©Kirton News 2024

October 2010

The Editors Letters

Well, Kitchener did it in 1914 and it appears that he may have done it again. We have had an encouraging response to our request for a new editor, and following a Committee Meeting we hope to introduce a new Editorial Team soon.

It has been very strange in some ways taking on the job again but we have enjoyed it. It brought back a lot of memories, mostly happy ones, and we soon got used to the up to date side after having used a word processor and providing the information to our compositor in typescript. Now it is Emails whizzing back and forth.

You may know that we record the magazine on tape for the benefit of blind or partially sighted villagers. However, our tape recorder is starting to show its age (like us) and we need a fresh machine. Can anyone help in this respect by donating a recorder that is surplus to their requirements, to the magazine. Our clientele will much appreciate the improved quality of the tape. We hope that someone can help us in this way.

The Minister's Message

Bad news! Summer is almost over! I thought a lot about the darkness this morning when walking my dog early, realising that this is it now for the next few months. I have grown used to watching the sunrise over the last weeks and now I will have to don the reflective jacket and early morning walks will seem quite a chore – it is also cold as the warmth of the previous day no longer lasts through the night. Not a very encouraging picture as we approach the autumn. Are you one of those people who suffer the winter syndrome and dread the short days?

Then the news reminded me that there are people who will have to live in darkness for another couple of months and anticipating the dark winter seems trivial in comparison – remember those miners trapped underground? For them there is, literally, a light at the end of the tunnel, but it is a long way off and they will have to endure at least another couple of months isolated miles underground. I can’t imagine how they must be feeling and they have to live with the hope that their rescuers will get them out before they can endure no more.
In the Bible there are a lot of images about light and dark and, in the midst of winter, we are given the hope of eternal light in Jesus when at Christmas we will celebrate His birth – the light of the world coming amongst us.

So many of us live lives filled with darkness, not literally, but a spiritual darkness with no hope past our physical lives on earth. Jesus offers us the gift of light in our troubled lives, those times of darkness when we have no hope and can see no way out. He is our light at the end of the tunnel and it doesn’t have to be a long way off. Today you can grasp hold of His light when you discover that Jesus can give you hope because of what He did for us all on the cross. Jesus overcame death on the cross and we can live the same resurrection lives when we discover that we are precious to Him and that He walks our life journey with us.

Enjoy the changing seasons as the leaves start to fall and remember that after the darkness of winter comes the life and new birth of spring.

May God bless you

Irena

White Gables

On 13th October we are privileged to be celebrating 25 years of caring for our very valued past and present residents. We would like to take this opportunity to thank our current and past members of staff without whom we could not have achieved this wonderful occasion

Joan & Arthur Nix & Heather

We are always available to help and advise if care is needed either on a daily or residential basis.
Please contact Heather or ourselves for further details.

White Gables Nursing & Residential Care Home, 21 Willington Road, Kirton, Boston PE20 1EP
Telephone: 01205 723874 www.whitegablesboston.co.uk
Where ‘quality of life’ counts

Help Needed!

The Boston Social Club for the Blind is badly in need of a Secretary. The Club was formed in 1970 for the visually-impaired, and their carers, of Boston and the surrounding districts.

Up until it closed down, we met at Broadfield House, but at the moment we meet at Fenside Manor on the first Wednesday of each month from 1-3pm. When Broadfield House is up and running again we hope to be back there.

The club is run by a committee of visually-impaired and sighted members, all volunteers, who see to the running of the club and the annual summer coach trips. At the moment, as there is no Secretary, the job is being shared by the rest of the committee.
If you feel that you could spare time to do this job please contact me, Jill Owen, on 01205 353502 or e-mail me on jillowen@btinternet.com for more details. It would ideally suit someone newly-retired, or even be shared by two persons.

I must add that the members are a terrific bunch of people and the committee find it a pleasure and privilege to do all they can to keep the club successful.
I do hope someone out there can help us.
Thank you once again.

Jill

News from Kirton Apiary

The honey flow has come to an end and what a fantastic summer it has been. The early heat encouraged several of the hives to grow so big that they swarmed not once but twice. Luckily we managed to follow one swarm as it went across the road and settled in a bush next to the hairdressers and a later one landed on one of our pear trees only a few yards away.

