< Previous50 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY LINCS & NOTTS AIR AMBULANCE Proudly serving the families of Gainsborough and the surrounding areas for over 5ȋ years With sincere empathy and understanding, .%*#ˏ"+.ˏyour loved ones as if they were our own. As your local family run and owned funeral directors, we have dedicated our lives to guiding those in our community through the difficult times of bereavement. 41 Heaton Street, Gainsboroughȑ DN21 2EA39 High Street, Saxilby, LN1 2HA www.cliffbradley.co.uk info@cliffbradley.co.uk Funeral Plans from £2,785 Private Chapel of Rest Day and Night Service Pre-paid funeral plans 01427 81061901522 708888 Keeping Your Business Moving Commercial Trailer Specialists in Stallingborough, Grimsby T: 01469 574239 M: 07711 496138 E: glcommercials@btinternet.com W: www.glcommercials.com ESTABLISHED IN 1780 Cleethorpes Humberston Road, Cleethorpes, N E Lincs, DN36 4RW Tel- 01472 313600 Lincoln Newark Road, South Hykeham, Lincoln LN6 9NT Tel- 01522 880033 Sleaford London Road, Silk Willoughby, Sleaford NG34 8NY Tel- 01529 304970 www.pennells.co.uk service has been aided in no small part by the inauguration of a new, top-of-the- range helicopter for its crews. The charity effort’s current air ambulance is an AgustaWestland169, a far cry from the charity’s first ambucopter, an ex-police Bolkow aircraft. Weighing in at 4800 kilograms and measuring just under 15 metres longs, it stands at the cutting edge of medical aviation and technology. Besides its ability to bypass road congestion to reach its destination, its top recorded speed of 216 miles per hour allows it to reach any given point across Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire – an area covering 3,500 square miles – in less than 20 minutes. All of that with fewer pit-stops to refuel, as it can fly for 2.5 hours on a full tank. If it so desired, it could fly for 375 miles (as far as 46-51.qxp_Layout 1 21/03/2022 14:23 Page 5LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 51 LINCS & NOTTS AIR AMBULANCE Germany) in one uninterrupted flight. With the introduction of this new vehicle, the Air Ambulance can reach almost anybody who might need it. However, there are still situations where this one helicopter may be unable to fly, such as during maintenance which requires it be grounded for more than a day. In these cases, there is always a relief helicopter on standby. But some emergencies are unable to be attended by helicopter, and that’s where the Critical Care Car comes in. In poor weather conditions or in densely packed urban areas like the city of Nottingham, the car transports identical life-saving equipment to the gear stored in the helicopter, with blue lights and sirens to negotiate through traffic just the same as NHS emergency vehicles. September 2020 saw the launch of a new Critical Care Car in Nottingham itself. The dedicated emergency response vehicle for the city operates for a few days each week. Because a helicopter couldn’t land anywhere within the city centre, this new measure is needed to save lives, in particular on busy Saturday nights. Increased operational hours and new emergency vehicles for the Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance, on top of the cost and hard work every mission takes, are achieved first and foremost by public donations. Without the generosity of its supporters, the service would never have been able to take flight. It doesn’t receive any direct government funding, as it isn’t part of the NHS. And yet, in one streamlined service with a tight-knit crew, it carries the equipment and professionals of an A&E unit directly to patients in dire need of life-saving medical treatment. Every mission requires an average of £3,500 in funding. And every year, funding the upkeep of the helicopter, its crew, fuel and medical supplies, and more besides, totals up to costs of £7.4 million. This funding is now also needed to continue efforts towards a permanent 24- hour operation schedule. There’s a number of ways you can support this vital organisation – from shopping in one of its charity shops, donating your time as a volunteer, joining the weekly lottery for just £1 a week. You could also gift a donation in your will, or just make a one- off donation via the website www.ambucopter.org.uk. 46-51.qxp_Layout 1 21/03/2022 14:23 Page 652 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY FAMILY MATTERS © stock.adobe.com/imageegami 52-55.qxp_Layout 1 21/03/2022 14:24 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 53 FAMILY MATTERS E nergy costs have long been a problematic area for the elderly. Poor insulation, energy-inefficient homes and cold winters have all conspired to leave many feeling starved and cold in the winter months. Now thanks to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and soaring oil prices, the matter could get much worse. That this should happen at any time is bad enough, but the county is experiencing a cold snap of late, and there is yet no indication that the war in Ukraine will come to a sudden halt. Even if it does, international sanctions placed on Russia as punishment for the aggression could see