Research to explore RAF losses in far east

April Lara
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Research to explore RAF losses in far east

The International Bomber Command Centre in Lincoln is beginning research into Royal Air Force losses in the far east during the Second World War.

Although Bomber Command itself did not operate in the region, its aircraft and crews were reassigned to Tiger Force, a unit planned to support the Allied campaign against Japan. The force was not deployed following Japan’s surrender in 1945.

To support the project, the centre is selling thousands of ceramic poppies arranged in the form of a Lancaster Bomber, marking both VE Day and VJ Day. The installation was created by Lithuanian artist Darius Sirmulevicius, now based in Lincolnshire.

Funds raised will contribute to the completion of the IBCC’s Losses Database, which aims to record every life lost across all bombing commands during the war, including operations in the Mediterranean and far east. The proceeds will also help extend the memorial walls at the site, increasing the number of names commemorated from 50,000 to more than 80,000.

Money from poppy sales will be shared between the IBCC, the RAF Benevolent Fund, the British West India Regiments Heritage Trust and Wooden Spoon, a children’s rugby charity.

Image credit: Stock.adobe.com/Robert L Parker

Fusion future takes shape at West Burton

April Lara
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Fusion future takes shape at West Burton

A major step in the UK’s shift from coal to clean energy has been marked at West Burton, where the STEP Fusion project is setting out to create thousands of jobs and long-term investment in the region.

The site, located near the River Trent, is being developed as the country’s first prototype fusion power plant, with operations targeted for 2040. The transformation comes alongside the demolition of cooling towers at the former Cottam coal station, one of the largest demolitions of its kind, symbolising the area’s move from traditional power to advanced fusion technology.

The programme, backed by £2.5 billion of government investment over the next five years, is expected to drive growth across Greater Lincolnshire and the East Midlands. Colleges and universities in the region are already expanding fusion-related courses to prepare local people for high-skilled careers in construction, engineering and energy.

A 20-year skills partnership between the UK Atomic Energy Authority and the East Midlands Combined County Authority has been established to support this transition, ensuring local communities benefit from the opportunities generated.

As the site develops, West Burton is set to remain a central hub for energy generation—this time powered by a new era of fusion.

Image credit: GOV.UK

Lincolnshire architects to revive historic Boston building following purchase

Tess Egginton
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Lincolnshire architects to revive historic Boston building following purchase
Lincolnshire architects have bought an historic Boston building ready for a £1.1m conservation project. Scorer Hawkins Architects has bought the Grade II* Listed Shodfriars Hall for a six figure sum. It will now carry out work to conserve the building, which has been part of Boston’s townscape since the fifteenth century and is on English Heritage’s Heritage At Risk Register. The sensitive refurbishment is being grant funded by the Towns Fund, overseen by Boston Town Board. Refurbishment work and structural repairs will include improvements to the roof and the timber frame structure, conservation of windows and historic features, and external decoration plus repairs and repointing to the brickwork. Chris Bowen, director at Scorer Hawkins Architects, said: “The purchase and conservation of Shodfriars Hall is part of our ongoing and long-term commitment to the town. “The work we do is about caring for the places that we love and treasure, and this is an opportunity for us to invest in the town and the business within it to continue to deliver heritage-led regeneration. “The grant funding agreement means the refurbishment can now move forward, breathing new life into one of Boston’s best-known buildings.” Plans for the local landmark include providing space for commercial and community uses, plus new employment opportunities. Travis Wood, senior associate commercial property solicitor at MD Law, who acted for the purchasers, said: “It has been a pleasure to be able to work with and support Chris and Jonathan on their project to acquire this building, and that will see the preservation of our property heritage for future generations.”   Image credit: Google maps

Families dive into free summer swims across North Lincolnshire

April Lara
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Families dive into free summer swims across North Lincolnshire

Thousands of local residents have taken advantage of North Lincolnshire Council’s free swimming initiative this summer, with more than 2,100 visits recorded between 4 and 12 August.

Figures show that 1,061 children joined junior swim sessions, while 1,044 families took part in family swims across leisure centres in the area. The Pods proved the busiest venue, welcoming over 1,400 swimmers during the nine-day period.

The free swimming offer is part of a wider programme designed to support families through the school holidays. Alongside pool access, the council has been delivering the Summer Reading Challenge, the Fuelled Programme providing free meals and activities for children on free school meals, and a variety of community and cultural events.

The council’s focus on accessible activities reflects its effort to promote health, wellbeing, and togetherness over the summer break.

