©Kirton News 2025

September 2025

As I write this, Summer is very much still with us but most of you will read this as September beckons! A recurrent theme in my letters is how fast time flies by and not to disappoint, it also features this month too!

As you will see from the front cover, Kirton News has been in publication for 60 years this year. I can only claim to have played a small part by being Editor for the last 7 and a half of those 60 years but that doesn’t diminish how proud I am to do so.

I wish I could name all the people who have been involved in bringing this publication into the homes of Kirton over the past 6 decades but sadly I can’t. Most are no longer with us but were involved out of the goodness of their hearts and a wish to be of service to our community. I’m hoping that over the years the magazine has served as a bond between us all and even though in 2025, when the internet is King, printed (and delivered) village magazines prove that the written word is still very much appreciated. Betty Pinder wrote in the June 1997 edition – ‘All the work done by the magazine team, the band of distributors, our magazine designer, advertisers and generous donors make us unique. You have all done well.’

I have a back catalogue of copies dating back to March 1996 but if anyone out there has any earlier copies, I would love to see them. Please contact me if you are happy for them to be kept in our archive! Looking back over the issues from the 90’s, I notice that the layout is still very similar and it’s always bittersweet to see those Kirton businesses that were so recognisable – Woolfair, Lewis & Kime, The Merry Monk, Jessops, The Villager Fruit Shop, to name a few.

We have some autumnal events and groups to share in this issue and Maxine Hezzell features as our Meet the Local!

If you have anything you’d like to say, someone you’d like to thank, a poem, recipe or a puzzle you’d like to share, get in touch! I’m always contactable at Editor@kirtonnews.co.uk.

Take care of yourselves and each other.

Rachael.

Kirton Church Fund

August winning numbers will be printed in the October magazine. The September draw takes place on Sunday 31st September and the winning numbers will be printed in the November magazine.

All winners have won before although July 1st prize winner won previosly with his other number. July 2nd prize winner had a win in February and conincidentally won 2nd prize in July last year too! Congratulations to all the winners.

You will see looking at the prize money above that it has gone down in June. This is because another member has died. The money will go down again next month unless new members can be found as another person is unable to renew and that will give us just 49 numbers in the draw. This is the lowest numbers in the draw since November 2023 and the lowest number of players since the Kirton Church Fund started in June 2012 with just 31 people taking part. Eleven of the members play more than one number (one member has 6 numbers, another 4 numbers and nine have 2 each.) Surely there are more people in Kirton that would like to win some money. Why don’t you come and join us and help us get the prize money up? There really is a very good chance of winning the Kirton Church Fund. We have plenty of room for more members. Anyone over 18 may take part.

You can join at any time during the year at £5 a number per month and therefore £60 annually, £30 for 6 months and £15 for 3 months. You can of course pay the £5 monthly if you wish. You can also have more than one number.

The prize fund each month is 1/4 of the money taken each month. The rest of the money goes to the up - keep of Kirton Church. (Currently the roof appeal.) The more people that join the higher the prize fund and the more money we raise for the church.

Not already a member? Do come and join us!

Registration forms are available from Fay, please email fayngeoff@gmail.com, or call in Kirton Church where forms are available. Paula’s Gifts on Station Road also has registration forms. For more information about Kirton Church Fund please email Fay.

June 2025 Winners

1st PRIZE - £46.87 - TICKET NUMBER:67
2nd PRIZE - £15.63 - TICKET NUMBER:99

July 2025 Winners

1st PRIZE - £46.87 - TICKET NUMBER:113
2nd PRIZE - £15.63 - TICKET NUMBER:82

Data protection. All information (name, address and phone number) of Kirton Church Fund members is held solely for the purpose of managing Kirton Church Fund and is not passed on to any other organisation or used for any other purpose.

Meet The Locals

This month's Meet the Locals feature is brought to you by Maxine Hezzell of Maxine's! A very recognisable and welcome sight in Kirton and beyond!

