by admin | Aug 30, 2020 | Antenatal, Aromatherapy, Art, Christmas, Covid-19, Domestic Abuse, Hashtags, Hotel, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, lincolnshire Business, Lincolnshire Heritage, Lincs Connect, Lincs Police, LincsConnect, LincsPolice, Louth, Mandarin, Mandarin Therapies, Massage, Mobile, Museum, Networking, police, Postnatal, Restaurant, Twitter, Vouchers
#EatOutToHelpOut Ends But…
Looking forward to a bright Christmas in Lincolnshire in 2020. The #EatOutToHelpOut scheme officially comes to an end on Bank Holiday Monday 31 August. I sincerely hope it has been a great boost to our local businesses and economies.
Not all of us have been able to take advantage of course as we’ve experienced some serious income deficits during the lockdown period. However, ‘every little helps’ so let’s hope that the Lincolnshire restaurateurs have been able to recoup enough income for them to feel confident to spend more of their money locally.
Recession?
We’ve heard the stories about the recession and possible price rises over the coming months but there are also stories about ‘green shoots’ in the economy. The resilience of the British people to get on with their businesses to make money and pull the economy forward is a key to our success.
There’s much speculation with stories of ‘doom and gloom’ but I think it’s important to remember that many of the stories are literally just ‘stories’ written by journalists (trained or untrained). They may have an agenda unbeknown to us and may even be from a foreign country.
With that in mind, my cup is definitely half full. Focusing on the bright side and being determined to make business work is what I do. I truly believe that we (that’s you and I) are capable of making our businesses successful regardless of the circumstances surrounding us. Do we need help? Do we need to collaborate? Do we need to focus on the good things? Absolutely!
I’m prepared to accept help and advice all day long and I believe it’s one of the keys to success. Knowing when you’re out of your depth and needing help is crucial. As is knowing when to employ an expert to do a job properly. When we work together we can often achieve much more so let’s Keep working and talking to each other.
#LincsConnectChristmas
Use the hashtag to promote your business, charity gift idea or event this Christmas
After a pretty dreadful summer I believe we need to look forward to a bright Lincolnshire Christmas. We don’t know what the future will bring with Covid-19 but we do know that Christmas is coming! Whether you like it or not, celebrate it or not, or even believe in it or not, the fact remains that it will be here on 25 December and we need to be prepared for it. We may not be out partying as we have in previous years but we are resilient enough and creative enough to make it a good celebration.
#LincsConnectChristmas starts on 7 September to coincide with the new #LincsArtCraftHour. Combining the two will give us the opportunity to see what our local talented and creative people have to offer. We’ll have the opportunity to shop early and safely by avoiding the usual Christmas rush because, well, let’s face it, we really don’t know yet if there will be movement and shopping restrictions in place to avoid another Covid-19 wave of destruction.
A Christmas Hamper
In previous years we’ve had a virtual Christmas hamper where we’ve been able to add items of our own or recommend items from other traders. The idea seemed to work well so I think it’ll be a good idea to do it again.
It’s time to start filling the Christmas Hamper…
The hashtag works on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram so let’s start thinking about filling it up with lots of local goodies. Perhaps an example here might be useful. How about these messages:
“I think the #LincsConnectChristmas hamper needs some speciality chocolates. I highly recommend @BonBonLincoln who produce exquisite designer chocolates”
“No #LincsConnectChristmas hamper will be complete without some bespoke Christmas cards by @CardsOfGrimsby”
Adding a picture with each message will soon get the attention of local shoppers and will make the #LincsConnectChristmas hashtag the place to look for local independent Christmas shopping. With your help we can get this hashtag noticed and talked about around Lincolnshire and beyond to turn it into the ‘shop window’ for everyone to see.
A Christmas Meal
With no #EatOutToHelpOut scheme in place hotels, restaurants, cafes and bars will want to advertise their special meals and party events so the #LincsConnectChristmas hashtag is going to be ‘the’ place for them to advertise and I’m sure they’ll appreciate our support.
Let’s Work Together
I’m sure we can make Christmas a huge success but I do think that we will have to work together to achieve it. Am I confident? Absolutely!
Put It In Your Diary
The #LincsConnectChristmas and #LincsArtCraftHour both start on Monday 7 September at noon. Use the hashtags, search the hashtags and tell your friends about the hashtags. They’re here for ‘you’.
Advert
Mandarin Therapies & Mandarin Mothers provide bespoke mobile complementary therapies in the comfort of your own home, hotel or nursing home across the whole of Lincolnshire and beyond. Gift vouchers are available for that special person too.
Previous Blogs
To find out more about the #LincsArtCraftHour follow this link to the previous blog:
Community
A message from Supt Paul Timmins of Lincolnshire Police following some sad and tragic deaths on Lincolnshire roads recently:
Click on this picture to open the video in Twitter
Click on this picture to open the video on Facebook
We see far too many road deaths in Lincolnshire so please always ‘be aware’ and don’t become a statistic. We love you just the way you are…. ‘alive’!
Domestic Abuse
Domestic abuse doesn’t have age limits. 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.
A Helpful App
Visit your App Store to download this free App to your device
Let’s pretend you’re out walking or have gone for a drive when you come across an accident. You dial 999 to contact the emergency services for help but then you don’t know exactly where you are. You know you’re in the middle of a field or on a country road but you couldn’t direct the emergency services to the incident. I imagine you might feel completely helpless!
