they are after.
A few miles past the fun fair the walk
Old Hunstanton Cliff Car Park - Lighthouse (PE36 6EL)
Time to Travel: Approx 1hr 20mins
Length: Approx 7 miles
Time of walk: Approx 3.5 hours
becomes calmer and quieter. Often it doesn’t matter what time of year, the sun makes an appearance and has a wonderful warmth.
Up ahead is the Hunstanton Ski Cafe & Bar which is dog friendly and has seating outside to look out to the North Sea. We’re not stopping here just yet. The next section is North Beach and this is dog friendly, which means I’m free. Mum checks around and I’m offwell, not too far I don’t want to be too far away from the treats. I’m dancing and jumping and running. There’s a few other paws patrolling the beach too, we have a little chase, sniff and run on.
Once you reach Heacham it’s time to turn around and walk back. We have a nice stroll along the beach and head up to the cafe for a water stop and warm drink for Mum.
I’m back on my lead and we walk on the Promenade back into Hunstanton. Hmmmm, that smell of seaside food. Mum gets some fish and chips from Fishers and as she sits on a bench, I guard her from the seagulls!
After, we walk up to the green and back along to the car park. There are more cafes along this route too.
There is an option to shorten this route. You can either park at the South Promenade Car Park (PE36 5BQ) or start your return earlier. The best thing about this walk is you can take a stroll, sit for a bit and have lots of ball throwing and playtime too.
Dog friendly: There are a few including Hunstanton Ski Cafe & Bar
Off Lead: Dogs allowed off lead from North Beach
In Wilson’s Bag: Water Bottle, Treats, Poop Bags, Drying Towel
Poop Bins: On route
Wildlife: Birds
Paw Rating: 5 out of 5
Sniff Rating: 5 out of 5
Overall Woof Rating: 5 out of 5
The darker days of January and February are now behind us and we seem to have escaped the over-dramatic promises of snow across the area. In fact, January saw the hottest day on record
for the time of year. However, the volume of rainfall is still greater than usual and the local river levels remain abnormally high, so do continue to be vigilant and be prepared to take action if necessary.
The first purple bin pick up went particularly well during collection week in early February, and 98% of bins were successfully emptied. This yielded an amazing quantity of over 400 tonnes of high quality paper and card for recycling from across the district. Do keep up the good work and continue to take care with ensuring the right items go in the grey bin. If your discarded plastic has food waste on it then please put it in the black bin – no sticky stuff in the grey bin.
The SKDC Funding Fair will take place at Bourne Corn Exchange on Wednesday 27th March. If you are a member of a local community group that needs funding to help with repairs, to keep going, or to put on events and activities, then you can book to come along and find out more about how to apply for a grant. Contact communityengagement@southkesteven. gov.uk for more information.
The Coronation Hall Annual General Meeting will be held at the hall on Tuesday 26th March at 7.45pm. Everyone is welcome to attend and the meeting will be followed by refreshments.
Combating loneliness. The tendency for many of us to remain indoors during winter months can also mean it is a particularly lonely time for those who live on their own. If you have a little spare time, it can be really beneficial for friends, relatives or neighbours to have some additional contact by phone, visit, or even an impromptu outing of some sort. With our strong community spirit, no one of any age should feel alone in the Deepings. You will always find a warm welcome at the Deepings Community Library as well as the opportunity to meet others during the many free activities on offer. There are also many other local community organisations who are available to help and who would be glad to have more volunteers if you have some time to offer.
Deepings Leisure Centre. All the requested additional Business Plan information was submitted to Lincolnshire County Council early in February to be assessed for a decision about whether to legally transfer the site to the community group for refurbishing. At the time of this article going to print, a final decision had not yet been made but the outcome is expected imminently.
The updated SKDC Local Plan consultation period has now started and it is really important to ensure that our views are gathered and passed on to the relevant officers. The document sets out the guidelines for the growth and development of South Kesteven. Of particular note is the proposed allocation of additional land for future housing in the Deepings in two key areas – Millfield in Market Deeping, and Priory Farm in Deeping St. James. There are some new policies included in the update and some other changes to be considered. The Neighbourhood Plan Group is reviewing the document and will shortly be providing a summary with an invitation for you to have your say.
The Mayor’s Ball (Market Deeping Chairman’s Civic Dinner) is being organised by the Town Clerks and will be held this year at the Deepings Sports and Social Club on Saturday 20th April. This excellent social event will also be fundraising for the Sue Ryder Hospice and you may wish to contact Gail or Emily to reserve tickets for the dinner, or to generously donate a raffle prize.
