Nottingham Now 110

Issue. 110 - March/April - 2022 0115 6972670 | www.nottingham-now.co.uk | sales@nottingham-now.co.uk

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POLICE TEAM WHO SNARED RUNNING MAN LAND AWARD

Homecoming for Harry and Harley

Running Man - Ambrose O’Neill See pages 6........

SEE PAGE 35...

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Page 2.

Wollaton Hall & Deer Park wins VisitEngland Award

Deer Park has long been a much-loved and treasured location renowned for great days out, from its history and legacy as an original Elizabethan mansion to a modern visitor attraction including a Natural History museum, walled garden, a park of deer and other wildlife, with its exhibitions and events for award issued by VisitEngland the whole family.

Visitor Attraction Quality With its most recent exhibition ‘Titus: T. rex Scheme (VAQAS) aims to is King’, Wollaton Hall has pushed the boundreward and celebrate attrac- aries of telling great stories, giving visitors an tions that give all visitors an entertaining day out and a once-in-a-lifetime entertaining and interactive experience. This exhibition tells the tale of a visit.

12-metre T. rex skeleton that lived 67 million As an established herityears ago – and since being unearthed in the age site, Wollaton Hall & Montana Badlands of the USA in 2018, is now filling a room, skull to tail, inside Wollaton Hall – tail, bite and all!

Visitors can see the T. rex skeleton and discover the excavation, curation, examination, rebuild and final reveal, across four gallery rooms, as well as dispel some myths about this immense iconic T. rex. It has high-tech digital and interactive virtual media displays that immerse visitors in the extraordinary journey, so they can ‘Create Titus,’ ‘Dig for Titus’ and ‘Dissect Titus’ to discover the awe-inspiring T. rex in a visual and engaging way

Wollaton Hall & Deer Park has been recognised with a VisitEngland award for going the extra mile in providing a quality visitor experience. The

– it’s one not to be missed by dinosaur fans of all ages!

Of the 76 visitor attractions in the UK recognised by VisitEngland, Wollaton Hall has received its VisitEngland ‘Best Told Story’ award, and it further recognises the renowned and popular features and stories of the hall and park, including its conservation projects to protect its wildlife and gardens, its management of the 500-acre park boasting wild deer that freely roam the grounds, along with volunteer-run initiatives to engage visitors and residents. Many of its projects are to ensure the heritage site can keep striving toward its vision to work more sustainably, including the volunteers growing organic vegetables in the Walled Garden, team members growing herbs in the courtyard planters for use in the café, and reducing mowing and increasing bulb and tree planting to improve biodiversity in the park.

Nottingham City Council’s Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture and Schools, Cllr Eunice Campbell-Clark said: “The news of Wollaton Hall’s VisitEngland award is testament to the hard work by the team at the museum and is well deserved.

“The heritage site has risen to the challenges created by

Covid and continued to safely attract and engage visitors.

The team at Wollaton have also brought an innovative and interactive dinosaur exhibition to the people of Nottingham, which has proven extremely popular with visitors.”

Nottingham City Council’s Chief Operating Officer – Museums & Heritage Sites, Rachel James said: “We are thrilled to have won a VisitEngland award at Wollaton Hall & Deer Park. We have an amazing team of staff and volunteers who work tirelessly to give a warm welcome and excellent service so it is great this has been recognised.”

Visit Nottinghamshire’s Marketing and Communications Manager, Kinga Kapias said: “We’re really delighted to see the team at Wollaton Hall scoop VisitEngland’s Best Told Story Award. The team there work so hard to bring Wollaton Hall and its exhibitions to life, they’re a credit to Nottingham’s tourism industry and it’s brilliant to see them get the recognition they deserve.”

To plan your visit go to the Wollaton Hall website: www. wollatonhall.org.uk or discover the latest Titus: T. rex is King exhibition, go to: www. wollatonhall.org.uk/titus

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Page 3.

Council ends twinning arrangements in light of invasion of Ukraine Nottingham City Council has severed links with Krasnodar in Russia and Minsk in Belarus in response to the invasion of Ukraine.

Council Leader, Cllr David Mellen, has written to officials in both cities to explain the decision, taking immediate effect, which is “borne out of our unwillingness to be associated with both the Russian and Belarusian governing bodies and is not a reflection on the people of

Minsk or Krasnodar.”

Nottingham and Minsk chose to twin in the late 1950s in part to recognise how Minsk suffered in the Second World War, when over 90% of the city was destroyed. The twinning agreement came at a time when there was a fear of a nuclear war between the USSR and the west. Nottingham played a significant role in bringing relief and help to the children of Minsk who were poisoned by the nuclear fallout from

the accident in Chernobyl.

Both Krasnodar and Nottingham are twinned with Karslruhe which led to initial connections between the cities before this was formalised as a twinning arrangement in 2010. The aim behind the agreement was for the cities to discuss and explore any economic, cultural and civic benefits.

The council hasn’t had active links with Minsk or Krasnodar for many years, but the twinning agreements

have remained in place and some community connections and exchanges have continued over the years. The only active twinning arrangements Nottingham currently has in place are with Karlsruhe and Ningbo.

Nottingham City Council Leader, Cllr David Mellen, said: “We have deep concern at the unfolding events in Ukraine and we cannot stand by as Russian military aggression, supported by Belarus, continues un-

Letter from Cllr Mellen to the Mayor of Krasnodar

checked. We have watched the unfolding news in dismay as Russian troops disregard the independent sovereignty of Ukraine and the city of Nottingham will stand in solidarity with Ukraine and their absolute right to national self-determination.

Nottingham City Council has therefore taken the decision to sever the union with both Krasnodar in Russia and Minsk in Belarus.

“The severance of ties is borne out of our unwillingness to be associated

with both the Russian and Belarusian governing bodies and is not a reflection on the people of Minsk or Krasnodar. It is true that cities such as ours reached out beyond the borders of Europe in the aftermath of the atrocities which ripped apart families, cities and countries throughout the 20th century – the actions taken by Russia are surely a regressive act which will stifle the Russian and Belarusian people who rightly deserve much more from their leaders.”

Man charged thanks to quick police work A suspect has been charged after officers quickly responded to reports of a man trying car doors.

Officers on patrol nearby responded to residents concerns and within minutes had made an arrest in Mount Avenue, Worksop, at around 5.15am on Sunday 6 March.

Daniel Kirkwood, aged 34, has now been charged with vehicle interference.

Kirkwood, of Prince Charles Road, Worksop, has been released on bail and is due to appear at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court on 5 April.

Inspector Hayley Crawford, district commander for Bassetlaw, said: “This was a great example of on-the-

spot policing by our officers who were on scene within minutes after the incident was called in.

“It is important that the public continue to report any concerns they may have to us by either calling 101 or speaking to one of our officers patrolling in the area.

Thanks to reports made by members of the public we have been able to charge a man in connection with this incident.

“I would like to thank the members of the public who called us to report their suspicions and I hope this gives them reassurance that we treat any concerns raised to us seriously and will act as quickly as we can.”

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Page 4.

Mel Barrett appointed as Lead for Nottingham City Place Based Partnership

Mel Barratt Mel Barrett, Chief Executive of Nottingham City Council, has been appointed as Lead for Nottingham City Place Based Partnership (PBP). He will take over from Dr Hugh Porter as Interim Lead on 1 April 2022.

ground, circumstances or where people live in the city.

Mel Barrett’s role leading both the City Council and the PBP will strengthen his ambition to improve health and wellbeing and reduce health inequalities in Nottingham.

He said: “The response to the Covid-19 pandemic in Nottingham has proven what is possible when a group of Mel Barrett, Chief Executive organisations corral together of Nottingham City Council, around a shared purpose and set of objectives and I has been appointed as Lead am keen that we continue to for Nottingham City Place Based Partnership (PBP). He build on this. However, what the pandemic has also done will take over from Dr Hugh is bring into sharp focus the Porter as Interim Lead on 1 acute inequalities that exist in April 2022.

Nottingham.

The Nottingham City PBP, “The fact that a woman in formerly known as the InteHyson Green can have the grated Care Partnership, was second-lowest healthy life established in 2019 to bring expectancy in the country is together health and care sersomething we must address, vices including GPs, local auand we will only improve this thority services, community services and hospitals, as well by addressing it together in genuine co-production with as wider services provided by the community, voluntary our citizens.

“I believe that by working and social enterprise sector. together at pace with our All partners of the Notcitizens, we are stronger than tingham City PBP have a key any individual partner acting role to play in supporting alone.

By continuing this the health and wellbeing of journey together, we have citizens, working together to not just the opportunity but provide care and support to the responsibility to deliver people, regardless of backon our shared ambition to

give every person living in Nottingham equal access to care and support that meets their needs, regardless of their background, circumstances or where they live in the city. I am confident that we have what it takes.”

The Nottingham City PBP is one of four ‘place-based’ partnerships in the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Integrated Care System.

Subject to parliamentary process for the Health and Care Bill on 1 July, the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire ICS will establish an Integrated Care Board (ICB) that will be responsible for NHS services.

The Nottingham City PBP will be responsible for the delivery of the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy for 2022-2025.

Dr Kathy McLean, Chair of the Integrated Care System, said: “This is an exciting time to be leading and working in health and care and we welcome Mel into his new role as lead for Nottingham City Place Based Partnership. We are in a position of real opportunity to truly make positive change through the integration of

people, teams, organisations, professions and citizens with one key aim for the benefit of our public and patients.

“Mel’s skills and leadership will be a huge asset to the city Place Based Partnership as it moves into this next phase of development, driving the work on reducing health inequalities and improving care.

I know Mel will focus on real change that will address the needs and views of local citizens.”

Dr Hugh Porter, Interim Lead for the Nottingham City PBP, said: “It’s been an honour to act as Interim Lead in addition to my role as Clinical Director for the PBP over the last two years. With the support from many colleagues, the partnership with its new ways of working has gone from strength to strength.

“The partnership has played an important role during the pandemic and the challenges we have all faced have provided learning opportunities. We know as we come out of the pandemic other challenges remain, especially addressing the health inequalities across our city and its communities.

“The new City Health and Wellbeing Strategy and the

partnership’s agreed role in delivering this, together with the advent of the new Health and Care Bill that will see the formation of Integrated Care Systems as statutory bodies, means the partnership now needs to progress into its next phase of development.

“I’m therefore delighted to welcome Mel as the new Lead, who will bring the skills and expertise to really help make this next phase of the partnership flourish and start to broaden its role across the city. I’m looking forward to continuing in my role as Clinical Director, working closely with Mel and colleagues to make the next phase as successful as the first.”

Cllr Adele Williams, Portfolio Holder for Adults and Health in Nottingham and Chair of the Nottingham City Health and Wellbeing Board, said: “Reducing health inequality is a top priority for Nottingham. We are determined that the gap in healthy life expectancy between the different neighbourhoods of our city and with Nottingham as a whole compared to other similar cities must close.

“We want Nottingham to be

a healthy and inclusive city, where people are able to live well and keep active throughout their lives. We will do this by working together with our partners and with Nottingham to ensure people are supported at the right time and in the right place to live their lives as they would want to, but also by working to ensure that together we use our resources to support good local employment and procurement, and that we use our leadership to build on the progress Nottingham has made to improve air quality and other determinants of good health such as education.”

