#Lincolnshire and beyond.

[emergencyplumbingil]

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[mybeingthere]

Lincolnshire-based artist Nichola Theakston’s sculptures are serene mammals sculpted in terracotta and cast in bronze.

“The notion that an individual creature may experience some spiritual dimension beyond its instinctive animal behaviours is the premise behind much of my work,” she explains in a statement. With half-closed eyes or faces turned skyward, each portrait is an exploration of feeling and empathy.

Inspired by fauna seen commonly around the U.K. like hares and hounds, Theakston also focuses on distant or endangered species like langurs or polar bears that are threatened by hunting and habitat loss. She draws inspiration from ancient cultures that venerated specific animals, such as the Egyptian goddess Bastet who was worshipped in the form of a cat and warded off evil spirits and disease, especially those associated with women and children.

https://www.thisiscolossal.com/.../nichola-theakston.../

@nicholatheakstonceramics

[cmrosens]

Fantasy Castle Thoughts

Wandering around castle ruins on the weekend while thinking about my fantasy WIP had me thinking about more worldbuilding stuff in fantasy (the obvious ones being covered by others, such as, where does the shit go? How do they get water? How do they not poison themselves while answering Qu 1?):

That film where they erased the entire town and the castle was sat there for no reason (meant to be Rochester) - look, even if your castle is a strategic fortress in the back of beyond, it will have some kind of nearby settlement. Because: who is building it and how long does it take and where do they all live while they're constructing it? Where do they go afterwards? How do the garrison get food (easier to grow crops and raise livestock nearby than have vulnerable wagons bringing it in and being ambushed).

A lot of castles were not built by locals, because you can't trust the fucking locals, that's (usually) why the castle is THERE. If you don't need a defensive structure you build a manor or a stately home. If you're building a castle, it's usually to subdue the population or to defend against the neighbours, but either way, what often happens is that the king or whoever will round up people from his patrimony he knows he's already whipped into shape and can trust, then force-marches them across country and re-settles them in the area the castle is meant to be. They are the ones who then farm and raise livestock, and push out the locals to do so. Over time, you get some intermingling and after a few gens it's a very different demographic, but you have a story of settlement going on with tensions bubbling under the surface. See also: William Rufus wanting to subdue the North of England, forcibly uprooting his tenants in the South of England and making them build and settle in Carlisle, where he built his castle (11thC); the Earl of Lincoln dragging a load of Yorkshire and Lancashire and Lincolnshire men to re-settle his newly bestowed North Welsh lordships, pushing the Welsh into the uplands while the settlers took over the lowlands (12th-13thC).

The settlers around castles bring their own forms of folk religion, superstition, folklore, dialect, and naming patterns, which are specific to their original region. These may be very similar to the ones where they've been settled. What does that look like? Is the culture of particular villages and settlements a little bit different or maybe strikingly so the closer you get to the castles in your world because of this? What are the issues faced by settlers and by local people, how do they get resolved (or do they)? You'd imagine settlers are favoured in court disputes, but depending on the politics, they may actually be overlooked in efforts to appease the locals, leading to some lords really upsetting the very people they took for granted that they could trust. What's going on with all this local level stuff? By the way:: 21stC "my religion is better than yours" is so fucking boring and overdone imo from Western fantasy. Not every fantasy people has to have a US Evangelical approach to faith. Maybe they just don't care, or as soon as they hear something new they're like oooh this is interesting let's incorporate that! And they do. And it's fine. And that's a normal attitude to have. That might be a lot more fun, because then you get multiple variations on a theme, which create lots of little layers and nuance to your world, rather than a very one-dimensional impression of "homogeneity" with the danger of slipping into ye olde "X Bad, Y Good" dichotomy.

Technology and adapting tech: building castles requires tech, and once you know how long something took to build, you know what the tech was and can work out how it may have developed since then. Also think about how it can be adapted. If you've got a world where castles are required because fighting happens, you have a world full of disabled people. War causes disability. Even tournaments were EXCEEDINGLY dangerous. Henry VIII got permanent brain damage at one. Other knights were left paralysed, many died, some were amputees as a result. People get their legs hacked off due to gangrene from wounds. People get arrows lodged in their spines. People get sick from malnutrition and develop conditions like osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, etc. Picture this: your lord gets severely injured and may never walk again just by falling from his horse (common). Unfortunately, the castle steps are DESIGNED to be difficult to get up and down, because it's a defensive structure, and you DO NOT want to make it easy for enemies to just stroll up to the upper levels which are the most defensible. Bear in mind that the majority of a castle is empty space: the ward. The domestic quarters are built into the walls, usually the inner walls of a concentric castle. Your lord had an upper floor room. In a castle, space is at a premium. You need all the space on the ground floor and it's already occupied. What do you do? Well - you remember that pulley system for heaving big tons of dressed stone up to the top of the scaffolding when constructing the tower? Yeah. Yeah you're going to use that. And if your lord is now permanently disabled and cannot use the stairs, you can work out how to refine that. But right now, you need to get him into bed so the physician can look him over, because if he dies right now this would be terribly politically inconvenient . Even if this hasn't happened in your current story right now, if this was the case for the lord or two BEFORE, the equipment may all still be there, and still be in place.

