Plans for a striking sculpture have been given the go ahead by Lincoln City Council.
The installation is set to be a unique attraction for locals and visitors alike and is testament to the strong collaboration of a number of organisations including local school children who worked together to create something eye-catching and meaningful.
The sculpture was commissioned by Lincoln BIG with funding from Lincoln Creates and has been designed by local visual artist, Nadya Monfrinoli for Stokes Tea & Coffee’s Lawn site in the city.
Nadya explained: “The design concept was inspired by the coffee plant, that in nature grows as a tree, rather than a shrub as seen on plantations. I wanted to build a pavilion, a space which is between sculpture and shelter, somewhere that is inviting, where people would congregate.
“The brief from Stokes included a stipulation that we should try to use as much waste material from the Lawn based coffee roastery as possible. I chose to build the pavilion using the pallets that the coffee beans arrive on. Each piece of wood has been carefully liberated from its pallet. Over 200 pieces were printed with coffee inspired designs by children at Westgate Primary school, which is very close to the Lawn site where the Pavilion will sit.”
The sculpture
Nick Peel is the fourth generation of the Stokes family to run the legendary 121-year-old firm. He said: “We are delighted to see this project move forward. The pandemic caused delays but it’s exciting to think that in just a few short weeks, it will be in place for so many people to enjoy.
“The coffee tree nourishes, nature is to be treasured and respected, along with minimising waste to help better protect our environment. These values are built into our business alongside the arts and creative community collaborations, which are also in our DNA. Life can crush your soul at times, but art always reminds you that you have one. Installations make you pause, reflect and be curious. I really hope the children enjoy seeing their creative work come together as one piece.”
Emma Olivier-Townrow, Business Development Manager at Stokes, added: “This project is a great example of how Lincoln Big has supported artists, businesses and local communities to work together, donating resources to support culture and promoting Lincoln City as a vibrant place to live, work or visit. It’s been fantastic to do this especially working with the primary school children who visited our roastery and barista training academy to better understand the journey of coffee from bean to cup.”
Lee Roberts, Head of Operations at Lincoln BIG, said: “We’re delighted Lincoln Creates has brought this brilliant project to life and allowed Stokes to collaborate with Nadya to create a sculpture that strongly reflects their company’s values. We’re looking forward to seeing the striking artwork come to life and offer a distinctive attraction for locals and visitors to see.”
The different elements of the pavilion have been ready for some time now, but it will be assembled off site to minimise installation time at the Lawn, before being delivered in sections. The sculpture will be sited on the grounds at the Lawn on Union Road in Lincoln.
Main image shows: Stokes HQ at the Historic Lawn Building
A national campaign is being led by the Arboricultural Association and Woodland Trust calling on residents to water trees in residential areas, parks, public and community areas to survive the hot months by watering them.
The call has been taken up by South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership, which warns that last year, the UK saw its hottest year on record, and the last few days have been scorchers. And the Met Office warning that longer, more intense heatwaves will become more frequent because of climate change.
Newly-planted street trees need up to 50 litres of water every week during the summer during their first three years.
Portfolio Holders for Conservation at South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership, Councillor Sarah Sharpe said: “It is so important that we support this campaign and all do our bit to help nature. Trees cool our towns and villages and improve air quality, so we must take care of our trees.”
Councillor colleague Tom Ashton added: “New trees that were planted in the winter will not yet have an established root system so they need more help than any. Watering them can be a fun activity to do with your children or even as a chore in your daily routine.
“It can also encourage a sense of community spirit with neighbours coming together to care for their local trees.”
Councillor Elizabeth Sneath added: “In a united effort, we urge all our residents across the south and east Lincolnshire to join forces and rally together watering our local street trees and save them. You don’t have to use fresh clean water you can use recycled water collected from a water butt maybe, or grey water which is left from your pot washing or bathing.
“Let’s ensure we keep our trees healthy for the future and give them the hydration they desperately need.”
Local care home provider, Country Court, celebrated 40 years of caring with a party for staff and residents at Beech Lodge Care and Nursing Home near Holbeach.
