molly_issue25_easter WEB small

ISSUE 25 • EASTER 2017 

www.mollysguide.co.uk 

for parents & carers 

Keeping kids 

Fun filled 

CRAFT 

IDEAS 

to keep the 

kids busy 

with Childnet 

Outdoor 

with PGL 

Join the 

at Newton Academy 

Lincoln Childrens Arts Festival 

Cracking family days out this 

ACTIVITIES & EVENTS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY 

FREE

The daffodils are in bloom and that can 

only mean one thing - It’s time come out of 

hibernation, dust off the winter cobwebs 

and get out in the fresh air. 

8 

Childnet 

As the weather warms up, there’s so many reasons to head 

out and about in Lincolnshire and this edition of Molly’s 

Guide will help you make the most of what’s on offer. 

From May 20, no trip into Lincoln will be complete without 

following the new Knights Trail. After the success of last 

year’s Barons’ Trail, 35 new sculptures will be located 

throughout the city to mark 800 years since the Battle of 

Lincoln and the sealing of the Charter of the Forest. 

Families can spend the day hunting out each one while 

learning about a crucial period in our history (and can burn 

off those Easter eggs in the process.) 

When the schools close for the holidays, Lincoln’s Children 

Arts Festival gets into full swing. On pages 18 & 19 you can 

find our guide to the highlights, which include story time 

sessions for little ones and fabulous theatre shows for 

bigger kids. 

One sure fire way to make your pre-schooler’s day is to bag 

a ticket for the Chris and Pui Show at the LPAC. The stars of 

CBeebie’s Show Me, Show Me take to the stage on April 8. 

If the past few years are anything to go by, we might even 

be breaking open the sun cream in the coming weeks. If 

that’s the case, it’s worth remembering that Woodhall Spa’s 

open air pool reopens over Easter. This year, visitors to the 

Jubilee Park complex will be able to make use of a fully 

refurbished children’s play area too. 

Here at Molly’s, we are looking forward to putting off the 

spring cleaning and heading outdoors instead. We hope 

you do too! 

Happy Easter 

stevensgreenmedia 

Editorial & Advertising: Stevens Green Media Ltd 

63 Bunkers Hill, Lincoln LN2 4QS 

T: 01522 535068 E: info@mollysguide.co.uk 

Design: Dandelion Design 

Print: www.buxtonpress.com 

Photography: www.stuartwildephotography.com 

Cover image: Yuganov Konstantin/ 

Shutterstock.com 

TERMS & CONDITIONS ©2017 

While every effort and care has been made 

to ensure the accuracy of the information 

contained in this publication, the Publisher 

cannot accept responsibility for any errors, 

inaccuracies or omissions it may contain. 

Inclusion in the directory does not imply an 

endorsement of the service or product. No 

part of this publication may be reproduced in 

any form, or by means electronic, mechanical, 

photocopying, recording or otherwise. Or 

stored in any retrieval system - without the prior 

written permission of the Publisher. Copyright 

©Stevens Green Media Ltd - All rights reserved. 

12 

Newton 

Academy 

17 

Better 

Health 

18 

Eggcite 

27 

Notts 

County 

Show 

44 

PGL 


3

Endeavour at 

Woodside Wildlife Park 

Opening on Saturday 1st April 2017 ‘Endeavour’ 

is a brand new attraction for Woodside Wildlife 

Park, near Langworth Lincoln. 

Woodside has established itself as Lincoln’s premier 

exotic animal collection with animals ranging from 

tropical butterfly’s to Tigers and even Wolves to a sloth. 

Endeavour is a transformation of the former Sir Joseph 

Banks conservatory from the Lawns in Lincoln. This 

magnificent glasshouse was once the pride of Lincoln, 

opened by Prince Charles and housing a collection of 

plants highlighting the work of this esteemed botanist. 

Woodside have over the last six months carefully 

dismantled the building and re-erected it at Woodside 

Wildlife Park. Maintaining its heritage but broadening 

the brief it is now called Endeavour after the ship of the 

same name that carried Sir Joseph Banks and Captain 

James Cook on their journey of discovery. Woodside are 

highlighting the various stopping points of the journey 

through individual conservation projects. 

A marine environment highlighting plastics in oceans and 

coral bleaching from Tahiti, endangered monkeys from 

Brazil, invasive species from New Zealand and even the 

critically endangered Siamese Crocodile from Indonesia. 

Why not visit the new attraction over the Easter holidays 

and see if you dare walk the wobbly rope bridge over the 

crocodiles!!! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4 

Easter 2017

The passion 

The Easter holidays are 

upon us once again and 

this year (as per usual) we 

shall not be alone... 

The mother-in-law is landing. 

For another few weeks my kitchen 

will not be my own and I’ll be 

eating three - sometimes four 

- large square meals a day. 

Am I complaining – no not really? 

You see mummy is Portuguese, 

so along with this come (ir)regular 

visits from a novelty foreign 

grandma, who’s always warmly 

welcomed to share in the carnage 

for a while. 

Her arrival is always a 

monumental occasion, collected 

from the airport with excitement 

and a fully-fledged living room 

football professional before she’s 

barely got her coat off. 

And who can blame her. Bobo 

(as she’s affectionately called) 

certainly makes the most of her 

time with her English princes, 

who in turn lap up the constant 

interaction with this strange 

sounding mummy’s mummy from 

a far away land. 

Three-way communication is 

never a problem here, and no 

language barrier really exists. It’s 

merely an inconvenient obstacle, 

easily scaled with a beaming 

smile or a knowing glance. 

Obliterated with a brum of a car or 

quick, hilariously sung Portuguese 

count to ten – complete with 

actions. 

Bobo spends much of the year 

on the other side of the Skype 

screen, so this immersion in her 

boys’ world is critical for them all. 

What often seems so far beyond 

reach is now in touching distance 

for all three of them and they 

don’t let a single moment pass 

them by. 

The house is a little noisier (barely 

possible) than usual and it always 

takes a while for both parties to 

settle down. 

But they are soon in their stride 

and recall their respective roles 

with ease. 

Like old best friends reunited 

after a life apart, they pick up 

where they left off, the ghost of 

awkwardness banished to haunt 

elsewhere. 

The boys show Bobo the works, 

from prized school art to favourite 

bedtime toys. No nook or cranny 

from their hectic schedule is left 

unexplored. 

She’s paraded proudly around 

their bedrooms and invited 

to take part in every exciting 

escapade on the agenda, from 

homemade dens to paints and 

pens – school runs, warts and all. 

There’s always a distinct lack of 

snooze button on her UK visits, 

but I imagine this to be her only 

NEWS 

Desperate Dad 

slight inconvenience as she 

throws herself into all activities 

headlong. 

She also never fails to stamp 

her own Portuguese prowess on 

proceedings, as we are treated 

to multiple desserts at extended 

dinner table sittings, next meal 

planned before the last mouthful 

is consumed. 

Pots and pans bubble on the hob 

continuously and our freezer is 

generously stocked with goodies 

– our ironing pile suddenly seems 

not so insurmountable too. 

So without question, this Easter 

will see its usual miraculous 

resurrection – truly awe inspiring 

in its magnitude and one you can 

never tire of witnessing. 

And when you roll back the 

heavy stone of distance and the 

inevitable culture clashes, all you 

find is a grandmother and her 

two insatiable grandsons, whose 

undeniable bond grows stronger 

and more diverse with every 

chaotically cute 

encounter. 

Barry Wood is an ex journalist now working 

for the NHS in Lincolnshire. A father of two 

boys and husband to one Portuguese wife, 

he blogs regularly as Desperate Dad. 

Read more adventures: 

barrylwood.wordpress.com 

Facebook: Desperate Dad 

Twitter: @Dad_Desperate 


5

NEWS 

Confessions 

Sam Curtis, 46, lives in 

Lincoln with her husband 

Leigh and their two children, 

Lottie, 11, and Louie, 3. 

You can follow Sam on: 

Twitter: @sammanfa 

Instagram: sammanfa1 

Facebook: SamCurtisWrites 

Molly’s Mum confessions... 

Okay, mums (and dads), if we were to all sit around 

in a circle and play Truth or Dare, what secrets 

would come out about our lives as a parents? 

I’ll go first. 

Someone spin the bottle. 

This might take a while, I’ve got a plenty to spill… 

1. Once, to disguise the fact I had woken up late and had no 

time to make myself presentable for the school run, I wore my 

gym gear, to give the illusion I was going jogging. Instead, I went 

home, ate an almond croissant and watched daytime TV. 

2. The park at Witham Fields in North Hykeham has one of 

those old-school slides (which has somehow been missed off 

a zealous health and safety officer’s list for being ‘a bit high’). 

However, the slide may be fast and steep but the swings are 

arguably the best in Lincoln. I don’t sit on the bench and watch 

while my children play. I ride on the swings to see if I can get the 

seat perpendicular with the bar at the top. Wooosh… 

3. I have been known to watch (and laugh out loud at) Justin 

Fletcher, better known as Mr Tumble, in his CBeebies sketch 

show – Gigglebiz, long after the kids have left the room. 

4. Fish fingers are a teatime staple because I 

can’t get enough of fish finger butties. 

5. My 11-year-old steals my makeup 

and I wear her T-shirts. It seems 

a fair trade. 

7. Ah, mobile phones – a gadget 

to connect with your tweenager, 

except I enjoy the cute bunny filters 

on Snapchat just a bit too much. 

8. It’s a while since I was a school, I know, hard to believe… so I 

often find myself secretly googling ‘how to add fractions together’ 

while trying to help my eldest child with her maths homework. I can’t 

admit I have completely forgotten how to do it, can I? 

9. ‘Let’s have a gadget-free day’, I will declare, then 

sneak off to the loo to check my Instagram feed. 

10. I know I shouldn’t but sometimes I throw words like ‘legit’ and 

‘cringe’ into conversation to sound cool around my 11-year-old and 

her friends, then realise I am achieving the exact opposite. 

11. When the three-year old wakes up at 6.30am and it is still dark 

I tell him it is the middle of the night so he stays in bed a bit longer. 

12. I am trying to persuade the kids to go to see the new 

Batman Lego movie with me because I LOVED the first Lego movie. 

“Everything is awesome…” 

13. Occasionally, I pretend I have gone deaf when I hear someone 

shout ‘mummy’ for the 100th time. 

14. Ah, magic shows and dance 

performances. We love them, don’t we? 

I can tolerate the little skits put on by my 

children for roughly 20 minutes. 

6. Chocolate that has 

been left unattended 

for any length of time 

disappears. Into my 

mouth, usually. 

15. I ‘recycle’ 

most (all) of the 

art sent home 

from school. 

