With our history, food, and customs, our county contributes so much to our shared national culture, and we more than play our share in support for our Armed Forces and as the breadbasket of our nation. Earlier this week, on Lincolnshire Day just as everyday I was proud to highlight just this.
Our county is a special place that we all must cherish. Lincolnshire is the heritage represented by the churches, pubs, and landmarks in so many of our villages; the cutting-edge manufacturers and family-owned businesses in towns such as Grantham and Bourne; and the farmers who work our fertile fields and do so much to look after our natural beauty.
But above all, what makes Lincolnshire so special is its people and the shared sense of community between all Lincolnshire ‘yellowbellies’.
At the end of September, I was pleased to see this community spirit first-hand yet again as I visited the staff and volunteers of Citizens Advice South Lincolnshire at their offices in Grantham.
For those in our corner of Lincolnshire who require advice on issues ranging from accessing pension and benefit-related support to housing and commercial complaints, alongside contacting elected representatives such as myself, Citizens Advice South Lincolnshire are there to help.
While, like my team and I, they are unable to give legal or financial advice, much of the work carried out by our Citizens Advice centre helps local people who are entitled to the extra support. This includes Universal Credit to support people back into work or disability benefits to assist those with certain long-term health conditions or disabilities.
This is very important work, and does so much to complement the support my office and I provide to thousands of constituents each and every year on similar issues.
Sometimes mistaken as a Government-run service, the Citizens Advice service operates as a charity, relying on donations from the public, businesses, and funding from local and national government, including here in South Lincolnshire.
Groups and charities such as Citizens Advice form the bedrock of our county’s communities and, alongside local public servants, Lincolnshire farmers and business owners, and those members of our Armed Forces who call our area home, they are who I celebrated this Lincolnshire Day.
