Terminally ill Stamford man shares views on assisted dying bill and other letters from Spalding, Bourne and Grantham
Readers have had plenty to say on what’s in the news.
Here we share some of the letters, emails and comments that have come in over the week, including this cartoon from John Elson.
Don’t forget, you can always get in touch by emailing news@lincsonline.co.uk
A 'Christmas Carol' for those visiting town
I decided to visit Stamford's very characterful town centre and found one last empty space in Scotgate car park and paid for two hours’ parking.
On my return I found I had a penalty notice because I had not parked in a marked bay.
Yes, if you read the noticeboard, it says 'Parked beyond the bay markings'. No less than 15 infringements are listed.
Was it a fair cop? I think not.
I phoned South Kesteven District Council and suggested restricted areas should be clearly marked. Most other car parks around the UK mark restricted areas.
I am concerned that during the run-up to Christmas others will fall into the same trap and have to fork out to pay a penalty. Not great when the cost of living crisis is hitting many people.
So, if you are looking to visit Stamford shops by car (or sleigh plus reindeers), please take note of my sorry tale.
And for the council. I suggest:
a) clearly mark the restricted spaces
b) review recent parking notices concerning 'Infringement 86' and refund those affected with a cheery ‘Merry Christmas'.
Name and address supplied
Recognising street award
On behalf of the Stamford Civic Society I would like to thank the shopkeepers from St Mary’s Street who attended our members’ meeting on Wednesday last week. As well as enjoying the wine, mince pies, carols and a Christmas quiz we were delighted to present certificates of thanks and congratulations to every shop in St Mary’s Street for being named number one in the ‘Top Ten Hotspots for Independent Shops” by the American Express Shop Small Campaign last month.
One of the Civic Society’s objectives is to “make Stamford even more attractive, enjoyable and distinctive and seek to protect heritage, enhance the Urban environment and promote Civic pride”. While the award is to the credit of all the shops In St Mary’s Street, the work of the Civic Society has also done its part in making Stamford attractive to small businesses and we should all feel proud of what the award will mean to future visitors to our town. Congratulations!
Ursula Jones
Chairman of Stamford Civic Society
Shelter for birds destroyed
Who in their right mind, ordered the hedge in Masterton Close to be flailed horrendously, thus destroying shelter from the cold and wet for the birds? Now they have no protection at all.
How does this fit in with nature conservation?
It was bad enough allowing elderberry saplings to thrive thus killing the healthy hawthorn which gave shelter and nesting places for many little birds…..robins, blackbirds, sparrows, bluetits, great tits, dunnocks, gold finches, green finches, thrushes, coal tits to name a few.
The damage is done. The twigs can’t be stuck back on. So where do the birds shelter now? Many will perish if not all.
It’s deplorable!
Merelyn Eggleton
Masterton Close, Stamford
This is not the solution
On reading your paper article about closing lots of the crossing points, I cannot believe that anybody would think this is the solution to the problem.
At a recent meeting held by the council, it was unanimous that the two crossing points that are the most dangerous are Ponton and Wittering.
In the last five years of me living in Stoke Rochford, I have not heard of any crashes caused at any of the other crossing points. I have never let my family cross at Ponton as i see how dangerous it is.
So they close all the small crossing points and send all those wishing to cross the A1 - potentially hundreds more cars each day - to Ponton and Wittering. In my opinion, these are the two most dangerous where all the accidents happen. It is utter nonsense...
Surely in the name of safety they should deal with these two problem crossing points first, then close the others.
When they do close them my family will have no choice but to cross at Ponton, and i fear for this happening.
It is about time that it was acknowledged that the A1 is no longer fit for purpose. The amount of traffic has tripled since it was built. It was acknowledged 25 years ago it should be a motorway. And surely if highways consider closing crossings, speed reductions, chevrons, lorries in one lane only etc. it is an acknowledgement that it is not fit for purpose anymore.
Name and address supplied
Thank you for supporting end of life bill
Given my six-month terminal cancer diagnosis I would like to take this opportunity to say thank you to the many thousands who came out in support of the recent End-of-Life Bill, and in particular, our local MP, Alicia Kearns, for her personal and sensitive contributions. It may not come in time for my departure, but I am so glad that the foothills of pain, in which I currently find myself, may not be experienced by others in the future should they choose to avoid this wholly unnecessary experience.
I can’t help but smile that it was Oliver Fiennes, the then Dean of Lincoln, who rescued me from an adolescent trauma and encouraged me onto my cathedral-drawing pathway, and now think on that scene in The English Patient where his distant relation Ralph, rolls the capsules of morphine towards Juliette Binoche, and that it might one day be re-enacted by one of the many nurses who so diligently attend me (however, I of course know they would never do such a thing).
Having contrived to make a wonderful life with my artwork for over 50 years, and the additional joy of children, now on their own life adventures and wholly accepting of my wishes, I feel very ready to leave this world, not least before encroaching blindness robs me of my artistic vision. But, unlike the women of our country who have the right to exercise control over their bodies during pregnancy, the state denies me that same permission to have agency over my body for a gentle walk to the paradise garden, whatever that may be.
My bucket list still contains many a splash, not least a private viewing of those magical Chinese Oracle bones at the British Museum, and my ashes will be scattered at beautiful places in the world, however, it is regretful that I cannot choose my ideal departure. I wish to all others walking a similar path a painless and beautiful journey.
