Nottingham Now 10

Issue. 10 - May 2019 0115 6972670 | www.nottingham-now.co.uk | sales@nottingham-now.co.uk

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The Council, in partnership with Mansfield District Council and Newark & Sherwood District Council commissioned Homeless Link to carry out a Homelessness Review and develop a new Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy.

The Review and draft Strategy have been developed following extensive research, data analysis and stakeholder interviews.

It is Ashfield District Council’s vision that the residents of Ashfield have affordable and warm housing in a safe community that promotes their health and well being.

Preventing homelessness is key to achieving this vision and is identified as a priority in the Council’s Corporate Plan.

We are now consulting with stakeholders on the draft Strategy before it is finalised and put into action.

A copy of the consultation document and online feedback form can be found on https://www2.ashfield. gov.uk/limesurvey/index. php/818864?lang=en.

Consultation runs until the 10th May 2019.

Inside this issue: Looking good feeling great - what’s on

Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy

Nottingham and

Derby Hot Air Balloon Club see page 5..

Be a tree warden

and help your local environment

see page 4..

things to do in and around Nottingham

see page 20..

Page 2.

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Council makes progress in bid

to get unauthorised waste site cleared There could be relief at last for residents living close to an unauthorised waste site near Newark after an appeal against a Nottinghamshire County Council notice ordering the site’s clearance was dismissed.

An estimated 2,000 tonnes of material – believed to include inert household and commercial waste – is being stored on land at 293 Bowbridge Road, Balderton without permission.

The County Council issued an enforcement notice on

landowner, Newark Care (Notts) Ltd in May 2018, ordering the waste to be removed, but that was appealed by the landowner.

Now Planning Inspector, J A Murray has dismissed the appeal, meaning the original enforcement notice is back in force. The notice orders that no further waste can be deposited on the site and that all the existing material must be removed within three months.

Councillor Chris Barnfather, Chairman of Planning and Licensing Committee at Nottinghamshire County Council, said; “I am pleased with the Planning Inspector’s decision to dismiss the appeal, which I am sure will come as

a relief to the residents and businesses who have had to live in the shadow of this unauthorised waste site for more than three years. Like them, I look forward to the site being cleared and restored as soon as possible.

“The Planning Inspector supported our view that waste storage was a completely unacceptable use of land at this location and that the terms of our enforcement notice, requiring clearance of the site within a three month compliance period, is reasonable.

“The dumping and unauthorised storage of waste is a growing, national problem which blights communities

and I welcome initiatives by the Environment Agency to seek out and prosecute those responsible. For our part, as the Waste Planning Authority, we will continue to hold landowners to account where they are storing waste without permission.”

Peter Haslock East Midlands Head of Enforcement, said: “The Environment Agency were consulted and responded to the planning appeal and are pleased that the appeal has been dismissed. The County Councils enforcement notice is a positive move and we hope it can lead to the swift resolution of the matter for all parties involved and especially for the local residents.” Waste first started to appear on the site in 2015 and has been subject of an investigation by the Environment Agency as part of a nationwide operation.

The land forms part of a wider site which is allocated for 66 new homes. It previously had planning permission (now lapsed) for a 64-bed nursing home.

Are you a small business looking for support on navigating and meeting the challenges of Brexit?

Are you a small business based in Ashfield or Mansfield? Are you looking for support on navigating and meeting the challenges of Brexit?

Ashfield District Council and Mansfield District Council’s Invest team in partnership with the East Midlands Chamber of Commerce and

Growth HUB have created website to help you answer all your Brexit related questions. https://portal.mansfield.gov. uk/brexitiam/default.aspx

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Improvement works are on track

A £115,000 upgrade of Retford Railway Station is on track to smarten up one of the town’s most prominent landmarks, celebrate the surrounding area’s heritage and improve customer experience.

The upgrade project is expected to be completed in the coming weeks and features a revamp of the subway to Ordsall including new LED lighting, improvements to the steps, a new surface for the tunnel footpath, repainting of the walls and new decorative panels.

Other elements of the project

include new station and town centre signposts, new ‘Welcome to Retford’ signs on the platforms and in the entrance hall, and new window displays and interpretation panels that focus on Retford’s Heritage and the destinations that can be reached from Retford Station.

The multi-partner project is being funded through a £90,000 grant from LNER’s Customer and Community Investment Fund, in partnership with Bassetlaw District Council and supported

by North Notts & Lincs

Community Rail Partnership (NNLCRP) and Retford Civic Society. In addition, funding of £25,000 has been provided

by Nottinghamshire County Council to carry out the subway improvements.

Cllr David Pidwell, Cabinet Member for Transport and Infrastructure at Bassetlaw District Council, said: “Over half a million journeys either start or finish at Retford and we are thrilled that LNER have made a substantial investment in order to improve both the look of the station and the visitor experience.”

A popular play area in Arnold will have a £100,000 refurbishment and extension thanks to external funding.

The Muirfield Road Recreation Ground in Arnold will be improved thanks to funding from WREN, a not-for-profit business that awards grants for community, conservation and heritage projects from funds donated by waste and resource management company FCC Environment through the Landfill Communities Fund.

WREN will be providing a grant total of £89,250 and the Warren Action Group will providing the required match funding of £10,750 making a total of £100,000.

The funding bid was made jointly by Gedling Borough Council and the Warren Action Group, a local residents group.

The group have been working to revitalise the playground area and previously received £48,000 from WREN for a

multi-use games area which was opened in 2017.

Cheryl Raynor, WREN’s local grant manager said: “We are delighted to be supporting the Muirfield Road Recreation Ground Development project and pleased that our funding will provide such a fantastic facility for young people.

WREN is always happy to consider grant applications for projects that make a difference to local communities and we’re really looking forward to seeing this one take shape soon.”

Sue Jablonskas, from the Warren Action Group said: “It’s fantastic that WREN has awarded us this money and we’re really looking forward to our new play facilities taking shape over the next few months. It will encourage children and young people in the area to be physically active.

This is the third and final phase of our project to improve

the facilities available on the Muirfield Road Recreation Ground and will provide a real boost to the people in the area.

We are grateful to the officers of Gedling Borough Council who have supported us with this joint application and we are continuing to work closely with them to achieve the best value possible for the money that has been awarded. ” Gedling Borough Council Parks Development Officer, Jane Richardson said: “This is fantastic news and I’d like to thank the Warren Action Group for all the work they’ve done alongside the council officers to get this funding and, of course, to WREN who have granted the funding.

The money will make a huge difference to the place and the refurbishment and extension will be fantastic for the people using the park and we hope it will encourage more people to use the facilities and improve their fitness and health.”

Murifield Play Area

“Visitors using the station to access the town and North Nottinghamshire will be given a sense of arrival. The improvements will also make the surrounding area safer and more appealing for local people.”

LNER’s Station Partnership Project Manager, Rachael Wilson said: “LNER is very pleased to be working with Bassetlaw District Council and other stakeholders to deliver these improvements,

which we’re supporting through our Customer and Community Investment Fund. With this funding, we have been able to create a welcoming and interesting environment for customers and the local community.”

Councillor John Cottee, Chairman of Communities and Place Committee at Nottinghamshire County Council which arranged the subway and footpath improvement works, said: “The public footpath is a very useful and popular link between Ordsall and Retford town centre.

“We are pleased to have played our part in providing safer and improved access at the station.

It’s great to see all the partners working together and contributing with the aim of improving facilities for both local residents and visitors to the county.”

Local community groups including the North Notts & Lincs Community Rail Partnership (NNLCRP) and Retford Civic Society have worked closely with the

District Council to develop the project.

Rick Brand, Chair of the Bassetlaw Area Group, NNLCRP, added: “Retford station is a major gateway, with a fast and convenient service from London. The improvements will be welcomed by both residents and visitors, especially those coming to Mayflower Pilgrims country as we approach the 400th anniversary next year.

Further enhancements are also being planned for the future, which will increase the accessibility of the station.”

Derek Turner, Chairman of Retford Civic Society, added: “This is wonderful news for the people of the Retford area, Ordsall and visitors to North Notts. We are proud to have been part of this project which enhances our heritage Railway Station as well as providing a safer environment with the upgraded tunnel. These impressive improvements will be appreciated by the growing number of rail travellers and will contribute to our vibrant and expanding economy and community.”

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Page 4.

Be a tree warden and help your local environment An appeal has been launched for environmentally minded Rushcliffe residents to apply to be a tree warden and ensure trees in their neighbourhoods are protected to breathe further life into communities.

Tree wardens are volunteers appointed by Parish Councils

to champion local trees and woods, involve fellow residents in tree projects and protect local trees by reporting early signs of insect pests, disease and vandalism.

The initiative follows the Rushcliffe Borough Council’s successful free tree scheme

last year, which saw over 1,600 trees given to residents and Parish Councils to plant in their gardens, properties and communities.

The Council’s Executive Manager for Communities Dave Mitchell said: “It is incredibly important not only

that we plant new trees in Rushcliffe but also look to protect and encourage trees to flourish in our towns and villages.

“Tree wardens in Rushcliffe will help to ensure that as communities grow, green, sustainable environments

surrounding them will increase too, giving current and future residents a higher quality of life.”

Residents interested in joining the scheme should email media@rushcliffe.gov.uk or contact the Borough Council on any of its social media

channels. For residents living in West Bridgford, where no Parish or Town Council exists, or for further information, please email the Council’s Environmental Sustainability Officer Paul Phillips at environmentalissues@ rushcliffe.gov.uk.

Pay gap narrows at Nottingham City Council

Nottingham City Council has narrowed the gender pay gap so that on average there is now no difference between what middle-earning men and women working for the authority are paid.

The council has brought in changes to its pay structure that have helped to bring about the improvements.

Across the whole council, women on average earn just under 97p for every pound earned by a male colleague

– a mean average pay gap of 3.1%. This is an improvement on last year when the gap stood at 4.2%. Meanwhile for middle earners, men and women are now paid the same – closing a gap of 2.6% last year. The council has introduced terms and conditions and simplified its pay structure which enables employees to move to the top of their grade within two years of employment. The council operates a number of family friendly policies for staff, including childcare vouchers and flexible working arrangements, as well as carrying out training and development programmes a r o u n d unconscious bias and recruitment procedures to ensure opportunities and processes are fair.

The latest

report on the gender pay gap is a snapshot of pay from 31 March 2018, when the gender split at the council was 40% male and 60% female.

The council is continuing to improve workforce planning to encourage increasing the numbers of women in senior roles, along with further development of existing coaching and mentoring schemes.

The council’s Assistant Chief Executive, Candida Brudenell, said: “We fully support gender pay reporting as it provides transparency on pay and encourages employers to act faster to close the gap. We already have polices in place which we’re pleased are helping to narrow the gap, and we will look at other ways to further close that gap. We need to ensure everyone who works for us has the same opportunities to progress in their career.

“Nottingham City Council is committed to the principle of equal opportunities and equal treatment for our employees.

Our workforce is the greatest asset we have for improving the lives of Nottingham people and it’s our aim to ensure that all employees have the skills, tools and confidence to do their jobs well.”

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Page 5.

Nottingham and Derby Hot Air Balloon Club Picture Credited To Robin Macey

Picture Credited To Robin Macey

Nottingham and Derby Hot Air Balloon Club has been a regular sight around Nottingham since 1978.

The club’s first balloon was green and white and featured a giant picture of Robin Hood. The club has owned 11 different balloons over the years including the famous Nottingham Building Society cottage shaped balloon which

Picture Credited To Robin Macey

they flew for 22 years and was always popular at local shows.

The club is run as a nonprofit making sports club and does not fly any commercial fare paying passengers.

Members get involved in all aspects of the sport and an elected committee organise the general running of the club. The club holds regular training evenings in the winter

The club are currently looking to expand and recruit some more members. No previous experience is necessary although it is essential to be a car driver. It is currently possible to join for a 3 month trial although majority of people enjoy the experience so much they remain active members for several years.

Further information about club membership can be obtained by phoning 0115-8541028.

The club are also always interested to hear from any local firms that might be interested for new members and trains in sponsoring a banner to be flown on one of its own pilots. It is believed the club’s balloons. to be unique as the only balloon club in the country with membership open to the general public. Members range in age from 20’s up to 80.

The club does most of its flights locally in Notts or Derbys from 6 or 7 different launch sites.

Picture Credited To Robin Macey They aim to fly all year round whenever the weather is fit.

Members take turns being part of the retrieve crew before earning a place in the basket.

In the summer members also like to attend a number of balloon festivals in different parts of the country.

In July 2019 the club are taking a balloon to France where they will be flying at Europe's largest balloon meet with about 500 other balloons.

Picture Credited To Robin Macey

Picture Credited To Robin Macey

Picture Credited To Robin Macey

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Bright Future with High Streets Fund The Council has submitted its bid to the Government’s £675 million Future High Streets Fund as it forges on with its ambition to reinvigorate Worksop’s Town Centre.

The Future High Streets Fund was created following a report by Sir John Timpson, a retailer and chair of the Town Centres Expert

Panel, that called for more money to be granted to local authorities to rejuvenate their towns. Town Centres across the country have seen a decline in the retail sector, predominantly brought about

due to a change in shopping habits and a major shift towards online shopping.

The Future High Streets Fund will be used by Councils, like Bassetlaw, to bring about transformational change and create more of a community hub in order to reduce the reliance on retail to ensure its high streets remain a vibrant and attractive place to visit.

“I am excited by our bid,” said Cllr Jo White, Cabinet Member for Economic Development at Bassetlaw District Council.

“We have been asked to be dynamic and to think outside of the box in order for it to be considered.

I believe we have risen to this challenge, which is essential because we are seriously committed to turning around the future of Worksop town

centre. “The priority of the Council is to deliver growth and investment and we have identified a number of proposals that will help to bring about lasting change and address some of the challenges that Worksop is facing. “Quite simply, shopping habits have changed and like many other high streets up and down the country we are seeing the results of this with empty shops and major retailers like M&S abandoning Worksop in favour of larger cities.

“We want to make sure that Worksop does not get left behind and should our bid to the Future High Streets Fund be successful, we will strive to turn around Worksop’s fortunes and arrest a decline in the Town Centre.”

The Future High Streets Funding could be used to

transform an area of Worksop Town Centre between Victoria Square and Newcastle Avenue.

This could include the regeneration of public spaces, efforts to improve the night-time economy with opportunities for additional bars and restaurants, in addition to more leisure and tourism attractions.

Investment and infrastructure would also be a focal point for the Council’s ambitions and would include a proposal to condense the retail offer of the high street, and link in with other Council projects such as the £2.3 million Townscape Heritage Scheme that is helping to bring some of Worksop’s most historic buildings back to their former glory.

Rushcliffe residents

named third happiest in the UK Rushcliffe residents have been named the third happiest in the UK, based on a new study of measures including access to health services, crime and life expectancy.

A Happiness Index commissioned by Royal Mail has found the Borough’s inhabitants are among the most joyful in the country due to very positive reported personal well-being, earnings and low levels of crime, deprivation and carbon emissions.

The research, commissioned to Cebr, saw eight measures inputted into an indexing methodology across districts in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland with only Winchester and Babergh scoring higher than the Nottinghamshire authority area. Rushcliffe Borough

Council’s Chief Executive Allen Graham said: “We are proud yet another independent study has found Rushcliffe residents to have among the most positive and happy communities to live, work and play in across the UK. “It is even more pleasing that we have highlighted that happiness can be found outside the South East and that the East Midlands is such a good place to live.

“The findings of this study further show that a number

Lots of people wonder where their ancestors lived, how many children they had and what they did for a living, but don't know how to find out.

Fiona Boardman of FPB Family History Research can help. She can carry out research for you,

using online sources, local records and archives in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, or elsewhere.

You will receive a report with photographs, maps etc to illustrate the story, and/or a family tree chart.

Or, if you prefer to do your own research Fiona can

of great facilities and great opportunities contribute to the high quality environment that makes a difference to resident’s lives. This study also once again justifies our strapline great place, great sport and a great lifestyle.

“We know however there are always ways we can improve the quality of life for our residents and will endeavour to work with our partners to further develop the environment and facilities that can help make people happy.”

FPB Family History Research provide advice and support to get you started or break through "brick walls".

For more information, or to discuss your particular research needs, contact Fiona on 01773 822819 or email: fiona@ fpbfamilyhistoryresearch. com

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Page 7.

Award Win For Broxtowe Borough

Council’s Construction Partner Broxtowe Borough Council’s Construction partner, United Living has been awarded a Silver National Site Award by the Considerate Constructors Scheme for their work carried out on the Council’s housing stock. The Considerate Constructors Scheme is a national initiative set up by the construction industry to improve its image.

In particular, the judges commended the high standards reached in the categories of care about appearance, respect the community, protect the environment, secure everyone’s safety and value their workforce.

These prestigious awards are only presented to the top performing sites inspected by the Considerate Constructors Monitors and are designed to recognise and reward those who have demonstrated

an outstanding commitment to improving the image of construction and achieving exemplary standards against the Scheme’s Code of Considerate Practice. Richard Baker, Business Unit Director United Living: “Congratulations to the Broxtowe site team for their Silver Considerate Constructor award; a true team effort with Broxtowe Borough Council to surpass last years’ Bronze award.

Exceptionally well done to the whole team for the achievement of raising the bar even further.”

Broxtowe Borough Council is dedicated to ensuring all of its homes meet the Government’s Decent Homes Standard, as well as its own Broxtowe Standard.

