molly_issue26_spring WEB

ISSUE 26 • SPRING 2017 

www.mollysguide.co.uk 

Take a walk on the 

with Lincs Wildlife Trust 

for parents & carers 

School 

OPEN 

DAYS 

Visit & discover 

more 

The adventures of 

From Lincoln to London 

with Desperate Dad 

The Lincoln Castle 

Fabulous family days out this 

ACTIVITIES & EVENTS FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY 

FREE

We take 

2-4 

year olds 

A purpose-built local authority school serving the families 

of Birchwood and surrounding areas. Well-equipped inside 

and out with a fully enclosed spacious outdoor area. 

All children are welcome, their abilities, gender, 

cultural and ethnic background are celebrated. 

• 15 or 30 hours per week 

of education and care 

• Morning, afternoon 

or full-day places 

• Before & after school care 

and a lunch club 

Don’t delay - apply today 

PLACES AVAILABLE 

NOW! 

• Also options to buy 

additional sessions 

For more information please call 

01522 684335 

KINGSDOWN ROAD, LINCOLN LN6 0FB 

Email: enquiries@kingsdownnuseryschool.co.uk 

www.kingsdownnurseryschool.co.uk

Is it just us, or does it feel like Lincolnshire 

is a really great place to be at the moment? 

6 

Modern 

Parenting 

Here at Molly’s Guide we’ve noticed there’s something a 

bit, well, special in the air right now. 

Perhaps it’s the phenomenal success of our local football 

team? Our regular columnist Desperate Dad sums up the 

euphoria felt by so many as he watched the mighty Imps 

push their way back into the football league (via a trip to 

the world-renowned Emirates stadium). 

Lincoln City’s history-making performance seems to have 

lifted the entire city and school children across the county 

have been inspired by the valiant efforts of the players 

and management team. You can read how the Red and 

White Army’s success also served up some special father 

and son moments in DD’s column on pages 4&5. 

Maybe the feel good factor we’re enjoying comes from 

the anticipation of summer packed full of family-friendly 

entertainment? With the SATs firmly behind us, we 

can look forward to Lincoln being thrust back into the 

spotlight as the city comes together to celebrate the 

800th Anniversary of The Battle of Lincoln and the 

Sealing of The Charter of The Forest. 

Anyone who completed the Barons’ Trail will no doubt 

be looking forward to 2017 Knights’ Trail, which will 

see families hunt down 36 knights in strategic locations 

across the city. For details of where to find them – and 

for a rundown of everything else that’s on offer this year 

– turn to pages 30&31. 

Or perhaps our mood is simply down to the anticipation 

of a change in the weather. The nights are getting longer 

and the winter coats have been consigned to the back of 

the wardrobe. Whatever the reason, we hope you all have 

a spring in your step too. 

19 

Newton 

Academy 

20 

Emspired 

Fitness 

25 

Lincoln 

Drill Hall 

39 

Lincoln 

Castle 

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: Sergey Novikov/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, 

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system - without the prior written permission of 

the Publisher. Copyright ©Stevens Green Media 

Ltd - All rights reserved. 

42 

Nature 

Detectives 


3

NEWS 

Desperate Dad 

I was lucky enough to take 

my football-mad eight-yearold 

to watch Arsenal play in 

their magnificent Emirates 

fortress this season. 

We Are Imps… 

It was a road trip of dreams – a Saturday we’ll never 

forget, pack up lunch secured and extra sweets for half 

time safely stashed away – a boys’ own outing to savour 

forever. 

I’ll never forget his face as we rounded the north London 

corner and the stadium came into view, and as we 

entered the ground pitch side proper, I thought he (and I 

too) was going to explode with excitement. 

But he wasn’t there to cheer on the Gunners – he’s not 

an Arsenal fan at all. My little yellowbelly had journeyed 

to see them play plucky Lincoln City FC and what a 

magnificent day it turned out to be. 

We’ve been watching the mighty Imps together for a 

good two-and-a-half seasons now. 

The World Cup in 2014 ignited my eldest’s football flame, 

so the logical next step was to form an allegiance with 

our local (struggling) non-league side. 

Most Saturday afternoons now involve a visit to the 

hallowed Sincil Bank and a seat in the Co-op Family 

Stand to watch our local Lincoln heroes. 

4 

Spring 2017

At times it’s been painful 

viewing, we’ve often had 

not a lot to shout about. 

But just now and again and 

particularly in historic and 

mystical recent months, 

some glimpses of magic 

make wrapping up as snug 

as bugs in rugs worth it 

every single time. 

There’s just something 

in the air. And as the 

Dambusters theme tune 

rings out (after Europe’s 

Final Countdown of course) 

and the players parade onto 

the pitch, a little look to the 

left to clock the cathedral is 

enough to send the shivers 

down the spine. 

The obligatory half-time selfie, dutifully sent 

to mummy, and Back of the Net local chippy 

lunch before kick-off are now steadfast 

traditions too. 

It’s a real experience for us both and one 

I feel very privileged to share with my little 

footie mad partner in crime. 

We all have our glamour clubs, the teams we 

adopted as glory chasing youngsters, the 

Manchester Uniteds, the 

Chelseas and Liverpools. 

But falling in love with 

your hometown team is 

something quite apart 

– almost spiritual and untouchable. 

“At Lincoln City we feel 

at home, it’s our club, 

our ground, and we 

love it dearly.” 

It’s a love that’s forged on the bitter cold 

Tuesday night terraces and wet and windy 

Saturday afternoons, when no one in their 

right mind should be waving a sacred scarf or 

singing a silly song. 

But this season has been very different, very 

different indeed. 

The 1,500 freezing fans have turned into 

8,000 plus delirious disciples, roaring their 

team onto unrivalled success beyond all 

our wildest dreams – it’s been a legendary 

transformation. 

What the Imps have achieved this season is 

truly remarkable. National League Champions 

with games to spare, promotion back to the 

football league, the first non-league side to 

reach the FA Cup quarter-finals in more than 

100 years and an FA Trophy semi-final. 

But the above success isn’t what will keep us 

coming back next season and the one after 

that and one after that etc etc… 

It’s the rush of excitement as we push 

through the sticking turnstiles, tickets 

in hand, and the feeling of euphoria 

as we walk up the steps to see the 

hallowed green Sincil Bank turf. 

The ecstasy and elation of the last minute 

win (there’s been a few) and the feeling of 

togetherness as we all sing and chant as loud 

as we can to get the boys over that finish line. 

These are the moments that I’ll never forget 

and ones I’m certain my boy won’t either, as 

he grows older and recognises what a special 

time this season has been. 

After all, we are all Imps at heart aren’t we? 

#UTI 

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 

Modern Parenting 

A fidget what? Your guide to this summer’s crazes 

My head is spinning. No, I haven’t hit the 

prosecco early, I have been watching my 

eldest child ‘shuffle’ her way around the 

lounge, mobile phone in one hand, fidget 

spinner in the other while muttering the 

word ‘legit’ under her breath. 

Sound like gobbledy gook to you? Well, let me help, 

as best I can, to explain the trends, crazes and jargon 

the ‘kids’ are using this summer. 

FIDGET SPINNERS (AND FIDGET CUBES) 

Fidget spinners are gadgets which are held between 

the index finger and thumb and 

were originally designed to relieve 

stress and aid concentration in 

children with autism and ADHD. 

Their popularity is soaring thanks 

largely down to their size (they fit 

inside a pocket), the fact they come 

in a range of colours and the price 

(you can pick one up from Amazon 

for less than £2). 

Like loom bands before them, it’s 

only a matter of time before the 

world is taken over by spinners and 

cubes that click. 

SHUFFLING 

We have wooden floors in 

our house so my eldest child 

has plenty of opportunities 

to practice ‘shuffling’. I 

can only describe it as a 

modern interpretation of the 

Charleston dance, with the 

shuffler putting one foot in 

front of the other and walking 

forwards and backwards while 

standing on tiptoes. 

DABBING 

Another dance move, along the lines of the ‘Nae Nae’ 

of Silentó fame, which apparently started in Atlanta, 

USA, by rappers from the group Migos. (Hello? Are 

you still with me?) 

The dabbing craze sees people point one arm 

upwards towards the sky while also bowing their 

head into their other arm. 

For the record, I can’t dab, nae nae or shuffle. 

MUSIC.LY 

If you have spotted your tween walking around with 

their phone set to ‘selfie mode’ while lip-syncing to 

a really annoying snippet of music over and over 

again, making heart shapes in the air with their hands 

or generally posing, chances are they are making a 

Music.ly clip. 

Music-what? Music.ly is a social media platform 

that allows users to upload videos of 

themselves singing, dancing, making 

comedy skits and lip-syncing. Users 

are rated on their ability to look cool. It’s 

definitely not an app I’ll be downloading 

anytime soon. 

FASHION 

If your child hasn’t begged you to 

buy them any of the following, 

think yourself lucky: 

Girls 

Adidas Superstar trainers; high waisted 

jeans with ripped knees; T-shirts or 

sweatshirts with holes in; a bomber 

jacket; a black cap, preferably emblazoned with the 

Nike logo. I have no idea when the craze for wearing 

new clothes that look like Edward Scissor Hands has 

designed them started but I am happy for it to go 

away, now. 

6 

Spring 2017

Boys 

The good old football shirt never seems to go out of 

fashion, that and Adidas tracksuits (either in black or 

blue). Things don’t really seem to have moved on for 

boys in the fashion stakes since I was at school. 

Apart from hair. 

The boys I went to school with 

modelled themselves on Kevin 

Keegan circa 1980 – who sported 

long, curly locks. For the modern 

tweenage boy, it’s all about The 

Quiff, the higher the better. This 

look is achieved using gallons 

of Boots hair gel and a constant 

smoothing action to make sure it 

stays ‘high’ and ‘over’. 

