Lincolnshire families could be asked to travel further away to attend funerals and crematoriums, as deaths doubled in the county compared to this time last year.
Local health bosses urged families in Lincolnshire to be as flexible as possible when arranging funerals of loved ones this winter.
With more people passing away than normally seen at this time of year, there is a risk of delays for crematoriums and funeral directors.
This extra 15% puts strain on funeral directors as it increases the number of those needing a funeral arranged.
At the end of November, the county’s average weekly deaths rose by nearly 60% on 2019, from 175 to 275.
Lincolnshire’s Director of Public Health, Derek Ward, said: “These are incredibly difficult times for everyone who loses a loved one.
“With restrictions on funerals unlikely to change in the near future, please be assured that everyone involved in the process is working hard to make sure arrangements are made in line with families’ wishes wherever possible.
“We are about to enter a fortnight where crematoriums have less availability, and sadly, we are seeing the number of deaths in Lincolnshire increase. Last week we saw double the amount of deaths that we would see on average for this time of year.
He added: “This means you may be offered a service at a crematorium which is not necessarily the nearest to you, to avoid your service being delayed. We’re really grateful to families for being flexible when they make arrangements.”
David Dernley, Head of Funeral Services at Lincolnshire Co-operative Ltd said: “Where families have agreed, different crematoria around the county are being used rather than their nearest.
“In some areas of the county we have offered families services over the county border, where it may be their next nearest location.”
He added: “We always respect the wishes of families as to where and when services take place and we have found that even in these difficult times, people have been very understanding.”
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We are appealing for witnesses and dashcam footage after a collision caused serious injuries to a 23-year-old man.
Just before 3.30pm yesterday (2 July), we received reports of a collision on Barholm Road in Tallington. It involved a grey BMW 335D estate, a blue BMW 116D and an orange KTM motorcycle.
The motorcycle rider, a 23-year-old man, sustained serious injuries during the collision and was taken to hospital.
If you witnessed the incident and are yet to get in touch with us, please do so. If you have any other information or dashcam footage available that may have captured the road along the A1175 at the time of the collision, get in touch.
By calling 101 quoting incident 282 of 2 July.
By emailing [email protected] quoting incident 282 of 2 July in the subject line.
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can report via the independent charity CrimeStoppers on 0800 555 111 or online.
The 2022 Destination Lincolnshire Tourism Excellence Awards are open for applications, and Destination Lincolnshire giving you the rare chance to co-create your application with Nell Barrington, a tourism awards veteran, who has helped hundreds of businesses write winning applications over the last 15 years – including national VisitEngland winners.
The Tourism Awards Masterclass is taking place on Tuesday 12 July at 11am for one-hour online. Laura Freer, Head of Marketing at Destination Lincolnshire said: “This is a golden opportunity, after years of hard work and heartache, to get your business and team recognised and rewarded.
“A well written application is key to achieving a coveted place on this year’s shortlist, and I’d encourage all tourism and visitor economy businesses who are thinking of entering – whether they are seasoned at writing award applications or not – to join us for this exclusive masterclass.
“Nell Barrington has worked with us and VisitEngland on the founding application processes of these awards, and she is perfectly placed to assist in co-creating applications that you can be proud of. This is a great opportunity for business development too – whether you are shortlisted for an award or not – discovering how to effectively apply for awards and talk up your business adds another string to your bow.
“Booking is essential and places are limited to just 35 – so be quick! This year we’ve made our masterclass available to partners and also to those who we are yet to work with for free. Call it an added bonus, after two years away from the awards circuit.
The awards masterclass is focussed on the application process, and it will spell out what the judges are looking for. You’ll learn how to make your application stand out from the local competition, helping your chances of going through to the national VisitEngland Awards in 2023.”
There are fifteen categories open for nominations from visitors attraction, accommodation providers, hospitality businesses and many more.
The deadline for nominations is July 29, with online judging starting on July 30 and mystery shopping from August 13. Finalists will be announced on Monday, August 15.
The awards ceremony will be held at the Engine Shed on October 21, and will be hosted by Lincs FM presenter, John Marshall.
The event is organised by Stonebow Media, publishers of The Lincolnite, to celebrate the best businesses in Greater Lincolnshire, alongside headline sponsors Lincoln College and Destination Lincolnshire.
We would also like to thank our other sponsors Visit Lincolnshire, Heart of Lincs, Duncan and Toplis and LNER, insight6 and EV Camel.