Modernisation works are carried out regularly to keep properties in good condition to ensure all residents have a quality home to live in. Capital Works Capitalworks@broxtowe.gov.uk. tel: 0115 917 3636

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Nottingham in top ten for

acting against revenge evictions Private renters in Nottingham are among the best protected from so-called revenge evictions, according to the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health.

Nottingham City Council is among the top ten councils for taking formal action and offering tenants protection from landlords who evict tenants after they raise a complaint. The council is making use of a power that came in under the Deregulation Act 2015 which means that renters who raise a complaint with their landlord cannot be evicted for six months – but only if the council formally gets involved and issues an improvement notice for certain hazards such as damp, cold, asbestos, over-crowding and poor security.

The CIEH says that many councils try to resolve matters informally and not

all complaints will involve this level of hazard, leaving one tenant in every 20 who complains to their council unprotected.

It cites the top councils for taking formal action and offering tenants protection as Tower Hamlets, Merton, Nottingham, Wiltshire, North Somerset, Waltham Forest, Bournemouth, and Cornwall.

Nottingham City Council’s Head of Safer Housing and Anti-Social Behaviour, David Walker, said: “We are wholly focused on ensuring that private tenants can raise issues about the state of

their property without being penalised either by rent increases or revenge evictions by unscrupulous landlords.

“Wherever possible, when we receive a complaint we will take formal action which rightly gives tenants protection from this sort of thing, while ensuring that the necessary improvements to the property are carried out.”

If private renters in Nottingham experience problems with their property or landlord, they should call the council’s Safer Housing Team for advice and support on 0115 876 1331.

Plans for a new library

for Sherwood take a step closer Plans for a redeveloped library in Sherwood at no cost to local council taxpayers are taking shape.

The site on Spondon Street off Mansfield Road in the heart of Sherwood is owned by the City Council, and includes former social services offices, public toilets, a car park and three retail units, as well as the existing library. The buildings are in a poor state of repair and the library doesn’t meet the standards now expected by library users.

Over a number of years, the council has carried out a programme of creating fewer, better libraries which has seen an upsurge in user numbers.

Many district libraries are now housed in joint service centres alongside housing offices and doctors surgeries, and a new Central Library is to be developed alongside the new Broadmarsh shopping centre, car park and bus station.

The proposals for Sherwood will see a mixed-use development including a new high-quality library and a police contact point, along with shops, homes and offices.

The council is undertaking an exercise to identify a

preferred developer to buy and develop the site, with the Council Leader Cllr Jon Collins signing a decision to identify a preferred developer and refine the scheme. Work will continue with the selected developer to iron out all the details before a contract is signed.

The arrangements mean the new library is provided at no capital cost to the council, with the preferred bidder having the opportunity to develop the rest of the site, subject to the usual planning controls. It will be more energy efficient and economical to run and is expected to attract more people with its modern facilities. The public toilets will remain and a new public car park will replace the existing one.

There are two alternative public car parks available nearby on Winchester Street and Hall Street for use during the works. Sherwood is also very well served by excellent public transport, enabling people to access the local shops and amenities.

The City Council’s Corporate Director for Development and Growth, Chris Henning, said: “Sherwood Library is past its economic life and no longer comes up to the expectations of library users. Developing a brand new library will create a much better facility for the local community, alongside a new police contact point.

“By selling this site to a developer under the arrangements we’ve agreed, we gain a new library at no cost to council taxpayers.”

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Page 10.

Giving residents some assistance A partnership between the Council and the Bassetlaw Action Centre will help hundreds of elderly and vulnerable residents to stay in their own homes and make their daily lives safer thanks to Assistive Technology.

Assistive Technology

equipment includes items such as anti-trip cable mats, remote control light switches, automatic pill dispensers and daily living computers that give the user prompts and reminders - for example, when the user should take medication, doctor’s appointments, or if they have any arrangements for that day.

The equipment can also make daily life safer and help to prevent falls in the home, provide reassurance and support for the user and in turn relieve a little pressure on the NHS, the adult care system and local doctors.

More than £203,000 from the Council’s

‘Better Care Fund’ has been used to purchase the Assistive Technology that will be distributed to vulnerable and elderly people across the district through the Bassetlaw Action Centre, via its network of partners. Cllr Steve Scotthorne, Cabinet Member for Housing at Bassetlaw District Council, said: “I’m thrilled that we’ll be working closely with the Bassetlaw Action Centre to really make a difference to people’s daily lives.

“Preventative action and low level support like this is just a small intervention we can make that will enable someone to remain in their home, rather than the prospect being moved into alternative accommodation.”

“It will also give us the opportunity to relieve some of the pressure on our colleagues in the NHS and Adult Social Care sector by helping to reduce accidents in the home and get people back into the community through social prescribing. Lynn Tupling,

Chief Executive of Bassetlaw Action Centre, said: “We are here to promote the independence of older and vulnerable people and this partnership will give residents across all tenure a lot more control of their wellbeing and future living arrangements.

“People are often reluctant to ask for help because it

may mean that they have a fear of not be able to stay in their own home. So Assistive Technology can have a really big and positive impact.

“We work with a range of partners to identify residents who are eligible for support.

If you feel that you could benefit from Assistive Technology, or know of

someone who’s life would be improved by this equipment, please contact us.”

To contact Bassetlaw Action Centre, you can call them on 01777 709650, visit their Retford Offices between 9am and 1pm, Monday to Friday or visit the website at www. bassetlawactioncentre.org.uk

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Tattoo Parlour first in Rushcliffe to receive five-star hygiene rating A tattoo parlour has become the first business of its kind in Rushcliffe to be registered with a countywide hygiene rating, achieving the top score of five stars.

Vellum Tattoo in West Bridgford has joined The Hygiene Accreditation Scheme (HAS), a voluntary initiative put in place to improve and maintain hygiene and safety standards within premises offering tattooing, semi-permanent make-up and cosmetic body piercing treatments across Nottinghamshire.

Operated in a similar way to the National Food Hygiene Rating Scheme for food outlets, businesses that sign up to the scheme are visited

by Environmental Health Officers. A score is then generated on factors such as safety and cleanliness including hand hygiene, cleaning and disinfection of the studio and the correct cleaning and sterilization of instruments.

The six-point system will then rate businesses from zero urgent improvement required, to five - excellent. Customers can view which businesses have been inspected and rated by checking the window sticker in premises’ windows or by visiting https://bit. ly/2IcacmC. Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Executive Manager for Neighbourhoods Dave Banks presented Jai Gilchrist, owner

of Vellum Tattoo, with the window sticker that highlights their score.

He said: “It is great that Vellum has achieved a five star rating, giving customers further confidence that the business operates safely and meets high standards of safety and cleanliness.

“Hygiene within the tattoo and body-piercing industry is of paramount importance, where poor practices can cause severe illness or permanent damage to customers.

“We would urge other businesses in Rushcliffe that offer similar services to join the scheme to give their customers peace of mind they too operate with high levels of hygiene standards and also

give themselves a commercial advantage.”

Businesses participating in the scheme are required to follow rules devised using nationally recognised guidance, including the Guidance Toolkit produced by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health.

Jai said: “Our customer’s safety is very important to us so we are delighted that we have achieved this accreditation with such a high rating.

“Customers can be even further assured that we operate in a clean and hygienic environment.”

The Scheme is being coordinated by Environmental Health teams within local

authorities across the county who are responsible for the registration of tattoo, body piercing and beauty treatment businesses and is carried out in addition to routine

inspections. Outlets can join the scheme for £120 for an initial inspection and gain a re-inspection and re-rating for £60 by visiting https://bit. ly/2IcacmC.

Free dog bag dispensers installed We are currently installing 25 free dog bag dispensers in our parks and open spaces across the district.

The dispensers have been The dog bags provided free to the Council fully compostable

by TiksPac and will be funded biodegradable. through sponsorship.

are and

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Page 14.

Rogue Landlord fined thousands for lack of action An Ashfield private landlord has been ordered to pay over £12,000 after failing to improve her property to a liveable standard.

Nottingham Magistrates’ Court heard, Yvonne Rose of Wigston, Leicestershire had been issued a notice in November 2016 requiring her to make external improvements to the property and another in February 2017 requiring works to be carried out to fix the serious hazards within the property.

The property was initially brought to the

Council’s attention in 2014 following complaints from the tenant. Officers found serious disrepair including missing windows, no heating system, dangerous electrics and no fixed kitchen facilities.

Council officers immediately prohibited the use of the property.

Despite officers repeated attempts to discuss the works required to bring the property back into use, it remained in an empty and derelict state.

Following the issue of the notices a further inspection was made in June 2018.

It was deemed, that with the exception of some minor works the property remained in a state of disrepair.

In sentencing Yvonne Rose, the magistrate at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court found that she had deliberately failed to comply with the statutory notices.

In view of the time scale of events and the prolonged duration of broken promises, they found that the harm to the amenity of the community was considerable and had increased over time.

A fine of £8250 was imposed on Rose and she was ordered to pay £3957.32 to Ashfield District Council after pleading guilty.

Paul Parkinson, Director of Housing & Assets

at Ashfield District Council says “We have extended the powers open to our enforcement teams and this result shows the Council’s commitment in bringing rogue

landlords to justice. This outcome should act as warning to all rogue landlords in the district that poor and squalid housing is not acceptable and we will use all means at our disposal to enforce the law including, fines, courts and prosecutions.”

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Why You Must Visit Norfolk Norfolk is a diverse county with fantastic coast and different landscapes, visitor attractions and things to do.There's also plenty of events going on. With so much to do it's hard to narrow down the long list of reasons to visit.

Brilliant visitor attractions Norfolk has adventure playgrounds such as BeWILDerwood and Go Ape. You can meet animals at Banham Zoo, Wroxham Barns, Amazonia and Thrigby Hall and dinosaurs at Dino Adventure Park.

Discover more about the natural world at Pensthorpe and Fairhaven Woodland and Water Garden.

There's Norman Castle Rising and Norwich Castle; stately homes such as Sandringham, Holkham, Blickling, Felbrigg and Houghton; and Norfolk

has wonderful museums too.

Seaside resorts for family fun Norfolk has amazing seaside resorts that offer flip-flop family fun! In Great Yarmouth there's the Golden Mile and Pleasure Beach.Cromer has the last end-of-pier theatre show in Europe. Hunstanton has trips to see the seals and plenty to amuse Great Yarmouth Great Yarmouth is famous as a family holiday destination, bursting with fun things to do, activities for all, shows and attractions stretching along the fabled Golden Mile and the huge expanse of pristine beach As well as being East Anglia's premier beach resort, Great Yarmouth also has a fabulous maritime heritage and a port famous for once being the hub of the herring industry.

Great Yarmouth's Golden Mile

is a paradise for people who enjoy seaside entertainment at its best. Indoor and outdoor entertainment venues line the promenade and there are rides and attractions for all ages along the seafront.

You can play adventure golf, ride on giant snails, enjoy freshly-cooked doughnuts, fish and chips or an ice cream, and then head off for a ride on a scream-inducing rollercoaster or take in a superb show or go racing.

The Greater Yarmouth area contains wonderful countryside, charming villages, the scenic Breydon Water, and a quieter but no less appealing seaside resort in Gorleston-on-Sea and the vibrant village resort of Hemsby.

Visitors have been coming to Great Yarmouth since the late 1700s and the resort is now

one of the most popular in the UK for day trips, weekend breaks and longer holidays, offering all the character of a traditional seaside trip but with a very modern twist.

There are more than 15 miles of sandy beaches within the Greater Yarmouth area, all with gentle slopes that make bathing a delight, from the marram dunes of Wintertonon-Sea and Hemsby in the north to cliff-backed Hoptonon-Sea in the south. cromer Cromer is famous for the eponymous and worldfamous Cromer Crab – a fresh brown crab which you can find in many establishments throughout the town, in salads, sandwiches, dressed or in their shells. The reason Cromer's crabs are so tender and sweet is that they grow slowly on the chalk reef just off the coast (Yes, really! A reef!).

The town doesn't have a harbour, so the fishing boats are hauled up on to the shingle by the cobblestoned Gangway.

Nearby is the Henry Blogg Museum, named after the town's most distinguished lifeboatman.

Above the family-friendly beach, you can explore the town's tight streets, the church of St Peter and St Paul with its wonderful stained glass and 160ft tower (the tallest in Norfolk), and the Cromer Museum where you can learn about the town's fishing, trading and seaside history - or just simply enjoy the peaceful mini-parks and gardens. Oh yes, and the little subject of our amazing Deep History Coast, home to mammoths, hyaenas and lions!

Broadland and the Broads Norfolk is possibly most

famous for the man-made Broads, a National Park with over 125 miles of navigable lock-free waterways set in beautiful countryside and studded with charming and picturesque towns and villages.

The big skies and sparkling landscape of marshland fields, feathery reeds and tangled woodlands are a perfect canvas for adventure and relaxation - time to reflect, space to explore, a magical opportunity to enjoy a fabulous break.

This is the Venice of the East – in fact, the Norfolk Broads has more miles of waterway than the Italian city! It also has more waterways than Amsterdam!

The Broads National Park offers visitors an experience unlike any other, both on its rivers and lakes, and alongside them, on peaceful paths and cycle ways.

Without a doubt, the best way to discover the Broads is by boat. So much of the Broads can't be reached by road that days - and nights - afloat become a real adventure, with hidden places, perfect fishing spots and close encounters with wildlife at every turn.

The famous Broads motor cruisers have been holiday favourites since the 1930s, and today’s boats have all the comforts of home on board, so even if you prefer to visit during the quieter, cooler months, you'll have a cosy base for your explorations.

With fresh air, sparkling water and wide horizons by day, and wonderfully

dark, starry nights, a boating holiday on the Broads is an unforgettable experience.

There are plenty of places along the meandering waterways for you to moor up and hop out to explore pretty villages and market towns, or to stop at a welcoming pub.

Beaches – miles and miles of unspoilt sand Norfolk has 90 miles of unspoilt coast (93 when the tide's out) with cliffs, marram grass-tufted dunes and tidal salt marshes. Most of all though, it has pristine beaches ideal for swimming, playing games and building sandcastles.

On the east coast, there's Gorleston, Gt Yarmouth, Winterton, Sea Palling, Horsey and more. On the north Norfolk coast Cromer is great, Brancaster is huge and Holkham/Wells has been voted the best beach in Britain!

Norfolk is possibly most famous for the man-made Broads, Britain's Magical Waterland and National Park, over 125 miles of navigable lock-free waterways set in beautiful countryside and with many charming and picturesque towns and villages - and even mentioned in David Bowie's Life on Mars!

The big skies and sparkling landscape of marshland fields, feathery reeds and tangled woodlands are a perfect canvas for adventure and relaxation - time to reflect, space to explore, a magical opportunity to enjoy a fabulous break.

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Mini Golf is getting a mighty makeover at Markeaton Park Those who have visited Markeaton Park recently will have seen change is afoot. The course has been removed and

is being replaced with a brand new Mini Golf course.

The park, which has been popular with adults and

Discover the 'old man' Once the stately home of eccentrics, Calke Abbey’s former glory has faded, but outside there’s room to walk, run and explore.

There are plenty of surprising discoveries to be made in the abbey’s beautiful park grounds, most of which belongs to a National Natural Reserve. You’ll find that the varied landscape of grassland, ponds and rare wood pasture makes this a wonderful space to walk in. Take the

family - though doggie on a lead please. Such special and fragile habitats are teeming with residents. Apart from the deer enclosure – a joy in itself – this is a place of badgers, bats, bluebells, butterflies, birds, beetles and other buglife. Look out for them and enjoy their company. As for the Old Man of Calke, he was growing here before the Norman Conquest. He’s too frail to touch now, but do nod a greeting when you pass by.

children alike for decades, will see its newest attraction opening this Spring.

Work to remove the old course started in February and the construction of the new course is underway and on track.

The new course can be played as two separate 9 hole

courses or one 18 hole course. With the usual challenging features such as ramps, bends, slopes and bumps, the course has been designed to be fun for all the family – especially those who like a little healthy competition!

The course, which has been designed by Hertfordshire based UrbanCrazy, who sponsor the Great Britain Mini Golf Team and will be bringing them along for its grand opening where visitors can learn from the pros!

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Vote For Something Different LOVE, SEX, ART AND TRAVEL are just some of the themes covered in a new exhibition, ‘Discover A Life Without Limits’, about to be launched at Eastwood’s D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum.

Looking at the life of one of N o t t i n g h a m s h i r e ’s most famous rebel writers, D.H. Lawrence, prepare to be surprised and inspired by a life that was anything but ordinary. Museum and Collections Officer, Carolyn Melbourne describes the exhibition as “exploring the many different ways that Lawrence defied expectations, broke boundaries and challenged

conventions.” Choosing from topics including sex, travel, religion and his social circles, visitors are invited to explore Lawrence’s extraordinary life and to vote on what they would like to find out more about. The outcome of the voting will help influence upcoming exhibitions.

‘Discover a Life Without Limits’ will run from 12th April until 26th July 2019.

The exhibition is free to visit during the museum’s opening hours with a public launch event taking place on the 12th April from 4pm till 7pm.

Also new for 2019, are a series of special events and a family friendly programme,

with parents and tots storytelling sessions and ‘Gin & Gaslight’ evening tours.

So whether you’ve read any of Lawrence’s works or not, the birthplace of one of the country’s most controversial authors has something to interest everyone. As well as guided tours of the museum, visitors can now choose selfguided admission (the selfguided option is FREE for all Broxtowe residents).