Hair for girls is swishy, clean and 

long. Younger girls will probably 

own at least seven JoJo bows (oversized bows) in a 

variety of fabrics and colourways. 

DINING OUT 

With a social life better than yours, youngsters don’t 

hang out at the park anymore, well, they do but they 

prefer to visit establishments like Nandos, Zizzis and 

Harvester with their friends. Younger children are 

still easily appeased by a visit to McDonald’s, thank 

goodness. Have you seen how expensive chicken and 

chips is? No wonder they call it a ‘cheeky Nandos’. 

THE LINGO 

Words du jour include 

‘legit’, from the word 

‘legitimately’ meaning 

‘honestly, truthfully, I am not 

kidding’. This is dropped 

into the conversation at 

regular intervals, like, every 

other word. Legit. 

‘Cringe’: This is used for 

any situation that makes 

a child feel uncomfortable, usually when you are 

embarrassing them. I hear it a lot. 

‘Yaaasss’: Like ‘yes’ but slower. 

SNAPCHAT 

‘STREAKS’ 

I have no idea 

what they are but 

I know if you lose 

a streak of 100 

that is a really 

bad thing. 

TEXTING 

Mobile phones should come with 

a comprehensive glossary of 

text speak for parents to refer to. 

Here are a few typical phrases to 

get you started. 

OFC (of course); GTG (got to go); 

WYD (what are you doing?) 

Don’t ever use the hashtag (#) 

when texting your child. They are, 

apparently, used by ‘old people’. 

MAKEUP 

Let’s just say your average tweenage 

girl will have watched hundreds of 

‘how to’ videos on YouTube and know 

exactly what strobing, contouring and 

highlighting is. My advice, if you have 

a daughter – let her do your makeup 

for you. In my experience, it’s as good 

as going to the Benefit counter in 

Debenhams (and cheaper). 

MOBILE PHONES 

YOUTUBE 

Children don’t watch TV. They seek out their 

favourite ‘tubers’. Little children can’t get enough 

of watching videos of other little children opening 

‘surprise eggs’. I know, say what? 

My daughter subscribes to channels hosted by 

Amelia Gething and Zoella. 

Both are clever, funny and 

entertaining. I sometimes 

watch their clips when my 

daughter’s not with me. 

SMIGGLE 

This funky, cute 

stationery brand has a 

new store in Lincoln. 

Stay away, unless you 

are happy to spend 

£50 on packs of 

highlighter pens and 

four notebooks. 

All tweenagers seem to covet the iPhone 7. 

It is their dream phone. That the object of 

their desire costs upwards of £600 to buy 

and comes with a screen that shatters if the 

user puts it down on the kitchen table a little 

bit heavy-handedly means most tweenagers 

will continue to dream about owning an 

iPhone 7 for many, many more years... 

INSTAGRAM 

The current ‘Insta’ trend is to 

post pictures that are rotated 

on their side (or upside down) 

so you have to turn your 

phone around to view them 

properly. Tweens and teens 

also take pictures of 

themselves from the 

neck down. Why? 

Making sure your 

head is in the frame is 

the golden rule of old 

school photography 

– which is probably 

why no attention is 

paid to it. 

AND THE TRENDS 

WE WISH WOULD GO AWAY... 

THE MINIONS 

With the new Despicable Me 3 

movie out this summer, expect 

the under 10s to go minion-mad 

come July. 

BOTTLE FLIPPING 

It’s slowly dying out but if my 

daughter flips another half-filled 

bottle of water onto the kitchen table I may have to 

confiscate her phone (the one threat that actually 

stops her in her tracks). 

THE TREND YOU HOPE DOESN’T CATCH ON... 

Teddy Ruxpin. You remember him - the talking 

teddy with staring eyes who would randomly 

switch on in the middle of the night and freak you 

out as a small child? Well, he will be back in time 

for Christmas 2017, sporting a host of modern 

features like LCD eyes and an animatronic mouth, 

guaranteed to terrify a whole new generation of 

youngsters. 

You heard it here first. 

Newspaper columnist Sam Curtis, 47, lives 

in Lincoln, in a house that’s not as clean or 

tidy as she’d like with her husband Leigh and 

their two children, Lottie, 11, and Louie, 3. 

You can follow Sam on: 

Twitter: @sammanfa 

Instagram: sammanfa1 

Facebook: SamCurtisWrites 


7

Hartsholme Country Park 

Activities and Events 

WE HAVE FREE 

CAR PARKING 

Pilot, Fire Fighter, 

Train Driver, 

Police Officer... 

Every child dreams of 

what they’ll do one day. 

Up to 1 in 5 children have an 

eye condition they do not know 

about which could stop them 

achieving those dreams. 

A FREE SIGHT TEST 

may give your child the ability 

to see clearly, learn effectively 

and fulfil their career aspirations. 

169 Burton Road, 

Lincoln LN1 3LW 

01522 542121 

www.clearviewopticians.co.uk 

Each session begins at the Visitor Centre, 

Hartsholme Country Park 

£2.50 

TODDLER TIME 

Friday 19 th May & 

Friday 16 th June 10am-11am 

Dress to get messy for seasonal activities for the under 5’s!! 

All children must be accompanied by an adult 

KNIGHTS TREASURE HUNT * CU 

£2.50 

Tuesday 30 th May 12pm-3pm 

Join us to celebrate the arrival of the Knights Trail to Lincoln! 

£3.50 

MEDIEVAL CRAFTS * 

Thursday 1 st June 1pm-2.30pm 

Join us for all things which are Knight 

inspired with our medieval craft session 

*These activities are 

aimed at children 

aged 4-13 years. 

CU = Childrens 

University 

validated 

activities 

To book contact 

the Park Rangers: 01522 873735 

Email: hartsholmecp@lincoln.gov.uk 

Skellingthorpe Road, Lincoln LN6 0EY 

NEW 

for 2017 

Crocodiles 

Follow us on 

‘ENDEAVOUR’ the tropical glasshouse 

relocated from The Lawns, Lincoln. 

PLUS shows every hour including 

Amazing Animals, Bird Show, 

Big Cat Feeding, Wolf Feeding, 

Reptile Handling and more... 

www.woodsidewildlife.com 

...and 

save with 

our discount 

voucher 

on page 47 

Open 

every day 

from 

10am 

Telephone: 

01522 754280 

Newball, 

Near Langworth, 

Lincoln LN3 5DQ 

8 

Spring 2017

Parents form important 

PAACT to help autistic 

children... 

Families with children on the autism spectrum 

can take part in a host of fun filled activities 

thanks to a vital city support network. 

The Lincoln-based Parents and Autistic Children 

Together (PAACT) group offers an exciting year-round 

calendar of subsidised events for families to access 

and enjoy. 

Formed 18 years ago by four local ladies, PAACT now 

meets twice a month to inform parents of what help is 

available to them and their children and let them know 

that they’re not alone. 

Meetings are held at Saints Peter and Paul Church 

Hall in Skellingthorpe Road, Lincoln and group 

Chairman Gordon Forsyth, said new members are 

always warmly welcomed. 

“A lot of people hear about us through word of mouth, 

but we try to get out to as many people as possible 

through local schools and we work closely with the 

county council and other health professionals,” he said. 

“PAACT currently has around 120 members and is 

run by volunteers who all have children on the autism 

spectrum to various degrees. 

“The activities we offer are very varied. We’ve done 

canoeing, trampolining, laser-tag, organise days out 

and run a monthly swimming group. We’ve even had 

a Domino’s Pizza making session. 

“Our most popular activity is our regular Fun Farm 

session in North Hykeham however. We book out the 

soft play area totally for ourselves and the children can 

run around and let off steam while the parents relax 

and have some respite.” 

All PAACT activities are heavily subsidised, run every 

half term and are open to the entire family. 

NEWS 

PAACT 

In addition to the regular committee meetings and 

activities, PAACT also has a dedicated Facebook 

group allowing families to connect and share 

information and experiences. 

“We’re a very friendly group and everyone’s 

very welcoming. If someone asks a question on 

the Facebook group it’s usually answered fairly 

quickly, whether it’s 2am or 2pm,” added Gordon. 

“If people are struggling they know they can 

ask for help and not be judged and that’s really 

important. 

“People ask for advice on schooling and how to 

manage meltdowns. Information on sleep habits, 

the diagnosis process and different treatment 

options available are also shared with members. 

“The autism spectrum is so varied and behaviours 

can change on a daily, even hourly basis. We’re 

parents first, not professionals so it’s not textbook 

answers, but if something’s worked for one family 

it may well be helpful for another.” 

Another of PAACT’s important functions is the 

outlet it provides for siblings of those on the 

spectrum. All are invited to join the varying 

activities on offer as a chance to let their hair down 

and meet other like-minded youngsters. 

“When the siblings get together it’s great because 

they realise there are other children with brothers 

and sisters like theirs,” said Gordon. 

“Just like the parents, they ask each other 

questions and support each other and end up 

forging strong friendships themselves. We’ve 

even run activities just for them as they get on 

together so well.” 

PAACT meetings take place on the first and third 

Thursdays of the month, at 7.30pm and 10am 

respectively. 

For more information contact Gordon at 

paactsupport@hotmail.co.uk or join the 

Facebook group by searching for ‘PAACT’ 

to get notifications on all the events. 


9

EDUCATION 

Loobyloos Childcare 

Set within extensive gardens just north of Lincoln city 

centre, LoobyLoos offers outstanding childcare in a 

small yet professional environment. 

The business is owned and 

run by Louise Harrison, a 

qualified Early Years Teacher, 

who set it up 12 years ago 

after identifying a gap in the 

market for smaller scale care 

settings. 

