SKtoday Spring 2016 by South Kesteven District Council

SPRING 2016

Time to renew your garden waste service - see pages 10 and 11 Gravity fields Festival targets ÂŁ1 million economic boost Pages 6 to 7

your council working for you

Park Lottery Fund bid submitted

yndham Park in Grantham has made a bid for further funding to help restore it to its former glory as a First World War memorial park. The February submission saw Wyndham Park Forum and SKDC seek total funding of £875,900 from the Heritage Lottery Fund to aid refurbishment of features and

new buildings at the Green Flag awarded park. Development funding of £117,000 was awarded in 2014 to allow both parties to undertake consultation on what residents would like to see feature in the changes. It also meant a design team was appointed to survey the structural

elements of the park and produce repair and improvement schedules should the second round application funding be awarded.

Look out for updates this summer on the outcome of the bid on the park forum’s website - www.wyndhamparkgrantham.org.uk

Compiled by the communications team at South Kesteven District Council, this magazine is distributed to every home in our district. It is printed by Warners Midlands Plc of Bourne. Editorial: Tel: 01476 40 60 80 Offices: Grantham: Council Offices, St Peter’s HIll Grantham NG31 6PZ

How to contact us 01476 40 60 80

Stamford: 1 Maiden Lane, Stamford PE9 2AZ Bourne: South Kesteven Community Point, Abbey Road, Bourne PE10 9EF Market Deeping: Deepings Community Centre, Douglas Road, Market Deeping PE6 8PA General enquiries (all offices) 01476 40 60 80 E. pr@southkesteven.gov.uk

This magazine is printed on paper produced from well-managed forests. Printing and distribution costs approximately 14 pence a copy. Please contact us if you or someone you know would like to receive this magazine in a different format including audio tape, cd, large print or Braille. South Lincolnshire Blind Society distributes SKtoday to all its members in large print or tape.

www.southkesteven.gov.uk/getsocial

Cover shot: Arts Council England funding of £89,700 has been confirmed for the Gravity Fields Festival. This will complement an entertaining mix of science, arts, heritage, drama and literature events. Full story on pages 6-7.

Website gives easy access to council services

ore and more people are accessing council services online thanks to SKDC’s new easier to use website. Visits to www.southkesteven. gov.uk have increased overall by 7.6 % and on mobile devices by a whopping 40% - allowing residents to find the right information quicker than ever before. It means residents can pay for more things online like green waste collections, council tax, business rates and rent and it’s available 24/7. The site automatically recognises which type of device is being used and adjusts accordingly to meet the needs of the customer. In the coming months we will also be making it easier to report and track requests about: • Abandoned vehicles • Noise complaints • Untidy gardens • Stray dogs • Graffiti

• Fly tipping and household waste left out on the street • Payment of fixed penalty notices • Reporting of fly posting Chief Executive Beverly Agass said: “Our residents’ busy lives don’t always fit around a weekday 9am to 5pm. Our website makes it easier to access, order and utilise our services at a time and place that suits them, with more services than ever before available 24/7. “The site meets the latest design standards, taking evidence from market leaders, both in the public and private sector, to deliver a site that meets customer needs whilst being welcoming and user friendly. “We will continue to listen and respond to what residents think, where possible adjusting the site further and of course we’re still here to provide services and answer enquiries for those unable to do so online.”

New company will build for the future

roviding more private sector homes for rent or sale in the district will be the initial focus of SKDC’s new local authority controlled company. The LACC, which will be 100 per cent owned by the council, will be up and running later this year and will allow the authority to trade commercially. SKDC Chief Executive Beverly Agass said the decision to set up the company provides an opportunity to change the way services are delivered, provide more choice and reduce overall costs. “If the council is to be self sufficient by 2019 we have to be more commercial and look for new opportunities,” she said. “Housing is a priority need in our district which is why we want to focus on building and managing homes for rent or sale. “That doesn’t mean we will be in competition with local developers. The company will look to build on sites which would not be attractive to other developers due to the amount of return they would make.” The LACC will be headed by a board of directors made up of council officers and some external input. Councillors will form a Shareholder Committee to monitor the performance of the company and future developments. SKDC Strategic Director Tracey Blackwell said: “We will be able to use our experience and knowledge as a housing landlord to raise the bar in private rented accommodation and also provide much needed new housing for the district.”