I saw a post on Twitter asking the public to download the App What3Words so obviously I did. I didn’t expect to ever have to use it but thought it would be a good ‘insurance policy’ should the unexpected ever happen. I have actually used it though. I was able to give the three words that were displayed on my iPhone screen to the control room who directed the fire service to the field fire that I had discovered on my way home last winter. That’s it! It really is that easy. All you have to do is open the App and you’re immediately given 3 unique words that identify your exact location.
When opening the App you’re given the option to share the 3 words via social media or email or send it directly to one of your contacts so it’s a great way to pass on your location to friends if you are meeting them in town. Typing the three words into the search bar your friends are able to navigate directly to you using the App so as well as being the all important navigation tool in emergencies it’s also a brilliant tool for finding your friends.
Louth Museum
Perhaps you could try out your new What3Words App with your friends. If you’re on your travels why not pop in to Louth Museum? It’s open to the public again and there is no need to book. The museum is over two floors (stair lift available for those who may need it) and you’ll be respectfully requested to wait outside if the museum is full when you arrive. Covid-19 regulations are in place of course so don’t forget your mask. I’ve had a look at the website www.louthmuseum.org.uk and discovered a virtual tour as well as Ruth’s Blog page. I thought you might find this interesting; It’s a factual account of the Lincolnshire floods in Louth on 29 May 1920. Imagine seeing a 2m wall of water heading into town…
Click on the picture to read the blog
Just imagine how useful What3Words would have been in this situation if it had been available then. Technology has certainly moved on at a remarkable pace!
Stay Safe
That’s the blog done for now but if you have something that you would like me to include or would like to advertise please get in touch. Have a lovely Bank Holiday everyone. Look after yourself and look out for your neighbours.
by admin | Aug 9, 2020 | Antenatal, Aromatherapy, Art, beauty Therapy, Covid-19, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, Lincs Connect, Lincs Police, LincsConnect, LincsPolice, Mandarin Therapies, Massage, Networking, police, Postnatal
Lincolnshire Art Craft Hour
Join us each Monday on twitter from 12.00pm for the LincsConnect Lincolnshire Art Craft Hour.
Paint On Canvas…
Have you heard about the LincsConnect Lincolnshire Art Craft Hour (#LincsArtCraftHour) yet? It’s twitter based and includes artists and crafters from Lincolnshire, Newark, Retford and Hull. A great place for the experts to meet to show what they do. As a result, it’s a fantastic place to shop too!
What image does ‘art’ bring to mind? If you’ve ever been to The National Gallery you’ll have seen paintings from small to extremely large. However, if you’ve been to Tate Modern you’ll have seen something completely different. Art is about paint on canvas but it’s also much more than that. We can debate good and bad art but what it all boils down to is ‘do I like it’? You can introduce someone new to the LincsConnect Lincolnshire Art Craft hour today.
Who’s The Artist?
It isn’t me! We all have our own talents though (art isn’t mine) so we must be grateful for that. I know what I like as soon as I see it, as a result I set up this hour to showcase the many and varied art forms from our area. We all like different things of course and that’s what makes the hour so appealing. Who is the ‘artist’ then? Well, I believe that it’s the photographer, the jewellery maker, the crafter, the potter… Art isn’t just paint on canvas but without the paint on canvas the art world would’t be complete!
How Do You Find Your Art?
There are many places to find art and in Lincolnshire we are blessed with some fantastic galleries and shops. Social media provides a good platform for art shopping too of course so it’s time to make the most of it. I’ve found some stunning pieces of art on social media so I’ve been able to chat to the artists in real time while shopping. Not every conversation ends in a sale but that doesn’t matter. The conversations help to build a following, the followers have friends, the friends have friends and family… If beauty is in the eye of the beholder, someone somewhere is going to like what the artist is doing. That leads to sales and commissions.
Get Involved with the LincsConnect Lincolnshire Art Craft Hour
If you’re a Twitter user you’ll be familiar with ‘hashtag hours’ which involves every interested person on the planet (or so it seems) interacting about one subject. It usually feels like a frenzy of tweets and conversations. Choose a subject and there will probably be a dedicated hour to it! They are fantastic platforms for networking and getting messages seen but they can be difficult to follow. By the time you’ve seen a post, reacted to it and asked a question you’ll have missed 30 or 40 other posts.
Frenzy Free Lincolnshire Art Craft Hour
I want to remove that ‘frenzy’. A dedicated hour using the #LincsConnect hashtag on Twitter with Lincolnshire artists of all genres posting art, messages, links and special offers. The beauty of the hashtag is that anyone can search it at any time. The #LincsConnect #LincsArtCraftHour is on Monday from 12.00pm – 1.00pm but you can still search through it at any time of the week. In fact, you can search back weeks, months or years! Once the tweet is there, it stays there until the author deletes it. By duplicating the idea onto Facebook I want to include others who don’t use Twitter.
Get Involved
If you’re interested please do get in touch by email so that I can get everything coordinated. You can email me at martin@lincsconnect.co.uk
When?
Every Monday:
From Monday 7 September 2020 between 12.00pm – 1.00pm.
How Will the LincsConnect Lincolnshire Art Craft Hour Work?