We have had an excellent response to our honey. It is now on sale in a Boston health food shop and several farm shops in the surrounding area. We also had a stand at the Classic car show and have stood at several boot sales round and about. All very successful with lots of positive comments from people who had already bought honey from us.
Many, many people are interested in how to keep bees and how good honey is for you. Lesley even produced a small flyer sharing our knowledge about the benefits of honey. Several people asked if we would run Beekeeping courses for beginners or interested persons. I am just an ordinary bloke who over the last five years has taught himself a huge amount about bees, honey, how, what and why.

So, if you would be interested in a day’s course next summer about How to keep bees, how to start up, what you need etc or are just interested in the process, what bees do and how they live, then give me a call on 01205 722976 or email at: paulcrest@aol.com to register your interest.

I can tell you now I don’t know it all. I am constantly learning. I do work hard at it though and last week I checked all my hives in preparation for the winter and bought lots of sugar to feed them up this autumn. They are all large strong hives and if they survive whatever this winter's weather throws at them then next year will be even better.

Paul Lanfranco, Kirton Apiary

Care Home Project - India
Continuing Maureen Bray's Report of her Visit

During our travels covering the many miles in South India, we met many people trying to live dignified lives even through poverty. It is the women, widows and children that are in desperate need, having no provider. They contract the HIV/Aids virus and pass it on to the children who may be born with it, or are affected by it.

Aids has no boundaries. the rich can afford medicine, the poor have to endure. In one village we visited, 300 people, children and babies, are all infected or affected. The CARE HOME TEAM INDIA responded very quickly to the needs of these villagers. This unique service set up an office with a doctor and a counsellor, enabling support, medication and food. These people are desperate for help; many so ill that they cannot work, or if they can are immediately dismissed as soon as employers find out that they suffer HIV/AIDS. This has highlighted a need for a retraining unit, so people can be taught new skills to enable them to support their families within their capabilities.

A church group of CARE HOME supporters in Peterborough have gathered together over the past few years and raised enough money to purchase and build a rehabilitation centre. Then, in the second and third stage of this massive project, a home to help the widows and children.

To date, thanks to the support of people who care in Boston and District we have raised £27,000 in the ten years since I set up the charity in Boston. This has enabled the Claretian Fathers to develop CARE HOME support in Bangalore, Kollegal and Cochin, and they are now planning another in Trivandrum. Along with these a refuge for women is also now a priority as the women and children are so vulnerable.

Kirton Kids Club

Can you believe the long summer holidays have gone? No neither can we! But I always enjoy this time of year - seeing the children all coming back to school in their newly bought school uniforms. So very proud of their shiny new shoes, over sized ‘Mum told me I’d grow into it’ sweat shirts, new bags and coats. It doesn’t take long for them to ‘bed’ into their uniforms I know, but definitely a joy to behold.

The Club was open for three weeks of the summer holidays. Offering children a wide range of trips, outings, workshops, arts and crafts, sports and competitions. The children designed their own T shirts and pizzas (no not at the same time). They became artists for the day and painted their own canvas. They produced a wonderful mural to decorate the club walls and wall hanging to take home. They baked various yummy cakes, cookies and scones and made hand puppets and enjoyed their very own puppet theatre. The children made and decorated their own ‘African’ drums and joined in a workshop from a real African drummer who brought in numerous drums that he had made himself for the children to play. There was money box painting, mask and iguana making just to name a few!

The extra funding from Middlecott extended schools provision not only enabled us to offer places at a reduced price to parents (which in itself helped parents send children who might not have come without it) but also helped us offer more trips during the sessions and many more arts and craft activities. We are very grateful for this help and thank all concerned in helping us access this funding. It definitely made a huge difference to the children.
The Club is open every morning term time at 7.30am until school and after school until 5.45 pm.

If you wish to come and have a look or wish to book any of the above sessions – please feel free to either phone 722426 in club times or alternatively, pop in and have a look around – talk to staff and let your children enjoy a little ‘taster’ session while you are with them. There are numerous activities during these sessions and outside play available – weather permitting.

We also offer a ‘chill out’ room for children year five and above and a large main hall – bursting with games, toys and activities for all children attending. You are welcome to come and look!