Building on housing success S

KDC will build another 27 council homes as part of phase two of our council house building programme. There will initially be 18 affordable homes built on Trent Road in Grantham which will be a mixture of houses and apartments. This work follows on from the completion of a £3m first phase of council house building which finished in the summer. This provided 33 new homes. SKDC’s Executive Manager Property, Neil Cucksey, said: “Another £8m has been set aside to invest into housing within the district and we are committed to providing new affordable social houses for our residents wherever possible. “The first phase of council house building which saw us provide 24 homes in Stamford and nine in Grantham has been a real success story and has given those tenants somewhere to call home. This next phase of building will carry on the work and hopefully repeat that success.” SKDC will also build four one bedroom flats on Earlesfield Lane in Grantham and five bungalows are planned on land at Westry Close in Barrowby village in conjunction with parking improvements in the area. The properties on Earlesfield Lane and Westry Close should be complete by the end of the year. Neil added: “The mix of property types will suit tenants of all ages and some will meet the specific needs of people with disabilities. “As well as providing much needed homes in our district,

our plans to build will generate construction jobs and secure many more with suppliers, through the purchase of materials and services.” We are building on council owned land which has been cleared of former buildings. High energy performance is a

key factor, providing affordable warmth for residents, and the new homes will meet the key provisions of the ‘Lifetime Homes’ standards; suitable for tenants of all ages and with ease of access for those with a disability or requiring wheelchair access.

HOMES SWEET HOMES: Our new property (above) in Glen Crescent and (below) Lindum Road. Both developments are in Stamford.

Make sure you register to vote

Preparing a new Local Plan for South Kesteven District S KDC is continuing to prepare a new Local Plan to guide investment and development in the district for up to the next 25 years. The new Local Plan will help shape South Kesteven over this period and be a key tool in deciding where the potential housing, retail and business needs of the community will be met and how important countryside, ecological and heritage features will be protected. Where possible, much of the evidence base prepared for the Core Strategy, Site Allocations Development Plan Document (SAP) and Grantham Area Action Plan (GAAP) will be used to support the preparation of the new Local Plan. Additional evidence will be collected, where necessary, to ensure the new Local Plan is completely up to date. All planning policy evidence is available to view on the council website at:

www.southkesteven.gov.uk/ evidencebase In addition to preparing the new Local Plan, the council is also assisting parishes in the production of Neighbourhood Plans. To date, two Neighbourhood Plans have been adopted and there are many more at varying stages in the process. More information on Neighbourhood Plans can be found at www. southkesteven.gov.uk The Local Plan will be open to extensive public consultation this summer. This will give every resident, business or interested party an opportunity to comment on the draft before it is submitted to the Secretary of State for independent examination in spring 2017. Further details, including the timetable for the Local Plan preparations are available in the Local Development Scheme (LDS), which will be available via the council website www.southkesteven. gov.uk

SKDC is encouraging anyone not yet registered to vote to go online and register. On Thursday 5 May 2106 voters in South Kesteven will go to the polls to elect a Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire. And on 23 June 2016 there will be a referendum on whether Britain should remain in the European Union. Anyone who isn’t registered to vote won’t be able to take part and have their say. The good news is that it only takes a few minutes to register online at www.gov.uk/register-tovote. The deadline is Monday 18 April. Beverly Agass, Electoral Registration Officer for SKDC, said: “Anyone not yet registered to vote should do so as soon as possible so they can have a say on the issues that affect their day-to-day lives. I’d urge people living in the district to spread the message amongst family and friends that it only takes minutes to complete the form and register to vote online.” Local residents can get a paper copy of the registration form by contacting the elections team at SKDC on 01476 40 60 80 or email elections@southkesteven.gov.uk

For further information, please contact planning policy at planningpolicy@southkesteven.gov.uk or 01476 40 60 80.

