A Grantham man concerned about the plight of badgers carried out a survey to gauge opinion after being told by Grantham MP Nick Boles that the majority of his constituents support the cull.

Philip Gadd took to the town centre last Saturday, joined by four other members of Grantham Wildlife Protection, to ask shoppers: ‘Do you support the badger cull?’ Of 238 responses, 74 per cent said ‘no’, 10.5 per cent said ‘yes’ and 15.5 per cent were undecided.

The move followed the receipt last year of a letter from Mr Boles, stating: “Most of my constituents support the Government’s proposal for a careful, scientifically evidenced cull of badgers in TB hotspots. I cannot represent them and represent you. So I choose to do the democratic thing and represent the majority.”

Mr Gadd said this was reiterated during a recent meeting with the MP. He added: “Although only a snapshot survey it does appear our MP is wrong and the majority of his constituents are in fact against the culling of badgers. We would like Mr Boles to reconsider his views and represents the views of Grantham people.”

Grantham and Corby Glen Tae Kwon-Do Club picked up eight medals in the South-East Championships.

The event, held at the K2 Arena, Crawley, was organised by the Tae Kwon-Do Association of Great Britain and attracted competitors from throughout the country, and included disciplines for all ages.

Displaying a fine performance in the girls’ yellow belt patterns, eight-year-old Charlotte Lee gained silver for the club, whilst 15-year-old Rosie Clarke took bronze in the girls’ red belt patterns and gold in middleweight sparring.

Representing the boys, Joshua Clarke won silver in the final of the black belt heavyweight sparring.

In the men’s section, Philip Lee won gold in yellow belt patterns and silver in welterweight sparring. Fifth degree black belt Daniel Pearce clinched bronze in a thrilling play-off in the mens black belt patterns final.

Later in the day, Joshua Clarke entered a team with two other black belt boys and lifted another gold for the club in tag team sparring.

Picture from left to right are: Rosie Clarke, Philip Lee, Daniel Pearce, Joshua Clarke, with Charlotte Lee (front).

l The members meet at The King’s School, Brook Street, every Monday and Wednesday, and Ron Dawson Hall, Corby Glen, every Friday. Anyone interested in finding out more about martial arts or what the clubs have to offer can contact the instructors on 01476 570616 or e-mail info@tkdclubs.com

More potholes have been filled in this year than ever before, claims the county’s head of highways – but he admits Grantham still needs a lot of work.

County councillor Richard Davies said 50,000 potholes have been permanently filled in across Lincolnshire over the past year, with roads in Grantham seen as pothole hotspots scheduled in for works over the coming months.

Coun Davies said: “I have promised to tackle potholes in Lincolnshire – and that’s exactly what I am doing. We’ve permanently filled in 50,000 this year, and we’ve also carried out a huge amount of preventative work too.

“When I was campaigning before the election the one thing people kept saying is that they don’t want to see the council throwing money down the drain by doing temporary patches. I am determined to provide proper, long-term fixes but these are often more disruptive and can take longer to plan – so we can only do so many in a year.”

In the spring of this year the Journal reported on a large number of potholes around the town and urged readers to report the craters to Lincolnshire County Council in a bid to get action taken.

Now, the warmer months have passed by and many potholes remain. One such crater is near to the corner of Brook Street and Swinegate, which was repaired with a temporary fix. The tarmac poured into it soon wore away and workers were on site again this week to fill it again with more tarmac as a temporary measure.

Coun Davies said: “There’s actually a stream that runs under Brook Street, as the name suggests, and that does present an issue for us in terms of the road’s foundations, but we are looking at a long-term solution.”

He added: “You saw from Springfield Road what disruption major road works can cause the town, so we have to consider this when putting together our maintenance programme.”

Schools in Grantham and surrounding villages took centre stage at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Tuesday to mark the 70th

anniversary of the Dambusters’ raid.

