The Sherwood February 2017 by Chloe Bowers

Residents asked for their views on sites for housing and employment A consultation exercise is under way to ask the residents of Newark and Sherwood their views on a review of sites allocated for housing and employment in the district.

Newark and Sherwood District Council has previously earmarked sites for a total of 10,000 homes and 203 hectares of employment land to be delivered by 2033 and the public now has the opportunity to have its say on the future suitability of these and a small number of new sites. Among the new sites included are the former Thoresby Colliery, Clipstone, which is subject to a planning application for 800 homes and 10 hectares of employment land, and Quibell’s Lane, Newark which has been identified as a proposed new travellers’ site. (Continued on page 5)

News & Information Page 3 & 5 What’s On Page 17, 19 & 21 Rainworth Local News Page 23 Blidworth Local News Page 25 Edwinstowe, Bilsthorpe & Farnsfield Local News Page 27 Ravenshead Local News Page 29 Sports Page 32

Young people are given confidence at Bikeability session in Rainworth Young people in Rainworth with speech, language and communication needs focused on the skills they require to be safer riders, as Via’s Road Safety team delivered a Bikeability course at Dawn House School. Bikeability is a national initiative aimed at giving people the practical skills and understanding of how to cycle on today’s roads.

The courses not only help to build pupils’ ability in cycling but also improve overall confidence and independence. The students took part in a level two course, in which they completed on-road journeys, learnt to recognise hazards, signalling and when to use different types of road positioning. (Continued on page 23)

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News & Information Local Libaries Bilsthorpe Libary Libary 01623 Bilsthorpe 01623 870216 870216 Wednesday 9.30am Wednesday 9.30am -- 1.00pm 1.00pm Friday 1.30pm Friday 1.30pm -- 5.00pm 5.00pm Saturday 9.30am Saturday 9.30am -- 1.00pm 1.00pm

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Farnsfield Libary 01623 883917 Farnsfield Libary 01623 883917 Monday 9.00am - 12.30pm Monday 9.00am - 12.30pm Wednesday 9.00am - 12.30pm Wednesday 9.00am - 12.30pm Friday 2.00pm - 6.00pm Friday 2.00pm - 6.00pm Saturday 9.00am - 1.00pm Saturday 9.00am - 1.00pm

AMG Surgery 01623 695461, 59 Mansfield Rd

St Mary’s Blidworth “Rockings Service”

On Sunday, 5th February at 4.00pm StMary’s Church, Blidworth, will be holding its unique ‘Rockings’ Service. All welcome to this special historic annual service which celebrates the Presentation of Jesus in the temple as a tiny baby. (See the Gospel of St Luke, chapter 2 verses 21-40) The baby boy born to a Blidworth family closest to Christmas Day is ceremonially Rocked in a cradle dating from 1922, in front of the church altar. The ‘Rockings’ ceremony originated in Medieval times and the names of the Rockings babies from 1922 are recorded on wooden boards situatued by the font in the church.

Useful Contacts

Police/Ambulance/Fire Call 999

Rainworth Health Centre 01623 794293, Warsop Lane

Ravenshead Libary 01623 794634 Ravenshead Libary 01623 Tuesday 9.00am - 12.30pm 1.30pm 794634 6.00pm Tuesday 9.00am - 12.30pm Thursday 9.00am - 12.30pm 1.30pm 1.30pm 6.00pm6.00pm Friday 9.00am - 12.30pm 1.30pm Thursday- 9.00am 5.30pm - 12.30pm 1.30pm Saturday 9.00am- - 12.30pm 6.00pm Friday 9.00am - 12.30pm 1.30pm - 5.30pm Saturday 9.00am - 12.30pm

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Emergency Contacts

Blidworth Libary Libary 01623 Blidworth 01623 793775 793775 Monday 9.00am -- 12.30pm Monday 9.00am 12.30pm Wednesday 2.00pm Wednesday 2.00pm -- 6.00pm 6.00pm Friday 9.00am -- 12.30pm Friday 9.00am 12.30pm Saturday 9.00am 9.00am -- 12.30pm Saturday 12.30pm

Rainworth Libary 01623 791038 Rainworth Libary 01623 791038 Tuesday 9.00am - 1.30pm Tuesday 9.00am - 1.30pm Friday 1.00pm - 5.00pm Friday 1.00pm - 5.00pm

Local Contacts

Frank 0800776600 Stroke Helpline 08453033100

Dentist 01623 798611

Shelter 08088004444 Macmillan Cancer Line 08088082020

Ravenshead Surgery 01623 795461, 30 Longdale Ave Joseph Whitaker School 01623 792327

Useful Contacts Samaritans 08457909090

Severn Trent Water 08007834444 Newark & Sherwood Homes 01623 860740 N&S District Council 01636650000

Childline 08001111

Mansfield District Council 01623 463463

NHS Direct 08454647

Church Services

Blidworth 10.30am 3rd Sunday All Age Service, 3th Sunday Holy Communion Rainworth 10.30am 1st Sunday All Age Service, 3rd Sunday Covenant & Holy Communion Farnsfield 10.15am 4th Sunday Holy Communion Bilsthorpe 10.30am 2nd Sunday All Age Service, 4th Sunday Holy Communion Evening Services Blidworth No evening services in February Rainworth No evening services in February Farnsfield 2nd Sunday 6pm Bilsthorpe No evening services in February Blidworth Midweek – Tuesday 21st February 11.30am – 12noon followed by Soup Lunch.

Notts County Council 08449808080

Dear Readers,

I am delighted to tell you that the long term future of The Sherwood has been secured with the acquisition of the publication by SMB Media Partnership LLP. I am remaining as Managing Editor and will be contributing to The Sherwood each month through my involvement in advertising and editorial content, much as I do now. However, I have been wanting to improve The Sherwood for several months both in terms of its appearance and coverage to give my loyal advertisers the best possible deal. Advertising rates in The Sherwood are not increasing, in fact its SMB’s stated intention to always provide the cheapest advertising across the areas it covers. Of course there are some changes but I am delighted with the new look of The Sherwood, which I have been working on for quite a while now. Working with SMB I have been able to bring all my ideas to fruition. I look forward to continuing my relationship with you in 2017.

Diane

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News & Information

5 Send your news and photos to chloe@news-journal.co.uk

Growing opportunities for our young people across Sherwood

to mishandle those relationships, driving business away with parking levies and other problems. Let’s bring those businesses out of the city and create jobs here, where they are needed, to benefit our young people who are ever-more likely to have the right skills to take those chances.

Recently I was lucky enough to visit Great British Sports Cars at Boughton, are a fantastic local business providing genuine opportunities for young people across the whole North Notts area. I’ve visited a few times and like to keep track of progress. This time I took along the BBC to talk to them about their business and future plans as we move ahead with Brexit. The company make brilliant little sports cars. They remind me of a Lotus 7-type kit car and are great to drive. They export them all over the world and are one of the best on the planet at what they do. It’s amazing that we have businesses like this, and this isn’t the only one, working worldwide and leading the way in their field and offering opportunities for people here. We need to keep jobs like these in our area, instead of them being shipped off to Taiwan or Singapore. Education across my Sherwood constituency is improving all the time and that’s

starting to help with regeneration and growth, as well as giving people the skills to take advantage of jobs at companies like this one. There are opportunities to attract more businesses to our area too – particularly as the City of Nottingham continue

(Continued from page 1) Residents are also invited to consultation events where they can come and speak to a member of Planning Policy. These are being held in the following locations: •Newark Library, Saturday, January 28, 2017 (10am-2pm) •Southwell Library, Saturday, February 4, 2017 (10am-2pm) •Edwinstowe Village Hall, Saturday, February 11, 2017 (10am-3pm)) There will also be informal ‘drop-in’ sessions with various parish councils across the District, where members of the team will also be available. The Preferred Approach Sites and Settlements and Preferred Approach - Town Centres and Retail papers can be viewed online at http://www.newark-sherwooddc. gov.uk/planreview/. Matthew Norton, council business manag-

er – planning policy, said: “The Settlements & Sites paper sets out the council’s preferred approach to future development in various settlements across the district and for the sites necessary to deliver planned growth. The Town Centres & Retail paper details the proposed approach to identifying and meeting the need for retail and other main town centre uses over the plan period.” The consultation lasts six weeks and will run until February 24. Comments and suggestions can be posted at the above web address, by email to planningpolicy@nsdc. info or sent by post to: Planning Policy Newark & Sherwood District Council Kelham Hall Kelham Newark Notts NG23 5QX.