The partners of the Nottingham City PBP are Nottingham City Council, CityCare, Nottingham City General Practice Alliance, NHS Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Group, Nottingham Community and Voluntary Service, Framework, Nottingham City Homes, Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, and Healthwatch Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.

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More pupils get first-choice secondary school Almost 100 more pupils in Nottingham have received their first choice of secondary school for September this year.

On National Offer Day today, the City Council has been able to inform parents and carers of 2,778 children that they have secured a place at their preferred school. This compares with 2,679 for 2021, despite there being 150 more applications this year.

An offer has been made to every child who applied, so nobody is without a place.

Second preferences were also up by 49 – from 308 in 2021 to 357 in 2022 – meaning that 85 per cent of pupils got a first or second choice, compared with 84.5 per cent last time.

With all secondary schools in the city now academies, the Council’s role is to facilitate the applications process but headteachers and governors make the final decision on

which pupils they admit.

Parents and carers apply to the authority, the requests are collated and sent to academies who then inform which have been successful. Emails were sent out this morning, while letters have been issued where they were requested instead.

Council officers will continue to help parents and carers over the coming days with any questions they may have, or support with the appeal process where necessary.

Councillor Eunice Campbell-Clark, Portfolio Holder for Schools at Nottingham City Council, said: “It’s been another challenging year and I’m delighted that every child has been offered a place, with nearly a hundred more first-choices than last year.

“This is especially welcome considering that we received 150 more applications for September 2022, which is effectively the equivalent of a whole school year group at some city academies.

“That’s a significant increase and I’d like to thank parents

and carers for applying ontime, and also our Admissions team for all their hard work. I hope current Year Six pupils are excited about moving up to secondary school next year.

“We have proven in terms of our primary school expansion programme our ability to increase capacity in the City and enable more parents to get a place at their preferred school.

Our £40m investment in primary school capacity since 2009 has added 4,000 new places.

“Nottingham is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country and therefore it is essential that the Government funds the additional school capacity that we need for Nottingham children, particularly as they move to secondary education.”

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Pedal power helps police put brakes on crime New electric bikes are helping police to put the brakes on crime and protect communities as well as protecting the environment at the same time.

Nottinghamshire Police officers serving the Broxtowe borough have been quick to put the two new bikes through their paces while out on patrol on the streets of Eastwood.

The neighbourhood officers at Eastwood already utilise normal bikes as part of their daily patrols but the addition of the new e-bikes will expand their patrol range, reduce fatigue and make for faster response times.

Neighbourhood Inspector Mike Ebbins said: “These new bikes are a great asset and will allow our officers to stay out for longer and travel greater distances.

“The bikes naturally allow us to target some areas more effectively than a patrol car, particularly harder to reach areas known for antisocial behaviour, and their silent stealth approach will cer-

tainly benefit tackling crime hotspots.

“They can get us to places much faster than it would take the average officer on foot, or with a normal bike, and our officers will also have greater visibility and interactions with our community when out on two wheels.

“It’s also fantastic to be able to reduce our carbon footprint by using the bikes, so that we can protect the environment while we’re protecting the community.”

The bikes are equipped with an electric motor which offers officers assistance up to 15mph. Anything more than that, and the officers will be relying on their own pedal power.

The bikes can enable officers to patrol alleys and narrow thoroughfares that are difficult to police by car and also help officers cover hilly terrain and dirt tracks frequented by nuisance quad bike and scooter riders.

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Page 6.

Man jailed for stabbing woman who ran out of house screaming

A delivery driver was asked to take a woman to hospital after she came out of a house screaming that she’d been stabbed.

she had ordered into the living room before going into the kitchen. As she opened the fridge door Sidlauskas began to stab her before she managed to run out of the front door.

He was just about to leave Sidlauskas, of Tudor Close, after delivering food to a was arrested in connection property in Tudor Close, with the incident and went on Newark, when the victim came running towards his ve- to plead guilty to wounding hicle in her underwear, got in with intent.

He was jailed for four years and screamed ‘please just go.’ when he appeared at NottingShe asked him to take her to hospital and called another ham Crown Court on Friday (11 March 2022). person asking them to call Detective Inspector Craig the police.

Hall, of Nottinghamshire A short time later he saw Police, said: “The victim’s two ambulances waiting at injuries in this case were traffic lights in Bowbridge Road and pulled up to them. very serious as a result of this The woman got out of his car vicious attack by Sidlauskas.

“I would like to commend and paramedics quickly came the delivery driver for their to her aid and took her to fast actions in protecting the hospital. victim and alerting the police.

She needed emergency “Our response team and surgery having suffered stab wounds to her liver, stomach, detectives did a fantastic job in this case and were able chest and arm. to quickly arrest and charge She was attacked by her Sidlauskas. partner’s brother - 34-year“The victim has shown treold Andrius Sidlauskas - on mendous courage by supportthe morning of 7 July 2021.

She had just taken the food ing this prosecution while

she recovers from significant physical and emotional injuries.

“Sidlauskas was a visitor to her home and the attack was completely unprovoked.

I hope that this conviction and sentence go some way to aiding her recovery.

“I also hope the outcome of this case gives the public confidence that Nottinghamshire Police will take positive action against those prepared to use bladed weapons and put people’s safety at risk.

“Incidents of knife crime and violence seriously affect our communities and we will always seek to put violent offenders before the courts to face justice.

“Whenever a serious incident like this happens we understand the concern it can cause but I’d like to reassure the public the force is working hard every single day to reduce weapon-enabled crime and to prevent incidents from happening in the first place.”

Nottinghamshire Policetakes a zero-tolerance

approach to incidents of violence against women and the force continues to work closely with partners, including Nottinghamshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry, to ensure women feel safe.

Tackling and reducing knife crime also remains a top priority for Nottinghamshire Police which works tirelessly alongside partner agencies, including Nottinghamshire’s Violence Reduction Unit, to address the issue through a mixture of prevention, intervention, education, enforcement and engagement work.

The force’s two dedicated knife crime teams are also working day in and day out to combat this issue and its schools and early intervention officers also continue to positively engage with schools and young people across the county to help nip knife crime in the bud by delivering education and interventions, steering them away from crime and encouraging them to make positive life choices.”

Andrius Sidlauskas In support of its ongoing proactive work the force is urging anyone with information on knife crime in their local community to call Nottinghamshire Police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555

111. In an emergency, always dial 999.

For more knife crime advice, including organisations providing support, visit https://www.nottinghamshire.police.uk/knifecrime/ advice

New state of the art CCTV cameras installed in Arnold town centre Gedling Borough Council has invested more than £15,000 to improve CCTV equipment for Arnold Town Centre.

Four new digital cameras have been installed on Front Street, Arnold, using existing CCTV infrastructure and upgrading the cameras themselves.

The cameras are able to provide high quality images to help improve facial recognition and identify number plates, which will help assist the Police investigating criminal activities taking place in or around the town centre.

The cameras have been installed as part of the council’s commitment to reduce crime and anti-so-

cial behaviour and to invest in new and existing CCTV in priority hot spots such as Arnold Town Centre.

Deputy Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor Michael Payne said; “Keeping our borough safe and reducing crime is one of our key priorities, and that’s exactly why we’re making this investment. We’ve already installed, and seen the benefits of additional CCTV elsewhere in the borough and we’re committed to continuing these improvements.

We work closely with the Police, local businesses and other authorities

to keep our residents and businesses safe, and these

new cameras will only strengthen the tools we

have at our disposal to behaviour.” tackle crime and antisocial

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Page 7.

City Council sets balanced budget and four-year financial plan Nottingham City Council has formally approved its 2022/23 budget by making savings to close a starting budget gap of £28m and a four-year plan to set the organisation on a stable financial course for the future.

The meeting of the Full Council which took place on Monday 7th March, agreed a range of proposals for the forthcoming financial year starting in April, including: • the closure of some children’s centres • introducing an administration charge for second and third resident parking permits, and bulky-waste collections • a staffing reduction in play and youth services.

The report, including all budget saving proposals, is available to view on the City Council website Feedback during a wide-ranging public consultation resulted in councillors making changes, which were ratified at today’s meeting.

These amendments mean that: • the main city centre public toilets on Greyhound Street will remain free of charge • one additional children’s centre will remain open • more youth and play service staff will be

retained.

A number of Council service areas will see more investment, including: • an estimated £46m additional funding, over four years, in care services for Nottingham’s elderly residents and most vulnerable children • a £230m investment in council housing to improve existing properties, build hundreds of new council houses and make hard-to-heat homes more sustainable and energy-efficient.

Councillors have protected spending on many key services, such as street cleansing, Community Protection, parks and open spaces and homelessness support.

The agreed budget will involve a workforce reduction of the equivalent of 63 fulltime posts – 27 of which are currently vacant. It will also see a 1.99% basic council tax increase plus a further 1% for the Government’s social care precept towards the rising demand for adult care services.

Like most local authorities across the country, the Council is receiving substantially less in its main Government grant than it did a decade ago. This at the same time as a rise in demand for statutory adult care services which, along

with caring for vulnerable children, now accounts for two-thirds of the council’s entire budget.

This is squeezing the funding available for other council services. The savings in next year’s budget comes on top of more than £300m of savings since 2010.

Councillors also endorsed a balanced four-year Medium Term Financial Plan to 2025/26, which is key to delivering the city’s Together for Nottingham improvement programme passed by Full Council in January.

The £230m investment programme over five years in Nottingham City Council’s housing stock was agreed during the meeting.

Nottingham City Council, along with its arms-length housing management company, Nottingham City

Homes (NCH), has already constructed in excess of 650 houses, with more than 300 more new council properties planned or in the pipeline across Nottingham over the next two years, including at Bestwood and Clifton where 144 new homes are already under construction.

The Council capital programme, which aims to help improve the authority’s current housing stock of 25,218 homes, includes new kitchens and bathrooms, energy-efficient windows, solar panels and external wall insulation.

Portfolio Holder for Finance and Resources, Councillor Sam Webster, said: “We’ve had to make over £300m of budget savings since 2010, but this was the toughest year yet requiring incredibly difficult

decisions about services that we know are valued by local people.

“We made some changes to the proposals after listening to feedback through the public consultation and have done all we can to soften the impact on service users.

“Unfortunately, like many councils across the country, we have faced extremely challenging circumstances due to a decade of unprecedented reductions in Government funding and the growing demand for some key council services, especially care services for older people.

“The amount of funding from Government for public

services in Nottingham is a fraction of what it was a decade ago, so unfortunately, like the vast majority of councils, we have no alternative but to increase council tax once again.

“The unfairness of Government policy on Nottingham is what’s most shocking. While they have taken away £320 of funding per dwelling in Nottingham, the average across the country was a £47 cut. If the Government is serious about ‘Levelling Up’ it cannot continue to under-invest in local public services and hammer households with never-ending council tax increases.”

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Page 8.

Police team who snared violent robber land prestigious award Dubbed ‘The Running Man’ after evading capture for over a decade, a violent robber was finally caught thanks to the determined efforts of police officers and police staff alike.

Ambrose O’Neill skipped his 2008 trial over an attack on an antiques dealer and his wife at their home. He was sentenced to eight years in prison in his absence but spent years at large.

