Dazzling new features announced for Christmas at Belton 2025
Belton Estate is set to sparkle brighter than ever this winter, with a host of spectacular new installations now revealed for the 2025 Christmas at Belton trail.
From 21 November to 31 December, visitors can explore the majestic grounds of this National Trust treasure as they are transformed into a glowing winter wonderland.
Created by award-winning light trail producers, the experience blends twinkling lights with immersive seasonal sounds to create an unforgettable festive atmosphere.
This year’s trail promises more ‘wow’ moments than ever before, with fresh artistry, returning favourites, and large-scale spectacles designed to surprise at every turn.
New highlights include a breathtaking 50-metre Aurora installation by ITHACA Studio, capturing the shifting magic of the Northern Lights, and a brand-new house projection from acclaimed artists NOVAK, set to illuminate Belton’s historic façade with festive storytelling.
The 36-metre-long Christmas Cathedral returns to bathe the grounds in soft seasonal light, joined by 50 red wicker candles and 60 glowing crocuses each standing two metres tall.
Visitors will encounter six striking neon winter flowers – from poinsettias to mistletoe – each 2.5 metres high, alongside whimsical wicker foals, stags and deer.
The trail also features 10 towering candy canes, nine spiral trees reflected in the water, and an enchanting ‘12 Days of Christmas’ rendered in sculptural wicker.
The installation On the Tide by Squidsoup brings a mesmerising interplay of light and movement, while curved haze arches and glowing heart arches create intimate spaces along the route.
Christmas at Belton is more than a light trail, it’s a complete Christmas experience.
Families can enjoy a traditional festive fairground, indulge in seasonal treats from hand-picked food and drink stalls, and sip on mulled wine or rich hot chocolate while soaking up the atmosphere.
Younger visitors can look forward to a magical glimpse of Father Christmas along the way.
This year, well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome to accompany you along the trail, allowing the whole family, four-legged friends included, to enjoy the magical Christmas experience together.
Tickets are available now, with peak dates expected to sell quickly for what promises to be Belton’s most memorable Christmas yet.
Christmas at Belton is brought to you by Sony Music Limited in partnership with the National Trust. The trail is created by Culture Creative.
For full pricing, ticket information and bookings visit: www.christmasatbelton.co.uk
Gainsborough Library marks 120 years with week-long festivities
Gainsborough Library is marking a major milestone in October as it celebrates its 120th anniversary with a week of community activities, special events, and a birthday party on Tuesday 7 October.
Celebrations begin on Saturday 4 October with a drop-in session for children where they’ll get crafting making party hats, birthday cards, and decorating bunting that will be displayed in the Grade II listed Carnegie Library.
A special birthday party will be held on Tuesday 7 October, including crafting for pre-schoolers from 10:30am to 12 noon. Visitors are invited to enjoy refreshments from 10am, before the official cutting of the birthday cake at 11am.
Local children’s author Bethany Walker – Gainsborough Library’s writer-in-residence, and a GLL Literary Foundation author – will host class visits to the library by local primary schools, including Gainsborough Parish Church School, Castle Wood Academy, Morton Trentside Primary, and Mercer Wood Academy.
As it marks 120 years, Gainsborough Library is also reflecting on its fascinating history. The idea of a free public library in the town was first agreed in 1891, but it was not until 1902 that Councillor Joseph Barlow secured a £4,000 grant from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie to fund its construction.
Designed by Lincoln architects William Scorer and Henry Gamble in a late Tudor style to complement the nearby Old Hall, the New Free Library officially opened on 4 October 1905 with an initial stock of 1,880 books. The library was an immediate success, attracting 500 members in its first week and issuing more than 31,000 books in its first year.
Today, the Grade II listed Carnegie library stands as a remarkable legacy of community spirit and continues to inspire generations of readers.
A special library exhibition of photographs showing how the library has changed over the years will be available to view from Saturday 4 October. There will also be a historical timeline of the library, tracing its journey from the preconstruction phase to the present day.
A brochure to guide visitors through the library showcasing notable architectural features is also being produced as part of the 120th birthday celebrations. Included is the decorative frieze bearing the inspirational quote: “Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” Also included are descriptions of the crests around the exterior of the building and plaques that are no longer visible, which commemorate influential people from Gainsborough’s past.
