< Previous60 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYJ&JFUELSBOSTONOil in South Lincolnshire is available at a fair price and with a reliable servicefrom family run J and J Fuels. We are here to ensure you receive the very bestservice and at a time that suits you.As member of the Federation of Petroleum Suppliers you can be sure of a safe serviceevery time with quality of product also assured. We pride ourselves on our prompt deliveryservices as well as our competitive prices. Offering domestic heating oil and farm dieselwithin a 30 mile radius of Boston.01205 760 638Bakers Lane, Freiston, Bostonwww.jandjfuels.comINDEPENDENT FAMILY OPTICIANSEye Examinations - Contact Lenses Ocular Health Scans Dry Eye Assessment and Treatment Children's Eyecare Frame Styling - Bespoke Eyewear Designer Brands 20 MARKET PLACE DONINGTON SPALDINGLINCS PE114ST01775 821888IDwww.clarkeyecare.co.uk• Clothing Alterations & Repairs • Fitting Room & Express Service• Fabrics, Haberdashery, Patterns • Crafts Fabrics & Fat Quarters • Soft Furnishing ServiceMonthly programme of workshops in Patchwork, Embroidery,Felting, Free Machine Embroidery, Overlocking, Crochet & SewingYOUR ONE STOP SEWING SHOPTel: 01652 650047 Email: info@jaylaurs.co.uk54 Wrawby Street, Brigg DN20 8JE34years inbusinsessCheryl and Annica from family business Clarkes Eyecare. however long a business has been going it seems that thewords “family business” are just as much an advantage asthe length of time a company has been established. Business Link is one such family firm, owning LincolnshireToday and running for over 30 years, and we are not theonly ones to have celebrated recent birthdays. Jaylaurs ofBrigg celebrated 34 years in business this year. Familybusinesses feel the years more keenly because they markgenerational gaps, and often generations within a family. Apersonalised touch provides a USP that few impersonal andunfeeling brands can match. This has a lot to do with consumer attitude in many cases,with many consumers feeling that family firms offer a morepersonal and customer-oriented touch than their larger,more unfeeling rivals. There is logic behind this argumenttoo, as family firms often retain day-to-day control of thecompany, which avoids the typical bureaucratic problemsFAMILY BUSINESS58-63.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/2018 10:56 Page 3faced by a heavily spread out company. What’s more,few people care so much about a company’s reputationthan the owner, and family firm’s pass that ethos downthrough generations, creating a business culture thatrevolves heavily around core family values. Customerscan often recognise this, in the way jobs are done – butalso in how staff treat them. That isn’t to say that family businesses are without theirdifficult periods, or that they have an easier time thantheir rivals. One of the biggest difficulties faced by suchcompanies is the very differentials between family andbusiness. This can come from children not wishing to be apart of the family business, or even wishing to be a part –but clashing with the current owner. This can lead to tensefamily meetings, or even talking shop at the dinner table.And it only gets worse if the problems continue, with someparents being forced to face the unenviable decision of howto discipline, or even fire, their own children. For peoplewho run family firms there is often a need to separate theparent from the boss, even if that means making decisionsto the initial detriment of one.Despite these problems, family firms continue to drivetheir way to success and are a core part of not onlyLincolnshire, but the entire UK economy. The Midlands Family Business Awards recently celebratedsuch businesses on November 22nd, where several Lincolnshirefamily businesses not only won major awards, but also camehighly commended even in the categories they didn’t win. © Shutterstock/mavoLincolnshire-basedentrepreneur Sara Bird is awoman of many talents –creator of brands, publishedauthor and motivationalspeaker. With a diversebusiness background gainedacross several sectors, she has held directorroles with some of the UK’s best-known brands, includingBoots and Specsavers. Described as a “serial entrepreneur”, Sara’s naturalcharisma and innate creative flair are highly sought after in themarketing world, with a select client base as part of herbranding and marketing business, Tell the Emperor.Not content with one business; in February 2019 she launchesher first high end plus size fashion label – SqWears Couture – atthe renowned PURE fashion event in London’s