Allison Homes Marie Curie charity a cash injection

It was with great pleasure that the Allison Homes team was able to give palliative care charity, Marie Curie, a much-needed cash injection via the Larkfleet Homes Community Fund.

We recently handed Marie Curie £250 to help it provide home-based end of life care for patients in Spalding who are living with terminal illness.

Marie Curie’s community fundraiser for Lincolnshire, Lauren Alexander (pictured left with our own Mallory Matthews), told us: “The money will be used to fund night care for an end of life patient in Spalding.

“Thanks to this donation, an additional 12.5 hours will be provided to give one more person within the community the chance to stay at home with their loved ones and make the most of the time they have left together.”

The Larkfleet Homes Community Fund supports groups which enhance or develop local communities. It makes grants to charities or voluntary organisations within ten miles (16 kilometres) of any housing development by Larkfleet Homes or Allison Homes, both part of The Larkfleet Group of Companies which is based in Bourne, Lincolnshire.

We are currently building new homes at Pinchbeck Fields, Spalding – a new development of 2, 3, 4 and 5-bedroom houses and bungalows. Our show home is open between 10:00 and 17:00 from Thursday to Monday.

At Allison Homes we believe it’s important that, when we build new homes for people, we develop robust living communities as well. Being able to support the fantastic charities and volunteer groups, like Marie Curie, in the areas where we are working is really important. These groups are very often the backbone of the community. The support which they offer to the people who use their services is immeasurable.

Marie Curie supports anyone suffering from dementia, cancer, motor neurone disease, heart failure, Parkinson's disease, or any other illness, who has had a terminal diagnosis.

Marie Curie was founded in 1948 by five members of the committee of the Marie Curie Hospital in Hampstead, London. The charity is named after the woman who discovered radium and polonium and is remembered for her contribution to the fight against cancer. Marie Curie helps those living with, or affected by, a terminal diagnosis to achieve the best quality of life and supports them to retain their independence and dignity for as long as possible.

Help and support includes treating or managing pain and other symptoms with medicines, therapies and other specialist approaches. It also means giving emotional support to patients and their families when they need it most.

Cambridgeshire Community Foundation manages The Larkfleet Homes Community Fund on Larkfleet’s behalf. Any community or voluntary group wishing to find out more about the fund can visit www.tiny.cc/larkfleet-fund, telephone 01223 410535 or email info@cambscf.org.uk.

Come and enjoy a blitz in Baston this weekend

Come and visit the new show home at The Croft in Baston this weekend and enjoy the village’s Baston in the Blitz event.

Baston in the Blitz, held on the weekend of 4th and 5th August, is a WWII themed extravaganza.

There will be more than 60 trade stalls, some 70 display groups and over 500 WWII re-enactors putting on 1940’s themed depictions over the weekend.

The team from The Croft will be on hand with a stall at the event. They will be running a prize draw too, with the star prize being a Pimm’s hamper.

As well as a thrilling battle re-enactment, there will be plenty of food and drink on offer in addition to music shows, presentations, a Punch & Judy show, a Dambusters presentation and George Formby experience among other attractions.

Visit http://www.bastonblitz.org/Programme2018.htm for full details.

While you’re at the event, pop down to The Croft. You’ll be able to enter the prize draw and enjoy plenty of other goodies. We will also be offering free flooring on any plot purchase at The Croft up until 18 August.

If you are looking for a new home in a community-spirited, friendly and tranquil village that offers age-exclusive living for busy modern lifestyles, then The Croft, Baston is for you.

The Croft is brought to you by our sister company Larkfleet Homes.

The second phase of development at The Croft at Baston is a small development of new homes in this tranquil village in south Lincolnshire. It sits alongside the highly successful fully-sold first phase, extending the community but keeping it at a modest scale.

Baston is a vibrant community with a range of community activities, clubs and societies to get involved with.