I have been running the stall outside the Town Hall for just over 18 months. It started out as a cake stall but soon developed into a pop-up cafe selling hot food and drinks as well as cakes! I have rebranded to Maxine’s from Maxine’s Cakes which I have run for over 10 years. I started doing events and found that I really enjoyed working outside and meeting people, so looked into trying to find a permanent site to hold my stall.

I approached Kirton Town Hall about a pitch and after discussions between the Town Hall Management Committee and Kirton Parish Council my request was passed and I was allocated my little pitch! I absolutely love it and have met so many lovely people. I’m there every Wednesday and Friday (weather permitting) and I trade from 6.30/7am until around 3.45pm. I also trade outside the Four Seasons Chinese takeaway every Saturday between 6.30/7am until 2.30pm. I sell my homemade sweet treats as well as hot food (bacon baps, sausage baps and burgers) and hot and cold drinks!

You can contact Maxine via phone, text or WhatsApp on 07903743859, email via maxoscakes@gmail.com or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/maxinescakeskirton

Blue Elephant Yoga

Well, that’s us at the Kirton News back from our summer break, refreshed and raring to go. Still, it would be lovely to do it all again! Mark must have been reading my mind, because he's promised something this month to take me away again and without costing a penny! So, Mark, what have you got?

Hello everyone, hope you had a great break and managed to get away somewhere. If you didn’t, or if you did and find yourself longing to go back - I hear you. There’s something so special about that feeling of switching off, letting go, and breathing a little deeper while on holiday. But what if that sense of calm we associate with being away was actually something we could access anytime?

Because here’s the truth - that peace you felt on holiday wasn’t just in the air, the sunshine, or the view. It was in you. The change of scenery simply helped reveal it.

Here’s a short visualisation I sometimes use in my yoga classes, and you’re welcome to try it now. You don’t need any special equipment, just a few quiet minutes. You can read it slowly to yourself, or better still, have someone read it aloud to you:

Take a moment to settle, to feel the ground beneath you and close the eyes. Let your breath slow and deepen. Begin to imagine the sensation of arriving on holiday - you’ve made it through the stress of booking, paying, packing and the long queue at the airport. But the flight is behind you. The journey is done. You’ve arrived.

The air feels different. It’s warmer of course, you felt that as soon as you exited the airplane. You’re near the sea, or up in the hills. Wherever it is, it’s beautiful. You take that first deep breath of holiday air. You smile. You feel your shoulders drop. You realise there’s nowhere to be, nothing to plan. You’ve arrived. And the feeling of relief having arrived, and now the holiday can truly start.

But after a while, lying still in this beautiful place, something dawns on you; the peace you’re feeling isn’t coming from the place itself. It’s coming from you. It’s rising up from somewhere deep within. The sea helps. The sunshine helps and the location helps. But what you’re really touching... is the calm that’s always been inside you.

So let yourself rest in that calm now. Breathe into it. You don’t need to go on holiday. You can visit this place of stillness any time, anywhere. That same deep peace is here, now, in this breath. It’s your inner holiday - and you carry it with you at all times.

Whether your summer has been eventful or quiet, I hope you can take a little time now to reconnect with that deep, steady calm within. No suitcase required. Just a few moments of stillness, a comfortable seat, and your breath. That’s all it takes. 

The peace we often seek outside ourselves - on distant beaches, in mountain hideaways, or tucked away in cosy cottages - has always been quietly available inside us. We just forget, sometimes. So if life feels busy again, or if you’re longing for another break, close your eyes for a moment and return to that inner landscape. It’s waiting for you. And it’s free. Peace be with you.

Kirton News turns 60 yrs old

Looking back through our archive of notes and committee meetings, we believe Kirton News or ‘The Church in Kirton’ as it was formally known, was started way back in 1965. We’re not sure who the first editor was so if anyone could help us solve this mystery we’d appreciate it.

We do know that from the late 60’s, Aubrey Woods held the post of Editor. Aubrey was originally from Holbeach but after moving to Kirton, he took an active and lively interest in almost every aspect of village life. He worked at the Lincolnshire Standard and Boston Guardian as a local correspondent and this role kept him in touch with every aspect of village life.

