Police are warning people in the borough to be on their guard after a pensioner in Arnold was duped into paying out over £19,000 to suspected rogue traders.
Officers received a report on December 9, 2017 that the elderly man in Oxengate paid around £19,400 to a roofing company and there were concerns that this was fraudulent.
It’s believed that a man only known as ‘James’ knocked on the victim’s door around six weeks prior stating that his roof needed repairing.
The victim agreed to have the work completed and over the time period, ‘James’ and two other men would attend the address for short time periods to conduct the repairs, all along informing the victim that more and more work was required so he continued to pay them more money.
However, investigators have established that no repair work was conducted.
WARNING: Police have warned people not to open the door to unexpected visitors
James, which is believed to be a fake name, is white, around 5ft 11ins tall, aged 30 to 35 and of a stocky build.
The other men were white, aged between 18-20, of a slim build, also around 5ft11ins tall and with short hair.
The offenders drove a white van with ladders attached to its roof.
Detective Sergeant Simon Harrison said: “This is a particularly cruel and selfish crime deliberately targeting elderly and vulnerable people. We really want residents to be aware of this activity and make sure their loved ones and neighbours are aware too. If anyone thinks they might have been targeted in this way please get in touch with us.”
If you have any information that could help police, call 101 quoting incident 223 of 8 December 2017. You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Police have offered the following advice to help avoid being a victim of rogue traders:
– Be wary of people who approach you directly stating building repair work is needed.
– If you need work doing, use a Trusted Trader website or renowned company
– take time to choose the company and chat it through with a loved one
– Don’t open the door to unknown or unexpected visitors
– Use a door chain where possible
– if you’re approached by someone or have concerns that rogue traders might be operating in your area, please contact us as soon as possible. In an emergency, call 999.
Sir James Bevan, the Environment Agency’s chief executive, was today shown the important work being done to combat illegal fishing and protect fish stocks at Stoke Bardolph.
Sir James took part in a patrol on the banks of the River Trent with the enforcement team to perform rod licence checks; he also visited Colwick Country Park to find out more about the successful spawning of salmon in the River Trent.
The EA chief also met with staff responsible for the operation and maintenance of the Colwick Sluices.
Sir James, who has been chief executive since 2015, was joined on the patrol of the area by representatives of key crime fighting partnerships in the region. These included Chief Inspector Andy Rooke, Head of Rural Crime in Nottingham and Chair of the East Midlands Rural Crime Group; Keith Griffiths, chair of the Protecting Countryside, Fisheries, Water and Wildlife Group (PCFWW), two Derbyshire Police Wildlife Officers and a bailiff for the Nottingham Federation of Anglers and Ashfield Angling Association.
Gedling Borough Council has today announced the return of their popular free bulky waste collection service.
The council is offering to collect large household items from your home for free during January and February.
The authority say they can collect these two different types of bulky waste from your home:
Type 1 – domestic fridges/freezers and electrical items e.g. television, washing machine, microwave, cooker
Type 2 – bulky non-electrical items e.g. mattress, sofa, carpet, wardrobe
A spokesman for Gedling Borough Council said: “Bookings are limited and subject to the availability of waste teams to collect. Once all of the spaces are taken, normal charges will apply.”
People can book their slot from today (January 4) and the collections will take place between January 15 and 23 February 23.
Sometimes big celebrations and family gatherings or the lack of them, like Xmas makes us realise we need help with relationships, stress or a whole host of issues.
Accessing help is one the most difficult decisions we make as it can feel like a weakness or shameful. But once we make the decision what can we expect?
The first thing we need to be aware of is the different types of therapy that is available.
Psychotherapy works on many levels by helping us to understand our emotions and actions. It often looks at past issues and their impact on the present by using creative ways to access hidden emotions and issues. It then empowers us to make the changes we need to make in order to feel better. It really works with issues that have built up over time.
Counselling is a form of therapy that helps with changing behaviour and gaining an understanding of behaviour and feelings by empowering us to find our own solutions. It works well with clients who are already aware of their emotional state. These two therapies can be combined to create individual help for clients.
CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) focuses us on how we think, which affects how we feel and behave. By identifying and changing our thoughts we can change how we behave and feel. It is short term therapy and doesn’t look at the root cause of our issues but gives us coping skills. CBT is available from the NHS and that will normally only last for 6-12 sessions and will deal with one specific issue. CBT is also available from accredited professionals and the best place to find these is BABCP website that has lists of accredited CBT counsellors in your area – http://www.babcp.com/Default.aspx. Any employer, solicitor or insurer will only look for CBT professionals who are BABCP accredited. Being BABCP accredited means they have completed a very high standard of training, a continued commitment to the practice of CBT, supervision and continued development.