To claim your free selfguided tour of the Museum, please bring proof of address and experience the humble beginnings of a literary legend. Self-guided tours are available Tuesday – Saturday,

12.00pm – 4.00pm; no booking is required. The D.H. Lawrence Birthplace Museum is open from Tuesday to Saturday, 10.00am-4.00pm, in Eastwood, Nottinghamshire, NG16 3AW. For more information, or to book onto guided tours, call the Museum on 0115 917 3824 or visit the Museum Website https://www. lleisure.co.uk/d-h-lawrencebirthplace-museum/

Celebrating Nottinghamshire's

Charms - Robin Hood We’re celebrating all things unique to Nottinghamshire!

So it would be crazy not to talk about our original outlaw hero, Robin Hood wouldn’t it? No one knows quite how far back in history the legendary tales started, or who the very first Robin Hood was, but we do know that the ballads of this loveable rogue first appeared in manuscript towards the end of the 1400s.

Originally, they were six tales, all written in simple four-line rhyme. They tell stories of Robin’s tricks against the Sheriff of Nottingham, his friendship with the everloyal Little John, testing the honesty of travellers to see if they were worthy of his help, his trusted band of Merry Men, and more. Fast forward several hundred years and we’ve now many film and television adaptations (some

better than others but we’ll leave that there!), a worldrenowned, much-loved hero and plenty of pretty awesome things to do in Nottingham to enjoy an authentic Robin Hood experience. For the full works, we’d like to sign post you to our fabulous two-day Robin Hood itinerary, which will see you galivant across the city and county just as Robin did, experiencing the delights of Sherwood Forest, learning archery and visiting the awesome Robin Hood statue, just by Nottingham Castle. There is however something, or should we say someone, that we’d like to draw your attention to today, during E n g l i s h Tourism Week; the ever-popular Robin Hood

Town Tour. Join multi-awardwinning tour guide Ezekial Bone, as Robin Hood, for this fantastically entertaining and super informative tour of Nottingham city. Follow a trail of historical facts, visiting places associated with our legendary hero, and discover how simple ballads over 700 years old grew into one of the greatest stories ever told. You will also see the city's key sites of interest and learn about its past, present and future.

Robin will also point out the best places to eat, drink and make merry so you can make the most of your stay.

So visit Nottinghamshire, the stomping ground of our mysterious hooded hero.

Whether you explore the city or head out into the county and deep into Sherwood Forest, one thing is for sure – Robin Hood will live on in your heart and mind long after your visit.

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Nottinghamshire County Show 2019 Experience a great traditional family day out this Spring at Nottinghamshire County Show. New for this year are three HOYS Qualifiers, including British Ridden Heavy Horse of the Year and, following on from the success of the dedicated ‘Heavies Ring’ in 2018, our Heavy Horse ‘Village’ will have even more to entertain, including ‘working horse’ demonstrations on both days.

These working horses will also be taking part in the Heritage Harvesting parade in the Main Ring. This first show

of the season showcases the best cattle, sheep, goats and pigs alongside superb equine events, including majestic ‘heavies’ and first-class showjumping.

Classes and competitions run all day both days. In addition to the usual farmyard favourites, will be gun dogs, hunting hounds, giant tortoises, and birds of prey.

Children will particularly enjoy the antics of the animals in the Countryside Area and alongside old favourites like the Sheep Show will be fascinating demonstrations of

heritage crafts such as coracle making and fashioning traditional hats from straw.

A welcome sight will be the return of last year’s very popular 8ft stilted animatronic character, Froojamaflip, and his hilarious sidekick, Fred the Gardener. New for this year is a ‘Magic Wand Making Workshop’ run by Amerton Arts and suitable for children from around 4 years old.

The courses run all day and are a drop-in format with around 20 places for each course.

Featuring as the Main Ring attraction is Dzhigitovka, an exciting Cossack trickriding spectacular, straight from Russia, with fabulously costumed riders and dare-devil horses, performing to crowdpleasing music and bringing a flavour of the legendary warriors on horseback, masters of sword, archery and outstanding gymnastic skills.

Visitors can look forward to visiting the Farriery Competition marquee where they can watch experienced and apprentice-level farriers getting very hot under the collar as they demonstrate their horseshoe making skills to compete for prizes.

The marquee will be located near the Heavy Horse Village.

Visit the recently rejuvenated Food Experience area to sample and buy tasty locallymade produce and where youngsters are encouraged to check out the NFU Discovery Barn. Then step next door to admire the gorgeous floral art displays in the Lady Eastwood Centre and those with small

children in tow may want to let them try their hand at floral crafts in the ‘Have A Go’ children’s corner. With ample opportunity to shop for crafts, gifts and clothing, many items on sale will not be available in the high street stores.

The Show benefits from plenty of food outlets, with inside or outdoor seating, where tasty snacks, two-courses lunches, hot and cold drinks, including beers and wine, can be bought and enjoyed. Offering a fun-packed weekend of family entertainment, the Show successfully combines tradition with modernday life – from discovery and adventure to hands-on experiences and learning while you watch – there really is something for everyone.

See www. nottingamshirecountyshow. com for further details and Membership information.

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things to do in and around Nottingham It might not feel like summer at the moment, but there are lots of outdoor events coming up in and around Nottingham this month. Here's my pick to keep you entertained come rain or shine. This month sees

a surprising amount of unique events. The big addition to the city's entertainment scene for 15 days this May is The Magnificent Spiegel Tent.

The beautiful, century-old travelling dance hall will again visit the Old Market Square to host a packed schedule of events.

Highlights i n c l u d e The Gilded M e r k i n Burlesque and Cabaret, Bamalamasingsong, The Cabaret of Dreams, Yoga and Zumba sessions, plus comedian Milton Jones (4-18 May) Meet the stars from Star Trek;

The Next Generation as EMCon returns to the Motorpoint Arena (4-5 May), and from space to the world of Unlimited Wellbeing as three great shows in one visit the Arena on 12th May featuring Health & Fitness, Holistic and Hair & Beauty with over 200 leading health and wellbeing professionals exhibiting.

If you're a fan of fitness, the Sunrise City 5k takes place on 17th May The early morning walk/run will take in famous landmarks, including Nottingham Castle and Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem before a picturesque return along the Notts-Beeston Canal or you can make the most of a spring evening and join like-minded runners in a Sunset 5k or 1.5k fun run around Nottingham Trent University's Clifton Campus in support the work of the John van Geest Cancer Research Centre. The route will include the nature trail and surrounding areas. There'll even be a BBQ at the finish, so

runners and their friends and family can purchase a bite to eat (7May) Our four legged friend also have their own fun days this month. Take them along to Newstead Abbey this bank holiday and enjoy the fantastic dog show put on by the Jerry Green Dog Rescue Centre.

Enter your pooch in one of the many fun categories. Stay late on the Sunday and listen to live music (5-6 May), or visit Thoresby Park (27 May) with demonstrations, activities and have a go sessions.

If you fancy something a little calmer, why not see the sun rise, enjoy the morning's peaceful atmosphere and soak up the sounds of spring at Dawn Chorus for International Dawn Chorus Day (5th May) at Sherwood Forest. If, like me, rising before dawn is not for you, there's also an early morning walk at Budby South Forest, or maybe join the free Photo Walk (4 May) at Thoresby Park for photo lovers, all ages, all abilities, all cameras! A chance for you to have a little creative 'photo me-time' and pick up ideas, hints and tips to help you make better photos.

Bring along your picnic chairs, rugs, blankets, and dancing shoes as outdoor cinema begins at Rufford Park! Dress up and sing or dance along to the evening films (3,4,5 May) Festival season is also upon us with the first of the year taking place at Southwell Racecourse (4-6 May ) with a large indoor Grandstand bursting with Antiques, Collectables & Vintage items. Newstead Abbey are also holding a craft and gift fair (25-27 May) and Castle Rock Brewery celebrate all things facial hair with their Brewery Beer’d Festival with the second running of The Grand-Tashional and an great evening of racing. Enjoy live music and a showcase of their excellent range of brews.

Picture Credited To Robin Macey

Music Lovers will be pleased to know that the Dot to Dot Festival also returns to various venues around the City (26 May) unearthing the hottest new talent around, alongside established acts from all over the globe. As well as the festivals of course there is the usual line-up of talent to look forward to. The Royal Concert Hall plays host to the Vamps (1 May), Marc Almond (6 May) and Katherine Jenkins (17 May) while down the road at the Motorpoint Arena there's Olly Murs (6-7 May) and Rod Stewart (28 May).

Hit musicals Kinky Boots (27 May - 8 June), Calendar Girls (25 May - 6 June) and Annie (20-25 May) are all worth going along to see at the Theatre Royal. Annie stars Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood as Mrs Hannigan.

You can catch some of the Strictly Professional Dancers in action with their own show (7-8 May) There's drama on the cards at the Theatre Royal this month with Educating Rita (13-18 May) and Girl on the Train (20-25 May). Nottingham Playhouse also host The Memory of Water (3-18 May) while The Lace Market Theatre has The Step Mother (28 May - 1 June)

Food lovers can enjoy Beer and Cheese tasting at The School of Artisan Food. Be guided through the tasting experience by the head brewer of the Welbeck Abbey Brewery, Claire Monk and the School's dairy expert Katy Fenwick and sample a wide selection of artisan cheeses from across the British Isles, paired with a range of hand-crafted beers from the Welbeck Abbey Brewery (19 May).

You will also be pleased to know that Nottingham's favourite butcher, Johnny Pusztai, finally opens his Snobby Butcher Restaurant this month in Sherwood.

Finally, how often do we go on tours on holiday and yet never do it at home? Take a staycation and find history galore right here on your doorstep. You can learn all about it while taking one of the many tours around the city, such as the Robin Hood Town Tour (4,11,18,25 May) the Nutty Nottingham tour (4,11,25 May) the Book Lovers Walk. (5 May) or the Magic Lantern Tour of the Theatre Royal (18/5) *Always check with the venue ahead and book if necessary. There is usually a cost or entrance fee unless stated otherwise

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Beyond the Dams…

A new exhibition, is exploring the story of the Dambusters’ activities following their most famous raid.

While many people are familiar with the events of 16-17 May 1943, when Wing Commander Guy Gibson led 617 Squadron of the Royal Air Force on an audacious bombing raid to destroy three dams in the Ruhr valley, fewer people know about the team’s achievements during the remainder of the Second World War. Now those stories are being brought to life in Beyond the Dams, a special exhibition running at The Battle of Britain Memorial

is open Monday to Friday, further details, visit www.

Flight Visitor Centre until the detailing the plans for the for aviation heritage fans.” attack. “It’s a great exhibition The BBMF Visitor Centre from 10am to 5pm. For lincolnshire.gov.uk/bbmf end of September 2019.

Dave Harrigan from Aviation Heritage Lincolnshire said: “617 Squadron continued to play a major role in the war following the raids against the Ruhr valley dams.

“The most well-known of these was the attack on the German battleship Tirpitz in Norway. “We have a few artefacts from the Tirpitz on display, including part of the ship’s deck planking, a 20mm anti-aircraft gunner’s seat and the ship’s anti-torpedo netting.

“There is also a model of the Tirpitz on display and archived operational paperwork

Could you give a helping hand to heritage?

The Collection Museum in Lincoln is looking for local volunteers to help make sure visitors to the award-winning attraction have the best experience possible.

The museum is looking for

enthusiastic volunteers to help with a number of exciting exhibitions, including the current Museum of the Moon and this summer’s Dinosaur Encounter.

The role is ideal for people with excellent communication skills, who

are interested in developing a sound knowledge of the day-to-day running of a public museum and gallery.

Paul Mason, visitor experience manager, said: “Whether you’re 16 and just starting out, looking to gain experience in the heritage sector, or just wanting to try something new

- you may very well be able to help us. “As an exhibition volunteer you are likely to be the first person many of our visitors will encounter, so we are looking for volunteers who are positive, have a sense of fun and want to help make their day as special as possible.

“The role will include greeting visitors to the exhibition in a warm and friendly manner, orientating them

around the site and answering general enquiries. You’ll also monitor and control visitor numbers in the gallery space.

“So if you’re a friendly and enthusiastic person and would like to be a part of our fantastic team, please get in touch.” To apply, complete the application form available

from the museum reception or online at www.lincolnshire. gov.uk/volunteering If you have any questions or need further information about this role, please contact The Collection via email at thecollection@lincolnshire. gov.uk or telephone 01522 550965.

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Budding gardeners come

together to transform park Volunteers of all ages have been using the power of flowers to transform the entrance to a Newark park.

Budding gardeners from local Cub and Scout groups, the Holy Trinity Catholic Academy and Reach Learning Disability have brought to life their own planting designs at Sconce and Devon Park, on Boundary Road.

Guided by Newark and Sherwood District Council park rangers, each group was allocated a triangular shaped bed in which they could design the entire layout.

A group from Flower Pod - part of Reach Learning Disability, a charity that provides day centre care and support for people with learning disabilities – spent the afternoon planting different varieties of poppies, geraniums and verbenas in a pink, purple and yellow colour scheme.

Flower Pod brings together employees, volunteers and people with learning disabilities to produce and

sell flowers, natural confetti, wreaths and other locally sourced products.

Jane Hufton, Flower Pod centre manager, said: “We love this kind of project – being part of the local community is really important and although we are based in Southwell, all the guys involved live in Newark and not many have the chance to garden.

It’s lovely to think they will be able to bring friends and family to Sconce to show them what they’ve been part of”.

The project was enjoyed by the whole group including members Stuart and Robin.

They said, respectively: “It’s great that we get to use our gardening skills somewhere else - now everyone can see what we do” and “We have used plants that you can find in the Flower Pod garden they are good for bees and other pollinators."

Lavender, sage and rudbeckia are among the planting designs by a group of pupils from the next door H o l y Trinity Catholic Academy.

S u e Hayes, teaching assistant at the school said: “The pupils have really enjoyed the whole process, from the initial designs, picking the plants and colour schemes and the planting session at the park.

They can’t wait to see the results of their hard work

once the plants come into life.”

A combination of white and purple aubretia, yellow creeping jenny and creeping thyme formed the Scout logo within the flowerbed designed by the 7th Newark Cubs & Scouts.

In addition, the 6th Newark Cubs also continued the bright theme with a colourful creation of pink, red, yellow and blue echinacea, helenium and achillea plants. Phil Beard, business manager for parks and amenities at the district council, said: “Our Cleaner, Safer and Greener campaign has certainly heightened awareness of our open spaces and we take great pride in our parks.

"This has been a great project that’s giving local groups and organisations the opportunity to get involved in the local community.

We are delighted that all the groups enjoyed turning their visions for the flower beds into reality and we look forward to seeing the finished results.”

The park is home to a variety of habitats including riverside, pastures, woodlands, grasslands and an orchard, as well as some rare plant species including flowering rush with its cup-shaped, pink flowers that appear around wetland habitats.

In addition, it is already rich in a variety of plant life from tall oaks to small herbs and grasses, attracting wildlife including butterflies, dragonflies, kingfishers, swans and thrushes.

Last year, the park was presented a Green Flag Award for the 10th time, which rewards well maintained parks and green spaces.

Green Flag parks set a benchmark standard for recreational outdoor spaces across the country and the award recognises good management and the hard work of staff and volunteers in maintaining spaces that meet the needs of the local community.

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Museum Celebrates Historic 50 Years Rutland County Museum is getting ready to celebrate five decades as one of the County’s favourite visitor attractions.

The Museum, in Oakham, tells the story of Rutland’s history, archaeology and geology, and was officially opened by the Duchess of Gloucester on 12 May 1969. This followed ten years of passionate campaigning and fundraising by local charity Friends of Rutland County Museum to establish a dedicated heritage centre for Rutland.

To celebrate its 50-year anniversary, Rutland County Museum is holding a series of special events, displays and exhibitions – starting with a ‘Get Creative’ Family Day on Saturday 11 May and leading up to the unveiling of a newly aquired historical artefact, which will go on public display for the first time in October.

October also marks the 60th anniversary of Friends of

Rutland County Museum, who continue to support the Museum by raising funds for the purchase of new exhibits. The Friends intend to hold their own anniversary celebrations at the Museum in October.

“Our members are all incredibly proud of the role that the Friends have played in helping to establish and support a county museum for Rutland. Having initially campaigned for ten years to have the Museum opened, it is hugely rewarding to reach such a significant milestone.

Fifty years is a tremendous achievement and shows just how popular the Museum has become among visitors and all of us who live in Rutland.”

Sir Laurence Howard KCVO OBE, President of Friends of Rutland County Museum Rutland County Council are custodians of Rutland County Museum and maintain and run the building as one of their

cultural services.

“It’s fantastic that we’re celebrating 50 years of Rutland County Museum. The Museum isn’t just an historic building; it’s part of the local community and an important link to the past. We’re starting the anniversary celebrations with a ‘Get Creative’ Day because the Museum is a family attraction that’s enjoyed by visitors of all ages. It’s not just somewhere to learn, it’s also a place to have fun and we hope lots of you will come along to join in the celebrations.”

Rob Harbour, Deputy Director for Places at Rutland County Council Rutland County Museum’s 50th anniversary Family Day takes place on Saturday 11 May 2019 and will be supporting the national Get Creative Festival, with free

arts and crafts activities for children aged four and older.

