Good News for Red Arrows, U3A Steel Band Go National, Canch Splash Park Latest & More
Good morning readers and a happy Thursday to you all - can't believe we are in July already !
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Todays thought for the day ... "The real act of discovery consists not in finding new lands but seeing with new eyes." – Marcel Proust
Enjoy the read and have a great day wherever you are in Bassetlaw.
Justin Doddy, Editor
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Red Arrows Cleared for Take-Off: New Jets Confirmed in £15bn Defence Boost!
By: Jamie Waller, LDRS
The Red Arrows will get new jets as part of a huge military spending investment after concerns about securing their future had been raised.
The government’s Defence Investment Plan has pledged an extra £15 billion to keep the UK safe from foreign threats, with cash also going towards upgrading Lincolnshire’s Typhoon fighter planes, runways and training.
Time had been running out for the ageing Hawk aircraft flown by the Red Arrows, which are due to be retired by 2030.
The government had been accused of leaving a decision over their replacements until the last moment.The defence plan had promised £360million for a “British Jet Trainer System”, including aircraft for the aerobatics display team.
The government says the Red Arrows, based at RAF Waddington, will continue “inspiring young generations for decades to come”.
The team announced last month that it would fly fewer aircraft at displays in order to get longer use out of them.
However, there are questions about who will supply the new aircraft, with the only British company which said it was capable going bust earlier this year.
Lincolnshire County Council leader Sean Matthews recently urged the government to stick to UK companies, saying:
“If it delays service, so be it. I’d much rather keep it local.”The Defence plan also includes more than £1bn extra to upgrade the Typhoons, the hypersonic fighter planes partly based at RAF Coningsby.
“This will provide the UK and NATO with critical air and missile defence capabilities essential for effective control of the air, and will sustain the UK’s aerospace sector, supporting both exports and jobs,” the plan says.
A number of bases will get resurfaced runways, including RAF Coningsby and Waddington. However the Shadow R1 spyplane, based at RAF Waddington, will be retired early in order to pay for extra spending.
Lincoln College has also been designated one of five Defence Technical Excellence Colleges in the country, aimed at getting more graduates into engineering and advanced manufacturing.
West Lindsey: New Gainsborough businesses
By: Jamie Waller
Two new units built as part of Gainsborough’s cinema development will soon be occupied, with discussions ongoing for the third.
They have been vacant since becoming available 11 months ago, which some councillors have labelled “disappointing”, although others say the town centre is improving.
Subway has been confirmed as one of the new names in Gainsborough’s market place, and is expected to open by the end of the summer.
Local business The Florist By Blush will also expand from Marshall’s Yard during July, including a flower school and enhanced wedding services.
West Lindsey District Council officials said Nando’s and Edinburgh Woollen Mill are amongst the national names which have also taken a look.
Councillor Owen Bierley, who leads the council committee, told the full council meeting on Monday, June 29:
“Since opening last July, the Savoy has welcomed over 85,000 visitors.
“It’s establishing itself as a vibrant addition to the town centre, increasing footfall and supporting wider regeneration.”
He said that two of the new units would be filled soon, with discussions continuing for the third.
“Despite extensive marketing and interest, the [third empty unit] reflects the challenging market conditions on local, regional and national levels.
“Feedback has referenced the catchment size, footfall, and investment return. Discussions are ongoing with a prospective local operator, although there’s no fixed date at this time.”
Opposition leader Councillor Trevor Young described the progress as “disappointing” nearly a year after the development was completed.
“I don’t think we are doing enough as a council to attract retailers to the town centre. Vacancy is increasing and a refocus is desperately needed.”
However Gainsborough councillor Jeanette McGhee said there were clear signs that the town centre was improving.
“Businesses are feeling really positive – there’s a real buzz, and they love the higher footfall since the regeneration,” she told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
“The vacancy rate has remained static, but the overall number of units has grown.
“Talking down the town isn’t going to help. It’s our job as councillors to be ambassadors.”
The 330-seat cinema was opened last summer thanks to more than £10million of Levelling Up funding.
Centre Stage for Worksop u3a at Festival Celebration
The UK’s only U3A Steel Band – Steelpantastic – will bring a carnival atmosphere to the U3A National Festival this week thanks to a grant from a group of Bassetlaw District Councillors.
The band, made up of members of the Worksop and District U3A are making the trip to York between the 1st and 3rd July thanks to an £800 councillor community grant that is supporting transport, and future maintenance of their instruments.
The University of the Third Age (U3A) brings together people who are retired or semi-retired, encouraging them to be part of one of 30 interest groups. Some of the members formed a full family of steel pans and they have since gone on to entertain the district for over 15 years.
