£2.95 FEBRUARY 2018THE REGION’S FAVOURITE COUNTY MAGAZINE30+ years young30+ years youngWWW.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY.NETWWW.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY.NETwww.blmgroup.co.ukBLMGROUPGROUPBLM£2.95 FEBRUARY 2018THE REGION’S FAVOURITE COUNTY MAGAZINELoveLincolnshireLoveLincolnshireAmazingartCountymotoringLincolnshirewildlifeFashionyou’ll loveAmazingartCountymotoringLincolnshirewildlifeFashionyou’ll love01_Layout 1 25/01/2018 10:41 Page 1Mill View, Backgate, Cowbit, PE12 6APAbbey Walk, Station Road, Swineshead, PE20 3LZ Open Thursday to Monday 10am-5pm1 Goodison Road, Lincs Gateway Business Park, Spalding, PE12 6FYTel: 01406 490590 Email: info@ashwoodhomes.co www.ashwoodhomes.coHelp to Buy available on all properties. Terms and Conditions apply.Cowbitis acollection of37 - two, threeand fourbedroomhomes. Set ina semi-ruralcommunitybut good roadlinks toSpalding andPeterborough.Abbey Walk is situated in the village of Swinesheadoffering a broad mix of highspecification homes ranging from your two bedroom first home to the spacious fivebedroom family home. Swineshead is conveniently located just 7 miles from Boston. Last Plot remaining with Single Garage3 Bedroom detached House withparking spaces.Price from:£227,000The Tay - 4 bedrooms - from £290,000Welland - 2 bedrooms - from £140,000Stores in Boston, Grantham & Scunthorpewww.oldrids.co.uk 50% off up to Upholstery Dining & Occasional Beds Bedrooms Flooring Technology Homewares Fashion Newport was £215now £179 Immediate DeliveryPerth Upholstery Collection!" " was £1669 now £835 # was £1115 now £555 Newport "$was £119now £99 Immediate Delivery Newport " was £145now £119 Immediate Delivery Newport $was £129now £109 Immediate DeliveryNewport Dining and Occasional Collection%!&'$ was £399 now £339 "()* was £109 now £89 Hypnos Orthocare 6'" +,-. our pricefrom £669/ +--,&& +--,25% off overr.r.p.Immediate DeliveryFast Track Delivery15% off + Kingsize for thePrice of a Double10 Year Guarantee 02_Layout 1 24/01/2018 12:23 Page 1from theeditorIt’s February and there’s love in the air in moreways than one. While it is undoubtedly the time tospoil your partner rotten, let’s not forget thatMother’s Day will be swiftly upon us, so now is thetime to find something special. Better yet, why nottreat your mum to some of the county’s best tastes,sights and sounds. There’s always something goingon, as our what’s on pages can attest.If you are well and truly stumped for ideas, a quick thumb throughour fashion section, where our expert pools some of the spring’s earlymust haves, may just bring that spark of inspiration. Or perhaps ourhome trends, with its beautiful gifts for the home. Sometimes, the best gift money can buy is an exquisite meal, andwith our delectable food pages and dining reviews, you can restassured you’re in safe hands. All that and we’ve barely scratched thesurface of our February issue.It’ll come as no surprise that love is the common thread this issueand while it’s important to remind your partner of your affection,there’s more than one form of love. A love of the natural world seesthis month’s artist produce some of the most startling works we’ve hadthe pleasure of featuring, while our most favourite native love birdstake centre stage for the wildlife feature – three guesses what species.Then we chart the history of Valentine’s Day in our special feature.And though the love heart is an all-important symbol this time ofyear, let’s not forget about the real flesh and blood one beating behindyour chest. Unfortunately, heart disease and other issues still claim fartoo many lives, but there’s a way to help as our British HeartFoundation feature explores.And there we have it, another terrific issue of Lincolnshire Today, ifmy team and I do say so ourselves. Remember, love is all around so bebeautiful to each other. Good reading, as alwaysMichael FisherEditorand the Lincolnshire Today teamLincolnshireToday @lincstoday lincolnshiretoday.netGroup Editor:Steve FisherEditor:Michael Fisher, Journalists:Dominic Cuthbert,Stuart PearceySales Director: Angela CooperSales: Kerry Randerson Accounts & Circulations: Angela Sharman, John Downes(01472) 310301Design & Production: Gary Jorgensen,Mark