Here’s the deal:
It’s FREE!
It will rely on the artists and crafters to post their messages, links, pictures and special offers which MUST include the hashtags #LincsArtCraftHour and #LincsConnect
The hashtag #LincsConnect will automatically post your message to the database for everyone to see. Assume no one is looking for you on the hashtag until YOU tell them to have a look!
Post your messages with the hashtags and tag in your friends. Ask them to help spread the message by telling their friends. This cascade of conversation can quickly get the hashtag seen and used locally. As a result your posts will be seen by more and more people.
Here’s the crucial bit: You ‘must’ search the hashtag during the week to look at the posts and do your free networking. Get into conversations, say something positive, share other peoples posts. The more you share for others, the more likely they are to share for you.
Scheduled Posts
Don’t worry that you aren’t available during the #LincsArtCraftHour because you can schedule your messages in advance to make sure that they hit the hashtag at the right time.
LincsConnect Lincolnshire Art Craft Hour – What’s In It For You?
The posts will be on twitter but I will also do follow up arts blogs. I’ll search the hashtag to see who has been interacting with others and as a ‘thank you’ I’ll highlight the posts in future blogs. I’ll also include links to your websites and social media pages.
What’s In It For Me?
I’ll create paid advertising slots, paid blog links and paid features. The whole process will be time consuming for me so I will need to have some form of recompense for my work. Will it make me a fortune? No! Will it pay my bills? Probably not! I always enjoy helping others though and if I can manage to produce a small income from my efforts, all the better.
Click on the picture to go straight to Daves Facebook page or click on this link @DaveSpherical to find him on Twitter
Dave recently joined me on Twitter and ‘Oh Boy’ he has some stunning pictures for sale. In this day and age where photos are easy to take with our digital mobile phones and editing platforms it’s such a joy to see some truly stunning pictures of nature at its best. This is just one picture of many that Dave has taken and is offering for sale so if you like what you see you should definitely get in touch.
Mel is widely known around the County and beyond and when you see her artwork you’ll understand why. Click on the picture to go straight to her website or click on this link @MelLangtonArt to follow her on Twitter
Mel creates some truly remarkable artwork including bespoke commissions like the one you can see above. I’ve been quietly following Mel on Twitter and can honestly say that her artwork really needs to be seen (and purchased of course).
Click on the picture to go to Ellies Etsy shop or click on this link @ElliesTreasures to follow her on Twitter
Arts and crafts go hand in hand and I’m sure you’ll agree that this hand made key ring really is delightful. You’ll find much more on Ellies Etsy shop page so why not pop over (click on the picture above) to discover more. I certainly don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Click on this picture to go straight to the Etsy Shop page of Twibell Arts or click on this link @TwibellArts to follow Serena on Twitter. I’ve been following Serena for several years and am always amazed at her talent and versatility. Not only did she paint the picture of this gorgeous cat (commissions welcome) but she also made the decorations in the picture too.
Manipulating an image (in this case ‘two’ images) to make an interesting piece of art is really special. This image of Lincoln High Street was taken by John and blended with an old image to create a piece of art that goes beyond the normal photograph. Click on this picture to go to Johns website or click on this link @jpbphoography to follow him on twitter.
Advertising
If you would like to place an advert on the Lincs Connect blogs please do get in touch. Bloggers can also have links to their blogs here too. Get in touch today if you would like to feature here by contacting me at martin@lincsconnect.co.uk
Advert
Mandarin Therapies and Mandarin Mothers provide bespoke mobile complementary therapies (Covid-19 safe) including Aromatherapy massage, Antenatal, postnatal massage and injury rehabilitation. Click on the picture to go to the website or click on the links above to go to the social media pages
Social
PCC Marc Jones is looking for young people to join the Lincolnshire Commission. It’s an opportunity for young people to help the police better understand their concerns and thoughts.
Click on the picture above to go to the website
See You Soon – At the LincsConnect Lincolnshire Art Craft Hour
That’s it for now but there will be lots more blogs here so please keep the link handy and log in for a quick catchup when you get the chance.
In Case You Missed It
Stay Safe
The rules have’t changed – keep washing our hands as it’s the best way to help control Covid-19
by admin | Apr 22, 2020 | Domestic Abuse, Domestic Violence, Lincolnshire, lincolnshire Business, Lincs Connect, Lincs Police, LincsConnect, LincsPolice, police
Be Tolerant. Are We Tolerant Enough In Lincolnshire?
I wonder what your thoughts are? Are we tolerant enough in Lincolnshire? Do you think we have become more or less tolerant during the Coronavirus pandemic? Putting the pandemic to one side, ask the same question “are we tolerant enough in Lincolnshire” in general?
Without doubt I have seen some truly exceptional acts of kindness and heroism in recent times and I really hope it continues into our future lives on this planet. Members of the NHS have stepped up to provide an outstanding service to keep us safe and well. Helping those who have succumbed to the virus is (excuse the pun) in their DNA.
When I say NHS staff I don’t just mean the doctors, nurses, midwives, physios and the whole host of other medical clinicians and experts. No, I include the background staff too. The health care support workers, cleaning staff, porters, canteen staff and the huge army of volunteers who’ve put themselves forward to help. Without these people the ‘front line’ workers couldn’t do their job effectively.