As part of its 50-year celebrations, the Museum will also be using social media to count down a list of 50 historical artefacts that span the centuries. The countdown will highlight many of the hidden treasures which make up the Museum’s archive of

more than 12,000 objects.

Follow Rutland County Museum on Twitter and Facebook to find out more.

Rutland County Museum is one of the most popular free attractions in the East Midlands and welcomed more than 18,000 visitors last year.

The Museum is open from 10am until 4pm on Monday,

Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

For more information about upcoming events and activities as part of the 50th anniversary celebrations, visit the Rutland County Museum website https://rutlandcountymuseum. org.uk, email: museum@ rutland.gov.uk or call: 01572 758440.

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Make your best day last forever with Trollbeads Your wedding is the beginning of a journey. With hope and love, laughter and happiness.

With something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.

Let romance in and keep it with you forever.

The Trollbeads Tiara takes a revolutionary approach to jewellery design and is a wonderful way to make the day last forever. The Trollbeads jewellery concept

allows the bride to create her own unique tiara for the best day of her life. Also, necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings can be created to match the style of the bride.

Also for the groom Jewellery is not only for the bride. The day is also of great emotions to the groom, and it is important to wear just the right clothes and accessories.

Within recent years, an increasing number of men have started to wear jewellery.

This is one of the most trending tendencies in fashion – and nothing indicates this to change soon. Many women think that jewellery for men is stylish and sexy. And it radiates self-confidence.

What about the bridesmaids?

With Trollbeads it is possible to combine any kind of

jewellery and colour, so there is something to match all bridesmaids. And maybe there should be a similar bead on both bride’s and bridesmaids’ jewellery?! Share the story.

Make the day last forever Create spectacular bangles, necklaces and bracelets of the jewellery from the wedding.

This way the day will last forever. All jewellery and beads from the Trollbeads

collection can be mixed and matched in endless ways.

People are made of stories – some are defining, and some are just for fun. A wedding is definitely defining. Wear it for the rest of your life.

Trollbeads, a Danish familyowned jewellery brand, was established in 1976.

Trollbeads is the original bead-on-bracelet concept.

At the core of the brand lies self-expression through 600 different beads in sterling silver, 18 karat gold, Murano glass, freshwater pearls, amber and gemstones.

Trollbeads jewellery is available in more than 30 countries through the company’s own flagship stores, independent retailers, and online at www.trollbeads.com

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Planning for your Wedding Day 2019

As couples plan for their big day for 2019 now is the time to get into shape. and start organizing for what will be the best day of their lives.

For the bride, you can’t start earlier enough. You want to arrive at the alter looking vibrant with health and beauty, so what better excuse do you need to invest a little bit of time, money and energy in getting you there? Whether it is planning a few pampering trips to some spas or joining a gym, not only can you trim your figure, you’ll do wonders for your complexion and overall energy levels.

Shopping for the wedding dress is probably the part of the wedding plans you are looking forward to more than any other aspect.

The majority of bridal gowns bought in the UK are

National Brewery Centre

classed as ‘off the peg.’ You try on a sample of the gown in the shop; they take your measurements and order the most appropriate size for you which is then delivered to the shop for alterations to fit your exact shape and size.

Don’t panic, there may be a huge amount to do but here is a handy checklist with some of the main points to take into consideration in the build up to the big day!

12 months before…

Choose a wedding date Decide on a budget Make a list of guests and decide on numbers Book your Church/Ceremony location Book your reception venue/ caterers Choose your Bridesmaids, Ushers and Best Man Start looking for The Dress!

Choose and book your photographer 8 months before…

C h o o s e bridesmaids’ dresses

Book entertainment Choose and order your wedding cake.

Make an appointment with your chosen florist 6 months before...

Give Notice of Marriage Purchase or hire menswear Select your wedding rings 4 months before...

Send out your wedding invitations Arrange fittings for the wedding dress and menswear 1 month before...

Arrange a final fitting of your wedding dress your bridesmaids, ushers and best man. Enjoy your hen and stag parties!

2 weeks before...

Confirm the date and time of the rehearsal to the relevant people 1 week before...

Arrange to collect your wedding dress, bridesmaids dresses and the menswear Have all your beauty treatments. Drink plenty of water and have some early nights. Relax and enjoy this time – all your hard work is about to come to completion!

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10 tips for healthy eating out

Whether it’s lunch with work colleagues or an evening celebrating with friends, most of us tend to eat less healthily when we eat in restaurants, pubs and cafes. Senior Dietitian Victoria Taylor offers her tips for eating out without overdoing it.Believe it or not, it is possible to eat, drink and be merry without overdoing it. Here are my tips for having a good time while keeping an eye on your waistline and good health.

1. How often are you eating out?.

A one-off meal out probably won’t make any difference to your health in the grand scheme of things, so enjoy it.

However, if it’s one of many, consider carefully how it fits into your overall diet. This could mean having a lighter meal in the evening, like soup or a sandwich, if you had a big meal earlier in the day. Or you could choose the healthiest menu options to make the meal fit into your normal diet, rather than just going for your favourites.

2. Check what’s on the menu Don’t be afraid to ask the restaurant to adapt dishes.

One of the best ways to ensure you make healthy choices when eating out is to check the menu before you arrive, whether online or in person. It means you can choose your meal without others influencing you. Many larger restaurant chains offer nutritional information online.

3. How many courses?

The tendency when we eat out is to have more than we

would at home. Sticking to just one course once you see what everyone else is having is hard.

Decide before you begin if you are going to have a starter or a dessert, and which one you’ll find easier to decline.

Having a coffee or cup of tea while others have a pudding is a good way to round off a meal, or you could share a pudding with others.

4. Adapt your dishes Don’t be afraid to ask the restaurant to adapt dishes.

It’s not usually a problem to replace chips with a jacket potato, salad or vegetables.

You can also ask for no extra cheese, butter or oil, and to put sauces in a dish on the side.

5. Portion control.

A small portion of saladIt can be easy to eat more than you intended when eating out. If you don’t want to feel too stuffed, consider a starter (perhaps with a side order of vegetables), instead of a main course, or ask for a smaller portion.

6. Keep it lean. Choose dishes which are based on lean proteins like chicken or turkey (where you can remove the skin) or lean red meats like fillet of pork or beef.

Avoid fattier cuts of meat like belly pork or rump steak and remove any visible fat like the fat around the edge of a chop. Watch out for battered and deep fried dishes - even if the contents are lean (like chicken, fish, tofu or vegetables) the coating means they will come with lots of extra fat and calories.

7. A bit on the side Having a coffee or cup of tea while others have a pudding is a good way to round off a meal.

Having a good helping of vegetables with your meal will add vitamins, minerals and fibre and help you towards your five a day, but beware vegetables that come with added butter, cheese sauce or salt. Ask the server for more information and see if there are any healthier alternatives.

8. Be drink aware. Keeping alcoholic drinks within the guidelines is important, particularly if you are going to be socialising more than usual. Try not to exceed the recommended 2–3 units a day for women and 3–4 for men.

Don’t forget the calories that drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, can add. If you can, choose sugar-free drinks or water, and alternate these with any alcoholic drinks you are having.

9. Entertain at home. A dinner partyWe all enjoy eating out sometimes, but have you considered inviting family or friends round for a meal?

That way you can control what’s on the menu, and it’s often cheaper, too. Ask your guests to bring a dish if you don’t want to be overwhelmed by cooking, although don’t forget to let them know if you want them to bring a healthier option.

10. Fancy a nibble?

Nibbles are always a very tempting option. It’s fine to indulge in a shortbread biscuit, or a chocolate sweet, but sticking to a regular pattern of meals and snacks will help to make sure you aren’t hungry between meals and help maintain your willpower.

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Belvoir Castle Flies the Flag for

East Midlands in ‘Garden of the Year’ Awards

Credit Charlotte Graham

Credit Charlotte Graham

Belvoir Castle has been revealed as a ‘Garden of the Year’ finalist, a public voted awards organised by Historic Houses Association designed to celebrate the best gardens in the UK. Emma Rutland is the 11th Duchess of Rutland: “We’re delighted to be up for Historic Houses’ Garden of the Year.

Spring is the perfect time to explore our tranquil gardens, with camellias, daffodils and magnolias in bloom and lots of walking trails available.

With the public vote now open, we hope everyone who loves visiting our beautiful

landscapes will support us.”

Ursula Cholmeley, Gardens Editor, Historic House magazine, says: “What makes the gardens of Historic Houses special is the people who live in them, and we want to see their ideas and passion coming through in the way the garden is evolving.

Our great country houses are, rightly, protected from much significant physical change, so it’s often only in the garden that a new generation of inhabitants of these muchloved family homes can really make their mark, leaving their own legacy for future generations. These shortlisted gardens are all ones where we can see that personal imprint.”

The gardens at Belvoir Castle were designed and landscaped by the fifth Duchess of Rutland, Elizabeth Howard, and regarded as one of the greatest gardens north of London in the 18th century.

Over the years, the gardens have been lovingly cared

for with several Duchesses leaving their own mark. The 11th Duchess is determined to continue redeveloping these beautiful gardens to restore them to their former glory.

This year marks the beginning of a £200,000 restoration of the Rose Garden, following the rediscovery of the original plans drawn up by the 19th century designer Harold Peto in the Castle archives.

These reveal that the Rose Garden is shaped like a boat, with the Chinese horse at the bow, and the circular seat at the stern. Visitors can explore the classical formal gardens, woodlands and views across the rural countryside from the castle’s hilltop position.

Capability Brown Tours have been launched as part of the 2019 season.

Following a two-year restoration programme led by the 11th Duchess, which cleared over 500-acres of woodland and brought the lost plans of Capability Brown to life, visitors can explore the stunning vistas designed more than 250 years ago by the English landscape architect with a head set tour narrated by the Duchess from the new electric bus.

The Belvoir Flower and Garden Festival (13 & 14 July) also returns for its second year, a quintessential british day out with beautiful garden inspiration and ideas.

Specialist plant growers, garden furniture, sculpture

Credit Charlotte Graham

Credit Charlotte Graham

artists, show gardens, border displays, tools and crafts as well as Expert Horticulturists will be on hand to answer gardening questions.

Admission to the Gardens only at Belvoir start from £12 for adults; £7 for children (4-16 years) and £34 for a family pass (two adults and up to three children). As a listed RHS Garden, Belvoir Castle opens its doors to RHS members in June for free of charge.

To vote for Belvoir Castle to be crowned Historic Houses’ Garden of the Year, visit: www.historichouses.org/ goya2019.html. Alternatively, members of the public can cast their vote by making a post on Facebook that

includes Historic Houses (@HistoricHousesUK), the words ‘My Vote’, the name of the garden they want to win, and the hashtag #HHgoya. Voting closes on 30 September and the winner will be revealed in November.

For more information about Belvoir Castle, visit: www. belvoircastle.com.

With voting now open, the Leicestershire Estate is the only attraction to fly the flag for the East Midlands as it competes for the national title against seven other historic houses from all corners of the UK.

Credit Charlotte Graham

Credit Charlotte Graham

Credit Charlotte Graham

Credit Charlotte Graham

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Five steps to mental wellbeing Evidence suggests there are five steps we can all take to improve our mental wellbeing.

If you give them a try, you may feel happier, more positive and able to get the most from life.

What is mental wellbeing?

Sarah Stewart-Brown, professor of public health at the University of Warwick and a wellbeing expert, says: "Feeling happy is a part of mental wellbeing. But it’s far from the whole.

"Feelings of contentment, enjoyment, confidence and engagement with the world are all a part of mental wellbeing. Self-esteem and self-confidence are, too.

"So is a feeling that you can do the things you want to do.

And so are good relationships, which bring joy to you and those around you.

"Of course, good mental wellbeing does not mean that you never experience

feelings or situations that you find difficult,” says Professor Stewart-Brown.

"But it does mean that you feel you have the resilience to cope when times are tougher than usual."

It can help to think about "being well" as something you do, rather than something you are. The more you put in, the more you are likely to get out.

"No-one can give wellbeing to you. It's you who has to take action," says Professor Stewart-Brown.

Five steps to mental wellbeing Below are five things that, according to research, can really help to boost our mental wellbeing: • Connect – connect with the people around you: your family, friends, colleagues and neighbours.

Spend time developing these relationships. Learn more in Connect for mental wellbeing.

• Be active – you don't have to go to the gym. Take a walk, go cycling or play a game of football. Find an activity that you enjoy and make it a part of your life. Learn more in Get active for mental wellbeing.

• Keep learning – learning new skills can give you a sense of achievement and

a new confidence. So why not sign up for that cooking course, start learning to play a musical instrument, or figure out how to fix your bike? Find out more in Learn for mental wellbeing.

• Give to others – even the smallest act can count, whether it's a smile, a thank

you or a kind word. Larger acts, such as volunteering at your local community centre, can improve your mental wellbeing and help you build new social networks. Learn more in Give for mental wellbeing.

• Be mindful – be more aware of the present moment,

including your thoughts and feelings, your body and the world around you. Some people call this awareness "mindfulness".

It can positively change the way you feel about life and how you approach challenges. Learn more in Mindfulness for mental wellbeing.

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CONFUSED? WHAT SHOULD YOU DO???

Are you struggling with your health??

Are you totally confused about all the health advice??

Should you fast or remove certain food groups or count calories???

The suggestions go on and on! What really is the best advice – firstly it depends on your goal! Is it weight loss, is it improving your health and

making a change to your lifestyle?

Our health and that of our children is really suffering and will have huge implications in the future unless we do something NOW!!

Have you heard about the Microbiome in you Gut? It is said to be your second brain and can have a HUGE impact on every area of your Health!

Even Hippocrates said… Would you like to try a different approach – it is a 21 day programme of sensible eating, no fads or starvation! You will be fully supported and receive all the information you need to make a change to your health and ultimately your life!

This programme has been scientifically tested and clinically trialled on humans with amazing results and is totally natural products!!

I’d love to hear from you to hear to your goals and how I may be able to help you.

To claim your free call to discuss your situation and find out more how this plan has already helped thousands of people, please text ‘YES HEALTH’ to 07730 128556 or call Claire.

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Sawley Slimmer’s to put their best foot forward on charity night walk

A team of 20 women and men from the Sawley Slimming World group have pledged to put their best steps forward in the Treetops Hospice Care sponsored Starlight Strut on Friday 17 May. This will be the second year running the ‘Sawley Slimmer’s’ have taken part in the sponsored 5k and 10k walk which starts and ends at intu Derby. To celebrate its tenth year, the Starlight Strut will have a carnival-theme and is open to men, women and children to take part, Treetops, based in Risley, Derbyshire provides nursing care and emotional support for adults and their families in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Jo Thompson, the group’s consultant, said: “For us, the walk is a way

of doing something good as well as bonding the group and promoting being healthier - something we actively promote as part of the Slimming World message.

We’ve all started to build up our walking and most of us are aiming to complete the 10k route. “There’s always such a good atmosphere on the night and it’s really well organised.

You can often end up walking

with people that you don’t know and everyone is always friendly.

A m o n g s t the Sawley Slimmer’s team is Emma Tyler, 39yrs from Long Eaton who took part in the Starlight strut for the first time last year.

Both Emma’s parents received support from Treetops as she explained: “I’ve always been proud of supporting Treetops – it’s a place that’s special to us. My dad had MS and he went there for respite for quite a long time. He really enjoyed going and it also gave my mum some time as well which was nice.

“My mum went to the carers’ meetings and after my dad died, she started volunteering on the hospice reception hospice.

“It’s nice to be able to do something to say thank you for supporting our family and taking such good care of them.”

Lorraine Ray, events fundraising lead at Treetops said: “It’s great that the team are keen to get involved again and raise money for the charity.

We always get fantastic feedback about how much fun the Starlight Strut is from everyone who takes part, from the walkers themselves and from all the volunteer marshals.

“We’re aiming to encourage over 600 men, women and children to sign up this year and help us raise valuable funds so we can continue to support local people and their families.”

Those interested in signing up for the Starlight Strut can register online at www.starlightstrut. com.

Treetops current services include Support and Information, Wellbeing Space, Hospice at Home nurses and Therapeutic Services including counselling, art therapy and complementary therapy.

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Smart Wearable Fitness Device Market

Analysis 2018-2025: Key Findings, Regional Analysis,

Key Players Profiles and Future Prospects The Smart Wearable Fitness Device Market report aims to provide a 360-degree view of the market in terms of cutting-edge technology, key developments, drivers, restraints and future trends with impact analysis of these trends on the market for shortterm, mid-term and long-term during the forecast period.

Further, the report also covers key players profiling with detailed SWOT analysis, financial facts and key developments of products/ service from the past three years. Smart Wearable Fitness Devices are devices through which user can track there health and fitness every time.

These devices produce data that, often enabled with analytics, can be used by consumers to manage their health and by healthcare organizations to improve care and potentially reduce costs through systems such as remote patient monitoring.

Major Smart Wearable Fitness Device market Players: • Apple • Fitbit • Garmin • Huawei • Motorola • Misfit, Inc. • Samsung • TomTom NV • Moov Inc.• Jawbone

Smart Wearable Fitness Device Market - Global Analysis to 2025 is an expert compiled study which provides a holistic view of the market covering current trends and future scope with respect to product/service, the report also covers competitive analysis to understand the presence of key vendors in the companies by analyzing their product/services, key financial facts, details SWOT analysis and key development in last three years. Further chapter such as industry landscape and competitive landscape provides the reader with recent company level insights covering mergers

and acquisitions, joint ventures, collaborations, new product developments/ strategies taking place across the ecosystem. The report provides a detailed overview of the industry including both qualitative and quantitative information.

