THIS COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE!

Steve Hyde of L.I.V.E.S. will give a presentation on Helpringham’s Defibrillator that could save your life or that of your loved ones.
DO COME ALONG AND LEARN ALL ABOUT IT AND ITS USE.

 

 

CAN'T GET AN APPOINTMENT AT THE DOCTORS?
During December 2014 - 22 working days- 226 appointments were missed at the 2 Millview surgeries, 2534 minutes of wasted time. To January 14th there have been 100 missed appointments - 1200 minutes over 9 working days. If you are unable to keep your appointment for whatever reason, please ring the surgery (01529 460213) to cancel, someone may need that appointment urgently.

HECKINGTON AREA VOLUNTARY CAR SERVICE is urgently in need of drivers, are you a car owner with time on your hands, why not help out and make a difference to peoples’ lives. Can you spare a few hours a week driving patients to doctors or hospital appointments. 45p per mile allowance is paid. - Contact Mike  01529 461160.

SLEAFORD MEDICAL CENTRE, BOSTON ROAD, SLEAFORD. URGENT CARE CENTRE. Open weekdays 6.30.p.m to 8 p.m.  Saturdays and Sundays 8.a.m. to 8.p.m.
For patients of Millview Medical Centre, Heckington. It's a walk in centre no need for appointment.

 

Save Our Nags Campaign Group

We are an unincorporated group of likeminded people who don’t want to lose our local pub. Our aim is to keep the Nags open as a public house and to prevent the property being sold for residential development.
The story so far:

• In September 2014 the Nags was put up for sale, by owner, Enterprise Inns.
• On 23rd December North Kesteven District Council received our nomination form, with just over 30  named people,  to register the Nags as an Asset of Community Value*(ACV). The form was delivered by our spokesperson, Mikaela Timmerhues.
• *A building or other land is an asset of community value (ACV) if its main use is or has recently been to “further the social well being or social interests of the local community” and it could do so in the future.
• On Saturday 3rd January 2015 the Nags ceased trading.
• On Friday 23rd January 2015 best and final offers should have been received by Banks Long & Co, Lincoln for the purchase of The Nags.
• By 17th February 2015 North Kesteven District Council (NKDC) will have made their decision whether or not to list the Nags as an Asset of Community Value.

… but how does all the above affect the future of the Nags?

If the property is sold as a pub – then the Nags will have been saved.
If not, then the future of the Nags will depend on NKDC’s decision.

To be kept up to date on all developments, either join our Facebook page SAVE OUR NAGS or request updates via EMAIL saveournags@outlook.com

49 CLUB

The winners of the 49 Club from weeks 22nd November 2014 through to 10th January 2015 were as follows each winner received £25 all proceeds go to The Memorial Hall 
22nd November   Alan Powell
29th  November  Margaret Hyde 
  6th  December   Gill Grace
13th  December  Carol Larkins
20th December   John West
27th December  Nancy Oliver
31st December   Ian Parry
3rd January         Laraine Wright
10th January       Fred Jervis

MOBILE LIBRARY
The mobile library comes to Helpringham on the

Village Green	19 Dec 2014	10:00	10:30
	16 Jan 2015
	13 Feb 2015

 

What is CallConnect Bus Service?                                                    

CallConnect is a unique bus service whose timetable is not fixed but responds to passenger requests. This means its routes are different each day depending on the bookings made by passengers.  Journey requests can be made by telephone, online or by SMS text message. The service is designed to improve transport opportunities in rural communities and some market towns where there is an infrequent conventional bus services.                                                                                                 

 Who can use CallConnect?                                                              
Everyone! All are welcome to use the service regardless of age or status. You can use the service as frequently as required for anything from shopping or travelling to work or school to a social event or medical appointment. Even if you are on holiday in Lincolnshire and need a bus, contact our booking office and find out how we can help you.                        

