< Previous80 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYLINCOLNSHIRE WILDLIFEhe otter was once a regular visitor tothe rivers and lakes of Lincolnshire,seen almost as often as other wildanimals in the area. They sufferedgreatly however across all of Europewith environmentalists blaming pesticides,leading to wild scale habitat loss. Those that were ableto survive the pollution were at further risk of hunting,both legal and illegal. Nowadays, however, the otter is making a strongreturn to our region - supported by the variousregulations and legislation that help protect theirspecies, including a hunting bag, and a ban on owningor killing otters. Their numbers have in fact recoveredso well that their status has been improved to nearthreatened. Otters are an adaptable species, able to occupy anybody of unpolluted water, be it a river, lake, stream orpond. They may also be seen along the coasts and inshallow sea, so long as they have regular access to freshwater to wash their coats. Typically the species huntsand eats fish. During the winter months however, whenthe abundance of fish is lower, they tend to dine onbirds, insects, frogs and sometimes even smallermammals. Fiercely territorial, otters will defend their territoryagainst others of the same gender, but males andfemales may overlap without any confrontation. Unlike most animals in the region, otters are nonseasonal breeders, mating at any time they desire andrearing their young on their own whim. The pregnancyperiod for a female otter is usually around sixty days,and the litter she births will be dependent upon her forabout thirteen months.The father plays no role in the family, though thelitter will often be raised within his territory, so he mightprovide some protection against other male otters,simply in the act of defending his own stretch of water. A female and her pups will typically hunt at nightwhen they are safer from predators, while they willhide the day away in their holt. Usually a burrow orhollow tree on a riverbank, which will be entered fromunderwater. Finding and identifying otters in the Lincolnshireregion can be a difficult task. They typically hunt ateither dawn, dusk or night, and will spend the dayhidden in their holts, which can be difficult to identify.Areas such as Market Rasen and Woodhall Spa have hadsightings, particularly in the waterways and the otherpools of unpolluted water. The European Otter, once a regular visitor to Lincolnshire, has becomea rare sight in recent years but is now making a comebackTreturn ofTheTHE OTTER080-081:Layout 1 8/10/12 12:16 Page 1Last month we mistakenly quoted the LincolnshireWildlife Trust as supporting a cull on deer in thecounty, and this was incorrect. The cull wasactually suggested by the Forestry Commission as part ofwider deer management methods. The Wildlife Trust are activelyinvolved in the preservation of wildife, and have a number ofnature reserves where deer can be seen in Lincolnshire, includingWhisby Nature Park and Crowle Moor Nature Park.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY81LINCOLNSHIRE WILDLIFEOOPS!OOPS!080-081:Layout 1 8/10/12 12:16 Page 282 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYCARE FOR THE ELDERLYFrom October, millions more people will be taking partin a pension scheme - a stark reminder that we all needto plan for later life.Initially only 0.8% of an employee’s pensionable earningswill go towards the scheme – a negligible amount – but theidea is that over the course of their career their contributionswill be invested and they’ll end up with a pot when theyretire. It’s possible to opt out of the scheme but, as only onein three private sector workers are currently signed up to apension, the idea is that this will at least provide somesupport for later in life at the greatest convenience – althoughpeople are still recommended to consider other pensionschemes as the final total may not be particularly staggering,such is the small size of the contributions. The introduction of this scheme is a reminder that thepopulation is gradually getting older, and that brings with itchallenges for those providing care for older people, andthose searching for it. Indeed, the obvious challenge is thatreferring to “older people” covers a massively disparate bunchof people – from those who fought in World War II to thebabyboomers of the sixties. Hence there’s no one-size-fits-allresponse to people’s needs. It all depends on the individual’sresponse and, throughout Lincolnshire, there are plenty ofexperts who can explain the myriad options available – bothto those who are intending to use it, and their loved ones.Older people will often be quick to tell you they don’trequire charity, but some support can be hugely valuable. TheGoldenYEARSThe oddest thing about growingolder is that few of us feel