He was finally brought to book in January last year after a team of police officers and staff picked up O’Neill’s case and made it their unflinching mission to get him in cuffs.

Now, the team have been recognised at Nottinghamshire Police’s annual Force Awards, scooping the One Team (Operational award).

The team put in hours of dedicated work, including working extended hours in their free time, to follow up every thread of intelligence – and it paid off.

“The media portrayed him as someone who was laughing at cops,” recalled PC James Gill, who played a pivotal role in capturing O’Neill.

“As soon as we saw those reports, he became our number one priority.”

The brutal crime took

place in 2007 when O’Neill knocked on his victim's front door in Seagrave, Leicestershire, posing as a pizza delivery man.

When the 67-year-old victim opened the door, O'Neill pushed him over, punched him in the face and demanded he open a safe, threatening to kill him. The man’s wife was also pushed to the ground and kicked in the face.

But O’Neill ultimately left empty-handed and was later arrested.

O'Neill attended the first day of his trial at Leicester Crown Court but then went on the run.

Despite extensive enquiries across the country, he was not located and O’Neill remained at large having not served any of his eight year sentence.

That was until late 2020 when new intelligence linked O’Neill to Lincolnshire.

Thus, Operation Gladiolus was launched, with PC Gill, a response officer based at Jubilee House, and his colleague PC Andy Ryback playing an instrumental role in tracking down the wanted man.

Chief Inspector Chris Pearson, who nominated the team for the One Team award, described the team’s work as

PC James Gill

truly inspirational.

He said: “Having been approached by PC Gill, PC Ryback started a thorough investigation into O’Neill, balancing the extensive and complicated enquiries alongside his usual day job at Gedling.

“He volunteered to work additional hours in his own time to develop the intelligence case around O’Neill

and sought assistance from colleagues across the organisation based in Force Intelligence, RTIU and Financial Investigation.

“He also liaised with colleagues in both Lincolnshire and Leicestershire Police to obtain a full understanding of the enquiries that had already been completed in the hunt for O’Neill.”

A number of enquiries were carried out but there was no footprint of O’Neill at all, showing that it was a wellplanned and executed evasion of justice.

“He had effectively disappeared from all the places you would usually leave a trace of yourself,” said Insp Pearson.

“This naturally caused significant distress for the victims.”

The breakthrough came when enquiries led the team to a property in Lincolnshire.

Ch Insp Pearson said: “PC Ryback produced a thorough briefing pack of his findings and the ‘Rota 3’ team at Gedling volunteered to return to work on a rest day to travel to Lincolnshire and detain O’Neill.”

Recalling the day the team honed in on O’Neill, PC Gill said: “We arrived at work at 2am in the morning and all sat around the briefing table.

There were maps and detailed explanations of what was expected from each individual, because absolutely nobody wanted this to go wrong.

to see the hard working, enthusiastic nature of all of the police officers and staff involved in this operation.

“Their ‘can do’ attitude effectively meant that they carried out more extensive, Describing the moment they detailed enquiries than had arrested him, PC Ryback said: ever been done in the hunt for O’Neill and it was no sur“Hearing the words ‘we’ve prise to me that this approach got him’ after all this work eventually paid off.” was a really, really satisfying A television documentary moment.” highlighting some of the winners at this year's Force Ch Insp Pearson said the Awards was broadcast on team fully deserved the Saturday night (12 March). recognition they received Highlights include the at this year’s Force Awards ceremony, which was held on dramatic moment officers finally brought justice to the 9 March.

He said: “It is clear that the door of a criminal after more than a decade on the run, the operation would not have been a success had it not been terrifying moment officers put their own lives on the line for the collaborative workto save a man covered in peting and extensive enquiries carried out by PC Ryback, PC rol, and a look at some of the people with one of the most Gill, Gedling Rota 3 and the difficult jobs you can imagine wider colleagues.

“Each of them played a part – investigating some of the most serious and devastating in order to work as a team collisions on our roads. and it was a real pleasure “It was a tense atmosphere but really exciting nonetheless.”

The team arrived at the address at 4.20am and successfully detained O’Neill.

Running Man Ambrose O’Neill

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Page 9.

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Page 10.

Colliery Way to offcially open

22 March is set to be a big day for residents and motorists who live in and travel through Gedling as Colliery Way, formerly known as the Gedling Access Road, officially opens to traffic.

The scheme is also set to benefit the environment, with 53,000 new trees being planted across the site, and ecological measures including seven badger tunnels, six amphibian crossings and seven bat hop-overs being constructed.

Traffic will be able to use the new road from midday on The £49 million road will 22 March. link the A612 with Mapperley Councillor Ben Bradley Plains and will improve jour- MP, Leader of Nottinghamney times, reduce congestion shire County Council, said: through Gedling Village and “The Gedling Access Road bring new homes, jobs and has been in the pipeline for businesses to the area. over 50 years and so I am Works on the 3.8km of new extremely proud that we have road began in January 2020 delivered this project for the and construction teams have benefit of residents and mosince moved 512,000 cubic torists, not just in Gedling, metres of earth, equivalent but across Nottinghamshire. to 204 Olympic swimming “Colliery Way is much pools, laid 45,816 tonnes of more than just a new road tarmac and installed 30 kilo- – it will provide access to metres of drainage pipes and new high-quality, affordable cable ducts. homes to help people get on

the property ladder and will bring about journey time savings and other safety and efficiency benefits worth at least £73 million.

“Our ambition is to create a healthier, more prosperous and greener Nottinghamshire, and the opening of Colliery Way is one piece in the puzzle towards achieving this. Better links to Gedling Country Park thanks to the scheme will encourage more people to walk and cycle, the new link between two key road corridors will boost business in the area and increasing woodland in the area by 40% will improve habitats for wildlife and help green spaces to thrive.”

Will Morlidge, Interim Chief Executive Officer at D2N2 LEP said: “It’s great to see Colliery Way ready to open to the public – high quality and reliable infra-

structure is critical to giving businesses the confidence to invest in our area and therefore create further opportunities for the whole region to enjoy.

“Connectivity is the backbone of the D2N2 region, and we are proud to have invested £10.8 million into the road’s construction.”

Councillor John Clarke MBE, Leader of Gedling Borough Council, said: “We are very pleased that after so many years, the new road is here. The Colliery Way will contribute towards the ongoing housing development in the area, creating much needed new homes, with improved access to the Chase Farm development and improved access to our Gedling Country Park. This all directly contributes to the local economy through new jobs and more people moving

into the area to live and work.

“This road will also be welcomed by the residents of Gedling Village who will see a big reduction in through traffic, it will give them their village back, which is something we have been wanting to achieve for a long time.

The name of the road also ensures that the rich heritage of the former colliery, upon which this road will be built on, is not forgotten and it’s a fantastic symbol of the regeneration of the area alongside the very popular Gedling Country Park, “We would like to thank our partners for all of their hard work on this project and we know that residents and businesses in the area will see the many benefits of this new road for many years to come.”

Shaun Fielding, Regional Managing Director at Keepmoat Homes said: “As

our Chase Farm site enters its next phase of development it will benefit greatly from the Colliery Way, with greater access for workers and residents, connecting them to the wider Nottinghamshire region and beyond. With the delivery of the new access road and high-quality homes, we look forward to attracting new residents to this flourishing area.”

Neil Hodgson, Consultancy Director at Via East Midlands, said: “Via East Midlands is proud to have played a pivotal role over a number of years in designing, developing and managing the delivery of this major project alongside our partners.

“To see the project complete in 2022 is testament to the time and commitment of our project team and we’re delighted to see the road open to traffic.”

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NOTTINGHAM FROM THE AIR

This month’s aerial photo shows the Council House and Old Market Square. Wheeler Gate is at bottom of picture. Photo was taken by Robin Macey who is a member of Nottingham & Derby Hot Air Balloon Club. The club is currently looking to expand.

Members take turns being on the chase crew as well as flying in the basket. For details about getting involved phone 0115-8541028 or visit www.facebook.com/ ndhabc.

Photo by Robin Macey

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New boat to help dive team solve crime and save lives Specially trained officers who search the county’s waters to solve crimes and save lives are set to become even more effective in their efforts as they welcome a new important piece of kit.

Nottinghamshire Police’s Underwater Search Unit has recently introduced a new boat to the fleet, which will be used in a range of dayto-day operations as well as emergency call-outs.

The team members use their expertise to help with a number of enquiries and reports, including searching for missing people, helping those who have got into trouble in the water and also recovering items which may be important evidence for an ongoing criminal investigation. This can often see them deployed at short notice, outside of their normal shifts and also required to be in the centre of a lake or river for a prolonged period of time.

Sporting a much larger deck than the team’s current boats, it will allow the whole team to be deployed on to the water together. It also has a drop-down platform to make it easier for divers to transfer into the water and also for equipment and findings to be lifted out and recovered.

Police Constable James Patterson, one of the team’s dive supervisors, said: “The new boat will be absolutely brilliant and it gives us a lot more flexibility in terms of what we can do when we’re out on a dive.

“The drop-down front means that, for any recoveries we make, we don’t have to use any other equipment to help us lift it out of the water, we can bring it straight on to the deck.

“In previous dives, we’ve had to bring out a couple of boats at a time to be able to fit the diver, the standby diver, and the other required members of the team to help each of them on the deck. What this boat does is it gives us an all-in-one safe platform that we can dive with and fit all our resources on, which makes

life a lot easier for the likes of the dive supervisor as having everything in one place means you can communicate and work out what is going off a lot easier and a lot quicker.

“The boat will be used for protracted dive jobs, like the incident in Hoveringham last year which media saw us at, where we’re in the centre of the water and we’re going to be there all day and we need all our equipment and capability out in the water throughout that time.

“We also have the benefit of being able to get quite close to the sides of the river’s edge as it is a solid, plastic boat and it is very hard-wearing, meaning we can also use it for bank searching.”

Whilst looking for a new boat, the team has been researching and canvassing around the country to make sure they were getting the most suitable equipment to help them do their job.

Inspector Tim Ringer, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “We are constantly looking for ways to improve our efficiency and make the most

of our resources and although the boats we had were working for the team, we were aware of some options which may help us out.

“We researched for quite a while, including looking at which boats other dive teams were using and their thoughts on them, and it was this boat we now have that came back as being the most useful and the most practical for what we do. Looking at the features, I think the whole team quite quickly agreed on how beneficial this would be for us and the people we help.

“Being able to have all the resources and equipment in one place will really help the team whilst out on the water, which is a real positive for the public, those in need or in distress in the water and also loved ones who are desperate to hear any information about a loved one who is missing. It is really important for us to get to people and search areas as quickly, safely and thoroughly as we can, so this new resource is a very welcome addition to the team.”

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Crime detecting cameras huge hit in aiding police work A network of crime-detecting cameras has proved a huge hit in targeting criminals and aiding police in their efforts to keep communities safe.

Millions of registration plates have now been read thanks to the increased number of automatic number-plate recognition cameras installed throughout Newark at the end of 2020.

The increased number of

state-of-the-art cameras in 2020 and have been a huge benefit in helping officers fight crime.

The cameras, installed as part of the multi-agency Safer Streets project, have been deemed a huge success by officers after they provided millions of readings in relation to a large variety of incidents including thefts, police pursuits and burglaries.

