£2.95 APRIL 2015£2.95 APRIL 2015THE REGION’S FAVOURITE COUNTY MAGAZINETHE REGION’S FAVOURITE COUNTY MAGAZINEwww.blmgroup.co.ukBLMGROUPGROUPBLMWWW.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY.NETWWW.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY.NET25+ years young25+ years youngHomes &GardensNew seasontrendsWonderfulwalksGastronomicdelightsHomes &GardensNew seasontrendsWonderfulwalksGastronomicdelightsA passion for livingA passion for living01_Layout 1 20/03/2015 12:43 Page 1Saturday 28th March- 26th April 2015 6ɈLYZLUK:\UKH`[O(WYPSVY^OPSZ[Z[VJRZSHZ[ www.oldrids.co.ukUpholstery • Dining • Beds • Bedrooms • Technology • Homewares • Fashion:[VYLZPU)VZ[VU.YHU[OHT3PUJVSU.HPUZIVYV\NOCROFTCARPETSWhere the customer always comes firstOpenMon - Sat10 - 5pmSunday by Appointment5 - 6 HIGH STREET, LINCOLN LN5 8BG (NR SOUTH PARK ROUNDABOUT)01522 523004 l07944218982 l WWW.CROFTCARPETS.CO.UKTransform your home!With fresh, modern & easy to maintain carpets, curtains & blindsFor Carpets, Curtains, Blinds,Vinyl, Laminates orReal Wood Floor. Who else will:Beat any like for like quotes on a stunning range of carpets and wood flooringVisit you for FREE to take accurate measurementsMove your furniture for you to fit your new carpets and flooringTake away your old carpetsOffer an efficient & courteous serviceProtect your wool carpets from lifes littledisasters with a FREEwarranty offer. 02_Layout 1 20/03/2015 10:03 Page 1Apparently we should all think less about money and more about thequality of our life – which is great if you’re pulling down six figures inWestminster or a consultant at the NHS. The problem for the rest of usis that we’re all so busy working to pay for our metered water andparking tickets that it’s sometimes difficult to stop and listen to the birdssinging or the water lapping up the beach.I seem to recall a couple of decades ago some genius in governmentdeclaring that we’d all have much more social time on our hands soonand be working something like three days a week. Of course, that all changed whensomeone invented the smartphone allowing us all to be connected to our emails andtext messages 24/7. As a consequence, instead of us working three days a week,most of us now seem to manage three people’s jobs.Fortunately, I love what I do, but there are times I think beam me up – like whenI want to be at home playing with the kids. Then I remember they don’t play anymore they just sit watching Storage Wars or playing games on their computers.Maybe it’s better for family harmony that I’m at work earning the dosh to pay forthe next edition of Final Fantasy or Grand Theft Auto, version 363.Being a journalist isn’t so bad either, when you consider what it’d be like to be aGP for instance. Seeing patient after patient with ailments, sores or worse - onebegins to realise that sitting in my office, even on a wet soggy day, writing up myexploits of the Geneva Motor Show or a readers’ garden is a much better deal,even if I’m not on six figures…Thankfully, spring is under way so, we’ve got a fantastic issue devoted to allthat’s great about the county. We pay a visit to Burton Waters to reflect on thewonderful tranquillity it offers just a stones throw from the centre of Lincoln, andthere’s also loads of other ideas and places to visit over the coming weeks. Ourphotographers have also been out and about at many of the county’s top socialevents – so see if you’ve been caught on camera.Good reading, as alwaysSteve FisherEditorLincolnshireToday@lincstodaylincolnshiretoday.netEditor:Steve FisherJournalists:Steve Williams, Michael Fisher, Stuart PearceySales Director: Teri CooperSales Manager: Angela CooperAccounts: Angela Sharman,John DownesCirculations: Dawn CookDesign & Production: Gary Jorgensen,Mark Casson, Rachel GreenAdvertising: 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 allplastic wrapping, free gifts and samples. Ifyou are unable to participate in a recyclingscheme, then why not pass your magazineonto a local hospital or charity?welcomeFRONT COVER PHOTO COURTESY OF LESLEY RIGG / SHUTTERSTOCK.COMMORE WAYS TO READLINCOLNSHIRE TODAYLog onto www.lincolnshiretoday.net03_Layout 1 20/03/2015 12:28 Page 1Get out there!With the Easter holidays upon uswe’ve got a host of places to explorein the county26 EXPLORING LINCOLNSHIRE ON FOOTBourne, Dyke and Cawthorpe44 SPRINGING TO LIFENew seasonal produce makes it theperfect time to visit the