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Rachael Foster: ‘Tis the season to be stressed out

Gedling Eye
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Rachael Foster: ‘Tis the season to be stressed out

Being a solo mum of five this time of year is not only a struggle financially, but the amount of school activities I have to keep on top of is crazy.

With five children, in three different educational institutions and all in different year groups I need a PA just to keep up with the various events and activities. The last two weeks of school are an amass of Christmas ‘fun’. There’s the Christmas school fair, the Christmas Nativity, theChristmas jumper day, the carol concert, senior school stage performances,Christmas present buying day, Christmas bring your auntie to school day, Christmas kill a hamster day… And so it goes on.

Every morning around this time of year is a panic. I wake up thinking what is it I need to sort out today. Do I need to provide vegan friendly sandwiches for the party? Do I need to send my child in a politically correct, non-offensive slogan Christmas jumper? Do I need to provide a tombola prize (I only ate one chocolate out the box and used the hand cream once.. they will do! ) Or give my kids money to buy tat at the fair that will get broken inthe car before we even reach home. Money that could go towards my electricity bill or petrol. I am at this time of year just a taxi, bank, and memory goddess.


I am at this time of year just a taxi, bank, and memory goddess.

Not only are the last two weeks of school filled with a million things for the parents to remember or take part in, it is also the most chaotic time in the house with excited buzzing children singing carols with certain words changed so not to upset the snowflake society we now live in.

Decorations are out and the lights are continually flashing away day-in,day-out and laughing at me as my electricity meter rolls around with joy helping to provide my energy suppliers managing director with his big fat Christmas bonus.

Then there is tinsel – which are banned in my house – yet each year somehow manages to show itself. It is used to decorate my female offspring’s hair occasionally. Once cut to size, it is a never-ending shredding machine. No matter where I hide it after it has been dissected to required size, it keeps molting with shreds appearing everywhere, yet the tinsel never seems to get any thinner. I swear tinsel has magic regenerative properties.

And finally, being a control freak: Christmas trees and toddlers just don’t bode well together. My main tree once first erected and decorated looked beautiful. I was very happy. However, over the past two weeks many a bauble, cracker and snow-tipped pine cone have been removed, thrown,chewed or rolled under the sofa. The bottom half of my tree now resembles a naked pine. Every night I replace the decorations – of which many have to be fished out from under the sideboard or sofa – which is time consuming and stressful, not fun. This is time which could be better spent wrapping and hiding presents where my teenagers may not think to look. Over the years they have discovered all my hiding places. This year my cunning plan it to wrap and hide them in the suitcases under my bed??

I’m not sure the long-haired, kimono wearing, sandal lover had all this in mind when he declared he was the saviour of man. If he now realised the amount of stress this season causes parents, I would ask him to reconsider his worldly declaration. Do you think JC ever wore socks with his sandals? Can’t stand that!

Anyway.. ‘tis the season to be merry. Have a good Christmas everyone!

Rachael Foster is a single mum to five children and lives in Netherfield. You can read her popular blog about parenting at  www.yummymummy-5.co.uk

Police release CCTV images after theft from business on Colwick Industrial Estate

Gedling Eye
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Police release CCTV images after theft from business on Colwick Industrial Estate
Police have issued CCTV pictures of two men in they would like to speak to following a burglary at a business on Colwick Industrial Estate

The incident took place at MDT Windows between 1.54pm and 1.58pm on  November 5, 2018.

Two men entered the premises, went behind the counter, took safe keys and then emptied the safe of a quantity of cash and cheques. They also stole an iPad from the premises.

If you recognise the men pictured or think you can help, please call Nottinghamshire Police on 101, quoting incident number 282 of 5 November 2018, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Plan for new pedestrian crossing in Gedling

Gedling Eye Reporter
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Plan for new pedestrian crossing in Gedling
People wanting to cross a busy road in Gedling will soon be able to do so more safely.

Plans to build a pedestrian crossing on Arnold Lane have now been announced by Nottinghamshire County Council in response to road safety concerns raised by the local community.

Residents living on the new Chase Farm development have raised concerns with local councillors and local MP Vernon Coaker about problems crossing Arnold Lane, which runs by the estate.

They also voiced their concerns to Gedling Eye back in April.

The crossing, which should be completed by April 2020, is expected to cost in the region of £125,000 and its exact location will be decided by a County Council feasibility study.

