Light night event set for Sutton-on-Sea this October
A display of illuminations, projections and performances will come to Sutton-on-Sea this October, as part of a free light night event.
Taking place on Saturday 26 October from 5.30pm to 8.30pm, LightWaves will feature a fire garden, Sir Joseph Banks inspired projections, street theatre and more, as part of the South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership’s Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation project.
The event will run through the High Street, Meridale Centre and picturesque seafront, with a special four-metre-high hourglass installation providing one of the main attractions, filled with images, animations, and audio recordings from local residents.
To help produce this installation, a drop-in audio workshop will take place at the Meridale Centre on Monday 26 August, from 10am to 1pm or 2pm to 5pm, where people can turn up for free to help create it.
The event production team will also be working with local schools and community groups to produce around 100 beautiful lanterns, which will be used in a lantern parade that will move up the High Street at around 6pm.
No booking is required for the event, and people are invited to drop-in at any time to enjoy what will be an enchanting and colourful night.
‘LightWaves’ is being organised by the South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership in collaboration with The Sessions House and SessionsArts, who have experience in running other light nights including the one in nearby Spilsby.
The Partnership’s NPO funding looks to support arts, culture, heritage and creativity across the whole of South and East Lincolnshire, providing meaningful opportunity and programming for residents, developing the sector and helping to build the arts, culture and heritage offer.
The Sutton-on-Sea Colonnade, which is still under development, was identified through the bid as East Lindsey’s creative hub to deliver creative activity as part of the Arts Council England funding, with the programme being supported by an eight-member culture board drawing experience from a variety of sectors.
Councillor Graham Marsh, East Lindsey District Council’s representative on the NPO culture board, said: “With the recent success of Sutton Stories and Vintage-on-Sea, I am delighted that we can continue our momentum of fantastic events with this exciting LightWaves event, which will create amazing displays in the already beautiful surroundings of Sutton-on-Sea.
“I am especially pleased that we can continue to collaborate with local artists, communities and schools to help produce the various installations that are set to feature, and contribute towards transforming Sutton into a kaleidoscope of colour that is not to be missed.”
Image: Sutton-on-Sea – credit: Stock.adobe.com/mparratt
Hospice plans to launch ‘ladies who lunch’ initiative
In partnership with some of Lincoln’s most celebrated businesses, St Barnabas Hospice is launching a ‘Ladies Who Lunch’ event, due to take place on Thursday 10th October.
The recently revamped White Hart Hotel, situated in the Bailgate of Lincoln, will host the inaugural event, where General Manager Paul Noble, said: “As a long-standing corporate supporter of St Barnabas Hospice, we are thrilled to have been selected as the venue for the upcoming ‘Ladies Who Lunch’ event.
“Our recent refurbishment at the hotel means we were able to donate a number of pieces of furniture to St Barnabas’ flagship store, The Warehouse, in Lincoln, and to continue our support is something we’re really proud of.
“We feel that the upcoming event is a wonderful opportunity to showcase our newly refurbished hotel, whilst continuing to support a local charity that provides vital hospice care to patients and families in our community.”
The lunch will be followed by an exclusive preview of the latest fashion trends and unique pieces of the season with a stunning display from local boutique, SELF. Further to this, there will be an exclusive talk and showcase from renowned Milliner, Ian Bennett, whose clientele includes the royal family and stars of stage and screen.
Into the afternoon, there will be an opportunity to explore and support some of Lincoln’s finest independent businesses. The Hospice are due to welcome a selection of boutique stalls, from artisan fudge to unique homewares and ethical clothing, alongside a premium raffle.
Deborah Yarwood, Fundraising Officer and Project Lead of ‘Ladies Who Lunch’ said: “On behalf of everyone at St Barnabas, I would like to say a heartfelt thank you to the White Hart and all the businesses who are generously supporting our upcoming event.
“It is absolutely amazing to see tremendous community collaboration from local businesses and supporters alike, all willing to support the continuation of vital hospice care across Lincolnshire.
“If you are looking to enjoy a fabulous day out with friends, family or colleagues, join us at our Ladies Who Lunch, in support of St Barnabas Hospice.”
High demand for community grants means more cash is on the table
There’s so much demand from parishes, village halls and community projects for grants from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Rural England Prosperity Fund that an extra £165,000 has been made available.
