Bus operator trentbarton will begin running services from the new Broad Marsh bus station from this week end.
The company’s buses last rolled out of bays in 2017 when the former facility closed for the final time ahead of demolition and redevelopment as part of the revamped multi-storey car park.
From Sunday (2 October), the bus station will welcome passengers from services including Skylink Notting ham, Skylink Express, Rush cliffe Villager, Mainline, The Keyworth, The Cotgrave and its sister operator’s Kinchbus 9.
More than 250 trentbarton and Kinchbus services a day will call at the base in Canal Street. It follows the news in June that National Express coaches had started to use Broad Marsh as a terminal.
Passengers will benefit from significantly improved facilities at the new bus station, including:
• A 24/7 facility to cater for 24/7 bus and coach services
• Light and airy waiting areas separated from bus stops by glass walls and sliding doors
• Plenty of seating
• State-of-the-art passen ger information screens, including travel and way finding information
• Customer toilets
• 24/7 security services
• Easily-accessible pedestrian entrances on Carrington Street and Middle Hill connecting to rejuvenated pedestri an-friendly areas.
The bus station is on the ground floor below the Broad Marsh car park, with its 1,200 spaces including charging points for electric cars and disabled parking, easy contactless payments at the barriers and a smart traffic light system to help find a space – all powered by 720 solar panels on the roof.
The building will also
house the city’s new Central Library – internal work is now under way to fit that out. The new development and its green credentials recently won another major construction industry award, while surrounding streets are undergoing a huge transformation to create a welcoming new gateway to the city.
Councillor David Mellen, Leader of Nottingham City Council, said: “We’re really pleased to welcome trent barton to the new Broad Marsh bus station and are sure that passengers will no tice a huge difference from the last time they got off
buses here five years ago.
“They will benefit from a range of modern facilities, including seating areas, elec tronic display information, interactive touchscreens, customer toilets and 24/7 security services.
“The area, including near by Sussex Street, has been transformed into a modern, welcoming space and we look forward to the next stage in the wider redevel opment of the Broad Marsh site.”
trentbarton’s staff will be moving into Broad Marsh from Karlsruhe House, in Queen’s Bridge Road, with internal spaces currently
being fitted out for the team.
Jeff Counsell, managing director of trentbarton and Kinchbus, said: “We’re very excited that Broad Marsh will once again be a destina tion for our customers and their drivers.
“It will have been worth
the wait as the new bus sta tion is a fantastic environ ment that should encourage more people to leave their cars at home and travel into and out of the city by greener, relaxing and traffic busting buses.”
Cabbies in Nottingham can now wirelessly charge their electric taxis as part of a pioneering Govern ment-backed trial which underlines the city’s ambi tions to become the UK’s first carbon neutral city by 2028.
The groundbreaking scheme has seen nine electric hackney cabs retrofitted with the latest, super-efficient wireless charging technology to power local journeys. The public can use the trail blazing new taxis from this week, at a specially upgraded rank outside Nottingham Station.
Nineteen local taxi driv ers have so far volunteered to test a free cab to help Nottingham City Council and its project partners closely monitor the trial and share learnings with the Government to help shape future regulations and delivery of wireless charging projects.
This project will help partners discover the ad vantages and issues of this technology and iron out any problems.
Wireless Charging of Electric Taxis (WiCET) is a £3.4 million project fund ed by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles through Innovate UK to assess the commercial and technical viability of deploying wire less charging for electric hackney cabs.
The City Council se cured £930,000 from the Government’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles through Innovate UK for the WiCET project. This is a UK first involving both London Electric Vehicle Company (LEVC) and Nissan Dynamo electric taxis, placing Nottingham at the forefront of green technology innovation.
It is expected that the tri
al of the wireless charging technology will demon strate a range of benefits, including:
• Easy and convenient charging – drivers will be able to start a charge while waiting for passen gers by driving over the pad without needing to leave their vehicle
• Reducing street clutter – no charging cables are required as the wireless charging equip ment is built into the road surface
• Encouraging the adoption of more electric taxis in the city, which will lead to a reduction in emissions and help the city to achieve its 2028 carbon neutral target. The project is led by Cen ex, with partners Coventry University, Hangar-19, Nottingham City Council, Shell Research Limited, Sprint Power and Trans port for London, with Lumen Freedom supplying the hardware.
Nottingham City Council’s Portfolio Holder
for Highways, Transport and Parks, Councillor Audra Wynter, said: “I’m delighted to see Notting ham’s UK-leading wireless taxis hit the streets. This amazing new technolo gy will make it easy and convenient for taxi drivers to charge their vehicles onstreet between passengers and make a big difference in local air quality.
“This is another exam ple of Nottingham lead ing the way in transport innovation, as we lead the country to become carbon neutral by 2028.”
Richard Sander, WiCET Project Manager and Tech nical Specialist at Cenex, said:
“Wireless charging has the potential for effec tive deployment across a wide range of applications from public transport to emergency vehicles and mobility solutions, and the results from our research will go on to inform future deployments.
“We are extremely proud to be starting the first
physical trial of Wireless Charging of taxis in the UK here in Nottingham. This is a big step in un derstanding and demon strating the potential of wireless charging as a core technology in the Electric Vehicle transition.
“Everyone involved in the project has worked hard behind the scenes to get us to this point, and I’m excited to see the impacts this will have for drivers, passengers and the environment.”.
The wireless taxi pro ject is another example of Nottingham being at the forefront of new technol ogies and forms of trans port – its launch coming in the same week that Nottingham announced an incredible 57% drop in carbon dioxide emissions since 2005.
The Council’s Future Transport Zone Pro gramme is overseeing several projects, including the e-scooter rental trial, sharing fleet vehicle charge point infrastructure with
other local councils lo and piloting new ‘mobility hubs’ which will bring dif ferent forms of transport together alongside public realm improvements in residential areas. The city
also boasts an extensive tram network powered by green electricity, while 30% of the city’s buses are either electric or run on biogas.
A series of activities celebrat ing Black History Month and highlighting the importance of equality and diversity has been launched by Nottinghamshire Police.
In supporting Black History Month, we will bringing to light the contribution Black people have made - and continue to make - to policing in our com munities as well as highlighting the important operational roles equality and diversity play in helping us deliver the best ser vice across Nottinghamshire.
We will be running a series of features and profiles throughout the month to highlight some of the work we have been doing on a local and national basis.
We’re starting with Nigel Best who is the careers advisor for Nottinghamshire Police.
The father-of-four works with and supports young people in gaining skills to enable them to realise their potential and to firmly open the door to Nottinghamshire Police as a local employer for a myriad of different roles.
Nigel came to the United Kingdom from the Caribbean island of Barbados as an eightyear-old boy in 1966.
Before joining the force much of his working life was in teach ing. Among his various roles
was mentoring and supporting young African-Caribbean and Dual Heritage boys and helping children in mainstream, private and alternative provision education.
“When I was teaching at secondary school a lot of Afri can-Caribbean and Dual Her itage boys were saying policing wasn’t a career for them.
"I kept saying to them the only way you’re going to change things is to become a part of it and that’s my goal,” said Nigel.
“The only reason I wanted to be a teacher was I kept reading in the newspapers that African-Caribbean boys weren’t achieving. I thought why not?”
Nigel went on to become a teacher for many years before joining Nottinghamshire Police in 2019.
He started work as careers advisor for the force in August 2020, having served as a volun teer before that.
His many years spent in edu cation have proved invaluable in helping him in his current role of careers advisor which includes working with chal lenging young people.
He said: “In the last couple of months I have seen more young Black people joining the service as officers and I think one of the best ways of achieving that
is role modelling.
"If young people see someone who looks like them doing a particular job then they start looking at that job and think maybe they could do it.”
He added: “It’s vital we cele brate Black History Month and understand the impact of Black heritage and culture across the world.
"As a force we’ve had a hugely positive impact with our organ ised activities in previous years and we are now looking to build on that success this year.
“We are encouraging every one to get involved with the celebratory events and I hope as many people as possible join us in celebrating and increasing their understanding of Black culture.”
Chief Constable Craig Guild ford said: “We have developed a workforce that is increasingly more representative of the diverse communities we serve across Nottinghamshire.
"I want people of talent from all backgrounds to feel like the police is a welcoming and genuine career prospect for them. This is an important operational imperative which the national Uplift has helped facilitate.
“Black History Month is an opportunity for us all to
celebrate and acknowledge the valuable contribution of Black, Asian and minority ethnic communities across the county.
As a progressive force we con tinue to reach-out, to creatively seek feedback on what we can improve upon.
"We work with our partners to market the opportunities we can offer to all the people we serve across Nottingham shire as a relatively large local employer.”
Among the police-led activities taking place this month will be a four-day event (17-20 October), culminating in the premiere of a film called ‘Blacks Can’t Swim’ which will be screened at Trent Bridge on Thursday 20 October from 3pm, with the screening being available free of charge to everyone.
The film aims to address racist stereotypes surrounding swimming, and how they con tribute to the alarming number of people from Black and mi nority ethnic backgrounds who can't swim, and are at increased risk of drowning.
The dramatisation also ex plores how parents' relationship with the water can go on to influence their children.
Another Black history event
is being held on Saturday 8 October, 1pm-4pm, at the Brendon Lawrence Sports Cen tre, Hungerhill Road, St Ann’s (NG3 4NB).
The event will include a live DJ, entertainment, free Carib bean food and refreshments,
free sports and activities, stalls, a free raffle with amazing prizes and much more.
People can turn up on the day. There’s no need to register but people are advised to come early to avoid disappointment.
Anticipation is building as work starts on the interior fit out of the new Central Library, which sits at the heart of the Broad Marsh regeneration area.
The work involves turning the shell of the building – part of the new Broad Marsh Car Park and Bus Station complex – into a modern library, with the installation of new floors, lifts, electrics and plumb ing.