these prices stay for a long time. Government initiatives to reduce the UK’s dependency on Russian energy are being suggested, but these are all long-term and expensive solutions such as replacing boilers with heat source pumps or investing in higher- grade insulation of homes. Something that the same Government argued rather stringently against when it came to the Insulate Britain protests last year. At the time of writing (and this may certainly change) oil is being priced at just below £2 per litre, which is up more than three times compared to its price of around £0.60 per litre earlier this very year. Since there are many rural homes that still run on oil and large boilers, especially in countryside homes that are dotted across Lincolnshire, this presents a major problem that is unlikely to go away anytime soon. Even homes that do run on gas aren’t going to have a much easier time of it as energy prices continue to rise. The cost of living for young working couples has already been rising steadily, and it’s worse for pensioners. This is a problem that is taking place all over the globe unfortunately. In Florence, Italy, a new movement called “adopt a bill” (or ‘adotta una bolletta’ in Italian) has seen generous people opt to adopt the bills of the vulnerable elderly, paying either for the energy costs in full or even just a portion of their costs. Combined with other members of the community, this has seen many vulnerable people through colder months. This scheme is not only open to individuals, but to organisations and companies as well, allowing businesses to give back to the local community, reap the PR benefits and also directly help the elderly stay warm. Whatever the motives, this scheme can only be a good thing, and many online have taken interest and asked if the same couldn’t be brought to the UK. There are difficulties to this of 54 Á As an impact of the war in Ukraine, oil and energy prices are soaring – and combined with the colder weather we’ve been experiencing of late, this may well prove difficult for the older generation to handle. 52-55.qxp_Layout 1 21/03/2022 14:24 Page 254 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY FAMILY MATTERS Funeral Services Our funeral homes provide the best facilities including private arrangement rooms and peaceful chapels of rest. We also provide a funeral dividend during this difficult time of bereavement. A service from caring professionals To find out more contact your nearest funeral home: Lincolnshire.coop/storefinder course. The most obvious is that someone would need to oversee dispensing the money and accessing records. Energy companies cannot simply allow well-intentioned people to access financial records of the vulnerable, and there are obviously terrible people who would abuse it if they did. As such, there would need to be an organisation, charitable or local council-led, that would act as an intermediary. Like many charities this would require funding, instantly taking up some of the donated money, and like most charities they would have to deal with a raft of other problems and costs. Worse still, is that they would need to deal with a major problem that charities like Age UK face today – that many elderly people do not wish to be seen as in need of charity, and as such refuse to reach out for help. The wish for independence, financially or otherwise, has been raised as a major reason why the adopt a bill scheme might not fare so well in the UK. There are in fact Government schemes and funding for elderly people who cannot afford energy costs – it is called Pension Credit, and much like Universal Credit is designed to help alleviate costs of pensioners. Pension Credit can grant up to £7,000 per pensioner, and yet it remains one of the least utilised of all credit schemes the Government runs. Again, the reason given for this is that few people seek to take advantage of it for many of their own reasons. © stock.adobe.com/Sy Finch 52-55.qxp_Layout 1 21/03/2022 14:24 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 55 FAMILY MATTERS Ultimately, trying to help the vulnerable will never be as easy as covering their costs for them, as this does not remove the root of the problem and will only ever be a temporary solution. The rising costs of oil and the county – even the country’s – dependence on it is something that will require much more work to fix, and likely investment. In the short term, the best way to help those struggling may well be to point them in the direction of Government aid and encourage them to make use of it. Hundreds of thousands of people across the UK take financial aid from the Government without it having to mean a loss of independence or be a sign of weakness. Old-fashioned ideas and stereotypes may well be the greatest impediment, but pride should not be allowed to place people at risk. © stock.adobe.com/Ocskay Mark 01775 711 959 www.countrycourtcare.com Spalding Common, Spalding, Lincolnshire, PE11 3AS Fenchurch House Care Home Fenchurch House provides the kind of care we’d want all of our loved ones to receive. Our brand new home is beautifully furnished, whilst retaining a warm family atmosphere that