A new after-school equestrian programme in Belton is opening its doors to young people, thanks to £5,000 in funding from North Lincolnshire Council’s Positive Activities grant scheme.

Avalon Mill Equestrian will run a 30-week programme combining fun and education, with weekly sessions designed for those aged 11 to 19, and up to 25 for participants with special educational needs or disabilities. Ten places are available.

The sessions will give young people a chance to develop practical equestrian skills, including horse care, grooming, and stable management. They will also learn about feeding routines, handling, and the use of different types of equipment.

The initiative is part of a wider effort by the council to support community-based projects that encourage young people to engage in positive, skill-building activities. Through the Positive Activities grants, local groups are being supported to provide safe spaces where young people can make friends, build confidence, and explore new interests.

  Image credit: North Lincolnshire Council

A vibrant new space is set to open at the 20-21 Visual Arts Centre in Scunthorpe, offering families a chance to explore science and creativity in one interactive setting.

Discover@20-21, the town’s new STEAM gallery, will open on 30 October. The hands-on space blends science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics through a series of playful exhibits designed for children and families.

Inside, visitors can experiment with light tables, magnetic walls, and digital art screens, while optical illusions and creative puzzles turn scientific ideas into visual experiences. The gallery also features activities that encourage problem-solving, balance, and imagination through building, drawing, and design.

The project aims to make learning an immersive and social experience, where children can freely create, test ideas, and see their work displayed in large-scale projections across the venue’s historic chancel window.

Discover@20-21 will be open Tuesday to Saturday, from 10am to 4pm. Admission is free.

  Image credit: North Lincolnshire Council

A new national report has identified Lincoln as a key example of how smaller UK cities could drive regional growth if given greater powers through local government reorganisation.

The Case for Cities report argues that devolving authority to city-led unitary councils could help tackle challenges in health, housing and economic productivity. It suggests that current administrative boundaries, many unchanged since the 1970s, limit cities like Lincoln from coordinating long-term investment and infrastructure planning across their wider urban areas.

Lincoln is highlighted as a city that balances historic character with growth, serving as an employment and education hub for surrounding towns and villages. The report notes strong foundations in sectors such as defence, security, digital technology, and the creative industries, with potential for expansion through better integration of planning and investment.

It points to Lincoln’s collaborative model involving local agencies, housing providers, and voluntary organisations as an example of how targeted partnership can improve community wellbeing.

The findings support proposals for a single, right-sized authority capable of aligning housing, transport and health systems, accelerating affordable home delivery, and supporting inclusive development across Greater Lincolnshire.

  Image credit: Stock.adobe.com/U-JINN Photography

“He was so poorly and we knew he was going to pass away.” These are the poignant words of Laura Yarlett as she remembers the precious moments she and husband Steve had with their beautiful son Edison. Edison was born premature at Queen’s Medical Centre, Nottingham in September 2022 with a congenital diaphragmatic hernia meaning his abdominal organs had moved into his chest area impacting on his lungs. The hospital’s neo-natal team worked relentlessly to save him but sadly he passed away, just 16 hours old. Laura recalls: “Even though the team knew what the outcome would be, they did not give up on Edison. He was showing so many signs of distress on the machines that were keeping him alive so eventually we made the heartbreaking decision to turn them off. We held him for a while, and he opened his eyes and then it just seemed as if he had fallen asleep.” Last Sunday evening Laura and Steve joined over 250 parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters on the Lantern Walk organised by United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity in partnership with the maternity bereavement team from United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT) to highlight Baby Loss Awareness Week. Led by The Very Rev Dr Simon Jones, Dean of Lincoln Cathedral, the procession walked from Lincoln Bishops University to Lincoln Cathedral where the lanterns were placed in a heart shape in front of the building. Families were then invited into the building to light a candle, say a prayer or simply sit and listen to the softly sung voices of Digby Military Wives Choir. The Lantern Walk is important to Laura. She said: “It brings the baby loss community together and allows us to show that our babies matter. None of us chose to be part of this community, but we are, and we all support families when they don’t get to bring their baby home.” Other events were held throughout the week. On Saturday 11 October, families met at Dion’s Wood, Boston and planted tiny daffodil bulbs. These will grow and flower in the Spring and be a living reminder of their baby. As Baby Loss Awareness Week came to an end last night, families across the world lit a candle in a ‘Wave of Light’ to remember all their precious babies who are no longer with them. Rachel Bond, Specialist Bereavement Midwife at ULHT, said: “I am immensely proud of the success of the events. It means so much to be able to make a positive difference to families, not only during the time of their loss but to their future too.” Laura will always be grateful to the care she and Steve received; from the doctors and nurses who tried to save Edison’s life, to the support from Rachel and her team when she returned to her home at Waddington near Lincoln. She found one of the hardest things was telling Edison’s siblings that their little brother was not coming home as there was very little support information available. Laura felt passionately about remedying this and has created the charity ‘Edison’s Light’ in her son’s memory, which provides support packs for siblings and children. More information can be found at www.edisonslight.co.uk. United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity Manager, Ben Petts, explained why he was proud to support Baby Loss Awareness Week. He said: “We support hospitals to deliver compassionate care to patients and families. This doesn’t stop when they leave hospital, we are there to support families for as long as they need it.” More information on the charity can be found at www.ulhcharity.org.uk.   Image shows the Lantern Walk nearing Lincoln Cathedral