Residents are being urged to lock their doors and windows after a huge increase in burglaries. Police say recent appeals to the public to protect their property have “fallen on deaf ears”Burglaries North East Lincolnshire have almost doubled in the last two weeks – with almost half of thieves entering through insecure doors or windows.  There have also been several instances in the Yarborough Ward over the last few weeksLast Sunday alone, three homes were burgled after intruders entered through insecure doors.And on Tuesday, a thief entered a home in Immingham through an insecure conservatory window and stole a laptop and a handbag.In the past two weeks, the number of burglaries reported to police in the area has risen from around 55 in a fortnight to 91.Among those, there have been a number of two-in-one burglaries – which is when thieves steal car keys from a home and then take the car.

You can read more about recent local crimes, neighbourhood policing and advice on crime prevention on the Safelinks website which can be found at:

http://www.safelinks.info

North East Lincolnshire Council would ask residents effected as a result of the strike on Wednesday, July 16 and Thursday July 17 to present any excess domestic waste for collection on the next scheduled day of collection.

Every effort will be made to clear the back log and we ask residents to present their waste as early as possible after 7am to aid the refuse collection crews.

Residents are asked not to leave excess garden waste in bags.

Contents of garden bins will be emptied on the next scheduled collection day.Garden and cardboard waste from households is also accepted at either of the two Community Recycling Centres, located at Estuary Way, Grimsby and  Queens Road, Immingham.

Excess recycling items will be collected on the next fortnightly scheduled collection day, if presented alongside the triple boxes. Residents can also deposit glass, paper, cans and plastic bottles at one of the local recycling bring sites.  

If you receive care in North East Lincolnshire, please help us in a review of services

People who receive care in North East Lincolnshire are being invited to give their views in a review of the care service.  The review will examine whether people receiving care in the home, day care facilities or hospitals are treated with dignity in line with the National Dignity Challenge.

  The National Dignity Challenge sets out the standard of high quality services people should expect in care such as zero tolerance of all forms of abuse and that carers should treat each person as an individual by offering a personalised service.  This review is being led by North East Lincolnshire Council and supported by Eng-Age (the older people’s forum supported by Voluntary Action).  They would like to hear from anyone who would like to share their experiences of being in care as part of this review.

The review will look at what is currently happening and to see if recommendations can be made to make the care experience better for everyone.  It is vitally important to maintain people’s dignity and respect when they are in care. High quality care services should enable them to maintain the maximum level of independence, assist people to maintain their confidence, listen and support their and respect peoples right to privacy.  Experiences of care, good or bad, can come from the person receiving care now or previously, from a relative or a friend and views can be given in confidence.  Alison Hobbs, the engaging older people’s coordinator for Voluntary Action North East Lincolnshire, is keen to ensure that it’s as easy as possible for people to give their opinions.  Alison said: “Views can be given by post, telephone, email or face-to-face.

“If you would prefer to speak to someone face-to-face, then we could invite you to come to tell us your views over a cup of coffee.  Alternatively, someone could visit you in your own home at a time that is convenient to you.  We really would like to encourage as many people as possible to come forward to share their experiences.”

The review group has already heard from a number of people, one of whom has told them about her families difficult situation when a member of her family was in care.  She said: “In her 94 years, my mother has been a daughter, sister, aunt, lover, wife, daughter-in-law, friend, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.“Up to September 2005, she was fully independent in body, mind and spirit but a minor bowel problem meant an admission to hospital.  Once, when I visited, my mother was dressed in a nightgown that wasn’t hers and was about three sizes too big so constantly slipping from her shoulders. In the drawer by her bed were the three new night dresses I had bought for her when we knew she was going into hospital.  On another occasion when we visited, the elderly lady in the bed opposite was telling her visiting relatives about my mother being sat on a commode all day following the administration of suppositories.  My mother had been in quite a lot of pain and was not afforded the dignity of the privacy she clearly needed.” 

If you would like to contribute to the care services review you can make contact in the following ways:

By Post:
North East Lincolnshire Council
Scrutiny Officers
Policy, Performance &Development
Municipal Offices
Town Hall Square
GRIMSBY

No stamp is needed. Quote the freepost information: ‘Business Reply Licence Number RLZE-TTGE-SGRY’ in the top left hand corner of the envelope.