Nottingham City Council are working with interior fit out and refurbishment specialists Overbury and acclaimed architects FaulknerBrowns, M&E consultancy Chord and Morgan Sindall con struction to transform the inside of the building.
The new library, spread over three floors and fully accessible via lifts, will feature a high-quality children’s library with an immersive story telling room, extensive book collection and comfortable areas to sit and read. Other amenities will include:
• Feature book walls and shelving to display a large collection of books
• Free Wi-Fi and free access to computers,
laptops and iPads
• A café & ground floor reception area which can be converted into a perfor mance space
• Specialist and rare collections room for local study material
• Learning lab for special activities and school class visits
• Meeting rooms
• Exhibition space
• Creative design areas
• Business Intellectual Property Centre for the city.
A new Central Library is one of the key elements of the regeneration of the city’s Southside area and will be surrounded by transformed streets – creating fully pedestrianised areas with planting and seating and a new plaza that would link through the demolished sec tion of the former shopping centre to Lister Gate and the city centre beyond.
A masterplan is in place outlining a vision for the Broad Marsh site, in cluding green space, an enhanced entrance to the City of Caves attraction and a mixture of housing, retail and leisure uses.
Nottingham City Council has recently bid for £20m
of Levelling Up funding to prepare the Frame of the derelict shopping centre to be transformed into a space to bring people together for play, performance and food, unlocking the wider vision for the site.
Cllr Pavlos Kotsonis, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture & Planning at Not tingham City Council, said: “It’s great to see that work is moving quickly and we’re at a really exciting stage where we will start to see our plans come to life as Overbury transform the interiors.
“This library will meet the needs and expectations of our city’s residents, with a bright state-of-the-art facil ity – including a fantastic children’s library and some great features such as an im mersive story telling room using the latest audio visual technology to help bring books alive.
“The new library will help to bring people into the area and with the wider regen eration work, these pedes trianised streets will give people a place to visit and enjoy, with the library and its cafe at the heart of this”
Andrew Wood, Manag ing Director at Overbury, said: “We are proud to be
working in partnership with Nottingham City Council to deliver this exceptional new Central Library for the people of Nottingham. The library will be a fantastic creative and community orientated space, which Overbury and our partners will bring to life through all elements of the interior fit-out.
“Throughout the project, we also look forward to prioritising social value and sustainability. We have committed to building back into the local area by focus ing project spend within
the local Nottinghamshire area and the surrounding midlands region.
“Furthermore, part of the spend will be with notfor-profit local enterprises.
Using our in-house carbon calculation tool ‘Carboni Ca’, developed by Morgan Sindall plc, we will also measure the embodied carbon of the project.”
From November, a scheme to make privately rented homes safer for tenants, which currently operates in Netherfield, will be extended to four more parts of the borough.
Following consultation with residents, landlords and stakeholders, councillors agreed to extend the Selective Licensing Scheme to Colwick, Carlton Hill, Day brook and Newstead Village, making it mandatory for landlords in those areas to have a licence for each of their privately rented properties.
The scheme has been extended to these new areas following a successful pilot launch in Netherfield where over 78% of the properties inspected needed work to bring them up to the legal standard re quired. Over 400 properties were inspect ed as part of the scheme and 10% of them needed urgent work to make them safe
to live in, including removing imminent hazards in areas such as fire safety because of inadequate fire protection or detection, which all required immediate action to protect tenants.
The consultation for the extension of the scheme received more than 200 responses and over 450 written comments which have been analysed and the feedback used to shape the extension to the scheme, known as Selective Licensing Phase two.
The licence requires that landlords meet a minimum standard of accommodation for residents and the scheme is being launched in areas where there is deprivation, high levels of antisocial behaviour, crime and poor housing conditions. The licensing will give the council’s Environmental Health team powers to do more if landlords do not take the appropriate steps to deal with issues relating to property standards.
The scheme starts on November 1 and online application for landlords are now open at www.gedling.gov.uk/selectivelicens ing. Landlords can also speak to council staff directly at two drop-in sessions at the Civic Centre in Arnot Hill Park on Mon day 19 September from 12pm to 5pm and on Wednesday 21 September from 9am to 1pm.
Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke MBE said; “A key priority for the council is to improve the health and wellbeing of our residents and reduce health inequalities and to do that it’s vital that our resident’s homes
are safe and suitable.
Following the success of our pilot scheme in Netherfield, which saw a num ber of potentially lifesaving improvements carried out as a direct result of Selective Licensing, we’re extending the scheme to additional parts of the borough where we know standards of living could be improved.
We’ll work with landlords to make the necessary improvements to their proper ties to improve the lives and safety of their tenants and under the scheme we’ll be able to do more to step in to help even more residents and landlords if needed.”
Billions of pounds worth of investment and thousands of jobs will come to Not tinghamshire after it was a chosen as the home of what is hoped to be world’s first commercial prototype fusion energy plant.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, Secre tary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, announced today (Monday) that West Burton A, near Retford, is due to be the first site in the world to develop a commercial power station that will use the energy produced by fusion reactions to generate elec tricity. The site was among 15 nominated locations.
The ambitious project - Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production - known as STEP, is being led by the UK Atomic Energy Au thority (UKAEA). Fusion offers an inherently safe and virtually limitless source of clean electricity by copying the processes that power the sun.
Councillor Ben Bradley MP, Leader of Nottingham shire County Council, led the region’s reaction to the news.
He said: “We are so proud to have played our part in this amazing, once-in-a lifetime news for Notting hamshire.
“This will bring incredible benefits to the county and wider region, including mil lions, if not billions worth of investment, putting it at the heart of the government’s plans to revolutionise the way we generate energy in the UK.
“The site will be the international hub for car bon-neutral, fusion develop ment, attracting the bright est minds locally and from across the world, boosting skills, training, and creating thousands of highly skilled jobs.
“We are an ambitious county and have a proud heritage of producing ener gy which helped power the industrial revolution, but now we will be at the heart of the UK green energy
revolution too.
“The prototype site will be the first time fusion energy will be commercialised, so there’s big plans to sell this technology across the world, which means Nottingham shire will be even more on the export map.
“This news positions Not tinghamshire and the region more firmly as major player in the levelling up agenda. And under our proposed East Midlands Mayoral Combined County Authori ty, adds strength to our calls to be considered for other world-leading economic projects in our region.
Councillor Keith Girling, chairman of the coun ty council’s Economic Development and Asset Management Committee, added: “We are absolutely delighted. This is a fantastic achievement which will bring massive growth and investment, particularly to the north of the county.
“We can look forward to thousands of new skilled jobs and lucrative oppor tunities for the local supply chain to help construct the plant.
“As global energy demand continues to grow, this tech nology is expected to play a crucial role in helping to achieve net zero emissionsin a safe and sustainable way - during the second half of this century.
“It’s incredible to think that Nottinghamshire will be at the heart of this, which is real boost to local pride.”
Nottinghamshire County Council coordinated the nomination process for the county working with several partners, including the site landowners EDF, Bassetlaw District Council, Midlands Engine, ERA and local LEPs.
Sir John Peace, Midlands Engine chairman, said: “The project is more than a power station - it will require an ecosystem of innovation and development and will become a global focus for fusion power.”
Matt Sykes, managing di
rector of EDF’s Generation business, West Burton site owners, said: “Developing such an exciting new project continues this tradition and has the potential to trans form both the region and the UK’s long term energy supply.”
Bassetlaw MP, Brendan Clarke-Smith, said: “This announcement is an absolute game changer for the area and truly shows levelling up in action.”
Councillor James Naish, Leader of Bassetlaw District Council, said: “I am delight ed that the legacy of energy production in the Trent Valley will be continuing. West Burton A has delivered power across the nation for decades - and will now play a vital role in the UK's tran sition to a greener, carbon neutral future. The project has strong local support
Professor Martin Freer, Director of the Energy Research Accelerator (ERA) based at Birmingham Uni versity, said: “Fusion has the potential to be transforma tive for the way we produce energy here in the UK. It could provide an almost limitless supply of safe, clean electricity and help with the toughest decarbonisation challenges.
Nick Cary, chairman of the West Burton Residents’ Planning Group, said: “It’s an exciting development of new technology and it will certainly help to put West Burton on the map.”
Dave Langmead, Sturton Le Steeple resident and West Burton Residents’ Planning Group member, said: “I am delighted that the STEP pro ject will be sited within our parish. Residents have had a long and excellent relation ship with energy producers here in the Trent Valley, and the opportunity for using the large West Burton site to continue this tradition has been warmly welcomed by those living and working in the area.”
UK Atomic Energy Au thority (UKAEA) will be responsible for all aspects of
the development, con senting, construction and operation of the facility. The construction of the proto type plant is due to start in the early 2030s and opera tional around 2040.
Full reactions from around the county and region includes:
Sir John Peace, Midlands Engine chairman.
“The Midlands Engine partnership welcomes the Government and UKAEA’s decision to choose West Burton as the site for its STEP fusion prototype.
In an area which has long suffered from underinvest ment, the site stands to play a crucial role in boosting local and regional economic activity, job creation and productivity. The project is more than a power stationit will require an ecosystem of innovation and devel opment and will become a global focus for fusion power. This is an unrivalled opportunity to support our levelling up agenda by generating high quality jobs, building a first-class supply chain and further strength ening our regional skills base.
“We look forward to working with the UKAEA to make the project a success, both in solving our energy challenges, and driving green growth across the Midlands and beyond.”
Matt Sykes, managing di rector of EDF’s Generation business
“We are absolutely delighted that the UKAEA has select ed the West Burton site in Nottinghamshire to host the UK’s first fusion reactor.
“The area has been associ ated with energy generation for over 60 years. Develop ing such an exciting new project continues this tradi tion and has the potential to transform both the region and the UK’s long term energy supply.”