LoobyLoos has been branded 

‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted 

inspectors in every one of their 

visits since 2007, with the most 

recent inspection taking place 

in 2015. 

Having recently relocated from 

Fiskerton, it now operates out 

near Riseholme, just a stone’s 

through from Lincoln’s A46 

bypass. 

Here, the children can enjoy 

the use of a purpose built 

Reliable & outstanding childcare 

playroom, extensive gardens 

and a fantastic indoor play 

space. 

Later this year, LoobyLoos 

will begin offering 30 hours of 

Government-funded childcare 

to eligible three year olds 

in addition to the 15 hour it 

already provides. 

Louise said: “I absolutely love 

my job especially seeing the 

children who I have cared 

for since babies make the 

big transition into school 

with all the knowledge and 

independence that will make 

them confident and willing little 

learners, that’s the best feeling 

in the world! 

“I still maintain links with 

Fiskerton Church of England 

School where I provide a 

breakfast and after school club 

and more recently a Holiday 

club, which is available to all 

children within the county. 

“As a small setting I have 

limited spaces but in the future 

hope to expand as I can see 

that the demand for childcare, 

especially since the demand 

for Government funded 

space is not being met by the 

provision already available in 

the area.” 

LoobyLoos Childcare caters 

for children ages 0-11 years 

old. 

T: 07825 741723 E: loobylooschildcare@gmail.com 

10 

Spring 2017

Achieving academic 

excellence... 

Branston Community Academy has rightly 

gained a reputation as one of the very best 

schools in Lincolnshire. 

The school is rated by Ofsted as outstanding in all 

areas and in 2015 and 2016 the school received two 

national awards for the academic achievements of 

students for both progress and attainment at GCSE. 

This is all within a school site that boasts excellent 

facilities enhanced further by £3 million worth of 

recent investment. 

But it is not just the exceptional educational 

achievements which sets Branston apart – it is the 

desire to achieve academic excellence in a truly 

caring, supportive and nurturing environment which 

the school is most proud of, fostering values of 

individual aspiration, tolerance and compassion. 

Ofsted has praised the behaviour, resilience and 

kindness of students along with teachers who 

‘enthuse students with a love for learning and 

foster a ‘can do’ culture. 

Community is at the heart of this school and 

manifests itself not only in the relationships 

within the school but also the close ties with local 

organisations, businesses and people. 

The Academy is home to a thriving nursery and 

EDUCATION 

Branston Community Academy 

Heron’s gym, complete with a pool for public 

use. Art, Music and Sport play a large part of 

Academy life. Visitors and local dignitaries are 

welcomed to the Academy’s annual musical 

production and also enjoy the numerous 

concerts and shows throughout the year. 

The views of students and parents show these 

are more than just fine words. In a national 

survey both rated the school as outstanding 

on every level. The school is justifiably proud 

of its success and students and welcomes 

visitors to see this in action either at the 

advertised open evening (12th September 

2017) or during a visit which can be arranged 

by contacting the Academy office. 

OPEN EVENING 

Tuesday 12 th September 2017 6pm-8.30pm 

OFSTED ‘Outstanding’ 

Branston Community Academy is proud to be recognised as one of the best 

performing schools in the country. However, we are even prouder of the friendly & 

supportive ethos of the school and the personal skills and attributes of our students. 

Please come and experience this for yourselves at our Open Evening. 

We look forward to welcoming you. 

Visits are welcomed at any time. 

Please contact the Academy 

on: 01522 880400 or email: 

enquiries@branstonca.lincs.sch.uk 

For further information visit: 

www.branstonca.lincs.sch.uk 

STATION ROAD, BRANSTON, LINCOLN LN4 1LH. 01522 880400 


11

EDUCATION 

Sir Robert Pattinson Academy 

A rich learning experience to achieve their best... 

Sir Robert Pattinson 

Academy is a 

school where 

students are valued, 

happy, challenged 

and strive to 

achieve their best. 

T: 01522 882020 

E: enquiries@srpa.co.uk 

www.srpa.co.uk 

: LincolnSRPA 

The Academy provides rich learning experiences both in and outside of 

the classroom, resulting in a great education. 

Staff pride themselves on ensuring that our pupils are not just well 

educated but encouraged and supported to become valued members of 

society. 

The Academy makes sure that understanding and preparing for the world 

of work are integrated fully alongside a first-class education in a calm and 

caring environment where all students can succeed. 

The school has a strong ethos that every student should value, enjoy and 

be excited by learning and the world around them – giving them a unique 

opportunity to be successful. 

Students are inspired to take part in our excellent international 

programmes, local projects and actively engage with businesses and 

universities. 

In the latest OFSTED report last year inspectors rated the Academy as 

‘good’ after praising its leaders for improvement of ‘all aspects of the 

school’. 

The Academy’s facilities are continually updated, extended and 

refurbished: Lincoln City FC is now using one of our pitches for first 

team training. 

To see the campus and meet the staff for yourself, why not come to one of 

our open evenings? The first one will be on Thursday 13 July 6pm–8pm. 

12 

Spring 2017

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 

EDUCATION 

Lincoln Minster School 

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. 


13

Come and 

find out how 

your child 

can ASPIRE 

to a brighter 

future… 

Choosing a secondary 

school is one of the most 

important decisions you 

will have to make for you 

and your child. 

The decision making process 

will be eased by gathering 

as much information about 

possible schools in advance of 

the October deadline. With this 

in mind, we would like to extend 

an invitation to parents/carers 

and your child to come and 

tour the Academy where you 

will see first-hand the excellent 

behaviour of our pupils and 

the high-calibre learning taking 

place in the classrooms. 

Sir William Robertson Academy 

is delighted as being judged 

as ‘Good’ in all areas of the 

school following its Ofsted 

inspection. The inspection 

report praised developments 

across the school, highlighting 

the progress and behaviour of 

pupils and their engagement 

in their learning as a particular 

strength. 

All aspects of the school 

were inspected ranging from 

leadership and management; 

behaviour and safety of 

pupils; quality of teaching; 

achievement of pupils to its 

Sixth Form provision and found 

all areas to be ‘Good’. The 

school has been recognised as 

being one of the ‘Top 100 nonselective 

state-funded schools 

in England’ in a letter from Nick 

Gibb MP – Minister of State for 

Schools (February 2016). 

The Academy is a highly 

successful 11-18 school 

with a flourishing and rapidly 

expanding Sixth Form. The 

school fosters an aspirational 

ethos in which every child is 

expected to achieve the very 

best they can in all that they 

do. Situated in a unique rural 

location, SWRA provides a safe 

and idyllic learning environment 

with superb pastoral care 

and support and a varied 

programme of enrichment and 

extra-curricular activities. 

The Academy is easily 

accessible from Newark, 

Grantham, Sleaford, Lincoln, the 

A46 and surrounding villages 

– with school buses serving 

each of these areas. 

Our pupils are well supported 

through an engaging and 

dynamic academic curriculum 

that is tailored to the needs of 

EDUCATION 

Sir William Robertson Academy 

the individual. The school is 

well resourced, with wonderful 

outdoor facilities for a wide 

range of sporting activities. 

We offer a full and active 

programme of musical and 

performing arts from our 

purpose built studios. 

Come and find out how your child can ASPIRE to a brighter future by booking a personal tour 

on 01400 272422 or join us at our Summer Open Evening on Tuesday 27th June 2017 

or our Open Week 18th - 20th September 2017. 

Please visit www.swracademy.org to find out more. 


15

The Priory City of Lincoln Academy 

“This is a Good School” 

(Ofsted 2016) 

Aspiring and 

achieving together 

Our headteacher Mr Trow, students and 

staff welcome you to look around our 

amazing Academy during the following 

OPEN MORNINGS: 

Monday 12th June 

Tuesday 20th June 

Wednesday 28th June 

Thursday 6th July 

9.30am - Meet the Headteacher 

9.45am - Tour with Sixth Form students 

Please ring the 

Academy to register 

your interest 

Skellingthorpe Road, Lincoln LN6 0EP 

T: 01522 882800 

E: generalenquiries@priorycity.co.uk 

www.priorycity.co.uk

EDUCATION 

St Peter and St Paul Academy 

Continually striving 

to make a difference 

St Peter and St Paul’s Catholic Voluntary 

Academy welcomes students between 

11-18 years from diverse backgrounds. 

Our Mission as a Catholic Voluntary Academy is to 

provide the highest possible standards of education 

for all our students, delivered within the context of 

Gospel Values. We are a highly successful academy 

renowned for our friendly and warm community 

where we encourage all our students to grow and to 

make the most of their individual ability. 

Our ethos promotes respect for the differences 

amongst the students, recognising that everyone 

learns differently and that making mistakes and 

taking risks are part of learning. Success at St Peter 

and St Paul Academy stems from careful planning of 

the curriculum so that every student irrespective of 

their ability is studying appropriate and challenging 

courses and is being provided with opportunities to 

develop their unique talents. We are proud that all 

our year 11 students continue into Education, 

Employment or Training. 

Students can continue their studies in the St Peter 

and St Paul Sixth Form where there are a wide variety 

of courses offered to suit all students. Our students 

receive excellent guidance when choosing the most 

suitable courses; they are taught and prepared well 

to achieve the grades they require to move on to 

Higher Education or employment. 

Our students are our ambassadors: friendly, 

hardworking and confident young people. They learn 

alongside an enthusiastic, professional team of staff 

who encourage and challenge them to be the best 

they can be. Examination results are important but 

at St Peter and St Paul we develop equally important 

aspects of life: fun, creativity, caring for others, 

well-being and spirituality; qualities that will remain 

with our students for the whole of their lives. 

“We want our students to have life 

and have it to the full.” 

