by Martin Thomas | Jun 30, 2021 | Lincoln, Lincolnshire, Sleaford, WhatsOnLincs
WhatsOnLincs – Sleaford Through The Eyes Of LincsConnect
WhatsOnLincs – Sleaford by LincsConnect. This is the second of my series of blogs ‘through the eyes of LincsConnect’. I’m sure you’ll find it useful.
It’s funny how a pre-conceived blog can change so much and so quickly. I’ve been fortunate enough to visit Sleaford many times so the layout of the blog was already pre-conceived. However, my research made me realise how little I know about the town.
Sleaford – Getting There
Sleaford is conveniently located between Grantham (15 miles), Newark (19 miles), Boston (17 miles), Lincoln (20 miles) & Stamford (29 miles)
Split Sleaford into three areas and you’ll realise that there is more to the town than meets the eye. We have Quarrington, Old Sleaford and New Sleaford (or ‘Sleaford’ as we know it now). New Sleaford has enveloped both Old Sleaford and Quarrington during its recent ‘growth spurt’. We can therefore be forgiven for not realising how much the landscape has changed. In fact, the landscape has changed dramatically. Over the last 250 years or so we now the ‘Old River Slea’ and the ‘New River Slea’ plus a railway line or two. I’ll talk more about the rivers later though.
The A15 running North/South come to Sleaford from Lincoln in the North and Peterborough from the South. Driving East/West the A17 links Boston through Sleaford to Newark.
The Sleaford railway station was opened in 1857 nd led to the ultimately demise of the canal. It’s the only station in the region to offer North/South ‘and’ East/West destinations. Trains run from Peterborough and Skegness as well as Nottingham and Lincoln.
WhatsOnLincs – Sleaford (Quarrington)
Quarrington is worthy of a mention on its own but is now part of the larger town of Sleaford.
St Botolph’s Church, Quarrington. Click on the picture to go to the website
The St Botolph’s Church (click the link to find them on Facebook) was originally built in the 13th Century but was rebuilt in 1812 and its tower was restored in 1887. Sunday services are being held weekly at 11.00am* with evening services via Zoom at 6.00pm. *The obvious Covid19 restrictions apply so if you would like to attend the service please pre-book by emailing your request to stbquarrington890@gmail.com
Quarrington is located South West of Sleaford centre with the A15 to its West and A153/B1517 to its North and is thought to be the ‘mother’ parish of Old Sleaford. The walk from Quarrington is regarded as ‘easy’ and is just 3-4 miles round trip to Sleaford depending on your route:
WhatsOnLincs – Sleaford (Old Sleaford)
Old Sleaford, as you might expect, had its (Northern) border running along the Old (original) River Slea. I’ve also read that there was a Roman road running through Sleaford from Tattershall to Ancaster. My research so far suggests that I have a choice of either King Street or Bloxholm Lane. You can probably guess what town my next blog will focus on then!
Old Sleaford was possibly an iron-age tribal centre but since then it has had links with William the Conqueror in 1086 and had a castle built by Bishop Alexander of Lincoln in around 1120/30. Sadly though the castle fell into disrepair and was demolished in around 1600. During its popularity it played host to both King John and Henry VIII (separately of course)!
The site of the castle is still visible and is shown in this aerial picture. The picture was taken from Wikipedia but there is no evidence of the originator to reference here I’m afraid.
“The visible remains are now only a moat, a scrap of masonry (one small, toppled portion of a wall in the north-east corner of the inner bailey) and associated earthworks”. For more information visit the Wikipedia site. I’ll be paying a visit to the site soon and hope to be able to provide updated pictures.
Further reading Indicates that there was a large Manor House (the Hussey Manor House, build in 1400) at Old Place, Sleaford. It included a moat, gate house, chapel, kiln drying oven and extensive outbuildings. Sadly it was demolished in 1822 to make way for the new building. If you’re planning a visit to the area look up ‘Old Place’, Sleaford.
WhatsOnLincs – Sleaford Navigation
The river Slea surfaces to the South West of Ancaster at West Willoughby (West of Sleaford) and flows through Sleaford to South Kyme. Here it becomes the Kyme Eau and then joins the River Witham at Chapel Hill.
The diagram shows the seven locks used in the new River Slea while the blue line to the right shows the course of the Old River Slea
The River Slea and the Nine Foot River (or Nine Foot Drain) merge in Sleaford to become one River Slea. As the river passes through the town it becomes part of the Sleaford Navigation. The 12.5 miles canalisation was opened in 1794 to allow continued navigation. Inevitably (with the advent of the railway) it became redundant and fell into disrepair. Thankfully much of it has now been restored and re-opened. The Old River Slea was allowed to run its normal course (South of the canal) and the two rejoin at Cobblers Lock before becoming the Kyme Eau at South Kyme and eventually joining the River Witham.
WhatsOnLincs – Sleaford Navigation House
The old clerks office (Navigation House) serves as a visitors centre for the canal and incorporates a shop selling local produce. More importantly though it houses a museum and information centre with wall maps, information boards, TV and audio rooms and lots of interesting articles to inform the young and old alike. Built in 1838 this grade II listed building is a piece of history in its on right. When visiting be sure to make your way to Navigation Yard to have a look. I know you’ll be impressed so make it a date in your diary. For up-to-date information give them a follow on Twitter @NavigationHouse
Their current opening times are Friday to Monday 12.00pm-4.00pm. You can ring them on 01529 305904 or email navigationhouse@n-kesteven.gov.uk to book group tours too.