county’s topculinary establishments, as our diningguide illustrates52 WONDER ON THE WATERFRONTWe see how Burton Waters has become amuch sought after destination in whichto work, relax and to live59 GIVING GOLF A GOWhy not pick up a club this spring andmake the most of the county’s topcourses?66 YOU AND YOUR HORSEOur equine expert has more advice tohelp with your four-legged friends74 WHAT’S ON IN LINCOLNSHIREThe top shows and events in the countyover the next few weeksFeatures6 THIS MONTH IN LINCOLNSHIREWhat’s been going on in the county?28 THE POWER OF PRINTSBurst into life this spring with ourfabulous fashion pages40 GLAM AFTER THE GLOOMWhat better way to shake off winter thanwith a new look?contentsAPRIL2828PRINTS AND PATTERNS ARE HUGELY POPULARON THIS SEASON’S NEW OUTFITS AND ADDPLENTY OF COLOUR TO YOUR SPRINGWARDROBE04-05_Layout 1 20/03/2015 12:30 Page 142 TRAINING FOR TWOWhat to expect when you’re expectingwith health and fitness advice62 BUSINESS LINCSThe very latest news from around thecounty68 A TASTE OF THINGS TO COMEThe latest cars hitting the road comeunder the spotlight78 A LABOUR OF LOVETop band UB40 are heading toLincolnshire, and we met up with themDesirablehomes12 THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDSClassic meets contemporary in adelightful home in Heighington16 MODERN CLASSICSThe easy way to incorporate new ideasinto your home18 GRAND GARDENINGGrimsthorpe Castle opens this month,and we take a look behind the scenes24 GO GREEN IN YOUR GARDENStay sustainable with a sense of style withour gardening expertSocial scenes8 LINCOLN SPORTSMAN’S CLUB49 ADAM GIBBONS SPORTS FOUNDATION FUND BALL50 ELECTRIC BAR BIRTHDAY PARTY65LINCOLN BUTCHERS ASSOCIATION CHARITY BALL1212A DELIGHTFUL BARN CONVERSION INHEIGHINGTON MAKES THE BEST USE OF ABEAUTIFUL BUILDING TO PROVIDE A FABULOUSMODERN HOME04-05_Layout 1 20/03/2015 12:30 Page 2Witham Sailing Club is looking forward to getting even more people afloat in Boston this year after a £10,000 Sport England grant helpedthe club buy new boats. The new boats were needed to meet increased demand for low cost sailing at the club following the successfulintroduction of a new Saturday Sailing initiative in 2013.Saturday Sailing was launched to offer local youngsters the chance to learn to sail and cater for new adult club members who wanted toimprove their skills.Dave Sauntson, Witham SC Development Officer, says, “This season we aim to build on what we’ve learned the past two years and theactivities which have proved most popular. Most of all we want people to have fun.”Witham’s whole training fleet will be on duty when the club offers you the chance to try sailing for free on Saturday 9th May, as part ofPush The Boat Out.LATEST NEWSA big celebration ofreadingChildren at three Lincolnnurseries marked WorldBook Day with a fun-filledday of activities, designedto create a love of readingfrom an early age.Youngsters at the threeChildren 1st Day Nurseriesin Lincoln have beengetting into the literaryspirit by attending nurserydressed as their favouritecharacter from theirfavourite book. While a loveof reading can be started atan early age within nursery, children benefit the most whenreading is seen as a family activity, one which takes placeregularly within the home. As such, children were invited tobring in their favourite book which they could then readduring Story Time in nursery.Children 1st founder Margaret Mason says, “With so manygood books available it’s easy for parents and educators tohelp children develop a love of reading. It doesn’t have to beexpensive. Book shops often have good offers, libraries offer awealth of books to loan for free and swapping books withfamily and friends is a great way of sharing a hugely valuablelearning resource.”National award forCyden HomesCyden Homes has won national recognition for their development atSpringfield Meadows in Scartho, Grimsby. Cyden Homes won the best inclass award for a medium-sized development at the LABC Bricks awards.Peter Bond of Cyden Homes says, “While we are delighted our qualityon this development has been recognised on the national stage, we wantpeople to know that we expect the same level of quality on all of ourdevelopments and that this isn’t just a one-off.”As well as the successful ongoing developments in Scartho and atPelham Heights at Scartho Top, Cyden Homes are also now finishing offThe Grange in the Woods at