Holbeach library’s new home in Fleet Street has been a hit with locals.

During its first week the library had 388 visitors with 320 books issued and 26 new members.

It’s one of 51 libraries in Lincolnshire, 36 of which are community hubs led by volunteers with the support of GLL, the council’s library provider. There’s 818 volunteers signed up to work at the community hubs, 22 of which are at the new Holbeach facility.

Coun Nick Worth, executive councillor for libraries, attended the official opening celebrations on Wednesday.

He said: “This is a wonderful facility for local people in Holbeach. The joy of the hubs is that they’re all different and respond to the needs of their local community.

“Our library service is bigger than it was in 2012 and communities are enjoying the benefits.”

Ursula Lidbetter, chief executive of Lincolnshire Co-op, added: “We share our profits with our members and their communities. One of the ways we do this is through investing in our services and sustaining vital community facilities, such as post offices and libraries.

“Creating this convenient hub is a great way to serve our loyal customers and members in Holbeach.”

Diana Edmonds, head of libraries for GLL, said: “GLL is a successful social enterprise with a strong track record of investing in public facilities and services for the community. We are delighted to partner with Lincolnshire Co-op and Lincolnshire County Council in the development of this new library facility.”

• Do you like the new community hub? Email your letters to jeremy.ransome@iliffepublishing.co.uk

Action, adventure and sci-fi fans went time travelling in Spalding where a cult TV and comic book fair landed on Sunday.

“GEEKS” South Lincs Comic-Con, at Springfields Events & Conference Centre, was the place for thousands of people to let their imaginations run wild by dressing up as their favourite fantasy and screen characters.

Visitors spent seven hours walking past amateur Doctor Whos, Grim Reaper, from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series, Batman and his arch enemy The Joker, as well as spending time at a range of exhibition stands.

Star guests on the day were ex-Doctor Who Colin Baker, Chris Barrie and Hattie Heyridge from TV sci-fi comedy series Red Dwarf, Virginia Hey from Mad Max 2 and Doctor Who villain Terry Molloy (Daleks’ creator Davros”

Organiser Mark Longman, said: “I was confident that it would be a busy show, but I didn’t think it would get the support it did because Spalding is a little bit rural.

“But it was very busy and even though we’d sold about 700 advanced tickets, we still had a substantial queue for on-the-door admissions.

“It exceeded my expectations and we’ve already booked the venue for next year.”

• For more photos from “GEEKS” South Lincs Comic-Con, but Thursday’s Spalding Guardian.

A Spalding mum who suffered the heartbreak of losing an unborn baby says her own life was saved by a pony called Lottie.

Adele Barker (34) had an ectopic pregnancy, which means the baby grows outside the mother’s womb.

The pregnancy ended inevitably and tragically in miscarriage.

Adele, who needed emergency surgery, suffered grief and something far more extreme – post traumatic stress disorder (PSTD) – although she didn’t recognise the illness until she heard about it months later on Radio 1.

Buying Lottie was the major turning point because the “scruffbag” pony helped Adele recover from PTSD.

Now Adele is forging links with Riding for the Disabled and Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity, in the hope that more women in Lincolnshire can win back their lives from miscarriage and PTSD by riding horses.

Adele said: “Lottie is incredible. She hadn’t been ridden when I bought her. She’s just my saviour. I adore her, although she’s a scruffbag.”

Adele believes she’s been luckier than some women because she already had three children, Maria (13), Jorja (11) and Layla (3).

But she and partner Nathan Read had tried for more than a year to have a baby and their growing joy after Adele became pregnant was shattered in June 2015.

“It’s a big adjustment for everybody to come to terms with it,” said Adele.

Gradually Adele realised she was feeling something more than grief but didn’t know what it was.

“I felt really detached from my family,” said Adele. “At one point I did want to drive off on my own and never come back – and this wasn’t normal for me. A few people I knew were pregnant and I just couldn’t be around them.”

Adele has always loved horses and felt getting back into horses would help.

She bought Lottie in October 2015 and has since bought a couple more.

“Getting back into horses literally saved my life,” said Adele. “Because of the horses I have been able to recover without any prescription drugs. When you ride, the stress just drains out of you. You just feel relaxed and really calm and happy.”

She says four in ten women who suffer an ectopic miscarriage have PTSD symptoms.

Adele has teamed up with the Louth-based Lincolnshire Wolds branch of Riding for the Disabled and a Boston-based bereavement team to get a riding scheme off the ground.

