Lincoln Cathedral Connected: boosting a city asset
Major redevelopment: Lincoln Cathedral Chief Executive Phil Hamlyn Williams explains the big plans for the iconic building and what it means for the city.
Lincoln’s Cathedral and Close have been shaped by many people and events. The stories surrounding milestones in the life of our building provide an instant and compelling link with the past, embodying themes which still resonate today.
Our major project, Lincoln Cathedral Connected, aims to reanimate these stories, engaging people with the Cathedral’s history, archaeology and architecture through a programme of activities, events and interpretation which will inspire, educate and inform.
This exciting and ambitious project will transform the visitor experience and engage a wider range of people with the Cathedral. Restoration of the Close’s historic character will create new areas where we can offer more dynamic, welcoming spaces.
The project will make a substantial contribution to the economy of the region and set the Cathedral on a firmer financial footing, helping to meet the costs of conservation and making the Cathedral’s removal from the ‘Heritage at Risk’ register a realistic prospect.
An overview of the Lincoln Cathedral plans. Click to enlarge.
The project focuses on three interpretative themes, through which the history, archaeology and architecture of the Cathedral will be explained during your visit.
We want to open a window into past lives from a variety of cultural and social backgrounds: the men of the Roman army’s Ninth Spanish Legion who built the first defensive fort at the site around 60AD; the 25,611 Bomber Command aircrew listed in Lincoln Cathedral’s Rolls of Honour; the memorial window dedicated to Rosamund Acworth, a local school-girl who died suddenly in 1899 during gym class; Close resident George Boole, the mathematician whose work was influential on the development of the digital technology; the macabre tomb of Bishop Flemming, an example of how art and architecture were influenced by the Black Death.
Lincoln Cathedral was built in a world of people immersed in symbolism which today most of us can no longer ‘read’. Recognising emblems unlocks the medieval mind, and our ancestors’ concerns for upholding morality and leading a good life. We want to provide the opportunity to understand the morality tales played out in the Romanesque Frieze, be intrigued by the Gallery of Kings (some of whom may once have been queens!), and be inspired to explore and decode the Cathedral’s many mysteries for themselves.
Lincoln Cathedral demonstrates the incredible skill of the craftsmen and women who have built and maintained it over the centuries; a tradition continued today by our 30 strong works department. Our project will include conservation of some of the Cathedral’s most precious and internationally important architecture, which will provide a wonderful opportunity to engage with traditional craft skills as well as the building itself.
A sketch of the revamped North Green, which will be opened out to the public.
The Cathedral will not only act as a place of worship and history, but a wonderful place to spend time with friends and family. New facilities and relaxing open spaces will offer another dimension to our visitor experience whilst improving life in the historic heart of Lincoln.
This will be both virtually and through displays in the proposed new interpretation space. Capital work on the Cathedral and its grounds is required to create a welcoming and hospitable space. This is integral to the delivery of interpretative media, object displays, tours, activities and events developed to enhance the visitor experience.
The projects will offer opportunities for both volunteering and employment. It will give a focus for greater co-operation between the cathedral and the city’s other tourist attractions to promote a high quality tourist ‘package’.
We submit our application to the Heritage Lottery Fund on 29th Nov 2013 and will hear the outcome in April 2014, when we hope to be awarded a development grant to further develop our plans. This will include consultation with visitors, cathedral staff and volunteers and Lincoln residents. We would then submit a round 2 application in 2015, hoping to start work by 2016.
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Phil Hamlyn Williams is a writer and Chair of Trustees at Lincoln Drill Hall and the Lincoln Book Festival. He was Chief Executive of Lincoln Cathedral. He spent twenty five years in the accounting profession with ten years as a partner in Price Waterhouse. He then worked in management and finance in the charity sector.
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His family described him as an “NHS hero who dedicated his life to his career” and now he will be honoured as such at his funeral on Friday, January 22.
Tony Chadbourne worked in the ambulance service for over 20 years. | Photo: EMAS
Tony had recently received his 20 year service medal from EMAS, and was promoted to Duty Operations Manager a month before his passing.
EMAS posted a tribute on social media on the day of the funeral, vowing to mark Tony’s life with a minute’s silence at 12.45pm.