6 

Easter 2017

16. I am utterly dreadful at early starts 

– wake me up at 5am and feel my 

wrath. Oddly, I am better if woken 

between 1am and 4am. By 5am, I am 

too awake to go back to bed and too 

tired to be nice. 

17. I don’t have a will. This is not a laughing 

matter. This is a serious failing. Parents of young 

children should have a will. It is the ultimate 

acknowledgement you are a responsible adult, 

which I clearly am not. It’s on my immediate mustdo 

list. But who do you leave your most precious 

possessions, your children, to? 

18. I am coveting everything in the new 

Sainsbury’s spring/summer TU collection. I want 

to look casual-smart for the school run/playdates/ 

dentist appointments instead of rocking my normal 

‘is it clean? It’ll do’ chic. 

20. There are 2,000 pictures on my phone. 

1,579 of them are of my children, 111 are of 

my cats and the rest are, sadly, pictures of 

my own face. Help me, I am a boot-wearing 

selfie addict. 

19. I have 19 pairs of boots. Nothing to 

do with parenting but clearly I have a 

problem. 

21. I accidentally closed the door of the tumble 

dryer on my finger and let’s just say, the words 

were not as clean as my freshly-laundered clothes. 

22. For a split second, I wanted to inflict some kind 

of pain on the nurse who recently administered my 

boy’s pre-school booster vaccinations. He sobbed 

and I felt awful. I know the jabs are vital and have 

helped to stop the spread of some very nasty 

childhood diseases but can’t doctors find a way to 

make them painless? 

24. I only bake with 

my children when 

I know it doesn’t 

matter what the 

end result will look 

like. So, for school 

cake sales, charity 

coffee mornings or 

birthdays, I whip up the sponges when they are 

in bed so I don’t stress about uneven tops, soggy 

bottoms or icing that slides off the cake and onto 

the plate. The rest of the time, I let my children slop 

the batter into cupcake cases and lick their fingers. 

23. Some days are tough, tougher 

than I ever imagined being a mum 

could be. Who knew that the 

responsibility of being a parent 

could weigh so heavily? 

25. When it comes to disciplining 

our kids, I am invariably Bad Cop. 

I do not enjoy being Bad Cop. I want 

to be the laid back parent but that role 

is already taken. 

26. There’s at least six ‘things to do with kids’ 

books on the shelf at home, with ideas ranging 

from make a bug habitat, to paper bag puppets, 

to child-friendly walks in the countryside. I leaf 

through them sometimes to remind myself of all 

the things I thought I’d do with children before I 

actually had children. 

27.Tom Hardy read the bedtime story on 

CBeebies a few weeks ago and thousands of 

mums drooled over their TVs. Nope, I’m not 

feeling it (I know I am alone in this). 

28. It’s probably best not to talk to me before 

10am. By then I should have drank the 

three cups of coffee required to hold a 

lucid conversation. 

29. I love a game of Tig as much as 

the next seven-year-old, despite being 

many moons older. 

30. Housework brings me no 

pleasure whatsoever. 

31. I am hopeless at saying goodbye. The eldest 

child takes herself off to class but I am always the 

last parent at the nursery door, giving my boy one 

more hug and a kiss. 

32. The flip side of this is my boy is also the 

last child on the carpet, waiting for mummy at 

collection time. Punctuality is not my strong point. 

33. When it comes to parenting, I’m just 

winging it and hoping for the best 99 per 

cent of the time. 

So, there you have it. That’s a few of my ‘secrets’ 

out of the bag. I’m sure you have your own. Tell us 

your parenting confessions at Mollysguide.co.uk 


7

NEWS 

Childnet 

Childnet Film Competition 2016 winners 

KEEPING YOUNG PEOPLE SAFE ONLINE... 

Online safety charity Childnet call on young people to ‘Be 

the Change’ and enter the 8th Childnet Film Competition. 

Leading online safety charity, 

Childnet, have launched the 8th 

Childnet Film Competition to 

encourage young people aged 7-18 

to create a short film to educate 

their peers about staying safe online. 

With the aim of showcasing how 

young people can inspire others to 

make the internet a better place, 

the competition gives young people 

the opportunity to harness their 

creativity and understanding of 

online safety issues. This year’s 

theme focuses on how young 

people can ‘Be the Change’ and 

make the internet a better and safer 

place for all. 

As Becky Nancarrow, Education 

Projects Officer at Childnet, said: 

Over the past eight years, hundreds 

of young people have taken part in 

our Film Competition, demonstrating 

their incredible creative skills as 

well as educating and inspiring 

their peers about staying safe 

online. It’s clear to us that young 

people can be creators of change 

and help shape a better internet 

for all. 

Be the change – taking part 

The Film Competition is split into 

two age categories and schools or 

youth organisations 

must oversee and 

submit entries 

on behalf of all 

participants. The top 

three films in each category will 

be invited to a private screening at 

the BFI in London and the winners 

will be awarded film kits for their 

school or youth organisation. 

Primary aged young people (7–11) 

are invited to create a 60 second 

film in response to the theme: ‘Be 

the Change – It starts with us’, 

looking at how young people can 

work together to make the internet 

a great and safe place. 

Secondary aged young people 

(11–18) are invited to create a 2 

minute film in response to the 

theme: ‘Be the Change – We’re 

online for good’, looking at what 

are young people doing to have a 

positive effect online. 

For both age groups Childnet are 

looking for creative, imaginative 

films which reflect a positive and 

inspiring message. Young people 

might express their ideas through 

comedy, animation, or music. They 

will be encouraged to consider 

different filmmaking styles such as 

creating an advert, campaign or 

documentary. 

If you would like to register 

a group of talented young 

people you know, then 

please send an email to 

film@childnet.com for an 

information pack. Closing date for 

entries is Monday 12th June 2017 

at 5pm. 

Join the conversation on social 

media 

To inspire young people to help 

others stay safe online, entrants are 

being encouraged to share their film 

competition stories on social media 

using the hashtag #bethechange. 

Whether this is a message about 

the issues being explored, a picture 

from the creative process or even 

a tip from the young filmmakers, 

schools and youth organisations can 

share their updates with @Childnet. 

To find out more and download the schools packs visit www.childnet.com/film-competition 

8 

Easter 2017

Give your child the gift 

of language with our new 

Spanish CD and book... 

Minilinguals is excited to introduce a new 

way to learn Spanish together! 

The minilinguals activity book and CD are now 

available from our website at www.minilinguals. 

co.uk/shop and can be used along with our 

YouTube tutorials to help you and your child to 

learn new words and songs in Spanish. 

The activity book features vocab, games and bright 

images to go along with the 15 songs on our CD. 

Work through the book together building up your 

child’s understanding and use of the language. 

Minilinguals offers Spanish classes and resources 

for children aged 0-7 years. We make learning a 

new language exciting, engaging and fun. Children 

under 7 are able to pick up new languages 

effortlessly, and research shows that learning new 

languages increases children’s attention & listening 

skills, and academic success. It also enables 

children to grow up with an understanding and 

ability to access the wider world around them. 

Visit our website to purchase your own activity 

book and CD- and start learning a new skill 

together today! 

Visit www.minilinguals.co.uk/shop - Book 

and CD pack just £16.99 

Visit our YouTube channel to watch free 

tutorials for each of the songs – search 

‘minilinguals’ 

Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest 

and Google+ for weekly vocab, information 

on classes and resources, and to learn more 

about fun and interesting ways to engage your 

child in learning language! 

For further information: 

E: vicky@minilinguals.co.uk 

E: bella@minilinguals.co.uk 

www.minilinguals.co.uk 

EDUCATION 

Minilinguals 


9

EDUCATION 

Kingsdown Nursery 

30 FREE HOURS – Coming 

from September 2017 at 

Kingsdown Nursery School. 

Do you have a 2, 3 or 4 year old? If so, do 

you know that the Government is providing 

funding for some 2 year olds, and all 3 and 

4 year olds to attend Kingsdown Nursery 

for 15 hours or 30 hours a week? 

Young children can have great fun playing with or 

alongside other children, exploring paint, water, clay 

and playing outside in a safe, well-equipped play area. 

As well as the benefits for the children, having a nursery 

place at Kingsdown, can give parents and carers a 

welcome break from the demands of a busy toddler or 

young child. It can give you extra time to go shopping, 

do some housework, look after the baby, take a college 

course, do extra hours at work or just have a cup of 

coffee in peace and quiet, and drink it while it’s still hot! 

Most children attend Kingsdown for 5 mornings or 5 

afternoons, some do 2 ½ or 3 days a week. However, 

from September 2017, some children will get 30 hours 

free of charge. Coming regularly helps children develop 

friendships and positive relationships with staff and 

other children. We also run a before and after school 

club if you need care outside of traditional school 

hours. Families who are not eligible for the Government 

2 year funding often use their Child Benefit to buy one 

or two sessions a week to help their child develop their 

social skills ready for starting school. 

At Kingsdown we offer a wonderful engaging 

environment, both indoors and outdoors. Children 

have access to top quality resources and fully 

qualified staff, both teachers and Early Years 

Practitioners. We teach children to share, take turns, 

learn about letters and numbers, paint, write and 

draw, ride, climb, explore and investigate. 

Throughout the year, Kingsdown provides many 

opportunities for children to experience nature in 

all its forms. We have a bird’s nesting box with a 

camera in and currently there are 8 eggs waiting to 

be hatched. Children eagerly watch the laptop to see 

if the eggs have hatched yet. Kingsdown is fortunate 

to be near Birchwood Nature Park and we regularly 

take groups of children for walks there, to look for 

mini-beasts and to study the changing seasons. All 

children have weekly music lessons with Pete the 

Music Man. Pete brings his Double Bass and Guitar 

and enough musical instruments for all children to 

have a go! We also have Stuart from Meet the Beasts 

in with his exotic pets, snakes, lizards, spiders, 

insects and snails. 

Children can wear their own clothes but many wear 

our uniform of red, blue or purple polo shirt and 

sweatshirt. Children invariably join in with messy 

activities at nursery and if they have their Kingsdown 

uniform on, they are hard wearing and will stand up 

to the demands of a busy day at nursery! 

For more information and a look round, 

please call in or T: 01522 684335 

E: enquiries@kingsdownnuseryschool.co.uk 

www.kingsdownnurseryschool.co.uk 

10 

Easter 2017

Celebrating 40 years! 

A Lincoln pre-school is preparing to 

celebrate 40 years of welcoming children 

through its doors this summer. 

Greenlands Pre-school started out as a mother 

and toddler group which met at Bracebridge 

community centre. 