At St Peter and St Paul all students are encouraged to 

profit from the wide range of extra-curricular activities 

offered- whatever their talents and abilities, they will 

have the opportunities to succeed. It is our role to help 

develop our students’ talent and celebrate all aspects 

of their achievement. 

You will find our academy friendly and inviting with a 

distinctly warm atmosphere and learning environment. 

We welcome visits to the Academy at any time so 

please feel free to make an appointment to come and 

see us at work. 

St Peter & St Paul 

Catholic Voluntary Academy 

Pro Petro Paulo Patria 

Join us for our 

OPEN MORNINGS 

Monday 26 th June 

and Friday 30 th June 

from 9.30am-12.30pm 

Please ring the Academy for an appointment 

OPEN EVENING 

Wednesday 20 th September 

6pm-8.30pm 

No appointment necessary 

Western Avenue • Lincoln • LN6 7SX 

01522 871400 

sspp@sspp.lincs.sch.uk 

www.sspp.lincs.sch.uk 


17

The Newton Academy 

The Science 

Club for Girls 

The Newton Academy – the Science Club for Girls 

was set up by the University of Lincoln in June 2014 

to take girls on a 3-year scientific voyage of discovery. 

Girls at the end of their Primary 

education (Year 6) from across 

Lincolnshire are invited to enrol 

in the Academy and... 

join our 

Saturday Club! 

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. 

Don’t 

miss out! 

Enrolment 

now open 

For further information and details of how 

to enrol on the Programme, visit our blog: 

newton.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk 

Email: newton@lincoln.ac.uk 

YouTube: Newton Academy Science Club for Girls

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 


19

HEALTH & SPORT 

Emspired Fitness 

The inspiring mum who is fit for business 

When mum-of-one Emma 

Maher was made redundant 

with barely any warning, 

she used the responsibility 

of providing for son Kieron 

as the impetus she needed 

to start her own business. 

Now she is helping other new 

mums to meet their goals… 

As a single parent, unexpectedly losing her job at a 

Lincolnshire fitness boot camp turned Emma Maher’s world 

upside down. 

Aside from the shock of being suddenly out of work, she was 

also wracked with worry about how she would support herself 

and her 13 year old son if she wasn’t earning. 

“I was terrified,” said Emma (39) from Bracebridge Heath. “I 

went home and cried for two days. But then I realised I had to 

get myself together and that I had to try to turn the situation 

into something positive as I had a child to support.” 

With years of experience as a fitness instructor under her belt, 

Emma decided to bite the bullet and set up her own training 

enterprise. 

She called her new business Emspired Fitness and booked 

space at village halls close to where she lived. She bagged 

herself a cleaning job to pay for the hall hire fees and then 

used social media to drum up interest in her classes. 

That was 5 years ago. 

Now Emma runs a successful gym out of an industrial unit on 

the Churchill Business Park in Bracebridge Heath. She offers 

classes, small group fitness sessions and Personal Training. 

In the last few weeks she’s launched new Strong Mum 

classes, which are open to women with newborns over six 

weeks old. 

They are weights-based classes and mums are invited to bring 

their tots to the gym with them. 

20 

Spring 2017

“One of the hardest things 

about having a baby is 

finding time to look after 

yourself. Even those with 

access to babysitters might 

not want to leave their little 

ones in the early weeks and 

months,” she said. 

“For this reason, the ladies 

who join my Strong Mum 

classes are able to bring their 

babies with them. They can 

exercise next to their prams 

and if they need to stop to 

feed or tend to their child, 

they can do. 

“While the classes are not 

designed to include the 

babies, some mums have 

used their little ones as ‘weights’. I’m also on hand 

to help out and am able to pick up or hold their 

babies if they want to see what’s going on.” 

Emma says the classes are designed to be tough 

but are suitable for mums of 

all fitness levels. 

“I encourage my customers 

to push themselves and 

I have a full range of 

equipment to help them achieve their goals,” 

she added. 

“Emma has the personal 

touch with support over 

and above - that I haven’t 

seen anywhere else!” 

“But I can tailor their training to their needs too. 

Some women might have abdominal separation, 

for instance, and others may be recovering from 

a C section.” 

The classes are in the day time, meaning sleepdeprived 

mums aren’t forcing themselves out of 

the house in the evening when they are ready to 

hit the sack. 

Lizi Halliwell is one of the mums who has signed up 

to the classes. She has a three month old daughter 

called Rosa and is working hard to get back into 

shape ahead of her wedding this summer. 

“I first started attending Emma’s classes back 

in 2013. Having always had a fear of 

gyms and large classes, I was pleasantly 

surprised at how welcoming Emma and 

her classes were,” she said. 

“With her clients ranging in different shapes, 

sizes and fitness levels, my confidence 

barriers and perception of gyms were quickly 

broken down! Over the last year I have trained with 

Emma during my pregnancy and now postnatal. 

Emma has supported me fully during this time 

ensuring the wellbeing of myself, body and baby 

are paramount, whilst ensuring I achieve my goals 

from both a training and nutrition perspective.” 

Photos: www.stevenhaddock.co.uk 

@stevenhaddock 

POWER KIDS 

Emspired Fitness also runs 

fitness classes for children. 

The Power Kids sessions are 

for youngsters aged five to 15. 

And they are designed to be fun 

circuit-style classes. 

They offer youngsters a chance 

to master some ‘grown up’ moves, 

like squats and crunches. 

For more information T: 07908 489269 

Emspired Fitness @EmspiredFitness 

www.emspiredfitness.co.uk 

CLASSES: 

Saturday 10am 30-45 mins 

Friday 5.30pm-6:15pm 45mins 


21

HEALTH & SPORT 

Mini First Aid 

Choking child (aged 1–puberty) 

• Encourage child to cough. 

• 5 back slaps between shoulder 

blades. Check if anything comes 

out and check mouth. 

• Up to 5 abdominal thrusts. 

Clenched fist between tummy 

and breastbone, with other hand 

over the top. In & upwards motion. 

Check if anything comes out. 

If nothing has come out, call 999. 

• Cycles of 5 back slaps and 

5 abdominal thrusts. 

ABOVE: Back slaps & abdominal thrusts on a child. 

To book onto a Mini First Aid course: 

lincolnshire.minifirstaid.co.uk 

Award 

winning 

business 

helps local 

parents 

save lives 

Vicky Drewery has 

launched Mini First Aid 

Lincolnshire, offering 

first aid classes for 

adults and children. 

Would you know what to do if 

your child was choking? 

Many parents do not have the basic first aid knowledge to help 

save a child’s life. Vicky Drewery (Mini First Aid Lincolnshire) 

is here to help. In her first article, she talks about choking 

– one of the most common worries for any parent or carer. 

For many parents weaning their babies, the possibility of them 

choking is nerve wracking. And the worry doesn’t stop as babies 

turn to toddlers as they continue to stuff food in their mouths in 

vast quantities. Then we have dreaded older sibling toys; think 

Lego and the like. We as parents fear choking especially when we 

hear so many terrible stories in the press. So, what do we do? 

Firstly, we show our babies and children that grown-ups eat sitting 

down, chew properly (!) and that we never put too much in our 

mouths. We never leave a baby or child eating without supervision. 

Silence is the sign of choking. We then learn to deal with choking: 

BELOW: Back slaps & chest thrusts on a baby 

Choking Baby (aged 0-1) 

• 5 back slaps. 

• Up to 5 chest thrusts 

(jabbing motion). Check 

if anything comes out. 

If nothing has come out, 

call 999. 

• Cycles of 5 back slaps 

and 5 chest thrusts. 

• You must always refer to 

hospital any child or baby 

who has been choking 

and where abdominal 

manoeuvres have been used. 

The launch came at a perfect time as Mini First Aid publish ‘The Mini 

Adventures of Freddie’; the first book of its kind in the UK, to make 

learning first aid fun for young children. Vicky is no stranger to first aid, 

with two children of her own and having travelled around the world for 15 

years for the airline in red! Vicky has had to deal with a range of medical 

situations on board and knows just how important it is to stay calm and 

act quickly. Vicky says: 

“One of the main things I enjoy about my job is being fully first aid trained. 

As a parent, I cannot imagine not knowing what to do in an emergency or 

how to use basic first aid. Mini First Aid gives me the perfect opportunity 

to develop a worthwhile and flexible business alongside my existing job.” 

Vicky won’t be stopping there of course. She has fantastic ideas for 

teaching first aid to pre-school and school children as well as offering full 

paediatric courses and Mini First Aid corporate classes in the workplace. 

‘Mini’ may be in her business name, but Vicky is thinking big! 

Mini First Aid Lincolnshire offers 2 hour baby & toddler first aid classes for 

small groups of parents and carers. Classes are informal but informative 

and cover choking, basic life support, dealing with burns, breaks & bumps, 

febrile seizures and meningitis awareness. A class costs £20 per person. 

To buy a copy of The Mini Adventures of Freddie, please visit: www.minifirstaidshop.co.uk 

22 

Spring 2017

Win a term of 

Minilinguals classes for 

HALF 

PRICE 

plus a FREE 

activity book 

& CD! 

Learn Spanish with your little one 

and have lots of fun too! 

Don’t forget to follow @minilinguals on Facebook & Twitter 

for the latest minilinguals news, on Instagram for the Spanish 

word of the week. Look out for @minilinguals on YouTube 

for free tutorials to accompany the activity book and CD. 

www.minilinguals.co.uk 

All you need to do is answer 

the questions correctly & 

you could win 5 free sessions, 

worth £22.50, for you 

and your child PLUS a 

Minilinguals activity pack, 

worth £16.99 

What is the capital of Spain? 

............................................................. 

Name the two main colours 

in the Spanish flag 

............................................................. 