Bassetlaw MP, Brendan Clarke-Smith
“Today is a proud day for us all and I am absolutely thrilled that the Conserv
ative Government has chosen Bassetlaw to be the home of the first commer cial STEP fusion plant. This is a world-leading project and will bring billions of pounds to the local economy. This also continues the long and proud tradition we have here in Bassetlaw with energy production. I want to say a huge thank you to the officers at Nottingham shire County Council who put this bid together and helped us beat off fierce competition from other areas. I have been lobbying the Government with Cllr Ben Bradley MP to argue why the West Burton site would be ideal for this project and I am delighted they have agreed. This an nouncement is an absolute game changer for the area and truly shows levelling up in action.”
Cllr James Naish, Leader of Bassetlaw District Council
“As a resident and council lor for Sturton Ward where the STEP project will be sited, as well as the Leader of Bassetlaw District Council, I am delighted that the legacy of energy production in the Trent Valley will be continu ing. West Burton A has delivered power across the nation for decades - and will now play a vital role in the UK's transition to a greener, carbon neutral
future.
The project has strong local support and I par ticularly want to highlight the role of the West Burton Residents' Planning Group. This group of volunteers has met regularly for 18 months and its commitment to en gaging the community and seeing the site quickly taken forward has been inspiring, and I want to pay tribute to each group member for their efforts.”
Professor Martin Freer, Director of the Energy Re search Accelerator, based at Birmingham University
“We welcome today’s an nouncement of the selection of West Burton as home for the UK’s first STEP plant. The site is part of ‘Megawatt Valley’ and has been crucial to the UK’s power genera tion industry for decades.
“Fusion has the potential to be transformative for the way we produce energy here in the UK. It could provide an almost limit less supply of safe, clean electricity and help with the toughest decarbonisation challenges by using heat to manufacture hydrogen and synthetic clean fuels – other areas where our region and ERA have expertise. We look forward to building on our work with the UKAEA, bringing the region’s firstclass skills and innovation capabilities to bear on this exciting project.”
Two new police drone pilots are now on duty after completing weeks of arduous training.
PC Amy Botham and PC Ty Foers completed their two-week training earlier this month, during which they learned how to fly and use Nottinghamshire Police’s fleet of remote aircraft safely and effectively.
Particular attention was paid to aerial search proce dures over open terrain as
more than a third of current drone call-outs relate to miss ing people.
In the past these searches would have involved either a slow and methodical ground search by officers, or a costly mission involving a police helicopter.
Even in the dead of night, officers now have access to drones equipped with thermal imaging cameras – a resource that has already been used to save lives.
PC Botham explained: “I have been a response officer for the last 15 years and I’m really excited by this oppor tunity. Drone technology is playing an ever more impor tant part in our work and the technology is evolving and improving all the time.
“As a police officer it is great to learn new skills and develop in your career and I can’t wait to get started in this new role.
“There’s been a huge
amount to learn and the training we have received has been excellent.”
Both new pilots completed written exams in addition to practical flight tests and a scenario based exercise sim ulating a search for a missing person.
Sergeant Vince Saunders, chief drone pilot at Notting hamshire Police, said: “These really aren’t the kind of drones you see being flown in your local park; they are large,
sophisticated and extremely expensive aircraft that must at times be flown in restrict ed areas in high pressure situations.
“That isn’t a responsibility we take lightly so we must ensure all our pilots are trained to the high standards the public
would expect of us.
“I am delighted to welcome our two new pilots to the team and have every confi dence they will rise to every challenge that is set for them – saving officers’ time, public money and people’s lives along the way.”
Millions of couples who have chosen to avoid tying the knot are at risk of falling into complex legal battles to get a share of a home they've lived in all their lives or the wealth they've helped build. The numbers of cohabiting couples in the UK have risen to five million, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS). But, contrary to popular belief, unmarried couples do not have automatic legal rights to inherit from each other.
'Common-law marriage' - where you live togeth er without making it official - is a widely held misconception that will not protect the deceased's partner. The only way to ensure a partner doesn't lose out when the other dies, if not married or in a civil partnership, is to write a will. Implementing a Will can ensure that a partner benefits from the estate, whether that be property, savings or caring for a Pet. Nothing is guaranteed If there is no Will, then a client has no way of ensuring their partner gets anything when they die if they are unmarried. No matter how long a couple have been together, lived together or even had chil dren together, if the couple are not married or in a civil partnership, the part ner has no automatic legal rights to inherit when the other passes away.
If a client is looking to
protect their partner, it’s vi tal you have a conversation with them about making a Will.
What happens without a Will
When someone dies without a will, the rules of intestacy kick in and this means there is the possibili ty that the surviving partner can lose their home and a possible source of income and won't have any legal say over who gets what and when.
The rules of intestacy are a set of rules which establish who is entitled to inherit if there is no Will. The order of beneficiaries is:
• Spouse or civil partner
• Children or grandchil dren
• Parents
• Brothers and sisters (followed by half brothers and sisters)
• Grandparents
• Aunts and uncles (followed by nieces and nephews)
Married couples have an automatic right to the first £270k of their spouse’s estate (where there are children) however partners, cohabitees, boyfriends and girlfriends do not appear on this list. Therefore, the only way a surviving partner can request financial provision from their partner’s estate (when there is no Will) is by making a claim under the Inheritance (Provision for Family and Dependants) Act 1975. The couple must have been living together for a period of two years before death in order to make a claim against the Estate.
With no will in place, the surviving partner may face a huge struggle to prove they should get property and maintenance, not to mention the wider strife and inter-family division that can ensue.
In some cases where there has been no will, bereaved partners have been forced to bring a financial claim against their own children and other members of the family.
What cohabitees should include in Wills
What a person needs to put in their will if they’re living with a partner will depend on the circumstances, particularly if children are involved.
It's important the will includes:
• Who inherits the estate -
don't leave this to the law to dictate?
• Who will be involved - a partner must be given the right to be involved in the estate if the testator passes away.
• Wishes about propertythe will should be clear if it is desired for the partner to continue to live in the property after the testator dies.
• Wishes about money –the testator should set out exactly who their money goes to, ensuring the part ner has enough to live on.
• Wishes about posses sions – clear instructions should include on who will get particular possessions, such as a car or piece of jewellery.
• Where there are children involved, matters can
become more compli cated. It's vital to include instruction on the age that children can inherit.
When children are involved There can be further issues if children are involved as they have a “greater right” to inherit their parent’s estate than a partner who may also be the mother/father of the children. This would mean that in order for the partner to claim financial provision, they would have to make a claim against the estate which would reduce the amount of inheritance given to their own children.
Moreover, cohabitees do not have an automatic entitlement to claim a share of their partner’s occupa tional pension on death (unlike married couples).
The partner will need to be nominated as a beneficiary under the pension scheme.
What Are Unmarried Couples Property Rights in the UK?
There is the possibility for unmarried couples to make a claim against their partner’s estate if they have been living together for more than two years. However, as an unmarried couple, a partner is not automatically entitled to any of deceased’s estate, i.e. property, financial assets, possessions etc unless they are jointly owned.
By simply making a Will it can be ensured that a partner is protected and provided for in the future. Contact us today for a friendly conversion, to find out more.
A runaway driver was sniffed out by a police dog – moments after causing a crash.
Raheem Rahman, aged 22, drove away at speed after being spooked by an un marked police car traveling Forest Lane, Papplewick, on blue lights to an unrelated call.
In the minutes that followed he drove at high speed around the Hucknall area – passing through red lights, driving on the wrong side of the road, and travel ling the wrong way around roundabouts.
With several police vehicles in pursuit, in the early hours of Friday 22 July this year, Rahman passed through a final red light at a junction with the A60.
A member of the public driving through the lights was then collided with a police car as he swerved to avoid a head-on crash.
At this point Rahman abandoned his Audi and attempted to flee the scene on foot. After a methodical search by a police dog han dler, he was located hiding in a hedge.
Unwilling to test the re solve of Police Dog Monty, he quickly gave himself up and was arrested.
The driver of the car was treated in hospital but was not seriously hurt.
Rahman, of Rolleston Drive, Arnold, answered “no comment” to all the questions put to him during his police inter view, but later admitted to charges of dangerous driving and failing to stop for the police.
Appearing at Notting ham Crown Court on Thursday, he was jailed for 12 months and banned from driving for two years.
PC Ashley Dunn, of Nottinghamshire Police,
said: “This was an appall ing display of driving that placed members of the public at risk.
“Rahman showed abso lutely no concern for the safety of others and could easily have caused a very serious injury to himself and the entirely innocent member of the public he caused to crash.
“He was and is a danger to himself and others and I am pleased he has now been punished and banned from driving as a result of his actions.”
A sex offender who tried to entice a schoolboy into sex has been jailed.
Ian Potts, aged 36, targeted the teenager with a string of social media messages after meeting him in August 2020.
He continued to entice the boy into sexual activity even after learning that he was under the age of consent.
Unbeknownst to Potts, his private conversations with the boy became known to an on-line activ ist group, who took over the exchanges and started building evidence.
Potts was arrested sever al days later and claimed to officers that he believed the boy was aged over 16 at the time the messages were sent. He further claimed to have not read and accidentally deleted messages stating the boy’s true age.
He later pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communica tion with a child and two counts of attempting to incite sexual activity with a child.
Appearing at Notting ham Crown Court on
Wednesday he was jailed for two years and eight months.
Potts, of Westover Road, Bournemouth, was also placed on the sex offenders’ register and made the sub ject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order which will restrict his activi ties when he is released.
Detective Constable Kim berley Priestley, of Notting hamshire Police, said: “Potts knowingly tried to entice an
impressionable child into sex and has quite rightly been jailed as a result.
“Keeping children safe from harm means keeping them safe from people like Potts who attempt to prey on them on-line where they think nobody can see what they are doing.
"I hope this case serves as a warning to others about the consequences of such behaviour.”
This month’s aerial photo shows Nottingham City Hospital which occupies a large 90 acre site on the ring road. 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.
