Nottingham Now 22

Issue. 22 - Feb - 2020 0115 6972670 | www.nottingham-now.co.uk | sales@nottingham-now.co.uk

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE: FOOD & DRINK - WHAT’S ON - WEDDINGS - CARE

Big investment for rough sleeping initiatives

A range of intensive wrap-around services aimed at preventing rough sleeping and supporting those affected in Nottinghamshire have been awarded £837,000.

The funding, from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, will be complemented by an additional £90,000 investment from Nottinghamshire County Council and £70,000 by Framework. This will enable them to continue to work alongside the seven district and borough councils and housing providers to build on the services that ensure that people who are rough sleeping receive a range of support to improve their outcomes.

Councillor Tony Harper, Chair of Adult Social Care and Health Committee, said: “This funding is great news for Nottinghamshire.

It will allow us to develop services to tackle the underlying issues around homelessness, such as mental health or substance misuse.

“These services aren’t just about providing the appropriate accommodation for homeless people. We are also giving people the support they need to take positive steps away from difficult situations and hopefully end the cycle of rough sleeping.”

Some key aspects of the provision include: • Rough sleeping co-ordinator and housing navigators: these will work with organisations to ensure that people get the support that they need in the right place at the right time e.g. people released from prison will be supported to find suitable accommodation.

• A range of interventions to prevent homelessness through housing and employment initiatives.

• A street outreach team engaging directly with rough sleepers to assess their needs, link them to support and ultimately, to get them off the streets and into accommodation.

• Additional specialist posts to support the street outreach team to address the increasingly complex substance misuse, mental and physical health needs of the rough sleeping community.

Own a wood burning stove? Know the law!

see page 3..

Notts Police bucks national trend with 8% drop in knife crime

see page 4..

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Councils acknowledged for commitment to support members of the Armed Forces Rushcliffe and Charnwood Borough Council’s commitment to supporting serving and former Armed Forces personnel and their families has been given a golden endorsement for their work in communities across the areas.

The authorities were awarded the Gold Award from the Armed Forces Covenant Ministry of Defence Employer Recognition Scheme in November that acknowledged the Councils’ awareness of the variety of transferable skills reservists, veterans and current personnel can bring to the civilian workplace.

The Award is the highest accolade given to employers who demonstrate forcesfriendly credentials through a rigorous application process, including adjusting HR policies to allow flexibility for reservists and supporting individuals transitioning out of the Armed Forces into a new career.

The accreditation also recognised that both Councils proactively demonstrate that service personnel or those in the Armed Forces community are not unfairly disadvantaged as a result of their service.

Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Deputy Leader and Armed Forces Champion Councillor Debbie Mason joined fellow Champion Councillor Hilary Fryer from Charnwood Borough Council at a ceremony at the National

Army Museum in London to collect the award.

Councillor Mason said: “We were thrilled to attend and very honoured the Armed Forces Employee Recognition Scheme saw it fit to recognise the strides both Councils have made in ensuring our valued members of the Armed Forces are further integrated into our communities.

“The gold award highlights what great work the respective teams have delivered with initiatives such as Veterans’ breakfast clubs and encouraging social enterprises and businesses to

Businesses across Rushcliffe have transformed their appearance on the high street and made essential improvements to their shop fronts thanks to funding available from Rushcliffe Borough Council.

Business owners across the Borough have received support from the Shop Front Improvement Grant, which assists businesses to match contributions to improvements, up to the value of £5,000. Recipients of the grant include Cut N Curl in East Leake who installed a new door and double-glazing and White Rabbit Tea House in West Bridgford who used artificial flowers to create a floral frontage for their Tudor Square property. Any high street businesses based anywhere in Rushcliffe can

now apply for the grant. Find out more about eligibility on the authority’s business support webpage.

Instep Podiatry and Footwear on Melton Road in West Bridgford is also among those who have benefitted from the grant, installing new shop signage to the front and side of their building.

Owner and Podiatrist at Instep Claire Dul said: “The Shop Front Improvement Grant contribution has enabled us to reinvigorate our shop front signage following our recent rebrand. “We have been able to transform the area at the front of the business, clearly showcasing our specialist services on Melton Road.

“We would thoroughly recommend that any business making changes to their shop front consider applying for

sign the covenant and events.

“We also introduced a guaranteed job interview scheme for Veterans and Reservists at the Council and if appointed, a buddy support system helps them settle into their new work place.

“We will continue to do everything we can to support those with a military background and to explore further ways we can assist hard-to-reach veterans and families with the support they may require.”

Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nicholas Patrick Carter presented the Councils

with the award in the Atrium.

Councillor Hilary Fryer, the Armed Forces Champion for Charnwood Borough Council said: “We were delighted to officially receive the gold award from the Armed Forces Recognition Scheme.

“The award acknowledges our successful partnership with Rushcliffe Borough Council and our continued work to support the Armed Forces community.

“We recognise the sacrifices our Armed Forces men and women, and their families make and it’s important to give something back to those who serve their country. The Council is committed to supporting our Armed Forces personnel and the veteran’s community and will continue to do so through the covenant.

“I’d like to once again congratulate everyone involved with this fantastic achievement.”

Shop front funding transforms look of businesses in Rushcliffe the support the grant can provide.” Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Business and Transformation Councillor Andy Edyvean said: “It is great to see so many Rushcliffe businesses

benefit from this brilliant scheme that can assist with the renovation, re-design or general improvement of their shop front.

“The funding not only allows businesses to make necessary changes, but also offers the potential to rejuvenate their shop front and improve experiences for their customers.”

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Council Leader to lead Workshop on Future Towns Ashfield District Council Leader, Cllr Jason Zadrozny will be leading a workshop on creating tomorrow’s communities, towns and cities at this year’s District Council’s Network (DCN) Conference.

As Vice Chair of the DCN, Cllr Zadrozny will lead council chiefs and officers in discussions on the future of town centres and communities, following the announcement last year of the governments Future High Street and Towns funding.

Cllr Zadrozny will be joined by John Parmiter, Director, Future High Streets and Rachel Fisher, Deputy Director for Regeneration and Infrastructure, MHCLG to deliver the workshop at the conference on 6th &

7th February. Kirby and Sutton are set to receive up to £25million each as part of the Towns Fund. Initial funding of £324k (£162k per town) has been granted to put structures and a vision in place in order to move to the next stage of agreeing a deal.

As part of this, the Council will be working with the Discover Ashfield board, as well as local businesses and community groups.

The objective of the Towns Fund is to drive the

economic regeneration of towns to deliver long term economic and productivity growth through Skills and Enterprise Infrastructure, Urban Regeneration and Connectivity.

The District Council Conference will also see speeches from Sajid Javid MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer and Rt Hon Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government. Leader of Ashfield District Council,

Councillor Jason Zadrozny said “As Vice Chair of the DCN I am pleased to be able to lead this workshop on the future of town centres and communities.

To have the opportunity to share ideas with other Councils will really benefit to our application to the Towns Fund. To have this huge amount in uncompetitive funding coming to two Ashfield towns is a once in a lifetime opportunity for the area.”

Ashfield District Council has also been awarded £95k in the next step of the Future High Streets Fund.

The fund announced earlier this year could see Sutton receive further funding of up to £25million if its bid is successful.

Own a wood burning stove? Know the law!

Rushcliffe Borough Council is appealing to residents who own wood burning stoves to know the law surrounding their use and play their part in reducing air pollution in their neighbourhoods. More than one million homes in Britain own a wood burning stove and while they are effective at heating your home they can, if used incorrectly impact local air quality. Burning wood and other solid fuels can contribute to pollutants including ultra-fine particulate matter, also known as PM2.5, that is not visible to the naked eye, so even smokeless fuels and appliances can cause localised pollution. PM2.5 is widely acknowledged as being the pollutant which has the greatest impact on human health with increased impacts on levels of respiratory and cardiovascular diseases and increased hospital admissions.

The Council routinely

monitors and reviews air quality under the Environment Act 1995 and operates a smoke control area in West Bridgford. This means it is an offence to emit smoke from a chimney of a building, furnace or from any fixed boiler or acquire any unauthorised fuel for use within unless it is used in an exempt appliance.

As winter wood burning can contribute up to 10 per cent of local emissions in larger cities and conurbations, the authority is advising owners to act now, particularly during the colder months to ensure they are doing all they can to eradicate or minimise pollution. Here’s some top tips to ensure owners do all they can to help their local environment: • If using an open fireplace only burn smokeless fuels. Not all fuels sold in Nottinghamshire are smokeless but if in doubt ask your supplier. • Any stove

or fireplace should properly maintained and its chimney swept regularly.

• If using a stove or other appliance use normal wood as well as smokeless fuels.

Usually wood that has been kiln dried or seasoned to have a lower moisture content will be much less polluting, as much as 50 per cent less pollution than emitted from burning fresh logs.

• Drier wood is more efficient, producing more heat per log.

• Wood that has the Woodsure Ready to Burn label is certified to have a low moisture content • Never burn old pallets, furniture or scrap wood as it may contain contaminants that can be harmful to your health and the environment.

• Store fuels correctly to make sure wood does not get damp from the rain or damp in the ground.

• Open fireplaces are the most polluting way to burn solid fuels. Using a welldesigned, properly installed stove or appliance can make a big difference and The Stove Industry Alliance has introduced the Ecodesign Ready label which can emit up to 80 per cent less pollution than a normal approved appliance by the Department for Environment, Food and

Rural Affairs (Defra).

An up to date list of these stoves can be found at Hetas.

Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Environment and Safety Councillor Rob Inglis said: “We know wood burning stoves are popular ways to heat your home and that many residents take their responsibilities of minimising any pollution from their use very seriously.

“We’re appealing to all owners to take time to assess where they can make improvements to ensure they do not put themselves and their neighbours at risk of harmful pollutants.

“Burning garden waste on a bonfire can also be unnecessary and unpleasant for your neighbours so why not use our garden waste or bulk waste collection services, available on our website to always ensure you’re disposing of waste correctly.”

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Notts Police bucks national trend with 8% drop in knife crime Knife crime has reduced by eight per cent across Nottinghamshire, according to the latest national statistics.

Our continued success bucks the national and regional trend - with the national average increasing by seven per cent and the East Midlands average rising by 16 per cent in the year to September 2019.

The reduction in knife crime is also set to continue in Nottinghamshire, with the force's own even more up-to-

date figures revealing a 7.6% drop across the whole of 2019 compared to 2018.

It follows heavy investment in proactive enforcement and prevention work to stop people carrying weapons and has been augmented by the efforts of all local partners.

This includes an uplift in front line officers, over a 100% increase in stop and search activity and the continued work of the Force's dedicated Knife Crime Team

and Robbery Team, who are focussed on tackling weaponenabled crimes.

Schools and Early Intervention Officers have also been working hard in secondary schools across Nottinghamshire to drive home the prevention message over the last two academic years and further PCC investment has gone into launching the Dare 25 programme in primary schools, which includes bespoke education on knife crime. Today's figures, from the Office for National Statistics, showed there were a total of 810 offences in Nottinghamshire in the year to September 2019, compared to 882 in the same period the previous year.

Nottinghamshire Police Chief Constable Craig Guildford said: "These statistics

continue to demonstrate just how much collective effort is being undertaken here in Nottinghamshire.

"Both the Police and Crime Commissioner and I continue to invest heavily in prevention across our city and county which is fundamental. Our targeted and highly successful stop searches are up considerably, we are taking more weapons off the streets, we are charging more people than ever before and our recorded levels of knife crime have continued to reduce despite the increases we seen in our surrounding forces and nationally. “We have a comprehensive strategy, a solid level of partnership participation and we are absolutely committed to driving down knife crime and serious violence wherever it presents. “The exceptional level of convictions is very pleasing and is testament to the hard investigative work undertaken by our Police Officers on a daily basis to help keep the public safe.

“Despite our historic funding challenges we have continued to increase the number of Police Officers and we will achieve our national 107 ‘Uplift’ by March, well ahead of most other forces. I’ve already offered the Uplift Team that we can recruit even more than this number subject to them releasing further monies. "We’ve successfully embedded Schools Officers, a knife crime team, a robbery team and we’ve got an

ambitious violence reduction unit which all contribute to this early success.

“We can’t do this on our own and I would like to thank and encourage the public to continue to provide ourselves or Crimestoppers with any information about people carrying knives.” Paddy Tipping, Nottinghamshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “We are clearly making progress, but there is a way to go yet. I know that the police are working hard to tackle knife crime and the decrease in Nottinghamshire is welcome news.

We have invested in more officers, with more to come,

we have our specialised teams tackling knife crime and robbery, and much more and it’s good to see such a positive result.

“But we must also change mindsets and habits, which is why the work with our partners is so important.

The investment in early intervention officers in schools and working with parents is helping to turn younger people away from violence before they start. That will make our communities safer in the future.

“I’m also confident that we will start to feel the benefits of the Violence Reduction Unit’s innovative work in the coming months.”

Coronavirus:

Advice from Public Health England

The County Council is is passing on information to help reduce the possible following advice from the public, staff, schools and spread of the virus.

Public Health England and care and support providers to The Government and NHS are well prepared to deal with this virus. You can help too by taking some simple steps to follow good hygiene.

Find out more about Coronavirus. h t t p s : / / w w w. g o v. u k / guidance/wuhan-novelcoronavirus-informationfor-the-public

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Keeping Nottinghamshire working

“The feeling of being accepted and contributing means so much. I don’t want handouts, I want to work. I accept I have what is classed as a hidden disability and know I have limitations, but I want to be appreciated for what I can do rather than what I cannot.” Aimee Wrate*, from the County Council’s Occupational Therapy Children’s Service.

The Director of Public Health highlights opportunities to support people into work and improve the health and wellbeing of the workforce in Nottinghamshire in his latest Public Health Annual Report approved by the Council’s Policy Committee today.