Grant funding adds colour to festival Major funding from Arts Council England is supporting an exciting outdoor arts programme for September’s Gravity Fields Festival. Grant confirmation of £89,700 was received by SKDC in midFebruary, helping to fund a major celebration of 2016 as the 350th anniversary of Newton’s ‘Annus Mirabilis’ under the festival’s theme of ‘Genius’. Tickets for a third festival to commemorate the life and legacy of Sir Isaac Newton are now on sale for an entertaining mix of science, arts and heritage talks, drama, music and literature events in and around Grantham. 1666 was the year Newton spent at his Woolsthorpe Manor birthplace after fleeing the plague in Cambridge, when his work on light, mathematics and gravitation is viewed by the scientific community as the most extraordinary burst of scientific creativity in history. Festival bookings are now confirmed for a host of talks

and demonstrations and we are speaking to creative and diverse performance companies to transform the centre of Grantham for Saturday’s colourful finale, projected onto the Guildhall for an art installation as part of a large scale processional event involving schools, community music and dance groups. St Wulfram’s Church will host the Ockham’s Razor aerial theatre company, plus resound to the music of Red Priest, the only early music group in the world to have been compared to the Rolling Stones, Jackson Pollock, the Marx Brothers and the Cirque du Soleil. Woolsthorpe Manor, Newton’s

birthplace, will feature largely in the festival as part of its ‘Illuminating Newton’ campaign. It‘s here that, 350 years on, Gravity Fields will recreate the chilling scenario of life had the plague actually reached this part of Lincolnshire! As well as providing great entertainment and fun, organisers South Kesteven District Council are also planning that the event will give a £1 million injection to the local economy.

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Teachers help shape education programme

Festival added to schools’ curriculum A full festival education programme kicks off with two blockbuster shows from the Ministry of Science at Grantham’s Meres Leisure Centre, complete with a hovercraft built on stage, a human cannon, liquid nitrogen frozen flowers and hydrogen bottle rockets! The shows (one for primary and one for secondary schools) set the tone for five days of top quality events culminating in the festival’s massively popular Family Science day in the George Centre in Grantham. Award-winning Teen Tech workshops will identify and support budding innovators with a supporting award scheme to

help teenagers see the wide range of career possibilities in science, engineering and technology. Three workshops on 22 September cater for Years 7 to 11, Years 12 – 13 and a special ‘A’ level session. A Gravity Fields Discovery Morning on Friday (23 Sept) offers a complete schools package suitable for KS1, 2 and 3 with a sculptural sound installation, dance and technology, an amazing selection of pin-hole pictures taken in and around Grantham - with workshops - and a logic defying Anti-Grav box guaranteed to turn the world around! ‘Discover the Plague at

Schools got their first glimpse of the festival and its highlights at a special consultation event held at Walton Girls School in Grantham to share details of the planned education programme. Teachers’ comments and suggestions helped refine the programme, launched at a Community and Education launch on 10 March.

Woolsthorpe’ education sessions cater for both secondary (21 Sept) and primary (22 and 23 September) with plague performers and doctors to recreate (and rewrite) history. For full details and how to book, visit www.gravityfields.co.uk

Join in the festival... Participation will again be a major feature of the festival. Opportunities abound for groups of all kinds to be involved in Saturday’s spectacular finale events, including primary and secondary schools, community groups and dance-focused teenage groups.

Organisers also want to work with sixth form performance groups, music groups suitable for the outside procession and dance and movement groups to join in the LED choreographed work. Interested parties should contact Jo Dobbs j.dobbs@southkesteven.gov.uk

www.gravityfields.co.uk 7

ay’s Enterprise Week will deliver valuable help and advice for start-up and small businesses – plus engineering and technology inspiration for school pupils and employment support for all ages. The SKDC programme will raise awareness of services and support available via the council and other local partnerships and encourage innovation and enterprise from both school pupils and growing businesses. Two events will help to access valuable LEADER funding for rural businesses via grant aid pots from Europe. One will take place near Grantham for its rural area and a second will target potential beneficiaries in the south of the district.

9-13 May 2016 Two free Employment Skills days are being organised with JobCentre Plus. The first is on Tuesday 10 May at Stamford Arts Centre ballroom between 10am and 1pm and the second is at the Alive Church in Grantham on Thursday 12 May at the same times. The day offers help with CV writing, undertaking mock job interviews and the chance to try some psychometric tests. Local support agencies, colleges and other organisations will offer advice and guidance to maximise employment prospects. A series of short ten minute presentations will cover use of social media in relation to job hunting, starting a business, volunteering, working for a

local authority, working with recruitment agencies and opportunities in hospitality. Retail adviser Corin Birchall will provide top tips and ideas to get local retailers’ tills ringing with a variety of tried and trusted practices and 70 top tips. His workshops will run on Monday 9 May in Stamford and Tuesday 10 May in Grantham both between 5.30pm and 8pm. Cambridgeshire Chambers of Commerce’s event at the Stamford Arts Centre on Wednesday 11 May will help businesses get positive publicity and raise their profile and special business adviser Paul Parkinson will be available for appointments all week to help any business or those thinking of starting one.