How do I book a journey?                                                                      
You can book a CallConnect journey by calling our booking team on 0845 234 3344. When requesting a bus journey, have your membership number and journey details ready. You can also submit your travel requests online or via SMS text messages. You can make a booking up to seven days in advance. You can also request same-day journeys but please give a minimum of one hour’s notice. All bookings are subject to availability.    

Fares                                                                                                        
The amount you pay to travel depends on your journey. Each service area is divided into zones – the further you travel, the more you pay. Booking office staff can tell you the cost of your journey so that you can have the correct fare ready. Children aged under 5 travel free with an accompanying adult. If you hold a valid concessionary bus pass due to age or disability, you can use it on CallConnect buses. Passes issued outside Lincolnshire are accepted during off-peak travel (after 9.30am).                

Opening and Operating Times                                                      
CallConnect operates 7am-7pm, Monday-Friday, and 8am-6pm on Saturdays. Details of any local variations are available from the booking office. The booking office is open from 8.30am-7pm, Monday-Friday; 8.30am-5pm on Saturday; and closed Sundays and Bank Holidays.          

Need a little help?                                                                                   
Our vehicles are fitted with low-floor steps and tail-lifts to ensure they are as easy as possible for everyone to use. Wheelchair users must inform us of the make and model to ensure it meets our safety standard of being impact-tested. Travel in a wheelchair is subject to availability and approval.

Memorial Hall News

One of our late villagers described this village as a utopia, she was right. This small village is full of big hearted people who help and support each other in good times and bad. Community spirit is alive and kicking here but we must all do our bit. We have lost our pub so must make sure we support our other facilities. The Church, The Post Office and of course the Memorial Hall, which offers a fine venue for all our village activities and events, but it can only continue to do so with your support. By attending the various clubs and supporting the varied events that are put on you can ensure the Memorial Hall continues to thrive.
The Committee has the following events planned so far this year.
Saturday 28th March Spring Fair
Saturday 20th June Quiz Night
Saturday 19th September “Echoes of the Past” Music Night
Saturday 28th November Christmas Fair
We look forward to seeing you all there.
For all your family occasions, Bookings can be made with Mick on 421853 or Laraine on 421110.

DON’T FORGET TO ATTEND THE PUBLIC MEETING ON WEDNESDAY 25TH FEBRUARY AT 3pm. to learn about our defibrillator.

 

To Hire the Hall for all your functions, weekday rates are £7.00 per hour for clubs and £12.00 per hour for fund raising and weekends, plus £10.00 for use of kitchen and £10.00 for use of Bar.
Hire of the Conference Room £6.00 per hour.
Daily Hire of complete Hall £140.00 (Refundable deposit of £50 may be required)
These prices include heating or air conditioning. For Bookings please telephone Mick on 421853 or Laraine on 421110.

Enquiries re Baptism, weddings etc. should be made to The Reverend Chris Harrington on 01529 460904.
For other Church queries in Helpringham please contact Marian and Vince Stocking on 01529-421395