Councillor John Cottee, Chairman of Nottinghamshire County Council’s Communities and Place Committee, said: “Pedestrian safety is paramount so we have responded to concerns raised by residents living on the Chase Farm estate by allocating funding to create this crossing.

“This crossing will also assist the possible increase in residents living on the Chase Farm estate as part of the Gedling Access Road project.”

Councillor Jenny Hollingsworth, Portfolio Holder for Growth & Regeneration at Gedling Borough Council, said: “We’re pleased that the concerns we raised alongside local residents have been listened to and a new crossing will be constructed on Arnold Lane.

“This crossing will help improve road safety for pedestrians living on the Chase Farm estate, which we greatly welcome.”

The GAR will be a 3.8km stretch of road linking the existing A612 Trent Valley Road/ Nottingham Road to Mapperley Plains (B684).

It has been designed to ease congestion in Gedling Village whilst providing safe access to the housing, employment and community-related uses proposed by the full redevelopment of the former Gedling colliery site.

The GAR is being delivered by the County Council and Via East Midlands in partnership with Homes England (HE), D2N2, Gedling Borough Council and Keepmoat Homes, housing developer for the Chase Farm site, which are all helping to fund the new road.

Driver in crash on street in Arnold also had stab wounds

Gedling Eye Reporter
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Driver in crash on street in Arnold also had stab wounds
Police are investigating after a driver involved in a crash in Arnold was found with a stab wound to his leg.

Emergency services were called to Coppice Road at 6.10pm on Friday (14) following the collision involving two cars.

One of the drivers, a man in his 40s, had suffered a stab wound to his leg and was taken to hospital with serious injuries. A knife has been recovered.

Officers are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident and a cordon remains in place at the scene while our enquiries continue.

Coppice Road has been closed at its junctions with Ravenswood Road and Catton Road. Drivers are advised to avoid the area if possible.

Patrols have been increased in the area to provide reassurance.

Officers are appealing to anyone in the area who saw what happened or who has any other information, including drivers who may have dashcam footage, to call us on 101, quoting incident number 742 of 14 December 2018, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.　

Man charged after robbery and aggravated burglary at same shop in Bestwood over two days

Gedling Eye Reporter
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Man charged after robbery and aggravated burglary at same shop in Bestwood over two days
A man has been charged following two incidents at a the shop in Bestwood over two days.

Police were called to reports of a robbery which happened at around 8.40pm on Sunday (December 9) and an aggravated burglary at around 10.30pm on Tuesday (11 December) at the shop in Beckhampton Road.

On each occasion, the offender entered the store with a knife, first getting away with cash from the till then cigarettes and alcohol.

Matthew New, 36,of no fixed abode, was arrested and subsequently charged with one count of robbery, possession of a bladed article and one count of aggravated burglary.

He has been remanded to appear at Nottingham Magistrates’ court at the earliest opportunity.

Cafe at Gedling Country Park now officially ‘plastic clever’

Gedling Eye Reporter
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Cafe at Gedling Country Park now officially ‘plastic clever’
Gedling County Park’s Café 1899 has become a Plastic Clever Café as part of the council’s  commitment to be a Plastic Clever Council.

The café has met the criteria set out by environmental champions Amy and Ella Meek who formed Kids against Plastic, who have been campaigning to get people to reduce their use of single-use plastics.

The cafe has taken a number of actions to become plastic clever including removing single use plastic bags, replacing plastic cutlery and plastic straws and encouraging visitors to use refillable mugs and water bottles instead of throwaway plastic ones. The café will also be selling reusable cup holders and introducing new loyalty cards for visitors.

The café accreditation is part of a number of initiatives set out by Gedling Borough Council to tackle the problems of the use of single-use plastics in the borough. In January, the council agreed a motion to stop the use of plastics in council owned buildings and a working group has been working on reviewing the council’s procurement of plastic and reducing the amounts they use significantly in council owned buildings.

Amy and Ella Meek launched the Kids against Plastic scheme in 2015 with a target to collect 100,000 pieces of plastic after learning the negative effect of plastic on the environment. They recently presented their campaign to staff at the council’s annual employee conference urging them to think before they use the big four polluters, plastic bags, cutlery, coffee cups and straws.

Café 1899, which was recently awarded with a certificate of excellence by Trip Advisor for its ‘consistent achievement of high ratings from customers’, is named after the year the former colliery opened and is managed by Nottingham City Council and serves hot and cold refreshments, food and has a fully licensed bar.

