Life-saving charity, the Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance has responded to its 30,000th call – in its 30th anniversary year.
The helicopter and crew landed at the scene of an RTC near Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, in the hours of darkness last week (30 October).
The doctor and paramedic crew treated two women and a child, who were then taken to hospital. It is the unique combination of a specialist crew with the speed and capability of the helicopter that gives patients the best chance of survival.
LNAA CEO Karen Jobling sad: “This milestone during LNAA’s 30th anniversary year, was made possible because of the support of people living and working in the communities of Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.”
LNAA’s team of specialist paramedics, doctors and pilots have already responded to almost 1,500 life-saving missions this year.
October proved to be extremely busy and the crews were called out to 141 incidents of which 58 of these were undertaken during the hours of darkness.
With the aid of night vision goggles (NVGs) the crew are able to fly at night to reach patients involved in the most serious of incidents until 2am every day.
LINCS & NOTTS Air Ambulance photo shoot G-LNCC
Each pair of NVGs cost £14,000 and it is thanks to the generosity of people living and working in the communities of Lincs & Notts that we can equip the crew with this state-of-the art equipment allowing them to provide pre-hospital emergency care to those in need whilst everyone is asleep.
Karen added: “We need £13 million this year to provide this 24/7 service, every day of the year. We receive no direct Government funding, and have only come this far, thanks to everyone who continues to support us, giving our patients the best chance of survival and recovery.”
South Kesteven Districtt Council has promised to underwrite the future of its services to residents with the commissioning of a £10m depot on Turnpike Close to replace the current one on Alexandra Road.
The new depot, being built by the Lindum Group, will be operational late next year or early the year after, at which point the old deport, built in the 197s, will close.
The new premises will be home to more than 250 staff operating a range of services including bin collection, street cleaning, and maintenance of parks, housing repairs, and the vehicle fleet.
Cllr Richard Cleaver said the new site would allow service provision to expand to meet the needs of a growing population. “This is a significant capital investment that demonstrates SKDC’s commitment to future-proofing services for our residents.
“The current depot at Alexandra Road, Grantham, was built in the 1970s and is now at the end of its operational life. It is no longer fit-for-purpose, does not allow for service expansion and does not support the Council’s current and future operational needs.
“There are also issues with site access as it is in the heart of a residential area, health and safety concerns with respect to movement of vehicles and poor welfare standards for staff.”
Lindum Group Co-chairman Edward Chambers said: “We share SKDC’s vision of creating facilities that foster operational efficiency and sustainability while being future proof.
“Our in-house team of architects and engineers have helped to make the scheme viable. They worked with the council for four months to help align the project specification to the council’s budget and performance requirements.
“I look forward to seeing this building progress over the coming months and once complete, it will ensure SKDC can continue to meet the needs of a growing population by providing vital services from a modern, purpose-built facility.”
The impact local foster carers have on supporting children in North East Lincolnshire was celebrated this week at a brunch for local businesses.
The event, at Grimsby Town Football Club’s Blundell Park ground, brought together some of the 100-foster friendly businesses, schools and ambassadors for the first time.
Opened with remarks from Director of Children’s Services at North East Lincolnshire Council, Ann-Marie Matson, the brunch showcased the voices of some of the children that have been brought up in the care of local foster families.
The event also saw the premiere of a new foster carer recruitment advert that was directed by Jack Spring (Three Day Millionaire) and voiced by Tommy Turgoose (This is England).
Later, the room hit an emotional note when hearing the account of one foster carer and her journey from nursing to fostering children.
Councillor Margaret Cracknell, portfolio holder for children and education, said that the overarching theme of the event was about exploring how the community can support foster carers.
“We’ve heard some incredibly emotional accounts about the lengths our wonderful foster carers go to, supporting children that have often been through significant trauma.
“Our foster carers have an incredible impact on the lives of our children in care, so it’s important that, as a community, we look for ways to support them.