Olympia. Sara will also be holding her first women’s only event inMarch 2019, which will be offering an afternoon of humour,fashion and empowerment. More details can found onwww.sqwearscouture.co.ukThat’s not all, with more to come in 2019, Sara Bird is thewoman in business to watch out for.Sara Bird, aserialentrepreneurof manytalents62 ÁLINCOLNSHIRETODAY61Steller year forLottie’s Atik Located on Steep Hill in Lincoln, Lottie’s Atik isowned and managed by Charlie Harrison andstocks stunning Danish clothing brands, includingMinimum, Nümph, and Ichi, to name only a few. Known locally as Lincoln’s premium go-toboutique for quirky choices, Lottie’s Atik hasenjoyed an amazing 2018 with Charlie deciding toexpand her business empire and open Lottie’sShoe Room next door back in November 2018. For more information, visitwww.lottiesatik.co.uk.58-63.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/2018 13:31 Page 462 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYFAMILY BUSINESSGolding Young& MawerLincoln’s HistoricAuctioneers Golding Young & Mawer is a local family-run auction house,which have been serving the county as a firm since 1864. Colin Young, current Managing Director and owner, first tookover Goldings of Grantham in 1994. He then later went on tomerge with Thos Mawer & Sons of Lincoln in 2010. In line withthis merger his daughter Kirsty began working for the firm asLincoln Saleroom Manager. This, in turn, has led to the secondgeneration becoming a part of the firm. As the firm progressed there was a later merger withRichardsons of Bourne in 2013.Through this merger and nowdue to the size of the business, Kirsty works alongside Colin ona daily basis.As a firm of Chartered Auctioneers & Valuers, the firm serveLincolnshire and the neighbouring counties. Whether you arelooking to sell or just need some advice feel free to give theteam a call. The firm offers a free auction appraisal service every Fridayfrom 9.00 am to 1.00 pm at its Lincoln, Grantham and Bournesites. Please feel free to visit any of the offices to meet theteam for free auction advice.For more information, visit www.goldingyoung.comOldrids & Downtown came in as the winners of the‘People’s Choice’ category, an award sponsored by StreetsChartered Accountants. In doing so, they beat out stiffcompetition, some of which went on to the win their ownawards in other categories, to win the public’s vote. Anotherwin for Lincolnshire was Rutland Cycling, who won the ‘RetailExcellence’ award.Director of the Petwood Hotel, Emma Brealey, alsorepresented the county at the awards, coming highlycommended in the ‘Director of the Year’ category. Oldrids &Downtown were present there as well, with Director RichardBroadhead also coming highly commended. Seeing such representation from Lincolnshire goes a longway to proving just how valuable family business is to ourregion, and just how successful some of our well-knownbrands truly are. The Midlands Family Business Awards sawother regions perform well, including competition fromDerbyshire and further afield, and the judges were blownaway by the quality of nominations and finalists this year.© Shutterstock/Alexsandar KaranovLUXURY HOT TUBS & SWIMSPAS AT AFFORDABLE PRICESSpecialist in Hot Tubs & Swimspas coveringLincolnshire, Cambridgeshire & NorfolkVISIT OUR SHOWROOM AT: UNIT 26, FLEET ROAD IND. EST.,HOLBEACH, LINCOLNSHIRE PE12 8LYT: 01406 424504E: INFO@LINCOLNSHIREPOOLSANDSPAS.CO.UKW: WWW.LINCOLNSHIREPOOLSANDSPAS.COMLINCOLNSHIRE POOLS & SPAS LIMITED58-63.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/2018 10:56 Page 5LINCOLNSHIRETODAY63FAMILY BUSINESSIt all started with the hotel beingrecognised as one of the top 200 fastestgrowing businesses in the East Midlandsin the Grant Thornton report releasedback in May. One of only 36 Lincolnshirebased businesses to feature in the report,the achievement highlighted themanagement team’s determination totake the business forward and build onprevious successes. Thanks to the glorious summer weatherand excellent publicity around key RAFanniversaries, the Petwood saw increasedoccupancy in the hotel and a furtherincrease in casual trade. Guests andvisitors alike enjoyed afternoon tea anddining on the terrace overlooking theGrade II listed gardens, whilst the ever-popular restaurant maintained its AArosette rating. October saw yet anotheraward win with the hotel winning bypublic vote the ‘Best Loved Hotel in theEast of England’ at the Best Loved awardsheld in Cirencester. This was closelyfollowed by success in the FamilyBusiness Awards for Emma Brealey as shewas Highly