When Aubrey took over as Editor in the late 60’s, the content was more church based, the main reason being - it was compiled by church people that were writing about their main interests. Aubrey had wide interests and wanted to give the magazine a much wider outlook, making it more of a village publication, but always maintaining the chief emphasis on church affairs.

After his death in 1978 at the age of 69, Harold Wander, who lived in Dennis Estate took over the post of Editor and reported how much pleasure the magazine gave Aubrey in the closing years of his life, even typing-up all the ‘skins’ for the December edition before passing away on 6th January. The skins were made of a thin wax coated material that acted as a stencil for duplicator machines. Back then, the magazine was produced with a pre-printed cover and advert pages were produced by Ruskins, the printers of Boston. The typed skins were hand copied on a Roneo duplicator before being put together by a loyal band of assemblers on the last Thursday of the month.

Looking at some of the local businesses advertising in the magazine in the 80’s include: Jessops, Lewis & Kime, The Villager Fruit & Veg shop, Richard Upsall stores, Trevor Howsam Antiques, and Deaton’s Gents Hairdressers.

Harold, who also worked on the local paper with Aubrey could tell some amusing tales of his reporting days. Once, he said he’d been to get a report on a wedding. When the door was opened the bride-to-be was sitting in a zinc bath in front of the fire. Needless to say he made a hasty retreat. He was a clerk for a firm of estate agents. Every Wednesday, he would be seen in his little box at the cattle market on Bargate Green (now a car park), recording details of the cattle as they were sold. Harold lived his live with a disability, wearing callipers on both legs, although this did not prevent him from taking part in many activities including the tennis club, although he could not play.

He was always immaculately dressed with his special boots highly polished. He was fond of music and sang in church and village choirs. He did a tremendous amount of work at the Methodist Church, i.e. secretarial, drama, choir and was Sunday School Superintendent for many years. Never at a loss for words, he was the one to ask to make a speech. A car made life easier for him - up to then he cycled everywhere but he never mentioned his disability.

Frank Belcher took over the editorship from Harold in 1991 and made the decision to change the cover image from the church and field landscape that had been used for the last 17 years and opted for a design featuring the Parish & Methodist Church, along with the wording: ‘The Anglican and Methodist Partnership’.

With the advent of Desk Top Publishing in the late 80’s and early 90’s powered by the Apple Mac computer combined with laser printer technology, Betty Pinder came on board as the 4th Editor in 1996 with a vision to modernise the publication. She approached a local graphic designer to produce the magazine using this new technology and mixing adverts and editorial together for the first time and in the format we recognise today. This gave much more flexibility to the content.

Betty and her co-Editor husband Gerald were a very popular couple in the village and together, brought an interesting mix of articles to the magazine including a regular Editor’s letter, Spotlight on local organisations and who can forget their famous dining out feature reviewing the food and drink on offer at local pubs and restaurants! Accompanying Betty & Gerald on the committee in 1999 was - Chairman: Rev E.Horner and Rev J. Kennedy, Vice Chairman: Mr Bill Castle, Magazine Assemblers: Mrs M. Boothby, Mrs M. Hall, Mrs Audrey Forrington, Mrs Nancy Udy, Press Officer: Mrs Ena Hemmington and Secretary: Mrs Gwen Greeter.

Happy that the magazine was fit for the 21st century, it was time to hand it over to another local couple who would work with Kirton News for many years and even save it from extinction in 2010. Continues next month.

Boston Classic Car Club
35th anniversary events

Sunday 11th June saw the first of the Boston Classic Car Club, members only, events to celebrate the 35th anniversary since the founding of the Club in 1990.

An excellent turnout of over 75 member’s cars arrived at Graves Park social club and enjoyed a tasty pork baps prepared by Club members, Keith and Rachel Wright and delicious desserts from Sandra Simpson, Graham and Julie Lunn and Lynne and Steve Rowitt.

Members also had the opportunity to look through a comprehensive display and collection of Club memorabilia through the years and to relax and catch up with fellow classic owners. With the weather being very kind on the day it all added to an excellent day, enjoyed by all.