WhatsOnLincs – Sleaford Cogglesford Mill
Covid19 is still threatening its ugliness across the world but you’ll find the staff at Coggesford Watermill are very friendly and have your safety in mind. Please do contact them prior to your visit (see the YouTube video above for details). Don’t forget your mask while looking around this historic building though.
From Navigation House you’ll find Coggesford Mill just a short walk away. Look out for the Kingfishers while you’re walking along the river bank. If you’re lucky you’ll see a flash of bright blue as one goes fishing for a snack.
If you’ve come from Navigation House hopefully you bought some duck food for the inevitable feeding spectacular. It’s always a special moment for childen if you have any with you. However, for the adults you’ll find an array of freshly ground flour and other local produce in the shop at Coggesford Mill and if it’s a sunny day you may want to buy an ice cream there too.
Coggesford Water Mill – if this picture downs’e tempt you to visit I don’t know what will…
The mill was originally a single story building but was later extended to three stories. Built in the 18th Century it’s still producing freshly ground flour to this day. Its history goes way back to Saxon times so the building we see today with its two sets of millstones is relatively modern!
Seeing and hearing the mill in action is a real treat so I do hope you get to experience it. I’ve noticed that there was a virtual tour as well as special school trips so please do get in touch by email cogglesfordwatermill@n-kesteven.gov.uk for more information and to book. Follow Cogglesford Mill @Cogglesford on twitter too for regular updates.
WhatsOnLincs – Sleaford Museum
Discover more of the history of Sleaford by visiting the museum. Currently open every Saturday between 10.00am and 3.00pm. Click on the picture to go to the website or follow them on Twitter @MuseumSleaford
This local history museum is a charity run by volunteers. Opening times are limited as I write this blog but please do visit the website and twitter page for updates as additional opening times will inevitably follow the easing of Covid19 restrictions. Don’t forget to book in before arrival to make sure they have a slot available as visits are limited to four people at a time. Keep up to date on Facebook at Sleaford Museum
Historically (excuse the pun) the museum has had exhibitions but they are limited at the moment. Checking the website will give you the full up-to-date details though.
Local history talks take place at St Deny’s Church rooms (off the Market Place) and start at 7.30pm. Follow this link for a timetable: Events and Talks
St Deny’s Church is visible from Eastgate (A153/B1517) and is a ‘must see’ Grade I listed building dating back to the 12th Century. Click on the blue links to read more and find them on Facebook here St Deny’s Church Sleaford
Getting there: The address is 81 Southgate (contact number 07518 972016) with plenty of parking and a rail link
WhatsOnLincs – Sleaford Places Of Interest
Sleaford certainly is a gem in the Lincolnshire countryside with lots of interesting things to do and places to visit. It’s a market town with regular markets on Mondays and Fridays plus a famers market every first Saturday of the month. It also has a thriving shopping area too with independent shops as well as some big chain stores. If you fancy some shopping and a bite to eat or a drink you’ll be spoilt for choice. Just 7 minutes drive from St Deny’s Church in Sleaford is Kirkby-La-Thorpe. Here you’ll find the 12th Century small church which also happens to be called The Church Of St Denny’s.
The Queens Head Bar And Restaurant
Kirkby-La-Thorpe is worthy of a mention because of its church of course but also the village pub which was formerly called The Queens Head Inn (on Boston Road). The original pub achieved the prestigious Top 13 Pub in the UK award with its fantastic food and great value. It closed in early 2019 due to a combination of COVID19 and the death of a former owner. Since then it has been taken over by a new team who’ve been putting in the hours and hard work to completely renovate and rejuvenate it. New menus are planned with the emphasis on locally sourced produce.
The Queens Head team have been posting their progress on Twitter so if you would like to follow their journey click on this link: @QueensKirkby now. You can join in with the chat there and watch the changes being made as well as the new menus coming to life.
New beginnings means a new logo and I think this one is very smart. It’s modern and fresh which reflects nicely what the new owners aim to achieve. You can follow them on Twitter @QueensKirkby For reservations call 01529 305743 or visit the website www.thequeensheadpub.com
Cocktails At The Queens
Here is the new Cocktails List for the New Pub. Why not save the list to your phone and place your order when you get there?
The Queens Head is set to open its doors once again as a pub on 19 July 2021 and the restaurant will be opening shortly after. Put Sunday 1 August in your diary for the restaurant but don’t forget to book your table in advance to avoid disappointment. I have no doubt that this is going to be a very popular local pub and restaurant once again.
WhatsOnLincs – Sleaford Music
You can’t really write about Sleaford without mentioning the Saboteurs so sit back and have a listen to one or two of their songs. They bill themselves as ‘alternative’ and ‘grunge’ but I just like their modern Indie feel. Have a listen and make up your own mind.
The Saboteurs bill themselves as ‘Alternative’ and ‘Grunge’ but if you like modern indie music I think you’ll agree that whatever labels they put themselves under, they’re simply ‘very good’. Click on the picture to hear a different sample of their music.