She aims to hold a public meeting in May and hopes to put information leaflets in hospitals and doctors’ surgeries.

• Women interested in getting involved can email infohorsesforhealth@gmail.com

Few people pass a driving test when they’re aged six years and ten months.

Alfie Elvin has done just that so he can race on the Micro F2
BriSCA stock car circuit.

Alfie is counting down the days to his seventh birthday on April 12, which means he can drive in his first official race at Skegness Stadium at the end of the month.

His family have had a £2,500 car specially made for Alfie, who will race on dad Jason’s old number, 525. Jason (43) started racing at 16, winning heats and finals until retiring from the circuit in 2006.

Micro F2s have a top speed of around 40mph but Alfie has proven his expertise in driving and mastery of essential safety skills by passing his Junior Driver Competence Course.

Alfie’s great aunt, Jane Truepenny, is also a former racing driver and, together with husband Ian, has nurtured Alfie’s love of the sport by taking him to stock car meetings all over the country.

Jane said: “He was probably about six to nine-months-old when we first took him to a race – he was still in his buggy.”

Alfie goes to Gosberton Clough and Risegate Primary School and his teachers will watch Alfie’s debut.

Mum Karen, who manages estate agent Morriss and Mennie in Spalding, said: “He lives for racing and when the season is on he goes all over the country.”

• Email your news to lynne.harrison@iliffepublishing.co.uk

Harry Potter star Warwick Davis has praised a Donington family for the part they are playing in raising awareness of the charity Little People UK.

Warwick and his wife, Sammy, chatted to Jessica Ward (11) at Little People’s get together a few days ago – and posed for a picture in front of a lorry that takes Jessica’s and Little People’s names across the country.

The special livery was created by Pinchbeck firm CPT Distribution for a lorry driven by Jessica’s dad, Carl (42), and the eight-tonne vehicle will star in a “truck pull” when Little People UK hold a big get together in the autumn.

When the truck was first painted in November, Carl drove his special cab to surprise Jessica at Thomas Cowley High School and said then: “I am amazed that the business would do this.”

The family are thrilled with everything the firm has done for them and they are today asking our readers to donate to Little People UK so families across the country affected by dwarfism can benefit from a charity they consider to be their lifeline.

Jessica’s mum, Laura (32), said families like hers would feel totally isolated if they had no one to turn to and Little People UK provides a ready made community where they can share problems or simply chat with people who understand.

She said: “Little People is a charity very close to our hearts and it has a mega impact on Jessica and our family life.

“The charity helps with advice and there’s a Facebook page where people can chat away.”

It also provides opportunities for families to meet and have fun, and Laura feels it is every bit as important for sons Nathan (13) and Ashley (8) as it is for Jessica.

Jessica has come close to losing her life several times due to medical complications arising from hydrocephalus (fluid on the brain) and has had blue light, emergency ambulance rides to hospital.

Jessica battles other health problems, including arthritis, and has had to cope with a prolonged spell of having metal callipers on her legs.

She is a regular visitor to hospitals in Sheffield, Nottingham and London.

In spite of all of her health problems Jessica always finds a way to bounce back.

“She’s a little fighter,” said Laura. “She’s like my little person with a massive personality. She just amazes me for what she goes through and she still stands up smiling. She makes me so proud to be her mum.”

Jessica says her spirits sink at times but going to Little People UK weekends, like the recent one in Matlock, make her feel much better.

“When I feel down about myself, I have always got Little People UK,” said Jessica. “You get to meet new friends. I made two new friends at the last weekend – Jessica and Callie – and I chat to them on Snapchat.”

Jessica belongs to two drama groups and may one day make the stage her career, although she’s also tempted to go into hair and beauty, perhaps owning her own salon, or indulging another great passion, that of baking.

Warwick is president and patron of Little People UK and he and his wife Sammy, who chairs the charity, are thrilled Carl’s company has created the special livery for the truck and that Carl is promoting the charity as he drives thousands of miles around the country.

He said: “It helps us do the things we do for our members.”

The film star says Carl’s lorry may also get the message out to someone who would benefit from the charity’s help.

Little People UK is dedicated to improving the quality of life for people with dwarfism, providing support and information, including information about medical and social issues.

The Lincs Free Press Children’s Fund is donating £400-plus so Jessica and her family can attend this coming autumn’s big convention from September 30 to October 2.

To donate to Little People UK, please visit littlepeopleuk.org and click on the ‘Ways you can donate’ tab – these include Paypal, text and JustGiving.