When looking for a counsellor or psychotherapist who is not CBT based there are some things we need to be aware of, including whether they are a member of UKCP or BACP, as this means they will have completed a set number of hours, have kept up to date with the latest developments in therapy and have a certain level of qualification.
All counsellors and therapists no matter how they work will have ongoing clinical supervision and the therapeutic theory(s) they use will be checked. We need the one that fits our needs best. Remember, we can try more than one therapist!
Once we have chosen our therapist, our first session usually starts with some small talk to make us feel comfortable and settled in this new situation. Then the sessions look at what we want to achieve, how we will work with the therapist, confidentiality and contracting. But then again if our need to let out our emotions is overwhelming us; a good therapist will let that happen above all of the above.
There are some things we have to be aware of when we start any kind of therapy. Firstly, we have to want the therapy and not be told we HAVE to go to get help by someone else or allowing someone else to make the appointment for us. If we feel coerced, the therapy won’t work. The first thing we need to do is tell our therapist how we feel about being there.
counselling, therapy, mental health
We have to be sensible about what we want to achieve. Many years ago, I went into therapy and said I wanted to be happy all the time. My therapist’s response has stayed with me – “Elaine, they’ll lock you up if you are happy all the time, we are designed to feel all the emotions we have”. Our goals must be realistic and will not happen overnight. Real change takes time and no matter how much progress we feel we have made, we need to walk before we can run.
We need to be connected with the therapist, who will be able to find the best way to be with us. This will allow us to take risks and share some uncomfortable feelings. We need to feel we can trust the therapist and the process. Our therapist will not fix us or make us better. We do that ourselves with the therapist’s support. The answers are in all of us. We just need help to find them.
Therapy is not like talking to our friends nor can our therapist be our friend. Therapists are qualified professionals who are actually there for us without agenda or past history. They are brilliant listeners, who are able to hear us, hold our pain and empower us to change at the pace we can cope with.
Over time we build trust with our therapist and start to share more and more of our feelings, fears, judgements and details of our life. This will be difficult, but this is a key part of the process towards recovery. The sessions will be non-judgemental, empathic and open. Our therapist will not tell us what to do or how to get better. They may help us explore our choices and options or make suggestions, but we as the client, will make decisions.
We have to accept that we will change during therapy. We cannot go backwards and return to who we were before. Our experiences, both good and bad change us, and recovery will also change our perspective and coping strategies. The whole therapeutic journey is full of changes for us and we have to embrace our new ‘normal’ as it starts to emerge.
The process will be tiring and, at times exhausting, so self-care is essential. If we want to go to sleep at 7.30pm we need to do it, if we need to take time out from work we must do it, if we need to be alone then we have to ask people to give us space. Self-care, resting and getting our needs met is a key part of our recovery.
We have to do what works for us. This could be writing journals, drawing, yoga, running or just making ourselves get up and do something. We do need to be aware of the advice of ‘concerned friends and relatives’ who want to give us advice about what is the best thing to do but it’s our decision as to what works for us. It’s also worth remembering what works at the start of therapy may not do so later on.
Therapy sessions will sometimes feel like nothing happened, or be incredibly emotional or seem like a major breakthrough. It’s not possible to predict what will happen or when, but every session is valuable to us. Change or realisations can come days after our session, as the brain can often take time to process what we felt, thought, or did in a session. Memories may come back to us days or weeks after we spoke about a particular issue or event. A picture, smell or taste can take us back to something in our past.
Over time the therapist and client will decide together when therapy comes to an end. We can deal with just one issue or we can work on our self-development and really get to know ourselves as the choice is always ours. Ending may take place over a period of time so it is not an abrupt end. The therapist will check we have the support we need in place outside of the therapy room and that we both have to agree that our goals have been met. We should have a gentle and happy ending, remembering we can always go back into therapy if we need to.
Police have today issued CCTV images of two men they wish to speak to following a robbery at a Carlton convenience store.
The pair entered Standhill Stores on Standhill Road at around 8.50pm on Sunday, November 19, 2017. They were armed with a baseball bat. The men threatened staff members and managed to get away with cash.
The first man is described as 5ft 4ins tall, of a slim build and in his late 20s with dark eyes and dark eyebrows. He was wearing a hoodie with the word TAZZ printed on the back and was carrying a baseball bat. The second man was also around 5ft 4ins tall and of a slim build. They both had their faces covered.
A spokesman for Nottinghamshire Police said: “We appreciate that it’s difficult to see from these images but you might just recognise their build or clothing.”