“There are lots of things that businesses can do to support our foster carers, from offering additional annual leave to employees that foster, to making products and services available at a discount for our carers and their children.
“If any businesses would like to find out more about becoming a foster-friendly business, please get in touch.”
Please don’t disturb any seals on Cleethorpes beach over the next few weeks, says North Ace Lincolnshire Council.
Not all seals are stranded, it says. Many are simply resting, and disturbing them can be dangerous and sometimes even fatal to them.
Seal sightings are common at this time of year as the winter pups begin to move further from their breeding ground at Donna Nook and come to rest in Cleethorpes. The area between Cleethorpes Leisure Centre and Donna Nook is part of The Lincolnshire Coronation Coast National Nature Reserve, which is a special landscape that is recognised as a wildlife haven of international importance.
The newly-independent seals can happily swim up to 60 miles a day, which can take them as far as the Netherlands. If resting seals are disturbed, they can become distressed, which can damage their health and use up vital energy they need to get home. Seals are also wild animals and they can carry diseases and cause injury to people if they feel under threat. They do have a nasty bite.
As a Humber Special Area of Conservation species, seals remain protected. They only come onto land to breed, rest and digest their food. Flushing them back into the water reduces their ability to gain energy from their food and uses up energy to return to the sea.
Repeated disturbance can seriously affect a seal’s energy, and a seal on the beach may have many encounters with several people over one day. When seals are flushed into the sea, they may be injured from stampeding, gashing their bellies on rocks, tearing skin on sand or ripping out claws.
Cllr Henry Hudson, NELC Portfolio Holder for Environment, said: “While the young seals are still finding their way around, we are more likely to encounter them on our beach, which is their natural habitat.
“They need to be left alone to rest after a hard day’s swimming and fishing until they’re ready to return home by themselves. They can be dangerous if they feel threatened and members of the public should keep away and please keep their dogs on leads.”
NELC ecologists are asking members of the public to follow this advice if they encounter a seal on our beaches:
If you spot a seal on the beach, keep your distance
Keep or put your dog on a lead
Don’t usher them into the water, they’ve hauled out because they need a rest from swimming
If you see one in distress or ill, report to the Resort Team and Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue.
If you see a seal in distress, the best thing to do is call the Resort Safety Team on 01472 323356. Keep a watch from a safe distance and try to keep other people and dogs away until assistance arrives.
Picture: 2024 Winner: Long Tongued Bat Approaching Banana Leaf by Marilyn Taylor
UK independent retail group London Camera Exchange (LCE) is inviting entries for LCE Photographer of the Year 2025, following the success of the inaugural 2024 contest, which attracted more than 13,000 entries.
This year’s competition incorporates 14 dierent categories and is open to photographers of all levels of experience*. New for 2025 is the ‘Emerging Talent’ category for students currently studying photography, with a prize for both the student and the university or college, helping to support the development of future photographers. As last year, the popular ‘People’s Choice’ category will be open to public voting.
Entries can be submitted online at https://poty.lcegroup.co.uk/ or in person at any of LCE’s 26 stores across the UK. The entry deadline is midnight on 21 January 2025, with early entries having a better chance of winning the publicly-voted category.
The competition has been made possible with the generous support of leading photo industry brands including headline sponsors Canon, Nikon and Sony, plus partners Fujifilm and OM System.
Winners receive a share of the £10,000 prize fund and impressive trophy, with the overall competition winner presented with a total of £3,000 in LCE vouchers. The awards ceremony will take place at The Photography & Video Show in March 2025 at ExCel, London. Final shortlisted images will be displayed at an exhibition at the show and be featured in a special commemorative book.
Judges include respected photographers and editors including SheClicks founder and journalist Angela Nicholson, Chris George, content director at Future Publishing, and street photographer Peter Dench.