Mark Spencer MP

Residents asked for their views on sites for housing and employment

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Security & Safety An easy guide to computer security

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There probably aren’t many homes in the UK these days that don’t have a home computer and access to the internet. However, while many of us have no trouble shopping, emailing and banking online, few of us are actually clued-up when it comes to computer security. It might sound boring but if you don’t know how to effectively secure your home computer you could be putting yourself, your finances and other personal data at risk. Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a computer wiz to protect your PC, all you need are a few simple software programmes that are available on your high street at minimal cost. The following are a must-have for any home computer. 1. Firewall A firewall is a barrier between your computer and the rest of the internet, there to make sure you are as safe as you can be from hackers, worms, viruses and all the other nasty people and programmes out there. At its simplest, a firewall stops anything you don’t know about passing between your computer and the internet. So, if you’re using the internet, only web-related data, like requests from your browser and pages from a server, should be moving back and forth. Some operating

systems such as Windows XP already have a firewall installed. 2. Anti-spam This type of software programme uses a combination of spam blocking and content filtering to stop your inbox filling up with emails from unknown senders, normally from companies trying to sell you something. What is spam? Spam is made up of unsolicited bulk emails with commercial content, sent to an indiscriminate list of people in order to advertise certain products or services. 3. Anti-virus This software attempt to identify or eliminate malicious software. The term “anti-virus” is used because the earliest examples were designed exclusively to combat computer viruses. Most current anti-virus software is designed to get the better of a wider range of threats. What is a virus? In general terms, a virus is a tiny little computer programme that has the built-in ability to copy itself from one location to another. Anti-virus software can combat a range of threats, not just viruses.

as definitions or fingerprints) to detect spyware and adware. Once a scan detects potentially harmful files, the anti-virus or anti-spyware software will either ask you how it should handle the detections or remove or quarantine them automatically. What is Spyware? While “spyware” was originally a term used to describe software programs that collected and reported information when you were using your computer, today the word “spyware” is used as a broader term that describes computer programmes that exhibit any number of unwanted behaviours, such as repeatedly changing your browser homepage or delivering pop-up advertisements.

4. Anti-spyware This software consists of a scanning engine that relies on signatures files (also known

Fake Amazon emails claim you have placed an order Action Fraud has received several reports from victims who have been sent convincing looking emails claiming to be from Amazon. The spoofed emails from “service@ amazon.co.uk” claim recipients have made an order online and mimic an automatic customer email notification. The scam email claims recipients have ordered an expensive vintage chandelier. Other reported examples include: Bose stereos, iPhones and luxury watches. The emails cleverly state that if recipients haven’t authorised the transaction they can click on the help centre link to receive a full refund. The link leads to an authentic-looking website, which asks victims to confirm their name, address, and bank card information. Amazon says that suspicious e-mails will often contain:

co.uk/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=201489210 To report a fraud or cyber crime, call 0300 123 2040.

•Links to websites that look like Amazon. co.uk, but aren’t Amazon.co.uk. •Attachments or prompts to install software on your computer. •Typos or grammatical errors. •Forged (or spoofed) e-mail addresses to make it look like the e-mail is coming from Amazon.co.uk. Amazon will never ask for personal information to be supplied by e-mail. You can read more about identifying suspicious emails claiming to be from Amazon by visiting https://www.amazon.

House & Home

9 Send your news and photos to chloe@news-journal.co.uk

How clean is your house?

How clean is your house? Probably not as clean as you would like and certainly not as clean as you may think.

A study carried out by the Hygiene Council found that in 12% of cases, visibly clean surfaces were found to be heavily contaminated. And frighteningly, the average domestic kitchen sink is home to 100,000 more germs than the average household loo! The same study discovered that nine out of ten kitchen cloths contained unsatisfactory levels of bacteria. The solution is to use disposable cleaning cloths where practical, otherwise make sure you thoroughly disinfect reusable ones by soaking overnight. But how can you stop bacteria from spreading? As well as frequent and thorough handwashing, it’s equally critical to clean and disinfect hand and food contact areas in your home. Bacteria can survive on surfaces in the home for long periods of time. They can then be transferred to other surfaces (including the hands) in sufficient numbers

to represent an infection risk. But don’t panic. Usually a sensible approach to cleaning will be enough to keep everyone healthy and happy. However, there are times when it is vital to clean thoroughly and more often — for example, when someone in the household is ill with vomiting or diarrhoea; or when someone in the household is ill with colds and sneezes (the flu virus can remain active on surfaces for up to 48 hours); if a surface is contaminated by vomit, faeces, blood or any bodily fluid ;before and after preparing food when a surface is frequently touched. Always use disposable or reusable cloths, which have been decontaminated and dried after their previous use. And if you really want to ensure that

everything in the home is spotless and to safeguard your health, wear gloves while you are doing the chores to eradicate any risk of cross infection. Make sure the following items are cleaned regularly and thoroughly: Cleaning cloths, chopping boards and utensils, taps, kitchen worktops, the interior of your fridge and microwave, pet food bowls and bedding, door and fridge handles, toilet seats and flush handles, sinks, bath and showerlight switches, telephone hand piece (these can contain more than 25,000 microbes per square inch), television remote controls; rubbish bin lids (foot-operated styles are most hygienic), water storage containers and filters.

Top tips so that garden grooming need not be all about all aches and pains

desired height, use the string as the guide, cutting just above it.

What do you see when you open the back door? Is your back garden more jungle than Kew? It may seem like a daunting task getting your garden ready for summer and BBQs and family get-togethers, but don’t panic, garden tool manufacturer Black & Decker is here to help. Garden grooming needn’t be all aches and pains. With a little bit of effort, focused in the right places, it won’t take long to reclaim the wilderness and turn that all-important outside space into a garden that even Alan Titchmarsh would be proud of. Simply concentrate on:

1. Lawn Nothing makes a garden more inviting than a well kept luscious green lawn. The secret behind the perfect lawn is simple: all it takes is regular maintenance. Mow regularly throughout the summer. Letting the lawn grow long and then chopping it back all at once only weakens it.Top Tip: Only mow when the grass is dry. If you mow when the lawn is wet it is likely to get torn and ragged. 2. Edges There is no point in having a lawn that resembles a bowling green if you leave the edges looking in desperate need of a manicure. A quick run round the edges of your lawn and flower beds will give your garden an instant facelift. This doesn’t need to be a big job, especially with a trimmer. Top Tip: Remove the clippings, don’t leave them to clog up the surface of your flowerbeds. These clippings are great for compost heaps.