If you recognise them or have any information that could help, please contact Police on 101 quoting incident 766 of 19 November. You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
Police investigating a burglary in Sherwood have released a CCTV image of a man they would like to speak to in connection with the incident.
A wallet and bag was stolen from a house in Yew Tree Avenue, Sherwood, between December 3 and 4 . One of the bank cards was then used later that day at a convenience store in Mansfield Road.
RECOGNISE HIM? Police want to speak to this man pictured in CCTV stills
If you recognise the man pictured, or have any other information, please call police on 101, quoting incident number 525 of 4 December 2017
Police are appealing to the public for help following a robbery at a convenience store in Carlton.
Two men wearing face coverings jumped over the counter and pushed the shopkeeper before taking cigarettes and cash at Standhill Stores on Standhill Road.
The incident happened at around 7.05pm on Saturday (December 30).
Anyone who witnessed the incident, or anything suspicious before or after it, is urged to call Nottinghamshire Police on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, quoting incident number 732 of 30 December 2017.
Fares from both of our stations will rise from the new year as shown in the below table:
ANNUAL STATION USAGE FIGURES 2016/17
Year ending 31/3/17: A return journey counts as 2.
CARLTON had 46,578 (36,344 in 2015/16) passengers – an increase of 10,234. NETHERFIELD had 7,742 (6,544) – an increase of 1,198. Unofficially, but more accurately, the total at Carlton is currently around 74,970.
This is how I obtain these figures. Weekday peak 06.00-09.05 sees at least 90 passengers and between 16.55 and 18.59 another 90. That leaves 22 off peak trains. Take an average of four passengers per train, probably rather low, we get a further 88 passengers, making a total of 268 per day. Total over 5 days 1,340. Saturdays say 100 and Sundays 30 and we have a weekly total of 1,470. Multiply this by 51 weeks and we get 74,970. Christmas week not counted and we have had a couple of Saturdays and Sundays with replacement buses. It gives a shortfall of 28,392. A good percentage of this are people using Robin Hood Tickets, which are not recorded, plus quite a few fares not collected for various reasons. Also passengers buying their ticket from Nottingham and using Carlton on their return, especially those going to Lincoln. Unofficial numbers at Netherfield would be 12,750. That is 48 passengers per weekday and 10 at weekends, making 250 per week.
One of our readers has worked out how many use each train at both stations, based on official figures. CARLTON. Over 52 weeks 12,532 trains. NETHERFIELD. 2,392. By dividing the annual passenger usage by the total number of stopping trains, you get the number of passengers using each train. Average at Carlton is 46578/12532 = 3.71 passengers. Netherfield is 7742/2392 = 3.21 passengers.
Figures for other stations to Newark are:- Burton Joyce 11,542 (8,228 2015/16) = +3,314. Lowdham 57,236 (49,272) + 7,964. Thurgarton 2,470 (1,506) + 964. Bleasby 6,808 (5,938) + 870. Fiskerton 26,760 (20,302) + 6,458. Rolleston 5,532 (4,340) + 1,192. Newark Castle 752,394 (572,285) + 180,109. Total increase Carlton to Newark 211,105 or 4,139 per week. Some increase at Newark would be in the Lincoln direction, but it is impossible to say how many travelling in to Nottingham. The latest figures include 46 weeks of extra Saturday trains, but none of the extra Sunday trains which commenced in May 2017.
On Thursday, November 9 and December 14, 40 joined the 08.08 Matlock. Numbers on off-peak trains are increasing.
CARLTON & NETHERFIELD STATIONS
Carlton: Unfortunately we have had a spate of vandalism, with four windows in the waiting shelters being smashed in November and December. If you see anything suspicious, contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016.
Netherfield: I was talking to a person who worked in the booking (ticket) office in the late 1950s before the station was rebuilt in 1961. He said it was very busy, and when Nottingham Forest were playing at home they had 250 tickets ready date stamped to save time, with a big queue at the window. He did not like working there as rats as big as cats were on the railway lines eating the sugar beet which fell off wagons en-route to the sugar factory. They were too fat to climb over the rails! I have some 1940’s timetables showing direct trains to Melton Mowbray, Northampton, Shirebrook, Daybrook for example, with 48 trains calling on weekdays.
Housing development: A further 200 homes are now proposed for the Teal Close development. Much ‘in-fill’ housing is taking place within a quarter of a mile of both stations on Manor Road, Midland Road, Meadow Road, plus former banks on Victoria Road for possible conversion to apartments. More potential train users!
