Stamford man to represent DSJ...

Congrats to Conservative candidate Mike Exton, who has been elected as our new county councillor for Deeping St James.

I'm not sure whether I'm more disappointed to be replaced by a Conservative, or by someone who doesn't even live in our community.

Still, I wish him well and hope that he puts Deeping St James first, as I have tried to do for the past eight years.

A bit difficult as he lives in Stamford, is a district councillor for Market Deeping and now county councillor for Deeping St James...

But since I didn't stand, I can't complain at the result!

Wonder if I should send Mike a map of how to get to DSJ...?

Full result for the Deeping St James Division:

EXTON, Mike (Conservative) 846

HAMMERSLEY, Philip Edward (Liberal Democrat) 596

BOSSINGHAM, Michael Edward (Green Party) 464

UPDATE: Stamford Mercury has more results from our part of Lincolnshire.

Deepings Ducks and Rafts back in the race...

Good to hear that Deepings Raft Race is back this year. I hear Deepings Lions are bringing back the Duck Race too!

Things are clearly on the up in the Deepings!

What on earth next...?

My daughter Claire lives across the border in Market Deeping, a lovely stroll along the banks of the River Welland (no passport needed)... Yesterday, she called in for a cuppa with my grandson Jack (aged six weeks, four days and eight hours).

When Claire reached the old stone bridge at Deeping St James, she took this snap on her mobile and emailed it to tell me to get the kettle on...

Talk about the advance of technology eh?

How on earth did we ever survive without mobile phones and the t'internet...?

And what wonders might be invented when young Jack's a Grand-dad...?

Watch out, there's a sneaky burglar down our street...

A cheeky burglar has robbed one of my neighbours right here on Church Street, DSJ...

The thief walked in through an unlocked backdoor last Friday lunchtime while the victim was at home and helped him - or her - self to a purse containing about £40 from a bag which was on a chair near the unlocked door.

Police are advising people to keep doors locked even when you're at home and keep your valuables out of sight.

Anyone with any information should call Stamford Police on 01780 752222, quoting the relevant incident number 193 of January 30. Or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Our local world champ Wolfie goes for tops...

Deepings darts star Martin Wolfie Adams is back on stage tonight in the next round of his attempt to win back his World Darts Champion title.

He got off to a shaky start on Monday night in an edge of the seat early rounds battle that literally went right down to the wire when he kept missing the doubles.

Wolfie is the oldest player on the world darts circuit and as world champion a couple of years ago, has been around long enough for our local media at least to know where he lives.

But the Peterborough Evening Telegraph the
Stamford Mercury and even the Bourne Local - all insist he's from Market Deeping!

He's not. And whether they haven't checked their facts, or think it's ok to describe DSJ as part of MD, its sloppy journalism.

The truth is that Martin lives right here in the village of Deeping St James, which as residents will tell you, is not part of the town of Market Deeping. Fortunately, we've moved on from the days of 'territorial' punch-ups on the border between rival teenagers from the two parishes.

But local papers should be well aware that while the town of MD is our friendly neighbour, DSJ is a community proud of its own identity. And we have a bigger population than MD to boot!

Here endeth the whinge (for now).

Tonight's BBC2 coverage starts after Newsnight at 11.20.

Good Luck Wolfie.

If you missed Monday night's thriller, you can see highlights HERE, and the post-match interview where a relieved Wolfie praises his opponent HERE
both courtesy of BBC2.

Gentleman of Deepings surfs on...

Sad to pass on Christmas Day news of the death of gentleman John Hollman, father of Deepings Olympic athlete Julie.

The family have been neighbours here in Church Street, Deeping St James for a quarter of a century and I had the privilege of knowing John. A couple of years ago he was clearing out his garage and flogged me an old windsurfer, complete with sail which he said was clogging up his garage.

Now it's clogging up my garage! In the unlikely event that I ever make it on the water, I'll be thinking of John.

