Nottingham Now 102

Issue. 102 - July / August - 2021 0115 6972670 | www.nottingham-now.co.uk | sales@nottingham-now.co.uk

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE: WHAT’S ON - VISIT DERBYSHIRE - VISIT YORKSHIRE - SPORTS

Boost to force’s work

to make city a safe

place to live and work

‘No Mow’ Summer Pollinator Sites Now Trialling Across Rushcliffe To See wildlife

SEE PAGE 2 ..

Have Your Say On The Proposed PSPO For Ashfield

SEE PAGE 3 ..

Nottinghamshire Police’s hard work to ensure the city is a safe place to live and work has been boosted with the roll out of a partnership deal to tackle the issues that matter the most to local residents.

SEE PAGE 27 FOR FULL STORY

Page 2.

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‘No Mow’ Summer Pollinator Sites Now Trialling Across Rushcliffe To See wildlife Rushcliffe Borough Council is trialling a number of ‘No Mow’ areas across the Borough to act as summer pollinator sites and encourage wildlife and habitats to thrive even further.

The authority’s Grounds Maintenance contractors Streetwise are now not mowing selected areas across the Borough to help create natural corridors to support and enhance local wildlife.

All trial areas are on land that the Council is responsible for: • Gotham Road, East Leake • Miss Machin’s field, Edwalton • Stamford Road allotment entrance, Gamston • Abbey Circus, West Bridgford • Abbey Park, West Bridgford • The Hook, around the play area, Lady Bay All sites feature signage stating ‘please excuse the weeds, we are feeding the bees!’.

This sustainable management of the open spaces helps to not only mitigate the impact of climate change but supports the Council’s Carbon Clever initiative and its commitment to become carbon neutral by 2030.

The land management changes have also been brought about by requests from residents and ward councillors, asking the

authority to change the way it manages public open spaces during the summer months in order to provide the better environments for insects and animals No mowing or herbicide spraying will now take place at the sites until the end of September and if successful will see them and other potential sites not mowed over summer in future years.

Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Communities and Climate Change Cllr Abby Brennan said: “We’re very pleased to launch this wonderful project that will further enhance biodiversity across the Borough.

“We’re keen to protect our environment in line with our corporate priorities wherever

we can and these sites will now be monitored to see how they help wildlife and habitats to thrive.

“If successful, we’ll consider other sites too and we want to hear residents’ views on how we manage our open spaces so please have your say in our consultation.”

The online summer pollinator survey is also now available for residents to give their views on how these spaces are managed until September 30.

Cllr Brennan was joined by East Leake Parish Council clerk Sue Lewis to view one of the new ‘No Mow’ areas on Gotham Road in the village. It followed members of the Parish Council, local tree warden Wendy Thompson, and ward

member Cllr Lesley Way campaigning for areas of the village to be left unmown.

The newly managed sites with the ‘No Mow’ areas often have paths cut through them and circles to provide areas for people to sit or children to play. This creates a more varied greenscape, providing a wider range of recreational and social opportunities as well as benefitting more species, and make a more interesting natural environment.

It’s with the aim for residents to see more grass swaying in the breeze and hear the buzz of insects feeding on wildflowers.

If weeds become an issue at the sites alternative methods of removal will be considered that will not affect habitats.

Residents can also get involved if they have their own summer pollinator site on land not managed by the Council and would like to put up a sign acknowledging it as another pollinator area.

They should email to let the authority know of the site and can download the Council’s ‘No Mow’ signage to get involved or find out more.

Covid-19 Community Memorial Woodland Now Open At Carlton Park A new Covid-19 memorial woodland at Carlton Hill Recreation Ground, Carlton, officially opened on Friday 9 July following a successful fundraising campaign.

Organised by The Carlton Hill Community Action Group, the Gedling Borough Memorial Woodland has been created to remember the people of Gedling Borough who have tragically lost their lives due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and will be a place where people can pay their respects in quiet contemplation while enjoying the outdoor space.

The memorial woodland includes

native trees, wildflowers, seating areas, interpretation boards and a memorial.

The group launched a fundraiser for the woodland online and received thousands of pounds in donations, as well as additional support with the installations and tree planting from Gedling Borough Council’s Parks team.

The Carlton Hill Community Action Group is a community association created to promote the Carlton Hill area by

encouraging support for local business and the local high street. The group also support initiatives that promote health and wellbeing for local residents.

Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke said; “This memorial woodland is a permanent tribute offering residents a place to reflect peacefully and pay their respects to friends, family and loved ones tragically lost to Covid-19.

An incredible amount of work by The Carlton Hill Community Action Group has gone into this project, and I’d like to thank them for their contribution to the borough, as well as to everyone else who has been involved or donated to the fundraiser to help make this a reality.”

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Continue To Shop Local Shop Safe And Support Your Favourite Outlets

Continue to Shop Local and Shop Safe and support local shops, pubs, restaurants and outlets whilst adhering to their COVID-19 secure practices. That’s the message from the Deputy Leader of Rushcliffe Borough Council Cllr Andy Edyvean who is asking residents to visit retail and hospitality outlets who continue to trade safely following the government’s roadmap extension of step 3 to July 19. Cllr Edyvean visited a new business recently, The Roar Movement, to meet owner Kate Fox to hear and chat over the ways in which she is engaging with new customers and the community, despite the pandemic. The business based on Mabel Grove

in West Bridgford, is a movement studio and functional health clinic focused on lifestyle medicine to optimise health and happiness including fun movement, lifestyle, integrated healthcare and education run from a 1700sq ft studio, with an emphasis on working with fellow local business owners. Kate will also soon be recording and launching a podcast. Cllr Edyvean said: “It’s brilliant to see another business open in Rushcliffe, especially with a focus on health and it’s encouraging to hear that Kate has been working with a number of other local businesses. “We understand it has been a very difficult time over the past 16 months and it’s vital we continue

to support local enterprise.

This could be by visiting an outlet for a coffee or meal, buying a gift for a friend or relative or attending a fitness or health class at an establishment such as The Roar Movement. “As a Council we are here to support businesses and do all we can to aid them finding a route through COVID-19 and all the information business owners need is on our website. “We encourage all residents and visitors to continue to Shop Local, Shop Safe whilst continuing to follow all the current guidance.” Kate said: “It’s definitely a challenging time to open a new business but I believe it’s the perfect time to empower people with the tools to be in control

of their health and happiness. “I’d like to thank Rushcliffe Borough Council for their support so far! I’m determined to pursue my passion of making functional health accessible after being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease myself 13 years ago and managing it with everything that the studio now encapsulates. “The offerings we have are various movement classes for adults and children which include yoga, calisthenics, strength training and dance. I am also about to launch the in-house health clinic which will include nutrition, health and life coaching, acupuncture, vitamin IV and breathwork, making the studio a one stop shop for complete lifestyle health.

Incorporating these things into lives can be overwhelming, but we’re here to make it incredibly accessible and most of all fun!

“Activities taking place here include yoga, Pilates, calisthenics strength training, dance, breathwork and an in-house health clinic that will include nutritionists, health coaches, acupuncture, making it a one stop shop for lifestyle health. “I also have a focus on supporting the local community and I am linking up with various local companies to expand our offering. I am going to be displaying local artists in the studio and also having local independent companies for a mini market for our open day in July.

“On the open day there will be a raffle with prizes from small businesses such as Soothe, Peach Pear Catering, Baked By Char, Skin Elixir, Vitamin IV Clinic, Alpha Chimp and CHEFF. The raffle proceeds will be going to a Just Giving page which is raising money for GRL PWR; a small business raising awareness for Target Ovarian Cancer.

“It’s so important that residents and visitors continue to shop with their local businesses in mind.”

Have Your Say On The Proposed PSPO For Ashfield Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPO) are legal orders which give the Council the powers to use enforcement actions to deal with nuisance behaviours in designated areas across the District.

Ashfield District Council currently have a PSPO in place until 30th September 2021, which covers eight areas across Ashfield and prohibits behaviours such as street drinking and dog fouling. Community Protection Officers and the police can issue Fixed Penalty Notices to anyone who breaches the order. The fine is £100, and failure to pay can lead to a summary conviction and a maximum fine of £1000.

The Council are now seeking resident’s comments on the proposed PSPO

which would come into force on 1st October 2021 and remain in place for three years. Residents have until 23rd August 2021 to have their say on the consultation.

The proposed order includes restrictions on: • Alcohol consumption in a designated area • Urinating/defecating within a designated area • Dog fouling in specified areas • Failing to produce device or other means of removing

dog faeces on demand • Dogs on lead by direction • Dogs specified maximum amount • Dog exclusion in specified areas • Dogs on leads in specified areas • Direction to move on Cllr Helen Ann Smith, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Crime Reduction, said “The current PSPO has been incredibly effective as a tool to help us combat anti-social

behaviour across our town centres. It has allowed us to use our enforcement powers over the last three years and our Community Safety Team have been busy issuing hundreds of FPNs to offenders. By extending this PSPO, we can continue the excellent work and commit to our priority of creating safer and cleaner town centres to live in and visit.

“We welcome your comments on this consultation, if you think we are tackling anti-social and nuisance behaviour effectively, or if you think there are areas we could improve upon, please let us know.

Your voice matters, and we always take onboard resident feedback."

