December 2011 Page 1 Linc Upwww.nelincs.gov.uk

ENTERPRISE ZONE’S FUTURE PROMISE

at twitter.com/NELincs

Edition 47 | December 2011

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THE Government has granted North East Lincolnshire an Enterprise Zone status for an 11-hectare site within the port of Grimsby.

The zone will specifically target operations and maintenance and associated supply chain activity for the renewables industry.

The Port of Grimsby Enterprise Zone will form part of the wider Humber Enterprise Zone and the creation of a Humber Renewables Super Cluster. This establishes Grimsby as the leading operations and maintenance facility in the UK and puts the area in a position to maximise associated investment.

The granting of the zone status will contribute towards the vision of becoming a national and international centre for renewable energy. It also complements the current enterprise zone on the South Humber Bank, and underpins developments on the North Bank.

One of the benefits that comes with the status is the business rate relief incentive, a business rate discount worth up to £275,000 per business over a five-year period. This will accelerate the development of supply chain and support service businesses.

The zone status will help to provide

local employment and business generation opportunities. There is also the potential to utilise the council’s Change Programme to provide the necessary training and up-skilling to enable local people to benefit from the employment and business creation opportunities this will present.

Jason Longhurst, the council’s head of development, said: “Enterprise Zone status will also help open up further opportunities for infrastructure development to secure long term sustainable growth and meet the increasing demands of the renewable energy sector.”

ALSO INSIDE THIS EDITION

Pledging support for armed forces personnel See page 3

How to avoid consumer problems when shopping See page 7

Using a taxi this Christmas? Keep yourself safe See page 6

Could an ‘apple map’ help supply local food? See page 11

Culture explored at celebration festival See page 10

The port of Grimsby will be the home of a new Enterprise Zone, bringing new business and employment opportunities to the town

December 2011Page 2 Linc Up www.nelincs.gov.uk

May 2008

Page 1 Linc Up

www.nelincs.gov.uk

GCSE PASSES ON THE RISE

SCHOOLS Minister Vernon

Coaker has welcomed a substantial

rise in maintained school

pupils getting five A*– C GCSE

grades, including English and

mathematics, with North East

Lincolnshire in the top ten most

improved local authorities.

Significant progress has been

made in the borough, this year

recording a rise well above the

national rate.

Across the country 50.4 per

cent of pupils in the maintained

sector achieved five or more GCSEs

at grade A*– C, including English

and mathematics, an increase of 2.1

percentage points from last year.

Here in North East

Lincolnshire 45.4 per cent achieved

this, an increase of almost six per

cent from last year.

This is just below the Local

Authority’s Local Area Agreement

(LAA) target of 47 per cent of

maintained school pupils reaching

the benchmark by 2009.

Schools Minister Vernon Coaker

said: “Standards have never been

higher - certainly compared to a

decade ago. A huge boost of 90,000

more young people since 1997 have

that ticket of five good GCSEs

including maths and English and

are able to take the baton and move

successfully to further education,

training or work”.

Locally 69.9 per cent of pupils

achieved five GCSEs at grade

A*– C, an increase of 11.3 per cent

compared to last year and for the

first time above the national average

of 69.7 per cent.

In the latest announcement

from the Department for Children,

Schools and Families (DCSF),

North East Lincolnshire has

been ranked in the top ten most

improved authorities this year.

A spokesperson for the DCSF

said: “To our critics I say look at the

statistics and improvements across

the board, with great progress in

areas that face some of the most

challenging circumstances.

“It is time to celebrate

this success while ensuring we

keep investing to maintain the

momentum of progress.”

Councillor Tony McCabe,

portfolio holder for children and

families said: “These are the best

ever GCSE results with the biggest

year-on-year improvement. I want to

congratulate all the pupils and their

teachers for all the hard work.

“I hope this achievement helps

all our young people to enter into

either employment or further

training. As part of our regeneration

strategy I believe this will ensure we

develop a workforce which makes

relocating businesses to the area

more attractive.

“We will work hard to build an

education system which assists us to

build a strong local economy for the

future.”

Edition 31 | November 2009

* * * For an update on the swine fl u pandemic see page 4 * * *

by Emmeline Espin

to see Elvis on Tour at the Grimsby Auditorium

See back page

TICKETS71,500 copies

delivered every

month across

North East

LincolnshireLOOK OUT FOR

LINC UP

EVERY MONTH

May 2008

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Edition 31 | October 2009

* * * Win tickets to this year’s Lit.Com festival - se

e back page for details * * *

Neighbourhood operations staff celebrate their hard work after winning the gold award in the national In Bloom contest

Grimsby Town Centre: Have Your Say

Emerging development plans and options visit www.greatergrimsbyrenaissance.co.uk or the Renaissance Shop - 33 Victoria Street, Grimsby

Have Your Say

BEST IN BRITAIN!

NEIGHBOURHOOD operations

staff at North East Lincolnshire

Council have been celebrating

a victory in the national RHS

In Bloom competition after

Cleethorpes won gold in the

contest’s coastal category.

Their work, together with help

from local residents and businesses,

put the resort ahead of six other

candidates including Colywn Bay,

Wales, and St Andrew’s, Scotland.

The results of Britain in Bloom

competition were announced on

September 23 in Torquay, Devon.

Neighbourhood operations

are involved in street cleaning and

maintenance work 52 weeks of the

year across the borough, carrying

out a variety of tasks such as clearing

litter, emptying bins, weeding

flowerbeds and tidying verges and

open spaces.

Summer bedding is planted in

late May and early June providing a

riot of colour in the seafront gardens

and parks, complimented by those

on our roundabouts, lampposts and

barriers along the gateways of North

East Lincolnshire.

During October these plants

are replaced with Spring bedding

which provide colour in the short

colder days of the year along with the

thousands of daffodils planted across

the borough

Councillor Colin Eastwell,

portfolio holder for neighbourhoods

and tourism, was delighted about

the awards. He said: “Words cannot

describe the euphoria of winning

these awards.

“Credit is due to everyone

who took a part in achieving this

success – the committee, the council

team, schools and businesses. It was

certainly a joint effort. Cleethorpes is

the pearl of the East Coast and this

will certainly bring the community

together. It’s great for the town,

and the whole area of North East

Lincolnshire. We’re on a roll!”

The judges’ comments were very

approving, noting that the awards

were well deserved. They were

particularly complimentary about the

overall cleanliness of the resort, saying

they hadn’t seen anywhere as clean as

Cleethorpes.

Alan Fletcher, parks and open

spaces manager, attended the

ceremony along with members of

the In Bloom committee. He said:

“Everybody’s absolutely ecstatic! This

reflects so well on the whole area

and on the work of neighbourhood

services in particular, in maintaining

such standards of cleanliness.”

Both Grimsby and Cleethorpes

were also successful in their categories

at the regional level in East Midlands,

winning Gold Awards, at the

ceremony hosted by Cleethorpes

earlier in the month.

DRIVERS are being offered

free advice on how to drive

in a more efficient manner,

helping to cut costs and

carbon emissions.