Sadly, John was not well enough to travel to Beijing as planned earlier this year to see his daughter take part in the Olympics in the heptathlon - but I know that seeing TV coverage of her competing on the world stage must have given him great comfort.

Thoughts with John's wife Carole and all the family.

(Photo: Peterborough Evening Telegraph).

Our Rev. Mark gets a new calling...

News just received: "The Bishop of Lincoln is pleased to announce that the Revd Mark Warrick, who is currently Vicar in the parish of Deeping St James in the Aveland & Ness Deanery, has been appointed Priest in Charge of the benefice of All Saints and St John´s Stamford, subject to CRB Disclosure.

"Mark, his wife Alison and their family hope to move to the parish in January and Mark is due to be licensed on 28th January 2009."

Congratulations to Mark, who I've had the pleasure of knowing since he arrived in Deeping St James some ten or so years ago.

I've served with Mark on Deeping St James Parish Council for a number of years and we are currently both trustees of the United Charities Trust.

I've also enjoyed supping an occasional pint or two with Mark down at the Waterton Arms while we put the world to rights.

Mark's undoubted compassion, wit, and valued contribution to our communuty will be greatly missed. Hope he forgives me for the rather cheeky snap I took of him at the Rose and Sweet Pea Show on the vicarage lawn a year or two ago.

Hopefully the Warrick family link with DSJ will continue through Alison's role in a senior teaching post at the Deepings Comprehensive School.

Local post offices survive modernisation plan...

Pleased to report that both Deeping St James and Market Deeping post offices survive intact in the modernisation plan just published for our area.

more later...

ET features ambitious plan for DSJ...

The Evening Telegraph has picked up on my post which unveiled ambitious plans to build new community facilities in Deeping St James.

I posted HERE three weeks ago on the plans for a Rugby clubhouse and car park, Arts Centre, Nursing Home and affordable homes.

Deepings rises from the ashes...

Builders moved in to the old BP filling station site on the riverside at Deeping St James this morning. Offhand, I can't recall what's planned - but next door, I see from the Free Pressthat bike shop supremo Terry Wright is planning to rebuild the parade of shops destroyed last August in the worst fire in Deeping for at least a generation..

I broke news of the blaze with photos within minutes of the fire fighters arrivingHERE and posted updates HERE, HERE and HERE.

When I came to DSJ some 25 years ago, the site next to the BP filling station was Todd's Garage.

Both sites are central to Deeping St James and it's good to see them rising from the ashes.

A bit of a bombshell reveals ambitious leisure plans for DSJ...

Ambitious plans for an arts centre, a rugby clubhouse, and a nursing home in Deeping St James have been unveiled.

I understand that Larkfleet Homes are about to apply for outline planning permission for the site known locally as Charity's Orchard on Spalding Road.

Martin Adkins of Deepings Festival described the plans as "a bit of a bombshell" when he showed drawings last week at the annual parish meeting...as local councillors looked on rather gobsmacked!

Martin talked about a purpose built "leisure and culture centre" with seating for 300 and which would be available for hire.

If the plans prove viable - and affordable to all the parties involved - the scheme could solve a number of problems.

The rugby club has been looking for a new home for some years now having seriously outgrown its rather ramshackle club-house on the school field which it rents from South Kesteven District Council.

The new clubhouse shown on Larkfleet's plans would give the Rugby Club direct access on to the current sports field.

Sounds good, but I'm sure the club will want to secure tenure of pitches before going ahead.

That could pose a problem, as long term plans show a possible new Deepings School to be built under the Government's Building Schools for the Future programme which will see every secondary school in the country modernised or rebuilt.

And the site earmarked for the new school is the current Linchfield Road sports field, with the current school eventually demolished and the site possible reverting to sports fields

Lincolnshire County Council will want to keep all options open on how much of the site it may need for a new school, but I hope there is scope to do a deal to keep the thriving rugby club in our village.

The scheme is highly imaginative and I hope it is not dismissed as pie-in-the-sky before it is given a chance.