From the data 332,889 were used proactively by officers in relation to insurance and tax issues and also intelligence information to aid them with ongoing investigations.

Seven hundred and forty-nine of those matches resulted in an immediate review and dispatch of police resources.

Just one example of these was on 19 May 2021 when, thanks to the implementation

of the devices, three suspects were arrested following an Audi TT being stolen in the Balderton area of Newark.

Officers were able to mark the vehicle and hours later it was seen through the camera coverage - leading to the arrests of three suspects.

Detective Inspector Jonathan Naylor, who is the force’s automatic number-plate recognition camera lead, said: “The community has really

benefited from the implementation of these cameras and just over a year later it’s great to see the impact they’ve had on fighting crime in the area.

“The system means we can not only help keep areas safer but also be intelligence lead and proactive”.

“The community can enhance the network by providing information to us, especially in connection with any vehicles they may have concerns about in their areas.”

Following another vehicle theft in Newark on 6 May 2021 live sightings of the vehicle through the camera network directed officers straight to its location where a police pursuit ensued resulting in three suspects being arrested.

The automatic number-plate recognition system instantly checks a vehicle's registration within a database meaning officers can stop a vehicle, check it for evidence and potentially make arrests in relation to ongoing cases or breaking incidents.

Inspector Matthew Ward, district commander for Newark and Sherwood, said: “The introduction of the automatic number-plate recognition cameras throughout Newark and Sherwood last year has been a vital tool for officers to detect, deter and disrupt crime.

“The devices are a fantastic and versatile resource which enables us to detect and prevent crime by restricting the ability of those who use the roads to commit offences.

“Officers including our Response, Neighbourhoods and Operation Reacher teams are able to easily utilise this additional resource in connection with wider issues occurring within the county proving a brilliant tool in fighting crime.

“Thanks to the Safer Streets project we were able to implement these cameras throughout the area and now a year on we can really see the true scale of how important they are to the force.

“The cameras not only assist officers with enquiries and tackling crime but ultimately they benefit the safety of local people in the area and help us do everything in our power to keep people safe.

“It is so important that people feel safe and it’s really

great to see the impact these cameras have had on tackling crime in the area and protecting our communities.”

Implemented as part of the Safer Streets project, the cameras are part of the joint partnership between the Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner, Nottinghamshire Police, Newark and Sherwood District Council and Nottinghamshire County Council that was initiated to improve security in areas particularly affected by crimes such as burglary, vehicle theft and robbery.

The project works towards deterring crime and antisocial behaviour by strengthening community cohesion and enhancing the local environment.

Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry said: “It is fantastic to see the investment in ANPR in Newark already paying dividends.

“As these real cases show, ANPR has enormous capabilities in proactive police work, helping officers to build up an intelligence picture as part of ongoing operations. I hope it sends out a strong warning to criminals that there is no place to hide in Newark.

“I would echo the Force’s appeal for members of the public to continue supporting the police by reporting suspicious activity, especially in relation to vehicles. This information could be key in disrupting illegal activity on our roads and in our communities.”

Councill David Lloyd, Leader of Newark and Sherwood district council, said: “Devices such as these cameras are yet another method we have implemented as part of the Safer Streets programme to reduce crime in our community and to help our residents feel safer and their possessions more secure.

“It is great to see this implementation working so successfully in aiding officers over the past year, and I hope that success continues well into the future.”

People with any information in relation to vehicles are asked to contact Nottinghamshire Police on 101, or make an anonymous report through Crimestopers by calling 0800 555 111.

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DINING OUT: THE MALT SHOVEL Beeston is a very popular town and has many shops, that include long-standing, high-street names. A good number of independents and businesses also offer services, plus products and are highly praised for their supply of requirements, too, be it something for an occasion or items that are used daily. Many residents, locals and visitors enjoy the numerous pubs, eateries and restaurants, which are located throughout Beeston. The different and varied foods, plus the extensive ranges of beverages, that can be found in the town, offer something for all tastes and palates.

The Malt Shovel is now under new management and has gained much interest since commencement, during July 2021. The food on offer has something that can

perfectly cooked, plus the complementing flavours of ingredients, it was ‘Compliments to Chef ’ – no question!

Desserts have a very tempting list of delectations and I opted for the splendid Raspberry Eton Mess. Other choices included Triple Chocolate Brownie, Tart Citron, Apple Pie and Sticky Toffee Pudding. Wines/drinks have something for everyone’s preference, including

great beers, plus some locally-named cocktails, such as Beeston Bramble and Wollaton Woo Woo. Gift vouchers are available – perhaps for a ‘special’ surprise? Collections are a popular option, too.

Many thanks to Head Chef Martin, who has travelled extensively and utilises his experiences and knowledge, along with John, to great advantage, for culinary expertise and presentation of dishes.

Also, thank you to Molsatisfy a ‘peckish’ desire, ly, for excellent service through a very good snack, throughout. Very much to a substantial meal. recommended.

Welcomed by Ollie, the The Malt Shovel, 1 greeting was friendly and Union Street, Beeston, genuine.

Nottingham NG9 2LU. To commence I chose Tel: 0115 922 9764 Crispy Zangi Chicken, E-mail: info@maltshovfrom an appealing list that elbeeston.co.uk www. also offered Chorizo Cro- maltshovelbeeston.co.uk quettes, BBQ Ribs, Thai Fishcakes and more. Tasty, with very good flavours, this made a most favourable start to the dining occasion. Main course dishes included Pub Classics and Hand-Pressed Burgers.

From ‘Around the World’, I selected Warm Chicken Ranch Salad (Mixed leaves, red peppers, red onions, cherry tomatoes).

Written by With attractive presentaTrevor Langley tion and chicken being

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Page 17.

STEVE HARLEY ACOUSTIC BAND COMES TO NOTTINGHAM

Widely considered one of the most charismatic performers on stage, Steve Harley continues to play to sold-out venues across the UK and Europe.

For Steve, life on the road is more than just a job: it is almost his life’s blood.

And with the February 2020 release of the all-acoustic CD, “UNCOVERED”, the original Cockney Rebel shows no sign of slowing down.

The Acoustic Band for 2022 will find Steve supported by long-standing violinist/ guitarist Barry Wickens, and Oli Heyhurst on double bass, with Dave Delarre on lead acoustic guitar.

Steve has been playing Live shows around the world for over 45 years and the thrill of another night in another place to another audience has not dimmed at all.

“We have real adventures on tour, “says Steve. “I’ve seen the Northern Lights, the Midnight Sun and dozens of wonderful galleries, museums and great cities, all on my down-time. I have a great life as a Wandering Minstrel!”

“UNCOVERED” includes a re-recording of Steve’s popular song “Love, Compared With You” with a newly composed third verse, plus eleven other songs he’s always wanted to perform. The album features Barry Wickens on viola and acoustic guitar, Oli Hayhurst on double bass, Tom Hooper on percussion and the Roots Music Legend, Martin Simpson, on guitar.

Steve also sings a duet with the amazing Scottish singer, Eddi Reader.

The acoustic sets for 2022 will include songs from the new CD, plus a selection from the vast and eclectic Harley Songbook. Mr Soft, Judy Teen, Sebastian and the legendary Make Me Smile will all be re-produced in the unique acoustic style.

Close-Up Culture stated: “It was an intimate night in the presence of a great musician.

An individual whose passion for live performance and perfection (it shows in his face) remains undiminished.”.

Rod Stewart, who covered Steve’s song “A Friend For

Life”, describes him as “One of the finest lyricists Britain has produced.”

MOJO said simply, “Harley creates rock songs that are proud, lyrical and full of yearning.” Steve has also been described as “A consummate performer at the top of his game,” and this show will bear that out.

Steve received a Lifetime Achievement Award for Acoustic Music from the Acoustic Festival of Britain in 2018.

The Steve Harley Acoustic bans will be performing at Nottingham’s Albert Hall on Saturday May 7th 2022

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I can’t wait now for warmer days, Breakfast in the garden, walks in the evening!

in the beautiful surroundings of Hanwell Wine Estate (19 March) By the end of the day you will have completed your very own Kuksa cup and mastered the basic skills sufficiently We are starting to see more outdoor events to be able to practice on your own this month, so the weather had better sort Celebrate British Science Week at Green's itself out. For my pick of what's on in and Windmill's interactive science centre. Get around Notts this coming month - Read on. hands on with the things that inspired their Fan of history? Visit Arnold Methodist mathematical miller George Green such Church (15 March) for ‘Reminiscences of Old as light, electricity and magnetism (16-20 Arnold’ with various speakers giving an oral March) history of their childhood growing up in ‘old Arnold’. Old characters and old haunts! Or join them 19 April for a talk on the Transformation of Nottingham Castle by Cal Warren.

Greens Windmill There’s plenty of live music and entertainment to choose from throughout March and April. At the Motorpoint Arena one of the Take a Guided Walk Round Historic Sneinmost trailblazing arena tours of all time visits ton. See St Stephen's Church, Bendigo Statue, Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of ‘The War of the birthplace of William Booth and the heart The Worlds’ - Alive on Stage! stops by (23 of the conservation area amongst others.

March) I can not wait for this one. Steps Star Learn about some of the hidden gems and litClaire Richards makes her debut as Beth, The tle known facts about this fascinating district Parson’s Wife and Strictly star Kevin Clifton (27 March) will debut as The Artilleryman Times columnist and Bromley House Library Then Welsh rockers The Stereophonics rePresident Ann Treneman hosts a special day turn for another eagerly anticipated tour date in the library and garden with the team lead(March 30) Champions Of Magic promise an ing its restoration. They will tell the history of evening of impossible illusions and spectacBromley House Garden, and why it is exciting ular special effects with interactive magic, a a growing number of garden historians and daring escape from Houdini’s water torture introduce the discoveries made in the garden cell,snd levitation high above the stage (2 in the past year.(2 April) April) Craig David drops in (7 April) then Enjoy a fascinating day out at Britain's finest The Masked Singer Live, an all-new stage proVictorian water works by visiting a Steaming duction of the hit tv show visits with mystery Day at Papplewick Pumping Station.(17-18 celebrities. Think you can guess ‘who's that April) or you could combine history with a behind the mask? (16 April) Finally Dua Lipa spot of Ghost Hunting when Haunted Heritvisits ( 26 April) age visit Wollaton Hall (19 March) Are you brave enough to join the team for a paranormal investigation ? Or perhaps you fancy a Psychic reading, if so Spiritworld have the perfect evening for you at Newstead Abbey (18 March) Go along and meet psychics and mediums providing short taster readings.

Who and what will you discover?

Arnold Methodist Church

Papplewick Pumping Station There is a full programme of events for St Patrick's Day coming up (17 March) Head to Old Market Square to enjoy a range of Irish and Irish-inspired live music and culture on stage. The Council House will also be going green as part of worldwide 'global greening'.

If you prefer something calmer, then take carving to another level and learn to craft your own Swedish Kuksa cup at a workshop

well's world-famous fable Animal Farm tells the story of a revolution and its aftermath when the animals of Manor Farm drive out the farmer and run the farm themselves(5-19 April) I can’t claim to be a ballet connoisseur, but I quite fancy seeing The Nutcracker when it visits (12-16 April) Adored by critics and audiences alike. With family-sized helpings of Bourne’s trademark wit, pathos and magical fantasy.

