Free half term activities for Wyndham Park

Tess Egginton
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Free half term activities for Wyndham Park
A variety of free activities will take place at the Wyndham Park Visitor Centre this May half-term. Crafts, photography and guided walks are on offer as part of the programme of activities organised and delivered by South Kesteven District Council with support from park volunteers. The Visitor Centre has also extended its opening times and will be open for use Tuesday through to Friday from 10am to 4.30pm over the summer period. Cllr Paul Stokes, Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming new and familiar visitors into our fantastic parks and into the Visitor Centre. “There is a huge variety of activities on offer to suit all ages and interests, not only during the school holidays but also throughout the year.” Nature-themed colouring and crafting sessions will take place throughout the week, as well as a Cloud Spotting activity, giving visitors the opportunity to identify different clouds whilst enjoying the tranquility of the park. A Scavenger Hunt will also take place between 10am and 4pm from Tuesday through to Friday with clues to find hidden throughout the park. Budding photographers can take part in the Photography Challenge on Tuesday 28th with the winning photo being showcased in the Visitor Centre. Guided Walking Tours around Wyndham Park will embark from the Visitor Centre at 10.30am until 11am and then again at 1.30pm until 2.30pm on Thursday 30th May. A volunteer guide will be providing an overview of some of the wildlife, landmarks and features of the award-winning park. For those with additional accessibility needs, a British Sign-Language guide and interpreter is also available to join the walking tour on request. On Friday, Lincolnshire Police will hold their drop-in surgery and give youngsters the chance to meet their local Police Community Support Officer (PCSO). All activities are free-of-charge to take part in and do not require any pre-booking. They form part of a regular calendar of activities on offer, in addition to the sports and play areas in the park.   Image credit: Google maps

Lincolnshire lifeguards return for the 2024 summer season

Michael Fisher
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Lincolnshire lifeguards return for the 2024 summer season
RNLI lifeguards return for 2024 summer season this weekend (Saturday 25 May). It is expected that the beaches will see large numbers of people heading to the coast as the school summer half-term begins, the RNLI urges people to go to a lifeguarded beach if they plan on getting in the water. The charity’s lifeguards are ready to go this season as they have spent their time honing their skills, training, and preparing for the summer season. This season there will be 80 lifeguards in Tyne and Wear, 82 lifeguards in Yorkshire, 20 lifeguards in Lincolnshire and 80 more will be patrolling Norfolk and Suffolk beaches. Throughout last year there were 1049 incidents across the North and East lifeguarded beaches, and over 1300 people were aided. This season will be as crucial as the previous years, yet the 2024 season also holds a historical importance as the charity celebrates its 200th anniversary. Lifeguarded beaches will be operational from Saturday 25 May, 10am to 6pm every day. Lifesaving cover will commence at the following beaches from Saturday 6 July: Runswick Bay, Sandsend*, Cayton Bay*, Belvedere*, Bridlington North*, Bridlington South*, Withernsea, Hornsea, Sheringham East, West Runton, East Runton, Cromer West, Hemsby, Great Yarmouth, Southwold South, Lowestoft North, Wells-next-the-Sea. Sutton on Sea beach will be operational on Saturday 13 July, and Redcar lifeguards will commence duties on Saturday 20 July. All lifeguards pride themselves in being fit and as prepared as possible to keep beach users safe each summer. They maintain a level of fitness, which allows them to swim in under 3.5 minutes, and run 200m on sand in 40 seconds. Training is an important ongoing factor for lifeguards, from fitness to operating the equipment and professional development. Ted Morgan, RNLI Lead Lifeguard Supervisor for East of England, said: ‘During pre-season training lifeguards are trained in casualty care, lifesaving skills, rescue techniques and incident management. ‘Our lifeguards also complete multi-agency exercises working with HM Coastguard, East England Ambulance Service and RNLI and independent lifeboat stations.’ It comes in the same week that the RNLI launched its annual Float to Live, water safety campaign, which shows people the technique to use to saves their own lives if they get into trouble in the water. Ahead of the busy half term holidays it has been revealed that 83% of the UK adult population (aged 16-64) expect to visit the coast this summer, and 40% expect to go three times or more. Rivers and lakes will also be popular. The Float to Live advice is: Tilt your head back with ears submerged and try to relax and control your breathing. Use your hands to help you stay afloat and then, once you are through the initial shock, call for help or swim to safety if you can. If you see somebody in trouble, call 999 and ask for the coastguard if you are at the coast, or ask for the fire service if you are inland.

