LL News Blog

Christmas arrived in Uppingham on Thursday! A Christmas market, old fashioned fun fair, stalls and fake snow that was so real we all thought it was! It was a pleasure to judge the stunning festive shop windows.

5th December: Christmas is coming! Oakham held the first annual Christmas Fayre this afternoon. Music from amongst others, Brook Hill Academy…

Stalls were given pitches by the town council to help post Covid recovery. A good time was had by all!

30th November: It was an honour to welcome HRH The Duke of Gloucester to Rutland today, completing our very special Duke of Edinburgh Memorial Orchard at the Rutland County Showground, He planted a tree:

and unveiled a memorial to the late Duke of Edinburgh:

before visiting a number of local businesses and community groups, including the award-winning Hambledon Bakery.

He then planted another tree for the Queen’s Green Canopy at Uppingham Community College, where he also unveiled a plaque to commemorate the new facilities created after the College suffered a disastrous fire.

29th November: I was delighted to attend a Rutland tree planting for The Queen’s Green Canopy with the Weatherby Family – and dogs – who supplied the site and the hornbeams. They also & invited Rutland Rotaract Family Support members to join in. This was a great opportunity to mark Her Majesty’s 70 year reign and to help the environment.

29th November:

29th November: Volunteers are the glue that help make communities work. We had a great evening of saxophone music on Saturday to celebrate the contribution of over 50 volunteers who help run and maintain All Saints’ Church in Oakham. Thanks to Adam & Julie Lowe, whose idea this was; to the Take3 Saxophone Trio & the Rutland Saxophone Choir.

25th November: Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenants from across Yorkshire, the North West and East Midlands came together tonight to pay tribute to forces-friendly organisations from their counties who have won Gold Awards under the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.

21st November: Evensong at Peterborough Cathedral, a service to remember the 20th anniversary of rescuing our cathedral from a potentially devastating fire. A special service of thanksgiving with wonderful music took place today, with vivid memories from those who were involved on the day. Thanks to all who fought the fire and to all who donated to help repair the damage and to those who organised this service. Peterborough Cathedral is a wonderful institution and it is numbing to think how close we came to losing it.

The 11th day of the 11th month was marked by a large crowd at Oakham Castle, marking two minutes of silence at 11am today.

Rutland is a proud military county with up to 25% of the population having military connections – serving, veteran or in the family of either.

It was an honour to lay several wreaths around Rutland on behalf of the University of Leicester, which is unique in being founded 100 years ago as an act of Remembrance. Rutland supported its foundation and our symbolic horseshoe is part of the university crest. Below in St Mary’s Church, Greetham.

6th November: Suspended during the Covid pandemic, it’s great that the Oakham Armed Forces Verterans’ Breakfast Club is back.

An amazing breakfast this morning, a full Grainy and around 100 attendees. Thank you to The Grainy for all their support and hard work. Envelopes with poppy seeds were given to everyone, to plant wherever they like. Lest we forget. Thanks to Mark Taylor.

29th October. Awarding a British Empire Medal on behalf of her Majesty The Queen is always a great pleasure. It is an honour bestowed for an individual’s beneficial impact on their community. Congratulations to Janet Thompson of Uppingham for her work through the Covid 19 pandemic and all she does, notably with the Brownies.