Nicola Rogers, Library Partnership Manager, said: “We’re proud to celebrate 120 years of Gainsborough Library. It’s not just a beautiful building, but a space at the heart of the community that continues to bring people together.”
Gainsborough Library is run by GLL, the not-for-profit social enterprise, on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council.
Image: Gainsborough Library – credit: Better.org.uk
New platform to share airborne forces’ forgotten chapter
A new website documents the remarkable back-stories of how south Lincolnshire hosted Airborne Forces from three nations ahead of two major World War II operations.
It is part of Soldiers From The Sky, a project supported by The National Lottery Heritage Fund gathering largely untold accounts of how Allied Airborne soldiers from Britain, America and Poland prepared for D-Day and Operation Market Garden (Arnhem) – two of the most audacious military actions of 1944.
South Kesteven District Council was awarded £147,500 to illustrate how the district absorbed thousands of troops, witnessed their training and saw paratroopers leave from local airfields aboard giant airborne armadas.
Ferrying them into battle were the unsung heroes of America’s IX Troop Carrier Command, launching waves of C-47 transport aircraft from airfields around Grantham at Fulbeck, Folkingham, North Witham, Saltby and Barkston Heath.
Stamford rang to Polish voices and American troops charmed local communities as South Kesteven was transformed into a combat training area with the British 1st Airborne Division centre stage.
The skies were regularly full of US C-47 Dakota aircraft manoeuvring for paratrooper practice drops.
Elite American Pathfinders spearheaded the D-Day airborne invasion, flying from a local airfield to set up drop zone location markers in enemy territory to guide in their countrymen.
It’s a story that has won support from the highest military levels.
Lieutenant General Andrew Harrison, formerly Colonel Commandant of the Parachute Regiment, backed the project from the outset and narrates a video on the website.
He said: “As a Regiment, we embrace our Airborne heritage in the Netherlands and what happened as our Airborne soldiers fought to seize and secure key river bridges at Arnhem in 1944.
“What is exciting to discover, thanks to this project, is how much of our British 1st Airborne Division history and that of our Allies lies in this quiet corner of Lincolnshire, which has been largely undiscovered until now.
“It’s very rewarding to think that so many more people will now gain an awareness of what happened in South Kesteven in 1944.”
Thanks to Soldiers From The Sky, South Kesteven has a new visitor trail of national and international significance.
It includes evocative airfields, pubs where Airborne troops of three nations supped English ale, cherished churches where they worshipped, soldiers’ wartime accommodation still welcoming visitors today – and a host of stories.
Lt John Grayburn, posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery holding the road bridge at Arnhem against overwhelming odds, spent the build up to Arnhem on the Easton Estate near Grantham.
Others were killed in training, including 26 Polish Paratroopers and eight American aircrew who died in a mid-air collision near Stamford.
Dogs of war included Major Jerry, the Dalmatian killed with decorated American veterans in a mid-air training collision near Grantham in December 1944 and sheepdog Smokey, rescued from a bomb site in London to become a much-loved mascot for Polish troops.
War diaries have revealed gruelling training marches and mock battles, with trails inviting travel through beautiful countryside once familiar to airborne troops preparing to join the fight for freedom.
Places of interest include sites with airborne heritage still welcoming visitors today, including Easton Walled Gardens, the Hare and Hounds in Fulbeck (the heart of British 1st Airborne Division activity), the Angel and Royal Hotel in Grantham and St Vincent’s Church in Caythorpe.
The website also has an informative education pack for KS2 pupils as part of its Poppies on Pebbles creative initiative that encourages art, poetry and Remembrance.
The 18-month project has included commemorative events, development of a smartphone app, visitor-friendly information for Airborne-related sites, the planting of 2,400 maroon Airborne Tulip Memorial bulbs and new information boards.
Cllr Bridget Ley, SKDC’s Armed Forces Champion, said: “We are delighted to offer this unprecedented and exciting chance for people to discover, explore and share the back-stories to this amazing chapter of our military heritage.
“We are extremely grateful to National Lottery players and The National Lottery Heritage Fund for enabling us to celebrate this amazing chapter in the District’s history.
“The website is a living legacy to those who briefly called this District home, those men of three nations who trained here and left for battle, many never to return.”