Anyway if you like this, you might like my newsletter and podcast, and the books I write.

[paralleljulieverse]

Come taste the wine... : 70th anniversary of Julie Andrews's 'cabaret debut' at the Café Dansant, Cleethorpes, 3 performances Easter, 14-17 April, 1954

This week, seventy years ago, Julie Andrews made her official 'cabaret debut' at the Café Dansant in Cleethorpes. While not a major milestone in the traditional sense -- and one that seldom features in standard Andrews biographies -- the Cleethorpes appearance was nevertheless a significant event in the star's early career.

For a start, it was Julie's first appearance in cabaret -- the theatrical genre that is, not the Broadway musical which is a whole other Julieverse story. Characterised by sophisticated nightclub settings with adult audiences watching intimate performances, cabaret emerged in fin-de-siècle Paris before expanding to other European cities such as Berlin and Amsterdam (Appignanesi, 2004). Imported to Britain in the interwar years, cabaret offered a more urbane, adult alternative to the domestic traditions of English music hall and variety with their family audiences and jolly communal spirit (Nott, 2002, p. 120ff).

Julie's debut in cabaret was, thus, a significant step in her professional evolution towards a more mature image and repertoire. By 1954, Julie was 18, and well beyond the child star tag of her earlier years. Under the guidance of manager, Charles Tucker, there was a calculated strategy to reshape her stardom towards adulthood.

The maturation of Julie's image had begun in earnest the previous summer with Cap and Belles (1953), a touring revue that Tucker produced as a showcase for Julie, comedian Max Wall, and several other acts under his management. Cap and Belles afforded Julie the opportunity to shine with two big solos and a number of dance sequences. Much was made in show publicity of Julie's new "grown up" look, including the fact that she was wearing "her first off-the-shoulder evening dress" ('Her First Grown-Up Dress', 1953, p. 4). The Cleethorpes cabaret was a further step in this process of transformative 'adulting'. Indeed, it was something of a Cap and Belles redux. Not only was Max Wall back as headline co-star, Julie even wore the same 'grown up' strapless evening gown. In keeping with a cabaret format, though, Julie was provided a longer solo set where she sang a mix of classical and contemporary pop songs including "My Heart is Singing", "Belle of the Ball", "Always", and "Long Ago and Far Away" ('Cabaret opens', 1954, p. 4). That Julie should have chosen Cleethorpes for her cabaret debut might seem odd to contemporary readers. Today, this small town on the north Lincolnshire coast is largely regarded as a somewhat faded, out-of-the-way seaside resort. In its heyday of the mid-twentieth century, however, Cleethorpes was a vibrant tourist hub that attracted tens of thousands of holidaymakers each year (Dowling, 2005). With several large theatres and entertainment venues, Cleethorpes was also an important stop in the summertime variety circuit, drawing many of the era’s big stars and entertainment acts (Morton, 1986).

The Café Dansant was one of Cleethorpes' most iconic nighttime venues, celebrated for its elegant suppertime cabarets and salon orchestras. Opening in the 1930s, the Café was a particularly popular haunt during the war and post-war era when servicemen from nearby bases danced the night away with locals and visiting holidaymakers to the sound of touring jazz bands and crooners (Dowling, 2005, p. 129; Ruston, 2019).

By 1954, the Café was starting to show its age, and incoming new management decided to shutter the venue for several months to undertake a luxury refurbishment (‘Café Dansant closed', 1954, p. 3). A gala re-opening was set for the Easter weekend of April 1954, just in time for the start of the high season (‘Café Dansant opens', 1954, p. 8). Opening festivities for the Café kicked off with a lavish five hour dinner cabaret on the evening of Wednesday, 14 April. Julie was “one of the world famous cabaret stars" booked for the gala event, and she received considerable promotional build-up in both local and national press (‘Café Dansant opens', 1954, p. 8). There was even a widely circulating PR photo of Julie boarding the train to Cleethorpes at London's Kings Cross station. In the end, Max Wall was unable to appear due to illness, and Alfred Marks -- another Tucker artist and former variety co-star of Julie's (Look In, 1952) -- stepped in at short notice. Rounding out the bill were several other minor acts, including American dance duo, Bobby Dwyer and Trixie; novelty entertainers, Ruby and Charles Wlaat; and magician Ericson who doubled as cabaret emcee.

