An organised dog walk for families of all ages to raise money for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People will take place at Belvoir Castle on Sunday, June 18.

It is one of 20 Great British Dog Walks around the country and is all about getting outside and enjoying beautiful rural landmarks, many of which are National Trust.

There are two routes at each venue, a long and short route as well as games and activities for children.

All money raised goes to Hearing Dogs who do amazing work partnering deaf people with specially trained Labradors, poodles, cocker spaniels or cockapoos.

The dogs alert their owners to sounds they can’t hear but also provide companionship and by wearing an assistance dog jacket alerts strangers that their owner is deaf.

Starting at 10am, the choice of routes at Belvoir Castle will be 3km or 8km, with some steps and inclines on the long route. All dogs will receive a free bandana.

Cost is £10 adults, children under-16 free.

There will be a charge for on-site parking (price to be confirmed).

To purchase tickets, visit www.hearingdogs.org.uk/support/events/gbdw-belvoir-castle/

Harry Foxon attended Ambergate Sports College between June 2013 and June 2016.

The teenager has autism and struggled with his learning and behaviour. He had previously been excluded from school and was reluctant to return to education when he joined the Grantham school. Harry was eventually successful in achieving qualifications including an English GCSE.

He has now gone on to an apprenticeship at St Christopher’s Special School in Lincoln. With support from both Ambergate and St Christopher’s schools and encouragement from his parents, he continues to do well.

Harry’s is a success story worth telling and here it is, in his own words.

What happened to you before you attended Ambergate?

When leaving primary school I chose to go to a mainstream secondary school because I wanted to be with my mates and it was close to home. However, it soon became apparent that my needs could not be met there and my behaviours reflected this. At times I was in crisis. Unfortunately, this led to exclusion from school and my parents ‘home-schooled’ me. This made me socially isolated and I didn’t understand why I was doing school work at home; school is for school work and home is for relaxing. After nine months of dedicated trying, my mum finally encouraged me to return to school. I was reluctant but trusted her judgement and decided to give school another try, despite being very scared and not knowing what was around the corner.

What was it like for you, at first, attending Ambergate?

In order to get to Ambergate I had to access school transport and I found this experience horrific at first and had many attempts travelling in different taxi groups. It was noisy and I was surrounded by different and unfamiliar people. Staff continued to support me and eventually I settled. Upon starting at Ambergate Sports College I could barely read or write, nor could I manage my behaviour. However, with perseverance and determination from some of the most dedicated members of staff, I gradually learned these basic skills. I value those staff to this day.

As the days, months and years went by I struggled incredibly with my behaviour and emotions. Sometimes I needed support and had the help from some phenomenal staff who used strategies and interventions. They helped me get through some of the most daunting times of my life so far.

At times I felt that the school was working against me and trying to manipulate me into someone I am not. How wrong was I?

How has attending Ambergate improved your life?

Today, I can appreciate the staff’s hard work and determination in sticking by me and believing that I could become a better person. It actually inspired me to want to work with vulnerable children who are just like me. Although I still have my own issues to deal with, I am so passionate to help other students. I would like to encourage them to believe in themselves and remember that staff are there to help. I respect the staff at Ambergate, from admin through to the dinner-time staff (who always made my dinners to perfection) and thank them all.

Tina Schafer and Paul Whitworth will be running the Great North Run (GNR), starting in Newcastle on September 10, in aid of St Barnabas Hospice.

Tina has been a healthcare support worker at the hospice for more than five years and Paul has been a volunteer fund-raiser and gardener for 10 years.

Tina last ran the GNR in 2015, while Paul completed the course last year.

Paul said the hospice provides crucial end of life care to patients and families and its ‘hospice in the hospital’ in Grantham provides a home from home atmosphere with expert care which centres on the individual needs of the patient and carers.

It costs £9 million per year to be able to provide these services free of charge to families across Lincolnshire, of which around half has to be raised through 
voluntary funds.