The environments in which we grow, live, and work exert the greatest influence on how many of us get to enjoy good health and for how long.

Good health is a resource for people, and is essential for a thriving society and economy.

Research shows that there is a strong association between good work and good health.

This begins with children and young people by supporting the best start in life as one of the strongest influences on

life chances, including employment.

For people who have been out of work, securing employment is linked to improved physical and mental health and improved self-esteem.

Recent data shows that 77.4% of all working age adults in Nottinghamshire were employed. However, the reality for people with disabilities and long-term conditions is significantly different. Employment for those with a long-term condition is estimated at 66.5% and only 2.8% of adults with a learning disability who are in contact with social care were in employment.

Another big focus of the report is around improving the health and wellbeing of staff across the county.

Figures show that each year absenteeism due to smokingrelated illness alone results in about 139,800 days of lost productivity in Nottinghamshire and smoking breaks cost businesses £44.5m. Mental health is also significant, with figures showing that around 16% of the adult population of Nottinghamshire have experienced a Common Mental Disorder.

Nottinghamshire County Council is relaunching its Wellbeing at Work Scheme this year. This free accreditation scheme supports organisations of any size to promote information and advice about healthy living, such as stop smoking services, healthy eating and mental

health support. Not only are healthy workplaces good for employees but evidence also shows that companies are more productive as a result.

Jonathan Gribbin, Director of Public Health at Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “We want to support businesses to promote health and wellbeing to their staff and one of the ways we are showing our commitment to this is through our free Wellbeing at Work Scheme which will be relaunched this year.

“We also want to work with partners to drive forward the changes we need to help employers to be more inclusive. This will build on the unanimous support for the recent Full Council motion to consider what more the County Council can do to transform employment prospects for people with disabilities and health conditions. “Being in work can have a strong positive influence on health.

People are less likely to be isolated and will also benefit from having an income, a core role, an identity and purpose. It can also lead to better productivity and economic growth which can benefit everyone in Nottinghamshire.” The Annual Report sets out a partnership approach to tackle issues around access to employment and maintaining a healthy workforce such as: • Improving the work readiness, ambition and aspiration of young people by engaging with businesses and further and higher education via Enterprise Coordinators in schools.

• Working with employers to develop traineeships for care leavers.

• Re-launching the County Council’s Wellbeing at Work Scheme to improve the health and wellbeing and productivity of the local workforce.

• More analysis work to identify which groups face specific health-related barriers to employment and would benefit from support.

• Setting up a partnership group to prioritise future investment based on need amongst key groups, the evidence of what works and gaps in current delivery across the whole life course and for people who are furthest from the workforce.

• Nottinghamshire County Council, as part of their work towards Disability Confident Leader status, collating and sharing best practice on inclusive employment and health for Nottinghamshire employers.

Producing a report about the local population’s health is one of the Director of Public Health’s annual duties. It offers an opportunity to look

at how organisations can work together to improve health in communities.

The report can be accessed on the Nottinghamshire County Council Website here at https://www. nottinghamshire.gov. uk/care/health-andwellbeing/healthand-wellbeing-board/ report. *Aimee Wrate has a serious genetic condition called Galactoscemia which affects her speech and learning abilities.

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Notice to Business Ratepayers Ashfield District Council Consultation with Representative Bodies of Non-Domestic Ratepayers and Voluntary Sector Representatives about proposed District Council Budget Plans for 2020 – 2021 Notice is hereby given that the District Council will, pursuant to Section 65 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 and Regulations made there under, be consulting the representative

bodies of Non-Domestic Ratepayers and Voluntary Sector Representatives about proposed District Council Budget Plans for 2020 – 2021 at a meeting to be held in the Ceres Suite, The Town Hall, Worksop at 5.00pm on Wednesday 12th February 2020. Representatives of businesses, commerce and the voluntary sector only are invited to be represented at the meeting. Organisations

who feel that they may be representative of NonDomestic Ratepayers in the District and wish to participate in the consultation exercise are invited to contact David Hill, Head of Finance & Property, telephone number 01909 533174.

David Hill, Head of Finance & Property, Queens Buildings Potter Street, Worksop

- 2019 Review

It was a busy year for Councillors and Officers at Ashfield District Council.

2019 started with the second BIG Ashfield Spring Clean.

Even bigger and better, residents were able to dispose of their extra waste via kerb side collections, flying skips and free bulky waste collections. 266 tonnes of side waste was collected, and 3245 households took advantage of the free bulky waste collections. February saw the Council receive the planning application for Summit Park in Sutton. A 162,781 sq.m distribution centre is currently being built on the site which is set to bring 1800 jobs to the District later this year.

Cllr Jason Zadrozny, Leader of Ashfield District Council said “This is the biggest single private sector investment in the district for quite some time, maybe ever. It is great to see that a large organisation wants to bring part of its distribution network to the district.”

March saw the unveiling of the newly refurbished Kirkby Clock, now back in its original position outside the Nags Head. The first of three elections took place on 2nd May with the local Council elections. The European elections followed on 23rd May and the General Election took place on 12th December.

Both leading up to an election and on Election Day itself, the Elections team at Ashfield District Council work around the clock to ensure casting your vote is as easy as possible.

In the spring the Council announced a number of investments within the District. These included

Weatherspoon’s in Sutton announcing plans for a major investment in the Picture House.

Sutton business Really Good Group Ltd. who own local business RGMM as well as the sportswear brand QSW invested in new state of the art premises and have transformed the former DWP building on High Pavement into their design and manufacturing studio.

Romo fabric & wallpaper design and manufacturers are currently building new state of the art premises on Oddicroft Industrial Estate, having outgrown their current premises on Lowmoor Road, Kirkby. The summer saw six of the Districts parks retain their green flag status.

Brierley Forest Park, Selston Country park, Kingsway Park, Sutton Lawn, Portland Park and Titchfield Park, Hucknall received the prestigious award that recognises the very best parks in the world.

Over £2.6million will have been invested into parks and green spaces across Ashfield

by March 2020. 2019 marked 100 years since the Addison Act and the start of Council housing in England. To mark the occasion the Council have unveiled a new road sign on Addison Drive in Hucknall, and placed a blue plaque on one of the first Council houses in the District.

Records show that a property on Moorland Close in Sutton in Ashfield was the very first council house to be built in Ashfield back in 1922. With over 7000 houses under its management the Council is committed to increasing this number. Having recently added nine new properties to the housing portfolio in

Hucknall, we are building over 20 new homes on Davies Avenue in Sutton. There are also plans to build or acquire around 100 more properties over the next few years. In July ADC announced the departure of Chief Executive Rob Mitchell. Carol CooperSmith joined as interim Chief Executive, making her the first female Chief Executive for Ashfield District Council or the Urban Councils that proceeded it.

Carol Cooper-Smith said “I am delighted to be back at Ashfield District Council as the first female CEO. The Council has a strong history of female senior leaders, with three of the Council’s five current senior leaders being female. I am proud to lead an organisation that values equality.” In September a public consultation was held allowing residents to have their say on the new Kirkby leisure destination. Over 300 residents responded, with 75% of respondents saying they were looking forward to a swimming pool coming to Kirkby. As part of the Council’s Green Agenda the first Community Orchard was planted in October. Over 1000 trees will be planted across the District over the next four years and the Community Orchard at Sutton Lawn saw a selection of apple, pear a nut trees planted. Once established the orchard will provide local residents with fruit and nuts they can pick and take home.

Electric vehicle charging points were installed at the Council offices, Kirkby, New Street car park, Kirkby, Kings Mill Reservoir and Piggins Croft car park, Hucknall.

Sales E: sales@nottingham-now.co.uk | T: 0115 6972670 The Community Protection team celebrated their tenth anniversary and have been working hard throughout the year tackling anti-social behaviour. In October the Council obtained its first ever Criminal Behaviour Order, issued to a resident for failing to comply with a Community Protection Notice. We continue to work closely with the Police and the CID have now moved into the integrated HUB alongside their community policing colleagues and the Council’s Community Protection team.

In preparation for Remembrance Day the four main war memorials in Titchfield Park, Kingway Cemetery, Sutton Cemetery and Huthwaite Cemetery were cleaned and restored.

This marked the beginning of a rolling programme which will see all the Districts war memorials cleaned and restored over the next few years. Idlewells indoor market ended the year at over

80% capacity. Kirkby and Sutton are in line to receive millions in funding thanks to the Future High Streets and Towns Funds. Each town will receive up to £25million as part of the Governments Towns Fund, and Sutton is in line to receive up to an additional £25million from the Future High Streets fund.

The focus will be to widen the appeal of the town centre, with less reliance on retail to create a thriving centre with a mix of retail, leisure and services.

We rounded the year off with three Christmas festivals in Kirkby, Sutton and Hucknall.

New Christmas lights were installed, including new feature lighting, attracting visitors into the town centres.

Feedback on this year’s lights has been phenomenal and has proved to be a fantastic way to round off a busy year for Ashfield District Council.

Looking forward into 2020, Cllr Jason Zadrozny, Leader of Ashfield District Council

said “The Council faces huge challenges this year in terms of budgets. With no money coming directly from the Government for the first time, we are looking to build on our current investments to ensure we are generating enough money to continue providing

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high quality services to residents. “We will be holding The BIG Ashfield Spring Clean for the third time in February.

This will be the biggest yet and we will be providing residents with details over the next few weeks. We’ve also

got the opening of the Byron Cinema in Hucknall to look forward to in the spring. It’ll be fantastic to have all the latest blockbusters available in the District. “The Mill Waters project will also make strides with the new Café opening at Kings Mill

Reservoir in the spring. The new leisure destination will continue to move forward and is on track for its 2021 opening. This is an exciting year for the Council and the District and we look forward to delivering a wide range of projects to benefit residents.”

COMPETITION - Is your teacher awesome? Tell us why and you could win a Kindle fire!

Kip McGrath Ashfield are giving away a Kindle fire to three lucky children who give the best explanation about why their teacher is awesome.

The competition is open to anyone from the Ashfield area between the ages of 6 – 16.

A Kindle Fire will be awarded for the best primary, secondary and overall explanation, using no more than 14 words.

Ashfield Centre Director Tasha Cotterill says “Having taught in local schools for over 5 years I know that there are loads of awesome teachers out there.

I can’t wait to read through all the entries and to see the imaginative descriptions students give about their

awesome teachers. You can nominate your class teacher, tutor, subject teacher or even your head teacher – they just need to be awesome for some reason!” Not only will the children win a prize but the winning three teachers will receive prizes too in addition to the coveted ‘Kip McGrath Awesome Teacher Award 2020.’ Kip McGrath Ashfield provide after-school tuition for students between the ages of 6 – 16, who are looking for extra support or extension in English and maths. Each student is given a FREE in depth educational assessment and the results are discussed confidentially with parents. If tutoring is

necessary, an individual call 01623 757664 for co.uk/ashfield to book a time to enter can be found at www. learning programme is alternatively visit our website that suits you and your child. facebook.com/kipmcgrath designed around the child’s at https://www.kipmcgrath. Terms and conditions and how ashfield requirements. Each session lasts 80 minutes and students are taught in classes of 3 – 6; ensuring individual attention.

“With 40 years proven record, a bespoke Kip McGrath programme can build your child’s confidence and get the results that they deserve, recently we have seen 18 months progress happen in just 12 lessons.” Says secondary tutor and director James Cotterill. To enter the competition just visit the centre Facebook page.

All entries must be received by 2nd March 2020.

To book a FREE assessment

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Nottingham from the Air

Photo by Robin Macey

This month’s aerial photo shows the Queen's Medical Centre which was the first purpose-built teaching hospital in the UK. It was officially opened by the Queen in 1977. The 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 further details about how to get involved phone 0115-8541028 or visit www.facebook.com/ndhabc

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250 takeaways are HOT to trot on healthier options

250 Nottinghamshire food outlets have now signed up to a healthy food scheme run by the County Council.

Lady Jayne’s Tearoom in Broxtowe has signed up to the Healthier Options Takeaway (HOT) scheme and have committed to offering healthier ways of preparing, cooking and serving food and drink to customers.

The scheme was launched in 2015 and is run in partnership with local district and borough councils and Everyone Health.

Karen Townsend, owner of Lady Jayne’s said: “We are proud to be the 250th outlet to be signed up to the Healthy Options Takeaway scheme in Nottinghamshire.

We signed up to the scheme to make people aware that we offer a wide variety of healthy alternatives including low fat spread, soya milk and only using rapeseed oil on the griddle.

We make everything fresh to order so we can suit all dietary requirements. We make our own soups and full salads and we don’t do chips!”

Councillor Steve Vickers, Chairman of the Health and Wellbeing Board, at Nottinghamshire County Council said: “More than two thirds of adults in Nottinghamshire are currently overweight or obese

which can have a negative impact on their health. Meals eaten outside of the home tend to be associated with higher fats, sugars and salt, and portion sizes tend to be bigger, so this scheme is an important step to offering healthier choices.

“We are delighted to reach this milestone of 250 businesses signed up to the HOT scheme.

Together with our district and borough council partners, we're aiming to increase the amount and variety of healthier options in takeaways across Nottinghamshire to help consumers maintain a more balanced diet.”

Councillor Hannah Land, local councillor from Broxtowe Borough Council, said: “I am really happy that the 250th business to sign up to the HOT scheme is here in Broxtowe and it’s great to see that healthy options are firmly on the menu.

We’ll continue to work closely with Nottinghamshire County Council to encourage more local businesses to sign up and communities to take advantage of these options to improve their health and wellbeing.”

There are lots of simple steps businesses can take to make their food healthier without compromising on taste, for example: • Offering to grill, bake,

poach or steam food instead of frying • Removing salt from tables and counters so customers don’t just add it automatically • Switching to wholegrain pasta, brown rice or wholegrain bread • Offering a vegetable side or salad as a part of a meal option • Switching from double cream to single cream, yoghurt or half fat crème fraiche • Promoting water or low sugar drinks, or • Offering smaller portion options for adults.