Image credit: Stock.adobe.com/Kalpana

Historic Burghley House celebrated in new book

Tess Egginton
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Historic Burghley House celebrated in new book
A new book about Burghley House will be published this September, offering readers a privileged tour of one of the UK’s most impressive stately homes. Published by Rizzoli, Burghley House brings together specially commissioned photography, fascinating archive images, and expert commentary to explore the remarkable history, art and architecture of Burghley. Authored by esteemed architectural historian John Martin Robinson, with photography by designer, artist and photographer Ashley Hicks and a foreword by Miranda Rock, custodian of Burghley, the book offers an intimate and richly detailed look inside one of Britain’s grandest surviving sixteenth-century estates. “Burghley has inspired wonder for nearly five hundred years,” says Miranda Rock, who lives at Burghley House with her family. “The book tells the story of this great house, including many discoveries and fascinating insights uncovered through recent research. Through its pages, I feel sure that readers will be transported into the magic of Burghley.” It is the first major publication about the house in over thirty years. The book traces Burghley’s story from its Elizabethan beginnings under William Cecil, Lord High Treasurer to Queen Elizabeth I, through the eighteenth-century transformation of its parkland by Capability Brown, to the estate’s ongoing preservation today. Copies are available to order online via the Burghley House website or to purchase in the Burghley Courtyard Shop from 9 September. A limited number of signed editions – personally signed by Miranda Rock – will be available while stocks last.

£55,000 grant secured for coastal safety hub in Mablethorpe

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£55,000 grant secured for coastal safety hub in Mablethorpe
 
A £55,000 grant has been awarded from the East Lindsey Investment Fund (ELIF) towards the creation of a bespoke multi-agency hub in Mablethorpe to support coastal safety. The hub will join together a wide range of services, such as His Majesty’s Coastguard, lifeboats and lifeguards (RNLI), National Coastwatch Institution, Natural England plus both county and district councils, to enhance how they tackle key issues under the banner of the Atlantis Alliance. The multi-agency hub, which has been given planning permission for a space at Queen’s Park Beach Huts, will provide a strong and visible presence for emergency, safeguarding and policing authorities on the coast, providing reassurance to locals, visitors and businesses. The idea was put forward by Lincolnshire Police, and the hub will be managed by Mablethorpe and Sutton Town Council while National Coastwatch Mablethorpe will oversee the building’s maintenance. By providing this designated facility, organisations will be able to gather, provide information to visitors, act as a base for first aid and store awareness literature and digital displays. Work is already under way to create the new hub which will continue to be utilised in the off-season period as an emergency planning response centre and also for engagement, awareness and training. Councillor Steve Kirk, portfolio holder for the coastal economy, and councillor Adam Grist, portfolio holder for market towns and the rural economy, said: “Each year, between three and four million visitors make the trip to the coast in our area, particularly Skegness and Mablethorpe, which presents a unique challenge for our support services. “The increased number of tourists and tourism related activities adds pressure on the rescue and emergency services which we know can also negatively impact our residents and businesses. “Being able to provide support for the services to work together and offer an enhanced and more cohesive response to issues they face on a daily basis, from beach safety and missing people to crime prevention and fire safety, is really important to us. “ELIF was created for this very purpose, to make our district more welcoming through initiatives such as the Atlantis Alliance and the enhanced experience that offers to visitors, residents and businesses. “This helps us to promote a safe and sustainable visitor experience for all holiday makers who visit the coast of Skegness and Mablethorpe. In turn, this will encourage spending in the local economy and will help to support thousands of jobs.” A Lincolnshire Police spokesperson said: “The seven agencies which make up the Atlantis Alliance are serving more than 28 miles of East Lincolnshire coastline, and places community engagement at the heart of its mission. “This new hub will enable to Atlantis Alliance to continue to build on past successes and further strengthen our efforts to engage with, and safeguard, our residents and visitors.”
  Image credit: Stock.adobe.com/Steven F Granville

Grimsby school expands to offer specialist support

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Grimsby school expands to offer specialist support
A Grimsby school is set for expansion, with a new area dedicated to supporting children with communication and interaction needs. Work has started at Fairfield Academy to transform part of the school to deliver specialist support to children with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). The project – called the Emerald Hub – is being funded by North East Lincolnshire Council, and is part of wider plans to create more than 100-new places for children with additional needs in the area over the coming years. Due to open later in the autumn term, the Emerald Hub will eventually cater for 18 students who each have an EHCP and a primary need of communication and interaction. Councillor Margaret Cracknell, portfolio holder for children and education at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “I’m really pleased to see these plans coming into fruition, and contractors starting on site. These places are desperately needed, and it’s vitally important that all children get the support they need to be able to learn and thrive.”
Fairfield Academy principal, Katie McGuire, said: “The David Ross Education Trust is delighted to be partnering with the local authority to provide bespoke provision for children that need something additional to the mainstream offer for education. “We are looking forward to transitioning our new pupils into Fairfield Academy; we feel strongly that all children should have the opportunity to come to a setting that fully meets their needs.” Emerald Hub lead, teacher and SENCO, Lucianna Ashton-Smith, added: “We know that there is a need in our local community for resource-based provision and the Emerald Hub will meet this need, enabling many pupils to attend a school in their community and still have their needs met. It’s a great privilege to lead on this new venture.” The work on site is being carried out by Topcon Building Ltd, working with North East Lincolnshire Council.
  Image credit: North East Lincolnshire Council