1st December 2007 was a big day in the life of Massimo, when he opened Vivo restau rant in Stapleford. Indeed, his ambition and dream had become reality, with Mas simo (Co-proprietor and General Manager) at the helm, providing authentic Italian cuisine, to an excep tional standard. The opening
created great public interest and, 15 years on, numerous regulars have been loyal from the outset. This ‘Little piece of Italy’ is enjoyed by many regulars and also by visitors, from recommendations.
Massimo, with Alessandro, ensures all diners have a most memorable visit, with true Italian leadership.
The fixed-price lunchtime and early evening offers have always proved to be extremely popular and continue to do so at Vivo. Following a most enjoya ble Amuse-bouche, from the full, evening menu, I selected Salmone Affumica to (Smoked salmon served with soft cheese on a bed of rocket) to start. For the main event I chose Pollo
Valdostana (Grilled chicken breast topped with Parma ham and mozzarella cheese in napolitana sauce). Smoked salmon was an excellent choice to commence the dining experience, setting up my taste buds.
The main of chicken (vegetables/salad/chips) arrived perfectly cooked and
presented. I opted for vege tables to accompany. All was most flavoursome, with the chicken being succulent and tender – Compliments to Chef. Head Chef Marco and the team ensure all dishes are impressive. Other popular dishes include Fish and Steaks, plus great-looking Pasta and Pizza creations.
Desserts offer several
much-loved favourites and I went for Classico Tiramisu –Well, when in Italy! (Sponge fingers with mascarpone cheese and coffee). This most delightful delectation is, as the name says, ‘Classico!’ High-quality wines/drinks are from worldwide origins.
I found the ambience most pleasant, with complement ing Italian background music. Parties, celebrations and occasions are easily accommodated and gift vouchers are available, too. Themed and entertainment evenings are often booked well in advance. Many thanks to Massimo, for his truly Italian welcome and both Alessandro and Massimo for exemplary service through out. May Vivo continue for
Article By Trevor Langleymany years to come. Con gratulations! Highly recom mended.
Vivo Italian Restaurant, 164 Derby Road, Stapleford, Nottingham NG9 7AY.
Tel: 0115 949 1000
E: info@vivorestaurant. co.uk www.vivorestaurant.co.uk
Well, the guests have been greeted, offered and enjoyed sherry or sparkling wine. The starters have gone ‘swimmingly – no problem. The main courses have been de voured with enthusiasm and ‘Compliments to Chef’ voiced by many, whilst imbibing the wines. So, now it comes to desserts and what dessert wine to choose, to accompa ny the (towards) end of meal experience. Many dessert wines pair wonderfully with numerous puddings. I selected produc tions that have an ‘overall’ appeal, to pair with many desserts and puddings.
MORRISONS THE BEST Botrytis Semillon (9.5% vol) is much loved. This Australian, botrytised pro duction, I found sweet and luscious. The bouquet is inviting, having overtones of summer fruits, such as apricot, plus some citrus notes and with honey con nections, certainly. Many desserts pair very well with this wine, includ ing one of my favourites, Lemon Tart, capturing the essence of a dessert experi
ence, perfectly.
MORRISONS THE BEST Sauternes (14% vol) is huge ly popular, with the bouquet leading, enticingly, to the mouth’s pleasures, which ap preciates influences of lemon and orange. This French production accompanies Apple Tart, another favourite of mine, splendidly. Plus, being great with some savoury dish es, too.
MORRISONS THE BEST Pedro Ximénez (17% vol) is a sweet sherry, produced in Spain, in partnership with Emilio Lustau. The grapes are dried slowly, in the sun, which results in a most wonderful experience, that is rich and intensely sweet, with the wine having also been aged in selected solera casks, before bot tling. Possessing fig, raisin
and dried sweet fruit notes, this long –established, sweet, syrup-like sherry, pairs amazingly with a vast amount of desserts, including Sticky Toffee Pudding – fantastic! Also, some diners like it poured over ice cream (vanilla flavour, a favourite), which makes for a delicious combination. Seconds,
anyone?
I located these dessert wines at a Morrisons store, in their ‘The Best’ range. Mor risons have grown, con sistently, since 1899. The very impressive wines/drinks sections have something for all tastes and palates. Their wine experts
are passionate about sourcing wines of exceptional quality, including a good num ber of award winners, globally. Very much worthwhile locating. www.morrisons.co.uk
ROLL UP, ROLL UP to the Laby rinths latest show,
THE CORN EVIL.
For 8 nights only, CORN EVIL invites you to discover its darkest secrets. Our freaks are like no other, years on the road can send you a little stir crazy. The entrance wont be hard to find but........
the exit certainly will be. Try not to scream, you don't want to upset them.
Trust your instincts and don't get too lost, our freak show is always on the look out for new recruits.
The Village
Do you need a quiet escape after the frills of the Cornevil?
Follow the path and soon you'll enter The Village, where the weary can rest in the embracing darkness. Don't rest for long - Our village isn't quite aban doned.
The dwellers you'll meet were long ago altered by the 'magic' of the Cornevilleft bitter and a little... strange. Please be warned.. once you en ter, you will 'sacrifice' not just your evening but possibly yourself.
This event is strictly for 14 years and above. ID may be required upon entry! Those aged 14 – 17 years re
quire an adult over 18 per party that must stay with the group at all times. The Labyrinth attractions may use language deemed offensive and or too mature for younger visitors. No cry babies/easily scared or offend ed people should enter The Labyrinth and our attractions. No refund will be given if you find the experience too scary… This experience is designed to scare and it will be intense. Please ensure you are entirely committed before buying a ticket as there will be no re funds given under any circumstances.
The nights are drawing in, the weather is getting colder and darkness is creeping over the land. October brings a flush of autumn colour as the trees give their final hoorah before giving up their leaves, their branches becoming skeletal silhouettes upon cloudy skies.
Halloween draws near, the ancient celebration of Samhain, the time when the veils between worlds is at its most thin and spirits and monsters emerge from the shadows. It is also a time to celebrate the harvest and turning of the year, putting out jack-o-lanterns to ward
off the evil spirits and the cursed Jack himself from our doors.
This year, at the Moira Fur nace, after last year’s hugely successful Spooktacular, our wildlife on-site wanted to get in on the action, so they are taking over. The ducks are in charge and have decided to rename the event, The Spook-Quack-ular! And they and the other animals have took it upon themselves to dress up but with the theme ‘Dead Punny’, with every costume being a terrible pun on their names.
Come along this year to meet everything from a Bee-warewolf to Julius Cheesar the rat
and many more, including our Cat Costume Purr-ade. There is a problem though, the giant spiders have stolen the dressed up ducks and we need your help to follow the trail and find them for us. Can you help? Trails are just £1 and we will have plenty of treats at the end to reward you. We also have treat stalls, Halloween crafts, face-paint ing, craft stalls, pumpkin bowling, splat the bat and hook-a-spooky-duck to have a go at for a small donation, as well as our doomed barge, dare you sail upon it, but watch out for the dreaded Moby-Duck who stalks these waters!
Life in a castle isn’t always a fairytale, as the Duchess of Rutland vividly illustrates in her fascinating, revealing and funny autobiography now available.
The Accidental Duch ess (Macmillan, out now) documents all the ups and downs of running Belvoir Castle with its 356 rooms and 16,000 acres as a private heritage business.
The Duchess will be sign ing copies of her book in the Elizabeth Saloon at the Castle from 11am to 1pm on Saturday 24 September (Cas tle Opening Ticket required) and at the Duchess Gallery at The Engine Yard from 11am to 1pm on Wednesday 28 September.
When Emma Watkins, the pony-mad daughter of a Welsh farmer, imagined her future it was as the wife of a younger version of her father. But then she fell in love with David Manners, having no idea that he was heir to one of the most senior heredi tary titles in the land. When David succeeded his father, against all the odds Emma became the chatelaine of Bel voir Castle, ancestral home of the Dukes of Rutland.
She had to cope with five boisterous children while faced with a vast estate in desperate need of moderni sation and staff who wanted nothing to change - it was a daunting responsibility.
At times the problems she
faced seemed insoluble, yet with her unstoppable energy and talent for thinking on the hoof, she won through, inspired by the vision and passion of those Rutland duchesses in whose footsteps she trod, and indeed the redoubtable and resource ful women who forged her, whose homes were not cas tles but remote farmhouses in the Radnorshire hills.
Vividly written and burst ing with insights, The Acci dental Duchess will appeal to everyone who has visited a stately home and wondered what it would be like to live there.
About Emma Manners Born Emma Watkins, the Duchess of Rutland is the
A breathtaking walk through light, colour and fantasy will welcome in the 2023 season at Belvoir brightening the winter evenings with a magical after-dark experience.
The brand new Spectacle of Light will be a chance to see the fairytale castle, formal gardens and magical woodlands illuminated from 27 January to 19 February 2023.
Beautiful installations will showcase the Capability Brown gardens, its formal features and sculptures as well as lighting up the Regency castle exterior as never seen before. It’s also the first time the gardens have been opened to the public during early Spring as snowdrops carpet the woodland floor.
Belvoir CEO Emma Stenning said: “Spec tacle of Light will make Belvoir an even more magical place to visit during the winter months. It’s a chance to embrace the shorter days and longer nights and get out in the fresh air to enjoy a magically lit exploration of the gardens at Belvoir. ”
The trail around the Castle grounds will allow visitors to discover some amazing light installations like Curve, Carpet of Colour and Paraluna. Hot chocolate and mulled wine will be available on the Castle terrace to enjoy along with street food and sweet treats.
Each evening the Spectacle is a continu ous experience with entry time slots from 5.30pm onwards. A typical walk will take approximately 60 – 75 minutes, but visitors are welcome to stay longer.