The scheme forms part of the Health and Wellbeing Strategy which promotes healthy food and environments. It is part of the strategy aimed at delivering healthy and sustainable communities.

Businesses who sign up to HOT also benefit from free marketing material to help promote the scheme.

In order to sign up, businesses must have a Food Hygiene Rating of three or above and must make three healthy pledges. They need to contact the local Environmental Health Food team at their local district or borough council.

To find a HOT approved takeaway near you or sign up to the scheme visit www. nottinghamshire.gov.uk/HOT

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Exciting plans to regenerate Top

Wighay move closer to becoming a reality

Nottinghamshire County Council has approved plans for the construction of two highway junctions to pave the way for a proposed major development at Top Wighay Farm.

Proposals include the expansion of a roundabout on the A611/Annesley Road and a new signal-controlled junction as well as a new, three-metre wide, shared use footway/cycle lane along the northern side of the A611 north of Hucknall and to the west of Linby.

The move comes just days after councillors approved a report at their Policy Committee to seek Outline Planning Permission to regenerate 42 acres of former farm land which belongs to Nottinghamshire County Council.

The Top Wighay development would create more than 1,000 full time jobs as part of a new flagship village on a 40-hectare site near Linby, which includes more than 800

homes, a new primary school, playing fields, potential for allotments and a village hall.

The creation of the new village could generate £873 million* economic output contribution over a ten-year period.

Councillor Kay Cutts MBE, Leader of Nottinghamshire County Council, said: “I am absolutely delighted and excited that this decision now means the Top Wighay Farm development is moving closer to becoming a reality.

“This development is one of this Council’s flagship projects and it will create a real sense of community by integrating new homes, a new primary school, areas of communal open space and a neighbourhood centre with potential for facilities such as a medical centre. There will also be new offices for County Council staff that will act as a catalyst for local economic growth.

“The creation of more than 1,000 jobs will also be a

tremendous boost to the economic prospects of the whole area over the next decade.

“The investment in community facilities, infrastructure and education facilities means that the Top Wighay development will be positive for everyone as it will have the needs of the local community at its core.”

The site will feature carefully thought-through cycling and pedestrian routes and conservation concerns will remain a key objective throughout the build phase, with trees and hedgerows being maintained.

The roads around the new school will be protected and traffic calming measures will be introduced with the residential area well served with footpaths and cycle routes within easy reach of the school.

The site will build upon existing landscape character to create an extensive and diverse framework of green

infrastructure w h i c h encourages biodiversity and quality landscaping.

Attenuation ponds and innovative d r a i n a g e systems to help the site to cope with surface water while supporting wildlife.

Councillor Cutts added: “The Top Wighay Farm development will improve the quality of life for people moving into the area with excellent education, medical facilities, and green open spaces. The traffic calming, and cycle and footways will make it is a safe area for parents to take their children to school by reducing the need for parents to drive their children right up to the school gates and encouraging

students to walk to school.

This is the next significant step towards realising the overall vision for the site as Chairman of the Council’s Planning and Licensing Committee Councillor Chris Barnfather commented: “Top Wighay is a once in a lifetime development that I hope will become a strong and sustainable community.

A well designed and effective road system is an essential element of the development.

The cycle and footways will make the school run a pleasurable experience too for parents and children alike and I look forward to seeing the plans develop further.”

The proposed highways improvement have been funded by a £5.8 million grant from the Homes England Local Authority Accelerated Construction Fund and with additional funding from Nottinghamshire County Council.

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Page 14.

10 tips for healthy eating out

Whether it’s lunch with work colleagues or an evening celebrating with friends, most of us tend to eat less healthily when we eat in restaurants, pubs and cafes. Senior Dietitian Victoria Taylor offers her tips for eating out without overdoing it.

Believe it or not, it is possible to eat, drink and be merry without overdoing it. Here are my

tips for having a good time while keeping an eye on your waistline and good health.

1. How often are you eating out?

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

However, if it’s one of many, consider carefully how it fits into your overall diet. This could mean having a lighter

meal in the evening, like soup or a sandwich, if you had a big meal earlier in the day. Or you could choose the healthiest menu options to make the meal fit into your normal diet, rather than just going for your favourites.

2. Check what’s on the menu Don’t be afraid to ask the restaurant to adapt dishes One of the best ways to ensure you make healthy

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

3. How many courses?

The tendency when we eat out is to have more than we would at home. Sticking to

just one course once you see what everyone else is having is hard. Decide before you begin if you are going to have a starter or a dessert, and which one you’ll find easier to decline. Having a coffee or cup of tea while others have a pudding is a good way to round off a meal, or you could share a pudding with others.

4. Adapt your dishes Don’t be afraid to ask the restaurant to adapt dishes. It’s not usually a problem to replace chips with a jacket potato, salad or vegetables.

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

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

6. Keep it lean. Choose dishes which are based on lean proteins like chicken or turkey (where you can remove the skin) or lean red meats like fillet of pork or beef. Avoid fattier cuts of meat like belly pork or rump steak and remove any visible fat like the fat around the edge of a chop. Watch out for battered and deep fried dishes - even if the contents are lean (like chicken, fish, tofu or vegetables) the coating means they will come with lots of extra fat and calories.

7. A bit on the side Having a coffee or cup of tea while others have a pudding is a good way to round off a meal Having a good helping of vegetables with your meal will add vitamins, minerals and fibre and help you towards your five a day, but beware vegetables that come with added butter, cheese sauce or salt. Ask the server for more information and see if there are any healthier alternatives.

8. Be drink aware Keeping alcoholic drinks within the guidelines is important, particularly if you are going to be socialising more than usual. Try not to exceed the recommended 2–3 units a day for women and 3–4 for men. Don’t forget the calories that drinks, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, can add. If you can, choose sugar-free drinks or water, and alternate these with any alcoholic drinks you are having.

9. Entertain at home A dinner partyWe all enjoy eating out sometimes, but have you considered inviting family or friends round for a meal? That way you can control what’s on the menu, and it’s often cheaper, too. Ask your guests to bring a dish if you don’t want to be overwhelmed by cooking, although don’t forget to let them know if you want them to bring a healthier option.

10. Fancy a nibble?

Nibbles are always a very tempting option.

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

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gains funding to New West Bridgford Customer Council crackdown on rogue landlords in Gedling Service Centre now open on Gordon Road

West Bridgford has a new Customer Service Centre for residents to access key Rushcliffe Borough Council services, contact Nottinghamshire Police and connect with a host of local partners.

Conveniently located in the centre of West Bridgford and close to bus links and car parks, the new Centre is on Gordon Road, opposite the Council’s Gordon Road car park, postcode NG2 5LN. You can drop in to see to a friendly advisor during opening hours, or access partner services by appointment for the Police, Nottinghamshire County Council, Metropolitan

Thames Valley Housing, Homesearch and Citizens’ Advice.

The authority is also excited to announce it has opened a new Customer Service Point in East Leake Library, providing face to face access to services for residents living in the south of the Borough.

All of the Council’s walk-in Council facilities now have the same opening times and residents can see a customer advisor in West Bridgford, Bingham, Cotgrave and East Leake from Monday to Friday at the following times: Monday 8.30am to 5pm Tuesday 8.30am to 5pm Wednesday 9.30am to 5pm Thursday 8.30am to 5pm

Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm Other ways to contact the Council are by calling 0115 981 99 11, emailing customerservices@ rushcliffe.gov.uk or visiting the website.

Leader of Rushcliffe Borough Council, Cllr Simon Robinson, said: “The new Centre in West Bridgford is still your one stop shop for local services and is now based in an even more accessible location on one of our great bustling high streets.

“It’s just yards from public transport stops and car parks.

We can’t wait to give a warm welcome to customers, or if you can’t call in, why not visit our website or contact us on social media, where we can answer your questions.

“We know our face to face services across the Borough are still vital to so many people even in such a digital age, so we’re now delighted to offer extended opening hours on weekdays in Bingham, Cotgrave and East Leake.”

Council gains funding to crackdown on rogue landlords in Gedling £40,000 grant will be used to launch an enforcement project targeting rogue landlords.

Gedling Borough Council is to take further steps to improve the living standards of residents by targeting criminal landlords and letting agents. The council will use £40,000 funding provided by central government to create two posts whose role will be to target rogue landlords and take appropriate enforcement action.

The team will also work closely with Nottinghamshire Police on joint operations to address modern slavery, serious organised crime and child sexual exploitation.

The majority of landlords provide decent homes for their tenants, but a small minority persist in breaking the law, making tenants’ lives a misery by offering inadequate or unsafe housing.

The new funding will be used to take enforcement action against these landlords, and advise tenants of their housing rights.

In 2018, the council launched its Selective Licencing Scheme in Netherfield.

Selective Licencing can be applied in areas where there is deprivation, high levels of anti-social behaviour, high levels of crime, high levels of migration and poor housing conditions.

Council gains funding to crackdown on rogue landlords in Gedling Council gains funding to crackdown on rogue landlords in Gedling £40,000 grant will be used to launch an enforcement project targeting rogue landlords.

Gedling Borough Council is to take further steps to improve the living standards of residents by targeting criminal landlords and letting agents.

The council will use £40,000 funding provided by central government to create two posts whose role will be to target rogue landlords and take appropriate enforcement action. The team will also work closely with Nottinghamshire Police on joint operations to address modern slavery, serious organised crime and child sexual exploitation.

The majority of landlords provide decent homes for their tenants, but a small

minority persist in breaking the law, making tenants’ lives a misery by offering inadequate or unsafe housing.

The new funding will be used to take enforcement action against these landlords, and advise tenants of their housing rights.

In 2018, the council launched its Selective Licencing Scheme in Netherfield.

Selective Licencing can be applied in areas where there is deprivation, high levels of anti-social behaviour, high levels of crime, high levels of migration and poor housing conditions.

The licencing gives the council’s Environmental Health team powers to do more when landlords are not taking steps to deal with issues relating to property standards.

The funding will also be used to target landlords operating

without licences. One of the successful in improving the living standards council’s key priorities is to for tenants and exposing landlords who are promote healthy lifestyles in cutting corners.” the borough. The Selective Licencing scheme aims to improve residents’ health and wellbeing and reduce inequalities in living standards. Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke said: “We’re very pleased to have been successful with a bid for extra funding to target rogue landlords in the borough.

Most landlords are law abiding business operators but, unfortunately, there’s a small number who are not.

We will be working with Nottinghamshire Police to target these landlords and make sure that residents are aware of their rights.

Our roll out of the Selective Licencing scheme in Netherfield has been very

The licencing gives the council’s Environmental Health team powers to do more when landlords are not taking steps to deal with issues relating to property standards.

The funding will also be used to target landlords operating without licences. One of the council’s key priorities is to promote healthy lifestyles in the borough.

The Selective Licencing scheme aims to improve residents’ health and wellbeing and reduce inequalities in living standards. Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke said: “We’re very pleased to have been successful with a bid for extra funding to target rogue landlords in the borough. Most landlords are law abiding business operators but, unfortunately, there’s a small number who are not.

We will be working with Nottinghamshire Police to target these landlords and make sure that residents are aware of their rights.

Our roll out of the Selective Licencing scheme in Netherfield has been very successful in improving the living standards for tenants and exposing landlords who are cutting corners.”

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Page 16.

“It’s not good, gentlemen. That’s why

I’ve gathered you all here. An Inspector

is coming… a Government Inspector!”

The Mayor is in a cold sweat.

News has reached him of an imminent visit from a Government Inspector. His fear is well-founded as he has been somewhat lacking in his

official duties. The hospital’s a health hazard, the school’s a war zone, the soldiers don’t have trousers to march in and he never quite got around to building that church! Surely the only possible solution is bribery; it seems to have resolved many a sticky situation for the Mayor and his team in the past! But a simple case of mistaken identity leads matters to spiral hysterically out of control.

Could it be that they have met their match in

the complicated business of deception? Gogol’s satirical masterpiece is a riot of corruption, lies and greed that has lost none of its original bite. An amateur production in conjunction with Casarotto Ramsay & Associates. The easiest way to purchase tickets is to visit our tickets website, where you can select your own seat and securely pay online www.ticketsource. co.uk/riversidedrama.

By providing an email address, tickets are emailed to you to print yourself. All other tickets will be held at the theatre box office for collection on the night of the performance.

Alternatively, tickets can be purchased from the Chatsworth Centre Saturday morning coffee morning, or by phoning 0115 9721826 (please leave full name & contact details). Visit us online at www.riversidedrama.com for further details.

Whats on in nottingham Romance is in the air as we celebrate Valentines Day this February in Notts. Keep a look out for events and deals as they are announced, and take a read of my pick of the things to do if you're looking for something alternative for your loved ones - or maybe you just fancy a cracking day out in the County.

Of course Food is said to be the way to their stomach and many restaurants and venues are offering a special menu for the occasion, so there are plenty to choose from. You could treat that someone special to a romantic two course lunch or a three course evening meal in Lord Savile's restaurant, set in the grounds of romantic Rufford Abbey Country Park or join Hart's for an unforgettable dining experience in the heart of Nottingham in their 2 AA rosette restaurant with a meal you'll fall in love with.

Let the team of talented chefs spoil you, and the bartender will treat you to a selection of romantic cocktails. For something completely different, say it with racing and join Southwell Racecourse for All-Weather Championship action in the heart of rural Nottinghamshire on Valentine’s Day or, instead of a traditional date night, The Harley Gallery promises to be a little out of the ordinary as diners are urged to gather their pals and close ones for a special evening as the café throws open its doors for its very first Valentine's evening event. The feast of Saint Valentine's is all about celebrating loved ones and what better way to do that than by sharing Valentine's Day with the people you love, whether that be your best friends, family, siblings, or your Mum and Dad. While couples are very welcome to come along too, the Valentine's feast is all about getting your favourite people together around the table for good food and good company.