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to see The Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall from the view of the performer, discover the world behind the curtain and learn about the amazing story of the venue on a Limelight

Royal Concert Hall

up as we get closer. Already announced is Belvoir Castle’s half-term family friendly Easter Adventure (1-8 April) Journey through Belvoir's formal gardens, solving Easter activity puzzles along the way.

Russell Brand You may even bump into the Easter bunny and his friends as you travel around the colourful trail. Why not also ramble amongst a sensational display of spring blooms, from daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, primrose and camellias as you explore Belvoir's historic grounds.

Enjoy an immersive experience in the woodlands of Rufford Abbey (8-17 April) as the creatures come to life for an hour of puppetry, performers, music and excitement with an adaptation of the Beatrix Potter classic Peter Rabbit.

Backstage Tour! Learn how the theatre works and find out all about the venue’s fascinating heritage! Led by the knowledgeable & great storyteller Ezekial Bone (26 March) If it’s comedy you’re after, Jack Whitehall (and family) stop by the Royal Concert Hall Sterophonics Kelly Jones with ‘How to survive family holidays (and Christmas), Over at The Royal Concert Hall, The Hallé Russell Brand stops by to perform stand up Film Music Concert: The Music of James Bond brings together the finest Bond themes on the strangeness of the last 18 months: what have we learned and not learned? And how Isn’t it nice to go out again! and songs, from Dr No and Goldfinger to do you 'get back to normal' if you've never P.S - Don’t forget Mother’s Day on 27th Live and Let Die and Skyfall, performed been normal?

(28 March) March as only a great orchestra can, and with two April of course welcomes Easter, so expect singers to both shake and stir you (19 March), to see seasonal activities for the kids popping Tanya Sophie Ellis-Bextor brings her The Kitchen Disco Tour (29 March) Disney and Pixar's Toy Story will be presented live in concert for the first time (7 April) featuring a screening of the ground-breaking complete film with Oscar and Grammy-winning composer Randy Newman's musical score performed live to the film by the Novello OrchestraI. Next door at The Theatre Royal George Or-

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Brand new Ay-UpMarket event celebrates Nottingham’s independent traders Nottingham City Council, in collaboration with Nottingham Business Improvement District (BID), the organisation behind It’s in Nottingham; is proud to present the first Ay-UpMarket.

The three-day event will run in Old Market Square from Friday 25 March to Sunday 27 March and as part of a partnership with the Creative Quarter, the market will also be held in Sneinton Market Avenues on Saturday 26 March.

The Ay-UpMarket gives Nottingham’s independent retail businesses, both bricks and mortar and online the opportunity to trade at a unique event to highlight the city’s fantastic independent retail sector.

This event has been made possible with funding available nationally from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF). The Welcome Back Fund has provided councils across England a share of £56 million to support the safe return to high streets and help build back better from the pandemic.

Alongside the market stalls, the event will also include a full programme of live music and other street entertainers to attract visitors of all ages.

While the event is a celebration of today’s Nottingham’s independent traders, it also recognises the heritage of Nottingham’s markets.

Historically, the Old Market Square forms a meeting place for the people of Nottingham, where the first “official” mention of a Notting-

ham market is during the reign of Henry II (1154–1189). It seems pretty much anything and everything could be traded at the Great Market Place.

Down at Sneinton Market Avenues, the whole area was changed by the arrival of the Wholesale Market moved from the Old Market Square in 1900 to accommodate the new electric trams. All the traders moved – wholesale fruit, flower and vegetable dealers and fish, game and poultry merchants.

The entertainment programme also nods to our history of market trading, where on Friday you can make your way through a honey-perfumed bee colony, grab some gardening advice from The Strolling Gardeners, or meet the Vegetable Nannies on a day trip with their family of little ones. So, if you see an old pram brimming with some beautiful bouncing baby fruits and vegetables, come over and say hello!

On Saturday the theme turns fishy, with a chance to explore a whale’s belly, meet a mermaid as well as encountering a giant lobster, octopuses, dancing prawns, and deep-sea divers.

On Sunday the city’s makers and creators are celebrated through poetry, live music and giant colouring wall.

Cllr Sam Webster Portfolio Holder for Finance and Resources said – “We are very pleased to be able to use this grant funding to encourage more people back into our

city centre in this way. It’s an opportunity to support and showcase our local independent businesses which particularly felt the strains of the last two years. I’ll certainly be visiting and I look forward to meeting some of the traders at the event.”

Commenting on the event, Alex Flint, CEO of Nottingham Business Improvement District (BID) said: “We are delighted to be part of the first ever Ay-UpMarket – this is a great opportunity to shine the spotlight on all the amazing independent businesses that we have here in the city, as well as boosting footfall by encouraging both locals and visitors alike to

come into Nottingham city centre.”

The team from Sneinton Market Avenues said “‘As a community, we are really looking forward to hosting lots of independent businesses along The Avenues, including exciting Nottingham based emerging brands! The day is set to be a fun one!”

Ay-UpMarket Friday 25 March to Sunday 27 March: Old Market Square Saturday 26 March: Sneinton Market Avenues Opening times: Friday – Saturday: 10am – 7pm Sunday: 10am – 5pm

Open Air Theatre Awaits This Summer Dates between Saturday 11 June and Sunday 04 September 2022 A fantastic season of open air theatre performances awaits this summer. The manicured gardens and beautiful ruins of Newstead Abbey, and the spectacular Elizabethan mansion and park at Wollaton are once again offering a range of theatre performances to delight all ages.

The first performance of the year is David Walliams' Awful Auntie (Sat 11 June) at Newstead Abbey, adapted for the outdoor stage by and saves the family home.

Heartbreak Productions.

• Saturday 11 June: AwIt's a truly thrilling tale ful Auntie: (Heartbreak of owls, ghosts, chases, Productions) escapes, motorcycle rides, • Wednesday 29 June: and tiddlywinks as Stella Pride & Prejudice: evades her menacing Aunt

(Chapterhouse Theatre Company) • Wednesday 27 July: Twelfth Night: (Three Inch Fools) • Friday 12 August:

Much Ado About Mur• Sunday 04 September: der: (Heartbreak Produc- Peter Pan: (Ilyria) tions) • Friday 26 August: To book, visit wwwvisJane Eyre: (Heartbreak it-nottinghamshire.giganProductions) tic.com/open-air-theatre-

2022-tickets Please bring rugs or lowback seating. Performances go ahead in all but the worst weather.

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Easter Activity Trail at Belvoir Castle

Friday 1 - Easter Monday 18 April 2022 Belvoir Castle Normal entry fees apply

worksheet and easter egg is included in a child's Garden Entry Ticket. Under 4s go for free.

An upgrade to a Castle Celebrate spring half-term with a family friendly Easter & Garden Entry Ticket adventure at Belvoir Castle. includes the chance to take Journey through Belvoir's part in free craft activities in the Castle's Old Kitchen formal gardens, solving Easter activity puzzles along and a free-flow tour around the Castle's opulent State the way.

Rooms.

You may even bump into Before you leave, make the Easter bunny and his friends as you travel around sure to pay a visit to the charming shopping village, the colourful trail. the Engine Yard, where you Ramble amongst a sencan find a wonderful collecsational display of spring tion of independent shops, blooms, from daffodils, stocking artisan foods, tulips, hyacinths, primrose and camelias as you explore boutique clothing, glamorous homeware, gifts, garden Belvoir's historic grounds.

Once you have completed supplies and more.

The Engine Yard will the outdoor trail, each child also be hosting an Easter can collect an easter egg prize at the end of their visit. Weekend Pop -Up Market (Dairy free alternatives will on Saturday 16 & Sunday 17 April. be available) An Easter Actvitiy Trail

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Easter holidays fun for families

Entertaining the children during the Easter break is not always the easiest thing to do. If you are at home this Easter, you may want some tips on things the children can do that will keep them occupied and having fun. Our ideas will not break the bank and are a great alternative for indoor fun especially if the weather is not in your favour.

Use up odd socks by making an Easter bunny sock puppet.

Use buttons or cut out pieces of paper or card for eyes and a nose and hey presto! You have all you need to create your own Easter bunny puppet show.

Make Easter cards. You can use scraps of paper, old birthday and Christmas cards, magazines etc.

Have an evening abroad!

Choose a country, say Italy for example.

Spend the afternoon making Italian flag placemats and table decorations. Look up on the internet how to say a few Italian words like hello, goodbye, please and thank you.

Get the kids involved making an Italian dinner like pizza or pasta and enjoy. There are so many countries to choose from it’s a great way to encourage the children to experiment with new foods and languages.

Make use of your local library. I t’s free to join and you can borrow multiple books at a time. For a small fee you can also borrow DVD’s and music CD’s.

Make a pasta picture.

A small pot of glue and a bag of dried pasta shapes can be bought very cheaply and can produce amazingly creative results.

Have a picnic.

Prepare your lunch, lay down a blanket and enjoy your day out. If it is raining or cold, you can have an indoor picnic instead!

Memory Minute Place ten small household items on a tray or table, cover with a tea-towel. For example, a button, keys, a cotton bud, a fork etc.

Show the items for about thirty seconds then re-cover. Each child has a minute to write down as many items as they can. Smaller children can reel them off and you can write them for them. The best memory wins.

Bat and Ball keepy-uppy Use a soft indoor friendly ball, sponge balls are ideal. Each child takes turns with the bat to see how many taps they can keep the ball in the air.

Precision Roll Find a long clear space on the floor. Place a tin from the cupboard at one end of the room, kids at the other. Each child has one chance to roll the ball as near to the tin as possible. Use a tape measure to record the distance for each child, closest wins.

Egg Collage give each child a piece of paper and draw a big egg shape outline on it. With a pot of paste and scraps of material or ribbon they can make their own creative picture. For ribbon scraps raid your wardrobe and snip off all those ribbon hangers in the shoulders of tops and jumpers that often don’t seem to serve a purpose and usually end up getting in the way. Have a small prize for the best one or the best one in each age group so everyone gets to be a winner.

Mini egg challenge Make up a small race track or obstacle course on the floor or table. Give each child four chocolate mini eggs of the same colour and a straw. Let each one have a turn at blowing down the straw to guide each egg in turn to the end of the course. You could use your watch to time how long it takes for all their eggs to get “home”. To make it even more of a challenge you could tie their hands behind their backs with a scarf so they are not tempted to use them to cheat.

Easter decorations Use paints or felt tips to decorate some eggs (you can use hard boiled or blow some if you prefer). To do these, make small holes each end and then blow the contents into a bowl - you can use this for scrambled eggs or omelettes for tea. As it’s a good idea to rinse the eggs out and leave them to dry you might like to do this the day before the planned activity. Keep the egg box to stand them in and it’s also useful to put them in when they are drying off after being decorated. Suggest faces with glasses, hair, beards, etc. or zig-zag patterns or just let the chil-

dren’s imaginations run riot. When they’re

done they can be used on a plate as a decoration - perhaps with a couple of chicks on top (these are really cheap to buy in card shops or similar or make your own with yellow wool) or you could get a small twiggy branch from the garden or elsewhere and stand it in a vase and hang your eggs on with cotton or ribbon.