Residents were joined by members of the Kachra family who opened the care home near Holbeach, Lincolnshire in 1983. The award-winning group now has thirty-six care homes across the UK, with three more planned to open in 2023.
The family-led ethos was demonstrated during the event to mark their 40th Anniversary, with a heartfelt speech by the current chairman and cake cutting by his sons Alykhan and Al-Karim who are now co-CEOs.
Speaking to guests at the party Abdul Kachra, chairman of Country Court, said: “Beech Lodge Care & Nursing Home is very close to our hearts. As the first care home we opened I am very proud of the care we have provided here for forty years. When we first came here my wife and I lived at Beech Lodge in a one-bedroom apartment and cared for nine residents.
“My sister-in-law was the manager, and my first child was born here too. It was one of the most wonderful times of my life, with beautiful million-dollar views. Beech Lodge is still my favourite care home, here we see our passion for care and how happy our residents are.”
Anu Bijoy, home manager, said: “We thank all the families and friends who joined us, to celebrate our fantastic Home and we are grateful for all the support they have given us, currently and in the past. We look forward to many more years of caring for our residents at Beech Lodge and giving them the quality of life they deserve.”
The day of celebrations started with residents enjoying an energetic series of song and dance routines performed by ‘Tap About Town’. This got everyone in the party spirit and people were singing and clapping along to the music.
In the afternoon friends and family were invited to join residents at the Home to celebrate with live music by Graham Travis. There was a silent auction, with some fabulous prizes, donated by some local businesses. Everyone enjoyed a delectable buffet, organised by the amazing catering team and a wonderfully decorated cake in the 40 years theme of purple and gold.
The activities and wellbeing coordinators, Jodie Clayton and Olivia Wallis, worked tirelessly to decorate the home and organise the entertainment, making sure everything was in place for the big day.
The Country Court story began in 1983 when Roshan was a nurse working for the NHS, while her sister Naila and husband Abdul Kachra were running a grocer’s in Wolverhampton, Birmingham. One morning, while Abdul was wrapping meat for a customer using a Dalton’s Weekly newspaper, he noticed an advert for an old farmhouse in a village he had never heard of. Looking closer, the old farmhouse was a care home which had been struggling financially.
When Roshan returned from her shift at the hospital, Abdul and Naila sat with her to discuss this new opportunity. All in agreement, they viewed the care home in Holbeach, Lincolnshire. It was a significant change from their current life, but with Roshan’s background in care, they fell in love with the idea of looking after elderly people in such a peaceful setting. They uprooted their lives to pursue a new passion, in a new location and in 1983 Beech Lodge became Country Court’s first care home.
Today, Country Court is both caring for and employing thousands of people across the UK, with every person part of their family. Despite a national presence their aim is to stay local. Individual communities are what matter, and they aspire to embody this notion.
For more information about Beech Lodge Care and Nursing Home or to make an appointment to view the home please contact, Anu Bijoy home manager on 01406 423 396 or email careenquiries@countrycourtcare.com.
Historic Burghley House might be better known as one of England’s greatest Elizabethan houses, but for the latest blockbuster superhero movie, it’s also now ‘home’ to the caped crusader, Batman.
New Warner Bros release The Flash stars Ezra Miller in the title role as comic book hero Barry Allen, but also swooping into the superhero story is another DC Comics character, Batman – and Burghley plays a cinematic supporting role as his Wayne Manor mansion.
Film crews were at Burghley for four weeks in April and May 2021 transforming the 16th century house – designed and built by Queen Elizabeth I’s Lord High Treasurer, William Cecil – into the fictitious home of Batman.
While the winged superhero himself didn’t fly into Burghley, but added later in studio shots, leading actor Ezra Miller along with actress Sasha Calle, who plays Supergirl, were at the House to film scenes.
The spectacular skyline of the country house on the edge of the Lincolnshire stone town of Stamford, has already appeared in evocative shots for the movie trailer, and Burghley now seems set for more stardom after the film was released in UK cinemas last week (16 June).
