Backing sporting stars of the future

We have been delighted recently to be able to help young sports people through the Larkfleet Homes Community Fund.

Youngsters from across the East Midlands enjoyed a two-day feast of football backed by a cash donation from the community fund.

A record number of 125 teams took part in Bourne Town Juniors annual six-a-side tournament which helps to raise much-needed funds for junior football in Bourne.

Lee Clark, fundraiser and tournament coordinator for the Bourne Town Juniors FC event, said: “The event was a great success thanks to all the teams that took part and the visitors who came to enjoy the football over the two days.

“We would like to thank Larkfleet Homes for helping with sponsorship of the event. The tournament is a big fundraiser for our club. It allows us to maintain grass roots football for children of all ages and backgrounds by enabling us to keep our player subscriptions the lowest in the area.”

We also recently handed £250 to the Stamford Rugby Club’s under-7s to help meet the costs of developing the talents of the next generation (and beyond) of rugby players.

Richard Olsen of Stamford under-7s RUFC said: “Support such as that we have received from Larkfleet helps to ensure we can provide our youngsters with the right equipment coupled with quality coaching in a safe environment. We aim to help them to develop their skills and interest in the game so that they progress through the year groups and on to the senior game.”

Karl Hick, CEO of The Larkfleet Group of Companies and a keen sportsman himself, said: “It’s really important to us that when we build new homes for people, we actually develop communities.

“Sport is a great way to bring communities together and give young people a constructive outlet for their enthusiasm and energy. We are delighted to support initiatives such as these through our community fund.”

The Larkfleet Homes Community Fund supports groups which focus on activities that enhance or develop local communities. It makes grants to charities or voluntary organisations within ten miles of any housing development by Larkfleet Homes or Allison Homes, both part of The Larkfleet Group of Companies.

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.

Our photo shows some of the players enjoying the atmosphere at the Bourne Town Juniors six-a-side football tournament.

Institute of Directors honours Karl Hick

Our CEO Karl Hick has been highly commended in the Social Responsibility category in this year’s East Midlands Institute of Directors Awards.

The IoD East Midlands Director of the Year 2018 awards were hosted by the BBC’s Dominic Heale at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Nottingham.

The judges were impressed by the way in which Karl has set sustainability – environmental, social and economic – at the heart of the management agenda for the Larkfleet Group of Companies.

Karl said: “We aim not only to develop an economically sustainable business but also to support local communities, invest in education both inside and outside our business, and build the highest standards of environmental protection into our products and our business practices.”

In particular, we were praised for our investment in developing new and sustainable methods of construction, our approach to training and education and the establishment of the Larkfleet Homes Community Fund.

The Larkfleet Homes Community Fund supports projects that enhance or develop local communities. Grants of up to £5,000 are available to any charitable cause or community project that operates within ten miles of any Larkfleet Homes or Allison Homes development.

Since its inception the fund has given away more than £50,000. For more information on the fund visit www.tiny.cc/larkfleet-fund

In addition, The Larkfleet Group of Companies is pledged to work with suppliers, subcontractors, local colleges and others to help to plug the ‘construction industry skills gap’ by signing the Home Building Skills Pledge developed by the Home Builders Federation.

We are one of just six employer sponsors of the recently opened Greater Peterborough University Technical College (GPUTC) and have been involved in the project since its inception. Karl sits on the board of governors and several Larkfleet colleagues serve on various committees and provide practical support in a variety of teaching activities.

Karl added: “On a day-to-day basis, the outputs of all our community initiatives are reported to me and colleagues on the board of directors. We are still a small enough organisation (just over 100 staff) to permit me to take a personal interest in these issues without ‘micro managing’.

“Since starting Larkfleet in 1998 I have actively pursued environmental gains for the industry and society at large through investment in a range of exciting and forward-looking R&D projects. I wish to invest in the future of the construction industry and renewable technologies to the benefit of future generations.”

Congratulations Karl!

Summer days out with the kids

Not many are lucky enough to have a whole summer to ourselves to spend with the family and kids. Apart from a couple of weeks’ annual leave we’re only likely to get the odd day off here and there and weekends throughout the summer.

With that in mind at Larkfleet we thought it would be great idea to pull together some ideas for summer days out – some around the local area and some a bit further afield.