Jokes most children love telling jokes (often the same one over and over again, and it’s not always funny!) Sit down with them and think up words to do with Easter - eggs, bunnies, lambs, chicks, etc., - and see if they can make up jokes or rhymes.

Here’s a few to get you started: How does the Easter bunny stay fit? EGGS-ercise or HARE-robics!

Why shouldn’t you tell an Easter egg a joke? It might crack up!

What kind of books do bunnies like? Ones with hoppy endings!

You might want to get baking, use this recipe below to make Easter nest cakes which are of course very yummy!

225g/8oz chocolate, broken into pieces 50g/2oz butter 2tbsp golden syrup 75g/3oz cornflakes or shredded wheat 36 mini chocolate eggs Line a twelve-hole cake tin

with cake cases. Melt the chocolate pieces, butter and syrup in a glass bowl over a pan of simmering water Remove bowl from heat and stir in cornflakes or shredded wheat Divide between the cake cases Place three mini eggs on top of each cake and chill for one hour.

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AT ONE WITH NATURE

Yorkshire-born Anita Bowerman has been a professional artist for more than 25 years, having drawn on her experience gained as an Accessories buyer for Liberty, London. She is based at The Dove Tree Art Gallery and Studio in central Harrogate, Yorkshire.

The vivid colours in fashion were an inspiration and her work evolved to encompass

original paintings, stainless-steel wall art, hand-crafted paper-cut pictures, prints, greetings cards and gifts. She is a great admirer of Monet and his contemporaries.

2020, she masterminded an art installation for Yorkshire Cancer Research for their campaign Give It Some Welly, featuring 191 stainless steel boots hanging from a tree in the grounds.

Her other projects include being the first Official Artist for the Tour de Yorkshire, creating a stainless-steel sculpture for the President of the UCI (Union Cycliste

You will usually find Anita out in all weathers, painting nature with nature in Yorkshire, using twigs, moss and leaves. As Artist-in-Residence, 2018-2019, at RHS Garden Harlow Carr, Harrogate, she created a series of 12 monthly paintings.

At Castle Howard in July Internationale) and a 1.5m

wide stainless-steel sculpture of antique cutlery at Virgin Money, Sheffield.

Anita has become known worldwide since forging a partnership nearly five years ago with Amanda Owen, the Yorkshire Shepherdess. Anita contacted Amanda with an idea for a charity collaboration.

She teamed up with the iconic figure, her husband Clive and their nine children for a Christmas card design in aid of the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. They have since appeared regularly on Anita’s best-selling cards.

The pair have gone on to speak at RHS Garden Harlow Carr Flower Show in Harrogate, as they champion a love

of nature and work together at charity events.

Anita and Amanda released a china mug and limited-edition print featuring The Hay Meadows at Amanda’s Ravenseat Farm. Such was its popularity, a second mug and print – New Beginnings – Spring, at Ravenseat Farm has been released.

Original art and limited edition prints are available from: The Dove Tree Art Gallery and Studio, Back Granville Road, Harrogate, HG1 1AB. Telephone 07760 157046 www. Anitabowerman.co.uk

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Easter Extravaganza at Rand Farm Park

Rand Farm Park will be hosting Lincolnshire's first immersive Easter experience: The Hunt for E.B! Meet the cast of Easter: - Join Miss Cottontail at Hopper’s School for Bunnies, where you can meet & greet the rabbits in training and handle them - Meet Hopkins in the Potting Shed, and help solve a Gardener Rabbit’s biggest Easter conundrum - Sing and dance in the Chocolate Factory with Coco the Chocolatier, while finding out all about creating the perfect chocolate egg - Learn all the tricks of the trade with EB, The Easter Bunny, in Eggquarters where every paying child receives an easter egg Included in admission: - Meet the animals on the farm - Indoor Soft Play - Adventure Playground - Skyrider* - Archery* - Easter Activities

- Tractor Rides - Animal Handling - Air Cannon Arena - Milking Demonstration Logo for Easter in Lincoln Easter in Lincoln Things to Do in the Easter Holidays in Lincoln Times & Prices 1st – 19th April 2022: 10am – 5pm Adults: £12.95 Children over 2: £15.95 Children under 2 (if participating): £3.00 Rand Farm Park is a Kid-focused farm with animals to feed, tractor and trailer rides and indoor and outdoor play areas and can be found in Rand, Market Rasen LN8 5NJ

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Easter egg hunts at Kedleston Hall

Join us for an adventure in nature at Kedleston Hall. Discover our family-friendly trail with fun activities for you to do along the way. Complete the trail and earn your chocolate reward at the end.

Easter adventures in nature Join us from 15 to 18 April 2022 10am - 3pm (Kedleston closes at 5pm) Discover the signs of spring and explore Kedleston on this nature-inspired activity trail (1.6

mile walk) for the whole family. The nature based sensory trail comprises of 10 activities and the trail pack includes everything you need to take part with an activity sheet, pencil, and chocolate egg (or chocolate alternative).

Normal admission plus £3 per child/ trail pack (until stocks last.)

Ready, set spring!

Here’s how it works; pick up your trail pack from our team at the Visitor Reception building, which contains an Easter activity sheet, pencil and tasty Rainforest Alliance chocolate treat (or allergen-free alternative.) Take all the time you need to locate the 10 trail points using your activity sheet to record your adventure.

Please note, whilst the first part of the

trail is accessible, the full circular walk is not suitable for manual wheelchairs or motorised mobility scooters due to the presence of a narrow gate and stone steps towards the end of the trail.

The full route includes slopes, surfaced path as well as grass, several steps and uneven ground. At this time of year, there's a good chance it will be muddy so please remember to come in appropriate footwear.

Bonkers Bunny Bananza at Heights of Abraham

15th to 18th April 2022 (although open every day over the Easter holidays) Head to Heights of Abraham in Matlock Bath for some Easter Weekend family fun and help the Easter Bunny find his friends! Follow the trail and spot the bonkers bunnies hiding across the estate. Some of the bunnies will be holding letters to

make a magic word. Work out the magic word and then find the Easter Bunny who will be hopping around the summit, whisper it in his ear and receive a tasty treat!

And whilst you’re looking for bunnies, take a visit to the show caverns, ride the cable car, and go crazy in one of the two adventure playgrounds!

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Matlock Bath in the Peak District

Matlock Bath was developed as one of England’s first true tourist destinations. It occupies a beautiful position in a limestone gorge on the River Derwent, and boasts attractive riverside gardens and steep wooded hillsides.

Matlock Bath has been a popular tourist attraction since the late 17th Century, when the healing properties of its warm spa waters were first discovered. Access to the area was improved in the 18th Century, and by the 19th Century Matlock Bath was a place for society’s finest to visit.

The town is still a wonderful place to visit, with a long street of shops, cafes, amusement arcades and places of interest, including an aquarium and photographic museum. The riverside walks are great for peaceful, shady strolls, and there is a good children’s playground area to keep younger visitors amused.

Matlock Bath Illuminations

Running throughout September and October, the Matlock Bath Illuminations are well worth a visit. The beautiful riverside park is illuminated and filled with stalls and fairground rides, while brightly-lit and decorated rowing boats parade along the river. On Saturday nights throughout the event there are fabulous firework displays that light up the gorge.

Gulliver’s Kingdom

Matlock Bath is home to this large, family-friendly theme park, which is within walking distance of the town centre.

It is particularly suited to visitors aged 13 and under. The park is located high on a hill overlooking the town, which adds an extra element of thrill to the rides! Please see www. gulliversfun.co.uk/gullivers-kingdom-matlock-bath for more information.

Peak District Lead Mining Museum

Located within the Grand Pavilion, the eye-catching pink building at the top of the main street, the Peak District Lead Mining Museum tells the story of the mines and miners of this area. It houses thousands of items from the lead mining industry, as well as hundreds of rock and mineral specimens from around the world. See www.peakdistrictleadminingmuseum.co.uk for more details.

Crich Tramway Village

Located just a short drive outside Matlock Bath, the fabulous Crich Tramway Village is a fabulous place to spend a day, with plenty to keep the whole family happy. It is home to the National Tramway Museum, with more than 60 vintage trams for visitors to admire in airy exhibition halls, and it also features a beautifully recreated period village with a pub, café and olde-worlde shops.

A number of the trams run through the village and can be hailed at historic tram stops.

Visitors pay one old penny (original coin included in the admission price) to take unlimited rides for more than a mile into the surrounding countryside, with stunning views of the surrounding Derwent Valley.

There is also a Woodland Walk with a sculpture trail that is perfect for keeping little people interested along the way, as well as a picnic area and a children’s playground. See www.tramway. co.uk for more information.

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Why Fantasy Island Is The Perfect Place For A Picnic After spending so much time indoors, it’s fair to say we are all looking for ways to spend more time outside. Going for a picnic is the perfect idea for those wanting to enjoy the great outdoors, bask

in the sun and relax with friends and family. Fantasy Island is the ideal spot, and here are just a few reasons why.

Somewhere different If you’re tired of going to the same parks every day, having a picnic at Fantasy Island is a fantastic change of scenery. If your kids are sick of the same days out in Lincolnshire, our theme park offers an incredible range of spots to enjoy your sandwiches and scones. Whether you want to watch the roller coasters race by or relax on the Island Beach, there are so many places to choose from to enjoy your lunch. With so much to see and do, you will never be bored again.

Food stalls If you’ve forgotten your sandwiches at home (or you don’t trust your own cooking!) we have an enormous range of food stalls offering incredible meals, snacks and desserts. Choose from over 40 eateries for delicious pizza, Chinese, fish and chips and so much more. This is perfect for fussy eaters, anyone with allergies or dietary requirements or simply for families who can never agree on where to eat! With so many

options, you’re sure to find something to suit every taste.

No queuing or booking needed Since everyone is keen to get out and about these days, finding a place to set up and enjoy a picnic is getting harder and harder.

At Fantasy Island, you’ve no need to waste time by queuing or booking in advance.

Although we recommend you buy wristbands online if you are planning to enjoy the rides, if you just want to come in and enjoy the atmosphere, you don’t need to book or wait

in line.

Bring your dogs When we say fun for all the family, we mean ALL the family! Bring your furry family members along for the picnic; as long as they are on a lead, they are more than welcome on site.

With so many reasons to visit, what are you waiting for? Host your next family picnic at Fantasy Island and find out why we are one of the best day trips in the UK!

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How To Get An Upgrade On Your Honeymoon!

Getting married isn’t just about going on honeymoon, but it sure is an exciting plus to the whole shebang! But how do you go about milking the special occasion for all its worth? Everyone loves an upgrade and if you can’t get one when you’re going on your honeymoon then when can you? It’s the perfect opportunity to be pampered and spoiled, especially after all the stress of the wedding planning is over.

Calling first class!

There are so many moments where you might be able to wangle an upgrade when you go on honeymoon. The first is the flight. This is a lot easier to accomplish if you haven’t booked a package deal through a high street travel agency. If you’ve booked flights and accommodation separately then turning up at the airport in your finest clobber, rather than like a scruff bag (albeit a very comfy one), is a great way to find yourself boosted up to First or Business class. This is an important fact to consider as the area you want to be moved into is usually full of very well-heeled people. The next step is to arrive at the airport early.