While the story focusses on Allen – a scientist who achieves super speed after being struck by lightning – both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton return to their former roles as Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, who appears in multiple forms during the time-travelling plot.
Among features getting the Hollywood treatment are the distinctive roofline, with its forest of chimneys and towers, and the oak-panelled Great Hall, with its grand Tudor fireplace, where Queen Victoria and Prince Albert dined during their visit to the House in 1844.
Burghley’s suitably dramatic Hell Staircase, named after the dark visions of Hell painted on the ceiling above by Italian artist Antonio Verrio, and the West Front exterior of the building also feature in the movie – with the House magically transported through CGI wizardry to the middle of Gotham City, rather than the 2,000 acres of ancient parkland that surrounds it in reality.
A house 500 years in the making, Burghley is no stranger to movie stardom, thanks to its grand architecture and imposing location. Film fans can retrace the footsteps of Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen, Dame Judi Dench and Donald Sutherland who filmed scenes for 2005’s Pride & Prejudice big-screen adaption.
And among Burghley’s other supporting roles were in The Da Vinci Code (2006), as a stand-in for a grand French chateau along with some scenes set at Castel Gandolfo. In Elizabeth: The Golden Age (2007) it became royal astrological and scientific advisor John Dee’s house, while the Elizabethan gem also sparkled in The Crown, featuring as royal residences in two seasons of the Netflix series.
For more details on how to visit Burghley and to book online tickets, visit www.burghley.co.uk.
Companies the length and breadth of the UK are becoming increasingly brow-beaten by a seemingly relentless deluge of gloomy economic news.
Leadership teams grappling with rising costs, will be drawing up efficiency plans in a bid to identify how they can achieve more with less.
When it comes to increasing effectiveness there are a selection of obvious business levers to pull, but there are also some simple yet deceptively powerful principles that can help make big impacts to bottom lines. Improving customer retention can contribute to impressive increases in revenues of between 25% and 95%.
Keeping staff is another way for businesses to make gains, as reducing staff turnover means less hiring costs, increased productivity, and delivers a better customer experience. Achieving retention takes creativity particularly given that quiet-quitting, rapidly diminishing attention spans and time poor audiences are growingly prevalent considerations. As well as the more obvious choices of reward and recognition, delivering great customer service, loyalty, referral incentives and so on. A good old-fashioned face to face can be incredibly powerful when it comes to both winning and keeping clients or staff.
The pandemic was a catalyst for change and served as a reminder that there really isn’t any substitute for human contact no matter how high-tech a virtual setting may be.
Karis Hildred is an events specialist who manages an award-winning venue and events operation, she shared some insights saying: “We were honoured most recently with a bronze award from the M&IT which has been a superb stamp of approval for our venue.
“The last few years have been eventful to say the least with most people adapting roles and rapidly upskilling to take events online through the pandemic. Now, in a post Covid world, like many, we are bracing ourselves.
“We’re holding on to the hope that our industry won’t be affected again on such a massive scale as we enter a potential economic crisis. But we’ve found that organisations are still focusing on planning events and their priority is ensuring that every one of their guests gets maximum value from attending. Clients are looking for the wow factor that simply cannot be delivered online.
“We’ve seen a huge increase in full day event bookings which incorporate experiences. Our venue and events centre is housed in a beautiful 200 year old building owned by a fourth generation family of coffee roasters, Stokes Tea & Coffee. This is fantastic for us as we can include tours of the onsite coffee roastery followed by tastings or ‘have a go at latte art’ classes at the Barista Academy located in the same building.
“These dynamic elements allow the event organisers to interact with their guests in exciting and informal ways. Being able to provide such a wide range of unique options as well as a full range of events and venue services is valuable to our clients.
“Shared experiences allows them to break down barriers and interact with their clients, along with having the right facilities to do the important stuff and deliver those key messages. Attendees want to walk away with something extra that cannot be delivered through a screen. Clients want to see, smell and taste an event and organisers stepping into this new field want to deliver these experiences with exceptional customer service.”