(14/2). Foodies should also look out for a series of free Food Talks at Lakeside Arts from the University of Nottingham's Future Food Beacon designed to help you think about global food systems in a changing world.

This months topic is 'Doing

Things Differently: How a Bakery Can Change Their Food System' Food impacts our lives. We all have stories to share about food. These stories are embedded within food systems, drawing on agricultural histories, food science and engineering innovations, soil, plant and animal sciences, and our cultures, traditions, and ethics – even if we don't realise it.

(26 Feb). For a more handson approach, master the art of producing your own artisan chocolate, gain the skills, confidence and knowledge to be able to satisfy your sweet tooth with delicious home-made treats at the School of Artisan Food for an introduction to chocolate making one-day cooking course (8/2) and Arnold also welcomes it's first pie competition in association with the Save The Earth Cooperative Society (8/2) at Arnold Methodist Church.

Could Arnold become as famous for its pies as Melton or Bakewell?

2020 got off to a great start for entertainment in the City and there's still more to come this month. Starting with the Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall, a tribute act I've seen before, who is definitely worth seeing, is Ben Portsmouth, the World's Number One Elvis Tribute Artist who visits (28/2).

Over at the Motorpoint Arena the stars of last years Strictly Come Dancing waltz in for their annual glittery visit to the City (4-5 ). The 1975 stop by (15/2) and James Blunt drops in too (20/2). Enjoy the classic sounds of the Chicago Blues Brothers, direct from London's west end with their 11 piece band, for a brand new 2-hour all singing, all dancing hit parade bringing you the greatest movie anthems of all time, performed live in concert. (21/2) and Michael Ball and Alfie Boe return to the City for another visit (28/2). Other music highlights include Nottingham's own Queen of the music scene, Georgie. With her rich Americana soul sound, Georgie has supported the likes of Jake Bugg, Blossoms and Jack Savoretti and will be appearing at The Metronome (6/2). The entertainment

doesn't stop there either, for an alternative experience, Flight explores the ManyWorlds Interpretation of quantum mechanics, taking audience members through two worlds, two realities and two possible outcomes to their journey at Lakeside Arts (14 22 ) There's also the Amplify Festival to look forward to at The Nottingham Playhouse (13 - 15) If comedy is your thing then you'll be pleased to know we get a visit from Stewart Lee who enjoys a run at The Playhouse (29 Jan - 1 Feb). On a more serious note, what a time for drama!

To tie-in with the Royal Shakespeare Company’s visit to Nottingham in 2020, Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall are presenting their very own Celebrating Shakespeare Festival, taking over the Theatre Royal for 10 days of activities and events (24 Feb. -7 March) If you prefer a little art, my two picks this month are the Brick by Brick exhibition at the Harley Gallery which runs until 7 April and showcases 18 international visual artists who have taken inspiration from LEGO® bricks. Using the simple plastic construction block as their starting point, each artist has created stunning, thought provoking and often humorous artworks which will appeal to art enthusiasts and LEGO fans alike.

There's also Matt Woodham's debut solo exhibition, Sensing Systems (15 Feb - 28 March) Bonnington Gallery will be filled with a composition of connected installations, positioning visitors within a system of light, sound and motion. Visual and kinetic events will be sequenced by a central processing unit that distributes signals around the room. The audience can interact with the system If the festivities of Christmas and the New Year already seem a long way in the past, don't forget the Chinese New Year Gala celebrations.

Lakeside Arts celebrate the beginning of the Year of the Rat (6-8 Feb) A tenacious, successful and optimistic zodiac animal, the Rat embodies much of what we look for at the start of the New Year. Expect a sweeping array

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WILKO JOHNSON and special guest John Otway play NOTTINGHAM – Albert Hall on Friday 24th April 2020!

Following a remarkable recovery from a diagnosis of terminal cancer, Wilko Johnson the original Dr Feelgood guitarist, actor (Game of Thrones character Ser ilyn Payne) and all round national treasure has enjoyed a rousing return to the live arena, including a number 1 album with Roger Daltrey (Going Back Home), a sold out show at The Royal Albert Hall to mark his 70th birthday and, most recently, the release of Blow Your Mind, his first album of new material in decades. Wilko is famed for his blistering chop-chord strumming action (the ‘stab’, as he describes it), a technique inspired by his admiration of the late Pirates guitarist Mick

Green. With this electrifying sound, his trademark blacksuited, scowling look and his characteristic strut, Wilko became one of the guitar heroes of the 1970s and beyond, not to mention on of rock ’n’ roll’s most extraordinary characters.

He, alongside his original Feelgood bandmates, is also widely acknowledged as a forefather of punk on both sides of the Atlantic, fans ranging from Joe Strummer to Blondie. Following a stint with Ian Dury & The Blockheads in the 1980s, he formed the Wilko Johnson Band, with Blockheads bassist Norman Watt-Roy. Featuring former Blockhead Dylan Howe on drums, the

trio is known as one of the most exciting r’n’b bands in the world today.

Special guest 'Rock and Roll's Greatest Failure John Otway.

Tickets for the WILKO JOHNSON – April / May 2020 shows are available from: Thursday 9th April WORTHING – Assembly Box Office No: 0844 249 1000 Website – https://www. eventim.co.uk/artist/wilkojohnson/?affiliate=GCL Tickets - £32.50 Friday 10th April POOLE – Lighthouse Box Office No: 0844 249 1000 Website – https://www. eventim.co.uk/artist/wilkojohnson/?affiliate=GCL

of entertainment ranging from enchanting Chinese Erhu, Guzheng and Bamboo Flute music, to edge-of-yourseat group Kung Fu routines, weaving together a beautiful tapestry of the contemporary and traditional. If one of your New Year Resolutions was to try different things this year then night Pony Trekking might be just the thing for you. Derbyshire Pony Trekking have a fun approach to horse riding, with no formal lessons: learning takes place on country hacks instead. All routes are offroad through country park and woods of Upper Langwith in Mansfield, and head torches are provided. The night rides are "NOT for the fainthearted as you find out what's lurking in the woods." There' also adventure for the children. Let their imagination run wild at Rufford Abbey Country Park as their favourite magical creatures are back again this February half term! Put on your fairy wings and follow the trail around Rufford Abbey’s Enchanted Forest to discover a world of mystery.

Hunt down the enchanted miniature houses, find the king and queen of the fairies,

walk through the wonky archways to find the resident dragon and tell your secrets to Rainbow Sunbeam wishing fairy. Trail sheets cost £2 and include a treat for each child - they can be purchased on the day at Visitors Reception (15 Feb - 1 March). Finally of course we have Nottingham's annual Light Night to look forward to (7-8 Feb) This year it’s going to be bigger and better than ever before, with the events spanning the length of two days rather than one! Witness the streets of Nottingham City Centre come alive with the work of various artists and an incredibly innovative Augmented Reality trail. A trail of artwork

by Jason Wilsher-Mills will be scattered throughout the city, and you'll be able to use your mobile phone to bring the pieces to life with a brand-new app. In partnership with It's In Nottingham, the city will be showered with parades, magnificent light sculptures, breath-taking performances, a large-scale projected installation on the Council House from the artists MBD and more! Following the theme Life on Earth, this year's free event is not to

be missed. As always, don't forget that there is history and interest are right on your doorstep throughout the year with the many tours on offer throughout the County. My picks for this month are Join Madame Parboiled on a Sunday for a tour through some of Nottingham City's Famous pubs. Learn about the history of these fascinating buildings and some of the guests who have died and just won't leave. Treat yourself to some of the local ales while you are entertained with stories by Madame Parboiled the dungeoneer's wife and take advantage of the special offers with tour tickets. If you like spooky tales, you could also try The Original Nottingham Ghost Walk, a storytelling tour around the Castle Quarter of the city. It is easy walking, about 1/2 mile long and takes approximately 90 minutes to 2 hours. The walk starts from Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem, every Saturday at 7pm. Enjoy a drink or arrive early for a pre-walk meal. *Always check with the venue ahead and book if necessary. There is usually a cost or entrance fee unless stated otherwise'

Tickets - £32.50 Saturday 11th April ABERYSTWYTH – Arts Centre Great Hall Box Office No: 0844 249 1000 Website – https://www. eventim.co.uk/artist/wilkojohnson/?affiliate=GCL Tickets - £32.50 Friday 24th April NOTINGHAM – Albert Hall Box Office No: 0871 220 0260 Website – https://www. seetickets.com/event/wilkojohnson/albert-hall/1443664 Tickets - £32.50 Saturday 23rd May BLACKPOOL – Grand

Theatre Box Office No: 01253 290190 Website – https://www. blackpoolgrand.co.uk/event/ wilko-johnson/ Tickets - £32.50 For further information on WILKO JOHNSON, check out the following website / social media links: Website – https:// wilkojohnson.com/ Facebook – https:// w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / WilkoJohnsonBand Twitter – https://twitter.com/ wilkojohnson You Tube Links: Wilko Johnson & Roger Daltrey ‘I Keep It To Myself’

- https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=GwLeTPVuD3c Wilko Johnson on Later With Jools Holland https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=hIXP889rLBQ FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON WILKO JOHNSON INCLUDING IMAGES / INTERVIEW REQUESTS AND COMPETITION TICKETS PLEASE CONTACT: Maria Philippou @ M P Promotions Tel: 0161 494 7934 / Mobile: 0780 119 1784 / Email: maria@mppromotions. co.uk / Website - www. mppromotions.co.uk

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How to have a fun-filled time in Skegness Skegness is one of the most popular holiday destinations in the UK, with amazing beaches and an abundance of local restaurants, but there is so much more to this amazing destination than meets the eye.

Fantasy Island is one of the most popular attractions for

those on holiday in Skegness, providing a great time for all the family! With rides to please the thrill-seekers among us, a shopping market to get all your souvenirs, and a high-class arcade to play with friends and family, there is always something to sink

your teeth into.

The Rhombus Rocket One of the most popular rides at Fantasy Island, and for good reason, is The Rhombus Rocket! With twists and turns at every sight, it truly is a ride for the adrenaline junkies, and perfect for those looking to step out of their comfort zone.

The Millennium This is not a ride for the fainthearted!

This ride measures 150 ft high, travels a whopping 55.9 mph, features two vertical loops and a sidewinder, and it is guaranteed to make your heart race and your knees go weak!

Log flume No amusement park is complete without a log flume, and Fantasy Island is no exception. Sail your way to the top, and

then plummet to the water below at a breathtaking speed.

This ride is fun for all the family, as long as you don’t mind getting a bit wet!

The Magic You will also find magic here at Fantasy Island. Maybe not wand-waving, potion brewing magic, but magic of

a whole different kind. The Magic ride takes you up on a swirling adventure, leaving you amazed and dazed at the same time!

The Twister The Twister brings the nostalgia of a funfair directly to an amusement park! One of the most popular rides at

Fantasy Island, each summer sees families having the time of their lives on The Twister.

Give it a go!

With events running throughout the summer season, there is something for everyone to enjoy, so start organising next year’s trip today!

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Page 19.

Splendour Reveals its First Wave of Artists Headliner Supergrass, Special Guest James and Pop Icon Belinda Carlisle. Wollaton Park, Nottingham.

Supergrass have been City throughout the nineties their separate ways in 1985.

Belinda went on to have described as one of the most and early noughties. important bands from the James will generate plenty of a prolific career as a solo 1990s. Made up of members excitement joining Supergrass artist regularly selling out Gaz Coombes, Mick Quinn, as the next act confirmed stadiums across the UK. Danny Goffey and Rob for the Main Stage. With a With an acclaimed catalogue Coombes, the award-winning career spanning more than of timeless pop hits, the Britpop Oxford outfit have three decades, the Mancunian gifted and glamorous singerachieved an unbroken run rock band fronted by Tim songwriter is sure to have of five Top 10 albums, Booth have sold more than everyone singing along to including three platinum 25 million albums worldwide songs such as ‘Mad About sellers - ‘I Should Coco’ and produced a string of huge You’, ‘I Get Weak’, ‘Circle The wait is now over with (1995), ‘In It for the Money’ hits including ‘Come Home’, in the Sand’, ‘Leave a Light and entertainers to be revealed the first wave of artists today (1997), and ‘Supergrass’ ‘Sit Down’, ‘She’s a Star’ and On’ and the global smash ‘Heaven Is a Place on Earth’, in the coming months. With announced for Splendour (1991) - generated millions ‘Laid’. lots happening across the 2020, set in the stunning of worldwide sales and The band brought a crowd- which turned Belinda into a festival aside from the three grounds of Wollaton Park on spawned 10 Top 20 singles, pleasing set of classic hits and superstar. stages, including with ‘Caught By The Fuzz’ new material showing their George Akins, DHP Family music Saturday 18 July. comedy in the courtyard, an Bona fide music legends crowned NME and Melody continued relevance when owner, says: “As one of the array of food stalls featuring Supergrass make their Maker Single Of The Week they performed at Splendour biggest and best festivals in local suppliers, a funfair and Splendour debut headlining and ‘Alright’ an international five years ago. Since then, the East Midlands, each year they’ve gone on to produce thousands of people await entertainers out and about the Main Stage alongside very hit. the band’s two new UK Top 10 albums the exciting news of who will in the crowd, the event is a special guest James. Global Throughout fantastic day out. pop icon Belinda Carlisle will illustrious career they have - ‘Girl at the End of the feature in the line-up. We’re Cllr David Trimble, Portfolio be performing on the Confetti scored the biggest-selling World’ (2016) and ‘Living over the moon to welcome holder for Leisure, Culture Stage, with all three bringing debut for Parlophone since In Extraordinary Times’ Supergrass and international There’s nobody superstar Belinda Carlisle to & IT, said: “This July, we impeccable back catalogues The Beatles, helicoptered into (2018). look forward to once again to Nottinghamshire’s biggest Glastonbury, toured the world quite like James. American Splendour for the first time Belinda Carlisle ever, plus James returns with having some of the UK’s top and supported everyone singer summer party. from Blur gained worldwide fame as what will no doubt be an epic musical talent descend on our and Arctic co-founder and lead vocalist set. With last year’s event beautiful Wollaton Park, as Monkeys to of groundbreaking all-female selling out in record time, Splendour returns for another Foo Fighters, new wave rock band The Go- don’t hesitate in purchasing year. The festival is truly one of the highlights of a summer R a d i o h e a d Go’s. The group achieved your ticket.”