This gives you the best opportunity of nabbing any last-minute upgrades.

Don’t forget to check again when you reach the gate in case an upgrade has become available since you checked-in. Another hot tip for making it more likely to receive an upgrade is to fly on a Saturday as this is when business travellers are usually at home, meaning you have less competition.

Tell the world you’re here for your honeymoon Once you’ve made it to your honeymoon destination the next step towards getting an upgrade is to tell everyone that you’re on your honeymoon! It’s important to do this at the right time though. Telling businesses that you’re going on your honeymoon when you make the booking tends to hike the prices up. So, you’re better off waiting until you hit the runway to mention that you’re newlyweds on honeymoon. If you’re staying in a hotel then mention at check-in that you’re on your honeymoon and ask if there are any honeymoon suites available for you to

upgrade to or if there is anything they can do your honeymoon, to have a once in a lifetime experience and to truly live it up like a rock for you to help make your honeymoon more memorable.

Then as you go about making your precious memories whilst you are away, you need to keep speaking up.

Tell everyone you meet that you’re there on your honeymoon. You never know, it might lead to a couple of free glasses of champagne over dinner at any of the restaurants you might visit! The same can be said for any activities, excursions or day trips that you intend to do whilst you’re away.

Live like an A-lister Of course, before you even get to this stage you need to decide on where to go! If you’re at a loss for ideas, other than knowing that you want the A-list treatment, then take a leaf out of @RocknRollBride’s book. She says that ‘If you’re looking to really go all out on

star, then the Maldives has to be top of your list.’

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DRINKS: BRING OUT SOME LEICESTERSHIRE SPIRIT The county of Leicestershire has a lot going for it.

Amongst the many attractions, that residents, locals and visitors enjoy, are numerous wonderful delights of cuisines and beverages.

The county is renowned for producing food and drinks, a good number of which are award-winning. For this quest I searched for a well-established company that produces alcoholic beverages, covering a good range of flavours, with outstanding qualities, including aromas, tastes and presentations.

Sloeberry Spirits Ltd produces very impressive liqueurs. Bordering Leicestershire and Rutland, Sloeberry Spirits Ltd utilises the finest spirits to great advantage and, together with the additions of various fruits, creates finished products that are most excellent, having many ‘devotees’ to their brand. Following several months of natural infusion, this traditional method of production has the spirits and fruit flavours combining, producing liqueurs to an exceptional standard.

A good amount of fruit is picked by hand.

SLOE GIN (25% vol) is superb, with excellent flavour. If GIN & RASPBERRY (25% vol) is a favourite, then the production by Sloeberry Spirits Ltd will certainly not disappoint. Again, a good alcoholic content and with the flavour of raspberries coming through, perfectly.

If vodka is preferred, then VODKA & BLACKBERRY (25% vol) has that ‘dark fruit effect’, which is most pleasing, from first sight, through mouthfeel and palate sensation, to the finish. Other vodka pres-

entations include VODKA & STRAWBERRY and VODKA & BLACKCURRANT. WHISKY & WILD DAMSON (25% vol) is (in

my opinion) another superb production. Very popular with whisky lovers, this, again, has a great combination of alcoholic content and, with the wild damsons infused, makes for a splendid liqueur.

These are just a selection from the full range of liqueurs offered by Sloeberry Spirits Ltd. The liqueurs are available to order online and can also be located at numerous events, attended by the company, throughout the year, too. The website

has all details, plus stockists, etc. Additionally, worthwhile noting, are the current offers, such as free delivery on qualifying purchases.

Orders are processed and dispatched quickly and efficiently. Gift sets are available, too – Now, there’s a thought!

Sloeberry Spirits Ltd Tel: 01664 738 088 Northfield Farm E-mail: info@sloeberryspirits.co.uk Whissendine Lane www.sloeberryspirits.co.uk Cold Overton Leicestershire LE15 7QF

Written by Trevor Langley

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John Flynn Opticians introduces latest technology imaging for 4D ADVANCED Eye Examination in Beeston New technology offers early detection of eye disease Following completion of higher qualifications in Glaucoma and Medical Retina from the College of Optometrists via Cardiff University Dr. Janjua and his team at John Flynn Opticians in Beeston continue to strive to make a difference in the fight against the 50% of sight loss cases that could be avoided each year. Highlighting the fact that more than 100 people in the UK start to lose their sight each day, they are promoting the importance of the earliest possible diagnosis. With an ADVANCED eye examination being much more than a new pair of spectacles or contact lenses, the practice has invested in the most advanced diagnostic technology so early changes in the eye can be detected, long before there are any obvious symptoms: this allows for early treatment and better results.

With the latest SPECTRALIS 4D high defini-

tion Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) imaging technology, Dr. Janjua is now able to identify and monitor the smallest change.

The SPECTRALIS 4D HD OCT ADVANCED eye examination is the same instrument that can be found at the QMC eye department and uses a patented eye-tracking system that allows Dr. Janjua to identify those at risk of eye disease more easily. The tracking system allows the 3D scan to be placed in exactly the same place (to one micron which is a 1/100th of a hair) at each visit, giving a true 4D view of change over time. This helps to reveal eye disease which may not yet be noticeable by the patient or detectable with a basic eye exam.

Fast, painless and non-contact, the scan does not include any bright flashes of light or puffs of air, and takes place in seconds.

“We are really excited to offer our patients this new 4D HD OCT advanced eye examination,” said Dr. Janjua “Using the SPECTRALIS technology, we can examine tiny details that help us detect eye disease at the earliest stages, reducing the risk of sight loss and improving our patient’s lives.”

Common eye diseases can impair vision

and cause permanent vision loss if not caught at an early stage. The best preventative measure to protect good vision is an annual ADVANCED eye examination, and treatment when needed.

John Flynn Opticians are dedicated to pro-

viding patients with the highest quality ophthalmic lenses and now the most technologically advanced care. For more information contact us at 0115 9255051 or 0115 9392421 or visit www.johnflynnopticians.co.uk

Homecoming for Harry and Harley After almost 5 months in the newborn intensive care unit (NICU) at QMC, Harley Crane has joined her twin brother Harry, by going home.

Harry and Harley were born at 22 weeks and five days, making them the youngest premature twins in the UK. Described as ‘Mr Chill’, Harry left hospital on Sunday 6 March, closely followed just over a week later by Harley, fondly described as feisty, on Monday 14 March.

Leaving the unit together as four, Dad Steve punched the air in celebration, thanking staff for all they've done. The pair weighed 500 grams each, and were the size of a Mars bar, when they arrived.

Their due date was February 24 2022.

Jade describes the last 4 months as a long, daunting journey and admits there were times when she didn’t think they’d make it home.

During International Women’s Week, Jade revealed that little Harley might have a future in medicine: "Harley is the strongest and most determined girl I know. She has shown amazing strength in overcoming all the medical challenges thrown her way (and there have been lots!). I believe she will go on to do incredible things in the world of medicine.”

Parents Jade and Steve have gone through 11 years of fertility treatment and their little miracles have fought so hard despite all odds.

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Runwood Homes’ care homes launch brilliant blue light event Teams with the Runwood Homes Group, including Maun View in Nottingham and Waterfield House in Hadleigh, Ipswich, are excited to start their Blue Light event, for all local

emergency services and healthcare professionals.

The team are promoting the event with flyers and posters on display in the home and around the wider community.

Lindsey Fletcher, the Customer Relations Manager at Waterfield House, is also eager to get out in the community, to personally invite professionals to the event.

Waterfield House will be hosting the event every third Thursday of the month, from 8am onwards. The team at Maun View hold theirs every Thursday from 9:30am to 11:30am.

The event will see local professionals and teams within the community welcomed into the home for breakfast, where they will be able to enjoy a bacon roll and a cup of tea or coffee. Or, the amazing team will go out into the community visiting key workers, with a warm bacon roll in hand.

The team at Waterfield House and Maun View and their residents are so excited to host the event, to get to know the professional community and to build upon solid relationships and connections. Everybody at the home is also looking forward to expressing their thanks and gratitude for all the incredible work these

teams do in the community, by setting them up with a nice breakfast for the day ahead or refuelling them after a busy night shift.

Over the coming weeks, Waterfield House’s Lindsey Fletcher, will be making her way around the town to invite members of the professional community to the event, and commented:

“I am really looking forward to starting our Blue Light Coffee Mornings at Waterfield House. It will be a great opportunity to express our thanks to those that work within and support our community. The idea is to build upon the connections we have with our professionals within the community in a relaxed and sociable environment.”

At Maun View, the entire team is playing their role in ensuring their blue light event is a success. The home’s chef is hard at work cooking up the bacon rolls, while Wellbeing Lead, Nia, Home Manager, Sam and Customer Relations Manager, Lydia, are involved in serving the key workers and advertising the event to the community.

Lydia Morris commented: “It has been great fun launching the Blue Light Event. It is great to be able to give back to the key workers in our community and let them know how much we appreciate everything they do. We work really closely with these people, and it is vital we have a strong, healthy working relationship

with them.”

Runwood Homes’ are continually finding new ways to connect with their community, hosting events at the home, getting out in the town with Runwood Homes branded goodies and playing an active part in community events and initiatives.

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Strategies for a Healthy Spring

Help prevent chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and cancer with these 8 healthy habits for spring. dragonfly

Move More, Sit Less

Get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity (e.g. at least 20 minutes a day or 30 minutes on 5 days) every week, plus muscle-strengthening activities at least 2 days a week.

Tip Be Sun Safe Make half your plate fruits and vegetables and Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants, a half your grains whole grains. wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses, and use broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF Rethink Your Drink 15.

Substitute water for sugary or alcoholic drinks to reduce calories and stay safe.

Get Enough Sleep

Eat a Healthy Diet

Try healthy food choices like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and low-fat dairy products. vegetables, fruits and whole grains

Adults need at least 7 hours of sleep at night.

Did You Know?

Kids 6-12 need 9-12 hours of sleep a night.

Teens 13-18 need 8-10 hours of sleep a night.

Tip Wear sunglasses that block both UVA and UVB rays for the best protection.

Brush Your Teeth

Brush twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.

Don’t Use Tobacco

You can do it! Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW for free support.

Learn Your Health History Talk to your family and your doctor about your family health history.

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Next phase of consultation on changes to children’s centres gets underway Council children’s centres that are proposed to remain open and those to close have been named by Nottingham City Council as it seeks partners to run services and embarks on further consultation on this budget proposal.

spending, and the increased demand and cost of statutory services including Children and Adults Social Care services. This is squeezing the funding available for other council services.

One proposal is to reduce the number of children’s centres it runs from nine to four centres – changed from three initially following the Already eight of the first round of consultation.

17 children’s centres in The centres proposed to Nottingham are operated remain open are Broxtowe, by schools, which are not Hyson Green, Meadows and affected by this proposal.

Southglade (Bestwood/Top The council is looking for new organisations, schools Valley). The centres proposed for closure, unless another or community groups to deliver services in children’s provider can be found, are centres – with positive feed- Aspley (Amesbury Circus), back already from providers Aspley (Minver Crescent), Bilborough, Bulwell and and schools about their Sneinton. willingness to take on and These centres have been run some of the centres, earmarked based on considincluding some proposed erations including offering for closure. the greatest level of service The City Council is seekprovision with a focus on ing to close a £28m funding areas of high need where gap in 2022/23, largely due to the continued reduction possible; how partners like the health service can deliver in central Government their work alongside the funding for the Council, council; the size and capacity the unmet costs of Covid

of existing children’s centres; and ensuring a high level of the city population can access a centre within 30 minutes via public transport.

