City of Lincoln Council have agreed to keep uphill Lincoln’s play area Wickham Gardens open, despite original plans to sell it.
The announcement came on November 23 at a Full Council meeting in the Guildhall, which was open to the public.
The council will deliver the recommendation to the Executive to keep the play area, donated to the public in 1914.
As previously reported, parents grew concerned when they noticed play equipment disappearing earlier this year; there is now only a climbing frame.
The council responded that the play area cost £3,000 to maintain per year, and that there was another play area in the Lawn, across the road.
The local community went on to create SWINGS, which put together a petition to keep the gardens open for use.
Leader of action group SWINGS, Victoria Douch, delivered the petition to City Hall, which was signed by over 1100 people.
“As a mother of three and regular user of Wickham Gardens, I was really shocked earlier in the year to discover the majority of the play equipment had been removed.
“I called the [City of Lincoln] Council to find out why and was told Wickham Gardens was being disposed of.
“There were two small adverts in the back of the local paper about the closure, but no other users knew about this closure and there had been no notices displayed on site.
“We formed community group SWINGS and we all have an interest in ensuring Wickham Gardens remains open to recreational facilities for the whole community both young and old.
“We are aware of the Council’s play strategy, where 11 play areas will be redesigned.
“However this strategy saw Wickham Gardens score highly as a play division for children and young people.
“What process led to Wickham Gardens being disposed of?” Douch asked.
Leader of the City of Lincoln Council Darren Grice said: “The initial decision to sell the land at Wickham Gardens was made so that the council could gain capital receipt.
“As we investigated the sale, restrictions became apparent, and within the last month we found that the sale would produce no capital receipt for the council.
“With the original reason for the sale gone, we saw no purpose in pursuing it, so have agreed to refer the matter back to the Executive in order to overturn the decision to sell.
“Whilst the SWINGS campaign was held within a similar timescale, this had no bearing on our decision to retain the land.
“The situation will remain as it has been in recent times, with no investment in the land by the council.
“We would facilitate an agreement between the [Westgate Primary] school and the community about use of the land, but this is where our involvement will end.
“Our Play Strategy is very clear about where investment will be made in the city.”
* Douche was delighted that Wickham Gardens would be kept open for its intended use as originally outlined in 1914.
“I wholly believe that thanks to the immense support from the local community, petitioners, our local Councillor Donald Nannestad, the Dean and Chapter of Lincoln Cathedral, the Friends of Lincoln Tank, the Civic Trust and the Bailgate Guild, and the fact that we joined forces to show the strength of feeling in the area, we managed to shame the Council in to overturning the original decision.
“We fully appreciate that these are difficult times, and that the Council need to make budgetary savings, however, this green space in central Lincoln is priceless to the local community.
“If it had been developed on as the Council originally intended, it would have been lost forever.
“We will now be working to obtain external funding to replace the play equipment, and to work towards returning Wickham Gardens to a vibrant recreational space for the whole community to enjoy.”
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The firm voted as the ‘Best Dressed Stall’ at Lincoln Christmas Market has donated its £500 prize money to the family of a teenager who is battling cancer for the fourth time.
Riley Clifton, 14, is fighting his fourth cancer battle, which his mother Vicky says is now palliative. He was first diagnosed with a Wilms tumour in 2010, which is a type of childhood cancer that starts in the kidneys.
During his third battle with cancer, Riley underwent major surgery at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester in February last year. The Lincoln teenager had some of his membrane, very bottom of lung, two ribs and half his diaphragm removed as the tumour was so big and stuck.
Over £8,000 was raised via a GoFundMe page and, after further treatment, his end of treatments scans were all clear, but sadly he is now going through another cancer battle. A Facebook group with over 8,000 members set up by his mum is following Riley’s emotional journey with cancer.
Kay and Kev of Sun Cloud donated their £500 prize to the family of Lincoln teenager Riley Clifton, who is currently battling cancer for a fourth time.
Lincoln Christmas Market held a competition for the ‘Best Dressed Stall’ which was voted for on Facebook by visitors with prizes of £500, £300 and £200 for the top three.
Lincoln-based massage and reflexology business Sun Cloud said before being announced as the winner that they would donate any prize money to Riley and his family, saying: “Not once during his 12 years on and off battle has he ever complained and is always smiling. He has been through more than most adults will in their lifetime.”
Sun Cloud thanked everyone for voting them as the ‘Best Dressed Stall’.