Lee Harasyn, managing director of LCE, commented, “Last year’s competition was immensely popular, attracting large quantities of high-quality entries across every category and genre. We’re thrilled to announce it is now open for submissions for the second year, and proud to provide this platform for photographers to showcase their talents and gain visibility. With the addition of the ‘Emerging Talent’ category we are
pleased to help showcase the creativity and vision of up-and-coming photographers, providing them with an opportunity to present their work and find a route into the industry early in their careers. We can’t wait to see the entries and look forward to discovering some exceptional photographers.”
The LCE competition is open to photographers aged 18 and over. Entries will be accepted from photographers worldwide, however, prizes will only be awarded to UK residents. Full terms and conditions, rules and FAQs can be found at https://poty.lcegroup.co.uk/
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People’s Choice
LCE is the UK’s largest chain of independent photographic stores. A trusted brand, the retailer offers a wide selection of products and services for beginner, enthusiast and professional photographers, as well as filmmakers and creators, and has been recognised for its outstanding customer service and support across the photographic media for many years.
North East Lincolnshire Council employee Lenny Would has decided to retire after nearly six decades maintaining all manner of vehicles for the council and its predecessors.
Lenny, now 72, started as an apprentice for Grimsby Borough Council in 1968 when he was just 16. Fixing anything from bin lorries to lawnmowers, he spent time honing his skills before moving to the former depot on Weelsby Avenue in 1971.
Over 20 years later, he moved to the current depot at Doughty Road to continue his role as a motor fitter, working on and repairing the Council’s fleet of lawnmowers.
During his time working in the garage, he devoted most of his efforts to the lawnmowers used to cut grass in the borough’s parks and open spaces as well as the grass verges. It’s calculated that Lenny would have sharpened around two million lawnmower blades in his time at the Council.
He said: “When I started out as an apprentice, I was working on all sorts. One day it’d be a wagon and the next a bin cart.
“When I started it was only meant to be for six months, but my boss at the time asked me to stay and now I’ve done over half a century here.
“In all those years, the thing I’ve enjoyed the most though is how friendly the other staff are and the banter we used to have with one another. “
For Lenny, the key to him staying so long was the satisfaction he got for fixing the machines. “I loved working on the mowers and it was something I was good at too. Once you got into it you could just keep going.
“Granted, there were some times when the job could be quite difficult, but I always enjoyed the challenge of getting the lawnmower working again.”
Reflecting on the past 56 years, it’s the people Lenny will miss the most. “Some people I’ve seen through their whole career. Take Danny Mills for example, I knew him when he was an apprentice and now I’m finishing with him as my boss.
“I’m so thankful for everything they’ve done for me and for how friendly everyone has been to me during my time here.”
Looking ahead to retirement, Lenny is hoping to spend more time relaxing. “I’m looking forward to not having to get up so early and being able to take time for myself after all these years. I’ll also be visiting my allotment plot more often.”
However, even after all that time, Lenny isn’t completely giving up on repairing lawnmowers. “I’ll still be fixing the odd mower for friends and family and cutting my neighbour’s grass when I can.”
Thanking Lenny for his dedication to the Council, Rob Walsh Chief Executive, said: “’I just want to say a huge thank you to Lenny on behalf of everyone associated with the Council. 56 years of service is simply immense. He enters retirement with our very best wishes and sincere gratitude; I can only imagine that he has many a story to tell!”
The team at Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance are saying a huge thank you to David Grimwood and his family for raising a fantastic £3,000 from their Winkfest event.
Held in The Swan pub at Moulton, Lincolnshire, the fundraiser featured raffles, auctions, tombola amongst other events. First held in 2005, Winkfest has, 19 years later, turned into an annual fundraiser for LNAA’s life-saving work.
David said: “Our event started as a surprise 80th birthday party for my our late mother. My nieces took her out for lunch while we got things ready and friends and family arrived. What a shock then, when she arrived at the house and announced that she was only 79!