The public are invited

along to two drop-in sessions

this month, at which

individuals can put their

driving skills to the test.

By making simple

changes to the way we drive,

we can improve your fuel

consumption by up to 15 per

cent. All drivers can drive

smarter, whether for business

or personal reasons.

The Energy Saving Trust

will be hosting the sessions

with North East Lincolnshire

Council, on Thursday,

October 15 and Friday,

October 16.

Those who go along will

have the chance to take the

smarter driving challenge on

a driving simulator.

The sessions are open

to the general public as well

as employees of the council.

They are informal and there

will a prize draw for all who

take part.

The event on October 15

will take place at the Civic

Offices, Cleethorpes, from

9.30am to 5pm.

The session on October

16 is at the Municipal Offices

reception, Town Hall Square,

Grimsby, from 9.30am to

4.30pm.

Drive smart

- save up to

15 per cent

in fuel costs

by Marta Nadgrabska

Edition 31 | November 2009

See back

Riverhead Square regeneration beckons thanks to new plan

Riverhead Square, Grimsby, will be

one of the fi rst areas to be radically

changed as part of the Greater

Grimsby Renaissance Project. See

page two for the full story

May 2008

Page 1 Linc Up

www.nelincs.gov.uk

Edition 28 | July 2009

** Apply for council jobs online at www.nelincs.gov.uk/jobscareers **

WILL YOU BENEFIT?ARE you eligible for help from the Quids In team? That’s the question North East Lincolnshire Council is asking its residents as it continues its major campaign to make sure that everyone in the borough receives the benefits they are entitled to. The Quids In campaign launched last month and aims to provide eligible households with extra cash towards rent and council tax.Cindy Laherty, benefits and payments manager, said: “We realise in this current economic downturn that households need every penny they can get to make ends meet. The sad reality is that many residents are not aware that they are entitled to extra help towards

paying their rent or council tax. The money is there waiting to be claimed.

“Even if you or your partner work you might still be entitled to help.“Although we are in the early stages of the campaign we have already committed almost £100,000 in

extra benefit over the past couple of months, and this is making a real difference to the lives of members of our community. These are benefits that will be paid this year and roll over into future years. “There is potentially hundreds of thousands of pounds which still remain unclaimed, so don’t delay, phone the Quids In

hotline today and find out whether you are eligible for extra cash.”To contact the Quids In team phone the

hotline on (01472) 324999 or email quidsin@nelincs.gov.uk Alternatively, you can visit the Quids In stand in Freshney Place on the following dates: Thursday, July 9, Friday, July 17, Monday, July 20, Saturday, August 1, Sunday, August 8. The team will also be visiting children’s centres and supermarkets across the

borough.

Cash for carnival

THE Cleethorpes Carnival has been boosted by a cash donation from waste and recycling rm Newlincs.

The rm, which handles and recycles domestic waste on behalf of the council, has handed over a cheque for £500 to the carnival committee, which will put the cash towards providing marching bands and other street entertainment during the event.Sharon Hunt, operations director at Newlincs, said: “Newlincs is only to happy

to give its support to the Cleethorpes Carnival. The parade is a popular attraction for visitors, as well as being an historical and important event enjoyed by the local

community for many years. We are very excited about this year’s event, it looks set to be fabulous.”

Councillor Leanor Pidgen, carnival organiser and secretary, said: “This is a generous gift; it is absolutely tremendous. We’ve really struggled from the outset, nding rms to give us nancial support because of the economic climate, so this is

a big boost to us. All donations of this nature are very important to us.”This year’s parade will run on Saturday July 25, leaving Sidney Sussex at 4.30pm. For more information, visit www.cleethorpescarnival.co.uk

Missing out on extra cash?Ring the QUIDS IN hotline on (01472) 324999

Sharon Hunt (second left) hands the cheque to Councillor Leanor Pidgen at Brighton

Slipway. With them is Nathan Vear, environmental improvement manager (left), and

Councillor Colin Eastwell

THE Linc Up community newspaper is published to help identify, celebrate and build on the positive outcomes that are happening in the borough’s community, and to help people access local services.It is distributed to 71,000 homes in North East Lincolnshire with extra copies available in libraries, council offices and selected leisure outlets. Linc Up is published bi-monthly by the communications team at North East Lincolnshire Council, Town Hall Square, Grimsby DN31 1HU.It is printed by Newsquest Media Printing Services and distributed by Leaflet Distribution Services Ltd.If you would like to receive this information in another language or format, contact the communications team on (01472) 313131 or email communications@nelincs.gov.uk, or write to the address above.

Your community newspaper

AS WINTER approaches, bad weather may once again cause disruption to bus services across the region.

Before setting off on a journey, check with Traveline for the most up-to-date public transport information. The service could save passengers time waiting at bus stops for delayed or cancelled services.

On the website, www.traveline.info, passengers can plan journeys from and to a postcode, postal address, town or village, named station or stop, or point of interest.

Or passengers can call the Traveline experts on 0871 200 22 33 to plan their bus journey. The call centre is open 8am to 8pm daily. Calls cost 10p per minute plus network charges.

Travellers can also check the next buses from a particular bus stop by sending the bus stop code in a text to 84268. The code is displayed on the bus stop flag or in the timetable case. The service is specific to individual stops for travel in one direction. The codes for stops in the other direction will be different.

AS temperatures drop during the winter months, the council and partner Balfour Beatty are prepared for the onset of colder weather.

The gritters have been tested along the salting routes, which cover 355 km of North East Lincolnshire’s busiest roads.

Jason Longhurst, head of develpoment, said: “The winter service team will do their absolute best to keep the main routes throughout North East Lincolnshire clear this winter. We have learned valuable lessons from last year’s extreme conditions and we are better prepared and equipped to deal with whatever the weather has in store for us this year.

“However, motorists should be aware that it is not always possible to keep the main roads from freezing. If it rains in the night and then freezes, salt can be washed off the roads and ice forms.

“Motorists also need to be prepared and should take extra care when travelling in winter conditions. Make sure your vehicle is in good condition before starting out on any journey and carry a torch, a shovel and a blanket in case you break down. In extreme conditions, keep up with the travel information through the local media and do not travel unless it is absolutely necessary.”

A PARTNERSHIP of voluntary, public sector and private sector organisations is working in North East Lincolnshire to help older people avoid unnecessary hardship if the extreme weather returns this winter.

The partnership has issued a message to older people not to go out in extreme weather, as help will be available.

The seasonal campaign’s aim is to make sure that all older people in the borough get the maximum support in their local communities.

The partnership has set up an emergency number on (01472) 256256

for older people to ring if they need advice or help. The number can be used if people need basic essentials or medications to be delivered, or a path to their door cleared.

A winter buddy programme has also been set up to make sure there are friendly faces to keep an eye on vulnerable neighbours.

Organisers are keen to hear from individuals or businesses who would be willing to help, either by volunteering or freeing up staff to help. Contact Penny or Tay at The Link on (01472) 315437 to find out more about volunteering.

Helping vulnerable people to avoid seasonal hardship

Don’t miss the bus this winter

Geared up for the winter weather

The council and Balfour Beatty’s winter service team gear up for the winter

THERE is no law stopping you from clearing snow and ice on the pavement outside your property, pathways to your property or public spaces.

If an accident did happen, it’s highly unlikely that you would be sued as long as you are careful and use common sense to make sure that you don’t make the pavement or pathway more dangerous than before. People using areas affected by snow and ice also have responsibility to be careful themselves.

Clearing fresh snow is easier than clearing compacted ice or snow, so starting early may be advised. Don’t use hot water, as this will melt the snow and may form black ice, increasing the risk of injury.

Ensure that you don’t block people’s paths or drainage channels. Spreading some salt on the area you have cleared will help stop ice forming. Table salt or dishwasher salt will work, but avoid spreading on plants or grass as they may be damaged by it.

Use the sun to your advantage: removing the top layer of snow will allow the sun to melt any ice beneath. If salt isn’t available, sand or ash are good alternatives.

Take care clearing pathways

December 2011 Page 3 Linc Upwww.nelincs.gov.uk

ARE you struggling to pay your rent or your council tax bill?

If so, why not come along to the coffee mornings at the multi-agency shop on Wingate Parade, Grimsby on Friday 6, 13 and 20 January 2012 between 10am and 12 noon.

There will be someone available from the council’s housing and council tax benefits team to help you and answer any questions.

Making a pledge to support armed forces personnelTHE council has pledged its commitment to supporting armed forces personnel by signing a community covenant. The Mayor of North East Lincolnshire, Councillor Susan Pickett, signed the pledge on Remembrance Day, along with several representatives of the armed forces, police, fire and rescue, NHS, the business sector, and the voluntary sector. The covenant is an agreement between organisations to provide continual support for existing service personnel as well as veterans. Pictured at the signing of the covenant are (from left): Chairman of the Royal Air Forces Association Grimsby and Cleethorpes and Armed Forces Executive Committee Bill McCann; Veterans Champion North East Lincolnshire and Vice Chairman Yorkshire and Humber Veterans Advisory and Pensions Committee Councillor Alex Baxter; On behalf of Her Majesty the Queen The Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire Tony Worth; Cleethorpes MP Martin Vickers; Grimsby MP Austin Mitchell; Mayor of North East Lincolnshire Councillor Susan Pickett; President of the Royal Air Forces Association Air Marshal Sir Dusty Miller; On behalf of Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association for Yorkshire and the Humber Major General David S Jolliffe; On behalf of the Royal Navy Commander David Mealing.

Get help with your council tax bill

Hard times and tough decisions lie aheadWE all know, money is tighter than ever before in North East Lincolnshire, as elsewhere in the country. This impacts on us all and the council is no different in having to manage with less in the coming years.

Careful financial planning and budgetary control are all part and parcel of running a large and complex organisation like the council. This process goes on throughout the year and the cuoncil is currently in year one of a four year financial plan. Each year the budget is reviewed to ensure that the council’s income and expenditure balance.

This year in particular brings even more challenges than usual, and these financial pressures are set

to increase in the coming years. All councils are facing unprecedented levels of funding reductions and North East Lincolnshire Council is facing budget cuts of over 27 per cent over the next four years.

This means the council must save over £40 million by 2014/15, equivalent to saving £30,000 every day between now and March 2015.

So, creating and delivering a four-year financial plan is a huge challenge and this will involve councillors making some tough decisions that will doubtless be felt across the borough.

Consultation took place with residents, partners and businesses last year to get

a better understanding of what the council’s priorities should be. The things the public asked the council to focus on are: increasing jobs and strengthening the local economy; enabling children, young people and adults to learn and be ready for work; improving the health and well-being of all, especially vulnerable people; and beingan effective and efficient council.

The council will continue to prioritise these areas, while working within reduced budgets. To do this the council will be run as efficiently as possible by cutting costs and increasing

productivity. There will be more partnership working, which may involve changing the way services are provided. The council may even stop doing some of the things it currently does.

At present, the council is reducing back office costs by improving efficiency and reducing waste. Wherever possible compulsory redundancies for council staff will be avoided but, the council’s journey to become a smaller, smarter and more efficient organisation will have staffing impacts.

The council’s draft budget for next year will be discussed at the Cabinet

meeting on December 21. Scrutiny meetings about the budget will take place in January.

These meetings are open to the public. Residents who wish to submit questions can do so by emailing scruitiny@nelincs.gov.uk.

Council representatives will be out and about in early January, providing information at various locations throughout the borough. Check the council’s website at www.nelincs.gov.uk for further information.

Final decisions on the budget will be made at a meeting of the full council on February 16.

Public scrutiny meetings

l Jan 17, 3pm – Children & young people scrutiny panell Jan 17, 6.30pm – Regeneration, housing & environmentl Jan 18, 2pm – Safer & stronger communities scrutiny panell Jan 18, 6.30pm – Tourism, leisure & culture scrutiny panell Jan 19,10am – Policy, performance & resources scrutiny panell Jan 19, 4.30pm – Health & wellbeing scrutiny panel

at Grimsby Town Hall

December 2011Page 4 Linc Up www.nelincs.gov.uk

Drop in for advice on work, money and debt

Shops are praised for cutting underage sales

Shops which sell alcohol are advised to operate a Challenge 25 policy, asking proof of age of all those who appear to be under the age of 25

HUNDREDS of families are set to benefit from a £1.1m home insulation scheme with leading energy company E.On.

North East Lincolnshire council is working with E.On to provide loft and cavity wall insulation to homes, which will be free of charge to some people and provided at reduced cost to others.

Up to 2,000 homes across northern Lincolnshire could benefit from energy saving measures like loft and cavity wall insulation.

The work is being carried out under the government’s Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) scheme and could save each home more than £390 a year on energy costs.

Jon Kirby, CERT manager at E.On, said: “We’re committed to getting homes energy fit – reducing energy use and cutting bills – and this is a great example of councils, communities and companies getting together to help people save money and reduce our effect on the planet.

“By tackling whole communities in such a way we can really start to make a difference and build energy efficiency into our everyday lives.”

Installing cavity wall and loft insulation can reduce heating bills by as much as £390 a year for a 1940s three-bed semi-detached home with a 10-year-old gas boiler and a gas price of 3.73p/kWh.

More modern homes save less. Savings depend on a large number of factors; the £390 quoted should be treated as a guide.

Contact (01472) 324782 to find out more.

Insulation scheme is launched

THE Change Keyworker service launched its Work Club+ sessions in November – and they are now operating from various children’s centres, Immingham Resource Centre and at the Willows Community Shop.

The drop-in sessions offer a range of free advice to individuals who may have various different issues in their life associated with being out of work.

The support available enables people to address these challenges, while offering help to

move forward into work. Topics covered include

housing problems, money management, debt advice and there are workshops on CV writing, interview techniques, guidance on setting up your own business and work opportunities.

Work Club+ is being co-ordinated by the Change employment support key worker team.

For more information on the sessions and when they are being held, please visit www.nelincs.gov.uk/change or call (01472) 325948.

