- A beach installation offered a relaxing, sandy escape for families – a popular hit in the sunshine.
- The much-loved Farriers Area returned, bringing the traditional craft of horseshoeing to life with live competitions spanning over the two days.
- The brand new Rural Voices stage gave a platform to inspiring stories from the countryside, with talks from rural changemakers, farmers, and young people shaping the future of agriculture.
- An action packed Countryside Ring, with a full timetable throughout the days including Trickstars and the Hawkeye Falconry and so much more.
Record-breaking Lincolnshire Show sees soaring visitor numbers
The Lincolnshire Show returned last week on Wednesday 18 and Thursday 19 June with record-breaking success, welcoming over 61,000 visitors to the Lincolnshire Showground – the highest attendance in 15 years – for two spectacular days of farming, food, family fun, and community celebration.
The event is hosted by the Lincolnshire Agricultural Society, a registered charity dedicated to promoting food, farming, and the countryside.
Basking under glorious sunshine and soaring temperatures, this year’s Show saw the highest number of cars in the car parks, a clear indication of its growing popularity and importance as a flagship event in the county calendar.
This year’s Show was packed with memorable moments, including a special visit from HRH The Princess Royal, who spent time meeting with local breeders, Chief Stewards, exhibitors, LAS Trustees and members of the farming community, highlighting the vital role agriculture plays in the life of the county.
Crowds were also delighted by the return of Matt Baker MBE, who appeared in the Countryside Ring and spent time chatting with families and fans, sharing his passion for rural life and the countryside. The Show also welcomed Harriet Cowan from Clarkson’s Farm and current Miss Lincolnshire, Mary Anna Jennings.
The Main Ring delivered a fresh dose of adrenaline with the Knights of Middle England, whose thrilling jousting displays and horseback stunts made their debut appearance and left audiences cheering for more.
Agriculture remained firmly at the heart of the event. Despite current disease concerns, the cattle lines were full with over 220 cattle, 500+ sheep entries, and an ever-growing pig competition. The Lincolnshire Fleece Competition grew by more than 40%, while nearly 1,400 horses competed in a range of classes from Horse of the Year Show qualifiers to the crowd-favourite Shetland Pony Grand National, showcasing the exceptional quality and care of local breeders and farmers.
New and returning features across the Showground added to the buzz:
Classic Ibiza reveals its largest ever set for sold-out Burghley House show
With Classic Ibiza’s sold-out return to Burghley House on Saturday 26 July just over a month away, the concert organisers have revealed the incredible tracks being performed by Stephen Hussey’s Urban Soul Orchestra at the show.
Known for collaborating with the likes of Groove Armada and Robert Miles, USO will be performing over 50 house classics, in a set packed full of firm Classic Ibiza favourites. They’ll also be joined by some very special guests to celebrate the concert’s 10th birthday.
Gates open at 5.30pm, followed by a DJ set by former Pacha Ibiza resident, DJ Jose Luis. Towards the end of his set, London Community Gospel Choir make their first appearance as Classic Ibiza special guests. Together, they’ll be performing a live mash-up of uplifting house, giving concertgoers a tantalising glimpse of what’s to come.
At 8pm, the party gets into full swing as USO and DJ Goldierocks take centre stage for the Ghost Ship Sundowner Set. Joined by LCGC, they’ll create a soulful wall of sound on eight classic house tracks. The full track list in the first half is:
Right Here, Right Now (Fatboy Slim), Easy (Groove Armada), Show Me Love (Robin S), Gypsy Woman (She’s Homeless) (Crystal Waters), You Got The Love (The Source & Candon Staton), (I Wanna Give You) Devotion (Nomad), Lola’s Theme (The Shapeshifters), Pjanoo (Eric Prydz), King Of My Castle (Wamdue Project), Push The Feeling On (Nightcrawlers), What Is Love (Haddaway), One More Time (Daft Punk), Hey Boy, Hey Girl (The Chemical Brothers), Touch Me (Rui Da Silva), The Rhythm Of The Night (Corona), Dreamer (Livin’ Joy), Another Chance (Roger Sanchez), You Don’t Know Me (Armand Van Helden), For An Angel (Paul van Dyk), Children (Robert Miles), 9PM (Till I Come) (ATB), Sunchyme (Dario G), Sun Is Shining (Funkstar De Luxe), Saltwater (Chicane), Blackwater (Octave One).
