Nostalgic sessions cooked up at Eccleshare Court
A group of residents from Eccleshare Court Care and Nursing Home and Swanholme Court Care Home had the opportunity to participate in Nostalgic Cookery sessions run by GoGro CIC, a community interest company, based in Greater Lincolnshire.
The sessions were designed to bring back memories and to help people reminisce through food by creating some of their favourite meals.
Co-Directors, Rob Hewis and Masterchef finalist from 2012, Eamonn Hunt, first met with the residents so they could get to know them and decide on the meals they would create together.
The first session had an American theme with hot dogs, American mustard, and caramelised onions. The inspiration came from resident Peter who was a WWII evacuee. He spent time in New York during his childhood at a Noel Coward school. Talking to staff about this reminded him of baseball games and trays of hot dogs and provided the chefs with plenty of ideas for their cookery session.
Sharon the Wellbeing lead commented: “Thank you for coming in, it means a lot to our residents. Having people come in from the community, helps them to feel valued and to share their stories with you means the world. The nostalgic foods have taken them back to some very happy memories. We have thoroughly enjoyed the experience and learning more about each other and our experiences.”
Rob from Go Gro said: “We would like to say thank you to everyone, staff and residents from Eccleshare and Swanholme, after a few short visits we feel like we have been welcomed into the family, it means a lot to us, and we would love to come back again in the future if we can.”
Subsequent sessions had a seaside theme with fish and chips, mushy peas, and mint sauce. Resident Joyce provided the inspiration for this session. She grew up in Mablethorpe. Residents enjoyed reminiscing about trips to Mablethorpe, visits to the smokehouses in Grimsby and learning that Lincoln market used to have a mushy pea stall.
The third session was all about Caribbean food, including tasty jerk chicken and rice for Malcolm and his son who attended the session to share the memories with his dad.
The next session was traditional food but gluten-free for resident Ann and her husband Derick. The residents enjoyed sausages, mash and onion gravy and the final session was a high tea farewell party to celebrate the time spent together and the stories shared between everyone.
The GoGro Nostalgic cookery project aims to use the power of nostalgia and food to support people living with dementia. The food and conversation project designed for older people seeks to enhance health and wellbeing as well as reducing social isolation.
Funded through Shine Lincolnshire’s Innovation Fund, the project takes a multi-sensory approach to reminiscing therapy and is delivered in a range of residential, nursing and community settings in Lincoln.
For more information about Eccleshare Court Care and Nursing Home or Swanholme Court Care Home or to make an appointment to view the homes please contact, Lisa Dent Home Manager on 01522 965 458 or email ecclesharecourt@countrycourtcare.com.
Give the birds a wide berth at the seaside, urges council
Visitors to Cleethores and the Humber Estuary are being urged to give wetland birds a wide berth as the nesting season gathers pace by observing safety measures to protect them from disturbance, particularly along the mudflats and the saltmarsh, including the Tetney Marshes.
Birds can be disturbed in a variety of ways and, whilst a leadless dog chasing a stick may seem harmless, birds see a dog as a predator and automatically take flight, causing them to leave the nest and putting eggs and fledgling birds at risk.
Cleethorpes is also a hugely popular seaside resort and a destination of choice for water sport enthusiasts. There are few other places where protected natural habitat is so close to a busy tourist destination.
Bird disturbance within the protected areas is an offence and visitors are urged to avoid waterborne activity in the saltmarsh, specifically paddleboarders and jet skiers, and for water users to maintain a distance from the saltmarsh, particularly at high tide, to avoid disturbing birds.
Several species of birds make their home in the salt marsh, including oystercatchers and bar-tailed godwits. A number of these birds are internationally important and have special protected status.
Preventing birds from feeding or roosting and causing them to take flight is a criminal offence and offenders can be prosecuted under the EU Birds Directive.
Most people respect the area but a minority are causing a nuisance and disturbing the rare birds as they roost.
Beach visitors are asked to help protect the birds by:
- Keeping to the designated footpaths
- Keeping dogs under control
- Staying away from the salt marsh and sand banks during watersports
- Respecting the ‘no-dog’ rule for the stretch of Cleethorpes beach between the North Prom and the Leisure Centre from Good Friday until the end of September.
Loan scheme offers chance to get ‘hands on’ with history
Lincoln Museum is ‘unboxing history’ with a selection of loan kits available to take away and enjoy at home or school.
Loan kits covering different aspects of the county’s history are helping residents of all ages get ‘hands on’ with their heritage.