Pupils from King’s School, Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School and primary schools in Denton, Harlaxton and Barrowby joined a musical performance by 600 Lincolnshire schoolchildren, attended by the last surviving Dambuster, Squadron Leader George (Johnny) Johnson.

The performance, entitled ‘Lincolnshire Skies: A Tribute to the Dambusters’, was commissioned by the Lincolnshire Music Service and composed by Lincoln-based Jonathan Nowell.

A Grantham store has been hit with a fine after selling a dangerous phone charger to a customer.

Lincolnshire Trading Standards launched an investigation, which led to a prosecution at Grantham Magistrates’ Court this week, after hearing how a woman who bought a Venom Blackberry charger which fell apart in her wall. This left her exposed to dangerous electrical currents.

Lisa Foster, principal trading standards officer at the county council, said: “Retailers have a duty to make sure the products they sell are safe, but in this case officers found that TJX UK Ltd, through its UK TK Maxx stores, had been selling a brand of dangerous chargers which could have given a nasty shock - or worse - to anyone using them.”

TJX UK, the retailer, and Venom, the importer, both pleaded guilty to the two charges of supplying non-compliant electrical items and were fined £4,000 each. Costs of £5,613.22 were awarded to Trading Standards.

Having spent four mornings last week helping to man the poppy stall in the Isaac Newton Centre, I was so pleased at the generosity of the public for such a worthy cause.

Everyone who visited us were very supportive, and thankful that our troops and their families are being taken care of.

The British Legion do a wonderful job and Grace and John Knightall are excellent ambassadors for the Legion in Grantham, working so hard to make sure the Poppy Appeal runs smoothly.

Last but not least, I had the honour and privilege to spend the week in the company of Captain Leslie Gorton (Retd), aged 92 years. He came to the stall every day and stayed until closing time.

He loved meeting all of the public who visited us. He also had people taking his photograph and was amazed to have been placed on Facebook, he told everyone that he had gone viral.

Thank you for your help and God bless you Sir.

Thank you to everyone who donated to a very worthy cause.

Coun Jean Taylor

Bramblewood Close, Grantham

Grantham Town racked up nine goals in two games at The Meres this week – toppling high-flying Blyth Spartans 4-2 in the league and demolishing Bedworth United 5-0 in the league cup.

The Gingerbreads were 4-1 up at half time against Blyth on Saturday and battled grittily in the second half to ensure victory.

Joint manager Gary Sucharewycz said: “We got a great early goal but let a soft one in soon after. We knew the second half would be scrappy as we expected them to throw everything at us – which they did.

“We weathered it well and were good value to take the three points against a team who have been flying. Not many would have expected that.”

Grantham cruised through to the second round of the Doodson Sport Ccup with a comfortable victory over lowly Bedworth at The Meres on Tuesday night.

Bottom of NPL Division One South, the visitors put up little opposition in the first half and the Gingerbreads stunned them with all five goals in the first period.

A Jamie McGhee strike after eight minutes set the tone and Michael Towey fired in to double the lead two minutes later.

Romaine Graham added a third on 14 minutes and just another 10 minutes passed by before Ben Fairclough hammered in to put Grantham 4-0 up.

The home side ended the half with a first Gingerbreads goal for Jamie Jackson who slotted in on 38 minutes.

Bringing three substitutes straight on after the break, United looked more determined in the second half but, despite some complacent defending by Grantham at times, the visitors never truly looked liked finding the back of the net and Town saw out the 90 minutes with ease.

Joint Gingerbreads boss Ian Robinson said it had been a good performance: “It was a good run out and a confidence booster.

“When you go three to five goals up by half time like we have in the last two games, you can think the game is won, which takes an edge off the second half performance.

“We need to be able to see the game out and knew on Tuesday that we could do that.”

The Gingerbreads can expect to face tougher opposition at Whitby Town tomorrow and Robinson said their game plan would be to employ a different strategy for away games.

He said: “We want to be more solid in midfield and not too expansive, where it has been costly to us away from home. We have got options that we are looking at for how we do that for who we play in the hole.

