Over 40 Lincolnshire ramblers put their best foot forward to complete the annual sponsored Wolds Walk 2025 and raised over £2,700 in support of Lincolnshire’s hospitals. In perfect walking conditions, the group set off from Ludford, near Market Rasen on Saturday 17 May, to complete a ten-mile circular route that weaved its way through picture postcard villages, ancient woodlands and rolling landscapes. Kelly, from Wragby, took on the Wolds Walk in memory of her father, who was admitted to Lincoln County Hospital in October 2024 suffering from sepsis. Kelly summed up what completing the walk meant to her: “My dad was in hospital for 12 days and he fought a hard and painful battle, and the medical teams did all they could to keep him alive, but sadly he caught pneumonia and he lost the fight. Doing the Wolds Walk was my way of saying thank you to our amazing medical teams and everyone who gives care to us every day of our lives within Lincolnshire’s hospitals.” For nearly 30 years United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity has been supporting staff to deliver outstanding care to patients, their families and carers, by providing those extras that cannot be provided by the NHS. In the last year it has invested nearly £1million in additional equipment, services and amenities at hospitals at Lincoln, Boston, Grantham and Louth. Staff nurse, Gill, who works on the Chemotherapy Suite at Pilgrim Hospital, Boston explained why she was eager to take part. She said: “The walk is a fantastic way to get together and meet other people, whilst also raising vital funds to improve the lives of patients at Lincolnshire hospitals. It is a lovely feeling knowing that I have helped provide funds for things that some of my patients may require, as some are here all day for treatment.” The Wolds Walk, which is now in its second year is the brainchild of Charity Manager, Ben Petts. He said: “We really cannot thank all the walkers enough for supporting the charity and raising such a fantastic amount. The walk is growing in popularity and each year more sign up to enjoy the fellowship it brings as well as the stunning landscapes that we travel through. Together with Richard Fish Adventures, we create a different route that will be achievable by as many people as possible. Even dogs are invited! “We are already planning for next year with great excitement. We will celebrate our 30^th birthday in 2026 and are hoping that next year’s walk will be bigger and better than ever and raise even more funds for our vital work supporting Lincolnshire hospitals.”

Lincolnshire County Council has appointed a new leadership team following the 23 May meeting, ushering in a significant change in direction after Reform UK secured a majority with 44 of the 70 council seats in the recent local elections.

Cllr Sean Matthews, representing Tattershall Castle, has been named council leader. He is joined by Cllr Rob Gibson of Spalding East as deputy leader. Matthews brings a background in security, having worked in royalty protection, while Gibson works in housing and homelessness support within the South Holland district.

The new executive team draws on a mix of private and public sector experience. Cllr Natalie Oliver, councillor for Woodhall Spa and Wragby, will head children’s services. She has a background in public engagement with the NHS. Cllr Steve Clegg, who represents the Sleaford division, will oversee adult care and health, building on his work as a healthcare therapist and his prior service on North Kesteven District Council.

Cllr Alex McGonigle of Louth Wolds, a former firefighter will now lead community safety. Growth falls under the remit of Cllr Liam Kelly from Swallow Beck and Witham, a former Army officer who has worked in global security roles over the past decade.

Cllr Michael Cheyne, a chartered engineer representing Boston West, has been appointed to lead highways and transport. Cllr Tom Catton, from Louth South, takes charge of the resources portfolio, bringing extensive experience in finance, HR, and IT across both UK and international companies.

The environment brief goes to Cllr Danny Brookes, a business owner from Skegness who has served on both district and town councils since 2012.

Each executive councillor will be supported by a colleague in their portfolio, reflecting a dual-leadership approach. The appointments mark a decisive shift in leadership tone, with an emphasis on real-world experience and practical service delivery expected to shape the council’s direction going forward.

  Image source: Lincolnshire County Council

Grimsby Central Library remains closed after a March 28 water leak led to the disturbance of asbestos, with no reopening date confirmed. North East Lincolnshire Council is awaiting detailed assessments on the necessary remediation work, including asbestos removal.

While the site remains off-limits, the council is evaluating multiple town centre locations for a temporary pop-up library to maintain public access to core services. The safe removal of books and archives from the existing building is ongoing.

Meanwhile, a broader public consultation into the future of the borough’s library and archive services continues until 9 July. Proposals under review include merging Cleethorpes Library with Cleethorpes Leisure Centre, converting Waltham Library into a volunteer-led operation, and permanently relocating Grimsby Central Library.

Concerns have been raised during public meetings regarding trust in the consultation process and the future of community assets. However, the council maintains that the consultation is in line with national governance standards and clarifies that the temporary closure of Grimsby Library is unrelated to the current consultation.

Final decisions will depend on the outcome of the consultation and will be subject to business case evaluations and the council’s decision-making protocols.