Sun Cloud said winning the prize meant “the world” to them and they thanked everyone for voting.
House of Signs was awarded the £300 prize for second place, while Alpaca Select finished 3rd and won £200.
The first case of the Omicron variation of COVID-19 has been confirmed in Lincolnshire.
Health bosses in the county say they are aware of two cases at the same workplace in Boston, however one of the two is not a Lincolnshire resident.
The close contacts of the cases have been identified.
People living in the county have been warned more cases are expected to be identified in the coming weeks, and that rules on face masks and social distancing should be followed.
Professor Derek Ward, Director of Public Health in Lincolnshire, told BBC Radio Lincolnshire on the morning of Tuesday, December 7: “We have had one confirmed case of the Omicron COVID-19 variant in Lincolnshire, from the Boston area.
“We know there are two cases from the same workplace in the town, but one of those cases isn’t a Lincolnshire resident, and has actually recently returned from Southern Africa.
“As compared to what the Secretary of State said last night, we can connect this person and this case with foreign travel.
“I’m not worried about the fact it’s here in the county. It was always going to come into the county. No matter what happens across the planet with COVID -19, we are going to experience it.
“The key thing for this case is the UK health security agency are leading the investigation. They are working very closely with me and my team, and we have identified all the close contacts who are self-isolating along with government guidelines and testing. We are doing everything we can.
“As the Secretary of State said last night, I think it’s absolutely clear that this particular variant is now out across the country.
“I only know of one case in Lincolnshire in particular, but I would not be surprised whatsoever if we find there are more cases today, tomorrow and through the rest of the week.
“It’s really important that we stick by the rules and remember what we’re supposed to do.”
A Stamford inventor has launched a new product described as an “innovative 21st century alternative to unsightly chains and cords for sunglasses and spectacles,” which is now available to buy on Amazon.
Former police firearms officer John Blaylock has been wearing glasses for around four years, but they kept slipping off and he didn’t want to wear a chain or cord.
The 56-year-old damaged a pair of expensive sunglasses whilst on holiday, as well as a few pairs of reading glasses, and was determined to come up with a practical solution and more stylish alternative to the “awkward and unsightly chains and cords favoured by older generations”.
John launched his business – Gripping Innovations Limited – last year to develop and release his new product Gripsee and for creating future inventions. After months of research into the way people interact with eyewear, he made Gripsee.
Gripsee is new, patent-pending, magnetic device for keeping sunglasses and spectacles safe and secure. It is lightweight with an interchangeable cradle system and reversible 4-way design.
The Gripsee is not only good for keeping glasses in place, but also for storing them. | Photo: John Blaylock
It has initially been launched with four classic colour options, and features powerful high-grade neodymium magnets protected with a micro thin layer of coloured lamination and a generous cushion of lightweight, flexible and luxurious ‘soft touch’ material.
Gripsee is available now to buy on Amazon, priced at £8.50, and John is already in discussions with wholesalers and a major retailer, as he hopes to have it on local high streets in time for Christmas. John is applied for a design patent around 18 months ago, which he is hoping to have granted by next year.
The patent pending reactive cradle system is precision engineered to minimise movement and maximise retention to ensure glasses are always safe and secure. There will also be more colour combinations released next year, as well as other new products in the future.
The former Uppingham Community College pupil has been inventing things since he was a child. At around 11-year-olds he made a human mouse trap out of cardboard, and has always been interested in making things, as well as being fascinated by magnets.
Gripsee is new, patent-pending, magnetic device for keeping sunglasses and spectacles safe and secure. | Photo: John Blaylock
John told The Lincolnite: “When I came up with the idea and did the research, there are some solar products out there, but they have issues such as magnets shattering or detaching, so I wanted to create something better.
“I think mine is far superior. It is not only good for keeping glasses in place, but for storing them too. It is more secure than cords and chains and looks nicer, and the magnets are stronger.
“The thing about Gripsee is that it sits on the chest area, so your glasses are always in sight and you won’t lose them.”
He added that although he had to import the magnets from China, the cradles, packaging and other materials were all sourced within a 60 mile radius of Stamford.
John was born in Buckingham and later attended Uppingham Community College in Rutland before joining the army.
He owned a pet food business before becoming a police officer on the beat at Cumbria Constabulary. He later became a police firearms officer before ending his career with the force in CID.
John, who has also lived in Glasgow, Essex and Yorkshire, also previously ran his own auto locksmith company and designed and manufactured parts for programming keys for 12 years.
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