CassonAdvertising: Tel: (01472) 310302, Fax: (01472) 310312 Editorial: Tel: (01472) 310305, Fax: (01472) 310317Part Of The Business Link MagazineGroup: Armstrong House, Armstrong Street,Grimsby, N E Lincs DN31 2QEEmail: lincs-today@blmgroup.co.uk Website: www.lincolnshiretoday.net ISSN No: 1366-1299© All rights reserved. No part of this publication may bereproduced, transmitted, photocopied, recorded orotherwise without express permission of the copyright holder,for which application should be addressed first to thepublisher. While every reasonable care is taken, neither thepublisher nor its participating agents accept liability for lossor damage to prints, colour transparencies, negatives orother material of whatever nature submitted to thispublication. The views expressed in this publication are notnecessarily the views of those held by the publisher.This magazine is now fully recyclable. Byrecycling magazines, you can help reducewaste and add to the 5.5 million tonnes ofpaper already recycled by the UK paperindustry each year. Before you recycle yourmagazine, please ensure you remove all plasticwrapping, free gifts and samples. If you areunable to participate in a recycling scheme,then why not pass your magazine onto a localhospital or charity?FRONT COVER: SHUTTERSTOCK/GORBELABDA03_Layout 1 25/01/2018 09:57 Page 1Features6 THIS MONTH IN LINCOLNSHIREWhat’s been going on in the county this month?26WHERE HERITAGE AND HOSPITALITY COLLIDEAlthough Caistor boasts all the trappings one would expectof an olde English village, with its Grade 1 listed church,independent sellers and vibrant community spirit, there’s somuch more going on30LINCOLNSHIRE WILDLIFEUpon hearing the word “swan” one might first think of a localpub – understandable, given there’s some five hundred ofthem – but the second and by far more romanticconnotation is love32A VERY IMPORTANT DATEOur first glimpse of the spring collection convenientlycoincides with our Valentine’s Day issue, so there are plentyof gorgeous skirts, dresses and pantsuits to get excitedabout this season38FINISHING TOUCHPicture the scene – it’s Valentine’s Day, you’re dressed up tothe nines, you’ve fixed your face and your hair is stunning.But there’s still something missing. Skipping the accessoriesmeans you’ll be walking around in a half-finished outfit allevening, and that’s hardly the image you want to bepresenting40SHARPLY DRESSED AND READY FOR ANYTHINGThere are no hard and fast rules for men when it comes toValentine’s Day, but that doesn’t mean there’s not a lot ofoptions to consider. Do you go in suit, shirt and tie? Smartcasual, perhaps? What about street wear, is that tooinformal?42ROMANTIC ROUTINEThere’s no better excuse than Valentine’s Day to get dolledup, and as Lincolnshire Today explains, there’s plenty of waysto look great this February44POSITIVE REINFORCEMENTFeeling the need to reward healthy eating and exercise arecounterproductive and more than likely make it harder toachieve your goals47BRITISH HEART FOUNDATIONThe British Heart Foundation (BHF) is the nation’s heartcharity and the largest independent funder of cardiovascularresearch50LINCOLNSHIRE HERITAGE EXPLOREDLincolnshire has produced several great explorers. Here welook at the eventful life of the “Father” of AustraliaFEBRUARY3232OUR FIRST GLIMPSE OF THE SPRINGCOLLECTION CONVENIENTLY COINCIDES WITHOUR VALENTINE’S DAY ISSUE, SO THERE AREPLENTY OF GORGEOUS SKIRTS, DRESSES ANDPANTSUITS TO GET EXCITED ABOUT THISSEASONcontents04-05_Layout 1 24/01/2018 12:25 Page 13030UPON HEARING THE WORD “SWAN” ONEMIGHT FIRST THINK OF A LOCAL PUB –UNDERSTANDABLE, GIVEN THERE’S SOMEFIVE HUNDRED OF THEM – BUT THE SECONDAND BY FAR MORE ROMANTICCONNOTATION IS LOVE52FEBRUARY FANCIESFebruary is a busy month for many, especially withValentine’s Day on the cards. While there are plenty ofwonderful places to go out and visit, here are a fewrecipes sure to turn heads.58LOVE IS ALL YOU NEEDValentine’s Day is a time to celebrate that special personin your life, but what about its origins and the saint behindthe season?60COUNTY MOTORINGThe electric car is coming into style and is in highdemand. If you are thinking of following this future-thinking, environmentally conscious trend in 2018, orwondering