Early Bird tickets offering 20 percent off the full price ae available now to book online. Prices start from Adult £19.20, Child (3-15) £9.60, Family (2+2) £51.20.
It’s also the perfect time to sign up for a Friends of Belvoir pass, with members eligible for 50 percent off Spectacle of Light as well as unlimited visits to the castle and gardens and the new adventure playground.
For more information and to book online, visit
www.belvoircastle.com/
daughter of a farmer from Knighton, Powys. She worked as an estate agent, marketing properties in London, and later as an interior designer. Today, the Duchess runs the com mercial activities of Belvoir Castle, includ ing shooting parties, weddings and a range of furniture. She has presented on various television programmes, including ITV’s Castles, Keeps and Country Homes, and has produced a book about Belvoir Castle.
In 2021, the Duchess created a podcast titled Duchess, where she interviews chate laines of castles and stately homes through out the United Kingdom. In her podcast’s first season, her interviewees included Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill of Blenheim Palace and Lady Mansfield of Scone Palace.
Emma Watkins married David Manners, 11th Duke of Rutland, in 1992. The pair have five children.
The Lace Market Theatre is a vibrant group of volunteers presenting non-professional drama to a high standard for its audiences, whilst provid ing opportunities for those with ambitions to work in the professional theatre as well as those who want a creative outlet.
Firstly, a quick historyThe Lace Market Theatre Trust developed from two amateur dramatic societies founded in Nottingham in the 1920s. These amalga mated in 1946 to become the Nottingham Theatre Club and the then mem bers took the decisive step in 1970 to raise the money to buy new premises - an old, dilapidated paint store. More space was needed eventually and funds were raised for a three storey extension at the rear and a further funds for its com
pletion in 1984. As the area developed, we acquired land at the side of our building and also merged the Trust and the Theatre club in 2003 to become the Lace Market Theatre!
The theatre scooped prizes this year again in the recent Nottingham And Notting hamshire Drama Association (NANDA) awards, for Best Supporting Actor, Best Actor, Best Director – for the third year - and Best Play for ‘Pres sure’ earlier this year!
We have a thriving Youth Theatre for 11 to 18 year olds, with drama workshops held every Saturday morning during term time which aim to give a rounded guide to enhance performance skills and theatrical understand ing; lots of past members have progressed up to the main theatre and even gone on to drama school and into the profession. A major
production is put on each year in the auditorium, the last being ‘Picnic at Hanging Rock’ and, for this season, a production of ‘Lost’ will be performed next March. Coming out of lockdown over the 2021/22 season, we have thankfully seen our audience return to us and 2022 has been a most remarkable year of celebra tions for the theatre. We were awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a local volun tary group can receive and the equivalent to an MBE. This award is a tremendous achievement and honour for all Lace Market volunteers, both past and present and one that we are immensely proud of. The Lord Lieu tenant of Nottinghamshire, Sir John Peace, presented us with The Queen’s Award at a formal celebration in early September, with local digni
Grimsthorpe Castle, near Bourne, is open on select days during the last week of October for spooky activities for all the family. Witchy gar den hunts, eerie woodland walks, gruesome Castle tours and pick your own pumpkins are all waiting for those who are brave enough to join in! ‘Halloween at Grimsthorpe is unique to other visitor attractions nearby,’ explains Joley Baker, Visitor Experi ence Manager at the Castle. ‘With 3,000 acres of parkland and formal gardens, as well as the Castle itself, the site is big enough to never feel crowded! A perfect place to pick up a pumpkin, listen to ghost stories and for the kids to let off some steam!’
New this year is the best costume competition! ‘We are encouraging all visitors, not just children, to get dressed up in a Halloween outfit. Impress us with your creativity and scare-factor! There will be a prize for the best dressed!’
The aptly-named Castle will also see the return of its
popular Grim Castle Tours this year, led by resident sto ryteller Mark Fraser. A fam ily-friendly tour, though not recommended for children younger than 8 years old, will involve roaming the dark ened rooms and corridors for a strange and hair-raising tale or two! If a tour is not your cup of pumpkin juice, wander the haunted building at your own pace, and listen to grim and gruesome tales from history! Find out about medieval torture methods, ghost sightings, and what King James I did to those accused of witchcraft!
For those who prefer the outdoors, why not pick your own pumpkin from the pumpkin patch to take home, or brave the Grim Wood land Walk which is back by popular demand? Take the children through the Oaks Wood to search out creepy figures and scary characters. How many can you spot?
For just £1 at the Gift Shop, children can also take part in Grimsthorpe’s signature gar den hunt. The resident witch
has lost all her belongings around the gardens! Can you find them all? There is a prize for every child!
To end an exciting day of terrors, the picturesque grounds and gardens invite you for an autumnal walk. Pick up a freshly-brewed coffee and a hot pasty from Café Allez! and set off across the fallen, golden leaves. A perfect time to dust off those winter boots that have been packed away all summer!
Open from 10.30am – 5pm from Sunday 23rd – Thurs day 27th, and Sunday 30th October.
More information and tickets can be found at www. grimsthorpe.co.uk. Historic House Members and Season Ticket holders go free, how ever Grim Castle Tours must be booked online. Please see website for more details.
taries in attendance includ ing Councillor Wendy Smith, Lord Mayor of Nottingham (and a former member!) and Lilian Greenwood MP who originally nominated us. 2022 is also the theatre’s Centenary year and, as part of the celebrations, plans are well under way for a Gala Evening in November, when the theatre will be staging a performance of Noel Coward’s ‘Hay Fever’ before an invited audi ence. The gala evening will recognise the pioneers who formed the company back in 1922 and those volunteers who took a leap of faith buying that derelict building in Halifax Place which we are all now so very proud to call our home. This year also sees the fortieth anniversary of our twinning with two theatres from Karlsruhe, Nottingham’s twin
city – the Jakobus-Theater in der Fabrik and Die Käuze (the Owls). We host both German theatres in one year, and then, two years later, we visit Karlsruhe where each theatre hosts one of our productions. In April, we were visited by Jakobus; there was much joy and laughter as presents and anecdotes were exchanged to mark this an niversary. It is best summed up by the Mayor of Karlsruhe in his letter to the Mayor of Nottingham ‘you and everyone participating in this exchange act as ambassadors for community and coop eration, joy and friendship – and a peaceful world’. Since 1982 we have built such good friendships together and these bonds grow stronger with each visit.
The Lace Market Thea tre stages up to fourteen in-house productions per season, as well as lunchtime
theatre, and this requires an enormous range of skills - from actors to stage managers, sound engi neers to graphic designers, lighting technicians to ushers and bar staff, all of whom are, of course, vol unteers. We always warmly welcome new members and hold regular train ing sessions for the wide variety of roles, as well as acting auditions, so if you would like to get involved in any capacity, please visit the website at www.lace markettheatre.co.uk and see how you can take the first step. New volunteers are its lifeblood and the Lace Market Theatre would be delighted to hear from you; come along to one our Open Evenings perhaps and see what a friendly place it is to be involved with!
Cinderella will be going to the ball at Belvoir this Christmas as the beautiful Regency castle is transformed into an immer sive experience bringing the rags to riches fable to life.
From the winding walk lit by twinkling lights up to the hilltop fairytale castle to the showstopping presentation featuring bespoke figurines dressed in handmade ball gowns, a life-size gold carriage and a white wedding, Cinder ella at Belvoir will be spectac ular.
Created by award-winning theatre design company CLW Event design led by Charlotte Lloyd Webber, the Leices tershire castle will be trans formed to bring the beloved fairytale of Cinderella to life in a series of breathtaking scenes staged in the ornate rooms.
The story begins in main
Guard Room entrance hall re vealing two contrasting worlds in one house. Lavish jewel colours and glamour pop for Cinderella’s stepmother and her daughters while Cinder ella’s world is decorated in a gentle naturalistic fashion to represent her simple life.
The Elizabeth Saloon is the perfect setting for the flam boyant and indulgent world of Cinderella’s stepmother while the State Dining Room features the Fairy Godmother transforming the pumpkin into a carriage.
Of course, no story could be complete without seeing Cinderella climbing into her gold pumpkin carriage, this time in a bespoke peacock gown inspired by the insignia of the Castle, leaving behind her glass slipper on the steps below.
The Kings Suite of guest bedrooms is the scene for the trying on of the slipper with each of the rooms themed to Drizella, Anastasia and Cin derella with the two stepsisters blinging trees loaded with haberdashery, jewellery, pearls, dogs and birds.
The grand finale sees Cinder ella marry her Prince Charm ing in the Regent’s Gallery with the bride dressed in a beautiful white peacock wed ding gown complemented by a pair of giant crystal-dressed Christmas trees.
Design director of CLW Event Design, Adrian Lillie, also affectionately known as ‘Head of Baubles’, said: “We are bringing our experience from the world of theatre to stage an enormous immersive and over the top theatrical experience full of drama. The inspiration was quite simply the fairytale castle on top of the hill. From
designing the peacock fabric for the ballgowns and wedding dress to the specially made mannequins and the bespoke tree decorations and floral arrangements, no attention to detail has been spared.”
A truly magical experience for all ages, Christmas at Bel voir is also the place to meet Santa Claus. The big man him self and his helpers will be pre paring for Christmas in a cosy enchanted woodland grotto tucked away in the Castle’s Old Kitchen. Guaranteed to bring the magic of Christmas to life for little ones, they will enjoy storytelling from Santa's Elves, meet Santa and take home a gift to save for the big day.
The Engine Yard will be transformed into a winter utopia with its own standalone Santa’s Grotto where little ones can meet singing reindeers, get on the 'Belvoir Express' train for family photo opps, say hel lo to Father Christmas and his helpers and take home a gift.
The artisan retail village offers relaxed outdoor present shopping in boutique stores, festive essentials and seasonal food and drink. Christmas
Markets take place every weekend from November 2627 with 25 chalets adding to the festive offer.
