The Spalding Pumpkin Festival is set to make its return to town on Saturday 12 October. The annual event celebrates South Holland’s long-standing harvest and horticulture traditions with a selection of activities for local people to enjoy, including: live entertainment, food and gift stalls, games, arts and crafts.
Running from 11am until 3pm in Spalding town centre, the event will run alongside Spalding’s regular Saturday market, with ever-popular regular traders joined by specialist artisan stallholders selling a range of seasonal-themed food, drinks and gifts.
Residents can enjoy a stroll down ‘Pumpkin Street’ to see the pumpkin-inspired sculptures on display from local artist Jonathan Nichols, before heading over to the main stage for live entertainment, which will include ‘Anna’ from Frozen and the cast of this year’s pantomime: Snow White.
The festivities will continue with a vintage carousel ride, an autumn shadow booth, facepainting and balloon modelling coupled with a host of street entertainment including a golden harvest fairy stilt walker and a harvest-themed fancy dress competition, which will be held on stage at 12:30pm.
The Council’s Communities team have also organised a Scarecrow Trail, planned to run over October half term, from Saturday 12 October until Sunday 27 October. Explore Spalding town centre and locate all seven friendly scarecrows who have been resting in various shop windows after their long summer working in the fields.
A seasonal word will be revealed, which can be emailed to community@sholland.gov.uk for the chance of winning a prize.
Ayscoughfee Hall Museum will be holding their own Autumn Trail, held throughout the whole of October. Scour the Hall in search of ‘small autumn scenes’, free for all but watch out for wildcards!
Broad Street Methodist Church will also join the town’s horticultural festivities, running another free arts and crafts session alongside a relaxing coffee morning between 10am and 2pm.
Meanwhile, Spalding Library will be combining the Pumpkin Festival with National Libraries Week’s (Monday 7 October till Sunday 13 October) ‘Go Green’ theme. From 10am till 12pm residents are invited to cress pumpkin heads and take part in a pumpkin picture hunt.
Councillor Gary Taylor, Portfolio Holder for Community Development, said: “The Pumpkin Festival is always a very popular event and I have no doubt this year will the same, not only does the event offer a great day out for local families, it helps to preserve and celebrate our proud history of horticulture and harvest.
“The team have done a fantastic job behind the scenes getting everything ready, there is definitely something for everyone to come and enjoy, so mark it on your calendars and I look forward to seeing as many people in Spalding as possible on Saturday 12 October!”
There will be a road closure in place for Spalding’s Market Place, Hall Place, Sheep Market and Gore Lane on Saturday 12 October from 7am until 5pm for the event to take place. The Sheep Market car park will be closed from 5pm on Friday 11 October until 5pm Saturday 12 October.
Work starts on site to build two new Lincolnshire primary schools
Yorkshire construction firm, Hobson & Porter, has started on sites in Waltham and Scartho, to build two new primary schools that will open in September 2025.
The primary schools, which are being funded by North East Lincolnshire Council, the Department for Education and through Section 106 contributions, will be run by Lincolnshire Gateway Academies Trust (LGAT).
The projects, based on Matthew Telford Park in Scartho, and on land off Sunningdale in Waltham, received planning approval at the start of the year.
Hobson & Porter is on-site this week preparing the ground for the initial phase of the works.
Joe Booth from Hobson & Porter said: “We have a long and successful track record in the education sector, across both Lincolnshire and Yorkshire, but it’s still always an exciting moment to start work on new-build school projects, which will inevitably become valuable assets within their respective communities.”
Speaking shortly after Hobson & Porter were announced as the winning contractors, Council Leader, Councillor Philip Jackson, said: “It’s great to see this project now progressing, with a building contractor appointed and getting on site. Over the coming months we’ll start to see things happening on site and that’s fantastic.
“These two schools will provide some much-needed additional education provision for children in our area.”
The Trust has held events in both villages to showcase its plans for Waltham Gateway Academy and Scartho Gateway Academy. These events were aimed at parents of children who may wish to attend the schools once they open in September 2025.