Debbie Connelly, Head of Awards and Conferences Operations, Northstar Meetings Group, organisers of M&IT Awards, said: “From galvanising workforces to spreading knowledge and inspiring innovation, the meetings and events industry has played a crucial role in rebuilding economies in the aftermath of the pandemic.
“Our latest research shows that, while business remains challenging, optimism about the continued return of in-person events continues to grow. That’s because, ultimately, you can’t replicate the in-person experience online – the special buzz you get when people are in the same room. At a time when hybrid working has become the norm, events like the M&IT Awards play an even more crucial role in bringing people together and celebrating success.”
Budgets are tightening and the competitive environment is hotting up, so finding ways to cut through the noise and stand out from the crowd is crucial. The newfound popularity of in-person conferences is not just a result of people missing these interactions but rather that businesses are seeing real benefits.
Businesses are using events to elevate their company brand, convert sales opportunities more rapidly, build contact lists and data, strengthen existing relationships to realise greater potential and value, build a collaborative approach to a collective problem or challenge, generate new leads and so much more.
Putting on an event or arranging a conference doesn’t have to be costly, complicated or cumbersome. Using professional organisers and setting clear objectives is a focused way of achieving real results.
The next 12 to 18 months look set to be far from plain sailing for all businesses everywhere. But resisting the urge to batten down the hatches and using ingenuity to reach the people that count in personal ways can make all the difference.
Karis’ Top Tips For Event Success:
1. Have clear objectives – share these with your event organiser to achieve concrete outcomes.
2. Do something different – choosing the best venue with great facilities is a good start but consider what else is on offer to make your event unique and memorable.
3. Make it worth it – budgets need a pay back and so do your attendees – consider what’s the value for both.
4. Plan ahead – it may seem obvious but allowing enough lead-time will take your event from good to great.
5. Share the load – choose an organiser and venue with the solid facilities, expertise and the flexibility to make your event unique to elevate your brand and be remembered long after the car park is cleared.
Find out more at: Wedding Venue | The Lawn | England (lawnlincoln.com)
Picture shows: The Award Winning Blue Room based in the Lawn Building in Lincoln
Friends and family are organising a Charity Arts Festival at Southside in Lincoln in memory of James Read, who passed away at the age of just 20.
Southside, formerly St Katherine’s Church and the Priory Centre, has offered to host the Charity Arts Festival in its Grade II listed building for free. Catering will also be provided by Southside, which has a five-star food hygiene rating.
The event on Sunday 9th July will feature live performances from local musicians, theatre performers and an open mic. There will also be a range of stalls selling paintings, cards, baked goods, jewellery, books and more.
James Read was a big part of the art and music community in Lincoln; he was a chorister at Lincoln Cathedral and regularly performed in shows with the Lincoln Amateur Operatic and Dramatics Society (LAODS), who will be performing songs from their new show All Shook Up at the festival.
In 2021 James passed away due to APS Type 1, a rare autoimmune disease. He chose to donate his heart and liver, which saved the lives of two people, and donated his pancreas to diabetes research as he also had type 1 diabetes. James was awarded The Order of St John in recognition of this.
All proceeds from the event will go to the APS Type 1 Foundation to support its crucial research and the help the charity gives to patients around the world.
Mia Gray, a close friend of James and one of the organisers of the event, said: “James was always passionate about art and music, so we felt that this was the perfect way to honour his memory and raise money for such an important charity.
“Everyone is welcome to attend, whether you knew James or not, and we hope it will be a fun day of summer entertainment while celebrating James’ life.”
Tickets to the event are free and can be reserved here, and there will be an option to donate on entry. There are also other ways to get involved with the fundraising such as a raffle and an art auction, which will feature pieces from YellowBelly Art and unique prints by Pure Evil.
Several local businesses are involved, with A Little Bit of Lincolnshire and Rising Café both kindly donating raffle prizes. If you are interested in providing donations for the raffle, having a stall or performing then please contact Mia Gray at miacatherineg@outlook.com.
Image shows James performing.
One of England’s finest Elizabethan houses will be the venue for a sensational summer of music, along with new secret spy adventure play for kids and the world’s largest gathering of Rolls Royce cars.