3. Hedges Taming unruly hedges is often seen as one of the most taxing garden chores, but a good looking hedge can transform your garden and keep your neighbours on side. Trim evergreen hedges in mid to late summer, which gives foliage time to grow back a bit before winter without getting ragged and stops ends being damaged by early frosts. Avoid cutting into old wood, which will leave you with bare spots - you only need to prune new growth. The exception to this rule is yew hedging, which will cope with a really tough prune if it’s got out of hand. Top Tip: Start by trimming the top of the hedge, in order to obtain a very straight cut, stretch a piece of string along the length of the hedge at the

4. Flower Beds The final part of getting your garden in tip-top shape is to get rid of those weeds and feed those plants so those flower beds look blooming great. If you have never gardened before, do not create a bunch of beds. Have one. It is a lot better to focus on caring for one bed than it is to have six ratty looking ones. Try it out and see if you love gardening or merely like gardening. Also, pick some weeds whenever you walk past your flower beds. Top Tip: Whichever fertilizer you choose, always follow the instructions. Don’t be tempted to put too much on, as overfeeding will do more harm than good. So before you invite your friends over for that barbecue, follow these simple tips s and you’ll be the proudest party host with the greenest fingers.

Pick up your FREE copy at these locations every month If you do not receive a copy delivered to your home, you can collect one at the following locations:Rainworth: The Venue, The Library, Rainworth Miners’ Welfare, Rainworth Village Hall, Local Churches and Libraries, Nisa on Southwell Road, Londis on Preston Road, Sam’s Place on Preston Road Sam and St Simon & St Jude’s Church. Blidworth: Miners Welfare, Community Centre, The Library, Rookwood Community Centre, The Post Office, BJ Bakery, Leisure Centre, Voltz Cafe Bilsthorpe: Miners’ Welfare & Village Hall & Library Miners Ravenshead: Library and surgery and The CENTRE Any delivery concerns please call Chloe on

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House & Home

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Four ways to cheap(er) success with your DIY We all like making improvements to our home, adding handy new additions to old rooms and re-imagining spaces to suit new tastes. The only problem is, few of us can afford this kind of thing as regularly as we’d like. Or maybe we can. Contrary to popular belief, doing up your home doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, or cause you huge inconvenience — depending on the nature of the job, that is. By being smart, careful and considered, there are plenty of ways we can make a huge impact on the house without having the same on our bank balance. Here are our top five tips to achieving that successfully. 1. What’s the job? Whilst it’s true there are many tasks for which you’re going to need some hired help, there are instances where this simple isn’t the case. From painting to draught-excluding to unblocking drains, always start by

figuring out if you can do it yourself, and if you can then why not go and do it? 2. Don’t blame the tools It might seem sensible to look into buying old equipment and tools, but due to the heavy wear and tear factors involved in some DIY this can be a foolish decision. Old kit just won’t stand up to the same punishment as new, meaning often times it will actually work out cheaper in the long run to fork out for new gadgets.

improvements, and need to call on the professionals, then don’t simply start Googling handymen in your area. Ask around friends, family, and neighbours for recommendations on local trades and handymen (and women) in your area.

3. Shop around Just because you’re buying new doesn’t mean you have to buy blindly. It’s easier that you might think to get a decent deal on good quality tools, materials and other kit, so spend some time looking around online once you know what you need, ensuring you have the best price around when it’s finally time to hit ‘Buy Now’. 4. Use recommendations If you aren’t able to put the DIY into home

Five ways to grow some of your herbs and vegetables It’s one of the questions anyone remotely proficient in cultivation gets asked the most when friends who aren’t green fingered come over. ‘What would you recommend for someone who doesn’t really know what they are doing?’ There are several possible answers to give, and really it comes down to what the person wants to grow — are they looking for a colourful flower bed, a lush plant paradise, or something more functional like a vegetable patch? To make things a little simpler, or at least colour co-ordinated (to some extent), let’s stick with vegetables. Here are 10 that almost anyone can get right. Beetroot Sow the seeds directly into moist ground between March and July and you should be laughing in no time. Don’t expect anything to emerge after about September and from there on through the winter, though, but that’s kind of obvious. Tomatoes Many bush variety tomato plants can be grown in hanging baskets and window boxes, making them ideal for people who don’t

Onions and garlic You can plant onion bulbs and garlic cloves in drained soil, next to one another, in either spring or autumn and expect to have plenty of both with little maintenance come late summer. Easy as growing onions and garlic... Mint Of all the herbs mint is the most attention seeking. Not only does it have that unmistakable taste, plant a little in pretty much type of moist soil and it will go crazy. As such we recommend using a pot to restrict how far it can stake its claim.

have that much space. They also grow really quickly, meaning you won’t get bored (or worried) waiting for something to happen.

Potatoes By using potato bags there’s little that can go wrong. Plant in late-February or March, part filled with compost, and as the green shoots begin to appear cover with more compost. Do this until the end of the season, not forgetting to water, and once the foliage starts yellowing you’re ready to rummage for your spuds.

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Looking Good

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New Year, Are you still dieting New You? to lose weight? Well it’s the New Year and let’s be honest, probably the oldest New Year’s resolution in the book is “I want to lose weight and get healthier!” But what is the best way? How can I keep the weight off? How can I get healthier? Well the way to find a plan that works for you, on a long-term, sustainable basis (even when, post-Christmas you are frantically looking for the quickest ways to shift the pounds) is to consider Macros (Macronutrients) a group of three core ingredients your body needs to function — carbohydrates (generate energy), fats (keep you fuller for longer), and protein (support muscle repair and growth). These are the three food groups you must monitor. However, everybody’s Macro ratio is different. Your ideal daily intake is determined by using your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). This is the number of calories your body needs just to function, then you must multiply this amount by your personal activity level, a figure that is calculated depending on how active you are each day and how much exercise you do. You must then divide your total calorie requirement between 40% carbs, 40% protein and 20% fat to know your ratio. If you need some guidance on how to fluctuate your macros to lose weight sustainably, it is best to seek professional advice form a qualified nutritional advisor. By tracking the number of grams of protein, carbs and fats you consume a day, you can control weight-loss and maintain it. This way of losing weight will not work if you:  You want a quick-fix.  Don’t have enough time to monitor your food intake  Don’t want to make permanent lifestyle changes.  Are unwilling to be active and exercise. The calculations made by a professional will stop you from feeling hungry and consuming too much in the three food groups. Thus, your body would have the correct balance of nutrients to burn body fat and stay well fuelled. For professional nutrition advice, please get in touch with me at www.mansfieldhealthandnutrition.co.uk

If so then read on…..the majority of the clients who come for help with weight loss have been on every diet possible, only to put back all the weight they’ve lost and more besides once they start eating ‘normally’ again. It’s a vicious circle because generally diets just don’t work long term, a dieter’s weight goes down then up again, we call it yo-yo dieting and this is a situation which leaves people disappointed, frustrated and disillusioned. All that hard work for nothing. When you’re on a ‘diet’ you are limited to points or calories and certain foods are restricted or banned. You feel deprived of certain things and feel guilty for even thinking you might just have one of your forbidden foods. And what happens when you feel deprived? Right, you want it even more. I have been running my proved tried and tested Weight Management Programme

successfully for many years now. I help people to achieve their goal weight and become healthier and happier without any reference to a diet – in fact the word ‘diet’ is NEVER used. Believe it or not, by using Hypnotherapy we are able change unwanted, unhealthy eating patterns and sugar cravings, replacing them with the desire to eat healthy nourishing foods that are good for you. Find out more about how to reduce your weight safely WITHOUT DIETING Website: http://www.clemturner.co.uk/ newsite/index.php/weight-management/ Or call me on 01623 556234 or 07960788093.