Paul and Tina will be in the Morrisons centre on Friday, April 28, with their fund-raising stall or donations can be made by visiting www.justgiving.com

Paul said: “This is a brilliant opportunity to raise awareness of the wonderful work that St Barnabas Hospice does, enabling the work to continue.”

A couple have enjoyed afternoon tea with the Mayor of Grantham, Councillor Linda Wootten, after they won it as a raffle prize at a charity event.

Margaret and Tony Topliss won the prize at the mayor’s recent charity show.

They joined Coun Wootten in the Mayor’s Parlour, located in the Guildhall.

Coun Wootten said: “It was a real pleasure to have afternoon tea with Mr and Mrs Topliss.”

Grantham Journal reader John Roberts, of South Witham, posted these photographs to us last week.

They recall the days when coal was still a major part of everyday life, with John himself spending the best part of 50 years in the business.

The fleet of Padgett and Halls coal delivery lorries pictured were proudly lined up in Grantham’s Old Wharf, photographed by well-known town photographer Chris Windows in 1962.

The other picture is of a special vehicle which delivered the fuel directly into a customer’s coal store.

John said that coal was still being rationed when he joined the company in 1951 as a 16-year-old junior clerk: “I was paid the princely sum of 25 shillings (£1.25) per five-and-a-half day week.

“I worked at the Wharf for 14 years and became manager in 1962.

“I met some amazing characters and liked the coal business so much, I spent nearly 48 years in the trade.

“Sadly, a coal lorry is a rare sight these days, but I have many happy memories of when coal was king.”

Former KGGS student Phoebe Howlett, 24, is about to embark on an incredible journey - to visit every country in the world. The aim is to highlight the ‘invisible’ illness which she suffered and gender equality.

Can you describe the illness and events which led to you deciding to take on the challenge of visiting every country?

It was a slow realisation process for me over the course of two years pretending I was still healthy, looking back now it was so obvious I wasn’t well. I wasn’t ill enough to stop me from doing most things, but I wasn’t well enough to really go for everything like I wanted to. I go into more detail of the individual instances that made me realise how ill I truly was on my website 
(thechanceofchoice.com) but it took six months for doctors to diagnose me with PoTS and M.E., in June 2015. PoTS, or Postural Tachycardia Syndrome, is an abnormality of the functioning of the nervous system. To be diagnosed with PoTS, an individual must experience a heart rate increase of 30bpm while standing – my resting heart rate was 67, while my standing heart rate was 111. M.E., or Myalgic Encephalomyelitis is a chronic fluctuating nervous system condition that causes symptoms affecting almost all body systems, but namely the nervous and immune systems.

My decision to want to travel as much possible however occurred in February 2016. It was the hardest month of my life to date. Along with my M.E. & PoTs, I also had infections in my chest, both eyes, sinus and bladder. I was completely bed bound, my PoTs went through the roof and I woke up one morning with no feeling past my lower thighs. I was paralysed. Laying in the dark to stop my migraine, my insides feeling like they were being crushed and my body feeling like it was spinning thanks to my M.E., I realised I was completely delirious. Days turned into nights, nights turned into days, I didn’t have a clue what was happening while being in constant, numbing pain. But just under a week into it, every ounce of my body and mind halted, I reached the lowest point and vividly remember thinking if there is chance in my life to feel this ill again, I’m done with it all. But on from this awful thought, I then thought of all the things I hadn’t done, all the places I haven’t been.

Reaching that kind of low, the space where you now understand why people commit suicide, also gave me absolute clarity with what I wanted from life. All I wanted was to be able to travel. Once you’ve had an experience like that you just start caring less about how thin you are, or how much money you are set to earn or if people respect you at work. A cliched realisation while I was in agonising pain, but I’m happy I had it.

Why did you want to do this particular challenge?