Kids against Plastic Campaigners, Amy and Ella Meek said: “We’re really pleased that Café 1899 has become our latest Plastic Clever Café and we’re really grateful for the continued support from Gedling Borough Council.

“We’ve nearly made all of the cafés down the Arnold high street Plastic Clever – just one or two left to work on – hopefully the Council can help us persuade them to become Plastic Clever one day. At least now when we take our dog for a walk at Gedling Country Park we know that we’ll see less single-use plastic littering the paths.”

Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Councillor John Clarke said: “We’re committed to reducing the amount of single-use plastics we use in our buildings and with the help of the Kids against Plastic team, we have taken the right steps to make the Gedling Country Park Café plastic clever.

“We are also reviewing the plastic usage at our council offices and leisure centres as part of our pledge to be a plastic clever council. We must do more to tackle this issue and I’m delighted that we passed the very stringent assessments set out by Amy and Ella Meek who are doing a fantastic job of raising awareness of this important issue.”

‘People of Gedling have spoken loud and clearly’: Deputy leader of Gedling Borough Council reacts to news that ‘super council’ plans have been shelved

Gedling Eye Reporter
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‘People of Gedling have spoken loud and clearly’: Deputy leader of Gedling Borough Council reacts to news that ‘super council’ plans have been shelved

Deputy Leader of Gedling Borough Council, Cllr Michael Payne, today joined calls for Cllr Kay Cutts to consider her position as leader of Nottinghamshire County Council after it was revealed plans for a ‘super council’ have been shelved indefinitely

Mr Payne said: “This has been a costly and flawed pet project from the start, and it’s disastrous when it comes at a time when the county council it is hiking charges for the most vulnerable disabled people in our county.

“If Kay Cutts had any self respect, having ignored the public’s opinion in the first round of consultation, she should consider her position as leader.

PICTURED: Cllr Kay Cutts

“She has damaged relationships, she had lots the confidence of county councillors, and lost the confidence of the public.

“We have had almost 7,000 responses in Gedling to our consultation on the future of council services, and I think that’s going to come out conclusively in favour of people wanting to keep their local council.

“But it’s important to remember that this hasn’t gone away completely. Councillor Cutts still wants to persue this idea, so we are going to continue our campaign, and will keep calling for he residents of Gedling to have their say.

“This is a real victory for people power. People in Gedling have spoken loudly and clearly.”

‘Super council’ plans scrapped

Gedling Eye Reporter
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‘Super council’ plans scrapped
Plans to create a new authority that would have seen Gedling Borough Council abolished have been shelved, it was announced today.

The decision  (December 11) was been taken two days ahead of a key vote which was due to take place on Thursday.

Either a single authority, or two large councils, would have been set up if the plans had gone ahead, with the current councils disbanded.

Supporters of the ‘super council’ said it would have helped save £27 million a year – savings which will now have to found from other areas of the county council’s already-squeezed budget.

The leader, Conservative Councillor Kay Cutts said the ‘super council’ plans were not being permanently scrapped, and hoped they would be revisited after local council elections in May next year.

Opposition leaders said Thursday’s vote was scrapped because the leader thought she was going to lose.
Cllr Cutts denied that claim, and said she wanted “more time to work with the stakeholders” on other areas of cooperation.

DECISION: A vote on Super Council plans has been scrapped

The leader of the Ashfield Independents, Councillor Jason Zadrozny, said the scheme was a watse of public money, and called for Councillor Cutts to resign.

He said: “I am not surprised at all by this announcement but concerned nearly £250,000 of public money has been spent on a needless process.
“I am today taking the regrettable step of calling for her resignation as leader of Nottinghamshire County Council.  
“We all have a duty to protect the public purse. Councillor Cutts has failed to do this and now should admit liability and do the honourable thing and step aside.    


“At a time when council finances are in such a perilous state – she decides to spend hundreds of thousands on a botched scheme.  

“Thousands of residents got in touch opposing these plans yet Kay Cutts ploughed ahead with this regardless.

“Councillor Cutts knew she would lose the vote and I am afraid she has lost the confidence of members from all parties.  

“The only reason she has pulled this is to protect her job at the eleventh hour – just like Theresa May did on Brexit.”
“I will be asking whoever is next leader of the County Council for an assurance that these proposals are scrapped forever.”