We spend millions of pounds every year on skincare products that promise everything from vanishing wrinkles to eternal youthfulness. But according to experts who are not part of the face cream industry, there may well be a much simpler, and certainly much cheaper way to achieve the skin we have always wanted without using laboratory produced products. So which foods fall into the category of beautiful skin boosters? All types of fish, including shellfish, are full of both zinc and the essential Omega 3 fatty acids; upping your intake of Omega 3 can reduce inflammation and dryness, both of which contribute to premature skin ageing. Omega 3 is also very beneficial to those suffering with psoriasis or eczema thanks to its anti-inflammatory qualities, which benefit your arteries and improve circulation; some-

thing that is crucial to good skin health. The zinc in fish helps fight acne and is also used by the body for new-cell growth and the sloughing of old skin cells, making the new skin glow.

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Youth Zone

Send your news and photos to chloe@news-journal.co.uk

Aunty Mavis and the Woollilots Aunty Mavis and the Woollilots were going on a bus ride. ‘Where are we going?’ asked Aunty Mavis. The Woollilots started whispering and giggling. ‘It’s a surpirise!’ they chorused. Halfway through the morning a big green bus arrived and it was driven by Robin and with him was Marion. Aunty Mavis boarded the bus and went up the stairs and sat at the front. It was a misty day though, so she couldn’t see out of the window very well. She was excited because she didn’t know what to expect. The Woollilots continued to whisper and giggle among themselves while Robin and Marion started to sing: ‘Robin Hood, Robin Hood, riding on a bus Robin Hood, Robin Hood, a Nottingham omnibus He likes to chat, in his feathered hat Robin Hood ... Robin Hood... Robin Hood.’

tained and fed delicious food. ‘We regard you with honour,’ said the silvery lady because you have made many children happy! ‘Thank you for a lovely surprise,’ said Aunty Mavis, I’ve had a lovely day!’ Soon everyone was joining in and clapping! The bus arrived at the edge of the forest and parked in a clearing. Aunty Mavis could hear a horn blowing and then it seemed as if the world was spinning so fast that things looked different: beautiful colours and shapes appeared and disappeared. Lovely, friendly creatures, both big and small, appeared as if from nowhere. They began to dance and so did the Woollilots and Aunty Mavis too! Some of the creatures picked flowers for Aunty Mavis and then a silvery lady gently took her by the hand and led her to a banquet hall, followed by the Woollilots and Robin and Marion. There she was enter-

The creatures cheered, the Woollilots cheered, Robin and Marion cheered and the silvery lady clapped.. Amazingly and mysteriously, Aunty

Mavis and her friends were transported back to the bus and back home. That night Aunty Mavis had lovely dreams, reminding her of the silvery lady. ........... more to follow next time! © Christine Michael

Sporting and dance successes at JW’S

Congratulations to two of our students, who are performing at the top levels of their chosen sports and have achieved recent success. Jack Arnold (Year 12) has been selected to be part of the 12 month England Talent Pathway programme by Volleyball England, following a trial in Portsmouth. Jack, who plays in the National League at Sheffield, is through to the Under-18 National Finals in April and was voted ‘most valuable player’ by coaches. Joshua Tarry (Year 10) and his skating partner won their category at the recent British Championships in Sheffield and are now British Champions in their age group

The re-opening of our newly refurbished Sports Hall was a fantastic event, with elite badminton player Chris Adcock cutting the ribbon and delivering a coaching session for students. The school welcomed local councillors, governors and Headteachers to the opening, which followed a £50,000 refurbishment funded by Badminton England with a contribution from the school. The new facility is a stunning space for all indoor sports and will be welcomed by students and members of the local community alike. Many thanks to Sue Harpham and Jane Atherton in the Community Sport team plus Rob Watson, Director of Sport, for their work in completing the project.

The Joseph Whitaker School’s Evenings of Dance are always a sell-out – and there’s a reason why! The standard of performances has always been high, but this year, our talented dancers have really pulled the stops out. The audition process in December was extremely tough but on Monday 6 and Tuesday 7 February, you can see the very best that our Dance department has to offer, along with fantastic sound and lighting technology. Students choreograph their own routines, either as a solo, group or as part of the amazing House dances. Tickets are still available for this event priced at £3 (adult) and £1 (concession)– please contact the school reception on (01623) 792327.

(Advanced Novice Couple), an outstanding achievement. Joshua trains for 20 hours a week in Nottingham, Sheffield and Peterborough, and will move up to the Junior category in 2017. Joshua is hoping to qualify for international competitions (he is already part of the GB talent potential squad), aiming for the European and Junior World series competition. Good luck to Jack, Joshua and our other elite sportspeople whose progress we will be following closely during 2017.

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What’s On Garden bird of the month

Send your news and photos to chloe@news-journal.co.uk

The tawny owl is our most common owl but as it is a nocturnal species, you are more likely to hear it than see it.

During the day, it hides away on branches against a tree trunk. The only chance of seeing one in daylight is if it is inadvertently disturbed. The tawny Owl has a rounded head and large black eyes, which are surrounded by dark feathers. It has reddish-brown upperparts and yellowish-brown underparts. Its wings are short and broad. It has a variety of calls but usually one hears the soft ‘hooo…hu…hu…huhuhuhoo’ call of the male or a shrieking ‘kee-wik’. It never goes ‘tu-whit, tu- whoo’ as described in literature. Tawny owls may be found in both urban and rural areas. Town owls may be present in churchyards, cemeteries and parks. Rural birds are found in woodland, park-

land and large mature gardens, which hold a number of trees. They also feed on different prey. Within towns and cities, owls mainly eat birds such as Photo: Jean Powley house sparrows and starlings which they will snatch while these birds are roosting. Woodland individuals prey more on rodents, shrews, moles and earthworms. They have also been known to take fish and amphibians. An owl will swallow its prey whole and the food enters its crop where the fur, feathers and bones are separated from the digestible parts. The former are then regurgitated as pellets. It is quite easy to find out what its last

meal was by examining the bones within the pellets. Jean Powley

crime whilst still being a good father to the son he adopted.

Knight but have no evidence to base that assumption on.

Logan - due March The long-awaited follow up to The Wolverine sets the scene in the future, where an evil corporation threatens to destroy the world, and the X-Men are at their weakest, with Professor Charles Xavier ailing and Logan ‘The Wolverine’ not what he once was either.

Star Wars Episode VIII - due December The final chapter in the new trilogy is understandably being kept under pretty tight wraps at the moment, but we can tell you that it involves Luke Skywalker, lots of intergalactic travel, and the overwhelming feeling of doom whenever the Dark Side is present.

Jean is a voluntary ambassador for the British Trust for Ornithology’s (BTO) Garden BirdWatch scheme in Nottinghamshire. If you enjoy watching birds and other wildlife which visit your garden, Garden BirdWatch may be perfect for you. If you would like a free information pack about the scheme, contact Jean at jpbirds@ out look.com or visit www.bto.org/gbw

7 films that should be good to watch in 2017 A quick look ahead at the most exciting blockbusters coming our way. From erotic thrillers to superhero movies, let’s do this.

Beauty & The Beast - due March Ian McKellen, Emma Watson, Kevin Kline, Ewan McGregor, Emma Thompson, and Dan Stevens line up for Disney’s live action take on the old classic, which follows on from this year’s non-animated smash hit, Cinderella . 50 Shades Darker - due February (pictured) Christian Grey is back with more sexually charged and fundamentally abusive behaviour for people to argue over. Whether you think it should be criticised or not, this is bound to be a major movie event. And hopefully one worth the hype too.