Commentators judged the evening a resounding success. The "Cafe Dansant has got away to a flying start, after probably the biggest opening night ever seen in Cleethorpes," effused one newspaper report (Sandbox, 1954, p.4). Special mention was made of Julie who “received a great reception when she sang a selection of old and new songs, accompanied at the piano by her mother” (‘'Café Dansant reopening’, 1954, p. 6). 

Following her performance, Julie joined the Mayor of Cleethorpes, Mr Albert Winters, in a cake-cutting ceremony and mayoral dance. Decades later, Winters recalled how he still “savour[ed] the memory of snatching a dance with the young girl destined to be a star… [S]he seemed very slim and frail,” he reminisced, “but she was a great dancer and I thoroughly enjoyed myself” (Morton, 1986, p. 15).

Julie stayed on in Cleethorpes for two more performances on Thursday 15 and Saturday 17 April respectively, before returning to London with her mother on Easter Sunday, 18 April. The very next day she commenced formal rehearsals for Mountain Fire, Julie's first dramatic 'straight' play and another step in her professional pivot to more adult content (--also, time permitting, the subject of a possible future blogpost).

A final noteworthy aspect about the Cleethorpes appearance is that it was during this weekend that Julie made the momentous decision to go to America to star in The Boy Friend. In what has become part of theatrical lore, Julie had been offered the plum role of Polly Browne in the show's Broadway production sometime in February or March of 1954 while she was appearing in Cinderella at the London Palladium. To the American producers’ astonishment --- and manager Tucker’s horror -- Julie was initially reluctant to accept, fearful of leaving her home and family. She prevaricated for weeks. Finally, while she was in Cleethorpes, Julie was given an ultimatum and told she had to make her decision.

In her 1958 serialised memoir for Woman magazine, Julie recounts:

“Mummie and I went to Cleethorpes to do a concert. It was a miserable wet day. From our hotel I watched the dark sea pounding the shore with great grey waves. I was called to the downstairs telephone. “Julie,” said Uncle Charles [Tucker]‘s voice from London, “they can’t wait any longer. You’ll have to make your mind up NOW.” I burst into tears. “I’ll go Uncle,” I sobbed, “if you’ll make it only one year’s contract instead of two. Only one year, please.” … Against everyone’s judgment and wishes I got my way…None of us knew that if I’d signed for two [years], then I should never have been free to do Eliza in My Fair Lady. And never known all the happiness and success it has brought me” (Andrews, 1958, p. 46).

The Cleethorpes ultimatum even found its way into an advertising campaign that Julie did for Basildon Bond stationery in 1958/59, albeit with the telephone call converted into a letter for enhanced marketing purposes. Framed as a choice between going to America and the “trip [that] changed my life” or staying at home in England “and go[ing] on in pantomime, concerts, and radio shows—the mixture as before,” the advert highlighted the “sliding door” gravity of that fateful Cleethorpes weekend (Basildon Bond, 1958). What would the course of Julie's life been like had she said no to Broadway and opted to remain in the UK?

It is a speculative refrain that Julie and others have made frequently over the years. “If I’d stayed in England I would probably have got no further than pantomime leads,” she mused in a 1970 interview (Franks, 1970, p. 32). Or, more dramatically: “Had I remained in London and not appeared in the Broadway production of The Boy Friend…who knows, I might be starving in some chorus line today” (Hirschorn, 1968).

In all seriousness, it's doubtful that a British-based Julie would have faded into professional oblivion. As biographer John Cottrell quips: "that golden voice would always have kept her out of the chorus” (Cottrell, 1968, p. 71). Nevertheless, Julie's professional options in Britain during that era would have been greatly diminished. And she certainly wouldn't have achieved the level of international superstardom enabled by Broadway and Hollywood. Who knows, in a parallel 'sliding door' universe, our Julie might have gone on playing cabarets and end-of-pier shows in Cleethorpes...

Sources

Andrews, J. (1958). 'So much to sing about, part 3.' Woman. 17 May, 15-18, 45-48.

Appignanesi, L. (2004). The cabaret. Revised edn. Yale University Press.

Basildon Bond. (1958). 'I had 24 hours to decide, says Julie Andrews'. [Advertisement]. Daily Mirror. 6 October, p. 4.

'Cabaret opens Café Dansant." (1954). Grimsby Daily Telegraph. 15 April, p. 4.

‘Café Dansant closed.' (1954). Grimsby Evening Telegraph. 28 January, p. 3.

‘Café Dansant opens tonight – with world-famous cabaret’. (1954). Grimsby Evening Telegraph. 14 April, p. 8.

‘Café Dansant reopening a gay affair.’ (1954). Grimsby Evening Telegraph. 15 April, p. 6.

Cottrell, J. (1968). Julie Andrews: The story of a star. Arthur Barker Ltd.