Sleaford seems to have more that it’s fair share of music opportunities so it wouldn’t be right to omit the Sleaford Live Fest which is (normally) held in May every year. Follow them on Twitter @Sleaford_Live and Facebook Sleaford Live Festival where you’ll find lots of links to local music and arts events. Indie rock or folk music isn’t for everyone of course so if you prefer choral music, Sleaford has that too. Normal rehearsals are on Wednesday evenings with at least three concerts each year. However, with the onslaught of the dreaded Covid19, rehearsals have been put on hold until August 2021. For more information take a look at the Sleaford Choral Society website and don’t forget to follow them on Twitter too @ChoralSleaford
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WhatsOnLincs – Sleaford Oktoberfest
The annual Oktoberfest organised by Sleaford round Table has been around since 2011 but had the obvious break during the Coronavirus pandemic. As a charity fund raising event the Oktoberfest raised a whopping £11,500 in 2019. With your help I’m sure it’ll raise even more this year.
Sleaford & District Round Table presents the 10th Sleaford Oktoberfest Click on the picture to go to the website
With drinks, music and entertainment planned it’s bound to be a good event. Sixteen different breweries will be involved including five from Lincolnshire. In addition there will be lager, cider and perry on sale too plus a gin and schnapps bar. I think pretty much all tastes will be catered for!
The bar will be open until midnight each night (from 6.00pm on Thursday and Friday and from 12.00pm on Saturday) with an Oompah band entertaining from 4.00pm and 7.15pm on Saturday. The band line up can be found by visiting the Sleaford Oktoberfest website.
It’s all happening at the Boston Road Recreation Ground and free parking is available. It’s a ticket free event so please pay at the entrance where you’ll be issued with a wristband to prove payment.
More Places To Visit
This blog really could go and and on as there are so many places to visit in the Sleaford area. The blog isn’t a definitive ‘what’s on’ for the area though so as a result I’ll cut the next bit short just to give you a taster:
Rauceby Hall will be opening its gates to welcome visitors once again from 14 to 18 July 2021. Visitors to Rauceby Hall are invited to see the performances of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ which will be performed by Sleaford Playhouse Theatre who can be found on Facebook and Twitter @SleafordTheatre
Tickets are on sale for the performances so if you want to join the fun just click on the picture below to go to the ticket office:
Click on the picture to book your tickets
If walking is your preferred form of relaxation and mindfulness then Sleaford has certainly got you covered. The River Slea and Canal offer scenic routes with locks and mills being just part of the delights. This is one of the routes provided by Sleaford Navigation which I’m sure you will enjoy. Keep your eyes open for the Haverholme Priory too. Follow the link to read about the sad demise of the priory building. Personally I think it’s really quite tragic.
Click on the picture to read and download the walk which has been uploaded by Sleaford Navigation
WhatsOnLincs – Sleaford – Charity
Charity begins with you and me but with so many charities needing our help it’s difficult to know which ones to choose. This North Kesteven website has a list of local charities in Sleaford so if you’re able to donate or volunteer please do click on the picture below for more information:
Are you able to help a local charity? Click on the picture to go to a list of local charities in Sleaford. Perhaps you can volunteer or make a donation?
Additional Blogs By LincsConnect:
Take a look back at some of the previous blogs to see what you might have missed. Click on the picture to go straight to the blog:
Around Me In Lincolnshire – Gainsborough
#LincsConnectJobs Hour for jobs and courses
Great Grimsby Day 2021
WhatsOnLincs – Sleaford
That’s it for now. I hope you enjoy my local ‘Around Me’ blogs. I’ll be grateful for any comments and feedback so feel free to email me at martin@lincsconnect.co.uk
You may also like to read the ‘Aviation Trail’ blog by Visit Lincoln. Have a look to discover more about the Sleaford area
Aviation Trail by Visit Lincoln
If you would like me to visit your town please do let me know. Advertising comes with a FREE link to the blog for as long as you want it so you can use it again and again to help promote your business or charity.
Look after yourself and each other
Your own Lincolnshire Blogger – Copied but never bettered. “Putting the social back into social media” #LincsConnect is always here for you.
by Martin Thomas | Dec 3, 2020 | Charity, Christmas, Covid-19, Domestic Abuse, Domestic Violence, Donate, Facebook, Foodbank, Hashtags, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, Lincs Connect, LincsConnect, Mandarin, Mandarin Therapies, Massage, Mobile, Social
Click on the picture to hear the new single and have the opportunity to buy your own copy. Every purchase will help someone local so that will make you a Lincolnshire Christmas Social Hero too!
Christmas Angel by Jake Newby
Lincolnshire Christmas Social Heroes are all around us and this charity fund raising single is a perfect example. It’s been a pretty bad year for most of us and it’s fair to assume that the local (and national) charities have been hit very hard as we tighten our belts and reign in our spending. It’s important to remember though that if we don’t have the cash to spend we might be able to use our talents and skills to help others. Jake Newby from Louth has done just that! You can click on the picture above to go straight to his website to listen to the new song ‘Christmas Angel’. If you buy a copy you’ll instantly become one of the Lincolnshire Christmas Social Heroes too!
Why? Because all proceeds will be going to help local food banks! Not only is it a lovely song by a very talented singer but it’s helping those who may be experiencing hardship right now. In addition to his website you’ll also be able to find him on Facebook Jake Newby.
You can also download a copy from iTunes. Just follow the link by clicking on the picture below:
Click on the picture to download your copy from iTunes
You Can Donate To Become One Of The Lincolnshire Christmas Social Heroes
Find out more by clicking on this picture. Gemma will be really pleased to hear from you and you can become a Lincolnshire Christmas Social Hero too.