makes Fenchurch House feel extra special. If you’re concerned about how your relative is coping and would like them to have more support, Fenchurch House provides family-led care in a luxurious and homely environment. • Bistro Café • Fisherman’s Arms Pub • Hair and pamper salon For more information about life at Fenchurch House Care Home contact Customer Relations Advisor Morgan Hicks on 07834 790 400 or email morgan.hicks@countrycourtcare.com. • Tailored meaningful activities • Daily Fine Dining • Luxury en-suite bedrooms 52-55.qxp_Layout 1 21/03/2022 14:24 Page 456 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY COUNTY MOTORING Latest on offer 56-59.qxp_Layout 1 21/03/2022 14:26 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 57 COUNTY MOTORING BMW 2 Series Coupé Striking looks, exceptional handling and classical rear-wheel drive will leave potential customers of the new BMW 2 Series Coupé in no doubt that this is a car to excite and inspire. The new generation of the two-door model incorporates the new BMW design language to highlight a fresh, youthful feel with meticulously engineered and perfectly balanced driving attributes. Reaffirming its sector-leading status, the BMW 2 Series Coupé boasts rear- wheel drive, a six-cylinder in-line engine option and new equipment features that combine to underscore its standout sporting characteristics. The advances made over the predecessor model are also reflected in a far broader range of driver assistance systems and the latest connectivity innovations. Vauxhall Grandland The New Grandland is built on Vauxhall’s Efficient Modular Platform 2 (EMP2) – a multi-energy platform that supports both electrification as well as This month we take a look at some of the newest cars set to release – with a little for everyone along the way. Whether it’s for business or pleasure, it’s hard to imagine looking unfashionable in one of these. 58 Á BMW 2 Series Coupé 56-59.qxp_Layout 1 21/03/2022 14:26 Page 258 LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY COUNTY MOTORING advanced petrol and diesel powertrains, which are manufactured at the Eisenach facility on the same line for superior production efficiency. From launch, customers will be able to choose between petrol, diesel, or plug-in HYBRID-e powertrains. Plug-in HYBRID- e models are capable of up to 39 miles in all-electric mode (EAER)1 (WLTP) and achieve overall CO2 emissions as low as 31g/ km, making them ideal for business users with a benefit-in-kind (BiK) rate of 11% (2021-2022) and 12% (2022-2023). Renault Rive Gauche Renault has made its award-winning Captur even more of an attractive proposition with the addition of the highly distinctive Rive Gauche. Sitting next to the R.S. Line trim at the top of the range, the Rive Gauche stands out from its Captur stablemates with an array of eye-catching design elements, both externally and within its inviting interior. Its elegant style pays homage to its namesake, the special edition’s title coming from the southern bank of the River Seine in Paris with Rive Gauche translating to “left bank” in French. Only 800 of the Rive Gauche are destined for the UK, the limited production run adding to the special edition’s exclusivity and ensuring it will be highly sought-after by compact SUV buyers. Citroen C5 Aircross The new C5 Aircross introduces an exterior design with a more vertical and modern front end, to reinforce the Vauxhall Grandland Citroen C5 Aircross 56-59.qxp_Layout 1 21/03/2022 14:26 Page 3LINCOLNSHIRE TODAY 59 COUNTY MOTORING character of what is a safe and imposing vehicle. The revitalised front grille adds to the assertive new look, with the styling echoing the appearance of both New C4 and the forthcoming New C5 X. The work done to the front of the model also helps to improve aerodynamics, whilst the glossy or anodised detailing – in colours such as Glossy Black and Dark Chrome – demonstrate the model’s more upmarket positioning. The updated model’s signature front end design features a new version of the iconic Citroën logo, now seemingly detached from the daytime running lights, as was seen on previous models. The chevrons appear in black lacquer in a chrome setting, which now stand out against the central grille. ŠKODA FABIA Monte Carlo The sporty Monte Carlo variants have contributed to the FABIA’s success since 2011. They are inspired by the brand’s numerous motorsport victories at the legendary rally and complement the S, SE Comfort, SE L and Colour Edition trims. The powertrain options available for the Monte Carlo variant include a triple-cylinder 1.0-litre engine and a four- cylinder 1.5 TSI, with power outputs of 110 PS and 150 PS respectively. Built on Volkswagen Group’s MQB-A0 modular platform, the fourth-generation FABIA features more dynamic proportions and a more emotive design. This look is further enhanced by details such as the black ŠKODA grille, model-specific front and rear aprons, a black rear diffuser and black alloy wheels with a diameter of 17 to 18 inches. The 17-inch Procyon alloy wheels are exclusive to the FABIA Monte Carlo. Renault Rive Gauche ŠKODA FABIA Monte Carlo 56-59.qxp_Layout 1 21/03/2022 14:26 Page 4Next >