We still went ahead with the party and mum decided we should raffle the presents that guests had brought and give the £80 raised to LNAA. We enjoyed the day so much we decided to do it again and call it Winkfest as my nickname is Wink!
When mum passed away in 2020, Winkfest carried on growing in popularity each year. We outgrew our garden and when the lady of The Swan suggested we hold the event in the beer garden we gladly took up her offer. This year was a great success with a local band providing the entertainment and almost 400 people attending. Winkfest is definitely here to stay and we are already planning for next year.”
LNAA Community fundraiser, Jac Sutherland said: “We are extremely grateful for this fantastic donation. It is thanks to the generosity and goodwill of supporters who create fundraisers like Winkfest, that the crew can provide critical care to patients at scene, giving those with the most severe injuries and medical conditions the very best chance of survival when minutes matter.”
It is thought that Winkfest has raised over £20,000 in total, that is equivalent to five life-saving missions.
Lincolnshire County Council is in a race against time to restore a road in the centre of Mablethorpe after badgers have tunnelled under it.
The badgers have dug under Seaholme Road in the town, and repairs must be finished before the end of November, after which it’s illegal to dig around badger setts. That would mean leaving the work until next July, with the road closed in the meantime.
Badgers are a protected species, all works on their setts have to be done between July and the end of November due to the badgers’ mating season. What’s more, a start in the work has been delayed whilst Natural England granted a licence, insisting that the road had to be closed during the work to keep the badgers safe.
Cllr Richard Davies said it was extremely frustrating that the council had not been given this licence until now, and the holdup meant that delays were inevitable for drivers.
Three thousand pensioners that will miss out on the winter fuel payment this year will be given a £200 boost by North Lincolnshire Council.
The council has looked at how it could help the pensioners most in need following the Government’s decision to scrap the winter fuel payment for the vast majority of pensioners. Further investment is also being provided to pensioners through an air fryer and slow cooker programme that will be available to all residents of pension age.
The money will be given to pensioners who do not qualify for pensioners tax credit but do receive council tax support. There is no need to apply – letters will be sent direct to those eligible that they can exchange for the £200 at any post office.
Cllr Rob Waltham, leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said: “We have looked at how best to support the most vulnerable pensioners following the Government’s cruel decision to scrap the winter fuel payments for most pensioners.
“With some pensioners having to decide whether to eat or heat we had to act and are investing £600,000 to help those most in need. In addition, our investment in helping older people with air fryers and slow cookers will help ensure our residents will be able to limit their energy usage whilst also supporting healthy eating.
“The money will be in people’s pockets before Christmas, going some way to help older people who may be struggling with high bills this winter.
“This is on top of the other support the council provides to pensioners – such as an energy switching service, open access libraries which serve as warm locations, leisure packages, a free bus pass and free car parking.”
Supertmarket Aldi is calling on charities, community groups and food banks in Lincolnshire to register to receive surplus food donations from its stores this Christmas.
In partnership with community giving platform Neighbourly, the supermarket’s Lincolnshire stores donate surplus food year-round. But with all stores set to close on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day, the festive season provides an opportunity for even more charities to benefit from the partnership.
Charities will be paired with local Aldi stores this Christmas and will be able to collect fresh and chilled food products nearing the end of their shelf life.
Luke Emery, National Sustainability Director at Aldi UK, said: “We know that the services provided by our incredible charity partners are needed now more than ever. That’s why we are dedicated to providing as much support as possible for the communities we serve this Christmas.”
Steve Butterworth, Chief Executive Officer at Neighbourly, added: “Christmas can be a challenging time for some families, and we expect many will depend on the services of local charities this year.
“We’re sure there are lots more groups out there that could use the extra help that businesses like Aldi provide, so we encourage them to sign up.”
Any groups interested in collecting unsold food at Christmas that are not currently working with Neighbourly can get in touch with them at aldi@neighbourly.com by Friday 8th November.
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