£2.95 NOVEMBER 2019 THE REGION’S FAVOURITE COUNTY MAGAZINE WWW.LINCOLNSHIRETODAY.NET www.blmgroup.co.uk BLM GROUPGROUP BLM £2.95 NOVEMBER 2019 THE REGION’S FAVOURITE COUNTY MAGAZINE New season fashion Homes & gardens What’s on Christmas inspiration New season fashion Homes & gardens What’s on Christmas inspiration 01.qxp_Layout 1 14/10/2019 11:00 Page 1* Wedding Packages from £4500 * Bespoke Weddings from £1500 Bailgate | Lincoln | Lincolnshire LN1 3AR For more details, a wedding pack or to arrange an appointment, please call us on 01522 563 298 | email weddings@whitehart-lincoln.co.uk www.whitehart-lincoln.co.uk Follow us on twitter @WhiteHartLN1 * Please ask for further details, terms & conditions apply THE PERFECT WEDDING LOCATION The White Hart Hotel offers a truly breathtaking setting to host the most important day of your life. We offer packages that combine a magical venue with a first class service, making sure that your wedding day is everything you dreamed it would be and more! With inclusive packages to suit your ideas, your dream wedding day at the White Hart Hotel could be closer than you think! ONLINE SHOPPING Be Safe, Be Secure A padlock on the address bar is good. It no longer guarantees that the shop is legitimate. Research the organisation. Look at independent review sites, reviews on their own website could be made up! Use a credit card for online purchases. Many larger credit card companies insure you for online purchases. Limit the amount of information you give out. only fill out the mandatory fields. Keep all of your devices up to date. Don’t keep postponing them, as it leaves security holes. Always use a strong password. At least 8 characters, numbers, upper, lower case and symbols. Use a unique, different password. DO NOT use the same password as your emails or online banking. Use two-factor authentication. It adds an extra layer of protection. Use a password manager. If you have lots of accounts, passwords can be difficult to manage. Use anti-malware on every device, including your phone. Choose the one with the highest catch rate. Be careful when you receive offers through email that seem too good to be true. TIPS FOR STAYING SAFE ONLINE: antees that the shop is legitimate. sites, reviews on their own website could be made up! card companies insure you for online purchases. e mandatory fields. hem, as it leaves security holes. , upper, lower case and symbols. ord as your emails or online banking. n. can be difficult to manage. he one with the highest catch rate. d to be true. They usually are! NLINE: For further information about staying safe online: Tel: 01673 898001 Email: info@thearmourgroup.uk THE ARMOUR GROUP 27 Market Place, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, LN8 3HL www.thearmourgroup.uk WARNING! ACTIVE VIRUS DETECTED ALERT LEVEL: HIGH REMOVE VIRUS IGNORE 02.qxp_Layout 1 14/10/2019 10:52 Page 1from the editor As November arrives, we look toward the spectre of Christmas and ask ourselves if we’ve finished all our preparations yet, to which the inevitable answer will be no. There are presents to buy, a tree to procure and decorate, family pets to pull out of said tree and no shortage of other jobs to do, and we’re not even in December yet. In the grand scheme of things, there’s still plenty of time – what with Christmas being the 25th, we have anywhere from 30 to 55 days until it lands. Think too hard on that, however, and you’ll likely do as I and realise ten days from Christmas that you haven’t done a thing. That’s the problem with November. While it’s one of my favourite months as the nights turn dark and lights come out, it always feels like it’s eclipsed by December, when it’s a month that deserves its own attention. Just take a walk out on a late November afternoon to see what I mean, when the sun begins to set and bathes the sky in shades of red and blue. Lincolnshire’s beauty takes a darker but no less delightful spectacle. Luckily, while the nights may come sooner, that’s not to say the county goes to sleep. Lincolnshire’s nightlife is booming in November, and there are plenty of glitz and glam events to look forward to. There’s bonfire night for one, with fireworks lighting the sky and jacket potatoes on cold winter nights to keep us warm before a huge fire. Our November issue can’t quite escape the Christmas feel, but we’ve included plenty of ways to keep active and have fun through November as well. Winter is also a common time for weddings, so if you know anyone planning – or are preparing to propose yourself – take a look at our winter weddings section to see why so many people are eschewing warm summer shots for picturesque snowy scenes. Alongside that, we look at work to be done around the garden and house, wonderful gift ideas for those looking for a leg-up on their Christmas shopping, and a visit to am exciting reader’s home. All that and more within our November issue. Good