The reason I took the challenge to do every country was based again on a few factors. Initially I said I was going to go off and do a year or so travelling and live in Australia. From a lot of people I got ‘oh wow and you’re going by yourself?’ and it shocked me. I have just got over two life damaging illnesses by myself, I have travelled before and frankly it is a walk in the park compared to fighting illnesses like I had. More shockingly I also got, mainly from women: ‘But are you not worried about going as a woman alone?’. I do appreciate that in an emergency that requires physical strength the majority of men will probably be more suitable, but I’ve had illnesses that felt like they were killing me. I’d far rather take that risk of something bad happening to me while I’m doing exactly what I want in my life than not doing it at all because its slightly more dangerous for a woman than a man. Come on girls, it’s the 21stcentury I understand the question but that kind of thinking, when being asked this question is the kind of thinking to stop things changing with gender equality for the better. After having these discussions with these questions included I did some research, if I went to every country in the world it would make me the second woman to do so. I just thought I’ve got nothing to lose setting this challenge, all I wanted to do at the lowest point of my life was travel, so why not?

What do you hope to achieve by completing the challenge?

I remember while I was weighing up whether to create a website for this challenge, I told myself that if I told my story and even one person had a positive reaction, it would already be worth doing. That happened, an old KG student who also suffers with chronic illness messaged me saying how good reading my story was and it felt so great to know it helped, even one person. I just want to do that as much as possible, make people feel happy and better about themselves. I want to inspire as many people as possible who are lucky enough to have the choice to act, people should do what they want as soon as it is feasible, because the opportunity of that choice could be taken away from them in a second. I’ve been to dark places but I am now at the light at the end of the tunnel; others, from the women wanting their own businesses in Nigeria, to the bed bound ME patients, all deserve to feel good about themselves and if my challenge can help that, it’s done what its meant to do.

How long will it take you and what do you see as the most difficult part of the challenge?

I haven’t worked out every individual detail to the journey yet, there are still so many moving parts to it all with charities, sponsorship, ambassadors and endorsors. However depending on how I structure the journey with all these partners it will be between 3 to 5 years. If I get it completed in three years it will also make me the youngest female to complete the challenge.

Is there still a lot of ignorance about ME and ‘invisible illness’ and what needs to be done to correct this?

I think particularly for M.E the stigma is not helped by the fact M.E is still described as chronic fatigue syndrome. In the latest report on Healthcare Investment, Professor Stephen Holgate stated M.E is at least as disabling as multiple sclerosis and congestive heart failure. Yet when you say chronic fatigue you think being tired, and when 250,000 people in the UK alone are effected by something that insinuates a few bad night’s sleep, you have got to ask why it’s not being taken more seriously. It changes peoples entire lives, people are house bound, giving up jobs, losing relationships and in some cases people are 
dying.

Do you have any long-term plans once you have completed the challenge?

At the moment I’m focusing on getting as many followers and subscribers to my website and social media streams that will contain all my pictures, videos and articles of what I get up to visiting every country. I need all the support I can get! I also have lined up visiting schools, colleges and universities giving presentations on what I’m doing to hopefully inspire the younger generation. After this challenge what I would love more than anything to be able to generate enough revenue from my website to spend my time helping charities fight for thelr cause, particularly around female economic empowerment in developing countries. But for now that is just a pipe dream I’ve got 175 countries still to visit!

To find out more and keep up to date with Phoebe’s travels go to www.thechanceofchoice.com

Fire crews from across the county battled a blaze at two homes in Billingborough on Saturday and saved 12 animals from one of the properties.

Firefighters from Billingborough, Donington, Grantham, Bourne, Sleaford and Spalding, British Red Cross Emergency Response Lincolnshire and an aerial ladder platform team from Boston attended the incident on Pointon Road at 11.55am. There were no reported casualties.

Six pumps were used in the operation, which saw three cats, eight rats and a parrot rescued by firefighters and the B1177 road at Billingborough closed.

It is believed the fire was started accidentaly in a garden shed of the first property.

This home suffered severe fire damage to the roof and first and ground floor, a conservatory, two sheds and a caravan, as well as water damage to the house.