The Croft at Baston is not just a place to live. It offers a lifestyle of possibilities, leaving you with more time and energy to do the things you enjoy doing, every day, within a bustling community environment.

Make your life your own at The Croft at Baston - a stylish development surrounded by beautiful grounds, with a variety of facilities and services close by to suit your lifestyle.

Call our sales office today on 07917 761020 or visit http://larkfleethomes.co.uk/the-croft-baston

12 tips for saving water in the garden

As we continue to swelter in one of the longest spells of hot weather for years, spare a thought for the garden. Lawns are a scorched golden-brown, flower beds are parched and the vegetable plot is starting to look like a war zone.

Some of you will have had the hosepipe out for a while now. Forget about the grass, it will revive come the next significant rainfall. But the flowers and veg still need regular watering.

The problem of course is that we are facing a ban on the use of hosepipes in the garden if this dry weather keeps up for much longer. There is already a hosepipe ban in force in the north west of England and it’s only a matter of time before we have one in the East Midlands and East Anglia - normally the driest parts of the country.

Here are our tips for beating the ban and keeping your garden in great condition during the hot weather:

• Water less; most mature plants will survive a dry spell
• Adjust your lawnmower to cut your grass longer – this will shade the roots from the sun
• Leave cuttings on the lawn – they will form a mulch to protect and feed the grass
• Keep lawns and beds weed-free, but avoid turning soil during dry weather
• Water seedlings and planters around the roots early in the morning or in the cooler evenings
• Mulch around your borders: this will keep your soil cooler and deter weeds
• Avoid deep or large paddling pools and re-use the water for plants in the evening
• Invest in a water butt and use the water as much as possible
• Use a watering can
• Save cooled grey water from baths and showers and use to water around the roots of plants – not leaves - and avoid using water with too much soap or household detergent in
• Use a water retaining gel in pots and hanging baskets
• Plant flowers and vegetables that require less water

Ideas for great a summer weekend

School’s out, but many parents are still working. If you’re stuck at work, how do you make the most of the time with your kids over the summer? That’s what weekends are for.

Here are a few ideas for things to do over the next six weeks of the summer holidays.

Are you a countryside enthusiast? Do enjoy country pursuits? Then the Game Fair could be just the thing for a weekend of fun and shopping. This year it is being held at Ragley Hall in Warwickshire from Friday 27 July until Sunday 29 July. There’s plenty to see and do, not just hunting, shooting and fishing. There's even a ‘Go Wild’ kids’ zone

If you have an ‘Astronut’ in the family, the National Space Centre in Leicester could be just the place for a weekend visit. The centre is open from 10:00 until 17:00 on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the summer. This summer they're taking a journey through the secret world of gases. 

Why not enjoy a spot of camping in the heart of England at Belvoir Castle? Located in Woolsthorpe by the Dirty Duck Public House on the Grantham Canal, it is perfectly situated for exploring the Viking Way walk and the surrounding areas.

Looking for something really imaginative to do? Go and get befuddled at BeWILDerwood in Norfolk. You’ll encounter some intriguing characters including Boggles, Twiggles, the Thornyclod Spider and vegetarian Crocklebogs, as you and your family enjoy traditional, imaginative and outdoor play together. Visit https://www.bewilderwood.co.uk/ for more details and plan your day out.

The well-known Alton Towers is a great family choice for summer holiday fun. All ages are catered for. CBeebies Land is hosting Bings’ Picnic and there’s loads on offer for older children and adults alike.

You could also head to the LEGOLAND Windsor Resort. The park is open from 09:30 to 18:00 every day throughout the summer. There is so much to see and do that you certainly won’t be bored

House hunting? Come and visit one of our show homes in Collingham, Corby or Pinchbeck near Spalding. We are open on weekends throughout the summer holidays.

Whatever you’re doing, have a great summer.

Outdoor workouts for summer fitness

Health experts agree that we need more exercise. There is plenty of evidence showing that aerobic outdoor exercise like running and cycling has enormous health benefits.