For years the sheds have stood on the site of the Cross School, Deeping St James, largely unused and unloved. After Deeping St James United Charities took possession of the whole site (previously half had been owned by Lincolnshire County Council) it was their ambition to make the buildings more usable. A public consultation echoed their views and when the Charity gained an injection of funds after they sold their land in Linchfield, the project became a reality.
Jonathan Hendry Architects have helped the Charity to put their ideas into a workable plan which passed through the planning process at South Kesteven District Council. In the lee of the Cross, an ancient monument, listed with English Heritage the application had to ensure that it was sympathetic to its surroundings.
The proposal for the redevelopment of the site is to facilitate the improvement of an existing community hub, envisaging the replacement outbuilding in the same position as the old sheds, along the boundary wall.
But there the similarity ends because this ambitious plan sees the replacement of the old corrugated roof with a zinc coated roofing material overhanging the front elevation to provide a semi-covered external space; a loggia. The front wall is to be clad in vertical oak panels with doors and window frames made of oak to match the timber cladding.
The new building will provide four new studio spaces with an entrance lobby, amenities and kitchenette and will be complemented with a community garden/ outdoor play area boasting highly landscaped borders and beds. Furthermore it has been the intention to make the building as environmentally friendly as possible. An air source heat pump has been installed for heating with high efficiency heating controls using Heatmiser thermostats that are iOS / Android App controlled. More, the building has been insulated with sheep’s wool known as CosyWool, very thickly applied to circa 300mm to both walls and ceiling. It has thick underfloor insulation of 6” ecotherm. Two EV
chargers are being installed to the car park. Outside the ground areas are permeable and accessible.
As can be seen from the road the lean-to extension to the Cross School has been removed and is being replaced with a pitched-roof entrance. This new entrance reflects the gable of the existing hall and the existing windows and gable are exposed inside the new entrance. The large gable window allows views onto the new communal garden while the new entrance provides a generous space and has the benefit of being disability compliant.
Comments Justin Carter of contractors, J.D. Carter, ‘We are committed to supporting this valuable community project. We see it as more than just construction; it’s an opportunity to create a vibrant space for people to connect, be creative, and enjoy themselves. Studios and a community garden are just the beginning. We’re using quality materials like oak and zinc, but the emphasis is on creating a welcoming and inclusive environment. Accessibility is paramount, so the new entrance will be spacious, user-friendly, and open to everyone. We’re excited to see this project become a real hub for the community.’
Graham Thompson, Chairman of the Trustees of United Charities sees this project, ‘as an opportunity to make a qualitative difference to the residents of Deeping St James. It is a far-sighted, aspirational project and it has been rewarding to work with our partners in order to achieve this.’
Watching a woodpecker peck its way up a tree trunk, a cloud of long-tailed tits descend on a bird feeder and a blue tit lining its nest with a beakful of feathers from the pampas grass is a fascinating way to while away time gazing out of the window. So it is of no surprise to learn that recent research from King’s College has shown that seeing or hearing birds is associated with an improvement in mental well-being that can last for up to eight hours.
But how can we encourage more bird life into our gardens? For Deeping St Nicholas farmer and conservationist, Nicholas Watts MBE, ‘The first and most important step is to create a suitable habitat, with the key being plenty of shrubs and trees – with these providing food, shelter and potential building sites come the spring. Trees and shrubs which have berries are especially important, with native species like Hawthorn being great but also non-native cultivated varieties like Pyracantha.’
Feeding the birds is no longer a hit and miss pastime and with the expertise available it is now possible to not only encourage birds into the garden but to be specific about the birds that you attract according to the seeds that you put out. As Nicholas says, ‘Provide food such as seed mixes and suet products, which are almost guaranteed to bring interesting bird species to your garden and especially during the winter months.’
For wildlife presenter, author and ranger, Ajay Tegala, it is very important to ensure that there is a source of clean water for drinking and bathing. He says, ‘Bird baths are a lovely way to watch birds. If you want to go one step further, a pond serves the same purpose as well as attracting insects, so effectively providing bath, drink and food all in one place.’
