< Previous50 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY FOOD & DINING Chunky peanut butter & chocolate cookies Prep Time: 15 minutes • Cooking Time: 15 minutes Makes 22 cookies You’ll need: 120g butter 200g coconut sugar 1 egg 1 egg yolk 250g self raising flour 250g milk chocolate roughly chopped 130g crunch rich roast Meridian peanut butter Method: Heat the oven to 170°C. Melt the butter and set aside to cool for a moment. In a large bowl, stir together the sugar and butter, until combined. Add the egg and yolk and continue to mix. Fold in the flour and when combined fold in 3⁄4 of the chocolate. Briefly stir through 3⁄4 of the peanut butter, leaving swirls visible. Use a tbsp measure to scoop dollops of mixture onto 2 or 3 non-stick baking sheets, making sure you leave plenty of room for them to expand when they cook. Poke a clean finger into each cookie to make a well in the centre and drizzle in a little of the remaining peanut butter. Then dot a few pieces of the remaining chocolate over the top of each. If you’re just cooking half now, put the other half of the cookies into a freezer container and freeze. Bake the remaining biscuits for 15 mins until they are cooked at the edges but still soft in the middle. Allow to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet then transfer to a baking rack. Keep them in an airtight tin. When you want to cook the remaining cookies, put the frozen scoops onto an oven tray and cook in a preheated oven for 20-25 minutes or until, like the first batch, they are cooked at the edges but still soft in the middle. Recipe by: www.meridianfoods.co.uk These home bakes are a great time saver because you can make half and freeze half for another day. R. Wisby (Family Butcher) LTD R. Wisby (Family Butcher) LTD We are a traditional butchers doing things the traditional way. Our meat is only of the best quality and we pride ourselves on our customer service. Christmas orders now being taken 16 High Street2 Market Place Horncastle Wragby LN9 5BLLN8 5QU 01507 52737101673 858968 We are a traditional butchers doing things the traditional way. Our meat is only of the best quality and we pride ourselves on our customer service. 48-51.qxp_Layout 1 27/11/2020 13:50 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 51 FOOD & DINING Picture your venue To promote your services call Angie Cooper on 01472 310302 or email: a.cooper@blmgroup.co.uk The China Royal Restaurant 6 Bridge Streets, Brigg, DN20 8LN Tel: 01652 650688 (reservations)/654762 (takeaway) Web: www.chinaroyalrestaurant.co.uk All ingredients freshly prepared with a healthy concept. Open for takeaway. Restaurant now open and taking bookings. Adhereing to Covid-19 guidelines at all times, with screened seatings. Not quite as rich and sweet as sticky toffee puddings but just as delicious. Ideal for a quick weekend pudding any time of the year Serves: 4-6 (depending on size of pudding basins) Preparation time: 10 minutes. Cook time: 30 minutes You’ll need: 110g/4oz butter, softened 175g/6oz soft light brown sugar 2 free range eggs 1 tsp vanilla essence 110g/4oz wholemeal self-raising flour 50g/2oz cranberries, chopped 1-2 tbsp milk Sauce: 10g/4oz cranberries 4 tbsp water 10g/4oz soft light brown sugar 25g/1oz butter 50ml/floz double cream Method: Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas Mark 4. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Then blend in the eggs, vanilla, flour and cranberries, adding a little milk if necessary to give a fairly soft consistency. Spoon the mixture into lightly greased individual pudding basins. Cover each loosely with a piece of greased greaseproof paper. Place on a baking tray and bake for 25-30 minutes until well risen and just firm. For the sauce place the cranberries in a saucepan with the water and sugar and heat gently until the cranberries pop and burst and the sauce reduces a little. Stir in the butter and continue for a few minutes until the sauce thickens and becomes slightly syrupy. To serve turn out the puddings and pour on a little of the cranberry toffee sauce. Serve with thick cream or ice cream and the rest of the sauce. Tip: To cook one large pudding you will need a 1.2litre/2pint basin lightly greased. Cover with greased greaseproof paper and tie with string. Allow 11⁄2 -2 hours traditional steaming in a large pan of simmering water, topping up with extra water occasionally. Recipe by: www.berryworld.com Toffee cranberry puddings 48-51.qxp_Layout 1 27/11/2020 13:50 Page 452 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY We continue our grand tour of Lincolnshire’s “curious” churches. In our second look at some of the more unusual ones we now move to the south of the county – again using my arbitrary north/south dividing line