OTHER ITEMS
TIMETABLES: You can now create your own timetable at eastmidlandstrains.co.uk ‘Your routes, your dates, your times – in 2 minutes’
NEW BOOKLET: A booklet promoting ‘Station Adoption’ has been produced by EMT. I have copies available.
AIRPORT TRAIN INCREASE: East Midlands Airport is expanding with passenger numbers expected to increase from 4.7 million to 10 million per year, while trebling the cargo it handles to 1 million tonnes per year. Currently more than 7,000 employees and 90 businesses are located at the airport, so it is anxious to improve the services and routes which use East Midlands Parkway station. A full list of improvements included joint train and bus ticketed services to and from the airport, development of a regional rail hub with services connect-ing Derby, Leicester, Nottingham and Lincoln. The airport has pledged £2.5 million towards these improvements.
Lincoln Christmas Market 2017: This would have been the first year that daytime trains ran to Lincoln, but ironically the Market had to be cancelled on the Sunday due to expected heavy snowfall.
STEAM TRAIN EXPECTED: Hopefully we will have a steam special through Carlton in 2018.
BAN LIFTED: Network Rail has lifted the ban which prevented the train running to Lincoln 11.24 Saturdays Carlton to Leicester service. Apart from when Nottingham Forest are playing at home (Jan. 13th & 27th, Feb. 10th & Mar. 3rd), there should be room on this train at Carlton
NEW LINE: As you may have heard the government is looking at the possibility of re-opening some railway lines closed in the 1960’s. This should help the case for re-opening the line from Shirebrook to Ollerton
RAILCARD: Announced in the November Budget, a new railcard for 26-30 year olds, to be introduced this Spring.
FASTER TRAINS: Plans are being developed to adjust the overhead line equipment on the London St. Pancras line between London and Bedford so that line speeds can be upgraded from 100 to 125mph. Electrification between Bedford and Corby will be 125mph. This should result in reduced journey times for bi-mode trains from Nottingham etc.
FESTIVAL DATES: Newark Festival dates for 2018 have now been announced. The festival will be on Friday, June 15 to Sunday 17th
ANNIVERSARY: November 11th 2017 marked 10 years since the launch of East Midlands Trains services.
DERBY STATION REMODELLING
Major work will take place at Derby between July 22 and October 8 2018 to improve the track layout, which will remove a lot of congestion, plus resignalling. Cross Country trains between Nottingham and Birmingham/Cardiff will be diverted, and during August there will be no Nottingham to Derby services for part of the month with a shuttle from Nottingham to Long Eaton, and bus replacements. September will see work at the north end of the station. A full timetable of all the changes should be available shortly.
WHAT PEOPLE SAY
Waiting at Carlton station. “We only live in Colwick and we thought this was Netherfield station and there were’nt many trains stopped here.”
Showing a person just arrived on the 08.33 at Netherfield the route to British Car Auctions, the person asked, “Are you a tour guide?”.
Rogue landlords in Gedling borough have been put on notice by the Government who today announced (28) a raft of new measures to crackdown on overcrowding homes.
Housing Minister Alok Sharma has set out how, subject to parliamentary clearance, landlords renting properties in England occupied by 5 or more people, from 2 or more separate households will need to be licensed.
The move, affecting around 160,000 houses, will mean councils can take further action to crack down on unscrupulous landlords renting sub-standard and overcrowded homes.
Government has also set out details of criminal offences which will automatically ban someone from being a landlord. From April next year, someone convicted of offences such as burglary and stalking can be added to the database of rogue landlords and be barred from renting properties.
These latest measures build on government action to date to drive up safety and standards in the private rented sector. This includes bringing in fines of up to £30,000 for dodgy landlords, protections for tenants from revenge evictions and £12 million funding for councils to take enforcement action in hotspot areas.
Housing and Planning Minister Alok Sharma said: “Every tenant has a right to a safe, secure and decent home. But far too many are being exploited by unscrupulous landlords who profit from providing overcrowded, squalid and sometimes dangerous homes.
“Enough is enough and so I’m putting these rogue landlords on notice – shape up or ship out of the rental business.
“Through a raft of new powers we are giving councils the further tools they need to crack down these rogue landlords and kick them out of the business for good.”
The move will also benefit wider communities fed up with living near shoddily maintained properties without proper bins, dumped rubbish and anti social behaviour. Landlords will be held responsible for making sure the council’s rules on refuse and recycling are followed.
New rules will also come into force setting minimum size requirements for bedrooms in houses of multiple occupation to prevent overcrowding. As part of the licencing requirements, local councils will be able to make sure only rooms meeting the standard are used for sleeping.