Throw in a new evening of opera in Burghley’s beautiful South Gardens, a summer proms complete with historic cavalry displays, fireworks and live-firing canons, along with family friendly Beastly Boring costumed guided tours, and summer 2023 is set to sizzle at Burghley House and Gardens.
For family fun, Burghley’s new Hide & Secrets adventure play is already proving a big hit since opening at the end of April. Combining play, exploration, and discovery, the attraction features six fun-packed family play zones and a spectacular Hidden Towers structure.
During selected dates in August, Burghley’s ever-popular Beastly Boring Tours, aimed primarily at six-to-11-year-olds, offer fun tours of the House for children with costumed guides revealing the grizzly gruesome, horrible history of a House 500 years in the making.
Located on the edge of the Georgian town of Stamford, in Lincolnshire, the House and Gardens, as well as the surrounding parkland, will also play host to some spectacular events spread right across the summer months.
A stately sight awaits visitors over the weekend of 23-25 June, when what is regarded as the largest gathering of Rolls-Royce and Bentley motor cars in the world rolls into the parkland. In one of the most glamorous events in the motoring calendar, hundreds of the luxury cars are expected to grace the sweeping parkland surrounding Burghley. This annual event – the highlight of the year for organisers The Rolls-Royce Enthusiasts’ Club (RREC) – has previously attracted up to 1,000 cars. Free to spectate, ticketed entry is required for trade stands and the hospitality area.
For more motor mania, Burghley will also host the inaugural ‘Festival of the Dead’ car show (2 July), when the parkland will be graced with a selection of vintage and classic cars, along with custom and exotic cars, celebrating the marques that are no longer made, covering everything from Austin Healey to Wolseley. There will also be a range of auto traders, catering options, awards and live demonstrations at the free to attend event.
For a summer spectacle, the House will be the magnificent backdrop for the 18th annual Battle Proms Picnic Concert, a celebration with music, fireworks, spitfire, cannons, and cavalry (8 July). A party in the park ‘with a difference’ the dramatic concert is a highlight of the summer social calendar and has become a firm favourite with fans. The longest running picnic proms series in the UK, the full two-hour orchestral concert from the New English Concert Orchestra will feature well-known classical pieces, before ending with a traditional ‘last night of the Proms’ flag-waving sing-along and a fireworks finale.
For those who prefer to party the night away to classic anthems under the stars in a family friendly environment, Classic Ibiza is also back for 2023 (29 July). An open-air celebration of White Isle-inspired house music, the Urban Soul Orchestra, world class DJs and critically acclaimed vocalists will bring a heady blend of Balearic beats to life.
For music and merriment, a new event will bring an operatic twist to Burghley’s event calendar. The Wild Arts Opera Evening combines arias, songs and ensembles with performance storytelling, which aims to take the audience on an emotional journey ranging from laughter to tears (20 July). Four world class singers and a string quintet will feature music by Handel, Mozart and Puccini amongst others, in stunning outdoor setting. Meanwhile, Burghley’s normally closed South Gardens will open exclusively for concert guests to enjoy some pre-concert refreshment – whether a bring-your-own al fresco snack, or a pre-ordered Burghley picnic.
Foodie fans are also in for a treat at Burghley’s annual summer celebration of food and drink, when more than 45 quality food producers will set up stalls in the picturesque Chestnut and Stable Courtyards for the free-to-enter Fine Food Market (26 – 28 August). For full details of opening times, all events, and to book online tickets, visit www.burghley.co.uk or telephone 01780 752451.
With under six weeks to go until Classic Ibiza returns to Burghley House on Saturday 29 July, the concert organisers have revealed the tracks being performed on the night by the 32-piece Urban Soul Orchestra.
This year’s concert includes 15 completely new orchestrations, starred below, in a set of over 40 Balearic-infused classics – the show’s biggest yet. To help get you in the mood, check out the originals here on Spotify.
Classic Ibiza’s Lisa Ward comments: “Having heard the new tracks being performed by USO, this year’s Classic Ibiza is going to blow people away. Stephen Hussey’s orchestrations and our incredibly talented musicians are on another level.”