Commended in the ‘Directorof the Year’ category at a ceremony inLeicester. A covetedBALI landscapingaward for WhitingLandscapes, thecontractor behind thePetwood’s Peto Gardenrestoration project,sealed a highlysuccessful year for theteam and everyoneinvolved in the variousprojects at the Petwood.Emma said: “We are so thankful to ourguests, visitors, neighbours and staff fortheir continued support this year as ourbusiness marked 22 years of familyownership. We are overjoyed to havereceived recognition of the team’s hardwork through these awards and arehumbled that our guests have voted forand supported us every step of the way.”She added: “2019 promises to be anexciting year with more internalrefurbishment work planned and we lookforward to welcoming familiar and newguests alike.”Petwood Hotelcelebrates record yearThe team at theindependently-ownedPetwood Hotel inWoodhall Spa has beencelebrating anoutstanding year.Despite the ‘Beast fromthe East’ disruptingtravel and event plansearly on in the year, 2018developed into a recordyear for the familybusiness.For more information, visitwww.petwood.co.uk,reception@petwood.co.uk, or call 01526 35241158-63.qxp_Layout 1 12/12/2018 10:56 Page 664 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYOLDRIDS & DOWNTOWNincolnshire’s premierindependent retailer, Oldrids &Downtown, is crowned the‘People’s Choice 2018’ at theMidlands Family Business Awards. Oldrids & Downtown were announcedwinners of the 2018 People’s ChoiceAward at an annual ceremony held inLeicester. The Midlands Family BusinessAwards celebrate the amazingachievements of the region’s mostsuccessful family businesses. ThePeople’s Choice Award is unique as,unlike all of the other awards presentedon the evening, it is decided upon by anopen public vote. The margin between Oldrids &Downtown and their nearest competitorwas the largest ever seen in the history ofthe Awards - a brilliant achievement forthe business. Now in its ninth year, the MidlandsFamily Business Awards is a not-for-profitinitiative that also raises vital funds andawareness for charities. Established in 1804 and serving thelocal community and visitors from far andwide for over 200 years, Oldrids &Downtown is a fourth-generation familybusiness with retail stores in Grantham,Boston and Scunthorpe. Chairman Martin Isaac said: “This is awonderful testament to the fantasticlevel of support received by ourbusiness, from our customers,suppliers, staff and shareholders andeveryone who was kind enough to votefor us. “I would like to express my sinceregratitude to those who played a part inhelping us to clinch this prestigiousaward. I’d also like to thank our staff fortheir hard work and commitment and formaking Oldrids & Downtown a businessthat so many people have been willingto show their support for. I am trulyproud to say that of all the familybusinesses that were in the running,Oldrids & Downtownis the People’s Choice! L64-65.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 12:07 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY65OLDRIDS & DOWNTOWNours is the People’s Choice!” Finance Director Peter Isaac added:“Winning the People’s Choice Award isan outstanding achievement forOldrids & Downtown. We couldn’thave done it without the support of ourcustomers, suppliers, staff andshareholders. “It goes without saying that I amthrilled that we have been crowned thisyear’s People’s Choice; it is aremarkable accomplishment for ourbusiness and its employees. Our team,past and present, sincerely deserve thisrecognition for their hard work andcommitment over many years.” For more information, visit www.oldrids.co.ukor call 01205 361251.64-65.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 12:07 Page 266 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYFor most of us, school is a rite of passage, something we allmust pass through as we’re ushered from childhood over thethreshold of adolescence and into adulthood. Although kidsmight bemoan having to get up early and wile away the weekin lessons, things are more hectic for the poor parents. There’sa great deal of research, decision making and, sometimes,rigmarole involved in getting the little ones into a decentschool. As they start primary school, a child’s brain is stilldeveloping, their minds expanding and their personalitiessolidifying. Saying it’s a major decision is putting it lightly. First thing’s first, you must do your research. It’s not enoughto trot the little ones off the nearest school simply for itsconvenience. Research isn’t as tricky as it sounds, though, withmuch of the