< PreviousLincolnshire’s moment to shineBy the time you read this the OlympicGames may well be underway – and en routeto the stadium the Olympic torch enjoyed aspectacular few days in Lincolnshire, callingeverywhere in the county from Scunthorpe toStamford. Seemingly unusually for the relay itwas also welcomed by generally goodweather!Our cameras were at Yarborough LeisureCentre in Lincoln where the cauldron was litin front of around ten thousand people andthe evening celebrations also included aflypast from Lincolnshire’s own RedArrows. Elsewhere the torch took atrip on the Cleethorpes Coast LightRailway and abseiled down theGrimsby Dock Tower.But how did the Olympic flamespend the night in Lincoln? In fact,the flame was kept under highsecurity on the campus of BishopGrosseteste University CollegeLincoln. Senior management at theuniversity college heard last yearthat they had successfully bid tohost the Olympic Torch relay team,but staff and students at BG weren’ttold until the day it arrived – andsuch was the security surroundingthe overnight stay that nobodyfrom BG was told exactly where on campus the flame was kept.Rob Jones, Director of BG Enterprise says, “A number of high-profile venuesin the area put in bids to host the relay and it’s another feather in our cap inour 150th anniversary year that we were chosen as the host venue.”Lincolnshirenews10 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYMPs and Lords shoot it outCamera-crazy MP Austin Mitchell joined Lincolnshirephotographer Mike Maloney to review the best photos takenby our elected representatives.The annual Jessops All-Party Parliamentary PhotographicCompetition, now in its tenth year, is open to all membersof both the House of Commons and House of Lords with thewinning photographs chosen by a panel of photographicindustry experts. This year over four hundred entries weresubmitted, displaying a diverse range of imagery taken fromboth the politicians’ personal and professional lives.The winning photographers from the House of Commonsare Andrew Miller MP, Caroline Flint MP, Nick RaynsfordMP, Austin Mitchell MP and Peter Luff MP. Lord Crathorneis the sole winner from the House of Lords.Dr Mike Maloney OBE, chairman of the judging panel,says, “The quality of entries at this year’s All PartyPhotographic Competition has been at an all time high.Many of the photographs look like they were taken byprofessional photographers rather than members of bothHouses.”A new dawn for Sutcliffe InsuranceBrokers from 1st AugustSutcliffe Insurance Brokers, formerly known as Sutcliffe Solloway & Co Ltd (alsotrading as Weller Russell & Laws) has undergone a rebrand. Dating back to 1977,with its origins in the marine cargo and transport sector, the present-day companyhas developed into a modern, forward-thinking Commercial and Personal InsuranceBroker. With offices in Grimsby, Boston and Peterborough, Sutcliffe Insurance Brokerswork within the local community, serving a variety of businesses. Benefiting from a wealth of knowledge and experience, the company and itsspecialist teams in commercial and personal insurance offer a trusted and tailoredservice. Dedicated handlers take the stress and hassle away from arranginginsurances and avoid having to deal with call centres. Along with the rebrand and a customer-focused standpoint, Sutcliffe Insurance Brokers are launching their ‘Executive’ service, a range ofHome Insurance products. 07-10:Layout 1 13/7/12 12:34 Page 4Muddy hell!Dear Lincolnshire Today,What a boon it was that the Lincolnshire Show braved the rain! I’ve just seen on thenews that the Great Yorkshire Show was rained off after just one day. With the amountof rain that’s fallen in the last few weeks, I’m amazed more of our fair county isn’tsubmerged! The second day of the Lincolnshire Show was a deluge, but to be fair to theorganisers, they managed really well. I visit every year with my disabled partner and wehad no problem getting around, even with the ground turning into a muddy mess. Itjust goes to show, if you are prepared for it, anything can be overcome. We won’t be making it up to Yorkshire’s effort this year, butwe know we’ll always make the effort to get to the Lincolnshire Showground.D LorrisHorblingIf you have something to say that you wish to share with the rest of Lincolnshire Today readers please dropus a line to the usual address.The best of the mailbag will win a case of wine.Lincolnshire Today Magazine, Armstrong House, Armstrong Street, Grimsby, N