For the past 30 years and more, development in The Deepings has simply meant building more houses on the next field, with no thought for the services and facilities needed by the increased population.

So in principle, I welcome the plans and hope the negotiations with various parties prove successful.

Bishop of Lincoln says don't bash the Archbish...

The Bishop of Lincoln is the latest senior clergyman to publicly disagree with the Archbishop of Canterbury’s calls for aspects of Islamic Law to be incorporated into the British legal system.

The ill-judged comments by the Archbishop (pictured, right) have plunged the Church of England into deep crisis and over the weekend he has faced growing demands to quit his post.

The Bishop of Lincoln, the Right Reverend John Saxbee questions the Archbishop’s fundamental premise and agrees he may have been naïve in his thinking: but he says we should be thankful we have him.

I’ve not seen the Bishop of Lincoln’s comments published elsewhere, so I post them in full below.

Many church leaders have attempted to blame the tabloids for sensational or inaccurate reporting of the Archbishop's views on Islam. Certainly, no-one could accuse The Sun of balanced reporting of the issue...

They showed their outrage and lack of reverence for the Archbishop's views with a screaming headline What a Burkha. And they’ve followed up with an online game inviting readers to Bash the Bishop.

But any serious attempt to scapegoat the media for the deep mess the Archbishop finds himself in was blown out of the water today by his predecessor.

Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Lord George Carey delivers the most damaging blow yet to Dr Williams’ chances of survival.

Lord Carey bluntly says of his successor:

His acceptance of some Muslim laws within British law would be disastrous for the nation. He has overstated the case for accommodating Islamic legal codes.

His conclusion that Britain will eventually have to concede some place in law for aspects of sharia is a view I cannot share.

There can be no exceptions to the laws of our land which have been so painfully honed by the struggle for democracy and human rights.

I’m grateful to Vicar of Deeping St James, the Rev. Mark Warrick for placing the words of the Bishop of Lincoln on the Deepings Exchange.

Bishop John writes:

Dear Friends,

The last few days have been difficult for Christians in this country and for the Church of England in particular. Some members of our Churches have been angered by the Archbishop's views, some welcome them as a thoughtful contribution to debate, whilst I imagine the majority are bewildered both by his lecture and the storm of controversy it has engendered.

What is to be done?

First of all, we need to celebrate the fact that we have an Archbishop who is still prepared to treat people in this country as adults. The issues he was discussing in his lecture are complex and vitally important. They could be presented in a simplistic way, and often are. But the tabloids must not intimidate us into trivialising matters which deserve more studied attention.

Of course, there are those who are themselves intimidated by the Archbishop's intellect and their default position is to lampoon him rather than actually engage with his argument and respond appropriately and intelligently.

Was he naïve not to realise that this would be the case? Perhaps, but let us be proud and grateful that the leader of our Church at this time is a good, Godly and gifted man who can see further and delve deeper than most leaders in our society seem able to do.

As for my own position, I want to question his fundamental premise that because our legal system currently accommodates the consciences of Christians and Jews it must automatically accommodate aspects of Sharia Law and, by implication, a myriad of other faith-based codes as well.

The Judeao-Christian tradition has legitimated and helped to fashion the fundamentals of our legal system, and accommodating itself to a range of Jewish and Christian conscientiously held principles is not likely to destabilise it. But I remain to be convinced that this would be so if elements of Sharia Law were to be accommodated into the framework of the British legal system.

However, I have to admit that this is the first time I have really felt the need to think hard about this issue and I am grateful to the Archbishop for that. The way he has done it may have stirred up a hornet's nest but the outcry suggests that it was not a nest which could be left undisturbed for much longer.

Meanwhile, we continue to reach out to people of all faiths and none as we wrestle with issues of inclusiveness and social cohesion. For me, multi- culturalism has little to commend it, and I favour a more cosmopolitan approach to cultural diversity. This can enable different cultural characteristics and lifestyles to mutually enrich one another, whilst people of different backgrounds remains committed to the fundamental legal and constitutional frameworks which bind us together in a free and fair democracy.

