A new cycle park and a refurbished play area have been opened in the village of Keelby. The cycle park, at Keelby Village Green, was officially opened by Councillor Owen Bierley, at the recent village gala. The project, which also included new outdoor exercise equipment and a revitalised over five’s play area, was led by Keelby Parish Council, and supported through West Lindsey District Council’s Community Grant Scheme and other funders. People using the new play area and refurbished play equipment, were delighted with the results. One villager, who was at the official opening, said: “My kids love going round on their bikes. We taught my youngest to ride his bike on the cycle park and it was perfect. Really good idea.” Chairman of Keelby Parish Council, Cllr Trevor Wright, said: “We are keen to ensure that residents have access to the best recreational facilities as this was a high priority when consulting on our recently published Neighbourhood Plan. “It’s fantastic to see the village green buzzing with children using the new facilities and having fun whilst their parents can relax in the picnic area. We’ve had a lot of very positive comments and would like to thank West Lindsey District Council for their continued support.” The Gala saw hundreds of people from the community and beyond enjoying local bands, dog shows, entertainment and food. Cllr Owen Bierley said: “I am always absolutely delighted to see for myself the bike park and exercise equipment being so well used. “These facilities are a great community resource and we’re pleased to have been able to provide funding to support Keelby Parish Council in delivering this project.” The Community Grant Scheme is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Rural England Prosperity Fund.   Image credit: West Lindsey District Council

Parkinson’s UK’s Scunthorpe branch is appealing for a new branch Chair to help the group continue to support local people affected by Parkinson’s. The branch meets monthly and hosts activities including social meets, outings, and a weekly yoga class, for people living with Parkinson’s and their loved ones in the Scunthorpe area. Rose Crawley, Volunteer Support Officer, Parkinson’s UK, said: “The branch Chair is a key role with big impact. Leading a committed group of volunteers, you’ll be a core part of the local Parkinson’s community, shaping the activities offered in Scunthorpe and bringing your group and committee together. “From monthly committee meetings to liaising with local staff, you’ll be a key point of contact for Parkinson’s UK and act as an ambassador for the charity. “As well as making a big difference to people living with Parkinson’s locally, volunteering is a great opportunity to try something new, have new experiences, and meet new people – if you’re interested in hearing more about the role, please do get in touch.” The Scunthorpe branch meets on the second Wednesday of the month at the Salvation Army Centre, 187 Ashby High Street, Scunthorpe, DN16 2JT. From June to September, meetings are held between 7:15-8:30pm, and from October to May they are held 2-4pm. Anyone affected by Parkinson’s is welcome, including family, friends, and carers – there is no need to book. Meetings often include a speaker, tea, and plenty of time to chat! The branch also arranges outings, an annual holiday and a weekly yoga class led by a qualified instructor. Around 153,000 people in the UK are diagnosed with Parkinson’s, including around 2,080 people in Lincolnshire. For more information or to discuss the vacancy please contact Rose Crawley, Volunteer Support Officer, on rcrawley@parkinsons.org.uk or 0344 225 3634.