valuable information easily accessible online. Thelaw says that a school’s website must contain admissionscriteria, disability access and links to Ofsted reports, amongother things. So from the comfort of one’s own sofa, and oftenat a glance, parents can look up and compare schools in theirimmediate vicinity and farther afield. Lincolnshire is a bigcounty, after all, so moving to a new house for the sake of agood school isn’t something to rule out. It’s important,therefore, to investigate catchment areas, because youwouldn’t want to risk losing out to you or your child’s schoolof choice over something as trivial as a postcode. Other valuable resources to consider are league tables,which allows you to see where any prospective schools youmight be considering rank against one another and, crucially, inwhat areas they excel or disappoint – such as exam rates andattendance. You can also talk directly with parents who alreadyhave children at the prospective school to gain an honestinsight. This can be a hugely important part of your decision-making process, so shouldn’t be passed up where possible. Deciding on a school can be a tricky prospect but with theadvent of the internet, the initial application is easier now thanever before. Your local council’s website will be able to providethe steps necessary to try and get your child into the school oracademy of your choice. However, the challenges don’t stopthere as each school will have its own admission criteria onwhich your child’s admission will be judged. These includeliving close to the school, whether children are being lookedafter and whether or not they have a sibling in attendancealready. There are many others and, should parents feel thesecriteria are unfair, they can make a complaint. All of these resources should absolutely factor into yourdecision in one form or another. But perhaps the best way toget a sense of school or academy is to visit first hand. Nowwe’re not talking simply strolling in on a whim and burstinginto a class while Mr Mackey is busy trying to teach chemistry,but rather taking advantage of an open day. Open days are a great way for a school to show off toCall us biased, but Lincolnshire has got a lot going for it, blessed as it is with anabundance of natural beauty, quality produce and innovative businesses. But one thingthat doesn’t get nearly enough attention in our humble opinion is the county’sexcellent schools, academies and education providers. © Shutterstock /Monkey Business ImagesFinding theperfect fit 66-67.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 12:08 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY67EDUCATIONDelivering qualityspecialist educationwith Linkage Linkage is a Lincolnshire-based charity supporting people withlearning disabilities and delivering high-quality specialist education,care, employment and support services. Everything it does is aboutvaluing and supporting individuals, their carers and families.Established in 1976, Linkage owes its origins to the recognitionthat, for many people with varying degrees of learning difficulty,there is a shortage of appropriate support for them to leadcreative and purposeful lives in the community.The students and clients of Linkage are people with varyingdegrees of learning disability, from moderate to severe, includingDown’s syndrome, Autism, Asperger syndrome, Williams syndrome,Fragile X syndrome, speech and language difficulties, visualimpairment, hearing impairment, epilepsy or physical disabilities.Its message is that people with learning difficulties anddisabilities have opportunities and choice and are supported toachieve their aspirations.Come along to one of the open days to see the facilities anddiscovery why Linkage is a great place to be. Toynton Campus Saturday 12th January 201910.30am – 2.30pmTuesday 5th February 201910.30am – 4pmTuesday 19th March 201910.30am – 4pmTuesday 7th May 20192pm – 6pmSaturday 1st June 201910.30am – 2.30pmGrimsby CampusSaturday 19th January 2019 10.30pm – 2.30pm Thursday 7th February 20192pm – 6pm Friday 15th March 201910.30am – 4pmThursday 9th May 20192pm – 6pmSaturday 15th June 2019 10.30am – 2.30pmLincoln Campus Thursday 17th January 201910.30am – 4pm Saturday 9th February 201910.30pm – 2.30pm Thursday 14th March 20192pm – 6pm Thursday 16th May 20192pm – 6pmSaturday 22nd June 201910.30am – 2.30pmFor more information, visit www.linkage.org.uk, email info@linkage.org.uk, or call 01790 752499. prospective parents and inspire their children. Although someopen days are handled more like a tour, others allow parentsto