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Gedling Conservatives select Tom Randall as candidate to take on Labour’s Vernon Coaker in next election

A former Oxford student from Arnold is set to take on Labour to stand as a Conservative parliamentary candidate in Gedling at the next general election.

Tom Randall has now been selected as the Conservative candidate for Gedling by members of Gedling Conservative Association.

Tom grew up and was educated in Arnold. He went on to read law at Oxford and currently works for a professional membership body.

Mr Randall said he will focus his campaign on championing the benefits of Brexit, ‘so our country gets back on the road to a brighter future.’

BATTLE: Mr Randall will have to defeat Vernon Coaker MP to claim the Gedling seat in the next election

He also wants to ensure Gedling gets its share of the 20,000 new police officers announced by the Prime Minister and ‘making sure they have the powers to keep local streets safe’.

Mr Randall said: “I am delighted to be selected as the Conservative candidate for Gedling, I feel very privileged to have the opportunity to represent the place I call home.”

“I believe in serving society and local communities, standing up for those who do the right thing, those who do the work, those who raise families and those who start the businesses which fund our public services.

“With Boris Johnson as Prime Minister, only the Conservatives can get Brexit done by October 31 so that we can deliver the change people want across Gedling with a great new deal.

“I want to become MP for Gedling to make sure the people of this area see their hard work recognised and rewarded and I’ll be a local champion with a plan to get things done, making sure local people see a difference and have their views and opinions heard loud and clearly,” he added.

148 new homes to be built on outskirts of Arnold

A new housing estate has been given planning permission and will now be built on the outskirts of Arnold.

A total of 148 new homes will be built on land to the east of Mansfield Road – the A60 – and north of Georgia Drive.

Outline planning permission was granted by Gedling Borough Council’s planning committee last night (Wednesday, August 7).

This means no exact details of the proposal have been decided, but the development has been agreed in principle.

Concerns were raised that the estate could become a ‘rat-run’, with drivers using it to get to and from Mansfield Road. 

But planning officers assured the committee access to the site would be from Mansfield Road only, meaning drivers couldn’t cut through. 

There will however be pedestrian access to the east of the site.

Labour councillor Paul Wilkinson, who represents the Carlton ward, said: “I’m happy to support this, and I particularly welcome the joined-up thinking which seems to be going on in terms of the access. I think that has countered some of the objections that have been raised.”

Mike Avery, the borough’s planning boss, said: “There will not be the creation of a rat run with vehicular access through the site from the west to the east.

“There will be one vehicular point of access. Pedestrian links, potentially, but only one vehicular access.”

As part of the scheme, the Labour-run Gedling Borough Council is asking developers Langridge Homes to pay £604,748 towards a new primary school in the Arnold area.

They have also asked that a contribution be made towards the cost of expansion of secondary places at Redhill Academy.

At the planning meeting last night, 14 councillors voted in favour, with two abstentions. 

Hundreds of new homes to be built in Calverton

Hundreds of new houses will be built on a plot of land in Calverton after permission for a new development was approved. 

The land, to the north of Park Road and Collyer Road, will now see a mixture of two-to-five-bedroom homes built.

After planning permission was approved last night by Gedling Borough Council, contributions will be made by developers Persimmon Homes for bus service provision, and school places.

However no new community infrastructure, such as schools, is being built as part of the 365-home development.

The application had originally been for 430 homes, with land to the north of the plot included in the first application. 

This second plot of land could have included a road through to provide access onto Oxton Road, the B6386. 

But instead, the second plot was safeguarded, meaning it can be used for a future application.

PICTURED: A diagram showing where the new homes will be built

This meant the access road for the new estate couldn’t be built through to Oxton Road, and will have to come through the primarily-residential streets of Collyer Road and Park Road, to the south. 

Independent Councillor Mike Hope, who represents the area, said this was a serious flaw in the design which would have a significant impact for people living on the two roads. 