On the subject of Lincolnshire Christmas Social Heroes, meet Gemma from @vegoutlincoln on Twitter who is collecting cash donations through her Just Giving page. You can help by donating a little bit of cash of course. Just click on the picture above to donate if you can. Here’s a quote from Gemma to explain: “This Christmas we would REALLY love to be able to support our local community by building plant based food packages for the Lincoln Food Bank… As a business we will be compiling food packages ready for delivery to the food bank on 18th December.” It goes without saying of course that your donations will be funding plant based meals for those with special dietary requirements.
Local Lincolnshire Food Banks
I know the subject is Lincolnshire Christmas Social Heroes but The Lincolnshire Food Partnership is very active in our region all year. They work tirelessly to make sure as many people as possible have access to food. It’s a partnership of several different organisations who come together to coordinate and distribute food to those who need it. You can find them on twitter @food_lincoln or click on the link above/picture below to go to their website. Being in food poverty is a real problem and has been heightened during the current pandemic. If you can help them in any way please do contact them. If you’re in need of help in any way please don’t be afraid to ask. The food banks are here to help.
Click on this picture to go straight to the interactive map and locate a food bank near you. They’re there to help but will also be grateful for donations
Getting Around Lincolnshire At Christmas With The Lincoln DialaRide Social Heroes
Food is vital of course but it’s important to remember other aspects of what it takes to be a Lincolnshire social hero. I’ve been watching the ‘comings and goings’ of the Lincoln DialaRide team over the past few months and it’s fair to say they’re doing a fantastic job. “Lincoln Area DialaRide Ltd is a Registered Charity. It’s managed by a Board of Trustees that includes users of the DialaRide (DAR), Voluntary Car Scheme (VCS) & Shopmobility services.” That pretty much sums up the description don’t you think? There is still more and more, and more…. to add but the list of good deeds they do is far too big to mention it all here.
Staffed mainly by volunteers the Lincoln DialaRide has been serving the community for 30 years. Not only does it provide local transport to hospitals and shops but the service also takes people to funerals. Delivering food for the Food Bank to those unable to collect as well as being a drop off point for collections. This really is just scraping the surface of the huge amount they do for the community. Other services include providing mobility for shopping for those who are less able. If you would like to volunteer for your community you might like to contact Lincoln DialaRide. Here are the links for Twitter, Facebook and their website: Twitter @lincolndar Facebook Lincoln.dar website www.lincolndialaride.co.uk
#NoExcuseForAbuse
Domestic abuse affects women and men regardless of age, education, religion, race or sexual orientation. It’s not something we should tolerate in our society but it’s possible that some ‘victims’ may not even know that they are victims! If you would like to reach out for help End Domestic Abuse Now (EDAN) @EDANlincs is here for you. You can follow them on Twitter or check out their website : www.edanlincs.org.uk where you’ll find a handy ‘Escape From The Website’ button on the top right of the page. Take a look at this video on Facebook or YouTube:
Domestic abuse is never OK. If you’re in danger of harm call 999. EDAN Lincs is here to support you. Click on the pictures to view the video on Facebook or YouTube
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Christmas Presents Needed In Lincolnshire
Well, maybe not too cold if you’re indoors with the central heating on but spare a thought for the homeless. Circumstances can change quite quickly if bad luck hits; It could mean you don’t have a roof over your head! Thankfully there are several fantastic charities in our area who regularly ‘step up to the mark’ to help those in need. I don’t want to try to list them all because I’m bound to miss out someone important. The Lincoln YMCA is one of several organisations that help to get people off the streets and into housing. Would it surprise you to know that they have 175 residents currently in shelter at the moment?
The Lincoln YMCA Shoebox Campaign 2020 need our support. Be a Lincolnshire Christmas Social Hero. Just Click on the picture to go to the website for more information or find them on Twitter @YMCAlincs
If you have any spare shoe boxes please donate them to the YMCA. Better still, if you can provide any of the items listed in the picture above please feel free to include them too. Don’t forget to mark the box ‘Male’ or ‘Female’ though for certain items. Moving up to the North of our County you’ll find more projects underway with the YMCA Humber team. You can support them by organising your own fundraising events. Take a look at the picture below for more information:
Support @YMCAHumber with their project ‘Give As You Live’ by setting up your own fundraiser challenges. You too can be a ‘Lincolnshire Christmas Social Hero’ Click on the picture to find out more
A Lincolnshire Christmas Together
We may not be able to physically spend a Lincolnshire Christmas together but I’m sure we’ll do our best to to make it festive and fun.
If the Covid-19 virus restrictions allow I hope there’ll be some form of limited travel allowed. On a personal note I think I prefer to spend my time with my family at home. Yes, it’s going to be different and difficult but ‘hopefully’ it’ll be a restriction for just this year. I’ve no doubt it’s going to be lonely for many people but with a little lateral thinking and our community spirit I’m sure we’ll find a way to reach out….. Read More…
Click on the picture to read more about ‘A Lincolnshire Christmas Together’
For A Lincolnshire Christmas Use #LincsConnectChristmas
If you’re wondering who is posting on the hashtag I suggest you have a look today. For a Lincolnshire Christmas use #LincsConnectChristmas on your tweets to reach more local people. Don’t forget to search the hashtag too because you’ll find lots of lovely gift ideas there. The hashtag isn’t just for Twitter though; There are posts on Facebook and Instagram too so go to your search bar and type in #LincsConnectChristmas to see what comes up…. Read More…
Click on the picture to read more about ‘For A Lincolnshire Christmas Use #LincsConnect’
That’s All For Now…
That’s it for the blog at the moment but I do intend to update this one and post several more blogs too. Get in touch with any requests by emailing me at martin@lincsconnect.co.uk
Stay Safe
by Martin Thomas | Nov 15, 2020 | Aromatherapy, Art, Christmas, Cleethorpes, Covid-19, Discount, Facebook, Foodbank, Grimsby, Hashtags, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, Lincs Connect, LincsConnect, Mandarin Therapies, Massage, Mobile, Shop, Twitter, Vouchers, Website
A Lincolnshire Christmas Together
A Lincolnshire Christmas Together
We may not be able to physically spend a Lincolnshire Christmas together but I’m sure we’ll do our best to to make it festive and fun.
