A community centre in Netherfield will be opening its doors to children and their families over the February half-term to stop them going hungry.
The initiative, named the ‘Half-Term Special’, will begin at St George’s Centre on Victoria Road from Monday, February 14 until Friday, February 22.
During the week, families with school children can eat a main meal for free between 2-4pm. The last meal will be served at 4pm. Puddings will cost 50p and drinks are not included.
The scheme is being backed by TSB.
Booking for the meal is essential.
Tina Simpson from the Netherfield Forum, who are helping organise the scheme, said: “We want to help those families who are in need of help throughout February half-term. This will be our year of helping feed families.”
To pre-book your meal, call the centre on 01159113302 or pop into St George’s Reception.
A scheme to expand Nottingham’s borders into Gedling borough is continuing, but will be paused in the coming weeks.
The Labour-run Nottingham City Council feels its borders are too small, and has said it hopes to expand into nearby areas. Arnold is one of the areas earmarked to be absorbed by the city
It comes after the Conservative-led Nottinghamshire County Council announced a ‘super council’ plan which would have scrapped district and borough councils. A new authority for all of Nottinghamshire outside the city would then have been set up.
However the county’s plan was shelved indefinitely late last year.
The city had already begun putting together its own case on why its borders should be enlarged
Now, the city council says it will continue fine tuning its plan to expand, but will then park the plan, until and unless the county council decides to progress with the ‘super council’ plan.
Leader of Gedling Borough Council Cllr John Clarke joins Notts City Council Leader Jon Collins and Derby County Council Leader Ranjit Banwait sign up to the Derby Nottingham Metro Strategy
The leaders of all Nottinghamshire’s councils came together today and discussed what the city was planning.
Besides redrawing boundaries, there is growing consensus among the councils that more needs to be done to increase co-operation between authorities.
As council budgets continue to be squeezed, the leaders of the councils agreed to continue looking at ways to save money by working more effectively together.
Councillor Kay Cutts, leader of the county council, said: “I think this is a time for a whole reflection about where local government is going.
“I don’t see how you can cut people’s services, as we did recently, asking young disabled people aged between 18 and 24 to pay more for their service, and then continue with the same grinding bureaucracy. I find that morally repugnant.
“I think there has to be changes, and I think we should all be more grown up and think how can we change things.
“It shouldn’t be about the number of councils or the different councils.
“Yes we can collaborate, but the truth of the matter is nobody is prepared to give up sovereignty, and you’re not having any of my patch. This is always the problem.”
The leader of the city council, Jon Collins, said he had ‘no appetite’ for local government reorganisation, but the super council plan had forced it to prepare a counter-proposal.
He said: “I think the challenge with local government reorganisation is it’s never going to be anything people consent to, there are always going to be people who are pro and anti.
“People are interested in the outcomes, they’re not really interested in the shape of the organisation.
“I think there are some real challenges coming up, and fundamentally I think it’s very difficult to keep asking the public for more and more money for less and less service.
“The reason we’re doing that is because in terms of government resources we’re getting less and less, but the demographics are growing. A larger proportion is being spent on children’s and adult services, but in reality they are only being used by between five and 10 percent of those people.
“I think there is real scope for collaborative working. We already collaborate on a lot of areas, and we can look at ways to do so more efficiently.”
This eerie picture captures the iconic Winding Engine House in Bestwood Village at night.
The spooky snap, was taken by Peter Plackett, and shows the park building illuminated as darkness creeps in.
The Winding Engine House is the last remaining part of the vanished colliery at Bestwood.
PICTURED: The winding house at Bestwood Country Park during the dayPICTURE: Peter Plackett
The winding engine lowered colliers into the mine shaft, and winched mined coal up to the surface. The tall brick building houses the huge winding engine. Originally it was powered by steam, but today visitors can see the massive engine moved by an electrical motor.
The engine dates back to 1876, the heyday of Victorian industrial engineering.
Access to a field in Calverton will soon be restored after a local MP reached an agreement with a farmer to allow the land to again be used by villagers.
MP Mark Spencer went along to see the field near Hollinwood Lane during a visit to the area and was joined by Cllr Jane Walker from Gedling Borough Council.
The field was recently fenced off to prevent people from the local area using it as access to Millennium Wood.
Mr Spencer has now agreed to allow the path in the field to be used again.