Are we tolerant enough in Lincolnshire? On the whole, ‘yes’. Many of us have given up our normal way of life in order to preserve life. Keeping that safe distance has now become normal for most of us. Some are still ignorant to the dangers of not distancing while others are genuinely putting themselves in harms way in order to help maintain our health, freedom and way of life.
Some things never change. Our Police are still here to look after us and protect us
Policing The Streets
It can’t have escaped your attention that the police are continuing to do their primary roles as well as policing the streets to make sure we keep a safe distance. I read on social media recently that a group of people had been dispersed for quad biking in some local Lincolnshire woods.
Not only had they ignored the social distancing rules but it appears that they had travelled from Bedfordshire to do it! It’s beyond comprehension that people would knowingly put lives in danger like this. I feel both sorry for, and proud of, our Lincolnshire police who constantly put themselves in harms way to deal with these acts of lunacy.
Day in, day out, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year… The police are always on duty to protect us. It’s fair to say that I’m a great fan of ‘everyone’ who acts so selflessly to protect me, my family and everyone else in our County and country.
Pride in Our Lincolnshire Police
Having witnessed an incident in London during Christmas (2019) we accompanied a young lady to the local transport police station to provide witness reports and support. The police officer on duty was very helpful and did everything he could to assist. At the end of the meeting he handed us some plastic wallets for our Oyster cards.
The wallets had the emergency numbers on for reporting crime on London transport. He then instructed us to fold the wallet inside out to hide the police markings telling us that showing the wallet in London might make us a ‘target’.
I know I’m a ‘country boy’ but I was quite surprised at this advice. Have you noticed that in Lincolnshire there is a great pride in our local force? Whenever I see @LincsPolice posts on social media when they are out in the community the police and public are always smiling and engaging.
Obviously if things go wrong we can expect to be dealt with accordingly but that’s the nature of the job! In these difficult times the tolerance levels of our police officers must sometimes be tested to the max!
Are We Tolerant Enough In Lincolnshire? – Coronavirus And The Police
I only know bits and pieces about how the Lincolnshire Police are operating during these difficult times. In fact I don’t know any more than the average reader. However, I do know a lady who knows just about everything there is to know about policing during the lockdown. Let me introduce you to Assistant Chief Constable (ACC) Kerrin Wilson @KerrinWilson999 who will be chairing a Q&A session on Facebook this Thursday morning (23 April 2020) at 10.00am. We’re all invited:
Q&A – Click on this picture to go to the Facebook post
If you have a mind to help and would like to have your opinions heard perhaps you might be good enough to complete the survey below. This is a copy of the image from the Lincolnshire Police Facebook page so the blue link you see in the picture won’t work. However, if you click (or tap) on the picture you’ll be taken straight to the survey. Alternatively, you can go directly to the Lincolnshire Police Facebook page to complete it from there.
Click on the picture to complete the survey
How Tolerant Are We?
Are we tolerant enough in Lincolnshire? I’m talking about our personal lives and perceptions. If we ‘conveniently’ forget the social distancing rules for purely selfish reasons how do we react if we’re reminded to step back or turn around and go home? Something simple like reaching across someone in the supermarket to pick something off the shelf – it’s unacceptable but how do we react if we’re asked to step back and wait?
The answer should be obvious but I’m afraid the obvious doesn’t always happen. It can lead to confrontation (personal experience speaking)! Ask yourself this simple question each day: “Are we tolerant enough in Lincolnshire?”
Don’t invade someones space and don’t be confrontational if you’re asked to move back. Good manners applies both ways so with a bit of common courtesy we can all be happy
The coastal towns and beauty spots were closed over the Easter holidays (2020) but some people still thought it would be acceptable to ignore the rules. The rules are there for the safety of everyone so for those who are feeling aggrieved over the situation I ask for a little more tolerance for a little longer please. It’s not rocket science but disobeying the rules could be life threatening!
The Dark Side
Domestic Abuse ….. Rather than going away this ugly and often hidden form of abuse is now more prevalent than ever.
Are we tolerant enough in Lincolnshire? Tolerance takes on a whole new meaning when we consider domestic abuse. Being locked in together can cause some anxieties and tension for families. As a result 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 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 to go straight to the EDAN Lincs website. If your life is in danger call 999. If you need to make a silent call to protect your safety call 999 and add 55. You’ll also find @EDANLincs on Twitter
GET HELP if you are suffering. Use the numbers above or 999 if you’re in immediate danger. CLICK ON THIS PICTURE for more information
Don’t Put Yourself In Danger
If you are unable to speak during ‘any’ emergency simply dial 999 and add 55. The operator will immediately see that you are in need of help but are unable to talk. Your call will be tracked and you’ll get the help you need.
Hate Crime
Religious, race and homophobic abuse has no place in our society so don’t tolerate it. If you are aware of religious, race, homophobic or any other related abuse REPORT IT. Call 101 to report hate crime and call 999 if you fear imminent danger. Your action could result in an organised network being uncovered and prosecuted. Let’s all be more tolerant of each other. Employers also have a duty of care for their staff so if abuse is happening in the workplace, report it there too.
Some Things Need To Be Said Or Asked – Are we tolerant enough in Lincolnshire?
I know my blogs normally focus on the good things, the jolly things, the brighter side of life but some things need to be brought out into the open. Perhaps you can help to make someones life that little bit happier again. If you have doubts or suspicions make the call. Are we tolerant enough in Lincolnshire? I hope so!
