Energy Saving Tips from Citizens Advice Mid Lincolnshire

I’m becoming more aware of how much energy our household gadgets and appliances use, and it’s making me think about our bills. Do you have any tips to help us cut down on energy use and save some money at home?

It’s completely normal to worry about rising energy bills. The good news is that adopting a few simple habits into your daily routine can make a real difference. Here are some practical tips to help you take control of your energy use and save money.

In the bathroom: Reducing the length of your shower time can help. Try reducing the water temperature of your shower too, as cooler showers use less energy.

Doing your washing: Using your washing machine's 'eco' cycle takes longer, but uses less energy. For laundry that isn’t heavily soiled, use a cold cycle (20 or 30 degrees Celsius).

If possible, hanging your washing outside is an effective (and free) way to dry clothes - weather permitting! If not, using a heated clothes airer instead of a tumble dryer is a good option as they are cheaper to run.

In the kitchen: Air fryers, microwaves and slow cookers usually use less energy than an oven or hob. If you would benefit from a free slow cooker and recipe book, please contact Citizens Advice Mid Lincolnshire.

Putting lids on pans while you’re cooking and using the right size pan for the amount of food you are preparing will use less energy heating it.

When you boil the kettle, measure out the water you need. Boiling water in the kettle before adding to the pan will also help your food cook more quickly meaning you use less energy.

Defrost your fridge or freezer once or twice a year and don’t hold the door open for extended periods of time - this will help use less energy to stay cold.

Your heating: Check the temperature on the thermostat - between 18 and 21 degrees Celsius is fine for most people.

Check your heating times - if you have a boiler, set the temperature two or three degrees lower, (or programme it to be off) when you’re out or asleep.

Check the thermostatic radiator valves - some have numbers on them. You can set each one to the lowest number that keeps the room comfortable. Set them to 3 or 4 for rooms you want warmer and 1 or 2 for rooms you want cooler.

Install radiator reflectors behind radiators on external walls if your house isn’t well insulated. These are easy to install even in rented homes, and will make rooms feel warmer.

If you have an open fire, you can install a chimney umbrella. A home with an open chimney can be expensive to heat and uncomfortable to live in as a significant amount of heat can be lost through an uninsulated chimney. Contact Citizens Advice Mid Lincolnshire if you feel that you would benefit from a free Chimella chimney umbrella.

You can find out more about energy saving tips on the Citizens Advice website (www.citizensadvice.org.uk). If you're worried about paying your energy bills contact Citizens Advice Mid Lincolnshire to speak to our Energy Adviser on 08082787942.

Alternatively, you can email your query to: outreach@citizensadvicemidlincs.org.uk. For information about our service and how we can help you, please take a look at our website www.camidlincs.org.uk

News from the Boston and District Branch of the Royal Air Force Association (RAFA)

The New Year started with a Social Meeting in January where the AGM, arranged for February, was discussed. At the AGM the Chair, Mark Watson, was re-elected as was the Secretary, Kenny Watson, who also takes on the Dep Chair role, The Treasurer, Maria Lewis, was once again given the task of “balancing the books”. The main change was that of the Presidents post. Derek Coates handed the badge of office to Rob Kime. Rob was our Dep Chair and is a long standing member of the branch.

His efforts in reinvigorating the branch just after the Covid Pandemic has directly led to the successful organisation it is today. Derek stated that it had been an honour to represent the Branch as President over the last three years and was confident he was leaving the role in good hands.

There are still a number of Deputy posts to fill so if any one would like to get involved with the branch contact the membership secretary below. Feb was also the Annual RAFA Gala Ball, this year held at the Belton Woods Hotel. RAFA Branches from all over the Midlands attended with their standards, along with the Sqn Standards of the RAF Stations in the area. Over £2000 was raised by auction for RAFA charities and the Branch was well represented on the night.

A reminder that the Boston and District Branch covers from Kirton, Old Leake, Wrangle, Woodhall Spa to Spilsby. Horncastle and Coningsby/Tattershall and we meet every second Tuesday at the Four Crossroads Inn at Wyberton. If you joined RAFA Many years ago and are unsure of where you were registered, or you have moved to the area, contact our membership representative: Mr D E Coates,
Email: derek680@btinternet.com

Meet The Locals

This month we talking to Jenna Scott from Boston Seeds

Boston Seeds is an independent grass seed and wildflower seed supplier to professional and domestic users alike, founded in 2002. We believe that everyone should have access to professional quality products to make the most of their outdoor spaces - lawns, landscapes, paddocks, sports pitches and agriculture.

