The places with the highest and lowest vehicle crime rates in Lincolnshire

Around 500 mourners gathered at the funeral of two-year-old Louisiana Brooke Dolan, who tragically lost her life in caravan fire at Ingoldmells.

Louisiana was on holiday at the Sealands Caravan Park in Ingoldmells, with her mum Natasha and her three siblings, when the fire broke out on the night of Monday, August 23. The toddler sadly died in the fire, but her mum and the other children were able to escape.

The funeral had a pink theme, with a huge Peppa Pig floral tribute and people wearing pink shirts.

Kind contributors donated more than £19,400 towards the family ahead of the funeral, which took place at St Mary Magdalene Church in Newark on Monday, September 27.

Police investigations are continuing into Louisiana’s death, while an inquest recently gave a provisional cause of death as ‘inhalation of products of combustion’.

A family-run cat cafe in Lincoln will reopen in its new paw-sitively purrfect location in the uphill area of the city later this month.

Coffee Cats opened on Silver Street on October 1, 2019, and was home to seven adorable cats — Empress Matilda, Snorri, Mary Moo, Boudica, Cleo, Baloo, Ratatoskr. The cafe temporarily closed during part of the coronavirus lockdown in April last year and reopened for a short while before the move began in August.

Mary Moo, Boudica and Cleo have since been adopted, while new felines Alfie, Ethel, and Nicky have moved into the cafe. Nicky is the youngest at just over a year old, while the oldest is 17-year-old Snorri.

The seven cats and the Brown family are now settling in well at their new location on The Strait, which they hope to open to the public in mid-October.

The premises was previously home to The Crafty Bottle, which closed last year after the brewing company left the UK for Portugal.

Manager Stephen Brown told The Lincolnite that coronavirus was a big factor in the move as previous social distancing rules had limited the amount of customers they could have in the cafe, making it difficult to afford the rent and business rates.

It forced their hands to look for a new premises and Stephen said “the location is better and in a lovely area”.

Stephen said: “It is exciting with the new premises. The cats are settling in well and already attracting the attention of passers-by. We are looking forward to welcoming regular and new customers.”

As well as housing the seven adorable cats, the cafe also serves Stokes Coffee and fresh treats, with vegan and gluten-free options.

The cafe will still house the same seven felines, who can be sponsored at a price of £5 per cat via the Coffee Cats website here.

More than one person can sponsor each cat and the money raised will go towards the upkeep of the animals, including food, cat litter and vet bills.

The cafe will be open from Tuesdays to Sundays from 11am to 3pm and then later from 5pm to 8pm. People can book one-hour slots on the website for £5 per person.

A community grocery store which aims to help people cut the cost of a weekly shop will be opening in Lincoln next week.

The Lincoln Community Grocery will be based in the Central Methodist Church on the High Street, and it will offer affordable food for its members when it opens on Tuesday, October 5.

People who sign up for memberships will be able to do a large food shop for just £3 a visit, saving on average more than £30 per shop, with the same choice you would expect in local supermarkets.

Membership costs just £5 a year and members are entitled to visit the grocery three times a week, as well as choosing their own shopping for their families.

Fresh fruit and vegetables, tinned goods, frozen foods, as well as sanitary and household items will be available at the store, which is an initiative of national charity The Message Trust.

For just £3, customers can expect their shop to include one loaf of bread, five portions of fruit and veg, five box and canned items, two frozen items, two mix and match items and one non-food item. Stock will depend on the number of donations made to the charity.

Members will also have access to a range of services including employment clubs, debt advice, cookery courses and mental wellbeing help.

Lincoln’s Community Grocery will be run in partnership with Alive Church Lincoln and Acts Trust, and it will become the tenth community grocery store in England.

Andy Hawthorne OBE, chief executive and founder of The Message Trust said: “COVID-19 and lockdowns have had a massive impact on everyone’s lives, but for millions it’s made it difficult for them to afford everyday essentials like food.

“We couldn’t stand by and do nothing, so the Community Groceries began. Bridging the gap between supermarkets and foodbanks, we’re here to make it easier for our members to put food on the table by reducing the cost of the weekly shop, whilst also providing them with support and courses too.

“Over 7,800 members across the UK are now shopping in stores each week, and we can’t wait to welcome people to Lincoln Community Grocery from October 5.”