E Lincs DN31 2QE Email: lincs-today@blmgroup.co.uk HAVE YOUR SAYGoing for goldDear Lincolnshire Today,I’m somewhat tired of people complaining about the expense of the OlympicGames. When the torch came through Cleethorpes it brought the resort together in away I haven’t seen for many years. OK, so the games are in London but we surelyaren’t so insular that something has to be right on our doorstep to be of interest. I’ll becheering on all of Team GB – not just those from Lincolnshire!A GoldCleethorpesReaders’LETTERSPickof theMonthLINCOLNSHIRETODAY11Showstoppers!Dear Lincolnshire Today,I’d like to commend you on the qualityof your marquee at the LincolnshireShow. Fortunately I attended on theopening day when the sun was shining,and greatly appreciated the chance torelax and listen to the live music. Inoticed your competition to win a tankof fuel was enjoying a huge response – agreat idea in these economic tough times!I look forward to seeing you at the Show– and getting hold of one of your bagsagain – next year.S SmithLincolnEd: Thanks very much! Incidentally, it’scongratulations to John Milner of Newarkwho was the lucky winner of our competitionat the Show.Reaching new heightsDear Lincolnshire Today,Your interview with Jade Etherington was certainlyinspiring – I’m terrified of skiing at the best of timesso taking part when you’re partially sighted must takea huge amount of courage. I cheered Jade on whenshe ran though Lincoln with the torch and I wish herall the best for her future success!T JonesLincoln11:Layout 1 13/7/12 12:36 Page 112 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYGAINSBOROUGHGainsborough is a town setto grow beyond measureover the next few years,but what brings people tothe town in the first place?The court of King Henry VIII wouldhave roared with approval almost asmuch as today’s staff must have donewhen they heard the news - The OldHall in Gainsborough has won theInspiration Award for Best SpecialProject in the Lincolnshire HeritageAwards.Once visited by the iconic monarchas he toured the country, the medievalmanor house built by Sir ThomasBurgh had been finished ten yearsbefore Henry was born – but is muchthe same today as when it wasfinished in 1480.Today it’s possible to climb thebuilding’s tower - although the view tobe seen to the top is considerablydifferent from that enjoyed by theBurgh family and their Royal guests.Vast vistas of farmland aren’t soclose to the building as they used tobe, with the development ofGainsborough – oddly at only one sideof the River Trent – having altered theview.As Lincolnshire County CouncillorEddy Poll, Executive Member forCultural Services, tells us, theauthority had put significantinvestment in to the building. He says,“It’s great to have our effortsrecognised like this. This project hashelped bring history to life for visitors,showcasing the Lincolnshire story likenever before. If you’ve yet to explorewhat Gainsborough Old Hall has tooffer, make sure you pay a visit soon.”Like the Old Hall, the formerMarshall’s tractor factory which oncestood forlorn and unloved today has aplace in the community as a retaildestination. Where once stood an 11-acre building employing thousands ofmen making agricultural machines inpeacetime and munitions and midgetsubmarines in wartime, there is now acollection of welcoming shops, cafesand a very versatile exhibition space.All are as popular with the locals aswith visitors.In a nod to the company’s past, TheMarshall Rally is being organised bythe Gainsborough & District HeritageAssociation to mark the sixtiethanniversary of the Field Marshall Series3A, the last of the company’s iconicmachines.Held at Williamson’s Farm onThonock Road, a mile north of thetown, it takes place on Saturday 4thand Sunday 5th August. Although the event is primarily aGainsborough’s OldHall has just beenthe subject ofdevelopment, and isnow a wedding venueas well as a piece ofLincolnshire historyRegenerationand renewalMark and Lucy Picksley withson Hayden at Marshall’sYard in GainsboroughRegenerationand renewal12-14:Layout 1 13/7/12 12:39 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY13GAINSBOROUGHtractor rally, the exhibits extend totraction engines, road rollers,commercial vehicles, stationaryengines, modelers, trade and craft stallholders, organs, and classic vehicles.Although a Marshall Rally, exhibitorsof other makes and models who maywish to exhibit are welcome.For Marshall Tractor owners, aninteresting point to note is