Chief Executive Officer Martin Brown said: “We’re pleased to see contractors on site and the project progressing. We’re excited about opening the two academies and look forward to meeting prospective parents and carers at the meetings in Scartho and Waltham.
“They’ll be able to choose either school when the local authority opens its admissions process later this Autumn.”
Stephanie Ledgerwood, from Equans, whose Architectural Team designed both schools and will act as contract administrator throughout the construction, added: “Work starting on site is an exciting step forward for the project and we are looking forward to seeing the designs come to life as works unfold.
“The benefits these schools will have on our community are endless and we are so glad to be a part of it.”
Both schools will have 210-pupil places, including specialist provision for 12 students with special educational needs and disabilities. The project is being delivered by Equans, working in partnership with North East Lincolnshire Council. Residents in the surrounding area have been sent a leaflet informing them about the works.
The two academies will open in September 2025, with admission details for parents being released this Autumn.
Image shows Scartho school site. Photo credit: Jon Corken
Ruckland Court Care Home raises over £400 at Summer Fair with local community support
Ruckland Court Care Home in Lincoln recently hosted a successful Summer Fair raising over £400 for the residents’ comfort fund. The event, which took place in the home’s beautifully refurbished garden and Coffee Club Café, brought together residents, families, friends, and the wider local community.
Local businesses generously contributed to the event, with stalls showcasing a variety of products, and prizes for the raffle and tombola donated by local businesses and the wider community. The funds raised will go toward supporting future trips and activities for the residents, helping to enrich their daily lives.
Adam Atkin, Home Manager at Ruckland Court, said: “I want to extend a massive thank you to everyone who helped make the day a success. From our dedicated staff and enthusiastic residents to their supportive families, and of course, all those who kindly donated prizes.
“It’s truly heartwarming to see the local community come together like this, and we’re so grateful for the ongoing support.”
The families who attended shared their positive experiences: “Well done to everyone involved – we thoroughly enjoyed the day!” said one family member, while another added “Thank you for all your hard work, it was fantastic.”
Ruckland Court Care Home extends an open invitation to the community to join their weekly Community Coffee Mornings, held every Wednesday from 10am to 12pm in their newly revamped Coffee Club Café to enjoy a cup of tea, a slice of cake, and a friendly chat.
For more information about Ruckland Court Care Home or to make an appointment to view the home please contact, Adam Atkin Home Manager on 01522 530 217 or email adam.atkin@countrycourtcare.com.
Grand reveal of luxury refurbishment at The Grove Care Home’s open day
The Grove Care Home in Waltham recently opened its doors to the community to celebrate the unveiling of its newly refurbished and expanded facilities.
Specialising in residential, dementia, and respite care, The Grove welcomed over 40 guests to the event, where they were invited to tour the updated facilities, meet the warm and welcoming staff, enjoy live entertainment, and a delightful afternoon tea.
Special guests included Deputy Mayor Cllr Janet Goodwin and Deputy Consort Mr Barry Goodwin, who participated in the ceremonial ribbon-cutting alongside Country Court Chairman Abdul Kachra and resident Josephine Austin.
Together, they officially opened the new spaces and expressed their best wishes for the home’s future. They also looked forward to attending future events at the care home, such as the summer and Christmas fairs.
“The Grove Care Home has proudly cared for up to 52 residents, and with our recent expansion, we can now accommodate up to 71,” said Operations Manager Lianne Webb.
“Our refurbishment has introduced new and improved day spaces, such as our Elegance Hair Salon, The Coffee Club Café, 19 additional en-suite bedrooms, and refreshed lounge and dining areas. These enhancements have been a great benefit to both our residents and their families.”
Client Services Manager Rebecca Dayton commented on the event, saying: “Our talented Chef Manager, Hayley Barber, and the kitchen staff created a fantastic spread of food, including fish and chip-themed cupcakes that beautifully reflected the local culture.”