Alien: Covenant - due May That’s right, the original nightmare in space is back, even though Prometheus threatened to close this saga off for good. David, a synth, is the last survivor of that doomed mission, who is found on a planet that appears to be a deserted paradise. Until...

The Lego Batman Movie - due February You heard it here first. Well, maybe not, but anyway we cannot wait! Ralph Fiennes, Michael Cera, Zach Galifianakis and Mariah Carey are amongst the voices involved, with the Dark Knight struggling to fight

Justice League - due November The Flash, Wonder Woman, Batman, Aquaman, and Superman explode onto the screen as DC unveils its most ambitious comic book adaptation yet. We’re expecting this to be more Captain America than Dark

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What’s On Diary Dates for February 2017 Rainworth Miners’ Welfare

Mon: 8-10:30pm Sequence dancing in concert room to live music. Admission £2 plus cash bingo, card bingo & treasure chest (Lounge & Concert room) Tues: Pool League (Home Matches) evenings. Wed: 7:15-9:15pm Family bingo, children welcome with adults. Fri: Evening Cash bingo, card bingo & treasure chest, plus Domino knockout. (Lounge only) Sat: Family bingo in Lounge 8-10:30pm, children welcome with an adult. Sun: Evening ‘‘Quiz for cash’’ in Lounge bar & cash bingo. Card bingo & Treasure chest.

The Venue Royal British Legion - Rainworth, Blidworth & District branch meet at The Venue every first Thursday of the month - at 7:30pm and everyone is welcome. Wed: 2pm “ Eyes down” Bingo Snowball every week. Sun: 12pm to 2pm Sunday Carvery £6 Adults, £3 Children, £5 Snr Citizens.

Bilsthorpe

Wednesday, 15th February, Bilsthorpe Garden Club’s Meeting will be a talk entitled “Pests & Diseases” with Liz Webb at 7.30 pm in the Lounge at Bilsthorpe Miners’ Welfare. Visitors welcome. Saturday, 18th February, Bilsthorpe Heritage Museum will be holding a Tabletop Sale & Coffee Morning in Bilsthorpe Village Hall, Cross Street from 10.00 am until 12.00 noon. Tablehire is £4. To book ring 01623 – 870512.

Farnsfield

Monday, 20th February, Farnsfield Flower Club will be holding their Annual General Meeting & Social Afternoon at 2.0 pm in the Lower Hall, Farnsfield Village Centre, New Hill. New Members are welcome. Tuesday 14th February: The Lion at Farnsfield, enjoy our 3 course dinner designed by our head chefs and prepared with fresh produce, locally sourced. Celebrate the most romantic day of the year in a specially created ambience from 5pm £35 per person.

Edwinstowe

Thursday 16th February: Fancy a day whittling in the woods? Join us for a day at our secluded bushcraft camp learning traditional green woodworking skills. Learn safe saw and knife techniques as you make your own tent peg and mallet before moving on to more advanced projects such as a butter spreader or coat hook. Booking essential - to book your places please contact Karina on 0300 067 5463 or email karina.thornton@forestry.gov.uk £20 per child, children must be accompanied - at least one adult to up to two children. Sherwood Pines Forest, Edwinstowe, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire NG21 9JL Sunday 5 February: Coppicing Workshop Sherwood Forest Country Park £25 Booking is essential Join Ranger Graeme Turner to learn the skill of coppicing and understand its history and importance in the woodland.

Ravenshead

Wednesday 8th February: Ravenshead 55+ Club - “Have you ever panicked about speaking in Public” - a talk by Anne Eldridge - Church Lounge 2.00pm - details 798713/793639 Friday 10th February: Music at The Hall “Chiquititas Abba Special”- at The Village Hall. 7.30 p.m. for 8.00 pm. Tickets 01623 792148 or email - enquiries@musicatthehall.co.uk. - LIVE MUSIC Saturday 11th February: Ravenshead & Hucknall Ramblers 9.00am. Easy 7.5 winter walk, shouldn’t be too muddy! Taking in Risley, Dale Abbey & Stanton by Dale. Includes Hermit’s Cave & rare combined house/church. Contact Geoff or Jill 01623 484636 Tuesday 14th February: Garden Society. ‘A Suburban Garden Throughout the Year’. Mike Davey. 7.45pm St Peter’s Church Lounge. Details 794694 Wednesday 15th February: - Ravenshead WI - Teresinha Roberts, ‘The Story of Silk’ - from a textile artist who specialises in natural dyes and fabrics. Saturday 18th February: Quiz and Tea - Blidworth Methodist Church 3.30-5.30pm - £5 Sunday 19th February: Ravenshead & Hucknall Ramblers 9.00 am. Millstone Edge, a pleasant & varied 7.25 mile walk taking in a scenic farm conservation area, abandoned millstones, an enchanting Silver Birch wood & an attractive stretch of the River Derwent from Grindleford to Hathersage. Contact Merv 01623 799007

19 Send your news and photos to chloe@news-journal.co.uk Saturday 25th February: Stardust Swing Tuesday 28th February: Ravenshead & Hucknall Ramblers 9.30 am. An easy local walk. Approx. 5 miles. For details contact Allan or Kath on 01623 797321

Blidworth

Sunday 5th February: Unique Rockings Ceremony at Blidworth Church. It is a unique occasion, St Mary’s is the only church in the country, and believed to be the only one in the world, to still carry out this ancient ceremony, which is designed to re-enact the story of Mary and Joseph presenting the infant Jesus at the temple at the Feast of the Purification. That is why the church’s dedication is St Mary of the Purification, again believed to be the only church so dedicated. We have had people who like to visit unique ceremonies such as this attend the service from all over the country in previous years. Bards Poetry Club at Blidworth Bards at Blidworth meets every 3rd Saturday of the month at Blidworth library 10a.m. - 12 p.m. for poetry workshop, discussion, readings and a cuppa! Budding poets welcome.

Theatre Royal

Monday 30th January - Saturday 11th February: Sister Act Tuesday 14th February - Saturday 18th February: La Cage Aux Folles Monday 20th February - Saturday 25th February: The Woman In Black Monday 27th February - Satuday 4th March: The Gang Show To find out more information or to see what else is on at the Theatre Royal visit their website: https://trch.co.uk/

Royal Concert Hall

Friday 3rd February 7:30pm: BBC Philharmonic Wednesday 8th February 7:30pm: Anton & Erin - Swing Time Thursday 9th February 7:00pm: Chinese New Year Gala Friday 10th February 7.30pm: You Win Again Friday 24th February 7.30pm: Mike & the Mechanics Saturday 25th February: Beanbag Music Club

Good food at The Venue

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Snooker at The Venue

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The Venue, Kirklington Road, Rainworth. Tel: 01623 797975

What’s On

21 Send your news and photos to chloe@news-journal.co.uk

New season, new look at The Workhouse The Workhouse, Southwell, a National Trust property, opens its doors for a new season on Saturday, 11th February.