In a Roman loan kit from Lincoln Museum there are Roman coins, pots, mosaics, and brooches. Said Learning Officer Linda Verney: “Peculiarly, you might even find dice and, reading through the booklet, you’ll discover how the Romans used dice for a variety of games. It’s even thought they would swallow them to avoid being caught gambling.
“In another case you’ll find everything you need to reenact your own Tudor banquet – complete with mock boar’s head centrepiece.”
The loan kits have been created by the council’s Investigate Learning team to complement the work the team does with school groups and provide a valuable resource for schools to use in the classroom.
Linda added: “We’ve had care homes hire our 1950s kits, packed with objects their residents would remember from their youth, to help them reminisce. They’re particularly useful for dementia patients who can touch all the different objects and even smell some – like 50s soaps – to help them reconnect.
“A couple of years ago we even had someone hire a loan kit to add a wow factor to their family Christmas quiz!”
Loan kits cover a variety of topics, from fossils, the Ancient Greeks and Ancient Egyptians, Romans, Anglo-Saxons, the medieval period, the Tudors,
As well as history, there are also loan kits that connect you with art, featuring replicas of pieces held in the Usher Gallery’s art collection, to help inspire your own art or form part of a temporary exhibition.
The kits contain a mixture of real artefacts and replicas that you can handle, and comes with an in-depth information booklet about the objects or artworks.
Artists invited to ‘horse around’ for new sculpture trail
Artists are being invited to showcase their creative talent and design the horses that will form an interactive sculpture trail across North Lincolnshire this summer.
The ‘Horsing Around’ trail is one of a host of activities taking place locally to celebrate the 300th birthday of world-renowned horse painter, George Stubbs, and his little-known connection to North Lincolnshire.
The project, which is funded with government cash to level up the area, will see ten life size horses displayed in prominent locations, and a further ten miniature horses appear in the 300-acre grounds of Normanby Hall Country Park.
The trail will build on the successful ‘Of Earth and Sky’, which inspired more people to visit North Lincolnshire to see local writers’ poems writ large in a series of huge installations, winning a prestigious Hearts for the Arts Award in the process.
Now, applications are open for artists to design their horse and see their work enjoyed by thousands of people.
As part of the process, artists will work with local schools and community groups to inform the designs, including the North Lincolnshire Museum’s group for adults with additional needs, Museum Makers.
The trail will celebrate local people’s talent as well as the diversity of visual arts, and consequently, all forms of art are welcome, from traditional to new media, fine art to illustrations, and mosaic to street art.
Whichever form the artworks take, they will form the interactive trail, developed with the help of leading public art specialists, Wild in Art, who have worked on top projects at the London 2012 Olympics, the 2014 Commonwealth Games, and more.
After the trail has finished sculptures will be offered to the schools and community groups who informed the designs. If they wish, sculptures will be auctioned to raise money for the Mayor of North Lincolnshire’s chosen charities, Hope House and Macmillan Cancer Support.
One of the country’s most revered equestrian painters, George Stubbs completed much of the work for his groundbreaking book ‘The Anatomy of the Horse’, while living in Horkstow.
This local connection is explored in a new exhibition at Normanby Hall Country Park this year. ‘Stubbs in the Stables’ shows images of Stubbs’ work, alongside a life-sized horse model painted to show the bones and muscles.
Artists can view the ‘Horsing Around’ artists pack online, design their horse and fill out a submissions form for free on the North Lincolnshire Museum website. Submissions close on 22 April 2024.
Image: Stock.adobe.com/PLATİNUM
Two local NHS organisations come together as a group
Two NHS provider organisations have this week formally come together in a group arrangement, with the goal of improving the care provided to patients across Lincolnshire.
Lincolnshire Community Health Services NHS Trust (LCHS) and United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT) have come together in the group arrangement.
This will not constitute a formal merger of the two organisations, but will bring the Trusts together under a single board and executive leadership team, with the goal of improving the care that is provided to patients both in the community and in hospitals across Lincolnshire. Both Trusts will retain their separate statutory names and legal obligations.
Following an extensive staff and stakeholder engagement exercise, it has been decided that the group will be known as Lincolnshire Community and Hospitals NHS Group (LCHG).
Elaine Baylis has taken up the post of group chair this week, and Professor Karen Dunderdale has been appointed as group Chief Executive and is due to take up the role on Monday 1 July, taking over from Andrew Morgan, the current group Chief Executive who is retiring at the end of June. Karen is currently the group deputy Chief Executive and executive chief nurse.
Group chair, Elaine Baylis said: “This arrangement has been put in place to improve how care is delivered to patients by working even closer together. It is a really exciting development which we believe will make a huge difference to our staff and patients.