The group then moved to St Columbas Church, 

off Brant Road, where it became Greenlands 

Pre-school in June 1977, managed by Pat Brown, 

until she retired in 2014, handing over the reins to 

the current manager Janice Spratt. 

Mrs Spratt, 46, is supported by a team of pre-school 

workers: Sandra Penlington, Heather Stewart, 

Liza Harley, Becky Mcintosh, Barbara Bodley, 

Michele Fox and long-time volunteer Joan Murphy. 

Mrs Spratt says: “We are looking forward to 

celebrating our 40th anniversary. We hope to invite 

former manager Pat and some of the other former 

early years workers to a little tea party with the 

children and their families. 

“We pride ourselves on building a good rapport 

with parents. We hope they can see we are a fun, 

committed and enthusiastic team.” 

The pre-school was rated as ‘good’ at its last 

Ofsted report in February last year. 

Mrs Spratt explains: “We were thrilled by our 

‘good’ Ofsted report and we are constantly 

working towards staying at that level. 

“We don’t have our own premises – we rent the 

space from the church but we take full advantage 

of the space here, which includes a secure, 

grassed outdoor area. 

“Because of the nature of the premises, we set up 

equipment and play zones every morning ahead of 

the children arriving, so no two days are the same. 

“One day we may focus on physical play and 

another on music, or creative crafts. We also 

involve the children by letting them decide what 

equipment or toys they would like to use. It’s all 

about child-led play.” 

EDUCATION 

Greenlands Pre-School 

Greenlands Pre-School manager Janice Spratt, left, 

and pre-school worker Liza Harley. 

The pre-school 

follows the Early 

Years curriculum 

and introduces 

different themes 

each term with 

children learning 

everything from 

colours to counting via the themes. 

Mrs Spratt says: “We encourage children to 

explore learning through play and we also pride 

ourselves on encouraging the social and personal 

development of the youngsters in our care. 

“When our children move up to primary school, 

we often receive feedback from teachers who 

comment on how socially adept Greenlands 

children are. 

“We have a very sociable group of children 

here. They know what it means to listen, when 

to sit down, when to line-up and so on, which 

is important for making the transition to primary 

school life.” 

The pre-school meets five days a week during 

term time, from 9.15am-12.15pm and currently 

has spaces for children aged two to four years old. 

Funded places are available for eligible children, 

as well as private places, with a morning session 

costing £9 for non-funded children. 

For more information, or to arrange to visit: T: 07903 574371 E: greenlands.preschool@hotmail.com 


11

EDUCATION 

Newton Academy 

Newton Academy – the Science Club for Girls 

A new academy aimed at encouraging young girls to 

pursue careers in science and technology has been 

launched in Lincoln. 

The Newton Academy – the 

Science Club for girls – was 

set up by the University of 

Lincoln in 2014 to take girls 

on a 3-year scientific voyage 

of discovery. Since then over 

eighty Year 6 girls from across 

Lincolnshire have enrolled and 

have attended our Saturday 

Club events. 

The Saturday Club is a series of 

Saturday morning science and 

technology-themed workshops 

consisting of hands-on 

activities and projects, 

designed to work alongside the 

National Curriculum, that will 

inspire and enthuse the next 

generation of female scientists 

and engineers. The Programme 

has included the Robotics 

Big Launch; Spud Science; 

The Chemistry Christmas 

Cracker; The Engineering 

EGGstravaganza!; Pharmacy 

Phacts; and a visit to the 

Big Bang Fair at the NEC, 

Birmingham. 

The Academy has been created 

as part of the University of 

Lincoln’s Athena SWAN 

project, acknowledging the 

Institution’s commitment to 

improving the representation of 

women in science, engineering, 

technology and mathematics 

(STEM). 

To improve the representation 

of female academics in some 

STEM areas (particularly 

in physics, mathematics, 

engineering and computer 

science) we have to attract 

more girls to these subjects 

at School level (e.g. currently 

only 20% of Physics A-level 

students are female). We believe 

that early engagement is the 

key to increasing the popularity 

of STEM subjects among our 

girls. The Academy, therefore, 

aims to inspire 10–14 year olds 

in STEM subjects – subjects that 

research shows they are less likely 

to pursue – opening their eyes 

to the possibilities of what they 

can achieve, and encouraging 

them to consider post-16 study in 

STEM subjects... and ultimately, 

of course, to pursue science and 

technology careers. But most of 

all, the Newton Academy is all 

about showing young girls that 

science can be fun! There are 

currently 120 girls taking part. 

Girls enrol in the Academy at the 

end of Year 6 and stay until the 

end of Year 9. During their three 

years, ‘Newton Girls’ will take 

part in projects that develop their 

confidence, their enthusiasm for 

STEM, and essential problemsolving 

and critical thinking 

skills. They will develop leadership 

skills and the confidence to 

challenge any preconceptions 

that may prevent them from 

pursuing and being successful in 

any STEM field. 

For more on the Newton Academy and details of how you can sign 

up for future years please go to www.newton.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk 

YouTube: Newton Academy the Science Club for Girls 

12 

Easter 2017

EDUCATION 

Lincoln Minster School 

Mindfulness key in 

supporting happy and 

focused pupils 

Victoria Whitworth, Deputy Head of Lincoln 

Minster Pre Preparatory School on the 

importance of mindfulness in school... 

The development of the emotional wellbeing 

of each individual child is of vital importance at 

Lincoln Minster School. Having a happy child, 

who is focussed, enthusiastic and keen to learn 

is becoming even more essential at a time when 

academic excellence is being emphasised and 

expectations placed on children are high. 

Meditation is recognised as an important life 

skill, encouraging the development of emotional 

intelligence. Current research has determined that 

meditation increases resilience to stress, boosts 

self-confidence, enhances performance and focus, 

reduces anxiety, encourages good behaviour and 

improves overall attainment. 

We have adopted a variety of strategies from 

nursery to Year 3. For example, in nursery, sensory 

stones have been introduced with expressive 

words being used to describe how they look 

and feel. Year 3 pupils have listened to guided 

meditation whereby they can use their imagination 

to create relaxing imagery in their minds. 

We have noticed an improvement in pupils’ 

responses to situations and their focus during 

lesson time. Whether a child is able to calm 

themselves through practising breathing 

techniques or their descriptive language and 

imaginative capacity have improved as a result 

of first hand sensory experiences, it is clear that 

there are many benefits of incorporating a mindful 

approach into everyday school life. 

14 

Easter 2017

Queen of brows 

shares tips for 

tweens and teens 

HEALTH & SPORT 

Blink Beauty 

Eyebrows. I can’t stop looking 

at them, writes Sam Curtis. 

My hairdresser has fabulous eyebrows, 

the woman who works in my local co-op, 

you guessed it, great brows and my 

12-year-old niece – yep, wonderful, neat 

eyebrows. 

But for me, the Queen of Brows, is 

owner of Lincoln-based Blink Beauty, 

Bryony Hinnigan. 

Ms Hinnigan specialises in semipermanent 

make-up – she is a tattoo 

artist who uses pigments and fake 

hairs, or a combination of the two, to 

give clients the perfect brow. 

Some of her clients visit after losing their 

hair to chemotherapy but some will have 

spent years plucking their brows until 

they literally have nothing left – that is 

where Ms Hinnigan steps in to restore 

ladies’ brows and quite often their 

confidence, too. 

As mum to two daughters, her youngest 

child is 12, Ms Hinnigan has noticed 

a growing trend among young girls to 

preen their brows. Both she and I agree 

that social media is playing a massive 

part in youngsters’ preoccupation with 

their appearance. Plus, as with all teens, 

they tend to emulate their idols. You only 

need to watch the likes of YouTube star 

Zoella and trans-gender make up artist 

Jeffree Starr to notice they have very 

polished brows. 

The thing is, young girls don’t always get 

it right when it comes to brows. Overplucking 

can lead to permanent hair 

loss, and as Ms Hinnigan puts it: “Once 

you create a bad brow it’s very hard to 

correct it, not impossible – but people 

tend to keep on plucking the hairs and it 

perpetuates the problem.” 

Brows woes may not rank highly on your 

list of concerns but Bryony is seeing an 

increasing number of young girls who 

are being taunted if they have particularly 

hairy brows and I know of girls who have 

been teased for having ‘slug brows’. 

So, she is offering a 

service specifically 

targeted at tweens and 

teens. During a short 

session she will educate 

girls how to manage their 

brows, showing them how 

to correctly tweezer errant 

hairs, what constitutes a 

good shape and how to 

use a brow pencil. 

By teaching good brow 

habits at a young age, 

Bryony hopes girls will feel 

confident and have one 

less thing to worry about 

at an age when image is 

everything. 

An eyebrow lesson 

and groom costs 

from £10. 

To book an appointment 

with Bryony: 

T: 07801 733331 

Blink BeautyLincoln 


15


My Baby Can Dance 

Get on your feet and dance baby! 

Mums and dads who enjoy strutting their stuff can 

now sign up their little ones to learn their very first 

steps to dance as well. 

My Baby Can Dance sessions are taking place across the county 

and allow youngsters (aged from one to four), the chance to 

experience a range of fun, movement and dance classes - all with 

a twist – the famous 60s pop song that is! 

Run by professional stage and ballet teacher Janine Burley, 

My Baby Can Dance is a preschool activity focussing on 

movement to music, harnessing early years learning with children 

encouraged to participate with their parents and carers. 

Freedom of expression is the key and Janine says that once 

families take the floor together there’s just no stopping them. 

“We enjoy dance in a controlled, safe environment, and what 

better way to introduce early years learning than through natural 

movement?” she said. 

“Children thrive on exercise given the opportunity and the physical 

activity we offer is enjoyable, encouraging and engaging. Our music 

is also important to the sessions and we are varied and fresh. 

We don’t completely stick to primary and nursery songs. Today 

children hear music from many different sources on their iPads or 

in the car for instance, so we select tracks they are responsive to 

and that parents can enjoy too. 

“Mums and dads can’t stop themselves from joining in and 

although sessions offer independence for children, it’s a wonderful 

way to vary the balance between the two.” 

My Baby Can Dance lessons run for 45 minutes and are currently 

held in a variety of different venues across Lincoln, Gainsborough 

and Sleaford. 

“We don’t expect pre-schoolers to learn complex dance moves, 

so it’s all about freedom of natural movement,” added Janine. 

“Three quarters of an hour of singing and dancing is fabulous fun 

for them and more than enough to leave your little one tired out.” 

It’s not all about the dancing either, as sessions also incorporate 

different activities that all help to towards developing younger 

children. These include playing musical instruments, learning 

numbers, colours, phonics and shapes. 

“We have a full range of activities that children absolutely love 

and the wonderful thing is that what they learn in a session, can 

then be repeated at home,” said Janine. 

