Keeping the kids busy over summer can be tricky. It’s even harder when the rain is pouring down and they want something to do. The Lincolnite has pulled together some fun, indoor activities that can keep them occupied on those soggy afternoons.
FishTank Summer School Week
When: July 23 to July 27
Where: Lincoln Drill Hall
Time: 10.00am to 03.00pm
Price: £60 for the week
Children aged seven to 11 can spend a week putting together a play. Working with others, they can make friends and be creative. Once it’s written, they’ll perform it in a special show for their parents. This could fill up the entire first week of the dreaded summer holidays, but they will need to have packed lunches.
When: July 24
Where: Hartsholme Park
Time: 01.00pm
Price: £3.30 per child
Learning to survive in the outdoors is a life skill that any child can learn. This shelter building afternoon will help youngsters cope with the rain and keep themselves dry. Parents must accompany them but they’ll be given the guidance of an experienced park ranger.
More information
Storytime
When: Every Thursday
Where: Play at The Collection
Time: 11.15am
Price: Free for Under 5s
Every Thursday, little ones can enjoy a free story reading at the Play section of The Collection on Danes Terrace. This might go well during a morning of shopping and could be topped off with a look around the rest of The Collection’s displays.
When: May 19 to September 2
Where: The Collection
Time: 10.00am to 04.00pm
Price: £4 for adults, free for Under 13s with an adult
Older children who are into their Horrible Histories might love to see some of the gruesome devices on show. Just because school’s out, it doesn’t mean they can’t learn something and it could be turned into an activity for the whole family.
When: July 23 to end of school holidays
Where: Red Imps Room at Sincil Bank Stadium
Time: 02.00pm to 04.00pm weekdays
Price: Free
Children up to the age of 16 will be able to take part in some free daily activities at Lincoln City’s stadium. Arts and crafts, dance, sports and team-building events will all be on offer. Under 8s are welcome, but they must have an adult with them.
Diddy Disco
When: July 28
Where: Lincoln Drill Hall
Time: 10.30am to 12.30pm
Price: £2 per each adult and child
What better place to have your young ones up on their feet than at a disco? They can bop to the music and make friends while you relax with a free coffee. Chatting to other parents might also give you more opportunities for play dates.
Toy and Train Fair
When: August 5
Where: Lincolnshire Showground
Time: 10.00am to 03.00pm
Price: £2.50
Run by the Julie and John Webb family, this travelling fair sees traders from all over sell their classic and modern toys. From vintage train sets to more recent action figures, it could be great to show your kids what you grew up with.
When: August 6 to August 10
Where: The Grandstand on Carholme Road
Time: 09.00am to 05.00pm
Price: £10 per child per day, £40 per child for all week
Local organisation Off The Bench will be running a week-long series of activities during the most hectic time of year. Some of the wide range of events include laser tag, street gold and media workshops. Kids will be able to get hands on and try out something new every day. Consent forms and more information can be found at the Off the Bench website.
Flower Festival
When: August 16 to August 20
Where: Lincoln Cathedral
Time: 07.30am to 08.00pm
Price: £10 for adults, Under 16s free
Even if it’s pouring with rain outside, children and parents can still enjoy the outdoors by seeing some of the 130 flower displays at the Cathedral. This year’s event will have an Olympic theme, to keep the Games alive after the Closing Ceremony.
More information
The Showroom Climbing Wall
When: Various
Where: The Showroom on Tritton Road
Time: 10.00am to 09.00pm weekdays, 10.00am to 05.00pm weekends
Price: Various for different age groups
Lincolnshire’s largest indoor climbing wall might be the best place to keep the kids active even when they can’t go outdoors. There are a variety of taster sessions, climbing clubs and events on offer.
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It wasn’t disclosed which players would be missing for Lincoln City, but manager Michael Appleton said four players could be out for up to three matches.
The postponing of this fixture will allow for the Imps to recover their squad and get everyone back to fitness.
A rearranged date for the match will be announced in due course, as well as information for fans who bought an iFollow match pass.
Lincoln City are currently three points clear at the top of the League One table, daring to dream of a promotion to the Championship.
Next up for the Imps, weather permitting, will be a home game against relegation battlers Northampton Town, on Saturday, January 23.
Thirty dogs with fur so matted their breeds were unrecognisable, and many covered in faeces, were found in a neglected state in kennels outside a property in the Skegness area.
The RSPCA was alerted to the plight of the dogs last week and the owner agreed to sign the pets over into the care of the animal welfare charity.