It provides overview and forecast of the global Smart Wearable Fitness Device market based on product and application. It also provides market size and forecast till 2025 for overall Smart Wearable Fitness Device market with respect to five major regions, namely; North America, Europe, AsiaPacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa (MEA) and South

America (SAM), which is later sub-segmented by respective countries and segments.

The report evaluates market dynamics effecting the market during the forecast period i.e., drivers, restraints, opportunities, and future trend and provides exhaustive PEST analysis for all five regions.

Key Benefits: - This study provides the analytical depiction of the global Smart Wearable Fitness Device market along with the trends and future estimations to depict the imminent investment pockets.

- The overall Smart Wearable Fitness Device market potential is determined to

understand the profitable trends to gain stronger coverage in the market.

- The report presents information regarding key drivers, restraints, and opportunities along with detailed impact analyses.

- Quantitative analysis of the Smart Wearable Fitness Device market for the period of 2018 - 2025 is provided to determine its financial competency.- Porter’s five forces analysis of the global Smart Wearable Fitness Device industry illustrates the potency of buyers and suppliers in the Smart Wearable Fitness Device industry.

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Yoga for Everyone

We cannot open a magazine these days without reading about yoga; but why all the fuss and what’s it all about?

Yoga is an Indian philosophy that dates back thousands of years. The Sanskrit word yoga means unite and it was practised to create the union of the physical body, mind and spirit in order to reach enlightenment.

Different paths of yoga were created in order to reach this state.

One of these paths was called Hatha yoga and its purpose was to develop the body in preparation for further spiritual practice. These days, particularly in the west, we practice Hatha yoga. Classes largely focus on health and fitness but still with attention on how we feel in both our bodies and minds. This is achieved using physical exercises (asana), breathing exercises (pranayama), meditation and relaxation.

Yoga really is for everyone and teachers are taught to be inclusive and modify postures to suit the needs of individuals. However, classes are available for different abilities.

If you have mobility issues, you can try yoga in a chair or a gentle yoga class. Some classes specialise in teaching children and also senior citizens. At the other end of the scale, Ashtanga yoga is a more physically challenging, fast flowing yoga. Yoga is also not meant to be competitive and students are encouraged to listen to their bodies.

The benefits of yoga are immense. It helps us to relax, release tension from our bodies and to deal with stress.

It gives us energy, makes us stronger and more supple.

It can also complement other forms of exercise, by using the muscles in a different way. Yoga is often recom-

mended to alleviate physical symptoms of certain health conditions. If you are looking for a class suitable for your needs, local publications and websites such as www. localyogaclasse.co.uk, list classes in your area. For further information contact Jackie Hart at jemyoga7@ gmail Tel 0781 667 9919.

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Nottinghamshire woman’s Resolution to Run for Stroke Association following a stroke after she gave birth Lexy Walton-Godfrey, 29, from Nottingham made a New Year’s resolution to take part in her first ever Resolution Run in aid of the Stroke Association on Sunday 5 May at Markeaton Park in Derby.

She made the decision to sign up after having a stroke, just 17 days after giving birth to her new daughter. Lexy had her stroke in March this year and was left with Aphasia, problems with swallowing and short term memory loss among other cognitive problems.

Lexy said: “I am proud to be running in the Resolution Run as a stroke survivor.

Having a stroke completely turned my life upside down. My husband and two daughters, one of who was only 17 days old at the time, had had a lovely day together when I had the most intense feeling ever. It felt like a huge magnet was pulling me down to the floor and I had an excruciating pain in the right hand side of my head.”

“My husband noticed me and I was trying to shout ‘help me’ but no words would come out. After being rushed to hospital, doctors could only point to my C-section as a risk factor. Following my stroke I became quiet and reluctant to speak to people. I was embarrassed because my speech was slurred and I couldn’t say certain words. Stroke fatigue has also been hard to deal with, especially with two young girls to care for too”.

Lexy now feels lucky to be alive and wants to thank the Stroke Association for their support.

She continued: “Following my stroke, I don’t feel angry, I feel calm and extremely grateful for everything I have. I feel lucky to be here and able watch my daughters grow into beautiful strong women. I’m also lucky that I have a husband who has been my rock through all of this”

“I wanted to raise money for the Stroke Association, who helped me through some dark times and to raise awareness among my peers and new mums. If I can help just one person, I will be happy. I will be running the 5K with my six year old daughter and my best friend and her child too” Lucy Burnip, Community and Events Fundraiser at the Stroke Association said: “A Resolution Run is exactly that – a resolution for the New Year that counts. It's the ideal event for people in the area who want to do something fun together, while getting more active in 2019. “In the UK there are around 100,000 strokes every year. Our latest research (i) shows that by training and taking part in a Resolution Run, you are helping to lower your stroke risk. The funds raised by each runner means we can reach

out to more stroke survivors and their families to offer the support that they may need to rebuild their lives. On behalf of the thousands of stroke survivors and their loved ones that we support every year, I just want to say thank you.” “Research from the charity shows that many strokes could be prevented if people made some simple lifestyle changes.

Introducing physical activity into your routine is just one aspect of a healthier lifestyle required to reduce your risk of stroke. Monitoring (and managing) your blood pressure, eating a more balanced diet and stopping smoking can all significantly reduce your stroke risk.

The money raised through the Resolution Run in Derby will help the Stroke Association to fund vital research and support people affected by stroke in the region.”

Last year participants raised over £633,000 for the Stroke Association This year the charity hopes to raise over £850,000 to continue supporting stroke survivors and their families throughout the UK. Entry fee is just £16. All runners receive a technical running t-shirt and medal. For more information about entering or volunteering at the Resolution Run, visit www.resolutionrun.org.ukemail resolution@ stroke.org.uk or call 0300 330 0740.

30 YEARS IN CARE In May 1989, Mary Lee founded a small company dedicated to providing a personal and person-centred care service in Alcester, enabling its customers to remain in the comfort of their own home while still receiving the support that they needed.

Since then, Helping Hands has opened 97 branches across the UK alongside a dedicated Support Centre in the small Warwickshire town it was founded. With an exceptional level of carer training and a team of dedicated clinical nurses and dementia specialists, Helping Hands is the only homecare provider that has been endorsed as a Centre of Excellence by Skills for Care, as well as being fully licensed by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Whether you need a 30-minute drop-in to help you prepare your meal, or more complex and intensive support that involves overnight or livein care, the Helping Hands

team will provide you with a dedicated support plan that is tailored to you and your individual needs. Regardless of your requirements, the carers at Helping Hands are fully trained and experienced in supporting a range of conditions including cerebral palsy, ADHD and neurological conditions such as MS and motor neurone disease. Helping Hands is also one of the UK’s leading dementia care specialists, offering extensive knowledge in dementia care and fullytrained carers to support you

and your loved ones while enabling you to remain comfortable in the familiarities of your own home. Since it was founded 30 years ago, Helping Hands remains a family-run business that is now managed by Mary’s sons, Tim and Ben. When asked about the progress of Helping Hands in the industry, Mary said: “I started Helping Hands as I believed there was a gap in care for the community that social services could not provide. I had no idea we would grow to such a large caring family.”

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Care leavers benefit from financial and emotional support to achieve their goals Nottinghamshire care leavers can now benefit from even more advice, support and guidance to help give them the best start into adulthood.

The Local Offer for Care Leavers provides support and guidance on a whole host of subjects, with tips to help young people make good decisions about their futures.

The County Council has been working closely with the seven district councils as well as care leavers, to develop a new Nottinghamshire ‘Local Offer’ for young people.

The Local Offer will help care leavers from 16 to 25 years, understand the support and guidance they can receive from the County Council, their local district or borough council and the local community. The Offer includes tips on housing and setting up home, jobs, training, money, health and relationships. Care leavers will benefit from Council Tax payments being waived until the age of 25, financial support whilst at university including £3,465 a year towards fees and accommodation costs paid all year round, help to access support with childcare costs while working or studying and

help with securing a £1,000 apprenticeship bursary.

Councillor Philip Owen, chairman of the Children and Young People’s Services, at Nottinghamshire County Council said that the council had a commitment as ‘corporate parents’ to ensure young people received the best possible support as they plan to leave care and prepare for adult life. He said: “It is a big step for young people when they move out of care and start living on their own or with others. They deserve the best support possible from their parents, both practical and emotional. “As corporate parents, we want to make sure our care leavers feel safe, supported and know where to get advice and help. “I’m delighted that the councils across Nottinghamshire have worked so closely on this Local Offer which will help to give care leavers every opportunity to achieve their goals and aspirations.”

Speaking on behalf of the district councils, John Robinson, Chief Executive of Newark and Sherwood District Council, said: “Those of us who are parents know only too well that we don’t suddenly stop supporting our children when they reach 18.

Young people leaving residential care can often face a range of disadvantages and the Local Care Offer seeks to level the playing field with their peers and give young people leaving care the encouragement and support they need to fulfil their potential.” Care leaver campaigner Terry Galloway has been instrumental in advising on the Local Offer and is well placed to offer advice having been in care himself throughout the 1980s and early 1990s.

Terry said: “I want to give the care leavers of today the benefit of my experience in care. When I left care, there was very little help available, I felt very much on my own and not prepared for life after care.

“My mission now is to create a better pathway for children in care and care leavers so that they have the support they need, akin to the support we

would give our own children.

Nottinghamshire is the first upper tier local authority to introduce council tax exemption across every district. They are also the first local authority to create a joined up local offer for care leavers involving seven other local authorities. Terry added: “I put forward my ideas to create apprenticeships and jobs for care leavers at a business breakfast last month.

Some of the county’s largest retailers and businesses attended and as a result pledged their support to look at apprenticeships, training and mentoring for care leavers. “I now want to take that work forward to create a national model. My ultimate goal is to create a guaranteed job opportunity for every care leaver, supported by job coaches and to get them ready for the world of work and beyond.” Care leaver Keeley Terry, 20, has advised on several aspects for the Local Offer and is delighted that care leavers will benefit from the guidance and support it provides. Keeley, who was in care from 13 – 18 years old, now lives with her daughter Darcie-Ann in Eastwood and has recently joined the county council as a care leaver apprentice, currently working on a mental health project for adolescents.

Keeley commented: “The Local Offer gives care leavers a sense of security, they know they are not on their own and help is only a phone call away. We don’t have the family network around us that most teenagers have, so it’s vital we access the support the councils are providing. “My advice to any care leaver is visit the Notts Help Yourself website and check what help and opportunities are available, the help I have received has given me tremendous confidence to move on to the next phase of my life.” To view Keeley's video please visit: https:// youtu.be/NoGAseyvO_c Details about the Nottinghamshire’s Local Offer for Care Leavers can be found here https://www. nottshelpyourself.org.uk/ careleaverslo

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Holiday Hotlist 2019 If you’re looking for holiday inspiration for the year ahead look no further as Post Office Travel Money reveals its Holiday Hotlist for 2019. Together with Airbnb, showcasing some examples of unique accommodation available in each destination to get your imagination fired up. The Post Office Travel Money Holiday Hotlist 2019 was selected by considering a number of decision-making factors.

These include affordable local costs, favourable sterling exchange rates to boost the spending power of UK tourists and local cultural events and celebrations scheduled in the year ahead. Hadi Moussa, General Manager for Northern

Europe from Airbnb said: “The Post Office has picked out some amazing value travel destinations spotlighted in their hot list this year. From the extensive coastline of Southern Italy and Spain’s ‘off the beaten track’ beaches to the beautiful cities of Porto and Bratislava, there’s so much to see and do. Whether travellers are exploring the rich and varied locations in Europe or heading further afield to the likes of Bali and India, there is a breadth of listings* available on Airbnb to suit every guest’s needs.”

If value for money is your biggest priority consider Turkey, Spain or Bali TURKEY Why? A slump in the value of the Turkish lira means UK visitors will get around a third more lira for their pounds than a year ago, which helps to explain why holiday

bookings for April-December are already up 65 per cent yearon-year1. In the annual Post Office Worldwide Holiday Costs Barometer, Marmaris was second cheapest of 42 destinations surveyed.

Where?A stunning example of an Airbnb listing in Turkey, Sapphire is a bright and airy five-star apartment with white-washed beams in the heart of Istanbul. The apartment boasts fabulous views of Istanbul’s landmark mosques and the Golden Horn inland waterway from the Bosphorus and is close to the bars and restaurants of Beyoglu.

BALI Why? Bali is one of the very few destinations where the cost of living is low and where sterling is also stronger than a year ago. UK tourists are catching on and sales of its currency, the rupiah, have surged by 483 per cent in the past decade to prove the point.

Where?

The Writer’s Treehouse is the ultimate five-star romantic retreat: an airy, jungle-style bamboo home just a stone's throw

from a quiet beach in west coast Pekutatan. Surrounded by trees, visitors can relax in a hammock in a gorgeous tropical garden where there is always something in bloom.

The treehouse is one example of many homes dotted across Bali that are part of the new Airbnb Plus tier, a premium category of homes inspected against a 100+ point checklist covering design, amenities and hospitality.

SPAIN Why? Rated best value in Europe in the Post Office’s Holiday Spending Report with a 90 per cent approval rating, Spain has also moved up the Worldwide Holiday Costs Barometer top 10 after prices fell by over two per cent year-on-year.

Where? The Post Office is tipping lesser-known regions of Spain as hotspots and this pretty wood cabin located in Uceda – a 40-minute drive from Madrid – is available on Airbnb. Ideal for a break from civilisation, this cottage, with its mountain location and large garden, is perfect for communing with nature.

Prices for one night start from £63. And if city breaks are up your street consider…

BRATISLAVA Why? The ninth cheapest city in Europe according to the Post Office City Costs Barometer, Slovakia’s capital is becoming one of the ‘goto’ cities for millennials and little wonder. Prices in Bratislava are 44 per cent lower than in nearby Vienna.

Where? A stylish modern apartmentin a fabulous location next to the art nouveau Blue Church is among the contrasting range of accommodation available in Bratislava from Airbnb.

A great city centre base from which to walk to the restaurants, bars and shops of the old town or the Danube promenade, the five-star apartment costs from £32 per night and sleeps three guests.

PORTO Why? Portugal’s second city is even cheaper than Bratislava and the best bet for a bargain break in Western Europe, according to the Post Office, which found prices a third lower than in Lisbon.

Porto will also play host to the first Nations League finals in June – featuring the England football team.

Where? A romantic, rustic flatin the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site is among many examples of character homes available from Airbnb.Set in a 19th century building with stone and whitewashed walls as well as pretty, patterned floors, the flat’s vintage feel makes it a homefrom-home in the old town.The five-star flat costs from £41 per night and sleeps four guests. Culture vultures could be especially tempted by Southern Italy, India or Patagonia this year

SOUTHERN ITALY Why? The ancient city of Matera is this year’s European Capital of Culture, which will turn the spotlight on a region of Italy that has only recently started to attract significant numbers of UK visitors and which is cheaper than many of the country’s better-known tourist traps. Where? Il Sasso sotto L’Albero is located in the Sassi district of Matera, where unique cave dwellings carved from rock and originating from a pre-historic troglodyte settlement provide one of Italy’s most unique landscapes.

INDIA Why? 2019 marks the 150th anniversary of Gandhi’s birth and celebrations to mark this will run throughout the year, attracting UK tourists keen to understand the country’s history and culture.

Where? Stay in a heritage apartment at Hauz Khas Villagein New Delhi, one of a diverse range of homes available from Airbnb in India. Decorated in Indian Rajasthani style, the apartment is just outside the oldest 12th century monument in Delhi.

One night stays cost from £47 for two guests.

PATAGONIA Why? Visitors in 2019 will have the chance to travel the new Route of Parks trail set up to guide them through Patagonia’s 17 national parks.

Those visiting in July may be lucky enough to see a solar eclipse while they take the trail. Where? Accommodation is great value in Patagonia and there are several good examples of character homes in its northern lake region around Bariloche. One of these claims to be the most beautiful lake loft in San Carlos de Bariloche overlooking Nahuel Huapi lake and just steps from the beach. Prices for one night start from £70 and the five star apartment can sleep three guests. And finally, for a chance to walk in the footsteps of those from our favourite medieval fantasy epic, Croatia and Iceland can’t be beaten

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The best parks in Yorkshire to visit with the family Make the most of the warm weather this summer and head off on an outdoor adventure with the family. Ideal for picnics, nature walks and soaking up some sun, these parks and gardens around Yorkshire offer a scenic spot to relax and unwind.

Bolton Abbey Estate Visitors will be spoilt for choice with things to do at the popular Bolton Abbey Estate in Wharfedale. Put your balance to the test crossing the 60 stepping stones, take a walk to see the Strid in the ancient woodland, enjoy the scenery along the nature trails, or nestle down on the lawns in front of the magnificent 12th century ruins. Visit: Bolton Abbey, Skipton, BD23 6AL – www.boltonabbey.com Golden Acre Park Hugely popular for its pretty gardens and circular lakeside walk, this north Leeds park stretches across 55 hectares, providing plenty of space to bask in the sunny weather.