Image shows: British paratroopers pre-Arnhem departure from RAF Barkston Heath
Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance invites locals to take on fire walk
Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance (LNAA) is inviting fearless fundraisers to take on the challenge of walking barefoot across burning embers in support of the charity.
The unforgettable experience, taking place on Friday 31st October 2025 at Lincolnshire Showground, is more than just a walk across fire, it’s about courage, community, and making a difference. With every brave step, those taking part will be helping LNAA continue its lifesaving work, ensuring it can be there whenever it is needed most.
No training is required and expert guidance will be provided on the night from a certified fire walk instructor. All that’s needed is a big dose of courage and the determination to make an impact.
The event’s registration fee is £30, with a minimum sponsorship target of £100. Fundraisers will be provided with a motivational pre-walk workshop, a place in the fire walk challenge, a Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance t-shirt to wear on the night, a Blaze the Trail medal to mark the achievement, and entry into the Autumn Lights event at Lincolnshire Showground for an evening of fire, fun, and unforgettable memories, including discounted entry on tickets for fundraisers’ supporters.
To sign up or find out more click here.
Bus photo exhibition takes over Temple Gardens
Temple Gardens in Lincoln will host an unusual art exhibition on Tuesday 30 September, when three buses are turned into temporary galleries.
The one-day event brings together photographs captured at bus stops and along routes across Lincolnshire, featuring everyday journeys and the people who take them. Visitors will be able to step inside the vehicles to view the collection from 10am until 2pm.
The exhibition marks the finale of Catch the Bus Month, a national campaign led by Bus Users UK. Throughout September, Lincolnshire County Council’s LincsBus service has shared daily images online to highlight the role of buses in the county. These posts have reached more than 60,000 people.
The photographs now move offline and into the heart of the city, offering a closer look at life on the buses and the diversity of passengers who rely on them.
Alongside the exhibition, the council has pointed to continuing investment in bus services, including real-time information screens, new shelters, and affordable fares.
Entry to the exhibition is free.
Image credit: Lincolnshire County CouncilSane Inside Insanity: A cult classic through a new lens
Nearly fifty years after its release, The Rocky Horror Picture Show remains a cultural lightning bolt. Screenings still fill cinemas, fans still dress up, and audiences continue to shout back lines in a ritual that feels less like watching a film and more like joining a community. It’s a phenomenon that has lasted longer than most blockbusters, and for filmmaker Andreas Zerr, it was too extraordinary a story to leave untold.
Zerr’s new documentary, SANE INSIDE INSANITY, takes an “unofficial and unbiased” look at the journey of a musical that once flopped at the box office but rose, as he puts it, “like a Phoenix out of ashes” to become the longest-running release in cinema history. For him, the magic lay not only in the creative daring of Richard O’Brien, Jim Sharman, and their collaborators, but also in how something stitched together with limited resources — a rough script, ingenious costumes, and a feel for casting — could explode into a worldwide movement.
What elevates the story, though, is not just the film but the people who keep it alive. Zerr describes how fans and so-called “shadow casts” were eager to share their stories on camera. Their passion transformed his project from a historical chronicle into a portrait of a living, breathing community. “You are not just sitting and watching,” he explains. “You become part of it. And for many, it’s not simply entertainment — it’s a safe space where acceptance and friendship flourish.”
That sense of belonging, he suggests, has been key to its endurance. From the 1970s to today, audiences have sought connection in the costumes, the call-backs, and the sheer joy of participation. In a world where self-expression can still meet resistance, the chance to step into fishnets or shout at a screen without judgment remains powerful.
What sets Zerr’s film apart is its independence. Free from commercial ties, SANE INSIDE INSANITY does not shy away from the more complicated aspects of the story, from differing opinions on stage adaptations to the legacy of remakes. “Nobody knows what I’m thinking about Rocky Horror,” he says. “That’s what makes it objective. It’s about the people who lived it.”
As the documentary shows, this phenomenon is far more than nostalgia. It’s a mirror of how culture, identity, and self-expression are constantly negotiated. For Zerr, the real revelation is that while times change, the need for community and acceptance hasn’t faded. And perhaps that’s why a quirky, low-budget musical continues to resonate across generations: it offers not just a spectacle, but a place to belong.
(Image supplied)Scunthorpe bowls club set for new-look clubhouse
Railway Bowls Club in Scunthorpe is undergoing a major extension that will provide members and visitors with more modern and accessible facilities.
