Tel: 01623 707017
February 2018
Sleep-out planned so others don’t have to A CHARITY that helps the homeless is urging people in Mansfield and Ashfield to experience a single night of rough sleeping so others don’t have to.
Headstocks hope A PROJECT to save the iconic former Clipstone Colliery headstocks has moved forward with a major review of the structure and possible future uses. (See page 25)
St Patrick’s Day celebration event
THE Mansfield and Dukeries Irish Association is holding its St Patrick Day celebrations at the Forest Town Arena on Saturday, 17th March. The festivities start in the afternoon and will culminate in the evening with local groups of musicians and Irish singer Paddy O’Brien performing traditional and contemporary Irish songs, ballads, laments and jigs. He will include a tribute to the late Joe Dolan, who was a celebrated Irish act. Irish dancers from the Gallagher O’Connor Irish Dance Academy will perform ahead of their forthcoming competitions. The whole of the arena will be open for the event that is open to all. The association arranges a luncheon club for the over 60s and a series of events, such as ceilidh dances, Irish history seminars and language lessons. The club is held at the Nags Head, Pleasley, every two weeks on a Tuesday and is open to new members. The club holds trips to the seaside and to other Irish clubs. The Embassy of Ireland has supported the association.
Framework, which supports thousands of people across the East Midlands, will hold its annual Mansfield Big Snore sponsored sleep-out on Friday, 23rd March at West Nottinghamshire College’s Derby Road campus in Mansfield. The event, backed for the first time by Nottingham Building Society, will this year have a colourful circus-theme — carrying on a tradition of a fun, family event held in aid of a very serious cause Framework fundraising manager Chris Senior said: “Street homelessness is a significant problem in Mansfield, where members of our street outreach team regularly work with people who are experiencing serious physical and mental ill-health. “Taking part in the Mansfield Big Snore is a great way to demonstrate your concern, learn more about this issue and raise funds to support people in need. “With this year’s circus theme there’s a chance to enjoy great entertainment and even learn new skills. “I am also grateful to our sponsor, Nottingham Building Society, whose support ensures even more money gets to where it needs to be.” Participants are encouraged to spend a night in a cardboard box in return for sponsorship from friends, family and colleagues. The event will be held in the college grounds from 7pm to 6am. Money raised will support the work of Framework’s street outreach team, which
supports people sleeping on the street into accommodation and treatment. Tony Gibney, manager at The Nottingham’s Stockwell Gate branch in Mansfield, added: “Much of our work as a society is about supporting people to enjoy the comfort and security of their own home, so homelessness and rough sleeping are causes close to our heart as an organisation. “We are very proud to be sponsoring the Big Snore this year for the first time.” The event, which raised more than
£20,000 last year, was begun by members of St Mark’s Church, Mansfield, in 2004, to raise money to buy a new washing machine for the Sherwood Street Hostel. Since then the event has grown and this year hopes to raise £25,000. Framework asks participants to raise a minimum of £50. Securing a place at the sleep out requires a non-refundable £10 fee for adults and £5 for people aged five to 16. To sign up go to www.frameworkha. org/mansfieldbigsnore
AgustaWestland 169 helicopter and carried blood on board for the first time. Chief executive Karen Jobling said: “Emergencies don’t stop at 7pm and nor will we. Thanks to our fantastic supporters, we are now in a position to fund the extension of our service and provide advanced clinical care to the people
of Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “This extended service will not happen overnight, but the wheels are already in motion towards the provision of a 24/7 helicopter emergency service for the communities we serve by the end of the year.”
Lifesaving charity set to extend its work THE Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance is to be on call 24 hours a day after trustees approved a decision to extend the helicopter’s operational hours.
Last year the charity, which has a major charity shop in Mansfield Woodhouse, took delivery of a state-of-the-art
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