EXHIBITION CELEBRATES LOCAL CREATIVES

BE inspired this summer by an exhibition of works from local creatives, including some wellknown names on the local art scene.

Following the success of the junior open art exhibition earlier this year, Lincs Inspire extended the opportunity for adults to showcase their art in the Albert Room at Cleethorpes Library.

The public can view the exhibition for free and vote for their favourite piece of art. Cash prizes will be awarded to winners of the public and judges’ votes.

Derek O’Connell, Library Development Officer, Lincs Inspire said: “Once again, we’re amazed and delighted by the high standard of submissions we’ve received. With no set theme, works are diverse, with many of the subjects being rooted in the local area, which we expect viewers will really enjoy. Come along and see for yourself!”

Thanks to funding from Arts Council England, the exhibition runs until September 30 during library opening hours - Monday to Thursday, 8:30am to 5:30pm and Saturday, 9am to 1pm. For more information visit www.lincsinspire.com.

Horizon Already On Side With Local Young People

WORK has now begun on Grimsby’s muchanticipated Horizon Youth Zone, as construction staff moved onto the Garth Lane site in June.

And, whilst the build work has taken a while to come to fruition, many of the project’s volunteers and staff agree that Horizon has been making a big impression on local young people for many months.

Once a week since 2019, Covid aside, a group of young people have met to discuss their aspirations for Horizon Youth Zone, from the name of the Grimsby project to the logo, and to share their needs and wants for the completed youth centre. Coming from all walks of life, and all areas of North East Lincolnshire, the young people have discussed their passions and aired their views about what they feel is missing from the local area.

More recently, they have gathered to play outdoor games in People’s Park, followed by a catch up at Grimsby’s University Centre where they discuss the latest developments with the project, and share news of their lives. The group was also asked to help interview potential candidates for the position of the new Horizon CEO, ensuring that their views were taken into consideration when deciding on the perfect person to drive such an inspirational local charity.

From Cleethorpes, 19-year-old Ibraham, known to his friends as ‘Ibo’, has future hopes of becoming a train driver but was excited to have recently been offered employment in a local factory. He has been attending the group for the last year, initially being drawn to the project to help make a difference.

He said: “It is exciting to be a part of something this special, and I hope that we can all make big changes as the Youth Zone becomes a reality.

“The project will be for 8-19-year-olds (up to 25 for those with additional needs), so I am at the older end of the scale and will be too old for it when it is finished, but I have enjoyed being a part of the legacy I hope it will leave in the area.”

Thirteen-year-old Jacob joined Horizon when he was struggling with bullying at his school. He explained: “The group has given me a new confidence and now I feel more able to confront negative situations with a positive attitude. It has allowed me to be much happier at school.

“It has been nice to make new friends at Horizon, and I have enjoyed helping people out.”

Xander, currently the youngest of the group, only recently turning 13-years-old, explained: “It has been nice to play a part in the creation of Horizon, but for me it has also given me a safe space and something to do away from home.”

All three young people, Ibo, Jacob, and Xander, are soon to be heading off for an exciting, week-long exchange trip to New Bedford, Massachusetts, in the USA, where they will meet other teenagers to learn about the American culture and its values. Ibo is excited to find out about the massive pizzas he has heard so much of, while Xander is keen to find out what young people do across ‘The Pond’. Jacob is looking forward to finding out about colleges in the States.

He said: “I am hoping to look at what education is available there, especially when it comes to courses about crime and behind the scenes organisations. When they come here, we can take them to the docks and talk about the history of the area, which has been a very important part of Grimsby life.”

When their American counterparts head over to North East Lincolnshire they will learn all about life here and visit some of our more famous places and landmarks. It will be interesting to find out how our Horizon travellers got on in the States, and how their American guests view our small corner of the planet.

The Horizon state-of-the-art youth centre is expected to open in early 2025 in the Grade II Listed West Haven Maltings buildings along the River Freshney. It will provide thousands of young people with opportunities to engage in activities, and access support from skilled youth workers. Members will have access to an indoor climbing wall, a fourcourt sports hall, training kitchen, music room with a recording studio, fully equipped gym, dance, and drama studio, 3G kick pitch, arts and crafts room, and an enterprise and employability suite. The centre will cost just 50p per child, per session.

Horizon Youth Zone is being delivered by national charity OnSide, in partnership with North East Lincolnshire Council which is contributing towards the Youth Zone as part of the Greater Grimsby Town Deal. Other key supporters include Historic England, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, Ørsted, St. James’s Place Charitable Foundation, The Youth Investment Fund and private donors.

North East Lincolnshire Council’s Portfolio Holder for Children and Education, Cllr Margaret Cracknell, is delighted by the positive difference Horizon is having on our young people – even before its doors open.

“Given support, encouragement and a chance to grow our young people will shine and provide us with real hope for our future here in North East Lincolnshire. It’s clear already that the Horizon project is doing just that. I want to take this opportunity too, to thank all the local groups and organisations that are already doing such good work, which will be complemented by this new centre.”

For more on Horizon visit www.horizonyouthzone.org

DOES YOUR POOCH HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE THE NEW FACE OF SIBSEY AND BOSTON?

In celebration of its new Millers Walk development in Sibsey, Boston, Chestnut Homes is on the hunt for a new pawfect furry mascot, and is calling on local dog owners to nominate their favourite pooches.

As a very important member of the Chestnut Homes team, the chosen winner will receive a congratulatory hamper of treats and lend a paw in creating a dog’s eye view of life at the Millers Walk development. This will include taking house hunters on a video tour of the show home, sniffing out the best walks in Boston and finding the best neighbours for treats and tummy rubs.

The competition launches on Monday 14th August 2023, with entries open for a month before finalists are chosen for a public vote. To enter, dog owners need to send a direct message with details of why their pet is so special to them, along with their favourite image or memory of their pet, to the Chestnut Homes Facebook (www.facebook.com/Chestnut.Homes) or Instagram page (www.instagram.com/chestnuthomes).

Helene Key, sales manager at Chestnut Homes, said: “We know what an important part pets play in people’s lives, and as a result, the house-buying process which is why our Furry Mascot campaign is a particularly special one to us. If you have a furry friend who loves long countryside walks, enjoys a fuss, and would like to join the ranks as a Chestnut Homes Furry Mascot, then we’d encourage you to get those nominations in, and your furry friend could be the new face of Sibsey and Boston this year.”

The Furry Mascot competition follows the successes of last year’s campaign which saw hundreds of Lincolnshire locals share pictures and videos of their dogs, with the four finalists then put to public vote on the Chestnut Homes’ social media pages. Loveable Labrador-retriever cross Ted was crowned winner and has since been representing the Chantrey Park development in Market Rasen.

Helene, added: “We launched a similar campaign to find a furry mascot for our Chantrey Park development in Market Rasen as a fun way to see a different perspective on the house search. And, since the community got so involved, we decided to expand our mascot search to Sibsey and Boston, where we opened our new development Millers Walk earlier this spring.”

“Sibsey is a fantastic village with a thriving community that has lots to offer for anyone who chooses to call it home. You get the perks of a quiet village life, but the historic town of Boston is only a 10-minute drive away with lots of great local amenities and walks for furry friends.”

Millers Walk, which takes its name from Sibsey’s prominent Grade I listed Trader Mill, comprises 39 two to five-bedroom homes across 15 house types. These include the four-bedroom Foy home –a new style for the housebuilder that is not currently available at any other Chestnut Homes development.

For more information on Chestnut Homes, visit www.chestnuthomes.co.uk.