Dowling, A. (2005). Cleethorpes: The creation of a seaside resort. Phillimore.

'Echoes of the past, the old Café Dansant'. (2009). Cleethorpes Chronicle. December 3, p. 13.

Frank, E. (1954). Daily News. 15 April, p.6. 

Franks, G. (1970). ‘Whatever’s happened to Mary Poppins?’ Leicester Mercury. 4 December, p. 32.

'Her first grown-up dress.' (1953). Sussex Daily News. 28 July, p. 4.

Hirschorn, C. (1968). 'America made me, says Julie Andrews.' Sunday Express. 8 September, p. 23.

Morton, J. (1986). ‘Where the stars began to shine’. Grimsby Evening Telegraph. 22 September, p. 15.

Nott, J.J. (2002). Music for the people: Popular music and dance in interwar Britain. Oxford University Press.

Ruston, A. (2019). 'Taking a step back in time to the Cleethorpes gem Cafe Dansant where The Kinks once played'. Grimsby Live. 12 October. 

Sandboy. (1954). 'Cleethorpes notebook: Flying start.' Grimsby Evening Telegraph. 19 April, p. 4.

[herprivateswe]

Battle of Epehy, at the beginning of the Hundred Days. Soldiers of the Lincolnshire Regiment holding a captured reserve trench beyond Epehy, 18th September 1918. Only wearing light gear, these Tommies are ready for a more fluid, mobile warfare.

[historical-closet-raider]

Wedding Dress Wednesday 💕

This 1841 dress is from the V&A collection. It was worn by Sarah Maria Wright from rural Lincolnshire for her wedding. This a lovely example of what ordinary women wore on their wedding day and beyond as most would have been worn after the event as well.

Physical Description from the V&A website:

"This long day dress has a low neck and sleeves which are gathered at the shoulder and then full to the wrist. It also has a narrow waist and gathered skirts. The white fabric is printed with an abstract design resembling ribbons and bubbles in cream, pink, blue and purple ink. The bodice has been carefully enlarged."

Find out more:

[contremineur]

Gerard Stamp, Magdalen windows (oil on board, 2016)

You cross the wide, lazy Great Ouse, and at once Norfolk changes. The rippling countryside flattens out, the horizon straightens. Norfolk's trees disappear, apart from the odd one or two that flame like beacons below the perpendicular sky. There aren't really fields anymore, just wide prairies, and the villages are perfunctory. This is the Marshland.

Magdalen is perhaps close enough to the rest of Norfolk to still be a proper East Anglian village, and a pretty one at that. One to savour if you are heading west and about to tip off the edge of the real county into that strange, sinking landscape beyond. Inexorably, water spilt here would roll into Lincolnshire. But the church is a marshland church, big bold and beautiful with that air of chiarascuro familiar from its neighbours, a slightly decayed beauty with the smell of old wood and damp in the air.

image from here, text from here

[intrepelle]

Lady Estelle, ward [and illegitimate daughter] of Phileas Fogg, the 4th Duke of Windlesham.

The pair live at No. 7 Saville Street in Mayfair, essentially year-round. Occasionally they will both return to Ancaster Castle, his country house in Lincolnshire, but it is rare indeed to see them in the country.

Highly opinionated and highly spirited, prone to resorting to cheekiness and impudence when she's not met with the kindness or basic respect that she, as a person, is deserving of.

Seemingly unbothered by any society gossip that circulates with her as the focus.

A notorious pickpocket, though she'll only loot from people she thinks deserving of it––nobles who disrespect their staff, cruel mothers, cruel fathers, bitchy debutantes.

Her mother [Louise Laroche, from a Huguenot family] worked as a maid at the gentleman's club Brooks's, which her father [Phileas Fogg, the Duke of Windlesham, though he was only the Marquess of Bathurst at the time] is a frequent member of. The two had a dalliance in the second half of 1791, and though it did not last for long, Louise soon realised she had fallen pregnant. Knowing that he was too honourable a man to not take action, but not wanting to trap either of them in a situation that neither wanted, Louise keeps shtum and remains working at Brooks's for as long as she is able to, only to wind up returning to her parents' small farm in Crawley when it is not something she can hide any longer. She gives birth to Estelle, and near immediately after, journeys back to London, accepting a cook position in White's upon her return, the rival club of her former employer. Estelle is thus raised to believe that her grandparents are her parents for the first thirteen years of her life.

Louise fell sick in the spring of 1806, to the point of being released from her position at White's, and with no other employment prospects while she is so ill, she is once again forced to return to the Laroche farm. A precocious child, far too intelligent for a girl her age, Estelle quickly catches on to the worried glances and hushed whispers of her 'parents' upon the return of her 'sister', and that it goes beyond her poor health. The truth eventually [finally] comes out one midsummer's eve, shortly before Estelle's fourteenth birthday, when Louise is resigned to communicating in wheezes and laboured breaths, relying on her own parents to fill in the gaps, though even their knowledge does not extend to the whole story. Louise does not live to see the harvest of 1806.