What does “hola” mean 

in English? 

............................................................. 

Name ............................................................................................................................................. 

Address ......................................................................................................................................... 

....................................................................................Postcode ................................................... 

Tel No. .......................................................................................................................................... 

Email. ............................................................................................................................................. 

Please send your entries to 

Molly’s Guide, 63 Bunkers Hill, 

Lincoln, LN2 4QS 

Competition closes 31.05.2017. 

No cash alternative available. 

The judge’s decision is final. 

Terms & Conditions - All competition entries must be UK residents aged 18 years or over. Travel expenses are NOT included. By entering the competition, the entrant agrees to be bound by the rules & by 

any other requirements set out in the promotional material accompanying the competition. By entering the competition, the entrant agrees to the terms of the privacy policy. By entering the competition, the 

winner(s) consent to any publicity generated as a result of the promotion, & use on websites, magazines or mobile services at any time. Competitions are open to all residents of the UK, except employees 

of Minilinguals & Molly’s Guide, the promoter & their immediate families, the promoters advertising agency & sales promotion consultancy, & anyone else connected with the creation & administration of the 

promotion. Only 1 entry per person. Prizes are non-transferrable & no cash alternatives are available. Closing date for all entries 31.05.2017. Winners have 28 days once notified to claim their prize.

Explore the 

Arts and have 

fun at Lincoln 

Drill Hall this 

summer! 

ENTERTAINMENT 

Lincoln Drill Hall 

Lincoln Drill Hall is a great 

place to introduce kids to 

the arts. The venue hosts 

a year-round programme 

of shows, theatre groups, 

workshops and creative 

sessions specifically 

aimed at younger 

audiences – from tiny tots 

to teenagers – plus events 

the whole family can enjoy 

together. And this Summer 

is no exception! 

Kicking off the season is The Buildy-Uppy 

Dance Show (Wednesday 31 May, 11.30am 

& 2pm). This unique interactive theatrical 

experience for ages 6+ sees the Drill Hall’s 

auditorium filled with hundreds of cardboard 

boxes. It’s then up to the kids, working with 

award-winning performers Anna Williams and 

Tom Roden, to build the world in which to 

perform their story. 

Don’t Dribble on the Dragon (Thursday 1 June, 

2.30pm), 

is an engaging musical adventure for all ages, 

about growing up and the importance of family 

and features magic designed by legendary Paul 

Daniels. 

Little ones also have very special shows to look 

forward to too. The Moon & Me (Friday 2 June, 

11.30am, 1.30pm & 3pm), is an interactive, 

intimate theatre experience for ages 2 - 5 about 

friendship and sharing. The show takes place 

in a special dome packed with sights, sounds, 

tastes, smells, touch and lots of play.And on 

Sunday 11 June (1pm & 3pm) the two characters 

in One Little Word (for ages 3+) play together, 

exploring a new space, new objects, dressing up 

and taking turns. But struggles arise when one of 

them wants to be the ONLY Captain of the ship! 

This is a wonderful play all about friendship. 

This Summer there are also three chances to 

bust some moves at Diddy Disco, the Drill 

Hall’s dance party for under 7s, on Tuesday 30 

May, Thursday 8 June and Wednesday 26 July, 

10.30am – 12noon. 

All this PLUS Fishtank Youth Theatre Summer 

School, The Happy Monday Club play 

sessions, Hartbeeps musical adventure classes 

and other yet to be announced treats, and the 

Drill Hall has the Summer convered! 

For further information about these events and 

activities pick up the Drill Hall’s Summer brochure 

or visit www.lincolndrillhall.com 


25

Rushmoor Country Park 

Mon 

29th 

Bird handling and interactive flying 

demos during the day 

- so if you have 

wondered what it 

is like to hold a 

hawk or an owl, 

today is the day 

to find out… 

May 

SPRING 

BANK HOLIDAY 

CHALLENGE OF THE LAMBS 

Come and 

meet our baby 

lambs, goats, 

rabbits, guinea 

pigs, rats, ponies 

and more... 

How many lambs? 

How many legs? 

Count them up to 

win a little prize. 

• Tearoom 

• Childrens parties 

• Free parking 

• Schools welcome 

Louth Road, North Cockerington, Louth LN11 7DY 

T: 01507 327184 E: info@rushmoorpark.co.uk 

www.rushmoorpark.co.uk 

26 

Spring 2017

Cream tea’s a 

towering success... 

There’s something incredibly indulgent in the 

partaking of afternoon tea, writes Sam Curtis. 

This quintessentially English pastime dates back to the 

mid-1800s and was started by Anna, the seventh Duchess 

of Bedford, who apparently hated waiting until 8pm for her 

fashionably late evening meal. 

So, her solution was to request a tray of buttered bread 

and a selection of cakes be brought to her room at around 

4pm. She went on to invite her friends to join her and by the 

1880s afternoon tea was established as a sociable event 

with women dressing up in long gowns, hats and gloves for 

the occasion. 

The hats and elbow-length gloves may have gone but high 

tea is a trend that is currently enjoying a resurgence in 

popularity. 

From yummy mummies grabbing a bite to eat before 

the school run to silver surfers spending their children’s 

inheritance, it seems everyone loves a cream tea. 

I popped along with my dining partner to the Tower Hotel in 

Lincoln’s historic Bailgate on a chilly April afternoon, to taste 

test its offering. 

My guest and I met in the hotel’s bar and we were shown 

through to the dining room, which was light and airy. We 

were seated at a table covered in a pristine white tablecloth, 

on top of which were pretty floral teacups and plates, each 

one unique. 

A chirpy waitress brought over the tea ‘menu’ for us to 

peruse. The list included a variety of loose teas from St 

Martin’s Teas of Leicester. I was intrigued by the Gunpowder 

Green Tea and the tempting sounding Moroccan Mint, but 

in the end, my guest and I both played it safe and plumped 

for the traditional English Breakfast tea, which arrived shortly 

afterwards, in individual teapots big enough to serve three 

people, never mind one. 

After just enough time for the tea to brew and for us to start 

on one of our many cuppas, hotel manager Adam Lester 

brought a cake stand piled high with all kinds of treats. 

Sliced into neat, crustless fingers our mouths were watering 

at the sight of freshly-made sandwiches with the following 

fillings: Lincolnshire Poacher cheese with smoked tomato 

chutney; hot smoked salmon with horseradish and crème 

Fraiche and honey roast ham and piccalilli. They were 

served on a mixture of both white and brown bread (you 

can request a bread choice when ordering if you have a 

preference). 

The top two tiers of the stand were reserved for the sweet 

treats. My friend had her eye on the scones which were 

accompanied by mini jars of jam and thick, clotted cream. 

Meanwhile, I was checking out the mini bitter chocolate 

brownies and cherry Bakewell tart with Kirsch gel, finished 

with a vanilla cream and accompanied by fresh, quartered 

strawberries drizzled with a strawberry coulis. 

It was quite a feast and I feared it would be a feat to finish 

the spread in front of us. 

We coped. 

I polished off my own and my friend’s salmon sarnies – the 

rich, creamy filling was offset by the tang of the horseradish 

and the consistency of the filling was light without being 

cloying. 

DAYS OUT 

Afternoon Tea 

The other sandwiches were equally tasty. With the roast 

ham, the piccalilli wasn’t too sharp, or too vivid in colour and 

the cheese and tomato chutney combination was deliciously 

sweet and satisfying, with the strong flavour of the local 

cheese coming through. 

Aside from one scone and a couple of finger sandwiches 

(which we had to leave because we needed to make room 

for the cakes) we demolished the entire platter. 

The scones were perhaps the best I have ever tasted and 

I have tasted plenty. They were beautifully risen, perfectly 

moist and light, they sliced in half without disintegrating and 

were large enough to load up with the handmade jam and 

fresh cream (cream first for me). They were perhaps the 

highlight of the tea, so much so I asked to take the final one 

home in a doggy bag. 

As we were leaving, I noticed the dining room was 

starting to fill and the other diners were sipping tea with a 

platter like the one we had just finished in front of them. 

Clearly, the word is spreading about the Tower Hotel’s 

afternoon tea. 

The lowdown: Cream Tea for (a minimum of) two at the 

Tower Hotel Lincoln includes: freshly cut sandwiches with 

the fillings mentioned above, a selection of cakes, homebaked 

English scones with clotted cream and handmade 

preserves; a pot of tea from a large selection of loose teas, or 

Americano, espresso, filtered or decaffeinated coffee. Diners 

can opt to have a speciality coffee, mocha or hot chocolate 

for a £1 supplement per person, a glass of prosecco for £3 

per person, or Pimms at £2.50 per person. Afternoon tea is 

served Monday– Saturday: 12–4 pm. 

Price per person: £12.50. 

The hotel requires four hours’ notice (presumably to give chef 

time to bake those amazing scones) so it is definitely worth 

booking in advance. 

The Tower Hotel Lincoln is located at 38 Westgate, 

Lincoln LN1 3BD. The nearest public car park is 

Westgate car park. 

For more information: T: 01522 529999 

www.lincolntowerhotel.co.uk 


27

DAYS OUT 

Lincoln BIG 

The Lincoln Knights 

Fantastic family fun in Lincoln this spring... 

Wow! There’s lots of family 

fun to be had in the city 

as Lincoln gears-up for 

weeks of exciting events. 

Lincoln BIG and Visit Lincoln say May 20 – with its 

commemorations to mark the 800th Anniversary of The 

Battle of Lincoln and the Sealing of The Charter of The 

Forest, along with the launch of the eagerly-awaited 

Lincoln Knights’ Trail – will be a real highlight in an 

action-packed calendar. 