Proposed Waste Transfer Station - Kirton

It has come to the Parish Council’s attention that there is conflicting information being circulated regarding the proposed Waste Transfer Station. With this in mind, the Parish Council would like to make it clear that the following information is all that is known at this time. As the Parish Council becomes aware of developments it will pass on this information to the village via the notice board, The Kirton News and on the door of the Parish Council Office in the Town Hall.

The facts as the Parish Council have been informed:
• Kirton has been identified as a possible site for a Waste Transfer Station
• The waste will come from both the South Holland and Boston areas
• The waste will be both from green and blue bins
• Waste will be taken to the Transfer Station and sorted
• Up to 102 lorries will be visiting the site daily

The waste is sorted and larger trucks will take this waste to be either recycled or on to the Waste Power Station which will be built at North Hykeham
The site will only operate Monday to Friday during normal working hours
Waste taken to the site on Friday will remain there until Monday
Lincolnshire County Council have not applied for planning permission to build the Transfer Station at this point

Lincolnshire County Council assures the Parish Council that they are still looking at other possible sites in the area (some towards Boston, others towards Spalding)
The consultation period ends on the 8th October and Lincolnshire County Council assures the Parish Council that no decision regarding any site will be final until after the consultation period ends

The site at Louth that members of the Parish, Borough and County Councils visited did smell If anyone is unclear as to any point please do not hesitate in contacting the Parish Clerk or any member of the Parish Council.

Town Hall Centenary Celebrations 2011

There will be a meeting on Tuesday 19 October at 7pm, in the Upsall Room at the Town Hall, to discuss the centenary celebrations of our Town Hall.

Parishoners are invited to come along and put forward their suggestions and ideas for the celebrations of a hundred years of this wonderful facility.

If anyone has any anecdotes or photographs about the history of the town Hall, that could be displayed in the building next year, they would be very welcome.
Please contact either Paula Davies on 01205 722757, or Ann Booth on 01205 723345.

The 16th Frampton Craft & Gift Fair

The 16th Frampton Craft & Gift Fair will take place between 10am and 4pm on Saturday 13th November at St. Mary's Church Frampton.

The event features over 20 different craft & gift stalls, a grand raffle, tombola, cakes, children’s stall, books, hot & cold refreshments all day and much more. Proceeds of the Craft Fair will go towards the cost of keeping our lovely church open for everybody.

The entrance money taken on the door will be donated to a local charity and we hope that everyone will be as generous as they have been in the past. We look forward to seeing you all at this now established event which is the perfect opportunity to come and do some Christmas shopping and then try our bacon butties, home made soup and home baked goodies. What more can you ask for!

If you would like to contribute in any way, we would be delighted to receive donations of cakes for the cake stall and refreshments, also prizes for the tombola and raffle.
We look forward to seeing everyone on the day. Information is available from the Event Organiser: Val Halgarth Tel:01205 723579, Email:valhalgarth@btinternet.com

Local Policing

Throughout the summer months Kirton has enjoyed a slight decrease in Anti social Behavior calls to our Command and Control Centre, this despite an anticipated increase due to the summer school holidays.

Kirtons Neighborhood Policing Team has acted pro-actively to reduce ASB incidents, identify those responsible and enforce where necessary with the assistance of Boston Borough Council’s “Community Safety Team”.

Within the period of the school holidays, a number of Anti social Behavour Warning letters were delivered by us to addresses within the Parish of Kirton. We believe that the action taken by us at an early stage of the vacation is a possible reason for the decrease in ASB incidents reported.

There has been a regrettable increase in incidents involving underage drinking in the village. Kirton NPT is working closely with Boston’s licensing officer and the local stores, CO-OP, Cost Cutter and Jhays, and we thank them for their continued support.
An eyesore in the village is in the process of being demolished, Case Tractors on London Road. This property has been a “hangout” for the local youths who have left it in a useable and unsafe state. The Boston Rural South NPT increased the pressure on the buildings owners, Kier, to either totally secure or have the property demolished. Kier have opted for the latter and work has already begun on the massive demolish and clear operation. This should be completed within a 3 months period.

Boston Police Officers attended Kirton and arrested 4 young males for a disturbance both inside and outside “Curry King” on Station Road, which left a shop window and vehicles rear window smashed.

