Newsletter January 2026
Welcome to 2026. It’s looking good for the residents of Rippingale - new councillors to help with the varied work of the Parish Council (see News on page 2), coffee mornings to share the time of day and meet new and old friends and an update regarding the planned development of the Church, (page
3).
Although not welcome in all quarters, the recent persistent rain has at least filled all the water butts to the brim, ready for the coming growing season. The parsnips and carrots were particularly amazing “last” year - perhaps because they had to reach down so far to get to water during the summer?
And so, to the Best Cracker joke this Christmas…..
“Why do fish swim in salt water?
Because pepper water makes them sneeze!”
We look forward to receiving any items for the February Newsletter by Thursday 22nd January.
Thank you for your support.
The Willows Care Home
would like to invite you to the next Coffee and Natter morning, to be held on 21st January 2026, 1015 - 1145. (this event is held every 3rd Wednesday in the month)
Donations welcome for the residents activity fund. Hayley (animalshak87@gmail.com)
We received an encouraging response to our appeal for new Councillors from dedicated members of the village community. It is anticipated that, for the first time in several years, Rippingale will have a Parish Council operating at full strength during 2026.
New members are expected to be formally appointed at our upcoming meeting on 7th January 2026 and we extend our sincere thanks to those who have agreed to join the team.
Please note that Councillors’ personal circumstances can change preventing them from continuing in their roles. We therefore would welcome the establishment of a reserve list of potential candidates, so if you are interested in participating in village activities or wish to contribute to the Parish Council, please contact any existing Councillor or the Parish Clerk.
Furthermore, volunteers are always appreciated for many village activities such as The Feast, Playing Field events and Flood Emergency teams. If you are able to assist, even temporarily, please reach out to a member of the team.
Christmas 2025
We extend our sincere thanks to the Feast Committee for efficiently coordinating the erection, decoration, and illumination of our village Christmas tree at very short notice. The carol singing in the church, along with the homemade cakes and mince pies, contributed to a well-organised and successful event.
Flooding
The Emergency team, led by Councillor Tony Creek, has, due to its continued diligence, efficiently reduced the flood risk in the village over recent weeks. With support from residents located near the dyke along Station Street, the team has systematically monitored and addressed debris accumulation in the drainage system, maintaining its effectiveness during periods of heavy rainfall. Well done the Team!
Jubilee Playing Field Committee (incl. YETI) – Many thanks go to Richard Shuttlewood for his continuing management of the many issues involved with the Playing Field facilities. He has now got support from some volunteers to help him maximise this valuable asset and we thank those who have stepped up to help him, but he could still benefit from more. Many hands make light work!
Planning
Councillor Annette Lumb has had her work cut out in dealing with the unprecedented number of planning applications over the past few weeks and a special thanks goes to her for her detailed diligence in responding to them.
2026
Rippingale Parish Council extends its best wishes to all residents for 2026 and expresses hope for a healthy and enjoyable year that fosters inclusion throughout our community.
Councillor Barry Ross
Fix My Street…..
The Parish Council is increasingly made aware of issues that are not within its remit. In these cases our advice is to log the issue on www.fixmystreet.com.
FixMyStreet is a free website and app that enables users to report local problems such as abandoned vehicles, dog fouling, blocked drains, flooding, flytipping, litter, nuisance parking, pavement and verge issues, potholes, road markings, street lighting, trees and so on to the appropriate authority such as South Kesteven District Council or Lincolnshire County Council.
FixMyStreet automates the process of directing reports to the correct department which increases transparency by making reports publicly visible and allowing users to track their status. Reporting an issue with images as soon as possible will maximise the probability of a timely resolution and ensure the issue is reviewed by the appropriate department. We would therefore like to remind you to use www.fixmystreet.com as much as possible.
Councillor Tony Creek
Youth Engagement Team Initiative
(YETI)
Improving Village Life for Families
My name is Richard Shuttlewood and I have been asked to discover what this village can do to improve the involvement of the families and youth in Rippingale.