Additional Blogs For You:
#WhatsOnLincs – Louth In Lincolnshire by LincsConnect – Louth Market
Click on the picture above to go to a previous blog. More blogs can be found at www.lincsconnect.co.uk/blogs
Stay Safe Everyone
#StaySafeSaveLives I’m going to clean my keypad, clean the mouse, clean the iPad, wash my hands and get out on my bike for an hour. #StaySafeSaveLives #HandsFaceSpace
by admin | Apr 12, 2020 | Children, Chocolate, Food, Lincolnshire, lincolnshire Business, Lincs Connect, Lincs Police, LincsConnect, LincsPolice
Easter – A Celebration Of Hope
Some words of hope from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
“…Easter isn’t cancelled…”
We may not be able to go to church, see our friends or share our table with family for an Easter feast but…
This Easter is bright and sunny but our holiday destinations remain closed. Beaches and countrysides are deserted and church doors locked; It’s easy to focus on the negatives that come with these unprecedented times isn’t it? However, NOW is the time to start planning for the future!
Easter 2021
I can’t say it any better that the words sung by Heather Small so I won’t try. Here is are an excerpt of the lyrics from her famous song ‘ Search for A Hero’. Have a read and if you have a mind, click on the lyrics to follow the link to her recording on YouTube. Pure inspiration
M People – ‘Search for a hero’ Click or tap on the lyrics to go to the video on YouTube
Taking inspiration from our Monarch and reading these lyrics perhaps it’s easier to see a brighter future. Easter 2021 will be upon us before we know it! It will surely feel strange when we reflect on 2020 and what we missed and the loved ones we may have lost but 2021 ‘is’ our future so lets get planning.
Plan Now
What will your priorities be for next Easter? Perhaps we shall reflect and realise that we don’t need all the trappings of an affluent society. Will it be a simpler and more joyous occasion as we celebrate with our family around the dining table? It’ll be a time to celebrate what we have and what is good about life. A time to remember all the heroes who kept us going and gave us hope. From all the outstanding members of the NHS who ‘stepped up to the mark’ and did what they had to do to save lives, to the police who kept our society safe and ‘all’ of the key workers, volunteers and small businesses who, without their selflessness we would have been in a much worse position.
What Will You Look Forward To?
If we are planning now for all the nice things in life will our priorities have changed? Having realised that we can survive very well without spending so much money will we be happier with a family walk in the countryside or a family outing to the coast, City or towns? Whatever we do to celebrate, I hope it is with family and friends and whatever your faith may be, I hope it is a happy time for you.
Take Care and Stay Safe
“…Easter isn’t cancelled…”
by admin | Mar 20, 2020 | books, Caistor, Charity, Children, Coronavirus, COVID19, Food, Grantham, Grimsby, Hashtags, Lincolnshire, lincolnshire Business, Lincs Connect, Lincs Police, LincsConnect, LincsPolice, Networking, police, Schools, Scunthorpe, Stamford, Take Away, Takeaway
Support And Help From Around The County
The aim of this blog is to highlight some of the fantastic support that is being offered by local businesses, charities and individuals. To access more information including contact information please click/tap on the logo/pictures below:
Lincoln Area
Washingborough Academy are providing hot meals for the elderly in isolation in the Washingborough area during the coronavirus pandemic. Please let your elderly neighbours know about this project. Click on the picture for contact details.
Bracebridge Heath, Lincoln. Your community needs volunteers NOW. Can you help your local community? Contact Andy by clicking on the picture to find the contact form
Lincoln. Browns Pie Shop are delivering to your home or work 7 days a week from 12.00pm-8.30pm within 10 miles of the shop
Lincoln. The Salted Orange are offering a ‘not for profit’ meal delivery service for the over 65s. £20.00 weekly for three meals a day delivered to your door twice weekly
Lincoln Veg Out Lincoln provide a delivery service for their frozen vegan meals. Click the picture to go to their website or follow them on twitter @vegoutlincoln
Lincolnshire Grow Your Own Veg – skip the supermarket queue by growing your own veg from seed. Not sure how? Click on the picture to go to the website for more info or follow @strawbaleukman on Twitter. There is even a book to download too. No Soil Needed….
ONLINE. Dance classes for all age groups online. Why not join your children and have some fun? It’ll keep you fit too!
Lincoln, Norton Hub are providing a volunteer led local help scheme to those in isolation
Lincoln Small Beer is open to the public for beer, cider, wine, soft drinks, spirits, cask ale & kegs. Call them on 01522 540431 or click the picture to visit the website.
Lincoln The Golden Eagle is providing home deliveries too
Lincoln. School closure interim provision. To book call 01522 283027
Lincoln – BetterWeb Space is offering FREE basic websites during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Lincoln & Lincolnshire – Octagon Technology has produced a blog for remote workers. A useful blog about VoIP and how you can use it while working from home. Click on the picture to visit the blog post
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire. “Self-isolation can be difficult for even the most resilient of us. If you’re experiencing loneliness or feeling low, call the emotional support helpline 0800 001 4331. Open 24/7 for confidential support”
Lincolnshire & Beyond. Call Connect Bus are still working to help our community stay mobile and now providing FREE transport too. Call 03452343344 for info
Lincolnshire. Lincs Libraries may have the answer to self-isolation boredom with their ‘download and listen’ service. It’s FREE with your library card
Lincolnshire Co-Op have announced at 12.00pm 22 Mar that they have reviewed their opening times and are advertising jobs for Customer Service Assistants and Delivery Drivers. The new store opening times will be 7.00am – 8.00pm with restrictions of two units on all products. Click the logo to go to their web page.