“We are not teaching the technique of dance, but supporting 

early years learning and key child development stages. Children 

are given the freedom of movement to develop areas such as 

vocabulary, communication, recognition, relationships and 

awareness and so much more. For babies, Newborn Can Dance 

is also in the pipeline for Lincolnshire and is perfect for newborns 

up to one-year-olds, as siblings can dance together.” 

To find out more about My Baby Can 

Dance & where to find a session near you: 

T: 07794 990495 

My Baby Can Dance Lincoln Area 

@mazmbcd 

www.mybabycandance.com 

16 

Easter 2017

IT is excruciating, unbearable 

& ultimately heart-breaking... 

As parents, we’ve all been in that utterly 

helpless position – sat in a GP consultation 

room, or even a hospital A&E department 

with our poorly offspring. They are 

physically weak and crying into our chest. 

The younger the child is the more difficult it is to explain 

everything will eventually be ok. 

What has made things more frustrating in the past is 

when the health professional proceeds to ask a long 

list of background questions – whether that is the GP, 

nurse, consultant or pharmacist. While of course, that 

professional is doing it for the right reasons parents - and 

patients in general – report that this feels like unintentional 

time-wasting. Moreover, very often they are repeating the 

same facts and stories as in previous interactions with 

health and care professionals when all they want is for 

their child to be made better quickly. 

But now, for the first time in Lincolnshire, doctors, nurses, 

GPs, paramedics and pharmacists will be able to see a 

patient’s complete medical background thanks to a new IT 

system – the Care Portal. 

Previously, health and care professionals have only 

been able to immediately access certain information 

held on their own systems. Thus, a doctor or nurse 

in A&E would not be able to see a 

patient’s community health records 

or social care information. Very often 

this is crucial information that could 

determine the treatment. So if a child 

has a mental health condition, that may 

not have be picked up by a hospital health professional. 

“It is about giving our patients, 

young and old, the best 

possible care and I believe this 

system will do that.” 

The new system will allow instant access – so long as the 

patient gives permission – to a complete set of medical 

and care records, helping health and care professionals 

make decisions quickly and appropriately. 

Dr Sunil Hindocha, a GP at Portland Medical Practice 

in Lincoln, said: “The Lincolnshire care portal is a major 

step forward for patients and will represent a huge 

improvement. All health and care organisations across the 

county have joined forces to develop this initiative – which 

will allow care professionals, unless the patient opts out, 

to see all the information relevant to that patient’s care. 

“This will improve the quality and safety of care and will 

also save staff time by providing fingertip access to the 

information they need to manage that patient’s care. 

“We’ve all been in that position as GPs where you are 

having to ask questions that should already be answered. 

Often we have parents in our consultation room who are 

clearly upset because their child or children are not feeling 

at all well. This system, we hope, will save a lot of time and 

make the experience an improved one for not only parents 


Better Health 

and their children, but every patient we see.” 

The system will also allow patients to access 

their own records online – meaning they will be 

able to see their test results and information for 

themselves. Furthermore, patients will be able to 

choose to share their records with others, such as 

family members or their child’s carers. 

Dr Hindocha added: “Put simply, the portal 

will reduce duplication because everyone will 

have access to the same information instead 

of duplicating tests or asking patients to repeat 

information. 

“Currently we spend a huge amount of 

money on duplicate tests and this will 

reduce that considerably.” 

If a patient has lung disease and is a 

diabetic and is admitted to hospital 

after a fall in the street or at home, 

then the consultant in secondary care will, thanks 

to the portal, be able to instantly see that patient’s 

long term conditions. The consultant then knows 

that patient should not be given too much oxygen 

and that their blood levels must be monitored 

regularly. 

Furthermore, when the patient is discharged from 

hospital and returns to the community, a social 

worker is then able to log onto the Directory of 

Service and find what lung disease and diabetes 

support groups are in the local area to help with 

their full recovery. 

Julia Mannion is an Advanced Nurse Practitioner at 

Church Walk Surgery in Metheringham. She said: 

“One system with all medical and care records 

on can only be a good thing for both staff and 

patients. In an era where demand of the NHS and 

care in general is so high, we need a system that 

saves time and gives us the best chance of giving 

patients, young and old, the best possible care we 

can give them.” 

To watch a video about the Care Portal, or for more information: www.lincolnshirehealthandcare.org 


17

ENTERTAINMENT 

Eggcite 2017 

The Tap Dancing Mermaid 

Eggcite 2017: Lincoln’s Children’s Arts Festival 

4 TH –17 TH APRIL 

Once again Lincoln Drill Hall, Lincoln Performing 

Arts Centre (LPAC), The Collection and Terry O’Toole 

Theatre have put their heads together to create a 

fabulous festival of events to entertain and inspire 

during the Easter holidays. 

From Tuesday 4 to Saturday 17 

April, all four venues are offering 

a packed hamper of events and 

activities for children of all ages 

(and their grown-ups!), from theatre 

to live music, crafts, storytelling, 

dressing up and much more! 

Kicking off the festival is a special 

family concert by SLIDIN’ ABOUT 

TROMBONE QUARTET at Lincoln 

Drill Hall (Tuesday 4 April, 1pm). Or 

why not venture to The Collection 

to discover treasures fit for a 

pharaoh at the ANCIENT EGYPT 

FREE FAMILY FUN DAY (10am 

– 3.30pm). 

BOUNCING CATS & BOOM 

BOOM PUPS at LPAC 

(Wednesday 5 April, 11.30pm) is 

an original children’s book brought 

to life, set within a purpose-built 

graffiti installation and featuring 

hip-hop improvisation and 

beatboxing. Stay on after this 

show for a L’IL BUILDERS DROP 

IN using LEGO to build models 

inspired by the festival. 

At The Collection there are 

free interactive EASTER STORY 

TIME sessions for under 5s on 

Thursday 6 and Thursday 13 April 

at 11.15pm. 

Back to LPAC, THE WAY BACK 

HOME (Friday 7 April, 10am) is a 

creative storytelling session for 

toddlers about a boy who finds 

himself stuck on the moon, and 

18 

Easter 2017

Bouncing Cats and Boom Boom Pups 

on Saturday 8 April at 11am and 2pm see 

THE CHRIS AND PUI SHOW as the stars of 

CBeebie’s ‘Show Me, Show Me’ take to the 

stage with the toys and characters from their 

hit programme. 

THE TAP DANCING MERMAID at Lincoln 

Drill Hall (Saturday 8 April, 

11.30am and 2.30pm) tells the 

story of Marina, a little girl who’s 

banned from dancing by her 

evil Aunty, but then meets a 

mysterious watery boy. Also at 

the Lincoln Drill Hall, HOW TIME 

FLIES (Monday 10 April, 1pm & 

3pm) is a brand new interactive 

show all about the intriguing world 

of archaeology – dig up hidden 

treasures and discover the secrets 

they hold! 

THE MOON & ME at LPAC 

(Monday 10 & Tuesday 11 April, 

12noon, 2pm and 3.30pm) tells 

Christopher Nibble 

The Scarecrow’s Wedding 

the story of Roux, who’s built a 

rocket in his garden and his looking 

for some new friends to join him 

on a trip to the moon – please say 

you’ll come! 

The wonderful Terry O’Toole 

Theatre has two great events 

on Saturday 15 April. ‘BEE’ A 

GARDEN SUPERHERO family fun 

workshop encourages children to 

decorate their own plant pots and 

plant seeds to grow into flowers 

at home. Staying on the garden 

theme, Topsy Turvy Theatre’s 

CHRISTOPHER NIBBLE tells the 

tale of a plucky little guinea pig who 

must save the day when his town’s supply 

of delicious dandelions is threatened. 

Wrapping up the festival, at Lincoln 

Drill Hall, is THE SCARECROWS’ 

WEDDING (17 April, 2pm), a truly 

heart-warming adaptation of Julia 

Donaldson’s 

bestselling book 

from acclaimed 

theatre 

company 

Scamp. 

LEFT: The Chris 

& Pui Show 

For full Eastival listings pick up a festival booklet at one of the four venues 

or visit the venue websites: www.lincolndrillhall.com • www.lpac.co.uk 

www.thecollectionmuseum.com • www.terryotooletheatre.org.uk 


19

DAYS OUT 

North Kesteven 

Discover more in North Kesteven 

Spring has sprung and there’s lots on offer at 

North Kesteven District Council’s exciting visitor 

attractions. These venues are free to visit all year 

round and offer something for all ages which makes 

a great day out (or two) for all the family! 

Not only does Cranwell Aviation Heritage Centre tell the 

fascinating story of historic RAF Cranwell, it also has interactive 

exhibits including a flight simulator which challenges you to land 

a Jet Provost on the runway before your fuel runs out! On 1st 

April, their new exhibition High Flying Women - Pioneering 

Aviators will open telling the stories of female aviators from 

around the world. The exhibition will enable visitors to discover 

these remarkable women and their love of flight, speed, 

adventure and service for their countries. 

Cogglesford Watermill is one of the few working watermills in 

the country and has regular milling days on the second Sunday 

of the month. Here you can find out about the history of the mill 

and have a go at grinding flour from grain using our hand turned 

quern stones. A short stroll along the River Slea brings you to 

Navigation House, once the company office for the Sleaford 

Navigation Company. The River Slea was once a bustling, 

busy place, carrying laden barges into the heart of Sleaford. At 

Navigation House, the loads were weighed so that charges could 

be made before being carried off to their various destinations. 

To find out more: T: 01529 308102 Facebook: heartoflincs 

Twitter: @discover_nk www.heartoflincs.com 

22 

Easter 2017

Exciting changes are 

taking place... 

at Hall Farm Park, South Kelsey this Spring! 

Come and discover our newly extended playbarn*, 

zoom down the ‘snow’ slide, climb in the new 

soft play, dig in the giant sand pit, bounce on the 

bouncy castle or pretend to be a farmer driving 

along on the toy tractors and ride ons. Older 

children (and adults) can try their best to beat 

Farmer Keith’s lap time on the go kart track! 

Try your hand at the farm yard crazy golf, meet 

lots of friendly animals or find the “Pingles” on the 

magical woodland walk. During your visit you may 

be lucky enough to take a goat for walk or have 

a tractor ride with the dancing farmer to help him 

feed the cattle. So memorable and so much fun for 

the whole family! 

After all the activity why not sit and relax in Hall 

Farm Park’s tea room, awarded Select Lincolnshire 

tea room of the year 2015/16. Enjoy a drink and 

tasty homemade and locally produced food in a 

welcoming environment inside or outside on the 

patio with spectacular views over the park and 

open countryside. 