By E-mail:
To alison@vanel.org.uk or charlotte@vanel.org.uk or scrutiny@nelincs.gov.ukBy Telephone:
01472-326134 (this is an answerphone number)Potential contributors need to indicate the area of interest, whether this be day care, residential care, hospital care or home care, and indicate the preferred method of providing feedback (post, telephone, email or face-to-face).For more information, please contact Alison Hobbs by emailing alison@vanel.org.uk or call her on 01472 231123

A Man has changed his health and lifestyle by getting involved in the local walking group WalkWell.  Neil Doore, 43, from the East Marsh in Grimsby says the scheme has changed his outlook on his health and life.

In 2005 Neil suffered from a heart attack and was written off from work on medical grounds.   Now thanks to WalkWell he has gained a new lease of life walking three times a week with the Health Walk Scheme.  North East Linconshire Council health promotion specialist, Steven Markham, said: “Neil is a shining example of what our scheme is all about.   We have six health walks of between 30 to 60 minutes taking place each and every week all over North East Lincolnshire.“  Neil suffered a heart attack and was referred to join our scheme by his doctor.   He started doing one walk a week and built up to walking three or more times a week with us.   He then enjoyed the walks so much that he wanted to be a health walk leader himself. Neil said:   “I wanted to give something back to the scheme that has helped me so much. Since joining the health walks my health has improved no end and I wanted to be a part of the scheme to help people like me.”   The scheme is based on the national Walking the way to Health Initiative (WHI) and aims to improve people’s health by encouraging them to be more physically active.   The group walks all start and finish from community locations and are led by specially trained volunteer health walk leaders.  Each walk ends with an optional social gathering.   Dr Tony Hill, director of public health said: “Increasing the amount of activity people do is really important.   More physical activity is important for tackling heart disease, mental health problems, diabetes, stroke and many others. “Many people are put off from doing more activity because they think that this means going to the gym or playing team sports. Walking is an excellent activity for improving helth; it is free of charge and doesn’t need any special equipment making it accessible for all . We hope people will use the scheme as an opportunity to have fun as well as doing something good for their health.” Steven added: “The walks take place at six locations each and every week, all year round. At your first walk you’ll be asked a few short questions about your current health status and then you will be off enjoying the surroundings. So just turn up and join in. All of our walkers find it great fun and make new friends as well as getting healthy.”The walk in the Yarborough Ward takes place every Tuesday morning at 10.00am, from Saint Michael’s Church in Great Coates Road.  It normally lasts for around an hour, and 30 – 40 people regularly take part.  As I try to attend as many of these walks as I can it also gives a chance for anyone to speak to one of their Ward Councillors! Other walks that take place in the area include:

• Monday at 11am, Macaulay Area Action Group,
  
  Haycroft Street, Grimsby,

  DN31 2EE

• Monday at 2.30pm, Cleethorpes Leisure Centre, Kingsway, Cleethorpes,
  DN35 0BY
• Tuesday at 10am, Church of
  St. Michaels, Great Coates Road, Grimsby,
  DN34 4ND
• Wednesday at 2.30pm, Cleethorpes Leisure Centre, Kingsway, Cleethorpes,
  DN35 0BY
• Thursday at 1.15pm, Immingham Sports Centre, Washdyke Lane, Immingham, DN40 2SL
• Friday at 10am, Resource Centre, Second Avenue, Grimsby, DN33 1NU

For more information about the walks or about becoming a volunteer health walk leader please contact WalkWell on 01472 625500, Steven.Markham@nelctp.nhs.uk or go to www.HeartWell.org.uk

What can Warm Front do for you?

Warm Front has been running for the last five years offering  grants for Heating and Insulation measures.   Eligible disabled households and young families could now be eligible for gas central heating for the first time.

If you would like to learn more about Warm Front and find out if you might be eligible click on the following link:-

http://www.nelincs.gov.uk/environment/energy/warmfront.htm

I was talking to a friend over the weekend who told me about a new theatre project for young people from the Fusion Youth Theatre which will take place in North East Lincolnshire in the school holidays from August 11th – 17th, and another project which takes place in the Christmas Holidays.  If you or one of your children might be interested in joining this project you can find more information on the following link:-

Visit www.fusiontheatre.co.uk for details.

or e mail contact@fusiontheatre.co.uk 

Fusion Youth Theatre are offering local young people the chance to work with professional artists and take part in a fantastic arts project this August!Using a Japanese theme, young people can get involved in art, drama, dance, music and much more to create an amazing production of A Thousand Cranes.Young actors will create a piece of theatre based on the true story of Sadako, a young girl who believes that folding a thousand paper cranes in origami will save peoples lives.Those interested in arts will create Japanese lanterns, fans, kimonos and other wonderful pieces to display in the production and take home after the project.There will also be opportunities to dance and play music, as well as learn skills in Bunraku Puppetry and Japanese Noh Mask theatre.The summer school takes place from Monday 11th August for two weeks at the Grimsby Central Hall, with performances on the final Thursday and Friday. 