what all the rage is, here are some cars thatwill peak your interest• Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross• Tesla Model S76WHAT’S ONThere’s always something going on in LincolnshireDesirable homes12TUCKED AWAYA reader’s home tucked away in Barrow-Upon-Humber isa unique and peaceful retreat. We take a look around thisunique country retreat16GETTING THE MOOD RIGHTCreating a sense of romance or luxury is by no means aneasy feat. While too few furniture pieces or décor choicescan leave a room feeling bereft of any real style orpersonality, too many can leave a space feeling cluttered.Neither is ideal, and so striking a balance is the secret18BLUE REMEMBERED HILLSBorrowed nostalgia is having its time in the limelight, andthis is especially true of the eighties, but for self-taughtlandscape artist Danny Abrahams, it’s not merelywistfulness, with each piece capturing a fondlyremembered glimpse into childhood and the naturalenvironment around it20FULL OF WONDERGoltho Gardens is one of the wolds’ hidden gems, we takea walk around its charming four-and-a-half acres24THE NEXT BIG THINGSo 2018 is underway and there are always new trends andfashions for gardens and this year is no exception as EdFuller from Fullers Forestry and Landscaping explains04-05_Layout 1 24/01/2018 12:25 Page 2Visitor backpacksbring families togetherat Lincoln CathedralThe Lincoln Cathedral Connected project is introducing new complementary visitor backpacks to help families explore different aspectsof Lincoln Cathedral.The backpacks will feature five different themes and contain booklets, information, replica items, puzzles, challenges and, in some cases,real artefacts. They are designed to engage families with the Cathedral’s stories, people, archaeology and architecture through activities.The £2,000 initiative is funded by the Connected project, a Heritage Lottery Fund backed initiative to improve the Cathedral’s settingand visitor experience, and Lincoln’s Sandford Cascade, which encourages confidence within heritage learning. Sally Bleasdale, Education Outreach Officer at Lincoln Cathedral, said: “The backpacks are a great way to engage with families who visitthe Cathedral and will help them get the most from that visit in a fun and interactive way.“This scheme is part of the exciting education and interpretation programme that we are introducing as part of the Connected project,and I hope that families enjoy using the backpacks.”Plans to transform leisure in West LindseyrevealedWest Lindsey District Council has revealed plans to transform andenhance leisure provision across the whole of the district.Plans include the build of a brand new dry leisure facility in MarketRasen and a large scale re-development of the current West LindseyLeisure Centre in Gainsborough.On top of this the council has secured extra provision for an outreachservice which will provide activities for residents in their community.Cllr Sheila Bibb, Chairman of the Prosperous Communities Committee atthe council, said: “Previously, leisure provision has cost the council asignificant amount of money.Under the new arrangementsnot only will the service betransformed and enhanced,but the income provided willease the pressure on othercouncil services.“This dynamic partnershipwill provide suitableservices to the communityto help people leadhealthy and activelives.”latestnewsHospice launchesannual communityart exhibition Lindsey Lodge Hospice has unveiled plans for abrand-new art exhibition and sale to be held annuallyin North Lincolnshire. The first Lindsey Lodge Hospice Annual ArtExhibition and Sale will feature the work of renownedlocal artist Dennis Nash, and local artists andphotographers are also being invited to showcasetheir work at the event at Scawby Village Hall,between Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 April. Exhibitors will be invited to donate either 25% or100% of the total proceeds of each sale to theBurringham Road-based charity.Lindsey Lodge Hospice Director of BusinessDevelopment, Kate Conway, who is organising theevent, said: “We would welcome pieces in a variety ofstyles from traditional to modern, contemporary andabstract, in a whole range of different mediums, andhope local artists and photographers will see this as afantastic new platform for them to display their work.”