On Tuesday 5 July the NHS turns 74 years old, providing the perfect opportunity to recognise the amazing work that all NHS staff do across Lincolnshire for patients. Day in day out, they go above and beyond making sure patients receive outstanding care personally delivered. I feel privileged to work among such dedicated colleagues as the manager of the United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity.
To celebrate the health service’s birthday, we are inviting the people of Lincolnshire to join the biggest NHS tea party by hosting their own NHS Big Tea. The NHS Big Tea is led by NHS Charities Together, and is bringing the nation together to celebrate the NHS through the national treasure of a cup of tea.
In partnership with another great local cause, the Lincolnshire NHS Charity, we are hosting our very own Big Tea event on Saturday 2 July at Ellenders Bar at Boston United in Boston, from 2pm – 5pm.
You can find out more on our Trust’s website here. The event will have live music, a raffle, cakes and much more. It is free to enter and there is no need to register.
Having your support really does make a massive difference to all of the NHS staff working across the county. To sign up to host your own NHS Big Tea event and receive a fundraising support pack, please visit the NHS Charities Together website.
United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust (ULHT) is also working with Morrisons stores across Lincolnshire to help raise money for our charity.
United Lincolnshire Hospitals Charity supports more than 750,000 people each year across the four hospital sites in Boston, Grantham, Lincoln and Louth, and supports our staff to deliver outstanding care to our patients, their families and carers. Founded in 1996, the charity funds the extras which we know can’t be provided by the NHS alone. Your support helps to improve the patient and staff experience at your local hospital. Find out more about the charity on the Trust’s website.
I would like to give a massive thank you to all my amazing colleagues for the incredible work you do, not only in caring for patients but also in looking out for each other. You really are an inspiration and what better opportunity to say thank you than on the anniversary of the NHS.
Ben Petts is the NHS Trust Charity Manager for United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust
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We are appealing for witnesses after a man in his 40s was found with life-threatening injuries in Lincoln.
We received a report from hospital staff that a man had been brought in by ambulance crews with serious injuries. It be believed he was found by a member of the public at the junction of Ripon Street and Chequers Court in the lower area of Lincoln High Street at around 2.40am on 16 August.
His condition is described as life-threatening, and he remains in hospital. We are attempting to trace next of kin, but have so far been unable to locate them, and would appeal to anyone who believes they might know this man to get in touch.
At this stage we are keeping an open mind about the cause of the injuries and we would like to understand more about the circumstances in which they were sustained.
There may be a number of witnesses who can help our investigation who may have seen the man at around the time he was found injured, or in the hours before. The injured man is described as white, around 5ft 8 inches tall with a slim build, and short brown hair. He was wearing a brown T-shirt, black jeans, and light blue shoes.
We are particularly keen to speak with a man and a woman who we believe were with him around the time he had been found injured. These people are not suspects. We hope that they can provide information about the man’s movements that night, or provide information about how he sustained his injuries.
The woman is described as having red hair and in her mid 30s. The man is described as tall and thin wearing a cap and a black coloured shirt. They left via Monson Street in the direction of the city centre.
We are also keen to see any dashcam, mobile phone footage, doorbell footage, or CCTV of the High Street area between 1am and 3pm on August 17.
If you have information which could help, there are a number of ways to get in touch:
By calling 101 quoting incident 200 of 17 August.
By emailing [email protected] quoting incident 200 of 17 August in the subject line.
If you wish to remain anonymous,
A tanning studio in Lincoln is fighting for its survival after an astronomical hike in electricity prices – which leaves the business in need of more than £50,000 extra cash to afford the bills next year.
Hot Chocolate Tanning Studio is entering its 18th year in business. Situated at Lincoln’s Carlton Centre, the store has been a mainstay for people wanting to use sun beds to top up their tan throughout the year.
There are a total of ten sun beds at the studio, with around 250 people using them during peak weeks in summer months.
The future of the business is now in doubt, and there are genuine fears of closure after an astronomical rise in electricity prices – an essential expense for a company such as this one.
Hot Chocolate Tanning Studio can be found at the Carlton Centre in Lincoln. | Photo: Ellis Karran for The Lincolnite
Salon owner Lucy Wilkinson, 43, told The Lincolnite her business is dreading the “new wave” of financial turmoil, after so many struggled to navigate their way through the COVID-19 pandemic.
Hot Chocolate currently pays 13p per kilowatt of electricity used, but a new deal with her energy supplier leaves her with a seemingly impossible gap to bridge. From December, her bills will now rise to 55.44p per kilowatt – a near 350% increase.
“It’s been such an emotional rollercoaster, dreading what might happen”, Lucy said. “I just want my business to survive, it’s a big worry.
“We can’t make money elsewhere really because the price of everything else is going up, too. It’s a lot for us to juggle right now.”
To contextualise just how quickly the price of electricity has soared, Hot Chocolate Tanning Studio was quoted a price of 30.7p on May 31 this year. In less than three months that has gone up to 55.44p.
The studio has ten sun beds, and relies on electricity to run them through the day for customers to use. | Photo: Ellis Karran for The Lincolnite
Lucy told The Lincolnite that her June electricity bill was £2,500, but when the terms of the new agreement come in, it would have been £8,500.
It comes as energy companies continue to record billions upon billions of pounds in profit, while also warning of price hikes that could leave those most vulnerable in society without the financial means to heat or power their homes.
Lucy said now is the time for her voice to be heard, as she feels it is a case of energy companies “gambling with people’s lives” in light of the consistent price boosts.
An incoming electric bill hike of around 350% leaves Hot Chocolate Tanning Studio on the brink. | Photo: Ellis Karran for The Lincolnite
She continues: “Next year I have to find around £55-60,000 just to pay the electricity bill, it’s got to a stage where we don’t know how much longer we have left as a business.
“Around one third of my income now goes on electricity alone, and it is only going to get worse. We will just have to take it month by month as December arrives, and due to being tied to two years of rent payments, we will be forced to pay these rates until we go bust.
“It breaks my heart to see these companies turning over huge profits and then doing this. I found myself thinking surely the government will help soon, surely the prices will drop, but nothing yet.”
While Lucy maintains her positivity, it has become hard to not worry about the future of her business. | Photo: Ellis Karran for The Lincolnite
With this large cost hike comes difficult decisions for Lucy. It isn’t just a case of her finances being affected, it is the careers of her seven staff members, as well as the customer base she has worked tirelessly to build up over the years.
She has had to put up the prices of her studio’s services, which could result in driving customers away.
“We’ve had mixed reactions to our increased rates”, Lucy added. “I’ve just had to be 100% honest with them and explain why are prices are going up. We had to act now so we didn’t collapse when business slowed in winter.
“Normally a 5p increase is considered when prices go up, but I’ve been forced to bump it up by 15p – which could be too much for our customers to handle.
“We’re trying to stay positive and we will always ensure we maintain our high standards, but we are a busy salon because a lot of customers like our staff and services.
“If I start losing my lovely, professional staff it won’t be the same place. I don’t know the answers, all I know is that rising costs have already closed so many businesses, and I don’t want us to be next.”
As Prime Minister candidates Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak defend energy company profits and regularly reject windfall tax proposals on major corporations, small local businesses like this one feel the brunt and wonder how they can survive in a British economy on the verge of crisis.
Lucy in communication with the Federation of Small Businesses, as well as the Sunbed Association to try and raise awareness of these rising bills. It is truly desperate times for a business approaching two decades of service in Lincoln.
If you would like to speak to our reporter about the issues highlighted in this article, or to share your story, please email [email protected]
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