< Previous60 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAYBRIGGFOR THAT OLD FASHIONED PERSONAL SERVICE10% OFF VOUCHER* *OFFER TO BE USED ONLY ONCE PER CUSTOMER SUBJECT TO TERMS AND CONDITIONSCome visit our showroom at Princes Street, Brigg, DN20 8HG Email: briggbeds@hotmail.co.uk www.briggbeds.co.ukTEL: (01652) 651 828The intimate, warm surroundings of the China Royal are ideal for the most romantic dinner or the largest banquet. Serving the best in Chinese cuisine, it has five star scores on the doors, and is open throughout all Bank Holidays. The China Royal Restaurant The China Royal Restaurant Deliciously Deliciously LincolnshireGold Awarded for outstanding quality and service byawardWWW.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY.NET6 Bridge Street, Brigg DN20 8LN Tel: 01652 650688 Takeaway Service 01652 654762 www.chinaroyal.co.uk in London, before being returned to the town where it has been on display since 2013. The Heritage Centre is free entry and is well worth looking around. Staff are more than happy to talk about the finds and offer valuable insight. They say the story of any village or town can be found in its pubs and, if that’s the case, then Brigg’s history becomes abundantly clear. After all, it’s said to have the greatest number of pubs in such a concentrated location. There’s a plethora of pubs to pick from, such as the Woolpack Inn and Lord Nelson in the Market Place; the Exchange Hotel and the Dying Gladiator on Bigby Street - which is the only pub of its name in the country - and the Nelthorpe Arms, White Hart and the Yarborough Hunt on Bridge Street which scooped CAMRA’s ‘pub of the season’ award back in 2014. It might sound like a lot, but appreciating all that art, culture and history is thirsty work. But it’s not all arts, crafts and food markets. Known as the Zebras for their black and white striped home kit, Brigg Town Football Club dates back to 1863. The team is also alleged to be the oldest association football club in Lincolnshire, as well as being among the oldest surviving clubs in the world. But the jury’s still out on that one. Suffice it to say, the locals are fiercely loyal to their team. The Ancholme Rowing Club, on the other hand, can prove their roots go back to 1868 and still enjoy regularly rowing up the river. A newer organisation, The Glanford Boat Club formed in 1934 and boasts over one-hundred members. Brigg is by no means an easy town to pin down. There’s a rich history just beneath the surface, certainly, and the number of pubs show locals like a pint or two. The ample resources for book lovers and the vibrant arts community show that culture is only ever just around the corner. Not to mention the natural beauty and sporting clubs and facilities to keep everyone fit and engaged with one other. It all adds up to a market town that has everything locals could want and a community spirit that’s been nurtured over generations. If you’ve not already visited, what are you waiting for?56-60.qxp_Layout 1 15/04/2019 12:19 Page 5LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 61SOCIAL SCENETeresa Curtis & Mandy AllisonPhotos courtesy of Richard PicksleyWillow Foundation Charity Ball It’s been ten years since the first Willow Foundation Charity Ball, a lively fundraising evening in aid of the Willow Foundation. The Foundation provides special days for seriously ill people aged between 16 and 40. The event took place at the Belton Woods Hotel in Grantham and treated attendees to a three-course meal, a raffle and music from Crazy Ape. An auction on the night raised an impressive £2263, bringing the total amount raised by the ball over a decade to £100,000. 61.qxp_Layout 1 15/04/2019 11:55 Page 1Lincolnshire heritage exploredAmong arctic explorers none have aroused such continuing debate or public interest over his mysterious death in the Canadian arctic than Sir John Franklin from Spilsby. John was born on the 16th April 1786 in Spilsby, an event commemorated by a plaque on the house at Franklin Passage beside Cooplands bakers’ shop. The Lincolnshire coast kindled an ambition for a seafaring life and he joined the navy aged fourteen, boarding his first ship, the “Polyphemus” on March 12th 1801. Within a month he was at the Battle of Copenhagen alongside Admiral Nelson. By July that year he was heading for Australia with his cousin, the navigator Matthew Flinders. He returned to England in August 1804 having accompanied Flinders on the first complete circumnavigation of the continent. His continuing navy career then saw him at the Battle of Trafalgar, again with Nelson. By 1818, after a spell on half pay, and now a First Lieutenant, Franklin took part in an expedition to reach the North Pole but pack ice damage forced the ships return. 1819 however found Franklin commanding an overland expedition down the Coppermine River in northern Canada to the arctic sea and mapping the coast in an effort to discover the Northwest Passage. Franklin’s small group of men, relying on the Indians and the Hudson Bay Company for supplies, spent two winters away, between which they trekked and canoed some 1,000 miles north (and back again!) to the river’s mouth and managed to survey 550 miles of previously unexplored coast. Their return was endangered by lack of supplies and they almost starved to death living off lichen and dead animals that they found. This was when Franklin earned his nickname the “Man Who Ate his Boots” as they were reduced to chewing their shoe leather for sustenance. He returned to England in October 1822, after three and a half years absence. He married Eleanor Porden in August 1823. Promoted to captain and undeterred by the This month we