“We need to win the fights and scraps around the pitch in the early part of the game. Individual battles are usually key to winning the game. Whoever gets on top in the opening half an hour normally goes on to win the game.

“We want to be solid and hard to beat.”

New Newark Youth League

Under-12

Gonerby 2

Fernwood Foxes 1

Gonerby started the better but the visitors went in front against the run of play.

Just as the game looked to be lost, Coates broke through and levelled with a fine left foot shot.

This rallied the home side and they stole a deserved victory when Coates rifled home a free kick from the edge of the box.

Gonerby: Stewardson, Scott, Nowak, Hardy, Grieh, Robson, Coates, Meffen, Newton, Bramley, McNulty.

League Cup, semi-final

Gonerby 3

Great Ponton 2

The league’s top two battled out a spirited match, with Gonerby’s Coates continuing his goal streak – firstly with a fine header from a Robson corner, and then from a one-on-one with the keeper.

Ponton pulled a goal back but were prevented from going in front when Burridge saved both a penalty and the resulting rebound.

A low finish by Rowley extended the home side’s lead after the break. The visitors pulled a second goal back but Gonerby held on to book their place in the final.

Gonerby: Burridge, Nowak, Hardy, Grieh, Newton, McNulty, Williamson, Robson, Coates, Rowley, Bramley.

Lincs County Cup

Second round

Long Bennington 0

Deeping Rangers Clarets 3

Bennington’s foray into the cup competition was short lived.

The home side conceded after 10 minutes and twice in the final 10 minutes as they bowed out with heads held high.

MoM: Zach Durham.

Bennington: Panchmatia, Durham, Horton, Traves, Patton, Terry, Evans, Coulson, T. Baker, Cox, Marshall, J. Baker, White.

Peterborough League

9v9 Cup

Colsterworth Colts 0

Wisbech 2

Colsterworth went down to two opportunistic goals from long throw-ins, despite some good play throughout.

Man of the match was Sandon.

Under-16 League Cup

Colsterworth Colts 9

Yaxley Yellows 0

Adam Gait put Colts in front and Jack Perry soon doubled the lead.

Further goals from Louis Bland and James Simpson gave the home side a comfortable half time advantage.

Sam Austin made it 5-0 after the break and Gait and Simpson added a further goal apiece. A Bland free kick and a late Raistrick header completed the rout.

MoM: Louise Bland/Josh Kellham.

Colts: Jessop, Austin, Simpson, Cardoso, Raistrick, Bland, Kellham, Perry, Robinson, Gait, Doughty, Kerr, Watkins, Coverley.

Mid Lincs League

Under-12A

Retford 2

Barrowby Lions 2

Lions conceded early on from a penalty following a handball decision.

The visitors levelled from an own goal after a Wright cross, and took the lead when Edwards smashed home from 20 yards.

Retford equalised in the dying minutes.

Man of the match: Ben Cullen.

Barrowby: Read, Down, Cooper, Fedorson, Edwards, Evans, Wright, Cullen, Foister, Hands, Johnson.

Under-16B

Great Ponton 0

Woodhall Spa United 0

Ponton’s Macauley Hughes and Matthew Rawding were both denied by the Spa keeper in the first half.

The home side were then thwarted by the woodwork after the break.

Conor O’Leary smashed the bar and Elliot Hutchinson struck the post after good link-up play between Brendan Dixon and Rawding.

MoM: keeper Jake Cook, Brendan Dixon and Oliver Hutchinson.

Ponton: Cook, Cornish, J. Hutchinson, O’Leary (c), O. Hutchinson, E. Hutchinson, Copley, Rawding, Dixon, Allen, Brain, Hughes.

The King’s School in Grantham has joined forces with the Royal Air Force who have sponsored two brand new rugby kits.

King’s head of rugby Cathal McHugh said he was delighted to be working in conjunction with the RAF who will also be providing training at Cranwell. Players will benefit from coaching provided by the station’s RAF rugby development officer.