If the Covid-19 virus restrictions allow I hope there’ll be some form of limited travel allowed. On a personal note I think I prefer to spend my time with my family at home. Yes, it’s going to be different and difficult but ‘hopefully’ it’ll be a restriction for just this year. I’ve no doubt it’s going to be lonely for many people but with a little lateral thinking and our community spirit I’m sure we’ll find a way to reach out.
Christmas Is Coming Early
Obviously Christmas Day won’t be changing – December 25th will still be the day to celebrate with presents. FaceTime/Zoom/Teamer etc will help with an element of ‘cyber togetherness’ even if we can’t celebrate with physical togetherness. What will you be doing? You can make time for others less fortunate of course. I’ve made contact with a few agencies in the County and will post a few links later for those of you who are willing to have a look.
I’ve heard back from Cath who runs the Grimsby Food Kitchen and she told me that the traditional Chinese/Indian buffet will be held on 13 December for the homeless thanks to a generous £500.00 donation y Micky Dalton. Meat has been paid for by generous public donations and the outstanding support of Gary’s Meat in Freeman Street, Grimsby. As always though they need donations so please make a donation of £2.00 if you can. You’ll find more info on their Facebook page.
A Lincolnshire Christmas Together – Click on the picture to go to the Grimsby Food Kitchen Facebook page
Christmas Decorations In November…
Is that a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’ for you? Many people don’t want to think about Christmas before December but we’re in uncharted territory this year! I’ve been talking about Christmas since 7 September and trying to get people enthused. Why? Because it’s been a bad year for most traders and general public alike. If I can encourage people to plan their online shops early perhaps we can salvage some of the poor sales. In addition, if more people shop early for Christmas and, most importantly, shop locally, we’ll have a better survival rate for local businesses into 2021. ‘A Lincolnshire Christmas together’ really is our key to success. It’s not just about spending the day with family and friends (or not as the case may be) but making sure we stick together by shopping locally.
Black Friday?
Black Friday is an American tradition so why it’s popular over here I have no idea! In Britain it used to be the ‘end of season sale’ or ‘the winter sale’ followed by the ‘January sales’ and ‘Boxing Day sales’. It would be nice to get back to our own traditions wouldn’t it? At a time of financial uncertainties how useful is a big sale before the biggest spending season of the year? Looking at Black Friday with my cynical head on, it’s just a way of trying to get us to part with our hard earned money in the big stores.
Cyber Monday
The last Monday in November has become known as cyber Monday. It follows Black Friday and is, for many, the last pay day before Christmas. Many bargains can be had online but please don’t forget to support our local traders in their online shops and on the #LincsConnectChristmas hashtag. Please be aware that scammers and hackers will have posted ‘bargains’ too and they will do whatever they can to steal your money. Please stay vigilant and remember ‘if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is’!
Lincolnshire Discounts
How would you feel about having a ‘free to use’ local discount scheme?
A Lincolnshire Christmas Together for all of us
A window, till or website sticker advertising local discounts will be appealing to shoppers. A screenshot of the discount logo presented at the till when making a local purchase will be easy to use. Terms & Conditions being open to shop and service owners for individual discount as appropriate will be easy to manage. Each provider setting a specific discount or offer rather than having a set figure imposed will make the scheme more workable too. Creating a special discount on ‘end of range’ items, ‘buy one, get one half price’, 10% off selected range or donations made to charity etc will give the provider the flexibility needed to make the scheme workable.
Tailored to fit your own requirements, a dedicated App will be the obvious next step. By working together we can create our own County wide scheme that will benefit everyone. I’ve mentioned it on twitter and it certainly generated some interest so do let me know if you’d like to join in. I’ll be interested to hear from traders and customers so please feel free to email me with your thoughts: martin@lncsconnect.co.uk
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A Lincolnshire Musical Christmas
If you’ve read my previous blogs you’ll know that I like to support everything ‘local’ and that includes music too. The @LincsConnect twitter account has a weekly featured artist, band or choir so that’s definitely worth popping over to see. With that in mind, I thought I’d share a song by a group of youngsters who’re surely destined for greater things. You’ll find them on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube so please look them up. These youngsters hail from Cleethorpes and their average age is 15. Yes, that’s ‘FIFTEEN’ – unbelievable!
Have a listen to the latest recording by Revivalry by clicking on this picture. Link to YouTube
Lincolnshire Shopping Lists
Do you make a shopping list? Santa likes a list so when you’re looking for Christmas gift ideas visit the #LincsConnectChristmas hashtag on twitter and Facebook. There are lots of lovely gift ideas so have a look at the posts by our local traders. After all, every penny spent there will be helping someone local and keeping the local economy going.
