The immediate future of South Kesteven’s Council-owned leisure centres is secure following a payment of £150,000 by South Kesteven District Council (SKDC).
This will ensure the continued delivery of leisure centre services at The Meres in Grantham, Stamford Leisure Pool and Bourne Leisure Centre.
The decision was taken by the SKDC Cabinet yesterday (Thursday January 18) as a forward payment on an overall additional funding request of £273,000, which leaves a balance of £123,000 agreed to be allocated by the Council to cover the rest of the financial year.
Deputy Leader Cllr Ashley Baxter said: “We are committed to keeping leisure facilities available across the district and we have no intention of allowing the centres to close.
“I’d like to send a message of reassurance to all leisure staff across the centres, that we are grateful for the work they do and we wholly intend to keep the centres moving.”
Council Leader Cllr Richard Cleaver said: “LeisureSK Ltd forecasts a requirement for a £773,000 management sum for the current year, which is £273,000 more than was originally budgeted for.
“We are aware how urgently these additional funds are required, and as a result asked Cabinet to approve the initial payment of £150,000 and allow the business to continue for the benefit of the people of South Kesteven and beyond.
“The Deputy Leader, Cllr Ashley Baxter, and I are now requesting an independent assessment of the existing governance model and operational financial management controls to ensure they are fit for purpose and effective.
“We have written to Leisure SK Ltd to ask for a plan to be drawn up on how the reliance on Council funding can be reduced, with the requirement to reduce the requested management fee in 2024-25.”
Cllrs Cleaver and Baxter will continue to work with Council officers to review finances, and level of financial support to LeisureSK Ltd, including regular budget monitoring reports to the end of this financial year, 2023-24.
LeisureSK Ltd is an SKDC-owned company contracted by the Council to provide leisure services on its behalf.
Image credit: Google maps
George Orwell’s ominous words could not ring more true than they do today. Except this world is one where we have aspired to bring Big Brother into our homes.
Smart phones, Alexa, Siri, Google – even our fridges and dishwashers can listen to us. Our careers, schools, opportunities – even our friends and partners – can be decided for us by an algorithm and we have dumbed down complex debates to a simple “good” or “bad”… thumbs up or thumbs down.
Into this world steps Winston Smith, living a seemingly easy if utterly listless and immobile existence where their every move is watched and listened to. A world where every decision, even romantic relationships, is pre-determined. Where even dreams may not be private and anyone can be made to disappear in a single heartbeat. A world that is not as fictional today as we might think.
This is a brand-new adaptation of George Orwell’s dystopian masterpiece. The setting, characters, style may well be updated and look vastly different from the world Orwell envisaged, but the message is still chillingly relevant.
Adapted by Laura Turner and Stephen Gillard, Orwell suggested from 1948 that the world of 1984 would look like this. What about 2084? Where will we be then?
Stephen Gillard, Artistic Director of The Blue Room and Asylum Players, said: “This will be The Asylum Players’ most challenging show to date. A multimedia-infused performance that asks questions such as: how much are we willing to give up, to protect what we have? How much privacy will we sacrifice to possess the latest technology? How much would we let an algorithm control our lives?”
Dates: 21 – 23 March 2024
Doors open at 7pm, curtain up at 7.30pm
Running time: approx. 2.5 hours with one interval
Address: The Blue Room, Union Road, Lincoln, LN1 3BU
Content warning 18+. Contains scenes of violence, sexuality, nudity, adult themes and scenes that viewers may find upsetting.
Image – Kelsey Benjamin McBride, credit Stephen Gillard.
Lincolnshire Councillors are “shocked” at National Grid’s plans to run a string of large pylons along the Lincolnshire coast.
The plans have been announced as part of National Grid’s Great Grid Upgrade, an overhaul of the electricity grid involving new infrastructure projects across the country.
The grid proposes installing new overhead cabling right through Lincolnshire between Grimsby and Walpole near Wisbech in Cambridgeshire, along with new electricity substations.
Cllr Colin Davie, executive councillor for economic development, environment and planning at Lincolnshire County Council, said: “This so-called ‘Great Grid Upgrade’ won’t be great for Lincolnshire’s visitor economy as these pylons, substations and overhead cables will carve up our beautiful landscape.
“Alongside our seaside resort towns, a huge part of our coastal charm is the miles of unspoilt nature and beaches that make up the east of Lincolnshire. There are a string of nature reserves along the east coast, not to mention the Lincolnshire Wolds, the beauty of which would be severely impacted by these unsightly pylons.