To donate to the Lincs Free Press Children’s Fund, please make out a cheque payable to our fund and send it to the Lincolnshire Free Press, Priory House, The Crescent, Spalding PE11 1AB.

Plans to replace Whaplode Cemetery Chapel with a memorial garden are to go ahead based on a lack of public opposition.

Whaplode Parish Council members are free to ask for quotes from landscapers to create the memorial garden as part of separate plans to extend the cemetery and improve its surroundings.

The project was first revealed by our sister newspaper, the Spalding Guardian, last August when Coun Paul Stafford said: “We have an idea to take down the old chapel and create a nice place where people can sit and reflect.”

But Spalding funeral directors Mark and Sue Forth, whose family members are buried at Whaplode Cemetery, said: “We would prefer the chapel to stay where it is because it’s the centre of the cemetery.

“The cemetery is in an atrocious state, the roads leading up to it are full of potholes and the upkeep of it is terrible.

“What’s the point of having a garden of remembrance when people who go to look for their loved ones while sit next to the graveside, not in a memorial garden?

“But Whaplode has changed over the years and a lot of people have come into the village who have no connection with the cemetery.”

Parish councillors discussed the way forward for the cemetery at a meeting on Wednesday when it was confirmed that the cost of repairing the chapel would have been at least £20,000

Coun Morris Stancer, Chairman of Whaplode Parish Council, said: “Anybody who realises what it would cost to get the chapel back in a reusable state would quickly realise where we’re coming from.

“I’m sure that when we get the cemetery tidy and when we’ve finished with the creation of the memorial garden, people will appreciate it and it will be a credit to us.”

Relief is in sight for Spalding drivers as ten weeks of roadworks on Winsover Road are due to end on Friday.

Today (Wednesday) a spokesman for Anglian Water said: “We’re on course to complete the works on Friday afternoon.

“Work to resurface the road will happen Thursday and Friday and the road will be reopened as soon as the tarmac has set.

“We’re extremely grateful to local residents who’ve been patient whilst these vital emergency works were completed.”

Anglian Water has been repairing a collapsed sewer.

Sarah Dobson, from Anglian Water, recently explained that closure of the busy junction of Winsover Road/Hawthorn Bank was better than having blocked drains and flooded homes.

And site manager Dave Holmes said: “This is one of the worst sewer collapses we’ve had and the more serious the collapse, the worse it is.

“We’ve had to dig down and find out where the pipe was broken as it’s caused the manhole to give way when all the earth around it washed away.”

Discovery of an underground structure reignited a debate about medieval underground tunnels linking Monks House and the Priors Oven but historian Michael Elsden said: “I don’t think it would have been possible to build them in this area.”

Husband and wife team Ray and Christine Perkins looked dressed for spring when East Elloe Lions Club had a collection weekend for Marie Curie.

The couple, from Sutton Bridge, were among the Lions who raised £813 from the collection at Tesco’s store at Holbeach.

The Lions thanked Tesco and everyone who contributed.

Youngsters from Long Sutton got the chance to forget their normal responsibilities with an exhilarating afternoon at Laser Storm.

The Peele Community College students who are also carers went to the Weston venue for what a member of staff described as “an afternoon of adrenaline-packed fun”.

She said: “The Young Carers do amazing things in their roles as carers, supporting loved ones, but sometimes miss out on opportunities other children get.”

The students thanked Laser Storm owner Albert Slator, who made the outing possible.

Crowland firefighter Neil Hoskin put off his retirement date to complete an animal project close to his heart.

Neil (47), a firefighter at Dogsthorpe, was instrumental in introducing pet-friendly animal masks to Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS).

He delayed his retirement in order to deliver his final training sessions to crews. That marked the milestone completion of the Smokey Paws animal masks project, with a set of pet-friendly masks now used in animal rescues in every CFRS station.

In front of friends and colleagues as well as his wife Nikki, Neil was presented with a figurine by Chief Fire Officer Chris Strickland to mark his retirement after 26 years’ service.

Mr Strickland said: “I have always been struck by the passion Neil has shown to the service, even though by the time I first met him he had already been in it for more than 15 years, and I have never seen anything different from him. He always gives 100 per cent.

“Neil is the sort of person who makes up the service. He is a real character and he will be missed.”

Neil joined the service aged 21 and spent time at various fire stations. He has been attached to the Tactical Delivery Group for the final year of his service orchestrating the introduction of the animal masks across the service and delivering training to all the stations across the county.