He said: “I’ve been out with Cllr Walker this morning to see the field that’s been fenced off up by Hollinwood Lane in Calverton.
“We met with the farmer and representatives of Langridge Homes, and I’m very pleased to say that, after a productive meeting, a path, complete with a ‘kissing style gate’ has been agreed upon. This path will lead from Hollinwood Lane to the Millennium Wood. Not only that, but I’ve been assured that this will be sorted within a week.
He added: “I’m keeping my eye on this, and will keep pushing to make sure this does happen, but this is fantastic news for local residents and dog Walkers in Calverton.”
A Colwick-based firm has hit the headlines after providing a truck that was used to smash a world record after being pulled by a woman in high heels.
‘Iron Queen’ Asha Rani broke the world record for pulling a truck five metres, whilst wearing the shoes – which measured over 7cm.
The truck was provided by Alltruck and the vehicle can normally be found at their depot on Private Road on Colwick Industrial Estate.
To break the record the firm’s DAF CF 250 truck had to be filled with cargo to bring it up to a weight of 11,380 kg – the equivalent of 6 family cars.
After pulling the vehicle five metres, Asha should make the Guinness Book of Records once her attempt has been adjudicated– the process can take up to 12 weeks.
The previous record for heaviest vehicle pulled in high heels was set at 6,586kg by Lia Grimanis in 2014, meaning Asha broke the record by nearly five tonnes.
Kieran Matthews, a member of Alltruck’s marketing team was one of the people who witnesses the record being broken.
He said: “At Alltruck we like to give something back to the local community that we serve. So, when we heard about Asha wanting to break the record for heaviest truck pulled by a woman, we couldn’t volunteer one of our trucks fast enough.
“Alltruck would like to say congratulations to Asha on her impressive achievement. We are glad that one of our trucks could be used for something a bit different!
Also at the event was Asha’s friend and trainer Manjit Singh, Leicestershire’s Iron Man, who himself has broken 69 world records.
Mr Singh, who has trained Asha for the last 10 years, said: “I was nervous and she was nervous because it was raining and the floor was wet and she couldn’t get a proper grip. The kids were all cheering her on and encouraging her shouting ‘go on Asha you can do it’, so that probably helped her.
“She tried four times – three times unsuccessful, the fourth time she did it. If you keep trying you will succeed. I think that Asha is a role model for the younger community and other girls all over the world.”
Following Asha’s performance, pupils at Ellesmere College, where the event took place, were invited to look around the Alltruck livered truck.
Kieran added: “Whilst watching Asha breaking the world record was a fantastic experience, my favourite part of the day was seeing the smiles on the pupil’s faces as they got to explore the truck and pretend to be truck drivers.”
The truck is part of Alltruck’s wider rental fleet that encompasses vans and 12t, 18t, 26t boxes and curtain siders, as well as tractor units and trailers.
AN MEP has today hit out at a group of campaigners heading to Arnold today (2) calling for a People’s Vote on Brexit plans being proposed by the government.
She told Gedling Eye that a vote has already been won by people who want to leave the European Union.
She told us: “I note that a group calling for a vote on a final deal for Brexit are heading to Arnold today to gather support for the so-called People’s Vote Campaign.
“Might I point out we had a ‘people’s vote’ in 2016 and it was won by those people wishing to leave the European Union.
She added: “Democracy must be upheld.
PICTURED: people baking the campaign in Nottingham City Centre
Mrs Parker was selected number two MEP candidate for UKIP East Midlands region during the 2014 European Parliament elections and took up her seat alongside Roger Helmer.
She was recently appointed to the role of deputy chairperson of UKIP.
Mrs Parker added: “Remember, there are 164 countries trading under World Trade Organisation rules and from day one – March 30 – we can be liberated and trade freely.
“Let us have pride in our country and wonderful entrepreneurs and business people we have by investing in our country and in its people.
“Brexit offers us a fantastic opportunity – so let’s get on with what the British people voted for and embrace it.”
Campaigners for a People’s Vote will be taking to the streets of Arnold later today to encourage people to write to their MPs asking them to let voters decide what should happen next over Brexit.
Members of the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire People’s Vote Campaign say the government has lost control of the process and Parliament cannot agree on a way forward, and they think the only sensible option is to go back and consult voters.