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Start Your BookBench Trail At Bassetlaw Museum Visitors to Bassetlaw Museum can now discover a trio of unique BookBench sculptures that are currently on display across the district as part of the North Notts Journeys trail.

The trail, organised in a collaboration between the North Notts BID and global creative producers Wild in Art, features 40 book benches created by local schools together with artists and businesses, with designs inspired by themes found within many books including journeys, adventure, freedom and pioneering spirit.

Bassetlaw Museum is currently exhibiting benches that have been designed by students at North Wheatley C of E Primary and St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School.

Sam Glasswell, Curator at Bassetlaw Museum said: “We are incredibly excited to be showcasing the creativity and talent of the students in our community by displaying these eyecatching sculptures at the Museum.”

“A number of the benches along the trail have illustrations and information relating to the 400th anniversary of the Mayflower setting sail and it’s fantastic that people learning about the history and heritage of the area through these distinct benches.

“While you’re here you can also learn more about the Mayflower Pilgrims at our dedicated Pilgrims Gallery.

We hope that visitors to the Museum enjoy taking a look at the sculptures we have on site and have fun exploring the district to find the rest of the BookBenches.”

Completing the trail gives people the opportunity to be active and spend time outdoors, whilst exploring areas of Bassetlaw that they may not have visited otherwise. The colourful benches can be found at museums, on the high streets, shopping centres, cultural hubs and libraries throughout the district.

The benches will be on display until 5 September 2021 before being returned to the schools that have played a key part in the project.

More information on the trail and a virtual, downloadable map marking the locations of the BookBench sculptures can be found on the North Notts Journeys website: https://www. northnottsjourneys.co.uk/. Physical copies of the map can be picked up from shops, Bassetlaw Museum and other cultural establishments in the region.

Those inspired by the BookBench designs and themes can enter the North Notts Journeys story competition for the chance of winning a variety of Wild in Art prizes. To enter submit a letter, poem, short story, comic, recorded podcast or short film centred around a real-life or fictional journey or adventure at: https://www. northnottsjourneys.co.uk/competition/

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Event Organisers Reminded To Check All COVID-19 Secure Measures Are In Place Event organisers are being reminded to stringently check they have all COVID secure measures in place to ensure the safety of those who attend planned community or other gatherings.

Following the government’s roadmap extension of step 3 to July 19, Ashfield District Council is aware of the great lengths many organisers are going to ensuring their planned events can still go ahead.

However with some organisers anticipating all restrictions would now have been lifted, the authority is asking them to contact its Environmental Health and Licensing Teams, should they have any questions or need to clarify legislation.

They can email dutyenvironmentalhealth@ ashfield.gov.uk or call 01623 457184 All organisers: • Must have a COVID-19 risk assessment and an event

management plan in place • Ensure social distancing is adhered to and a plan and ability to enforce this • Limits on capacity of the event area, either 4,000 capacity or 50% capacity, whichever is the lowest • Must use the NHS Track and Trace QR code or manually record name and contact details. If one person has booked for a group, all details of all attendees need

Core

to be recorded • Ensure plans for government guidelines such as table service for alcohol sales • Should ensure performers and acts stick to the Performing Arts guidance available at https://www. gov.uk/guidance/workingsafely-during-coronaviruscovid-19/performing-arts (external link) • Should consider queue

management for entry and exit points and for using toilets • Should have a suitable number of COVID-19 marshalls on site to help promote compliant behaviour • Should ensure they discuss with the Council’s Licensing team on the need for a Temporary Event Notice • Assess if other measures are required in line with

their risk assessments and event management plans Cllr John Wilmott, Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services said: “We know how important local events are to our communities and we are reminding organisers to ensure you check, and check again, all your obligations are met before proceeding with an event.

“We are here to help guide

you through the process and aware of the huge volume of resources, staffing and volunteer efforts that may be required.

“Please remember every aspect of a risk assessment and event management plan must be in place and the measures are necessary to protect your communities and event goers. Email or call us and we will assist wherever we can.”

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NOTTINGHAM FROM THE AIR

This month’s aerial photo shows St Peter’s Church in the city centre.

It is one of the oldest churches in Nottingham and includes traces of many stages of construction from about 1180 onwards. 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 Photo by Robin Macey

Uncertainty Over Government Covid Guidance Leads To Cancellation Of Nottingham’s Riverside Festival Ongoing uncertainty around Covid restrictions as part of the next stage of the Government’s roadmap to recovery has led to Nottingham City Council taking the decision to cancel this year’s Riverside Festival, due to be held from Friday 6 – Sunday 8 August on Victoria Embankment.

The news follows the cancellation of this year’s Splendour Festival by organisers dhp and the postponement of the annual Nottinghamshire Pride festival until September.

Events organisers around the country are awaiting an announcement from the Government about moving to Step Four of its roadmap, due on 19 July, before confirming plans for this summer. Mellors Group, the company behind

Nottingham Beach, has said they will provide an update about this year’s event once further information from the Government about the easing of restrictions becomes clear.

In 2019, the Riverside Festival attracted around 220,000 visitors. The event includes a milelong fun fair, three music stages, various river-based activities and a Saturday night firework display amongst other attractions.

An event of the size of Riverside requires time to adequately plan and respond to any new legislation or guidance that may need to be implemented. There are also considerable challenges and increased costs for all events this summer both in respect of securing event infrastructure due to being

used at Covid test and vaccination centres and temporary staff.

No alternative date is being planned for 2021. The dates for the 2022 event are set for Friday 5, Saturday 6, and Sunday 7 August.

Many smaller scale summer events will still be able to go ahead under current guidelines, so long as Covid measures are in place and capacity is under 4,000 people. Events include: • Open Air Theatre (Wollaton Park & Newstead Abbey: until 20 Aug) • Outdoor Cinema (Victoria Embankment: 1518 July, Newstead Abbey: 24-25 July, and Wollaton Park: 26-29 Aug) • Arboretum Sunsets (Nottingham Arboretum: 26 June – 5 Sept) Other major events scheduled later in the year will be considered nearer the time, and measured alongside the latest Government advice.

Councillor Eunice Campbell-Clark, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Culture, and Schools said: “We were

looking forward to bringing the Riverside Festival back for people to enjoy after a difficult year for everyone, so it’s is a terrible shame to have to cancel this wellloved event for a second year.

“We’ve also had to be fair to our performers, traders and suppliers to let them know what is happening. We have to be practical about the time it takes to plan an event of this size, and to be able to properly respond to the latest guidance.

While plans were in place for the event to proceed in 2021, the reality of running an event scheduled to take place just 3 weeks after potential new guidance on 19 July, was just not practicable.

“The impact of large scale events on Covid rates is still being investigated and it

is right to remain cautious.

We will continue to plan for major events later in the year, which hopefully everyone will be able to enjoy.

“In the meantime, there is plenty for people to enjoy safely in the city this summer including a great

programme of smaller-scale events, the recently reopened Nottingham Castle following a £31m transformation and the Titus: T.Rex is King exhibition at Wollaton Hall, the first real Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton to be exhibited in England for over a century.”

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Force Welcomes Tougher Knife Laws Tougher laws banning people from having deadly zombie knives even in their own homes from today will be used to full effect ­- Nottinghamshire Police has vowed.

It is now an offence to possess certain items such as knuckledusters, throwing stars, zombie knives, butterfly knives and telescopic truncheons - even in private - due to changes in the Offensive Weapons Act 2019. Previously possession of these weapons was only an offence if they were taken out in public.

Other sections of the act that will kick in from today include an updated definition of flick knives to reflect changes in weapon designs, and the banning of private possession of flick knives and gravity knives.

Nottinghamshire Police has vowed to utilise the powers as they will alllow officers to take even more deadly weapons out of circulation in Nottinghamshire and drive down knife crime even further. The force will also be working with partners to educate the public and the business community regarding these changes in legislation. Chief Inspector Kathryn Craner, Nottinghamshire Police’s knife crime lead, said: “I very much welcome these additional powers which will ensure we are even better equipped to tackle knife crime, enable us to take even more potentially deadly weapons out of harm's way and prevent them from getting into the wrong people’s hands in the first instance. “Our officers have quickly been brought up to speed about these changes and will be making full use of the legislation during their proactive search activity. It will bolster the tireless work we do all year round with our partners to crack down on weapon-related crime and violence and to protect the public. “The impact of knife crime can be devastating are we are absolutely determined to use all the powers at our disposal to keep violence levels down.

“Early intervention remains vital and we continue to work hard every day to help educate vulnerable young people about the dangers of knife crime and encourage them to make good life

decisions, diverting them away from violence and criminality." Other changes to the law will start later in the year, and will bring in new provisions for the control of goods sold online, as well as placing responsibility on to delivery companies to conduct age verification at delivery stage. These important developments will help to address the growing issue of online sale of knives.

National figures show that knife crime in Nottinghamshire fell by ten per cent in the 2020 calendar year as the force's dedicated knife crime team continues to have an impact.

Further sustained reductions were achieved after the knife crime team doubled in size earlier this year, boosting its capacity to tackle violence and crime, seize dangerous weapons and drugs and keep people safe. The force was able to swell the team’s ranks due to being at the forefront of the national police recruitment drive through Operation Uplift, which is recruiting hundreds of extra officers to our front line while also becoming more representative of the communities it serves.