“I understand the need for infrastructure to connect new sources of renewable energy to the grid. However, elsewhere in the country, National Grid’s plans involve burying these cables under the ground or under the sea; why can’t that be done in Lincolnshire too?
“And this isn’t power being brought in to supply Lincolnshire’s needs, necessarily. This wall of wires and pylons is ostensibly to take power down to London and the south east.”
On 5 December 2023, Lincolnshire County Council’s executive approved an Energy Infrastructure position statement, which outlined how the council will respond robustly to National Significant Infrastructure Projects like this, to protect agricultural land and prevent developments blighting the landscape.
Cllr Davie continued: “We refuse to let Lincolnshire be seen as a place to dump unwanted infrastructure projects. But as these pylon plans are classed as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project, permission won’t be determined locally.
“The council, as a statutory consultee, will be sure to make our views on the proposals clear to the relevant Secretary of State who will make the final decision to grant consent or not.”
The University of Lincoln is to lead a global consortium of scientists researching the worldwide impact of vector-transmitted malaria parasites in wildlife, which are causing concern due to global warming and land use changes.
The project group spans 37 countries and comprises more than 140 collaborators, under the name of the “Wildlife Malaria Network” . The team will co-ordinate the analysis of existing scientific samples, expertise and data sets to tackle the challenges surrounding malaria parasites in wildlife, as well as training a new generation of wildlife malaria researchers.
By uniting researchers and institutions from around the world, WIMANET holds the promise of advancing our understanding of wildlife malaria parasites to find effective strategies to tackle the challenges faced with wildlife malaria parasites in a changing world.
Dr Jenny Dunn, Senior Lecturer in Animal Health and Disease at the University of Lincoln and Chair of the Network, said: “We don’t currently understand the full effect that malaria and other blood parasites have on wildlife. Historically, it was always thought that wild animal hosts were unaffected by the huge diversity of malaria parasite lineages that exist in wildlife populations around the world, however, through medication experiments we now know that this isn’t true.
“This collaboration will gather expert knowledge to quantify the diversity of these parasites, allowing us to better understand the complex associations between parasites and their hosts – which include birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and fish. We will then analyse existing data from current research groups to unearth the global impact of malaria on wildlife.
“The general public need not worry. The strains of malaria present in wildlife tend to be very host-specific, and there are no strains of wildlife malaria in the UK that humans can contract.”
Lincolnshire Co-op relief pharmacist Alex Scarbro from Ruskington near Sleaford has been name as Buttercups Outstanding Trainee Pharmacist 2023.
The award is a tribute to stand-out trainee pharmacists who have been nominated by their tutors for their exceptional behaviour and participation over the duration of their training programme.
Alex was commended for his empathetic and understanding character, his consistent professionalism, and demonstrating exceptional dedication to patient care.
Jo Higham, Professional Development Programme Tutor at Buttercups Training, presented Alex with the award at his workplace Ruskington Pharmacy in Sleaford.
Founded in 1988, Buttercups Training is the largest independent pharmacy training provider in the UK with over 35 years of experience in the industry.
Jo Higham, Professional Development Programme Tutor at Buttercups Training, said: “Alex has participated excellently with our programme, and others have found him a pleasure to work with.
“He’s displayed a real passion for pharmacy and patient-centred care. He should be very proud of his work so far. We look forward to seeing his future pharmacy achievements.”
Alex said: “I’ve worked so hard to get where I am today. As pharmacists, we commit to making a positive difference to people in the communities we serve, so it means the world to have received this award.”
Come shake a tail feather with the UK’s original, award-winning Tina Turner tribute… aka Justine Riddoch and her talented cast.
When Tina burst onto the scene, she won the hearts of music fans from the outset, creating a fearsome reputation for her live performances – and those never-ending legs!
Early hits River Deep – Mountain High, Proud Mary and Nutbush City Limits were just a taste of what was to come. We Don’t Need Another Hero, Simply the Best, What’s LoveGot to Do With It, I Don’t Wanna Lose You and When the Heartache is Overpropelled her to stadium concert stardom.
Supported by her super-talented band and dazzling dancing girls in sequins, feathers and diamonds, Justine is the ULTIMATE Tina (a National Tribute Awards winner since 2013). She’s got the looks, she’s got the moves, she’s got the legs, but most of all, she’s got THE voice. Join an army of loyal fans for a truly authentic, fun-packed musical spectacular!