It is 20 years since The Workhouse site came into the care of the National Trust and the property is now open seven days a week until the end of the season on 5th November. Visitors will be able to enjoy an extended menu at its new café in Firbeck, the old infirmary building. This new space will provide additional seating as well a more varied menu that will include soup, a daily hot pot dish and delicious homemade scones. Plans are under way to change the way in which the property tells The Workhouse story, based on feedback from visitors

during the past year as part of the Re-imagining project. That means some rooms may be under wraps from time to time and visitors can find out more about its plans through a

special exhibition. The property also hopes to have a new visitor reception ready for the run-up to Easter. Half-term will see a new exhibition focused on conservation work, Daylight, Dirt And Damage, which runs from 11th-19th February. Visitors can find out more about the impact they have on the property when they touch objects or even just move around. Children can become a deterioration detective, pick up a case file and track down the special agents who are damaging the building on a new trail (£1.50 per trail). To find out more about The Workhouse and future events, call 01636 817260 or see www.nationaltrust.org.uk/thework house

Become a Heritage volunteer at the Theatre Royal in Nottingham This Heritage Lottery Funding follows on from our successful 150th anniversary in 2015 and we are now looking for volunteers to help us on this exciting project. Over the next two years we want volunteers to work with us on exploring and developing our archive. Full training on archiving materials and conducting oral histories will be provided by the University of Nottingham and the East Midlands Oral History Archive. No previous heritage experience is necessary. So if you are aged 18+ and are able to offer your time and services for the Theatre Royal we’d love to hear from you. We are hosting two information sessions at the Theatre Royal where you can come along and find out more about the project. These will be taking place on Tuesday, 7 March at 2pm and Saturday, 11 March at 11am. Both sessions will be taking place at the Theatre Royal Dress Circle Foyer. If you are interested in coming along to one of these sessions, contact David Longford at david.longford@notting hamcity.gov. uk or 0115 9895531

Theatre Royal What’s on Monday 30th January - Saturday 11th February: Sister Act Tuesday 14th February - Saturday 18th February: La Cage Aux Folles Monday 20th February - Saturday 25th February: The Woman In Black Monday 27th February - Satuday 4th March: The Gang Show To find out more information or to see what else is on at the Theatre Royal, visit their website: https://trch.co.uk/

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Rainworth Local News Poppy Appeal 2016/17 Congratulations to the Rainworth and Blidworth branch of the Royal British Legion. We collected a fantastic sum of money for our retired and serving Armed Forces, of £10,072.97! As Poppy Appeal organiser, I am very proud of everyone who worked hard to attain this valuable amount,

namely the branch committee and members, the business outlets in the villages, both councils and officials, local shops, pupils and teachers and especially YOU and all who gave generously at our collecting points. Thank You, Rainworth, Blidworth & District Branch, Royal British Legion.

Rainworth Miners’ Welfare Mon: 8-10:30pm Sequence dancing in concert room to live music. Admission £2 plus cash bingo, card bingo & treasure chest (Lounge & Concert room) Tues: Pool League (Home Matches) evenings. Wed: 7:15-9:15pm Family bingo, children welcome with adults. Fri: Evening Cash bingo, card bingo & treasure chest, plus Domino knockout. (Lounge only) Sat: Family bingo in Lounge 8-10:30pm, children welcome with an adult. Sun: Evening ‘‘Quiz for cash’’ in Lounge bar & cash bingo. Card bingo & Treasure chest.

Young people gain confidence through Bikeability in Rainworth

(Cotinued from page 1) To celebrate the achievement of the students, parents, carers and school staff were invited to a practical ‘on-show’ session, where skills learnt during the training were displayed. The demonstration gave parents a better understanding of the course outcomes and why they were taught, as well as an opportunity for the proud youngsters to showcase their new skills. Tracy Graham, principle road safety officer for Via, said: “It has been fantastic to see the enjoyment on the faces of the students. Our cycle instructors have really enjoyed working with the students and staff of the school. It has been great fun building the confidence of each and every pupil.” Julie Magilton, assistant headteach-

er chimes and alternative provision at Dawn House, said: “The course has given students so much confidence but equally independence.” Councillor Kevin Greaves, committee chairman for transport and highways, at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “Road safety is a key priority for us and it is great to see the pupils have enjoyed this course and learnt some vital skills about safe cycling as well.” All the students who took part celebrated their achievement and were presented with certificates and badges by headteacher Melissa Buxton on their return to school. Via East Midlands, working in partnership with Nottinghamshire County Council, is pleased to support schools who wish to take part in the Bikeability cycle scheme including the new Bikeability modules.

Schools are urged to get in touch with Tracy Graham, Via’s principle road safety officer, on 0115 9774373 or tracy.graham@ viaem.co.uk

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Blidworth Local News

Blidworth and District Historical and Heritage Society meeting At our first meeting of 2017 our speaker was Lily Ann Dawes, who gave an excellent presentation entitled ‘Dead Men Talking’, about the development of forensic science. One of our members kindly agreed to play the part of the title character and together, the audience and the speaker suggested methods of identifying the deceased. We heard of many techniques in use today and how they were developed and improved upon over the years. Many actual case histories were explained and used as examples. Lily Ann was thanked for her interesting and absorbing talk. Our chairman showed slides and quoted passages from the works of Blidworth resident Samuel Clarke, 1869-1933. Commonly referred to as Sam Clarke’s Diary, this work is unique. It is a 150-page, handwritten volume of personal memories, experiences and much more during a lifetime spent in the village of Blidworth at the turn of the century. Our next three meeting details are: •7th February - Adrian Henstock’s presentation is about ‘House Detectives’ who study the history of buildings and their occupants. •7th March - Michael Harrison will be telling us about ‘A Trading Voyage

on the River Trent’. This meeting will start with our AGM. •4th April - Ian Morgan - Inspector Hopkinson’s Discovery. As usual, the meetings will be in the Function Room of Blidworth Welfare and doors are now open at 6.45pm. Ample parking is available and new members are always welcome; just turn up on the night. There is normally a small charge of £2 to cover refreshments. We will be showing a selection of our

On my travels through Scotland last week, I experienced the beautiful snowy landscapes typical of our image of winter, such a joy to see. From the snowy peaks that are home to skiers and snow boarders to the soft, crunchy snow that had fallen in the towns below. In contrast, as I weaved my way around the lochs and glens in the comfort of my car, I noticed less and less snow on the ground. In the lowlands of Scotland you would not have known snow had fallen. Here there was evidence of life preparing itself for the coming spring. Even in the retreat of the cold of winter there was greenery around me. My drive had offered me a time for reflection. Often we experience life through seasons. Seasons of great happiness, seasons of great challenge or seasons of doubt and anxiety. There are many instances of this in the Bible, you only need to browse through the Psalms to see evidence of this. In Psalm 23 the writer acknowledges God’s presence in all situations: ‘The LORD is my shepherd, I lack

nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, He refreshes my soul, he guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.’ The message that weaves its way through the pages of the Bible is that God’s love has no seasons in relation to you and me. God loves us whether we like it or not. His love is constant. Often our life experience may lead us to believe that God’s love is not there for us but, like the fresh shoots of new life that are hidden by the lightest snowfall, God’s love is ever present just beneath the surface. Sometimes we need to just brush the surface to discover it or to faithfully endure the season we are in until we experience God’s love in the dawning of a new day. Rev Debbie Keegan Methodist Minister, Blidworth, Rainworth, Farnsfield & Edwinstowe.