Do you remember, as I do, that scene in Ken Russell’s film A Song of Summer? Percy Granger and friends carry Delius to a mountain top for one last glimpse of the setting sun; I hope that my fellow travellers will have a similarly joyous experience along the way.
I leave you with these words from a much-loved friend:
So, we’ll go no more a roving
So late into the night,
Though the heart be still as loving,
And the moon be still as bright.
For the sword outwears its sheath,
And the soul wears out the breast,
And the heart must pause to breathe,
And love itself have rest.
Though the night was made for loving,
And the day returns too soon,
Yet we’ll go no more a roving
By the light of the [silvery] moon.
Lord Byron
Sincere best wishes to all,
John Bangay
Stamford
He has a short memory
I am genuinely perplexed by South Kesteven District Council Conservative Leader Graham Jeal's assertion in the Grantham Journal (6-12-24) that “the England football team still hasn't won a major trophy in living memory”.He either has a very short memory, or thinks he knows so much he does not need to do any research, or indeed has no interest in sport apart from when he tries to be a man of the people.England women’s national football team, nicknamed the Lionesses, won the UEFA Women's Championship in 2022. Councillor Jeal may have seen the headlines.If he supposes women's sport does not count, I believe the men's team won the FIFA World Cup in 1966. I was certainly alive, and I can remember it ‘coming home’ to this day.
Mike P Williams
Grantham
An open letter to the town council
Now that the dust has settled I still await answers to my questions, hence the open letter to Grantham Town Council.What are the REAL benefits of the town council?1. Can it approve/dis-approve planning applications.?2. Can it approve dis/approve licensing applications.?3. Was it REALLY necessary to replace the mayor and deputy mayor with a chairman and deputy chairman, an ambassador and deputy ambassador?4.Can it organise just when major road repairs are to take place?5. Has it any REAL input on the level of council tax levied on the community?I am informed that the town council DOES have direct responsibility for cemeteries, street lighting and open spaces.I am reminded of the old saying “if it ain't broke, don't fix it”.
Mike Cook
Grantham
Thanks to all for a successful event
After the successful Crescent Late Night Shopping night, I wanted to say a quick thank you to those that made it the success it was. Whilst working on the Spalding in Bloom baskets this year Coun Ingrid Sheard and I were asked if a late night Christmas shopping event was possible. After a lot of paperwork and interaction with stall holders, shop owners, councils, highways etc the Spalding Town Forum were able to put together our first Christmas event.I just wanted to say thank you to the stall holders that turned out even with the deteriorating weather conditions, thank you to the shops that stayed open, thank you to the South Holland District Council Chairman, Coun Andrew Woolf, and his glamorous assistant Samantha for the Santa Grotto and thank you to Coun Sheard who did nearly all the work to make the event go so well. I would especially like to thank all the public that visited and made purchases from our town shops. Please, please, please think about shopping locally this Christmas, our town businesses need as much support as possible, thank you from the Spalding Town Forum and we wish you all a merry Christmas.
Coun Rob Gibson
South Holland Independents leader
Great to see many shops stay open
I just want to say a great big thank you to everybody involved in the late night shopping event on Friday. The weather looked as though it might scupper us, but thankfully it actually turned out to be the perfect weather for a Christmassy event.It was great to see so many shop owners staying open late and so many stallholders taking their time to come to the event. A really really big thank you to Spalding Community Choir who provided us with fantastic music.And a big thank you to those who formed the Brass Band which kept us entertained.A big thank you to Coun Rob Gibson who came up with the idea and who worked hard to get the road closure in place.A big thank you to Chairman Andrew Wolf who provided Santa‘s grotto in Bookmark which was enjoyed by many children and Sam from Dems who helped organise it.Thank you to Cllr Aaron Spencer from Sedge Homes who provided us with The Grinch and delicious, free hot chocolates.I am hopeful that next year on the first Friday of December that we will offer this again and hopefully this time the prospect of bad weather won’t stop anybody coming and enjoying this event which highlights the jewel in our crown for Spalding, this unique bespoke street that has so much to offer everyone.For everybody who contributed towards this event and I have forgotten to say thank you to let me say it now a big thank you.Thank you for photos of the event being posted on Facebook for those who came and enjoyed the evening. Thank you for everybody’s support in this event.I hope everybody has December 21 noted in their diaries for ‘Ascoughfreeze’ where there will be music stalls and festive fun and laughter for all between between 4pm and 7pm. Please come along and support us.I look forward to everybody being able to enjoy several more events such as these in 2025.Whatever you’re doing for Christmas, I hope it brings lots of smiles and laughter.
Coun Ingrid Sheard
South Holland Independents
Council should have taken control of building
Over the wet weekend I have been deleting hundreds of old emails like you do. I could not help noticing my concerns in July 2009 regarding the old Johnson Hospital.Fifteen years is a long time in any organisation, but this just proves the problems we face in our local area. No wonder people think Spalding is a town that has been left behind.But fifteen years on and my thoughts have not changed about the old building. So many opportunities were lost, but the council should and could have taken back control of the Old Johnson Hospital. I understand it was sold to an overseas developer?
Rodney Sadd
Spalding
