< Previous80 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY WHAT’S ON transported into a realm of enchantment and joy as Belvoir Castle celebrates the holiday season like never before. Whether it’s Twelve Lords a Leaping, or Five Gold Rings, each room will have breathtaking installations and delightful surprises around every corner. Louth November 19 Wreath Making - Louth Distillery Spend a Wintery Sunday afternoon in the cozy Louth Distillery Gin School hand crafting a wreath with flower expert, Mandy Taylor. During this 3 hour class, Mandy will teach you how to prepare and make your very own Christmas wreath. She will share her top tips and trusted techniques to help you craft your very own professionally designed wreath (even if you’re a complete beginner). All materials will be provided, so your wreath can be fully customised to your liking. Enjoy Louth Distillery’s signature Hot Apples drink on arrival to help get your creativity flowing. Nibbles will be available throughout. Lincoln November 23 Lincoln Christmas Lights Switch-On 2023 - Lincoln High Street Hosted by City of Lincoln Council, this year’s switch-on will see entertainment for the whole family, new Christmas lights, celebrity guests from New Theatre Royal’s 2023 Panto – Aladdin, and more! Stamford November 23 - 26 Burghley Christmas Fair - Burghley House Save the dates for this year’s spectacular Christmas Fair at Burghley - a truly magical experience with shopping, local food and drink, and much more Christmas entertainment. Grantham November 24 - December 31 Christmas at Belton - Belton House Tickets to Christmas at the National Trust’s beautiful Belton House in Lincolnshire are now on sale for its spectacular seasonal trail. Open to visitors from Friday, November 24 until Sunday, December 31, the immersive experience includes more than a million twinkling lights, colourful trees and larger-than-life illuminations. Lincoln November 25 - 26 Lincolnshire Food and Gift Fair 2023 - Lincolnshire Showground Shop unique gifts, handmade crafts and delicious treats with exhibitors and pick up everything you need for your Christmas celebrations. Take children to visit Santa’s Workshop and get hands-on with festive craft and baking activities. The Lincolnshire Kitchen will be brought to life with top chefs and producers sharing their top tips to help you cook up a festive feast and samples to try - of course! And experience all of this whilst enjoying live performances from a number of talented local choirs alongside a bite to eat from one of the delicious hot food stands. The annual event, with free car parking, promises Christmas treats and festive inspiration for all of the family. Christmas Craft, Food & Gift Fair returns to Sandringham It’s that time of year again, for the annual Christmas Craft, Food & Gift Fair at Sandringham. A fabulous show is in store for you with log cabins at the Christmas Village housing selected craftsmen, food producers, venders and attractions. The central food court within this village area will have numerous meet & greet street entertainers, music and great street food. Moving further around the fair we have the Craft Village, a display area with over 100 craftsmen, artists & designers selling hand-crafted items. Keep walking and we arrive at Food Glorious Food. The Food Halls provide an array of food and drink, and don’t forget to pick up some menu ideas from chefs on stage. Lots more gifts and ideas are abound in the gift marquees and arcades, while various entertainment marquees offer interesting attractions from The London Philharmonic Skiffle Orchestra to Santa’s Magic Show. Enjoy Sandringham Christmas Craft, Food & Gift Fair on Friday, Saturday & Sunday November 17 – 19, 10am – 5pm. Adults £12, over 65’s £11, children £5.82 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY R oy Dotrice and Kay Dotrice, Michele’s parents, were two actors who were performing at repertory theatres throughout the UK and it was in Cleethorpes where they got together and married – and so Michele, now 74 years old, was born on 27th September 1948, not quite a traditional dressing room born baby but close to it, being brought up in many dressing rooms around the country, as were her two sisters, Karen and Yvette, who also followed their parents into acting. In Cleethorpes, which even in 1950s had a town centre which was a hive of activity, Michele’s first memories of the seaside town were: “We lived in a caravan at a Funfair (The Gray Family’s I think) which as a child l thought was so exciting and so colourful with blaring music and amazing smells of candy floss and cooking onions for the hot dogs! The family who ran the funfair (they lived in a huge silver trailer opposite ours) would tie their enormous German Shepherd dogs by the lead to our caravan door and that was my babysitter for the evening while my parents were at the evening show! Can you imagine that now a days? Mind you, God help anyone who went near that door!” After lots of appearances, mainly in the theatre, Michele landed the role of Frank Spencer’s wife, so created to make Frank seem more real. After the producers met many young actresses at the auditions for the BBC show, it was the last person who walked through the door, which was Michele, that everyone knew was right for the character, and so Michele also became a national icon. As Michael Crawford confided to Michele: “It was like when you buy a home or flat, as soon as you have walked across the threshold you know you are going to buy this, it was the same feeling with you.” Michele agrees: “As soon as we looked at each other we started to giggle.” When the stunt filled show really took off, it was a surprise to Michelle who suddenly became a household name and it was at that point when the then 24 year-old actress landed a telling-off from her mother after hearing, back