standrew.helpringham@gmail.com

NEWS FROM THE PEWS

Although Christmas might be long forgotten by the time you read this, I want to say that it was such an encouragement to see so many at the church over the Christmas period.
But no sooner is the Christmas period over than we are thinking about Lent. In one sense it’s a welcome opportunity to kick start the diet and give up or at least cut down on the chocolate, mince pies and what ever else we may have over indulged in during the festivities of Christmas and Epiphany. Lent however is not just about giving up and turning from (repentance) but of starting something good and beginning a new good habit (turning to) of remembering that Jesus calls us to go and do likewise and follow the example of the good Samaritan. Why not try your hand at Random Acts of Kindness, or instead of ‘paying someone back’ for an unkind act word or attitude try ‘paying forward’ a kind act or word to a stranger or enemy. What a wonderful world this could be or at least a Happier New Year. And remember - “give and it shall be given unto you, pressed down, shaken together, and running over”.
Ash Wednesday
Lent begins with our ancient service of Ashing on Wednesday 18th Feb at Great Hale at 9.30am and Heckington at 7pm. It’s a ritual that perhaps parallels weighing in at Weight Watchers and planning to do better next week. Instead of your card being marked, its your forehead with a mixture of ash from burning last years palm crosses and olive oil in the sign of the cross. It’s reminder that from dust we were made and to dust we shall return, so turn from your sin and be faithful to Christ. Though perhaps a bit more serious than just sticking to the diet.  
Lent learning
As part of the traditional Lentern discipline we are running a short six session course from the new PILGRIM series called ‘Turning to Christ’. It is an exploration of six questions posed at a baptism service  – Do you turn to Christ? Do you repent of your sins? Do you renounce evil? Do you believe and trust in …. God the Father? God the Son? And God the Holy Spirit? It involves looking at Scripture, discussion and prayer with reminders of what Christians have thought about these questions over the centuries since the church began. We are running groups at the Wesleyan chapel at Heckington on Tuesday evenings at 7pm beginning on 3rd Feb and at the home of John & Irene West 16 Ladbroke Drive Helpringham on Thursday mornings at 10am till 11.30am beginning on 5th Feb. Both groups run for 6 consecutive weeks. All are welcome. It’s not dependent on being at all six sessions so don’t be put off by not being able to make them all. We all live busy lives and trying to find space for quiet contemplation is not always easy.
St David’s Day
On 1st March five new Lay ministers will be authorised at St Andrew’s Heckington at 11am to help with the ministry around the eight churches in our group of parishes and to become part of our growing ministry team, without whom many of the services couldn’t take place. It was never intended that the vicar should do all the work and so we try to model a collaborative approach to ministry, where others have the opportunity in sharing creatively in the worship of Christ.
Every blessing
Rev Chris
         

SERVICES DURING FEBRUARY AT HELPRINGHAM ST ANDREW
8th February
11am Helpringham (Holy Communion) Rev Chris
22nd February – 1st of Lent
11am Helpringham (Morning Praise) John West
All the services across the group of parishes can be found on our website.
www.heckingtonandhelpringhamgroup.org.uk
Rector - Rev Chris Harrington (01529) 460904

****NOTE***** These are contemporaneous notes, subject to scrutiny and ammendment, to be adopted as minutes at the next meeting.

HELPRINGHAM PARISH COUNCIL

MEETING DATES 2015
ALL MEETINGS WILL TAKE PLACE AT 7.30PM (UNLESS SHOWN OTHERWISE) IN THE COMMITTEE ROOM OF THE MEMORIAL HALL.  OTHER THAN THE PARISH OPEN MEETING, THERE WILL BE TEN MINUTES PUBLIC SPEAKING TIME AT 7.30PM
IF YOU WISH TO PLACE AN ITEM ON THE AGENDA, THIS SHOULD BE IN WRITING AND SENT TO THE CLERK
JANUARY 14, FEBRUARY 10, MARCH 11, APRIL 8

JUNE 10, JULY 8, AUGUST 12, SEPTEMBER  9, OCTOBER 14, NOVEMBER 11, DECEMBER 9

Clerk to the Parish Council                                                   helpringhampc1@gmail.com                                                             

Paula Ireland, Heath Farm
North Rauceby
NG34 8QR 01529 488409

 

CLERK’S NOTES OF THE MEETING HELD WEDNESDAY, 14 JANUARY 2015 AT 7.30PM AT HELPRINGHAM MEMORIAL HALL

Present:  Cllr G Hotchkin (Chairman), Cllr A Bourne, Cllr P Johnson,  Cllr R Spencer, Cllr W Watts and Cllrs S Ogden and S Tarry (District) (left after item 7),  and the Clerk, Mrs P Ireland

Public Speaking Time – Two members of the public were present, one being a representative from NKDC.  They spoke with regard to ‘The Nags’ which had recently closed.  A venture had been started to form a cooperative to take it over.  To create time to do this the group had applied to NKDC on the 22 December for an ‘Asset of Community Value, to be placed on it.  NKDC have 8 weeks to consider this application. 
Whilst the application is being considered the group concerned have six weeks to submit an expression of interest.  This freezes the sale for six months to give time to the cooperative to put a bid together.
If the application is successful, the asset will remain on the list for five years.