It reads: “Due to current national restrictions, we cannot pay our respects in the way we normally would for a colleague and so instead will be marking a minute’s silence at 12.45pm today, wherever we are.
“If you would like to join us in observing a minute’s silence to remember Tony, wherever you are at 12.45pm, please do.”
A number of heartfelt tributes have been shared by people at EMAS to remember Tony, from staff and bosses alike.
Richard Henderson, EMAS chief executive, said: “Losing Chad is incredibly sad, and it’s difficult to find the words to express how colleagues across the service will be feeling as they hear this devastating news.
“My thoughts are with Chad’s family, and his close colleagues and good friends, many of whom will be at work today and over the coming weeks; continuing to provide emergency and urgent care for those who need it.”
Her Royal Highness, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, surprised local healthcare staff at the Lincolnshire General Practice Nurse Conference.
The Queen’s daughter-in-law, who is married to Prince Edward, joined the start of the conference on Wednesday, January 20 and thanked all healthcare staff in Lincolnshire for their efforts during the pandemic.
She was welcomed to the conference on what was her 56th birthday by Dr Helen Garr.
She spoke with the nurses and healthcare assistants and asked how they were coping during the pandemic.
Nurses and HCAs attending the conference.
The day before her 89-year-old father had his COVID vaccine and Sophie said “it was a huge weight off my mind”.
“I know that that wouldn’t be happening without the care and attention of the nurses out in general surgeries,” she said.
The conference also included professional development sessions, the launch of the ShinyMind wellbeing app, and the General Practice Nurse and Health Care Assistant Awards.
The Lincolnshire Training Hub Team.
Lisa Freeman, Director of Nursing at Lincolnshire Training Hub, said: “To have such a high profile visitor attend our conference and recognise all of the hard work which goes on with nursing teams in Lincolnshire General Practice has provided a much needed boost to our workforce.
“We all headed into the practices with a spring in our step.”
Dr Runa Saha, GP and Medical Director at Lincolnshire Training Hub, said: “We are committeed to supporting the recruitment, training and development needs for General Practice in Lincolnshire. Our workforce are passionate about meeting the needs of the Lincolnshire patients.
“We are proud to be supporting the growth of the workforce through placements in Primary Care for students from the University of Lincoln and other institutions, creating a new generation of healthcare staff.”
Awards winners
Nurse of the Year – Celia Hughes
HCA/NA of the Year – Peter Malleappah
Nursing Team of the Year – Church Walk
Student Placement of the Year – Abbey Medical Group
The Extra Mile Award – Sue Smith
Outstanding Contribution to General Practice – Adele Parsons
NHS bosses are hoping to offer all care homes in Lincolnshire the first COVID vaccine dose by the end of the week.
Director of Nursing at Lincolnshire CCG Martin Fahy told BBC Radio Lincolnshire that about three quarters has been completed so far.
By Thursday, nearly 50,000 people in the county received doses of vaccine — more than half of the county’s over 80 population.
Mr Fahy said Lincolnshire’s health services had been “at great guns” now for a number of weeks.
“We’re on track to complete all our care homes by this weekend, so we’re really excited about that,” he said.
“Care homes are one of our top priority groups at the moment.”
“We were one of the first areas to open up, and we now have all of our local vaccination centres up and running.
“Lincolnshire is very much ahead of the game and we’re making really good progress in that respect.”
The figures released Thursday show 49,633 jabs between December 8 and January 17. It’s the first time localised figures have been released.
It means they do not include some figures from the Boston mass vaccination centre which opened at the beginning of the week.
The data shows that of the doses given, 24,253 were aged over 80 for their first dose, with a further 1,562 receiving a second jab.
Some 22,682 people under the age of 80 have received their first vaccination and another 1,136 have been given their second.
Lincolnshire County Council’s Director of Public Health Professor Derek Ward confirmed there were currently 15 care homes with an outbreak of more than one case.
They include around 70 residents and a similar number of staff.
Earlier today, he said the vaccination news across the county was “decent”, and added the NHS services across the county had been “doing a great job” in rolling it out.
However, he still urged more local details to be released.