A time for reflection

archive of photographs at our meeting in February and we will have a presentation on a local aspect of the district’s history. We are pleased to announce that the Society’s book on Blidworth & World War 1 has been reprinted and will be on sale at future meetings and through our website. If you have any photographs of the village and its people that we may copy and add to our archive, we would love to hear from you. If you would like more information, please contact us through our website. You are also invited to submit articles relating to our local history for consideration for publication on our website. Please refer to the website for further details. We hope to hear from you. www.blidworthhistoricalsociety.co.uk

Blidworth Parish Council news On behalf of Blidworth Parish Council, can I wish you all a happy and prosperous New Year.Here at BPC it has been the busiest few months I have ever had and I will be pleased to return back to normal.As you know we had a very successful Christmas Fair, where several hundred visitors attended throughout the day. Several stallholders filled the room with stalls and there were local charity stalls inside the Welfare. We had a children’s roundabout and side-shows, together with a visit from Santa himself. Following that we had the Christmas lights and again had several plaudits from all around the district, which is good publicity for us and Blidworth village.There was a Pensioners Christmas Party at Blidworth Welfare, which was a great success with almost 90 local pensioners, who were well fed by BJ’s and then listened to the Joseph Whitaker Brass Band followed by the choir from Blidworth Oaks School. The following day saw the re-opening of the refurbished Marriott Lane Play Area, which looks fantastic. Later this year, we are planning to refurbish the Belle Vue Lane Play Area.We moved our budget Meeting from 4 January to 11 January and held a council meeting on 10 January to elect a new parish clerk to replace me, as I am retiring on 30 April. Blidworth Parish Council.

Resident Director: P. A. Clampett 236 Southwell Road East, Rainworth, NG21 0EQ. For a Personal Professional 24 Hour Service

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Edwinstowe, Bilsthorpe & Farnsfield Local News Beavers’ foodbank collection

Before Christmas the Beavers held a foodbank collection evening for those less fortunate than themselves during the festive period and collected a whopping eight bags of food for the foodbank. It was delivered just before Christmas and included other donations of Christmas treats and decorations. Thank you to everyone involved. This term the Beavers, aged 6 to 8, are exploring their animal friendly badge with a trip to Pets At Home. This spring term brings more adventure for more young people of Farnsfield and surrounding villages with the opening of a second Beaver colony on a Wednesday, as well as the existing Tuesday. Beavers is open to young people aged 6 to 8 years. If you would like to join the fun and adventure, please contact Chris on 07779324341 or email join@1stfarnsfield. org.uk After February school half-term, on Saturday 4th March we are holding our annual fundraising event. This year it’s The BIG Quiz, a family fun quiz for any age, cost is only £2 per adult and children are free. Teams are a maximum of six adults. Why not join in the fun? More information and tickets can be found at 1stfarnsfield. org.uk/bigquiz

Bilsthorpe Heritage Museum report Bilsthorpe Heritage Members enjoyed a lovely Christmas Lunch at the Old Reindeer, Edingley on Friday, 2nd December. A big thank-you to all the staff there for making our visit successful. Thanks are also due to everyone who supported our stalls at the Bilsthorpe Miners’ Welfare Christmas Lights event and Bilsthorpe Flying High Academy’s Christmas Fair. Our next event will be our Tabletop Sale and Coffee Morning on Saturday, 18th February, from 10am until 12noon (stallholders may set-up from 8am onwards). Table hire is £4. To book, ring Chris on 01623 870512.

We still have some 2017 calendars left, which are now being sold for the reduced price of £2 each or two for £3.50. We also have cards for sale, heritage booklets, peg bags, aprons, shopping bags, lavender hearts, knitted scarves and toys (especially popular are our fluffy owls and hedgehogs in brilliant colours) all at very reasonable prices. We are located in Cross Street at the rear of the Village Hall and our Winter Opening hours are 11am until 3pm on Wednesdays and Sundays, but we will open up for group visits on other occasions. Just ring 01623 871533 or e-mail bilsthorpe-heritage@ btconnect.com

At the first meeting of the new year, the society welcomed local archaeologist Matt Beresford, who told us of last summer’s progress in the continuing excavations in Southwell and Osmanthorpe. Those at Southwell revealed evidence of a very large and substantial Roman wall, which could indicate that Southwell was even more important and a larger settlement than originally envisaged from earlier work. Matt also reported on substantial finds of Roman pottery in the Farthingate area. Geo-phys surveys and analysis of earth samples also revealed the existence in the past of a quite substantial river. Excavations to the north of the town at Osmanthorpe point to the existence of a Roman road and fort — further work will need to be done to establish its exact route.

The project is in line for a cash award from Tesco of either £5,000, £2,000 or £1,000, depending on the votes of its customers in local stores, who are given a token at the checkout. The next meeting will be on Wednesday, 8th February, when our speaker will be Paul Hale, the recently-retired Rector Chori at Southwell Minster, who will recall his time there. We meet in the lower hall of the village centre at 7.30pm. We are always pleased to welcome new members and visitors. £2.50 includes refreshments. We have arranged a visit in April to the Nottinghamshire Archives office for a behind-the-scenes tour and we have a coach visit to the National Memorial Arboretum at the end of May.

Our practice afternoon on Monday, December 5th was a demonstration workshop with Roma Berridge, who showed how to make an arrangement in a shallow bowl, using contorted willow or hazel twigs and branches, variegated seasonal foliage, rosebuds and spray carnations. The event was well attended with pleas-

ing results, which were reviewed with Roma. The arrangement was one that could be adapted festively or for any occasion. Our next meeting is the annual general meeting and social afternoon on Monday, 20th February at 2pm, in the Lower Hall, Farnsfield Village Centre. New members are most welcome.

On Wednesday, 14th December, we met at Southwell Garden Centre for a Supper and Fun Christmas Quiz Evening, which also included a chance for some last-minute Christmas shopping.

Kay Mee and Margaret Wright being the winning team.

Farnsfield Local History Society

Farnsfield Flower Club

Bilsthorpe Garden Club Members enjoyed a supper of baked potatoes with all the trimmings and Southwell’s Dan was our quizmaster with Alan Ashley,

Our next meeting will be a talk entitled Pests And Diseases with Liz Webb on Wednesday, 15th February at 7.30pm in the lounge at Bilsthorpe Miners’ Welfare. New members are always welcome to join the club.

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Ravenshead Local News Cornwater Club Just before Christmas Cornwater Club members were treated to a visit from Joseph Whitaker students. The Year 10 students did a magnificent job entertaining the members. They compiled a Christmas quiz, which led to many a pensive look! The winning team, the ‘A’ team, not only won the accolade of being the best but were also presented with lovely homemade biscuits. Further prizes of wonderful home-baked cakes were also won during the bingo, called by a few students and played by many. Afternoon tea was complemented by an array of Christmas biscuits and savouries specially prepared by students. The finale was provided by the beautiful

voice of Amee Smith, who sang a repertoire of songs, including I’m Dreaming Of A White Christmas. Member Sheila Fell thanked the students for a fantastic afternoon.

Ravenshead Diary Dates

Wednesday 8th February: Ravenshead 55+ Club - “Have you ever panicked about speaking in Public” - a talk by Anne Eldridge - Church Lounge 2pm - details 798713/793639 Friday 10th February: Music at The Hall “Chiquititas Abba Special”- at The Village Hall. 7.30pm. for 8pm. Tickets 01623 792148 or email - enquiries@musicatthehall.co.uk. - LIVE MUSIC Saturday 11th February: Ravenshead & Hucknall Ramblers 9am. Easy 7.5 winter walk, shouldn’t be too muddy! Taking in Risley, Dale Abbey & Stanton by Dale. Includes Hermit’s Cave & rare combined house/church. Contact Geoff or Jill 01623 Tuesday 14th February: Garden Society. ‘A Suburban Garden Throughout the Year’. Mike Davey. 7.45pm St Peter’s Church Lounge. Contact Details 01623 794694

Local sports enthusiast is all set to clean-up in Nottingham, Mansfield and surrounding areas Steve Dunn is launching his own Oven Cleaning Business as part of the Oven Wizards Franchise. Steve has lived in the local area most of his life and believes there will be a strong demand for his services. Steve says: “I was looking for a business idea that would be something I would enjoy doing and that would provide a great service to local people. “I came across the idea of an oven cleaning business and then started to research the market. I soon realised that becoming an Oven Wizard offered me a great opportunity, particularly with the support of a successful National Franchise Brand. Mark Abbott, owner of the Oven Wizards business, said: “From the first time we met Steve we knew he would make a great success of running an Oven Wizards franchise,

particularly because of his great passion for friendly customer service. “There is a growing demand from people who want to have their ovens professionally cleaned because it is probably the hardest and most hated job in most households.”