running between Lincoln and Skegness. We should also perhaps remember that since mediaeval times – when the majority of our churches originated – almost all have been altered, added to or restored, particularly by the Victorians; and sometimes even replaced entirely. (As at St Michael’s at Waddington, bombed out in WWII and rebuilt in 1952.) There are two architectural specialities of churches in the south Lincolnshire not seen further north. The first is the incidence of broach spires, that is a spire rising straight from the tower corners without no parapet or pinnacles. Amongst the many fine examples of broach spires are those at St Denys in Sleaford and St Peter’s, North Rauceby; both regarded as amongst the best of their kind. The second group are churches with their towers either set to the south side (instead of at the west end) or having towers detached from the main building altogether. Of these there are several good examples in the fens. St Mary and the Holy Rood at Donington has a tower which at ground level also contains the south porch. Other fine examples are at St Andrew, Witham-on- the-Hill, (and especially) at St Mary Magdalen, Fleet and at Long Sutton. In All Saints at Hough-on-the-Hill southwest Lincolnshire has one of the county’s oldest churches with its Saxon semi-circular tower. (Though Brough near Brigg is a fine example too.) But size as well as age can make a church special. The tiny 1682 chapel at Great Humby measuring only 30 by 15 feet is one of the county’s smallest; though St Andrew’s at Scott Willoughby claims to be smallest church still in regular use in Lincolnshire. Sometimes however it is what a church is built of that makes it unusual. Whilst originally built of stone many are, when repaired or added to, of quite different materials and extensive use of red brick can be seen Roughton (St Margaret’s) and Holy Trinity, Allington where the mediaeval church has a C17th brick nave tacked on. Saddleback tower roofs are a rarity but two fine instances are at Londonthorpe (St John Baptist) and at All Saints Stroxton; this particular feature giving a slightly French appearance. Some churches are highly unusual for their design and materials used. Two examples however are Christchurch at Pointon with its wood interior clad in corrugated iron (1893) and St John the Divine at Southrey. Here we find the New England colonial clapboard style built (originally) in wood by the village Lincolnshire’s curios churches Part two, the south heritage Lincolnshire explored Frampton West All Saints Hough- on-the-Hill 52-53.qxp_Layout 1 27/11/2020 14:03 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 53 carpenter and parishioners in 1898 on a base of old gravestones possibly from Bardney Abbey. It cost £130 but in 1987 it was re-clad in PVC – the cost then £4,640! Two other unusual designs deserve a mention. Back in the fens at St James, Moulton Chapel (1722) we find more brickwork but this time in a striking octagonal design. The National Trust own the rare Baptist chapel at Monksthorpe built in 1701 with an outside font (almost a small swimming pool!) for full immersion baptisms. Another quite rare group are South Lincolnshire’s several “leaning” churches – or rather towers - and all for the same basic reason; geology or poor foundations. At Evedon St Mary’s leans precariously downhill, the underlying clay having subsided under the weight of the masonry. In the fens at Surfleet St Laurence’s church spire leans rather more, being 6 feet 4? inches from the vertical. Inside it’s a rather disconcerting experience peering upwards within the leaning tower walls. At Dry Doddington St James’s church (with another fine C13th broach tower) leans even more spectacularly. Recently restored its stonework must now look much as it did when first built. The villagers however have refused to “correct” the 5.1 degrees lean of the tower - greater than the Tower of Pisa. We end on two (historically speaking) quite recent churches. At St Michael’s, Frampton West we have a good example of classic James Fowler’s Victorian Neo- gothic designs, the interior being particularly colourful. (There are many others throughout Lincolnshire of course!) Even more ornate (internally) is All Saints at Nocton (1860) designed by the famous Victorian architect Sir George Gilbert Scott with an offset north spire and - perhaps to C21st eyes – a somewhat “over the top” interior. Of the same era (but unique anywhere in the county as far as I know) is the late C14th church at Leadenham. Almost all churches, however humble, have something that makes them worth visiting but here at St Swithun’s we have something truly different. In the chancel the colourful ceiling was hand-painted by the famous early Victorian architect Augustus Pugin