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High summer in Lincolnshire has become highest summer after Coningsby broke the unenviable record last month for the hottest ever temperature recorded in the UK. I certainly hope it is a record which is retained for a very long time as this could give us hope that climate change might at least be slowing.

Steffie Shields has chosen to write about plants which I know have really suffered in my garden during the heatwave – hydrangeas. The clue is in the name of course. These blowsy beauties of the borders and shrubberies love water. I have been pruning mine to use as cut flowers in the house rather than see all the heads shrivel in the heat. Read Steffie’s article on page 18.

The baton relay has made its progress through some Lincolnshire towns and now the Commonwealth Games are underway in Birmingham. A young local hopeful is table tennis player Tom Jarvis from Skegness. Kate Chapman heard that Tom’s family will be cheering him all the way from the stands so we send our best wishes too for a successful Games. Read more on page 30.

We love to champion local food at Lincolnshire Life as regular readers well know. We have a Best of Lincolnshire feature for you this month which includes many of the county based businesses who are at the forefront of locally grown and produced food and drink. Their business models now include many sustainable initiatives too – cutting waste, recycling and finding ways to minimise their environmental impacts. Shopping local not only keeps revenue within local communities, it also cuts food miles and if you invest in seasonal produce can help keep food bills down. Our ‘Taste of Excellence’ Food, Drink and Hospitality Awards have a new category this year, sponsored by Business.Visit Lincolnshire. The Green and Sustainable category is looking for nominee businesses who have already made significant and lasting changes in this area.

Nominations for all our categories close at the end of this month so be sure to join the thousands of others who have sent their nominations in by post, online or via our social media channels. It is your chance to tell us about your heroes in the food, drink and hospitality sectors.

Finally, we will be at Revesby Country Fair on Sunday 7th August. Do come and say hello if you are there.

Have a wonderful August.