Asked whether the decision to pull the vote – which was due to be held on Thursday – was because she thought she might lose, Councillor Cutts said: “Not at all. This is an opportunity to keep talking to people. This is a long process – I’ve always said it’s a long process – and it gives us the opportunity to keep talking to people.

“We had the first, I felt, productive meeting on Wednesday last week (with the district and borough councils). Up until then it had been very much ‘we don’t want you to do this’, but this was a very productive meeting.

“There was a real willingness to help us find a way through this and a coming together, in fact to quote one district chief executive ‘things will never be the same again’. And they won’t.

“We still have to find £64 million in savings. It hasn’t gone away and there aren’t any easy solutions.”

Harley Davidson dream comes true for cancer patient at hospice in Mapperley

Emily Sanchez
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Harley Davidson dream comes true for cancer patient at hospice in Mapperley
A cancer patient from a hospice in Mapperley had one of her dreams come true last week when she got the chance to ride on a Harley Davidson. 

The last time Phyllis Betts rode pillion on a motorbike was 45 years ago – and she fell off! Since then the patient at Nottinghamshire Hospice, has always wanted to get back in the saddle– her dream being to ride on a Harley Davidson.

Now that dream has cometrue, thanks to Roy Radford and fellow bikers from the Sherwood Harley Davidson chapter who came in convoy to the hospice to take Phyllis for a ride. Phyllis,of Lowdham, Nottinghamshire, rode pillion on the back of Roy’s Harley Davidson Ultra.

Phyllis, who has COPD and cancer,said: “I’ve always had a fascination with Harleys. They’re the bees knees, they were then and they are now. So when staff at the hospice asked what was on my bucket list that’s what I said. It was just a pipe dream – I never thought it would actually happen! I was excited about it and nervous too. You have to be careful what you wish for!

“I absolutely loved it. It was a very smooth ride. And now I’ve got a badge, I’ve been made honorary member of the Chapter!”

In her younger days Phyllis, originally from Derbyshire, used to ride pillion on a big silver Triumph, enjoying rides out to Matlock Bath and other popular biker destinations.

When other patients at the Day Therapy centre heard what Phyllis was doing they wanted to sponsor her, and she has now raised more than £400 for Nottinghamshire Hospice.

The group of six bikers took Phyllis and hospice nurse Bekki, herself a biker, out to Lowdham to pay a surprise visit to Phyllis’ daughter Becky who works as a chef in the World’s End pub there. Staff and regulars at the pub also contributed to Phyllis’ fund.

Liz Morgan, Clinical Nurse Specialist at Nottinghamshire Hospice, said: “Here at the hospice we try to help patients achieve their goals and make the most of the time that they have left. We’re thrilled to be able to help make this dream come true.”

Roy Radford, Director of the Sherwood Chapter for the past six years said: “We’re delighted to be able to help. It doesn’t cost anything and if it makes somebody happy it’s the thing to do.

“There is a wonderful camaraderie among the Harley community and we’re always happy to help with things like this.”

The Harley trip links in to Nottinghamshire Hospice’s Care at Christmas campaign which aims to give patients and their families the greatest gift of all this Christmas, time together to make lasting memories. The campaign aims to raise £50,000 which will enable the hospice to provide compassionate care, warmth and festive spirit to five families every single day in December, including Christmas day.

People in Gedling borough being warned about fake police call scam

Gedling Eye Reporter
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People in Gedling borough being warned about fake police call scam
Police are warning people in Gedling borough to be vigilant after an increase in reports of calls from fraudsters claiming to be from the Force.

Those receiving a call are told their assistance is needed as part of an undercover operation usually taking place at the victim’s bank.

To make the call seem legitimate, the victim is told to call 999 and the fraudster is then staying on the line and posing as a call handler at the emergency service control room.

During these calls victims are asked for bank details, which the Police are reminding the public isn’t something a genuine officer would do.

A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Police said: “We’ve seen a sudden increase in bogus police officer scams.

“If you’re ever unsure whether a call is legitimate, hang up, ensuring the line is fully disconnected, and call back on a number you know to be genuine, such as 101 for the police or the number off a bill or  bank card for the banks.”

TIPS TO AVOID SUCH SCAMS

1. The police will never ask you to become part of an undercover investigation or for you to withdraw cash and hand it to them for safe-keeping

2. Be wary of any calls, texts or emails purporting to be from the police asking for your personal or financial details, or for you to transfer money

3. If you are approached, or feel something is suspicious, hang up the phone and do not reply. Then report it to Action Fraud and your bank on their advertised number

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