School visits and birthday parties are both catered 

for but must be booked in advance. For full details 

and prices please ring 01652 678822 - give your 

DAYS OUT 

Hall Farm Park 

children and their guests a very special day to 

remember! 

So much fun to be had at this hidden gem of 

a park. 

For opening hours and more information about 

all of our facilities and new play barn extension 

visit www.hallfarmpark.co.uk or like us on 

Facebook. 

*Supported by EU RDPE LEADER fund. Please check our website. 

T: 01652 678822 Hall Farm Park 

www.hallfarmpark.co.uk 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


23

24 

Easter 2017

The Seasiders are back! 

Rocky, Shelly, Candy, Pierre, Sandy, Salty, 

Milly and Rolly are once again coasting 

the roads of Skegness. 

Open topped, and holiday themed, they are a fun 

way to travel between Skegness, Butlins, Fantasy 

Island and Ingoldmells. Running everyday from 

Easter, throughout the summer until October. 

Seasider tickets start from £1 for children 

(after 9am when accompanied by a fare paying 

passenger) and £2.30 for adults. Dayriders are 

£4.20 all day, or take the whole family (2 adults, 

3 children) for just £11. Stagecoach also offers 

unlimited travel for the whole week for just £14. 

To add to the fun children can pick up a free 

character badge from the driver each time they 

travel. Collect six different badges, take them to 

the Stagecoach Travel shop at the Interchange 

on Richmond Drive, and you could be in with 

a chance of winning the end of season prize. 

Everyone who enters will receive a Skegness 

Seasiders goody bag. 

To make it an unforgettable trip, souvenirs are 

available to buy from the Skegness Interchange 

including Rocky t-shirts and caps or Hattie caps. 

Alternatively you can buy over the phone with a 

debit or credit card by calling 01522 522255. 

For more information: 

www.skegnessseasiders.co.uk 

DAYS OUT 

Stagecoach Bus 

Read about the Seasider’s adventures in a 

selection of books which include: Rocky the 

Seasider saves Teddy’s Holiday, Sandy’s friend 

Fergie gets stuck on the beach, Salty gets stranded 

out at sea, The Seasiders save Christmas!, Candy 

the Seasider finds the lost voice, Sprinty has a 

mooooving day, Harry and the Seasiders Dream 

Comes True and Pierre Helps Keep Britain Tidy, 

for just £2.50 each. A contribution from each sale 

will be donated to various charities including: 

When You Wish Upon a Star, Skegness RNLI 

Lifeboats, The Children’s Brain Tumour Research 

Centre, Shine, Bowel Cancer UK, Keep Britain Tidy 

and Dreams Come True. 

The Seasiders offer a unique opportunity to explore 

Skegness and Ingoldmells like never before, so 

jump aboard and enjoy the ride. By picking up 

a timetable, you can also bag yourself discount 

vouchers to various attractions along the seafront. 

The Stagecoach Bus website can be found 

at www.stagecoachbus.com where you can 

find more information about the bus services 

the company offers. 


25

Nottinghamshire 

County Show – the 

First Agricultural 

Show of the Season! 

Plan a great day out for the 

whole family with lots to 

do for all age groups from 

tiny tots to big kids at the 

Nottinghamshire County Show. 

Enjoy a great family day out 

at the fabulous all-weather 

Nottinghamshire County Show. 

Advance tickets cost £10 and 

accompanied children under 

17 years go free. At this first 

agricultural show of the season 

will be hundreds of animals, from 

all over the country, featuring 

the best cattle, sheep, goats 

and pigs, alongside superb 

equine events, including national 

level show-jumping and the 

ever-popular majestic Heavy 

Horses. When the animals are 

not showing, families will be able 

to meet their favourite farmyard 

characters in their holding areas 

where the handlers will be only 

too happy to answer questions 

about animal husbandry. In the 

Countryside Area there will be a 

full time-table on both Saturday 

and Sunday including informative 

and amusing gun-dog and birds 

of prey demonstrations whilst 

Broke FMX will be performing 

spectacular stunts twice daily in 

the Main Ring. 

The show 

offers a jampacked 

day 

out with lots 

to see and do 

and this year 

there will be 

a fabulous 

collection of 

big, bright, 

shiny new 

machinery, 

including 

tractors, with 

more than 30 agricultural 

machinery stands to visit. 

Show Manager, George 

Taylor, said: “We are delighted 

at the return of the Music 

Marquee, located near the 

Main Ring, which will feature 

a plethora of musicians. 

Families can take a seat 

and listen to the likes of the 

Hope Community Gospel 

Choir, a jazz quintet, and the 

Nottingham Police Band, to 

name but a few”. All ages will 

have fun at the Inspire Shows 

watching co-ordinated free 

running routines in the George 

Stevenson Exhibition Hall with 

runners flipping and leaping 

through the air – skilfully 

negotiating any obstacle in 

their path - demonstrating 

tremendous agility, body 

power and strength. 

DAYS OUT 

Newark Showground 

When it’s time for a bite to eat, 

take advantage of the ample 

refreshment outlets serving 

light snacks and hot drinks as 

well as hot lunches with wine. 

Or why not become a Member 

and enjoy free entry to the 

Show on both days, along with 

VIP parking, Members Only 

facilities, and complimentary 

morning coffee with biscuits 

and afternoon tea with scones. 

Children catered for. 

For further information: www.nottinghamshirecountyshow.com 


27

Taste the delights at 

Daisy Made... 

What could be better than enjoying a cold, 

tasty ice cream on a warm summer’s day? 

Not much, if you ask the team at Daisy Made! 

Daisy Made Ice Cream is a family run business just 

outside of Lincoln city centre. The name gives a clue 

as to what you might expect to enjoy if you visit, but 

there is much more besides the ice cream. 

Set on their farm in Skellingthorpe, there is a 

children’s play area, and a number of animals to 

meet including calves, goats and rabbits. 

There is a farm themed “Crazy Daisy Golf” course 

too, with a number of tricky holes to test your skills, 

and a bouncy castle and real petrol cars that kids 

can take for a drive. 

The café has indoor seating where you can enjoy 

coffees, cakes, or even a light lunch with freshly 

made sandwiches and paninis, a jacket potato or 

soup if you prefer. There’s a full breakfast and lunch 

menu as well as a dessert menu that is served all 

day offering food items such as breakfast baps, 

omelettes, sundaes, pancakes etc. The menu is on 

the website if you want to see the full choice. 

And of course, pudding is their speciality. Made 

using milk from their own dairy herd, the ice cream 

DAYS OUT 

Daisy Made Ice Cream 

is beautifully creamy, with a dazzling array of 

weird and wonderful flavours to tempt you. 

You can even have a scoop alongside a warm 

Belgian waffle, or grab one from their “Lazy 

Daisy Drive Thru” if you don’t want to leave the 

comfort of your car! 

So as the warm weather settles in for spring, you 

can nip along to Daisy Made Ice Cream to grab a 

cone, or you can take the family and while away 

the day. Whichever you choose to do, you’re 

bound to have a good time! 

For further information: T: 01522 693757 

www.daisymadeicecream.co.uk 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


31

DAYS OUT 

Lincoln BIG 

EXCITING DIARY DATES! 

ABOVE: Head of Visit Lincoln Lydia Rusling and Lincoln 

City FC Manager Danny Cowley shake hands on a new 

Signing – the 36th Knight for the Lincoln Knights’ Trail. 

Get those diaries out, prepare to 

enjoy some family time in the city 

and your little stars could have 

the chance to shine in the world 

of fashion too! 

Lincoln BIG Mini Day on 

Brayford Wharf North 

Over the coming weeks there will be an opportunity to let 

the kids play detective, revel in the latest looks and make 

friends with some of the most colourful knights to march 

on Lincoln in the city’s history. 

On March 26, it’s time to get that holiday feeling when a 

cavalcade of camper vans descend on Brayford Wharf 

North for the Lincoln BIG VW Camper Day. There will 

also be stalls and musical entertainment. 

On April 8, super sleuths will be in 

their element when they have the 

opportunity to take to the city’s 

streets and rise to the challenge 

of unlocking The Mystery of the 

Star-Eaters! 

Lincoln BIG has teamed-up with gamemakers 

Casefile and created an irresistible 

gaming challenge for families whose members love 

playing detective or pretending to be daring adventurers. 

Everyone who takes part in this game is asked to follow 

clues, talk to key witnesses and solve puzzles as they 

tour Lincoln’s landmarks and investigate this mystery. 

Who knows what will happen? Find out more at 

visitlincoln.com/stareaters 

Fans of the iconic Mini will not want to miss the Lincoln 

BIG Mini Day on April 16 when scores of a much-loved 

motoring favourite converge on Brayford Wharf North, 

driven by their proud owners who are always ready for a 

chat about their pride and joy. 

32 

Easter 2017

On the Catwalk at 

London Fashion Week 

Plans for Lincoln Fashion Week 

– which runs from April 28 to May 

5 – are also gathering momentum 

after city shopkeepers, buyers and 

our models went on a fact-finding 

visit to London Fashion Week 

Festival. (February 24) 

A brilliant day out got off to a great 

start with free First Class travel to 

King’s Cross aboard Virgin Train’s 

East Coast direct service from 

Lincoln to London, where our party 

checked out the latest fashion 

trends rocking the catwalk. 

Now, Debenhams and St Marks Retail Park 

have announced plans for a Day of Fashion on 

Bank Holiday Monday, May 1 and Lincoln BIG 

is on the lookout for mini models for this special 

occasion. 

There will be plenty to enjoy, including 

catwalks featuring fashions for the 

under-14 age group. 

For more details about Lincoln Fashion 

Week, please click visitlincoln.com/fashion 

and to book tickets for our fabulous 

May 5 finale catwalk show at Alive Church, 

go to visitlincoln.com/fashionfinale 

Hot on the heels of Lincoln Fashion Week, our 

highly-anticipated Lincoln Knight’s Trail will 

Lincoln City FC Manager Danny Cowley with artist Erin Fleming, 

painter of the Lincs Archives Solutions’ Knight 

be installed on May 20 and remain in place right 

through until September 3. 

It’s already causing a buzz, especially now that 

we have signed-up our 36th “member” of the Trail 

– the Lincoln City Knight. 

He promises to be a very popular chap, 

because he celebrates the success 

of Lincoln City Football Club and the 

team’s amazing impact in spreading 

the word aboutLincoln and putting our 

much-loved city on the map. 

The Knights’ Trail is being installed at various 

points around the city on the 800th anniversary 

of The Battle of Lincoln, which will also be a day 

filled with festival fun. 