Please can I remind you to remain vigilant and look out for any suspicious persons or vehicles in and around the village, especially during the hours of darkness. If you see anything suspicious, please don’t hesitate to report it on any of the numbers below:-

PCSO Jon Thornton - Tel: 07939 886327
PCSO Neil Williams - Tel: 07944 776733
PC Martin Appleby - Tel: 07500 920446
Kirton Police Station - Tel: 01205 722002
NON Emergency Number - Tel: 0300 111 0300

PCSO Jon Thornton

The Registers

Baptisms - We welcome into God’s family:

08/08/10 - George Ellis Fidlin
08/08/10 - Oliver Luke Wood
08/08/10 - Ty Jaynie Morris
14/08/10 - Nellie May Sharpe
18/08/10 - Alfie Jack Danney Reynolds
22/08/10 - Shivawn Joan Everitt.
29/08/10 - Samuel George Jackson
29/08/10 - Katy North

Weddings - We ask God's blessing on:

Eric Edward Johnson & Anne Southerby

Funerals - We commend to God’s keeping:

30/07/10 - Alan Swallow

Donations

The magazine committee wish to say ‘Thank-you’ for the following donations which are much appreciated:-

Kirton Sisterhood..............................................£25

Donations for the magazine may be taken into Fossitt & Thorne (The Green), enclosed in an envelope.

Kirton Scouts Celebrate their Centenary
with both a local camp and an
International Experience

The first weekend of the school holidays was the start of our Centenary Camp at Middlecott School. The first time our group had camped in the village for many, many years. Over forty children enjoyed sleeping under canvas in glorious weather and lots of activities including bouncy castles, inflatable boxing and obstacle courses, gymnastics, various sports in the Sports centre, crafts, the black hole, high risers and lots, lots more.

On the evening of Saturday 24th July we were joined by many family members and friends for a Celeidh and BBQ in the school hall. What a fantastic night, the music was great, the food fantastic, the company was in high spirits. We even got some of the leaders, kids, mums and dads up to dance.

The real highlight of the night was the lighting of 100 white hot air balloons. What a spectacular and moving sight it was to see them floating up and out from the field signifying the growth and continuity of our group. So if you saw bright lights in the sky that night it wasn’t UFOs just a hundred or so adults and kids celebrating a 100 years of Scouting in our village.

Sunday saw a continuation of all the activities with a superb display by the Pilgrim Gymnastic team and even the local Firemen couldn’t stay away and turned up with an engine to show and entertain the children.

The weekend was rounded off with a prize giving and Centenary Camp badges for all attendees and lastly with a prayer and blessing for us all from Father Gary.
Many thanks to all who helped and attended this weekend and a special big thank you to Middlecott School for allowing us to use their facilities.
But that wasn’t the end, on a dark and cold Monday morning in late August 35 Cubs & Scouts with 11 leaders set off on a magnificent adventure.

In this modern day and age travelling to France with friends may not seem very exciting but for many of our young members it was their first experience abroad and certainly one without their parents.

On the long journey we tried to entice the children into speaking a few simple words in French with snap cards and flash cards but nearly all declined with at least a shake of the head and at most a sneer saying “I’m not doing that”.

Arriving tired and excited we settled into enjoying our total experience francais.
Firstly French history, with a visit to the Chateau De Fourgeres, built in the 10th Century and destroyed at least once by the British.

Then we visited a French market where we could experience the people, the language and money. Most of the children bought something to take home as gifts or something to eat.
Next was food with a trip to a goat’s farm and the sampling of fromage a chevres which everyone tried and most bought some to take home so it can’t have been that bad! Although the goats did stink a bit.

Our last full day was jam packed with outdoor activities such as canoeing, zip wire, challenges, archery and abseiling. This wasn’t the end though, to finish we took all the children on the coach after dinner to the nearby town of Mayenne where we enjoyed a visit to the local creperie. Many of the children ordered in French and all of them said bonjour or merci or at least attempted some words in French.
This was a huge turnaround from our arrival only 3 short days ago when no one would attempt any words at all.

On our return back to the site ready to pack our bags for an early departure in the morning, the staff had one last surprise for us. A huge bowl of escargot cooked in garlic. By this time the children were so enthralled with a foreign lifestyle that they were eager to try although one or two of them spat them out after a couple of chews. I must admit they did better than me because I wouldn’t try them at all.

Well done Cubs & Scouts for trying so hard to immerse yourself in the French way of life after only a few days. I am really proud of you all.