£2.95 FEBRUARY 2021 THE REGION’S FAVOURITE COUNTY MAGAZINE 30+ years young 30+ years young WWW.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY.NET www.blmgroup.co.uk BLM GROUPGROUP BLM £2.95 FEBRUARY 2021 THE REGION’S FAVOURITE COUNTY MAGAZINE Love life Love life Homes and gardens Valentine’s Day in lockdown Fabulous fashion Lincolnshire wildlife Homes and gardens Valentine’s Day in lockdown Fabulous fashion Lincolnshire wildlife 01.qxp_Layout 1 26/01/2021 10:32 Page 1Freephone: 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 LET’S CREATE SOMETHING SPECIAL Our range of kitchens cover everything from the country house look through to stylish and contemporary, including the amazing Laura Ashley Kitchen Collection. Contact our kitchen experts today for your design consultation Eastgate, Grimsby, DN32 9BA tel: 01472 361621 Mon-Thu 8am-5pm Fri 8am-4pm Sat 8am-12midday Howarth At Home is part of Howarth Timber & Building Supplies 02.qxp_Layout 1 26/01/2021 10:34 Page 1As we predicted back in our December 2020 issue, we began the new year with a third national lockdown. The difference being this time is that the government is scaling up its vaccination roll-out with hopes that every adult in the UK will be offered one by September. Legislation on England’s latest lockdown restrictions officially lasts until 31 March, and the speed those measures can be eased depends on how quickly those most at risk can be vaccinated. This will bring us to exactly a year since we entered the first lockdown in early 2020. But there are plenty of encouraging signs that we’re wading out of this mess. Who knows, we may be celebrating Easter with some semblance of normality. In the meantime, however, social distancing restrictions are still in place. You’ll therefore be wanting some quality reading to help you pass the time, and our February issue is here to help. Speaking of social distancing, it is supposed to be Valentine’s Day this month but, obviously, none of us will be celebrating like normal. But it’s not all doom and gloom, as our Valentine’s Day in lockdown feature explores. A positive side effect of the pandemic is that more people are looking to move into beautiful rural parts of the country – after all, if you’re forced to spend lots of time at home, you want to enjoy the view. But rather than the Cotswolds, we’re all about the Wolds. So, if you’re looking to move but aren’t sure where, turn to our living in the Wolds feature. As well as a look at alternative living and a celebration of the British Heart Foundation during its sixtieth birthday, we’ve got all your favourite sections – from art and fashion, to food. Don’t forget to check out the Watercooler page if you’re looking for a pick me up. Stay safe, Michael Fisher Editor and the Lincolnshire Today team from the editor Group Editor: Steve Fisher Editor: Michael Fisher Assistant Editor: Dominic Cuthbert Journalist: Tess Egginton Sales Director: Angela Cooper Sales: Kerry Randerson Accounts & Circulations: Angela Sharman, John Downes (01472) 310301 Design & Production: Gary Jorgensen, Mark Casson Advertising: Tel: (01472) 310302 Editorial: Tel: (01472) 310305 Part Of The Business Link Magazine Group: Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby, N E Lincs DN31 2QE Email: lincs-today@blmgroup.co.uk Website: www.lincolnshiretoday.net ISSN No: 1366-1299 © All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, photocopied, recorded or otherwise without express permission of the copyright holder, for which application should be addressed first to the publisher. While every reasonable care is taken, neither the publisher nor its participating agents accept liability for loss or damage to prints, colour transparencies, negatives or other material of whatever nature submitted to this publication. The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily the views of those held by the publisher. This magazine is now fully recyclable. By recycling magazines, you can help reduce waste and add to the 5.5 million tonnes of paper already recycled by the UK paper industry each year. Before you recycle your magazine, please ensure you remove all plastic wrapping, free gifts and samples. If you are unable to participate in a recycling scheme, then why not pass your magazine onto a local hospital or charity? FRONT COVER PHOTO COURTESY OF SHUTTERSTOCK/CHRISTOPHER CHAMBERS LincolnshireToday @lincstoday lincolnshiretoday.net 03.qxp_Layout 1 26/01/2021 10:35 Page 1Features 6 THIS MONTH IN LINCOLNSHIRE What’s been going on in the county this month? 