in the ‘health and safety-free 1970s’, that she found out her daughter had joined Michael in one of his famous stunts, clambering onto the roof of a Morris Minor. Michele remembers: “With only one bit of rope tied around my ankle only with someone holding the other end, I dangled over the edge of a cliff with Michael (Crawford).” To see all the incredible comedy and stunts, at the show’s peak, there were at least 22 million regular viewers tuning in. Michele initially found it difficult to transfer to other roles after her beloved role of Betty, but ended up appearing in many well-known shows and, in a special episode of The Equalizer, she found herself working alongside her future husband, Edward Woodward. The pair became a married couple in January 1987 until Edward’s death in November 2009. They also had a daughter, Emily Beth, who followed in her parent’s footsteps and is an actress. Today, Michele divides her time between London and Cornwall, and regarding Cleethorpes she concludes: “I certainly would like to go see the place. l believe it has an amazing beach and wonder if the funfair is still there? Do l still rate as a Meggie, I hope so!” This affectionate term relates to Cleethorpes/Grimsby dwellers; the term is derived either from the top of Isaac’s Hill, which used to be called Meg’s Island, while others say a ‘meggie’ was the cost of the tram fare from Grimsby to Cleethorpes. Although ‘Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em’ ended in 1978, thanks to YouTube clips and famous people such as Ricky Gervais paying homage to the hit show in The Office, a whole new generation are continuing to discover the inimitable Frank and Betty throughout the UK. By Jilly Day A cappuccino with Michele Dortrice aka ‘Betty’ It’s 50 years this year since the iconic sit com ‘Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em’ hit our TV screens and from 1973 – 1978 it was one of the biggest TV shows in the UK ever, and the one major player in the programme alongside the hapless Frank Spencer was Betty, Frank’s long suffering wife, played by the lovely Michele Dotrice. 84 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY Aries Mar 21 - Apr 20 Close friends are proving supportive even though they are heavily burdened by their own problems, so you are all feeling the pressure yet know that nothing can last forever and this surreal period will eventually pass, but you are still not sure when or how long it’s going to take. Taurus Apr 21 - May 21 This is not the time for you to waste money just because you are feeling bored. Concentrate on paying off debts thus improving your future financial situation because you are going to experience a complete change of direction in your life. If you are unsettled at work, now is the time to look at other career options or starting your own business. Gemini May 22 - June 21 Because you are very select with whom you associate with, you can very easily detect who is genuine and the ones with a hidden agenda. You are rarely wrong on matters such as these, much to the annoyance of certain individuals who still feel you can be a little hard on people. Cancer Jun 22 - Jul 23 It’s been a hard slog so far this year and you are right to question just where your life is going and what to expect in the future. You are in a strong commanding position and master of your own destiny. Whatever you focus on, you will attract, good or bad so be careful for what you wish, because you may get it. Leo Jul 24 - Aug 23 You can never judge a book by its cover so its no great surprise that you may still be wondering why certain people are behaving so strangely. Perhaps they have secrets they would rather not share? In turn, it’s probably a good idea that you keep your personal life under wraps, choosing wisely who to confide in especially matters concerning your romantic life. Virgo Aug 24 - Sep 23 Be aware that not everyone is as organised as you nor do they have the wherewithal to sort themselves out so it will come as no surprise when a close friend or relative shows up with the intention of crying on your shoulders soon regarding the state of their finances. Perhaps they are hoping that you cough up the cash and bail them out? Libra Sep 24 - Oct 23 Focus your attentions on those who contribute to your life and not those that drain both your energies and wallet. You are about to sever a number of links to a person or people who have stood in your way and held you as their emotional hostage. This action will not go down too well with them, but will free you from feeling constantly obligated and unable to move forwards. Scorpio Oct 24 - Nov 22 It had been very necessary for you to do a lot of soul searching and being absolutely honest with yourself as to what really makes you happy in your life. Even though you enjoy the company of nice friends and lovers, it is also very important that you enjoy some private personal time alone in order to gather your thoughts. SUDOKU competition Closing date for entries is: 20th NOVEMBER 2023 To enter just email the numbers that appear in the purple squares to: competitions@blmgroup.co.uk Win a £20 voucher to spend with any of our advertisers in this issue. Last month’s solution J2U0L your stars Lincolnshire Today’s guide to the astro month ahead... Image courtesy of shutterstock/Meowu Sagittarius Nov 23 - Dec 21 A secret meeting with someone you are communicating with could result in a new long term meaningful relationship that will be a happy one for you both. You are right in keeping personal details to yourself at this stage because the last thing you need is free advice from so called well-wishers. Capricorn Dec 22 - Jan 20 Perhaps you should learn to recognise your limitations and say ‘no’ occasionally to people who tend to take you for granted and assume that you are at their disposal every minute of the