© Shutterstock / Africa Studio© Shutterstock / Maxim Blinkov© Shutterstock / kireewong foto06-08_Layout 1 24/01/2018 12:26 Page 1The Christmas period precipitated strong headwinds at LincolnshireCo-op with sales up 7% in the three weeks from 17 December to 6January.This, the company said, was down to customers “taking advantageextra dividend and a choice of seasonal locally-sourced products”.In December, Lincolnshire Co-op paid out a dividend bonus of £1.9million to its 280,000 members – on top of the £2.2 million collected during the year. In that month, members used £1.3 million ofdividend to pay for their shopping in food stores“We paid out our dividend bonus on December 1st and lots of our members decided to use dividend to treat themselves during themonth,” said Chief Retail Officer Mark Finn.“We also raised more than £70,000 during December for our Community Champions, local charities working to deliver socialinclusion for the over 50s.”New support group totackle loneliness withsport in CleethorpesA charity which helps older people living with dementia,depression and loneliness by utilising sport has opened a new supportgroup in Cleethorpes.The Sporting Memories Foundation, which encourages people to share theirmemories of watching and playing sport, set up the group using funds from HMT StHugh’s Hospital in Grimsby.The hospital has made an initial donation of £5,000 as part of its commitment to improving the health and wellbeingof the community across North East Lincolnshire.The money will be used to buy the equipment needed to play boccia and indoor curling and pay for the ongoingrunning costs of the group throughout 2018.The group will meet every Tuesday at 10am in the Mariners Trust’s Youngs Lower Bar at Grimsby Town Football Club.New poetrycompetition tocelebrate life inNorth LincsLocal poets are being called upon to wax lyrical about life in NorthLincolnshire for a new competition celebrating life in this corner of thecounty.With a theme of ‘Sense of Place’, poets are free to write about anyaspect of their life in the area, whether that’s a favourite landmark or afellow resident that has made an impact in the community.Winning entrants will see their poem published in a special anthology. Prizes will also be awarded to winning entries in threeseparate age categories: entrants aged five to 11, 12 to 18, and 18 and over.First prize in each category will receive a £50 Amazon gift voucher, with those in second and third each receiving a £10 one.To enter, email your poem along with your name, age and address to wordscount@northlincs.gov.uk or post it to WordsCount, Learning Development Centre, Enderby Road, Scunthorpe, DN17 2JL, before Friday 23 March 2018.over festive periodFor Lincolnshire Co-opSales up 7%© Shutterstock / Bplanet© Shutterstock / file40406-08_Layout 1 24/01/2018 12:26 Page 2South Kestevento boost tourism South Kesteven District Council has appointed a newHead of Visitor Economy in a bid to boost tourism.Andrew Norman brings more than two decades ofexperience in running major visitor attractions toInvestSK – the council’s new inward investment arm.Councillor Nick Robins, SKDC Cabinet Member forRetail and Visitor Economy, said: “The visitor economy isvery significant to South Kesteven and contributes morethan £130 million a year to the district’s economy. Anincrease in visitors will directly benefit the many businessesrelying on people coming through their doors.”Andrew added: “South Kesteven is a wonderful part of thecountry with so much to offer visitors and incredible heritage,never better illustrated than with our links to Sir Isaac Newton.