Get in touch with nature
Rail World Wildlife Haven, Peterborough – tucked away in Peterborough at the end of the Nene Valley Railway this attraction can give you the best of both transport history and nature. http://www.railworld.org.uk/

Exotic Pet Refuge, Deeping St James – the family-run charity organisation has a monthly open day. Check out the website for details. http://www.exoticpetrefuge.org.uk/open-days

Lattersey Local Nature Reserve – managed by the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire Wildlife Trusts, this local gem in Whittlesey near Peterborough is a great way for kids and families to get close to nature without travelling too far.  http://www.wildlifebcn.org/reserves/lattersey

Ferry Meadows Country Park – based around two man-made lakes there is an impressive range of facilities here and the nature reserve is tucked away in a quiet corner where you can watch birds and perhaps see an otter or two. https://www.nenepark.org.uk/visit-us/popular-days-out/back-to-nature

Sacrewell Farm, Thornhaugh, Peterborough – get back in tune with the land and the change of the seasons. There is plenty to keep your kids occupied this summer. https://www.sacrewell.org.uk/events/50-days-of-summer/

Get your adrenaline pumping
Santa Pod Raceway – enjoy the thrill of drag racing in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire. http://www.santapod.co.uk/

Yarwell Mill Country Park – plan a day of adventurous activity for the kids including orienteering, archery and water sports. https://www.adventurerutland.com/holidayactivities

Wicksteed Park, Kettering – enjoy the ride at Wicksteed Park. http://wicksteedpark.org/rush/

Soak up some history and culture 
Peterborough Museum – learn about Peterborough’s past and modern heritage and enjoy some hands-on experiences. https://vivacity.org/vivacity-venues/peterborough-museum/

John Clare Cottage – enjoy the work of rural romantic poet John Clare and learn about life in the Northamptonshire countryside in pre-industrial England. http://www.clarecottage.org/

Imperial War Museum and American Air Museum, Duxford – find out all about the history of aviation and WWII at Duxford. https://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-duxford

Fossils Galore, March, Cambridgeshire – enjoy fossil hunting and metal detecting trips and learn about dinosaurs. https://www.fossilsgalore.com/

Paddle in the sea
There is some wonderful coastal scenery on the North Norfolk coast. Enjoy a traditional seaside day out at Hunstanton, Cromer or Wells-next-the-Sea.

There are also beaches and resorts on the Lincolnshire coast at Skegness, Mablethorpe and Ingoldmels for example.

Sea Life Centre – get close to coastal wildlife at the Sea Life Centre, Hunstanton. https://www.visitsealife.com/hunstanton/

Castle Rising, Kings Lynn – has enough of the seaside and fancy finding out about the Normans? http://www.castlerising.co.uk/

These are just a few of the things available in and around where we have developments. Keep an eye on the blog. We will post some more ideas throughout the summer.

And, of course, you could always visit a showhome - with or without the kids!

Football fever – we prescribe a party

It looks like World Cup fever is setting in at Larkfleet. We dare to dream that football could be coming home – especially following the England football team’s emphatic win over Panama on the weekend.

We’ll spare you all the clichés and leave commentary to the pundits. But it was eerily quiet up and down the country on Sunday afternoon as we all settled in in front of our tellies to watch the match.

And it looks like there may a few more opportunities to do that as the tournament progresses. With that in mind we thought it might be timely to have a look at some ideas for hosting a football-themed evening or BBQ so that you can enjoy the World Cup in the company of your friends and family.

Regional food and drink
Make signature dishes from your favourite participating nations. You could make a paella from Spain, salt cod from Portugal, hot tamales from Mexico – the possibilities are almost endless.

The same is true for drinks – try to find typical beers, wines and soft drinks, say Brahma beer from Brazil, wines from Australia or soft drinks like Orangina from France or Sinalco from Germany.

You could add in football-themed treats as well. Pinterest has loads of ideas including flag foods. Have a look here.

Don’t forget, there is the great British BBQ as a faithful standby.

Games
To keep up interest in the games that don’t feature England how about running a small-stakes betting pot. There are plenty of things you can do to keep your guests entertained between matches.

The weather looks like it’s set fair for a while so why not have some party games in the garden if you have space. Hang up a piñata for the kids – they’ll love it.

Don’t worry about being ‘late to the party’. According to research only around 13 per cent of those following the tournament will switch off if England don’t progress to the final so it’s a fairly safe bet to have a party at any time during the tournament.