The concert starts at 5.30 pm with a new Chill-Out DJ Set. Former Pacha Ibiza resident, DJ Jose Luis then takes control of the decks for his Latin House Set, which for the first time includes a live jamming session with members of USO. Next up, USO and DJ Goldierocks take centre stage for the Sundowner Set, performing these iconic tracks:
Poppiholla* (Chicane), Inner City Life* (Goldie), Touch Me (Rui Da Silva), Rhythm of The Night (Corona), What Is Love* (Haddaway), Turn Around (Phats and Small), The Man With The Red Face* (Laurent Garnier), For An Angel (Paul van Dyke), Blind Faith (Chase & Status), Sun Is Shining (Bob Marley vs. Funkstar De Luxe), Red Alert (Basement Jaxx), Blackwater (Octave One), Sky (Sonique) and Theme from S’Express* (S’Express).
USO then take a break during Goldierocks’ Deep House DJ Set, a mix of classic and brand-new Ibiza anthems. They’re then reunited on stage for the Dance Set, packed with these house anthems and accompanied by a laser & light show:
Yeke Yeke (Hardfloor Mix)* (Mory Kante), Pump Up The Jam* (Technotronic), Everybody’s Free (Rozalla), Let Me Be Your Fantasy (Baby D), Castles in the Sky (Ian van Dahl), Better Off Alone (Alice Deejay), ResuRection (PPK), Seven Days and One Week (BBE), Sandstorm (Darude), Adagio for Strings (Tiësto), We Come 1*, God Is a DJ, Insomnia (Faithless), (I Wanna Give You) Devotion (Nomad), Push The Feeling On (Nightcrawlers), Dreamer (Livin’ Joy), Toca’s Miracle (Fragma), Waiting All Night (Rudimental), Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)* (C&C Music Factory), King Of My Castle* (Wamdue Project), Need You 100%* (Duke Dumont), On A Ragga Tip* (SL2), Silence* (Delerium, Tiësto), Heaven* (DJ Sammy), Summer (Calvin Harris) and Freed From Desire* (Gala). The concert ends at 11 pm after a three track encore.
Commenting on this year’s set, USO’s Stephen Hussey says: “Yeke Yeke by Mory Kante is a definite standout for me. He was from Guinea, so we had help learning the lyrics from Lucy Duran, professor of music at the School of Oriental and African Studies. I feel great affinity with the three worlds of music represented in our version – African, house and orchestral. I guess it encapsulates three very important things to me – my heritage, my education and my party side.”
Classic Ibiza at Burghley is proud to support East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices. The concert is once again due to sell-out.
Information: Parking is free and there are no booking fees. Bring your own picnic or visit the on-site street-food vendors and San Miguel Bar. Prices: Adults (over 18s): £48, Children (aged 5–17): £24, Under 5s: free. Visit: classicibiza.co.uk
Image credit – David Evans
Lincolnshire-headquartered engineering firm, Blackrow, has undergone a management buy-out (MBO).
Established over 40 years ago, the Grimsby-based firm provides specialist fabrication services to a blue-chip customer base across the world, with the 300 strong workforce delivering solutions including conveyors, gantry, mezzanine and platform manufacture, control and automations systems, structural and pipework fabrication and installations.
The MBO sees Managing Director, Tony Booker, together with Gary Pexman (sales director), Nick Rands (operations director), Luke O’Brien (structural/piping director) and Callum Day (electrical director), join the board and become majority shareholders.
Blackrow’s current directors and shareholders – Neil Ellis (finance director), Chris Marfleet, Darren Broughton and Glenn Richie – will remain on the board and retain an investment in Blackrow.
ABN AMRO provided new facilities to fund the transaction. James Elliott, director at ABN AMRO, said: “Blackrow has a fantastic reputation in its markets and an impressive, loyal customer base. These factors, together with an excellent pipeline of projects over coming months and years led us to want to support the MBO and the future growth of the business.”