New Waltham and have recently starteddevelopments at Miller’s Yard in Alford and Pilgrim’s Gate in Boston.Their continuing success has also led to the announcement of newdevelopments at Par 3 in Humberston, The Pavilions in Faldingworth, TheQuarter in Grimsby and Pingley Park near Brigg.New boatsboost to getmore Bostonpeople sailing06-07_Layout 1 24/03/2015 07:39 Page 1West Lindsey commemoratescentenary of First World WarA poignant moment of reflectiontook place in Gainsborough tomark a hundred years since thestart of the First World War.As part of a nationalevent, Councillor MalcolmParish, Chairman of WestLindsey District Council,performed a singlecommemorative act oflighting andextinguishing four candles as well as raising theCommonwealth flag at the Guildhall, Gainsborough.The extinguishing of the candles represents a speech made100 years ago by Sir Edward Grey, Foreign Secretary on theeve of Britain entering the First World War, “The lamps aregoing out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in ourlifetime.”Malcolm Parish says, “These two ceremonies stand side by sidethis year to mark an important moment in our country’s history aswell as encouraging everyone in the district to understand ourconnections with other Commonwealth countries around theworld.”LATEST NEWSKids inspiredby This Girl CancampaignPupils at the PrioryAcademy LSST school inLincoln have been gettingbehind Sport England’snational campaign toencourage more women andgirls to take part in sportafter a school-widecompetition to create thebest ‘This Girl Can’ inspiredmedia project.Entries from all year groupsat the school, in the form of photographs, videos and posters, were enteredinto the competition and an overall winner was chosen by judges fromLincolnshire Sport.The winning entry came from a group of Year 8 students - Emily Moore,Joanna Moomba, Heather Addo-Smith, Aleena James and GillianCampomanes-Addo, and will be submitted to Sport England, theCounty Sports Partnership Network and the national ThisGirl Can campaign team. Emily says, “This Girl Caninspired us because it’s for everyoneregardless of age or ability.”Pupils to benefit from newwildlife gardenA number of partners have cometogether to create a wildlife havenfor pupils at Monks Abbey School.Helped by officers from City ofLincoln Council’s NeighbourhoodWorking and Community Servicesteams, pupils, relatives, staff andstudents from the University ofLincoln transformed a patch ofovergrown land on the edge of theArboretum in just four hours. Pupilsat the school will use the newlycreated garden to take a morehands-on approach to learning aboutwildlife.Paul Carrick, the council’sNeighbourhood Manager for LincolnCentral, helped to co-ordinate theactivity. He says, “This is a greatopportunity for young people in thearea as many do not have gardens or access to open green space.”Pupils worked with volunteers to clear the land and create woodchippaths, in line with a design created by the school council with input from allclasses. The plan for the wildlife area also includes picnic tables and varioushabitats, such as bug hotels and birdboxes fitted with cameras.Virgin’s Champagne BalloonRides over Lincolnshire Get a bird’s-eye view ofLincolnshire’s beautifullandscapes and celebratein style afterwards with aChampagne toast. Ballooning is a sereneand thrilling experiencethat gives you a uniquesense of freedom. Thisyear Virgin BalloonFlights are celebratingtheir 21st birthday, soyou can go up, up andaway for less. TheLincolnshire launch sitesinclude Grantham,Stamford Meadows andGrimsthorpe Castle, allof which offer stunningviews.Whether you’ve got aspecial occasion coming up orwant to take in Lincolnshire’s incredible scenery at newheights, there’s never been a better time to book yourexperience of a lifetime.Regional Weekday Anytime Flights are £99 and you can flyfrom any East Midlands launch site. To claim call 01952212750 and quote ‘Fly Lincoln’ or visitwww.virginballoonflights.co.uk/offer/flylincoln. Visitwww.virginballoonflights.co.uk/legalstuff for full terms andconditions.06-07_Layout 1 24/03/2015 07:39 Page 28 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYSOCIAL SCENEA great save fromJohn LukicThe latest dinner hosted by the Lincoln Sportsmans Club at the Bentley Hotelfeatured a guest appearance by former Leeds and Arsenal goalkeeper John Lukic.The scheduled guest was Eric Bristow but he was unable to attend due to a TVcommitment, so John stepped in at the last minute and, as he did throughout hisdistinguished career, pulled out a great save to ensure the event could go ahead.PHOTOS BY RICHARD PICKSLEYUpcoming Lincoln Sportsman Dinners...