USO take a short break at 9pm, leaving the Burghley House audience in the capable hands of DJ Goldierocks, who’ll be mixing up a storm of Ibiza house anthems. Then onto the evening’s main event at 9.30pm, as USO return to the stage for the Dance Set, accompanied by an awesome laser and light show. Here are the tracks they’ll be performing:
One (Your Name) (Swedish House Mafia), Galvanise (The Chemical Brothers), Blind Faith (Chase & Status), Superstylin’ (Groove Armada), Out Of Space (The Prodigy), On A Ragga Tip (SL2), Silence (Delerium, Tiësto), Firestarter (The Prodigy), ResuRection (PPK), Seven Days And One Week (BBE), Café Del Mar (Energy 52), Encore Une Fois (Sash!), Let Me Be Your Fantasy (Baby D), Castles In The Sky (Ian van Dahl), Better Off Alone (Alice Deejay), Toca’s Miracle (Fragma), Waiting All Night (Rudimental), Zombie Nation (Bass Drifter), Adagio For Strings (Tiësto), Born Slippy (Underworld), We Come 1 (Faithless), Levels (Avicii), Don’t You Worry Child (Swedish House Mafia), Titanium (David Guetta ft. Sia), Set You Free (N-Trance), Freed From Desire (Gala). The concert reaches a rapturous crescendo at 11pm, following an encore of two of Classic Ibiza’s most popular tracks.
USO’s Stephen Hussey, conductor, arranger and musical producer for Classic Ibiza, said: “Musically, this year is all about high-energy, killer drops, infectious hooks, uplifting vocals and of course symphonic melodies. For those of you coming to hear Insomnia and Sandstorm, all I can say is that maybe you’ll want to get to the front for the encore!
“If you can’t wait until the show, we’re releasing a new EP this week, Classic Ibiza Remixes Trilogy, featuring fresh interpretations of these very tracks. Alongside our three other albums, it’s the perfect appetiser to our summer tour.”
Classic Ibiza, sponsored by Adnams Ghost Ship, is proud to support local charity, Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice. Classic Ibiza Remixes Trilogy is available to stream on all major music platforms. Visit classicibiza.co.uk for more information.
Picture shows: Classic Ibiza laser and light show (Dance Set). Image credit: David Evans Photography
Five Lincolnshire schools to open dedicated hubs for SEND support
Five primary schools across Lincolnshire have been approved to host new hubs aimed at supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), in a move designed to make inclusive education more accessible and community-based.
The new centres will cater to pupils with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs), offering specialised support while keeping children within the mainstream school setting. This approach allows students to benefit from both tailored learning and the social advantages of remaining integrated with their peers.
The schools selected for the programme are Gonerby Hill Foot Church of England Primary School in Grantham, The Meadows Primary School in Lincoln, St George’s Church of England Primary School in Gainsborough, Caistor Church of England and Methodist Primary School, and Church Lane Primary School in Sleaford.
The total investment in the hubs exceeds £7 million and is being funded by the Department for Education. The project comes in response to a sharp increase in demand for SEND provision in the county, where the percentage of pupils with EHCPs (4.9%) is notably higher than the national average (4.2%).
Local officials say the initiative is intended to relieve pressure on oversubscribed special schools and reduce the need for families to travel long distances for appropriate support.
Image credit: Stock.adobe.com/highwaystarz£13.5m partnerships deal to deliver 68 homes in Witham St Hughs
Housebuilder Honey is partnering with Platform Housing Group to deliver 68 homes for the housing association at its Nova development in Witham St Hughs.
The £13.5m deal is the first between the two businesses and will comprise 40 partnerships plots and 28 section 106 properties. These will include two-, three- and four-bedroom semi-detached, end terrace and terraced homes.