The Lincolnshire Community Foundation GRASSroots scheme, funded by the Shared Prosperity Fund, has been given £40,000 more in Boston and £125,000 more in East Lindsey.
This extra funding will boost the pot substantially in East Lindsey and means that £1million will have been distributed to small community organisations in the district in the space of a year.
Similarly, in Boston almost £300,000 has been awarded bringing, alongside other contributions, a total investment of £500,000 in community assets overall with match funding.
This funding is in addition to an earlier allocation of £100,000 from the East Lindsey Community Reserve funds in May.
The GRASSroots scheme has proven very popular across the sub-region with 111 projects already receiving over £1.7million of funding from LCF and UKSPF/RPF since it first began in July 2023. Most recently, groups across the sub-region were awarded more than £600,000 through the scheme last month.
Councillor Anne Dorrian, leader of Boston Borough Council, said: “I’m thrilled that more projects will be able to apply for funding from the GRASSroots scheme as I know how high demand has been from the very beginning.
“Through this funding, we will continue to support all of our communities, with a particular focus on those that have been historically under-represented in the provision of local growth funding. We’re committed to making sure that all parts of our borough benefit and that prosperity is truly shared.”
In East Lindsey, Councillor Steve Kirk, portfolio holder for the coastal economy, and Councillor Adam Grist, portfolio holder for market towns and the rural economy, said: “It is fantastic news for the district that the LCF GRASSroots scheme can be kept open for longer via the partnership’s additional funding.
“We’ve already seen great examples of what these grants can do to benefit the local community – and now we will be able to see even more projects flourishing. This funding represents a once in a generation investment in local growth for our most rural communities.
“We would urge anyone who is interested in applying for a grant to get in touch with LCF as soon as possible as if the past few months is anything to go by, the scheme will be very popular.”
Sue Fortune, CEO of Lincolnshire Community Foundation, added: “Staff and Trustees at Lincolnshire Community Foundation are delighted with the news that the South & East Lincolnshire Council’s Partnership has made further funding available.
“We are confident that, together, we will continue to invest in local communities ensuring residents have access to facilities and activities both now and into the future.”
The deadline for applications is 1 September, 2024. Contact Lincolnshire Community Foundation
Connexin signs pledge to reduce roadworks wherever possible
Internet provider Connexin has become the latest utility company to sign up to the Lincolnshire County Council Street Works Charter, aimed at reducing disruption because of roadworks.
The charter is an agreement by major utility companies to ensure minimum disruption, maximum traffic flow and a ‘working-together’ ethos wherever possible.
Connexin made the move to join the charter after being awarded a significant contract to bring gigabit broadband to remote areas of Lincolnshire as part of the Government’s ‘Project Gigabit’ rollout. The contract will see the company upgrade around 14,000 premises across the west of Lincolnshire in the coming months.
Connexin’s Paul Coles said: “Our collaborative approach with Lincolnshire County Council, and other utility providers, will allow us to roll out our infrastructure with minimal disruption to residents.
“For the majority of our network build, we will be using existing infrastructure from other providers where possible. In the more rural areas of Lincolnshire, we may need to install new network infrastructure. The Street Works Charter and our Community Engagement Team will allow us to complete these works efficiently, and with reduced disruption for the community. We look forward to bringing fast, reliable connectivity to the region and opening up more digital opportunities in remote areas.”
Connexin joins ten other utility providers and companies in the Lincolnshire County Council Street Works Charter, which was launched last year to cut the amount of disruption roadworks cause across Lincolnshire.
The Charter is the work of the county council and has been put together in a bid to cut down both the amount of time a road is closed, and the number of times different utility companies carry out work in the same spot.
Dumping commercial waste costs drive-by operator £2,300
A drive-by scrap collector who dumped commercial waste he was paid £350 to dispose of properly has been charged £2,300 and told to do 15 days of rehabilitation and 150 hours of unpaid community service work.
Tommy-Lee Barras pleaded guilty at Lincoln Magistrates Court to three charges relating to fly-tipping after North Kesteven District Council responded to the dumping of a large amount of material near Leadenham a year ago.
He admitted fly-tipping on August 18, 2023, not having the necessary waste carrier’s licence to take the waste away and failing to assist in the investigation by providing the required information or assistance.