Ryhall Road to undergo full rebuild this September

April Lara
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Ryhall Road to undergo full rebuild this September

A major resurfacing project is set to begin on Ryhall Road in Stamford, with works scheduled to start on Monday 8 September and continue for up to six weeks.

The scheme will see almost half a mile of carriageway reconstructed, stretching from the Uffington Road Roundabout to Regency Crescent. Upgrades will also be made to two pedestrian crossings, located near Melbourne Road and St George’s Avenue.

To allow the works to progress, night-time closures will be in place between 8pm and 6am on weekdays, while temporary traffic signals will operate during the day. A 25-mile diversion route will direct vehicles via the A6121, Raymond Mays Way, A15 and A1175.

Access for residents and businesses along Ryhall Road will remain available throughout the works.

Image credit: Lincolnshire County Council

Discover your dream wedding venue at Kelham Hall’s 2025 Wedding Fayre

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Discover your dream wedding venue at Kelham Hall’s 2025 Wedding Fayre
Unlock the door to your dream wedding at the Renaissance at Kelham Hall, where history, elegance and inspiration come together under one breathtaking roof. Step inside the Traditional Wedding Fayre on Tuesday 23 September, from 3pm and discover a world of timeless romance, dazzling ideas, and everything you need to bring your perfect day to life. Whether you’re newly engaged or in the final stages of planning, the upcoming Wedding Fayre is the perfect place to gather ideas, meet talented suppliers, and picture your big day at Kelham Hall. From florists to photographers and all the essentials in between, everything you need for your special day will be right there, ready to explore. What to expect on the day:
  • Explore the venue: Wander through the beautifully decorated ceremony rooms, reception spaces and breathtaking grounds, each dressed to perfection by talented suppliers.
  • Prosecco reception: Enjoy a complimentary glass of prosecco on arrival, setting the tone for a day of celebration.
  • Miniature food samples: Sample miniature dishes, prepared by an award-winning catering team.
  • Hand-picked suppliers: Meet a selection of recommended suppliers, including musicians, entertainers, and décor specialists.
  • Bridal catwalk: Be inspired by a showcase of stunning gowns, suits, and Mother of the Bride hats presented by Prestige Bridal.
  • Bar open: Explore signature drinks and cocktails that could be the perfect addition to your wedding package.
  • Live entertainment: Enjoy live performances from talented musicians.
  • Fireworks finale: End your visit with a bang thanks to a spectacular fireworks display (weather permitted).
The dedicated events team will be on hand to answer questions, offer inspiration, and help you visualise your perfect celebration. The Renaissance at Kelham Hall is also thrilled to offer exclusive deals and packages at this special showcase. Don’t miss your chance to take the first steps towards creating your perfect day. Whether you’re dreaming of a grand affair or a more intimate celebration, come and see how Kelham Hall could be the perfect setting for your big day! For more information, or to register your free place, please visit the Renaissance at Kelham Hall website – www.renaissance-kelham.com/traditional-wedding-showcase

Grimsby market brings local food, crafts, and gifts to Riverhead Square

April Lara
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Grimsby market brings local food, crafts, and gifts to Riverhead Square

Grimsby’s monthly Farmers’ and Craft Market returns today in Riverhead Square, running from 9am to 3pm. The open-air event, held on the third Friday of each month, showcases a mix of local produce, handmade goods, and artisan treats.

Visitors can browse stalls offering pork from Redhill Farm, cakes and savoury bakes from Sticky Fingers, cheeses from The Cheese Den, and crumbles and cakes from Campbells Cakery. Fresh flowers, plants, and bulbs are available from Daryls Shed, while handmade gifts come from traders including LittleInferno Co, Juliet’s Legacy, and The Start of Lemuria.

Other stalls feature vegan home fragrances from Waft n Whiff, handmade scented products from Nutured by Nature, sweet treats from Rushby’s, and ethically sourced crystals and jewellery.

The market is also encouraging new vendors to join. First-time traders can access an introductory offer that halves stall costs for their first eight months, with a gazebo and table included.

The next market will take place in four weeks, continuing its role as a regular stop for seasonal produce, craft goods, and unique finds in the heart of Grimsby.

Image credit: North East Lincolnshire Council
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