A Lincolnshire Christmas Together – Click on the picture to go straight to the #LincsConnectChristmas hashtag
A Lincolnshire Christmas Together – #LincsArtCraftHour
If you like arts, crafts and hand made jewellery etc visit the #LincsArtCraftHour hashtag for local inspiration. We’re really lucky to have such talented people in our County so please do support them.
Click on the picture to visit the hashtag but better still, please do join us on Twitter if you get the chance
A Lincolnshire Christmas Together – Local Shopping
During the recent #LincsArtCraftHour sessions we have seen quite a few artists and crafters joining in and showing their gift ideas. The hashtags highlight some of them so please take a look to see what they have to offer. Clicking on the picture below will take to some of our fabulous traders.
After all, Christmas ‘is’ coming and I’m sure that you’ll agree that it’s good to support our local traders:
For a Lincolnshire Christmas use the hashtag #LincsConnectChristmas and don’t forget to click on this picture to find some local traders who have lots of goodies for you
Dark Side – Domestic Abuse
Domestic Abuse ….. Rather than going away, this ugly and often hidden form of abuse is now more prevalent than ever.
Locked in together can cause some anxieties and tension for families but we usually have coping mechanisms and rational thinking that allow us to overcome the tensions with simple distractions. However, abusers and those suffering from abuse (physical, mental, emotional or financial) can really be finding life even more difficult now. Domestic abuse doesn’t have age limits or gender preferences. If you know someone who is suffering call the police today. You’ll find some useful numbers here but if there is an immediate threat of harm call 999. The Covid 19 lockdown won’t stop the police from carrying out their duties. They’re here for us 24 hours a day.
Click on this picture for more information. There is ALWAYS someone to help you
Click on the picture to go to the Lincolnshire Police Facebook page
Help Me Help You In Lincolnshire With #LincsConnect
Help me help you in Lincolnshire with #LincsConnect by interacting with the many local users. It can’t have escaped your attention that I’ve been busy on your behalf. #LincsConnect help and support is a given with retweets on twitter and posts on Facebook to help promote your business and events. Blogs too of course! I know you appreciate what I do and I appreciate the fact that you share what I’m doing too. I still need you to help me, help you in Lincolnshire though.
#LincsConnect – is here to support all things Lincolnshire but it only works when we work as a team. With 11,000 Twitter followers (steadily growing) I know that your help is working for me too. However, at the risk of sounding cheeky, I still need more help. We’re heading for a major recession and rise in the cost of living so working together as a team is even more important than it ever has been. You’re still posting your work using LincsConnect and I’m very grateful. LincsConnect is trying hard to share your work around Lincolnshire, Newark, Retford and Hull but I really need to ask more people to search the hashtag #LincsConnect (on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter) to help share the messages and support each other.
Just imagine, if all 11,000 local followers each searched the #LincsConnect hashtag and shared just one message….!
Additional Blogs By LincsConnect
If you would like to read more about the ideas and tips please follow the link in the picture:
To see more about how you can Help me, Help You In Lincolnshire just click on this picture
That’s All For Now…
That’s it for the blog at the moment but I do intend to update this one and post several more blogs too. Get in touch with any requests by emailing me at martin@lincsconnect.co.uk
Stay Safe
by Martin Thomas | Nov 1, 2020 | Covid 19, Covid-19, COVID19, Discount, Download, Facebook, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, lincolnshire Business, Lincs Connect, LincsConnect, Lockdown, Mandarin Therapies, Massage, Mobile, Shopping, Special Offer, Vouchers, Website
Lincolnshire Lockdown V2.0
Lincolnshire Lockdown V2.0 isn’t what we want but we can work together to turn it to our advantage. If you work with #LincsConnect we can get results together. As the country enters its second Covid-19 lockdown on Thursday 5 November 2020 we need a plan. Lincolnshire has been in this situation before and as a result we’re better prepared now. Do you have a plan for Lincolnshire lockdown V2.0? Your first round of plans may have worked well and as a result you’re just needing to make some minor adjustments to keep trading. Perhaps the first lockdown was a disaster for you? As a result you’ve tweaked and manipulated your plan to make it work this time. Good for you, that’s exactly what is needed to keep going.
Free Advertising
We all like something that’s ‘free’ but we probably also know that nothing is truly free! Twitter – that’s free! Facebook and Instagram are also free too so where’s the catch? Simple! If you want ‘free’ advertising you have to invest your time. By investing your time your posts are more likely to be seen and acted upon. Would you like to know how to do it?
Social Media Interaction
I’ve said it many times before; the clue is in the name. ‘Social’ media should be exactly what it says in the title. Actually ‘talk’ to your followers.
There’s a TV advert for a room freshener implying that the character has gone ‘nose blind’. In social media terms, if you post, post, post with no interaction your followers will see your posts but they won’t register in their mind. Because of this you need to talk to your followers. Talking and interacting with your followers will help them to remember you as that nice person/organisation/business who takes an interest. Talking to your followers doesn’t mean telling them how good you are and what you have to sell them. Instead, you should show an interest to let them know you care. As a result they’ll ask you what you do and what you have to offer. Regardless of your product or service you don’t need to do the ‘hard sell’.