The dogs were taken by rescuers for immediate veterinary attention. Several of them were so badly matted that they had to have their fur shaved off.
The matting had caused skin problems for some of the dogs. Many also needed emergency dental work to enable them to eat properly.
One dog had puss leaking from her mouth and the situation reduced the rescue staff to tears.
Thirty dogs were found in a neglected state in kennels outside a property in the Skegness area. | Photo: RSPCA
The dogs were all cross-breeds and included Dachshunds, Yorkshire Terriers, Toy Poodles and German Shepherd types.
All the dogs are in need of care and rehabilitation from the RSPCA. When they are ready they will then be rehomed at a later date.
The dogs were in such a bad way their breeds were unrecognisable. | Photo: RSPCA
Ella Carpenter, manager at RSPCA Radcliffe Animal Centre in Nottinghamshire, said: “Clearly the dogs had been neglected for a significant amount of time and required their coats to be completely shaved and urgent dentals to be carried out. They were unrecognisable as to their breeds.
“One dog was in such a state she has pus leaking from her mouth. It was so upsetting to see it reduced rescue staff to tears
“Thankfully, dematting and removing the vast majority of their overgrown fur has already given the dogs a new lease of life.
“They are now able to move freely without experiencing the pain of those heavy matts, glued together with excrement, pulling and tearing at their skin.
“We will continue to regularly bathe them to help improve their skin condition and we will spend the coming weeks rehabilitating them and will give them lots of care and attention so when we are ready to re-home the dogs we can match them with a perfect future owner.”
The father of a woman who went missing in her teens nearly 30 years ago issued a fresh appeal to help try and find his daughter on her 43rd birthday.
Jaime Ann Cheesman was just 16-years-old when she was reported missing in November 1993, but she has never been found despite extensive and numerous reported sightings.
The last confirmed sighting of Jaime was on November 2, 1993, when she was seen by neighbours walking in Comber Place in Grimsby.
Reports were also later investigated that she was going by the name of Naomi and was in a hotel in London. More recently, there was an unconfirmed sighting of Jaime in Alnwick, Northumberland in 2019.
Her mum passed away without ever knowing what happened to her daughter, but her father Eric has made a fresh appeal via Humberside Police for help in tracing Jaime on what would have been her 43rd birthday.
Jaime as a child and a digital image of how she may look today. | Photo: Humberside Police
Eric said: “It’s been a long time but I am still hopeful. I do really miss her – like any dad would. I just want my daughter home.
“I don’t have a clue what happened to Jaime but I will never give up hope that I will see her again. I am confident she will be back home one day.
“I know she had a lot of friends in Grimsby, so I’m hoping that someone who knew them all may be able to help us.”
Jaime aged 14. | Photo: Humberside Police
Humberside Police have been involved in the search for Jaime for the past five years after taking over from Northamptonshire Police.
Since taking over the case, Humberside Police have carried out a forensic examination of the now demolished property at Comber Place.
They have also gone over more than 500 of Jaime’s letters, diaries and notes. From those, police have put together a list of names of those she was closest to (as seen below).
Jaime’s links to Grimsby. | Photo: Humberside Police
Detective Sergeant Sam Cunnington, who is now leading the investigation, said: “Due to the length of time Jaime has been missing, this is a very complex and difficult investigation.
“We have no CCTV, mobile phones or social media to assist us and many witnesses can’t remember accurate times and dates for when they may have seen her.
“However, we will not give up hope of finding her. I hope she is living a safe and prosperous life somewhere.
“Jaime, if you’re reading this, please get in touch with me or your dad to let us know you’re okay. You may not want to come home and that’s fine but we need to know that you’re safe.”
The investigation timeline. | Photo: Humberside Police
He added: “Although she was brought up in Westminster Road, in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, Jaime spent a lot of time in Grimsby where her best friend Joanne had family links.
“In the early 90s, Joanne’s parents – Clive and Valerie – secured a council house in Comber Place and the family moved to the area.
“They moved back to Wellingborough in 1993 but in November of that year Jaime returned to Grimsby with Clive and Joanne’s boyfriend Peter to tie up some loose ends.
“She and Peter stayed at Comber Place but we are told she stormed out following an argument over some CDs but when she didn’t come back or return to Wellingborough, she was reported missing.”
Anyone who remembers Jaime, or is one of the people named in the list of friends, should contact police on 101 or via email at [email protected]
Information can also be reported anonymously to Missing People by calling or texting 116000.