Caring Citizens

The Mayor with Sandiacre Town Tornadoes under 8s football coaches Ben Limbrick, Dan Taylor, and Adrian Taylor. Judges included Councillor Carol Hart, Leader of EBC.

Our caring citizens

Community-minded residents and groups have been honoured at the 2022 Erewash Mayor’s Awards.

The annual civic awards are held to salute those who ‘go that extra mile’ in helping others in the borough.

Councillor Briggs said it was a real honour for her to present the awards: “Being able to pay tribute to people in this borough who give so much to our communities will be one of the happy memories I shall treasure from my term in office.”

The Mayor was joined by Councillor Carol Hart, Leader of EBC, and other members of the judging panel. Unable to attend the award presentation were Adrian Elton of Ilkeston; Alan Clarke of Sandiacre; and Evie Hartley of Ilkeston.

David Pinney of Sandiacre and founding member of Hayworth Road Park receives his award for his voluntary work. Susan Severn of Ilkeston, who does a wide range of voluntary work including leading two football teams for young people and fundraising.

Sandra Kimbley of Ilkeston. A member of Erewash Voluntary Action her support includes Mental Health work and funraising for cancer charities.

Anthony Ford of Sandiacre. He set up a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme and his voluntary work includes organising a food bank. Scott Fletcher of Ilkeston who has been collecting football boots for children who cannot afford to buy their own as well as helping other charities. Julie Barker of Long Eaton started FibroActive in 2016 for sufferers of Fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue.

Flying Tigers

Lt Dominic Raeyen RN from RNAS Culdrose with former Mayor, Councillor Donna Briggs, left and EBC Leader Councillor Carol Hart.

Young people in Long Eaton Air Cadets and Sea Cadets met six squadron members from 814 Naval Air Squadron (NAS) during a visit to Erewash.

It was the first visit to the borough since Erewash Borough Council became affiliated to the squadron, which is based at the Royal Navy Air Station at Culdrose in Cornwall.

The NAS representatives were welcomed over two days to give local cadets an insight into military life. A further visit to the borough to meet Ilkeston cadets will also be arranged, while the council hopes to forge further civic links and visits with the squadron. 814 NAS is a front-line anti-submarine squadron operating Merlin Mk2 helicopters from frigates, destroyers and aircraft carriers. The squadron – known as the ‘Flying Tigers’ – primarily protects the naval fleet from surface and underwater threats but also supports maritime security operations and helps in search-and-rescue missions.

Councillor Carol Hart, Leader of Erewash Borough Council, says: “Our affiliation to the Flying Tigers is a great honour and a demonstration of our long standing support for the armed forces community. We look forward to further strengthening our ties, including hosting more visits to our borough.”

In tune

Award winning Erewash Sound – the borough’s community radio station – continues to offer new courses through its Media Academy. The station has state-of-the art studios at its Vernon Street base in Cotmanhay providing a professional setting for its team and students – many of which have gone on to find paid work in the media.

The next courses available include:

• A one day podcast creating course on 4 August, £36 per person or free if unemployed. This course is led by Pete Allen, formerly of Dino and Pete’s Breakfast Show on Capital Radio. Suitable for 15 plus. • Radio producer training 7 September to 5 October £60 for anyone aged 15+. The course will be five sessions on Tuesday evenings at the station’s Cotmanhay studios. Skills include creative content, legal, show scheduling, interviewing and writing for radio. • The Academy is offering an NCFE affiliated Level 2 ‘Create a Radio Programme’ course 7 September to 12 December. 15 sessions suitable for anyone aged 14+.

erewashsound.com

Let’s connect

Community events to combat loneliness and isolation in Erewash will take place from July 4 to 15 as part of a Connecting Erewash Fortnight to help people of all ages find out about what’s on offer in their local area.

The project, funded by Derbyshire County Council Public Health, aims to combat isolation and loneliness and has been organised by Erewash Voluntary Action, in partnership with groups and organisations in the borough.

There will be community events both large and small run by local organisations and clubs during the fortnight.

Further information at erewashvoluntaryaction.org.uk or email becky@erewashcvs.org.uk

Street Party Grants

People across the borough were able to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in style thanks to street party grants provided by Erewash Borough Council.

The scheme, launched in March, saw residents able to apply for a grant to buy items needed for their planned event over the extended bank holiday weekend at the start of June.

There was a huge response and the council awarded 106 grants, totalling £11,400, with grants awarded ranging from £30 to £175.

This ensured that people were able to hold fantastic parties to celebrate the Queen’s 70 years of service.

Street parties that benefitted from a grant were held in Borrowash, Breaston, Dale Abbey, Draycott, Ilkeston, Kirk Hallam, Little Eaton, Long Eaton, Morley, Ockbrook, Sandiacre, Sawley, West Hallam, Stanley and Stanley Common.

There were hundreds of people at many of the celebrations. One held on Curzon Street in Long Eaton saw up to 400 people attend. While in Ilkeston as many as 200 people attended a party on Lord Haddon Road and Jackson Avenue.

Schools, care homes, churches and community centre also benefitted from a grant, including Dovedale Primary School in Long Eaton, Kirk Hallam Community Centre, Ashbrook Junior School in Borrowash, and All Saints Church in Kirk Hallam, which held a celebration for around 600 people.

Councillor Paul Maginnis, Lead Member for Health and Wellbeing, says: “We saw a staggering amount of applications.

“The council was delighted to be able to help and we hope that everyone enjoyed celebrating this landmark occasion to honour the Queen.”

The council would like to feature a roundup of street parties in the next issue of EBC today magazine. Please email your photos to communications@erewash.gov.uk

Summer of celebration

The great British Bank Holiday weekend was launched when Erewash joined the nationwide Beacon Lighting events on 2 June to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

Residents were entertained by Johnny Victory in Ilkeston Market Place while the Long Eaton Silver Prize Band led the celebrations in the grounds of Long Eaton Town Hall ahead of the beacon lighting and the playing of the National Anthem.

Meanwhile, thousands of plants have just been planted in Ilkeston and Long Eaton’s display beds and the coming weeks will see them blossom into the popular Union Jack design.

Hanging baskets and fence baskets will also feature a red, white and blue theme to mark the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.

The Union Jack planting has been one of the council’s most popular designs, first making an appearance in 2012 for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and returning in 2018 to commemorate the centenary of the ending of the First World War.

The sites for this year’s displays will again include the five-bed White Lion Square roundabout in Ilkeston and the Wilsthorpe Road traffic island in Long Eaton.

Over the next few pages we take a look at where it all starts – at the council’s nursery facility tucked away in a corner of West Park.