By Kemi Ibironke

At Acts Trust, we engage people from different backgrounds in the community through our Restore programmes. The Cook & Craft session with Kemi is one of such which has been transformational, with lovely people from different backgrounds coming together to put an end to poverty by sharing tips on cooking on a budget.

By Simon Hawking

#LincolnshireDay saw Lincoln Cathedral lit up in the colours of our County’s flag last night. Did you see it? 🟢🔵🔴🟡

At Night Light Cafés, every evening is more than just an open door – it’s an invitation. An invitation for people to step out of isolation, away from the heaviness of loneliness or poor mental health, and into a place where they are seen, welcomed, and valued. Each story that unfolds within our cafés is different, but they all carry the same thread of bravery. Walking through the door is often the hardest step, yet it’s also the very beginning of hope taking root.

The end of summer often feels like a turning point in the year. After weeks of long daylight hours and school holidays the start of September often feels different and often comes with a change of pace. For some, autumn brings a welcome return to routine and cosy evenings. For others, it can feel overwhelming and very difficult.

At Lincoln Foodbank, we’ve always believed in the power of community. But in recent weeks, we witnessed something truly extraordinary.

For the first time in our recent history, our shelves were dangerously bare. Stock levels dropped to a critical low, with essential items like tinned meat, long-life milk, pasta sauce, and cereal running out faster than we could replenish them. With more people than ever turning to us for support amid the cost-of-living crisis, we were facing an urgent challenge: how do we continue to serve those in need when our resources are running out?

On June 25th we had the joy of bringing together around 100 of our wonderful volunteers from our Acts Trust projects for a special afternoon of connection, celebration, and gratitude. Our Volunteer Celebration and AGM is one of the highlights of our year, and this time was no exception.

Butterflies, a welcoming community group for women run from Alive Church Lincoln Central, has been awarded £681 through Lincolnshire Co-op’s Community Champions scheme.

This much-needed funding will help the group purchase new arts and crafts materials and equipment, enabling it to continue offering a safe, creative space where women can relax, build friendships, and find support.

On a Senior Leadership Team day last year, our CEO got us thinking about our BHAG’s. Or Big Hairy Audacious Goals if you’re unfamiliar with the term! A dream or a goal that is quite scary and seems very out of reach. After a little thought I knew what my number 1 BHAG was, and it’s stuck ever since. 

In business terms, a partnership is an arrangement where two or more individuals agree to share ownership, operate together, or collaborate in delivering a product or service. But beyond the practicalities, partnership is about a shared vision, mutual commitment, and working together toward a common goal.

Social Prescribing was introduced locally in 2017. The concept is to work alongside people to connect them with groups and community resources to help combat social isolation and to promote wellbeing. GPs and other clinicians can refer patients for social prescribing, or individuals can self refer. Some of our Night Light guests first came to us following attending being suggested to them by their social prescriber. The work of Social Prescribers also has similarities with the role of the Night Light Café volunteers who are trained to provide signposting advice to guests to help them to build their own support network and find assistance with any specific needs they might present with.  

I recently had a chat with Gillian, a local social prescriber, to find out more about her job.