As well as strong proactive enforcement activity to crack down on knife crime, education and prevention work is vital to Nottinghamshire’s approach.

This includes specialist schools and early intervention officers who are working with children across the county, educating them about the consequences of carrying a knife and encouraging them to make positive life choices. Another key driver helping to steer young people away from knife crime and violence is Nottinghamshire’s Violence Reduction Unit which continues to work with vulnerable individuals and families to help understand the root causes of violent crime, make a difference to young lives and put them on the road to a safer and more

positive future.

Street outreach workers, a custody diversion scheme and other initiatives including the Ben Kinsella Trust at the National Justice Museum also serve to educate young people and help prevent them becoming involved in violent behaviour.

Nottinghamshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Caroline Henry, added: “I’ve been very clear that I want to prevent harm before it happens, so I welcome this legislation which undoubtedly supports that aim. I’m also clear that knives can kill. Those who carry these ultimately lethal weapons need to know that that there are no excuses, we are tough on crime in Nottinghamshire and we will get tougher.” The National Police Chiefs' Council’s lead on knife crime, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Graham McNulty, said: “The harm caused to families and communities through the tragic loss of life relating to knife crime is devastating and that is why focusing on this issue remains a top priority for policing. “We welcome the changes to legislation being introduced by the Offensive Weapons Act. These measures will help officers to take dangerous weapons off the streets, deal with those intent on using them to cause harm and suffering, and crucially, make it more difficult for young people to get hold of knives and other dangerous items in the first place.

“Knife crime is not something that can be solved by policing alone. We are working with businesses, schools, charities and community schemes to educate young people and explain why carrying a knife is never the right choice.

This early intervention plays a vitally important role in stopping young people from turning to a life of crime.”

To find out more, search ‘Offensive Weapons Act 2019’ online.

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Outstanding Graduates Join County Council Scheme Sales E: sales@nottingham-now.co.uk | T: 0115 6972670

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Nottinghamshire County Council has increased the number of graduates it has recruited this year as part of its graduate development scheme.

The county council has taken on eight graduates for 2021 - the highest number since the trainee scheme began four years ago.

It follows a rigorous selection process, starting in April, for the two-year programme which aims to create the next generation of high-quality local government managers.

Close links to Nottinghamshire is essential for scheme applicants with a requirement to have graduated from a local university or be a graduate living in the county. Cllr Gordon Wheeler, chairman of the county council’s Personnel Committee, says the increase in scheme places was due to the

number of “outstanding” applicants. Cllr Wheeler said: “The number of outstanding applicants we had for our graduate development scheme this year meant the county council simply had to increase our annual intake to the highest ever number.

“It was fantastic to see so many bright and eager graduates wanting to commit to both a career in public service and a life in Nottinghamshire.

I am confident the eight individuals selected for the scheme can look forward to a bright future with us" The county council started the graduate development scheme in 2018; it has received over 1,000 applications in the last four years and as a result has recruited 25 candidates (including the eight for this year) The traineeships offer a wide range of learning and

development opportunities including specialist project management training; experience of adult and children social care; public health experience and

access to mentors at senior management level. Cllr Wheeler added: "This was a tough year for graduates; the pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for

those fresh out of university wanting to get a foot on the career ladder. “As one of the biggest employers in Nottinghamshire, increasing our graduate recruits

demonstrates the county council’s commitment to providing employment opportunities for young people after an uncertain time.”

Review To Boost Apprenticeship Prospects A review will take place over the coming months to ensure apprentices at Nottinghamshire County Council receive the best possible training to gain permanent employment.

The county council’s Personnel Committee wants to make sure skills developed by apprentices prepare them for long-term employability enabling the council to maximise the number of local job opportunities available.

Councillors also see the review feeding into a wider a strategy for all trainees at the county council to build skills and secure a job to help Nottinghamshire’s economy grow.

There are currently 231 apprentices learning skills across the county council’s four departments and schools across Nottinghamshire. They cut across all age groups and are recruited throughout the year.

Cllr Gordon Wheeler, chairman of the county council’s Personnel

Committee, said: “The county council is one of Nottinghamshire’s biggest employers, and we play a significant role in developing work-based training and job opportunities for people across our county.

“I am delighted to have commissioned this review to make sure our apprentices are gaining ever single necessary skill to secure rewarding jobs and careers locally after the end of their qualification.

“I am confident this review will produce innovative ideas to make our already high-quality apprenticeships even better.

“This review is part of a wider strategy. We want every one of our trainees,

whether an apprentice, graduate recruit or Kickstart trainee, to have a prospect of a job once they have completed their training.

“This link between training, skills development and employment is at the heart of what we are trying to achieve in terms of longterm economic growth and prosperity of the people of Nottinghamshire.”

The first stage of the review will be delivered to councillors in November.

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Boost to force’s work to make city a safe place to live and work

Nottinghamshire Police’s hard work to ensure the city is a safe place to live and work has been boosted with the roll out of a partnership deal to tackle the issues that matter the most to local residents.

Antisocial behaviour, drug crime, hate crime, modern slavery and domestic violence are the key areas residents have told those involved in the Nottingham Crime and Drugs Partnership (CDP) to focus on and as a result they are going to form the cornerstone of its four-year plan.

The new plan, announced this week, will be implemented between 2021 to 2024. It follows work and support already carried out by the enterprise and sets out its vision for the future. It also outlines how the group will continue to work together to tackle issues.

Working in partnership with the police, the aims are to help the force to - reduce crime; reduce hate crime repeat victimisation; reduce anti-social behaviour and maintain performance of successful completions of

substance misuse treatment.

The CDP is a multi-agency organisation responsible for tackling crime and substance misuse in Nottingham.

It is made up of several agencies including Nottinghamshire Police, Nottingham City Council, Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service, the National Probation Service and the Community Rehabilitation Company, Public Health England, Nottingham City Clinical Commissioning Group and the NHS and Nottingham City Homes.

The plan forms part of the force’s ongoing commitment to ensure that Nottingham is a safe place to live and work.

The partnership already carries out lots of work to tackle these issues, which includes commissioning and granting funding to high-quality specialist services, with particular focus on substance misuse, domestic and sexual violence and those at risk of involvement in and/or exploitation from gang and youth violence.

Over the next year, there will also be a specialist support

and focus by the partnership on risks that may arise from socioeconomic consequences of Covid-19; health and race inequalities; vulnerable adults; criminal exploitation of children and serious and organised crime.

Superintendent Mat Healey, Area Commander for Nottingham, said: “This plan is a commitment to the people of Nottingham and is a great example of the ongoing work of police and partners to make Nottingham safe.

“We are really pleased with our successes in the last few years to bring crime down in the city and the latest statistics released by the Office for National Statistics in May showed that all crime dropped by 17 percent in the 2020 calendar year.

“We intend for this to continue as part of the work of The Crime and Drugs Partnership and look forward to putting this plan in action.”

Lord Vernon Coaker, Chair of the Nottingham Crime and Drugs Partnership Board, added: “I believe that we have created a plan that not only reflects the issues we face as a city, but sets

out robustly how we plan to tackle these for Nottingham residents. We know that last year, Covid-19 has brought with it unprecedented challenges and Nottingham has been profoundly affected.

“The closure of large parts of the city centre and night time economy and the lifestyle changes brought about by lockdown restrictions and homeworking have resulted in significant reductions in the volume of crime.

Nevertheless, other issues have come to the forefront during this period, including domestic abuse and violence, hate crime and not least anti-social behaviour in local neighbourhoods. These changes have brought about many new challenges for partners across the city and we are as committed as ever to meeting these challenges and to delivering successful outcomes for the people of Nottingham.”

Neghat Khan, Portfolio Holder for Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods, Safety and Inclusion at Nottingham City Council, said: “We are extremely proud that people of different backgrounds

get on so well together in Nottingham. We see firsthand the importance of our neighbourhoods, their cultural identities and the people who live and work within them.

“The proprieties of the partnership are still the core crime and anti-social behaviour issues facing the city.

However, the past year has brought clear evidence of the impact of prejudice and inequality and we must recognise that racism and hate crime are still an ugly part of our society and that there is more do to in tackling these issues in Nottingham.

Likewise, domestic abuse remains a priority for the partnership.

“It is clear that challenges remain across the city and by addressing problems locally and by tackling the root causes with partners we can deliver real change to the city and its people.”

Nick Murphy, Chief Executive at Nottingham City Homes, added: “In order to ensure that we are tackling the community safety issues that have the greatest impact on the city and its residents, we must work together as a collective to make a real difference. In order to find what residents are most concerned about, we need to listen and we have, the partnership has been looking at data and speaking to residents, and surveys like the annual

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Five Ways Exercise Can Benefit Us As We Leave Lockdown Dining Experiences Through the Ecclesbourne Valley Advance booking online at www.e-v-r.com or call 01629 823076

Exercise. If you want to live a healthy life, you’ll want to get as much as you can.

As well as helping with weight loss and keeping fit, exercise is proven to reduce the risks of many health issues, including diabetes, depression and dementia.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, exercise has provided a welcome relief for many people. Our Derby Active team also stepped up and provided an online fitness offer as leisure centres around the city had to closed their doors. As we leave lockdown, we’ve pulled together some of the reasons why it might be good to keep active. Build a stronger immune system A strong immune system seems more important now than ever. Our body’s ability to fight infections like COVID-19, is key as we come out of lockdown to prevent us from getting seriously ill. Physical activity increases blood flow, reduces stress, and can strengthen antibodies, which all combine to help our immune cells perform effectively.