There’s a huge amount of space to set up a picnic, or you can head to the on-site cafe if you’d prefer. Visit: Arthington Road, Bramhope, Leeds, LS16 8BQ – www.leeds.gov. uk Oakwell Hall and Country Park Combine sightseeing with outdoor adventures at Oakwell Hall and Country Park, where you can take a tour of the bautiful Elizabethan manor house, which offers an intriguing insight into the late 17th century, before heading off to explore the 110 acres of country park which surround it. The vast estate is home to a network of footpaths and nature trails, where you can expect to find glorious scenery, flowers and wildlife along the way.

Visit: Nova Lane, Birstall, Batley, WF17 9LG – www. kirklees.gov.uk Manor Heath Park This nineteen acre park in Halfax is perfect for an active day outdoors, thanks to its many exciting on-site attractions.

Alongside woodland walks, a walled garden and wild flower area, children will love playing

in the water park and sand pit, or spotting an array of exotic plants and creatures at The Jungle Experience, the park’s tropical on-site greenhouse.

There’s also plenty of spots to set up a picnic and if you’re feeling energetic, there is an outdoor gym where you can work up a sweat.

Visit: Halifax, HX3 0EB – www.visitcalderdale.com Valley Gardens These English Heritage grade II listed gardens in Harroage spread across 17 acres and feature an array of different areas giving visitors plenty to explore. Have fun in the playground, skate park, boating pool and games areas, which include tennis, pitch and putt and crazy golf, take a dip in the paddling pool, or simply take some time out to wander the footpaths through the gardens. Visit: Valley Drive, Harrogate, HG1 2SZ – www.harrogate.gov.uk Yorkshire Sculpture Park If you’re looking for a park that is a little more out of the ordinary, Yorkshire Sculpture Park won’t disappoint.

The magnificent open air gallery is home to around 80 sculptures and installations, offering a more unqiue way to appreciate s o m e contemporary art by some of the world’s finest artists.

Visit: West Bretton, Wa k e f i e l d , WF4 4LG – www.ysp.org. uk Fountains Abbey and S t u d l e y Royal Water Garden Tucked away in a secluded v a l l e y , visitors are guaranteed to be impressed by the vast Cistercian

abbey ruins and Georgian water farden at this National Trust site in Ripon. A medieval deer park, Elizabethan Hall and Gothic church are also on site to see, while the vast green lawns which lead down to the riverside provide a wonderful spot for a picnic.

Visit: Fountains Abbey And Studley Royal Estate, Ripon, HG4 3DY – www. nationaltrust.org.uk Roundhay Park A firm favourite spot to soak up some sun in Leeds, Roundhay Park stretches across 700 acres of pretty parkland, lakes and woodland, providing a picture-perfect location for leisurely picnic.

Youngsters are well catered for with two playgrounds on site, along with the popular Tropical World visitor attraction where a variety of exotic animals and plants can be seen. Visit: Mansion Lane, Leeds, LS8 2HH – www. roundhaypark.org.uk Castle Howard This stunning 18th century historic house just outside of York stands within 1,000 acres of glorious landscape,

with lakes, fountains, woodland, temples, rolling lawns, an ornamental garden and a children’s playround just a few of the delights which await to be explored in the grounds. Visit: Castle Howard, York, YO60 7DA – www.castlehoward.co.uk

Greenhead Park Nestled just half a mile from Huddersfield town centre, Greenfield Park is the perfect spot to escape the hustle and bustle, and enjoy some time outdoors. Home to a skate park, tennis courts, play areas, paddling pool and ornamental

lake, as well as a miniature steam railway, there’s a great variety of attractions to keep the whole family entertained.

And visitors can even enjoy horse and carriage rides on weekends. Visit: Trinity Street, Huddersfield, HD1 4DT – www.kirklees.gov.uk

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Nottinghamshire broadband scheme continues to receive national recognition Nottinghamshire has been shortlisted for its second major, national award this year for its successful £30m rollout of superfast broadband to local homes and businesses.

The Connected Britain Awards are open to all public and private sector organisations involved in delivering all aspects of digital connectivity in the UK, from operators and alt-nets to government departments, local authorities and superfast bodies.

Nottinghamshire County Council is one of eight organisations shortlisted in the Superfast Award category for the overall connectivity project of the year. The award is open to all operators and

altnets as well as superfast bodies and local authorities, covering schemes in both urban and rural areas.

All entries were assessed by an expert panel of judges before shortlisting, with the winners set to be announced at the Connected Britain conference in London on 18 and 19 June, which brings together digital industry leaders from across the UK. Nottinghamshire was recently highlighted as one of the best places in the country for both the speed and availability of superfast broadband for its residents and businesses.

A study by broadbandchoices. co.uk study found that residents and businesses in the county have the second highest download speeds in the country. While the latest data from thinkbroadband. com – which compares the availability of superfast broadband in every district, county and region of the UK - shows that people living in Nottinghamshire are more likely to be able to access superfast broadband than in any other shire county in the country.

According to the latest data, 97.7% of homes and businesses in Nottinghamshire are currently able to access superfast broadband speeds (30 Mbps or quicker), compared to an East Midlands average of 97.2% and UK average of 95.6%.

In fact, superfast broadband availability in the Nottinghamshire districts of Mansfield (99.6%) and Broxtowe (99.4%) is better than in most UK cities, including Nottingham (98.9%), Manchester (95.4%), Leeds (97.1%) and Birmingham (96.9%).

The Better Broadband for Nottinghamshire programme has invested more than £30m in the area's digital infrastructure over the last five years – making superfast broadband available to more than 80,000 homes and businesses not served by commercial providers, todate.

Councillor Kay Cutts MBE, Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “I am proud that our Better Broadband for Nottinghamshire programme

continues to get national recognition, helping to raise the county’s profile as a leader for digital connectivity and our reputation as a county that invests in business.

"Having high quality digital infrastructure is a major advantage when we are competing with other areas to attract new jobs and

investment. According to independent estimates, our superfast broadband rollout will generate £302m for the local economy over a 15 year period, representing a return of £11 for every £1 the County Council and our partners are investing.”

The County Council, working with Openreach,

was also recently shortlisted for a Local Government Chronicle award – known as the local government Oscars - in the Best Public/Private Partnership category.

For further information on the Better Broadband for Nottinghamshire programme, visit www.nottinghamshire. gov.uk/broadband

Nottingham to lose out on £14m under Government proposals Nottingham could lose out on funding to the tune of £14m under new arrangements proposed by the Government.

The blow comes on top of a decade of Government austerity which has seen Nottingham hit harder than more affluent areas – and the new funding proposals would only make this worse.

The so-called Fair Funding Formula would not taking deprivation fully into account when distributing funds to local councils, and would also ignore extra funding pressures for large urban areas like Nottingham, such as homelessness and looked after children. The Local Government Association,

Core Cities and similar councils to Nottingham believe this approach would make a bad situation even worse. The City Council has joined them in raising its concerns with Government over its proposals.

Research by the University of Liverpool shows that the Government’s proposal would leave Nottingham with a loss of £14m, or £42 per head, while the richest areas would gain £24 per head.

City Council Deputy Leader, Cllr Graham Chapman, said: “For the last ten years, this Government has been taking away from the areas in the Midlands and north that need help the most and giving to

richer areas in the south and south-east. For example, this year Nottingham lost £529 per household and Surrey gained £19 per household. Then there’s a special transition fund which Surrey benefited from to the tune of £24m, while Nottingham received nothing whatsoever.

“The Government is now planning to heap misery on misery by continuing in this vein and leave deprived areas even worse off by removing deprivation as a consideration when allocating funding. It will mean that councils like ours will once again be left unable to provide some of the services that our communities rely on.”

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Chilwell Schoolchildren Learn About Recycling Schoolchildren at Sunnyside Spencer Academy enjoyed a visit from Broxtowe Borough Council’s Waste and Recycling Team, with a chance to sit in a bin lorry, learn about recycling and take part in a litter pick.

The children were visited by the Council’s Waste and Recycling Team to hear about recycling as well as take part in a litter pick for the Great British Spring Clean.

As well as having a go in lorries, the children learnt about what kind of things they can recycle, where their waste and recycling goes and what they can do to help protect the planet for the future.

It was a welcome reunion for one of the Council’s Refuse Men who attended the school himself forty years earlier.

Teaching Assistant, Cannisha Busuttil said: “The children had an amazing time litter picking in their own community with the Clean and Green team... and the visit from the refuse collectors and their lorry made a lot of smiles for the whole day!

In fact the

children are still talking about it now!” The visit was part of the Council’s Clean and Green campaign which aims to keep Broxtowe clean and tidy through a range of initiatives, including Community litter picking events to complement

existing events, Community Clean Teams, targeting fly tipping hotspots, waste days, litter bin replacement and working with the community.

Find out more about Clean and Green or download your resource pack. https://www. broxtowe.gov.uk/for-you/litter-and-streetcleansing/clean-and-green/

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District figures for primary school admissions - National Offer Day Ashfield • 1429 applications were processed from residents living in the Ashfield district for first admission to primary school including schools outside of Nottinghamshire • 1341 were offered their first preference – 93.8% • 1414 were offered one of their preferences (99%) • 532 made only one preference – 37.2% • 15 alternative offers were made where no preference could be met – 1% • 9 of these only made one preference (60%) Bassetlaw • 1186 applications were processed from residents living in the Bassetlaw district for first admission to primary school including schools outside of Nottinghamshire • 1163 were offered their first preference – 98.1% • 1181 were offered one of their preferences (99.6%) • 582 made only one preference – 49.1% • 5 alternative offers were

made where no preference could be met – 0.4% • 4 of these only made one preference (80%) Broxtowe • 1155 applications were processed from residents living in the Broxtowe district for first admission to primary school including schools outside of Nottinghamshire • 1100 were offered their first preference – 95.2% • 1144 were offered one of their preferences (99%) • 350 made only one preference – 30.3% • 11 alternative offers were made where no preference could be met – 1% • 5 of these only made one preference (45.5%) Gedling • 1327 applications were processed from residents living in the Gedling district for first admission to primary school including schools outside of Nottinghamshire • 1163 were offered their first preference – 87.6% • 1305 were offered one of

their preferences (98.3%) • 336 made only one preference – 25.3% • 22 alternative offers were made where no preference could be met – 1.7% • 11 of these only made one preference (50%) Mansfield • 1206 applications were processed from residents living in the Mansfield district for first admission to primary school including schools outside of Nottinghamshire • 1135 were offered their first preference – 94.1% • 1194 were offered one of their preferences (99%) • 510 made only one preference – 42.3% • 12 alternative offers were made where no preference could be met – 1% • 5 of these only made one preference (41.7%) Newark • 1255 applications were processed from residents living in the Newark district for first admission to primary school including schools

outside of Nottinghamshire • 1196 were offered their first preference – 95.3% • 1235 were offered one of their preferences (98.4%) • 598 made only one preference – 47.6% • 20 alternative offers were made where no preference could be met – 1.6%

• 12 of these only made one preference (60%) Rushcliffe • 1236 applications were processed from residents living in the Rushcliffe district for first admission to primary school including schools outside of Nottinghamshire • 1173 were offered their first

preference – 94.9% • 1225 were offered one of their preferences (99.1%) • 334 made only one preference – 27% • 11 alternative offers were made where no preference could be met – 0.9% • 10 of these only made one preference (90.9%)

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Awards celebrate young people’s achievements 2019 is the ninth year of the annual 4Uth Awards, a celebration of excellence and achievement among young people in Nottinghamshire.

Organised by Nottinghamshire County Council, the awards showcase the very best of how young people triumph over adversity, care for people

around them, their work on community projects and their volunteering efforts.

Nominees are identified by peers, youth leaders, teachers

and family members as a special source of inspiration.

Councillor Philip Owen, the county council’s chairman of the Children and Young People’s committee, said: “The 4Uth awards are a marvellous celebration of young people and how they can make a real difference.

“Over the coming weeks we will receive nominations that are truly inspirational and reflect the community spirit and selfless efforts of so many young people from every part of the county. I would urge anyone who has come across a young person who has gone above and beyond to get their nomination i n . ” Nomination forms are available at www. nottingham s h i r e . g o v. uk/4uth The closing date for nominations

is Friday, 21 June with district winners announced in early September.

A judging panel made up of the Leader of Notting hamshire County Council, the chairman of the Young People’s Board and other senior county council officers will select an overall winner to be unveiled at an Awards evening in the Assembly Rooms at County Hall on Friday, 22 November 2019.

Last year’s winner Darren Yemm picked up the accolade after his work with the Children in Care Council.

A care leaver himself, Darren, from Newark, helped shape the future of care services in the county after serving on the Children in Care Council for many years.

Darren was praised for taking control of his own life and embarking on a university degree, one of just 0.2% of UK care leavers who make it into higher education.

Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council Councillor Kay Cutts said: “All the finalists in 2018 were exceptional, but Darren stood out as someone who had taken advantage of all the things that were offered to him, even though sometimes life had been tough and challenging.

“I have great admiration for the efforts he has made on the Children in Care Council and if he continues to make great strides through life, he will have a lot to offer.”

Read more about the awards by visiting www. nottinghamshire.gov.uk/4uth

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5 Reasons children should learn to dance

We all have an inbuilt rhythmic response to music. If you doubt this then put on your favourite music and see how it makes you feel and how you respond to it. Do you find yourself tapping your foot, swaying in your seat to the rhythm, maybe singing along, or do you get up and move and dance in any style that makes you feel good? Children particularly will exhibit their inner feelings through movement and usually without the inhibitions of an adult.

1. Dance improves co-ordination It may take a little practice but dance certainly helps to create and improve co-ordination in children. First, practice the steps and they will begin to feel confident with the pattern their steps are making. After that the arm movements are added and when they’ve got the hang of that then maybe some head movements and turns.

2. Dance develops confidence and self esteem When children enjoy the music they are much more willing to express themselves and this in turn sparks the interest to learn the steps that they have seen their peers dance. They will ask ‘will I be able to dance like that?’ or ‘can you show me that routine?’ As they start to master the basics their confidence grows, they feel proud of themselves and urge the teacher to show them more.

3. Dance is an excellent form of exercise and can help to combat obesity We hear quite regularly that children (and adults) should take more exercise, figures are often quoted regarding how many hours of exercise a week we should all be doing.

Some children are less interested in sports and therefore might struggle to find an engaging activity. Dance is fun, it can be a way of exercising without really realising it. They can start really young (approx 4 years of age) and can carry on into their adult life. For some teenagers who don’t choose P.E. at GCSE level it helps to fill that gap.

4. Dance develops musical understanding and timing Without realising it children start to develop their musical ability. They learn to ‘count the timing’ of the music they are dancing to. More

importantly they learn to dance the steps ‘in time’ with the music. This can be quite tricky for some people, young and old alike. As they progress they hear how the music is phrased, they can tell you when a new phrase is about to start. This is all by listening to the music and starting to dance the steps, it can be passed on quite effortlessly and the children will learn without any pressure.

5. Learning to dance is also a social skill In addition, learning to dance is an activity that can be enjoyed at any social event. It could be an evening on holiday, at a Christmas party, a family celebration like a wedding etc. These are the times that people say ‘Oh I wish I could dance!’ Then they promise themselves they will take lessons before the next upcoming event – but quite often never do! Learning to dance when you are young is so important.

But best of all learning to dance is FUN, you make NEW FRIENDS and develop a SOCIAL SKILL that will last a lifetime!

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Official opening of new off-road route set

to improve access to Cotgrave Country Park

Cyclists joined Nottinghamshire County Council’s leader and chairman on (Tuesday, 9 April) to celebrate the official opening of a new £250,000 greenway which will improve access and boost wildlife at Cotgrave Country Park.

The main part of the scheme has seen a new three-kilometre off-road route created linking Cotgrave Country Park with Radcliffe-on-Trent, Holme Pierrepont, the Grantham Canal path and the nearby Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust Skylarks reserve at Holme Pierrepont.

The greenway has been constructed on a disused mineral railway line which has been transformed and links up with the existing network of footpaths, cycle and bridleways in the area.

Bike-riding families cycled the route from start points at each end of the greenway – Hollygate Lane on the edge of the Country Park and Holme Lane on the edge of Radcliffe – meeting at a midpoint on the path just south of the Thornton’s Holt Camping Park where chairman, Councillor Sue Saddington cut a ribbon to declare the route officially open.

Nottinghamshire County Council Leader, Councillor Kay Cutts said:

“Cotgrave Country Park, which we manage, is already a valuable asset for our county, but this route will make it more accessible to a greater number of people who enjoy the great Nottinghamshire outdoors, whether Nottinghamshire County Council chairman, Sue Saddington with grandson, William; bike riders James and his mum, Victoria Kennington; with County you are a keen Council Leader, Councillor Kay Cutts; pony rider, Samson Jones with mum Pollyanna and Penny Holmes at the official opening of Cotgrave greenway. walker, a cyclist or a horse rider.

“The improvements will make volunteer groups will continue to monitor access easier, particularly for these habitats for species such as grizzled and children on bicycles, and a dingy skippers and purple emperors. new two-metre access ramp Coun Cutts added: has also been constructed to “This scheme is a great boost to recreation and provide better wheelchair leisure opportunities in the county and I hope these improvements will not only encourage users and buggies.

The scheme is bringing more visitors from within Nottinghamshire, significant environmental but also from outside the county, particularly benefits with it too, creating as it is so close to the National Watersport a continuous ‘green’ line Centre.

“We plan to establish further off-road links to through the local area.

