Things to do over Easter in Lincoln

Gainsborough MP Sir Edward Leigh appeared to defend the Prime Minister when he called for a “sense of proportion” on the controversy surrounding Boris Johnson’s birthday – and Grimsby’s MP has backed him to stay in his job.

A surprise party with cake and up to 30 guests was held for Boris Johnson during the first lockdown, according to ITV News, despite the rules at the time forbidding social gatherings. It is alleged Carrie Johnson, who has since become his wife, helped to organise the surprise party which was reportedly held in the Cabinet Room just after 2pm on June 19, 2020.

The Prime Minister is also under increased scrutiny as the Metropolitan Police open an investigation into a number of events at Downing Street and Whitehall in relation to potential breaches of COVID regulations. A report by civil servant Sue Gray, due to be published this week, will now be paused.

Although MP Sir Edward Leigh previously slammed those who attended reported Christmas parties at 10 Downing Street while under lockdown conditions in 2020, he appeared to defend the Prime Minster when speaking in the House of Commons on Tuesday, January 25.

He said: “When Europe stands on the brink of war and with a cost of living crisis, can we please have a sense of proportion over the Prime Minister being given a piece of cake in his own office by his own staff.”

Meanwhile, Great Grimsby MP Lia Nici also spoke in the House of Commons on Tuesday when she claimed local residents are “sick and tired” of hearing about lockdown parties the Prime Minister has allegedly attended.

“Over the weekend and the last couple of days, I’ve been out and about with my constituents in Great Grimsby, and they are sick and tired of listening to this constant thread,” she said.

“They are very happy that essential workers have gathered together for two years to get us through this pandemic.

“Would my right honourable friend send a message to the Prime Minister that they support his policies and they want him to carry on getting on with the job?”

MP Michael Ellis, the Paymaster General who was standing in for Mr Johnson, replied: “I will gladly send that message to the Prime Minister, and in fact that message is very similar to messages that the Prime Minister is hearing from our colleagues around this house.”

Mr Johnson doesn’t believe he has broken the law, a spokesman has said.

A ‘street artist’ in Lincolnshire who has spent the past two years decorating potholes to make them look like bugs in an act of defiance has set out on a new mission, flagging up craters on an airfield near to her house.

Karan Chapman Holland, a founding member of artistic protest group Bugsy Pothole on Facebook, went to Spilsby Airfield on Tuesday, January 25 to highlight the number of potholes in the area.

Bugsy Pothole invites people to “draw the council’s attention” to potholes by spray painting around the hole and creating a bug shape.

The group was created in February 2020 and has amassed more than 2,100 members in that time, setting out on a mission to “bug these councils into action”.

Bugsy Pothole has been running since 2020, putting pressure on councils to fill in potholes across Lincolnshire. | Photo: Karan Chapman Holland

Karan says she started the Bugsy Pothole group in 2020 following an incident which saw her drive into a pothole full of water, causing her car tyre to burst.

“I started it after hitting a pothole two years ago and decided to take revenge with spray paint”, Karan told The Lincolnite.

She said she couldn’t believe how quickly the group took off in popularity, but is just glad a light is being shone on the pothole issues in Lincolnshire.

“It was a shock to me, we were in The Sunday Times a few months ago and have regularly been on national news.

“It’s important to me because we have got a serious problem in Lincolnshire with potholes.”

Karan says the council track her progress and have filled in the potholes weeks after she sprays them. | Photo: Karan Chapman Holland

Upon visiting the Steeping Aerodrome on Tuesday, otherwise known as Spilsby Airfield, Karan noticed the size and severity of the potholes and made sure to mark them out in the only way she knows how at this stage, turning them into bugs.

She says there were more to spray, but ran out of paint and will be heading back there to highlight the issues on Wednesday.

Lincolnshire County Council invite members of the public to report potholes via the council website.

With February half-term imminent, a series of pop-up free-to-all activities have been organised across Lincoln city centre to keep the family entertained during time off school.

Running every day from February 12 to 20, the activities will be situated across various locations in Lincoln, including the Waterside Shopping Centre and the Cornhill Quarter.

The activities have been organised by Lincoln Business Improvement Group, and are funded through the European Regional Development Fund and the Welcome Back Fund.

Arts and crafts workshops will be up around Lincoln this half-term. | Photo: Lincoln BIG

The money has been allocated to Lincoln by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Lincoln BIG says it wanted to bring something “exciting and new” to the city, while also encouraging people to get out the house as coronavirus restrictions are gradually lifted.

Various street performances will be held in the city centre. | Photo: Lincoln BIG

All activities will be free of charge and all families are welcome to take part in the fun.

The full activities list is:

• Arts and crafts workshops, such as hula hooping and making balloon animals
• Makendoo workshops for painting and making both spring and space themed things (rockets, stars, flowers, butterfly masks etc)
• Street performances and characters, including puppetry walkabout, Granny Turismo, speed painter Jon Hicks, physical comedian Ian Marchant and a cookery demonstration like no other from Lee Whittingstall and Hugh Fearn
• Circus acts offering acrobatics, stilt walking, hula hooping etc
• Sports such as tennis and giant cricket
• Experiencing Godzilla Town, which invites people to make a mask and enter the city

The article will be updated with the exact dates and times for the various activities when they are released in the coming days.

Bringing a splash of colour and vibrancy to Lincoln city centre this February. | Photo: Lincoln BIG