Leadenham Recycling

I was pleased to read in the local Newspaper that the proposal to close the Leadenham Recycling Centre had been shelved. At least this will take pressure off the others: as the closure would probably have had an impact on Sleaford.

So the pressure has helped and well done to all Sleaford Councillors, and embers of the public,  for pointing out the folly of the original proposal.

Leasingham to Sleaford via Holdingham Cycle Route

I informed the Sleaford Town Council this week on the progress of this project.

I have to say that this group has worked well and the finish is in site. Its importance will be even greater as the A17 traffic increases if,  as expected, the eastward bound Biofuel lorries from the Biofuel plant near Kirkby La Thorpe, have to firstly travel west to the Holdingham Roundabout. However: that is a year or
two away yet.

The portait benches which, at a distance, look like real people, consist of the figures of Oliver Harding; Nev Craine and Mark Gould and have now officially been opened.

Solar Lighting contracts have been finalised and they will be installed shortly. The precise locations for the lights, and a date for installation, have yet to be decided.

All this to be completed to meet the deadline for the for funding from the Big Lottery at the end of March 2013!

So the target date for completion is August 2012: this will ensure it can start to draw down all of the funding in September 2012 (third quarter) to give plenty of time for the Big Lottery deadline.

All the designs for the works will be signed off by Sustrans before the 31st March 2012 (some works have been done already or will be done before then such as the resurfacing in Leasingham village etc)

An official opening is planned for September/October 2012.

As mentioned before: The required funding/to create a cycle lane, across the Galley Hill Railway Line, appears to have stalled! Oh, and by the way, Biofuel lorries leaving the Biofuel plant in a couple of years or so, when it is completed, will mostly travel westwards before going round the Holdingham roundabout. Even those travelling east! So more need to use the Farm Bridge!

Champion of Grot Spots?

Anyway this made it ontop the Sleaford Standard: Litter
Update 4 Feb: I am pleased to see that one side (LIDL side)  has now been cleared including all the undergrowth! It looks much better but how to keep it that way is another matter.

At the moment Councillors are looking at Grot Spots and the like, around Sleaford Town.
Here is an eyesore: just look down Galley Hill and see the litter that has accumulated down there. Both sides.

Hopefully it will be cleared soon but no doubt, unless there is a drastic change in lay-out of the area, and attitudes to litter change, then it will continue.

Public Toilets and Rubbish

There were two reports in todays papers relating to public provision of services. One was about the availability of a public loo in Moneys Yard and the other was a report of the fly-tipping that goes on around North Kesteven.
At the moment councillors are involved in an exercise to reveal all the grot spots in Sleaford (areas where prople drop litter and costs a fortune to remove). Galley Hill is one. Fly tipping is on the increase in NK and this is impacting on the quality of life and also costs money (our money) to remove. We have a problem: who is causing it I cannot say but I have my suspicions at generally.

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The news says that a cheer went up at a local meeting when it was announced that the Moneys Yard toilets were not closing. Not quite as I understand the intention, in the longer term, is to develop Moneys Yard for someting else.

The present ones will need renovation at some stage, as all such facilities do: so as a Town we need to look at the long term and decide when and where we are to provide such facilities.
 
Keep an eye on these as measures, maybe drastic, may need to be taken.

New Year: Old Memories

(Latest: the Wednesday local press seem to confirm an about change on the Moneys Yard toilets). Ok but let's see if there is a concession  required)

Well let's see if this year is going to be better than everyone is expecting. Nationally we have the Olympics and the Diamond Jubillee.

 For Sleaford there is a strong rumour that the Moneys Yard toilet may be spared the axe. I will keep you posted.

Secondly I am on a nostalgia trip of David Bowie: he is now 65 so I have been looking at my Videos and You tube stuff of his old hits. Here is the link to my other Blog.  He is one of our most outstanding pop idols.

http://www.blogstoday.co.uk/BlogHome.aspx?username=JohnC

Christmas Message via Holdingham Sleaford

This was originally written by an American solider but just as valid despite the tweaks!!

  

T'WAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS,

 HE LIVED ALL ALONE,

 IN A ONE BEDROOM HOUSE,

 MADE OF PLASTER AND STONE.