The next members only event was a visit to club member Terry Pine and his amazing collection of vehicles from a car with solid tyres, a convertible top and tiller steering; various trucks and lorries of different age, type and style; tractors of different vintages; a fascinating (and massive!) Trojan vehicle decked out as a 5 seater and featuring a Huge Caterpillar diesel engine; pre-war (and one 50’s) motorbikes. All of these superb vehicles are in very good condition having been restored and kept in running order by Terry Pine. Terry is a man with Castrol in his veins who lives and breathes motor vehicles and has an absolute wealth of knowledge and experience.

Cub members also enjoyed socialising and picnicking on Terry’s field and enjoying the delightful weather. All present also had the unexpected and unplanned pleasure of a flypast by the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight! Another exceptional 35th Anniversary event.

Help from Citizens Advice

I got a text asking me to click on a link to reschedule a parcel delivery I’d missed. I was waiting for a parcel from Royal Mail at the time, so I clicked on the link and was asked to make a payment. Luckily, my daughter told me the text is a scam and to ignore it, but I almost gave away my personal details. How can I spot the signs of this type of scam myself in the future?

Parcel delivery scams are becoming increasingly common. Ones involving texts and emails are known as phishing scams, and aim to trick you into giving away your personal information and financial details, so your bank account and money can be accessed.

One way scammers do this is by enticing people to click on links, which can lead to fake websites, in the hope that this information will be entered.

While scammers can pretend to be from any parcel delivery company, many of them choose Royal Mail because it’s the largest delivery company in the UK. This means the chances of scammers contacting someone who receives parcels from Royal Mail, is higher.

These scams can be in the form of a text, like yours was, or an email or phone call. There are also reports of fake ‘Something for You’ cards, which Royal Mail leave when a delivery is attempted, but no-one is home.

Here are some tips on how you can stay vigilant and spot the signs of a parcel delivery scam, and other scam messages:

• If you’re waiting for a parcel, and get a message that asks you to pay to get it, or reschedule the delivery, it’s usually a scam.

• Don’t click any links or attachments in the text or email. Delivery companies won’t ask you to pay them through a link in an email or text.

• Parcel delivery scammers often pretend to be from an organisation like Royal Mail, and can try to make you click on a fake version of the company’s genuine website, which asks for personal information or login details - these can appear real.

• To check if a link is genuine, hover your mouse over the link without clicking on it, or press and hold on the link on a mobile device. You should be able to see the address the link goes to, and check it’s the same as the company’s official website address.

• Make sure you check the address carefully - fake link addresses can look similar to the genuine address.

• Other signs of a message that is a scam include bad spelling and grammar, and when it starts with a general greeting instead of your name. But, scam messages can sometimes be sophisticated - so don’t rely on obvious mistakes only.

• If you get an email, check if the email address matches the sender’s name or organisation - you might have to click on their name to see the email address.

• If there’s something you’re unsure about, don’t feel pressured to act. You can find the official details for the company the person who has contacted you says they’re from, and ask the company if they’ve contacted you.

Royal Mail has a helpful page on its website of examples of delivery scams, including text messages and emails people have received.

You can check if you think something you’ve seen online, or in a text or email you’ve received, might be a scam, using an online tool on the Citizens Advice website. If you have been scammed, you can report it on the Citizens Advice website, and check what else you need to do - including protecting yourself from further risks.

Being targeted by a scammer or falling victim to a scam can make people feel anxious or embarrassed, but it’s important to remember scammers are clever and scams can happen to anyone. Reporting them helps track down and stop scammers, and prevent other people from ending up in the same situation.

If you need help to identify a scam or to report a scam, contact Citizens Advice Mid Lincolnshire on 08082787942. Alternatively, you can email your query to: outreach@citizensadvicemidlincs.org.uk or attend one of our face to face drop in sessions.

For information about our service, drop in opening times and how we can help you, please take a look at our website www.camidlincs.org.uk

Calling All Hobbyists

Local Kirton resident is looking for like-minded people who enjoy hobbies such as aeromodelling, amateur radio and possibly have a technical background.