Estelle is, understandably, left reeling. In the span of a few short weeks, she has learnt that much of what she's known about herself is untrue––her life has been a lie, even if not a very exciting one in her eyes. A precocious child nonetheless, and far too quick for a girl of her age, she resolves to discover all she can of her real father, who has since come to inherit his own father's title, all the while totally unaware that he has a daughter. The best way to do this, she resolves, is to follow in her mother's footsteps and find employment as a housemaid at Brooks's. She can observe her father in his natural habitat, she can keep her ear to the ground for gossip, she can feel a little bit closer to the woman she always thought was her sister––and she can finally see London.

It does not go quite the way she had envisioned, for it turns out her father is no rake.

Over the course of a year and a half, Estelle discovers quite a lot about the mysterious Duke of Windlesham. He is a mild-mannered and reclusive man; a little too particular about the temperature of his shaving water or the precise time of how long his tea is to steep, but they appear to be his worst foibles. He is a notorious gambler, but never to the point of ruin, and he never makes a bet that he is not confident he can win. He does not drink to the point of drunkness, nor does he smoke beyond the occasional pipe for special occasions. While considered an eccentric by some of his peers, and regarded poorly by some ladies of high society for his refusal to marry, he is more or less a gentleman of the highest calibre, albeit a lonely one. Estelle cannot understand why her mother refused to tell him the truth, why she allowed for them both to live such restrictive lives, why she kept Estelle a secret; and though she would like to respect her late mother's wishes, it turns out she is just as stubborn and principled as the Duke that she has been shadowing for the past eighteen months.

A few short weeks before her sixteenth birthday (1808!), Estelle finds herself pacing the corner of Saville Street and Burlington Gardens, just a few feet away from the comfortable [not sumptuous, but comfortable] mansion where the Duke took up residence whilst in London. She sticks out like a sore thumb in Mayfair, and it is obvious: she finds herself shrinking into the shadows, which makes it difficult to keep an eye on No. 7. The pocket watch that she had purloined from an unlucky gambling gentleman months back is still warm in her reticule, and when she last checked it had told her that it was twenty eight minutes past eleven, meaning she has either experienced the longest two minutes of her entire life, or today is the day that the Duke finally breaks his precise habits and decides not to repair to Brooks's at half past eleven.

But! Lo and behold, just as she has begun to despair and think that she wasted a rare day off on a foolish endeavour, a face that is oh-so-familiar [not least of all because of its resemblance to her own] begins to weave into view. Realising that it is a matter of now or never, Estelle propels herself into his path; an unwise decision, she realises mid-action, to interrupt one of his famed routines, but she never has prided herself on being wise. Intelligent, yes; quick-witted, certainly. But wise? ...

She expects it to be a travesty. A disaster. For her to be shunned and rebuffed, to become a laughing stock of London as the crazed maid from the country who had the audacity to harangue a Duke of all people, and assault him with all sorts of falsehoods.

Yet that is not what happens. After the initial distaste towards being waylaid leaves his features, the Duke gets a certain look [watery? wistful? pained?] in his eye at the mention of a French maid who used to work at the club. Though a taciturn man by nature, Estelle has not ever seen him so speechless in the short time she's been observing him, and it does little to assuage her nerves, but she continues on her rambling. When, finally, she runs out of steam, and finds herself looking rather dumbly on at him, he responds in a way that shocks her to her core: he nods. He muses that perhaps today is the day he will finally be noted as absent at Brooks's, and asks if she would care to join him for a humble breakfast at No. 7 Saville Street, so that they might become better acquainted. She assents––nervously, mind you––and the rest, as they say, is history.

[careerinruins]

Lincoln Medieval Bishop’s Palace

Standing in the shadows of Lincoln Cathedral, looking down on the ancient city and the Lincolnshire countryside beyond, the medieval bishops’ palace was one of the most important buildings in the country.

The administrative centre of the largest diocese in medieval England, the Bishop’s of Lincoln held sway across the east of the country stretching from the Humber estuary to the river Thames.

The architecture of the palace reflects the power and wealth of the Bishop’s which is complimented by a wonderful simple contemporary garden and vineyard, a peaceful space elevated high above Lincoln with incredible views.