I HAD COME DOWN THE CHIMNEY,

 WITH PRESENTS TO GIVE,

 AND TO SEE JUST WHO,

 IN THIS HOME, DID LIVE.

I LOOKED ALL ABOUT,

A STRANGE SIGHT I DID SEE,

NO TINSEL, NO PRESENTS,

NOT EVEN A TREE.

NO STOCKING BY MANTLE,

 JUST BOOTS FILLED WITH SAND,

 ON THE WALL HUNG PICTURES,

 OF FAR DISTANT LANDS.

WITH MEDALS AND BADGES,

 AWARDS OF ALL KIND,

 A SOBER THOUGHT,

 CAME THROUGH MY MIND.

 FOR THIS HOUSE WAS DIFFERENT,

 IT WAS DARK AND DREARY,

 I FOUND THE HOME OF A SOLDIER,

ONCE I COULD SEE CLEARLY.

THE SOLDIER LAY SLEEPING,

 SILENT, ALONE,

 CURLED UP ON THE FLOOR,

 IN THIS ONE BEDROOM HOME.

THE FACE WAS SO GENTLE,

THE ROOM IN  DISORDER,

 NOT HOW I PICTURED,

 A TRUE BRITISH SOLDIER.

  

WAS THIS THE HERO,

OF WHOM I'D JUST READ?

 CURLED UP ON A PONCHO,

THE FLOOR FOR A BED?

I REALISED THE FAMILIES,

 THAT I SAW THIS NIGHT,

 OWED THEIR LIVES TO THESE SOLDIERS,

 WHO WERE WILLING TO FIGHT.

SOON ROUND THE WORLD,

 THE CHILDREN WOULD PLAY,

 AND GROWNUPS WOULD CELEBRATE,

 A BRIGHT CHRISTMAS DAY.

THEY ALL ENJOYED FREEDOM,

 EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR,

BECAUSE OF THE SOLDIERS,

 LIKE THE ONE LYING HERE.

  

I COULDN'T HELP WONDER,

 HOW MANY LAY ALONE,

 ON A COLD CHRISTMAS EVE,

 IN A LAND FAR FROM HOME.

THE VERY THOUGHT BROUGHT,

 A TEAR TO MY EYE,

 I DROPPED TO MY KNEES,

 AND STARTED TO CRY.

THE SOLDIER AWAKENED,

 AND I HEARD A ROUGH VOICE,

 "SANTA DON'T CRY,

 THIS LIFE IS MY CHOICE;

I FIGHT FOR FREEDOM,

 I DON'T ASK FOR MORE,

 MY LIFE IS MY GOD,

 MY COUNTRY, MY CORPS...."

THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,

 AND DRIFTED TO SLEEP,

 I COULDN'T CONTROL IT,

 I CONTINUED TO WEEP.

I KEPT WATCH FOR HOURS,

 SO SILENT AND STILL,

 AND WE BOTH SHIVERED,

 FROM THE COLD NIGHT'S CHILL.

I DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE,

 ON THAT COLD, DARK, NIGHT,

 THIS GUARDIAN OF HONOR,

 SO WILLING TO FIGHT.

THEN THE SOLDIER ROLLED OVER,

 WITH A VOICE SOFT AND PURE,

WHISPERED, "CARRY ON SANTA,

 IT'S CHRISTMAS DAY, ALL IS SECURE."

ONE LOOK AT MY WATCH,

AND I KNEW HE WAS RIGHT.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS MY FRIEND,

AND TO ALL A GOOD  NIGHT."

This poem was written by a Peacekeeping soldier stationed overseas. The following is his request. I think it is reasonable

PLEASE. Would you do me the kind favour of sending this to as many people as you can? Christmas will be coming soon and some credit is due to all of the service men and women for our being able to celebrate these festivities.

Let's try in this small way to pay a tiny bit of what we owe. Make people stop and think of our heroes, living and dead, who sacrificed themselves for us.  Please, do your small part to plant this small seed.

Bus Shelter and Stop/Start

I took this photograph today (12 December 2011).

The lady this side is waiting for the Bus coming up from Town. If things go as they seem the unfinished Bus Shelter may stay unfinished - whilst the Lady, and many others, will have to find a pick-up point elsewhere. The road safety partnership I believe may have stepped in. I will check.

Now we have two spare bus stops on Covel Road and Chapman Road so why not use them (again)?