Following the recent national ballot in respect of the 2008/9 pay offer for Council staff, UNISON and Unite (formerly T & G) have voted for strike action.  Wednesday 16 and Thursday 17 July 2008 have been selected as national days of strike action. GMB members will be working normally. 

Liz Jones, interim head of paid services, said: “The council will do all it can to ensure the effects on our customers from these days of action are kept to an absolute minimum.  Managers will therefore take appropriate action to seek minimum disruption to services.  The council will be working with the trade unions in order to minimise potential for problems or misunderstandings to occur and will ensure essential services to the most vulnerable members of the community are maintained.  The council will also be able to confirm which services will be exempt from strike action.”It is anticipated that many of the council’s employees, a good proportion who are not members of trade unions will be working normally on the two days.Advice has been issued to schools who will be undertaking their own assessment as to whether they will remain open on the 2 days. The Council hopes to be in a position soon to confirm if there are any schools closing. 

Saturday, July 19 to Sunday, July 27 will see a number events take place in the North East Lincolnshire area to celebrate National Fishing Week (NFW).

Whether residents have never picked up a rod, or simply have not fished for many years, organisers of the event and qualified coaches are giving up their time to welcome and teach newcomers to the sport.

The two main aims of NFW are to improve the lifestyle of youngsters and the retired, men and women and able bodied and disabled people by introducing them into the sport of angling and also to increase awareness and appreciation of our natural environment.

This is a great chance for even absolute beginners to come along and enjoy the experience of fishing. It is hoped that other organisers and local anglers will encourage as many people as possible to join in.

Taster sessions have been planned throughout Lincolnshire by Mark Fenty, Get Hooked on Fishing coordinator for North East Lincolnshire Council, and his team of qualified coaches and volunteers.

Mr. Fenty said: “Participants do not need an Environmental Agency License for any of the National Fishing Week. Events and activities are suitable for all ages and abilities and everyone will be given expert training and advice.

“Pegging fees are generally waived and tackle is often made available to use free of charge. There really is no better time to experience this healthy, stress-busting, outdoor activity.”

Mark, and the Get Hooked on Fishing (GHOF) Team, is planning to run seven events at seven different locations throughout Lincolnshire. Get Hooked on Fishing is funded by the Shoreline Housing Partnership Project. He added: “I believe that our GHOF event will see us become one of the first regions in the country to offer expert training sessions in all three angling disciplines. National Fishing Week will see our team deliver the very first fly fishing and sea fishing taster sessions”.

Due to the number of coaches, safety aspects and the availability of pegging at some of the venues, places are limited and are strictly available by booking in advance.

Thanks goes out to all of the fishery owners, coaches and volunteers for donating their venues and time to this great regional and national event.

More details, for potential organisers, can be found by visiting www.nationalfishingweek.co.uk. Hopefully raising awareness of National Fishing Week will see new faces become hooked for life on the largest participant sport in the country.

It is strongly recommended that children under the age of 12 should be accompanied by an adult. Organised groups are welcome.

To book, or make an enquiry, please contact Mark Fenty via email: mark.fenty@nelincs.gov.uk or visit www.ghof-nelincs.com

If you wish to help at any of the listed events, please ring Mark Fenty direct: 07730 014961. Please do not try to book using this number.

Venues, dates and times:

 July 19, Coarse Fishing, Homestead Lake, Immingham, 10am – 3pm.

 July 21, Fly Fishing, Toft Newton Reservoir, Market Rasen, 10am – 3pm.

July 22, Coarse Fishing and Fly Casting, Wold View Fisheries, Claxby,, 10am – 3pm.

 July 23, Coarse Fishing, Pasture House Fishery, Barton Upon Humber, 10am – 3pm.

July 24, Coarse Fishing, Oasis Lakes, North Somercotes, 10am – 3pm.

July 25, Coarse Fishing, Cleethorpes Country Park, Humberston, 10am – 3pm.

 July 26, Sea Fishing, Humberston yacht Club, Time TBA.