Speaking at the borough council’s planning meeting last night, he added: “The aim of the planning committee is to make sustainable communities that gel together, with the right infrastructure. 

“But there’s no infrastructure there at all, we’re not doing it.

“No thought has been given to the impact of development on the community, and let’s face it this is a big development. In itself it’s probably about 20 percent of the size of the village, so it’s a lot to take in, and nobody has tried to mitigate the effect of that on my community.

“Because Calverton is being developed piecemeal, what we’re getting is itty-bitty bits. Take schools. (With several other developments), there are 122 primary places that are going to be needed in Calverton, in schools that are already full. 

“That is a problem because there is no provision in the plans we have got for a new school.

“I would like to see this planning application taken back and referred to our planning officers and to say ‘find a way round this that will be better for the community of Calverton’.”

The councillors at the borough council’s planning committee last night (Wednesday, August 8) also agreed to seek contributions of £250,000 to improve bus services, £1,466,696 for primary school provision, and £1,029,674 for secondary school provision.

It is anticipated the extra schools funding will be used to expand the capacity at Colonel Frank Seely Academy secondary school, and at one of the three primary schools in the nearby area.

Councillors approved the scheme by 14 votes to one, with one abstention.

Eggcellent effort: Youngster raises charity cash after being inspired by Easter visit to hospice in Mapperley

A ten-year-old girl has raised over £500 for a hospice in Mapperley after being inspired to raise the cash while taking part in an Easter event at the centre.

Alexia said she fell in love with the hospice when she came for the Easter Egg hunt in March.

And when her mum Debbie explained what the hospice is for,  Alexia – who has recently lost her own grandma to pancreatic cancer – was determined to do something to help.

Nottinghamshire_Hospice
PICTURED: Nottinghamshire Hospice

So she signed up for the Water Wipeout challenge – billed as the UK’s wettest, muddiest fun run –  tackling water slides, tightropes, tunnels, hurdles, giant walls, cargo nets, spider’s webs, balance beams, and lots of water and mud.

Alexia, who does figure skating at the National Ice Centre where she trains six days a week, easily coped with the 3k course. She smashed her fundraising target, bringing in an impressive £546 for the hospice.

Debbie said: “When I explained what end of life care was she just wanted to help. As well as losing her nan, her grandad has cancer so she understands. It means more if you are going through it yourself.

“She’s done fundraising challenges before but this is the most she’s raised. I’m very proud of her. She works hard and she really enjoyed Water Wipeout. Now she wants to do a 10k but is too young to register, so she will have to wait until she’s 12.”

Alexia said: “I am just happy I can help make a difference.”

Roxanne Hickling, fundraiser at Nottinghamshire Hospice, said: “What Alexia’s done for the hospice is truly impressive. The money she’s raised will provide crucial care for patients at the end of their lives.”

Bee-friendly products go on sale at Morrisons in Netherfield

Surpermarket giant Morrisons has launched a series of bee-friendly products, with one the most popular being bee-Friendly eggs which are now available at their store in Netherfield.

The retailer has launched their ‘Project Pollinator’ programme following growing concerns about the decline in wild bees throughout the UK, echoed in a recent UN report on potential mass extinction

Initially launched with Morrisons free range egg farmers, the scheme has so far seen 57 acres of bee friendly pollen and nectar rich habitat planted across the UK.

Eighty per cent of the farms supplying directly in to Morrisons Chippendale egg packing site in Yorkshire have now subscribed to the project.

Morrisons agriculture team has worked with the Bumblebee Conservation Trust to formulate a unique bee-friendly flower mixture, designed to optimise bee numbers. The mixture of plants – including Phacelia, Red Clover and Sainfoin – are drilled in to five per cent of the land on each farm to establish dedicated bumblebee habitats.

The supermarket and the Trust have also trained farmers to become ‘bee walkers’ – in order to monitor and check the bee numbers on their farms. This includes farmers being taught how to spot different species of bumblebee.