anydifferent - apart from a few achesand pains! But it happens to us all and it’sgood to be prepared…GoldenYEARSCliff Bradley & SonsFuneral Directors LtdFor a prompt, sympatheticservice from a recognisedfamily businessPrivate Chapel of RestDay and Night ServicePre-paid funeral plans41 Heaton Street,Gainsborough, DN21 2EA(01427) 810619082-083:Layout 1 8/10/12 12:16 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY83CARE FOR THE ELDERLYBishop of Lincoln has recentlybecome the new President of theLincolnshire Home ImprovementAgency, and one of his roles hasbeen to run a series of events thatcan create a more diverse supportnetwork for the elderly and thedisabled. The aim is to bring together people who, betweenthem, can identify problems people have in gainingindependence, and finding solutions.Mick King of the LHIA says, “The work we do is soimportant to people’s wellbeing and their independence, asnot being able to access their own homes can leave themfeeling isolated and anxious about their changingcircumstances. We can offer specialist solutions such as accessramps and level access showers to drastically improveaccessibility and, as a consequence, drastically improvepeople’s quality of life.”Although sometimes small adaptations to a home can be allthat is required, for some people the chance to move intonew accommodation can be the most obvious solution – andthere are about as many different types of care home as thereare the people who make use of them,so there’s bound to be one that offersthe right level of support and activityfor everyone.Often the greatest gift they can offeris companionship and a number ofschemes are taking place to improveself-esteem and creativity. For example, the SAA, the societyfor all artists based in Newark, has recently piloted their Art inHealth programme at six hundred care homes across the UK.This concept saw the residents get involved in a simplepainting activity – not a competition, but something everyonecould do – and create their own work of art. The aim is toboost self-confidence and provide entertainment and the firststatistics show that, while many were unsure about takingpart, 91% wanted to do it again. This ties in with figures thatsuggest regular engagement in creative activities in caresettings have provided a happier environment and evenreduced the use of drugs in some cases.Schemes such as this illustrate the work taking place toensure later life needn’t be a full stop – it can be a hugelyenriching time for everyone.Fairways Care HomeGrimsbyWe are delighted to have recently opened a brand new care home following extensive refurbishment under new ownership.Located on the corner of Lile Coates Road and Cambridge Road in Grimsby, Fairways Care Home provides high quality residenal and demena care for older people, with both permanent and respite care available. The care home enables each resident to enjoy quality care in a comfortable environment supported by our trained and commiedstaff team. The new home has 43 ground floor bedrooms, all with ensuites, a variety of spacious communal areas, and delighulgardens for the residents to enjoy.If you are interested to hear more about the services that our new home has available, or to make an appointment to come andhave a look round, please contact Karen Kerridge, Home Manager.Tel: 01472 357911email: info@carehomefairways.comwww.carehomefairways.comNOW OPENFollowing extensive refurbishmentFairways Care HomeLile Coates RoadGrimsby DN34 4NNOlder people will oftenbe quick to tell you theydon’t require charity,but some support canbe hugely valuable.082-083:Layout 1 8/10/12 12:16 Page 2Lincolnshire is renowned for its innovativecompanies – but does the infrastructureexists to provide vital support?84 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYBUSINESS LINCSWe hear much about howthe arrival of newtechnology can be a gamechanger for businesses inour part of the world. The idea is thatcompanies in the towns and villagescan now theoretically compete on alevel playing field with their rivals inthe big cities and in the South East ofEngland due to instantcommunication – with someone’s backbedroom being as viable a businessvenue as an office block.At least, that was the theory – butmany parts of Lincolnshire still remainat the mercy of unreliable andunobtainable broadband connections.That’s why work continues onensuring the region doesn’t become atwo-tier system between the have andhave-nots.At his recent speech to Duncan &Toplis’ Directors’ Briefing at BeltonWoods, John Cridland, DirectorGeneral of the CBI, cited moreeffective broadband in rural areas asone of the major requirements to kickstart the rural economy. According toJohn Cridland, improvedinfrastructure as a whole is certainlyrequired in our region – with transportand housing also major factors – andbroadband is of particular importanceto avoid Lincolnshire becomingincreasingly isolated.That’s also the view of the CountryLand and Business Association, and it’stestament to the problems that havehad to be faced that the organisationhas now been lobbying for affordableand effective broadband for everyonein Lincolnshire for a decade. CLA Eastrural adviser Rob Wise says,“Broadband acts as an economic driverfor rural businesses in Lincolnshire aswell as helping the social developmentof rural communities. But between 15and 20% of those who live in ruralareas are still unable to receiveanywhere near the Government’sbenchmark of 2Mbps.