Get active again We’ve spent an unprecedented amount of time at home over the past 14 months, and as a result many people have become inactive.

People have been unable to walk to the office or around the shops, and there’s not been much to do in the evenings other than sit at home for most parts. These levels of inactivity can lead to weight gain and obesity as well as increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

Getting back to regular exercise as lockdown ends, no matter how small, can help us reduce these risks.

Improve your sleep Sleep is an essential function that gives our minds and bodies time to reset and recharge, as well as improving our ability to fight diseases. Sleeping well is as important coming out of lockdown as it was during. Exercising at the right time can not only tire us out but also decompress our mind, helping us get to sleep easier.

Reduce the impact of mental health conditions Exercise can do as much for our minds as it does for our bodies. Recently, fear of catching COVID-19, isolation, and bereavement can all have had a negative effect on our mental health.

That's where physical activity comes in. It is already used as an alternative treatment for depression, providing a useful coping strategy when dealing with mental issues. The pick-me-up it gives is down to the endorphins - the body’s own feel good chemical - that are released during exercise, bringing our mood up.

Combat dementia Physical activity has been identified as a protective factor against the dementia, with the combined results of 11 studies showing that regular exercise reduced the risk of developing dementia by 30%, and 45% for Alzheimer’s.

For those who have already developed the disease it can help delay further decline in functioning.

The gradual ending of lockdown is

the perfect opportunity to resume exercise or to start something new.

The Department of Health recommend 75 minutes of vigorous, or 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week for a healthy body and mind.

For more exercise guidance and advice, head to the NHS website.

For the benefits of exercise for our mental health, you can find out more on the Mental Health Foundation website.

If you want to improve your health and wellbeing, why not join our Derby City Council leisure facilities?

The Derby Active team provide qualified health and wellbeing advice to everyone, including a free 8 week plan tailored toindividuals goals.

Find out more visit the Derby Active website.

All Derby Active facilities operate within governments COVID-19 guidance to ensure a safe environment for people to exercise and feel safe. For those who want to exercise but are not ready to come back into facilities, the Derby Active App has free classes, tips for exercise and lots of information.

You can download it now from the Google Play Store or the IOS App store, and you can find more information on the InDerby website.

The App is part of InDerby so you can also find out about parks, libraries and Derby LIVE, which can all help support your wellbeing.

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Markeaton Paddling Pool Will Return This Summer One of the most loved facilities at Markeaton Park, the paddling pool at Mundy Play Centre

visitors return.

The paddling pool will be open daily from 10.30am – 4.00 pm until Sunday 5

will reopen to the public from 10.30am on Friday 23rd July. Before opening,

September. During opening hours, Park Rangers will be checking and monitoring the pool and water quality every hour to make sure the water stays safe. However, if high volumes of visitors begin to impact the quality of the water, temporary fencing may be used to limit the

the pool itself will undergo some routine maintenance such as jet washing and cleaning and any repairs that are needed. All this ensures the pool is at its best when

number of people using the pool until the water quality can be restored. Council colleagues will also be on hand each day to supervise the pool. The grassed area around the paddling pool will also be available to use as well as other attractions in Markeaton Park including: • Mundy Play Centre • The Orangery Café • Mini golf • Superhero Trails • Love Exploring • And all the beautiful walks and gardens You can find out more about what’s on offer at Markeaton Park on the InDerby website.

The Splash Pad in Chaddesden Park will also reopen to visitors on Saturday 24th July and

We Back Electric Bike Scheme Rural Action Derbyshire is based in Matlock and for 15 years has been running a scheme called Wheels to Work. The scheme provides transport solutions for people who struggle to get to work or training because of a lack of suitable public or private transport. This problem can be particularly acute in isolated rural communities.

Wheels to Work already offers moped loans, reconditioned bicycles, and help towards transport costs in some circumstances. The addition of six electric bikes will be welcomed by users needing to travel greater distances and in hilly terrain.

We have contributed £52,500 to help fund Wheels to Work this year and some of the money will be used to pay for this initial e-bike pilot. Laura Mitchell, Wheels to Work Project

Laura Mitchell and Cllr Athwal

Manager said: “There are many well-known benefits to e-bikes, from environmental to health, but for us, it is the opportunity to offer an affordable transport solution to people in rural Derbyshire.” Derbyshire County Council Cabinet Member for Highways Assets and Transport, Kewal Singh Athwal said: “The introduction of electric bicycles to the Wheels to Work fleet is an excellent addition to their current offer. As well as improving transport options for people

in Derbyshire it also helps Derbyshire County Council meet its environmental commitment to cut carbon emissions and encourage the use of more sustainable modes of transport.”

There are a limited number of electric bicycles available now on a first-come firstserved basis. There is a small loan charge of £30 a week (£25 for students) and the scheme is open to anyone who is struggling with access to education, training, or employment in Derbyshire.

will be open daily between 12noon and 5.00pm until Sunday 5 September.

Similarly, to the Paddling Pool, user numbers may need to be managed during busy periods, again to ensure safety and water quality.

Councillor Jerry Pearce, Cabinet Member for Streetpride commented: We’re thrilled to announced that water play facilities in Markeaton and Chaddesden park will be able to safely reopen to families in time for the summer holidays.

Our teams are working hard to make sure processes are in place so that these areas are clean and safe for anyone visiting. Although legal restrictions are due to end on Monday 19 July, we’d still encourage families to observe considerate behaviours such as keeping their distance from people they don’t normally have contact with as well as regular handwashing.

Anyone who develops symptoms of COVID-19

should not visit parks or the facilities in them. They should self-isolate with their household and book a PCR

test at a local testing centre or request a postal PCR test kit online or by calling 119.

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Entries Now Open For The Collection Museum's Wildlife Photography Competition For the second year, the Collection Museum and Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust have launched their acclaimed Wildlife Photography competition.

The competition encourages entries from youngsters, nature lovers, smartphone photographers and amateur photographers. There are four categories for the exhibition including: neighbourhood wildlife, hidden Lincolnshire, water world and Young Wildlife Photographer (16 and under).

Andrea Martin, exhibitions manager at the Collection, comments: “We’re delighted to have teamed up with the Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust again to bring this brilliant competition back. "Lincolnshire has such a wide variety of wildlife and landscapes, so we're looking to see what amazing photographs people have taken.

"The winners of the competition will have their pictures show in a new exhibition at the North Sea Observatory, Chapel St Leonards as well as winning a £250 gift card. The overall winner will win a £500 gift card." This year’s esteemed judging panel comprises of acclaimed photographers, councillors, wildlife experts and researchers. Entries must be submitted by 5pm on 31 July 2021.

To enter, and for full details on competition rules and prizes visit www.thecollectionmuseum.com.

Two Plank Bridge And Footpath To Remain Open For Final Week Of School Term Two Plank Bridge and its connecting footpath are no longer set to close on Saturday 17 July.

Cllr Richard Davies, executive member for highways, said: "After meeting with the local MP and petitioners from the area, we've taken the decision to not close Two Plank Bridge until the summer holidays have

started – so towards the end of July or in August.

"This is good news for children and parents since it means bridge and path will remain open for the final week of the school term, making it easier to get back and forth.

"This will also allow the project team extra time to finalise land agreements for the scheme's north section,

which we expect to have signed and completed very soon.

"Once we have a confirmed date for when the closure at Two Plank will start, we'll share it straight away to ensure

everyone that uses this route has as much time as possible to prepare."

The closure of Two Plank

Bridge and the connecting footpath is still expected to last up to eighteen months from when it is shut.

For more information about the Spalding Western Relief Road project, visit www. lincolnshire.gov.uk/swrr.

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Open Air Cinema Returns To Lincoln Castle

Wave goodbye to sitting room movies and say hello to watching under the stars as the Luna

Cinema returns.

The Luna Cinema is returning to Lincoln Castle from Thu 30 September to Sun 3 October with a

line-up of classic and feelgood films to make your summer.

After months of staying indoors watching movies

on the small screen, it’s time to head outside for an unforgettable big-screen experience.

Throw in great food, a full bar, both with click and collect service, an optional seated upgrade, and of course giant screens with incredible state of the art sound, and you have yourself your perfect summer’s evening out.

So what are you waiting for?

Gather your friends, get planning that date night and enjoy a night of classic cinema under the stars, all set to the stunning backdrop of Lincoln Castle The programme of films for 2021 includes 80s classics Dirty Dancing and Top Gun, sci-fi blockbuster Star Wars: A New Hope and the smash-hit movie musical The Greatest Showman.

All tickets must be booked in advance and due to social distancing capacities are limited, so book your place early to avoid missing out!

EAST KIRKBY AIR SHOW Lincolnshire’s BIGGEST independent air show

Sat 7th Aug 2021 WWW.LINCSAVIATION.CO.UK

01790 763207 Warbirds - Trade Stands - Vehicles - Aerobatics INCL. SPITFIRE, HURRICANE, THE BLADES and more!

Over 4 hours of flying raising funds for Avro Lancaster NX611 ‘Just Jane’ Adult - £21.00 Child - £6.00 Pre-booked Adult - £25.00 on the gate

Tickets available now!!

