The head of a Northants Police team that targets online sexual predators says there has been a “330 per cent” increase in the number of cases in the past two years.

Detective Inspector (DI) Andy Rogers heads up the Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT) consists of a specialist team of 14 officers (including civilian investigators) dedicated to catching people who download and distribute indecent images of children.

Mr Rogers said his department, which was set up at the start of 2014, had rapidly grown to deal with the increase in cases.

Latest figures show POLIT has identified 102 suspects since the start of 2015.

Mr Rogers said: “There has been a 250 per cent increase in the number of cases compared to 2014.

“It happens right across the county and perpetrators are people of all ages and from all sectors of society.”

People in the county who have been convicted of downloading and distributing indecent images in the past year include Mark Willimott, a former teacher at a Northamptonshire secondary school, and Stephen Coleclough, a well-known tax advisor from Bugbrooke.

Mr Rogers said the team act on tip-offs from the public and other sources and work in conjunction with other police forces, nationally and internationally.

He said: “We are not purely concentrating on the issues here in Northamptonshire - we are well connected with what is happening across the globe.

“We receive information and intelligence from various sources and work tirelessly to provide an effective response to this serious crime.

“I encourage anybody with any information about people viewing and sharing indecent images of children to report it immediately by calling 101 or 999 in an emergency.”

Mr Rogers said his team used high-tech software to track down online paedophiles and were improving the speed of the process from arresting a suspect to them appearing in court.

He said: “Offenders are increasingly using the internet and technology to harm children. Every image viewed has a victim and this perpetuates more offending against the most vulnerable in our society.

“It is vitally important we have a team of experts dedicated to catching those committing these types of crime and bringing them to justice.

“We safeguard children by detecting abuse and prosecuting offenders for the possession and distribution of indecent images of children.

“My message to anybody viewing indecent images of children on their computer is this: Expect a knock at your door from one of my officers who will have a warrant for your arrest. This will not only impact on you but those closest to you. The impact can be far-reaching and devastating for all concerned.

“We want to stop this exploitation and safeguard the most vulnerable in our society and ensure we continue to protect people from harm.”

Northamptonshire Police are set to overspend on this year’s budget by a huge £3.1m.

Police and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold will today (Tuesday) explain to members of the county police and crime panel why the force is forecast to bust its budget for the 2016/17 fiscal year - his first in charge of Northants Police.

The force itself is predicted to overspend by £3.1m and the Office of the PCC will spend an extra £45,000 over its own budget, despite Mr Mold cutting a number of top jobs to try to balance the books.

Some of the overspend – about £697,000 – wasplanned into the budget, but there is still a £2.404m black hole which will have to be paid for from cash reserves which currently stand at about £10m.

In his county hall meeting with councillors and other independent panel members, Mr Mold will provide details of the overspend which includes:

- £100,000 spent on finding an external provider for the police pensions fund.

- £200,000 spent on unexpected staffing costs in the force control room.

- an extra £500,000 needed to provide breathalysers, mobile speed cameras and to plug a potential VAT gap for the Safer Roads Team.

- £1.8m spent on support departments which wasn’t planned. The departments were asked to save £1.757m but were unable to do so.

- collaboration with other forces costing an extra £600,000.

The force is already committed to a £60m building programme which includes the new northern headquarters off the A43 in Kettering which are already under construction.

It will also have to find room for staff moving out of its Wootton Hall HQ, which is due to shut.

If this total increases, it will mean the force will exceed its recommended borrowing limit as all of its current finance is being used.

Mr Mold said: “Policing is facing a period of sustained financial pressure and although we have financial reserves to cover any projected overspend, it is our priority to work with Northamptonshire Police to deliver a new service delivery model that ensures we are more efficient in our work and therefore spending.

“We are working with Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire on a tri-force collaboration to develop shared back-office functions and deliver more efficient and effective service through the use of technology, while we have just appointed a new director for technology and digital transformation and director for early intervention who will help the force to deliver savings in the long term.”

Acting finance director Steve Dainty has written the report to the panel.

In it, he says: “When the budget for 2016/17 was constructed the force had a savings requirement of £7.267m but only managed to identify £5.510m, leaving a balance of £1.757m still to find.

“It was assumed at the time that the Service Delivery Model, which is reviewing the workforce model, would deliver a substantial proportion of this gap.