£1000 prize for district’s best entrepreneur B udding entrepreneurs are urged to enter South Kesteven District Council’s annual SK Pioneers competition with the chance of winning £1000, plus cash prizes for two runners up. An individual or business submitting ideas and plans for an innovative business venture or growth idea must be based within the SK district, paying household or business rates to the authority, and have been trading for no more than 36 months. Judging this year will be by

Grantham Business Club and a judging panel made up of local, high profile business people. The winner will be announced and presented with their prize at the Journal Business Awards at Belton Horse Trials on Wednesday 13 April. Judging will be through a ‘dragon’s den’ style evaluation with entrants pitching their ideas. An added bonus will be mentoring support or further financial support to shortlisted businesses.

Last year’s winner, Sarah Goss of the Savvy Food Company confirmed how valuable the award was to her, both practically, for the profile of her healthy sausages business and her own confidence in the product, saying: “The cash prize was brilliant. It helped me pay for casual labour at markets and help at events. It also paid for the branding and set up of my market stall, as well as my portable hotplate which I use to

Schools join businesses at careers Science event

wo half day sessions calculated to encourage young people into careers in engineering and technology will take place on Wednesday 11 May. Pupils can take part in fun, interactive workshops based around science, technology, engineering and maths whilst also hearing from local

businesses operating in these sectors. Delivering the workshops will be Up Science, whose co-ordinator Nick Naylor is an education animator whose passion is to change young people’s perception of engineering and science based careers.

UP SCIENCE: Nick Naylor will inspire

cook up samples. Winning an award like SK Pioneers really boosts your confidence when someone else believes in your idea. It’s been really valuable and I would encourage anyone to enter”. Entry forms are available from www.skdcenterpriseweek. co.uk either for download or return online. Closing date is 24 March. Judging will take place week commencing 4 April.

audiences.

Networking Summit Grantham Business Club’s regular bi-monthly meeting will host the Enterprise Week networking summit on Thursday 12 May. The event is open to all with a light buffet supper and keynote presentation as well as the chance to meet and network with other local businesses in the area. Reserve a place on the web site. Business School events Two major events are scheduled in partnership with the prestigious Lincoln Business School Leadership and Management Centre. The first is in the south of the district on Tuesday 10 May at a venue to be confirmed and focuses on collaborative working amongst entrepreneurs. The second at the Meeting Venue on the A1 at Stoke Rochford will address innovation in business.

PRIZE WINN ING: Sarah G oss Strategic Dire ctor for Develo receives her award from S KDC pment and G (left: her mark rowth Focus et stall selling Steve Ingram sausages.) .

Renew your garden waste collection by direct debit and grab a discount!

t’s that time of year again when you can plan how you’ll enjoy your garden throughout spring and summer. Why not make it even easier to look after, with the council’s garden waste collection service? It’s the easy way to save you time, money and hassle with your garden waste, with no

need for trips to the tip or to mess up your car with bags of garden waste.

is no limit on the number of garden waste bins you can buy.

And it’s now easier than ever to pay online through direct debit, and what’s more you’ll save money by doing so.

You can even take your green bin(s) with you if you move within the district and notify us of your new address.

New members pay just the one off annual fee which includes green bin collection every fortnight for most months of the year and there

Letters have now been sent to existing members of the scheme. If you cannot renew online you can do so by calling 01476 40 60 80.

Last year more than

27,000 residents joined

the scheme.

Another record year!

Simply visit www.southkesteven.gov.uk/greenbin to buy online. your council working for you

Dog waste CAN be left in litter bins

og owners are reminded that waste from their pets can be deposited in litter bins in the district – as long as it is bagged. Litter bins around the district now carry the message ‘dog waste accepted’ encouraging owners to use the bins as long as the waste is in a bag. SKDC’s Executive Manager for Environment Ian Yates said: “We know rules vary from district to district in Lincolnshire so the new bins carry a message reminding dog owners they can use litter bins for their pet waste. “Our Environmental Health team work with and educate dog owners on their responsibilities so they are aware of the issues and dangers of not picking up after a dog in a public place. “We want everyone to enjoy our public open spaces and leave highways and paths free of mess, litter or fly-tipping.”