James and in Nottingham, and with the and The Cure. worldwide sales in excess of Supergrass, S u p e r f a n s 15 million albums and singles Belinda Carlisle are the first of £10 discount for residents it’s w i l l and produced international more than 40 acts announced no surprise that the festival r e m e m b e r Top 10 hits including ‘Our to perform at the Wollaton remains such a popular their multiple Lips Are Sealed’ and ‘We Got Park music festival, with part of our annual events gigs at Rock the Beat’, all before going many more artists, comedians programme.” A standard

The UK's largest Gin & Rum Festival

tour is coming to Northampton!

Join the party and discover a unique experience that celebrates the best Gin and Rum right now and promises the party of the year.

If you’re thirsty for knowledge or just want to party the night away, the Gin and Rum Festival is for you! Discover new favourites with samples from hand-picked guest distillers, treat yourself at the themed Gin and Rum bars, and let your hair down with your friends.

Whether you are a gin-genius or a new convert, expert staff and complimentary masterclasses will help you discover new flavours to savour, while the

resident DJ and amazing live entertainment keep the party going. Remember to bring your dancing shoes!

Paying for your drinks is quick and easy – just purchase tokens at the token station and swap them for drinks at one

of the themed bars. Premium mixers and tonics are all included, and your Gin and Rum guide includes expertly crafted garnish suggestions so you can take the perfect serve home with you.

Perfect for hen parties, lad’s night out or date night.

Friendly staff, tasty street food and buzzing party atmosphere will guarantee a night to remember!

Over 18s only, www.drinkaware.co.uk

Saturday 18 July 2020

ticket is £58.85, including a booking fee, coming down to £47.85 when the Nottingham City discount is applied.

Tickets for Nottingham City residents aged 11-17 are £23.10. VIP packages are also available and start from £90.35 for a Nottingham City adult. Children under 11 will once again be admitted for free.

Tickets can be purchased from splendourfestival.com or in person from the Nottingham Tourism Centre. To claim Nottingham City resident discount, a copy of your council tax bill is required.

To stay in touch with festival news, follow Splendour on social media: Facebook: @splendourfestivalUK Twitter: @splendourfest Instagram: @splendourfest #SplendourFest.

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Family friendly films and workshops at QUAD This February halfterm, QUAD have an exciting range of activities for families and young people of all ages.

Make and Take Day, Monday 17th February, 11.00am4.00pm, for all ages.

QUAD’s popular family friendly artistled creative sessions are suitable for families with children of ages.

Choose from a range

of craft materials to make whatever you want and take it away afterwards – just bring some imagination!

The drop-in sessions are free. KidsQUAD: Build your own Video Game workshop, Monday 17th February, 10.30am3.00pm, £25.00, for ages 7-11 years. A chance to learn how to design and build a video game that can be played online at home.

KidsQUAD are creative activities open to children aged seven to eleven years, without grown-ups. booking is recommended and a packed lunch is required.

MinecraftLAB Survive workshop takes place in QUAD on Wednesday 19th February from 11 . 0 0 a m - 4 . 0 0 p m , £22.50, for ages 8-16. A series of fun creative sessions at QUAD for ages eight to sixteen focused around the popular game Minecraft, focusing on specific objectives and a community-themed build. Join QUAD’s

Minecraft team for a day of ‘Survival’, Minecraft’s original game mode where players must collect resources, build structures, battle mobs, manage hunger, and explore the world in order to survive. Advance booking is recommended as there are limited places remaining, a packed lunch is required.

Teardown!

Reimagine!

Saturday 22th February, 1.30pm-4.00pm, for ages 8 and up. An animation workshop with UK artists Anna Bunting-Branch and Aliyah Hussain to explore the themes in QUAD’s new digital exhibition ‘Warm Worlds and Otherwise’ by deconstructing machines to create animated characters, sounds and new worlds. The workshop is free, but booking is essential. QUAD’s VR Day, for ages 8 and above. explores the digital world of virtual reality (VR), including a VR Storyroom ‘The Lift’; decision making sci-fi experiment ‘Playing God’, ‘Beat Saber’ competition, plus creative VR experience ‘Tilt Brush’.

• The Lift is a chance to travel through time and space to meet a long extinct dinosaur or be transported back to the trenches of WW1 to hear the stories of the Empire’s forgotten soldiers.

Designed by Metro Boulot Dodo, this walkaround VR

Storyroom uses a headset for you to explore the past.

• Playing God is an interactive VR thought experiment that lets you imagine you are the captain of a space station, a space station suddenly presented with a humanitarian crisis. Designed by Leicester based Artist filmmaker Ben Fredricks, it challenges its audience with a series of scenarios and questions.

• Beat Saber is a virtual reality rhythm game which takes place in a surrealistic neon noir environment, with the player using light sabers to slice blocks that represent musical beats.

Developed by Derby based Beat Games, Beat Saber sessions need to be booked in advance, and the cost is £4 per 10 minute session. www. vr-play.co.uk/ VR Day is suitable for ages eight and above and takes place in QUAD on Friday

21st February from 11:00am to 4:00pm the drop-in day is free to attend apart from the Beat Saber sessions which can be booked in advance or on the day. Cine Kids: Spies In Disguise, daily between Saturday 15th and 23rd February, £4.00 for Kids Club members, for all ages.

Smooth, suave super spy Lance Sterling (Will Smith) and scientist Walter Beckett (Tom Holland) are almost exact opposites. This unlikely duo are forced to team up for the ultimate mission that will require an almost impossible disguise – transforming Lance into a brave, fierce, majestic… pigeon.

For more information or to book tickets for films workshops or workshops, call QUAD on 01332 290606 or see the QUAD website. https://www. derbyquad.co.uk/whats-on/ get-creative/families-andyoung-people

Buxton museum’s 'mermaid' to visit the Natural History Museum in London An artefact from Buxton Museum and Art Gallery is to play a part in the Natural History Museum’s latest exhibition – Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature.

The 19th century ‘mermaid’, usually on display at Buxton’s museum in Terrace Road, will join other legendary beasts, specimens and historic objects from the Natural History Museum’s (NHM) world-leading scientific collections.

In the 18th century, travellers to the Far East purchased hoax mermaids made by fishermen who were supplementing their

income. They made the creatures from wood, wire and fish tails, although by the time the mermaids arrived in Britain, they were named monkey-fish. The Buxton Mermaid however, may have been made in Africa. She has real human hair and carved bone teeth. The mermaid is one of Buxton museum’s more unusual objects. It was owned by a doctor who worked in West Africa at the beginning of last century. It was displayed at the Wellcome Collection in London, then at the Horniman Museum, also in London, before being transferred to Derbyshire.

Derbyshire County Councillor Barry Lewis, Council Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Leadership, Culture and Tourism, said: “It’s not often that regional

museums are asked to share their wonderful collections with the huge and diverse audiences that the national London museums attract, so Buxton museum is delighted that the mermaid will be waving a Derbyshire flag at this prestigious location.”

The NHM’s new exhibition is billed as a chance to discover where the real and wizarding worlds intertwine, and how the wonders of the natural world have inspired myths, legends and magical creatures for generations. The exhibition will also feature digital installations and wizarding world elements from the Fantastic Beasts film series, adapted from the works of JK Rowling.

As well as Derbyshire’s mermaid, visitors will see animals including a tiger

and a Galápagos marine iguana alongside wizarding world specimens such as an Erumpent horn and the dragon skull from Professor Lupin’s classroom.

The NHM hopes that visitors will be inspired by the Fantastic Beasts film character Newt Scamander, who demonstrates his commitment to the beasts of the wizarding world, as well as by conservationists and scientists, to protect our planet. Fantastic Beasts: The Wonder of Nature opens at the NHM in South Kensington, London on 22 May 2020 until January 2021.

Find out more about the exhibition and book tickets in advance visit https://www. nhm.ac.uk/visit/exhibitions/ fantastic-beasts-the-wonderof-nature.html

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Getting Married Abroad the Pros and Cons Thinking about marrying abroad but worried that your grandparents won’t be able to make it? Perhaps your close friends and family can’t afford an overseas holiday or maybe you’d rather just get away on your own. Weigh up your options here with our list of pros and cons to help you decide. The biggest issue with getting married abroad tends to be that not everyone on your guest list will be able to make

it. So if your grandmother has always dreamed of being at your wedding but is unable to travel, don’t be surprised if she seems upset when you drop the bombshell that you’ve decided to get married abroad. Do reassure anyone who can’t make it that you’ll have a second reception when you’re back in the UK. Pros You’ll be able to take your vows in the open air and

celebrate your special day in an exotic or unusual location, with different food, flowers and music to complement your wedding.

Getting married abroad can often be less expensive than the average British wedding.

Many couples buy their own tickets and, while the bride’s family may pay for the wedding package, it’s acceptable for guests to pay their own way.

You can invite just a small handful of family and friends to the wedding, so you’re only with people that you really want to celebrate with.

It’s the ideal excuse for not inviting your 20 odd cousins and all their children.

Alternatively, you can jet off

Planning for your Wedding Day 2020 As couples plan for their big Book your reception venue/ 2 weeks before... day for 2020 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

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!

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!

alone and get married in a romantic, private ceremony, just the two of you. If you book through a travel operator, they’ll do practically all the organising, leaving you plenty of time for dress shopping and planning your honeymoon! If you’d rather be totally involved in the planning process, you can opt for a tailor-made wedding.

Cons Friends and family might not be able to afford to travel abroad, or be able take the

time to go further afield.

You might upset people who’ve been left off your list – but you may be able to ease some disappointment by having a big bash when you get home. You won’t have as much control over the organising as you would at home. You might end up regretting not inviting family members if you jet off alone.

If it’s just the two of you, you’ll need to rope in a stranger to act as witness.

Although your wedding

abroad may work out cheaper initially, if you put on a second reception in the UK for all those who couldn’t make it, you can end up paying as much or more than you would have done if you’d married in the UK in the first place!

Even if you head for tropical climes, you can’t guarantee sunny weather.

And remember, unless you head off for a second week somewhere else, you might be stuck on honeymoon with your friends and family!

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How to get an upgrade on your honeymoon!

Getting married isn’t just about going on honeymoon, but it sure is an exciting plus to the whole shebang! But how do you go about milking the special occasion for all its worth?

Everyone loves an upgrade and if you can’t get one when you’re going on your honeymoon then when

can you? It’s the perfect opportunity to be pampered and spoiled, especially after all the stress of the wedding planning is over. Calling first class!

There are so many moments where you might be able to wangle an upgrade when you go on honeymoon. The first is the flight. This is a lot easier

to accomplish if you haven’t booked a package deal through a high street travel agency. If you’ve booked flights and accommodation separately then turning up at the airport in your finest clobber, rather than like a scruff bag (albeit a very comfy one), is a great way to find yourself boosted up to First or Business class.

This is an important fact to consider as the area you want to be moved into is usually full of very well-heeled people.

The next step is to arrive at the airport early. This gives you the best opportunity of nabbing any lastminute 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.’

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How to Choose a Wedding Venue: What You Need to Consider

Finding the perfect venue is likely to be at the top of any newly engaged couples list. With the venue playing a vital role in the success of your day it’s the big decision you really need to get right.

Just like viewing a new property it is easy to become overexcited and fall in love with a place without checking the venue can cater to your requirements, so hitched. co.uk are here to answer that question - how to choose a wedding venue?

Wait until you get the feeling Much like finding your dress, the shoes, a new home, it is true that when you view venues you will know if it is right for you. You need to be able to picture yourself there on the day and ensure the style of the building both exterior and interior will work with the theme of your wedding.

Finding the right venue in our opinion is the most important factor, once you fall in love with somewhere before rushing in to anything at the

very least check the following match your criteria: Is it the right location?

Where will your guests be coming from? If they are not local, choosing a venue that is easily accessible, has accommodation on site or hotels in close proximity is desirable. If you have guests coming from abroad how far is the closest international airport? These factors may play a role in your decision making.

Is the capacity right for you?

Think about whether you need a large capacity wedding venue or a smaller and more intimate wedding venue.

The size of the venue is just as important, too small for your number of guests and the room will feel stuffy and overcrowded, too big and guests will feel lost and the space will feel cold. When a space is empty it is hard to imagine how it will look when filled with tables. For this reason we would always advise viewing a venue when

it is set up for a wedding. If this is not possible ask to see photographs, most venues should have a photo book or slide-show. Another tip is to ask for a seating plan of the room at capacity, this will give you a good idea of

how much space there is and how comfortably your guests numbers will fit.

Ask about the flow of the day Make sure the venue representative talks you through how a typical day runs. The flow of the day is crucial, any long pauses or delays and your guests will become bored. If your ceremony and reception is in the same room how long does the turnaround take, where will the guests be and what will they be doing? This is also relevant between the reception meal and the evening dancing.

The weather in the UK can be unpredictable to say the least! If it does rain does the venue have indoor space for the reception drinks? Do they provide a master of ceremonies/manager? This takes the stress off you and is the best way to make sure all your guests are where they are meant to be at all times.

Check the timings Planning the time of your ceremony is a big decision; when do the venue advise?

In our experience weddings of 8-9 hours work well, any longer than this and the atmosphere dwindles towards the end, you want your wedding to end on a high!