24 STYLE FOR ITS OWN SAKE Style and glamour don’t have to be put on pause just because the pandemic has disrupted every other area of our lives. Wearing elegant clothes around the home will make you look and feel great and that is its own reward. 30 TAKE CONTROL Accessorising allows us to take control of at least one part of our lives, so if you’re not already mixing and matching, now’s the time. Your mental health will thank you. 32 SOMEWHERE IN BETWEEN There’s an entire spectrum between smart and casual to explore. So get creative and start exploring some outfits. 34 FACE FORWARD TO SKINCARE AND WELLBEING We catch up with Toni-Lee Richardson, the new owner of Skin Couture Beauty Salon in Caistor, expert in holistic therapies and skin care, as she talks us through why this means we should pay more attention - not less - to our skincare routine and overall wellbeing. 36 ANOTHER BLOW FOR FITNESS With another lockdown, fitness plans have once again been hit by restrictions, but there are plenty of options to keep up with exercise at home. 38 MAKE A MEAL OF IT As none of us can celebrate Valentine’s Day by visiting one of the county’s fabulous pubs, hotels or restaurants, it’ll have to be a romantic meal at home instead. Of course, you can absolutely order in – thereby supporting eateries impacted by the pandemic – but if you would rather do the cooking yourself, here are some tried and tested recipes that are sure to delight. 42 LOVE IS IN THE AIR? Celebrating Valentine’s Day in lockdown isn’t ideal, but that doesn’t mean that romance can’t be kindled at home or through a Zoom call. 44 LINCOLNSHIRE HERITAGE EXPLORED This month we look at the religious heritage of the Middle Ages, and its effect on Lincolnshire’s history. 47 INDEPENDENT LIVING Care homes and living with relatives aren’t the only options for those growing older. There are a number of housing schemes that allow people to live independently, whether they need no, a little or a lot of care. FEBRUARY 24 24 STYLE AND GLAMOUR DON’T HAVE TO BE PUT ON PAUSE JUST BECAUSE THE PANDEMIC HAS DISRUPTED EVERY OTHER AREA OF OUR LIVES. WEARING ELEGANT CLOTHES AROUND THE HOME WILL MAKE YOU LOOK AND FEEL GREAT AND THAT IS ITS OWN REWARD. contents 04-05.qxp_Layout 1 26/01/2021 10:36 Page 154 54 ONE OF THE MOST AWE-INSPIRING NATURAL SIGHTS OF WINTER IS VAST MURMURATIONS OF STARLINGS FORMING THE MOST INCREDIBLE SHAPES ACROSS MOODY DUSK SKIES. 50 COUNTY MOTORING Car sales crashed in 2020 as COVID-19 shut showrooms and Brexit nervousness grew. 54 LINCOLNSHIRE WILDLIFE One of the most awe-inspiring natural sights of winter is vast murmurations of starlings forming the most incredible shapes across moody dusk skies. 56 LIVING IN THE WOLDS The pandemic has led to a spike in the number of people looking to move to stunning rural areas. With the Lincolnshire Wolds right on our doorstep, we can’t think of anywhere better. 60 BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION COVID-19 is the single greatest healthcare challenge of our times, but it shouldn’t eclipse the millions of people suffering with heart or circulatory diseases. As the British Heart Foundation turns sixty, it needs your support now more than ever. 65 WHAT’S ON There’s always something going on in Lincolnshire. Desirable homes 10 A PRISTINE BARN CONVERSION Once a barn, this spacious home has been refurbished to offer a perfect blend of traditional and modern features. 16 A SPLASH OF COLOUR Why not inject some colour into your décor? It doesn’t have to be a lot, and it doesn’t need to mean totally redecorating a room. 18 A LIGHT IN THE DARK Painting became a lifeline for artist Sara Otter and her works can now be found in galleries and exhibitions in Lincolnshire and beyond. 20 PLANNING AHEAD One of the good things about gardening is that you can plan ahead and during this uncertain time it is good to have something you can plan and look forward to, as Ed Fuller from Fullers Landscaping explores. 