The Lincoln Beach 

What will you and the children 

do first? You could set out on 

the Quest to track down the 

35 colourful Knights featured 

in the Knights’ Trail, who will 

be “defending the city” from a 

variety of locations – in an area 

stretching from Newport Arch 

(North) to St Marks Shopping 

Centre (South) and from the 

University of Lincoln campus 

(West) to Lincoln College (East), 

Families can pick-up a Trail 

leaflet containing the Quest and 

claim a certificate and badge at 

30 

Spring 2017

the end of it. But with 

such a dazzling array 

of activities planned 

for May 20, there’s no 

need to hurry, the Trail 

will stay in place until 

September 3. 

On the Saturday 

(May 20), youngsters 

are sure to want to 

make a shield or flag 

and meet a Knight at 

one of six locations 

- City Square, St 

Marks Shopping 

Centre, the Waterside 

Shopping Centre, The 

Collection, Lincoln Drill Hall and The Museum 

of Lincolnshire Life. Sessions run from 11am 

to 1.30pm. 

These works of arts need to be ready for 

a special procession, which will see the 

youngsters leave the Stonebow at 1.30pm 

and make their way up Steep Hill to Castle 

Hill, ready for a short re-enactment of 

The Battle of Lincoln at the West Front of 

the Cathedral. There will be Medieval 

storytelling too. 

Alternatively, there’s a chance for youngsters 

to have juggling fun with a Medieval jester – 

at 11am at the Waterside Shopping Centre, 

at 12 noon at St Marks Shopping Centre, 

or at 1pm in City Square. 

Excitingly, the new children’s book – 1217 

The Battle of Lincoln, written by Erik Grigg 

– and produced for the occasion – will also be 

launched in the Children’s Library at Lincoln’s 

Central Library from 10.30am to 12.30pm, 

on May 20. 

Inset & above: The Lincolnshire Children’s Festival 

Families who fancy a bit of extra shopping 

can also visit the Medieval Farmers’ Market, 

which will be trading in Castle Hill from 10am 

to 4pm. 

A Children’s Medieval Banquet, which will 

include a spot of dancing, is being staged in 

Stokes Collection Café at 4pm. Places cost 

£8. Tickets are available by calling (01522) 

523548 or visiting 

www.stokes-coffee.co.uk 

Later in the calendar, Lincoln 

Children’s Festival (July 3-7) returns 

to the High Street and Castle Hill, 

providing days of entertainment for 

shoppers and visitors. A band will also 

be playing in the High Street on July 3. 

The Lincoln 

Knights 

Finally, a big cheer will certainly be 

going up on July 17 when a flavour of 

the seaside comes to the city, with the 

return of The Beach to City Square. 

Hurray! 


31

DAYS OUT 

Marshall’s Yard 

Father’s Day at 

Come along this 

Father’s Day Sunday 

18th June to Marshall’s 

Yard where we will be 

joined again by over 

20 Marshalls Tractor 

Engines on display. 

The event will also have 

a variety of family fun 

activities including free 

face painting and a pop 

up Heritage display by 

Gainsborough Heritage 

Centre. 

The display will showcase 

what the old Marshall’s 

Yard site used to look like 

and the history behind it. 

There will be a mini heritage 

trail for everyone to take 

part in to find some of the 

existing building features 

that still remain from all 

those years ago. 

This year we will also have 

a display of classic, prestige 

and sports cars. There will 

also be the opportunity to 

have a dream passenger 

ride from Marshall’s Yard 

to the classic mini car 

display which is taking 

place in Gainsborough 

Market Place. 

For further information: 

www.marshallsyard.co.uk 

32 

Spring 2017

Taste the delights at 

Daisy Made Farm... 

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 Farm 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 Farm 

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 Farm 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.daisymadefarm.co.uk 

Daisy Made Farm is a family run business in Skellingthorpe, 

on the outskirts of Lincoln city, providing a fun day out 

for children and adults alike. 

There is a wide range of home made, real dairy ice cream flavours 

on offer, all made on the farm using milk from the dairy cows. 

There is also a seated cafe, with cakes, hot drinks and various 

sandwiches, paninis and snacks on offer. 

There’s plenty of entertainment with a childrens play area, 

animals to meet, a 12 hole farm themed crazy golf course, daisy diggers. 

Also featuring a drive through, for grabbing an ice cream in a hurry, 

Daisy Made has something to offer for everyone! 

Seated 

Café serving 

breakfast, lunch, 

hot drinks, cakes 

and snacks 

• Farm-themed Crazy Daisy Golf 

with ‘Poppy the Pig’ golf hole 

• Children’s play area, 

JumiCars & bouncy castle 

• Meet our animals in the paddock 

Try our real dairy ice cream made fresh 

using milk from our own dairy cows. 

Try the ‘Lazy Daisy Drive Thru’ 

to grab an ice cream on the move! 

Tel: 01522 

693757 

FREE 

PARKING 

WITH NEW 

PARKING 

LAYOUT 

FREE 

ENTRY 

Lincoln Road, Skellingthorpe, Lincoln LN6 5SA 

www.daisymadefarm.co.uk 

Open: 

10am-6pm 

7 days a 

week 


33

34 

Spring 2017

Fantastic days out for all! 

DAYS OUT 

Lincoln Castle and The Collection 

It’s going to be a night of roarrrrring 

great fun at the museum! 

The T-Rex is back at The Collection this May 19th when 

The Collection will once again be participating in Museums 

at Night, an international event where museums across the 

UK and Europe open their doors after hours. 

Tickets to our prehistoric party include getting up close 

with the T-Rex and there will also be a giant dinosaur 

egg photo opportunity so don’t forget to bring your 

camera! Children will also be able to take part of two of 

the following craft activities: dinosaur mask making, make 

a dinosaur glider, design your own dinosaur or sew your 

own dinosaur. 

Youngsters are encourages to explore the museum 

through our Dinosaur Egg Trail, with prizes for all! 

Our museum team will also be running fossil handling 

sessions. 

The giant T-Rex is too ferocious, younger children will 

enjoy the chance to have a picnic with the more gentler 

and playful baby dinosaurs. Price includes: an exclusive 

opportunity to meet the baby dinosaurs (they won’t be 

making any other appearances), photo opportunities 

and prehistoric picnic tea (Dinosaur Sandwich, 

Dinosaur Cookie, Cheese bite, fruit and a soft drink). 

Places are strictly limited and advance booking is 

essential either in person at the museum reception 

desk or by phone 01522 550965 during opening 

hours, daily 10am-4pm. Entry is by ticket only - book 

early to avoid disappointment. 

www.thecollectionmuseum.com 

Bringing the Battle of Lincoln to life 

Undressing a Knight 

Have you ever wondered how heavy a 

suit of armour was, or how long it would 

take to put on or take off, or even how a 

Knight in armour could go to the toilet! 

Well now’s your chance to find out at The 

Collection museum. Especially for the 

800th anniversary of The Battle of Lincoln, 

our medieval arms and armour specialist 

Mark Vance will be able to tell you all the 

secrets of being a Knight or a Squire. 

Demonstrations on May 20th and 21st 

at 11am, 12.30pm, 2pm & 3.30pm 

of dressing and undressing a Knight 

throughout the day with opportunities to 

handle replica armour and try pieces on. 

A great family experience. 

There will be children’s shield making arts 

and crafts (free of charge) 11am-4pm. 

Children can design their own shield and 

heraldry - support thee King or Prince 

Louis? The choice is yours! 

www.thecollectionmuseum.com 

Help your children with their history lessons by bringing 

them to Lincoln Castle this May. 2017 marks the 800th 

anniversary of the remarkable Battle of Lincoln Fair. This 

battle has been described as the most important conflict 

on English soil after the Battle of Hastings. On May 20th 

and 21st to commemorate this momentous occasion 

Lincoln Castle returns to the 13th Century with the sights, 

sounds and smells of the medieval castle. 

On May 27th – 29th the Battle of Lincoln Fair 1217 will 

be played out through a series of vignettes with a cast of 

over 100 armoured soldiers, both French and English. Key 

characters such as the Kings champion William Marshall 

and the Castle’s keeper Lady Nichola de la Haye will play 

out history where it happened 800 years ago. 

The iconic Domesday Book will also be visiting Lincoln 

Castle from May 27th – Sept 3rd. A once in a lifetime 

opportunity to show your family one of the earliest 

surviving public records, commissioned by William the 

Conqueror, in a castle built by him. 

Buy your All Inclusive Family ticket online to receive 

a 10% discount and use your free return visit to 

experience both events. www.lincolncastle.com 


35

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. 

Discover Woodhall Spa’s best kept secret 

• Heated outdoor swimming pool 

• Children’s Play Park 

• Games Hut 

• Tennis & Cricket 

• Croquet & Bowls 

• Cafe & Picnic areas 

BOOK NOW FOR 

YOUR 2017 STAY 

Dogs welcome 

Free 

WIFI 

Camping & caravaning site 

set amongst beautiful woods 

Toilet & shower block, laundry 

and washing up facilities, 

disabled wet room, baby change 

and wash area available. 

For more information 

or to book: 

01526 353478 

Stixwould Road, Woodhall Spa, LN10 6QH 


36 

Spring 2017

Discover places to go and 

things to do with Discovernk! 

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! 

Cogglesford Watermill is one of the few working watermills 

in the country and has regular milling days on the second 

Sunday of the month. On Sunday 25 June, the mill will be 

celebrating some of our rural heritage with their Country 

Crafts event. Come along to this free event to try your hand 

at some traditional crafts. 

Why not take a short stroll along the River Slea 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 you can learn how to weigh sacks of grain and play 

the Slea Navigation Game – see if you can beat your 

opponent’s barge as you make your way along the river! 

