YULE FIND IT HARD TO STOCK UP LARD

Scunthorpe Telegraph 18th November 2004

Cooks could have fat chance of creating a truly traditional Christmas dinner this year, due to a shortage of one vital ingredient - lard.
Forget the Cold War, the Eastern Europeans have found a much easier way to upset us Brits, by stockpiling cheap cuts of pork. Increased demand from sausage and salami-munching new members of the European Union has led to a shortfall in available pork to turn into lard.
The lack of lard has come about as new member states, including Hungary and Poland, are buying within the EU to avoid a levy on non-EU imports.
Although many people may not realise it, lard is used to make many of the tasty treats associated with the festive season, such as mince pies, Christmas pudding and good old roast potatoes.
Supermarkets across North Lincolnshire said they were rapidly running out of the 'white stuff', and were now warning stocks were running low. There are fears the shortage could spark panic-buying, leaving empty shelves in the run-up to Christmas.
Morrisons, on the Lakeside Retail Park at Ashby Ville, has put up notices informing customers of a general shortage of lard.
Scunthorpe's Asda store said it had already been forced to reduce the number of lines it carried, and had advised shoppers to check their local stores when possible to see if another delivery had come in.
A spokesman for the store said staff first noticed problems in getting hold of lard almost three weeks ago, but they were confident there would be enough to go round in the run-up to Christmas.
He said staff had reported instances of panic buying, with people who did not normally buy lard snapping up stocks just because they had heard of a shortage.
Unlike the traditional Yuletide fare, the unprecedented demand from Eastern European countries for the cheapest cuts of pork has been to meet their demand for altogether less traditionally festive foodstuffs, such as sausages, salamis and pies.
Head chef at Arties Mill in Castlethorpe, Ian Bowman, said a shortage could spell disaster for his pastry.
"It would be murder for my pies. People over here love their shortcrust pastry."
He said pies were one of the Mill's biggest sellers, but was not unduly panicked by the thought of being lard-less over Christmas.
"Lard certainly does add to the flavour. But if it comes to it, I will use butter, although it will not be very cost effective," he said.
The current crisis has probably not been matched since lard rationing during the Second World War.
Despite warnings about ballooning obesity rates in the UK and a trend towards the use of vegetable fats, many people, particularly the over 50s, swear lard is lord.
They insist it makes better tasting pastry, and frown on the use of margarine, which, they claim, makes pastry too short as well as being more pricey.
Annie Schwab, proprietor of the renowned Winteringham Fields restaurant, said they had not been affected by the problem, as they do their own butchery and render down their own meat for fat.
"We mainly use duck fat, but anyone who finds it difficult to find lard should maybe try rendering their own."
She said the best lard was home rendered, and was fairly easy to make.
After buying some nice fatty belly pork from the butcher, she recommended putting it in a low oven in a heavy pan for several hours.
Strain out the solids (cracklins), allow to cool and use when required.
Mrs Schwab also suggested, as the lack of lard begins to bite, now would be a good time for people to try alternatives, such as duck or goose fat.

'ALWAYS MAKING PEOPLE SMILE'