look at the life of Lincolnshire’s arctic explorer Sir John Franklin; “The Man Who Ate his Boots”62-63.qxp_Layout 1 15/04/2019 11:57 Page 1born on Orkney within a mile of Franklin’s last landfall in Britain. Rae, an expert in Inuit (Eskimo) techniques at living off the land, recovered many Franklin artefacts, including one of Sir John’s medals. He also raised the suspicion of cannibalism amongst seamen trying to escape overland to Canada. He found no trace of Franklin himself though and was largely ostracised by Victorian society for his revelations! For years Lady Jane Franklin remained indefatigable in her attempts to establish her husband’s fate and financed a search in 1857 under the command of Captain Leopold McClintock. This time, in the spring of 1859, a cairn was found by a Lieutenant Hobson near Victory Point on King Williams Land. In it was a message (on a standard Admiralty form) dated 28th May 1847 that “All was well.” Added in the margin however a second message dated 25th April 1848 recorded both ships had been abandoned and Franklins death on 11th June 1847 with no mention of cause or his burial place. Franklin’s remains have never been LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 63privations of his earlier expedition Franklin departed for northern Canada again in February 1825 (Eleanor died six days after he left!) this time he exploring the McKenzie River. With a better planned and equipped expedition, he still had to overwinter in the arctic and was again successful in reaching the Arctic Sea and surveying a further 800 miles of coast but was away for another two and a half years. He remarried to Jane Griffin in November 1828 and was knighted in April 1829. His career then took a different direction when he was appointed governor of Van Dieman’s Land, now Tasmania, from 1836 to 1844. Although, along with Lady Jane, he instigated many social reforms, especially in education, Sir John faced friction with some local officials and was recalled to England where the admiralty’s determination to discover a Northwest Passage persisted. So aged 59, he undertook his final arctic expedition, this time by sea, with two ships the Erebus and Terror and 129 men setting sail on the May 19th 1845. They called at Stromness, Orkney on the 6th June and the last people to see them were whalers in late July near Lancaster Sound. With supplies for two years Franklin was naturally expected to be overwintering in the arctic and concern for the expedition’s absence didn’t arise until 1848. It was only then that the Admiralty felt the need to act. Over the ensuing years over thirty search and rescue expeditions were mounted; several financed by Lady Jane Franklin herself. The first important clues however were found by a Dr John Rae of the Hudson Bay Company who, by co-incidence, was located! Every member of the expedition perished! Nevertheless, through subsequent discoveries about the movements of the Erebus and Terror Franklin is credited with the discovery of the North West Passage. (Though he never actually sailed through it!) Using C21st scientific undersea search techniques the sunken Erebus was finally found in September 2014 and the Terror two years later – though there was still no trace of Sir John! There is however a legacy of “Franklin” place names in Canada and the Canadian arctic where his memory remains highly regarded. Meanwhile back at his Spilsby birthplace there are several reminders of the town’s famous “son”. In addition to the plaque in Franklin’s Passage the central Market Place has information boards telling of his exploits. There is a memorial in St James’s church – given by Lady Franklin – and an impressive statue in the West Market Place erected in 1861 by public subscription. Inscribed around its base is a quotation from Alfred Lord Tennyson including the words “The white north hath thy bones”. by Hugh Marrows62-63.qxp_Layout 1 15/04/2019 11:57 Page 264-67.qxp_Layout 1 15/04/2019 11:58 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 65CARINGIt’s a conversation few people have, but a problem that has existed since civilisation began – how does one take care of children who either cannot be looked after by their families or have no families to look after them? Many of us are fortunate to grow up with our families, but that’s not the case for everyone, and go back to the end of WW2 and there were naturally a lot of young children bereft of parents and families. Nowadays, things are better, but there are still many children who need support and care, whether temporarily or permanent. In 2018, statistics showed that there were over 75,000 children in England in the care of local authorities, which was up 4% from 2017. Of those children 73% were living with foster parents, but only 3,820 looked after children were adopted during the period of research. To many, the thought of adoption or fostering won’t have crossed their minds. There is a misconception that adoption and fostering is for couples who © Shutterstock/Evgeny AtamanenkoBrightening their lives Adoption and fostering is a conversation few people broach, but one that could change a child’s life – and your own. 66 Á64-67.qxp_Layout 1 15/04/2019 11:58 Page 266 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAYCARINGProudly serving the families of Gainsborough and the surrounding areas for over 50 yearsFor a prompt, sympathetic service from a recognised family business41 Heaton Street, Gainsborough, DN21 2EA01427 810619 www.cliffbradley.co.ukȼ.%2 0!ˏ$ ,!(ˏ+"ˏ!/0ȼ 5ˏ * ˏ%#$0ˏ!.2% !ȼ.!