Cranwell Aviation Heritage Museum tells the fascinating story of 

historic RAF Cranwell, from its beginnings as a Naval Airbase to its 

present standing as one of the world’s leading military academies. 

Why not try your hand at flying your own plane with our flight simulator 

- can you land a Jet Provost on the runway before your fuel runs out! 

For lots of family friendly things to do, take a look at our website for ideas. 

Admission to all of our venues is free so come along and enjoy the fun! 

DAYS OUT 

Discover NK 

To find out more: 

T: 01529 308102 

heartoflincs 

@discover_nk 

www.heartoflincs.com 


37

A great day out 

this Spring... 

• Newly extended 

indoor playbarn 

• Outdoor play areas 

• Tractor & trailer rides 

• Keith’s Krazy Karts 

• Farmyard crazy golf 

• Take a goat for a walk 

• Woodland walk 

• Gift Shop 

• Select Lincolnshire 

award winning Tea Room 

Come 

and say hello 

to all our 

animals! 

Birthday 

parties 

See our 

FREE 

CHILD 

voucher on 

page 47 

School trips 

welcome 

01652 

678822 

South Kelsey, 

Market Rasen, Lincs LN7 6PR 

www.hallfarmpark.co.uk 

38 

Spring 2017

It’s a Knockout 2017 

Sunday 16th July 2017, 1pm-5pm 

Washingborough Playing Fields, 

Washingborough LN4 1AB 

HOBBIES & ACTIVITIES 

St Barnabas Hospice 

Washingborough Playing Fields is set to hold the yearly 

‘It’s a Knockout’ fundraiser hosted by St Barnabas Hospice. 

Now in its seventh year, ‘It’s a Knockout’ is 

due to be bigger and better than ever, with 

teams of 10 taking on the inflatable challenge 

at Washingborough Playing Fields. 

The ‘It’s a Knockout’ event is inspired by the 

famous TV game show, and features wacky 

challenges, giant inflatables and various 

water pools at Washingborough Playing 

Fields. 

Starting at 1pm, there will be various stalls 

and a BBQ available alongside the big event. 

As well as watching the giant inflatable 

games there will be lots of fun activities 

for spectators to get involved including; 

water zorbing, giant inflatable slides, face 

painting, and a bouncy castle! Plus children’s 

characters Belle from Beauty and Beast with 

a live performance! 

There will also be a ‘Children’s Challenge’ 

after the main event. Children will be able to 

compete on the giant inflatables on the day 

for only £5. There is no need to register in 

advance for this – just turn up on the day. 

Registration is only £10 per person, with each 

individual being asked to raise a minimum of 

£60. Spectators can visit free of charge. 

For more information please contact 

Laura Stones T: 01522 559515 

E: laura.stones@stbarnabashospice.co.uk 


39


Nature Detectives 

Superheroes make way for the Nature Detectives! 

Bluebells are blooming, 

creatures are on a quest for 

food and the UK’s woodlands 

are full of vibrant colours. 

There’s no better time to get 

out and experience nature 

with the Woodland Trust. 

Nature Detectives is a brilliant resource that encourages kids 

to get outside having hero-like adventures. Whether it’s 

exploring Lincolnshire’s vast woodland, or staying close to 

home and learning from the activity packs offered by the Trust. 

There are over 600 free activities available, targeted at 

different age groups and times of the year – so it’s easy to find 

something, regardless of the weather or how old your kids are. 

What it takes to become 

a Nature Detective 

There are no secret potions or 

espionage; it simply begins with 

your family and a little curiosity to 

engage with the great outdoors. 

To get started, check out the 

Trust’s Nature Detectives website. 

Try out fun activities and learn 

to recognise wildlife, insects, 

trees and plants in the UK’s 

countryside and gardens. 

Plus, if you choose to become a 

member, money raised will help 

the Woodland Trust look after and 

protect woods across Lincolnshire. 

40 

Spring 2017

Planning a trip to the woods 

Woods are full of adventure and things to explore. Your 

kid’s day will be fun and safe by using these tips: 

• Start small. Woods are an exciting place however 

some can be quite big. So be sure to keep eye on kids, 

and where you all wander off to! 

• Plan ahead. Just like our kids, the outdoors can be 

somewhat unpredictable. Be fully prepared for those 

big days out by bringing water, spare clothes, sun lotion, 

toys and snacks. 

• Introduce kids to new ideas. Why not try foraging? 

It’s a perfect way to involve kids with their environment. 

Collect fruits and berries to make sweet natural jams 

and tarts. Avoid an upset tummy by only eating what 

you know is safe. 

There are many stunning woods across Lincolnshire. 

Take a trip to Owlet wood in Blyton or Old Wood in 

Skellingthorpe for those gorgeous, sunlit views and 

Instagram-ready scenery. 

Find your closest wood at: 

www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods 

Let’s make 

blossom art 

Get inspired with the kids 

and a beautiful blossom 

picture. 

Nature Detectives will need: 

• A piece of card 

• A twig 

• Glue 

• Pink & white tissue paper 

Let’s create! 

Stick the twig to the card 

and let it dry. 

Tear up bits of tissue paper 

and scrunch them up. 

This is your blossom. 

Stick your blossom 

alongside the twig 

Let it dry & then show it off! 

Become a Nature Detective today www.naturedetectives.co.uk 


41


NK Outreach 

Alive and kicking in North Kesteven 

For those who know of us, we are still delivering events 

in various activities in and around Lincolnshire. 

For those who don’t know of us, let me fill you in... 

The team is based at the 

natural world centre, Whisby 

(just outside Lincoln). We are a 

community focused team who 

operate services and events on 

behalf of North Kesteven District 

Council as well as our current 

operator, 1 Life. 

We promote various activities 

which now include: 

• Mobile Climbing Wall 

• Mobile Skate Park 

• Mobile mini half pipe 

• Mobile Free Bound Equipment 

(a fun obstacle course) 

• Mobile play equipment 

• Walking Football sessions in 

North Hykeham and Sleaford 

(for over 55’s) 

• Partner in the Positive Futures 

football league for those aged 

14 – 18, which happens at the 

One NK centre on Friday 

nights (term time) 

If you are a community or a school 

who would like to hire out our 

mobile equipment please do get 

in touch. Our equipment comes as 

an all-inclusive package, as we are 

here to provide a safe enjoyable 

activity/ session for all ages. Please 

also check out our website and 

Facebook page for up to date 

information on all of our services. 

We are attending various events 

this year of which are a mixture of 

closed and open events; please 

check out our website for further 

information. 

The team have also teamed up 

with our other partners to deliver 

4 Discovery days across North 

Kesteven. The purpose of these 

events is to raise awareness 

of sport and physical activity 

opportunities available in the 

local area, as well as to have a 

go at something new. They are 

completely free and open to all 

ages. There is no need to book, just 

turn up on the day and stay as long 

or as short as you like. 

We are a team who are looking for 

further developments where we 

can assist communities to become 

more active, more often. Therefore 

if you would like something in your 

community either in any of the 

activities above or other activities 

please do get in contact with us. 

Projects we are currently working 

on which we would love to deliver 

are Walking Netball and a regular 

outdoor climbing club at One NK in 

North Hykeham. 

If you are interested in either of 

these please give us a call or drop 

us an email, we would love to hear 

from you! 

Contact the team - T: 01522 694353 or 07572 080716 

E: Victoria.chapman@1life.co.uk : nkoutreachteam www.nkoutreach.co.uk 

42 

Spring 2017

NK Outreach, your local community activity provider 

for North Kesteven district in Lincolnshire 

No need 

to book and 

FREE to 

attend! 

NK Discovery Days 

Come along to any of the following FREE events 

Hire our equipment, 

competitive rates 

available, come talk to us! 

Community, Schools, 

Fundraisers, Village Fetes, 

Consultation Events, Youth 

Provision plus lots more! 

Find out when and 

where we are delivering, 

we could be near you! 

Wednesday 31st May 10am-2pm, 

National Centre for Craft and Design, 

Navigation Wharf, Sleaford 

Saturday 8th July 11am-4pm 

Digby Memorial Hall (part of Digby Feast) 

Friday 11th August 10am-4.30pm 

Natural World Centre, Whisby 

Friday 1st September 10am-2pm 

The Venue, Navenby 

Please note those aged 8 

years or younger must be 

accompanied by an adult, 

all aged 9 years or over can 

self-register. Consent forms 

available on the day. 

for 2017 in North Kesteven 

01522 694353 

www.nkoutreach.co.uk 

Victoria.chapman@1life.co.uk 

NKOutreachTeam


Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust 

THIS JUNE, IT’S ALL ABOUT NATURE... 

For everybody, everywhere, every 

day with The Wildlife Trusts’ 

annual challenge: 30 Days Wild. 

Last June thousands of people carried out 1.8 million 

Random Acts of Wildness during 30 Days Wild. That’s 

1.8 million precious moments that brought people 

closer to nature and enhanced their lives. 

Can you and your family take on the challenge this 

June and do something wild every day for 30 days? 

You might find yourselves spending an evening star 

gazing, building a bughouse, threading daisy chains or 

simply sitting in the garden and watching butterflies. 

A Random Act of Wildness is anything that you can do 

in an average working day to bring a little nature into 

your life. They can take a few seconds, a few minutes 

or, if you lose yourself completely, a few hours! And 

can be in your garden, local park or further afield on 

a trip to a nature reserve or the coast, or even in the 

heart of the city. 

Holding a brown 

hawker dragonfly 

The Wildlife Trusts’ have lots of practical, fun and 

quirky ‘Random Acts of Wildness’ ideas for connecting 

with the wild around us but what you do and how you 

do it is up to you. 

44 

Spring 2017

Here are a few Random Acts of Wildness to get you started: 

Look up at 

clouds 

What shapes 

can you see? 