East Lindsey Lincs Digital partnered with TED East Lindsey are here to help with digital connections. If you know someone who needs help connecting with Skype or FaceTime visit their website for more info. Simply click the image to go to the website.
Lincolnshire This is a useful blog by @CCDigitalUK which explains how to market your Hand Made Products for sale on Etsy. An ideal opportunity to use some time at home to brush up on some marketing skills. Click on the picture to go to the blog post
Lincolnshire Live are promoting Lincolnshire businesses for free on 2 April 20. Click on the picture to follow the link
Gelston FREE delivery on packs of lamb meat. For more info click on the picture to follow @GelstonLamb on twitter
Gelston Lamb – Free delivery (for orders over £35.00) within 10 miles or 15 miles for orders over £70.00. Fresh lamb delivered to the Grantham, Sleaford, Ruskington, Heckington and surrounding villages. Order yours no by calling 01400 251501
Charity/Community Help
Lincoln – Bracebridge Heath, Can YOU volunteer to help your local community in Bracebridge Heath? Please contact Andy ASAP by clicking the picture to go to the website. THE COMMUNITY NEEDS YOU
West Lindsey Business Rate Application Form. West Lindsey still have money available and believe there are still businesses that have not claimed
South Holland, Spalding. South Holland are providing additional support for those in the area who are struggling financially as a result of the Coronavirus. Click on the picture to find the Linc. Also contactable on Twitter @SHollandDC
Lincolnshire Rural Support Network (LRSN) @lincsruralhelp provides help and support to Lincolnshire farmers and their families. Cal 0800 138 1710 or click on the picture to open the link
Lincoln Washingborough Academy are providing hot meals for the elderly in isolation in the Washingborough area during the coronavirus pandemic. Please let your elderly neighbours know about this project. Click on the picture for contact details.
Louth. Are you struggling to feed yourself or your family? Two hearty meals delivered to your door each day could help you. Call 01507 602930
Spalding Covid Kindness Team. Contact the team for help with delivery of food, essentials & medications
North East Lincolnshire Single Point of Access (open 24/7) for your health, wellbeing, social care and mental health needs. Call 01472 256256 or click on the image to visit the website.
Lincoln. If you’re looking for volunteers please contact VCS Lincoln who will help promote your opportunities. Click on the picture to visit their website
Lincoln Community Larder (food bank) are in constant need of food and supplies. Can you donate something please? Click on the picture to visit their website and locate a drop off point near you
Lincolnshire Age UK East are continuing to provide telephone advice and support to older people in the East and West Lindsey areas as well as in North Lincolnshire. Click on the picture to visit the website
Lincoln/south Lincolnshire Can YOU help please? Age UK need extra volunteers NOW. You can find them on Twitter @ageuklsl or alternatively click on this picture to go to their website
Lincolnshire Community Health Services NEED YOUR HELP. @LincsNHS are offering paid work and flexible hours in return for your help NOW. email grace.gourley@nhs.net or call 07824 550 846
Boston, Grantham & Lincoln are looking for temporary staff to support catering and domestic work. Go to Twitter @ULHT_News or click on this picture to go to the website for more info
Lincolnshire County Council have regular video updates so please click this link for service updates and click on the picture for the regular live updates.
Lincoln If you need help with food, food deliveries or can lend a hand visit Lincoln Food Partnership
Rutland To find out what help is available in the Rutland and South Lincolnshire area visit the Rutland council website by clicking on the picture
Uffington For assistance in Uffington and the local area please contact Rev’d Fr Aran P Beesley by phone 07590 055905 or email aran.beesley@gmail.com
UK. If you haven’t visited this .Gov website yet, DO IT NOW. Click on the picture to go to the website
UK. If you haven’t visited this .NHS website yet, DO IT NOW. You can go to the website by clicking on the picture
Lincolnshire. Can you volunteer? Click on the picture to go to the website
Lincolnshire Police request that you click on this picture to take you to the link for help and advice both nationally and locally for Coronavirus issues
Lincolnshire Police request that you do NOT contact them for Coronavirus related advice. There are other, more well equipped agencies available with information for you. Only call 101 for police related matters. Click on the picture to go to the website for info
East Lindsey Fortnightly activity packs for the over 50s. If you know anyone over 50 in the area who is isolated or alone please let them know about the services on offer. Click on the picture to reach the link
#NHS From 1 Aril @NHSLincsWest @NHSLincsEast @NHS_SouthLincs @SWLincs_NHS will all come under the umbrella account of @NHSLincsCCG
Lincolnshire FionaDuncan @OrigArtPrints is offering 20 (first come, first served) FREE cards for those of you who would like to send a message to friends/family/colleagues in the NHS. Just quote #Free2NHS to take advantage of these printed cards. All you will be asked to pay is the postage. You can also find Fiona on facebook
Click on the picture to find the link to Fiona on Facebook
Ease Lindsey DC now have £62m to support small business grants. Click on the picture to open the link
NHS Coronavirus checker. Please complete this short survey for the NHS by clicking on this picture.