As well as looking to partners to run services from venues the council can no longer run, the proposals would introduce a new citywide Early Help offer.

The citywide offer will be delivered through a hub and spoke model, including faceto-face sessions delivered both within the remaining children’s centres and also in community venues across the city. There will be an increase in delivery of services via virtual media for families who choose to access services this way.

Universal services available will include midwifery, 0-19 Public Health Nursing service, day care provision and community services, while targeted services will include Early Help, CAMHS (Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services), Parenting, Behavioural and Emotional Health and Healthy Little

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Minds service. Meanwhile Early Help teams will focus on brief family and child development assessments, and group sessions supporting child development, parenting and healthy relationships.

Building on experiences from the pandemic, virtual services will also play a role.

Portfolio Holder for Children and Young People, Cllr Cheryl Barnard, said: “This is an incredibly difficult proposal to put forward – we know how important the services are to people who attend children’s centres, which is why we are aiming to protect as much of the service provision as possible. We remain strongly committed to supporting families at the earliest opportunity and we will work with partners and communities across Nottingham to do this. The proposals ensure that 86% of likely service users are within 30 minutes of a centre by public transport or 43% are within 20 minutes’ walk of a centre.

“We have received positive feedback from providers and

schools about their willingness to take on and run some of the centres proposed for closure. We are keen to talk to any partner organisations that would like to run a children’s centre in our place – or to take on centres that we propose to retain, as this would enable us to keep a different centre open.

“It’s important to remember that these plans remain proposals and not decisions. We want to hear from parents, carers and providers affected by the proposals – things are not set in stone and could

change as a result of feedback.”

The second phase consultation on the proposals will run from 28th February to 22nd April 2022.

Details and links can be found at www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/engage-nottingham-hub/ open-consultations/ children-s-centres-second-phase-consultation/ For any queries about the consultation process please contact engage@nottinghamcity.gov.uk

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AC Wollaton Charity At It !!!!!

In 2016 Roberto Pietraforte the Manager of local side AC Wollaton decided that he had had enough of the rigors of organizing fixtures, arranging players to turn up at games on a certain day and time and that it was a constant nightmare to manage. With his passion for the game once as a player and now as a Manager there was no way that he was going to give up the ghost as they say. So from here he decided to cut back on his involvement but at the same time he didn’t want to move away from the game as it is so close to his heart. What could he do to stay with some involvement in the beautiful game that we all love was something that he would have asked himself. With these his circumstances he decided that he would start arranging fixtures locally with the aim of raising money for local charities and worthy causes.

Each time a fixture was arranged and played the players would each put £10 in the pot and a pre-determined charity would be the benefactor.

This would catch the eye of many a local player and fixtures would become more demanding as more players wanted to be involved.

The concept of the notion was that we are fortunate to be able to play where others are less fortunate in things in life that we have as a norm so giving a little

bit back to help people in need was something that we could all participate in. Giving our time up for a few hours a week and putting a few coffers in a pot was something that was going to make a positive contribution to the community. So with all this happening and Roberto’s concept the Charities and the fundraising started to generate even more interest. Players from the Semi-professional leagues started to look up and notice and get involved wanting to make a difference. The pots started to get larger, more fixtures were being arranged and each time

a new player came on board there would be an initiation ceremony which would be videoed.

Each ceremony would bring a pieing for the worst singer and each time Roberto would be the one that got it even though he wasn’t singing. The comradery was growing and as well as the fundraising the players were being brought together also. Players started upping their donations and the Charity team was expanding.

We got involved with Rainbows, were raising funds for many local benefactors and a Superhero team was set up to visit children at the

Queens Medical Centre at Christmas and Easter with presents.

The Charity team has evolved and grown over the years and the support has been fantastic to the point that ex professional players and managers have sent us messages of support.

People such as Bryan Robson the ex Manchester United Captain,Dennis Irwin,Harry Rednapp,Chris Kamara,Andy Gray & Richard Keys as well as Brendon O’Carroll have all shown their support for the efforts that we as a group are making.

As it stands at the moment the player catch-

ment is in it’s hundreds with many more still coming on board to help so many needy. The team are currently playing fixtures at least twice a month and have also evolved a ‘Vets’ team along our way so as to allow the ‘oldies’ to have a go also.

The team have also in the past couple of years arranged fixtures across the border against a national side from Scotland which have also proved to be very successful events. So again it has been arranged that a return fixture this summer should take place and instead of our lads travelling

north of the border the opposition have been invited down here to our territory. The fixture has been arranged for 25th June at Ilkeston Town’s ground where we hope we can generate more interest also. But before this game takes place Roberto has been working on the Irish and there will now be an extra fixture in the busy schedule that the Charity has. Ireland will be bringing a team to Pride Park on Saturday 14th May and again we are hoping that we can generate a lot of interest and support to raise further funds for those in need.

Article by Phil Jennings

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Page 47.

FINE MARGINS

Having started the month off with the defeat against Histon it was important that we got the wheels back on the wagon as quickly as possible. With the games now being chalked off the fixture list and the weeks rolling by we are now on the final countdown to the season climax. Our destiny is in our own hands as they say and with time running out it is a critical part of the season for the club as the results that we gain now will be pivotal in determining whether we are in the mix at the end of the season.

Carlton Town 2-2 Sp Khalsa Our next fixture on the list was to return to Stoke Lane and to meet opposition that proved to be very tough when we met them at the beginning of December. This one was no different in terms of how the game would play out, the two Aaron’s, O’Connor and Opoku would give The Millers the lead either side of the half hour mark in a game that was proving to be comfortable for Carlton. However no sooner had we doubled our lead the opposition would fire back and reduce the arrears to rock the boat a little. With The Millers having already missed two glorious chances before we had opened the scoring the game went into half-time closer than it really should have been. The second period was pretty much the same as the first one had been with both sides working tirelessly for that next goal.

Eventually it would come with eight minutes to go and unfortunately for The Millers at the wrong end of the pitch leaving the side sore as the game really should have been killed off before the completion of the first half.

Spalding Utd 0-3 Carlton It was out in to the depths of the Lincolnshire county for our next game and a chance to build up our momentum again in the form of Spalding United. The team arrived at the venue with an expectancy that we could get a result and that’s exactly what we

did. As always The Millers came out of the dressing room and went straight at the opposition making sure they knew what we were there for.

It wouldn’t take us long to break through the home side’s rear-guard and it would be the ever industrious Nat Watson that would do this. Ten minutes on and we would double our lead when Niall Davie would be rewarded for his efforts and give us some breathing space against a side that had no intention of yielding. They would come out for the second half and try to reduce the arrears but The Millers were having none of it as we still were pushing ourselves to extend the lead.

Thus we did with eight minutes remaining when Tom Maddison stepped up to the spot and secured the victory with a well taken penalty.

Ollerton Town 2-3 Carlton A break from the league now and a trip to North Nottinghamshire in the Senior Cup beckoned for The Millers.

This one was an absolute shocker in terms of the weather conditions as before the kick-off it looked like we were going to be playing in a monsoon. The combination

of the howling wind and the heavy downpour didn’t deter both teams and sets of supporters from being involved and fortunately the rain would stop to allow both sides a chance of a half decent game. The wind persisted and would be a key factor as The Millers would have the advantage of playing with it behind them for the first forty-five minutes. Nat Watson would start the scoring early on with two finishes in quick succession that included an absolute beauty of a free-kick that left the goalkeeper no chance. The Millers encouraged by this continued to pressure the home side’s goal as we knew that this would be a game of two halves but with very little fortune against a side that were working very hard. The score line would remain as it was until halftime and leave the game on a knife edge as it was now our turn to have our backs to the wall. The home side came out at the start of the second period and immediately put Carlton on the defensive with their rugged determination and approach and with ten minutes in would score twice in a minute to level things

up. The Millers despite being pushed back for the most would stick firm and with ten minutes remaining would break forward with substitute Aaron O’Connor who would find the bottom corner of the net for the victory.

Ilkeston Town 4-1 Carlton Back to league action and a trip to the league leaders was next on the agenda in a fixture that had long been awaited. This one started well for The Millers when Aaron O’Connor squeezed a shot in at the near post early on to give Carlton the lead after some good early work and pressure. This however only spurred the home side on and as we have seen on many occasions scoring early doesn’t always have advantages. Five minutes on and the home side pulled one back, ten minutes on from that they would take the lead as they had now taken a grip on the game and then a further ten minutes on from that Dan Brown would head through our net to extend the home side’s advantage. Things didn’t get much better in the second half as only ten minutes into it former player Alex Troke would put the final nail in

the coffin to extend the home unleash a real screamer of a side’s lead even further with a shot to level things up. This one was a real thriller from fine finish. Carlton still kept start to finish and despite on and never gave up despite the distance in the score line saving it right at the end The Millers will feel a little bit and would finish the game disappointed that we didn’t definitely second best against have all three points. a team that surely look like With the two big guns out winning the title. of the way and the season in Carlton 3-3 Halesowen Another tough fixture against it’s latter stages we now find ourselves six points off the the team sitting second in the play-offs. There is still a long league was to follow a week later and a chance for Carlton way to go in this season and despite the games running to show what we really are out we are still in the fight. made of. This one was no The next few weeks are now disappointment to everyone even more important than involved as it proved to be a game of cut thrust and pure before as we need to plug the gap to the teams above us to endeavour. Carlton were always behind score line wise ensure we extend our season.

Games can be won or lost in in this one but without any an instance and it’s the fine bias the better team throughmargins that will determine out. Both teams threw everything in to this one and who will come out victorious each time the visitors scored at the end of it. We will continue to fight for every last it only spurred The Millers scrap, every blade of grass on more. Having taken the and every last ball as each game to Halesowen throughgame now is our cup final. out Carlton would find themselves behind with two minutes to go before Lawrence Gorman would pick the ball up just passed the halfway line. He would jink past two Halesowen players cut across a third and then Article by Phil Jennings from a fully twenty yards out

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Page 48.

Yates signs new deal

Nottingham Forest are delighted to announce that midfielder Ryan Yates has signed a new deal with the club.

The 24-year-old has committed his future to The Reds, signing a contract which keeps him at The City Ground until 2025.

The academy graduate made his first-team debut for Forest against

Bury in August 2018 and has since made a total of 118 appearances for the club, featuring 37 times in all competitions this term.

The midfielder is currently Forest’s third-highest goalscorer this season, with Saturday’s strike in the 4-0 win over Reading his seventh of the campaign and fourth in his last six

matches.

After putting pen to paper on Trentside, Yates said: “I’m delighted to stay.

I’ve been here for so many years and I love the club.

“It means everything to play for Forest and I feel like this is the best position the club has been in for a long time.

“The connection between the fans and the players on the pitch is the best it’s ever been, so we need to jump on that and continue as we are.

“I’ve still got a long way to go, I’ve made some big strides but hopefully it’s just the start.”

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