33

To get the full picture click on to 

www.visitlincoln.com/whats-on 

For more information: T: 01522 545458 

E: visitorinformation@lincolnbig.co.uk 

STREET FOOD FESTIVAL 

17th-19th March, 9am-9pm 

Lincoln High Street & Cornhill 

Enjoy flavours from around the globe 

at Lincoln’s first street food festival: 

talented chefs will be cooking fresh on 

Lincoln High Street and outdoor seating, 

a bar and live music will be provided 

on Lincoln Cornhill nearby. The festival 

is open from 9am til 9pm (closes at 

5pm on Sunday) so you can visit for 

breakfast, lunch, and dinner. 

A licensed bar and live music on Lincoln 

Cornhill will add to the atmosphere as 

the festival stays open into the evening 

on Friday and Saturday night. 

Confirmed traders include: 

•Sol Solet (Catalan Tapas) 

•Greek Grill House 

•Minot French Creperie 

•Thai Noodle Bar 

•Ostrich & Kangaroo Burgers 

Volkswagen owners and enthusiasts gather at the Brayford 

Waterfront in Lincoln for an amazing display of VW Campers. 

Scores of vehicles, many uniquely customised by their 

devoted owners, will be bringing an extra splash of colour 

and nostalgia to Lincoln’s Brayford Waterfront. Alongside 

the display will be live music in the morning and afternoon 

with a DJ entertaining in between. There will also face 

painting to keep the kids entertained. Make the most of 

the Brayford Waterfront’s restaurants and bars and enjoy 

some food and drink along with the atmosphere of 

Lincoln’s VW Camper Day. 

Join the event on Facebook for updates. 

VW CAMPER 

DAY 

26th March, 10am-4pm 

Brayford Waterfront 

If you want to bring your own VW Camper to show, 

you must pre-book to have a guaranteed space (email 

info@vanjamboree.co.uk). 

DISCOVER 

LINCOLNSHIRE 

WEEKEND 

18th & 19th March, all day 

Discover a weekend of free 

entry to many of Lincoln city 

and countryside’s attractions, 

plus other free activities and special offers. 

As well as enjoying the shopping and food 

available throughout Lincoln, you can also 

explore some of Lincolnshire’s most fascinating 

attractions free of charge during Discover 

Lincolnshire Weekend. Highlights include free 

rides on Lincon’s open-top tour bus, free entry 

to Lincoln Cathedral, and guided tours of the 

International Bomber Command Centre. There 

are many other attractions across the city that 

are free to enter over the weekend. 

SLEAFORD EASTER TRAIL 

1st-17th April, 11am-4pm 

Cogglesford Watermill and Navigation House 

Join Molly and Floyd in Sleaford for an Easter 

Eggstravaganza trail between Coggelsford 

Watermill and Navigation House. 

Cogglesford Watermill’s Molly the Mill Mouse is 

visiting Floyd the Fish in Navigation House with some 

Easter eggs - but she has lost some along the way! 

Visit the mill and Navigation House to collect your trail 

sheet and help Molly 

find them before 

claiming your own 

Easter prize! 

A great Easter 

Holiday activity and 

a wonderful way to 

explore the market 

town of Sleaford. 

34 

Easter 2017

LIVE ADVENTURE GAME: 

THE MYSTERY OF THE STAR-EATERS 

8th April, 10am-4pm 

Turn into a detective for the day and take part in a live 

adventure game throughout Lincoln city centre. Explore 

Lincoln’s secret locations and collect all 13 clues across 

the city centre to solve The Mystery of the Star-Eaters. The 

Mystery of the Star-Eaters is a live adventure game, inviting 

players to become consulting detectives for the Lincolnshire Police for the day. 

Starting at City Square, off the Cornhill Quarter, players will have the whole 

day to collect each clue and solve the casefile; piecing together the trail left 

behind by the Professor, questioning witnesses and solving the puzzles. The 

game will take approximately 2-3 hours to play with players free to complete it. 

A mini-mystery sheet will be provided to under 12 year-olds that they can play 

concurrently with the main game. For further information or enquiries regarding 

the game, please contact info@casebook.events 

COUNTRYSIDE LINCS 

9th April, 10am-4pm, Lincolnshire Showground 

Visit the Lincolnshire Showground for a funpacked 

extravaganza all about food, farming and 

the countryside during the Easter holidays. For 

one Sunday a year, the Lincolnshire Showground 

is transformed into an exciting hub for children and 

families to learn to make, bake, explore and experience 

all things connected to food, farming and the countryside. 

There are seven different zones for children to explore including learning 

how to make and bake tasty local foods, getting hands-on with creative 

activities, meeting farmyard animals big and small, and even having a 

ride around the Showground on the big tractor and trailer. There is also 

two packed ring timetables packed pull of displays for you to enjoy 

– including the popular Dog and Duck Show and The Sheep Roadshow. 

LINCOLN BIG 

MINI DAY 

16th April, 10am-4pm 

Brayford Waterfront 

Hundreds of Minis line the 

Brayford Waterfront for a 

fantastic display of cars in 

Lincoln’s most vibrant area. 

Trent Valley Mini Owners 

Club and Lincoln BIG invite 

all types of Mini to this 

annual event, so expect 

displays from the oldest 

to the newest cars. More 

than 200 old and new, 

cool and quirky Mini cars 

line up Lincoln’s Brayford 

Waterfront and restaurants, 

pubs and bars in the area 

will be open to make a 

great family day out. 

Join the event on Facebook 

to receive updates. 

SPARK ENGINEERING FESTIVAL 

5th-7th May, 10am-4pm, Lincoln Cathedral 

Lincoln’s most precious engineering masterpiece, 

the Cathedral, hosts a celebration of the city’s 

engineering heritage.Bring your families and 

take part in have-a-go activities, meet today’s 

engineers and technologists, and find out about 

career and study opportunities with world leading 

organisations based in and around Lincoln. Be 

sure to see the Engineering Timeline: a 50ft long 

display of the history of engineering, how it has 

impacted the world and how Lincoln has had a 

vital part in its heritage. All of this in the glorious 

surroundings of Lincoln Cathedral, the city’s 

most precious engineering masterpiece. 

LINCOLN GRAND 

PRIX FESTIVAL 

OF CYCLING 

11th-14th May, all day 

Four days of exciting cycling events, including the 

Criteriums, Sportive, Uphill Dash, and the Men’s and 

Women’s Lincoln Grand Prix. The Lincoln Grand Prix 

celebrates its 62nd year as elite women and men race 

across historic Lincoln. Criteriums, a Sportive, and the 

thrilling Uphill Dash will also take place over the weekend 

- making for a true festival of cycling. The Men’s Lincoln 

Grand Prix will be part of the 2017 HSBC UK Spring Cup 

Series, and the Women’s Lincoln Grand Prix will be part 

of the 2017 HSBC UK National Women’s Road Series. 

LINCOLN BIKE NIGHT - The opening event of the 

festival is on Thursday 11th May: Lincoln Bike Night 

presents an evening with Ned Boulting from 7.30pm 

at Lincoln Drill Hall. 

www.mollysguide.co.uk 35

DAYS OUT 

Lincoln Castle 

EARLY MORNING 

EXPLORERS 

Lincoln Castle will be launching its 

Early Morning Explorers Sessions, an 

exclusive hour before opening for young 

children with autism and their families. 

The team at Lincoln Castle have undergone 

Autism Awareness training and worked alongside 

Lincoln’s Parent Support Group PAACT who is 

affiliated to the Lincolnshire Autistic Society. 

The Victorian Prison and Magna Carta experience 

will be adapted to create a more suitable 

environment for visitors with autism. Our Visit 

England Gold Accolade winning Front of House 

team will also be at hand to assist you throughout 

your visit. 

If you require a moment away or a safe space, 

our education spaces will be available equipped 

with sensory toys. 

The Langton’s Café team will be serving food and 

drink from 9am. 

Please note that these changes to the Castle and 

its attractions will take place between 9am and 

10am. From 10am the Castle’s audio and visual 

interpretation will restart. You are more than 

welcome to stay beyond 10am. 

The special opening dates are: 

• 8th April • 3rd June • 2nd August 

• 30th September • 16th December 

Each opening will be themed around events which are 

taking place at the Castle during the week they are on. 

Should you require any more information, please head 

to www.lincolncastle.com/content/accessibility 

where our accessibility statement can be read. A 

brand new Easy Read Guide, which is specifically 

designed for young children and adults with Autism 

to take on their way around the Castle, can be 

downloaded and you can find out how to reserve your 

own temporary ear defenders whilst visiting us. 

Tickets can be purchased on the day or in advance at 

www.lincolncastle.com 

Easter Fun at Lincoln Castle 

Sat 1st & Sun 2nd April 

CASTLE FOOL’S DAY 

Celebrating the Castle’s 2nd birthday following its 

grand re-opening, we celebrate April Fools’ Day in 

traditional style with our very own medieval Fool 

– Peterken the fool. There’s also a cast of costumed 

characters telling their stories inside the Victorian 

Prison and it’s the first weekend of our brand new 

Easter Quest for Children- William the Conqueror’s 

Domesday Trail. 


37

DAYS OUT 

Lincoln Castle continued 

perform their own “pageant” to our legendary hero 

complete with a duo of Victorian musicians to sing 

and play odes and songs in honour of St George 

and the Victorian era. Youngsters will have the 

chance to take part in our own St George Chivalry 

School too. All of the entertainment can be found 

inside the Victorian Prison Yard. 

Sat 1st – Mon 17th April 

CASTLE EASTER QUEST – WILLIAM THE 

CONQUEROR’S DOMESDAY TRAIL 

William the Conqueror had the first Castle at 

Lincoln to be built in 1068 and now especially for 

Easter, take part in our new Easter Quest. Junior 

visitors can explore the Castle grounds to seek 

out and count the sheep and livestock of the mills 

and manors for King William’s great survey. Find 

the clues and be rewarded with a yummy treat. 

Sat 22nd & Sun 23rd April 

VICTORIAN ST GEORGE’S WEEKEND 

Come face to face with the deadly dragon at the 

Castle in our weekend of Victorian fun with a cast 

of costumed Victorians. Be entertained as they 

Rushmoor Country Park 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MOTHER’S DAY 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EASTER CELEBRATIONS 

MAY DAY HOLIDAY 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sat 29th, Sun 30th April & Mon 1st May 

CHILDREN’S MEDIEVAL FESTIVAL 

Join us for three whole days of hands –on medieval 

fun. There are lots of things to do and personal 

appearances from CBeebies’ Mike the Knight 

and Channel 5’s The Little Princess at intervals 

throughout the weekend. There will be chance for 

children to discover all kinds of medieval crafts 

and pastimes – from medieval music and dance to 

soldier training, a school for fools, medieval clay 

tile making and calligraphy. There will be a host of 

costumed characters and a jam packed day each 

day to immerse children into medieval times. 