that thefields in which the rally is to be heldwere once used for testing by the firm.The Marshall factory story is one ofregeneration and renewal, which canbe told elsewhere in Gainsborough,with dereliction and decay swept asidein favour of the future. The Trinity ArtsCentre, formerly a disused and unlovedchurch, has been given a new lease oflive as a 200-seat venue for films andlive performances. When the town’spolice force left their former station, itwas taken over by a theatre companyand wryly named The Old Nick.We’d recommend a visit. Bybuilding for its future with an eye onits past, Gainsborough has become anattractive destination that believes initself and its community, and willreward with pleasant surprises thosewho haven’t been for some time.Serving the communityIt might be only a small town, butit’s full of people with big hearts, say acouple making a difference to thecommunity in Gainsborough.Mark Picksley was one of the last tobe born in the town’s now-closedmaternity home, and his wife Lucywent there in her early teens, but nowneither can imagine being anywhereelse.“That’s what we love aboutGainsborough, as well as the pace oflife here, and the way we’re so close toeverything like work and schools,”says Lucy.And having neighbours who are alsofriends always ready for a chat notonly feels good, but can be a hugepractical help, says Mark, who livesclose enough to work to go there onhis bike if he wants, or to get awayand meet the children from school.He runs the Gainsborough FurnitureResource Centre, a community interestcompany selling second-handfurniture to people who can’t afford tobuy it new, or, for whatever reason,don’t have any. He works with avolunteer staff, and the company iscontrolled by a board of trustees, ofwhich Lucy is a member.Having a social consciencemotivated Mark to take a pay cut andleave his supervisor’s job at golf clubmanufacturer Ping to work for theorganisation. That was about eighteenmonths ago. He and Lucy decided totake it on themselves, and had to setup the new company in a matter ofweeks. “It’s not about having a job, it’sabout serving the community,” saysLucy, who now works for affordablehousing provider Acis.Mark adds, “We’ve been inoperation for six months now, andwe’ve just been able to take on ourfirst apprentice working alongside ourvolunteers.”14 Marshall’s Yard was once at the heart of an internationaltractor-building company; now it’s been re-invented as aretail destinationGainsborough isrightly proud of itsmanufacturing pastand the Marshall Rallywill showcase some ofthe machinery onceproduced in the area12-14:Layout 1 13/7/12 12:39 Page 214 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYGAINSBOROUGHThe couple want to be a force for goodin the community they love by improvingthe quality of life for the people who livewithin it in any way they can. When Lucy worked for West LindseyDistrict Council she worked on a futurejobs project, finding work for people. Herapproach was to find the jobs, and thenfind people who could do them, she says,“My best interview was a man called StuartBailey, who wanted to leave the circus andsettle in Gainsborough to show hischildren a life other than that on the road.He had big hair and a glass eye, which hewasn’t wearing when we met, but offeredto put it in. I found him a job he loves andhe’s still working in. That made a realdifference to him and his family.”Gainsborough Furniture ResourceCentre uses the Facebook socialnetworking site as an effective marketingtool. “About six hundred people have‘liked’ our page on the site in the sixWhat we love aboutGainsboroughWatching the River Trent slide idly by froma vantage point within a few yards of themarket place.The Old Hall. Oodles of history ooze fromthe warm red brick walls, and it’s not hardto imagine Henry VIII hurling a chickenbone to one side and calling for anotherdrink.Visiting the Trinity Arts Centre, whichoffers films and live shows four nights aweek in a 200-seater auditorium createdinside a once-derelict church.The closeness of the countryside. It’spossible to lose yourself in your thoughtsduring miles of walking in nearby woodswhere you’ll hardly see a soul.The market. Filling the Market Place onTuesdays is a busy collection of stallsoffering all sorts of goods. The cleverly-named Old Nick Theatre (itspremises were once a police station). Weespecially like the way theatre-goers aregiven the option to vote on what playsthey’d prefer to see staged by theGainsborough