22 THE GREENER, CHEAPER CHOICE For some prestigious properties across Lincolnshire, nestled in acres of their own lands, a septic tank is simply par for the course. Yet more properties are choosing to invest, whether for sustainability or economic reasons. Looking at the myriad of benefits they bring, it’s no surprise. 04-05.qxp_Layout 1 26/01/2021 10:36 Page 2latest news More than £17 million has been secured from the Future High Streets Fund to help create a new future for Grimsby town centre. Welcoming the funding, Cllr Philip Jackson, Leader of North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “We’re absolutely over the moon that we can take this work forward and help re-build the economy of the town centre. After a particularly difficult year for everyone, this is fantastic news. “The vision for the town centre is really exciting, and really complements the work on the ground at the moment at St James’ Square and Garth Lane.’’ Grimsby has secured a provisional funding offer of £17,280,917. The proposals were worked up jointly by the Council and the owners of Freshney Place, assisted by a range of specialists with experience of the developing retail and leisure sectors to address the challenges faced by town centres across the country. © Shutterstock/Blazej Lyjak Boost for Grimsby town centre NHS Vaccination Centre to open at the Lincolnshire Showground With the roll-out of COVID-19 vaccination centres across the country, the Lincolnshire Showground is welcoming teams from the NHS and local doctors’ practices to the newly-renovated EXO Centre as it is set up as a vaccination centre for the Lincolnshire area. The EXO Centre was amongst a number of new vaccination centres to be announced in Lincolnshire in early January, joining facilities at the hub at Lincoln County Hospital and in Grantham, Louth and South Lincoln. Appointments for the vaccine centre will commence in due course, please remember that you do not need to do anything. You will be contacted by your GP when it is your turn to be vaccinated. A drive-through testing facility open to the public has been operational on the grounds of the Lincolnshire Showground since last spring and will continue to be during this time. Please note, the testing facility is on the opposite side of the showground to the EXO Centre building where vaccinations will take place. © Shutterstock/DonyaHHI 06-08.qxp_Layout 1 26/01/2021 10:39 Page 1Scunthorpe town centre to benefit from £10.7m development as Government backs vision for High Street Scunthorpe town centre will benefit from a huge £10.7 million to redevelop the former market site in the heart of the town centre. North Lincolnshire Council submitted a bid for the future of Scunthorpe’s High Street, revealing a radical redevelopment plan for the former market in August. The cash will be used to transform the heart of the town centre. The project will see the former market site completely redeveloped to include business space, a high-end, 40 student accommodation development as well as major changes to the public spaces at Church Square and Library Square (outside Scunthorpe Central). The development will be spread across the southern half of the former market site, fronting directly on to the High Street, with initial proposals including a 1,350 sq m enterprise and innovation hub complete with business space, workshops, meeting rooms, breakout spaces, business development and networking areas. The focus will be on creating space for technology businesses and those in the creative industries. It comes as part of a major boost for local high streets with up to £830m from the Future High Streets Fund to invested in 72 areas across England. Cllr Rob Waltham, Leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said: “It is fantastic to hear that even more Government cash has been confirmed for Scunthorpe and North Lincolnshire. We worked closely with our MPs Holly Mumby-Croft and Andrew Percy on securing this funding that will now provide a new future for the old market site. “It has been a tough year and there’s still a way to go, even with the Covid-19 vaccine being rolled out. We’ve been dealing with unprecedented challenges, however our residents have remained strong and we are determined to bounce back. A legacy to Novartis Grimsby will take the shape of a unique wildlife site, which will provide industrial opportunity along the South Humber Bank in the decades ahead. When the pharmaceutical giant