“In the last few months as we have prepared for this change, extensive work has already taken place to start bringing our services and teams closer together, to improve the experience of patients and the efficiency of our services.
“This has notably included joint working on improving the care for patients on our urgent and emergency care pathways, work together to improve how we care for frail older people and the use of virtual wards.”
Image: Stock.adobe.com/smolaw11
Boston May Fair to offer sensory-friendly experience to families
The Boston May Fair, a long-standing tradition in the town, will be offering a sensory-friendly experience for families with children with additional needs.
Hosted by Boston Borough Council and the Showman’s Guild, this initiative aims to provide an inclusive environment where all families can enjoy the festivities without the challenges of sensory overload.
Scheduled for Sunday, May 5th, from 11am to 1pm, the May Fair on Bargate Green Car Park and Wide Bargate will welcome visitors to an environment without sound. This thoughtful adjustment seeks to accommodate individuals who may find traditional fair environments overwhelming due to sensory sensitivities.
Families with children who have autism, sensory processing disorders, or other conditions that make them sensitive to noise will now have the opportunity to participate fully in the excitement of the May Fair. By eliminating sound during the specified hours, organisers hope to create a more accessible and enjoyable experience for all attendees.
Image: Stock.adobe.com/dimazel
New partnership to help Lincolnshire kidney patients
Thousands of people in Lincolnshire living with chronic kidney disease will be offered fuel poverty support and other targeted help through a new partnership launched between National Grid Electricity Distribution and Kidney Care UK.
The kidney patient support charity will help kidney patients and those with kidney failure not only understand what support it can offer but also help them sign-up to the electricity distribution company’s Priority Services Register (PSR).
Patients at drop-in clinics at renal units and kidney clinics in East Lindsey will be given information packs and told about how the PSR can provide assistance during power cuts, fuel poverty support and energy efficiency advice. The PSR is free to join for a range of people with additional needs, including those with chronic medical conditions, pensioners and those who rely on electricity to run medical equipment.
Kidney Care UK’s patient support services include free renal counselling, patient advocacy support in the community through 19 Advocacy Officers throughout the UK, hardship grants, holiday grants, hospital grants, and white goods grants. The charity also provides benefit application support as well as income maximisation and money and energy advice.
As well as boosting referrals of patients, Kidney Care UK will provide bespoke training for National Grid field and contact centre teams who support customers during power cuts – ensuring they can best understand and support the needs of kidney patients.
Nicki Johnson, of National Grid Electricity Distribution, said: “We are delighted to be joining forces with Kidney Care UK. This partnership will enable us to reach patients with kidney disease in Lincolnshire so they can benefit from our Priority Services Register and the additional free support this provides for people with extra needs.”
Laurie Cuthbert, Director of Fundraising, Marketing and Communications at Kidney Care UK, said: “This is an exciting relationship to transform the support that our kidney community will receive in Lincolnshire. We are pleased to be working in partnership to help support more than 17,000 people living with chronic kidney disease in the region to enable them to receive support appropriate to their condition.
“The partnership will allow Kidney Care UK and National Grid to raise greater awareness of chronic kidney disease more generally and will be supported by bespoke training for field and contact centre teams who support customers during power cuts, ensuring they can best understand and support the needs of kidney patients.”
Guinness World Record attempt to be made at Boston Marathon
With just over three weeks to go to the Boston Marathon on the 28th April the excitement is rising.
Runners are enthusiastically chatting on social media about the themed medal and TShirt design of “Bomber County” featuring a Lancaster Bomber. Some are running to commemorate relatives in the RAF who were posted to one of the 49 airfields across Lincolnshire during World War II.
At the time of writing this article entry numbers are 913 – full marathon, 457 – half marathon, 165 – 10K, and 38 – fun run, and at least a dozen entries are still being processed daily. Registration closes on the 15th April to ensure the runners receive their electronic bibs in the post. Those who register after this date can collect them on race morning.
The organisers are anticipating upwards of 1,800 entries. Spectators can choose between two starting points in the town or line Wide Bargate to see all runners just after setting off.
The full marathon starts in the Market Place at 08:00, the 10K will then start from the Park Gates at 08:15, the half marathon follows from the Market Place at 08:30 and the fun run, at the Park Gates, at 08:45. Anyone wishing to see the first runners arriving at the Boston College finish line will need to do a quick sprint to the college by 08:45 as the fastest of the 10K will be expected in around this time.
To add to the excitement this year Collin Harrison from Dunston in Lincolnshire is attempting to reclaim his Guinness World Record for ‘Fastest Half Marathon carrying 100lb pack’.