Now, the band will take to the stage at The U3A National Festival, which brings together different u3a groups from across the UK with an estimated 1,000 members celebrating fun, learning and community.
Catherine Williams, from Worksop and District U3A, said:
“This support really means a great deal to everyone involved with our group. It helps us continue bringing people together, building friendships and sharing something we’re all passionate about.
“Opportunities like this make a real difference to our members, and we’re incredibly grateful to the councillors for recognising the value of what we do and helping us keep it going for the community.”
The U3A promotes lifelong learning, wellbeing, and social connection during the ‘third age’ of life, following childhood and working years when individuals are retired or semi-retired.
Cllr John Shephard, Ward Member for Worksop South-East and Cllr Paddy Ducey, Ward Member for Worksop South spoke on behalf of the Councillors who contributed to the grant.
They said:
“It’s wonderful to see local groups continuing to bring people together and create such a strong sense of community. On behalf of the councillors, we’re really pleased to be able to support the fantastic work being done and the opportunities it provides for residents to connect, learn and enjoy shared experiences. We’d like to thank everyone involved for the positive impact they have locally, and we look forward to seeing the group continue to thrive.”
The Councillors who contributed towards the Worksop and District U3A are: Cllr Cliff Entwistle and Cllr Deborah Merryweather, Ward Members for Worksop East; Cllr Fraser Merryweather and Cllr Madelaine Richardson, Ward Members for Worksop North-East; Cllr John Shephard, Ward Member for Worksop South-East, Cllr Paddy Ducey, Ward Member for Worksop South and Cllr Gill Freeman, Ward Member for Langold.
Worksop and District U3A welcome new members to the group with exciting activities taking place across the year. There are opportunities to learn new skills, take trips out, and a chance to meet new people and make new friends.
To find out more information and how to join visit: https://worksop.u3asite.uk
Each Bassetlaw District Councillor is allocated a small annual budget and has the discretion to award grants to community initiatives within their ward. These grants support a wide range of projects, including sport, culture and heritage, environmental sustainability, social welfare, and community development.
Content and image courtesy of Bassetlaw District Council
Good News for Bassetlaw's Deafblind Community as Support Set to Grow Nationally Through New Government Funding
Thousands of Deafblind people across the UK are set to benefit from improved access to specialist communication support after the UK Government announced new funding to significantly increase the number of qualified interpreters.
The funding will support specialist competency assessment sessions for interpreters, helping to increase the number of registered Deafblind interpreters from just eight to 68 – an increase of more than eightfold. The move is expected to reduce waiting times and improve access to vital communication services for around 12,000 Deafblind people nationwide.
The initiative was developed in collaboration with the Government's independent British Sign Language (BSL) Advisory Board, alongside Signature and the National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind people (NRCPD).
Rt Hon Sir Stephen Timms MP, Minister of State for Social Security and Disability, said:
"This government recognises that too many Deafblind people have faced barriers simply because specialist support has not been available where it is needed most. This grant funding will start to address that. Effective communication should not be a privilege and by increasing the number of interpreters, we are delivering real change for the Deafblind Community."
He added:
"We are grateful to the BSL Advisory Board’s role in making this happen and for continued productive engagement with the government to keep breaking down barriers for Deaf and Deafblind people."
Dr Joanna Atkinson, Co-Chair of the BSL Advisory Board, said:
"Deafblind people communicate in different ways including tactile forms of British Sign Language. Expanding the number of sign language interpreters with expertise in working with Deafblind people represents a major step forward so Deafblind people can access information, take part and get on with their lives."
She continued:
"We are confident that the rollout of these sessions will help meet increasing demand for qualified BSL interpreters for Deafblind people, strengthen the quality and availability of services, and create better opportunities for the thousands of Deafblind people who depend on them."
"We would like to thank Signature and NRCPD for their partnership and support in helping deliver this much-needed investment in the future of Deafblind interpreting."
Theresa Thomas-Morton, Chief Executive Officer of the NRCPD, said:
"The assessment weekends present a real opportunity to increase the number of Registered Interpreters for Deafblind people. By assessing and endorsing the competence of candidates, we can add successful individuals to the register, making them directly accessible to Deafblind people who rely on these vital language services."
She added:
"This is a significant milestone, but it is only the beginning. NRCPD looks forward to building on the expansion of the register and working with partners across education, research, and practice to develop language service professions that deliver what truly matters: real, effective access and inclusion for people living across the spectrum of Deafblindness."