BIN IT! Bagged dog waste can be left in all of our litter bins.

Silver bin – know what you should put in! D o you know what you can and cannot put in your silver bin or clear bag at home? Either way always check online at www.southkesteven. gov.uk/recyclinglist to help the council collect as much correct recycling as possible which creates revenue with recycling firms that can be reinvested back into your collection services. Food, crisp packets, polystyrene, crockery, nappies, wood, metal and hard plastics are among the most usual incorrect items that are placed in recycling bins and bags. Instead, they should be placed in black bins, pink bags or taken to local Household Waste Recycling Centres in Grantham or Bourne. Other items commonly found in silver bins or clear bags that should not be there include

footballs, basketballs, ring binders, cling film, videos, coat hangers, car batteries, washing up bowls, pillows and duvets. SKDC’s Executive Manager for Environment Ian Yates said: “Please take the time to check what goes in your silver bin or clear bag either online or on the recycling wheels previously distributed to households. “This will ensure you do your bit to decrease what we send to residual waste sites and keep South Kesteven cleaner and greener.”

Dropping litter can be costly I f you don’t put your rubbish in a litter bin you could be fined £75. The council’s Environmental Health team issues on the spot penalties to anyone they see dropping litter in a public place. They also educate members of the public on their responsibilities not to drop items to cause eyesores on our streets and residents are encouraged to report litter at www.keepskclean.co.uk SKDC’s Executive Manager for Environment Ian Yates said: “Publicising these issues is encouraging residents to assist us with our priority to be clean, green and healthy by

respecting our local towns and neighbourhoods. “We know we are dealing with a minority when we ask people to love their local areas, as we know most residents already respect South Kesteven and would never litter or fly-tip. “However those who do commit offences cost the taxpayer a significant sum in clear up costs, money that would be far better invested in making the district cleaner and greener in other ways. “That’s why we’re asking people to love their local areas and report any problems as they occur.”

Relief road takes shape

hase one of Grantham’s long awaited relief road will be finished this summer! Aerial photographs of the work on Grantham’s Southern Relief Road show the progress of the first phase of the landmark project which, in time, will provide a link from the A1 to the A52 significantly reducing heavy goods traffic through the town centre. Lincolnshire County Council’s Senior Project Leader, Les Outram, said: “We are very happy with the progress and the contractor, and we are on course

to finish this phase in June.” Fitzgerald Civil Engineering have been awarded the £3.6m contract to build the first phase of the much-needed road – effectively a roundabout off the B1174 linking to a new section of road along Tollemache Road and a further roundabout heading towards the A1 giving access to nearby development land. SKDC’s Executive Manager for Development and Growth, Paul Thomas, said: “The relief road is really starting to take shape now which is encouraging

for residents as they can start to see the real benefits that it will bring. “Over the next 20 or 30 years this road will attract investment into Grantham bringing muchneeded homes and employment opportunities for local people.” Once the first 490m section of road has been completed the county council will go out to tender for phase two which will link the new road to the A1. Phase three will link the B1174 roundabout to the A52. It is expected the full road will be operational by 2019.

For more information on the scheme and for regular updates visit http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/transport-and-roads/roadworks-and-improvement-schemes/south-kesteven/

Retail workshops to get the tills ringing

nspirational workshops have been held across the district by South Kesteven District Council as part of our new Retail Business Booster programme. Retail guru Corin Birchall of Kerching Retail hosted workshops in Grantham, Stamford, Bourne and Market Deeping, delivering 70 top tips within two hours – all part of an ongoing SKDC contract working with the Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce as part of its business support package. The invitation is now open to apply for one-to-one meetings with businesses wanting individual advice via the council’s SK4Business support programme. Businesses will benefit from Corin’s experience working with high street brands across Europe such as Harrods, Debenhams and House of Fraser as well as hundreds of

independent businesses. His advice is designed to get the tills ringing, increase footfall and repeat visits and understand customer psychology helping make shop windows work better, develop pricing strategies to get customers spending more and decide what to do with prime spaces. Corin, who specializes in helping retailers to grow their businesses and tackle falling customer numbers, has replaced SKDC’s previous retail adviser. He is adamant that there is a lot retailers can do to boost their business, despite a difficult trading environment, saying: “There has never been a tougher time to be trading in the town centre than today with pressures all round from the internet, supermarkets and out of town retailers. But there are

tremendous opportunities to improve business by adopting the latest technologies and new trading techniques and nurturing a local customer base. “Retailers are not doing anything wrong. It’s the world around them that has changed so dramatically but there is still scope for them to run a successful business in South Kesteven.” Steve Ingram, SKDC Strategic Director for Development and Growth Focus, said: “We are committed to improving the vitality of our town centres. Corin is a high calibre specialist capable of delivering top level advice to make a real difference to retailers.”