“My focus now is on getting to know every corner of this beautifularea, meet as many as possible of the excellent people working sohard to attract visitors and find ways for us to work together.”Community LotteryLaunching inLincolnCity of Lincoln Council’s Executives are launching a community grant funding lottery to provide support for local voluntarycommunity organisations in the city.All funds raised will benefit local people and communities, with at least 50% of the proceedings going to local causes.The lottery will take place weekly costing £1 per ticket. Players will be able to choose six numbers from zero to nine, with the jackpotticket having to match both the numbers and the sequence for the top cash prize of £25,000.Players can also win a prize if their ticket matches the sequence of the first or last two, three, four or five numbers drawn. There aremultiple smaller prizes on offer ranging between £25 and £2,000.latestnewsInflatablesadded to popularColour Dash eventIn a move intended to outdo last year’s Colour Dash, StBarnabas have added inflatables to the follow-up event. The 5k fun run will see participants splattered from head to toe inenvironmentally-friendly coloured powder paint, with inflatableobstacles at each kilometre.The event is crucial in helping create the funds needed to continuecaring and supporting over 9,000 people across Lincolnshire that areliving with a life-limiting or terminal illness.Laura Stones, Events Fundraiser for St Barnabas Hospice, said:“Colour Dash is for all ages, and you don’t have to be a runner to takepart! Whether you run, walk or dance your way round, you should feelproud that you are doing it for such a good cause.”She added: “The money raised from events such as the InflatableColour Dash enables this work to continue.”The Inflatable Colour Dash will take place on 12th May at theLincolnshire Showground.© Shutterstock / Sergey Mironov© Shutterstock / Dasha Petrenko06-08_Layout 1 24/01/2018 12:27 Page 3Love is in the air – butnot my inboxDear Lincolnshire Today,Valentine’s Day is a pleasant day for any couple, the stress of finding the right gift aside, and I’ve already been thinking about whatI’ll get my partner on the day. That said it’s getting a little old to wake up in the morning, check my inbox, and find that I’ve receivedfive or more emails from florists talking about flowers and how it’s the best (and to believe them – the only) way to celebrate the day.Now, I do buy flowers for my partner, but that always comes as an addition to the other things we do, and I like to pick the bestflowers at a store wherever I can. Flows are romantic, impulsive, and smell wonderful… but I can’t help but think the constant money-grabbing pushes of those florists bothering me a full month in advance are, to put it lightly, eroding my desire to purchase them at all.I understand the economy isn’t what it was, but emailing a person every single day isn’t going to convince them to spend any of theirhard-earned money with you.L Sharpe, SpaldingLINCOLNSHIRETODAY9We’d love to hear from you: Lincolnshire Today, Armstrong House, Armstrong St., Grimsby, N. E. Lincs DN31 2QE. Email: lincs-today@blmgroup.co.uk. We reserve the right to edit published letters.yourlettersWe’d love to hear from you. If you haveany news, views or issues you wouldlike us to cover, do get in touch.PICKOF THEMONTHPotholeproblemsDear Lincolnshire Today,It seems to me like potholes are becoming abigger problem than ever on our roads, especially thecountry roads in the rural parts of the county. Just theother week I was driving down in the dark and heardthe most terrific thump as my tyres fell into what musthave been the largest hole I’ve ever seen. My car cameout okay but I can’t help but think a cyclist might havesuffered a far worse fate had they stumbled upon it.H Dewitt, ScunthorpeHouse woesDear Lincolnshire Today,It didn’t come as much surprise to find out that theGovernment’s decision to waive stamp duty tax onsome properties failed to promote house-buyingamong first-time buyers. It often feels like those inWestminster have no idea what the average personfeels like, for my son has been saving for two yearsnow for his mortgage, all to no avail.Without a partner to share his costs with, and withhouse prices rising year on year, it’s difficult for youngadults now to afford a home that will be ten to fifteentimes their annual income. Perhaps a look towardsaffordable housing that is actually affordable would bea nice step, rather than `affordable housing` costingan arm and a leg and still being pathetically smalland cramped.Janice S, Lincoln The winnerof our letterof the month wins acase of wine© Shutterstock / Marc Bruxelle© Shutterstock / fotozotti09_Layout 1 24/01/2018 12:29 Page 1Next >