Cuddle your favourite tree 

Work out if it’s ancient - the wider 

your hug, the older it is 

Lunch in the wild 

Eat you packed lunch 

outdoors and watch the 

birds and beetles go by 

Lift up a log 

Look under dead logs and 

in leaf piles - what creepy 

crawlies do you see? 

Tell wild stories 

Use nature to inspire 

your characters, setting 

and plot; create the 

wildest story you can 

Race for a 

rainbow 

Spot all seven colours 

of the rainbow in 

nature nearby 

Inhale a wild scent 

Smell a wildflower or the leaves of a tree 

Explore somewhere wild 

Explore a nature reserve, river bank or 

woodland that you’ve never been to before 

Keep a wildlife list 

Make a list of all the wildlife 

you can see in your garden 

Create artwork 

in the wild 

Use leaves, pine cones, 

twigs, feathers, or 

shells and pebbles on 

the beach, to create a 

temporary masterpiece 

in the great outdoors 

Tickle your toes 

Squelch your toes in grass, sand or 

mud, or dangle them in a cool stream: 

how many wild landscapes can you feel 

through the soles of your feet? 

Read a book in the wild 

Find a book about wild creatures 

and read it outdoors 

Admire the setting sun 

Find somewhere with a view to the west, 

stay up late and admire the setting 

sun in all its colourful glory. 

If you use 

social media we’d 

love you to join 

in and share your 

wild month using 

#30DaysWild 

And its official - a daily dose of nature, even in bite size 

chunks, is good for you. The impact of taking part in 

30 Days Wild has been tracked by academics at the 

University of Derby. Their study found that people who 

did something ‘wild’ each day for a month, felt happier, 

healthier and more connected to nature. From walking 

barefoot in the park to feeding garden birds, all sorts 

of activities proved positive for people – with added 

benefits for the natural world too. 

The overwhelming majority of parents believe that 

a childhood separated from nature is a diminished 

experience. In October 2015 a YouGov poll of parents 

and children, commissioned by The Wildlife Trusts, 

found that 92% of parents think access to nature and 

wildlife is important for children in general. Yet 78% 

of parents are concerned that children don’t spend 

enough time interacting with nature and wildlife. 

30 Days Wild is a great way to start bringing nature into 

your everyday lives; and once you’ve gone 30 Days 

Wild, you might just want to stay wild for 365 days! 

Have an amazing time going wild this June! 

Small tortoiseshell 

butterfly on lavender 

For more ideas of Random Acts of 

Wildness apply for a free 30 Days 

Wild pack: www.mywildlife.org. 

uk/30DaysWild or download the 

phone app: www.wildlifetrusts. 

org/30DaysWild/App 

30 Days Wild packs include a 

packet of wildflower seeds, activity 

sheets, a calendar to record 

adventures, stickers, and a poster 

(free but subject to availability). 


45


Holly Tree 

For further information: 

T: 01522 790275 

M: 07768 965942 

E: hollytree@softplaylincoln.co.uk 

www.softplaylincoln.co.uk 

SPECIAL OFFER 

So much more than just soft play... 

Our multi level soft play frame is suitable for your energetic 

and adventurous under 9s. 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 

opened 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! 

After School Club: Play & Dine Deal 

Visit us after 3.30pm* and take advantage of our After School 

Play and Dine Deal. Simply pay £5.95 for admission to our 

Soft play barn and choose any child’s meal from our menu. 

Holly Tree Leisure, Fen Road, 

Washingborough, Lincoln LN4 1AE 

M: 07768 965942 T: 01522 790275 

E: hollytree@softplaylincoln.co.uk 

www.softplaylincoln.co.uk 

Opening Times 

Tues-Friday 10am-6pm 

Saturday & Sunday 

10am-4pm 

*Applicable Weekday term time only. Not 

to be used in conjunction with any other 

offer. Must be requested upon entry. 

Follow us on for details 

of weekly Special Offers! 

46 

Spring 2017

Money saving vouchers for you & your family 

One child admitted 

FREE 

WITH THIS VOUCHER 

Offer valid upon presentation of this voucher. Not in conjunction 

with any other offer/discount. Valid 17th July 2017 

MG17 

Save 

£6 

North Parade, Skegness, Lincs PE25 1DB 

T: 01754 764345 E: info@skegnessnatureland.co.uk 

Must be accompanied by a full paying adult. Cannot be used with any other offer/discount. Valid to 31.10.2017. 

www.skegnessnatureland.co.uk 

20% 

OFF 

admission 

per 2 full paying adults 

NEWBALL, NEAR LANGWORTH, LINCOLN LN3 5DQ 

www.woodsidewildlife.com 

Valid til 20.05.17 upon presentation of this voucher. Not in conjunction with any other offer. 

Valid for up to four people. 

Expires 17th July 2017 

Tel: 01623 882977 

www.whitepostfarm.co.uk 

Offer valid upon presentation of this voucher. 

Not in conjunction with any other offer. 

20% off 

0-7 years musical 

learning Spanish lessons 

To book: 07979 503269 

www.minilinguals.co.uk 

New 5 week 

course Spring term 

starts Saturday 

27th May 

*Offer valid upon presentation of this voucher. 

Not in conjunction with any other offer. Expires 17th July 2017. 

Meet our amazing animal friends 

50p off 

admission price 

per person 

Tel: 01472 291998 

Open daily 10am-3.30pm 

Kings Road, Lakeside, 

Cleethorpes, 

Lincs DN35 OAG 

www.thejunglezoo.co.uk 

Offer valid until 6.09.17 upon presentation of this voucher. Not in conjunction with any other offer. 


47


Pennells Garden Centre 

Get the kids gardening! 

Introducing your 

children to gardening 

is a great way to get 

them interested in 

the outdoors! Here’s 

a few ideas to get 

them going. 

Newark Rd, South Hykeham, 

Lincoln LN6 9NT 

One of the simplest things to do is 

to try growing Radish. They grow 

quickly and the colourful roots 

are ready to eat within a month 

of sowing. They can be sown 

directly outdoors in garden soil. 

To get a little bit of competition 

going between children why not 

try growing some Sunflowers. 

Again these are sown outdoors 

where they are to flower. See who 

can grow the tallest. After they 

have finished flowering leave the 

dead flowers heads to 

attract and help feed 

the wild birds in the 

autumn. 

For younger children 

then sowing cress is 

simple and easy. This 

can be done indoors. 

Just sprinkle the seed 

on moist cotton wool, 

paper tissues, blotting 

paper or a thin layer 

of seed compost. 

Cover with paper until 

the seeds start to shoot. Remove 

the paper and then put on a 

windowsill until ready to harvest 

when about 5cm tall, just cut with 

scissors. They can be sown all 

the year round. 

There are many other plants that 

are ideal for children to grow. 

Try growing Runner Beans – and 

tell the story of Jack and the 

Beanstalk. They may not grow as 

tall as in the story but they can be 

sown outdoors in May and June 

and will give a supply of beans 

through the summer. 

Find out more at the garden 

centre – we’ve lots of ideas for 

little gardeners! 

T: 01522 880033 @PennellsGC Pennells Garden Centre www.pennells.co.uk 

48 

Spring 2017

Money saving vouchers for you & your family 

swimming 

during 2017 

Stixwould Road, 

Woodhall Spa, LN10 6QH 

T: 01526 353478 / 352448 

Voucher must be presented on purchase. 

Not in conjunction with any other offer. 


2 for 1 

on Crazy Golf 

WITH THIS VOUCHER 

Valid from 20th May to 17th April 2017 

Cheapest 

player goes 

FREE 

Lincoln Road, Skellingthorpe, Lincoln, LN6 5SA 

One voucher per customer. Not in conjunction with any other offer. 

admit 1 child 

FREE 

with 2 full paying adults* 

Tel: 01652 678822 

South Kelsey, Market Rasen, LN7 6PR 

*Offer valid upon presentation of this 

voucher. Not in conjunction with any 

other offer. Expires 17th July 2017. 

www.hallfarmpark.co.uk 

Rushmoor Country Park 

family 4 

admitted 

for the 

price of3 

on presentation of this voucher 

Louth Rd, North Cockerington, Louth LN11 7DY 

T: 01507 327184 www.rushmoorpark.co.uk 

Offer ends 12th July 2017. Photo copies not accepted. Not in conjunction with any other offer. 


49

NEWS 

Magna Mums 

Sisters inspired by motherhood 

set up new business together 

Two sisters from Lincoln have set up their own business bringing 

a selection of maternity wear and baby-related products to the city. 

Magna Mamas is the brainchild 

of sisters Gail Scrutton, 35, 

and Claire Witherington, 37. 

Between them they have 

five children aged from 20 

months to eight years old. 

Gail said: “The idea for the 

business began following 

our struggle to find 

maternity clothes in our 

local High Street shops. It 

has evolved from there to 

include not only maternity 

clothes, but also other 

products which we love. 

“We stock a selection of items which 

we believe are useful for new 

parents, including baby carriers, 

breastfeeding covers, teething 

jewellery and 

Sock Ons. 

“Some of the products in our 

range are designed and 

made by other women 

who have also been 

inspired by their own 

experiences of having 

young children.” 

Gail added: “Since 

starting up last October, 

we have launched 

our website, www. 

magnamamas.co.uk 

and taken our pop 

up shop to the 

Waterside Shopping 

Centre in Lincoln, 

as well as local 

events such as the 

Newark Baby and 

Toddler Show.” 

To view the full 

range of products 

please visit the 

website or find them 

on Facebook at 

www.facebook. 

com/MagnaMamas 

For further information: E: gail@magnamamas.co.uk MagnaMamas www.magnamamas.co.uk 

50 

Spring 2017

molly_issue26_spring WEB

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