“Unfortunately, currently, this has not been the case and the gap has now risen to £2.403m.

“Work is currently under way by the force to reduce this overspend and it is anticipated that this forecast will reduce as the year progresses.

“Any remaining balance will be funded from the capital/ transformation reserve.”

A Daventry family got behind the wheel of their beloved VW camper van at the weekend to raise money for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Tania Hales-Richardon was one of hundreds of VW owners who cruised around the M25 on Sunday for the charity.

She was joined by her two daughters Elise and Amelia, who have set their fundraising target at £1,000.

Tania said: “I wanted to support the trust because the service they provide is unique and means teenagers with cancer are treated as individuals in an appropriate setting which promotes and supports their mental well being as much as helping the medical side.

“Also as a parent, God forbid that my children needed such a service but if they did, I would want to know their were people out there supporting it and making it happen.

She is still appealing for sponsors and said every penny collected even after the even run will help make a differnce.

“There is also a documentary being made about it,” added Tania.

“It attracted 400 vehicles involved - around 10 miles of VWs - we had an epic adventure on the way.”

John Emberton, managing director of National Lock & Safe turned what was an off the cuff remark, a fantasy, a ‘joke post on a forum’ into reality.

“I have always had a passion for VW vans and have driven them on various occasions for both work and play,” he said.

“I realised the Run the Ring event could be one of the longest cruises of VW Transporter Vans ever seen in the UK so I started a new group on Facebook called VW M25 Run the Ring.”

For more information or to donate, visit www.runthering.co.uk

A Daventry musician who plays around the world appeared before a local group.

At its latest monthly meeting Daventry and District U3A enjoyed the music and singing of Sara Spade, ‘the Ukulele Lady’.

Sara who originates from Daventry kept her audience of over 120 members entertained as she interspersed her performance with stories from her life.

Beginning with the title song of her latest album ‘The Boy Next door’ Sara covered a wide variety of numbers including her ‘vintage’ songs from the 1920s to the 1950s and her own compositions.

In between she outlined her life in music from her performances at Southbrook School, her musical training in the USA and UK before discovering the ukulele. Sara explained that she took to the ukulele because it produced a cheerful sound to accompany lively and upbeat songs.

Although still living locally Sara and her band, the Noisy Boys, are in demand at concerts and festivals throughout Britain and are respected by leading musicians such as Jools Holland and Jamie Cullum.

A spokesman said: “U3A members were delighted that Sara found time to spend the afternoon with them and enthusiastically applauded her performance.

“The Daventry and District U3A not only has a monthly meeting at Daventry Community Centre but also has 28 Interest groups each of which meets at least once a month. It is an organisation for retired and semi-retired people and new members are always welcome. More information about the U3A can be found at http://u3asites.org.uk/daventry/home.”

The owner of a Northamptonshire-based IT consulting company is one of 18 new candidates starring in the BBC1's The Apprentice.

Karthik Nagesan, aged 33, lives in Kettering and will be taking on the challenges set by Lord Alan Sugar when the new series begins next month.

According to the profile on the BBC's website, Mr Nagesan says his friends would describe him "as a born leader who takes charge and blazes a trail".

Karthik cites his role model as Alexander the Great because he was "a master strategist and a brilliant tactician".

He believes he is firm yet polite, making him the ultimate ‘human magnet’, the website adds.

He is also quoted as saying, "If I wanted to be like everyone else, I’d have waxed my monobrow".

In his interview video, he says: “I’ve got a nice little – nice big – monobrow. For the last ten years, people have been telling me: ‘Pluck it out, be like everybody else, have two eyebrows,’ but Karthik – or the big K – is not somebody who’s like everybody else.”

The Daventry district is one of the safest places in the country to buy food from restaurants and takeaways, figures have shown.

Research into the outcomes of Food Standards Agency inspections, carried out locally by officers from Daventry District Council, showed our area had a pass rate in the top 10 across the whole UK.

The results of inspections are a Food Standards Rating, marked from zero to five, which businesses may display in the form of a green notice.

The inspections judge how the business follows food safety rules and the hygiene of their premises and work.

Premises in England are not required to display their ratings – usually in the form of a green poster or sticker – but are encouraged to do so for customers’ information.