Customer Relations Manager Ros Wells added: “We are committed to providing person-centred care and creating a family-first approach. I want to personally thank our incredible staff, whose dedication and hard work continue to make a difference every day.”
Operations Manager Lianne Webb concluded by saying: “I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended our Open Day and made this event so special for all of us at The Grove. Your kind words throughout the day have been deeply appreciated by our entire team.”
To arrange a tour of The Grove Care Home, please get in touch on 01472 821127 or email ros.wells@countrycourtcare.com
“The Grove Care Home has proudly cared for up to 52 residents, and with our recent expansion, we can now accommodate up to 71,” said Operations Manager Lianne Webb.
“Our refurbishment has introduced new and improved day spaces, such as our Elegance Hair Salon, The Coffee Club Café, 19 additional en-suite bedrooms, and refreshed lounge and dining areas. These enhancements have been a great benefit to both our residents and their families.”
Client Services Manager Rebecca Dayton commented on the event, saying: “Our talented Chef Manager, Hayley Barber, and the kitchen staff created a fantastic spread of food, including fish and chip-themed cupcakes that beautifully reflected the local culture.”
Customer Relations Manager Ros Wells added: “We are committed to providing person-centred care and creating a family-first approach. I want to personally thank our incredible staff, whose dedication and hard work continue to make a difference every day.”
Operations Manager Lianne Webb concluded by saying: “I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who attended our Open Day and made this event so special for all of us at The Grove. Your kind words throughout the day have been deeply appreciated by our entire team.”
To arrange a tour of The Grove Care Home, please get in touch on 01472 821127 or email ros.wells@countrycourtcare.com Contractors sought for next phase of historic Scunthorpe Church’s transformation
Bids are being sought for civil and landscaping engineering contractors to carry out the next phase in the restoration of St John’s Church in Scunthorpe.
A tender will be launched for works which will improve visitor access, while creating an inviting outdoor space for hands on exhibitions – connecting the building to Queen Elizabeth Gardens.
The works will enable the hoardings surrounding 20-21 to come down and bring the building back into full use, revealing the full extent of the restoration work to the Grade II* listed former church.
Discover@20-21, the new town centre attraction packed full of free family-friendly activities, is expected to open in Spring 2025.
Cllr Rob Waltham, leader, North Lincolnshire Council, said: “It’s great to see work progressing at pace on Discover@20-21, our new and completely free regional attraction for families, which will inspire and entertain our young people with hands on experiences.
“This next phase of the project is where residents will really start to see the difference to the outside of this important building, and creating new outside space will bring a new dimension to exhibitions.”
Works to restore St John’s Church are nearing completion, with specialist contractors UK Restoration Services concluding their programme of extensive repairs, which included the rebuilding of the roofs and tower pinnacles, cleaning, repairing and repointing the original stonework, plus installing a new building management system.
Cllr John Davison, cabinet member for community wellbeing (urban – Ashby, Bottesford and Scunthorpe), said: “We’ve stepped in to ensure one of Scunthorpe’s most visible and historic buildings – a place many residents have fond memories of – is protected for years to come.
“We are going further by bringing new experiences to the town. Plans for Discover@20-21 look absolutely brilliant and seeing them has made me even more excited to see the activities in this free family attraction take shape.”
Image credit: Google maps
Town centre transport transformation on the way for Grimsby
Two transport-based projects that will change the way we move around Grimsby Town Centre have been given the green light at a Cabinet meeting.
The schemes will redesign car parking at the Council’s Abbey Walk and Burgess Street car parks and kickstart a project to provide a town centre transport hub for public transport.
The Abbey Walk car park was built in 1969 by Holst & Company of Scunthorpe at a cost of approximately £200,000.
Whilst a key asset for the town centre, the car park was closed in May this year, after structural defects were found. This was water ingress into key structural supports, making the car park potentially unsafe to use.
It has now been approved to proceed with plans to demolish the car park, and replace it with a 120-space surface car park, but with the capability in the foundations of being built on in future years if needed. Burgess Street Car Park will also be improved to provide additional car parking capacity within a few minutes’ walk of the town centre.