Longer Opening Hours For Libraries And Museums Following Lockdown Easing Rutland’s network of libraries, Rutland County Museum and Oakham Castle will return to longer opening hours from Monday 19 July, following the easing of most national

COVID-19 restrictions.

From next week, Oakham Library will return to opening 44 hours a week, from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 1pm on Saturdays.

This represents a substantial increase from the 12 hours a week in place since stringent COVID safety measures were introduced in November.

Branch Log Cabins | Caravan Site (CL) libraries in Book online: www.lodgecountrypark.org.uk Uppingham, Main Street, Market Overton, Rutland, LE15 7PL

Ketton and Ryhall, as well as Rutland County Museum and Oakham Castle, will also enjoy longer opening hours.

A Library Home Delivery Service will continue to operate in place of Rutland’s previous Mobile Library. This means that free online and home delivery services are still available to any registered members who are unable to visit libraries in person.

“We are delighted to be able to get our libraries, museum and castle back to longer opening hours, following the end of most national COVID restrictions. It’s important

that we do this with the safety of staff and service users in mind, so will be asking visitors to be respectful of the new guidelines. Please wear face coverings in crowded places, continue to wash and sanitise your hands regularly and stay home and get a test if you have any COVID symptoms. We’ve waited a long time to return to some kind of normality but we must continue to take care and follow precautions.

Councillor Lucy Stephenson, Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure at Rutland County Council

For more information about these services, please visit: www.rutland.gov.uk/libraries or ring Oakham Library on 01572 722918, email libraries@rutland.gov.uk For information about changes to other Rutland County Council services following the lifting of nation COVID restrictions, please visit: www.rutland. gov.uk. The customer

service desk at the Council’s Catmose offices in Oakham remains closed to members of the public while it is being used as Rutland’s COVID-19 vaccination centre.

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Yorkshire Air Museum

The Yorkshire Air Museum has burst back to life celebrating the wonder of Aviation, which we proudly proclaim as Yorkshire’s greatest invention! Did you know that the aeroplane was first invented in our own county?

Museum Director Barbara George explains: “Scarborough born nobleman George Cayley was so inspired by the passenger carrying hot air balloons of the Mongolfier brothers in France that he

defined the principles for a ‘flying machine’ in 1799, designing the very first outline of a ‘conventional’ aeroplane with fixed wings, a ‘fuselage’ and using the acts of propulsion and lift as individual functions to make it fly.”

This ultimately led to the creation of his full-size glider which, in 1853, made the first man-carrying flight at his family home at Brompton by Sawdon.

The Museum is proud to display the unique replica

of this amazing craft which now takes take centre place in our huge hangar, strikingly mounted on a plinth, along with other iconic Yorkshire designed aircraft, such as the Blackburn Buccaneer, the last of a long line of aircraft from the company founded

by Leeds born Robert Blackburn, and, of course, own unique WWII Halifax Mk. III bomber, “Friday the 13th”.

This is so named after the most successful Halifax,

flying from its Yorkshire base at RAF Lissett near Bridlington.

We know you will be inspired after visiting our wonderful museum, based on an original WWII Bomber Command base, with all the history and heritage of the period.

Enjoy discovering our amazing aircraft collection amongst our extensive, spacious grounds and take a stroll around our woodland nature area. Discover a tranquil, fragrant spot in our ‘Jardin des Papillons’ or Memorial Rose Gardens and enjoy a family picnic on our lawns.

Open Daily 10:00am to 17:00pm. (Winter

10:00am – 16:00pm) Admission: £12 Adults, £5 Child (4-17). Family £30

(2A + up to 3 Children.)

Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence Award.

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Dare To Enter The Kingdom Of The Dinosaurs Dino Kingdom, Nottinghamshire

Come and experience our new exhibitions!

Beautiful grounds to explore Open Fridays and Saturdays, 11am - 3pm No booking required Adults £6 Children under 14 FREE museumoftimekeeping.org.uk info@museumoftimekeeping.org.uk 01636 817607 @timekeepingmus

Upton Hall, Main Street, Upton, Nottinghamshire, NG23 5TE

A rare chance to walk among the dinosaurs on a Jurassic journey of discovery in a brand new immersive outdoor experience is coming to Nottinghamshire.

Dino Kingdom takes over Thoresby Park for two weeks this autumn with 100 prehistoric beasts set to be unleashed to roam across the plains and

woodlands of the beautiful historic landscape.

The epic adventure will bring ancient history back to life with jaw-droppingly realistic dinosaurs including the gigantic T-rex, King of the Jurassic era, and all kinds of other animatronic creatures that can move and roar!

Coming from the creators of the award-winning Lightopia Festival, this will be a chance to journey back millions of years to the time when these majestic beasts reigned over the land and see them as they would have lived in a natural outdoor habitat.

Technology will bring the prehistoric world to life with loads of innovative features packed into the state of the art experience from 3D anatomy mapping to a nerve jangling encounter with holographic dinosaurs hiding amongst the ancient woodlands.

Offering a perfect blend of education and entertainment, Dino Kingdom visitors will discover all kinds of things about these amazing creatures inside and out as they are brought to life in a completely new and exciting way. A Dino Kingdom app has been created for the Jurassic journey with loads of content to give a unique

15-31 October 2021

insight into how dinosaurs lived, millions of years ago.

As well as the natural outdoor setting, there will be indoor activities including lots of fun interactive features from designing a dinosaur to see it come to life in a virtual kingdom or feeding the hungry beasts in a Dino Keeper VR experience.

An excavation sand pit for budding paleontologists, dinosaur eggs, fossils, smouldering volcanoes, a giant dinosaur skeleton head and a walk-through fossil tunnel as well as fairground rides for all ages and plenty of family friendly food and drink look set to make this an unforgettable experience.

With more than two thirds of the tickets for the inaugural Dino Kingdom opening in Manchester already sold three weeks ahead of the opening date, organisers are confident the event will be welcomed by dinosaur fans of all ages when it arrives in Nottingham.

Dino Kingdom creator Ian Xiang said: “We can’t wait to bring our Dino Kingdom to Nottinghamshire as we know how much families and friends will appreciate the chance to enjoy a safe outdoor experience together that will capture the imagination of all ages.

Forget the dusty museums of old, this is a totally new way of getting up close and personal to these fantastic beasts that will last long in the memory.”

A sign up page offering access to early birds tickets is now live . Sign up here www.dinokingdom.com to secure a 20 percent discount on tickets, and to keep with all the latest updates.

Dino Kingdom Thoresby is coming for two weeks only from 15 to 31 October 2021 with pre-booked timed slots available every day.

Advance tickets are priced at £15 for adults, £13 for children (under 3s are free) and £54 for a family ticket.

Join the Jurassic journey here: www.dinokingdom.com Facebook www.facebook.com/ dinokingdomuk Instagram www.instagram.com/ dinokingdomuk

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I can’t believe how quickly this year is going, but there’s still plenty of outdoor summer fun to be had across the county, so let's make the most of it by putting some events in the diary.

Arboretum Sunset, at the Arboretum Garden Bar and Bandstand brought to you by DHP Family, the organisers behind Splendour Festival and Dot To Dot Festival, continues every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through until Sun 5 Sept, a diverse entertainment programme, features world-renowned musicians, established comedians, food and drink festivals, yoga and wellness sessions, and much more.

The event space features two container bars and rotating street-food vendors, centered around the park’s iconic bandstand.

The spacious outdoor location means that, even if social distancing measures are still in place, all events will be able to safely go ahead as scheduled.

The Gloworm Festival returns this year for a 2-day event specially created for families with little ones.

You are invited to come and play in a warm, welcoming, and creative environment, lose your inhibitions, let your hair down and have some fun at Thoresby Park (14-15 Aug). Wollaton Hall and Deer Park have a number of events lined up.

There’s still time to catch open-air theatre in the grounds with Mr Stink (30 Jul), Much Ado About Nothing (8 Aug), Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (10 Aug) Careful where you go though because you might come face to face with a T-Rex!!

(4 Jul – 31 Aug 2022) Titus: T. rex is King is an extraordinary exhibition, showcasing the first real Tyrannosaurus rex to be displayed in England for over a century.

Newstead Abbey meanwhile has open-air theatre too with Mr Stink (6 Aug), Wind in the Willows (11 Aug).

Say goodbye to the sitting room cinema and hello to

enjoy a pint, prosecco, or specialty cocktail from one of the bars, then sit back and enjoy the short films in the open-air on the huge LED cinema screen. Nott's Maze

Tickets are available online and should be purchased before arriving at the venue.

Notts Maze also has Forestry School 2021 – Suitable for 5-10-year-olds during

family nature trail, book a guided walk with the Sheriff of Nottingham or join the Story of Sherwood Walk to find out more about the forest's history and the

the cinema under the stars!

As various locations around Notts are offering outdoor cinema events this summer.

Enjoy a cinematic adventure with socially spacious outdoor cinema at Newstead Abbey which includes Rocky Horror (24 Jul) and Dirty Dancing (25 Jul) and there are more films down at the Victoria Embankment (15-18 Jul) with the first Film & Food Festival.