Also bear in mind where the majority of people will be coming from on the day, leave plenty of time for people to get ready and arrive.

Also ask, what set up time is included in the hire fee, when will your suppliers

have access to the room and when do things need to be collected?

Think about the lighting.

Lighting plays an important part in any event, if your ceremony is during the day does the room have lots of natural daylight? During the evening do they provide/ let you bring in candles?

Cameras will be a big part of your day so practise your smiles! Bearing this in mind what is the surrounding area around your venue like?

Where will your photographs be?

If you are looking at a central town hall where will you take outdoor photographs?

The view from the venue and any outdoor space is also a massive plus not only for photographs but for your guests enjoyment. Does the venue have grounds or ample outdoor space – this is useful if you have children attending and for guests to stretch their legs for ten minutes after the reception meal. Check the finer details.

At the venue viewing stage you will not know every detail of your day however you must ask the venue what is not permitted…. If you envisage a romantic candlelit winter ceremony check the venue permits candles! If you are having your ceremony at the same venue can you throw confetti?

Finding these details out early in the planning stage before you book is essential, you are likely to have an idea of what

your day will be like and the venue needs to be able to live up to this, for this reason write a list of…..

Make a list of your nonnegotiable's Before viewing any venues sit down with your partner and discuss any non-negotiable's these could include: Budget – will the venue be able to provide everything you need within your budget, is VAT included in the price, are staff gratuities added and if so are they optional? Catering – What type of cuisine would you like? Can the venue provide this?

Suppliers – do you have artistic friends that want to bake the cake or take the photographs? If so check the venue will permit this or do you need to use their recommended suppliers?

Live music – if you would like a band does the venue permit this? If you would like a string quartet during reception drinks do the venue allow music outside?

Fireworks, sparklers, flame eaters etc. – if you have any different entertainment ideas check your venue will allow it.

Finding your venue will be one of the big milestones in your wedding planning and will determine your date, location and therefore will impact a lot of your other wedding planning decisions.

You may even want to consider finding a wedding dress that perfectly suits your venue.

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New GP Exercise on Referral scheme

to help increase physical activity levels Get Healthy Rushcliffe is launching a new exercise on referral programme to help residents of Rushcliffe with long term health conditions become more physically active. Exercise is a critical component of achieving a healthy, balanced lifestyle.

Get Healthy Rushcliffe aims to make that as easy and as accessible as possible to those living in Rushcliffe. By being more active, you can help reduce the likelihood of developing long term health conditions such as heart disease, Type 2 Diabetes and high blood pressure.

Mark Lambourne, Managing Director of Parkwood Healthcare, the organisation behind the Get Healthy Rushcliffe project said that “This is a fantastic opportunity for us to work with our partners at Lex Leisure and the wider health and social care community to help embed physical activity within the community of

Rushcliffe”. The new 8 to 12 week programme allows residents of Rushcliffe who have been referred by their GP to engage in a personalised and safe exercise programme on a one to one basis with a qualified instructor.

The programme offers expert advice in relation to health conditions and exercise. Our instructors are highly trained in planning and delivering programmes tailored to the needs and goals of the individual participants.

As part of the programme, participants are able to access the fantastic facilities at Bingham Leisure Centre, Cotgrave Leisure Centre, Keyworth Leisure Centre and Rushcliffe Arena at a discounted rate to enable them to take up more physical activity. Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Executive Manager for Communities Dave Mitchell said: “We’re delighted to support Get Healthy Rushcliffe at our

leisure centres, building on the Borough’s great sport, lifestyle and place.

“Encouraging those with health conditions to continue to be active is vital, whether in a role to assist recuperation or to make a significant difference in wider physical and mental wellbeing.”

As well as an Exercise on Referral scheme, Get Healthy Rushcliffe also offers residents

of Rushcliffe an online resource through which they can access advice, guidance and resources on how to stop smoking, eat a healthier diet, be more physically active, drink less alcohol and maintain a healthier weight. Anyone who is a resident of Rushcliffe is welcome to register at www.gethealthyrushcliffe.co.uk to access the range of services that are available.

If you would like more information please do not hesitate to contact us on 0115 784 5690, PARKWOOD.gethealthy rushcliffe@ nhs.net or visit our website on www. gethealthyrushcliffe.co.uk

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

Yoga is an Indian philosophy that dates back thousands of

years. The Sanskrit word yoga means unite and it was practised to create the union of the physical body, mind and spirit

in order to reach enlightenment.

Different paths of yoga were created in order to reach this state. One of these paths was called Hatha yoga and its purpose was to develop the body in preparation for further spiritual practice. These days, particularly in the west, we practice Hatha yoga. Classes largely focus on health and fitness but still with attention on how we feel in both our bodies and minds.

This is achieved using physical exercises (asana), breathing exercises (pranayama), m e d i t a t i o n and relaxation.

Yoga really is for everyone and teachers are taught to be inclusive and modify postures to suit the needs of individuals.

However, classes are available for different abilities.

If you have mobility

issues, you can try yoga in a chair or a gentle yoga class.

Some classes specialise in teaching children and also senior citizens.

At the other end of the scale, Ashtanga yoga is a more physically challenging, fast flowing yoga. Yoga is also not meant to be competitive and students are encouraged to listen to their bodies. The benefits of yoga are immense.

It helps us to relax, release tension from our bodies and to deal with stress. It gives us energy, makes us stronger and more supple. It can also complement other forms of exercise, by using the muscles in a different way.Yoga is often recom-mended to alleviate physical symptoms of certain health conditions. If you are looking for a class suitable for your needs, local publications and websites such as www. localyogaclasse.co.uk, list classes in your area. For further information contact Jackie Hart at jemyoga7@ gmail Tel 0781 667 9919.

4 Healthy Weight Loss Tips Let’s face it: there is a huge amount of information online about how to shed the pounds and get in shape. Wading into this endless stream of advice can be both confusing and overwhelming.

And, when you take into account the new fads that seemingly pop up every day, the situation only becomes more dire. After all, who can

keep up with all the raw food plans, prepackaged menus, and liquid cleanses that are constantly promoted in our social feeds?

The main problem with these very restrictive diets is that they only lead to short-term weight loss at best.

That’s because most people cannot maintain them consistently and end up giving up after a couple of weeks. Losing 10 pounds a week on a fad diet may seem tempting, but it often results in unhealthy and unsustainable weight loss.

The real secret to healthy and successful weight loss is to adopt a lifestyle that you can maintain for the long run.

This involves changing your diet, following a regular workout schedule, and taking the right supplements for your body’s needs. With that in mind, here are 5 other tips to help you achieve your weight and fitness goals: Eat Better at Breakfast While all meals are important,

breakfast is the most crucial one of all. That’s because it helps you start your days on the right track. A hearty, healthy breakfast will fill you up and give you optimal satisfaction for longer periods of time.

Your goal should be to eat between 400 to 500 calories at breakfast.

Build a meal that includes lean proteins (nuts or eggs), fibers (fruits or vegetables), and whole grains.

Say Goodbye to Added Sugar The main reason for most lifestyle diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease is added sugars – especially from sugary beverages and soft drinks.

Processed foods in general contain a lot of added sugars and do not provide any of the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy. Instead, jump on Nutribullet bandwagon and replace sugary drinks with healthier, green smoothie options. For most people,

the fastest way to lose excess weight is simply by cutting out foods that are high in added sugars from their diet.

Keep in mind that many “organic” or “healthy” foods can also have very high sugar content, so reading labels should be a regular part of your shopping process.

Start Lifting Weights While changing your diet can help you lose a lot of weight fast, nothing beats keeping your body fit with regular exercise.

Your best option is to visit the gym at least three or four times a week, doing some warm up, and lifting some weights. This form of

exercise is ideal because it helps you burn off a lot of calories. It also keeps your metabolism from slowing down – a typical side effect of weight loss.

You can also speed this process up with a fat burning supplement such as the range available at www.myelite health.co.uk.

If lifting weights isn’t your cup of tea, then look for workout plans such as the massively popular Joe Wicks workout to get you moving in the comfort of your own home.

Cook More Did you know that research shows that cooking more meals at home can promote healthy eating and weight loss?

Eating out is fun, but it should not be your daily go-to. Instead, save the restaurants for special occasions and start eating more homecooked meals. This is a great way of sticking to your healthy diet plan and keeping your weight in check.

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Putting the Individual

at the Centre of Care A.C.C.E.S.S. 2016 Ltd Home Care Company has a clear outlook when it comes to care – they put the individual at the centre of the care they provide. They are a home care company based in Sutton in Ashfield, covering the Ashfield area.

Heather and Jeanette, senior staff members at A.C.C.E.S.S 2016 Ltd, explained that the company promotes independent living, stability and peace of mind for all their service users, their families and their friends. They encourage full family participation in the development of the individuals care plan.

Manager, Sara, said: “Each of our service users are treated as individuals and encouraged to regain their independence and life in their community whether its trips out to local towns, garden centres, coffee shops or attending family member’s weddings, A.C.C.E.S.S facilitate it all.

“Our staff treats each individual like a member of their own family, they are interested in the person’s life so far and what they would still like to achieve, be it with a little assistance.”

Our clients are full of praise for the company. Their comments include: “Really grateful to the

exemplary care given.”

“Nothing is too much trouble.” “A.C.C.E.S.S 2016 Ltd always go one step and beyond to help.” “The whole team are excellent at problem solving.” “Helpful in all situations.” “The care my brother receives is exemplary, great care is given to interpret his wishes and staff treat him in a dignified respectful way.” For further information on how we can help your loved ones please call on 07434884161 A.C.C.E.S.S is now recruiting if you want to have the opportunity to come and work for our great team please call 07434884161

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Nottinghamshire County Council gives the go ahead to identify a new specialist school site

Plans for a new school in the Hucknall or Ollerton area to benefit those with special educational needs and/or disabilities has moved to the next stage.

A new £150,000 feasibility study to identify a site in the to build a new 75 place special school, which will include specialist provision for those with disabilities,

got the go ahead at a recent Nottinghamshire County Council Policy Committee Since 2010*, young people with special educational needs has doubled across the county – almost twice as much as the national 55 per cent increase.

These increases are mainly attributable to a significant change to the national criteria for special educational needs assessments including an increase to the upper age limit from 18 to include 18 to 25-year olds.

If the current trend continues,

by January 2023 there is estimated be more than 4,000 young people with educational needs in Nottingham shire.

Growing demand has also led to an increase in commissioning places

in the independent s e c t o r .

C u r r e n t l y, there are over 450 children and young people with special educational needs being educated in this way across the county.

As the cost of these placements has increased by 50 per cent since 2015, plans for a new, local specialist school in one of the proposed areas aims to bring potential savings.

Additional benefits include saving time for some of the young people and parents who are currently travelling to independent placements based across the county.

Nottinghamshire County Council Leader, Councillor Kay Cutts said “Since 2015, the County Council has increased investment on special needs school ,including £2.9m at Ash Lea Special School in Cotgrave and is currently investing £16.4m to help rebuild and expand the Newark Orchard Special School which will initially create 40 new specialist placements. “ The new school planned in either Hucknall or Ollerton aims to help further address the growing demand to provide more specialist school places in the county.

Data has identified that these two areas have the greatest need for this investment.

“Being able to fully meet the educational needs of all young people is clearly a priority for the County Council, so it is vital to move these plans on to the next stage and avoid any unnecessary delays to the creation of a new specialist school.”

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Beeston Children Plant 700 Trees 700 trees were planted at Hetley Pearson Recreation Ground. Mayor of the Borough of Broxtowe, Councillor Michael Brown joined children from Trent Vale Infants School to plant a mixture of native trees, including cherry, hazel holly and hawthorn, with another group of children from Beeston Rylands School

attending in the afternoon to help complete the task.

The event was in partnership with Beeston and District Civic Society, who donated £1,000 towards providing 10 large oak trees and protective fencing around the area and Nottinghamshire County Council’s Greenwood Team, who provided plant material and organised the school involvement.

Chair of the Environment and Climate Change Committee, Councillor Helen Skinner said: “This is a fantastic partnership between Broxtowe Borough Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Beeston and District Civic Society and local young people.”

“It was great to see the enthusiasm of the children

planting the trees and I am sure they all went away with a greater appreciation of the importance of looking after our natural world. The tree planting was originally planned for November last year, to coincide with national tree week, but the extremely heavy rain we experienced all through autumn made the ground too wet to work on.”

• Easy online registration Every child that registers will receive a backpack full of goodies including a cricket bat, ball, water bottle, personalised shirt and cap all sent straight to your door.

To find sessions near you or register your interest for future sessions please visit the All Stars website. Junior Cricket Coaching (School Years 3-10). Sessions are held throughout the school holidays and are either held inside at Trent Bridge Cricket Ground or at clubs across the county. The sessions cover technical and tactical skills for batting, bowling, wicket keeping and fielding, through a variety of fixed, variable and games based practices.

Coaching is split into 3 different age groups based on school years: Group 1 School years 3 & 4. Hardballs will not be used for this age group.

Kwik and soft balls will be used. Group 2 - School years 5,6 & 7.

Some of the coaching may involve using hard balls,

children must provide all their own protective equipment including a helmet. Many of the drills will still be done without hard balls and their use will be assessed on the ability of the whole group.

Group 3 - School years 8, 9 & 10. Some of the coaching will involve using hard balls, children must provide all their own protective equipment including a helmet. Many of the drills will still be done without hard balls and their use will be assessed on the ability of the whole group.

You can book onto our current courses by selecting the option from the menu at the top left of the page.

For more information about any of our junior cricket coaching contact claire. page@nottsccc.co.uk or 0115 982 3000 (ext. 227)

“Hopefully if we all work together to reduce emissions and plant trees to remove excess carbon from the atmosphere future generations will not have to deal with the extreme consequences of climate change.”

