'NAME NEW SCHOOL IN HONOUR OF HERO BRYAN'

Scunthorpe Telegraph Monday 20th December 2006

Calls to name a school after Scunthorpe hero Bryan Budd have been backed by his stepfather.

 
Cpl Budd, who was last week posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross after sacrificing his life in saving comrades, could become a namesake for the new school, amalgamating South Leys and Thomas Sumpter, after a suggestion by a Scunthorpe Telegraph reader.And his stepdad, Trevor Girdham, said: "If either the school or a street was named after Bryan, it would be wonderful.

"I and the rest of the family would certainly support it.

"It's not everyday somebody receives the Victoria Cross.

"If there was something named after him it would highlight what he did and why he did it.

"He was a devoted soldier. What he did showed valour, courage and bravery. If anything in Scunthorpe was left to commemorate this it would be a lasting tribute for the family and something which other people could look up to."

Cpl Budd was a former Thomas Sumpter pupil, and the idea first came in a letter to the Scunthorpe Telegraph from reader Alan Waites, who suggested it could be a suitable way for the area to show its appreciation.

He said: "It would give the town the chance to really show how it feels about the young people who put themselves in danger for us.

"It would also possibly stop the bickering that no doubt will go ahead regarding the name of the new school. Nobody should argue with the school being named after a real life hero who actually attended one of the schools.

"He was only an ordinary boy, and not a local dignitary, but he actually died trying to be the best he could. Is that not something for the town to be proud of?"

And Coun Margaret Sidell, North Lincolnshire Council cabinet member for children and young people's services, also supported the idea.

She said: "It would most certainly be a fitting tribute and a very fine start in the process of deciding on a name.

"The decision, however, is out of the hands of the council and is one which must be taken by the governing body. To name the school after Cpl Budd is an idea worth giving all due consideration by the governors though."

A temporary governing body for the new school will be set up on January 10, and it will appoint a head teacher and disband on August 31 with a new full time body being set up on September 2.

Cpl Budd, of the 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment (3 Para), was the first person since the Falklands conflict to be awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously.

On two occasions he saved the lives of his comrades in the district of Sangin, part of the Helmand province in Afghanistan. Sadly, on the second occasion, August 20 this year, Cpl Budd did not survive.
 

WILL YOUR MEAL BE A RIGHT TURKEY?

Scunthorpe Telegraph Monday 18th December 2006

Christmas day is for fun, frolics and family, but it can often end up wrecked by kitchen nightmares.

Someone is destined to spend hours slaving away in the kitchen, trying to dish up the perfect Christmas meal.But things never go according to plan, and the bird is sure to be too big for the oven - or the roast potatoes come out burnt.

So, the Scunthorpe Telegraph went to Winteringham Fields, the 16th century manor house restaurant in Winteringham, in search of tips on how to prepare the perfect Christmas meal.

Head chef Robert Thompson (24) was on hand to pass on his expertise. He said: "My ultimate top tip would be not to cook yourself, but go out for a nice meal.

"But if you are going to cook your own Christmas dinner, then prepare everything in advance.

"Prepare the vegetables and gravy the day before."

He said something for every palate was the key to a successful Christmas spread. "It's ideal to have a good choice.

"If you're cooking poultry, get your butcher to put three or four birds inside each other - there's a good recipe for this on the website of TV programme River Cottage at www.rivercottage.net

"Adding beef, lamb or pork to the menu makes it extra special as well."

For dessert, Robert recommends the traditional Christmas pud.

But, he said: "If you haven't made one by now, you will need to buy it, as it won't be ready in time.

"The best time to start making a Christmas pudding is July or August."

The restaurant is closed on Christmas Day, so Robert can spend the special day at home.

He said: "In the run-up to Christmas, we go from serving 250 meals a week to serving anywhere between 300 to 400.

"Everyone who comes to the restaurant at Christmas is given a glass of mulled wine to greet them.

"People get all the fun of Christmas but we take festive ideas, turn them round and play with them a bit, to give them something different."

So, try not to panic - follow Robert's advice, and the Christmas dinner will be fit for all the family.

For more information on Winteringham Fields, visit

www.winteringhamfields.com

WAR HERO GIVEN VC

Scunthorpe Telegraph Thursday 14th December 2006

Scunthorpe soldier Corp Bryan Budd will posthumously receive the Victoria Cross, it has been revealed.The 29-year-old former North Lincolnshire resident is the first person to receive the prestigious award in nearly 25 years.