Sample some delicious street food from a wide range of local vendors, and

has announced outdoor cinema in partnership with Sunset Cinema Club too!​ Fresh popcorn is available at the café as well as the full café menu and licenced bar.

Food vendors offering tasty, hot food are on-site for all cinema nights. Bring your camping chairs, choose a spot in the woodland, and indulge in your favourite film.

Customers are allowed to bring their own picnic and drinks, however, no glass is allowed in the woodland.

August, September, and October, and also Lazer Days in August. Head to Sherwood Forest for a full season of events and activities as part of the RSPB's Big Wild Summer - 30 July – Sunday 5 September. Throughout the school holidays, a host of reenactors and performers will provide medieval entertainment, bringing the age of Robin Hood and his Merry Band alive.

Challenge yourself to solve the Outlaw puzzle on the

amazing wildlife that makes a home in this ancient forest.

You can also take part in an ever-changing list of activities from archery to face painting, axe throwing to a climbing wall.

Get ready for a wild time in the home of Robin Hood.

This summer we also welcome the return of Pride with a colourful parade, live music, and inspiring speeches and performances; go along and help celebrate (31 Jul) The Theatre Royal reopened its doors at the beginning of the summer.

As things continue to return to some kind of normality, The Theatre Royal welcomes Tell Me On A Sunday, charting the romantic misadventures of a young English girl in New York in the heady days of the 1980s. (10 Aug -14 Aug) Ready to thrill you with fun and naughty moments, Richard O’Brien’s legendary rock ‘n’ roll musical, The Rocky Horror Show returns next door to the concert hall (10-15 Aug) One of the

world’s best-loved musicals Grease is back! Grittier and more glamorous than ever before, this brand-new production is direct from a sell-out and critically acclaimed run at Leicester Curve. (17-21 Aug) There’s a very special Evening With show by Iron Maiden singer, Bruce Dickinson on his firstever UK spoken word tour (8 Aug) Laughs are courtesy of Jimmy Carr who visits the Concert Hall (27 Jul-29 Jul) Down the road, at The Motorpoint Arena, we’re celebrating a fantastic 22 years touring of Beyond The Barricade, the UK’s longest-running Musical Theatre Concert Tour which features past principal performers from Les Miserables and delivers over two hours of the best of Broadway and the West End, ending of course with a stunning finale from Les Mis. (1 Aug) Local tours recommence including The Robin Hood Town Tour, The Ghost Walk, The Creswell Crags Cave Tours, and the recently reopened and refurbished Nottingham Castle hosts “Hello, My Name is Paul Smith” the first of its world-class Temporary Exhibitions program (runs until Feb 2022) It reveals how local lad Paul’s intuitive take on design, alongside his understanding of the roles of designer and retailer, has laid the foundations for lasting success. It will offer visitors a unique insight into the magnificent mind of Paul Smith. Made up of over 1,500 objects which span the British designer’s vast career, the exhibition focuses on a series of key themes and objects that have defined the history of Paul Smith. Unless stated, always assume there is a charge for the event. I would still recommend you ring ahead or check online before making any journeys, and adhere to and respect any social distancing measures that remain in place.

All details correct at the time of going to press.

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Time For A 'Reel' Relax

At Outdoor Cinemas

Unwind with family and friends this summer at Broxtowe’s popular outdoor cinema events.

Spread across five different locations from the 4th – 8th August, Mini Reel and Reel Outdoors are back. If you like animation or family friendly fun, then a Mini Reel afternoon showing is perfect for you and the kids. Films include Onward, Aladdin, Dolittle, Sonic the Hedgehog and Tom and Jerry - The Movie. Each film starts at 2.30pm and tickets are £5 for a space for up to six people. Enjoy the Reel Outdoors series of films with your friends. These evenings of film are a perfect way to enjoy the outdoors whilst watching quality cinema.

You can reminisce with the classic Dirty Dancing or if you like a good singalong, then Rocketman and Grease are the ones for you. Magic and crime go hand in hand with Now You See Me and if you like something a little

darker, then check out Joker.

Each film will begin at 7.30pm and tickets cost £10 per person. Gates will open 1.5 hours before each showing and sanitising stations will also be dotted around each site. Bring your own chairs and blankets and remember to wear appropriate clothing for the weather at that time of year. There will be toilets available at each site, as well as food and sweet stalls.

The events are organised

by L Leisure Events on behalf of Broxtowe Borough Council. Parking is available on all sites apart from the Lanes’ Recreation Ground in Awsworth. Bookings are live now at: www.lleisure. co.uk/events/mini-reel-kidsoutdoor-cinema. www.lleisure.co.uk/events/ reel-outdoor-cinema Mini Reel 2.30pm (Gates open at 1pm) £5 per space for up to six people Reel Outdoors 7.30pm (Gates open at 6pm) £10 per person (£8 concessions)

Wednesday 4th August Brinsley Recreation Ground, Church Lane, Nottingham, NG16 5AY Aladdin - 2019 (PG) 2hr 8min Joker - 2019 (15) 2hr 2m Thursday 5th August Hickings Lane Recreation Ground, Stapleford, NG9 8PJ Onward - 2020 (U) 3hr Grease - 1978 (PG) 1hr 50m Friday 6th August Jubilee Park, Church Street, Eastwood, NG16 3HR Sonic the Hedgehog - 2020 (PG) 1hr 39m Dirty Dancing - 1987 (12A) 1hr 38m Saturday 7th August Pit Lane Recreation Ground, Pit Lane, Trowell, NG9 3QG Tom & Jerry The Movie 2021 (PG) 1hr 41m Rocketman - 2019 (15) 2hr 1m Sunday 8th August Lanes Recreation Ground, Awsworth, NG16 2QQ Dolittle - 2020 (PG) 1hr 41m Now You See Me - 2013 (12A) 1hr 55m

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Maternity Services In The Spotlight At Health Scrutiny Committee Dr Keith Girling (Medical Director), Carol Drummond (Interim Director of Midwifery) and Michelle Rhodes (Chief Nurse) at Nottingham University Hospitals Trust gave a

progress report on their maternity services to the County Council’s Health Scrutiny Committee today.

In October 2020, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) undertook a review

of maternity services at Nottingham University Hospital (NUH) and in December 2020 published their report in which they re-rated NUH from ‘Requires Improvement’ to

‘Inadequate’ – along with regulatory notices requiring the Trust to take immediate actions to make the service safe for mothers and babies.

This topic was last on the agenda of the Health Scrutiny Committee on 9 March 2021 when Members heard that the Trust accepted there was evidence of longstanding concerns about maternity services and it had taken a range of actions to improve oversight of maternity services even before the ‘Inadequate’ rating had been issued, given the Prevention of Further Deaths Report issued in September 2020. In addition, the Trust’s Improvement Plan has the ambition to move to a ‘Good’ rating by the end of 2021.

Dr Girling, Carol Drummond and Michelle Rhodes attended today to update the committee on their action plan, which included a range of measures such as: • recruitment of additional midwives including a substantive Director of Midwifery due to start in post on the 21st June • daily escalation meetings to ensure staffing safe for the women needing care • additional training on fetal heart rate monitoring (approx. 500 staff) progressing well with expected completion by end of May • purchase of 51 new fetal

heart rate monitors, which are being rolled out into clinical areas as they are configured and training is complete.

• new IT devices being deployed across the service with improvement in community WiFi, to be supported by newly appointed digital midwives.

Councillor Sue Saddington, Chair of Health Scrutiny Committee, said: “I am grateful to the representatives from NUH for coming to update us today, but what I’ve heard and read does give me some cause for concern. I feel that the report we have seen today is not detailed enough and I would like to see much more at our meeting in October, such as the level of training the new midwives have, what type of incidents have taken place, details about after care. We need to make sure that ladies and their babies are safe.”

Dr Keith Girling, Medical Director at NUH, said: “This is all about women and all about babies and making this service right for them. I’m pleased to report we have made a number of appointments into midwifery – 39 since September last year. We are still working with other local providers at recruitment opportunities to fill the remaining gaps.

We have been working to hear the voices of women throughout this

process and have much better links with mothers about their experiences.

“We have had some progress since our last time in March; the CQC revisited us a few weeks ago and have removed the section 29 improvement notice on the basis of the improvements they have seen. We’re very mindful that there’s still much that needs to be done and that this is not something that’s going to be quick to fix. We are now looking at a transformational programme to create a culture that is safe for women, safe for babies and safe for staff.”

NUH will report back to Health Scrutiny Committee in October (date to be confirmed). In the meantime, NUH representatives have invited Committee members to visit maternity units at their Queen’s Medical Centre and City Hospital Campuses.

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Planning For Your Wedding Day 2022 As couples plan for their big 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. Book your reception venue/ caterers. Choose your Bridesmaids, Ushers and Best Man. Start looking for The Dress!. Choose and book your photographer 8 months before…

Choose bridesmaids’ dresses Book entertainment Choose and order your wedding cake

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

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

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

Arrange a final fitting of your wedding dress your bridesmaids, ushers and best man.

Enjoy your hen and stag parties!

2 weeks before...

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

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

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Page 25.

5 HEALTHY WEIGHT LOSS TIPS FOR 2021 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.myelitehealth.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 home-cooked meals.

This is a great way of sticking to your healthy

diet plan and keeping your weight in check.