A Festive Afternoon Tea served in the Castle’s Regency styled tearoom will be the icing on the cake to any visit to the Castle this Christmas. Afternoon Tea and Santa Grotto visits can be booked in advance.
Ticket Prices: Adult £24, Child £10, Family £60.
Mirror, mirror, on the wall, don’t miss the fairest panto mime of them all!
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs will be spectacu larly brought to life with an abundance of comedy, sensational song and dance numbers, fabulous cos tumes and stunning scenery. Throw in a magical mirror, seven friendly dwarfs, a beautiful princess, a hand some prince and plenty of audience participation and you have the perfect recipe to outwit the Wicked Queen and let love prevail in this glittering festive treat for all ages.
Much-loved and top-selling comedian Joe Pasquale will star alongside Steps singer, television personality and West End star Faye Tozer.
Further casting announced as dame extraordinaire Da
vid Robbins and West End star Jamal Crawford join the line-up for Nottingham’s biggest pantomime.
Book your tickets today, or you won’t be able to look yourself in the mirror!
Glad tidings and festive joy return to Cromford Mills as we welcome a season of special Christmas events across December.
Each weekend leading up to Christmas (3rd, 4th, 10th, 11th, 17th, 18th December) will see artisan sellers and market traders fill the mill yard with unique gifts and sweet treats to help spread cheer. There will also be an opportunity to buy Christmas trees and visit all our on-site, independent retailers, who will remain open throughout the period. This includes knitwear, cheese, antiques and much more.
The cafes will also be transformed with some special additions to the menu. This includes an expanded hot drinks selection to keep you warm during your visit.
Medley will also be returning to Crom ford. This collection of local craftspeople will turn the Gothic Warehouse into their creative hub on the 9th, 10th and 11th of December. Hosting stalls of jewellery,
candles, pottery and so much more, this is a great opportunity to get to know some local creatives and buy some presents for friends and family.
If you’re in the mood for some sing ing and dancing, we have entertainment scheduled throughout the market days and a special carol concert on Friday 16th December. This includes musicians, choirs and dance groups set to make you singalong and tap your toes.
After a sensational de but, Christmas at Wol laton is back in 2022. As twilight descends, Wol laton Hall and Gardens once again promise a visually stunning mul ti-sensory experience as they become an en chanting world of light and music.
New for 2022:
Brand-new extend ed trail: as the park is transformed into a magical wonderland set to captivate visitors with new illuminations.
A limited number of tickets for each slot offer a 10% discount. These are available to Notting
ham City Council Tax payers. Please have your 8-digit council tax num ber ready when booking.
Delight in the light spectacle between Friday 2 December 2022 – Sun day 1 January 2023. It’s festive fun for your family and for every one of all ages.
Where better to start your Christmas shopping than at the Chatsworth Christmas market. With over 100 market stalls offering a wide range of Christmas gifts and decora tions, it's a great way to start the festive sea son. You can also explore our own exclusive ranges in the Stables shop with a wide range of home and fashion gifts, and lots of lovely stocking fillers.
Take a break from shopping and enjoy a mulled wine or a German beer at one of our outdoor bars, or sample some delicious food, with gourmet burgers and sausages, hot pork rolls, pancakes, churros and more.
There's live music too, guaranteed to get you in the festive spirit.
This is a free event. Car parking fees do apply, see below.
Monday - Thursday | 10am - 5.30pm
Friday - Sunday | 10am - 6pm
Well-behaved dogs on leads are welcome at the market.
All visitors, including blue badge holders, must purchase either tickets for the house, or Christmas market car park tickets, if they wish to park at Chatsworth. Blue badge holders will be parked as close to the market, or one of the shuttle stops as possible. We will be operating a tractor trailer ride that is accessible to wheelchairs between car parks and the market.
The market is located on an incline, Lodge Hill, and pedestrian trackway is used for access to non-paved areas.
Visit by car Car parking
Weekdays | £15 per car before 3pm / £10 per car after 3pm
Weekends | £25 per car before 3pm / £15 per car after 3pm To avoid disappointment, we recommend booking your tickets in advance.
Visitors who have booked Christmas or Garden tickets, and those with a table booking at one of our restaurants do not need to book a car park ticket. Car parking is included with those bookings.
All car park tickets during the Christmas market will be scanned at point of entry and each ticket will allow one entry for one car/ motorbike.
Visit the Matlock Christmas Market to help you and your family or friends get into the Christmas spirit. The market will have over 170 stalls featuring food and drink products as well as art and craft gifts from the local area as well as across Europe. Spread over a 3-day weekend at the start of December, this is the perfect way to do some extra Christmas shopping.
Browse the stalls that will be packed full of festive goods including baked bread and pastries, jam and marmalade, gin, beer and ale, wooden decorations and Belgian chocolate. There will be plen ty of stalls serving hot food and drinks for you to enjoy whilst browsing the market stalls and enjoy the rest of the entertainment. Indulge
in a hog roast sandwich, cin namon churros or a glass of mulled to get into the festive spirit and stay warm.
At the market, there will also be entertainment making the Matlock Christmas Market
the perfect Christmas day out for all the family. On Saturday there will be a Christmas light switch on for and the Sunday will have a firework show. The illumina tions in town are a major at traction and visitors from far
and wide travel to Matlock to enjoy the festivities. There is also a Santa’s Grotto where little ones can visit Santa and give him their Christmas list. This is the perfect way to make this the most magical day out for children.
Make the most of the warm weather this summer and head off on an outdoor ad venture with the family.
Ideal for picnics, nature walks and soaking up some sun, these parks and gardens around Yorkshire offer a scenic spot to relax and unwind.
nature trails for visitors to explore Combine sightseeing with outdoor adven tures at Oakwell Hall and Country Park, where you can take a tour of the bautiful Elizabethan manor house, which offers an intriguing insight into the late 17th century, before heading off to explore the 110 acres of country park which surround it.
The vast estate is home to a network of foot paths and nature trails, where you can expect to find glorious scenery, flowers and wildlife along the way.
Visit: Nova Lane, Birstall, Batley, WF17 9LG – www.kirklees.gov.uk
Manor Heath Park
This nineteen acre park in Halfax is perfect for an active day outdoors, thanks to its many exciting on-site attractions.
A medieval deer park, Elizabethan Hall and Gothic church are also on site to see, while the vast green lawns which lead down to the riverside provide a wonderful spot for a picnic.
Visit: Fountains Abbey And Studley Royal Estate, Ripon, HG4 3DY – www.national trust.org.uk
A firm favourite spot to soak up some sun in Leeds, Roundhay Park stretches across 700 acres of pretty parkland, lakes and wood land, providing a picture-perfect location for leisurely picnic.
just outside of York stands within 1,000 acres of glorious landscape, with lakes, fountains, woodland, temples, rolling lawns, an ornamental garden and a children’s play round just a few of the delights which await to be explored in the grounds.
Visit: Castle Howard, York, YO60 7DA –www.castlehoward.co.uk
Nestled just half a mile from Huddersfield town centre, Greenfield Park is the perfect spot to escape the hustle and bustle, and enjoy some time outdoors.
The vast Cistercian ruins of Fountains Abbey provide an impressive backdrop for a picnic
Visitors will be spoilt for choice with things to do at the popular Bolton Abbey Estate in Wharfedale.
Put your balance to the test crossing the 60 stepping stones, take a walk to see the Strid in the ancient woodland, enjoy the scenery along the nature trails, or nestle down on the lawns in front of the magnificent 12th century ruins.
Visit: Bolton Abbey, Skipton, BD23 6AL –www.boltonabbey.com
Golden Acre Park
Golden Acre Park in north Leeds is popu lar for its circular lakeside walk and pretty gardens
Hugely popular for its pretty gardens and circular lakeside walk, this north Leeds park stretches across 55 hectares, providing plen ty of space to bask in the sunny weather. There’s a huge amount of space to set up a picnic, or you can head to the on-site cafe if you’d prefer.
Visit: Arthington Road, Bramhope, Leeds, LS16 8BQ – www.leeds.gov.uk
Oakwell Hall and Country Park
The vast Oakwell Hall estate stretches across 110 acres with a network of footpaths and
Alongside woodland walks, a walled garden and wild flower area, children will love play ing in the water park and sand pit, or spot ting an array of exotic plants and creatures at The Jungle Experience, the park’s tropical on-site greenhouse.
There’s also plenty of spots to set up a picnic and if you’re feeling energetic, there is an outdoor gym where you can work up a sweat.
Visit: Halifax, HX3 0EB – www.visitcalder dale.com
These English Heritage grade II listed gardens in Harroage spread across 17 acres and feature an array of different areas giving visitors plenty to explore.
Have fun in the playground, skate park, boating pool and games areas, which include tennis, pitch and putt and crazy golf, take a dip in the paddling pool, or simply take some time out to wander the footpaths through the gardens.
Visit: Valley Drive, Harrogate, HG1 2SZ –www.harrogate.gov.uk
If you’re looking for a park that is a little more out of the ordinary, Yorkshire Sculp ture Park won’t disappoint.
The magnificent open air gallery is home to around 80 sculptures and installations, offer ing a more unqiue way to appreciate some contemporary art by some of the world’s finest artists.
Visit: West Bretton, Wakefield, WF4 4LG –www.ysp.org.uk
Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal Water Garden
Tucked away in a secluded valley, visitors are guaranteed to be impressed by the vast Cistercian abbey ruins and Georgian water farden at this National Trust site in Ripon.
Youngsters are well catered for with two playgrounds on site, along with the popular Tropical World visitor attraction where a variety of exotic animals and plants can be seen.
Visit: Mansion Lane, Leeds, LS8 2HH –www.roundhaypark.org.uk
This stunning 18th century historic house
Home to a skate park, tennis courts, play areas, paddling pool and ornamental lake, as well as a miniature steam railway, there’s a great variety of attractions to keep the whole family entertained.