If you’re stuck for decoration ideas there are loads of party stores on the internet selling decorations and World Cup party packs.

Enjoy the feast of football and come on, England!

Water features and ponds

Bored with your plain lawn and borders? Why not consider adding some interest to your garden with a water feature?

Water has long played an important part in culture dating from the ancient pools of the Celts, Roman bath houses and fountains or the pools and fonts used for Christian baptism. They can be peaceful places of refuge or an irresistible attraction for local wildlife.

There are all kinds of water feature, big or small. They can be anything – a pond, fountain, stream, cascade or waterfall. There isn’t a limit on what you can do other than the size of your plot and the depth of your pockets.

What feature you have will also depend on what you are hoping to achieve. Are you looking for a peaceful, Zen garden, a minimalist sculpture or something to help wildlife flourish?

Here are a few ideas for your own water feature. You can filter the search returns on Houzz by garden type, size and space location, landscaping and sun exposure.

Once you have chosen your feature and installed it you will need to bear in mind maintenance. Regular maintenance will keep your feature looking its best all year round.

Here are some dos and don’ts:

• Do maintain your water levels.
• Do clean the feature itself every four to six months.
• Do make sure the pump is clean.
• Don’t be tempted to switch the pump off. Keeping it running will ensure your water doesn’t stagnate and will help to keep the feature clean.
• Don’t fill up your feature with tap water – especially in a hard water area.
• Do use distilled water or use additives to prevent the build up of scale and algae.
• Do drain your feature and prevent it from being filled up with rainwater during the coldest winter months.

Stunning show home in Oakham

We’re really chuffed here at Larkfleet Homes. The team over in Oakham has just opened a stunning show home at Buttercross Park.

The show home features a completely redesigned interior to reflect the latest in design and to show off the options available to customers who buy a new home in Oakham.

We could go on about the stylish living room, the beautifully relaxing bedrooms and the state-of-the-art kitchen. But we think that we should let the pictures speak for themselves.




Check out our gallery.

 

The open plan kitchen and dining area makes modern living easy.

Good interior design is at the heart of the new show home.

Bedrooms are a good size, comfortable and restful.

Buttercross Park is a stunning development of new homes in Oakham within the Oakham Heights housing development on the outskirts of the town.

Larkfleet Homes offers a range of traditionally styled eco-friendly and energy efficient 2, 3, 4 and 5 bedroom properties which will suit home buyers looking for a quality home in rural surroundings.

If you are inspired to buy a new home in Oakham, then contact our sales team today. They will be delighted to help.

Midlands house hunters compare energy costs

Canny Midlands buyers compare energy costs when house hunting but Londoners apparently don’t care about house running costs. Or so you might think looking at some recent survey results.

Around 57 per cent of East Midlands buyers rate ongoing costs, such as energy bills, as ‘very important’ when they are choosing a new home compared with 51 per cent of buyers across the nation as a whole. In fact, Midlanders are more likely than those anywhere else in the country to consider the running costs of a new home when they are house-hunting.

By contrast, buyers in London are the least concerned about the running costs of their new purchase with just 36 per cent rating these as ‘very important’.

These are among the interim results from our ongoing survey into the views of house-buyers. We are continuing to offer prizes of up to £1,000 to anyone doing the online questionnaire here (www.tiny.cc/larkfleet-survey). It takes less than ten minutes to complete.

Mike Holland of OlsenMetrix Marketing, which is managing the study on behalf of Larkfleet Homes, said:

“Energy costs for running a home in the East Midlands are pretty much the same as in other parts of the country but house prices are lower. The bills associated with running a house are a larger proportion of total expenditure and therefore get more attention.

“House buyers in London are far more concerned with the initial purchase price of their new home than they are with the running costs. The results do not mean that Londoners are indifferent to energy bills but these perhaps pale into insignificance when compared with mortgage repayments associated with London house prices.”

The full results of the survey are expected to be published in September when more data has been obtained.

Larkfleet Homes CEO Karl Hick said: “We remain very keen to hear from anyone currently searching for a new house or who has purchased a new house in the past twelve months.

“Whether your search and purchase involved a brand-new home or an established property, and whether you looked at a Larkfleet home or not, your views will help to shape the way we meet the needs of home buyers in the future.”