This approach sits well with a theology of interdependence which should characterise relationships between human beings all made in the image of God. It is a complicated vision to pursue at a time when so many seek for single and straightforward solutions which can be captured in a screaming headline. Thank God we have an Archbishop who calls us to reason together rather than rant at each other - and to love God with all our mind as well as with all our heart, soul and strength.

John Lincoln

Meanwhile, the Lincolnshire Echo reports that a Lincolnshire artist has portrayed Lincoln Cathedral as a mosque in protest at the Archbishop’s comments

For anyone interested in what the Archbishop actually said to kick off such a firestorm, here's the BBC interview with Dr Williams, which he gave in advance of his controversial speech.

For those unsure about what the Archbishop was talking about, The Daily Telegraph explains Sharia Law.

And here’s a thoughtful reflection on the controversy in today’s Observer.

Best ham and bacon is on our doorstep...

Good to see our home-grown Grasmere Farm here in Deeping St James featured in The Times guide to the best ham and bacon this Christmas.

Here's the full listing, the only entry for Lincolnshire:

Stuart Stables of in Deeping St James, Lincolnshire, is one of a committed bunch of producers who cling to the traditional method of dry-curing ham and bacon. (Industrial fast-curing methods in which the hams are injected with brine means that when you cook the whole hams they shrink dramatically, or in the case of bacon, leach out the excess liquid into a white puddle in the pan).

Stables’ family also rear all their own pigs, which are fed on meal milled in their own water mill.

As well as the hams and bacon, you can order sausages (including the famous Rutland sausage), fruity stuffings and every cut of pork.

A whole, unsmoked, uncooked bone-in ham (minimum weight 8.6kg) is £45.95, online, or check the website for details of farmers' markets (01778 342344; www.grasmere-farm.co.uk).

When will we let the train take the strain...?

How about a blog in support of those excellent citizens who are campaigning to reopen Littleworth Halt at Deeping St Nicholas on the criminally neglected Peterborough-Spalding train line?

This was the request I received from Brynley earlier this week as a comment on one of my posts. I had to confess I'd totally missed the story about the campaign to reopen Littleworth Halt.

But thanks to another prod from Brynley, I've discovered the story HERE at the Lincs Free Press.

And I'm glad to give the campaign an airing.

Isn't it ridiculous that half-empty trains never stop at some of our larger villages, leaving would-be passengers to cope with ever busier roads as we create ever more commuter-dorms along the A16 and A15 roads.

A decade or so past, a few of us here in The Deepings campaigned - without success -to get our local rail station re-opened. It's one (non) stop on the same Peterborough-Spalding line as Deeping St Nick.

Unfortunately, the former St James Deeping station is rather remote, being a country mile from The Deepings. It's also on the 'wrong' side of the centre of population which doesn't help the case to get it reopened.

That didn't stop a bunch of rail enthusiasts dreaming up fancy drawings for new rails to be laid for a branch line to bring trains nearer The Deepings (I recall checking my diary at the time to see if it was the first day of April...)

But sadly, our efforts to even get the old St James Deeping halt reopened came to nought. The so-called experts said it would cost millions and would be an expensive white elephant.

Funny isn't it how traditionally, public money for public transport is 'subsidy' yet cash spent on laying tarmac is termed 'investment'...?

But I haven't given up on St James Deeping. It may be a slow-burner, but I believe it's an idea whose time will surely come.

At some point, ever-increasing road congestion will force affordable advances in technology to improve public transport - which will hopefully include increased use of our existing and neglected rail network.

Already in London, the new Docklands Light Railway carries millions of city-commuters from new unmanned stations on computer-controlled trains that don't even need a driver!

You may have to 'watch this space' for a while yet for the London experience to filter to rural Lincs.

