Expansion move for Lincoln firm’s 50th birthday

A memorial plaque will be placed at the site that saw a Lincolnshire firefighter lose his life on the front line, 30 years on from his death.

The plaque is in honour of Malcolm Kirton, who was 38 when he died fighting a fire at a large furniture and carpet store in Gainsborough on February 2, 1992.

Malcolm was based at Saxilby fire station, and was called to the fire where it was reported that a young mother and child were inside the store.

He and a fellow firefighter when in to search for them, suffering extreme heat exhaustion and Malcolm was eventually found collapsed inside the store by an emergency breathing apparatus crew.

It was later discovered that the mother and child were inside the store, but had managed to escape through a window, something Malcolm and his colleague were unaware of when they went in to search for them.

It will be placed near to the site of the store as part of the Fire Brigade Union’s Red Plaque scheme, which aims to commemorate firefighters who lose their life in the line of duty.

The unveiling will take place on the 30th anniversary of Malcolm’s death, near the Elm Cottage Pub on Church Street, beginning at 1pm and free to attend for the public.

His family members, some firefighter colleagues, national officials from the union and local civil dignitaries will be present at the event.

Ben Selby, Fire Brigades Union vice president and executive council member for the East Midlands, said: “Leading firefighter Malcolm Kirton was a popular firefighter and loving family man with two young children. He gave the ultimate sacrifice in trying to save the lives of others.

“His bravery and what he gave cannot be forgotten, and this plaque will help to ensure this is the case. It will have a prominent position in the local community, and will be a fitting tribute to Malcolm.”

Lincolnshire’s Chief Fire Officer, Mark Baxter, said: “The death of a firefighter while on duty is a tragedy and it’s important that Malcolm and his contribution to the service, is remembered. The events of that incident will live long in the memory of so many people, so having a place dedicated in recognising Malcolm is so important.

“This commemoration reminds us of the bravery of firefighters serving their communities, and of the importance of our continued efforts to make the profession as safe as possible.”

Campaigners challenging a massive solar farm project to the South of Lincolnshire fear the county will soon have a “sea of panels” dominating the landscape and the damaging farming and environment.

The Mallard Pass Solar Farm development by Windel Energy and Canadian Solar would cover more than 2,000 acres of farmland across the Rutland and Stamford border area and would generate enough power for 92,000 homes. It would be eight times the size of the UK’s current largest solar farm.

Members of Mallard Pass Action Group, a campaign group set up to challenge the development, met with MPs and council leaders at the site on Friday to set out their opposition to the plans.

One member, Keith Busfield, told Local Democracy Reporter Daniel Jaines that the farm needed to be looked at in context of further proposals already beginning consultation, including:

• Low Carbon’s plans for Gate Burton, near Gainsborough
• Ecotricity’s plans off the A17 near Heckington
• Island Green’s plans for two projects at Cottom and West Burton
• And a sixth one near Great Sturton also suspected to be on its way

“When you look at it at a national scale and you start to connect the dots, then hang on a minute this isn’t just about one project, it’s about a multiplicity of them,” said Keith.

“From a Lincolnshire standpoint these don’t stand in isolation, put them together nationally and we’re going to have a sea of solar panels.”

The group have begun collating evidence, and have even put together a video which simulates what the impact of the Mallard Pass Solar Farm could look like.

The group’s main concerns centre around the loss of agricultural land, however, they also include the safety standards of the farm’s storage batteries, the archeological and historical significance of at least part of the site as a Roman graveyard, whether the advantages outweigh the disadvantages and the climate impact of importing the panels from China.

Lincolnshire County Council has previously voiced its concerns over solar farms in the county, which it said was “ringing alarm bells”.

A statement from the those behind the Mallard Pass Solar Farm said there was an “urgent need to decarbonise our electricity system”.

“Mallard Pass Solar Farm would generate a significant amount of clean, renewable energy – the anticipated output is approximately equivalent to the combined domestic consumption of electricity in Rutland and South Kesteven,” they said.

“As well as providing infrastructure to generate clean energy, the project is also proposing to deliver a net-gain in biodiversity, connect habitats, and be designed in a way that responds sensitively to the surrounding landscape, respecting local residents and existing heritage features.”

They said they have not yet reached the “detailed design stage” but that initial consultations on plans showed the fields that “may be potentially suitable for panels”.

They added that panels would be spaced to allow for biodiversity, utility corridors and maintenance with around 38% for open uses.

They said feedback from those early proposals would inform the detailed designs scheduled for public release in Spring.

An entrepreneur, and one of The Lincolnite’s 30 Under 30 rising stars, has announced an equity crowd funding campaign for his business in a bid to raise £250,000 from customers.

Oliver Windle is the founder and CEO of Wildpoint – a travel website opening up gardens and private land to campers and motorhome owners – which was founded in December 2020.

The online marketplace has a mission to “make the outdoors more accessible to all”. It enables hosts to list private land, connecting them with guests who can search, browse and book unique and exclusive camping and clamping locations all over the UK, and soon Europe.

Wildpoint previously raised £265,000 in a venture capital backed funding round, allowing the business to grow the team with ex household name employees from Airbnb, Airbus, Microsoft and beyond.

Oliver has now launched an equity crowdfunding campaign – learn more about the crowdfunding campaign here.

Oliver, who was named among The Lincolnite’s 30 Under 30 in 2021, describes the decision to raise a crowdfunding round as a twofold approach.

He said: “One to raise capital to accelerate growth of the business ahead of the upcoming season, and two to allow our hosts, guests, and anyone passionate about the outdoors to become part of our story. Helping us to achieve our mission of making the outdoors more accessible to us all and enabling everyone to find their wild.

“I know I speak for everyone at Wildpoint when I say that we are taken aback by the level of support from our hosts and guests who want to see us succeed on this journey.

“The crowdfunding campaign is a way for us to open up the business and enable those hosts, guests and advocates alike to be truly invested in our vision for the future.”

Wildpoint launched its site at the end of July 2021 and since then it has signed up over 350 hosts and more than 800 users. It has also hosted over 80 nights at Wildpoint locations averaging £35 per night.