Twelve years have passed since Totally TINA first sprang to life in the vibrant city of Liverpool, but a Lifetime Achievement Award and many other prestigious accolades along the way have earned Justine’s ‘Totally Tina’ a deserved top spot in the musical tribute world.
Justine admits she has been observing her beloved muse from the start; constantly honing her homage to the legend herself with passion and an unrivalled attention to detail, to deliver the most authentic recreation of the rock and roll Queen’s live performances.
The cast and crew of Totally Tina are pulling out all the stops this year with the promise of a brand new, custom-made performances featuring a whole host of fresh ideas, coupled with the band’s now famous humour.
The Show is designed to make the audience feel that the legendary performer is right back in front of them, strutting her stuff on the most famous legs in show business!
This year’s production is a heady mix of nostalgia and surprise with all the favourite Tina Turner hits, her best duets, much-loved covers and the odd twist in the tale.
Jumping Jack Flash, Honky Tonky Woman, Get Back, It’s Only Rock and Roll and The Bitch is Back have been added to a set which includes Simply The Best, Proud Mary, Nutbush City Limits and Private Dancer to name a few.
All the songs are enhanced by the customary flourish of sparkling stiletto heels, flamboyant tail feathers, high energy dance routines and musical genius. There’s plenty of audience engagement and post-show ‘meet and greets’ too, making the Show more personal.
In fact, it’s probably the closest thing to a live Tina Turner concert!
Justine, a past winner of cult talent show, Stars In Their Eyes performing as Anastacia, is known in the business for her enthusiasm and drive, and has been singing professionally for 30 years. She is justifiably proud of her cast and crew who’ve played a huge part in helping her to create the longest running Tina Turner tribute.
She said: “I am thrilled by the success of this production – we have come so far! Having been told on many occasions that I sounded like Tina, I decided to take the plunge and then spent hours familiarising myself with her life story and scrutinising video footage to watch mannerisms and body movements.
“We always add our own personality to the Show each year; the element of surprise keeps things fresh, but my ultimate aim is to remain faithful to a Tina Turner live concert paying tribute to her career, and bring the best version of this amazing woman; her voice, her passion and even her legs, to her many fans.
“That’s why we love it when people tell us that they go away feeling as though they have seen the real thing.”
Totally Tina has been the ultimate Tina Turner tribute for the past nine years, from 2013 to 2019 winning Best Female Artist, Best Choreography, Best Sound & Lighting and the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at the NTMA, and in 2020 and 2021 winning Best Tribute at the NREA and NEA respectively.
The band have played to audiences all over the country and in Europe, and have performed at the Cover Festival in Davos, Switzerland (Tina Turner’s new home country) the last few years.
Justine added: “We love what we do, and we’re lucky enough to have an incredibly loyal army of fans here and overseas. We look forward to meeting many more new fans this year.”
TOTALLY TINA is coming to play LINCOLN – New Theatre Royal on Friday 2 February 2024!
Night shift staff on wards at Pilgrim Hospital, Boston, and Lincoln County Hospital are part of a trial to wear dementia-friendly, pyjama style scrubs to help make it easier for patients to fall asleep at night.
United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT) is working with volunteers at Horncastle Scrub Hub, which previously sewed extra scrubs for the Trust during the COVID-19 pandemic, to create scrubs for staff that resemble pyjamas to help the wards feel less clinical at night.
Many people with dementia can find certain strong patterns and colour combinations confusing due to how they are able to process information, so fabric designs have been chosen to minimise this, and look as close to regular pyjamas as possible.
Shelly Wills from Horncastle Scrub Hub said: “It’s really exciting to be part of a project that could make someone’s stay in hospital a little bit better.
“We have the most amazing group of volunteers that came together at the start of the first lockdown and we’ve independently been raising funds and sewn scrubs and other essential items for the NHS and local community ever since.”
Work has also been completed on the wards to make a better environment for patients with dementia and their families, including using simple colours on the walls and pastel curtain colours, creating safe activity areas away from beds, and spaces to have difficult conversations with privacy to process emotions.
Abbi Eustace, Matron for Healthcare of the Older Person at ULHT, said: “We all know how hard it can be to fall asleep in a different setting, particularly in hospitals which can be noisy and bright despite the best efforts from staff to make wards as quiet and as dimmed as possible.
“We’re hoping that creating visual reminders of bedtime with staff wearing pyjama style scrubs, alongside our efforts to dim lights, reducing noise and introducing plain and dementia-friendly décor on wards, will help our patients feel more settled during their time in hospital to help them fall asleep easier at night.