day. Communication from a loved one will put your mind at rest once you know exactly what is happening in their world and where you stand in the equation. Aquarius Jan 21 - Feb 19 The state of your finances is always important to you as you prefer to remain independent and in charge of your spending. Not everyone benefits from a joint bank account and this could be true in your particular case. A number of career options will become available soon enabling you to change direction with your work. Pisces Feb 20 - Mar 20 Those nearest and dearest to you recognise you are a very private person and tend to keep a lot of personal information to yourself, choosing very carefully whom you confide in. You may experience a bad feeling about someone you have taken an instant dislike to and know that you are right about them. 517648923 349752861 862391574 694285137 238179456 751463289 423817695 976524318 185936742 945712638 276385419 381649752 569274381 427138965 813596274 732951846 198463527 654827193classified To advertise your services call Angela Cooper at Lincolnshire Today on 01472 310310 British Classics Heritage Motors Parts 1948 to date Retail Trade Export Special Projects Restorations Manufacturing Modifications Country Workshops Risegate, Nr Spalding, Lincs, PE11 4EZ Classic Landrovers Tel/Fax 01775 750223 www.british4x4centre.co.uk Motors Stuart Wilde Photography Ltd The best photography is about much more than taking a picture. It’s about capturing a moment, telling a story, preserving a memory. Sometimes it’s about looking at things a little bit differently. Tel: 07974 695626 www.stuartwildephotography.com fortheBid The essentialgu d Gr f LINC. WWW otb COLNSHIRETODAY WEDDINGS/ NET.Y S If you are getting married then this guide is your must have accessory. It’s full of advice, hints and tips from the county’s top wedding specialists and will provide you with inspiration for your big day. To receive a copy of the county’s most prestigious, full colour Wedding Guide, send a S.A.E. to: Lincolnshire Today Wedding Guide, Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby, North East Lincs DN31 2QE Alternatively visit: Weddings To Let • Superb Location • Secure off street parking • High speed internet availability • A range of affordable office sizes Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby DN31 2QE Tel: (01472) 310301 Email: s.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 85 Ground floor offices to let - prime location in Grimsby Photography Is this how work makes you feel on a Monday morning? We’re looking for those with a zest for life to join Lincolnshire Today’s sales team! You don’t have to be an adrenalin junkie to work here but it helps… Contact Angie Cooper on 01472 310310 © stock.adobe.com/indomercyA shock in Skegness A woman in Skegness was recently left in shock after returning home to find an elderly stranger asleep in her mother’s bed. 83 year old Joyce had been in hospital in Boston following a fall, and when discharged was dropped off home by an ambulance — except it wasn’t her house, rather another patient’s. An investigation into the incident has been launched by United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust and East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) after staff let themselves into the property with a key safe. The woman told the BBC: “I saw Joyce in the bed, she was fast asleep — it was a complete shock. I left her sleeping and made some phone calls and was told the error had already been realised.” While the outcome of the situation could have been much more serious, at least Joyce did note that the bed was very comfortable. The UK’s best climbing tree Lincolnshire is known for many things, from its coastline to the Wolds to historic sights, but it has now gained a new reputation — clinching the title for the UK’s best climbing tree. The 150- year-old, 40 feet tall oak tree won out over 10,000 trees inspected by woodland experts, judged based on factors such as whether they have low-hanging branches, whether branches are durable, and if they are home to rare wildlife. The tree, called Mr Silly Arms, can be found in Owlet Wood, Gainsborough, great for all tree-climbing skill levels. watercooler 86 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY LincolnshireToday @lincstoday lincolnshiretoday.net Have we missed anything? Send your rib-ticklers to m.fisher@blmgroup.co.uk By the Reunited Childhood friends now in their 90s have been reunited by pure coincidence. Bernard and Barbara lost touch around 40 years ago after growing up a few houses apart in Scunthorpe, but when opening up a book from a charity shop Bernard recently discovered a wartime note from 1942. The note said: “The time at which this is being written is 5:10pm. The war is not troubling us much. We have had very few bombs here. We are having a bit of trouble with rations, but are able to overcome the difficulty pretty well. I am sitting by the fire and haven’t been to school, owing for a touch of flu.” To his surprise it was signed by a 14 year old Barbara! Using the media to help track her down, the pair have now been brought together. © stock.adobe.com/Scisetti Alfio © stock.adobe.com/ Africa Studio © stock.adobe.com/goodmomentsPrinting|Copying|Graphic Design LOGOS | BRANDING | BUSINESS STATIONERY FLYERS & POSTERS | BROCHURES | NEWSLETTERS A0 COPYING & SCANNING | OS MAPPING CAD & PLAN PRINTING | PRINT FINISHING High Quality Print & Design in Lincolnshire N 01522 546118 E sales@lincolncopycentre.co.uk www.lincolncopycentre.co.uk Byyourside then,nowand inthefuture Learn about our free Will Writing Service at ambucopter.org.uk/will Ourfirsthelicopter,1994 LNAACT REG CHARITY 1017501Fitzwilliam Hospital provides a wide range of Cosmetic Surgery Services For more information or to book an appointment call: 01733 842 304 ƄnuqbeebXgaimjbnXe .co.uk Next >