#LincsConnectJobs
Lincolnshire Food industry Jobs. Many jobs are available within the food industry sector NOW. Click on the picture to follow the link or follow @GreaterLincsLEP on twitter
Martin Lewis Money Matters
Martin Lewis the Money Saving Expert explains what’s available
Martin Lewis – Update for the Self Employed 24/3/20
Martin Lewis update for the Self Employed 27 Mar 20
Alford
Aby (Near Alford) Saturday evening wood fired oven pizza to take away (5.00pm-7.30pm). Call 01507 451366 before 4.00pm. ZERO CONTACT collection system of course. Days/times may change according to government regulations
Boston
Boston Market will continue as planned but will sell food only. Please respect Social Distancing when you visit and give a friendly smile to the stall holders
Cleethorpes & Grimsby
Cleethorpes. Toven’s Cafe offering food deliveries. Call 01472 488590 or click on the picture to visit the website.
Cleethorpes. Spill The Beans are offering a FREE delivery service to Cleethorpes & Grimsby areas. Call 01472 601392 or click the picture to go to their website
Cleethorpes. Veronica’s Larder is offering a takeaway service. Call 01472 823875 or click on the picture to visit the website
Grimsby Age UK North East Lincs are offering a meal delivery service. Call 01472 344976 or click on the picture to go to the website
Gainsborough
Gainsborough The Gainsborough market will continue until further notice supplying food items. Please obey the social distancing rules.
Grantham
Grantham. The Lunchbox delivers food around Grantham to keep your hunger at bay. Give them a call today
Grantham Gelston Lamb provide mail order fresh lamb direct from the farm. To place your order visit them on Twitter @GelstonLamb or on Facebook Gelston Lamb. You can order by phone too on 01400 251 501
Grantham The Grantham market will continue until further notice supplying food items. Please obey the social distancing rules.
Louth
Louth Award winning Meridian Meats don’t just supply top quality meat! Currently baking extra bread too in order to help feed the town. Pop in but keep a social distance for the safety of everyone
Louth. Are you struggling to feed yourself or your family? Two hearty meals delivered to your door each day could help you. Call 01507 602930
Louth Market is still open for food sales during the Coronavirus crisis. Please respect the Safe Distance rule
Market Rasen
Market Rasen Cote Hill Cheese are now providing a MAIL ORDER service for their cheese so now is the time to replenish your stock. You can give them a call on 01673 828 481, find them on Twitter @CoteHillCheese and on Facebook Cote Hill Cheese. Click on the picture to go straight to their website
Spalding
Spalding. Is your computer in need of repair? TCS are offering FREE pickup while we go through the process of self-isolation
Spalding Covid Kindness Team. Contact the team for help with delivery of food, essentials & medications
Spilsby
Hundleby (Spilsby) The Elm Tree are now providing take away afternoon tea for just £10.00. Call them to book your treat on 01790 753534 or click on this image to go to their website
Sleaford
Gelston Lamb – Free delivery (for orders over £35.00) within 10 miles or 15 miles for orders over £70.00. Fresh lamb delivered to the Grantham, Sleaford, Ruskington, Heckington and surrounding villages. Order yours no by calling 01400 251501
Stamford & Rutland
Stamford. Central Cafe Stamford are providing a delivery service for those who can’t get out due to self isolation. Minimum spend £10.00
Stamford. Contact the growing network of coordinated volunteers who are ready to help wherever possible. Find them on Twitter @OurStamford or click on the picture to go straight to their website.
Stamford The Stamford Cheese and Wine Cellar is open for business and is also providing mail order deliveries. Click on the picture to go to their website.
Stamford The Copper Room is providing a home delivery service for your bar until 11.00pm. Click on the picture to go their website and follow them on twitter @CopperStamford
Rutland For updates on what’s available in the Rutland area please click on the picture to go to the Rutland council website
There’s More…
This list is by no means complete so rather than producing more and more blogs with contacts lists this one will be updated regularly. Please save this URL to your favourites on whatever device you are using. More headings will be added to make searching the blog easier. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE tell your friends about this blog. It’s here for us all and it’s not for profit. Spread the word and stay safe
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by admin | Mar 12, 2020 | Hashtags, IT, Lincolnshire, lincolnshire Business, Lincs Connect, Lincs Police, LincsConnect, LincsPolice, Mandarin Therapies, Passwords, police, Security, VPN, Website
How secure is secure? Information on your computer, smartphone or TV could be at risk. There is some fantastic support around to help and guide so read on to discover what I’ve found:
How secure Is Secure? – Suspicious emails
Having had a few comments on my blogs my suspicions were raised as I noted the addresses of the emails. It’s nice to think my posts have reached a large global audience .de (Germany) and .xyz (who knows where?) but beware! Don’t approve comments without first checking their credibility. How? I put the question out to social media and as a result I received an interesting tweet from Liam @ZaddleMarketing
Liam advised me not to click any links or email addresses in those suspicious comments, confirming my fears that these posts were SPAM. A good security plugin for my WordPress site will solve the problem. Thank you Liam for your sound advice.
There are lots of good people on social media who can be trusted of which Liam is one. It’s always best to ask the question of your contacts if ever you’re in doubt.