He said: “I joined the service to help people and then moved on to helping animals as well. Overall, I feel I have done that and I have done more than I set out to achieve, so I am happy.”

He is now looking forward to not having to work weekends unless he chooses to, but will be kept busy running his own business providing landscaping and fencing to customers, as well as delivering training for an outside animal rescue organisation on subjects such as handling dangerous dogs.

Pancake Day, or Shrove Tuesday, was marked at Tydd St Mary CE Primary School with its annual pancake race.

At The Peele Community College in Long Sutton there was fun in the canteen when a special pop up tent sold waffles and pancakes with an array of fillings, such as sugar, lemon, fruits, marshmallows and chocolate.

A unit that helps people in the local community when they need support the most has been helped in its turn.

The captain’s charity for 2016 at Tydd St Giles Golf and Country Club was The Neurological Critical Care Unit at Addenbrooke’s.

The 2016 club captain Neil John presented the £2,750 raised to Nicky Newton, Community Fundraising Manager.

He said: “I am proud to donate this money from the club on behalf of Mark, Maxine and Lewis Plumb in memory of Nathan Plumb, who received care from NCCU in 2016.”

Fundraising was even more worthwhile because of the work by the unit, he said.

Spalding and District Young Farmers Club has received new tops with logos thanks to a donation of £1,000 from Spalding Beerfest and Music Festival.

Spalding YFC gave volunteer help at last year’s first beerfest, organised by Spalding and District Round Table and Spalding and District Ladies’ Circle.

The cash was a token of appreciation and went towards new polo shirts and fleeces.

Fewer children will be going to their first choice secondary school this year, figures released today (Wednesday) by Lincolnshire County Council show.

Despite this, it’s good news for the vast majority, with 90 per cent of the 7,900 children wanting a secondary school place in September gaining their first preference school.

In 2013, 92.3 per cent gained their first choice school, followed by 93.6 per cent in 2014, 93 per cent in 2015 and 92 per cent last year.

Councillor Patricia Bradwell, executive councillor for children’s services, said: “Yet again, it’s good to see so many children getting their first school of preference. It is always our intention to support as many parents as possible with their choice of school.

“There are many stories about how stressful the admissions process can be, but every year the overwhelming majority of parents have no problems in gaining admission to the school of their choice.”

Parents who have applied online for their child to start at secondary school in September can collect their offer from today (Wednesday). The county council will also post offer letters to parents using a paper form.

The council advises parents to accept the place offered even if the school was not one of their preferences, as this makes sure that their child will have a school place for September. Once parents have accepted a school place they can apply for transport.

In some cases, parents may not have received an offer at one of their preferred schools and might want to appeal against this. Parents who have applied online and need to appeal to an independent school admission appeals panel can usually do this online.

Parents who have applied online can go to www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/schooladmissions to collect their offer, up until March 17.

The final push for a play-off place kicks off with a double-header between Spalding United and Witton Albion.

Weather permitting, they will face each other twice in the space of eight days.

On Saturday, the Tulips make the trip to Wincham Park – aiming to become the first side this season to take three points off Witton at home in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League’s First Division South.

Spalding have already won on the ground as goals from Nathan Whitehead, Bradley Wells and Jonny Lockie earned a 3-1 victory over Northwich Victoria in August.

The away record of 10 wins is only matched by one of the Tulips’ rivals so far this term.

Spalding and Witton are level on points and within touching distance of Shaw Lane at the top.

Rawlinson said: “We are in a great position – although we still have to play Witton twice plus Leek Town and Basford United, who are also rivals for a play-off place.

“I’m not discounting any teams because they could put a run together.

“But the likes of Lincoln United would have to win every game to reach 80 points.

“Our target remains the same of averaging two points per game in blocks of four.

“We’ve been here before and we know you can win or lose five games as quickly as you blink.

“So we have to take it one game at a time. If we do well on Saturday then we’ll look to the next one.

“We won’t get despondent if we slip up at any stage and we won’t get too high if we win a few games. We have to keep a level head.

“We know Witton are in the title race after beating Shaw Lane. They have a real chance because they play each other again.

“But they have got a tough run-in where they play home and away against ourselves, Leek and AFC Rushden &Diamonds.

“Witton are a big club at this level and well supported.

“However, I have seen enough to know there are certain things we can do with our tactics to cause issues.

