Vfth Issue 126 Feb/Mar 2021
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View from the Hill Thorpe on the Hill News Issue No 126 – February/ March 2021 Bimonthly Newsletter Sunset over the Eric East Lake. Photograph by Liz South The Newsletter is sponsored for you by Thorpe on the Hill Parish Council Editorial Hello to all and welcome to our new residents. It must be quite strange moving into the village in the current circumstances as there is no village socialising. We can only accept the way things are and be positive about the future. Hopefully, the Scouts, Umbrellas, Thorpe Craft and Natter and the Bowls club will be able to restart sometime in 2021; and of course the re-opening of the Oliver Roper Centre which can be booked for social events. For this Issue, details of all these Village Clubs and organisations have been omitted but will, of course, be included again when they are able to open for business. Thanks as always to the contributors to the newsletter. Lawrie Poole’s article covers some very relevant issues which need to be addressed and I would like to hear any opinions and suggestions to rectify the problems for the next newsletter. It has been mentioned to me that dogs have been seen off their leads in Whisby Nature park beyond the permitted area. The reason why the rule exists is to help protect the wildlife, so if nothing else let us “lead” by example. The next edition will be in April as we move towards Spring. Any contributions are welcome as this is your magazine and newsletter. Cut off date for submissions will be Monday 15th March 2021. Anyone who would like to contribute to the magazine please do so through [email protected] or, if you wish to place an advert, the email address is [email protected] . I wanted to share this picture of the friends who joined Nick and I for a walk around the Lake. All social distancing rules were strictly observed. Sylvia Lyons 2 View from the Hill Useful Telephone No’s Business Advertising Crossroads Practice 01522 682848 Rates Richmond Medical Centre 01522 500240 Full Page £72 per year Newark Rd Surgery 01522 537944 Half Page £42 per year Bassingham Surgery Quarter Page 01522 788250 £32 per year Bassingham Pharmacy One Off Half Page 01522 789307 £10 per advert NHS Dental Helpline One off Full Page 01522 515386 £20 per advert ************************* Lincoln County Hospital 01522 512512 For more details Please contact NSPCC Helpline 0800 800 5000 Chris Abrahams 01522 698208 NKDC Environmental Health [email protected] 01522 699699 Mobile Library Mobile library Visits to Thorpe are: February 18th March 18th April 15th May 13th June 10th From 10.30 to 11.00 In Lincoln Lane 3 DOES THORPE ON THE HILL HAVE A GHOST? This picture of a blocked drain in Station Road, near the railway level crossing, was taken by John Burden. John intended to use the picture to report the blocked drain but then he noticed something strange in the background. Others noticed it too so he had the image enlarged. An enlargement is shown below of the area just above the end of the white picket fence. Several people who have seen the enlargement say they can clearly see a man in a grey flat cap walking along the railway line. The only problem is that the man would need to be floating along several feet up in the air to be seen over the fence. Some have even said the image of the walker appears to be in black and white, while the rest of the image is in colour. So, Thorpe on the Hill has a mystery. Was this a phantom, a trick of the light or a stilt walker out for a morning stroll? Suggestion please to the Editor. 4 HERE TO HELP It continues to be difficult times for everyone but there are organisations that can offer impartial advice and support whatever the problem or issue. One such is Citizens Advice Mid Lincolnshire (CAML) which has continued to operate in our area. It would normally offer face to face advice in their offices in Sleaford and North Hykeham as well as Boston but all this has been suspended for the foreseeable future. However, advice is being offered via the telephone, website and web chat appointments. General advice is given via the Adviceline which people can reach by calling 0808 2787942. This is open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm. People can also chat online to an advisor by visiting the website at citizensadvice.org.uk/contact-us. Or, receive advice via email: [email protected] One area of particular importance this winter is the high cost of energy with new research showing that one in three (35%) bill payers say they are using more energy than they usually would at this time of year. Big Energy Saving Advisors are helping local people throughout the winter to follow these three simple steps: • Check to see if you are eligible for discounts, grants and support • Switch your tariff or energy supplier to get the best deal • Save money by becoming more energy efficient You can contact an advisor by emailing them at [email protected] More people are shopping online than ever before which has meant an increase in the number of problems consumers are having with it. If something you’ve ordered hasn’t arrived, if a refund hasn’t been processed, if something has gone wrong with the product or service you've purchased then can contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133 or chat online to an advisor on the website. We give people the knowledge and confidence they need to find their way forward whoever they are, and whatever their problem. 5 SHEEPSHANK … NOT THE NAME OF A KNOT … SURELY Some of these knots have really lovely names and the sheepshank really does ‘take the biscuit’. I suppose it gets its name from the way the knot looks when it’s tied but I must say whoever came up with the name had a great imagination. If any of my sheep had a shank like this I’d be worried it had an appointment for the sheep fold in the sky. It is an interesting knot though not much used these days. Not so long ago it was common when tying down loads if your rope was a bit on the long side and it was important to be able release the tension easily if needed; very handy if you had the whole thing under tension making untying the securing knot difficult. Untying a knot when there is no room to wriggle it about to get it free is always an excuse to cuss! Shortening guy ropes on a tent when you don’t want a length dangling and getting in the way is a great use for this one. You don’t want to cut the cord in case it’s needed next time but neither do you want a length straggling and a trip hazard. The extra bonus is the quick release element. Arrange the cord in an easy Z shape making three lines parallel to each other. Tie a half hitch at one end. Tie a half hitch at the other end. 6 Pull to tighten. When you want to release the cord, simply find a central line and pull. Bob’s your uncle and all is loose. Happy New Year from the 27th Lincoln Scout Group Oliver Chapple. Chairman BUS TIMETABLE Monday to Saturday THORPE on the HILL to LINCOLN SERVICE 49 Lincoln to Bassingham 6.00 pm from Lincoln Bus Station: 6.03 Debenhams: Arrives TOTH 6.30pm 7 St Michael’s Church of England Primary School Wow we didn’t expect to be writing from lockdown again! Happy new year to you all! This term we were hoping to get on with the development of the front of school as well as continue our outdoor learning work and further planting. We continue to open for the children of critical workers and vulnerable children but the rest of the school is operating remotely! It is difficult to know what to write this time so I have decided to add some photos of memories of what we have been doing and hope that soon we will all be back together soon. Manchester United trip – each year a group of children, staff and parents make the trip to Old Trafford to watch the match – some are avid supporters and many go along for the experience. It is a very late night when they return but it is well worth it! Guy Fawkes – we have fires regularly at school and often cook sausages or s’mores but one of the great things is when the younger children make their own guy and watch it burn – sometimes there are competitions to find the best guy! 8 Brave the Shave – we support a different charity every half term and have been overwhelmed by the support of our parents and the wider community. Last February we held a brave the shave event and raised nearly £1500. The photo is our deputy head entering into the spirit of the event! The rest of the photos are of memories of outdoor learning at school – we have so many to choose from so these are just a few of the best! 9 We hope the photos allow prospective parents to see some of the things we get up to. If you are interested in our school then please look at our website; www.stmichaels.lincs.sch.