The Chairman opened the meeting and it was moved that Item 8 on the agenda be brought forward.

8.   ‘Save our Nags’
The Chairman suspended standing orders so that discussion could take place.     
The sum required to buy the building is £250,000 plus VAT. The possibility of selling shares
is being explored by the group.
After discussion it was agreed that the situation would be monitored. 

Both members of the public left and standing orders were resumed.

• Apologies – Cllrs Frizzell and Robinon

 

• Declarations of Interest – Cllr Spencer –  DPI in Item 13 (The Playing Fields Committee)

• Signing of minutes:

Minutes of the meeting held on 10 December 2015 were accepted as a true record of that meeting. 

• County/District/Police Matters:
• Barrier on School Lane Footpath – In place
• Council Tax Consultation Events – The Chairman to attend on 28 January
• Property Marking Day – Sunday, 25 January, 3-6pm in Great Hale Village Hall. 

 

• Planning applications:

Plans received:  None
Plans approved:

• 14/1430/FUL – Erection of dwelling at 2 High Street, Helpringham
• 14/1399/ FUL - Proposed open fronted pole barn, detached stable block and outdoor horse menage -Blotoft Cottage South Drove Helpringham Sleaford Lincolnshire NG34 0BP
• Chairman / Vice Chairman’s report:
• Noticeboard – The handover of the publicity cheque had taken place.  As a matter of urgency the other board needs to be removed. 

• Footpath Sweeping:

       Further to the letter sent to NKDC, agreement had been reached that certain areas
would be cleared.  However, the moss and weed growth, pre-dominantly on Station Road,
(being classed as living matter) had been referred back to Highways. 
The Clerk to follow up.
It was agreed to write and thank Gillian Jones from NKDC and to request that she
inform the council when the work has been completed.
Outstanding works to Station Road footpath – The Clerk to seek clarification of when
this work will start.     Copy to Cllr Young.

Cllrs Ogden and Tarry left the meeting.

• To renew membership of the LALC Training Scheme:

  Cllr Johnson agreed that this be renewed.  Seconder Cllr Watts. All in favour.

• To set meeting dates for 2015/16 – These to continue on the second Wednesday of every month. The Clerk to send dates to the Memorial Hall Committee.

•  Cemetery Matters:
• Topple testing - Ongoing
• Soil heap – A quote had been received.  It was agreed not to proceed at the current time.  In the meantime Cllr Bourne to make sure that all the undertakers are aware of the new place to leave any soil.

 

   12.   Correspondence:                      

• Lincolnshire Mineral and Waste Plan – noted
• Community Lincs – Funding to be removed.  Objection to be sent
• Letter from a parishioner regarding the positioning of the bottle banks – It was agreed that this was a private matter and the PC could not get involved.

 
13.  Clerk’s report and update on outstanding matter:

• Light on War Memorial – still needs adjusting.  Cllr Robinson
• Swaton Road Bridge – The Clerk to contact Network Rail again
• Grounds Maintenance Contract – Awaiting replies

  14. To receive requests for funding:
 Applications were considered.  It was resolved to award grants to the following organisations:

• Helpringham and District Petticoat Club
• Helpringham Playing Field Committee
• Heckington Area Voluntary Car Service
• Helpringham Memorial Hall Committee
• Citizens Advice Bureau

15.  To set the Precept for 2015/16:
Cllr Johnson (RFO) recommended that the precept and grant remain at the same level.   Prop Cllr Hotchkin.  Seconder Cllr Bourne.  All in favour.
.         