There was also severe fire damage to the roof and first floor of the adjacent property, which also suffered water damage. The pets were rescued from this property.

Six sets of breathing apparatus, six hose reels and two main jets were used as well as Cobra Coldcut extinguishing equipment – a super-high-pressured water system that cuts through materials and extinguishes fires.

The aerial ladder platform was used as a water tower and to remove roofing materials.

A builder who lives in a village affected by plans for a third runway at London’s Heathrow brought his campaign to Grantham this week.

Neil Keveren, 55, passed through the town and surrounding villages during his walking challenge to Edinburgh from his home in Harmondsworth, just north of the airport.

When he arrives in Edinburgh, he hopes to meet with a member of the SNP and press home how the third runway – to which the party is giving its backing – will lead to the “destruction” of the village and the lives of the people who live there.

To build the runway, 783 homes would be compulsorily purchased and destroyed. Protesters say another 3,500 homes close to the airport boundary and the runway would become so unpleasant to live in, with the noise and air pollution, that residents may be forced to move. However, housing is scarce in the area, they added.

Neil told the Journal: “My walk is a protest against Heathrow. I’m going to the SNP to appeal to them to reconsider their position.

“I will suggest the promises made by Heathrow historically have not been met. I think the price for people to pay is too high. And I think [Scotland] can get their connectivity with two Heathrow runways and other competitive options.”

Wearing a hat featuring an aeroplane and a backpack emblazoned with ‘Stop Heathrow Expansion’, Neil is carrying a scrapbook filled with pictures and stories of Harmondsworth villagers, to show the faces of those at risk of losing their homes.

Passing through Sproxton on Monday was the 103-mile mark. To make it to Edinburgh by April 26, Neil has to walk around 20 miles a day and although he is a little behind target he is confident he will make up the miles. He has a support vehicle, driven by his 82-year-old uncle Ray.

Neil stressed that the Heathrow plans affect taxpayers across the country as they will pick up a large proportion of the bill to pay for the build.

The next meeting of Grantham Women in Business is Wednesday, and will feature a LinkedIn Masterclass.

Paul Wilson, of PRWilsonMedia, is guest speaker. The social media training consultant has helped guide hundreds of businesses and business owners to get the most from social media platforms.

He will show how to optimise LinkedIn profiles and make quality connections. The session will be practically based, using real-life case studies to give valuable techniques members can take away and implement in their businesses.

The Grantham Women in Business meeting will take place at Eden House Hotel. Registration is at 5.45pm for a 6pm start. The meeting will draw to a close at 8pm.

Entry is £10 on the door.

There will be a hot buffet with plenty of opportunity to mix and an ‘open mic’ session.

To register, visit www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/grantham-women-in-business-tickets-29816653413

We’ve received so many spectacular pictures recently that we decided to celebrate local talent by sharing them with readers.

* If you’ve taken a photograph that you’re proud of, why not send it in?

There are several ways in which to do it – either email comment@granthamjournal.co.uk with ‘reader picture’ in the subject line, tweet your photograph to @GranthamJournal or post it on our Facebook wall (find our page at www.facebook.com/granthamjournal). Hard copies can be dropped off at our office, in St Peter’s House.

A Grantham software company has soared to success after their Tomb Raider marathon raised more than three times their target for charity.

Employees at Khaos Control Solutions set out on their 96 hour gaming marathon, taking it in turns to battle through seven games. With the aim of raising £200 for aid charity Direct Relief, employees smashed their goal by gaining an impressive £664.

Matt Hadden, event organiser, said: “From inside the company and out, over 30 individual donors chipped in with the biggest donation being a generous £80.”

With the entire event streamed live, they were watched over the four days by more than 2,000 people around the world.

Matt said: “We built up an amazing community. There were multiple people staying up until 6 or 7am with us on our chatroom, helping us get past puzzles.

“I think they were more devastated that the event was over than we were!