• 16th April – Ronni Irani and John Beresford – Cricket and Football• 5th June – Spring Ball – details yet to be confirmedTo contact the club you can email at info@lincolnsportsmans.com, telephone on 01522 508355 or visit the comprehensive website at www.lincolnsportsmans.comDinners are heldat The BentleyHotel, SouthHykeham, LincolnHarry, James andGeorge GilbertIan Bourke andMark CoeBernard Ross, Glen Booth,Roy Froggatt, Peter Carr,Patrick SullivanMark Fern, Lee Wilson, AndySidebottom, Alex BrownIan Turton and IvanRichmondPatrick Sullivan andJohn LukicThe Copsey partyThe Couling partyPaul Dalton, Mike Stafford,Paul Martin, Michael Robinson08_Layout 1 20/03/2015 10:09 Page 1PlanningmayhemDear Lincolnshire Today,May I say how encouraging it is to read amagazine that praises the many attributes ofScunthorpe rather than the derisory comments onenormally hears about the town. The only complaintI would make is that of the planning team whocame up with the idea of one entrance exit at eachside of the road where Next, B&Q, Tesco, Marks &Spencer, Debenhams and a whole host of othersuperstores exist.It’s a nightmare for so many drivers to navigate inand out of at most times of day, but particularly atpeak shopping times and could so easily have beenavoided by simply having another exit entrancepoint around the other side of these retail parks. D BensonScunthorpeREADERS’lettersWe’d love to hear from you. If you have any news, views orissues you would like us to cover, do get in touch.Missed opportunitiesDear Lincolnshire Today,Having returned to Lincolnshire after sometwenty years, I have to say your recent front coverof the two fox cubs encapsulates what broughtme back to the county after so long.Working in a busy city I missed theopportunities I used to take for granted, likestrolling in the woodland, grassland and fenlandof Lincolnshire, enjoying the great outdoors andits variety of wildlife or for that matter cycle towork without having to inhale a lung full of exhaust fumes from vehicles thatwould invariably push us into the kerbside.It’s all too easy to take such things for granted, so kudos to your magazine forsharing with us the beauty of the county and all that it has to offer.S WhittonSpaldingPICK OF THE MONTHThe winner of our letter of the month wins a case of wineWe’d love to hear from you: Lincolnshire Today, Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby, N E Lincs DN31 2QE. Email: lincs-today@blmgroup.co.uk We reserve the right to edit published lettersA new lease of lifeDear Lincolnshire Today,Fascinated to read your article regarding thedevelopment at St John’s Hospital atBracebridge Heath. I remember hearing storiesabout what went on in the hospital when Iwas growing up, but I most associate it withthe decrepit building that has been a blighton the landscape for far too long. It’s amazingto think it’s been left alone for 25 years – Ican’t imagine what those living opposite havefelt. I’m delighted it’s finally beingredeveloped and will stop being a ghost town.D RogersLincoln£2.95 MARCH 2015£2.95 MARCH 2015THE REGION’S FAVOURITE COUNTY MAGAZINETHE REGION’S FAVOURITE COUNTY MAGAZINEwww.blmgroup.co.ukBLMGROUPGROUPBLMWWW.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY.NETWWW.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY.NET25+ years young25+ years youngNew seasonfashionMagnificentmotorsFarm & CountryLinkThe best ofLincolnshireNew seasonfashionMagnificentmotorsFarm & CountryLinkThe best ofLincolnshireThejoys ofSpringThejoys ofSpringPICKOF THEMONTHJezza for PM? Dear Lincolnshire Today,Everyone seems to be getting in a tiz about Jeremy Clarkson after he allegedlypunched a BBC producer recently. Nobody got into trouble, as I recall, after JohnPrescott tried to box the ears off a member of public. So, maybe Jezza should launch his political career off the back of this and join theranks and files of Government – I’m sure he couldn’t do a worse job than most of theones we have in now and, if Boris Johnson ever stands for PM he’ll need a good deputyPM with ‘fresh thinking’ on a number of issues which Clarkson certainly has.T WhitoftLincoln09_Layout 1 20/03/2015 10:04 Page 1Next >