  Image credit: Google maps

The Air & Space Institute (ASI) in Newark recently hosted some distinguished international guests as a team of aeronautic experts from training institution, IMA visited the facility as part of a reciprocal set of visits. Director of international relations at Lincoln College, Rick Long, said: “We were delighted to reciprocate hosting our Moroccan colleagues from IMA and the British Council to showcase the approaches that the Lincoln College Group adopt to offer a world class education experience. “The visit offered insight to the regional aerospace capability, and how a wide range of stakeholders engage, share knowledge and collaborate to build much needed skills and competency. “LC will benefit from sharing of commercial courseware and composite material training by IMA staff.” Lincoln College Group’s visit to Morocco meant engagement with a host of facilities, including the Moroccan aerospace industry membership body – Groupement des Industries Marocaines Aéronautiques et Spatiales (GIMAS), the Aerospace Moroccan Cluster (AMC), the Mohammed VI International Academy of Civil Aviation (AIAC), as well as site tours of industry leaders in Morocco, Groupe Le Piston Français (LPF) and Spirit Aerosystems. GM of IMA, Raphael Samson, said: “Our visit to Lincoln College and its partners highlighted powerful synergies between the UK and Moroccan aerospace ecosystems. “We were particularly inspired by their inclusive approach to female engagement in the sector, and by innovative educational practices such as immersive learning and evidence-based pedagogy. These insights open concrete opportunities to modernise our own training programs and foster high-impact international partnerships.” To show the equivalent associations that the ASI has, the Moroccan cohort were taken to visit partners Ascent Flying Services, Affinity Flying Training Services Limited, Eagle Eye Innovations Ltd as well as meeting with Midlands Aerospace Alliance (MAA). The Moroccan cohort had extensive tours of ASI, as well as visiting Newark College to speak with current and former students and staff and enjoyed some characteristically British hospitality, sampling a meal at the College-run Sessions Restaurant and seeing the College-run fine dining restaurant, The Old Bakery. Rick added: “The project, funded by the British Council aims to help underscore different approaches adopted to encourage the recruitment of potential employees into the aviation sector. This is with a particular focus in increasing the balance of female representation. “It also seeks to evaluate methods and resources that are used to train new recruits and how to upskill existing employees to provide an attractive, highly skilled and sustainable career pathway. This in turn, helps support the flow and retention of appropriately skilled talent into the aviation sector. “Lincoln College will also benefit from sharing of commercial courseware and composite material training by IMA staff.” Programme manager for Morocco at the British Council, Ali Mouzouni, said: “This visit was a valuable opportunity to deepen collaboration between UK and Moroccan institutions in the field of aeronautics training. “From strong female engagement to innovative teaching methods and shared challenges in workforce development, the exchange helped surface synergies between our two ecosystems. “It also reinforced the importance of partnerships in building future-ready technical and vocational education pathways.” Commercial director at ASI, Stuart Naylor, said: “The purpose of this visit and the partners we shared with the visiting cohort was for them to understand the UK aerospace ecosystem and how different organisations engage, share knowledge and support each other and collaborate joining things up. “There was a focus from both Ascent and Affinity on sharing their approaches to skills development, and promoting from within their own workforces, as well as sharing some strategies and initiatives that they have deployed to encourage females into the aviation workplace. “MAA shared their role as a regional convener to share best practise and commercial/research opportunities to the aerospace community – they also outlined their work with other regional and international aerospace clusters. “Our Moroccan guests were very complimentary on the attitude and behaviour of the students at the ASI who showed them around the ALSIM-AL250 flight simulator and the A320.” Following a productive visit, the two organisations have agreed on several strategic priorities to strengthen their collaboration. These include the development of revised training programmes informed by the now common shared expertise and joint efforts to promote careers in the sector. There is now to be a focus on initiatives aimed at increasing female participation as well as specific skills shortages that will meet the industry’s particular needs. The partnership will also foster professional development and enrichment for staff and learners across both countries, reinforcing the long-term cross-border engagement that these visits have created.

BT is moving to decommission underused public phone boxes in rural North Lincolnshire, citing minimal usage and growing mobile penetration. Planning documents reveal that phone boxes in Kirton in Lindsey and Barrow registered just 15 calls combined over a year.

This forms part of a national downsizing effort, as public call volumes have plummeted by 90% over the past decade. The UK’s phone box network has shrunk by 30% in two years, now standing at 14,000 units.

BT plans to entirely remove the unit on George Street, Kirton, while the red box on Cross Street, Barrow, will be locked and stripped of phone equipment. While mobile coverage continues to improve, some communities remain concerned about connectivity gaps and digital exclusion—particularly in rural areas without consistent signal.

Under the company’s kiosk adoption scheme, organisations and councils can purchase decommissioned units for £1. Many are repurposed as defibrillator stations, book exchanges, or micro-hubs for local services.

A public consultation on the Kirton and Barrow proposals is open until 10 July, with final decisions expected to follow shortly after. For businesses reliant on foot traffic or physical cash access, the removal of multi-use kiosks may require operational adjustments.

  Image credit: Stock.adobe.com/Brian Jackson

Lincoln County Hospital is set to receive a new linear accelerator (Linac) as part of a national £70 million NHS radiotherapy equipment investment programme. The technology upgrade aims to enhance the precision and efficiency of cancer treatment delivery across the UK.

The Linac machine enables more targeted radiotherapy, capable of reaching cancers located in complex regions such as the chest, abdomen, and pelvis. Its use can also reduce the number of treatment sessions required for some patients, supporting improved recovery outcomes and operational throughput.

The investment, announced by the Department of Health and Social Care, will see 28 hospitals across England, selected based on their current use of ageing Linac models over a decade old, benefit from new equipment installations. The rollout is expected to enable up to 27,000 additional radiotherapy treatments annually by 2027.

This move aligns with wider NHS goals to accelerate cancer diagnosis and treatment times, improve patient experience, and modernise service delivery across oncology departments. For healthcare suppliers, equipment manufacturers, and hospital infrastructure partners, the programme represents a significant pipeline of procurement and upgrade opportunities.

  Picture credit: Stock.adobe.com/smolaw11