“It’s not a case of changing what we do or how we set up. We are aware of their quality in certain areas. We will tweak a few bits rather than rip up the tactics book.”

The Tulips’ trip to Leek on Tuesday night was called off just an hour before kick-off following a storm.

Rawlinson said: “It was frustrating, especially for those players based in South Holland who had taken the 
afternoon off work to travel to the game.

“A local referee felt the pitch was playable at 2.30pm. When we got to the ground, there was three inches of 
water so the match official had no other option.

“There was a forecast of heavy rain so maybe there should have been a bit more common sense earlier on.

“At this stage of the season, we’re all trying to fit in games. I’m sure we’ll have to go back there on another Tuesday night.”

The postponement means Whitehead will be banned for both games against Witton after picking up 10 yellow cards.

Defender Neal Spafford is waiting to start a three-match suspension for his third red card this season.

Boss Chris Rawlinson feels the quality and character in Spalding United’s squad can book a play-off place.

The Tulips remain on course to keep alive those dreams of promotion going into the final 10 league games.

They slipped to third spot in the Evo-Stik Northern Premier League First Division South in midweek – but now face a double-header with second-placed Witton Albion.

The Cheshire club moved above Spalding on Tuesday night thanks to a 4-3 victory at Stocksbridge Park Steels.

Rawlinson arrived in south Yorkshire during the first half when Witton were 3-1 up, following the late postponement of the Tulips’ trip to Leek Town due to heavy rain.

He said: “Witton made it 4-1 but Stocksbridge rallied and should have got a point in the end.

“I watched Witton about a month ago at Lincoln United and in both games they were exactly the same.

“They are a good side and deserve to be where they are in the table.

“They have real quality but we will be looking at certain ways to stop their threat and impose ourselves on the game.

“People might say that it’s awful playing back-to-back games. That will be true if we lose both!

“But we will be going there on Saturday trying to win the game as we always do.

“If we don’t win it then I know the characters within our group will make sure they put it right the following 
Saturday.

“We’ve got very clever footballers in the squad who know the game. It’s not just about flair and talent.

“They know exactly what is needed. I’d like to think we can beat Witton at least once.

“We’ll be doing everything we can to at least stay in third place ahead of the chasing pack.

“We’re still on target for the play-offs. Apart from a bad spell in November, we have proved we are good enough to be in the mix. Now we have to make sure we stay up there.”

Every gymnast from Spalding came home with a medal from the Northamptonshire County Championships.

The boys’ squad travelled to Irthlingborough for the six-piece competition.

In the morning session, they came away with a host of medals from the novice competition.

Winners were Matty Bogan (three golds and three silvers), Zac Wilkins (two golds and two silvers), Luke Jakins (three golds and two bronzes), Louie Bakermoult (two golds, three silvers and one bronze), Lewis Burton (one silver and one bronze), Alfie Rosam-Lee (three golds, one silver and one bronze), Jorge Bradford (four golds and one silver) and Josh Pearson (two golds and three silvers).

In the afternoon it was the turn of the intermediate boys.

Winners were Tom Martin (one gold, two silvers and two bronzes), Taylor Binns (one gold), Lucas Webb (one bronze and one silver), Ollie Joe Rushton (two golds and four silvers), Daniel Martin (one gold, one silver and one bronze) and Daniel Yates (one gold and two bronzes).

In the all-round apparatus, Spalding gymnasts took the honours in the novice section with Matty Brogan (7/8 years), Luke Jakins (9/10 years) and Jorge Bradford (11/12 years) all collecting gold.

The intermediate section saw Ollie-Joe Rushton win gold.

Nene Valley Harriers athletes left many of their rivals bogged down in the mud at the National Cross Country Championships on Saturday.

The Wollaton Park course in Nottingham was set out to include many swamp-like areas of the deer park – but local cross country experts thrived on the unforgiving terrain.

A highlight was the battle between Nene Valley and Peterborough AC in the senior men’s race.

Peterborough AC have enjoyed the upper-hand on the road in recent months and both clubs were eager to show their supremacy in the country.

The Harriers came out on top, but only just, finishing 36th out of the 131 teams, with Peterborough hot on their heels in 37th.

Lloyd Kempson led the Nene Valley charge, finishing 140th, with a rejuvenated Chris Wright not far behind in 168th.

Ben Heron was the first Peterborough AC athlete across the line, finishing just behind Wright in 172nd.

Steve Robinson was next home for Peterborough in 227th while Nathan Tweedie and Michael Channing, both of Nene Valley, came in 302nd and 350th respectively.