Celebrate the bank holiday at STACK Lincoln

Tess Egginton
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Celebrate the bank holiday at STACK Lincoln
Lincoln’s exciting new leisure hub is getting ready for its first bank holiday weekend – with a packed programme of entertainment. STACK Lincoln, based at St Mark’s Shopping Centre, has opened its doors offering visitors a whole host of delicious street food operators as well as bars and a coffee shop. And guests will also be able to enjoy a daily feast of live music and fun – which will be the perfect option for this bank holiday weekend. On Friday 24 May the weekend begins at noon with the Michael Rolf Duo, followed by vocal acoustic twosome, Horizon Duo at 2.30pm. Acoustic pair, Me + Deboe, will take to the stage at 4.45pm and then there’s the opportunity for homegrown, would-be rock stars to show their singing prowess and get up on stage for Rock The Mic, which runs from 8pm to 10pm. From 10pm until 1am visitors can get in the party spirit with DJ Phil Burns – and then come back and do it all again on Saturday, where the entertainment kicks off at 11am with singer and guitarist, Richard C. From 1.45pm Lincolnshire-based performers, Angela Tome and Charlie Harbon, will have an hour long set, and then there will be two performances from local band, Queen of Kings, from 4.30pm to 6pm and then from 7.30pm to 9.30pm, before Phil Burns returns until 1am. Performers on Sunday 26 May include Paul J Roberts who will perform a range of covers from artists such as Green Day right through to Abba and Bikraley, with an eclectic repertoire featuring everyone from Elvis Presley to Bruno Mars. Nine-piece band The Soul Solution will also feature, with the night ending with a DJ set. Bank Holiday Monday will see singer/songwriter Graham Mizen take to the stage at 11am, followed by three piece band, The Airways at 2pm and Horizon Duo at 5pm. STACK will have a full programme every day of the week, which includes family friendly activities such as the Winkle and Storm Pirate Show on 29 May at noon. Neill Winch, CEO of STACK, said that live entertainment was a vital part of the STACK experience. “It’s very exciting to now be open at Lincoln and to showcase what STACK has to offer,” he said. “Along with being an amazing place to eat and drink, to meet with friends, family and colleagues it’s also somewhere to see the very best entertainment. “We know people in Lincoln have been so excited about STACK and we can’t wait for them to visit and see it for themselves – and what better time than when there’s a long weekend?” The full programme of entertainment at STACK Lincoln can be viewed at https://stackleisure.com/locations/lincoln/

Farmers and walkers urged to be on the lookout for Asian hornets

Stuart Pearcey
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Farmers and walkers urged to be on the lookout for Asian hornets
Everyone’s being asked to report sightings of Asian hornets after an unprecedented number of sightings last year. The hornets are an invasive pest first seen in the UK in 2016, after which it’s feared that their increasing numbers could have a catastrophic impact on British honeybees and other pollinators. NFU senior regulatory affairs adviser Chris Hartfield says the Asian hornet is a large wasp native to China, India, and Korea. “Although slightly smaller than our native European hornet, this invasive pest is a voracious specialised predator of honeybees, capable of wiping out beehives.
“A single Asian hornet can kill up to 60 honeybees every day. It can also predate a range of native insects like bumblebees, flies and spiders. By doing so, it can alter the biodiversity in regions where it is present, and it can be a health risk for people allergic to wasp stings,” he added. People are urged to download the Asian Hornet Watch app to report potential sightings quickly. Nests of the Asian hornet can vary from tennis ball-sized early in the season, to the size of a football and larger in the summer and autumn. Nests are often well camouflaged and hard to see, but early season nests can be found in brambles, hedges, and building and roof spaces.
Image: NFU