But locally how long can we go on building hundreds more houses along the A15 and A16 corridors, creating more cars on the roads, with ever longer, more polluting journeys, and growing parking issues in Peterborough...?

Some day, surely the penny will drop...

Art on the map in DSJ...

Local artist John Lincoln opens his new studio - Art on the Map - in Deeping St James this weekend.

Back from Conference...

Arrived home from Bournemouth with minutes to spare before Deeping St James Parish Council's monthly meeting. Cream-crackered and totally hoarse after burning the candle at both ends for the past week.

What a Great Conference!

Sorry no posts since Tuesday.

Normal service will resume this weekend.

The clue is in the photo...

DEVASTATED brides-to-be broke down in tears after discovering their dream dresses lay blackened in a bridal shop gutted by fire.

Tonight's Peterborough Evening Telegraph carries a front page photo of Tracey Cox who says losing the dress for her wedding in three weeks time was her worst nightmare.

Businesswoman Tracey has launched a 'crisis fund' for other couples affected and has donated £500 to get the ball rolling.

Kind gesture, but isn't that what insurance is for..?

She went on:

I can't get through to the shop or leave a message.

I'm not surprised Tracey can't get through to the shop.

The clue is in the photo...

£30,000 in wedding dresses destroyed...

The impact of the Deepings blaze is spreading - owners of the Bridal Centre are appealing to up to 30 brides whose wedding dresses have gone up in flames to get in touch.

Tonight's Peterborough Evening Telegraph reports that owners of the burnt out Bridal Shop have made a desperate appeal for brides to get in touch, as all their customer records were also destroyed

Manager of the Bridal Centre Sandy Smith told the ET the dresses were worth about £1,000 each.

She said: "We are appealing for our customers to contact us via our special helpline number..."

But she also admitted "...there's nothing we can physically do for them."

Customers are asked to call a helpline number 0798 493 4696 or log on to

www.thebridalcentre.co.uk

Meanwhile the whole site has been cordoned off for safety.

See Video of the Deepings fire...

The Deepings blaze which I posted on HERE and HERE yesterday, didn't start in the Bridal Centre as first thought, but next door at Fushion, the blinds and fabric shop, according to a report on the Lincolnshire Free Press website.

Spectacular photos showing flames billowing from the building at the height of the Deepings blaze - sent in by a reader - are also published on the Free Press site.

Meanwhile the Peterborough Evening Telegraph has gone one better with a dramatic video.

UPDATED WITH PHOTOS: Gowns for this weekend's wedding go up in flames...

The impact of the Deepings blaze which destroyed six shops today will touch the lives of many people - such as the young lady who turned up at the Bridal Centre expecting to collect a set of bridesmaids dresses for a wedding tomorrow.

She was met with a scene of total devastation as 40 fire-fighters tackled the fire and left with wedding plans in tatters.

As the mess is now being damped down and the roads re-opened, the only evidence that a bridal shop ever existed are the remains of a couple of sad mannequins in black-charred wedding gowns.

The Bridal Centre - a local business partnership - is trying to do everything possible to help its customers and has a website and email for anyone concerned about their wedding outfits.

The fire totally destroyed the Bridal Centre, a book shop, Fushions Fabrics, and a men's barber shop.

Fire-fighters did well to partially save Hop-Scotch kiddies shoes shop and ACS wedding photographers - but their premises are flooded and stock likely to be a complete write-off.


I'm no expert, but I'd be surprised if any of the structure can be saved.

In my earlier post breaking the news today, I wrote that it was unlikely that asbestos was involved as the structure had been rebuilt. But it appears that the old roof of Todd's Garage - which appears to be asbestos - remained in place when Terry Wright converted the premises into a parade of shops some years ago.

I spoke with Terry as he surveyed the damage this afternoon. He was badly shaken and his first concern was to help his tenants who could only watch on as years of hard work and investment went up in flames in moments.

Meanwhile, here's how local media are covering the Deepings blaze:

Stamford Mercury

Peterborough Evening Telegraph