reading, as always… Michael Fisher Editor and the Lincolnshire Today team The magazine that cares WE CARE because we want to leave our world a better place than we found it Lincolnshire Today believes that being socially and environmentally responsible is the key to maintaining a flourishing business that our customers will be pleased to use and our staff will be proud to be part of. Community - From a very local point of view, we strive to be a ‘good neighbour’. We also extend that into the much broader local community, through financial support of local causes and charities. Environment - Our actions extend to: conservation of energy and natural resources, minimisation of waste and ensuring our trading partners do likewise. Group Editor: Steve Fisher Editor: Michael Fisher, Journalists: Dominic Cuthbert, Stuart Pearcey, 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 HTTP://AIRPOWERART.CO.UK LincolnshireToday @lincstoday lincolnshiretoday.net 03.qxp_Layout 1 14/10/2019 11:02 Page 1Features 6 THIS MONTH IN LINCOLNSHIRE What’s been going on in the county this month? 11IN CONVERSATION WITH… We recently chatted with local author James Hazel about his writing career, mental health, the inspiration of Lincolnshire and the latest novel is his crime thriller series 24LINCOLNSHIRE WILDLIFE Starlings are a fairly common sight in British gardens, but they’re also responsible for one of the most breath-taking displays in all of nature 26THIS CHARMING MARKET TOWN This month we put the spotlight on Brigg, a market town that offers something for everyone 30LAYERING UP It’s getting colder – time to layer up. Autumn/winter fashion gives you room to experiment and these outfits will provide you with plenty of inspiration. We’re also getting closer to the party season, so try injecting a little glamour into your look ahead of the Christmas/New Year rush 36STAYING HOT What better excuse than late autumn and early winter is there to break out all those seasonal accessories? We’re talking boots, gloves, scarves, knitwear and more 38STAYING SHARP Wrapping up doesn’t have to mean giving up on style, as these outfits prove 40WHAT’S HOT THIS WINTER As we start to leave autumn and enter winter’s chill, we see the return of our favourite staples but also witness a surprising continuation of trends not native to the season 42WINTER WORK-OUT With the weather only getting colder and drearier, Christmas to start preparing for and darker days and nights, there are several excuses to put off exercise this season 45TIS ALMOST THE SEASON It’s not quite December but we’re moving toward it nonetheless with colder evenings and darker nights. We’ll move onto traditional Christmas fare next month, but in the meanwhile how about some easy treats and sumptuous cocktails to whet our whistles? NOVEMBER IT’S GETTING COLDER – TIME TO LAYER UP. AUTUMN/WINTER FASHION GIVES YOU ROOM TO EXPERIMENT AND THESE OUTFITS WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH PLENTY OF INSPIRATION. contents 04-05.qxp_Layout 1 14/10/2019 11:04 Page 1WITH THE WEATHER ONLY GETTING COLDER AND DREARIER, CHRISTMAS TO START PREPARING FOR AND DARKER DAYS AND NIGHTS, THERE ARE SEVERAL EXCUSES TO PUT OFF EXERCISE THIS SEASON. 51WINTER WEDDINGS Winter weddings are perfect for the couple that wants to stand out, or just to show their wilder side – and with many people proposing during the holiday period, it can be a great way of remembering the moment 58LINCOLNSHIRE HERITAGE EXPLORED One rich aspect of Lincolnshire’s heritage is its wealth of churches many of which are in the Fens 61THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS Beat the stress of the festive season with Lincolnshire Today’s helpful supplement exploring everything from the tree to present inspiration 68THE GIFT OF GIVING Christmas is truly the season of giving, a chance to treat friends and family to something special 72COUNTY MOTORING This month we look at some cars we might expect to see on our roads soon enough – from superminis to SUVS and some new takes on well-known and beloved models 76WHAT’S ON There’s always something going on in Lincolnshire Desirable homes 12IDYLLIC AND PEACEFUL - THE PERFECT FAMILY HOME For this month’s featured property we look to Great Coates, where one will find the stunning Dairy Farm Cottage, which perfectly blends modern and classic country ambience 16IN DREAMSCAPES This month we take a closer work at the charming fantastical works of Bret Burkham 18A GARDEN IN HARMONY WITH NATURE What a green-fingered lot we are in Lincolnshire – here at Lincolnshire Today we travel the length and breadth of the county to visit reader’s gardens and attempt to reveal how, with a little hard work and inspiration, it’s possible to create the most interesting of gardens 22REMEMBER REMEMBER THE GARDEN IN NOVEMBER While it may seem the garden has started to hibernate for the winter, you can still make it a place