SHOPS which sell age-restricted products in North East Lincolnshire have been praised by local enforcement bodies after the latest figures show a reduction in illegal sales.

The borough council’s six monthly figures, covering April to September 2011, reveal that the number of underage sales made during test purchases is down to a record low of just eight per cent.

The figure reinforces a steady improvement which has been seen over the past four years. It is also a dramatic improvement since 2007, when the failure rate for alcohol test purchases was over 20 per cent – equivalent to one in five shops tested.

North East Lincolnshire Council’s public protection team, which includes trading standards, licensing and environmental health, regularly conducts test purchasing operations in conjunction with Humberside Police. They use volunteers under the legal age for the product concerned.

Test purchases are made in shops which have been the subject of public complaints. Traders who fail a test are visited and given guidance on how to avoid selling to young people. Shops are advised to operate a ‘Challenge 25’ policy, through which anybody who looks to be

under the age of 25 is asked to produce photographic identification to show they are over the age of 18.

Action is taken against traders who fail a second test purchase within three months.

Neil Clark, community protection manager at the council, said: “These results are excellent. They show that the work done by the council and the police is having a positive impact. We always encourage businesses to train and support their staff to prevent underage sales, and those who do not adhere to the law will be prosecuted.

“Alcohol, tobacco and other products can have a real and significant impact on the health of young people – that’s why it’s so important that shops stick to the rules. Well done to all of those traders who are being vigilant in asking for ID and refusing sales if they are unsure.”

Anyone with concerns about traders selling age-restricted products to young people should contact trading standards on (01472) 324770 or email trading.standards@nelincs.gov.uk. You can also report underage sales by texting ‘UNDERAGE’, followed by your message, to 82055. Volunteer test purchasers are also invited to get in touch via the phone number.

The launch at the Willows Community Shop

December 2011 Page 5 Linc Upwww.nelincs.gov.uk

THE Street Angels are primed and raring to get involved in this year’s festivities – helping anyone in distress during their seasonal celebrations.

The North East Lincolnshire Street Angels team was formed in August 2010.

Their main aim is to provide a friendly face in Cleethorpes for people visiting pubs, clubs and bars of an evening.

Now in its second year, the team continues to provide that friendly presence. They have assisted scores of vulnerable people needing assistance as a result of drink or drugs.

The coordinator for the group, Jackie Fortune, is pleased with how it has gone.

She said: “Overall the pubs and clubs seem much quieter than they were last year, but this is possibly due to the recession.

“There is definitely still a need for Street Angels, but I would say that need has changed.

“We deal more with major incidents nowadays but we did expect things to alter and, whatever happens, we will continue to take things in our stride.”

For their second Christmas on patrol, the dedicated volunteers have been briefed, prepped and armed with basic first aid equipment, flip flops, and water.

If you are interested in volunteering for the Street Angels, why not go for a taster session?

A couple of hours will tell you all you need to know about what the Street Angels do and will give you a feel for the organisation.

For more information, please contact the volunteer centre on (01472) 231123.

Street Angels are ready for Christmas

MORE than 2,050 families and individuals have found new homes through a regional choice-based lettings scheme which was launched in November last year.

Home Choice Lincs was created through the collaboration between North East Lincolnshire and North Lincolnshire Councils, with support from Shoreline Housing Partnership, North Lincolnshire Homes and Longhurst & Havelok Homes.

Homes belonging to the housing associations are advertised online at www.homechoicelincs.org.uk, on digital TV and in local housing offices when they become available for letting.

In the twelve months since its launch, more than 13,000 people have signed up to the scheme and more than 2,000 homes have been let.

Tony Bramley, chair of the Home Choice Lincs partnership board, said: “Home Choice Lincs has been a great success. It has allowed residents of North and North East Lincolnshire to have a choice in where they want to live which, in turn, has led to more settled neighbourhoods as people are where they want to be. As the housing associations advertise all vacant properties through the scheme, everyone is able to see what’s available in the area they want. They will also

see that, unfortunately, we don’t always have properties available in the most popular areas, so they will have to decide whether to bid for a property somewhere else.”

Home Choice Lincs offers a fairer and faster way for people to get affordable homes for rent with registered social landlords. Applicants can bid for up to three homes every week. Homes are offered to bidders who have the highest housing need and have been on the waiting list for the longest time.

You can register on the new scheme at www.homechoicelincs.org.uk. Properties are advertised from Wednesday to Monday and are updated every week.

Over 2,000 homes let by Choice Lincs

COMMUNITY groups, clubs and charitable organisations are being offered the chance to apply for funding for events that are inspired by the 2012 London Olympics.

Grants of up to £1,000 will be available from a council-funded pot of £25,000, for projects that improve the health and wellbeing of citizens in North East Lincolnshire and leave a lasting legacy long after the games are over.

Types of projects that could be funded include those which help keep young people out of the youth justice system; those which encourage families to work together in fun activity; and those which help tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.

The money will not be available to pay for ongoing revenue commitments, labour costs, or sports kit or clothing.

Grant submissions, accompanied by a copy of the organisations’ last annual accounts, audited where there is a requirement, together with a copy of their constitution, should be sent to Rob Allison, principal sports development officer, Thrunscoe Centre, Highgate, Cleethorpes, DN35 8NX.

The closing date for receipt of applications is February 26, 2012. The council aims to commit to projects by the March 14, 2012.

Download an application form from the council’s website at http://bit.ly/vJWECI.

GRIMSBY’S iconic Dock Tower will play a part in the Olympic relay next year when the torch is carried down the side of the building in an abseil.

Cleethorpes, Immingham and Grimsby will also see the torch pass through their communities on June 26 and 27 on its way to London, and there will be an

evening celebration at the Meridian Park Showground on Tuesday, June 26, at which thousands will enjoy fantastic live entertainment.

For details about the Olympic torch relay celebrations contact David Watson on (01472) 323348 or email david.watson@nelincs.gov.uk.

Funding for clubs and groups

Olympic abseil stunt for the Dock Tower

December 2011Page 6 Linc Up www.nelincs.gov.uk

Using a taxi? Know how to keep yourself safe

CHRISTMAS comes but once a year, and if you’re not careful with your cash you may end up paying for it until the next one comes around.

It feels better knowing that you’re making the most of your money throughout the festive season. So if you don’t want a money headache in the New Year but still want to have a great Christmas, these tips from the Money Advice Service can help.

First, know how much you can spend. Decide what you can afford to spend and stick to it. Include everything: gifts, travel, food, new outfits, and decorations.

Write a list. Estimate the cost of each item and check you can afford it. When buying online don’t forget about delivery charges.

Compare prices of different retailers. Look closely at special offers to make sure they really are value for money. And keep an eye out for discount vouchers.

Do you need insurance? Check before buying extended warranties. Your gifts may be covered by your existing contents insurance policy.

If you need to borrow for

Christmas, get the best product you can and only borrow what you can afford to repay. Check the terms, including the annual interest rate.

You can also avoid debt by cutting back. Make every penny count. Plan your food list carefully. According to Love Food, Hate Waste, we throw away over eight million tonnes of food each year. This costs the average family with children £680.

Another clever money-saving idea is to give home-made gifts. Baking, a framed photo, james and chutney: they all make great gifts.

You can access a useful money planner online, at Moneyadviceservice.org.uk. In minutes you can create a personal action plan showing how to make the most of your money now, and reach your future goals.

The website also has many more money tips.

A wonderful Christmas and no New Year money worries: now that’s worth celebrating.

Contact the Money Advice Service on 0300 500 5000.

Be savvy with your cash this Christmas

ARE you likely to use a taxi during the festive season this year? In advance of the celebration period, passengers are being reminded of how to ensure drivers and vehicles are properly licensed.

The advice is coming from the council’s public protection team, which is aiming to help people to keep themselves safe during Christmas and the New Year.

Passengers are being reminded that only licensed hackney carriage vehicles can pick up unarranged fares from the street. These vehicles carry a white taxi licensing plate, and their drivers must display a white identification badge.

Conversely, private hire vehicles are not permitted to pick up from the street without prior arrangement. These carry a yellow taxi licensing plate, door signs, and drivers display a red identification badge.

Hackney carriage vehicles in North East Lincolnshire are also subject to a fixed set of tariffs, which has been set by the licensing authority. Three tariffs are applied, depending on when the journey is being made. Hackney carriage drivers who

do not apply the tariffs at the appropriate period are operating illegally. The tariffs are displayed inside each vehicle.

Private hire vehicles are not subject to fixed tariffs. Fares are set by the private hire company, so passengers are advised to agree the cost first.

The hackney carriage tariffs are as follows: l Tariff one applies from 6am to

11pm daily, except on public holidays. The charge is £3.80 for the first mile (including

flag or starting charge), and £1.50 each mile thereafter.l Tariff two applies from 11pm to

6am daily, and on public holidays except Christmas and New Year. The charge is £4.40 for the first mile (including flag charge), and £1.90 each mile thereafter.l Tariff three applies from 6pm on

Christmas Eve, through Christmas Day and Boxing Day, up to 6am the day after Boxing Day, and from 6pm New Year’s Eve, throughout New Year’s Day up to

6am the following day. The charge is £5.30 for the first mile (including flag charge), and £2.50 each mile thereafter.

This year, because Tuesday, December 27 and Monday, January 2 are Bank Holidays, Tariff two will apply on these days from 6am.

Adrian Moody, licensing manager, said: “We have a good fleet of taxis in North East Lincolnshire, and we want the public to make sure they are getting into bone fide, licensed cabs. The licensing rules exist to ensure the fleet is providing a reliable and safe service to the public, so do beware of any vehicles which do not appear to be displaying the appropriate licensing plates or driver identification badges.”

The council carries out spot checks to ensure drivers are working within the rules.

Anyone who believes they have been incorrectly charged, or if they believe a driver to be operating outside of the rules is invited to contact the council’s taxi licensing team on (01472) 324044.

December 2011 Page 7 Linc Upwww.nelincs.gov.uk

X Expiry dates: if buying gift vouchers, check for

an expiry date and ensure the person receiving it will be able to use it within the time limit. Also ensure the trader will still be trading for the whole period that the voucher covers.

M Measure up: check the size needed for clothing

before you buy, or ask for a written statement on your receipt that a refund will be given if the item is the wrong size or colour.

A Age-restricted sales: check that a toy, DVD or

CD is suitable for the age of the child you are buying for.

S Save receipts in case there is a problem later.

This applies especially to electrical goods.

T Total cost: don’t make spur-of-the-moment

purchases on credit cards before considering the total cost and how long it will take to repay the debt. Never use an unlicensed money lender.

I Internet shopping: in addition to enjoying the

same rights as shopping on the High Street, internet shoppers are usually entitled to return items within seven days for a refund. Postage charges are not usually refundable.

P Panic buying: beware of rushing to buy ‘must

have’ items which may be in short supply. Beware of doorstep traders, and be careful of where you buy online or via mail order.

Top tips for hassle-free festive shopping

Have a happy Christmas: and avoid consumer difficulties

THE Keep Warm, Eat Well service run by the council is planning a number of new approaches to provide services in neighbourhoods where elderly residents are most at risk, in poverty and socially isolated.

Surgeries are now available to all members of the public with no appointment needed. They take place at: the Citizens Advice Bureau, 4 Town Hall Street, Grimsby, Fridays from 10am to 1pm; Community Advice Services, 10-16 Kent Street, Grimsby, Tuesdays from 1pm to 4pm and other weekdays from 9am to 12 noon; and at Age concern, 171 Freeman Street, Grimsby, Thursdays from 9.30am to 12 noon.

A surgery is also to run at the Bert Boyden Centre, Carver Road, Immingham, on Thursday, December 15 and Thursday, January 12, from 10am to 3pm.

The Citizens Advice Bureau also operates Keep Warm, Eat Well advice sessions which provide free, confidential and specialist information for people aged 60 or over. They take place at the Immingham Resource Centre, Margaret Street, each Thursday from 1pm to 4pm and at Cleethorpes Library each Tuesday from 1pm to 4pm.

A specialist home visiting service is also available to elderly residents over the age of 60 who may be unable to access community services due to mobility difficulties, social isolation or other needs and circumstances.

Call the Keep Warm, Eat Well hotline numbers: for heating and insulation advice call (01472) 324782; for benefits and council tax advice call (01472) 252516.

New ways to help keep people warm

MEN are being encouraged to take control of their health at a series of free body management sessions.

A health trainer hosts the events at the Scout Hut on the junction of Cooper Road and Carr Lane, in Grimsby, every Thursday evening from 7pm.

Those who attend will learn about healthy eating, portion sizes, getting active, and staying motivated, along with other men’s health issues. There is also the option of undertaking a discrete weigh-in and waist measurement, if desired.

For further information, contact health trainer Ralph Emery on 07879 488279 or email ralph.emery@nelincs.gov.uk.

Men: get healthy!

Local help is at hand toHelp you do both

North East LincolnshireCare Trust Plus

For free and independent advice on the help available call:

For heating and insulation advice

01472 324782For benefits and council tax advice

01472 25251601472 240256

Trading standards officers have some handy tips for Christmas gift shopping this year. If you have any difficulties, contact Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06 or (01472) 324815.

Could you look after a child? Get advice from the council’s ‘outstanding’ adoption serviceTHE adoption service in North East Lincolnshire has once again achieved full marks in its latest Ofsted inspection.

The inspection, which took place in September, found the service to be ‘an Outstanding adoption agency in all respects’. Inspectors praised the council’s dedication to making sure children are placed with stable families and that those children’s wishes and feelings are carefully addressed.

Paul Cordy, the head of vulnerable children, said: “It is worth remembering that adoption isn’t always as straight forward

as it may seem. It is no longer as common for people to relinquish babies for adoption. Instead the majority of children who need adopting have usually been taken in to care for their protection. They often struggle with emotional issues or health complications, some of which can be very serious. This being said, our job is to find and support families or individuals to care for these children.”

If you’re interested in adopting a child the council can offer you advice and support. Contact the fostering and adoption service on (01472) 325545.

The fostering and adoption team

celebrate their latest Ofsted result

December 2011Page 8 Linc Up www.nelincs.gov.uk

THERE has been a lot of publicity around waste recently with many residents writing to the council to tell us how they feel. Some say they are thinking of giving up recycling entirely.

Perhaps this raises the question: why do we recycle? In this world the focus tends to be on the “what’s in it for me?” I have thought hard about why I started recycling my waste and I would like to share that with you.

I hate waste. But actually it isn’t waste I am throwing away – it’s some- thing that can be used again to make a similar product or something new.

I have children, family and friends who I care about, and by being wasteful, I feel like I am spending their future. This does bother me, because I know that what we do now will affect how they will live in the future.

To my mind it’s a no-brainer. When I have a piece of waste I no longer need, rather than throw it away (forever) in my dustbin, I find it’s just as easy to drop it into a recycling box. Some items I take to the nearest bring bank when next passing. It’s that simple. So why wouldn’t I do it?

The council can make money out of the glass, paper, cans and plastics it recycles, so it is cheaper for me and you to recycle because it helps reduce council tax. It also reduces the cost of goods we buy and, let’s not forget, it reduces the need for energy.

Recycling provides work for someone and it’s something which can carry on indefinitely: make the goods, use them, recycle them, make the goods. That’s what they call sustainable.

It makes me feel good, putting out a full box of cans, bottles and newspapers, and stuffing my squashed plastic bottles into the bring bank. It makes me feel like I am doing my bit.

If someone stopped recycling, wouldn’t they be cutting off their nose to spite their face? So let’s focus on all that’s good about recycling both here and now and for future generations.

Let the council know how you feel about recycling and waste. Visit the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/letswastelessnelc or write to Waste and Recycling, Thrunscoe Centre, Cleethorpes, DN35 8NX.

Christmas recycling collectionsTHE countdown to Christmas has started and North East Lincolnshire Council is encouraging residents to remember to recycle over the festive period.

Christmas is a time for entertaining and the extra glass bottles, jars, metal cans and paper packaging can all be placed in the boxes and collected by recycling crews.

Details about the changes to collection times, together with help and advice about how to recycle over the festive period, have been posted to all residents.

People can also call the waste hotline on (01472) 325841 or check collection days online by visiting the website at www.nelincs.gov.uk/bincollections.

You can find out about how to recycle more at home this Christmas by visiting www.recyclenow.com.

Seafront scene wins contestTHE winner of this year’s Christmas card photographic competition was Mr Steve Parrott from Cleethorpes.

His picture of a couple walking along a snowy beach scene won him a £100 gift voucher from the sponsors Comley Cameras, of St Peter’s Avenue, Cleethorpes.

Thanks go to everyone who submitted photographs for the contest; they were received in their hundreds. Christmas cards featuring Steve’s winning photograph and Christmas and New Year waste and recycling collection schedules have been posted to all residents.

Make your freezer your festive friend at Christmas CHRISTMAS Day can sometimes feel like a feeding frenzy – and there is usually plenty left over. Fortunately, the Love Food Hate Waste campaign has some fabulous tips for making the most of your meals.

Each year in Britain we throw away £12 billion worth of good food from our homes. The Christmas holidays are the perfect time to think about making the most of the food you buy by getting to know your freezer.

The freshest food is kept in the fridge, so keep tabs on their use-by dates. The freezer may be the best place for food you won’t get round to eating in time.

You can freeze most foods – even Christmas cheese. Hard cheeses can be frozen then grated when needed, without defrosting,

to use as pizza toppings or cheese on toast. Stilton freezes really well without grating and can be defrosted for the cheese board, a quiche or soup.

Any leftover fish needs to be wrapped well and chilled. It’s best eaten within a day of cooking or freeze it and enjoy it in the New Year.

If you make too much food over Christmas don’t throw it away. Pop it in a container in the fridge or freezer and eat at a later date. That means you can enjoy Christmas treats long after the festivities have finished. After spending lots on food and presents, this tip saves you money and time too.

Leftover party food such as quiches and sausage rolls can be frozen and used in packed lunches when you go back to work.

When buying bread over the Christmas holidays, remember to put some straight into the freezer. It keeps perfectly for when you need it and you can use a sliced loaf at breakfast by toasting slices straight from frozen.

Multi-buys, offers and discounts can be good value, as long as you plan how to use the extra food. Think

about what festive meals you can cook with the food you buy and whether some of it could be frozen for later. You could also share your bargains with family and friends.

To find out more useful tips about how to store food, tantalising Christmas recipes and advice on freezing this holiday season, visit www.lovefoodhatewaste.com.

December 2011 Page 9 Linc Upwww.nelincs.gov.uk

Keep your gifts safe from would-be thieves

DON’T make life easy for criminals this season.

That’s the message from the Safer and Stronger Communities partnership, which has issued advice to prevent people from becoming victims of crime this Christmas.

If you go away for the holiday period, look at using an automatic timer for lights and ask a trusted neighbour to watch your home.

Don’t forget to cancel newspapers and milk if you have them delivered and either redirect your mail through the Post Office

or have your neighbour take mail into the house as unopened Christmas cards and mail are a sure sign that a house is empty.

Householders should remember to beware of strangers at the door. Genuine delivery personnel usually have uniforms and liveried vehicles and should not need to come into your home.

Charity collectors will have identification and will not be offended if you ask to see it. If you are not sure but want to make a donation, ask whether these can be made in other ways, perhaps through a bank.

MANY people will have been shopping to get that all important present for a loved one – so why make it easy for someone to steal from your home?

When you have bought your presents, make sure you keep them out of sight until Christmas Eve. If you hide or store larger items such as bicycles in the shed or outbuildings, make sure they are secure.

With additional valuable items in the house, check your insurance to make sure you are covered for the value of goods in your home.

Take the frame numbers of new bicycles and the serial numbers of new electrical equipment for future reference.

Don’t leave empty boxes outside – they advertise that you have new goods inside, so dispose of packing carefully.

If you go out for the evening make it look like someone is at home by turning on lights and the radio. Don’t leave curtains

open so people can see your decorations, as potential thieves can see in. Be extra careful about locking doors and windows.

Investing in a property marking kit such as Smartwater could help recovery of valuable items in the event of them being stolen.

Keep your presentsoff Burglar Bill’s List!Follow these simple steps to help avoid becoming a target for crimeand have a crime-free Christmas and New Year.

When you’re leaving the house:Lock all doors and windows Keep presents and valuables out of sight

When shopping:Don’t leave any shopping bags on view in your car Park in patrolled car parks

HumbersidePolice | Protecting Communities, Targeting Criminals | www.humberside.police.ukWishing you a safe and enjoyable Christmas and New Year

Produced by Humberside Police Marketing & Media Liaison Unitin association with LazenbyBrown

For home security adviceplease visitwww.homesecuritychallenge.co.uk

Vigilance can help keep crime to a minimum

Keep yourself safePUBS, restaurants and clubs can often be crowded during the season of celebration, making it easier for sneak thieves to operate. Be alert at all times and do what you can to keep your personal belongings safe.

