Flag of Lincolnshire

A flag for Lincolnshire was unveiled at five separate ceremonies across the county on October 24, 2005. The flag was chosen in a vote organised by BBC Radio Lincolnshire along with Lincolnshire Life magazine. The winning entry was selected from a shortlist of six designs and attracted thousands of votes.

The design is the result of a two-year campaign sparked by a letter to "County News" from two readers keen to raise the county's profile. Fred and Pat Rickett, from Moulton, both keen caravaners, wrote to the paper in 2003, asking why Lincolnshire had no flag that they could fly on caravan rallies. Their plea was taken up by BBC Radio Lincolnshire, which launched a campaign in partnership with Lincolnshire Life magazine. It was supported by many local businesses, who saw it as a good way to promote trade and tourism in Lincolnshire.

The flag features a red cross with a gold fleur de lis in the centre on a blue and green quartered background. A gold border represents the crops grown in the county and also "Yellowbellies" the nickname given to people born and bred in the county of Lincolnshire. The blue on the flag represents the sea and sky of Lincolnshire and the green symbolises the fields, while the fleur de lys represents the City of Lincoln. It was designed by Lincolnshire-born Michelle Andrews, a web producer at BBC Lincolnshire.

The flag is blazoned "Quarterly Vert and Azure, on a Cross Gules fimbriated Or a Fleur-de-Lys of the last".

References

* [http://www.lincolnshireflag.co.uk/ Official Lincolnshire Flag web site]
* [http://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/section.asp?docId=43236 Information from Lincolnshire County Council]
* [http://www.newtonnewtonflags.com/flag_shop/lincolnshire_county_flag.htm Newton-Newton flags] also supply the new flag. Based in Skegness, Lincolnshire, [http://www.newtonnewtonflags.com/ Newton-Newton] ] are one of Britain's last remaining traditional flag and banner manufacturers.
* [http://www.flaginstitute.org/fiflagmaster.htm Flag Institute journal] mentions new flag in issue 117