The waste included flooring, signage and construction items as well as paperwork relating to a premises in Kirton, Boston. After being traced back to its origins the property owner confirmed it was his. He said a white Ford Transit van – later found to be Barras’ – pulled up at the premises looking for scrap and the driver offered to take the waste away for £350.
The business owner admitted he made no checks for a waste carrier’s licence – which anyone engaging waste removal should – and accepted that he failed in his duty of care to ensure that Barras was a legitimate waste carrier, for which he was fined £400 through a fixed penalty notice.
Through North Kesteven District Council’s investigations, CCTV and ANPR data tracked two collections being made on August 17, journeys back and forth to Newark where scrap was weighed in, and payment to Barras. He repeatedly failed to respond to requests for information and the details he eventually gave of a waste carriers number were not valid.
Councillor Mark Smith, Executive Board Member with special interest for environment and public protection, said: “There were numerous complaints received regarding the dumping of this waste in a popular walking location. Members of the public were understandably outraged by this blatant environmental crime, as were we.
“Barras was paid and trusted to deal with this material properly but instead sought to profit through criminality, without any consideration for the law, the environment harmed by dumping it in open countryside, or the people affected. Fly-tipping is not a victim-less crime and it is important for everyone to be vigilant in doing the right thing and engaging the right people to handle their waste to ensure it doesn’t happen.
“As this case shows, we take a very dim view to fly-tipping of any waste in our area and in partnership with the Lincolnshire Environmental Crime Partnership will continue to take a rigorous approach to people like Barras who take advantage of people and cause environmental harm.”
Barras was ordered to pay £2,314.93 in costs to the Council and fulfil a 12-month community order to undertake 15 days of rehabilitation activity and 150 hours unpaid work in the community.
Image credit: North Kesteven District Council
National Lottery funds new airborne forces trail across South Kesteven
South Kesteven District Council has been awarded almost £150,000 by The National Lottery Heritage Fund to develop a project highlighting the build-up in the area of airborne forces ahead of major Allied operations in the Second World War.
The funding has been made possible thanks to National Lottery players.
The £147,550 will enable SKDC to spread awareness of a unique story, entitled Soldiers From The Sky.
It will document how paratroopers of three nations – Britain, America and Poland – came together in South Kesteven during 1944 in preparation for the famous battles of Operation Overlord (D-Day) and Operation Market Garden (Arnhem).
Commemorating their local presence and impact will create a new visitor trail of national and international significance amidst a District that housed troops, witnessed their training and saw them leave aboard giant airborne armadas.
Using the 80th anniversaries of both military milestones, the project will collaborate with visitor attractions, accommodation providers, volunteer groups, schools, businesses and residents to create a physical and digital trail identifying and celebrating the back-stories before they pass from living memory.
Two of the most daring and iconic Airborne operations of the war were planned and launched from South Kesteven:
D-Day, 6 June 1944: Pathfinder paratroopers flying from South Kesteven spearheaded the American airborne assault, setting up beacons for the main US airborne force. US aircraft from local airfields then dropped more than 6,300 paratroopers of the US 82nd Airborne Division in Normandy.
Operation Market Garden (Arnhem): the largest airborne assault of WW2, memorialised in the film ‘A Bridge Too Far’. US aircraft flying from local airfields dropped more than 8,600 British, US and Polish paratroopers, and towed more than 3,000 US glider troops to their landing zones in the Netherlands.
Ferrying them into battle were the unsung heroes of America’s 9th Troop Carrier Command, launching waves of aircraft from giant airfields around Grantham.
The 18-month project will include a website, smartphone app, information signs, an exhibition at Grantham Museum and commemoration events.
Letters supporting the bid came from visitor sites with airborne links such as Easton Walled Gardens and Harlaxton Manor, community groups, America’s National Glider Pilots Association and the top echelons of the Britain Army’s 16 Air Assault – the Parachute Regiment.
Cllr Paul Stokes, the Deputy Leader of SKDC, said: “Soldiers From The Sky represents an unprecedented and exciting opportunity to discover, explore and share the back-stories to this amazing chapter of our military heritage.