leaves the town in December 2021 after 70-years, it will have transferred 35 acres of its land as a legacy to the local community, to North East Lincolnshire Council’s SHIIP programme, (South Humber Industrial Investment Programme). SHIIP, being managed by the council’s regeneration partner ENGIE, represents a £42 million investment in highway, infrastructure and building projects along the South Humber Bank, with the hope of creating up to 3,000 new jobs. The new mitigation land will be named Novartis Ings and will enable ENGIE, under council direction, to create another wetland bird and wildlife mitigation site. Such sites provide opportunities for companies looking to build or expand in the area. Firms would have previously been required to obtain land for wildlife to offset their developments. A planning requirement, this process risks delaying developments for months and can be hugely expensive. Thanks to the mitigation project, the land is ready and waiting for them. Whilst this is the second such site – joining the national award- winning Cress Marsh at Stallingborough – it is the first to be located right alongside the Estuary. As such, it provides an Novartis legacy to create wetland bird and wildlife mitigation site enhanced opportunity to protect the birdlife that uses the rivers and its mudflats as vital feeding grounds. North East Lincolnshire Council’s Ecology officer Rachel Graham has been responsible for the development of Cress Marsh and is delighted at the prospect of this second site. “When you look at what has been achieved at Cress Marsh, its scale and size and the bird and wildlife we are attracting, it makes the prospect of developing Novartis Ings extremely exciting,” she said. 06-08.qxp_Layout 1 26/01/2021 10:39 Page 2New app to help Lincolnshire mothers manage maternity care Brigg’s China Royal open for takeaway China Royal in Brigg continues to offer delicious, nutritious and healthy Chinese food for the people to takeaway in Brigg and surrounding areas. Located on Bridge Street, the restaurant prioritises a fresh and healthy approach to Chinese cuisine with a team of talented chefs. It is operating within the strict COVID-19 laws laid down by government, ensuring a socially distanced service that doesn’t compromise on taste. So, this valentine’s day why not enjoy a quality Chinese meal from the safety and comfort of your own home. Just call 01652 654762 or 650688 to book your order. New trustees for Jon Egging Trust as charity celebrates decade of helping young people Charity Jon Egging Trust (JET) has appointed three new members to its Board of Trustees as it embarks on its tenth year of operations and seeks to help more young people than ever before. With the appointment of David Montenegro, Commanding Officer of the Red Arrows, Samantha Porteous, a former CEO, and the appointment of a new Chair of Trustees, Richard Peberdy, a partner at KPMG, the charity is looking ahead to a year that will see the launch of its new digital learning resource ‘JET Inspired.’ The resource includes a series of films and educational tools that have been developed in partnership with the Red Arrows and licenced by the Ministry of Defence to help young people to re-engage with education and learn key emotional skills that will enable them to feel positive. An award-winning ‘mum & baby’ app tailored for Lincolnshire has been launched to help users navigate their choices for maternity care in the county with clear and accessible information. It has been launched by Better Births Lincolnshire, Maternity and Neonatal System in collaboration with Lincolnshire Maternity Voice Partnership and other stakeholders to provide consistent information regardless of where the woman chooses to give birth in the local area. The information within the application will help users complete personal care plans and can be made available for the user to fill in with the help of and with the help of their healthcare team. The Mum & Baby app can be downloaded from the App Store and Google Play now. latest news © Shutterstock/Tyler Olson © Shutterstock/DronG 06-08.qxp_Layout 1 26/01/2021 10:39 Page 3ORDER FORM Yes, I would like to subscribe to Lincolnshire Today magazine for the next 12 months, with the first 3 issues only being £1. 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