Peterborough’s Danny Snipe crossed the line 408th out of a field of nearly 2,000.

Mike Chapman and Oliver Slater completed the Nene Valley scorers with James Sadlier and Nathan Popple closing out the Peterborough AC team.

James McCrae was the highest placed Harrier in the junior men’s race, finishing 39th.

McCrae, whose short-striding style was well suited to the conditions, received solid support from Alex Hampson, Austin Herbert and Bradley Spurdens as the team came home 12th.

There were some fine performances from the girls with Megan Ellison the pick of the bunch, placing 43rd in the under-17 race, while Josephine Fortune squeezed into the top 100.

Flo Brill’s season has been hampered by illness but she had a fine run at Nottingham with a 51st place finish for the under-15 girls with Lottie Hemmings acquitting herself well.

Amber Park was the first under-13 girl home in 83rd and strong running from Ella Robinson, Olivia Mead and Hana Ray saw the team finish 31st.

Nene Valley’s senior women were led home by Ruth Jones in 248th. Sophie Wilkinson-Hargate was 317th while Laura Grimer placed 372nd. Peterborough’s Sarah Caskey finished 366th.

Bradley Allen completed the course in 119th place in the under-17 race while Sam Oakley fought his way through the field for a pleasing 54th-place finish for the under-13 boys.

The Nene Valley team were 42nd with Sidney O’Connell also running well.

Peterborough AC’s William West-Robbins was 71st.

Matt Dowling was 218th in the under-15 boys race and was the mainstay of the Nene Valley team that finished 
34th.

Jane Hunt’s son used to refer to her ability to communicate with animals as doing her “voodoo stuff”.

His cynical attitude as a teenager is probably one a lot of people might tend to agree with.

Nevertheless Jane, of Bicker, says he has grown up to have an innate ability to understand animals, and his brother is also converted, picking up tips from his mum to help his own dog.

Jane has been an animal communicator for 12 years and there are now a lot of owners who can testify to Jane’s ability to understand their pet’s emotional or physical problems and to provide healing.

Jane, who grew up on a farm with rescued donkeys and ponies, says: “I was always interested in spiritual stuff and talking to the dead, but I wanted to understand my own horse and dog better so I started learning how to talk to animals.

“It made a lot of difference with my own animals. I was more aware of how they were feeling emotionally, physically, and that’s how I work, picking up in my body how the animal is feeling.”

After training with a leading international animal communicator and healer, Jane immediately wanted to put her new knowledge into practice, and now works as Lincolnshire Holistic Healings.

Jane says: “We use all the senses to do it. Psychic ability comes into it. I do think we all do it to an extent, we just don’t realise or acknowledge it or don’t trust what we are getting.”

These days Jane is frequently called in as a last resort when an animal’s owner has explored all the conventional therapy routes without success.

Having gone through the preliminaries with the owner and obtained the basic information she needs, Jane will sit quietly and connect with the animal, head and heart, all the time gently touching the animal, if they will let her, using Reiki healing.

Jane describes the technique of placing her hands on an animal, gently moving around its chakra points, as “non-invasive, universal energy healing”.

Astonishingly, Jane says she also has success even when she is working remotely to the animal. In fact, Jane finds she has better success as a communicator if she doesn’t know the animal.

Healing can happen with one session or may need more, depending on the problem, and Jane says some of her human clients have regular Reiki sessions with her as “maintenance”.

She says: “I have seen some amazing changes. It is very, very humbling and rewarding to know I have been able to change lives for the better. Even short term it can bring about positive change.”

Contact Jane on 07962 980429.

Most of Jane Hunt’s therapy work comes as a result of word of mouth.

When she’s not treating animals and human clients – both locally and further afield – Jane gives husband Robert a treat, with a relaxing Reiki session or a spot of EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique).

Jane says this is better known as “tapping”, in which pressure points on the body are tapped to help release emotions and tensions.

She is also a Hopi Ear Candle therapist and a Reiki master, teaching the practice for both humans and animals.

She says the results can be “amazing”, and adds: “It just puts you on a calmer level and helps you deal with life and situations in a better way.

“It makes you more understanding, more open to things in general, and it is very good for things like grief, anxiety and stress.

For a sense of general wellbeing it is really useful.”

Jane has to make time to look after her own health and state of mind too, as she says in the course of her work she is picking up in her own body an animal’s aches and pains or emotional distress, something she has to guard against.