“We are extremely grateful to National Lottery players and The National Lottery Heritage Fund for enabling us to dust off and celebrate that chapter. It will help us value, care for and sustain our very special heritage
“Lincolnshire is widely known as ‘Bomber County’, rightly highlighting its role in the Second World War, but we have a unique and complementary story to tell of how airborne soldiers of three nations came together in preparation for iconic battles.
“By making these stories accessible and relevant to new audiences we will enhance public, community, volunteer and stakeholder engagement and awareness, strengthen the visitor offer and unite communities through pride in a shared heritage, ensuring a lasting commemorative legacy.”
Image credit: Stock.adobe.com/Robert L Parker
Clinicians swap Lincoln County Hospital wards for classrooms in Sri Lanka
Three clinicians from Lincoln County Hospital have been invited to share their expertise and to train medical staff to become CPR trainers in hospitals across Sri Lanka.
Consultant Cardiologist David O’Brien, Consultant Cardiologist Dinal Taleyratne and Lead Resuscitation Practitioner Monique Loveday will all be travelling to Sri Lanka later this month.
Dr Taleyratne was born in Sri Lanka and has always wanted to return and give something back to the country of his birth. He has spent the last year planning the trip.
He said: “My parents and my extended family are all from Sri Lanka and I was born there. I have always wanted to return and offer my support in some way. Because of the registration requirements for clinicians in Sri Lanka we are unable to provide medical care, but we can provide life support training.
“In the UK we have access to robust standardised resuscitation training that is not easily accessible in Sri Lanka. We are supporting doctors by instructing on a local European Resuscitation Council Advanced Life Support course in addition to training staff on a bespoke ‘train-the-trainer’ course which we have helped develop, sharing our knowledge on specific areas of specialised cardiac care.”
The trip has been funded by the trio outside of NHS budgets.
Monique said: “All three of us have a real passion around training, education and sharing knowledge and expertise. We are all trained to teach UK and European Resuscitation Council courses and we are excited to be involved in helping to organise a new educational platform in a country that does not currently have the same formal structure in place that we do.
“We take so much for granted with the NHS. We have the benefit of its history and all of the hard work and experience that has got us where we are today.”
The plan is that hospital staff from across Sri Lanka will travel to non-clinical centres for the training and will then take their new knowledge and experience to teach other colleagues back at their local hospitals.
Professor O’Brien is professor of medical education at the School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, and is also Vice-Dean at the Lincoln Medical School. He has worked as an interventional cardiologist in United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust for 16 years where he was former Clinical Director for Cardiology, opening the Lincolnshire Heart Centre at the Trust in 2013. He has been teaching Advanced Life Support (ALS) for 25 years and has been an ALS course medical director for 15 years.
He said: “As an ALS Committee Member of the Resus Council UK, I appreciate the profound benefits that both timely basic and advanced life support training provide to patients. I have been educating people within clinical environments for the majority of my professional life and teaching advanced life support courses not only in this country but more recently in China and India.
“I truly believe that education is a powerful tool and a wonderful gift and one which we often take for granted. I am really excited to have the opportunity to offer the benefit of our combined years of experience to another country that currently just does not have the same infrastructure and financial resource to support with teaching and training of these vital skills, as we are fortunate enough to have in the UK.
“I feel privileged to work on this project as part of such a fantastic team, and also with such dedicated colleagues in Sri Lanka. I think it reaffirms to me that wherever you are in the world, clinicians all have the same common goal; that of improving outcomes for their patients.”
Dr Taleyratne added: “I am most looking forward to working with the team in Sri Lanka, looking at how we can contribute a little bit of our knowledge to help them on their journey. I also think we might be able to learn from them. They are creating an exciting programme where resuscitation skills are taught in schools. For a developing country to be doing this when we are not, shows there is a lot we can learn from each other.”
Image shows Consultant Cardiologist Dinal Taleyratne, Lead Resuscitation Practitioner Monique Loveday and Consultant Cardiologist David O’Brien at the Lincolnshire Heart Centre. Picture credit: United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust
Something for everyone at The No Limits Festival 2024
Families can meet their favourite authors and unleash their creativity when the free No Limits Festival storms into Normanby Hall Country Park near Scunthorpe on 21 and 22 September.
Brigg-based, award winning, independent bookshop, The Rabbit Hole, has curated an action-packed programme brimming with authors, inspiring illustrators and wonderful live performances, bringing the magic of books and creative arts to life.