“Although there have been somenotable successes in the ten years sincethe CLA started campaigning, there isstill a huge amount to be done toensure coverage is universal.” Withthis in mind they’ve produced a newreport, Broadband Fit for RuralGrowth, which aims to create astrategic alliance with otherorganisations to provide newsuggestions. For example, they suggestperformance-related payments forproviders to ensure effectivebroadband is rolled out to all areas,and allowing rural communities to“piggy-back” onto public sectorbroadband, using technologies such asWiFi and satellite, until such time aproper fixed connection is available.However it is provided, thechallenge is to make sure thateveryone who wants broadband – andneeds it – can get it in some form. TheLincolnshire Broadband Plan is aimingto bring next-generation broadband –a minimum of 24Mbps – to 90% ofcounty premises by 2017, and get aguarantee that everyone will have the2Mbps that is considered the absoluteminimum. Lincolnshire CountyCouncil launched the Plan at thisyear’s Lincolnshire Show with theintroduction of a petition thatbusinesses were urged to sign toillustrate to commercial providers thatthere is a real interest and demand forthese services in the area. By the endof August, 1015 county firms havestepped up to support the BroadbandMeans Business campaign – but it’shoped some 10,000 companies will doso by the end of the year.Improved broadband won’t just be ofvalue to knowledge-based companieswho need to stay in touch withcompanies from around the world.Groups such as digitalLincs are alsoworking to promote the value of newLife in theFASTLANELincolnshire is renowned for its innovativecompanies – but does the infrastructureexists to provide vital support?Life in theFAST LANE084-085:Layout 1 8/10/12 11:18 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY85BUSINESS LINCSAnother tax headache?asks Sue Kitchen of HW Chartered AccountantsReal Time Information is a new system that will enable employers to tell HM Revenue and Customs about tax, NICs and otherdeductions each time they produce a payroll run, instead of once a year using form P35.Real Time submission of data will be introduced from April 2013 and everyone will be using it by October 2013. There are anumber of steps that need to be taken ahead of this to ensure the smooth transfer. The most significant of these is that everyemployer who operates a payroll scheme will need to carry out a payroll alignment process to ensure that the details you hold foryour employees match those held by HMRC. Within time, you will be receiving your RTI compliance date.Unfortunately, with this introduction it will mean that manual payroll is no longer an option and will have to be done on apayroll software package, compatible with RTI.Sage Payroll has enrolled HW Chartered Accountants to be in their pilot scheme to judge their new software being put intoplace for these changes. We will be enrolling on to this in December so will be well-equipped and knowledgeable for when thechanges comes into force.For more information contact Haines Watts Chartered Accounts on 01754 766 991 or visit www.hwca.com/skegness.communication concepts, with theirprogramme attempting to showcasehow advanced digital technology canbe used in the arts and culture sector.The organisation is setting up fiveCoastal Arts and Technology digitalhubs in the county – in Alford, Huttoft,Louth, Mablethorpe and Skegness – todemonstrate the benefits of newtechnology, while at November’sTransforming Tourism conference inLincoln, the organisation will berunning a technology playground thatwill offer those who attend the chanceto see how their business could bebetter promoted.Keeping the campaign for betterbroadband consistently in thespotlight will certainly be valuable –but the rise and rise of renewableenergy could also make a majordifference. It’s perhaps fair to say thatrenewable energy has been heralded asthe solution to almost all ofLincolnshire’s current problems, fromcutting energy bills to creatingthousands of new jobs, but the vitalfactor in this instance is that majorblue chip companies are lookingtowards Lincolnshire as a place to basetheir headquarters and