Local business community pulls together to help dementia charity deliver a week of awareness-raising events

Michael Fisher
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Local business community pulls together to help dementia charity deliver a week of awareness-raising events
This year’s Dementia Action Week (13-17 May) saw local charity, Dementia Support South Lincs, pull out all the stops to raise awareness of this devastating disease, with a packed week of events and educational sessions. 34.5 million people in the UK know someone living with dementia, and one in three people born today will go on to develop dementia in their lifetime, according to Age UK. The national action week always calls for steps to improve the lives of people affected by dementia. This year specifically, it emphasised the need for a better social care support system so those affected by dementia can stay happy, healthy, and independent for as long as possible. Throughout the week, Dementia Support South Lincs organised coffee mornings, Tai Chi lessons, art sessions, an educational talk on how to avoid being scammed, informative discussions about dementia, and the biggest event of the week – an art exhibition at Wake House in Bourne. Local solicitor firm, Hegarty was one of the local businesses that supported Dementia Support South Lincs in its awareness-raising efforts this year. The solicitor firm selected the organisation as one of its charity partners for 2024 and has plans to undertake further fundraising and volunteering opportunities with the charity throughout the year. Volunteers from Hegarty were on hand to assist members of the Dementia Support team with the art exhibition on Friday 17th May. Kally Singh, senior partner at the firm, said, “We’re delighted to be supporting Dementia Support South Lincs and its fantastic work throughout this year. Dementia affects many people, and I was shocked to learn that there will be one million people living with dementia in the UK by 2025. It was a pleasure to help the charity during Dementia Action Week and we look forward to future volunteering opportunities as the year goes on.” MP for Grantham, Bourne and Stamford, Gareth Davies, was also on hand to offer his support at Friday’s art exhibition at Wake House. Danie Reeves, Dementia Support Worker said, “Dementia Action Week is such an important time of year for us. It helps raise awareness not only of this illness that affects so many, but also the services we can offer to help those dealing with it, and their families.” Dementia Support South Lincs helps more than 250 families in Bourne, Stamford, and The Deepings affected by dementia.

Scheme to upskill local workforce in West Lindsey

Tess Egginton
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Scheme to upskill local workforce in West Lindsey
A new scheme offering funding for employers to upskill their workforce has been launched by West Lindsey District Council. The Workforce Development Grant Scheme has been funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), part of the government’s Levelling Up agenda that aims to build pride in place and increase life chances across the UK. The scheme will be available to organisations located within the district of West Lindsey and employing up to 250 people. The main aim is helping employers tackle skills shortages and training needs within their workforce. This includes:
  • Technical and vocational qualifications and courses up to level 2.
  • Training for vocational licences to address driver shortages.
  • High value qualifications where there is a need for additional skills capacity that cannot be met through mainstream funding.
Amanda Bouttell, Employment and Skills lead at West Lindsey District Council, says she is confident the grant funding will provide positive outcomes for the local workforce. She said: “We understand the critical role that employers can play in developing their people. Quite often training is cost prohibitive and so this scheme will give employers flexibility and a broader opportunity to seek out the provision they need. “This scheme also supplements other support available through national employment and skills programmes.” According to the latest West Lindsey Employment and Skills Report 2023, employers confirmed there’s an appetite to engage with the education and skills agenda to ensure the competitiveness of their own employment offer and the news has been welcomed by Council leaders. Leader of West Lindsey District Council, Cllr Trevor Young, said: “Small and medium sized businesses are the life blood of the district, and provide a lot of local employment. Upskilling will help organisations strengthen their existing workforce, fill new positions, and help them to remain competitive.”
  Image credit: Stock.adobe.com/DisobeyArt