who stayed at the rectory in the 1840’s. Pugin was a catholic so this is believed to be the only Anglican ceiling if his anywhere. I could go on of course! Readers will almost certainly know of churches that I might have included but, in these articles, there is only room to mention a small number of Lincolnshire’s 500 or so historic churches, which individually are all unique in some way; either by their architecture, history, furnishings, artefacts or artwork. Church guides are a rich source of further information, not only about the churches themselves but often also local history. And by buying them you will help to maintain and preserve Lincolnshire’s wonderful church heritage. For the serious architectural student, the Pevsner “Lincolnshire” guide is a must and in his England’s 1,000 Best Churches Simon Jenkins – writes evocatively about what he considers to be 54 of Lincolnshire’s best churches. As he says, Lincolnshire has perhaps the finest collection of churches of any county in England. by Hugh Marrows Southrey Long Sutton Dry Doddington Pointon Scott Willoughby 52-53.qxp_Layout 1 27/11/2020 14:03 Page 254 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY END OF YEAR SUCCESS STORIES To say it’s been a difficult year would be a gross understatement. Arguably the biggest global challenge of modern times, the pandemic has affected all of our lives in one way or another. By the time you’re reading this, the second national lockdown will have come to an end and, at present, families have been given the go-ahead to celebrate Christmas. While this might lead to yet another spike – necessitating a third lockdown in the New Year – it has come as a welcome relief for many at the end of a long, difficult year. Uncertainty has pervaded all aspects of our lives – from simple matters such as food shopping and travelling to work, to our hobbies and spending time with our families. © Shutterstock /BELL KA P ANG © Shutterstock /T ong_stocker © Shutterstock /KaliAntye Celebrating success In this year more than any other, local companies deserve to be celebrated and lauded for their tremendous efforts since the start of the pandemic. Many have demonstrated incredible savvy in adapting their services and operations, not only helping themselves to weather the crisis, but to help communities both locally and on the national scale. 54-57.qxp_Layout 1 27/11/2020 14:18 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 55 END OF YEAR SUCCESS STORIES Question - How do we prepare for “the new norm”? Chemex Lincoln & Boston have got the answers - without breaking the bank! Contact Peter Cussans for help and advice. T 07941733201 E peter.cussan@chemexuk.com + + = + = + = company bosses, these measures alone aren’t enough. They have to be coupled with rigorous management, innovative approaches and business savvy. As the first lockdown wore on, companies across our region showed their true colours, not only helping themselves but their communities and wider society. Many converted production to make masks, gowns and other PPE for the NHS, while others began making hand sanitiser when stocks plummeted as demand skyrocketed. Other companies offered free products and services to frontline workers, embodying the Great British spirit of us all being in this together. In order to stave off shuttering, company bosses have had to rethink their operations and offerings, mixing up their services and products, or the way in which they’re delivered. For some businesses, that’s meant selling online for 57 Á the first time, expanding delivery services, or offering click and collect services (as more companies have done during the second lockdown). For other companies, the challenge has been in how to adapt their services to social distancing measures – such as carrying out contracting and building work whilst maintaining distances and the correct PPE. But for every challenge, there has been a creative and proactive solution. Yes, much of this response has been damage control, with companies putting aside future growth plans in order to focus on the here and now, yet many have excelled. That’s why we here at Lincolnshire Today want to celebrate and congratulate companies across the county that have adapted to the pandemic and, in many cases, flourished. The companies highlighted in this feature have all Many have been cast adrift with some companies having to shutter for good, while others have been closed indefinity. Although this can wreak havoc on the lives and mental health of employees and the families they provide for, the impact is much more profound for company owners and bosses. Losing a job is one of the most difficult situations a person can find themselves in, but losing a company can deal a massive body blow. However, companies