researchpremises, close to the already well-established renewable energy sector.One vital aspect for big businesses iseffective communication – henceimproved broadband connections willdoubtless follow.Lincolnshire is certainly overflowingwith innovation and dedication in itsbusinesses – the challenge now is toensure the infrastructure is in place tosupport that.John Cridland ofthe CBI hashighlightedbroadband as amajor driver forLincolnshire’srenewal084-085:Layout 1 8/10/12 11:18 Page 286 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYACTIVE LINCOLNSHIREsk any young person what a ninja is, and theiranswer is probably going to involve plenty ofexcitable talk and very little ancient history. Asa culture, the ninja of ancient Japan is anintriguing topic for children and adults alike, so whenPaul Richardson from Lincoln Budokan invited us tolearn more about the ancient martial art we jumped atthe chance.Much of the ninja’s history is shrouded in mysterybut, there have still been plenty of traditions passeddown families through the ages, and their martial art isone such aspect. The art taught in Lincoln is BujinkanTaijutsu, an art that Paul learned direct from the sourcein Japan. I arrive at their premises on Monk’s Road in Lincoln,and clearly they’ve gone a long way to transforming itinto a traditional style Japanese dojo. Numerous trainingweapons displayed on the walls, with katanas, spears andbladed staffs to name but a few. There is even atraditional samurai suit of armour in one corner, and aJapanese wall shrine at the front. Without a doubt, it’sone of the most authentic venues I have ever visited -probably because most other schools teach in leisurecentres or other public venues, where they don’t havethe opportunity to create such an environment. The way of theNINJAPaul Richardson from Lincoln Budokan teaches us what it means to be a ninjaThe way of theNINJAA086-087:Layout 1 8/10/12 12:17 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY87ACTIVE LINCOLNSHIREThe training weapons aren’t just for display either,as I was about t find out. The ninja lived in a time of constant warfare,where almost all of the enemies they faced wereskilled weapon masters as well as martial artists. Assuch many of the techniques taught involve dealingwith an armed opponent, or even facing someonewith a weapon yourself. Lincoln Budokan continuesthe tradition by teaching their members to use andeffectively neutralise a wide range of trainingweapons.These skills are necessary for the various beltgradings, and you can expect to progress through thedifferent belt colours as you gain more experience. Paul is quick to get me up on the mat after givingme a few displays with one of his long time students.Though I can’t quite recall the long Japanese namesof the techniques I perform, they deal with defendingyourself from weapons and attacks from variousdirections, as well as grabs and grapples. As onemight expect, the counters are very disabling and willalmost always end with your opponent subdued onthe floor.It doesn’t take long for Paul to have a weapon inmy hands and soon I’m wielding a ‘Bokken’ - awooden training sword curved to represent a katana.My opponent is similarly armed and we practice afew drills on how to wield the blade, and how to dealwith a samurai charging at you - less common inLincolnshire, but you never know!After that I was shown a little on how to wield akusarigama, which is effectively a small sickle with along chain attached to a heavy weight - representedat Lincoln Budokan by a rubber bladed sickle with along thin rope, and a rubber ring on the end. I haveto admit this is a lot more difficult to wield,involving spinning and looping the rope mid-flightin order to ensnare the arm of a swordsman who isdoing his best to attack you. It’s incredible to imaginethe kind of skill you would need to effectively usethis in a combat situation. It’s a fantastic time learning at Lincoln Budokan.They have a good mix of the discipline and traditionsinherent in a martial arts school, but also the varietyand fun necessary to keep a person interested inlearning the art. They teach twice a week on Tuesdayand Friday and beginners are welcome to come downand try, or view, a class to get a feeling for it.If you want to give Bunjinkan Taijutsu a go, orsimply visit and watch a session, you can contactthe Lincoln Budokan on 07980 597587 or log ontowww.lincolnbudokan.co.uk 086-087:Layout 1 8/10/12 12:17 Page 2enquiries88 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYEQUINEOwning a horse can undoubtedly bring youa great deal of pleasure, but there arecertainly many issues that can ariseregarding the care and ownership of youranimal. There is certainly a dizzying array ofspecialists offering up their services.The law relating to horses can prove to besomewhat confusing, so