Oven Wizards has provided Steve with comprehensive training, which will enable him to professionally clean all sorts of makes and models of ovens. As well as Nottingham and Mansfield, Steve also covers Ravenshead, Hucknall, Arnold, Southwell and surrounding areas. A recent survey indicated that oven cleaning is one of the most hated chores in the home. Taking into account the fact that there are over 26 million households in the UK and that nearly each one has at least one oven and a hob, the growing domestic cleaning market provides unlimited opportunities. You can contact Steve on 01623 362002 and 07557 400487 or visit his website, www.ovenwizards.com

70,000 homes and businesses now connected to fibre broadband

Latest figures show that 70,000 homes and businesses are now able to get superfast fibre broadband in Nottinghamshire. The milestone was reached with the installation of a new cabinet in Cotgrave, delivering high-speed broadband to the Manvers Business Park and Hollygate Industrial Park. The new cabinet is helping around 40 homes and businesses in the village get access to superfast fibre broadband for the first time. Superfast cabinets are due to be installed in Worksop, Sherwood, Lowdham and Kimberley adding further superfast coverage across the county. The Better Broadband for Nottingham-

shire (BBfN) partnership between Nottinghamshire County Council and BT has now helped to bring superfast broadband to 96% of premises across the county of Nottinghamshire. Better Broadband Subsidy Scheme The Government has recently enhanced the Universal Service Commitment to include additional broadband technologies like wireless. If you cannot access an affordable broadband service with a speed of at least 2mb per second, a subsidised broadband installation is now available. You can find out more about the improved scheme by visiting our new page.

Once you’ve read the guidance, if you think you are eligible you can apply for a code that will enable you to gain access to a subsidised installation. Please remember to check the ‘Where and When Checker’ first to see the current plans for your postcode. You never know, we may be coming to your village next! Don’t forget to use an online comparison site to help you get the best deal on a new superfast broadband package for your home or business – information is available on our website. http://www.nottinghamshire. gov.uk/business-community/better-broadband-for-nottinghamshire-programme/howto-get-fibre-broadband

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Caring in our Community

Belarussian children to visit in summer 2017 Hello, Sherwood Community Newsletter Readers, On Saturday, 29th July until Saturday, 19th August this year, Belarussian children will hopefully be coming to our area. They all live in the area of Belarus that was and still is affected by the fallout of the Chernobyl disaster. They will be coming here for fresh air and decent food. I am asking if you are able to host a child (or two). Within our members we have hosts of all ages from couples, families and retired persons. All the children will be aged 8-10½ years. The gender of the child will be your decision. They are only ever allowed to visit once to give as many children a break as possible. Everything we do is new to them, including going to the seaside. Also, they go to the dentist and many of them have never sat in a dentist’s chair. We normally have children in the winter but we gave it a rest this year. The dates can be split with another family if three weeks is not convenient. My wife and I host the interpreter and you will receive 24/7 support, also a

Poem by Stevie-leigh Townsend Crisp Morning The crisp morning fresh in my face Makes me feel good to be awake Bow strung poised ready to take the shot Leaves rustling gently in cool air Hush descends The arrow rips free making its flight Across the sky Will it hit the target? O darn Hit the tree

support family at any time if you need one. The difference in language is never a problem, in fact quite fun. All the costs of bringing the children to our area is met by our link. The visits they go on will not cost you at all and you and your own family are encouraged to join them, also at no cost to you. The children will visit Crookstone Barn in Derbyshire, from 11th-14th August, where only the visiting children and volunteers stay. Please look at the photographs of the children who came previously. I do hope you could give some thought if you could

host for us as it does give the children and yourselves a lot of fulfilment. If you wish to have further information regarding hosting, could you please contact me on 07815-473802 or robert. crampton@tiscali.co.uk or robert. crampton@gmx.com and I with a female colleague will be only too pleased to come and see you and talk in-depth of what is involved. My kind regards to you all, Mr Robert Crampton Chairman Newark & Sherwood. Chernobyl Children Lifeline.

Foodbanks — You can help You can help support local foodbanks by donating tinned or packet food as well as financial support. Sherwood Forest Foodbank, Stable Centre, Church Street, Mansfield Woodhouse NG19 9JY, 01623 629665. Dukeries & District foodbank, Ollerton Methodist Church, Forest Rd, Ollerton NG22 9QS, 07716439740. Now satellite at Rainworth (St Simon and St Jude’s Church, Wed 12noon).

Sport Football club calling on community for support

Send your news and photos to chloe@news-journal.co.uk

Rainworth Miners’ Welfare Football Club are calling on the community to get behind them as they look to continue to bring a high level of non-league football to their former mining community. The Wrens, as they are known from the popular local pronunciation of the village name, currently play in the fifth tier of non-league in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division at their well-appointed Kirklington Road Stadium. The league extends into most of Yorkshire, plus the northern parts of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire. Despite their fine history, which includes a Wembley appearance in the FA Vase final in a record-breaking 1981-82 season, the people of Rainworth appear not to know about the semi-professional club situated in the heart of the village. That run to the final of the FA Vase, in which they lost 3-0 to an upwardly mobile Forest Green Rovers in the final, made them the only miners’ welfare club to play in a Wembley final — and only the second true amateur club (as they were then) to make it there. On the way they set a competition attendance record outside the final

of 5,071 for the home leg of the semi-final against Bedfordshire-based Barton Rovers, with television cameras in attendance, while the day after the final saw the club embark on an open-top bus parade around the village and Mansfield. Nowadays though their home crowds are among the lowest in the division, rarely hitting 100, yet there has been plenty of success since that memorable season. The early years of the new millennium saw the Wrens achieve three promotions in five years under then manager Rudy Funk, lifting them from the Central Midlands League through both divisions of the NCEL to the dizzy heights of Northern Premier League football, plying their trade in Division One South against big clubs like Stafford Rangers, Leek Town and Kings Lynn. But in a village with no real business community to provide the level of financial sponsorship required to compete at that level, they were clearly punching above their weight. And despite enjoying five

years in such exalted company, the level of success they had achieved in getting there was not matched by sufficient attendances, and after five years they took a voluntary demotion back to the NCEL. Nowadays the club is managed by former Leicester City and Sheffield Wednesday star Julian Watts, but in their second season back at step 5, results have been disappointing so far this term. Before Christmas the club was hit by a double tragedy with the death of both vice-chairman Kim Wright and his mother, Eileen, head of hospitality. And, with a lack of young blood coming on to the committee to help with the running of the club, it is becoming a constant battle for the aging current committee to keep the Wrens going. Is this something you would like to be involved with? The loss of an organisation that has done more than any other to put the village on the national map would be a tragedy. So why not pop along to the next home match, either to watch or to get involved, and help ensure that a good level of football can be maintained within the village? While there are currently no home league games scheduled for February, the Wrens will be in semi-final action in the Notts Senior Cup against Northern Premier League outfit Basford United on Tuesday 7th, and it would be great to see a big crowd for the occasion.

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