More BT red phone boxes up for grabs in Sleaford area parishes in ‘Adopt a Kiosk’ scheme

More BT red phone boxes are up for grabs for Sleaford area communities to ‘adopt’ for just £1 as the company continues to phase out their use.
MARKET PLACE FOLKINGHAM SLEAFORD EMN-210317-180058001MARKET PLACE FOLKINGHAM SLEAFORD EMN-210317-180058001
MARKET PLACE FOLKINGHAM SLEAFORD EMN-210317-180058001

BT today revealed that more than 200 of its iconic red phone boxes across the East Midlands are up for grabs – as it urges local communities to take advantage of a scheme to help transform them for the 21st century.

Since 2008, a total of 784 phone boxes across the region have been taken on by communities for just £1 each through BT’s Adopt a Kiosk programme. Redundant phone boxes, once a lifeline of communication before the arrival of mobile phone

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networks, have been transformed into everything from housing life-saving defibrillator units and mini history museums to art galleries and book exchanges.

The red phone box in Wilsford EMN-210317-180144001The red phone box in Wilsford EMN-210317-180144001
The red phone box in Wilsford EMN-210317-180144001

Across the UK, more than 6,600 phone boxes have been taken on by communities through BT’s Adopt a Kiosk scheme.

BT will also consider adoption requests to house defibrillators in more modern glass phone boxes, a potentially life-saving conversion.

In recent years the company has released waves of underused phone boxes for community use.

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A few years ago Heckington adopted its red box on the village green to house a defibrillator.

Pickworth's phone box could be adopted. EMN-210317-180206001Pickworth's phone box could be adopted. EMN-210317-180206001
Pickworth's phone box could be adopted. EMN-210317-180206001

Chairman of Heckington Parish Council, Coun Jan Palmer said: “We instigated the adoption of our phone box on the village green in 2014 and eventually having jumped several hurdles at the time, finally managed it in 2015.

“The defibrillator being in it has been invaluable and used several times, although due to GDPR we are not advised of the success. However the very fact that it is there, is reassuring, it has saved the phone box, and meant that we keep this iconic feature in the centre of our village as well as providing a very valuable asset to the community.”

Both Osbournby and Little Hale phone boxes are now well-established as community book swap sites, with shelves packed with books, coming into their own during the pandemic lockdown.

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Little Hale’s village phone box, empty for several years, was cleaned and painted in 2012, in honour of the Queen’s Jubilee. It was then converted into a phone box book swap, where every book has been donated by local residents.

A look inside the phone kiosk in Folkingham EMN-210317-180239001A look inside the phone kiosk in Folkingham EMN-210317-180239001
A look inside the phone kiosk in Folkingham EMN-210317-180239001

Handfuls, bags and boxes of books are donated on a regular basis as locals display a thirst for reading, and it has now had a community access defibrillator instaloled as well.

Pointon parish council is currently in the process of renovating its adopted phone box.

Sarah Walker, BT Enterprise unit director for the Midlands, said: “With most people now using mobile phones, it’s led to a huge drop in the number of calls made from payphones. At the same time, mobile coverage has improved significantly in recent years due to investment in masts, particularly in rural areas.

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“We’re currently rationalising our payphone estate to make it fit for the future, and the ‘Adopt a Kiosk’ scheme makes it possible for local communities in the East Midlands to retain their local phone box, with a refreshed purpose for the community.

Folkingham Market Place. EMN-210317-180301001Folkingham Market Place. EMN-210317-180301001
Folkingham Market Place. EMN-210317-180301001

“Thousands of communities have already come up with a fantastic array of ideas to re-use their beloved local phone box. Applying is quick and easy and we’re always happy to speak to communities about adopting our phone boxes.”

The Community Heartbeat Trust charity is working with BT and local communities to install lifesaving defibrillators in local kiosks. Martin Fagan, National Secretary for the Community Heartbeat Trust charity, said: “BT’s phone box kiosks are iconic British structures, and repurposing for this life saving use has given them a new lease of life. To date, we have converted about 800 ourselves, with another 200 in the pipeline.

“Placing the equipment in the heart of a community is important to save on time. Kiosks are historically at the centre of the community, and thus great locations for defibrillators.”

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As part of plans to modernise its payphone estate, over 400 payphones across towns and cities have also been upgraded by BT to digital units, called Street Hubs, offering free ultrafast public  WiFi, free UK phone calls, USB device charging, environmental monitoring and more. BT’s Street Hubs also play a vital role in sharing public information, for example during the Covid-19 pandemic Street Hub units across the country displayed key advice from Public Health England and local councils. Street Hubs form part of BT’s plan to transform high streets with a digital communications service designed for the 21st century.

There are three red kiosks left to adopt in North Kesteven and 16 across South Kesteven.

Sleaford area boxes are ones in: Market Place in Folkingham; Braceby; the village street in Pickworth; opposite the church in Aveland Way, Aslackby; outside the post office on Main Street, Wilsford; and outside the post office on the There may be occasional reasons why a box may not be able to be adopted, for example if it is required to be retained by BT for another purpose.

In order to adopt a box it usually needs to be a parish or district council or registered charity making the application.

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