We began selling seed online in 2003 and today we're proud to be the largest online supplier of grass seed, lawn seeds and native British wildflower seeds in the UK. We supply a huge range of professional products for next-day delivery, along with world-class customer service and expertise.

History

Founded in 2002 by Andrew Wallis, after 25 years of working for some of Europe’s leading seed houses. Initially, trading as a traditional seed merchant, Boston Seeds was one of the pioneers to start selling grass seeds, lawn seeds and wildflower seeds on the internet.

Celebrating the company's 20th birthday on 1st March 2022, Boston Seeds announced the appointment of George Wallis as its new Managing Director, to secure the company's bright future and independent leadership. George Wallis joined Boston Seeds in 2013 following a successful career in FMCG and was most recently its Commercial Director.

The same Boston Seeds philosophy applies as much today as it did in 2002:

'Providing quality products, fit for purpose and at competitive prices. Customer service second to none.' Investment has followed the increase in both retail and trade sales, to consumers and businesses alike. A major improvement in service and product availability happened when the company established its distribution centre in 2008 and acquired land for trials and product development in 2010. More recently in 2021, Boston Seeds expanded both office and distribution facilities, during a move to Kirton, including a 25,000sqft warehouse and a store for wildflower and specialist seeds.

International Trade

At Boston Seeds, we're passionate about the quality of our products and delighting each and every customer - find out more about how we ensure our products are only of the highest quality by visiting our quality page.

Boston Seeds imports products from around the world to ensure the most appropriate products are available at the most competitive prices. But, ever conscious of supporting British farmers and industry, we produce around 1000 hectares of seed crops in the UK each year, and our exports usually exceed imports.

Boston Seeds aims to bring its customers the latest products and has acquired a significant portfolio working with some of the most successful breeders in the world, and have UK Marketing Rights from a number of these leading breeders.

Charity Work

The Boston Seeds business goes from strength to strength and we don’t ignore our responsibility to support some worthwhile causes along our journey. From 2022-2024 we have made contributions to a broad range, including: Marie Curie, Gillead Foundation, Buglife, Boston in Bloom, Boston Marathon UK, Addaction, Boston, Butterfly Hospice, Boston, Lincolnshire Road Victims Trust, Save the Children and The John Fielding Special School.

Every Christmas, we are pleased to donate chocolate selection boxes and other sweet treats to the Boston Foodbank, and more recently we are proud to have donated a variety of bulbs to Kirton Clean Up Squad to brighten up areas around the village.

What do we supply, Grass Seed, from lawns to paddocks, bowling greens to sports pitches, Granular fertiliser to liquid fertiliser and spreaders, Wildflower seeds, plants, bulbs and turf, Spring flowering bulbs and SFI, countryside stewardship, cover and companion crops, forage crops and game cover.

Boston Seeds are experts in environmental schemes and sustainable agriculture since 2002. Our range of seed mixes for Sustainable Farming Incentives is carefully formulated to comply with scheme requirements, and our team of experts are on hand for technical advice and quotations.

Contact us at Manor Road, Kirton, PE20 1PH, website: bostonseeds.com, phone: 01205 280069 or by email: info@bostonseeds.co.uk

Blue Elephant Yoga

You may have heard the word IKIGAI before. It’s a Japanese concept often translated as “a reason for being,” a gentle way of exploring what makes life feel meaningful and worthwhile. This is something we’ve been exploring in yoga classes recently (and no, it doesn’t have much to do with yoga).

Ikigai is often shown as four overlapping circles. The first asks: 

What do you love? These are the things that bring you enjoyment, curiosity or a sense of energy. The second is:

What are you good at? Not always easy to answer, but it’s about recognising your natural strengths, even the ones you might overlook. The third question is:

What does the world need? This doesn’t have to mean solving global problems; often it’s the smaller things like kindness, support, or simply being there for others. The fourth and final piece is: 

What can you be rewarded for? This might be financial, but it can also be a sense of fulfilment, connection, or purpose.

If you look at the image down below, you’ll see those four circles coming together, that middle bit is your Ikigai or your “sweet spot.” You might like to take a moment to reflect on each one. Not to solve it, but just to notice what comes to mind, possibly a signpost to your Ikigai. 

But it’s important to stress that this isn’t something you suddenly discover one day and have forever. It’s something that shifts and changes as life moves on. And it doesn’t have to be big or dramatic. It can be found in small, everyday moments like a conversation, a hobby, a way of helping others or simply taking time to slow down.

Sometimes, it’s not about finding your purpose. It’s about gently moving a little closer and in the right direction to where things feel right.

Namaste - Mark