“We just want to say a massive thank you to everyone who helped – your support will make a real difference.”

Families descended on Belton House over the weekend to find treats left out by the Easter Bunny.

The National Trust property held an Cadbury egg hunt trail throughout the Bank Holiday weekend.

It was one of several familiy activities organised by the team to run on the run-up to Easter, including puppet shows, woodland trails and bell tent storytelling.

Information: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/belton-house

A large crowd cheered on the ducks as this year’s Grantham and Kesteven Rotary Club race took place on the River Witham in Wyndham Park over the Easter weekend.

Watch Toby Roberts’ video as the ducks make their way downstream....

Grantham Town FC have announce that Alex Watson has been appointed as the new Academy Manager. Alex has previously coached at St Neots Academy and was also founder and head coach at Thurlby Tigers. He also has other education links which will help bring the education and football aspects together.

Joining him as part of his coaching team are Susan Harvey, James Edey and Mark Bland.

Alongside them, the Academy also have some new exciting developments that they have been put in place for the next academic year. These include custom-built education suite of classrooms, high speed internet access, student common room and lounge area for individual study.

Three qualifications will be on offer: Level 2 BTEC in Sport, Level 3 BTEC Diploma in Sport and Level 3 BTEC Extended Diploma in Sport, with the option to begin a Foundation degree in the third year.

Multiple specialist tutors will be on hand all day every day to help all scholars.

Non-compulsory qualifications on offer include football coaching, Futsal coaching, football refereeing and gym instructor.

The new management team will ensure that every player or scholar that joins the Academy is driven to maximise their potential in both, education and football. They will work closely with every individual so they can understand their unique requirements and aspirations.

If you are interested in finding out more about our the Grantham Town FC Academy then email Alex Watson, Academy@granthamtownfc.om or call 07515 442458. Also visit www.granthamtownfc.com

A fire in a derelict building in Grantham is believed to have been started deliberately.

Three fire crews attended the building in Mount Street at 3.40pm yesterday. They used one hose reel to extinguish the fire.

A driver had to be cut free from her car after an accident involving three vehicles on the A52 closed the road for several hours yesterday.

The accident happened at about 1pm at Ropsley and involved two cars and a caravan.

Police say the female driver of the car who was released by firefighters suffered only minor injuries. The road was closed until about 5pm.

Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Service said three fire crews attended just after 1pm and used Holmatro gear to release one female driver from her vehicle.

Nottingham Forest Supporters Club (Grantham branch):

Forest are at home to Reading on Saturday, kick-off 3pm.

Bookings are being taken for the away game at Queens Park Rangers on Saturday, April 29, kick-off 3pm.

Eight members of Grantham United Flying Club sent 194 birds in their race from Newbury.

The first two birds home were those of J. Ramm.

Results: 1 J. Ramm 1415, 2 J. Ramm 1373, 3 D. Parker and son and Rogerson 1371, 4 J. Ramm 1369, 5 D. Parker and son and Rogerson 1357, 6 D. Parker and son and Rogerson 1356, 7 Mr and Mrs L. Gilbert 1355, 8 C. Creighton 1355, 9 D. Parker and son and Rogerson 1348, 10 J. Ablitt 1325, 11 A. J. Gillbard 1261, 12 K. Holllingsworth 1220, 13 J. Rayson 1143.

St George’s Cross will be waving in the wind on St Peter’s Hill, Grantham, on Sunday as the town marks St George’s Day with the traditional family fun day and scouts parade.

Families are invited along to St George on the Green, a family fun day organised by the Grantham Carnival and Events Group.

It is an annual event – on between 10am and 4pm – which is supported by South Kesteven District Council.

Events group chairman Roy Wright said: “This Sunday is not just a day of music, dancing, stalls, food, etc, but a day that helps to bring the community together in celebration of our patron saint George.

“It’s part of our heritage and a tradition that needs to survive.”