In Daventry district only four out of 558 establishments (0.7 per cent) failed the FSA 
hygiene inspection – a score of two or lower is considered a fail with businesses needing to make improvements 
to meet the standards required.

Nationally 6.4 per cent of all places inspected had failed their inspections.

Restaurants, cafes and canteens (including those at schools and colleges) in the district had a pass rate of 99.1 per cent, while takeaways and sandwich shops had a pass rate of 96.8 per cent.

Other districts in the UK within the top 10 were the Orkney Islands, North Devon, South Ayrshire, Torridge, Harrogate, Cannock Chase, West Dorset, Suffolk Coastal and Anglesey.

At the other end of the national scale, in Newham in London, 30.7 per cent of restuarants failed, and 50.4 per cent of takeaways failed.

In Northampton, overall 5.7 per cent of establishments failed – still better than the national average. But inspectors gave passing grades to only 83.6 per cent of takeaways and sandwich shops.

In South Northamptonshire, the fail rate was 2.1 per cent. 97.9 per cent of restaurants passed, as did 89.2 per cent of sandwich shops and takeaways.

Councillor Mike Warren, health and housing portfolio holder at Daventry District Council, said: “We are pleased and very proud to be able to say that Daventry district is among the safest places to eat in the country.

“It’s testament not only to the hard work and professionalism of our local food businesses, but also to the dedication and expertise of our Environmental Health Officers, who carry out regular checks on all food premises and work with them to ensure high standards are maintained.”

The ratings of all businesses inspected in the district can be found online at http://ratings.food.gov.uk/.

Walkers are needed in the Daventry area to help some of Britain’s most disadvantaged youngsters.

The Countryfile television programme is staging a ramble weekend as part of a Children in need charity drive.

Local walker Jim Davis has organised a sponsored 11-mile circular ramble from Badby village on Sunday, October 9.

The Three River Ramble skirts widely around the ancient hill fort site of Arbury Hill. At 225m the flat topped summit of Northampton sand is the highest point in Northamptonshire.

Three separate rivers rise within this walk circuit - The Nene, Cherwell and the Leam.

Walkers should download a sponsorship form from the Countryfile website on the BBC and get sponsors.

If you would like to take part in the Badby walk you can contact Jim Davis on 01327 872654

The Three River Ramble will start from outside The Windmill public House at 10am.

The search is on for people to join Daventry Music and Performing Arts Centre - particularly clarinet players.

Members meet on Saturdays during term-time at DSLV in Daventry, from 9.30am - 12.30pm.

Anna Langton, secretary of the Friends of Daventry Music Centre, said: “We met for the first time this term on September 17 and it was lovely to see a good turnout of youngsters aged 18 and under.

“There is still plenty of room to sign up if you are interested.”

She said more clarinet players are needed. Anna added: “I’d like to know where all the clarinet players aged 18 and under are. If you’re not already swimming, running or otherwise involved in sport, drama or a county group on Saturday mornings, then you’d be particularly welcome at Concert Band, which is currently missing a clarinet section and the flute players need some help with the tune.

“The Symphony Orchestra could do with more members in all sections; woodwind, strings, brass and percussion. Anyone interested can be assured of a warm welcome.”

For details, visit www.nmpat.co.uk

Northamptonshire Police have released the name of the motorcyclist who sadly died after a traffic collision on Saturday.

Gary Bates of Epping Walk, Daventry, aged 49, was seriously injured in the collision on Charwelton Road towards Preston Capes, at the junction with a road heading towards Woodford Halse, on Saturday 24 September.

He died in hospital the following day.

Mr Bates was riding an orange KTM motorcycle when it collided with a red BMW 1 series at the junction at around 1.50pm.

The BMW driver, a 32-year-old man, was arrested at the scene.

Anyone with information or who witnessed this incident is asked to call the ‘Drivewatch Hotline’ on 0800 174615.

Daventry’s MP has visited an expanding business in the town that is creating new jobs locally.

On Tuesday Chris Heaton-Harris MP visited Daventry roofing and ventilation manufacturer Hambleside Danelaw’s manufacturing base in the town to see its new £4.6 million expansion project taking shape.

Hambleside’s aim is to double its Glass Reinforced Polymer (GRP) production to meet the growing needs of its customer base.