The project is backed by a £30,000 grant from North Lincolnshire Council’s Community Grant Fund. The refurbishment includes new toilets and a kitchen, designed to make the clubhouse more practical for both sport and social use.
The improvements aim to strengthen the club’s role as a community hub, providing a space suitable not only for bowls matches but also for wider gatherings and events.
Cllr Rob Waltham, leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said: “This is a really exciting development for Railway Bowls Club and the wider community. The new facilities will make the clubhouse more welcoming and practical, encouraging more people to get involved in the sport and enjoy the social side of club life.”
Since its launch in 2011, the Community Grant Fund has supported a diverse range of local projects, including sports clubs, youth groups, and charities. Funding has helped improve venues, develop new facilities, and keep community spaces active.
Railway Bowls Club, located off Church Lane, is the latest to benefit, with work now underway on a scheme intended to secure the future of the club as both a sporting and social focal point in the area.
Image credit: North Lincolnshire CouncilImmingham and Habrough secure long-term funding boost
Immingham and Habrough will receive up to £20 million over the next decade through the government’s £5 billion Pride in Place programme, designed to support 264 neighbourhoods across the UK. North East Lincolnshire Council will receive £2 million annually for ten years, alongside an immediate £1.5 million to improve public spaces, including new green areas, play facilities, and leisure upgrades.
Council leader Philip Jackson said: “This is great news and we warmly welcome this funding as we look to deliver our ambition across North East Lincolnshire of building a stronger economy and stronger communities with the help of those who live and work in it.”
The investment will build on regeneration already underway in the borough, with residents consulted to help identify priorities for how the money should be spent. Immingham Town Council is finalising its town plan, which will play a role in guiding future investment.
Image credit: North East Lincolnshire CouncilGainsborough to benefit from £20m ‘Pride in Place’ funding
Gainsborough is set to receive up to £20m in government ‘Pride in Place’ funding, marking a significant step forward in the town’s long-term regeneration.
West Lindsey District Council received official confirmation from the Government, after the Prime Minister launched a £5bn Pride in Place programme yesterday (25 September).
This latest investment builds on the £18m Levelling Up Fund regeneration programme already delivered by the council, which has transformed the historic heart of Gainsborough with projects such as the new four screen cinema, green open spaces, and town centre improvements.
Gainsborough is one of 169 areas that will receive £2m every year for a decade. The new funding will sit alongside the council’s wider work through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), strengthening efforts to support economic growth, enhance local facilities, and increase community pride.
Councillor Jackie Brockway, leader of West Lindsey District Council, said: “We are delighted that Gainsborough will receive up to £20 million through the Pride in Place programme.
“This is a clear recognition of the progress we have made and the strong foundations we have built through our previous regeneration investment.
“Over the next ten years, we will work closely with local businesses, community groups, and the voluntary sector to make sure this funding delivers real, lasting benefits for everyone in Gainsborough.”
The council will engage with residents, businesses, and community organisations to shape the delivery plan, ensuring the funding addresses local needs and maximises opportunities for growth and investment.
Bill Cullen, interim chief executive at West Lindsey District Council, said: “To realise our ambition the council will engage with residents, businesses, and community organisations to shape the delivery plan, ensuring the funding addresses local needs and maximises opportunities for growth and investment in our area.”
Image credit: West Lindsey District Council
Coders Guild opens Lincoln hub to tackle local digital skills shortage
The Coders Guild has launched a new training centre at the Mosaic Digital Hub in Lincoln, providing businesses and professionals with access to digital skills development, including software development, artificial intelligence, project management, and cyber security.
Lincolnshire faces a significant digital skills shortage, with research indicating up to 85% of local businesses struggle to recruit qualified staff. Nationally, nearly half of UK companies report difficulties hiring employees with strong digital and data expertise, creating challenges for keeping pace with technological change.
The new hub aims to support local firms in bridging these gaps and building adaptable, future-ready teams.
The Coders Guild is offering part-government-funded training programmes for Lincolnshire-based businesses, including a Cyber Security Skills Bootcamp and an AI & Automation Bootcamp.
Both initiatives target business owners, freelancers, and self-employed professionals, offering practical skills to strengthen digital capability across the county.
Image credit: Stock.adobe.com/fizkes