across Lincolnshire are a robust, proactive bunch and haven’t taken the impact of the pandemic lying down. As soon as the scale of the crisis became evident, the government launched a slew of financial measures and supports for businesses and their employees – many of which have now been extended to keep the economy going and to safeguard the companies and workers that power it. But for 54-57.qxp_Layout 1 27/11/2020 14:19 Page 2www.mjp.supplies • Tel: 01406 362325 • Mobile 07702293727 MJPSupplies mjpsupplies For the purpose of importing and selling Algifol™ biostimulant products to farmers and growers of specialist crops Watch your profits grow Small quantities Amazing results Special offer on 1 litre bottles bought direct from our website 56 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY Freephone: 0800 328 5492 Email: sales@allertonuk.com Website: www.allertonuk.com The Dependable Choice in Drainage In rural areas without a mains drainage system, and where septic tanks will no longer reach environmental standards, Allerton can provide the ideal solution. Trading since 1974, Allerton are leading specialists in efficient treatment systems. They pride themselves on their individual, problem solving approach to dealing with alternative means of treating and disposing of raw sewage. The Allerton ConSept converts your existing Septic Tank or Cesspit into a fully functioning Sewage Treatment Plant. Servicing & Maintenance on a wide range of Sewage Treatment Plant and Pump Stations by BRITISH WATER ACCREDITED ENGINEERS. The Diamond Sewage Treatment range is suitable for either individual homes or small population applications When Gravity Drainage is not possible choose Allerton Pumping Stations for Sewage or Dirty Water ACCREDITED ENGINEERS GL GL GL Commercials Europa Way, Grimsby, N E Lincolnshire DN41 8DS Telephone: 01469 574239 Mobile: 07711 496138 Email: glcommercials@btinternet.com www.glcommercials.co.uk RELIABLE TRAILER HIRE • Flat Bed Trailers • Skeletal Trailers • Taut Liners TRAILER REPAIRS & SERVICING EXPERTS • 30+ Years of Experience • Trailer Servicing Bay • Breakdown Call-out Service • MOT Preparations GLC REPAIRS LTDGLC REPAIRS LTD GLC REPAIRS LTD We would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas For Quality Flooring and Window Blinds Call Graham Gill Carpets Today Graham Gill Carpets Limited is one of the longest established carpet shops in the Boston area. As well as the domestic market, our clients include many local businesses, offices, schools, colleges, local authority agencies and builders. Tel/Fax: 01205 365350 24 West Street, Boston PE21 8QH www.grahamgillcarpets.com Free Estimates & evening calls Please call 07557 434775 to discuss your requirements We wish you all a Merry Christmas Tel: 01472 812130 www.lincsvwa.com Unit 3, Woodside Park, Station Road, Tetney, Grimsby. DN36 5HX Find An Experienced Motor Mechanic In Tetney, Near Grimsby n Servicing n MOTs n Repairs n Brakes & Tyres n Engine diagnostics n Car Batteries n Exhausts n ECU Remapping n Air Conditioning Testing/repairs/Re Gas VW, AUDI, SEAT & SKODA SPECIALIST 54-57.qxp_Layout 1 27/11/2020 14:19 Page 3DDS Roofing We are a local and independent roofing firm with over thirty years’ experience. We have been serving the local community for over ten years. All our team are friendly and professional and take pride in the high standard of workmanship that we provide. For more information, call us today! We cater for domestic and commercial clients in need of quality roofing for their homes or businesses. Our comprehensive range of services includes: • Roofing service • Re‐roofing • Slating • Tiling • Fascias and Soffits • General property maintenance 35 College Street, Grimsby, North East Lincs DN34 4TN Telephone: 01472 267709 Mobile: 07980 962009 Email: derrick.saxby@homecall.co.uk LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 57 END OF YEAR SUCCESS STORIES demonstrated their business acumen, their resilience and dedication. We turn our attentions to Grimsby-based roofing contractor DDS Roofing; family-run agricultural supplier MJP Supplies; Allerton Bradley, a sewage treatment and septic tank specialist based in Sleaford; Stallingborough-based trailer rental service provider, GL Commercials; Graham Gill Carpets, Boston’s premier shop for carpets, vinyl and laminates; Lincs VMA, a garage services company based in Tetney near Grimsby; and Chemex, a manufacturer, innovator and supplier of cleaning, hygiene and infection control systems and products. While it’s easy to go straight to Amazon every time you need a new product, just remember that whatever happens, this mega corporation will weather the storm. But many hard-working local businesses have had to fight to stay afloat throughout the