Scunthorpe Telegraph 5th November 2004

Tributes have been paid to Winteringham man Cyril Clarke, who believed laughter was the finest tonic anyone could enjoy and was constantly striving to help others.
A tireless worker for the Scunthorpe Hospital League of Friends, Cyril died recently, aged 83, in the intensive care unit of the hospital he so loyally supported. Born in Scunthorpe and educated at the town's grammar school, he spent his lifetime living and working in Winteringham. At school he excelled in languages and woodwork - two skills which became useful to him in later life.
When he left school he worked for several years on his father's farm and was always seeking new ways of improving farming efficiency.
At the beginning of the Second World War, Cyril served as an assistant labour officer at a prisoner of war camp in Northamptonshire. Although he could speak German, he went on to learn the Italian language at night school in a bid to reinforce communication levels with the prisoners and, in turn, improve food production.
In 1943 he married a local young lady, Barbara Moulds, at Winteringham Church - the same church where he later undertook warden duties with his dear friend and mentor Henry Brumby, and also volunteered to carry out numerous repair and maintenance projects.
Cyril and Barbara were soon drafted to essential war work and set up home in rented rooms in Wellingborough. They continued to work together to raise the money for a small independent arable business and eventually bought Walnut Farm in Silver Street, Winteringham.
Although at that time the business venture was considered to be a gamble, enterprising Cyril managed to extend his farm to some 200 acres by the time he retired from farming 15 years ago.
At this point his family included daughters Jennifer and Paula, both of whom helped out on the farm. His grandsons, Paula's children, Lawrence and Alexander, aged 11 and nine respectively, now live in Winteringham and attend the same village school which is just a short distance from their grandparents' home.
There are many people who came into contact with Cyril and have tales to tell of extensive bouts of heated discussion, but the outcome, more often than not, resulted in a friendly truce or resolution. And, as a general rule, there was a mutual desire to enter into another phase of the altercation on their next encounter.
An article published in the Scunthorpe Telegraph at the beginning of the 1990s clearly recorded his passionate pursuit of truth and justice.
This revealed speeding motorists had driven Cyril to resort to desperate measures to stop traffic on a busy Scunthorpe Road. Aged 70 at the time he studded a large wooden snow clearing board with red painted six-inch nails to scare drivers into stopping while he helped a disabled woman reach her car on the other side of busy Rowland Road. Furthermore, he vowed to lay the board in the middle of the road if they took as little notice of him as, he claimed, they did of the lollypop lady who attempted to escort Frodingham Infants School children across the same road.
Cyril was, at the time, helping out at therapeutic sessions for disabled people at Scunthorpe's Workers' Educational Association on Rowland Road. There, he was involved in the rehabilitation of a woman who had suffered a stroke but was too scared to cross the road to and from her car because of speeding motorists.
Even when he retired, Cyril's enthusiasm for life spurred him on to seek alternative interests. And, in addition to working tirelessly for the Scunthorpe Hospital League of Friends and his time spent with the WEA, he studied to become a fully qualified aromatherapist and practised several other complementary therapies to a high standard.
Cyril was also a qualified member of the National Federation of Spiritual Healers and his quest for perfection and attention to detail enabled him to alleviate much pain and suffering for his clients.
In any spare time he managed to find for himself, he would muster enough energy to cultivate beautiful dahlias which he would personally cut, sort, arrange and deliver to wards at Scunthorpe Hospital, including Stepping Stones, Disney and Ward 24.
Cyril would also supply cut flowers for numerous fundraising events and resolutely encourage anyone who would listen to buy raffle tickets for worthy causes.
His daughter Jennifer commented: "On a lighter note, he firmly believed laughter was also essential to good health for all. His favourite comedians were Ken Dodd and Tommy Cooper and he very much enjoyed clowning around with his two grandsons to encourage and develop their sense of humour."
Even though Cyril was not in the best of health during the last two years he was still constantly seeking to help others.
Jennifer said: "His latest enterprise was to help set up The Foundation for Well Being at 30 Crosby Road with Una Jackson and he also regularly attended monthly aromatheraptists liaison meetings.
"He spent his lifetime collecting favourite sayings and quips, but the most poignant seems to have been 'not to take life too seriously - we must all lighten up and put on a smile'. This was one of the many memorable quotes delivered from his bed in the Intensive Care Unit during his final stay in hospital. This, and telling nurses they should 'get themselves off home' because they were working too hard and it was way past the end of their shift!
"He died with dignity, peace and love surrounded by his family and diligently supported by the dedicated team on the ICU at Scunthorpe General Hospital."
A funeral service held at Winteringham Church was conducted by the Rev Alison Pledger and the address delivered by Canon Peter Hearn. Donations in lieu of flowers have been donated to the Hospital League of Friends.

LIFESTYLERS LOOKING AHEAD TO AWARDS CEREMONY

Scunthorpe Telegraph 2nd November 2004

Six teams of youngsters from North Lincolnshire, who took part in this year's Humberside Police Lifestyle Project, have been shortlisted to attend a special award ceremony.
As previously reported in the Telegraph, six teams, two of which were from this area, were selected by a panel of judges to go through to the final. Funky Friends II and the Keelby Crew, both from Scunthorpe, were named among the top six teams.
They are guaranteed either a holiday of a lifetime to Disney World Florida or an adventure holiday to France, including a day at Disneyland Paris.
But six more teams from North Lincolnshire have been selected to attend the award ceremony, where a number of prizes including adventure holidays to Wales and day trips to Alton Towers are up for grabs.
The Lifestyle Project was set up to challenge young people aged between 10 and 18 to team up with their friends and help their local community. This year hundreds of young people took part in the project.
The Lifestyle Awards Ceremony will take place at the Hull New Theatre next Tuesday at 7.30pm.
The teams invited to the awards night are:
Girlzone: Gemma Ashman, Laura Bell, Charlotte Firth, Amy Szakal and Abigail Ward of John Harrison CE Primary School, Barrow. They raised money for seven local charities
Smoke Busters: Rebecca Wells, Ashleigh Howes, Adam Wells and Barry Morley of Baysgarth School, New Holland CE and Methodist Primary School. The team offered free smoke alarms to homes in the Barrow-upon-Humber area
The Village People: Becky Jollands, Katie Ogg, Claire Snowden and Yasmin Snowden of Winterton Comprehensive School. The team raised funds for the roof of Winteringham Village Hall
Scunny Hunnies: Terri-Ann Frear, Emily Robinson, Heather Birkett and Sammi Carlile of Foxhills School Technology College. The team raised money for Lindsey Lodge Hospice
Three's a Crowd: Lynsey Dunkerley, Laura Bontoft and Rachel Baxter of Winterton Junior School and Winterton Comprehensive School. They wanted to help Winterton Playgroup and improve the outside play area
Funki 5 Alive: Beth Welburn, Louisa Malaspina, Kelly Major, Georgia Leighton and Megan Hinch of Brigg Primary School and Sir John Nelthorpe School. Raised money for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC).