3rd Lincolnshire Wolds Outdoor Festival returns this May

more about the deep history that lies within the area.

The two-week festival will have over 100 events and activities taking place across the Wolds, with many of them being free of charge or at a reduced cost.

Teenage Market returning to Horncastle this Saturday

across the country, as well as providing a vital platform to help showcase the business owners of the future.

SO Festival: Skegness 14 and 15 June, Mablethorpe 16 June 2024

The SO Festival is Lincolnshire’s international festival for outdoor arts. This is a three-day festival featuring theatre, puppetry, dance, comedy, acrobatics and immersive installations. Local, UK and International artists will be performing, designed to take audiences on a journey of discovery, away from the everyday, by experiencing unique and inspirational performances.

News from SO Festival:

Nature Calling New Artists Commission - SO Festival is delighted to be one of the National Landscape partners for the Nature Calling Project, working to bring new exciting arts to Lincolnshire. National Landscape are looking to commission writers and artists to take part in a brand new £2 million ground-breaking national project called Nature Calling.

Perform at SO Festival 2024 with Cocoloco:

Internationally recognised community performance theatre company, Cocoloco are looking for a number of young people (aged 13 and over) and adults to take part in workshops and perform at SO Festival 2024 as part of their new community-based show, Shangri-LaLa on the 14 and 15 June 2024.

Cocoloco would like to hear from any young person or adult living in or around Skegness who would be interested in performing in Shangri-LaLa, a new street theatre show that investigates Utopianism (the creation of a place of utopia and tranquillity). You do not need to have experience or skills in performing or making theatre.

Cocoloco bring anarchic, eye-catching, quirky and comedy performances to theatre festivals throughout the world. They have extensive experience of working with community performers and are a warm and welcoming company who will work with participants in the weeks prior the festival to build confidence, skills and abilities so that they are able to be their best self as part of this project.

If you, or somebody you know, wishes to take part in this exciting and wholly creative experience, email helen@cocoloco.co.uk

Home Upgrade Grants

The Home Upgrade Grant (HUG2) scheme is currently full in East Lindsey. We are running a reserve list for those wanting to still apply and be placed on the list.

We do get cancellations due to changes of circumstances so please get in touch to be added to the list. We will always inform you when you move from the reserve list to the live application stage and you will be notified of your case number and contractor.

The types of upgrades available with the scheme are subject to a technical survey and can include such measures as cavity wall insulation, loft insulation, solar panels and air source heat pumps.

The grants are available to homeowners and tenants, however landlords are required to fund one third of the cost of the work themselves or the remaining total once the funding allocation has been reached.

The criteria for HUG2 has recently changed, meaning more people could now be eligible.

The criteria is:

• The property must have an Energy Performance Certificate of D,E F or G
• A household income that is less than £36,000 per year (Certain benefits can be deducted from your total)
• The property must be 'off gas' - meaning it is not connected to mains gas or have the option to be.

If you know someone who may be eligible, they can speak to our dedicated officers on 01507 613573 or email greenhomesgrants@e-lindsey.gov.uk for more information.

Sutton on Sea Colonnade Update

appropriate signage. We apologise for any inconvenience caused by these works.

First South & East Lincolnshire Cultural Conference taking place this May

A new South & East Lincolnshire Cultural Conference will take place for the first time this May, giving arts and heritage organisations and practitioners across the region the chance to network, share ideas and get involved in the launch of a new creative programme of work.

Organised by South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership, comprising of Boston Borough Council, East Lindsey District Council and South Holland District Council, the free conference will be held at Blackfriars Theatre in Boston, on Wednesday 22 May from 9.30am to 4pm.

Open to venues, organisations, practitioners and groups involved with heritage, culture and arts in South and East Lincolnshire, the main focus of the day will be to inspire links between arts and heritage projects for place transformation and connect people across the partnership area, as well as share plans on activity for the year ahead including information from the Partnership's Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation project.

South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership announces its new People & Skills Programme: Over £1.8m Invested in Employment, Social Mobility and Economic Growth

More than £1.8million has been awarded by the South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund to projects aimed at supporting residents into higher skilled, higher paid work.  The new SELCP UKSPF People & Skills Programme will start in April and will focus on supporting residents over the age of 16 to access employment opportunities and develop their abilities, while giving local businesses access to the skills they need to expand. This innovative approach, tailored to the needs of our area, will unleash growth in our key sectors while making the local economy 'fit for the future' through supporting new skill areas (like digital, AI and manufacturing) and safeguarding 'at risk' skills too.

Having received a large amount of interest, eight projects in East Lindsey, Boston Borough and South Holland have been awarded £1.3m. When combined with the award of over £540,000 to projects awarded in the first Round of People & Skills funding, this amounts to a full People & Skills Programme worth over £1.8m.

Almost £325,000 awarded to Parish Councils, Village Halls and community groups across South & East Lincolnshire through UK Shared Prosperity and Rural Prosperity Fund's LCF GRASSroots programme

Just under £325,000 has been awarded to community projects and groups via a scheme which has been funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Rural Prosperity Fund, distributed by the South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership.

Lincolnshire Community Foundation's GRASSroots programme, which has previously supported several projects including Willoughby Road Allotments in Boston, Alford Corn Exchange in East Lindsey and Boxes of Hope in South Holland, has awarded the money in its latest round of decisions.

This brings the total awarded since July to more than £1million to parish councils, village halls and community groups.

Cost of Living