Lincolnshire Lockdown V2.0 – Lincolnshire Discount Scheme
Would you be interested in joining a local discount/special offer scheme? A scheme where ‘you’ set your discount level or special offers. As a result it could lead to more people visiting your social media pages and/or shop and buying your products. Shopping in your physical store, website or virtual store could suddenly be more appealing. What if the logo is readily downloadable from social media platforms to be stored on a mobile device ready for use when shopping? Matching the downloaded logo from a smart phone with the logo displayed in your window, on your social media page or website to claim a special offer sounds appealing.
What if the download is free? Surely that would make it even more appealing to the shopper. As a result they try your shop over others because they know there is something in it for them. Store cards sound great but often don’t live up to expectations! What if you offered a 5% discount to customers who present the logo? Perhaps you might prefer to have a special offer on selected items rather than all of your stock. It’ll work for service providers too of course.
Lincolnshire Lockdown V2.0 – Feedback Please
Does this discount/offer idea sound good to you? I really need your feedback (positive or negative) before I decide to take the idea forward so please do let me know your thoughts. You can leave a comment at the bottom of this blog or email me at martin@lincsconnect.co.uk
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The Mandarin Therapies Covid19 safe treatments will resume after the lockdown
Gift voucher for a Christmas, Valentine or Mothers Day gift are available now.
Call 07966 174878 to book
Help Me, Help You
To help me help you please add a link to this blog in your social media advertising. If you’re talking about Christmas, Christmas gifts, Christmas offers and postage you can add a link to this blog to help explain that you’re trying to compete against ‘the big boys’ but at the same time you’ll be increasing readership of this blog. With that achieved I’ll be able to reach out to more people to help advertise your business. We really can help each other.
Incase You Missed It
Lincolnshire Lockdown V2.0 – Local Shopping
Below is a list of some local traders taking part in the #LincsArtCraftHour on Monday lunch times. Please take a look to see what they have to offer. After all, Christmas ‘is’ coming and I’m sure that you’ll agree that it’s good to support our local traders:
Twitter, Facebook & Etsy/Folksy
Stay Safe
Look after yourselves and you neighbours. I’ll be back with another blog very soon.
by Martin Thomas | Oct 18, 2020 | Christmas, Hashtags, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, lincolnshire Business, Lincs Connect, LincsConnect, Shopping
For A Lincolnshire Christmas Use #LincsConnectChristmas
For a Lincolnshire Christmas use #LincsConnectChristmas on your tweets to reach more local people. Search the hashtag to find lots of lovely gift ideas and bargains. If you’re wondering who is posting on the hashtag I suggest you have a look today. The hashtag isn’t just for Twitter though; There are posts on Facebook and Instagram too so go to your search bar and type in #LincsConnectChristmas to see what comes up.
For Christmas use #LincsConnectChristmas – A Lincolnshire Christmas
I don’t want to say “I told you so” but…. ‘I told you so’ way back in September! Christmas is coming early this year as people fear uncertain times ahead. Christmas shopping has started early for most people. If you’re a small business who isn’t prepared yet you’re in danger of missing out on your local market.
First posted in October 2020, this blog is still relevant today. Prices are rising, bills are escalating and interest rates are heading upwards. Plan early to make sure you don’t get caught out.
Many people have started (or already finished) Christmas shopping! Coupled with the growing numbers of unemployed and financially challenged, the ‘Big Boys’ will be putting on some huge discounts to increase High Street footfall and spending. Don’t miss out. Start selling and marketing our Christmas products now. Contact me to discuss a plan.
Hosting the #LincsConnect Hour on Twitter is an ideal way to reach out to locals. Get in touch today to arrange a date to host your Hour. I’ll say it again “For A Lincolnshire Christmas Use #LincsConnectChristmas“.
#LincsConnectChristmas is a seasonal hashtag which ‘trends’ globally each year so use it to reach out to your new customers. The #LincsConnect hashtag is here for you every single day of the year so I recommend using them both. To increase your chances of your messages being seen I recommend using both hashtags together.
Shop Online In Lincolnshire And Beyond
Shopping online is set to increase with the multi-nationals gearing up to steal the market. ‘Now’ is the time for the local independent traders to get their offers onto their websites and online shops. You can’t expect everyone to find you and buy your products though! Make sure you use your social media platforms to guide customers to your shop.
Once you’ve posted your goodies onto your online shop or local High Street shop you need to be working flat out to advertise. Continuous posting on social media will bring sales but not enough. You need to interact with people to get them to want your product. Sell, sell, sell doesn’t work on social media so for best results get chatting. Obviously your followers know what you do so you’ll need to reach out to new customers if you want to make your advertising work. Online shopping is very attractive in the current pandemic so ‘now’ is the time to get talking and making your social media sites look Christmassy.
Lincolnshire, Regional and National Deliveries
Many items can be posted in the normal way of course but if you have awkward sized gifts you might want to employ a courier. Including the cost of the courier in the sale price of the gift is an ideal way to plan finances. Negotiating with local couriers early will be your best bet for good prices and guaranteed time slots.
Travel may be a problem this year so grandparents may want to send a bike to grandchildren by courier. What about plants? Transporting plants by post can be difficult so a courier may be your best option. Negotiating rates early may be a good idea so perhaps now is the time to get it organised.
Charity Shops
Don’t forget our local charity shops when you’re shopping this year. As a result of de-cluttering during the lockdown, charity shops have had a bumper intake of stock. ‘Now’ is your chance to grab a bargain while helping out your local community. Many items will be brand new too so it’s always worth popping in.
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Stresses can increase during this time of year and injuries never take a holiday so contact @MandarinTherapies for your treatments. Tel 07966 174878. Emergency services and Armed Forces enjoy 20% discount too.