if you’ve recently become theowner of a horse, or are looking to buy one, this cansometimes be a major stumbling block. As BrendaGilligan, Senior Solicitor at Wilkin Chapman andauthor of ‘Practical Horse Law - A guide for ownersand riders’ points out, “There are so many wronginterpretations of the law relating to horses it is hardto know where to start. But it’s important to getthings right, so pointless cases are not expensivelypursued to no avail and justifiable ones are dealt witheconomically and efficiently.”We asked Brenda and her equine specialists toprovide their advice on three sample cases where theinformation provided through websites, friends andvets can often prove to be contradictory or confusing.Where exactly do you stand?“The owner of my loan horse hasn’t been to see himfor two years, so he’s mine now ...isn’t he?”No, he isn’t. A horse on loan to you will never beyours unless the owner actually sells him or gifts himover to you. No matter how long you have him, youwill not own him and will not have what is called‘legal title’. This means that, as you don’t own him,you cannot legally sell him on as you have no rightof ownership you can pass on at sale.If you try and sell him, as you can’t pass on thislegal ownership, the buyer never legally owns himeither. If you try and do this, it’s called conversion.The legal owner, if they trace the horse, can thereforealways demand him back even if he has changedhands two or three times and will succeed if they canprove ownership. They are not required tocompensate the present owner, whose only recourse isEQUINEto sue the person who “sold” the horse to them(because of course it wasn’t theirs to sell in the firstplace) and so on down the line.Despite this, it isn’t theft because the horse hasn’tbeen stolen. It’s a civil law remedy and this means thepolice are rarely interested. “My loaner wants her horse back after two years. Wehave a proper written contract which she hasfollowed and has given the correct notice. I don’twant to give him back. He’s a valuable member of myriding school. I intend to charge the owner livery forall the time he’s been here.”In this case, you can’t. You’ve had the benefit of thehorse for two years at no capital cost to yourself andhe has made you money. The horse has not been atprivate livery with you to the extent that the ownerowes you livery fees. It’s true you will lose a usefulhorse, but that’s always a risk you take with loan andworking livery horses. “I hear that you’re not a ‘dealer’ unless you sell morethan three horses a year.”In fact, there are no fixed minimum or maximumsale numbers which you have to carry out to makeyou an official dealer. Obviously, if you set up acommercial buying and selling yard and advertise assuch, that is enough to become a dealer. However, amum with four children who grow out of their poniesall at the same time and sells them all at once isunlikely to consistently work as a commercial seller.The title of ‘dealer’ is a question of fact that has to bedecided in each individual case.Of course, these are only a few examples of themisleading misinformation that is often to be heard inthe equine world. It’s therefore always worth gettingproper advice from a specialist solicitor as soon as youbegin to worry about legal issues to find out whereyou really stand in law.Make sure you keep abreast of the latest legal issues involving equine law toensure you know where you stand with your horse’s ownership088-089:Layout 1 8/10/12 12:18 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY89EQUINEWhychoosesolicitors?Wilkin Chapman explain more...If you have toothache, you go to the dentist. Car playingup? Into the garage it goes. Why, then, do so many peoplefail to contact a solicitor for advice on a legal issue, preferringto ask family, friends or even unqualified social mediacontacts?This leads to incorrect advice, problems made worse andjustified action left undone. Something that might have beensimple to deal with at first becomes tangled and expensive tounravel.The law touches everyone – employment, property,families, buying and selling goods, accidents or mistakes inhospital treatment. Most solicitors these days are highlytrained specialists and can give you impartial advice from thestart. Usually the first initial advice will be over the telephoneor even by email and is likely to be free.They will tell you honestly if you can and should proceedor not. If you do have to take action, you will be advised onthe most sensible and cost effective way of dealing with theproblem, which does not always involve protracted,expensive and stressful court hearings. The courts are keen topromote alternative ways to resolve disputes, often bymediation.So go straight to the experts – choose a solicitor for legaladvice.088-089:Layout 1 8/10/12 12:18 Page 2Next >