• Finance:
• Financial report - Proposed and seconded.  All in favour
• Cheques for signing / expenditure approval:

    

Cheque No	Amount	Payee	Relating to
1547	£45.87	P Ireland	Suspension files and computer use
1546	£210.75	P Ireland	December salary
1548	£37.50	Helpringham Memorial Hall	Rent – 4th quarter
1549	£35.00	Data Protection Reg	Renewal
1550	£75.00	LALC	Training Scheme

 

17. Discussion of Matters from Public Speaking – Already discussed

18. Matters of Urgency:

• Helpringham Primary School – The Headteacher is retiring

• Date of next meeting and items for inclusion on the February agenda:
• Wednesday 10 February, 2014

 

There being no other business the meeting closed at 9pm.

 

PETTICOAT CLUB NEWS

At our first meeting of the year Gill our chairman began by wishing everyone a happy new year. She then went on to explain that following the canvass at the last meeting it has been decided to continue to support L.I.V.E.S. as our chosen charity this year. The Defibrillator which the club has done so much to secure will be delivered and fitted in February and a public meeting held to demonstrate it to all on 25th February.
We were then treated to a talk by Mary Clark who was accompanied by her husband and her guide dog Usher and their retired dog Heidi. Mary explained how the Guide Dog Association which began in 1930 works. They have a breeding centre in Leamington Spa and puppy walkers and trainers who do a great deal of work to prepare the dogs for their working lives. Then the one month training programme begins with the prospective owners. This live in course is intensive and involves traffic and obstacle work and learning to work the handle both at night and during the daytime. Once the person has passed the association then assesses their homes and decides the best dog for them. The training continues as the owner and dog familiarises themselves with at least four walks and the daily routine. Mary told us amusing stories of this training and of the many dogs she has had. Both dogs were beautifully behaved and were admired by us all.

Our next meeting will be on WEDNESDAY 11th FEBRUARY at 7.30pm. Valerie Oliver will be giving a talk on “Le Tour de Mont Blanc” which promises to be very informative and interesting.
Everyone is welcome do come along and join us.

A reminder that our AGM will be on March 11th when we would welcome any new members and to hear your ideas and thoughts on the club.

HELPRINGHAM AND DISTRICT GARDEN CLUB

We would like to welcome back all members to our first meeting of the New Year, 2015.  This will be on Wednesday February 25th
in the Memorial Hall as usual at 7.30.pm

We shall be addressed by Andrew from the
Glebe Farm Nursery, Swaton who will talk about
the design and planting of hanging baskets.

Come along and bring a friend, everyone likes
hanging baskets and new ideas are always welcome.

Meeting begin at 7.30.pm
Tea and Coffee and biscuits always available

SOUTH LINCS SHADOWS MUSIC CLUB

December 2014 Meeting.

There was not much to report in December - fairly low numbers again, but not surprising with the cold dark nights and Christmas approaching.

There was a nice mixture of all the well known Shadows hits and lots of the more unusual and lesser played numbers.

The refreshments, including sausage rolls and mince pies, were also very popular !! Thanks Pauline for all your support during the year.

January 2015 Meeting.

A nice first meeting of 2015. Very relaxed and chatty with plenty of opportunity to play – and there was a lot of playing ! Everyone left with lots of smiles at the end of the evening.

It occurred to me that I should make it clearer that the club is not just for guitar players – everyone is welcome. This thought came about when I played for the lovely ladies of the Petticoat Club at their Christmas Social. Several asked if they could come to a Shadows club meeting just to listen as they didn’t play guitar.

You can just come and listen, have a chat, swap a few memories.

Entry is just £2 for non players. Light refreshments are included. Where else can you have a night out listening to music with refreshments included and all for £2 !!

Entry is £3 for guitar players and you just need to bring your guitar. Everything else is provided, backing tracks, echo machines, PA system. Or, if you have your own backing tracks they, can be accommodated on CD, minidisc, USB stick, mp3 player, smartphone or iPad etc.

Meetings are held at the Memorial Hall from 7:30pm to 10:30pm on the first Wednesday of every month.

Next meeting is Wednesday 4th February. 
Dave Moore

HELPRINGHAM HISTORY SOCIETY