Come dressed in your finest dressing up costume 

and make arts and crafts medieval chains for 

nobles and shields for soldiers to take away 

Mike the Knight will be at the event on Saturday 

and Monday. 

Little Princess will be at the event on Sunday and 

Monday. 

Tickets can be purchased on the day or in advance at www.lincolncastle.com 

38 

Easter 2017

Marshall’s Yard prepares to 

celebrate its 10th anniversary 

This year Marshall’s Yard celebrates the centre’s 10th 

Anniversary and the shopping centre will be hosting a 

two day food festival as part of the celebrations. 

The festival will take place on Saturday 8th and Sunday 

9th April with entertainment across the whole weekend. 

Local Chefs will be showcasing their culinary skills 

using some delicious regional produce throughout the 

weekend alongside a food market to tempt your taste 

buds. The food market will be open from 9am selling 

local produce including fresh meat, fish, cheese, fudge, 

wines and ales. As part of the market there will also be 

a selection of street food including Caribbean Cuisine, 

Bubble n Squeak and a Hog Roast. 

The birthday celebrations will continue as local 

dance acts and performers such as The Torn and 

Gainsborough Ukulele Strummers will also join in the 

fun as they set to put on an amazing show across the 

weekend. 

Food lovers will be in for a treat as they will have 

the chance to sample some local dishes created by 

some of the region’s restaurants. The Marshall’s Yard 

kitchen will be joined by our very own chefs from Root 

and Cream alongside chefs from NYC Bar and Grill, 

Adam’s Bay, Vincere Hospitality and The Clock House. 

Demonstrations will start from 10am giving shoppers a 

chance to pick up some tips and recipe ideas. 

DAYS OUT 

Marshall’s Yard 

The event will also see a special birthday balloon 

release by all those celebrating a 10th birthday 

or anniversary this year to join in the Yard’s 10th 

Anniversary celebrations. 

Marshall’s Yard’s Centre Manager, Alison Hall, 

said: “This is a really big milestone for Marshall’s 

Yard and we are delighted to be hosting this big 

celebration and sharing it with customers old and 

new. This is a great way to mark the 10th birthday 

of Marshall’s Yard with lots of fun for all the 

family across the weekend – there really will be 

something for everyone.” 

10th Birthday celebrations 

delivered in partnership with 

MarshallsYard @MarshallsYard 

www.marshallsyard.co.uk 


39

DAYS OUT 

Jubilee Park 

For more information: 

www.jubileeparkwoodhallspa.co.uk 

Something for everyone... 

One of Lincolnshire favourite family attractions is 

Woodhall Spa’s iconic Jubilee Park. 

Continuing investment in this thriving facility sees a fully 

refurbished childrens’ play area in 2017 (fitted during May) 

with new equipment and improved old favourites. 

The open air heated swimming and paddling pools are open 

from Easter to October for their longest ever season with water 

temperature averaging 29°C (86°F) and hot showers and heated 

changing facilities for cooler days. Special swim sessions include 

adult only early morning swims and half price days on Tuesdays 

for seniors. The park’s all inclusive policy means there’s a poolside 

hoist for the disabled and carers are admitted free. It’s grassy 

enclosure is perfect for family picnics and at weekends and during 

school holidays, the park’s café offers a choice of light refreshments. 

The park also hosts cricket, tennis, bowls and croquet pitches 

with outdoor table tennis and pitch and put greens and a popular 

small caravan and camping site. 

Visitors in 2017 will see even more improvements in the lovely park 

gardens as volunteers continue to enhance this community owned 

and run facility. The nearby Woodland Trust woods are ideal for 

children and family pets while cyclists and walkers have easy access 

to numerous lovely walks and trails including the Viking Way and the 

cross county Water Railway along the banks of the River Witham. 

Jubilee Park is just a short stroll away from Woodhall Spa’s range 

of independent shops, restaurants and cafes. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

40 

Easter 2017

Easter Family Fun 

at Tattershall Castle... 

Searching for something to do with the 

family during weekends and holidays? Why 

not try somewhere a bit different and visit 

Lincolnshire’s only medieval brick castle? 

National Trust has once again teamed up with 

Cadbury to offer families the ultimate day out with our 

popular Egg Hunts. To get your hands on the edible 

treasure you’ll need to scour the Great Tower, hop 

across the moat bridges and hunt through the ruins 

to collect your answers. Trails are suitable for all ages 

and you’ll receive a tasty chocolate treat at the end. 

With six floors of the Castle to discover, explore 

the Great Tower from underground in the basement 

to high up on the battlements. As you wander 

through the vast echoing chambers of the castle 

be transported back in time as you listen to the 

free multimedia guides. There is something for the 

whole family to enjoy together with children’s trails, 

playing with medieval toys, and building your very 

own castles in the giant sandpit or using the colourful 

softplay shapes. 

If you’re looking for something to do on the first Bank 

Holiday in May come dressed as a valiant knight or a 

beautiful damsel for Knights and Princesses Day. With 

a special trail around the castle and grounds, face 

© National Trust/ 

A.Tryner 

DAYS OUT 

Tattershall Castle 

© National Trust/ 

Tattershall Castle 

painting, balloon modelling and creative medieval 

themed crafts there’s something for everyone. 

Children in fancy dress even get in for free. 

The castle is open 11am-5pm, 7 days a week. 

Additional charges may apply for some activities. 

T: 01526 342543 

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/tattershall-castle 


41

HOBBIES & ACTIVITIES 

Stagecoach Theatre 

To find out more about the two 

week trial please call Kat Hendy 

T: 01522 690580 

www.stagecoach.co.uk/hykeham 

Give your child Creative Courage for 

Life with Stagecoach Performing Arts 

Every child has all kinds of abilities and capabilities, but 

unless they explore them, experiment and learn to express 

themselves, they may never realise the talents within them. 

Stagecoach sets out to inspire children to unleash their potential, 

teaching the performing arts and so much more. It’s about taking 

on a challenge and being unafraid to express yourself, having the 

courage to be yourself and let other people know it, being creative 

and expressive and building life-long friendships. Stagecoach calls it 

‘Creative Courage for Life’. 

Stagecoach Performing Arts Hykeham (in Lincoln) offer classes in 

singing, dancing and acting at The Meadows Primary School, Calder 

Road, Lincoln, LN5 9BB, and are offering a two week trial during the 

school Summer Term for youngsters aged 4 to 18. 

Classes are small which means every child is given attention and 

allowed to realise their potential at their own pace. The teachers all 

have performing arts experience and are there to lead and support 

youngsters as they conquer fears and rise to new challenges. 

Principal, Kat has a passion for the arts and has a fantastic team of 

experienced teachers at her school, who are all passionate about their 

disciplines. This term, the students will be working on their biggest 

show yet ‘Fame Junior’, and enrolment for new students is now open! 

“My son has come such a long way from the timid shy person he was 

when he started Stagecoach. It’s a pleasure to watch him progress 

with every performance he does!” Sarah – Stagecoach Parent 

Classes run during school term time on Fridays: Early Stages (4-6 

years) 4.15-5.45pm, Main School (6-18 years) 4.30pm-7.30pm. 

42 

Easter 2017

Lincolnshire Hospice to host 

3rd Annual Colour Dash 

Lincolnshire Showground is set to host 

what promises to be another sell-out 

event for St Barnabas Hospice. 

Following on from the December announcement that 

St Barnabas will once again be holding the popular 5k 

Colour Dash at the Lincolnshire Showground, places 

have been selling rapidly. This event is due to be held 

on Saturday 13th May. 

Last year, participants were covered in environmentally 

friendly powder paint as they ran, walked and danced 

to raise over £170,000 for local hospice care. 

The Colour Dash is a 5k route dotted with various 

coloured paint stations, ensuring participants get 

sprayed every kilometre. Entrants must be over 5 years 

old, and anyone under 16 must also be accompanied 

by a paying adult. 

Becky Otter, Event Manager for St Barnabas Hospice, 

said: “After the huge success of the previous two 

Colour Dash events we have hosted, we are expecting 

another sell-out this year. The Colour Dash is a brilliant 

way to come together and show your support for St 

Barnabas. It is a bright and vibrant event that brings 

the whole family together, whether you are running in 

memory of a loved one, or just to have fun! 

“Colour Dash is for all ages, and you don’t have to be 

a runner to take part! Whether you run, walk or dance 


St Barnabas Hospice 

your way round, you should feel proud that you 

are doing it for such a good cause. 

“St Barnabas works tirelessly to ensure patients 

and their families make the most of every single 

second they share, regardless of how much time 

remains. The money raised from events such as 

the Colour Dash enables this work to continue.” 

With registration for the event in full swing, there 

is still time to book your place. It costs only £20 

for adults and £10 for children (5-15 yrs). A family 

ticket is also available for only £50. Included in 

the registration fee is a fundraising pack, neon 

sunglasses, a bottle of water, a poncho and a 

commemorative medal. 

Sponsoring this year’s event are Western Power 

Distribution, Running Imp, Lincolnshire Co-op, 

Your Print Partner and Bailgate Independent. St 

Barnabas has once again called on the help of 

Total Fitness Lincoln to lead a fun warm up before 

the event. 

To register, go to www.stbarnabashospice.co.uk/cd17 

More info contact Becky Otter - T: 01522 559516 

E: becky.otter@stbarnabashospice.co.uk 


43


PGL 

What happens when 

you send a non-sporty, 

gadget-mad, sleepoverphobic 

11-year-old and 

her best friend on a 

PGL adventure holiday 

for four nights? You’d 

be surprised, writes 

Sam Curtis... 

The climbing & abseiling tower at 

PGL’s Caythorpe Court Centre 

Nuture a sense of adventure... 

PARENTS, GET LOST! 

No, not the words most 11-year-olds 

quietly mutter under their breath 

at their mums and dads but the 

unofficial slogan for holiday provider 

PGL. 

This British company has been 

offering adventure breaks for 

seven to 16 year-olds (sans their 

parents) for the last 60 years and is 

considered to be one of the leading 

pioneers in this niche market. 

Their ethos, which is splashed 

across every page of their 60-page 

brochure, focuses on five things: 

Quality; experience; care and 

common sense. 

That’s only four, I know, the fifth is to 

foster a sense of adventure. 

PGL achieves this by encouraging 

children to take part in a range of 

physical activities at one of their 12 

UK-based centres. Each one has 

its own unique features but all have 

been designed with children in mind. 

Expect to find climbing towers, giant 

swings and zip wires as standard 

equipment. 