Amongst the trees were two saplings from the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest that were donated by the RSPB (Royal

Society for the Protection of Birds).

These were collected as acorns and grown on by children in Edwinstowe village. An additional sapling was taken to Gutersloh, Germany last summer and gifted to the local community as part Broxtowe’s twinning links with the town.

In terms of numbers of trees, this is the largest planting event in Broxtowe this year and as the trees grow, they will help capture and store carbon along with providing habitat for many species of birds, insects and small mammals.

All Stars Cricket By embarking on a Nottinghamshire coaching course, your child will get active, become versed in the fundamental movement skills for children and - most importantly - have lots of fun.

They'll learn the cricketing skills of the stars and also gain a first-hand education in teamwork, fair play, leadership and the spirit of the game. With beginners to the sports every bit as welcome as experts, we'll make sure sessions are tailored and relevant to the youngsters on the course. All Stars Cricket - School Years 1-4. All Stars Cricket is a brand-new initiative from the England and Wales Cricket Board aimed at providing children aged five to eight with a great first experience in cricket.

Programme features: • For all children aged five to eight • 8 weeks • Emphasis on fun and being active • Focus on developing your child's movement skills • Great first introduction to cricket • Safe and fully accredited • Valuable time with your kids – mums and dads are encouraged to take part too

The Council’s Green Futures campaign is a programme of projects which will be delivered to help the Borough

become carbon neutral by 2027. For more information, visit www.broxtowe.gov.uk/ greenfutures

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Nottinghamshire County Council approves £630,000 expansion of St Luke’s Primary School

Nottinghamshire County Council is investing £630,000 to expand St. Luke’s Church of England Primary School, in Shireoaks, near Worksop.

The expansion will provide an additional 35 places for pupils at the school.

The extra places are to cater for an expected increase in the number of primary school age children due to nearby

housing developments.

When the expansion is complete, the school will be able to provide places for 140 pupils.

Housing developers are providing just over £595,000 of the cost of the school expansion, as well as land which has been allocated to St. Luke’s as outdoor space for the children.

The County Council gave approval to proceed to the construction phase on 13 January 2020, acquiring the land needed to begin

building a permanent module to complement the existing school buildings already on site. Councillor Philip Owen, Children and Young people’s Committee Chairman said: “Our community is growing, and it is important that we have enough school places to cater for all the children in Nottinghamshire.

“I’m pleased to confirm that the planned expansion of St. Luke’s will go ahead, which will help to ensure we can provide places for parents in this area.

This is a good school, with an excellent team of teachers, and I’m confident it will provide a great education for local children.

“We want all children in Nottingham shire to attend good schools w h e r e they can achieve their potential, and this expansion will support that.”

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7 reasons to play a musical instrument 1. Stress buster One of the main reasons to start learning a musical instrument is that playing can actually reduce your stress levels. Researchers at Stanford University found that while listening to music can help to change an individual’s mood, playing an instrument actually lowers the heart rate and blood pressure, reducing the levels of the stress hormone cortisol in the body. The main reason for this is that playing an instrument requires so much of our concentration that stressful thoughts tend to get pushed out of our minds entirely.

2. Confidence builder Playing an instrument can also help to improve your confidence levels. As your music playing goes from strength to strength and you’re able to play more pieces and even perform in front of others, you’ll get a huge boost of confidence, which you can then replicate in other areas of your life.

Once you become confident in one skill, such as playing the piano, your achievements can make you feel more confident about other, unrelated skills, such as speaking in public or participating in more activities.

3. Improves memory Not only does playing an

instrument require you to retain a lot of information, such as where your fingers should go or which notes you should be playing, but, according to Dartmouth College, music actually helps you to remember other pieces of information. For example, if you’re struggling to remember certain dates, adding them to a melody that you’re playing will help you remember them significantly faster.

4. Better discipline If you’re committed to learning a musical instrument, the process will require you to put in the hours to practice and dedication to improve.

By arranging your day to fit in with music practice, not only will you become more organised, but your selfdiscipline will also improve, as will your perseverance – two skills which you can apply to any areas of your personal or professional life.

5. Creativity boost Once you’ve mastered the basics of music, it‘s a natural step to start taking the chords and melodies that you learnt and morphing them into your own pieces of music. As music engages more than one sense, from the physical, to the cognitive and emotional, it can help us to think outside the box and you might even find that while you practice,

a solution to a completely unrelated issue might come to you almost out of nowhere.

6. Sense of achievement As you learn each piece of music, you’ll go from playing it for the first time and making mistakes, to eventually playing it flawlessly, no matter how difficult it seemed at first.

The first time you play the piece without any mistakes will give you a huge sense of achievement and pride, inspiring you to keep pushing yourself in other areas that you previously struggled.

7. Enjoyment Last but by no means least, learning to play a musical instrument is incredibly fun!

Music can change the way we feel, from angry to calm or from sad to happy and hearing yourself perform a

piece of music flawlessly is a great feeling. Once you’re comfortable with an instrument, you can start

playing with others, whether to form a band or just for fun, which can provide you with new, long-lasting friends.

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“Fresh Air“ - World Tour 2020

RED HOT CHILLI PIPERS

The most Famous Bagpipe Band in the World, ever!

There has never been anything quite like The Red Hot Chilli Pipers, from their formation in 2002 and a cameo appearance at T in the Park in 2004 with the Darkness to opening the main stage in their own right in 2014. The past fifteen years has seen the Red Hot Chilli Pipers become the most famous bagpipe band on the planet…ever! Bagpipes with attitude, drums with a Scottish accent and a show that carries its own health warning.

The band’s achievements have reached incredible heights with their groundbreaking fusion of traditional Scottish music and rock/pop Anthems which they proudly call “Bagrock”. The Red Hot Chilli Pipers are a genuinely unique experience.

The Chillis have never been more in demand for their infectious style of feel good music which appeals

right across the age range to people all over the world.

They have collected together an impressive group of musicians, dancers and singers from Scotland and further afield, many holding World Championship titles and all seriously good players with impressive credentials and qualifications.

In 2014, The Chilli Pipers released a new live DVD and CD entitled `Live at the Lake`. In an explosive evening of entertainment captured on this live DVD and CD, The Red Hot Chilli Pipers recorded their most adventurous project to date, bringing 16 musicians and dancers across the Atlantic to perform at Milwaukee Irish Fest, the US spiritual home of the band. They captured the unique and explosive power of the Chilli Pipers in one unforgettable evening by the

shores of Lake Michigan.

Tracks include Insomnia, Gimme All Your Lovin', Thunderstruck, Everybody Dance Now, Amazing Grace, Fix You, Chasing Cars, Wake Me Up, Don’t Stop Believin and We Will Rock You. In February 2019, the Pipers and Tom Walker released a new version of his massive hit “Leave a Light On”. The release is in aid of Nordoff Robins, the music therapy charity and it went straight into the iTunes top five. The collaboration came about after Tom performed with the Red Hot Chilli Pipers at Murrayfield Rugby Stadium before the Scotland v Italy Six Nations match.

In June 2019, the Red Hot Chilli Pipers released a new studio album, entitled "Fresh Air”. An exciting fusion of brand-new songs and carefully selected covers. In a

new departure for the Red Hot Chilli Pipers many of the songs include lead vocals. Some of the highlights are “Leave the Light On” featuring Tom Walker on vocals. Leonard Cohen´s “Hallalujah” and “Shut Up and Dance” from the American band Walk the Moon, both songs feature the incredibly talented singer Chris Judge on vocals.

Some facts and figures about the Red Hot Chilli Pipers: Gold disc for over 100,000 UK sales of their first album `Backrock to the Masses‘.

To date, The Red Hot Chilli Piper have performed live to over 1 million people.

Triple platinum status for the album and DVD - `Blast Live`.

Awarded twice for `Best Live Act in Scotland`.

Over 4.5 million views on YouTube of their viral cover of the Avici track `Wake me up`.

Sell out gigs and tours in USA, China, Australia, Germany, Switzerland and Australia.

Winner of the BBC TV prime time talent show `When Will I be Famous` hosted by Graham Norton.

A Big Hearted Scotland nomination for their charity work.

Performances at BBC Proms in Hyde Park, T in the Park, Wacken Open Air Festival.

Performances at major sporting events including

NBC Olympics Studio and the Rugby World Cup. Over 350,000 Facebook followers.

RED HOT CHILLI PIPERS – April & May 2020 - UK Tour Dates include: Friday 24th April HARROGATE – Royal Hall Saturday 25th April MIDDLESBROUGH – Town Hall Sunday 26th April BLACKPOOL – Grand Theatre Friday 1 May LONDON – Cadogan Hall Saturday 2nd May MANCHESTER – Royal Northern College of Music Friday 8th May SALISBURY – City Hall Friday 9th May NOTTINGHAM – Albert Hall Great Hall Thursday 14th May SCUNTHORPE – Bath Halls Friday 15th May TELFORD – Oakengates Theatre Saturday 16th May ST ALBANS – Alban Arena Sunday 17th May SOUTHEND ON SEA – Palace Theatre Thursday 21st May ALDERSHOT – Princes Hall Friday 22nd May CHELTENHAM – Town Hall Saturday 23rd May HASTINGS – St Mary In The Castle Friday 29th May BARROW – Forum Tickets are available from: http://www.thegigcartel.com/ Artists-profiles/Red-HotChilli-Pipers.htm For more information on the RED HOT CHILLI PIPERS, click on their website / social media links below: Website – https://rhcp.scot Facebook – https://

w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / redhotchillipipersofficial Twitter - https://twitter.com/ chillipipers Instagram – https:// w w w. i n s t a g r a m . c o m / redhotchillipipers/ You Tube Channel Link: https://www.youtube.com/ user/redhotchillipiper Short Live Video Highlights – https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=hicHws7kMCI Extended Live Video Highlights – https:// w w w. y o u t u b e . c o m / watch?v=4BWEd_kB6WE ‘Leave A Light On’ with Tom Walker – https://www. youtube.com/watch?reload =9&v=Mfd1izwEd9E FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE RED HOT CHILLI PIPERS INCLUDING IMAGES, INTERVIEW REQUESTS AND COMPETITION TICKETS PLEASE CONTACT: Maria Philippou @ M P Promotions Tel: 0161 494 7934 / Mobile: 0780 119 1784 / Email: maria@mppromotions. co.uk / Website - www. mppromotions.co.uk

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PAINT THE TOWN RED WITH MEDICAL DETECTION DOGS THIS VALENTINE’S DAY Lend a paw by wearing red, baking red, decorating red and selling red Medical Detection Dogs is launching its first ever national fundraising event and challenging our local community to ‘Paint the Town Red’ to raise much needed funds and awareness of its life saving work.

Between the 9th-15th February, gather your friends, family and local community and show the love by celebrating the colour of red. Could your school or workplace have a red mufti

day, or a red cupcake sale?

Could your business decorate the shopfront in red?

Medical Detection Dogs trains dogs to save lives by smelling human disease.

The charity’s Bio Detection Dogs are trained find diseases like cancer, malaria and Parkinson’s.

Medical Alert Assistance Dogs are partnered with people with life-threatening conditions like Type 1 diabetes, PoTS or Addison’s disease. They alert their human partner to a change in their smell which indicates

that a potentially fatal event is about to happen, saving their lives daily and giving them independence and their families peace of mind.

Medical Detection Dogs receives no government funding for its work and relies entirely on the generosity of donations from trusts and the public. It costs the charity £29,000 to train each Medical Alert Assistance Dog. Community Fundraiser at Medical Detection Dogs, Carolyn Green, says: “By joining in with our Paint the Town Red week you will

1. Wrap up on walks It may be cosy indoors, but your dog needs regular walks regardless of the weather. When out on walks it’s important to make sure your four-legged friends are wrapped up warm. Put a dog coat on them when you go out, especially if you have a fine-coated dog, such as a Greyhound or Staffie.

2. Check for snow between their toes Check your dog’s paws and dry them thoroughly

after they've been outside. This is especially important with longhaired dogs as they are prone to snow compacting between their toes and turning into ice balls which can prove very painful. If they are agreeable, you could trim the long hair between your dog’s toes to help prevent this.

3. Check for salt and grit between their toes Clean their paws at the end of your walk as salt and grit from roads and pavements can also get lodged between their toes.

4. Keep them warm and dry Dry off wet and muddy dogs after

not only be celebrating love for Valentine’s Day but also raising funds and awareness of the work of our amazing dogs. “The diseases our Bio Detection Dogs are trained to detect affect every single one of us and they could be at the forefront of early diagnosis of cancer, Parkinson’s and other diseases and ultimately more lives being saved. The conditions our Medical Alert Assistance Dogs work with are extremely complex and often our clients have given up hope of leading a normal life for fear of falling ill at any

moment. These wet-nosed knights in shining armour turn this around and save their lives in more ways than one.

“Our dogs will be wearing their own red coats with pride that week so please join them!” If you would like to

them occupied while indoors.

6. Adjust their food if necessary If you do find that your dog is less active in the winter months, make sure you adjust the amount of food you give them accordingly to avoid weight gain.

7. Make sure they have good recall Cold weather often brings reduced visibility in foggy or snowy weather conditions.

If you're letting them off the

lead, make sure your dog has good recall to avoid them getting lost and, as always, make sure their microchip details are up to date with your correct contact information.

8. Make them visible As the nights draw in earlier and the sun rises later, attach a small light to your dog's collar so they can be seen when out on walks in reduced visibility.

9. Never leave your dog in the car unattended Just as cars can become

‘Paint the Town Red’ and need more information or would like to order a fundraising pack, or visit https://www. medicaldetectiondogs.org.uk/ fundraising/red/ or contact please contact fundraising@ medicaldetectiondogs.org.uk

Winter dog care - 10 tips to keeping your dog safe throughout the winter months walks and make sure they have a cosy bed to return to which is away from any cold draughts.