For Christmas use #LincsConnectChristmas – Help Me, Help You
To help me help you please copy the link to this blog into your social media advertising. If you’re talking about Christmas, Christmas gifts, Christmas offers and postage you can add a link to this blog to help explain that you’re trying to compete against ‘the big boys’. As a result you’ll be increasing readership of this blog. With that achieved I’ll be able to reach out to more people to help advertise your business. We really can help each other.
Additional Blogs
Stay Safe
Keep a mask on and your hands clean to protect yourself and everyone else around you. Happy shopping and happy selling folks.
LincsConnect is your Lincolnshire Blogger – Copied but never bettered
by Martin Thomas | Sep 25, 2020 | Antenatal, Aromatherapy, Art, Christmas, Covid 19, Covid-19, COVID19, Facebook, Hashtags, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, lincolnshire Business, Lincs Connect, LincsConnect, Mandarin Therapies, Massage, Mobile, Shopping, Twitter, Vouchers
Christmas is coming to Lincolnshire
Christmas is coming to Lincolnshire – Three Months And Counting Down…
As I write this blog (25 September 2020) it’s exactly three months until Christmas. Yes, I’ve said it again …. Christmas is coming to Lincolnshire and businesses need to be ready for it. I’ve been talking about it for a few weeks and now the BBC have finally caught up with me. Dare I say, if you haven’t started gearing up for Christmas you’re already late to the party! The major shops are gearing up for Christmas NOW with predicted record online sales. To those of you who groaned when I mentioned Christmas I sincerely hope you manage to catch up with the traders who are already planning. The big spending retailers ‘will’ take your market from under you so isn’t it time to get your advertising sorted?
Don’t forget, Christmas ‘is’ coming to Lincolnshire so make sure you’re prepared.
Click on this picture to find out what you’ve been missing on Twitter
Time To Catch Up
You may already know about the Lincolnshire based #LincsArtCraftHour and #LincsConnectChristmas hashtags on twitter but did you know that the hashtags also work on Facebook? Try it today because it’s free and local. Just type in #LincsConnectChristmas to your Facebook search bar to see what and who are there. FREE and it’s LOCAL sounds good so isn’t it time you engaged with the hashtags?
Search for the hashtags on Google, you’ll find that they’ve been ‘trending’ – now ‘that’ really is impressive! Follow the links below to go to the relevant pages for the Lincolnshire people who’ve already started planning and producing fabulous creations for Christmas. The blue links under their logos will take you straight to the relevant pages to make life easier for you too.
Christmas is coming to Lincolnshire So Join The List
To have your name added to this list just join in the Twitter hour on Monday lunchtime to qualify. It doesn’t matter if the day or time doesn’t fit in with your schedule because the hashtags are always there and ready for you. Shouldn’t you try it when you have a moment? Additionally, if you’d like to have a feature here and a link to your website please talk to me about advertising. The rest is FREE.
Remember, the #ShopLocal hashtag doesn’t work as a medium to get local customers because it’s used so widely around the world. Trust me, ‘I’ invented it! As a result I went on to invented #LincsConnect and can assure you that this hashtag ‘does’ work. After all, it’s truly local to Lincolnshire and our neighbours. You can use and search the #LincsConnect hashtag on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to find your truly local traders so why not give it a try today?
Christmas ‘is’ coming to Lincolnshire so shouldn’t you be a part of it?
#LincsConnect is here for you 24/7/365.
Twitter:
@FionaHodgesArt
Etsy:
Fiona Hodges Art
Advert – Because Christmas Is Coming To Lincolnshire
Christmas is coming so now is the time to order your Lincolnshire Christmas Gift Voucher for that extra special gift. A luxurious Mandarin Therapies bespoke massage from the comfort of your own home. What better way to let someone know how much you care? Call now to book your voucher 07966 174878. Click on the picture to start the video
Lincs To Past Blogs
Click the link or picture to go to the blog
What are your thoughts on holding more LincsConnect dedicated Twitter hours? Try following the link above to read some of my ideas and perhaps come up with some of your own. The more people interact with these hashtags, the more we will be able to help each other. Give it a try.
If you’re a Lincolnshire blogger and would like to have a link to your blog on here? I’ll be more than happy to hear from you.
Get the Covid-19 App NOW. If you haven’t got it already, click on this picture to go straight to the NHS website that will help you produce the required posters and direct you to the .Gov link to produce your own QR code. It’s easy – even I can do it!
Create A Coronavirus QR Code For Your Venue
Click on this picture to go straight to the relevant .Gov website page
If you are a Lincolnshire business, charity or organisation that has a venue or multiple venues you need to generate a QR Code for visitors to scan using the new Covid-19 App. The QR code will be sent to your email address for you to print and display.
Mobile businesses can still generate a QR code with your home or office address as the location. On arrival ask your client(s) to scan your QR code. The App will scan distances between smartphones and will send an alert to the person or people you have been in contact with if there is a risk of infection. It’s pure voluntary and does rely on people having the App on a smartphone but, as the saying goes, ‘every little helps’. Obviously it isn’t a substitute for keeping a 2m safe distance, washing your hands or wearing a suitable face covering over your mouth and nose but it is another tool to be utilised in the fight against this invisible virus.
Stay Safe
Be good to yourself and to others. Keep your distance, keep washing your hands and keep a mask that covers both your nose and mouth with you and wear it as instructed.