The new facility is located in a purpose built 30,000 square foot building provided by Daventry District Council in Long March. The building incorporates Hambleside’s own low carbon rooflights and achieves an excellent BREEAM rating for environmental sustainability.

The project will help the company to gear up for the challenges and opportunities of Brexit and represents a strong base in the middle of the country close to the major logistics and warehousing hubs servicing the UK’s construction industry.

The project will generate up to 20 new jobs in the locality.

Chris Heaton-Harris said: “Last week we had upbeat news about the economy which has forced the OECD to revise its Brexit forecasts for the UK and today I have seen more evidence why.

“Working closely in partnership with Daventry District Council, Hambleside Danelaw has displayed its confidence in the future outlook by investing heavily in an expanded facility in Long March.

“Not only are we seeing the creation of more jobs for local people, but Daventry has an advanced manufacturing company with cutting edge technology that compares with the best in the East Midlands.

“I look forward to working with Hambleside Danelaw to see how we can maximise the opportunities that Brexit offers.”

A pair of brothers from a Daventry chippy have been hailed as life-savers after performing vital CPR on a colleague.

Beth Nicholls, aged 17, who works at Michael’s Golden Chippy on the town’s Headlands estate, collapsed at work after suffering a cardiac arrest.

Thanks to the efforts of brothers Mario and Pep Forgione, Beth is now recovering in hospital.

The brothers have been hailed for not only saving Beth’s life, but for promptly starting CPR which kept her brain oxygenated and prevented it suffering damage.

Just after 9pm on Saturday, September 17, Beth and the rest of the staff were starting to tidy up in the chip shop.

Pep said: “Beth turned to talk with Mario but then she just collapsed.

“Mario went straight to her, I called 999 as she’d hit her head.”

Mario said: “Beth went into a sort of seizure.

“Pep was relaying what the paramedics on the phone were saying. They told us to open her airway, but her neck had swollen so I had to force her mouth open. Then they told us to move her into the recovery position. That’s when she let out this last breath and her heart stopped.”

Beth had suffered a cardiac arrest – she had no history of heart problems and no symptoms beforehand.

Pep said: “The paramedic talked us through doing CPR on Beth.

“Mario did the work really, I was just on the phone passing on information between them.”

Mario said: “I’d never been trained to do CPR. It was around 15 minutes before the first paramedic arrived. I kept on doing chest compressions right up until the ambulance arrived and after that as well.”

Beth’s mother Sam said: “We were out at my other daughter’s new house celebrating their move when I got a call that Beth had collapsed at work. We drove over thinking it might be from the heat or something. When we got there the paramedics were using the defibrillator on her.

“That’s when the worst things go through your mind.”

Beth was rushed to hospital and stabilised.

Sam said: “When Beth woke up the doctors warned us she may have suffered brain damage from a lack of oxygen. But she was fine – you wouldn’t even know what had happened to her!

“The paramedics said in their experience not one person had survived what Beth had gone through.

“It’s all down to Mario and Pep. Not only did they save Beth’s life, they did CPR which stopped her getting brain damage.”

Beth is now awaiting an operation to fit an internal cardiac defibrillator – a device that will act automatically if she ever suffers the same problem.

Mario said: “It wasn’t until we got home and I spoke to Pep on the phone that it hit home. It’s definitely affected us, but the important thing is that Beth is OK.

“Doing CPR on someone you know, your colleague and friend, and worrying about doing something wrong and what might happen is scary.

“I think it should be taught in schools. I’ve encouraged all the staff here to download the St John Ambulance app so they know what to do.”

Speeding and dangerous driving have been identified as the top three policing priorities for every district and Borough in Northamptonshire.

Increasng police visibility and parking issues, particularly around schools, were the second and third top priorities across the county.

Police visibility was a particularly significant issue in Corby and Northampton, whilst tackling drugs was of mroe importance in Wellingborough and Daventry.

Anti-social behaviour and burglary were also issues mentioned by many people who responded the Police and Crime Commissioner’ survey.

The report states: “The main concerns of the public relate to speeding, dangerous driving and parking, and more broadly preventing drug-related crime, burglary and tidying up rubbish and litter.

“The public shared their views that these issues should be tackled with greater visibility, which actually means community engagement, education and improved opportunities for young people and through improving relationships between communities.”