Collin is a former Royal Marine Commando and currently part of the Royal Marine Veterans Speed March Team, who will be completing a marathon distance Speed March in July 2024 in London to raise awareness of mental health issues among both serving and former military personnel.
It was back in September 2021 when Collin initially broke this Guinness World Record with a time of 2hrs 11min. However, on 21st May 2023, it was broken with a time of 2hrs 10mins 30sec. As a result he is now aiming to complete the Boston Half Marathon course within 2hrs 8mins. Accompanying him will be members of the RM Speed March team, who will run the course and act as witnesses for the Guinness ratification.
With the half marathon starting at 08:30 in the Market Place, and if all goes well, spectators can expect to cheer Collin across the finish line at Boston College at 10:38.
Gainsborough Bus Station given new lease of life
Gainsborough Bus Station has recently been refurbished to provide an enhanced gateway to the town centre.
New shelters, street furniture and CCTV have been installed to improve the experience for passengers, alongside an updated layout to create uniformity across the station and re-surfacing where required.
Leader of West Lindsey District Council and Gainsborough ward member, Cllr Trevor Young, said: “The improvement works to Gainsborough Bus station mean it is now a more user-friendly environment with increased shelter provision for users. We hope you enjoy the new modern look as we know how important our bus station is to many of our residents.”
The previous bus shelters have been re-purposed to local Parish Councils throughout the West Lindsey district.
Matt Cranwell, Managing Director for Stagecoach East Midlands, said: “We’re pleased to witness the transformation of Gainsborough Bus Station by West Lindsey District Council. The recent enhancements include more modern fixtures and bus shelters, as well as a thorough deep clean, to create a more positive customer experience.
“Thank you to our passengers for their patience during the two-week renovation period, during which a temporary bus station was in operation. We hope you will enjoy the improvements made to the bus station, and benefit from the enhanced travel experience provided.”
Director of Planning Regeneration and Communities at West Lindsey District Council, Sally Grindrod-Smith, said: “Delivering a set of upgrades to the bus station is one part of the £18million investment into Gainsborough town centre. Together with improvements to signage across the town and increased CCTV, we continue the transformation to make Gainsborough a safe, friendly, and welcoming place to spend time.”
Image courtesy of West Lindsey District Council
Hotel owner makes further investment in historic Uphill Lincoln
Following the refurbishment and reopening of the White Hart Hotel, owner Andrew Long is continuing to invest in Uphill Lincoln.
To add to the hotel’s portfolio, a pair of Grade II Star Listed Georgian Town Houses at 6 & 7 Castle Hill have been purchased by the Travel Sector Property Group.
These properties are just a few steps away from the hotel.
Andrew says: “No. 7, Castle Hill, known locally as Castle Square, will offer accommodation for up to eight guests (four adults and four children) to enjoy a luxury stay in a unique and enviable location. With exceptional views over Castle Square and down Steep Hill, it’s truly a local gem and a very special customer experience for leisure or corporate use.”
As well as acquiring No. 7, Andrew’s Travel Sector Property Group has also purchased the freehold investment in the adjacent Leigh Pemberton House at 8/9 Castle Hill, which is also a Grade II Star Listed Building.
Many will know this iconic property as the home of the City’s Visitor & Tourist Information Centre, which will continue to occupy the ground floor and basement areas of the building for the long-term future.
Plans will soon be submitted to create five luxury ensuite bedrooms that will also be operated as part of the adjacent White Hart Hotel.
Dating back to 1543, this half-timbered building was originally a wealthy merchant’s house, before becoming an inn. From 1899 it served as the regional headquarters of the National Westminster Bank, then undergoing extensive restoration in the late 1970’s.
More recently, the upper floors have been used as offices and Airbnb ‘holiday let’ accommodation, but is now in need of extensive internal refurbishment, as well as various ‘catch up’ external maintenance works.
Andrew added: “We will be significantly investing in the sensitive adaptation and refurbishment works for Leigh Pemberton House, ensuring that there will be an ongoing commercially viable use for this unique building, protecting, and enhancing its sustainable long-term future.
“I am personally very pleased to incorporate this iconic and historical building within my long-term investment portfolio for Castle Square and the immediately adjacent Bailgate area.”
This phase of work will be taking place before the planned refurbishment and reopening of the historic Judge’s Lodgings, also purchased by Travel Sector Property in November 2022.
Andrew is hopeful that the Judge’s Lodgings and former White Hart Garages at 2 Bailgate will be fully completed by the end of 2025, with construction work starting this Summer.