The work also included the villages of Calverton and Bestwood using maintenance work to the former mineral railway lines. park land to provide a more “Dedicated multi-user routes which are free pleasant green space where from traffic are valued by everyone, but in areas had previously become particular families with small children” overgrown, but this has been Via East Midlands, the council-owned arm’sdone sensitively to protect and length company which manages its highways enhance the habitat for local network, designed and delivered the work on wildlife, with work carefully its behalf, appointing Nottinghamshire-based timed to avoid the bird nesting contractor, Alliance to create the greenway.

The overall project has been funded by season.

Habitats for local species Nottinghamshire County Council and the of butterflies have been European Regional Development Fund. expanded along the route The attached plan shows the extent of the to help them thrive. Local greenway which has been created.

ADVICE: What to do if you

need urgent police help through the 999 service, but can't speak All 999 calls are directed to call centres and will be answered by BT operators.

They will ask which service you need.

If no service is requested but anything suspicious is heard throughout the process, BT operators will connect you to a police call handler.

It is always best to speak to the operator if you can, even by whispering. You may also be asked to cough or tap the keys on your phone in response to questions.

If making a sound would put you or someone else in danger and the BT operator cannot decide whether an emergency service is needed, your call will be transferred to the Silent Solution system.

The Silent Solution is a police system used to filter out large numbers of accidental or hoax 999 calls. It also exists to help people who are unable to speak, but who genuinely need police assistance.

You will hear an automated police message, which lasts for 20 seconds and begins with 'you are through to the police'. It will ask you to press 55 to be put through to police call management. The BT operator will remain on the line and listen.

If you press 55, they will be notified and transfer the call to the police. If you don't press 55, the call will be terminated.

Pressing 55 does not allow police to track your location.

When transferred to your local police force, the police call handler will attempt to communicate with you by asking simple yes or no questions.

If you are not able to speak, listen carefully to the questions and instructions from the

call handler so they can assess your call and arrange help if needed. Because it's less likely that 999 calls are made by accident from landlines, the Silent Solution system is not used.

If, when an emergency call on a landline is received: • There is no request for an emergency • The caller does not answer questions • Only background noise can be heard and BT operators cannot decide whether an emergency service is needed then you will be connected to a police call handler as doubt exists.

If you replace the handset, the landline may remain connected for 45 seconds in case you pick it up again.

If you pick it up again during this 45 seconds and the BT operator is concerned for your safety, the call will be connected to police.

When 999 calls are made from landlines, information about where you're calling from should be automatically available to the call handlers to help provide a response.

How can I cope with bereavement?

The death of someone close to you can feel overwhelming, and you may feel a mixture of emotions. There are some things you can do that may help you to cope and there are people who can support you if you need it.

Is what I'm feeling normal?

When someone you love dies, your feelings will be influenced by many different things. This might include your relationship with the person, what happened in the lead up to their death and the support around you.

Your feelings are also likely to be influenced by your personality, your cultural

background, and any religious beliefs you might have.

It is important to know that what is normal is different for each person. These are some of the different reactions people have told us they have had. There are many others, and your experience may be different.

The important thing is to accept that is ok to have these feelings. Grieving is a normal, healthy process that we all try to learn to live with when someone we love dies.

Photo of a woman talking to another woman - bereavement support Sue Ryder Shock

You might have thought you were prepared, because the person’s death was expected or because you’ve previously lost someone you love. But whatever the circumstances, it is very common to feel an initial sense of shock.

Numbness It might feel like you are living in a fog for the first six months or so after the person you care about has died. You may feel numb, or worry because you haven’t cried. Feeling numb is one of the things that helps us to cope with very intense and distressing emotions.

Gradually over time, the sense of numbness will go, and you

will start to emerge from the fog.

Feeling overwhelmed You may find that the full force of your grief hits you straight away, and you might cry a lot every day. You may have expected to grieve deeply in this way, and accept your feelings. Or you may find these emotions are unexpected. You may even feel angry that you feel this way. You may feel overwhelmed, and worry that you’re not coping. You may worry that your grief feels so devastating you don’t know how you can live with it. But over time, feelings of grief and loss tend to become less

intense, and you begin to find a way to live with them.

Relief You may feel a sense of relief when the person you care about dies - particularly if it has been a long illness, if the person has been suffering, or if you have been the main carer. If you feel like this, you may also feel guilty for feeling relieved. But relief is a normal response and not something you should feel guilty about.

It doesn’t mean you didn’t love and care for them or that you are a bad person.

Anger It is very common to feel angry when you are grieving.

Your anger might be directed at different subjects such as: the fact that your loved one was taken before their time, things that happened or didn’t happen before they died, or that they are no longer there.

You might feel angry with circumstances, others or yourself. You might be angry for all of these reasons or for entirely different reasons.

These are completely normal feelings.

Physical symptoms It is also completely normal to experience physical symptoms of grief, for example: difficulty sleeping loss or increase of appetite (e.g. comfort eating)

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headaches feeling drained or having no energy being prone to picking up minor bugs and illnesses. These are all normal reactions to losing someone close to you. We often tell people they need to look after themselves, but when you are grieving it is really important.

Try to treat yourself kindly and give yourself the time, space and care that you need.

Mixed feelings about a difficult relationship All relationships have their difficulties. You may have thought that because you had a difficult relationship with the person, you would grieve less or cope better when they died.

Instead, you may find that you experience an unexpected mix of emotions. There might be some aspects of the person or your relationship with them that you are not sad about losing. But you may still feel upset about losing the positives, or the relationship you could have had. Your feelings of sadness may be mixed with feelings of anger, guilt, regret and everything in between. All of these emotions are completely normal.

How can I cope?

There are lots of different factors that affect grief - such as the kind of relationship you had with your friend or relative, how you normally deal with emotional issues, and the support you have around you. These different aspects mean that we all cope in different ways and you will find some things help you more than others. However, here are some things that may help you to cope.

Taking one day at a time Focusing on one day at a time can help you cope with your feelings and get through the simple everyday tasks that you need to do. Keeping busy or taking time out You may find that keeping busy and throwing yourself into different activities helps. If this works for you, try to do things even if you don’t feel up to it. Alternatively, you may find you need to take things more slowly and take time out of your day-to-day life and activities. You need to do whichever works best for you.

Recognising your emotions Lots of the emotions you

might feel when you are grieving have physical symptoms. If you are feeling stressed, your heart beat may be faster. If you are angry, you might clench your jaw.

Sometimes those physical symptoms might be a way of helping you to recognise your own emotions. When you notice them, you just need to make space at that time to feel those emotions, which can help you to cope with them.

Getting out of the house Not only does getting out of the house give you some physical exercise, but it can help you to think differently.

Sometimes, particularly if you are feeling lonely, it can be good to see other people out and about, even if you’re not ready to engage with them.

Looking after your physical health Getting enough sleep and eating properly can help you deal with the different emotions you are feeling.

Get support from family and friends It helps if you’ve got support within your own family and friends, as well as from others such as a support group. This is because friends and family are the people who will be there for you in the long term.

Talking through your feelings It may be enough to talk with family or close friends. Or you may find it helpful to get dedicated bereavement support, either one-to-one or in a group.

Talk to other people in the same situation Joining a group can be particularly helpful, as you can talk to other people in the same situation.

If you feel that you don’t want to talk, it is important to find other ways to manage your feelings.

Letting others grieve in their own way Sometimes different family members may have different ways of grieving. Perhaps one person wants to talk about and share their feelings, but another person prefers to busy themselves with activities.

You may find that people’s different ways of coping can create tensions and strains within the family. You need to try to find a way to be sensitive to each other’s needs, while coping with your feelings in

your own way.

Coping with your home Living in a home you shared together can be particularly hard. All around you are likely to be reminders of the person, which may trigger your feelings of grief. The home you shared together may feel like a sanctuary. Or you may find you prefer to spend as little time as possible at home, because that it feels empty.

You may like to keep your home exactly the same, or you may prefer to rearrange it. It is quite common that when a parent dies grown-up children no longer want to visit. The house often brings back so many memories and feelings of grief for them. These are all normal feelings, and you need to do what works best for you.

Creating traditions Important dates, such as birthdays, wedding anniversaries and other celebrations, can be particularly hard. It normally helps if you can think beforehand about what you will do and what will help you get through the day. You may like to create a tradition, such as visiting the person’s grave, or the place where their ashes are scattered. There is no right or wrong thing to do on these different occasions, you only need to do the things that are important to you and that help you to cope.

Finding ways to connect with the person who has died Sometimes having a particular routine or ritual can help you to reconnect with the person you loved. This doesn’t need to be something you do on a particular date, but might be something you can do any time. It could be something like visiting the place where their ashes are scattered, or going on a walk that you did together.

Getting support Getting help when you need it is sensible, not a sign you have failed. You may feel that you can’t cope, but you may surprise yourself with what you can actually handle.

However, if you feel you are not coping, or you know that the way you are coping is not good for you – for example if you are drinking alcohol heavily – you should try to think about what help

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you might need. Your local hospice can normally provide bereavement support, or your GP can either offer support or refer you on.

Will I ever get back to 'normal'?

The death of someone you love can feel so overwhelming that you don’t know how you can live with the grief for the rest of your life. The aim is not to get back to normal. It is about understanding how your life has changed and being able to reach a better balance between the good days and bad days. This is not about moving on or forgetting the person, but learning how you can live your life with the grief you feel.

Often the person who has died was a part of your dayto-day routine. Your habits and activities may have been built, at least in part, around them. When the person dies, the rhythm of your life and established patterns are disrupted.

If you were their carer, you may suddenly have lots of time on your hands that used to be filled doing things linked to your caring role.

You need to give yourself time to adjust to different routines and having a different role. Some of the hardest things to cope with can be simple everyday activities that reinforce that the person is not there now. It might be making the tea or doing the shopping, when that was something they always used to do. Gradually you need to create a new normal, where these activities

become part of your role.

If it is your partner who has died, you may find that you are struggling to know who you are now that you are no longer part of a couple. This can feel like a very hard thing to do, particularly as some of your friendships and relationships may change.

Sometimes you may find that you see less of some of the people you were friends with as a couple. You may also be surprised by other people who emerge and provide support and comfort to you.

Re-building your life in this way is a slow process, and sometimes you might feel overwhelmed by grief and

can’t face anything new. But over time your life will regain shape and meaning. Part of the process of learning to live with grief is learning to build a new normal and finding new meanings in your activities and roles.

Because you are finding a new balance does not mean that there is no place in your life for the person who has died.

The connection that you had with them will continue. You may find that you say good morning to them when you get up, or talk to them when you visit their grave. Continuing to talk to the person you loved is completely normal and something lots of people do.

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Five Home Improvement Trends To Watch In 2019 Do you follow the home improvement industry? If so, the Home Improvement Research Institute thinks

you should pay attention to these key trends in 2019. The nonprofit trade association is comprised of global building

product manufacturers, national retail chains and allied organizations on the media and information side.

These five takeaways were among the key points industry experts shared at HIRI’s 2018 Industry Insights Conference.

Millennials are more apt to DIY their home improvements, using technology to help them do so. (Credit: Getty Royalty Free) 1. DIYers are more likely to be Millennials.

Nearly a quarter of the UK population made home improvements in the last year and only 7% of them worked with a professional.

“DIYers spend more than 60 hours per week on TV and digital devices, including computers and smartphones,” Peter Katsingris, senior vice president of insights at Nielsen, told conference attendees. “The technology and the choices it provides make DIY a realistic option for people.” (A quick search of YouTube s h o w s 252,000 r e s u l t s for home improvement DIY videos, potentially a useful albeit cluttered marketing platform for reaching this

massive demographic – or figuring out how to wire your new smart home security system.)

2. Over-inspiration is a key factor in home improvement regret.

More than a third of homeowners who completed a home improvement project in the past year regret not spending more on the project, according to The Regret Factor Study. “Regretters are more likely to have used a wide range of inspirational sources, especially television, magazines and social media,” observed declared Brenda Bryan of RICKI, the Research Institute for Cooking and Kitchen Intelligence, who led the study with Leslie Gillock, vice president, director of insights at Wray Ward.

(FOMO, the fear of missing out, has apparently migrated from vacation and party video envy on Facebook to real world remodeling projects.

That’s worth considering when planning a remodeling project at the right investment level for your property, or supplying products or services for a client’s.)

3. The rental housing market is on the rise.

A wave of growth since 2004 has increased the number and share of rental households in the UK especially higherend rentals in urban areas.

According to the Joint Center for Housing Studies, 40% of recent additions to the rental stock charge £1,500 or more per month.

(This insight could lead to greater interest in “portable” home improvement products that tenants can take with them when they move, such as hand-held massaging shower heads and freestanding wine refrigerators.)

4. Remodeling activity isn’t slowing down anytime soon.

The steady increase in remodeling activity will continue through 2021, HIRI experts predict. (With home prices increasing, new construction harder to find in some areas of the country, and homeowners aging in place, people are staying put and remodeling.) “With the existing house stock averaging 38 years old, much of the inventory is in need of updating,” noted Mark Boud, senior vice president and chief economist at Hanley Wood/Metrostudy.

5. With home wellness on the rise, the lighting industry is leading the way.

“Circadian rhythm lighting is a hot topic,” declared Jie Zhao, Ph.D., senior vice president of research and development at wellness real estate and technology firm Delos. (This new technology, also called human centric or tunable lighting, produces indoor illumination that more closely matches natural light in its warmth and, paired with home automation, shifts through the day with the sun to ease the impact of artificial light on the human body.)

“It’s changing the landscape of the smart home and lighting in general,” added Zhao.

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Homeowners opting to improve rather than move The number of homeowners choosing to stay put and invest in their existing property instead of moving has soared in the past five years, according to a report from specialist insurer Hiscox.

In 2013 just three per cent of homeowners took the decision to renovate their property instead of move house, but fast-forward five years and this figure has increased to 15 per cent - rising further to one in four among millennials.

The Hiscox Renovations and Extensions Report draws on insight from homeowners, UK-wide estate agents and over 400 local council planning permission records to highlight the growing number of homeowners choosing to invest in home improvements and the profits and pitfalls they’re facing as a result.

When questioned as to reasons for investing in their current

home instead of looking elsewhere, homeowners cited prohibitively high property prices (25 per cent), Stamp Duty fees (13 per cent), a sluggish property market (15 per cent), potential interest rate rises (8 per cent) and even the uncertainty caused by Brexit (eight per cent).

Supporting the conclusion that we’re becoming a nation of improvers, UK local councils have seen a near one third (29 per cent) rise in the number of planning permission requests made by homeowners over the last ten years. Requests for loft renovations have seen the greatest increase at 114 per cent from 2008 to 2017, closely followed by living room extensions (113 per cent).

In the London boroughs of Redbridge and Harrow (the UK renovation hotspots), one in every 28 households made a planning permission

application last year compared to the coldspots of Weymouth and South Ayrshire, where this figure falls to one in every 700.

Overall, bathroom and kitchen renovations are still the most popular, but garden renovations are now the third most common home improvement and also the renovation type that has seen the most growth.

According to estate agents, adding a bedroom does the most to boost the value of a home, with the average bedroom extension delivering an 11.2 per cent increase in a property's worth. Not far behind is loft and kitchendiner extensions which boosts the value by 10.8 per cent.

Typically, today’s renovators set a budget of £16,100 per project and allow five months for work to be completed.

But the experience of past renovators (projects

completed between 2008 2017) suggests this may be a little optimistic. Two in five overspent by an average of 20 per cent (around £3,200) and 35 per cent found past projects had an average delay of up to three months.

Looking at previous renovation projects and those currently underway, just under one in six (17 per cent) sparked some form of neighbour dispute. These include official and non-official complaints, and are most prominent in London, where two fifths (39 per cent) of projects result in some form of disagreement.

Head of direct home insurance at Hiscox UK & Ireland, Phil Thorn, commented: “The decision to improve instead of move is a new normal for homeowners whose lifestyles are evolving.

People are looking at ways to adapt their existing homes to meet their changing needs,

whether that’s a growing family or the beginnings of a new home business. Many view home renovations as an easier or more economical alternative to moving, but our report highlights that these projects are often underestimated in both cost and scale.”

Architectural designer and television presenter, Charlie Luxton added: “There’s been a generational shift resulting

in more and more of us feeling empowered to change our houses rather than move. We need to renovate and improve our aging housing stock and if we can nudge people to make sustainable, as well as spatial improvements, this can only be a good thing. It also means people stay longer in their homes, which is usually beneficial for both community spirit and engagement in local issues.”

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Plans to be submitted for Council Housing Development A planning application for Council Housing development that could help to regenerate a derelict patch of land in Worksop is about to be submitted. The state of the art development, which sits between Lincoln Street and Furnival Street in Manton, proposes to include a mixture of properties including flats, houses and bungalows and create around 120 new homes.

Cllr Steve Scotthorne, Cabinet Member for Housing

at Bassetlaw District Council, said; “Over the next few days we will be seeking planning permission for phase one of the development that will include clearance of the site, in addition to building the first tranche of properties.”

“This is an extremely exciting opportunity and as you will be able to see from the indicative plans, this is proposed to be an extremely impressive development and the Council is delivering on its ambition to have a greater mix of Council housing in this area.”

“We already have a strong track record of creating new Council Housing with projects in Harworth delivering 83 houses and the Independent Living development at Priory Court in Worksop, which is currently under construction,

set to deliver a further 52 properties.

“This project will bring forward a high quality scheme that delivers modern, innovative and energy efficient housing that improves neighbourhoods, supports local jobs and continues the Council’s ambition to increase

the amount of Council housing in our district.