Further information and to book meetings call William Tse on 0300 3000 101.

Recruitment event paves way for store opening The Range, Grantham’s newest national retailer, opened its doors for business with help from SKDC. Working with Grantham Jobcentre, SKDC organised a two day recruitment event before Christmas which filled nearly all the 80 full and part time jobs created. Grantham resident Tim Ballaam (pictured right) secured his new retail assistant job at the event, saying: “I am very pleased

to find employment at The Range. I had been unemployed for quite a while so it has given me a whole new lease of life. The sky is the limit now as there will be other opportunities for me within the company.” Store manager, Peter Marshall said: “There has already been a fantastic response to the store. The people that we have employed are great and the support from SKDC has been exemplary.”

OPEN FOR BUSINESS! The Range opens it’s doors

Grantham Fake Festival It was a year ago when Fake Festivals first came to Grantham and turned Wyndham Park into a hotbed of singing, dancing and celebration with some of the country’s leading tribute bands. And now it’s back! On 30 April the festival returns and promises to be bigger and better than before, with 1,500 tickets now on sale for the event. This year’s festival sees world class tributes to Queen, Coldplay and Blondie take to the stage, ably supported by five local bands who have been selected to take part in the event. And with all the music taking place inside the Fake Festival’s marquee, even the great British weather can’t dampen the spirits of the crowd. For organiser Mark Pitfield, it is important to give the local people a day to enjoy. “Being able to bring such a great event to my local area is so rewarding and I’m really enjoying the challenge of going even further than we did last year. Local people really embraced last year’s festival, so we had no doubt that it will be a great event again.

“It’s fantastic how the community joins in and I love being there on the day serving the drinks and enjoying the music with everyone else, said Mark. “And to have some of our best local bands sharing the stage with touring tribute bands who play internationally is a great experience for them and one that we’re proud to be able to offer,” he added. Alongside the main stage there will be a variety of outdoor food and entertainment stalls, meaning the festival has a real family feel throughout the day.

Discounted early bird tickets are already on sale until March 31 from the Fake Festivals website, www.fakefestivals. co.uk, and are priced as follows:

Adult £16.50 Young Person (10-17 years) £9 Family (2 Adults, 2 Young Persons) £42 Under 10’s are FREE

What’s on

in South Kesteven

GUILDHALL ARTS CENTRE St Peter’s Hill, Grantham NG31 6PZ

ALY BAIN & PHIL CUNNINGHAM SATURDAY 9 APRIL 7.30PM £16 / £15 concessions Aly was a founder member of the ‘Boys of the Lough’ and his passionate fiddle playing has also found its way onto recordings by the likes of Eddi Reader and Richard Thompson. He was responsible for launching ‘The Transatlantic Sessions’ TV series in which both he and Phil continue to feature. Accordion player Phil has been named as one of Scotland’s 25 most influential people and his mastery of the instrument has led to him working with the likes of Mark Knopfler, James Taylor, Rosanne Cash and Midge Ure. Together they are simply the best traditional musicians you are ever likely to hear.

CELL THURSDAY 28 APRIL 7.30PM £12 / £10 / £5 under 25’s Suitable for ages 11+ Humorous, heart-warming and hopeful, CELL features charming puppetry, physical theatre and an original musical score to tell the story of one man’s final adventures to create enough

memories to last a lifetime. After being diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, Ted goes on the trip of a lifetime… and so does his pet fish. ‘CELL is incredibly powerful, touching and educational for any age group. Truthful and honest, it compellingly raises awareness of a heart-breaking illness, whilst taking the positives from it; making it poignant and an experience that I will never forget. A definite must see! ‘ Fleur (Lincolnshire One Venues Young People’s Project)