As a result of ‘Project Pollinator’, Morrisons has introduced ‘bee-friendly’ eggs into their Netherfield store this month.

Gill Perkins, CEO of Bumblebee Conservation Trust said: “Bumblebees are amongst the most loved and familiar of insects. But sadly these charismatic creatures are struggling to survive and the loss of habit has been a primary reason for this. Morrisons work to make their farms ‘bee friendly’ – by ensuring land is set aside for habitat and providing bumblebee identification courses – has been an amazing success. It’s a brilliant initiative.”

Sophie Throup, Agriculture Manager at Morrisons said: “Looking after our farmed and natural environment is important for us and our customers. Our bees play a vital role in pollinating our crops and we want to work with our farmers look after them. The eggs from our bee-friendly farms give our customers the chance to support our bee population and we hope to roll out this scheme to other types of farming.”

Morrisons bee conservation was recently recognised by Compassion in World Farming, where it received a Sustainable Farming Award for its bee-friendly eggs.

Wheels are in motion for bus drivers’ charity match in Gedling this Sunday

Bus drivers from across Notts will step out from behind the wheel and onto the pitch on Sunday (11) when they take part in a charity football match.

The city’s two biggest bus operators Nottingham City Transport and trentbarton are hoping the game will raise cash for The Alzheimer’s Society.

The matches are set to be played at the Bill Stokeld Stadium, home Carlton Town Football Club on Stoke Lane in Gedling (NG4 2QS), who have very kindly donated their ground for free and will be opening their bar for refreshments throughout the afternoon.

Kick off for the women’s match will be 14:00, followed by the men’s match at 15:30.

Carlton-Town

Tickets are £5 for adults, £2.50 for under 19s and free for under 5s, with all money going to The Alzheimer’s Society.

Tickets are available in advance from the NCT Travel Centre and online at www.nctx.co.uk/charityfootball and will also be available on the gate at Carlton Town on the day.

Anthony Carver-Smith, NCT Marketing Manager said, “After raising almost £4,000 for When You Wish Upon a Star through the charity football match with Hastings Magpies in May, our football team are keen to put their kit on again to raise money for another great cause.”

Jeff Counsell, trentbarton’s managing director, said: “It’s great that together trentbarton and NCT are helping the vital work of Alzheimer’s Society. We’re looking forward to two great matches, a cracking atmosphere and plenty of fun on and off the pitch.

“Our thanks go to the staff from both companies for giving their time to take part and for all the spectators too for their support.”

Number of community schemes across Gedling borough secure share of £600,000 council cash

Thousands of pounds has been allocated to organisations across Gedling borough to allow for improvements in local communities.

A number of community organisations across the area recently secured new funds in the latest round of Nottinghamshire County Council’s Local Improvement Scheme.

At its Places and Communities meeting back in July, councillors approved grants with individual awards up to £50,000 under its Local Improvement Scheme for capital projects.  

The aim of the council scheme is to help local communities to be more vibrant and sustainable by providing grants to local organisations which seek to make a difference in the local community. 

Interest from across the county was strong which meant over half of the applications didn’t secure financial support.

The four Gedling borough awards are as follows-

 Calverton Cricket Club – £10.000 towards creating an upper floor to the pavilion building and other improvements to showers, dressing rooms & public areas.

Eagles Next Community Action (ENCA) – £3,000 towards replacing the heating system and refurbishing toilets at their community centre in Arnold

Haywood Road Community Centre – £3,000 towards installations of kitchen areas to provide catering for residents and users.

Ravenshead Community Transport – £10,000 towards an accessible low level entry minibus as part of community transport services.  

A number of local projects were not recommended for awards and missed out on funding. These included bids from Calverton Parish Council, Gedling & District Youth Club (the Old Station), the Friends of Gedling Country ParkNetherfield Locality Steering Group and  St John the Baptist Church (Colwick).