It has been recommended the county force develops public information sharing strategies, including social media and the local press, to demonstrate where the police are dealing with minor crime and local community issues.

Another recommendation is to review foot and vehicle patrol plans, ensuring police visibility is targeted and tied in to engaging with local community groups and volunteers, addressing areas of highest deprivation, highest concerns about victimisation, lowest community cohesion and areas where shared public spaces are dominated by one group.

A week after she was taken from outside her home in East Haddon, Northamptonshire Police have re-issued an appeal for help in finding Cocker spaniel, Poppy.

The chocolate brown puppy disappeared just before 4.30pm on Wednesday September 21. Police believe she may have been taken to the Harlow area of Essex later that day but a week later she could be anywhere in the country.

“I can’t describe how awful the last few days have been,” says Poppy’s owner, Gilly.

“We miss Poppy desperately. There’s a huge, gaping hole in our lives at the moment. All we care about is getting Poppy home where she belongs. There is a no-questions-asked reward for Poppy’s safe return.”

A Facebook page was started within hours of Poppy’s disappearance. It has been visited by millions and the pinned post describing Poppy’s appearance has been shared 55,000 times. “Amid the despair and sadness we feel, I can’t describe how touched we’ve been by the response to Poppy being taken,” says Gilly.

“The kindness of people, many of whom are complete strangers, has been truly humbling.”

Poppy is nearly six months old but small for her age. She is microchipped and docked. She has a few white hairs under her bottom lip and was wearing a red collar when she disappeared.

The family is appealing for anybody with any information, however insignificant they believe it might be, to please come forward.

“We’d also ask that whoever has Poppy now – even if you bought her in good faith – to please leave her somewhere safe, such as a vet, or to get in touch with us. We don’t care about the who or the why she was taken, we just need Poppy back home with her family,” says James, Gilly’s partner.

The Find Poppy Facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/FindCockerSpanielPoppy/

Twitter @FindPoppyCocker

A Northamptonshire County Council social worker has won a national award in recognition of her work with teenagers in foster care.

Mel Godfrey received the outstanding contribution by a social worker award at The Fostering Network’s Fostering Excellence Awards this week.

Mel, who has been a supervising social worker for teenagers for 36 years, works with remand foster carers who support young people in care who are in the youth justice system.

She was chosen as this year’s winner after the judges recognised that she goes the extra mile for the carers she works with.

When one carer was assaulted by their young person Mel stayed with her until she was calm and confident enough to be on her own again and she followed up with phone calls to the carer in the subsequent days to offer support.

Helma van Haren, a remand carer with Northamptonshire County Council who nominated Mel for the award, said: “Mel is also not afraid to intervene on a child’s behalf and contact their social worker if she feels more could be done to provide the best possible care.

“She listens to her carers and acts to improve their situation in any way she can.

“I know that if Mel hadn’t been there I would not still be doing my job.

“Her 24/7 availability, to both her carers and their charges, is what makes her special and invaluable.”

Kevin Williams, chief executive of The Fostering Network, the UK’s leading fostering charity, said: “Mel is a social worker who values close knit communities of foster carers, social workers, and others in the team around the child so that they can always secure the best outcomes for children.

“She is an inspiration to others, and a rock for the carers that she supports.”

County council cabinet member for children’s services Cllr Matthew Golby said: “This award is incredibly well-deserved and a wonderful way to recognise Mel’s hard work and dedication.

“The foster carers she supports tell us that Mel consistently goes above and beyond to make a difference to their lives and, on behalf of our foster carers and their families, I’d like say a massive thank you and well done!”

Northamptonshire County Council is looking to recruit more foster carers for different types of fostering, including short term, permanent, emergency foster care, remand foster care, providing homes for siblings or even short breaks for parents of children with disabilities.

A full training and support package for foster carers is available, and carers receive a competitive weekly payment which is higher than the government recommended rates.

For more information, visit www.fosterme.co.uk or call 0300 126 1009.

Community groups that make a difference to Northamptonshire nominated for Community Foundation awards

An intergenerational dance group, a refuge for women experiencing domestic abuse, a support and befriending service for older people, a resource centre for recyclable goods and a project that provides leisure and social activities for adults living with a learning disability are just a few of the Northamptonshire groups nominated for awards tonight.