EVITA D2E YOUTH DRAMA THURSDAY 5 – SATURDAY 7 MAY, 7.30PM £8.50 / £7.50 concessions Following the hugely successful RENT School Edition and The Addams Family Musical, D2E are back with EVITA! Argentina’s controversial First Lady is the subject of this dynamic musical masterpiece. As an illegitimate 15 year old, Eva escaped her dirt-poor existence for the bright lights of Buenos Aires. Driven by ambition and blessed with charisma, she was a starlet at 22, the president’s mistress at 24, First Lady at 27, and dead at 33. Eva Peron ‘saint to the working-class, reviled by the aristocracy and mistrusted by the military’ was destined to leave a fascinating political legacy unique in the 20th century. Told through a compelling score

that fuses haunting chorales with exuberant Latin, pop and jazz influences, EVITA creates an arresting theatrical portrait as complex as the woman herself.

MERES LIVE

Meres Leisure Centre, Grantham, NG31 7XQ

MAD ABOUT THE MUSICALS FRIDAY 17 JUNE 7.30PM £24 / £22.50 concessions Starring Gareth Gates and Michael Courtney Taking you on a whistle stop tour from the heart of London’s theatre land to the glitz of Broadway, Mad About The Musicals celebrates the very best songs from the shows we all know and love! With a host of your favourite numbers from the pen of Rodgers and Hammerstein, Kander and Ebb, Andrew Lloyd Webber and Boublil and Schonberg amongst many more, the talented cast will evoke the true spirit of the stage, with brilliant vocals and West End musicians to bring you the very best show in town!

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BOURNE CORN EXCHANGE

3 Abbey Rd, Bourne, Lincolnshire PE10 9EF

WEDDING FAIR SUNDAY 24 APRIL 11AM – 2PM Free entry Our annual wedding fair event returns with fantastic local services and suppliers, following the success of previous fairs. Not only this, but it’s a perfect opportunity to see what the Corn Exchange can do for your special day as a wedding venue. Visitors will receive a goody bag, and free entry to our wonderful prize draw.

90 GLORIOUS YEARS TUESDAY 17 MAY 2PM £11 / £10 concessions Join Neil Sands and his wonderful West End cast as they travel back over the 90 Glorious Years of the Queen’s record breaking rein, bringing back golden memories with songs made famous by many of her favourite singers and

stars from her Royal Command performances. From show tunes to the swinging sixties, a cockney knees up to a flag waving finale with a rousing section from Last Night of the Proms. All of this mixed with wonderful voices, stunning costumes and lots of good old fashioned fun, makes this the perfect nostalgic way to celebrate this historic occasion.

JUST LIKE THAT: THE TOMMY COOPER SHOW THURSDAY 19 MAY 7.30PM £12 / £10 concessions Suitable for ages 8+ Tommy Cooper was a true comic genius. His impeccable timing, misfiring magic, trademark fez and quick-fire gags made him an international star. “Just Like That!” embarks on a nationwide tour after sell-out successes at the West End’s Museum of Comedy. This allencapsulating show features John Hewer (Tony Hancock, Hancock’s Half Hour - The ‘Lost’ Episodes) giving “a perfect illusion of time travel” and delivering “nuances

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both obvious and subtle” as the man in the fez. Complete with live musical accompaniment, this highly acclaimed tribute show is full of magic and mirth and is the perfect celebration of Britain’s favourite comedian.

STAMFORD ARTS CENTRE 27 St Mary’s St, Stamford PE9 2DL

ASHLEY WASS - PIANO MATTHEW TRUSLER - VIOLIN KAREN BURROWS - NARRATOR SATURDAY 12 MARCH 7.30PM £16 / £15 concessions / £10 under 26s Wonderland is a brand new contemporary classical music project created by Ashley Wass and Matthew Trusler to raise money for the Lenny Trusler Children’s Foundation. The foundation was set up by Matthew and Maya Koch after the death of their baby son from a rare kidney disease in

8 April 2007, and is dedicated to providing relief from suffering and illness in very sick babies and children. 2015 marked the 150th anniversary of the publication of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The book contains 12 chapters and a prefatory poem, and 13 composers were asked to write short pieces, each inspired by a different section of the tale. The classical pieces will be interspersed by Stamford Arts Centre’s own Karen Burrows reading a script specially written by Louis de Bernières.

THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF LIBRARIAN LIL SATURDAY 23 APRIL 11.30AM £6 / £5 concessions / £20 family of four 5 years + Librarian Lil has worked in the library for 45 years. She is old, tired and bored with her life... but you can’t judge a book by its cover. For once the pages start to rustle, Lil is sucked into

a whirlwind of words where tales of bravery become reality and every day sees a new adventure. Through books she is transported to other worlds, performing great feats of daring do and winning the hearts of princes and audiences alike. 1 hour with interval ‘We do hope they come back soon.’ - lincolnshiremums.co.uk ‘My children were totally riveted throughout’

and invite next door neighbours, Dawn and Alan into their home. Over the course of a disastrous evening of olives, anchovies, Karl Marx and abstract art; class and culture collide where the consequences are as tragic as they are hilarious.

INVINCIBLE FRIDAY 6 MAY 8PM SATURDAY 7 MAY 7.30PM £14 / £12 concessions / £10 groups and students Produced by The Original Theatre Company and The Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds. Directed by Christopher Harper. With the recession biting hard, Emily and Oliver have decided to downsize and shift their middleclass London lifestyle to a small town in the north of England. One night they open their doors

Ways to book your tickets: Guildhall Arts Centre 01476 406158 www.guildhallartscentre.com

Stamford Arts Centre 01780 763203 www.stamfordartscentre.com Bourne Corn Exchange 01778 423579 www.southkesteven.gov.uk/ bournecornexchange

GROUPS AND FAMILY OFFERS NOT AVAILABLE ONLINE

Spring into your local Leisure Centre! What’s new...

In 2015 South Kesteven District Council in partnership with 1Life have been able to drive improvements across the district, transforming facilities into modern Leisure Centres offering more affordable services. Last year the Centres set about creating more opportunities for local residents to enjoy active lifestyles.

Health & Fitness At Grantham, the Centre’s customer visit numbers beat all records following the opening of the brand new gym, studios and superb indoor cycling space. Group exercise is now as popular as ever, with over 160 varied classes taking place weekly in dedicated studios at Grantham, Deepings and Bourne. In contrast, small group training on gym floors and outdoor “boot camp” classes are growing in popularity. During November 2015, a totally new gym was also created in the upstairs area at Deepings, which is now a great social and exercise space for everyone to enjoy. In addition, Bourne did a trial launch of exercise classes in care homes. This was so successful, the dedicated staff from the Centre will be offering this service to other local care providers in 2016.

Swimming In all four pools, the programmes have been simplified to offer adult early morning sessions, lunchtime general swims and evening Aquafit classes, ladies or adults only swims. Family Splash takes place at the weekend with the added fun of inflatables or flumes. More spaces were made available on swimming lessons, as over 4000 children now swim regularly and another service growing in popularity is our children’s birthday parties.

Sports and Children’s Activities We know we need to do more, and that’s why with the Olympics & Euro’s in 2016, we want to inspire more children to participate in sport regularly. We’re looking forward to getting the 3G football pitch off the ground at Grantham and the climbing wall will benefit from a facelift. Activity Camps are back for children during holidays times, and every centre will have special events.

Half Price use of the facilities at Bourne Leisure Centre*

Facilities include: Gym • Group Exercise • Swimming Pool Sauna • 5-a-side Football • Badminton Table Tennis • Kayaking • Gymnastics *Terms apply. Present this voucher at Centre reception to redeem the offer.

Half Price use of the facilities at

Deepings Leisure Centre* Facilities include: Gym • Group Exercise • Swimming Pool Sauna • Squash • 5-a-side Football Badminton • Table Tennis *Terms apply. Present this voucher at Centre reception to redeem the offer.

Half Price use of the facilities at Stamford Leisure Pool*

Facilities include: Swimming Pool with flume and water features Water Aerobics • Gym *Terms apply. Present this voucher at Centre reception to redeem the offer.

Half Price use of the facilities at

Grantham Meres Leisure Centre* Facilities include: Climbing Wall • Badminton • Gym • Group Exercise Swimming Pool with flume and water features Group Cycling Studio • 5-a-side football Netball • Table Tennis • Tennis *Terms apply. Present this voucher at Centre reception to redeem the offer.

Bourne Leisure Centre 01778 421 435 Deepings Leisure Centre 01778 344 072 Grantham Meres Leisure Centre 01476 581 930 Stamford Leisure Pool 01780 765 522