“Healthcare of the older person is such a rewarding area of healthcare to work in and while these new scrubs might seem like a bit of fun, helping some of our most vulnerable patients feel more comfortable and safe in an unfamiliar environment is one of our biggest challenges, so our staff are happy to dress like we’re heading to bed if it helps our patients get a better night’s sleep.”
The scrubs are being made with fabric provided to the Horncastle Scrub Group by the United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity, with the trial expected to launch with a full collection of stylish slumber-scrubs in early 2024.
The trial will initially take place on Carlton Coleby at Lincoln County Hospital, and wards 6A and 6B at Pilgrim Hospital, Boston, with plans to expand to more healthcare of older person wards if it has a positive impact on patients.
United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity Manager, Ben Petts, said: “We’re delighted to fund this innovative project that combines the creative skills of our community crafters with the clinical knowledge of our NHS workforce to help patients feel more at home in hospital and get a better night’s sleep.”
If you’re interested in volunteering with Horncastle Scrub Hub based at Horncastle Community Centre Church Room or at home to cut, overlock and sew, please contact 07753 866357 or h.scrubbers@gmail.com.
Image courtesy of United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust
Ever wondered what house music sounds like when it’s performed by a 32-piece orchestra? Well, here’s your chance to find out… for free!
Classic Ibiza returns to Burghley House on Saturday 27 July and we’re giving two lucky readers the chance to win a pair of tickets each.
Headlining the event is Urban Soul Orchestra, known for their work alongside the likes of Groove Armada and Robert Miles. They’ll be reinventing the most iconic dance tracks from the last 30 years with live vocalists and DJ Goldierocks.
Other highlights include a DJ set by former Pacha Ibiza resident Jose Luis and an awe-inspiring laser and light show.
HOW TO ENTERTo be in with a chance of winning a pair of tickets to Classic Ibiza, just answer the following question correctly – “What is the name of the act that headlines Classic Ibiza?” – and send to competitions@blmgroup.co.ukwith the subject heading ‘Classic Ibiza’. Please also include your name in the email.Entries close at 23:59 on 31 March 2024.
Entrants need to be over 18.
Visit classicibiza.co.uk for more information about the event.
Images: David Evans Photography
Vegan, eco, and ethical traders return to Gainsborough this year thanks to West Lindsey District Council arranging the return of the sustainable living traders who have committed to attend the Saturday market, three times this year.
Sam Brundish from market organisers Rainbow Monkey Events said they were looking forward to trading in the town again this year. “We’re really excited to be coming back to Gainsborough. We know there’s a great interest in veganism in the area from the two markets we held there in 2023. We’re proud to be able to support small, independent businesses, and give them a platform to showcase their products.”
The organisers focus on bringing a good selection of gluten free food options as well as having a strong understanding of people with food intolerances. Rainbow Monkey Events’ aim is to bring vibrant vegan and ethical markets to a range of locations across the Midlands, with free entry for customers and affordable stall costs for traders.
The market dates are Saturday, 17 February; Saturday 22 June; and Saturday 21 December.
After more than 42 years’ service to Lincoln, Ric Metcalfe is to retire from his role as councillor for Glebe ward and Leader of City of Lincoln Council in May.
He was first elected as a councillor in 1982 and has been Leader of the council for more than 20 years.
Although retiring from his political position, he will continue his work at the University of Lincoln as a lecturer in Social Policy. Before that he’d worked as HR Manager for Lincolnshire County Council, retiring in 2002.
He said: “I have served as a member of the Council continuously for more than 40 years as Deputy leader of the Council for 12 years and then as Leader of the city council for more than 20 years.
“While it is always difficult to give up doing something you love and which you think is worthwhile, I have decided that I will not stand again when the next city council elections take place in May 2024.
“While still reasonably active, I want to spend some more time with my family, enjoy some foreign train travel and give a bit more time to my beloved allotment and continue my University teaching.
“I have been proud to have been part of a very successful Labour administration in Lincoln since 1982, who have enjoyed the confidence of people in Lincoln for most of the time since then, and who have helped transformed the fortunes of the city.
“I am also grateful to the voters of Glebe Ward who have unswervingly supported me since 1982.”
By continuing to use the site, you agree to the use of cookies. more information
The cookie settings on this website are set to "allow cookies" to give you the best browsing experience possible. If you continue to use this website without changing your cookie settings or you click "Accept" below then you are consenting to this.