And visitors can even enjoy horse and car riage rides on weekends.
Visit: Trinity Street, Huddersfield, HD1 4DT – www.kirklees.gov.uk
As couples plan for their big day for 2022 now is the time to get into shape. and start organizing for what will be the best day of their lives. For the bride, you can’t start earlier enough.
You want to arrive at the alter looking vibrant with health and beauty, so what better excuse do you need to invest a little bit of time, money and energy in getting you there? Whether it is planning a few pampering trips to some spas or joining a gym, not only can you trim your figure, you’ll do wonders for your complexion and overall energy levels.
Shopping for the wedding dress is probably the part of
the wedding plans you are looking forward to more than any other aspect. The majority of bridal gowns bought in the UK are classed as ‘off the peg.’ You try on a sample of the gown in the shop; they take your measurements and order the most appropriate size for you which is then delivered to the shop for alterations to fit your exact shape and size. Don’t panic, there may be a huge amount to do but here is a handy checklist with some of the main points to take into consideration in the build up to the big day!
12 months before…
Choose a wedding date Decide on a budget
Make a list of guests and decide on numbers Book your Church/Ceremony
location. Book your reception venue/caterers. Choose your Bridesmaids, Ushers and Best Man. Start looking for The Dress!. Choose and book your photographer
8 months before…
Choose bridesmaids’ dresses Book entertainment
Choose and order your wedding cake
Make an appointment with your chosen florist
6 months before...
Give Notice of Marriage Purchase or hire menswear
Select your wedding rings 4 months before...
Send out your wedding invitations
Arrange fittings for the wedding dress and menswear
1 month before...
Arrange a final fitting of your wedding dress your
bridesmaids, ushers and best man. Enjoy your hen and stag parties!
2 weeks before...
Confirm the date and time of the rehearsal to the relevant
people
1 week before...
Arrange to collect your wedding dress, bridesmaids dresses and the menswear
Have all your beauty
treatments
Drink plenty of water and have some early nights Relax and enjoy this time –all your hard work is about to come to completion!
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 wellheeled 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 newly-weds 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 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 your honeymoon, to have a once in a lifetime experience and to truly live it up like a rock star, then the Maldives has to be top of your list.’
Youngsters at Haggonfields
Primary School are enjoying new facilities thanks to a de cision by the local authority to let a previously disused building become their new Early Years Centre.
Staff say they are grateful for the opportunity to repurpose the centre, which is along side the primary school, into a fantastic learning environment for its younger children.
Elaine Grierson is Co Head of School and Early Years Lead at Haggonfields Primary School, located in Rhodesia, and said the new space has benefitted the whole school. “It was fantastic when we heard that the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) building was accessible for our use. We were eager to transform the building into a facility to meet the needs of the pupils
at Haggonfields. Following a lot of hands-on work over the school holidays we are delighted that pupils are now able to access a free flow indoor outdoor learning environment dedicated to their needs.”
The new centre offers classroom space, outdoor play and a woodland area, and enhances opportunities for staff to tailor support for every child, says Elaine. “The outdoors offers so much potential, and staff have enhanced the curriculum to engage interest and explo ration, in generously spaced surroundings. There are still areas that can be developed, -but already pupils are show ing their ownership and are keen to take responsibility for the care of the environ ment.”
Jane Godley is Head of School and says that pupils
are thriving in their new space. “Walking into the building you see that pupils are all learning purposefully and enjoying new opportuni ties, including their inter active physical area which promotes problem solving and creative thinking. They love the larger and more developed water area too!
“We are thrilled at the expansion of our EYFS, but we do see this as only the be ginning of our journey. There is now more opportunity to expand the involvement of the community in school and get to know those who are new to the school before starting. We are so proud of the centre and would wel come families to take a look at the transformation for themselves and see children learning and thriving in their new and richly resourced environment.”
Reverse the ageing process with facial reju venation treatments.
At Castle Clinic, we have one of the most diverse selections of aesthetic treatments in the North. Our Aesthetics Clinician Lisa Dinley, has multiple years of experience working on London’s Harley Street and now brings these innovative treatment procedures to the East Midlands.
Lisa will help to enhance your natural beauty and many of her treatments work to regenerate and restore along with overall health benefits. This includes increasing skin
cell turnover, boosting collagen, restoring volume, and improving skin quality. It is not one size fits all and all her patients receive a treatment plan completely bespoke to them.
Dr Lisa Dinley BDS, FFDRCSI, MClinDent (Pros), MSc Aesthetic Medicine.
GDC: 73193
About me...
I have been a qualified dental surgeon for 25 years and carrying out medical aesthetic treatments for the past 15 years. During this time, I have completed 3 master’s degrees (MClinDent Pros, MSc Aesthetic Medicine, and MSc Dermatology) and worked as a key opinion leader for BTi-Biotechnology, Croma Pharma, and now Neauvia. I have also developed treatment protocols for plate let-rich plasma (PRP) treat ments in the treatment of hair loss, skin ageing and damage, and steroid atrophy, publishing papers on this and successfully teaching the techniques to other health care profession als who have demonstrated phenomenal results.
I am passionate about patient safety and regulation in aes thetics and truly believe that these treatments should only be performed by regulated health care professionals after proven appropriate training pathways. My patients can be safe in the knowledge that not
only have I completed above and beyond in my training with my master’s level education, but I strive to be as safe as I possibly can. This involves treatment in a CQC registered clinic, access to emergency kits and drugs (which as a dentist I can prescribe and stock
At the tail end of last season, I caught up with a former Forest frontman Kevin Campbell, he spoke at length regarding his move to the City Ground, Pierre Van Hooijdonk, non-tackling centre halves and the fear of being marooned on a desert island with Andy Johnson.
Despite numerous invites by Nottingham Forest over the past decade it always came at the wrong time for the former fans favourite to return to the City Ground. His long-awaited return began with a public appear ance Q&A with the NFFC fans before being guest of honour as the Reds ham mered Swansea 5-1 on route to Premier League promo tion last season.
I asked if he was surprised at how well loved and revered, he still is by the Forest supporters?
“Of course, especially since being on Mr Dore’s channel. I’ve not been able to return to Nottingham for some time but thanks to Ben Dore, Lisa Fox, Malcolm Owen and Des Oldham for getting their heads together, and here I am.”
How seriously did you take the move and how focussed were you after joining Forest?
“I took it very seriously; Forest was the next stage of my career and I wanted to embrace it. There had been
a notable change at Arsenal, the club I’ve supported all my life, with Bruce Rioch coming in as manager. He wasn’t my type of manager and we got off on the wrong foot straight away. I didn’t even know the man and yet the first thing he says to me is that I’m playing on the right, I told him that wasn’t happening, so it was never going to work.”
Campbell alluded to Rioch’s lack of managerial experi ence at the top and his lack of man management skills resulting in his downfall.
“You’ve got to offer more than, you’re playing on the right!”
Given the calibre of the side he left, one that lifted the European Cup Winners Cup, I asked Kevin what he thought about the Forest squad he was joining up with?
“I was impressed for sure; we had the likes of Bohin en, Stone, Woan, Gemmill, Chettle, Lytlle and of course Pearcy. I was up front with Brian Roy who was a fantas tic player. A great club with good playing staff, we hit the ground running because Forest played football the right way and I absolutely loved it!”
Pierre Van Hooijdonk, what was he really like both on and off the field of play?
“Pierre was a great character
who loved a laugh like the rest of us, but at times he could start a fight in a phone box, which seemed to be the Dutch way.” Campbell provided an insight to the psyche of his fellow striker, one that is totally believable given what we’ve seen of Van Hooijdonk over the years. Campbell smiled broadly as he regaled up the following memory: “Dave Bassett brought in a goal keeping coach called Mike Kelly, just so Pierre could have a daily argument it seemed, Kelly was a proper cockney you know. He’d wind up Pierre by aggres
one of the big characters for sure!”
Are you at liberty to reveal any funny dressing room stories?
Campbell placed his right hand his forehead before saying “One name….Andy Johnson! Honestly, I could write an encyclopaedia on the stuff he did, Andy Johnson was one of those characters who was brilliant for the dressing room. In those difficult moments where you need sense and sensibility he’d go and do something completely out of kilter and have the dressing room in stitches,
er obviously knows what Surridge can do from their previous time spent together but Davis has big potential in my eyes. When he was injury free, he’s unplayable and just requires more goals in addition to his hold up play.”
Given the changes happen ing in the modern game I asked Campbell if it would suit his style of play?
Before Kev could answer the question Mr Dore piped up in the background shouting “VAR!” Campbell jumped to his feet with a wry smile on his face replying, “Don’t you start Dore!” After composing himself once more Campbell’s face lit up as he answered with real enthusiasm. “The game has and hasn’t changed if you know what I mean, it’s still about good players doing the right thing on a football pitch, still a goal net at each end and whoever scores the most still wins the game so that hasn’t changed.
on the injured area and has done all the hard work and rehabilitation, he’s now hoping to hit the ground running again and we fully expect him to do that.
sively confronting him at training, shouting” “do you actually fancy it today Pierre or what?” “Pierre would scream back at him” “What are you talking about, of course I f***ing do!” “Kelly would then turn to the rest of the squad and say,” “You hear that lads, he fancies it today.” “That was a good dynamic, one which helped Pierre to blow off some steam.
Off the pitch Pierre was a really nice guy, one who loved his football and of course a good laugh. We all socialised as a squad and Pierre was one of the main characters and that showed in his performances on the pitch as well, yep, he was
management, players and backroom staff included. He broke the ice and managed to take the edge off tense situations, he was just great. Johnson, along with Geoff Thomas and Alan Rodgers were known as the terrible trio, you knew the score, fall asleep in front of those boys and your eyebrows were off!”
