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Welcome to our new issue, which once again is packed with inspirational stories as we prepare to emerge from what has felt like a long, dark winter.

It’s a good feeling to finally be looking forward to spring, with longer days and the chance to get back to spending more time enjoying the great outdoors.

Our gardening guru, Steffie Shields, celebrates the reawakening of gardens as cheerful drifts of snowdrops begin to emerge once more and she expertly guides us through the many popular varieties found in our woodlands (page 22).

It’s fascinating to discover how many of these have east-European origins, including the lime-green capped Galanthus gracilis, the only snowdrop with corkscrew leaves, which stems from Bulgaria and southwestern Ukraine and continues to thrive even in the harshest of conditions.

Yusef Sayed spoke with local author, Keith Rylands-Bolton about his new comic novel Trying Times for Sebastian Scattergood. Set in a fictional village in the Wolds, the book charts a disastrous year for one retiree through a diary kept during 2012, with easy humour that will make you smile (p.68). Don’t miss Keith’s special book signing events in the county this month.

Kate Chapman has also been busy talking to some fascinating folk living in our county, including 18-year-old swimmer Freya Colbert from Grantham, who enjoyed much international medal success in 2022 (p.26). This talented young sportswoman now has her sights set on this year’s World Championships and beyond – we’ll all be watching Freya’s journey with interest and cheering her on.

If playing sports and keeping in shape is your thing, then don’t miss our new series with leading personal trainer Ian Eassom, who explains the importance of taking extra care of your body (p.42). This month Ian focusses on heart health, sharing a simple stretch that can make a difference to your overall wellbeing, as well as a recipe for delicious Red Velvet cake, which surely has to be good for you, as it’s made with beetroot!

However you’re planning to relax this month, be it leafing though our glossy pages while snuggling on the sofa with a cuppa, or getting creative in the kitchen, our February issue aims to inspire you to make the most of precious quality downtime – enjoy a great read and see you next month!