freely roam the grounds, going from classroom to room toget a sense of the school. Often, there will be demonstrationsand mock classes held. For example, the science labs mighthave an exciting experiment with the Bunsen burners aflame,while the art rooms might have students working onassignments. Most of us would balk at the thought of buying or renting aproperty without visiting it at least once. The same shouldabsolutely be true for your school. Remember, your child willbe spending some six hours (or more) here five days a week.It’s a not a decision to be undertaken lightly, so you shouldarm yourself with as much information and advice as possible.But there’s no denying your gut. Always go with your instincts.If a school visit is giving you bad vibes, there’s probably areason for it. If, on the other hand, it evokes positive feelings,it’s definitely worth looking into. Although you might want to treat school open days as aparent-only affair, we’d implore you to take the little onesalong. Kids are said the be the best judge of character, so whynot the best judge of schools? Okay, so it’s probably not agood idea to hand Ofsted inspections over to a bunch of four-year olds, but you get the picture. They’re the ones that willhave to spend years at the school, so it needs to be a placethey can feel safe, supported and inspired in. Conversely, thetime you should have to spend at school is usually relegatedto parents’ evenings, the obligatory school plays and sportsdays and perhaps a school fete or bake sale. So, while thedecision is ultimately yours, be sure and listen to your kids. Of course, you might not want to send your kids to a schoolor academy, but rather to a boarding school. Lincolnshire hasa number of excellent boarding schools, academies andfurther education providers including, but not limited to,Linkage, which is dedicated to people with learningdisabilities. Despite this, many people still associate boardingschools with corporal punishment, bad kids and god onlyknows what else. The reality couldn’t be more different. Theseare warm, welcoming and vital places where kids of everystipe can flourish, feel included and make something ofthemselves. Boarding schools, of course, won’t be suited toevery child, or their parents, for that matter, but don’t rulethem out. It might just be the best decision you ever made. Deciding on any one school or academy is no easy feat,never mind all the hoops parents sometimes have to jumpthrough. There’s a lot to consider, true, and it’s not a decisionthat should be made lightly. But at the heart of that choice isa child, one that shouldn’t be ignored during this process.Although the internet is a great resource, providing a plethoraof useful information, nothing beats visiting a place first hand.With open days running this New Year, why not take a moreproactive approach to choosing your child’s next school. Asalways, Lincolnshire has got you covered. 66-67.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 12:08 Page 268 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYLINCOLN MINSTER SCHOOL Q&ATell us a little bit about yourschoolOur intention is to provide an inspiring‘Education for Life’, from two years ofage all the way through to our A-Levelpupils. Individual needs are catered foracross all age groups where boys andgirls, of differing abilities and interests,excel in our vibrant community andwhere pupils have the opportunity todevelop their leadership, mentoring andcommunication skills. We have a blend ofday pupils and boarders, both fromoverseas and the UK. This broad socialand cultural mix ensures the school has atruly national and global outlook. Our UK Top 60 Preparatory School is asafe, happy and exciting place thatenables our children to learn anddevelop not only academically but as awhole child and in turn confidenceflourishes. We understand that a child’sfoundation years are crucial as they arespent developing lifelong skills,knowledge and values. Throughout the school we arecommitted to delivering an excellenteducation for each individual through ourdedicated staff, the subject specialismand facilities that the pupils can accessfrom Early Years through to Sixth Form.There are many opportunities for ourpupils to flourish outside the classroomalso, be it on the sports field, or throughthe performing or creative arts. It matters to us that the children inour school achieve their very bestacademically, and it matters to theirparents. However, we firmly believe thatother things also matter; knowing howto be kind and respectful, being able toshow