• Sleep at the Proper Time It might sound funny, but sleep deprivation can cause you to pack on the pounds. In fact, research demonstrates that getting less than seven to eight hours of sleep every night can actually slow down your metabolism! So stick to a regular sleep schedule in the next year for a leaner, fitter you.

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Page 26.

Long Awaited New School Hall At East Markham Primary School Pupils and teachers at East Markham Primary School are thrilled with the opening of their new school hall.

The expansion at the Grade II listed Victorian building has been the subject of a long campaign by Nottinghamshire County Council, the school being one of only a few in the area with no school hall.

Councillor Tracey Taylor, Chairman of the Children and Young People’s Committee, said that the “fantastic expansion had been a long time coming”.

Cllr Taylor added: “The school has campaigned over the years with great tenacity and with help from local councillor John Ogle”.

The building, as well as a new classroom and upgrade of the school’s dining facilities, was funded with £1.4m from the council’s basic need fund.

Headteacher Mrs Laura Duggin said the staff and pupils at the community

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school, which is maintained

by Nottinghamshire County Council, were “delighted with its new hall, classroom and kitchen and are looking forward to using these facilities for many events in the future”.

Mrs Duggin added: “It’s such an invaluable resource for us.

We’re growing in numbers as a school and we’re so excited for the benefits that the new hall will bring to our community.

“It means that children can have their lunch together, be taught top quality PE lessons in bad weather, perform

plays and concerts on the school premises and have an appropriate space to meet and hold celebrations, such as good work assemblies.

“We’re looking forward to the opportunities our new space allows us and are excited to use this moving forward”.

Freya (Year 4) and Dixie (Year 2) love their new school hall because they can now “eat lunch and talk to [their] friends”.

Seth (Year 1) and Billy (Reception) like its “big windows” and how they can now partake in “lots more activities”.

The construction was a joint venture formed by Nottinghamshire County Council and SCAPE which delivers design, construction, and asset management services to the council’s property portfolio.

Sara Williams, Head of PreConstruction said: “We are very proud to have designed and delivered the hall extension, classroom and

kitchen, providing an invaluable resource for the pupils and teachers at East Markham School.

“Building our experience in the heritage sector and working with Nottinghamshire County Council, G F Tomlinson and East Markham School, we’ve created a truly collaborative working partnership which has delivered a complex project on schedule.”

As a result of the new additional space, the school’s published admissions number (PAN) has risen from 20 to 30 pupils, which sees overall capacity rising from 150 to 210 from reception to year six (ages four to 11).

These additional places will help meet modern demographic needs of the Tuxford Primary Planning Area - comprising of East Markham, Dunham C of E and Tuxford primary schools. It has experienced significant growth in the past ten years due to housebuilding in the area and this trend is expected to continue.

The new school hall and improvements to kitchen facilities will see an increase in the number of children having school meals whilst at school.

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Page 27.

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Page 28.

Council Celebrates A Year Of Success Ashfield District Council has performed above and beyond over the past 12 months.

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the Council has not only continued to deliver high quality services across the District but also additional services such as payment of covid-19 business grants and making our high streets safe for shoppers Cllr Jason Zadrozny, Leader of Ashfield District Council said: “Despite the pandemic Ashfield District Council successfully continued the delivery of all its services through the pandemic, the only Council in Nottinghamshire to achieve this.

“The Council sets out its ambitions and priorities for the next few years in the Corporate Plan. This is reviewed every year to ensure we are delivering on our priorities and to the standard expected by residents.”

Over the past 12 months the Council has worked together

vering Now Delial and r in Cent otts South N

effectively as ‘one council’, re-deploying staff into important roles outside of their normal duties to ensure services continued, as well as delivering humanitarian services to vulnerable residents across the District.

Successes delivered by Ashfield District Council in the past 12 months include: • Through the Ashfield Community Fund over £40,000 was distributed to the Community and Voluntary sector in Ashfield, to help them support residents negatively impacted by Covid.

• £70,000 Infrastructure grants distributed to Our Centre, Under one Roof, and Ashfield Citizen’s Advice.

• Work has commenced on two new affordable council housing developments.

A 22 unit development of family homes and adapted bungalows and a further nine homes, including a four adapted bungalows.

• We have been the lead authority in securing £1m Rough Sleeper Initiative

funding for improvement opportunities and support for rough sleepers and those threatened with rough sleeping across the county.

• Confirmed that £62.6 million has been secured for Ashfield as part of the government’s Towns Fund.

Together with funding secured from the Towns Fund Accelerator Fund and the recently announced Future High Streets Fund of £6.27m, over £70m has now been secured for Ashfield.

• Successfully bid for £1m funding to improve thermal efficiency ratings of domestic properties, both Council owned and private sector.

• 46% all housing repairs appointments made were kept and 99.37% of emergencies repairs were attended to in government timeframes.

• Supporting high street businesses through the pandemic we have employed Covid Information Officers.

From last July to early May 2021 over 3,200 visits were

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made offering advice and guidance to retailers, small businesses and licenced premises.

• Offered a range of business support and dealt with over 1,270 business support enquiries throughout the year.

• A successful Big Spring Clean campaign in February 2021.

• Street cleanliness in our town centres continue to meet excellent standards with all our town centres maintaining a high grade in street cleanliness.

• We responded to 6,069 reports of anti-social and nuisance behaviour between April 2020 and March 2021.

A 38% increase compared to the previous year, impacted by periods of lockdown.

• Support was provided to businesses throughout all phases of the pandemic, through the administration of a variety of business grants.

Over 7,300 payments have been made to businesses, with a total value of £30m.

• Received and processed 1,286 test and trace claims, enabling £191,000 to be paid in test and trace grants.

• Making it easier to request

and receive Council services on-line Cllr Zadrozny continues: “The pandemic has had a huge impact on how the Council delivers its services, but from the beginning we were committed to residents still receiving the high level of service they expect. The Council has fantastic officers who have worked above and beyond during the past year and I want to thank them for all their hard work.”

The next 12 months are set to be an exciting time for the Council with a range of major projects completing and even more starting.

The Leisure Transformation programme will see the improvement works at Lammas and Hucknall Leisure Centres completed.

Building work at the new Kirkby Leisure Centre will continue, with everything on track for a 2022 opening.

Housing projects bringing over 70 new social housing homes to the District will start or be completed.

Over £500k in investments will continue in our parks and green spaces, including the opening of the new Hornbeam Park in Kirkby

Moor Market, the new indoor market on Kirkby will open offering a range of artisan traders and fresh barista made coffee.

Projects funded by the Towns Fund and Future High Streets Fund will move forward including the Automated Distribution and manufacturing Centre, Renovating Sutton Community Academy theatre and the creation of a maker space.

Cllr Zadrozny is looking forward to another year of success for the Council, saying: “The Council has so many amazing projects in the pipeline at the moment.

The £62.6mTowns Fund funding is going to have a significant impact on the whole area, our leisure offer is set to some of the best in the area and we are committed to adding new, high quality housing to our housing stock. “The Council is committed to making Ashfield a nice place to live, work and visit. We are proud of all we achieved last year, and excited for what we will deliver in the next 12 months.”

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Page 29.

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Page 30.

Forest Chairman Elected To EFL Board Nottingham Forest Chairman, Nicholas Randall QC, Preston North End Director, Peter Ridsdale, and Middlesbrough Chief Executive, Neil Bausor have been voted onto the EFL Board to represent Sky Bet Championship Clubs.

Club representation on the EFL Board is voted for by the 24 Clubs in their respective divisions, comprising three Directors from the Sky Bet Championship, two Directors from Sky Bet League One and one Director from Sky Bet League Two. Fleetwood Town Chief Executive, Steven Curwood,

Burton Albion’s NonExecutive Director, Jez Moxey, and Carlisle United’s Director of External Affairs, John Nixon, will continue to serve as representatives for Sky Bet Leagues One and Two. The League representatives are joined on the EFL Board

by EFL Chair, Rick Parry, EFL Chief Executive, Trevor Birch, Senior Independent Non-Executive Director, Debbie Jevans CBE, and Independent Non-Executive Director, Simon Bazelgette.

The vacancies in the Championship came about as a result of the resignations of Nigel Howe (Reading) and Stephen Pearce (Derby

County) whilst Mark Ashton departed following his move from Bristol City to Ipswich Town.

EFL Chair, Rick Parry said: “I’d like to once again thank those departing for the contribution they have all made during their tenure on the Board. We now move forward and welcome three new and highly experienced individuals to represent Championship Clubs.

“There remain some big challenges ahead, particularly as we await the outcome of the Fan Led Review, seek fairer financial distribution across the pyramid and re-open our stadiums to supporters at the start of the domestic season in a few weeks’ time but I have no doubt that their understanding of the key issues and their knowledge of the footballing landscape will prove invaluable for the EFL at this time.”