Now that the Old King’s Head is soon to re-open, would anyone be interested in meeting up, possibly once or twice a month and having a coffee and a chat? This isn’t a formal invitation but if there were enough interested people, it has the possibility of becoming more of a permanent group! If this could be of interest, please email me at Editor@kirtonnews.co.uk and I can forward your details on.

An invitation to join us at the
Memory Group!

The Memory Group has been in operation for just over a year. We meet every 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month at Kirton Methodist Church, from 11.00am to 12.30pm We host an informal and fun coffee morning and are open to everyone who is struggling with memory loss, caring for someone with memory loss or is just worried about their memory. We chat, laugh, support each other and there is sometimes an opportunity to take part in a craft activity (if you would like to.) There is no charge for the group.

We now feel the time is right to extend this group to include people who may be grieving or for others who would just like to come and have a chat and a cuppa and make new friends.

Everyone will be assured of a very warm welcome!

Property To Rent (In Kirton)

Kirton Consolidated Charities have a vacant property to let: A 1-bedroomed cottage with lounge, kitchen, and bathroom for a single senior female citizen at 11 Willington Road, Kirton. Maintenance Contribution £200 per month (to be agreed). No pets allowed.

Any interested parties who are inhabitants of the village of Kirton or the neighbourhood, should apply in writing, giving full particulars, to The Clerk (Mrs J Barnes), 21 Sea Lane, Butterwick, Boston, Lincs PE22 0HG (email - kirtoncharities@btinternet.com)

The Parish Letter

Each month brings its own delights, September however can sometimes feel like a bit of a contradiction. As the nights start to draw in, with a hint of a chill in the air we start to pray for an Indian summer not wanting to see an end to those long hot summer days.

Then on the other hand, we start to look at the natural world around us, longing to see the change in the colour of the leaves and the beauty that it brings. As summer gives way to autumn, our holidays are mainly over, but we see a new beginning as our schools and colleges start of their new year once more. Autumn and spring are both a time of change, however, where there is hope of better thing to come in spring, autumn holds a future of long cold nights of winter.

These last few days of warm sunshine, is a good time to make ourselves ready for those coming cold nights, making sure our homes and gardens are secure, that we have all the previsions we need for those long nights. It is also a good time to take stock of our spiritual lives for the coming darkness. In the carefree days of summer were everything is bright and easy it can be all too easy to lose sight of God in our lives. So as summer comes to an end take this time to look at our lives and see where we fall short of the love of God. This is also a good time to rediscover our prayer lives, even if we start by remembering the prayers of our childhood, as long as we move on from them.

Our prayers do not need to be arduous, why not take the time to say the Lords prayer each day. When doing so do not rush the prayer saying it without meaning, but remember as you say the prayer you are entering into to presence of God, so take you time and considering each word. Before you known it you will find yourself back in the presence of God and the long dark nights will feel like nothing at all.

Frampton Gardening Club

We had a different, but interesting take on gardening, when our speaker for the April meeting of Frampton gardening club, was Hannah Sylvester, who is a medical herbalist.

Hannah trained in Western Herbal Medicine at Lincoln University and graduated with a BSc (Honours) in 2010. Hannah has been in practice for 13+ years, helping people with her individually tailored herbal prescriptions, and has helped people with a range of illnesses, including, skin conditions, neurological, muscular- skeletal and reproductive health.

We learned about herbalists through the ages, and talked about connecting with plants and how to use them safely, explaining how herbs work.

Hannah also brought a selection of dried herbs and tinctures with her, which were passed around for us to see, along with empty t-bags, which are used to put the herb of choice in to make a tea.

Certainly the list of plants which could help us if used safely, would include some that many of us already have in our gardens. A very interesting and informative talk.

Our next meeting is the AGM on May 30th. All are welcome to attend, especially anyone who would like to join us on our committee.

On June 27th our secretary, Maggie Welberry has kindly offered to host an ‘open garden’ at her home.