consideration to one another,confidence, team work, charitable deedsand many more. These values arereinforced in all that we do day-to-dayand this means that our pupils arehappy and determined to learn andgrasp every opportunity that the schooloffers. What sets Lincoln MinsterSchool Nursery apart from othernurseries?Choosing a school is one of the mostimportant and significant things we dofor our children. At Lincoln MinsterSchool we understand how crucial this is,whether your child joins right at the startof their journey in Nursery or further onin our Pre-Prep or Preparatory Schools. Our Nursery offers children a homefrom home, where they can learnthrough play in a friendly and calmsetting in idyllic uphill Lincoln. We striveto create an exciting and inspiringlearning environment and our aim is tocultivate inquisitive minds throughencouraging children to ask questions,to investigate and to make their owndiscoveries during our thoughtfullyplanned activities.Wellbeing is at the forefront of ournursery provision and children practicemindfulness and relaxation as part oftheir learning which develops theiremotional wellbeing and increases theirresilience to stress, boosts self-confidence and enhances theirperformance and focus.Let’s talk about the importanceof offering a varied curriculumWe believe in providing a broad rangeof experiences to help develop a love oflearning. We are also careful to makesure that classes are a sensible size toallow for positive social interactionQ&AMark Wallace, Headmaster of Lincoln Minster SchoolWe met with Mark Wallace, Headmaster of Lincoln Minster School, to talk about the school’soffer as they’re named in The Sunday Times Top 100 Prep Schools list for the third year running. 68-69.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 12:09 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY69LINCOLN MINSTER SCHOOL Q&Abetween children and to ensure that eachindividual has their voice heard so thatthoughts and opinions are developed.We have a real breadth in ourcurriculum offer at all Key Stagesencompassing core curriculum andcreative subjects as well as physicalactivities. We build or GCSE and A-Levelprogrammes around the subject choicesmade by our pupils. This means we arefacilitating their choices and giving themthe opportunity to study the subjectsthey want.Our ‘I AM ME’ principle refers to howwe celebrate our pupils as individualsand what they bring to Lincoln MinsterSchool in their own special way. FromPre-Prep to Prep, through to Senior, thelevels of participation of our pupils acrossmany areas of school life is a real joy tosee. We strongly believe that a veryimportant part of our mission is to inspirepupils to develop interests beyond theclassroom and also develop a sense ofbalance in their lives.There are opportunities for all, as ourchildren embrace a broad and balancedcurriculum that stimulates and challengesat all stages.Your Golf PerformanceProgramme launched thisSeptember, how’s it going?Amazingly well, our Golf PerformanceProgramme is unique and tailored toMeet theHeadmasterMark Wallace saysA real stand out for me is the senseof togetherness and connectednessthat links staff, parents and pupils.Here, there is a real sense of a sharedjourney, of aspiration and ambition,underpinned by a caring andsupportive environment. The ‘feel’ ofa school is not something that can bemanufactured. It comes from theshared values and the way pupils,parents and staff support each other. Being part of and leading such astrong community is an absoluteprivilege. I hope that you will visit usso that you can see our pupils inclass and so acquire a sense of theway they learn. You will be mostwelcome.For more information, visitwww.lincolnminsterschool.co.uk,email communications@lincolnminsterschool.co.uk, or call 01522 551300.each pupil participating on theprogramme. Offered to both UK andinternational pupils, it’s delivered inpartnership with PING, Lincoln GolfCentre, Market Rasen Golf Club andWoodhall Spa Golf Club, the home ofEngland Golf; and so, the pupils haveaccess to world class facilities. The Programme provides anoutstanding education alongside thedevelopment of participants’ golf skillsthrough high quality coaching fromindustry experts; Neil Harvey of EnglandGolf, a PGA Advanced Member who isexperienced in developing winners atelite level in all age-groups, and PaulLogan from Lincoln Golf Centre, PGAGolf Professional ranked 5th in Europe.We are in the process of developingsimilar programmes for squash andtennis, so watch this space.68-69.qxp_Layout 1 10/12/2018 12:09 Page 2Next >