From Merthyr To Carlton

With the euphoria of the 2020 European Championship now over Carlton Town have now returned to their pre-season schedule before hopefully the return to normality and a full and uninterrupted season. The main highlight will be a visit to Stoke Lane on the 24th July from Merthyr Town of the Southern League Premier Division South. This fixture has long been anticipated for a while now due to the quality of the opposition and also due to the fact that

there is a family connection between both clubs. Phil Jennings of the Carlton Town backroom staff had a distant uncle William Jennings whom captained ‘The Martyrs’ as they are known during the 1920-21 & 1921-22 seasons when the club were first elected into the realms of the professional game. William was a custodian of Bulwell and at just under six feet tall a strong and robust centre-half who started his career in the local leagues before being spotted by

Notts County in 1909. He would eventually join ‘The Magpies’ in 1913 initially as a centre-forward before reverting to the role that he became accustomed to throughout his career. His path during his fourteen years in the game would see him combine his duties within the Royal Garrison Artillery during World War One as well as still playing the beautiful game when he was allowed to. A Second Division Championship winner with Notts County in 1913-14 would see him

still with the club throughout the war until it’s ending in 1918 where he would remain playing as the league at this time was regionalised. The following season saw him at Norwich City in 1919-20 where he would be joined by his brother Sam before both would move on to separate clubs after only one season. Sam would move to Middlesborough for a fee of £2,500 whilst William would head to Wales and to Pennydarren Park the home of Merthyr Town for the 1920-21 season.

Merthyr Town were formed in 1908 and made Pennydarren Park their home. The club started their first season in the South Wales League Division One where they would finish fourth out of eight teams over a fourteen game season. They would also play in a parallel league this season, the Rhymney Valley and District League where they would play nine fixtures finishing fourth out of six teams. They would then move up to the Second Division of the Southern League and also to the Western League the

following season. They would win the South Wales Cup in 1911-12 & 1913-14 but were disqualified from the latter due to fielding an illegible player.

The club would maintain their status in this code until 1920-21 when the newly formed Third Division South came into the football pyramid. After their successful election the club embarked on their first season professionally and would finish a creditable eighth position within the league. William was an everpresent in the team bar one fixture and would score once ironically against Luton Town, the team two years later that he would captain also.

He would remain at the club for the following season leading the team to a mid-division finish before moving on to pastures new at Kenilworth Road. Merthyr would establish themselves in the football league for another eight seasons after his departure before a syndicate determined that the club should return to the Southern League. The club would fold in 1934

and return in 1945 under the name Merthyr Tydfil F.C. which they would be known as until 2010 where they would be forced into liquidation.

They would drop back into the Western League, be forced to switch grounds for one season before returning back to Pennydarren Park in 2011 and return to the name Merthyr Town. In 2015 they returned to the Southern League Premier Division where they continue to ply their trade to this day.

Article by Phil Jennings

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Page 31.

Dane Murphy Appointed Chief Executive Officer Nottingham Forest are delighted to today announce the appointment of Dane Murphy as Chief Executive Officer.

Murphy has joined The Reds after a two-year stint as CEO at Barnsley. Under his leadership, The Tykes were transformed into a promotion-chasing side, qualifying for the play-offs last season only to be narrowly defeated over two legs by Swansea.

Nottingham Forest Chairman, Nicholas Randall, QC, said: “We are delighted to confirm that Dane has joined us today in the role of CEO. He was the outstanding candidate with an impressive track record in the game. His work at Barnsley was widely recognised within football as being exemplary and his role in turning around the fortunes of the club in such a short space of time is testament to his vision and talent.

“His broad experience within the game as both player and executive provides him with an insight which will be of huge benefit to Nottingham Forest. He is also a man of great character and I am personally delighted at news of Dane’s arrival and everyone at the club is looking forward to working with him.

“The Board would like to pay tribute to the tireless work of Ioannis Vrentzos during his four years as CEO. Ioannis leaves his position with the club in a significantly stronger

position than when he arrived. In particular securing Category One status in the Academy and what we are confident will soon be a successful planning application for the development of The City Ground will stand the test of time for future generations as true marks of the progress made under his leadership.

“We are grateful that Ioannis will remain a director and we can continue to rely on his experience of European football and his love for Nottingham Forest at Board level.

“We are delighted at having secured a character such as Dane to lead the club through its next stages of development and to have such a dynamic and progressive individual in our key executive role. To have beaten off the interest from other clubs again illustrates the commitment of the owner to the club. Mr Marinakis and all of us at the club are excited about what Dane will bring to Nottingham Forest.”

Dane Murphy, Nottingham

Forest CEO, said: “I am deeply honoured to be appointed CEO of Nottingham Forest.

“It is a historic club with global recognition. It is humbling that Mr Marinakis has placed his trust in me to lead the club forward. It is a unique opportunity and I can’t wait to get started.

“To the supporters, I look forward to meeting you and representing your club. It has been such a difficult time for you and, as I can already see by your unwavering support in renewing season cards, this is a very special club.

“We are on the precipice of something really tremendous and this city deserves it with its’ loyal fanbase and fantastic supporters globally.

“However, the work starts now. We have transfer business to conduct with Chris Hughton who is an extremely well respected, experienced and successful manager at the highest levels of the game.

“We have a challenging but exciting journey ahead of us. I can assure every supporter of this football

club that everybody fortunate to work at and represent your club will not rest until we bring you the success that you deserve.”

Please see club social media channels at 10am for an exclusive interview with Dane Murphy.

Dane Murphy biography Murphy, 35, was born in Redding, Connecticut, USA. He was a professional footballer for eight seasons, initially in the MLS for DC United, then for VfL Osnabruck in Germany, before returning to the US to play for New York Cosmos.

His career in football administration has included senior technical and recruitment roles at the MLS, New York Cosmos, Real Salt Lake and DC United before being appointed the youngest serving CEO in the Championship when he joined Barnsley in 2019.

In his first season at Oakwell, Barnsley stayed in the Championship with the lowest budget in the league and then finished fifth in his second season, the club’s highest finish for over 20 years.

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Page 32.

Lolley’s Return Could See Him Back To His Best

Written by Steve Corry Nottingham Forest’s lack of activity in the transfer market doesn’t particularly bother me given the countless mistakes of the past few seasons. The return of one player will be like a new signing in my opinion, that man is Joe Lolley.

It’s a sentiment shared by others too, I remember similar quotes being posted on social media when he announced his return to training toward the end of last season.

As I mentioned from the outset, the lack of summer signings is probably a good thing given the proposed changes in the board room, for once, there seems to be an err of caution and pragmatism which is a welcome relief to be honest.

As far as Joe Lolley is concerned, I can’t wait to see him back in a Forest shirt this season, despite tearing his hamstring in March of the previous campaign it’s fair to say, and the player himself has

admitted as much, that he wasn’t firing on all cylinders prior to the injury against Reading. The 28-year-old had been one of the most reliable performers before the pandemic but gradually seemed to fade away before his hamstring woe.

You couldn’t quite put your finger on it, but something was a miss with the former Premier League player.

Suddenly, his ability to change games courtesy of a jinking run and assist, or textbook screamer from outside the box had all but dried up. As always, his attitude and application were spot on, something that resonates well with the City Ground faithful. Lolley had a few knocks here and there but continued to get himself fit enough to play, perhaps that was the problem.

Sometimes you must listen to your body, especially if you’re an elite athlete like the Forest winger. In this case it was unavoidable given his hamstring injury and subsequent surgery upon it. He could do nothing but take time out and rehabilitate, something that may well be the key to a return to brilliance.

Brilliance is not an overstatement either; unquestionably, the game that most epitomises Joe Lolley’s time at Nottingham Forest is the 5-5 draw away at Aston Villa. In arguably

the most entertaining match in NFFC’s long and illustrious history, Lolley, a self-confessed Aston Villa supporter, engineered four assists and scored the goal of the season with a trademark howitzer.

Sadly, for myself and the other 600 or so Forest supporters who lined the terraces at Alfreton Town last week there was to be no glimpse of Joe Lolley in the

stunning new away jersey.

That said, take a minute to absorb the context of this paragraph, Forest fans back in a stadium watching their beloved tricky trees was a sight to behold at the Impact Arena. The sun shone brightly as “mist rolling in from the Trent” reverberated around the tiny stadium in Derbyshire, a taste of what’s to come after the lifting of Covid restrictions but one that certainly gets the juices flowing!

I’ve never been naive enough to pass judgment

upon pre-season friendlies, regardless of the performance levels, personnel or indeed the result. It’s futile and serves no purpose to attach any gravitas to such an occasion.

For the record, Nottingham Forest scraped home with a 2-1 victory thanks to goals from Brennan Johnson and Will Swan, respectively. As expected, there were a few “blowing” as the afternoon temperature cranked up by the minute, but Chris Hughton’s men accomplished a good run out and without injuries too.

Ironically, almost two years to the very day and on the same pitch, João Carvalho suffered a serious injury as Forest were again victorious by two goals to one. There was no such disappointment for the pint-sized Portuguese as he made his return to Forest from an uninspiring loan spell at Almeria in Spain. He’s a player who certainly divides opinion but

one that received a warm welcome from the fans, whether he can prove his doubters wrong remains to be seen but he’s available for selection that’s for sure.

Usually, at this time of year I make my perennial prediction as to where in the Championship table the Reds will finish. Being the eternal optimist it’s always way off the mark as I tout a top six finish in the hope of play-off glory and a return to the Premier League.

However, I’ve finally opted for some realism and gone for a 15th place disappointment.

If my league table projection is depressing, the return to a packed-out City Ground is the polar opposite, just being able to cheer the lads on without restrictions or social distancing will feel like a European Cup win.

The icing on the cake for me will be the return of Joe Lolley, rested, rehabilitated and raring to go!

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