Council confirms opposition to 87-mile pylon network cutting through Lincolnshire

Stuart Pearcey
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Council confirms opposition to 87-mile pylon network cutting through Lincolnshire
North East Lincolnshire Council has confirmed its support for a campaign against National Grid proposals to build an 87-mile long, high-voltage overhead electricity line between Grimsby West and Walpole in Norfolk. The authority has decided to support objections to the scheme, in line with Lincolnshire County Council. The County Council, district councils and the ‘No To Pylons’ campaign group are leading opposition to the scheme. Whilst North East Lincolnshire Council has welcomed the upgrading of the electricity transmission infrastructure, there is concern about the line’s visual and environmental impact. It will involve 50-metre high pylons traversing the Lincolnshire countryside over 140kms. In agreeing to support objections, the Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, Cllr Philip Jackson, has confirmed the following actions:
  • Requesting National Grid Electricity Transmission to place any new transmission line within the North East Lincolnshire boundary underground and/or re-route it so that it is subsea.
  • Writing to the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero to robustly express the views within this Motion on Notice and request the support of our two MPs in this matter; urging them to lobby as appropriate at Government level and to liaise closely with the parliamentary ‘Off Shore Electricity Grid Task Force’.
  • Making a formal objection to the scheme in a similar manner to Lincolnshire County Council.
  • Encouraging residents and community groups, such as parish councils, to make their views known to National Grid Electricity Transmission.
  • Publicly supporting the call made by Victoria Atkins MP and others for an independent review of offshore options for the Lincolnshire East Coast.
  • Working closely with Lincolnshire County Council to ascertain the feasibility of being included in the independent review of the impact of the scheme that they are in the process of commissioning, and fully support them in their intention to “take legal action to challenge the reasoning that this infrastructure is the best solution if necessary”.
  • Urging the Police and Crime Commissioner for Humberside to study carefully the objection formally submitted by his counterpart for Lincolnshire due to the serious risk to the operation of emergency services and provide a public statement in due course.
In North East Lincolnshire, the line’s proposed route will go from National Grid’s existing Grimsby West substation, where a new 400 kV substation will be built, to the west of Laceby– external site , between Barnoldby-le-Beck– external site  and Waltham– external site , and could be sited either side of Brigsley. National Grid says The Great Grid Upgrade to meet ever-growing electricity demand will be the most expensive grid overhaul in generations, costing £1bn, compared to £4.4bn for an offshore alternative and £6.5bn for an onshore underground cable. It says maintenance costs will be reduced. Initial consultations by National Grid have now concluded and the company says it is reviewing the feedback to help it develop more detailed proposals that will be shared during a second round of public consultations in 2025. The recent consultations attracted more than 3,000 people to in-person events and the company received 6,700 messages of feedback. Cllr Jackson said the second round of consultation would give borough residents another chance to air their views in 2025. “Opposition to this huge scheme is growing by the day. Whilst the council welcomes the need for an electricity upgrade we are extremely concerned about the impact of these overhead powerlines to our communities and the environment. “We are supporting our neighbouring authorities in opposing this scheme and we ask local people not to sit back and let this pass without making their individual and collective views known. This scheme will change our local landscape for generations to come and we believe that National Grid must urgently review its proposals. “If it is needed, we fully support Lincolnshire County Council’s intention to take legal action to challenge the reasoning that this infrastructure is the best solution.”