5. Keep them active indoors Some dogs can be very reluctant to venture out into the cold. If this is the case, do not force them out but make sure you provide them with lots of toys for them to play and keep

fatally hot in summer months, temperatures can drop very quickly in cold weather.

Always take your dog with you rather than leaving them in the car for any length of time.

10. Stay away from frozen lakes and rivers Keep your dog away from stretches of frozen water as it's impossible to tell how secure the surface is. Keep them on a lead if you think they’ll be tempted to jump in.

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Top 5 Winter Home Improvement Projects It may be winter, but don’t let the chilly temperatures discourage you from completing home improvement projects. Now is the ideal time to make a change to your home that will improve its efficiency over the colder months. These five winter home improvement ideas below will give you inspiration to get started.

1. Add insulation to improve your home’s energy efficiency. While it’s not the most exciting project, adding insulation to your home could help make your home more energy efficient. Start by checking your attic, basement and crawl space to see if more insulation is needed.

2. Update your floors during winter. Is your carpet hanging on by a few threads? Do your hardwood floors need refinished? Winter is the perfect time to refresh your floors and make them look amazing.

3. Install a new programmable thermostat. This is a simple

DIY that can end up paying off in the long run by increasing the energy efficiency of your home. With both low and high tech options, like Nest, there is a range of thermostats available to to fit any budget and lifestyle.

4. Update your bathroom in

winter.

Whether you want to replace the tile, update your hardware or simply repaint the walls, winter is the ideal time to make improvements to your bathroom.

5. Replace your windows in winter.

Improvements to major adaptations for disabled people Older or disabled people who need major adaptations making to their home will benefit from a new system approved by the County Council.

Major adaptations, such as the installation of stair lifts, hoists or lifts help people with mobility issues to continue living at home. Occupational Therapists assess a person’s needs and, if they recommend any adaptations, they currently get at least two quotes for the work.

The householders are then inconvenienced by two different company surveyors and an Occupational Therapist coming to measure up their home for feasibility.

Under the new system, which will be established by the County Council and District Councils, there will be one company countywide who will provide all adaptations made via the Disabled Facilities Grant.

This will reduce the inconvenience for service users, as only one provider will need to visit their home.

It is estimated that there will be savings of over £67,500 a year which can be used to fund more equipment for others who need it. Councillor Tony Harper, Chair of the County Council’s Adult Social Care and Health Committee, said: “We want to help people to stay living independently in their community for as long as possible. By working

with District and Borough Councils to change the system, we will be able to make things easier for people who have adaptations and also use the savings to pay for equipment for more people.”

The Council will go out to tender for the provider and it is planned that the new contract will be in place by April 2020.

Don’t forget about your windows!

Replacing the windows in your home this winter can help reduce the cold air getting into your home and save on energy costs.

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Vampires Rock- Ghost Train Mansfield Palace Theatre 8th February 2020

Vampire Rocks- Ghost Train rolled into Mansfield to entertain a sold out crowd at Mansfield’s Palace Theatre.

Vampire Rocks- Ghost Train is the brainchild of Steve Steinman, who made his name as a Meat Loaf impersonator many decades ago, (Some of you might be old enough to remember seeing him appear on Stars in Their Eyes).

Vampires Rock is one of his productions that started way back in 2003, since then it has gone through various reincarnations over the years, with each year improving on the previous year. This years tour was no exception.

Within that time, there have been various cast members

and on odd occasions he has secured the services of very well known musicians (Torah Wilcox, Eddie Ojeda, Sam Bailey). Although these “celebrities” got tongues wagging and raised the publicity of the show, and are undoubtedly very talented, Steve and his cast are more than able to entertain the crowd to the same standard as those musical “celebrities”.

The storyline is as old as time itself, Vampire wants new bride to feed on.

Vampire marries girl. Vampire bites girl. Girl becomes a Vampire. So no prizes for an original story line, however Steve and his cast of dancers and musicians inject a

tongue in cheek approach to the classic story which is underpinned by some of the greatest rock anthems ever recorded.

The script is written in a light hearted way to create an evening of laughter, at times even having friendly banter with the audience. The script had been altered recently to include gags about Prince Andrew, The masked Singer and Phillip Schofield. You can’t be more current than that.

The plot has a dark and mysterious twist with a masked character called Van Halensing, who is on a mission to kill Baron Von Rockula.

Even though most of the fans of this show like Steve’s vocals, the audience have lots of opportunity to listen to the other vocalists such as Claire Micallef who plays the naïve Roxy Honeybox and is more than capable at belting out classic rock anthems to an impressive standard, songs such as “Poison” and “I Need A Hero” and “Total Eclipse of The Heart”all hit their mark.

Alongside Claire, the Queen Vampire played by Emily Clark was also given her fair share of vocal duties which she nailed with absolute laser precision.

Baron Von Rockulas servant Bosley (played by John Evans) also has moments throughout the show to perform. He never fails to deliver enough energy to get the audience stood up swaying and rocking along

to Van Halens “Jump” and Europe’s “Final Countdown”.

The dialogue at times is self depreciating and appears to be not taken too seriously, the music is a stark contrast, Steve and his musicians try to replicate classic rock tracks with the utmost professionalism, anthems such as “Back in black”, “Devil Gate Drive”, “Sweet Child O’ Mine”, “Tainted Love”, “Pour Some Sugar on me” and “The Monster is Loose” all make for a wonderful musical backdrop as the storyline progresses through Baron Von Rockulas journey through dating, marrying, dying, and reawakening from the dead to seek revenge on Van Halensing.

Whilst the musicians Pete Jean (drummer), Zoe Parr (Bassist), Henry Bird (Guitarist) and Jamie Hiscox (Guitarist) all managed to deliver the musical assault on the ears, the dancers Victoria Hawley and Trixabelle Bold provided the visual stimulation to bring an incredibly sexy edge to the music. The dancers attire mainly consisted of leather, leather and more leather, as well as the occasional corset.

The show finished with Meat Loafs “Bat Out of Hell”. The crowd lapped up every moment of this legendary rock anthem. Arms swaying from side to side whilst the sold out crowd sang along.

The audience wanted more, and sure enough The cast of Vampires Rock- Ghost Train were more than happy to give the fans what they wanted by performing “Crazy Crazy Nights”

by Kiss.

This is a great uplifting witty show with incredible rock anthems. will this stage show ever win an Olivier award? Possibly not. However it’s intention is to entertain and it always manages to do that after nearly two decades of touring. Great music, great entertainment, and great value for money, what else could you ask for?

Tickets are already on sale for Steve Steinmans other productions “Anything For Love” and “Love Hurts”.

Review by Luke Seagrave.

Photographs by Luke Seagrave.

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United Together !!!

Wells, North, Brookbanks, Charlton, Akaunu, Moore, Ball, Steggles, Thomas, Blake, Clark, Opoku, Harvey, Garton, Rockley Jennings, Brown, Davie, Robinson, Maddison, Fletcher, Smythson, Otim, Elliott, Johal Carlton Town 0-1 Kidsgrove Athletic As the new year entered it’s first day it was a second meeting and a chance for the opposition to avenge their early season defeat. Again as before this would turn out to be a close encounter with very little to choose between either side. Kidsgrove were well organised and disciplined and proved very difficult to break down and with the game only seconds away from a no result would break through the Millers stern resolve and score to take all three points leaving the home faithful disappointed.

Sutton Coldfield Town 1-1 Carlton Town With only a couple of days from the previous fixture the team travelled to the north side of Birmingham and to opposition that they had also beaten earliar in the season.

Again the home side would hold their fort afloat for the first forty-five minutes as Carlton failed to capitalise on their good early work.

With the game evenly balanced the home side from their first furore of the new half would open the scoring leaving the Millers stunned and shocked from such an early execution.

This only encouraged Carlton forward and they increased their pressure and intensity on the game to take control of affairs putting the opposition

on the back foot for most parts. It would take only another fifteen minutes from going behind for the ever industrious Clarke to score at the far post with a bullet header to even things up.

The Millers would finish the game the stronger and more inventive with their play but unfortunately would not put any more digits on the scoreline.

Carlton Town 6-4 Wisbech Town With a visit next from the lowly placed Wisbech and a club with personal connections from the past in the form of my great uncle Sam Jennings their first professional player/coach came a chance to get back to winning ways.

This one was an absolute goal fest and started poorly for Carlton as they would find themselves two goals down after only eighteen minutes gone.

But as we have seen over the season so far the team would stick to their plucky resolve and fight back scoring twice within a minute from a Maddison penalty and an Opoku strike right on the stroke of half-time. The team started the second half brightly and it would take only four minutes more for Blake to add to the tally before further goals later on from Maddison and Blake sandwiched by a reply from the Fenman would

take the game beyond the visitors. A final flurry at the end of the game would see the ever patient Darryl Thomas come off the bench and put his name on the scoresheet to complete a good afternoon’s work.

Sheffield 0-3 Carlton Town An away day next to the oldest football club in existence and a performance that ranked up their as one of the best so far. Carlton pressed the opposition right from the first whistle giving the home side no time whatsoever to settle or enact their game plan.

TheMillers played with a great determination producing some nice free-flowing football putting the home side on the defensive for a lot of the first half and would be rewarded twice before the break with a brace from the on fire Blake.

The home side came out for the second half the better but were always up against it and were unable to pull anything back into the game before Maddison put this one to bed from the spot with ten minutes to go.

Carlton Town 2-1 Bingham Town (aet) Up next was a Senior Cup clash and a potential spanner in the works as the opposition on the night were like an infectious itch that just wouldn’t go away.

This would turn into a real hustle bustle affair with the

opposition ruggedly fighting their corner throughout and would prove to be a tough night for all involved. Both teams went in at half-time evenly matched and it would be the visitors that would take the advantage midway through the second half before Blake would hit the net with equaliser soon after to take the game to extra-time.

Seven minutes into added time Akaunu would give the Millers the edge and the result in a game where the opposition supporters would choose to throw unfounded and ridiculous racist comments at the Carlton players.

We have no place in the game nor the world for people of this nature and i would hope that the personnel within the football club at Bingham Town deal with the offender harshly as we are all equal whatever race creed or colour.

It’s an absolute disgrace that we still have people in our society that seem to think they can go about discriminating against people because they don’t like what they see or because as individuals they aren’t capable of reaching the levels of the people they target.

WE STAND UNITED !!!!

Forthcoming Fixtures:

5th Feb Loughborough Dynamo(h) 745pm 8th feb Wisbech Town(a) 12th Feb Chasetown(h) 745pm 15th Feb Newcastle town(a) 22nd Feb Stamford(h) 29th Feb Spalding(a) All 3pm kick-off’s unless otherwise stated.

Article by Phil Jennings

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'WE WANTED TO CHANGE IT UP':

CLARKE AND DUCKETT ON TRAINING OVERSEAS “It’s been a case of hitting a volume of balls and having the time to figure things out for myself.”

Ben Duckett Both relative newcomers to Trent Bridge last winter, Clarke and Duckett have had the privilege of welcoming two fresh batsmen into the Nottinghamshire dressing room this pre-season, in the shape of Haseeb Hameed and Peter Trego.

Duckett expects that, while they may take contrasting approaches to the game, both will show their quality while representing the Green and Golds.

“We know exactly what Hass is going to bring to us, and it’s something we lacked last season,” he said.

“His game is based around a more old-fashioned approach to four-day cricket, and having someone like that at the top of the order can make

it easier.

“It’s not just easier for whoever’s opening with him; to know you’ve got someone at the top who’s really going to graft away and take the shine off the ball makes it easier for the guys lower down the order too.

“And Pete [Trego]’s experience from all the years he’s played could be really important for us – he’s been involved in some of the most successful four-day sides of recent years.

“He’s fitted in really well, and I think he’ll excite a lot of the fans.” ******* Nottinghamshire Membership for the 2020 season is on sale, with those who join for next season bestowed access to all scheduled Notts home matches, international tickets in Members’ areas and a range of exclusive benefits.

Joe Clarke and Ben Duckett putting in time so that they throwing balls at lads, and enjoyed it, and hopefully with hope a period of warm- feel normal. he always speaks really well the experience he’s gained weather training in South I’ve not always had this about batting and cricket. from the England camp he Africa will give them a head opportunity to spend a good “I’m sure whoever he’s can give me and Ducky some start in the run-up to the 2020 stretch of time focusing on my worked with has really good feedback.” county season. game in the winter without The Notts pair are trading the any matches.

Trent Bridge indoor school “Me and Mooresy [Peter, for the southern sunshine for a Head Coach] sat down at the two-week period – and Clarke start of pre-season to discuss feels the change of scenery what I was looking to do. has come at an ideal time in I thought it would take three their preparations. or four months to get into a “We’ve been training indoors groove, but everything started since November, and you feeling normal about a month can get a bit too used to in. the surfaces – they’re a bit “It’s just been a case of hitting samey,” he said. a volume of balls and having “We wanted to change it up, the time to figure things out and see if the things we’ve for myself.” been working on in the past Clarke and Duckett will be few months bear fruit in an hoping to link up with a outdoor environment. fellow Outlaw during their “We’ve got training facilities time south of the equator, sorted out, as well as some with Chris Nash continuing net bowlers and bowlers from his coaching work with Gary other counties who are happy Kirsten and amongst the to train with us, so it seemed England setup. like it would benefit us.”

It is a role which Clarke Duckett’s winter has been expects to have suited the dominated by drills designed 36-year-old. to solidify the left-hander’s “I’ve spoken to him a few technique – and feels that now times while he’s been out is an apposite time to test his there, and I think he’s been work out overseas. loving the coaching,” he said.

“My biggest focus this “There were periods last winter has been making some summer where he was getting changes to my technique and the old dog stick out and Each Edition of the Nottingham Now has an estimated readership of 42,500 from print and online. Published by Wilcop Media Ltd, 92L Rolleston Dr, Arnold, Nottingham, NG5 7JP.