Neil Ellis, finance director, said: “The current shareholders of Blackrow have had succession plans in place for some time and its very pleasing to have seen the MBO team take shape over the last few years and to transition into leadership roles, delivering excellent service to our customers and driving fantastic growth for the business. We believe that Blackrow is in very good hands for this next phase of its growth.”
Tony Booker, Managing Director, said: “Neil, Chris, Darren and Glenn have led Blackrow through periods of both opportunity and challenge and the strength of the business today is testament to their determination to invest continuously in the business’s facilities, people and capabilities. The MBO team are delighted to be given the opportunity to acquire Blackrow and to continue to build and grow this market leading, regional business.”
Blackrow and the shareholders were advised by corporate finance advisers, Dow Schofield Watts (Roger Esler, Paul Herriott, Jonathan Wilkinson, Mike Barker), legal advisers, Andrew Jackson Solicitors (Andrew Funnell, Jon Croft, Adrian West) and tax advisers, Tax Advisory Partnership (Russ Cahill). ABN AMRO was advised by Shoosmiths. The MBO team was advised by Wilkin Chapman (Adam Ottley).
Roger Esler, corporate finance partner at Dow Schofield Watts, said: “It’s been a pleasure working with Blackrow over several years as the company navigated the challenges of the Covid pandemic to emerge as an even stronger and larger business today, with a fantastic reputation in its target markets and creating a robust platform for the MBO.”
Andrew Funnell, head of corporate at Andrew Jackson Solicitors, added: “Blackrow has been through a number of buy-outs in its 40 year history and having been adviser to the company for over 20 years, it is great to see it continue its journey as a management owned business, with this MBO being the culmination of careful succession planning.”
North East Lincolnshire Council has adopted its first tree strategy to help respond to the challenges of climate change and the natural ecosystem.
Trees provide many well-documented benefits from improving the quality of the natural and urban environment to improving social, health and physical well-being – but the tree canopy covers only 10.5% of North East Lincolnshire, against the national average of almost 16%.
Correctly-managed trees can help mitigate the effects of climate change, improve storm water management, air quality, biodiversity and the amenity and sense of well-being within a community.
Tree canopy coverage within the borough’s Wards, including Yarborough, Park and Heneage, are above the national average, but some of the Wards along the coast have tree canopy cover as low as 2 per cent to 7.6 per cent.
Cllr Philip Jackson, leader of the Council, said: “Our environment is unique, that’s why we’re looking after it by cutting our carbon emissions and giving back to nature. We want everyone in North East Lincolnshire to benefit from a green economy and high-quality environment.
“Our tree strategy is an ambitious plan that can be used as a framework for everyone who has a role to play in protecting and increasing tree cover in the borough. It gives a strategic approach to making sure that everyone gains from the environmental and health benefits that trees give us.”
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The activities and wellbeing coordinators, Jodie Clayton and Olivia Wallis, worked tirelessly to decorate the home and organise the entertainment, making sure everything was in place for the big day.
The Country Court story began in 1983 when Roshan was a nurse working for the NHS, while her sister Naila and husband Abdul Kachra were running a grocer’s in Wolverhampton, Birmingham. One morning, while Abdul was wrapping meat for a customer using a Dalton’s Weekly newspaper, he noticed an advert for an old farmhouse in a village he had never heard of. Looking closer, the old farmhouse was a care home which had been struggling financially.
When Roshan returned from her shift at the hospital, Abdul and Naila sat with her to discuss this new opportunity. All in agreement, they viewed the care home in Holbeach, Lincolnshire. It was a significant change from their current life, but with Roshan’s background in care, they fell in love with the idea of looking after elderly people in such a peaceful setting. They uprooted their lives to pursue a new passion, in a new location and in 1983 Beech Lodge became Country Court’s first care home.
Today, Country Court is both caring for and employing thousands of people across the UK, with every person part of their family. Despite a national presence their aim is to stay local. Individual communities are what matter, and they aspire to embody this notion.
For more information about Beech Lodge Care and Nursing Home or to make an appointment to view the home please contact, Anu Bijoy home manager on 01406 423 396 or email careenquiries@countrycourtcare.com. 