full of colour and fragrance, as Ed Fuller from Fullers Landscaping explains 04-05.qxp_Layout 1 14/10/2019 11:04 Page 2Treasures from London’s V&A and National Portrait Gallery can be seen in a blockbuster exhibition in Lincoln. The ‘Victoria & Albert: Treasures from a Royal Marriage’ exhibition at The Collection Museum and Usher Gallery includes more than 90 pieces from the V&A, the world’s leading museum of art and design. Among the exhibits are the first-ever Christmas card, paintings by Sir Edwin Henry Landseer, Queen Victoria’s favourite artist and chief portraitist of the Royal family, and the unique 12th-century Gloucester Candlestick. The neighbouring Usher Gallery will host works from the National Portrait Gallery, including familiar faces such as Sir Robert Peel and Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, as well as art from its own collection. The exhibition runs until Sunday 5 January. Lord Spencer opens new civil war exhibition The new ‘World Turned Upside Down’ exhibition has been officially opened by Lord Charles Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer, at Newark’s National Civil War Centre. The exhibition looks at the extraordinary transformation that came about during and following the Civil War. Re-building society after such a dramatic breakdown opened the door to a chance at revolution, and the chaos of war left a remarkable opportunity for creativity in its wake. This ‘World Turned Upside Down’ is the namesake and focus of the new permanent exhibition which explores the 17th century’s seismic shifts in religion, science, culture and politics. The new exhibition is located in two galleries on the second floor of the National Civil War Centre. Lincoln’s favourite foods to deliver revealed Deliveroo is marking its third anniversary in Lincoln by revealing the city’s most popular foods to order via the on-demand food delivery service. Results show that the predictable American and English fare made up most of the top-five dishes, but there was also Thai and Japanese cuisine. Lincoln’s most popular dishes: 1. Bacon Double Cheese XL Meal – Burger King 2. Sausages (2 Pieces) with Chips – Burton Road Chippy 3. Chicken Katsu Curry – Wagamama 4. Bueno Waffle – UK Desserts Limited T/A Kaspas 5. Gaeng Kiew Waan – Thailand No 1 Lincoln Since its launch in the town three years ago, more than 65 restaurants have signed up to the platform. “Our whole team here at Deliveroo are delighted that our rapid growth in Lincoln over the past three years means that customers have more choice, restaurants are able to increase their revenue, and riders have opportunity to choose well-paid, flexible work,” said Harison Foster, Regional Director of Deliveroo. latest news Lord Spencer at the National Civil War Centre Lincoln royal exhibition celebrates Victoria and Albert © Shuttertock/Slawomire Fajer The Collection Museum 06-08.qxp_Layout 1 14/10/2019 13:38 Page 1Work has begun on the second phase of ‘On Freedom’s Wings’, the highly anticipated Lancaster Bomber landmark on the border between Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. The life-size sculpture – which will serve as a reminder of all those who served – is set to become an iconic national landmark, rivalling the Angel of the North in both size and status. The project’s organisers, the Bomber County Gateway Trust, have announced that phase two will see the steel podium erected in October, ready to support the body of the aircraft sculpture itself. The Trust has raised the equivalent of £600,000 through public and corporate donations to reach this point but is asking for further donations to take the project to the next phase once the steel frame is in place. Donations are welcome via Just Giving (www.justgiving.com/bombercountygatewaytrus). Major new mental health funding for Lincolnshire Lincolnshire is one of only 12 areas across the country that will benefit from significant additional funding for community mental health as part of the implementation of the NHS Long Term Plan. The Lincolnshire Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP) will share £70 million with 11 other ‘early implementer’ sites across England that will be used to test new models of care for young, working age and older adults over the next two years. Lincolnshire will also use the funding to maintain and develop new services for people who have specific or additional needs, including complex mental health difficulties associated with a diagnosis of ‘personality disorder’ and mental health rehabilitation. John Turner, Chief Officer of the Lincolnshire NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups, said: “Our share of the £70 million is expected to be just over £6 million over two years, allowing us to be seriously ambitious in our approach to community mental health during the two-year testing phase.” New Chief Executive for Visit Lincoln Visit Lincoln, the