Providing a safe and secure nesting place, out of the way of predators in a sheltered spot away from strong sunlight and winds (a north or east-facing location is best) is another great way to attract
birds to your garden. There is a wide variety to chose from but if you select the classic small holed nest box make sure that it has a metal surround to prevent hungry predators pecking their way into the nest! Birds are wonderful visitors to have in your garden – they’re relaxing to watch and can improve your mental health, help rid your lawn of weeds, are brilliant at eating pesky pests and help with flower pollination. And contributing to ensuring a healthy bird population is one thing that we can all do to make a world worth living in!
Ajay Tegala will be at the Deepings Literary Festival with naturalist Lev Parikian on Sunday 5th May. Visit www.deepingsliteraryfestival.co.uk
Nicholas Watts researches and trials conservation ideas on his farm and then shares results and advice with other farmers and conservation bodies. He has come up with advice for the best way to harvest oil seed rape, information which is now given out nationally by the RSPB.
In traditional healing, we take a lot of notice with regard to the time of year. There is good reason for this! Obviously we feel different if the sun is shining or if it is raining. Also, Christmas feels different to midsummer. Even if the weather is roughly the same, which it can be - Easter feels different to Halloween. The seasons and the time of year affect our bodies and minds.
Energy healers and therapists frequently use what we call the ‘Five Elements’. It is Oriental in origin and very ancient. The Five Elements can be viewed as a way of measuring the adjustments that happen to our body, mind and spirit as we go through the year.
The five ‘elements’ are Earth, Metal, Water, Wood and Fire. They also correspond to different seasons. Spring is for the wood element, summer for fire, harvest time for Earth, late autumn for metal, and water is for the winter time.
All of the elements have a pair of organs that work with it. Springtime/Wood energy is associated with the liver and gall bladder. If we can do something that improves the health of these in the spring, we will feel more in tune with the world around us. Also, in the springtime when wood or liver energy is at its most active, it will actually be easier to improve the health of our livers.
Our livers are amazing. They perform over 200 functions in the body. An important function of the liver is to remove toxins. If we can reduce things like processed food, alcohol, sugar, nicotine, meat and dairy then we lighten the load on our liver and make it happier, and make ourselves feel ‘lighter’.
It is impossible to be angry with someone or yourself at the same time as being kind. Next time you find yourself feeling angry with another person or yourself, try thinking a kind thought about them or yourself. It will have a massive impact on your liver energy and you will feel much better.
The energy lines for wood energy lie in the sides of your body. Simple side stretches will help to enliven your wood energy, detoxify your liver and make you feel more kind towards yourself and others. It’s got to be worth a try!
So, for example, in springtime the wood element is most active in nature. If we want to feel well and at one with the world, it would be helpful to understand some of the implications of this simple statement.
It’s not just the ‘naughty’ foods that affect our livers. If we eat nothing but whole foods and drink nothing except water, our liver still has plenty of work to do. So if we can slightly reduce the amount that we consume, again our liver will be cheered.
Angry people tend to have weakened liver energy. Heavy drinkers frequently have short tempers! Healthy liver energy has the opposite effect. It creates kindness.
As a closing thought on the subject, when viewed in this way religious observations such as Lent, Ramadan and other springtime fasting take on a new meaning when we look at them in this way. When many people though history and around the world are saying similar things, albeit in slightly different ways, this might be called wisdom.
At Ki-Ways, we are running classes in Tai Chi, Qigong, and meditation, and offering Shiatsu Treatments – all of which will help you to strengthen your wood energy.
Please contact me on 07413 620344 or email me at ray@ki-ways.co.uk if you would like to know more.
The prevalence of persistent rain this winter has been hard to overlook. Many weeks have felt endless, with grey skies and the wet stuff seemingly unrelenting. The ground has become saturated, fields are waterlogged, and even the slightest rainfall causes river levels to surge. It’s a season marked by its dampness, leaving quite the imprint on our local landscapes.
The impact of such prolonged rainfall cannot be overstated. Saturated ground poses risks of flooding, while agricultural activities face disruptions due to waterlogged fields. Several local communities have faced flooding or the risk of it, during the past few months. And with global warming seemingly accelerating and bringing wetter winters, this is something we should grow to expect and plan for.
Now, I don’t need to tell you, dear reader, that the mighty Welland, coursing through our beloved town, surged to unprecedented levels during January. Along Deeping Highbank, water teetered precariously over the banks, spilling into the surrounding fields between Crowland and the river. This marks the second winter in the past three years where the river has swelled to its limits, a disturbing trend for residents of the Deepings.
Brent GooseEventually, the water breached the Welland’s banks, resulting in a significant breach that inundated Crowland washland and a smaller breach affecting Cowbit washland. These areas, engineered by humans to absorb floodwater and safeguard local villages, fell victim to the force of nature.