The paratrooper was shot by Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan on August 20 in Sangin.

The Telegraph understands Corp Budd's widow, 23-year-old Lorena, will receive the award on his behalf at Buckingham Palace in the New Year.

Corp Budd had been in the Army for 10 years, since passing his basic training in 1995.

He enjoyed a distinguished career after being enlisted into the Parachute Regiment, then passing the rigorous selection process for 16 Air Assault Brigade's Pathfinder Platoon, an elite unit specially trained for long -range reconnaissance missions.

While part of that platoon he served in many military 'hotspots', including Yugoslavia, Sierra Leone, Macedonia, Afghanistan and Iraq.

In May 2002 he passed his section commander's battle course with distinction, and was on the cusp of promotion to Platoon Sergeant.

He was a qualified army combat survival instructor, rock climber and freefall parachutist.

In 2004, Cpl Budd was posted to the Infantry Training Centre, at Harrogate, where it was his responsibility to help train young future soldiers.

He then joined A Company, 3 Para, in early June this year, serving in Helmand Province.

Cpl Budd was married to Lorena, and was dad to two-year-old daughter Isabelle.

Mrs Budd has since given birth to their second child. She was eight months pregnant when her husband was tragically killed.

PLANS FOR HEDGE

Scunthorpe Telegraph Wednesday 13th December 2006

Winteringham Parish Council is looking to replace a hedge in the village.

The December meeting heard the council will write to North Lincolnshire Council for advice about replacing the hedge on the Hewde Lane side of the playing field and also find out if planning permission would be needed for this.The next meeting will be in the council room at the village hall on Tuesday, January 9, at 7.30pm, where the precept for 2007 will be discussed.

PUPILS EARN PRAISE FOR TEST RESULTS

Scunthorpe Telegraph Thursday 7th December 2006

English test results for 11-year-olds in North Lincolnshire have reached a record high.

But education chiefs said the figures overall did not quite match last year's. Performance tables published today showed how pupils at the 57 primary and junior schools had performed in Key Stage Two tests in English, maths and science.

The compulsory tests are based on the National Curriculum and are graded from levels one to five, with level four being the Government target.

The tables allow parents, teachers and pupils to see how their school is performing.

The percentage achieving level four or above in English was 78 per cent - a record for the local education authority but the figure is still one per cent below the national average.

In maths, schools in North Lincolnshire scored 74 per cent, compared to the national average of 76 per cent.

In science, they scored 85 per cent, two percentage points behind the national average.

Coun Margaret Sidell, cabinet member for education at North Lincolnshire Council, said: "The results out today show our schools continue to do an excellent job. We have almost managed to maintain last year's very high results for 11-year-olds.

"The record high level results in English bode well for the future. This is a key subject and one locally the council and schools have been working hard on.

"Testing can be stressful for younger pupils. But the results do help schools and the council plan for the future. I congratulate pupils on another set of good results."

The schools which jointly received the highest combined score for the three core subjects were Winteringham Primary School and South Ferriby Primary School. Both scored 300. The school with the lowest score was Henderson Avenue Primary School, which achieved a combined score of 172.

The number of pupils reaching level five, which is the level above the expected performance of pupils for this age, showed 30 per cent reached level five in English and maths - and 44 per cent in science.

Westwoodside C of E Primary School achieved the highest 'value added'score in the region.

The 'value added' performance tables show how much schools have raised pupils' achievements since they began at the school to their being assessed at 11.

Sean Smith, headteacher at Hibaldstow Primary School, said staff, children and parents there were delighted with the school's success in this year's tests.

The results across all three subjects showed a massive improvement over last year. A total of 47 per cent of children achieved level five in English.

Mr Smith said: "The children have performed brilliantly in their tests and the results are excellent. The school had some extremely challenging targets this year and it has not only met all of them, but far exceeded them. They deserve a big 'well done'."

Killingholme Primary School achieved an impressive 92 per cent pass rate at level four for all three subjects. Headteacher John Pearson said: "This is a big achievement by the children - they are the ones who have done all the work."

It was only six years ago the school was in 'special measures'. Now the school is among the top schools achieving high value added scores.

But the headteacher said he wanted to continue to improve on this and was working with parents of younger children to give them as much support now as he could.