Funding secured to help council buildings go green

Tess Egginton
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Funding secured to help council buildings go green
North East Lincolnshire Council has secured £4,821,879 of Government funding to help deliver carbon emission reductions to nine of its council buildings. The funding from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, through the Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme Phase 3c, delivered by Salix, will reduce the future environmental impact and running costs of the buildings through heat decarbonisation and energy efficiency improvements. The council will provide match funding for the project of £657,529. The works will involve replacing ageing, fossil-fuel reliant systems with low carbon alternative technologies, as well as building fabric improvements and energy efficiency measures where appropriate for the buildings. The grant funding includes design, engineering, construction, and project management costs. The buildings included are: • Immingham Swimming Pool • Humber Seafood Institute • Grimsby Leisure Centre • Grimsby Crematorium • Grimsby Education and Development Centre • Cromwell House • Poplar Road Business Units • Poplar Road Offices • Doughty Road Depot Offices. Cllr Phillip Jackson, Leader of the Council, said: “We’ve set an ambitious target to be a carbon-neutral council by 2030. Meeting this target is one of the biggest projects the Council has undertaken and is vital in mitigating the damage done by polluting carbon emissions. “This grant funding will enable us to take a big leap forward in reducing the energy consumption in our buildings, which benefits the environment and lowers running costs, and ultimately helps keep council tax down. “One of the biggest contributors to our carbon emissions is the energy we use to heat our buildings. “We can reduce these emissions by increasing the energy-efficiency of our buildings, using our buildings to generate power and by switching to renewable sources of energy. “The works we are carrying out now are a further step in our mission to becoming carbon Net Zero and follow other energy-efficiency improvements completed in recent years, such as converting our street lights to low-energy LED bulbs, upgrading our buildings and introducing more electric vehicles in our fleet.”

New planning rules mean farmers can be flexible with fresh revenue streams

Stuart Pearcey
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New planning rules mean farmers can be flexible with fresh revenue streams
From today Lincolnshire farmers will be able to convert unused buildings into homes and shops thanks to new planning laws. The changes give farmers greater freedoms to diversify and grow their business, without having to spend time and money submitting a planning application. They will be able to convert agricultural buildings and land into new business opportunities, such as outdoor sports facilities, larger farm shops and farm training centres, as well as housing, thanks to the changes to permitted development rights . These new powers come in a week after the Farm to Fork Summit, where the Prime Minister reiterated the Government’s commitment to backing farmers who keep this country fed. The changes coming into force will give them new freedoms to diversify if they choose to. Minister for Housing, Planning and Building Safety Lee Rowley said: “Farmers are the lifeblood of communities, and these changes give them the freedom to grow their businesses, and plan for their futures.

“This is all part of our Long-term Plan for Housing to deliver more homes for rural communities and reform the planning system, removing unnecessary barriers to development.”

Farming Minister Mark Spencer said: “I am extremely pleased to support our farmers and provide them the freedom to decide the best uses for buildings on their land, without needless bureaucracy holding them back.

“We are listening to farmers and putting them at the heart of future development of our rural areas. Helping farmers secure their businesses and get on with the important job of producing food is our top priority.”

New County Council Chairman names two charities he’ll support

Stuart Pearcey
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New County Council Chairman names two charities he’ll support

Macmillan Cancer Support and Blind Veterans UK are the charities pf choice for support from Lincolnshire’s new County Council Chairman Eddie Strengiel.

Elected as Chairman at last week’s AGM Council Strengiel has selected those two charities because of support given to his family and his military service.
Coun Strengiel has served as a council county councillor for Birchwood Division in Lincoln City for ten years, and served on the City Council for 30 years. Whilst serving as vice chairman, Eddie supported the chairman by attending various engagements including standing in to present individuals’ certificates for British Citizenship. Eddie will become Lincolnshire’s chairman for 2024. Councillor William Gray will serve as his vice-chairman. Cllr Strengiel said: “It is a great honour to be elected to represent the County as its chairman and I will endeavour to carry out my duties to the best of my ability. I was also privileged and honoured to represent the City as the 798th Mayor of Lincoln in 2004.” He was born and raised in Tain in the far North of Scotland. Tain is Scotland’s oldest Royal Burgh and is famous for being the home of Glenmorangie single malt whisky. Eddie joined the army at eighteen years of age and served for twenty-four years in the Royal Engineers, after which he enjoyed a long career in the financial sector, ultimately retiring from his own business in 2010. Married to Sandra, they are about to celebrate their 50th anniversary. They have two married daughters and one grandchild.
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