King’s players are pictured sporting the Krusada Teamwear second team shirts and last week enjoyed a strong 36-7 victory over Priory LSST.

Cathal said: “They look great and the boys love playing in the pro-fit style shirts.”

Grantham & District Sunday League

Knockout Cup,

quarter-final

Osbournby Rangers 1

Springfield AFC 2

Springfield progressed to the semi-finals of the Knockout Cup with a hard-fought battle against Premier Division league leaders Osbournby.

Springfield started brightly and created a couple of decent chances.

They went ahead when Luke Perberdy met Tom Vorley’s corner kick and headed it past the stranded Rangers goalkeeper.

Jay Harrison almost doubled Spring’s advantage but pulled his shot wide of the target.

Osbournby persevered and kept trying to play the long ball game, but the visitors’ back four were well capable of dealing with all threats.

Just before the break, Springfield increased their goal tally when Scott Webb found the back of the net with a fine solo effort.

The home side pulled a goal back in the second goal to make the game more interesting.

But any chances of Osbournby finding an equaliser were thwarted by Springy’s young keeper Aiden Hotchin who pulled off a couple of brilliant saves to deny Rangers.

Springfield: Hotchin, Duncan, Blanchard, Dixon, Wilson, Webb, Howe, Pattison, Peberdy, Vorley, Harrison, Smith, Bell.

Yet again we’ve been given an all too familiar glimpse into just how distorted from the real world Tories really are.

While most of us are struggling as it is, poor Nick has had to get help from the taxpayer to heat his second home. But let’s not forget this is the Big Society and we’re all in it together.

What an utter disgrace and for him not to comment also irritates me, as it’s us who are picking up the tab.

He should at least have the decency to explain why we’re picking up the tab.

Also, people are being put into debt through the bedroom tax and he’s got two houses to heat. I just hope he remembers these things at the local elections.

Mathew McGauley

By email

Schools in Grantham and surrounding villages took centre stage at the Royal Albert Hall in London on Tuesday to mark the 70th

anniversary of the Dambusters’ raid.

Pupils from King’s School, Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School and primary schools in Denton, Harlaxton and Barrowby joined a musical performance by 600 Lincolnshire schoolchildren, attended by the last surviving Dambuster, Squadron Leader George (Johnny) Johnson.

The performance, entitled ‘Lincolnshire Skies: A Tribute to the Dambusters’, was commissioned by the Lincolnshire Music Service and composed by Lincoln-based Jonathan Nowell.

A small gold ring has been found in Grantham this afternoon and handed in to the Journal office.

It is a plain gold band, possibly a wedding ring (pictured). If you have lost the ring, contact the Journal on 01476 562291.

Belton House will be holding a Christmas Food and Craft Market in the Stable Yard from today until Sunday, from 10.30am to 4pm.

Visitors can shop for handmade gifts and sample local produce while enjoying a festive atmosphere with seasonal music and hand-bell ringers.

Craft stalls will include everything from handmade jewellery to artisan-style Christmas decorations and hand-made bags and gloves. Local food producers will be offering visitors a taste of what they have to offer.

Imaginative Christmas gifts will also be available in the Coach House Gift Shop and Garden Shop, while the Stables Restaurant will be offering traditional Christmas lunch and Belton’s award-winning Venison Casserole from noon to 2pm each day.

Mary Kindred, visitor services manager, said: “We’ve now expanded this event to three days. We’re looking forward to a lovely weekend – showcasing the very best of Lincolnshire and local produce and crafts. This is a great opportunity to escape the High Street and indulge in some Christmas treats in a relaxed, festive atmosphere, with your family and friends.

Gift Aid admission to the grounds only (winter) costs £4 for adults, £2.75 for children and a family ticket is £10.90. National Trust members enjoy free admission. For details go to www.na
tionaltrust.org.uk/belton-house

Motorists face delays and traders a dent in their business with the news that more roadworks are due to start next week on a main road into town.