I have lived here now for over 10 years and would like to give keen to develop the use of facilities both on and around the playing field. They have asked me to explore ways of increasing the equipment and opportunities for families. There may be some grants we could access to increase facilities such as Table Tennis tables and more.
I am keen to clear the contents of the present building on the playing field with the idea of replacing it.
I am looking for people who would like to contribute to giving ideas and time to this venture. If you are interested please PM me online at yetirpc@gmail.com .
Richard Shuttleworth
St Andrew’s Community Coffee Morning…..
By the time you read this I do hope you all had an enjoyable Christmas and I wish you all a Happy New Year.
The last Community Coffee Morning maintained its high standard of quality produce with sausage rolls, mince pies and other delicious cakes as always. The vegetables were of supreme quality, harvested from the local fen. You can’t get better and fresher than that!
Without wishing any accidents upon anyone at this time, we do have the following items available for people to borrow:
• Two wheelchairs; small and standard size, (both are self-propelled)
• A 3 wheeled rollator (walker), and a set of arm crutches. For a small donation to the Church you are most welcome to use these.
Our next Coffee Morning will be on Tuesday 3rd March 2026 when it is hoped, there will be pancakes.
Plough Sunday 11th January at 11am
This is very much a family service where a horse drawn plough is blessed. Any toy tractors with ploughs can also be blessed! This has always been an important service for Rippingale, especially as we are on the edge of the Fens and a lot of farming is happening around us. So we pray for a good year ahead, not only in the fields, but also in our gardens and allotments.
Church Development Team…..
The planned church redevelopment took a major step forward in November, following the interview and selection of our project architects. It has taken a full 12 months to get this far. In the first quarter of 2026 however, things will start to progress more quickly, with the designs and planning finalised for the new facilities and improvements. This process will be followed by seeking Diocese approval and preparing the tender process for contractors.
An application to the National Lottery Heritage Fund will be sought next year for the bulk of the costs, and in April, the Church Development Team will create a display in St Andrew’s church presenting a series of drawings, designs and photographs highlighting our ambitious plans. At that time, everyone in our community will have a golden opportunity to view what is to come, ask questions and sample some of the materials to be used. Various support funding options will also be available for families to sign up to if you so desire. Exciting times are ahead for St Andrew’s Church. Watch this space…
Jonathan Newell
RADWI Christmas and New Year Meetings……
It was Christmas party time this month in Rippingale Village Hall. Clark's Catering did us proud by providing a full Christmas Dinner at lunch time with homemade pudding and mince pies with tea or coffee to finish.
Adam opened the bar for us and shared in our festivities as a thank you for the good service he has given us throughout the year. Wendy unfortunately was unable to join us but we would like to thank her also for her help during the year.
Matt entertained us after the meal with singing accompanied by his expertly played guitar. We were especially pleased to meet him as he will be marrying our youngest member in August The raffle completed the celebrations and then we returned home with our Secret Santa presents.
There is no meeting in January but we start the New Year by having our meeting at Painta-Pot in Bourne at 2pm on February 5th. If you would like to know more about the WI please phone Janet on 07552 699848.
Janet Morris
2026 New Years Resolution: End nuisance calls to your mobile?
The rapid advancement of artificial and digital intelligence has raised concerns among some. However, I have recently benefited from a specific, helpful feature on my phone. Once set up, it screens calls from unknown numbers by verbally requesting a name and reason for the call, then allows me to accept or decline via a screen notification, without any input from myself! As my old landline has been discontinued in favour of a new digital connection, I had hoped that that would reduce unsolicited spam and marketing calls. Unfortunately, they were beginning to increase on my mobile device as well. (Another result of AI?). However, this feature has been effective in eliminating these types of nuisance call for me - they just don’t come through! It appears that marketing bots are unable to handle my new digital assistant (for the time being!). Saves time and lessens risk of getting caught up with so called spam.
This feature is available on iPhones that can run iOS 26 and some, but