It is owned and managed by English Heritage

[influencermagazineuk]

Pontins Falls to Last Place in UK Holiday Park Rankings Once Again

The long-established Pontins has been rated the worst UK holiday park brand in a survey by the consumer organization Which?, with smaller and independent resorts taking the top honors. Potters Resorts, which has locations in the Essex countryside and on the Norfolk coast, topped the table. Which? surveyed over 1,700 people about their experiences at UK holiday parks in the past two years, asking them to rate their stays based on 11 criteria, including quality of accommodation, cleanliness, facilities and activities, and value for money. Founded by Fred Pontin in 1946, Pontins was taken over in 2011 by the Britannia Hotels chain. Recently, three sites—Camber Sands in East Sussex, Prestatyn in north Wales, and Southport—have suddenly closed, leaving only two currently open: Pakefield in Suffolk and Sand Bay in Somerset. Pontins received two-star ratings in categories such as customer service, quality of accommodation, cleanliness, quality of facilities and activities, food and drink, and value for money. Its highest scores of three stars were for communication and quality of entertainment. Despite scoring last with a customer score of 56%—the same position it held in 2022—it wasn't the only big name to fall short of expectations, said Which? Butlin’s, with resorts in Bognor Regis in West Sussex, Minehead in Somerset, and Skegness in Lincolnshire, ranked fifth from the bottom with a customer score of 67%. Guests were underwhelmed by the customer service and food and drink. However, the brand, known for its Redcoats, scored four stars for the quality of entertainment and the variety of children’s activities. Center Parcs and Haven, tied just above Butlin’s with a customer score of 69%. Center Parcs, the most-visited brand in the survey with five UK locations, received generally favorable reviews but failed to deliver on value for money, earning just two stars in this category, according to Which? Potters Resorts took the top spot with a customer score of 87%, followed by Which? “recommended provider” Forest Holidays, which scored 80%. Potters Resorts has locations near Colchester in Essex and Great Yarmouth. Naomi Leach, deputy editor of Which? Travel, said: “Our latest survey shows that it’s worth looking beyond the best-known names, with smaller and independent resorts offering excellent value for money, great customer service, and plenty of onsite entertainment.” Pontins has been approached for comment but did not respond to Which?'s requests for feedback. A Butlin’s spokesperson said the company had invested over £50 million across its three resorts and was pleased to see high scores for activities and entertainment. “It is disappointing to see that some scores are lower, but we would like to reassure guests that we’re investing in these areas to offer a better holiday experience.” A spokesperson for Center Parcs expressed pride in its “consistently high” guest satisfaction scores, noting that over 60% of guests make repeat bookings. They added, “Our guests demand a high-quality experience, and each year we invest tens of millions of pounds improving our villages.” Read the full article

[randomspark]

Why Website Design is Critical for Online Success

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In today's digital age, having a solid online presence is crucial for any service or individual seeking to prosper. And among the most crucial consider producing an effective online visibility is web layout. Your internet site is typically the impression that possible clients or customers have of your brand name, and also it's important that it be properly designed and also easy to browse. A badly designed internet site can transform off visitors and also create them to leave in the past even discovering what you have to offer.Effective website design goes beyond just appearances, however. It has to do with creating a straightforward experience that motivates site visitors to remain on your website and involve with your web content. This needs careful factor to consider of variables such as page speed, navigating, and also mobile responsiveness. A properly designed website will pack swiftly and be simple to navigate, with a clear pecking order of info and user-friendly menus. It will certainly likewise be optimized for mobile tools, as even more and also more individuals are accessing the web on their phones and also tablets.In short, internet design is an essential aspect in on-line success. Whether you're a small company owner or a blogger, spending in a properly designed internet site can settle in spades by drawing in as well as maintaining site visitors, driving conversions, as well as eventually assisting you accomplish your on-line goals. So if you have not offered your website style the focus it should have, now is the time to begin!

Read more here web design spalding lincolnshire

[reliablehomecareproviders]

As a premier home care provider in Lincolnshire, Illinois, we recognize the invaluable benefits of speech therapy beyond mere verbal communication. For seniors, maintaining optimal cognitive function is paramount for overall well-being. Speech therapy not only enhances communication skills but also serves as a vital tool in preserving mental acuity and cognitive function, contributing to improved senior health.

[matthewcahill]

Inspiraology: The Rewarding Hypnotherapy Training in Lincolnshire

Embarking on a journey to become a certified hypnotherapist in Hypnotherapy Training Lincolnshire can be an incredibly rewarding and transformative experience. This educational program provides the necessary expertise to do hypnotherapy proficiently and also goes deep into the interesting area of mind-body medicine for full professional growth.

In this blog post, we will explore various aspects of Hypnotherapy Training Lincolnshire, including engaging lectures covering diverse techniques and real-life case studies designed to enhance your learning experience. You'll read about successful graduates who have made remarkable transitions in their careers and testimonials reflecting personal growth during the training process.

Furthermore, we will discuss services offered by qualified clinical hypnotherapists, such as tailored treatment plans according to individual needs and discreet sessions held within relaxing environments. Lastly, we will highlight notable practitioners' accomplishments in the field of hypnosis.