community interest company promoting the city’s profile, has welcomed a new Chief Executive. Mike Timson brings 24 years of tourism and leisure experience to the role, as well as considerable business management skills which will be used to grow the company. “Tourism is worth £203 million to the city of Lincoln and £1.4 billion to Greater Lincolnshire, and I’m looking forward to working with the team and the board of directors to increase local revenue and attract more domestic and international visitors,” he said. “I also want to grow the Visit Lincoln brand and continue the Place Marketing strategy to attract more investors into the city through partnership working.” Mr Timson first moved to Lincoln in 2002 and will relocate back to the city with his family after his career moved him to Norfolk and Aberdeen. © Mathius at DominoesDesign Phase 2 begins on Lancaster Bomber sculpture © Shuttertock/ESB Professional Mike Timson 06-08.qxp_Layout 1 14/10/2019 13:38 Page 2HSBC UK has launched a £200 million lending fund to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Lincolnshire and the Fens. The Lincolnshire and the Fens Fund is part of a wider £14 billion fund for SMEs across the UK. Since launching the SME Fund in 2014, HSBC has committed more than £60 billion to UK SMEs as part of its commitment to help British businesses innovate, evolve and grow. Martin Hanson, Regional Director for Business Banking in the Midlands, said: “The launch of this year’s fund shows our commitment to support the growth aspirations of SMEs across Lincolnshire and the Fens. The county’s business are among some of the fastest growing in the East Midlands. This fund is all about helping these businesses take new opportunities to expand. We want to reassure them that we’re here to support them in achieving their goals.” Dambuster Guy Gibson’s medals to be displayed in new exhibition Thanks to unique permission from the RAF Museum Hendon, one of the most famous Victoria Crosses in British military history – that of Wing Commander Guy Gibson, Dambuster – will go on display in Lincolnshire in January 2020. This never-to-be-repeated opportunity is part of Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire’s final ‘Bastion in the Air’ exhibition, made possible thanks to National Lottery players. Gibson’s famous Victoria Cross medal, which has only been publicly exhibited three times previously and all in London, has remained stored away since 1992. This presents a unique opportunity to see the medal, along with other rare artefacts, in the new ‘A Century of Valour’ exhibition, telling the story of bravery in the air and on the ground through three major periods in Lincolnshire’s military history – World War One, World War Two and The Cold War. The exhibition, being held in Lincoln at The Collection Museum, will open from Saturday 25th January until Sunday 15th March 2020. £200m committed for Lincolnshire SMEs Guy Gibson pictured in front of an Avro Lancaster Win signed copies of Lincs born author’s crime thrillers Rachel Sargeant, author and former Lincolnshire resident, has been propelled onto HarperCollins’ main crime and thriller list with her latest novel, The Roommates. The Roommates is Rachel’s fifth published novel and her third with HarperCollins, and follows on from The Good Teacher, which made HarperCollins Killer Reads digital-first list. The psychological thriller is set on a university campus and was published just as real-life students get stuck into their new college careers. The novel is a change of crime- scene from Rachel’s previous novels but with yet another shocking twist that won’t disappoint. Rachel originally lived in Grimsby, attending Worsley Infants School before a family move to Scunthorpe saw her enrol at Westcliff Juniors, followed by Thomas Sumpter Comprehensive. She took her A levels at John Leggott Sixth Form College. Rachel then studied German and Librarianship at Aberystwyth University, before becoming a librarian then a fulltime author. She now lives in Gloucester with family but is still a regular visitor to Lincolnshire as her parents live near Grimsby. “The Roommates is a psychological thriller set in a university. Four girls arrive for freshers’ week and find themselves sharing a flat,” Rachel explains. “All four are holding secrets from their pasts, but when one of them goes missing, the other three have to learn to trust each other and work together to find her.” Rachel will join HarperCollins’ main crime and thriller list in November 2019 with The Roommates. The ebook is available from 24 October. Lincolnshire Today is giving away a signed copy of The Good Teacher and The Perfect Neighbours. All you need to do to be in with a chance of winning is email competitions@blmgroup.co.uk before 11:59pm November 30 2019. latest news READER GIVEAWAY 06-08.qxp_Layout 1 14/10/2019 13:38 Page 309.qxp_Layout 1 14/10/2019 10:55 Page 1Next >