Northamptonshire Community Foundation is celebrating its 15tha anniversary at this year’s special anniversary awards, the ceremony is being sponsored by The University of Northampton & Rathbones Investment and will be held at Northampton’s Royal Theatre on Thursday September 29, will see groups from Kettering, Corby, Daventry, Northampton and Northamptonshire all up for awards.

All the shortlisted groups received funding from the county’s independent grant giving charity Northamptonshire Community Foundation in 2015-16 – funding which enabled the projects to get off the ground and thrive.

The variety in groups nominated for awards in the foundation’s categories reflects the outstanding diversity in grants awarded by Northamptonshire Community Foundation.

Victoria Miles, chief executive of Northamptonshire Community Foundation, said: "Our Annual Awards evening has become a much anticipated celebratory event in the county calendar and one that we all very much look forward to in recognising the outstanding successes of our unsung heroes."

In addition to the categories and nominees listed below there will be awards made on the evening to recognise outstanding High Sheriff Initiative groups and the Lady Juliet Townsend Volunteer Award.

This year to mark the foundation’s 15th birthday, awards will be given to the winning photographs from the 15th anniversary Capture the Moment photography Competition, celebrating community life in Northamptonshire.

Burglars took jewellery during a house break-in in Wellingborough yesterday (Wednesday, September 28)

A house was searched and jewellery taken during the burglary at a property in Great Park Street, Wellingborough.

At some time between 4pm and 9pm, the offender knocked through the upper glass panel of the back door and entered the house.

Noise was heard at the property between 7.30pm and 8pm, and could possibly have been the time of the burglary.

Anyone with information can contact Northamptonshire police on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Job seekers in greater Lincolnshire can now access tailored support to help them get back into work thanks to a new project.

Greater Lincolnshire MOVE ‘Moving On: Volunteering and Employability’ is a £2.1 million three-year Big Lottery Fund and European Social Fund (ESF) funded Building Better Opportunities project aiming to help people into paid work.

Jennie Eaton, Greater Lincolnshire MOVE project coordinator, said: “MOVE is not just about sending people on courses and then leaving them to it.

“Jobseekers will have ongoing support from an advisor who will be there every step of the way to help them identify what they would like to do, how to do it and how to overcome hurdles that are standing in their way.

“Whether a jobseeker needs support to build their confidence, skills, overcome a health challenge – whatever their own personal obstruction to employment – MOVE advisors have the time, patience and skill to find the help that individual needs to achieve their goal.”

A network of 24 organisations are working together to make help available in the whole of the county – not just in the city and bigger towns.

Lincolnshire Community and Voluntary Service (LCVS) is helping to deliver the project in a coastal strip of Lincolnshire covering parts of East Lindsey (including Mablethorpe, Trusthorpe and Sutton on Sea, Skegness, Ingoldmells, Chapel St Leonards and Wainfleet), Boston (coastal marsh villages such as Fishtoft, Frampton and Fosdyke) and South Holland (including Holbeach, Long Sutton, Sutton Bridge and Whaplode).

David Fannin, LCVS chief executive, said: “The whole ethos of MOVE fits perfectly with what LCVS does at our volunteer centres in Louth, Boston and Spalding. We regularly see people who take up volunteering and find the confidence and skills they need to go on to paid work. Volunteering can be life changing, particularly when you have extra support on health and other positive life choices, tailored to your needs, which we will provide in this project.

“We’re delighted to be involved in this exciting new project which will transform lives.”

LCVS Volunteer Centres match would-be volunteers with volunteering opportunities in their local area.

MOVE is completely free and independent of Job Centre Plus – participation is not mandatory, and jobseekers cannot be sanctioned if they decide it’s not for them.

Financial help is available for travel, childcare and respite care costs, making it even easier for people to take part.

MOVE offers jobseekers:

• Confidential, one-to-one support from a MOVE advisor

• Help to set and achieve their goals

• Training and qualifications

• Employability support, including CV writing, application form help and practice interviews

• Job clubs and help with job searches

• Work experience and an up to date references through volunteering

• Transferable and practical skills development

• Ongoing support, even after you start work, volunteering or training

• Access to ‘My Work Search’, an online employment skills, training and job search programme

Individuals can sign up to MOVE themselves or, with their consent, be referred by other agencies and organisations.

Participants must be out of work and eligible to work in the UK.