The next stage will be to work up detailed design and costings before submitting any traffic regulation orders or planning permissions that may be required for the two schemes.
Funding will initially be sought from the Council’s capital programme, with other funding sources being explored to reduce the impact on the council resources.
Also approved was the outline plan to create a Transport Hub on a 1.6acre site off Osborne Street in the town centre.
The hub would sit behind current vacant units on Osborne Street which the council owns. This stretch of buildings is due to be demolished in the coming months. The Hub would also include the use of the car park at Garden Street.
Now the plans have been approved in outline, the next stage is to consult with people and businesses and carry out preliminary site surveys before finalising the design, and submitting a planning application for the site.
Cllr Stewart Swinburn, Cabinet member for Transport, said: “These are two much-needed schemes for our town centre. We have wanted to improve the transport offer for Grimsby Town centre for some time.
“These schemes will help us connect people with the town centre, drive use of the town centre and is a good fit alongside the money being spent on improving the town centre too.
“The residents of North East Lincolnshire deserve a fit for purpose transportation hub that allows quick easy access to public transport services in a central location near to rail, retail and town centre amenities, and that’s what we want to give them.”
Image credit: North East Lincolnshire Council
Bottle Tops for Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance
A mother and daughter team are appealing for communities in the south Lincolnshire area to get saving bottle tops to raise vital funds for Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance (LNAA).
Liz and Rachel Cooper are the brains behind The Bottle Tops For Charity Community Group and are now busy reaching out to the communities of South Kesteven and South Holland to start collecting.
Liz Cooper from Moulton, south Lincs, said: “We need to spread the word to as many people as possible as we need to get to one tonne of plastic lids before the recycling centre will then transfer the funds directly to Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance and our other five chosen charities.”
Steph Bradshaw, Community Fundraising Manager at LNAA, said: “We are delighted that Rachel, and her team of supporters are fundraising for LNAA. As a charity we receive no direct Government funding, and we are not part of the NHS.
“Yet we must raise £13 million this year to keep our helicopter in the sky and our critical care cars on the roads 24/7, every day of the year, treating some of the most seriously ill and injured patients in Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. And we can only do this with the fundraising efforts of people like Rachel and her team.”
It is easy to get involved. All you need to do is collect your plastic lids from drinks, cleaning products, etc. and then wash them thoroughly to ensure they’re clean and ready for recycling. Finally drop your clean lids off at the designated collection points.
A full list of drop-off points can be found on the Bottle Tops for Charity Community Group Facebook page.
Burghley welcomes new festive event: Christmas Silent Discos
A brand-new event is coming to Burghley House this festive season. Get ready to dance the night away with friends, family and colleagues at a Christmas Silent Disco taking place on Thursday 5 and Friday 6 December 2024.
Set in the historical grounds of Burghley House, a huge Christmas marquee bedecked in sparkling lights and decorations will house the dancefloor for a feel-good night of party tunes and seasonal cheer.
With state-of-the-art headsets, party-goers can tune in to one of three DJs battling it out for the largest following with the very best music from the 80s, 90s and 00s as well as much-loved Christmas songs. With guaranteed snow flurries and plenty of festive fun in store, this is one Christmas party not to miss.
An array of festive food will be on offer to fuel the partying including loaded fries, hotdogs and sweet and savoury crêpes. There will also be a fully stocked bar featuring festive favourites such as mulled wine, fizz and Baileys hot chocolate. A choice of great value food and drink packages are available to pre-order.
A Burghley Christmas Silent Disco is a great option for those looking for something different for this year’s office party or Christmas get-together with friends. A special package price is available for groups of 10 or more.
Christmas Silent Discos at Burghley are from 7-10pm on Thursday 5 and 6 December 2024. Early bird tickets are available until 31 October 2024 and cost £27 person (over 18s only), full price tickets from 1 November 2024 are £29 per person. A group package price is available for parties of 10 or more at £50 per person and includes entry ticket plus one hot food voucher and three drinks vouchers. Parking is free of charge.