ȥ, % ˏ"1*!. (ˏ,( */ˏˏsomehow cannot conceive or have reasons to feel they should not, medical or otherwise. This could not be further from the truth. While those who cannot conceive (such as same-sex couples) can certainly file for adoption or fostering, it is a conversation that anyone with the room and capability to look after a child should consider having at least once in their life. What is the harm in discussing it? The worst that can happen is that a couple, or individual, decide that it is not for them. In that case, at least an informed decision is made – but if even a small number thought they might like the experience, then that can mean a brighter future for so many children in need. It’s important to keep in mind that not all children placed in care are there for the same reasons. Hollywood and fiction are perhaps to blame for assumptions made there, but some children are placed in fostering while having living parents that do care for and want them. It might simply be that a medical condition requires they be hospitalised for a time and there is no one else to care for the child, or that there is some other reason preventing them from caring for their children. With these, the fostering may last only weeks or months. Fostering is also a great way of seeing if adoption would be the right choice for you by giving individuals a chance to look after a child who needs support for a limited period of time. Most times, a fostered child will still be in full contact with their birth family and also the council they came from and the ultimate goal is that they will be able to return to their family at some time. Adoption is obviously a much more permanent result. One should not confuse fostering and adoption as they are very different things, and though some fostered children may go on to be placed into adoption, this is thankfully rare. A child can be placed up for adoption for any number of reasons, all of which are obviously not their fault, and the net for who can adopt is a lot larger than many realise. There is a misconception that only couples © Shutterstock/Syda Productions64-67.qxp_Layout 1 15/04/2019 11:58 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 67CARINGWinter Storage Only £75 include a Service for only £25 extra Scooters kept securely and charged weekly Service & Repairs We have an up to date fully equipped Service Centre to help with any breakdowns or repairsFantasy Island Sea Lane, Ingoldmells 01754 872898207 Roman Bank, Skegness 01754 768006HireWheelchairWheelchair£5.00 per day £25.00 per week £25 refundable DepositScooterScooter£12.00 per day £65.00 per week £50 refundable Depositcan adopt, but this isn’t true. In 2018, 11% of adoptions were by single parents. To adopt, you must be over 21 – but there is no upper age limit. You must have the physical and mental energy to support a child or children, and no criminal conviction or caution for specific offences against children, sexual or otherwise, or some sexual offences against adults. Having other convictions won’t rule someone out for adoption however, especially if it was a long time ago. Obviously, there are many other desirable traits like patience, compassion and enthusiasm, but experience isn’t required. No person is born with the experience to look after a child and everyone has to start somewhere! Fortunately, adoption and fostering agencies offer support, advice and a helpful source to turn to if there are any problems or confusion down the line. The decision on whether to adopt or foster is obviously not a quick or simple one. There are plenty of resources available online which provide more detail, case studies and advice – and also agencies in Lincolnshire who would be thrilled if you called to chat, informal or otherwise and with no obligation. It’s a hefty decision but one that many families find fulfilling, especially if their own children have grown up and moved on, or they have none of their own. And for the one being adopted or cared for, it can mean the world. © Shutterstock/iAfrica Studio64-67.qxp_Layout 1 15/04/2019 11:58 Page 468 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAYCOUNTY MOTORINGWhile electric vehicles are nothing new, the days of electrification being confined to milk floats are long gone. Electric cars may still be small in number compared to their combustion engine cousins, but the pendulum is gradually shifting. While there are always the traditional odd-looking concept cars that look like they’ve been transported through time from the year 2100, plenty of electric vehicles look just like you’d find on the forecourts today. Audi One of the most ‘normal’ looking electric cars is Audi’s Q4 E-tron. It looks much like the previously-launched E-tron SUV model, only smaller, with two electric motors – a 204hp one for the rear, and a second smaller one for the front. It looks like this could well be a rival for Jaguar’s I-Pace and is due BMW 745eIf something is happening in the European car industry, chances are it’ll involve the word ‘electric’.present and 68-71.qxp_Layout 1 15/04/2019 12:10 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 69COUNTY MOTORINGto enter the market next year. Plug-in petrol-electric hybrid versions of the A6, A7, A8 and Q5 are also on offer, along with the all-electric GT e-tron. Though the GT is officially a concept car, it is also a car that is almost certainly going to appear in dealerships, with two electric motors producing over 580hp. Expect this to rival Tesla’s Model S and Porsche’s new Taycan, which looks like a futuristic 911 with exaggerated bulbous-ness. BMW BMW has also publicly unveiled its new 7-series range, including its 745e plug-in hybrid, while also announcing a raft of existing Audi Q4 E-tron70 ÁAlfa Romeo Tonale68-71.qxp_Layout 1 15/04/2019 12:10 Page 2Next >