Don’t leave bags over the back of your chair and keep wallets and purses close to your body to make it more difficult for pickpockets.

Make prior arrangements as to how you will get home.

Avoid any potential disturbances on the street and stay with friends if you can.

Make sure someone knows where you are going and what time you will be back.

Don’t drink too much. You could become a much easier target for thieves if you do.

Park with careWHEN you’re out shopping, consider where you park, especially if you will be returning after dark – choose a well-lit space away from pillars.

Many car parks in North East Lincolnshire have been awarded the Park Mark award for safety – so look out for the sign.

Make sure your children know what to do if they get separated from you in busy shopping areas. Younger children should tell a shop assistant. They should never leave the shop without you. Older children can be given an agreed meeting place.

Don’t leave presents on show in a parked car, and keep doors locked while driving in built-up areas if you have bags of presents in the car.

Keep alert in busy shops and streets where thieves and pickpockets could be operating.

Beware of uninvited callers. Always check for identification, and don’t be distracted: opportunist thieves need only a brief moment to remove gifts or possessions

December 2011Page 10 Linc Up www.nelincs.gov.uk

TO mark the end of Black History Month the young people’s support service (YPSS) hosted a celebration of culture at Grimsby Town Hall.

The vibrant event was open to the public, who filled the Assembly Room for an evening of entertainment and food.

The event celebrated a mix of rich cultures and beliefs from across the world, many of which come together in our local community. By sharing ideas in this way the YPSS aims to strengthen community bonds and establish mutual respect among residents.

Children from Combe Briggs Primary School and a group of young carers kicked off the evening

with two Bollywood dance performances.

Sadi Kahn, the keynote speaker from the award-winning Noble Kahn Company, pulled members of the audience out of their seats to teach them how to tie Saris and turbans with entertaining, if not completely successful, results.

The event also featured a DJ set, craft stalls, henna tattooing, competitions and traditional dishes from India, Poland and the Caribbean.

The night closed with stories from Bangladesh, read by Tom Houghton, and a dance performance from the Whitgift Dance Group.

The YPSS worked closely with other council teams, local businesses and young

people to organise the event. Steve Kay, head of integrated youth support services, said: “As always we’ve tried our best to let this event come right from

the young people of our area.

“They’ve put all of the hard work in to learn dances, explore other cultures and help to

define the format of this celebration. But we couldn’t have pulled this off without the support of our partners in both the public and private sectors.”

Global fun at cultural celebration

Sundays 10am to 4pm Monday - Saturday 9am to 5pm Christmas Eve 9am to 4pm December 25 - 27 inclusive CLOSED

New Years Eve 9am to 4pm

Christmas Opening Hours Top Town Market’s

We are open from Sunday, 11 December right up to Christmas Eve, 24 December

Wishing all our customers a very Merry Christmas

Working in Partnership

Food Hall re-opens on Wednesday, December 28 Market Hall re-opens on Thursday, December 29

DANCERS across northern Lincolnshire are set to enjoy an added spring in their step thanks to an Arts Council award of over £40,000.

North and North East Lincolnshire council will each receive £10,700 per year for the next two years to run dance projects and provide joint showcase and networking events.

In North East Lincolnshire the award will be used to provide grassroots dance projects in community settings out of school.

Dance teachers and advanced students will be given the opportunity to work alongside professional dance companies which the council will bring into the area for specific dance workshops.

The award will also be used to offer mentoring and workshop opportunities for gifted and talented young dance groups and youth dance companies.

Over the two year period the local authorities will bring together their respective projects to showcase what they have achieved.

A spokesman said: “This award will mean a lot to the young dancers and their teachers in North East Lincolnshire.

“Dancing, in all its styles, is a great way for young people to learn skills, make friends and keep fit and well at the same time.”

Arts award puts step in dancing projects

The Mayor of North East Lincolnshire, Councillor Susan Pickett, with some of the performers

December 2011 Page 11 Linc Upwww.nelincs.gov.uk

Art festival makes an impression

Historical calendar makes a special giftDO you know someone looking for a date this Christmas? Why not give them 365 as a stocking filler?

The library service has produced a local history calendar for 2012, with remarkable scenes from across the borough.

Each month depicts times gone by in North East Lincolnshire. And to celebrate the Olympic games, the images for June, July and August are all sport-related.

The A4-sized calendars are on sale at all libraries in North East Lincolnshire, the Fishing Heritage Centre and Cleethorpes Tourist Information Centre – and at just £5, including an envelope for posting, they make an ideal seasonal gift for friends and relatives.

Remember, you can also give yourself the gift of knowledge for free by joining the library online at www.nelincs.gov.uk/libraries.

HUNDREDS of families grabbed pencils, clutched chalk and unleashed spray paint last month for the international Big Draw Festival.

Events took place in a range of venues across North East Lincolnshire, encouraging adults, young people and children to try out different styles of drawing.

Starting as a one-day event in 2000, the Big Draw Festival has grown in popularity ever since. It now lasts the entire month of October and includes 22 other countries besides the UK. It has won support from leading practitioners in the creative industries and in

art, architecture and design colleges.

The aim of the festival is to encourage people to understand the value of drawing as a way of seeing, thinking, creating and inventing.

Its long-term ambition is to promote drawing as an important human skill that can have a positive impact on people from all walks of life.

Locally, the festival was launched in Freshney Place, Grimsby, where shoppers stopped to take part in drawing activities. In some cases, whole families took the opportunity to get handy tips from the three art tutors who were on hand to

help develop ideas.Over the following weeks

there were many other events which focussed on all aspects of drawing, from the use of inks to creating narrative and manipulating pictures with Photoshop. A graffiti art workshop at Freeman Street Resource

Centre proved most popular. Artists Lynsey Powel and Mark Stafford demonstrated how they use spray paint to draw and then local people helped them create a huge mural.

An art exhibition at Grimsby Central Library concluded the festival.

Many artistic pictures were created as part of the festival

Take a step back in time...

Calendar2012

North East Lincolnshire

RESIDENTS from Grimsby’s Park ward have come up with a simple solution that will hopefully solve a couple of edible problems within their area.

The group is calling on residents to help them produce an Apple Map to encourage people to eat more fruit.

One of the organisers said: “I work most days in gardens throughout North East Lincoln-shire and this autumn I’ve been inundated with requests from

customers to clean up hundreds of windfalls from fruit trees in the area.

“It all seems such a waste of good, nutritious, healthy fruit, especially when most of it goes in the bins.

“All of my customers invite me to help myself to their excess fruit, but there’s far too much for me and my family to eat and process for winter storage.”

It is hoped that the new Apple Map will lead to unwanted fruit being shared

amongst children’s groups, schools and homeless shelters.

If you have had a problem with over production in your fruit garden

this year, call Park Ward Action Group secretary Brenda Dixon on 07722 351106 or email brenda.dixon90@ntlworld.com.

Apple map may help us to eat more local fruit

Apples are in abundance locally but not all are eaten

Equalities discussed at CYPP eventTHE Council for Young People’s conference at Grimsby Town Hall was a huge success with helping teach young people to understand each other, tolerate and respect differences.