Some centres are small and homely; 

others are bigger with acres of 

outdoor space but they all offer the 

chance for children to gain new 

experiences, challenge themselves, 

make new friends and enjoy some 

independence. The company also 

The Vertical Challenge at PGL 

offers packages to centres in France 

and skiing in Austria. 

I experienced PGL as a teenager. 

At the age of 16, I went on a 10-day 

multi-centre break to the South 

of France with a friend. We were 

dropped off by our parents at a PGL 

boarding point just south of London 

(I can’t remember the exact location, 

it’s a long time ago), then we 

boarded a coach and the adventure 

began. 

It was the best 10 days of my life, not 

counting the women-only (no kids, 

no partners) holiday to Ibiza I went on 

last year. 

Back to my 16-year-old self 

- I jumped into the emerald green 

waters of The Ardèche river from the 

top of a 20ft tall rock; I canoed down 

rapids, slept under the stars, learned 

to sail a small dinghy and had a bash 

at windsurfing. 

I challenged myself to do things on 

that trip I had never done before and 

never have since. 

So, naturally, I wanted to give my 

own daughter Charlotte, who is in 

her last year of primary school this 

year, the chance to enjoy the PGL 

experience. 

My eldest child does not have an 

adventurous bone in her body, her 

favourite sport is surfing YouTube 

channels and she is not especially 

comfortable with sleepovers. 

44 

Easter 2017

But last summer, when I suggested 

she go on a PGL holiday, she all but 

bit my hand off. We recruited her 

best friend Evie to go along, too. 

So, on a bright and sunny morning 

in the school holidays, we set off for 

our destination – Caythorpe Court, 

PGL’s centre in Lincolnshire. 

I thought she was going to ask me 

to turn the car around. 

She didn’t. 

She seemed quite excited, even 

more so when we spotted her 

friend with her mum, waiting in the 

centre’s car park. 

Once the girls were signed in 

at reception, all that was left to 

do was to settle them into their 

accommodation, which was housed 

in modern, purpose-built blocks, 

not dissimilar to university halls, for 

the next four nights. 

Because I wasn’t there for 

the next four days, I have 

no idea how the girls got 

on, so I asked Charlotte 

and Evie to fill in the gaps. 

Here’s what they had to 

say: 

On getting homesick 

Charlotte: “When I felt homesick, 

a team leader told me some 

relaxation techniques to help me 

unwind at night time. They also told 

me not to call home because that 

makes things worse.” 

On the food 

Charlotte: “The food was delicious, 

we ate all of our favourite things. 

We were encouraged to eat at 

breakfast time so we didn’t run out 

of energy for the day ahead.” 

On the activities 

Charlotte: “Ooh. The giant swing 

was the best thing, ever. I loved it. 

Evie: “We went on the giant swing, 

a LOT. It was awesome.” 

Charlotte: “I climbed right to the 

top of this 

enormous tower 

and I was going 

to abseil down 

the other side. 

I was dangling 

over the edge 

but I lost my 

cool and started crying, so the 

team leader told me to come back. 

But I wanted to do it, so the next 

day, I tried it again and with lots 

of encouragement I went over the 

edge and I did it.” 

I kissed my daughter 

goodbye and Evie’s 

mum and I did what 

the slogan told us to 

do and ‘got lost’. 

Charlotte: “We went kayaking. 

I rolled my kayak straight over, 

into the water, then rolled back 

the right way. I really enjoyed that 

challenge.” 

On the overall experience 

Evie: “It was really good fun. Better 

than I thought it would be and the 

four days went really quickly.” 

Charlotte: “I would definitely go 

back. When can I go back?” 

This from the child who ‘hates’ 

sport, detests sleepovers because 

she ‘likes her own bed too much” 

and is more often than not gazing 

into the screen of a gadget. 

I’m not sure my daughter was 

aware of the difference in herself 

upon her return but I was. 

The giant swing at PGL’s Caythorpe Court Centre 

Charlotte Curtis and Evie Elley were guests at PGL’s Caythorpe Court Centre, 

in Lincolnshire. A four-night stay at the centre during 2017, including most 

activities, food, accommodation & entertainment costs from £329 per child. 

To find out more, or to book visit pgl.co.uk/holidays or call: 0333 321 2114 

For starters, she scaled the 

rope ladder obstacle at our local 

park without even looking down 

and she’d never have had the 

confidence to do that before. 

She was also more inclined to seek 

out a physical activity, rather than 

something that required an iPad or 

a joypad. 

And, on that first night home, 

after she’d had a hot shower 

and popped on her pyjamas, she 

crawled into bed and slept for 12 

hours straight. 

Clearly, being adventurous was 

pretty exhausting and for me, that’s 

the sign of a really good holiday! 

Evie Elley, left and 

Charlotte Curtis, right. 


45


Holly Tree 

For further information: 

T: 01522 790275 

M: 07768 965942 

E: hollytree@softplaylincoln.co.uk 

www.softplaylincoln.co.uk 

 

So much more than just soft play... 

Our multi level soft play frame is suitable for your energetic 

and adventurous under 9’s. Our younger visitors have their 

own dedicated baby & toddler room, full of fun, age appropriate 

toys and equipment, suitable from birth to 4 years. 

We are also a premier party venue, catering for your little one’s birthday 

with a variety of exclusive party packages tailored to your individual 

needs. Prices start from only £9.50pp and all parties are hosted in our 

private party room with our dedicated party host. 

Our 52 seater restaurant commands beautiful countryside views and serves 

delicious homemade food, home baked cakes and local Stokes coffee. 

Private room and venue hire is also available to suit your needs; 

conferences, training, baby classes, we can cater to all your room hire 

requirements. Please get in touch for more information! 

Situated in Washingborough, our indoor children’s soft play centre is 

well suited for visitors from Lincoln, Sleaford and Bardney as well as the 

many surrounding villages. 

Outdoor multi sensory Play Garden: Our brand new outdoor area 

opens Sunday March 26th fully equipped with outdoor seating, mud 

kitchen, sandpit, wooden toys and sensory garden! Perfect for those 

warm summer days! 

Babies and toddlers: In the main soft play barn, we have a multi-sensory, 

interactive soft sided play den, along with a range of baby toys so our 

small guests are engaged whilst their older siblings explore the play frame! 

We also have a qualified health visitor that visits every month (dates and 

times on our website) for our ‘Play and Weigh’ sessions, we have Messy 

Play on Tuesdays and Story Time on Thursdays! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

46 

Easter 2017

Money saving vouchers for you & your family 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rushmoor Country Park 

family 4 

admitted 

for the 

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47


Hartsholme Country Park 

Hartsholme Country Park 

Activities and Events 

Each session begins at the Visitor Centre, Hartsholme Country Park 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Join in the Easter family fun 

at Hartsholme Country Park! 

Are you trying to think of new and exciting 

ways to entertain your children in the 

upcoming Easter holidays? The good news 

is you don’t need to leave the city! 

Throughout the Easter half term we have many 

different activities on offer to suit all children whether 

they are crafty, outdoorsy or just plain thrill seekers. 

You’re sure to discover the joys of flight by making 

your very own bottle rocket on Tuesday 4th April. 

A satisfying ‘whoosh’, a high-speed departure and a 

good soaking if you are standing close are what’s in 

store!! 

In the words of the song “With tuppence for paper 

and string”, create your very own masterpiece, and 

make a kite and see if it flies on Thursday 6th April. 

Get all arty at our Easter Craft Workshop on Tuesday 

11th April where you can make anything from an 

Easter bonnet to decorations to brighten up the home. 

Light up the night sky by constructing your very own 

willow and paper lantern at our Lantern Making 

Workshop on Thursday 13th April. 

Our ever popular and egg-citing Easter Egg Hunt 

from Friday 14th to Monday 17th April gives children 

the chance to find the eggs left behind by the Easter 

bunny and to claim their very own chocolatey treat. 

New for 2017 and building on the success of current 

events will be our ‘Travelling Roadshow’, where we 

are planning to roll out our events across the city this 

year to several more locations. So keep your eyes 

peeled for more fun and action packed events 

coming to a Lincoln green space near you! 

For more information regarding the Easter half 

term or travelling roadshow please contact us: 

T: 01522 873735 E: hartsholme@lincoln.gov.uk 

www.lincoln.gov.uk/hartsholmecp 

For the latest news - Facebook: hartsholmecp 

48 

Easter 2017

Money saving vouchers for you & your family 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

@ 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


49


Easter craft fun 

Get crafting this Easter... 

When I think of Easter two things spring to mind... 

Chocolate eggs and new born animals, especially 

bunnies. 

You can’t beat the feeling of waking up on Easter Sunday 

knowing there are all those chocolate eggs downstairs, just 

waiting for you to gorge on them all day. But if, like one of 

my boys, you have an allergy and can’t have the yummy 

chocolate (and have to leave it for your mum, oh dear!) then 

there are always a few Easter crafts we can do to take our 

mind off of the eggs. 

One of the first things we make, mostly because it’s the 

easiest, are stick bunnies. 

STICK BUNNIES 

Writer Shelley 

Pasco lives in 

Lincoln and 

married with 

three boys, 

And inbetween 

running literacy 

workshops in 

local schools 

Shelley enjoys baking, reading, travel 

and is always looking for new crafts. 

YOU WILL NEED 

• Lolly sticks 

• Pipe cleaners 

• Wiggle eyes 

• Felt tip pens 

• Paint 

• Paintbrushes 

• Newspaper 

• Glue 

WHAT TO DO 

Firstly, place the newspaper over a flat 

surface so it is easy to clear away. 

Paint your lolly sticks and leave to 

dry. Once they have dried, glue on the 

wiggle eyes (you could use pom poms 

for noses, pipe cleaners for ears or 

anything you have lying around). 

When they have completely dried put 

them in plant pots, cupcakes, use 

as name placements for your Easter 

table, etc. 

EASTER BUNNY MASKS 

Another craft we make in our house is masks. 

My boys love putting on the masks and surprising 

their friends with their designs. 

YOU WILL NEED 

• Paper plate 

• Scissors 

• String 

• Stapler 

• Paint/crayons/ 

felt tip pens 

WHAT TO DO 

Cut out shapes for your eyes and make them 

smooth with either your fingers or a paintbrush. 

Cut the plate to just below your nose. Paint the 

mask a colour of your choice. For example, if 

you are making a chick, paint the plate yellow. If 

you are making a lamb, paint it white, etc. 

Once the paint is dry draw on a nose, whiskers 

and whatever you want. You should be as 

creative as you like! 

Now you have finished, you can go and surprise 

all of your friends. Better yet, get them to make 

some with you and have an Easter Egg Hunt! 

50 

Easter 2017

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