As a former NFFC striker and given the timing of the interview I probed Camp bell upon the strikers at the club going into the play-offs. He was full of praise for the professionalism of Lewis Grabban and alluded to the sharing of goals across the forward line as opposed to a lone talisman. “Coop
The modern game is tailor made for me, because centre halves aren’t allowed to tackle, and the pitches are like bowling greens.” The very thought of which got Campbell all excited: “Oh my gosh, I’m salivating at the very thought of it, in fact, I’m off into town to get some boots after this inter view if Steve Cooper fancies giving me fifteen minutes?
To answer your question, I’d fit perfectly into the modern game.”
The next topic of conversa tion was Tyrese Campbell, Kevin’s son, who plays for Championship side Stoke City.
Again, at the time of writing the 2021-22 season was ending. “He had a bad injury, but he’s come back ok” explained Campbell.
“The big test will be the next season (2022-23) he’s steady
I asked Campbell which former teammate would he least like to be stranded with on a desert island?
“ANDY JOHNSON, if he hadn’t already killed me, I’d probably die trying to escape from him. The very same is applicable to Gazza, Johnson is crazy, and Gazza is bonkers, they’re two of a kind.”
Which former teammate would you prefer to be ma rooned with on that desert island?
“Probably my old Arsenal teammate David Hillier, we came through the ranks together. He’s one of those guys that’d cook and pretty much do everything for you whilst you were there, he’s a great lad too!”
Those who’ve seen Kevin Campbell on Sky Sports will have noticed that he often
With the season now well under way we entered September looking at the forth coming fixture list with a lot of hope. Although we had begun the season with some encouragement with victories against Grimsby Borough and Long Eaton United we had also encountered a disap pointing defeat away at Consett. Despite that long trek and deflating result, we knew that this month could be a chance to climb the table as the fixtures didn’t suggest we would encounter too many difficulties with the opposition we were to encounter. It didn’t quite plan out this way and even though we always respect our opposition we also never fear them when we take to the field as we strive to reach the heights of the league.
wears a bow tie/Dickie bow. I asked about the reason for this, and Kevin explained that it was a tribute to a dear called Lisa who passed away very suddenly. Campbell explained that Lisa had been a big fan of the dickie bow when he first wore it to a function on a Thursday evening. “So, as a mark of respect to Lisa I often wear the dickie bow and especial ly on Thursday’s.
As Kevin Campbell got up to leave, I shook his hand firmly and firstly apolo gised for being late before thanking him immensely for giving up his precious time to provide myself and Nottingham Sport with such a candid and expressive interview. I mentioned that my good friend and former teammate of his Vance Warner asked me to say hel lo; this prompted Campbell to reciprocate the courtesy and then reminisce upon a Christmas, fancy dress party the Forest team had organised during their time
together at the club. Camp bell enquired as to whether Vance still had the photos of the bash and began laugh ing as he described what he wore that evening, “I had my dad’s, shoes, trousers, shirt, jacket, and hat on that night, Vance knows the score and I want to see those photos.”
It was an honour and a pleasure to speak at length with Kevin Campbell who is simply the consummate gentleman. I am eternally grateful to Ben (Mr Dore) without whom this would simply not have been pos sible.
Brighouse Town 4-1 Carlton Town Our first game of the month saw us travel to West Yorkshire and to Brighouse where we hadn’t encountered this opposition for a good few seasons. The game on the day was a well fought affair by both sides with the home side setting their stall out very early on. Brighouse worked hard from the off and as much as The Millers had opportunities also, we were unable to break the ranks of the home side’s resilience and courage. The home team were the first side to open the scoring midway through the first half to take the advantage through to half-time in a game that had been pretty much an even event so far. Fifteen minutes in to the second period the home side increased their lead as The Millers who up until this point had missed many a chance to have taken a stranglehold on the game were rocked back on their feet. Twenty minutes later though we would bring ourselves right back into it when Aaron Opoku would find the net to reduce the deficit in a peri od of the game where we had been in the ascendency. Our joys didn’t last too long though as the opposition who had kept plugging and nipping away at us were to score twice at the end of the game and leave us with a score line that didn’t really show a true reflection of our efforts.
a Carlton shirt. We took to the field in the second half pretty much in the same way as we had done for the first forty-five minutes and carried on taking the game to the opposition. Within ten minutes we were two up as Niall Davie further increased the advantage and gave us the comfort zone that we needed. There was no further addition to the score-line for the remainder of the game as The Mill ers continued to play our free-flowing football with confidence and aplomb.
Bridlington Town 0-0 Carl ton Town
Written by Steve CorryA rest from the league and a chance for some cup glory came next for The Millers as we entertained Hanley Town from the west section of our code in the F.A. Trophy. Here was a chance to get back to winning ways and an opportunity to earn the club some extra revenue. This one turned out to be a real show of what The Millers have in our locker as we played probably the best fixture of our season so far. The team moved the ball confidently and smartly with guile and made this encounter a real enjoyable affair. We took the lead on the stroke of half-time when the ever-industrious Kyle Tomlin got his reward for his best performance so far in
After a superb performance four days previously, we travelled to the coast full of confidence for an encounter with another side that we knew little about. The team on the day were unable to break through a resilient home side but still produced a satisfactory performance that gave us a point for our efforts as we never looked like conceding. It was a hard-fought battle and had we got some breaks in the game we could have nicked all three points, but alas this wasn’t the case and it ended up a stalemate.
Lincoln United 1-1 Carlton Town (4-3 pens) Another break from the league criteria and anoth er opportunity in the F.A. Trophy was next in our fixture list. We knew quite a lot about our visitors and were confident that this task would be one that we could complete as our opponents had not quite started their season too well. We started this one well as the home side were looking to counter
our early advances. Within the first ten minutes we had two great opportunities to have taken the lead and put this one to bed early on but unfortunately our cutting edge in front of goal wasn’t there and the home side were relieved to still be in the tie. It would be a further twenty minutes before Bradley Wells would finally open the scoring as The Millers had missed further chances in between also. We would enter the field for the second half of the game knowing that this one should already be in bed but were still confident that we could create a big score-line. This wasn’t to be the case as a mix-up on the hour mark saw Lawrence Stewart head into his own net to level things up when there was no real threat from the home side. The Millers continued to pressure Lincoln but couldn’t find the net again for the remainder of the tie and so we were taken to penalties. The home side would win the shoot-out thanks to their goalkeeper’s heroics, and we would rue those missed chances in the game when our opportunities knocked. All in all, September didn’t quite turn out as we had hoped, and we now move into the next month with some tricky fixtures to come also. The Division this season is probably the toughest we have encoun tered in many a year, but the team are still finding our feet against some new and some old opposition and I’m sure come the end of the season we will be in the fold.
1st October Tadcaster Albion (h)
4th October Stocksbridge Park Steels (h)
11th October Grantham Town (h) 15th October Sheffield F.C. (h) 22nd October North Shields (a) 29th October Cleethorpes Town(h)
A competitive disability football league has secured Gresham Sports Park in West Bridgford as its new home for the forthcoming football season bringing 250 players from across the region together to compete in over 200 games through out the tournament.
Cllr Abby Brennan joins the PAN Disability Football League and Nottingham shire Football Association to celebrate the start of the new football season.
The East Midlands PAN Disability Football League offers a regular competi tive playing opportunity for inclusive clubs for both youth and adult players of any gender and takes place every third Sunday of the month.
Rushcliffe Borough Coun cil is proud to have agreed
the league’s move to the site as part of a disability hub for local sport after a £1.2m investment awarded from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation last year. This also included a £458,275 grant towards the refurbishment of the sports park in partnership with the Council, Foot ball Foundation and the Nottinghamshire Football Association.
The Council's Portfolio Holder for Communities and Climate Change Cllr Abby Brennan joined play ers and representatives of the league and Nottingham shire Football Association to celebrate the first match of the season on Sunday September 18.
She said: “This is a fan tastic partnership and we’re
delighted to welcome the East Midlands PAN Dis ability Football League to Gresham Sports Park and see the season kick-off!
“We're proud Rushcliffe is becoming a disability hub welcome to all and it's great to see the league has chosen Gresham as its new home.
“The sports park has seen a significant investment into the football pitches and playing fields with modern and accessible facilities and we think this is a perfect match for the league’s in creasing profile in attract ing clubs and players from across the region.
“It’s in a central location with excellent transport bus and tram links meaning that players can easily travel and play.”
Sara Dickinson, Head of Football Development at
Nottinghamshire Football Association added: “We are really excited to see The East Midlands Pan Disabili ty League move to Gresham Sports Park.
“Gresham has great trans port links making it very accessible for our players, club and supporters from not just Nottingham but Derby, Lincolnshire and Leicestershire to attend.
"Inclusion football is growing across Notting hamshire and the leagues move to a bigger facility like Gresham reflects this.
“Gresham provides the league to further grow and accept more teams into the league, it will also provide space for the league to offer additional services around well-being, mental health support and other social support services across
Nottingham, helping create a disability hub across Not tinghamshire.”
Darren Bailey, Chairman of the East Midlands PAN Disability League said: “It's been an amazing five years since we started the league with just nine teams of over 16's. We have grown out of the previous venue with this season having an additional under 16's league too.
“We stopped the league during Covid and were concerned about the future, so I'd like to thank all the teams for their great sup port this year.
“We have just stepped up to a whole new level and with the support of Gresham Sports Park, the sky is the limit to give these players and teams a safe, controlled, and most of all fun environment for them
to play the great game of football.
“It has been a team effort over the last few years and special thanks to Not tinghamshire FA for the support and to everyone that has made it possible, including the cakes and drinks that our supporters run on match days to keep even the spectators happy.”
The recreational ground now boasts a new floodlit 3G football turf pitch, a ful ly refurbished 3G pitch, six full sized grass pitches, one mini grass football pitch and newly renovated acces sible changing facilities.
To find out how to get in volved in the league, or for sponsorship opportunities, email Sara Dickinson at Sara.Dickinson@notting hamshirefa.com.