Theatre Company.For a prompt, sympathetic service from a recognised family businessPrivate Chapel of Rest Day and Night ServicePre-paid funeral plans41 Heaton Street, Gainsborough, DN21 2EA(01427) 810619 www.cliffbradley.co.ukCliff Bradley Sons Funeral Directors Ltd&months we’ve been operating, and itworks for us,” says Mark. “We onceadvertised a wardrobe on the site, and itwas sold and delivered inside threehours.”Lucy adds, “It’s a huge strength for usbecause our work is about inclusion andthe removal of barriers, so it helps us toreach people who can’t or won’t drive.”Out of work they love the closeness ofthe countryside. “You’re never more thanten minutes from the woods,” says Mark. They’re also optimistic about the futureof the town, not only for their boys, butalso for other children. Lucy says that arecent event she’d been involved inbrought together lots of agencies todiscuss the future of the town. “Theinteresting thing was that lots ofyoungsters attended. It’s a place whereyoung people want to stay, to be nearbyand part of a family. I want that for mychildren too, and they can do it here.” 12-14:Layout 1 13/7/12 12:39 Page 3Celebrating a new eraat RiseholmePHOTOS BY ALAN LONGCelebrating a new eraat RiseholmeOver 240 students and guests attended Riseholme’s Summer Ballwhich marked the beginning of a new era for the college. FromAugust, further education at Riseholme will be delivered by BishopBurton College instead of the University of Lincoln and thestudents rallied under the new Riseholme College banner whichwas displayed at the Ball.Bishop Burton College is recognised as a centre of vocationalexcellence for both agriculture and equestrian studies. BishopBurton College’s backing for Riseholme secures the future of land-based further education in Lincolnshire.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY15SOCIAL SCENE15:Layout 1 13/7/12 12:40 Page 116:Layout 1 13/7/12 12:41 Page 117:Layout 1 13/7/12 12:41 Page 118 LINCOLNSHIRETODAYREADERS’ HOMESClassic meetscontemporaryThe sitting room is fabulous for entertaining. Themain feature here is a lovely, original marbleopen fireplace with a carved wood surroundThe kitchen/breakfast room is equally as impressive andhas been completely renovated in the last three yearsWestcliffe House, a readers’home with an interesting past...Westcliffe House, a readers’home with an interesting past...Classic meetscontemporary18-21:Layout 1 13/7/12 12:45 Page 1LINCOLNSHIRETODAY19READERS’ HOMESeaders’ homes are a great sourceof inspiration and this is especiallytrue of Stewart and Fiona MacDonald’shome in Ruskington, near Sleaford. Asubstantial and imposing detached periodhome which has been painstakingly refurbished.Together, the MacDonalds have created a superbfamily home, which retains many of its attractivecharacter features.We recently visited the property and Stewartkindly gave us the guided tour, sharing with us thehistory of this prominent house...A vibrant pastWestcliffe House was built some time between1906 and 1920 by Sir Robert Pattinson, a localbuilder and prominent Liberal MP of that era. Helived in a similar property in Station Road,Ruskington and built Westcliffe House for hisdaughter, who married in 1920 and became MrsGarrett. The property was then owned by a MrsGoodall, who lived there with her two daughters. Westcliffe House has indeed enjoyed a long andcolourful history. During the Second World War, thehouse was used as the Officers Mess for the 1stAirborne Division of the RAF. They occupied thehouse for one year before they went to Arnhem andeven practised jumping from the flat roof over theutility room onto mattresses! There is a panel in AllSaints Church, Ruskington dedicated to the menwho served.Between 1947 and 1954, the house was owned byMr and Mrs Hart. Mr Hart had been a diplomat andhis son, from a previous marriage, who was anofficer in the RAF, was killed in the Second WorldWar. The couple’s daughter was born in what is nowthe guest bedroom.During that period, the Harts opened WestcliffeTea Rooms, using the lounge as a tea room. Withclose connections to the RAF, the couple often helddances for the officers in the lounge and, althoughthe wooden floor has since been sanded, there arestill a few stiletto heel marks on the dining roomfloor where they danced the night away!20 RWestcliffe House is asubstantial and imposingdetached period residenceThe family room or snug is a perfectplace to relax in the evening18-21:Layout 1 13/7/12 12:45 Page 2Next >