The year in headlines: A look back at the Spalding Guardian in 2022
Bridie Short takes a look back at the past 12 months in headlines...
January
The Spalding Guardian reported on the ongoing debates raging over the future for the former mail sorting office.
There were multiple objections regarding the plans to revamp the building and this got the town talking.
Another headline for January 2022 were the mass of issues drivers endured heading into Spalding.
This was because of the towns ‘mess’ of road networks and its string of issues.
February
In February 2022 there were visions from 1992 of what Spalding should have looked like.
The fresh blueprint gave our readers an insight to how the Market Place might have been presented - including the Johnson Drinking Fountain.
We reported on a youngster hoping to fulfil his dream of training for England after a difficult few years.
Harrison Belham was given an amazing opportunity to train with the England Roller Hockey coaches in Portugal.
Another headline for February 2022 was the plan to build 400 hundred homes on land at Yews Farm on Spalding Road, Pinchbeck.
There were lots of environmental and traffic concerns against these plans with calls for a better vision for the future.
March
In March 2022 Elsie Pepper was hard at work with some heartfelt knitting.
The 101 year old spent her time knitting in aid of war-torn Ukraine.
Children Eric and Natasha Pepper spent their time dropping off any supplies to help refugees, fleeing the Russian invasion.
We reported on the ‘grave concerns’ the public were facing due to unsafe roads in our area.
There was a campaign to reverse the £12 million cut to the maintenance budget.
Due to the unsafe conditions a warning was given for possibly shutting roads.
Level crossing misery caused an uproar as fed-up residents were urged to ‘bury’ Network Rail under a mountain of complaints.
Spalding’s town centre was labelled a ‘chaos and shambles’ in one of our other headlines for this month.
This followed the traffic regulations that were consequently spoiling efforts made to improve Spalding.
A fight was underway to keep our areas dry in March 2022.
This headline was displaying pressures on our vital drainage services in South Holland.
It underlined the importance of tackling flood risks as everyone's energy costs soared.
April
One of our headlines for April 2022 included the rise in South Hollands employment rates.
There were over 700 factory jobs up for grabs as the district recorded 2,225 were claiming jobless benefits.
However, due to the amount of business recruiting at this time, there were worries the spaces wouldn't get filled.
We reported on the challenges Spalding faced due to ‘absentee landlords’.
Spalding was named too ‘challenging’ by a departing businessman in the area.
This caused conversations about whether Spalding is a dying town.
In April 2022 we reported on this heartwarming headline of the first Ukrainian refugees who were welcomed to the district.
Rachel and Gary Clucas let a mother and daughter live with them in Whaplode.
Sadly the refugees had to flee their home due to the Russian invasion.
We also reported on the rising bills adding immense pressure to families, named our ‘greatest challenge’ as people fight to keep up with the cost of living crisis.
This is still an ongoing issue that everyone around the country is facing.
May
In May we revealed road works were taking over the area.
Highway chiefs were criticised for planning road works on three major roads in South Holland.
There was a need for urgent action to be taken in our area as the district struggled with a mental health epidemic.
Mental health advocate Vanessa Browning calls for an improvement after seeing people being ‘rushed through their treatment.’
We reported on some major studies showing the area was ‘behind the curve’ and in need of investment.
It highlighted our need for pushing the government to give us more to make our district a better environment for businesses.
Another headline to make May was the figures showing that we do not have enough manpower in our area.
Police numbers had a small increase however two retired officers raised their fears that there is still not enough.
June
We reported on the care crisis as hundreds were being put on the waiting list for help with mental health issues.
The district had a total of 425 people who were in desperate need for support with their mental health and we found out why.
We reported on an additional healthcare issue causing problems for our area.
Our GP services were struggling to meet the demand of patients as they had less doctors in their practices.
In South Holland there were only 49 full time GP’s who were looking after 94,000 patients.
Farmers warned the ‘cheap era’ is over for South Holland in this June 2022 headline.
The district was leading the way with innovative food ideas and productions however, it had to compromise with the dramatic price increase that was taking over.
July
We reported on the new policy put in place to tackle notorious eyesores in July 2022.
Untidy sites were in serious need of being tackled in South Holland and the policy was the new hope for fixing it.
There were big revamp plans for a school in another headline for this month.
University Academy Long Sutton were selected to join an investment programme.
The investment was welcomed as ‘fantastic news’ by the town.
In one of the headlines there were fears raised over the pressure our GPs were facing.
Doctors surgeries were not able to cope with the higher number of patients with only 13 doctors.
Anglian Water was branded ‘diabolical’ by the community in this July 2022 headline.
The district was let down by the water industry company due to the numerous long running issues.
August
We reported on our deteriorating NHS that needed to be fixed in one of our headlines for this month.
Staffing levels were labelled ‘diabolical’ as patients highlighted their issues with the GP services in our area.
There was a spud shortage back in August after a rise in temperatures when the district went through a second heatwave.
Farmers recorded vegetables were wonky and smaller due to a drought in the area.
From one extreme to another, an immense amount of rainfall caused flooding in the area.
Residents, businesses and motorists suffered more than twice the average rainfall in 24 hours.
We reported on the problems South Holland were facing regarding vandalism, fires, graffiti and drugs.
Police in the district put out an appeal for people to have respect for the area following the anti-social behaviour that had increased.
September
In September we said our farewells to Councillor Angela Newton, the much-loved community champion.
Angela sadly died aged 76 and moving tributes were paid to her..
We reported on the ongoing talks to reinstate a former GP surgery site.
It was claimed to have a new lease of life and could re-open at the start of 2023.
There was frustration from a street artist who vowed never to work with the council again following a row.
Karl Barfoot is the artist who created a cost of living piece, following this the council removed it saying it did not follow the process.
Another headline for September was the promise of a new supermarket coming to Holbeach.
The new store was said to create 40 jobs.
A new solar farm was in talks of being located in Holbeach St Marks.
This caused worry from residents about the loss of prime farmland.
A proposal of the new solar farm was described as ‘not wanted’ by one anonymous resident.
October
Children in our area were in need of help.
We reported on the huge increase of children in need for classroom support and what this meant for our area.
We also reported on the Voluntary Car Service who were in ‘dire straits’ in South Holland.
A need for ‘fresh blood’ and volunteers were needed in this October headline.
The service offers a vital lifeline for the elderly and was searching for more helpers.
More than 700 factory workers threatened to walk out on strike.
The strike was due to a protest over ‘poverty pay’.
We sent our mascot Spike the hedgehog to Spalding town centre in one of our October headlines.
This followed as community leaders called for action over the pedestrian zone that is ignored.
November
We reported on the shocking new figures showing more than half of all of our households are classed as ‘deprived’.
Figures explained 56% of South Holland homes are deprived for either housing, health, employment or education.
Another headline for this month highlighted the increase in homelessness in South Holland.
‘Extortionate’ housing costs were raised as being part of the issue.
We reported on the visions for the future of our patch in another headline for this month.
The work was underway for the multi-million pound project to create a port and bridge across The Wash.
However, the £2.8m project was not greeted happily by all.
December
We reported on a group of worried mums who started a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing on a busy road following a near miss.
The ladies in question demanded action and questioned if it would take a death for action to be taken.
We covered the great fuel rip off in our area.
We compared the prices to surrounding towns which were much cheaper and details on why this was the case.
Thankfully, prices dipped towards the end of the month.
Another headline in this month included the urgent plea for new members and trustees as hospital costs increased by £200k.
This saw a hospital fighting for its future to overcome the crisis.
A brave mum and daughter halted shop thieves as they attempted to leave a store with £600-worth of goods.