Work on the properties commenced in May, and the first residents are expected to move in this December. Honey is using timber frame construction on the homes and all properties will benefit from air source heat pumps as part of the housebuilder’s sustainability strategy.
Commenting on the partnerships deal, Honey chief executive, Mark Mitchell, said: “Partnering with Platform Housing Group will see us deliver homes in Witham St Hughs with sustainability designed into them for those who need them most.
“We believe it is our social purpose to help make more affordable homes available by addressing the lack of housing supply, and this first partnership with Platform meets that objective.
“We now look forward to exploring future opportunities with Platform as we expand our partnerships division throughout the Midlands and Yorkshire.”
Platform Housing Group head of new business, David Boyes-Watson, said: “We are delighted to have secured land and agreed contracts to get started on site in Witham St Hughs.
“The homes we deliver will be gas-free and give crucial opportunities for people to have a place they can call home in the area.
“Our thanks go to the team at Honey who are a fantastic regional builder and a great example of the potential for partnerships with various sized contractors across the places we operate.”
Grimsby’s Jubilee mosaic lost during shopping centre revamp
A well-known mosaic in Grimsby’s Freshney Place shopping centre has been demolished as part of ongoing redevelopment works, despite efforts to preserve it.
The artwork, created in 1977 to mark Queen Elizabeth II’s Silver Jubilee, became the focus of local campaigns earlier this year, with over 1,250 people signing a petition to save it. Groups like the Grimsby, Cleethorpes and District Civic Society also advocated for its retention.
North East Lincolnshire Council said it explored options to remove the mosaic tile by tile but found it was too damaged to survive extraction. Experts warned the piece was cracking significantly during removal attempts, making it impossible to preserve in its original form.
While some residents have expressed frustration, the council maintains that heritage concerns were carefully considered. It confirmed that specialist advice was sought and that scans and high-resolution images were taken before demolition.
These images will now be used to create a full-scale reproduction in a new location. The council has promised to involve the community in selecting a site for the display, ensuring the artwork’s legacy continues in a different form as part of the Freshney Place regeneration.
Image credit: Google mapsSupport your local hospital and join the nation’s Big Tea Party this July
The UK’s biggest NHS tea party is back for another year and United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity would love everyone in Lincolnshire to join them in raising a brew on Saturday 5 July to the incredible NHS colleagues who do amazing things for communities and patients in Lincolnshire.
Whether it’s a simple tea break among colleagues, a quiet cuppa on your own or a larger gathering with sumptuous cakes, every cup poured and every pound raised will support Lincolnshire’s hospitals funding items that are above and beyond the core NHS budgets.
Charity manager, Ben Petts said: “Each year the charity funds numerous projects, pieces of equipment and extras to support the United Lincolnshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust’s workforce and the patients cared for.
“One such item was a 3D Scanner and printer for the Orthodontic Team. Anyone who has had to have an impression taken of the inside of their mouth will know how unpleasant the experience is, but they will go through it in order to get the treatment and care they need.
“This digital software means that clinicians no longer need sets of impressions and plaster to be able to create a cast of a patient’s teeth. Instead, the patient will simply have the scan and within an hour there will be a perfectly detailed dental model of their mouth and teeth.
“This new equipment cost just over £50,000. But when you consider the enhanced level of care that it will provide as well as the time saved, it is brilliant for both patient and the clinical team.
“But we don’t just fund big items, we also provide funding for smaller items like worry monsters for children to help them cope when a member of their family is suffering from cancer or play equipment for our younger patients staying in our children’s wards.”
There are many projects across Lincolnshire’s hospitals in Lincoln, Louth, Boston, and Grantham that are waiting for vital funding. So, during the NHS birthday week, please grab your teapot, pop the kettle on, make a donation of £5 and turn tea into cash to help support more patients across Lincolnshire.
To donate your £5 and find more information about the vital work of United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity visit: ulhcharity.org.uk/donation
Port operator nets Grimsby Seafood Village
Associated British Ports (ABP) has extended its property portfolio with the acquisition of the long leasehold interest of Grimsby Seafood Village, a seafood processing centre.