coronavirus crisis. They need your support and loyalty now more than ever. One of the excuses we often hear as to why more people don’t shop local is that local businesses don’t do enough to make themselves seen. That’s certainly the case when © Shutterstock /oticki © Shutterstock /Davizro Photography © Shutterstock /Iakov Filimonov comparing a small family-run company on the high street to Amazon, but for those willing to look beyond their own front door, there’s a treasure trove of companies across our county that boast heritage, quality and service. With Christmas on the way, it’s important that bear that in mind more than ever. 54-57.qxp_Layout 1 27/11/2020 14:19 Page 458 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY CARING memories Celebrating Christmas can heighten grief and loneliness, but there are some great ways to help ease the pain of loss whilst honouring the memory of loved ones. For all the joy it brings to millions, Christmas can be a lonely time for many. In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, that loneliness will be heightened, reaching an all-time high as social distancing and self-isolating continue to keep people apart (see out socially distanced Christmas feature on page 24 for tips). While many of the safety rules and measures surrounding the pandemic are black and white – if you’re exhibiting symptoms, stay at home etc. – loneliness if far from a simple issue. There’s an entire spectrum of loneliness and why people would be experiencing it. A person might have lost contact with family or friends, or came from a small family and never had any children of their own. Yet there’s another kind of loneliness, a pervasive kind which can be felt in the most joyous company, in the most crowded room – the loneliness of missing a loved one who has passed away. Whether or not this is a recent loss, Christmas can have a magnifying effect on grief. After all, it’s a time where friends and family come together. There’s no wrong or right way to grieve, but there’s things that can help. One of the best ways this time of year is to make a point of remembering a lost loved one and celebrating their memory. It’s possible this already forms part of your Christmas traditions – such as burning a memorial candle, making a loved one’s favourite dish, watching their favourite festive movie. If the grief of the loss is still too near, you might even want to buy a present for that person. Although they won’t actually be able to receive it, there’s something cathartic about the experience nonetheless, the same as setting a place for a person who is no longer there to sit down to a meal. So long as these don’t become support systems in the long-term, they can be a healthy party of the grieving process. Given Christmas is a time of giving, the memory of a Celebrating 58-59.qxp_Layout 1 27/11/2020 14:24 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 59 CARING Proctors Road Funeral Services 11 Proctors Road, Lincoln, LN2 4LA T: 01522 535 800 For more information contact us: Tritton Road Funeral Services Tritton Road, Lincoln, LN6 7QY T: 01522 534 971 Bracebridge Heath Funeral Services 22 Grantham Road, Bracebridge Heath, Lincoln, LN4 2LD T: 01522 529 406 or visit: lincolnshire.coop/memorialtree t us: In loving memory, gone but never forgotten especially at Christmas time xxx. r ally me Remember loved ones by having your free personalised tag put on our memorial tree during December Memorial Christmas Trees loved one can be honoured by donating to a charitable organisation in their name. With the pandemic showing no signs of abating, donations are needed now more than ever. While frontline workers still need support, charities of all kind continue to need support. For some, supporting a hospice that cared for a loved one will be the logical place to donate. A loved one might have had a preferred charity. Or, failing both of these, there’s no shortage of places where a donation of any kind will be welcomed and put to good use. Helping others is one of the best ways we have of helping ourselves and it’s amazing how grief can be diminished by helping better the lives of others. Another great way to honour and mark the memory of a loved one is to place a memorial bauble, decoration or tag on a Christmas tree – whether that’s your own or a memorial tree like with Lincolnshire Co-op. Of course, putting a dedicated tag among the tree will have its own spiritual and emotional significance that can be quite moving – even healing. But by seeing the tags left by other people, you’ll know that whatever you’re feeling, however near or far your grief may be, that you are not alone. © Shutterstock /Lucky Business © Shutterstock /Gita Kulinitch Studio 58-59.qxp_Layout 1 27/11/2020 14:24 Page 2Next >