©Kirton News 2025

Christmas Convoy Time Again

Hi all, Lincolnshire Vanlife and Lincs Car Club will be doing a Christmas convoy from Sutton Bridge to the Pilgrim hospital again this year on the 20th December 2025.

We will be taking some presents to the children’s ward for those who might not be home for Christmas. Fingers crossed we will be able to do a bit of a light show in the car park for those patients that can look out of the windows. Times and routes to follow. We are also looking for drop-off points around Boston, Kirton or Wyberton and also in the Holbeach and Long Sutton areas. If you can help please inbox me and we can discuss details.

We are asking for some donations from everyone - small toys or sweets (like selection boxes). We hope you can help and join us in helping many people!

We had over 224 vehicles last year and hope we can be bigger this year.

We are also looking for people who want to help with the convoy by being a blocker. Again, please get in touch if you can help with this.

Drop-off points from Boston, Wyberton, Kirton and Sutterton are: Shaun ‘Starky’ Stark PE21 7RS and Wyberton Sports and Social Clubs (only at night for the social club). If anyone wants information then you can find me on Facebook: Shaun Finnemore.

Kirton News turns Sixty!

In October 2011, the current Advertising Manager, Sam Chapman agreed to become our 12th Editor. Through his work at the Boston Standard, Sam had a wonderful way with words and started his first letter in October 2011 with the following message: This publication was born, some forty years ago, from the members of Kirton combined churches, and still has many on the Committee. It is still often referred to as ‘The Church Magazine’. But it isn’t. It’s the Village Magazine, representing all faiths, creeds, believers and non-believers, and my first message to you as Editor is this...The Church in Kirton is worthy of saving for all of us. It serves many purposes and, for the majority of us who are not practicing Christians but are - as I consider myself - christians with a small ‘c’, it also plays a dominant part as a focus of our community. And (in these days especially) we need to focus on what is good about communities. We all attend church at some point. Baptism; Marriage; Funeral. It provides us with a sense of our past; some of the most profound insights into how our community has grown and developed. It provides a quiet space for moments of contemplation; a refuge from the pressures of everyday life. It also provides a place of entertainment - Country Music concerts; Car Boot Sales, all take place in the church and grounds. I don’t have the space to list more here but, you see where I’m ‘coming from’?

Along with penning some wonderful articles, Sam introduced the colour covers to Kirton News for the Summer and Christmas editions and was an advocate of putting any profiles made back into the community.

Finally in February 2018 and after many years with the magazine, The committee including Mary Rayner, Audrey Forington, Anne Dawson and Julie Hunt announced they wanted to retire and Sam made the decision to step down also This just left myself as the compositor so the magazine was in trouble once again. Rachael Wainwright was known to Kirton News as the daughter of the very public spirited Alan Lee and also contributed our recipes for several editions. As a result she was approached with the offer of taking on the Editor’s role and thankfully she agreed. From May 2018, Rachael became our 13th and current Editor. In this time she’s breathed new life into the publication, expanding the print run to over 2,600, increasing the page count to 36 pages per month and for the first time, rewarding our wonderful team of distributes with an annual Christmas coffee morning to say thank-you for the work that they do, ensuring Kirton News is delivered to all homes in Kirton, each month come rain on shine. She also is a big believer in giving any profits back into the community so each Christmas food parcels are donated to local charities and as a first this year, Kirton News became the kit sponsor for a local netball team.

Kirton News has seen many changes in the last 50 years but at it’s heart it’s always been a communication platform for the village, with the content provided by the people of the village, supported by local businesses who advertise with us to cover our print costs and distributed free to all homes by our wonderful band of distributors. A big thank-you to all contributors past and present and let’s see where the next 50 years takes us!

Andrew

Message from Father Paul

With the year drawing to an end we call to mind all that we have done all that has passed, therefore November tends to be a time of remembrance.

This time of remembrance starts on the 1st November as we celebrate the feast of All Hallows, also know as All Saints day. This is the day when we remember all of the saints that have gone before us. This is not the saints that we know and love, whose day’s we celebrate throughout the year, but those unsung heroes who good works has gone unnoticed by the Church and by the world.

No doubt we all know someone who has been a saint to us, a saint known to us alone. These are the people we should be remembering this day. The next day 2nd November is the feast of All souls. All Souls day is the day when we remember all who died, all that have been close to us, but is also a time when those who have no one to pray for them, all those who have been forgotten. This would be a good day where we just to take five minutes to remember these people and all they given us, and perhaps comfort someone who you know may be struggling with their own loss. The last act of remembrance is when we remember those who lost the life in war on 11th November. This should be a time of great gratitude to us as we recall the sacrifice that they paid, that we may have our lives this day.

This however is a double act of remembrance, firstly with those who gave their lives, but secondly as we remember the mistakes that led to war in the first place. If we do not remember these mistakes then we are likely to make the same mistakes. This would be a great sadness, to those who gave their lives for they would have given them for nothing. No good ever came from conflict, always look for peace, in doing so we will bring peace to those who gave their lives.

Warm Homes Local Grants Scheme

Are you looking for support in accessing affordable, sustainable warmth?
The Warm Homes Local Grants scheme makes it possible for eligible residents in Boston Borough!

You can make an application online - www.gov.uk/apply-warm-homes-local-grant, or by contacting our team on 01507 613573.

More about the grants scheme can be found here: www.boston.gov.uk/WarmHomes and attached by finding out about the eligibility requirements.

Please note: Income and savings will be verified in person by BBC officers before we can proceed with your application.