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Healthwatch Lincolnshire is calling on more people to share their views about health and social care as part of their campaign #SpeakUp2020. Last year more than 2000 people spoke directly to Healthwatch Lincolnshire about their experiences of health and care services. This feedback has been used to identify the most important issues in Lincolnshire. Healthwatch is currently working on areas such as Stroke and Personal Health Budgets as well as listening to communities that don’t typically speak out. We want to hear more from patients and service users who are experiencing long waiting times for specialist appointments, those accessing social care and home care as well as your regular visits to GP’s, Pharmacies, Dentists and hospital services.

To find out more, Healthwatch Lincolnshire has today launched #SpeakUp2020, a campaign calling on people to share the changes they want to see to their local health and care services.

By taking five minutes to speak up, people in Lincolnshire can improve care for themselves, their loved ones, and their community.

People can share the changes they want to see by getting in touch with Healthwatch Lincolnshire by phoning 01205 820 892, emailing info@ healthwatchlincolnshire.co.uk or by completing our online form at www.healthwatchlincolnshire. co.uk/have-your-say

Jerry Green Dog Rescue is encouraging you to add training your dog to your list of New Year’s resolutions.

January has been National Train Your Dog Month which raises awareness about the importance of proper training and healthy socialisation to a dog’s well-being. The month of January was chosen as many people receive puppies and dogs over the Christmas period and sadly many of them find themselves in rescues soon after.

Shelley Wilks, the charities Deputy Chief Executive, said: “Training can make or break a dog’s chance to stay in a new home. Behaviour like constant barking and being destructive are just some of the issues new owners can struggle to control and manage and this ultimately can affect the bond between dog and owner. But we believe that with the right training and persistence, these behavioural issues can be resolved and a happy home life will soon follow. Not only does proper training and socialisation help your dog to become well mannered, it also creates a life-long bond between you both and is lots of fun!

“We hope that the more people who are educated on how to train their dog correctly will ultimately lead to less dogs coming into their rescue and rescues across the UK, which is one of our main goals as a charity.”

If you would like some support with your training, their highly skilled Enterprise Trainers are here to help. They can give you the tools and skills you need to train and socialise your beloved furry friend correctly. Between them they have over 30 years of experience in variety of areas, if you are interested in any form of training please do get in touch.

We have Nicki at our South Lincolnshire centre, who can be contacted on 07824 064242 or nicki. george@jerrygreendogs.org.uk

All of the money raised from their training services will go towards the care and rehoming of their rescue dogs - so not only will you be helping your own dog, you’ll be helping those in their care find their forever homes too!

*subject to terms & conditions FREE hearing tests FREE parking Impartial advice from a local INDEPENDENT family business Wax removal service The very latest digital hearing aids HOME visits available HEARING AID TRIALS *

South Holland District Council’s new electric vehicle charging points in Spalding have gone live this week, helping to offer residents and visitors a cleaner and greener way to travel in the District.

The points are available in Vine Street and Victoria Street, as well as in the visitor section of the Council’s Priory Road car park. The charging points are all fast charging of between 7kW and 22kW, as well as being dual socket units, allowing two cars to be charged at one charging station at the same time.

Charging will cost 30p/kWh and can be paid through the InCharge app or using a freely issued RFID charge card or tag. The points will be active 24 hours a day for people to use, although normal parking charges will still apply to anyone using the spaces in Victoria Street or Vine Street.

As an introductory offer to give people time to familiarise themselves with using the new points, the Council and installers Vattenfall are offering free charging until Saturday 1 February, meaning users can top up their vehicle for just the price of a normal car park ticket. The Council are also installing further charging points in other towns and villages across the District in the coming months, including in Crowland, Holbeach and Sutton Bridge.

Grants for the installations were secured through the On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme and the Energy Saving Trust, who have provided 75% of the funding. Councillor Anthony Casson, Portfolio Holder for Public Protection, said: “It is important that we are responsive to the growing and changing demands and needs of our residents, whilst also furthering our commitment to working towards having a positive environmental impact.

“These new charging points are just one of the steps we are taking towards investing in what our town centres and car parks can offer the District’s residents and visitors. By making them available 24 hours a day we hope they can not only help people top up while they shop, but also give people without the facilities at home to support an electric vehicle the opportunity

to charge in our car parks in the evenings or at night.

“I am delighted that Vattenfall have worked with us to be able to offer this new service for free for the rest of January, and I hope to see the points being well-used in the coming months and years as we are able to install more across the District.”

England’s greatest Elizabethan house will be offering visitors a packed year of events and exhibitions to mark the 500th anniversary of the birth of one of Elizabethan England’s most powerful figures – and the man who built the magnificent Lincolnshire country house,

He may have none of the glamour of Raleigh or Drake, but for Queen Elizabeth I, one man was by her side for 40 years and 2020 will celebrate the birth and lasting legacy of William Cecil, the Queen’s most trusted minister and the country’s first chief spymaster.

From rare items displayed together for the first time in a new exhibition - including his personal atlas complete with hand coloured maps and handwritten notes – to a Shakespearean play performed in the garden, a series of high profile lectures and a themed summer school, Burghley is aiming to make 2020 a year to remember for the Lord Burghley 500 anniversary. In addition, youngsters can put pen to paper to mark ‘Burghley 500’ celebrations with a ‘Burghley Beastly Boring’ story writing competition, to be launched in February.

As well as events at Burghley House, on the edge of the Georgian stone town of Stamford, June 2020 will see national celebrations with a service in Westminster Abbey, where his funeral was held in 1598 before he was buried in St Martin’s Church, Stamford, which will host a service in September.

As the court’s most powerful man William Cecil – who was born at Bourne, near Stamford, on 13 Sept 1520 - helped shape British history. He was not only Elizabeth I’s chief intelligence gatherer, but also involved in everything from diplomacy and exploration to education and gardening.

Two exhibitions at Burghley will offer visitors a chance to discover more about his life and times. The Treasury Exhibition - “The Age of William Cecil, Builder of Burghley’ – features a wide selection of rare items. As well as the atlas, the exhibition will also feature a Chinese silver-mounted porcelain bowl presented by Queen Elizabeth I and the earliest known plan of a London house and garden – Cecil House on the Strand. Burghley, one of the largest and grandest houses of the first Elizabethan Age, was built and mostly designed by Cecil between 1555 and 1587.

Also new for 2020 will be a timeline exhibition in the House entrance, detailing Cecil’s life and achievements, not only revealing the huge influence he had over every aspect of life in 16th century England, but also his skills as a designer and builder.

A series of special lectures will focus on the life, times and legacy of William Cecil with guest speakers inlcuding David Starkey, Lesley Smith and Professor Stephen Alford,