In 2015, the Council asked local residents what kind of development they would like to see on the site, known locally as ‘the old allotments’.

From the 178 responses received as part of a six-week consultation, residents said

they would like to see some form of Council Housing with a mix of two, three and fourbedroomed properties. Two properties on Furnival Street were demolished in January 2019 to create a new access to the site and plans are now moving quickly to get the development underway.

Spotlight on one of Nottingham’s property hotspots – NG1 I hope you are all well and hot spots in the Nottingham options for investment is thriving and can produce had a great Easter break. This property market currently. property in Nottingham. attractive yields. With two month we look at one of the Investors have a range of The long-let rental market universities with over 70,000 students, student lets are a strong-performing type of investment property in Nottingham too. Finally, as a tourist destination with visitors spending over £1.5 billion a year, short/holiday investment lets could be another consideration for a Nottingham property investment.

There are 28 postcode districts with significant property markets in and around Nottingham, and here we investigate some in detail.

Houses in NG1 have an average yield of 7.7%, with an average cost of £129000 and a 5 year growth of 24%. The most attractive yield in the NG1 postcode currently is for a studio apartment, currently at 14%. A one bed flat/house would gain c7% yield, with a 2 bed house currently at 5.9% yield.

When looking to buy in this area, it is worth knowing the average price for a studio currently is £57,000, 1 bed (£109k average) & 2 bed (£175k average) Renting prices are also competitive, ranging from an average of £700 a month for a studio apartment to £2,200 per month average for a 4 bed

house. It’s a good time to buy in this area as it’s currently very much a buyers’ market, and prices are falling due to market conditions. If you are selling a property in NG1, it’s useful to know that the average time it takes to sell a property here is currently 304 days, with 10% stock turnover per month.

Studios, 1 & 2 beds are by far the most common properties in these areas, it’s an area of student living, so the highest average age category is 2024 and the largest form of commuting is on foot.

When buying houses, also looking into the area itself.

For example, NG1 is an area of very high crime when compared to the average postcode across the UK, with

theft and anti-social behaviour high on the list. Schools are rated as “good” in NG1 as is the hygiene in the restaurants.

How we can help you Whether you are buying, selling or looking for assistance in property investment, we can help you at www.webuynghouse.com We know the Nottingham property market well, and are back by a very experienced project team, a range of investors looking to move quickly and have a network of over 6000 property professionals across the UK. For a confidential discussion, please reach out to Paul or Kelly on 0115 82474 01 or email Kelly via kelly@ webuynghouse.com We listen. We find solutions.

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New cashless

parking system goes live Bassetlaw District Council is now offering residents and visitors to Bassetlaw the option to use a new cashless parking system in Council run car parks.

RingGo allows you to pay for your parking without having to visit a parking meter - you just need a mobile phone and payment card. However, people will still have the option to pay for parking with cash, should they wish to do so.

To use the facility you can contact RingGo using a smartphone app, calling, SMS or online and the facility even gives you the opportunity to top up your stay remotely.

David Hill, Head of Finance and Property said: “People are increasingly using mobile phones in their daily routine and paying for

your parking using a mobile is proving both popular and successful elsewhere in the country.

“The scheme will make parking throughout Bassetlaw much easier for some visiting our town centres, however, people who wish to pay with cash, can also continue to do so.” If you choose to pay via RingGo, there will be no need to display a ticket in your vehicle, as Civil Enforcement Officers will check which vehicles have paid for parking using special handheld devices.

The service is available at the following locations: • Castle Hill, Worksop • Central Avenue, Worksop • Farr Park, Worksop • Gateford Road, Worksop • Kilton Road, Worksop (coming soon)

• Lead Hill, Worksop • Memorial Avenue Central, Worksop • Memorial Avenue West, Worksop • Newgate Street East, Worksop • Newgate Street West, Worksop • Potter Street, Worksop • Priorswell Road, Worksop • Queen Street, Worksop • Town Hall, Worksop • Ebeneezer Terrace, Worksop • Carolgate, Retford • Chancery Lane North, Retford • Chancery Lane South, Retford • Chapelgate, Retford • Churchgate Central, Retford • New Street, Retford • West Street, Retford For more information about RingGo, please visit www. bassetlaw.gov.uk/paybyphone

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Carlton town Final Woe!

Carlton Town 0-1 Morpeth Town The final game in March would see league leaders Morpeth travel to stoke lane.

The Millers off the back of two defeats would look to improve on recent results having not performed too badly overall to take the three points. The visitors who were disappointing on the day would manage to win the game by a solitary goal on the stroke of half-time.

The second half of the match would end in a stalemate and Carlton were left disappointed again as overall for many parts of it be dominant and the better side.

Frickley Athletic 6-0 Carlton Town Next up on a heavily congested fixture list for the month was a trip to south Yorkshire and an opportunity for the team to gain some momentum for what is expected to be a very tough final month of the season.

Carlton started brightly on a very poor surface and initially looked as though they would achieve a result. This wasn’t to be the case as the home side took a grip of the game and score thrice before the break leaving the millers scratching their heads. Three more goals were conceded in the second half thus condemning the team to their biggest defeat all season and overall their worst performance also.

Carlton Town 0-3 Basford United - (Notts Senior Cup Final) Tuesday night came round reall y swiftly and Field Mill the home of Mansfield Town was where the two teams would battle it out for Nottinghamshire’s biggest prize. Basford started brightly and pressed Carlton in the opening exchanges but the millers stood firm and were resilient in their play. They would find Basford tough opposition but still manage to disturb them on occasions in the first forty-five minutes with their efforts nearly being

rewarded when Carlton twice hit the bar within minutes.

So, with the game level at the interval and a solid display so far the millers came out with hope of a big upset,unfortunately this wasn’t the case to be and within ten minutes of the restart Basford would take the lead. A dubious penalty decision would see them take the lead and this would spur them on to score twice again before the final whistle. The scoreline didn’t really justify the efforts of the millers who came away from the game having applied themselves well and for parts frustrated the opposition.

Carlton Town 1-1 Stocksbridge Park Steels Four days on and the penultimate fixture at stoke lane beckoned. The Millers continued their good efforts from Tuesday night but would find themselves a goal down after only three minutes with the away side finding the back of the net on their first furore forward. This inspired Carlton to keep their workrate high and to continually keep pressing the opposition to very little avail until ten minutes before the end when OPOKU would find the net for the equaliser. The game was by no means a thriller but would see both teams work hard and a draw overall was probably the fair result.

Loughborough Dynamo 2-1 Carlton Town This one was to be a tight one on the night and would see Dynamo have the better possession in the first half but struggle to break through the

millers defence. Both teams came out confident in the second period and this showed with some good exchanges from both teams before the home side would initiate the scoring eight minutes in. An entertaining game would have to wait another thirty minutes before a scrambled effort from BLAKE would see the next goal and a Carlton equaliser after a period of intense pressure from the millers.

Carlton still pressed forward but would leave themselves vulnerable and this proved to be the case as former millers player Danny Gordon would pounce on a mix-up between the defence and the keeper in the very last minute.

Brighouse Town 4-0 Carlton Town Another away day to west Yorkshire and a scorching sunny day would see the millers face a tough team with play-off hopes. The home side were brighter from the start making Carlton work hard and vigorously and would go in at the break with a two goal lead. Not out of it by any means the millers would still try to break down the home side but whilst still trying to claw the game back concede twice more in the second half.

Carlton Town 0-2 AFC Mansfield Bank holiday monday and the final home fixture saw a side that had resigned from the league appear at Carlton.

With nothing to play for other than fulfilling fixtures it was a big opportunity for the millers to take maximum points and ensure their status in this tier of football. However, things

Article by Phil Jennings

didn’t go according to plan and the visitors would show that despite their situation to be very good and capable opposition and run out the victors having played the better football throughout.

Marske United 4-0 Carlton Town And so to the final league fixture with a long haul north to play a mid-table team and a game that could possibly determine Carlton’s status in the division. Two goals in the final ten minutes of the first-half would determine who would be the victors today. The contest was a fairly even affair up until the scoring stage of the game with both keepers having to make good saves to keep their respective sides in the tie. Both sides worked hard all afternoon and again with less than five minutes remaining in the second period the home side would manage to score twice more to make the result seem worse than the performance deserved.

So the season is over and Carlton manage to keep their status in this tier of football due to the resignation of AFC Mansfield and the fact that Gresley Rovers were to finish below them in the table. On reflection it has been a tough and frustrating season for all involved and at times very stressing, but for a club with limited resources and one of the lowest budgets within the structure it has managed to survive another day at this level. Everybody involved within the club network should be thanked for their efforts in making the season happen and without their help this could not have kept the club at this level. This includes the catering staff through to the coaches,players and supporters as well as the sponsors. Thankyou !

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England Squads Update Ben Duckett and Dawid Malan added to ODI squad for Ireland fixture and Vitality IT20 match versus Pakistan James Vince included in England’s squad for the Royal London ODI Series against Pakistan England National Selectors have added Nottinghamshire batsman Ben Duckett and Middlesex batsman Dawid Malan to the squad for the ODI against Ireland in Malahide and the Vitality IT20 versus Pakistan at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff

on Sunday.

Hampshire batsman James Vince, who was originally selected for the Ireland ODI and the Vitality IT20 against Pakistan, has been added to England’s squad for the Royal London ODI series versus Pakistan.

Surrey batsman Jason Roy has been withdrawn from the Ireland ODI squad and the Vitality IT20 match suffering with a back spasm. He will not travel to Dublin with the rest of the squad and continue to receive treatment before meeting up with squad ahead of the five-match Royal London ODI series starting

at the Kia Oval on Wednesday May 8.

Durham seamer Mark Wood has also been withdrawn and will play for Durham in two Royal London One-Day Cup matches before joining the ODI squad in London next week. Wood will play a full part in Durham’s away fixture against Nottinghamshire on Friday May 3 at Grantham and versus Yorkshire Vikings at Emerald Headingley on Monday May 6.

When is the Best Time to Play Golf?

Figuring out what time of the day you play golf best at can be difficult. One day you may play at 7.30 in the morning and shoot under your handicap, but then a week later play the worst you have in a long time.

But, is it all just in our heads?

Is there really a “best” time to play golf? Well, I suppose it depends if we’re talking about competition or social golf.

If you really love golf, whenever someone asks you to play a social golf you tend to accept the invitation. Most of the time this is after work.

The only time I would advise not to play social golf is right behind a competition, as you will be stuck on the course for a long time…a very long time.

If you are new to the sport then avoiding mornings could be beneficial. This tends to be when most golfers play and having a group of established golfers playing behind you may put you off, and you may not enjoy it.

If possible aim for midafternoon, as this is when courses tend to be quieter.

This way you can play at your own pace and maybe even drop a couple of balls down if there is a shot you are struggling with. Overall, this should make your round a little less stressful and a lot more enjoyable.

However in a competition, there may be a “good” time to tee off, although there are many variables that may make this change on a dayby-day basis. For example, if you look back the 2016 Open Championship, it was very apparent that there was a desirable side of the draw.

The players that played late on Thursday and early Friday arguably got the better of the conditions. In fact, the top 14 after 36 holes all played later on the Thursday then early on the Friday. The first half of the draw were a combined 175 over par, with the latter

half over double that at 362 over par. In competitions I have always favoured playing around 10-11am, although you could say my performances over the past few years would suggest I should think about changing that. After looking into my scores compared with the time I teed off, it is apparent that between 3 and 4pm is actually a better time for me to play. And 4pm is a time that Dr Charles Czeisler, the director of the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School, believes “golfers might perform best.”

But why?

Well, 4pm is the time your body is coming out of a period when the desire to sleep was strong. During the late afternoon, we are catching a second wind, which is actually a real phenomenon.

Czeisler said: “Every study of shift work reveals that people on the 3pm-11pm shift are most productive.”

But what about that person who tees off at 7.30am every Saturday and always seems to be in the prizes I hear you ask?

Well, every golfer is different and many cannot bear to be stood waiting over every shot, hence why an early tee time is more desirable. To add, many club golfers mainly play due to their enjoyment of the sport, not necessarily to compete.

This tee time is also the only time some golfers can get to be able to play in

competitions. Local Saturday/ Sunday tournaments tend to fill up reasonably quickly so taking any available time slot is the only option for some.

However, it turns out that this is possibly the worst time of day that you could choose to play golf, and more so expect a good score.

This is because your body is less flexible, your mind is half asleep and your bodymind connection isn’t quite what it should be when you’re

tired. Dr Czeisler said: “It would be the absolute nadir of performance preparedness,” to play really early in the morning. “You will be less flexible, your coordination will be off a little, your judgement will not be as good and your short term memory would be affected.”

So there you have it. If you want to be at your very best and potentially end up in the prizes, you should play at 4pm.

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Sky & talkSPORT Reporter Full of

Praise for Gedling Miners Welfare FC

I was lucky enough to catch up with SKY and talkSPORT reporter Tony Incenzo at the home of Gedling Miners Welfare FC recently, and the busy groundhopper had nothing but praise for the Nottinghamshire club in his first ever visit to Plains Road.

Tony is not only famous for his reporting on both the TV and Radio but also for his crusade

to visit every football stadium in the country, including nonleague. So, when I found out that his next ground on the list was Gedling Miners Welfare FC, I popped along to gauge his thoughts on their facilities and the quality of football within.

The game in question took place on Tuesday 16th April against Clifton All Whites

and certainly lived up to its billing. Despite being below their visitors in the East Midlands Counties league the home side pulled off a wellearned victory in front of the 91 supporters in attendance.

I asked Incenzo how many grounds he’d clocked up and why he continues to scour the country for stadiums such as Plains Road? “Tonight, is my 2,279th ground visited in over 30 different countries, but non-league is my first love. I grew up in North West London and have always supported QPR, but from the age of ten I’d go and support the local non-league sides like Hendon, Finchley and Barnet when Rangers were away.”

Tony had chalked off all 92 Football League grounds in England whilst still at school, by the age of 19 he’d done the whole of Scotland too. For most people that would be the finishing point but commendably he has an insatiable appetite for the nonleague scene, which bodes well for clubs like Gedling Miners Welfare.

From a personal standpoint, it was also my first ever visit to Plains Road as a paying customer, having played many a game against them in my time with Dunkirk,

Pelican and Kimberley Town.

It felt kind of strange paying the entrance fee as I pushed through the turnstiles, but it was well worth the money.

The match itself took off at a frenetic pace as Clifton dominated possession and had the home side camped in their own half for sustained periods.

But Gedling weathered the storm and gradually asserted themselves upon the game before going ahead in the 27th minute. Ross McCaughey’s well delivered corner was headed home in style at the back post by Courtney Hastings.

The remainder of the game ebbed and flowed as Clifton pushed for an equaliser but were thwarted by some disciplined defending from the home team. Tony Incenzo was complimentary of the standard of football on offer, he said “this is great value for a fiver, there’s nothing between the sides and it’s hard to see which way it’s going.”

As we continued to engross ourselves within the game Incenzo was full of praise for the overall experience on offer at Gedling miners Welfare, he gripped a portion of the long covered stand in which we were stationed, saying “it’s a very sturdy ground and has plenty of cover too, there’s a temptation for a lot of clubs to buy those portable stands and have them dropped into position from the back of a lorry, they’re functional but it’s much nicer to come to a place like this.”

Incenzo was very impressed

by Gedling’s Chairman whom he met during the half time break, he discovered that Vic Hulme had played a hands-on role in the construction and evolution of the ground over the years with help from other committee members.

This was confirmed by Gedling’s media officer Tony

Hay, who was also kind enough to chat with me for this article. Tony had the following to say regarding the ethos of the club and what they were looking to achieve, “The ground is up to the level 6/5 standard of nonleague grading now and we’re averaging crowds of around the mid-eighties, which is really good considering where we’ve come from as a club, we feel quite proud of our loyal following.”

I asked Mr Hay about the ambitions for the club going forward, “primarily, we want to compete at this level and hopefully earn a place in the FA Cup which brings its own rewards.” Hay then proceeded to inform me that this is Gedling Miners Welfare’s centenary, telling me that the club are planning a special celebratory match to mark their 100th year with other events to follow; watch this space!

The club also has a famous supporter among their following, none other than the Commonwealth, Featherweight boxing champion Leigh Wood.

Wood is Gedling born and bred and recently attended the local Derby between Gedling Miners Welfare and Arnold Town. Tony Hay said of Leigh Wood, “It’s great, we’re supporting each other and have established a good relationship, Leigh has been to watch us, and he’ll have the backing of the whole club as he defends his Commonwealth title at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham on May 10th against Ryan Doyle.

Back to the match; the final whistle blew amid a mighty roar from the Plains Road faithful as Gedling successfully protected their lead and emerged victorious courtesy of that Hastings header in the first half.

Written by Steve Corry

I managed to get a final summary from Tony Incenzo before he dashed off back to London to see his wife and child. “It was real value for money, a good standard and a closely fought game too. In total, considering the entrance fee, programme, half time drink and free parking, it’s cost less than a tenner. Clubs like Gedling Miners Welfare at steps 6 & 5 provide an affordable alternative to Premier League football, which must be almost impossible to afford for working-class fans. The Premier League have pushed fans away by going global whilst clubs like this are very much part of the community.”

Each Edition of the Nottingham Now has a print run of 10,000 copies. Published by Wilcop Media Ltd, 92L Rolleston Dr, Arnold, Nottingham, NG5 7JP.