Despite the existence of several gates designed to regulate water flow onto these lands, they remained closed, failing to mitigate the impending breach. Now, with the breach uncontained, subsequent instances of flooding have occurred, exacerbated by ongoing rainfall. Repairing the breached banks must
await the arrival of spring, at considerable expense. Meanwhile, farmers find themselves at the mercy of the river’s fluctuating levels, hoping it remains below breach thresholds.
The impact of these new Welland washes on our local wildlife has been notable. These freshly formed wetland areas were quickly discovered by birds seeking refuge. Initially, small numbers of duck species, such as wintering Wigeon and Teal, found sanctuary there. Surprisingly, even Pintail, a species more commonly associated with the Ouse and Nene Washes, appeared.
Traditionally, the Ouse and Nene Washes are intentionally flooded each winter, creating vital habitats for birds in search of sustenance during the colder months. However, this winter’s incessant rainfall caused these areas to become deeper than usual, prompting birds to explore alternative places. The newly established Welland washes, with their ideal water depth, proved to be an enticing destination for feeding ducks.
For perspective, encountering 20 Pintail in a year around our local pits would be considered pretty good. So, observing counts exceeding 1,000 on the Welland washes is exceptional, especially when considering that only 20,000 winter across the entirety of Britain! Within weeks of their formation, these floods have proven to be of huge importance to the wildfowl population.
The wetland landscape has become alive with the distinctive calls of bugling Whooper and Bewick’s Swans. Surprisingly, even birds typically associated with coastal habitats have begun to make these inland wetlands their home. Turnstones, known for wintering on Britain’s beaches, have been flocking in numbers of up to 30 on the floods, indicating that they are not just passing
through, but settling in for the winter alongside thousands of Lapwing and Golden Plover on the muddy terrain.
The allure of these newly formed habitats hasn’t escaped rarities either. Within days, a Long-tailed Duck, a sea duck that breeds in the Arctic and typically winters along the coast, was spotted on Cowbit wash. Another coastal species, the Brent Goose, has also taken up residence, adding to the diversity of the avian community.
However, the true excitement came in late January when renowned bird finder Josh Jones stumbled upon a Velvet Scoter. Despite being a young female and perhaps not visually striking, this sighting marked the first local record in 40 years. Feeding on swan mussels at the bottom of the Welland and seeking refuge in the sanctuary of the washes, it provided me with the rare opportunity to observe and photograph a species I usually only see miles offshore in Norfolk.
So what’s next? With the influx of coastal species, the washes must resemble an inland sea to the birds. With additional water pouring in midFebruary, it’s likely that this flooding will continue to attract avian visitors well into late spring, presenting the possibility of further surprises.
The dream? That, like the Nene and Ouse washes, this parcel of farmland is permitted to flood annually during winter. Its demonstrated importance as a habitat underscores the potential benefits of allowing it to flourish. However, perhaps next time, instead of letting nature breach the gates, proactive management could ensure the controlled release of water, maximising the habitat’s potential while minimising the risks of uncontrolled flooding.
Will works at Grasmere Farm in Deeping St James (with a butcher’s and deli in Market Gate, Market Deeping) but in his spare time enjoys wildlife watching locally and across the country. He is also a keen photographer. His photo cards can be purchased at https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/JustWildImages and at Market Gate Deli in Market Deeping.
Have you tried our free range eggs from our own happy hens?
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*By appointment only
Jack Jordan is the global number one bestselling author of Anything for Her (2015), My Girl (2016), A Woman Scorned (2018), Before Her Eyes (2018) and Night by Night (2019). Do No Harm, heralded as the thriller of the summer for 2022, became an instant Times Bestseller and was long listed for a Dead Good Reader Award. It was described as ‘pulse-racing’ by Louise Candlish. His latest thriller Conviction was published in June 2023 and will appear in paperback this spring whilst his next book, Redemption, is set to be released in June 2024. He lives in East Anglia and is a self-confessed bibliomaniac with more books than sense!
Tickets from www.deepingsliteraryfestival.co.uk or call 07852649464
Clare Mackintosh, former police officer turned crime writer is the multi-awardwinning author of six bestselling novels, including I Let You Go, which won the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year in 2016. Her second and third novels, I See You and Let Me Lie were number one Sunday Times Bestsellers. After the End (2019) was an instant Sunday Times bestseller and in 2021, Hostage went straight into the top ten, as did the first two books in her new crime series, The Last Party and A Game of Lies, which feature Welsh detective DC Ffion Morgan. Now a full-time writer, she lives in Wales with her husband and three children.