Comprehensive Hypnotherapy Training Program

If you're looking to become a certified hypnotherapist, look no further than the Inspiraology Hypnotherapy Training in Lincolnshire. Our comprehensive and professional program offers everything you need to master the art of clinical hypnosis, equipping you with essential skills for effective hypnosis sessions. With expert guidance from Randal Churchill, our curriculum covers various aspects of hypnosis techniques and practices, ensuring that you'll be well-prepared to practice hypnotherapy upon completion.

Essential Skills for Effective Hypnosis Sessions

To ensure your success as a certified hypnotherapist, our training program focuses on teaching essential skills required during a hypnotic session. You will learn how to induce trance states effectively using various methods, such as progressive relaxation or rapid induction techniques. Additionally, we cover important topics like building rapport with clients and understanding their unique needs - all crucial components when it comes to providing impactful mind-body medicine.

Trance induction methods: Progressive relaxation and rapid inductions.

Rapport-building strategies: Establishing trust between therapist and client.

Eliciting information: Uncovering root causes behind clients' issues.

Suggestibility testing: Assessing the client's responsiveness to suggestions during therapy sessions.

Advanced Therapeutic Techniques in Hypnotherapy

Beyond mastering the basic skills necessary for successful hypnotic treatments, our program delves into advanced therapeutic techniques designed specifically for practising clinical hypnosis. We explore cutting-edge approaches such as Ericksonian language patterns or age regression work, which can help clients overcome deep-rooted issues that may not be easily addressed through traditional therapy methods. Additionally, we consider the impact of mind-body medicine on a person's general health and how hypnotherapy can be an essential element in this comprehensive approach to healing.

Ericksonian language patterns: Utilising hypnotic suggestions tailored to individual client needs.

Age regression work: Guiding clients back to earlier experiences for insight and resolution.

Mind-body medicine integration: Combining hypnotherapy with other complementary therapies for comprehensive care.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/4YDlJOkVq5Q By completing our Inspiraology Hypnotherapy Training program, you'll gain an extensive understanding of both foundational skills and advanced techniques necessary for effective clinical practice. Our expertly crafted curriculum ensures that graduates are well-equipped to provide high-quality hypnotic treatments - whether it's helping clients manage anxiety or guiding them through hypnotic sessions designed specifically for personal growth purposes. With our comprehensive curriculum, graduates are ready to become certified and excel as a hypnotherapist - making lasting positive impacts on their client's lives.

The Comprehensive Hypnotherapy Training Program provides the essential skills and advanced therapeutic techniques to effectively practice hypnosis. Our next heading will focus on success stories of graduates who have successfully transitioned into full-time hypnotherapists or eliminated medical issues through training.

Key Takeaway: 

The Inspiraology Hypnotherapy Training in Lincolnshire offers a comprehensive and professional program to become a certified hypnotherapist. The training covers essential skills for effective hypnosis sessions, including trance induction methods, rapport-building strategies, eliciting information, and suggestibility testing. Additionally, the program delves into advanced therapeutic techniques such as Ericksonian language patterns or age regression work to help clients overcome deep-rooted issues that may not be easily addressed through traditional therapy methods.

Success Stories of Graduates

The Hypnotherapy Training Lincolnshire program has produced numerous successful graduates who have gone on to establish thriving careers as certified hypnotherapists. Many have even transitioned from other professions, such as chiropractic or counselling, to focus solely on their passion for clinical hypnosis and mind-body medicine. These success stories serve as powerful examples of the potential that lies within this field when equipped with the right knowledge and skills.

Career transitions into full-time hypnotherapists

One graduate of our program decided to leave his career in chiropractic care behind after experiencing first-hand how effective hypnotic treatments can be in addressing various health issues. He now runs a successful practice where he utilises his expertise in experimental hypnosis and advanced therapeutic techniques to help clients overcome challenges ranging from anxiety management to stress relief.

Another inspiring story comes from one who initially began her journey at Hypnotherapy Training Lincolnshire out of curiosity but soon discovered her true calling. She went on to complete her certification and now operates a thriving practice focused primarily on helping ex-serving soldiers cope with trauma-based issues through targeted hypnotic sessions.

Reduction of medical issues through training

Beyond professional achievements, many graduates also report significant improvements in their own personal well-beingafter completing our comprehensive hypnotherapy training. For instance, the decision to pursue a career change was largely influenced by his experience during the course, wherein he witnessed the total elimination of imminent surgery following an intensive series of hypnotic treatments administered by fellow students under expert supervision.

This remarkable outcome not only convinced him that hypnosis works but also inspired him to dedicate his life to helping others experience similar transformations. Other graduates have reported significant reductions in chronic pain, anxiety levels, and even the cessation of long-standing phobias after participating in our program.