The family fun day, on the green, will feature: live music by Octovox and Craig Martini; dancing displays by the Maids of Clifton clog dancers, Allington Morris, the Beth Cresswell School of Dance and the Grantham School of Dancing; refreshments served in a marquee; fairground rides; and stalls to browse.

There will also be a craft fair in the Guildhall Arts Centre ballroom.

Further entertainment will be provided by the popular St George on his dragon.

In the afternoon will be the popular St George’s Day parade organised by the Grantham and District Scouts, which this year will take an adapted route due to reduced resources provided by Lincolnshire Police as marshals.

Scout groups will gather at the car park behind The Tollemache Inn, in St Catherine’s Road.

The parade will form at 2pm, setting off at 2.20pm and travelling along St Peter’s Hill in front of the Guildhall. It will make its way down the High Street to St Wulfram’s Church. A service will take place at the church at 3pm and then the parade will return via Elmer Street North and South, to be dismissed at about 4.30pm.

The salute will be taken by the Mayor of Grantham and civic dignitaries on St Peter’s Hill after the service, on the return to the car park in St Catherine’s Road.

** Entertainment programme:

11.30am: Maids of Clifton Clog Dancers

Noon: Beth Cresswell School of Dance

12.40pm: Maids of Clifton Clog Dancers

1pm: Octovox

1.45pm: Grantham School of Dancing

Break for the scouts parade

2.45pm: Allington Morris

3.05pm: Craig Martini

3.25pm: Allington Morris

3.45pm: Craig Martini

United Counties League

Premier Division

Northampton ON Chenecks 5

Harrowby United 0

Harrowby United endured another painful result on a bright but very breezy afternoon at the Old Northamptonians Sports Sround. Late squad withdrawals meant the Arrows fielded only 10 players.

With a player down and the hosts with the wind behind them, the Arrows were under the cosh from the start. Chenecks got numbers forward, looking for an early goal, but Harrowby kept the score level until the 15th minute.

The ball was lost cheaply in midfield and Chenecks crossed into the box, finding Brandon Williams with time and space to knock the ball past a helpless Chris Bennett in the Arrows goal.

The home side’s second goal arrived seven minutes later when a move down the right saw another cross into the Harrowby penalty area pick out an unmarked player. This time the recipient was Luke Tolworthy who calmly slotted past Bennett.

Two minutes later, Harrowby midfielder Matt Clarke lost possession and Chenecks quickly moved the ball forward to Williams who was brought down in the penalty area by makeshift centre back George McCartney.

The resulting spot kick was superbly saved by Bennett, diving to his left to turn the ball around the post. But the corner that followed was cruelly headed home by an unmarked Ben Diamond to put the Northampton side three up.

Harrowby created their first real chance after 33 minutes after a good run down the right flank by Ben Browne. He pulled the ball back to Liam Jaques who was unfortunate to see his low shot well blocked by Chenecks centre back Tom Caton.

Some solid defending by the Arrows, whose heads didn’t drop throughout the game, kept the score at three goals to nil at the break, with Bennett producing another fine save two minutes before the half time whistle.

To their credit, the Arrows looked to get back into the game after the interval and, after 50 minutes, Scott Floyd did well to carry the ball to the edge of the box before trying a shot which drifted just wide.

Harrowby worked hard to keep Chenecks at bay but tired legs saw them concede two goals in the last 10 minutes.

A ball played into the box from the left saw the Harrowby defence appeal for offside but substitute Adam Hancock, who was just played onside by Nick Eatough, controlled the ball and slotted past Bennett for goal number four. A cruel fifth goal was added two minutes from time when another substitute, Elliott Muddiman, got on the end of a good through-ball from midfield and scuffed a shot which somehow found its way through the legs of an unfortunate Bennett and into the net.

Full credit to the 10 men of the Arrows who, to a man, worked tirelessly all afternoon for no reward.

Harrowby United: Bennett, Eatough, Quinn, Currall (c), McCartney, Floyd, Jaques, Clarke, Browne, Matongo.