The work at the junction of Harlaxton Road and Springfield Road will widen the road to provide a turn into the site where a KFC drive-thru restaurant will be built next year, creating 40 jobs. The work is due to start on Monday and finish on December 20.

But business leaders in Grantham say traders are already fed-up with roadworks which have blighted the town this year. Trade has been severely hit by roadworks on Springfield Road and London Road.

David Charles, of Grantham Retailers Association, said: “We have had a tough time this year with the roadworks on Springfield Road which caused a lot of upset. It is very disappointing that at one of the busiest times of the year these roadworks are going to start. So many independent retailers are relying on Christmas.

“This will have a very negative effect on the town as a whole.”

But the owners of the land on which the restaurant will be built, Grantham Estates, says the roadworks, which will include four-way traffic lights, should only cause slight congestion to traffic coming into town.

David Hindmarch, managing director of Grantham Estates, said: “There will be a small amount of congestion, but nothing like the congestion that Grantham has experienced already this year which I agree has been dreadful. The traffic flow should continue reasonably unabated. This is only one corner of the junction. We are not closing down the whole junction.”

Mr Hindmarch added: “We own many properties in Grantham and the last thing I want to see is any of our tenants, either retailers or offices, struggling. We want Grantham to be a success and I fully realise the aggravation that traders have had with the roadworks in London Road. It has had a hugely detrimental effect.

“The problem is that we have been held up and held up by the delays with the roadworks in Springfield Road. We are under pressure from KFC to get this built.”

He said work on building the restaurant should start in January and be finished by the end of spring.

The chairman of Grantham Business Club, Stuart Pigram, said the development of a new restaurant, creating 40 jobs, must be seen as a positive, but the roadworks would be a frustration for businesses in the town.

Mr Pigram said: “Fundamentally this is the worst possible time of year, but equally the positive is that 40 jobs will be created in Grantham.

“From a long-term point of view, it is positive that Grantham has been able to attract KFC into opening a larger restaurant. But bearing in mind we are in the run-up to Christmas, this is obviously very frustrating for retailers. Grantham Business Club will do everything it can to support local retailers in this time prior to Christmas.”

County Councillor Richard Davies, Executive Councillor for Highways, said: “Obviously we work to support local developments and the developer is adamant that in order to open on time they need to begin the works now.

“ SKDC insist that the roadworks are done before work on the site can commence and I believe the deadline for opening is Easter. For our part, we have insisted on day/night working and will be monitoring the progress to ensure that it finishes on time. Personally I feel that this corner of Grantham will benefit from development – the site is an eyesore currently and the additional 40 jobs brought to the local economy are badly needed.”

Yet again Mr Boles’ arrogance and sense of entitlement is displayed in his ‘No comment’.

He genuinely believes that he has done nothing wrong. Just as he didn’t when he claimed money for Hebrew lessons, even when he donated it to charity.

Remember, this man wants to means-test pensioners.

In light of his slavish devotion to the ‘free market’, he makes his living with his snout firmly in the publicly-funded trough of Westminster.

With a salary of £89,435 plus expenses, the man has the gall to claim for heating the second home we pay for. I seem to remember it is £800 per calendar month to rent it, which we pay for.

Answer this question Mr Boles: Will you vote against the proposed 11 per cent increase in MPs salaries? After all, yours is already more than three times the average national wage.

You can stick your invitation to join you for a fish and chip supper. You are a disgrace.

Anthony Hindmarch

Gorse Lane, Grantham

Newark League

Under-10 Division One

Caythorpe and Fulbeck 3 Bottesford 1

Caythorpe and Fulbeck celebrated the arrival of their new kit, sponsored by Woodward’s Car Sales of Grantham, by winning an entertaining match against Bottesford.

Callum Hind opened the scoring for Caythorpe, quickly followed by a second from Alex McNulty, despite brave defending by Bottesford.

In the second half, Ben Millard scored for Bottesford, which set up a nail-biting finale, only eased when Joe Dickinson scored a third for Caythorpe following a flowing series of passes.