Work is now underway on restoring a pathway in Netherfield to its former glory.
Gedling Borough Council has been awarded £93,000 to carry out the work to widen and tidy up the 300-metre cinder path which runs from Manvers Street to Ashwell Street in the town.
The funding for the work has been provided by WREN and Gedling Homes.
WREN is a not-for-profit business that awards grants for community, conservation and heritage projects from funds donated by waste and resource management company FCC Environment through the Landfill Communities Fund. It is providing a total of £84,117 towards the project. Gedling Homes, now part of the Jigsaw group, is also providing a contribution of £9,074.28 towards the refurbishment of the walkway.
The new pathway will provide a safer and cleaner access route for pedestrians when accessing the railway station. The path will receive improved lighting and the vegetation in the area will be cut back and tidied.
The path is expected to be finished in April 2019 and the Mayor of Gedling will be hosting an opening ceremony once it is ready.
Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Cllr John Clarke said: “This is great news for residents of Netherfield who live near the cinder path.
“This funding from WREN and Gedling Homes will turn this old unsightly corridor into a nice, clean walking path which will bring to life the history of this cinder path.
“I would like to congratulate everyone involved in securing the funding and I look forward to it opening in the New Year.”
A group calling for a vote on a final deal for Brexit are heading to Arnold on Saturday (2) to urge them to get behind the campaign.
Campaigners for a People’s Vote will be taking to the streets of the town to encourage people to write to their MPs asking them to let voters decide what should happen next over Brexit.
Members of the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire People’s Vote Campaign say the government has lost control of the process and Parliament cannot agree on a way forward, so the only sensible option is to go back and consult voters.
PICTURED: people baking the campaign in Nottingham City Centre
One of the group’s founding members, Susan Martin, said: “Tuesday’s votes in Parliament show the government is still no further forward, is wasting time and is dragging the negotiations out in a very irresponsible way.
“The deal will leave us poorer, less safe and with less control. It’s time to let the people decide with a People’s Vote.”
The campaigners will set up their stall and be handing out leaflets and postcards in Front Street opposite the Market from 11am onwards.
As well as in Nottingham, events are taking place all over the country, with thousands of activists and supporters involved. Street stalls will be set up in towns and cities the length and breadth of the country.
Shoppers may soon be able to buy a re-usable paper bag from a supermarket in Netherfield.
Morrisons has announced that it is introducing a reusable 20p paper bag as part of an eight-week trial in eight of its stores.
The supermarket chain has also announced it will trial increasing the cost of its reusable plastic carrier bag to 15p, in a bid to reduce the plastic used by customers.
Morrisons, which as a store on Victoria Retail Park, removed 5p carrier bags early in 2018 which led to a 25 per cent reduction in overall bag sales.
The new US-style paper grocery bags have handles and are a similar capacity to standard plastic carrier bags.
Since the plastic bag charge was introduced, supermarket customers’ bag use has now reduced by more than 85%.
Firefighters are urging people in Gedling borough to to register old household appliances so they have a record in case a safety repair is ever needed.
Second-hand or older appliances that people rely on every day to handle essential chores such as chilling and cooking food for their families could be a safety risk.
A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service said: “With less than a third of these large white goods registered when they were purchased (average 31% ), many leading manufacturers are offering prize draws or incentives to encourage owners to get their older fridges, freezers, washing machines, dryers and cooking appliances on record, in case a safety repair is ever needed.
“The Register My Appliance web portal, is a safety initiative designed by AMDEA to make it quicker and easier to register over sixty leading brands of appliances, directly with the manufacturer.
“Recognising the lack of ownership information on many older products, the majority of brands offer registration of products up to at least twelve years old.”
It was revealed that two thirds of people have never registered an older appliance that they may have bought a couple of years ago, found in their homes when they moved in, were given by family or friends, or bought second-hand.
Head of Prevention at NFRS, Andy Macey said: “We know that appliances are kept for many years and very few people realise that they can register older models. These are the products that are most difficult to trace if a safety repair is ever needed and only their current owners can let manufacturers know that they have them.”
In a small number of cases, manufacturers may identify problems with a model once the product has been in use for some time. They then need to contact owners to get the fault corrected as quickly as possible. Normally a quick in-home fix by a qualified technician will remove any risk, but it can be very difficult to trace customers, particularly if they purchased some time ago.