The council say projects not recommended for approval this time will be offered County Council support and guidance against other funding opportunities and future Local Improvement Scheme rounds.

See further details of all successful schemes

Teenagers arrested after 15-year-olds are robbed in Arnold street

Police have arrested two teenagers after a robbery in an Arnold street.

Two 15-year-old boys had a PlayStation PSP hand-held games console, a wallet and a sweatshirt taken.

Police said a group of four youths approached two 15-year-old boys and demanded they empty their pockets.

One of the victims was pushed while the items were being taken, in Gedling Road at around 5.10pm yesterday (Monday 5 August). No one was hurt.

Police-notepad

The youths ran off after being challenged by a passer-by.

Officers from Nottinghamshire Police have arrested two boys, aged 16 and 15, in connection with the incident.

Detective Sergeant Mark Shaw, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Whilst we have made two arrests we are still seeking further people in connection with the offence and we want to hear from anyone who saw the robbery, or has CCTV or dash-cam footage.

“If you can help, please call  Nottinghamshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 648 of 5 August 2019, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.” 

Gedling and Netherfield artists organise exhibition at city gallery to benefit local charity

Two residents from Netherfield and Gedling have organised an exhibition in Nottingham city centre and are offering to donate half of any earnings from sales of their work on display to a Mapperley charity.

Netherfield resident Dominick Cuming and Dave Ross, who lives in Gedling, have organised the exhibition of their work at Nottingham Society of Artists, which is based on Friar Lane in the city.

The artists plan to donate half of what they earn from the sale of their paintings to Nottinghamshire Hospice.

PICTURED: Dominick Cuming’s pictures of houses on Bailey Street in Netherfield

On display at the exhibition, which runs from August 3-11, are a series of abstracts painted by Mr Ross.

Mr Cuming said he likes to paint what he sees around him.

He told Gedling Eye: “Most of my work is about where I live, so there’s an image of the backs of Bailey Street, another of the view up to Bakersfield and images from my garden, a cherry tree, a pile of bricks, virginia creeper. 

“I like chimney pots. There are 39 of them visible from my garden. I’ve started on a project to paint them all at different times of the day and there’s the first painting of the series in the exhibition.”

He added: “What makes our present venture significant is that artists are giving away half of what they are given for their works; a scheme which I am fostering. This is the second go. The first, in just six hours raised over £600 for charity. It makes our idle dabblings worth doing! 

Arnold care home in bloom after scooping regional gardening award

Arnold care home Coppice Lodge has been crowned the Midlands winner of Ideal Carehome’s annual ‘Gardens in Bloom’ competition.

The contest, which launched in May, encouraged both staff and residents across the operator’s 18 homes to work together to embrace their love of the great outdoors by devising and implementing an exciting revamp for their outdoor spaces. 

Green-fingered resident Gordon Hodgkinson planned the garden revamp and organised a shopping trip to the local garden centre to buy plants, flowers and outdoor items.

Roses were planted in the newly painted raised beds and a memory garden was created as a peaceful place for people to go and remember friends or loved ones. The first plaque erected was in loving memory of Gordon’s wife, Ruby, who lived with him at the home until her recent passing.  

Coppice Lodge lifestyle manager, Lorna Thornley, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be the Midlands winner – all of the credit must go to our amazing residents who embraced the competition with such gusto.

“We’d like to say a special thank you to our very own green-fingered guru, Gordon, who has rallied the rest of us into action. The gardens have never looked better and we’re so lucky to be able to enjoy this warm weather in such an idyllic setting!”

Stacey Linn, Ideal Carehomes’ Director, said: “Coppice Lodge should be very proud to be our Midlands winner – our  judges were astonished at just how much effort and thought had clearly gone into their project.

“We know that people living with us take huge pride in their gardens and we hope that the sunny weather continues for the rest of the summer so that they can enjoy the fruits of their labour.”

The home now enters the final round of the competition, whereby judges will visit all regional winners in four weeks’ time to decide upon a national victor.