Benefits include reducing stress and improving mental health, not to mention our overall cardiovascular fitness.

Summer is a great time to get outdoors, enjoy the warm weather and get some quality exercise at the same time. And, let's face it, it’s much easier to motivate yourself when the sun is shining.

There are plenty of options. Go for a brisk walk or a jog in the park – whatever takes your fancy. Long slow cardio exercise is a great way to lose the pounds.

At Allison Homes we have developments in Collingham, Corby and Spalding which are all within easy reach of open spaces where you can do your outdoor workouts.

Here are some ideas for things that you could try.

Collingham Community Park in the centre of Collingham has plenty to keep the kids amused, but there is also an array of adult outdoor gym equipment to use.

If you are into cycling, you can find some of the best countryside and roads for cycling in Northamptonshire and Lincolnshire. Rutland Water is nearby with plenty of cycle ways and footpaths, not mention lots of other opportunities to get out in the fresh air and exercise.

Parks often have outdoor gym equipment – you could devise a few routines like these to help with your general fitness. Weldon Woodland Park near our Oakley Rise development has footpaths, grassland walks and an outdoor fitness trail.

Running is one of the easiest forms of outdoor exercise. Following a training plan for any distance will have terrific benefits for your health. There are plenty of footpaths around our developments if you’re looking to pound the pavements. Slightly further afield there are parks and countryside trails to walk, jog and run along.

These are just a few of the things you can do in and around Allison Homes’ developments, so get out and about, enjoy the summer weather and get fit at the same time.

If you are thinking of moving to a new home, and your priority is having plenty of open space around you in which to exercise, then look no further than our developments at Oakley Rise in Corby, Pinchbeck Fields near Spalding or Collingham Brook in Collingham.

Time’s running out on your chance to win £1,000

Time is nearly up on our customer survey. Now is the time to act if you want to be in with a chance of winning £1,000 for you and your family. You’ve got until 31 July to take part in our survey to get the thoughts and experiences of discerning house buyers like you.

Go to www.tiny.cc/larkfleet-survey to take part in the survey.

Complete our survey and we will enter you into our prize draw for a chance to win £500. Agree to a follow up interview and you will be entered in a second draw to win a further £500.

The Allison Homes team is always working to develop new ways to provide the best possible products and services for our customers. We want to know what house buyers really think of the housing market and what they want from housebuilders like us.

To help us, we teamed up with First Time Buyer Magazine, What House and What Mortgage to develop and deliver this comprehensive survey to find out what you, our customer, is really looking for in a new home.

The survey covers everything from the type of property people are looking to buy or have bought (whether it’s for their own use or an investment) through to topics such as location, size and energy efficiency.

It takes less than ten minutes to complete at www.tiny.cc/larkfleet-survey. The survey is being managed by independent marketing company OlsenMetrix Marketing and all the data collected will be anonymous.

Summer home security tips

Home security can be an issue at any time of the year. During the summer months, however, the security of your home can be easily compromised.

A lot of us keep doors and windows open in hot weather to keep air flowing around the house. This can be an open invitation to an opportunist housebreaker, especially if we forget to close them before we go out – so be extra vigilant.

Here are some tips to help you make sure your home is secure during the heatwave. 

• Don’t leave windows open that are easily accessible from, for example, a flat roof.
• Don’t leave anything, such as a ladder, visible or accessible that could help an intruder get through a window.
• Don’t leave windows open that face on to a street, particularly on ground floor level.
• Always close windows and lock up when you leave the house – even if you’re just going into the back garden.
• Pay attention to which windows you leave open at night. Make sure they are not accessible from outside.
• The key to keeping cool is moving air. Consider using fans instead of opening your windows.

Here is some more advice from Cambridgeshire Constabulary about preventing burglary.

It includes a few handy hints about taking steps to prevent crime while you are away on holiday.