County’s big day out promises more than ever
Lincolnshire Show 2011 : Feature article : download a copy of this : County’s big day out promises more than ever
Pictures for download on Flickr : click here
More, more, more.... That’s the message from the organisers of this year’s Lincolnshire Show - the County’s big day out.
The two-day event is overflowing with attractions for the whole family and organisers promise that it will be even bigger and better than ever.
For at this 127th Show, there are more family attractions, more delicious foods from local producers, more schools taking part in the big Challenge and more sports to try out. There are also more new attractions - like Express Eventing and the Scruffts crossbreed pooch competition.
It’s all taking place at the Lincolnshire Showground, Grange de Lings on Wednesday 22nd and Thursday 23rd June 2011.
One of the star attractions, the Knights of the Damned, are returning with a new show. Britain’s premier medieval jousting stunt team are promising more excitement and a new format for this year, according to leader Justin Pearson, who is fresh back from performing the stunts on Pirates of the Caribbean IV. The troupe also includes two local riders, Rob and James Pavey, both 21 and just qualifying as stuntmen. The Knights of the Damned will be performing both days of the Show in the Isuzu Countryside Arena.
This year’s Sports Zone is doubled in size and in the run up to the 2012 Olympics, it will feature almost all the Olympic sports. Features include the ECB cricket factory – an 11 x 9m self contained cricket batting and fielding area. Boston United will bring their inflatable penalty shoot out and wheelchair basketball in an inflatable sports barn, 20 x 11 ft. For water based sports, Lincoln Canoe Club will have virtual racing machines linked to a computer screen for visitors to test their technique and the RYA will have dinghies on show. Other sports include table tennis, volleyball, badminton, hockey and a specially adapted set up for street athletics.
Joining the Show will be Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls from the county. They are all on the Lincolnshire Elite Champions programme and include Andy Skinner of Lincoln, the GB sitting volleyball player; Bernice Wilson, the 100m sprinter from Boston, who has just undertaken the European championship; and Richard Sargent, representing wheelchair basketball.
Said Marc Rhodes, events officer with Lincolnshire Sports Partnership: “We’ve got a fantastic range of sports on offer for visitors to try out, including nearly all the Olympic sports. My favourite thing about coming to the Lincolnshire Show is the sheer numbers we get taking part. Last year we had 3,400 young people taking part and around 1,000 adults. We’re hoping to beat that this year, with even more on offer.”
In the Exhibition Hall, more local schools than ever will be taking part in this year’s Schools’ Challenge, sponsored by Farmacy Plc and E Park and Sons, it aims to encourage young people to understand more about food, farming and agriculture. Phil Everett, marketing and communications coordinator with the Education Business Partnership explained: “Every previous year we have been over-subscribed so we’ve decided to move from the Discovery Zone into the Exhibition Hall, and that allows us to have 33 entrants this year. We’ve also got a new special schools category. It’s all booked up and with a waiting list – the schools love it.”
Primary, secondary and special schools are all taking part and one new challenge for this year is called One Brand, which encourages young people to make contact with a school in a different country, where they speak a different language and have a different climate.
Phil added: “Lincolnshire is a rural county and this Challenge gives children an excellent foundation in understanding where food comes from and how it can be sourced locally. They also go on farm visits as part of the Challenge which helps to show career options in the horticulture and agricultural industry.”
This year is a real first for dog lovers. For the first time dogs will be allowed to join in the fun at the Show. They must be kept on a lead, but owners can also leave them with a special doggy-crèche being run during the Show by local animal charity, Jerry Green Dog Rescue. And not only can people bring their dogs, there’s also a chance to compete - with the Kennel Club Scruffts Competition, sponsored by James Wellbeloved, taking place at Thursday’s Show. The four competitions taking place are The Most Handsome Crossbreed Dog, The Prettiest Crossbreed Bitch, Child’s Best Friend and Golden Oldie Crossbreed. Entries for the heats will be taken on the day.
A major new attraction that will make it into the Clydesdale Bank Main Ring this year is the qualifying heat for Express Eventing, a mini version of eventing which promises a thrill a minute. The Express Eventing Series 2011 will see dressage, cross country and show jumping being completed in one arena. Eventing celebrity and 2008 winner Oliver Townend has already announced his intention to compete. “I am really looking forward to having the chance to compete. It is developing into a spectator and TV friendly version of our great sport.”
Throughout the Show, the Lincs FM stage will host the best acts who make it through the qualifiers of the radio station’s You’ve Got Talent competition. Also appearing will be two successful acts from previous years - The Substitutes and Route East. Said Katie Trinder of Lincs FM: “We have something for everyone on the stage during the two days – from rap music to heavy rock, pop to classical.” The Lincs FM presenters will also be trying their skills as a dance troupe, with some help from local dance school Streetbeat.
And BBC Lincolnshire will be in a new home near the entrance to the Clydesdale Bank Main Ring, with on stage entertainment throughout the two days, together with an exhibition explaining the digital switchover which is coming to Lincolnshire this summer.
The Select Lincolnshire and Tastes of Lincolnshire Food Court will feature a special Lincolnshire producer and supplier section this year, with a mouth-watering selection of local produce and some great homemade recipe demonstrations throughout each day from local food champion Rachel Green.