Individuals are invited for an initial chat to help find out a bit more about what is on offer. If they decide they wish to take part, LCVS will double check their eligibility and then work with them to identify work goals and plan how to achieve them together. Participants will be in control of what services they wish to use and won’t be made to do anything they’re not comfortable with.

If you’re a jobseeker who lives in the coastal area of East Lindsey, Boston or South Holland or work with jobseekers in that area and would like more information on the free support on offer via greater Lincolnshire MOVE, contact LCVS via www.lincolnshirecvs.org.uk , email enquiries@lincolnshirecvs.org.uk or call your local LCVS office by following the options on 01205 510888.

To find out about free support on offer to jobseekers keen get back into paid work on offer via Greater Lincolnshire MOVE in other parts of the county contact jennie@voluntarycentreservices.org.uk or 01529 308450.

A Northamptonshire pub is in line to win the title of Best British Roast Dinner 2016.

The Narrow Boat at Weedon pub has been announced as the regional winner for the Midlands in the Best British Roast Dinner competition, part of British Roast Dinner Week, which runs until October 2.

The Narrow Boat at Weedon impressed a judging panel led by renowned food critic Charles Campion thanks to its freshly cooked lamb and beef roasts – made from the finest locally sourced ingredients – which are both cooked rare to start and then finished to order.

Having won the regional title for the Midlands - The Narrow Boat at Weedon will now go head to head with the other four regional winners before one of them will be crowned with the national title of Best British Roast Dinner 2016.

Chris Brown, channel trade marketing manager at Unilever Food Solutions, said: “In five years of running this competition, we’ve never seen so many delicious entries.

"The Narrow Boat at Weedon can be extremely proud of winning the regional title – and its regulars can be proud to say they their local boasts one of the best pub roasts in the country. I’m sure they’ll join us in wishing The Narrow Boat at Weedon the best of luck as we approach the final stage of the competition.”

The national winner will be announced at the end of British Roast Dinner Week on Sunday October 2, 2016.

British Roast Dinner Week is a campaign sponsored by Colman’s® and supported by KNORR® created to celebrate the UK’s favourite pub meal. It encourages pubs to put on a roast every day of the week, after research from Unilever Food Solutions showed that almost half of consumers want to see a roast on the menu every day.

The week will see pubs across the UK put a roast on every day of the week, encouraging people to support their local by dropping in to enjoy a classic pub roast.

An open weekend is being held by a golf club for anyone interested in trying out the sport.

Daventry and District Golf Club will hold open days this Saturday and Sunday (October 1 and 2).

The free vent will give anybody the chance to try the game at the club’s course, off Norton Road.

People can use the golf simulator and play on the Ryder Cup course, or try the driving range and practice bunkers and have a go at putting, plus other things such as nearest the flag competitions. All are welcome and you can take the children along as they can try as well.

Club is open both days from 9am to 4pm.

Refreshments will be available.

The open days comes just after Dan Haynes set a new course record of 65 at Daventry Golf Club after only being a full member for five years.

The Narrow Boat at Weedon pub is proudly displaying the award on its wall after a Best British Roast Dinner judging panel, led by food critic Charles Campion, gave them the good news that it was the best joint in the region.

And head chef Kirsty Collins said: “It felt pretty awesome to be chosen for making the best version of what is the favourite English meal.

“To be honest, I’m always working on Sundays so I never get to taste anyone else’s roasts, but I know we do a good one.”

Kirsty said the Narrow Boat goes by the principle that proper gravy is the key to tantalising the taste buds of customers but there are a number of factors that elevate it.

She said: “It’s all about the gravy. We make it properly with bones and veg and it’s a long process. You’ve got to do it slowly.

“But you have to have all the elements - top quality meat from the butcher like our orchard-reared pork or our Herefordshire beef, which is matured for 28 days and has marbling for extra flavour.

“And we fluff up the roast potatoes in the colander then crisp them with beef fat. Nice big Yorkshires are important too.”

Having won the regional title for the Midlands, The Narrow Boat - which is off the A5 near the Grand Union Canal - will now go head-to-head with the other four regional winners before one of them will be crowned with the national title of Best British Roast Dinner 2016 next week.

To celebrate, this Sunday the Narrow Boat will offer a one-off dish of chicken with sausage meat-stuffed legs roasted in a pan. 

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