Harriet Muncaster, creator of Isadora Moon, now a popular animated TV series, will be joining the fun this year!
Readers will love to see many award-winning, school favourites like Peter Bunzl, Sophie Anderson, Emma Carroll, Jenny McClachlan and Helen Peters as well as Blue Peter Award winning Mike Barfield with his ‘Rollercoaster’ of exciting non-fiction, alongside Sophy Henn’s ‘Lifesize’ non-fiction and graphic novel draw-alongs. Watch out for International award winning, Petr Horacek with his latest book, Blue Monster, too!
For the grown-ups, author talks from the Rickard Sisters, Lucy Adlington, popular Hull Noir authors Nick Quantrill and Nick Triplow and the chance to meet many locally based authors for informative talks. With brilliant live music and top street food vendors, there is so much for the whole family to enjoy.
For this very-special weekend, entry is completely free, giving families the perfect chance to discover everything the award-winning park has to offer.
Keep up to date with announcements via The No Limits Festival social media pages. Details are also being shared to the event page on Normanby Hall’s website.
Spalding United FC agree 25-year deal for Sir Halley Stewart Field
There are plans for new investment at Spalding’s Sir Halley Stewart playing field, following the completion of a long-term lease for the community asset by Spalding United FC.
The new 25-year lease will allow the club to realise their ambitions to increase the field’s offer for local residents and community groups, as well as furthering their own progress as they continue to rise through the football pyramid.
Over recent months the club has worked with the Trustee of Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field on the deal, which will open up new funding and investment opportunities and create more opportunities for wider use of the popular facility.
From the Trustee’s perspective, the lease will further the key priorities for the field, seeing more local residents able to access, use and enjoy the asset, whilst supporting more local clubs and their members to continue to find a home and grow and helping Spalding United FC continue their fantastic progress and remain a key part of the town’s identity.
As part of the agreement Spalding United have reaffirmed their commitment to encouraging use of the grounds and to helping grow grassroots football and other sport and recreation opportunities at the Sir Halley Stewart and in the local area.
Councillor Nick Worth, leader of South Holland District Council, and Councillor Henry Bingham, portfolio holder for assets and strategic planning, said: “We are delighted that Spalding United FC and the Trustee have agreed this deal, which can help start a fantastic new chapter for the Sir Halley Stewart, the local community and the club.
“We have known for some time that there was a growing desire and need for investment in the facilities that the Trustee would really struggle to find without the costs having to fall upon local taxpayers.
“This lease not only secures that investment, but also creates wide-reaching benefits for the local community, economy and businesses, whilst ensuring the field remains home to a wide number of sporting organisations and other initiatives.”
Andrew Killingsworth, Chairman of Spalding United, said: “From day one we have shown an interest in taking more ownership of the Sir Halley Stewart, not only to help our growth as a club but the growth of the local community as a whole, it’s a significant project and one we look forward to engaging as many people as possible with, so the club can grow in tandem with the town.
“This is another piece in the jigsaw that we needed to maximise the opportunity that has been presented to us all.”
Image credit: Stock.adobe.com/anekoho
North Lincolnshire prepares for first ever Walking Festival
As part of its Year of Walking celebrations, North Lincolnshire Council is launching its first ever walking festival in Autumn 2024.
Running from Saturday 28 September to Sunday 13 October, the festival will promote and offer a host of free activities for all ages across North Lincolnshire.
There is already an incredible amount of walking activities and established walking groups within local communities that are all invited to come together and be part of the festival and host their own events.
Whether it’s a history walk around an historic village, a bug hunt in Ashbyville or a simple social walk around Central Park, the council wants to showcase the amazing scenery and routes across North Lincolnshire as well as the great things happening in its communities.
Cllr Richard Hannigan, cabinet member for adults and health, said: “Walking really does tick all the boxes – it is easy, free, good for your mental and physical health, you can do it alone or with friends and you can start right outside your front door.
“We have some wonderful open spaces in North Lincolnshire, including six Green Flag parks and the fantastic area around of Normanby Hall, Waters’ Edge and Thornton Abbey.
“I encourage everyone to get involved in the Festival of Walking, from going on a treasure hunt with your children to tackling the Viking Way.”
Image credit: North Lincolnshire Council