The Select Lincolnshire programme aims to raise awareness of the county’s food brands directly to the consumer. Its sister organisation Tastes of Lincolnshire encourages tourism destinations like bed and breakfasts and farm shops to put Lincolnshire produce on the menu.
“The Show is the home of Lincolnshire produce, which is arguably the best in Britain, and we need to be shouting about it,” said Helen Scott of Select Lincolnshire and Tastes of Lincolnshire. “The biggest draw is always the demonstration marquee and we’re very pleased to have local celebrity chef Rachel Green leading the line up once more.”
In the Greenhouse, a range of companies will be explaining how to live a more sustainable lifestyle. The organiser, Jo Huggett, director of 4Eco explained: “We have put together companies who cover a range of different techniques, and importantly they are all accredited organisations.” Technologies on display include solar power, biomass, wind turbines, ground source heat pumps and rain water harvesting.
And for the shopper, there will be more than 600 stands to visit, including the boutique style shopping on The Mews avenue featuring everything from bespoke kitchens to handmade pearl bracelets.
Alongside all the new attractions will be the features that lie at the heart of the Show’s traditional agricultural heritage, with events such as pig racing, showjumping, the spectacular Grand Parade of the best of the county’s livestock sponsored by Saul Fairholm in the Clydesdale Bank Main Ring and the vintage to modern day agricultural machinery display sponsored by Spaldings and Woldmarsh.
And from one of the county’s farms, an outstanding family tradition will be recognised when four brothers from Wrisdale’s farm in Wainfleet St Mary’s receive Long Service Awards, sponsored by Harold Woolgar Insurance for their contribution to the farming industry. For Norman, Percy, Gordon and Colin Gostelow have served a total of 174 years between them. Oldest brother Norman first started work in 1961, following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather at the farm.
Said Mark Farmer, chief executive of Lincolnshire Agricultural Society: “This is the county’s big day out and we’re really thrilled with this year’s line up. There’s something for everyone who has a love of the countryside.”
He added: “The Lincolnshire Show is an agricultural show, one of the few county shows to remain true to its agricultural heritage, a strength which has carried us forward. It’s important to stimulate awareness of countryside matters, and the vital role that agriculture plays in the local economy.”
The Show will be open from 8am to 6pm each day. Visit the Show’s website for more information and to book your tickets www.lincs-events.co.uk or call the ticket hotline 0845 2305171
ENDS
More about the Show:
See other releases and facts about the Show by clicking here
Follow the Show:
Twitter : @lincsshow
Facebook: LincolnshireAgriculturalSociety
www.lincolnshireshowground.co.uk
More independent firms sign up for joint power
LawNet, the leading network for independent legal firms, has announced four new members – Breeze & Wyles in Hertfordshire, Denison Till in York, Godloves in Leeds, and Swinburne & Jackson in the North East.
Welcoming the firms, LawNet chief executive John Thomas said: “It’s excellent to welcome four more firms with such strong credentials - they will be a credit to the LawNet community. I am sure they will bring real value to other members through their involvement in the specialist groups, training and other peer to peer events.”
He added: “We’re committed to the continuing growth of the network and it’s great to see the recognition by such firms of the benefits and strengths that we offer them, in this fast-changing legal environment.”
The signing of the new members brings total LawNet membership to 68 firms, and the network ambition is to reach 80 firms by 2012. Membership is by invitation to those firms who fit the LawNet profile of £2m - £15 turnover and will commit to securing and maintaining the LawNet ISO 9001:2008 standard. The quality standard is mandatory for all firms, with rigorous six monthly audits to ensure standards are held across the membership.
Breeze & Wyles Solicitors has four offices across Hertfordshire and North London, employing more than 130 fee earners and staff. It has a range of specialist departments providing volume legal services to banks, building societies, housing associations and other corporate customers, alongside its more traditional and longstanding legal services for local markets.
Denison Till is a 14 partner firm with a head office in York. It has the largest corporate department in the city and specialises also in ecclesiastical law.
Godloves Solicitors has four offices across Leeds, employing more than 70 fee earners and staff, with a range of specialist departments providing legal services to a private and corporate customer base across Yorkshire.
And North East firm Swinburne & Jackson has grown from a traditional family practice to operate from four offices across the North East, with headquarters in Gateshead.
ENDS
333 words
For further information, please contact:
Press information:
Maggie Taylor, Prima PR & Marketing Direct line: 01400 251557 Mobile: 0797 3767602 Email: maggie@primapr.co.uk
Helen Hamilton-Shaw, Director of Services, LawNet Direct line: 01926 834622 Email: hhamilton-shaw@lawnet.co.uk
Notes to Editor:
About LawNet:
The combined income of the 68 firms comprising LawNet is currently in excess of £250m – equivalent to a UK Top 15 law firm – with members ranging from £2m to £15m turnover.
Independent research shows LawNet is most highly valued by members for delivering in six key areas – training, networking, PII, business development, marketing and compliance. It currently places some £1.2bn worth of PI cover alone for members each year, which helps stabilise premiums for firms.
- LawNet