In July we are joining Phil Haines coaches for an outing to Cambridge Botanical Gardens, so our next meeting at Frampton Village Hall will be on August 29th, when the speaker is talking about Lincolnshire cheese. (Annual subscriptions are also due in August)

For more details about the club, contact Ray Harding on 01205 723181 or Maggie Welberry on 01205 722382.

Kirton Parish Council Meeting Minutes
- May 2025

Present

Cllr M Sohail, Chair, Cllr A Bowen, Vice Chair, Cllr C. Astill, Cllr F. Baillie, Cllr M Elston, Cllr P Head and Cllr Tom Hartfil-Allgood. Also Present: Clerk D. Fairweather County Cllr Lock and six members of the public. Chair welcomed County Cllr Lock to the meeting.

Reports From Elected County Councillors & Borough Councillors

Cllr R Pryke: a) speeding reported on London Road, Boston Road, Horseshoe Lane, Willington Road, Station Road Kirton

b) Station Road Hubberts Bridge; request from Hubberts Bridge for information about the speed watch group, how to join it, if it operates on B roads and if the police have to give prior permission.

b) people in Hubberts Bridge would like interactive speed signs, solar powered.

c) some white and yellow lines are being repainted, more requests for other streets to be done also

d) request for a bus timetable board for bus stop outside old post office.

To Receive Apologies
For Absence

were received from Cllrs Huggins, Jarvis, O’Connor, Pryke, and Rylott. All resolved to accept reasons given.

To Receive Declarations Of Interest Under The Council’s Code Of Conduct Relating To Business On The Agenda

None

To Approve Notes Of Previous Meeting Held On 3rd June 2025

Proposed Cllr Baillie seconded Cllr Hartfil-Allgood that these be accepted as a true copy to become called minutes. Unanimous.

To Receive Updates
From Clerk

Flower planters now all planted. Awaiting invoice from Cheers for plants for church planter. Thanks to all who planted and water.

Work on roof above Clerks office completed. Invoice £384. Asked him to look at gutters on tower. No quotation received yet.

No answer on Thomas Middlecott Drive ownership yet.

Ordered only one defibrillator and Kirton End have purchased their own through funding.

Grant application for UKSP submitted for total £24999 plus match funding to £50k.

Managed to secure kirtonparishcouncil.gov.uk. domain. Has been activated and is awaiting approval and registration from the Government.

Kirton News, details of new councillors sent but did not pick up on County Councillors, have resent. Cllr Astill advised Cllr Jarvis is still mentioned as Chair.

Ann Booth and Paula Davies, with the profits of the VE day afternoon tea have organised a circular seat for around a tree in the Rec. The balance to be paid by the Town Hall Management Committee. They will be gifting it to the Parish Council and would like the PC to pay the invoice, All agreed. To be included on asset register and insurance.

To Receive Event Updates

Despite having to change the date of the Picnic in the Park, everyone has been rebooked. Unfortunately, the amended poster was not received in time for Kirton News as it went to print early that month. Disappointing that could not have put flyer in magazines to advise residents but agreed to give delegated powers to Chair and Clerk to purchase two banners, up to £300, for the event, which can then be used each year. Flyer to send to school for delivery via school bags.

Bingo – Cllr Astill advised on the night that alcohol could not be sold, due to licencing rules. Having questioned the finances of Bingo Cllr Astill asked if it could be a separate entry on finance sheet. To be advertised on Boston Social Media pages. A successful event but Cllr Head advised further assistance required.

Finance

a) To Approve Payment of Accounts as per schedule

Additional payment to R Hezzell for pathway works. Explained by Cllr Astill that trip hazard had been corrected whilst contractor on site.

Additional small amount for Thomas Middlecott Drive. Cllr Elston suggested to be included in future tenders.

Cllr Astill asking if Dame Sarah Swift work can be a separate entry on accounts.

Payments proposed Cllr Bowen, seconded Cllr Baillie.

Clerk distributed details of UKSP spend. Monies spent this financial year to be included in finance figures.