Thank You Kerrin
Thank you Kerrin @Kerrinwilson999 for your hospitality (and the lovely cake of course). It was lovely to meet you and I’m looking forward to extending the reach of LincsConnect to include regular posts by you and your team. Thankfully I have already had some security tips from some of your colleagues and that information has proved invaluable. Hopefully you’ll enjoy my short post here today and will have time to add a comment too.
Meetings always seem more productive with cake!
Getting It Right By Chance
I’ve heard that smart speakers listen to our conversations. It’s not uncommon for adverts to pop up on our social media platforms directly relating to a conversation the previous day. It’s extremely uncommon (I’m led to believe) that an iMac can be infected but if it’s going to happen to anyone, it’ll happen to me!
Technology and I don’t always gel I’m afraid. Having feared the worst following a rash of phishing emails (ransom emails sent to my inbox supposedly from my own address) it was time for action. The safest solution was to contact Lincolnshire Police Cyber Crime Unit who responded very quickly with a visit to my office.
A full inspection of my computer confirmed that the emails were really just phishing emails and should be deleted. A nagging feeling that something wasn’t right remained after several other incidents with my computer. As a result I contacted Apple who decided a full restore and section by section re-build was required. I’m happy now that my computer and details are safe once again. If you’re worried about your online safety and security don’t hesitate to contact a professional for help.
What If…?
What if it’s true that the smart devices can leak our information? A recent BBC Panorama programme about Amazon revealed that they knowingly and openly harvest and use our information. I don’t think the machines (or people) are listening to every conversation but when key words are detected the link is made with you and your devices.
Recent news reports highlighted that smart devices can be hacked and accessed remotely. The video doorbells, video baby monitors and even smart TVs and smart fridges are all susceptible to hackers. Accessing our personal data can be very upsetting and worrying of course so we need to protect ourselves.
Basic Protection
How secure is secure? If we can access any devices from our smartphone it’s a fair bet that the unscrupulous criminals can do the same. The smart fridge, smart monitor and smart TV come with factory settings and passwords. These settings can be found easily online so to prevent hacking make sure you change the passwords immediately.
Hacking your fridge isn’t too much of a problem of course but accessing your router from your fridge or your smart TV etc may be more sinister.
How Secure Is Secure? Passwords
The obvious and most basic form of self protection is strong passwords. Do change the passwords from factory settings to something that you can remember. Family, friends or pets names do not make good passwords. These names are likely to crop up on your social media pages at some point so can easily be guessed.
Random passwords are by far the best option. For the best security have different passwords for different logins. There are some very clever Apps around that can store your passwords for you but I’m sure you’ll have a system that works for you.
Privacy
You can secure your devices by making sure they are protected by a security password, facial recognition, finger print and VPN (I’ll cover VPN later).
It’s better to be safe than sorry! Keeping your personal information safe should be a high priority and simple precautions may be all you need.
If you have data stored on you mobile device make sure it’s protected with a security code and backed up regularly. Some devices can be deleted remotely; Check so see if you can do that with your own device and make sure you learn how to do it.
How Secure Is Secure? Two Factor Authenticaton
Added security comes with two factor authentication – that’s when you get an alert on your chosen device to tell you that someone is accessing your other devices. My iPhone will prompt me to confirm that I am who I say I am when I log onto my computer. As a result I have to type in a ‘one time’ code before the computer will let me in. It takes seconds and provides an extra level of security.
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How Secure Is Secure?
Change your passwords from factory settings to secure ones that aren’t easily guessed. Use a different password for every device. So you’re good to go….? Well, not quite! Your router may not be secure so if you’re not sure ask your provider to guide you through changing the factory set password.
You’re ‘almost’ there… You’re now safe in your own home but not when you’re out and about if you’re using public WiFi. How secure is that system? Your final piece of security is VPN.
VPN
What is VPN? This is the explanation from Wikipedia: “A virtual private network extends a private network across a public network, and enables users to send and receive data across shared or public networks as if their computing devices were directly connected to the private network.” You might want to look this one up for yourself.
A ‘belt and braces’ approach to security but if you have any private or confidential information on your devices do read a bit more about it. It is a ‘paid for’ service so you’ll need to be aware of that and you’ll also need to be aware that not all internet routers are capable of installing it. Once installed on your home router ‘all’ devices using that WiFi connection will be protected under the higher level of security. I have it installed and the one I chose covers six devices. I have it on my iPhone and iPad so that I know I’m secure whenever I log into a public WiFi system.
It’s Good To Share
All of this information comes from trusted people I’ve spoken to who have been kind enough to guide me. I’m not an expert but some of the things I’ve learned along the way and printed here will no doubt be useful to you. If you are able to share other tips that may be useful for other users feel free to add a comment and send a message on twitter or Facebook using the hashtag #LincsConnect
Helping each other is always good of course. If you need additional help contact your Internet Service Provider (ISP) or local IT specialist. If you’re worried about cyber security contact @lincspolice and ask about their Cyber Security courses. I’ve been on one and can highly recommend it. After all, these are the experts who really want to help you to prevent crime.
Back Soon
Thank you all for taking the time to read my ramblings. I’ll be back soon with more blogs of course but keep watching as they are about to evolve into something quite unique.
Best wishes