The multi-let industrial site spanning over four acres is located on ABP’s Port of Grimsby in the Humber. The purchase of the long leasehold lasting 125 years, which ABP had previously granted to the owners of the complex, provides future security and support for an important hub of UK food production.
The 70,000 square foot site comprises 21 units with several fish processing businesses. In 2010 the complex was built and operated by the Great Grimsby Seafood Village Limited.
Andrew Dawes, regional director of the Humber ports, said: “The acquisition of the Grimsby Seafood Village strengthens Associated British Ports’ commitment to Keeping Britain Trading.
“It enhances our property portfolio with a vital hub for the UK’s seafood supply chain – supporting regional jobs, boosting food security, and anchoring long-term supply chain resilience in the heart of the Humber.”
Image credit: Associated British Ports
Council tests Spalding playing field as cemetery nears full capacity
As Spalding Cemetery approaches its limit, South Holland District Council is assessing new options for burial space, including the potential use of a popular community playing field.
Environmental testing is currently underway at Chiltern Drive playing field to determine if the site could support burials without impacting groundwater levels. The assessment will continue into autumn. If the land proves unsuitable, the process will be halted.
Chiltern Drive has long served as a valued green space for families, dog walkers, and local children, and some residents have expressed concerns about losing one of the area’s few safe outdoor areas. The field includes swings, wildflowers, and a footpath leading into a wooded section.
Previous efforts to expand the cemetery into the same field were met with strong opposition. A 2014 planning application drew more than 100 petition signatures and was ultimately rejected in 2015 due to the loss of recreational space. Sport England also objected to the proposal at the time.
The council says no final decision will be made until all environmental findings and community considerations are fully evaluated. Officials aim to establish a long-term solution within the next year to maintain burial services in the town.
Meanwhile, the Law Commission is reviewing national burial legislation, with proposals that could allow the reuse of existing graves to ease space shortages across the country.
Image shows Spalding. Credit: Stock.adobe.com/Steven F GranvilleStreet art adds colour to Grimsby’s town centre revival
Grimsby’s town centre continues to transform, with a vibrant new street art piece joining a wave of regeneration efforts reshaping the area. The mural, titled Migration, was recently completed by local artist Dogma Art on Victoria Street and features a flock of birds flying over a cherry blossom tree.
The artwork is part of a broader push to bring life and beauty back to the high street. Recent changes include colourful planters, living walls, and decorative plaques created by school children, all contributing to a more inviting public space. Riverhead Square has also been revitalised, now serving as a relaxing spot for residents to unwind and socialise.
Dogma Art’s mural was created in just a few days but took weeks of preparation, including stencil design and coordination with local stakeholders. The goal was to create something that not only brightened the streetscape but also aligned with the town’s evolving identity.
This creative addition sits alongside several larger developments, including the Horizon Youth Zone, Alexandra Dock housing plans, and the upcoming E-Factor Business Hub. Together, these projects are helping to secure the future of Freshney Place and support more than 1,700 local jobs, part of a broader strategy to breathe new life into Grimsby’s urban centre.
Image credit: North Lincolnshire CouncilGrimsby ice rink secures £150k for essential infrastructure upgrade
Grimsby Ice Rink is undergoing a major refurbishment thanks to a £150,000 investment secured by the community group managing the facility. The funds, raised through a combination of local fundraising efforts and financial reserves, will cover critical infrastructure upgrades to keep the 50-year-old venue operational.
The refurbishment project, due to begin on 31 July and expected to last around a month, includes a full replacement of the rink’s ageing barrier system and the installation of a more energy-efficient chiller unit. The work aims to extend the lifespan of the facility, ensuring continued access to ice sports in the region.
The project is led by Grimsby Ice Rink Community Group, which took over operations in 2017 after the site faced closure. In addition to structural repairs and general maintenance, the group has ambitions to eventually develop a new ice rink, thereby future-proofing skating and ice sports locally.
Image credit: Google maps