Planning

To Discuss Applications Received Since Last Meeting

B/25/0240 – single storey extension for parts inward. No objections.

Members Reports

CA – 3 logs have been moved back to their original home.

AB – scooter/motor bike activity on the rec of an evening. Cllr Hartfil-Allgood advised there seems to be a motor bike travelling around the village, which as been reported to PCSO.

ME – Police will be attending coffee morning again regarding frauds and theft.

THA – LHP have confirmed they are responsible for the lighting in Hardwick Estate, and they are to be dealt with this month.

PH – litter picker advised the bin in the cemetery is being used for domestic rubbish. Requesting permission to spend £300 which is to be matched by the Town Hall Management Committee towards highlighting the white lines in the car park. Could give delegated powers for Chair and Clerk to make decision before next meetings. Although Clerk had been looking into the ‘contractors volunteer scheme’ to have works done free of charge, the scheme for this year is oversubscribed. County Cllr Lock will investigate this project. Town Hall Management Committee know nothing of this. Cllr Astill asked if future proposals could go directly to Cllr Elston, as Parish Council representative and not between one Councillor and the Clerk. THMC will only contribute to any cost of white lines if a proper invoice is raised.

Unfortunately, goals have been delivered incorrectly. Where are they to be delivered when they are rerouted?

MS – a resident has reported that the new footpath in the Town Hall rec is very dark. Could there be the possibility of street lighting.

Clerk - Litter picker is away the following week and Town Hall, and village centre may need some attention during that period.

To Receive Correspondence

Legislation change is now being actively considered for a permanent shift in how councils can operate. Following the success of meetings during COVID remote and proxy voting is being considered by the Government. Stipulations and restriction will be quite strict.

PC Ian Cotton, Boston & South Holland Neighbourhood Policing Survey

Concern from a Kirton End resident of the lack of footpath and danger for residents, dog walkers, children etc. Clerk to forward to Cllr Lock

Traffic situation along Wash Road – signage requires improving as vehicles travelling along adjacent roads which are not suitable for some vehicles. Report through Fix My Street. Cllr Elston suggesting Fix My Street is on front page of Facebook page.

Ann Booth and Paula Davies have purchased, from their profit of the VE afternoon tea, a circular seat for around a tree in the rec. Asking if Parish Council would accept it as a gift, pay the invoice, include in our assets and insurance. Proposed Cllr Baillie seconded Cllr Hartfil-Allgood. Cllr Elston gave details of Spacehive, a grant possibility to pass to Ann Booth.

To Resolve To Move Into Closed Session To Receive Updates From Meeting At Dame Sarah Swift

Proposed Cllr Bowen seconded Cllr Head to move into closed session. Cllr Hartfil-Allgood gave a resume of the meeting and discussions but was conscious that the Council cannot move forward until thoughts of the Middlecott Exhibition Foundation Charity had been received.

Clerk advised The Clerk of the Trustees for the Charity required a little more information of the PC’s proposed plans for the area. Clerk had furnished them with the original plan in the Lease agreement. advising of the initial area thought to be ideal for allotments. She felt a new Lease would be required.

Much discussion took place. Cllr Head asked if attempts at removing the railings could commence? It was felt not to start any work until plan of area was known. Cllr Astill provided a plotted, detailed, plan of the site for ease of working with, if changes are agreed.

Suggestion that a separate meeting to be held with asking a representative of the Middlecott Exhibition

Southeast Lincolnshire Crowd Funding accept applications for play area renovations.

Agreed to wait until results of UKSP funding have been received.

Agreed to put a summary together for Cllr Pryke to present to the committee at their next meeting.

To Receive Updates From
Finance Committee Meeting

Unfortunately, due to start time of meeting, this matter had to be postponed for the next meeting.

Date of next meeting

5th August 2025 at Kirton Holme.

The Registers

Baptisms - We welcome them all into the  family  of the church:

13th October - Emilija Vitunskaite

Weddings - We offer our congratulations to:

None this month

Funerals - May they all rest in peace:

10th October - Alexandra Watts
25th October - Brian Roberts