For more details and to book tickets visit www.burghley.co.uk
Prostate cancer memorial to visit Lincoln on nationwide tour
The Prostate Cancer Memorial travelling across the UK, will soon make its way to Lincoln, finding a temporary home at The Waterside, marking a significant moment for the community, as the memorial is said to serve both as a powerful symbol of remembrance and a call to action in the fight against prostate cancer.
Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK, with more than 1,000 men diagnosed with it every week.
Mary-Jane Booth, Centre Manager at The Waterside, said: “We are honoured to host the Prostate Cancer Memorial here in Lincoln. This memorial is a powerful reminder of the impact prostate cancer has on families across the UK. We hope that by bringing it to The Waterside, we can contribute to raising awareness and supporting the incredible work done by Prostate Cancer UK.
“The Prostate Cancer Memorial has been created by Prostate Cancer UK as a striking tribute to the thousands of lives touched by this disease. The memorial has already garnered attention and support in London, and its arrival in Lincoln will provide the local community with an opportunity to engage with the cause, learn more about the disease, and contribute to ongoing research and support efforts.
“Hosting the memorial at The Waterside highlights the Centre’s commitment to supporting important causes that affect its visitors and the broader community. The Centre expects that the memorial will draw visitors from across the region, enhancing awareness and encouraging discussions about prostate cancer. The timing of the memorial’s arrival is especially significant as it coincides with various awareness initiatives in the healthcare community, offering a local platform for education and support.”
Lincolnshire Day celebrations showcase the county’s rich history
South Kesteven District Council will celebrate Lincolnshire Day on 1st October with historic talks at St Wulfram’s Church in Grantham.
‘The Magnificent Seven’ will shine a spotlight on seven individuals whose legacies have been carved into impressive memorials within the church.
A market will also be held in the refurbished Market Place selling local Lincolnshire produce including Teaspoon Tea Company’s signature loose tea, baked goods from Bloomsbury Bakery and honey products from Fen Apiaries.
Cllr Ashley Baxter, Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance and Economic Development, said: “Lincolnshire Day is a great opportunity to celebrate our county’s rich history and heritage.
“The talks at St Wulfram’s Church will be a fascinating insight into those Lincolnshire figures who lived impressive lives and who are now memorialised in the church forever.
“I am delighted that we will also be coming together for the first time in the recently refurbished Market Place to recognise all that is great about Lincolnshire while supporting our fantastic local businesses.”
The two talks will take place on 1st October at 10am and at 2.30pm and will be led by local historian, author and Chair of the Grantham Civic Society, Dr John Manterfield.
Dr Manterfield will focus on seven individuals with a local connection to Lincolnshire:
- Sir Thomas Bury; Chief Baron of the Exchequer who died in 1972. Sir Bury amassed a fortune and is commemorated by a marble monument in the church.
- Captain William Cust; the younger brother of Sir John Cust of Belton, Speaker of the House of Commons. William was a naval hero who was accidentally killed by a cannonball in 1748.
- Rev Richard Stevens; a man whose career in the church was largely aided by the support of the Duke of Rutland and his son, the celebrated Marquis of Granby. Rev Stevens died in 1771.
- Sir Dudley Ryder; achieved greatness as a lawyer becoming Lord Chief Justice of the Court of the King’s Bench based in London but had a country seat at Harrowby. He died in 1758.
- Edmund Turnor; member of the Turnor family of Stoke Rochford Hall. His monument is unusual in incorporating a variety of marbles, designed by a Peterborough sculptor. He died in 1789.
- Charles Clarke; was the last member of a family of apothecaries and surgeons that had lived in Grantham High Street for over two centuries. One of his ancestors provided the lodgings when Isaac Newton was in Grantham. He died 1796.
- Lieutenant Rupert Hardy Parker; killed at Passchendaele in 1917. His monument is a unique design made from alabaster and the epitaph reflects the loss felt by his family.