A programme to build upon North East Lincolnshire’s Creativity Strategy has secured a £250,000 grant to help achieve the area’s vision for heritage. North East Lincolnshire Council has been given the grant by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to support a programme that will drive community-led heritage projects across Grimsby, Immingham, Cleethorpes and the Wolds. This will further the Council’s aim to support organisations in the area to share stories that celebrate the past and help shape the future. Helen Featherstone, Director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “At the Heritage Fund, we believe in the power of heritage to create positive and lasting change, now and in the future. We know that when our investments contribute to the long-term vision for a place, the benefits can be profound and long-lasting for its local community, visitors, and economy. “This is why we are delighted to make this award through our Heritage Places initiative and continue our support for the heritage-driven regeneration of North East Lincolnshire. Thanks to National Lottery players, by empowering local people to explore their stories in their own way, this work will allow community-led placemaking and heritage to thrive.” In October 2023, North East Lincolnshire was one of nine locations chosen to receive support over the next 10 years as part of the Heritage Fund’s new UK-wide Heritage Places initiative, which is designed to boost local economies and instil pride in place in towns and cities across the country. This announcement came just as the Heritage Fund’s previous place-based initiative ended, where North East Lincolnshire was one of 13 ‘Areas of Focus’ across the UK that received targeted support to apply for project funding between 2019 – 2024. The Areas of Focus work kick-started the heritage-led regeneration of the area, seeing National Lottery grants totaling £5.7 million awarded to 29 projects, including The Horizon Onside Youth Zone, Peterson’s Project at Grimsby Docks, Weelsby Hall and Grimsby Falfest. This new funding, the first share of the Heritage Fund’s £200 million Heritage Places initiative to be awarded in the North of England, will help the Council to build on this work. The programme will prioritise extensive community engagement to further map out and develop heritage needs, activities and future opportunities that will inform a long-term strategic plan for heritage in North East Lincolnshire. A Community Engagement and Development Co-ordinator will be recruited to lead the new programme. They will be tasked with empowering local communities and organisations to develop heritage projects that are meaningful to them, with an aim to conserve and protect more unique historical landmarks, promote cultural events and connect people to their local heritage. The programme will take learnings from other North East Lincolnshire heritage initiatives including the Heritage Network, Cleethorpes Townscape Heritage Programme and Greater Grimsby Heritage Action Zone. Cllr Hayden Dawkins, Portfolio Holder for Culture and Heritage at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “This is absolutely fantastic news, and really builds on the work the team has been doing to highlight our amazing heritage in the borough. We’re proud to be the first Heritage Place to be awarded in the North of England, and I’d personally like to thank The National Lottery Heritage Fund for believing in the work we’re doing in Grimsby, Cleethorpes and beyond, preserving and showcasing our past for future generations.”

Wyndham Park has hosted a special ceremony to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of its naming and opening. The council-owned park in Grantham memorialises Captain Reginald Wyndham, killed in action at Ypres in Belgium in 1914. His mother the Dowager Lady Leconfield bequeathed £1,000 to mark her son’s Grantham connections, with a significant military gathering in the park for the opening. Members of the Wyndham family joined senior representatives of The Life Guards, Capt Wyndham’s regiment, including its Colonel  Lt Gen Sir Edward Smyth-Osbourne KCVO CBE and Gold Stick. Lincolnshire’s Lord Lieutenant Toby Dennis also attended, along with Royal British Legion representatives and elected councillors from South Kesteven District Council and Grantham Town Council. Combined Cadet Force representatives from the Kings School marched through the park. Cllr Richard Dixon Warren, SKDC Armed Forces Champion, said: “It was an absolute privilege to attend the service and to witness how important this park is to the Wyndham family and their ancestor’s Regiment, The Life Guards.” The ceremony replicated parts of the original 1924 service and was officiated by Padre Ivan Linton from Prince William of Gloucester barracks. It included an address by Lord Egremont, head of the Wyndham family, tracing Reggie Wyndham’s life and local links, voluntary service in WW1 and determination to lead his men at Ypres, plus a reading by Lt Col Duncan Lowe, Head of Establishment at PWOG. Lt Col Ray Ogg BEM, King’s School cadet Contingent Commander, was later presented by Toby Dennis with the 6^th Bar to his Cadet Force Medal issued in 1985. The ceremony was organised by the Wyndham Park Forum.   Image credit: Google maps

Diana Mislov, Mayor of Port Lincoln in Australia, presented a beautiful aboriginal painting to the Mayor of Lincoln, Cllr Alan Briggs, during her visit to Lincoln earlier this week.

Draft designs that will change the appearance of Cleethorpes Market Place and Pier Gardens with the help of an £18.4m government grant have been agreed, and detailed designing can now begin. The centre of the Market Place is to be pedestrianised for parts of the day, allowing for cafes and public events. This will swallow up most of the parking spaces, though lay-bys and drop off zones will still feature in the plans within Market Place to make sure businesses have access for deliveries. Additionally, changes are being progressed to convert High Street Car Park into a short stay only car park. The unused land behind the Old Vic pub, is also proposed to be converted into a public car park of around 40 spaces. Council leader Cllr Philip Jackson said: “We are having discussions with businesses. We know that there are concerns, but we’ve also seen in other areas across the country what these sort of projects do to help local economies, and what the possibilities are. The Pier Garden design harks back to the historic use of space, where people went to spend time. The new vision brings people of all ages and abilities together, and creates a more family orientated area, alongside areas for quiet reflection and education, whilst also increasing biodiversity in the resort. The design proposes a “zoning” system to provide this mix of uses, which will provide a mixture of uses across the park with a consistent theme throughout.