The event featured holocaust survivor Iby Knill, who spoke about her life as a child in Czechoslovakia and how she escaped to Hungary before being captured.

Other guests speakers included Roop Singh, whose mission is to eliminate racism, Tom Yolley, a student at the Grimsby Institute who suffers from cerebral palsy, and Paul Fitzgerald, equality and diversity co-ordinator at the institute.

The Council for Young People encourages schools to include all ages and abilities in its delegations. For further information contact John Cook on (01472) 324124.

December 2011Page 12 Linc Up www.nelincs.gov.uk

Now until Mon Dec 26Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, starring Sue Holderness. At the Grimsby Auditorium. Call the auditorium’s booking line on 08444 999 999.

Sat Dec 17Don Thorpe Big Band – 16 musicians and two vocalists performing music for dancing. At Cleethorpes Memorial Hall, Grimsby Road, 8pm to 11pm. Tickets cost £5. Security patrolled car park.

Sat Dec 17Kingsway Printers Brass Band will be performing songs from the shows and traditional

Christmas music and carols at All Saints Church, High Street, Waltham, 7.30pm to 9.30pm. Tickets are £5 from Cottingham’s Chemist, High Street, Waltham, or call Paul Teanby on 07504 690263.Refreshments available.

Sat Dec 17Grimsby Bach Choir’s annual Wassail, at Grimsby Town Hall, 7.30 pm. The atmosphere is relaxed, refreshments of punch mince pies and stolen are served throughout the evening, and the choir entertains with a wide selection of Christmas music. Adults £12, under-16s £6. Book via Terry Pannell on

(01472) 870292. Not suitable for very small children but otherwise all ages welcome.

Sat Dec 17Christmas with the Orpheus Male Voice Choir. An evening of seasonal entertainment with special guest Isla St Clair. At Grimsby Central Hall, Duncombe Street, 7.30pm. Tickets: circle £12 and £10, stalls £7. Book via the Caxton ticket office at Grimsby Central Library on (01472) 346251.

Sun Dec 18CentA Stage Theatre Company presents the Christmas Nativity with song and dance.

At Grimsby Central Hall, Duncombe Street, 2.30pm. Adults £8, children and OAPs £6. Book via the Caxton ticket office at Grimsby Central Library on (01472) 346251.

Sun Dec 18Cinderella, a Christmas panto presented by the CentA Stage Theatre Company. At Grimsby Central Hall, Duncombe Street, 7.30pm. Adults £8, children and OAPs £6. Book via the Caxton ticket office at Grimsby Central Library on (01472) 346251.

Sun Dec 18Civic Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. The renowned Minster Choir perform and lead the congregation in this celebration of the traditional carol service first initiated at King’s College Cambridge. At Grimsby Minster, St James’ Square, Grimsby, 6.30pm to 8pm. Free entry. Call (01472) 358610.

Wed Dec 21Salvation Army Carol Concert, under the leadership of Major Mike Bowers, with the Songsters and the Timbrels. At St Peter’s Church, St Peter’s Avenue, Cleethorpes, 7pm. Free entry.

Fri Dec 23The Jilted Generations Xmas Party, at the Yardbirds Club, Church Street, Grimsby.Tickets £5 adv, £6 door. Book on 07771 520374.

Sat Dec 31Six of the Best. Hard rock covers band, performing at the Yardbirds Club, Church Street, Grimsby. Tickets, £8 adv, £10 door. Book on 07771 520374.

Wed Jan 7Donthorpe Big Band – 16 Musicians and two vocalists performing music for dancing at the Cleethorpes Memorial Hall, from 8pm to 11pm. £5.

Fri Jan 13Too Many Bishops and Ladies: The Court of Richard

II. Lecture by Dr Alison McHardy, reader in Medieval English History at the University of Nottingham. At The Markham Hall, St James’s School, Grimsby, 7.30pm. No need to book you can just turn up and pay on the door.

Thurs Jan 19Bobby Wellins with the Andre Pozza Trio. Featuring legendary saxophonist Bobby Wellins with Italian pianist Andrea Pozza, Andrew Cleyndert on double base and British drummer Mark Taylor. At the Stamford Club, Cleethorpe Road, Grimsby, 7.30pm. Tickets £10 adv, £12 door, students half price. Call (01472) 873730.

Thurs Jan 19The Primrose Piano Quartet plays Beethoven and Schumann at Grimsby Central Hall, Duncombe Street, 7.30pm. Tickets £12.50 or £2 concs. Book via the Caxton ticket office at Grimsby Central Library on (01472) 346251.

Sat Jan 21Snake Davis and the Pat McCarthy Quartet at Grimsby Central Hall, Duncombe Street, Grimsby, 7.30pm. Tickets £10. Book via the Caxton ticket office at Grimsby Central Library on (01472) 346251.

Sat Jan 21 to Sat Jan 28The Secret Lives of Henry

and Alice, at the Caxton Theatre, Cleethorpe Road, Grimsby. Henry Smith is an actor, sporting hero, business tycoon, secret agent, and acting President of the United States. Alice Smith, a housewife, leads a less exciting life. Secret passions explode and two worlds a million miles apart are suddenly on a collision course. Performances begin at 7.30pm. Tickets £7.50 Saturdays, £7 Monday to Friday, £6 Monday concs. Ages 16+. Book via the Caxton ticket office at Grimsby Central Library on (01472) 346251.

Sat Jan 28A Viennese Evening – Richard Howarth and his Manchester Sinfonia lead the Philharmonic Choir in the joyous music of Strauss and others in this celebration of the Grimsby Philharmonic Society’s 160th anniversary. At Grimsby Central Hall, Duncombe Street, 7.30pm. Tickets circle £14, £12 and £8. Book via the Caxton’s ticket office at Grimsby Central Library on (01472) 346251.

Mon Jan 30 to Sat Feb 4Spamalot, a Monty Python musical by Eric Idle and John Du Prez. Telling the legendary tale of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, with show girls, cows, killer rabbits and French people. At the Grimsby Auditorium. For tickets call 0844 847 2426.

If you are organising an event, we may be able to include it in the What’s On section. Send the details to communications@nelincs.gov.uk

Tell the community about your event!

By spending ten minutes visiting an elderly neighbour, you really could make a difference to their safety this winter.

If you are concerned about any of these issues contact us today.

Call 0300 303 8242 for more information.

YOU COULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE BY CHECKING IN ON AN ELDERLY NEIGHBOUR

Offer to check your neighbour’s smoke alarm is working. Press the button and make sure the alarm sounds, it could save their life.

If your neighbour smokes remind them to never smoke in bed, never smoke when tired and always ensure cigarettes are fully extinguished in a suitable ash tray.

Remind your neighbour never to leave cooking unattended and ensure the cooker is turned off when they leave the house or go to bed.

If your neighbour has

If they use a portable heater remind them not to sit too close as fabric

remind them not to leave it on overnight.

1 2

3 4

The Primrose Piano Quartet will appear at Grimsby

Central Hall on Thursday, January 19