These success stories demonstrate that hypnotherapy is not only a viable career path for those interested in alternative healing modalities but can also lead to profound personal growth and self-discovery. Unlock your potential as a certified hypnotherapist and make an enduring effect on the lives of people looking for help with physical and mental issues by studying how to usefully exercise hypnotherapy through our comprehensive program.

Join Our Community of Successful Hypnotherapists

If these stories have piqued your interest or inspired you to consider pursuing a career as a certified hypnotherapist yourself, we invite you to explore our hypnotherapy training courses. At Hypnotherapy Training Lincolnshire, we are committed to providing top-notch education that equips students with the essential skills needed for effective hypnotic sessions while fostering an environment conducive to personal development alongside professional growth.

The success stories of graduates demonstrate the potential for career transitions into full-time hypnotherapists, as well as the reduction or elimination of medical issues through training. High recommendations from certified professionals are essential to building credibility and furthering one's own successful practice in Hypnotherapy Training Lincolnshire.

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EMBARKING ON A HYPNOTHERAPY TRAINING COURSE: YOUR GUIDE

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Why Internet Style is Crucial for Online Success

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In today's electronic age, having a solid on-line existence is crucial for any kind of organization or private wanting to do well. And one of the most vital consider creating a successful on the internet visibility is internet style. Your site is commonly the impression that prospective clients or customers have of your brand name, and it's crucial that it be properly designed as well as easy to navigate. An improperly developed site can shut off visitors and create them to leave in the past also discovering what you have to offer.Effective web style goes beyond simply aesthetics, though. It's concerning developing an user-friendly experience that encourages site visitors to remain on your website and also involve with your web content. This requires careful consideration of variables such as web page speed, navigating, as well as mobile responsiveness. A properly designed website will certainly load rapidly and also be simple to navigate, with a clear pecking order of details and user-friendly food selections. It will certainly additionally be enhanced for mobile phones, as a growing number of individuals are accessing the net on their phones and also tablets.In short, internet style is a crucial consider online success. Whether you're a local business owner or a blog owner, purchasing a well-designed website can settle in spades by bring in as well as keeping site visitors, driving conversions, and ultimately helping you achieve your on-line goals. So if you have not provided your site layout the attention it is entitled to, currently is the moment to begin!

Read more here web design spalding lincolnshire

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[December]: Make happy holiday memories with Harvest Hosts 🎄

Stay at a Harvest Hosts Location for the Holidays and Beyond Choose from 5400 unique locations across the country, including wineries, breweries, museums, ranches, golf courses, and more! Learn More FOLLOW RV MAGAZINE ON SOCIAL MEDIA This may be considered an advertising or promotional message from RV Magazine, 250 Parkway Drive, Suite 270 Lincolnshire, IL 60069 Privacy Policy To remove…

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Vintage Photo Booth Charms at Haycock Manor Hotel

A wedding is more than an event; it's a celebration of love, a merging of souls, a moment that lasts forever. At Haycock Manor Hotel, an exquisite venue that exudes timeless beauty. As a leading vintage photo booth company based in Lincolnshire, we had the privilege of bringing our custom-made vintage photo booth to Rob & Jasmin’s enchanting wedding, infusing the celebration with our vintage setup.

Nestled in the heart of scenic landscapes on the outskirts of Peterborough, Haycock Manor Hotel set the stage for a wedding that beautifully blended tradition and sophistication. The elements aligned perfectly, offering a day bathed in warm sunshine and gentle breezes. Amidst the excitement and joy of friends and family, our carefully crafted vintage photo booth stood as a charming focal point for the evenings celebrations.

Throughout the festivities, the vintage photo booth drew guests in, forming a queue of eager faces and laughter. The bride and groom, resplendent in their wedding finery, were the first to step in. Their love radiated through every pose, every captured glance, every silly prop and moment of laughter.

Beyond capturing photographs, our booth fosters connections. Friends reconvened in front of the camera, posing in a mix of classic and whimsical stances. Grandparents shared stories as they flipped through the prints. It became a hub of genuine interactions, freezing candid moments that often escape the spotlight amidst the wedding whirlwind.

As the sun began its descent, casting a golden hue over the celebration, our setup continued to work its magic. The dance floor came alive, and the booth captured laughter, dance moves and more.

In the end, it's about more than photos; it's about stories, emotions, and cherished memories. Haycock Manor Hotel provided the setting and our vintage photo booth added the colors, resulting in a masterpiece of a day. The wedding day was perfect and our vintage photo booth preserved every nuance, every smile, and every joyous instant.

To learn more about Haycock Manor Hotel here are a few useful links:

website: Haycock Manor Hotel

location: Google / Waze / W3W

our favourite past event gallery: Jasmin & Rob's Wedding