• – arrival space at Sea Road/Alexandra Road junction, creating a welcoming space to the gardens;
• – events zone to support a mixture of activities/events that could take place;
• – play/recreation zone which would consist of a larger central space and provide a mixture of activities for young and older children alike;
• – reflection zone at the Sea View Street end of the gardens supporting the existing armed forces memorials that are situated there.

The projects will now progress to the detailed design stage (RIBA4) to finalise things like materials to be used, and specifications of equipment, so that the projects can be costed up in full and the work tendered out for construction. Other special surveys and assessments, like updated environmental impact assessments, will also be completed during this time. Cllr Jackson continued: “Along with the third project, the Sea Road building, the work in the resort is going to be intense. We know there will be disruption across the resort, and we’re working in the background to find ways of weaving elements of these projects together where we can to minimise the disruption overall. “However, these are great projects, and ones that will make a huge change to Cleethorpes overall, and the ways that people use the spaces.”

West Lindsey District Council believes planners have failed to give sufficient consideration to its objections to the Gate Burton Energy Park just south of Gainsborough. The development near the communities of Gate Burton, Knaith Park and Willingham-By-Stow covers about 834 hectares comprising of ground mounted solar panels, battery energy storage, substation and associated infrastructure works. Specific concerns were raised in relation to the loss of agricultural land and impact on national food security, landscape and visual impact, impact on the local communities and concerns regarding highways implications. Cllr Emma Bailey, Vice Chair of the council’s Prosperous Communities Committee, said: “The news that the Gate Burton Energy Park has been approved is deeply disappointing. It is clear from the decision report that the impact of this development on our local communities, together with the loss of prime agricultural land has been put to one side and not given due regard.” Four further solar development proposals for land across West Lindsey are at varying stage of the nationally significant infrastructure project (NSIP) consenting process. Cllr Bailey added: “With more proposals in the pipeline the council will be lobbying for the thorough and transparent consideration of the cumulative impacts of the developments, which across our district are significant and disproportionate. The Council do not accept that the benefit of solar development outweighs what are considerable social, economic and environmental impacts for cumulative developments at this scale. “As a host authority in the consenting process, West Lindsey District Council provided formal relevant representations and a local impact report, highlighting the impact of the development on our communities.”

The South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership has appointed Pranali Parikh as its Director of Economic Development.

Following a successful launch last month, Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance (LNAA) continues to take you behind the scenes of its life-saving work as host Melvyn Prior discovers how the iconic yellow helicopter was unable to fly just months after the life-saving service began. Tune in to the conversation with Thirza Dixon, LNAA’s first fundraiser, and the charity’s existing CEO, Karen Jobling, who chat about how far the life-saving charity has come in 30 years. Thirza avidly explains about the early days when if there were insufficient funds the helicopter stood silent. She said: “It was awful, it was horrible, because people had seen the benefit, and then you take it away from them.” Hear about the team’s unwavering belief that they would not fail, and that Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance would succeed. Thirty years later, the charity continues to go from strength to strength, with its team of doctors, paramedics and pilots responding to almost 30,000 missions since their first callout on 13 May 1994. Karen also pays tribute to all the supporters and volunteers that have worked tirelessly each year to raise the funds needed to keep the air ambulance in the skies and fleet of critical care cars on the roads delivering emergency care to communities in Lincs & Notts 24/7, seven-days-a-week. She said: “We’ve got everything to thank to the people who have come before us, for everyone who has worked hard to sell the dream.” By Your Side podcast is available on: https://www.ambucopter.org.uk/podcast