Tom Lyons was voted man of the match for Caythorpe for his faultless defending, whilst goalkeeper Ben McCaul was chosen for Bottesford.

Caythorpe and Fulbeck are, from left, back – Tom Lyons, Peter Braybrook, Alex McNulty, Joe Dickinson, Ashley Birkett, Owen Fitzgerald; front – Alex Joy, Sam Terry, Joseph Whaley, Peter Wynn-Jones, and Callum Hind.

I think it’s time some of these MPs got their heads out of their backsides and realised that the ordinary person can’t afford to pay these ridiculous amounts for fuel bills.

Plenty of people can’t afford to buy one house, let alone a second one.

Working people get paid a wage and have to pay everything out of it. This should apply to everyone, including MPs. If their wage doesn’t cover their lifestyle, they should cut their cloth accordingly, and no, they shouldn’t get help with energy costs until like the rest of us, they reach the age when they are entitled to get it.

I, like many other people, have worked since leaving school until retirement age and the cost of heating my modest semi does cause me some concern. During the day I don’t put the heating on, I try to keep busy and heat only one room in the evening.

If I feel cold, I put a cardigan on. Maybe Mr Boles could do the same.

Mrs J. G. Collishaw

By email

In its 20th year, the Scouts’ Christmas post will begin on Monday.

Deliveries will be made in the Grantham NG31 area and Barrowby, Gonerby, Harlaxton, Ancaster, Colsterworth and Bottesford. Stamps remain at 20p for cards and 40p for large cards and calendars.

Special Scout stamps will be available from the outlets listed below where there will also be special posting boxes.

Get your stamps from Barrowbygate Pharmacy in Winchester Road, McColls, New Beacon Road, Melton Mowbray Building Society, G. Skinner & Sons Butchers in Barrowby, Brewers Electrical at 1-2 Greyfriars, Grantham Library, Gonerby Groceries, Day-Today News in Rushcliffe Road, Cards for Good Causes in the George Centre, John Beaty Motors in Castlegate and Pizzini Bottesford.

Last year more than 20,200 cards were delivered, boosing local group funds and at the same time helping to save money for local residents.

Since the scheme started in 1993, more than 300,000 cards have been delivered, raising about £37,700 for local Scouts. Groups which deliver the cards receive 15p of the 20p for each stamp on a card delivered in their area. The remainder goes to district-wide projects.

District-wide, funds are used to improve storage for Gang Show equipment/costumes and will also help towards improvements at the Ancaster campside, Dukes Covert.

Scouts are pictured with the Mayor of Grantham, Coun Frank Turner, in his Parlour.

A memorial event will take place in Great Ponton this month in memory of a running coach who died in August aged 54.

Friends say Grace Plant, who died of cancer, was an inspirational coach and encouraged many people to take part in running.

The event, called Grace’s Gallop, will take place in Great Ponton on Sunday, November 24, and is a 10km walk or run. Walkers will start at 10am and runners half an hour later from next to the UKchasers cross country horse course. Grace was a keen horserider and rode regularly on the course.

All proceeds from the event will go to Macmillan Cancer Support, a cause very close to Grace’s and her family’s hearts.

Close friend Paul Davidson said: “Grace was a very keen horserider and this is a unique chance for people to go walking, jogging or running there as it was her favourite training course.”

Mr Davidson added: “Grace ran six or seven London Marathons. She helped lots of people get into running and in the last couple of years she worked with the beginners’ group at The Meres, helping people get into the first steps of running. And she kept running right up until she fell ill.

“If the event is well supported it could become an annual event.”

To take part in the event go to bit.ly/1buL7Me

Entry on the day is £15 and in advance it is £8 (affiliated) or £10 (unaffiliated).

There will be no prizes but everyone taking part is invited to enjoy soup and cakes and refreshments in the village hall afterwards.

The event has been sponsored by Chandlers, who Grace used to work for.