The announcement forms part of the Government's wider commitment to improving opportunities for disabled people, alongside ongoing work to reduce Access to Work backlogs and strengthen the use of British Sign Language across government services. 💙🤟
Our three interesting facts for today ....
Palm oil is in 50% of all the products in supermarkets, from instant noodles to detergent
Fish can cough
There are 550 wild parrots living in New York City
Update on the Canch Splash Park repairs from Bassetlaw District Council - 1/6/26.
Bassetlaw District Council have provided an update on the Canch Splash Park Repairs by social media as follows:
'We know how much families and young people value the Canch Splash Park, and we’re really sorry it hasn’t opened yet this summer.When the Splash Park closed for the season in October 2025, we identified the large-scale repairs and refurbishments that needed to be made and put plans in place.
This has resulted in a significant £160k rebuild, which includes a new bespoke insulated plant room building, new electrics and components throughout, refurbished pumps and pipes, a new chlorinating unit, and new start buttons on the splash pad.
This essential maintenance is helping to make the Splash Park safer, more reliable, and extend its useable life so it can be enjoyed by children and families for many more years to come.
Unfortunately, the project has experienced a number of delays over the last six-months, which ultimately impacted on the start date of the specialist contractor, who was not available until June 2026.
We appreciate this has been frustrating and disappointing for everyone, especially during the really warm weather this summer, and we’re grateful for your patience.
Our contractors are working to complete the repairs so the Splash Park is able to open for the beginning of the school summer holidays, subject to mandatory water testing, the results of which can take up to 14 days to be returned to us by an independent lab.
We know this is not the timeline everyone had hoped for, and we appreciate your understanding while we near the end of this significant project.
As an alternative, please use our Splash Parks in Kings’ Park, Retford and Langold Country Park.'
Stolen Vehicle Recovered in Worksop
Nottinghamshire Police Officers in Worksop have located another stolen Land Rover Discovery in the Carlton Road area during the evening of June 30, 2026.
Police are also appealing for anyone living in or around the Carlton Road area who has CCTV, doorbell camera footage, or who witnessed any suspicious activity to contact Nottinghamshire Police.
Please report any information via 101, quoting incident 26000365266. Your information, no matter how small it may seem, could assist our enquiries.Police have urged residents to take extra precautions to help protect their vehicles:
Always lock your vehicle, even when parked at home overnight.
Store vehicle keys away from doors and windows and consider using Faraday pouches to help prevent keyless vehicle theft.
Remove valuables from your vehicle or ensure they are kept out of sight.
Where possible, park in well-lit areas and make use of CCTV or security lighting.
Spending more and putting on a few pounds during the World Cup? - You're not alone as Footie fans are using hydration breaks to panic-buy beer and ice cream during World Cup
New data from Asda has revealed we're panic-ordering snacks the second there’s a break in play.
Football fans are literally ordering snacks mid-match and it’s peak 2026 behaviour
As the UK sweats through record-breaking temperatures and everyone’s glued to this summer’s football tournament, new data from Asda has revealed what we’re really doing during the action — panic-ordering snacks the second there’s a break in play.
According to the supermarket, online orders are spiking by up to 30 per cent during half-time (and yes, those newly introduced “hydration breaks”), as fans scramble to restock 🍺 beers, 🍦 ice cream and 🥔 crisps without missing a second of the game.
Because apparently, physically going to the kitchen is no longer enough.
Football fever plus the heatwave has basically turned every match into a snack-fuelled marathon, with some pretty chaotic shopping stats to match. Compared to the previous week, Asda says sales have shot up:
🍨 Desserts and ice cream: up 127%
🍺 Beer: up 76%
🥤 Soft drinks: up 50.5%
🥨 Snacks: up 31.7%
So yes, everyone is living their best picky bits life.
The combo of late kick-offs and boiling evenings means people are making the most of every whistle — placing rapid delivery orders during breaks so they can keep the vibes going without leaving the sofa.
Rachel Eyre, Asda’s Chief Customer Officer, basically confirmed what we’re all thinking: people are leaning heavily into convenience right now.
She said:
“With record-breaking temperatures this summer and plenty of talk about ‘hydration breaks’, we’re seeing customers respond to both the heat and late-night fixtures by making the most of our extended delivery hours.”
Thanks so much for reading our local newsletter and for supporting us. We’re committed to providing Bassetlaw with the quality local news service it deserves, but sustaining this work may come with some challenges. Our team is currently discussing how to make Bassetlaw Today financially viable in the long term, and one option we’re considering is introducing a subscription model to help cover our costs.
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Have a great day and I look forward to seeing you read our next newsletter.
Justin Doddy, Editor
Bassetlaw Today
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