Fiona Cummins is an award-winning former Daily Mirror show business journalist and a graduate of the Faber Academy, where she now teaches her own Writing Crime course. She’s the bestselling author of six crime thrillers, three of which have been optioned for television. Rattle, her debut novel, was the subject of a huge international auction and was translated into several languages, receiving widespread critical acclaim. In 2017, she was selected for Val McDermid’s prestigious New Blood panel at the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, where her novel was nominated for a Dead Good Reader award for Most Exceptional Debut. David Baldacci described the sequel, The Collector (2018), as ‘A crime novel of the very first order’, whilst Ian Rankin said her next book, The Neighbour (2019), was ‘as creepy as hell’. Stand-alone thriller When I Was Ten (2021) became an Irish Times bestseller. Into the Dark (2022) introduced us to DC Saul Anguish, a brilliant young detective with a dark past, who then appeared in All Of Us Are Broken, published in the summer of 2023. Fiona lives with her family in Essex.
E. C. Bateman is a novelist and antique jewellery specialist. Having married an auctioneer, she moved to Stamford and dreamt up the idea for this series whilst living in a converted Georgian flat overlooking St Mary’s Church in the heart of the town. They’ve since decamped to the surrounding countryside with their baby daughter, but can still be spotted around the cobbled streets on a regular basis. Her first novel Death at the Auction was published in 2022 with Murder Most Antique released the following year. Both are set in the auction world of Stamford.
Simon is the best-selling author of the Sanctus Trilogy: Sanctus, The Key and The Tower. Another action/thriller series begins with Solomon Creed, followed by The Boy Who Saw and related novella Broken Promise. In 2022, his crime novel Dark Objects was published, introducing forensics specialist Dr Laughton Rees and Detective Inspector Tannahill Khan. They returned in 2023 in the chilling story The Clearing. A former student at Deacon’s School, Peterborough, Simon studied English and Drama at Goldsmiths College, before embarking upon a career in TV, becoming a producer and script writer.
Sat 9th March
Doors 7.00pm Start 8.30
The Boundary Club
Bridge St. DSJ (opp The Boundary Fish & Chips)
Members £4 Guests £6
Fri 8th March
Book sales 7.00pm Eyes down 7.30
The Boundary Club
Bridge St. DSJ (opp The Boundary Fish & Chips)
The Rotary Club of the Deepings Community Centre Market Deeping
Sat 23rd March
7 for 7.30 start. Teams of up to Six £5 per person
To book a table 01778 343927
Thurs 21st March
Oddfellows Hall, Market Deeping PE6 8AN at 2pm.
£1 for a book of 10 games.
Contact Jenny on 07788 534290 to book.
Sat 23rd March 1-3pm
The Boundary Club
Bridge St. DSJ (opp The Boundary Fish & Chips)
£8 members
£10 guests
Tickets on door
14th March
The Arts Society Peterborough
London’s sumptuous Victorian and Edwardian stores changed the capital. Shoppers were lavishly wooed by the temptations in these new cathedrals of desire. Doors open at 10-15am for coffee, the talk starts at 10-45 and lasts an hour.
The Fleet, PE2 4 DL www.the-arts-society-peterborough.org.uk
West Deeping Heritage Group
Tues 5th March, from 7 p.m. for a 7.30 start. Amateur local historians put their village on the heritage map with news that the remains of Collyweston Palace (home of Lady Margaret Beaufort) had been uncovered by archaeologists. Village Hall, King Street, West Deeping, PE6 9HP Admission at the door £3, including light refreshments from 7 p.m. https://wdheritage.wordpress.com/programme-of-events/
Moreley’s Lane, Corby Glen, NG33 4NL
12 – 5 pm. Tues– Sun. Admission free
The first Exhibition of the 2024 season will open on Weds 20 March until Wednesday 10 April.
Art Shed Paintings
Landscape and Still Life Paintings capturing light and colour by Frank Rogers. Self-taught, Frank is passionate about painting sky, landscape, still life and sometimes portraits and figures.
The Thames a talk by Mike Parsons
Deepings Mens Group
6th March 7.30pm
Masonic Centre, New Row, DSJ
Non members £4
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 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.
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.
Our goal is to build longterm relationships with every one
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: